#and barty would be so happy because he think's people actually like his music

[swag696942069]

I feel it in my bones. Barty was a soundcloud rapper. Rather he was a good one is debatable. But a soundcloud rapper nonetheless.

[ellecdc]

elle elle elle can i request something with moon water killer (i think that's with barty?😭) with a reader inspired by the song Matilda by harry styles???

Since i saw you haven't gotten many requests with song inspo

omg! I'd never heard this song before! it's really beautiful, so thank you for sharing! also....I hope I did it justice <3 ** .... fuck ok I posted this and noticed you perhaps asked for reader to be Matilda coded? sorry I didn't catch that at the time

poly!moonwaterkiller x fem!reader who exceed expectations

CW: mention of Barty & Regulus' shitty childhoods and families (but nothing is described), lyrics are in a different font & the lyrics I inserted directly into the fic are in blue

You don’t have to be sorry for leaving and growing up. You don’t have to be sorry for doing it on your own.

Being born a Black came with a lot of expectations.

A young Black was expected to be well-groomed at all times, to be quiet, obedient, well-mannered, and have proper etiquette training.

They were expected to be dutiful sons and daughters, driven and successful students, and to keep up the family’s good name.

They were expected to grow into robotic adults, find a partner who was probably not too distantly related from them, and raise the next generation of Black children who would then wash, rinse, and repeat. 

Regulus Black expected the same for himself. 

He expected to be a dutiful son, a diligent student, a successful heir to the Black family name, and produce a suitable offspring who would amount to much the same. 

And by some brilliant stroke of luck, he did not meet those expectations. 

Though he tried to be a dutiful son, and he was indeed a diligent student, it hadn’t seemed to be quite enough for Orion and Walburga Black. 

And it wasn’t until Sirius left that Regulus realised that it would never be enough for them. 

So he left, too. 

You can let it go.

And when Regulus believed that there was lingering Darkness that flowed through his veins, he had found three people who saw the Light in him… even when he couldn’t. 

And Regulus won’t bore everyone with the details; but somehow that Light brought him here, to this day, with these people. 

And though both you and Remus were privy to the life Regulus lived growing up, neither of you truly understood it; and Regulus was happy for it.

But Barty did. 

Barty knew what it felt like to never live up to the expectations that came with your Name, to be perpetually wrong and disgraceful, and unfortunately that the consequences of such were really quite high. 

But they made it. They made it out.

Though it was not without scars.

Birthday’s had always been somewhat touchy for Barty, which may seem strange for the boisterous, egotistical, cocky son-of-a-bitch that everyone knew Barty to be.

A whole day? Dedicated to you? Where people were obligated to shower you with love and gifts? What self-absorbed, high-performing only child wouldn’t like that?

Barty didn’t.

Though Regulus supposed it was less that Barty didn’t like the idea, and more that birthday’s had never been a positive experience so he never quite knew how to handle them.

But - God love you both - you and Remus were determined to change that; and Regulus thought you might actually be succeeding. 

Because Regulus stood in the backyard of his small, cosy, modest townhouse with string lights hanging between beams and bannisters, basking the space in a golden glow as the small fire crackled and music played softly from Evan’s sound system that he brought for the event.

The event being Barty’s birthday. 

Everyone Barty loved was crammed into the small space; and the people Barty claimed not to love but rather tolerate (read: Remus’ friends) had shown up too. 

Throw a party full of everyone you know.

Regulus had the prime view from where he stood leaning against the wooden fence; some drink in his hand that Potter insisted was “so sodding good, mate, you’ll love it” - that Regulus could admit wasn’t horrid - as he watched Remus twirl you around in sloppy circles that the two of you seemed to think was a dance (years of proper etiquette and dance training would have Regulus saying otherwise). You threw your head back in a laugh that echoed in Regulus’ rib cage as Remus dipped you low; his honey brown curls glowing ethereally in the golden glow of the string lights as he pulled you back up to your full height to press a kiss to your lips. 

And Regulus’ prime viewing location also allowed him to watch Barty as he, too, watched the two of you.

Barty always talked of the pain like it’s alright; ever the comedian, he was always able to play off some of the most traumatic stories from his childhood as funny. And Regulus understood that; nothing about the way either of them had been treated had ever seemed especially alarming until now…until they saw that it could be better, that it should be better. 

Barty had been laughing and chatting with Evan, Pandora, Dorcas, and Marlene from the deck, but he had since opted to lean against the bannister as he watched two of his lovers enjoy the party; his party.

A party that Barty likely never imagined…expected for himself, a party that would have seemed impossible years ago. 

If the subtle glisten in Barty’s eyes and the mystified look on his face was enough to go by; the sentiment was not lost on Barty, either.

Their eyes met then; two boys whose families never showed them love who moved on to find freedom in love and a family that they started all on their own. 

It should have been impossible for Barty’s face to soften anymore than it had been as he watched you and Remus dancing, but it seemed to do just that when he shot Regulus a wink.

Regulus raised his glass to his boyfriend then; to growing up, to moving on, to showing love, to their little family.

And to exceeding every expectation either of them ever had for themselves.

[cressthebest]

Crimson Rivers thoughts pt. 45

chapter 68:

1. “Some of those ashes could be Marlene.” bro wtf

2. listing out the names of the people who died in war destroyed me

3. james reacting to his father’s death by flinching away from effie had me broken. i’m destroyed. unwell

4. “The worst part is, when he says what he does next, it's not even a question. "After that, you're leaving."

Sirius' eyes flutter shut, and he croaks, "Yeah, Reggie, I'm leaving again."”

SCREAMING CRYING SOBBING IM UNWELL I WILL NEVER BE OKAY AGAIN!!! I WILL NEVER BE FINE AGAIN

5. “”Sirius, I love you more than anything. You're the first person in this world I ever loved at all. Not Mother, not Father, not James; it was you.”” STILL SCREAMING STILL CRYING STILL SOBBING STILL UNWELL

6. okay just all of the stuff with the black brothers has me in tears. their bond is unbreakable and my heart is in fact very breakable. i’m shattered over them

7. dorcas hasn’t left that spot in over twenty four hours and boy am i worried for her. she needs water. she needs to go pee, i’m sure. she needs to eat something and to rest

8. “Just not afraid to die, then?

No, I'm rather used to it, actually.”

STILL SCREAMING OVER MARLENE!!! STILL SOBBING ACTUALLY

9. “"You. Even you," Dorcas declares harshly, glaring at her. "I'd rather it be you. Instead of her, I'd rather you be dead."”

WOAH! hold up!!! i love marlene as much as the next gal, but nobody goes after my girl lily. she fought and fought and fought as well. she deserved to make it to this side of war too! she tried to keep marlene alive too. hold your horses dorcas.

10. 😧 did you just shoot my lily??? MY LILY??? holy fucking shit. she’s insane.

11. “Some of that blood must have been Marlene's. Dorcas wishes she had bathed in it; Dorcas wants to turn back time and drown in it.” 😟 i’m worried

12. “Never, through any of this, did [James] imagine losing his dad.” kill me. it would be more merciful than making me live after reading that

13. “Monty loved Sirius like a father did; Sirius is allowed to mourn him as a son would.” calling my freind again while sobbing brb

14. god I don’t know how to explain it, but every time pandora is mentioned and she’s alive i let out a huge sigh of relief

15. AROACE PANDORA SUPREMACY

16. i’m so horridly upset that lily lost almost everyone. she lost her family, she lost sybil, she lost kingsley, and dorcas tried to shoot her, so i’m pretty sure she lost her too. lily tried to not love anybody because she was scared of losing them, and sure enough, she was right

17. i get upset when everyone talks about going separate ways. i want everyone to live in one big town and live right next door to each other. i’m thinking hogwarts vibes (except better, ya know) or maybe the mansion they all lived in at the start of ahb!

18. as much as it upsets me that sirius is going to be leaving james and effie and regulus, i’m genuinely so happy that sirius is going to stay with remus

19. oh. i see why sirius has to leave. it’s best for everyone to heal a little before sirius sees his james and regulus again. because otherwise they won’t be able to heal

20. i love wolfstar, and this is so emotional but like, “Just—for right now, what I need is to be with you. I want—that's what I want.” all that does is remind me of high school musical with the “ALL I WANNA DOOOO IS BEE WITH YOU! ONLY YOU! NO MATTER WHERE LIFE TAKES US, NOTHING CAN BREAK US APAAAART, YOU KNOW ITS TRUE, I JUST WANNA BE WITH YOUUUU”

21. ““I wish I did love him that way," Regulus confesses, "because it would have been easier than this. It would have been easier to define how losing him feels, but it's not. James, it's not."”

god, i ache for him. like so badly. i so badly want him to have barty back. more than any other character. (sorry to marlene and monty and sybil and literally everyone else who died)

22. “It's still been three days since the end of the war, and Regulus wonders when they'll stop measuring the passage of time that way.” 😟

23. “Doomed to be a great, big tragedy.” *eye twitch* i’m fine. *even bigger eye twitch*

24. look, i know in the future, everyone will be together again and as happy as they can ever be. but rn, i’m sad

chapter 69:

1. “"I don't care!" Aberforth shouts. "I don't give a damn about your fucked up love story with our sister's murderer, Albus! The fact that you even came to love him to begin with sickens me, let alone that you continued to after he killed Ariana, and still do to this day!"” hell yeah put him in his place

2. “The dead sister card is a little underhanded, admittedly, but Aberforth knows a thing or two about manipulation tactics. He'd have to. Albus is his older brother, after all.” LMAOOOOOO

3. lily mentioning children and sirius and remus just locking eyes and panicking was so fucking funny. bro i’m wheezing

4. BRO AND THEN REGULUS BEING LIKE “you’ve??? never thought about kids??????? wtf??? me and james are having four you little loser??????”

5. dorcas just marching in has me so fucking scared ngl

6. oh god, dorcas became the president coin in this. she wants to make a new hunger games. oh god. oh no

7. as horrifying as it was to see sirius’ train of thought, him being the first one to say no is so fucking satisfying oh my god

8. good for remus fucking standing up for lily. everyone is blaming lily, and finally remus speaks up that the blame cannot rest on lily alone

9. 😧😧 not albus suggesting the jegulus wedding to help with the aftermath. bro he’s fucking insane. it’s so hallow-like of him to suggest that oh my god

10. oh my god dorcas has gone insane, is she about to tell everyone how albus was in love with grindlewald. that’s fucking insane oh my god i can’t wait

11. oh my god it’s even better. it’s that he came up with the rule for the quarterly quell. oh my god this is gonna be great

12. 😧 holy shit. sirius just killed albus. imma be so real, i expected one person to not leave that table, and i thought it would be dorcas, not albus. i thought she would be killed

13. minerva asking lily to be a medic and help save albus, and lily just not will forever be iconic to me

14. as a punishment they banned sirius from the hallow 😭😭😭 babes they knew they had to come up with some punishment as like a way to show actions have consequences, but they chose one that sirius would love 😭😭 that’s so funny to me bro

15. alberforth finally leaving his home is a very satisfying character arch

16. “this story is, first and foremost, about siblings—primarily sirius and regulus ofc—like that is the whole point of this fic, the core of it over anything else. and that feels right considering the source material, like in thg, it was always about katniss' love for prim and how important that was over peeta or gale or anyone else. and i just. i really adore that, and hope i paid a good homage to that, because i really admire it.”

you did. you did pay homage to that. it was abundantly clear that this was about siblings. and i love you for it. thank you, if you see this

alrighty six more chapters to go! i’m in the home stretch yall

[floralembarrassment]

I Know You (1/1) (jegulus)

Regulus hated parties. He hated everything about them. They were always was too noisy, too busy, too many people. He particularly hated parties that were meant to be for him. He knew it was supposed to be kind gesture, to him that people care and think about him, but it always ended up with too many expectations of him and way too many eyes on him, and frankly too many people he was to supposed to interact with all at once. Parties in his honour made him feel like people did not actually know him at all.

So, when James learned his birthday was today and when James told him he had a surprise for him tonight, he spent the rest of the day trying not be sick. Well getting sick might mean he had an excuse not to go, but unfortunately he would do anything for James and that included sitting through a ruthless amount of balloons and festivities and probably dancing. Because damn it, James loved to dance. If Regulus hadn't been in love with him for nearly 10 years, he is sure he would be rethinking his choices.

Alas, he got ready. Putting on his coziest sweater--one that wasn't too hot or too scratchy--his favourite pants that fell just right, and a thin chain bracelet that Evan and Barty had given him this morning at breakfast. He sighed, content at least that his outfit wouldn't bother him all night, and set out to wait outside on his porch as James requested.

Only two minutes later did James appear at the foot of the path to the home. The sight of him reminded Regulus partially why he loved him. Gorgeous dewy brown skin, a grin that rarely faded, and he was dressed in a soft knit sweater and trousers, that Regulus would bet was picked out by his mother. He shook his head fondly as he stood.

James came up the two steps of the porch, wrapping his arms around Regulus and pulling him into a soft kiss. Quick but filled with desire. "Hello," he said gently. "Hi" Regulus breathed out. "Happy Birthday love," James said, his eyes sparkling. Regulus leaned his forehead against James' shoulder, and James moved his hands up Regulus' back to his shoulders. Pushing away and simultaneously holding him up, he squeezed Regulus' arms and meeting his gaze asked, "ready?"

"Ready," Regulus said with enthusiasm he hoped didn't sound too forced.

"Come on, you'll love it." James said, and he turned them in the spot.

With a pop they appeared in front a small cottage. A peaceful lake on one side, and a field of wild flowers on the other, the small cottage appeared to be only a few rooms. When they walked inside, Regulus was ready for a surprise of people, and bracing himself he was only met with soft melodic tunes of classical music. The table was set with two place settings, what looked like a simple meal, and a few candles. There was a coffee tray and cake set on the counter, and the lights were dimmed low so the last hour of sun was all that brightened the space. It was beautiful and peaceful and Regulus could breath so easy. His mouth hung open a bit in awe.

"Surprised?" James asked, coming up behind him and wrapping his arms around his front. Regulus let his weight fall into James' chest, "this is perfect. Thank you." Then Regulus turned his head to press a kiss on James' lips.

James kissed him back and then begun to sway softly to the music. "I knew there would be dancing," Regulus breathed out with a laugh. James' eyes widen, "I do love dancing Reg, but I know you, and I love you too."

"You know me, you certainly do." And the rest of Regulus' birthday was peaceful, quiet, and even as night crept over the cottage, inside the sun never dimmed.

[mrsfrecklesmarauders]

"Hey, Regulus... That was fun, right?"

It had indeed been fun. It'd been long since Regulus just enjoyed an evening laughing, drinking and listening to stupid pop music. Actually he had never done that. He used to think those kind of plans were hideous. Regulus and Barty used to criticize people who did that.

But it wasn't actually that bad. When he was drunk and laughing he could ignore the horrible music.

"Yeah... I guess..."

Amycus smiled as he opened their dorm door. As expected, their roommates were already asleep. Alan and... Barty....

Barty had his curtains shut. He had been a bit upset when he wasn't invited to The Knights party. Or so Regulus thought. But he understood this was part of his plan, right?

Regulus was so close to fully win his father's trust. And Orion had been too occupied giving Regulus attention that he finally left Sirius alone. He wasn't sure about doing everything to get his precious Heir back. He could replace him with another: Regulus. Sirius could live his life in peace. And when Orion was in jail, Walburga could be in peace too. Perhaps they all would.

Amycus giggled in a whisper.

"I think I am a bit drunk still"

Regulus looked at him and faked a smile.

"Yeah, me too"

Regulus was ready to go to bed when Amycus called.

"Hey, Regulus..."

Regulus turned. Amycus was smiling. Regulus didn't know if it was the alcohol.

"You are actually pretty cool..." he said "I am glad you are part of The Knights"

For a second, Regulus felt bad. But he didn't like Amycus. Or Nick. Or Samuel. Or the rest of the Knights. They were superficial, and they only talked about girls, which was annoying. They  thought themselves better than the whole school just because they were rich and popular. The worst kind, as Regulus and Barty used to say.

But maybe Regulus had been spending a lot of time with them. And maybe he had been learning, they were more than stupid blokes. They had their own issues as well. But still, Regulus couldn't like them. They were very different. This was all part of his plan.

Orion had been a Knight and he said his time as one was the best experience of his life. So Regulus was doing the same to please him.

Regulus gave a small smile to Amycus and walked to his bed.

The next morning, Barty was distant with Regulus. He made sarcastic jokes and gagging noises when one of The Knights said hello to him. And Amycus didn't leave his side.

"Can I sit with you in Biology?" Amycus asked, as he placed himself next to Regulus, practically pushing Barty away. Of course Regulus didn't notice that "I don't want Professor Sprout to pick me up as a volunteer again"

Regulus turned to Barty.

"Ehm..." Regulus said "Barty always sits with me"

"Barty won't mind, would he?" Amycus asked, giving Barty a soft punch of the shoulder. He didn't look happy.

"I actually mind, Carrow..." Barty was probably going to insult him but he stopped when Regulus told him to shut up with his eyes "But... I guess I would like to be close to Professor Sprout to see how she dissects the frog..." he smirked "I want to see clearly how the blood and organs come out of its body"

Barty left with an evil smirk, pushing both of them as he passed. Regulus almost smiled. He loved Barty's eccentricities. But he looked rather angry. Was it against Amycus or himself?

Amycus giggled nervously "He is joking, right?"

"Oh no... Barty loves to see how the blood pops out"

Amycus must've taken it as a joke because he laughed. Regulus smiled.

******

Regulus discovered that in fact, Barty was angry with him. He had to spend the rest of the afternoon with The Knights and it was no fun this time.

"Barty... Why have you been ignoring me all day?" Regulus asked when he found Barty alone in their dorm.

"Busy editing my film..." Barty shrugged.

"I've been looking for you"

"Annoyed with your new friends already?" Barty asked sarcastically.

"They are not my friends. You are" Regulus swallowed.

Barty didn't answer.

"I am just pretending because of my plan"

Barty finally looked up at him. His green eyes seemed bigger in the dark.

"You know what I think?" Barty asked. Regulus didn't answer "I think you are enjoying this assignment a bit too much"

"What do you mean?" Regulus spat "You know why I am doing this..."

"What is the reason?" Barty asked, now leaving his computer aside and standing up in a challenging way "Because I think you've forgotten about it..."

Regulus raised an eyebrow.

"Do you have something to say?"

Barty laughed "You are enjoying being the new center of attention, don't you?"

Regulus was speechless. Especially because he hated being seen, worst being the center of attention. Regulus loved being invisible.

"What?"

"You've always been the shadow of your brother... And now that he is gay and tossed aside, you are loving taking his place, don't you?"

Barty meant all of this. And Regulus was furious. He pushed Barty back.

"That's not true!" Regulus screamed "I am doing this to help him, and to destroy the asshole of my father!"

"That was before tasting what is like to be a Knight... To be the king of the school..." Barty laughed "You are enjoying yourself so much...that I bet you wank every night thinking about it"

Regulus punched Barty in the face. He had never punched anyone before so his knuckles hurt and bleed.

Barty wasn't surprised. He touched his bleeding nose and smiled. Then he continued.

"I heard you talking with Amycus last night... Your new best friend" he added in a mocking voice "You don't know what you are becoming... You might be the Black Heir..." he smiled sadly "But not my Regulus anymore. Not my best friend"

"Is this what this is about?" Regulus asked "You are jealous of Amycus?" he snorted not quite believing it.

Barty looked furious now.

"Admit that you are enjoying being the center of attention! You love being the freaking king that everyone wants to be and every girl wants to shag!" Barty was yelling now.

Okay... Perhaps sometimes Regulus enjoyed being a normal teenager. Forgetting about his fucked up life and his fucked up family, the nightmares he had, or the sleepless nights. He had been constantly sad and numb for a long time and it felt great to just hear the others talk bullshit and get drunk in a party. Normal stuff.

But God, Regulus hated the attention. He hated that Orion and Walburga were becoming more and more proud of him, ignoring Sirius. He hated that Sirius detested what he thought he was becoming. That they fought each time they saw each other. Or that he had to pretend to fancy Pandora and girls in general, because Sirius was gay now and Regulus couldn't afford to be the same. Regulus didn't fancy anyone. He wanted to be left alone.

And he was bloody furious that Barty thought he had been enjoying himself all this bloody time. He had been living a nightmare.

"No!" Regulus yelled back "I am doing something to change my life... Unlike you, Barty"

Barty snorted amused "What do you mean, Black?"

"You are always complaining and complaining about your stupid life, and your twat father but you don't do anything about it!"

Barty looked hurt. He tensed everytime someone mentioned his father. He hated that old man. That's why he didn't scandalise when Regulus told him his plan. They both shared their hatred for their fathers.

"And what I am I supposed to do?" Barty spat "Put him to jail like you are going to do with yours?"

"At least I am not a coward like you"

Barty approached so quickly that Regulus thought he was going to punch him. But Barty just grabbed his shirt.

"THAT'S NOT TRUE AND YOU FUCKING KNOW IT! I AM NOT AFRAID OF MY FATHER!" Barty screamed on Regulus' face "I MISS YOU!!" he added with tears in his eyes.

Regulus was too shocked to respond.

"I miss when when it was only the two of us..." Barty carried on trying not to cry. He still was grabbing Regulus' shirt "Before freaking Pandora and Emmeline... And the fucking Knights... Just you and me against the world, remember?"

Regulus sighed "Barty..."

"We were two kids angry with the world and it was fine....I... I miss that... "

Regulus opened his mouth to say something, he didn't know what exactly. But Barty interrupted him with a kiss.

At first, Regulus was surprised and didn't move. But then Barty opened his lips and Regulus had the same uncomfortable sensation he had when Alice kissed him. So he pushed Barty away.

Regulus didn't move. He just stared at Barty.

Barty was all flushed and embarrassed, panting to the floor.

But then his eyes locked with Regulus'

"I love you, Regulus"

"No..." Regulus shook his head.

"I've been in love with you for a long time..."

"No... No..."

Regulus didn't want to lose Barty. Barty was very important for Regulus. His best friend in the whole world. The only one that actually got him, that actually cared, that didn't treat him as a baby. Well, perhaps Pandora as well... But Barty was way more important. He had been there for a long time. Regulus loved him too. But not in the way he wanted. He couldn't love anyone that way. Perhaps Professor Frumentar was right about him. He was one of those.

Regulus had tears in his eyes. He wanted to cry. He didn't want Barty to hate him because he couldn't love him back.

"Reg..."

"You just ruined everything..."

Regulus regretted the minute it came out of his mouth but it was too late.

Barty nodded.

"I get it..." he said "I am not good enough for your precious magesty..." he bowed. Regulus was about to cry "The Black Magesty cannot be gay and worst be seen with a guy like me..."

"No, Barty..."

"It's over..." Barty interrupted "I'm done"

Barty walked out of the room before Regulus could stop him.

Regulus silently cried because he had lost his best friend.

[drunktayloratthevmas]

Fame aau rosekiller exes (unrequited love) happy relationship

Its 11pm and i was going to sleep But this idea came to mind and idk why I feel the need to share so yeah

Barty is a famous singer (think the neighbourdhood But also frank ocean and ldr) and evan is a famous model and a actor (think suki waterhouse a little bit) and they meet one day at an after party of a runway show of evan (barty was there because regulus was also modelling and he is a good friend) and they feel in love that second on that night and they keep talking and flirting and seeing each other for a while

Barty and evan dated for 2 and a half years and they were THE couple and everyone loved them, barty would make or Talk things Related to evan on his concerts and even has a song for him and how they meet and Everything on one of his albums (think margaret by lana del rey mixed with envy the leaves by madison beer) and evan would make lives and lit talk about barty for like 3 hours straight and people would think its the cutest ever

Idk But I think they break up But not because evan got bored or didnt feel loved or they had problems or fights, no, he just break yo with barty cause yeah and move on cause he has the mindseat of "if I did this I dont know why would I Regret it, I Wouldnt have done it if so" so he did that and pack his things But left barty a scrapbool with All of their photos since they meet and a camera wich barty gifted to him For his birthday

Barty never got with evan did it even tho evaned to him why, he was heartbroken and cried for a whole month on regulus' guest room cause his shared room with evan on their apartment had too many memories, he wrote songs for evan after the break up But most of them he never realesed them, he didnt realized when he was begging evan not to Leave him he would Never get over evan

Their fans and everyone was heartbroken too even tho they didnt know the reason of the break up, evan after 5 months of the break up he meet Amos and really liked him so they went on dates and try to date and actually did make each other very happy, people were horrible to the, evan because of how he could be with someone else in such a little time (bitch get over it... You Are Annoying shut up) and to Amos just because everyone loved barty and evan together so the New partner always gets shit on the for no reason other than "your partner looked better with this person" and i think barty would had collab of had been friends with Amos and like had post higlights or put music out with him and when the relationship went public he deleted those for a few days then put ir back on like nothing happened (he was having a mental break down my bbg was NOT okay) and well of people ate that whole ass drama UPPP like I would have too

And i think Amos and evan would still be dating and people Are a lot more suportive of them and liked them a lot more than before and barty would go to a random podcast channel to promote his music and that But they asked a question of "after your break yo with evan you haven't been with anyone else even tho he didnt even need 5 months to do so, why is that?" and yeah ve got annoyed a little at that But he told the truth "im super happy for Amos and evan actually I think they make a great couple and they looks like the love each other and will take care of each other, I will never forget what I say to evan that night things ended, I said it that night, I will say it now and i will say it again “evan rosier I loved you for many years, I love you now and i dont think I will ever not love you... just so you know” and yes i loved evan then, now and i will always love him"

So yyeah girl now its 12:18 / 00:18 and i should go to sleep But I will not I know myself saddly

[fanfics4all]

Should Have Been Me

Request: Yes / No  (I'm sorry to bother again but I just love your fics so much) could I request another but harry has a twin sister who is a hufflepuff but no one really knows about her she's practically Harry's shadow she was selected in the goblet of fire along with her boyfriend (Cedric) to some attention but doesn't work so when they to the cemetery before Peter kills Cedric she takes the hit know others will miss him more than her and he brings back her body Harry gets devastated for losing his sister @kiss-cult​

Don’t be shy, request things! <3 Have a nice day/night

Cedric Diggory x Fem!Potter!Reader 

Word count: 2643

Warnings: death and that should be it 

Y/N: Your Name 

PLEASE DO NOT STEAL MY WORK, I WORK HARD ON MY FICS AND IT’S NOT COOL TO STEAL SOMEONE ELSE’S WORK! 

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Masterlist 

(Not my photo, credit to whoever made it!)

When I first got sorted I was a little upset that I wasn’t in the same house as my brother. Harry was placed in Gryffindor and I was placed in Hufflepuff. Being new to the wizarding world I was kind of scared and nervous. Luckily an older student named Cedric helped me a lot. We became close and Cedric ended up asking me out. I of course said yes and Harry wasn’t happy about it at first. He’s always been the over protective brother, but once he saw how incredibly happy I was he accepted it. 

It was the beginning of fourth year and I was sitting in the Great Hall next to Cedric. We may have seen each other over the summer recently, but it wasn’t enough. 

“Now we’re all settled in and sorted, I’d like to make an announcement. This castle will not only be your home this year, but home to some very special guests as well. You see Hogwarts had been chosen-” Dumbledore cut himself off as Filch ran up to him. He whispered something to him and ran off again. 

“So Hogwarts has been chosen to host a legendary event. The Tri-Wizard Tournament.” He said and people started whispering. I furrowed my brow confused about what was going on. 

“Now for those of you who do not know, the Tri-Wizard Tournament brings together three schools for a series of magical contests. From each school a single contestant is selected to compete. Now let me be clear, if chosen you stand alone. And trust me when I say these contests are not for the faint hearted, but more on that later. For now please join me in welcoming the lovely ladies of the Beauxbatons Academy of magic and their headmistress Madam Maxime.” Dumbledore said. The doors opened and a group of very pretty girls dressed in blue danced their ways up the aisle. Butterflies flew into the air and just about every boy was staring at them. They bowed and everyone applauded. 

“And now our friends from the north, please greet the proud sons of Durmstrand and the high master Igor Karkaroff.” Dumbledore said. The doors opened again and some older looking boys walked up the aisles holding bo staffs. They were twirling them around and something slamming into the ground, making sparks fly. The girls were staring in awe, well I wasn't, I didn’t much care for them honestly. Once everyone was settled the feast started. 

Once it was finished Dumbledore gained everyone’s attention again for another announcement. 

“Your attention please! I would like to say a few words. Eternal glory, that is what awaits the student who wins the Tri-Wizard Tournament. But to do this that student must survive three tasks. Three extremely dangerous tasks. For this reason the Ministry has seen fit to impose a new rule. To explain all this we have the head of the Department of International Magic Cooperation, Mister Bartimus Crouch.” He said. Thunder roared above us and it started to rain. Students screamed as they started getting wet. Someone casted a spell at the ceiling and everyone was back to normal. 

“Who is that?” I asked Cedric.

“Mad-Eye Moody. He used to be an Aura.” He explained and I nodded. 

“Why is he called Mad-Eye?” I asked. 

“Well, he lost his eye and leg during the war and he honestly his job just made him lose it.” He said and I frowned. 

“How sad.” I said. 

“After much deliberation the Ministry has concluded that for their own safety no student under the age of seventeen shall be allowed to put forth their name for the Tri-Wizard Tournament. This decision is final.” Mr. Crouch said and a bunch of students started booing. 

“Silence!” Dumbledore shouted and everyone quieted down. Dumbledore casted a spell over a box and it revealed a goblet containing a blue flame. 

“The goblet of fire. Anyone wishing to submit themselves for the tournament merely write their name upon a piece of parchment and throw it into the flame before this house on Thursday night. Do not do so lightly, if chosen there’s no turning back. As from this moment the Tri-Wizard Tournament has begun!” Dumbledore explained. 

The whole week Cedric was talking about wanting to put his name in. I was worried about him doing so, but I couldn’t stop him if he really wanted to. Luckily he came to me before he made his final decision. 

“Well, what do you think?” He asked and I sighed. 

“Honestly? I think it’s too dangerous, maybe it’s because this is still kind of new to me but still, it’s really up to you.” I said. 

“Do you not want me to?” He asked and I bit my lip. 

“I just don’t want to see you die.” I said and he smiled. 

“Don’t worry love, I promise I’ll come back to you.” He said and kissed me. 

“You better.” I giggled. He quickly wrote his name down and grabbed my hand. He led me through the halls and to the goblet. He ran up and placed his name into the fire. That was it, there was no going back. 

The rest of the week I was so anxious. I wasn’t going to be better until they picked names. I could only hope that Cedric wasn’t picked. Thursday came soon enough and we were all gathered in the goblet room. 

“Sit down please! And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for, the champions selection!” Dumbledore said as everyone was taking their seats. Dumbledore approached the blue flame and it started glowing red. A name flew out and I felt my heart rate picked up. 

“The Durmstrang champion is, Viktor Krum!” Dumbledore shouted. People cheered as another name came out. 

“The champion from Beauxbatons, Fleur Delacour!” He shouted. Peopled cheered as the last name came out. 

“The Hogwarts champion, Cedric Diggory!” He announced and my heart clenched. Cedric smiled as he ran up to the front. He grabbed his name and ran into the room with the others. 

“Excellent! We now have our three champions! But in the end only one will go down in history. Only one will hoist this chalice on champions, this vessel of victory the Tri-Wizard cup!” He said. Everyone cheered, but the goblet started glowing red again. Another name flew out and Dumbledore silently reads it. 

“Y/N Potter. Y/N Potter?” He called and my eyes widened. I looked over at Harry, who looked just as shocked. 

“Y/N Potter!” He shouted again and I slowly got up. I walked up to him and took my name from his hands. 

“She’s a cheat! She’s not even seventeen yet!” a few people shouted. 

“She got Cedric to put her name in!” Someone else said, but I ignored them and walked into the room with the others. Everyone looked at me with a mix of shock and confusion. 

“Y/N? What are you doing here?” Cedric asked. 

“I-I don’t know. My-” I was cut off by the teachers bursting into the room. Dumbledore grabbed me and my eyes widened. 

“Y/N! Did you put your name in the goblet of fire?” He asked. 

“No sir!” I answered. 

“Did you ask one of the older students to do it for you?” He asked. 

“No sir!” I said. 

“You’re absolutely sure?” He asked. 

“Yes sir.” I answered. 

“Well of course she is lying!” Madame Maxime said. 

“The hell she is. The goblet of fire is an exceptionally powerful magical object, only an exceptionally powerful conjurer could have hoodwinked it. Magic way beyond the talents of a fourth year.” Mad-Eye said. 

“You seem to have given this a fair bit of thought Mad-Eye.” Igor said. 

“It was once my job to think as dark wizards do Karkaroff, perhaps you remember?” He said. 

“That doesn’t help Alastor. Leave this to you Barty.” Dumbledore said. 

“The rules are absolute, the goblet of fire constitutes a binding magical contract. Mrs. Potter has no choice, she is as of tonight… a Tri-Wizard champion.” He said and my eyes widened. Cedric and I went back to the common room and everyone was giving me a nasty glare. 

“Ignore them.” Cedric whispered and took me to my room. 

“Did you actually put your name in?” He asked. 

“No! I’ve been so terrified for you, I would never even think about putting my name in!” I said and he nodded. 

“Alright, I believe you. I just had to ask.” He said. 

“I don’t want to do this Ced.” I said. 

“I know, but you have to, love.” He said and kissed my head. 

The first two trials weren’t the easiest. Cedric had helped me prepare, but I was alone in this. I had managed to survive until the last challenge. Everyone was gathered outside at an arena and music was playing like nothing bad was about to happen. The champions walked out, along with myself. My nerves were at an all time high. 

“Earlier today Professor Moody placed the Tir-Wizard cup deep within the maze. Only he knows its exact position. Now as Mr. Diggory-” Dumbledore was cut off by people cheering. 

“And Mrs. Potter tied for first position they will be the first to enter the maze. Followed by Mr. Krum and Mrs. Delacour. The first person to touch the cup will be the winner. I’ve instructed the staff to patrol the perimeter, if at any point should a contestant wish to withdraw from the task he or she need only send up red sparks with their wands. Contestants, gather round.” He said and we all walked over to him. 

“In the maze you’ll find not dragons or creatures of the deep. Instead you’ll face something more challenging. You see, people change in the maze. Oh find the cup if you can, but be very weary you could just lose yours;ves along the way.” He said and I became more nervous. 

“Champions! Prepare yourselves!” Mad-Eye said. Cedric hugged his Father and I hugged Harry. 

“Be safe.” He said and I nodded while I bit my lip. 

“I’m scared Harry.” I whispered. 

“Hey, you can do this.” He said with a reassuring smile. 

“Harry’s right, you’re strong.” Cedric said coming over to us. 

“I’m so scared.” I said. 

“Hey, you got this, love. You can win this.” He said and I smiled slightly. 

“Don’t go easy on me, Ced.” I said and he smiled. 

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” He said and pecked my lips. Harry went up went up to the stands while Cedric and I went to out starting spots. 

“On the count of three… One-” Dumbledore was cut off by the cannon going off. Cedric and I entered the maze and I watched the walls close behind me. 

As I was walking through everything was making me anxious. There was a heavy mist and there were noises all around me. While I was walking I noticed Fleur was on the ground unconscious. She was slowly being swallowed by the walls and I started panicking slightly. I shot up the red sparks and hoped that someone would save her. I kept walked through the maze and noticed something shining in the distance. I started towards it and someone tried to hit me with a spell. 

“Get down!” Cedric shouted and I ducked. Cedric hit him with a spell and ran up to him, kicking the wand from his hands. He pointed his wand at Viktor’s body and my eyes widened. 

“No stop! He’s bewitched Ced!” I said. Cedric wasn’t himself. The two of us started to struggle. 

“Get off me!” He growled.

“He’s bewitched!” I said again. He pushed me off him and the two of us started running towards the cup. The undergrowth grabbed Cedric and he fell to the ground. I looked at Cedric and I froze in fear. 

“Y/N!” He called. I quickly gained the courage and sent a spell to the plant that held him. I helped Cedric up and he looked at me. 

“You know, for a moment there I thought you were gonna let it get me.” He said. 

“Never, I was just scared.” I said. 

“Some game huh?” He asked. 

“Yeah…” I said with a sigh. The wind started to blow and Cedric pushed me towards the cup. 

“Go! Take it, you saved me!” He said and I shook my head. 

“Together, on three. One, two, three!” I said. We both ran towards the cup and grabbed it at the same time. The cup ported us somewhere and we landed on the ground. 

“You okay?” He asked. 

“I think so, are you?” I asked and he nodded. 

“Where are we?” He asked. I looked around and noticed we were in a graveyard, it looked just like the one Harry and I have been dreaming of… 

“I’ve been here before…” I whispered. 

“It’s a portkey. Y/N, the cup is a portkey!” Cedric said. 

“I’ve been here before in a dream. Cedric, we need to get back to the cup, now!” I said. 

“What are you talking about?” He asked, grabbing me by the shoulders. I felt a sudden pain in my head and I groaned in pain as I held my scar. 

“What is it?” Cedric asked, his voice filled with concern. 

“Get back to the cup, please!” I begged. Wormtail walked out holding what I could only assume is what’s left of Voldemort. 

“Who are you? What do you want?” Cedric asked, getting ready to protect me. 

“Kill the spare.” I heard Voldemort’s voice said. 

“No!” I shouted before he could cast the spell. I jumped in front of Cedric and the spell hit me. 

Cedric’s POV

Y/N was dead. She took the curse that was meant for me. She sacrificed herself for me. 

“You idiot!” The creepy voice hissed. The man who was holding something walked closer and he trapped me with a tombstone. 

“Do it quickly.” The voice said and the man dropped something into a cauldron. 

“Bones of a Father, unwillingly given.” He said. A bone hovered over to the cauldron and was dropped in. 

“Flesh of the servant willingly sacrificed.” He said and cut his own arm off over the cauldron. 

“Blood of the enemy forcibly taken.” He said and walked over to Y/N.

“Leave her alone!” I growled at him, but he ignored me. He took the knife and sliced down her arm. He quickly took the knife back over to the cauldron and let the drops fall in. 

“The Dark Lord shall rise again!” He said. The cauldron burst into flames and Voldemort emerged. 

“My wand Wormtail.” He said. My eyes widened. He was back. He looked back at me with a smirk and then over at Y/N.

“Such a shame.” He said looking at her. 

“The only reason you are still alive is so you can return her to Harry Potter. Tell him I have returned and I will win.” He said and I was freed. I ran over to Y/N and grabbed the cup. We were transported back to the arena and everyone was cheering. 

“Y/N?” I heard Harry asked, and I just cried. Harry ran over and kneeled next to his sister. 

“What happened?” He asked with tears falling down his face. 

“He’s back! Voldemort is back. It was meant for me, I was meant to die. She jumped in front of me and took it.” I tried. 

“This is your fault! You killed her!” Harry cried and clung to his sister. 

“I-I…” I couldn’t say anything. I felt like it was my fault. I should have been the one protecting her, not the other way around. 

“I’m sorry Harry.” I cried. 

“Sorry won’t bring back my sister!” He shouted. He was right. Y/N was gone and it’s all my fault… 

Tag list: @les-bio-lie​ @tashy-bear​ @ashwarren32​ @hollie-blogs​ @schisbro87​ @lover-of-books-and-teas​ @nerdygaloresposts​ @teenwolfbitches2​ @genius2050​ @drw0301bieber​ @lady-of-lies​ @ravenmoore14​ @ravenempress101​ @cillianchamp​ @rowanthomasknapp​ @in-slytherin-we-trust​ @accio-rogers​ @sambucky8​ 

[argylemnwrites]

Fight or Flight - Chapter 12: Forward

Pairing: Drake Walker x MC (Riley Liu)

Book: The Royal Heir (canon divergent from the end of book 2)

Word Count: ~4800

Rating: PG (language only)

Summary: Two weeks since The Walker Absconding

Author’s Note: I’m back! And I hope to stay back and posting! It’s been a while since the last chapter, so as a quick refresher - Hana has been named Duchess of Valtoria by King-Regent Rashad, Amalas was somehow able to track down the Walkers in Xanthi, Greece (and wants to turn that knowledge into an alliance), and the Walkers are heading onto Athens as their options for survival as fugitives are not looking great.

This series follows the Walkers, their friends, and Cordonia as a whole after they flee the country with their daughter during Barthelemy Beaumont’s attempted coup. To catch up on this series, check out it’s masterlist. (link can be found via my bio - sorry, Tumblr is once again not putting my posts with links in tag searches)

Hana glanced around the palace ballroom, taking in the groups of people milling about the room. In so many ways, tonight was just like any other ball or gala. How many events had she been to in this room over the past three years, with mostly the same guests, the same food, and the same music? But tonight was different. Not only was this ball being thrown in her honor, welcoming her as Cordonia’s newest duchess, but it was the first event she’d attended without Riley by her side. Since that opening masquerade ball of Liam’s social season, they’d always been together for every formal event. But not tonight. Tonight, she was back to doing things on her own.

She stood over towards the front of the room, greeting the last of the nobility and well wishers. Soon, the dancing would start. It was strange how everything felt routine and totally different at the same time. She supposed that when Rashad gave a speech acknowledging her new title, things would really seem different. But for now, it was just a weird mix of emotions she was trying so hard to keep at bay as she shook hand after hand, nodded politely over and over again, and kept a gentle smile locked in place.

“Congratulations!” Penelope squealed, scurrying across the ballroom and throwing her arms around Hana, “This is so exciting! Isn’t it exciting, Zeke?”

Ezekiel nodded briskly and gave Hana a small little smile as he held out his right hand for her to shake, “Yes. Congratulations, Your Grace.”

“Thank you, both of you,” Hana replied, giving a nod that she hoped conveyed the right blend of gratitude and authority. She needed her first appearance as a duchess to go well for many reasons.

She knew intellectually that her appointment as the Duchess of Valtoria was a desperation move from Rashad. His first week and a half as king-regent had been far from smooth and calm. The groups of protesters in front of the palace had grown in number every day, the citizens of Lythikos were organizing, and the unrest in Valtoria was spilling into neighboring lands. Rashad had needed to do something, but as a temporary leader, making changes that were too aggressive would be poorly received and could possibly worsen the protesting. He had to walk a very fine line, and presenting Hana as a new regional leader looked like he was taking action without actually requiring him to stick his neck out and take a stand. For someone who hated courtly politics, his maneuver was pretty brilliant.

But because of the fact that her appointment to duchess was done by an interim leader, Hana knew she would be subjected to increased scrutiny. Not just from Barthelemy’s allies, who would likely object to the title going to someone with known close ties to the Walkers and to Liam, but also from Liam’s supporters, who were likely to object to any use of the powers of the monarch by Rashad, someone they considered an illegitimate king-regent. Part of her worried that she was being set up to fail, albeit unintentionally.

Still, she knew she was ready for this. She had prepared her whole life to hold a title at this level. She had trained and studied and practiced for years. This was the job she had been preparing for since she was a child. Granted, she had been taught that she would rise to this title through marriage, was told that her job would be to be a diplomat behind the scenes, supporting a husband in his role. But the concept was the same, even though this title was hers and hers alone. And maybe it was crazy and naive, but there was a part of Hana that felt proud. Someone had seen her talents and skills and contributions to Valtoria and decided to recognize them. No, to recognize her.

Of course, it wasn’t that simple. Given the method of her appointment, she was likely going to need to prove herself over and over again. Her mother had seen fit to remind her of that twice already this evening, as if that wasn’t already running through her brain constantly. If she was even a mediocre duchess, so many would get hurt. Rashad would find it difficult to gain any support to make any decisions if his first major one proved to be a poor choice. Liam’s bid to reclaim the throne would be damaged if one of his known close associates was an unpopular and ineffective duchess. And probably most importantly, the people of Valtoria deserved some stability and support in a time of national upheaval.

As much as Hana felt for Riley and Drake and understood why they made the choices they did for their family, she also felt for the citizens of Valtoria acutely. They didn’t ask to have their duchess and duke abandon them, did nothing to deserve this degree of political instability. Of course, that could probably be said for all the citizens of Cordonia. A power struggle amongst the nobility had triggered the loss of the country’s heir to the throne and a power vacuum that was going to leave them without stable national leadership for months. The whole thing made her feel almost ill to think about, but all she could do at this point was do her best to serve Valtoria and it’s citizens with her whole heart and mind.

“How are you doing, Hana Banana?” Maxwell’s hand on her shoulder jolted her out of her moment of introspection. She gave him a smile, accepting the glass of champagne he offered her and tapping it lightly against his.

“Tonight has been… a lot,” she said after taking a sip of her drink.

“Tell me about it. It feels like it was just yesterday that we were here for Riley’s ball, naming her the Duchess of Valtoria.”

Hana hummed lightly at that, and suddenly, Maxwell was rambling.

“Not that you took it from her or don’t deserve the title or anything! Because you absolutely do! Like, you are so wise and smart and crazy talented and -”

“-Maxwell, I know what you meant. I was just thinking about how I could do without a recreation of the end of that night.”

“Oh. Yeah. Me too. To be fair, I don’t think my dad’s hired a bunch of assassins. Of course, I didn’t think he was plotting a coup underneath my nose either, soooo…” Maxwell trailed off with a little shrug.

Hana glanced over, placing a hand on his shoulder and giving it a little squeeze. “I feel like we haven’t had much of a chance to talk. How are you doing with everything?”

He shrugged again and took a sip of his champagne. “Yeah, I haven’t been able to get away from Ramsford really at all this week. Bertrand is losing his mind prepping for Dad’s inevitable attempt to forcibly retake his title. He’s hunkered down in the west wing, while Dad’s taken the east. Bertrand’s already fired about one third of the staff because he’s caught them over on Dad’s side for no good reason, so Dad’s taken to firing staff he’s sure are loyal to Bertrand in retaliation. Soon, it’ll just be the three of us. Actually, the five of us. Savannah and Bartie get back tomorrow.”

“Have you decided whether to give her Drake’s number yet?” Hana asked, making sure she kept her voice low. Ever since Savannah had booked the tickets back for her and Bartie, there had been a bit of a debate over whether or not she should receive a burner phone and be told how to get in touch with her brother. Olivia firmly believed there were already too many people who knew, whereas Maxwell brought up that it was wrong to prevent her from talking to her brother when she was only coming back to Cordonia earlier than planned to help Bertrand fight his father’s bid to reclaim the title of Duke of Ramsford. He insisted that meant she had already proven herself a trusted ally, while Olivia remained unconvinced. Both Hana and Liam had taken a more neutral stance on the matter, but he had expressed to her that he didn’t think it boded well for them that their group was already facing such strong differences of opinion. Quite frankly, it was a significant sticking point that felt like it could implode at any moment.

Maxwell shook his head. “Not right away at least. Bertrand honestly is so engrossed with trying to align support for his claim to our head of house title that I don’t think he’s even realized we’re in contact with Drake and Riley at this point. When I talked to Savannah, she was pretty worried about him, so I don’t think she’d want to risk hurting his chances by talking to known ‘traitors and fugitives’ at this point.”

All of it just made Hana sad. More families torn apart by this scheme, more pain and paranoia in all of their lives. “Well, that will make Olivia happy at least.”

“One can only hope. She’s been in fine form lately.”

He wasn’t wrong. It seemed like Olivia’s small reserve of patience was used up on dealing with Liam and Leo. She hadn’t lashed out at Hana yet, but the only thing Hana had done to annoy her was arrange that meeting with Kiara, and all was quickly forgiven when Hana told her she had fostered a line of communication on that front. Maxwell, on the other hand, seemed to annoy her regularly even at baseline.

“She just has a lot on her plate, Maxwell.”

“I know, I know. But that shouldn’t give her the right to take it out on us.”

“It doesn’t, but right now I think we are all just trying to hang on and hope for the best we can.”

“Yeah, well here’s hoping for better soon.” And with that he clinked his glass against hers yet again. “Speaking of better, do you need me to cause a distraction so you can sneak out and chat with Kiara?”

She shook her head. “No, Hakim is officially representing their family tonight. She texted me that he is on high alert and that it would be too risky for us to meet tonight. She’s coming alone next week.”

“Ahh, for social season kickoff, take two?”

“Yes, so I should be able to speak to her then.”

“What do you think her endgame is? Or Hakim’s?”

Hana tilted her head to the side and let out a small sigh. She’d speculated endlessly for the past week, ever since her meeting with Kiara, but every idea felt just as improbable as the one before it. “I honestly don’t have a clue, Maxwell.”

“That’s alright, even you are allowed to not know the answers every once in a while,” he said, winking at her. “Now, come on. We’ve been moping here for too long. Tonight is your night, Hana! So what do you say? Dancing? More drinks? Grab some food? Or did I hear someone suggest dancing?”

She smiled, grateful that Maxwell understood the power of a morale boost and proud that he was still able to cheer up those around him, even as his family was falling apart before his eyes. “Maxwell, would you do me the honor of the next dance?”

“Why, Your Grace, it would be my honor,” he replied with a flourish, grabbing her champagne flute and placing both their glasses on an empty tray before accompanying her onto the dance floor.

As they settled into the rhythm of the song, Hana gave Maxwell’s hand a friendly squeeze. “Thank you, Maxwell.”

“For what?”

“For still being you.”

He beamed brightly at that. “Same to you, Hana. Definitely same to you.”

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

Liam stood off to the side of the ballroom, nursing a glass of water. It was his first public appearance in about a week and a half, and even though he had never had a problem handling his liquor, the last thing he needed tonight was to have his judgement at all altered or impaired. This whole evening was going to be stressful enough without having to worry about imbibing just a little too heavily.

He knew it was important for him to be here. He needed to be seen again, to show strength and resilience and fortitude to any who might doubt him. Additionally, Hana was one of his dearest friends, and he wanted to be present to support and celebrate her. This night was key for a variety of reasons. 

However, that didn't change the fact that tonight was just plain hard. He was surrounded by people he knew he could no longer trust. How many of them were plotting against him at this very moment? Were whispering how pleased they were about recent events over their drinks? Were watching him closely, latching onto any change of his expression as a sign of his suffering?

Other than Olivia, Leo, Hana, Maxwell, and Bertrand, people seemed to be steering clear of Liam tonight. It was clear they had no concept of how to handle interacting with him at this point. His circumstances were fairly unprecedented. Sure Leo had abdicated, but that had been his choice and he hadn't been the reigning monarch when he made that decision. Additionally, he had left the country for months after his abdication. But Liam was still here, in the heart of it all, after being stripped of the crown.

He wasn't used to having so much time to himself, both at formal events such as tonight's ball, and just in general. In the simplest sense of the word, he was unemployed. And while some, such as Leo, seemed to thrive without the pressure and responsibility that came from having professional duties, Liam was finding he didn't much like having… well, nothing. He had no career, no obligations, no partner, no children. He just… was. He existed.

He knew he needed to shake off this attitude. The social season would be officially, finally, starting in one week, and he needed to hit the ground running. He was essentially going to be campaigning for many months. The issue was that he had no desire to campaign. He had been born into his role and raised to serve Cordonia's people since he was a child. He wasn't supposed to have to fight to even have a chance to put that training to use.

Taking another sip of his water, he leaned against the bar, just watching as the rest of the nobility talked and laughed and enjoyed themselves. If he had opted for whiskey instead of water, he would have been doing a good Drake impression. Well, a Drake-of-several-years-ago impression. Ever since Bridget's birth, or maybe even Riley's pregnancy, Drake had been much more engaged at events like this one. Now that he had more time to contemplate that fact, he wondered how much of that came from Drake's own personal growth and opening up and how much of it was forced on him by the nature of Bridget being named heir to the throne. 

He scanned the room slowly,  his eyes eventually settling on Olivia dancing with his brother. She was wearing a grey dress, not a red one for once. He supposed that was a testament to how much she had come to respect Hana over the years - she had decided to forego her signature color and instead wore a less eye-catching one so that Hana could own the spotlight on her night. Eventually, the song came to an end. Liam watched as she laughed and rolled her eyes at something Leo said before stepping off to the side and making her way over to the bar. She slid up next to him, requesting a glass of Bordeaux before she turned to talk to him.

“So, how are you… uh, doing?”

He couldn’t help but smile at her awkward attempt at emotional comfort. She was trying, had been trying for days, in fact. But Olivia was just not well suited for gentle emotional soothing. Tough love was much more in her wheelhouse. It was nearly disconcerting that she wasn’t using tough love, he realized. He must not be coping as well as he wanted to be if this was the approach she was taking.

“I will admit that it is strange to be back here without my title. Coming to an event here, not hosting an event here is even more unsettling than I thought it would be. Of course that could be in part due to the fact that the exact same menu, music, and decor that was used for Riley’s ball welcoming her to the nobility is on display.”

“Did your assistant not think it might be wise to change it up at all?” she asked as she accepted her glass of wine from the bartender with a nod. 

“I’m guessing Rashad didn’t care to make any changes, and Stefan isn’t exactly motivated to enhance the perception of Rashad as a leader. After all, he stayed on to help him at my request.”

“Touché.” she said, taking a sip of her drink.

“Of course, this Duchess of Valtoria seems far less likely to leave her citizens and her country in a lunch by fleeing and abandoning her post.” Liam regretted the words as soon as he said them. The look Olivia was giving him was an unbearable mixture of pity and frustration. “Sorry, you know I didn’t mean that.”

“Liam…”

“Okay, I might have kind of meant it, but I don’t want to mean it. I am trying not to mean it. At the very least, it wasn’t something I should have said aloud.”

She paused for just a moment, running her bright red nails along the side of her wine glass before responding, “Maybe it would be helpful to frame your frustrations with those two differently.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, instead of being mad as hell that Riley didn’t take her responsibilities to Cordonia seriously, maybe be more frustrated that someone as impulsive as her took on all those responsibilities knowing she would never be able to stay true to them. It makes the whole thing seem a little more abstract and annoying, less personal and infuriating. At least, it does for me.”

He frowned at that. Her strategy was an interesting one, but he wasn’t sure it was going to help with the storm of emotions he was trying to keep locked away tonight. “I’m not saying you are wrong, but Olivia, the only reason she carried that title was because I offered it to her.”

“She could have turned it down. Don’t put this on yourself.”

Liam didn’t know if that was exactly a fair assessment. Of course Riley could have rejected his offer of the duchy, just like Drake and her could have turned down his request to name their child heir to the throne. But he had been the one who decided that she was a good fit to be Duchess of Valtoria, that they were good options to raise the next King or Queen of Cordonia. With the benefit of hindsight, those decisions looked terrible, so wildly ill-conceived and poorly executed. How had he convinced himself that both those choices had been for the best?

He’d been so focused on being a compassionate, trusting king. He hadn’t wanted to turn into his father, cold and calculating, seeing enemies around every corner. But maybe he had swung the pendulum too far in the opposite direction and become overly trusting and complacent. Would anyone else in his position have made the choices he made? More often than not these, he doubted that many of his decisions as king were sound.

His silence must have made Olivia uncomfortable, because she wrapped a hand around his wrist and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Liam, come on. Forget I said anything. You know I’m not great at the whole pep talk, emotional support thing. It was probably bad advice.”

Liam shook his head, feeling a sad sort of smile tug across his face, almost against his will. “No, I think it was good advice, Liv. It just has given me a lot to think about.”

“Liam…”

“I’m fine. I just am going to take a walk and clear my head.” With that, Liam set down his empty glass of water and turned around, walking out towards the doors and into his mother’s gardens. He knew he needed to be moving forward, not dwelling on the past like he was at the moment. The social season was only a week away, and with it came his bid to reclaim his title. Still, it was hard to be energized and optimistic about that prospect when all his failures and shortcomings seemed more numerous and prominent than they had ever been in the past. Or maybe he was simply more aware of them at this point. Either way, he couldn’t help but question how he was going to convince other nobles that he deserved the crown when he barely felt like he could convince himself.

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

Riley tensed as she heard the door creak open. Even though she was expecting Drake back around this time, she still half expected it to be Greek authorities, Montoressan spies, or Cordonian agents bursting through the door of their hotel room, ready to arrest her and take her baby away.

But it was Drake on the other side of the door. She let out a little sigh of relief when she saw his face. He, on the other hand, frowned. “What are you still doing up?” he asked as he closed and locked the door behind him. He kept his voice quiet, clearly not wanting to wake up Bridget.

Riley just shrugged. The truth was that whenever Drake went out, she was scared. Scared that he would be found and picked up and extradited back to Cordonia. Scared that she would be left alone in a country where she didn’t speak the language with a 10 month old baby. Scared that her family was going to be torn apart. But she couldn’t tell that to Drake, not when he was the only thing keeping them afloat. She knew him. He was already carrying enough stress without having to soothe her panicked and frazzled nerves every time he left to go earn them a little cash.

They had been in Athens about a week now, but Riley and Bridget had not left the hotel since they checked in. Bridget seemed to have resigned herself to the fact that her life now did not extend beyond these four walls and was usually content to play with her blocks or to listen to Riley read her the same three picture books over and over, which was both a blessing and mad depressing. Drake, however, had been venturing out daily, looking for places that would hire him under the table, without checking his ID or anything that might get them caught. She’d had to coach him on how to find these jobs, having looked for cash paying jobs many times when she needed to make rent back in New York. In some respects, it might have been better for her to be the one to go out job hunting since she had more experience, but they’d decided she was way more recognizable than Drake, particularly now that he had grown a beard to make facial recognition harder. Her inability to speak more than eight Greek phrases also clearly made Drake the better option.

He hadn’t had any luck the first four days, but then he found a restaurant owner who was willing to pay him straight cash every night to work as a dishwasher. Sure, the hourly pay was garbage and he didn’t get home until very late, but he also got to bring home leftovers every night, which meant that they had to spend less money on food. At this point, even slowing their bleeding of their minimal money supply was essential, particularly since the social season hadn’t even started yet, which meant that the earliest the Conclave could happen would be almost six months from now. Riley honestly didn’t know how they were going to feed themselves for that long, much less find shelter in the winter.

It’s not like Riley had never known poverty or living paycheck to paycheck before. But doing it now, with her baby girl, just felt so much more draining and awful. Bridget was just a kid, she didn’t ask for any of this, and she definitely didn’t deserve to suffer. But there was little Riley could do to make things better other than try and keep things happy and joyful when they were playing. Drake was doing everything else.

He handed her a bag of food before stripping out of his shirt and going to wash it in the bathroom. She peeked inside, seeing some dolmadakia, some bread, and some sort of chicken. A decent variety tonight. Trying not to rustle the bag too loudly, she pulled out some of the food and started eating, making sure to take less than half. She was sure Drake was lying when he told her he didn’t need much because he ate at the restaurant. She’d worked enough shitty, under the table jobs in her time to know that eating while on the clock was the quickest way to get yourself fired.

“So,” Drake said as he came out of the bathroom, taking off his pants and folding them neatly before climbing into the other side of the bed. “Olivia texted me while I was at work. She has a possible plan to get us our passports and some money, but she wanted to run it by us first.”

Riley knew her eyebrows had practically shot up to her forehead as she took in his statement. She handed him the bag with the rest of the food, turning onto her side to face him fully. “What’s the plan?”

“Well, Leo’s been back in Cordonia since we… uh… left. But he’s planning to take off before the social season kicks off.”

“Okay?”

“Well, it wouldn’t be out of the ordinary for him to spend a few days in Athens, taking in nightlife and clubs, that sort of thing.”

“Oh.” Riley wasn’t sure what to make of that. She always found Leo friendly and easy to talk to, but she’d heard enough stories to know that he was exactly the most responsible man on the planet. “You know Leo better than me, Drake. Is this a good idea?”

Drake let out a long breath, his eyes closing for a brief moment before he answered, “I don’t know, Walker. Him being here would not raise too many alarm bells, but he sometimes can draw the attention of the paparazzi - the “Party Prince” is usually good for a scandal or two, that sort of shit. And uhh, well… let’s just say I would count on him being an hour late if we went to meet him somewhere.”

“So not exactly your first choice to hold on to our passports then?”

“Not so much, no.”

Riley chewed on her lip for just a moment, her hand gently running over the back of Bridget’s head. She was sound asleep, nestled on the bed between them. Even though this hotel had a crib for them to use, Riley just couldn’t bring herself to fall asleep without her daughter right next to her. “We don’t really have a choice, do we?”

Drake shook his head. “We need money, Riley. Badly. I don’t know if Olivia is financing this or what, but I don’t think it matters anymore. We aren’t going to make it until January at this rate. Hell, I don’t think we’ll make it to September.”

She reached over and gave his wrist a little squeeze. He was trying to do so much to keep them surviving on their own. She knew it was killing him that they were having to take this risk, to potentially get themselves caught in some weird clandestine meetup with a former prince in order to get some more cash and their passports so that they could try and get forgeries made. It really was their best chance at being able to hide out through the Conclave.

“Well, then let’s do it. Work out the details with Olivia and get what we need to try and keep going.

Drake stared at her for just a brief moment before giving her a little nod. There wasn’t really much to say. All they could do was keep moving forward, day by day. So, Riley slid down into her pillow, finally ready to get some sleep now that she knew Drake was back and safe. The last thing she saw before her eyes fluttered closed was Drake letting out a heavy sigh before reaching into the bag of food.

Permatag: @walkerswhiskeygirl @riley--walker @bebepac @oofchoices @octobereighth @drakewalker04 @kimmiedoo5 @mfackenthal @thequeenofcronuts

TRR/TRH: @iaminlovewithtrr @ao719 @mskaneko @katedrakeohd @axwalker @jovialyouthmusic @marshmallowsandfire @kingliam2019 @dcbbw @sirbeepsalot @texaskitten30 @princessleac1 @ladyangel70 @yaushie @debramcg1106 @masterofbluff

Drake/MC: @no-one-u-know @drakeandcamilleofvaltoria @iplaydrake @gibbles82 @drakewalkerisreal @notoriouscs @drakesensworld @drake-colt-lover-99 @twinkleallnight

FoF: @burnsoslow @bobasheebaby @shz256​

[cordonian-literature]

The Aftermath - Ch. 18

News

SUMMARY: Drake gets a chance to talk with Riley, while Olivia and Hana begin their journey to Ramsford

Word Count: ~2.6k 

Warnings: Mention of character death

*All characters belong to Pixelberry, except those that are unique to my story (I’ve also used some characters and fictional instances from Donna Tartt’s “The Goldfinch”)*

A/N, 9/6/20: you don’t have to read this, but just as a heads up, i’ll probably be updating a bit less since school’s starting. i know i should have posted this notice last week.. but oops. anyways just wanna say thank you all for the likes, reblogs, and comments, it means the world to me. also my bad for not having replied to people recently

Catch up here

Tags: @captain-kingliamsqueen @marshmallowsaremyfavorite @gkittylove99 @lovablegranny @loudbluebirdlover @mom2000aggie @kingliam2019 @queenrileyrose @shanzay44 @cordonianroyalty @hopefulmoonobject @hopelessromanticmonie @cinnamonspongecake @queenjilian @kuladekiwi @twinkle-320 @iaminlovewithtrr @charlotteg234 @amandablink @texaskitten30 @tinkie1973 @louiseingram1208 @queencatherynerhys @pens-girl-87 @missevabean @ladyangel70 @sanchita012 @cordonianprincess @liamandneca @cordonia-gothqueen​

I’m so sorry, the tags are being really weird and I don’t know if they’re working or not... but I hope I got everyone down. If I missed someone, or anyone wants to be added/removed, let me know!

✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧✦✧

- Drake - 

After everyone had breakfast, the rest of the morning revolved around teaching Gabriel and Eleanor about Cordonian history, diplomacy, and courtly etiquette. Drake, Maxwell, Savannah, and Bartie helped the children in their lessons, while Rowan tagged along.

Liam had told Drake that him and Bertrand would be planning out announcements and a press conference, but also changing Gabriel’s name from Blaise to Rys. Liam was unsure whether it would be alright with Riley if he changed Eleanor’s last name, too, but he told Drake that he would rather leave Riley to herself for the time being.

Gabriel and Eleanor were fast learners. Near lunch, out of the eleven topics that were covered, they mastered almost all of them — except Gabriel fell a little behind on learning the Cordonian Waltz, and Eleanor was having a difficult time remembering her fork placement. 

When Maxwell announced their achievements to Bertrand, he said not to get too enthusiastic, considering that it was easy to forget everything they learned. Liam on the other hand, was beaming, and during lunch quizzed Eleanor until she could put down forks and figure them out with her eyes closed (Liam didn’t let her practice that though). 

After their plates were removed, Liam retreated into the ballroom with the children, focused on helping Gabriel master the waltz, and teaching them some other dances.

Eleanor picked up each dance quickly, and when she noticed her brother was falling behind, stopped following Liam and helped Gabriel. 

“Wait wait wait!” she would occasionally exclaim when they were in the middle of a dance. They were each other’s partners, while Liam and Maxwell would guide them from the sidelines. Both children stared at their feet, and when Eleanor noticed that her brother’s foot placement was off, she would halt. 

“You have to put your foot like this,” she would say while repositioning her brother’s feet. “If you do it the other way you’re going to fall!” 

“No, I won’t!” Gabe defended himself. 

Eleanor stood up straight, squinting at her brother with a partly mischievous, partly evil look in her eyes. “Fine.” she whispered suspiciously. “Then do it the way you were doing.” 

They reposition themselves and go through the dance again, Gabriel half a beat behind. When they get to the part where Eleanor corrected him, Gabriel falls sideways. 

“Told you so,” Eleanor says, giggling. 

Liam helps Gabriel back onto his feet, then Maxwell demonstrates the dance again while both children watch. 

Drake’s phone vibrates in his pocket. He leaves the ballroom to check it, wondering who would text him, when he sees that it’s a message from Jessica:

i miss you

Drake thinks, I don’t miss you, and is suddenly shocked with himself. Almost a month ago he was ready to marry this woman, but he hadn’t even thought about her this past week. He suddenly feels guilty, but then a little confused when he tries to remember the last time they talked. If she really missed him, shouldn’t she have contacted him sooner? 

Drake turns back to the ballroom to see Liam and Maxwell applauding Gabriel and Eleanor. Sensing that there was nothing they needed his help with, Drake begins to make his way to his room, deciding that it was best to call Jessica. 

On his way down the hall, he passes by an open door and suddenly hears someone call out his name. He slowly backs up to peer into the room, and finds Riley sitting on her bed. “What are you up to, Drake?” she asks.

“Oh, I was...” Drake trails off, looking down at his phone, wondering if he should go call Jessica, or take a seat with Riley.

He begins walking towards her. Motioning towards her cast he asks, “Does it still hurt?” 

She looks down at it inquisitively and states, “Not really. Liam told me that a doctor would come to check in before dinner. Hopefully they’ll let me know when I can take it off.” 

Noticing a chair in front of the vanity table, he pulls it next to her bed and takes a seat. Before either of them can say anything else, Drake’s phone vibrates again with another text from Jessica: 

babe? call me when you get the chance

“Who is that?” Riley asks, leaning towards the phone. 

“It’s, uh...” For a moment, Drake doesn’t know whether to announce to Riley that he had a girlfriend. He didn’t expect that having Riley back in his life would bring back the feelings he had for her as well. Because of those confusing emotions, Drake was unsure what to do with Jessica.  

Of course he wanted to be honest with Riley, but telling her that he was already in a relationship would close any opportunity that they had. 

What am I thinking? She’s got a kid with Liam. That door is already closed. There’s no point in keeping it from her. 

“It’s just Jessica,” Drake finally tells her. He scratches the back of his neck before continuing, “We have... a history.” 

“Really?” Riley smiles, playfully smacking his shoulder. “And here I was thinking that Drake Walker could never let anybody into his heart!” 

Drake chuckles, but thinks to himself, Is there a chance she doesn’t remember when I told her I cared about her? It was ten years ago... maybe she remembers it differently.

After a few moments of silence, during which Riley stares at Drake, waiting for him to say something else, Drake cocks his head towards the door and says, “Eleanor’s doing great learning the Cordonian Waltz. Liam’s walking them through the Viennese Waltz right now.”

“Ella’s always loved music and dancing,” Riley states. She looks straight ahead, lost in thought. “When she was a baby and would get really fussy, we’d just put on some music and she’d calm down. She would always sway like she was dancing.” She turns back to Drake and continues, “Theo was the one who decided to sign her up for ballet. She was only five when he said we could put her on Broadway, but I didn’t want to put her in the spotlight.” 

Well, with Liam back in your life, they’re not going to be kept away from the spotlight for much longer, Drake thinks to himself.

He clears his throat and says, “So what’s up with this Theo guy? How’d you end up married to him?” 

Riley’s face falls, and she stares down into her lap. “We thought it would be temporary. I wanted to come back before it was time to have Gabe, but Theo said that it wasn’t safe in Cordonia.” 

“What happened after you had Gabe?” 

“It’s all just... a blur.” Her eyebrows furrow, and Drake notices a confusion in her eyes. He thinks it could also be a sort of sadness, but he doesn’t want to assume. “I couldn’t just bring a baby to another country and go up to Liam and say, ‘Hey, this is your son!’ I cut ties with everyone, so there was no way to get in contact. I couldn’t go and announce it publically, either. I just got out of a scandal. I didn’t want to jump right into another one. And I was just... so tired. And mad at Liam. I can’t even remember why I was mad at him, but the feeling is still there.” 

Drake expects her to keep talking, but she doesn’t lift her head, and there’s a dark shadow over her face. She finally notices him staring at her, and Riley picks up her head with a smile.

“So,” she starts again. “Tell me about Jessica!” 

Drake laughs, running a hand along the back of his neck. “A while after you left... I started going to this bar in the capital, just to have some time to myself. I just wanted to get away from the court permanently... but I couldn’t. Y’know, because of Liam. I couldn’t leave him alone.” 

Drake takes a moment to look up at Riley. She’s no longer smiling. 

“Anyway. I met a couple of guys, we became friends, they invited me to this party. Jessica was there and we hit it off. We actually were just friends in the beginning, bumping into each other at the bar sometimes. Then it was sort of like a friends with benefits thing, but when Savannah started asking me about it, she commented that we were practically dating. After a while I decided to officially ask her to—” he takes a moment to scan Riley’s expression. “—To, uh, be my girlfriend. We’ve been together since.” 

Riley nods her head, trying to keep back a wide smile. “That is... a very simple and uncomplicated love life, Drake Walker. I’m happy you’ve found someone.”

Drake wanted to say something, but decided that there was a better time to talk to her about everything. He knew that she was in a weird position with Liam, and didn’t want to stress her.

“Exactly how long have you been with Jessica?” Riley continues to ask, her eyebrows raised. 

“About... six years,” Drake answers.

“And...” Riley shakes her head, a curious look on her face. “You haven’t put a ring on it yet?” 

Drake lets out a laugh and leans back in his seat. “Y’know, Liam said the same thing.” 

She nods, but then a shadow falls over her face. 

“Are things any better between you guys?” Drake asks. He knew that they were both having a difficult time, and it wasn’t really his business, but if there was anything he could do to help them, he would.

“We talked last night,” she states.

“And?” 

“We decided that we have to talk more.” Riley chuckles, but the melancholy look on her face doesn’t lift.

Drake leans forward to put a hand on her knee. He was slightly confused at the reserve in her voice. “Do you want to talk to him?” 

“Of course I do, Drake,” she states. When she turns to look at him, her eyes are moist. “I’ve wanted to talk to him for the past ten years! But now, I...”

“What?” 

“I don’t know if I can.” Silence stretches between them. Drake respectfully doesn’t ask her to continue; he wasn’t going to force her to talk about it until she was ready.

Finally, she speaks up again. “Sometimes I had wished that he would forget about me. So I wouldn’t have to confront him. So I wouldn’t have to tell Gabe the truth.” Riley pauses for another few moments. “I talked to Theo about changing Gabe’s name to Rys a couple of years ago. I thought it would be a way for me to tell him everything, and it would be a way for both of us to get back to Liam. That never happened, though.” 

“Why not?” Drake questions.

“Because even though I knew that there were so many things Gabe deserved through birthright... I... still hoped that Liam would have forgotten about me. I didn’t want to go back to all the pain... and I believed that if he forgot, there was no chance at him ever being angry at me for keeping Gabriel from him.” Her voice falters, and she stops talking. 

“Brooks, you know Liam could never forget about you, right?” 

She squints, and Drake thinks that she’s about to say something about his statement, but instead she just breathes, “Yeah.”

Minutes drag by, and neither of them speak again. Drake notices Riley thoroughly zoned out. He didn’t want to interrupt her thoughts, but he also didn’t want to leave her alone. 

Drake forces himself to stand, than gives Riley a pat on the shoulder. “I’ll let you rest,” he says. They smile at one another, and he leaves the room.

- Olivia - 

“‘His Majesty, King Liam, announces the return of his ten-year-old son to Cordonia,’” Olivia reads out loud to Hana. They were in a limo again, on their way to Ramsford after Liam’s request a few hours ago. He had also told them to keep a lookout in the news. Just a few moments before, Jacob had sent Olivia a link to an article titled Cordonia’s Heir Will Be Anointed — Ten Years Late?

Olivia continues reading, “‘Mothered by the infamous Riley Brooks, who made an appearance in Cordonia before King Liam’s Coronation, Gabriel Liam Rys has spent the first ten years of his life with his mother and recently deceased step-father, Theodore Blaise.

“‘Gabriel, along with his half-sister, Eleanor, lived in New York City while Cordonia and her king recovered from the treachery of foreign and domestic forces.

“‘A press conference is scheduled for a day before the Masquerade Ball, which will kick off the beginning of this year’s Social Season.

“‘Now, only one question remains: will recently widowed Lady Riley Brooks vie for King Liam’s hand again, or will the mother and daughter be swept aside in the boy’s royal rise?’”

“They are no less cruel, are they?” Hana wonders aloud.

Olivia sits back in her seat. “They can be as kind or as harsh as they want. At least Cordonians are aware.”

“There’s a possibility that some of them have lost trust in Liam,” Hana mentions.

“Of course the fools would. They don’t know that their king was as oblivious as them. And if Liam decides to tell them that he didn’t know he was a father, then all they’ll do is put the blame on Riley.”

The women scroll through their phones for a few more moments, before Hana speaks up and asks, “Did Liam tell you anything else? About Gabriel?”

Olivia puts down her phone and tries to remember her conversation with Liam. “No. But he said that he’s walking the children through a lesson plan of things that are important for them to know before the season starts.”

Hana nods. Both of them look out the window, watching the freezing mountains and icy roads shift into a floral, bright, and warm landscape.

... 

“I told Neville that I decided to stay for the Social Season,” Hana states. For the past four hours, the two of them had sat in silence. Olivia would occasionally close her eyes to rest, and when she would open them again, saw Hana doing the same thing.

“Really?” Olivia exclaims, trying to hide the disgust in her voice. “And what did he say?” 

Hana’s hands are tightly clasped together. She looks down at them and says, “He says that he doesn’t think he’ll make it to the Masquerade, Derby, or even the picnic, but says that he will be able to join the court at Lythikos.” 

“What a doting husband,” Olivia jokes. She said that hoping to make Hana realize that her spouse was incompetent, but Hana’s head hangs low. “At least you’ll be able to enjoy the first few events without his abhorring presence.” 

“Yes.” Hana looks up slightly. “And I hope Lady Riley will participate in the festivities.” 

“I’m sure she will. I don’t believe she’ll allow her children to go through the season by themselves. Liam will of course be there, but it never hurts to have a motherly presence.” 

They both glance off again, but Olivia turns back as her phone vibrates. 

There’s a text message from Jacob. It’s a link to an article titled Breaking News!

Olivia opens the link and reads: “Queen Mother Regina has been pronounced dead of a suspected heart attack after being rushed to the hospital hours ago. Her quarters were searched and it was reported that some of her goblets from her famous antique collection have been stolen. Other artworks around the palace are missing as well. Are Cordonia’s enemies back? And if so, what’s with the artistic inclinations?”

[lizzybeth1986]

Quick Thoughts on TRH Book 1, Chapter 13 (One Last Yeehaw)

• It's the chapter everyone's been waiting for! We're pregnant, we get to tell our spouses, we get to tell our friends, we get to tell the courtly ladies, Olivia wears leather, our MCs get to buy a crib for an poppy seed-sized something in their womb that doesn't even know what hands and legs are yet (forget cribs), and the best news of all...WE ARE FINALLLY LEAVING TEXAS!!!!

• If you don't want to see this post on your dash, these are the tags to block: #trh quick thoughts, #trh qts, #trh qt reblogs and #long post.

• Screenshots:

Hana: The Universal Studios 77 YouTube channel

Drake: @thefirstcourtesan and the HIMEME YouTube channel

Maxwell: @itsbrindleybinch

Title: Spreading the Word

Alternative Title: It's a Child, Not the Gospel 🤦🏽‍♀

• Before I start talking about the chapter...storytime!

• Sooo...my first pregnancy was a couple of years ago. And I like telling the story of how I broke it to my husband coz it is pretty damn funny. We'd been trying for two years, and had a couple of times when our tests would be met with a disappointing negative. So by the time I did get pregnant, the hubby was a little wary of hoping too soon.

• I had an inkling just before my periods were expected to arrive, because I found myself flopping down on the bed immediately after work, without even making dinner. No morning sickness, no giddiness initially, just constantly feeling so tired. Anyway, hubby insisted I wait a couple days more before a test because he was too afraid of getting his hopes up, and I agreed.

• I took my test around 4 or 5 that morning? And had to wait a couple minutes for the lines...and THERE WERE TWO. Do you really think I could keep such news to myself for more than ten seconds?? (even that was too much). Of course I was going to shake poor hubby awake and show him the test.

• It took five vigorous shakes to wake the poor guy up, and as soon as he was somewhat awake I shoved the test in his face (I was excited ok! 🙈) forgetting that without his glasses he couldn't see shit (very high power). "I can't see anything," he said sleepily, so I gave him his glasses. Ensuing conversation went as follows.

H: There are two lines.

Me: Yeah...sooooo...? 😀😀

H (sudden realization what two lines are supposed to mean): OMG there are two lines??? *sleepy smile*

Me: YES. I'M PREGNANT.

H (weakly): Yayyyy. (pause)...can I go back to sleep now?

Me: But what will I do???

H: You also sleep.

Me (running on sheer adrenaline now) : I CAN'T SLEEP I JUST FOUND OUT I'M PREGNANT.

H: Oooookay. (is too sleepy at this point to process anything).

Me: (excitedly hops over to Google at 5.20 in the morning and types out "I'm 4 weeks pregnant now what")

LMAO. That first pregnancy was quite something.

• The chapter begins with the MC sending her spouse a text. Depending on whether you mentioned a surprise, mentioned that you need to have a talk or texted emojis instead, the LI will react accordingly.

• With the surprise option, the LI flirts with her. With "we need to talk", they appear tense and believe she's angry with them. The emoji option is the funniest, coz the MC sends a string of emojis with the last one being this: 🍞, and the LIs are confused and referencing the bread (I've seen only two routes of this one - Liam talks about the Cordonian Baker's Festival which will only happen after a couple months, and Hana speaks about a bread course). The MC is puzzled at first, then gets to choose how to tell her spouse the news.

• AAAAAND NOW THEY KNOW.

Liam: Ecstatic and excited at the thought of holding his own child in his arms. Immediately after, he worries over the preparations they will need to make, the childproofing of the throne room and the things they will need to get ready, and it is the MC who calms him down.

I personally love that the narrative makes a mention of Liam "recentering himself" here, because it does show me that this is a rare display of raw emotion, of Liam letting go of his control, and you get a glimpse of what calming down for him looks like. Wish it hasn't taken four books to actually muster up the effort to write that.

Hana: One of the sweetest reactions ever - "We're going to be moms?" and a hearty squeal after that. She then becomes emotional and teary, cries with joy. There's some gentle teasing of each other where they call each other "cute", and then Hana tells her she's so glad she gets to share both this moment and this entire journey of pregnancy with the MC.

Hana doesn't show many signs of her intensive planning in this particular scene, because this - again - calls for raw emotion where the LI basically forgets their "normal" and truly savours that moment, but we do see signs of the same type of planning in other scenes.

Maxwell: WHOOPS with joy and excitement as soon as he realizes. Wants to scream out the news on a mountaintop. He promises the MC that their family will be the most awesome, most fun one that the kingdom has ever seen.

I love how Maxwell's overall vibe in this chapter seems to reflect his family situation - he definitely wants to be the exact opposite to his own child what his father has been to him. It's a pity they don't explore that enough.

Drake: Wild with joy, can't stop grinning. But also worried about whether he is being careless with the MC and is overly concerned for her. Calls her not just by her surname but also her first name. I wonder if that should be added to my Book 1 tallies 😂

• That TRR lullaby music is going to be played so much after this that we'll eventually get sick of it. I know it. I know it already.

• The LIs also get to check in with the MC about how she's feeling, and you as the reader get to decide how she is feeling at the moment (ecstatic, nervous, scared?). We also get the option to decide when to break the news to our friends (at the reception itself, or the next morning at breakfast). I think enough of us had an axe to grind with Savannah and Bertrand for the stunt they pulled (with our help) last book, that most people slammed that "reception" button like their lives depended on it.

• The LIs also act in different ways before their friends find out about the pregnancy:

Liam and Hana both dote on the MC, and Hana specifically keeps the MC's dietary restrictions in mind (gets sparkling water/orange juice in place of champagne/mimosas, asks about caffeine content/salmon during breakfast - this varies depending on when you make the announcement). With Drake, the group figures out that he has something on his mind because he's grinning nonstop, and Maxwell tries really really hard to hint at the MC's pregnancy by using phrases like 'bun in the oven' and 'expecting', and gives up in frustration when no one catches on.

• There are three ways you can tell the news to the group - if you're at the reception, you can leave them to guess, get the LI to announce via loudspeaker or scream it out. If you're at home, the same three options except the second one is simply the LI delivering the news in a more low-key manner.

•

YOU'RE SUCH DORKS ISTG.

• Bertrand is happy for us but Savannah is surprisingly (to my great joy) nowhere to be found.

• CELEBRATORY DIAMOND SCENE. For 30 diamonds, which is usually reserved either for finales or turning-point diamond scenes. Again, these scenes deal with the newness of it all, the jubilation, the end of a (not very long, actually) wait, and the LIs get to talk about family.

•

The sex part is 🔥 🔥 🔥 as usual, but the parts that really justify the 30 diamonds we're spending come before and after that. Each LI, as I've mentioned before, responds differently, but the thread that connects them all is the awe and wonder at this new life, and their plans and worries for the future (Good. You all should be worried if Olivia's diamond scene is anything to go by).

- Liam: In the pre-sex portion, the focus is on celebrating this moment they have alone - as parents - together, because once this news is brought out to the world, both they and their child will be thrown into the spotlight. I have spoken in this essay about the kind of upbringing royal children tend to have and the lessons they unknowingly learn in that environment. Liam has gone through this, he is aware his child will go through it too, but he wants the child to have as normal a life as he as a father can provide. This is clear in the last portion of the scene, where he touches the MC's stomach, marvels at the life they both created and - as per the MC's choice - communicates with said child. My favourite option of course is the lullaby, because it's one that Eleanor used to sing to him - and it is interesting how a lot of Liam's memories of an actual parent, doing actual parent-things, is of his mother.

- Hana: In the pre-sex portion, she speaks about how nervous they've both been over whether this pregnancy would happen and the pressure from the court, and how excited she is that that moment is finally here. When the MC asks her if she is nervous or scared, Hana tells her that even though everything that has led up to this (leaving her parents, having a new life in Cordonia) has been unknown and scary, knowing that they will finally have their own family outweighs "all the worries in the world". In the last portion of the scene, they flirt playfully, leading Hana at some point to wonder about whether they should set ground rules if the child is going to be such a charmer. She's already got a whole range of things prepared - from a pregnancy kit to snacks and drinks appropriate for the MC's condition - but the MC encourages her to relax and not worry too much. You can tell that Hana is already in the zone of wanting to be a better parent for her child than her own.

- Maxwell: I find the Maxwell version of this scene really interesting this time, because it deals with both his struggle to change for his child, and his struggle to NOT be the kind of father Bartie Sr was (finally they address this!). The first part of the scene involves Maxwell being his usual excitable self, wanting to scream the news from the rooftops then realising that it might be too risky for his wife. He speaks of wanting to "rewire" himself into "Good Dad mode". The last portion is especially poignant, because he speaks both of what a life without the MC would have been life (an enjoyable Beaumont Bash, but one where he is forever searching for someone, and feeling constantly lonely, like something is missing in his life), and he also promises his wife that he will be the kind of father who will learn and grow from his mistakes, and who will be there whenever his children need him most, not just drop by on the day of their child's wedding.

- Drake: Drake also falls back into old-habit before getting into father-mode - he mentions celebrating with drinks before realizing the MC cannot have them. The MC gets to choose either a non alcoholic beverage or a massage, and as far as I have seen the massage comes with yet another family story about his father massaging a particular spot in his mother's shoulder that would easily tense up. It astounds me how much effort the writers make into making Drake's scenes and exchanges so much more personal than the others. Like the others have their moments in this scene too - but in their cases such moments are the exception, not the norm. In Drake's it's always the norm.

In the aftermath of the scene, the couple get to discuss how they will bring up their child, even though that child will be heir to Cordonia's throne, and get to choose if they want to bring that child up with a sense of normality, or to appreciate the benefits they get from the royal life. In the end, all Drake wants this child to know at the moment is how much their parents love them.

• We now have brunch, hosted by the newlyweds. If we have not yet announced our pregnancy, Bertrand will simply announce us the way a herald would at a royal event before Savannah teases him for doing so, and if we have, he mentions that we are "celebrating the happy news with them once more". Bertrand speaks of being overly formal when he's very happy, and is even happier to mention the word "wife". That'll last.

• Leona gives Bertrand a cup of bourbon as a reward for the way he stood up to Chuck, claiming that she thought of him as a "pretty boy" who knew nothing, but was impressed by his behaviour on the wedding day. At this point I can only roll my eyes and finally celebrate when Auntie Bitch disappears. We've wasted way too much time than necessary on Drake's shitty family.

• If you haven't announced the news, you announce it after this scene. There are a few slight changes, esp the drinks mentioned in certain cases because the brunch is a more relaxed atmosphere than the reception so the food and drink items mentioned are pretty low-key. But everything else is pretty much as is.

• Bertrand and Savannah have a honeymoon to plan, which means we will finally get a break from them too, and Bianca asks us what we're planning in order to celebrate the news. Maxwell suggests getting a gift for the new arrival (9 months before arriving), and Savannah suggests they go to the general store and get something from there. The MC is nervous, because she wasn't exactly planning to meet Cassidy West again. Thankfully, he isn't at the store, so she's pretty safe 😂

•

All the LIs have items they will check out with their friends/wives, but the scene varies related to who the MC married. Minimally in most cases, quite a bit in just one. As usual.

Maxwell shows us baby socks, and realizes that this child is a "miniature human" who will have small-sized everything. Virtually nothing changes in this scene except for Maxwell calling the child "our baby" instead of "yours" in his own playthrough. Everything else is disappointingly identical.

Hana shows us a toy tea set (it's still early days but Hana tells the MC it will be fun to practice and to think of the treats the child can eat from that). If you are married to her, she gets a single line referencing the childhood scene where she waited in vain for her mother at her own tea party.

Liam's scene is the one wit the diamond option - as the King of Cordonia whose entire country's future rides on this child, he is the one who gets to show the MC (+ LI in their respective playthroughs) the crib. There are two variations in this scene - the ones where Liam speaks about "our heir". Other than that, very little difference (though he does mention Constantine in one line later, so I guess that's a plus).

Drake shows the MC a wooden rocking horse. In his friend playthrough, he speaks of the gift as something the child can have to remember "ol' Uncle Drake" by. But if you're married to him, there is a whole set of dialogues where Drake talks of riding horses being part of the Walker DNA, and there is a reference to the secret wedding (riding off into the sunset), and there is interactive banter between the MC and Drake that you don't see much of in the other playthroughs. I wish I could say I'm surprised.

• I mean...seriously??? Maxwell gets NO OTHER VARIATIONS??? Hana's mention of her mother never coming to her tea parties isn't even followed up by a line expressing comfort from the MC????

• Just as we got there options for our nursery decor, we also get three options for the crib (classic, royal, forest fairytale). The royal option is lavish, all gold and cream, and the fairytale option is whimsical, wood finish and the same patterns of forest animals and flowers and leaves as the walls. The classic option is, like its corresponding decor, "very neutral. very baby".

• We exit the shop as quickly as we can either because Maxwell broke a trampoline (in the Liam, Hana and Drake playthroughs), or Hana dropped some teacups (in Maxwell's playthrough).

• Once we're done shopping, we get a call from Olivia, who is at our estate in Valtoria, asking us for the most precious thing in our room. But before she can ask, we tell her we're either furniture shopping or pregnant. The option the writers want us to be choosing is "pregnant", because there's a scene where Olivia secretly happy-cries for us when she learns the news. We can agree to loan her either some fancy shoes, our engagement ring (in the Maxwell playthrough, apparently, there is a reference to the twig ring he made back at the beginning of Book 3) or the Cordonian Royal Sceptre. She isn't sure if she'll come back alive, so she thanks us in case she doesn't.

• The ensuing Olivia diamond scene comes with a chance to figure out what Olivia is upto, an advantage over Auvernal, and a tiny hint at a Nevrakis name for TRM.

• I must say, the writers never cease to go all out for Olivia. Even over the female LI that should have been treated like a co-protagonist. And it's tiring because yet again I'll have to see half the fandom drag Hana just so they can drool over the white girl (in fact I already have).

• Olivia's sprite on the left side of the screen...is going to take some getting used to. It's disorienting. But it's fine after a second one!

• Anyway. She is now at a casino in Monte Carlo, meeting up with Bradshaw and Isabella. She's clearly in super-spy mode, since she refers to the King and Queen of Auvernal as targets rather than their names or titles. She has a better edge over the two if she is honest about her intentions and doesn't pretend she just bumped into them.

• Bradshaw speaks about King Liam sending his 'attack dog' to them and 'not doing his own dirty work' which is hilarious considering this man is from a militaristic society yet doesn't even know the C of combat training and has never done anything besides strategizing.

• Isabella always delivers her stinky, unwarrented opinion as if it holds any weight or has any relevance. In Olivia's case, she mentions Anton's marriage contract with Olivia and wonders aloud how the Queen/Duchess still trusts her enough to allow Olivia in her inner circle after that. All three options to push back at Izzy are 🔥 but my favourite one is "you look like you know all about poor judgement" (which is true, look at who she married).

• Olivia then gambles with Bradfraud and Stinkybella, with whatever the MC chose to give her as stakes. The best option is to simply call Bardfraud on his bluff, because he folds easily. Depending on whether Olivia wins or loses the game, he either asks the guards to place the item in the penthouse, or to get more funds from there. Olivia takes note.

• She then has to make sure she nicks the key to the penthouse from Stinkybella, either by acting tipsy or by coming closer to her for an "awkward hug". Both do the job.

• She learns the following from the penthouse:

- Bradfraud and Stinkybella stay in separate rooms, which means things "aren't as rosy" between them.

- She finds a letter of rejection, doubtless from another royal couple, and this is an indication that they aren't as popular as they pretend to be.

- She finds a map of a land she doesn't recognize (is it Monterisso? Olivia would recognize a map of her own country...and neighboring countries...but who am I fooling it's not like team TRH concerns themselves with such ridiculous things as logic!), which has troop formations on it. They're planning something called Operation Swan. I've heard of "Black Swans" and "Swanning About" used as military terms, but there's not a lot I understand from this. Perhaps this leans more towards a "black swan" idea - where they will launch a surprise attack with a nation they are allying with? IDK.

- Basically, we have enough leverage to win against these two, thanks to Olivia's work.

• In any case, someone comes to the room, and Olivia is on the verge of getting caught. So she'll need to scale her way down.

• This shows us if you have Olivia pray to her ancestors for wings:

(Theodosia is clearly the Renaissance Nevrakis)

• If you don't choose to scale down, Olivia will land on the pool instead, but even then she makes it out okay. She decides to keep an eye out because Bradfraud and Stinkybella could pose as a problem for Liam and the MC.

• Olivia is operating on her own, as far as she has told Bradfraud, but the possibility that Liam is aware of what she is upto still exists. And the MC has no clue even if she is Liam's wife because:

a. The writers are too lazy to code this for Liam, and

b. It's not like the MC puts any effort into finding things out anyway

• We're now leaving the Walker Ranch, a couple hours later, and saying our goodbyes to Drake's mother and aunt. I heave a sigh of relief at the fact that there's no additional "memories" from Bianca become this family has gobbled up enough of our attention. Seems like their horrible attitude was really about the money they didn't get after all (it's a fair gripe to have, but doesn't exactly warrant the attitude they've been throwing around).

• Leona still acts like she did us a huge fucking favour hosting us, even though she was an awful host and seriously deserves to lose her ranch. Bianca tries to be civil but no apologies from her for allowing her son in law to be treated like crap until his wedding day. Seems like all Walkers have a habit of expecting civility from others while giving none.

• Bianca asks us to keep in touch and I'm pretty sure a huge chunk of the fandom said "no way in Yeehaw Hell".

• Liam continues to be mysterious with regards to what Olivia is up to, and Esther - who I HC'd as inquisitive - seems not to care enough to ask more.

• The LI tells us, as we leave, that Kiara, Penelope and Madeleine will be traveling in the jet with us, and it's up to us to decide how we break the news to them. If you own corgis, that features as an option. Two of the options (writing on a cake and announcement by corgi) come with a simple "Coming Soon...The Royal Heir", but the charade one is my favourite 🤭

• Penelope is that particular Drake/Walker Ranch stan who loved the time we spent at the ranch and Kiara is the rest of the fandom, who would much rather be in Cordonia than cooling her heels in Texas.

•

AAAAHHAHAHAHAHAHA.

The MC then tries another charade, one that resembles cradling a baby in her arms, which Kiara takes to mean "American football" (thank God they don't force Cordonians to call it "soccer" anymore), Madeleine takes to mean "a common pirate jig" and Penelope somehow gets the guess right (though Kiara is the one who straight-out says it).

• The ladies are ecstatic, and congratulate us. Penelope calls for drinks, but Kiara has the common sense to add that the drinks should be alcohol-free. Madeleine informs us of the events lined up for us, including the Apple Ball which will doubtless be the ball we will be attending in the finale.

•

There's a small private moment where the LIs dote over the MC more than necessary, wanting to pamper her and keep her in comfort. The MC calms them down, convinces them that they have a very good support system/are a great team together who can achieve anything.

• Mara still finds out about the pregnancy via Maxwell scouring the online shops for corgi-themed onesies even when he is the father. Which makes sense. It's still Good Dad Mode 😁

• In the tiny space of time it took between Madeleine finding out we were pregnant and us talking to people, she managed to schedule a conference for the same day! At least let us confirm the pregnancy with our docs???

• Plus, announcing this early, even if you're not royalty, is pretty risky. You're mostly advised to not disclose it too soon because the first trimester can be a little risky. And there are also cases where your first ultrasound turns out to not be that happy moment where you see that yolk sac and hear its heartbeat, or an ectopic pregnancy 😔. I recall reading about it on pregnancy forums before my first ultrasound (and stressing, but I had to be prepared) and not being satisfied until I confirmed it for myself.

• The writers and the readers know she'll be pregnant because that is what the story is, but perhaps if the team hadn't wasted so much time on the Walker Ranch, they'd at least not have to hurry like this.

• Actually...no. "Hurrying" would be the wrong word. Because they're going to stretch the press conference itself to like two chapters, it seems like. Basically they will spend time on everything that isn't important to the story as long as it's important to their pet character.

• The summary of Chapter 15 (CHAPTER FUCKING FIFTEEN. We're stuck at the beginning of all this even by CHAPTER FIFTEEN) speaks of the press conference heating up, so I'm having an inkling that there will be some pretty heavy stuff being asked in between? Maybe with regards to alliances, or a new scandal, or something else. But it's not going to be easy at all, that much is pretty clear. It's going to be frustrating and there's going to be stuff that will anger the LIs I think. I could be wrong, though.

• Overall this chapter does better in terms of variations even though they still do beef up Drake quite a bit over the others. But at least Liam, Hana and Maxwell get the rare opportunity to briefly address the mistakes (too small a word for what they've done) their parents have made. It's still not enough though. Esp considering the last 9 chapters have seen such an overall of Walker history and Drake's memories and the others have barely a handful of chapters to catch up.

• Sometimes I wonder if Olivia's independent investigation is also fueled by her desire to be so different from her parents and aunt as to wipe out the memory of their betrayal through her deeds. I do wonder if she will burn herself out completely in the process. She is made of sterner stuff than that, I know, but the determination she was showing in this scene and in the last few chapters was on another level.

• I wonder if we will get intel on Monterisso as well (I don't fully trust Amalas yet), or whether the narrative plans to establish this country as the underdog we will be supporting. Who knows. But I'm sure we will see more of that country in further chapters as well.

• That's it for this chapter, I think. Until the next one!

[ngfics]

Flower Watch

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Flower Watching and Bird Picking

(SIOC as Lily Evans x Augustus Rookwood)

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Story Title: Flower Watching and Bird Picking

Fandom: Harry Potter

Characters:  SIOC as Lily Evans, Petunia Evans, Severus Snape, Mr. Evans, Mrs.Evans, Eileen Snape, Tobias Snape, James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, Mary Mcdonald, Marlene McKinnon, Xenophillius Lovegood, Barty Crouch Jr., Evan Rosier, Augustus Rookwood,  Vrious Ocs, Hogwarts Professors, Hogwarts students

Relationships:  Lily Evans x Augustus Rookwood, Severus Sname x Christine McDougal, Evan Rosier x Elizaveta Flavius  

Tags: Rawenclaw Lily Evans, SIOC as Lily Evans, a colder take on Lily Evans, does not like James Potter, avoids Marauders, works on maintaining a good relationship with Snape and Petunia, Xenophillius Lovegood and Barty Coruch Jr. as best friends, a Ravenclaw trio, Wizarding Culture, Pureblood culture, delving into depths of this, and using it for her own ends, piano playing, magical music, Wizarding Music, Unspeakables, Wizard inventions, War against Voldemort, Neville Longbottom is the Chosen One, Lily plays both sides for benefits, the Great Muggleborn Mystery, Time Turners, Time Sand, Werevolves, When in the Wizarding World do as the Wizards do

Summary: She was born Lily Evans. Red haired and green eyed. If that didn't tell her just how much crap would be coming her way, nothing would.

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Posts . 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 6 . 7 . 8 . 9 . 10 . 11 . 12 . 13 . 14 . 15 . 16 . 17 . 18 . 19 . 20 . 21 . 22 . 23 . 24 . 25 . 26 . 27

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Slightly ordered notes and Ideas

SIOC is somewhat depressed to be reincarnated as Lily Evans, she doesn't believe she can be as kind and forgiving as the original. Resolves to do things her own way instead

Works hard on maintaining a good relationship with Petunia, resolves sisterly problems to the best of her ability and due to her mental age she succeeds.

Makes friends with Snape before he knows that she’s a witch and always insist on being his ‘best friend’, lets him know that she doesn’t think of him in a romantic sense, also that she won’t be dating in Hogwarts at all. (she has bigger things to worry about)

Severus eventually gets over it, after a bit of pouting and teenage angst, she helps him, by being understanding as only an adult can

Lily Is actually sorted into Rawenclaw at her own insistence. Wanting a more inconspicuous house.

Makes friends in Hogwarts with Xenophillius Lovegood, Batrimus Crouch Jr., Alice Jones(later Longbottom), Severus Snape,Jonathan Abbott, Sarah Abbott. Later friends with Elizaveta Rosier (nee Flavius) a French dress robe designer.

Meets Barty and Xeno on Hogwarts Express after she and Severus have their tiff with James and Sirius. Barty and Xeno help both her and Severus integrate better into the Wizarding society, after she mentions that she only had three months to prepare for the Wizarding world and apeeals to their sense of pride and superiority.

Barty warms up to her even more once she saves him from a possible detention.

Delving into things like Wizarding wear, dress robes, color choice, design - what is appropriate for her age and station. She gets tonnes of book recommendations that she looks up in the Hogwarts Library and once she remembers in the Room of Requirement.

Doesn't like James Potter at all, not even when he supposedly changes - though she does give him one chance (which he blows) - she doesn't trust him not to revert.

She knows, or rather she is told, that he will become a 'good man', but she does not trust this. Lily is wary of his fickleness, sees the malice in him when he fights with Slytherins. She has no interest in keeping a leash on a childish man when she has so much to deal with, it's not her job to make him a responsible adult

Doesn't run off when Snape calls her a mudblood and keeps defending him unlit marauders leave. Forgives Snape for his words, but tells him that its a problem for her as she can no longer tell when he's lying, compares him to James - which snaps him out of it pretty quickly.

Lily invests in warding her parents home as soon as she feasibly can, but it's for naught as they die in a completely muggle car accident, driving back from visiting Petunia and her Fiance Vernon Dursley

Augustus Rookwood is three years older than Lily, Evan Rosier is two years older than her. Lily has a minor crush on Evan in her fifth year, but doesn’t do anything about it.

Augustus had only heard of Lily while in Hogwarts, but the first time he hears about her and pays attention is from Evan, when they meet during summer after the debacle with Snape, Marauders and Lily, when Rosier tells him of an interesting mudblood

Lily never flinches when addressed as Mudblood, her response, when heckled by snakes as to why she doesn't flinch, why she isn't insulted, is usually 'I care that little for your opinion'

Lily helps Snape get a date with Christine McDougal, they hit it off well.

As a part of Dumbledore's meddling Lily is Head Girl together with James Potter, suffice to say they don't get along well at all. This Lily is much colder than the original. Cold and pragmatic, but warm and caring to her close friends and family.

She ends up getting a job as an Unspeakable where her colleague is Augustus Rookwood. They get into debates over Muggleborns and give eachother something to think about

Her 'day job', as no one can actually say that they work as an Unspeakable (and it's best to have a job away from the ministry if you do work as an Unspeakable, to serve as a cover), is as either a pianist or a cellist

She is very sought after and present at many galas because she's a prodigal musician - was a musician in previous life, not as a job, but recreation

Lily Evans is credited as the maker of what is called 'The Evans Method' in wizarding medicine and 'The flutter' in casual use (this can only be used at MOMs discression, one cannot buy this sand in stores for their own use, but one can petition if their work is too intensive and they find themselves 'needing more time')

As she studied Time in the Department of Mysteries she experimented with time-turner sand and found out how to use it on people (without a container) to slow down their time, thus prolonging their life (this is more used in medicine to slow down diseases so that a cure can be found), or sometimes speeding themselves up and managing to do more in less time.

This is before she and Augustus marry, but while they're in a relationship of sorts, once her discovery is public, Voldemort begins to approve of their relationship, which is a relief to both of them.

At some point Death Eaters start getting caught and Lily, who had been already working on this, trying to make it a beauty product, covers Barty's and Augustus's death eater tattoos with a paste that makes their skin look like it looked in the past and if applied enough can take away years.

Their marks become invisible, she tells no one else of her project and is very happy when explaining that they are lucky she was working on something like this and had not told anybody.

Voldemort is suitably impressed and interested in aquiring such an asset.

After a Death Eater accuses Barty of being a Death Eater, she nearly faints in relief for her thinking ahead and protests that claim saying that at the time Barty was with her helping plan her wedding, she says that Xenophillius Lovegood can confirm because he was there at the time, they call him to confirm and share a pensieve memory

In her third year Lily discovers that Xeno can create extremely believable false memories and mentions how useful that can be so their little trio (Xeno, Barty and Lily) form a pact that Xeno will provide them with alibis.

They are almost caught once because a teacher nearly asks for their memories too - afterwards they find a way around it so that Xeno can share false memories with them as though they are their own (only slightly modified as not everyone remembers everything the same - they hear different things if they walk past a place at a different time for example)

This is later used for Barty's alibi

It was very lucky that Lily was sitting in on that court case cause his father might have tossed him to Azkaban without trial or Barty might have done something rash...as he tended to when faced with his father.

The paste cannot be removed by charms or cancelers, or pretty much any spell, but has to be removed by a special oil that Lily herself made (ironically it is an oil made from lily flowers), it cannot be removed, traced or seen as there is, technically, nothing wrong with the person's arm, it is their still their skin...only from the past.

Lily and Augustus have three children together.

Emanuel Rookwood who is Ginny Weasley and Luna Lovegood's age and twin daughters Iris and Amaryllis Rookwood who are Metamorforgi.

This leads to a revolutionary research by Lily Rookwood as this ability is not hereditary in Rookwood line and, according to some wizarding beliefs, should not be present in a Muggleborn line.

Leading to research conclusion that Muggleborn are there to dilute the blood on purpose, because while pure blood that is rich with magical talent is good of itself it is also limiting.

Because families become specialized in their branch, like herbology and when people with different specialties marry into families there is more likeliness for their abilities to be lost as they fight for dominance and rarely merge together. They even might destroy one another - producing a squib.

It also concludes that metamorphose ability is something likely in pureblood families with some history of dark magic and/or transfiguration specialty when mixed with Muggleborn blood.

Thus presence of Muggleborn is considered to be good and a way to bring back old magical talents that are dying out.

It also concludes that Muggleborn are in fact first generation witches and wizards (as the first witch and wizard would have had to have muggle parents or all muggles are in fact squibs and wizards came first, but had to experiment with whom to breed as some mixing killed magic and magical talents altogether)

With enough generations, a child of a Muggleborn will become a pureblood

Actually...Let’s make the birth of magic a global phenomena, where at some point there were only muggleborns, people born with extraordinary powers that their parent could never hope to have

Some of them married with one another (to preserve the powers) while others married outside to spread them (and children of muggleborns are always magical.)

Intermarrying worked until concentration of magic became too much and lineages started killing each-other off, which would be why the offspring only inherited one talent, because one Parent's gift was overpowering.

While those who married outside, spread their gifts (and their children             are always half-bloods).

Muggleborns, who are either descendants of squibs whose magic had to take generations to harmonize due to conflict, or are first generation witches and wizards because magical population seemed to be falling or needed diluting usually have clean unrestricted magic that allows them to specialize in what they want, rather than just what they're good at.

This also lets their children, should they have them with those of more potent magic, have greater power behind their intent and less inner magical conflict, thus less stabilization through mediation and rituals needed

Lily does this research through the first 6 years ( till she's about 32, Augustus being 35) after her daughters are born and becomes quite famous, gaining her own Chocolate Frog Card.

Her work being published in a book series called 'The Muggleborn' by Lily Rookwood (Published when Lily is 36)

This book becomes famous in all circles of wizarding society , pureblood because they want to hear what a Rookwood says on the topic, muggleborn because they want to hear what a muggleborn says and half-bloods to see where Lily stands.

As a part of Voldemorts orders Lily approaches six werewolf females who had formed their own pack and they join on her behest. This is also meant as a warning to Lily and her family, so they would not think to toe the line.

This backfires on Voldemort as Lily is fast to make friends and allies among the intended targets. Later during the Battle of Hogwarts they defect the moments after LIly does, reminding the surprised at whose behest they joined in the first place.

One of these werewolves is Mary Mcdonald a Muggleborn Mulciber attacked while they were at Hogwarts. Lily rekindles that firendship, offering help and later protection from Voldermort by being under his rule.

She and Mary discuss and laugh about many pureblood traditions and ettiqquette, their motto and inside joke becomes 'When in Rome'

Later in life, maybe after the Battle of Hogwarts even, Lily makes 'The Evans Scholarship' which allows Muggleborns to get apprenticeships for which they are usually overlooked for pureblood candidates.

As Lily managed a Mastery in Potions, Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts and Aritmancy than she is elligable to be a Master and thus she is giving away apprenticeships for all four subjects.

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snippets and drabbles incoming, no beta! you’ve been warned!

POV meanders in some parts, don’t give yourself a headache trying to figure it out. Also! Hints of melodrama, because I sometimes I want to write that hahahaha

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Posts . 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 6 . 7 . 8 . 9 . 10 . 11 . 12 . 13 . 14 . 15 . 16 . 17 . 18 . 19 . 20 . 21 . 22 . 23 . 24 . 25 . 26 . 27

Fic Masterlist

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[thesumofmychoices]

Korítsi Mou

Disclaimer: [1] I do not speak Greek, anything in here was taken from Google Translate so I apologize if it’s wrong and makes no sense.  [2] I have not written fanfiction for public consumption is a very, very long time (like, over a decade) and this is un-beta’ed, all mistakes are my own. [3] I’m not sure what tags to use in this fandom yet, so if I mistag, please let me know!

Pairing: Drake x MC (my MC for Drake is Rhiannon Starr)

WC: ~2500 Music was echoing through the halls of  her estate (it was hers; had been given to her directly, he was just lucky enough to share it with her) when he got back.  ‘Music’...if you could even call it that, he scoffed with a roll of his eyes.  The house was abuzz with activity while the staff prepared for the banquet tomorrow.  Drake made his way in through the foyer, offering curt smiles to any of her staff he crossed paths with, while loosening his tie as his hastened, deliberate steps brought him to the source of the noise.  

He leaned against the frame of the door, smirking behind his hand, while watching his wife dance across her large kitchen with reckless abandon, singing along to an electropop song he knew to be one of her favorites.  Her long hair was twisted in a great messy knot atop her head, with wisps of red escaping in every direction; wearing the same pajamas pants (his) and tank top (also his) he’d left her in, still asleep in their bed.  Rhiannon was swaying her hips to the beat, still with her back to him, fixing something on the counter.  Her task completed, with a surge of the music and her own singing, finally turned and startled horribly when she found him watching her.  

Her hand over her heart, and a shaky breath on her lips, she met his gaze and smiled.  Drake couldn’t help but think she was glowing, the lighting in the kitchen and the embarrassed flush of her cheeks made her look radiant.  She lowered her music, before practically skipping across the kitchen to be in his arms.

“How long were you watching me?”

“Long enough,” he replied, still smirking while placing a kiss on her crown.

“Happy Anniversary,” she murmured into the crook of his neck, “Part one.”

“Happy Anniversary.  What were you doing?”

“Oh!” she popped her head off his chest and looked up, bouncing on her toes.  “I was packing us a lunch.  I thought we could have a picnic in our spot for the quiet day before all the pageantry starts tomorrow.”

Ever since they eloped on this day three years ago, Rhiannon and Drake always made it a point to keep it to themselves.  In her first year, the people of Valtoria had petitioned their duchess to move the Lantern Festival to coincide with her wedding anniversary (a difference of little more than a week in truth) so they could also celebrate the victory over Anton Severus.  The Lantern Festival kicked off what was quickly becoming a national week of celebrations that culminated in a grand Victory Gala in the capitol palace.  Not exactly the kind of pomp and circumstance either of them wanted associated with what should a day for them.  But, their wedding day also marked a great victory over evil in Cordonian history, and so was swept up in lavish celebrations.  

But not this day.  It was for them alone then, and would be forever.  

“That sounds perfect, Ray,” he replied, kissing her forehead again.  “I'll change and get the horses prepped.”

“Actually,” she interrupted, looking up at him through her long lashes.  “Do you mind if we take the Jeep out there?  I'm not up for horseback today.”

“You okay?”

She nodded, biting her bottom lip.  “I’d rather save my energy for riding y--”

Drake cut her off with a kiss that she laughed into.  “Seirína,” he whispered to her in his native language.  He swatted her ass playfully, causing her to squeal and laugh more.  “Come on, korítsi mou, let’s get changed and head out for your picnic.”

They drove out about twenty minutes from the house onto the property before coming up to their spot next to the lake.  Where once had been wide open space now sat a small cabin that Drake had constructed himself.  It was a cozy getaway, a single room that held a bed, a couch and leather recliner around the fireplace, a small efficiency kitchen, and a separate bathroom.  They never invited their friends, and no one else had ever stayed there.  It was their perfect getaway for when her estate overwhelmed them, just like they'd talked about.  

Rhiannon set the blanket out on the lake shore, busying herself with preparations while Drake lounged casually on the sand next to her.  They munched on sandwiches and enjoyed each other's company in peace.  Her laughter rang out against the mountains themselves as Drake chased her around the field and eventually into the water.  And as the sun hung heavy in the sky, Drake gathered some wood and started a fire in the pit while Rhiannon ran to the Jeep for the last of her supplies.

Drake brought down a bench from the porch to into front of the fire, grabbing a blanket from inside the cabin, because even in the early summer it still could catch a chill around here at night, and a bottle of whiskey with two tumblers.  Rhiannon sat with graham crackers and chocolate at the ready while he toasted two marshmallows to perfection.  They ate the deliciously gooey dessert as the night sky darkened and the sky lit up with the most perfect scene of stars imaginable.  

With their s’mores finished, Rhiannon wrapped the blanket around her shoulders and beckoning Drake into her embrace.  He melted down into her side, resting the back of his head at her collar bone, looking up to only for a moment to steal a quick kiss.  Wrapping the blanket around them both as best she could Rhiannon rested her head on top of his, lost in the moment between.

“How hard would it be for you to add another room to the cabin?” she asked suddenly.

“Huh?”

“The cabin… another room…”

“I don't know.  Why?”

She shrugged the shoulder he wasn't resting on and looked away.  “If we ever brought anyone else here…”

“Why the hell would we do that?”

Rhiannon sighed softly and rested her cheek on the top of Drake's head.  “I just thought because maybe we would want to come here with the baby,” she told him, her voice barely more than a whisper.

Rhiannon felt him tense.  “What?”

“Well, I guess he could sleep with us for awhile but eventually I'm just thinking we're all going to want him to have his own space,” Rhiannon continued as if it were the most obvious thing.

Drake sat up, twisting to face her now.  “You're pregnant?”

Rhiannon bite her bottom lip as she smiled and nodded.  He moved quick, taking her face in his hands and bringing her lips to his.  It started soft before growing into something deeper.  They broke apart and then he was kissing every inch of her face as she smiled.  

“Wait, you said ‘he’... you already know?”

“Just a feeling.”

Drake’s mouth turned as he shook his head and placed his hand on her stomach.  “Aftó eínai to korítsi mou.”

“I thought I was your girl?”

“That was before she came along,” he told her matter of fact.

Rhiannon cocked an eyebrow at him.  “I don’t think your son is going to appreciate you calling him a girl.”

Drake shrugged, shifting them so he was now holding her.  Tucked against his chest, he wrapped her in his arms and squeezed, tight but gentle, a balance only he was able to pull off.  

“Want to bet?”

Rhiannon’s shoulders shook with her laughter.  “Oh my sweet marshmallow, are you sure you want to do that?  You have a terrible track record against me.”

“I’m sure.  Set the terms.”

Drake jumped from the still moving car, while Liam hopped out when it came to a quick stop and jogged to catch up with Bastien hot on their heels.  The latter two had just endured a nearly twelve hour flight fighting the urge to knock Drake out.  They’d been on the floor of the United Nations, discussing the strides Cordonia was taking in it’s clean energy initiative when the call came through to Bastien that Rhiannon had gone into labor almost two weeks early back home.  Drake had been unable to sit still since he found out.  They were fairly certain he’d actually made himself sick with worry in the plane.

It was too much; he was a ball of nervous, tense energy and beyond angry that he’d allowed her to talk him into going to New York for this when she was so close to the end of her pregnancy.  They’d fought about it all week leading up to his departure, Rhiannon insisted that he go, that she would be fine.  She wasn’t alone in Valtoria as his mother had come to stay with them for a time, along with Savannah and Bartie while Drake was away, and of course Hana still lived with them.  In the end, he convinced him and sent him off to her hometown for the UN Summit with a kiss and a shopping list of foods she’d been craving that were “only worth it if they are from New York.”

Mara was waiting for them just inside the hospital doors.

“How is she?” he asked, his voice tight and words clipped.

“She’s well.  They’re together in her room now,” Mara informed them.  

“Let’s go.”

Liam grabbed Drake’s shoulder and halted him.  “You need to calm down before you go up there.”

“I’m fine.”  Liam fixed Drake with a knowing look.  “How can I be calm at a time like this?  She… I missed it,” Drake ground out.  He missed the birth of their first child.  An experience he could never get back… and Rhiannon had to go through it alone.  As mad and upset as he was, he could only imagine how she felt.  She needed him and he wasn’t there.

“I can’t begin to imagine how you feel, but you cannot go in there all out of sorts as you are.  That’s not good for anyone.  So, get calm.”

That really snapped Drake into himself.  “Heh, you sound just like her… when we found Savannah, she said something just like that.”  Drake shook himself out, trying his best to calm down as they all entered the elevators.

Even after the flight, and then another hour by car to get to her, the elevator ride to the maternity ward was by far the longest minutes of his life.  He reached the desk and the nurse on duty smiled, bowing her head slightly and pointed them to a room down the hall just as Hana was walking out.  She caught sight of them and smiled, waving them down.

Drake broke into a run, and without even greeting Hana, flung the door back open and finally saw his wife again.

She was resplendent.  She hasn’t seen him yet and for that Drake was so glad because he was completely taken with the scene before him.  Rhiannon was seated in the bed, wearing what he was certain was one of his shirts; her hair loosely tied back into an intricate braid, she was beaming, her smile so bright as she looked down to the baby she held lovingly in her arms.  He could hear her whispering sweet little nothings in Greek down to the child and he was lost, unable to move or speak.  She must have sensed she was no long alone because Rhiannon looked up and locked eyes with her husband.  If he thought her smile was bright before, the one she graced him with was dazzling.

Rhiannon’s bright blue eyes never left his as he crossed the room and sat as close as he could manage to them without disturbing the baby.  She looked imploringly to him and he gave her a quick nod.  “Your Grace,” she said, with far more serious reverence than she ever used with just him.  “May I present to you, your son,” she told him with a self satisfied smirk, “Lord Jackson James Walker of House Starr, Earl of Asteria and the future Duke of Valtoria.”

“You -- you don’t have to… Jackson I mean, it’s alright if you --”

Rhiannon rolled her eyes as Drake stammered out his flustered thoughts.  She shifted the baby around in her arms and with no warning, handed the boy to his father.  “It feels right,” she explained.  Drake couldn’t help but agree, captivated by his son.  “Besides, a bet is a bet.  Whoever was correct got naming rights.”

“Heh, those were the terms.”  Silence fell over them; Drake enraptured with Jackson, and Rhiannon beaming over both of them  “Thank you,” he said, breaking the still room.  “You’re… I never thought I would get this… when we met… hell, Ray.”

“Hey, look at me,” she asked.  He brought his eyes to meet hers and let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.  “I love you.”

“Love you too, korítsi mou.”

“Pánta.”

“It's a boy, Your Grace!”

Rhiannon huffed out a final labored breath and smiled.  Her second child this year (they maybe should have heeded the doctor's postpartum warnings better… but hello has anyone seen her husband?)  She jerked her head at their son across the room where they were cleaning him off and gloated at Drake.  “Told you so.”

“You did.  So, what is my boy's name?”

“Theodore Bastien.”

Drake smiled, “That's perfect, korítsi mou.”

They added another boy, Silas Maxwell, a little over than a year and a half later.

“Aw, little blossom,” Maxwell said, dramatically wiping away a fake tear from his eye.  “Drake buddy… I'm so honored.”

“Don’t thank me, I would have picked Thomas.”

“And if you’d guessed right, you might have gotten to pick!” Rhiannon gloated in a sing-song.

“This is definitely the last one,” Rhiannon ground out, bearing down for a final push.  The baby was out and Rhiannon closed her eyes and dropped her head back relieved the thirty-hour ordeal was finally over.

But after a beat of silence, Rhiannon’s head snapped up, as she pushed herself up to see the doctors quickly rushing around their fourth child.  She looked to Drake who was also staring at all the people buzzing around their silent newborn.  Rhiannon reached for his hand and together that sat stock still waiting as seconds shifted by like an eternity.

The shrill cries of the newborn broke the silence after a moment and the Walkers both sagged in relief.  Another moment passed and a nurse came cradling a swaddled baby which she presented to Drake.  

“A girl, Your Grace.”

The room was cleaned and cleared out quickly leaving Rhiannon and Drake alone with their baby.  Drake hadn't stopped staring down at the sweet girl in his arms since she was put there.

“I feel bad for the first boy that breaks her heart... face off against three big brothers AND Drake Walker?  No thank you,” Rhiannon joked.

“You lost your title now you know,” he responded, finally looking up at his wife.  

“Wife.  Mama.  Duchess.  Champion of the Realm,” she listed nonchalantly.  “I've got titles to spare, I think I can give her that one, you waited for her long enough.  Besides, you can always go back to calling me ‘Starr’,” she added with a chuckle.  “So?”

“So what?”

“Seriously, Walker?  You've been holding onto this for like five years.  What's my daughter's name?”

“Charlotte Korina… korítsi mou.”

[almaasi]

reaction post typed while watching SPN 13x16 Scoobynatural

my mood after watching this: SCOOBY DOOBY DOOOOOOOOO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

03:33pm

HI FRIENDS

so full disclosure, i’m not feeling good at all and my hair is falling out!!! more than usual!!! so I’M REALLY HOPING THIS EPISODE MAKES ME FEEL BETTER

best case scenario, dean’s in the middle of a fred/daphne/cas lovefest, but frankly i’m more expecting a one-sided daphne-dean thing?? i think cas is probably just in this for the sake of having him there too but PLEASE GIVE HIM SOMETHING USEFUL TO DO pleeeease. i also figure dean ends up with the ascot because daphne gives it to him, not fred, but I AM WILLING TO BE SURPRISED

i’m not expecting actual proper bi dean and/or destiel, for the record. as fun and delightful as that would be. i’m just here to have a woofing good time

last night i watched “Scooby Doo! Shaggy’s Showdown” and it was GREAT and i thoroughly enjoyed it and I REALLY HOPE THIS EPISODE IS AS GOOD AS THAT WAS

as in, give me diverse background characters (i mean, if they can’t be be main characters), daphne actually having depth to her character beyond vanity, velma being 10/10 relatable and being genuine besties with daphne, fred being a useless lovable dork, shaggy being THE ABSOLUTE BEST & TOTALLY A ROLE MODEL, scooby being literally the coolest sweetest dog ever

BRING FORTH THE CARTOON ANTICS

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03:45

HERE WE GO

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03:46

at first i thought this dinosaur costume was a recap and i was like WHEN DID DEAN FIGHT A DINOSAUR

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03:49

dean and sam mentioned a lizard and quite frankly this dude looks like a lizard

i half expected his tongue to poke out, barty crouch jr. style

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03:50

dean: “TAKE IT EASY, SHE’S DELICATE”

love how dean makes every inanimate thing he cares about into a ‘she’

is this him sexualising random pieces of equipment; finding the thing impressive and therefore giving it the pronoun of the people who most inspire him; or is it a parenting instinct buried deep down that just happens to have a gender bias??

WILL WE EVER KNOW

from dean’s soft “shh” though i imagine it’s a parenting thing

precious tv needs to be loved and cared for like a baby

(i mean......... Baby is his car. definitely a parenting thing. BUT THEN ALSO HIS CAR IS SEXY???? CONCLUSION: DEAN HAS MOTHER/PARTNER/INTIMACY ISSUES)

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03:56

dean: “be like elsa, let it go”

this boy has so many repressed childhood issues i don’t know where to start

HIS INNER CHILD NEEDS HELP

oh man i think i just realised what his growth this episode is gonna be. CONNECT TO THE DESPERATE INNER CHILD

SAVE HIM!!!!!

(sidenote: i did not realise i would be going into this and immediately begin psychoanalysing dean but there we go)

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03:58

the dean cave

or the fortress of deanitude

ohhhhhhhhhhh boy

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03:59

let me know when there’s a fic where dean and cas cuddle/fall asleep/boink in those plaid la-z-boy recliners huh.

or when dean, cas, and sam all want to watch something at the same time and there’s only two chairs sO SOMEONE’S GONNA HAVE TO SHARE

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04:01

THEY’RE A CARTOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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04:02

dean: “are we animated? yes. is it weird? yes.”

reminds me of zootopia a little I LOVE IT I LOVE IT YAAYAYY

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04:06

a malt shop!!!!!! cartoon ice cream sundaes always look so tasty

EVEN BETTER WHEN SHARED WITH SCOOBY AND SHAGGY

i always thought dean and shaggy would get along so damn well

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04:08

FRICK YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAH

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04:08

WHO DOESN’T NEED A MILKSHAKE-DRINKING GREAT DANE IN THEIR LIVES

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04:09

sam’s hair looks really good

AND I JUST REALISED HOW WELL THEY DID DEAN’S LIPS!!! POUTY PRETTY AND PLUSH, JUST THE WAY THEY ARE IN FANFICTION

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06:11

dean: “cas is kinda like a talking dog”

unsure whether to be offended on cas’ behalf or not

because on the one hand, RUDE

but on the other hand, the talking dog is the title character, the coolest one, the most beloved, and the most impressive of all

so

i suppose that was a compliment???

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04:13

me: *SQUISHES MY CHEEKS* THIS IS SO CUTE AND SO WHOLESOME I LOVE THESE GUYS!!!!!!!!

my heart may or may not be pounding

maybe it’s just low blood pressure

/eats salt

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04:17

“oh HECK yes”

THAT WAS DEAN’S ULTIMATE DREAM (also mine?)

INSTA-GIANT-SANDWICH

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04:18

sam: “hey why do you hate fred so much”

dean: “he thinks he’s so cool ..with his perfect hair, his can-do attitude”

OH SHIT DEANIE’S GOT A HARDCORE CRUSH AND DOESN’T REALISE IT

LITERALLY DIDN’T SEE IT COMING FROM THIS PARTICULAR APPROACH BUT OF COURSE

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04:21

WAS THAT CAS STAGGERING AFTER THEIR CARS

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04:2

“providing you spend tonight here in this old mansion”

OH MY GOD I THINK I WATCHED THIS ONE GROWING UP?? i think it was one of the few we had on vhs!!! and we’d watch it a lot!!! and the the vhs went missing and we never found it again, pretty sure some other kid literally stole it from our house

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04:26

daphne: “oh dean. boys and girls don’t sleep in the same rooms, silly!!!”

fred: “guess you’re with me, slugger”

I AM ENJOYING THIS

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04:27

Y E A H

i’m so into this you have no idea

dean: “it’s freaking comfortable. it’s like i’m... wrapped in hugs”

THERE IS NOTHING ABOUT THIS I DISLIKE 12/10 WILL WRITE FANFICTION OF THIS

and it’s purple

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04:32

dean: “doesn’t matter if WE die. scooBY DOO COULD DIE. and that’s not happening. not on my watch. i’d take a bullet for that dog.”

aaaaaaaand if scooby is cas’ parallel............

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm *u*

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04:37

!!! their !!! hands !!! touch !!!!!

*muffled background music* and every time we touch it feels like heaven, and everything we kiss i swear i could fflyyy~

pool angel seems so disoriented and confused and clumsy

being a cartoon must really have sent him off-kilter

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06:40

SAM DEAN I’M BACK FROM SYRIA WITH FRUIT FROM THE TREE OF LIFE. THE TREE WAS GUARDED BY A PACK OF DJINN I KILLED MOST OF THEM, BARGAINED WITH THE REST

oh man he’s so fluffy

misha looks like he’s trying not to laugh

“i think i’m... technically married to their queen now”

i don’t know what to do with this information

i hope it comes up as a destiel-centric useful plot point in a future episode

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04:44

AH the fruits from the tree of life are pomegranates

OH COURSE. symbolising entrance to the underworld etc. etc persephone and hades

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04:45

dean: “it’s a book we’re writing. about a killer stuffed dinosaur. it’s called--”

cas: *glances at dean* “the killer stuffed dinosaur. in........love”

IN LOVE

IN LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WHY DID CAS CHOOSE THOSE WORDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I WONDER WHY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

/VERY LOUD SARCASM

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04:49

BISEXUAL DEAN DREAM TEAM

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05:51

cas: “i once commanded armies and now i’m paired with a scruffy philestine and a talking dog”

HEY DON’T KNOCK SHAGGY OR SCOOBY, THEY’RE AWESOME AND KIND, AND TALKING DOGS ARE COOL

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04:53

the velma/sam ship is setting sail

honestly i’ve lowkey shipped this for many years I’M SO GLAD THIS IS A THING NOW

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04:55

I LOVE THIS ANIMATION TROPE

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04:57

omg scrappy doo just waddled past in the door-running scene

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04:58

jeez dean take a hint DAPHNE’S NOT INTERESTED

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04:59

velma: “dean had him by the thigh”

cas: “you what?”

the fact it’s cas ??? asking why dean was fondling a ghost????

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05:01

caS: “sCOOBY! SCOOBY!!!!!!”

I THINK CAS IS FOND OF SCOOBY DOO NOW

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05:03

look at this trio!!!!!!!!! I LOVE THEM

also cas is so fucking pretty???? WHY IS CAS SO FUCKING PRETTY ;U;U;U;U; HELP

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05:04

also sam ain’t two feet taller than cas !!

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05:05

WHY DOES DAPHNE THINK SHE’S GOING TO HELL?? WHAT DOES SHAGGY MEAN BY “EVERY TIME”

IS SHE BANGING FRED OUT OF WEDLOCK/UNDERAGE IS THAT WHAT SHE MEANS

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05:07

FRICKETTY FUCK YEAH

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05:08

DID DEAN JKUST SWEAR AND IT WAS BLEEPED OG MY GODHDSFHYDGDG

also is it just me or does fred look way sexier with his hair messed up

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05:12

dean: “lay it on me, freddy”

me: *smug noise*

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05:16

eheheh cas poking in from the back

also daphne with two shotguns?? sign me up

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daphne: KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!

ksjfdkjsgfgm

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05:21

i don’t think i wanna know what dean did with the cartwright twins either

NOTE: GENDER UNKNOWN

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05:24

guy: “is that an ascot?”

dean: “yes. yes it is.”

is that him trying to be daphne’s type, or him trying to be like perfect mr. fred

OR BOTH

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05:27

OMG DEAN;S “SCOOBY DOOBY DOOOOO” OH JTGJSREGEBGERSHYGERSHGSREGVESGESHGHSE

JENSEN OH MY GOD

HOW MANY TAKES DID THAT TAKE

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05:28pm

11/10 i loVED IT 

INSTANT FAVOURITE EPISODE QUITE FRANKLY WHO CARES ABOUT THE REST OF THE SHOW THIS WAS GREAT

THIS MADE ME SO HAPPY IT WAS SO WHOLESOME

MY PARENTS WANNA WATCH IT AND WE’RE GONNA HAVE DINNER IN LIKE AN HOUR SO I GUESS IMMA WATCH IT AGAIN

OH MY GOD THANK YOU UNIVERSE FOR BRINGING THIS INTO EXISTENCE

no people of colour but oh well

also not even sure the bechdel test was passed since velma and daphne only talked about sam

BUT EVEN SO THIS WAS AMAZING

YEEEE

i’m so pleased cas was in this. and i love that he loved shaggy and scooby ‘cause they’re the best and CAS+SHAGGY+SCOOBY WAS THE BEST TEAM

still not sure how cas diving out of the window after scooby actually helped but okay

oh man

feel-good happy place episode !!!

i am delight

[angelschoices]

This is Us

A The Royal Romance fanfic.

Pairing: Drake x MC (Lianna)

Summary: The day before Lianna (MC) and Drake’s wedding, she has realization that something is very off.

Rating: T for language

“Fuck it.”

“What?” Drake asked his fiancée, utterly confused.

She gestured around her new home – their new home, which was filled with people bustling around with chairs and streamers and vases. Their wedding was tomorrow and everyone, from King Liam to the surly Bertrand, wanted to make sure that everything was perfect. Not only were they making their vows to marry each other – but the event was to show the kingdom that the recent terrorist attacks were not affecting the people’s hope.

“This. All of this,” she said, their brown eyes locked. “Fuck it all.”

“Diaz, you’re not getting cold feet are you?” Drake asked, heart starting to race.

Lianna rolled her eyes, a soft smile on her lips. “Never, my adorable marshmallow,” she teased. “I just mean… all this pomp and circumstance. It’s not us.”

“I could’ve told you that, Diaz,” Drake smirked. “In fact, I’m pretty sure I did.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” she rolled her eyes good-naturedly. “You were right. It’s not us.”

“So what do you want to do it about?” Drake raised a brow.

“Let’s get married,” she said simply.

“That was always the plan, wasn’t it?” Drake retorted.

“Right now. Today. You, me, those most important to us. We can still have all the pomp and circumstance tomorrow. But that will be for the people. For Cordonia. But for me? For us? I just want to marry you, Drake Walker. I want to be your wife, and I don’t want to wait another day.”

“Diaz,” Drake said, adoration filling his voice.

“Almost Walker,” Lianna winked.

“This is why I love you,” he said, cupping her face in his hands and kissing her soundly. “Let’s go get married.”

Just an hour later, Drake and Lianna stood by a fountain in the courtyard. Lianna wore a simple white dress with a sweetheart neckline, and Drake wore a button up dark blue shirt and a white tie, with dark jeans. Their hands were clasped as they faced those closest to them: Savannah, Bartie, Liam, Hana, Maxwell, Bertrand, and Olivia.

“Thank you guys so much for being here,” Lianna beamed. She looked at Drake with a smile. “It means so much to us. Even though we want to move forward with the wedding being a symbol to Cordonia, we want to promise ourselves to each other with just those closest to us. With you all.”

“Wait, who is going to actually do the ceremony?” Drake suddenly asked.

“Don’t worry,” Hana chimed in. “I’ve been given the power the preside over weddings.”

“Is there literally nothing you cannot do, Hana?” Maxwell asked stunned.

“Power by who?” Drake asked.

“By the King of Cordonia, naturally,” Liam grinned.

“Knowing the two of you, we pretty much expected something like this to happen,” Hana said. “And we wanted to make sure we were ready. So Liam and I looked into what needed to happen so that I could proceed over the wedding, and bam. Here I am.”

“You guys are amazing,” Lianna beamed at her friends.

“Liam,” Drake said, turning to his best friend. “I know that it hasn’t been easy, being my friend. Especially since Diaz and I…” he trailed off. Liam nodded, understanding. “But you are my best friend. And I’m hoping that despite the history between Diaz and I getting together, I hope you’ll do me the honor of being my best man.”

Liam smiled brightly. “Of course, my friend. It would be my honor to do so. It has filled me with joy that you have found such love and happiness. You of all people deserve it.” They hugged.

“Maxwell,” Lianna turned to the younger Beaumont. “Maxwell, are you crying?”

“This is a very special day for all of us Lianna!” Maxwell defended, wiping a tear off his face.

Lianna laughed, and took one of Maxwell’s hands in hers. “And this is why I want you to be my Man of Honor.”

Maxwell’s eyes widened and his jaw slacked. “Me? But – but what about Hana?”

“Hana is officiating,” Lianna said. “And you’re my best friend too, Maxwell. So? Will you be my Man of Honor?”

“Of course!” Maxwell exclaimed. “I feel dreadfully underdressed now.”

“You look fine,” Drake huffed, a smile on his face. “So can we get started now? I want to make this woman my wife.”

They settled under a trellis they had moved from the grand ceremony space. Hana stood in front of Lianna and Drake, who couldn’t keep their eyes off each other. Behind Lianna stood Maxwell, Bertrand, and Olivia. Behind Drake was Liam and Savannah, who carried Bertie.

“I believe Lianna and Drake want to share their own vows,” Hana said. “Lianna if you’d like to go first.”

Lianna gulped, tears already forming in her eyes. “Drake Walker… When Maxwell asked me to join you on a crazy journey to a country I’d never heard of before, I had no idea that saying yes would lead me to the love of my life. To you. It wasn’t easy, getting you to acknowledge your feelings for me. And maybe I was little hesitant too. But there was just something about that kept me wanting to dig beyond your usual surly self. And I’m glad. Because I got to see the beautiful heart that you hide behind your walls. And I fell in love with that marshmallow hiding behind the whiskey and sarcasm. Through all the craziness that has happened since I first stepped foot in Cordonia, you are my rock. You kept me grounded, and kept me from getting caught up in the fancy noble life. You understood me in a way that nobody else did. And I am so fucking excited to become your wife, Drake Walker. I love you more than you can ever imagine, and I plan to spend the rest of my life trying to make you understand that I don’t need money and gifts and fancy titles. All I need is you.”

Tears were running down Lianna’s face, but she kept her gaze firm on her fiancee’s, making sure that he knew that she meant every word of her vows.

“Drake, you may now recite your vows,” Hana smiled, her own eyes getting teary.

“Diaz – Lianna – or will I have to call you Walker now? Whatever I end up calling you, it doesn’t change who you are to me. When you walked into that bar that night in New York… I never would have thought you would become my friend, my partner, my love. You more than broke down my walls… you demolished them. And I don’t even think you were trying. I know our relationship hasn’t always been the easiest, and I’ve pushed you away too much, and probably hurt you more than you like to admit. But I promise that from this day on, with you as my wife, I will be a better man, a better friend, a better brother, and the best husband… because that’s what you deserve. You made me open up my heart, and because of you, I have my sister and my nephew back in my life. I still don’t know what you see in me, but I���ve learned to just accept it, and try to be the best man that you deserve. I love you, Lianna Diaz. And I’m counting down the moments until I can be done with this mushy stuff and call myself your husband.”

Tears were openly running down Lianna’s face, and Maxwell was also sniffling behind her. Lianna squeezed Drake’s hands affectionately.

“Liam, do you have the rings?” He quickly handed them to Hana. She held them out to Drake, who took the simple gold band. “Drake, repeat after me: With this ring, I thee wed.”

“With this ring, I thee wed,” Drake said, voice hoarse with emotion. Lianna took the remaining gold band.

“Now Lianna, repeat after me: With this ring, I thee wed.”

“With this ring,” Lianna’s voice was shaky with emotion, but there was a smile on her face, “I thee wed.”

“With the power vested in me by the King of Cordonia,” Hana announced, “I now pronounce you husband and wife.” Their friends cheered. “What’re you waiting for Lianna? Kiss him!”

With a laugh, Lianna stood up on her tiptoes to wrap her arms around Drake’s neck, pulling him into a deep kiss. His hands snaked around her waist, pulling her close.

They pulled away and leaned their foreheads against each other’s as their friends continued to cheer and Maxwell played wedding music from his phone.

“This is perfect,” Lianna said, contentedly.

“This is us.”

THE END