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elliespeach · 1 year ago

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no chances part six | ellie williams

pairing: ellie williams x afab reader synopsis: you and ellie are on rival volleyball teams and after letting your competitive nature get the better of both of you, tensions are high on and off the court. warnings: 18+, foul language, implied sexual themes, no smut, fluff after the angst, ellie is a little mean to herself in this part, mentions of weed uhhhh i think thats it? if i missed anything pls let me know authors note: this is the last part guys :)) i wanna do an epilogue but it wont count as a full part really but expect that!! thank you guys so so so much for all the love for this series it really means a lot you have no idea. my bad it took me so long to get this part out, ive been quite busy with life and being sickly but i am so happy to share this with you guys finally !!! i hope it's everything u wanted and more <333 w peace n loveeee

somehow you had managed to keep yourself collected until the end of the game, returning to the gym after splashing some water on your face. ellie never made an appearance, instead remained sulking in her car at how she had treated you. she knew you didn’t deserve that and it haunted her while she drove, alone and in silence. with her absence your team had taken the win but you found it hard to be in a cheerful mood, instead putting on a fake face for your teammates while they were over the moon. the bus ride back was loud and full of energy, everyone was complimenting each other on how they had played, and congratulating each other on a glorious victory.

at the beginning of the season this would have never bothered you so much. ellie’s words did little to affect you then, but now it took over your mind and her words echoed in your head. her decision to sit out because of you weighed on you heavily and it felt like you were about to burst into tears at any moment. not only sit out, but not show up at all. you’ve always hated her, but the past few months have felt different. felt lighter and more playful, rather than how it was in the beginning.

staring out of the window, watching the blurry trees zip by while the bus went down the highway, you thought about the hotel. the one little moment you two had shared that wasn’t driven by lust. you weren’t sure what it was that night, but you remember how nice it had felt. seeing her in a completely different light for the first time, wrapped in her arms and just feeling at peace. a tear fell from your eye and you quickly wiped it away, shaking your head and deciding to not think about it right now.

when you got back into your dorm room, peeling off your clothes and jumping straight into the shower you finally broke down. letting out any and all emotions you had about her. you remained in the shower way longer than you had to, just letting the hot water just run over you. it didn’t bother you until the memory of one of the nights ellie and you had come back here flooded your mind. you had felt extra sweaty from the game and wanted a shower, and ellie didn’t hesitate to join you. she had laughed while stepping into the small shower, “we should conserve water, y’know?”

that night had been the same as the rest, after the shower she promptly went home, leaving you satisfied but missing something. and that something vanished the second she closed the door behind her.

with that you ended your shower, stepping out into the cold of your small bathroom. a shiver went through you while you looked in the mirror, seeing how disheveled you looked. it was pitiful to be honest. you thought about texting her, telling her all of the things that crossed your mind as you stood in front of the mirror. how could you say that to me? i was just trying to help.

only to realize that you didn’t even have her phone number. it made some sense, there wasn’t a need to anyway as you only spoke at games. still, the realization burned in your chest like wildfire and you quickly made a decision. “fuck it–” you said to yourself, throwing off your towel and replacing it with comfortable clothes. thankfully, during one of your new found traditions with ellie, she realized she didn’t bring any of her stash and you had looked a little too disappointed for her liking. she offered her dorm up almost instantly, following it up with a quick and faulty reasoning. you knew exactly where to go.

within seconds you were in the stairwell, keys jingling in your hand and the sound of your slippers echoing off the walls. you went down three floors all the while rehearsing the speech you were going to give her the second you laid eyes on her. because of me? you didn’t play because of me like it’s my fault that we’re in this fucked up situation? you trotted down the last few steps leading to the exit door. you’re vulnerable enough to have sex with me every week but a conversation is far out of your realm of capabilities i guess. you pushed open the door with a huff. you’re too stupid to realize that we might actually hav–

“can you hold the door for me–” the sound of her voice made you look up from the ground, your pace diminished and you took slow steps out of the door. it shut with a click behind you while you looked into those familiar green eyes. “oh, fuck,” ellie said nervously, she defiantly wasn’t expecting it to be you.

“what are you doing here?” your eyebrows furrowed, but your tone remained neutral. suddenly feeling the burning in your chest start to evaporate. the lamp posts cast a dim light on her standing on the sidewalk, playing with her fingers nervously and often shifting her weight on either foot.

“was waiting for someone to let me in–”

“no i mean, like why are you on my campus?” you asked, swiftly putting your keys in your pocket.

she hesitated, looking down to the ground before back up to you. “i uh, wanted to talk to you–”

“thats a first,” the words spilled out of your mouth with a sarcastic laugh.

ellie’s face contorted into a grimace and she shook her head, “whatever, i knew i should’ve just went home.” she spun around, taking only a few short steps down the sidewalk.

involuntarily your eyes rolled and you jogged to catch up to her, pulling her wrist and turning her back around to you. now only being a few feet apart, ellie could see the redness in your eyes from crying. being embarrassed you looked to the side and let go of her wrist. “if you wanna talk, let’s talk.”

she gestured to your pocket where you had placed your keys, “i don’t wanna keep you from wherever you were going,” she tried to deflect.

you blinked, quickly trying to come up with anything besides telling her that you were on your way to give her a piece of your mind. although now standing in her presence everything felt too harsh, all the words you had prepared slipped away from you. “it wasn’t as important,” you shrugged, offering her a faint smile, “we can talk.”

“so i’m important?” ellie teased, her lips curling at the ends slightly and she stuffed her hands in the pockets of her sweatpants. seeing your smile ignited something inside of her that made her feel softer, more comfortable.

“didn’t say that,” you quickly rebutted while walking leisurely past her, expecting her to follow you and she did.

“yeah but, you implied it.” she quipped, coming up beside you and keeping your pace. the lamp posts did little to illuminate the world around you and most of the walkway was dark until you were directly underneath the light.

you sighed lightheartedly, “yeah, whatever,” you began, taking a beat between your thoughts. “so are you like, gonna apologize for being a total asshole?”

ellie sucked in a deep breath, looking straight ahead. the cool night breeze was comfortable, but it didn’t stop your face from growing hot with anticipation. “yeah, i’m sorry ‘bout that,” ellie’s voice dropped, the amusement in her tone vanishing with the wind. “i shouldn’t have yelled at you like that.”

“then why did you?” you asked genuinely, your voice matching hers. your eyes were glued to your feet as they scraped the cement below.

“i don’t know,” she responded, taking a quick look at you but you didn’t meet her eyes although you could feel her gaze. “i do know that whatever this is between us is confusing–”

“i’m not confused,” you admitted, playing with your hands. “i don’t think you are exactly that confused either. that conversation by your car a million years ago? you all but told me how you felt, so why is it so much harder for you now?”

“because someone like you doesn’t need to waste their time with me,” ellie’s eyes diverted to the field beside the sidewalk, staring into the darkness while you finally glanced over to her. “i’ve been awful to you, even before our–” her hands gesture in front of her, “you know.”

“we’ve both been awful to one another, ellie. somehow none of that changes anything for me, does it for you?” her eyes found yours, now under the glow of the lamp posts her green eyes bore into yours and her expression was one you hadn’t seen before.

“i don’t want it to,” she started, keeping her gaze on you as you two remained walking forward. her mind was racing, she had been too focused on how she treated you that she didn’t even take into account that it was a two sided street. if she was being honest with herself, she never paid mind to how mean you could be right back to her. it finally registered that no matter what you did to her, her feelings for you would never dissipate. “i meant what i said that night.”

“about what?”

“about not wanting to see you upset,” her feet stopped, and you only took another step before noticing, turning to stand in front of her. there was a moment of silence as you looked at her trying to find her words. “i really am sorry for everything.”

you approached her, standing just inches away. “i’m sorry too,” her eyes wandered up from the ground and into yours yet again, “we really were assholes to each other, huh?” you chuckled lightly, trying to alleviate the heavy mood that had settled around both of you.

ellie couldn’t help but laugh as well, “yeah, we were.” your hand reached up to her cheek gently and she leaned her head into your hand. “but that all stops, okay? i promise.” ellie’s hand grabbed the wrist that was holding her cheek, rubbing her thumb across your soft skin.

“i’m not promising anything,” you joked, the tone in your voice going up. “it’s fun to see you all flustered.”

“oh, so it’s like that?” ellie’s lips turned up at your words and she grasped for your hips but you snaked away. you giggled, playfully turning around to escape her grasp. you made it only a few feet before she had come up behind you, wrapping her arms around your waist. you both fumbled over one another, rolling into the grass beside the sidewalk all while laughing at each other.

“ellie!” you giggled again, the grass tickling every part of your exposed skin. ellie had landed on top of you, her arm planted firmly in the grass beside your head as she looked down on you and the smile on her face never faltering, along with yours.

in this moment, it was only you and ellie. everything around the two of you seemed to disappear as you longingly stared into each other. a piece of her hair had fallen from her tight bun and you gently tucked it behind her ear, running your hand along her cheek again. “can i take you on a date? a real one?” she asked in a whisper, never taking her eyes off of you.

“you don’t even have to ask,” you answered her in the same tone, your chest swelling with her every word. ellie leaned down and planted a soft, loving kiss on your lips. something unlike she had ever done. every kiss you two had shared was sloppy, desperate and full of lust. but this time, it was sweet, slow and passionate. her hand cupped your cheek before she finally pulled away, resting her forehead on yours.

“if our coaches could see us now,” she laughed, which made you do the same. you wrapped your arms around her neck as you always do, the warmth from her radiating like the sun.

“bet they’d still try to bench us–” another spring of laughs came from the both of you before ellie finally pulled herself off of you. standing up she stretched her arm to help you up, which you took happily. “do you wanna stay over?”

the question was like music to ellie’s ears, “i’d love to–” she planted a delicate kiss on your cheek.

“good good,” you trailed, turning around to look at your dorm building which was easily more than a few yards away by now. being around ellie brought out the competitiveness in you yet again but this time it was more playful. “wanna race?”

“seriously?” she turned her head, the smile on ellie’s face was now permanent in your presence.

“what? you scared?” you mocked her lightly, tapping her shoulder and she scoffed at the accusation.

“you know what? yeah, let’s race. i bet you–”

you took off sprinting, even in your slippers you had managed to get a great head start. you could hear ellie’s footsteps behind you, slowly catching up. “hey, that’s cheating!” she shouted from behind you. while she watched you win the childish bet, she felt stupid for not allowing herself this type of happiness before, but if she had the chance to go back and change anything, she never would.

epilogue

#ellie williams #ellie williams fic #ellie williams x reader #ellie williams fanfiction #ellie williams smut #ellie williams tlou #modern!ellie williams

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joonipertree · 2 years ago

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love in all its glory (in all of its efforts)

Love is a million things. It's fear, fondness, warmth, endearment, the want, the compromises, the desperation.

Rin loves you in all of its complexities.

(or: he fucked up and realised he adores the fuck out of you)

cw: blood (not a lot), brief mention of past head injury.

pairing: Haitani Rindou × gn!reader

tags: angst with happy ending, hurt/comfort, Haitani Rin is very much in love, fluff

A/N: I got my heartbroken a few months ago and I wrote this to redefine what love is for me. love takes effort and I simply wish someone would try with their everything.

Rin’s bike had sped through the streets he didn’t really want to care to remember, (hearing the shrieks of fifteen year old you, telling him to slow down. He didn’t listen like he never listened to you back then. ‘You’re gonna get hurt, jackass.’).

It swerved into your neighbourhood and he nearly crashed to a stop, stumbling onto the curb and letting himself run on autopilot. When he made it to your gate, he jumped over (hearing your grunts as you tried to parkour yourself in like he did.

‘I am more than capable of doing this but help.’

He remembered laughing as he held out his arms for you.)

Rindou’s body slammed into the wooden door, fists thumping in the same pattern you used to do whenever you knocked at the door. His breathing had turned quick and laboured, eyes blurry as he tried to hear for any signs of life but the house was dead without your laughter in it.

(The sounds of snorts and hiccuping filled his ears, you always laughed like that with only him, always leaned against him.)

He moved, not caring that his bare shoulder bumped into the spiky concrete of your porch where doodles of butterflies and crude drawings had faded with time.

(‘You’re so disgusting, Rin! Have some respect for my house. Don’t touch my sun!’)

One foot felt the grass and the dew stuck to his sole.

(‘You literally wear the most basic things it’s fine if they stain, I’m wearing something pretty--- fuck that’s cold.’ )

He jumped over the large protruding rock that had split his head open.

(Your sobs and wails as clear as day as you shrieked, ‘Rin! Please don’t leave me! I love you!’)

Why the fuck did he leave? What peace could he have found in your sorrow?

The swing that limply hung by half of its ropes filled his vision. (the memories of him sitting on the once intact seat with tears running down his cheeks flooded his mind. He didn’t remember the reason for his pain but he remembered you, his blue penicillin. You sat in front of him on the ground with your legs crossed, patiently waiting for him to speak.)

(You always listened. Always. Why didn’t he? )

His palms burned as he grappled the jagged bark of the oak tree, nails digging in and toes propelling him upwards (‘Be careful!’). His nail broke. (‘I would probably die if you fell on me right?’) He lost his footing but he only slid an inch before going forward. ('I’ll step ten feet away just in case….do you wanna rob houses?’) His foot solidified on the one sturdy branch there was. ('Listen, you either save the kitty or you die trying…do not throw her off, motherfucker.') Your shrieks echoed through as he moved on quick feet so that his older and burdened body wouldn’t cause him to free fall to the ground.

Your window was a few inches away from the crooked reach of the tree and he extended his crooked hand to grab onto the ledge. The window was already half way open, (just like the nights when he would sneak in at midnight to find a broken you on the floor, showing the shards of your soul that caused your hands to bleed.) Blood smeared on the underlay of the pane as he pushed it all the way up, head ducking and one leg making it to the floor of your bedroom.

( ‘Rin.’

You would smile through your tears, voice cracking and he wondered if any smile he could ever make out of sheer joy would ever match the one that had tears collecting at the corner of your mouth. If a crack in his heart sounded the same as the one in your throat. )

He stopped and searched the room that was shrouded in emptiness. His eyes landed on the lump of blankets that had a tuft of hair and black headphones peeking out from the top. He knew for a fact that the lump in his throat could beat it in its enormity when all you looked like was a tiny ball. You were so fucking small and he fucking wished you were small under his embrace rather than on your own.

What if you disappeared from his grasp as he wrapped you in his arms?

His body heaved in exhaustion, lungs constricting as if to punish him for his sins that only held weight because your pain weighed them down. His heart hurt from its pounding and he knew it wanted to escape, bleed out all of his love for you because all it thought it could do was paint your floors for you to see

His hair was left dishevelled and tangled, covering half of his face and he wondered what it would take for it to leave his sight for the rest of eternity, what would it take to never blink again if it meant looking at your every small movement and uneven breath.

He barely saved himself from crumbling to his knees as his shaken legs walked o you, knowing that the only oxygen they would accept is the one that you would provide. His wounded hands push your shoulder towards him, as if they didn’t scream for letting even a drop of his tainted blood to smear your soft skin.

And when your head landed on his chest, a bit too abruptly, he wished that his ribs could soften so his bones didn’t hurt you. And he held you, not letting him take your warmth but letting himself pour every ounce of kindness you handed to him unconditionally, trying to increase it tenfold.

There was stillness, the song through your headphones playing into his ear as he pressed his cheek against your head. He couldn’t make it out, didn’t care enough because music would only echo in his hollowed out chest.

The earthquakes came in waves, limbs twitching as if to find purchase. The trembles were followed by salt water and Rindou was ready to swim you to the shoreline, against the pull of the hurricane.

But, you were still. You were a stable wooden floor that wouldn’t bend under the shoes of man. And he realised belatedly that the tears were his. They were yours to see. Everything that was his was yours and he knew that the day he felt your small chubby hands take his awkward slender ones. A sob clawed out of his throat like it had waited for the day it could see light.

And you-

(the you who was so human that humanity was loved by him for a second, you whose existence meant the existence of deities that grew out of the earth to watch over it)

You turned in his hold and held his face, wiping away his pain with a single swipe of your thumb. And he knew that destiny was bullshit when your effort had caused you to look up at him with concern (and with the sun that had decided to wait out its dying days in them.)

He loves you.

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imperator-titus · 3 months ago

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Ghost from the Past [Part 4]

Oh lord here we go again

I have actually been unsure of the real order of things, this has more been the order of what "feels right" and doesn't adhere too closely to the in-game progression (and also, for now, I did not cross-reference in-game conversations with lines I wrote). I feel like I'm jamming too much into Act 1? But Act 1 feels like an open wound, Act 2 is actually addressing the wound, and Act 3 is stitching them closed. This story has very much been opening a wound lol

Reminder that I'll start a tag list if someone wants! And please send me any questions or comments on the story (or other stuff) if you want because I am bored/lonely. Anyway hope you enjoy!

(Prev)[Part 3] (Next)[Part 5] [Master Post]

[gif by silverformymonsters]

It was late and Eletha was already most of the way through a bottle of liquor by the time she got to Gale. He was admiring an image of a woman he'd conjured.

“Mystra?” She asked, trying to not sound too sure of her answer.

“Ah! I didn't notice you.” He dismissed the image. “I was just… practicing.”

“Mmm. Secret’s safe with me.” She smiled at him, just a little mocking but full of fondness, like she found a child doing something a little naughty but harmless.

“Elves have a strong connection to the Weave. What is your experience with it, if you don't mind me asking?”

Eletha opened her mouth, but snapped it shut. The first thing that came to her mind was dark and… deeply personal. After a moment of contemplation, wherein Gale did not miss how she had to push the dark thoughts away, she smiled. “I have a wizard friend, we’ve been on a few adventures. Gave me my magic eye. He actually taught me some spells, but… I haven't been quite able to… get to them, so to speak.”

“Ah, that explains why you are so adept at handling my peculiarities,” he said with a chuckle and a smile. “Here, let us experience the Weave together.”

Magic surrounded them in a comforting embrace.

Gale felt that comfort, until it was replaced by flashes of memories that didn’t belong to him.

Elven faces, angered, weeping, blissful. They were somehow familiar and monstrous at the same time, distorted by their expressions. His skin was not his own, it felt more like a tight suit suffocating his body that no longer belonged to him.

A sensation cut through. Terrible, terrifying, transfixing. He’d known it before, briefly. Elminster insisted he knew how it felt to be dominated by magic before he used it on another. That horrible feeling of looking through his eyes but being unable to connect thought to action, limbs and tongue at someone else’s control.

A pervading feeling of loneliness, isolation. A loss of self.

Guilt.

A sound escaped his lips. A gasp? A strangled cry?

A hand squeezed his. He looked over to Eletha only to see an apology in her eyes. She realized Gale had seen her thoughts in that moment. Perhaps she’d seen his.

“Let me show you my favorite things,” she said softly, reassuring, and that feeling of comfort washed over him once more.

He is floating in a milky-blue pool and it is effortless and the water is the same temperature as his skin, it is as if he is hovering in mid-air.

There is not a single cloud in the sky and there are more stars than he ever thought possible. Someone is sitting beside him, delicately experimenting with their lute, and he can just barely make out their friendly discussion.

Standing high on a mountain range, he looks out on Faerun, its splendor laid out before him. He can make out his home, places he’s been, places he wishes to see. The air is sharp and crisp, it hurts but it makes him feel alive. The unspoilt white snow is hard on the eyes, but it is beautiful and makes him giddy.

A young man is intently focused on his face, pink tongue stuck out between his lips, tapping his filtrum in concentration. He’s suddenly aware that his vision wasn’t complete as things become blurry and then bleed into focus. The young man smiles, nervous and proud at the same time, and he thinks that, it is so hard to open his heart to humans. Their lives are so bright and brief, yet they could be so beautiful and warm. He offers up a prayer that this one will be around a while longer, because he is sweet and stupid and brilliant. His heart opens just a little and he hopes that it isn’t a mistake.

Rain patters down around him as he sits under the protection of a decrepit roof. With the iconography, some shattered, others overgrown, it was likely a temple of some sort. Beside him sits a figure, robed in black. Its hood is cast back, revealing a beautiful woman. Much too beautiful. He’s impressed and enticed, and a little jealous. She lifts a delicate teacup to her blood-red lips and takes a sip. He tells a joke and her eyes, red and full of laughter, leave their little fire and look at him. She laughs, revealing long fangs, and it is probably the most honest laughter he’s ever heard.

He is alone, but he is not lonely. He stands in a field of flowers, watching a herd of animals graze. One comes up to him and he offers his hand to be inspected. It licks his fingers and demands the fruit from his pack. This will be his new companion.

Faces and scenes flicker across his vision. So many cobblers to repair his boots. His fingers are rough and calloused. The young man, with gray in his hair and beard, teaches him magic and he feels like a child again, thrilled by the Weave using him as a conduit.

He is keenly aware that he cannot solve every problem, but he will solve the ones he can. He will never make up for things he’s done, but he will not let that stop him from doing some good.

Eletha’s hand left his and the magic bled away back into the Weave.

Gale had to come up with his own words and feelings now. As articulate and witty as he was, he was failing to find the right way to express himself. There was a pain in his chest, nostalgia for a life he hadn’t lived. He placed his hand on his chest. “Thank you… For sharing that with me.”

Eletha offered him a subdued smile. “When this is all over, I thought I could accompany you back to Waterdeep. You know, to keep you out of trouble.”

He was a little stunned. “That would be… Yes, I think that would be a grand idea.”

Eletha owed Shadowheart a bottle of wine and a chat, but on her way, she stopped at Astarion’s tent. He was ‘looking’ at himself in a mirror and undoubtedly smirking to himself as he watched her walk over.

“Spying is rude,” she said with a little humor. He huffed as he let his hand fall to his side and twirled around to face her.

“I’m just making sure my long-lost love doesn’t get lost in another’s eyes,” he cooed, mischief in his eyes, a wicked smirk playing on his lips. Eletha snorted.

“That’s quite the imagination you have. Writing our wedding vows for us? What flowers will we be using?”

“You’re cute for an old hag.” For a split second, Astarion panicked and tried to formulate a way to brush the insult off, but then Eletha let out a small laugh and all was well. “I was just thinking about… how I’ve forgotten what I look like. Or what I used to look like. Just another thing Cazador took from me.”

“I’m sure the others would share if you asked. You know, use the tadpoles.” Astarion sighed wistfully.

“But they don’t know me like you do. They don’t… love me,” he explained very carefully. “To be seen through a lover’s eyes?”

“I don’t think I see you the way other people see you.” Eletha sounded almost… regretful of this fact.

“What, am I monstrous? A vicious vampire in a children’s story book?” he asked with a strained laugh. He actually did worry that it could be the case. It was good to be feared, there was power in fear… but he didn’t want to be feared by her. In a low voice, not quite sultry, but just as inviting, he pleaded, “I want to know what you see. I want to be… seen.”

Eletha hesitated. She looked down at their feet in contemplation. Her throat was already raw from her moment with Gale. This would hurt, open the old wound further, but a wise woman once told her that the wound wouldn’t fully heal until she opened it all the way and scrapped out the rot. She had to run towards the danger, or else it would follow her forever.

Astarion felt his tadpole squirm and tingle again, but this time she didn’t stop the connection. He relaxed and let whatever she wanted to share with him come into his mind’s eye.

He was in an elven caravan, littered with all kinds of things, like way too many boots and shirts of varying fashions, knives that had no business being unsheathed on the floor, threatening to take off a toe. He sighed in frustration, but it wasn’t his voice, as he picked up some items and threw them out of his path.

A young man sat at a mirror, trying to tie up his hair in just the right way with a ribbon.

“I think the humans have a story about the dangers of staring at your reflection all day,” he said in Eletha’s voice in a mix of annoyance and gentle ribbing.

“Lori, you fool, we must strive for perfection in all things,” the young man said to her in a haughty tone. Finally satisfied with his look, he flashed a grin at her. Astarion was struck by how… natural it looked. “Tell me what you think.”

“So beautiful, they’ll be throwing money at us.” The young man beamed. Eletha sighed and shook her head. “I’ll have to protect your pretty face with my body. It would be a crime against the gods to scar such loveliness.”

With an audible snap, his vision cracked down the middle and distorted into two very similar but obviously different images.

On the right was the young man, smiling and laughing. His white hair was lustrous and bouncy, cascading from his head in a waterfall of curls that he tamed with a ribbon. His skin was pale and slightly blue, but flushed on the cheeks and ears. His golden eyes were round and bright, full of life and mischief and love. His voice was light and playful. The light of the caravan seemed to radiate from him like a halo.

The left vision was dark and discomforting. This figure, at first glance, wasn’t much different. With how jovial the young one was, it was no surprise that his face was graced with laugh lines. However, there was no humor about this one. His hair, while still curly and white, was dull and dampened in comparison. His skin was even paler, almost gray, and lacked the subtle glow that gave his younger counterpart vibrance. His body language was guarded, tense, like a wary animal. From under lowered eyebrows glared a pair of red eyes, sharp and narrow, lifeless. When he spoke, his voice was dark and hard, on the edge of a snarl with plenty of bite to go with his sharp teeth.

“You would do that for me, darling?” the two said in unison. In camp, Astarion could feel the connection attempt to sever, but something held it firmly in place.

“You would look good with some scars,” the young one said, only a little bit teasing, his smile dazzling. “Like a real adventurer! Each scar a story.”

“I have scars of my own, with stories that would make your hair fall out.” The older one grinned, it was a joke, but there was no laughter, no good intent. It was a wolf’s smile, full of threat. The grin dropped just as suddenly as it appeared and was replaced by a sneer. “Look what you did to me! You abandoned me and now what am I? A monster. You have no idea what it feels like, to lose everything, to belong to someone else.”

Eletha tried to speak, but it came out as mangled sounds of disagreement and anguish. He felt the tadpole lash as she tried even harder to stop their connection.

His vision cracked once more into more slivers, each holding an elven face that he just barely couldn’t recognize. They looked down their noses at him, full of judgment and revulsion. His heart clenched with guilt. They spoke over one another in a flurry of insults and remarks, all decrying in some way, “How could you do this to me? How could you do this to us? Abandon us? Have you no heart?”

Astarion felt the world fall out from under his feet as the tadpole finally broke the connection. When he came to his senses, Eletha was touching his cheek. He swatted her hand away, the sensation of it overwhelming, but he soon wished it back. Instead of asking for her to do it again, or grabbing her hand and holding it to his face, he glared.

“What is wrong with you?” he spat at her. Eletha’s eyes went wide, then lowered to the ground.

“I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for you to see that. I-I just wanted to show you how beautiful you are,” she managed to say around a tightness in her throat. Without further explanation, which she was probably incapable of offering, she fled in the direction of Shadowheart’s tent.

Astarion huffed to himself. He barely had the capacity for introspection, now the waters were muddied by someone else’s perceptions of him. Did his old love think he was a monster, or did she think he thought himself a monster?

No wonder Cazador snatched him from death’s grip. No wonder Eletha fell in love with him.

No wonder he lured thousands of people to their deaths.

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countessofravenclaw · 7 months ago

Text

Puede la ondulación cambiar una marea? part eight

Have you ever imagined what would happen if instead of of making Ambar Sol, Sharon would have aproached her problem with more level-headedness? What if, instead of throwing her daughter's life into a curve she just fires the Valentes, in hopes that they go back to Mexico and never find out the truth? Well, it was never going to be that easy, "everything you want you can achieve" being the family motto and all the for the Valentes after all. Monica and Miguel, could easily find another job, and so they do, with another family. A family that ends up being a bit of a surprise for Luna and all her friends.

“Lass uns später noch einmal darüber reden. Danke dir übrigens!” Gastón heard his mother speak on the phone as he entered the dining room. It had been a while since he had heard her speak German.

Both of his parents spoke few languages outside of English—because who didn’t know how to speak that? They both spoke Portuguese, German, at least moderate French and Gastón wasn’t sure which Scandinavian language it was, but his Dad knew some of that as well.

“Darling,” Isla took off her handsfree earpiece as she saw him and looked at her watch, “you’re up already?”

“Yeah,” Gastón nodded, “Did I interrupt your business call?”

“No, it was ending anyway.” Isla shook her head and walked closer to him around the table, “How are you feeling? Should you be up?”

“I’ve spent the last 36 hours staring at four walls, and I’m getting sick of it,” Gastón sighed, “I’m good.”

“You sure?” Isla looked at him, “You’re not having any chest pain?”

“No,” Gastón shook his head again.

“Blurry vision or any memory problems?”

“I can recite for you the full fire department ranking system if you want,” He sat down on a chair, “Mom, you’re just going through a checklist.”

“You bet I am,” Gastón had never seen so much worry in either of his parents' eyes than during the past few days. “Two days ago, you were in the hospital. I’m sorry if we're being a bit cautious, but that is our right.”

“Okay,” He sighed again, “Where’s Dad?”

“Calvin gave us a contact in the OFI, so he’s talking to them. We are not going to wait for any official report from the school to know what actually happened. You’re not going back in there before we do.”

“Morning!!” Luna jumped into the dining room.

“Morning,” Isla looked at her, “How are you feeling?”

“100 percent!” Luna jumped up briefly. “I texted Juliana last night, and the training starts back up tomorrow and since the school is still canceled so we can train for longer, which is amazing. I thought I’d go to the rink today to get a feel for it back. I’ve been away from the rink for a few days, and I honestly feel like I can’t breathe.”

“That is maybe not the best idea.” Isla responded to her.

“What?” Luna stared.

“That you go to the rink,” Isla crossed her arm.

“Why?”

“You were in the hospital too, let's not forget that,” Isla looked at Luna, “Smoke inhalation is serious, no matter what level. My father taught me that a long time ago, the biggest reason for fire fatalities is the smoke and carbon monoxide, not the actual fire. That is why they wear those masks. The doctors said that you should take it easy for a few days, and since you don’t even have practice, you shouldn’t go.”

“But I feel fine,” Luna tried, “I’ve been resting for two days. I need to train. It’s important!”

“Your health is much more important. I’m sorry Luna, but this isn’t your decision to make. It’s ours, and the answer is no. You can go tomorrow, when you’ve rested today and let the antibiotics do their job. There is no reason for you to try to exert yourself as soon as you can.”

“But…” Luna sat down.

“No buts. We’re responsible for you, and you have to allow us to do that.”

“It is very pointless to try to argue with her,” Gastón said to Luna, “I’ve tried for almost 18 years.”

“And you haven’t succeeded many times, have you?” Isla looked at him slightly more amused.

“And this is just one of them, it is worse when there are two.”

“What was that?” Marco walked into the dining room.

“Nothing.” Gastón said quickly as his dad looked at him. “And if you’re about to ask me the same checklist, don’t bother, Mom already did that. I’m good.”

“Good.” Marco nodded as he placed his hand on Isla’s back.

“What did they say?” She asked him.

“The investigation has been completed, and the report that they will give to the school classifies the fire as an accident caused by flammable printer inks being stored improperly. The storage unit had a distribution board that short circuited and the sparks caught on the fluids. They never should have been stored there.”

“So, Blake has a logistic issue?” Isla shook her head, “Someone could have died.”

“It is unbelievable,” She and Marco looked at Gastón, “It is a big hit for the school administration that can’t just be damage controlled. They’ll be forced to take a hard look at things now.”

“So, am I allowed to go to school anymore or not?” Gastón asked, “Because it's kind of hard to graduate if I’m not allowed to step into the building.”

“We’ll talk to the school board tomorrow,” Isla responded, “but as of now if all the necessary security measures have been taken, which they have promised they’d do, Luna can go on Tuesday. Gastón, the doctor signed you off for at least 12 days, so you’re not going anywhere before that. Don’t you even dare to think about the rink.”

“Wasn’t planning on.” He sighed while looking at his phone. He could admit that much that he was in no shape to actually skate right now.

“Oh, and Luna,” Marco changed the subject, “I also had the chance to talk with Lukie.”

“Who?” Luna looked confused.

“She’s the associate that Alexei has in the case of your visitations,” Marco explained, “Unfortunately, the in-person visits are being pushed to one time every three weeks.”

“That’s like once a month!!” Luna exclaimed, “I can’t see Mom and Dad more than that?”

“It is extremely unfair, but they’re arguing the severity of the case. Lukie said that this should be temporary, and she’ll set it straight, because it is infringing on your rights. Important thing is that you have rights and one of them actually is phone times.”

“What are those?” Luna asked again. All the legal terms had gone right over her head.

“You’re entitled to one hour phone calls, twice a week.”

“I’ll get to talk with Mom and Dad?!?!” Luna jumped up from the table.

“Yes,” Marco handed Luna a phone. “I scheduled one for you for today, at 12. The call will come from the detention facility, there is someone surveying it on your parents’ end and it will be recorded, so you can’t plan a jailbreak, but that’s better than nothing. We can go over later how you can schedule the calls yourself. It will come to this.”

“Why can’t they just call my phone?” Luna asked, even if she was almost too excited to care.

“We are not giving the detention facility your phone number,” Isla shook her head, “We don’t trust the place, and the more it is out there, the more it can leak. That is an old phone that we got a temporary operator on, works for phone calls just fine.”

“You said 12?” Luna asked and suddenly checked her own phone, “OMG! That’s like in an hour. I need to call Simon about this!!” She jumped up from the table and turned to leave before turning back and looking at Isla and Marco, “Thank You.”

Then she ran off.

“This should have been disclosed as an opportunity from the beginning,” Isla said Marco. “Did Lukie say why it hadn't?”

“She promised to get to the bottom of this.” Marco nodded. “But honestly, I don’t know. The police and the facilities aren’t clearly thinking what sort of effects this situation can have on a child.”

“Hey! Luna just zoomed past me. Has something happened?” Suddenly Gastón heard a voice behind him.

“Nina?” He got up from the chair and turned around to see her walk into the dining room. “How did you get in here?”

“We gave her the key and clearances when you were in the hospital,” Isla explained, “Did we not tell you?”

“No,” Gastón shook his head as he walked to his girlfriend, “You didn’t tell me either.”

“I thought you knew.” She responded before he closed her in a tight hug—not as tight as he would have wanted though, given the burn on his arms was sensitive to pressure.

“We thought it would be best for you if she gets in here as easily as possible.”

“You thought right,” Gastón smiled—

He momentarily closed his eyes and had to place his hand on the table to steady himself for a moment, before he almost lost his balance.

“Sit down.” His dad had rushed to his side as soon as he had started feeling dizzy. He placed his hand on his forehead, “You’re looking really pale. Do you feel feverish at all?”

“No,” Gastón shook his head as he sat down, “Why would I have a fever?”

“It would be a sign that you’re developing an infection.” He felt three pairs of concerned eyes land on him as he sat back down on the chair. Marco’s hand moved to his shoulder. “At that point if there is a sliver of a sign, we won’t be having a conversation about why, but we’ll already be going. You wanna argue with me about alarm symptoms?”

Who wanted to argue about taking illness symptoms seriously with a person who had to look over his own parents his whole adolescent and young adult life while they slowly lost their battle with cancer?

“No,” Gastón sighed, “but I’m…”

“If you say that you’re fine one more time… We’re not taking any chances here, not with you.”

“Okay,” Gastón relented, “My head’s killing me, I feel dizzy and fatigued and my throat kind of hurts. Is that what you want to hear?”

“Yes.” The word came unanimously from his parents' mouths.

“Your condition was serious enough to warrant over 24 hours in the hospital. It is not gonna go back to normal in a few days, just because you got discharged.” Marco continued, “That’s not gonna be something we're gonna take lightly and nor should you, no matter how stubborn you want to be about it. Your grandmother was like that though, so I guess the genes make sense. You really should go lie down and try to at least drink something every hour to keep the blood sugar up.”

“I’ll take him,” Nina said and pulled Gastón by the arm. “Come on.”

“Well, it is good to know that when he doesn’t want to listen to us, he listens to her.” Isla remarked.

“We better keep her on our side.” Marco wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

“It does do good to see him be so love struck. I stand by my statement. He has your eyes, the light is shining from them exactly the same way.”

“We both have a good reason for it.” He kissed her one her temple before sighing, “I have about ten thousand emails I need to respond to.”

“I’ll join you in a minute,” Isla responded, “We haven’t picked up the post in at least a week. We really need to transfer all the bills into online ones.”

***

“Yeah, I get to talk with them!!” Luna sat on her bed while talking to Simon. “I miss Mom and Dad so much.”

“That is great,” Simon responded. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine,” Luna rolled her eyes, “I mean I felt like coughing yesterday still, but now it feels like I am bursting with energy. I miss the rink.”

“Why not come today?” Simon suggested, “Since you’re not sick anymore. Juliana has us working late even if we’re not training.”

“I wanted to, but I’m not allowed,” Luna sighed, “I can come tomorrow for the training, but today I need to rest.”

“You’re being kept as a prisoner?” Simon’s tone changed.

“Not like that,” Luna laughed slightly, “but it’s not like I can sneak out. The gate keeps a record of who opens it, I think, or something like that. I guess, I’ll have to admit that they’re right, kind of, and Mom and Dad wouldn’t want me to overdo it either.”

***

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Simon hung up the phone and sat on the stage of Jam and Roller with his guitar.

“Was that Luna?” Jim and Yam walked to him.

“Yeah,” Simon nodded.

“How’s she doing?” Yam asked. “I still can’t believe the whole fire thing. School is starting back up on Tuesday.”

“We thought we’d ask Nina, but she’s not here is she?” Jim looked around, “I guess we could call Luna herself too. We’d go visit her, but we don’t know where she lives.”

“You wouldn't be able to get in even if you did,” Simon sighed, “There is a heavy-duty gate there.”

“Was that what you meant when you mentioned someone being kept a prisoner?” Yam asked, “...or was that about her parents. That is still an absolutely horrible situation for Luna. How can the world be so unjust?”

“Yeah, I don’t think I could survive that.” Jim leaned her head on Yam’s shoulder.

“Luna is strong,” Simon nodded, “She’s alright, that's what she said. But they aren’t letting her come to the rink. Apparently Gastón’s parents are quite protective.”

“Gastón’s parents? Protective?” Jim and Yam stared at him. “He has never seemed like he has strict parents. From what we have seen, he has gotten to do what he wants most part.”

“Yeah, and it’s not like making sure she’ll rest after getting stuck in a fire is super controlling.” Yam continued, “My mom wouldn’t let me come to rink if it had been me, and she’s a doctor.”

“Mine too,” Jim nodded, “I mean, that she would make me rest and that she’s a doctor. Twinsies.”

“Wait, do you know them too?” Simon asked, confused.

“No not personally like Matteo does or how Nina does now too,” Jim shook her head, “But we do know that they’re kind of a big deal, I guess everyone does. Apparently Isla and Marco Perida are considered quite a power couple in some circles.”

“I’ve maybe looked them up a few times,” Yam admitted, “Not for Gastón’s sake or anything—he’d probably hate for any special consideration—but because Isla has such a beautiful style.”

“I think we can all agree that none of us could have ever predicted that out of every crazy scenario that’s out there, Luna and Gastón would become siblings.” Jim laughed.

“They aren’t siblings.” Simon noted.

“Good as, though. Nina must be happy. She’s getting to have her best friend and boyfriend at the same house and basically as brother and sister.”

***

“Thanks for saving me.” Gastón said as Nina pulled the door to his room shut. “Mom and Dad, they just—”

“I didn’t save you from anything,” Nina crossed her arms and looked at him disapprovingly. “I agree with them.” She walked closer and took his face into her hands, “You look terrible. You need to lie down.”

“Okay,” Gastón nodded and sat on his bed. Truth be told, he was feeling quite a bit of drowsiness and fatigue. “Only if you come here.”

“You should actually try to rest.” Nina looked at him skeptically.

“I feel worse if you’re not next to me.”

Nina laughed slightly before lying next to him on the bed. She ran her hand on his right forearm, on top of the bandage. “Does this hurt?”

“A little bit.” He nodded slightly.

“Sorry, I’ll stop.”

“If I make it to the competition, I’ll need to wear long sleeves.” Gastón remarked. “We don’t want to scare the judges. I mean my face alone will be a sight, because there is no hope that the scar will disappear in two months' time.”

“You can always ask Jazmin to cover it up.” Nina suggested while tracing the stitches on his forehead. Gastón was right that it wasn't the prettiest sight, but it was not like she cared. He was good looking either way.

“I’ll probably have to do that, but I do hope that it fades,” Gastón sighed, “For Mom and Dad’s sake if no one else. I don’t want there to be a visual reminder of all of this that they need to see every day. I mean they’re already so freaked out.”

“Anyone would be, especially in their situation.” Nina ran her hand through his hair, “They can’t stand the thought of losing you.”

“I know,” Gastón nodded, “I mean the feeling is mutual, especially now, as we get along so well at the moment.”

“When have you not gotten along with your parents?” Nina asked.

“Never, honestly, at least like that,” He nodded, “We don’t have any drama. But like, I guess what I mean is that, now as they’ve been forced to work more from here and not been able to travel as much, they’re so much less stressed and not overcompensating all the time…and I like that they’re home.”

“Of course you do.”

“I might even believe that they could soon be recovering workaholics,” Gastón continued, “And…Luna’s situation is not ideal in the slightest, but Mom and Dad were never meant to be one and done parents. They absolutely didn’t want to be but were forced to. Now that they have someone else dividing and redirecting that energy, it is helping them immensely. It is not all directed at me, which is actually really nice, because it could get a little overwhelming.”

“Not just anyone would be able to look after a child not their own so naturally.” Nina noted, “Luna’s also easy to love, but it is admirable. My parents weren’t able to take care of one kid, their own, me, together. I guess the fact that they barely could stand each other factors into it heavily, but that’s like the opposite of your parents. They can’t keep their eyes off each other.”

“Like I can’t keep my eyes off you,” Gastón brushed some hair out of her face. “I guess it is a family trait.”

They lied in comfortable silence for a while.

“Are you cold?” Nina ran her hand on his forearm. “I can grab a blanket…”

“I’m okay. Don’t worry.” Gastón laughed slightly as Nina started getting up from the bed.

“I’m gonna soon respond the same way your dad did,” She shook her head. “I’m gonna worry, especially when you tell me not to.”

“Okay, okay,” Gastón relented, “I’m not okay, but the only one who can tell how I am feeling is me too. So, you need to believe me as well. I’m not cold and that would be a fever symptom.”

“I’m sorry,” Nina sat back down on the bed next to his head and ran her fingers through his hair, “I just… I don’t know what I would have done if something had happened to you. I love you and I’m gonna worry about you. I never thought this could even be possible.”

“You need to give yourself some credit. I’m the one who had to chase you down.” Gastón looked up at her. This wasn’t the first time the thought of how beautiful a ring would look on her finger had crossed his mind. He was turning 18 next week, so obviously it was an absolutely loco of a thought, but God, he loved her. There were no limits or rules on love, but he would need to tough it out for at least a few years, before making that dream a reality.

“Gastón?” Suddenly there was a knock on the door and his mother’s voice, “Can we come in?”

“Sure.” Gastón pushed himself up more in a sitting position as his parents came through the door.

“Don’t. You don’t need to get up.”

“I’m not on bed rest,” He shook his head, “I read the doctor's note too. Anyways, what is it?”

“This was in the post.” Isla handed Gastón an brown envelope that had the crest of the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina printed on it. He had applied to a few universities in Buenos Aires during the fall after deciding that he didn’t want to go to Oxford. He had completely forgotten about that during all the mayhem and that responses would actually start coming at some point.

“These come in post?” He turned it in his hands.

“Apparently from UCA they do.” Marco responded. “It’s still pretty early for acceptance letters for most universities.”

“It could be a rejection,” Gastón shook his head, “Those are probably easy to pump out.”

“Stop that. You don’t know before you open it.” Nina placed her hands on his shoulders.

“Okay.” Gastón shook his head again and ripped the envelope open. The letter was a few pages long. On the top of the first page there was the crest of the university again. The actual text started below it…

We are pleased to extend you an official offer of admission to the Class of 2022 at Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina in the faculty of Exact Sciences and Engineering…

“I got in.”

“That’s amazing!” Nina hugged him tightly and kissed him on the cheek. Gastón clearly wasn’t satisfied with that as he turned his head and lifted her chin so he could softly kiss her on the lips. Nina forgot at that moment that they were literally in front of his parents, but she didn’t really care.

“We are so proud of you.” But they still were there. “Not exactly surprised, you are so smart. We always had that faith in you. UCA is a good school.”

“But it’s not Oxford.” Gastón rolled his eyes.

“I thought we already had this conversation?” Marco looked at him.

“I guess we did,” Gastón sighed. “Tell me something. Would you even let me go?”

“Honest answer?” Isla tightened her grip on Marco’s hand as they glanced at each other. “It is always going to be your choice, but with everything that has happened, it would be extremely hard for us if you were across the ocean.”

“Well, it is a good thing that I don’t want to go.”

***

Luna groaned as she stared at the exercise sheet. Her head was completely swimming, and all the numbers were just looking like blobs. She was never going to get this.

Blake was not going to let it slide, she was sure of it. Luna couldn’t even blame her concentration struggles on the effects of the fire, because it had happened over a month ago.

SHE JUST DIDN’T GET MATH. These stupid numbers were standing in between her and the Roda Fest, which was the only thing she wanted to focus on. Skating was the one thing that had stayed constant in her life, and she needed it more than ever right now.

Luna blew air out of her mouth and threw her pencil across the living room. Instead of landing on the floor it landed in a vase next to the TV.

“Ups.” Luna got up from the couch and started fishing the pencil out, careful not to disturb the giant and gorgeous bouquet of sunflowers.

Marco had brought them to Isla last Sunday. Apparently, it was some sort of tradition they had going on for over 20 years and had something to do with the first rays of the summer sun.

Well, Luna thought it was extremely romantic. Sunflowers had some sort of a special meaning for them, when it came to love. Luna didn’t know what, but she maybe should ask Nina.

Luna quickly realized that she didn’t even know how long Isla and Marco had been married. Gastón was 18 years old, so longer than that…but technically that wasn’t guaranteed.

Anyways. Luna got her pencil out of the water and sat back down on the couch.

Nope, the numbers had not started to make any sense in the meantime.

“¡Esto es imposible!” She wanted to pull her hair out.

“What is?”

“Oh sorry.” Luna spun her head around and saw Marco standing next to the piano. “I didn’t mean to yell. Did I interrupt something?”

“That’s not important.” He walked closer. “What’s going on?”

“I’m just trying to do my homework,” Luna shook her head. “And I don’t get it, which is gonna put me in danger of failing the year… Again.”

“Well, you clearly didn’t fail last year.” Marco had walked around the couch and was standing next to Luna now.

“I almost did.” Luna huffed, “I lost my final project on top of a van.”

“What?”

“Seriously,” Luna nodded, “I was in a hurry and placed my laptop on top of a van and when I turned around it was gone. I never got it back and had to write the whole thing again. I did pass, in the end.”

“Okay,” Marco looked a little confused as he sat next to her. “You might wanna keep your computer in your bag, so you avoid that.”

“I learned my lesson.”

“So, are these differential derivatives that you are having trouble with?” Marco looked at Luna’s math sheets.

“Yeah,” Luna leaned back on the couch.

“You are taught to use the formula?”

“I think so…” Luna leafed through her math book. “It’s the thing with the lime or was it limena…? I don’t know.”

“Limit. They are called limits.” Marco responded.

“Yeah, but I still don’t get it,” Luna shook her head, “Nina has tried to teach me in like a thousand different ways.”

“You know that I work in finance and economics?” Marco asked her.

“Yeah.”

“Well, derivatives, bounds, terraces in flow diagrams are all the baseline of my job. We use calculators nowadays, but we didn’t have those in the start of the 21st century.”

“I’d love a calculator.” Luna remarked, “So you probably know how to do these really well.”

“Yes, given I’ve made my whole career on them,” Marco nodded, “but I can tell you a secret. I don’t actually understand that formula either.”

“Then how do you do it then?” Luna asked, extremely confused now. If a professional didn’t know how to use the freaking formula that she was supposed to learn, then how was she supposed to do it?

“There is another way to do it in practice.” Marco explained, “The schools teach the formula, which is the academic and “proper” way to do it with proofs and literature and all, it really works for people who think very academically. You seem to think on your feet a lot, so a more practical approach might work. See, if you just look at this one: The x is to the fourth power, so if you derive it, you just take the power, so four and it becomes the coefficient, and the power gets reduced by one. So, this would become four times x to the power of three. Do you understand?”

“Maybe,” Luna looked at her paper again and took her pencil in her hand, “So, you just take the smaller number that is in the corner and put it in the front, and then just the upper one becomes smaller?”

Luna drew the new equation on the paper and looked at Marco who nodded.

“That is exactly how you can think that. That is correct what you just did there. The answer is exactly the same as it would be with the formula, just with fewer steps.”

“Can’t believe it,” Luna did another problem. “How can you just understand it like that? It’s so much more easier.”

“Isla actually likes to say that I make numbers look like art,” Marco smiled slightly, “I don’t personally understand that, but she’s usually right and I am not good at arguing with her. Has she done your hair again?”

“Oh yeah,” Luna nodded while running her hand on what Isla had called something along the lines of three-way four-strand dragon braid. “It’s really pretty.”

“She has a magical eye for beauty. Has that effect in everything she touches, at least for as long as I have known her.”

“How did you meet?” Luna asked. She was actually genuinely quite curious.

“University, 1996 to be exact.” Marco answered. “I majored in Economics and Business Administration, she did marketing. Both of our classes for the masters took place at the same campus, and part of her studies she had to complete a few photography courses that I was taking for fun. She needed some help with those and that's how our paths crossed. Two years later, we didn’t really celebrate our graduations, we got married. The saying that you meet the love of your life when you least expect it is actually very true. That is the bare bones of it, ask later when there is more time and the two of us. I don’t even know all of it. You should finish your homework.”

“Okay,” Luna turned back to her math problems and again to her surprise, actually managed to complete all of them, within 15 minutes.

She had to tell Nina, so she grabbed her phone and was about to text her when her phone screen froze.

“Ugh, not again.” Luna groaned and tapped the screen again, to somehow revive it.

“What?” Marco had been writing some email on his phone.

“This has nothing to do with math,” Luna shook her head, “My phone’s lagging. I don’t know why.”

“Can I see it?” Luna handed her phone to him. “How old is this?”

“Two years, I think.” Luna responded.

“Then it definitely shouldn't just randomly freeze.” Marco looked at the phone.

“I mean, I don’t know, but it has started doing that a lot recently. Almost like it has gotten worse.” Luna continued. “Out of nowhere.”

“My wild guess would be smoke damage.”

“Smoke damage?” Luna asked, confused. “How does that work?”

“Smoke particles can clog internal components of electronics.” Marco went to grab a tablet from a shelf in the living room. “It very well could be it, given the fire and that the issue has just gotten progressively worse. What model is that?”

“I don’t know.” Luna shook her head.

“Okay,” The phone had stopped freezing, so Marco opened some sort of tab on it, “Galaxy J2. It’s an Android so you probably don’t want to change that. They probably don’t make that size anymore.” He took his own phone out and handed it to Luna, “Hold this. Is this sort of a size too big for you.”

“Yeah,” Luna held the phone, a little bit confused about what was going on. “My fingers can’t even reach the buttons. What are you doing?”

“Well, you can't have a malfunctioning phone. It is only gonna get worse.” Marco took his phone back from Luna, while typing something on the tablet. “Okay, this is the Note 8, which is a tad bit bigger than what you have now.”

“I’m going to Matteo’s. Don’t wait on me for dinner.” Gastón walked down the stairs at that moment.

“Wait, Gastón,” Marco stopped him. “Does your phone work?”

“Not a random question at all, Dad,” Gastón looked at them, “but now that you mention it, it has been kind of lagging. I should probably boot the hard drive or something—”

“You should have said. If both of yours are doing the same thing, then it definitely is smoke damage.” Marco noted.

“Smoke damage?” Gastón scrunched his eyebrows. “Okay, that would actually make sense.”

“Order a new one. Today.” Marco told him. “Get an X at least, but get in a delivery today, so it comes tomorrow at the latest.”

“Okay.” Gastón nodded and walked out of the door.

“Wait, is that what you're doing?” Luna asked as Marco had turned back to his tablet, “Getting me a new phone?”

“I can repeat myself. You can’t have one that doesn’t work. That is dangerous. So would this be okay?” He showed Luna a model on the tablet.

“Uh, sure.” Luna responded. She knew nothing about phone models and things were happening fast. Luna never realized that buying phones was this easy of a process…or it was with people with money.

The more comfortable Luna got with the whole situation, the more she kept forgetting that Isla and Marco in fact were millionaires and on top of their game with their careers. Luna had been expecting at the start that they’d hire replacements for Mom and Dad, but that had not happened. No one seemed to be bothered one bit that they didn’t have staff anymore.

“Good.” Marco nodded, “So it is the Note 8. You can look for some cases for it yourself, because you probably know better what you want on that front. You’ll get it tomorrow. Your old one will hopefully work for another 12 hours.”

“Okay,” Luna nodded. “Thank you—”

Isla walked out of the hallway to the living room, looking really annoyed.

“What’s wrong?” Marco turned his attention to her at once.

“The call I had with CICSA was supposed to last maybe an hour. A very simple job, but they are apparently determined to make it as difficult as possible.”

“Surely nothing you can’t handle.” He responded to her with a very affectionate tone.

“No, but they’re really pushing it.” Isla shook her head. She wrapped her arms around her husband’s neck and buried her face on his shoulder for a moment. “The contract has to now go through some other administrator branch, which is completely unnecessary. They are just messing things up and making it a hundred times more complicated. Who knows how long this will take now. Threw all of my plans out of order for today, because I very well couldn’t tell them that the call needed to be finished because I was late for my hair appointment. There would have gone all of my professional reputation down the train, but it was very tempting.”

“They don’t know what’s coming for them if they don’t start to be cooperate.”

“They definitely don’t,” Isla laughed, “I got a message out to Larol that I need to delay that appointment. It was possible, because I’m not getting dye or anything, just a cut. I do need to be careful, because anything close to shoulder length makes me look—”

“You don’t look old.”

“And you’re biased. Anyway, what were you talking about here?”

“It looks like their phones have suffered some smoke damage, effects of which are only coming apparent now.” Marco explained.

“Really?” Isla raised her head, concerned look in her face. “Good thing you caught that, before they leave for Cancun and everything.”

“It is,” They turned to look at Luna, who had been gathering her math papers. “Remember, if you need something, you can say it.”

“Yeah, I’ll keep that in mind.” She nodded.

“Speaking off, before your trip and everything, do you want any clothes?” Isla asked.

“Uh, I am not sure.” Luna shook her head. That was not something she had ever thought of.

“Think about it. It’s better to handle those things now than in two weeks' time when you're literally leaving and busy with that.”

“I guess,” Luna shrugged, “but I am terrible at shopping.”

“You want help?” Isla looked at the clock on the wall, “I’m just leaving for my hair appointment which won’t take long, so how about you come with me, and we’ll get some clothes for you afterwards.”

“Uhm, sure.” Luna responded. “Why not?”

“If you’re all ready to go, we can leave now.”

“Okay.” Luna got up from the couch.

“I honestly don’t really believe that anyone can be “good” or “bad” at shopping.” Isla said as Luna followed her to the garage. “It is not like it’s an art or a competition. Everyone has a different eye, but in the end they’re just clothes.”

“Maybe, but I’ve gotten a bunch of weird looks on how I dress.” Luna remarked.

“I think the way you dress is adorable,” Isla said as she pressed the car key and lights flickered on the car at the far left, the light blue car.

Luna had never ridden on that before, Gastón drove that black one when they went to school. When Luna had been driven to the prison and stuff it had usually been the dark blue car, which Marco was often driving even if Isla was with them. Obviously, she knew how to drive too. She was an adult after all.

“It is always nice to see color in kids your age. Some try to dress way too grown up. I used to be a talented drifter when I was younger and we had no money to go around, but some of those choices were a bit questionable. That was also the 80s and 90s, so everything was a tad bit questionable. The only thing I can truly not question that came from the 90s was my choice of husband.”

***

“Uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete, ocho.” Juliana counted out steps while standing on the side of the rink, “Around, together, lift and stop.”

The team of Jam and Roller took the final pose on their choreography.

“Okay, well done everyone!” Julina nodded her head in approval, “I have to say, I wasn’t 100 % sure we would be able to pull this off. Some of the reasons obviously haven’t been your fault, so I won’t say another word about those. I am glad that everyone is okay. but right now I an say that, I think we are truly ready for the Roda Fest.”

Gastón was standing next to Matteo, who lightly patted his back as Juliana spoke. He had managed to get back into practice after a few weeks, and his arm had healed so no lifts had needed to be cut, although it had required a few extra training sessions into some late hours. Delfi, surprisingly, had been extremely patient with it, which was surprising in itself. Miracles could truly happen, and Pedro clearly was having a good influence on that. Anyways, they were in great shape now and ready to take Cancun by storm.

“Okay, I’ll see you all here tomorrow at 8:00 am sharp. So, everyone will be here on time, with all of your personal documents, luggage and NO ONE WILL BE LATE. If you are, you’ll be left behind.” Juliana eyed everyone in the team. “And please have your passports in order. Once we get to the airport, we are going to be in a time crunch. At Cancun we have a strict schedule.”

“Oh, you’d think we are joining the army.” Ramiro joked, “We are gonna kick some Slider butt, but can’t we also have fun?”

“There is time for that, but we need to take this seriously,” Juliana gave him a death glare. “Now, all of you need to go home and pack. Make sure that your skates are in your carry on. You cannot lose them, because there is no magical Skate Machine that will make you new skates.”

“Yes sir!” Simon made a mock salute.

“I will ignore that for now,” Juliana smiled slightly. “Go to sleep early. See you tomorrow.”

“Wait, guys, before you go. Come here.” Luna stopped everyone, “Do you guys understand? We are seriously gonna be going to the finale at Roda Fest!!! We’ve been through a lot as a team, and we have made it. It’s finally here!!”

“Bring it in here!” Ramiro threw his hand into the center of the circle, “We are gonna go, and we’re gonna show everyone, and we are gonna win.”

“FOR JAM AND ROLLER!!!” The team joined hands and threw them to the sky.

***

“Luna, how many different neon tops are you planning on taking?” Nina sat on Luna's bed while she was throwing clothes on the floor.

“I don’t know,” Luna shook her head. “All of them.”

“We’ll be there for two weeks, not moving permanently.” Nina noted. “Hey look, I’ll teach you a technique that Mom taught me. Count the days we’ll be away and pick an outfit for each one. Then divide the days by three and take that number of extra outfits. So, you need about 18 different outfits.”

“That is a lot,” Luna blobbed to sit down on the floor, “Hey, you sure you have time to help me with this? Won’t Gastón miss you?”

“I think he’ll survive if I help you for an hour,” Nina laughed, “It is all so much easier now that I can let myself in, almost like I am part of the family.”

“I mean you are,” Luna remarked, “I think everyone agrees here on that.”

“Hopefully someday officially.” Nina smiled as she looked down at a pile of Luna’s clothes. “What’s this one?” She held up a white skirt with a bunch of colorful flowers.

“Oh, Isla bought that for me,” Luna responded, “It’s really pretty.”

“It is.” Nina nodded, “If it was her, then I am not surprised. She has amazing taste.”

“Hey girls,” Isla walked into the room, “Everything okay here?”

“Yeah, we’re just packing,” Luna turned around from her closet, “Or trying…”

“I can see that.” Isla looked at all of the clothes on the floor. “You have everything else clear for the trip?”

“We’re taking the bus from Roller in the morning to the airport and flying to Cancun from there on a flight that departs at 10:25 am.” Nina read off her tablet.

“It is good that we can always trust you to be on top of things, Nina.” Isla smiled at her. “Are you staying for dinner, or do you need to go pack your own things?”

“I packed yesterday actually,” Nina explained, “Mom would nag at me all the time, if I hadn’t.”

“That sounds like Ana.” Isla nodded, “Okay, the reason why I actually came here was this.”

She handed Luna a plastic folder.

“What is it?” Luna asked, confused, “I already made sure 1000 times that I have my passport.” She pointed to her nightstand, where she had marked an area with her beads to hold that passport.

“More of a precaution,” Isla explained. “One of our friends is a social worker, so he gave us a few pointers on what we should be aware of as we are looking after you. It’s just a letter of consent that Marco and I signed that you are allowed to travel outside of the country without a guardian as a minor. It shouldn't be necessary as you aren’t in foster care and the custody agreement Alexei drew up is ironclad. It is just in case you run into some sort of issue.”

“Thanks.” Luna nodded.

“Are you excited to go?”

“Yeah of course I am!” Luna jumped up in the air. “I miss Mexico so much!”

“It is a good thing you have things to look forward to.” Isla smiled, “Well, I’ll leave you girls to it.”

“I haven’t really mentioned this, but it is really great how well you really get along,” Nina pointed out after Isla had gone.

“I mean yeah,” Luna smiled, “They’re really nice, you were right about that when you first told me and I was all freaked out.”

“They are.” Nina nodded.

“You know, it’s kind of weird that they don’t have more kids,” Luna pondered out loud while folding a shirt into the suitcase. “Because they’re really good at this.”

“You don’t know?” Nina dropped the socks she was rolling and looked at Luna.

“Know what?” Luna questioned.

“Isla and Marco can’t have children.” Nina said, looking at Luna.

“Wait what?” Luna looked even more confused now, “How does that even make sense? Gastón’s not adopted, is he? He’s—”

“He looks exactly like his father, and the golden streak in his eyes is from his mother. He also has the best qualities from both of them. Of course he is not.” Nina shook her head, “That’s not what I meant. I said it badly.”

“Then what did you mean?” Luna looked still extremely confused. “So, they had a kid and then couldn’t anymore?”

“When Gastón was one or so, Isla had some sort of serious medical complication. That was when they still lived in Cordoba. She had to have a hysterectomy, or she could have died.”

“Wow, that’s awful.” Luna sat on the bed. “How do you know this?”

“They told me.” Nina said simply, “I don’t think it’s a secret and they seem to have made peace with it, but it must have been devastating at the time. They were 24. One of the reasons that fueled their ambition to get where they are today and give Gastón a much better life. It’s not exactly a topic to be had over dinner or something so it probably just hasn’t come up.”

“I can’t even imagine going through something like that,” Luna sat back on the floor while sorting her suitcase, “I mean, it kind of sounds like Mom and Dad. They weren’t able to have kids, but then they adopted me. They left everything behind too, to give me a better education, even if it was after Senora Sharon.”

“That’s probably why you get along so well.” Nina noted.

{}

Well, look at that. We are back, because I write what I want whever I want. Not a lot of actually happened in this part (I had to split it because it was getting so long), but sometimes I nice to just breathe for a moment. Last part literally had a fire, so we dealt with the last of that aftermath and did some character interraction develobment. More often that not in the media, the Dad is often left as the least develobed charcter with least amouth of charcter building and interractions...We'll not in my house. Dads are important, even if the child is a girl. Also Luna learned some math in the process, and that was actually how I was tuagh to do deritaves, intead of the weird formula. Also, golden retriever husband energy, because Gastón absolutely has that in his gene pool. The way I determine is that he got his sentiviness, calming precese and artistic traits from his dad, while the headstrongness, sociability and chamingess from his mom. Something I live by while writing is that: normalize married couples being in love and acting accordingly, no matter how old (40 also isn't old in the slightest). Small public service anoucements here: I ahve actually written some original material about Isla and Marco specifically. Littel bit a stuff when they were 20, those afformentioned uni years. I am not gonna release that at that moment, because it is in my native language and because I've submited it into couple writing competitions. I'll uptate you on if some judge board declares that I am actually a good writer. Okay, next... Simon...We will talk about him little later, shall we. On the next part. We are going somewhere with this, I promise. Finally, again I am trying portray here that Luna is progressively getting more comfortable with the situation, that she's not the staff's daughter anymore, but basically family member. She's casually hanging in the living room while doing her homework and she doesn't call Isla and Marco "Gastón's parents" anymore.

#Soy Luna #soy luna fanfiction #Gastina #Lutteo #Soy Luna Season 2 #Gastteo #Au #Twist #This was just a stupid idea #But I am rolling with it #And having fun #and it's getting unhinged #because it has a plot now

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throughtheswamp · 2 months ago

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Fall 1 - Evening ☾ A trinket from those Beyond

After eating her lunch peacefully at the river, Nyssa decided to return home to muddle the leaves from Milouse.

Nyssa cleaned herself up upon returning home, then made the paste. She portioned out the salve in a few jars—one to keep at home, one for on the go, and two to give to her neighbors.

There was still plenty of time in the day and Nyssa decided to take one of the jars to her neighbor Anne Rose Philippe.

Nyssa made her way over to the eclectic little home and stopped on the porch to admire one of Anne Rose's newest carvings before she knocked on the door.

When she knocked, no one answered. She knocked again and waited for a few minutes.

Finally, the door creaked open slowly, an abnormally cool breeze wafting over Nyssa and beckoning her inside.

Nyssa paused outside the door, a chill running over her.

For a moment, she felt a presence—heard the soft whisper of Carine Myrtil's voice and the scent of the woman's earthy perfume.

"Hello?" Nyssa called out softly as she pushed the door open further.

She didn't get a response, but slowly made her way inside the house.

"Is anyone there?" Nyssa called again as she made her way towards the back of the house and the small, familiar kitchen.

The house was filled to the brim with paintings, carvings, and other art—with a row of carved dollies sitting on a shelf and staring Nyssa down as she made her way through the living room.

Distracted, Nyssa bumped into a shelf, causing a cacophony of carvings to clatter to the ground and break apart.

"Oh no!" Nyssa shouted, kneeling quickly to pick up the mess. The old wooden carvings were splintered, most of them unrecognizable now that she'd shattered them apart.

"I'm so sorry, Anne Rose!" Tears sprung to Nyssa's eyes as she gathered up all the little wooden pieces. "I didn't mean to." She said to no one, sniffling as she put the pile of carvings on the shelf.

Behind her, she heard a faint whisper.

"That's alright, deary."

The voice didn't belong to Anne Rose. It was gentle and kind, and Nyssa would know it anywhere.

Nyssa whipped around, knocking the shelf again as she did, and the already broken carvings fell again.

But Nyssa was searching the dim room, looking for the source of Carine's familiar voice.

In the doorway to a room, Nyssa saw the faintest glow and she gulped.

"Miss Carine?" She questioned and she heard the familiar chuckle of the old woman.

"Surprised to see me, dear?" She tutted, "You should know I wouldn't be too keen to leave my Swamp or my love behind so quickly—besides, I have unfinished business!"

Nyssa gasped again, blinking as the blurry figure approached. Slowly it became clearer, revealing to her the short, stout figure of Carine Myrtil. She looked younger than Nyssa remembered, looking more like she had when Nyssa was a child than she had when she passed on.

"What do you need to do? Do you need my help?" Nyssa asked, and the spirit shook her head.

"I can handle it myself—well, with the help of Annie." The spirit whisked around Nyssa, going over to the shelf with the broken items.

"These are older than you, you know." The spirit tutted, then laughed as guilt crossed Nyssa's face.

"I really am sorry…" Nyssa's lip quivered, missing her friend and feeling bad for Anne Rose.

"Don't worry!" Carine's spirit chided her. "They're just trinkets."

"But Anne Rose works so hard on her art…" Nyssa warbled out.

"And she has plenty of time to work on more!" Carine assured, but Nyssa wasn't convinced.

The spirit emitted a soft humming noise, the form shifting from a more solid one, back to something more incorporeal.

"Wait!" Nyssa gasped out, reaching out for the spirit.

Quickly, it morphed back into Carine's form and the woman shook her head at Nyssa.

"Don't go bossing me around!" She tutted again before shifting back into a glowing mist. "Follow me, dear."

Nyssa didn't hesitate, following the spirit into the bedroom.

"I believe there is something here for you—check the vanity drawers," Carine instructed. "I'd do it myself, but I haven't quite got the hang of moving things around just yet."

Nyssa nodded, looking in the drawer Carine instructed.

Inside Nyssa found a little package with her name written in Carine's neat handwriting on top.

"Sorry, I missed your birthday, dear. What are you now? Sixteen?"

Nyssa giggled, but tears sprung to her eyes as she pulled the box out of the drawer. "Twenty-two." She corrected and Carine let out an exasperated sigh.

"You kids grow up so fast these days! Slow it down, or you'll end up like me!"

Nyssa laughed—even in death Carine was a pleasure to be around. Nyssa hoped Carine would stay around for a while and she made a point to remember to visit her again soon.

"Well, go ahead. I don't have all day." Carine seemed to tap her ghostly foot, impatient for Nyssa to open her gift.

Inside the little box was a folded letter and a wood-carved pendant. Nyssa picked up the pendant, running her thumb over the smooth back as she looked at the carved front.

An intricate carving of a Cypress tree was on the front, with a splash of color dabbed into the recesses, giving the tree foliage a soft glow.

"It's beautiful," Nyssa breathed out as she sat the box down and put the pendant over her head. It nestled in between her collarbones, a cool weight on her warm skin.

"Glad you like it, dear." Carine cooed and the room's temperature seemed to drop as the spirit grew closer, inspecting the pendant around Nyssa's neck. "It suits you so well!" The spirit clapped.

Nyssa took the note out next, unfolding the soft paper to reveal the writing in not one, not two, but three different handwritings.

Happy Birthday, Nyssa. I can't believe you're already an adult, much less twenty-two. This is a gift from the three of us—Me, Annie, and your mother. We love you.

The first part was in Carine's handwriting, what followed was in Anne Rose's chicken scratch.

Happy Birthday, little one. This piece of Cyprus is over one hundred years old. We hope you can carry it with you for a hundred years more.

The next bit took Nyssa's breath away. Her mother's familiar, flowery scrawl was next, and Nyssa's free hand went to clutch the pendant as she read it.

Darling Nys, you are such a smart girl, and I couldn't be prouder of you. This pendant, ancient and filled with our love, should protect you from harm. The Swamp wills it.

And as Nyssa brushed her thumb over the pendant, she could feel the love, care, and protection etched into it.

Rolls & Stats

Components: 4 Location: 7. Neighbor's Home - Anne Rose Philippe’s Home - Additional roll for Neighbor: 4. Human who makes art - Anne Rose Philippe - Interaction Success: 1. Terribly Neighbor: 14. Spirit of someone who recently died - Carine Myrtil - Interaction Success: 6. Perfectly Item: 3. Item that is handmade Event: 8. Find a note for or about you

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#writing #original fiction #short story #over the mountain rpg #solo rpg #fantasy writing #southern gothic #through the swamp

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thatonelesbianfander · 9 months ago

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The Ghost and the Reaper Chapter 5

Fandom// Sanders Sides

TW// Major Character Death, Swearing, Crying, Strong Emotions, Yelling, Arguing, Panicking, Blood/Gore, Slapping, Car Crash, Fire, Screaming, Sirens, Ambulance, Hospital

Word count// 2504

Description// Janus is one of the many grim reapers whose job it is to reap the souls of the dead and help them ascend to the afterlife. After one assignment, the spirit they reaped, a 23-year-old nonbinary person named Remus, refused to ascend. Now, Janus is stuck with them following it around wherever they go.

Characters// Remus Sanders, Roman Sanders, C!Thomas Sanders

Pairings// None

AUs// Found/chosen family Creativitwins & C!Thomas, human!sides, they/them Remus, it/they Janus, he/she Roman

Author note// This chapter was also soul crushing to write and I had to take multiple breaks in between writing because I started crying too much. Enjoy!

Masterpost // Previous // Next

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It happened a few months ago. The neighborhood was quiet. Some people walked down the street with their dogs, others jogged past. Some people sat on their yards people watching, others did yard work, but for one home, it wasn’t so peaceful. In one home in the middle of the neighborhood, it was violent. Two people stood in the middle of a fight, yelling at each other.

”Oh my god, you’re so fucking annoying!” Roman yelled.

”ME?! I’M THE ANNOYING ONE?!” Remus yelled back.

”Yes!” Roman said.

”How am I the annoying one?!” Remus asked.

”You’re so fucking clingy! I can’t go one day without you on me!” Roman replied.

”I’m just trying to be a good sibling!” Remus said.

”Clinging to me 24/7 isn’t going to do anything to help that!” Roman yelled.

”Oh, don’t act like you’re so perfect! All you ever do when I’m around is talk about yourself! It’s always me, me, me!” Remus yelled back.

”NO I FUCKING DO NOT!” Roman yelled.

”YES YOU DO! YOU’RE SO GODDAMN SELF ABSORBED IT’S INSANE!” Remus yelled back.

”Well, at least I’m not a freak!” Roman said.

”You take that back, now,” Remus said, glaring at Roman.

”What? It’s true,” Roman responded. Remus backed up a little.

”I’m not!” Remus said.

”Yes, you are! You’re always only talking about horror, crime, or disturbing facts. Not to mention all those weird ideas you’ve come up with!” Roman said.

”You always liked my ideas though!” Remus replied.

”No, I didn’t. I’ve never liked them at all. In fact, I wish Thomas never adopted you with me,” Roman said.

”That wouldn’t have happened though! We came as a pair because we’re siblings! We came from the same family!” Remus yelled.

”YEAH, AND I WISH YOU WERE NEVER MY SIBLING IN THE FIRST PLACE!” Roman yelled back.

”I…” Remus started before being cut off by Roman slapping them.

”I fucking hate you so much! I wish you were never in my life. You’re a mistake and a useless waste of air. Now, get out of my house, before I make you,” Roman said.

”Fuck you, rot in hell,” Remus said, pushing Roman out of the way before walking out of the door and slamming it behind them. Roman crossed his arms, tears starting to form in her eyes. Meanwhile, Remus walked down to their car, opening their door and getting in. They slammed their car door shut, starting the car and driving off.

”Stupid Roman. I fucking hate him so much,” Remus murmured under their breath as they drove. Tears started to form in their eyes, making their vision blurry. They drove through the neighborhood and to the windy hill, not noticing their speed continuing to go up. They sped up the hill, not thinking about how they were driving. They soon snapped out of their trance after hearing a loud honk to find themself driving on the opposite side of the road. They lost control of their wheel, desperately trying to regain control.

”SHIT, SHIT, SHIT!” Remus said, trying to regain control. It was too late to regain control as they spun out and crashed through the barriers on the side of the hill, sending themself and their car over the side of the hill. They braced themself for impact, their car falling on the ground and sliding until they hit a tree. The tree branches pierce through the car’s broken glass, scratching Remus’s body. The force from the fall heavily damaged Remus’s head, crushing their legs and peeling the skin off of their head. Remus didn’t know how they were barely alive, but they knew they needed to get out before something else happened. They weakly crawled out of their car through the broken windshield, using their better arm to try to pull themself into the open. They coughed into their hand, their hand turning red from the blood. Remus lost their strength, falling down and laying on the ground. They turned to face their car, maybe their phone was still working. Maybe they could at the very least call their sibling, their father, anybody. Just then, the car burst into flames, the flames getting onto part of Remus’s head. Remus screamed in pain, trying to pat out the flames. The flames on their head subsided, Remus laying on the ground, barely conscious. Remus laid on the ground, their strength slowly going away, scared for what would come next. They soon heard sirens from above but was too weak to see anything. They closed their eyes. Maybe some rest would help.

Roman walked outside her house, looking to see if Remus was still there. Maybe it wasn’t too late to apologize. He looked around, not seeing Remus or their car anywhere. Roman looked down, tears falling down her face. Just then, she heard sirens, looking up to see different types of emergency vehicles driving by. Roman didn’t know why but she felt like he needed to follow the vehicles. He quickly got in her car, turning it on and following the vehicles. Roman got out of her car when the vehicles stopped on the hill. He walked around to find a bunch of people gathered around. She then noticed a woman talking with a police officer. He walked over to the two.

”So, you’re saying you were just driving behind this person when they started driving on the opposite side of the road and then lost control of the wheel?” the police officer asked.

”Yes, that’s correct. Then, after losing control of the wheel, they ended up crashing through the barrier and driving off the side of the cliff,” the woman responded. The officer wrote something down on a notepad, turning to one of the firemen near the side of the cliff.

”Found anyone yet, Greg?” the police officer asked.

”Not yet, sir!” Greg responded.

”Excuse me…” Roman chimed in. The police officer turned around to Roman.

”My name’s Roman Sanders-Kingstone, I’m a resident of the nearby neighborhood,” Roman said, holding his hand out.

”Officer Isaiah,” the police officer said, shaking Roman’s hand.

”Nice to meet you. I was just wondering what was going on here,” Roman replied.

”Car crashed off the edge of the hill into the valley below,” Officer Isaiah said, gesturing over to the hole in the barrier. Roman walked over to the hole, looking below. Roman backed up a little upon seeing the burnt shell of Remus’s car.

’No… That can’t be theirs, right…’ Roman thought, tears starting to form in her eyes. Officer Isaiah walked over to Greg the Fireman, standing next to him.

”Has Larry found anyone yet?” Officer Isaiah asked.

”Not yet,” Greg replied. Just then, Larry’s voice came over the radio.

”Found someone! I just got them onto the stretcher, you’re good to bring them up!” Larry said over the speaker. Greg pushed a button, a pulley pulling up the stretcher. Roman felt sick to the stomach after seeing the bruised and bloodied form of their sibling on the stretcher. The medics rushed over, putting Remus onto a cot.

”No… NO, NO, NO!” Roman cried, running over to the cot. Officer Isaiah grabbed Roman’s arm, holding him back.

”LET ME GO! THAT’S MY SIBLING! THAT’S REMUS!” Roman yelled, breaking free from the officer’s grip and rushing over to Remus.

”REMUS!” Roman cried, desperately holding onto Remus’s cot. The medics checked for Remus’s pulse, finding it faint.

”What’s their status?” Isaiah asked.

”They’re still breathing, if we’re quick enough to stop the bleeding we could save them,” the one medic replied.

”Well, then, get to it!” Isaiah said. Roman tugged on one of the medic’s sleeves.

”Can I please come along?” Roman asked.

”Of course, just get into the back,” the medic replied. Roman got into the back of the ambulance, one of the medics going in the back with him and Remus and the other two getting into the front. They turned on the ambulance sirens, speeding away quickly to the hospital.

Roman sat in the back of the ambulance, holding their sibling’s hand as the medic worked on trying to stop the bleeding. Tears fell down Roman’s face as she looked at her sibling. He looked away, not bearing to look at Remus. Remus opened their eyes weakly, seeing Roman next to them.

”Roman…?” Remus said faintly, getting Roman’s attention. Roman turned to Remus, tears filling his eyes.

”Remus…” Roman replied, putting a hand to Remus’s cheek.

”Roman…” Remus said.

”It’s okay, Remus. You’re going to be okay. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have said all of those horrible things to you,” Roman said, tears falling down his face.

”I’m s-scared…” Remus said, tears starting to form in their one eye.

”I know… You’re going to be okay! Everything’s going to be alright! Just stay awake! Don’t leave me, please,” Roman cried.

”I want Pa…” Remus said, their voice growing weaker.

”I know… It’s okay… Pa will be here soon…” Roman said, trying to comfort his sibling. Remus coughed, blood coming out of their mouth. Roman started to panic, holding his sibling’s hand as Remus’s breathing grew heavy.

”Remus… Please… Stay with me…” Roman pleaded. He moved Remus’s hair out of their face. Remus looked over to Roman, Roman sobbing as soon as he saw the full extent of Remus’s condition. Remus weakly held their hand out to Roman, Roman crying more as Remus tried to comfort him.

”Roman…” Remus said, their voice weak and shaky.

”Remus…” Roman replied, tears falling down his face rapidly.

”I-it’s o…kay…” Remus said, trying to comfort their sibling.

”How could you say that… How could you fucking say that… Why are you trying to comfort me… You’re dying because of me yet you lay there saying everything’s going to be okay… Why…” Roman cried. Tears fell down Remus’s face.

”Ro…” Remus said.

”Rem…” Roman replied, holding his sibling’s head in his hand.

”I… love y-you…” Remus said, before closing their eyes. Roman eyes widened as he started to panic.

”Shit! I’m losing them!” the medic yelled to the others. The ambulance sped up. Roman sobbed as he watched his sibling draw their last breaths.

”REMUS! REMUS, NO! NO, NO, NO, PLEASE! DON’T LEAVE ME! PLEASE! I’M SORRY! I’M SO SORRY! PLEASE STAY WITH ME!” Roman sobbed, desperately trying to get his sibling to wake up, to open their eyes, to do anything. Remus grew limp, Roman holding her sibling close to his chest as he sobbed.

”REMUS, PLEASE! GODDAMNIT, STAY WITH ME! I’M SO SORRY!” Roman sobbed as she held the limp figure of her sibling, their blood getting onto Roman’s clothes. The medic pushed Roman out of the way as they rushed around Remus. The ambulance was soon parked at the hospital, the medics quickly wheeling Remus out and into the hospital. Roman followed close behind before collapsing in the hallway outside of the room where they took Remus into. Roman sobbed in the middle of the hallway, the blood from his clothes staining the floor.

Roman paced around the outside of Remus’s room, walking back and forth throughout the hallway. He looked up, seeing Thomas rushing down the hallway.

”Roman!” Thomas said, rushing over to Roman.

”Pa…” Roman said. Thomas rushed over to Roman, Roman collapsing into Thomas’s arms.

”Are you okay?! What happened?!” Thomas asked, checking to make sure Roman was okay.

”I fucked up, Pa… I said so many horrible things to them… I told them I wish they weren’t my sibling… I said that I hated them… I called them so many horrible things… I…” Roman sobbed, Thomas holding him close.

”Roman…” Thomas said, Roman sobbing into Thomas’s chest.

”They said they loved me… I couldn’t do anything… I couldn’t tell them I loved them back… I couldn’t save them… They died in my arms and it’s all my fault… They were so scared and I couldn’t do anything to help…” Roman cried, Thomas trying to comfort him.

”It’s going to be okay, buddy… They’re going to be safe…” Thomas said, holding onto his kid. A doctor soon walked out of Remus’s room, going over to Thomas and Roman.

”Are you the family of Remus Sanders-Kingstone?” the doctor asked.

”Yes, we are. How are they?” Thomas replied.

”I’m sorry to say, but they have passed. We tried everything we could but we couldn’t get them back. It’s honestly a miracle they were even alive in the back of the ambulance to begin with. With the amount of wounds they had, they should have been dead before even being pulled out of that valley,” the doctor responded. Tears filled the two’s eyes, Roman hiding his face in his father’s shoulder.

”Okay… Well, thank you for trying anyway,” Thomas said.

”It’s no problem. If you want, you can go in and say your final goodbyes before we wheel them out,” the doctor said. Thomas nodded, holding Roman’s hand as the two walked over to Remus’s door. Thomas opened the door, tears immediately falling down his face as soon as he saw Remus.

”Oh, no… No, no, no, NO…” Thomas started sobbed as he rushed over to Remus.

”REMUS! NO! MY BABY!” Thomas sobbed, holding the lifeless body of his child. He let go of Remus, turning to Roman angrily.

”What did you do…” Thomas said. Roman backed up a little.

”WHAT DID YOU-” Thomas started before seeing Roman’s scared expression on her face. Thomas’s expression softened. He walked over to Roman, hugging him. Roman broke down in Thomas’s arms, sobbing as his father just held him close.

”I’m s-s-so sorry, P-Pa! I…” Roman sobbed.

”Shhh, it’s going to be okay… We’re going to get through this together, okay?” Thomas said, holding his kid close. Roman nodded, holding onto her pa. Thomas walked back over to Remus, holding their hand.

”We love you, Remus… We’ll always love you… Don’t forget us up there, alright?” Thomas said, holding Remus’s hand. Thomas let go of Remus’s hand and turned to Roman, hugging her as tears fell down her face.

”Let’s go home,” Thomas said. He held Roman’s hand as the two walked out of the room. Thomas closed the door to the room, nodding to the doctor. The doctor nodded back, going inside the room. The two walked off, scared for what this new future would bring.

Masterpost // Previous // Next

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jaws-and-canines · 1 year ago

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The Birds: 1-2

Previous - Next

This whole series contains body horror and themes of mental illness, self harm and suicide.

---

He sleeps just long enough to wake up to the sedatives wearing off. He feels like he is falling through space, down through the mattress, over and over and over, a sickening feeling. Drenched in sweat, his jumper beneath his head damp from his own saliva from when he was asleep, he grabs onto the flat sheet beneath him and tries to focus on anything but the sensation of falling.

The door is unlocked and he hears two sets of footsteps walk it. “Mr von Fennec, your presence is requested,” says a woman’s voice, echoed by an interpreter. He peels his damp cheek away from the sheet and looks over his shoulder. The woman stands with her arms crossed, blonde hair scraped up into a bun. Two soldiers in urban uniforms- smartly-ironed blacks and greys, radios and key chains- flank her, and to one side, a man in a dark green uniform- the interpreter.

Fennec grabs at his glasses and slowly puts them on. “Who?” he croaks, voice barely audible. The interpreter steps a little closer to him, positioning himself between Fennec and the woman to be able to hear them both. Fennec looks her up and down, squinting at her shirt collar to try to make out the silver insignia badges pinned to both sides.The insignia on her shirt are of a greek letter psi.

“I want to speak to you.” He realises she’s wearing lipstick when she talks.

That tells him nothing. Her clothes tell him frustratingly little as well. She’s wearing sharply ironed dark grey trousers and a short-sleeved lighter grey shirt. On her belt she has a pen, a pupil torch, and a pair of handcuffs. “And who are you?”

“Psychiatry,” she says.

He presses his cheek back to the jumper he has folded beneath his head. “Not interested,” he says. “Take me off of your list. Thank you.”

“Give me a good reason, please,” she says.

“I have no further means to kill myself nor can I expend the energy to kill myself.” He buries his head into his jumper. “I am not a risk to myself. Therefore there is no need for you at present-” he begins, and she gestures to him with a glance at the two men either side of her. They grab him under the arms. He exclaims, surprised, as they pull him to his feet. He grabs onto the closest person’s arm to try to steady himself, but his knee gives way anyway, and he sits down on the edge of the bed before he falls. “Won’t you leave me alone?” he exclaims angrily. “I’m exhausted!”

She tuts. “So despite what they’d have me believe, you really can’t walk.”

He shakes his head. “I need my crutches.”

“You’ll be using the wheelchair. I’m handcuffing you.”

He flicks bloodshot eyes up to her face. His gaze is quickly dragged back down to the floor. “They don’t do that. Just a long chain. I use my crutches,” he mumbles.

“I am not whoever ‘they’ are.” She motions for his hands, taking the cuffs from her belt. “The risk associated with you has changed.” He looks at her with a look of betrayal and holds out his hands, wrists together. Bruised fingers taped to unbruised ones tremble gently as she tightens the cuffs around his wrists.

One of the soldiers pushes a beaten-up wheelchair to the edge of his bed and kicks on the brakes. Fennec shifts his weight to the edge of the bed, and with the psychiatrist’s hand beneath his arm. He sits down in the wheelchair, wincing as he shifts his bad leg up onto the footplate. The chain of the handcuffs clinks against the side of the wheelchair. “Let’s go,” says the psychiatrist.

Fennec looks around, drinking in his surroundings as they lock the door of the cell behind the small party and start to wheel him down the corridor. The walls are pink- he remembers that, even through the blurry haze of the past few days- but it occurs to him now that this is Schauss pink - a particular shade associated with reducing aggression and agitation. The ceiling is white asbestos tile, harsh fluorescent lights and mirrored domes to hide the ever-present gaze of the cameras.

The corridor opens up into a small area with a gantry overhead, a set of gates passing alongside a large glass-fronted security post, and a number of tables and chairs. The psychiatrist walks to the closest table and sits down. Fennec finds himself opposite to her, the brakes on on the wheelchair. The interpreter sits at the end of the table, perpendicular to them both. Fennec glances at him to make sure he is sitting down before he begins. “Here?” he asks, glancing around the open space. His voice barely sounds like something he recognises. Each time he swallows his own saliva after talking it hurts.

The psychiatrist opens her bag, a leather satchel and starts spreading the contents out in front of her. “You’re on the condemned wing. Nobody comes in. Nobody goes out.”

The word condemned rattles to the front of Fennec’s head. He lets it sink in, staring blankly across the table. He’s too tired for this, any of this, he thinks.

The psychiatrist takes her pen from her belt. “I want to talk about the suicide attempt.” Fennec resists the urge to point out the redundancy of the statement. Of course she is. The psychiatrist pulls out a clear plastic evidence bag and holds it up to him. In the crumpled evidence bag, Fennec looks at something which he recognises as the knotted and bloodstained remains of the strip he tore from his blanket, cut into four frayed pieces. He turns his head to stare at the grey floor. She sets the bag down on the plastic table. “Was this what you used?”

Eventually he finds it in him to speak. “Yes.”

“Did you tear it by hand?”

He nods slowly. “Yes.”

“So you had no blade?”

“Well, I assume you looked, and didn’t find one. Now you are concerned.” He shifts back in the wheelchair, leaning back, stifling a pained cough. “I had no blade, no weapon or scissors.”

She pauses to write something on the form in front of her, before tapping her pen against the table. “Why’d you do it?”

Such a vast question, he thinks, and yet he can’t quite pin down an easily summarised reason. He tells the truth. “I don’t know.”

“What was your disagreement about with my colleague just prior?”

Fennec notes that she calls the faceless man only her colleague- no name. Perhaps the man simply doesn’t have one. “It was an argument over my testimony,” he says quietly.

She keeps writing. Fennec winces at the noise of her pen against the paper. “You’ve agreed to appear as a witness for the prosecution in the Horatio trial?”

“Yes.” He brings his hands up to his face and fumbles for a moment to push his glasses up his nose with a sigh. “I don’t want to. I know what I say is enough to damn my former colleagues. I cannot lie because they already have me on record repeating the truth over and over to save myself. I remained out of options, out of time, and I thought that I could avoid it if I were dead. The rest is known.”

“Where do you stand on it now?” He says nothing. She taps her pen against her lips, letting them sit in silence for a few moments, before speaking again. “Is this an attempt at being adversarial?”

“Yes,” he says simply, barely above a hoarse whisper. “You’re asking questions and you know I have no choice, don’t you?”

She keeps taking notes, and then clasps her hands together. The clear varnish on her nails catches the light. “Do you feel as if you have been treated unfairly, Mr von Fennec?” she asks.

He laughs bitterly. “I’ve been tortured. I’ve been shot, I’ve been beaten, I’ve been raped. All through that I’ve said what I was told to say, done what I was told to do, been what you want me to be. I confessed. I gave you everything I knew. I let you convince the world I was dead.” He leans forwards, fixing his gaze to hers. “After all that, you know really, really gets to me?”

She continues writing, biro letters spiralling across the page. “What’s that?”

“You people still think I’m a threat.”

That grabs her attention. She looks up from her papers. A grim smile plays across his face as he leans back, shaking his head. “It’s not me versus any of you. I lost whatever game we were playing a long, long time ago. You’ve had me in checkmate ever since I surrendered.” He turns his head to one side, shakes it, and then turns back to look at her, a sort of sadness in his eyes. When he speaks again, he is even quieter, calmer- almost deadly calm. Transformed from a still sea to the uncanny calm waters before a tsunami. “Well, I’m not playing anymore. I’ll testify at the Horatio trial and then I am done. I am out.”

She finishes writing with a full stop and then clicks her pen, tucking it into her top pocket. “Alright, Anton,” she says. “I think I’ve heard enough. Thank you for your time.”

#cw suicide #the birds #original writing #whump #writeblr #whumpblr

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namixart · 2 years ago

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Crossing lines, hand in hand, ch. 3

Read on AO3!

Cloud hated ships. He hated, hated, hated them with a passion. Cars sucked too, but ships were a special kind of evil and, if Cloud never had to set foot on one again, it’d still have been too much.

He gripped the railing of the cargo ship tighter, wanting nothing more than to yank off the stupid Shinra helmet he was wearing. Somewhere in the sea-sick recesses of his mind, he knew it couldn’t be helping, but he also knew that he was a fugitive and that it would have been an extremely bad idea to risk someone recognising him. So he was stuck. At least the breeze—what little of it filtered through the stupid helmet—was nice.

The deck of the ship was deserted under the harsh high noon sun, with Rufus Shinra and his posse squirrelled away in some cool cabin for the trip. The occasional crew member walked past him every once in a while, clearly too busy to care about some guy who was trying to keep the contents of his stomach inside of it. Cloud tugged at his collar.

This is ridiculous. I’m a SOLDIER, goddamnit.

Stupid ship and stupid motion-sickness. That they could make him feel that miserable was embarrassing. He groaned and took a deep breath.

Get it together, come on.

Maybe the heat was the problem. Maybe if he moved below deck the nausea would let up. Cloud pushed himself away from the railing and immediately missed the steadiness. But he gritted his teeth and quickly made his way downstairs and into the dimly lit storage room of the ship. The initial relief of the cooler air soon wore off, and Cloud briefly considered swimming the rest of the way to Costa del Sol. He groaned and ran a hand over his face.

“Oh, my. You don’t look happy.”

Being approached by someone in a Shinra uniform might have been alarming had they not spoken with Aerith’s voice. She was standing a few steps in front of him, with her hands linked behind her back like she so often did. The only exposed part of her face was her mouth, pulled into a sympathetic grimace.

Cloud cleared his throat and straightened up. “How’d you know it was me?”

She shrugged. “Oh, y’know.” She gestured vaguely at him.

“I… don’t?”

“Just call it a hunch,” said Aerith. “Something about how you carry yourself.”

“Right.”

The ship rocked again and Cloud had to fight with every fibre of his body not to grab onto a crate for balance. He just pressed his lips together and hoped Aerith wouldn’t notice. He wasn’t going to throw up in front of her. He just wasn’t.

But she noticed—of course she noticed. She frowned and came a few steps closer. “Sea-sick?” she asked.

Cloud shrugged and made a non-committal noise. He wasn’t really sure what he was trying to accomplish, but making Aerith’s frown deepen definitely wasn’t it.

“Aww, that sucks,” she said. “You sure being down here isn’t making it worse?”

Cloud shook his head. “I’m fine. Just focused.”

“Uh-huh.” Aerith put her chin on her hand for a second. “Well, I, for one, am kinda sick of the air down here. It’s so stuffy, right? I think I’m gonna go catch some breeze—which, I heard, does wonders for seasickness. If a certain bodyguard would, for no particular reason, care to join me, I’d be delighted.”

Cloud snorted. “You ain’t subtle.”

Aerith shrugged. “So what? You coming or not?” She walked past him and towards the stairs and nodded to the upper deck.

“…Sure.”

Aerith beamed. Cloud had seen that smile a lot, enough to know it reached her eyes and made them shine with glee. He silently cursed the stupid Shinra helmet hiding them. He shook his head and followed her up the stairs, back into the sun. Once out there, Aerith slowed down and straightened up to play the part of a Shinra grunt. Not that anyone was paying attention. No one was on the deck but them and a single sailor smoking in a corner.

Cloud followed Aerith as she wandered towards the stern railing. Junon was still in sight, if just a blurry silhouette on the horizon. There was still so much of the trip ahead of them. Cloud groaned again—inwardly this time.

Aerith, instead, leaned on the railing and sighed. “Y’know,” she said, “I’ve never been on a boat before. Or seen the ocean.”

Cloud hummed and propped himself up against the railing as well, with his back to it so that he could keep an eye on anyone approaching. “I have, once. When I first moved to Midgar.”

“How long ago was that?” asked Aerith.

Cloud thought for a moment. “Seven years, give or take.”

She frowned. “Wait, but…” She counted on her fingers. “You were just a kid.”

“SOLDIERs start out pretty young,” he said, shrugging. “Fourteen or fifteen, usually.”

Aerith turned away. “Yeah. Yeah, I guess… I should’ve known that. Still—” She shook her head— “it’s messed up.”

Cloud didn’t know what to say, so he said nothing.

They stayed silent for a short while. The nausea was still lodged in Cloud’s stomach, but being outside was better than the storage room. And talking was good too. But he didn’t know how to keep the conversation with Aerith going.

I’m not good at this.

Aerith sighed again and, thankfully, spoke up first. “Say, Cloud, did you see the airships in Junon? You can still kinda make them out from here.”

She pointed at Junon and Cloud squinted at the spot. She was right—there were a few blurry dots still visible around the city, up in the air. “Yeah,” he said, “what about ‘em?”

“Just thinking. I’d love to go on one, someday.” She opened her arms. “Can you imagine? Being up in the sky, feeling the wind, seeing everything below look so small and far away…”

She was smiling again, and Cloud felt relief wash over him. For a moment, he pictured her if she ever did get onto an airship—the excited grin, the jittery energy, the non-stop chatter. It was an image that made him smile too.

“I’ll take you,” he said, before he could stop himself.

Aerith let her arms fall at her sides again and looked at him. “Hm?”

Cloud was suddenly very grateful for the helmet covering his face. “Uh, I mean…” He shrugged and looked away. “If you want.”

Aerith didn’t say anything for another long moment but, just as Cloud was ready to take back every single word his dumb mouth had ever spoken in his life, she took his hand in hers.

“Really?” she asked, beaming.

Stupid Shinra helmet.

Cloud gulped down a knot in his throat and nodded. “Uh, yeah.” He had to have said the right thing, if she was that happy, right?

Aerith let out a small, excited squeal—one that Cloud knew he’d be thinking about forever—and hooked their pinkies together. “It’s a promise, then!”

Cloud couldn’t help a small smile as he leaned back on the railing. “Yeah.”

“It’s gonna be so much fun,” said Aerith. “I can’t wait. Oh, no—” She frowned— “You’re gonna be miserable, though.”

“What do you mean?”

She pointed up at the sky. “Motion sickness.”

Cloud shrugged. “Would be a problem if I had it. I’ll be fine.”

Aerith giggled softly. “Sure,” she said. She took his hand in hers again and leaned closer to him, a hair apart. “It’s a date, then.”

Cloud just stared at her and nodded slowly. Aerith smiled.

He felt as if there was something else just hanging in the air between them, something unsaid and secret. He wondered if Aerith felt the same way. Her face was unreadable—Cloud wanted nothing more than to slip off the helmet to look her in the eyes, to see if they held an answer to the confused and confusing questions he was asking.

But, before either of them could do anything other than look at each other, an alarm went off, and they sprung apart.

“We have received reports of an intruder! Everyone not on detail—search the ship! Report when found!” yelled a voice over the loudspeaker.

Aerith frowned and looked at Cloud. “We gotta find the others,” she said.

He nodded, and they took off together towards the lower deck.Goddamnit, he thought. Of all times.

#final fantasy vii #cloud strife #aerith gainsborough #clerith #my writing #my stuff #my fics

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ox1-lovesick · 2 years ago

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🌿 boyfriend material - c.sb

ꜝꜝ 🌿 pairing. idol!choi soobin x non idol gn!reader genre. fluff warnings. my atrocious writing wc. 600+

ꜝꜝ 🌿 synopsis. taking boyfriend pictures of your boyfriend so he can post them and have others imagine he's their boyfriend

ꜝꜝ 🌿 a/n. having very real romantic feelings for choi soobin right now and i need to get them out 😟

"get my good side!" soobin yelled, gaining attention and whispers from the strangers passing by you two; he bows with an apologetic look before perching himself back on the bench—this time with his legs crossed over each other. he gestures for you to continue clicking pictures, posing for moa's so they could see his new hair colour

you roll your eyes before stepping back to get some of the scenery within the picture. you had been tapping away at your screen endlessly for the past 20 minutes or so, experimenting with different angles and views to take good pictures for soobin to post onto twitter later. he practically led you half the way to north korea by dragging you along with him, insisting to have different backgrounds and scenery because 'taking all his pictures in one place was cringey'; then changing shirts halfway through seoul because he didn't want it to look like he was taking them on the same day, because that's even worse apparently

"can we be done now?" you huffed, your arms becoming sore. "just a few more" he shifted "that's what you said 200 pictures ago" soobin sighed, adjusting his beanie before jumping off the bench and making his way over to you to examine your photography skills, and whether you had actually been listening to him or just clicking.

"you got everything but my good side" he pouted, scrolling through the pictures and making a mental note of the ones he liked by sending them to himself. "you're not exactly the easiest model to work with, bin" he gasped, his hand flying to his chest "i am a pleasure to be around y/n" he whined. "you never like anything i take though, you should just let kai take them from now on"

he scrunched his nose, visibly cringing at the thought "you know kai can't take pictures, he always makes them blurry and keeps cutting my head out- ooh! i like this one" he tilted the screen towards you, an approving smile adorning his lips before he continued swiping

"you're such a bully, poor kai's just trying his best. i think you're problem" you pushed his chest gently to which — ironically — soobin smiled, his aegyo sal gathering under his eyes as he took your hand in his, placing it in the pocket of his hoodie along with his own. "i'm pretty sure it's kai. he's probably sabotaging me because i'm more handsome than him, but thank you for taking my boyfriend pictures. i think moa will like them"

you hummed "taking boyfriend pictures of my boyfriend so he can feed other people's delusions and have them imagine he's their boyfriend, how wonderful" soobin elbowed your side, clicking his tongue "don't speak of my boyfriends and girlfriends like that, i love them too y'know"

"wow, maybe they should stand here and take pictures of you for two hours straight next time"

"don't worry, love. you're my favourite, don't tell them i said that though"

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sporksaber · 2 years ago

Text

A fic outline for an idea I had awhile ago:

I probably wont be writing this though I am considering it, so if anyone else wants to it's fair game just send me the link. If this has been done before then p l e a s e send me the link because I tried to find somthing similar and couldnt.

So internet friends to lovers with danny phantom batman cross over.

I'm using tim because I feel he makes most sense with the trope.

Some timeline things: danny becomes phantom at 15 instead of fourteen. Tim becomes robin at 14, 11 months after jason dies. I want jason to be in the main part of this fic, but the timeline would be messy with that, so here is what I'm going off of: He was dead for six months, resurrected by reality shifting shenanigans, thrown in the pit immidiently after, and then was red hood for a year before the full identity reveal to the batfam.

So danny was a very tech savvy kid with no supervision. As was tim. They meet on some server discussing the home solar system of a popular hero or a heroes published expierience on black holes or somthing like that where their interests intersect. They end up on a specific message board and then a group chat about that topic and later they eventually start talking privately.

Let's say they're 13 at the start with tim a few months older than danny. They grow very close over their shared interests, enjoying the other talk about their personal interests, and commiseration on their parents being neglectful. By the time (insert whatever event happens with his parents that leads to him becoming robin in this au) happens they are very close. They at this point are talking everyday, calling fairly often, and have video chatted. Tim was a bit hesitant talking about his new family but danny couldn't be happier for him.

Jason's reveal and danny becoming phantom line up one after the other (roughly 7 months after tim becomes robin, which is a number I totally didnt have to do physical math for). So tim starts messaging less, and then so does danny with the initial distraction of ghosts and becoming a ghost and a hero and then the existential crisis brought on by the giw and his parents wanting to kill him. By the time things with Jason die down and become more normal six months have past. Tim tries to get back into messaging him consistently after having not messaged at all in a month, but Danny is acting a bit different.

Tim couldn't place exactly why he felt that way and tried to write it off as the result of the time they spent not talking, but he could just feel somthing was wrong. Danny was always easily distracted, but he'd never dropped in and out of conversations like he was doing now, at least not without reasons. And then there was the fact that he was more closed off about his parents than he used to be. Danny eventually mentions giving up on his dream of being an astronaught and his plummeting grades and tim is distraught with the fact that he can't help him.

It was their final video (several months after getting back into messaging) call that solidified Tim's idea of what was happening. It was suggested several times before it actually happened as danny always avoided the idea or came up with an excuse why he couldn't. Tim didnt want to push but he desperately needed more clues and wouldnt cross the line into hacking the information.

Danny was much paler than before and he had deep dark circles under his eyes. The camera was kind of blurry, almost like he had messed with the focus or gotten one that was a lower quality than last time. Overall the call went the same as the ones prior, though danny was a bit jumpy. And then danny shivered violently. He looked scared as he made an excuse about having somthing he forgot to do and hung up.

Tim was feeling lost afterwards. To the point that bruce noticed and asked what was wrong. "I think my best friend is dying."

Danny meanwhile is also having a very not good time. In the nearly year since he became phantom so much had changed. At first it was fine, it seemed fun even. Then it became annoying as he realised school and ghost crime fighting while avoiding capture by your parents didnt mix. And then there was everything with vlad and the giw that made him realize he was screwed if any government entity ever found out his identity. And then the giw worked with his parents and he realized, "oh, haha, my parents could really kill me one of these days."

And then there was clockwork and the ancients and dan. Feeling really off anytime he leaves amity. Plasmius. The fact that he really had died. That even if he managed to fix his grades among all the ghost fighting he'd never pass the physical exam to achieve his dream. That he wasnt considered human anymore by either his parents or the government. The increased number of ghosts coming through the portal.

He hadn't realized how much he really missed tim until they started talking again, but it was hard to leave so much out when they used to share everything. When he finally gave in to the video call he was kind of terrified. Both in the "what if it's different now," and the "what if he notices," way. The first part wasnt needed, the call was great. He forgot how nice his voice was. He could've talked to him for hours, but then his ghost sense was set off. And it was somthing big.

For the first few weeks following the call danny tries. He doesn't want to lose touch with tim, but it becomes too much. Something is wrong and he's the only one who can fix it.

There's a huge issue with the giw still working with his parents for a stronger portal and vlad being vlad and occasionally popping by to shove his entire fist into everyone's pie and then leave again. Danny could believe that was his real obsession. Fisting pies.

Then danny learns that it's not just the portals strength causing everything, its him too. Apparently the ghost king's crown was passed through combat. And the core of the king draws other ectoplasmic entities towards them.

This ends with danny ghosting (haha) tim for several more months until he eventually destroyes both his parents and vlad's portals and all their research. And he couldnt stay in amity at that point, especially since vlad and his parents arent the only ones who know what he did. So he leaves. And with the new title of ghost king he's not core bound to amity anymore.

Danny eventually calls tim. Tim is both relieved and terrified. The call is kind of awkward at first, since they hadn't in awhile. But then danny says he's traveling a bit. "I was thinking of going through Gotham, I heard they have a wicked observatory."

Tim says he cant wait.

*****

That's it on my original fic idea. I wanted to tell it mostly through chatlogs and their calls. I have a lot of other ideas on Danny's time in Gotham though.

I havent gone back over this and theres probably be some small timeline shifting. I want danny to be 17 when he leaves.

But that's all for now.

#fanfiction #dp x dc crossover #dc x dp #brain dead

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thebomb-thebird-andtheburntbitch · 3 years ago

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Among the Rain

r.kyojuro/reader

genre: angst, comfort

warning(s): past death of a family member, some angsty themes of reminiscing

w.count: 780 approx.

synopsis: time seems to amaze you even after two years, but this year, at least you're not standing in front of that memorial alone

-x-x-x-

a/n: yes hi hello this is 100% self-indulgent and like a tiny bit of a vent because im, unfortunately, feeling emotions oopies

-x-x-x-

The season was on the cusp of turning to spring, but the sky was grey and dreary. Rain fell off and on in gentle sessions, like pleasant showers of apology for the cold it brought in its wake despite the yearning for the spring warmth and its flowers.

The rain was a small drizzle as you stood in front of the stone memorial you had been visiting the last two years. You were dressed for your work, for your next mission. Your uniform was damp from the drizzle and you had left your haori behind in favor of the full blackness your uniform provided.

You feel like you've been standing in front of his grave for hours now, but in truth, you had no idea how long your feet had been planted to the stone beneath them. You were aware of when you came, but the grey sky made it difficult to determine what time it was without some sort of watch on you.

You let out a sigh and a small puff of air is expelled from the warmth of your breath hitting the chilled air. Your eyes fall close at the quiet surroundings of nothing but rain hitting earth. You feel the presence of someone joining you before you're feeling a slight amount of weight drape over your shoulders and rest on your back.

"There is quite the nasty chill in the air today," the familiar warmth of Kyojuro's voice was just as warm as the haori you know he just placed over you. You shift your arms, reaching up to grab at the hem of the long cloak as you let another breath leave your lips in the form of chilled air as you open your eyes again.

"That's true," you return. He stands behind your shoulder, not daring to stand in front of you before a gravestone he is not familiar with. The lack of distance between your body and his makes it so, even in the cold, wet weather, the warmth of his body radiates over to you like the sun peeking through clouds.

It felt nice.

"May I ask who it is you are visiting?"

"My grandmother." You blink and reread your family name carved on the gravestone. You blame the rain for your sudden blurry vision. "She passed two years ago, and I haven't visited her as much as I wish."

"I am sure she understands." Kyojuro moves his gaze from the memorial up to the sky which shows no sign of clearing up anytime soon. He frowns at the clouds like they've offended him. "It is unfortunate the rain doesn't seem to be ceasing."

You shake your head and a small, pitiful smile crosses your face. Kyojuro looks back to you with... something in his eyes.

"No. My grandmother rather liked rainy days. They calmed her a lot." You scoff at yourself as you recall memories. "When she took care of me and it would rain, she would often read to me. That's why I think she'd really like that it's raining today."

"She raised you then?"

"Sort of. My parents often were busy, so when they weren't around I was with her. And when they decided that they no longer loved each other," you clear your throat and cut yourself off. "Well, it's self-explanatory."

"I see."

It's silent again. From your shoulder you see Kyojuro stare at the same stone you have been before he's closing his eyes. Your own eyes widen a fraction at seeing him pay respects to a woman he had never met before her passing.

This time you blamed Kyojuro for the stinging sensation plaguing your eyes. When he opens his eyes again, your staring off into space- looking at nothing but still looking at something. He can see the few stray tears slip down your cheek among the raindrops but says nothing of them.

Instead, he lifts his hand and places it atop your head.

"I know it is not the best time, but the rain will worsen soon. We should be heading somewhere to wait it out." You nod under his palm and go to remove his haori from your shoulders, but he gently pushes it back up. "Keep it. Just for a little while."

When you finally look at him fully, he's smiling at you just like he always is. You turn your back to the gravestone before Kyojuro is lifting his hand from your head and instead now offering it out to you.

"We will come back and visit again very soon. Perhaps if the weather is nicer, we can bring a book and read to her." You place your hand in his as he squeezes it reassuringly and you swallow the lump in your throat.

You nod and squeak out a small response. "Yes, that sounds nice."

#rengoku #kyojuro rengoku #rengoku x reader #rengoku x y/n #rengoku scenarios #rengoku angst #rengoku comfort #gender neutral reader

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f3itansgirlygirl · 4 years ago

Text

drivers license - suna rintarou

part 2 right here

inspired by the song driver's license

his house is right there, right in front of me.

sitting in the car biting my lip holding back the sob that threatened to escape, how did it become like this? how did i end up sitting in here alone while you went off with her? that was supposed to be me, you said you would wait?

suna rintarou

a beautiful boy, his smile never failed to warm your heart. the way he would hold you in his arms, pout when you weren't paying attention, brush your hair behind your ear, the way he would kiss you and buy you your favorite drinks or take you to that little park you loved so much as you guys watched the sunset and fell in love all over again.

then how did it get like this?

----------------------------------------------------------------

“hi my name is l/n y/n and i'm your new manager!,” you introduced yourself. was a first year at inarizaki and needed to get into a club, atsumu decided to introduce you to the coach and give in a few words.

looking around the team you felt a nice presence, and that's when your eyes landed on his, those green piercing eyes. having his knees to his chest laughing at atsumu for trying to punch him for showing him something on his phone.

the way his laugh died down but kept a smile as he looked at you.

you blushed but became distracted as kita called you over.

“thank you guys for accepting me have a good night!,” you said grabbing your bag and leaving. “wait up i’ll walk with you,” you heard a voice behind you say. you turned to hear the voice and it belonged to him.

you guys walked under the stars, you shivered forgetting a jacket and that's when he looked at you and smirked. “the old jacket technique huh let me guess you want me to take mine’s off and give it to you,”

you gasped and looked right at him, “no i actually forgot you weirdo whatever i guess i'll walk faster,” you said speeding up. “wait i’m just teasing here i have a hoodie it’s my sleeping in class hoodie so better not ruin it.”

you took it hesitantly but put it on either way, it was big and burgundy and my god the scent you can still remember to this day how good he smelled like. “looks good on you maybe i’ll let you keep it,” he said as you guys continued to walk.

that was your first interaction, your first words to each other and one of the many nights you guys have come to spend together

---------------------------------------------------------------

everything else came easily, even though having a age gap it didn’t stop your feelings whatsoever, and also never stopped him from showing affection.

you still remember your first kiss

how he kissed you by surpised on the slide of a old park where you guys sneaked out to get ice cream.

still remember how he started bringing extra hoodies and hair ties since you had a habit of forgetting both.

still remember that night under the stars in the backseat of his car when he looked at you and told you he was in love with you.

you teared up staring at him as he giggled softly caressing your face, holding your waist even more closer to his chest as your bodies connected.

“i love you rintarou,” you smiled crying softly.

he looked at you rubbing your tears away, “and i love you y/n l/n,”

--------------------------------------------------------------

how it was such a good 6 months. looking back you should have seen the way you guys would only hang out around the night or weekdays.

how he wouldn't hold your hand in school or only be affection around the team.

and how you guys weren't exactly official, never asked you officially to be his but hey because of the memories spent together you thought of course your his and he’s yours.

you first saw her when she came through the doors, holding his notebook as she apologized but nevertheless gave him a smile and he gave one back. she was pretty- like really pretty.

pretty blue eyes, blonde long hair, beautiful body.

“so this is what overthinking feels like huh,” you mumbled as you shook your head and went back to setting the net up.

after practice you and suna as always walked home

you guys decided to take a detour heading to your park where many memories were made.

“hey rin,” you asked as you looked over the river that was by the bridge. “yes love?,” he replied. “what are we?,” you asked him.

please say im yours...

“well your younger than me, i want you to be mines and you already are, always and forever sooo how about this,” he turned to look at you and bent down so his head was right at yours. “when you become a 2nd year and get your driver's license we can officially be together yeah? i'll get down on one knee and ask you to be mine,” he rolled his eyes as you giggled.

he stuck out his pinkie and you stuck out yours. “you’ll wait for me?,” you said.

he wrapped his pinkie around yours, “always, make sure you just don't crash don't want you dying before your mine but yes i promise i will wait for you l/n,” suna smiled grabbing you and pulling you in for a kiss.

-------------------------------------------------------------

finals came up and yes you and suna got distant due to you studying, yet you weren't nervous you were excited to finally walk down the halls holding his hand.

looking back you should have seen the signs of him not texting you often or wanting to help you, you shrugged it off maybe he was struggling in some classes too.

finally the day was here, texting osamu all morning about how you would pick them up for school so you can show off to suna.

laughing driving up to school with the twins, you got out the car and seeing suna’s back against one of the walls

you were about to call out for him until you saw her again. this time she was wearing the burgundy hoodie, and he was the one holding her hand. he was smiling? the smile he gave you specifically to you he was giving to her.

tears filled your eyes.

“y/n chan.. i’m-” , “its okay atsumu just get to class okay?,” you turned around hand shaking as you hold your keys, tears spilling down your eyes. “i'm going to be okay,” you smiled. “no, you’re crying,”

“i said i’m okay, i’m just going to leave,” you said running to your car and getting the fuck outta there.

leaving you saw atsumu go up to suna and scream at him.

your heart felt like it was being pulled, this can’t be real?

you headed home, slamming your door and falling to the ground, how could you rin?

flashes of him and her passed your mind seeing how happy he was.

you looked underneath and saw a photo on the ground. your grabbed it and sat on your bed, it was you and him in a photobooth smiling and then kissing. underneath in his handwriting he wrote “my love always and forever,”

you felt like throwing up, so this is what heartbreak feels like.

you were hurt mad even at the fact that before anything was able to happen it was already ruined. you cried yourself to sleep wanting to ignore the pain/

---------------------------------------------------------

you woke up around 9 p.m, you were confused but remembered all that happened today

“so that wasn't a horrible dream?,” you tried to laugh it out but really couldn’t.

you needed fresh air, you changed into sweatpants and a baggy shirt.

going for a drive blasting music, you didn’t know where you were going but you just needed to feel the air flowing past you. you stopped at the red light, everything was getting blurry tears now leaving as you hit the steering wheel.

you kept driving and ending up parking in this neighborhood, being very familiar but automatically knowing where you ended up. you looked to your right and saw his house.

you were about to get off trying to get closure you said, needing answers still trying to doubt everything and thinking maybe this was a horrible joke from the twins and him but then you got all the closure you needed. seeing as the door opened revealing the girl coming out.

your heart dropped seeing how happy they were and dare you say actually look good together. he smiled down at her and grabbed her for a kiss.

you gasped as a heart wrenching sob escaped your lips, she walked away as he never took his eyes off her figure.

that was me.

he then looked turning his head and made eye contact with you, you just silently laughed as you shook your head at him and turned on the car leaving. “y/n wait!,” you heard him say as you left.

you headed to the small park and sat in the slide looking up as you laid down and finally let everything out. “never knew your waiting was just a short trial did i have to pay for millions of hours?,” you cried as you looked up in the sky seeing your memories replay in your head

‘Cause how could I ever love someone else’ And I know we weren't perfect but I've never felt this way for no one

And I just can't imagine how you could be so okay now that I'm gone Guess you didn't mean what you wrote in that song about me 'Cause you said forever now I drive alone past your street’

your phone dinged as you look who texted you

suna rin: y/n we need to talk... suna rin: please, i am so so sorry just hear me out. suna rin: i really did wait i just, please let's just meet up.

you texted back

“im really happy for you suna, goodbye rintarou.”

you then deleted his contact as you took a deep breathe and sat up.

“i still see your face

In the white cars”

you grabbed your head, “was i not good enough?,”

“We crossed I still hear your voice In the traffic We're laughing”

flash back

“you know i think we're meant to be,” suna said from your bed as you were on your laptop finishing some things. “wow such a hopeless romantic,” you smiled at him as you were putting back your earphones. “just maybe right person wrong time,” he said softly. you looked back at him, “i'm sorry did you say something,” you asked him. he just shook his head, “nothing i was just saying your a nerd,” he said as he threw a pillow at your face. “you know what,” you got up and jumped on top of him both laughing.

flashback over

‘God, I'm so blue Know we're through But I still fucking love you, babe’

you finally realized what he said, right person wrong timing

you looked up at the cherry blossom tree and softly smiled

“your right suna we really were meant to be just right person, wrong time.”

i guess not every love story is meant to be complete.

the end.

#suna #suna rintaro imagine #suna rintaro x you #suna rintarō #inarizaki #heartbreak #haikyuu!!#haikyuu #angst #suna rintarou #suna rintaro hcs #suna rintarou x reader #haikyu x reader #atsumu #miya twins #x reader #sad #romance

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frostedfaves · 3 years ago

Text

Naive (3)

Masterlist

Pairing: demon!Wanda Maximoff x fem!reader

Summary: You pick up on the lies in Wanda’s life and she decides to show you the truth.

Warnings: 18+ ONLY, dark!fic, demon things™️, more hints at dom/sub because I’m a whore for demon!Wanda

A/N: I can’t believe that it’s been a month since I posted the last one 😭 I have some things planned for the next part and so on but I also kinda wanna take requests again??? idk we all know how I get overwhelmed easily with that so we’ll see what happens there. anyway tell me your thoughts on this please!

Previous part

Waking up feels like gasping for air after being trapped underwater. You aren’t sure how long you were asleep, but the mid afternoon traffic quickly alerts you of how much of the day has passed.

Despite your head feeling like it’s made of cement, you manage to stand up, slipping off thin pajamas as you walk into the bathroom and stop at the mirror. Your skin seems tender in places and you’re a little bit startled when there isn’t a single indication of the bite marks and scratches you feel, even after rubbing your eyes a few times and turning in every direction possible. Deciding to let it go for now, you reach for the shower stall to turn on the water, detouring to the bedroom instead when you hear your phone ringing.

“Hello?”

“You didn’t save my number, did you?”

“Wanda?” You pull the phone away long enough to quickly clear your throat. “I mean hey, Wanda! What makes you think I didn’t save your number?”

“You answered like you didn’t know who was going to be on the other end.”

“Okay, you caught me,” you admit after a moment of silence. “I promise I’ll save it as soon as we hang up. Anyway, what’s up?”

“Remember that pet adoption center you pointed out to me?” You acknowledge her with a hum. “I was thinking about getting a cat…Wanna tag along?”

“Absolutely! I was just about to shower though so I can be ready in an hour or so.”

“Perfect! I’ll text you when I’m outside.”

The two of you say your goodbyes and you keep your promise of saving her number, typing in her name and hesitating on the emoji keyboard. Realizing you’d spent far too much time contemplating this, you simply save what you have and hurry back to the bathroom, something in your brain urging you to not keep her waiting.

Within an hour, she sends you a text in all caps and a smiley face that tells you she’s arrived, and you can’t hide the fact that you’re surprised when you come outside and she’s waiting on the passenger side of the car.

“Hey! How are you?” she greets cheerily as she approaches you with a hug, and you shiver when her hand touches your lower back. “Are you cold?”

“No, I’m okay.” You smile and thank her when she opens the door for you, attempting to collect yourself as she crosses to the driver’s side again. “I’m really happy to see you again.”

“You are?”

“Yeah,” you admit quietly as she pulls away from the curb. “Is that such a bad thing?”

“No no, I just didn’t want to assume you were enjoying our time together as much as I was.”

She places her hand over yours while she glances at you, smiling as she squeezes your fingers and thigh lightly. You feel a rush of something traveling from the places she touched to your brain, only slightly aware of the fog settling in your mind.

“Well I didn’t want to be too enthusiastic about it and scare you away if all you wanted was friendship,” you clarify, meeting her eyes when she reaches a red light.

“I suppose you’re looking for more too, then.”

“I am now.”

The light turns green and she breaks eye contact, but the little smirk that follows tells you everything you need to know. At least, you hope it does.

“I think he’s the cutest one we’ve seen yet,” you comment about the kitten that hasn’t looked away from Wanda since you approached his area. “He seems really drawn to you, too.”

“How did he get the name ‘Baby Satan’?” Wanda inquires with an employee, who approaches you with a chuckle.

“It’s actually Baby Stan, because we used to have an adult cat named Stan as well and needed to tell the two apart. We were going to give him a new name but decided to leave that up to his new family.”

“It says ‘Baby Satan’ though,” you cosign with Wanda, gesturing to the extra A mixed in with the magnetic letters that spell the kitten’s name.

“Oh, I’m so sorry! I don’t know how that got there,” the employee apologizes as she reaches over to fix the sign, and you watch her freeze as Wanda touches her arm.

“Don’t be sorry. Keep it; I want to adopt him.”

“Okay, right this way,” the employee mumbles as she turns awkwardly and stumbles over to a desk, and as the two of you follow her, you look back to see Baby Satan still staring at the woman beside you.

“What was that about?” you speak up finally once you’re in the car with her new furry friend, and Wanda frowns at you while fastening her seatbelt.

“What?”

“Why did that employee react to you like that? You touched her and she started acting really weird after.”

“Oh, Kim’s fine!” she assures you as she fixes her mirror before pulling out of the parking lot. “I actually asked her about that while you were looking at scratching posts and she said I’d overstepped her boundaries and made her uncomfortable. Don’t worry, I apologized and everything’s good again.”

“She told you her name?”

“She was wearing a name tag, babe.”

Babe...that’s new. Still, the sudden nickname doesn’t completely distract you from the fact that you’re certain there was no name tag on Kim’s uniform. You’re debating with yourself about bringing this up when you notice her heading toward Lane County.

“Are you taking me to your house?”

“Yeah, if you don’t mind.” She glances at you and over her shoulder toward Baby Satan before turning back to the road. “I figured I could introduce both of my kittens to the place they’ll be spending a lot of time in.”

Her fingers brush over your knee as “my kittens” leaves her lips, and you’re almost embarrassed when your hips involuntarily buck slightly. Noticing the small change in your behavior, she takes advantage of your head turned toward your own window and allows her instincts to continue driving while she stares at you, placing her palm on your thigh and rubbing circles on the fabric covering it that brings her closer and closer to your core.

“Home, sweet home,” Wanda announces as she pulls her wandering hand away to park the car, jumping out a second later and grabbing her furry son from the backseat. “Hey there, Baby S.”

You step out of the car in a similar fashion of pulling yourself out of a swimming pool, taking in the fresh air and trying to relax yourself as you follow her into the apartment building. The hallways reflect the quiet and clean neighborhood as you make your way into the elevator and up to the 6th floor, suddenly entering the most empty apartment you’ve ever seen.

Of course there’s furniture: a couch with a TV mounted on the nearest wall, a dining table with a set of matching chairs, a few stools placed at the island and kitchen appliances that are shiny and new. But there isn’t any personal artwork, posters, books or even just a lamp that you could tell Wanda purchased herself with one glance.

“Are you staying in an AirBNB or something?” you ask as she carefully places Baby Satan’s carrier next to the couch, and she chuckles.

“I guess technically it was one before I moved in, but I’ve been here for two years.”

“Okay...so where are your pictures?”

“What?”

“Where are your pictures?” you repeat, maintaining a steady voice despite the expression she gives you as she faces you again. “Pictures of your family, friends, you as a child?”

“If you knew my family, you’d understand why you don’t see them here.” She startles you by practically growling her words but you press further.

“Okay but you also said you love plants and we’re the only living things in here.” You step back to put more space between you while quiet shuffling noises are heard inside the carrier. “What’s really going on here?”

You can easily spot the shift in Wanda’s emotions: going from defensive, arms crossed and eyes glaring to resigned with slightly sagging shoulders and a defeated sigh.

“Fine, you got me.” She bends over to pick up the carrier again and passes you on her way to the door, stopping a few feet away. “If you’re serious about pursuing a relationship with me, then I should probably show you my real home.”

“I don’t know...”

“Come on, love.” She comes just close enough to bring your hand into hers and a tingle spreads through your body, causing you to pull away but her grip only tightens. “I promise I’m not going to hurt you, and this is the only time I’ve lied.”

You find yourself being drawn closer to her, and an almost familiar feeling washes over you when her thumb begins rubbing gentle circles into your jaw. The metal on her ring is so cold it almost burns upon contact, yet you nuzzle into her more with each pass along your skin.

“Don’t you want to be good for me without being forced to your knees first?”

If the fog surrounding your consciousness wasn’t so thick, you might’ve been shocked by this side of her, so calm yet demanding you serve her. But the hand on your jaw seemed to cover every inch of your body and sink into your nervous system, forcing you to fall into her and let her lead you back to the car with a simple arm around your waist. You’re buckled into the passenger seat again and a slightly blurry grin greets you from behind the wheel seconds later.

“I can’t wait to make you mine.”

Your head falls against the car window as she drives to the edge of Lane County, and your altered vision picks up on businesses turning into isolated suburbs into grassy fields into forests. You travel along narrow, winding roads past the tallest of trees with very few spaces in between, and your hazy state of mind prevents you from panicking when Wanda turns onto a dirt path that doesn’t even seem to be safe for bicycles. The wheels bump along the forest floor until she comes to a stop just outside of a two foot dwelling, similar to a cave.

Once the two of you are out of the car again, she holds your hand with her free one until you reach the cave, instructing you to sit in front of it while she does the same. She places her palm on the door, and her rings seem to come alive as they interact with it for a few moments before it swings open and the three of you are sent flying through a tunnel. You land with a groan on the hard floor and dust yourself off as you carefully stand, any questions dying in your throat as you face Wanda again, now standing before you in her true form.

“Welcome home.”

#wanda maximoff #wanda maximoff x reader #dark!wanda maximoff x reader #avengers x reader #marvel x reader #frosty's dark!fics

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mrsbrekkers · 3 years ago

Note

How bout a kaz brekker x blind!reader? 💓

okay so i have never written blind!reader before but but but BUTTT a good idea came to me involving reader being a grisha ( healer ) who had the gift to see someone and what they truly look like if they are physically allowed to be let in? it’s hard to explain, but y a

in this, reader and kaz have known one another for a good three in a half years, they work on heists together, and reader is usually partnered with kaz, as he wants to keep her safe. i S U C K at summaries. also, i was hella distracted while writing this, but it came out somewhat okay? f u c k.

pairings! kax x blind!reader

reader in this is female, but i will adjust accordingly if you’d like me too! just let me know! :)

warnings! really distracted writing, jordie, ptsd, blood, the typical soc stuff, kaz almost having a panic attack, but also him realizing he’s safe there with reader ye.

i could so make this a series? like going through all the times blind!reader has made kaz come to trust her more and more. haha ha unless...

word count! 2847

ONE SHOT UNDER CUT

GLOVED INTERACTIONS

There were many descriptions given to Y/N about what Kaz Brekker looked like. What color his eyes were. What color his hair was. What his build was like. She could give you an accurate description of Jesper, Inej, Nina, Matthias, even Wylan was easy. But when it came to someone she couldn’t physically map out? She became a bit lost.

Being born without her sight, Y/N had to learn other ways to understand the world. Especially in a place like Ketterdam. Maybe that was why Kaz was quick to take Y/N under his wing. To keep her safe, just as he had with Wylan. But, Y/N wasn’t useless. Being a Healer, she was valuable to the Dregs. Nina was a powerful heartrender, but could only do so much when someone was inevitably hurt during jobs. That’s where Y/N was useful.

In a sense she had her sight, but it relied on physically being able to touch someone. A side-effect of being a Grisha, with abilities that no one has seen before. Her sight may have been gone, but being able to see one in her mind, whether it be blurry or clear, gave her an idea on what one looked like.

That meant Kaz was the most mysterious person to Y/N.

Y/N could describe most of the crows relatively well. Jesper had been the first to let Y/N use her ‘gift’ as Nina called it, with him. Her hands rested on his arms, slowly moving up to his shoulders, the other crows sitting around them to watch.

“You’re Zemeni, but I knew that already. Inej described you as long limbed, she wasn’t wrong.” Inej laughed a bit, shaking her head. “Lean, no surprise, I could make that out. Your eyes are a dark grey, but beautiful. I must say Jesper, you’re rather handsome. Being a handsome decoy seems like it should be a Jesper talent.”

Jesper smiled, looking down at Y/N. “Right on, almost to the dot,” he said, giving his best friend a chuckle.

“Your smile lights up a room. But I also knew that already,” Y/N added, tilting her head as she let her hands drop from Jesper’s shoulders. The crows around them were in awe, and then Nina was moving Jesper out of the way.

“Move handsome decoy, my turn,” She said, humming a bit as she sat in front of Y/N, making the Healer laugh. As she had with Jesper, Y/N ran her hands up Nina’s arms, stopping at her shoulders.

“Hmm, long curly brown hair, your heart beats a bit differently than the rest of our friends. Courtesy of being Grisha, and a Heartrender. You’re also a bit curvier than our friends, but as am I.” Nina smiled, glancing at their friends, who all seemed confused on how Y/N managed to do this.

“Green eyes, piercing almost. As always, like the rest of our friends, your smile lights up the room. But instead of Jesper’s toothy smile, you’re a closed mouth smiler, unless talking to Matthias of course,” Y/N smirked a bit, feeling Nina’s body heat up told her that the Heartrender was indeed, blushing.

Then slowly, all of the crows sat in front of Y/N. Except for Kaz, which Y/N understood. She didn’t pry, but she did begin to wonder what he truly looked like. There were so many conflicting descriptions. Obviously the ones given from people who didn’t like him weren’t taken into account, because most of them consisted of calling Kaz ‘The Grinch’. And while this was probably a good term for his lovely personality, it didn’t seem like it’d match his looks. Kaz wasn’t green after all.

But after a particularly rough job, one that ended with almost everyone scuffed up in some way, shape, or form, Y/N was working herself to the bone. Inej had the worst of it, so Y/N worked on her first at the Slat, and upon finishing, she had Nina sit next to the sleeping Wraith. She stood, huffing as she climbed the stairs to Kaz’s room. He was always the least willing to be healed. He always claimed he was the least beat up, or he could handle it himself.

This time, Y/N knew he wasn’t the least beat up. She’d heard about the gash running up his arm, and the scratches lining his face, which were less than pretty. Entering the room, she crossed her arms.

“I’m fine,” Kaz spoke first, earning a scoff from Y/N.

“I’ve heard plenty from Jesper about how nasty the gash on your arm is, and how your leg has been worse than usual. I can’t heal a bone that’s healed incorrectly, but I can ease the pain,” Y/N stated, moving to stand in front of the desk. Why was Kaz so damned stubborn about things like this? It concerned the Healer. Did he find himself so unlovable that he believed he deserved the pain when he was hurt?

“How are you going to count your Kruge if your arm is cut wide open?” Y/N asked, tilting her head. That made Kaz sigh. She wasn’t wrong about that. It also meant problems during other aspects of his job.

“Fine,” Kaz said reluctantly. He watched Y/N round the table, his eyes mainly on her fingers that softly glided the desk, letting her know when to turn. He’d always found it fascinating how she managed so much without her sight. Mainly how she found her ways around. The way her fingers would move so smoothly across surfaces. Or how graceful she seemed. It was hard to fascinate Kaz Brekker, but she did it effortlessly.

“I won’t touch you, but I’m going to need to be guided to where the gash is,” Y/N spoke, now standing in front of Kaz, who gulped with a shaky nod. He trusted her. He trusted all of his Crows, but her the most. She’d been there when the Crows were down bad. She brought smiles to the team without fail. Kaz could remember the first time they’d met, when his fascianation had started.

The night had been cold, dark. As Ketterdam usually was. After a few months of Kaz having Inej watch over the Healer that lived near the university district, Inej had come to Kaz with news that the Healer, Y/N, had noticed her. It had rendered the Bastard of the Barrel speechless. Someone had noticed Inej Ghafa?

“How did she notice you? Nobody notices you. Even I didn't for the first time, and I notice everyone,” Kaz stated, his tone confused.

“I believe our Healer is blind. It would make sense then, all of her other senses would be on high alert, especially her hearing. Even the most silent aren’t silent to the blind. They notice everything, Kaz. I’m surprised she didn’t notice me earlier,” Inej said, her arms crossed as she leaned in the doorway between the bedroom and the small office.

Kaz stalled for a moment, humming in consideration. It would explain how Inej had been found out. What that didn’t answer was whether Y/N knew who they were. He doubted it, but you could never be sure in Ketterdam.

“Did she know who you were?”

“I’m not sure, I left before things escalated. She said she knew I was there and to reveal who I was and who I worked for. So she knows I’m not some random in Ketterdam. I’m sure she could figure out enough if I’d appeared before her,” Inej said before looking back at the window. She knew she wasn’t followed, she always checked for such. But with the revelation that someone, for once, had noticed her, it wasn’t unlikely that maybe she’d been followed.

Kaz huffed, realizing he’d have to now go and explain to this Healer about how he’d been watching over her for the past few months. He wasn’t even sure why he’d been doing so. Well, he did, she’d be a good asset to have later if he ever decided to actually let it be known that he’d been keeping her safe. It was time that’d present a new reason.

Arriving at the small apartment that the Healer lived in, Kaz knocked Inej behind him, and when the door opened, his dark eyes landed on Y/N.

“I was waiting for you guys to show up,” Y/N said, turning and allowing the two inside.

“You knew we’d come?” Inej asked, entering the small apartment and sitting where Y/N offered, taking the small cup of tea she was handed. For being stalked for the past few months, the Healer was being rather kind.

“I suspected it was The Wraith watching over me for some time. I have learned to feel different presence’ around me. Yours, while I didn’t notice it at first, I began to when one of my papers went missing and was replaced with a forged one,” Y/N said, sitting next to Inej.

“How did you know it was forged?” Kaz asked, raising an eyebrow. Not that Y/N could see that, but his tone, his voice did the accenting for him.

“Kaz Brekker I presume. The handwriting wasn’t my own. I don’t have terrible handwriting, I’ve practiced for years after all, but my handwriting is not that nice. And the paper wasn’t the kind of paper I used. It was a close second, yes, but the letters weren’t able to be felt. That’s when I realized it was forged. It was a good forgery, but I’ve lived in Ketterdam long enough.” That’s when Kaz’s fascination started.

Or maybe it was when Inej had announced someone had noticed her. Nonetheless, that was the day he decided to recruit Y/N officially. It wasn’t hard either, considering she was rather willing too as long as she wasn’t indentured to the Dregs.

“I won’t go with if I’m going to be paying you back for the rest of my life,” Y/N stated, sipping her tea. Oh, and she had to bring her cat. Jesper now called the cat the Crows mascot. Which, the other’s had found weird. It was a cat, not a Crow, but they had changed the name of the cat to Crow. Which made the rest of the gang agree on it. Even Kaz found the cat enjoyable.

That was three years ago.

Since then, Y/N hadn’t let Kaz down once. He’d grown to trust her as he did Inej, even more so as she became his shadow. The person in his corner, his partner. He trusted his shadow.

Sighing, Kaz shook his head, looking over at Y/N and glancing down to her hands. “Left arm, right above my elbow,” he said, watching her fingers flex before moving to hover over the gash that covered a good part of Kaz’s upper arm.

“You know, I still don’t know what you look like,” Y/N said as she healed to gash slowly, making sure the work was intricate and done correctly.

“Brooding, dark, nothing else really to me,” Kaz said, but Y/N shook her head, finishing the gash and humming a bit. She moved her hand slowly up to Kaz’s face, doing a quick brush over to heal the small gashes there. Kaz felt them heal, his labored breath steadying as she moved her hand away from his face.

“I don’t believe that. If there was nothing more to you, I wouldn’t be staying around, Kaz,” Y/N said, bending down, but she felt a gloved hand grip her wrist, surprising her and causing her to jump a bit.

“I can handle that pain, I have for years,” Kaz stated, watching Y/N nod, and while she couldn’t see his hand, her eyes were still on the wrist that was enclosed by Kaz’s gloved hand.

“I may have an idea. A way for me to know what you truly look like,” Y/N said, a smile rising to her lips.

Kaz was almost frightened to ask. No, he was frightened. He knew what that would entail. But he knew what she looked like and she had so many conflicting ideas about what he looked like. He also knew that Y/N wouldn’t cross his boundaries unless he gave explicit permission. He could say no to this and she’d agree and leave with a smile, some words of encouragement to sleep and rest, and later have Inej or Jesper bring up food for him. But sucking in a deep breath, he looked up at Y/N, determining that he trusted her enough for this. She’d never hurt you.

“Okay, tell me the idea,” Kaz said slowly, his words wavering.

“You can back out at any time, Kaz. If you don’t want to do this, you let me know immediately,” Y/N stated, and Kaz let out a small cough.

He closed his eyes, nodding to himself before giving an audible, “I know.”

“Your gloves, their the barrier that helps ensure you don’t come into contact with skin. What if I wear a pair, they don’t have to be yours, but a pair of gloves and use them to learn what you look like?”

Kaz tilted his head. It wasn’t a terrible idea. It actually made a lot of sense. He used the gloves as a barrier, as Y/N had said. If she did the same, it would be the same as he had just done with her wrist. He wouldn’t feel Jordie. He wouldn’t feel Reaper’s Barge. At least, that’s what he hoped for. But he’d be willing to try for Y/N. He’d try for her.

“We . . . can try that, but use my gloves. I’m used to the feeling of them. I have another pair in the nightstand by my bed,” Kaz said, watching Y/N smile a bit before moving to grab the gloves in the nightstand. He watched her slide them onto her fingers, seeing they were just a bit big on her, he chuckled quietly.

Y/N let her fingers glide against the desk once more, pulling the chair from the other side of the desk right in front of Kaz. She could hear his uneven breathing as she sat too. “You guide me, just like before,” Y/N said, letting Kaz have control of the situation.

Slowly, Kaz lifted his hand, taking Y/N’s gloved one into his own. Stalling for a moment he shut his eyes tightly, and for a moment the flashes came to him, but he sucked in a deep breath, opening his eyes and seeing Y/N in front of him, alive, breathing.

He lifted her hands to rest on his shoulders, watching her hum as the vision of him began to form within her mind. He watched a smile come to her lips. She would never know how beautiful that smile was. How beautiful it was to him. How he hoped it wasn’t washed away like his was because of the Barrel.

“Hmm, Dark hair, trimmed at the edges. Inej teased you for it one day, I remember that. You have a sharper face than most of our friends, and a lean build, but more muscular than Jesper is.” Y/N tilted her head, the image in her head finally fully forming.

“Dark eyes, like bitter coffee. Two tattoos. I didn’t know that. I must say, but don’t Jesper this, you’re far more handsome than he is. Maybe you should start being the handsome decoy.” Kaz chuckled at that, and for a few moments he wasn’t shaking. He wasn’t fearful. He wasn’t breathing heavily. He was happy, even if just for those few moments. Happy because of her.

Y/N dropped her hands, pulling off the leather gloves and placing them on the desk. “Certainly not the grinch as some put it,” she added, standing.

“Pretty close to that,” Kaz said, watching her stand.

“Maybe personality wise, but certainly not look wise.”

“Who calls me the Grinch?”

“Jesper,” Y/N laughed. She remembered hearing Jesper reference Kaz as the grinch at one point. It was where the nickname had probably originated from for others to call the Bastard of the Barrel, and slowly it became known. The room became quiet for some time, and Y/N was the first to break it.

“Thank you . . . for letting me do that, I know it wasn’t easy. The tattoos, what are they of?” Y/N asked then, tilting her head. Kaz took a deep breath in, looking over at the window across by his bed. The one he rarely ever used.

“The Dregs Crow, and an R,” he didn’t elaborate, leaving Y/N to know that was as much as he’d say. She knew what the Crow was for, but she had a feeling she shouldn’t ask much more than that.

“Well, do get some rest. I can’t heal sleep exhaustion, sadly,” Y/N said, laughing a bit. She didn’t see it, but a smile spread on Kaz’s lips.

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