#and anything that might pull me away from this house is bad and evil and will end up hurting me.

[mr-ys-phantasma]

🌙 Moon Phases 🌙

Agatha Harkness X Fem!Reader

Chapter 1. - Chapter 2. - Chapter 3

Chapter 4. - Chapter 5. - Chapter 6

Word Count: 1470

Chapter 7:

The door closed behind you as the last of you entered, but no one was bothered by it. Instead, everyone was busy staring at the luxurious interior that did not match the vibe of the house outside.

"It's not exactly the stuff of nightmares." Jen commented, passively proving Agatha that such things were more to her liking.

The decor, the rich life and everything was something that Jen would easily have in her life; if she did not have her magic bound and forced to make "vegan" candles and products for ridiculous low prizes while fighting lawsuits for "little" accidents.

"The Road changes for the coven." Agatha explained bluntly.

However, it was Lilia that took notice of something else... her clothes.

"It changed us, too." She pointed out, making everyone look at themselves and at one another.

Indeed, the clothes had changed to fit the mood more; now, all of witches resembling rich housewives than anything else.

You dared to glance at yourself, eyebrows shooting up in surprise at the outfit the Road had chosen for you.

Your vest and tie were gone. Instead, a nice baby pink shirt had replaced the three buttons open and was rather generous with your cleavage. The outfit matched with a set of bright white pants and a white/creme jacket.

Bonus point, you were no longer barefoot, though you were not sure how to feel about the open toe ankle strapped heels

"My amulet!" Alice exclaimed in panic, searching for her very special necklace.

By instant, your hand went to your neck where yours was always tied but did not find it. Before panic could settle in, though, you took notice of one of the many bracelets you had in your arms.

One of them was your amulet, the three moon phases offering you some comfort.

Amulets were important for all witches, special symbols chosen by otherworldly powers, and each one unique to each witch. They carried fragments of your power. They symbolised your affinity, and more than once, they were enchanted to offer protection against lesser evil.

Everyone started to walk inside, some like Jen looking for a mirror to fully admire their new outfit and hairstyle, others the decorations; and some like Teen; took notice of something that stood out in this serene living room.

You stayed where you were, ready to take a step forward when you took notice of Agatha slowly heading for the door, only to realize there was no doorknob and no way to exit.

You shook your head faintly and placed one hand on your waist, connecting your gaze with hers.

"Ags," you said softly, and she offered you an innocent smile, as if you had not observed her trying to leave the room. "You know how it goes. There is no way out once a trial starts"

She huffed faintly, knowing that too well, but she still was willing to try. She was never a patient woman, and right now, she had no reason to be. She needed her powers as quickly as possible and to get away from everyone; hopefully stealing you with her along the way.

"Well, it was worth a shot," she argued and fixed her outfit, not hiding her dissing at the turtleneck and the very boring cliché outfit chosen for her.

"You know, this style is not that bad on you. Think you could pull it off, " you commented, hoping to take her mind off something at least.

Agatha rolled her eyes as she walked your way, confident as ever. "Oh, please. You liked anything I chose to wear. Terrible company for shopping"

You could not help but smirk. "True," you agreed, not once offended by her cheeky remark. "Though you could never truly blame me"

This might have been the longest talk you had with one another in a long time, and you did not want it to end. This back and forth comment and slight flirty remarks were always your thing; perhaps was also what had exposed your relationship the first time.

Back then, the world was not that tolerant with your preferences, and even now; sometimes it felt as if your feelings for the same gender were illegal, a mistake.

She stood between you and the door, head held high. While you were the same height, these heels did add you a few inches to make you taller than her, and somehow, you knew she did not fully like it.

Her gaze remained locked with yours and yet she could not help but let her eyes trail down your body, attracted by the open top of your shirt.

It had been too long since she had seen you in tempting clothes, buttons, and ribbons close enough that she could tease and remove without much of an effort.

You titled your head faintly to the side, drawing her attention to your delicate neck.

It was frustrating how easily she was attracted to you, a deep need to recreate all your past moments that never left her memory. She would never allow it to happen, not with others present and not before she had obtained her powers back.

You knew that, but still seeing the way she would look at you, the mood changing when she had her chance to comment on your words made you happy.

It was proof that despite the passing years, despite the time you spent away from one another; you had not become complete strangers... not yet.

There was still this spark between you that could easily be fed and grown into a huge fire, if only you would both let her.

You took a deep breath, fighting back the need to grab and kiss her; even if it was for a mere second. You knew now it was not the Time nor the place to try and bring back the spark you always seemed to have for one another.

"Oh my god!" Sharon shouted, worrying you all that something happened. Yet, when the mortal woman walked back into the living room with a smile on her face; your worries washed away. "Bury me in that kitchen."

"Careful what you wish, Mrs. Davis" You could not help but mumble, your mouth working before your brain could stop it. "Wishes are a powerful thing"

Your words did not seem to ease the atmosphere, and you could not help but receive different looks from your fellow witches. Your words did sound little too ominous for their liking, and considering you seemed to have some connection to Agatha, it made them even less willing to trust you right away.

Thankfully for you, Teen was there to save the day.

"Hey, check this out!" The boy called, making you all look at him; temptations and sinful thoughts pushed to the back of your minds.

You quickly noticed that in his hands, he held an envelope, and your curiosity got the best of you. You walked towards him along with the others, only Agatha trailing behind; careful of what might happen once that envelope was opened.

"The Witches' Road cordially invites you to The First Trial." He read the outside of the envelope before daring to open it. "It's a riddle. My age has value. I'm no fun alone. I mess with your mind. My tricks are well-known."

You held back a scoff. By the divine godess, did you hate riddles, always messing with your head, and unfortunately; you were never really good with them either.

Perhaps that was why they frustrated you that much.

"That's a gorgeous card stock. Double-sided, too." Sharon said, quickly taking and inspecting the card with the riddle on.

"What does it mean?" Jen asked.

"That it's really expensive."

"The riddle, Mrs. Davis." You explained to the human woman, who was once again lost in her own little world.

"My age has value, no fun alone, i mess with mind, my tricks are well-known... " Alice mumbled as she read the riddle out loud.

Agatha thought for a moment. "Sounds like a witch

Jen quickly grabbed the chance to comment. "Sounds like you."

An intense staring started between the two women, Agatha, even daring to minic Jen and not helping with the situation or the riddle.

Suddenly, Sharon turned and noticed something that was not on the table a moment ago. "Wine!"

Immediately, everyone realised that this was the answer.

"That's it. Ten points for Mrs. Hart." Jen said and all turned to look at the bottle of wine, accompanied by 6 wine glasses.

"Wait, we don't know what'll happen if we drink it." Lilia voiced out as Agatha grabbed the wine bottle.

"But if we don't follow these obvious breadcrumbs, we can't move forward, and we won't get to big prize," Agatha argued. "So, does anybody have a corkscrew?"

Chapter 8

[thebeast-dennis-etcetera]

Safe and Sound

“Sweetheart, if you keep running like that, you’re gonna fall,” you advised your overly confident 4 year old as she raced through the squad room. Sure enough, just as she was about to turn the corner, her feet got tripped up and she took a small tumble. Nothing you were worried about but Tony had just happen to see and your daughter knew that if she started crying, he would come running. So that’s what she did.

“Oh no, did that evil carpet trip you?” Tony picked her up off the floor and sat her on his hip, wiping her crocodile tears away. You made your way over, smiling and setting a box of take out on your husband’s desk.

“She’s got you wrapped around her little finger Tony. All she wants are those Italian crackers you keep in your desk.”

“Crackahs,” your daughter mimicked, proving your point.

“Ah yes. The cracker tax will be paid, fear not young padawan,” Tony told her while setting her down in his desk chair and opening up his drawer to pull out the little stash. You shook your head and smiled as your toddler happily munched on her favorite snack, dropping crumbs all over Tony’s desk.

“Where’s Jethro?” you asked, also noticing the other missing agents.

“He’s with Bishop questioning some lady who might know where our suspect is hiding. Been gone a while, shouldn’t be too long of a wait.”

Jethro had told you their day was a bit slow since they hadn’t had any new leads so you decided to surprise him for a late lunch. You knew he wouldn’t want to leave the office so you brought food from his favorite Chinese restaurant. Figured you 3 could eat in the conference room or something.

“Oh, would you look at that. Bishops calling me now.” He picked up the phone while sitting at the edge of his desk. “Your ears must be burning Bishop-

He stopped his joking as his face got serious, catching your attention.

“What happened?….Did he get away?…..What hospital?”

You hoped to God they weren’t talking about Jethro as your worst nightmare started playing in your head.

“Alright. I’ll grab Ducky and Palmer and meet you there.”

He hung up the phone and you waited for his next words.

“The suspect was hiding out at the house. He shot Gibbs in the shoulder but he’s fine. They brought him to Sibley Memorial.”

Without another word, you were out of your seat and scooping your daughter up before heading for the elevator.

————

“Where we going mommy?” your little girl asked from the backseat as you drove.

“We’re gonna go see Daddy sweetheart. But we gotta be really gentle when we see him because he just got a big ouchies on his shoulder, ok?”

“Ok. How come Daddy got an ouchies?”

“Sometimes he gets ouchies when he’s working. Remember the ouchie he had on his knee?”

“From the bad guys!” she resolved proudly.

“That’s right. But don’t worry. Daddy got the bad guy.”

“Yay!”

She didn’t ask anymore questions after that thankfully. Sometimes it was difficult explaining Jethro’s job but she actually understood a lot of it, making it easier. She got all the smarts from Jethro you’re sure of it.

Once you arrived, you headed straight for the nurses station.

“Leroy Jethro Gibbs. He’s my husband, I believe he was brought in a little bit ago.”

The nurse typed a bit on the computer before nodding. “Looks like he just came out of surgery. Room 323. Third floor.”

You showed her your ID and received your visitors sticker, your daughter taking it immediately to stick it on herself. Then the two of you made your way through the hospital till you found his room. You were surprised when you saw him out of bed, buttoning up his dress shirt.

“Leaving against medical advice again Jethro?”

He looked up surprised and gave that half grin when he saw you two.

“Daddy!”

Your daughter dropped your hand and raced over to him as he crouched down to her level.

“Remember be gentle honey,” you reminded before she reached out for a hug.

Jethro picked her up easily with his good arm and gave her a kiss on her forehead.

“How’s my princess? You learn anything new at school?”

“We did numbers. And colors!”

“Wow. You are so smart, you know that? You’ll be taking Uncle McGee’s job before you know it.”

You just watched the two of them have their conversation with a smile. She loved talking with her dad. Whether it was about her favorite show or asking him what every one of his woodworking tools did. She was definitely more of a daddy’s girl than mommy’s. But you loved it. You loved the way Jethro’s face lit up everytime he saw her. He could be having the worst day at work and she would be the one to make him crack a smile.

“And mommy got you food,” she continued.

“She did? Well I’m hungry as a bear. And if I don’t eat something soon, I just might eat you!”

She squealed in laughter as he gave her kisses and walked over to you.

“You gave me quite a fright today Mr. Gibbs,” you chastened as he set your daughter down.

“I’m sorry about that Mrs. Gibbs. I’ll try harder not to.”

You two kissed deeply, happy that his injury wasn’t too severe and he was safe.

“Did I hear my daughter correctly when she said you bought me food?” he mumbled against your lips.

“Mm-hm. It’s at the office. Room temperature, just how you like it.”

He chuckled and gave you another kiss before taking your daughter’s hand in his and leading the way out of the hospital.

[ghostbsuter]

"That's all, thank you, Bruce." Jazz could cry from joy and grief, their uncle was so kind to take them in after she'd got danny and herself out of that house.

"Of course, if you need anything else, don't hesitate."

Danny perks up at that, jumping away from his seat and rounding on the man.

"You got an empty meeting room I could borrow? I have to prepare a court meeting."

Surprise colours Bruce and he's quick to smile.

"Of course, Alfred can lead you to it, but out of curiosity. What court meeting?"

Blinking confused, Danny turns to jazz. "I thought you told him everything?"

Jazz blinks back, just as confused. "I did? I covered the ghost situation, the government, and our parents. Was there more?"

Clarity rains on Danny in small steps, he curses, hand already pulling out a dollar and giving it to Alfred.

"Okay– jazz you should sit down."

"What? Why?? Danny?"

She was ushered to his previous seating place, Bruce and Tim watching, calculating.

"Okay so, don't kill me for this. I might have forgotten to tell you something."

Alarmed, Jazz attempted to stand up but was pushed down once more.

"Remember the big bad evil king I fought and won against?"

"Yes?"

"It was right of conquest. Congrats, your a princess."

Her brain shortcuts, it takes a moment for her to reboot.

("Undead royalty. Huh, that's a new one."

Bruce sighs at Tims comment, fingers pinching his nose.)

"You're a prince." She observes, slow.

"Yep."

"And you forgot to mention it."

"Yep..."

"I want to see the castle and have a week of vacation. You're going to introduce me to all your court members and give me a full tour of your apparently new dimension." It's not a request nor a demand, she's getting it.

Danny won't be denying her that.

"Planned and dealt, anything else, Princess Jasmine?"

She scruncles her nose and gives him a shove.

"Never call me that again."

"Yes ma'am, supreme sister of all."

[jangofettjamz]

Happy Halloween

Jenna Ortega x Autistic!Male!Reader

Summary: You and Jenna attend your sister Emma Myers' halloween party to try and boost your social confidence.

Words: 2400

TW: Sexual Harassment.

Set in the same timeline as "Confessions"

Jenna POV

October has finally rolled around, tis halloween season; my favourite season. Y/N and I are going to a Halloween party that his twin, Emma Myers, is hosting.

Not only is this Y/Ns first Halloween party, but it's his first party in general. I told him that he didn't have to go if he didn't want to, but he insisted. He's been trying to improve his social abilities for the last year and he believes that going to this party might help him gain that much needed boost I'm confidence. I'm so proud of him for trying.

We've decided that we're gonna be dressed as superheroes this year; his choice. Normally I'd go for something much more "macabre", but it's his first Halloween with me so I let him choose the theme of our costumes.

Originally we were going to go as Wednesday and Xavier, though we decided against it as, one: it was unoriginal and two: it hadn't been announced that Y/N was replacing Percy as Xavier for Wednesday Season two, so we wanted to keep it on the down low.

I'm going as a female version of Spider-Man, we'll I guess it would be "Spider-Women" in my case. It's a generic choice I know, but who doesn't like anything Spider-Man related, especially after that masterpiece of a movie "Across The Spider-verse." My costume is a rwd and blue Spidey suit; classic style.

Y/N however, he chose an outfit that I dunno if it constitutes as a "superhero" costume. Mainly because that this character is downright evil. He is going as one of the best TV villains ever: Homelander.

Jack Quaid, who worked on The Boys and scream 5 with me, managed to get in contact with the producers and procured one of the costumes they used for Antony Starr. It pays being a celebrity sometimes. The suit was a perfect fit for Y/N, he absolutely loves The Boys, so you imagine how happy he was when Jack managed to source this suit for us.

Dying his hair to match Homelander's was a bit nerve wracking for him as he'd never dyed his hair before, but I eventually convinced him after a while and he definitely looks the part.

The party is going hold around 50 people, all at the Myers' house. Atleast the party is at a familer location making it easier for Y/N. Though, I admit I'm still a little nervous that he'll become to overstimulated from all the music, lights and people. I take pride in making sure that everything is adjusted for Y/N comfort and accessibility, but this is completely out of my hands and I hate that.

He assures me that he'll be fine, that he can manage on his own and that he'll be fine if anything goes wrong. Still, I can't help but worry about him, he is my everything after all. I do get a bit motherly over Y/N sometimes.

- 3 hours later - Myers Residence.

We just pulled up the Myers House. Many different coloured lights gleamed put the windows, loud music invaded our ear drums even from inside the car. "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all" Y/N said nervously; the kind of of nervous you'd hear from someone when they know something bads going to happen.

"Do you wanna go back home, bubs?" He looked at me, then back at the house, contemplating his choices. "Honey, I won't be mad if you wanna go back home, we both knew that this would be difficult for you. There's no shame in wanting to go home, baby." I said with a smile to let him know my words are genuine.

"I wanna go in" He finally said.

"Are you sure?" I said, needing firm confirmation that he wanted this. He nodded and I smiled. "I'll be right beside you, if at any point you get uncomfortable, you tell me right away." He nodded again and we made our way to the front door, the sound of loud music increasing with each step we take.

Pumpkins lit with candles were displayed on the door step, clearly Emma has a talent for carving pumpkins I see. Y/N walks behind, I can practically feel his eyes staring at my ass. I turn around and he immediately turns his head, making me smile widely.

"Were you staring at my ass, Y/N L/N?" He didn't answer me and kept his eyes to the ground, confirming my suspicions. I kiss him on the lips "It's okay, I don't mind" He smiles and reaches for the doorbell.

Y/N rang the doorbell with an unsteady hand, his foot nervously bouncing up and down against the pavement as we wait for someone to answer the door. The door eventually swings open revealing Emma. She's dressed as Enid in her black cat outfit.

"Oh my god, Y/N, you're here!" She says pulling him into a tight death grip of a hug. He laughs while returning the hug with an equal amount of pressure.

"Good to see you too, sis. I should've known you would've went as Enid for Halloween" he says playfully, she nudges his arm in response at his cheeky little comment.

She turns to me and gives me a bug hug. It's been a while since I've seen her, so it was nice to catch up after all this time. "Your costumes look amazing guys, that Homelander suit looks so authentic!" Little did Emma know, it was very authentic.

She leads inside to the living room, the sound of music was turned down a bit now that Y/N was here much to some peoples dismay, but no one objected, at least not verbally anyway.

"How's your Halloween going so far sis?" Y/N asked his sister.

"Oh it's going great dude, we have a lot of candy for all the trick or treaters that knock kn our door." She takes a seat on the couch in the living and so do we, my hand interlocks with Y/N to keep him close.

"I'm surprised you came here, Y/N/N. I know you don't like the party scene all that much. I'm proud ofnyou for coming though, bro." She says pridefully, bunping her fist against his shoulder affectionately. He smiles at her, besides me and his parents, Emma is his number one supporter.

Suddenly a girl appears out of nowhere, intruding on our conversation. "Oh my god! Jenna Ortega!" At first I thought it was only an innocent fan wanting a picture so I spoke to her at first.

"Hi there, very nice to meet you" I say politely.

She looks over to Y/N with a smirk and a lick on the lips. "Well hi there handsome, nice costume" she says with a sultry tone. "Wanna ditch this party, I know a place where we can hang out, if you know what I mean" she says with a wink, she actually winked.

Y/N looked back at me looking extremely uncomfortable, his eyes just screamed "help me, Jenna." His grip on my hand tightened, indicating his stress and anxiety.

Before Y/N could so anything I set her straight. She went to touch him but grabbed her wrist tightly, earning a squeal from the bitch "He doesnt want to go anywhere with you, he's with me. I think you should go"

she leaves with a pout etched onto her bitchy face. "I'm not no expert on social interaction, but I'm 100% sure that she was flirting with me" he says, still shocked from what happened.

Emma spoke up "You okay, Y/N?"

He nods, still clearly uncomfortable with what just went down. I hug him tightly, keeping my arms securely around him. "I'm sorry she did that, bubs. I promise I won't let that happen again." He nodded at my words, my hands working my way under his cape to rub his back. Something tells me that bitch will make another move.

-2 hours later

The party is a lot more lively than we first got here, around 55 people for sure. I haven't had any alcohol since I didn't wanna get drunk, I've gotta drive home. I've been talking with Emma's friends, getting to know them a little.

Y/N sat next to me, though he struggled to talk with them and kept silent more often then not. He tapped my shoulder "I'm gonna go get a drink, I'll be back in a minute." I nodded, though admittedly I kinda wanted to go with him, but he's his own person and can handle himself. Like I said, I can't help but worry about him.

I keep my eye on him from afar, just in case anything were to happen. "So what's been going on with you and Y/N then, Jenna. Has my brother been behaving himself?" She jokes

I laugh and respond to her "He's great; both of us are. He's been trying to improve on his social skills lately, he thought coming here would help with that" I say, eyes quickly glancing to Y/N every once and awhile. I turned back to Emma and continued "Though, I think he's been struggling tonight, lots of people new people, not to mention all the lights and music."

Emma sighs, knowing her brother's struggles with socialising. "It'll take time to build his confidence. It seems like everytime he makes progress there's always something bad that happens, like what happened with Percy." Emma says that part with disgust.

I look over to Y/N who's still choosing what drink he wants, he's very indecisive, like me. "You're staring, Jenna" Emma catches me staring at him. I point my gaze back to her.

"Sorry I'm just worried about him, y'know." She nods at my words.

"Yeah I get it. I worry about him all the time." She admits with a sigh.

Suddenly I hear Y/N start to plead for someone to leave him alone. "Hey please leave me alone! I have a girlfriend!" He shouts, the girl from earlier had come back to harass.

"She doesn't deserve you, baby. Let me show you a good time" he shakes his head erratically, he looks like he's about to go into shock. I make my way over to save him from this psycho bitch.

She suddenly starts kissing him, causing him to whimper from disgust. He grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her off immediately out of pure desperation. "LOOK LADY I DONT WANNA GO OUT WITH YOU! PLEASE LEAVE ME ALONE!" All eyes were on them, his hands shook violently.

He looked at me, desperately wanting escape this situation. I dragged the girl up off the floor by her hair and slammed against the fridge. "You ever sexually harass my Y/N again, you're fucking dead" she nods and runs out the front door. Emma hugs Y/N, who's still a bit shaky after all that.

"You okay, baby boy?" I ask worriedly, cupping his cheek at the time. He nodded while releasing his grip on Emma and began wrapping me in a hug. There were no tears, he was still in shock from the whole thing his eyes were erratically darting across the room, noticing all the people that watched waht had happened.

He needs a quiet space "Emma is there a place where Y/N can calm down?"

"His old room is upstairs, that's his quiet place" I immediately take him upstairs, pushing past all the people who were in the way.

I opened the door to his room and sat him on the bed, still holding tightly in my arms. His frame was shaky but his breathing was less erratic now that he had less people watching him. Only a few sniffles were let out. "It's okay, baby boy. She's gone now."

"I didn't mean to, Jenna! She just kissed me without consent! I didn't kiss back I swear!" He pleads with me.

"Shh shh I'm not mad. I know it's not you're fault, she should never have done that. I'm so so sorry baby." I keep his head tucked into my shoulder.

I really don't think he should be at a party right now. He was just sexually harassed and is extremely stressed, far too stressed to socialise with anyone right now.

"Baby let's go home. You're way too stressed right now. We'll have our own little party, just me and you. We'll watch a couple scary movies together, make some popcorn and eat lots of candy. Whaddya say, sweetheart?" He nods and takes my hand.

We head back downstairs to tell Emma we're leaving. She's in the kitchen talking with her parents on the phone, absolutely fuming at what had just happened. I go up to her "Hey Emma we're gonna go. Y/N is really stressed out right now."

"That's okay, Jenna. Y/N I'm sorry this happened. If you ever need to talk to me, just call. Okay?" He nods at her comforting words and pulls her into a gentle embrace. "I love you both. Drive safe." We nod and head out the house.

- 45 minutes later

Me and Y/N are sitting on the couch, out costumes off and into our pyjamas. We've got popcorn, candy, chips and other snacks at the ready for our horror movie marathon, starting with "Candyman" then after that "Halloween".

Y/N moves his head to my chest. My hand made its way through his hair. "Thanks for getting me out of there, Jenna. Any longer and I think I may of had a nervous breakdown." He chuckles.

"It's alright baby. You're safe now and we're gonna have lots of fun. Just you and me." He smiles, eyes staring at my lips. I lean forward and kiss him tenderly and gently, my hand cupping his cheek as I did.

It was definitely worth leaving that party. The time I get to spend with him is better than any party.

[dirty-bosmer]

Fandom: Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Relationship: Mathieu Bellamont/Lucien Lachance but in the "haha, I think of you nonstop and want to kill you so bad that I'll cut you open and crawl inside your skin to be inside you" sort of way :) content warning: dissolution of the self, murder and the grief that accompanies it.

I just really love Mathieu Bellamont + he gives me more excuses to write angst. Here, I wanted to write a series of microfics that explore the tragic relationships he has with the people in his life, past and present.

Preview:

Because at nine you saw His sickness in the flesh, an evil so mindless, so monstrous that your little voice couldn’t yet find the words to name it anything but death. Because death’s fist clenches much further than its arm can reach, and only in her absence did you learn her passing had killed the both of you, that beyond the artifice, beneath the skin, it was all blood and bone and borrowed time.

Prologue: Dead Spaces

Remember the breeze? Remember its salt tang? Remember the snap of the sails in the harbor, the rolling rhythm of Wayrest’s waters, how sharp the first breath hit the back of our throats when we rose from the white-wash, hand in hand?

When we were together— alone together— we were perfect, could have stayed like that forever. Weren’t you happier too when it was just the two of us, you and I away from Father? If only you knew what I knew, that nothing else really mattered. Together, we were whole. Mother, why did you have to bring us back to that house we knew was never a home?

— from the diary of Mathieu Bellamont

Because at nine you saw His sickness in the flesh, an evil so mindless, so monstrous that your little voice couldn’t yet find the words to name it anything but death. Because death’s fist clenches much further than its arm can reach, and only in her absence did you learn her passing had killed the both of you, that beyond the artifice, beneath the skin, it was all blood and bone and borrowed time. Ten thousand suns and ten thousand more to come— they rise, each one, like the weals left by biting gnats. As a boy, all your wounds too were circles, and sometimes you wonder, were there anything left of him, what shape would he have become?

The shadows pulse along the sanctuary wall— yours, a gnarl of limbs bent by the weight of accruing grief that as a boy frightened you so much you fell asleep with your eyes open. Hours you’d spend watching your silhouette warp in the receding light, convinced even your own body could betray you. And why shouldn’t it? Flesh deceived you once before, and your father’s blood beats within you still, a traitor’s poison. Hear it sloshing. Hear it straining, slow and viscous, stirred by some feat of necromantic magic keeping your corpse tethered to Nirn. Yes, though these eyes blink and this mouth moves, you hang beneath the surface of the skin. The hand in the puppet, the echo of an old command, yet there is no more man here than there is in a persistent haunting. Were you a curse or were you never more than an afterthought of Arkay’s to begin with? See, it’s not so much death you’ve cheated as it’s life you’ve managed to escape, but men as small as you can do that when made up of empty space.

Your existence has been no more than an exercise in breathing as little as possible, taking only from Nirn what is needed to carry onward one more day. Consume too much of life, and you risk dissolving the formlessness you’ve cultured. Someone might notice, reach out and touch you, pull you off your liminal stage. Pray tell, what happens then? Do you precipitate? A deposition? Can you turn the vapor back to crystal, form the memory of what was into the man who should have been? If someone called your name, could you answer sure and without wincing? Could you level a stare, gaze back into the eyes of the damned and living and see reflected there the shape of you, the quake of you? Could you risk it?

To go on knowing that maybe you weren’t drowned completely, that all this time you could have saved yourself if only you had reached, that when Arkay turned his back and let the dead wash up, blue and bloated, maybe your mother’s life wasn’t the one you’d been brought back to retrieve.

And are you both or are you neither when all that’s left of her is your face? No, no. Tell yourself she is not gone, merely going, and keep your grip tight even if it demands all of your strength, because wherever she is, there you are too. Remember that her heart beat once for the both of you, and though what you share now is not life, it is sacred: a bond more binding than your father’s blood. How could anyone else comprehend it? The others sleeping in the sanctuary, their body heat like a low grade fever, will never know you’re not their brother, already someone else’s son, and you’re a son as long as you remember that you are a part of her, the heart of her, that even before you came into this world, you were wanted, you were loved.

And if the boy you were was still here, would you recognize him? Would he, you, lying awake as you are now, dry eyes turned to the horizon’s beginning light? Imagine him somewhere on the water, trawled up and imploded, body misshapen, his smile split like an open coffin. Imagine him shadowless and shapeless, lying still and blistering with hope as he waits for the next of ten thousand suns for the day he’s made back into one.

Take comfort then in having been born again a ghost, for you do not look to the future. There is none.

[apocalypseornaw]

Bad Idea

Bobby told you to stay away from Sam. You knew he wasn't the same man you'd known after Dean's death, you knew he was involved with Ruby but despite all of that you had to make one final plea rather to say goodbye or remind him of who he was

Warnings: cursing,mention of blood drinking?, NSFW stuff happening

It'd taken you two days to track Sam down between hunts. You weren't sure what you would say when you got to him or even if he'd speak to you, chances were Ruby was following him around like an annoying evil bitch of a puppy that you'd love nothing more than to stab with her own knife.

You pulled up to the outside of a motel that couldn't be described as anything but shitty and you had squatted in a few abandoned houses with the boys and Bobby in the past on hunts. You weren't sure what to expect but you parked your mustang next to the impala which would always be easy to spot. You'd called ahead and had luckily guessed what alias Sam had used.

You locked your car then walked to the door of room two fifty five. You owed it to Dean and to Sam to at least try to get him to come to Bobby's with you. You knocked after checking that you had holy water in your jacket pocket and the feel of your gun at your back was a familiar weight.

----------

A moment later the door opened to reveal a haggard looking Sam. Dark circles under his eyes along with a hollow look in them. It hurt you to see him like this. "Y/N what are you doing here? How did you find me?" You pushed past him into the room, clocking every corner to ensure it was just him before you said "I may not be Dean but I do know you pretty well"

He raised both eyebrows slightly then a smirk almost appeared on his face but he quickly buried it "Well you found me. What do you want? I mean I'm not coming back to Bobby's" you nodded turning to face him "I figured that. Look I just wanna talk. Is it just gonna be you? I mean can I take my jacket off or am I gonna have to fight that black eyed skank before the night's out, cause honestly I haven't been having the best last few weeks either so I'm down to play either way"

He laughed at that, the sound was a hollow echo of his usual laugh. "She's not coming here" you nodded. You pulled your jacket off and draped it across his duffle bag. "Gonna lay your gun down or am I a threat?" You shrugged "I don't want to consider you a threat" you laid the gun down on top of your jacket then turned to face him. He wasn't high, he looked like maybe he'd hit withdraws, rather lack of blood from Ruby not being around or his own choice you weren't sure.

----------

"Why are you doing this Sam? I get it, losing Dean hurt. Hell it hurt me and Bobby too" he cut you off by shaking his head "Y/N no offense but you didn't watch your only family get ripped to shreds by a hellhound because he made a deal to save your life"

His words hurt on some level of course but you knew the Winchesters well enough to know their defense mechanisms. "He might have been your only blood left but he's not your only family Sam. I'm here, Bobby would be there for you. We love you"

He took a step towards you and it took everything in you to keep your feet planted. He wouldn't normally be a threat to you but this Sam? The air around him felt off, wrong. He wasn't quite the man you'd known for years but you knew that man was still in there. "Then why did you just drop into a fighting stance?" He asked glancing down towards your body. You hadn't realized you moved until he pointed it out, you'd done it on instinct alone.

"I haven't seen you in weeks Sam. I want to trust that I'm safe with you but some of the choices you're making doesn't help" He nodded stepping even closer to you and this time you allowed yourself the movement of stepping back, putting breathing room between you and him put also putting your back to a wall.

----------

You glanced towards your jacket and the gun that laid atop it. You had a knife stuck into your boot but could you really use it on Sam?

He chuckled darkly placing a hand on either side of your head meaning he effectively had you trapped between his body and the wall "You forgetting I know you too? You just clocked your gun and the knife that's in your left boot" the last words he spoke you could feel his warm breath fanning over your neck "Could you kill me? Be honest"

You turned to meet his eyes. Fuck he was close and despite everything you could feel your stomach jerk when his eyes trailed over your body. Why the hell had you come here alone? You swallowed hard "To save my life? Yeah I could kill you" he smiled "I've always loved that damn fire about you"

His head lowered to your neck, causing a gasp to escape you when his tongue flicked out over your pulse point. "I've always thought about how it would be" "What?" You asked, trying to control your breathing. This wasn't how you expected the night to go.

---------

He leaned back to be eye to eye with you "Why did you really come here? When I know for a fact Bobby would've told you not to, that I'm too unpredictable and unreliable now" "I couldn't say goodbye to you without it being face to face" you replied and he smiled again "So you're here to say goodbye?"

You nodded, your gaze flicking down to his lips then back up to his eyes. "Yeah, I am" "I don't think that's all you want" you couldn't think straight. So much had happened in such a short time. You'd fucking missed him so much and damn you'd wanted him for years.

"Fuck it" you muttered before pulling him down to you. The moment your lips touched his he groaned into the kiss. You tangled your fingers into his hair tugging roughly as he deepened the kiss, rolling his tongue against yours. His large hands gripped your hips tightly causing you to gasp against his lips.

He broke away from you long enough to rest his forehead against yours "You want this?" You nodded, not trusting your voice but he shook his head "Verbal confirmation Y/N" "I want this" you spoke and he grinned "Good"

His hands went to the hem of your shirt and you moved to help him pull it over your head. He chucked the thin material behind him then leaned down to take one of your clothed breasts into his mouth. "Fuck Sam" you groaned, feeling your knees weaken and the wetness between your legs grow. He smiled against your chest "I love that"

---------

Before you knew it he had your bra off along with his shirt and was moving to pull your jeans off your legs. "I'll take my time later but right now I want to feel that pretty little pussy stretched around me"

He kicked his jeans off then picked you up, wrapping your legs around his waist and lining himself up with your opening "You're sure?" He asked one final time "Just fuck me Sam" you begged and that was all it took. He buried himself inside of you with one thrust.

Your head fell back in a silent scream. Fuck he was big. He moved to support your back against the wall, catching your lips in a hungry kiss while he let you adjust to him. You chased his lips even as he pulled back to look at your face "I'm good. Just move please"

----------

He sat a grueling pace, each thrust of his hips making you see stars despite the chances of your back being bruised the following day from it digging into the wall behind you.

Your fingers dug into his forearms, looking for something to ground yourself amongst the pleasure coursing through your body. "Can you take more baby?" He asked and you nodded "I can take it" he shifted his hips just slightly but it was enough to push you over the edge. Your vision went hazy around the edges when your orgasm washed over you, your fingernails biting into his skin.

You could feel his thrusts getting sloppily and knew he was close. You moved your hand just enough to push his sweat soaked hair out his face "Come for me Sam. Fill me up, let me feel it" at your words his thrusts got harder and faster, his eyes screwed shut as he chased that release. His hands were gripping you hard enough to leave bruises but you didn't care. When he buried himself deep inside of you with one final thrust the feeling of his release pushed you over the edge causing you to tighten around him as another orgasm washed through you.

He laughed breathlessly leaning his forehead against yours "Was that our goodbye or can I have a little more time with you?" You turned your head to catch his lips in a lingering kiss "You can have a little more time"

---------

He turned with you in his arms to walk over to the bed. He laid you down, gently pulling out "I was hoping I'd get a little longer with you if this is goodbye" you reached for his hand and pulled him onto the bed with you "No more talking"

The only proof Sam had of the night between you and him ever happening was a letter he found a week later in his jacket pocket that read "Find me if you figure out where you truly belong"

He shoved it back into his pocket before following Ruby out the door of the place he was currently squatting at. He had to do things his way and you deserved better than he could give.

Part 2

[noroi1000]

Nyan XI - Jealous cats

Summary: They are jealous that you give Yuri more attention than them.

"Suguru, why are you looking at me like that?" You asked as you gathered your things to go to work.

Every time you made a move, you felt their eyes on you.

And every time you turned to look at them, they didn't even try to hide that they were watching what you were doing.

Every time you went to another room, they somehow followed you.

As cats, as people.

As little fluffy balls, they could easily go somewhere without you knowing. And you won't see them.

And then one of them always comes to you in human form.

Pretending they need something from this room.

You were in the bedroom getting changed after waking up. They got up faster, and as you walked to the bathroom you caught them going through your phone. They pretended to be looking for a picture one of them had sent you.

In the bathroom, when you did your daily routine while you were sitting on the toilet, Suguru suddenly came inside to examine his jaw and his whole face. He shaved so his stubble wouldn't show. Because black hair can be a little annoying, and he likes to talk neatly.

Although he wouldn't look so bad with a little stubble. Although, long hair and stubble may not suit him a bit. Especially the shape of his face. It's the same with Satoru, whose facial hair doesn't suit him at all. All the hair on his body is white. From the breath on his head, to eyelashes, eyebrows and hair that he does not show to the world. If he had stubble, he'd look awfully old. Like old grandpa.

So you couldn't really suspect Suguru of anything. They both shaved almost every morning when they woke up.

They were grown men, after all.

And as cats endure there is fur all over their body...

As you went to change clothes in the bedroom, Satoru suddenly walked in shirtless, asking you where his favorite is. Even when you told him you didn't know that, he still went around looking.

Until you finally had enough and even wearing only a bra and pants, you went to the closet looking for his favorite T-shirt. Still, you know he could wear something else...

They were stalling.

Because you start work today at 9 am. An hour later than usual. And in the morning, while you still used the opportunity to sleep a little longer. They saw on your phone a message from Yuki that you are to meet him at 08.45, outside your house.

So they did everything in their power to put it off. Maybe he'll stand five minutes too long and you won't meet him? That would be best for them because they still don't trust this face

His presence in your life is evil. Because they are jealous that while you work eight hours a day, you spend eight hours with him. And not with them. You may like the job, but they don't like your job. They just hate it.

Even the fact that they appeared in front of him didn't help with pull away from you.

And if he still has feelings for you, and if he keeps trying to tell you, they'll just come to your place of work and throw him out the window. And they know that the floor where you work with him is not that low.

Being thrown out of a window can be very, very painful. Especially for someone like him who isn't trained for any fight at all. Probably his body is as frail as his character.

If he really wanted to fight for your feelings, he would have started it a long time ago. So are they. So his feelings for you are probably just a powerful infatuation.

But it still didn't let them rest.

Because just knowing that you might find it nice and spending time with him, for example, will be cruel to them.

They are your boyfriends. They love you. They praise you. They are with you. you love them.

If they had at least one proof that you are and will always be just friends, they would be calmer. However, they have no evidence of your relationship. So there's still a chance he'll try to win your heart. (Even if he probably fails, because they won't let your love for them die)

They didn't know if you were offended by them or what. Before you left, you just said goodbye to them, but not like you always did. You always said goodbye to them individually. So you approached them, hugging and kissing them.

Even if they were cats.

They would then purr and cuddle up to you. You could almost see tiny hearts of joy flying around their heads.

And now it wasn't.

Two cats were sitting in front of you as you left and you quickly checked your phone before leaning in and just petting their heads.

You took that phone again... Why are you still looking at that phone?

Has this guy texted you again?

After you left the house, they both ran to the window.

Also, instead of turning into a human (because Gojo seems to have forgotten that he has the ability), he jumped on the balcony door to open it.

As a cat, he wasn't that tall, and he didn't have prehensile thumbs either.

Therefore, without even thinking that he could open it as a human, he just flew up and jumped on the handle. Making the door open, and they both ran out to see you walking down the sidewalk with your friend.

Your smile on your face was supposed to be for them. After all, they are your boyfriends! A boyfriend is someone more important than a friend (in their reasoning because they were so jealous of your attention)

Maybe they were too jealous or something, but their ears flapped in rage, and they both made noises like angry cats.

Their tails twitched in displeasure.

Loud meows came from your balcony, making people look up, watching your balcony. But you didn't hear it because you were already farther away.

And that meow was nothing but Satoru calling your name as a cat.

[nerves-nebula]

ok i finished Lolita, here's my rambling notes which are really more about me & my reactions than the book. I stopped taking as many notes the further in I went.

the forward for this is so funny. we got someone in universe telling us that the things this guy says are absurd and you should NOT fall for his bullshit, because he is NOT a gentleman.

Approx 24 minutes in he proposes the idea of the nymphette. 9-14

its fascinating the way he constructs this other sect of being, this third sex, this nymphet. the way he calls them demons, as if it's their fault, as if it could never be a problem with him.

gets mad that some guys entire fuckin house burns down so he cant ogle his daughters. what an asshole.

Negro/Negress Count (i updated this every time the word negro is used. i just think its funny, its like a drinking game for me. at least black people exist in this world lmao): 7

(about quote #6) the way he talks about Mrs Haze (and in fact most women and girls) as though he is so handsome that he literally cannot stop them from entangling him in an affair is fascinating. Man cannot hold himself responsible for anything.

ok so he's just met dolores and this isnt really a product of the book, but the narrator does a REALLY god job with HH. genuinely just a really good performance. he reads the cadence of HH's flowery writing so well, he emotes so well. its great.

of course this overwritten little creep would write down all his thoughts in a little book. just like he's doing now. at least he's consistent?

so much damn interpretation huh. he's always like "I know she wanted me to kiss her i could tell she was waiting for it" MY GUY.

wait when does this take place was it really normal to marry your first cousin in the midwest in the 1950s?

the way he describes her being not entirely innocent as a warning sign, as some great evil that would trap him, is fascinating. because she is not what he thought an innocent little girl should be, he pushes a bit of the responsibility off of himself and onto her. she's not a child, she's a dangerous nymphet who pulls him in and traps him in her impropriety. despite him literally (thinking he was) drugging her (in an attempt to keep her from knowing what hes doing) he STILL blames her for enticing him. still considers her a fae creature. i hate him. i love this book.

it is truly kind of fascinating how he makes it sound like their trip wasn't all that bad and just offhandedly mentions horrific stuff like the rate at which she sexually abused her, or how Dolores cried herself to sleep every night when she thought he was asleep, and how she almost never seemed to actually be happy. and yet he'll go on and on about all the things they got to see, and how much money this whole kidnapping roadtrip cost him.

the fact that he now has to just straight up pay her, and she's clearly not enjoying anything is so !!! and then he has the NERVE to steal her money back while she's away !! the money she's probably trying to save up to get away from him !! do you guys know what thats like?? when the money youve carefully saved just.. disappears?? good god.

oh ok so he KNOWS she might try to run away if she has too much money. cool cool normal.

i do like this school parent teacher meeting thing thats basically laying out that it's very clear dolores has issues around sex. like this is somehow so clearly an issue that they called him in about it. Ough.

love his indigence at Lo saying that he tried to molest her back before he married her mother (more or less true, and i would even say he succeeded that one time) and that he murdered her mother (a reasonable assumption on her part)

Mans just said he can shed torrents of tears thru his dick. He’s unnecessarily crude for someone so poetic and I love that part of his character tbh.

So he just slapped her and it’s fascinating how clearly abusive he is even from his own softened retelling. Like he doesn’t phrase it like this, but every action he takes is to isolate and control her.

i know he sucks shit but him leaving Rita is especially cruel to me. there was no need to leave her behind with only a note. no amount of calling a woman "sweet" or his "poor little thing" makes up for how absolutely disposable they all are to him. he admits that he needed her, that her company kept him from having breakdowns that would send him to a hospital, and he still just leaves her behind forever. when he knows thats what she was scared of most.

i aint even know about Clare Quilty. huh!

i am enjoying his sad walk through his "smothered memories" like yeah man. you suck and you fucked up everything and you do deserve to feel bad about your active ignorance (i like that he brought up the memory of rescinding that one promise because that was one instance i was really stuck on. like she has nothing man, and it's silly to you but it's everything to her)

y'know im still not entirely sure what Pentapod Monster means

Quotes:

he is not a gentleman

But how his heart beat when, among the innocent throng,he espied a demon child, "enfant charmante et fourbe," dim eyes, bright lips, ten years in jail if you only show her you are looking at her.

I was naive as only a pervert can be (lol)

nymphets do not occur in polar regions (oh my god shut upp)

the reader will regret to learn that soon after my return to civilization I had another bout with insanity (I absolutely do not regret it my wonderful narrator <3)

I was perfectly aware that if by any wild chance I became her lodger, she would methodically proceed to do in regard to me what taking a lodger probably meant to her all along, and I would again be enmeshed in one of those tedious affairs I knew so well.

To keep her happy, I had to present her with an illustrated catalogue of them, all nicely differentiated, according to the rules of those American ads where schoolchildren are pictured in a subtle ratio of races, with one--only one, but as cute as they make them--chocolate-colored round-eyed little lad, almost in the very middle of the front row.(I just find this quote interesting because it makes a point that there would only ever be at most one black kid. not sure what to make of it but i did enjoy that)

It was she who seduced me. (SHUT UP)

the body of some immortal demon disguised as a female child. (SHUT UPPPPP!!)

Used French only when she was a very good little girl. (I’m attacking you with my teeth and claws. I love this book.)

[tinyinvadr]

Next chapter is here!

Psychoborrower

Chapter 7

It was probably only a few minutes, but it felt like forever. The entire time, I was curled up in a fetal position, shuddering. I was certain death would claim me at any moment, but it never came.

I was so caught up in my own dread that I didn’t notice when the monster spat us back out.

Raz patted me on the head as he had me still clutched to his chest. He at least had the decency to attempt to provide me with some sense of comfort and security during the whole ordeal, but that didn’t distract me from the fact that he got us into it in the first place.

“Hehe… It’s okay, Flint. We’re out.”

When I opened my eyes, my first instinct was to PSI-Blast him in the face.

“Ow! Hey, I thought you weren’t gonna zap me anymore!”

“I won’t… as long as you NEVER make me do that again!”

Raz smiled at the lungfish apologetically as he put me back on his shoulder.

“Uh… Thanks for bringing us across.”

The fish nodded slowly, then coughed up the skeleton of a smaller fish. It took everything in me not to gag at the sight.

“If ever you need passage across the lake, simply blow the Lungfish Call, and I will come ashore.”

I winced as Raz picked up the bony fish call. So morbid… So unsanitary…

“We won’t need that.”

“We might need it.”

The lungfish started to back into the water.

“I must return to the lake now. I wish you both luck in rescuing your friends.”

“Thank you, uh… sorry, do you have a name?” Raz asked. “I feel kinda bad just calling you ‘lake monster.’”

“My true name is… Lindaaaaa…”

With that, she disappeared into the lake. You know, I thought she looked like a Linda.

We turned away from the shore to continue forward, and it was then that I saw it: the abandoned asylum.

I’d heard rumors of this place before from the other campers. It’s said that the high concentration of psitanium buried beneath the grounds drove everyone insane, including the staff. I also heard that supposedly, some of the patients never left, and still roamed the crumbling remains of the tower.

Regardless of if that was true or not, the ambience of the place was definitely creepy enough to function as an evil lair.

We climbed up to the front gate, where a security guard was pacing back and forth, rambling to himself and scribbling diagrams on the walls.

I was about to remind Raz to hide me, but that didn’t seem to be necessary. The guard was so preoccupied that he didn’t notice me at all. He barely noticed Raz.

The guard claimed that he had been hired to guard the asylum, but he wouldn’t let us in. Or, he couldn’t. He didn’t have the key. The Milkman did. But the Milkman was sleeping on the job.

“I… What is this guy on about? Why would a milkman have the key when he’s supposed to be guarding the place?”

At that, Raz pulled the psycho-portal out of his bag again.

“Only one way to find out.”

Under any other circumstances, I would have argued against poking around in this very paranoid man’s mind, but desperate times called for desperate measures. There was no telling what horrible things were happening to the campers and counselors.

I decided this time I would project as myself. If the situation became dangerous, I could switch to human form, but I wanted to preserve my energy so I wouldn’t have a repeat of Lungfishopolis.

And… I trusted that Raz would protect me. Of course, I couldn’t let him know that. His head was big enough already, he really didn’t need that extra ego boost.

With the portal locked on, we projected in, and found ourselves in a house. The guard was doing the exact same thing we first found him doing: laying out a makeshift conspiracy board. All over the walls were newspaper clippings, and there were even pages scattered on the floor. It looked more like a mess than anything else.

He told us to check the fridge, and to my surprise, we found a Clairvoyance merit badge.

“Wait, you can just… get new powers in random peoples’ minds?”

“Oh yeah. I learned how to use a shield back in Linda’s mind. Though, I think the badge was left there by Coach. Maybe something similar happened here…”

Of course. It would make sense to have reinforcements in place to keep us out of the asylum. The real question was what exactly he did to this man.

Using Clairvoyance, we could see through his eyes and understand his insane ramblings. All clues pointed towards the Milkman being dead. But the guard insisted that wasn’t the case. He told us to investigate the cemetery, then sent us on our way.

While I admittedly hadn’t seen very many mental worlds in the grand scheme of things, this was easily the strangest. It was like an ordinary suburban town, but it had been deconstructed into winding, gravity defying pieces of its former self. That, and all of the inhabitants were robots in trench coats.

Just down the street, a group of them had blocked off the road, reserving the space only for the road crew. They were all standing around, waving stop signs to direct nonexistent traffic.

“No pedestrian traffic allowed.”

“Hmm… I don’t think they’re gonna let us pass. Should we blast ‘em?” I asked.

Raz looked around, then spotted something and ran over to a nearby car. In the trunk was a stop sign that looked identical to the ones the road crew had.

“You really think they’re gonna fall for that?”

He picked up the sign and went back over the the closed off area. And sure enough…

“Hello, fellow road crew worker. Welcome to the road crew.”

We were able to navigate the rest of the neighborhood following this logic. It seemed like these guys were programmed to monitor different zones of the town, acting undercover in designated roles. As long as we also played along, they wouldn’t become hostile.

The cemetery was among these guarded zones, and only “grieving widows” were allowed entry. Which of course meant we had to have flowers for our dead husband.

While searching for flowers, something strange happened. We were approached by an ordinary-looking little girl on roller skates. Something about seeing a normal human in this freakish town was unnerving.

“Hello! Would you like to buy some Rainbow Squirts cookies?”

I… may or may not have a hard time controlling myself when cookies are involved.

“Yes, we’ll take them all.”

Raz glared at me for a second, but shrugged it off.

“But before we buy any cookies, we can’t really enjoy them without MILK, right? Do you know where I could buy some MILK?”

The Rainbow Squirt screamed and rolled away, but she didn’t go far. I saw her duck behind a bush and continue to watch us.

“That was weird.” Raz said.

“Yeah, ‘cause you made it too obvious. And now you owe me cookies.”

We eventually found some flowers in a hedge maze, and we returned to the cemetery, allowed entrance this time thanks to our fool-proof grieving widow disguise.

While we were there, we came across a memory that gave us a bit more insight on the mind we were working with.

The security guard’s name was Boyd Cooper, and he ended up in the asylum after burning down a store he was fired from using Molotov Cocktails. Clearly this guy was not someone you’d wanna mess with.

Moving along, we made our way to the back of the cemetery, where we found the mausoleum that the Milkman was supposedly buried in. The entrance was blocked by thorns, but Raz was able to burn them away with Pyrokinesis.

All we found in there was a book.

“Wait, that’s it? Where’s the Milkman?!”

Raz made two fatal mistakes in that moment. Loudly announcing that we’re looking for the Milkman, and putting down the flowers, completely blowing our cover.

“Are you a grieving widow?”

“Where are your flowers?”

“What did you find in the mausoleum?”

“What is the purpose of the goggles?”

One of these days this kid’s gonna get us both killed, I swear…

After an agonizing interrogation session, we were let go, and returned to Boyd’s house with the book.

He was ecstatic to see it, telling us about how the book was just what we needed to uncover the truth. Though, I was still confused by pretty much everything he said. Why was there a huge conspiracy surrounding a milkman of all people in the first place?

The next place he sent us to investigate was the book depository, which for some reason was heavily guarded by armed assassins. So to blend in, he gave Raz a rifle.

“Whoa, now we’re talkin’!”

“Why… Why would you give him that?”

“It’s fake. But it looks real enough to fool the assassins.” Boyd explained.

“Aw man…”

That boy scares me.

Without explaining further, Boyd threw us out of his house, and we were off to hopefully close this case for good.

I can tell you right now, we were far from the path to a straight answer.

[lyon-amore]

With you until the end of the world Chapter 8

Chapter 7

*Angel POV*

We went to the city center to eat. Jack grips me tight, looking around in fear. I sigh and take him in my arms, thus preventing them from being able to push him.

   "Let's see, where can I take you to eat?" I ask myself more, looking at the different places to eat.     Jack pulls me over and points to McDonald's.    "That's not good for a child." I reply, even though I should be the one who should talk the least if I can eat two McDonald's hamburgers, fries, and ice cream. What I don't want is for him thinking I'm going to fall for their good boy charm. He won't be with us long. Besides, I want to be alone with Jake “, it has a lot of fat and, who knows what else they put into that food? Yuck!””     He begins to look at me with sad eyes. I look away, biting the inside of my cheek. No. I will not fall.

I will not fall.

I won't do it.

Damn it.

We enter McDonald's and get in line. A children's menu and that's it, he doesn’t need anything else. We sit away from everyone and I watch him eat. Maybe I should ask him if he's okay, after all, he can talk and maybe we can create his testimony.    "Tell me, Jack. Do you remember everything that happened when you were with Jake and your brother?"     He nods while playing with the menu toy.    "And Jake did something? Did he take something important from the house?” I don't ask him because I don't trust Jake, but to make him consider what he saw. I trust Jake, which I don't know whether to trust a child. Yes, children are sincere, but what if he lies to protect his brother?     He shakes his head and picks up a chip. I sigh trying to calm down. He doesn't talk now. I rest my head on the table. I don't know how to make him talk to me.    "Don't cry" I listen and look up a little, noticing a hand on my head. Jack tries to cheer me up “. Don't cry mommy.”    “I'm not crying” I get up fixing my hair, uncomfortable that he calls me that. As much as it's going to serve to pretend, I don't like being called that “, and I told you, don't call me mom, I'm not your mother.”    “Bu-but you bought me clothes and you fed me” it's the longest sentence he's said today ”Isn't that what a mother does?”     Can he finish eating and get out of here? I'm not his mother, I just did it out of pity.    ''It's not-" I bite my tongue, trying not to say anything that might hurt him. If my mother, who is a teacher at elementary school children, saw me right now, she would feel proud of me for sure “. You can't decide that I'm your mother just because you've decided so, we just must appear so in people's eyes, you don't have to… call me that.”     He cocks his head, looking at me confused. Maybe I should find a way for him to understand it better.    "Okay, we're actually spies." I lean forward a little, whispering. Jack also approaches, with an innocent smile “and as the spies that we are, we must pretend to be a family, but! No need to call me 'mom', do you understand?”    "Are you spies?" He asks me excited.     I stare at him feeling bad, but I have no other choice.    "Exactly, but" I signal for silence "you can't tell anyone."    "I won't say anything.” he also makes a sign of silence, with a complicit laugh.     Okay, at least I've got the kid under control, so he doesn't rat on us. It's easier than it sounds to handle this kid.    “Oh, what an adorable son you have.” says an old woman with her granddaughter, smiling at us.    “Tha-“    “She's not really my mom.” Jack says, and I get nervous.    “What?” The lady looks at me badly.   “We are playing!” I exclaim trying to stop the child from talking “He is a savior prince and I am an evil witch who wants to defeat him.”    "Oh! I understand!” She walks away while she laughs.     I frown at Jack, annoyed. He shrinks back in the chair shyly. I have to fix this.    “Jack, you can't tell people I'm not your mother.”    "But you said-"    "I know what I said." I take a deep breath. I have to calm down, so I don't kill him “. But when people ask us, we must say that we are.”    "It's very confusing." He leans back in his chair, crossing his arms.     I look at him carefully, he doesn't look like a child who has suffered a traumatic event.    “Jack” he looks me straight in the eye and I look worried “Are you okay after what happened with your brother?”     I see how he starts to shake. Maybe I shouldn't have asked.    "No... I shouldn't cry" he says in a thin voice ". Jonas used to tell me that if I cried it would bother him... Crying is bad."”     I take a deep breath, clenching my fists hard. I don't like hearing children cry either, but this is different, it's forcing a little one to shut down. I reach out to comfort him but stop myself. I don't want to be close to him. And I don't want to get attached either. I just want to help him, find him a new home and be alone again with Jake. I sigh trying to relax, smiling a little.    “You're done?” I ask seeing that there is no rest of food left.    "Yes." he answers, picking up the toy again.    “Well, let's go.”     I take the tray and take the contents to the trash. I feel Jack tug on my sweatshirt and I look at him.    “Now what?” I ask, exhaling a charged breath.    “I want ice cream.”     I roll my eyes. Great, now I have to buy dessert for the boy.

Maybe I took advantage of the fact that the boy wanted an ice cream to buy me another, I think I have the right to give myself a reward for taking care of him, right? I look at Jack as we walk back home. He is happy with the toy. I notice that we cannot enter through the main door, there are too many people on the street. We make a detour and I help him sit on the dumpster and push myself up to run. Jake taught me some tricks to get up faster. As I stand on top of the dumpster, Jack looks at me in surprise.    "It's been great. Can I do it?"    "Mmm…Maybe when you grow up a little" I reply as I get into position for him to climb ", come on, I'll help you up."    “Do you want me to do it?” I turn my head when I hear Jake's voice and smile when I see him.    "Jake!" Jack gets excited to see him, as if he was seeing his hero.     Jake signals him not to yell his name and quickly covers his mouth.    "Sorry." the little boy apologized, embarrassed.    “Do not worry, just… Be careful next time, okay?” He answers a little awkwardly, climbing more easily than me. He hasn’t even moved the container an inch.     I get up and I don't take my eyes off him, what's more, my feet move on their own to get closer, lowering his mask a little to kiss him. He kisses me back with a few smaller ones.    “All good?” I ask worried.    "Yeah, do not worry." He caresses my cheek and I lean into the side of his hand, still smiling.     Then he walks away and approaches the child, picking him up in his arms until he approaches the window.    "Alright little one" he climbs onto his shoulders, placing his feet on his shoulders ", go ahead, come in through the window."    "Okay." Jack grabs onto the window and Jake urges him on.    ”Stay there, now we enter.”    "I've been talking to Jack about what happened" I whisper so he can't hear us "Do you know what he told me? That his brother forbade him to cry, because that's bad.”     Jake sighs, I can tell how upset he is. I share his anger, Jack is a child who is growing and developing, this learning is not good for him.   "I think you should talk to him" I advise him ", you were there with him, maybe he talked to you."    "I saw him hiding behind his brother's drug dealer." I look at him surprised after hearing those words “He preferred a man who sells drugs to her brother and that he had yelled at him before.”    "Poor boy" I look up, knowing he's waiting “. When he has seen you, his face has lit up.”    “Yes I saw it.”   "Maybe he need to talk to his hero."     He nods and I jump up, grabbing the window. Jake then walks in and looks at Jack, who was waiting for us leaning against the wall.    "I'll be in the room listening to music if you need anything." I smile at both of them, walking away.     I also want to be able to write a little bit of a letter to my parents, telling them what has happened and even if I am not going to receive an answer, I want to imagine what my parents would say to me as I write. What advice would you give me about caring for a young child?

I still don't understand what Jake really has in his head to take him to us.

*Jake POV*

Angel leaves and I am left alone with Jack. I stand up to him, looking at the toy in his hands. It was a doll of a Sonic character. Tails. Although it is somewhat different, with metallic tails.    “And this?” I ask showing curiosity “Has Angel bought it for you?”     He nods with a smile.    "Yes, from MDonald" he tries to pronounce McDonald's, hugging the doll ", it came with the hamburger."    "Wow, you got the smartest one." I ruffle his hair and he laughs.     I should be able to bring up the conversation about how he feel about his brother's death, try to get him to give a hint of emotion. I then decide to do the same as when I started the older brother-little brother relationship with Henry. As that important person for my mother taught me.    “Come, I'm going to show you something very cool” I get up offering my hand, which he takes immediately.

   We enter the room where I have the computer. I sit in the chair and pick him up, sitting him on my lap.    "Do you know how to use a computer?" He shakes his head and I nod “Better, you are still too young to navigate web pages.”    “What are web pages?” He asks and I look at him surprised. Or maybe it is relief.    “They are digital places where you can look at anything you want to look for” I try to explain it to him in the best way that he can understand it “But do you know what I can do? Enter the cell phones of others from here.”     He opens his eyes surprised, then looking at the screen.    “Really?”    "Of course, look" I prepare the program and look for Macie's cell phone, seeing on her screen that the Spotify program is on “. Look, this is Angel's cell phone right now.”    “Wow…”    "Shall we do something fun?" He nods quickly and I laugh “Very well, we do this to control her cell phone” I use one of my programs and search YouTube for the nursery rhyme that bothers Angel the most and fast forward to the chorus “. Now, we remove Spotify and…” I press play on the video and signal for it to wait.    "Take this song away from me right now!" We heard her scream from the room.     We laugh and finally I remove the video, leaving control of her phone. Jack points to the screen with a big smile.    "Will you teach me to do that?" He asks excitedly.     I see myself reflected in it, except that I was about fourteen when I started.    “I think it is not a good idea at the moment” I answer, although I do not intend to teach him. I know what that would lead to and it's not what I want “. Angel told me what your brother told you not to cry.”     He lowers his head, feeling guilty.    "Crying is bad" he answers me with a small voice ", if I cry, I'm upset. Crying is not okay.”     I look at him with pity. To have to hear that from such a young child… I can not imagine how he must have lived with him.    “You know? I spent many years setting aside everything related to feeling emotions” I start to explain my story, but I will not go into details “. I did not care if someone was attacked, if they threatened him, if… they killed him” I remember then those moments with Macie's friends, those moments that I know I was cold, not caring about anyone but Hannah “. In many years, I became a very cold man, I did not want to have anyone by my side.”    "Weren't you crying?" he asks curiously.    “No, because at that time I thought that would be weak” I tell him not very proud. But then I smile “. But everything changed when he met Angel” I look at him remembering the first message I sent her, the first contact after a long time “. She taught me that it was not bad to feel emotions again. And although at that time it was still difficult for me to show them, it was thanks to her help that I became what I was again” He stays looking at me with those big blue eyes that penetrated my soul. I remember then when my mother used to talk to me like this “. It is not bad to cry when you need to, Jack, it is much better than keeping it all inside, you have to express yourself. You may have to learn it like I had to, but we'll help you.”     He stays thinking for a few moments, to finally speak.    “I cried a lot when mommy died” I notice sadness in his voice, even his eyes shine, as if now he wants to cry “. Jason told me to shut up because I was annoying and he told me that she died because I was annoying and that if I didn't cry, no one else was going to die” I stare at him surprised by his words. I do not think I should ever heard anything so cruel “. So in order not to bother and that no one died, I listened and stopped crying” he starts to shake and I see how he starts to cry “. I miss mommy, I didn't want her to die because of me.”    "It was not your fault, Jack." I speak to him in the clearest and softest way possible, so that he understands my words “, your mother did not die because you bothered her, of that I can be sure” I give him a little squeeze on the shoulder without hurting him, affectionate “and I am sure she loved you. You can cry all you need, do not keep it with us, okay?”     He nods while still crying and hugs me. I let out a small laugh, hugging him back. I see Angel leaning against the door frame, arms folded. I can see that she has a small smile on her face. I also answer her with a smile.

He falls asleep after crying and we put him in the sleeping bag to rest. We stayed silent looking at him.    “And now that?” She asks me, sighing “Have you changed your mind? Shall we leave him in charge of Leonardo? He has already managed to cry, he doesn't need us anymore, we have solved it.”     I rub my hands nervously. Part of me wants to leave him here because I knows it is dangerous. The other part is like that feeling I had with Macie, wanting to protect her because she looked helpless. Now I am sorry with Jack. The protective instinct is clearly different.    "I…" I keep looking at Jack. He is alone in this world, he has no one. Nobody except us “. Like I told you, he only trusts us.”    “Jake, I understand that it is easy to have become attached to him” she approaches me, holding my hand “, but the difference between adults running away, and ones with a child is that they need more care” she pulls her hand away and I see her hug herself, uncomfortable “and it's complicated for me, I lose my temper and today I almost didn't yell at him for screwing up. I'm not as good at this as you are.”     I watch her closely, seeing how she watches Jack. I caress her cheek gently, slowly moving up to tuck her hair behind her ear. She ends up looking at me, hurt.    "I think you have done well" I answer with a smile ", there's no one better than you to take care of him."     She sighs approaching my face. She begins to kiss me slowly and I return her. We end up getting up leaving the room, to go to the computer room and I sit her on my lap, continuing with the kisses.

I stroke her hair while she lies on my chest, breathing easy. She hugs me tight and looks up.    “What's the plan?” she asks me, her voice almost breathless.    “When we have the identity card and the passport, I need you to buy two tickets to Italy.”    “Why two?” She gets up looking at me with a frown “Jake…”    “I will go too, but I will do it by bus.”    "So, that saying that our trip will be difficult doesn't apply when there's a child involved." She says as she gets up and grabs her clothes from the floor.    "And because we still have money for him" I also grab my clothes and get dressed, to then place my hands on her cheeks “. Angel, don't be mad.”     I give her a small kiss, but that doesn't make her expression change.    “It's just that…” She takes a deep breath “I thought it would be just the two of us.”    “You have made me go back to being the man I once was, someone who helped those who need it most” She looks away, but I place my hand on her chin, making her look at me “and I can not leave him alone, it would not be right.”     She nods slowly, now placing her hands on my cheeks to kiss me.    “But nothing of calling us 'dad' and 'mom' in private.” she finally says.    "I do not know; I think that nickname suits you very well.” I tease, taking her by the waist.    “Not even in dreams.”     I laugh and kiss her again. It is a different way to run away than I have ever thought of. I know it is dangerous, but I will keep them both safe.

Chapter 9 soon

[h5eavenly]

omg i literally sent you an ask like two hours ago thinking "well this can't get any worse now we're gonna be so up from here on" AND IT SOMEHOW GOT WORSE?????? AGAIN I DONT EVEN KNOW WHERE TO START WOAH yeji having it out for y/n over something that happened years ago and that hyune obviously got over is just soooo.. like she has so many reasons to give y/n a piece of her mind for and she chooses /this/ hill to die on?? AND not addressing her directly???? babyyyy this ain't it!! i think this is also a way of evidencing how distanced yeji and hyune have grown more than the distaste that she has towards y/n, like she doesn't know about hyune and her's connection and where they stand as much as the others do bc yeosang drove her away from them all which is so sad :-( sometimes she frustrates me a bit but i have a lot of sympathy towards yeji especially in this situation bc i know how hurtful it is to feel ostracised from your close friendships due to a toxic relationship and trying to hold on to the things you knew about them while not realising that they've changed bc you haven't been there enough to witness those changes :-( idk if this was your intention when you wrote it but it's really accurate. i know there's a lot of bad blood between yeji and y/n, now more than ever with the yeosang situation 💀 but i really do wish they can have a heart to heart sometime bc both of them have been so wronged and hurt by evil men and idk if a friendship between them is possible tbh but i feel like they can find a support system in each other even if they aren't friends. i just want my girls to be happy and i know there's a long way to go but they both deserve healing smsm :-(

now WDYM MFS RAIDED HYUNE'S HOUSE OH MY GOD????? this is y/n's fuckass father FOR SURE his ass wants to play gangster so bad HE AIN'T SHIT!!!!!!! i'm so flabbergasted i swear i never saw this coming??? i never thought that bum would ever go to this length to try to impose control on his daughter like that man's crazyyyyy. at first i thought the raid was bc of yeosang but you know that man ain't got no friends and is a coward he could never pull up like this 😭 so that's why i think it's y/n's father who's behind this bc he wants to have his godfather moment for some reason 💀 yk how weird men go crazy once they realise they can't control the women they feel entitled to so i think y/n moving out made him feel some kind of way. i can't wait for that asshole's downfall i swear i'm praying on it im going to church over it im manifesting it 🙏🏻 unless hyune is onto something that we're not aware of??? which idk im not sure about that honestly but i didn't see like half the things that ended up happening coming either so you knowww im seated, hyune and hannie living with y/n will be so cute too!! we love to see domestic hyune+y/n content we used to pray for times like this 🥹 so we might be kinda up after all maybe

thank you sm for the update so soon!! you're working overtime for this and it's sooo appreciated you deserve the world fr 🫂🩷🩷

genuinely curious what made you think "its only up from here" cus... 🫡efuhhfihw fyi anon i take my angst tag VERY seriously 🧐 some may say i'm not trust worthy but i just like being unpredictable

about the whole yeji situation it is intentional yes! im so glad you noticed its kinda hard to write such subtle things in smau without it being in your face because it's one of those things that i want ppl to notice but sometimes im like ahh idk if anyone would notice, i think for her she obviously views y/n as a rival but because she's left out (hence jinnie growing more distance ever since yeo came into her life) she tries to attack y/n with the only available card she has which is "you did smth bad to my friend" bc she doesn't know anything else and she wasn't even there when it all happened she only got snippets from the story and from jinnie's side when he was still feeling resentful towards y/n and you see the difference in this specific subject between her and lix (bc lix was there) he gets their bond sm more and it's so much easier for him to not hold it against y/n

listen y/n's dad might be a little worse than her mom idk they're competing for that title rn, ty for being so kind baby as alwayys i enjoyed reading and im sorry for talking sm i just get excited about my characters🥰🥰💞💞

[spencer-is-dead]

Considering Ao3 is currently under attack, I’ve got to deliver my fics here. I’ll post this on Ao3 when this whole mess is over . Hope you enjoy :) forgive me for bad formatting I’m not used to posting on here

One more year

By MDSpencer

Tags:

Rating: G

Category: F/M, Gen

Ships: Loid Forger | Twilight/Yor Briar Forger | Thorn Princess, Loid Forger | Twilight & Yor Briar Forger | Thorn Princess & Anya Forger

Characters: Anya Forger, Loid Forger | Twilight, Yor Briar Forger | Thorn Princess

Other tags: Angst, hurt no comfort

Summary: Operation Strix is over, yet he promises he’ll come home one day

Yor slowly, carefully pours the wine into their glasses, careful not to spill a drop onto the carpet. Her husband watches patiently, until he is handed his glass. He takes a sip, as Yor sits down on the couch.

“So,” she said, careful to keep her voice in a low whisper, so that their sleeping daughter wouldn’t hear, “You leave tomorrow.”

Loid nods, taking another sip. It wasn’t a question, but a statement. They had both known it had been coming for a long time, ever since their true identities had been revealed to each other. But only now did it feel real.

“How?” She asks, “Car crash?”

“Most likely,” he says.

Yor gently touched her glass to his, making a soft clink that barely filled the silence.

“I don’t want to go,” he said, staring out the window. “But it comes with the job.”

Yor sighed. Two years now, she’d known he was a spy. It had come as a shock, but after a bit things started to click into place.

And two years, he’d known she was an assassin.

Anya didn’t know anything. They’d both agreed to tell her later.

But there would never be a later.

“You’ve got to act like I’m dead, okay? I might as well be,” he said. “I’d like to say I’ll keep in touch, but we both know that’s not happening.”

“Don’t say that,” Yor said, kissing his hand. “You never know.”

“I don’t,” he responded. Yor scooched closer to him, leaning her head on his shoulder. He let out a long, drawn out sigh. “I’m going to miss you both.”

“I’ll miss you, too,” she said. She was starting to get a little drunk.

“Promise me one thing,” Loid said, pulling something from his pocket. It was a letter. “Give this to Anya on her eighteenth birthday, if I don’t come back. I’ll try to come back by then.”

Yor snatched the letter.

“Don’t open it yet,” he said, pushing the letter down. “Save it.”

Yor nodded, setting the letter down.

“What flowers do you want at your funeral?” Yor asked, giggling.

“Roses will do,” he said, “I don’t mind. Whatever you think is best, my love.”

He kisses her. Softly, at first. He puts down his glass as she puts down hers, and he runs his fingers through her hair. She wraps her arms around him, pulling him towards her. Her lips taste like the wine, but they’re somehow sweeter. He knows he could never say everything he felt towards her, but a kiss was the second best option.

Yor pulled away, playfully tussling his hair.

“I love you, Loid,” she whispers into his ear. He feels his face go red. “I don’t want this to end.”

“Don’t think about that now,” he says. “Let this be our world for now. There’s no evil, nothing holding us down, only us.”

And they kiss, again and again, because they both know it’ll never be enough. He wants to remember her touch forever, and she wants to remember the way he kissed her.

They both want to take this love and hold it close to their hearts, where no one could hurt it.

But they always knew it wouldn’t last.

They talk for a long time, in quiet, hushed tones, until the clock on the wall reads two AM.

Yor is fast asleep. She drools, Loid notes, all over his shoulder. He doesn’t mind.

He kisses her on the forehead, hoping that it wouldn’t be their last.

“Have to go to work,” he whispered to her. He places a pillow under her head, and takes one last look at his house.

And he’s gone.

—

She knew he wasn’t dead.

She knew her mother was lying.

She wanted to scream, she wanted to cry out. She wanted to punch someone.

She wanted her papa.

And he’d promised Yor he was coming back.

And Yor didn’t know when.

Anya Forger wasn’t foolish, she knew about her father’s job. She knew how dangerous it was, how many times he’d almost died. She would never understand the full extent of what her Papa went through to keep her and all other children safe.

He’d wanted to make a world where children didn’t have to cry.

Yet she was crying.

Crying because this stupid world was so unfair, crying because she couldn't have what she wanted, crying because the person who’d given her so much love had simply…disappeared.

And she couldn’t do anything about it.

The funeral was not, in any way shape or form, pleasant.

She hadn’t wanted to go in the first place. She wouldn’t mourn someone who was dead. But Yor had begged her to go. So she’d put on her best black clothes and dolled herself up.

She’d been forced to sit through over an hour of coworkers talking about him. Or at least, talking about Loid Forger. They didn’t know the real him. Her real Papa, who found it hard to cry. Her real Papa, who found it hard to say “I love you”.

Loid Forger was gone, but that didn’t mean her real Papa was.

—

Yor set the cake on the table, lighting the 1 and 4 candles. Anya stared at it, disinterested.

It was her first birthday without her father.

Yor had kept the letter locked in a drawer, so that she wouldn’t be tempted to read it. It was Anya’s letter, after all.

Yor started to sing Happy birthday. When she was finished, Anya blew out the candles.

“Happy birthday!” Yor said, clapping.

Anya gave a small smile, before starting to cut the cake.

She and Yor had baked it themselves. It had proven to be a difficult task, but they’d managed.

Yor had thought that, at first, Anya was getting a slice for herself. But, instead, she set the slice of cake at another seat.

Loid’s seat.

“Oh,” she said quietly. “Anya, you don’t have to-“

“I want to,” she said. “It’s for Papa.”

Yor sighed, setting down the lighter. She grabbed herself a slice.

“Do you miss him a lot?” Yor asked.

Anya didn’t look up when she said “yeah, a lot.”

She wondered where he was. What he was doing. If he was safe.

She wished they could just talk. Just talk like the old days. She wished she could hold him in her arms, kiss him forever.

He promised he’d come back.

Soon.

Let it be soon.

~~~~~~~~~~

She nervously held the letter in her lap, glancing at the door like she was expecting it to open.

She didn’t want to open the letter.

Opening it would mean accepting it.

Anya had set out a slice of cake for Loid, like she did every year. Their cakes had slowly gotten better, to the point of being edible.

She wondered if Loid would be proud of her.

Yor placed the letter on the desk, and glanced at the door again.

It’s been five years.

He promised he’d be back.

“Mama, what’s that?”

“Nothing,” Yor said, putting the letter back on her lap.

Anya snatched the letter up, turning it over. “It’s got no address.”

“Anya, give it back.”

Anya pulled the letter close to her body, shaking her head.

She tore through the paper, pulling out the letter inside.

Her eyes scanned over the paper, drinking in the words.

Her eyes started to well up.

“Papa,” she mumbled, before balling the paper up and throwing it on the floor. She ran to her room.

“Anya, wait!” Yor shouted. Signing, she picked up the letter. She smooths out the wrinkles.

Dear Anya,

I’m sorry. I’m sorry for everything. I wish I could be with you tonight. But the truth is I’m dead. Not in the way you think. I didn’t die in a car crash. If I haven’t come home, I’ve most likely died in my work.

The truth is I’m a spy for the West. I know it might be hard to believe, but it’s the truth. I needed a child for the mission. You were just supposed to be an asset. But I loved you. I loved you and Yor more than anything.

Yor knows this already, she has her own secrets, but those are her to divulge. As of writing this, I have two days left before I ‘die’ and I want you to know, more than anything, that I love you. I love you so much. I want to say it over and over, but I can’t.

I miss you already, Anya.

I don’t want to lose you two. But I guess that’s just how it goes.

With love,

Loid Forger

She doesn’t understand at first.

And then it hits her.

He wasn’t coming home.

“Loid,” she whispered. “God, I love you.”

And she cried. Cried and cried like a baby, because she misses him.

More than anything.

—

The house he’s come to live in is far from a home, but he makes do.

He’s baked a cake, making the house smell like vanilla. He sets the cake out on the table. He didn’t have anything to frost it with, but an unfrosted cake would have to do.

He pushed the candle into it, lighting it with a match.

“Happy Birthday, Anya,” he whispered. “I promise I’ll come home soon. Just give me one more year.”

He blows the candle out.

[gatorcatally]

I need help.

My cat has anxiety but he also has a bad habit of tearing things up, carpet, walls, furniture, people if he’s in a bad mood. I’m not evil so I would never declaw him. So I wanted to try claw caps. I was worried about them originally because CJ won’t even wear a collar. If you try to put one on him, he will bite and claw at his own neck until he’s bleeding to get it off. But we needed a solution to his clawing and we tried everything else. Playing, scratch towers, scratch mats, anything his little heart desires but none of it works. He might use his scratch objects occasionally but more often then not he’s destroying my mothers house.

I thought I would at least try the claw caps, they should be comfortable enough, they wouldn’t hurt at all, no scratching. Etc.

Now, after 45 minutes of struggling to get them on him, one is still on crooked even after reapplying it twice because he wouldn’t stop squirming. I’m worried some are stuck on his fur because again he wouldn’t stop squirming, by the time I got to his last paw he was exerting so many smells (he didn’t spray at least), he was shedding heavily, and when I didn’t let him go he straight up but down on my hand and wouldn’t let go. I had to call my mom downstairs to help me. I gave him some of his favorite wet food as a reward and tried to help him calm down because he was starting to hyperventilate from being held tight for so long.

He’s had them on for less than 30 minutes and at first he was just grooming himself which was normal. He was shedding a lot and it was a new sensation on his claws, I thought he might lick them so I wasn’t concerned. I sat down for a few minutes, and he ran under my bed after I finished helping him groom. He wants space? That’s fine, fair, so I let him go.

Not ten minutes later I hear the plastic clicking and grinding. I looked under my bed and boom, purple claw cap. So I told him to stop and tried to pull him out to make sure he didn’t hurt himself taking it off. A few minutes later, two more were off. At this point, he was trying to fucking swallow the evidence! Obviously they’re plastic and could block his digestive system so I grabbed him by his scruff and dragged him out, getting bitten the whole time, but I had to make sure he hadn’t actually eaten any.

I’ve been sitting on my bedroom floor trying to get him to play to distract him but he keeps running away. He keeps biting them off and I’m worried he’s going to make himself bleed, or worse swallow some, and block his digestive tract. I have to go to sleep soon because I have work in about 8 hours and he’s starting to calm down seeing as he’s no longer trying to eat his claws. I’m worried because I work at night, when he’s most active and I don’t want him to don anything stupid while I’m gone.

I also have bad anxiety and the reason he’s my cat now, and no longer the family cat is because I formally adopted him in college to use him as an emotional support animal.

I have given this cat everything he could ever want, and I love him so much but he makes me worry just as much. If anyone has any advice on how to deal with anxious or stubborn cats please tell me. I feel like I’ve tried everything or at least all the normal things and I need advice from real people not articles.

[barbatos-sama]

questions and fears i have about this new potential life i'd have:

• i worry in general about the cats because my dad was upset about "animal hoarding" during the fight and i worry he'd want to get rid of animals or something. my mom can't take any animals with her because of my sister's pitbulls so she can't even take her dog with her, she's devastated that she'll be separated from her dog and she says she's gonna have to give him to my grandma. the dog'll be devastated too because he has bad separation anxiety for her and already cries the whole day she's at work so as much as i don't like the guy i feel sorry for him because the poor thing might die of heartbreak. i would hope he wouldn't make us get rid of any cats because he's attached to them, especially to gizmo. i would genuinely hate that man if he made me give up any of my cats but im Pretty sure he's not evil enough to do that

• i'm gonna have to scoop all six litter boxes OTL i can barely take care of my own personal hygiene right now let alone that

• is he gonna go shopping? he hates going outside and doesn't leave the house almost every day like my mom does so we won't have groceries nearly as often. we've never been one of those families who gets groceries once a week or on a schedule or anything so like if i run out of one of my safe foods am i gonna have to wait days to get it? speaking of food i'm not gonna be able to get fast food really anymore because my mom won't be able to bring it to me and my dad won't want to ): i know it seems like a trivial thing but food is a big deal to someone with arfid

• is he gonna expect me to clean? like yeah my mom is too lazy to clean most of the time but she's still the one that cleans more often than he does. i've honestly Wanted to start doing more around the house bc i feel like a parasite and i want to pull my weight (even tho i hate cleaning up other ppls messes) but like i said im so depressed i can barely do Anything lately

• when my mom said that i would want to live with him he snapped back "marshals gonna live with whoever she wants to live with" meaning he might be Expecting im gonna move out or he might kick me out of the house or something and i just cannot handle that, like if he expects me to move out im gonna tell him i'll kill myself because truly i probably would, this house is all ive ever known and i just cannot leave

• my mom's car barely runs and she won't be able to afford to get a new one. it leaks out toxic smelling fumes and i worry breathing it in is unhealthy for her

• corbyn's life is also gonna change drastically cause he's used to being over here like half the time so he also loves this house and i doubt my dad would want to babysit him anymore. meaning my sister will have to find a babysitter since despite my mom living at my sisters she's gonna have to go to work so Someone's gotta take corbyn yknow. so that's gonna financially effect my sister as well. and i doubt he's gonna understand what's going on because he's allergic to listening to people and taking in information so he'll probably be asking to come over to "grandma's house" constantly not understanding that it's not her house anymore

• i'm just gonna be lonely without my mom. simple as that. it's a complete disruption of my routine. my mom also brought up her moving in with grandma and i was like you cant do that you cant move an hour away ):

[animnerd]

Loki’s Chillvery 

Loki and reader 

Warming: mad loki, trusting, ptsd, romance, and smut. 18+ DNI! Happy birthday @sweater-daddiesdumbdork !

I’m sorry this is late! But I hope your birthday was amazing, sweet, kind, and adventures as you! 

A/n thank you A again for your help on editing this! 

On asgard you and a couple of other ladies  were sold to Oden the king for his sons to do as they wish. You and the other ladies were from Midgard. Thor took the other two ladies while one of them whispers “Good luck. ” While pointing towards you.  You gave her an evil smirk which she was scared of you. She scurried away with Thor. You turn to face Loki. Who had a smirk on his face. You were confused but quickly hid it to not show weakness. You were never “tamed” to your dom. And you never plan on submitting to anyone.  

But little did you know that loki already had a plan for you he was bound and determined to make you his. He pulled you by your arm walking you to his room. While you were walking you were forming a plan to get out of this situation even though the other ladies kept telling you “this is the best place why do you want to leave?” You wanted to gag. Once you both walked into the room he shoves you in and you landed on his couch. You turn around and face him. 

“OK my pet this is either going one of two ways. Either you are going to follow the rules and submit now or two and you are not going to like two. I’m going to have to show  you who is boss. So my pet." 

As he says that with veinume in his voice. You just smirks and looks up at him. "Do your worst your majesty!” As you spit at Loki’s feet. He was disgusted. He looked down at his feet and then before you know it he looked at you and wrapped his hand around your neck and looked you in the eye. “Oh pet you should not have said that.” He is taking your clothes off slowly. While you wiggle around trying to get out of his tight grip on your neck. You tried to scream for  help. You got out of his grip and moved away. 

After a few days of loki trying to have sex or at least let you know that he is the dom  in this situation but you are not having it.  He got so frustrated especially seeing  his brother’s slaves be so perfect and under his command. 

He stormed into his room to see you in the corner crying.  At first he was disgusted that you would be crying but he sighed. He realized there might be a reason you are this way. 

So he was going to try the helping way. So he walked over to you sat down. “Why are you crying y/n?” At first you don’t answer. You shock your head which made loki at first upset but then calms down.  “Please tell me.” You mumbled  something which made loki laugh. “I’m sorry pet I couldn’t hear you.” You lift your head and stare at loki. You sigh “ok it’s a long story. So settle in.” He nods his head and settle in next to her. 

She moves and looks over at him and sigh. “ I didn’t live in town we lived in the woods not far from here. I had a big family we were farmers. While dad was out in the field with my brothers, me and my sister helped mom with the house. 

Dad was always busy. But we had a good life. But that all changed when I was 16. We were broke and we tried anything to get money so we could feed the family. It got so bad that dad drank and he was verbal abusing me and my siblings. We took it because we knew it wasn’t dad. But he went over the edge one day and came into my room and started to get sexual with me. Mom said nothing.  It got to the point That dad would fear the guys away from me so he could have me all to himself. One night it was to my breaking point because he came into my room while I was asleep and started to play with my pussy. I woke up and hit him and ran. He ran after me but I got away deep into the woods. I couldn’t go back home so I decided to aply to a flyer about asgard needing help so I applied not knowing that it would be for sexual help. That’s why when I went to difrent "owners” I never wanted to be “tamed” because I am strong willed and it kept reminding me of my dad and what I went through. That’s why I didn’t accept anyone. I mean someday I might but right now no one treated me right.  Get that and it’s my job now but still.“ As you cried into your legs. 

Loki was astonished that you opened up to him like this. His heart was in a turmoil and he wanted to turn him into a rattlesnake for the way he treated her. But he wanted to help her ease into him and trust him more. She trusted him now by telling her story but not enough! So he scutted closer and pulled her into a hug and hummed a song his mother taught him when he was young. 

She calm down while she listens to Loki’s song. She cried while listening to the song.  Once Loki was done he wiped her tears. She smiled for the first time at Loki and that made him smile back.

From that day forward you got closer and closer to loki.  You would do things with him. He would take you to his garden, go walk around the castle or around asgard,  eat dinner together, or just sit in front of the fireplace. 

One day you and loki went on a walk through the garden on the palace grounds. You enjoyed the walk. seeing all the amazing new flowers in this new world.  You sat down on a bench touching a rose when a servant alerted Loki that he was needed in the throne room. He was sad to leave you but knew he had to go. She was sad but let him go.  You walked back to the bench watching the water fall and playing with the rose.  You don’t know that the servant was next to you and played with your hair.  You turned to look at him only to relize that his other hand was playing with your pussy covered underwear.  You tried to scream but nothing came our because your body was frozen In shook. Your mind played the incident with your dad doing the exact same thing. 

You just sat there your eyes wide with fear. You were pleading that someone would come to save you. You closed your eyes. As a single tear fall down your check.  While you feel him come closer to you.  He was sucking your neck while you felt his finger move asid the underwear so his finger could go into your pussy. 

You continue pleading untill you felt him no longer on you. You open your eyes to see loki using his magic. He looked so in ragged that he lifted the guy off the ground and sent him flying all over the palace. He flew him over the mountains then sent him flying to the alligators pit. Where he was hovering over an alligators mouth. With an evil smirk on his face he walks over to him. "Don’t you dare touch her with your vile fingers ever again! Or I will feed you to the alligators!” The man just laughs “she can be used however I want because she is nothing but a play thing!” You shivered which got loki even madder. He put the guy so close to the alligators that the animal could snap its head off. That didn’t faze the guy.  So loki thought about it and brought the guy back on ground and he summons fire ants while shackling his legs to the ground. “Have fun.” As loki gives the guy the most evil smirk. He walks back over to you. He sits down and pulls you into a hug. “Are you ok y/n?” He let’s go of her. She nods then shakes her head. “No loki I was frightened! It was like what dad did to me all over again!!” You cried into his shoulder. He rubbed your back and hummed your favorite song. While he watched the scoundrel get eaten by the ants. 

After a while you calmed down. He wiped a tear from your eyes. He made a silent vow that he would not leave your side ever again. You realized that you trusted loki more now that he protected you, and that you fell in love with loki. To the point of doing sex with him letting him be your dom.  

You were nervous to confess to him your feelings. So one day while he v was out doing princely things you were pacing his room.  You were contemplating to tell him not knowing that loki was in the room.  

He was worried he stoped your pacing by putting his hands on your shoulders. “Why are you pacing pet?” That got your clit wet. You were nervous anf bit your lips  “I have a confession to make.” “Yes?” “I trust you to the point of you being my dom. Also, I have feelings for you!” She was so nervous that she went to hid under the blankets. Loki was shocked but he laughed and walked over and rubs the blanket. “Baby? Come out I want to talk to you.” No!“ "Please for me?” She lift the blankets.  “Yes I have feelings for you too!” She was in shock. She lifts the blanket and hugs loki.  He moves away and looks at her.  He leaned in and kiss her lips deeply. He put her head close to him while his hand on her hips.

@lokisjoyfulgoddess

[fantastic-wizards]

ALBUS COULDN'T SAY CORVINUS WAS WRONG. Even now, Tavers was so terrified of Gellert and the world he was proclaiming to reform that instead of facing the wizard head on, he was ordering his best workers around and guilting them for being unable to recruit Albus themselves. And then there was Newt, who also had his issues with the Ministry. By refusing to aid them as a spy or otherwise, they immediately assumed Newt was working for Albus, the current enemy. All in all, it was a mess and whether Tavers knew it or not, it made him look like the biggest coward the world over. There was a reason why Gellert wasn't sweating the Ministry. Until the troth was broken and Albus actually got on board, Gellert knew he had nothing to worry about and Travers was only making Gellert's point.

"I suppose you are right about that. There are many who go through life with problems that are merely inconveniences. Not true complications. They hardly know the world at all. Black. White. Day. Night. Good. Evil. That is all they know. Not the grey area many of us stand on in our walk through life." And grey didn't make one a bad person. It just meant that there were times when good or bad was a matter of perspective. But debate for another time. His own grey area was that of love, but even if Travers was unaware, Albus was going to negate his feelings in favor of the greater good --- if only because he himself did not agree with anything Gellert was doing these days.

Albus' whole body ached, but that was something he kept to himself. He had a feeling some of his fatigue was troth related while the other came from the cuffs suppressing and monitoring his powers. Not that he needed his magic on a large scale, but it certainly would have been nice to properly have just in case.

Good humor lightened the mood just a bit. Gellert had never been modest and honestly speaking, he had never known a Slytherin to hide natural talents or in this case, good looks. Albus tried not to have much of an opinion on the matter. The less he noticed about people the better. "I'd expect nothing less of a Slytherin." Tone was light in nature alluding to the fact that he too was merely saying something in good humor. He knew not all Slytherins possessed the same qualities but in Corvinus' case, there were some that were truly that of the noble House of Slytherin and for now, that didn't appear to be a bad thing.

Talks of Ireland had Albus feeling somewhat wary. He didn't figure Corvinus would invite him all that way just to pull a rug out from under him. No. His concern was first and foremost the Ministry. What would they say if he began traveling the world? Would they assume he was secretly meeting with Gellert? He had a sneaky feeling he would be watched the entire time and should he attempt to divert them, they would only assume the worst. Travers was paranoid enough to arrest him even without all the information.

"My apologies. The accent is clear. I just… I guess I assumed you might have a home far closer due to your work here, but it… sounds nice. Perhaps… when things die down some… I don't think traveling for any reason is a good idea right now… in my case anyway."

And he was content to leave things at that, making a potential quick escape to the Prefect's bathroom only for Corvinus to stop him before he could start. The question posed had Albis looking away again, unable to meet his gaze. Of course he was running off again. His problems were not that of anyone else's and much preferred to handle things on his own. Pulling people into his circle had never done much. Why start now?

"I am not avoiding you, Corvinus," he pointed out calmly. Not entirely he thought. "But I do prefer to handle my issues on my own. This isn't… something anyone can just help me with. THERE IS NO HELPING. After all that has transpired today, I think I have earned the right to be a recluse for a few days to study. Perhaps reading and focusing on something else may help my mood --- I don't know. It's worth trying and, I would rather not have to endure the hushed whispers of our collegues for a while. I need time, Corvinus. I don't have the strength to pretend everything is okay tomorrow."

He made to move past him, feeling anxious all over again. "I don't push everyone away. Just the ones who get a little TOO close. Surely you can understand. After all, you are still married." he muttered, reaching for the door. That is to say, Corvinus had his own means of keeping people at arm's length, so why not Albus too?

ALBUS  |  fantastic-wizards

He never intended to break skin but his hands had to do something. The anxiety the Ministry was creating with all of their meddling left Albus in a state that he hadn’t felt in many, many years. The first was about the time they discovered Ariana’s condition. The burden placed upon his shoulder as head of their household and caretaker left him in a constant state of duress. Of course, he hid it well enough. Aberforth never knew Albus suffered from such a ‘minor’ affliction, but their sister on the other hand, never missed a beat.

“Albus, your hands… let me see them…”

People thought his sister was strange. They made fun of her and prodded her, leading to a decision to keep her hidden from the world. Like Credence… In the end, she died anyway with Albus failing to do his duty. To say his condition worsened after was an understatement. But as the years go by with a definitive goal in mind, one learns to channel conditions seen as weakness into other things. Becoming one of the world’s most powerful wizards did the trick and until now, he’d done well to compartmentalize. Perhaps come the morrow, he will have paced enough — exhausted himself really — enough that his body would come back down from such a heightened state. He could only hope. His last resort was to drink and he REALLY didn’t want to pick up that habit, even if he had no class anymore.

He is startled as palms were taken with Corvinus’ words barely registering. The scene is reminiscent of one from some years back when Gellert first noted the bleeding palms.

“Why do you do this to yourself, Albus? What troubles you so?”

Didn’t take Gellert long to figure out that Albus was in a constant state of stress over his family. It also didn’t take long for him to find the hidden desires of Albus’ heart. He longed for freedom — adventure — all the things that required a separation from older brother duties. And he nearly had that until reality slapped him so hard he saw stars.

The gentle touch drew his attention again, but only briefly. Gentle touching wasn’t something he was accustomed to these days and so dwelling on the feeling was not smart. So he watched, tensely aware of the kind gesture and offered a quiet thanks as soothing hands left his own again. The touch was followed up by Corvinus’ own opinion of the matter. Even more kindness from him, but through words. Hearing Corvinus reason out loud just what Albus had hoped to convey to the Ministry ( in one form or another ) was refreshing. It let Albus know that maybe he wasn’t wrong in feeling this way… at least as it pertained to being in love. Yes, he was very much ashamed that Gellert’s nonsense wasn’t enough to make him hate the guy, but… you don’t roll around in bed with someone and practically marry them with a blood bond then simply forget all about it cold turkey. A few radical speeches were not enough to erase those feelings. And it sucked, but he had no solution… at least not one that didn’t involve obliterating his memories of the guy.

“Would that everyone would see it your way,” he responded quietly. “They will not. They will not understand how I could still feel something when nothing but hate and biggotry leads his speeches these days, but it's… hard to put to words. We were practically married — still married I suppose.”

The troth seemed to like this idea as its hold had loosened a great deal. But even without the troth’s possessive hold, the cuffs were still there as a nagging reminder of his failures. This was going to be a long rest of the year, and one he was dreading more than anything.

He had to wonder if Corvinus sensed these feelings. Now that he was becoming more lucid, he was keenly aware of the eyes watching him carefully. No doubt they were of concern, as Corvinus’ actions had proven to be nothing more than that this evening but still… Something about his gaze made Albus nervous and so he found himself slowly pacing again, hugging himself as if to shield himself from prying eyes.

Corvinus broke the ensuing silence again, and to Albus’ relief it was the means to an out of such a heavy topic. Albus wasn’t truly happy, but Corvinus’ attempt at humor had been enough to stop Albus from pacing. He offered a small smile in kind as he turned away again. Unfortunately they would have to do without him for a while, but he had no doubt that in time, they’d learn to appreciate Corvinus’ knowledge and approach to teaching.

“I think in wake of my absence, I’ve a feeling they will grow to love and appreciate what others have to offer. It helps that some are easy on the eyes and — or so I have been told — that is oft enough to keep their undivided attention.” Then came the offer and one that took Albus off guard. “Ireland?” He looked at Corvinus through the glass in shock. Ireland? His home was in Ireland? That's… wow, but then he supposed that made sense if he was never from around here in the first place but still… Albus’ eyes went back to the cuffs, wondering if they would trace him around the world. Most likely. Leaving here would only put Corvinus under scrutiny as well.

“Oh…I… that's… yes. That makes sense. I… will consider it.”

He would, but he had a feeling it would not come to pass. As long as he was cuffed, he would be followed around like a prisoner. Despite what Corvinus says, he didn’t deserve to be pulled into this three ring circus either.

Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair. His body felt like lead and as he finally broke from the window, he looked to Corvinus despite every part of him longing to curl into a ball in hiding. He was a wreck but he hoped a long, hot bath in one of the fancier bathrooms would help. At the very least, he wouldn’t look so tussled anymore and maybe come the morrow, Corvinus wouldn’t think nothing of it.

“You’ve shown me a great deal of kindness tonight. Thank you. I… cannot promise I won’t be scarce for a while, but know that I am alright. I simply have more time to perfect old spells and revise old lesson plans, but uh.. I think… I think I may go grab a bath. I ache all over and… the prefect’s bathroom is quite nice. Tonight seems like a good night to soak beneath the merpeople and a thousand scented bubbles,” he said smiling weakly.

Of course few would understand. Most had never been faced with the choice of their morals or loved ones as they often aligned. Salazar wouldn’t admit it, he couldn’t, but that was the precise thing that had happened with his wife although it had been reversed. He had still been suffering after so many years, a dark cloud overhanging him. But there she had been to pull him out of it and into a better life and he had followed her even though he had been searching for GREATER power still. He had given up his whole life and desires to be with her. But that was the far easier route than being alongside someone like Grindelwald. Probably most had never been placed into such a CHALLENGING position though Salazar could relate to an extent even if he had had the easier time.

Such a black and white world they all saw, they would be at a total LOSS if they had to experience such a situation.  ❝  Yes, well, Tavers, should he ever find himself in a situation like that, is more likely to order someone ELSE to deal with the problem while he ran away. He’s a man with power, not talent. I’ve the unfortunate displeasure of speaking with him several times when going to meet with Spencer-Moon at the Ministry.  ❞  So quick to dislike those that did not agree with him and PARANOIA to quite a high extent. What sort of leadership skills could one have if they couldn’t handle a simple ‘no’ or explanation that proved them wrong?  ❝  Too often those with their perfect little lives can’t even COMPREHEND far more—— complicated situations that others have to endure.  ❞  It simply wasn’t as if they could choose and control their own emotions. Apparently Albus’ issue was love while his own was rage. Something he had at least attempted to work on though love was far more complicated.

Not to mention most seemed ever oblivious to the problems around them or simply didn’t care. No Muggles in his past cared for their kind as a whole and their own kind would have laughed at his sufferings as a boy because of the wealth of his family. All around, it was a COLD world they lived in and had served only to make his own heart grow harder against it. 

At least Albus seemed to be growing more comfortable with his presence. Not assuming him to be another fanatic of Grindelwald’s simply because he hated the Muggles. Now he was beginning to open up and it was something of a RELIEF to Salazar. It meant he wouldn’t have to pry or use overly underhanded tactics to gain information. Those often didn’t prove as RELIABLE rather than someone giving a confession of their own free will. He came so curious of this great wizard and now, while there were more questions in the air, Salazar was satiated that they had made it this far to begin with. Not just small pleasantries in the hallways.

At the mention of looks, Salazar couldn’t help but his smile turn into something of a smirk and a light chuckle. Sure, he used magic to alter his appearance ever so slightly. Nose a little bit thinner, eyes more of a bluish-green, canines not so extended. Tiny things to help him blend in a little better should anyone ever find a more ACCURATE portrait than the ‘old’ version of him that wandered Hogwarts. Probably the founder’s interpretation of him as it had come along long after he had left and they had likely assumed him so old by then. But, even with the minor changes, he was well aware of how his appearance could draw others in.  ❝  If I were to try and appear humble and act as though I don’t know my appearance, I’m afraid I’d be lying. If anything, it can hinder their abilities in my class due to distractions.  ❞  There wasn’t any point in trying to brush it off, Salazar knew full well and took care in his appearance. Though was a student thought of his appearance wasn’t truly his concern, it was more them being CAPABLE of his subject.

Many had already dropped the class in their first week as they had expected it to be such an easy class.

He caught the look and it only caused amusement to shine in his gaze.  ❝  Of course Ireland. Perhaps my accent’s a bit watered down after traveling for so long but it’s my home. Which you are more than welcome to visit come summer to see what information I’ve collected. I can certainly put aside some time to welcome you there.  ❞  Between his travels, of course, many of which nowadays seemed to consist of England and other European countries given the current political climate and Salazar ensuring he was aware of what was to come. 

And then the smile began to fall away. Eyebrows raising, almost as if in disapproval. Perhaps he should just accept the excuse, move on and hope to come together again at some point though Salazar would prefer it wasn’t in such a manner as the last times. But, despite all of his ‘proper’ raisings and manners, some things just couldn’t slip by. 

❝  I take it you’ll be avoiding me again, Albus?  ❞  There wasn’t anger in the words and were posed more of a statement than a QUESTION though he did his best to mask it as such.  ❝  You can’t push everyone away once they’ve seen you vulnerable, you know. At some point you’ll have to let someone in to see you for you unless you want to endure far worse marks than bleeding palms. The mind can only take so much.  ❞  Even he, with all his strengths, had broken and offered a confession to Albus in a moment of vulnerability. No matter the witch or wizard, it was difficult to venture alone in the world. Something Salazar himself had spent far too much time doing and it had certainly had its negative effects on him.