#also I guess Adam would be the chosen one?

[twilight-skies]

Yknow

There is a severe lack of Good Omens Star Wars AUs (jedi-aziraphale x sith-crowley)

[14thgalerie]

under pressure

• pairing: theodore nott x reader

• now playing: linger by the cranberries

• word count: 2.4k

• genre: angst

— an old piece that i never finished but i just wanted to post something because my account is so dead. i know exams work differently in hogwarts but for this one, let's just pretend that they do a semestral exam also.

“Theo?” You call from behind him, as you enter the common room where he sits in solitude. 

He makes no sound to acknowledge that he’s heard you, simply continuing to stare off into space. Long, slender fingers rhythmically tapping on his thighs.

Ignoring this, you make yourself comfortable on the nearest available seat, angling your body to face him. “You would not believe what I got for History of Magic!” You excitedly begin and with much enthusiasm, “But first you have to guess!”

Again, a silence greets you. This sparks concern in you since it was very unusual behaviour from him. But before you could ask, he emits a curious hum, still not looking directly at you. “What did you get?”

“You’re no fun.” You playfully jab at him, trying to lighten up the atmosphere. “Anyways! I got an Outstanding! Can you believe that?”

“It would’ve been hilarious if you hadn’t.” Is all he says in a deadpan, hollow voice. “What do you mean by that?” You prod.

“Imagine taking all of my time just for you to fail once again. I would have actually thrown myself off the pitch. ”

The muted glow of the scattered lamps and candles cast shadows on the walls, creating an ambiance that mirrors the strained emotions between you and Theo. The distant sound of chatter and laughter in the dorm rooms only served to accentuate the silence that ensued.

He sighs, “I am tired. Tired of your complaining, of your whines, of your stupidity over such a simple course. You are so excited over this when it isn’t something to be necessarily proud of. You know…” Theo trails off in an amused manner as if he has realised something funny.

“I find it funny how you are sitting all proud and excited about this one exam when in reality, it was all because of me. You wouldn’t have even gotten half of what you had if it weren't for me or with the help of the others. Leeching off of us like a goddamn parasite who hasn’t a mind of her own.”

Words fail you, unable to conjure up even a whisper in your shock. You stand up slowly, breathing out an unsteady exhale.

The words break on your skin like whips, cracking and splitting open still healing wounds. 

“I have never asked you for anything, need I remind you? You were the one who insisted on spending your oh so precious time teaching me. Time and time again, I reassured you that I could do it myself because I didn’t want you to waste it on me. Yet, it was always fine with you and you were adamant on doing it so don’t you dare put this on me now.” You grit out. “I have no idea as to why you are acting like a rabid dog, snapping at me unprovoked, but nothing will ever warrant that kind of behaviour. “ You shake your head sharply, glaring at him from underneath your eyebrow. 

You felt yourself becoming dizzy with panic and anxiety, confusion with the whole situation making it worse by the second. It was spreading so quickly and far into the recesses of your soul that you would fall to your knees if not for the support of the couch behind you.

Not willing to have him see you break down from his nonchalant words that were deliberately chosen to attack your deepest insecurities— unable to understand how it so easily came from the last person you expected it from. You quickly move towards the stairs, ignoring the weak call of your name. 

Tick, tock, tick, tock. 

Seconds—or was it minutes— slipped away since you have made the decision to lock yourself in your room. Leaving the room before everything gets worse. Surrounding yourself with a number of inked parchments that are filled with hundreds of thousands of words, none of which your brain registers. Despite your earnest desire to find solace with work, it was all futile as they were only mere words on paper that held no significance in comparison to what was brewing in your mind.

Instead, an incessant question pesters you. Was it really something to be so excited over? Lost in a silent deep rumination, accompanied only by the rhythmic flutter of an owl's wings as they flew past your open window and the rustling trees to occupy the silence. 

Tick, tock, tick, tock. 

The clock is still there to remind me of the hours that have passed— 3 and a quarter to be precise.

Perhaps you were being too over the top but you hadn’t meant to. The pure, unadulterated exhilaration overwhelmed you after Professor Binns called you aside after your last exam. It had become an accepted knowledge to you that History of Magic wasn’t necessarily your strongest suit. Enough so that it would’ve been perfectly fine for you to receive a less-than-average result.

To hear how exceptional you had done this time, possibly even greater than many of your classmates, your mind instinctively went to share your achievement with Theo. After all, he was the one who patiently dedicated hours guiding you in your review and it took precedence over his own. Assurances, that came off as more of arrogance, of how he would do just fine and that he could ace it even if he wore a blindfold.

Maybe that’s where it all went wrong. Could it have been the lack of sleep before? He does get a bit irritable with a lack of rest. You’ve seen it personally in the weeks that lead up to Quidditch games. The fatigue, in addition to the stress of the final exams before the holidays, must’ve steered him into that state. 

Despite feeling upset and somewhat finding fault within yourself, you couldn’t muster up the will to apologise first. While his behaviour tonight could have been explainable, for goodness’ sake, the way that he has gone about it was unwarranted— shouting and hurling the harshest words that he is capable of, at you. The person that rejected every offer, made by him, because you were scared to impose on his studying hours. Now he cannot even be happy at what you had worked so dedicatedly on with him?

After spending hours in the cold and dark room, doing nothing but ruminating on the argument, you realise that you refuse to allow his words to dampen your joy and excitement any more than they have already. Sitting up straight, you stretch your arms wide. Swiftly tidying the scattered papers and dried pens into an acceptable arrangement in your trunk before you settle down beneath your duvet cover. Giving up on the idea of getting any work done when your mind was elsewhere.

The both of you made plans to have a sleepover in your dorm room after your roommates announced that they would be spending the night elsewhere. However, it will be safe to say that the idea had crumbled into non-existence after the heated exchange of words between the two of you. 

As you lay there on your side, facing the stone wall with your back to the door, you couldn’t help but reflect on your argument. A hailing storm brewed in the furrows of your mind, unable to piece together what exactly you should do. The only thing you wanted was to hear his beating heart beneath you as you lay on his chest. But you knew that it wouldn’t be right for yourself to concede.

Of all the ways that you’ve imagined for him to react, what had truly occurred did not even appear in your mind. It left you tossing and turning in frustration and confusion, unable to fall asleep in peace. Only the warmth and lasting scent of his cologne on your duvet keep you calm— the realisation that you couldn’t even properly be mad at him makes you huff.

In the silent war within you, you were deaf to the aged door groaning in protest as its rusty hinges emitted a creaking sound that left the person behind it wincing. Nor did you hear the unusually gentle footsteps that followed.

So much so that even the shadows that lurked within the walls would have thought that the footsteps were a figment of their imagination. In the way that the presence hesitated outside of your room as if they were heavily contemplating.

It was only at the weighted dip of the bed behind you and the hesitant arm that crept around your waist that were you pulled from your trance. Yet, you bore no intent of recognition for him even as he had fully suited himself behind you with his chin tucked in the crook of your neck.

As his presence enveloped you, he began with a slight tremor in his voice. “Y/N…I-“

“I could write and speak a thousand sorry’s and reasons for why the words had so easily slipped from my lips, but they will never unspeak them from existence. I promised your mama that I will never let a speck of hurt flash across those eyes, and I will forever apologise to her for breaking that promise.” A shaky exhale lines the last few syllables. “I was so unnecessarily horrible and mean to you without meaning to. So consumed by this- this emotion that flooded me, something that I had lost control over.”

Every syllable was accompanied by a hesitant tone that left the words sounding shaky; nervous. Coupled with the drop of tears that lined your neck right where his head sat.

You listened, listening to his apology, but the wounds were still fresh. The echo of his sharp words runs deep beneath your skin, embedded into your bones, prickling with every second you are reminded of them. The sincerity in his voice clashed with the pain he had caused with his words, leaving you torn between the desire to understand and the reluctance to let go of the hurt.

“You really hurt my feelings, Theo.” If he wasn’t already drowning in misery, hearing his name fall from your lips after he worked many weeks to be called something else had him gasping for breath. “I genuinely want to forgive you, but at this moment, I can’t quite find it in me to do so. You blew up on me for absolutely no reason. I need you to help me understand, to give me a reason behind your outburst, not mere words of guilt. Because even if you say sorry a thousand times, I would never be able to forgive you for clearly attacking me where I would greatly feel it.

His voice, meek in the tense air between the two of you, unfolded with a raw honesty that lays bare his desperation for this to be over.

“The exhaustion from lack of sleep and finding that I barely got a passing grade…It was a bit too much for me. I have no idea why it even bothered me when, for so long, I could hardly give a damn about these stupid exams," he shared, sighing with exasperation.

A pang of guilt and shame flared within your chest at the knowledge. The initial shadow of hesitation and guilt that crept on you the days before came rushing back in. You should’ve known better than to allow him to persuade you. Turning around on the bed to face him. But before you could wallow yourself in these emotions, Theo quickly puts your mind to rest.

“Don’t blame yourself, darling.” He tenderly pushes a thumb against the forming frown on your forehead. “I should have told you that I needed to study also instead of leaving it to luck. I guess I was being a bit of a confident prick that got used to not reviewing for an exam that I fully forgot I missed a few lectures a few weeks ago. I truthfully never had and never will blame you, not when I had been the one, adamant enough, to help you out despite your protests.”

His admission carried a mix of self-awareness and remorse. The vulnerability that was clear in his words began to bridge the hesitance inside of you to relax, the layers of miscommunication slowly peeling away. 

You could sense the weight he carried. Despite his casual indifference to his studies, you knew that it was something that he silently prided himself in. To have that be ruined in addition to the cumulative stress that built up over time with his hectic schedule. Being reminded that even if he may seem so perfect on the surface, beneath that, he was still human; flawed, vulnerable, and young. Although the hurt had begun to shift, not fully dissipating yet, it had turned into a sense of empathy that allowed you a clarity of thinking.

A small, understanding hum escaped you. The strain in your voice is gone now, ”We need to work on our communication, then. No longer hiding things from each other for any reason, even if we think it does not matter. Part of our relationship is to work our problems side by side, even if it doesn’t concern the other. We shouldn’t have things fester until it explodes on us.” 

He nods, burying his head back into the crook of your neck. “I’m sorry. I should’ve told you.” You gently pull his head back and look at him fondly. “And we need to also address the way you spoke to me earlier. Just because we were in the heat of the moment and lost in our emotions does not mean you have the right to do that, not when my mom raised me without raising her voice.”

“I’m really sorry. Merlin…I can still see the look on your face and I don’t think I would ever forget and forgive myself for being the reason behind it”. “I won’t say I forgive you just yet, that’s a boundary crossed for me. We should’ve had this talk in the beginning but better now than never. Let’s take a pause for now, and resume this conversation with a clear head.” He met your gaze with a blend of appreciation and a sense of resolve. 

masterlist

[katakaluptastrophy]

You know how it goes: through some incredible circumstances, God and a young woman living under the shadow of an oppressive empire have a metaphysically unusual baby who grows up to be a general nuisance, won't stay dead, and sports a few additional holes...

It's the third Sunday of Advent and I'm a little concerned Bible studies for weird goth kids might be turning into a series... Let's talk about the Blessed Virgin Mary and Commander Awake Remembrance of These Valiant Dead Kia Hua Ko Te Pai Snap Back to Reality Oops There Goes Gravity.

Wake was probably never described as "gentle", "meek", or "mild", but there are a few similarities: distinctive outfits, snazzy shrines, commitment to putting down the mighty from their seats, and of course babies with great and terrible destinies niftily conceived without sex.

On the topic of conception, let's clear up a common, uh, misconception: the term "immaculate conception" does not refer to Mary becoming pregnant with Jesus. It's Mary's own conception.

Why are we talking about how Mary was conceived and what does this have to do with lesbian necromancers?

To answer that question, we have to go back further still, way before Mary's conception. Back to these guys and their unfortunate snack cravings:

Remember how last time we talked about the concept of being in a state of grace? Well, the Christian read on Adam and Eve is that a state of grace was, as it were, the factory setting for humanity. They were fully in tune with God, there was no sickness or death, there was no sin. Until, that is, the whole unfortunate business with the apple. The first sin. The world is fundamentally altered. Humanity is expelled from paradise, burdened with sin, death, disease, patriarchy, and work. Worse, this sinful human nature turns out to be sexually transmissible: every human being is born tainted by this "original sin" of Adam and Eve.

This is why Catholicism is so big on baptising babies: even if they're many years off being able to commit any sins themselves (a sin has to be something consciously chosen and understood), they're still contaminated by that original sin of Adam and Eve. Baptism is understood to erase original sin, wiping the slate clean.

Bear with me, we'll be back to necromancers soon I promise. Have a picture of Mary beating up the devil while an angel holds baby Jesus:

OK, but what does Adam and Eve's danger snack have to do with Mary's conception?

The "immaculate conception" refers to the idea that unlike every human being between Adam and Jesus, Mary was conceived without the contamination of original sin. The rationale for this is complex, but essentially boils down to something like the saving power of Jesus not being bound by piffling things like time and space and thus saving his mother before her own conception and allowing himself to also be conceived and born sinless.

But the important bit is that something specific about Mary means that she is uniquely able to be pregnant with Jesus.

You may be starting to guess where this is going...

Because while unconventional pregnancy seems to have been the plan from the get-go for Jesus, it was not with the artist formerly known as The Bomb:

“I had the baby,” said Wake. “The baby I’d had to incubate myself for nine long fucking months, when the foetal dummies these two gave me died.”

“Oh, God, it was yours,” said Augustine, in horror. “I thought you’d used in vitro on one of Mercy’s—”

“I said they all died,” said Wake. “The dummies died. The ova died. Only the sample was still active, no idea how considering it was twelve weeks after the fact, but I wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth.”

“So you used it on yourself,” said Augustine. “Anything for the revolution, eh, Wake?”

We have to assume the foetal dummies plan was hatched by Mercymorn, a brilliant scientist with a myriad of experience. If the problem encountered by Wake were as simple as Lyctoral infertility, I suspect Mercy would have spotted that long before.

But what do Wake and John have in common that Mercymorn or any of the other ova-having residents of the Mithraeum did not? They are both (to some extent at least) factory setting humans: unlike everyone else in the Dominicus system, they never died and were resurrected, nor are they the descendants people who were. John's abilities, while macabre, are not straightforwardly the necromancy otherwise practiced in the Houses. That necromancy is a direct result of one specific act of taking that resulted in the very nature of the world changing: a thanergetic system, inhabited by human beings who, necromancer or not, are fundamentally tainted by thanergy and by the after effects of that action of John's. You might call it a sin. An indelible sin. He does.

It's not an exact parallel, but necromancy certainly occupies a space not dissimilar to original sin: the result of a single action, tainting every descendant of its progenitors regardless of their actions of abilities.

And then enter Gideon, born in space away from the thanergetic energy of the Dominicus system to a mother lacking the 10,000 year intergenerational burden of the resurrection and necromancy. The child of Jod, born to die.

[mechaknight-98]

Rise Up (NSFW) FT Yoohyeon and Jiu

Author’s note: when I wrote Bon Voyage I had planned to make sequels but each one became so much different from Bon voyage that I eventually scrapped the entire idea and figured it would be best to leave it open ended, maybe give another writer something to go off of but I guess that was an impossible task.

to the anon who asked for this. I am deeply sorry. I was in a very different headspace and emotional state then when I wrote Bon Voyage however long ago. I hope this sequel is appreciated if not I apologize again, because I’m sure this isn’t what you probably expected.

Part I

“I knew it” Yoohyeon gloated.

“Yoohyeon I can… wait you knew,” Othello asked confused.

“I had my suspicion ever since I started developing psionic powers I figured it'd be a matter of time before you developed Magik. So when did it start, what are your powers.”

“I don't know I guess it started when…wait what did you say?”

Yoohyeon smiled before deciding to tease Othello a bit. “What are your powers and when did it start?”

“No before that right “After I had my suspicions” You mentioned something and I want to make sure I heard right.”

“Oh please Othello, it's no big deal. I have been developing psionic powers.” Yoohyeon teased. Othello was about to say something when his phone went off.

“Well continue this later,” Daigo affirmed as he pulled out of Yoohyeon's pleasant pussy.

“Oh, do you have something more important to do than me,” Yoohyeon teased as she began to play with herself. Yoohyeon knew she was playing dirty. Using the one thing she knew that almost always enticed him to stay. She hated that she had to exploit Othello’s hunger for physical affection in this way but she was starting to tire of how people treated him. She just wanted to cuddle him and give him all the love and affection he could ever need.

“Yoon you know you are the most important person in my life right now but Hanni asked for my advice and she said it was urgent,” Othello explained. Immediately Yoohyeon stopped and flew up to get ready. Now understanding that he was needed and not being forced.

“I'm coming with you,” she said seriously in big sister mode. Othello sighed, but Yoohyeon was having none of it. “Not only are we a couple Othello but I will remind you that Hanni was also trained by my mentor so I think I should be a part of whatever she needs from you.” She said defiantly standing her full height would have cut quite the imposing figure but all Othello could think about was bending her over and smacking her fat ass until she begged him to fuck her. His daydream was interrupted when Yoohyeon added,

“We are going to go together when we are done. We are going to come back home and finish what we started.” Othello’s shoulders fell as he relented

“Okay, but you are going to tell her that you were adamant to come since Hanni asked I come alone,” Othello explains. Yoohyeon smiles triumphantly before rushing to get dressed.

Despite her usual poise and grace Yoohyeon tripped in their bedroom and was caught in the nick of time by Othello.

Yoohyeon stood dressed in front of Othello having finished changing. Realizing she wasn't backing down he went to redo his bandages.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“Only you and Lorgar know and I intend to keep it that way,” Othello explained.

Yoohyeon scoffed “Oh you're so silly. Just follow my lead okay.”

Othello sighed “Okay sure.”

The couple arrived at the chosen cafe where Hanni was waiting. She grimaced when she saw Yoohyeon. She had hoped she would only be talking to her “older brother” as this was urgent.

“Why is she here?” Hanni asked as her voice dropped upon seeing Yoohyeon.

Yoohyeon smiled, “we are a packaged deal” she exclaimed proudly. Both Hanni and Othello cringed before they laughed together.

The trio sits down and Othello cuts straight to it.

“So Hanni what’s wrong?”

Hanni twiddles her fingers her eyes darting from Othello to Yoohyeon. She gulped.

“It’s okay Hanni just tell us what’s wrong you’re safe with us.” Yoohyeon consoled. Hanni took a a shakes breath, then one that was more relaxed.

“I am developing psionic powers,” she said. After she spoke she waited for gasps and shocked indignation. When she received niether she looked at an unsurprised Yoohyeon and Othello. She noticed their faces were concerned but unsurprised. She then looked down at Othello’s arms and noticed trails of witch marks running along them. Hanni’s eyes widened as she opened her mouth to speak but Othello covered her mouth before she could rev up.

“Let’s continue this back at Yoohyeon and I’s place. Does that work for you?” Othello asked and Hanni nodded.

11 minutes later the trio was in Yoohyeon and Othello’s shared residence Hanni shaking from the revelation she learned earlier.

Othello breaks the ice“You have witch marks. You can do magic and psionics.” He says, “Why tell me instead of your mentor or even Yoon?”

“With the tensions rising between the Circle and the empire I wanted to turn to the only Psionic user I trusted.” Hanni stammered

“You know I’m the most “by the book” codex bearer right” Othello retorted with raised eyebrows. Hanni rolled her eyes and countered with

“Yes, I hear legends about how your malicious compliance vexes the lore masters to no end,” Othello laughs.

“I’m still compliant though.”

“So are you gonna report me to the high witch coven?” Hanni challenges

“Hell no. I’m not a ward witch so I’m not bound by y’all’s policies and bylaws.” Hanni smiled gratefully as her instinct was proven.

“Yeah because he’d have to report me as well,” Yoohyeon said to Hanni as she showed Hanni her psionic mark. Hanni’s eyes widened as she saw the concentric circular rings that aligned between Yoohyeon’s shoulder blades at the base of her neck.

“Well now you have to report each other,” Othello teased. Hanni and Yoohyeon laughed as Othello sat on the couch.

“Oh be quiet Mr. I’m developing Magik and have been keeping it a secret.” Yoohyeon teased.

Othello smiled and Hanni finally remembered what she wanted to ask.

“Oh yeah so how long has that been a thing, and what are your powers,” Hanni said

Othello wiped his face. While funny Hanni’s enthusiasm and energy could be exhausting.

“Not sure yet haven’t used them,” Othello said to the surprise of both witches.

“Why not?” Hanni asked

“Because they work completely differently than psionics. So I’d have to readjust from bottom to top in terms of skill and ability.” Othello explained. The two girls smiled and then replied

“Well, how about you give us the basics of psionics and we give you the basics of magic,” Yoohyeon said happily. Othello considered for a moment then agreed.

“Okay.” Othello said but before he could dive into the lesson his “phone” went off

“Yeah, Lorgar?”

“Right now,”

“Oh yeah, I’ll come now.”

Hanni and Yoohyeon look confused at Othello until he says,

“Ventus and Terra have entered into a civil war. The guild is starting a discussion about it.” Orion explained.

As Orion, Yoohyeon, and Hanni made their way to the space guild meeting, the atmosphere buzzed with a mix of anticipation and unspoken tension. The path leading to the guild hall was lined with towering trees, their branches forming a natural canopy that dappled the sunlight onto the ground below. Yoohyeon walked briskly beside Orion, her expression focused, while Hanni trailed slightly behind, her mind preoccupied with thoughts of her burgeoning psionic powers.

As they approached the entrance to the guild hall, Orion spotted a familiar figure waiting near the doorway. Jiu, Yoohyeon's coven leader, and Orion's flirtatious older sister leaned casually against the wall, her arms crossed and a playful smile tugging at her lips. Her presence was both comforting and slightly unnerving, her keen eyes seeming to take in everything at once.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite little codex keeper," Jiu greeted, her voice warm yet teasing as Orion approached and she looked up at him. "It's been a while. Still keeping busy, I see?"Hanni and Yoohyeon smile at Jiu’s remark.

Orion nodded softly, trying to mask the weariness he felt deep within. "You know how it is, Jiu. There's always something that needs doing."

Jiu studied him for a moment, her gaze penetrating. She reached out and gently touched his arm, her expression softening. "You're looking a bit more worn out than usual, Orion. Are you getting enough rest?" Yoohyeon despite knowing that Orion only had eyes for her felt a pang of jealousy. Jiu and Orion always seemed to have this innate bond but they never really knew what to do with it. She also that Jiu and Orion had feelings for each other in the past and those might not have gone away as cleanly as they declared

Orion hesitated, his usual defenses crumbling under her scrutiny. "No I haven’t," he admitted feeling guilty, glancing away momentarily. He hesitated in adding "There's just been a lot on my mind."

Jiu's eyes narrowed slightly, concern etching her features. "You can't keep pushing yourself like this," she admonished, her voice laced with genuine care. "I know you've got a lot on your plate, but you need to take care of yourself too."Hanni found herself agreeing with Jiu. Orion had been on 4 expeditions in the last six weeks all of which ventured into the KO-35 region which stood on the precipice of a galactic war.

Orion nodded, appreciating her concern but unsure how to ease the burden weighing on his shoulders. "I'll try," he promised, though both of them knew it was easier said than done.

Sensing the deeper fatigue within him, Jiu leaned closer, her voice dropping to a softer tone. "Just remember, you're not alone, Orion. You've got people who care about you." to further cap her point she kissed his cheek and smiled lovingly at him.

Her words lingered in the air, offering a solace that Orion rarely allowed himself to accept. He gave her a small, grateful smile, knowing that she would always be there to support him, no matter what challenges lay ahead.

"Thanks, Jiu," he said, his voice sincere.

Before they could move on, Yoohyeon chimed in, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "You two are so cute," she teased, nudging Orion playfully. "Jiu, I swear you worry about him more than I do."

Jiu laughed, the sound light and musical. "Well, someone has to make sure he doesn’t work himself into the ground," she replied, a twinkle of amusement in her eyes.

Orion rolled his eyes, though he couldn't suppress a small smile. "I feel like I'm being ganged up on," he remarked, feigning exasperation.

Yoohyeon grinned. "Just admit it, you love the attention."

Orion put his hands up and clarified, I like being cared for, there is a difference,” Hanni said Yoohyeon both laughed rigorously.

Jiu joined in on the teasing, crossing her arms and giving Orion a mock-serious look. "Maybe we should just adopt him into the coven, Yoohyeon. That way, we can keep an even closer eye on him and give him all the care his little dark heart could want."

Orion shook his head, chuckling. "As tempting as that sounds, I think I'll pass."

With their playful banter easing some of the tension, the group headed into the guild hall, ready to face whatever awaited them within. As they walked in Jiu watched Orion and remembered the first time they met.

It was a sweltering summer day and Jiu stood outside practicing her Ward Witch magiks. The marketplace was bustling with activity, the air filled with the sounds of vendors calling out their wares and the chatter of shoppers haggling for the best deals. Orion, still a young and eager Codex Keeper apprentice at the time, navigated through the crowd with a determined focus, his mind was set on finding a new restaurant he hadn’t seen before.

He was so absorbed in his task that he barely noticed the commotion ahead until he nearly stumbled into it. A group of unruly teenagers was harassing a street performer, a girl a little bit older than Orion himself. Her jet black hair was unmistakable, cascading down her shoulders as she expertly juggled glowing orbs, her face a mask of concentration.

"Come on, show us something really impressive!" one of the teens jeered, grabbing at one of the orbs.

Orion felt a surge of righteous rage rises within him. He couldn't stand by and watch someone be bullied, especially someone with such obvious talent. Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward, his voice steady despite the nervousness he felt.

"Hey, leave her alone," he called out, trying to sound more confident than he felt. "She doesn't owe you anything."

The teens turned to look at him, sizing him up with a mix of disdain and amusement. Before they could respond, the girl with the jet-black hair caught the stolen orb with a flourish and flashed a defiant smile.

"Thanks for the assist, but I've got this," she said, her voice carrying a playful edge as she deftly maneuvered around the teens, her movements as fluid as water. In a swift motion, she sent the glowing orbs swirling around the group, creating a dazzling light show that mesmerized the onlookers.

Orion watched in awe as the bullies retreated, grumbling but outmatched. The girl caught the orbs effortlessly, letting them wink out one by one as the crowd erupted into applause.

"Nice trick," Orion said as she approached him, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Thanks," she replied, extending a hand. "I'm Jiu."

"Orion," he replied, shaking her hand, feeling an instant connection.

"You're pretty brave for stepping in like that," Jiu noted, a teasing lilt to her voice. "Not many people would."

Orion shrugged, a little embarrassed by the praise. "I just didn’t like seeing them push you around."

Jiu laughed, a bright, infectious sound that made him smile. "Well, I'm glad you did. How about a reward? Are you hungry?” Jiu asked. Orion nodded as he responded “Always” and Jiu smiled. “Let me show you around. I know all the best spots in town."

From that day on, Orion and Jiu were inseparable. She introduced him to the hidden gems of the city, and he helped her ward witch studies she was his first friend in the mega city planet and that meant something special to him. Jiu knew that in watching how he always took care of not only her but Jiu’s coven mates and Jiu’s teacher and her students. She felt a pang of sadness when Yoohyeon said she and Orion started dating because she thought they would be together but both Orion and Jiu made silent agreements to suppress their feelings for each other a long time ago.

As Jiu, Orion, Hanni, and Yoohyeon walked into the guild hall, the grand space was alive with energy and chatter. The room was filled with fellow guild members, their conversations creating a lively hum that echoed off the high ceilings and intricate woodwork. The sunlight streamed through the stained glass windows, casting colorful patterns on the floor.

Jiu led the way, her confident stride drawing attention from those they passed. Orion followed closely, his expression focused yet distracted. Hanni and Yoohyeon brought up the rear, their whispers punctuated by occasional giggles.

As they moved through the hall, Jiu’s eyes fell on Orion’s arm. The sleeves of his jacket had pulled back slightly, revealing the faint glow of his magic lines beneath his skin. She paused, her curiosity piqued by the intricate patterns she hadn’t noticed before.

"Orion," Jiu said, touching his shoulder lightly to get his attention. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

Orion nodded, glancing at Hanni and Yoohyeon. "Go ahead, I'll catch up in a bit," he said to them, reassuring them with a nod.

Jiu led him to a quieter corner of the hall, away from the bustling crowd. She turned to face him, her eyes focused on the glowing lines. "Um, what are these?” She asked calmly as she raised Orion’s jacket sleeves. Orion tried to hide them but it was too late Jiu saw them and demanded answers, “When did these develop?” She asked her voice held expectant.

Orion sighed and said,” After the Mohg incident.”

Jiu's eyes widened, and she responded, “So you did use flame arrows on him.”

Orion shrugged. Jiu gazed at his lines and felt a warm sense of familiarity in the images from them. Jiu reached out, her fingers hovering near his arm as if seeking permission. Orion nodded, and she gently traced the lines with her fingertips. The glow responded to her touch, sparking with a vibrant energy that surprised them both.

"Wow," Jiu breathed, captivated by the interaction. "It’s like they’re alive."

Orion chuckled, the warmth of her touch sending a strange comfort through him. "It feels like they have a mind of their own sometimes," he admitted, a soft smile playing on his lips.

Jiu looked up at him, her expression serious yet filled with wonder. "Do you know what they mean? What do they signify?"

Orion shook his head, a hint of frustration in his eyes. "Not entirely. I’ve been trying to figure it out, but it’s like solving a puzzle with missing pieces."

Jiu’s gaze softened, her empathy for him deepening. "Maybe we can figure it out together," she offered, her voice earnest.

Orion nodded, grateful for her support. "I’d like that."

Jiu turned back to Orion’s face, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Orion heard the hurt in Jiu’s voice and saw it reflected in her eyes, so he responded as softly as possible “Jiu I was scared. You know this is a big deal and not supposed to happen, plus you had enough on your plate with Mohg. I couldn’t add anything else to that,” while Jiu had admired Orion’s sense of Heroism she hated the burdens he took on because of them.

“Damn it Othello you should have told me. You can’t keep up all these heroics by yourself.” Jiu snapped. A surge of protectiveness and affection surged through her that she couldn’t suppress anymore.

“You’ve always sacrificed so much given so much of yourself to everyone else but never take care of yourself. When was your last off day? When was the last time you ate something that wasn’t rationed? The last time you wrote your poetry?” Jiu questioned as her voice broke. Her magic lines glow intensely. Orion grabs her and hugs her before saying,

“Jiu I’m doing my best.”

“That’s not good enough. Tonight I’m taking you off the planet to rest on Sentai VI because you need it.” Jiu demanded and Orion sighed.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to Minji” (jiu’s real name)

Minji met Othello’s gaze and they were not Jiu the coven leader of insomnia and powerful ward witch or Orion the infamous Codex keeper but Minji and Othello. Two souls facing the universe alone. They stood close as millions of emotions and tensions long buried deep came to the surface and they kissed. Minji felt her heart finally ease as it took the place it always belonged as did Orion’s but as quickly as the emotions came they vanished. Suppressed under mountains of logic and stoic duty. Minji sighed as spoke to Othello. After today I’m taking you on vacation if you need it. You should not be pushing yourself this hard.” She said firmly. Their hearts screamed out to deafened minds to embrace each other and run away from it all. But alas here we are.

Jiu’s stern face gazed into Orion’s softer one, “we’ll talk more tomorrow.” Jiu said before leaving. Orion’s head was left spinning.

The group entered the guild hall and separated into their respective factions. The meeting started and chaos ensued various ship captains made very known their fear and turmoil over the civil war as many prime members of the guild and federation leaders were from prime Terra and Ventus. The question was now would the federation and guild stay neutral? Also, the loss of the two biggest federation ports (albeit temporarily) meant massive hits to the commerce of the federation. Tensions were high among many except for a few key figures Jiu, Lorgar, Lady Sunshine, and Orion as they were from noncore planets. Lady Sunshine watched Orion sit in his chair. She watched as he processed things a thousand words at a time. She decided to throw him in the mix to see if he could solve their problems.

“Members of the council we have yet to consider outside perspectives especially those who may be well-versed in warfare.” Lady Sunshine said as the room went silent. Suddenly a thousand eyes or so were watching and waiting for Orion’s response.

Orion felt their gaze the room beginning to shrink around him as the walls closed in, and felt his rage intensifying. Why must he be the voice of reason for people who wouldn’t listen? He could rule over all of them now was his chance he had felled two warlords already and a tyrant. He could easily quell the cowardly federation. The galaxies were at constant war bickering like children. He could rule them all stop the bickering establish total peace all he needed was an army and a week.

To many Orion’s silence was maliciously obvious. His aura felt like an angered and tired God who was exhausted from saving people from a stream of endless catastrophes and disasters. Many could feel the cold and eldritch fury radiating off of him and waited with bated breath for him to rage. Jiu watched and her heart ached as she finally understood his burden.

As he tried to suppress his demands for conquest that raged within a voice rang out to him in his mind, it was Jiu she was calm as she spoke, “Breathe Othello. It will be okay.” Othello took a deep breath and his rage didn’t dissipate but became calm and focused.

“We establish that while this war wages we will be neutral but the federation ports will remain under federation control, and as long as no war is waged on them both planets may continue to utilize them, but all tax collections will be ceased.” Everyone remained silent impressed at the Eldorian’s calm demeanor and wizened proposal.

Leito stood up and said, “Absolutely, Codex Keeper Orion and I along with ward witches Jiu and Yoohyeon will lead an expedition to Terra and Ventus as a show of strength.”

Orion’s mind races as the council members all quickly agree to the plan. Save Lady Sunshine, Lorgar, or anyone who Jiu knew Orion.

Surprisingly Codex Keeper Leovold spoke out, “Keeper Leito. While I acknowledge the prowess and dedication shown by Keeper Orion. His fatigue is most concerning. He has completely 4 extremely harrowing expeditions in the last 6 weeks alone through KO-35 maybe it is time for a well-earned break for Codex Keeper Orion.”

Leito spoke with terror in his eyes and heart and not his pride. His parents were Ventus and Terran. He wanted to make sure they were safe and as much as Leito hated Orion. He knew Orion was the best bet to establish peace between the planets that would last.

“While your concerns are valid Keeper Leovold. Orion’s experience with war states demands he must be part of this mission along with his power.” Leito said, and a majority of the council who had heard the tales of him agreed. He was the only choice.

The meeting ended after that as the waves of concerns were washed away by a tsunami of fear and uncertainty.

After the meeting, Yoohyeon and Hanni ran to Orion and thanked him graciously for helping guide them, but Orion felt guilty as the weight of everything was getting to him. He could feel the burden pushing him into a corner and only known to him and Jiu there was an animal inside of Orion. One fueled by Conquest, Lust, and fury. If that wasn’t enough the kiss from earlier weighed heavily on his mind. Guilt gnawed at him as Yoohyeon kissed him relieved as did numerous other emotions. He decided to tell Yoohyeon what happened when they got back to their apartment.

When Othello finished his story Yoohyeon stood silent for 15 minutes staring at him unreadable. Othello’s worrying increased with each passing moment.

“Do you love her still,” Yoohyeon asked after a few more minutes.

“I don’t know. All I know is that I feel turmoil.” Orion replied and Yoohyeon finally saw Orion she saw the fatigue set in his features the gnawing rage festering like an infected wound but also she saw compassion and hope despite the encroaching darkness that threatened to engulf him. Rather than push him down further she said,

“Go to her then and just talk then tell me what happens between the two of you. You need to talk to each other about all of this.” Othello nodded and called Jiu and the two met at a library where Minji was studying new spells. She had reached a wall when Othello arrived. She looked up and smiled when he brought their mutual favorite snack to her.

“My hero,” she said smiling.

“Oh please none of that,”

“Why I thought you liked being the courageous hero who rises above all evil including the darkness in his heart,” Minji questioned.

Othello sighed as he rolled up his sleeves and sat next to Minji, “I don’t know each day I feel less and less heroic.”

Minji nodded before saying, “Well I think you handle yourself well. Especially with old magic raging through you,”

“Old Magic?”

“Yes, Old Magic. The fury of the gods and their kind lives and breathes through you. Can’t you feel it?”Minji asked.

“Um not that I know of,” Othello answered.

Minji smiled and said, “Tell me then what haunts you when you sleep at night?”

“The dragon tortoise in the shadows of my mind,” Orion answered unprompted. He looked at Minji whose magic lines were flowing magenta. She smiled before saying. As they drew closer Othello’s began to glow as well a complimentary teal. Their eyes locked as their powers mixed and suppressed emotion rose to the surface with rapacious expressions of affection.

Minji got from her chair and plunged into an intense kiss with Othello their hearts screaming jubilantly at the release as they kissed memories flowed between them as the old magic brought them closer. Minji saw the harsh training Othello faced under Lorgar and his father. She felt the scorching sun of his planet. She felt the long hours of study, while Othello felt Minji’s sadness and fear of rejection. He felt her years of training to become something only for them to be cast aside at first. Anger rises within both of them as their auras mix and mash their minds, and souls together in a soup of turgid emotions. Their kiss breaks and their eyes lock again before they come from their mutual high and duty takes precedence. They separate and get up as the auras mellow out. Before going back to studying.

In a dimly lit study, the air filled with the subtle scent of aged parchment and ink, Minji found herself standing close to Othello as they pored over an ancient codex. The faint glow of magical lines pulsed beneath Othello’s skin, a signature of his connection to the arcane. As Minji reached over to point out a passage, her fingers brushed lightly against his hand, causing their magic lines to momentarily spark and intertwine.

Startled, Minji drew back slightly, her eyes widening as she observed the phenomenon. "Othello," she said softly, awe and curiosity lacing her voice. "Look at that."

Othello glanced down at his hand, noticing the subtle dance of energy between them. His lines, normally a steady teal, shimmered as they wove seamlessly with Jiu’s fiery magenta. The colors merged into a vibrant purple, creating a harmonious display of their combined power. As the aurora danced above they wondered why then and what it meant.

"Wow," Othello murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. He was as captivated as Minji by the sight, the lines illuminating the space between them with a gentle glow.

Minji leaned closer, examining the intricate patterns their magic had formed. "I've never seen anything like this," she admitted, her tone a mix of wonder and disbelief. "It's as if our magic recognizes each other."

Othello nodded, feeling a strange sense of connection he hadn’t fully comprehended before. "It’s like they’re meant to work together," he said, the realization settling in with a mix of amazement and comfort.

Their proximity allowed Minji to notice the fatigue etched into Othello’s features more clearly. The glow of their magic highlighted the shadows under his eyes, a testament to his recent struggles, but she also saw jubilation and peace. It made her heart swell with joy.

"Othello," Minji said gently, her concern evident. "You’re carrying so much on your own. Maybe it’s time you let someone share that burden."

He met her gaze, seeing the sincerity and care reflected in her eyes. The magic lines between them pulsed again, a silent promise of strength and unity. "Maybe you’re right," he admitted, feeling the weight on his shoulders lighten ever so slightly.

He met her gaze, seeing the sincerity and care reflected in her eyes. The magic lines between them pulsed again, a silent promise of strength and unity. "Maybe you’re right," he admitted, feeling the weight on his shoulders lighten ever so slightly.

Minji smiled, a warmth spreading through her at the thought of supporting him in more ways than one. "We make a pretty good team," she said, her voice playful yet sincere.

Othello chuckled, nodding in agreement. "We always have the only reason it’s not more well-known is because Leito had a crush on you and wanted to woo you,”

Minji’s eyes narrowed as she realized that they had been orchestrated apart, and her heart became heavy.

As they returned their focus to the text, their hands still closed, the magic lines continued their silent dance silently weaving the hound and The Tiger together in the weave of fate. Eventually, both collapsed after reading spells and psionics for hours.

The next day Othello woke up and saw that Minji had a psionic symbol between her shoulders that mirrored his except hers except instead of a hellhound it was an exalted tiger. At this point, Othello was so unfazed that it didn’t matter. Realizing he needed to go back to his home with Yoohyeon. As he leaves he feels guilt for leaving Minji alone.

On arriving back Yoohyeon is not alone and is talking with Timothy. Yoohyeon smiles and hugs Othello she is surprised he smells like old books and smores. She expected him to smell like Minji and when he doesn’t it confuses her.

“Did you talk to Jiu?” She asked. Othello nodded and explained how he helped her study a spell on emotional understanding,” Yoohyeon laughed which Timothy mirrored.

“Jiu is always studying,” Timothy lamented, and both Yoohyeon and Othello nodded.

Two weeks later

The bright light from the high, narrow windows of Lorgar's study cast shadows across the room. Ancient tomes and scrolls lined the shelves, their worn spines testaments to centuries of accumulated wisdom. Orion stood at the doorway, hesitating for a moment before entering. Crossing this border made the last few weeks and the upcoming expedition very real and the stakes that came with it very high.

"Lorgar," Orion said, his voice steady but with an undercurrent of tension.

Lorgar looked up from the parchment he was studying, his eyes sharp and attentive. "Orion. Come in. What news do you bring?"

Orion approached, stopping at the large oak desk that separated them. "The expedition is set to depart later today. Leito has invited Codex Keepers Freyjar, Ayara, Leovold, Yuta, and Yato.

Lorgar chuckled knowingly as he remembered when all of them were training and all used to be friends but not work colleagues at best. He sighed lamenting the political nature of this title. He noticed Orion’s unease.

Lorgar leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers as he considered this. "Why does their presence concern you?"

Orion shifted his weight, the anxiety he tried to mask seeping through. "I don't trust their motives, especially when fear drives decisions. Leito's

Fear and desire to save his family pushes him to seek out “the strongest” but in some cases, they might not be the best ."

Lorgar nodded, his expression thoughtful. "And Yoohyeon? How is she handling this?"

Orion hesitated, then spoke with a mix of regret and relief. "Honestly fully unsure sir. I know she and the rest of her coven are coming but I couldn’t tell you her emotional state right now. We broke up. It was mutual, and we're still friends. But it feels strange not having her by my side like before."

The Loremaster studied Orion closely, noting the subtle changes in his demeanor. The energy around Orion seemed different—stronger, more vibrant. The magic lines beneath his skin pulsed with an intensity that was hard to ignore.

"Your magic," Lorgar remarked, his gaze narrowing. "It's grown stronger. And your psionics too. I can sense it. Have you been training?"

Orion shook his head. "In magic No I haven’t been training. I've just been spending time with Jiu, studying with her like we used to. It feels... natural."

Lorgar's expression shifted, a hint of concern clouding his eyes. "Jiu? Why does that name sound familiar?

“Oh yeah, Jiu is the witch's name for Minji we used to run around the city together,”

Lorgar’s concern grew he had separated the pair to stop a soul bond, but it seemed it was too late.

Orion met Lorgar's gaze, a mix of defiance and confusion in his eyes. "Anything else you want to talk about sir?"

Lorgar sighed, rising from his chair and pacing slowly. "Orion, the reason Lady Sunshine and I separated you two was not just for your safety but to protect you both from external manipulation. Your combined potential is immense, and in the wrong hands, it could be disastrous."

Orion remained silent, absorbing Lorgar's words. The weight of his mentor's concern settled heavily on him.

"I'll be cautious," Orion finally said, his tone resolute. "But I can't ignore the bond we have, especially when everything feels so uncertain."

Lorgar stopped, placing a reassuring hand on Orion's shoulder. "I trust your judgment, but remember the responsibility that comes with power. Keep me informed, and take care as you embark on this expedition."

Orion nodded, feeling a mixture of gratitude and determination. "I will, Lorgar. Thank you." After that, he walked away to get packed.

The communication crystal glowed faintly on Lorgar's desk, casting a soft light across the room. Lorgar took a deep breath before activating it, feeling the familiar tingle of magic as it connected him to Lady Sunshine across the stars.

Her image flickered into view, regal and serene despite the distance. Her eyes, sharp as ever, met his with a knowing gaze.

"Lorgar," she greeted, her voice warm yet with an undercurrent of wisdom. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

He hesitated briefly, then spoke, his tone tinged with concern. "It's about Othello and Minji. The bond between them... I can sense it growing stronger, beyond what we tried to prevent."

Lady Sunshine nodded as if she had anticipated this conversation. "I know. It's a bond forged by Old Magic, Lorgar. We can no longer stop it."

Lorgar frowned, the weight of her words settling heavily on him. "Old Magic? I suspected something unusual, but I didn't realize it ran so deep."

"Yes," Lady Sunshine confirmed, her expression softening. "From the moment they first laid eyes on each other, the magic recognized their connection. It wove their destinies together in ways even we couldn't foresee."

Lorgar leaned back in his chair, absorbing this revelation. "And there's nothing we can do to alter it?"

Lady Sunshine shook her head gently. "No. Old Magic is beyond our control, and it chose them for a reason. We can only guide them and ensure they understand the responsibility and power their bond brings."

He sighed, his initial resistance giving way to acceptance. "I see. I've noticed how their magic and psionics are amplifying, intertwining in ways that defy logic."

"Precisely," Lady Sunshine agreed. "And while it may be daunting, their union could bring balance to the chaos around us. They complement each other, tempering strengths and weaknesses."

Lorgar nodded slowly, the tension in his shoulders easing as he accepted the inevitable. "Then we must trust them to handle it wisely and provide the support they need."

"Exactly," Lady Sunshine replied, her confidence in the young duo evident. "Their bond is not something to fear but to nurture. With guidance, they will achieve great things."

The call ended with an understanding between the two mentors. Lorgar sat back, contemplating the future with a renewed sense of purpose and a touch of hope.

The spaceport buzzed with activity, stalls brimming with exotic goods, and the air filled with the scent of spices and freshly baked bread. Jiu, wandered through the bustling streets, taking in the vibrant sights and sounds. She was enjoying a rare moment of peace, away from the responsibilities and pressures of her position, which also meant she was hunting for a snack much like her favorite Codex Keeper.

As she paused to examine a stall displaying intricate jewelry, Codex Keeper Freyjar approached, his confident demeanor unmistakable. He had been persistent in his attempts to win her affections, despite her clear disinterest.

"Jiu," Freyjar greeted with a charming smile, stepping into her personal space. "I was hoping I'd run into you today. Perhaps you'd like to join me for a meal? I know a place with the finest cuisine. All the snacks can't be good for your weight."

Jiu hid her disdain by offering a polite smile. In the past, she would have tolerated Freyjar's disrespect for a free meal but she was past that, stepping back slightly to re-establish her boundaries. "Thank you, Freyjar, but I have other plans."

Freyjar's smile faltered, a hint of frustration crossing his features. "You always seem to have plans. Surely you can spare some time for a fellow Keeper."

Before Jiu could respond, Freyjar's tone shifted, becoming more insistent. "I've heard about your connection with that Keeper Orion, and how you two have been spending more time together. You could do better, you know."

Jiu's expression hardened as her patience wore thin. "My relationships are not your concern, Freyjar. Orion and I have always been close."

Freyjar's eyes darkened, his frustration turning to anger. He took a step closer, his voice lowering. "You deserve someone who can truly appreciate you, Jiu. Someone like me."

Before the situation could escalate further, Orion appeared, having noticed the exchange from a distance. He moved swiftly, positioning himself between Jiu and Freyjar.

"Is there a problem here?" Orion asked, his voice calm but firm, his presence radiating authority.

Freyjar sneered, his bravado faltering under Orion's gaze. Orion was no longer the timid and tepid Codex Keeper he was when he started this one was colder and more ready to take action when need be, "Just a friendly conversation, Orion. No need to interfere."

Orion met Freyjar's gaze evenly, his expression unyielding. "Ward witch Jiu has made her feelings clear. I suggest you respect her wishes."

Freyjar hesitated, glancing between Jiu and Orion. The power dynamic was palpable, and he could feel the weight of Orion's presence pressing down on him.

"Fine," Freyjar muttered, backing away with a forced smile. "No harm meant."

As Freyjar retreated, Othello turned to Minji, his expression softening. "Are you okay?"

Minji nodded gratitude in her eyes. "Thank you, Othello. I appreciate it."

He smiled, the tension in his posture easing. "Anytime. I won't let anyone trouble you."

They continued their stroll through the spaceport together, a silent understanding between them. Minji felt a sense of relief and safety with Othello by her side. On the way, Othello picked up bread for him and Minji to eat before reporting to the ship. Once there they went their separate ways. They saw more of each other here and there as they both helped the crew load up the Ship, and fell into old patterns.

Yoohyeon and Leovold also began helping inspired by Orion and Jiu's leadership skills. At times the crew came to Jiu and Orion for guidance with loading and preparations despite not being the captains themselves.

Time of Departure.

"Okay, room 810," Orion said as he opened the door. He had hoped to not be with Sua as his Ward witch for their sector, due to her more aggressive tendencies, and aura. As the door opened he was met by a familiar jet black hair. The box of Choco Pies he was carrying suddenly became lighter, as he smiled seeing Jiu.

"Why if it isn't my favorite little Codex Keeper? Jiu cooed." Orion smiled happy to be paired with her. As he sets the Choco Pies down Jiu squeals.

"I can't believe they let you bring these?" she said,"

"Well, I did make some sacrifices in terms of sleeping clothes but it was worth it as this is probably going to be a rough expedition," Orion says.

Jiu tilted her head confused and asked "Why?"

"Well call it a magic vision," Orion responded, and Jiu chuckled.

The first few days on the ship were quiet as they traveled. Jiu and Orion helped the crew but on the off time kept to themselves.

The other Ward Witches and Codex Keepers wondered what they could be doing. During this time Sua, Siyeon, Ayara, and Leovold were gossiping about what they could be doing.

In the bustling common area of the ship, Sua, Siyeon, Ayara, and Leovold gathered around a table laden with snacks and steaming cups of tea. The hum of activity around them created a lively backdrop for their conversation.

"I swear, I haven’t seen Jiu and Orion at any of the usual hangouts lately," Sua remarked, taking a sip of her tea. "It's like they’ve disappeared every time they're off duty."

Siyeon nodded, a mischievous grin playing on her lips. "Right? I heard they’ve been spending a lot of time together, just the two of them. Makes you wonder what they're up to."

Ayara leaned in, her curiosity piqued. "I saw them sneaking out of the library the other day, looking all mysterious. Maybe they’re working on some secret project or something."

Leovold chuckled, shaking his head. "Knowing Orion, it’s probably some intense study session. But who knows? They’ve always had that spark between them."

Sua raised an eyebrow, her tone playful. "You think it’s just about studying? I mean, come on. They’ve been practically inseparable since the last mission."

Siyeon joined in, her eyes twinkling with intrigue. "Exactly! I bet there's more going on. Maybe they’re planning something big or…"

Ayara leaned back, considering the possibilities. "Well, whatever it is, they seem focused. It's like they're in their little world when they're together."

Leovold sighed, feigning exasperation. "If only they’d share some of that genius with the rest of us. Or at least tell us what's so interesting that they keep ditching us."

The group erupted in laughter, the mystery surrounding Jiu and Orion adding a playful edge to their camaraderie.

"Let’s just hope they aren’t getting into trouble," Sua quipped, a wink in her voice.

Siyeon shrugged, a smirk on her face. "Or if they are, it’s the fun kind."

Leovold looked at them confused and asked, "What could you mean?"

Sua rolled her eyes and said, "Oh, I bet they are having wild sex. I mean have you seen how close they are at meals? Jiu for sure has that boy on a leash in more ways than one." Sua teased.

Leovold shook his head.

"Pious little Orion, and Patron saint of Motherhood Jiu, engaging in such Lewd acts impossible."

Ayara who sat close to Siyeon paused and said, "Maybe we can ask them tonight during dinner?"

Sua and Siyeon laughed as they nodded.

At this moment, Jiu and Orion were in the gym, practicing their abilities. Jiu was focusing on her psionics, while Orion was honing his magic. The scene mirrored one of their first training sessions back on the Prime Federation planet.

The training grounds were bathed in the soft glow of the setting sun, casting long shadows across the field. The air was filled with the sounds of distant chirping birds and the rhythmic clashing of practice weapons. Orion and Jiu stood opposite each other, their expressions focused yet friendly.

"Ready?" Jiu asked, a playful glint in her eyes as she prepared her stance.

"Always," Orion replied with a confident nod, raising his arms in preparation. Memories flowed between them as the scene shifted between the past and the present.

In the present, Jiu used her psionics to create a pillar of fire to absorb Orion's fire arrows. As they slung magic at each other, the scene transitioned to the past.

In the past, they began with Orion's psionics flaring to life. A shimmering aura enveloped him, fortifying his defenses. His focus was clear: to create impenetrable barriers and arm himself with unyielding strength. A translucent shield materialized before him, crackling with energy, and the ground beneath his feet hardened as if to anchor him in place.

Jiu watched with admiration, impressed by Orion's ability to fortify and protect. "You like your shields, don't you?" she teased, launching a spell of her own.

Her hands moved gracefully through the air, weaving intricate patterns that summoned a swirling vortex of colorful magic. The spell expanded rapidly, its brilliant hues reflecting her preference for big, expressive displays of power. Sparks danced around her, and the energy surged toward Orion with vibrant intensity.

Shifting back to the present, Orion created four lightning chains that Jiu used her psionic armament to absorb. She smiled and said, "I know all your tricks, magic man."

"Not all. I've been working on something secret you don't even know," Orion replied.

As he spoke, he combined his psionics and magic into his longsword, which he had crafted after defeating the dragon Bayle from its skeleton. He dodged Jiu's psionic fist before swinging his mighty blade. A ripple of magic and psionics arced off his blade and headed straight for her. Jiu watched the teal tide race toward her in awe. She always thought Orion would make a great ward witch, and to see her prediction proven amazed her.

Back in the past, Orion braced himself, his shield absorbing the impact of Jiu's spell. The ground beneath him remained firm, his fortification psionics holding strong. "And you never hold back, do you?" he countered with a grin, lowering his shield.

Jiu laughed, the sound light and carefree. "Why hold back when you can make a statement?"

Their training session continued as a harmonious blend of contrasting styles. Orion's fortification and armament psionics emphasized control and resilience, while Jiu's spells were a testament to her creativity and flair. They moved in sync, a testament to their years of friendship and understanding.

In the present, Jiu watched as, instead of being attacked by Orion's wave, the wave lifted her and spun her around in a dance of color. She smiled, realizing the attack was non-lethal.

"You like it?" Orion asked as he approached her as she was brought down.

"It can determine friend or foe. It annihilates foes but protects friends. I call it Masamune," Orion explained, and Jiu smiled.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm, golden glow over the field, they paused to catch their breath. Orion lowered his shield, the energy dissipating, and Jiu let her spell fade away, the colors lingering in the air like a fading rainbow.

Unbeknownst to them, Freyjar watched with a dulled fury.

"Orion can use magic, and Jiu can use psionics?" he mulled over. His anger flared. "No, I can use this to my advantage. I just have to get crafty." Freyjar thought to himself as he saw his favorite tool approaching.

"Hey Yoohyeon, long time no see," he said.

At dinner, a sweaty Orion and Jiu entered the mess hall to hoots and hollers from their friends and the crew.

"You two look messy. Were you having fun?" Sua asked.

"Um, Orion and I were training," Jiu explained, confused.

Sua and Siyeon sighed before leaving with Ayara and Leovold.

"That was so weird, huh?" Jiu said.

Orion nodded, replying, "Yeah, they seemed disappointed."

Yoohyeon and Leito arrived a few moments later.

"Oh, Orion and Jiu, just the two I wanted to see," Leito said happily.

Orion and Jiu looked up at the two.

"Oh, you two look so cute together," Jiu teased to Yoohyeon and Leito.

Yoohyeon and Leito blushed as they sat down.

"Jiu, stop, you're embarrassing them. What's up, Leito?"

"Um, well, we are entering the pirate territory and—" Before he could finish his sentence, the ship was hit by space warp harpoons.

"Dear Federation members, you are being boarded by the legendary pirate Gonti. Please do not resist or you will be killed. Unless your names are Orion the Pirate Slayer and Jiu the Fel-Handed. You will be killed." A voice announced as a group of pirates entered the mess hall. Jiu and Orion looked at each other before getting up. Jiu threw her hand up, and Arane weave swept up the four pirates. Orion took their stunners from them and activated his psionics.

"May my enemies' weapons fall before my feet and I claim victory," Orion said as runes surrounded his eyes, casting the spell Future Sight.

Jiu smiled as they began walking to the helm. Orion saw the first pirate coming around the corner in three... two... one. He shot the pirate with the stunner and stepped over the unconscious body before continuing his walk with Jiu.

Jiu shot the next pirate with a witch bolt, leaving another pirate suspended in her arcane weave. This pattern continued as they fought their way to the front, where Gonti awaited.

When they arrived, Jiu and Orion unleashed a combination psionic spell called Retrieval. They directed it at the pirate leader, and all of his crew were deposited back on their ship, unconscious.

The captain turned to the Ward Witch and Codex Keeper, surprised before the duo left without a word.

Back in their quarters, Jiu hopped into Orion's bed. She felt the Eldorian's heart speed up and smiled as she hugged him tight.

"what's going on you're more clingy than normal today?" Orion asked.

Jiu smiled and said, "What I can't want to be close to my best friend?" Jiu's tone held an unspoken desire that permeated the air between them.

"Okay, I'll bite," Orion said as he closed his book to face her. Jiu kissed his nose with a smile. He looked at her confused before kissing her back. The emotions and auras mix once more. However this time there were no obstacles to their hearts.

Jiu ripped off Orion's shirt. Her hands found purchase roaming his torso. Her hunger was no longer as she ripped open her top.

"Touch me Othello," Jiu said

"Okay Minji," Othello said as his hands ran over her body finding a home on her firm ass. As their auras clashed in their fervor kissed and stripped each other. When the gaze cleared they were both naked and their eyes locked. Othello lifted Minji and brought her down forcibly on his rod. Minji moaned she’s not tight per se but she is snug. He pussy’s viscous walls slosh over Orion’s walls as she sheathes him. Unable to control either of their bodies they both cum relentlessly. After their bodies calm down Minji lies next to Othello and says,

“Now we’re officially together.” Othello smiles and kisses her again.

While the couple consummated their relationship

Freyjar sat alone in his lair, the dim light from the holographic displays casting eerie shadows on his face. His eyes narrowed as he scrolled through information about Orion and Jiu, their recent activities and abilities prominently featured.

"Orion and Jiu," Freyjar muttered to himself, a cruel smile playing on his lips. "Powerful, skilled, and, most importantly, vulnerable."

He tapped a few commands on the console, bringing up a detailed map of their ship’s route. His gaze shifted to a list of potential targets and weaknesses he had compiled.

"Let’s see how they handle a little... pressure," he mused, his fingers hovering over a set of coordinates. "A well-timed attack could unsettle them. But first, I need a distraction."

Freyjar's mind raced with possibilities. He could use his influence to incite internal conflict among the crew, creating discord and confusion. He could also set up a series of traps or misinformation to mislead Orion and Jiu.

"Yes," he said, a satisfied grin spreading across his face. "I'll play on their fears and insecurities. And when they’re at their most vulnerable, I’ll strike."

He reached for a communicator, dialing a number with practiced ease. "It’s time to put the plan into action. Make sure the distractions are in place and the intel is accurate. We need them off balance and unprepared."

As he spoke, Freyjar’s eyes gleamed with malevolent intent. The pieces of his plan were falling into place, and he was eager to see the chaos that would ensue.

With the preparations underway, Freyjar leaned back in his chair, a satisfied chuckle escaping his lips. "Let the games begin."

Minji’s dream started normally. The afternoon sun cast a warm glow over the garden, where Minji and Othello sat on a stone bench, enjoying a rare moment of leisure. The gentle rustling of leaves in the breeze created a serene backdrop as they chatted and laughed, temporarily free from their duties.

Their conversation was interrupted by the sudden appearance of a mysterious figure. A witch with raven-black hair and piercing eyes approached them, her dark robes flowing like shadows in the wind. There was an air of mystery about her as if she had stepped out of a different time and place.

“Greetings, Minji and Othello,” the witch said, her voice smooth and enigmatic. “I am Morrigan, a seer. I have a message for you, a vision that concerns your future.”

Othello raised an eyebrow, exchanging a glance with Minji. They were both intrigued but wary. “What kind of vision?” he asked cautiously.

Morrigan’s eyes seemed to see beyond the present moment, gazing into some unseen realm. “I see an expedition, one that will test your bonds and challenge your strengths. Your union, whether of spirit or something more, will change the world in ways you cannot yet comprehend.”

Minji tilted her head, curiosity piqued. “Our union? What do you mean by that?”

The witch smiled cryptically. “Your paths are intertwined. Together, you have the power to alter destinies and forge a new future. But be wary, for such power can attract both allies and adversaries.”

Othello chuckled, attempting to lighten the mood. “Well, that’s quite a prophecy. But we’re just friends enjoying a day off.”

Morrigan’s expression softened, though her eyes remained intense. “Perhaps. But do not underestimate the strength of friendship and the power of shared goals.”

With that, Morrigan turned and disappeared as quickly as she had arrived, leaving Minji and Othello to ponder her words. A brief silence fell between them, broken only by the distant call of a bird.

Minji shrugged, brushing off the encounter. “That was… interesting. But I think she might be reading too much into things.”

Othello nodded in agreement, though the witch’s words lingered in his mind. “Yeah, probably just a vague prophecy. Still, it does make you think.”

They resumed their conversation, trying to recapture the light-heartedness of earlier. But despite their dismissal, the shadow of Morrigan’s vision lingered, hinting at the adventures and challenges that awaited them on the horizon.

The next day Minji woke up from the same nightmare she’d been having for the past week except she was wrapped in Othello’s arms her rapid shaking woke him up and groggily he summoned Abyssal Splitter (the longsword from earlier). Minji laughed watching this. She set his arms down and said,

“Don’t worry I just had a nightmare” Minji explained. Othello nodded and held Minji tight. She smiled feeling safe and comfortable in his embrace.

Nearing the end of the expedition. Orion and Jiu were feeling relaxed and relieved at how quiet it had been. The quiet couldn’t last though.

Their ship entered Ventus and Terran space where they received the following message.

“Dear federation this is Terra and Ventus. We have been informed that the bioweapons Jiu and Orion. We will not be intimidated and to show this we will blow up any ships that try to dock in our ports. So turn around, and leave the sector.”

The command room of the ship was tense, the air thick with the weight of recent threats. The captain replayed the message to everyone, they, had issued an ultimatum that left the crew on edge.

The ship’s captain, a seasoned veteran with a stern demeanor, sat at the head of the table, flanked by Jiu and Orion. The rest of the crew, the other codex keepers and ward witches, including Freyjar, Yoohyeon, and a few other key members, filled the seats around them.

“We can’t just ignore Terra and Ventus,” the captain said, drumming his fingers on the table. “They have the authority and the means to make our lives very difficult.”

Jiu leaned forward, her expression resolute. “We need to stand our ground. They’re trying to intimidate us, but we can’t let them bully us into submission.”

Orion nodded in agreement. “We’ve faced worse odds before. Together, we can handle whatever they throw at us.”

Freyjar cleared his throat, drawing the room’s attention. “There is one way to appease them and avoid further conflict,” he suggested, his tone careful but insidious. “We could turn in Jiu and Orion as a show of good faith.”

The room erupted into shocked murmurs and protests. Yoohyeon shot Freyjar a withering glare, while Orion and Jiu exchanged a glance of disbelief.

“Explain yourself, Freyjar,” the captain demanded, his voice cutting through the chaos.

Freyjar’s eyes gleamed with a mix of triumph and malice. “Jiu and Orion are hiding something significant. They can both use psionics and magic—a dangerous combination that Terra and Ventus would be very interested in.”

The revelation hit the crew like a thunderclap. Gasps of astonishment and disbelief echoed around the room. Some crew members exchanged worried glances, while others stared at Jiu and Orion in newfound fear.

Jiu remained calm, though her eyes burned with defiance. “Yes, we can use both. But that doesn’t make us a threat. We’ve been using our abilities to protect and serve this ship.”

Orion stepped forward, his presence commanding respect. “We’ve always been transparent with those who needed to know. Freyjar’s suggestion is a betrayal, pure and simple.”

The captain looked between Jiu and Orion, then at the rest of the crew. “We’re a team. We don’t turn on each other. Not now, not ever.”

Freyjar, sensing the room’s hostility, tried to backtrack. “I only meant to protect the crew—”

“By selling our friends out?” Yoohyeon interrupted, her voice sharp with indignation. “You’re the one putting us all in danger.”

The room descended into chaos once more, accusations flying and alliances being questioned. Amidst the uproar, Jiu and Orion stood firm, their bond and resolve unshaken by Freyjar’s treachery.

As the captain restored order, he made a decision. “We’ll deal with Terra and Ventus on our terms. And we’ll do it together. Anyone who can’t support that is free to leave this ship.”

No one left, “now Jiu and Orion what do we do now?” The captain asked deferring to the ward witch and her Codex Keeper.

“We finish the mission,” Orion and Jiu said at the same time.

“But how?” Leito said worriedly.

“Jiu and I will use our powers to make a barrier around the ship and fly us into safety you all will have to negotiate.”

Leito Yoohyeon Sua, and Leovold nod. The meeting is fully adjourned and Orion finds Freyjar.

“Why would you do this?”

Freyjar looks startled “Why would I do what Orion?”

“Why would you suggest Jiu and I turn ourselves in you know how the core planets don’t like us.”

“Well, I figured it was the best course of action since you both are so virtuous and figured you would do the right thing.”

“I can’t believe you Freyjar after all this time you haven’t learned anything,” Orion spoke annoyed and tired before leaving. Freyjar felt victorious because no matter what happened they were going to either be excommunicated or executed leaving the power line straight for him.

The night Before flying into The no-fly zone Orion and Jiu found themselves alone.

Othello and Minji stared at each other for some time before Minji said, “You and I us against the world again.” Othello laughed before saying

“As if destined by fate.”

“You know when I met you after you graduated you looked so different I couldn’t recognize you. The scar across your nose the halo around your temple. It all gave off holy warrior of God and less Codex keeper.” Minji explained

“I wasn’t better either especially since you were with Freyjar at the time. The long hair and the dark vibe were very different from the Minji I met all those years ago.”

“Yeah it went something like”

The library was a haven of silence, its towering shelves filled with dusty tomes and ancient scrolls. Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, casting patterns on the worn wooden floors. Minji sat across from Othello at a large oak table, her fingers drumming lightly on the open book before her.

Othello was deeply engrossed in his reading, his eyes scanning the pages with intense focus. Minji, on the other hand, was struggling to maintain her concentration. She sighed, closing her book with a soft thud.

“Othello,” Minji whispered, trying not to disturb the library’s serene atmosphere. “I’m getting bored. Let’s go get food.”

Othello looked up, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He could never resist Minji’s playful charm. “Alright,” he agreed, marking his place before closing his book. “But only if you promise we’ll come back and finish studying later.”

Minji grinned, already gathering her things. “Deal!”

They left the library, stepping out into the bustling streets. The city was alive with activity, vendors calling out to passersby, and the air filled with the scent of street food. As they wandered in search of a meal, their easy laughter echoed through the alleyways.

Their journey took an unexpected turn when they stumbled upon a suspicious scene: a group of men loading unconscious figures into the back of a van. Minji and Othello exchanged a glance, their instincts kicking in.

“We can’t just ignore this,” Othello said, his voice low but resolute.

Minji nodded, her expression serious. “Let’s stop them.”

Together, they sprang into action. Minji summoned a swirling mass of magic, her power crackling with intensity. Othello activated his psionics, a shimmering aura enveloping him as he moved. Their combined abilities created a force of immense power, ripping through the alley with explosive energy.

In the chaos, the traffickers were subdued, but the destruction was immense. The building around them trembled and collapsed, reduced to rubble in the aftermath of their intervention.

As the dust settled, their mentors arrived, faces etched with disbelief and disapproval. The reprimand was swift and stern, their mentors’ voices echoing in the ruins of what had once been an apartment complex.

“You acted recklessly,” Lady Sunshine, Minji’s mentor, scolded, her tone sharp with disappointment. “The damage you’ve caused is unacceptable.”

Lorgar, Othello’s mentor, nodded in agreement. “You need to understand the consequences of wielding such power.”

Othello defended himself by saying, “They were trafficking people I couldn’t stand idly by.”

“Dammit Othello. You can’t go around stopping every bad thing someone does.”

Othello’s opinion of Lorgar and the world changed with that statement. He walked over to Minji afterward and Lady Sunshine stood in front of him.

“You foolish child. You could have killed all these people in pursuit of some Childish heroics.”

Her words struck a nerve and Othello responded,

“Well maybe if people did their job I wouldn’t have to play the hero. Maybe if you weren’t all so afraid these people wouldn’t exist,” Lady Sunshine shot a spell at the petulant child only to react in surprise when it bounced off. Lady Sunshine’s eyes narrowed as she stared at the defiant boy. Before saying,

“Come Minji we have better things to be doing than staying with this riff-raff”

Minji and Othello exchanged a guilty look, realizing the severity of their actions. Though they had stopped the traffickers, the cost had been too high, and that was the last time they saw each other for almost four years until one and a half years ago, but now no artificial machinations would separate the lovers again.

Minji smiled and then kissed. Then kissed him again.

“Babe I need you,” Minji said before taking off her top. Her petite breasts were white in the present moonlight. Minji smiled as Othello took one into his mouth as she ground on his crotch.

She worked to undo both of their pants while Othello kissed and sucked on her upper body. Leaving Minji breathless and aroused.

When both were properly disrobed Minji sat on Othello’s lap before beginning to ride him. Her snug walls happily embraced his rod as Othello began to chant Minji’s name. Minji moaned happily as she took him in and out of her. The couple caught up in their pleasure didn’t keep track of their impending release until it was too late, and as both came violently in the other a wave of contentment washed over them. They lay in bed as their contentment led both to a peaceful rest.

I can tell you that their plan worked and it was a huge feat of magical and psionic prowess. I could tell you that their auras were so massive and so impressive that watching them achieve another impressive feat of protecting a voyager ship from space rail fire and atomic weapons was amazing and awe-inspiring but you’ve seen and read about how much stronger they are than everyone else. So I’m going to end on their actual last impressive feat.

When the ship arrived back in Oretia (the prime Federation planet) the couple were called into an impeachment. Their powers had been deemed too dangerous and so they must be split up again. When challenged by others Codex Orion and Ward Witch Jiu warped themselves to Paradiso. Normally this would take at least 5 of both but as I previously stated they were just that powerful. That strong and much better than their contemporaries. When they were found weeks later they had three words for their respective orders.

“We are retired” Lorgar, Lady Sunshine, Yoohyeon, Leito. Smiled at them as they sat on the beach living in peace finally able to enjoy the food they wanted when they wanted. They even invited their friends and family over for dinner, while watching the sunset.

[louthesawgirl]

What each Saw character would get as a Tesco meal deal (scientifically accurate)

Hello everyone, I decided as my debut long Saw shitpost, I thought I would decide what meal deals different Saw characters would opt for if they stumbled into a Tesco and were a bit peckish after setting up a few traps.

If you’re not from the U.K. or Ireland and are not familiar with the British & Irish institutions of a meal deal, it’s basically a packaged sandwich, pasta pot, salad, bit of sushi maybe alongside a snack item and a drink for a fixed price (it used to be around £3/ €4 but the shops are taking the piss now). Meal deals are considered a treasured institution here and are an indication of your personality. People judge your character based on what you get between two slices of cheap bread.

Here’s what different Saw characters would get for a Tesco meal deal:

Adam (Faulkner) Stanheight

1. Southern fried chicken chipotle mayo sub

2. Doritos cheese flavour

3. Vimto still drink

Judging on how we know Adam is quite an unorganised adult struggling to adult most days, I would assume he opts for high energy foods to keep his tastebuds happy. Cheese, spiced chicken and fruity drinks seem up his street. Plus, Vimto is a very Mancunian thing and if Saw was set in the U.K., there’s no way Adam would not be from Manchester.

Dr Lawrence (Larry) Gordon

1. Eat Your Greens Feta Salad

2. Apple & Grape snack pot

3. Chilled Iced Latte

I feel like because Larry is a doctor, he prioritises convenience but also eats healthily. I also imagine him to be meat free/ vegetarian so that explains the feta & greens salad (I don’t think he’d be vegan though, he seems like he loves proper cheese too much). Larry seems like he’d always be carrying breath mints or tictacs to minimise the cheese or coffee breath- nobody needs a waft of that when being told they’ve got 6 months left to live.

Amanda Young

1. BLT sandwich

2. Walkers Thai Sweet Chilli Sensations Crisps

3. Monster Energy drink (chosen based on packaging colours to match mood)

Amanda is a busy lady planning traps and building contraptions designed to almost certainly kill people. She seems like she enjoys a bit of spice along with classic comfort combinations.

John Kramer

- Chicken & bacon sandwich

- Egg snack pot

- Green smoothie

John seems like he’s mindful of what he puts into his body considering he’s consistently a salt & vinegar crisp away from death with the cancer and all. He’s also a very smart man so he would know the best value for money combination with a meal deal is getting an overpriced fruit smoothie for a drink.

Mark Hoffman

- All Day Breakfast sandwich (triple)

- Walkers Max Salt & Vinegar crisps

- Red Bull

Mark seems like he can’t get enough of bacon & sausage, even though it’s cold and not exactly very fresh. Maybe he’d even have a bit of HP brown sauce with it. Mark would also probably make immature jibes towards vegans and vegetarians because he’s that kind of man. Considering Mark works overtime setting up traps and evading capture, all he’d be drinking by the events of Saw 7 would be energy drinks.

Jill Tuck

- Egg & Cress sandwich

- Arla strawberry protein yogurt

- Bottle of water

Jill is a bit… bland. I’m sorry but I just have to say it. Egg & cress perfectly summarises Jill’s personality as seen in movies 4-7 between two pieces of bread.

Peter Strahm

- Deli style cheese & pickle sandwich

- Smoked salmon sushi pack

- Pepsi Max

Strahm made some good decisions, some regrettable ones and one very very dumb decision during his time in the Saw universe. Just like his track record with making poor decisions, I’d guess Peter would get some supermarket sushi as a snack with his meal deal- not very fresh nor authentic and will leave you wondering why you couldn’t have got a pack of reliable crisps or a chocolate bar instead.

Lindsey Perez

- Feta & sundried tomato pasta

- Propercorn sweet & salty popcorn

- Fanta orange

Perez is a great character and so she would get a meal deal to reflect that. Why do I also imagine Lindsey being veggie?

Eric Matthews

- Meatball marinara sub

- Walkers Monster Munch Pickled Onion crisps

- Red Bull

I feel like this choice accurately reflects Eric. It’s a combination that’s maybe reflective of an immature palette, maybe even a sort of guilty pleasure combination. I wonder if he’d put the monster munch hands (or feet) on his fingers and eat them like that.

Hope you enjoyed my incredibly British saw shitpost x

[mxlissaliss]

Happy Mother's Day ft. Hades, Poseidon and Adam (RoR)

Notes: Just some headcanons of your sweet self choosing thoughtful gifts for your momma with the company of your dad, yippee. A bit too long, perhaps.

• That's it, and Happy Mother's Day y'all!

☠️ Hades

-These kinds of events were considerably insignificant for the Gods. They were immortal beings that have existed for eons, entire lifetimes of knowledge and infinite experience.

- Not for Hades, though, because both he and Persephone were so in love with you the moment you were born that, all of a sudden, counting the days started to make sense.

- Every year for Mother's Day, both you and Hades would work together to get Persephone a ton of presents that you knew she'd love.

- However, this year things went a little differently.

- There you were, walking through your private garden, meticulously picking different flowers for a beautiful bouquet you wanted to make for her, going through each one to examine it carefully. Your fingers inspected the petals, their texture, their color, how they smelled… Oh, and that was just a little detail. A servant behind you was carrying at least six bags filled with jewelry, perfumes, sweets and even more flowery gifts for you angel of a mother!

- And guess what, out of all those presents, your father had only chosen two. The rest of the contents inside those bags remained a mystery to him because an emergency meeting delayed his arrival to the shopping spree, and you already had those bags when he made an appearance.

- Speaking of your father, he was standing a few meters away from you, observing from afar. To say that he was shocked would have been an understatement.

- He was FLABBERGASTED because how in all of Helheim did you manage to outthink him when it came to choosing gifts? And for his beloved wife, no less?! Nonsense! He married Persephone eons ago and knew her better than anyone else, he was absolutely sure! So, uh…

- How the hell did you think of all those other gifts?

- Alright, you were as witty and thoughtful as him, that much he knew. His chest would swell with a warm feeling of pride whenever you managed to beat him at a chess game, or hold a discussion about usually difficult-to-talk-about subjects without stuttering at all.

- He also knew that you guys had similar taste for an awful lot of things, such as music, art, colors, decoration, literature, history, and so on. But even so, how could you possibly think so quickly about this huge amount of things for your mother when he couldn't?

- Wait, no, he was not going to act like a competitive idiot with his daughter. After all, he had promised Persephone last night to take her out for a fancy dinner, then an intimate walk through Helheim and, lastly, some fun time alone in their bedchambers.

- Still! Did you get the advantage because he was too focused on his endless workload that he somehow neglected a part of this special day for his beloved? Or was he finally getting old and doomed to be beat from now on by his own youngling?

- Oh, the sheer horror…

“Papaaa, is someone home?” You waved your hand before his eyes with a raised eyebrow, not knowing why your father seemed so out of it for a moment there. That was uncharacteristic of him.

Hades blinked a couple of times and sighed heavily, before cracking his serious expression with a proud smirk that made you smile, “It seems that you have surpassed your old man this year with the presents. Good to see, my child.”

You stared at him for a minute or two, before waving a dismissive hand with slightly colored cheeks, “Oh, no, none of that. You just wrote down the list of gifts for this year and left it unattended on your desk. Cerberus brought it to me last night thinking that it was a list of chores, and I came to realize after reading it that most of your ideas were the same as my own. Crazy, isn't it?”

- Oh, so that was it. He had to laugh loudly at that because it was so simple it became a joke.

- By the time you made it home, Persephone barely had a chance to speak before you jumped straight into her arms, grinning widely.

- Hades followed behind, handing her half of the gifts while you gave her the other half.

- In the end, the majority of the gifts you chose were the same ones he wanted to buy first, which earned you a hearty laugh and some head pats.

- Cerberus, of course, also received his well-deserved snuggles and belly rubs. What a good hellhound.

- While your mother opened her presents in delight, you recalled your father's words earlier today on the way home.

“It seems that we had the same ideas, huh? Well, let's just say that it all came from your wallet this year… Next time, though, it will be my treat.”

🌊 Poseidon

- Mother's Day? Gifts? Dinner date? What the heck were you even saying?

- Your father was known for a lot of things, but if you ever had to list the most important ones, you'd go with: first of all, a very busy man; second, a serious, powerful deity that rules his domain with an iron fist. Never doubts, never stutters and won't ever stand for any kind of bullshit; and third, an a*hole.

- You loved him, you really did, and you knew it was mutual. Out of all his offspring, you were the only one that he openly cared for (Triton also made it into that list, but not nearly as close as you).

- You also knew that he loved Amphitrite despite his apparent inability to show it. It was difficult to understand until you reached a more mature age, but even so, you couldn't help but wonder why out of all his brothers, your father was the worst when it came to being affectionate.

- This God could be so stubborn and irrational sometimes, he immediately declined all the offers you did without time for explanations.

- Nevertheless, all you had to do was use your ridiculously adorable and convincing puppy-dog-eyes to get him to go shopping for gifts with you a day before the occasion.

- The things is, presents have become an almost insignificant thing for your father, and you couldn't blame him for it, in a way.

- Wealthy like no other, feared and respected by every single deity out there, it was tacit that anything and everything would get straight into his hands should he ever ask for it. So… Choosing gifts for Amphitrite was not easy because it probably didn't even cross his mind. He could get her anything she wanted, whenever she wanted, so what was the point of doing it for a specific day?

- On your side, you had very good ideas and got a rather large selection of gifts for your beloved mother. She wasn't all that complicated to please, really. Handmade details and useful presents were her favorite, and you already had those prepared months back in your chambers.

- But your father was having a rather… Difficult time with this entire ordeal. You could say it was almost comical to see him glaring at a necklace made of blue pearls, as if it would burn from his gaze alone.

- Though, more than disgust or contempt, it was a look of condescension.

“Papa,” you approached him with a little smile, trying not to laugh at his expression, “I can tell you're having a hard time choosing something for mom… Need any help?”

- No response, he simply scoffed and turned around, leaving you alone with the servants at the boutique.

- Whatever, you kind of expected a reaction of sorts so you just shrugged it off and continued to look around for more presents. Your mother deserved to be spoiled, and everything was going as planned.

- Except for one little surprise you definitely did not foresee for the night; your father, sitting at his desk with a painfully focused expression as he inserted a new pearl in the thin, delicate and almost invisible silk threads. The gems gleamed with a soft blue light, but they also had this purple tone to them that turned pink at a certain angle. It was so beautiful…

- Wait, was he making a necklace? Ooooh, so that was it. He was glaring at the jewelry earlier today because he thought he could do better than that. Typical move from your tyrant of a father.

- But what made for a truly heartwarming sight was the tiny hint of a smile on his otherwise stoic face when he finished the necklet and held it up against the moonlight that entered through the skylight, and how he made sure to set it down gently inside a small gift-box that he grabbed from a drawer.

- Once again, you simply smiled and quietly leaned against the doorframe, not making a sound as to not disrupt his little moment.

- You immediately knew that your mother was going to be elated to receive a handmade gift from her usually cold husband.

- … Well, even if you knew that he was most likely going to deny the love allegations and hide it all behind a predictable “doing it out of pride and not because he knew that his wife liked handcrafted details” bullshit argument.

- The gift was what mattered, anyways!

🍃 Adam

- Quite the opposite from the other two, your father was even more excited than you at the prospect of Mother's Day.

- He loved Eve so dearly that any excuse to spoil her rotten with riches and gifts was valid. And you thought the same, because your sweet mother deserved it.

- However, Adam always ended up making it feel like a competition, which wouldn’t have been so bad if it weren't for the fact that he's always loved to rub it on your face every time he felt like he won.

- But this year? You wouldn’t let it happen again. You had enough!

- You grabbed your bag, your absurdly long list titled “present ideas for mama Eve A.K.A. Best Mama Ever” and headed out.

- … Welp.

- Time skip to six hours later, you had practically run through almost every single store your could find, and always came out with at least two items.

- Purse? Empty. List? Overdone. Brain? Fried? Blood circulation? Cut short because of all the heavy bags you were carrying. What's it called? Yeah, a successful shopping trip.

- Life was all sparkles, birds chirping and smiles, until…

“What?! You did not just get all of that for your mother!” That was your father's voice, and much to your utter surprise, he was holding lesser amount of items in his own arms (barely two or three bags less than you, actually).

“Papa! Do you need help carrying th-“ you paused, taking a few seconds to process the sight in front of you before an almost wicked smirk formed on your face. “Hah! I win, you old man! Time is up and I got mama the most things!”

- Adam was visibly irked by your mockery, but you were right, time was up because Eve was probably home waiting for the two of you, and taking extra time to get her more stuff would only allow you to go home to her faster. Crap.

- … You guessed right again. A race, which ended up in a tie after you both slammed the front doors open at the same time and with the same intensity (insanity).

“Mama!”

“My love!”

- At the sound of your voices, Eve came downstairs immediately. She was getting ready to go out after Cain and Abel suggested to go out for dinner, to celebrate the special day as a family.

- And oh, how beautiful she looked with her long, blonde hair styled up with soft curls, wearing a mesmerizing emerald green dress, and her angelic smile that always managed to outshine the sun itself.

- Your mother was the most beautiful woman in the universe, and both you and your father sighed contently at the sight of her.

“You are finally home! I was starting to get worried wh- ah!” Before Eve could continue, you shoved a flower bouquet in her arms while Adam quickly stood behind his wife, holding up her hair momentarily to put on a beautiful necklace with a leaf charm on her snow-white neck.

- Just like that, twenty more minutes passed, with you and your father practically burying your mom under her gifts one by one, until she had to laugh at the absurdity of it all. The two of you looked so comically concentrated on the gifts that all Eve could was grin warmly while being showered with your gentle (not really) affections.

- The sound of her laugh was enough to snap you out of your little trance, and seeing Eve so happy, overwhelmed with joy, you two finally toned it down a bit.

- In the end, you looked up at your dad and laughed in sync, not caring anymore about your silly little competition. At least, not for the time being. All that mattered was that your mother was happy and ready to enjoy a fancy meal and some quality time in family.

- Next year, though, you were definitely going to crush that old man of yours.

[stairain]

All Aboard.

When you meet a handsome stranger on the train home, he's adamant from the moment your gazes lock that he’ll get a taste of you. 

Warnings: Soft Dom Spencer, female oral, cunnilingus, pussy eating, however you want to say it. If you search up images of “luxury sleeper train” you'll see my vision.  

WC: 3.4K

Traveling by train was one of the most popular methods of transportation, and luckily for you, you found the tight confines of small rows and the insistent vibration of the tracks beneath you quite charming.

Walking slowly through the dimmed lounge area, you spotted a well dressed man sitting by himself, reading a newspaper. With a smile, you walk over to him and run your fingers over the cushion of the couch he was sitting on.

“Mind if I take a seat?” You say.

The man sets his newspaper aside, giving you a polite nod of his head as he seems to look you up and down.

“Not at all,” He replies. “Please, have a seat.”

He seems friendly, but you can’t help but feel that there is perhaps something a little more to him than meets the eye. 

A flirtatious smile crosses your face at his kind words, and you take your time settling into the seat across from him. He picks up the newspaper, but his eyes don’t seem to dance across the pages like they used to, no, he was focused on you. 

You cross your leg over the other, your smooth skin peeking out from the slit of dress you wore. Waiting to see who would break the tension first, you don’t break your gaze from him. 

He notices your mischievous smile, and can’t help but smile back. He also can’t help but notice your legs, and makes no effort to hide his admiration of them. You feel a tingle of excitement as you catch him looking at your thighs, and part of you wishes you’d chosen a skirt that showed them off more.

Despite the length of your dress, he certainly does like what he sees. 

Leaning forward a bit and resting your hands in your lap, you look at him with a curious glint in your eyes.

“So, are you traveling for business, or for pleasure?”

An innocent question on the surface, but he knew better than that. You weren’t here to make small talk.

“You can call it business,” He replies, with a smirk that tells you he knows exactly what you’re up to.

As he leans back in his seat, he gives you another thorough look up and down, eyes dragging up your body and taking in every detail of your appearance. 

“And you’re here for … pleasure, I take it?” He says, with a knowing grin. The newspaper in his hand ruffles a bit.

A small chuckle leaves through your noise in a soft huff.

“Don’t be so sure of yourself just yet, sweetheart..”

Your tone is playful as you slowly start to uncross your legs. His eyes flicker down to your thighs for a moment, much to your satisfaction. A watchful gaze lingers on your legs for a split second more before moving back up to meet yours. He knows exactly what you’re up to and is more than satisfied by it. And so are you. 

“I have a proposal for you,” He says after a moment’s silence, reaching for a card in his inside pocket, which he then places on the table between you.

You lean forward and pick it up, your nimble fingers toying with the card before reading over it.

The man smiles as he watches you handle and read over the card, enjoying the way your fingers dance across the surface of the card.

The card reads simply:

Dr. Spencer Reid. XXX-XXX-XXXX

“You know what to do,” He whispers with a wink and a smile.

A small scoff leaves your lips as you slip the card into the pocket of your fur coat. “Good evening, sir.” 

You say, voice low and sultry as you stand up and retreat back to your sleeping quarters. You can feel his eyes boring holes into your body, undressing you with every sway of your hips as you walk away from him.

His gaze never leaves you as you walk away, and he can’t help but imagine what you might be hiding underneath that fur coat. He tries to imagine the curves of your body beneath the fabric, but knows that he can only guess, and his imagination would never do you justice. 

Closing the doors to your room, you shove off your coat and throw it on the ground. You bend down to retrieve the card before you step over the pile of fur and walk over to your bed, laying down on it as you reach for the rotary phone perched on the bedside table.

You rotate your finger on the dial until you’ve successfully entered his phone number. You wait a few moments as the call goes through.

The phone rings once, then twice, then three times, before a voice at the other end eventually answers.

“Hello?” a deep, masculine voice says through the receiver.

It is, of course, the same man you talked to earlier, now on the other end of the line. He sounds amused, as though he was expecting your call tonight.

“Have I reached Dr. Reid?”

The gravelly tone in your voice doesn’t do anything to mask your desire for him. You place the card on the table before toying with the cord of the phone.

He doesn’t need to be told who you are– he remembers where he met you this evening all too well.

“The one and only.” He replies, his voice low, smooth, and arrogant.

He knows exactly what he wants– and he knows exactly what you want, too. He doesn’t have to say a word– his breathless voice tells you everything.

“Room 134, don’t keep me waiting, Doctor.”

Is all you say before he hears the dial tone ring through, you’ve hung up on him. You’re expecting him, and he won't keep you waiting for long.

As you put the receiver back on the hook, a smile crosses your face. You know exactly what you want, and you know exactly how to get it.

There’s a firm knock at your doors no more than a minute later, and with a smirk you lay yourself out on the sheets as you await him.

“Come in.”

Your sweet voice travels through the luxurious lumber of the only thing keeping you two apart. 

You hear the sound of the door handle turning, and then the door opens to reveal the same man you’d spoken to earlier that evening.

He enters the room and closes the door behind him, before approaching you with confident strides.

“I see you took me up on my offer.” He says with a cheeky grin. He looks at your body on the bed and puts his hands in his pockets. 

You sigh and beckon him over with those irresistibly seductive eyes of yours, he can’t help the pull his body feels as he gravitates towards you.

“Better make it worth it then, Doctor.”

Leaning up and resting your head on your fist, your wide eyes play an expression in innocence for him.

Spencer moves forward and kisses you deeply, his lips pressed against yours as his hands run through your hair. It's a passionate kiss, filled with desire and excitement, and it leaves you feeling breathless.

His body is pressed up against yours, and you can feel his breath against your neck as he whispers in your ear. 

"It’ll be worth it, I assure you." He says, his voice low and quite sure of himself.

His words send a shiver down your spine and a heat up your cheeks. Biting your lip, you crane your head to the side, an invitation.

He leans forward and kisses you deeply again, his tongue pressing against yours as he explores your mouth thoroughly. He pulls his hands down your back and begins to untie your dress, revealing the soft skin beneath the fabric.

He's not taking his time, that's for sure. He knows what he wants- and now he wants to see more of you.

Arching your back in his hold, you feel the way he impatiently peels the fabric off of your aching body. His fingers thumb the dress off of your form, pulling it down your legs until you’re left in nothing but your matching undergarments. He throws the dress down next to your coat.

He looks down at your body and smiles, before slowly reaching down to lift you off the bed and into his arms. He takes a few strides across the room to the fancy cushioned chair that sits by the window, before gently lowering you down into it and coming to stand over you.

His intense gaze makes your heart race as he leans over you, reaching out with his hand to gently caress your thigh. 

Your thighs involuntarily spread as his touch sends a rush of arousal through you. With a pleading look, you feel your heart pounding in your chest as he lowers himself down to his knees in front of you.

You can't help but hold your breath as you watch him do so. It's a very flattering angle for you, and you certainly won't complain about him seeing you from this perspective. His curly brown locks peek out from between your plush thighs as he admires his own view. 

Slightly slouching against the cushions, beautiful thighs parted just for him, your face looking as beautiful as ever. You were like a work of art to him, and not that he needed aid with his desire for you, but the way you looked down at him made his cock harden in his trousers even more. 

Spencer leans forward and wraps his arms around your waist, holding you close as he pressed gentle kisses up your thighs. Your hands move to grip at the arms of the chair to stop yourself from collapsing, and you throw your head back in a soft sigh at the feeling. Despite not doing much, his touch felt burning hot. 

You can feel your throat tighten and your heart race. You want more, you need more– and you know he's the only one who can give you what you're looking for.

His large hands coax your body closer to him, and your legs part even farther around his form, and you move one leg to perch on his shoulder. You can see the way his eyes darken as his breath hitched in his throat. He looks up to you for a moment before he’s pulling your lingerie to the side. 

“God, look at you..” 

You can’t tell if he’s teasing you, or simply in awe of how wet you are, but neither really matters the second he presses a gentle kiss to your clit. A small trail of your slick connects his lips to your cunt and he’s quick to lick it all up. 

It’s almost as if you can pinpoint the exact moment he gets a good taste of you. His eyes dilate impossibly farther and his nostrils flare as he can’t seem to get enough air to his lungs as quickly as he needed. 

His eyes flash up to yours for an intimate moment, and you can feel his heavy breathing ghosting over your dripping folds. As your gazes intertwine, you give him a shaky nod. 

He reciprocates the nod before he allows his eyes to flutter shut and his tongue to part your folds. Your body jolts in the seat at the sensation, and you have to bite your lip to silence yourself. The walls on the train were thin, as you’d assume, and you didn’t need this to be cut short because of a noise complaint. 

Spencer’s tongue breaches your hole and thrusts inside of it, moaning into your pussy at the way your walls almost immediately clench around the muscle. His nose pushes against your throbbing clit and your hips ground down against it, slickening the skin and forcing him to breathe in your irresistible scent. 

You’re already gushing your arousal on his tongue, your silky folds are contracting around his mouth, and you can hear how he swallows each time he gets a good helping of your fluids. 

The soft fabric of your panties are getting soaked as well, much to his disdain. Without as much as pulling away a millimeter away from your cunt, he moves his hands from around your waist to your underwear. 

Taking the fabric in his hands, he’s quick to rip it apart with little resistance. A small satisfied noise leaves his mouth and vibrates against you, making you whimper. As soon as the torn fabric falls limp against the chair, he buries himself all the more deeper between your legs. 

Your legs clench around his head, now that his hands aren't holding you down, and he grasps firmly onto the fat of your thighs. His rough fingers dig into the plush flesh as he continues to eat you out like his life depended on it. 

Spencer’s tongue drags against your walls, stroking over every inch of your insides like he belonged there. As far as you were concerned, he did. 

The stranger knew just how to work you open and make you fall apart with just his tongue alone. His lips closed in around your clit and lightly sucked on the small bundle of nerves, in which your eyes stuttered in their sockets at the feeling. 

He looked up at you, a cocky smirk playing in his eyes as he continued to lap at your sopping cunt. He wanted nothing more than to be entirely surrounded by you, wanting every wet rush of arousal to cover every taste bud on his tongue. 

One of your hands leaves the arm of the chair and runs through his hair before gripping at the tresses and pulling him closer. You could feel his teeth pressing into your folds with how impossibly close he is to you, buried deep between your thighs and slurping at your juices like he’d never tasted anything better. 

His grip on your thighs loosens as he draws back from your cunt, much to your dissatisfaction. When you whimper in protest, he huffs in amusement, pressing one more kiss to your clit. 

“Please..” 

Your voice is no louder than a whisper as you tug on his hair in an attempt to get him back to where he was wedged between your legs, but he just smiles. 

“What if I want to take my time with you, madam?” 

It was your turn to smile as you looked over to the bedside table where you had last left the card. 

“I’ve got your number now, you can’t possibly think this is the last time you’ll see me?” 

Spencer smiles at the implication this won’t just be a one time thing, and breaks your gaze to look down at your dripping cunt. He’s not sure if the liquid pooling against the fabric of the chair is his spit, your slick, or a mix of both. 

There’s a fascination in his eyes for a moment before he dives back down, but this time, slower. He flattens his tongue out and drags it languidly up your pussy. From your soaked hole to your puffy clit, the heavy tug of the wet muscle against you has you squirming. 

You can feel every bump in his tongue as he tortures you with it, knowing you can’t do anything about it. There was an unspoken agreement between the two of you that yes, even though you were physically higher than he was, he had the upper hand on you. 

His aura dared you to try and defy him, inviting you to even attempt taking control from him. But despite this dominating aura, there was nothing threatening about this man, in fact, it was quite the opposite. As he grasped your thighs and traced your sticky folds, you couldn’t help but feel like you were meant for nothing more than for him to take care of you. 

 “It’s a shame you’ve been hidden from me for so long, it seems rather unfair I had to wait this long to taste you..” 

He mumbles against your cunt, and god do you think you could finish a thousand times over from just his voice alone. 

You begin to move your hips and grind your pussy against his face, and he stops his movements to dig his nails into your skin. A warning. 

“Relax, pretty girl. You don’t have to do anything while I’m here, you know I’ll take care of you.” 

Despite not even meeting this man more than an hour ago, you agree with him. Had you sat across from any other stranger, he would have to work all of his lifetime to please you as much as Spencer had been in the past ten minutes. 

You nod and relax back into his hold, letting your body go pliant in his grip as he twists his tongue over your clit. Resisting the urge to grind up or pull him by his hair has your legs twitching, you were so close, and you needed to get there now. But again, he was the only one who could give you what you needed, so you let him handle you. 

His lips, now shiny with your arousal, wrapped around the sensitive bundle and began to suck like he was made for that purpose only. Your hips twitch and your thighs clench erratically against his head, moans and whimpers pouring from between your lips. 

Disregarding your previous worries about noise complaints, you let the noises rip through your throat. There’s not much else you could’ve done, not when the stunning man between your legs was pulling your clit between his teeth and coaxing your orgasm out of your trembling body, begging for you to burst all over his face. 

And honest to god you try to warn him as the rising heat in your stomach gets too much, but when you open your mouth, no words come out. The only thing that makes its way out are pathetic whines and broken moans, but it seems he knows exactly what you’re trying to say.

He unlatches himself from your clit and begins to hurriedly swirl his tongue against your folds. The tip of his nose rubbing deliciously against your clit and the slight scruff on his chin chafing against your thighs, it was all too much. Your brows knit into a look of pure bliss as your eyes meet his, his own irises practically pleading for you to give him what he needs from you. 

Your walls clench around his tongue as you’re gushing around the muscle. The pleasure washes through your body and your fluids rush into his mouth, making him groan against your pussy as he swallows down everything as quickly as he can, not wanting to waste a single drop of your release. 

Eyes roll into the back of your sockets and you twist your fist in his hair harder, your other hand digging into the hard material of the chair as you shake with the force of your orgasm. 

Spencer only unlatches himself from you when he’s positive he’s wrung you dry. When the spurts of arousal subside to slow drips of slick, he carefully pulls away from you. 

The lower half of his face is positively drenched, skin damp and shiny as an all too confident smile tugs at his lips. As you writhe on the seat and try to compose yourself, he looks down at his watch and sighs. 

It was almost curfew, and despite the disappointment flowing through his veins, he remembered what you said about seeing him again. He stands up and quickly takes your ripped panties in his hands.

He’s quick to shove them in the pockets of his suit jacket, but you’re even quicker to catch him. You swallow and look up at him through hooded eyes with an amused expression on your face.

“Those were expensive, you know.” Spencer huffs out a laugh before leaning over you on the chair. A hand moves to hold your chin in his fingers, and he connects your lips in a messy parting kiss, panting into each other's mouths and breathing the same air. 

Your jaw unhinges slightly as he slithers the same tongue that had been fucking you just a few minutes prior against your own tongue. You moan quietly into his mouth before he’s pulling away slightly, yet still close enough to you that your lips are just barely touching. 

“You can return the favor at any time, doll.”

With one last kiss, he reluctantly stands up and wipes his mouth, trying to make it look like he didn’t just devour your pussy and make you soak his face. 

Your legs are still spread on the chair as he bids farewell with a polite nod. He closes the door behind him and retreats back to his own room, where he would no doubt be fucking his fist, pretending it felt half as good as you would. 

[museofthepyre]

MAJOR CHNT FILE 33/34 SPOILERS. LIKE MAJOR MAJOR.

Sydney’s mode of death has been wracking my brain lately. So I’m here to ramble off my thoughts. I think the biggest clue is this line from Elijah.

“Died tenderly on the clean sheets it was gifted”… I was a fan of the drowning theory, but this is pretty solid evidence against it. Drowning is messy, whatever Jedidiah did was discrete and clean— also, possibly in some sort of hospital bed? Cabin… bed? Gifted clean sheets… whatever that means. Anyways drowning or not, the respiratory distress/ hypoxia themes are HUGE and INCREDIBLY RE-OCCURRENT so I cannot overlook them. The theory that Jedidiah may have just pulled the plug is also enticing, but I’ts not as directly linked to those specific “can’t breathe” themes… so.

There is a certain discrete and rapidly lethal poison which causes tissue hypoxia... and that is Cyanide. I found these tidbits interesting.

Sounds kinda similar to a certain someone’s current “mystery condition”. Anyways

Most important things here: Cyanide poisoning presents as respiratory distress/ hypoxia/ “trouble breathing”. longer exposures can result in a coma, long-term neurological issues, and obviously death. Exposure can be through ingestion, inhalation, or dermal routes. No mess. It’s often used in murders/ su!cides for these reasons.

So. That is! Certainly something! Just a theory, but very interesting! I also find it funny that most people think of apple seeds when they think of cyanide. Boy oh boy, I sure hope there isn’t anything dangerous inside this here apple. Like a teensy bit of cyanide… or a centipede.

To the drowning theory’s credit. Hypoxia, again. Themes of not being able to breathe. Sydney’s first described dream with Adam being set under water. Jedidiah throwing the necromancy’d rabbit into the lake after disassembling it. Sydney’s hydrophobia (though that may stem back to childhood). Jedidiah being averse to this years lake day all of a sudden (which is noted as uncharacteristic). Probably some other things that I’m forgetting… but that “died tenderly on the clean sheets it was gifted” line is pretty hard to refute.

Also also I think regardless of where Sydney DIED, he was RESURRECTED on the camp grounds. I could speculate on how he got to the campgrounds in the first place… but I’m almost wondering if… so yknow how when treatments are failing and it looks like a patient is going to die, they’re given the option to a) stay in hospital and keep going with the treatment, despite the risk of dying there… or b) embrace fate and spend their remaining days comfortable, at home and with loved ones? Sydney had fond memories of the camp. Sydney didn’t have a home to return to (besides maybe Lucille’s house but I doubt he’d choose that). So I wonder if, in that scenario, he would’ve chosen the camp. If he’d been gifted a room to stay in for however long (they thought) he had left. Which would be why Elijah knew where to go interrogate Lucille later on… if he’d followed them there initially. This bit is entirely speculation btw, major guess. The timelines are hard to string together atp so take this with a grain of salt.

This is driving me to madness

[spotty-bee]

Hazbin Hotel Headcannon

I've been thinking a lot about Adam, Lute, Vaggie and the exorcists. How they all work and everything that we've learned over the course of the show about them. After looking over the pictures of them without their masks and all the back dealings with heaven I was kinda starting to think...

What if their all related?

Adam and Vaggie have the same skin colour. Lute has Adam's nose. They all have golden pupils (Though Vaggie's sclera is red, many have head cannoned that being from living in hell.) Vaggie and Lute both have white hair. Theres a lot of similarities between these characters physically and while that can be due to the art style, I do start to wonder.

However WHY would Lute , Vaggie and possibly all the exorcists be Adam's daughters? Well it starts to make sense when you remember that Sera wanted to keep the Exterminations under wraps. If you have Heaven Born or Saint (Dead humans who got into Heaven) warriors doing the exterminations, word would eventually get out. These people have lives outside of their work and all it would take is talking to a spouse or one of them feeling guilty before news spreads. IF you have warriors who's entire life was Exterminations, then they would A- be less likely to tell anyone and B- Be less likely to feel guilty if they weren't taught anything else.

As for where all these woman came from, my guess would be cloning. We know for a FACT that Heaven has Science.

A good way to get warriors that won't have outside influence/ loose lips is if they don't have any parents that will be wondering whats going on. Cloning would also ensure that warriors will walk off the assembly line fully grown and ready to train. Adam likely used his DNA and then mixed it with donated DNA from other Heavenly Residents . All he then had to do was train his army.

OF course this opens up some rather dark things to consider. There are at least 100 Exterminators. All of them are female. The likelihood of that happening by happenstance is extremely low. Adam had to have chosen to only have woman in his army, and when you factor in Adam's misogynist, narcissistic attitude, that dose not paint a pretty picture. We also need to consider that Adam was left to train/educate these woman with almost no outside interference. Sera made it clear she wanted as little to do with the Extermination business as possible and she maybe one of the few who knew about the army's creation. IN FACT I know she had nothing to do with the army because, apparently, Adam got to name these girls and nobody, and I mean NOBODY, stopped him from naming Vaggie after female anatomy. (I wouldn't be surprised if Vaggie is a nickname and she's actually just named Vagina.)

They seem to have lived a life of constant training and battle. Its also heavily implied that Vaggie (and Lute to a lesser extent) were taught to view themselves as disposable. Worthless if they didn't have someone to serve. We see it when Vaggie tries to lead the trust exercises, when she beats herself up for not making a proper commercial for the hotel, in fact she seems to have little personal life unless its training or Charlie is involved. Lute herself rips off her own arm just to try and help Adam. If Adam did raise/train them, then these are some pretty bad signs.

These are just some things I was thinking about looking over the show. I am also not making this to bash anyone who ships Adam and Lute. This is all speculation and personal interpretation. I've just never felt anything romantic between Lute and Adam, but they were clearly close. I took that last, tearful goodbye in the finally as a distant, estranged Father- Daughter relationship.

Anyway, what do you think? Its highly unlikely this is true, but could make for a fun, dark fan fiction or Au!

[hauntedgrin]

An unnecessarily thorough analysis of the Tarot imagery in Merlin Season One by an amateur tarot reader

(who is also a hopeless romantic and is currently very affected by the disaster that is BBC Merlin)

I started watching Merlin around two months ago. I fell in love with the show instantly, even if I technically haven't finished it yet because of time reasons (though I did spoil myself everything right to the ending and I’m devastated. Still trying to find courage to start season 5. But that’s beside the point)

There was something in the first season that caught my eye and hasn't let me go since. In fact, I was thinking about it today, went on a search for discussions about it, fully under the assumption that this is something the fandom noticed long beforehand is a well-known fact. To my endless surprise, I’ve found no mention! Nada! Not a single one. That won’t do, I thought. I have to share with the people. It's something that fueled my conviction in Merlin the Show being a love story between Merlin and Arthur (whatever the nature of that love may be, I love both the platonic and romantic interpretation equally, though this specific instance could be leaning towards romance somewhat more, I'll explain it in a second) and here it is.

It's this scene.

It is Merlin and Arthur, facing each other with two cups in between them, trying to decide who is going to drink the poison, sacrifice himself and save the other. And I thought Oh my god, tarot symbolism.

That's the card, the Two of Cups. The similarities are obvious (and, in my opinion, very intentional. I’d like to kiss whoever came up with this specific creative decision)

Slight disclaimer: Tarot reading can be very subjective, meanings shift depending on the reader and their perception of the card. I’ll try to be objective with the main aspects of the cards, but there is a lot of subjective opinions too. It’s okay if you disagree)

The main meanings of this card are partnerships, loving relationships, mutual attraction, unity, harmony and, you guessed it!, soulmates. It’s not hard to see why that card would have been chosen to represent them. I think that’s the most outright the show’s ever been about calling them soulmates, without hiding behind labels such as ‘each other’s destiny’ and ‘two sides of one coin’ as if those are any less gay. There is also themes of equality and becoming one, mutual respect and, in certain cases passion and sexual attraction (though it’s not a definition that is applicable in all cases, and can absolutely be ignored for platonic or asexual relationships, it’s still one of the main aspects, given that its represented by, you know, the big red head of a lion with wings right at the top of the card. Can’t exactly forget about it.)

Personally I've always preferred the Two of Cups to The Lovers tarot card (which looks very similar and has some intersections in themes, also concerning love, intimacy, passion). Plus, The Lovers is part of the Major Arcana, so technically it should be more impactful, ‘epic’, someone said, divine. While doing some research into that distinction I've found why exactly it makes me a bit queasy. The Lovers are not always a card about love, in fact, more often it isn’t. And The Lovers aren't made for each other. That is to say, they obviously are, considering the entirety transparent Adam and Eve imagery (and this also makes it a more conservative card, with clear molds for a ‘traditional relationship’). The Lovers are brought together by a higher power, made for a purpose. It serves something. It is a message. It is a lesson. It's a choice between what you want and what you need. It is a partnership, often intense, out of this world, but it’s also about all the factors in between, the things that unite them, the snake, the temptation, the apple, the garden. It can be also about soulmates, and happy relationships, of course, about fated lovers… and mortal enemies. It actually is more in line with Merlin’s and Morgana’s relationship. Out of this world fated connection? Absolutely, guaranteed. Do you want that kind of connection though, really?

How is this relevant, you might be thinking?

Well, there is no such divine power pushing the couple portrayed by the Two of Cups. In fact, they are choosing each other. It’s only them and their union. That’s why I like it so much. They are only the way they are, not the way they are meant to be, not specifically made for each other and yet they are right for each other anyway. And, somehow, just being them is enough. Is that not love?

In Merlin we are told that Merlin and Arthur are a part of each other’s destiny. The Once and Future King and Emrys, his protector, uniting Albion, prophesized by some unnamed seer(s). Does not seem very much like a choice, does it? I guess it depends on the way you view the prophecy and destiny in the show. Is it really all inevitable, and destiny is set in stone, unable to be changed, all leading to the same end, no matter what you do? Or is it the choices themselves that are the constants, fixed in place by the prophecy fulfilling itself? I think the answers to those questions are entirely up to each viewer, and that we can only speculate on it, and never know for sure which was it. Maybe there isn’t a right answer at all. But what I do know is there was a choice Merlin and Arthur made. Let’s return to the imagery on the card..

The couple is exchanging the cups. They are not just toasting – they are performing a ritual, a ceremony. Like exchanging rings, like giving vows. It’s a promise, it’s a connection, it’s a new step, it’s a commitment. And the parallels of the scene in 1x11 don’t end with just imagery. Merlin and Arthur complete the ritual! In the show!

In the episode 1x04, The Poisoned Chalice, Merlin starts the ritual by drinking from Arthur’s poisoned goblet, which he does to protect him. I would also like to add that this is the first time Two Cups appear that season (that's twice they used the imagery), notably, two ceremonial goblets that are supposed to symbolize peace and partnership between two kingdoms. Even if it doesn’t represent the actual state of the two kingdoms, it definitely shows King Bayard’s genuine desire for a peaceful alliance. And Merlin drinks from one of them!

Merlin drinks poison for Arthur and in Labyrinth of Gedref, Arthur drinks ‘poison’ for Merlin in turn. Very unconventional way to get married, I must say, but it’s remarkable that they do it in the same way (even if not at the same time).

So. What does all of that tell us about Merlin and Arthur?

We’ve established that the card signifies a very close, strong and significant relationship, chosen by both parties. Again, I like that it emphasizes the choice, that they didn’t just fall into the friendship because of destiny (even if it aided them). The Two of Cups is a part of the Minor Arcana, which deals with the every day matters, earthly lives. Is that not fitting? Merlin didn’t choose The Once and Future King, he chose Arthur, and Arthur didn’t choose Emrys, he chose Merlin.

Merlin’s who been promised a peaceful future. A land where magic is free. Merlin, who knows what’s supposed to happen: The Once and Future King brings that future. The King dies. Merlin, who has a choice to bring that future. To save Mordred. To remove the ban on magic. He doesn’t choose that, he chooses to essentially destroy that future entirely, just so he can have Arthur.

Arthur, who values Merlin’s opinion above everyone else’s, Arthur on his deathbed, finally seeing Merlin for who he is, says, “I don’t want you to change, I want you to always be you,” Arthur, who is dying, a few steps from the chance being saved, (still too far, not enough time), decides to stop because in his last moments he just wants to be held by Merlin.

They chose each other.

And that’s, dare I say it, love.

[xlovely-liviix]

Long Gone: A Hazbin Hotel Fanfiction

Angst is my lifeline.

So is huskerdust.

And sibling relationships.

Why not combine them all?

Hi everyone! I decided to create a small little mini fanfic on @scribbsyscribs 's fanfiction: 'When You're With Me', that is based off of @boldlygreatsuit 's huskerdust lovechild AU!

For context: Angel had been killed on extermination day, and had gotten himself into heaven. Little did he know, Husker left him a little "gift" the night before the extermination. (Yeah, if you haven't guessed, it's mpreg.)

TW: disassociation, violence, (implied) drug abuse,, (implied) SA, etc.

[If you're uncomfortable, please click off, okay? It doesn't hurt me!]

Years.

Years of waiting.

Years of trying to get clean, failing, and then trying again.

Years of disappointment.

It was finally paying off in this moment.

Was Angel nervous?

Fuck yes.

Besides the nervousness, there was another feeling.

One of anticipation.

He knew that this was the sole reason that he even decided to put an effort into trying to get redeemed. This would finally make Angel feel complete.

Angel ran a hand through his fluffy bangs as he walked down the gold-plated street. Never had he ever forgotten how to walk, but in this moment, he felt as if he couldn't even function properly.

This whole ordeal was just so...nerve-wracking! It's not every day that you get to reunite with your sibling that you haven't seen in....decades.

If he succeeded, that was.

Five months ago when he first got into heaven, he had immediately started looking for his sister.

What he didn't realize, though, was that heaven housed a lot of people. It was nothing short of overwhelming.

It also didn't help that whenever he tried to seek assistance in finding her, people shied away from him, treating him as some sort of outcast..some sort of...disease carrier.

He knew that not everyone here would welcome him with open arms. After all, he was a sinner, a redeemed sinner perhaps, but a sinner nonetheless. His every step, every word, every action was tainted by the memories of his past. He couldn't help but wonder how the other inhabitants of heaven would treat him, how they would judge him.

By now, everyone had heard of the redeemed sinners from hell.

Due to the events that led to Adam's death, the people had begun to get more curious on the matter.

Nevertheless, curiosity comes with questions.

Questions that the higher-ups of heaven weren't fond of answering.

In order to "protect" what they had built and shield the winners from finding out the real truth, the elder angels, along with the seraphims, crafted a fib in hopes of quenching the winners' thirst for answers.

They had made out the redeemed sinners to be some sort of parasite-- some infectious disease that you shouldn't get too close to.

It hurt.

It hurt when Angel was stared at with pure hatred and fear as he went about his business.

It hurt when people chased him away.

It hurt when he was excluded from things.

Was it him?

No, no. It's heaven's twisted views.

....Right?

｡ﾟ•┈꒰ა ♡ ໒꒱┈• ｡ﾟ

Angel stood before the gates of heaven, gazing up at the vast, celestial expanse that stretched above him. 

The air was cool and crisp, the sky an unearthly shade of blue that seemed to go on forever. He shivered, not from the cold but from the weight of anticipation and hope that threatened to crush his chest. He had finally made it here, to this place of eternal peace and beauty. A place he had fought so hard to reach.

It felt…unreal?

Did he even deserve this?

Angel shook his head.

Of course he deserved it! He had worked so hard to get clean, and it all paid off.

Although the conditions of his redemption were…undesirable, Angel still felt a sense of pride within himself for finally making it into the utopia. 

He glanced down at his wings, newly grown and radiating a soft, golden glow. They felt strange, foreign almost, but they belonged to him now. They marked him as one of the chosen ones. He flexed them, feeling the air around him ripple like silk, and marveled at their delicate beauty.

As he took in the breathtaking scenery around him, he couldn't help but wonder what it was like for the other angels. 

They had lived here for eternity, after all. 

Did they ever grow tired of it? 

Did they ever long for something more? 

Something new?

 He hoped not. He hoped they found peace and contentment in this place.

Angel squinted up at the sun, feeling its warmth on his face. It was bright, almost blindingly so, but it didn't hurt his eyes. It felt good, almost comforting. He wondered if he'd ever grow accustomed to the light here.

Albeit, he’d admit it was much better than the fires of hell.

Angel looked around, trying to take in every detail of his surroundings. He noticed that the grass was a brilliant emerald green, soft and plush under his feet, and the flowers that dotted the landscape seemed to glow with an inner light, their petals shimmering like stained glass. The trees were tall and stately, their bark smooth and silvery, and their branches teeming with an abundance of fruit that looked too perfect to eat. Even the clouds that floated lazily across the sky seemed to have been painted by an artist's brush.

He closed his eyes, breathing in the fresh air of heaven. In hell, there was only the fog of ash and the smell of smoke, a vast contrast to the scent of heaven, which smelled quite pleasant-- if peacefulness was a smell, this would be it.

Opening his eyes, he was greeted with a bright white light, as he looked up, bringing a hand up to shield his face from the light source as he tried to take a glimpse at what was becoming of the strange light. 

The white light grew stronger, before two figures began to appear within the midst of the light.

Angel found himself gaping at the sight before him as the two beings slowly came into focus. One of them was a woman, tall and statuesque, her wings a shimmering white that seemed to glow from within. Her face was serene and ageless, her eyes a piercing blue that held wisdom beyond measure. Her hair flowed freely down her back, a cascade of gold and silver that shimmered with every movement.

The other figure was much younger, a girl perhaps, with wings that were a vibrant shade of grey mixed with a sunny yellow. Her features were delicate and innocent, her eyes bright with wonder and joy. She smiled at Angel, revealing a set of pearly white teeth, and bounced on her feet eagerly.

"Hi!" she exclaimed, her voice tinged with excitement. "I'm Emily. It's so nice to meet you!" She held out her hand, her movements lively and uninhibited. 

Angel took her hand, feeling a surge of warmth and energy flow through him.

"I'm Angel," he said, smiling back at her. "It's good to meet you too."

Sera, the older Seraphim, smiled kindly at the pair. She stood several feet behind Emily, her wings folded gracefully behind her back. Though she appeared calm and serene, there was an air of authority about her that was unmistakable.

"Angel," she said, her voice smooth as silk, "I am Sera, and it is my honor to welcome you into the fold." 

She dipped her head in a respectful nod. "Emily and I will be your guides as you begin your journey here in heaven. We will teach you the ways of the angels, and help you find your purpose among us."

"Thank you, Sera," he said, his voice steady and resolute. "I am honored to serve beside you, and I promise to do my best to uphold the ideals of heaven." He had never talked in this way before, but in the presence of a being such as Sera herself, Angel felt the need to be..more professional in a sense. 

He glanced at Emily, feeling a pang of envy mixed with admiration. 

She was so full of life and joy, and it was infectious. He couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to be as carefree and unburdened as she was.

Sera nodded, her expression approving. "Very well then," she said.

She motioned for Angel to come along, in which he did.

As they walked through the clouds, the sunlight streaming through the cottony mass above, casting dappled patterns on the landscape below, Emily bubbled with excitement. She skipped from cloud to cloud, her wings fluttering gracefully as she moved. Sera walked beside Angel, her wings followed behind her once more.

"So, Emily," Angel asked, trying to keep up with her pace as they jogged over the clouds, "what's it like here in heaven? I mean, what do you do all day?"

Emily beamed at him. "Oh, there's so much to do! We help people, of course. We guide them, comfort them, and protect them. But we also get to play and have fun! Sometimes we'll fly together, just for the joy of it, or we'll have picnics on the clouds. Sometimes we'll even race!" She giggled, looking back at Angel.

Sera chuckled softly. "Yes, Emily does enjoy her races. But she is also quite skilled at herding. You'll see when the time comes."

They continued their walk, passing by clusters of clouds that formed into shapes of animals or objects. A herd of glowing, white deer grazed nearby, their hooves making no sound on the soft surface. A flock of birds, their feathers shimmering with iridescent hues, fluttered and sang in the distance.

"And the gardens," Emily added, pointing to a section of clouds that had been shaped into a lush, green garden, filled with flowers and trees. "We get to tend to those. Sometimes we'll plant new seeds, or prune the trees and flowers. It's so peaceful, and it makes heaven even more beautiful." She glanced at Angel, her expression hopeful. "Would you like to see them?"

Angel nodded, eager to see more of this wondrous place. As they drew closer, he marveled at the intricate details of the garden. The flowers were more vibrant than anything he had ever seen before, and the scent that drifted through the air was intoxicating. 

He bent down near a nearby rose bush, carefully plucking one of the luscious flowers from its stem.

"These roses," he said, holding the flower up to his nose, "smell unlike anything I've ever encountered before. They're so... so alive."

Emily nodded, her expression gentle. "Yes, they are quite special. You see, when people on Earth give roses to one another, they're showing love and appreciation. Well, here in heaven, we take those feelings and amplify them, making the roses even more vibrant and alive as a reflection of the love that was shared. It's a reminder of the bond that connects all of us, even from beyond the grave."

Angel paused, looking down back at the rose. 

Although the younger seraphim didn't mean any harm with that sentence, it only pained him to think about the love that he could've had...the love that he and Husk had shared...

Emily, who was still walking beside him, seemed to sense his melancholy and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

 "You know," she said softly, "it's not just about having love in the past. It's about carrying that love with you, and using it to make your present and future brighter. You never truly lose someone who mattered to you. They'll always be a part of you, just like the love you shared."

Angel looked up at her, his expression uncertain. "Y-yeah…"

"Oh, you'll see," Emily assured him with a warm smile. "You'll make friends and find love again, here in heaven. It just takes time. In the meantime, why don't you focus on getting settled in and exploring all that heaven has to offer?"

They continued their walk, passing by several more wondrous sights, such as a sparkling lake filled with swans and a small, golden-domed building where the angels gathered for worship and song. As they drew closer to his new home, Emily pointed out several landmarks, such as the Great Hall where they held feasts and celebrations, and the Garden of Eternal Life, where the souls of the most virtuous mortals resided.

Finally, they arrived at a small, cozy abode nestled among the clouds. It had a thatched roof, ivy-covered walls, and a door made of oak. White flowers climbed up the sides, and a stream meandered nearby, its waters sparkling in the sunlight.

"This is your new home," Emily announced with a smile. "It's not as grand as some of the others, but it's perfectly suited to your needs."

Angel stepped up to the front door, running his fingers over the smooth, polished wood. He felt a sense of both familiarity and unease washing over him. On one hand, it was comforting to have a place to call his own again; on the other, he couldn't help but wonder if he would ever truly belong here.

"Go ahead and open it," Emily urged, her voice gentle. "Your belongings are inside."

He hesitated for a moment, then reached out and turned the brass knob. 

The door swung inward, revealing a cozy living room with a fireplace, a comfortable-looking couch, and a few framed photographs on the mantelpiece. Sunlight streamed in through the windows, casting a warm glow over everything.

"This is your bedroom," Emily said, leading him further into the house. 

The bedroom was smaller than the one he had on Earth, but it had everything he needed: a bed, a dresser, a nightstand, and a few personal effects that had been brought over from his old life. There was also a large window overlooking the garden, where the roses swayed gently in the breeze.

Emily showed him around the rest of the house, including a small kitchen, a study where he could read and write, and a bathroom with a clawfoot tub. 

"You can explore more of heaven whenever you like," she assured him, "but for now, I think you should get settled in and rest. Tomorrow will be a big day, because it'll mark the start of paradise!!"

Angel nodded, feeling both grateful and overwhelmed. "Thank you, Emily. You've been so kind to me." He hesitated before asking, "Will I see you again soon?"

Emily smiled reassuringly. "Oh, you'll see me around from time to time," she said.

 "I'm always nearby if you need anything. Just call out for me and I'll be there." She patted him gently on the shoulder. "Now, why don't you unpack your belongings and get settled in? The sooner you do that, the sooner you can start exploring heaven properly."

He watched her fade away, leaving him alone in his new home. As he wandered from room to room, he couldn't help but marvel at the beauty of everything around him. 

It was so peaceful....so serene….a utopia, even.

If only he had someone to share it with. 

Angel gripped his chest as his breathing picked up. He stumbled over to the bed and sat down on it, tugging on his cheeks in hopes of catching his breath.

Tears formed in his eyes as he quietly sobbed into his hands.

He was gone.

Would he ever see him again?

That thought echoed through Angel's mind like a solemn dirge, a never-ending refrain that drowned out all other possibilities. He had been so focused on the idea of finally finding a place to belong that he had momentarily forgotten the weight of his loss.

His chest ached with an unbearable emptiness, and tears welled up in his eyes once more as he stared at the pictures on his bedside table. There was one in particular that always made him ache: Husk, his Husk, standing tall and proud, his smile radiant and infectious. The memory of their life (well-- afterlife) together flooded his mind, and for a moment, he could almost feel the warmth of Husk's fur against his own.

He had been so sure that he would see him again, that they would be reunited in whatever came next. But now, as he sat in his new, unfamiliar home, he realized that hope had been nothing more than a flickering candle in the darkness. It had flickered and died, leaving him alone with the harsh reality of his situation.

Angel clutched at his hair, pulling at the roots in a futile attempt to ease the pain. He wanted to scream, to rage against the heavens for taking Husk away from him. But he knew that wouldn't bring him back, and so he remained silent, tears streaming down his face.

He couldn't do this. 

Not without Husk.

｡ﾟ•┈꒰ა ♡ ໒꒱┈• ｡ﾟ

Angel shook his head. This isn't a time to let his mind wander. For now, he had to focus on what was important.

Finding Molly.

The arachnid finally approached the winner's resource building.

"This is it..." he spoke aloud, a hand coming up to lightly caress his stomach.

It was a habit. At first, he resented the thing, but overtime he had grown to love it. His bambino. His little love. His spark of hope.

Even with Husk not here, with Molly by his side, he would be just fine.

Angel exhaled, quickly pulling out his compact mirror to observe the state of himself before entering the building.

He was so-- different.

In contrast to how he had looked in hell, at least.

He looked happier, relieved, although his eyes still held the weight of pain. Being separated from his lover also while carrying a child was nothing short of a burden.

Was this punishment?

It couldn't be, people can't be sad in heaven....right?

He closed his compact, looking up to the building once again. 

The Resource Building was where one went to seek guidance or assistance in finding a loved one who had passed away.

 It was a place where angels and other celestial beings would help the lost souls find their way back to heaven or reunite them with their family members.

 It was also a place where Angel had procrastinated going to, afraid of what he might find or what he might lose if he were to confront his past. But today, he had finally mustered up the courage to face his fears and seek out his sister.

As he approached the grand entrance of the Resource Building, its golden doors etched with intricate designs, Angel felt a sudden sense of trepidation wash over him. 

He glanced around, taking in the other souls who had come seeking aid, and noticed that everyone seemed to be giving him peculiar looks. Some openly stared at him, while others tried to pretend they didn't see him at all. He could feel the weight of their judgment pressing down upon him, making him want to turn tail and run. But something inside him, some small spark of determination, refused to let him back down.

He took a deep breath and pushed open the doors, stepping into the hallowed halls of the Resource Building. The air inside was cool and still, carrying with it the scent of burning incense and the faint sound of whispered prayers. The Resource Building was divided into several sections, each dedicated to a different aspect of the afterlife: reunification, guidance, and education, among others. 

Angel made his way through the winding corridors, his steps slow and hesitant, until he finally arrived at the desk where a celestial being sat, ready to assist him.

There sat a cherub, typing away at a computer. She glanced up, peering at him through her thick glasses.

She blinked multiple times. 

She deals with sinners all day, every day. But this one…was like no other.

She cleared her throat. “Erm…sorry. I’ll be right with you-” she let out a nervous chuckle, quickly collecting her papers as she pushed away from her chair, smiling awkwardly. 

Angel raised an eyebrow, but ultimately shrugged it off. 

He watched her scurry away, occupying himself by continuing to observe his surroundings. 

The cherub's desk was tidy, with several framed pictures adorning its surface: one of her with a group of other cherubs, looking like they'd just finished a particularly difficult task; another of her with a human family, beaming proudly at the camera. He wondered how many of the people in the pictures were still alive, if they even remembered her.

As he waited for the cherub to return, Angel allowed his mind to wander. He thought about his time on Earth, the laughter and the tears, the triumphs and the failures. He wondered if Molly had found peace here in heaven. He wondered if she was happy...

Of course she was happy! This is heaven!!

Everyone is happy here…

Eventually, the cherub reappeared, an awkward yet fearful smile plastered on her face.

"Right then..." she began, taking a seat at her desk once again. She glanced up at Angel once more, her gaze falling onto his stomach. She blushed a little, immediately snapping her head down as she began typing.

“Now…what service might you request today?” she didn’t even bother to make eye contact with him.

“Oh! Uhm…I want to find my sister…h-her name is Molly Vittori…” 

The cherub nodded. " Molly..." she mumbled to herself, beginning to type before continuing,

"Yes, she's been through quite an interesting journey, hasn't she?" she paused. "Well, I'm afraid I can't just give out personal information like that. But if you'd like, I can help you locate her. That's what we're here for, after all."

Thomas nodded gratefully, unable to speak past the lump in his throat. 

He watched as the cherub tapped away at her keyboard, her fingers flying across the keys. After a few moments, she turned her monitor towards him. There, on the screen, was a picture of Molly, smiling brightly at the camera. 

Her hair had grown longer and was now sporting different colored pink strands, and she seemed to have gained a certain...peacefulness in her eyes. But it was her nonetheless.

Angel found himself tearing up as he just nodded profusely. "That's....that's her.."

"There you are!" the cherub forced a smile.. "There are people that can help you find her in the Reunification Wing. If you'd like, I can escort you there right away." Angel nodded, a lump forming in his throat as he forced a smile.

They walked through the winding halls of heaven, the cherub leading the way. The air was thick with the scent of flowers and the sound of laughter. People of all shapes and sizes walked past them, some stopping to wave hello or engage in brief conversations-- although once they got a glimpse at Angel, they shied away. 

The cherub, clearly uncomfortable with her task, kept her head down and hurried along.

Finally, they arrived at a set of double doors guarded by two cherubs. The one who had been escorting Angel approached them cautiously. "Uh, hi...I'm here to see someone about...well, I'm here on behalf of this….” she glanced at his stomach once again. “Err- gentleman," she gestured to Angel, "He's looking for his sister."

The two cherubs exchanged glances. "Well, we're a bit busy right now," one of them said dismissively.

"But I really need to find my sister," Angel pleaded, his voice beginning to crack. "Please, she's all I have left."

The second cherub fidgeted uncomfortably. "I'm sorry, but we can't just help everyone who comes along. There's a process, you know."

The first cherub nodded in agreement. "Look, we'll put in a request for you, but we can't make any promises. It might take some time."

The other cherub looked at Angel sympathetically. "I'm really sorry," she murmured.

As they spoke, the doors to the Reunification Wing opened, and a lone figure emerged. It was another cherub, her face etched with a courteous look. 

"Is there someone here about finding a sibling?" she asked, her voice was softer..innocent, even.

The first cherub nodded. "This gentleman is looking for his sister, Molly Vittori."

The cherub sighed. "Well, I suppose I can take a look," she said, glancing at Angel apologetically. "Follow me!"

Angel followed her through the winding halls of the building, feeling a mixture of hope and dread in his chest. 

She led him to a small office tucked away in a quiet corner of the wing. Inside, she moved to her desk, sitting behind it, her face immediately covered by the large stack of papers that was piled on her desk. 

"Oops! Sorry about the mess!" she giggled. "I've been a bit...overwhelmed lately." She cleared her throat and gestured for Angel to sit across from her. "Now, tell me about your sister. What's her name?"

Angel hesitated for a moment, trying to compose himself. "Her name is Molly...Molly Vittori. She...she was the light of my life. We did everything together." He took a deep breath, bringing a hand up to rub small circles onto his stomach.

The cherub began to type on her computer, before glancing at the screen, staring at it for a while, as if she was zoning out.

 "All right," she said, leaning back in her chair. "I'll see what I can do. We have a system here, you see, and sometimes it takes a while to...well, sort through things. But I'll do my best."

Angel felt a surge of hope. "Thank you," he managed to choke out. "Thank you so much."

She leaned back in her chair and began to sort through the papers on her desk, humming under her breath as she worked. 

Angel watched her, his heart in his throat. He couldn't help but feel a sense of hope beginning to flicker within him.

After several minutes of searching, the cherub finally came across a file labeled "Vittori, Molly." She flipped through it quickly, her eyes scanning the pages. "Ah, yes," she murmured. 

"Mollena Louise Vittori-- fraternal twin sister to Anthony Charles Vittori...?" she mused, looking up at Angel.

Angel’s heart leapt into his throat. "Yes! That's her," he practically shouted, his voice echoing in the small office.

She smiled reassuringly. "Well, it looks like you've found each other. She’s currently residing in the Earthly Desires section of heaven. It's a lovely place, filled with people who enjoyed the finer things in life while they were alive...only the purest of winners abide there."

Angel smiled. He knew that she deserved it. 

Despite their...unfortunate upbringing, he was glad that it all paid off in the afterlife. 

She stood up, straightening out her wings, and motioned for Angel to follow her.

As they walked through the winding golden paths of heaven, Angel’s heart pounded with anticipation. The closer they got to the Earthly Desires section, the more he could feel his emotions churning inside him.

"Are you alright?" Angel looked over to see the cherub, with a concerned demeanor.

"I...I think so," he stammered. "It's just...I never thought I'd see her again. It's overwhelming….I mean..it’s been, what? Decades, now."

She smiled. “Reuniting is a wonderful thing! Seeing families come together after time apart is…uplifting.”

She paused, frowning a little, before sighing, plastering her smile back onto her face. 

They reached the entrance to the Earthly Desires section, a grand archway adorned with gold and precious gems. Light spilled out from within, illuminating a lush garden filled with trees heavy with fruit, sparkling fountains, and winding paths that disappeared into the distance. In the center of the garden stood a beautiful mansion, its walls covered in vines bearing ripe grapes and its windows framed by sheer curtains that danced in the warm breeze.

The cherub led Angel behind a wall that had vines growing up to the top of the massive structure, shining green, a stark contrast to the greyish-white of the walls. 

The cherub paused, taking a deep breath. "There she is…" she said softly, pointing towards a deck that had many tables, although all were unoccupied except one.

There she was, as beautiful as the day he left her.

"You can go in and find her whenever you're ready." Angel was snapped out of his daydream by the cherub’s voice. 

Angel took a tentative step forward, his heart pounding in his chest. He glanced back at the cherub, searching for some reassurance in her eyes. "Are you sure?" he asked, his voice barely audible.

She smiled gently. "Of course I'm sure," she replied. "Go on, Angel!” 

With shaking hands, he turned back to face the garden. He forced his legs to carry him forward, taking one step from behind the wall, before drawing himself back in, pressing his back to the wall. 

“What do I say?!” he snapped his head towards the cherub, who let out a polite chuckle.

“Start with a ‘hello’!!”

The cherub winked at him, giving a soft smile and a thumbs-up of encouragement. “Now, off you go!!” 

Angel returned the gesture with a smile, as he exhaled, preparing himself for the moment that he had anticipated for a very long time.

He rounded the corner of the building, as he took slow and hesitant steps towards the table that Molly and her friends had currently occupied.

He smoothed down his blazer, tsking as he ran a hand over his now-significantly-larger bump.

What would she have to say about it? 

Would she think any different about him after finding out?

What if she calls him a slut?!

No…she wouldn’t do that.

Oh, she’s leaving.

Angel shook his head, snapping out of his trance. He looked up to see Molly and her friends scooting their chairs back towards the table as they began to grab their things.

It’s now or never.

“Molly!” Angel called out, quickening his pace to a small sprint.

The arachnid turned around, her thick mane of hair swaying along with the motion. 

“Molly,” he repeated, finally catching up to her. He paused for a moment, trying to catch his breath. He examined her from head to toe. 

Her hair, now white with the occasional pink strand, was styled in the same fixture that she had always worn when she was alive. She wore a pink and red dress, the color scheme matching those of Angel’s. 

Bright and sparkly magenta eyes raised up to meet mismatched pink and black ones. 

“Molly Vittori,” he breathed, the name felt so good on his tongue. 

“Yep! That’s me!!” she beamed, flashing a smile that was enough to make Angel forget about all of his past struggles. 

Angel exclaimed in delight, immediately pulling her into a hug. This caused her to giggle, squeezing him back.

“Hello hugs are simply the best!!” she broke the hug, still clasping onto his forearm. Her gaze fell onto his stomach, causing her to let out a delighted gasp.

“Oh, and you’re expecting too! A whole new life is inside of you…my best congratulations!!” 

Molly removed one hand from Angel’s arm as she moved it to his stomach, giving it a gentle rub. 

Angel sniffled, his smile never fading as he wiped away a few of his tears.

“Yeah..I’ll..get into that later. It’s a long story.” 

He paused, looking into her eyes once again, before grabbing her shoulders with his top set of arms, melting into her embrace.

“God, I missed ya so much, Molls! I’ve got so much to tell ya…” 

He expected something similar in return, but was confused as his sister raised an eyebrow.

“What do you mean? You can’t miss anyone here!! Everyone is happy and content in heaven!” she exclaimed, her smile remaining as Angel’s faded.

This earned him a few suspicious glances from Molly’s friends.

“Uhm..” Angel removed his hand from her shoulders, moving one up to rub the back of his head awkwardly. “Molly? I-I’m a little confused.”

She blinked at him, puckering her lip as she tsked.

“Oh..i’m sorry, I don’t really understand what you mean-!”

“Molly, it’s me. Ang- Anthony. Anthony Vittori. Your brother??” 

She giggled. “I don’t have a brother! Nice joke!! But it is nice to meet you, Anthony!” 

Angel’s heart dropped to the depths of his stomach, as he let out a distressed chuckle.

“Wha-- what do ya mean, Molls? I ain't jokin’! Don’t you remember? We-- we were together for the longest time! You, me, and Nissy. T’was a long time ago?” he paused, before continuing, a small sweat starting to form on his brow.

“I had gone to hell-- went cold turkey, dropped everything! Just fa you!!” his voice cracked, as he became a bit more desperate. He reached out and grabbed Molly’s wrist.

Molly’s two friends, a butterfly and an antelope, exchanged weird looks with each other, before the butterfly took a step closer to the two.

She grabbed onto Molly’s other hand, and gave her a small tug in the opposite direction.

“Watch out Molly. That’s that sinner who got rehabilitated.” Molly turned towards her friend, raising an eyebrow in confusion. “Don’t you remember? The Seraphim were talking about him?”

Molly’s mouth shaped into an ‘O’ as she nodded, looking back at Angel. 

“You probably have me confused for someone else! I’d love to be friends, though!!” She smiled again, this time softer.

Both Molly’s friend and Angel blinked at her, their mouth’s agape in shock.

“Moll, he’s clearly talking crazy, we should stay away.”

Another tug at the hand. 

Angel tightened his grip around Molly’s wrist.

“Ya know, I can hear you.” he glared at the butterfly, who just rolled her eyes.

“I promise, Molly, please just remember!! It’s me, Anthony! It’s me!!” Angel turned back towards Molly, and exclaimed a bit more desperately this time. 

The butterfly angel gave yet another tug at Molly’s hand, causing her wrist to slip out of Angel’s grip as she was beginning to get escorted away. 

“Dammit, Molly, it’s me!” he hissed, stumbling over his own feet as she was yanked away from him. 

Molly’s other companion, the antelope, appeared next to  Molly, gently taking her hand. 

“You oughtta keep your distance, Molly.” she pressed a hand to her back as she gave Angel a quick, judgemental glance. “He seems to still have the hatred and fury inside of his heart-- probably a result of his time down there..” she grimaced.

“Not to worry, though. We’ll keep you safe.” the butterfly glared at Angel, before turning her gaze back to Molly. 

Angel snorted, letting out a humorless laugh.

“Keep her safe? From me?!” he giggled again, running a hand through his hair. 

“The fucks you are! That’s some bullshit right there.” he pointed a finger directly at the two, frowning.

“To even have the thought that I would lay a hand on my own sister?! Get the fuck outta here, man! I love ha’ more than any other bastard in this place!!” he began to raise his voice, taking a few steps closer to the three.

“M-Molls…” he turned his gaze back to Molly, a few tears glistening in his eyes. “I love ya. I really do! It was all fa you…everything! I-i’m clean, I got clean-- it was all fa you…don’t- don’t listen to them, Molly!!” 

He stepped closer to her, reaching out to grab her hand, before the butterfly angel slapped it away. 

“Molly, please!! I’ve crossed hell just to see ya again! Please!!!”

Molly’s companions began walking in the opposite direction, ushering Molly along with them.

“Molly!!!” Angel cried out, throwing out a hand as a few tears began to roll down his cheeks. 

The arachnid looked back over her shoulder, offering a small, yet confused smile along with a shug, before turning back around, being forced to proceed down the path her friends had guided her down.

“Molly!!” he shrieked. It was a horrible sound. One that was laced with decades of pain and suffering. One that was hopeful, but had those hopes crushed. 

He collapsed to the ground, palms pressed firmly to the gold-plated path beneath him.

Between pained sobs and gasps for air, Angel called out again.

“Non lasciarmi! Per favore!! Mi dispiace!! Ti amo!” (Don’t leave me! Please!! I’m sorry!! I love you!) 

Angel stumbled yet again, making an attempt to get up and follow them. It took two attempts-- the first, he had tripped over the heel of his thigh-high boots, falling back over onto the ground, before crawling on all fours until he was able to hoist himself up successfully.

He began to follow them, before a bright light was shown, and two elder angels created a barrier in between the two groups.

They had sensed the situation, and quickly intervened before anything could escalate. After all, it was heaven-- nothing bad or undesirable was supposed to happen!

….in public.

Angel tries to push past one of the angels, but is caught by two gentle, yet strong arms restraining him. 

He threw his hand out, reaching out to his sister’s silhouette, which was just now starting to disappear into the distance.

“Non lasciarmi…” (Don’t leave me…) he sobbed, lowering his arm as his knees buckled. He dug his nails into the elder angel’s arms, as it held onto him, wrapping Angel into a secure hug as it guided him to sit on the ground. 

Angel, through eyes blurred by tears, looked past the angel’s legs, as he saw his sister walk away.

No, no, no!!

She couldn’t walk away.

Not forever.

Not again. 

｡ﾟ•┈꒰ა ♡ ໒꒱┈• ｡ﾟ

Anthony took a long drag of his cigarette, exhaling the fumes as he hummed along to the jazz-like song that was playing on the radio in the corner of the room. 

His humming was brought to a halt as he was interrupted by about a thousand knocks on his front door.

“Si accomodi! Porte aperte..” (Come in! Door’s open..) he chuckled. He listened for the sound of the knob turning, and the squeak of the door.

The clicking and clacking of high heels on the hardwood floor of his apartment only belonged to one person. 

“Hey there, brother!” Molly’s voice sounded as she approached the couch in which Anthony was sprawled across.

Anthony smiled weakly up at her. She was wearing a long, flowing red dress that contrasted sharply with her pale skin and blonde hair. Her eyes were a bright blue, and they seemed to hold a hint of worry as they surveyed the mess that was his apartment.

"Oh, Anthony..." she sighed, shaking her head as she took a seat on the armchair across from him. "You really should clean this place up. It's a disgrace, you know that?"

He shrugged, not meeting her gaze. "Yeah, I know. I'll get to it, Molly. Really." His voice sounded distant, even to his own ears.

Molly reached over and took his hand in hers, giving it a squeeze. "I'm worried about you, Anthony. You've been acting...different lately. You're not yourself."

He forced a laugh, trying to brush off her concerns. "Ah, Molly. You worry too much. I'm fine. Really." He took another long drag of his cigarette, watching the smoke curl up toward the ceiling.

 "Ma wouldn't have stood for this mess. She'd have you scrubbing floors 'til your hands bled if she could see you like this." Molly frowned. 

Anthony was about to take another drag of his cigarette, but stopped, holding the dart in mid air, the stick dangling over his face.

Molly's expression softened. "I know she'd want you to take care of yourself, Anthony. You need to get out of this...habit. You know it's not healthy." Her gaze flickered toward the makeshift bar in the corner of the room, where bottles of the remains of alcohol and empty glasses were scattered about.

He shrugged again, looking away. "It helps me cope, Molly. It's all I've got."

She sighed, her eyes filled with sympathy and understanding. "I know it does, brother. But it's not the answer. There are other ways to cope." She paused, searching for the right words. "We can help you. Together, we can get through this."

Anthony didn't reply. Instead, he reached for another cigarette and lit it with a shaky hand. Molly watched him silently, wishing she could make him see that there was hope, that things could get better. But for now, all she could do was be there for him, however he would allow it.

Molly noticed the soft tunes coming from the radio, and stood up, going over to the device and turning up its volume.

She slid off her coat, and held out a hand to her brother.

"Care to cut a rug (dance)?"

Anthony glanced up at Molly, confusion briefly flickering across his face. "Dance? Now? I don't know, Molls. I..." He trailed off, not quite meeting her gaze. 

Molly smiled gently and took his hand, her touch surprisingly gentle and reassuring. "Come on, Tony. Just for a little while. Let's pretend everything's alright."

He hesitated, then finally nodded. Standing up, he let her lead him over to the makeshift dance floor in the center of the living room. The music was a slow, romantic ballad, and Molly began to move gracefully, guiding his steps with hers.

He followed her lead, trying to match her movements. Her dress swirled around her ankles as they danced, the red fabric brushing against his pants. The air was thick with the scent of her perfume, and he closed his eyes, trying to lose himself in the moment.

As they moved together, Anthony felt a strange sensation in his chest. It was a mix of emotions: sadness, longing, and a tiny flicker of hope. He realized that he had missed this, missed dancing with his sister. It had been so long since they had shared a moment like this, a moment where they were just Tony and Molly, not just siblings, but friends.

"Remember when we used to dance like this all the time?" Molly asked softly, her breath tickling his ear. "Back when we were kids?"

He nodded, unable to speak past the lump in his throat. "Yeah," he managed to croak. "I remember."

They continued to dance, lost in their own memories and the music. Anthony found himself focusing on the rhythm of Molly's heartbeat, the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. It was a strange sort of comfort, this simple connection, and he clung to it as if it were a lifeline.

Molly suddenly spoke up. “Goodness, Tony! You’re such a dead hoofer (bad dancer)!” Molly giggled, making sure to watch her feet to prevent herself from tripping over her brother’s feet. 

“You ain’t much of a jive bomber (good dancer) yaself!” Anthony snorted.

Molly giggled, her hand on his shoulder guiding him through another turn. "Oh, you're just saying that 'cause you can't dance worth a lick!" she teased, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

As they circled around the living room, Anthony found himself focusing less on his own dancing and more on the way Molly moved against him. There was an ease to her steps, a confidence that he hadn't seen in her since before their mother's death. It made him feel a strange mix of emotions: happiness, sadness, and a sense of longing.

"You know, Tony," she said softly, "it's okay to not be okay. It's okay to feel the way you feel. But you can't let it consume you. You have to keep moving forward, you know?"

He nodded, not trusting himself to speak. He didn't want to let her down, to disappoint her. But he didn't know how to keep going when everything felt so bleak. 

"I'm here for you, you know," she continued. "No matter what. You can talk to me about anything, anytime. And I'll always be here to help you, to support you."

Anthony could only mumble a response, due to the huge lump in his throat. 

Her words hung in the air between them, bringing back memories that Anthony had tried his very hardest to keep locked away.

He suddenly came to a halt in their dance, letting go of his twin as he exhaled shakily.

"No, Molly," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't need your help. I'm fine." His words were laced with anger and denial, but there was a brittleness to his voice that belied his words.

Molly's face fell, her eyes filling with concern. "Tony, I'm just trying to help," she said softly. "You can't keep going like this. You know that."

He took a step away from her, his jaw clenched tightly. "I'm fine," he repeated, more forcefully this time. "I just need some time."

She bit her lip, watching him warily. She knew he was lying, but she didn't want to push him further away. "Okay," she said finally. "But if you ever need to talk, I'm here. And I'll help you get through this, no matter what."

Anthony didn't respond. Instead, he turned his back on his sister and made his way over to his favorite chair. It was an old, worn recliner that their father had brought home one day, a relic from a different time in their lives.

A better time.

As he settled into the chair, he reached up and ran a hand through his hair, feeling the familiar weight of the situation pressing down on him.

Molly watched him from across the room, her heart aching for her brother. She wished she knew how to make it all better, how to take away the pain that she knew he was feeling. But she knew that sometimes, all you could do was be there for someone, even when they didn't want you to.

With a heavy sigh, Molly turned away and made her way back to the dance floor. As she began to dance solo, she couldn't help but feel a strange mix of emotions: anger at Anthony for pushing her away, fear for his well-being, and an overwhelming sense of helplessness. She knew that she would have to find a way to reach him, to make him see that he wasn't alone.

Meanwhile, Anthony reached into his favorite chair's side table and pulled out a small stash of drugs he had been hiding there. He took a deep breath, steadying himself, before selecting one of the packets and opening it with shaking hands. He brought the white powder up to his nose and inhaled deeply, feeling the familiar rush of warmth spread through his body.

As the drug took effect, some of the tension began to ease from his shoulders. He closed his eyes, trying to forget about Molly and the memories she had unwittingly brought back to the surface.

 He thought about their mother, how much she would hate to see him like this, how she would tell him to stop, to get help. But he couldn't, not yet. He needed this numbness, this escape.

Just as he was beginning to feel a sense of peace, however, the music abruptly stopped. 

Anthony's eyes snapped open, panic rising in his chest. He glanced around, looking for the source of the sound, when he saw Molly standing before him, a look of concern etched onto her face.

"Tony," she said softly, taking a step towards him. "Are you okay?"

Anthony felt his anger rise again, hot and bitter in his throat. "I'm fine," he snapped, trying to sound convincing even to himself. "Just leave me alone."

Molly took another step closer, her expression not wavering. "No, you're not fine," she said, her voice steady and unyielding. "And I'm not going to leave you like this."

The words stung, but  Anthony couldn't bring himself to care. All he could think about was the need for numbness, the escape. He reached for another packet of drugs, already planning his next high. "Just leave me alone," he repeated, more harshly this time. "I don't want your help."

Molly's eyes filled with sorrow as she watched her brother slowly slip further away from her. She knew that he was lying, that he was hurting, but she didn't know how to make him see it. 

"Tony, talk to me..." she placed a hand on his shoulder, in which he immediately jerked away.

"Don't touch me!" he shouted, his eyes blazing. "Don't you dare touch me!"

He didn't know why he had lashed out like that. Maybe it was the drugs?

It was definitely the drugs, but he didn't care.

Molly's heart ached as she saw the pain in his eyes, the desperation to push her away. She knew she had to keep trying, even if it meant risking further rejection.

"Anthony, I'm not here to hurt you," she said softly, taking a step back. "I'm here because I love you, and I'm afraid of what's happening to you."

Her words seemed to have some effect on him; his shoulders slumped, and he looked away for a moment. But then he straightened up again and fixed her with an angry glare.

"I didn't mean that," he said, his voice harsh. "I'm just so tired of losing people. I can't handle it anymore. I can't..." His voice trailed off, and he looked down at the ground.

Molly took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. She knew that he was hurting, and that his anger was a defense mechanism. But she also knew that she couldn't let him continue down this path.

"I know you're hurting, Anthony," she said, her voice gentle but firm. "And I know you're scared. But you can't keep using drugs to numb the pain. It's not going to make things better."

Anthony looked up at her, his eyes red and brimming with tears. "It's the only way I can cope," he whispered.

Molly wanted to reach out to him, to comfort him the way she used to when they were children, but she held back. She knew that he needed to face his demons on his own terms. Instead, she offered him a small, sympathetic smile.

"I understand that," she said. "But I'm here if you ever want to talk, or if you need help. Okay?"

Anthony looked up at her, his eyes red and brimming with tears. He wanted to believe her, to accept her offer of support, but something inside him refused to let him. "I just need..." he started, then trailed off. "I just need some time, Molly. Please, give me some time."

He sighed, pushing himself up from his chair as he went over to his small kitchen, rummaging through the worn-down wooden cabinets until he retrieved a bottle of booze.

"Tony, please..." Molly pleaded, following him and watching as he unscrewed the cap, taking a long swig. The alcohol burned down his throat, and he winced, coughing briefly before taking another gulp.

She wanted to reach out, to take the bottle from him, but she didn't want to make things worse. 

She knew he was in pain, and she wanted to help him, but she didn't know how.

"I'm just so tired, Molly," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I can't do this anymore." He took another swig, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "I just want to forget."

Molly's heart ached at the sight of him, so lost and alone. She wanted to tell him that she'd be there for him, that she'd never leave him, but the words caught in her throat. She didn't know if he'd believe her anymore.

Instead, she took a step closer, reaching out to gently touch his arm. "You don't have to do this, Anthony," she said softly. "You don't have to be alone. We can get through this together."

He looked up at her, his eyes red and glassy. "I don't know if I can, Molly," he said, his voice barely more than a whisper. "I don't know if I want to."

She could feel the weight of his words, the hopelessness that had settled over him like a suffocating blanket. But she refused to give up. She refused to let him give up on them.

"We'll find a way," she said, her voice firm despite the tremor in her voice. "I promise we'll get through this. We'll be okay."

"Dammit, Molls, would ya stop fuckin' saying that?!" he suddenly yelled, swinging the bottle down to his side, its liquid contents swishing about.

She recoiled, her eyes wide with surprise and pain. "Tony... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..." she stammered, taking a step back.

He looked at her, his expression twisted in anger and self-loathing. "Just... just leave me alone for a while, okay?" he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I need... I need some time."

Molly's heart ached as she watched him struggle. She wanted to help him, to make it all better, but she knew that he had to find his own way through this darkness. 

"Tony, i-"

"Leave it, Molly." he growled, taking another swig of the drink.

Molly frowned. She didn't want to push him, but if she were to allow this, then he could lose himself. 

That was the last thing either one of them needed. 

She stepped forward, reaching out to grip the neck of the bottle, earning a glare from Anthony.

"Please don't, Tony," she said softly. "You don't need this. You don't want this."

He wrenched the bottle free, his grip tightening until she winced. "Molly, I told you, I need some time alone," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "Just... leave me be."

Her heart ached at the pain and anger in his voice, but she couldn't back down. Not now. She took another step closer, meeting his gaze unflinchingly. "Tony, I can't just leave you like this. I can't watch you hurt yourself like this."

He snorted, looking away for a moment before meeting her eyes again. "What do you want me to do, Molls? Huh? You want me to just forget about it? To move on like it was nothing?" He took another swig of the booze, wincing as it burned its way down his throat.

She winced too, but didn't back down. "I know you can't forget, but you don't have to do this. You don't have to be alone. I'm here for you, Anthony. I'll always be here for you."

He laughed, a harsh, bitter sound that made her heart clench. "Oh, that's real fuckin' comforting, Molls. Thanks for that." He took another step back, moving away from her. "Just... just leave me be, okay? I'll figure it out. I'll get through this."

She wanted to believe him, she really did. But she couldn't help but feel a growing sense of helplessness as he continued to push her away. "I'm sorry," she whispered, taking a step back herself. "I just want to help."

He looked up at her then, his eyes filled with pain and something else - despair. "You can't help me, Molly. No one can." With that, he took another swallow of the booze, disappearing deeper into his own darkness.

Molly's heart ached as she watched him slip further away from her. She wanted to reach out, to pull him back from the edge, but she knew that he had to find his own way out of this darkness. All she could do was be there for him, to let him know that she cared, that she would never leave his side.

"Tony, I-" 

"Leave it, Molly!!" he suddenly shouted, turning around hastily as he hissed at his sister.

Molly flinched, her hand automatically going to her chest where she could feel the sting of the pain he'd unintentionally inflicted. She winced, shocked at his outburst, as he took another swig of the bottle.

He was right, she shouldn't have tried to take the bottle away from him. She should have known better. She should have been more understanding. He was hurting, and she was just making things worse.

She opened her mouth to apologize, to tell him that she understood, but the words stuck in her throat. 

How could she possibly tell him that she understood when she didn't? 

When she couldn't even begin to fathom the depth of his pain?

Anthony took another swig of the booze, his eyes glazing over as he stared into nothingness. Molly could see the tension in his shoulders, the way he was clenching and unclenching his fists, the way he was breathing heavily. He was losing control, slipping deeper into the darkness.

She wanted to help him, but she didn't know how. She wanted to make it better, to take away the hurt, but she knew that she couldn't. All she could do was be there for him, to let him know that she cared, that she wouldn't abandon him.

She took a tentative step forward, reaching out a hand to rest it gently on his shoulder. "Tony, I'm sorry," she whispered. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I just wanted to help."

He turned to face her then, his eyes filled with anger and pain. "You don't understand, Molly. You can't understand." His voice broke, and he looked away, taking another swig of the booze.

She wanted to argue, to tell him that she did understand, that she was there for him, but she knew that he needed to find his own way through this. All she could do was be there, offer what comfort she could, and hope that one day he would be able to see past the darkness and find the light again.

She sighed, knowing that she just couldn't break down his protective walls.

Not now, at least.

She caressed his cheek as she reached up, giving him a kiss. 

"I have to go meet up with Niss...i'll see you tomorrow, Anthony." her voice was solemn, as she had given up. 

The impact of their mother's death took a toll on everyone.

Their father, their older brother, and the twins themselves.

Anthony took the hardest hit.

Their mother had treated him like nobody else (besides Molly) had ever done so before.

She treated his wounds when their father told him to toughen up, she helped him deal with his confusing emotions, she never favored the twin's older brother over any of her other children.

And now, she was gone.

Anthony's grief was as immense as the ocean, as relentless as the waves crashing against the shore. It consumed him, drowning out all other thoughts and feelings. In that moment, as he sat there with the bottle in his hand, Molly's presence was a constant reminder of the pain he was feeling, of the loss that threatened to engulf him.

She tried to help, but he couldn't let her in. Not yet. Not while he was still trying to come to terms with the fact that the one person who had always been there for him was gone.

He took another swig of the booze, feeling the liquid burn its way down his throat. It was a brief respite from the ache in his chest, the tightness in his chest. But he knew it was only temporary. Sooner or later, the pain would return, and he would be left to face it alone.

Molly watched him, her heart breaking all over again. She wished she could take away the pain, but she knew that she couldn't. All she could do was be there for him, to let him know that she cared, that she wouldn't abandon him.

As she turned to leave, she took one last look at her brother, feeling a desperate urge to do something, anything, to help him. But she knew that she couldn't force him to face his feelings, not when he wasn't ready. 

With a heavy heart, she forced herself to walk away, her footsteps echoing through the empty hallway.

In the bedroom, Anthony let out a shuddering breath as the door clicked shut behind Molly. He reached for another bottle, taking a long swig before dropping it back onto the bed. 

The room spun around him, the alcohol and drugs dulling the edge of his grief, if only for a moment. He thought about calling one of his dealers, but he couldn't bear the thought of talking to anyone else, or admitting how much he needed this escape.

He lay back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, his mind awhirl with memories of their mother. The way she used to sing to him when he was sick, the smell of her perfume, the feel of her hand in his. He missed her so much it physically hurt. He missed the way she'd tease him about his clumsiness, the way she'd make him feel special even when he thought no one else did.

With a groan, he rolled over, burying his face in the pillow. He didn't know how he was supposed to go on without her. It felt like a part of him had died along with her, and he didn't know how to live without that part. 

He closed his eyes, wishing he could just fade away, disappear into nothingness, where the pain wouldn't be so sharp, where he wouldn't have to face the world without her.

The room began to spin, and he realized he'd taken too much. He forced himself to sit up, fighting the nausea that threatened to overwhelm him.

 His head felt like it was about to explode, and his vision was blurry. He reached for a glass of water, but his hand trembled uncontrollably, and he spilled half of it on the bed. He sighed, defeated, and lay back down, staring up at the ceiling.

The memories came flooding back, unbidden and unrelenting.

 The first time she'd held him, the day he'd graduated high school, the way she'd looked at him when he'd told her his dreams. He could hear her voice in his head, her laughter echoing through the empty room.

 He wanted nothing more than to be able to talk to her again, to ask her for advice, to tell her how much he missed her. But he knew that was impossible.

He reached for another bottle, unscrewing the cap with shaking hands. 

The sweet smell of alcohol filled the air, and he took a long swallow, feeling the liquid burn its way down his throat.

 It was the only thing that seemed to drown out the voice in his head, the one that kept repeating the words "I'm sorry, Anthony, I'm so sorry." He closed his eyes, trying to block it out, but it was no use.

He couldn't help but think back to Molly. He had watched her walk away, her heels clicking against the floor until they were heard no more. 

His world spun.

It spun like never before.

He was no stranger to getting high, but this was different. 

Eventually, the darkness consumed him, the last thing he'd ever see was the sight of his dear sister, who only wanted to help, walking away after he had hurt her. 

｡ﾟ•┈꒰ა ♡ ໒꒱┈• ｡ﾟ

Angel was a mess of sobs as he was restrained. He just melted into the angel’s arms as he sank to the ground.

He let go of his death-grip on the elder angel, bringing his hands to his face as he pressed his eyes into the palms of his hands, continuing to wail. 

Through sobs, he brought his head up to see another elder angel-- along with the one that had blocked Angel’s path, holding out a hand for Angel to latch onto.

He just stared at the hand, before shaking his head profusely, slowly sliding away from the two angels as he turned around, once again tripping over his own feet as he tried to get away from the angels.

Angel ducked behind the wall that he had come from previously, immediately sinking back to the ground once he was shielded from the stares of the elder angels. 

The cherub had noticed him, and flew over, puckering her lip as she frowned.

“I suppose it didn’t go so well..?” she hesitantly asked.

“What’s ya first fuckin’ clue, sherlock?!” Angel screeched, turning towards the cherub with tear-stained fur.

She flinched, taking a step back as she raised her clipboard slightly, in a manner of self-defense.

“I’m sorry ....I…thought you knew that-” she paused, preventing herself from saying anymore.

“What?!” Angel exclaimed, still heaving.

“Err--- what’s the best way to explain this..” she mumbled to herself. “Family, or-- anyone in relation to a soul in question-- if they aren’t sent here after they die, then all memories of said person will disappear from the winner’s mind.” 

The cherub averted Angel’s gaze, as he continued to sob.

“And you….you….you wouldn’t think to tell me that beforehand?!?” Angel resisted the urge to reach out and choke the creature.

“I-i’m sorry…” she backed away once more, and tsked. “Is there anything that I can do to help?” 

This only earned herself a glare from Angel.

Before he could respond though, a flash was seen, before the two elder angels from before appeared again.

Angel glanced up to them.

“Do not be afraid..” the one closest to Angel said, lifting his hands in innocence. 

“We have not come to hurt you..just to have a word, if you would allow it, Mr. Vittori.” he smiled down at Angel, who just cowered on the ground.

Angel continued to hyperventilate, shaking his head.

“No…no….just…get away from me-!” Angel stood up, stumbling a little bit. The angel held out a hand to help him up, but Angel ignored it as he spread his wings, taking off.

He flew away from the cherub and the two elder angels, not wanting to be near them anymore. The wind whipped through his fur as he soared, tears streaming down his face. He didn't know where to go or what to do.

His mind was a mess of conflicting emotions: anger, hurt, betrayal, and confusion. He couldn't understand why the humans had done this. They were supposed to be the good ones, the ones who cared about others. But they had abandoned him, just like everyone else in his life.

Angel finally landed under a tree, in an endless field of beautiful flowers of all different colors, shapes, and sizes. 

He sat down on the soft, green grass, and buried his face in his hands, trying to muffle his sobs. 

He tucked his knees to his chest as far as they could go with the extra weight creating a blockage. Burning his face into his knees, he brought his lower set of hands up to wrap around his stomach. 

“Guess it’s just you and me now, kid.” he sniffled.

 “I’m so fuckin’ sorry…” he managed, before beginning to sob once more. 

｡ﾟ•┈꒰ა ♡ ໒꒱┈• ｡ﾟ

Days later, Angel was awoken by pounding on his door.

Angel sighed, rubbing his eyes. He knew whoever it was wouldn't take kindly to being kept waiting. 

He swung his legs over the edge of his bed and stood up, stretching his wings.

Being forced to come out of his depression-like state already put Angel in a bad mood. Albeit, deep down, he knew he needed the exercise. With a baby on the way, he couldn’t just laze around all day. 

 Angel reached the door and paused for a moment, taking a deep breath to calm his raging emotions. 

With all that was happening, Angel was in a shut-down mode. 

 With a growl, he yanked the door open, revealing the cherub, her wings wrapped around her body in a defensive posture. Angel groaned at the sight of her, and immediately made a move to shut the door, before the cherub stuck her hand in the crack between the door and the wall, exclaiming:

“Wait! Please, hear me out…”

"You'd better have a damn good reason for why I should forgive you," he snarled, his eyes burning into hers. "Because if you think you can just apologize and all is forgiven, you're dead wrong." 

The cherub trembled visibly, her lower lip quivering as she tried to find the words to explain herself. But before she could say anything, Angel cut her off. 

“I worked so damn hard to get here, been through alla that shit, just ta find her. You could’ve at least had the damn courtesy to tell me that she wouldn’t fuckin’ remember me!” he pointed a finger towards her, causing her to take a step back.

She exhaled. “Angel, I- I know it hurts, and i’m so sorry that I didn’t tell you, but you-- you have to understand, whe-”

Angel cut her off with a growl. "No,you don't get it. You don't get to decide that for me. I've been through hell and back ta find her, and you just took it all away with one stupid mistake." He leaned in, his eyes boring into hers. 

“I-”

“Shut the fuck up!!” he had yelled louder than he intended to, but in this moment, he didn’t care. 

The cherub flinched at his outburst, her wings pressing tighter against her body. 

Tears welled up in her eyes as she took another step back, bumping into the door behind her. She lowered her head, her voice barely more than a whisper as she spoke. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you so angry. I just wanted to protect her--- protect you! I didn't know what else to do."

Angel felt a pang of guilt, but that didn’t stop him. 

“Like fuck you had my best interest in mind!” 

Angel's voice was a low growl, his wings shifting restlessly behind him as he took a step closer to the trembling cherub. "You should've just left me alone. If you'd just let me find her and leave, none of this would've happened."

The cherub looked up, her tear-filled eyes meeting his. "I couldn't just do that, Angel. I couldn't let you- hurt her again!”

Angel flinched, before firing back. 

"You don't know what I was going to do," he snarled. "You don't know what I wanted." He took another step closer, looming over her. "But I think you should be worried about what I'm going to do now."

The cherub swallowed hard, her throat feeling tight and raw. "You- you can't just hurt me, Angel. I'm only trying to protect her."

He let out a humorless laugh. "Protect her? Is that what you call it? You're lucky I don't think you deserve any better than this, or I'd rip your little wings off right now." His eyes narrowed as he studied her face, searching for any sign of fear or guilt. 

“You don’t fuckin’ know the pain I went through to get here! All that shit I had to endure down there! And it fuckin’ sucks up here too! This’ supposed to be the happiest place on earth?! Fuck you all!!” Angel took a step forward, causing the cherub to flinch, raising her clipboard over her face for protection.

This caused Angel to stop, losing his snarl as he just stared at the cherub.

This scene felt all too familiar. 

｡ﾟ•┈꒰ა ♡ ໒꒱┈• ｡ﾟ

TW: Valentino. Need I say more? Skip to the next page divider if you’re uncomfortable!!

“Val, I-”  

Angel was cut off by a brisk slap to the face. 

Valentino trudged over to Angel, barely leaving him time to recover as he picked him up once again, this time via Angel’s dressing gown, as he shoved his star actor up against a wall.

The overlord brought his bottom set of arms up, and took his cigar, tracing a pattern of smoke in the air that formed to become a chain. The smoke wrapped around the arachnid’s neck. His top two arms remained on Angel’s neck as they continued to press him up against the wall. 

“You think just because you’re my favorite whore that you can do whatever you fucking please?!” 

Another slap to the face.

“Val. Please, I wasn’t trying to- agh!” he grunted as he was thrown across the room, colliding with a table in the process. 

The spider tried standing up, but that only resulted in stumbling, until Val yanked him by the robe once more, tugging him closer. 

"Please, just let me explain!!" 

Valentino had no intent of doing that, and picked him up by the robe collar, dragging him over to the couch, slamming him down on it.

"Do you even know how much money I could’ve lost because of you?!" he yelled, his face turning beet red with anger. "And then you have the nerve to try and beg for another chance?"

Angel, still stunned, couldn't bring himself to respond. His boss's words were like a knife to the heart, and he couldn't help but feel a lump forming in his throat. He wished he could just disappear, vanish into thin air, but instead, he found himself trapped in this living nightmare.

Valentino, on the other hand, seemed to take some sort of twisted pleasure in Angel’s misery. He leaned in closer, his breath hot and foul in the man's ear. 

"You know what? I think I'll make an example of you. I'll make sure everyone in this company knows what happens to people who mess up as badly as you did."

Angel felt a shiver run down his spine as he heard those words. He knew there was no point in protesting anymore. There was no one he could turn to for help, no one who would believe him if he told them what had really happened. He was all alone in this world, and it felt like everything was slipping away from him.

Valentino stood up, towering over Angel. 

With a snap of the fingers, he instantly summoned the familiar golden contract.

The stupid, stupid contract.

“Now, let’s see…” Valentino smirked, skimming over the contract. “How about…3 more decades onto your contract?”

Angel’s eyes widened. “Val! That-- I-”

He was met with another slap. 

No, you don't get to speak! You don't get to argue!" his boss spat, the words dripping with venom. "You're nothing but a worthless piece of trash, and I'm going to make sure everyone knows it!"

The man could feel his face burning with shame, tears stinging the back of his eyes. He wanted nothing more than to disappear, to vanish from existence, to never have to see this man's cruel face again. But he knew that wasn't an option. Not anymore.

Valentino leaned in closer to Angel. “You have no control. You’re merely a pawn in my game. You are nothing.”

He summoned the chain again, and pulled Angel closer to him.

“You’re just a toy-- don’t forget that.”

｡ﾟ•┈꒰ა ♡ ໒꒱┈• ｡ﾟ

She just cowered in fear, as Angel took a step backwards. 

He couldn’t form words. He was just-- shocked.

How could he stoop this low?

Inflicting the pain that he had felt for decades onto another person? Who wanted to help him, for goodness sake. 

What was he doing?!

Angel's mind reeled as he tried to process the situation. He couldn't believe that he had just reacted so violently. He had never meant to hurt her; he had only wanted to protect himself. But in that moment, it had all spiraled out of control.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart and steady his shaking hands. When he looked up again, he saw the tears streaming down her face. He had never meant for her to suffer like this.

 "I'm sorry," he murmured, his voice barely audible over the thunderous beating of his heart. "I didn't mean for this to happen."

Angel looked down at both sets of hands, all four hands trembling. 

The cherub couldn’t even bother to look at him, as she just quickly got up and flew away.

Angel had half a mind to go after her. 

No.

She didn’t deserve it.

Instead of just being honest and telling him the truth, she didn’t and now he was hurt.

Angel tried to use his self-pity as an excuse, but knew deep down that he was in the wrong.

He didn’t care.

Not anymore.

Heaven wasn’t worth it if he wasn’t happy.

If his happiness was in hell.

With Husk.

With Charlie.

Vaggie, even.

Anything was better than being here, where not even his own sister remembered him.

He was going back, no matter what it takes. 

｡ﾟ•┈꒰ა ♡ ໒꒱┈• ｡ﾟ

Usually, when you’re faced with a collection of heaven-- no, creation's most powerful beings, you would be scared.

…Right?

That wasn’t the case. 

Normally, this would cause any (normal) person to shit themselves.

In Angel’s situation, he was too broken to even care.

He looked around the room.

The room was vast and ornate, adorned with the finest materials money could buy. The throne at the head of the chamber was empty, the weight of its importance palpable in the air. A grandiose painting of a great battle hung on the far wall, the celestial beings depicted within showing off their power and majesty. 

But Angel wasn't paying attention to any of that.

Instead, he focused his gaze onto the boxes that were positioned at an altitude that held the various members of the heavenly council. 

Sera peered down at him from the highest box, her face a display of both disappointment, and shame. 

"So," Angel drawled, "You’re here to tell me I'm a monster?"

One of the lesser-ranked members of the council cleared his throat. "We do not believe that you are a monster, Angel," he said carefully. "But we are concerned about your recent behavior."

Angel snorted. "What, you mean the fact that I've been angry because every one of those goddamned angels shit on me like I've got polio?!” 

The council exchanged glances. One of them cleared his throat. "You have... acted in ways which have brought harm to those around you," he said carefully. "We believe that you need time to reflect on your actions and find a way to move forward."

"Oh, that's rich," Angel scoffed. "You're talking about the same bunch that cast me out like I'm some sort of leper? The same ones who made sure every other angel knew I was a freak? Yeah, I'm sure you're just looking out for my best interests."

The room fell silent for a moment. Angel could feel their eyes boring into him, weighing him up, trying to decide what to do with him. 

He let out a bitter laugh. "What, you're gonna send me back to hell? Go a-fucking-head!!"

Sera  leaned forward in her throne-like chair. 

"Angel," she said, her voice calm and measured, "we understand that your time in Hell has left you scarred. But you must understand that your actions have consequences. You cannot simply lash out at those around you without considering the effects of your words and deeds."

Angel scoffed. "What do you know about it?" he spat. 

"You guys get to sit up here on your pretty little thrones, looking down on everyone like you're better than us. Well, news flash, bitch: we're all just as fucked up as each other."

Her expression didn't change, but her eyes narrowed slightly. "That may be true," she said slowly, "But it does not give you the right to inflict pain upon others.” 

Angel rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest. 

She continued, "Never in all my years of serving heaven's council have I  encountered such defiance. Angel, you must understand that the life you once knew is gone. You can either choose to accept that and find a new purpose, or you can continue down this path of self-destruction. It is your choice."

Angel snorted. "Oh, please. Spare me the fucking platitudes. You think I don't know that my life is over? You think I give a shit about finding some new purpose?" 

He leaned forward, his voice low and dangerous. "You might as well just send me back to hell right now, because that's where I belong. With the rest of the rejects and the damned."

Sera’s expression hardened. 

"We have given you a choice, Angel. You can either accept our help and work with us to find a new purpose, or you can continue down this path of self-destruction. The choice is yours." She snapped, instantly summoning a golden sheet of paper.

A contract, to be exact. 

Angel snorted derisively as the golden parchment floated down to him, settling on the table in front of him. 

After Valentino, he had sworn to never sign a contract again.

But despite himself, he found his fingers twitching towards the paper, drawn irresistibly to the spot where his name was to be written, waiting for him to make his mark

The lead angel watched him warily, her expression unreadable. "Angel," she began, her voice gentle but firm, 

"You should reconsider. Not only are you harming yourself with this decision, you are also taking a new burden-- this one to be put upon your child.” she motioned down to his stomach, causing his lower arms to come up and wrap around the swell.

He looked up at her, his eyes hard “Well it’s my fuckin’ choice.” 

Sera gripped the railing of the balcony that she was seated on. "A foolish one at that!"

Her words echoed through the throne room, causing the other angels in attendance to shift uncomfortably in their seats.

 The tension was palpable as they waited to see what Angel would do next. He glanced up at her, his eyes narrowing. 

“Fuck it.”

Then, with a sigh that seemed to come from the depths of his soul, he reached out and took the golden quill that had appeared next to the contract.

Angel's hand shook slightly as he signed his name at the bottom of the contract. 

Once he finished his signature, a portal suddenly opened, causing a rush of wind to sweep through the throne room. 

Angel's wings, now free from their restraints, disintegrated with a powerful snap, their snowy feathers fading in the ethereal light. His halo fell to the floor in a quiet clatter. Angel stared at it, before looking back up at Sera. 

She peered down menacingly at him, before turning her nose up.

“I hope you’re satisfied with your decision, Anthony..”

｡ﾟ•┈꒰ა ♡ ໒꒱┈• ｡ﾟ

Damn.

I didn't know I was capeable of writing that much.

(Also, took me a second because my tumblr crashed, LOL.)

Took me about 2 months, although I crammed about 7k words in like, 3 days (And I didn't forget about it, YOU DID!!)

As I said, this was a little gift for my friends @scribbsyscribs and @boldlygreatsuit!!

This fanfiction was based of of Scribssy's story: When You're With Me, on A03!! This story is based of of Boldly's Alternate Universe: when-your-long-lost-partner-shows-up-at-your-doorstep-and-is-heavily-pregnant (LOL, I made that up.)

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this! Took me forever to write and i'm so proud of myself for formatting and editing and beta(ing??) it all by myself. And I didn't procrastinate. So yay!!

Thanks for reading!!

Word Count: 13661 (DAMNNN)

[anathemaloren]

Bewitched

Anthony Lockwood x f!reader - fluff

★ Summary: Lockwood is head over heels for his roomate. What will happen when they're alone for the night?

★ Word count: 1k (more or less)

★ Proofread: yes :)

★ Warnings: cheesy 2000's rom com stuff and also english is not my first language

★ Note: guess who's alive? me (barely)! but at least i'm writing. enjoy this teeth rotting fluff with a tint of pride and prejudice and a tad of lockwood being a simp (and yeah i changed AGAIN my posting style but because i forget how to post every time i stop for a while)

★ Anthony Lockwood was falling for a girl living in his house. And it wasn't Lucy, she was like a sister to him, plus she was already head over heels for Kipps. No - it was Y/n. She hadn't been living on Portland Row for too long, just for about a year or so, and she worked as a florist. Lockwood always pondered about how different they were. She was sweets, had no Talent and baked excellent desserts; he was a bit socially awkward around her, fighted ghosts for a living and burnt toasts if she was in the room. Still, the agent found himself liking her with every fiber of his being.

The girl had started living with Lockwood&Co. when George and Lucy convinced Lockwood that they needed someone with a stable income to keep the house afloat in low activity months. SO, after a few weeks interviewing candidates, Y/n was the chosen one. She had a stable income, knew how to cook and didn't mind cleaning, and she got along with all of them. And Anthony Lockwood started falling for her bright smile.

Now, almost a year later, Lockwood was most definitely in love with her. He was always trying to talk to her, he bought her favourite food and he starved for the small amounts of touch he could get from her. He didn't know if having his room in front of hers was a blessing or a curse. But then the boy remembered her smile when she got out of her room in the morning, the soft "good day"s and "goodnight"s, and the moments when they hanged out together in his room before going to sleep. But that wasn't nearly enough for him. However, there were two problems. First of all, he didn't even know if she liked him back and he didn't want to ruin their friendship if it turned out she didn't like him. And secondly, he had no clue how to tell her. Lucy had advised him to just say it, but he didn't think it was that easy. Or maybe it was. Anyway, he probably would never know, and he was absolutely fine with it.

But the uncertainty came to an end one of the nights were they didn't have a case, a miracle happened; Lucy went on a date with Kipps, and George was pulling an all-nighter at the archives. That meant that Y/n and Lockwood were alone for at least a few hours. Alone. Together. They had dinner together in the unusually quiet kitchen, with a calming atmosphere surrounding them, and then cleaned the dishes. Every time Y/n grazed Lockwood's arm, he shivered. Every time Lockwood placed his hand on Y/n's hip, she sighed a bit. And after that, they went to their favourite place. They both found the library a relaxing place, a place where to be reading books and basking in each other's presence. They arranged themselves in the position they were more comfortable in, one that Lucy and George found strange and were adamant to believe it was comfortable for anyone. The florist laid on the couch and the agent sat on the floor, resting his back on the couch near Y/n, at hand's reach, and usually she would rest her hand on his head and play with his hair, making him melt as like with everything she did.

That night he was engrossed in "The Brothers Karamazov", and she was finishing her lectures of the past weeks, "Pride and Prejudice". Lockwood had almost fainted when he saw her picking up the book from the shelves. He loved it and had read it at least 15 times, in part because it was his mother's favourite and was full of her notes and annotation here and there. Knowing Y/n was reading it now too made his stomach do funny figures. They read in silence as usual for around an hour, until she dramatically closed the book, dropped it on the coffee table near her, and dropped back down on the couch with a theatrical sigh. Lockwood closed his book and let it rest on the floor, turning to look at her, amused. 'What happened?' He gently asked, starting to play with her fingers. She sighed 'I finished it'. She had her eyes closed which gave Lockwood a free pass to look at her with heart eyes and smile fondly at her. 'Is that so bad?' He asked. 'Of course it's bad!' She answered, as if it was obvious 'Now my standards for love are ridiculously high! No one would say things like that to me!' she continued, gesticulating a lot with the hand that Lockwood was not holding. He smiled again 'I would' he blurted. And they both freezed. She opened her eyes and stood up, whereas he stooped smiling and let go of her hand.

'What?' she asked Lockwood, who knew there was no turning back now. So he decided to just go for it 'I said I would say those things to you'. The girl laughed nervously 'You say the weirdest things, Anthony'. Y/n was probably the only one who called him that, and he usually liked it, only now it sounded… strained. 'I'm not joking, Y/n' her name rolled down his tongue as it had always had, as if it was the most beautiful word in the world for him since the moment they met. Now he was nervous but also serious. The girl couldn't find it in her to move or breathe or react in any way. So Lockwood got on his knees, turning around to see her completely, held both of her hands and tried to remember "Pride and Prejudice" as best as he could. 'You have bewitched me, heart and soul' the girl's breath got caught in her throat as she recognized the words and Lockwood declared himself 'and I love you. I never wish to be parted from you from this day on'. The agent was shaking a bit, not really sure that had been the right choice to make. Maybe now she hated him or thought he was weird or- Lockwood's train of thoughts got stopped by Y/n's lips on his. She tasted like cinnamon, and the kiss was gentle and long-awaited. When they parted, they both had a smile on their faces. 'You have also bewitched me' she whispered before kissing him again.

Having to explain the new relationship to Lucy and George took some time, but they were both thrilled about the developments in their relationship. Portland Row now felt more like a family than ever, and Y/n and Lockwood were absolutely in love and open about it. Who would guess that Jane Austen would still get couples together after such a long time?

[fallencrow3]

Why Aziraphale and Crowley are definitely normal Angel and demon

Azzy

Delivered fire to the humans allowing them to survive and evolve (Prometheus)

Got the fire sword which is actually canon in the Bible, gifted to an Angel (in this case azzy) to protect the tree of life (though is a tad different from the Bible in many ways buuuut we ain’t gonn get into that)

Watched over the east gate (East gate is gate of mercy, the main most important gate of Eden)

Watched over the first humans

Oh on a side note

In the Bible the East does not mean the compass East. East In the Bible means front, eternal, forward. This also follows withe how when Cain left god’s side he went to “the land of nod, on the east of eden.”

And when looking from the front of eden, (from the east gate), you would overlook the lesser world (earth). Oh and nod means homeless basically

The east of Eden is the border between the physical realm and the spiritual realm (heaven and earth, or in this case the garden of Eden and the rest of earth)

The east border is the border azzy looked over, he was the protector of the tree of life (not to be mistaken as the tree of knowledge of good and evil aka APPLES). As well as the entrance to the garden of Eden. He was actually supposed to be the Angel to ward off Adam and Eve. At least In the Bible it says that to protect the tree of life from man and to make sure mankind does not enter the garden, god placed an Angel withe a flaming sword at the entrance of the east gate (the gate from which Adam and Eve were discarded from the garden)

He overlooked the lesser world (earth) which at that time was nothing but vastness. So ya

The east is where earth is, it is the "unholy" lands

This could show that he was destined to connect two realms maybe

Oh and the east gate is the only one mentioned in the Bible specifically

Oh and just casually saying that the flaming sword is canon in the Bible the most powerful weapon ever (and was broken into three pieces after lucifers rebuking but I don’t think that corresponds withe good omens) (I also think it’s hilarious that azzy was technically supposed to use the flaming sword against Adam and Eve but instead gave it to them it’s just so azzy)

OH AND GUESS WHAT in the Bible it's canon that humans will merge around 6,000 years after the fall

Which is basically the apocalypse

You know what else happened 6,000 years after the world began in good omens? THE ANTICHRIST aka THE APOCALYPSE (or almost)

Anyways so there’s all that BUT ANYWAYS back to azzy

He was chosen to watch over the first peeps

He was also chosen to watch over the antichrist

He was there at the beginning

So he’s one of the oldest angels one of the first ones

He is the only Angel other then the archangels that god talks to directly

The name Aziraphale when broken down is seraph (which means the burning one) and el (which means of god, of power)

(Seraph also means serpent so do what you want to do withe that information)

So he is not only the one to handle the flaming sword, but in itself actually IS the flaming sword

In the Bible the quote “So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way”

And he gave the sword to humanity, He gave himself to humanity. He has been withe humanity and protecting them since the beginning.

Ok now

Crow

So there’s the obvious thing of him being the famous serpent of temptation (deFiEnTlY just a small feat not as if it literally started everything insert eye roll)

(In many myths and religions there are many gods and symbols of the serpent so for this one the comparing is not only of the Bible. And even then most of the time snake is good, such as withe a snake being a sign to carry a message to John)

Ok so first let’s start withe the Bible

The Bible never actually states that the serpent is of satan, only that it is of temptation and sin. So there is no definite person or title I can compare crow to. (Well satan has been called serpent BUT NO WERE GETTING OFF SUBJECT THIS IS NOT A BIBLE STUDY)

(The only definite name the serpent was called other then words of titles was Nahash but that means serpent in Hebrew)

I do want to add that the serpent never actually lied to Eve or Adam it actually went on to say how “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” And that is what happened. They became aware and held wisdom aloft. (Crow is actually very proud of showing Adam and Eve the knowledge of good and evil because I bet he was reflecting himself on it thinking that he sure would’ve wanted to know some of that before he fell) I’m pretty sure there’s a quote from Neil gaiman about this.

Now serpents have never actually been seen as anything bad other than in the Bible. In most religions they are known to be symbols of life, death, and rebirth. As well as cleverness and slyness. In the Bible the serpent symbolizes evil powers, temptations, chaos, but also life, rebirth, and divination. (WE. ARE. NOT. GETTING. OFF. SUBJECT.)

ANYWAYS

So crow was the serpent, temptation, he could’ve also been a sort of Mestophillies (but I have nothing to back that up)

Honesty he kinda reminds me more of loki, chaotic but not in an evil sense. Sorta chaotic neutral.

Ok back to the list

Crow was famous serpent dude

Crow was also the watcher to the first humans (Adam and Eve)

He was chosen to not only watched the antichrist (death the everything, very high feat) but also deliver it.

He was there at the very beginning, and was one of the original fallen angels

Oh and I’m pretty sure he’s the only demon who can make holy miracles

So he’s one of the oldest (he even created nebulas for hells sake)

He himself was able to deter Lucifer himself by doing his stopping time in a different dimension thingy (I’m pretty sure this isn’t a normal power, it stopped satan for hells sake!)

He also was the dude who took Jesus on a road trip (in the Bible it was Jesus was tempted by satan for 40 days)

I've noticed that every other demon is rotting

But crow is as maculent as ever

He also seems to be the only one to have Angel wings, even if there black

He created original sin

Response for the whole corruption of gods creation

Honestly I can see why he is the serpent he’s very resourceful and clever (the switcheroo as one example you go azzy and crow)

While we are at this let’s talk about what type of Angel crow was when he fell.

We know that even though he has been corresponded to Lucifer due to the snake thingy, he isn't Lucifer

We know he is higher rank then Muriel

In season two they hinted he was a prince, saying only one other high ranked Angel fell (minus Lucifer)

AND crow had clearance to open the file folder even though Muriel specifically said only the highest ranked angels could open it

I think that crow was corresponded withe archangel Raphael maybe

The only archangel not mentioned in good omens is Raphael

Now let’s talk about Bible Raphael

So Raphael is the second in command of god

Or third

Ok wait so Lucifer used to be the first, then Michael, then Raphael

So we will say third

Raphael was the Angel of healing, but also the Angel of death and the protecter of the third heaven (third heaven is the heaven that god himself dwells in)

He was the closest archangel to humans

Also Gabriel and Raphael are the archangels who created the stars

Oh also Raphael is the one who conquered the demon asmodeus (and guesss what azzy thought Crowley changed his name to~)

Raephael is the "the Angel of spirits of men" and "heal the earth which the angels have defiled" so that could be why crow likes humans so much (as you can tell in the show I will not be elaborating)

Raphael symbol is a snake entwined withe a wooden staff

In other words Raphael is the guardian

Oh and Raphael is the one to call judgement day (the day of reckoning, dies Israel)

This corresponds to Raphael Islam name

in the islam raephal is also called Israfel which is the dude who trumpets the Qiyamah (did I spell that right I dunno) which is the day of judgement in Islam

So he tells the start of the apocalypse(ish)

His titles are

Angel of Song. The burning one. Herald of the dawning day.

And another connection that is a maybe this

So Azrael is the Angel of death

He is fallen Angel and is left shoulder Angel (left corresponds to evil)

(I wonder if crow is left handed??)

(Though Crowley from what I have seen has always been depicted on the left side)

Also in some depictions Raphael is the only Angel (other then I think ururial) that has black wings

So azrael is carrier of souls

He's also the Angel of passage

So yeah there’s that

Then there’s Gadriel

Wait imma need to add

So Gadriel and Azazel are from a group of fallen angels in the book of Enoch called the watchers. The watchers were angels who fell because they became involved withe women. The watchers fell before Lucifer (they fell willingly accourding to some accounts)

There are 200 watchers that fell (Gadriel was the third of five leaders)

Ok so Gadriel was the Angel who watched over the garden of Eden (in the book of Enoch)

The direct quote is “And the third was named Gâdreêl: he it is who showed the children of men all the blows of death, and he led astray Eve, and showed [the weapons of death to the sons of men] the shield and the coat of mail, and the sword for battle, and all the weapons of death to the children of men. And from his hand they have proceeded against those who dwell on the earth from that day and for evermore”

He was who taught mankind warfare, and was also the snake who tempted Eve, maybe. It’s hard to tell if he is the one to be the serpent or if he failed at keeping evil (Lucifer) out of Eden. Nevertheless it does add up withe Crowley being the snake but not being Lucifer.

Aaaand the last one is barachiel, who taught mankind astronomy and was the Angel of blessings before he fell (he is part of the watchers as well)

And then there’s this little fact

Aziraphale (in Hebrew depending on how it’s spelled) translates to either helper of the defiant one, heedless helper, helper of the fallen

In an interview it was said that azirahphale would be spelled like Aziraphael to keep withe the angels having el at the end (michael, Gabriel, Uriel, etc etc) and if that’s the case then it could translate to Raphael is my strength (because azir can be translate to helper)

Crowely name is קראו לי in Hebrew. Which means they called me, in past tense specifically. Crawley in Hebrew is קראלי (change in pronunciation and form). It means they call me, specifically present tense. His first name (maybe while he was still in denial of the fall) was crawley, which means call me. That is some real symbolism there…a tad sad

When he changed his name, he only added the letter ו (Vav). Adding this specific letter has a lot of significance to it. that ו is part of God’s Holy Name, which is י-ה-ו-ה (Yud, Hey, Vav, Hey). Adding a letter of god holy name is symbolic of a person’s essential connection to God. Each letter symbolizes a different thing. The ‘י’ in it’s shape is not grounded. It symbolizes not being grounded to earth, only heaven. The ה in its shape envelops a grounded marking. The grounded beings purpose is entirely, and solely, on Earth. What’s so special about the ו part is that it is a connector. It is the literal line connecting the top to the bottom. It channels earth to heaven and heaven to earth.

Crowley is a ו. By him being a fallen angel, he brought a piece of Heaven down to Earth. He is a channel of the two worlds. An example of this was when he and Aziraphale averted the Apocalypse.

He never knew where he belongs, doesn’t know what he was called for, he and azzy were made to connect the two worlds together. Hes not quite an Angel, but neither is he much of a Demon, and has the the imagination of a human. I guess he’s on his own side along withe azzy.

Oh and the fact that together they made a hugggeee miracle, and they were trying to be subtle. So imagine how huge and powerful one where they weren’t trying to be subtle would be.

[definedbydaylight]

“It’ll Be The Last Time” - Matty Healy x F!Reader

Part 2:

Masterlist: .°˖✧

Word Count: 2132

Warnings: angst-ish, smoking, alcohol, drugs and semi-smutty?, mostly just mentions of it, also i promise this is a Matty fic i just love George so i can’t help but add some love for him in there

Series Summary: “You’ve known Matty since you were 14 and the boy has never failed to get on your last nerve, but over the years you two end up having unexplainable moments where you can’t help but feel you two are connected in a way you’ll never feel with anyone else, until one night he tells you something that may change how you view the boy forever…”

January 13th 2011

Today is finally the day, your debut album is coming out and you should be over the moon, you should be enjoying being out with your friends celebrating, but instead all you can think about is the words Matty spoke to you last summer. You hadn’t really spoken to him since, you’d been out with all the boys since then, you really couldn’t avoid it cause somehow Kelsey and Ross were still going strong all these years later, so you’d seen Matty, you just hadn’t spoken to him past a simple greeting. The club you were at was hosting a release party for you, a small area roped off for just your group, your manager had set everything up as a surprise, you would’ve been fine with a small listening party in your flat, but Kelsey insisted you go along with the idea and enjoy your big day. Honestly she was probably more excited for the release than you were, she’d been planning your outfit for the last week, acting as if it was your wedding day.

The situation at hand felt all too familiar to you, the fact that she’d picked you out a green dress to wear only added onto the nostalgic feeling, but you could never say no to her. You’re currently downing your third dirty shirley of the night, you were over an hour into the party and there was still another 45 minutes before the album dropped and your sad music would be blaring through this club, you almost left bad for the people who came out here who didn’t know what they were about to be subjected to. George and Adam are the first of the boys to arrive besides Ross who’d come early with you and Kels, they walk over to your chosen spot in a booth in the far corner of your section, they both greet you with a hug.

“Don’t look too happy about beating us to an album now y/n!” George jokes to you.

“Oh please we all knew she’d be the first.” Adam nudges your arm. “But for real love what’s with the sulking in the corner? It looks like it’s Kels’s release party!”

All three of you look to Ross and Kelsey dancing together to whatever upbeat club song was playing at the moment, the instrumental far too loud and drowning out any words that would help you identify it, you give a small laugh.

“Just preparing myself for the world to either hate it or love it I guess, I’m ungodly nervous.” You admit to the two.

“Oh please y/n/n! ‘With Your Permission’ is going to smash, every song is a fucking tune and you know it!” George had always been the most encouraging about your music dreams.

“Everyone’s a critic though.” You reply slamming back the rest of your drink, when you look back up you see Matty entering with his girl of the week on his arm. “I need a shot! George care to join me?”

He smiles and follows you back up to the bar, you can’t see but you feel Matty’s eyes following you both as George snakes his arm around your waist guiding you through the crowd.

“4 shots of Tequila please.” You smile kindly at the bartender as he prepares the liquor for you both.

“Any particular reason for the excessive alcohol consumption?” George teases you as the shots are set in front you both.

“Killing the nerves babes.” You smile at him, it’s only a partial lie, you were trying to drown your nerves in alcohol, but it wasn’t about critics or ratings, it was about his best mate who’d drunkenly confessed his love for her just barely 5 months ago now.

“Good enough for me.” He kisses your forehead and you both shoot back two shots in each in quick succession.

Afterwards your eyes find Matty’s and you can’t read his expression like you usually could… it was going to be a long night.

2006:

George and you and had been off and on since the dance, you weren’t really official in the dating sense, but when you both got horny or felt like being romantic you knew exactly who to go to. No one in the group questioned it, you were teenagers and you had sworn to Kelsey about a thousand times that you didn’t want anything serious and she trusted your decisions. The only person who took issue with it was Matty for now obvious reasons, he never really said it but his body language and snide comments told you enough about how he felt. Especially now as you were currently sat on George’s lap at another one of your school mate Josh’s parties, his hands on your waist and one of yours playing with the ends of his hair and the other holding a cider Ross had just brought you on his way back outside from the kitchen. Your whole group was gathered around a makeshift fire pit in the backyard, the heat from the flames keeping you all warm in the crappy early english spring, you were honestly surprised it hadn’t started raining yet as you stared at the dark clouds overhead.

“I’m bored!” Kelsey interrupts the comfortable silence you all’d built up, minus the muffled party music coming from inside the house. “Ooo! Let’s play a game!”

The group groans in unison at the suggestion, but when she breaks out the puppy dog eyes at Ross he’s quick to convince everyone to agree to a drinking game.

“What game do you even have in mind?” You ask your best friend wondering what she might have up her sleeve this time.

“Let’s do never had I ever! You say something you’ve never done, and if someone in the group as done it, they have to take a shot! Adam would you be a dear and go grab us a bottle of something and a few those little plastic shot glasses I saw in kitchen? I’d make Ross do it but he’s just got back from the last trip I sent him on.” And of course no one can say no to Kelsey, so Adam nods and is off to the house.

You all set up in a little circle on the patio beside the fire pit, you’d taken your spot next to George and somehow you’d ended up directly across from Matty on the other side of the circle, his stare held on you and he nursed one of his many smokes of the night. You and Matty hadn’t spoke of what happened at the dance since that night, you’d felt bad in a way about how you’d just left him there, but he knew you liked George, his best mate, and he’d still kissed you. Adam returned with two bottles, one apple sourz and a store brand tequila, a baggie of shot glasses under one arm, behind him trailed the host Josh and you and Kelsey’s school friend Maya.

“Hope you don’t mind but I brought along some randoms to make it more interesting.” Adam says as he hands everyone a shot glass and places the alcohol in the center of the circle.

The game started innocent enough with stupid and playful “Never Have I Ever”s, everyone had taken as least 2 shots at this point, and you were all definitely starting to feel the affects of the alcohol. George had made the mistake of getting on Matty’s nerves by using a very specific embarrassing example to get him to take a shot, and what happened next didn’t help.

“Okay! Ummm.” It was Maya’s turn, and she had no clue what flood gates she was about to open, and neither did you. “Never Have I Ever… had sex…” She admitted quietly.

Ross and Kelsey both took their shot expectantly, as did Matty, you felt your face heat up as your glanced to George at your side, he quirked his eyebrow up at you as you both smiled and threw back your shots together.

“Y/N L/N!” Kelsey shouts from other side the circle. “You dirty dog! Why didn’t you tell me!?” She faked being hurt as she placed a hand over her heart.

You put your face in your hands at the new found attention from the group and leaned over into George, he sweetly rubbed your back and laughed a little at your embarrassment, but you knew it wasn’t in a mean way. The one person you expected to make a comment hadn’t spoken up at all, just sat in silence with a small smirk on his lips, something brewing in his eyes. Josh’s turn was next, then Adam, and finally it was Matty’s turn.

“Hmmm…” He feigned being deep in thought about what he’d say. “Oh! I know! Never Have I Ever kissed my date’s best mate while at a school dance.”

Silence overtook the group after he spoke, your face stilled and your heartbeat quickened as you made eye contact with him.

“That is so weirdly specific.” Maya laughs not knowing the gravity of the situation.

“Well?” Matty speaks up again. “Go ahead and take your shot June Bug.”

Everyone’s eyes were on you again, but this time it wasn’t embarrassment you left it was anger, you held your gaze on him as you took your shot.

“My turn.” You say with heat behind your words that everyone could feel.

“Umm no it’s Kels-” Josh tried to speak up before Adam slapped a hand over his mouth.

“Never Have I Ever tried to throw my best mate under the bus by telling his date all he wants from her is a ‘good shag’ before telling her I’ve always cared about you more then kissed her without thinking about the repercussions of my actions.” It’s your turn smirk at him. “Go ahead Matty…” You say drawing it out. “Take your shot.”

George is quietly fuming beside you and his grin on your waist tightens as Matty grits his teeth and takes his shot, the tension in the air is so think you could cut it with a knife, and your just glad you can tell his anger isn’t directed at you, but at the curly headed brunette.

“Jesus Christ Matty.” George mutters as he rubs his temples with his free hand. “You know if I wasn’t drunk as shit right now I would break your fucking nose.”

“Damn Matty you did not think that through.” Josh laughs trying to lighten the mood and failing.

Kelsey is watching at you as you stand up and turn to George, a worried expression on her face. “Fancy yourself a ‘good shag’ babes?” You smile at him.

He looks up at you, smiling right back. “With you? Always.” You grab his hand as he stands up, you both pass Matty as you walk to the house, but George pauses for a moment and leans down to Matty’s ear. “She’s bloody fantastic in bed by the way.”

You both enter the house taking up residence in the master bath for some privacy, meanwhile outside Ross is handing Matty’s ass to him on platter. Only Adam knew the true nature of Matty’s feelings for you, Matty didn’t open up about how he felt about these kinds of things easily, only telling Adam after he’d gotten wasted at his after the dance. Matty truly did feel bad with how he’d handled telling you about how he felt, but tonight he was drunk and high and couldn’t stop himself from being an ass after learning the George had been the one to deflower you.

“Lay off him man.” Adam tried to to speak up and Ross whips his head towards him.

“Are you kidding me! He acted liked a child and practically decided to try and ruin his relationship with not only y/n but his best mate as well in the process!” He yells, he then redirects his attention back to Matty. “What we’re you thinking Matthew!?”

Matty sat in silence now, just taking everything Ross had to throw at him, at some point before now he’d reached for the apple sourz and began to down as much as he could, feeling every emotion and yet none all at the same time. Kelsey was rubbing Ross’s back trying to get him to calm down but it wasn’t working and she eventually gave up, going to sit between Josh and Maya, trying to process the events of what just happened and why you hadn’t told her.

After several more minutes of verbal abuse from the friendly giant Matty had finally had enough. “FUCK OFF ROSS, I’M BLOODY IN LOVE WITH HER! OKAY!?”

Silence overtook the group once again, everyone finding out the truth 4 years before you did.

Part 3

a/n: okay haha idk i just got into a rhythm while writing this so idk if it’s good cause my brain cannot handle trying to check it over rn cause i have work in like an hour haha, but i’ll revise when i get home! anyway hope you all enjoy! xx

[licncourt]

Do you think Louis is "good with emotions"? What I mean is is he consciously aware of how he feels about what's happening around him, does he have a handle on emotions or does he have.. Issues with translating what he's feeling, therefore he is oblivious to his own emotions. Does he fine tune emotions in a conscious funnel that gives the reader an impression that he's quite adept at being a person you can go to with your problems. Does this make sense? I guess what I'm asking is would he be the best friend you can count on to have a deep talk with or is Louis so repressed he needs to write out his thoughts in a journal before he can give advice. Does he give terrible advice. Would he make a good therapist? I think he's a bit too mentally lost himself to be the person to depend on for advice even though compared to Lestat he's more emotionally mature, but (I'm sorry this is so winded) is Louis aware of his emotions enough to make good life choices, and is Louis able to distinguish emotions or does he struggle with them enough to be that person everyone goes to for advice (hypothetically). I hope I'm making sense.. I'm not too keen on the side of fandom that leans on Louis being the "sane" one while Lestat is the "insane" one, but in my short time in this fandom, that's been my experience 🤷🏻‍♀️ Everyone wants to lean on Louis, and they want him to be the family friendly one. It doesn't give room for him to flesh himself out. Why does Lestat get all the fun stuff. Louis started the shenanigans and he is obviously very unhinged. I don't think it's fair is all. But please give me your thoughts on this very long ask.

Oh God that's a hard question, but my answer is no, he isn't really. He's emotional but I wouldn't say he's good with those emotions or those of others (especially not those actually). In general he reminds me of when you meet a guy who sucks but they call themselves an empath.

Even Lestat says in one of the books that Louis is oblivious to the suffering of others in a lot of ways and I think that's true. He sees human misery when it supports his internal beliefs because he's actively looking for it, but he's not in tune with people in general, especially not when other people's feelings contradict his world view (ie owning slaves while acting like he's some kind of hero for the downtrodden because he eats rats).

I think the fact that he feels his own emotions so intensely is part of what makes him so selfish. He's incredibly caught up in what HE'S feeling, so the inner world of someone else is not really being considered, nor would it occur to him to consider it. That happens a lot in IWTV where, at least the way Louis portrays it, the only explanations he can come up with for Lestat's behavior are that he's stupid or he just has a bad personality.

There's always the implication that their relationship was deeper than Louis made it seem, but I also don't think he was interested in exploring Lestat's deeper motives for his behavior. He got his feelings hurt and therefore whatever Lestat had going on was irrelevant to him. There was no effort to understand and empathize when it was hard and he faced resistantance.

At the very least, be seems to be hellbent on strong-arming his own emotions to suit his will. He's very externally adamant about his chosen narrative, but he spends enough time just Having Feelings that at least deep down, he knows for himself what the truth is most of the time when it comes to his inner thoughts unless he's in true denial. He just chooses to be stubborn and force his way through life ignoring those feelings if he thinks they shouldn't be that way.

His thoughtfulness and how carefully he chooses his words does give the impression of some kind of emotional intelligence, but I think a lot of that is artificial, like when he's talking in IWTV about how his objections to killing are about the principle and the aesthetics. There's a lot of convoluted thinking and justifications, but not much consistent or reasonable logic to suggest that he's tapped into something grounded and honest within himself or the world.

Another indicator of whatever emotional imbalance he has is the way he cycles between being so rigidly repressed and then snapping. That's not the hallmark of someone who's processed or is capable of coping with any hard feelings, much like an addict who never gets treatment but manages to white knuckle their way through stretches of time before losing control again.

I suppose he is more emotionally mature than Lestat in his ability to exercise restraint and be calculated (in good and bad ways), but that doesn't always translate to an emotionally intelligent mindset that influences larger choices or patterns. No matter how good he is at it, his semi-frequent, massive lapses in judgement and self control kind of negate how helpful those skills can be.

This comes across in subtler ways too. He was more the family man than Lestat, but rather than responsibly parent Claudia through her adult challenges, he allowed and fostered an emotionally incestuous dynamic that was incredibly toxic for both of them. Other times he played calm and collected in the face of Lestat's outbursts, but he didn't actually work to resolve anything, just to keep the upper hand through his performative apathy. It's all very surface level and hardly ever productive.

The one credit I'll genuinely give to him was his willingness to let Lestat get whatever all that was out of his system in the 90s and 00s. He was very patient and honest about his feelings and finally had enough softness and genuine care for Lestat that he was able to see objectively the pain, confusion, and trauma those behaviors were born from. It's definitely growth on Louis' end compared to IWTV so golf clap for that.

I will say though that I definitely think he's too self-absorbed and judgmental to make a great listener unless he REALLY cares about the person talking to him. If he thinks he could've handled whatever the problem is better, it's going to show it accidentally even if he's being polite. The truth is he would not have handled it better most likely. Differently maybe, but not better. You had a freakout? Well. He simply would have repressed those feelings and then acted like a bitch later over nothing.

[someonelookingpraediti]

Special Editions

The Raven Cycle FairyLoot Edition

These special editions of The Raven Cycle were originally scheduled for May. Due to a publication issue, they were delayed until "August-September". They finally arrived in the last weekend of September... and my copy of 'The Raven Boys' was bound upside-down.

FairyLoot were really good about it, they agreed to send another one out. But it took ages to get a response, so it was a couple of weeks before they sent it out, and then the courier delivered it to a completely different address! Literally, one nowhere near my house. Again, I contacted FairyLoot, and they followed up with the courier. This took even longer, but after another two weeks, they concluded that the package had been lost, and they sent out yet another replacement.

So, not only was the first package four months later than originally expected, but the replacement book took nearly two more months to arrive!!

The dust jackets on these special editions are very closely modelled on the standard covers. The thing I didn't like about the original covers is that they were all different colours, so didn't look that good lined up together. These ones fix that, by all being blue! It's just a shame that the spines look so... basic. Almost amateur, in fact.

The back covers are different from the standard ones, though, and they each feature a quote from the books. This is the great thing about special editions - they're designed to look good from every angle.

The hardcases are also really cool - each has a super elaborate tarot-style design on the front, representing: Blue, Ronan, Adam, and Gansey. No designs for Noah or Henry, unfortunately, but I guess they aren't really "main" characters in the same way the others are. The foiling is only on the front cover, I'd have loved the back to be foiled as well, even if it was just with the same design.

The interior artwork on the dustjackets is impressive. They work as reversible jackets, so you can choose the design you want to display. Each features artwork of the character that matches the hardcase design, and the quote on the back is the same as on the outer dustjacket. I really love the artwork on these, but they do look way less professional than the blue/white covers, so I'll have the other ones on display instead.

Other than the outrageous lateness of these editions, I have two major disappointments.

The first is kind of my fault, I didn't manage my expectations well enough. I made the assumption that these would be the same size as the standard hardcover editions, which I own (see above), but have taken the multi-coloured dustjackets off. I was hoping I could put the lovely new blue jackets on these, so that they would match the rest of my Stiefvater books, which are all blue. Then I could display the new books with their gorgeous foiled hardcase spines on display (also see above). It was not to be. The FairyLoot editions are much taller than the standard books, so I can't swap the jackets over! It also means they don't fit on the shelf with the rest of the books. Fortunately, I think the OwlCrate editions will match the rest of the books.

The second disappointment is not my fault. There's slight, superficial damage to the books. It's not bad enough that FairyLoot would replace them, but it's enough to be annoying with how much they cost. The third book, especially, was quite crushed around the bottom edge. I've tried my best to straighten it out, but it's still very noticeable once you're close up.

The endpapers are my favourite part of these editions! I love that each one is different - four books means eight gorgeous pieces of artwork! I love the scenes chosen for each book, and the illustrations are so beautiful!

The artist who designed these endpapers also designed the Raven Boys book sleeve I got in my first ever book subscription box - and it's still one of my favourite items I've ever received!

These editions also have silver gilded edges, printed foil signatures, a bound-in author letter, and ribbon bookmarks.

There's so much going on with these books, I should be absolutely delighted with them, but the ridiculously long delay in receiving them has kind of just soured my mood towards them a bit.