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crystalaris · 2 years

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Please Don't Hate Me!

(Moon knight x Reincarnated teen Reader)

Marc Spector carries a lot of Secrets that more often than not get him into a world of trouble. Turns out his kid might have more than he does.

Poor Layla , she didn't sign up for this

In other words:

In a world where a person from our world reincarnates into moon knight and they Really, Really love their big family

Disclaimer: I do not own Moon Knight or the photos (I do edit the photos, but they are not mine)

Ch 1

Ch 2

Ch 3: You're in Deep Shit Marc Spector

Warning: mentions of depression and someone passing out,

also Layla steals the show, good for her

———

Loud, constant clacking filled the dimming room as a woman with long, dark, curly hair sat at her desk typing away with a harsh, but determined look.

She was frustrated, royally pissed, but most of all, Layla was worried.

Her baby girl, yes hers.

Marc had left, leaving divorce papers a few weeks after his disappearance, sure they were unsigned, but she didn't care!

He. Left!

He has no right to say he cares!

He. Has. No. Fucking Right.

Marc Left.

And it tore her baby girl apart.

It tore her heart as well, but that she can handle.

She can be wounded, she can bleed till her last drop and she will still be able to move. It would be hard but she can get up and try again. It would take time and she would have to learn to trust again, but she could, would heal.

But watching her baby girl fall apart?

Literally fall apart, piece by piece?

That was the kicker.

The Final straw.

That was Marc stabbing her, them, in the back.

Layla had already lost her father, she can't help her wish to know how or why, but she could live.

She had met Marc, got married, and had a sweet baby girl. In a way she moved past her father's death.

She had a family of her own.

HAD!

Marc stole that from her!

Stole her new family! He ripped them apart viciously by leaving!

Of course she's livid!

Her sweet little baby girl nearly cried that first week that had gone by with absolutely no word from Marc.

At first, she thought he was on another one of Khonshu's missions. Sometimes they ran long. Normally it was no big deal. Sure, it was odd he hadn't said anything before leaving, but she understood how demanding that god could be. There were multiple talks and rants, the frustration with that topic alone could topple mountains.

So she had understood.

Key word, had.

Watching the frown appear on her daughters face when Layla said papa went on a trip was worrying, but not enough to draw Layla's attention.

Not yet, at the very least.

But when the week finished up and there were still no signs of Marc? Layla started to worry.

Worry that Marc was dead, long gone to a place neither could reach.

There is a saying that 'no news is good news'.

It's a Lie.

'No news' is Worse.

It's no wonder 'Hope' was in Pandora's box.

'No news' leaves you wondering what happened, how it happened, maybe even why. But you hold on to that hope, no matter how small. You pray nothing has gone wrong, every single day. You wait, holding your breath, 'One more day' you'll chant. 'I'll find out tomorrow' but when tomorrow comes? It's the exact same thing, making your worry and dread grow till eventually it slowly becomes a crushing weight. Hope, once an ally, has become the backstabber, the taunter, the solid boulder. It drives you crazy with 'what ifs'.

'No news' can mean so much more.

And it drags on in the most torturous of ways.

So when Marc didn't check in like normal, didn't warn her about the silence required on his mission, to keep them safe, she started to worry.

But their daughter, her little treasure who has fiercely loved her father for all these years, seemed to have noticed as well.

Layla never really knew just how much their baby girl paid attention to their comings and going. Honestly, she would have been impressed if those observations hadn't bothered her baby girl.

It had started small enough, a meal missed here, another skipped there. Her little girl sleeping in their bedroom, sometimes stealing some of Marc's shirts, the dirty shirts.

Layla didn't have the heart to scold her after the fourth time, not after that heartbreaking mumbled apology. She can't help but wonder where she learned those puppy dog eyes.

Not when Layla realized she hadn't seen her little girl in days.

Her child who would rather play outside with her father insread of watching a movie or play video games seemed to hide behind them now, almost obsessively. Layla's daughter Refusing to ride or even look at the swings, or anything that had to do with her activities with Marc. The tree he had caught her in was empty except for the leaves. The couch where she always slept on top of Marc now sat empty. The blanket now moved to the recliner. Touch no longer seemed to sooth her little girl.

The little hugger of the family just... seemed to ghost around the house.

The girl that would sing random songs while she baked family and friends treats, barely opened her mouth after the third week.

That finally snapped Layla out of it, enough to try ring Marc.

Good news, his phone went through.

Bad news, the asshole refused to pick up.

Oh, she didn't call him an asshole the first time she called, nor the second. But after the 54th call, 46 messages and 0 answers? Well, she naturally grew pissed.

Her messages started off sweet and worried, asking him when he'll be home, to, at the very least just let them know he's safe and that they miss him.

Then she started begging Marc to come home, their baby girl had passed out a d the doctor said it was from forgetting to eat.

That was the first and last time, for both her daughter and herself. Her baby girl now set timers to remember to eat and that message was the last time she begged Marc to come home.

He didn't care enough to come home, or he didn't care enough to listen. She didn't know which outcome was Marc's issue.

It didn't matter. He'd spectacularly burned that bridge.

At this point in time, it was more a matter of pride. She wanted to find Marc to drag answers out of that dick. And if he didn't have a good reason, even if he did, he would be toast. His answer would determine the level of burning she would do, if her daughter didn't do it first.

She could be quite vindictive when she felt it was necessary.

Layla was relieved when her baby came home from the sanctum one weekend with a massive smile on her face and an apology for worrying her mother on her lips. They had two long girls' day and spent those next two nights together.

Layla never asked what made her little treasure so happy. Too relieved that she had a better part of her daughter back.

Oh, her little girl was still sad, but not nearly to the extreme she was prior. Maybe she finally found a boyfriend at school or maybe she got a new friend. Layla had seen her little treasure wearing a small, thin red and gold bracelet with a small sapphire gem braided in as the master piece.

Layla hoped it was from a friend and not a lover. She didn't want to see her little girl that broken ever again.

If her father could cripple her, what would a lover do?

So Layla was relieved to see her daughter back on the swings, not as often as she had before, but it was enough.

So with one more thing settled, she could focus more on Marc.

And she was livid.

Harshly typing away on her keyboard, creating a long series of codes, a net of numbers.

Layla doesn't plan to leave anything to chance, all she needs is for Marc to pick up his phone one time. Even if he doesn't, this baby right here will slowly get closer each ring. A bit like the game Marco Polo treasure always made Marc play.

One way or another, she will get what she wants.

Fuck Marc's flightiness. She'll chase him to the end of the world if she has too. He owes them an explanation at the very least.

It's why she called her daughter back, in case they would have to go at a moments notice.

"Mama?"

With a few more key strokes Layla finishes and shouts over her shoulder, "In here, baby girl!"

There's a bit of shuffling before little treasure enters, "Could you hand me my cell, sweetheart?"

"Sure"

It takes no more than a moment, and with her daughters eyes following her, she connects her phone to her computer to start the download.

It's silent, and Layla can feel the slight tension in the air.

Really, it's at times like these that her little girl reminds her of Marc.

Letting out a sigh Layla relents, "I've almost got him."

She watches as her daughter perks up, "Really?!"

Layla can't help the mixed feelings forming in the pit of her stomach. For one thing she's delighted her daughter can smile like that again, for another Layla wishes it was she who could light up her daughters face. Though she can't really blame little treasure since she herself was a daddy's girl to begin with. "Really, Really." She quotes, earning a happy giggle from her girl, "Now why don't you get packing, we leave as soon as I can get a trace on the man."

She watches as her daughter freezes and turns back towards her and in a voice so quiet asks, "You mean, I can come with you?"

It's the unspoken 'this time' hanging in the air that makes Layla pause and look, really look at her daughter. The subtle hope hidden in her eyes that forces Layla to remember all the times her... their daughter asked if she could come. How she only asked once each time, never more, only once.

How?

How had Layla and Marc not noticed?

"Of course you're coming, -" her daughter's squeals of happiness and excitement cut Layla off. She watched as her little one ran off on quick, but surprisingly quiet feet. Layla would have smiled and shook her head, but not this time.

This time she just silently observed their little girl zooming to and fro, leaping over any obstacles. ...When was the last time her daughter was this excited? This free?

Pursing her lips, she nodded to herself.

Marc was in deep shit once she got a hold of him.

— — —

AN: sorry for the late update. Just finished this chapter. Wattpad deleted 2 chapters this one was included (nearly shit myself in rage luckily it was only deleted on the app and I saved it from the website? Have no clue how that worked, I'm just so glad it did) also got sick... still sick but what ever.

I'm actually really happy Layla stole the rains for this one, really mama bear surprised me and I think it helps explain why Layla was so pissed at Marc. Before it felt more like she wanted to find Marc for her bruised pride and wanting answers (at least for me)

Gotta do some research on the story plots (haven’t seen the whole thing and don’t want to follow word for word so bullet points! … I thought I was done with research 😫)

Thanks for reading! ☺️

#reincarnation #jake lockely x oc #jake lockely x reader #khonshu x teen!reader #layla spector #marc spector #khonshu #fan fiction #marc spector x oc #marc spector x reader #marc spector x teen!reader #moon knight #moon knight x oc #moon knight x teen!reader #steven grant #steven grant x oc #steven grant x reader #steven grant x teen!reader

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earthlyyan · 4 years

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Organic Antidepressants

(Slight Yandere Ferid Bathory x Suicidal Reader) originally posted on my AO3

Warnings: Ferid being touchy, suicidal depression, intrusive thoughts. Reader is of legal age

first person pov (ew)

(Originally Posted on AO3 On 1-9-2020)

The days were far longer than they were before… at least it felt that way.

I knew I should’ve died that day. I wish I had died that day. The day the trumpets of the apocalypse decided to ring gloriously over our god forsaken planet.

Anyone younger than thirteen? What a fucking joke.

The cot stuffed with hay was one of the few things that brought me comfort in the day to day. The odd number of children allowed for me to be alone. I liked it that way. More me time. And the most I wanted to do was return to it. But instead, my feet dragged down the busy streets, making my way to the blood bank.

On my way though, I could hear the guards making excuses to their superiors. Apparently three humans on the register were found dead in their terf.

“They committed suicide. You know how they get when they’re cooped up. I didn’t touch them, honest.”

“They got sick. Died of their illness I guess.”

Bastards took them for themselves. Everyone knew it. But were they going to confront them? They weren’t protected. The vamps just thought they could get away with it.

“Hey we have enough. Three won’t make a dent.”

Not even caring that those children had futures. Well, would’ve had futures. Those were stripped away as quick as the adults were.

I wanted to be happy. We all did.

But in this place? Laughable. You had a better chance of being an astronaut. Well… maybe not. But it sure felt that way.

You know how to be happy right?

“First and Last name?”

I answered.

“First open table.”

No matter how many times I’ve done this already, the dread won’t leave. The feeling of their eyes. I could see the barely restrained hunger. If anyone was left alone, they’d take a bag for the rations and the kid for themselves.

You could ask the vamp to take extra.

I shuddered and plopped myself on the medical bed. “Good morning.”

An unamused grunt was my reply. I was the scum of the earth not worth talking to, apparently.

He’s right, isn’t he?

The needle was quick. He hadn’t even bothered to give a warning. It was a pinch, a wave of nausea, and then it was over. He tossed the pouch of their nasty sustenance formula in my hands and pointed to the door.

“Thanks.” I walked out and threw myself on the floor beside the benches. I opened my disgusting capri-sun wannabe and began to suck on it. I cringed at the taste.

There were two boys on the stairs. One obviously more displeased about the situation than the other. He crinkled the full bag and threw it across the clearing. If I had the balls and the same cripplingly low amount of braincells as he did, I would probably do the same.

The other boy, far more mature than the other, stood up after chugging his to throw his pouch away. He seemed to be taking the situation much better than the other. He had beautiful blonde hair and deep blue eyes. If he wasn’t in this hell hole, he could’ve been a child model.

The thought made me sad. What could’ve been. I could’ve been somebody.

Maybe you’ll get a fresh start in the next life.

Apparently, I had zoned out far longer than I thought because the next thing I knew, a fight had broken out.

If you could call a young boy threatened to be chucked off the ledge a fight anyway. He was soon thrown to the side with enough force to send him reeling.

A well-dressed vampire walked with purpose down the stairs. Shoulders back, chin up. He seemed regal.

He certainly looked like royalty.

“Lord Ferid!” The little blonde boy ran up to him. The two seemed close enough, which sent my mind reeling.

How does a kid get that close with a nobleman like him? They seem friendly.

“Ah~ Mika!” The noble -presumably named Ferid- gave him a kind smile. “What on earth seems to be the matter?”

He talked like royalty too.

I couldn’t stop staring. After a few minutes of banter, the noble took his hand from the blonde’s face and sent him on his way. He had said something about meeting at his mansion. I brought myself up from the floor and chased after the blonde.

Two days after the talk with Mika, I stood at the noble’s door.

“If you give your blood, he’ll give you anything you want!”

I rose an eyebrow. “Really? Anything?”

Mika nodded proudly. “Yup! Though he’s busy tonight. But the day after I’d try it.”

Maybe he can take the pain away.

I took a few controlled breaths. This screamed danger. It’s a vampire. They kill people

Why are you so scared? It’s not like your life could get worse.

I knocked on his door.

It swung open, seemingly on its own accord. The motion invited me in. Once I was past the threshold, I gently closed the door and looked inside.

There he sat, lounging on a tasteful white couch with gold accented frames. In the dim candlelight he almost resembled an angel.

An angel of death, perhaps?

He looked up from his book and turned his attention towards me. My body froze. I felt my self-confidence leave. Not like I had much left anyway.

He called my name, somehow. Mika must’ve told him or something. Though, something nagged at me. I don’t remember telling Mika my name. Mika hadn’t even told me his. It was all overheard. Then how?

“Come, sit.” He patted the seat next to him on the couch.

I sat down on the chair across from him instead.

“Over here, my dear.” He patted the spot next to him louder, trying to coax me over like I were an animal.

Though, that’s probably how he saw my species anyway, isn’t it?

“My dearest Mika had told me about your visit a few nights ago. I wouldn’t have thought he would’ve told anyone about the little arrangement I have going on here, but I’m not complaining.” He sighed, seemingly content. “I wasn’t expecting someone of your age to be here, how are you still here? You have me curious.”

“If I’m honest, milord, I don’t quite know.” I said, trying to keep my voice as steady as possible. But the calculating feeling of his gaze made it harder. “Luck? Possibly?”

“Luck?” He leaned back and turned himself towards me. “Is it truly luck?”

“With all due respect, what’s that supposed to mean?”

You know what he means, and you know he’s right.

He smiled at me, not meeting my eyes. Ah. Okay.

“So, what are you hoping to get out of this?” He scooted closer. “As much as I’d like to think you’re here out of the kindness of your heart, we both know that isn’t the case, now is it?”

I nodded; heat crept its way up my face. “Yeah, but I suppose that doesn’t make me irregular.” I grumbled. “But I suppose that also makes me boring doesn’t it?”

He shrugged. “That entirely depends on you, my dear.”

I tugged at my uniform and cleared my throat. “Yeah I guess that’s fair.”

“Back to the topic at hand, yes?” He smiled and placed a gloved hand on my shoulder.

I suppressed a shudder. “Right. I guess I should cut to the chase.” I finally had the courage to look into his eyes.

Those damn eyes, despite the almost ravenous look in them, I couldn’t help but find them entrancing. Like shiny rubies in where his irises should be. He raised his eyebrows, awaiting an answer.

“Antidepressants.”

And I would’ve never thought his grin could get bigger. “Antidepressants? Now that’s something I haven’t heard before.”

In a place like this? Really? “I’m sure you would’ve heard everything by now.”

“And I thought I would’ve heard it all by now too. But I suppose not.” He ran his hand down my back

I gingerly grabbed his hand and put it back on his lap. “Sorry.” I mumbled.

“No~ Don’t apologize. It’s quite alright.” He folded his hands in his lap, he smiled at me. “If I were in a situation like yours, I don’t think I’d want to be touched either.”

My gaze fell. “Right. A situation like mine.” I slapped my cheeks gently to liven myself up. “Back to the deal though.”

“Actually, before we continue, what do you need them for? Medicine isn’t allowed down here unless regulated, considering how it effects the blood. Someone as old as you should know that.”

“Yeah, but why else would someone need antidepressants?”

He stared at me. His expression left no room for argument. He wanted an answer. His lips tugged into a smile. A kind looking one, but it left something unsaid.

“Why do you really need them?”

It’s not like you have anything else to lose, right? Tell him. You’ll feel better. He can make you better.

I sighed and ran my hands through my hair, leaning back onto the couch. “Look, how old do you think I am?”

“Too old to be here at this age, certainly.” He shrugged and made himself comfortable next to me. Close enough to grab me, but far enough not to invade my personal bubble.

“And why do you think that is?” I looked to the wall, hoping to find a distraction to focus on anything else but how close he was. But found nothing but pristine white.

“This world’s god is cruel.” He said. “It seemed they chose to bless you instead of damning you to the fate of your elders.”

I laughed. “Bless me?” I ran my hands faster through my hair, tugging at the ends to ground me. “What kind of blessing is this? I’m stuck down here to live until old age, vitamin deficiency or illness takes me? I’d rather be with my friends and family.”

You could join them. There’s plenty of spaces to do so. You could fly like an angel.

“You could always make your situation better.” His voice softened.

“That’s why I’m here.” I took my hands from my hair and began to fiddle with my identification tag. “I thought if I struck a deal with you, I’d get the opportunity to make things better. To make things as they should be.”

“But if you were to make things as they should be, then I know the real reason you want those pills, don’t you?”

“I didn’t mean it like that I—” I felt my throat close. Tears stung the back of my eyes, I fought desperately to bite them back.

This didn’t go unnoticed.

“You did, and it’s okay.” His hand made its way to my hair. I couldn’t find the strength to fight him. It’s not like he was going to harm me if he wanted this deal to work. “You know your very existence is a burden to you. And you want to fix it. You humans were always so independent.” He whispered. He paused to take off his glove and used his sharp nails to comb my hair. “But you know it’s okay to ask for help, right?”

“Nobody would give me help. They wouldn’t understand or wouldn’t care. I’d rather just…” I swallowed hard.

“End it? Now don’t be ridiculous.” He placed my head on his shoulder, presumably for easier access. “What if there truly isn’t a happy end if you end it? You’d lament not fixing it while you could. And suicide isn’t beneficial to anyone, little lamb.” His hand reached to touch my face. Despite his hands being cold, something inside me warmed.

This can’t be right. It isn’t right. He’s a vampire he’s just like the rest of them—

But he cares.

No. He doesn’t he just wants me to think he does.

But what if he truly does care?

“Why are you even trying to talk me down? Wouldn’t it be better for you to just give me the pills and then you get a drink?” It’s not like I didn’t have a plan B if he said no.

“How selfish do you think I am? I’m wounded.” He pulled my head onto his lap, his hands playing with tufts and braiding the longer pieces. “Who would want someone else to take their life for the sake of a meal?”

I averted my eyes. I sounded like a dick now. “I didn’t think of it like that. I’m sorry.”

“No, don’t apologize. That seems to be a nasty habit that you’ll have to break.” He said. “And I have an idea that could be beneficial to both of us in the long term, if you’re interested.” His hand moved my head to look up. I could see his furrowed brow and soft smile. I felt the remaining fears I had slowly dissipate.

“Yeah?”

“You can stay with me. I think I would miss you if you were gone.”

“You… You would?”

“Of course, I would. You’re full of untapped potential. And I think I could help ease those pains preventing them from coming to fruition.” He smiled. “All you have to do is say yes~.”

I slowly sat up, taking in his words.

He could make you feel wanted. You didn’t need to run anymore.

“I…”

You could have someone take care of you and like you for you, isn’t that all you’ve wanted? Someone who knows how to make things better? Someone who can save you?

“I think… I would like that.”

His smile reached his eyes. “As would I, my dear.” He hoisted me onto his lap. “Now, to seal the deal.” He unbuttoned the top few buttons of my uniform and removed my identification collar. “Have you ever been bitten directly?”

I shook my head.

“Now don’t worry. It won’t hurt for long. Like a pinprick.” He gave my nose a small bop. “Like a more organic needle. Just, try not to squirm too much. I don’t want to accidentally rip your internal carotid, and I’m sure you wouldn’t want that either.”

I took a deep breath. “Okay…” I tried to calm my nerves. “okay I can do this.”

He placed his hand on the small of my back and gently pushed me to his chest. “On the count of three, alright?”

I flexed my fingers, trying to ease my nerves. “Alright…”

“One…”

I felt his warm breath on my neck, making me tense.

He rubbed my head with his free hand. “Two…”

I squeezed my eyes shut.

“Three.”

It was much more painful than he had said. It felt like two spears digging perpendicularly into my skin. Slow and agonizing. I gripped his coat tightly. His hands continued to attempt to soothe me.

“Shhh~ The pain won’t last much longer.” He cooed. I could feel his lips moving on my skin at he talked.

The pain didn’t go away, but something arose within. The area where his fangs pierced me grew numb. I could still feel his fangs in my skin, its presence foreign. But it wasn’t uncomfortable.

It felt like warmth and welcome, if those feelings could resonate inside. My mind grew foggier. Pleasantly ignorant. I couldn’t hear anything else but the faint slurping and my own heartbeat. It was nice. I felt my eyes roll back and my body grow weaker. I gave Ferid’s coat a fatigued tug.

He pulled away slowly, and I whined at the loss. I slumped against his shoulder, the last of my remaining strength left along with his fangs.

His hand moved from the back of my head to my shoulders. He stood up with me in his arms. My eyes fought to stay open. I saw the faint image of Ferid’s face with a small stream of blood falling from his lips.

The light from the candle illuminated the space behind him, bathing him in a heavenly glow. He seemed a little livelier than before, too.

“That wasn’t so bad, was it?”

I tried to get a word out, but it came out a strangled whimper.

He smiled and shook his head, tutting softly. “I think I took too much, don’t you?” He walked down the hall with my limp body in his arms.

Ferid arrived in a large bedroom and placed me neatly under the covers and tucked me in. He sat next to me on my left side. He brushed a few stray hairs from my face and gave me a small kiss on the forehead.

“I do believe you need your rest. I’ll be back when you wake, my dear. I promise.” His hand moved from my forehead to my cheek as he gave it one final caress.

In my failing consciousness, I heard a gentle laugh

“Sleep well my lamb you’ll feel better in the morning. You’ll never feel empty again.”

And in the enveloping darkness, I saw him smirk.

#yandere seraph of the end #yandere ferid #ferid bathory #yandere owari no seraph #yandere writing #reader insert #yandere vampire

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sapphire-innit · 3 years

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I'm not gonna apologize for there being a break because this is a hobby and I do this at my own pace lol. THAT SAID, let's hop back in!

Vod: Tommy's Exile Is Coming To A Close (rp) oh man here's the drowning again. At least Ranboo and Niki are greeting him in chat that's cute

of COURSE its raining lol, very Moody

...don't like that Tommy is actually looking forward to Dream visiting. The gaslighting is really setting in. He's not eating enough either

Tommy's always moving around, he's such an active character, so it REALLY hits when he freezes, even just for a moment or two. Yes this is in response to the funny Lazerbeam lava death comment that somehow turned very sad very quickly lol

He's very openly talking about his death too. And his skin is even worse I think, hes got SUCH bags under his eyes.. and ALSO THIS IS STILL HIM TALKING ABOUT HOW TO SEX 3 afdfd

Chat: "This is so sad and so funny at the same time" I saw that smirk cc!Tommy, you know exactly what you are doing!! LOL he broke face for juuuust a second cause that's EXACTLY the tone he's going for

I am a bit .. concerned about HTS3, because so far every time hes tried to write things down, its hmm. Been revealing to say the least

...I'm still nervous about when Dream is gonna log on, even while he's going on about the 'thinking palace'. Its... impressive how much I actually dread that, and how well they've conditioned me to expect it

adfsfdsfds Ranboo how did I laugh at that '''joke''' omg. Tommy was so happy to get mail though :( and yeah like I thought every time he tries to write things it gets sad. It's a really good storytelling device: cc!Tommy is using it to be more explicit and I think that's pretty clever actually

I can't help but wonder how carefully coordinated these exile streams are, especially this deep into the arc. Like, did cc!Tommy go on the discord before this and tell them to not visit today? Obviously Dream visits are coordinated, but I'm just a bit curious about the back end of things

"Visit Techno? no no, what would Dream think" >:(

"I wanna go and see someone, I wanna go somewhere, I wanna meet people. You know now and then it just re hits me that I actually, I actually just can't, can I" ;-;

He's self-soothing and it hurts

"My time with Tubbo has come and gone" "He chose against it" excuse me, just CRYING FOREVER NOW ;-; ;-; ;-;

...it really is disturbingly like a suicide note isn't it, with all this talk of it being his final thing to do

The days when he's not visited really set in the depression don't they? cc!Tommys still good at balancing the tone so it doesn't get too sad but SHEESH

Tommy's gotten pretty good at building actually, like he's not perfect or anything but the thinking palace looks pretty good for what it is

Its actually been half the stream without Dream thank fuck

...he's thinking about it, about going into the nether portal. GOD I'm so worried and upset because I DON'T want to see what Dream would do if he broke his exile, even knowing he wouldn't kill him most likely.

"Why did I do this, why did I make it harder for people to come visit me" !!! ahhhh realization of self-destructive tenancies fuck, and just after he almost visited L'manburg tooooo

"I'm going to revamp this, why did I do this???" *Immediately stares into the lava for SEVERAL seconds* f u c k

"Chat what is Tubbo's favorite block" Aaaaaaaaaaaa

:( :( Ranboo IMMEDIATELY willing to help WE STAN A TOMMY STAN

the fuckign GHASTS I'M!! what a tone switch!!! TOMMY WHY DO YOU NOT HAVE A BOW I MEAN I KNOW WHY BUT STILL afdfdf

those fucking jumps in the path scare me and now there's a HOLE IN THE PATH this is so fucking DANGEROUS afdsfssdf someone is totally gonna fall in that

awww cc!Wilbur watching the stream even when hes away thats so sweet <3

"...and Ill put cobblestone in the middle and everyone will come see me!" does this feel like Bargaining to anyone else? Just me? alright...

"And then we fight, we fight for everything we have left" ;u;

NIKI!!!!!!

this is gonna go so poorly!!! I hate it!!! (also don't talk over her tho pls)

is Ranboo also in the chat? Ranboo & Niki friendship underrated for sure lol

"How have you been" "................good" you can see the decision to Lie omg adfsdf

ah actually getting a fire res potion BEFORE falling into lava, one can Hope

lol Ranboo and Niki having so much trouble getting back to spawn RIP them, FUNDY why did you take them so far away and then LEAVE

"how can I be with other people and still be so alone" oof yeah thats the true bitch about what Dream's doing isn't it :(

adsfsdfsf accidentally almost getting himself banned from Twitch ALSO HOLY SHIT TOMMYYYY DON'T JUMP LIKE THAT OMG

also who the heck was chanting "do a flip" in chat holy shit what is this thirst for blood

lol asking RANBOO of all people for hot takes adfsafdf

ohnoooo almost twitch ban NUMBER 2 aadfdfws

also who the fuck was spamming nsfw copy pasta in his chat adfsfd

LOL what is the drug conversation Niki is trying to do???? What is happening???? FUNDY WHAT DID YOU TELL THEM

"I feel too old to be in this conversation" MOOD NIKI, MOOD lmaooo I love you

adfdf Tommy how can you even be mean to Niki, shes so sweet and sounds so upset about it lol

do I even WANT to know what the Dream twitter drama was????

LOL always laugh when a cc bails out of a joke lmao its so funny to me for some reason

SHES RIGHT AND SHE SHOULD SAY IT!!!!!!!! BEST HOT TAKE, REDDIT SUCKS LMAOOO ABSOLUTELY CORRECT

he keeps almost spleefing Ranboo adfdsfs

aww lol he actually is being careful after being told off lmao ohnooooo "That was worse than the time Wilbur shouted at me for being in his office. It's like being told off by the quiet teacher" NIKI IS SO DISTRESSED omg adfdsfdswfds

I think cc!Tommy did not realize the power that he wields....

OH NIKI'S SKIN IS SO CUTE!!!!

"Just a really long cross, Jesus was tall!" omg Ranboo that was actually clever

lol and now Jack is here ! nice

"Do a flip" CHAT WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS

#dream smp #dream smp liveblog #tommyinnit #ranboo #nihachu #dsmp exile arc #abuse tw #suicide tw

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thebigqueer · 4 years

Note

Omg would love to read something about plague!will going apeshit in battle after Nico gets hurt or something

ooooh yes!!! thank you for the prompt!!

i hope you like this!

i’m literally gonna do minimum editing lmao

okay literally whoops i made it a lot longer and the prompt starts later my bad asljkfskljfd sorry anon

tw for descriptive imagery & blood

It’s a normal night at Camp Half-Blood, with demigods in their respective cabins, sleeping either fitfully or dreamlessly. After all, there is no in-between for demigods.

And that is no different for Will, who tosses and turns in his bed, sweat prickling his forehead.

Visions of Tartarus flicker across his dreams, memories of monsters and heat and pure agony. The aches and pains from previous injuries return in their full heat, with no mercy for Will.

The dreams consume him, taking away any consciousness and tying him to the memories. Sometimes it takes fifteen minutes to wake Will up at all, even if he’s being shaken. And when he is shaken awake, he merely stares at the ceiling, a blank, glassy look in his eyes. Sometimes he stays there until afternoon. Sometimes he’s in his cabin until the evening.

He’s in there until he can convince himself that nothing’s going to risk his life the moment he steps outside.

Tonight is one of those lucky moments where Will doesn’t have to be literally thrown around the bed in order to wake him up. A tug creeps on his shoulder, pulling harder and harder, until he jolts awake. Darkness consumes his cabin, spilling all across the room. For a moment, he swears a shadow moves near the bathroom, and he screams and pushes his back against the wall, heart racing.

And then a voice, deep and calming, melts in his ears. “It’s okay,” the voice murmurs. “You’re okay. It’s just me.”

Will’s head whips to the voice, blood roaring in his ears. Monster, some part of him thinks. Monster is trying to sound like my friends.

A demigod stands before him, dressed in black, melting with the darkness. Anxiety creeps over his neck, an icy cold grip on his body. Monster, he thinks again. What if it’s a monster that can shape-shift?

Will pushes himself further, his breathing ragged. The demigod lookalike leans back a little, as if to give him space. They turn their head to the side and mutter something to someone else, but with the utter panic bursting through his body, he can barely hear them.

Then another figure appears before him, this one shorter and more feminine. A part of Will thinks it’s just another monster, but his vision’s clearing now; the panic that gripped him just seconds before eases back a little. He recognizes them. He knows he does.

“Will,” the feminine figure murmurs, leaning in. “Hey, listen. I’m not a monster. Your favorite song when you were younger was ‘Barbie Girl.’“

Suspicion still crawls over Will, but he’s more stable now. The feminine figure is... Kayla. His sister. Right.

And the one standing next to her is... Nico? What are they doing here?

Will sits up a little straighter, feeling a little surer in himself. He looks between the two, confused. He opens his mouth to speak, but his throat is dry from the panic that enveloped him just moments ago. Will clears his throat. His voice comes out scratchy as he asks, “What’s wrong? Why are you guys awake?”

Nico nods to Kayla, who turns around and flicks on the light. Brightness consumes the cabin, burning Will’s eyes. The son of Apollo groans and shoves his head in his hands. Another bout of uneasiness creeps through his skin. Why are they awake at such a late time?

“Listen,” Nico says, taking Will’s hand in theirs. “I don’t want to freak you out-”

“Just by saying that, you’re pretty much guaranteeing that I’m going to freak out.”

“I know,” Nico mutters. “But you need to be awake. And we need to get out of the cabin.”

Will blinks. Nico’s words are blending together, slurring through Will’s brain. What are they even saying? He looks around the room, seeing if any of the others are awake. A jolt of unease wakes Will right up as he realizes that, in fact, all of his siblings are awake. “What’s going on?”

Nico rises, hand pulling on Will’s. “There’s a chimera loose on the camp grounds. It snuck in somehow." Their arm tugs, and Will rises immediately, almost as if just by Nico’s strength he’s found the will to stand up.

Dread settles over Will like a blanket. The cabin may be covered in light now, but he feels as though only darkness consumes him. Monster, his mind screams.

Nico appears to notice Will’s nervousness, because their eyes soften and they whisper, “You can just stay in the infirmary, Will. I don’t know if you’re in any mental condition to fight.”

Will wants to argue, say that of course he’s going to fight. He more than proved to Nico that he’s not weak when they were in Tartarus, and Nico knows that Will can be more than just a healer.

But Will also knows why Nico’s suggesting that to him. It isn’t because he’s unimportant or useless; it’s because he’s exhausted. He hasn’t had a good sleep in weeks. And he’s just now awoken with dreams about monsters. Battling a monster would do nothing good for him, or for the camp.

Swallowing, Will nods. He looks over at his siblings, who he’s suddenly realized have all been watching him and Nico. After a slight hesitation, he announces: “I’ll help in the ways I can.”

~~~

It’s chilly in the infirmary, the cold air whispering against Will’s bare hands, but he doesn’t mind. It wakes him up, makes him feel a little more alive.

Austin and Kayla are in the infirmary with him, waiting to patch up any demigods who’ve been hurt by the chimera. Will will admit, even though he hates being thought of as just a healer, he doesn’t mind the sense of calm bandaging cuts gives him. It’s not about helping people; it’s about the fact that at least he feels helpful.

A part of him yearns to be outside and help the other demigods attack the chimera at the hill, but he knows he can’t. Every time the chimera roars, ice drips over Will’s back; terror paralyzes him. He only thinks of Tartarus, of all the monsters who had tried sneaking on him and Nico so many times.

For the moment, things seem manageable here in the infirmary. There haven’t been many lethal or super serious injuries; only cuts, bruises, and the occasional poisonous gashes. Nothing he and his siblings can’t handle.

And yet, uneasiness still grips him, the sense that something terrible is about to happen. He tries to shake it off. It’s only a chimera, he reminds himself. And there are literally fifty demigods going after it. It’ll be fine.

His worse fears come true when the doors of the infirmary burst open and a demigod comes through, holding a pale, limp figure in his arms.

It takes a moment for the image to register in Will’s brain. At first, the only thought to run through his mind is: Wow, that half-dead demigod looks familiar.

When he realizes why the demigod looks so familiar, Will gasps. It’s Nico, he thinks with horror. For a moment, he doesn’t move. Fear glues him to his spot by the sink, his knees shaking. The cynical, depressing part of Will already assumes the worst: that he’s dead.

And then, all at once, he zips towards Nico, tears threatening to spill over. He pushes the other demigod aside and circles his arms around Nico, lowering them to their knees.

“Nico,” he whispers urgently, shaking their shoulders. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

Nico mutters something incomprehensible, their words slurring together. Their head slumps against Will’s shoulder, body limp. Will takes his hand and places it over Nico’s forehead, almost crying out loud when he realizes how warm the child of Hades is.

Kayla and Austin rush over with a stretcher, their young faces betraying anxiety. Will gently lays Nico over it, his throat aching with the repression of frustrated tears. “Nico, can you say something? What happened?”

This time, Nico’s voice is a little more comprehensible, albeit still slurred. “Chim’ra,” they mutter. “Ven’m. Tried t’ fight it with sword.” They attempt to move their body and immediately give up, grimacing and hissing. Nico’s face turns gray, the color of ashes.

Will notices the slash on their black T-shirt and the blood oozing out. He quickly lifts the shirt up, discovering a wide gash over Nico’s rib cage. The skin at the edge of the injury is tinged to a slightly green color.

For a second, Will almost loses it. He starts assuming the worst of it, thinking that Nico’s lost it all. But then he remembers: it’s only a gash. The cut may be deep and wide, but there’s no reason he shouldn’t be able to fix it. Nico seems worse off than other demigods who came in with the same poison, but if they can get to work quickly, then there’s no reason as to why he should start assuming the worst.

White hot anger erupts in Will’s system, blaring in his stomach and chest. The Chimera did this. It hurt Nico.

Will has had enough of monsters. They chased him and Nico throughout Tartarus, making sure to haunt both their dreams. They’ve taunted him, making sure to ensure doubt and insecurities in himself all his life. They almost killed him and his mother when he first arrived at camp. He’s had friends and siblings die because of monsters who never gave a fuck about demigods and their lives.

And now they’ve decided to mess with Will again, trying to hurt one of the people he loves most.

Well, Will’s done.

He turns his eyes away from Nico momentarily, staring at his hands. He knows exactly what he needs to do.

“It’s okay,” he promises Nico, who’s skin sags even more under the pressure of pain. “It’s not too bad. Kayla and Austin will be able to fix you up.”

Nico doesn’t answer, too exhausted to do so. Kayla and Austin fix Will with the same confused expression. “Aren’t you helping?” Kayla asks, bending over to take one end of the stretcher. Austin holds the other side.

Will shakes his head, standing. He grits his teeth, staring in the direction of the door. “I have something else to take care of.”

Austin’s eyes widen in concern. “Will, no. There is no way you’re going out there to fight that thing.”

Kayla opens her mouth to agree, but Will snaps his head back to them. “I’m going,” he states. He glares his eyes at them, mouth set into a thin line. Will almost relishes the sudden look of fear in their faces. “I’m head counselor, guys. I’m supposed to protect you guys.” Turning his face back to the infirmary doors, he announces, “That’s what I’m going to do.”

With that, he storms out of the infirmary. No one follows.

~~~

The winter air snaps at his skin, sinking its teeth into his hands. Will flexes his fingers, anger still seething, pulsing, gushing from every inch of his body. No one hurts his loved ones like that.

He follows the cries of battle and screeches of the monster to Half-Blood Hill, calling on his rage. If the monster wants a battle, then Will will give him one.

It’s been a while since Will’s used his plague powers. The last time was in Tartarus, and when he used them there, he almost passed out. He hasn’t trained with it at all, afraid of how much damage it could cause. What if he accidentally hurts a demigod?

But tonight, as the wind whips across his face and the image of Nico flashes across his brain, he lets the powers pulse, strengthen. His powers hum, resonating through every cell in his body.

His palms burst with a feverish warmth, turning a pale green. He feels the weight of thousands of sicknesses swirling through him, the power they hold. He’s finds the feeling of the plague powers quite strange; it’s like having a sickness, but only inverted. As if he can’t quite feel the symptoms, but he can feel the strength of the problems they can cause. Instead of wearing him down, they only empower him. He controls the sicknesses, can lash them out to whoever he wants.

Heads turn to Will as he steps over the summit of the hill, eyes widening at his sudden change of appearance. Now the heat reaches his face, hot and wild and etching to let loose. He’s a ball of energy, only existing to unleash chaos.

He catches a glimpse of himself in the shield of one of the demigods, and almost screams. He can barely recognize himself. His face has turned a pale, ugly shade of green, his freckles barely visible. The sky blue of his eyes have turned a sickly, glowy yellow, the only vibrancy on his face. The blond of his hair has turned as gray as ashes, limp against his forehead.

He looks sick and terrible. But really, Will only feels the buzz of power underneath his fingertips. He almost laughs; this feels great. Why would he want to repress this so much? Imagine all the monsters he could kill. Imagine the glory he could get. He would never be looked as weak ever again.

Demigods eyes trace over him, but as soon as he makes eye contact, they jump and scramble away. Will wants to laugh at that. For so long, he’s felt like some kind of scared, useless wimp; now he’s making others feel like that.

No, a quiet part of him says. That’s not right. Stop thinking like that.

Guilt starts building up in Will’s chest, but when a roar echoes throughout the camp, anger once against consumes the demigod. He bares his teeth towards the Chimera, whose lion head growls at him, ready to pounce. Its goat, snake, and lion heads all stare at Will daringly, as if taunting him. What are you going to do, Sunny Boy? Going to kill me with silly little poems?

Will just laughs. “What’s the matter, kitty? Are we scaring you?”

This time the goat answers, bleating angrily. Will almost wants to laugh again, but then the goat breathes a blazing hot fire in the son of Apollo’s direction, almost searing off his clothes.

Will scowls. He speaks again, and just barely registers the change in his voice; it’s raspier, the sound of something brushing against sandpaper. “So you want to play it hard, Kitty? We’ll play it hard.”

The snake tail hisses and spits venom in Will’s direction, but he simply steps back and lets it sizzle on the ground. That was just a test, Will knows. It’s simply measuring how much hell Will is ready to give him.

Well, he thinks, if you want hell, I’ll give you it.

He lets the plague’s strength build up in his palms, locating the power in one place. Will concentrates on just the sicknesses, the energy buzzing through him. His body buzzes with electricity and excitement. Will’s skin turns an even worse shade of green, practically glowing in the night. Mucus builds up in his nose, and he steps towards the Chimera, extending his right arm.

He waits for it to go first.

The lion head roars again, and the monster leaps at Will. But he’s ready for it. Just as it lands towards Will, the blond opens his palm to it.

For a moment, it seems as if nothing is happening. The demigods see nothing, no waves or signals to indicate that Will’s doing something. He looks almost ridiculous, really, and some demigods may have laughed if they weren’t so terrified of the way Will’s appearance has changed.

Will, however, knows a lot is happening. His body surges with power, strength, the urge to only provide sickness. He wants to see the monster fall, weak with illness and begging for death. He wants to see it asking for mercy, and Will will respond only with more torture, more pain.

He wants to make it beg for Tartarus.

The monster seems confused for a moment, surprised by the strange demigod. What does he even think he’s doing, standing there with his arm outstretched so uselessly and lamely?

And then it hits the Chimera. Its body grows heavy, weak, wanting only to sit and lie down for a while. It sways on its feet and thumps to the ground, feeling dizzy and confused. Its vision gets blurry; it can barely tell where the demigods are. Only the glow of the strange demigod is clear to the monster, and for a moment it forgets what it’s even supposed to be doing.

Its mind gets fuzzy. The itch of a sneeze consumes its nose, and then the scratch of its throat makes it wheeze. The Chimera wants to eat this demigod - but, wait. Suddenly the thought of food doesn’t seem too appetizing.

It just wants to sleep for a while. Its body grows weary, tired, hot from fever. It shivers in the night, its fur doing nothing to protect it in the coolness of the night. The Chimera tries to blow a fire, if only to heat itself, but finds itself too weak to do such a thing.

And then a strange tickle bursts in its leg. The snake head looks at the limb, and a delayed shock shudders through the Chimera’s body. It’s disintegrating! Not into sand, as all monsters go. Instead, it’s as if the sickness is breaking down all its cells, ripping apart each molecule in the body until there’s nothing left.

Will feels the power ripple through him, and suddenly he can’t help the laughter that bubbles through him. He’s made the monster weak; he’s made the monster helpless. It whimpers, begging for mercy, just as Will wanted.

Will doesn’t relent. He pushes further, extending his powers, breaking the monster down further and further, until it’s left with only the lion head.

The lion’s eyes peer at Will, glazed over with sickness. Its face is green, which Will didn’t know could happen. Or maybe I made it happen, Will thinks with both elation and terror.

Will glares, anger once against taking over him. “You hurt Nico. Now I hurt you.”

And with that, the monster’s head disintegrates. The remnants turn into sand. The monster is gone.

Will wants to smile, to laugh, to say that he did that all by himself. But his vision goes blurry, then foggy. The world tilts violently.

Will collapses.

146 notes · View notes

missdawnandherdusk · 4 years

Text

The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe

Hufflepuff!Reader X Draco

The tricky thing is yesterday we were just children

But now we've stepped into a cruel world

Where everybody stands and keeps score

So here you are, two steps ahead and staying on guard

Every lesson forms a new scar

They never thought you'd make it this far

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3

Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6

Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9

Summary: Planning for something in theory is easy... putting it into practice? That’s where the weak are separated from the strong.

A/n: Hello my lovelies! So here is the second part to the last chapter!! If I had posted it all at once it would have been over 20k words so... yeah. I split them up. Also, this gets pretty dark and well, we all know how HBP ends... so I guess that’s a warning. And to add, this went in a completely different direction than I planned, but now it’s closer to my original idea so... Let me know what you guys think! Seriously, I thrive on your approval. (Also, I’d like to see if someone notices a MAJOR problem for these two kids... because I barely caught it myself)

“Oh, my darling boy,” Narcissa crooned, nearing Draco’s bedside. She took his hand though he was in a spell induced coma and could not hear her.

“I’m so sorry Narcissa,” I teared up. “I...”

“Snape explained it all my dear,” She consoled, reaching out for me. “You have nothing to apologize for,”

I all but collapsed in her arms, breaking down into tears as she held me. Though Abby and Pansy—as well as many others including Ernie, Blaise, Greg, Vincent, and Hannah—had comforted me and offered me a solace, it was different having a mother there to hold me and tell me it was going to be alright.

“It was awful,” I sniveled. “I thought... I thought...” I began to hiccup with the lack of oxygen due to my tears.

Narcissa shushed me softly and rubbed my back in a soothing rhythm.

“You’re alright darling,” Her voice was gentle. “Everything’s going to be alright,”

She stayed for the remainder of the night and came back the next day. I was only allowed a day off from classes before I had to return though Draco had still not woken. Though I knew there would be rumors and whispers, and though I expected to have to retell the harrowing story again and again, everyone already seemed to know. And more surprisingly, each student I came across was sympathetic and kind to me and even towards Draco, wanting to know how he was faring. Yet the thing that took me back the most was the amount of Gryffindors who offered their sympathies to Draco, rather than siding with their own Golden Boy. Even McGonagall offered her sympathies.

And for the most part, I completely ignored Harry. The best I could. Which... well. I’d like to say that I did, but I can’t. To be fair, he did try to talk to me on my first day back, two days after his attempted murder.

“Y/n,” He rushed out in the Great Hall as I sat down with Pansy and Abby.

“You need to stay away from me,” I gritted out, glowering at him. “You’re a coward!”

“Look, I didn’t know what the spell would do, okay?”

“No! That’s not okay!” I stood. “You almost killed him! And you would have! Why in Merlin’s name would you use a spell if you didn’t know what it did!?” Bristling, Abby had to place her hand on my arm before I drew my own wand. Her gentle hand allowed me a moment to take a deep breath and cam myself, ever so slightly. “Just get out of here Harry. Don’t... don’t talk to me,”

“Come on, mate, let’s go,” Ron pulled Harry’s arm back, sensing the rising tension in his best friend.

“You’re... you’re not really going to...” Abby asked softly as we sat back down. “About being the bad guy?” She was almost timid to ask.

I sighed and shook my head.

“No,” I admitted. “I just said it because I was mad and scared. I’m not gonna go off and join the Dark Lord,” a sad smile played at my lips. “I... I feel like I have no choice... This path was forced into me because of Precious Potter and I... I don’t want to be angry. I don’t want to be broken... but I don’t want to be walked on,”

“And you don’t have to be,” Pansy encouraged. “We all have your back,” Pansy nodded to the Hall. “We’re on your side,”

“I don’t want there to be sides!” I dismayed, scrubbing my face. “I don’t want to be divided because we still do have the same enemy and...” I let out a sharp breath in defeat. “When did it all become so complicated?”

Abby said nothing but wrapped an arm around me, soothingly rubbing my shoulder.

“It’ll all work out, you’ll see,” She encouraged, sharing a look with Pansy. “For all of us.”

After dinner, as I always did, I went and saw Draco. His steady grey eyes trailed me as I rounded his cot.

“Hey,” He offered softly as I slipped my hand into his. Despite his many blankets and long sleeves, his hands were still ice cold.

“Hey,” I echoed sadly. “How are you feeling?”

“Better,” There was little confidence in his voice. “How’s class without me?” I scoffed and stared at the intricate carvings on the pillars of the infirmary.

“It’s not the same... nothing is the same...” The depressing thought left my lips before I could stop it. “I do miss walking to class with you though,” A small smile played at my lips at my gaze returned to him.

Wordlessly I reached out and brushed a few stray hairs from his face, my fingers ghosting over the pale pink scar that ran along the side of his face. Maybe fortune was on our side because though his skin was marred with scars, the spell hadn’t left permanent damage to his senses. His skin was still chilled under my touch.

“You’re still cold,” I murmured. “Do you want tea? Another blanket? I’m sure there’s a warming potion around here somewhere,”

“I’m alright,” His lips tugged upward. “Pomfrey and Snape said that it might happen, because of the Dark Magic...”

Worrying my lip, I nodded and intertwined my fingers with his pressing a soft kiss to his knuckles.

“What’s on your mind?” His question was soft.

“Nothing and everything,” I smiled. “Little Lotte thought of everything and nothing... but loved most of all, when she went to sleep, to hear the Angel of Music...”

“Haven’t read that one in a while,” Draco mused softly. “I think they’re having a show in London over the summer holiday...”

I wanted to snap at him. I wanted to say that it was stupid to think about the summer. It was foolish to think we’d survive the semester. That going to the opera shouldn’t be a plan we made on some false hope that we’d actually make it.

But I didn’t.

Instead I entertained the idea. Just for a while. Even if it would hurt later.

“You’d take me then?” I mused.

“Well, of course,” Draco smiled, enjoying that I was playing along. “Of course, Pansy and Abby would come with us,”

I laughed softly at the thought. The false memory of the four of us in some opera house amidst twinkling lights, dressed lavishly, laughing and having fun. I could see myself on Draco’s arm as he held his head high, smiling soft at my antics. I could almost hear Pansy scolding Abby for her poor etiquette. I could almost feel the thrum of the music in my soul and the magic of the performance before me as I was enraptured again by another story.

“I’d like that,” I whispered softly, tears stinging my eyes.

“Then think of it done,”

A silence fell between us.

“Can I stay here tonight?” I asked softly.

“Would you expect me to say anything but yes?” He quirked an eyebrow.

Curled up in his arms, again I thought of everything and nothing, utterly exhausted—mentally, emotionally, physically. Draco still offered a sweet comfort that I had never found in anyone else. A comfort that quelled my anxieties and allowed me to sleep soundly.

“Told you she would be here,” I heard Pansy whisper harshly. “It’s not like it’s the first time they’ve done it,”

“Yes, yes, you’re so smart,” Abby said flatly. “They’re still precious, aren’t they? Even now,”

There wasn’t a response. I shifted through my sleep logged thoughts and blinked my eyes open. Draco was still fast asleep beside me, his mouth hanging slightly open as gentle breaths passed through his lips. Abby and Pansy were forgotten as I watched Draco bathed I the soft morning light.

“Hey Feathers, Dumbledore wants to see you,” Abby nudged my arm. “I don’t think it’s good either.”

Fear and dread struck my heart as I froze.

“Did he say why?” I squeaked out, carefully slipping out of the bed, not to rouse Draco.

“No, just that it was a serious matter,” Abby frowned at me. “Are you okay?”

“Do you really want the answer to that?” I mumbled. “Please stay with him, tell him where I am when he wakes up. And if he tries to come and find me, make sure he doesn’t. He’s still healing,”

Timidly I made my way up to Dumbledore’s office, a list of a thousand things that could go wrong sprinting through my mind, willing them all true. Those thoughts however, changed and funneled when I saw that I wasn’t alone in his office with him. No, Harry, Snape, and McGonagall were all present along with the old headmaster.

“Miss Y/l/n, thank you for joining us,” Dumbledore smiled kindly.

“Yeah... okay,” I closed the door behind me. “What’s this about?”

“What happened in Myrtle’s bathroom,” Snape informed with a monotone voice. “Though I have thoroughly explained that what Harry did to Mr. Malfoy was much worse and you acted in self- defense,”

“Uh... okay...” My eyebrows furrowed. “What exactly did I do?”

“What did you do? You used an Unforgivable!” McGonagall dismayed.

“You tortured me!” Harry exclaimed.

“You attempted to murdered Draco!” I shot back. “What was I supposed to do!?”

“As I said, she acted in self-defense.” Snape cut the tension with his calmed voice.

“That wasn’t self-defense, that was malicious intent,” Harry growled. “You have to mean the curse for it to do any damage,”

“Oh yes, and I’m sure your use of Dark Magic is completely justified,” I snapped, crossing my arms. “And are you really going to play the victim when I have every right to loathe you?”

“Miss Y/l/n,” Dumbledore interjected. “We are not here to point fingers, but rather here the entire story. Both sides.”

“Why isn’t Sprout here?” I looked around. “She’s my Head of House... shouldn’t she be here?”

“This isn’t a House matter,” Snape clarified. “This is a matter of the Order,”

“Of which you are a member,” McGonagall finished. “Now please, your side of the story,”

My mind processed this information then I began my tale.

“Draco was having a panic attack, so I led him to the nearest quiet place that I could find—”

“Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom?” McGonagall clarified and I nodded.

“I was comforting Draco—walking him through grounding and Harry burst into the bathroom. Draco got defensive of me, drawing his wand, and Harry cast a hex at the two of us... I remember telling Draco to stop... there was water everywhere. And then Harry,” I glanced over to the golden boy who was sulking in his chair. “Cast whatever awful spell that was. I didn’t think. The Unforgivable was the first spell that came to mind...” I paused, drawing in a sharp breath. “Then there was so much blood. Merlin...” I wrung my hands together in a desperate attempt to wash my clean hands of blood that was no longer there. “I did cast the spell, and I’m not going to apologize for it. I’m sorry for hurting you, but not for defending Draco,”

“I see,” Dumbledore nodded. “Well, it seems that all’s well that ends well,”

Harry and I both sputtered, glaring each other down.

“She should be going to Azkaban!” Harry exclaimed.

“Oh, you should really keep your comments to yourself Potter,” I snarled.

“If I remember correctly Mr. Potter, you also cast an Unforgivable at Bellatrix not last year,” Dumbledore raised an ancient eyebrow at a fuming Harry who instantly fizzled out.

“You cast an Unforgivable and you have the nerve to accuse me! Oh, stars above Harry where does it end with you!?”

“That doesn’t count! She was trying to kill me! She killed Sirius!”

I stared at him in quelled anger. “Funny,” My voice was calm and even. “I could have sworn I did it for the same reasons,” I watched the color drain from his face. “But I get it, I’m not the Chosen One, I don’t get free passes, do I?”

“Miss Y/n,” McGonagall warned.

“Am I free to go? I need to get back to Draco,” I looked to Snape.

He gave a seldom and I rushed out of the office, practically running back to the hospital wing. Abby caught me in her arms, stilling me outside the door.

“Hey, talk to me,” She demanded. “What happened?”

“Harry needs to mind his own damn business,” I growled. “He told that I used an Unforgivable against him after he tried to kill Draco. After he already used one last year! And he has the nerve—”

“Y/n?” Draco’s shaky voice was a lot closer than I thought it would be. It had to mean that he was up and walking.

“Dray?” My anger softened to concern and hope. “Draco what are you doing up?”

“You could have given us more of a warning about how much he would fight us after telling him that Dumbledore wanted to speak to you,” Pansy muttered, Draco’s arm slung around her shoulder.

“Sorry?” I offered, taking Draco’s weight, freeing Pansy. “You need to stay in bed,” I scolded him softly.

“How could you think that I would? How could you just leave?” His voice was trembling and uncertain.

“I know, I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking,” I led him back to his cot, setting him down gently. “Forgive me?”

He nodded as I pulled the blanket back over him. Pansy and Abby aided me in getting him settled again.

“This is so stupid,” He groaned. “I should be there with you,”

“A few more days, my love,” I comforted softly, pressing a kiss to his forehead. “Then you’ll be back beside me,”

__________________________________

Draco’s eyes met the plated silver. His reflection mocking him. His pale skin was decorated— was that the right word? Ruined, perhaps—with faded pinkish scars.

Of course, his mother had been livid. Visiting him in the hospital wing more days than not until he was medically cleared to go back to class, she was there, pacing, muttering, threatening, demanding.

Your sentiments matched his mother’s but ever since the fateful day that Harry had taken him inches from death, you had gone silent with a cold ruthless fury. A look that only faded from your eyes when they met his. Then adoration was evident. Love and dedication was evident. Kindness.

As he stared at his reflection, the phantom memory of pain danced along his skin.

“Hey there handsome,” Your gentle voice caught his attention. Catching the sight of you in the mirror he turned, leaning against the vanity.

“I don’t remember you ever calling me that before,” He mused, slightly teasing—part of him wondering if you were just saying it to make him feel better.

“I know you Draco,” You pressed off the doorjamb you were leaning against and took his hands. “Self-assured, confident, absolutely gorgeous,” A smirk hinted at your lips. “But I know you’re unsteady right now.” Gently your fingers traced the scars on his hands trailing up his arm making him shudder.

“And what of you?” He asked softly, bringing your hand to his lips pressing a kiss there softly, reveling in the warmth of your skin; something that he had lost, his skin retaining an icy chill with the dark magic that plagued it.

“What of me?” You countered softly. “I’m quite assured that I’m beautiful to those who matter to me... call it vanity,”

A chuckle escaped his lips, your words reminding him of Pansy. “No, that’s no mystery. You are stunning,” Your arms draped lazily around his shoulders as you waited for him to continue. “Are you okay? I know you, and you’ve been... I don’t know. Withdrawn? Distracted?”

He feared the anger that flashed in your eyes until you seemed to blink it away. With the fluttering of your eyelashes the ire turned to sorrow. Your shoulders rose and fell with the deep breath you took.

“I’m tired of being walked on. I’m tired of people underestimating me. Of thinking I’m harmless or weak.” You paused but then your eyes met his pleading, “I know who I am, I really do. I’m just tired of other people not seeing it.”

Draco smiled at you, reaching up and caressing your cheek delicately. “And?” He knew you had more on your mind.

“I’ve had enough of Harry thinking he can get away with anything.”

Draco nodded. Before his prejudices against Potter had been just that—prejudices. Now? Now they went so much deeper. The hurt and pain that Harry had caused to you and him was something that couldn’t be brushed off. Draco’s anger matched yours when thinking of Potter, but maybe the difference was he had never seen it from the outside looking in.

“He almost killed you Draco,” Your voice wavered. “If Snape hadn’t shown up, you would have...” Tears pricked your eyes and you quickly shut them. “I can’t... I can’t lose you... and I never want to feel helpless like that again,”

Draco cupped your face softly, your eyes meeting his as quiet streams of tears trailed down your cheeks.

“And you won’t have to, but my love,” He sighed softly and pressed a kiss to your forehead before drawing you into his arms, “I don’t want you to lose yourself... I know you’re angry, and I know you’re scared... I know you wish it would all just go away, because I do too,” He sighed deeply. “But we can’t lose focus on who we are,”

“When did you become the wise grounded one?” You pouted into his shoulder, earning a small chuckle from him.

“Some girl brought me back down to Earth,” He mused.

“Must have been some girl,” He could hear the smile in your voice.

“Oh, she’s quite wonderful, I think you’d love her. I know I do,”

“Sap,” You accused, smiling up at him.

“And yet you love me anyway,”

“I do,” You pressed up on your toes, your lips brushing against his softly.

The day that he returned to class, as expected, he got plenty of stares. Students gawking at him and whispering behind his back. Not that it was new for him. But maybe you were right—he was unsteady. You still held his hand in the halls though, and still looked at him as you would a piece of artwork. And whenever he became uncertain about his appearance your gently smile and soft kisses created phantom memories that kept him grounded.

“Ginny and Harry are together,” Hannah gave off hand one day at dinner.

Draco’s eyebrows raised in surprised. Your face soured a bit as your eyes drifted over to the Gryffindor table where sure enough Harry and Ginny were sitting together amidst their friends. He pressed a kiss to your temple, pulling you a bit closer. The pout didn’t leave your face, but your focus reverted back to your friends before you.

Draco hadn’t spoken to or gone near Harry since he had been back to class. The only real struggle was Potions, but Harry seemed content on ignoring him, and with Ernie as Draco’s partner, Draco’s thoughts weren’t consumed with Harry. Ernie was actually quite pleasant in class, Draco had to admit. Though he was a bit reckless and impulsive in a childlike manor, but he wasn’t impossible for Draco to work with. In fact, Draco almost preferred to work with Ernie because Ernie didn’t treat him any differently after his near-death experience. It was a vein of normalcy.

“This should work,” You lowered your wand, running your hand over the mended Vanishing Cabinet. “We should be done,”

His eyes met yours. There was hope in your warm eyes. Draco gave a seldom nod and grabbed an apple from his bag. It was the first test. Though weeks ago, the apple had made it to Borgin and Burkes, the live finches you had sent hadn’t survived. You mourned the small birds and buried them beneath your tree by the lake.

The apple was closed behind the wardrobes doors and after counting to thirty, your hand gripped tightly in his, Draco opened the door again and saw that the apple had a slice cut out of it. You let out a steady breath and went to the golden wire cage, with gentle grace setting down the small bird into the wardrobe. You closed your eyes, refusing to watch as he closed the door this time. Thirty seconds again, he opened the door, and the small finch was there, staring up at the two of you, an apple slice in his mouth.

You let out a scream of excitement and joy as you gathered the bird into your hands and kissing its small head before setting it back in the cage to enjoy its treat.

The next was a crow, easily transfigured from a goblet. Draco ser the bird into the cabinet and closed the door yet again. The ruffling of wings faded for twenty seconds until he heard frantic cawing and agitated movements. Throwing open the door, the crow flew out. With a quick flick of your wand the crow was a goblet once more, falling harmlessly into the piles of rubbish around the two of you.

“I have to go,” You breathed out, words that he had been dreading.

“Y/n,” He refuted. “We don’t know if it’ll work for larger animals, Pinnae might not make it.”

“It worked for the crow,” You pointed out. “Pinnae can make it,”

“It’s too dangerous,”

“Draco,” You gave him a flat look. “I need to go,” You took his hands into yours. “It’ll be okay, I’ll be back. If not, I’ll just fly back here from Diagon Alley.”

“You make it sound so simple,” He nuzzled his nose to yours.

“Because it is,” You smiled, pressing your lips to his fleetingly. “I’ll be back, I promise.”

“Please be careful,” Draco dismayed as your morphed into Pinnae, fluttering into the base of the wardrobe.

Then he closed the door, trapping you in darkness. Thirty seconds had never been so long.

There was a knock on the door then it slowly opened. Your smiling face was shining as you crawled out of the cabinet.

“It works,” You breathed out, amazed.

“By Merlin it works!” Draco exclaimed, spinning you in his arms.

You laughed and held onto him tightly. The two of you celebrated with laughter that turned to tears. When the entire world seemed against you two, at least one thing went right.

“I love you,” You sniffled through tears.

“Stars, I love you too,” He breathed in the scent of you deeply, burying his head in your shoulder. “We’re gonna make it,” He was almost hopeful.

“We’re gonna make it,” You affirmed.

“Who’s there?”

You and Draco froze, staring at each other in paralyzing fear.

“Hello?” The voice called again.

You sagged and let out an aggravated groan. “It’s Trelawney,” Gritting your teeth you let go of him, sighing. “I’ll go see what she wants. You get to Snape and tell him we do this tonight.” There was fierce determination in your eyes.

Draco nodded and watched as you made your way toward the exit. He could hear your faint conversation with the professor. Giving you five minutes head start, Draco slipped from the Room of Hidden Things undetected.

“It’s done,” Draco panted out, catching his breath after nearly running to Snape’s office. “The raid has to be tonight,”

“I see,” Snape rose. “And you’re certain?”

You burst into the office just then, also out of breath. “Harry and Dumbledore are leaving to go find something called—”

“Silencio!” Snape casted the spell on you, proving you mute. Infuriated, Draco drew his wand, stepping between you and the professor. “Calm down, she’s in no harm,” Snape rolled his eyes and lifted the spell. “But be careful with what you speak. It is wise to hold your tongue.”

Fuming, you nodded still.

Draco lowered his wand and took your hand.

“Now, you both know the task ahead of you?” Snape questioned. Silent nods affirmed the question. “Very well. He will be pleased, Draco. Very pleased indeed.” Another silent moment passed. “You have twenty-three minutes.”

Draco took your hand and pulled you into the hallway and along the corridors.

“Go, find Abby. Warn your friends. Warn your house. No one needs to get hurt. We’re already doing enough damage,” His voice was soft and gentle as unshed tears lingered in his eyes.

“I love you,” Your voice broke as he cupped your face and pressed his lips to yours desperately.

The kiss was hasty and despairing. Though neither of you would admit it, you both knew that it was a kiss goodbye. The warmth of your breath against his was the last of your warmth that he expected. The urgency of your fingers in his hair was the last of your comfort that he sought. The taste of your mouth was the last of your sweetness that he accepted. The softness of your lips was the last of your peace that he pursued.

“Twenty-three minutes,” He breathed out before letting you go and heading down to the murky waters of the Slytherin Common Room.

The Mark on his arm burned and Draco knew that Snape had called the others of the raid. A plan set into motion long ago, now coming to fruition.

____________________________

“Y/n!” Abby called my name as you burst into the common room. “What’s going on?”

My friends were all gathered in the common room as Abby tossed to me something small and shiny. A galleon. My galleon. From D.A. I might have cursed.

“How does he even know?” I chucked the galleon into the fire, watching it ricochet a flurry of ashes. My eyes met Abby’s. “It’s tonight,”

She nodded, knowing what it meant, knowing what was expected of her. A plan made long ago, that was now set into motion.

“Okay, this is going to get very bad, very quickly.” My voice trembled as I looked at all of the horror-struck faces before me. “But please, I need you all to keep the younger years safe. I need you to stay out of the halls until Abby comes and gets you.”

“But what about you?” Ernie asked.

“Look, you’re going to hear things. Awful things about Draco and me. And I can’t deny them, nor should I ask for your forgiveness. But please,” Tears streamed down my face. “Believe that everything I’ve worked for... everything I’ve done has been for this family,” I looked around the room. “I don’t have much of one by blood, but you? All of you... you’ve always been my family. And Hogwarts is my home.”

Abby’s arms wrapped around me and I could no longer hold back my tears. Soon there was a massive comfort pile and I was in the center of it. My friends, my family all there, all holding me close.

“So, what do you need us to do?” Taylor asked. I wiped my eyes and stood tall.

“Someone get word to the Ravenclaws and the Gryffindors that they need to stay in their dorm. You all have about fifteen minutes to be completely locked down. Cast protection spells. Silencing spells. Comfort younger years. Distract them. Do not take an order from anyone unless it’s Abby. Make sure she is not under a spell before you listen to her.” I glanced over at her. “This is a grave matter and lives are on the line tonight. One of which is mine. I don’t know what will happen tonight, but I won’t be coming back. Not for some while.”

“But why?” I didn’t see where the question came from.

“It will all be revealed soon. I love you all. And I hope that you all can forgive me after tonight. No matter what you think of me, please, don’t forget: have courage and be kind.”

They all nodded. I rushed up to my room, changing quickly into dueling robes, pulling my silver cloak on.

“Are you okay?” Abby asked, tying her hair back.

“I’ll be fine,” I drew her in for a hug. “Please just get out alive,”

“You too kid,” Abby smiled weakly, taking my hand. “Sister for life,”

“Hufflepuffs for life,” I finished, looking back one last time before taking off through the window and into the night.

With a soft thud I landed on Draco’s floor. He was expecting me. We didn’t embrace another, but instead got to work.

“The Hufflepuffs?” He asked.

“Warned and locked down. Word was sent to Ravenclaws and Gryffindors. The Slytherins?”

“Secured.” Draco affirmed. “Seven minutes,”

“Okay,” I nodded. “The Mark,”

Draco looked out his opened window and chanted something short and unfamiliar to my ears and I watched as a snake coiled from the end of his wand in a thick green smoke and into the sky merging with a skull. I took his hand, standing beside him.

“I still don’t want to kill him,” Draco confessed. “But I’ll do anything to keep you safe,”

“Draco don’t worry about me. Your mother and I have a plan if things go wrong.” It was an easy lie as I met his confused grey eyes. I smiled softly. “You don’t have to be afraid.”

“The Astronomy tower,” He pressed a kiss to my forehead. “Go,”

I leapt out of his window again and circled the school, patrolling, watching two figures on brooms land on the tower I was destined for. The quiet night was eerily quiet as I landed, perched on a sill, watching Harry and a frail looking Dumbledore. I almost slipped out of Pinnae because of the regret that fluttered in my chest, but it was easily pushed aside.

I watched as Harry hurried over to the door leading to the spiral staircase, his hand just meeting the door as I heard running footsteps from the door opposite to Harry. My eyes trained and waiting for Draco missed whatever had caused Harry to keep fleeing.

“Expelliarmus!” Draco shouted, and I sprang into action, catching the wand in my claws and settling back on the sill.

Standing against the ramparts, very white in the face, Dumbledore still showed no sign of panic or distress. He merely looked across at his disarmer and said, “Good evening, Draco,”

Draco stepped forward glancing over to me then to the empty room. He was making sure that we were alone. I wanted to warn him that Harry was close, but I couldn’t not yet. Draco seemed to figure this out on his own however, as his eyes fell upon the second broom.

“Who else is here?” He demanded.

“A question I might ask you.” Dumbledore eyed me before his attention reverted back to Draco. “Surely you’re not acting alone,”

“No,” Draco said. “I’ve got backup.”

“I see,” Dumbledore said as if Draco’s actions were praiseworthy. “And won’t you join us Miss Y/n?”

Draco glanced to me, panicked. That wasn’t a part of the plan. I wasn’t to be human at all. No one was supposed to know that I was there. Not the Order or the Death Eaters and certainly not Bellatrix.

“I know that it’s you my dear, you might as well join us,”

It was a wildcard neither Draco nor I were expecting. Draco gave a seldom nod, looking utterly defeated. Against my better judgement, I morphed back human, wand in my hand as I took my place at Draco’s side, adrenaline and anxiety threading through my chest.

“You always were such a talented witch,” Dumbledore praised. “I assume you had a hand in this plan, finding a way to get the other Death Eaters into my school?”

“Yes,” I answered, my voice shaking.

“You do complicate things don’t you my dear,” Dumbledore’s eyes fell upon me. “To think if Mr. Malfoy never had you, what would have become of him.”

“I don’t dwell on what might have been,” My eyes narrowed at the frail headmaster. “But rather what is to come,”

“Ah yes, your little job,” A twisted smile curled on his face. “Well, then, you must get on and do it, my dear boy,” said Dumbledore softly.

Confusion flitted across my face. Did Dumbledore know what we were here to do? How long had he known? Why the bloody hell hadn’t he said anything? A tense silence fell between us and I could faintly hear the fighting of Death Eaters and The Order occur somewhere below. I winced at the mental images.

“Draco, you are not a killer.” Dumbledore smiled. The words sounded cruel coming from his mouth rather than mine. Condescending.

“You don’t know what I’m capable of,” Draco snarled, gripping his wand tightly.

“Oh yes, I do,” said Dumbledore mildly. “You almost killed Katie Bell and Ronald Weasley—”

“That wasn’t us,” I interjected. “You really think I’d allow that?”

“Well you are here to kill me, are you not?”

Silently I seethed, gritting my teeth.

“It wasn’t us,” Draco replied coldly. “And we never figured out who it was,”

“Very curious,” Dumbledore mused. “But you were saying . . . yes, you have managed to introduce Death Eaters into my school, which, I admit, I thought impossible...How did you do it?”

Neither of us said anything. The echoes of the fight below were deafening. My blood ran cold, torn between who I needed to win. One to protect Draco and I. One to protect my family.

“Perhaps you ought to get on with the job alone,” Dumbledore taunted. “What if your backup has been thwarted by my guard? As you have perhaps realized, there are members of the Order of the Phoenix here tonight too,”

“The Order is here?” Frowning I met ancient blue eyes.

“You think I wouldn’t have back up at my own school?”

Betrayal washed through me. I had no idea that the Order was here. That they were the guard against the raid that was merely a plan b. I never wanted them to get hurt. Why wasn’t I told that they were here? Wasn’t I apart of the Order as well? Then it dawned on me.

“You... you manipulated me!” I shouted. “You never wanted me as a part of the Order! You just wanted to keep an eye one me! Never for one moment did you believe in me!”

Draco winced at the realization of my words, as he took my hand, grounding me.

“Who was I to go against your father’s wishes?”

“My father is dead because he believed in you,” I spat.

“He died for you. Not me.”

I growled dangerously.

“But never mind all of that,” Dumbledore waved the thought as if it were something easily dismissed. “And after all, you don’t really need help... I have no wand at the moment... I cannot defend myself.”

I ran my fingers over Dumbledore’s wand in my hand. It was urging me on, daring me to cast an Unforgivable. Begging me to. If I didn’t get my fury under control, Draco might not have to kill Dumbledore. Because I would.

A silence fell again.

“I see,” said Dumbledore patronizingly. “You are afraid to act until they join you.”

“I’m not afraid!” Draco snarled, though he still made no move to hurt Dumbledore. “It’s you who should be scared!”

“But why? I don’t think you will kill me, Draco. Killing is not nearly as easy as the innocent believe... So, tell me, while we wait for your friends... how did you two smuggle them in here? It seems to have taken you a long time to work out how to do it.”

“Don’t flatter yourself,” I hissed. “We had the plan since this past summer. We could have easily done it by Christmas, but Draco and I deserved another year together at our home,” My words dripped venom as they met the crisp air.

“We had to mend that broken Vanishing Cabinet that no one’s used for years. The one Montague got lost in last year.” Draco explained because anger claimed my voice, deeming me silent.

“Ah.” Dumbledore’s sigh was half a groan. He closed his eyes for a moment. “That was clever... There is a pair, I take it?”

“We don’t have to explain anything to you,” I whispered, my eyes closed as I tried to reign in my anger.

“I see,” Dumbledore smiled. “But I suppose that I was incorrect when I assumed that you were not sure you would succeed in mending the cabinet and acted rashly? It does leave me to wonder who did almost kill Ms. Bell and Mr. Weasley.”

Draco’s grip on my hand tightened. He didn’t like the loose end any more than I did. “If you suspected us, why didn’t you stop us then?” Draco demanded.

“I tried, Draco. Professor Snape has been keeping watch over you on my orders —”

“He hasn’t been doing your orders, he promised my mother--”

“Of course, that is what he would tell you, Draco, but—”

“But nothing!” I interrupted. “I think Narcissa means a bit more to Snape than you do,”

“We must agree to differ on that, my dear. It so happens that I trust Professor Snape —”

“That’s marvelous,” I deadpanned. “But trust isn’t the same as loyalty,”

“Isn’t it though?” The old professor seemed as if he were having a hard time standing on his own without the help of the railing. I almost offered my aid. “But as for being bout to kill me, Draco, you have had several long minutes now, we are quite alone, I am more defenseless than you can have dreamed of finding me, and still you have not acted...”

Draco glanced to me and a gave a soft smile. The fear and uncertainty in his eyes caused my anger to morph into a fierce protection.

“I see,” Dumbledore went on. “I wonder why Voldemort has let you live so long Miss Y/n. You really do hinder Draco from what is expected of him,”

“Shut your mouth!” Draco snapped. “She is the cleverest, most brilliant witch I’ve met! If anything, she pushes me past what I should be and into who I am!”

“And who are you Mr. Malfoy? Are you a killer?” Neither of us answered. “There is little time, one way or another,” said Dumbledore. “So, let us discuss your options, Draco.”

“My options!” Draco scoffed. “I’m standing here with a wand—I’m about to kill you—”

“My dear boy, let us have no more pretense about that. If you were going to kill me, you would have done it when you first disarmed me, you would not have stopped for this pleasant chat about ways and means.”

Draco’s aspiration to kill Dumbledore might be fading, but my desire for it was growing with each moment that passed as I untangled a web of lies and manipulation in silence about the frail headmaster before me.

“I haven’t got any options!” Draco despaired. “I’ve got to do it! He’ll kill me! He’ll kill her! He’ll kill my mother!”

“I appreciate the difficulty of your position,” said Dumbledore. “Why else do you—”

“No,” The fury in my voice was cold and unforgiving. “Don’t. You. Dare. Don’t you dare make yourself the martyr. You have no idea the hell Draco and I have been through together. Your chosen one almost killed him for Merlin’s sake, and you have nerve to offer a false kindness? As if you were blameless? As if you understood?”

“No, you can’t,” Draco agreed to the weight of my words.

“Come over to the right side,” Dumbledore continued as if I had never spoken, “and we can hide you more completely than you can possibly imagine. What is more, I can send members of the Order to your mother tonight to hide her likewise. Your father is safe at the moment in Azkaban...When the time comes, we can protect him too. Come over to the right side, you are not a killer...”

“Like you protected my father?” I whispered softly. “When will you see we are on the side of good. But we’re not on your side.”

Dumbledore did not speak. His mouth was open, still trembling, as if to find the right words to manipulate us back to his side.

But suddenly footsteps were thundering up the stairs, Draco and I turned, in fear. We were both buffeted out of the way as four black robes burst through the door.

It seemed the Death Eaters had won the fight below.

A lumpy-looking man with an odd lopsided leer gave a wheezy giggle. “Dumbledore cornered!” he said, and he turned to a stocky little woman who looked as though she could be his sister and who was grinning eagerly. “Dumbledore wandless, Dumbledore alone! Well done, Draco, well done!”

“Good evening, Amycus,” said Dumbledore calmly, as though welcoming the man to a tea party. “And you’ve brought Alecto too... Charming...”

The woman gave an angry little titter. “Think your little jokes’ll help you on your deathbed then?” she jeered.

“Jokes? No, no, these are manners,” replied Dumbledore.

“Do it,” said the stranger standing furthest from me. He had a deep raspy voice and almost barked the words. All of my instincts told me to run from this man.

“Is that you, Fenrir?” asked Dumbledore.

“That’s right,” Fenrir barked, and I understood. Fenrir Greyback, the savage werewolf. “Pleased to see me, Dumbledore?”

“No, I cannot say that I am.”

Greyback grinned, showing pointed teeth. Blood trickled down his chin and he licked his lips slowly, obscenely. “But you know how much I like kids, Dumbledore.”

I choked back a sob, struggling to stand upright. Faces of my family flashed through my mind. Whose blood was on my hands and on his teeth? My world spun as I tried to get it back into order. Draco’s arm wrapped around me, trying to keep me upright.

“Ah, the little harlot,” A familiar voice cooed. “I should have known you’d be the one to stop Draco from his task.”

My eyes flashed up, meeting Bellatrix’s.

“She’s actually helped quite a bit,” Dumbledore interjected. “She has my wand, and she’s the one who made your arrival possible,”

“Shut up you old fool!” Bellatrix sneered. “Now come along little prince, we are short on time,” There was an urgency in her voice that made me hopeful that perhaps the Death Eaters hadn’t won but merely escaped.

“Draco, do it or stand aside so one of us—”

I didn’t take note into who was speaking because just then, from the door that Draco had arrived, came Snape, rushing forward and taking in the scene before him. His eyes met mine then went to Draco’s before settling onto Dumbledore’s.

“Severus...” The plead startled me. My eyes turned to Dumbledore who for the first time tonight was begging.

Snape said nothing but walked forward and pushed Draco and I roughly out of the way. Draco steadied me and we both moved to the back wall, watching the other Death Eaters—even Bellatrix fall back without a word.

Snape gazed for a moment at Dumbledore, and there was revulsion and hatred etched in the harsh lines of his face.

“Severus... please...” Snape raised his wand and pointed it directly at Dumbledore.

“Avada Kedavra!” It wasn’t my voice or Draco’s. But rather Snape’s.

Time around me slowed. Or maybe I could register everything around me all at once.

Dumbledore staggered back, falling, falling, falling down. Bellatrix cackled victoriously. Draco was a solace beside me, clinging to me as if I was his only lifeline.

“Out of here, quickly,” Snape ordered, glaring Draco and I down, a snarled look on his face.

He seized Draco’s cloak and forced him first through the door, with me trailing not far behind Draco. I didn’t bother to look who was behind me. Darkness fell over me and I proved blind. All I could do was cling to Draco’s robe and pray that wherever this darkness led, that there was a light somewhere at the end.

The darkness lifted as the starry night sky stretched before me letting me know that I was on the grounds of Hogwarts, not far from Hagrid’s.

“Go! Off the grounds and disapparate!” Snape ordered. “Go home!”

Draco and I stumbled as we ran through the dark. I wished nothing more than to morph into Pinnae and fly away, but I knew it was impossible. Just as we were at the outskirts of the grounds, Draco had to pull me out of the way of a bright red flash.

“Stop righ’ ‘ere!” A gruff voice called.

“Hagrid!” I called in relief until I realized I was no longer wanted here.

“Y/n?” Hagrid seemed just as confused as I was. “Wah are you doin’ ou’ wiff a bunch o’ Death Eaters?”

“I’m so sorry Hagrid,” I yelled into the darkness as Draco and I kept moving towards our freedom. “Take care of Steve, please!”

The distraction was enough to let a few black robes step foot off campus and disapparate. I turned back, a mistake, and saw Harry sprinting towards us, malice and torture in his eyes.

“I was right about you all along!” He shouted. “Don’t you dare show your face here again!”

Before I could respond, mostly just wanting to scream in frustration, Snape intersected the two of us, allowing Draco to grab my arm and pull me off the grounds.

“Y/n!” He called. “You need to disapparate! Go back to the Manor!” His eyes were wild and wide.

I nodded and wand in hand, I landed softly into the foyer of the Manor.

Of home.

chapter 11

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omg-just-peachy · 4 years

Note

For the soft prompts: Could you write a small prompt where someone in ur fav ship is having a gloomy day for no reason and asks the other person “could you just hold me? Please?” And they just relax and cuddle and watch something ✨

some soft ironhusbands + hurt/comfort maybe 🥺

(I’m also using this as a fill for the ironhusbands square on my @tonystarkbingo card, with the details for that below the cut!)

Also on AO3

***

No one in the Air Force knows that Colonel James Rhodes faces regular bouts of depression.

They don’t know about his husband of five years now, either.

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, except it applies to such big pieces of his life that sometimes James can feel it weighing on him, heavier and heavier until he has no choice but to take a break.

Tony, of course, can always tell when these moments approach. He doesn’t always ask about it, though. Sometimes he waits, knows that James will go to him when he’s ready.

This is one of those times, James knows.

He’s going to be shipping out soon, and for the first time in a long time, he finds that he’s dreading it. Keeping so much of himself tucked away was part of the job, or so he told himself. But now ... now it’s starting to feel like more of a burden than he’d care to admit. Problem is, what would he do without the Air Force? Who would he be without it?

James doesn’t have to figure this out right now, he knows. What he can do right now is take a deep breath, go find Tony, talk it out. These moments come and go, but sometimes they’re worse than others.

He finds Tony in the kitchen, making them sandwiches, and the sight is enough to bring a small smile to his lips. Between the two of them, James is the more domestic one; Tony is rarely in the kitchen unless it’s to scavenge for coffee.

“You’re cooking?” James asks, crossing the room to investigate. Tony is a notoriously terrible cook, and has been known to put insane things together on bread and call it a sandwich.

“I’m making sandwiches, honey bear,” Tony corrects. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed that you haven’t eaten today.”

James wraps his arms around his husband, hugging him from behind. He himself hadn’t realized he hadn’t eaten yet. He hasn’t had much of an appetite these last few days.

He breathes deeply, lets himself breathe in the faint apple scent of Tony’s shampoo and the soft downy smell of laundry detergent lingering on the old sweatshirt he’d pulled from the dryer just hours before. Everything about the man in front of him is soft and familiar. Grounding.

He smells like home, like every good thing in the world, and James exhales quietly into the crook of Tony’s next, eliciting a quiet, curious hum.

Tony turns in his arms, studying him with a knowing look. “Bad day?” He asks quietly, tracing a thumb carefully along James’ cheekbone when he can only manage a nod.

He always knows.

“What can I do?” Tony asks after a moment.

James is quiet for a minute, then: “Could you just... hold me? Please,” he adds.

Tony nods, takes him by the hand, and leads them to the couch, where he settles in against the cushions and motions for James to join him. The couch is huge, and deep, and soft, and it doesn’t take much maneuvering for James to arrange himself on top of Tony. He presses his face into the soft fabric of Tony’s sweatshirt, lets himself be pulled in close.

They’re quiet after that, breathing in tandem as the late afternoon sun starts to set, painting the living room in warm oranges and yellows. At some point, Tony reaches over and puts the TV on, murmuring soft commentary in James’ ear like he always does, soothing him.

It’s hard, sometimes, asking for things like this, even though they’re married, even though Tony will always say yes without question, but he’s trying.

They’ll have to talk about it, eventually, James knows. But for now, Tony hugging him tightly, the sun setting around them, they’re together, and that’s enough.

****

Title: renew me from falling Collaborator Name: peachy Card Number: 4017 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27563806 Square Filled: S2, Ironhusbands Ship/Main Pairing: ironhusbands Rating: G Major Tags: emotional hurt/comfort, established relationship, tony stark has a heart Summary: No one in the Air Force knows that Colonel James Rhodes faces regular bouts of depression. They don’t know about his husband of five years now, either. Or, James has a bad day and Tony is there for him. Word Count: 630

#ironhusbands #rhodeytony #tonyrhodey #tony/rhodey #my fic #tsb2020

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sasa-gay-yo · 4 years

Text

Just Us (Chapter Three: Normal)

← Chapter Two

“A false sense of calm. Of hope. That’s all that it was.”

Everything had been published in the papers rooting for the Scouts and people in the streets were also in high spirits when they heard they were coming back from a monthly expedition. People had lined up in front of the café and this time I decided to join them and not wait for the newspapers. I could see if Levi made it out alive by just stepping outside of my door.

Jonas had given me the box he was standing on, yet I still had to go on my tiptoes to just get a look over everyone else’s heads. I had asked Jonas how people knew the Scouts would come back and he said they would just take the whole day to stand and wait. It was almost beautiful to see the number of people here to support them and it made me feel warm inside. I never forgot the look Levi gave me when I told them the Scouts gave me hope, but I hoped that this display from the people of Trost could convince him.

“They’re here!” There were soft cheers as the horses neared in everyone’s vision. This was the first time I got to see Erwin in person and the portraits of him gave his eyebrows no justice. Even from far away you could see his herculean presence. People cheered more and more and I searched around for him on as they came closer and closer.

Then the cheering stopped. The first of the line to see what was behind Erwin shut completely up and I was straining so hard to see why. Erwin’s expression was unreadable.

“Elias, get on my shoulders.” I grabbed the little boy from Jonas and hoisted him up as a lookout, “Can you see why they stopped cheering?”

The smile on the boy’s face dropped.

“Elias?” Before he could say anything, the crowd started for him.

“I thought for once we had a chance! Now, look!”

“My tax dollars down the drain again.”

“Ugh, useless.” I felt Elias’s grip on my hand tighten as he heard the remarks. He was little and probably couldn’t understand the criticism of the people he wanted to be when he grew up. Even I couldn’t understand until I finally saw what everyone was muttering about. Scout after Scout limped by.

They had halved easily. They were filled with people who were bandaged, crippled, walking with no horse, or lying unconscious in a cart. This made me instantly seize up with worry. Where was Levi?

“Miss. Eva… Where did they all go?” His tiny voice was filled with so much sadness. I hadn’t been there to see them off like the rest, but I knew from the somber faces that it was bad. My eyes darted back and forth from the people in the carts to those on horseback. Shouldn’t Levi be near Erwin if they were both officers? That means he had to be walking somewhere.

I handed Elias back to Jonas and pushed my way to the front. It was rather easy now that people were starting to turn around and go back home after the big disappointment of the Scouts. I didn’t care about the numbers now, I just wanted to see one soldier for who I had just bought more peppermint tea.

When I reached the front, the sight was even more heartbreaking. I could see their eyes. I could see the sadness and fear. It was something I had only seen in the humans of the underground. Then remember why I had stopped coming to bid the Scouts a ‘Welcome home!’ It was too much for current and past me to see humans deal with.

A hand went on my shoulder and I turned to see Jonas. His face was harsh and solemn. I knew what his judgment of the Scouts was. They all walked by and slowly a sense of dread filled me. There was no way… Humanity’s Strongest couldn’t have…

“Where is he?” The line wasn’t long and there were little to no people left. The chance of him showing up in the next few seconds was slim, but I put my hands together squeezing. Hoping.

“Levi.”

It was a mere, breathy whisper, but his head snapped over from on top of his horse. Once he met my eyes, he looked forward like he had before. Not sparing me another glance. He was at the very back of the line, probably to protect the weak from lingering titans. It was a sick joke of a formation, but my stress level instantly went down. He didn’t look hurt, there were no bandages on him, but his expression was darker than I had ever seen it. It was probably selfish for me to only care about him right now, but as they walked by and out of the gates of Trost, I just wanted him to turn around and come in for a cup of tea. I wanted to hear him explain to me what happened. I wanted him to not hear the townspeople who were hurling insults left and right, not caring if the Scouts heard them.

Usually, we just get nasty looks.

No, Levi, my look wasn’t nasty. It was concerned, anxious, filled with stress; I wanted to give you some tea.

“Come on. I’m sure people will want a pick me up after seeing that.” I looked at the ground, at the leftover wagon wheel tracks. I hope he didn’t think I was looking at him that way.

“Miss. Flynn, I hope you have some coffee ready. Those of us who don’t drink will need it.” I looked over to see June and Elias’s father, a grim expression on his face too. Everyone’s emotions were putting me down too.

“Yes, sir. Right away.”

He didn’t come in the rest of the day and the few days after that. I inquired with some people and learned that Scouts get a week off before they have to go back and the officers only a few days. Seeing some Scouts meet their parents again or come into the café made me doubtful of Levi’s return. Everyone was so dark and grim, and without Levi to come and break that, I started to sink into that emotion as well. So much so that a few people had commented on it.

“A breakup with a boyfriend?”

“Did you have a friend in the Scouts that died?”

“You seem unlike yourself today, Eva.”

It was those people who made my attitude worse. If only he would come in and let me talk to him, maybe I would feel better. The fact that he could be willingly not coming in was probably what made my thoughts worse. I even kept a kettle of hot water ready for when he came, but he never showed.

“I know how much you revere the Scouts, Eva, but you can’t let that do this to you. A false sense of calm. Of hope. That’s all that it was.” I shook my head at Jonas as he wrapped my fingers with the balm treated bandages. I guess the atmosphere was making me physically deteriorate too. I was grinding coffee when the first part of my skin split. My right ring finger. I didn’t think anything of it, but as I worked and worked to suppress feelings, my hands started to suffer more and more.

“It wasn’t false, Jonas. I still have hope in the Scouts. It was one expedition. It’s just the way everyone is acting is just putting me down too.”

“We were all stupid to think that the titans had backed down, even for a little bit. I know it hurts, but it might be better to put your faith in other things… other people.” I pulled my hand away from him and stood up. What did he mean by that?

“My thinking is fine, Jonas. Don’t you have something to deliver.” That was his cue to stop talking and leave. It was nicer than I wanted to say to him, but I couldn’t be that rude to someone who comes back everyday. However, there were sometimes that I could yell at him or be short, but I didn’t care. Everyone deserved some hate for what they gave to the Scouts. That was my philosophy.

I went about cleaning, making sure that every table was spotless, and taking extra care of his table. He was already stressed about death, if he came in, I didn’t want him to be stressed by dirt either.

If he came in.

The hours ticked by and I found myself still sitting in the dark café after closing. Today was the last day of the regular cadet’s break. Maybe they were nice to officers and gave them the same. That’s what I was telling myself.

Finally, when the sun went down, I told myself it was time to go. I reluctantly grabbed the leftovers to put in a bag and put my coat on. Even if it was a short walk up some steps to get to my home, it was getting colder as the end of fall was approaching. The city’s atmosphere somehow made the cold more depressing.

Turning to lock the front door, I heard some footsteps walking up to the café.

“Sorry, I know it’s looked like we were open, but we’re closed for the day. You can come back tomorrow at six in the morn-”

“I didn’t come because I don’t want you to be burdened by me.” My eyes widened and I dropped the keys on the ground. Quickly, I composed myself and the beating of my heart.

“Burdened?” I picked the keys up and saw his figure standing on the side of the alleyway. He was in regular clothes, but it still didn’t hide his stature of a captain. Anyone walking by would know it was him.

“You said the Scouts gave you hope. Then, we come back and I see your expression. I couldn’t even look at you because I ruined that. I didn’t want to come here, just for you to look at me and feel hopeless and lost and all these negative emotions and-”

“You talk a lot for someone who’s wrong.” That stopped his rant and admittedly that is the most he’s ever talked to me, but I needed it to end. He was digging himself into a bigger hole.

“What?” It wasn’t harsh this time as all of his one-word phrases were.

“Whatever look I had on my face, when you were all marching through Trost, it wasn’t me losing hope. It was me, worried about their wellbeing. It was me, hearing what people were around them saying, hoping that you didn’t hear them. I think the look on my face was from a place of concern or even pity.” He moved to lean against the brick, arms folded.

“I didn’t want to come here because then I’d involve you in all… in all of the emotions and all the death. A civilian shouldn’t have to deal with a soldier. They should be kept ignorant so they can live happily.”

“So what was it then? You didn’t want to ruin my hope or you didn’t want to ruin my innocence?” He took a deep breath in and I noticed some people looking our way. This was a great way to have rumors spread like wildfire. If I go back to the café, there were windows that couldn’t be closed. I’m sure Captain here wouldn’t want civilians to witness his “soldier emotions”.

“I don’t…” He glanced to the side as well, seeing the people who stopped walking.

“Follow me or at least try to get yourself onto the second-floor apartment if you’re worried about them.” I turned away from him and went up the stairs on the side of the building, opening my front door. To my surprise, he did just follow behind me. Another order I’ve gotten him to follow.

“Do you want tea, Captain? I only have green tea up here.” He just stood by the closed door and stared at me. It’s like he was scared about coming into my house. Was this the first time he’s ever come home with a woman? There’s some humor in this situation I guess.

“No… I’m fine.” I put the bag of bread on the kitchen counter and pulled out the tea leaves. I’d make him one anyway.

It was quiet again, but quiet like the first time we met. It was full of awkwardness and questions we wanted to ask. The air was too thick to swallow. To think, this is only the third time I’ve met him and he’s in my house. Maybe it’s just entertaining for him to see how civilians live. That’s why he followed.

“So, I’ll ask again. You didn’t come because you didn’t want to-”

“I didn’t come because I was scared to face you.” I stopped stirring the honey into my tea. I even let go of the spoon to look up at him, still standing by the door. So he was scared of me. Captain Levi was scared of me? No, that couldn’t be. He just didn’t know how to define what he was feeling.

“Scared?” He nodded and leaned against the door frame, pinching the bridge of his nose. It was like he was mad at himself for saying all of this. Maybe he was. Revealing those solider emotions again.

“When I came in on my horse, I saw your face and I saw the face of the boy next to you. I didn’t care about him, but yours… I thought that my failure on this expedition had broken the hope you had for the Scouts. If I came to your café, you would just treat me like everyone else does? Just like everyone treats the Scouts. I had found someone who understands the underground and who seems to understand the Scouts, and then that look on your face… it was like it was over.”

“My look was concern. I told you that.”

“But in a town full of people looking up at you with anger and hatred in their eyes, how do you tell the difference?” I’d give him that. I was surrounded by people swearing and glaring up at him. I was just a bit hurt that he misread my emotions after I told him what I thought. He wasn’t scared, but he was bad at precepting people’s feelings. That could add to the rumor of him being emotionless. He wasn’t emotionless, he just didn’t have to ability to deal with the mass amount of emotions he gets.

You’ve only talked to him one and a half times, Eva. How are you talking like you know him?

“What made you come here then? You came when you knew I had closed. Was it to avoid everyone?”

“I was here earlier, I just didn’t have the courage to face you and everyone in that café. Especially that one boy you always have next to you.” That made me laugh out loud. Humanity’s Strongest was annoyed at Jonas and scared of me. What kind of power do I have over him? The tea he likes? Why was he so worried about Jonas?

“That boy’s name is Jonas and he’s a delivery boy for Reeve’s Company. He’s around me a lot because he’s the delivery boy for that area of Trost and he likes to talk a lot. He also lives around here too.”

“Your hand?” He reached out a slim finger to point at my bandages and I held my hand up. He had probably seen Jonas bandage it again today.

“My skin splits from being so dry. I get it from work. I haven’t found a good balm to heal it though.” He closed his eyes.

“I come back from an expedition and you’re the one who’s hurt.” That hit something in my core. I looked up at him from the tea and his eyes were staring again. No look to the side and not from the peripheral. It was like when I was cleaning the tables. This feeling… with a Captain of the Scouts. That was dangerous for my sanity. I wondered if he felt the same.

I walked over and sat down on the couch that was facing him and set the tea down, one cup across from the other.

“Again, to make sure you understand in that over-calculating brain of yours, Captain. My hope isn’t broken. There will be bad expeditions and there will be good ones, but to me, having bad ones will always be better than not having any. My look was concern for you. You were at the very back, but I thought you would be near Commander Erwin. I couldn’t find you anywhere, so I was the one who was scared. When I saw you, the way that you looked, I was concerned for how you felt, physically and mentally.” That made him lower his gaze to the ground again. I wished I swept last night.

“Who are you to feel concern for me?” If I didn’t know where he came from, I would have been offended by his question. Truthfully, I was a little hurt that he said it that way, but I knew what he meant. In the underground, those who cared about you were those who used you or were in the same boat as you. I wasn’t a Scout and he knew I couldn’t possibly use him in this situation. He was confused why I had given him any thought, as his normal life would have nothing to do with me. Why didn’t I shy away from him and revere him as an scary, emotionless Scout?

“I’m someone who cares. Someone who’s still confused about you, personally. Why did he come into my café? Why does he keep coming? Someone who knows only a fraction of what it’s like to live in this world and someone who knows nothing about what you have to go through everyday. I’m not a Scout, I’m not a soldier, hell, I don’t think I could punch anyone hard enough to hurt them, but I do know what it feels to lose people and what it feels like to be judged by them too. So, I guess I’m someone who’s game for understanding you, too. You’re concerned about me too. My hands.” He didn’t answer, he just kept looking at his shoes on the floor. What’s so interesting about them?

“I am concerned, yes. I don’t know why I feel so concerned about the opinions and condition of someone I’ve only talked to on two separate occasions. I’m not a civilian, nor do I live a normal life, but I guess I’m someone who is also game for creating normal. Starting with your tea. I went to your café on a recommendation from a friend and I came back because you gave me some thread of normalcy to hold onto. Sitting here and in that café, I don’t feel like Captain Levi. I just feel like Levi, whoever that is. No titans, no paperwork; just tea.” I smiled up at him and maybe my cheeks were a little warm too. It was just the tea being too hot, that’s what it was.

“Well, Mr. Levi. Come drink some tea and sink into normalcy. We can talk about anything you want.” He stood up from the wall, contemplating if he was to join me on the couch. If he did, he knew he’d just signed himself up for a lifetime deal. He’d have to come to the café every month at least and he couldn’t die. That would ruin his normal and my understanding. I wasn’t all that surprised when he sat down, but still my heart felt like it was going to burst. Maybe for the first time in his life, he picked to sit instead of to stand.

“Tea. I don’t know much about it, but I drink it from habit. What teas are good for what? You recommended me mint tea that first time.” I moved my legs up so I could sit crisscross and comfortable.

“You’ve just asked a very, very loaded question, Levi.”

We talked late into the night about tea and owning a café. Many cups of tea had kept us up and I had completely gotten lost in conversation that I forgot he would’ve had to leave. He didn’t leave that night, but I don’t remember who slept first or when. He just sat there, leaning with one arm of the back of his chair and one leg crossed, listening and commenting on the various teas I recommended and on what I should do to change the cafe’s layout for a better person-per-square-meter ratio.

At one point, we had just stopped talking, each taking sips of our respective cups. There weren’t thoughts of titans, of the Scouts, or of failed exhibitions. I also got a lesson in math, so it let me understand that even without a proper education, Levi was a genius at certain things. We sat there soaking in the present. That’s probably why he forgot he had to go back to HQ or why I forgot to prep the starter dough for the morning. We didn’t care much for the future consequences.

When I woke up, he was gone. The blanket I had given him, saying I’d go sleep in my own bed, was over me and the tea cups were clean and hung up on their rack. It was satisfying to wake up like this. Everything was light and peaceful again as opposed to waking up with Trost’s grim atmosphere. It was seven in the morning, and I was late to open the café, but I didn’t care or feel any rush. As I walked out of the door to a, probably, annoyed crowd, I felt a note in the breast pocket of my coat.

Left at 5AM to get back to HQ. See you after the next expedition.

-L

Chapter Four→

Chapter Masterlist

#levi ackerman #levi ackerman x reader #levi ackerman x oc #levi x reader #levi x oc #levi aot #attack on titan levi #attack on titan #shingeki no kyojin #captain levi #levi heichou #original character #aot

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gmariam19 · 3 years

Text

Should we put trigger warnings for quarantine fics? If you've had a bad experience with the pandemic during the last year, this is about Finn and Poe being placed in quarantine on the Falcon. It's not dark and depressing at all, but fyi just in case you need to pass. I'll put something in the tags, too!

I finally wrote a Finnpoe quarantine scene! There were so many at the beginning of this, but 18 months in and I've finally put Finn and Poe in quarantine myself.

So, yes - this goes with the last three I've posted, but it's probably my favorite so far, so it gets its own post. Plus the other one was getting too long.

The fic is a five times fic and evolving a little more toward five times they could have and one time they did. Or something like that! I've written four out of five so far, but I'm still trying to decide how to approach the last ones - points of view, happy or sad, who says what, etc. It could go a lot of ways, and I want it to be at least a smidge different.

Anyway, enjoy this one! Happy Monday! :)

4. Quarantine

“We’re both infected,” Finn announces as he returns from the cockpit of the Falcon after talking to Dr. Kalonia. “Quarantine for at least three days.” Poe is still sitting dejectedly at the dejarik table where Finn left him, staring at nothing as he ignores the glass of juice and small meal in front of him. He also ignores Finn until Finn is literally standing in front of him.

“Poe?” he asks. “Did you hear what I said?”

“Oh, hey buddy,” Poe replies, as if he’s just realized Finn is there. He looks up and squints at him with a grimace. “It’s bright in here. I didn’t hear anything.”

Finn is not sure what the lights have to do with Poe’s hearing, but it’s clear that Poe feels even worse than he did ten minutes ago. He dims the iights and sits down next to the pilot, pushing the other man’s food forward. “You should eat something. Dr. Kalonia says so.”

Poe snorts and picks at his food. “She’s mean. And probably wrong.”

“She’s a doctor,” Finn points out. “And she’s not wrong. You look like shit, and I’ll probably look the same by tomorrow.” Kalonia had said the virus was extremely contagious, intense but short-lived. She had also warned him Poe was a terrible patient when he was sick. Finn has seen Poe injured, watched the pilot’s stubborn determination to either ignore it and carry on as if he’s fine, or do everything possible to recover as fast as he can and get back to work. Apparently, Poe’s responses to things like fever, chills, body aches, and fatigue are far more melodramatic.

“She wouldn’t let me fly once with a cold,” Poe tells him. “A kriffing cold! Said the pressure would mess with my head too much, could blow out my eyes and ears. I think she was making it up.” He pauses, turns to Finn with sad eyes. “And sorry if I look like shit, but I feel like it too.”

“I know you do.” Finn digs deep for patience, sensing Kalonia was spot on. She said to just let Poe wallow in order to preserve Finn’s own sanity, but Finn doesn’t want to abandon his friend. He really does look miserable, and Finn is dreading the start of his own symptoms. “Kalonia’s just looking out for us. She said the virus doesn’t last long, we should be over it quick.”

“She still locked us up in here, didn’t she?” Poe asks. He pushes his plate away and leans back. “Three days? What the hell are we going to do for three days?” He sounds even more upset about it than Finn had anticipated. Did Poe have big plans? Does he not want to be stuck in one place for so long? Is he missing someone back on the base?

“We can catch up on some sleep,” Finn jokes. “Or our reports. Maybe Snap can get us some holovids to watch, or we can—” He stops at the scornful look on Poe’s face. “What? It’s only three days.”

“Three days!” Poe exclaims. He waves his arms over his head, barely misses hitting Finn. “Trapped in here, alone, with nothing to do, for three days! When we could be out there, doing something, making a difference. We gotta head back to Sinta Glacier next week, you know.”

“Hang on,” Finn says. He knows he shouldn’t get too involved given that he was already warned off by a professional, but he’s going to anyway. Because Poe’s reluctance to quarantine feels personal, somehow. Like he doesn’t want to be with Finn for three days. “You’re not alone, I’m here too, and we can—”

Poe snorts again, and Finn stops, gives him an exasperated (and probably hurt) look. “So spending three days with me is that bad, is it? Sorry for the inconvenience, then.”

Poe’s eyes widen comically, and he leans forward so much he almost falls into Finn, clutching his shoulders. “No! No, buddy, of course not! But three days with me? You’d be better off alone—or maybe dead!”

“Don’t be ridiculous—of course I wouldn’t be better off,” Finn tells him. Melodramatic, indeed: Poe could win awards. “I don’t like being alone, you know that. And dead is even worse.”

“You’ve never been stuck with me, not like this,” Poe mutters. “I’m a terrible patient.”

“I can tell. But I’ve never been sick, so maybe I am too,” Finn replies, then continues before Poe can make a comment about either statement. “Besides, we’ve shared blankets and beds —hell, we even pretended to be kriffing married to get those parts and intel we needed a few weeks ago. I think we can make it three days with killing each other.”

Poe stares at him, mouth hanging slightly open, eyes brimming with…well, something. Tears, mucus, deep feelings? “I love your optimism.”

Finn rolls his eyes. “Well, I don’t like your doubts, so get rid of them. We can do this. We’ve made it through crazier things than this.” Which is absolutely true when Finn thinks about the incident with Chewie and the red dress. He shakes the image out of his mind.

Poe’s shoulders droop as he sighs heavily. He lets his head fall to the table. “Quarantine. Why did it have to be quarantine?” He lifts his head and offers Finn a watery smile, reaches out to lay a hand on his arm. “I’m glad it’s with you, buddy.”

“And I’m glad it’s with you, too—but we are definitely not sharing a bed this time,” Finn says, earning a laugh from Poe that ends in a groan as he lays his head down again. Finn rubs his shoulders, thinking about that particular mission. It had actually been okay, sharing a bed—perfectly fine, maybe even a little nice, but they are sick after all. And definitely not together, no matter what Marri Kir had thought.

Sometimes Finn wonders why, and if it will ever change.

And then he sneezes violently, and his head starts pounding, and he knows it probably won’t happen in quarantine.

#Finnpoe #Stormpilot #Poe Dameron #finn (star wars)#Fanfic #Five plus one #illness #quarantine #quarantine fic #sick fic #trigger warning #Poe gets sick #And he's not a good patient

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deans-haunted-baby · 4 years

Text

The Ones Left Behind

Alrighty time for some truth bombs. I’ve had almost a week to absorb the end of Supernatural and season 15 as a whole. And I think this is the moment where I need to throw in my two cents. For all intents and purposes I won’t go in-depth into 15x20 seeing as that conversation will just open up a whole other can of worms and I don’t need that headache. I have my reasons for being less than indifferent with how the Winchesters’ story concluded. So I won’t go there.

Instead I’ll be focusing all my energies on the unsatisfying conclusions of 4 particular characters. Two of which were main cast members (one that was on the show 12 years and one 4 years) while the other two (played by the same dude) were brought back after a decade long hiatus for a much-anticipated comeback only to be wasted and mangled unfairly by Dabb and his hack horde of a writing staff. Call this a follow up to my last post. If I sound bitter I am because these people don’t have a single clue on how to helm these characters, their relationships or their storylines 😠 Nor do they deserve them.

And yes I’m well aware of Kevin Tran, Rowena, Ketch and several others who got the shaft on this show. Those could be future posts for another time.

But I cannot stress this enough; ADAM MILLIGAN, JACK KLINE, MICHAEL AND CASTIEL ALL DESERVED FUCKING BETTER. There is no arguing these facts, none whatsoever. Not one of these characters deserved that exit to be the final chapter in their story. I won’t do an entire analysis of each character’s arc and role in the show as I’ve already done that in my rant about 15x19. But I will highlight how much season 15 royally screwed over these characters and tossed them aside like trash; as if none of them were ever part of/contributed anything to Sam and Dean’s history/world building of Supernatural’s universe.

*WARNING* This is going to get heated.

Before I dive into the heart of these issues I want to state this is not a “shipping post”. I don’t ship anyone on Supernatural, hopefully this blog has been pretty self-explanatory. So I have no arguments/opinions in those areas. I’ve been a fan of this series for 15 years because of the characters, the familial bonds and relationships formed between characters throughout its run. And I’m well-aware that the Winchesters are the lead protagonists of the show, no need to remind me. These are purely my own thoughts based what I’ve obtained from show canon. Let me just say I can’t get over just how much these writers contradicted and ignored what they put forth in the journeys of these four individuals. its a real headscratcher.

You mean to tell me that after TWELVE DAMN YEARS of Castiel being a rebellious warrior angel, searching for his own identity and meaning in life; making that promise to Kelly Kline about raising Jack as his own/risking his life for him. After sacrificing himself for his son a year ago, acknowledging he was satisfied with his role as a father which restored his faith; that it was all because of/for Dean Winchester?

You mean to tell me that after Michael, THE PRINCE OF HEAVEN and PROTECTOR OF HUMANITY, was locked away in a cage with a human whom he emotionally bonded with for thousands of years (10 years our time); who was abandoned, betrayed and manipulated by his neglectful/abusive father. After choosing free will and aligning himself with TFW for humanity’s sake, just sided with the Earth’s destruction because his little brother called him names?

You mean to tell me that Jack, A THREE YEAR OLD CHILD, who’s barely just beginning his life and spent his entire duration on the show wanting to be normal and not wanting to be special. Connecting and being integrated with humans; a child who’s biggest fear was outliving everyone he ever loved. Is suddenly ready to walk away from his family, his home and his teddy bear; to give up being a kid forever and run the universe?

You mean to tell me that Adam, SUPERNATURAL’S MOST INNOCENT CHARACTER and FORGOTTEN THIRD-WINCHESTER BROTHER, after being eaten by ghouls; pulled away from his mother out of Heaven, manipulated by angels, trapped in Hell for thousands of years because Sam and Dean left him there to rot. After coming back and helping his neglectful siblings save the world only to be ripped away from his best friend and THE ONLY OTHER PERSON who gave a damn about him; is sentenced to a life of loneliness, homelessness and turmoil until he dies and ends up in Hell where he’ll mostly be tortured and turned into a demon?

NO. I DO NOT AND WILL NEVER ACCEPT THIS BULLSHIT!

Season 15 not only manages to contradict itself where these characters are concerned (while assassinating them before the final curtain). But the writers deliberately discarded them before giving us that *sarcasm inserted* epic solo-Winchester conclusion. Regardless of how you feel about Adam, Castiel, Jack or Michael, ALL OF THESE CHARACTERS are connected Sam and Dean’s story and part of Supernatural. And when you throw them away like they mean nothing, you’re essentially throwing away a part of the show’s history. You’re ignoring 15 years worth of story building.

As I said I’m not going to go into 15x20 for reasons, it doesn’t offend me as much as what was done before that finale. Because I think those other show exits really affect 15x20 even worse than people realize. You want to know why, I’ll explain.

Lets start off with Castiel and Jack, OH BOY! We know where they end up; running Heaven and the Earth together which is all fine and dandy. I love my Dadstiel father/son duo being an endgame family unit. But here in lies the problem, we never saw it. Not even a cameo. And technically their onscreen storyline ends at 15x18 and 15x19 which is an ugly, anti-climatic bookend to an incredibly deep relationship that had 4 years of development. First you have Castiel who completely forgets why he made that deal with the Empty to begin with. HIS FUCKING SON. Not to mention it wasn’t about true happiness it was about giving himself permission to be happy; there is a difference. And then you have Jack wandering around next episode, vacuuming up power cause suddenly he’s a machine now, acting like he doesn’t give a shit over losing his dad to an entity HE’S BEEN DREADING ABOUT FOR A FUCKING YEAR.

Towards the end of season 15 I noticed neither of these characters were acting like themselves. Their motivations, their personalities and strong ties to one another had mysteriously dissolved. Castiel became less concerned about the danger his son was facing after 15x15 (what the hell was that in 15x17?) and more about speaking when spoken to by either Sam or Dean. Does he know how Dean truly feels about Jack; proclaiming the child is “not family”? I doubt the in-character version of him would let Jack leave with Dean after that insult. Castiel’s not even worried whether or not his son is alive or safe before he makes the big confession later. And for some reason Jack (who’d become heavily suicidal) was more concerned with clinging to the Winchesters, willing to die for them, instead focusing on himself and the one person who’s shown him nothing but unconditional love and given him strength since birth. Both of these characters are canonically depressed and suffer from low self-esteem that was never resolved which makes me furious.

When Chuck killed Jack at the end of season 14, this devastated Castiel in the first half of season 15. He actually got to grieve that loss throughout the episodes and deal with his anger over it, allowing the audience to anticipate the day they’d be reunited one last time. This part of Castiel’s S15 arc also ironically mirrors Jack’s S13 arc of mourning Castiel’s death until resurrecting him. And when this son finally returned to his father, who got to rescue him, it was such a poignant moment between the two. It was a cathartic payoff after witnessing Castiel in so much pain over Jack. There was so much building up between that Dadstiel reunion in 15x11 and the Empty’s pact in 14x08; this was suppose to be a tragic yet pivotal plot-point in both Jack and Castiel’s stories. And with SPN wrapping up we all expected something BIG. Yet somehow the writers retconned the whole thing by making it all about Dean, which is such a gross disservice to these characters and 4 years of storytelling.

For instance, since 15x18 was Castiel’s exit episode, why wasn’t he allowed to hug his son or Sam goodbye one last time? Why didn’t he have more of a focal role instead of standing around majority of the episode with barely any dialogue as so much precious air time was wasted on frivolous things? Why didn’t he get one last badass fight scene with someone like Death instead of being choked out and tossed around like a powerless mortal? Why did the group need to be split up to begin with when it served no purpose either than that *ugh* moment? Why wasn’t Jack allowed to call Castiel “dad” once before the show ended? He deserved to hear his son address him as dad!

AND WHY THE HELL COULDN’T JACK FEEL CASTIEL’S DEATH THE MOMENT IT HAPPENED?

The show already established to the audience the significant cosmic bond these two characters shared since before Jack was even born. It was so powerful it boosted Castiel’s grace. Jack could remember who Castiel was from the womb and that he’d protected his mother. Not to mention HE FUCKING RESURRECTED CASTIEL OUT OF THE EMPTY ONCE WITHOUT GOD’S POWER. You’re telling me Jack couldn’t feel his dad being taken away forever despite how far apart they were? No, he’d feel it in his heart. Had we’d been given a scene like that at the end of 15x18 (something of substance) with actual grief shown in 15x19 maybe the episode would’ve faired better for them.

That said it wasn’t, because Jack was treated the exact same way in his final exit. Hardly any lines and just a bunch of scenes of him standing/walking around until that pathetic reveal at the lake. HE DOESN’T EVEN GET TO INTERACT WITH JAKE ABEL’S MICHAEL/ADAM which would’ve been a great follow-up to the AU!Michael storyline in seasons 13 and 14. I swear these directors didn’t give Alex and Misha any motivation during their last three episodes and it’s evident in their hollow performances. But why would they when the scripts are basically telling their characters to quickly fuck off so the brothers can have their final outing. Jack doesn’t even behave like himself after he becomes the new God. His personality is apathetic, cold, alien, stiff and way too mature for the 3 year old child so closely connected to his family/the human world. In that moment I saw Alex Calvert not Jack Kline. It’s bad enough he doesn’t get a meaningful farewell but again Castiel, HIS DAD, is a complete afterthought to this kid 🥶

And that’s what we’re left with. Forever. A frigid, hollow ending to one of Supernatural’s most healthy, touching, family dynamics. It makes you wonder what was even the point. I can’t even fully enjoy the fact that its canon Jack and Castiel are together fixing Heaven because of what the show presented onscreen as their last hurrah. It’s not sitting right and it makes 15x20 even less appealing to me.

Moving onto Michael and Adam. Get ready for this. I could rant forever about how dirty my boys were done by this show. How they were discarded in the SPN series finale recap etc. just as they were FOR THE LAST TEN FUCKING YEARS. Was there even a plan going on here or was this just everyone making things up as it went? Their ending is the most unsatisfying and cruel thing because its INCOMPLETE. There is no real closure or resolution with them thanks to the monstrosity that was 15x19. AND NO ONE CARES ENOUGH ABOUT THEM TO GIVE A SHIT.

Much as I’ve enjoyed this show for many years, it NEVER deserved Jake Abel, his talent or his time. I keep seeing so many anti posts about Dean Winchester’s final fate in Supernatural and all I can think about is “try being an Adam Milligan fan for the last decade”. I’ve had to watch this boy go through hell with nothing to show for it either than years of memes. ridicule and the show’s mockery in forgetting him. Actually he’s the ONLY CHARACTER in this series you’re encouraged not to remember 😡 Also quick question: why give us this really interesting and healthy relationship between an archangel and its vessel if nothing was ever going to become of it?

At this point I don’t know why Adam or the idea of him was even introduced way back in season 4 let alone revisited in season 5. Because the only thing I see when I look at this character now is SAD WASTED POTENTIAL. Storylines never explored. Relationships that never got off the ground. Backstory we never got to see (like for instance his past with John Winchester and his time in the cage). A character’s birthright (Men of Letters) that was never actualized. AND the unexplained factor that Adam could look directly at Michael’s true form without his eyes burning out (making him a special case). And the thing is he could’ve been a really great character, both him and Michael. They could’ve easily reached popular status just like Castiel given the chance since Jake is a freaking acting-powerhouse. We were given a taste in 15x08 just how awesome these characters could be and how they could’ve contributed so much to the story and its core group. But unfortunately it wasn’t meant to be.

Michael will never redeem himself after years of scrutiny and being made out to be some kind of unhinged monster. This show constantly enjoyed pounding into our brains how fearsome Michael was. Warned us via Lucifer (LUCIFER, PEOPLE!) that he wasn’t rational, compassionate and didn’t care about anything except war, death and destruction. And that he was incapable of feelings and emotions. This is how Supernatural saw Heaven’s Prince and guardian of the Earth. Christ, they actually did a two-year storyline about an evil Michael from the AU world who enjoyed torturing and killing while trying to destroy the universe. I want to know WHAT THE HELL THIS SHOW’S WRITERS HAD AGINST THESE CHARACTERS? Why they felt the need to bring back Jake Abel, AFTER A DECADE OF FANS WANTING THIS, if it was simply to piss all over his characters one last time before the show wrapped. This is absolutely unprofessional and childish; the fact that Jake is taking this bullshit in stride makes it all the more shameful 😡

We could’ve learned so much more about Michael’s past and his present relationship with Adam. These characters didn’t need to sit in the cage for a decade they could’ve easily been incorporated back into the show as far as season 8 or 10! And been an asset to the Darkness storyline in season 11.There were characters and storylines introduced that served no purpose. Why did we need to keep seeing characters like Charlie Bradbury or (as much as I like him) Crowley or Garth (love him too) or Lucifer or Abaddon or the Wayward sisters? I would’ve much preferred having Adam and Michael around and got to know them instead; especially after 15x08. I would’ve wanted to see what their dynamic with TFW could’ve become had they been long-time allies. Did John ever tell Mary about Adam’s existence? I’d like to see what her reaction would’ve been like had the Winchesters remembered him during that damn 300th episode. I guess that’s another loose end untied.

But because of what Supernatural did to these two characters, it forever taints Sam and Dean. I don’t think Dabb or purist fans realize this. But when new viewers come into this show about two brothers preaching important things like “saving people”, “family first” or “family don’t end in blood” they’re going to see how badly the main protagonists treated their innocent half brother. How Castiel and Jack were treated. They’re going to see the heroes of the story abandoning this kid in Hell forever with no intention of EVER rescuing him. And that’s why their final appearance leaves such a bad taste going into 15x20. Cause as much as Dabb and co didn’t give a shit about Adam and Michael they also didn’t give a rat’s ass about protecting Sam and Dean’s integrity. That’ll be a stain they can’t undo.

So through all of it, we’re stuck with the abomination that is 15x19 aka the eye-soar to an unfinished/unpolished story of two horribly disregarded characters. Michael gets the pleasure of being character assassinated right before he’s stupidly killed off instead of going out a hero or becoming the next God (as it was his birthright and the setup was there in the narrative). And Adam gets killed off-screen, OUT OF HIS OWN DAMN BODY, then brought back by Jack only to live a miserable, isolated existence since his brothers have nothing to do with him (the dog and car are more important); his best friend is dead, he has no job or money or a fucking home and he’s legally dead! Really what is there left for him besides the brutal fate awaiting in Hell when he dies?

SERIOUSLY THEY COULDN’T GIVE US ONE SCENE WHERE THE WINCHESTERS CHECKED IN ON ADAM TO MAKE SURE HE WAS SAFE?! 🤬 His last scene pretty much sums up this shit for what it is. Tragic. I feel like crying for this poor sweet boy.

Congratulations Dabb, BL and co for giving us these much deserved broken story arcs of characters you destroyed and made OOC before leaving the airways. You did your show’s protagonists justice by doing this *sarcasm inserted* after 15 years of being onscreen. I doubt these idiotic decisions are going to age well in the long run. They certainly don’t look good on the Winchesters. Anyway that’s my hot take for the day.

ALL THESE ACTORS AND THEIR CHARACTERS DESERVED BETTER.

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rainydayhogwartsimagines · 4 years

Note

Hi okay so I was hoping you could do a headcanon where Fred has a crush( or is dating) a hufflepuff ( or just a really sweet and caring person) and honestly just so much fluff

I gotchu

Fred with a hufflepuff reader

Warnings: Gets deep as hell my dudes

Note: Set in non voldy au

You were this little spark of a person

You were so sweet and outgoing that even Draco didn't hate your ass

Oh you were sarcastic as hell

But you were adorably sweet

Even the portraits knew you by your first name and they loved seeing you

However you never really interacted with people until they interacted with you

So Fred and George had only heard of you

But they never actually talked to you

Well actually, George had talked to you numerous amounts of times

See he actually reads

So he goes to the library for more than a nap (Fred, that definitely was directed at you)

So when you’re there George does talk to you.

When George does talk to you his internal thoughts are “Oh. Oh Fred would love her.”

So he constantly brings him up to you.

Finally one day Fred had enough of listening to George say “Dude, I’ve met your best friend” and he walked over to the Hufflepuff table and asked who the hell you were.

You rose your hand and then pointed.

“You must be Fred!” You said.

Fred nodded. “So you’re the girl everyone seems to know.” He said, sitting next to you.

“Indeed. George talks about you all the time.” You said.

“When do you and George talk?” Fred asked.

“We see each other in the library alot, plus we have potions together.” You admitted.

“Oh--” “Y/n, Draco’s done it again.” A girl whined. “Another fight? You’ve got to be fucking joking.” You sighed before getting up.

Fred out of curiosity followed you and saw students fighting.

Cedric and Draco to be exact.

“I swear to God I’m going to beat your ass Malfoy--”

“Both of you, stop” You said standing between them.

“Move out the way--” “Not until you give me a reason to let this continue.” You said calmly.

“He called a fucking first year by a slur again!” Cedric said.

You turned to Draco who was glaring at him

“Draco. Side bar.” you said

You basically used psychology with Draco asking if it was “Internalized anger being used on others to get a result he wanted because he couldn’t do that himself” and Draco ended up having a mental breakdown because it got deep

Fred gaped and George walked over.

“She use psychology again?” George asked.

“Yeah and it worked?” Fred said confused.

“Wait did you just say AGAIN!?”

So funny thing.

This is a regular thing to do with you

You knew people, you knew how to talk to them and you saw how their mind worked

There were very few people you didn’t understand but you were almost like a little psychologist in the making as you talked people through their emotions in a healthy way.

If we’re being 100% honest here, you were the closest thing to a guidance councilor for students.

You understood people, you could understand their actions

Fred began to notice you more, you were always with other students when he did, talking them through things.

Then he caught wind of some strange bonding sleep over thing happening.

He went to it just to figure out what the fuck it was

and it was really strange what you were doing

It was like a group therapy session with cookies and games.

“Fred? What brings you here?” you asked.

“Wanted to know what was going on... And this is weird. Helpful clearly. But weird.” Fred said.

“Mmm. Makes people closer and limits the real fighting amongst the students. Why do you think Draco’s here?” You asked.

“Does Sprout know about this?” Fred asked.

“She made the cookies and cocoa.” You said.

“ARE THE HOUSE ELVES IN ON THIS TOO!?” Fred gaped.

“And the portraits.” You nodded.

“What the fuck?”

So he sat through this and my god it got DEEP

Neville admitted that sometimes he felt alone and often pondered what would happen if he just disappeared

Harry (Yes he also came to this shindig) admitted that he honestly hated being recognized easily for accomplishments and honestly doesn’t like that people see him as just that

Draco added onto that saying he honest to God hated it when people said his last name rather than his first because it makes him feel like he’s constantly living in his father’s shadow

House elves were listening and making notes of the students who might need the extra support while occasionally chiming in with their own personal issues

Then it got to Fred and he just sat there baffled by the vulnerability of everyone else spewing their darkest secrets.

“Fred? Want to say anything?” You asked

“Not... Particularly?” He said.

You nodded and talked people through things, validating all of them and making them feel safe

Lot of crying

A LOT of crying

“Y/n... Do you want to say anything?” Draco asked.

You shook your head. “Nope I’m good. My life is good.” You shrugged.

“Everyone has their problems no matter how big or small.” Neville quoted.

“Using my own words against me. Dick.” You teased making him smile.

You sighed though and finally spoke

“I feel the constant need to fix other people’s problems because I don’t want people to have to feel the same existential dread I do.” You admitted making Fred gape

“Wow... Y/n, are you okay?” Harry asked.

“Yeah I’m okay. I just get depressed sometimes. It takes a lot of energy carrying some of the things that I do.” You admitted.

“We’re all here for you... It’s literally the least you could so after helping us.” Neville said.

You smiled and looked at the students who nodded and agreed.

“Thanks guys.” You said.

“I feel like we need to do something to cheer us up or something.” Hermione said.

You looked over. “Hermione when did you come in?” you asked

“Like thirty minutes ago after Luna got finished.” Hermione admitted.

“Have anything you need to talk about?” “Nope I’m good.” She said giving you a thumbs up.

“Mmm. Fred, you’re the master at cheering people up, what should we do?” You asked.

He rose a brow. “Uhm... Well shit uhhhh.” He paused for a moment thinking

“Stress bake?” A student suggested.

“We did that last time” Another student said

“Ooh we could prank Filch’s office.” Someone said

Fred looked over at them

“Mm... How many of us have any problems with Filch?” You asked.

Nearly all hands went up.

“Yeesh.” You winced.

“The only other teacher we don’t like is friggin’ Gilderoy.”

“That’s Quirrell’s substitute right?”

“Yeah he’s an ass.” Harry snorted.

“Yeah, he’s a narcissist.” You agreed.

“Oh I have an idea!” Fred gasped.

“Hmm?” You asked.

“Who wants to help me sneak hair dye into Gilderoy’s shampoo?” Fred asked.

“I’m down.” You nodded.

“Good luck!” Luna said as both of you left

You grabbed hair dye from a chest in the Gryffindor common room

You ended up dying Lockhart’s hair blue because according to Fred he needed some “Ravenclaw pride”

You two were walking while Filch was on the other side of campus and talked

“So how often do you have these sleepovers?” Fred asked.

“Every Thursday night.” You said

“Wow.” Fred said.

“What?” you asked.

“Does it usually get that deep?” Fred asked.

“Oh yeah. But it helps because the house elves get to see who need extra support y’know. Like who needs cookies after exams, or who needs to hear ‘You’ve done a good job this week’” You said

“Smart.” Fred nodded.

“Y’know Ron and George have come to this before.” You said

“Really?” Fred asked.

“Both of them said you always know how to make people smile.” You said with a smile

“Huh.” Fred nodded mindlessly

“They also said you could be a pain in the ass at times.” You added before walking into the common room.

“Did you do it?” Draco asked

“The trap has been set. Who wants to paint shit?” you asked

“Yes please!”

So you all ended up painting and laughing with each other

Fred was beginning to understand why you were so loved by everyone

You all had fun that night and Fred was slowly beginning to actually like you

like... Like like you

Fred would smile and laugh with you when you sat with the Gryffindors

He was now going to the library

He told you not to tell anyone he was there because “it would ruin my reputation”

You would smile and laugh at that comment

He did come to the Thursday meetings and usually acted as the comedy relief for the night

btw your prank on Lockhart worked

He screamed like a little girl

P R I C E L E S S

even Snape almost laughed at seeing that fucker walk around with blue hair.

Fred loved seeing that smile, hearing you laugh or hell watching you breathe was mesmerizing to him

You loved seeing him interact with the students and actually act as another therapist type person in the group

If someone in the group had continuous harassment from another student and talking to that student didn’t help, Fred would prank their ass

When you went to Hogsmeade it was a blast

You and Fred seemed to get closer and George was realizing “Oh... Oh they totally like each other”

You met Harry’s Mother who was there for something: LILY LOVES YOU.

SHE THINKS YOU ARE THE PERFECT CHILD

She asked you to look out for Harry because he does look up to you and you nearly cried that you became that good of a role model.

So you got cold at one point and of course Fred bundled you up in his scarf

He wrapped it around you himself and smiled at you

Your heart did a thing and you were like “Oh. Oh fuck I like this guy”

So you started acting a little weird around him

Ten times more jumpier that’s for sure

He said hi behind you in your ear once and you literally threw your book and it hit George

You nearly fell in the lake because he flirted with you

You almost smacked Snape by accident after Fred implied you were gorgeous

During one of the Thursday meetings one of the others noticed you acting odd when Fred sat close to you.

“Y/n, are you okay?” Draco asked

“Yeah! I’m good, everything is alright here!” You squeaked out

Fred rose a brow and noticed you were bright red.

“Y/n, are you sure you look like you’re losing air or something.” Fred asked.

“I’m okay--”

Fred felt your forehead and noticed the redness get worse and it dawned on him what was going on

“Oh my God, YOU LIKE FRED!” Ron gasped

“Wha-- N-nooooo” You lied

“So you don’t?” Fred asked

“No I do-- Wait fuck!” you whined as you became a blushing mess

“I ship it” Cedric coughed out making Neville snort

“Shit shit shit shit shit-- this was not supposed to happen this way” You whined.

“Can we talk alone?” Fred asked.

“Oh God.” You whined as he helped you up.

You two went to the kitchens because you didn’t want Filch to find you.

“If you’re going to reject me please just say it now so I can promptly toss myself into the OVEN AND BURN” You begged

“I’m not rejecting you Princess.” He assured

“What?” “I’m saying I like you too.”

You gaped at him and pulled a stool to you before sitting.

“Are you good?” Fred asked.

“Holy. Shit.” You gaped.

“So... Do you want to date--” “Yes.” You nodded enthusiastically

Fred chuckled and you blushed looking away before Fred extended his hand to you.

“Shall we?” He asked.

You took his hand and he pressed a kiss to your hand making you nearly die

“By the way I am totally kissing you later, just so you know.” Fred added

You guys came back and the whole group was watching you two.

“Well?” Harry asked

Fred said nothing, pulling you to him and kissing you making the whole group go insane

You were a stuttering mess for the rest of the night

Fred was never seen away from you outside of his classes

He was always there with you, smiling and whispering sweet little things in your ear.

You would smile and kiss his cheek, telling him that you were so glad he chose you

You totally stayed with him during the summer

Molly loved you

fourth year started

Remus was now having to be a substitute for Quirrell because his dumbass got sick again

Remus FUCKING LOVED YOU

You were so smart and so kind it was awesome as hell

You were lowkey his favorite student though

you all had more people coming to you on Thursdays and it began to get kind of crowded

You went to Mcgonagall like “Can we just make this an official club or something that uses the Great hall at night”

To your surprise it went through and now on Thursday nights you slept in the Great Hall

You all would have a blast and plus you and Fred were ICONIC

You two were like the mom and dad of the group

Let someone talk shit

Let them

Fred would fuck their world up REAL QUICK if they didn’t listen to you

Now that Harry was able to go to Hogsmeade you got to meet his family when they met up with him

Lily was excited to see you again

Sirius LOVED you and Fred, Peter thought you were literally the greatest human who lived and James LOVED YOU TO PIECES

You absolutely loved them and actually spent Christmas with them

The meetings got super fun at times

Deep

but fun

You absolutely adored everyone in the group and Dumbledore did notice a drop in students fighting both verbally and physically

Remus sometimes supervised the meetings and noticed you always listened to the problems

Occasionally you’d ask Remus if he had anything he needed to talk about

He always said no

You slowly began to put together that he was a werewolf though

it became crystal clear after he had to intervene during the boggarts lesson and you saw his boggart

You waited till it was just you and him and you asked how he was feeling

He realized you knew and you assured him that you wouldn’t say anything

He admitted a lot to you to be honest

He told you how he was attacked as a child and he told you he was always terrified he’d hurt someone he loved

You became determined to help him or any student that might need it and uhm

Became an Animagus

Mcgonagall registered you don’t worry

You could turn into a dog btw, you were like Sirius except your fur was white

Fred was surprised that his girlfriend was this wizarding BADASS

You literally became known as the “white wolf” and it was kind of epic

You actually did help Remus out occasionally

You were kind of sad when Remus left but you and Fred ended up staying with the Potters for the summer

Remus was so excited to see his favorite person

Fun fact: because you could turn into a wolf the Marauders called you “Pup” and it was adorable

Fred loved seeing you geek out over books with Remus

In his head he just knew already you were the one

The triwizard tournament went down with Cedric being the champion for Hogwarts

Cedric admitted to the group that he was TERRIFIED of this competition so you were all cheering him on

The other school did have a couple of students who checked out the group

The Durmstrang students were not a fan of emotions so not many of them stayed

The Beauxbatons however had a ton of students who did stay

That’s when the group discovered Fred also spoke French?

According to Fred “There was a book, I was truly bored because Y/n wasn’t out of class yet and I wanted to know the hype over books”

To which Draco gaped and asked “So you learned FRENCH!?”

You teased him and said “Well shit, and you do that while I’m gone for like an hour, I wonder what would happen if I left you for a week”

he pulled you into his arms and said “DON’T YOU DARE”

You got really close to Fleur and Gabrielle especially though

You taught them how to speak better English and they taught you French

That fucking dance class came around and the group quickly discovered: YOU CANNOT DANCE

“It is not my fault my chicken legs have like zero coordination” you whined against Fred

“Wellllll technically--” “Shut it.”

Fred of course asked you to go to the Yule and your response was “Babe, I’m dating you, it’s implied that I was going with you but I appreciate the conformation”

You came downstairs that night and HOLY FUCK

Fred nearly dropped at the sight of you

He actually almost cried actually

You kissed him and told him he looked handsome

He was whispering adorable compliments all night to you

George and you danced at one point and he told you “Y’know, you and Fred might not be married but you are definitely like a sister to me”

You almost cried

Fred gave you a promise ring later when you were alone and you nearly broke down crying because you truly loved this boy

You two being inseparable after that

Cedric was fREAKING OUT later because of the last trial

you calming him down

You watching it with the last group

“Honestly this whole competition has just been the audience waiting except for the dragons... It’s quite boring.” Draco yawned

I mean... He wasn’t wrong

Cedric won

You were so happy for him and he was super hyped that he won

But he did something strange

He gave the money to Fred and George

“Cedric we can’t take this--” “I owe it to you guys, please just take the God damn check before I go all Hufflepuff on your ass”

You and Fred going to the Burrow for the summer and having the best time

You meeting Bill and him telling Fred “She’s the one for you man”

Charlie also meeting you and saying the exact same thing

Fred sitting down and talking to his parents saying “Look. After graduation I’m proposing to Y/n, any objections?”

Arthur and Molly being COMPLETELY ON BOARD

Going to school and having a good last year

The group having dance parties occasionally to get the feelings out

You did do a strangely cathartic exercise with them of taking cheap plates, writing your darkest secrets on them and then LAUNCHING IT AT THE WALLS

Everyone being kind of sad because you and Fred were leaving after this year and they weren’t ready for you to go

Placing Neville and Luna as the next two to take over the group after you two graduated

Molly mailing you Christmas sweaters before you came for the Christmas break

You waking up on Christmas morning and sitting in front of the fireplace with Fred while he had his arm around you

Dancing in the snow with him just because you feel like it

Accidentally calling Molly mum and her hugging you telling you to just call her that from now on

Lot of crying when you finally did graduate

lot of it.

You going back to the Burrow and Fred listening to you talk about how “The future’s in our hands now, we can literally do anything” and him doing something

He proposed

You cried

Said yes, but cried

You and Fred got married that summer and the group all went

Ron told you he was glad to have you as an older sister and you SOBBED

Ginny told you the same thing-- you also cried at that

You helped the boys open the joke store and worked there until you completed a psychology degree

You became Hogwarts’ guidance councilor

Then you found out you were pregnant after nearly puking on a student

Fred coming to the school because he heard you got sick

Damn it, he was taking care of his wife

“Baby, are you okay!?” He asked.

“Uhm... Yyeaahh about that”

You told him

He cried

He was kissing your face and telling you that he was so happy

You have a daughter: Adelaide Molly Weasley

She is a damn daddy’s girl that’s for sure

But my god does she love her uncle George

Taglist: @amhyeah @newtaholic-staygold @bbeauttyybbx @fleurho

#fred weasley x reader #fred weasley x you #fred weasley

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malyceaduncastellan · 4 years

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Hello! Prepare yourself people, this one is... pretty long. I got a bit carried away so here’s another Talbott piece for you.

Also, writing in second person with a neutral MC is HARD. I don’t know if you people prefer it that way, because I kept trying to write with my MC in it, a Slytherin girl, and boy would it have been easier. But what’s done is done. Just don’t forget to tell me what you think about this !

Forgive the eventual mistakes as English isn’t my native language. I hope you’ll enjoy it though!

~~~

Today was… Quiet, to say the least.

While you sat in the great hall, you couldn’t help but notice just how weird that was. You were the only one in your friend group eating at the moment (and knowing how many friends you had, that was, once again, weird) and all the others students chatter felt like a distant whisper. You almost felt a bit sad. It felt way too much like… home, today.

You did not like that. Or at least you weren’t used to it here. You let out a sigh and decided to play with whatever was left of food on your plate with your fork.

-Nobody taught you not to play with your food?

-Ha!

You almost jumped at hearing the rich and deep voice. When you turned around to meet the amused glare of Talbott Winger, you furrowed your brows. He even had the nerve to make fun of you.

-Talbott, you git! You almost scared me to death, you protested.

-Yes, I am sure I’m way scarier than a Cursed Vault. Terrifying, even. You’re shivering at nights thinking of me.

-If you think I’m even fearing a Vault you’re severely mistaken. Now, I suppose our resident bird boy didn’t make me jump out of my robes for nothing.

-You’re the only person I wouldn’t mind eating with today. That is, if you’re still eating.

You looked at your plate, that looked more like an uneatable mess of stuff you wouldn’t feed a dog. Talbott was watching you silently, his gaze trained on you with a dubious look, and suddenly you felt like eating what you were playing with earlier was not such a bad idea.

-Sure. I was bored eating on my own anyway.

The ghost of a smile graced Talbott’s face and he sat beside you. Silence fell between the two of you while you managed to eat your mess of a lunch.

Your plate was soon empty though, and you were left staring at the wall, trying not to put too much attention on Talbott eating. You didn’t want to make him uncomfortable.

-You’re not eating any pudding?

-Never been one for to much sweets… you whispered.

Oh bloody hell, this was awkward. You weren’t really nervous with Talbott around. He made you relaxed somehow. What was awkward was how every single time you were within a meter of his presence, you started to think a bit too much. Like, how intense his gaze was, how his jawline was manly even though he was barely sixteen, how tall he was, how big but slim his hands were… And his voice. His voice, that noise so rich, so deep that sounded like melted chocolate, and it somehow came from his throat even when he tried to groan.

Boy, were you into deep.

But it was much better to think about how hot you found Talbott than this dreadful feeling following you today.

-You’re awfully quiet, you know, he ended up saying. It shows that you’re usually the one maintaining conversation, we’re being awfully silent today.

Bugger, now he had noticed you were day dreaming.

-Sorry, I suppose the ambiance is getting to me. With Quidditch, the Cursed Vaults, my brother and… the many other things I do in a year, I never really stop to... think.

-I never noticed. So Hogwarts Curse Breaker, prefect, and top-notch student doesn’t stop to think.

-You really like to make fun of me, don’t you?

-I love the way you react when I do.

-You’re such a tease, Winger.

He smiled at you and you felt you were done for. That smug awful little smile. You hated it. It looked way too endearing for your own good, so you turned your head and pretended to focus on your plate.

-What classes do you have this afternoon? Talbott ended up asking.

-I’m free since I passed last flying exam.

-Good. I’m free too.

-Why do I have the feeling you’re about to drag me somewhere in the woods to talk to me about ornithology in what seems like a three-hour class?

-Who do you think I am, you? I was just thinking we could go to the Owlery together. You look like you need to get away from all… this.

He gestured at the Great Hall and at what now looked like a huge sea of people. He knew you way too much compared to some of your other friends. You didn’t even hint to the fact you weren’t feeling well at all, yet he knew you didn’t.

-You’re way too good at knowing what I’m thinking of. It’s depressing.

-Not really. I just figured even you needed an escape sometimes. It’s not like you to be so distracted. And let’s be honest, I like it better when you’re cheery.

He was right, again. It was not like you. But now, Hogwarts seemed so liveless, so useless to you. You did not want to do anything or see anyone. It felt… empty. So you had to fill up your mind, and it turned out it only filled with thoughts of him when he was around. And there was no way you would tell him that.

-It’s even worse than I thought, said Talbott after a moment. You worry me right now.

-Wouldn’t have taken you for the type to be worried about me. It’s cute.

-Don’t pretend you’re okay by joking. Besides, how do you even expect me not to worry about you? We tell you “Don’t go there, don’t do it, it’s dangerous”, and then you’ll get all smiley and stubborn and say “Sweet, danger! Let’s go there, what a ride!”

-Oh, shut it.

Okay, Talbott could be quite vexing sometimes. Your mouth started to form a pout and you stayed silent while he ate. You could feel he sent some looks your way, but you were too busy pretending he didn't exist to care.

Five minutes into it, you couldn’t stand it anymore. You were still upset, but as you could only think of him right now, either you were going to hit him, or hug him. And somehow, you felt he wouldn’t be pleased by either options.

-I need to go.

You got up and finally looked at his bewildered face.

-I thought you didn't have any classes? he asked.

-Huh… yeah. But I… have something to tell Bill. And Charlie. A… Prefect thing.

-Oh. I.. see?

Talbott always seemed tense whenever one of the Weasley boys were involved. You supposed they made him feel insecure with how passionate and driven they could be. Anyway, you could see him tense the moment you mentioned Bill, but per usual he didn't say a word of what was going on in that pretty head of his.

-... Join me in the Owlery after you're done?

You raised an eyebrow at Talbott's question, but decided to not think about it to much. This certainly was bad for your brain.

-Sure. Look forward to it.

You ended up smiling at him without forcing it despite how nauseous you felt. That felt like a win. You rushed to the corridors and ran straight into the Weasley boys, Percy included.

-I'm sorry Percy, but I need to grab those two, prefect thing. You muttered without leaving room to protestation.

Bill seemed a bit startled when you grabbed his arm and dragged him through the corridor, but didn't say anything, and per usual, Charlie didn't find useful to ask you any question.

You supposed they knew better.

When the three of you reached the prefect bathroom, Bill finally spoke.

-You need a massive Weasley hug, right ?

And then the dam broke.

-It feels too much like home here. It’s so empty and lifeless, and I can’t feel anything but dread if that makes sense, and then Talbott comes in and has the nerve to speak, and then I was thinking “either I hug him or hit him” but honestly, if I stayed inside this hall I would probably have puked on him.

You took a breath, then looked at the Weasley brothers.

-I need a ton of Weasley hugs, if I’m still entitled to them.

-Oh, come on. You’re an honorary Weasley. You’re getting a hug.

Charlie reacted faster than his brother, wrapping his arms around your shuddering form. Bill followed suit, engulfing both of you with a smothering hug that was definitely all you needed right now.

-Hey, do you know there’s a species of small plush-like dragons in North-America that are reported to comfort children by eating their bad dreams?

You laughed. Of course he would speak about dragons. Charlie always spoke about dragons.

-Of course I don't, Charlie. Only you would know that.

-Brother, less talking. More hugging, ordered Bill.

Lost in this mass of ginger hair, you felt a little more at ease. When they let you go, you giggled.

-Oh boy, I don’t know what I’d do without the both of you… I don’t really know what happened to me. It felt like I was overwhelmed with… nothingness, if that makes sense?

-... You said it felt like home to you. And if I’m by any means right, home really doesn’t feel good.

-Home feels… More and more empty, is all. I don’t really want to talk about it. I just… I really needed emotional support, I’m sorry I grabbed you both like that.

-Hey, listen. Anytime you need, we’re there. You’re our new sibling, that’s how it is now, said Bill.

-Wholeheartedly agrees with that brother of mine.

-Now, have we cheered you up enough so we both can go and eat? Not that I don’t like hugs, but they don’t fill up a man’s stomach.

-Yes, yes you did. Thanks a lot.

-Anytime.

They moved to get out of the prefect bathroom and made their way to the Great Hall.

-So, what exactly are you going to do this afternoon? I have to pass the flying exam, but you did so last week, Charlie asked.

-No real plans whatsoever. Talbott said something to me about going to the Owlery, but I don’t really know if I’m up to it.

-That boy is smitten with you if I’ve ever seen it, pointed Bill. He’d never ask anyone else to go to the Owlery with him.

-Merlin’s beard, no. He’s just more sensitive than you think.

-Cut the crap, I know you like him too.

Busted. You bit your lip, but your cheeks flushed red nonetheless. If anyone saw you right now, they might think someone transfigured you as a strawberry and failed miserably to turn you back to a human being.

-I think you should go there. You shouldn’t spend today alone, and it’s unlikely Talbott would force you to talk if you don’t want to.

-Sure…

You stopped walking in the middle of the corridor.

-I’ll be going there, then. Thanks again for… everything.

Bill winked at you and you watched as the Weasley brothers disappeared when they turned. The uneasy feeling began to spread again in your chest and you did your best to suppress it.

-Come on… You muttered between your teeth.

You faced worse things than that, you should be able to get on with your day.

The thought of Talbott, waiting for you at the Owlery and being disappointed that you didn’t join him became more and more dreadful in your mind. And while, somehow, you felt awkward going there, you thought it was even worse to be a bad friend to him.

Bill’s words echoed in your mind. You didn’t find it really… logical. Talbott liking you, really? He liked quiet, calm, composed people. Or you thought he did. And while you could be all that, you were pretty much the dangerous type. He couldn’t possibly like that.

And yet, you liked the idea, but you pushed it in the back of your mind. You had to focus on being a good friend. He deserved to have a good friend, not a friend that was gushing over him like a first year marveling at his transfiguration’s skills.

Though, when you noticed him in the Owlery, you found it overly difficult. You had become friends something around two years ago, and boy had he changed. His face that perpetually seemed frozen in a frown surely smiled more now, but that was not the only thing. He had a lot of growth spurts, and he was tall, and lean. While you had been around the same height before and you were taller than most of the students in your year, Talbott towered above all of you. As if he even needed you to find him more handsome now, it kinda looked like he was constantly telling you “watch me, i’m getting better every day!”. And if he knew what you were thinking about, he would probably tease you about it.

-A little birdie told me that infamous animagus Talbott Winger was around here. I wonder who that is?

Talbott turned and smiled at you. There was an owl he seemed to care for in his hand, and it spreaded its wings a bit more at your sight too.

The two of you had become a known pair with the birds here, and some of them seemed to recognize you. This one looked pleased to see you, and you walked over to Talbott to greet the bird.

-Ain’t that… Ain’t that Merula’s owl? you said. What happened to her?

-I don’t really know. But she seemed a bit stunned when she flew back here, I figured she needed a bit of attention.

The owl made a little chirping sound at your hand on her head, and you smiled. Birds were awesome.

-Are you okay ? With… that “prefect thing” with Bill and Charlie?

-Yeah, sure. I mean… Why wouldn’t I be okay?

A nervous laugh escaped your throat.

-You look like you need a bit of attention.

-Oh boy…

-Listen, I’m not one to force you to anything, but you were there for me when I was feeling down. You even forced me to be your friend. Let me feel I didn’t let you in for nothing.

-You didn’t, I swear… But I can’t very well explain it. And it’s not against you that I can’t seem to think properly about that when you’re around. I just get… Overwhelmed.

Silence followed suit. Talbott seemed to study you, and his glare was almost unbearable to you. Whether it was because you were scared or because you wanted to get lost in his eyes, you didn’t know, but this uneasy feeling wasn’t really something you appreciated.

-I really can not seem to win against you, huh? Talbott muttered.

He let go of the owl, then sat down on the floor, his gaze still trained on you.

-Come on.

You followed him a bit reluctantly, not even trying to put a distance between the two of you, because he would notice. He was too smart not to notice. It was not because you wanted to be close to him. Not at all. You tried to concentrate on your conversation.

-I don’t know what you’re talking about when you say “winning”... Are we fighting? Are we fighting and I was too busy self-wallowing to notice? I’m sure I was a terrible friend, I’m so sorry.

-You talk too much.

An arm wrapped around you and you jumped.

-The Weasley always do that when you’re down. I’m not really good at this but… If you need it, I’m here. I’ll always be. I’m sorry if I’m overstepping.

-Oh no, this… it’s fine. Really. Thank you. I guess… I guess I was afraid of annoying you. You got too much on your mind already.

-Then I was the terrible friend. But on a more serious note… I like you way to much for you to ever annoy me.

You giggled.

-Are you mocking me? Talbott asked, groaning.

-No!

But you didn’t stop giggling.

-It’s just I fought so hard to get you to say we’re friends, I can’t imagine what it must have taken for you to tell me you like me.

-It didn’t take anything. I like you. Pretty much the easiest feeling about you I had to understand.

-So you got “feelings” about me.

-Including the fact that I like you, I got a lot of feelings for you.

And then, finally, it dawned on you.

-Wait, when you said you “like” me. You mean… “like” me “like” me?

-Whatever you say doesn’t make any sense.

You raised your head and finally got to get a glance at him. He looked a bit confused, and his gaze couldn’t seem to hold yours, but the sunlight fell on him and he had never looked more handsome than now, basked in golden rays that just made his eyes stand out.

-Talbott, you won’t make me believe you didn’t understand what I just meant, you’re not stupid.

-I’m not, but what you said could easily be interpreted in… other ways.

The way he avoided your gaze made it impossible for you not to smile. He was cute. He looked cute.

-I need to rephrase it then, to avoid ambiguity?

-Only if you want to… mumbled Talbott.

-Oh lord, you’re way too cute.

The words had escaped you but you didn’t feel bad about it. Not when Talbott’s eyebrows raised in surprise while still avoiding to look at you.

-Okay. Talbott Winger, are you saying you like me as in you want to be my boyfriend?

-This might be correct.

-Oh, so it is that way, huh?

Silence followed and Talbott turned to finally look at you. You couldn’t stop grinning like a fool. That day had started horribly, but right now was probably the highlight of the whole year.

-I’d expect more reaction from you.

It then dawned on you that you hadn’t told him anything yet. You lost your smile, realizing that while this was exhilarating, you had no idea of this worked. And Talbott almost literally asked you to date him. Like, seriously date him. No secret meetings at the owlery. Dating. Like holding hands, hugging, kissing. Maybe more. Date. Him.

-The idea doesn’t seem to drown you in enthusiasm.

A little smile appeared on Talbott’s face. But it was not that warm smile he offered only to you. The comprehensive look he sent you didn’t have this affection lingering behind. His stance was not relaxed as it usually was. And his voice sounded cold, far from that rich sound that usually graced your ears.

How many times did all those things scream at you that he had feelings for you? You didn’t really know. You knew when you had started to notice all of it. But knowing that all this time, he hadn’t said anything to you…

And now that he did, you even managed to hurt him. And you could not bear it for one more second. You liked the fact he liked you way too much. You liked him way too much.

-Talbott?

He didn’t react, simply looking outside the window.

-Talbott, look at me.

He flinched, but once again, he didn’t move. Maybe he tried to collect himself or something, but you were having none of it.

-By Merlin’s bloody beaded braided beard, Talbott, look at me, please!

-How the bloody hell did you pronounce that?

He finally turned his head, reluctantly, furrowed brows, and he looked at you while you tried on a little smile.

-Forgive me, okay? I didn’t want to seem insensitive.

-You don’t have to feel bad for that. I got it, you’re not interested, and you have the right not to be interested, but-

-Oh, will you let me speak, birdbrain? You interrupted him. I’m trying to explain myself here, don’t make me shut your pretty mouth myself!

-And how, pray tell, would you even make me shut my mouth?

A ghost of his usual smirk made its way on Talbott’s face. And you decided that, for real, he had not only lead you on, but he had teased you enough. Now was the time to not only tell him how you felt, but to play a little.

-I could kiss you, you said bluntly. Would you like that?

Talbott’s mouth opened, as if he was too shocked to even process what you just said, and you worked on making the most innocent face you could manage.

-Wouldn’t you? You continued. The idea didn’t shut your mouth, but you did stop talking. Too bad, I would have liked to kiss you.

-Do it.

-What?

-Kiss me.

A surprised gasp escaped your lips. You almost had forgotten Talbott’s arm around you, but you sure as hell were reminded of it when he pulled you closer to him.

-H...Hey, I might bump your nose or something, Talbott… you whispered, a bit flustered.

-I don’t care. Kiss me.

-Okay...

Your hands found their way on Talbott’s cheeks and you planted what felt like the softest kiss on his lips. It was barely a peck, nothing more, but it seemed to build a fire inside of you. That felt so much better than the dread from the morning that you started to giggle.

-What’s so funny?

-Oh my god, I never would have thought you liked me, how clueless was I?

-You didn’t really answer though.

You gave him another kiss, a bit longer, a bit clumsier too.

-I’d love you to be my boyfriend, Talbott.

And when he hugged you with all he had, you were sure of one thing. This moment, right here, right now, with him.

This felt like a real home.

#talbott winger #Talbott x Jacob's sibling #talbott x you #talbott x mc #talbott hphm

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deckyshep · 3 years

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Unholiest - Chapter One

Original story by R.D. Shepard. Genre(s): Historical Fiction, Supernatural, Romance Content Warnings: HIV/AIDS diagnosis, homophobia, homophobic/transphobic slur usage, missing person Author’s Notes: Thanks for reading! This is chapter one of the Unholiest novel I’ve been working on for about a year now. It’s still in progress, but I’m excited to be able to share this first chapter with y’all. This novel was heavily inspired by a TTRPG series that I’ve been a huge fan of for a long time; with the uploading of each chapter, it’ll likely become apparent which TTRPG series it is, haha. Enjoy! Summary: Mac Whelan and Drew Kelly are a young, openly gay couple in the early 1980s, living in NYC and struggling to make ends meet. It’s hard enough being out of the closet in the midst of the AIDS crisis—but when Mac suddenly goes missing, Drew struggles with the grief of losing the first man he ever loved while also dealing with the existential dread of his own mortality. When he discovers what happened to his fiancé, though... heads will roll.

It had been almost an hour, and the doctor hadn’t even walked in yet. Mac Whelan and his fiancé, Drew Kelly, sat impatiently in the office. Drew’s hand was holding Mac’s leg down, as he had a tendency to bounce his leg when he was nervous. They’d ran out of conversation to distract each other with, so they simply leaned against one another, keeping their eyes on the door.

“You know it’ll be fine, right?” Mac whispered, turning his head to kiss just below Drew’s ear, and Drew sighed.

“Please don’t make me have this conversation again.” Drew rubbed Mac’s knee gently. “We don’t know that, and you’re not making me feel better by heightening my expectations.”

Mac grinned a little. “No, I know. I just wanna rub it in your face when the tests come back negative and it turns out I was just dehydrated.” Drew scoffed, rolling his eyes with a smile. “You know I’m gonna be right. I drank so many Sex on the Beaches that night, and exactly one bottle of water. I’ll admit, that was my fault, but that’s all that—”

They both sat upright when there was a knock at the door. “Come in,” Drew quickly said, and the doctor walked in. He was a bald-headed man with thick-rimmed glasses and a long white doctor’s coat that covered a crisp, plaid button-down.

“Mr. Whelan,” the doctor greeted Mac, shaking his hand before sitting down at the desk. “And… Drew, right?”

“Yes, sir,” Drew answered a little too quickly. “Dr. Stannard, did you… get anything back?”

Dr. Stannard nodded. “If you remember correctly, Mac, we tested you for HIV.”

Drew’s hand was tightly held in his fiancé’s as Mac’s leg bounced nervously in his seat. “Right.”

“Which stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus.” The doctor set down a clipboard, removing a couple of papers from the board and looking them over. “It’s a virus that, depending on the patient, can remain dormant for many years, or start attacking the immune system right away. You were at risk due to your relationship with another man, and after your last spill, we’re all very glad you came in to get tested—”

“Can you just cut to the chase?” Drew interrupted.

Mac squeezed his hand, chastising him with a look. “Baby, he’s trying to make sure we know the facts. Even though I don’t have HIV, it’s important that we stay safe. Right, Stannard?” The doctor opened his mouth to speak, then closed it with a soft sigh. Mac felt his mouth go dry. “Doc?”

“Mr. Whelan, I’m sorry. Your tests came back positive.”

Drew’s grip on his hand grew painfully tight, and Mac blinked. “Excuse me?”

The doctor furrowed his brow, obviously never enjoying this part of the job. “You tested positive for HIV, Mac. Moreso, we’re afraid the virus is working faster than we’d expected. Mr. Kelly, if you have been his only sexual partner, you’re going to need to get tested as well so we can make a care plan for both of you.”

Mac heard Drew start to cry, but he couldn’t really feel anything. Not the pain from Drew squeezing his hand, not the tears soaking into his shirt sleeve, not the coldness of the room. “I… No, there’s gotta be a mistake.”

“These tests are ninety-nine percent accurate, Mr. Whelan.” The doctor sighed, setting his hands flat against the desk. “I know this is difficult to hear. And I’m genuinely sorry for having to be the person to bring you this news. I will answer whatever questions you have for me.”

“Is…” Mac shook his head. “Is there a treatment right now? Like—there has to be something, right? We can do something about this?”

The doctor looked solemn as he spoke. “We have some experimental trials going on right now, but as of right now, we don’t have anything to actively fight the virus yet.”

“This is bullshit.” Mac said it quietly at first, like he was still comprehending it, but then he stood up suddenly, letting go of his fiancé and beginning to shout. “This is bullshit! You don’t have anything? Are you fucking kidding me?” Drew tried to take his hand to calm him down, but he pushed it away. His face was beet red. “Half the gays in Manhattan have HIV and no one’s doing anything about it! This is fucking bullshit!”

Dr. Stannard shook his head, genuinely looking remorseful. “Mr. Whelan, I’m sorry. We’re doing what we can. Finding funding for HIV research has been… difficult.”

“I don’t—” Mac grabbed at his own hair, as though to keep himself from doing anything he’d regret. “You don’t… you don’t have anything?” His voice grew quieter, and he sat down in the chair, staring at his lap in defeat. Drew wrapped an arm around his shoulders, trying to suppress his own tears. “How long do we have?”

“It’s hard to say, Mac.” Dr. Stannard clasped his hands together, sighing. “It might be a couple of years. It could be a few months.”

“Months,” Mac repeated hollowly, reaching up to hold Drew’s hand. “Fuck.”

Love of my life,

It’s worse than they thought. I might not live to see next year. I needed to tell you, but I didn’t know if I had the strength to tell you face-to-face. You have to get tested, baby. Get some treatment before it gets worse. And before you start blaming yourself, I don’t blame you in the slightest. This HIV shit is a silent killer. The doc said people can go years without knowing it’s in their bodies. There’s no way you could’ve known you had it. Make sure you check up on Willie, let him know he might have it, too.

I found someone who’ll take care of it for me. It’s not a cure, but it’ll keep me from dying painfully.

Please don’t look for me. You have to live the rest of your life happily without me. I know you can do it. Find another man who’ll make you feel like the queen you are, baby. You deserve so much better than to watch me die. You have to live.

I know this isn’t easy. I know it’s so fucking hard, and horrible, and painful. I didn’t want to leave. But I’ve weighed the options, and letting you watch me die is the worst thing I could do. You’re the most wonderful man in the world, baby. You’re so perfectly imperfect to me. I’d kill anyone in the world just to be with you one last time.

Feel your feelings. I know you’ll be depressed, pissed, begging for one last chance. You feel those feelings as deeply as you can. But you have to move on from them so you can feel happy again with someone who’ll treat you better than I did.

If you have to, forget me. If it makes it easier to move on, pretend like I never existed. But know that I love you like the sky loves its stars, framing them like the beauties they are. I love you like the tides love the moon, moving every night at her command. I love you like a prospector loved gold, traveling thousands of miles just to get a glimpse of the stuff.

And most importantly, I love you more. I will never forget you, Drew.

Lover-boy

“Drew Carey, I know you’re in there. Come here and open this damn door before I bust it down.”

Drew Kelly sat on the kitchen floor, hugging his knees to his chest. He wore nothing but a pair of red boxer briefs and that white, red-trimmed shirt Mac had gotten at his first concert, the one that was big enough to be baggy on Drew. His red hair, normally pulled back tightly into a bun, was hanging down messily in his eyes. The record player sat on the kitchen counter just above him – it was playing Love of my Life by Queen, one of Mac’s favorite singles.

He couldn’t hear himself crying anymore, couldn’t feel the tears burning his red cheeks. It took a couple of times for him to hear Deloreah’s voice through the front door, and even then, he didn’t think he had the strength to get up. But once Deloreah made that threat, he sighed, wiping his eyes and stumbling up to his feet.

Deloreah’s face quickly changed from stern to pitying as soon as Drew opened the door – he wouldn’t even look up at her. “Oh, baby.” She immediately stepped inside, wrapping her arms around the redhead and embracing him snugly. “Thank you for openin’ the door, baby. Let’s go sit down, sweet boy – you look like you’re about to pass out.” She closed the door and locked it before leading him to the beat-up, hideous red couch in his living room. Drew collapsed in his seat, and Deloreah kissed the top of his head, walking over to the kitchen to turn the record player off. “You ain’t eaten nothing today, I can tell.”

“Not hungry,” Drew mumbled, bringing his knees up to his chest and hiding his face down between them.

Deloreah sighed, putting her hand on her hip as she turned to look at him. “You gotta get somethin’ in your stomach, Drew. You’re gonna start gettin’ sick.” Drew didn’t respond, merely started sniffling. Her face fell, and she came back over to him, sitting next to him and beginning to rub his back soothingly. “I know, baby. I know it hurts. Nothin’ hurts more than losin’ the love of your life.” She took a deep breath, glancing around the filthy apartment. “But... it’s been three months. You haven’t even gone to the doctor yet. I don’t want you starvin’ to death.”

Drew began to cry quietly, keeping his head between his knees. “What’s the fucking point?” he whispered. “I love him more than I love breathing, and he’s just... gone. He’s just fucking gone.”

“He wouldn’t want you slowly killin’ yourself,” Deloreah started.

But Drew suddenly looked up at her, harshly wiping the tears drenching his face. “I didn’t want him to leave, but here we are!” He was beginning to ramble angrily – not at Deloreah, but at himself. “Nobody gets what they want! I met the love of my life at the wrong time, and now I’m gonna--” Drew’s face suddenly fell, and he let out a soft, trembling gasp, more tears streaming down his cheeks. “Fuck. I’m gonna die alone. I killed the love of my life. I gave him AIDS, and now I’m paying for it,” he sobbed, grabbing tightly onto his hair. “I was a slut! I was a fucking whore before I met him, and I thought everything was just gonna be okay, like a goddamn moron!”

“Shut your damn mouth for two seconds,” Deloreah said sternly, raising her voice just a bit. Drew clenched his eyes shut, pressing his face between his knees again. “You are not a moron,” Deloreah murmured, rubbing his back affectionately again. “And you weren’t no slut, either. You were living your life, sweet pea, and things got complicated too quickly. This doesn’t have nothin’ to do with you or anything you’ve done.”

Drew cried quietly, hugging his knees tightly. Deloreah sighed, scooting closer and pulling him into her side to hold him tightly. “It’s just bad luck, baby. It ain’t got nothin’ to do with you. Just bad luck.”

#rdshepardwriting #aids crisis #hiv/aids #fiction #supernatural genre #romance #original writing #unholiest novel #unholiest chap 1 #gay fiction #gay romance #lgbtq fiction #queer fiction

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missdawnandherdusk · 4 years

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Something Old

Draco X Gryffindor!Reader

Part One Part Two Part Three Part Four

Part Five Part Six Part Seven Part Eight

Part Nine

Summary: Now that winter break was upon you, you finally had time to look into what your mother told you about as well as confront the other parent in the situation, the one you dread to think about and the one Draco had to live with.

A/N: Hello my darling loves! We’re finally getting somewhere with plot! And lore! And Latin! ((Seriously, something is lost when you know Latin and can translate the spells on the top of your head... it’s less... magical. But funny because the spells mean exactly what they’re doing and I don’t know if that a cheap lazy move or brilliant.)) Let me know what you guys think! Also I’m toying with the idea of uploading this to AO3... would you guys want that? Love you guys, stay safe.

Tags: @un-limiteddd @geekysimmerthings @coffee-addicti @ilikestuffproductions @msmcsmutt @ravn-87 @artemismohr18 @whygz @crazywritingbug @dolphincommander @bisexualbumblebeesstuff @fuzzy-panda @bitemebro522 @zombiesnips-blog @jillanaholland @shookyungsoo @savingdraco @welcometomyworldwithoutrules @akari180 @slytherin-emerald @chaotic-good-gemini @memalfoy-spidey @theres-a-dog-outside-omg @queenfeatherwings @fanficflaneuse @go-whovian-universe @spicyshenanigans @darling-im-not-okay-i-promise @dietkiwi @katsukink @takemetothekingdom @strangerr-things @tmnt-queen @mccloudchloe

Snape eyed me as I smiled through my exam, on cloud none the entire way. I had gotten through my History of Magic exam no problem and now Snape wanted us to recreate our Bellum Amoris antidotes. Weeks of worrying and I was finished with the second fastest time.

Draco beat me by a few minutes—he was allowed to the ingredients first—and we walked out of the exam hand in hand, not caring much about anyone who decided to gawk at us.

I was in too good of a mood. The term was done for the winter, I had finished all of my exams, and I wouldn’t be alone for the holidays when I remained at Hogwarts this year as I had the years before.

“I told you, you had nothing to worry about,” Draco nudged my shoulder. “Except beating my time of course.” A grin stretched across his face. “Which you couldn’t of course,”

I rolled my eyes and let out a laugh.

“I think I’ll be okay missing one point because I wasn’t as fast as you,” I drawled.

“Oh, I’m sure you’re dreading the fact,” He teased back as we made our way to the Great Hall. “Have you heard anything from your mother?” His voice lowered.

“Not yet, thought I suppose she’s waiting to hear from me,” I mumbled.

“You didn’t answer her!?” Draco grew agitated.

“I did,” I reaffirmed, giving him a look. “But I said that I would talk about it later when we had time to... figure things out? I didn’t know what to say...”

“We’re gonna figure this out,” He reassured as we entered the Great Hall that was really magical with the Christmas decorations and warmth from the people within.

“Y/n! Draco!”

We both tensed until we saw Hermione waving at us along with the four Weasleys and Harry. No one was glaring at us—Draco—so I took that as a good sign as we sat down for dinner.

It was easy to sink into the familiarity and safety of the school, but with the Yule Ball coming, worry nagged at my mind. It was a big deal and an even bigger deal to pure-bloods. Another occasion to show off and “be better” than everyone else. My mother wouldn’t care, and I knew that... but Draco’s parents—father—had to have something to say about it and it worried me.

“Have you heard from your father?” I asked in a soft voice during dinner when the others were concerned with the upcoming task for the tournament.

His expression darkened as he glared at his plate.

So, yes then.

“Dray,” I whispered softly, rubbing his arm softly. “What happened?”

“Not here,” He said curtly, his eyes dancing around the merry scene around us.

I nodded and we both put on masks of calm and ease through dinner. His hand held mine throughout and we both lost our appetites. Maybe I should have written my mother a bit more than the vague note I gave. She would know what to do.

____________________________

Draco had gotten the letter last night, before he sent you the invitation to dinner. It what prompted him to send it in the first place. He knew that you could take away the depressing cloud that hovered whenever his father spoke to him.

And you did, almost easily. When he was with you, it was easy to focus on your smile, the way your hair fell into and out of place constantly, the way you almost danced down the hallways because you always gave off the demeanor of not having a care or fear in the world. It rubbed off on him. He’d rather be frustrated with the simple secrets that you kept than frustrated with the conflict about family and legacies.

And you were exactly what he needed last night. Your warmth, and comfort, the games you played and gentle touched you gave and small sounds that were his now to hold. But there were

still dark moments of the night that he couldn’t escape when his father’s words weighed him down.

Draco would never understand how you managed to pick up on the fact that his father had sent him something. Maybe he hadn’t given it away and you were just worrying again.

After dinner the two of you split up for some time, to drop off books and changed from school uniforms and in your case hopefully to find something warmer to wear.

Draco almost didn’t want to take you up to the Astronomy Tower because it was so frigid outside. He racked his brain for anywhere else to go in the school that offered solidarity and warmth. He could sneak you into the Slytherin dorms... but it might pose a danger to you as his house wasn’t as welcoming as yours had been to his relationship with you. The library seemed to be the best place at the moment to finally start looking into what was going on.

He met you outside you Common Room, as always and the two of you walk together. he had taken your books from you the moment you stepped out and though you gave him a curt you, you said nothing.

“I was thinking maybe we go to the library,” He offered. “It’s too cold for you in the Tower.” You hummed in agreement, silent in your thoughts again.

“It’ll probably be empty because of the end of term,” You mused, nodding as if you had settled on the idea.

“You’re quiet again,” He noted, the notion bothering him more than he thought.

“Thinking,”

“Now there’s an idea.” He teased as the two of you sat in a back table in the vacant library.

__________________________

It wasn’t the same as being alone with him in the Astronomy Tower, but it was much warmer being surrounded by lit fires and a million books.

“Where do you want to start?” The question slipped through as I pulled out parchment and quill to take notes.

I knew the last thing he wanted to talk about was his father, but that’s what worried me the most. It was all for naught if his father could get between us and make whatever this had become into a tragedy. As if he knew this, he slid a folded parchment over to me, not meeting my eyes.

Taking it, I took a breath in and opened it:

Draco,

I have heard many rumors about you, and I pray that none of them are true. You have been raised better than to fraternize a Lupine let alone allow her to kiss you. It is atrocious behavior and it will stop immediately.

They are a disgrace to pure bloods everywhere and are almost worse than the Weasleys. I have raised you with higher standards than this. I am appalled to even hear that these things might be going on.

I do not want you to go near her. I want to hear nothing of you being with her or the people she considers friends. Do not believe her lies or the things that she tells you. It is what the Lupines do. They lie and bend the truth into something that is horrendous. It is what they have always done, and you know this.

She is nothing more than a she-demon come to ruin everything that I have built for you and to steal everything that I have worked all my life to give you.

You are a Malfoy. Do not forget that.

I am beyond disappointed to hear this. Correct what has been done immediately.

Your Father,

Lucius Malfoy

I frowned at the letter as I read it a few more times, trying to figure out what I wanted to address first. At the moment, I just wanted to send this to my mother and see what she would do knowing the fire in her was stronger than mine. But I didn’t do any of that.

Instead, I placed the letter down and looked up to wary blue eyes. “Well,” I whispered. “What are you going to do?”

“What do you mean what am I going to do?” He snapped; a soft look from me and he took a deep breath, calming.

“If... I know that I’ve dragged you into this. And that you didn’t have much of a choice. So, if you want to... I...” My gaze fell to my lap as I tried to find the right words to tell him... to let him go.

“Why would you think—”

“Because I don’t want you to get talked down to like this by someone who’s supposed to love you!” I threw the letter on the table. “I’m... I’m not worth ruining... You shouldn’t be treated like an errant child because you’re talking to me,”

“I’m always treated like an errant child Y/n,” He scoffed. “Now at least I have a good reason.”

“What?” I looked up, the frown returning to my face.

“Nothing I ever did for my father has been good enough. I think landing in Slytherin was the last time he was actually proud of something that I did.” Draco picked up the letter and rolled his eyes, tearing it in half.

“What are you doing?” I demanded.

“What I should have done when I got this letter,” He muttered, tossing it into the nearest fireplace.

I marveled at him, a small smile playing at my lips. I had hoped he would choose me, but now that he had, something heavy was lifted from my shoulders. Though I still wasn’t quite taken with how his father talked to him, but I knew it wasn’t my place to go against Lucius no matter how much of a...

Never mind.

“Now, to the books?” He sat back down, picking up the book I had taken from him not too long ago and he leafed through the pages.

I smiled and wrapped my arms around him, hugging him tightly for a moment and whispering a small thanks before we settled in to read. Taking another book—The Nature of a Soul— from the stack, we got to work. My eyes scanned the table of contents and then the pages.

...Every person has a soul created of the either stars, or earth. Those who have earthen souls are born without magic, but those with Souls of The Stars will grow to be wizards. It is not genetics that decides but the universe itself...

I scribbled down notes as I read, leafing through pages.

...Souls born of the same matter bond to another. It is rare for a Soul of The Stars to bond, but when it does happen it is the work of the universe and no man or magic can break it. This was known as the Consentire Animi Pace. Seers of our kind have often prophesied about Great Darkness that would take hold before these Animi came to unite what was unraveled by generations past. Millenia has passed since this foretelling and it is doubted to exist...

I nudged Draco and showed him the page, watching the way his eyebrows furrowed slightly and he gnawed on his lip when he read something due to concentration. It made me smile.

“Great Darkness?” He muttered softly.

“You know as well as I do who it could be,” My voice was soft and hesitant.

I knew that Draco’s father had fought alongside Voldemort in the first war and I wondered what happened if it came down to it, what would Draco choose? With what I knew from Harry’s

adventures and life story, the threat of Voldemort loomed now more than ever. Was that the Great Darkness that the text referred to?

“This talks about a prophecy,” He murmured, pulling the book that he was reading. “That might be what this is, I can only make out some of it...”

He showed me the carpet page filled with intricate designs and detailed lettering. Some of the page was burned away, leaving half in its wake. I ran my hand softly over the artwork before reading the script:

Nox defluet et malum surget.

Dos Animī consentiens

Eō die, nox non vincet

Cum illī ...

I stared at the text, grabbing my parchment and slowly translating.

“What do you know?” I asked softly. “What could you translate?”

“Nox is night, malum, evil...” His brow furrowed again.

“Night... falls—will fall and evil will rise. Two souls... joining?” I wrote down what I could. “On that day, night will not conquer, because these souls...”

“You can read this?” He was baffled.

I shrugged. “Just some Latin. Mother taught it to me. That’s why spells are so easy for me... it’s just Latin all I have to do is translate.”

“Bloody hell that’s genius,” He muttered.

“But some of the prophecy is missing... I think most of it probably.” I mused, leafing through the book to see if I could find anything else.

“Do you really think that this is about is though?” He asked softly, timid. “Even if it’s not... it’s still something to know. And it might be important.”

“The only person who would see this as important is Trelawney.” Draco scoffed, leaning back in his chair.

“Maybe she’s the one we really need to talk to if prophecies are caught up in all of this.” I thought aloud. “Did you find anything else?” I looked up from my notes.

“Nothing of use. You?”

“Souls apparently are made from either stars or earth and magic or muggle has nothing to do with genetics,” I shrugged, reading over my notes. “So that’s new I guess.”

“What do you mean it has nothing to do with blood?” He snapped.

“I read it; I didn’t say that it was law. And what does it matter anyway? Magic is magic, no matter who uses it or doesn’t.” I defended, narrowing my eyes.

He grumbled and folded his arms sulking.

“Draco,” I chided, but gave up the notion.

I knew it would take time to undo what his father had engrained in him. Maybe this was step one.

Soon after finding nothing more about the prophecy or soul matter, Pince said that she was closing the library for the night and that we should head to bed before curfew. Returning the books to their proper places, Draco and I walked quietly along the halls.

“I didn’t mean to snap at you.” Draco sighed, taking my hand. “Forgive me?”

I nodded and offered a small smile.

“We grew up in different worlds, it was bound to clash eventually.”

“Doesn’t make it right for me to take it out on you,”

I raised an eyebrow at him, a smug smile finding its way to my face.

“Yeah, yeah shut up.” He muttered.

“One step at a time,”

We walked along in thought, no words needing to be spoken. Pausing outside the Gryffindor portrait, Draco leaned down and pressed a soft and gentle kiss to my lips.

“Goodnight Y/n,”

“Goodnight Draco,”

There were words stuck on the tips of our tongue that neither of us dare to utter but felt all the same:

I love you.

Part 11?

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prince-eon · 5 years

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• We’ll Figure It Out • ➥ h. hotel

[ Husk / Reader ]

I made this on a whim because why the fuck not. First story published, not first time writing. GLHF, never written for Husk before but it’s an adventure we can experience together. Also, yes, this was based off of “The Stray” comic by Disteal.

— TL;DR : Some soft Husk shit. The server is a sin. Not really used to writing Husk sorry. Based off of “The Stray”

Pre-Warnings: Just some slight angst with some fluff in it ; a tiny smidge of self-loathing ; more of a platonic thing but if you squint you can see the intimacy

God damn was it fucking freezing. Who knew that Hell would have such blistering winters, then again, it was hell so what the fuck did you expect? The weather here was nothing short of imperfection, choosing to be either sweltering hot or a blistering cold. Even if there were good days, they were short in stock as this place did its best to live up to its name.

Tonight, as you’ve noticed by your numb hands and probably already frozen face, it was freezing tonight, and it just so happened that you were walking home. Today was your birthday, and you had just spent the entire day out alone drinking away your sorrows and passing out at the docks of Lake Wendigo. It wasn’t your brightest idea to go outside in this weather, especially with such a thin sweater on, but it also wasn’t the worst thing you’ve done.

You walked on, staring down at your phone as you message Rosie on what your next job would be for tomorrow. All week you’ve had nothing assigned for you to do and you were tired of sitting around. It made you anxious and adding that on top of the growing pile of depression of your birthday just made you feel all the worse.

Hey mother

When’s the haul coming in?

Read

You frowned at the ‘read’ underneath your message. A cloud of white left your lips when you sighed in frustration. Why hasn’t she replied yet? You’re sure you’ve taught her enough on how to use a phone, that and she was a fast learner, so there was no way she’d have trouble texting you back. A frown settled onto your face as you looked up to see the hotel.

This place was the bane of your existence, ever since Rosie sent you off to help Radio-bitch out to repay a favor. That was a month ago, and you were dreading every single second of it. The group of people that helped run this place or participated in the project behind it were complete morons. They were all so neurotic with their actions. It all made you feel awkward and out of place, so much so that you paused when you made it to the door, not moving an inch to reach out and grasp the handle to open it.

You stared holes into the brass piece, taking a glance behind you and questioning on whether you wanted to leave while you still could. It seemed so enticing to leave, go back to Rosie and forget like this place ever existed, back to your regular, daily, miserable life. You stared out down the walkway, going to take a step forward. That was until the doors opened to reveal a tall, skinny bitch.

“Well, look who decided to show up!” Alastor chirped from the doorway, smile ever present, “Come on in, my dear, tonight is a deathly cold night and you must be freezing!” He stepped forward, putting a hand to your back as he pushed you inside and closed the door. The warm air instantly met your skin, and it was only then that you realized just how cold you were.

“Ah, yeah..” You mumbled out, shoving your phone and hands inside your sweater’s pockets to help warm them up. You followed Alastor into the dining area to find everyone already gathered around the table. The atmosphere surrounding them was filled with a warmness that had you pausing in the doorway as Alastor walked back into the kitchen. Almost everyone had a smile on their face, seeming so casual and enjoying each other’s presence while you stood afar. You watched them all move with such up-beat energy that you nearly jumped out of your skin when Charlie shot up out of her seat and called out to you with a wide grin on her face.

“You’re late!” She exclaimed, grabbing your hand and pulling you over to the chair next to hers.

“Sorry, work kept me late.” You explained weakly, falling into your seat when Charlie pushed you to sit with a bit of force behind her action that had you lose your breath.

“That’s fine, Alastor just finished cooking anyway!” Charlie exclaimed, sitting down and smiling eagerly at you with an almost childlike glow to it, “He made your favorite!”

“Y-yeah… I see that.” You smiled awkwardly, looking away and watching as Niffty zoomed out of the kitchen with a large plate of food, one that you recognized so easily as the one your mother used to make when you were but a child. You watched as everyone reached out and started to serve themselves while Niffty kept zooming back and forth between the dining room and kitchen.

You stared out over the crowd, noticing that Vaggie and Angel were having their usual spat, yelling at each other about god knows what this time. Crymini had her feet on the table, leaning back in her chair as she stared down at her lap at the phone in her hand. She occasionally looked up to laugh at Razzle and Dazzle’s antics, who were currently messing with Baxter and getting such easy entertainment off his easy reactions (which involved a lot of screeching). Husk sat across from you, nursing from a bottle of tequila as he watched Vaggie get more heated by the second from Angel’s nonchalance. You briefly wondered if Charlie was ever going to step in, but it seemed that tonight she could care less as she involved herself in a deep conversation with Mimzy.

Upon all this chaos, you slowly dropped the smile on your face, a scowl replacing it as you stared down at the plate before you. You grimaced, the alcohol from earlier making your stomach twist at the thought of food. You shook your head, making it ache from the sudden movement as you moved your chair back to stand up. You moved to walk around the table, heading towards the door and tuning out the loud banter in the room. No one but Mimzy noticed, and when she called out to you, everyone stopped what they were doing for a short moment to look at you.

“Hey! Where you going? You just got here and you’re leaving already?” She questioned, crossing her arms.

You paused in the doorway, glancing back at them, “I’m just gonna make a quick call. I’ll be back in a jiffy, don’t worry.” You explained, turning around and jumping back a bit when you almost ran into Alastor. You looked up at him, noticing the way he tilted his head in confusion down at you as he held another plate of your favorite meal. You said nothing other than an apology, moving your gaze to the ground as you stepped aside and continued your stroll to the exit. Not once did you ever notice the pair of eyes watching you.

You stepped back out into the cold, immediately feeling the cold hit your face. Your whole body shivered in response to the chill air of the night. It had you crossing your arms subconsciously in an attempt to save what little body heat you had. You looked around at your surroundings, checking to see if there were any unwanted presence around you. Last time you hadn’t checked the surrounding area of the hotel, a zeppelin blowed a hole into the entrance.

Shivering at the memory of bitch mc-gee’s show of power, you turned and began strolling around the building. You stared up at it and took in all its glory, every crevice, every detail. The place looked like it went through three hurricanes and back, or like dog shit. In simpler words, it looked run-down and awful, but you were sure that the twizzler would get it back up and running. If Rosie taught you anything, it was that when it came to Alastor, he could do some damn impressive things in his achieving ‘entertainment’ in his own means.

You scoffed at the thought. Never will you understand the fondness your dear Rosie had for the maniac. You rubbed your temples, trying to soothe the aching in your head, but it proved to be fruitless. Groaning in discomfort, you decided to focus ahead of you and where you were heading. The tall shadows casted by the hotel left little to see, but it was no issue to you when you finally reached the back alley.

The back of the hotel was your favorite hot spot and hide away to get away from everyone. It was your haven from the loud sounds of laughter and yelling provided from the patrons in there. Out here, you had the freedom to do whatever you wanted away from the scrutinizing eye of others. It was also a place to get your smoke on without having radio shack yell at you. Now that you think about it, having a quick smoke before heading back inside didn’t sound so bad, so without second thought you reached into your back pocket and pulled out the box of cigars you had along with your lighter.

You walked up to the brick wall of the hotel, leaning against it next to the back-exit while you pulled out a stick and lit the end of it. When it started smoking, you took a long drag out of it before pulling back and blowing a white cloud of smoke into the air. You watched it swirl and dance around for a moment, almost memorized by the way the cloud moved. It was only when the cloud of white disappeared that you allowed yourself to pull your phone out, opening messages and instantly tapping on Rosie’s name.

You huffed in annoyance as you noticed she had yet to message you back, “God fucking dammit…” You cursed under your breath, letting yourself fall ass-first to the ground in frustration. You leaned back against the wall, closing your eyes and breathing deeply to control your anger before you ended up punching a hole into the brick wall. You sat up again, pulling your phone up and starting to type a message to once more ask Rosie what she had wanted you to do. Not once did you notice the door open, nor the heavy footsteps coming closer to you until they called out to you.

“Hey, kid.” A deep and husky voice spoke.

You nearly jumped out of your skin, letting a few curses slip out as you almost dropped your phone. You snapped your head up, ready to cuss whoever decided to startle you out, but instead surprise replaced your anger as you saw the last person you’d expect to see out here. “Husk? What are you doing out here? Head back inside man, I’ll be done in a sec.”

He shrugged, bringing the bottle of tequila up to his lips, “Just getting some air.” Is all he said before taking a swig, throwing his head back and downing almost half the bottle in an instant.

“Oh.” Is all you said as you watched him drink before turning back to stare down at your screen.

Husk pulled the bottle back down, glancing down at you. He furrowed his brows at the look on your face as you typed out a message to whoever it was you were so focused on texting. He looked away to the bottle in his hand, taking small glances between you and his drink, wondering if whether he should even offer you a sip. He glanced back down to you, watching you smash your fingers onto the bright screen in frustration. He let out a sigh, taking a few steps towards you before plopping down adjacent to you.

You looked up, narrowing your eyes in suspicion of his actions, a small hint of confusion bubbled in the back of your mind. You opened your mouth, ready to tell him off, but he beat you to it by raising the bottle of tequila in offering to you, “Here, drink this. You’ll feel better.” He spoke.

You stared at him in surprise. It was known around the hotel staff that if there was one thing Husk would not separate from, it was his liquor. So, of course it was a shocker when he offered you that bottle. You closed your mouth, not saying anything or even daring to move, and that seemed to make him anxious. Husk thought he’d maybe made the wrong move, seeing as how you didn’t move or reply. He had half the mind to take back what he said, swallowing a pool of saliva in nervousness and opening his mouth to prepare to fix the awkward situation before it got worse. However, there was no need as you raised your hand and grasped the bottle, taking it from him.

“Thanks…” you replied, staring down at the bottle before taking a small sip and handing it back over to him. You tensed when your fingers brushed, feeling a pit of anxiety settle in your gut. You ignored it, however, and continued to stare down at your phone to read through what you’ve already typed down. A scowl formed on your face as you scrolled up to read through previous messages Rosie had sent your over the past month. Whether it was her telling you to listen to Alastor or to be good or to just wait for her instructions, it all had you huffing in anger.

A cold breeze passed through, making you shiver and hug yourself to savor body heat. You let out a sigh, leaning your head back to close your eyes again. The ambience of the area around the hotel filled your ears along with the occasional sound of liquid being jostled around inside a glass bottle. It was then that you realized the cat was still here. You furrowed your brows, suddenly not liking the silence that filled the air between you and Husk. It was thick with awkwardness, and it left you anxious in its wake.

“…it—” you started, glancing up at the cat demon next to you, “It’s just a bit too loud inside… and weird… I’m not really used to such a lively atmosphere, so…” You trailed off, turning your head away from him to avoid meeting his gaze, not that he cared. He didn’t even bother to look down at you, all he did was take a couple more swigs from his bottle while staring up at the dim pentagram in the dark red sky before speaking, “It’s okay, kid. You don’t have to explain yourself to me… I understand.”

Your face twisted in a slight grimace, “Yeah, it’s just really not my thing…”

Husk sighed in slight annoyance but dared not to say anything. Instead, he only shrugged as he looked down at the bottle in his hand. “I get it.” He replied, swirling the alcohol around in boredom.

You frowned, brows furrowing in frustration as you stared at the ground in irritation. A beat of silence settled between the both of you before you squared your shoulders, sitting straight and looking up at the cat in irritation. “See, I don’t think you do. I don’t think we’re really on the same page here.” You spat. You stood up, moving away from him and glaring out around the surrounding area. You took deep breaths in an attempt to control your anger. But it proved to be futile as when you turned around to glare at him, the look on his face that told you he could care less had your blood boiling.

“You all just go on doing all this stupid, kumbaya shit without a care in the world of the consequences.” You started, “You all have this sense of freedom within the hotel, a place that you all seem to call home with no trouble in doing so.” Your teeth were grit in disgust, the anger was building on your shoulders and you tried to keep it contained, but the bucket was overflowing, and it all spilled out and came undone.

“You all have it so easy, don’t you?! You get to walk around here without feeling the weight of the world on your shoulders! Well, I ain’t ever had that shit Husk! People like ME in my situation, in MY line of work are on a one-way conveyor belt to being screwed over and being complete fuck-ups!”

Your hands hurt from how tightly they were clenched. You could feel your claws digging into your flesh and spilling your blood in them. Anger and frustration were coursing through your veins as you had finally cracked under the pressure and stress of the month. The drawer was open, and you could do nothing but release all this pent-up stress by yelling at him. You didn’t know why you were doing it, especially to him out of all people, but all you wanted to do in that moment was to just be angry. And you wanted him to be angry back at you. You wanted him to fight, to yell, to scream at you and smash the bottle over your damn head for even having the gall to say such things in his face. But all he did was just look up at you with this disinterested look that pissed you off even more.

“We don’t GET big, happy, family stuff man! All we do is get moved around until our owners have an excuse to shoot us down!” You cried out in rancor, feeling tears starting to blur your vision as the water works finally unleashed themselves. You raised a hand, making sloppy work of trying to wipe them away. “All this, and you all just— fuckin— wanna make that all better and fix it like it’ll all go away…”

Your hand dropped, the cold air numbing your face even more as the hot tears continued to pour. You clenched your hands tightly and stared down into the ground with a look of distaste, “Don’t patronize me…” You mumbled out tiredly, “I’m not stupid, y’know. I know what cards I got dealt…” You crossed your arms, hugging yourself tightly, “…I know exactly how this will all play out in the end…”

Nothing was said when you finished, your rant was met with nothing but silence. You scowled, keeping your gaze on the ground and dared not to look up. If only you did, you would have seen Husk stare up at you in disbelief at the end of your spiel. Not once did he think that you'd crack under any of their presence, especially with him, and especially with how collected you always appeared to be. Your words were harsh, and to be honest it kind of pissed him off on how much you assumed that they all had better lives. True, here at the hotel everyone had a chance to let loose and be themselves just a bit more than they could out there. But despite that, he didn't let your assumptions or outburst get to him. All he did was huff in in nonchalance, moving to stand while taking another swig of his drink.

You said nothing, only listening patiently to what Husk would do next. When he finally started moving, you flinched as you heard his heavy footfalls, each step had you dreading what would come next. You were almost afraid of him, your whole-body trembling when you noticed that he stopped just short of you. Not once did you dare look up at him, not wanting to see the look on his face after you just practically screeched him out. So, imagine your surprise when he lowered the bottle from his mouth, not to strike you with, but to speak words that had you tearing up again in an instant.

“I know exactly how you feel, kid.” He started slowly, “I mean, was just like you when I was younger.” You snapped your head up, staring up at him with an incredulous look on your face.. You opened your mouth to say something, but he beat you to it.

“I get it, y’know? I get that it seems like the world is out to trip you at every step. I get the anger when some random, unfair bullshit puts you back at square one.” He takes a quick gulp of his drink, staring up at the sky when he brought the bottle down, “I know how it feels when you think you gotta turn your back on the world, the thought that it can’t hurt you if you push it away.”

He turned his gaze down to you, a look in his eye that made you want to do nothing but cry right there and then for the rest of the night. He furrowed his brows at the tears rolling down your cheeks, “I also know you’re too young to survive that. Fighting the universe will kill you before it kills itself.”

He reached up a hand, going to wipe away a tear before you snapped your head away from his touch. You crossed your arms again as you glared daggers into the ground. “Why are you telling me this, man?!” You cried out in exasperation.

Husk huffed, shaking his head before turning back to you, “’Cause the worlds a shithole.” He started, “It’s hard and I can’t do anything to change that.” He raised his hand again, cupping your cheek and making you look up at him as he wiped away a tear. “But believe me when I say it’s harder when you’re fighting alone.”

He dropped his hand, turning around to face the door as if he were about to walk away, “You want me to leave, kid? I’ll leave. But I’m here offering you a hand…” He glanced back, “You give me the word, let me know you’re not ready to give up on us yet…”

“Do that, and you never have to be alone again.”

You said nothing, only staring at him and drowning in those warm pools that made up his eyes. There was something about them that just had you tearing up again. You couldn’t pull away, seeming in a trance and lost in the comfort they provided you. Your chest ached, and your heart throbbed at the way he seemed to look at you at that moment, and it wasn’t until you felt your phone vibrate in your pocket that you looked away.

You pulled out your phone, opening it up and watching the three dots float up onto the bottom of the screen, indicating that Rosie was finally replying to you.

May I need to remind you that you are not needed tomorrow either?

You are such a busy bee.

Take some time for yourself.

Her messages had you deflate a bit. You almost threw your phone down in anger if it wasn’t for the next one she sent. You stared at your screen, watching the white text bubble pop up at the bottom of the screen.

Also, happy birthday love <3

A choked sob left your mouth. The tears by now were waterfalls and were spilling down onto the screen of your phone and even down to the pavement below. You tried to wipe them away, having a hard time to see what was in front of you, but it proved futile as they only continued to pour. By now, you were a crying mess, the sorrow enveloping your mind along with the tears in your eyes making you blind to Husk’s movement. He walked over to you, stopping when he reached your side. He wasn’t sure what to do, raising his hand and lowering it multiple times while you sobbed an ugly mess. Husk only made a move when you finally collapsed to the ground knees first.

He rubbed the back of his neck, moving to kneel next to you. He opened a wing and wrapped it around you before pulling you close. You immediately caved into his hold, wrapping your arms around his neck and burrowing your mess of a face into his shoulder. He was startled at how easily you latched onto him and allowed your defenses to lower. You always had your walls up, never letting them down around others save for Rosie. But even then, it was rare you’d ever lose your composure. You were this stone-faced demon, almost relentless towards others, but in this very moment you were nothing but a young, small, feeble creature who was just as scared as the others in this damned place.

Husk couldn’t help but feel something nudge against his heart strings. He had this unrelenting force build up inside of him, something that wanted to keep you safe from all the bad things this world had to offer. He didn’t know why he felt that or what came over him, all he knew was that he never wanted to see you so distraught, so broken, ever again. It was that thought that had him wrapping an arm around you, giving you a few pats on your back and wincing when it seemed to make you cry harder.

He felt so uncomfortable in doing that, as if it had been decades since he had last comforted a crying person (which it had), but he made an effort to drown those feelings of discomfort and let you sob into his shoulder. You both stayed like that, your arms around his neck with your face buried into the surprisingly soft fur of his shoulder. His arms and wings wrapped around you in some form of comfort along with some protection against the cold. It was a while before you finally calmed down, enough to mumble out three simple words that would change your life.

“…I need help…” you mumbled out.

Husk huffed, tightening his hold on you in some form of comfort as if letting you know that he’s there, and that he wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

“Don’t worry, kid… we’ll figure it out… together.”

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