#and i do often call him “kelpie”
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I have one of these Too Intelligent Idiots!
Mine is the black idiot. Way too smart for his own good, and eternally pissed at me that he got Sacked From Work because he dislocated his hip and that means no yard or cattle work any more
Kelpie was just strolling along in the yard with me the other day without a care in the world when she saw this dandelion puff and suddenly stopped short like "WHOA, what the fuck is that??"
Not much fazes her like this so I don't know what it was about the dandelion puff that alarmed my normally confident puppy but she puzzled it out and it was very cute! xD
#i don't really recommend them as a good dog for first time dog owners#i got exceptionally lucky with his temperament#he's really not a typical off the walls bonkers kelpie#the red one is!#but she's dad's problem#and i do often call him “kelpie”
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I absolutely LOVE your Mythology Falls AU designs, but I’m curious on why you chose the ones that you did.
I'm so happy you like it! Let's go down the list, shall we?
Dipper: I love the Sphinx!Dipper from Nightrizer's take on Monster Falls, but I didn't want to go that route since these are supposed to be an original take on idea of everyone becoming creatures of myth and legend. The first reason I chose a Gryphon for our beloved Pine Tree because they represent traits like bravery, wisdom, and power. Obviously, Dipper isn't the strongest character in Gravity Falls, but when the chips are down, he isn't afraid to start beating the hell out of whatever is terrorizing him, no matter how much stronger they may be.
The second reason is because I wanted to do something with owls and cheetahs for Dipper. I chose the barn owl because their feathers actually do kinda resemble the colours I chose for Dipper's feathers, and also because they're my favourite species of owl. Both owls and cheetahs are nervous creatures with high pitched calls, which I think fits Dipper very well haha.
Mabel: While I like the idea of Mabel being some kind of water creature, I think her being a mermaid would cause quite a few issues with mobility. I went with a selkie because not only are baby seals fricken adorable (especially harp seals, which is what her coat is based on), but it also allows her to keep her iconic sweater look! Now she can be fashionable on land, and utterly adorable in the water. There's also the added risk of someone trying to take her coat, but when one of your Grunkle's is a dragon, and the other is a kelpie, most people get the hint not to try anything.
Grunkle Stan:
Haha, come on, you see it, right?
Really, though, while Stan may love money, and everyone assumes that he would be hoarding crisp dollar bills, his real horde is actually his house and all those within it. He loves his family more than life itself, and anyone who brings them harm is going to be getting a face full of flames. He's big, grumpy, and looks like he'd be nothing more than a dumb brute, but in reality he's a big softie who could outsmart most anyone who crossed him.
Ford: Kelpies look beautiful, friendly, and enticing, promising fun and adventure, if you only would come closer and climb atop their back. However, this is only a farce, and now you're being dragged down into the dark depths of a lake or river. While Ford wasn't drowning anyone as a human, he certainly dragged McGucket down a dark path, often bringing him into dangerous situations, and he almost did the same to Dipper, although not intentionally. However, they are not always bad, and if you can slip a bridle over a Kelpie's head and tame it for a time, they'll tirelessly help you with whatever you need.
They were also said to be shapeshifters, often taking the form of a man. Whether or not Ford will figure this out remains to be seen (hopefully no one sticks him in a cage and threatens to freeze him!)
Soos: The world's most perfect man deserves a nobel and revered creature. Qilins are gentle, benevolent protectors, and unlike unicorns, they really can see into someone's heart! I wanted Soos to have an overwhelmingly friendly and loved mythological form, so a Qilin seemed like a natural fit.
Wendy & McGucket: two North American cryptids, neither one having much to go on. I chose a Splintercat for Wendy, both because its a lumberjack legend, and because this lynx-like beast topples whole trees with ease by smashing into them which reminded me of Manly Dan, who is also a Splinter Cat.
As for poor old Fiddleford, I made him into a Glawackus because 1. tell me that name isn't something he'd say.
and 2. Glawackuses are said to have the ability to erase the memories of anyone who looks into their eyes. I made it so that the eye that is covered by his green eyeglass is safe to look into, while the other will cause memory loss.
#gravity falls#ask#au#gravity falls au#dipper pines#mabel pines#stanley pines#stanford pines#soos ramirez#wendy corduroy#fiddleford mcgucket#mythology falls#monster falls
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Chapter 7 - The Penultimate One
With no signs of sirens blaring towards them or the door being kicked in by the auxiliary units of the city, all Hunt could do was wrap the Horn in a towel and shove it under the desk out of sight. He’d figure out that headache in the morning.
Nesta kept glancing towards it when she thought he wasn’t looking; Hunt caught her often frowning or wrinkling her nose up in its direction.
He pulled out the chair to sit on it backwards. Nesta perched on the edge of the bed, tiredness nibbling at her expression.
‘Tell me what’s going on.’
‘I don’t know,’ she replied, lifting her chin in defiance.
His fingers grazed against her cheek. ‘I’m on your team, Nesta. I want to help you.’
Fluidly, Nesta rose then moved to stand beside the wide windows which looked out upon the city. ‘In my world there are objects from the Dread Trove. The Harp is one. It opens wards. I’ve also used a Mask. I wouldn’t wish it upon my enemy. The world went cold. I-’ Nesta paused a moment. ‘I was being attacked by a kelpie. I thought I was going to die. It was biting me, pressing its face to mine - and the Mask came to me. I didn’t need to breathe or think. An army of the dead rose when I wore the Mask to do my bidding.’
‘A kelpie. Why were you anywhere near one?’
Nesta said nothing, just kept a slight scowl upon her face.
‘I hope they tucked you into bed and fed you ice cream for days after that.’
A light went out in her eyes. ‘No. They did not.’
Hunt couldn’t take the fraught expression on Nesta’s face; couldn’t bear to see her clinging to the cracks to keep from breaking. He crossed the room to stand behind her, his wings cradling around her. A hand rested on her waist as he stood behind her, watching the city with her.
‘There is a queen who was mortal, but – like me – she entered the Cauldron. It was of her own volition, but after I had attacked it. It turned her fae but ancient. She wears the Crown which can gain control of another’s mind. She wants me dead. It is my fault that she was cursed. If I hadn’t sought vengeance on the Cauldron for Elain…’
His hand went tighter on her waist. Between the Asteri, Einar Danaan, and this queen, there seemed no place safe for Nesta.
‘And do you think the Horn is part of that trove?’
On her exhale, Nesta sank into him. ‘It keeps calling to me, Hunt. Its voice is weak and broken but it is communicating.’
As if his arms might protect her from everything that life could throw at them, Hunt wrapped them around Nesta and kissed her temple. ‘What does it say to you?’
‘To use it.’
‘I’m not an expert on fae objects, but do you not have to pay a toll to use them? You haven’t suffered from using them?’
Her fingers rested on his forearms and Hunt wished they could stay that way for an eternity. He had to overcome his shitty life to make hers better; she deserved that.
‘It is said that some have not been able to take the Mask off. I won’t make a habit of using them.’
‘We can ask Danaan what the Horn was fabled to do. The fae like secrecy. I don’t want you whizzing off and landing in a road somewhere else.’ Hunt kissed her temple again. ‘You might end up in a world without waffles.’
‘A true terror.’
Nesta prised herself free then turned to gaze at him. She had to raise her chin an inch or two to meet his eyes, but for a female she was tall. Those long, lean legs reminded him of a dancer. If she stayed in Lunathion and kept up her diet of pure sugar, the harshness of her face would soon soften.
‘You are very calm about this,’ she noted.
‘Four nights ago, a shooting star fell from the sky and changed my life for the better.’ Hunt bopped the end of her nose. ‘I’ll take whatever life can throw at me as long as you’re there too.’
‘You barely know me.’
Hunt laced his fingers through hers then brought them to his chest so she could feel the steady thud of the heart within. ‘My heart knows you. It recognised you the moment we met, like we’d met in another life.’
When Nesta’s lips parted, he thought she might laugh or call him embarrassing for his words. Instead, she rose up on her toes to kiss him.
***
It was late when they settled into the bed. Like the previous night, they moved in together, one body tracing the other’s path. It was Nesta who needed Hunt beside her that night. Despite his words, she could sense the undercurrent of worry within him regarding the Horn. She did not know how it had come to her even after he had returned it to Luna’s temple but she imagined it was similar to the Mask, with even wards being unable to hold it. The trove items seemed to have a consciousness or their own desires. For now, Nesta was a tool they wanted to use so she needed to remember that.
‘Stop overthinking and go to sleep,’ said Hunt, voice hazy with sleep.
‘How did you know?’
‘You stopped stroking my wing.’
Indeed, her fingers had stilled from their path. Once she had discovered that an angel’s wings were nothing at all like an Illyrians, she could not be stopped. Hunt had explained that whilst most didn’t make a habit of touching a malakim’s wings, it wasn’t forbidden. He’d likened it to stroking somebody’s hair and even shared that his mother would brush his wings with her knuckles to ease him into sleep as a child. She found it soothing to stroke the feathers, especially the soft downy ones on the inside.
‘Everything will be alright, Nesta.’ Hunt kissed the back of her neck which sent a shiver down her spine. ‘You’ll be home soon.’
If anything could have sent her spiralling, it was that. They were well and truly different worlds. In Prythian, she lived in Rhysand’s pocket. She was Cassian’s to parade. She had been willing to believe that it was love because she knew no better, had no other options. They had all been taken from her. She’d watched her mother and father’s stifled, loveless marriage that had been arranged by their parents and expected the same. These days with Hunt had shown her that life could be fun. It didn’t have to mean survival. There could be somebody who stood on your team and wanted to be there for every moment.
Hunt groaned and pulled his arm tighter around her. ‘Overthinking.’
‘Sorry.’
‘Do you want to talk?’
‘Let’s sleep,’ she offered.
Hunt kissed her skin once, twice, she couldn’t count the number of small kisses he peppered upon her. ‘Goodnight, waffle queen.’
‘Sleep well, Orion.’
It was Hunt who woke her in the morning. He spoke softly on his cellphone but the words were crass and aggressive; a threat to whoever he was talking to as he made the morning coffee. A shard of light was exposed by the curtains which promised another bright, sunny day in Crescent City. The dawning of each day was a countdown that Nesta didn’t want.
‘For once in your pampered life, stop being a fucking dick,’ Hunt whispered.
Nesta couldn’t make out the quiet voice on the other end as she lay in the bed, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
‘Fae bullshit,’ replied Hunt. ‘Whatever. I’m heading to the Comitium soon. Your father can cry and scream all he wants, but it’s a fae item and it’s missing from Luna’s Temple so of course the finger will be pointed at your lot.’ A pause. ‘Fine. There’s still a warrant for your father’s address.’
He tossed the phone to the end of the bed then carried over the mugs.
‘What’s a warrant?’
As Hunt jumped, a dribble of coffee sloshed over the side of the mug. ‘Sorry. Did I wake you?’
‘No.’
‘A warrant is an official document meaning we can search a premise. In this case, Einar Danaan is being investigated. Apparently Luna’s Horn is missing. Can you believe it?’
‘Colour me shocked,’ Nesta replied drily.
‘It’s still where we left it. I’ve checked.’ Hunt settled the mugs down then flopped across the bed, covering her legs like an overgrown house cat.
‘What should we do?’
Hunt yawned carelessly. ‘Take a shower together. Find breakfast – there’s a nice little café not far from here – and then get as far away as we can. Pangera, maybe. Or the moon.’
Something about the way he’d said we as if they were in this mess together, like even if it was Nesta’s fault that a historical relic had turned up in the room, Hunt was still on her side and they’d figure it out.
She wiggled her feet out from beneath Hunt to draw her knees to her chest. ‘It’s really bad, isn’t it?’
Hunt gave a short smile. ‘I mean, it’s not great, but it is a little bit funny that Micah has managed to get a warrant from the other side of the world to have Einar Danaan’s home searched. I wish I could see the fae prick’s face.’
‘Is it a common theme across universes that the fae are disliked?’
‘They’re all stuck-up assholes. Except you, of course.’
‘I am not fae by choice,’ she reminded him.
Hunt rubbed his face with his hands. ‘Let’s get your Harp and find a nice corner of the universe where it’s warm and sunny and nobody knows us.’
‘I’d like that,’ Nesta admitted.
Despite what she had seen in Prythian, Nesta had never been convinced that fate was real. There was no such thing as destiny moving two pieces together across worlds. No force tethering souls. And yet, her heart so wanted to believe in it when she looked at Hunt. As a child, Nesta’s ideal husband had been one who left her alone; polite at best, neutral at worst. She had never dreamed of a man who was her equal because those sorts of mortal men did not exist. Her mother had instilled in her that she was an asset and that was all. Even in Prythian, a male was still worth more than a female. It was he who felt a bond, not a female. And Nesta, so stupid and lost, had stopped fighting for her freedom, for her choice, and gave in. She’d become her worst nightmare; her mother’s daughter. For months, she had told herself that beyond lust, it was only irritation that she felt for Cassian. There could be sparks of brilliance, of kindness, but it was extended to anybody – and more often than not, Nesta was the bottom of his priorities. The male she loved shouldn’t make her feel like a problem.
Hunt yawned his way through a sleepy morning, cuddling up to her legs beneath the duvet while Nesta drank her coffee. She couldn’t bear to tell him that she wasn’t a fan of it unless it had whipped cream on top and sugary syrups pumped into it; the fact he made her drinks in the morning was such a low expectation and yet nobody else ever had. Nesta alternated between running her fingers through his hair or his wings whilst prompting him to wake up and drink his own coffee. It appeared that burrowing against her was a more favourable way to spend his time.
Eventually, when Isaiah had called three times, Hunt dragged himself from the bed to shower.
He returned with a towel slung around his hips with damp wings.
‘Where’s the hairdryer?’
Nesta frowned. ‘The what?’
Hunt plucked a device from one of the drawers, careful not to disturb the Horn. It was red with a metal grid over the muzzle. A black cable was wrapped around the handle which he unwound before plugging it in.
‘Oh, you’ll love this,’ he said.
‘I thought it was a gun, like the one you have.’
Hunt tried his best not to laugh at her and failed quickly. ‘Nesta, in this world – probably any world that has guns – they don’t need to be plugged in. They’d not be effective. I mean, I can see why. It looks like one.’
The angel aimed it at her face then pressed a button.
Nesta screwed her eyes shut, bracing for pain, but was met with a loud noise and a burst of hot air.
When she dared open her eyes, Hunt was pointing it at himself, blowing the moisture from his hair. Nesta practically groaned at the sight of it. All of those nights carefully towelling her hair dry and still finding it damp in the morning.
‘What would happen if I used the gun on your wings?’
‘Hairdryer, Stargirl,’ he called over the noise. ‘I’d be all fluffy like a little chick.’
‘Oh, I’m very tempted,’ she said, grinning with a delight that she rarely felt.
Nesta lay back on the bed, watching Hunt dart about the room readying himself for a brief visit to the Comitium. She never thought she’d be the type to be so comfortable sharing such a small living space, but Hunt made everything easy. Nothing ruffled his feathers.
Perhaps because they were the same. Two lost souls searching for another’s hand to hold.
‘I have to go and play dumb about the Horn. I’ll look through Einar’s underwear for the sake of it.’
‘A strange way to spend your day.’
‘I’ve already rifled through yours,’ he shot back. ‘You’ll get a frequent shopper card from that lingerie boutique soon. When I come back, I have a day planned. A final day in Lunathion hitting up all the sights.’
She knew the final day was coming, but it felt a lot like a noose pulling tighter with each passing moment. There had been so many goodbyes that were stolen from her. Nesta didn’t want to say this one. Couldn’t say it.
***
After putting on his best bored tone and acting as though it was as much a pain for Hunt as it was for the Autumn King to be searching every inch of his home for Luna’s Horn, Hunt allowed himself a little laugh when he got back to the barracks. The king had seethed, demanding to know which informant had planted the information that the Horn might be in his possession – and Hunt had shot him down with about thirty different city regulations about witness protection just to piss him off further.
‘Hunt, you still here?’
Vik called through the door as he was changing, ready for a day of adventure with his Stargirl.
‘One second.’
‘Meet me in my office when you’re done.’
It wasn’t like Viktoria to summon him so, warily, Hunt grabbed another change of clothes and hurried down to her basement dwelling. There were three monitors open and a computer that sounded like it might fly from the churning noise coming from the fan. Polystyrene coffee cups littered the desk.
‘Just the male,’ she said, spinning in her chair. ‘Micah asked me to pull the footage from Luna’s temple. There are no cameras inside which is so not helpful, but I’ve managed to get a picture of anybody who entered or departed the temple within a two-hour window of it disappearing. According to witnesses, it simply vanished before their eyes.’
‘Weird,’ Hunt said with a shrug.
‘Yeah. So, Declan Emmett is running additional tests on the footage and other teams are scraping the images to match them with IDs from our databases to question them. Isaiah’s got another team already speaking to the acolytes at the temple about what they saw.’
Hunt said nothing, just nodded along because this was information he already knew.
‘What’s really weird is like two hours after the Horn disappeared, there was a freak lightning storm that frazzled the cameras for a while.’ Viktoria threw an empty cup at him. ‘Hunt Athalar, I know your lightning.’
‘That’s not my lightning,’ he lied, voice pitching slightly too high.
Vik glared. ‘Oh, terribly sorry. It must have been the other Umbra Mortis who sent all the tech haywire last night.’ She threw her hands in the air. ‘Fuck, Hunt. What are you getting involved in?’
‘What? Nothing. Why the Hel do you think I’m involved?’
‘Uh, because you have a faerie girlfriend from outer space whose Harp went absolutely nuts last night.’
‘Nuts… how?’
Colour dotted her cheeks as she rolled up her long-sleeved top to reveal a painful-looking purple bruise wrapping around her elbow. ‘It shot me across the room when I was working on it. Literally nothing since it arrived. I’ve played every single string, ran every test, and nothing. Except last night. It was like it was excited. A burst of energy threw me into the wall and it was vibrating. Can you guess what time that happened? I’ll tell you, Hunt. A minute before the call came in that the Horn had disappeared.’
Hunt gave an innocent shrug. ‘A weird coincidence, huh.’
If looks could kill, he should be dead.
‘Sorry about your elbow,’ he said gingerly. He scratched the back of his neck. ‘Have you told anyone else about this?’
‘No, because tomorrow, I am handing that Harp and the sword back to Nesta Archeron and she’s going back to where she came from. Isn’t she, Hunt?’
‘Yeah, she is,’ he replied dejectedly.
When he tried to leave, Vik called out to him again and told him to shut the door.
‘Hunt, I’ve noticed a change this last week and I like it. I really do. But this isn’t her home. When Micah returns-’ she cut herself off. ‘Shit, if the Asteri even catch a whiff of her.’
‘I know. She’s going home.’
On the flight to her hotel, his plans for a day of excitement at the adventure park just on the outskirts of Lunathion plummeted to the ground. For a moment, Hunt debated not telling Nesta – but he couldn’t keep her in the dark. It wasn’t fair to do that. It was a thin line between scaring her or being honest, but surely with the reassurance that he was on her side, it would be alright. Hunt told himself that again: it would be alright. He glanced down at his phone as he landed. A text had been sent while he flew.
Dearest Orion,
I miss you.
Yours,
Nesta.
As he expected, Nesta was quiet as he told her. Her face was too guarded to pick up on much. No wonder Isaiah had such a hard time interrogating her when she landed.
The mood had soured so neither wanted to do much – except enjoy the other’s company.
With Tristan Flynn’s credit card still in Nesta’s possession, they walked to the supermarket. Nesta liked pushing the trolley although they only tossed snacks and a few fruits into it. Hunt let her scan it herself at the self-service even if it took ten times as long because she wouldn’t have the chance again.
‘I wanted to take you on a roller coaster today,’ he said as they walked hand in hand back to the hotel. He swung the plastic bag of groceries as they went.
‘I don’t know what that is.’
‘Like a big metal thing with a cart on it and it goes fast or upside down and everybody screams.’
‘A torture device?’ she hedged.
It sounded that way. ‘No, it’s fun. They have cotton candy. You’d love that. Hot donuts. Lots of rides.’
All of these stupid things that he wouldn’t get the chance to show her. He hated it. Hated that their time together had a fucking expiry date that was drawing closer.
‘I wish you could show me everything,’ she said, entering the elevator and jabbing the button with more force than it required.
Hunt heaved a sigh and slumped against the mirrored-back. ‘I wish you could have met my mother. She’d have loved you.’
Nesta did well to hide the few stray tears on the brief walk to the bedroom, but Hunt didn’t draw attention to it. His mother would have loved her. He wasn’t the Umbra Mortis when he was home, wasn’t the bottom-wrung malakh who was rising up the ranks with his brutality. He was just goofy Hunt who made his mother laugh. It wasn’t like Shahar who’d seen his value and concocted a way to use it while holding his heart. With Nesta, he could be just Hunt.
‘What’s the plan then?’
‘The plan is,’ he said, tugging off her jacket to hang on the hook, ‘we see what crap is on the T.V. and eat our way through this. You can cuddle me, of course, or read your book. We’ll order dinner tonight or go out then back to here. Then I’m cuddling you.’
The smile on Nesta’s face was almost shy as she turned to him. ‘Before I leave, there is one request that I have.’
‘Anything.’
‘Can we wet your wings then fluff them up with the hairdryer?’
Hunt cupped her face then squeezed it. ‘It’s a good job that I like you.’
There's one chapter left then an epilogue. Where the story broke POVs in the first half is where there will also be a smut insert so either you can read it or not :-)
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✦Random C.o.D Headcanons✦
(Random Headcanons that I have no where else to put. Also because I can't properly wrITE WORTH SHIT, UGH)
✧Price can swing dance. And very well, mind you. ✧Johnny’s dad gripes at him for not drinking whiskey. “Bout the only Scotsman who won’t drink scotch! ‘hat’s like an Irish man not drinking Guinness!” He’ll say. But Johnny handles liquor really well. He could down three tequila sunrises without a single waver. ✧Gaz used to do ballet as a kid, gymnastics in secondary school. He’s less flexible now because he doesn’t stretch like he used to, but he could probably still manage the splits. ✧PRICE LIKES OLD WESTERNS AND COUNTRY MUSIC. TRY TO TELL ME OTHERWISE, I DARE YE- ✧Ghost’s autistic hyperfixations consist of; Birds, the chemical affects of drugs(of any kind) on the body, the process of decomposition, bones/skeletons, and how different cultures view Death. (Ex; Grin Reaper, Cu Sith, Thanatos, etc.)
✧Gaz is the one that has the most vast music taste, but admittedly he’s got a bit of a favorite spot for what I call “ass shaking music”. Things like Doja Cat to T-Pain, ya know?
✧Johnny whole heartedly believes in ghosts, and while he likes horror, he’s most scared by paranormal ones.
✧Ghost’s go to snack is apples. He is so obsessed with apples he can differentiate each kind with one bite.
✧Price hates being called Johnathan, the only one allowed to call him that is Laswell. And she only uses it to scold him. Like a mom. ✧Alejandro owns a cowboy hat. He bought Rudy a matching one, but he assumes Rodolfo got rid of it since he never wears it. It’s not true. Rudy is just really worried he’ll ruin it, so he keeps it pristine in his closet. He’ll even ensure it doesn’t collect dust. ✧König has a fear of horses. He had a Celtic mythology phase, read a spooky story with a Kelpie in it, and now they scare him. ✧Horangi used to have a gold tooth, and at one point his gambling debt got so high, he pulled it out and sold it. Also Horangi has bad teeth, lots of fillings & cavities. ✧Diabetes runs in Gaz’ family, so he constantly watches his sugar intake. But it’s really hard because he loves sweets. ✧09 Ghost is a trans man. This isn’t a Headcanon, it’s just true.
✧Johnny has oddly soft hands. He doesn’t do anything to them, and objectively, he should have tons of callouses. And yet? Nah, super smooth.
✧Gaz runs warm and prefers warm weather, Price runs warm and prefers cold, Johnny runs cold and prefers warm weather, Ghost runs cold and prefers cold weather. ✧Ghost hates being spooned cause he’s usually bigger, and the feeling of a body against his back, even if warm and alive? Reminds him too much of the feeling of a deadman pressing on his spine. He’d prefer to be the big spoon if he has to cuddle like that.
✧Rudy owns playboys & playgirl magazines. He just hides them SUPER well, because he’s kinda ashamed. He thinks people owning porn is fine, but his mother visits often and she’s a bit of a snoop. ✧Piggy backing off the last one, that’s also why Rudy is so sneaky. He wasn’t necessarily a super bad kid, and his parents weren’t necessarily unbearable. But he often got roped into trouble by others, and his parents were a bit strict, so he got good at sneaking. ✧Valeria & Alejandro are exes, and while there are many reasons they broke up? One was Valeria realizing she’s hella sapphic.
✧Valeria has a collection of naked women paintings. Like, super expensive ones? No one questions her because she’s a cartel queen, they think she just likes art. And she does. But she also is hella biased towards pretty painted ladies.
✧Gaz definitely has at least one crazy ex. Like “I’ll stalk your number, call your mom, and make a scene in public even if we broke up three years ago” crazy. ✧König was a pot smoking metalhead in high school, I will not elaborate. ✧Ghost tends to be clean shaven because the sensory feeling of stubble is uncomfortable, especially under his mask. But he likes facial hair on other people. ✧Farah is on the aroace spectrum. She’s not completely closed off to romance or sex, but like…it’s very very rare for her to experience those kinds of attractions. (Personally I think Alex is her exception, but I’m biased) ✧SPEAKING OF ALEX, man owns a cane. He decorates it, he also decorates his leg. With stickers. Some of them are kiddy/girly cause his niece gave him them. Do not question the Pinkie Pie on his prosthetic, reminds him of what he needs to come home for.
✧Nik & Price definitely have sucked each other’s dicks at least once. Look, besties bestie however they please. Also, c’mon. They’re military men.
✧Johnny somehow manages to miss something someone is telling him when they’re right by his ear. Yet! He’ll catch a random comment from across the room.
✧Also. Johnny is afraid of dogs. But he also likes dogs. It’s a very hard thing to deal with when he wants to pet what gives him heart palpitations.
✧König doesn’t talk to his mother at all. He occasionally talks to his father, but not much. But his grandma?? Every day. He will won’t miss a single day of contact.
✧Gaz writes poems or short stories sometimes as a coping mechanism. But he hides it cause he's embarassed. ✧Johnny had a full out punk phase in high school. He had spikes on a denim jacket, he had an anarchy pin on his rucksack. Full out. And though he didn't get caught, he probably did some teenage delinquent shit like graffiti. Thankfully, the more destructive stuff is more out of his system...mostly anyway. ✧Price didn't have a full hippie phase when he was younger, but he did have friends in that circle, so he picked up one or two things. ✧Ghost didn't have any aesthetic specifically growing up, but he thought Trad Goths were super cool to look at and he definitely got a lil inspiration from them in his everyday life. ✧Gaz also didn't have a particular aesthetic he fell into, but for some reason he was picked up by a group of scene kids in middle school. If you go through his oldest music playlist, EDM is in there a suspicious amount. ✧König is allergic to bees, so, anytime they're around he'll freak the fuck out and sprint away. If it weren't for the fact he had a reason to fear them, it'd look really silly. ✧Soap has ADHD, Ghost is autistic, Laswell has OCD, Rudy has AuDHD, and König is autistic.
#call of duty#call of duty headcanons#modern warfare#modern warfare ii#modern warfare headcanons#captain john price#john price#johnny soap mactavish#john soap mactavish#soap mactavish'#kyle gaz garrick#kyle garrick#kyle cod#simon ghost riley#simon riley#ghost call of duty#rodolfo rudy parra#valeria el sin nombre garza#alejandro vargas#team 141#kate laswell#farah karim#alex keller#nik cod
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a little late but re: WIP ask game -
MUSEUM MUSE MUSEUM MUSE MUSEUM MUSE MUSEUM MUSE MUSEUM MUSE MUSEUM MUSE MUSEUM MUSE MUSEUM MUSE MUSEUM MUSE MUSEUM MUSE MUSEUM MUSE MUSEUM MUSE MUSEUM MUSE MUSEUM MUSE MUSEUM MUSE MUSEUM MUSE MUSEUM MUSE MUSEUM MUSE MUSEUM MUSE MUSEUM MUSE MUSEUM MUSE
WIP Ask Game
Oh Mads. You and your love for Museum Muse will never cease to delight me. (And there is no such thing as too late, I promise.)
You clarified in DM's that you were curious about how their first DM goes. I haven't gotten there yet, so I don't exactly know. 😅 I just know the circumstances.
So, instead, I'll offer you this: the stories behind their usernames and some of the forums they are frequent in. (Usernames fuckin' suck to come up with, okay? Especially because John and Daisy are both alive at the advent of the internet.)
Under the cut because I...I did world building again. 😅 Sorry not sorry.
Divider Courtesy of @thecutestgrotto
John's username: TinkerKelpie93
In my canon, kiddo John was the kid that took everything apart and put it back together - just to see how it worked. The radio, the clock, the lawn mower, you name it, he could fix it (most likely). Kid was building inventions in the garage where his father worked with scrap parts cast aside from the vehicles repaired.
His granda (his Da's dad) encouraged him up until his death when John was in his early teens. He told stories to wee John about his ancestors, the Scottish Travellers (from my research, they're similar to/adjacent to Romani populations in Scotland- if a Scot wants to correct my history, please do! I want to do this right. 💚) who are/were called "Tinkers" (usually in a negative connotation - literally meaning "itinerant tinsmith").
So Tinker is a bit of a historical nod to his family history and his tendency to "tinker" with things when he's thinking (hello neurodivergency, it's good to see you. 😅)
His love for Scottish Mythology (and the Kelpie part of his name) is courtesy of his Gran (Mum's Mom). She was a school teacher, and loved teaching the mythos of the region. They had a place on the edge of a small loch, and she would always warn him away from the water with a reminder of the stories about the kelpies trying to drown children. As he grew into his artistic practice, he did this detailed Kelpie artwork to give her for the holidays featuring her house, the swing by the loch and the landscape with the fearful mythological creature in the center of the lake that still hangs over her mantle. This John loves oil pastels and charcoal (it's the tactile part), but will make do with pencils when he's in country.
And 93 because, well, he was born April [redacted], 1993. This man's an Aries, y'all. (Bite me on the date. I have my timeline to back me up.)
Divider Courtesy of @thecutestgrotto
Daisy's username: IrisOfTheLake
Daisy's a symbology and history nerd. (Her love for mythology and art is how she ended up getting a degree specializing in the Still Life paintings of the Dutch Golden Age by female artists, but that's another story. She almost studied Arthurian Legends instead, but decided art history and preservation were her true academic love.)
Her aunt has a prolific collection of irises - she's incredibly active in the British Iris Society and Daisy spent many many seasons after school helping her dig and divide them to share with the neighbors and the other members. She even helped her aunt with cross-pollinating and some breeding attempts (though her aunt didn't progress very far down that road for reasons).
Iris is also the Greek Goddess of messages, often said to arrive on rainbows. Iris flowers hold a number of meanings in the floral language, including hope and wisdom. (Can you see where I'm going with this? I hope so.)
"OfTheLake" directly refers to the legends of King Arthur and the Lady of the Lake. (I told y'all, she was a nerd about this shit.) Y'know, the one that gives the sword Excalibur to Arthur and disposes of Merlin? That Lady of the Lake. Badass bitch if I ever heard of one, who holds a lot of wisdom and knowledge to help others achieve their goals.
Why IrisOfTheLake? It sounded good and smashed two of her early fascinations and hobbies together. 😊 (And the irony of our girl having not one but two flower nicknames makes me giggle.)
Divider Courtesy of @thecutestgrotto
Both John and Daisy recognize each other from lurking and posting in a number of forums together, including art history and BDSM. John regularly shares his more refined drawings (usually done on leave or during long waiting periods), and Daisy is regularly active in the floral symbiology threads, talking about the language of flowers and meaning and bullshit like that. (I just realized I have to write all this, fuck me.)
Anyway, they bond over some dipshit in the BDSM forum espousing some gender essentialism bullshit - men are doms, women are subs, blah blah blah. Daisy has an eloquent take on it, John just wants to thrash them for being so black and white and says as much.
Who reaches out first? To be seen. (I have to leave you some mystery lol.)
#gemma answers#gemma writes fanfic#gemma talks wips#friends are friends#Museum Muse WIP#WIP Ask Game#This took me over an hour as I fell down rabbit hole after rabbit hole#And then I almost hit DISCARD like a DIPSHIT#HOLY FUCK#Anyway here you go Mads
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Black Beats Black - IV. Dentelle de la Reine Anne Part.2
Part 1. (Sorry Tumblr can't handle the size) Chapter I. - II. - III. Read on my AO3
“I could drop my pot of ink from here… it will kill him.”
Next to him, Evan leans a bit further into the window to squint down at the people crossing one of the castle’s bridges. It’s easy to spot Lupin walking with Evans and Pettigrew– just as natural for Regulus to slowly push off the edge of the window. He sits back down amongst the opened books and the brewing cauldron between them. They are in one of the highest towers to be left alone as it’s rarely used except for the hidden snogging, though with the cold no one wants to risk their tongues frozen together. Perfect for them to experiment and study in peace with no eavesdropping.
“Better use a cauldron, squish him like an insect,” he advises. “It’s difficult to piece a brain back together.”
Regulus glares at Lupin who escapes through one of the heavy doors before he can decide on the perfect murder. After reminiscing with Sirius and now that they have clarified everything that was needed - Regulus has prepared his share of the Animagus potion and even freed space in his potion’s pouch made to transport potion without shaking them. Despite Sirius and Barty’s night, Which-Must-Not-Be-Remembered, Evan is still friendly though he more than often likes to remind them that he is here if they even look at each other.
He coughs petals and grabs some to put them in their dedicated bag to use them for more experiments. Some flowers are also there and neither ever wilt.
“Do you know why Em’ is avoiding Sirius?”
“Isn’t it obvious?”
Emmeline hasn’t changed but she is staying away from Sirius outside from when they all hang out in the Room of Requirement. She doesn’t appear to hate him and he doubts that she has a problem helping him ever since their adventure to the Kelpie’s Dance. It’s been two weeks since that. Regulus still has the mandrake leaf in his mouth and they have managed to come up with a potion within days that should eliminate the poison and also hold the coughing for a few hours.
“She carries a torch for him.”
“What?” Regulus startles, looking up from the potion they are brewing. “Emmeline?”
“Not romantically,” Evan says, turning a page of the book, “this happened with all of us, don’t you remember?”
Whilst Regulus, Barty and Evan almost immediately hit off, which was followed by Dorcas helping them before Pandora dropped herself on their laps– Emmeline has only really been friends with them starting third year. She wasn’t alone as Slytherins tend to stay as tight groups and it’s by the clamorous lot of girls. Contrary to what most people thought, Emmeline was at the head of the group even if she appeared distanced if not absent. She watched them though but they only managed to get close when they started working on their first arithmancy project.
Emmeline kept offering Regulus to work on arithmancy together and she always seemed quite happy but it’s only when Pandora mentioned at random that maybe she has a crush on him; which would have make sense if Emmeline hasn’t started partnering with Evan during potion or gossiping with Barty and laughing at any of his joke even if at first the depraved ones surprised her. Dorcas sort of confronted her too, as she assumed that Emmeline had a crush on her because she always sat with her in the common room and complimented her works, and she gently let her down but Emmeline quickly corrected her that she has no interest. Pandora offered to kiss, just like that, but was also shot down, quite funnily from what she said but Emmeline refuses the story to be shared.
They quickly understood that Emmeline has what you might call ‘fall in friendship’. Though it’s not related to her own disinterest in love. Like for all of them, Emmeline appears intense once she is interested in someone but she only means it platonically, easily blushing only because she is happy. She is quite embarrassed about this part of her and she avoided them up until they dragged her back in their group.
“Oh. Right. I forgot that,” Regulus admits and automatically steers the potion. “Sirius?”
“Are you really surprised? Your brother is alright once he shuts his mouth.”
He rolls his eyes. “Please, don’t try to fool me. I know you two like to chit-chat about these rancid books.”
“I don’t!”
“Yes you do. Sirius is maybe a worse romantic than you but I have tried one of your books and I know you’re not that different,” he replies with a smile at his glare. “Pirates, uh?”
“Do I need to remind you that I’m the one deciding whether you two stay married?” Evan hisses with his cheeks red. “Or that the whole school would feast on that gossip if it ever got out?”
Sirius Black is already rumoured to either be a Gryffindor spy in Slytherin or a Slytherin King to be with Regulus. Better leave it aside that Evan obviously likes Sirius but only holds a grudge because Barty likes to say dumb things out loud.
“Well, I wouldn’t have thought that Emmeline would like my brother that much.” Any of his friends really. “So she is avoiding him now.”
“You know how she is,” Evan says. “She is probably trying to be discreet about it considering how Sirius might think the same as us.”
“Him and his fat ego certainly will take it that way.”
Sirius actually doesn’t make the connection. He asks Regulus if Emmeline has tons of homework or started a painting that took up most of her time since he has barely talked to her; she often finds an excuse to leave when their number diminishes. That’s the only reason why Regulus decides to talk to Emmeline. Sirius might ask her what’s wrong and who knows how that will go.
The Slytherin dorm isn’t openly hostile to them but many people look at them with a wary look. Snape or his minions haven’t tried anything on them yet but who knows how stupid they can be even at their lowest. Sirius, often if not always, lets his door appear so they have started to mingle in the Room of Requirement instead; it probably doesn’t help with their reputation.
“Are you free Em’?”
Emmeline moves her eyes away from her new painting to greet Regulus with a smile. “Of course. Is everything alright?”
“Everything is fine.”
It was still an abandoned classroom up until Emmeline started her art club during fourth year. They have all helped her clean it even if it was just a small wand movement. Regulus has almost considered practising the piano or even ballet, which he has liked to do even if it’s their parents hammering them into them but they have stopped once they got to Hogwarts. The upcoming war is more important. Sirius also got these classes but preferred to draw, which is considered as a meaningless skill compared to music.
“What are you painting?”
“Just… my current inspiration.”
They are alone for now and Emmeline is the most frequent one, even getting detention because she left the club in the middle of the night. The painting is still at its early stage but Regulus can recognize a tower next to what appears to be water. The shades are for most, dark and icy, for now.
“Do you mean Sirius?”
Emmeline’s brush is squashed on the painting before she quickly withdraws it. She stares at the smudge of black before clearing her throat.
“I can salvage this later…” She trails off, putting down her tools, with red cheeks.
“He has only noticed that you are busy, perhaps avoiding him,” Regulus reassures and holds back his amused smile when she looks at him, embarrassed. He sits down on the ottoman. “You’re making a portrait of my brother?”
She nods before brushing her dark hair behind her ears. “I showed him yours and he quite liked it. And he agreed to let me paint one of him. I hope to finish it– soon.”
“It looks like a good start.”
Regulus knows the basics of arts but it has never called him more like Sirius. It’s definitely going to be pretty anyhow considering that Emmeline is the one painting; though how she pictures Sirius is still a bit of a mystery as all the colours are so far leaning toward dark.
“Is it obvious?”
“To us, yes,” Regulus admits. “Though I never thought that you would like Sirius that much.”
“Don’t you think it’s weird?” She mutters, rubbing her bottom lip with her teeth.
Regulus frowns, slightly surprised that she seems to feel embarrassed or for him to have a real problem with that. He isn’t jealous, to his own surprise, and if anything he is elated that all his favourite people have accepted each other further than appearance. If Emmeline actually liked Sirius then it would be sad for her considering that his brother is spoken to, to death. Regulus wishes Sirius would fall in love with someone else as wonderful as Emmeline and not a stupid jerk.
“No. Of course not,” he says. “I can actually understand how you two would get along. Sirius can act as rebellious as he wants but I know he isn’t as disattached to what we were taught. He loved the violin but only when he could play what he enjoyed so he was awful with our personal professor. I’m– I wish he didn’t throw all our childhood away but I know it was harder for him than for me.”
“Now that you two are talking, you will make many more good memories and perhaps it will help Sirius too,” she says with a small thoughtful smile. “The violin, though..? That’s interesting.”
“You wouldn’t think so, right? I don’t know if he completely forgot about it or not.” She nods but it hasn’t cleared her spirit completely so Regulus considers his next words. “Sirius isn’t the type to lie, even though he perfectly can. So I didn’t think– that everything would go as smoothly as it is now. Sirius could have been awfully difficult to deal with. With the circumstances and what happened with his friends, I doubt Sirius has the strength to play nice with anyone. If you all hated him or didn’t give him a chance, he would think he deserves it.”
“I find this unnecessarily sad,” she admits.
“But that’s exactly why I’m sure that Sirius sees you as a friend, just like you do.”
Emmeline nods and tilts her head before closing her eyes. “I feel like I’m already mourning him… I can’t imagine what you must feel,” she whispers. “I have barely gotten to know him and yet it’s so easy. I’m scared that– all of this attention will feel unwarranted to him but I also don’t want to regret him when I have barely even known him.”
Regulus swallows down and takes a deep breath before opting to ignore the heavy subject. “You do sound like you have a crush on him.”
“A friendly one,” she argues with flushed cheeks. “We have already settled on that, haven’t we? Friends! I do not-”
“I’m only teasing you,” he chuckles and she purses her lips with a menacing squint. “It’s rather cute.”
“I just hope that Sirius doesn’t assume that either. You all understood me but what if he finds it weird that I don’t… care for a lover. I do not want to bring that up considering his position.”
“He will understand it,” Regulus says without a doubt. “I’m sure that either way it will feed his ego, even if he doesn’t need it, and make him happy. He might tease a tad bit.”
Emmeline sighs. “But isn’t Marlene McKinnon his closest friend, outside of his dormmates? I’m nothing like her… Or any of his original friends. None of us are. Wouldn’t he find it weird that someone like me wants to be– close friends when only a few weeks he never knew me?”
“You do not plan to steal McKinnon’s spot or anyone else, do you? Then you shouldn’t worry about that. I still doubt that Sirius’ old friends will ever try to talk to him.”
“Didn’t you say that Potter wants to talk with Sirius?”
“He is only pestering me because he is scared that Sirius will talk about whatever secret broke their little group,” he argues. “Maybe he really is avoiding Potter but Lupin will be nearby and who knows how that will affect Sirius so it’s better to forget about him.”
“But he hasn’t told you, right?”
“No. I doubt he will.”
Emmeline sighs. “This is so unfortunately complicated.”
He watches her, offering a hand that she squeezes with a shy gaze. “Are you worried that Sirius won’t be happy that you want to be friends with him? From what I have seen, I should be jealous of how you two get lost in conversation while I’m right there.”
“Oh, Reg-”
“So I can assure you that he values you. Pandora always surprises him and he enjoys this kind of game, just like Barty who I worry might start an enormous prank with him that will close the school.” She chuckles and he smiles. “Evan was more difficult because-”
“Barty also didn’t help.”
“When has he helped willingly?” He snorts. “But thankfully they found some common ground. Even our Purebloods upbringing, being above each other and how backwards our supposed evolved society works— they talk without attacking each other and I noticed that despite the subject they are somehow giving each other hope too.”
“Every empire falls at some point,” she whispers and squeezes his hand.
He nods. “Dorcas is more similar to Sirius I suppose, they match each other and I can see that they are having fun. You were here at the Kelpie’s Dance, they were in their own little world. I guess McKinnon is also more of this type but this doesn’t mean that Sirius can’t see you as a proper friend. Salazar, Barty and him get along which doesn’t terrify me enough so please be the best of friends just so Sirius doesn’t end up in Azkaban.”
Emmeline considers it with a frown before nodding. “They would.”
“But really, you should just tell Sirius that you really like him,” Regulus says. “We are all friends with you and I doubt that he will find it weird that you have no interest in love, if you want to specify it.”
“I think so too… But it’s so strange for some people.” She purses her lips before clearing her throat. “Friends satisfy me and I don’t see why I should marry anyone. I love all of you. I made the mistake of mentioning it before and the looks they gave me.”
“Who?”
She shakes her head. “It’s alright, I dealt with it in third year. But you’re right, I should talk to Sirius.”
“He misses you.”
Emmeline blushes with a chuckle. Regulus smiles and squeezes her hand one last time. He doesn’t know how this conversation went but he is sure that it happened since Sirius commented out of nowhere that Regulus picked the right friends. He doesn’t have anything to complain about so he focuses back on his heavy old latin reading that might concern the Hanahaki. It has become a kind of ritual that Regulus sleepovers - not because of the list.
They manage to come up with one potion that should kill the Hanahaki but Sirius only got a stomach ache from it. His coughing hasn’t increased despite what happened when he hallucinated but it’s still here. Regulus isn’t sure but he feels like more petals are coming up in his throat, building up for his series of coughs. It’s relieving and a bad omen since it means that the bond is working but the Hanahaki fights back.
Only one week left before they take the Hogwarts Express for the short, yet determinant, break. His parents answered to his insignificant letter, only meant for Kreacher to get his message, only to talk about what Regulus should do and some meaningful comments about his upcoming destiny. The war might be close but he doesn't care about it - not when Sirius is right here. Once his brother is healed then perhaps he will care about this blasted mess.
It’s probably because they are this close to this dangerous jump into the future that Regulus is too distracted to shield himself from a sudden explosion. He was just about to join Sirius for dinner in the Room of Requirement when he finds himself glued to a liquid that keeps bubbling from a knight’s armour that fell to pieces.
“Hah! Got you!”
Filch rounds the corner, finding Regulus' knees deep into the sticky mixture and trying to shake it off his hands, with James Putain de Potter.
“Oh, Reg’,” he says with the fakest worry ever, “I told you to be careful with these potions.”
Regulus is going to make him his glasses the moment he gets a chance– but first he cursed him as loudly as he can before he needed to justify that he wasn’t some part of this stupid prank.
“Then what is that?” Filch asks with a mean smile, taking out a small potion from where Regulus’ bag spilled when he fell. “This looks exactly like what Mister Potter had.” Potter winks at Regulus with an impish smile. Filch doesn’t hear him despite the many complaints. Regulus has no idea how he slipped that potion in his bag, he couldn’t have thrown it or one of them would have noticed, plus with the explosion it should have been triggered. His bag is the safest option but he would have noticed Potter slipping behind him.
He gets detention with Potter - because apparently Regulus doesn’t have enough on his plate. Because the break is nearing, the detention is barely the day after so Regulus has digested nothing which leaves him in a horrible mood. With Fitch on his ass, he was sent back to the Slytherin dormitory which meant that he didn’t even see Sirius. Not that he wants his brother to hear about this especially when his friends are teasing him enough about Potter.
It’s in Care of Magical Creatures that they need to do the detention and Regulus is late on purpose even if he really likes the class and Professor Kettleburn. His parents had complained that he picked this course but Regulus enjoys it too much to drop it off. It’s cold so he hopes that whatever they have to do will be quick because this only diminishes his patience to deal with Potter.
“Fancy seeing you here.”
“I will cut your tongue and feed it to a hippogriff.”
“Now what an inspiration!” Kettleburn exclaims as Regulus glares at Potter. “But this time we only need to rework the paddocks and prepare portions to feed all our magnificent friends. Mister Black, can you guide our new guest? I need to check on the unicorns.”
“Of course, Professor.”
He lists the creatures they need to check also on or will require immediate feeding before wandering off in the forest. Regulus decides to finish this list as fast as he can and then feed Potter to the hippogriffs; the head of the pack likes him, even got to pet him once, so he can indulge his favour.
“I didn’t know you liked this class,” Potter says with quick steps to follow him.
“Don’t talk to him.”
“It’s great, really,” he chirps with a small laugh. “You always surprise m-”
“Shut up,” Regulus barks, twisting on his feet to face him with a burning glare. “You bloody planned this, didn’t you? You better back off because I know a lot of creatures ready to eat you alive.”
Potter still follows him in the shed, diligently picking up what Regulus does before he walks out. “I told you that I needed to speak to you!” He points out. “You left me no choice.”
“I understand why Sirius is avoiding you now,” he huffs out, dropping the bag of cabbages for the flobberworm before throwing some in the group. “Don’t put that here! It’s for the streelers!” Potter does as he says, even if Regulus’ tone is as sharp as a whip, and somehow manages to keep his smile on. It goes like that for a moment but he has never been infamous for keeping his mouth shut.
“Look Regulus, I’m sorry that I pulled off but you really left me no choice,” Potter says, sounding almost sorry which is why Regulus dropped a large box on his foot. “Ouch! What was that for?!”
“Didn’t see you. It was in the way of the hay.”
Potter sighs but continues to follow him through all the tasks. “I tried to talk to you politely so you really left me no choice but force you in the same spot with me for a time, alright?”
“You could have left me alone instead of being your idiotic self.”
“I can’t figure out where you’re hiding with Sirius but he also doesn’t want to talk to me and I really need to.”
“Write him a letter. We need something for the fire-place.”
Regulus tries to elbow him when his arm is grabbed but Potter quickly traps him against the crups’ fence.
“Regulus, I’m trying to solve what happened with Sirius, alright?”
“Let me go.”
One of the crups is tugging on his pant’s leg. Potter stares at him, lips pursed, before straightening himself and taking a step closer. Regulus considers climbing over the fence because rolling in a sea of crups would be better than whatever is going on.
“You have no idea how happy I am that you and Sirius are talking again,” Potter says. “I wish I had been here to see that but– things were difficult. We never meant to kick him out of the dorm and we could have talked to him but… It was hard on Remus.”
“And I’m supposed to feel bad for you all?” Regulus sneers.
“No,” he replies before wetting his lips. “Well, maybe. What happened was really difficult to understand because I frankly still can’t believe it and I should have been here for Sirius too. That’s my bad.”
“Oh really? Almost made me think otherwise.”
Potter huffs out, almost laughing and his face doesn’t fully lose it as he observes Regulus. There is a smudge on his left glass that he probably could clean. If he starts considering what he can touch though there are many other options that are far more entertaining.
“I’m trying to solve what happened,” Potter whispers as his eyes drop to the ground. “We all got hurt and I didn’t try to reach out for Sirius. Which is what I’m trying to do now because we haven’t really listened to him… Marlene is going bonkers too because Sirius avoids her too. Even Remus is open to talk.”
He quickly closes his eyes and swallows these treacherous ideas. Potter is an enemy, no matter how he looks, the amount of warmth he exudes like a salamander. This is a dangerous trap. Regulus pushes him off as far as he can before shoving him so he lets go of his arm
“Like I said,” he articulates with a precarious voice. “Write a letter.”
Potter lets him storm off but shadows him quickly and even takes the bag of fresh meat from his hands. “I get it that you are on Sirius’ side Reggie-”
“Don’t call me that.”
“But everything went so fast. Remus needed time.”
“So what?!” He exclaims. “It’s not my problem what happened! And you’re right, I’m on Sirius’ side. At least I know better than to throw him away like some forgotten toy that you have no use for anymore!”
“That’s what I’m trying to solve!”
“Yes, well maybe Sirius isn’t open to that anymore,” he hisses and furiously picks up hay before stomping away.
“He can’t just stay out of the dorm!” Potter says and pursues him. “I know you haven’t slipped him in the Slytherin dorm even if with your frie-”
Regulus needs to clear his throat because his voice is muddled. “Because the problem is now me and my friends and not yours?!”
He startles, stepping back, with wide eyes behind his glasses. “Wait, that’s not what I meant-”
“Of course that’s what you meant! Sirius is choosing to be with me right now and you can’t swallow that because you think you’re better than us, the screw-ups!”
Potter almost steps back, shaking his head, with a weak retort. “That’s not-”
“That’s exactly what you think,” Regulus spits out despite the rash climbing up his throat. “You are all better in your red and gold better than us little snakes, right? This must kill you to see that Sirius is staying with us. In fact he chooses to be with me! Have you ever thought that he just doesn’t want to talk to you again? Of course not, what matters is what everyone else thinks! Lupin is hurt? Well Sirius too but apparently that’s not important.”
“I never thought that! This was hard for everyone,” Potter argues. “I even tried to tell Sirius to talk to you before! I know you’re not like Snivellus-”
Regulus coughs. He forgets about it for a moment too busy wrestling with his thoughts and emotions, picturing how far he can throw James Potter in the lake, and how his brother is dying while all they care about is some stupid secret. Except that Potter notices his cough, eyes trailing after the petals trickling down his lips, and gasps with a shock that only stains his handsome face.
“Petals?”
Regulus quickly steps back, hand flying to his mouth, but Potter follows him like a mad man. His words are swallowed by more coughs. He shakes his head and stumbles on his own feet before focusing on getting away.
“Are you coughing flowers?” Potter croaks out, voice louder at each syllable. “Wait, isn’t that– that’s the Hanahaki!”
Potter still calls him when Regulus is rushing to the castle, coughing petals. He sprints through the corridors with his heart trying to burst out of his chest - it doesn’t help the petals that he tries to swallow. His first proper breath is only when he manages to close the door of his dorm behind him.
“Reg’! Are you alright?” Emmeline asks, standing up from her game of chess with Barty.
Evan looks up from Barty’s laps, frowning and sitting up. “Didn’t you have detention?”
“A date with Potter,” Barty jokes, moving a chess piece.
“He knows.”
“Who? What?” Emmeline frowns. “Please breathe before you faint.”
“Potter!” Regulus hisses, throwing his bag down. “I coughed!”
She gasps. “He saw?”
“Yes! He even knew that it was the Hanahaki!”
“Did you try to tell him it’s not?” Evan asks. “You could have gotten that from something else.”
Regulus freezes before groaning, falling against the door. “I–”
“You ran away?” Barty supposes. “Well that’s compromising.”
“Maybe we can come up with something,” Emmeline retorts. “The after-effect of a potion or-”
“Potter is smarter than he looks,” Regulus hisses. “I should have knocked him out or obliviated him… I could still do that.”
“Is that so bad if he knows?” Barty asks. “It’s not like he knows that you are actually bonded with Sirius who has it.”
His focus has been bitingly settled on James Potter and his infuriating face which is why he completely missed out on his throat twisting around a mouthful before he starts coughing. Regulus doesn’t consider that he has the Hanahaki– Sirius does and Regulus tries to find the cure.
“Merde,” he curses and furiously shakes his bangs with his hands before glaring at the discreet golden ring. “I didn’t think of that. He doesn’t know about the bonding.”
“You don’t think of much around Potter, actually become stupid once we mention him.”
“Like you’re any better Bartemius!” Regulus snaps.
“I am,” he proudly replies, “did you see who is on my lap?”
“Alright,” Evan cuts and lets Barty kiss his cheek. “So Potter might think you have the Hanahaki. What were you talking about?”
“He was pestering me about Sirius. Even dared to complain that Sirius is with us now.”
“Hah! He is going to think you are in love with Sirius!”
Emmeline slaps Barty’s head. “Not funny,” she chastens.
“Wait, Potter is still trying to talk to Sirius?” Evan asks.
“He is trying to make me feel sorry for them.”
“Well, I’m not picking his side but it might be a good thing for Sirius.”
“What?” Emmeline says with a frown. “Are you saying Sirius should go back to his friends?”
“No.”
Evan raises his hand but it doesn’t help Regulus’ scathing mood. “Look, perhaps his friends have decided to forgive him or whatever. But Sirius’ Hanahaki could be slowed down if he and Lupin talk again.”
“It won’t happen,” Regulus argues, crossing his arms. “Lupin rejected Sirius one way or another and I’m confident that it’s closely related to this ugly bastard in the first place.”
“I’m not saying that it will solve the Hanahaki,” Evan says and stands up. “We all looked through enough to know that the curse won’t disappear like that. Some people actually died even when the feelings were requited.”
“Really?” Barty frowns. “Is it stupid?”
“It’s hard to satisfy. If you don’t believe that they really love you back then in a way you’re also telling that to the flowers,” he explains.
“That’s why they can’t know that Sirius has the Hanahaki,” Regulus reminds. “Lupin will probably try to be all sorry for himself and try to save Sirius but there is no way that it will work. Potter might piece it together if he knows that Sirius has the Hanahaki.”
“It’s too risky,” Emmeline agrees, eyes jumping to the ground before she grimaces and looks up. “Actually,” she whispers with a sorry smile, “I think Lupin and Sirius already talked.”
“What?!” He hisses. “How did I not know that?”
“Because I’m not sure.”
“If he rejected Sirius another time he would probably be dead,” Barty points out.
She shakes her head. “I didn’t come to watch the Quidditch game, remember? And I crossed the path of Lupin with Pettigrew, looking like they were heading there,” she explains. “But they seemed to be arguing, though I’m not sure about what but Lupin seemed mad.”
Regulus squints at her and needs to focus to relax his jaw before he breaks a tooth. “And?”
Emmeline twitches with guilt and joins her hands nervously. “Well I thought I might check on Sirius, considering that he would probably not want to watch the game with everything going on… I found him choking in a corridor.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?!”
“Reg’ calm down,” Evan quickly says and steps in. “Sirius was fine after, right?”
Emmeline quickly nods. “Yes! It wasn’t– it wasn’t as bad like at the pub, I promise Regulus… I cleared his lungs so he could breathe again but he was dead tired so I brought him to his room.”
“Why didn’t he tell me?” He hisses. “Why didn’t you!”
“Because I didn’t want to stress you more!” She exclaims. “Maybe Sirius would tell you, I didn’t know.”
Barty clears his throat. “The point is that it could have only been triggered by Lupin, right?”
Regulus clenches his fists and looks at her. “Did he talk to Sirius?”
“I’m not sure. But they could have easily crossed paths,” she admits. “Sirius probably won’t tell.”
“Well, that clears this up,” Barty says, lounging in the bed with crossed legs. “Sirius’ friends knowing about the Hanahaki will make Lupin try to save him, if he doesn’t want him dead.”
“Even if Lupin loves him back… If he confesses to save Sirius then his feelings won’t be seen as honest for the Hanahaki, we have proof of that over history.”
Evan sighs. “Right. I didn’t consider that.”
“That’s exactly why I’m not going to help Potter talk to Sirius,” Regulus says. “Lupin rejected him once already and I’m not risking my brother’s life just for the chance that they might make up. Even if they did, if Lupin doesn’t love Sirius back and tells him then he will still die.”
“Regulus… I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” Emmeline says.
He tries to not glare at her, forcing himself to look down. “Don’t do it again. Please,” he clips before taking a deep breath. “Well, now I have to deal with noisy Potter. Better that he thinks I have the Hanahaki.”
“Tell him it’s me.”
“What?” Evan spins to Barty and his wide grin. “What are you saying?”
“In case Potter pesters you about it and come on, it’s obvious he will, if you need to be in an unrequited love with someone let it be me.”
Regulus deadpans at him. “Why on Earth would I fall in love with you?”
“Hey! Who cares about that detail?”
“Fiore mio,” he purrs and Regulus gags out. “Picture Potter trying to help Reggie, especially because you’re Sirius’ brother, he will try to figure out a solution. If he comes mad at me then I will have a free shot at punching him.”
Regulus sighs out, stomping into the bathroom because he needs a change of clothes, and Emmeline pinches the bridge of her nose.
“Of course that’s why you want to do that.” She sighs. “We aren’t sure that Potter will try anything, if we are lucky he might not jump to the conclusion that Regulus actually has the Hanahaki.”
“Wait, wait, wait a second,” Evan blurts out. “I actually want to see Barty punch Potter.”
“You’re no help!”
“None of you are helping,” Regulus snaps. “And Potter can go to hell! He isn’t going near me any time soon.”
“Except in your dreams,” Barty sings out but he is cut by a slap.
“Sirius doesn’t need him, none of them. He can try to pester me again but this time I will make him mute for the rest of his life.” Regulus growls before taking a deep breath, walking out of the bathroom once he finished putting on clothes for the evening. “I’m going to see Sirius now. We have plans.”
“Wait, Re-”
He walks out of the dorm without listening to Emmeline. It’s his second mistake. First, he froze at the Kelpie’s Dance instead of helping Sirius and now he obviously indulged in speaking to Potter which is why his brain completely left him helpless out there. The advantage of him and Sirius not talking was that at least Regulus was free of any Potter’s presence and shenanigans.
If only his stupid heart could be smarter than this. First year he was too young to understand that liking James Potter and his sunny laugh, charming eyes that can’t see beyond his nose and charisma like some kind of stupid golden god. Eleven year old Regulus was a fool and he wouldn’t want to slap him but apparently his younger self just had to be enamoured enough that he can’t be moved on. Regulus would throw himself down some stairs to put some sense into his treacherous heart but now he needs to cure Sirius’ stupid weeping heart.
Sirius still doesn’t tell him the full story. Regulus lets it go only because it’s a full moon, which means that they need to prepare the animagus potion and they have to do it tonight. His brother assuredly leads them out of the castle, showing him even more secret passage and promising at least a hundred more, as they head out for the Forbidden Forest for the potion preparation. They are lucky that there are no clouds, otherwise they would need to wait another month, but somehow Sirius doesn’t bear looking at the full-moon.
Regulus can see that he seems sad, quite anxious, as he leads them almost at the opposite of the more visited parts of the Forbidden Forest. He even jumps when he hears a distant howl and Regulus would have joked if he is scared of werewolves, as if there would be one around Hogwarts, if it wasn’t for his pale face. Sirius insists that he is fine, only cold and itching to get back to bed, so they hurry.
His brother places the phial under a perfect moon ray once they find a dew untouched by human or sunlight that they fill in a silver teaspoon. Regulus spits the mandrake leaf into the phial, grimacing at the after taste and finally freed from the rough texture against his inside cheek, before putting one strand of hair and the chrysalis of a Death’s-head Hawk Moth.
“Are you sure that your bag won’t move it?”
“Sirius, I know my bag,” he replies. “It’s perfect and completely stable, it’s made to keep potions.”
The phial is immediately sealed and slipped in his potion pouch, charmed to keep the potions safe and sound without any feeling of the outside - be it movement, light and temperature. The perfect tool to prepare potions as needy as this one.
“Alright, let’s hurry up to the castle.”
“Do you have something else to do?” Regulus asks with a frown as his brother hurries off. “Sirius!”
“Sh!” He hisses and turns around. “Whisper.”
“Then reply to me,” he huffs out, joining his steps thanks to Sirius slowing down before speeding up.
“I just want to get back to the castle because it’s freezing.”
With Sirius’ jumpy behaviour and his lack of enthusiasm, it’s probably a lie. Regulus fears that he forced him to be at his side; after all, he could easily prepare the animagus potion by himself. To be honest, he probably would have never been interested in becoming an Animagus before that. Not that it’s a useless skill, if anything it’s quite brilliant and could be useful, but it never crossed Regulus’ mind. Sirius showing him Padfoot, proudly and quite playfully, made him realise that it’s worth the try. This would give them a connection, even if he is convinced that the Marauders are all animagi, but Sirius helping him is special and whether or not they find a cure then Regulus will hold on that memory alone.
“Sirius, talk to me,” he says, trying to keep the pleading out of his voice, as he takes a hold of Sirius’ arm to force him to slow down and look at him. “Are you scared of something?”
A long faraway howl echoes through the night. It seems sad, lonely even, which is why it shouldn’t make Sirius startled and aghast. He looks around like he might spot the wolf, before fiercely dragging Regulus behind him.
“Yes. I am.”
He tries to follow his speed but he is still confused. “Why? You are the one who told me that you know the Forbidden Forest! You convinced me!”
“I’m not scared of that!”
“Sirius-”
“I just want to sleep, alright?!” He snaps but his voice isn’t there, only quiet and whiny. “Just… Let’s go back. Hopefully we will still be lucky and storms will come soon so you can finish the whole process.”
He doesn’t push it. Sirius stays wordless up until they are in the Room of Requirement before finally babbling out about the rest of the process, mentioning that it’s a pain to wake up at dawn to cast the spell and that he almost missed it a few times. Regulus can see that he is nervous or stressed so he lets him do it, answering at the right times and following with questions to help distract him.
The Hogwarts Express pulls up at the train station on a rainy day. It’s not a storm and Regulus is a bit disappointed. He has no inkling about his animagus form whereas Sirius showed off that he dreamt of a dog on the first night. Regulus is convinced that the dog attacked or at least pursued him in his dream. He feels weary but tries to keep himself upright.
The only flaw in his secret message with Kreacher is that the elf doesn’t have a way to write back. He manages to read the code even if the letter is in his parents’ hands but their replies are always sealed by them; Kreacher has never opened them probably because it would be noticed. Once they reach the 9¾ platform, they will go to the bathroom and hopefully Kreacher will wait for them there with some of their affairs. If he isn’t there then they will simply apparate with Alphard’s pocket watch, which will be triggered at 3:05pm. Their uncle probably left this small window so they can say goodbyes to their friends.
There is only Dorcas and Emmeline with them. It’s a short break which makes it quite peaceful. Most people wouldn’t bother to make the trip back but when you have controlling parents like Emmeline, or doting ones if you’re lucky like Dorcas, then you will take the train. Apparently Potter and Lupin fall in that category. The latter looks dreadful even behind his blank face, eyes quietly shifting toward Regulus, his brother and friends, and the book open in his hands appears useless considering he hasn’t flipped one single page ever since they arrived there.
Potter has a lack of manner compared to him. He has been painfully obvious in his stalking. As if staring and moving his face around is a way of communication. Regulus thankfully has his friends around him so Potter stayed back but he often caught him watching. It’s annoying, especially since he appears worried, but he sticks to his initial plan to keep him away as much as possible. From him and Sirius likewise.
His brother isn’t as impassible as he wants to be about them so he keeps his eyes on Dorcas or Emmeline, chatting about the simplest thing. Regulus is up to the task to glare at Potter with the hope that it will push him under the rail of the train. McKinnon joins them a bit late, rushing through the rain with a few curses and pushing herself under their shared umbrella. When she spots Sirius, she seems ready to go see them - slightly furious - and Potter looks like he will follow but the Hogwarts Express arrives right on time.
On the ride back, they picked a compartment for themselves. Regulus closes the door magically just in case a parasite, like James Potter, tries to burst in. He wouldn’t put it past them and he only remembers now that Sirius was supposed to run away with James at first - whether that’s why he tries to talk to his brother or not.
Regulus is woken up by Emmeline, who smiles at him, whilst Dorcas tries to hold back her laugh.
“We’re here,” she says with a quiet voice. “Better leave the train as soon as you can, right?”
“Right,” he croaks out, voice hoarse, as he sits up and startles when Sirius falls on his laps, snoring.
“He drooled on you,” Dorcas snickers and points on his shoulder. “But we didn’t want to separate you two.”
“Urgh.”
Regulus slaps his cheek until Sirius tries to fight back. “Get up you lazy arse, we’re there. And I will drop you here.”
“Tu es chiant,” he groans, sitting up before grunting when Regulus throws his luggage in his laps. “Hey!”
“I said hurry!”
“Fine! You better run before I kick your arse!” Sirius barks.
“Wait!” Emmeline shouts.
Dorcas freezes and lets go of the door handle. “What?” She asks, turning to look at her. “What is it?”
“Your mother,” she blurts out. “She’s here!”
“What?” Sirius hurries to the window but Dorcas stops him.
“She might see you through the window!”
Regulus swallows. “Are… Are you sure?”
“Yes. I’m sure,” Emmeline confirms with a voice clean of emotions. “She is alone.”
“Bloody hell, what is she doing here?!” Sirius exclaims.
“Calm down,” Dorcas says. “You can outrun her, I will distract her or something?”
“Why is she here?” Regulus repeats. “I didn’t tell them anything. How could she know–”
“Dorcas is right, you ought to run before she notices you. At what time is the portkey?”
Sirius flips out the pocket watch from his pocket, opening it. “At 3:05. It started ticking now that it’s 3.”
“Alright, let’s just walk as far as we can. You get through the barrier and rush to the toilets at King’s Cross,” she says with confidence. “She might not spot you in the crowd.”
Regulus gasps when he feels himself shaken. Sirius is at his side, hand around his arm, with a concerned frown. Something must be written on his face because he purses his lips with a tortured smile.
“Reggie, if you don’t want-”
“What? I’m going,” he snaps, grabbing his luggage, “we’re going.”
“Re-”
“We need to go. I’m sure Kreacher is going to be here,” he quickly says and yanks the door open.
James Potter blinks down at him, face twitching with a tensed smile. “Oh-”
Sirius coughs harshly behind Regulus who immediately straightens up when he spots Lupin at Potter’s side, probably looking at Sirius. It’s oblivious they were waiting for them
“Back off!” Dorcas snaps and pushes them to shove right into Potter.
He falls into Lupin who tries to not fall but still hits the person behind them. The corridor is already full of students trying to go out, not as many as usual, but it’s enough for it to be crowded and for Dorcas to spread chaos through it as she keeps pushing them back.
“Go,” Emmeline insists and pushes them out of the compartment.
Potter tries to fight back, though with less conviction compared to her aura, and even calls for Sirius and Regulus between his attempts at pleading Dorcas to let him pass. Regulus drags Sirius by his hand, rushing through the corridor and pushing people away as he tries to calculate which exit out of the train is the best for them; the closest to the barrier to leave the 9 3⁄4 platform and escape their mother.
A lot of people curse at them when they push through but he gives them no attention. They have changed three wagons already and he thinks the next exit is the right one for them. Sirius is behind him but Emmeline might have stayed with Dorcas to stop at least these two parasites.
“Hey!” A student squeals when Regulus barrels out of the train with Sirius. “Careful!”
He catches his breath once they are mingling in a small crowd of students and parents. “Do you have everything?”
Sirius nods and opens the pocket watch before slipping back inside. “We got four minutes.”
“The toilets are not far once we get through the barrier.”
“Are you sure Kreacher will be here?”
“Hopefu-”
“Regulus Arcturus Black!!”
His heart plummets. A brisk cold smothers his whole body and he feels like he is falling but he is held.
“Putain de merde,” Sirius swears and pulls him back.
Walburga Black strides furiously through the crowd with her eyes hateful and burning like a vicious Crucio.
“And you,” she growls, louder than the brouhaha and shrieker than any happy squeals. “Sirius Orion Black!”
“Run,” his brother says and tugs him. “Reggie, run!”
Sirius yanks him and almost makes him fall but Regulus manages to find his footing as they run toward the barrier. Their mother screams at them and her heels clink stronger than before, perhaps even crushing the stone, but his brother doesn’t let go of his hand as he speeds up.
“Padfoot!”
Regulus looks behind to see James Potter rushing to them too with a quick panicked look at their mother. Sirius only pulls on his hand harder.
“Come back here immediately!” Walburga screams.
They are close to the barrier, only needing one last desperate dash to reach it. The guard just deemed the passage safe to traverse for the next student to go through without getting Muggle’s attention.
“Oh Merlin!”
A rough crash cuts through the air, distracting everyone from their initial focus. Sirius slows down just a tad to look behind his shoulder. He completely stops with a wide ecstatic smile. Regulus turns to look and freezes too.
Their mother is lying on the floor next to a toppled cart with two big luggages. She is still alive but clearly in pain, it’s not enough to distract her as she immediately tries to sit up with a deadly hiss and glare at Emmeline.
“Salazar,” Regulus gasps out.
“My apologies!” Emmeline shouts with a panicked voice, hands in front of her mouth, as her parents run to her spitting alarmed apologies. “I’m so sorry Madam! I didn’t see you!”
Sirius blurts out her laughing and tugs Regulus before he can follow. The guard is still in surprise but he notices their duo rushing toward them. He doesn’t manage to stop them even shouting at them but Sirius jumps straight into the barrier with Regulus still in his hand.
They don’t stop even if the landing is a bit clumsy. The toilets are not a completely safe destination considering the Muggles around but they still burst in it, out of breath. Regulus glances around, throat dry and clumped with all the events. The door closes behind them and Kreacher appears with two big luggage.
“Master Regulus. Master Sirius.”
“Kreacher! Thank Salazar,” Regulus says and crouches with a trembling smile. “Thank you so much-”
“Kreacher got Master’s message,” he articulates with a vicious glance at Sirius before looking at Regulus. “Kreacher gathered all Masters’ affairs in secret but Kreacher doesn’t understand where Masters are going.”
“Oh Kreacher-”
“2 minutes Reggie,” Sirius whispers.
“Kreacher I’m sorry, we need to go and I won’t be able to write to you again.”
Kreacher slowly blinks, looking down at the luggages. “Kreacher doesn’t understand.”
Regulus can’t help but hug him. The house-elf has always been his first and most precious friend. It’s probably why Sirius never handled living at Grimmauld Place - he had no allies whilst Regulus at least had Kreacher.
“I will miss you and I will try to see you again, alright?” He says, taking a good look at the confused face of the elf. “It’s not safe for me and Sirius to go back there-”
“Did you tell our mother that we were here?” Sirius asks, tone sharp. “Answer Kreacher.”
“Sirius!”
“Master Sirius is mistaken. Kreacher left Grimmauld Place without telling anything or even to Mistress Walburga.”
“Kreacher would have not told her,” Regulus hisses.
Sirius rolls his eyes, taking out the pocket watch, and turns his back to them. Regulus can discern the ticking and quickly takes out from his coat’s pocket a worn-out white tissue with messy embroideries and stubborn but clean stains.
“Master Regulus?”
“A gift for you Kreacher,” he whispers and forces it into one of his hands.
Kreacher looks at it, panicked, and tries to pull away. “This is Master Regulus’ old handkerchief!”
“Yes and now this makes you free.” Regulus nods. “Do you understand? Kreacher I’m freeing you.”
“Kreacher wants to stay at Grimmauld Place! Kreacher loves serving the Noble and Ancient B-”
“Kreacher,” he raises his voice. “Listen to me! In case you want to go somewhere else, you can from now on.”
He can see that the elf has trouble understanding what is happening. It’s a lot since he already got to sneak behind his real masters for Regulus and now Kreacher must realise that he might never come back to his home. He doubts that he will but if he safely can then he will make the trip to at least check on him. The handkerchief is the first one Regulus ever got and it’s with it that he tried his first attempts at calligraphy and embroidery with Kreacher’s help, now it’s his lucky item that he kept on him at all times.
Kreacher stares at him without any emotion and the handkerchief in his loose hand.
“Where is Master Regulus going?”
“Less than a minute,” Sirius says and grabs the big luggage, with his initials on the handle, beside Kreacher.
“I can’t tell you,” Regulus sighs out. “But I will try to reach out to you, I promise. Kreacher please understand.”
“Kreacher doesn’t understand why Master Regulus doesn’t want to come back to Grimmauld Place.”
“Because it’s not safe for us, not anymore.”
“Reggie.”
“Fine!” He snaps and takes his own heavy luggage, jungling with his second one from school. “Kreacher, stay safe please.”
“Is Master Regulus saying goodbye?” Kreacher whispers with his eyes reddening by the minute.
Sirius softly grabs Regulus’ hand, pocket watch in his other hand ticking like a clock, and he squeezes it back. He sighs out and tries to fight the uncomfortable feeling crawling through his eyes but this really feels like he is throwing away too many good memories at once.
“I will see you if I can Kreacher, I promise,” he articulates, “but for now it's goodbye.”
“Mas-”
Regulus falls ass first. Sirius almost loses balance because of that but manages to sidestep him as he bursts out laughing. The nausea isn’t strong but still affects him more than Regulus expected, his brother’s mirth is still the one bothering him the most.
“You better not be laughing at Krea-”
“Em’ hit Walburga with a cart!” Sirius wheezes. “A cart!”
Regulus guffaws with him before even realising it. He recalls the shout of their mother and the sound of the cart falling to the ground but the way she laid on the platform is even more absurd because Walburga Black does not fall.
“You alright there?”
He coughs in surprise, trying to calm himself down with a last hiccup of mirth, whilst Sirius keeps snorting with lips pursed. It takes him a second to recognize the man looming over them, albeit their striking aura is only because of their height - Alphard still has the same kind playful smile with soft eyes.
“Uncle Alphard?” Sirius gasps out, cheeks flushed from their recent hilarity.
“Good afternoon Sirius.” Alphard grins and offers his hand to Regulus. “Rough landing Reggie?”
He clears his throat and grabs it. “Just a bit surprised.” His uncle has more strength than he thought, almost jumping mid-air from that pull.
“Thank you for the portkey,” Sirius says and offers it to him. “Here is your pocket watch. It’s still the same one.”
“Well, I’m sentimental,” Alphard grins and glances at it. “And sorry for that rush,” he says and rubs a hand between Regulus’ shoulder-blades which surprises him. “This is all a bit expeditive but I didn’t want your parents to track you down.”
“Well, though luck. Walburga was at the train station,” Sirius drawls out.
Alphard shakes his head in surprise before playing with one of his long, ridiculous Regulus wants to say, moustache. “I was afraid they might have contacts in the ministry… Even if we pass through the French Ministry of Magic the British Ministry had to be notified,” he sighs. “This is probably how she sniffed you out. Sacrebleu, we are going to be late if we don’t go drop to the Ministry now.”
“The Ministry?” Regulus frowns. “Why?”
“The Trace will still be active on you, Regulus,” Alphard explains. “Sirius’ birthday is coming soon but they could have followed it to find you anywhere you go. That’s why I had to declare you under my care but the Ministry still needs your inputs… Are you alright though? She didn’t do anything?”
“No, no,” Sirius chuckles. “Emmeline hit her with a cart when she was screeching at us.”
“A cart?!” Their uncle bursts out laughing, a deep one with a melodious rhythm, and his tall frame folds slightly as he puts his free hand on his Sirius’ shoulder. “Morgana, I would have loved to see that!” Sirius smiles at him and looks at Regulus, looking fonder. He is surprised when Alphard brings them both in his arms to hug them. “Oh, how I have missed you two. Mes petites terreurs.”
Regulus is a bit stiff, surprised by it, but he relaxes himself in his grasp with Sirius softly knocking their heads together. The affection is welcomed but still a wonder as it’s been years since they have even seen each other. He figured that Alphard would prefer Sirius, during the family dinners he has always been closer to him; although Regulus was never talkative either and tried to stick to Kreacher’s side.
Alphard doesn’t appear to have changed much although he has more wrinkles than before. His hair is as black as theirs and his silver eyes, a well-known trait only belonging to the Black’s lineage, and he is quite touchy. He is still chuckling about their mother and her experience with a cart at the Ministry where Sirius and him are interrogated over this decision of changing custody and also checking if they aren’t bewitched to follow their uncle. They don’t give them any troubles so they are quickly off and their uncle apparates them in the middle of nowhere beside a muggle device.
Their uncle takes the luggages to put them in a space in the back of the car. Sirius appears familiar with cars, immediately climbing in one of the back seats with a sign at Regulus to follow, whilst he has only heard about them from Dorcas.
“Put the belt on,” Alphard says and smiles encouragingly at Regulus. “Don’t worry, these are safe. I’ve been using them for years.”
“You really are living as a Muggle?” He asks and tries to not obviously startle when the car starts to shake and leaves the side of the bumpy road to take it.
“Partly yes. I have a floo but I have sealed it for now, until we’re sure your parents can’t storm through. The Ministry should update us tomorrow.”
“I don’t think the Potters would have done that,” Sirius points out with a frown at him. “I wouldn’t have even thought of it…”
“Well, if you had left and I stayed behind, they probably wouldn’t have cared,” Regulus argues. “They need one heir. Which means they would have probably left you with”
“You weren’t going to run away together?” Alphard asks with a curious look at him through the mirror in the middle of the car front.
“I would have offered,” Sirius argues.
Regulus huffs and crosses his arms. Alphard glances at Sirius before focusing back on the road. They continue in silence for a little moment with the landscape unfolding to more up and downs, forests and mountains.
“Well, it’s also easier for me as Black. I might be exiled from the family but paper-wise I’m still one and that made the process easier. I also pulled some strings to ensure your safety with the Ministry.”
“Like what?” Sirius frowns and leans in the middle. “Do you think they will really try to drag us back? Or Regulus at least?”
“This is going to make news,” he points out. “The two heirs of the Black family running away? This will shake some things up. If something happens to me you two will inherit everything I have so you won’t have to return there.”
“Oh… That’s,” Regulus trails off with a puzzled look at Sirius who seems as surprised. “That’s a lot Uncle Alphard but-”
“None of that Pureblood manners, call me uncle or Alphard,” he cuts. “And truly I have enough for the both of you. I’m glad you contacted me when I left the family, I had to figure things out on my own and I wouldn’t want to wish that on you two.”
Sirius purses his lips and leans back against the backseats. Regulus is as speechless as him at all the preparation. He hasn’t even thought of the details with the Ministry, the only thing that mattered was to get out of there for Sirius. If anything, Regulus could have stayed behind and closed himself off as he always did. This, right now, is completely out of his comforting habits.
“Thank you,” Regulus articulates with a wobbly smile because there are many emotions to divide and bury, “tonton?”
Alphard looks excitedly at him with the mirror. “Your French is still perfect!”
“Yes well, when it’s beaten into you,” Sirius growls with his chin in his palm.
Their uncle hums and they finally spot a village in the landscape.
“Where are we?”
“East, near the border to Germany, if you want to be exact,” he says. “It has the most beautiful landscapes. Most are muggles, which is also a nice change, so you will have to be a bit careful when you go out. It’s not that isolated and one of the neighbours is going to show you all the nice spots for your age.”
It looks rather nice. It’s not like Regulus is fond of big cities or anything. “Why not apparate us home? Do you use no magic?”
“I do,” Alphard replies. “But like the floo, I have also blocked the house to be found by apparating and harmful letters. It’s safer.”
Regulus nods but he is relieved that they might at least get some letters. He will need to write a letter to Emmeline and Dorcas to thank them for their help. Alphard has been banned from the family, loudly, which means no one tried to contact to him and he doesn’t sound like he tried to do so either way; though now there is risks that their parents might try to retrieve them and that Alphard thought of written them in his will isn’t a good omen. Hopefully the Ministries will manage to do something but the Black are the more, if not the most, important Purebloods family so who knows how that will go.
“I have to ask but is there a reason why— you suddenly needed to run away?” Alphard asks with a cautious look. “You don’t have to say but I hope you know that I wouldn’t kick any of you out. No matter the reason.”
Regulus glances at Sirius, who squirms with an uncomfortable purse of his lips.
“Because Sirius’ personality is ‘how much bent can I be before it becomes a crime’.”
His brother whirls with wide eyes and flushing cheeks before swatting him. Regulus returns the favour and they soon are tugging at each other’s hairs while trying to stomp on their feet.
“Hey! Hey!” Alphard calls just as the car jumps on a cobbled road. “No fighting in the car! Let go of each other’s hairs. Both of you.”
“He started it!” Sirius shouts.
Regulus tugs even harder at his hair and hisses in pain when his foot is stepped on.
“You two, stop this now. You might break something and I don’t want to cause an accident.”
“Fine,” Regulus growls out and shoves Sirius who reiterates in the same way. “Crétin.”
“Abruti.”
Alphard laughs and shakes his head with a big smile. Some people are in the small animated street, it’s more a town than a city, and they appear to recognize Alphard or his car as people greet him on their road who returns the waves and nods. Sirius anxiously squirms in his seat, looking outside before glancing at the back of Alphard’s head.
“Is it— a problem?”
Alphard frowns. “Well, yes. I know how to drive this muggle transport but I’m not sure I could repair it or have the right reflexes if you br-”
“No I meant about the bent thing.”
“Oh,” he chuckles and shakes his head. “Of course not. Though being with the same gender or not doesn’t mean there is no risk of, er, getting a disease or pregn-”
“Please let’s just change the subject,” Regulus groans out and Sirius shoots him an incredulous look.
“You bloody brought that up,” he accuses.
“Yes, well have you seen yourself?” He scoffs back.
“No fighting!” Alphard warns before they restart.
His house, half-timbering, is at the end of the village it seems. It’s not as big as Grimmauld Place but comfortable looking with two floors painted in a radiant green except for the wood. There is a large door on the left part of it, looking like an extension of the house.
“There is a garden and a small field in the back,” he says once they walked out of the car. “Let’s bring all your luggages inside then I will show you everything.”
Sirius takes his luggage and Alphard is about to grab the two biggest ones just when the neighbour’s house opens and a woman steps out.
“Alphard ! Barnabé est encore dans mon jardin !”
“Encore?!”
“Oui !”
Their uncle sighs.
“Who is Barnabé?” Regulus asks as the woman appears to notice them, eyeing them with an avid curiosity and she quickly signs at someone inside her house.
“One of my geese.”
“Why do you have geese?” Sirius articulates as he tries to hold back his laugh. “And why is it in her garden?”
“Because Barnadé hates being alone,” he sighs out and hands Regulus keys. “Go inside, I will go catch him then I will bring these two inside, they are too heavy for you two. J’arrive Hélène !”
Hélène waves at them and stumbles on a shy ‘hello’ before she appears to be too embarrassed, quickly whispering to Alphard when he reaches her.
“What is the use of a goose?”
Sirius shrugs and turns toward the house. “Give me the keys.”
Regulus throws it at him and stares at his brother walking to the door. He focuses back on the luggage with a tired quiet sigh, almost this close to just going to bed even if it's barely the start of the evening. The luggage that Kreacher prepared for him is really heavy. He manages to put it down without crushing one of his feet, glancing at the boy who is walking up to him.
“Hum, do you want help?”
The English is understandable despite the nonexistent accent but Regulus admires the attempt. The door from the neighbour is still open so he probably came from there. They seem to be the same age although the boy is tall, not dreadfully, but enough to show that he hasn’t fully grown into his limbs. The blond smiles nervously at him with a look at the car and the last luggages, starting to furiously blush. Regulus starts to find it funny so he stays quiet, openly staring at him.
“Erm, nice the meet you,” he squeaks out, balancing his arms with a slight panicked laugh. “To meet you? I’m Nathan.”
Alphard didn’t tell his neighbour that Sirius and him speak in French then, it shouldn’t make him that amused but Nathan appears to really try hard as he points at the luggage.
“Help?”
“Reggie! Move your arse because I’m not going to carry your stuff, lazy twat.”
“Alphard said he is going to take it,” he argues when Sirius runs back to his side with a menacing squint until he notices their guest.
“Oh, hello.”
Nathan’s eyes widen on Sirius, blushing harder like he is going to explode. “Bonjour ! Hum– Hello!!”
Regulus snorts at his volume and French accent and quickly turns to his brother who looks curiously at Nathan. Sirius glances with an accusing look.
“Are you torturing him?”
“How would I do that?”
“You didn’t tell him that we speak French!”
“Do we?”
Sirius elbows him with an exasperated hiss before offering his hand with a smile to Nathan, whose eyes widen like saucers. “Hi, sorry we actually speak French but my little brother here is an arse. I’m Sirius.”
“Oh, oh, it’s fine,” he gasps out and shakes his hand, completely ignoring Regulus now that his eyes landed on Sirius, “I’m Nathan.”
“This little prick if you haven’t noticed is Regulus.”
Nathan laughs far too loudly at his joke and Regulus has the thought to just glare for that. Of course their neighbour’s possible son is already under Sirius’ charm. In fact, he hasn’t let go of his hand and Sirius tilts his head at it with a grin.
“I see what you meant by ‘bent’,” Alphard whispers in Regulus’ ear who can’t help but let out a genuine laugh at that.
His uncle grins at him proudly before the goose in his arm honks and startles all of them. Nathan shakes himself off, letting go of Sirius’ hand like it burnt.
“Oh they look so much like you Alphard,” Hélène exclaims with a happy gasp. “They could be your sons. Hum, how do you say ‘welcome’?”
“Thank you, that’s nice of you,” Regulus answers in French, only to mess with Nathan, and she seems thrilled that he does.
“They learnt it since they were children,” Alphard comments. “Reggie, take Barnabé and don’t let go of him while I bring the rest inside. One of his eyes is blind so be careful he doesn’t always know where he goes. Also he is heavier than he looks.”
“What?!”
The goose is pushed into his arm just as Sirius laughs. Barnabé stays still but looms over Regulus with clumsy movements.
“Sirius, take the cake from Hélène please.”
“It’s to welcome you here!” She smiles and hands him a plate with a tall cake. “It’s a Kugelhupf, one of our famous desserts here!”
“Oh, thank you.”
“Alphard you all need to eat dinner at our house once, I would love to cook all for you,” she excitedly offers before smiling at Nathan. “And you seem to be the same age so you might show them where to have fun here!”
Nathan laughs nervously and barely looks at Sirius before glancing at the ground.
Barnabé starts honking in his arms and Regulus grimaces at it, unsure on how to hold it since it’s trying to jump, and they quickly say their goodbyes to their neighbours. Alphard tells him to put the goose outside, by the kitchen’s door.
“But be careful of the chickens!!”
Regulus hesitates at his fussy tone but manages to step outside. There are a myriad of chickens walking around in the garden, clucking and picking at the grass, and they don’t appear mean or threatening. He quickly puts down Barnabé who starts flapping his wings and he jumps back when the goose seems ready to rush at him but he only tries to climb on his shoes.
“Are you scared Reggie?” Sirius guffaws from the kitchen’s window.
“I would like to see you here,” he seethes.
Alphard appears beside Sirius and nods gravely. “Barnabé has some abandonment issues, that’s why he tries to go to Hélène’s garden when I leave. Just push him and come back inside before the chickens attack you Reggie.”
“The chickens?”
“Dreadful creatures. I would rather have dragons,” he mutters and walks away leaving Sirius and Regulus baffled.
“Alright, he is mad too.”
Their uncle prepared them each a bedroom. They are similar, facing each other, with a large bed and the space for their clothes and to work. In his living-room there is an antique piano that Regulus can play if he wants, Alphard says as he remembers that he had classes. His house is warmer than Grimmauld Place ever was, colourful and soft, with the stairs in front of the large living room with two couches and one voluminous seat. He uses magic to start the fireplace but other than that everything appears to be Muggle.
Alphard mentions that once they have the Ministry’s confirmation, he will bring them out to shop a bit. Though he assures them that they are free to rest and do whatever they want. He seems quite happy that they are here and whilst he is tactile, he starts to ask Regulus before touching his shoulder or even hugging him when he decides to go to sleep. Sirius follows him too, probably more tired because of the Hanahaki and he even coughed several times. He quickly said that he only had a cold and Alphard prepared a grog for them both.
Regulus sleeps like a baby the first day and in the morning Alphard is already up and ready for the day, grumbling about cursed chickens. He prepares a coffee for him, mentioning that Sirius told him that Regulus prefers tea except for the morning. There is a lot of familiarity, as if their uncle never forgot about them even if the last time Regulus saw him he had been at best 6 years old. He asks him about what he does here and all the animals in his backyard. Compared to the chickens, Barnabé and his wife - Maria, who is very shy of strangers and is more dependent than Barnabé who sometimes cries when he can’t find her - are simply for pleasure. Though apparently they are good guard dogs too, Alphard mutters that chickens could eat someone if they want to and he advises Regulus to only go outside with him to be sure nothing happens to him.
He is pretty sure he is exaggerating but he indulges in his words and asks to show him what he does to keep himself busy. They had the time to feed the chickens and gather some of their eggs, all the while Barnabé sticks to Regulus’ side like some kind of lost puppy. Alphard mentions that he is considering getting a cow to have milk because he likes to work with his hands and get dirty to have food in his plate - the opposite of the Black family - and points out a chicken he plans to kill and prepare for them this week because it has a nasty infection starting in his eye so it’s apparently better to kill it now before it gets to another one or worse.
An owl swoops by with a letter just when they come back inside to find Sirius in the kitchen eating the breakfast Alphard prepared for him with Hélène’s klougof, toasts and drinks. Alphard takes it and casts various spells before handing it to Sirius.
Apparently, Potter took Regulus’ advice and wrote a letter to Sirius. He doesn’t know if it’s good since Sirius runs to his room to read it. It’s a bit hard to not feel left out but Regulus is aware that he should leave his brother some space. Thankfully Alphard offers him distractions without asking more questions. He offers to teach him cooking, how they will make homemade pasta today with some of the tomato sauce he made over the summer.
They talk easier than Regulus ever expected. Alphard is closer to Sirius personality-wise and like his brother planned to, he cut ties with their family by disagreeing with them. The more they chat though, the more comforting it starts to be and Regulus feels like Alphard understands him as much. He talks about his own childhood and how at first he never did much but obeyed before he learnt better.
“It’s going to be ready soon,” Alphard says. “Go fetch Sirius, please, in case he fell asleep.”
Sirius is in fact more awake than ever. Regulus freezes a bit at the look on his face, wide eyes empty of any clear emotions as he sits with his knees against his chest on his bed. He hasn’t brushed his hair so the letter sitting beside him must have taken all his attention.
“Sirius?” He needs to step closer to catch his brother’s attention who quickly clears his throat and rubs his eyes. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” he croaks out.
Regulus glances at the letter and hopes that Alphard can wait a bit more. He sits in front of Sirius who finally looks at him even if it’s with red-rimmed eyes.
“What did he write?”
He sighs out and settles his face against the top of his knees. “James said that… They all want to talk to me. About what happened and– that he is sorry that he didn’t try to talk to me before.”
“All?”
Sirius nods, face still hidden, and his throat sounds full and sticky. “James, Peter and-and Remus.”
Talking about Lupin would only torture his brother so Regulus crosses his knees. “Didn’t you avoid Potter at Hogwarts too?”
“For good reasons.”
He purses his lips. Sirius has hidden the possible meeting with Lupin and how Emmeline found him choking in a corridor and Regulus wishes he had shared about it. It’s not out of retaliation that he won’t speak about how many times Potter pestered him but on the off-chance that Potter believes Regulus has the Hanahaki, it will probably be more useful that it stays unsaid rather than shared. Sirius is already tortured over what happened with his friends and Regulus adding that he is bothered by one of them indirectly will only add more guilt.
“Does that mean you will talk to him now?”
Sirius chuckles without real pleasure and looks up with a tearful smile. “You know… James is actually worried about where I am, where we are, because I was supposed to go to his place.”
Regulus frowns. “He is mad at you for that?”
He shakes his head. “No. He said that he should have reached out to me because I will always be welcomed at their place, even his parents are asking about me…”
His next words feel dreadful and tighten around his throat. “Do you want to go there?”
Sirius looks at him with vulnerable eyes, wetting his lips before shaking his head. “No,” he articulates as he starts to tremble.
Regulus scooches over immediately, reaching out to hug his brother even if he stays tensed in his initial position. He rubs a hand over his back and tries to not appear as relieved as he is. It’s a nasty satisfaction that Sirius still stays at his side even if another place is open to him.
“I don’t know what happened with your friends, Sirius,” he carefully says. “But I doubt that they are all innocent. They never tried to bring you back to the dorm and… You look sick.”
“I’m not going to talk with them,” he roughly replies.
“Really?”
Sirius coughs, immediately pushing him off to lean to the opposite side as he empties himself in a bed next to his bed. Regulus clutches his free hand and tries to not let his eyes linger on the opened letter; it looks quite long.
“What I did is unforgivable,” he articulates with a rough sob. “I can’t– I can’t go back like I never did that. I can’t believe that I did it and even if they are open to talk now then what will I say? I didn’t mean to? It wasn’t me? I can’t lie to them!”
Regulus observes him but Sirius avoids his eyes, rubbing his sobbing eyes, as he tucks himself against him. He needs to hold himself to not fall as he squeezes his brother. The door creaks just so lightly and he notices Alphard peeking before closing the door to leave them alone.
“Sirius… I really doubt that wha-”
“I almost killed SnIvellus.”
He freezes before quickling restarting to rub Sirius’ back. “What do you mean?”
“I– We have a way.” He clears his throat and digs his face against Regulus’ shoulder. “We have a secret passage to go to the Shrieking Shack but we have to go through the Whomping Willow.”
The Shrieking Shack is the birthplace of many legends around Hogsmeade and even people at Hogwarts are scared of some vengeful ghost screaming from there. Regulus has no idea how to go through the Whomping Willow and has seen it managing to knock down the fastest flyers.
“Is that why Snivellus is spying on you all?”
Sirius shrugs. “He is always lurking…”
“Did you… try to trick him into approaching the Whomping Willow so he can be squished?”
His brother stays still with his eyes on the bed’s sheet. Regulus could almost think that he is dead until finally he breathes out.
“I didn’t think he would believe me. I thought that I could tell him how we got to the tunnel but he would never trust me– that he would do something else out of frustration or that he might attack me and I could hit him with a well-deserved curse.”
Regulus frowns. “But Snape did as you said?” Sirius nods against him. “So he discovered the secret passage and that’s why Potter and all were mad?”
“That’s a part of it,” he whispers. “But I never thought that Snivellus would believe me.”
The Marauders must be hiding something in the Shrieking Shack. Regulus really wants to figure it out but Sirius has asked him to not overthink it– maybe they all go there to shift as animagi and Snape found them transforming. He could easily send them to Azkaban.
“You… wanted to trick Snape by telling him the truth about the Whomping Willow?”
“I don’t bloody know what I was thinking,” he snaps with a sob. “If that wasn’t clear already.”
Regulus can’t help but remember their parents. That time when Sirius asked their father if he could get more paint, he was barely six and still a child scared to disobey who worked on their classes without much complaint. Regulus has been practising the piano and his father asked him to pause so he can answer.
“Do you remember,” Regulus wet his lips. “Do you remember the cupboard in the corridor?”
Sirius looks at him. “What cupboard?”
“At Grimmauld Place,” he says. “You asked for paint one time– and Father told you that you can get more from the cupboard beside the stairs.”
“I don’t… I don’t remember that.”
Regulus can still see it clear as if it happens in front of him right now. “I was surprised because Father immediately told you: ‘Yes. You can find some in the cupboard.’ I never saw the inside of it and they have never let us draw much… You were shocked that he replied to you because they always complained about your painting as a useless skill.”
“What? Reggie, I don’t get it.”
“Just– just listen to me,” he insists and his voice quivers. “You didn’t move and then Father rose from his seat. I thought he would beat you but he only led you in front of the cupboard. ‘Go on, Sirius, open it’ he said but you looked terrified of it.”
“I stared at it for hours,” he articulates with a shaky frown.
“You were.”
The same happened to Regulus who had made the mistake to ask for a small candy, after a rough session of piano with his tutor, to his mother. She had smiled like a predator and accepted like it happened every day, saying that there are some in the cupboard. Regulus has also stared at the cupboard’s door, afraid to trust but torn by desire.
“Why are you reminding me that then?”
“I think… that’s what you did with Snape,” Regulus admits. “You told him the truth, what he wanted, but knew he wouldn’t trust you so he would be t-”
“I’m exactly like them.”
“What? Sirius, no-”
“Regulus. Leave me alone,” Sirius warns, white as a sheet, and heaving loudly. Regulus tries to reach out but his hand is slapped away. He tries to talk but Sirius furiously shakes his head and gasps, screams at him to get out. Sirius stays in his room the whole day after he manages to kick Regulus out of his room. Alphard prepares a plate for Sirius, leaving it in front of his door without a question though he asks Regulus if there is something he can’t do or not. Regulus himself isn’t sure and forces himself to eat a bit when Alphard insists.
He feels like he has to Sirius but his brother doesn’t open his door or reply to him. Sirius only comes out for dinner but changes the subject whenever Regulus tries to apologise. To him, it all makes sense what he tried to do with Snape and if he hadn’t told Regulus that Snape believed him then he would have never thought so. Snape must have been desperate or particularly stupid to believe Sirius or perhaps he planned to be hurt for Sirius to be punished. Potter and the rest of his friends probably never expected Sirius to do something as dangerous as that, risking someone’s life and their secret. Regulus isn’t sure what to think but if Snivellus had died– then it would have been a blessing. He has seen enough in the Slytherin dormitory.
Sirius wishes them goodnight and goes back to his room after showering. Regulus doesn’t feel up for much and turns to bed early too.
“Regulus.”
His fingers freeze over the piano’s keys. “Yes, Mother?”
“You have not finished the garden,” she seethes. “Finish what you started. Now.”
Regulus swallows and stands up. “Yes Mother.”
His feet are heavy, fighting against his will, but they bring him to the garden of Grimmauld Place. The air is smothering and bites at his eyes like poison. He spots a slightly big black cat with a thick tail and digging furiously at a patch of dirt before hissing furiously when they come close. It has disturbed a group of wolfsbane and moonflowers, completely turned over the dirt.
“Bloody cat!” His mother hisses. The cat spits back but jumps away at her hex before climbing up the tree and disappears in it. “Damn these parasites,” she growls before turning to Regulus. “Well, Regulus? Finish what you started.”
“Yes Mother,” he says with an empty breath as he tries to not cry.
Sirius’ dead face looks up at him, buried in the recently dug up dirt. Regulus falls to his knees, bare hands pushing back the soil over his brother’s dead eyes staring right at him. His mouth is painfully opened with flowers bursting out from all his orifices. One wolfsbane is slowly digging its way in the corner of his eyes. Regulus trembles but his mother leans over him as he diligently covers his dead brother.
“That’s the flowers you picked Regulus,” she spits. “It’s your choice. They are hideous. But you wanted it. Thanks to you at least we have good manure– our family’s disgrace will have a use at last.”
The bed is drenched in sweat and Regulus tumbles from it as he screams for Sirius, he manages to stumble out of his room to charge into his brother’s room.
“Reggie?” Sirius croaks out before gasping at the sudden weight crashing him down. “Wha-”
“I’m sorry! Please, please– don’t leave me,” he cries out.
Sirius holds him to sleep. They repeat this over the next nights without a question or a comment and Regulus’ bed is left cold. If Alphard notices it, he doesn’t say.
Their uncle hasn’t mentioned anything about their coughing either but he always prepares them some tea with honey and lemon. Their new home, which surprises Regulus himself that he thinks of it that way, is great. Once they receive the Ministry’s response, Alphard brings them both to Paris for a day. It’s a great day that ends with Regulus getting to pick a familiar for himself, to which Sirius whines but Alphard tells him to be patient.
Regulus has always wanted a familiar but their parents only have an owl because it’s useful and neither Sirius nor him ever got the chance to have one. The cat that Regulus had found when he was younger had been killed so he never tried to get one ever again. Sirius never really mentioned if he really wants one, albeit he looks a little jealous when Regulus gets to pick a ferret for himself.
Alphard doesn’t mention the reason for this sudden gift until they are back home and they find Nathan in their uncle’s garage, the part added to the house, with a motorbike. Which Sirius immediately recognizes as a 1959 Triumph Bonneville T120, which Regulus has no idea how he can since it looks dirty and absolutely not working. Though Sirius has mentioned to him that he wants a motorbike once he gets out of Hogwarts, planning to make it fly as one crazy experiment, and Regulus has no idea Alphard even knew about it.
Their uncle explains that since Sirius’ birthday is coming up, he decided to give him his gift in advance - but that he missed enough of Regulus’ birthdays to offer one in advance. Nathan is an apprentice mechanic, and unable to not ogle or blush next to Sirius, so he is here to help him to repair the motorbike. Sirius appears completely ecstatic at the prospect of learning about mechanics and how to take care of his motorbike and drags Nathan to their home everyday to work on it. Regulus enjoys watching just because the to-be mechanic doesn’t seem to stop embarrassing himself around Sirius and almost knocks himself unconscious because Sirius has no tact and is too focused on his bike to notice that cleaning with his shirt is almost a free show for their neighbour. Alphard joins the watching with Regulus several times.
They eat once at Hélène, with her husband Yves, and Nathan who tries to act natural but his eyes always drift toward Sirius. Regulus manages to spook him several times when their gazes meet. On another day, Alphard brings them to a small forest not far from there that grew on a small mountain to gather chestnuts that he plans to cook with cabbage and a chicken. Sirius starts throwing chestnuts at Regulus first, who reiterates in the exact same way before they are rolling in the colourful leaves. They get back home in one piece and help Alphard cook.
It feels like they are at home.
“Reggie!” Sirius bursts out in his bedroom, mid-afternoon. “There is a storm!”
He sits up on the bed, hesitating for a second before closing his book. “You mean–”
“Did you cast the spell?” He whispers with an excited look. “At dawn and dusk?”
“Yes, every time without a fail.”
“Then the time is here!” Sirius cheers and throws him a jacket. “We’re taking my bike, his first ride!”
“What? Why not here?” He asks, keeping his voice down. “Alphard is busy in the backyard so he won’t see.”
“What if you are a gigantic thing? We don’t want to break the house. It’s better outside, trust me,” he promises as he grabs some clothes to put them in a bag. “Come on, let’s go!”
Regulus follows him downstairs after taking his potion pouch, putting on a jacket and his shoes the fastest he can, just as Sirius shouts that they are going to try his bike. Alphard doesn’t have the time to say anything before they are out. He puts on the second helmet that Sirius spent a day decorating and climbs cautiously behind him before holding on to his brother’s waist as instructed.
The rain wipes in their faces and the thunder growls around them but Sirius only laughs, speeding up through the paved road as they head toward the forest where they gathered chestnuts. He even goes off road and Regulus grimaces at all the bumps. All the trees shake with the wind and they are hit by more leaves than necessary. Sirius is still thrumming with excitement and Regulus finds himself smiling to him despite the cold and the bad weather.
“You need to undress.”
“What?!”
Sirius gestures at him. “Shifting the first time will vanish your clothes, trust me. But if you want I brought a spare. You never know what will happen to them.”
“We’re in the middle of a forest!” He shouts back.
“Exactly! And no one will go on a walk with that weather! Come on, I saw you naked, before it’s not a problem.”
“No way!”
Sirius rolls his eyes before sputtering when his hair hits his face with the wind. “Fine. Lose your clothes then!”
Regulus glares at him before storming behind a rock. “If it’s a joke Sirius I swear-”
“I lost my uniform like that!”
He sighs out and quickly undresses even if the cold bites him in the ass. The potion is a striking blood-red. His eyes look up at the sky with the small question on why he even ended up in this position.
“Sirius?” He shouts.
“Yeah? You alright?”
“I’m fine.” He breathes out despite a furious chill.
“Do you want to go back home?” Sirius asks.
“No,” he says. “I’m going to drink it.”
“I’m right here Reggie, it will be alright!”
“I know.”
It’s not painful, almost as easy as blinking, but he is lost for a moment. He cautiously walks out of the rock, sniffing the air before startling with his fur raised at the steps closing on him. Regulus needs to look up, far more than he is used to, to spot Sirius with a wide grin on his face.
“Reggie?”
He glances down at his black paws before hissing at a sudden lightning strike that sounds too close to be alright.
“I’m not even surprised that you’re a cat,” he chuckles and crouches with his hand reaching out. “Though you seem bigger than the normal cats.”
Regulus can only meow out and sniffs his hand before Sirius swipes him in his arms with a loud hiss of protest. His brother only cackles and scratches his neck– which oh is the right spot.
“Oh wow, purring sounds actually nice,” Sirius says with a small coo in his voice and avoids Regulus’ attempt at scratching his face. “Hey! Be nice or I'll leave you here… You need a name and Twatass doesn’t sound good when you look this cute,” he muses. “I read that cats have a pouch of fat, I thought it was because they are lazy. But some people call it a love’s pouch because if you take care of your cat and it’s healthy and happy, then the bigger will be the pouch filled with love.”
Regulus meows and tries to grimace at how stupid that sounds just as Sirius raises him with his hands to be face to face. His brother frowns at him playfully.
“But you, Reggie, you are full of mean thoughts.You almost blinded one of my eyes with a chestnut right here,” he coos. “So your name will be Meanpouch-”
Regulus manages to swat a big scratch over Sirius’ annoying face.
They only have one day left before their trip back to Hogwarts. He wants to shift, finally believing him when Sirius told him it can be like a stubborn scratch once you do it the first time, but he doesn’t want Alphard to know; not yet at least. For now it will stay a secret for him and Sirius.
His brother and Potter have written to each other almost every day after their second night here and Regulus isn’t sure of what it means but Sirius’ mood is overall better. That’s why he is standing in front of the running fire with the letter that just arrived, ready to throw it in there. This wasn’t from Potter, the owl had been different and the writing is unfamiliar. Regulus has seen enough of the letters to be certain that it’s not Potter.
Maybe he opened it. Only to check the name at the end. It might be Remus Lupin who wrote the letter. He is tempted to read all of it, just to figure out what kind of curse he will throw first at his face.
“Reggie?” He startles, clutching the letter in hand before turning to face Alphard. “What are you doing?”
“Nothing.”
His uncle squints at the letter before observing him. “Is that letter for Sirius?”
Regulus swallows. “Yes.”
“And you opened it?”
“I– I only wanted to check who it was.”
“Is it the boy that caused the Hanahaki?”
Regulus’ eyes widen and let out a weird croak. “What?”
“Sirius told me,” his uncle confirms and walks up to his side. “When you had your nightmares and slept with him. I came to check and Sirius told me what was going on.”
“Really?” He gasps out. “But– he didn’t tell me.”
“Probably didn’t want to worry you. You two are the same like that,” he points out with a fond smile. “I also noticed your regular coughing. Did you think I didn’t care if you two were sick or not?”
Regulus shakes his head. “I just thought that you were giving us space,” he admits, still in shock. “What else did he tell you?”
“The bond that you two have, which means you also have the Hanahaki. That’s a smart way to slow it down but it won’t save Sirius…”
“Do you know of a way?”
Alphard stares at the fire with a small shake of his head. “I have tried to look for one since Sirius told me this– sad mess. So far nothing though.”
“Oh…”
“But you can’t hide Sirius’ letter from this boy,” he says. “Your brother won’t like it.”
“What if he rejects him again? This will– It will kill Sirius,” he argues. “I would rather have him live mad at me than dead!”
Alphard softly pulls him against his side, hugging just the lightest possible to leave Regulus a way out if needed. “Let me check on that then. I know a spell.”
Regulus hesitates and glances at the cursed letter in hand. Sirius will soon be back home from his short drive with Nathan at some shop for his motorbike. He briskly hands it over before storming upstairs.
When Sirius comes back home, Regulus can hear from his room that Alphard casted the same spells as last time to check on the letter but it has already been a bit teared up probably from the owl’s claws. He isn’t sure if his brother buys it but he climbs up without a complaint. Regulus’ door is open and they see each other but Sirius quickly looks down and slips in his room with the letter in hand.
Regulus purses his lips before sighing and turns back to the writing of his own letter. The one option he really didn’t want to see happen but he supposes this time there is no choice. Even if it means dealing with James Potter regularly. If Sirius and the Marauders are back together– then Regulus, or Meanpouch, will be right there too.
#hp marauders#marauders#regulus black#sirius black#jegulus#starchaser#sunseeker#wolfstar#remus lupin#marauders headcanon#peter pettigrew#james potter#lily evans#mary mcdonald#marylily#dorcas meadowes#marlene mckinnon#dorlene#pandora rosier#evan rosier#barty crouch junior#barty crouch jr#rosekiller#rosekillers#emmeline vance#Hanahaki#star brothers#writing#angst with a happy ending#myriadparacosm
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TF2 Monster Mercs
So, I was thinking about the TF2 mercs as monsters/mythical creatures... Scout: Jackalope -It’s known in the game that he’s called “Jackrabbit” by Engi and is known as the fastest member of the team. -Rabbits are fast, can be skittish and alert (especially wild ones). -Jackalopes are from North American folklore, and seem harmless (though I’d imagine that their horns can do quite a bit of damage, like a buck). -Rabbits are good kickers because of their strong legs and are good at defending themselves despite the fact that they are prey to many animals. Spy: Matagot -It’s known in game and just in regular canon that Spy is seen as sly (AKA, being sneaky and tricky) and is hard to know which person he’s turned into. -He’d be a Fox Matagot. -Matagots are from Southern France and can turn into multiple animals, but I feel a Fox fits him. -Foxes are amazing hunters, they’re quick and hard to catch and are known for causing trouble. Soldier: Sasquatch -Soldier is a loud Guy and is violent when protecting his team, this is just a fact in canon and in game. -Sasquatches are commonly from North america and are said to be violent, smashing rocks on things to kill it and even yelling. -And while Sasquatches are known to run away if needed, they will roar and/or act similar to a Gorilla to scare off prey. Sniper: PouKai -Sniper is known for being a Bushman, and being able to kill someone with good aim just from a single gun and being silent at it too. -He’d be a Poukai, why? Poukai’s are from New Zealand, they’re large man-eating birds and while they are considered mythical they may have actually existed at one point because of an actual extinct bird’s similarities. -They’re like Eagles and are able to quickly kill and eat their prey silently. Demoman: Kelpie -Demo’s known for his many bombs and somehow inability to not die despite the fact he is just a l c o h o l. And his disliking for Nessie. -He’d be a Kelpie for these reasons, 1: Kelpies are water spirits and while there are debates about it, it’s generally believed they lived near the Loch Ness Monster. and 2: Kelpies are known for tricking people by turning into a beautiful looking person (man or woman) and/or beautiful horse and then attacking that said person, even causing the Kelpie to be called the Devil because of it (honestly, gives me the vibes that Demo calls himself when he says he’s a monster because of his cyber eye). Heavy: Leshy -Heavy, while known for carrying a big ass gun, is a big softie and doesn’t speak much, being kind and respectful to many people regardless of size and shape. -Leshy’s are in Russian and/or Polish origin, they are known to be masculine and said to be a forest spirit that watches the woods it protects. And while they seem evil, they tend to be quite nice depending on the Humans they meet. -This fits Heavy very well, he’s not mean at his core (literally a gentle giant). And he protects his team and family and friends, always making sure they’re safe. Medic: Nachzehrer -It’s known in game and in canon that Medic is a bit unstable and likes to experiment with different organs and such (animal or Human). He’s also known for making a deal with Satan himself in the comics. -In German folklore, Nachzehrers are kinda a mixture of Vampires and Ghouls. They are also known for being related to sickness and disease (like a plague). They are often created in sad ways (Suicide, ETC), and eat either their own bodies or their family members. -While I don’t believe Medic would ever eat someone (including himself), Nachzehrers are also created because of sickness (it’s believed the first person that dies becomes one in most cases). -Medic would honestly probably just eat random people, or at the very least, his enemies. Engineer: Goatman -Engi’s known for his sentries and many PHDs and fast thinking. And because of this, is hard to get rid of. -From Texas and other places, the Goatman is known for protecting bridges by attacking and/or scaring off people, especially at night, by either scratching (or just generally hurting) the person and/or making many terrifying noises. -They tend to be seen as the Devil because of their violent acts if you stay on his bridge for too long. Reminds me of the line “And you best hope... not pointed at you.” Pyro: Cockatrice -It’s known in game that Pyro is well, a pyromaniac and a bit weird. But they’re protective over their friends but seem unsettling to others especially with the mask they wear. -Cockatrices is a biblical beast, known for turning people they make eye contact with into stone and/or using fire breath. -They are violent to Humans, though I’d imagine they’d be protective over their own kind and offspring. Note: I made these little headcanons of the mercs as monsters/mythical creatures based on where they’re from and what fits them personality and job-wise- The knowledge of these creatures are from my own research, so if I get anything wrong, I do apologize- If you have more info’ on these creatures (especially if they are from where you live), please educate me! I’d be happy to learn! :)
#tf2#tf2 pyro#tf2 engineer#tf2 scout#tf2 sniper#tf2 heavy#tf2 medic#tf2 soldier#tf2 demoman#tf2 spy#estrella rambles#headcanon#headcanons
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Deefer Dog
Deefer waits ready Observes the badger's approach Go! He's bred for this
I had to do a dachshund for "d", because my rarely seen uncle has a couple and it was my late grandfather's joy to tell me stories about them. Pa loved animals of all kinds, even my cannonball of a kelpie (also pictured, he is the dog that is not purple and his name is Logan) who was way too cannonballish for a man in his 80s to handle--which did not at all stop Pa from revving him up.
That would be reason enough for Pa to talk about my uncle's dogs, but the thing is, he didn't know how to pronounce dachshund. Not in the way that most people say "dash-end", but in a much more wonderful way.
Pa pronounced it "douche-hound".
Now, this prompted some debate within my immediate family. Did Pa know what he was saying? Did he bring up Rodney's dogs so often so that he had the opportunity to say it more? Was it all a dare for us to say something? It's worth mentioning that while Pa loved a joke, I never heard him swear or refer to anything ... of this variety. We will sadly never know, but I think even if he had've lived to 100 we also would never have known.
Deefer is named as such after my great uncle's dog, who was not a douchehound. He also had a cat called ceefer. And a parrot and a huge snake, but I don't remember their names. He was a pretty cool guy.
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How long since you...?
�� “Aurelia... how long since you...?” Tyrian blurted out the question as they walked back to the royal quarters after consulting hours were over.
“Hmm?” Aurelia glanced over at him without stopping.
Tyrian hung back though, fiddling with his sleeve buttons. “Victor’s not here for a little while, right? He went to see his mother.”
“Yeah, you can bite me,” Aurelia replied, answering the unasked question. “He WILL be inconvenienced when he comes back, the timing isn’t perfect. But that’s probably a good thing.”
“Oh... no. I’d better not, then.”
“It won’t do him any harm to find a new donor,” Aurelia said. “It will be good for him to try. Rosie’s medicine has been great, but he can’t go from depending on his mother to depending on me. I mean, technically he can, because I have a much longer lifespan than him. But he probably shouldn’t.”
“I suppose,” Tyrian admitted. “Still... I’d better not.”
They grabbed some dinner and retired to Tyrian’s bedroom.
“Will isn’t coming home tonight, right?” Aurelia asked as she practically threw herself on the bed.
“He’s staying at Marlena’s,” Tyrian confirmed, pulling out a book from under the bedside table. He sunk down into his pillow and opened it at the bookmark.
“Hmm. Reading. What’s Will been reading...” She grabbed the book under the other table and flicked through the pages. “Huh. Some kinda comedy. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised, but in my head he just reads Shakespeare and old timey books called things like ‘The Spaynyarde’s Mystrysse.”
“I don’t think Will would be caught dead reading something called The Spaniard’s Mistress.” Tyrian chuckled.
“He reads yours,” Aurelia pointed out.
“Yes, he’s very supportive,” Tyrian remarked, turning a page. “Quite a lot of it is self-indulgent trash. I worry he has a skewed idea about what I want from him.”
“I’m sure he’s familiar with the concept of a fantasy.” Aurelia closed the book and put it back. “And what are you reading?”
“The Kelpie’s Bride,” Tyrian answered. He yawned and slid down the pillow a little. “But I’m falling asleep.”
“Mm.” Aurelia scooched herself over and leaned on Tyrian’s shoulder. “...It’s okay to be a little self-indulgent, you know.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
“There are people who would say I am intimately acquainted with the concept, what with how I’ve been running the place,” Tyrian said. “I have in fact, been accused of it quite often.”
“And what do they know?” Aurelia scoffed quietly.
Tyrian read on in silence for a little while.
“Tyrian,” Aurelia interrupted.
“Hmm?”
“You want to bite me.”
“I mean, I...” He carefully avoided her gaze. “Victor needs you, and-“
“Tyrian.” She used his name again. Just his name. It was good at getting his attention. “You just blurted it out, and you can barely look at me. It’s okay. I don’t know what’s brought this on but... you’re allowed.”
Tyrian closed the book with a snap and stared at it, sandwiched between his palms for a long moment. “...Okay.” He pounced; dropping the book, he pinned her against the pillow, lifting an arm to let her free her own. He leaned over and clamped his mouth to her neck, sliding his fangs in. He immediately removed them, and sucked at the wound.
Aurelia let herself go limp, settling against the pillow. “You know what, you’re right, I would’ve been offended if you were gentle.” He paused, pulling back a little. “I’m fine,” she reassured him. “Not sure if you are... No, don’t stop.” She slipped her arms around his back and he slipped one around her shoulder, keeping himself supported by the other hand. Gradually, he let himself slump, until they were both recumbent on the bed. She played with the ends of his hair, toying with the idea of plaiting it. He was growing it out again, but it wasn’t quite long enough to make a single braid. She could do a few little braids. It would look pleasingly curly in the morning... For a little bit, anyway.
He let go and buried his face in her shoulder. “Aurelia,” he mumbled into the fabric of her pyjamas, “I love you so much.”
“Mm, I know,” she responded.
“I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“Me either.”
He shook with a few laughs and loosened his embrace. “I love you very much.”
“Mm, you said.” She let him lie there for a bit. Eventually, she asked, “So, what was that about?”
“I really don’t know.” He lifted himself off her and lay facing the ceiling. “I just wanted to bite you.”
“That’s really it?” Aurelia leaned over him and brushed the hair out of his face.
“Mm. No particular reason.”
“No?”
“No.”
Aurelia lay flat too. She grinned at the ceiling. “How did I tas-“
“You’re better than that question, Aurelia.” Tyrian wagged a finger at her, before letting his hand fall back to the sheets.
“I think I know all the hated vampire questions by now,” Aurelia turned her head to look at him. “I’m this close,”-she made the obligatory gesture with finger and thumb-“to stringing every single one together.”
“Don’t you dare.” Tyrian smiled as his brought his arms up over his face. “I say, you didn’t ask Victor any, did you?”
“No, I did not ask the awkward vampire teenager the awkward vampire questions,” Aurelia replied. “I did not grow up with another awkward vampire teenager for nothing, you know.”
“Was I that awkward?”
“Victor has a few levels of awkward on you, plus some new levels of awkward previously unknown to fairykind,” Aurelia observed, “But he does remind me of teenage you.”
“Hmm. You may be right.”
“I am right.” Aurelia held up a confident finger. “The both of you... You’re weren’t... aren’t... comfortable... needing things from people. You’ve gotten a lot better at it. But still. You think you’re not allowed to want things. Sometimes.”
“Because I’m not? Sometimes.”
“True, I suppose. But... I already told you I’d say yes if you want to bite me. Ages ago.”
“Yes, and then I asked, and then you said no.”
“For the perfectly valid reason that Victor has dibs. But he’s not here right now.”
“But he will be.”
“And I told you that’s not an issue. And you still thought you weren’t allowed.”
“But...”
“You know, I was amazed? When you kicked all the nobles out of the palace,” Aurelia admitted. “Impressed, too.”
“I think it was a coping mechanism,” Tyrian theorised. “I just needed them gone. I don’t know that it was me growing a backbone.”
“That’s what I mean,” Aurelia pointed out. “You weren’t allowed to need that, and you went and did it anyway. And you refused to let them back in. Give yourself some credit.”
“I was rather pleased about that,” Tyrian admitted. “I expected a bigger pushback than we got.”
“There you go.” She reached for his hand and gave it a squeeze. “Just think. The baby will be the first in centuries to grow up without nobles in the place.”
She felt him tense. “Aurelia, it’s physically impossible that you’re pregnant,” he remarked.
“I’m just saying, you know, eventually,” she clarified. “When we get around to it.”
He relaxed again. “I’m leaving that up to you.”
“You do also have to be involved, you know,” she nudged him playfully. “I know you know how this works. I’m not a lizard. I can’t do patheogenesis or whatever it’s called.”
“Parthenogenesis, yes,” Tyrian corrected. He sighed. “It’s really too bad.”
“Oof. Ow. OUCH, Tyrian,” Aurelia complained.
“You know that’s not... That’s not what I mean.” Tyrian shifted uncomfortably. “I’ve just never thought of you like that. And I can’t just... flip a switch.”
She rubbed his hand with her thumb. “There’s no rush.”
He squeezed her hand back. “Did I mention how much I love you?”
“Might’ve.” She rolled over and grabbed his face, kissing him on the cheek. “Love you too.” She sat up and stretched. “I am not at all sleepy. I think I’m going to go annoy Louis.”
“Remember not to do anything too strenuous,” Tyrian warned.
“I’m not going to drink or anything,” Aurelia reassured him. “I’ll be back later. You going to sleep?”
“Going to read a bit more,” Tyrian answered. “I’ve woken up a bit.”
“Do tell me if the kelpie ends up with a bride,” Aurelia joked. “Okay. I’ll be back when I’m back, I guess.” She gave him a smile as he snuggled back into the blankets with the book, then she closed the door.
----
Added a
#vdbif#vampires don't belong in fairytales#vampire#fairy#writing#ocs#vampires#tyrian von stollenheim#vampice oc#another one i wrote a while ago and didn't post because I was stressing about What People Will Think#which I do waaaay too much#An actual vampire thing happening in my series with vampires in the title? It's less likely than you'd think
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Day #13
Today's prompt was "favorite head canon".
Honestly, I have A LOT (why do you think I -try to- write fanfic...). I'll put some I really like here for today, but I can't choose, sorry.
It's canon in my head that Newt calls him "Mommy" in front of his child(s) sometimes (often), especially when they are in the case/basement (or whatever they have in their house at this point. It's an attic in NYC in my HC).
As a consequence, his (their) child (ren) call him M'Dad.
The second one is about Dougal. I don't think that Dougal's babysitting duties are coming from nothing, or just for the occamy. I'm pretty sure he takes care of Newt. He makes sure he eats and sleep. But most important, when Newt has a shutdown/meltdown, he stays close. But if his physical presence is still too much, he uses his invisibility to be here, just in case, but avoiding to be a additional stimulation. He probably foresees the situations too.
(this one is based on one of my dogs TBH, excepted the invisibility part, but he truly knows before me when I'll have a meltdown, and what distance is OK for me at any point of time)
A last one for the road (but I have pages of HC about Newt) : Newt almost never uses magic on the creatures, not matter if it puts him into danger. For the capture of the occamy, he could have sent the bug in the teapot, he could have used a tracking spell on Dougal, he could have magically removed the chains on the zouwu, or magically sent the ointment on the kelpie. He only uses it in the emergency (or if he's really pissed), and mostly on Teddy.
I believes he does that because he thinks that could be detrimental on the creatures, and probably mostly on a "psychological" point of view. Many of the creatures suffered abuse by wizards. Without using magic he doesn't trigger that. Maybe that could physically hurt them, but I don't believe it, or he wouldn't have used Accio on Teddy.
That's all for today, even if I would have loved to mention that I'm sure he will collaborate with ICW during WWII and after (and that Tina will have a very high position in it, which is my HC about RR law), and that I'm certain that he'll teach in a way or another, probably as a guest lecturer in all schools of the world (no matter their importance).
#fantastic beasts#newt scamander#newtina#tina goldstein#demiguise#dougal#fantastic beasts and where to find them#headcanon#autistic newt#autistic newt scamander#febulous newt 2023#febulous newt#please do not hurt them
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“If I lay here -- if I just lay here -- Would you lie with me and just forget the world?”
~“Chasing Cars” by the Snow Patrol
x~x~x~x
featuring Ru Ollivander and Estrid Soelberg @thatravenpuffwitch and a reference to Galen Stagg @cursebreakerfarrier 💛
x~x~x~x
Graduation. It was an event that marked the beginning of a new life, for the students of Hogwarts -- one that, at the turn of the 20th century, often included marrying and promptly starting a family, especially if one came from a well-respected magical family.
The Ollivanders were mortified, therefore, when their youngest child Rudolph (almost exclusively called “Ru”) instead promptly left their family home in favor of moving to Denmark to live with their close school friend Estrid Soelberg and her grandfather Maynard. It was particularly egregious considering that neither Ru nor Estrid had expressed any intention of or interest in marriage despite their cohabitation.
This is what happens, though, when you pair up a rebellious kelpie impersonating the boy who tried and failed to bridle them when they were young with the solitary half-Veela who somehow managed to bring out and nurture their most human traits. One could hardly expect people like Ru and Estrid to follow popular convention. And so the two pointedly ignored the appalled reactions of the rest of Wizarding society and set about figuring out how to start the next chapter of their lives side by side.
The first hurtle for Ru was eating a proper dinner at the table with Estrid and Maynard, the way normal people do. They had become very used to eating alone, since before Hogwarts they frequently had to scavenge for food, and even at school, they had difficulty not hoarding food away from everyone else. But Maynard -- who’d heard so many stories about Ru from Estrid over the years that he’d already grown quite fond of them -- wished to be hospitable to Ru and make them feel welcome, and as much as the dinner made Ru uncomfortable, they weren’t blind to how much Estrid clearly esteemed her grandfather and really wanted him and Ru to get along. Plus it was because of Maynard that Ru now had a place to live in the first place, so it did behoove the kelpie to show some respect. And so, with some reluctance, Ru soldiered through and stayed at the table. Fortunately, even if their table manners were atrocious and they acted incredibly evasive the entire time, Maynard was a patient man and only approached Ru’s standoffishness with indulgence. He even managed to engage Ru a bit when he mentioned his love for painting.
“What style do you gravitate toward, in your work?” Ru asked, curious. “Neoclassism? Art Nouveau?”
“Oh, nothing quite that avant-garde,” said Maynard with a laugh. “Though I do like it, certainly. No, most of my stuff is more Romantic, in look...you’ll have to forgive an old man for being nostalgic for older styles.”
Ru gave a light snort. “There’s nothing wrong with older styles, if they’re any good. It’s just the Romantic stuff is fluffy and pointless.”
Rather than be offended by this rude assessment, Maynard merely raised his eyebrows, interested.
“Oh? I always thought the style helped capture the true beauty of the world we live in -- even the simplest, most seemingly insignificant kind.”
“That beauty can’t be true when the art polishes it beyond recognition,” Ru countered. “Romantic art turns generals into saviors, gardens into paradise -- normal men with scars and limps and bad posture into nothing but polished, perfect statues. It’s daft. The Romantics were so obsessed with capturing their precious feelings on canvas that all their work does is telegraph what they want their audience to think and feel, rather than trust them to use their own eyes and brains...or let the images just speak for themselves.”
Their electric blue eyes were as bright as the diamond earrings dangling beside their long hair -- shining with a bizarre kind of conviction.
“That’s the true magic of photography -- capturing a moment, just as it is, with all the little mistakes and flaws and blemishes therein. And yet also capturing a person and all of their beauty -- even the flawed, human things that painters stupidly try to gloss over.”
Maynard appeared pleasantly surprised by the response. His eyes seemed to brighten as he shot Estrid a rather wry smile.
“Well now, Estrid, your friend truly has an artist’s soul!” he said, sounding rather proud. He beamed at Ru. “I have heard marvelous things about your photography, from Estrid. I don’t suppose there’s any photographs you’d be willing to show me, when time permits?”
Ru blinked. Then, upon receiving an encouraging look from Estrid, they gave a mild shrug.
“...S’pose there’s a few,” they granted with a small smirk of their own.
Maynard ended up looking over several albums of Ru’s work while Estrid helped Ru unpack the rest of their things. He was particularly charmed by how many pictures Ru had taken of Estrid dancing.
When Ru went into the bathroom to wash up for the night, Maynard pulled Estrid aside.
“He’s not fully human either, is he?”
Estrid looked at her grandfather, startled.
“I would think you sensed it too,” said Maynard. His gaze and voice were very calm. “I’d hazard a guess at mermaid ancestry, but I’m not quite sure...”
Estrid’s dark eyes flitted over to the closed door of the bathroom uncomfortably.
The old half-Veela brought a hand down onto his granddaughter’s shoulder and gave it a light squeeze.
“No matter,” said Maynard. “It was merely mild curiosity, on my part...your friend seems to have sparked some to life inside of me, whether he meant to or not.”
Estrid looked up at Maynard. His eyes were sparkling fondly.
“He is a truly fascinating person, my dear,” he murmured. “I can see why you’ve become so fond of him.”
Estrid smiled slightly too, her eyes softening.
Ru spent a lot of time in the bathtub “washing up” before finally coming out. By the time they’d emerged, their fingers and toes were all wrinkled up like prunes, which seemed to please them quite a bit.
“Now, you see this? This is something else fun about humans,” they said with a broad grin as they sidled in front of the mirror in Estrid’s room and wrung their long black hair dry with a towel. “This body’s three-quarters water -- yet leave it in water for that amount of time, and the skin just crumples under the weight of it! It’s bonkers.”
“If you want to experiment with that again, go take a dip in the pond,” said Estrid coolly.
She was sitting up in bed and she kept her focus on the book she was reading as she spoke, trying to ignore the fact that Ru had strolled into her room for a chat while dressed in only a smoking jacket.
“You’re just lucky Grandfather likes you enough to forgive you for using up all the hot water,” she added as she turned the page.
Ru gave a light bluster through their nose and mouth. “Your grandfather’s a wizard, isn’t he? He can always just heat up some more with his wand, can’t he?”
“No, he can’t,” Estrid shot them down without looking up from her book. “Grandfather never attended Hogwarts. He’s never used a wand.”
Ru blinked slowly at Estrid’s reflection in her long mirror as they considered this. Then, finally, they gave a light “...Hm” and dropped the issue. Clearly they’d decided it really wasn’t their business and, out of respect for Maynard, chose not to press Estrid for an explanation.
“I suppose the pond out there would be a nice place for a swim anyhow,” said Ru offhandedly. “Reckon there’d be some interesting moss and aquatic plants around there too...might make for some good pictures...”
With their black hair now dry, they strode over to Estrid’s bed and flopped down next to her. Their head landed right on the pillows, right above Estrid’s.
“Ru?” said Estrid, startled. “What are you -- ?”
“What?” said Ru. “It’s comfortable.”
Estrid flushed as Ru closed their eyes.
“It’s my bed,” she said forcefully.
But Ru had already started to settle themselves in, turning over in bed so that their face rested in the light blond hair at the top of her head. They exhaled through their nose in a soft sigh that tickled Estrid’s forehead.
Estrid’s blush darkened. “Ru...you’re only half-dressed, you dalcop -- get up -- ”
Ru mumbled something largely undiscernible.
Estrid brought a hand up to Ru’s chest as if to push them right out of bed, but she found herself hesitating, seeing the look on Ru’s face.
All tension or strain had left their dark brows or long-lashed eyes. It left a strange, almost innocent expression behind...one better suited to a child, drifting off to a soft lullaby.
The Hufflepuff didn’t think she’d ever see Ru look quite so peaceful before.
“Ru...” she said a bit more softly.
Closing her book and putting it down on the side table, she turned her focus more properly to Ru. She brought her hands up to adjust their smoking jacket, so as to better cover their hairless chest.
Ru shifted slightly in bed -- without opening their eyes, they blindly brought a hand up through her hair. Then they adjusted on the pillows so that Estrid’s face ended up in the crook of their neck, right beside the glinting silver “bridle” chain fastened there.
“...’Strid...” their voice came out as a sleepy garble.
Their long fingers tangled in her hair as they cradled the back of her head. Estrid’s expression softened a bit -- she remembered Galen mentioning once that playing with each other’s manes was something kelpies did to express affection. Ru themselves had taken to braiding Estrid’s hair, when they were spending time together on their own, back at school.
They’d had a long day, Estrid decided. Moving to a new country to start a life you never thought you ever would -- all in preparation for a new newspaper job the next morning -- wasn’t something you did every day. No sense in scolding them for being a bit tired.
Leaning forward, the Hufflepuff tentatively placed a soft kiss to Ru’s jawline. The feel of their soft, porcelain skin under her lips made her heart race and made Ru give a soft, contented sigh.
“Good night, Ru,” Estrid whispered.
Reaching for her wand on her side table, she quietly put out the lights. Then she brought the covers up and over the two of them, settled back down on the pillows beside Ru, and closed her eyes herself.
By morning, the two slept fully in each other’s embrace, Estrid curled up in a ball at Ru’s side while their legs and arms wound around her, their hand cupped beside her cheek and hair and their face resting beside hers on the pillow. When Estrid woke, the sight of Ru sleeping so peacefully beside her prompted her to kiss them awake -- a tradition that the two would take turns indulging in several times over, on those many wonderful mornings they would wake up, side by side.
#hphl#hogwarts legacy#my writing#aesthetic#estrid soelberg#ru ollivander#galen stagg#maynard soelberg#most rustrid material is on the waaaay~#it's half-done in my sketchbook <3
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Finished two more designs of ocs for my fanschool Stallmare.
Left is Uri Maris a Kelpie take on Poseidon from Mythology. He is the headwarden(headmaster) of Stallmare. He a optimistic type that does things for the betterment of his students..often at a cost. Calls some clownfish alot.
Right is the house leader of House Gaia,Oskar Herrmann who is a twist of Maximus from Tangled. He a hardworking knight like young man who lives to serve and protect those who need it. He a sucker for apples so can get him to do something by promising him some.
I will post few more designs once i finish em as wanna show the house leaders and more staff..
I am doing my best to get more oc designs done but and strain really be flaring up as not used to drawing so detailed on a small phone screen my hand in same spot for 3hrs..
#twisted wonderland#twisted wonderland oc#twst oc#twst fanschool#twst fanschool talk#stallmare#uri#oskar
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lai
The culmination of Laios' frustrations in this scene wherein we learn that Laios has fantasised about "a pack of monsters attacking a village" drives home just how alienated he really feels. I need not go into his wish to become a monster himself, redolent of how many autistic people identify/have identified with non-humans to some degree as a result of a percieved disconnect from society (when I was younger, I wanted to be a robot. I still kind of do.)
Obviously, wishing death upon other people is a weighty thing, but the unfiltered nature of this page is what deeply resonated with me. The Winged Lion is laying Laios' deepest and most transgressive desires bare, and they are desires that are a product of lifelong ostracization by others (whether intentional or unintentional). This is the brand of anger I'm familiar with, and that my neurodivergent friends express being familiar with, but that I haven't seen portrayed in writing so explicitly before—in fact, it surprised me because most well-meaning autistic representation I've experienced veers toward infantilisation in trying make the autistic character's struggles easy for neurotypicals to sympathise with.
Let's also not neglect the symbolism inherent to Laios' daydream. "A pack of monsters attacking a village". Functionally, monsters are Laios' special interest—he percieves everything first and foremost through his passion for monsters. His daydream of monsters attacking—killing—humans, is fundamentally a daydream of the world he understands (monsters) overthrowing the world that is so illogical to him, that has repeatedly shunned him (other people). I joked to my friends that it's an autistic power fantasy, and it actually sort of is. And in it, his identity is aligned with that of the monsters, while his anger manifests in a palpable dissociation from the rest of humanity. This is one manga page. It's brief. It's also very, very raw to me. I think about it often.
--
As a person who's special interest is dogs, I'll tell you right now that I fucking love them. I live in a city full of strays, and I actively go out of my way to pet, play with, and interact with them. It brings me a lot of joy and comfort to be able to be surrounded by puppies.
I will also be the first to tell you that, like it or not, dogs are animals - and animals, ultimately, can be unpredictable. They can be scared, they can be territorial, and they can be impulsive. And while I genuinely believe that there's no such thing as a bad dog or an angry dog - only a scared one - I also don't believe it makes a functional difference once a dog has bitten you what intentions it may have had.
Dogs are dangerous. I've seen people get bitten, I've been bitten, I've had close calls, some of which were my own fault and others which were not.
And Laios reflects this so beautifully, especially in the Kelpie arc. He's not blinded by his love for these creatures, he's not overtaken by baseless empathy - he understands, understands better than anyone, that these are at the end of the day monsters, and they are dangerous, and when push comes to shove sometimes you've just got to kill them. In fact it's his love for them that lands him this knowledge and understanding in the first place - just as I know that there's no room for fear and weakness when it comes to interacting with dogs, he knows there's no room for hesitation and empathy when it comes to interacting with montsers.
It's so fucking realistic of someone who genuinely researches and cares about these creatures, rather than superficially "liking animals" and then trying to assign human qualities to inherently inhuman creatures.
--
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Meet My Muses
So, I've recreated this section to the best of my ability. But because there's so much info for each of my muses, and because of the way I've organized the original page (and made it easily sortable) I really recommend using the web version of this link if at all possible. :) That said, if you absolutely have to use this mobile version, then I've chosen to alphabetize by fandom and then by first name. Any fandomless OCs can be found in the 'Fandomless' section. For more information about a muse, click on their name. That will take you to a separate post with oodles more info. :)
American Revolution
ISAIAH THOMAS Faceclaim: Zachary Quinto Type: Historical Figure Species: Human Gender: Male Orientation: Pansexual Isaiah was apprenticed to a printmaker at the age of 5. By his 20s, he was in deep with a group calling themselves the Sons of Liberty. They often used his printshop for meetings, and his paper, The Massachusetts Spy, was constantly on the verge of being suppressed. Isaiah was looking to become a part of history... and he did.
Dream Daddy
ROBERT SMALL Faceclaim: (If Needed) Jay Tavare Type: Canon Character Species: Human Gender: Male Orientation: Pansexual Robert is a rebellious, quick-witted widower who's reluctant to take anything too seriously. Emotional availability isn't really his thing, and he'd rather spend his nights drinking or cryptid hunting than deal with his problems. He's the epitome of the 'jerk with a heart of gold' trope, but getting to know him well enough to find out isn't easy.
Dorian Gray
BASIL HALLWARD Faceclaim: Ben Chaplin Type: Canon Character Species: Human Gender: Male Orientation: Homosexual Basil is the artist who painted Dorian Gray's infamous portrait. Trapped in a society where even he was never able to fully accept himself, the artist expressed his forbidden love in the only way he was able. A love which eventually led to his ruin.
Fandomless
ALEJANDRO MANOLO RAMÍREZ MONTOYA Faceclaim: Antonio Banderas Type: Original Character Species: Pesanta; Demon Gender: Male Orientation: Pansexual Alejandro is a demonic creature born of a human and a succubus. He needs to feed in much the same way as his mother, only instead of feeding off of lust, he feeds on fear - or more specifically, nightmares. After spending several centuries as a slave to a dark wizard, Alejandro now struggles between what he is and who he wants to be.
ARTHUR CIRRAKOS Faceclaim: Alexis Georgoulis Type: Original Character Species: Werebear Gender: Male Orientation: Homosexual Born in Ancient Greece, Arthur began life as a relatively normal human. But the gods work in mysterious ways. By the age of 35, he was immortal... and a were-bear. (It's a long story.) Soft-spoken, and a little people-shy, he often prefers the company of animals, but if someone need's help, there's no one better to ask.
CARRADOC ILAR VAUGHN Faceclaim: Gwilym Lee Type: Original Character Species: Dragon Gender: Intersex (Identifies as Male) Orientation: Pansexual Protect the clutch! Those were the last orders Carradoc's Queen gave before dying. But dragon eggs take a notoriously long time to hatch. While he waits, Carr is doing his best to stay safe, but the scars on his back require him to seek out help now and then. How will he EVER manage FIVE dragonlings when the eggs finally hatch?!
CLÍODHNA Faceclaim: Lea T Type: Original Character Species: Kelpie Gender: Trans Female Orientation: Pansexual Kelpies are dangerous creatures, and not just because they feed on human flesh. They have a charisma - an aura that exudes both grace and power... that makes humans long to possess them. Clíodhna is no exception - and she knows it. She's a woman who knows what she wants and takes it - a woman not to be trifled with.
CONOR Faceclaim: Vidyut Jammwal Type: Original Character Species: Barghest Gender: Male Orientation: Heterosexual Once, Conor was a houndmaster. One day his new lord beat one of the dogs to death. In a fit of rage, Conor beat the man bloody and then set the dogs on him. Before he could flee, Conor was found out and put to death. The next night he was resurrected as a barghest... with an entourage of ghostly hounds at his side.
EALDWINE Faceclaim: Idris Elba Type: Original Character Species: Witch Gender: Male Orientation: Demisexual Ealdwine is a witch - none of this ‘warlock’ stuff, thanks. And no, he didn’t have to sell his soul to anyone to get his powers... sort of. It's a long story. These days, Ealdwine runs a pub called “The Tree of Life” where he mostly keeps to himself. However, for the right price, he can brew you up something special.
LLYR Faceclaim: Kevin Ryan Type: Original Character Species: Selkie Gender: Male Orientation: Homosexual Llyr made the mistake of falling in love with a human man. As soon as his lover discovered where he hid his skin during their trysts, he stole and then sold it (and Llyr) to a traveling witch. Llyr wasn’t able to escape until a young human girl gave her life to kill the witch. He’s never forgiven himself for the girl’s death.
RHYS MADDOX Faceclaim: Ioan Gruffudd Type: Original Character Species: Human; Psychic Gender: Male Orientation: Demisexual Rhys is a psychic who doesn’t look at all like what you'd expect. He's used to people not taking him seriously (even others in his own field) but doesn't really mind (and it never stops him from helping if he can.) Treat him with kindness and you'll have a friend for life, treat him poorly and you just might find unexplainable clawmarks on your ankles...
SAM WARREN Faceclaim: Valorie Curie Type: Original Character Species: Human Gender: Genderqueer Orientation: Asexual Sam's childhood wasn't an easy one, and she grew up determined to never show weakness. Devoting herself to self defense, she now prides herself on being a skilled fighter in multiple techniques. Although she often comes off cold, Sam really just needs people willing to take their time with her, willing to show her she's safe with them.
Harry Potter
GAIL ADDAMS Faceclaim: Janeane Garofalo Type: Fandom Original Character Species: Witch Gender: Female Orientation: Demisexual Gail is a Slytherin witch who's DONE and DONE with the Wizarding World. She's perfectly happy to spend her life with Muggles running a (mostly) normal bookshop. However, she also longs to free her twin brother of his lycanthropy and spends all her free time working with potions in the hopes of finding a cure.
REMUS LUPIN Faceclaim: Joe Anderson Type: Canon Character Species: Werewolf; Wizard Gender: Male Orientation: Pansexual Remus Lupin has spent his whole life fearing what he is... what he's capable of. Although some are willing to overlook his curse, too many more shun him for it. He lives his life expecting to be treated poorly, and pleasantly surprised whenever someone is willing to accept him - curse and all.
SEVERUS SNAPE Faceclaim: Adrien Brody Type: Canon Species: Wizard Gender: Male Orientation: Demisexual Severus always felt like life had it in for him. He accepts that some of his failures are due to his own choices, his own flaws... his own mistakes. Now, he tries to atone for them... but war is coming and he must walk a very fine line between 'professor' and 'deatheater' if he's to be of any use when the time comes.
Labyrinth
SARAH WILLIAMS Faceclaim: Jennifer Connelly Type: Based on Canon Species: Human Gender: Female Orientation: Heterosexual At 16, Sarah was whisked away on a magical journey. Now she's a grown woman working to make the most of her life. Things may not feel as magical these days, but her books about a distant labyrinthine realm are beginning to sell... and at night she still dreams of winding passages and someone who's just out of reach.
Mythology
CATH Faceclaim: Colin Farrell Type: Original Character; Based on Myth Species: Cath Palug Gender: Male Orientation: Pansexual Cath was Morgan le Fey's familiar. Some of the stories about him are true… some aren’t, but he served his mistress faithfully for many centuries. Now that her death has freed him, he has little desire to aid another. These days he works freelance - using magic to manipulate the Black Market just enough to keep himself comfortable.
FINN ILIOS Faceclaim: Amy Adams Type: Original Character; Based on Myth Species: Dragon Gender: Female Orientation: Pansexual Twins are a bad omen. Abandoned by their clan, Finn and her brother Ty had to fend for themselves. Eventually, she became the protector of Apollo's main temple... while her brother went down darker paths. Now, those days long behind her, Finn tries to live in the moment... but worry for her wayward kin is always in the back of her mind.
GELERT Faceclaim: Paul Bettany Type: Original Character; Based on Myth Species: Dog Shifter Gender: Male Orientation: Pansexual He began life as a normal dog, but the Fates wove Gelert's life into something wholly unique. After being murdered by his master, the hound caught a faerie king's eye. But faeries are fickle, and he eventually found himself immortal and cursed. Now Gelert lives a mostly nomadic life as he tries to make the best of what's happened to him.
GWYN AP NUDD Faceclaim: Richard Armitage Type: Original Character; Based on Myth Species: Faerie Gender: Male Orientation: Pansexual Gwyn is the kind of faerie the stories warn you about. He's clever and cruel, and will use any means necessary to bend you to his will. And if he can't bend you; he WILL break you. He rules his realm with a bloody fist and an iron grip. No one is more skilled at making cruelty seem like kindness.
OBERON Faceclaim: David Bowie Type: Original Character; Based on Myth Species: Faerie Gender: Male Orientation: Pansexual Once the faerie king of Hollow Earth, an attack on his homeland thrust an iron-weakened Oberon into the Human realm. Unable to return home and missing a HUGE chunk of his memories, the former king has settled into a mostly quiet life in the Smoky National Park region.
OWAIN AP NUDD Faceclaim: Richard Armitage Type: Original Character; Based on Myth Species: Faerie Gender: Male Orientation: Pansexual Twin brother to Gwyn, Owain grew up never realizing who he was. Faerie? Yes. But all else was kept from him - just as his existence was kept from his brother. When Gwyn discovered Owain's existence, he saw only a threat, and acted swiftly. Cursed and trapped, Owain still knows nothing, and has yet to find someone willing to help him.
TYPHON ILIOS Faceclaim: Jake Hold Type: Original Character; Based on Myth Species: Dragon Gender: Male Orientation: Pansexual Ty is a dragon who revels in everything life has to offer. He makes the most of his wealth and has no qualms about using it to get women and men into his bed - sometimes at the same time. On the surface, his life is an eternal party, but underneath it all, he's riddled with insecurities and will fight fiercely to keep anyone from uncovering them.
Overwatch
COLE CASSIDY Faceclaim: (If Needed) Josh Holloway Type: Canon AU Species: Human Gender: Male Orientation: Pansexual Years after a deal with the feds went horribly wrong, Cole Cassidy is just an ex-con trying to keep his nose clean. He spends his days working in a tattoo parlor, and his nights trying to forget the past. He’s not looking for trouble - can’t afford it. However, more often than not, trouble seems to do a damn fine job of finding him.
GABRIEL REYES Faceclaim: (If Needed) Oscar Isaac Type: Canon Character Species: Human (mostly) Gender: Male Orientation: Pansexual Escaping an ill-spent youth, Gabriel joined the military young, and it put him on a path he never could've anticipated. Super soldier - Omnic Wars Hero - Blackwatch Commander. Gabe's life has never really felt like it was his own. Now, 5 years later, even he's not sure what his motives are anymore... or where his loyalties lie.
Quantum Leap
SAM BECKETT Faceclaim: Scott Bakula Type: Canon Character Species: Human Gender: Male Orientation: Demisexual In 1995 Dr. Sam Beckett stepped into his quantum leap accelerator and vanished. Trapped in the past, facing mirror images that aren't his own, he's driven by an unknown force to change history for the better. Leaping from life to life, Sam strives to put right what once went wrong, and hopes each time his next leap will send him home.
Red Dead Redemption
ARTHUR MORGAN (High Honor) Faceclaim: (If Needed) Roger Clark Type: Canon Character Species: Human Gender: Male Orientation: Pansexual Arthur will be the first to tell you he's not a good man. He's beaten, robbed and even killed people who were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. But even a bad man has the capacity for change... doesn't he? If he wants it bad enough? Past wrongs can't be rewritten, but maybe he can still leave this world better than he came into it.
Supernatural
BENNY LAFITTE Faceclaim: Ty Olsson Type: Canon Character Species: Vampire Gender: Male Orientation: Pansexual Vamps with Benny's story are a dime a dozen. One day he was just living his life, and the next he woke up with a hunger he couldn't sate. Then he met a human woman who made him CARE again. But all good things... Now that Dean Winchester has given him a second chance at life, Benny is trying to make the most of it.
DEAN WINCHESTER Faceclaim: Jensen Ackles Type: Canon Character Species: Human Gender: Male Orientation: Pansexual Dean Winchester hunts the stuff that everyone else refuses to believe exists. If he doesn't do it, who will? Ghosts, vampires, demons - he's seen it all. Most of the time he's got his brother, Sam, by his side... and most of the time that's enough. But even someone like Dean can long for something more now and then.
GABRIEL Faceclaim: Richard Speight, Jr. Type: Based on Canon Species: Archangel Gender: Male Orientation: Pansexual Heaven is a prison and Hell is a tomb. Gabe decided he didn't want to be a part of either - so he hid. Assimilated. Laughed and loved and tried to forget. It wasn't enough, and he paid the price. Now, he doesn't even remember who he used to be. He's just a baker with some odd powers that he tries to keep on the downlow.
RONNIE BRENNAN Faceclaim: Zooey Deschanel Type: Fandom Original Character Species: Shapeshifter Gender: Female Orientation: Demisexual Ronnie is a shapeshifter with an aversion to shifting. She'd give anything to just be human. Since that isn't possible, she does her best to live a human life - using her 'chaos-causing' skills to digitally go after deserving individuals. Always on the move, she uses her free time to enjoy the natural beauty of America.
TONY CASTLE Faceclaim: Silas Weir Mitchell Type: Fandom Original Character Species: Human Gender: Male Orientation: Demisexual Born and raised in the small town of Jefferson, Texas, Tony was content with a laid-back career in law enforcement and the love of his high-school sweetheart. They were expecting their first child when a shifter shattered their world. With nothing left to lose, Tony began delving into a hidden world, challenging everything he thought he knew.
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S&S&F: Invisible Shenanigans
(In Cameron and Alanis' home...)
(The Kids' POV)
Sun and Moon poked their heads out of their blanket fort and looked at the weird lady with the drawing on her back pacing around. Seemingly waiting for something. She looked outside very often to see if anything arrived. She did mention she was waiting for a package.
-Flashback-
'You sure you can handle the kids?' The kelpie asked, rather worried. 'Didn't you say you had a package coming in today?'
'Well, yes, but the client isn't in any rush so I can deliver it when you come back.' The lady explained. 'I promise everything will be fine, trust me! I have taken care of countless kids in the past!'
'If you say so. Just don't forget to be gentle with them.' The kelpie said.
'You have my word. Besides, being gentle is part of my being.' The lady said before pausing for a second. 'Well, was ORIGINALLY part of my being.'
The adults talked as the kids listened from the blanket fort. The kelpie was leaving? They would be left alone with the weird lady??
I mean, she wasn't bad, she didn't hurt them but she was still weird.
'They'll be just fine, trust me. I will never let anything happen to them.' The lady, Alanis was it, said.
'Alright. If anything happens, just call me.' The kelpie, Cameron, said.
-End of flashback-
It has been a few hours since the kelpie left and about an hour since the lady started pacing around the place, often checking her phone for something. It was kind of nerve wrecking.
'B-Brother, what do y-you think s-she is doing?' Sun asked, slightly curious.
'I don't know, but I don't trust her...' Moon growled softly as he glared at the lady.
Suddenly, the lady stopped pacing and pretty much darted out to the porch. The kids seemed a little confused until the lady came back with two weird shaped wooden things. They seemed like they had nothing and the lady seemed confused as well until she put her hand in the 'empty' space and went 'Unholy shiiiii-n digs, they invisible!'
The lady touched whatever was there and looked quite giddy as she did, a goofy grin on her face before a loud sound interrupted her. She took out her phone and hissed and grimaced slightly before leaving whatever she was holding on the couch and went out to answer the phone. Moon looked suspicious at whatever the lady had put on the couch. Sun, however, was curious.
Before Moon could say anything, Sun crawled out of the blanket and crawled up into the couch, struggling a bit as he did but was able to get up. Moon hissed in shock and indignation before crawling after his brother and getting up on the couch with much more ease.
'What are you doing?! You can't just run off like that! What if she saw you?!' Moon scolded, sclera black while irises were a red color.
'S-Sorry, I g-got curious! Y-You saw her f-face when she got the t-thing!' Sun said as he looked at the 'empty' wooden thing and touched the 'empty space, his talon sinking into something soft. 'I-It's like nothing is there but i-it is t-there! S-soft too!'
'What?' Moon was confused. How could seemingly nothing feel soft?
'Y-Yeah! Come o-on, touch it!' Sun encouraged.
Moon hesitated. While the kelpie and the lady were nice so far, he still didn't trust them. But Sun had touched it and it didn't hurt him...
The darker siren huffed before placing his talon on the 'empty' space, eyes widening when he felt something soft and fuzzy. It wasn't the couch, while it was soft, it was not this soft or fuzz.
'Weird...' Moon mumbled, taking his talon away while his brother kept touching the... whatever they were.
Kids being kids and with their curiosity, they decided to try and guess what the things were. They were soft and fuzzy, and were in those weird wooden things which they recalled the kelpie called them 'hangers'. They took the things off the hangers and messed with them a bit. They put the things on and noticed they were shirts, similar to the ones they usually wore but long enough to cover their bodies and have some weird hood things in the back. And it made them look as if they weren't there when they put them on!
'C-Can you s-see me brother??' Sun asked as he looked around for the other siren before bumping into him. 'S-Sorry!'
'Is fine! These are weird...' Moon mumbled as he and his brother played around wearing the things, constantly bumping into each other but still having fun.
Well, up until the lady came back. The kids froze up, being behind the couch and not in their usual place that was the blanket fort.
If the lady found out they touched the things, she would surely be mad...
'Invisibility cloaks for kids?? Who makes that stuff??' The lady talked to herself as she went to the couch where the 'cloaks' were supposed to be. 'I'll understand if it's cause of the texture, it's soft as hell- What the fudge?'
The lady touched the now real empty space and looked around and saw the blanket fort was empty.
'Fiddlesticks...' The lady mumbled. 'Uhh, kiddos? Where you at?'
The kids kept silent, nervous of her reaction if she found them after taking the stuff without permission.
'It's fine. They are still in the house I bet. I'll find them in no time.' The lady said to herself. 'How hard can it be to find two baby sirens wearing invisibility cloaks?'
-3 hours later-
Very hard apparently.
The lady was now laying on the floor having a crisis since she couldn't find the kids anywhere and she searched the entire house. Even the roof! Meanwhile, the kids watched everything ensue in amusement, Moon being the one who enjoyed seeing the older woman freaking out.
'Gods, Cameron is so gonna kill me if I can't find them...' The lady mumbled.
The kids did not see the face of terror in her face. The gaze of having passed through this exact same scenario with a much different reason and outcome.
Moon snickered while Sun smiled a bit, a tad nervous but still finding it funny.
'S-Should we s-stop hiding n-now?' Sun asked his brother.
'Sure.' Moon simply said.
Moon and Sun took off the cloaks and tried to crawl back to their blanket fort without alerting the lady. Unfortunately, the lady heard their movements and snapped her head towards their direction, making eye contact with the kids.
She didn't blink. Neither did they.
Sun became terrified while Moon hissed at the lady.
They were in so much trouble. She was probably so mad!
They didn't have time to run, let alone think when the lady got up from the ground and took the kids into her arms. Sun panicked and Moon growled and hissed when the lady hoisted them up in her arms. They knew it, she was mad! She was going to punish them!
...
Nothing is happening. Nothing hurts.
There is just... sobbing.
Moon looked at Sun but saw that he wasn't the one crying. Sure, he seemed frazzled but he didn't have any tears in his eyes or anything.
That is when they realized
It was the lady.
She was the one crying.
'Gods, you scared me half to death...' The lady chuckled as she kept sobbing. 'I thought you were just... gone for a moment there...'
Sun and Moon looked at each other as the lady embraced them a bit longer before letting them go. She looked away for a second, drying her tears before looking at the sirens again.
'Sorry for doing that, it was out of impulse... I was just, so worried, I couldn't find you at all for so long, I thought ya ran off or something!' The lady said as she laughed as if she hadn't cried literally a second ago. 'Gods, I freaked out so bad...'
The lady covered her face before just pushing her hair back. Moon could have sworn he saw a scar on her face for a second there...
'I am just glad you are all okay. You two seriously scared me! Please, don't do it again alright? Not unless you ask me first so this does not happen again okay?' The lady said.
Sun and Moon looked at each other before nodding, the darker siren a bit more hesitant.
'Alright, good good. You two go to your blanket fort. I gotta get the cloaks and then I'll make ya two dinner.' The lady said, Sun and Moon perking up at the idea of dinner, their reactions making the lady smile a bit.
The sirens went straight to their blanket fort after that. The lady taking the invisibility cloaks and putting them on the hangers again before going to make dinner.
The lady was weird, like the kelpie, but it was something else. The kids didn't know what.
But she was nice. They'll just appreciate she didn't get mad.
A little weird... but pretty nice.
((Magic shenanigans, enjoy-))
(Moon and Sun belong to @intistone’s fic Scars and Scales)
Cameron (kelpie boi) belongs to @ikari-shinsei
Alanis (aka the lady) belongs to me :)
#oc#exorcist angel#scars and scales#sundrop#moondrop#siren sundrop#siren au#kelpie au#intistone#fnaf daycare attendant
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Kieran to General Winter
General Winter,
Three sunsets. I told you, I have three sunsets. I will be back in just that amount of time. It is not a very long amount of time. And yet you have written to me, spent your valuable time and mine because you could not wait three sunsets to know whether I prefer velvet in midnight blue or one in more of an eggplant, I believe was your phrase.
Forgive me my temper. I am not really angry with you. I am only somewhat out of sorts this morning, after a night of merriment and whimsy on the streets of London-Town, along with my Nephilim friends. Now, obviously any faerie revel contains such dark delights as mortals can only dream, and so on. But after the previous night I must concede a grudging respect for the reveling capacities of an unexpected group: London businessmen of late middle-age. In our journeys we encountered what is known here as a “Retirement Party,” a kind of movable feast in which these businessmen traverse the city in celebration of a chosen one. In this case I knew him only as “Kraig.”
We met his Party thrice last night! The first time, at the Tongue & Grapes, we shared only a mutual acknowledgement of fellow celebrants passing in the night. The second time, at the Inn of the Shaved Werewolf, there were mutual roars of recognition from both parties, and a ceremonial exchange of beverages, as is custom. And the third time, at the Pigeon & Spoon, we were welcomed and—a great honor—inducted as honorary members of the Party, whereupon we were bestowed with festive hats and jersey-cotton smocks proclaiming the majesty of the great Kraig.
So you will understand if I am shorter of patience than I would like, this day, for I have a vile headache engendered by too much of what mortals call “shandy”, a repellent beverage with a kick like an angry kelpie. It quite left my darling Cristina asleep on a rather sticky table at the Pigeon and Spoon; Mark and I had to carry her back to the Institute. She is awake now, of course, and demanding coffee with rather more force than usual. Given that my time is short, I shall endeavor to answer your queries as well as I can.
I like the midnight blue, for the throne room. I think it sets off the creeping vines well, and also I think that you were hinting you prefer it as well. Next, I am in general agreement that the overall aesthetic of the throne rooms should move in the direction of an opulent Gothic feel, rather than its previous occupant’s preferred mood of “blasted hellscape.” Let us remind our Court that we are the Moon, as the Seelie Court is the Sun; rather than that they are Beauty, and we Tackiness.
However, I disagree about the skulls. I think they should remain. Skulls are perfectly appropriate in an opulent Gothic setting. In fact, I am hard-pressed to think of a style in which skulls would not be an improving presence. If such a style exists, it would definitely not be a good choice for the throne rooms of the Unseelie Lord, let us at least agree upon that.
Lastly, I am disturbed to hear that the Seelie Court continues to rebuff my requests for a summit of peace. You were right when you noted your suspicions earlier; they have become more secretive in this past year, even for them. We will see if our scouts manage to learn anything, although in my experience our scouts mostly seem to fall into forbidden romances with Seelie scouts and then they run off together; we lose something like four out of five that way. I suppose what I am saying is that I am not exactly holding my breath. (A charming human expression, is that not?)
You do not need to suggest to me that I contact Adaon; he is my own brother and I speak with him often. Whenever I bring up the possibility of a united court, or a meeting between myself and the Seelie Queen, he says the same thing: now is not the time for a summit that might lead to discord — now is the time to preserve the fragile peace between the two courts by leaving well enough alone. He has the Queen’s ear, so I must trust he knows what I do not. Still, you know it is not in my nature to do nothing and call it progress.
Speaking of that fragile peace, I must inquire—have your redcaps learned any more about the strange presence that has been noted in Faerie, and whether it is beneficial or antagonistic to our interests? I feel it through my connection to the Land — I am woken sometimes, feeling that presence I cannot define, knowing it is both of Faerie and not of it, and that the Land itself is afraid.
Enough of that. I trust that you can manage to keep the Court in working order for the thirty-six remaining hours I will be gone. If more color selection is necessary before my return, I trust you to go with your instincts, which have always served you well.
Until then I have the honor to remain Your Eternal Sovereign, Master of the Hob and the Domovoi, Breaker of the Broken Lands, Crown Under the Hill, Dark Star of the Evening, Friend of Kraig, and King of the Unseelie Court —
Kieran
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