#and even tried to pretend it was so I could understand my 'uncle' that is from Uruguay.

[flowerandblood]

The Fall from the Heavens (2)

[ canon • Aemond x Strong • niece female ]

[ warnings: kissing, angst, arranged engagement, violence, swearing, bullying, chauvinism, mention of injury ]

[ description: A cool distance turns into friendship and more when two children see that they can find refuge and understanding in each other. However, naïve dreams collide with the reality in which every event has consequences and what once could have been love becomes a dark, newly painful obsession. Angst, sexual tension, obsession, violence, madness, very dark Aemond. ]

The story in this series is an alternate reality from the oneshot Stay and love, leave and die, in which Aemond reads the letters his niece has sent to him over the years. They are the same characters and it shows what would have happened between them − I have changed the background story from their childhood slightly for the sake of the plot.

Characters & Series Moodboard Lady Strong Moodboard Aemond & Lady Strong Moodboard Aemond & Lady Strong Childhood

* English is not my first language. Please, do not repost. Enjoy! *

Next chapters: Masterlist

_____

She had always felt that she lacked something – mostly when she looked in the mirror and saw instead of beautiful white hair her dark curls falling over her shoulders, which she hated with all her heart. Her eyes also had no shade of the gods, no shade of the Targaryens − her brothers laughed that her facial expressions made her look like a hamster.

She once tried, in an act of desperation, to cut her hair completely, hoping that what would grow back would be in a different shade; fortunately one of her mother's servants who brought her afternoon meal snatched the scissors out of her hand, horrified, and told her mother all about it.

That evening the future queen explained to her that there was also a Baratheon line running in Targaryen blood through her grandparents, that her cousin, Princess Rhaenys, also had dark hair.

This explanation reassured her a little, but she still felt that the gods had deprived them of something, robbing them of the looks that would prove who they were.

Fortunately, they had dragons.

Her dragoness, Larax, had beautiful silver-blue scales and shimmered wonderfully in the sunlight. She was still small and was just learning to breathe fire on command, but she was doing well and was her pride.

She visited her when she sought comfort.

She watched from the sidelines the only person among them who did not have a dragon of his own, namely her uncle, Aemond, only two years older than her. She could see that although he kept up appearances under a stony face, his suffering and disappointment was far greater than hers caused by the colour of her hair.

A Targaryen with a dragon was still a Targaryen.

But what was a Targaryen without it?

When Jace bragged to her about what they had done together with Aegon and Luke, that they had given him a pig with a wings as a joke, she said they were cruel.

She couldn't believe they thought it was funny.

At first she just wanted to see how he was doing, so knowing that he spent his days alone among the books she decided to visit him.

However, it turned out that his aloof nature was due to his caution and insecurity, his readiness to defend himself, although she had never intended to attack him. When he realised that her presence had no undertone he relaxed, even allowing her to exchange opinions with himself.

"I would like to be like Rhaenys in the future." She said softly, thinking dreamily that she was described as a woman of beauty, wisdom and dignity, able to solve many things with her shrewdness, wits, care and compassion.

She heard him snort under his breath, looking at her in disbelief, as if she had said something silly.

"Rhaenys? What's interesting about her? Visenya could fight with a sword and she rode the largest dragon still alive in this world. If I had a choice, I would marry her." He said lowly, as usual pretending to be older than he was. There was pathos in his posture and in his voice – he sat upright, comfortably sprawled in his chair, creating a semblance of confidence.

She raised an eyebrow at his words, unable to hide a smile of amusement. She saw the expression of displeasure on his face, as he clearly thought she was mocking him.

"Aegon the Conqueror thought otherwise. Out of ten nights, nine he spent with Rhaenys." She said with a wince and saw that he pressed his lips together, rolling his eyes, impatient with her remark, and shrugged his shoulders, returning to his reading.

She was really fond of him.

As a very young girl, she had given a lot of her thoughts to her future husband, knowing that as the daughter of a princess she would have her tasks, one of which would be to strengthen their lineage through marriage.

The thought that she would have to marry some boring old man by whose side she would die of despair, and with whom she would have to have many children, kept her awake at night; she wished her husband was someone closer to her in age, someone who shared her values and passions.

She wondered if it wouldn't have been better if her parents had married her to Jace − she knew him and, as his sister, loved him, so it would certainly have been easier − but on the other hand, something rejected her at the thought, she felt some kind of discomfort when she imagined their future children.

This was what she was contemplating when her mother walked into her chamber, wanting to ask her her opinion on the King's decision.

She and Aemond were betrothed.

"You may refuse, my love." Said Rhaenyra, kneeling beside her on the stone floor, taking her hands in her own, fearing apparently that this information would frighten her.

For some reason, however, she was pleased.

Although she did not have beautiful white hair, her future husband did.

She ran out of her chamber, rushing into the library like a storm, the pale face of her uncle expressing shock and fear as she approached him.

"Is it true?" She asked in a trembling voice and saw that he swallowed hard as he nodded, looking at her with wide open eyes.

She covered her face with her hand, a happy giggle escaping from her lips, her heart pounding like mad.

"I'm so happy."

To her relief, it looked as if her uncle himself had no great objections to the king's decision. He began to speak to her more, introducing her to his world, even explaining what he did during his trainings, apparently recognising that as his wife she should know what his life consisted of.

She absorbed everything he said, feeling her heart flutter with joy when he was by her side.

Though she knew it was unacceptable, she dared to ask him to let her kiss him, and after he experienced the taste of her lips, he wanted her to do it more often, though he never said it out loud.

Their kisses were innocent, short, warm and wet, on the forehead, cheek or lips. Every time she pulled away from him he smiled lazily, embarrassed – she knew he liked the feeling.

They both felt so mature then.

At his request she snuck into his chamber at night − they would lie then for hours holding hands, discussing about their future, about their children.

"When I become a rider of one of the dragons living in the caves beyond the sea, we will fly to Essos, to see the temples of Old Valyria." He said with confidence and calmness, stroking her hair in a soft, slow motion that her eyelids closed from; she loved it when he did that.

He had never tried to touch her naked body, put his hand under her nightgown or do anything else that Aegon had proudly told her about, but which she did not comprehend.

She furrowed her brow at his words, worried.

"Dragons in caves?" She asked quietly, and he nodded, swallowing loudly; she knew this topic was incredibly important to him, and he hoped to gain her support on the matter.

"Yes. Once I have a dragon, everything will be as it was meant to be. We will marry in the tradition of Old Valyria, beget our heirs, and then explore the world." He said with assurance, as if he had already planned and thought it all out carefully.

She felt warm in her heart at the thought that he had included her in everything about his life, that he saw her at his side as his companion and wife.

And then it happened.

Laena's death, her funeral and the great tragedy that followed.

That night she was roused from her sleep by the shouting of guards running down the corridor – she heard their words that the prince was injured, that he needed to be taken to the maester immediately, that there had been a fight.

With a pounding heart she put on her robe over her nightgown and ran after them semi-conscious, relieved to see her brothers, all bruised but without any wounds.

She then looked at the chair and screamed, covering her mouth, wanting to somehow silence how loud the sound was − she felt someone embrace her, her mother pulled her close, stroking her head.

"He called us bastards, mother, and he stole Vhagar!" Luke whined.

Alicent shouted to Viserys that she demanded justice for her son, but the King shook his head, looking at her uncle.

His wound was all swollen and red, a scar running across his entire left cheek, his gaze directed straight at her, dulled surely by the poppy milk to ease his pain after his eye had been taken out.

She was unable to say anything, her whole body was shaking.

"Who told you such a disgusting lie?" The King asked him, and only then did he look away from her, staring at him; she could see that he hesitated for a moment, his gaze shifting.

"Aegon."

Her mother wouldn't let her approach him despite her despair − she lied that she would be able to speak to him later, but it never happened.

They never spoke a word to each other again.

She wrote to him a letter in desperation, crying over it, having to pause several times, not knowing how she would convey to him what she was feeling, her childish mind unable to properly put into words what she was experiencing.

My dearest Prince,

know that my heart is torn by despair and disbelief. I pray for you and your health every day. I hope that as soon as you feel better we can meet. I am sending you books that I thought might interest you.

Your Rhaenys

She wrote this, not comprehending that the last thing on his mind now that he had lost his eye was to read, that he had torn up her letter as soon as he had read it, a lack of response from him made her feel even worse.

She felt he was blaming her and didn't know what to do, how to apologise to him so he would forgive her.

It turned out that there was no way she could do this, and the letters she sent to him in the months that followed were not met with a response.

The guards, on his mother's orders, would not allow anyone from their family to enter his chamber, guarded by Criston Cole himself, who, looking at her indifferently, informed her each time that the prince was unwell, needed to rest and would not receive visitors.

In addition to what had happened, she was heartbroken by what Luke had found out, what Jace had known for months, and what had been shouted in their faces that night.

They were bastards.

She felt even more defiant than ever before.

She had felt little when they moved to Dragonstone, when her mother had married her uncle, whom she had clearly loved forever, when Baela and Rhaena had joined their family.

They were sweet, kind and wise, taking her on long walks among the seaside cliffs, however, she was unable to bond with them.

Although officially their betrothal was never called off, it was clear that the King's resolve was no longer in force, the Queen suggested that any of Lord Baratheon's daughters would be a better candidate for her son, and this marriage would strengthen the royal army.

Instead, her mother thought that she, on the other hand, should marry one of her cousins of House Arryn, to secure their influence in the North and seal Eyrie's support for her cause once she was to become queen.

She was unable to find herself in this new reality, experiencing fulfilment and joy only during her solitary flights on her Larax, over the sea and high between the clouds.

To her surprise, her greatest support in her suffering turned out to be Daemon.

He saw her silent agony, he saw her emptiness, he saw her grief and he was able to reason with her, unlike her mother.

His mischievous, mocking nature reminded her in some ways of her uncle – as they walked for hours along the shore without any purpose and conversed, she felt she had regained at least part of her old life.

She liked him because he didn't treat her like a child, because he spoke to her about serious matters and didn't hide anything from her.

"Viserys is weak. He always has been. Your mother is making his mistakes, trying to hide Jace and Luke under her dress. She's trying to protect them from the inevitable." He said more to himself than to her, walking at her side with his hands entwined behind his back, looking off into the distance, his eyebrows arched in disapproval as they always did when he was frustrated.

She sighed heavily, agreeing with him in spirit, knowing what he meant.

Her mother was trying to protect them at all costs, her beloved boys, though the tension between Dragonstone and the Red Keep was greater than ever.

Something hung in the air and everyone felt it.

"And that bastard, that fucking traitor Hightower sits on the Iron Throne in his name and rules the kingdom, just as he always dreamed of doing." He hissed through clenched teeth, rage and disappointment beating from him, from which she felt her heart squeeze.

It shocked her how direct he was.

He was like a living, burning fire.

"When there's no cat, the mice scamper. Or maybe a better term would be rats." She said dryly, and he laughed out loud, glancing at her, his lips curving into a grin, a kind of contentment and pride in his eyes.

"You're like quiet water on the outside, but there's a great storm brewing inside you. I have heard that your would-be husband has become a fearsome warrior despite the lack of one eye. I fear that once you meet, heaven and earth will shake." He said with amusement and she swallowed loudly at his words, knowing he was mocking her.

"I have no grudge against him. Only he can have one towards me." She said lowly, pressing her lips together, feeling a tightness in her throat, thinking about how she had cried enough nights because of this event.

She felt him looking at her intently, a light summer breeze and the sound of the sea all around them, grey, gloomy clouds above them.

"You still haven't come to terms with it." He stated more than asked, and she swallowed loudly, feeling tears under her eyelids, shaking her head, unable to get anything else out.

"Sometimes it's better to rip your heart out than to let yourself be humiliated, to lose your dignity. Do you understand?" He asked, stopping, looking at her expectantly, with a kind of determination from which she felt discomfort in her stomach.

She stared at him with wide eyes, trying to behave as she should, trying not to break, but she burst into sobs as he pulled her close and embraced her, letting her pour out the grief that had been flowing inside her for years, which she didn't want to share with her mother or anyone else.

"– gods – I still love him –" She whined out breathing hard, clasping her hands on his thick tunic, his hand stroking her back comfortingly.

"The boy you loved no longer exists." He said lowly and she felt her heart stop.

A cold shiver went through her body, a wave of disappointment and the realisation that he was right.

When Vaemond Velaryon challenged Luke's right to inherit Driftmark it turned out, to her horror, that they had to appear in the Red Keep to discuss the matter before the King himself. Her mother wanted them all to travel there, as a whole family meant to support her younger brother.

She didn't have the strength for this reunion – she hadn't slept or eaten, thinking about flying on Larax at night and just running away.

But where to?

She thought in moments like this about how her uncle had said he would take her to Essos one day, to the kingdom of their ancestors, and she burst out sobbing again, hiding her face in her hands, listening to the sound of the rain falling outside her window.

The journey to King's Landing had been long and tiring for her − she landed on Larax alongside her foster sisters and brothers, her hair tied up in a long braid, a leather travelling attire on her body, more comfortable and giving her more freedom of movement.

They arrived in the Red Keep using the royal carriages; when she stepped outside she was struck by how smaller and tighter everything seemed to her.

She felt tense and looked uncertainly around, fearing she would see him somewhere, but that did not happen.

They were greeted by one of her grandfather's lords, the Queen not honouring them with her presence; they were informed where they would be sleeping and she shuddered when she heard she would be spending the night in her old chamber, feeling the cold sweat on the back of her neck.

Walking through the corridors of the fortress she was hit by memories from everywhere and even though this was her home, she had never felt so foreign before.

She changed with the help of servants into a more appropriate attire – her two-tone gown had bare shoulders, her long to the ground, wide sleeves were red, and the material wrapping tightly around her breasts and hips was navy blue – the colours of the Targaryens and Arryns, her expression that she supported her mother.

She wondered if she should go outside or if it would be better to stay in the chamber, but in the end she decided that she would not be a coward, that she would not allow herself to be intimidated in her own home.

Therefore, she moved alone through the familiar corridors of the Red Keep, skirting the entrance to the library, feeling her heart beating wildly.

She heard the sound of blades crossing, saw, standing in the cloisters, crowds of people surrounding a pair of warriors apparently practising hand-to-hand combat, heard applause and sounds of admiration, recognised the faces of her brothers among them.

And then she saw him, first his white hair and then his eye patch − she felt her whole body freeze, her throat squeezed so tightly that she felt like she was going to suffocate.

He was so tall that she could see his silhouette perfectly, she couldn't believe how much the man could have changed over the years.

She saw that he had said something to Luke and Jace, the sight of their horror made him grin broadly, but it was a frightening smile, a sneer that didn't reach his healthy eye, his gaze cold, amused.

It seemed to her that she saw more animal than human traits in him, his way of moving, his gait was defiant, agile.

He looked like a predator prowling around his prey.

She thought with pain that he was terrifying.

Their attention was distracted by the sound of trumpets; the gates leading into the courtyard opened and Vaemond Velaryon appeared in it, walking at the head of his retinue. She swallowed loudly as she saw his chin raised high, as if he was sure of victory in his cause even though his brother was still alive.

She saw her uncle turn towards her and walk up to one of the servants, reaching out to him impatiently, wanting him to hand him another shield and then their gazes met.

She saw the surprise and disbelief in his healthy eye; he froze and although he took what he wanted he did not turn to face Criston.

Even from a distance she could see his nostrils moving restlessly with each of his deep breaths, as if he was trying to calm himself, his jaw clenched tightly.

She didn't know why, despite the fact that he frightened her so much, despite the fact that he never answered any of her letters, she felt like throwing herself into his arms and crying, simply to say that she missed him, that she prayed every day that she would see him again.

However, before she had time to do anything under the influence of emotion he turned and nodded at Criston, immediately attacking him with his sword which swished loudly in the air, as if he wanted to take it out on him for what he had just seen.

She decided to return to her chamber, and it was only behind the door that she burst into sobs, realising what had terrified and torn her heart the most.

Daemon was right.

The boy she loved no longer exists.

_____

Aemond Taglist:

(bold means I couldn't tag you)

@its-actually-minicika @notnormalthings-blog @nikstrange @zenka69 @bellaisasleep @k-y-r-a-1 @g-cf2020 @melsunshine @opheliaas-stuff @chainsawsangel @iiamthehybrid @tinykryptonitewerewolf @namoreno @malfoytargaryen @qyburnsghost @aemondsdelight @persephonerinyes @fan-goddess @sweethoneyblossom1 @watercolorskyy @randomdragonfires @apollonshootafar @padfooteyes

[lateatnewyork]

Misogyny

Young Adult!Nyx Archeron x Gwynriel!Daughter

Word Count: 1,264

Warnings: Misogyny (not nyx), swearing, suggestive, afab!reader, angst??

Summary: Azriel and Cassian get injured on a mission and have made the training of the two squads together. Nyx believes his boys can beat your girls. Your quick to put him in his place.

a/n: kinda inspired by prison for life by olivia rodrigo kinda not, nyx is an asshole but not in the kind of way where its toward women more like he thinks of them as equals and treats them as his boys.

"Dad? What do you mean I have to teach them with him?" I hiss. From the corner of my eye I can see Dad and Uncle Cass wince but my eyes are trained on Nyx. His usual smug smirk faltering by an inch. Twisting away from him my gaze zeroes in on Dad, who was holding an icepack to his head.

"She so got that glare from Gwyn," Uncle Cass mutters. My eyes flit from Dad for minute and switch to him "I. Am. Not. Teaching. My. Girls. With. His. Disgusting. Boys" I enunciate each word with a step toward Uncle Cassian, until I'm towering over him.

"Relax love, I'm sure the boys might be able to teach you girls something, other than getting used to losing," he comes up behind me until I can feel him breathing down on my neck. Spinning around I jab a finger into his rock hard chest. "One I'm not your love, two the only thing you'll be teaching us is how to make a guy land on his ass," I growl looking up at him. "Y/N-" I cut off my dad. "Don't start"

"Guys gather around," I say gesturing to the 10 or so girls waiting for the instruction to start sparring, "We have to train with the guys-" I got cut off by a simultaneous groan from all of them. "Don't worry guys, I completely understand you," I say sympathising with them.

"We're gonna do sparring one on one, boys vs girls." Just as the girls were about to nod. A group of rowdy boys enter the sparring center. Rolling my eyes, I head to Nyx, "Are you ready?".

"Ready to kick your asses?" A guy from the back says loudly. Ignoring him I gather them around, sighing when I see a clear line in between the two groups. "Are you always this bossy, even in bed?" Nyx says lowly. "Why you wanna find out?" I ask smirking, two can play this game.

"We're gonna be doing one on one sparring, boys vs girls," I explain. "Archeron and I will be demonstrating,".

"You really wanna show all of them you losing?" he questions out loud. "We'll see who loses in the ring, Nyx," I answer.

Heading into the ring, I stand on my side analysing his weaknesses and strengths. Me and Nyx weren't allowed to spar since the last time we did, we almost killed each other. "Powers or no?" he asks me. "No" I answer my eyes distant as I tried to guess what his first move would be. He was big and had muscle but slender enough to be able to sneak around.

Knowing him he was probably going to go straight for my legs. I let him reach for my legs, he pins me onto the mat and I groan at the feeling, gods we need softer sparring mats. Mum's gonna have to check that later. My hands are pinned at the top by one of his hands while the other, "Yield!" he yells to me. I lean up as if I'm about to kiss him and feel his arms falter, I use it to my advantage and flip him over so I'm on top. Punching his face, I grin when blood starts seeping out of his nose.

I stand up pretending to get off the mat as I knew you he was going to take the bait and try and grab me from the back. The second I feel his arms wrap around my neck I grab his arm and flip him over with such force that if not for the mat I would've broken his back.

"I told you before, one of my girls could take on all of your boys and I taught them so why would you think you could take me on?" I grin, offering him an arm to get up. He refuses it and stands up, "Men" I scoff. "Look I'll prove it, your best guy against my newest girl?" I say. "You're on" he whispers back and heads to his guys and yells out "Ben, you're up", "Violet," I say. And watch chaos ensue as his guys got taken down one by one.

"Admit it, they're better," I say walking towards Nyx and the boys, "Yeah but they'll be better in the kitchen," Me and Nyx's heads snap towards the guy who fought Violet. I stalk over to him, "The fuck did you just say?".

"You heard me, they would be better in the kitchen and taking care of children. I mean look at that one I would bend her over and f-" I cut him off by punching his nose so hard he goes staggering back.

"Don't ever talk about one of my girls like that ever again," I say my voice dropping dangerously low.

"These girls are your equals if not better," Nyx says coming up behind me, "Friendly competition is expected if not appreciated, but dropping so low as to talk about a woman as if she is an object is unexpectable, Ben I expect you to write a letter to Violet as an apology and you're no longer a part of this squad." he says nonchalantly.

After a while everyone filtered out, I smiled to Nyx who started changing out of his fighting leathers, and headed to my office. All of a sudden a sharp pain and a tug in my chest makes me gasp out loud. My head is telling me to stay put but my heart is guiding me outside the office and to the other side of the training room, an invisible string guiding me.

"Nyx did you feel that," I mumble out, "Yeah I did," he breathed out. I walked closer to him and kissed him, he stumbled against the wall behind him, I ran my hands up his bare chest and tugged on his hair as the kiss turned heated, he twisted us and picked me up. Wrapping my legs around his torso I gasped as he bit my lip, our tongues fighting for dominance.

"We told you they were mates," Gwyn says smirking at Azriel, Cassian and Rhysand.

"Pay up losers," Nesta smiles in victory. Feyre, Gwyn and Nesta look at the two lovebirds with affectionate eyes as the men behind them grumble and start to take money out.

"Shit who's gonna be the spymaster now, when Nyx rules?" Rhysand questions. Cassian stares at him dumbfounded "What do you mean, wasn't it always going to be Y/N?".

"No you idiot, Y/N's going to be High Lady now" Azriel says with a roll of his eyes.

"Can't she be both?" I say as I come up behind them all, with Nyx his arm wrapped tight around my waist.

"How did you- you were the- wha-" Uncle Cass sputters. "She's the future spymaster and future High Lady, Uncle Cass," Nyx says as if that was enough explanation.

"Anyway we just wanted to say goodbye before Nyx eats his cookie," I say with a wide grin.

"Why goodbye for eating a cooki-" Uncle Cass gets cut off by Aunt Nes, "They're accepting the bond, you big idiot,".

"We're going to go to the cabin near the end of Velaris and once we come back we'll search for a new home," Nyx says never taking his eyes off me. Nyx picks me up bridal style and as we walk off we hear Uncle Cass yell out "Can I com-" only to be cut off by a loud chorus of "CASSIAN SHUT UP!".

I giggle against Nyx's chest.

[halestrom]

22 or 33 with hangster? 👀🥰

I went with #33 because A kiss to a scar, birthmark, injury, or other marking is adorable!

--

“And this one?”

Bradley pressed his mouth against a long-faded scar curving around Jake’s calf, foot propped up against his shoulder as he stared down at the man reclining against the pillow. Jake shifted, curling a hand behind his head, his bicep flexing before it relaxed and he settled further into the pillow.

“Fell off a pony,” Jake said, a smirk curling at his mouth.

“And here I thought you were smart enough not to get on a horse when you wanted to fly,” Bradley said, kissing against the mark again before shifting closer, Jake’s knee resting against his shoulder as Bradley ran fingers over his thigh.

“No, darlin’. Not a horse, a pony.”

“There’s a difference?”

“Hell, yeah, there’s a difference. I was six at a county fair and was ridin’ this pony that was barely tall enough to hit my Mama’s hip, going in a goddamn circle and bawling my eyes out because I was so terrified. The goddamn thing snorted and shook it’s head and I had to get off according to my Mama and so I got off but I ended up getting caught up in the saddle and was dragged for what felt like hours but was apparently only a second before the ride operator got me. But it was enough to catch my leg on somethin’ and cut it up.”

Bradley did his best to keep his face straight but he couldn’t at the thought about small, Jake, red faced and crying at the sight of a horse. Jake was trying to look at him, glaring but even he was fighting a smile.

“What sorta cowboy are you?” Bradley murmured, kissing Jake’s thigh as his fingers found nothing but unmarked skin and let Jake’s leg slide off his shoulder so he could brace hands and drop a kiss over the appendix scar he had already kissed before shifting up, his exploration complete.

“The kind that grew up in suburban Texas,” Jake replied, hooking an arm around Bradley’s neck and pulling him close. “Which you well know.”

“I do,” Bradley said, remembering the two-story house with the white picket fence, two happily married parents, an aging golden retriever and two siblings, all married with screaming kids who didn’t quite understand who Bradley was to Jake, but loved Uncle Jake enough that Bradley was deemed cool. “I’ll keep your secret.”

“It’s not a secret,” Jake said, laughing as he always did whenever someone tried to pretend he was some sort of cowboy. Before Bradley could respond, Jake rolled them, settling into the cradle of Bradley’s hips and he leaned down, pressing his mouth against the scars on Bradley’s jaw. “My turn.”

Bradley lifted his chin. “You know that story.”

“I’m gonna know them all by the time I’m done with you.”

Bradley grinned and closed his eyes, settling back against the pillow. “Have at it, baby.”

[lady-pug]

Written Between the Lines

Chapter V - Two Hearts as Embers

Summary: On the eve of your wedding day you are left feeling agitated, anxious and lonely. But an unexpected late-night visit and some surprising revelations might be just what you need to calm your racing heart.

Pairing: Aemond Targaryen x Reader

Word count: 4k

Warnings: canon-typical incest (uncle-niece), ritualistic self-inflicted wounds, ritualistic blood consumption

Notes: Hellooo! It’s me again, and I bring you something I have been dying to write for a while (pretty much since chapter got published). I had lots of fun writing this one and ended up loving how it came out.

Like I’ve mentioned before, I have left the question of the reader’s parentage more ambiguous (she can be biologically Laenor’s daughter, or Harwin Strong’s or some other folk Rhaenyra decided to bed once, it doesn’t matter). I did this in order to not imply a certain appearance for the reader and leave the whole thing up for interpretation.

High Valyrian translations are in the end notes.

Thank you so much for reading, I hope with all my heart you enjoy!

Next chapter | Previous chapter | Masterlist | Read on AO3

You had never been more agitated than you were feeling after supper. Not even the bath you requested your maids fix for you had helped to calm your skittish nerves, nor did the calming tea Alicent suggested you drink before bed. Sleep eluded you, so you decided to read something as a distraction but found yourself rereading the same sentence several times, such was your lack of concentration.

Time couldn’t go by any slower in your opinion. It had been almost four whole moons since your betrothal to Aemond, and not a day went by that you didn’t wish the wedding day would arrive faster. No less than three days after your quarrel with Jason Lannister in the courtyard (to which Rhaenyra rolled her eyes at Tyland’s apologies on behalf of his brother, pretending not to notice the proud smile Daemon sent your way once you’d told them what happened) your mother had given birth to a healthy baby girl, to whom she gave the name Visenya. You insisted on helping with the delivery, like you had done before with the birth of Aegon and Viserys, and nothing she said could pry you from her side.

“You shouldn’t see me like this, tis’ not a pleasant sight.” she had said, even though Visenya’s birth was the most uncomplicated one compared to her two older brothers you had witnessed.

“Worry not, mother.” you had soothed her, swallowing down your own fear of the whole situation “I wish to be here for you. And besides, it shall be me in the same place as you are now soon enough. I should see what awaits me.”

Almost as soon as she could stand unassisted again, without much care for her own well-being, she started planning and preparing your wedding feast, much to both Daemon’s and Alicent’s dismay. She started ordering servants around, asking the maesters to send ravens to all great houses, requesting the cooks to buy different exotic meats. You told her all the fuss wasn’t necessary, that just a feast with the whole family would suffice, but she and even Alicent scolded you, saying that the heirs to the throne warrant only the best on their wedding day.

After getting past her initial shock at the way Rhaenyra handled things, Alicent joined in the wedding planning efforts. The whole ordeal brought them closer, and now without the looming figure of Viserys, the very thing that had drifted them apart in the first place, and Otto no longer caring about securing Aegon’s claim, the both of them managed to find their footing again and their friendship started to bloom once more. It was the main reason you tried not chiming in too much on the planning of your own wedding, wanting them to have this moment for themselves knowing how much, at least on your mother’s side, she had missed her best friend.

Now, on the eve of the day you were to be wed, you were disproportionately anxious and you couldn’t even understand why. You knew Aemond wanted to marry you as much as you wanted to marry him, you knew this union would avoid a bloody and gruesome war between your kin, you knew it would make both of you, and in turn both your mothers, happy. Then why did you suddenly feel so apprehensive? It couldn’t possibly be due to cold feet, you could think of nothing else but how much you wanted this day to come. So why?

You wanted to see Aemond. His presence brought you comfort and you always felt safe when you were with him, ever since you were merely more than a babe, and even more so now that you had gotten to know each other once more. But Alicent, fervorously adept in the Faith of the Seven, had prohibited you from seeing one another after dusk had fallen, claiming that the groom seeing the bride before the wedding brought misfortune to their union. So you resigned yourself to simmering alone in your thoughts until the wedding, or until you have gone mad.

Deep down you knew you could talk to your mother. She would most likely understand, even relate to what you were feeling. However, you felt like she already had too much on her plate with the last minute preparations, same thing with Alicent (and to be honest you still weren’t all that close to your soon to be good mother, maybe someday). Daemon had been away from court for almost a week now, no word to where he was going, just a promise that he would most definitely be back for the wedding. You could talk to Helaena, but you didn’t wish to bother her with such trivial matters, as she had her hands full with her two children (three if you included her husband in the bill). Jace and Luke? Absolutely not. Maybe Baela could talk some sense into you if she was still awake at this hour.

There was one other person who used to bring you a similar sense of security as Aemond did, someone you used to go to when you felt frightened as a child and who calmed you down in a way your mother never managed to match. But he was no longer here, and the almost debilitating ache his absence evoked in your chest brought tears to your eyes. You shook your head, desperate to get rid of this feeling and focus on something else

Then something caught your attention. A muffled, dry thud echoed around your chambers, so low you almost didn’t hear it. It sounded out again, louder this time, and you guessed it was coming from the wall. Or rather behind the wall. Walking over to where the sound was coming from, you placed your head on the cold stone, the side of your face flat against the surface as you tried to listen better. You beamed brightly once you heard the sound again, this time right under your ear: someone was knocking on the wall from the other side.

Eagerly, you opened the door, expecting it to be your soon to be husband, but the face that greeted you on the other side was not who you were hoping for.

“Daemon?” you questioned, feeling more confused than ever. He didn’t answer and only stared at you until you stepped aside to let him into the room “When did you get back?”

Once again your question went unanswered as he sauntered into the chambers, and only now did you realize he was holding a beat up parcel in his hand, its contents unknown to you.

“What are you doing here?”

He placed the parcel on your bed and turned around to face you.

“Put these on and meet me outside when you are ready.” he walked back the way he came, halting only when you grabbed his hand.

“Daemon, what is going on?”

“Just do as you are told.” his face softened upon noticing the apprehension on your face, a reflection of your earlier fidgety state “Trust me on this, alright?”

After a beat you nodded, moving back towards the parcel. Looking over your shoulder you noticed Daemon had walked out the hidden door once more, leaving it ajar just a crack. As you opened the bag you were left puzzled as you pulled robes that were almost the same beige, grayish color of the parcel. As you unfolded it, however, you noticed the red details on the fabric, lining the bottom of the skirts, cuffs and shoulders. You changed out of your nightgown and pulled the robes over your head, tying it around your waist. 

Staring at your reflection on the mirror, something about the clothes, all the intricate details on the midsection and the patterns embroidered in colors, all of it seemed almost too familiar to you. You couldn’t quite put your finger on where you remembered it from, though, no matter how long you stared at yourself in it. Deciding not to dwell too much on it, you followed Daemon out the secret door.

A thousand questions raced through your mind as you followed him through the secret tunnels of Maegor’s Holdfast. When had he gotten back? Where had he been? Where were you going? None of the scenarios you created in your head made any sense so you kept your head down and followed after your step-father. You eventually left the passages, coming out on the side of Aegon’s High Hill that faced the sea. Daemon started walking towards Shadowblack Lane, intending to climb all the way down to the beach. 

“Where are we going?” you asked, careful to watch your footing on the steep track.

“You will see.” he gave no more away, elusive as ever.

“You know, kepa, had I not known you for so long now I would think you are trying to abduct me before my wedding day.”

“You know I have never been the biggest fan of the one-eyed cunt, tala.” he chuckled at the scathing glare you sent his way “But you seem fond of him, so I rest my case.”

You walked the rest of the way in silence before you stood a short distance from the beach. There, as you walked ahead of Daemon, you spotted three lone figures, standing next to decorations in shades of red and yellow and illuminated by lit pyres. Upon closer inspection you realized one of them was your mother, holding something you couldn’t quite make out in her arms, and another was a priest or cleric of some kind. The third person, on the other hand, you couldn’t even see for their face was obscured by the hood of their cloak.

As she noticed you approaching, Rhaenyra nudged the hooded figure who turned around to face you as well, and when you could finally see under the cloak you felt like your heart had ceased beating and all air left your lungs in a single, shaky exhale.

No, you thought, it can’t be. He was dead, had been dead for years. He couldn’t possibly be here, your tired mind had to be playing tricks on you.

But when he pulled the cloak down, revealing all of himself to you, it was clear it wasn’t an image conjured by your mind to toy with you. He was really here.

“Father?” 

Your voice was so soft, so scared that if you spoke too loudly you’d break whatever spell you were under, wake up in your bed and find out you had been dreaming all along. Tears brimmed in your eyes, something heavy and tight burning on your throat, as you felt a hand gently rubbing between your shoulder blades. You hadn’t even noticed when Daemon had caught up to you, now trying to bring you comfort in your most vulnerable moment. One look at your mother smiling kindly at you, a mist in her own eyes as she gave you a single nod, had you taking off running into the arms of Laenor Velaryon.

You buried your face in his chest, your arms circling his waist as his own wrapped around your shoulders, one hand gently cradling the back of your head and holding you tightly against him. Years upon years of pent up grief, of deep seated longing and anger and resentment and pain and desperation poured out of you, a weight being lifted off your shoulder as they shook from the force of your sobs. You felt him tightening his arms even further around you, swaying you from side to side as he used to do when you were younger and in need of comfort, and the realization that he was here, that he was truly alive, made you shed even more tears and cry even harder.

Eventually your sobs subsided to sniffles and you pulled back, staring up at him. He used the bottom of his cloak to dry the lone tears that still rolled down your cheeks, the coarse material helping ground you enough to properly take in the sight of him. He looked expectedly older than you remembered, more worn down, but at the same time the lines of worry on his face seemed less deep than before, like he was happier, more free somehow. His silver hair was a lot shorter, having foregone the dreads and letting his natural curls take over. 

“H-how… how are you-?!” you hiccuped, still not fully understanding the situation.

“Tis’ a long story, mayhaps better suited for another time.” he spoke delicately “Your mother can explain it to you in the future.”

“But what are you doing here?” 

The grin that spread across his face was as bright as you remembered, so mirthful and full of life. 

“You did not think I was going to miss my little girl’s wedding, now, did you?” he poked your ribs, another nod to simpler times.

For a moment you panicked, holding tightly onto his forearms as if he would disappear if you let him go.

“No, you can’t!” you stammered, fearful “If someone sees you at the sept-”

“No one will see me,” he shook his head, running a hand over your hair in hopes of soothing you “for I am not going to the sept.”

“Then how…?”

Your mother finally stepped forward. 

“Tis’ why we are here tonight.” she spoke for the first time since you arrived at the beach and it was then that you figured out what she was holding. 

A traditional headpiece.  

And everything started making sense. You might not have remembered the clothes but you could never forget the headpiece worn by your mother during hers and Daemon’s own wedding. You had been too out of it to truly pay attention to what was happening, for the death of your father and the whole ordeal with Aemond on Driftmark were still fresh and weighing heavily on your mind, but you remember looking at her and thinking how well the piece suited her, making her look like the most beautiful woman in the realm in your eyes.

It made sense, the robes, the cleric, the decorations.

It was a valyrian wedding ceremony.

“Getting Caraxes to accept him as a passenger was quite the task.” Daemon jested. So that’s where he had been the previous days, he had gone to fetch your father.

Rhaenyra and Daemon had organized the whole thing in order for you not only to have a wedding in the traditions of your roots, something they knew both you and Aemond cherished deeply and bonded over, but also to give the opportunity for your father to witness it.

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Laenor continued, cupping your cheeks “You are my first born and my only daughter, no matter what anyone says.”

The smile that took over your features threatened to split your face in half from how large it was, a new wave of tears pooling in your eyes as you hid in his arms once more. It didn’t matter if you were his by blood or not, he was your father. He was the one who had cared for you, who soothed you when you were sorrowful, who held you when you were frightened. He was the one who had started teaching you how to fight, how to defend yourself against a world that would certainly try to bring you down. He was your father and you loved him as such.

A set of footsteps approaching had you pulling back from him, turning to face whoever had intruded in your moment, only to come face to face with Aemond. He was wearing similar robes to your own, the clothing complementing his figure and making him appear even more handsome to you. 

He stared at you in bewilderment, his eye moving rapidly between your father next to you and your mother who now stood next to Daemon. She placed the headpiece in her husband’s hands as she walked towards Aemond, and as she approached him, Laenor gently grasped your shoulders and turned you away from them, starting to style your hair.

You tried not to eavesdrop, you really did, but Rhaenyra wasn’t being very subtle either way.

“This is me trusting you.” she spoke with conviction, not wavering in front of a man seemingly feared by the whole court “If this got out, it could be my ruin. I am trusting you to keep this secret, valonqar, as I am trusting you with her.” there was a pause in her speech before she continued “Should you break my trust, for any reason whatsoever, either by betraying me or her, I will take her away from you. You will never see her again.”

It was silent for a moment, her words striking fear even in your own heart, before you heard Aemond’s quiet answer, his voice almost a whisper.

“Kostā pāsagon nyke, mandia. Nyke kivio.”

A warmth spread through your chest as you took in his words. Laenor seemed to notice your giddiness for he chuckled at your antics.

“Does he make you happy?” he spoke after a moment, his tone more serious than before.

“He does.” you answered without hesitation.

His hands settled on your shoulders, his voice lowering so only you could hear.

“And do you love him?”

Turning around you noticed the pleading look in his eyes, hidden behind the wall of sterness, and you noticed how much your joy mattered to him, even after all these years.

“I do.”

His worry melted away as he smiled brightly again.

“Tis’ all I could ask for.” he pulled a few strands of your hair, giving it its finishing touch “There, now you are the prettiest princess in the realm.” he spoke softly, reciting the words he would always say when helping you style your hair as a child. 

With a kiss to the top of your head, your father turned you back around towards your husband to be, who stood next to Rhaenyra, and something made you stop dead in your tracks. 

He was no longer wearing his eyepatch.

Sometime between the moment he arrived and now, while you had your back turned to him, he had bared his face for all to see. The force of the realization of what he did, of what this meant to him almost brought you to your knees. This was him, trusting in your mother, like she trusted him before. By trusting her enough to show her the most vulnerable side of him, one he had admitted once to having never shown anyone other than yourself and the occasional maester before, not even his own mother, he was proving to her that the faith she had placed in him wasn’t unwarranted.   

In this very moment you knew you never wanted to spend another day apart from him ever again.

Rhaenyra stepped forward then, the headpiece back on her hands and, as you walked closer to the two of them, she placed it on your head, straightening your clothes. She didn’t have to speak, for her smile revealed everything she was thinking.

I am so proud of you.

“I know, mother.” you whispered and you could swear she blinked a few times too fast, trying to keep her own tears from falling. She took a step back, going to stand between Laenor and Daemon behind you as you finally turned to face Aemond fully.

He looked beautiful, perhaps more than you’d ever seen before. The light cast from the pyres shining on the sapphire, glimmering like the night sky, made him look almost celestial, the red of the robes contrasting against his pale skin and under the white strands of his hair. As you stood before each other, so close you could feel the heat emanating from him, all your thoughts were silenced, none of them mattering now that you were about to be united in fire and blood.

“Shall we begin then?” your mother gestured for the man, who you now realized was a dragon priest, to step forward and stand besides the two of you, handing Aemond a small blade made of dragonglass.

“Hen lantoti ānogar, va sȳdronti vāedroma.” the man spoke in a measured cadence, almost as if he was reciting a love poem or singing a ballad.

Blood of two, joined as one

Aemond raised the blade to your lips, cutting a small line across the middle of your bottom lip.

“Mēro perzot gīhoti, elēdroma iārza sīr.”

Ghostly flame, and song of shadows 

He brought a finger to your lips and tenderly, almost reverently, dabbed his finger in the speck of blood that had formed on your skin. He traced a line in the middle of your forehead, right between your eyes, branding you with a mark, his mark. 

“Izulī ampā perzī, prūmī lanti sēteski.”

Two hearts as embers, forged in fourteen fires

You, in turn, did the same to him, reveling in the softness of his lips as you slashed his skin. Like he had done, you gathered the crimson liquid and marked him as inherently yours.

“Hen jenȳ māzīlarion, qēlossa ozūndesi.”

A future promised in glass, the stars stand witness

The dragon priest then handed you a larger dragonglass blade which you used to slash a line across your palm, handing it to Aemond so he could do the same, none of you minding the sharp sting. Then the both of you took each other’s hand, perfectly aligning the fresh cuts as your fingers intertwined almost on instinct.

“Sȳndroro ōñō jēdo, rȳ kīvia mazvestraksi.”

The vow spoken through time, of darkness and light

With a goblet placed under your joined hands, collecting the dripping crimson of your mixed blood, the priest wrapped an embroidered ribbon around your hands, uniting you for eternity.

Once he was done reciting the vows, the man then handed you the chalice and Aemond’s eye followed your every move as you brought it to your lips. The coppery taste didn’t bother you,  warmth filling in your chest at the comfort the thought of consuming the merge of both your essences elicited in you.

Aemond did the same, taking a generous gulp from the goblet, and you couldn’t help the flush that took over your cheeks as you watched the way his throat moved as he swallowed or how his tongue peeked out of his mouth as he licked his lips, not letting one drop go to waste.

Only after the dragon priest had taken the chalice from his hands did Aemond step even closer to you, toes almost touching. He placed a finger under your chin, tilting your head to look at him, thumb delicately tracing the line he had cut on your mouth. Then slowly, gently, he pulled your face towards his and placed a soft albeit passionate kiss on your awaiting lips. He kissed you with devotion, with a sureness of a man who knew exactly where he wanted, no, needed to be. He poured all of his feelings into that one kiss, sealing your fates forever now, tying it to one another.

He reluctantly pulled back, although he did relent to one final tender peck as your lips chased after his own, resting his chin on your shoulder as he embraced you.

“I have longed for this day for as long as I can remember.” he whispered, like he was bestowing upon you his most well kept secret “And now you are mine.” 

“I am yours.” you cupped his cheek as you pulled back, running a thumb over his scar like you had come to learn soothed him “As you are mine.” 

“I am.” he nodded as he nudged his nose against your cheek, causing your head to turn to the side, facing your family “I have always been.” 

As you stared at your family, Rhaenyra no longer trying to hold back her tears as both Laenor and Daemon tried comforting her, you felt loved and adored and safe and content in the arms of your husband. In this very moment, you couldn’t help but thank whatever gods were listening for giving you this, everything you could have ever dreamed of. You’d cherish it greatly from this day, until the end of your days.

High Valyrian translations: - ‘kepa’ and ‘tala’ - father and daughter (meant here affectionately, not by blood, as there are no terms for step-relative in High Valyrian) - valonqar - younger brother - kostā pāsagon nyke, mandia. nyke kivio - you can trust me, (older) sister. i promise

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[storm-angel989]

I love your Vees x daughter work! May I please request a follow up to https://www.tumblr.com/darkwolf989/749322971008614400/eres-jodidamente-est%C3%BApida-ni%C3%B1ita?source=share ? A story about Reader's feelings about the volleyball team and being on it? I know it was a Oneshot, but it's just so interesting!

THE EDITING HAS BEGUN!

Enjoy and please let me know your thoughts!

He caught me as I walked out the backdoor of my school.

“Not trying to leave so quickly, are you bebita?” My Uncle Valentino purred as he grabbed my arm. “Come now, you have a commitment to complete.” 

I scowled as he led me back into the school. Of course not a single staff member would blink an eye as the Overlord of Lust and Depravity marched his niece down the high school hallway. Hell, he could probably openly advertise and no one would say a word. After all, his business partner, best friend and my father Vox owned the school and most of the city. 

Though the topic of advertisement was what got me into this situation in the first place. Two weeks ago, desperate for my own money and independence, I answered a vague ad for a waitress position, and found myself inadvertently employed in one of my Uncle Valentino’s clubs. I hadn’t minded the position, but the moment he found out he fired me and yanked me out of the club wrapped up in his jacket. The punishment I endured was simple- I had pretended to be a volleyball tryouts as an excuse to come home late, and so now I had to actually play on the team.For the next eight weeks, my Uncle Valentino would be personally escorting me to and from practice and games. As much as I cried, protested, begged and pleaded, he and my dad stood firm. 

My attempt to sneak out before practice had been untimely thwarted. Though as Valentino marched me down the hallway towards the gym, I wondered why I bothered even trying. The tracker they insisted I wear was still firmly on my wrist- with the knowledge that the next time I took it off when I wasn’t supposed to I would be implanted with a permanent one. 

“Is your homework done?” he asked as we made our way back through the school.

“Yeah. Got it all done in study hall,” I replied sullenly. 

“Good. And who is your coach? Vanessa?” Valentino asked as he pushed me to the gym.

“I don’t know or care,” I shot back. 

His expression turned sharp and he stopped, turning to me. His hand gripped my shoulder and the other tilted my chin up to meet his gaze. 

“Listen to me, bebé muñeca,” he growled. “And listen well. Your father lobbied for a much harsher punishment. I wore him down to this- it is in your best interest to see this as the favor it is- understood?” 

I tried to hold back a scowl. “Yes, Uncle Valentino.” 

“Good,” he released me and took my backpack from my shoulder. “I’ll be on the bleachers watching. You will come to me when practice is finished- and I expect to see some serious effort, do you understand?” 

“Yes, Uncle Valentino.”

“Then go to the locker room and find your coach. She’ll show you where your locker is,” he replied with a gentle push towards the gym. “Go. I’ll be watching.”

Knowing damn well he meant it and that there was no way out, I walked across the gym into the locker room. The girl's eyes raked over me- I wasn’t a jock, I didn’t belong in here- not after school. And honestly, probably not during gym class either. I walked to the gym teachers office in the back and was handed the combination to a locker. Ignoring the odd looks from the girls around me, I got changed out of my school uniform and into the new gear that filled my locker. A drawstring backpack, new sneakers, knee pads, black running shorts and a school t-shirt. How kind of my father to make sure I had everything I needed. 

I followed the crowd out into the gym and lined up. From the gym floor, I could see my Uncle Valentino up at the top of the bleachers, his laptop next to him and his phone pressed to his ear. At least he was far enough away that I couldn’t really hear what he was saying. And with any luck, none of the other girls could either. 

“Ten laps, now at the run girls! Let’s go!” The coach hollered from the sidelines. 

I scowled but fell in line alongside the rest of the girls. As much as I hated running, I feared the consequence of disobedience more- especially with Valentino’s eyes on me. 

“Hey, you play volleyball?” a friendly voice asked next to me as we jogged. 

I turned to a girl I vaguely recognized from my social studies class. 

“Honestly? Not really. It’s a long story, but my Dad is kind of making me play this semester,” I replied as I tried to keep breathing. “I’m not really athletic.”

“That’s okay, we could use a few new girls on the team! Glad you’re here,” she said cheerfully. “Don’t worry, you’ll get the hang of it.”

I sincerely doubted that, but I appreciated her kindness anyway. Another sharp whistle and we turned into the coach. 

One hour, six different drills and a mini game later every part of my body ached. I stuffed my school uniform into the drawstring backpack my father had so helpfully added to my locker stuff and made my way out of the locker room. Valentino stood waiting with a grin on his face.

“Not so bad now, was it mi amore?” he asked as he bent down to kiss my forehead. He frowned and pulled away, wiping his lips on the back of his hand. “You’re all sweaty. Shower when you get home, little love.”

“No shit,” I grumbled as I climbed into the limo. “I hate this. I suck at it, I have no coordination and I can’t run.”

His lips twitched into a smile. “Well bebita. If you want to get stronger, you could start to work out. I’m happy to show you the ropes…if not me, your Auntie Vel or your Dad I’m sure would…”

“No. Thank you. I already have to be here three days a week,” I snapped as I crossed my arms. “Give me my backpack, I want my phone.”

“That is no way to ask,” he scolded lightly. “Try again.”

I glared at him. “Please Uncle Val, can I have my backpack?” I asked through gritted teeth. 

“Sure, much better,” he handed me my backpack.

 I dug through until I found my pink Voxtech phone. Two missed texts from my best friend and a missed call from my Dad. 

“Val? Did you talk to Dad? He called me during practice.”

“I did. Don’t worry about it, conejito. You did a good job today, we’re all very proud of you.”

I snorted. “Be real, Uncle Val, I’m not made for athletics. I’d rather be working the corner on one of your streets than ever set foot in that gym again.” 

His head shot up and his eyes met mine. I could feel the anger and involuntarily shrank back. Not that he would ever lay a hand on me but I hadn’t seen that look in his eyes in a long time. And never towards me. 

“You have no idea what you’re talking about niñita,” he said lowly. “I can tolerate you being cranky, I understand that you’re upset. But you will not speak that way. Not your Aunt Velvette, not to your father and certainly not to me. Do I make myself clear?”

I let out a nod. The rest of the limo ride home was filled with silence. As soon as the limo stopped the door opened and he escorted me inside. 

“You can take the stairs,” he said calmly. “Give you some quiet time to think. Process your words before you speak.” 

I stared at him. “That’s like eight flights!”

“More than that honey. Think long and hard before you come out to the kitchen for dinner,” he replied as he stepped on. His arms crossed and he gave me a thin lipped smile as the door closed. 

Fuck you, Uncle Valentino.

Twenty minutes later I trudged up the backstairs into our apartment. I tossed my backpack against the entryway and kicked off my shoes. If I had the energy to stomp to my bedroom I would have. If my body hurt before, it hurt even more now. I made my way into the shower and let the hot water wash over my aching muscles. 

As soon as I was finished, I wrapped myself in my pajamas and crawled into bed. I shoved aside the thought of dinner and closed my eyes as I nestled into my pillow. 

The next thing I knew, I felt a hand on my forehead. 

“Sweetheart?” I heard my Dad’s voice say softly. “Sweetheart, you have to get up now.”

“Is it school time already?” I mumbled. 

“No, honey. Dinner time. If you sleep now you won’t sleep tonight,” he said a little more firmly. “Wake up.”

I felt his hand shake my shoulder and I opened my eyes blearily, shifting my body away from him. 

“No,Vox, let her sleep. She’s exhausted, it’s been a long day for her,” I heard Uncle Valentino say softly. 

“No. She needs to learn discipline and….”

“That is tomorrow's discussion, Vox. For now, let her sleep.” Valentino replied, a little more sharply. 

I felt my father’s hand move off my shoulder and instead, felt the weight of someone sitting on the bed next to me.  Valentino’s voice floated softly above me. “

“Vuelve a dormir, bebita. Shussh…tonight, you are safe.” 

I felt the weight shift off the bed and heard footsteps back away. Too tired to think anymore, I let sleep wash over me. 

I woke up the next morning to the silence. Panic rushed through me and I check the time on my phone. Ten. Shit, I was late. Really late. Why hadn’t anyone woken me up? I rushed out to the kitchen.

“Dad? Dad! I’m late, really late! Did housekeeping send up a clean uniform?!” I yelled. 

“Dad isn’t here bebita. He knows you’re late. You’re not going to school today,” Valentino’s voice came calmly from the kitchen table. “Today you’re learning a lesson in the real world.”

I stopped dead in my tracks and stared at him. “What are you talking about? Where’s Dad?”

Valentino looked unconcerned as he stood up and put his arm around my shoulder, guiding me to the table. “Sit while I make breakfast. I want to explain something to you, conejito.” 

I sat down in the chair as he busied himself at the stove. 

“Blueberry or strawberry pancakes?” He asked. 

I stared at him. “Blueberry….Uncle Valentino, what’s going on? You’re worrying me. Is Dad alright? Is Velvette okay? Why didn’t someone wake me up?” 

“They’re both fine, bebita. It is you who is causing us concern,” he replied as he whisked the ingredients together. “You live a privileged life, little one. And your little comment last night drove home that point. We think it's about time you learned just how charmed your life truly is.” 

“Isn’t forcing me to play a sport I hate enough?” I grumbled.

Silence from Uncle Valentino. He turned around and set a stack of pancakes on the table. 

“Eat up. You’ll need the energy.” He said simply. 

I poured syrup over the stack and ate silently as I watched him clean up the kitchen. He took my plate when I finished and I stood up. 

“If I have the day off I’m….”

“You don’t. Get dressed. You’re accompanying me to work today,” he replied sharply. “Dress the part.” 

I turned and stared at him. “Uncle Valentino, I’ve never been allowed in your studio.”

“I didn’t say you were coming to my studio.”

I crossed my arms, “I believe your exact words to me were ‘I don’t ever want to see your tits again, bebita.’ or am I misquoting you?”

“If you come out with your tits showing, today will be alot worse for you, ninita. I’m sure you have something modest in your closet. Make a wise choice.” He replied simply. 

For some reason, his lack of reaction infuriated me. I stalked to my room and thumbed through my vast walk in closet. He said modest. He said school appropriate and I assumed he meant school appropriate for a dress down day. After a few moments, I settled on dark, form fitting jeans, low black heels and a red v neck dress top with a high V cut. No cleavage, but still enough to show off my figure. Technically it fit his criteria, even if it was a little showy. 

I shrugged on a black jacket and walked out into the living room. He raised an eyebrow at me.

“You ready? We have a busy day,” he replied shortly. “Before we go, I need your phone.”

“I’m not giving you my phone,” I snapped. “It’s bad enough that you…”

“Either you give it to me now, or I call your father and he shuts it off. Permanently. Choose wisely.” 

I crossed my arms. “You would never do that. You don’t want to lose contact with me.”

He looked at me calmly. “Your choice. Hand it over or Dad shuts it off.” 

Something in his expression made me not want to call his bluff. Hesitantly, I handed over my phone. 

“Good choice. Follow me.” 

Wordlessly, I stepped into the elevator beside him, silently fuming. He didn’t speak another word to me until we were safely in the limo. When it finally stopped, he turned to me. 

“Let’s go over some ground rules for today. You will not speak unless I speak to you. You will not ask questions. You will not make a single noise unless there is a true- and I do mean true emergency. If something is on fire or someone other than I puts a hand on you. Understood?” 

“Uncle Val? What…where are you taking me?” 

His expression turned into something I had never seen before. Cold. Harsh. 

“It isn’t Uncle Val or Uncle Valentino until we get back into this limo, understood?”

“Then…what do I call you?”

“Nothing. You don’t speak to me or anyone else. You don’t say my name. You don’t make any indication that you’re there. You stay within arms reach of me. You sit. You listen. You are my silent shadow. Got it?”

I looked down. His hand grabbed my chin and forced me to look him in the eye. 

“Do you understand?”

I nodded and he released me. 

“Good. Follow me.” 

I stepped out of the limo and the scent of rot filled my nose. I looked around and stepped closer to Valentino, looking around as I trailed behind him. The buildings around us were dark with soot, and piles of garbage lined the dirty streets. In the distance, I could hear the howling of a hellhound. This was a part of town I had never been in- a part of town I wasn’t allowed in. 

Fright washed over me. Why was I here? What was Uncle Valentino doing? Somewhere deep inside of me, I wished he would take my hand or show some sort of comfort. 

Instead, I followed him into the dingy building and into a dimly lit hotel lobby. Or at least, I thought it was a hotel lobby, though unlike anyone I had ever been in. The entire room smelled musty and damp. Valentino didn’t greet the person at the front desk and instead pushed through one of the doors off to the side. Unlike the darkness of the entryway, his brightly lit office smelled like vanilla and strawberries. Posters of him in various poses lined the wall, with titles I didn’t recognize scrawled under them. He took a seat behind a dark wood desk and pointed to the chair next to him. 

“Sit down. Shut up. You’ll do well to remember that,” he told me coldly. “I have a long day ahead of me and I don’t need any distractions.” 

His words caught me off guard. I obediently sank into the chair next to him as fear wrapped around my heart. This wasn’t my Uncle Valentino. This wasn’t the man who made pancakes for me, put bandaids on boo boos or tucked me into bed at night. His entire demeanor seemed darker. This was someone else. Something else.

The door creaked open and a young woman walked in. Impossibly thin, with shaggy, dirty hair and clothes that looked like they hadn’t been washed in weeks. 

“Sit.” Valentino commanded with a gesture to the chair in front of him. Silence filled the room as he studied her. A smile washed over his face, revealing sharp teeth that gleamed in the light. “Pretty young thing. How’d you end up in hell?”

“You…want my story?” She asked softly. 

“I’m sure that’s what I just said, so start talking.”

I listened as she spoke quietly of her life on Earth. Homeless, pregnant at fourteen. Lost the baby when her boyfriend beat her up. But she stayed with him. Loyalty, she explained, she was loyal. Even when he beat her to death. 

“You value loyalty, right?” she asked hopefully. 

He shrugged. “It doesn’t really matter, we have what you need- if you’re willing to pay the price.” He leaned forward and pushed a piece of paper towards her. “What I have here is a contract. Sign the dotted line and in exchange, I’ll provide you with all the necessities.” His grin darkened, “you’ll want for nothing.” 

Don’t do it, I thought. Come on, you have to see something isn’t right here. 

Instead she eagerly picked up a pen and scrawled her name in bright red ink at the bottom. Uncle Valentino did the same. I watched as the writing glowed, the contract floated into the air and vanished. 

“My girls out in the lobby will escort you to your duties. Learn well.” He drawled as he leaned back. 

I watched as she stood up, thanked him and left the room. Almost instantly, another girl walked in. 

I sat for the rest of the morning as the process repeated, the sick feeling in my stomach growing worse with each passing story. Finally, the room was empty. Valentino stood up.

“Follow me.” 

The coldness that still flooded his voice made me wince. I followed him down the hallway as he pushed open the door. Inside, girls stood on a low stage in various stages of undress. He walked slowly, looking over each one and gave either a nod of approval, or a shake of disgust. Each one who received a nod gave him a smile and a thank you. Those who didn’t apologized and stepped down. The ones who were left gave him a big smile as they walked in a line. 

“Take them to 666 on Seventh ave,” Valentino told the male demon who appeared to be in charge. “I want a full report on their profits. Understood?” 

666. That was the same name as the place I was waitressing at. The place Valentino yanked me out from. The demon bowed and followed them out. Wordlessly, Valentino turned and walked out the door. I followed closely, the weight of the implication weighed heavily. 

I followed him back out the front door, and a wave of relief washed over me. The familiar driver stepped out and opened the door. Valentino stepped back and I hurried in. As soon as the door closed, he turned to me.

“Born to a different family, you could have ended up one of my working girls. One of the thousands of souls I own. It was mere luck you were born Vox’s daughter. Appreciate what you have, because in an instant it can all be taken away. The universe owes you nothing.” 

Overwhelmed, and unable to come back with anything snarky, I burst into tears. 

His expression softened and in an instant, he turned back into my Uncle Valentino. He reached out and folded me into his arms as I laid my head on his shoulder and cried. 

“Shussh. You’re okay,” he said soothingly. “This isn’t your life. You’re safe and you’re loved.” 

“I’m sorry,” I choked out. “I promise I won’t take anything for granted anymore, I’m sorry. I’ll try harder and do volleyball and…”

“I know you will,” he said gently as he rubbed my back, “shush. Breathe.” 

“Dad is…”

“Waiting at home with Velvette for us to return,” he cut me off. “This isn’t your life, conejito. And with any luck and three adults who love you more than anything in the world, it hopefully never will be. But you needed to see the reality that most demons face. Sinners or hellborn, your life is vastly different from theirs.”

“How can I help?” I asked as I sniffled into his shoulder. “I…I want to help. How do I make their lives better?”

“Sweetheart, the three of us do enough to help these demons. We employ them, we offer them basic necessities in addition to a decent paycheck….”

“You employ them with sex work, Uncle Val!” I protested as I pulled away. “How is that fair?”

He set his jaw. “Hell isn’t fair. Demons still pay the price for their sins in the human world. And let me be clear, my little sweetheart, none of those girls are without sin. But the life they lead is truly one I hope you never do.” He leaned over and planted a kiss on my forehead. 

I didn’t understand, not entirely. But his point was more than made. I was in the wrong. I should have been more grateful for what they did and less…bratty. The limo stopped and as soon as the elevator dinged to the top floor I stepped inside and ran to where my dad stood at the coffee maker.

I threw myself at him as the tears continued. “Daddy I’m sorry, I appreciate everything I have and I’m sorry I won’t ever complain about volleyball again,” the words came rushing out of my mouth.”AndI love you and Uncle Val and Aunt Velvette and I am so so so so so so so so sorry!”

I heard the ting of his coffee mug hit the grainte of the kitchen counter and he took me into his arms.

“Hey, hey baby, Daddy’s got you. You’re okay.”

“She cried the entire way home Vox, I think our point was made,” I heard Valentino say quietly. 

“Maybe a little beyond made. Hey, reader,  listen to me,” Vox said softly as he held me. Shussh. Quiet down for a second.”

I took a deep breath as I tried to swallow back my tears. 

“Daddy works very, very hard to make sure you never have to go through the struggles that your Uncle Valentino, Aunt Velvette and I have. All I need you to do is listen to what we ask you to do- I promise it’s for your own safety. Volleyball included. Alright?” 

He held me in his arms until I quieted, offering the occasional shush. 

“Uncle Val? Are you still there?” I mumbled after a few minutes of quiet. I felt my dad release me and I turned to face him and Velvette. 

“I’m right here, conejito.” He answered.

“I’m sorry….” I felt the tears start up and I tried to sniffle them back “do you still love me?

He looked pained. “Mi amore, I love you more than you will ever know. I hope you never have to see that side of me- or that side of any of us- ever again.”

I rubbed my eyes, “can I…take you up on that offer from earlier?”

Confusion flooded his features, “offer? Which one?”

“The gym one, I guess…I guess even though I hate it, its still a privilege to play, right?”

His lips twitched into a smile, “that is is. Sure, sweetheart. If you want. Come here, give me a hug.”

I threw myself in his arms and he held me tighter than I had ever been held before. 

“I love you, ninita, don’t ever forget that. All we want is to keep you safe.” He released me and gave me a gentle nudge towards my bedroom, “go wipe those tears away. And then why don’t the four of us have lunch together, hm?”

I nodded my head and gave him a final squeeze. Their point had been more than made.

[imintoomanyfandomscuzihaveadhd]

Random ass spider headcanons that are in my maladaptive daydream

Warning: Not proof read, Cussing, probably OOC, acro ace kiri, mentions of AOT,

First and foremost FUCK HIS FOSTER FAMILY UNCLE NORM RAISED SPIDER 😤

His pain tolerance is through the roof. Like he fell out of a tree and was confused on why Lo’ak was freaking out, he looked down and was like “oh my leg’s broke”

He also like never gets sick but when he does it’s bad

Poor baby got abandonment and anger issues 😭

Probably projecting but he’s got ADHD. It was worse when he was little but he still has his hyper manic episodes

This boy radiates so much heat it’s not even funny

HE CAN SING 😩 AND PLAY THE GUITAR 😫

However he can’t dance worth shit💀 all he can do is a awkward shuffle

Projecting (again) but he tries to take care of his hair but gives up really easily. Like he will have a solid hair routine for like a week and just forgets about it instantly

subconsciously brings samples back to the lab.

This poor boy is touch starved please give him a hug

Most of the young Na’vi kids love him despite their parents distaste

Secretly watches his parents video diaries but pretends like he never wants to see them especially his dads

Him and norm watch old anime and superhero movies that was saved on drives

His hair grows hella fast

He’s a very fast learner

He knows Spanish definitely can and will cuss anybody who doesn’t understand it out

Lyle: “SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT HE’S SAYING I DONT SPEAK TACO BELL”

Lopez:😭🤣

Has crazy ass sleepwalking spells. Like everyone in the lab literally couldn’t find him. Norm decided he would go avatar to look for spider outside and spider was dead ass asleep in the pod💀

He also sleeps like a rock like the whole lab could get blown away and he would still be sleeping

Morning boi. Like why is he up at 5:30am eating breakfast watching old Pokémon reruns on a Wednesday 🤨

His room is a disaster

Steals avatar/recom clothes

Norm: “Spider, give me back my shirt it’s like 6x your size”

Spider, who looks like a toddler cuz the shirt is so big: “So? You just jealous I look hotter than you in it🙄”

I feel like there’s random period where spider will just wonder off into the forest when he’s not feeling mentally well. And it’s ok because he got the ewya armor

Like he’s found his own secret caves and groves to go to when he’s upset or just wants to be alone

Him and loak once stole the Navi equivalent to alcohol, got drunk and Jake beat their ass

Helps teach Navi kids English

Him, loak, kiri, havin waifu talk after spider showed them the wonderful world of anime

Lo’ak: “historia is top tier”

Spider: “man fuck historia have you seen ANNIE AND MIKASA 😩”What can I say man loves him a strong woman

Kiri: “acro ace vibing with hange”

Boy’s oblivious as hell

omeone will flirt with him and 3 day later while he’s chilling in the lab he’ll go: “HOLY SHIT……THEY WERE FLIRTING WITH ME-”

The waifu one was based off these videos here

@hyperfixatedfandomer @naavispider @today-or-tumble

[spectralscathath]

Tour Guide to the Unexplained- a Gravity Falls Fanfiction

Chapter 7- Night of the Living Gideon Part II: Evil Bud

Stan and Ford didn’t expect much when getting shipped up to Gravity Falls to stay with estranged family. Not massive world-changing secrets, not being stuck in the trunk of an RV, and definitely not the Mystery Shack and their lying uncle who runs it. But with Ford’s smarts and Stan’s punching, there’s no mystery they can’t solve.

Ao3 Link

Dark. It was real dark. But that was better than being lifted off the ground by invisible hands, so Stan could handle dark. Even if he woke up to it. As long as he didn’t wake up alone.

“Ford? You here?” he was sitting half on something soft and half on something hard, a weight on his back.

“Ugh… I’m here, Stanley.” That was Ford’s voice! Stan reached blindly in that direction and felt hair, his hand quickly grabbed by a hand that matched his own in every way except the extra finger. He could breathe a bit easier now. 

“Okay.” One down. The most important one. “Grunkle Dip?”

“Everything hurts.”

“You’re okay too!”

“Not what my statement means.” The soft thing Stan was half-crushed against moved under him. “For such a big RV you’d think there’d be more space in the trunk.”

“You weren’t kidding about Gideon being evil.” Stan squeezed Ford’s hand, unwilling to let go. He only heard snippets of that conversation over the sound of his heart pounding in his ears, but it sounded bad. “Just the fraud thing.”

“Yeah, I was way off.” 

“At least you can’t deny that the supernatural exists now?” Ford spoke up. “I mean- what with the telekinesis and such.”

“Kid, I’ve always known.”

There was a pause. Then Ford’s voice. “What?”

“Hold on, I’ll show you-” Dipper shifted again, there was a rustle of fabric, and a quick mutter of something Stanley couldn’t hope to understand in a million years, before blue flame sparked into life, gathered around Dipper’s right hand. Stan expected heat, but the temperature in the trunk got icy cold.

At least now Stan could see him, his hat askew and his sleeve pushed up to show some of the intricate inked lines on his right arm, blurry to Stan’s bad eyes. The blue fire made him look pale and ghostly. It made the trunk they were in look way too small, too cramped, but at least this time it wasn’t dark, like the Gremobile that ate him. This time he wasn’t on his own.

Stan could see Ford too, half-crushing him, but now they had the light to move. Stan moved enough to see Ford’s face. 

He’d never seen Ford make a face like that. 

“You knew?” Ford’s voice cracked, high and sharp, clambering off Stanley and squirming towards Dipper.

“Y-yes?” Dipper looked puzzled. “I’ve got ‘paranormal investigator, monster hunter, and ghost remover’ on my business card?”

“But that’s all fake! It’s fake! You’re a conman!” Ford pointed right in Dipper’s face. “You said everything in the shack is just some fake magic trick!”

“Well yeah, I stopped doing live exhibits after what happened with the gremoblin in ‘85-”

“You’ve been pretending the supernatural isn’t real this whole time! You’re a liar!” Ford started hitting Dipper’s chest with each word, six-fingered fists beating down. “Liar! Liar! Liar! Liar! Liar!”

Stan tried to think of something to say- anything- but he’d never seen Ford do this ever, and he had nothing. 

“Whoa, hey- ow-” Dipper pulled his hands back, leaving the blue fire where it was, floating in the space, and reached down. Stan tensed up, ready to pounce- to fight Dipper off? To take the hit for his twin?- and froze when all Dipper did was catch Ford’s fists in his, touching Ford’s hands like they were normal hands. 

No one else did that besides Stan, except Mom and Shermie. 

“I did lie. I’m sorry.” Dipper admitted, and Stan saw his brother go still at the apology.

“... Why?” 

“I, uh- I lied because the supernatural is dangerous. I mean, really dangerous. I didn’t want you to make my mistakes.” Dipper’s face twisted and he let go of Ford’s hands. “Or suffer for them. But guess that didn’t work, since we’re in here.”

“I-” Ford started, before going quiet. Thinking hard, Stan could see it.

“Why does Gideon hate you so much?” Stan had to ask, filling the silence before it could set in.

“That’s the worst thing- he doesn’t.” Dipper facepalmed. “He has a massive crush on- on me.”

Stan felt all cold inside, shame curdling in his gut. “But he’s a guy.”

“Guys aren’t supposed to like other guys,” Ford pointed out, and it felt like he’d shoved a live bug down Stan’s throat, that's how awful it felt. “Dad says there’s something wrong with them.”

“Okay, there is a lot wrong with Gideon, but not that specifically? We’re gonna put a pin in that and have a talk later.” Dipper tugged nervously at his jacket. “The actual problem is Gideon is evil. Literally. He’s a massive creep who’s been stalking me for thirty years, he’s not afraid to hurt anyone to get what he wants, and now he’s got powers. And you.”

“Us?” Ford reached for Stanley’s hand again. 

Stanley took it. “So we’re bargaining chips now? This is like something outta Grimdark Chronicles, when Lady Obsessa kidnaps Jon Tazer’s girlfriend to-”

“Force him to marry her and be a vessel for the ghost of her husband she murdered, yep.” Dipper finished. “Gideon’s not that different.”

“Uh- I haven’t read the Grimdark Chronicles, what happened to the girlfriend?” Ford asked nervously. 

“It was awful,” Stan grinned as he got to describe one of the best scenes in the arc. “Obsessa used her as a sacrifice to summon her dead husband, it was super gory, like blood everywhere, Tazer’s fighting against her werewolf servants holding him back and the spirit of her husband, they do this cool split-frame where he has both faces at the same time, and then she makes Tazer stab his girlfriend to complete the merge! And Tazer’s gone for ages before coming back as a villain in a later arc and- you okay, Sixer?”

Ford’s face was pale as he made a strangled noise. 

Stan tilted his head. “Too much?”

“Stanley! Don’t you get it?” Ford shook his shoulders. “We’re the girlfriend in this scenario! It’s a no-win situation! Also that comic sounds really upsetting, why do you like it?”

Stan squinted before he asked a question. “Grunkle Dipper, would Gideon kill us?”

“... Maybe? I, personally, like you kids a lot, so let’s- let’s avoid testing that? Sounds good? Sounds good.”

“You like us?” Stan blinked at him.

“Yes?” Dipper blinked back like Stan was the one asking weird things. “So… I’m going to agree to what Gideon wants.”

“You can’t!” Ford scrambled up closer to Dipper’s head. “Did you not hear Stanley? The girlfriend died in the comic anyway!”

“I’m not going to put you two in danger.” Dipper looked away. “Not anymore than I already have.”

“But can't you punch him?” Ford panicked. “You said you were gonna!”

“Hey, punching! That’s a great idea!” Stan grinned and drew back his punching fist, aimed at the trunk door. “Let’s punch our way out! Left hook!”

There was a grisly wet snapping noise as his fist met solid metal. It sounded exactly how it did the last time it broke. 

“Stanley!” Ford’s voice cracked as he reached for his brother. 

Stan blinked at his hand. It looked fine- but it- “ow…?”

“That- that sounded bad. C’mere, let me take a look.” Dipper shifted with a grunt, picking Stanley up and moving him closer to the blue flames that sat in the air. He held a hand out to Stanley. “Can I?”

Stan gingerly placed his wrist in Dipper’s hand, unable to move his fingers even though he was trying. His hand wasn’t listening.

Dipper’s fingers were light as they prodded gently at Stan’s wrist, which still made him hiss in pain. “Yep. That’s broken. Needs a hospital.”

“No, not a hospital!” Stan snatched his wrist back. “We need to break out and go tell everyone Gideon’s a monster!”

“I’ve tried that, people don’t listen.” Dipper reached into his jacket and pulled out a roll of bandages. “Can you at least let me wrap it up?”

“Do you just have those on you?” Ford wrapped his arms around Stanley and wow, it had been a long time since they did a sibling hug so easily. Stanley leaned into it, it was nice.

“I’m accident-prone.” Dipper defended himself, carefully wrapping the bandage around Stan’s forearm and up his hand. Stan bit his lip so he didn’t make any show of weakness. Tough it out, Stanley, be a man.  

“I still would like to get this looked at by a professional,” Dipper sighed as he finished tying off the bandage. The pressure actually felt a bit better. “Shame there’s nothing to splint it with.”

“So… punching our way out won’t work.” Ford didn’t let go of Stanley. “I figured, even you can’t punch metal, knucklehead.”

“Just haven’t hit it hard enough, nerd.” Stan wrapped his right arm around his brother in return. “What do we do, then?”

“I’ve gotta agree to what Gideon wants, I guess.” Dipper sagged. “Some things you can't fight. You just… hold on ‘til it's over.”

“But there has to be a solution! There’s always one.” Ford scowled. Stan watched him think, practically able to see the brainpower working behind his face. “No problem exists that doesn’t have an answer. How does Gideon have powers? Let’s figure that out. Do you know?”

“Nope, telekinesis is new,” Dipper grumbled. “If he could do it the whole time there’d be no Shack.”

“If you didn't know he had powers why were we running so fast?”

“I’ll be honest: I thought Gideon was gonna call the cops, and the county jail is really cold overnight.” Dipper shuddered. 

“I respect that.” Stan didn’t want to go to jail either. Dad would be mad if he did.

“Stay on topic! If Gideon didn’t have telekinesis before, that means there must be an external source, there must be-” Ford gasped, eyes lighting up the way they did when he had an idea. Stan perked up to mirror it. Ford’s ideas were always smart. “I know what the source is! We just have to get it off him.”

Dipper raised a brow, cracking a wry smile. “Alright, kid. What’s the plan?”

#

At some point they’d started driving away from the fairground. Dipper had tried to keep the kids distracted by telling them a bit about some of the ways he’d messed with Gideon- the time he broke into Gideon’s house to put dye in all his hair products and fabric softener got a laugh out of the twins- but they were smart kids, and when the engine started they’d shared a look that was a little too knowing. 

Kids shouldn't have to know what danger felt like. 

As far as being ‘shoved in the trunk of a car for nefarious reasons’, Dipper was reasonably sure this one wasn't going to end in foiling dark rituals like last time, but hey, who knew. Gideon had gotten some upgrades.

“Can you teach me magic?” Ford asked curiously as the silence lulled. “I mean- how much do you know? Is that why you have a tattoo?”

“I mean, I know a few spells, just stuff I’ve picked up here and there. Basic magic’s mostly just saying the right words.” He rolled up the sleeves on his right arm, showing the boys some of the intricate tattoos that reached from his wrist to his chest. “And this is a mishmash of a few things; protective sigils, warding runes, mostly keeps ghosts out.”

“Wow. Cool.” Ford stared hungrily at Dipper’s arm in what Dipper hoped was a ‘hungry for knowledge’ way. He hoped the kids weren’t going to ask for a tattoo, he didn’t think he’d be allowed to say yes to that. 

“Are you gonna show us a bunch of cool monsters now?” Stan pulled off Dipper’s hat and fitted it on, clearly bored. It was a bit big on him. Ford snatched it and tried it on as well before Stan swiped it back, some sort of new hat-theft game established. Gosh, these kids were cute. 

“Sure. How about this: tomorrow we go monster hunting on the lake, make it a- a ‘family fun day’?” If they made it through without more injuries. 

“Family fun day?” Ford echoed curiously. 

“On the lake?” Stan’s eyes shone. “You mean- on a boat?”

“You know how to steer a boat?” Ford had the exact same expression. Was there some significance there?

“I know how to steal a boat,” Dipper clarified, “which is what we’re gonna need to do. Lifetime ban, remember?”

“Oh no.” Ford’s face fell. 

“Awesome!” Stan’s grin grew. 

“Don’t worry, Ford, I’ve got a plan.” Dipper took his hat back from the boys, tipping it up at a daring Mr Mystery angle. “Most of the time Nate and Lee are the cops on patrol outside town, and they’re two halves of a whole idiot, Grenda’s the only real problem and she’s usually busy.” 

Grenda was Mabel’s friend once. Something bad happened there and he didn’t know the details, but he did know she could lift an armchair one-handed. He’d already been dodging the cops before Gravity Falls, it changed nothing.

“I worry about how morally flexible we’re going to be at the end of summer.” Ford sighed.

“Can we go fishing?” Stan bounced where he sat, which was Dipper’s leg, so ow, but he was gonna have bruises anyway. These kids were bony, good ol’ Pines genes.

“You kids know how to fish?”

“Yeah, one time Granpa came over and took us outta Jersey to go fishing for the day! It was cool!” Stan nodded. 

“I got a fishhook stuck in my finger!” Ford shoved his hand in Dipper’s face. “See? There’s still a scar! And I didn’t even cry!”

“Neat? I have no idea how to fish.” Dipper shrugged. “You’ll both have to teach me.”

“We’ll show you all the tricks!” Stan threw his hands up in excitement. 

“You didn’t go fishing with Granpa as a kid?” Ford asked. Why did these kids ask so much about the past?

“Uh… no, that was always a thing he did with dad.” He and Mabel hadn’t been invited back then. It seemed boring anyway. Why fish on a lake for six hours when he could be exploring the area for monsters?

Never found any. Piedmont was pretty normal. 

He clapped his hands together to shake the memories off like cobwebs. “Okay. That’s the plan for tomorrow. Remember the plan for when the RV stops?”

The boys nodded furiously, Ford checking his jacket for his supplies while Stan patted down his vest. Dipper did the same, just checking. Gloves, flashlight, swiss army knife, all his other various odds and ends he’d been collecting for forty years, extra chewing pens. Ready for anything.

“I’m never leaving the magnet gun at home again for sure,” Ford mused. “I bet with a reverse of the polarity it would have been able to pop this open easily.”

“You’ll know for next time we all get stuck in a car trunk,” Dipper deadpanned. The RV was slowing, moving jerkily in a way Dipper could assume was a really bad parallel parking manoeuvre. 

“I hope this won’t become a regular occurrence, actually.”

“Keep hoping. Now,” he reached for his floating fire spell, cupping the blue flames in hand. Before he shook hands with Bill, they’d been the regular orange of standard fire. Some things didn’t leave a man unchanged. “When you put on a magic show, it’s all about making sure the other guy thinks they know what’s going on. Ready to put on a show?”

“Maybe?” Ford shrugged. “I mean, worth a shot?”

“Fight! Fight! Fight!” Stan grinned, one hand bandaged. Dipper definitely needed to get that to the doctors for an x-ray, he knew what bone snapping sounded like and that was it. Tough kid, much more than Dipper had been at his age.  

“Good answers.” Dipper clasped his hands together, the fire winking out and plunging them back into the dark. Just in time too, the RV ground to a stop. Dipper reached for where he knew the boys were as he heard the crunch of shoes on grass and gravel, wrapping an arm around them both. No one was hurting these kids on his watch.

The hatch door was ripped open, Gudeon grinning down with his son at his side. “Well, aren’t y’all as sweet as berries baked in a pie, all cosied up in there?”

“Touch these kids and I’ll choke you with your own toupee.” Dipper threatened, goading him. They had a plan. 

“This is my real hair!” Gideon lifted the boys out of Dipper’s grip with his powers and Dipper finally spotted what Ford had clocked instantly, the glowing pendant in his bolo tie. That had to be it. 

“Buddy-boy, keep a good hold on the twins. Us adults are gonna have a chat.” Gideon tossed the boys at Bud, who secured them in an arm each. They both kicked, Stanley in particular growling out a stream of surprisingly creative threats and insults. 

Gideon tutted and offered a hand to Dipper. “As for you-”

Dipper tensed.

“I’m so glad we can finally have a proper talk, my honeyglow.”

Ugh. At least Robbie just tried to kill him sometimes, Gideon’s entire thing was worse. Definitely worse. Dipper took to burning all those creepy stalker letters he still got a long time ago. Every one of them was addressed to Mabel, and he hated it. Hated what he’d read in her diary, about how uncomfortable Gideon made her feel. How he used crowds and big gestures to make it hard for her to say no. Before he’d even met Gideon, Dipper had hated him. 

Dipper smacked Gideon’s offered hand away and got out of the truck himself, clicking out his spine. His back was killing him, the curse of having two preteens sitting on him for hours. “I am not your ‘honeyglow’, creep.”

Gideon loomed, or at least his pompadour did. Dipper squared his shoulders and tipped his hat back. Bring it on. 

Gideon smiled and leaned back, chuckling to himself. “Now, now, I know you’re just trying to look all independent in front of the kids, I admire that, who knew you were so family-thinking? It’s an admirable trait, Ma-”

“Call me ‘Mabel’ and I’ll jump off that cliff,” Dipper warned, taking in the surroundings. Oh great, a creepy warehouse on top of a tall bluff, yay. That limited their options of escape. Alright. Just had to wait for the boys to pull off their part of things. Patience, Dipper.

“It is what it says on your paperwork, darlin’.”

“Have you been reading my mail? Every day you reach a new low, man.” Just had to keep Gideon talking. 

“That’s quite something from you after all those nasty occurrences twenty years back, or was it ten?” Gideon smiled innocently. 

“That wasn’t me.” Technically, as he was outside his body at the time. Also not in any legal way the cops could prove. Bill was careful when he wanted to be.

“Of course not, sugarplum! But I could make it all go away, all I want is the Mystery Shack and the Tent of Telepathy to merge together, the way we ought to be.”

“You’ll get that shack over my dead body.” Mabel needed him to finish the portal. 

“Oh, I think it’ll be much less bloody.” Gideon reached into his jacket and pulled out a contract. “You’re gonna sign it over right now or my Buddy-Boy’s dropping those delightful lil boys off the cliff. Ain’t that right, son?”

“Sounds good to me, dad!”

Dipper glanced, meeting Ford’s gaze, and Stan’s. There was a faint tilt of Ford’s head that could be passed off as nothing, a smile from Stan that could be nerves, and it snapped him back to when he and Mabel could come to a decision in the tiny gestures, a conversation without words. Dipper flexed a hand, wondering if they’d read his stalling just as well. 

“... let me find a pen.” 

#

Ford put up a fake struggle alongside Stan as they were flung into Bud’s grip. Bud Gleeful was clearly built along Crampelter lines, fourteen and grew early. Crampelter had also been held back in school, which was part of what got the Pines stuck dealing with him and his gang of goons. 

“So I guess Grunkle Dipper was right about you,” Stan hissed as Bud took a few steps back, too close to the bluff’s edge. “You’re totally evil.”

“Now, I think that’s uncalled for, evil is such an ugly word,” Bud defended. 

“You’re quite literally complicit in an abduction case, any court would convict you for assisting a megalomaniacal TV personality, even if he is your patriarchal guardian.” Ford adjusted his glasses with some difficulty, deliberately making his voice haughtier as he used big words. 

“Yeah, what he said.” Stan scoffed. “I take it back, you know.”

“Pardon?” Bud glanced down at Stanley, grip tightening slightly on both of them. Just like Crampelter, there was muscle there. 

“When I apologised,” Stan shrugged. “I take it back. I’m not sorry.”

“Well, I just assumed it was all fake on your part either way. The Pines family do seem to have an aptitude for deception.”

“Yeah. You know, our mom’s a psychic too, like Gideon,” Stan said it casually. 

“She’s very skilled at her extrasensory talents,” Ford chimed in, falling into verbal step. Sometimes, back in Jersey, Stan got enough of a read on one of their tormentors that they could turn the tables, using Ford’s smarts and Stan’s cunning to talk circles. It was a trick that they’d decided to practice after that run-in with the Sibling Brothers and the Jersey Devil, when they’d gotten in Ford’s head. If one set of twins could do it, why not them?

“So skilled. She’s able to know exactly what someone wants to hear, lies like a champ too,” Stan looked Bud in the eye, and Ford was very aware of the smokebomb in his own pocket, carefully modified. Just had to get Bud to take the bait. “She lies to us all the time too, that’s how I know your dad lies when he says he loves you.”

“Shut up. No, he doesn’t. You’re only projecting on me in an attempt to get under my skin.” Bud lifted his head proudly, and Ford thought that was it, but Stanley grinned. 

“Oh yeah? Then why’s he got you in on this whole scheme? You had to ditch your girlfriend for this, didn’t you?” 

“No, Carla and I had a lovely time, she understands that he needs me-”

“Bet she feels like crap, being second next to your dad.” Stan caught Ford’s eye. “Not very romantic of you.”

“Standard courtship rituals would tend to indicate that you should pay more attention to your significant other,” Ford rattled off, hoping he was picking up on Stanley’s cues.  

“Your dad’s honestly kind of a jerk, making you constantly ditch your girlfriend. Doesn’t he want you to be happy?”

“Of course he does!” Bud snarled. “He just- he needs the Shack-”

Gideon cut him off, yelling something about dropping Stan and Ford off a cliff if Dipper didn’t sign something. Ford tried not to show fear. Not just for himself, although the fall would be lethal at this height, but for Stanley, who’d be terrified the whole way down.

“Sounds good to me, dad!” Bud called back, teeth gritting. “You hear that? One more word and I’ll drop you.”

“Actually,” Ford raised a finger, putting on his ‘smarter than you’ voice. “If you do that right now then you have not only thrown away your progenitor’s leverage over our temporary guardian, but will also immediately become guilty of murder in the first degree by way of windowless defenestration.”

“Bet your dad would let you take the fall for it,” Stan laughed. “What do you think, Fordsy?”

“Absolutely! He seems like quite the Machiavellian type, willing to manipulate anyone in his vicinity.” Ford was pretty sure he used ‘Machiavellian’ correctly. 

“Man, Carla’s gonna miss you when you’re in jail for throwing us to our gory deaths,” Stan sighed, glancing at Dipper. Ford did the same, seeing him patting all his pockets like he was looking for a pen. “Or maybe she’ll think you’re a big jerk.”

“She’d understand why, she loves me. And- and my father wouldn’t do that to me, he’d smooth it over.”

“Can’t smooth over dead kids,” Stan made a face. “You can keep pretending that he’s a good dad, but it seems to me more like he cares about dating Grunkle Dipper more than you.” 

“No, shut up, this is just all for the Shack, it’s just business-”

“Business doesn’t call people ‘honeyglow’ and ‘sugarplum’. What’s your mom think about that, Buddy?”

“I told you to shut up!” Bud dropped Ford, hefting Stanley up, hands closing around Stan’s throat. 

Ford moved the moment his feet touched the ground, pulling out the modified smokebomb and leaping up, planting it right in the middle of Bud’s back, where the human skeleton couldn’t reach without serious joint flexibility. 

“Smokebomb!” He pulled the cord and ran to get out of blast range. 

Stanley’s hand reached into his vest at that moment and there was a flash of silver, an arc of red opening on the back of Bud’s hand. Bud yelped and dropped Stanley, clutching at the slash as Stan mirrored his brother in escaping. 

The smokebomb on Bud’s back, a condensed mixture of all of Stanley’s smokebombs, amplified by Ford’s tinkering, began to sputter and spark, exploding with a massive puff of glittery smoke and popping flashbangs.

“Buddy-boy!” Gideon turned, distracted, and Dipper’s hand shot out, snatching the bolo tie from his throat. Gideon yelped, attention split. “My magic!”

The amulet glowed in Dipper’s hand, and that same toxic light began to shine through his sleeve in intricate lines, travelling up his arms and over half his chest. Was that the tattoo he mentioned?

“Oh wow.” Dipper grinned a little too wide, his brown eyes turning teal. “That’s powerful.”

Gideon began to back up. “N-now, we can be reasonable about this, my marshmallow-”

“Hm. Nah.” Dipper raised a hand and lifted the RV with it, clenching his fist and crumpling it into a giant metal ball. 

“My dressing room!” Gideon panicked before he lifted off the ground, and began to reach for his throat, voice sounding choked. “I- I can’t- can’t br-”

Ford ran up to Grunkle Dipper and gripped the bottom of his jacket. “The plan worked! You got the amulet!”

“Huh?” Dipper looked down, genuinely surprised. Ford did not like how unsettling the teal glow in his eyes was. “Oh shoot- forgot you kids were here for a second.”

“Can I have a turn with the powers?” Stan made grabby hands. 

“No.” Dipper looked consideringly at them before he glanced at Gideon and Bud, a glow surrounding Bud as well. He flicked a hand and threw open the doors to the warehouse. “What do you kids think, lock ‘em in then we go and wreck the carnival?” 

“Wreck the carnival!” They chorused. Ford was all-in on that now, after today. Gideon destroyed his axolotl prize, now Ford was going to assist his Grunkle with revenge. Just this once. 

“No! Not my carnival! It’s a rental!”

“Well, darn, Gleeful, hope you paid extra for insurance,” Dipper smiled innocently and tossed them both into the warehouse, the door slamming shut and a padlock sliding into place. Another flick of his glowing hand ripped the unsigned contract into tiny shreds.

Ford itched to take notes, the fact that without any practice a fine level of dexterity and control could be achieved suggested will-based control rather than a need for training, which was fascinating. He had to know more. 

“Can I study the amulet?” Ford asked hopefully. “Please?”

“Definitely not. Sorry.” Dipper sighed, and threw it at the ground hard enough to shatter it. Ford was about to start yelling before he saw it make a skull-shaped puff of smoke as it broke. Yikes.

“Oh.” Well that was obviously a bad sign if there ever was one. “So the amulet was evil too. Fascinating.”

“Yeah,” Dipper blinked a few times, the teal glow fading from behind his eyes as they went back to brown. He stumbled slightly and clutched his head. “Whoo. That was a rush. Not a good thing. Definitely cursed.”

“You can tell that from one use?” Ford needed to pick his brains. He had so many questions. 

“Aw, but it was super powerful…” Stan pouted. “How are we gonna get outta here now?”

“We’ll hotwire the RV-”

“Grunkle Dipper, you destroyed the RV.”

“Oh. Yes I did.” Dipper scratched the back of his neck. “... I’ll call Dan.”

#

“Okay!” Dipper ripped open the truck door and shoved his stolen prizes inside, the carnival mostly empty from the late hour. He still had to dodge some people, but he got what the kids wanted. “Axolotl toy for you, baby goat for you!”

“Hi!” Stan hugged the goat as it tried to headbutt his face, headbutting the creature back. “Welcome home, lil’ guy, you’re gonna have so much stuff to headbutt back at the Shack!”

“You got me a replacement axolotl?” Ford accepted the toy. 

“Yeah, I think Gideon backed over the original. Sorry, kid.”

“No- I, it’s fine? I assumed it wasn’t in a state of repair.” Ford hugged the toy tight. “Thanks. Stanley, don’t let the goat eat any of my stuff.”

“Don’t worry, he can eat my stuff instead. Here, want some seatbelt?” Stan offered. 

“You really shouldn’t feed him just anything,” Dipper hopped in the front, hooking an arm over the back as he started to reverse out, careful not to hit anyone’s car. “Did you kids rig up all the self-serve cotton candy machines?”

“Yep!” Ford grinned. “All eighteen! It’ll rain sugar for weeks!”

“I stole the cashboxes!” Stan gestured at the goods beside him. “We’re rich!”

“And I have some of the ingredients! I could build one and we could have cotton candy all summer!”

“Yeah! Let’s start a candy empire!”

Dipper grinned wide as he drove out of the carpark at an illegal speed. “Great work, kids!”

“What did you do?” Stan asked excitedly.

“And why did you tell Dan he wanted plausible deniability when he dropped us off?”

“Gideon stored all his fireworks in one place, I just moved them into the actual Tent of Telepathy. There was no one there to stop me.” Dipper took his hat off and waved it out the car window in celebration, sheer dumb luck managing to time it for the multicoloured chaos that exploded behind them, bathing Gravity Falls in rainbows. “Try and run your fake scam now, sucker!”

“Pines! Pines! Pines!” The twins chanted, punching the air in tandem as Dipper sped through an intersection. Safe driving was important but not when ditching a crime scene, he’d learnt that one after many a breaking and entering charge. Who knew most abandoned haunted locations weren’t open access?

Once they were out of the main town and past the suburbs Dipper took his foot off the gas, slowing down enough to check on the boys. 

“You both okay? How’s the hand, Stan?”

“Not sore at all!”

“How far is the local hospital?”

“I’m taking you a town over, actually. Less risk of medical malpractice.” Between the vampire doctor he had to deal with, the one that thought ‘Frankenstein’ was life advice, and the general aura of ‘probably shouldn’t be allowed to handle sharp objects or heavy machinery’ that permeated the Gravity Falls townsfolk, he always went out of town for healthcare. 

“Really? But that’s gonna take ages!” Stan kicked the back of the passenger seat. It was gonna have permanent shoeprints by the end of summer. 

“Plenty of time to name your new friends, then.” 

“We can name them?” Ford piped up. 

“Sure, why not?” He had something else he wanted to take care of. Stan’s wrist, Ford’s whole… deal. “Hey, Ford?”

“Yeah?”

“I am sorry I lied to you about the supernatural.” It took a really long time to learn that sometimes an apology didn’t need any extra ribbons. 

“I…” Ford hesitated. “No more big secrets?”

“Not that I can think of.” He felt bad for that one, but he couldn’t just tell them about Mabel- about what he did- without the certainty he was getting her back. He glanced in the rearview mirror, the streetlights throwing orange light into the back of the car in predictable intervals. “I’ll let you know if one pops up.”

“... Okay.” Ford pressed part of his face into his axolotl toy. “I think… Frilliam? If I have to name it?”

“That’s a good name.” If Ford needed to take his time to decide how he felt, that was fine. Dipper had spent too long working on impulse decisions fuelled by anger or hurt or the need to be right- which always backfired- so it was good to see someone in the family take the time to sort out their thoughts for once.

“I think I’m calling this guy Gompers! He’s a goat, but he’s got chompers! Gompers!”

“That’s silly,” Ford chuckled. “Suits him. Can I pet him?”

“Duh! He’s our goat now, Sixer.” Stan set him down in the middle, the baby goat bleating as it wobbled unsteadily in the moving truck. Ford hesitated before gingerly petting him, Gompers accepting it without trying to bite his fingers off. 

Dipper smiled fondly before turning his attention back to the road. These kids. 

Bill was right about one thing. He did get too attached.

[kawaiichibiart]

....fuck it, here's more stuff in my AU where Felix becomes Argos as early as S1/S2:

He talks his mom into letting him transfer to DuPont. So what if he's already graduated? This way he and Adrien can bond!!

Kinda a repeat of when Lila joins the class, he's just not lying (much) to people. (By not lying much, I mean he pretends to be a nice, good, boy, but he's secretly enjoying bidding his time to be an absolute menace, bonus points to him if he can get Adrien in on it).

Nino likes him instantly after he hears Felix refer to his uncle as "that whiny, candy cane, little bitch? What about him?"

Lila returns and immediately believes Felix is Adrien but gets surprised when Adrien walks in a few minutes later. To her further surprise, he pulls his "twin" away from her and takes him to the back, to their seats (another thing she was unaware of). Nino is sitting with Marinette and Lila has to sit with Alya.

Felix, indeed, managed to get Adrien to act like a little menace (there are his bonus points). The rest of the class doesn't know whether to feel proud or betrayed.

People send the Ladyblog pic after pic, video after video, of Chat Noir and some guy (?) dressed like a bird. Some have even captured a clearly mad Ladybug in the background.

Argos makes his "official" debut after that.

Reporter: Chat Noir, why have you been patrolling less with Ladybug? Are you replacing her with Argos? Chat Noir:...he knows things about me, I know things about him. It's complicated but only to people who aren't....us. Reporter:... Are...are you not concerned? If he knows things, he could risk your identity!! Chat Noir: Nah, it's fine. He loves me too much. Argos, in the distance: FUCK YOU!! Chat Noir: See? (:

Fast friends with Kagami. Neither have any understanding of social cues.

Unsure where he stands with Marinette. On the one hand, she seems to genuinely care about Adrien and wants to see him happy. On the other hand, where the fuck did she get his schedule? He doesn't believe she uses it for all her friends/classmates. He's calling bullshit on that.

Gives Nino free ammo to use against Gabriel.

Ladybug still tries to get him to hand over the peacock Miraculous, or at least tell her who he is. He continuously tells her to kiss his ass.

He's also done that to Hawkmoth.

Akuma of the Day: HAND OVER THE PEACO- the peacock Miraculous?? But, don't you- Hawkmoth: YES, YES, I WANT THE LADYBUG AND CAT MIRACULOUS, BUT THAT, THAT- Argos: Go ahead, take your time. What am I? Hawkmoth: HE STOLE IT FROM ME, I WANT IT BACK!! Argos: let me think about it... No. Hawkmoth: HAND OVER YOUR, I MEAN MY, I MEAN MAYURA'S MIRACULOUS!! Argos: You can join Ladybug (Ladybug, knowing what's he's about to say: Hey!) and the Guardian in kissing my ass, this Miraculous is mine. Argos: bitch.

[anonymouse1312437]

Hidden Away

*Sorry for being away for so long*

TRIGGER WARNING:

This book might be too depressing for some. It is going to contain a lot of angst, some slow burns, and talk of depressing topics.

This will have a series of depressing thoughts coming from the main character played as Y/N.

This contains topics such as

Depression

Anxiety

Self-harm

Suicidal thoughts

Suicidal thoughts

Sexual assault.

Physical abuse.

This is going to be something the also contains in later chapters:

Smut

Breath play

Age-gap

Degradation

Shaming

This is not intended for everyone. This in not at all to run along sign the other passage I am writing which is American Amongst The Brits. This is to be read on its own. I will try to post to both frequently but, this is a favoring one for me at the moment as it is an escape from the current feelings brought on by the seasons. I do hope you enjoy the read. I intended to write this as if it were something that someone could relate to other than the smut sections. I hope you enjoy the read.

Please comment if you enjoy the read. It does bring joy to me to see the comments.

Chapter One:

Another year at a school. However, I was sent to a new country where I knew no one. I had a cousin here who lived in the UK but I have never met or heard of them. Yet here I am about to go to school with them. I don’t even know if they know I exist. My father hated his brother. His brother was a wizard who married a witch. My father was ordinary who married an ordinary woman so when I sneezed and something to do with magic happened it was like I was disowned. Mind you from what they told me when I first sneezed, I was merely a baby.

They raised me to believe that if I were to give into the temptation of learning any magic that it was the work of the Devil and that I would be damn to hell for eternity. My dad, I think, blames me for what happened to my sister and brother. They both never had magic but, when they played with me and something weird would happen, I was the one to take the blame. It was eighteen years of this before they found out the could legally get rid of me. We have always lived in America from my understanding but, clearly my parents have lived here in the United Kingdom. They had British accents that had slowly mended into an American accent. I was born in America and to hide the past they tried their best to make sure I only had an American accent. Some how I just know this will be a problem here. It is probably best to pretend that I am mute at this school.

“Hello dear. It is so good to finally meet you. Welcome to the family home. I am Amber and this is your Uncle Tom. This is your cousin William.” They said and I looked at them and just felt out of place. They were all well-kept, and it was as even the house knew I did not belong here.

“Hi I am y/n. I guess it is nice to finally meet you. I know it’s a bit rude to say this but, I truly did not know any of you existed until just this month.” I said and Tom and Amber smiled at me.

“I knew sweetheart. That is not your fault though. We also did not know in the beginning but he did call and inform us about your abilities at your very first sneeze. He thought we had cursed you with the abilities. He never did understand that it is something you are born with.” My uncle Tom said and of course I should have assumed my dad would do the sort.

“Come now darling. Come inside. Let’s get some food inside of you.” My aunt Amber said. She grabbed onto my shoulder and pulled me into a hug inside of her house. Tom and William just waved at me and escorted me to the table alongside her. She sat beside me and in front of us was a feast. It was odd to see so much food.

“What is America like?” William asked me.

“I am not too sure. I had a lot of strict rules I was forced to follow just because of my abilities. I wasn’t allowed out of the house and once I got into trouble in kindergarten, they forced me to homeschool. I didn’t get to see much outside of my home there. My mother and father didn’t even let me spend time with my siblings.” I said and looked towards my lap. I am fighting back tears right now because I love my siblings deeply but, even they began to be ashamed of me when my parents did not let their friends come over because people forgot I existed. I was just a name they whispered and if their friends came over, they would be questioned about why I was not in school. Then they would have got into trouble and could have ended up in jail. To everyone, I no longer existed.

“You are accepted here dear. You do not have to hide who you are here. Now William is just slightly younger than you, so he is in a different grade, however they are going based off age and that puts you at the start of fifth year. It is a bit advanced. Do you have any knowledge on your magical abilities?” Tom asked.

“I-“I started to say but, I do not wish to get into trouble with them.

“If you have practiced in secret, I promise you will not get into trouble.” Tom said.

“I have practiced. I just don’t have much knowledge outside of hand magic.” I said and Tom smiled.

“Mind showing me something that you have practiced?” Tom asked.

“Really?” I asked and smiled.

“Please.” He said. I waved my hand, and the table cleared. I waved it again and it was put away. I waved my hand once more and I had cleaned up any mess that remained. I waved it for a fourth time and my bags appeared inside the house.

“I am impressed.” Tom said and I felt myself feel something that might be considered happiness.

“Really?” I asked.

“Yes. You have managed to learn a lot by being so sheltered from it. How were you able to study and practice it in my brothers’ house without him knowing?” My uncle Tom asked.

“I only practiced when everyone was asleep and only when they were not at home.” I said.

“We learned how to do that before our first year though dad.” William said and then I felt the happiness drain from me.

“That is only because you had people teaching you. You had someone there to help you practice. You had someone to applaud for everything you had done. She didn’t get the opportunity to have that though.” Tom said. William put his head down slightly.

“Sorry, I do not want to cause any trouble.” I said and looked at my hands. Things around me started to shake a little and it had felt like everything around me was unstable. Stop thinking like this. It is going to become a problem. I tried to silence my mind and when I managed to do it everything around me stopped shaking.

“My-my you are quite powerful. Does that happen often?” I heard Tom ask.

“What do you mean?” I asked him a bit confused.

“Does that happen when you are upset? Do things seem to feel unstable and become rather shaky? That does not happen to everyone. Matter of fact I haven’t heard of that happening before now.” Uncle Tom said and My Aunt Amber just looked at me with her mouth slightly ajar.

“Yes. I have tried many times to control it. No one over there knows this stuff I don’t think. So, they would think it was an earthquake and I would just have to go with it and pretend it wasn’t me who created the problem. Of course, my father would know it was me and then some stuff would happen.” I said and returned my eyes to the table.

My aunt Amber clapped her hands, and all the food reappeared in front of us but on plates.

“Are you not hungry?” She asked me. I shook my head and just played with my hands under the table.

“I do want to let you know the school you are going to relies on magic. It is taught in every subject. You have a few professors who have offered to aid in getting you caught up and trained with the necessary spells. However, there is always a problem professor, and I must warn you he has offered to assist you because he thinks it is going to be a testimony to how great of a wizard he is.” Uncle Tom said and I felt myself smile.

“Really? Everything is just purely magic?” I asked.

“Absolutely.” He said and smiled.

“The teachers there are nice?” I asked.

“They are called professors here dear. For the most part the majority are. However, I will warn you that once again the teacher that is primarily going to be helping you is not the kindest. He has a permanent scowl on his face. There is also one other who is not a teacher but has taken a temporary leave from the ministry of magic to help you get caught up as well. I do apologize if it becomes overwhelming, but it is necessary for you to get every bit of knowledge. He added and I smiled.

“Oh, that is kind of that person. Are they kind? I haven’t been around nice people before.” I said.

“Kind is not the word we would use for him. He is a Slytherin. He feels very entitled. He also has an ego that is massive. He is also arrogant. I would never use the word kind in association with him. I barely like to use his name but, it is best you know it. His name is Lucius Malfoy. He is Draco Malfoy’s father and for you I would just address him by his last name.” He said and started to eat the food in front of him. This encouraged William and Amber to eat.

“When will I be going to this school?” I asked.

“We will be leaving here shortly to get you to the platform. William will be sure to get you to classes. That is until you are able to get to them on your own.” He said and I looked towards William, and he smiled.

“Thank you I really appreciate it.” I said. They all continued to eat but, I avoided it. I don’t want to upset my stomach. There was not much I could do about it anyway. My stomach doesn’t tolerate food that well anymore. I didn’t eat properly with my family. They had these wonderful meals that would smell amazing, but I was not invited to eat with them ever. At first it hurt my feelings but, after a while it was just normal for me. The only things I was fed were peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or dry bologna sandwiches. After a while I just didn’t want to eat anymore. I will be fine though. I think this is just nerves.

“Why not go and freshen up and afterwards we will get you over to the platform to get you into the school. You two will ride by train and then William will take you to Hogsmeade to get some last-minute books. What you are not able to find there the teachers who have offered to help will give you the rest.” Tom said and I smiled.

“Where is the?” I started to ask where the bathroom was but, was interrupted by Tom.

“It is the second door in the hallway. It is on the left.” He said and I gave him a small smile and walked down the hallway. I went into the bathroom and looked in the mirror. I look awful. No wonder they asked me to freshen up. I waved my hand in front of my face and my appearance returned to something that was better suited to be around people. I walked out of the bathroom and noticed everything was cleaned up again and put away. William was standing by the door and so were Tom and Amber.

“My, you look wonderful. Sorry, I hope it did not come off as rude to have you go and freshen up.” Tom and Amber said together.

“It was not rude. I just wanted to say thank you for telling me to freshen up. I was unaware that I looked like that.” I said and looked down.

“Come now. Let’s get you over to the platform.” Tom said.

[c-cw-f-saeko]

tell me your name (tesso and seonhee headcanons 2/3)

they moved out of the way so i could take a picture of mt. fuji -> loose recreation of this image 

hi !! i thought i’d finish this tesso and seonhee (separate and together) headcanon masterpost. it covers their individual backstory, how they met and how their relationship grew.

btw i made another headcanon masterpost about the liumang here 🤩 it wouldn't be a bad idea to read it before this one !

i warn that this is the ultimate yapping session LOL so it's long and very image heavy OOPS! there are more than 30 images, i wanted to add more but will stop there for now. check the bottom of the post for some straightforward headcanons (and a TLDR).

also, please pretend the entire timeline makes sense.....i won't beat myself over ageless characters not fitting 100% with documented events 😭 (imo seonhee is 34 and tesso is 37 currently) nvm my guess for seonhee but tesso is surely 37

also, the two fics i wrote heavily tie to this (don't mind the last one). i won't say you need to read them to understand, but i recommend reading them (BC I COOKED!) it'll be linked when needed.

- wang tielin

not completely accurate because he shouldn't have his scars but i'm too lazy to re-do the texture from scratch... sorry tielin 💔

birth name is wang tielin

born in japan. lived in the countryside with his uncle for the longest he could remember.

vowed to his childhood friend to live on the straight and narrow no matter what (hahaha)

a promise to keep was to become rich and share with their family when they grow up.

went to school just because, but had no plans nor dreams in particular. never stirred trouble.

was always kinda bland, but made an effort to become and dress "cooler" after coming to kamurocho (look at the fit please 😭 it was definitely a phase). this is part of the stuff tesso left behind (including his real name). would've preferred no one he knows today met him during that time.

zhao tried time and time again to make tesso show him pictures of him when he was younger but tesso claims to have none. zhao even got seonhee on the task and was ready to put down a good chunk of cash to make it happen. unfortunately for him, tesso was a nobody that truly came out of nowhere according to the geomijul (seonhee just lied 🤩 sorry tianyou).

-> long before the liumang

he came from some city in the country side where nothing really happens. his aunt and uncle took care of him and sent went to school. he was expected to take on his uncle’s restaurant since he was helping out from time to time and that’s what his uncle wanted anyway. 

how can i put it… as long he found a way to feed himself and have a roof over his head, he didn’t have a goal to attain (like a goal career or whatever). he had no aspirations as in “i guess i’ll live” 😍 

though, he had a close friend called liwei. they spent most of their time at school and outside together doing whatever. unlike tesso, liwei had big dreams of finally making it out go the “boring” countryside and establishing himself in a big city, becoming the wealthiest person of his family to provide for his parents. he had a passion about going to especially kamurocho because it was the complete opposite of their current lives. tesso's response to liwei was mostly -> “i support you!” he kinda admired liwei for having determined ambition. 

-> a bit before the liumang 

though, liwei ended up getting killed because a hit was ordered by a bunch of strangers on seemingly the wrong person. not a lot of clues were left behind, but tesso was adamant about it being a mistake since the two of them always swore on being on the straight and narrow (ironically).

so, tesso decided to leave his hometown in the countryside to find out what happened, who killed liwei and how the mix-up happened in the first place.

it lead him to many big cities (like kamurocho) though he navigated a bit clumsily with his words (talking a bit too carelessly about “i’m looking for such such that killed such and such, not knowing the type of place he was getting into), tesso ends up getting jumped by the local chinese mafia at least twice 😭 the clues he finds leads him into yokohama and bro gets jumped again 😭

all to figure out the true culprit was guys from yokohama's chinatown and going up front to them was the worst idea ever. instead, he joins the liumang (at first for refuge as outsider chinese people were vulnerable to trouble between seiryu/liumang and liumang/chinatown). then, in hopes of giving another meaning to his life and eventually seek justice for liwei’s murder.

-> in the liumang 

won't go too much in detail here, but tesso ends up being recruited personally by zhao as a liumang officer through a fight - given the exploit of him being able to scratch his jacket with his claws (and zhao scratched his face across his nose and cheeks with his sabre 😍)

- sakura, the number one hostess

long ago in kamurocho, seonhee used to be an hostess called sakura. remnants of the jingweon mafia rejected by mainland and local koreans (that later formed the geomijul) survived  the best they could with low-level information dealing. they used cabaret clubs to get info out of the local population. 

moving left and right with her mother, it was lucrative enough for her to be able to fend for the two of them — even if it was temporary, she would be doing it until they’d be able to find some sort of stability. 

eventually, the cabaret club was disbanded due to more prominent gangs taking over kamurocho, basically forcing the geomijul out of the city (to later end up yokohama).

in the move, the geomijul was very unstable; most members falling into despair as they were forced out of of home one more time.

seonhee was one of the few people to step up to rally the remaining people together. if they were wavering in the faith of surviving their predicament, the geomijul wouldn't even survive. she did everything she could to make sure fellow members wouldn't walk astray and find them a new home.

being one of people that proposed lodging the geomijul between the seiryu clan and the liumang and reprise their information dealing activities. it was through her sheer determination and in the success of securing the geomijul in yokohama that seonhee was made leader (despite being that young and a woman) jumping over all the oldheads.

fun fact, after leaving the cabaret club, she vowed to herself to never do that type of work ever again.

- meeting for the first time in kamurocho

bro came dressed like that to the luxury club 😭 first timer spotted!! fresh meat here!!!!!!

one promise he made to himself was to realize one of liwei’s dreams, no matter how futile it was. so, he gathered most of his money and decided to light it up for one night in kamurocho in his honour. he ended up going to the first cabaret club he laid eyes on - the one owned by the geomijul.

given the way he was dressed (lol) and the fact he had never been in the city before, seonhee (the number one hostess at the time) was tasked of  tending his table. she usually handled the most "suspicious" customers. 

that's what she thought at first, but past their initial talk, she really did find out he was just young random dude trying out the cabaret clubs for the first time. 

“is it your first time here?” “yeah, there isn’t stuff like this where i live” and so on. funny enough, he turned the conversation back on her a lot so she could ramble about the city and the type of work she did (life in the countryside is boring and uneventful anyway). it caused her to indirectly talk about the geomijul — tesso couldn’t know, her words still applied to the cabaret club dynamic. “the streets are competitive so we are working hard to stay on top!” and how teamwork was the most important thing at the end of the day, etc.

they had a good time talking and tesso was glad to find out city girls were so friendly. he had the impression that he’d be eaten alive, but he was doing ok so far. 

he touched briefly on the real reason he visited kamurocho (thought to himself it would defeat the purpose to not mention it). though, seonhee was smart to not make him linger on the subject by proposing to toast in his honor. tesso agreed, he was there to celebrate and she had made the right call. 

[sorry for the lack of continuity here but i can't being myself to write more atm. will evetually expand that part into a fic.]

- meeting for the second time in yokohama

tesso was always one of the officers zhao relied on the most. for example, he was leading the men sent by zhao after nanba through the city.

so, after mabuchi's overturned coup-d'etat and seonhee taking over the liumang, zhao named tesso as the most reliable man under him and could definitely provide great support in mending the geomijul and liumang together - zhao assured seonhee she could rely on tesso to bridge the two factions.

seonhee was quick to recognize tesso right away, thinking hard about where she had seen such a familiar face before - and the options were very little. it didn't take long for her to realize that it was the same guy she met at the cabaret club years ago. she thought about playing it cool and pretending they never met before, "he probably forgot anyway" and it's not like she looks exactly the same as she did. but she couldn't really shake off the possibility of him remembering. still, she plays it off in front of zhao

for as long as tesso remembers, the geomijul was a very secretive organization and most liumang didn't even know who the boss was and what they looked like. so he rolled with the assumption of having never met them before. so, of course, when he officially met seonhee for the first time, he didn't recognize her. at least at first 😭

- the underworld post mabuchi

because of fusion of the underworld, there was a lot of re-structuring to (such as combining certain cashflows, identifying businesses to assign new leaders to look after them, etc.) it was challenging especially after mabuchi basically left the liumang in shambles and with a lot of defecting members.

tesso helped out sorting out the mess with seonhee personally; it was easier to go through everything with someone that new the ordeal from top to bottom (thanks to zhao). the little time they had was dedicated to fixing the whole organization. at that time, seonhee relegated a lot of leading responsibilities to joongi while tesso did the same with his subordinates.

that's all it was; hours in a corner of the geomijul (usually in the middle of the night) sorting through hundred of files.

at first, it was awkward. tesso had never seen who led the geomijul before and the reality was very far from this expectations. starting at the fact he didn't even thought the geomijul had a woman at its head because of the rumours running the liumang. a detail zhao never bothered bringing up before they met.

zhao's funky and malleable nature was replaced by something more rigid, stern at times but always stood on business. it was different, but tesso went along with it. her style was definitely gonna bring the liumang and geomijul back on its feet.

still, he spoke to her with the same clumsiness as he did with zhao. distant in his words, just like a subordinate should be to its leader. she didn't mind, especially when she did most of the talking anyway.

that's how their routine was at the start: meet, sort documents, leave — there wasn't anything else more to it.

but, something didn't feel quite right.

the more he heard her talk, the more he was sure to have met her before. the words she used, her tone... it felt so familiar. and he had plenty of time to think about it. there was no doubt, she definitely was that girl from the cabaret club...

he kept it to himself and vowed to pretend he's mistaken. the last thing he could do was to bring it up first and be wrong. he would continue to behave the same as he ever did. given their circumstances, he could assume she had left her old life behind as well.

though, irony seeped from his pores, it was stronger than him. the coincidence was a bit humorous; the two of them meeting again with different names and under these unlikely circumstances. he kept his stun under wraps - or at least tried to.

from lingering gazes when she wasn't looking to the way she held herself, tesso recalled the selfless woman he met long ago in kamurocho. despite the heavy facade she always wore, she played it off well, how, in the midst of her words, always passed others before herself.

even with her bolder style, and it's not like she changed much: she was still as beautiful as ever and had that unwavering aura fit of a born leader.

perhaps, he had made his realization too obvious.

ever since zhao presented tesso to seonhee, she knew they had met before. thus, sat quietly with the intent of pretending she was someone else. however, tesso's demeanour changed out of the blue. he seemed a bit more awkward and careful in his words.

though, seonhee resigned on pretending. "tesso? is that how you call yourself these days?" shortly followed with his real name. she asks, chuckling a bit. perhaps, he could've picked something more subtle. he did abandon his birth name for this alias he wasn't really sure whom give it to him. but it doesn't really matter. it just meant was a completely different man now.

it was a bit ironic; they are able to have to shy laugh about it, the ice is starting to melt between them.

- the bridge between the geomijul and yokohama liumang

overall, the union between the geomijul and liumang was welcome by its members. given the situation they both were in - one left without a leader and the other very vulnerable to outside threats. it was worth leaving residual animosity behind and cooperate for the sake of keeping yokohama safe.

so, antagonists to seonhee taking over after zhao were far and between - mainly geomijul oldheads (like seo hancheol 😍 rip bozo) and the few remaining mabuchi enjoyers (like zheng because yes in this timeline bro didn’t get banished out of yokohama).

so, not only did tesso assist seonhee in the merge of the two groups, but he kinda became for the liumang what joongi is for the geomijul: the first commander under the leader and first rep for the liumang. so, in case of trouble or any reference needed from geomijul members, they could ask him if needed. tesso is known to get along with younger folks (canon) so it helps a lot!

overall, the underworld is structured like this:

- factions subordinates (tesso and the geomijul)

yeona calls tesso liumang oppa 😭 she's the one that got tesso to read manga

i feel like yeona would get along well with these two LOL she can get info on joongi from tesso since they work on another level (joongi hides his cringy side from his subordinates). also, she tends to tease seonhee a bit about not being single anymore 😭 in a little sister-big sister type of way. bc like it's not like they ever announced anything, but yeona just picks up on vibes like that 😭 there's banter between seonhee and her, but it's in good faith!! there are so little women in the geomijul, so yeona made sure to stick with

"seonhee unnie, that's your boyfriend isn't it?" she didn't say that, but her eyes kinda did 😭 yeona always knows when something is up about her big sister. this whole exchange happened while tesso was reading his notes LOL 😭

well kinda... because now that seonhee is taken, han-sama (joongi) can stop worrying about seonhee's relationship status.

- advisor to advisor (tesso and joongi)

"Tha- That's not possible! She couldn't have a boyfriend! Some random man from who-knows-where!?" (direct canon quote istg 😭)

"some random man from who-knows-where" that's literally what tesso was to joongi for awhile. 

of course, he knew tesso was one of the closest subordinates of zhao. but he wanted to dig out his history as much as he could before even asking zhao about it. surprise came when he didn’t find much out of the geomijul surveillance system — there was no way to know for sure how nor when he got in the city. however, joongi was adamant about not asking seonhee about it just yet. 

sure, tesso and seonhee never announced they were together (for a very long time). but joongi picked up the smallest changes of seonhee's demeanour and her mannerisms. she tried her best to conceal it, but nothing went past his eye. and it was very clear to him... seonhee was indeed dating that random man.

at first, it was veiled concern but joongi believed seonhee could do better. he thought seonhee could aim for someone more or at least just as good looking than him (im sorry LOL but exhibit A) and someone as refined as her and not so… contradictory in looks and personality (tesso looks rough with a lot of distinctive features but is rather simple). so, first impression wise, it was off to a rocky start. 

despite being the two most important members of the geomijul and liumang, joongi and tesso didn’t really get along. tesso thought joongi was arrogant and preferred dealing with his subordinates instead (like yeona with whom he was able to work well with). 

“don’t mind han-sama. he’ll get over it eventually…” tesso still has no clue what she means by that

the impression of tesso and joongi not getting along wasn't setting a good example for the fellow geomijul and liumang members. while tesso was unsure about the whole thing, joongi struggled moving on for a bit. even seonhee wasn't sure of what was going on between the two.

it took yeona telling on joongi's business back to seonhee for her to set the record straight. no one knows for sure what she has said, but their short discussion was followed by a shy apology from joongi, blaming the geomijul's eternal lack of trust of others for his behaviour and vowed to be as reliable as ever. actually, that was a move from seonhee where she wouldn't let a reason so petty cloud joongi and tesso's relationship further. it was better if tesso didn't know (lol).......

in joongi's opinion, there was too many red flags or dubious points about tesso and couldn’t figure out where nor when they even met (as seonhee never mentioned him before). so, everything came to him as a surprise. 

deep down, the hurt joongi felt was because seonhee didn’t tell him about it first when they shared pretty much everything. he took it as a sign of being unworthy of her trust. understanding it didn’t come from malice, joongi slowly opened up to tesso - it was iffy at first, there was still moments when he was a bit rude despite him. it took time, but joongi trusted seonhee in her decision and agreed that tesso wasn’t so bad after all (“albeit a bit goofy and doesn’t have a presentation as neat as I do”). all that mattered at the end of the day was seonhee’s wellbeing and she seems happy. bro got over himself…

- relationship ladder

(i'm not gonna extend myself too much on this but) the particular thing about them is how the closer they got, the place to work on business changed as well.

this is the fish shop next to eomoni's vow 😭

it started at the corner of the geomijul but surely became eomoni's vow (which is just my first fic LOL) - right at the time when the city was as calm as ever and the liumang and geomijul were combined together. members were more comfortable walking the streets so the need to remain miles of tunnels under the surface wasn't as needed.

still, they usually met in the middle of the night to work on stuff, but just end up eating and drinking the hours away. they got in the habit of playing mahjong against each-other singing karaoke on rare occasion (amongst other things).

next location is qing jin.

omg bro with the three piece suit 😭

it's upgrade from eomoni's vow since the top floor has a dress code 😍 you have to be put together to get in there so dresses and dress shirts are a must.

tesso debated for awhile before inviting her. it was a bit of a bold move, but he knew qing jin would be more of her taste (more spacious, luxurious and an entire different palate) AND it was still very private.

tesso actually picked the artwork (see the tomato picture below) and the room divider is from lin lin

they went a few times, and that was then tesso told seonhee about zhao's apartment complex and eventually advanced the idea to share a spot there. won't go over the details again LOL but you get the idea 🤩

knowing she'd be coming, tesso leaves her sweets 🥹 he's usually more busy on foot (you know assassination quests 🤩), but will drop by before she does if he has other stuff to do for the day.

seonhee definitely spends more time there since she doesn't have to be out carrying missions out on the streets and enjoys the privacy. it's seemingly normal when compared to the gloominess of the geomijul and restaurant row.

- trip to kyoto

this is basically the fic i wrote last year - tesso and seonhee go on a trip to kyoto. (PLEASE READ IT I COOKED!!! 😭) the fic in a nutshell:

i am kidding of course

despite being a higher ranked officer with more responsibilities, he’s always stuck at the “uhhhh taking some time off like that kinda feels unfair” but was bullied convinced by zhao to take some anyway. yokohama had been peaceful for awhile now and his subordinates could run well without him around for a few days.

so take the bullet train to osaka only to come back three days and four nights later. notably, they visit the nonomiya shrine (the shrine of love woooooooohooooo, no it is actually!), tesso dedicates her a poem and they stay in a machiya.

funny enough, i managed to make 3d models pretty close to the original drawings (iykyk) so it's fun!

pretty!!!!!!!!! 😭

- miscellaneous

funny thing they do -> rock paper scissors and they talk to each-other the native tongue of whoever wins for a day. seonhee tends to win often; she's just built like that.

during yua's first year at seiryo, tesso and seonhee attended the parent-student meeting together in place of her uncle (yua's legal guardian at the time). to meet sawa-sensei (yes she lived).

negative trait

tesso : can be too passive | seonhee : lacks humility

positive trait 

tesso: dependable | seonhee: diligent 

strength against the other

tesso: resistant to dominatrix energy | seonhee: resistant to tianyou

their weakness coming from the other

tesso: her cute mannerisms | seonhee: him calling her a specific petname (b......ba......omg i can't [dies of cringe])

serious complaint about the other

tesso: sacrificing health for the sake of fashion | seonhee: sleeps too little

unserious complaint about the other 

tesso: lacks stamina | seonhee: grandpa mannerisms at 37

random quirk

tesso: can fall asleep anywhere | seonhee: rarely laughs from her the pit of her stomach

karaoke? 

seonhee: enjoys anything from koda kumi | tesso: either tone deaf or decent, nobody knows… won’t do anything more than adlibs

hobby they got because of the other

tesso: skincare | seonhee: gardening

seonhee enjoys growing tomatoes, amongst other things. on his part, tesso grows nappa cabbages somewhere on a rooftop in restaurant row (mostly for kimchi ofc).

hobby they don’t share

tesso: shopping | seonhee: running

hobby they tried together for the first time

dancing (thank you yagami)

seonhee is pissed bc yagami made them do something really hard as a tryout. it's not easy, but it's simple at least so they managed!

thing they do when sick

tesso: eats lemons like oranges | seonhee: drinks tea with every single aromatic she can find (ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, peppercorns, etc.)

last thing they fought about

seonhee being frustrated at tesso’s reluctance to take over the liumang, leading her to talk ill of zhao’s ways of leadership. though, seonhee is too proud to apologize first and they didn’t talk to each other for two weeks. even zhao and saeko picked up on the fact they were kinda avoiding each other. 

one thing they struggled with

(especially tesso at the start) treat each-other on equal footing. he was kinda confused at how to behave, whether to be or to not be subservient, like.....

not that it was his second nature, but that's what he used to for the longest time. so, he didn't mind at all.

seonhee was a bit frustrated at the need to spell it out, but it was better that way. at least, everything was clear between them from that point on.

for zhao's costume party [i'll write about this later? maybe?]

(actually seonhee convinced tesso but) they did matching costumes of leon kennedy and ada wong from RE.

TL;DR: i think there are moments when seonhee shares more of herself to someone on equal footing, moments where she's more vulnerable and has room to step away from her idolized self.

i think there are moments when tesso has to put himself first, moments when he must learn to not overextend himself at his own expense.

despite the unlikely circumstances and complicated conditions, i think they would be able to do that together. tesso and seonhee are polar opposites on so many things and i think they can learn a lot from each-other.

i'll make another post with all different outfits they had soon because the volume of models i made 😭

next headcanon post is either going to be ichitesso on dondoko island or yua.....idk yet........

and yes in my book miku was on dondoko island LOL

and before you ask, yes i smoke crack! thank you for coming to my ted talk!

[unclewaynemunson]

(Pt 5 of the Steddie ft. Rose Harrington AU aka my pathological need to sneak Wayne into every fic i write) | full version AO3 link

Steve was on Eddie's mind every second of every day. He couldn't believe that guy was even real: twenty years old and taking a responsibility that his father wouldn't, having so much love to give to a lost little girl when he obviously got so little of it from his parents.

There were two things he had to admit to himself. The first one: he was more than just in love. He was head-over-heels for Steve Harrington. And the second one: he wasn't nearly as brave as Steve. He knew that dating Steve would come as a package deal with becoming a stepdad – Rose might not technically be Steve's daughter, but in practice, there really wasn't much of a difference. And that thought scared the shit out of him.

'So who's the lucky fella this time?' Wayne asked him one evening, when the two of them were sharing a quiet night at home.

Eddie tried not to choke on the air in his lungs and stared at his uncle for a good few seconds. 'What?' he finally managed to utter.

'C'mon, Ed,' Wayne said. 'I been watchin' the game for almost an hour and you're pretending to watch it with me, without making a single remark 'bout how stupid it is.' His uncle snorted softly. 'You didn't even know we were watchin', did ya?'

Eddie stared at the tv screen, where – as he now noticed – a whole bunch of sweaty dudes was running around chasing a ball, then back at Wayne. 'I did not,' he admitted.

'So you wanna tell me 'bout him?'

Eddie sighed dramatically. 'He's perfect, Wayne,' he blurted out. 'He's fucking perfect, I'm not even exaggerating this time. But I can't ask him out.'

'He straight?'

'I'm pretty sure he's not,' said Eddie. 'We've been flirting a lot, I'm not even that worried about him rejecting me if I would actually make a move. But –' he sighed again, to make extra clear how distressed he was about the whole thing, 'He has a half-sister. A three-year-old. And he's basically raising her all by himself. So that's... That's a kind of terrifying commitment to make.'

'Hm?'

After years of living with Wayne, his uncle didn't even need to ask full-phrased questions in order to keep a conversation going. The two of them could understand each other perfectly well without words.

'I'm kind of serious about him, I guess,' Eddie admitted. 'So if I'd go for it, I'd also have to commit to his sister. And that's... I'm nowhere near ready for anything like that.'

Wayne frowned. He lit a cigarette, taking his time to come up with a proper reaction, thoughtful as ever.

'D'you think I was ready for you when you showed up on my doorstep all those years ago?' he finally said. 'Course I wasn't. I wasn't much older than you are now. And there you were, not a soul in the world lookin' out for ya. You won't hear me say that I didn't have a choice, 'cause that's bullshit, there's always a choice. You can always run away. But I made the choice to keep you and I never regretted it, not once.' Wayne paused to utter a soft chuckle. 'Okay, maybe I did, that one time when I was putting new wallpaper up at Maddy's trailer and you decided it'd be a good idea to sit your ass down in that bucket of glue and got the whole place flooded with it.'

'Yeah, I remember that!' Eddie laughed at the memory. 'I think I was still sticky for days after.'

'Got what you deserved there.'

Eddie lit a cigarette for himself, too, mulling over Wayne's words.

'So you think I should go for it, with Steve?' he asked.

Wayne sighed and took another drag of his cigarette to buy himself some more time to think. 'Look, I'm never tellin' you what to do, boy. All I'm sayin' is, it ain't easy, dating when there's a kid involved. Why d'you think I never been interested in any of that?' He shot Eddie a meaningful glance. 'It's 'cause you've always been my number one, Eddie, simple as that. And that's probably the same for your Steve and his little girl. It's up to you to decide if you can handle that or not.'

'It's fucking scary,' Eddie admitted.

'I know.' Wayne nodded. 'I know. I been scared for years after I took you in. Hell, sometimes I still am. That's an unavoidable part of raising a kid, even if you're not a real parent. You're gonna be scared to make mistakes, and you're sure as hell gonna make some mistakes. Lord knows I did.' Wayne looked at Eddie with slightly raised eyebrows, almost as if he was assessing him. 'But I like to think I didn't do that bad of a job, after all. Even though I had no idea what I was doin'. Makes me think that as long as the love is there, things will be alright.'

Eddie felt slightly embarrassed about the tears he had to blink away. 'You did a pretty okay job, old man,' he said in a somewhat choked voice.

Wayne didn't say anything, but he didn't have to. The slightly brusque pat he gave to Eddie's shoulder was saying enough.

🎵

The conversation with Wayne definitely helped to make Eddie a little less scared of the whole thing. After meeting Rose, his weekly lessons with Steve had become a little less flirty, like they were both holding themselves back – like Eddie wasn't the only one who was scared. And Eddie still had a lot to figure out, but he knew that he enjoyed his time with Steve in the practice room more than anything, and he wanted nothing more than to see that adorable blush on his cheeks or that hesitant smile around his lips. So maybe he joked around with him a little bit more than he was supposed to. And maybe he helped him with his finger positions a little more often than was strictly necessary. And maybe he spent a whole lesson on his posture, holding his shoulders and rubbing the tension out of his back, even though he didn't really need to. And maybe, maybe, it became a little bit more difficult with each passing week not to lean in a little bit further into his personal space and kiss him.

And maybe he was a little bit too disappointed when Steve called him on a Monday to tell him that he had to cancel his next lesson.

'Lucas usually babysits Rose on Wednesdays, but he has this important game that he can't miss, and I don't wanna bother any of the others, because I'm sure they'll all wanna be at the game to support Lucas and I don't wanna ask too much of them, so...' He trailed off, not really finishing his sentence; Eddie knew him well enough by now to recognize it as a habit of Steve whenever he was feeling anxious. 'I'm sorry.'

'No, don't apologize for that,' Eddie said immediately. 'Listen, why don't you just take Rose with you to the lesson?'

There were a few seconds of silence at the other end of the line.

'Are you sure about that?' Steve sounded hesitant. 'I don't wanna – I mean, it'll probably be distracting to have her around and –'

'Steve,' Eddie cut him off. 'Don't worry about it. I'd love to have her around. She's awesome, I'd love to get to know her better.'

Pt6

Taglist: @kardinalkalamity @imzadidragonfly @simpforsauron @undreamingscatworld @nailbatbabygirl @solosnail @theysherobinbuckley  @sharpbutsoft @manda-panda-monium @piningapple @whimsicalwitchm  @withacapitalp @kerlypride @bejeweledbaby @imhereforthelolzdontyellatme @cheeseaddict-12 @henderdads @hammity-hammer @nelotegreitic   @silentiumdelirium @mad-h-w @evix-syne666  @legitcookie @csinnamon-fox @deleataecount @sadcanadianwinter  @shadowofaliar @and-say @connected-dots @thosemessyvibes @panicatthediaz @basilthefourth @swimmingbirdrunningrock @inikokoru @adaed5 @ali-just-ali @spectrum-spectre @paperbackribs @steddiewritingnerd (HOLY SHIT how are there SO MANY OF YOU??!!!?!)

[a-strange-inkling]

A bit more of the Count of Monte Cristo AU, featuring some baby hellcheer and Jason’s POV:

*

Christina was meant to be his.

Jason knew that.

It was predestined, written in the stars. He had known it the moment he first saw her when they were just children, playing in the fields in the countryside, her hair like honey beneath her bonnet, eyes gray and blue like the seaside. When they would run through the tall grass together, he would hold out his hand and she would take it and she would smile.

It was a small smile, shy, but it was still bright… It was. He hadn’t made it all up. He knew she loved him. She had to… How couldn’t she?

One couldn’t pretend to love. She was going to be his wife one day.

Nothing was more certain until the earth shifted beneath his feet that day in the early summer when he took Christina out to the market, her arm tucked safely in the crook of his own. Sheltered little thing as she was, she was enthralled by the people, the smells and the sounds. Jason had some coins in his pocket that Father had given him and he would buy her something pretty to wear if she liked, maybe some ribbons for her golden hair, or something sweet for her to taste on her tongue. Maybe she’d even let her kiss him in secret behind the linen stands where no one could see. They were twelve at the time and he was so eager to please her, to enchant her.

It was a perfect day, until she suddenly tugged at his sleeve and he looked down to see her staring off toward the town center, her eyes sparkling. “Jason, what is that boy's name?”

Jason’s brows lowered in confusion and followed her gaze to see just who she was speaking of. Edward—rather Eddie—Munson sat at the edge of the fountain a small distance away, playing his guitar with a straw hat at his feet, collecting dust and spare change from those passing by. His dark eyes were on them, on Christina, smiling at her like a damned fool.

Jason frowned immediately.

“Who? Eddie?” He had known Eddie his whole life. His uncle managed in his father’s shipyard and Eddie served as the cabin boy on the Loch Nora for the last three years. He was a few years older than him, illiterate and poor as the dirt he was covered in. “He just works for my father.”

“Are you friends?” she asked.

“Yes, I suppose,” Jason replied with a stiff shrug, feeling suddenly kind of embarrassed about his companionship with the penniless orphan… the ship builder’s nephew. Eddie was amusing and good at playing catch when Jason’s studies were a bit too boring. He liked him well enough, but he still felt the need to explain himself to her. He was a viscount after all. “He's the only one around who’s my age.”

Christina nodded in understanding, half listening as she just kept staring at Eddie. Their eyes still locked on one another. Jason began to feel his own sweat staining the linen of his shirt under the hot sun as he looked back and forth between them in nervous confusion. He could not for the life of him understand what was happening here. “Did you wish to make his acquaintance?”

“I already have,” she replied softly. “He just hadn’t told me his name.”

“…Where?” Jason tried not to snap in confusion, a strange sort of dread filling his lungs. Where on earth had his perfect, delicate Christina meet rough and rowdy Edward Munson? He cleared his throat. “Where did you meet him?”

She didn’t answer him, just smiled shyly down at the cobbled street. “…He plays so well, does he not?”

“I…I guess.” Before he could grab hold of her, she slipped away from him, floating toward the music, toward Edward, as if cast under some spell by his playing… or perhaps by his eyes that she had yet to look away from.

“Hey, what are you doing? Wait up.” He called after her, scrambling forward. “Christina!” She was not supposed to leave his side. She was his to look after. His Christina.

His.

“Could we go listen?” she asked as if she wasn't already going to do just that, not even bothering to look over her shoulder.

“You’re not supposed to wander off!” He huffed, pushing past the crowd, falling behind Christina's light and graceful steps weaving her through the myriad with far more ease.

Eddie’s smile grew brighter at her coming, looking almost breathless with wonder when she reached his side, it was like he was looking at the sun for the first time after living underground his whole life. “Hello again.” he greeted her, his song slowing down to something more gentle and sweet, his eyes glimmering with delight.

“Hello.” Chrissy replied a little shyly, curtsying politely.

“…I didn’t know if I’d ever see you again.” There was some amusement in his tone, some secret between them that made fire burn behind Jason’s eyes.

“My family summers here, near the seaside,” she told him, folding her hands in front of her skirts. “…I wanted to thank you.”

Thank him? For what exactly?

Eddie’s gaze softened as his eyes glided over her face, his fingers stilling against the chords. “It was nothing… I’m glad you’re alright.”

[razorblade180]

9 Days of Lancaster Day9: Hoodie

Another day another essay complete at Beacon. After thorough research and many pencils, Blake made her way back to her room exhausted. She typically loved the library, but even she needed a break from the place now. The fact that her teammates seemed to crank out papers so easily was a real wonder. Then again, all her love of literature in the world probably didn’t makeup for years of legitimate school. Maybe she could ask Ruby or Yang a thing or two about proper formats. She had a feeling asking Weiss would lead to a lecture that Blake didn’t want to bother with.

The young huntress opened her room door and was caught off guard by a burst of petals and Ruby sitting rigidly atop her bed, clearly pretending like she wasn’t doing anything. Blake walked in and slowly closed the door. Her keen eyes noticed something had been quickly put under the leader’s pillow.

Blake:H-Hey.

Ruby:Heeeeeey, Blake. You’re back earlier than I expected.

Blake:Ruby, saying things like that only makes you look more suspicious.

Ruby:Suspicious!? Me!?

Blake:…

Ruby:….

Blake:It seems Yang and Weiss are gone.

Ruby:They roughed up Cardin’s team in sparring a little too hard. Ms. Goodwitch gave them detention.

Blake:He probably he deserved it.

Ruby:Yeah but Glynda tries not to show blatant favoritism.

Blake:So here you are, left to your own devices. I don’t mean to overstep but umm, if you need some alone time then I completely understand. I’ll just grab my book and-

Ruby:*red* No no no, that’s not what’s going on. I’m not you.

Blake:Wooooow. Low blow, but you’re right. Now you gotta tell me.

Ruby:I was just listening to music, dancing and stuff.

Blake:I see. Well if that’s all then-

The ninja chucked her pillow at Ruby’s face before quickly reaching for the girl’s. Ruby was caught so off guard she could only cover her face in embarrassment. Meanwhile, Blake started in silence at Jaune’s hoodie. Her eyes grew wide.

Blake:Are you two…?

Ruby:We’re just…talking. *looks up* JNPR is on the away mission to a village and I…I don’t know. Maybe it’s because of what happened at Mt. Glenn that I’m a little more on edge but I’m worried about them; worried for him. Jaune left that behind so I wouldn’t miss him as much.

Blake:That’s so sweet! Ruby, why hide this?

Ruby:I didn’t feel like playing 20 questions when I don’t have a clue! Feelings are weird; I’m a little weird.

Poor girl was caught in her own developing feelings. Blake handed her the hoodie and Ruby put it back on. The sleeves were longer than her arms and it stopped a little further than mid thigh. Ruby went as far as to pull up the hood as she sighed, allowing herself to sink into it. Blake could tell how calming it was for Ruby to wear it. Jaune must’ve really grown on her. More importantly, Blake could see her friend was a bundle of nerves.

Blake:I won’t tell a soul.

Ruby:Thanks. Still, it’s only a matter of time before more people find out. I really don’t feel like explaining it to Yang. She’ll try doing something like giving me “the talk”

Blake:Have you had it?

Ruby:My uncle and dad have both taught students. Combat school doesn’t begin and end guns. Your body is a temple as well as a weapon.

Blake:(Guess I really should ask about their school later.) The more you know I suppose. Anyways, maybe I can help?

Ruby:I’m listening.

Blake:Ren and I read similar books from time to time, so we tend to share and swap.

Ruby:He into Ninjas of Love?

Blake:*inhales* I read more than that y’know? Anyways, follow me.

Blake walks across the hall to JNPR’s room. With the help of her scroll, she types in a code manually before scanning the sensor. Ruby can’t believe it when the door opens. They both walk in and Blake quickly closes the door.

Ruby:How did you do that!?

Blake:Ren gave the code so I wouldn’t have to ask each time I wanted to read something. I could leave a note. He has the code for ours.

Ruby:I didn’t even know ours had a code.

Blake:Well, here you go. A place to wear a hoodie freely and text him uninterrupted. But from personal experience, try not to obsess or worry about too much. Jaune is capable and his team is great. I’m sure he’s thinking about you right now.

Ruby:*red*…Thanks Blake. This means a lot. I’m not used to talking a lot about these kinds of things.

Blake:Whenever you need to, I’m happy to listen.

The two girls hug share a hug before Blake leaves the room. As she does, she quickly snatches her copy of Ninjas of Love off of Ren’s nightstand. Blake dares not look back at her leader, but she feels the judgment. Ruby shakes her head with a smile on her face before looking around. She didn’t want to touch anything, however…

Her feet carried her to Jaune’s bed where she promptly laid down on his pillow. Tension left her and her mind felt calmer. Ruby let out a sigh of defeat. She really was falling for him, wasn’t she? Finally relaxed, her eyelids shut for awhile. She really hoped he’d be back soon.

xxxxx

Over in a village, night fell after a long day of fixing fences and slaying grimm. As Nora ate her fill and Pyrrha entertained the small children, Ren had finished cooking and went back to his shared room. Inside he found dozens or finished plans and his weapons already tended to by Jaune. Ren turned his head to see his leader already knocked out for the day, his body draped in one of Ruby’s cloaks as a cover. Ren smiled, grabbing his guns for first watch and locking the door as he left.

[book-place]

Guilty Conscience

Warnings: tasm spoilers, mention of character death, panic attacks, let me know if I missed any :)

Pairings: Peter Parker x sister reader

Request: Hey, I have a request! who knows a oneshot where Peter Parker's younger sister feels guilty for Uncle Ben's death for having participated in the whole event up close and feeling that she should have done something (even though she is only 12(?) years old and really couldn't have done much about it) and starts to pull away from May and Peter because of this (and also because Peter started acting weird due to his "spider problem") and, after she arrives one day shaken from school due to an anxiety attack related to it all, Peter just tries to reach out and comfort her? (oh and if you can make it be TASM! Peter Parker I would be so grateful lol) Well, I hope you can understand what I mean and my idea itself lol English is not my first language, by the way, so... sorry if I missed a spelling issue or something! ps: I love your oneshots! your writing is really amazing and i'm glad it reached me here from brazil <3

Request by: Anon

*not my gif*

Summary: You’ve never felt more alone then you did after your uncles death

A/N: Hi :)

Please don’t plagiarize my work, you may reblog if you like but I’m asking that you don’t steal my hard work

You rattled off a long sigh, letting your eyes slip up to the building in front of you. The intimidating, cold building stood there like a prison, waiting for its next guilty occupant. In this case, you.

But at the end of the day, it was just a school, and perhaps you were the only one who felt like a prisoner in the place of learning and popularity. You doubted it, though.

As much as you tried to ignore them, it was practically impossible to miss the way people would send you long glances- some with pity, others with amusement- before turning to their friends and beginning whispering to each other. As if you weren’t right there.

Though you had only been pulled out of school for a week, it felt as though it had been an eternity. An endless cycle of pain, guilt, and grief.

The best you could do was act as if you didn’t hear anybody or notice the way students parted in the hallway all around you.

You pretended as if this was just a one day thing, that it would go away as soon as the final bell rang. But you knew that it would last a good month before it fully faded from people’s memories and they stopped caring.

So far, you hadn’t yet figured out if you were longing for or dreading for when that time would come. To finally have people stop making you the center of attention, or to have people forget the reason you hadn’t been in school. The person it was because of. When that time comes, would they forget about him all together? Everybody? Would life just carry on as if he were never there?

You had begged your Aunt May to let you stay out for another week, but she insisted that the best thing that could be done for you was to send you back into the real world. She said that she would be doing it with you, going back to work on the same day.

And though she didn’t say it, you knew that she meant that you had to move on, learn how to live a life without your Uncle Ben. The only father figure in your life. One of the people you loved most in the world. And as of a week ago, the only person you felt like was still on your side.

For some time now, your older brother, Peter, had been distancing himself from not just you, but your entire family as well. And that stung.

The two of you used to be as close as siblings could be, rarely ever arguing, always getting along.

Your aunt always claimed it was the age gap, you being twelve and Peter being seventeen, but you always secretly thought it was because he wasn’t dead set like all the other teenagers at seeming too cool to hang out with their younger sibling. He actually cared about you, and wasn’t afraid to show it.

But then he was distancing himself, and you felt alone.

Sure, you had May, but you had never been as close to her as you were to Ben or Peter.

Though everyone avoided you like the plague, the hallways felt too crowded. Too stuffy. Too loud. Too bright.

You hadn’t even realized how much your breathing had picked up until dark spots had begun to dance in the corners of your vision. Only then did you feel the tight squeeze in your chest and the way your hands were shaking uncontrollably.

It wasn’t until you began swaying back and forth on your feet, stumbling through the hall slightly, did you realize that you really had to get out of there.

No longer caring about the whispers that would go around, you barged into an empty and dark classroom, closing the door behind you just in time for you to lose your balance completely.

Helplessly grasping onto the wall for support, you slipped down until your knees were touching your chest, breathing becoming more shallow and rapid as you gasped for air.

Your hands flew up to your hair and you began tugging at the roots, ignoring the sting that came along with it, the same way you were ignoring the way salty tears had begun to leak out of your eyes and make their way down your face.

That was how you spent the next thirty minutes, rocking back and forth with no thoughts other than everything that had happened to you within the week, everything you had lost, everything that would happen.

-•-

When you had finally managed to calm yourself down, you had decided that staying at school for the rest of the day would be pointless.

So, you slipped out of the building undetected and began your long trek home.

It was what you needed, you supposed, to have the comforting noises of the city drown out all the thoughts in your head.

You of course avoided the streets that reminded you of that night, the very ones that you were also mentally avoiding.

Now your problem has become physical and mental.

By the time you got home, at least half of a school day had passed, but you couldn’t care less.

You quickly shrugged off and discarded your backpack, throwing it down beside your shoes before trudging up the stairs, trying to make a beeline for your room before a voice pulled you from your thoughts.

“Y/n?” Peter asked, peeking his head out from his own room as his eyes widened in surprise at seeing you.

You froze like a deer in headlights under your older brother's gaze. He was supposed to be in school as well.

His eyebrows furrowed, automatically taking in the way your hands were shaking slightly by your sides and your disheveled hair, “What is it? What’s wrong?”

A scoff escaped your lips before you could stop yourself and you rolled your eyes slightly, turning on your heel and stomping the rest of the way to your room.

“Hey- what? Y/n, wait!” He called, pushing off of the wall and scrambling after you, pushing on your door just in time to stop it from slamming in his face.

“Go away, Peter.” You demanded through gritted teeth, not even looking at him as he spoke.

“Not until you tell me what’s going on.” He insisted, brown orbs sweeping over every inch of your face as if that alone would inform him of what he wanted to know, “You can talk to me, Y/n.”

Your jaw clenched as you whipped around to glare up at him dangerously, watching as his eyes widened in surprise at your actions, “That’s rich coming from you.” You hissed.

“Why aren’t you in school?” He continued calmly, not losing his patience with you. He never lost his patience with you.

“Why aren’t you in school?” You shot back, giving up on trying to close the door and turned back into your room, stiffly sitting on your bed with your back against the headboard.

“It was too hard,” He admitted softly, shuffling after you slightly and coming to a halt in front of where you sat.

Despite yourself, your muscles relaxed slightly at his words. You weren’t the only one feeling that way.

Hesitantly, he sunk onto the mattress near your feet, “You’re not alone, Y/n,” He spoke softly, slowly reaching out and grabbing onto your hand, squeezing it lightly.

Angrily, you shook your hand out of his grasp and brought it to your chest, where you crossed your arms.

A flash of hurt went through his eyes at your gesture before he spoke up again, “Please just tell me what’s wrong. I want to help you.”

“You want to help me?” You seethed, something finally snapping inside of you as you sat up on your knees so that you were eye level with him, “Well then where were you last week? Where were you when Uncle Ben died? Where were you as I sat in the middle of the street and screamed for help, to useless to do anything other than that to try and save my uncle?”

By then, tears had once again begun to roll down your cheeks in waves of sorrow, and Peter felt his heart break more than it ever had before.

He had been so caught up in his own grief and everything going on after getting bitten by that spider that he hadn’t even been able to see you, his little sister, only twelve years old, in so much pain.

“I’m so sorry,” He breathed out, tears of his own springing into his eyes as he drew you into his arms and to his chest.

This time, you didn’t fight him as you melted into his hold, grasping onto his shirt tightly as you sobbed along with your elder brother.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” He kept repeating, burying his face in your hair as he spoke, “It wasn’t your fault. I promise you it wasn’t. Okay?”

You nodded against his shoulder, sniffling slightly as you hiccuped a little bit while your tears finally subsided.

“I’ll be better,” He whispered, “I won’t leave you like that ever again, you hear me? I promise.”

Two promises. Two of the biggest ones he possibly ever has or ever will make, but he meant them with every bone in his body.

We Are Groot 🤎- @lovanitu @jvdethirlwall @ineedmorefanfics2 @sambucky8 @spidyyparker @irethepotato @femalemarvelself @mukbee @its-hell @ip747 @i-writes-things @popfishjr @mitsuki-murakami @mythixmagic

[arliedraws]

Rewatching the PoA movie as I do chores, and I gotta pause while I’m thinking about this.

People who know me even slightly understand that this is my least favorite HP movie. In my opinion, it totally misses the point of the book and tries to simply hit plot points without understand what ties them all together.

If this is YOUR movie and you LOVE IT, this post is NOT for you! Save yourself some grief and don’t click the ‘read more’ below.

Here’s what the film does right:

- Wise/playful Sirius. We get a wink and nice touchy moment with Harry, and I see a glimpse of the Sirius I love here. This is good! The quiet moments with Gary Oldman is Sirius are VERY good. As time goes on, I am much more confident that Oldman would’ve made a very good Sirius given the opportunity. That intimate scene with Harry and Sirius at the end is a good cinematic interpretation of the internal longing Harry expresses to the reader.

Okay, that’s it. That’s all I like.

Nitpicky bits:

- The editing is just. Weird. We see ONE dinner scene with Marge and it seems like Harry just blows up one night (or blows her up lol) as if he’s just got a short fuse. Harry is a quiet person. He watches, he listens, he puts up with shit until he breaks. This scene needed to be longer, it needed to have more tension. We needed to understand the deal between Uncle Vernon and Harry + signing the permission form for Hogsmeade. One way this could have been shot with Harry at the table with everyone and slooooooow down the conversation. Build the tension. Close-ups, shots of Harry trying to pretend he doesn’t hear her. The book scene is very tense because Harry is quiet as they are talking about him as if he’s not there. THEN, he quietly speaks, drawing their attention.

- Don’t get me started on the Firebolt scene.

- Sirius saying when Remus is transforming “OH NO HE DIDN’T TAKE HIS POTION” as if Remus regularly took Wolfsbane back in the day? And then Sirius pleading with Remus not to transform??? Like Sirius, I think you know werewolves don’t work like that.

- I hate the werewolf design. It doesn’t HAVE to look like the wolf in canon (which is nearly indistinguishable from a regular wolf), but damn, it just didn’t do it for me.

- When Harry sees Peter on the Map??? Dude that was so dumb.

- The scene with the animal noises? Why? I don’t care about the other boys in Gryffindor. Show me why the trio are close other than out of loyalty (something that the books honestly miss out on)

- Remus being so upfront with Harry that he knew his parents and then focussing on LILY??? And also, part of what we learn over time in the book is that Remus knew James but refuses to indulge Harry. He keeps all of that secret—the mystery of Remus is completely wasted in this movie. I would have personally played this up in the film. Build him up as the “cool” professor who holds back emotionally. The payoff when he shows up at the end at the Shrieking Shack would be like, “Oh shit! I knew there was something off about him!” when it seems like he’s helping Sirius. Then, he would have to earn back the audience’s trust just like he does with the trio.

- The Aesthetic: this movie relies on aesthetic so much more than “what makes sense narratively.” There is so much winking at the audience by the filmmakers it drives me bonkers. Anytime something weird happens, they’re like, “Haha this weird thing is NORMAL in the wizarding world! Look at how weird it is! But for them! It’s normal!” Like jfc we get it. I know the first two movies are like, “look at how beautiful magic and cool is” but GOD. This is the film where we need magic to be “normalized.” We get it. We’re three films in. This is a magical world. These cheesy, winking-at-the-camera moments aren’t even like…cute or fun. They’re boring and uncreative. “Oh, how about a maid opens a door and a monster screams at her and she’s bland about it.” Like. Is it supposed to be funny? Because…it’s boring.

When you’re focused on Vibes rather than Character, everyone turns into a cheap, bland caricature. The filmmakers do NOT understand who the characters are. Even in Sorcerer’s Stone, Ron is the comic relief but we understand that he is fiercely loyal. In PoA, he is pure comic relief. They don’t even understand Harry. Both his and Ron’s lines are given to Hermione in the Shack scene which is like…why????

But this is the problem. At the heart of every scene, it was as if the filmmakers didn’t understand why the scene was there. In the film, Harry is an angsty teenager and things happen TO him. Oh sure, they want to show that Harry feels something but…we don’t really, as an audience, FEEL it. They TRY to force that emotional tension by rushing events along and then showing Harry crying sometimes and yelling his feelings. yawn, honestly.

- There is SO MUCH SHOUTING in this film. Harry screams about killing Sirius when he hears the Minister/McGonagall/Rosmerta talking about the betrayal. This was so…poorly done. This boy needs to close himself off from his friends and stew in his hatred, not scream about it. We need to be angry with him, not feel sad for him. We need to want to kill Sirius too.

HOW THEY SHOULD’VE DONE THE BETRAYAL EXPLANATION SCENE:

Look, it would’ve been a boring movie scene if they’d done it like the book. This is not an adaptation-friendly book, and I’ll be the first to admit it. BUT. What they could have done was this: use flashbacks and montages. They do it in Sorcerer’s Stone when Hagrid explains how the Potters died and it’s effective—you see Lily panicking, dying, and then you see cute little Harry with a wand in his face. That’s emotional!

This scene in The Three Broomsticks should have been a flashback with voiceover from Fudge/McGonagall/Rosmerta/Hagrid. It should have shown us Sirius and James being best friends at Hogwarts. With them, we could see Peter and Remus (who we wouldn’t know was Lupin). Then, we should have seen Hagrid arguing with Sirius about who gets Harry (the little devil in me wants to hear Sirius’s voice break, but also, we should feel like Sirius is going to harm the baby Harry). Thennnnnnn we should have seen what the Muggle witnesses saw — Peter crying that Sirius betrayed Lily and James, a misleading explosion, and then Sirius laughing. Thennnnn a close-up of Peter’s finger. Back to present.

Why is this effective and why would it build tension? As the audience, we need to be presented with proof that Sirius is a bad guy. We need to understand why this guy’s gotta be caught!

Also, show us how scary Sirius is by reeeaaaallly playing it up with a scene with the Minister in Azkaban—quiet, sinister Sirius please. Again, give us the tension! (Sirius acting all crazy in the wanted posters instead of the book’s slow blinking, empty-eyed prisoner totally misses the mark for me.) Then, show us him sleeping and talking in his sleep.

This would have been effective becaaaaaaause you could have brought back this flashback in the Shrieking Shack scene.

Which brings me to: The Shrieking Shack scene.

The most disappointing part of the film, in my opinion.

This is supposed to be it—the built-up tension (which never actually happens) finally explodes here. But the movie holds no tension so this scene is reduced to a lot of yelling in the movie. And of course Hermione taking everyone’s lines for some reason.

As as audience, we can’t just be scared. We should be angry. Sirius needs to be quiet, softer. He’s lured Harry away from safety by kidnapping his friend. He needs to be grinning, taunting Harry (I mean, he’s not, but it sounds like it). We need to feel like Sirius is just fucking AWFUL. Sirius MUST compare Harry and Ron to James and himself. Stretch this out like a rubber band until it snaps—until Harry snaps. GOD THIS COULD HAVE BEEN SUCH A JUICY SCENE.

The explanation should have been all voiceover—Remus explaining what happened over shots of the Marauders’ time at Hogwarts. Otherwise, it’s weird that we don’t have an explanation of the Marauders…at all??

When Sirius explains what really happened November 1st, we would see shots that the original flashback didn’t show (Peter looking miffed/jealous/“suspicious” behind everyone’s backs, Peter becoming Secret Keeper, a shady glimpse Peter kneeling before a faceless Voldemort or some shit, and then finally—the missing shots from the explosion in the flashback from earlier in the film.) Then, let’s see Sirius wasting away in Azkaban, growing older and older. Give us the EMOTIONAL WEIGHT. Then, Sirius’s voice breaks and we cut back to the present. We see the trio fighting with their own interpretations with close-ups.

(I also wanna see Sirius seeing the photograph of Pettigrew when he’s explaining how he knew Peter was alive.)

Also, also. Peter needs to be the Gollum of this film. Gives us watery eyes, precious. There has to be a reason he isn’t dead, and it’s because he’s so pathetic, no one can kill him. As an audience, we need to be like, “GOD, he is SO PATHETIC and defenseless!” The idea of killing Peter should be like killing a really ugly puppy. Like…ughhhh, I just can’t do it! Show us why Harry saves him. We need to see gross begging, manipulative sobbing, and completely emotionless Sirius and Remus, watching and getting ready to kill him.

Why does the film miss the mark? Because it’s about friendship, and the filmmakers had no idea.

The subplot of the book is seemingly Hermione and Ron being on the outs because of Crookshanks and Scabbers, but like Peter does with the Marauders during the war, Scabbers drives a wedge between the trio. He seems so innocent and we think CROOKSHANKS is the problem, but it’s the quiet spy. (Sure, Hermione was a dick about her cat and if Scabbers hadn’t been Peter, it would’ve been different—I get that. Not excusing Hermione. But stick with me). Up until now, the trio’s friendship hasn’t been tested by personal problems, and now, we see how Harry and Ron respond to a challenging situation with a friend.

Which. I don’t think that’s the subplot. I think this is the crux of this book.

Harry and Ron fail very hard at friendship in this story. They fail Hermione who, while extremely flawed and misguided, has good intentions. Harry treats her with indifference and then ignores her; Ron treats her with outright antagonism. They fail Hagrid miserably when it comes to Buckbeak, and we find out that Hermione has been doing her best to help Hagrid despite being rejected by Harry and Ron. And this is important to the overall situation with Sirius Black because before we find out the truth, we think Sirius was a bad friend.

Okay, let me talk about the Firebolt now because the Firebolt was never really about Sirius.

The Firebolt plot was so crucial to the story that it’s outrageous they cut this out of the movie. (But the filmmakers had no idea PoA was about friendship so I guess whatever.) When Harry loses his Nimbus to the Whomping Willow, he expresses that it “felt like he had lost a friend” so when he gets a new broom that he really wants, he’s willing to sacrifice his true, human friend for it. He rejects Hermione because she told on him to McGonagall to keep him safe—not her best move but honestly, if Sirius had really wanted to kill Harry, it would have been very easy for him.

When you are making an adaptation of a book, you must ask essential questions. What is the POINT of this film? What is the lesson we are showing? Every part of that film should be building up to demonstrate that point. Trying to hit every plot point without knowing why is so lazy. “I want to make a Harry Potter film—but the tone has changed. It’s DARK now. You gotta know—he’s an ANGSTY TEEN!” Yeah, that does nothing for me, dude.

Harry’s willingness to sacrifice himself for his friends in the Shack is supposed to show that he is capable of growth and that friendship/love should come before all else. You need to be able to forgive (Snape subplot/Hermione subplot), and you should be willing to set aside petty quarrels/greed for your friends (Firebolt subplot/Peter subplot). Sure, the plot is that “a murderer breaks out of prison and wants to kill Harry Potter” but it’s not what the film is ABOUT.

If Sorcerer’s Stone is about making friends and building a friendship, Prisoner of Azkaban asks the question, “What happens when the honeymoon is over? What happens when my friends reveal glaring flaws? What happens when those flaws affect ME?”

Anyway, I really tried to give this movie another chance (I’ve seen it about 6-7 times since it came out), and it STILL does not do it for me. I’ve come around to Gary Oldman as Sirius (but not when he’s yelling or hysterical—does he EVER yell in the books?), but that’s it.

[recentadultburnout]

So I wrote a PatPran fic for the Songkran Fest 2024 event. It's pretty dialogue-heavy😅

Ao3

Part of yours

Summary:

After so many years of sneaking around, Pat and Pran are finally accepted by each other's families.

Or

Pat joins in with Pran's family during songkran.

"It's going to be Songkran soon."

At night Pat says. His arms hang loosely around his lover's torso.

"So what?"

Pran ask in return, still paid more attention to the headphone reviews than the conversion.

"You want to go out?"

He pushes Pat's hand away a little, making it easier for him to grab a pencil for his note. With the discount, this one will be in the budget. It would be worth it if the reviews were true.

"Nah, not really..."

And now Pat's head is in his lap. Demand attention.

"It's just... Ugh! I don't even know! After grandpa passed, we don't even Rodnam properly anymore. When it was Songkran, we just laid around the house together. Order something to eat, maybe. It's been what? Since high school?"

"But ink has been there these past few years, you know? Apparently, Pa also went to Rodnam with her parents too." Pat complain.

"So?"

"Ink lives hours away. Our houses are right next to each other! Don't you see how ridiculous this is?!"

"You actually want to Rodnam my parents?"

That was quite a surprise. Pran didn't think Pat even wanted to be in the same room with them before, and now he wants to Rodnam them? Go sit there at their feet, ask for their blessing, and act like a sweet obedience child. Pat? With his parents?

"Eh... maybe?"

Pat looked pretty hesitant with his answer, but after a moment of silence, he did not change it.

"We can try."

"Really?"

"So you just want to vent but not actually do it?"

"No! I want to do it! Really! For real!"

"Yeah, yeah. It's not like they don't know we live together."

"They know?"

"I'm pretty sure they know. No one has said anything yet, but... I don't know. They are not stupid, you know. And lately, we didn't even try to hide."

"I don't think my mom is going to flip just because I asked if you could come pay respect to her. Maybe she will flip if I tell her I'm going to pay respect to yours. But I don't think she will ask, so I will probably just not mention it and skip that conversation."

"I will have you know, she has come quite far."

Pat made a face.

"I hope that's true."

"That's final, then. We're going to be at my grandmother's on the 14th, and Uncle Pok's family will probably be there. Aunt Pann too. I'm not bringing you with me that day this year. Let's start with just my parents first. From 12 to 16, other than 14, you can pick any day."

"Kay"

.

He is the one who tells his boyfriend that his mom will be fine with him coming in on Songkran, 'intruding' on family time, but will she really?

Pran wants to say she definitely will. But still, he was scared.

If he decides not to go through with it, Pat will understand. He might be teasing him for a bit for chicken out of something he suggested himself, but he will understand.

He can still scrub the plan.

Nah.

What is he? A coward? Definitely NOT.

.

"My mom agreed."

She acts like she knows and has been fine with their relationship all along. Pran is not sure who she tries to deceive—herself or him.

It seems pointless.

Well, this attitude is better than before, for sure, and he is not about to question it.

"I never think I'm going to live to see the day your mom accepts me as her son-in-law."

Pat pretends to swoon.

"What son-in-law? I have no husband."

Pran retaliate. The word 'yet' nearly got out without thinking.

"One day, you will."

Is it bad that he got a butterfly from that? Just a little, he swears.

"Let the bill actually pass first, then we can talk."

"Awww, I know you want me."

"Don't be stupid."

Pran laughs, pushing Pat away.

"What about your dad?"

Pat made a face.

"He didn't say anything. My mom says she is happy you want to join us, and my dad keeps his quiet—no complaints, no weird noise of disapproval, nothing, just quiet, so yeah, all is well."

.

"Did you know my dad never joined my mom's family on Songkran before they married?"

"Don't your parents marry less than a year after they met?"

"You are no fun."

"You love me."

"Yeah, I love you. You little joy killer."

.

"Pat, why does your Nam Ob come in a plastic bottle?"

"What's wrong with it?"

"Where do you even find Nam Ob that comes in a plastic bottle? I swear it's only come in a glass bottle. And what brand is this? It smells weird."

"It's not! It from 7–11. It literally sits there in front of the drink shelf in 7-11. You just dropped by there this evening. How come you don't see it?"

"You buy Nam Ob at 7-11? Wow, just wow."

If he sees Nam Ob at 7-11, he probably buys it there too instead of going to the other shop just to buy one thing every year, but Pat didn't need to know that.

.

"Why can't we just pour the Nam Ob straight from the bottle into their hands?"

"Pat, I swear."

"What? What's wrong with that? Korn has done it too!"

"Yeah, and Korn is the exact same type as my mom."

"Next, you're going to suggest we use that plastic water bowl you got as a package deal with Nam Ob to catch the water during the time we Rodnam my parents."

"It sure would be a whole lot easier to clean compared to that delicate, unpractical little glass tray with pedestal you brought. THAT gives me a scare of my life every moment I have to hold it. The plastic bowl will not."

"Why glass, by the way? If you want to go for traditional, shouldn't it be the gold or silver one? Or maybe Benjarong? Do we use Benjarong for this?"

"My mom likes it. She is the one who brought a set that was used during my dad's Songkran every year. I think there is another set for her parents too, but I was too young back then, so I don't remember much."

"Did you pick what you will bring as a gift yet?"

"Is the tea box set good enough? It's a premium tea from Doi Mae Salong. Super fine plucking too. Your mom loves tea, right?"

"Shouldn't it be some type of cloth?"

"Umm, why?"

Pran sigh.

"If I wronged you in any way before, please forgive me."

If you ask, Pat will tell you that he is 100% sure he was the one who was wronged by them, not the other way around. Sadly, this is what he asked for, so he will have to suck it up.

Having to sit through an awkward meal and an even more awkward family ritual where he clearly out of place isn't that enjoyable, but the fantasy of having the main door open for him is too great for anything to weigh him down.

At least it's going to be done soon.

"I wish you good health. Anything you think of, let it become true. Let your life and career be more and more prosperous."

The blessings are as generic as they can be. Nothing is meaningful like what Pran gets.

Pat is just glad he gets any blessings at all.

The brief touch at the top of his head feels surprisingly nice. Better than he thinks it will be. And with that, the ceremony is done.

Now Pat can pretend to be a good child who wants to help tidy everything up in earnest and escape the scenes for a while. He is grateful for the fact that after so many years of sneaking around, he finally gets to be an invited guess, but he is also in urgent need of alone time away from their eyes.

If Pran can come with him for a bit, that would be great, but at the moment, it seems like the most Pran could do is distract his parents while Pat flees.

.

Pran is still with his dad when Dissaya approaches him at the front of the house, where he is putting all their belongings in his car.

Due to the lack of topics he can think of, Pat just started thanking Pran's mom again for today. It's a little too uneasy, but that's pretty much all he does all day.

Her acknowledgement is practically permission for him to marry her son, for all he cares. Never think he will ever see this day, really.

She sighs and breathes in deeply. Her eyes make Pat paranoid. Pran's beloved mother will never be Pat's favorite person.

"Pran is my son. He will always be my precious little boy. I didn't approve of him being so close with you before because I didn't want him to make the same mistake as me. I will admit that I judged you too harshly and too soon. You make Pran happy, have been for quite some time now. If Pran wants you to be part of our family, then yes, I can look past the other things and accept you."

This little speech of hers makes Pat want to roll his eyes.

Madam Dissaya sure is pretentious.

But contrary to what Pran may think, he does practice self-restraint. So, of course, he thanks her again.

Today is a success.

"Since they now officially know about us, I can openly go into the house wherever, right?"

Pat slides one hand onto Pran's knee before asking teasingly. His boyfriend seems to be in a very good mood, since he let it sit there without starting to lecture him on the topic of the dangers of carelessness while driving.

"Don't test my mom's patience too much."

Pran scolds him, but there is clearly mirth in his voice.

"You mom say I make you happy~"

"You do"

Those two words sound so loving. Pat can help but melt a little.

"She says she accepts me as a part of the family."

He brags further. This time, Pran was actually surprised.

"What? Really? Word by word, or?"

"Word-by-word"

His love reaction makes him feel all puff up. Like that cute little bird he saw on the timeline.

"Is my mom proposing to you for me?"

Pran laugh. His hand is playing with the hand on his knee now.

"It's a yes, by the way."

"I didn't ask yet, you dorks."

"No need. My beloved mother-in-law already asked for you."

"I should be a good son and marry who she picks then."

"Yeah, you better."

"That bill—should we try to win the title of the first couple to register after it passes?"

"Sure, I want to be the first in everything, don't you know?" Pat jokes.

If this is Pran's hint for him to propose, he wouldn't be opposed to it. More than ready, actually.

Suddenly, there is something cold sitting on his finger.

"If you don't like this one, the shop allows us to return it and pick up a new one in a 30-day time frame. There will be some fee, of course."

Pat nearly crashed the car.