#and the pub seems to have gone through a few alterations

[plexiglassonion]

So chronically bitchless I spent a solid 30 minutes looking into that pub the deleted Paul scene from AHDN was filmed at because I had a radical idea to reshoot the scene using the original locations.

[cieloclercs]

sliding doors , chapter one

pairing: joão félix x fem!oc                                                  part: 1/?                                                                                  warnings: none, just fluff :)                                                word count: 8.8k

SLIDING DOORS, "Seemingly inconsequential moments that nonetheless alter the trajectory of future events."

01. in which chance brings them together for the second time

prologue

read it on wattpad!

𝗝𝗢𝗔̃𝗢 𝗙𝗘́𝗟𝗜𝗫 𝗪𝗔𝗦𝗡'𝗧 just some amateur footballer for a second-rate local London football club — he played for one of the biggest teams in the Premier League. Esperanza Cabrera had discovered this on the way back to her apartment from a late class. There was a commotion on the street and outside pubs on that particular night, a tell-tale sign she'd come to realise of a football match being broadcast on the big screens inside. Normally, Esperanza wouldn't have paid any attention. The fans were too rowdy for her liking, so she preferred to give them a wide berth on match days. But on this night, something caught her attention; the shouts of "Red card!" and "Send him off!" echoing from inside.

She obviously knew what it meant to get a red card — she wasn't that clueless about football. Esperanza hadn't heard the fans this animated in quite a while, though. She figured it must have been a derby match. Intrigued by their shouting, she crossed the street towards the pub where most of the noise was coming from, and peered through the window just in time to see the referee raise a red card into the air. A mixture of cheers and groans rippled across the room. Esperanza could hear them even from outside. A man stood close by lit a cigarette and began muttering bitterly under his breath.

"Sent off on his fucking debut." he spat, "What a joke."

She turned back to the big screen, now more intrigued than ever. The programme was showing a replay of the red card incident. A player in blue dived in late towards another player in white, missing the ball and clipping his leg instead. Esperanza winced a little at the contact. It looked as though the blue player (she thought it may have been a Chelsea shirt he was wearing, but she wasn't entirely sure) had tried to pull his leg away at the last minute, though by the time he made contact it was too late. The camera view switched again to show the player in blue as he ran off the pitch. Finally catching sight of his face, Esperanza's breath caught in her throat.

It was João. Her neighbour João.

That had been two days ago. She wouldn't say that she had been avoiding him as such since then, but she certainly didn't hope to see him around every corner as she had before. It must have just been a stroke of luck that their schedules seemed to conflict so much, for Esperanza hadn't so much as passed him in the corridor again since the day they first met.

She felt a little stupid for not knowing who he was. After the realisation outside of the pub, she'd gone home and done a bit of a deep dive into João's Wikipedia and social media profiles – it wasn't as if he was anonymous. He'd won La Liga. He'd won the Golden Boy award (Esperanza said that as if she had any idea such a thing existed until a few days ago). João Félix was a star signing for Chelsea. It became clear within the first few minutes of her deep dive that he was very highly regarded in the world of football. The fans were excited to have him in the Premier League.

Well, until that red card.

Now Esperanza wondered how she hadn't connected the dots. He would have been playing in La Liga at the same time as Messi, so she was sure to have seen him play before – at least that explained why he seemed so familiar. Now, it felt strange to think that she had been making casual conversation with one of the biggest young footballers in the world. Oh God, she'd almost knocked him over! Esperanza had been able to look back on their first meeting with a fond smile and flushed cheeks before she found out who he was, but now she couldn't think about it with anything other than embarrassment. He probably thought she was an idiot. Great job.

Esperanza didn't usually have a class on a Monday morning (most of her lectures tended to be in the afternoons or sometimes in the early evening), but Jordan, her international law lecturer, who had incidentally given her a public dressing-down for turning up to class late on the day she met João, decided to organise an extra period of study ahead of some upcoming essay deadlines. Esperanza hadn't been at all happy about it at first. She valued her morning lie-ins very much. But as she would later come to realise, if it weren't for that extra, early class, she never would have run into her stupidly attractive, apparently famous neighbour for the second time. At least not in the right way.

Esperanza walked at a leisurely pace down the hall this time. She was scrolling through her messages with Doutzen, double-checking that she'd got the times for their scheduled class right. It wasn't supposed to be for another couple of hours, but the day was surprisingly clear (something which had become few and far between in London as of late), so Esperanza figured she should make the most of it.

The distinct sound of the elevator doors just around the corner beginning to slide shut shattered her peace. Her head snapped up. If there was one thing she really didn't want to do, it was wait an age for it to transport whoever was in it now to wherever they need to go, and then come back again, no doubt stopping to collect more people along the way. Esperanza broke into a run, skidding around the corner towards where the doors were almost shut.

"Wait!" she shouted, "Hold the door, please!"

To her great relief, whoever was inside the elevator did as instructed. An Adidas trainer stuck out from between the two half-shut metal doors, forcing them open so she could slip inside with a tired, grateful smile and a sigh that released all of her sudden, pent up panic. Then, Esperanza looked up. The face that greeted her was all too familiar.

Of course it had to be him.

"You." she said stupidly. João's mouth hung open in confusion, his expression frozen somewhere between delight and alarm. He held his phone in one hand, but whatever he had been doing on it was long forgotten. His sole attention resided upon Esperanza.

"Me." he replied.

They were both instantly aware of the change of dynamic between them. Though they only had one other instance to compare it to, this meeting felt strange. They were both caught off-guard. Esperanza had been the last person he expected to run through those doors, and João had been the last person she expected to hold them open for her. It was odd the way fate worked sometimes, they thought.

As the elevator began its descent down to the bottom floor, Esperanza felt the sudden, overwhelming sensation of déjà vu. She couldn't find the words to tell him that she knew exactly who he was (probably a little more than she should have after her researching spree), just like she had been unable to find the words the first time around to begin a conversation. She had to be the one to broach it though, not João. It just made more sense. He couldn't have known she was any more the wiser to who he actually was than when they had first met.

"So," Esperanza cleared her throat, looking up to meet her neighbour's gaze challengingly, "Just some local team, huh?"

He froze. The reminder of his own words felt like a bucket of ice cold water poured straight over his head. Somehow, João knew instantly what she meant. It was something in the arch of her eyebrow, the knowing glint in her eye, as if she could have seen through any and every lie he told to try and preserve himself as just João, her new neighbour, in Esperanza's memory.

"You..." he began, but trailed off when he found himself unable to read the expression on the young woman's face as she watched him, "Did you see the game then?"

"I saw enough." Esperanza shrugged, moving back to lean against the railing inside the elevator. Her hard, accusing stare dropped. João let out a subconscious sigh of relief, "I think I probably caught it at a bad time, though." she went on with a faint grimace. He knew what that meant as well. She'd seen the red card.

Great. The first chance he had to show the pretty girl next door what he could do on the football pitch, and he went and bottled it.

"I suppose saying I'm sorry doesn't really do much to help you feel better, does it?" Esperanza spoke again. She chewed nervously on the inside of her mouth, waiting for João's reply to see if she had overstepped a boundary. His eyes were on the ground. For a moment they stayed there, but then he looked up and shot her a smile; the kind of smile that made her stomach flutter.

"It helps more than you think, actually." João admitted quietly. Then they were back to one of those long silences, neither of them quite sure what to say. Esperanza lost herself in his eyes again, before letting her gaze wander his figure. It looked like he was dressed for training: dark navy blue skins clinging to his toned arms, with a tight black turtle-neck jumper, and black shorts. She shifted a little where she was stood, the four-walled confines of the elevator suddenly feeling very, very small. Esperanza couldn't tell if she was disappointed or relieved when it finally ground to a halt.

"You're not running late today, are you?" João asked, falling into step beside her and walking out of the elevator. She laughed.

"No, not today. My class doesn't start for another couple of hours. I just fancied a walk."

The young man smiled. That was good, at least he wouldn't have to watch her turn and run away from him this time, unsure of exactly when their next meeting would turn out to be. João had spent the days afterwards hoping she would be around the corner when he left his apartment, or waiting outside for the elevator to arrive – he would have taken her almost knocking him over again. But it had seemed that no matter how much he hoped, they kept missing each other.

"What about you? Are you heading to training?" Esperanza inquired in return, eyeing his workout kit again not-so-subtly. She wondered how he wasn't going to freeze in those shorts. The day might have been clearer and brighter than most, but it was still Baltic.

"I am in a bit, yeah." João nodded, "I was going to grab a coffee before though. I've still got a couple of hours before I need to leave." He looked pointedly over at Esperanza, hoping she would catch the subtle hint behind his words. All she did was smile however, before looking down at her feet with slightly pink cheeks. They were stood halfway between the elevator and the exit, neither of them making any attempt to move.

“Did you, uh –“ João began to ask, but cringed at how hoarse his voice sounded and reached back to run a nervous hand through his hair. Esperanza looked up with furrowed eyebrows. She prompted him to go on.

“Did you want to come with me? To grab a coffee, I mean?”

The young woman had to clench her jaw tightly shut to prevent it from falling open in shock.

"Uhm..." she stuttered. Her eyes were wide as dinner plates as she stared up at João, whose expression had fallen just a little at her silence. Esperanza, for once in her life, genuinely didn't know what to say. She couldn't have hoped to describe how surreal this situation felt — it was clear to her now that her new neighbour wasn't just anyone; João was famous, a young prodigy in the football world, and Esperanza had no doubt that (even though she hadn't at first) almost everyone he walked past in the street would know his name. Yet he stood before her now, looking like a dejected teenage boy at her lack of a response.

"You know what, don't worry about it." João spoke again after a moment, avoiding eye contact as he ran a hand through his hair, "If you don't want to that's fine. It was probably a stupid idea anyway."

"Nonono!" Esperanza was cutting him off before he had the chance to properly finish his sentence, "I'd like to, it's just — I wouldn't want to intrude."

Truth be told, she would have much rather spent the morning with her cute neighbour than sit in a café all by herself — which was saying a lot, because one of Esperanza's favourite pastimes happened to be sitting alone in a café with nothing but her sketchbook and Taylor Swift's Folklore on repeat for company. Something about João (besides the obvious) intrigued her. She found herself wanting to ask him all about the little things, the things about himself that most people didn't know, but probably should have — the things that were overlooked because of his name. It seemed like a stupid, romantic notion to her, but inexplicably it became what Esperanza wanted most, in that moment at least.

João had perked up now — so it wasn't a definite no, as he had feared. When Esperanza had hesitated to respond to his impulsive offer, he'd felt his stomach plummet. Somehow, it dropped even further than it had when he had received that red card. Normally he was fairly confident when it came to girls; the fact they all seemed to throw themselves at him as of late probably helped with that — but this girl looked at him differently. The spark in her eyes and the kind smile on her lips hadn't changed one bit since she found out who he really was. Esperanza didn't try and throw herself at him: she held back. Perhaps João liked that she did. He could ask her out for coffee (or at least try to) like a normal person thanks to it. But that also meant that he feared misreading the situation and her actions more than anything else. What if she really wasn't interested? What if she was just being polite because he was new? In what ways could João possibly embarrass himself further than by misinterpreting signals and scaring off the prettiest girl he'd seen in a long time? It terrified him.

"You wouldn't be intruding." he replied hesitantly, not wanting to overstep again, "It would be nice to have some company, if you're up to it."

Esperanza smiled, "Sure." she spoke, nodding her head as a sign of agreement. João tried not to look too surprised, or too happy — his gaze dropped to the floor, biting back a wide grin. This feeling was comparable to the feeling he got when he scored a goal, except he probably got more out of it; he'd be spending the next hour or so getting to know the girl who'd been stuck in his half-conscious daydreams since they met, after all.

They left the apartment complex together, and João scrambled to hold the door open for Esperanza before she could even get close enough to the handle to do it for herself. It was cute, she thought. She didn't have a great deal of experience when it came to the male sex (unless you counted her high school boyfriend and the single drunken one night stand she'd had since arriving in London), so Esperanza didn't really have anything to compare with João's attempt at chivalry. All she knew was that it brought a giddy smile to her face. She was scared to move too close to him in case he could hear her heart beating erratically, almost out of her chest. This was a completely new experience for her, way outside of her comfort zone, but Esperanza found she didn't mind. It felt right somehow.

"Where did you want to go then?" she broke the slightly tense silence that had fallen between them, coming to a stop on the pavement outside the apartment complex. João opened his mouth to reply. No sound came out. It probably would have been a good idea to familiarise himself with some local cafés before impulsively inviting his neighbour out for a kind-of-but-not-really coffee date.

"I didn't think that far ahead." He admitted sheepishly. Esperanza let out a quiet, good-natured giggle, much to his relief. At least, from what he could interpret, she wasn't changing her mind about accepting his offer.

"How about we go to one of my favourite cafés?" she suggested, "It's not far from here."

João nodded eagerly. He realised in hindsight, perhaps a little too eagerly, but by then it was too late to correct himself. Esperanza's smile widened even further.

Small talk was one of the worst things about getting to know someone, but unfortunately, a lot of the time it was necessary to fill the gap. For example, the gap of a half mile's walk to Esperanza's favourite café. Not only did it sell the best chocolate brownies in London, it was also helpfully situated only a few minutes away from the tube station. She'd spent many a morning alone in that little café before her classes, adding to her sketchbook and drinking enough coffee to hopefully keep her awake until the end of her international law lecture. Of course this time, she wasn't alone. Esperanza would normally stick her headphones over her ears and drown out the rest of the world with her two-hundred song strong Taylor Swift playlist while she walked. But now she had João for company, who made sure she stayed on the side of the pavement furthest from the road, and tried to keep the stream of conversation between them as constant as possible. At first it was a little awkward, and the nerves in the pit of Esperanza's stomach had flared up — but gradually she grew more comfortable. By the time they made it to the café, she was completely at ease.

João followed her dutifully up to the counter. She appeared to know the place and many of the workers quite well. He must have seen at least three servers wave at her when she walked through the door. Esperanza seemed to him to be the kind of person that other people were just naturally drawn to. There was something magnetic about her presence. Of course, it was only natural for people to gravitate towards the brightest, most genuine smile in the room; and that smile belonged to Esperanza.

"Hey, kid." the server behind the counter, whose name tag read Matt, said to her as she approached, "What can I get for you?"

"Hey, Matt." the young woman returned with a grin like pure sunshine, "Can I have a caramel latte please? And a..." she trailed off, looking towards João expectantly. He'd been too busy watching her to have even thought about his order, "What do you want?"

"Uhm..." João cleared his throat, looking away from Esperanza and up to the blackboard menu on the wall. He decided to just pick the first thing he saw, not wanting to hold anyone up for any longer than he already had,

"Just a black coffee, please."

The server, Matt, simply nodded. His eyes were a little wider than they had been before. It wasn't obvious, but João was familiar with it, and he knew he'd been recognised. Luckily, Matt said nothing. He got on with making their drinks in total silence.

João was brought back to the present when Esperanza pulled out her credit card and went to place it on the countertop. His eyes widened, horrified. He shot out a hand to halt her movements, pushing the card away with a gentle shooing motion.

"Nono, I'll pay." he said. Maybe it was an old fashioned notion, but João couldn't think of anything worse than allowing the woman to pay on a first date (— if this even was a date; they hadn't clarified that yet).

"João, it's fine. I can pay." Esperanza laughed lightly. She pulled her hand gently out of his grip and moved to place her card down on the counter. Matt was almost finished making their drinks. He'd be over asking them for the money soon enough.

"No." João persisted, shaking his head firmly, "Look, I've got cash." he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a twenty pound note, "I can pay."

"Don't be ridiculous, you're the guest here!" Esperanza shot back, swatting his hand and incidentally the note he held in it away. His brow furrowed in thought.

"Technically, so are you." he argued. If she was going to claim that because he wasn't a local and hadn't been living in the city for long, he got the special treatment, he could turn that around on her as well.

"I've been here for three years. I'm basically a Londoner." Esperanza reasoned. Their shared stubbornness had landed them in a stalemate. João wasn't going to back down — his mother had raised him better than to let a woman pay when he had money in his own pocket, date or not. As for Esperanza, well, she didn't actually have a problem with him paying for her; but she was argumentative by nature, so backing down now wasn't an option.

"Why don't we just split it?" the young woman suggested, "I pay for my drink and you pay for yours? It makes more sense to do it that way, anyway."

João pulled a face. It wasn't ideal, but he supposed it was a compromise. If Esperanza wouldn't let him buy her coffee for her, he could at least take some of the load as his own. Besides, from the stubborn glint that had appeared in her eye, it became clear to him that she wasn't the kind of person to be argued with.

When Matt wandered back over with their drinks, João got his card out ready to pay for his drink, while Esperanza did the same for her hers. But Matt placed both the coffee cups down in front of them and waved away both their credit cards in dismissal.

"These are free of charge." he revealed. Esperanza's jaw dropped open.

"What?!" she spluttered, "But Matt — you can't —"

The man raised a hand to cut her off, before turning to look at João, "Welcome to London, mate." he said with a smile, "It's not every day I get to make coffee for João Félix, so..." Matt pushed the cup towards him across the counter, "Free of charge, for both of you."

João smiled, "Thank you." he said sincerely. A warm feeling grew in his stomach — he'd been lacking it for a while at Atlético, and now, especially after the Fulham game, he lacked it at Chelsea. It felt like acceptance.

"Are you sure there isn't any way I can pay you? I could —" he began, but Matt was quick to cut him off.

"No, no, don't worry about it, just — score us a couple of goals, yeah?" the man said with a small smirk,

"Coming from a Chelsea fan, we definitely need some of them right now."

João laughed, "Sure. I will do." he promised. He had every intention to keep it too — even if he would only be at the club for a few months.

Esperanza felt like she'd been teleported into some kind of parallel universe; free coffee, no extra charge? She'd never so much as been given a discount, despite being one of the little-known café's most loyal customers. The perks of being famous.

"Oh, and one other thing." Matt spoke again as Esperanza and João picked up their drinks, ready to find a table to sit down at. They halted in their tracks, "Unlucky about the red card. If it's any consolation, I thought it was a pretty harsh decision."

João smiled. He wasn't too sure about that himself, but he appreciated the sentiment. It was nice to know not all Chelsea fans had a vendetta against him now after that stupid mistake.

Finding a table by a window overlooking the busy street outside, Esperanza and João took their seats across from each other. She felt a little starstruck in his presence now; her earlier, built-up confidence beginning to melt away.

"So you really are famous." she laughed nervously. He looked up, catching her eye. He could immediately sense her slight change in demeanour. She struggled to hold his gaze, her focus flickering around, but never directly on him. Whenever he tried to hold her there, she would flush pink and quickly look away. João probably should have known that his relative fame would be a bit of a barrier to overcome between them. It was understandable that she might be a little thrown off by something like Matt and his insistence on charging them nothing for their drinks. All it meant was that João would just have to help her feel at ease again. Honestly, he didn't mind that at all.

"I guess." the young man shrugged, "I'm still just a pretty normal person, though. Sometimes I forget a lot of people around here know who I am."

Esperanza nodded. That was the way she saw him too – just João; her cute neighbour João, not football prodigy João. She wasn't sure why he hadn't changed in her mind. Finding out that he was Chelsea's new star signing surely should have flipped some kind of warning switch in her brain - but for some reason, it didn't. Even if, in reality, she barely knew him, to Esperanza he was still just João.

"Hmm. I do have one question, though." the young woman spoke up. She could feel her confidence beginning to return in waves, "If you're such a big deal, you must earn a lot of money, right?"

João nodded with slightly furrowed eyebrows, wondering where this was going.

"What are you doing living in a mid-range apartment in central London then? Surely you must have had nicer options. Somewhere further outside the city, maybe?"

It did seem odd. The apartment complex they both lived in wasn't exactly a cheap option, but by a footballer's standards, Esperanza figured it must have seemed fairly low-range: ordinary. She knew how much player's like João earned – put it this way, he could have easily afforded something much nicer.

"Well, I kind of just went with the first one I saw." he explained, his lips curling up into a wry smile. Esperanza arched her eyebrows incredulously, "I mean yeah, I probably could have got somewhere bigger outside of London, but I'm only here for six months. I'd rather experience the city up close than live further away and not see any of it, you know?"

João had given the matter quite a lot of thought. He wasn’t just at Chelsea to get some more playing time. In a way, he was running; running away from a situation at Atlético in which he felt completely powerless; running away from the expectation that came with being named as one of the most promising young footballers in the world; and maybe, he was running away from the shadow of his past as well. But João didn’t want to think about his ex-girlfriend right now. It wouldn’t do him any good to dwell on that, when the only woman who had genuinely caught his interest since her was sat in front of him.

“It’s weird,” João spoke again, a sudden realisation coming to him as he thought back to the day he’d bought his temporary apartment, “I decided pretty much straight away I was going to buy the first one I saw. But I was actually supposed to view a different apartment a couple of days before I went to see the one I’m in now. I would have bought the other one if the estate agent hadn’t called in sick on the day.”

Esperanza’s eyebrows raised. How different things could have been if not for the unfortunate (or fortunate, depending on which way you looked at it) timing of the estate agent’s illness. She most likely never would have met João. She would still be getting on with her day as normal right now, but instead of spending the morning with the only man who had caught her interest in a long time, she would be alone, simply imagining the romance she feared she would never obtain in her quiet little corner, while Taylor Swift's All Too Well echoed in her ears — as if she could relate.

"It's funny the way things work out." Esperanza murmured. The hazel of her eyes mixed with the obsidian of João's. They bore a strange, unreadable look.

"Must be fate, huh?" he half-joked, his voice dropping so low that only she could have possibly heard it; like it was their little secret to keep. The whimsical, romantic notion that there was some higher power at work, watching over them to make sure their paths crossed. Esperanza wasn't one to believe in such things, but somehow, it did feel that there was something beyond them both, mapping out the courses of their lives, intersecting the two, separate trails just at the right moment. She didn't have to wonder if João was thinking the same thing. It was in his eyes, that unreadable look suddenly becoming as clear as the breaking of a new day.

"Yeah. It must be." Esperanza whispered.

They didn't broach the topic again. There was still much to learn about each other before they considered the implications of their fateful circumstances of meeting. That was a conversation for a later date.

"So, where are you from?" João asked first. He leaned forward onto his elbows, demonstrating that she had his utmost, undivided attention, "I just realised, you know I'm from Portugal, but you never told me about yourself."

The corners of Esperanza's mouth twitched upwards.

"I'm from Argentina." she replied.

"Argentina?" João's eyebrows rose, "You're from Argentina, but you're not a football fan?" He didn't think there even were any non-football fans in Argentina. Seeing the way they'd celebrated the World Cup win for days on end, it seemed to him that the entire country was absolutely crazy about the sport.

"Who says I'm not a football fan?" Esperanza countered. He wasn't wrong though — she'd never been an avid follower of football like her parents and aunts and uncles and cousins were (as well as most of her friends). She didn't expect to be able to fool João that she was either — he'd already seen through her.

"You didn't know who I was." the young man argued back with an arch of his eyebrow. Esperanza chuckled.

"Someone's got a high opinion of themselves." she spoke teasingly. João smirked, "You are right, though. I'm not really that into football."

"Well that's not something I ever thought I'd hear an Argentinian say." he replied. She shrugged almost apologetically. Despite being completely surrounded by it every which way she looked growing up, Esperanza had never really understood the apparently massive appeal of football. Perhaps it was the over-exposure that had caused her to grow sick of it. At this point, she only watched football for the national pride and for Messi.

"I do know some things." Esperanza defended, "I used to watch Barcelona a lot when Messi was there. Pretty much every match, I'd say. I'm not sure why I didn't realise who you were."

"I would have been playing at that time," João nodded, "Was I really that insignificant to you?" he looked down at her, feigning being hurt. Esperanza shook her head hastily, dispelling the suggestion with immediate effect.

"No, I'm just — forgetful." she sighed, "You played for Atlético right? Didn't you win La Liga with them?"

João's suddenly wide smile was all the answer she needed for that question, "Yeah, I did." he nodded proudly,

"You know, for someone who's not into football, you seem to know quite a lot." His eyebrows arched up into his hairline, as a faint, questioning smirk curled at his lips.

Esperanza sat back in her chair. She looked down at the table, but avoiding eye contact did little to hide the grin that crept its way onto her face.

"I may have done a little bit of research." she admitted.

"Oh yeah?" João's smirk widened.

"Mhm. It would be rude of me to not know anything about what you do, right? You are my neighbour."

If only that was the genuine reason behind her extensive research. Esperanza could lie to herself all she wanted, but the numerous pages still left open on her phone (she should probably get rid of them soon, actually) of the TikTok edits she'd accidentally stumbled across while searching João's name spoke volumes.

There was a brief pause in conversation as they each took a sip of their drinks, watching subtly (or what in their minds was subtle) when they thought the other wasn't looking. João, for the second time, was the first one to speak up again.

"Where in Argentina are you from?" he asked.

"Bariloche." Esperanza replied. Her neighbour frowned slightly, wracking his brain for any recollection of such a place being mentioned to him before. But to be honest, João didn't really know any other city in Argentina apart from Buenos Aries and Rosario.

"You probably won't have heard of it. It's quite far south, in the Patagonia region. Right near the Andes." Esperanza explained, "It's a lot colder than most of Argentina, so we don't really get many tourists in the summer. We do in the winter though. Skiing is really popular."

João hadn't heard of it, but he was fascinated just seeing the way her eyes lit up like fireflies, speaking about the city she called home. He would have listened to her talk for hours just to see that look again. When Esperanza trailed off her explanation, João made a gesture, eager and attentive, for her to continue.

"Where I lived was right by the lake — the Nahuel Huapi." she went on with a far-off smile, "It's the most beautiful place in the world. Blue waters and snow-capped mountains as far as the eye can see. My family and I used to go skiing on the mountains every winter; all of us, my parents, my aunts and uncles, my cousins... Sorry, am I talking too much?" Esperanza giggled nervously.

"What? No, no!" João exclaimed, "I like listening to you. Your home sounds beautiful, by the way."

When he smiled at her, Esperanza searched his eyes closely, as if she was trying to read them like she would read a book. They sparkled with sincerity; a genuine interest in her and in what she actually had to say — not just whether she had a pretty face or not. That was much more than Esperanza had been able to say about any other man before.

“Gracias a Dios.” She sighed, “Sorry, I have this habit of talking way too much when I meet knew people. It’s like my brain doesn’t catch up with my mouth, and I just can’t stop the words before I’ve said them. Wait, I’m doing it again, aren’t I?” Esperanza’s eyes widened.

“It’s fine.” João laughed, “I’m more of a listener than a talker anyway.”

“But you must have far more interesting stories to tell than I do.” She countered suddenly, leaning closer towards him in one quick movement, “You’re a famous footballer!”

Esperanza wasn’t sure how she was supposed to contribute anything that could pique his interest in a conversation with someone who must have had more adventures in his thus far short time on Earth than she ever would in her entire lifetime. She knew he’d appeared and scored at the World Cup; she knew he’d played in front of tens of thousands of people at Camp Nou (which, let’s face it, was a once in a lifetime experience for anyone, Barcelona fan or not) – those two memories in themselves were enough to make any story Esperanza had to tell fade like the sun from the sky at dusk, reduced to insignificance. Though she was aware that João was just a person, like anyone else, it intimidated her that he’d experienced so much more in relatively as many years. In comparison, she was just boring.

“No quiero hablar de mí.” I don’t want to talk about me. João murmured shyly after a few moments of silence, “Eres mucho más interesante.” You’re much more interesting.

Esperanza perked up at the sound of her mother tongue on his lips. “¿Hablas español?” she asked excitedly. It hadn’t occurred to her until now that it was very likely that João would speak Spanish – he’d lived and trained in Madrid for quite a few years, after all. There was just something about hearing him speaking the language she’d grown up with, his Portuguese accent so gentle she almost missed it completely, that had her stomach doing somersaults.

“Sí.” João grinned, “Es mejor que hablar inglés, ¿no?” It’s better than speaking English, no?

Esperanza giggled, “Muy cierto.” Very true. She agreed. It was only as they picked up their conversation where it had left off, with Esperanza rambling on, starry-eyed, about her childhood home, and João watching her with equally starry eyes, that she finally realised what he had said. You’re much more interesting. No one had ever told her she was interesting before – least of all someone like him. Esperanza tried not to look into it too much, but she couldn’t ignore the fluttering feeling in her stomach that appeared every time she replayed his words in her head.

“I went to Buenos Aires for the World Cup final and to celebrate with my family after we won.” She babbled in rapid Spanish, so rapid and so heavily laced with her regional accent that João had to concentrate especially hard to understand what she was saying, “That was crazy. I’ve never seen anything like it. I’m pretty sure, like, ninety-seven percent sure that Messi waved at me – from the tour bus, you know? Millie – she’s my best friend – said he waved at her, but it was definitely me.” Esperanza glowed with pride at the memory, and João found himself overcome with a smile; the kind that hurt his cheeks.

“Apart from that, I haven’t been back to Argentina since I moved. So, three years. I haven’t been back to Bariloche in three years.” She went on. Her beaming grin became tinged with sadness. It was a long time to go without seeing her home town – but as a student living off barely minimum wage (she had the ‘immigrant’ label to thank for that), Esperanza simply couldn’t fund the costs of travelling back and forth. Her parents had offered on multiple occasions to pay for her, though each time she had turned them down. They were already essentially paying for her apartment; she refused to take any more money from them than that.

“Do you miss it?” João asked. He wasn’t blind to the way her bright smile dimmed, even if she tried to cover it up in the next moment. He was too perceptive to not spot it.

“Yeah, I really do.” Esperanza admitted, “I love London, but everything and everyone I’ve ever known is in Bariloche. Most of the time, I don’t really notice it, until some days, I’ll wake up and it’ll be raining or something, and I’ll just sit there and wish that I’d never left. But that is only on the bad days. I’ve got used to being so far away from home now, I can just kind of ignore it.”

It was mostly the truth. Esperanza didn’t feel homesick nearly as much as she had in the first year or so of her university course, but it was still a lot more frequent than she made it out to be. Still, it felt good to at least admit that she did still feel homesick sometimes. She couldn’t quite put her finger on why, but Esperanza felt safe enough in João’s presence to be open with him about that. To some people, that may not have seemed significant, but she hadn’t even been able to admit it to her best friend. There was just something about this man that made Esperanza feel she could have told him anything – even after knowing each other for barely a few days.

“Do you miss home?” the young woman repeated João’s words back to him when he fell silent. He looked up in surprise, but in the next moment, a look of sadness washed over him; a look Esperanza could recognise in her own face.

“Yeah.” João nodded, “It’s been years since I left Viseu – that’s where I grew up – but I still wish I was back there sometimes. Don’t get me wrong, Madrid is amazing… and I’m starting to really like London as well. They just can’t really compare to my home town, though. Is that how you feel?”

Esperanza hummed. That was exactly how she felt. As a child, she’d always longed to get out of Argentina and explore the rest of the world. It was only when, at age eighteen she finally got her wish, and was whisked away to the distant United Kingdom that Esperanza realised how little she had appreciated Bariloche. There was no other place in the world quite like the place you called home. She knew that now.

“Are you planning on going back to Argentina once you’ve finished University?” João questioned again after another moment of silence.

“I think so.” Esperanza nodded, “Unless I have a real reason to stay in London, which I don’t at the moment, I want to go home. At least for a little while, until I figure out what I’m going to do with the rest of my life.”

That left her only five months until she could return to Bariloche and her family; five more months to earn her degree, before the inevitable beginning of her adult life – and only five months for something, or someone, to convince her to stay. She didn’t know it then, but João’s time in London was limited as well. He had until the end of the season in May to make up his mind: back to Atlético, or a new future in Chelsea blue? Every moment they spent together from now on would be what you’d call time sensitive. Five months could pass by in the blink of an eye, after all.

Before long, much to Esperanza’s disappointment, it was time to head to her lecture. She glanced down at her watch, grumbling under her breath, before turning back to glance at João with apologetic eyes, “Unfortunately, I need to get to my class now. As much as I wish I could stay, I’m kind of terrified my lecturer might actually kick me off the course if I’m late again – Sorry.”

João chuckled, “That’s no problem. I need to get to training soon anyway.”

They left their table by the window, leaving a generous tip for the waiting staff before walking together through the front door, which jingled as they opened it. Esperanza stopped for a moment on the pavement outside. She turned to look up at João.

“I’ve really enjoyed this.” She smiled shyly, “Thank you for inviting me.”

“You’re welcome.” João murmured. His eyes dropped to the ground for a moment as he considered his next words, “Hey, if it’s ok with you, could I walk you to the tube station?”

Esperanza blinked, “Walk me? Are you sure you have time?”

“Yeah, I’ve got another twenty minutes before I need to be in the car.” Her neighbour replied, “The station isn’t far from here is it?”

“No, it’s just round the corner.”

“Then I have the time.”

She didn’t need someone to escort her to the station. If anyone else had suggested such a thing to her, she probably would have scoffed. But for some reason, João wanting to walk her was endearing. His eyes shone with hope as he waited for her answer. Esperanza could tell, he wasn’t asking to patronise her or anything of the sort – she thought maybe, just maybe, he wanted to walk with her because he wasn’t quite ready to say goodbye yet. Well, that was what she secretly hoped was the case, anyway. She didn’t want to go getting any ideas, when he was probably just trying to be polite.

“Sure, ok.” Esperanza nodded, “It’s your fault if you’re late, though. Not mine.”

“Understood.”

João struggled to hide the joyful bounce in his step as they set off walking towards the tube station. Once again, their conversation picked up right where it had left off in the café. It flowed so easily now, where at first it had been slightly awkward – Esperanza no longer felt self-conscious about talking too much, or oversharing; João had reassured her he enjoyed listened to her ramblings, and the young woman decided to take his word for it.

In truth, he found that the things she had to say and the way she said them intrigued him. João Félix thought that Esperanza Cabrera might well have been one of the most fascinating people he had ever met. She could captivate him with a story so mundane as the day she’d baked cookies with her mother for her best friend’s birthday; she could argue in a way he’d never heard anyone argue before, with strong opinions and an even stronger set of principles that had João hanging off her every word as she spoke them; and there was something poetic in the way she did too. Esperanza Cabrera was an artist with her words, just as much as she was an artist with a paintbrush or pencil. Even if João had never seen the drawing of the mountain range and the lake (which he now came to realise was Bariloche), he still would have been able to picture it just as clearly in his mind from her description alone.

When they arrived outside the tube station, João came to a sudden stop, “Wait, I almost forgot!” he said. Esperanza frowned as he reached into his bag and pulled out a rolled up piece of paper, tied together with a little blue ribbon. The young man handed it to her gingerly, as if he was afraid of dropping it, like it were some kind of antique china ornament.

“You dropped this. On the day we met.” João explained. He gestured for her to unravel the piece of paper. Esperanza did as she was told slowly, still confused – until the blue ribbon fell away, and she was greeted with the sight of the oil pastel drawing of her home.

“Oh, Dios mío!” the young woman exclaimed, “I’ve been looking for this everywhere! Thank you so much.” She gushed, bringing the drawing protectively close to her chest. When she had been unable to find it in her folder on the day of her and João’s first meeting, she’d feared the worst – seeing it now filled her with an almost overwhelming sense of joy and gratitude. Esperanza had actually been quite proud of that drawing, unlike most other pieces of art she had completed as of late.

“It’s beautiful.” João told her, smiling softly, “I almost couldn’t believe you’d actually drawn it.”

The young woman quirked an eyebrow, “What, do I not seem like an artist to you?” she teased. His eyes widened as she shook his head frantically.

“No, no, that’s not – I mean, I don’t know a lot about art, but that,” he pointed to the drawing still clutched in Esperanza’s arms, “Is as good as any classic I’ve seen.”

It couldn’t actually have been, of course, because she was no artistic genius – but she giggled at João’s flattery nonetheless. Rolling up the drawing and tying the ribbon back around it into a bow, she tucked it safely into her bag, once again thanking João profusely for returning it to her.

“It’s no problem, really.” He dismissed.

Esperanza knew it was time for her to go. She felt stuck again, like she had on their first meeting, caught somewhere between staying with João and running to catch the next train to her university campus. He could sense their time together was rapidly drawing to a close as well. But he couldn’t let her leave with only a fleeting goodbye and a hand-drawn masterpiece this time. João needed something concrete, a guarantee that this wouldn’t be the last time they saw each other. Normally, he wouldn’t have thought twice about asking a girl for her number – but as most things seemed to do nowadays when Esperanza was involved, the thought made his stomach twist with nerves.

“Uhm, before you go,” João began in a slightly hoarse voice. He winced and cleared his throat before continuing, “I was wondering if – if I could get your number?”

Never before had he felt so awkward asking something so simple. João wanted the earth to swallow him up whole right then and there. Esperanza fell silent, her lips parting in shock ever so slightly. He didn’t know whether to interpret that as good shock or bad shock, but, preparing himself for the worst, decided to go with the latter.

“Of course. Do you want me to put it into your phone?”

João’s head snapped up. His premature grimace morphed into an ecstatic grin (which he was quick to dampen down, so as not to seem too eager); although, his fumbling hands as he pulled his phone out of his pocket probably betrayed him in that respect. Esperanza smiled to herself, taking João’s phone and quickly inputting her number into his contacts. She paused at the contact name, however – her instinct was to be bold, and put a heart next to it. That would communicate her intentions to him clearly enough, right? But then she realised; what if he didn’t see her like that? What if he was just searching for a friend in a big, unfamiliar city, and she was the first person he could find? Esperanza didn’t think she could cope with the embarrassment if it turned out like that. So she left her contact name in his phone as simply Esperanza – with definitely no heart.

“I’ll text you.” João stated confidently as she handed it back to him. Though he could still feel the nerves churning in his stomach, he felt a newfound sense of boldness after she’d surprisingly agreed to give him her number. A smirk spread slowly across his lips.

“I’ll be waiting.” Esperanza replied.

Her train was moments away from arriving. She could tell by the new wave of commuters who suddenly surged past them by the entrance to the station, hurrying down the steps towards the Underground line. It was time for her to go. She took a tentative step forwards at the same time as João did, both of them unsure what was an appropriate way of saying goodbye given they hadn’t known each other for long, and the already slightly complicated nature of their relationship. Eventually, they met halfway in a brief hug. Esperanza’s arms looped fleetingly around João’s shoulders, while his hands found her waist. They pulled away all too soon. She could feel her cheeks heating up under his intense gaze.

“I’ll see you around.” He spoke. Just like she had to him on the day they first met. It wasn’t just a turn of phrase, or a half-hearted farewell – it felt like a promise.

“Uh – Bye.” Esperanza croaked. She took a step back, blushing furiously and internally cursing her body for giving her away so easily. João smirked. His confidence returned to him fully. Glancing around to make sure that no one was watching them first, he took a single stride forwards and tilted his head to the side to press a soft kiss to Esperanza’s cheek. The young woman almost squeaked in shock. But João, as he drew back to look her in the eye, merely winked. And then he was walking away, leaving her stood, dazed and confused outside of the tube station.

Tentatively, she brought a hand up to ghost her fingertips over the place where João’s lips had touched her cheek. A pleasant shiver ran all the way down her body, from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. Esperanza didn’t notice him look back as he walked away, grinning like he’d just won the lottery. She was too busy trying to figure out why the tiniest brush of João’s skin on hers made her feel like she was flying.

— author’s note

they’re so cute 🥹

[liminalcipher]

In Hazelwood, everyone has a secret. Dark things lurk in the shadows, behind the hedges, and sometimes even in your neighbor. You can never tell with these things, really. Now there's a new mystery: teens have been going missing, all determined to be runaways, all written off and forgotten. But someone has to do something, someone has to figure out what's going on and who (or what) is behind it all.

Can the truth be uncovered before it's too late?

And what if the truth is something you don't want to know...

Rowan "Ro" Lockwood: Main Character Sent away at fourteen to a school for rejects and delinquents, she decided to do everything she could to become the person no one ever thought she could be. Upon graduation, she was offered a job in a prestigious organization with a mysterious reputation. After years of work as an archival assistant, she finally gets to become a field agent... and is promptly transferred to the one place she never thought she'd have to come back to. Kit Evans: The Nemesis There was something about him that always rubbed Ro the wrong way. But that seemed to be mutual. Since the moment the two met, they did not get along. From stolen pencils to black eyes and broken noses, Rowan and Kit have gone through it all in the worst of ways. The return of his old enemy changes things in ways that he would have never guessed. Whether that's a good or a bad thing is up for debate. Dwyn Douglas: The Old Partner-in-Crime The smartass old friend who always had Ro's back, no matter what kind of dangerous nonsense they got into. After her sudden disappearance, he was devastated, but there was little he could do to get her back. Being the son of the owner of the oldest pub in town has its perks: Dwyn is the person you want to talk to when you want to know anything about anyone. But in Hazelwood, knowing things doesn't always pay off. John Hollins: The New Guy John moved to town a few years ago for work and to be closer to his grandma so that he could take care of her. As a part of the Blackthorn Institute, John is a somewhat senior agent to Rowan. There are many unknowns when it comes to him, but one thing is very clear: he wants to help (even if he doesn't always know what to do).

A small-town mystery

A disastrous (?) investigation and a shadowy organization

3 potential love interests. You choose what kind of relationships you want: romantic, platonic, or antagonistic. Romances are 100% optional!

Your answers will shape you as a person and alter which paths become open to you

+more

Sea of Graves was first envisioned as being a visual novel and that was the plan for a long while. There were many re-writes, plotting, and re-plotting things, and some things going south.

So as of right now, there isn't an artist attached to the project. And while I would like to eventually turn this into a visual novel, it may end up being a full IF before that can happen. If it ever does.

But, visual novel or no, the story will continue and I hope you'll love where your choices may end up taking you✨

The demo is out now!

Currently, in the demo:

Read Chapter 1 + Extra Materials

Meet 2/3 of the potential RO's

Experience the very normal and not at all weird town of Hazelwood

Total word count (chapter 1 + all the additional text): 11.5k+

Demo (Itch.io) || Twitter

[thursday-writes-fanfics]

Choose, part 4. (Reader x Jack Sparrow or Will Turner. )

Fandom: Pirates of the Caribbean, Will Turner, Jack Sparrow.

Warnings: None lmao

Words: 2.3 K

First - Former - Next

It's been a while since my last update, so here you go!

One year had passed since the faithed night in Tortuga, where Y/N left everything she once knew behind, to seek the truth she needed to find within. One eventful year where she had gone alone through more than most would in their lifetime. Travelling along with different crews, battling across the seas and polishing her hastily growing reputation as one of the most fearsome pirates the world has ever seen. None dared voice their annoyance with her being a woman, for she had allies all across the seven seas. She had seen so much of the world, her confidence grown and her heart set aflame with adventure. Y/N was an even finer pirate and woman than she had been ever before.

Other pirates either wished to be her or be with her, the secrets of many slipped into her ears. It amused the young woman, and the many who worked in the brothels along the coasts. When Y/N needed information, it was not other pirates or navy officials she sought out. No, it was the brothels’ gossip she tuned her ears to. For the women there knew far more of the world than any other. All news came to their homes and it was all available for the famous pirate.

She had earned an even better reputation with them as well, as she sought out the women there the first thing she did each time she came ashore. She treated them kindly, paid for their food and brought along gifts, treating them like friends. Her actions earned her a handsome reputation with the women, and in each town she could always find a loyal embrace to keep her safe. After all, the women of the brothels ruled the cities from the shadows. To anger one of them was to anger an underground nation.

Y/N’s locks had grown long since the night one year ago, her clothing expensive and proud on her frame. A treat she gave herself due to her wide success in both informal and formal businesses. She was a true pirate, yet could strike a bargain with the British navy without a problem. After all, they too were afraid of her.

The feather on her black hat curled down to her shoulder, its size another show of her wealth and power. The weaponry which clad her shape were the most efficient, on all the ships of the sea, not even the British army able to supply her better. Only the finest for herself, the woman had decided. Dual pistols she had strapped to each side of her chest, and upon both hips she held blades, one magnificent sabre and one deadly cutlass, all adorned with the most elaborate details. These were all weapons to show, the rest she had hidden in pockets and secret departments on her curves. Small explosives and hidden blades were better kept in subtle crevices than to be seen by the naked eye when one made deals. All about the fearsome pirate screamed confidence and to show respect, and that respect she had earned many times over.

“We’ll be docked in an hour, lass,” came the captain’s voice, the merry band she was travelling with now not as roughhousing as most of her fellow pirates. Mercenaries of the law they were during the day after all, and they weren’t too keen on going out during the night when there was ale to be drunk with stories to be told in old taverns. It was a life-altering change from how they had once been, when the captain and his crew had been young and adventurous. A smirk clad Y/N’s lips when she faced the man, her fingers fiddling with the sabre’s handle. “Aye, thought it was about time to dock, Captain Henry. And still I’m not sure if I will take my leave of you when we get there, or if I will meet the navy together with you in the morrow,” her deceptive nature made the captain laugh, for he knew just how little control anyone had over the young pirate. He joined her side with a few strides to the railing, gazing at the sea from the quarterdeck.

“Aye, ye do as ye wish, lassie,” mused the older man, finding his gaze once more sought out her face. “Yer not notorious for knowing every pirate for no reason. Can’t keep ye in place forever” he snickered, his mind on the many rumours he had heard over the past year of the pirate. He had seen it himself a few times too, how the famous Y/N had stepped off one ship only to board another in the same port. Her name was known by all, whether they liked her or not. Her presence on a ship could deter a dispute between two crews, for no one wanted her gone. And those who did were quick to find themselves cornered and silenced for good after voicing such atrocious thoughts aloud.

“Oh shut your gob, “ sneered the woman in reply, earning more laughter from the captain as his head fell back to let the thunderous noise wash over the ship. A simple “Never,” Henry retaliated, winning their argument as he strode to attend his crew and ensure the docking process would flow smoothly. Y/N watched the sea for a moment longer, trained on the horizon in an attempt to find a peculiar ship. One which carried black sails. Fingers carded through her hair as she thought about her old companions, but discarded the thoughts just as quickly. A turn of her heels and the woman came to face the incoming port, nothing she wished to see there either. A defeated smile curled her lips when she ventured to help her current crew, missing the hint of black that rounded a nearby island with a course for their port.

“ Alright, lads!” with easy leaps and muscles bunched for one last jump, Y/N climbed halfway up the crow's nest and gazed down at the many faces who all gave her their full attention.

“ I’m saying this just once because Henry doesn’t seem to be able to get it through your thick skulls. If we don’t get this cargo to the bay within the first few hours of us getting to port, the taverns will be full and the brothels closed,” the crew stared at the woman, most having just woken up from their midday nap. Too many faces were disinterested, the woman sneering maliciously as she knew exactly what would get them on their feet.

“Which means, no ale and no lovers!” Y/N roared, drawing enjoyment from the panic growing in the men’s eyes. They had been at sea for a month now, and the lot needed more than the icy waters could ever offer.

“So unless you wish to mope around the ship for the entire night, alone, get to it!” the crew leapt to their feet, their rushing steps and loud cries satisfying to Y/N’s ears. The pirate’s piercing eyes found the captain who let his chest heave with a sigh, not one to question the woman’s authority. She had gotten the crew off their asses with a single threat, when he had shouted at them all day to get ready. The ship groaned when they threw down the anchor, straining against it as it still wished to traverse further. A gangplank found its hold against the port, the cargo soon to cross over it. Both the captain and Alexandra oversaw the process, to ensure their goods would be gone by the hour.

“Ye know,” Captain Henry spoke after a long while, arms crossed over his broad chest. “Ye should consider becoming a captain one day,” Y/N snapped her head to face the man, eyes threatening to fall out. “Me? A captain?” she ridiculed, shocked by his words. The captain let a snicker pass his lips at her surprise, for being able to shock the immovable Y/N was quite amusing. Work roughened hand, tainted by the deep sea came to rest on his back, clasped together.

“Just sayin’. Ye’ve got the guts and respect for it,” with a smirk the captain passed his current crewmate, stepping onto the railing. “I will leave the rest to ye, for I am in need of a drink,” a wink was sent the woman’s way before Captain Henry made his way down the docks, disappearing without a trace. His back was followed by Y/N’s incredulous gaze.

“You fucking bastard,” Y/N shouted after him, her spiteful words only a show of affection to them both. With a shake of her head and a smirk on her lips growing when she heard the captain’s faraway laughter, the pirate got back to work. With an easy step, she leapt atop the railing, gazing at the crew working by her side.

“We’re making good time, lads! If you keep this up you’re probably going to be one of the first crews of the night to get to the pubs!” Y/N encouraged them. The merry men laughed and cheered whilst their work pace increased tenfold at the praise and promises of entertainment. Even the stand-in captain dared to laugh herself, unaware of how many eyes watched her joy from far out at sea.

It started with Ragetti looking through the captain’s spyglass, minding his own business as they had yet to start preparing to get docked. When turning his eye to the port city, he could tear his wandering gaze when it laid eyes on an extremely familiar figure. Too far away to make out entirely, yet the pirate was certain of who he saw. None he had ever encountered before looked and stood like their old acquaintance.

“Oh, would you look at that!” the pirate laughed, Pintel looking over at him with a raised brow. The spyglass fell from his eye, Ragetti free hand pointing to one of the largest ships docked in the nearing port.

“Y/N is aboard Henry the Savage’s boat!” the words he spoke carried over the deck, the silence that followed deafening, the group trying to comprehend what had just been said. A moment later and the crew rushed like a stampede for the two pirates who shrieked in fright at the threatening approach. The spyglass was taken from Ragetti’s hand and passed to them all to get a look for themselves.

“I can’t see ‘er!”

“Is it really Y/N the Courageous you saw?”

“Courageous? No! Her title is the Unbeatable!

“No, she’s Y/N the Ace of the Sea! The greatest pirate yet!”

The commotion on deck drew Will and Jack from the captain’s cabin, the crew’s loud and incoherent discussions about titles and names soon finding their ears. The former blacksmith was with the crew temporarily, as he had a job to be done with them before they ventured to Port Royal. Both captain and his companion froze in their steps when a well-known name echoed across the crew over and over. A shocked gaze was shared, but the two strode forth together for they could not believe in illusions just because a name was mentioned a few times.

“Right. What’s all this then?” came from the captain’s chest, the crew jumping at the sound of his voice. Jack Sparrow regarded them all with his hands propped on his hips, the loyal blacksmith at his side. Gibbs was the first to speak and took matters into hand, roughly pulling the spyglass from the nearest pirate’s. “It’s Y/N, Jack,” his words piqued further interest in the two newcomers, the two striding through the parting crew to the first mate.

“Y/N?” Will asked, unable to hide the hope that bubbled up in his voice at the mention of her name. The blue eyes grew clearer, not the wistful one’s the crew had come to be familiar with. Jack snatched the spyglass from Gibbs’ offered hand and turned to face the port. With his gaze, he followed the finger pointing at the supposedly familiar pirate. Jack froze upon seeing who they meant, eye narrowing when he stared her down. “No, it can’t be her,” the captain muttered, more to himself than anybody else.

“Far too curvy and longer hair. She didn’t look so cheerful to everyone all the time,” the jealousy and denial dripped from the captain’s tongue, the disbelief he held in his heart fading with each second.

“Can’t be her. No way, you’re all dreaming,” Jack continued before yelping as Will tore the spyglass from his hands, the force of it almost making the captain fall overboard. The blacksmith’s own gaze sought the port for the one they spoke of, his heart beating so quickly it drowned out all sound.

He too came to stand still once he found her form. She stood proud and tall upon Henry the Savage’s railing, her hand thrown out as she barked orders to the crewmates. And there on her lips was a grin, a grin that only the closest of her friends had seen before. Now as she shared it with the rest of the world, the former blacksmith’s blood boiled with jealousy.

“It’s her. There’s no way it’s not her,” Will snarled in reply to Jack’s incessant mumbling, handing the spyglass to Cotton. Will turned to the Black Pearl’s crew, and just like the woman on the other ship, began to bark orders. Where hers had been kind and joyous, he’s were angry and determined orders, none on the ship daring to stand in his way. The desperation in his anger was evident, and the fact that their own Captain Jack did nothing but mumble was a telltale sign that this was a serious matter. Otherwise, Will would have had a sword at his neck for even attempting to command the crew. Their efforts to hurry were doubled, when Jack regained his mind only to shout orders alongside his friend.

Oh, how oblivious the woman they had sought for was, for she heard none of the shouting on the nearing ship. For her well-beloved face was already being shown in one of her favourite taverns.

[duskholland]

The Fame Game (Part Ten) - Tom Holland

Summary ↠ Tom is straight-up not having a good time right now. 

Word count ↠ 3.9k

Warnings ↠ The romantic cliché of your dreams, alcohol, references to past intimate times, swearing. Pretty tame overall though!

A/N ↠ I can’t believe we’re at the end of the series! V (mischiefandi) gave me some really good ideas for this part with Tessa - I hope you’ll like what I did there lmao. I’m going to leave my extended thank yous for the epilogue, but just know that I am so grateful for everyone who’s stuck with the series from the beginning until now... Thank you for reading and coming on this journey with me. I hope you’ll like the final official part! Epilogue next week :’))

TEN: Come Home (T)

As the front door to Tom’s house shuts behind you, Tom finds himself slumping against the wooden frame, grief overcoming his senses. He’s tired and his arms hurt, everything hurts, but he peers up through the windowpane at the top of the door and watches as you run out through the sheets of rain. Paparazzi flashes illuminate his garden, capturing you as you stride purposefully to your car, duck down and enter it. A moment later, the car pulls away from the pavement and disappears.

Tom kicks at the door.

“Fuck!”

His hands curl into fists as he turns around and leans with his back against the door, frustrated eyes falling onto his jacket and his keys. For a moment he contemplates picking them up and making a mad dash after you, reckoning he could probably beat you to Heathrow if he drove recklessly enough, but then he sags.

Tom has to give you space. You’ve asked for space. He has to respect it.

His hand twitches as he walks out of the porch, as if his very fingers can feel how badly he wants to reach out and grab the keys, but he leaves them. Instead, Tom climbs the stairs and walks straight into the spare room, throwing himself down onto the bed and burrowing his head in the pillows. He groans - loudly.

It was always a long shot - telling you how he felt. And in some ways, Tom’s admission of love had gone quite well. You reciprocate his feelings, which, really, is the most essential part of it all. But that reciprocation is only the tip of the iceberg, and it goes far deeper than that - because you still left. Tom is still alone, curled up on the bed that smells distantly of you, clenching his fingers feebly around the sheets that he’d refused to let Harrison change, even months after you’d left. Your perfume lingers on the cotton.

There’s the small pattering sound of paws moving over wooden floors, and Tom’s lips quirk up ever so slightly as he pulls his face from the pillows just to see Tessa trot into the bedroom. She plods towards the bed but hesitates, sniffing around the wardrobe. One of the doors hangs half-open, and Tom notices that you’ve left it barren.

Tessa whines.

“I know, I know, girl.” Tom looks at the dog, smiling sadly. Tessa looks miserable. “I miss her too, yeah? But it’s going to be okay.” His words hitch, and Tom reaches up to pinch the bridge of his nose as he feels his heart clench. “It… It’s a bit fucked up, but it’ll be okay. She… She loves me, at least.” He breaks off, laughing awkwardly. “And she knows now, too, that I love her. And yeah, she still left, but… Maybe one day I’ll see her again.” Tom sighs. “Probably not, though. Bloody hell, I’m so… I’m so stupid, Tess.”

Tessa looks up at Tom. Tom sighs.

“And now I’m talking to my dog like a lunatic,” he mutters. Tom sits back against the pillows, hands settling over his stomach. “This is actually pathetic.”

Tessa emits a loud whine before jumping up onto the bed, her wet nose jutting into Tom’s neck. He sighs, smiling as he reaches up to run his hands all over her sleek body.

“You wouldn’t leave me, eh, Tess?” He mutters. “You love me?” He’s sitting up properly, smiling as Tessa basks in the cuddles, releasing happy yips. “Thought so.”

Tom stays in the spare room - your room - for almost an hour, cuddling with Tessa, pondering his predicament. He’s wallowing in it, miserably staring at the ceiling and torturing himself with the ins and outs of the conversation he’d had with you. He loves you, but he understands why you wouldn’t believe him. Tom understands that he’s hurt you and that he needs to respect your choice to leave, but that doesn’t make it any less gutting.

With a sigh, Tom stands from the bed. Tessa whines, and he rubs her head fondly before walking down into the kitchen. He spots his phone on the counter and picks it up, his heart clenching as his lockscreen pops up.

It’s a photo of you both, from many months ago. It feels like a distant memory now, but when you’d first been in London, you’d gone out bowling with Tom’s family. Afterwards, you’d all retreated to the pub, and you’d shared pints all evening. At some point, Sam had taken a photo of Tom with his arm wrapped around you. You have your cheek on his shoulder, and though it’s a little blurry, it has to be his favourite photo of you together. The way you’re looking up at him is with warmth in your eyes, and it makes Tom’s heart skip a beat to remember how nice it was to be resting at your side.

Swallowing down the resentful lump in his throat, Tom opens up his texts and clicks on your contact. With cold fingers, he types out a message, altering and adding bits for a shameful amount of time before sending off the completed thing.

Tom: Have a safe flight. I’m sorry for being such a dick. I know you don’t want to hear it, but I love you. I love you and I’ll wait for you. I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to figure it out. I love you. Xxxxxxxxxx

With that done, Tom takes himself off into the living room and throws himself onto the sofa. He grumbles as he grabs a pillow and wraps his arms around it, holding it close. He keeps checking his phone, wondering if you’ll reply. The message changes to read almost as soon as he’s sent it, but after that, nothing. It only makes his heart ache more.

So, with nothing else to do but wallow in his misery, Tom closes his eyes. He tries to sleep, and after a while, Tessa curls up beside him. Slowly but surely, the noise in his head and the pain in his chest ease off enough for him to rest, and Tom lets the world of heartbreak drift away.

Knock knock.

Tom stirs, slowly.

Knock knock knock.

“Eh?”

Knockknockknock.

Tom sits up, disorientated and dizzy. It’s dark outside, but through the blinds in the living room, he can make out that the front light is on. Someone is at the door.

With a grunt, Tom stands up. Tessa wriggles around, and he pats her head softly as he stumbles towards the porch, frowning as he tries to remember if he’s ordered anything recently. He doesn’t think he has, but maybe Harrison’s been making impulse purchases in Liverpool. Tom hopes it’s something he can eat. Fuck, he’s hungry. How long has he been asleep?

Tom pulls the door open without a second thought, still groggy and tired from his nap, and he gets the shock of his life when his eyes catch sight of the person standing nervously on his doorstep.

You.

Before he can get a word in, you’re surging forward, your arms wrapping around Tom’s figure before he can process it. A short huff leaves his chest as you hug him tightly, continuing to push him until Tom’s back is up against the wall. You kick the door shut behind you, coat dripping rain onto the floor, and then you grab his face and kiss him.

Tom kisses you back, his brain waking up the moment your lips touch his. He’s slow, but he matches your movements eagerly, his palms going to your shoulders as he kisses you messily. You’re practically vibrating, your mouth curving into a smile so prominent that Tom can feel it brushing up against his face.

You came back.

Tom pulls away, his eyes prickling with tears of surprise. “Wh-What?” He stammers, smiling when you laugh. “But your flight?”

You shake your head softly. “I couldn’t do it,” you say. “I couldn’t leave, Tom.” You brush a hand through his hair. “I love you too.”

Tom kisses you again, his hands going to your face. He cradles your cheeks as he presses his lips to your mouth, over and over again, dazzled by the lightness in his chest. His heart has never felt so warm before.

“You are spectacular,” he mumbles, gushing mindlessly against your lips. “You are- you are wonderful. You are brilliant.” He breaks off as you giggle, pausing in his dialogue to kiss you again. “You are my favourite person.” Tom pulls back, looking at you fondly. His eyes trail the familiar lines of your face and he swoons, overcome with positive emotion. “I love you.”

You kiss his cheek softly. “I’m also very wet,” you say, shaking off a dripping arm. A sheepish expression crosses your face. “I, um, might need to borrow some clothes,” you murmur. “I kind of just… Turned around and ran out of the airport.” You grin nervously. “I think my suitcase is halfway to America by now.”

Tom scoffs, nodding. “That’s okay, love. I’m just so happy that you’re here.” So happy that you came back, that you don’t hate him. So happy that you love him too.

Tom reaches out and takes your hand, kissing over your knuckles gently. A thousand stars seem to twinkle in your eyes as you look at him.

“I’m happy too.”

An hour later, you’re both sitting on Tom’s living room floor, boxes of empty takeaway stacked around haphazardly. Tom’s leaning up against the sofa, legs outstretched in front of him. His arm is wrapped around you, and you have your head resting on his shoulder, and he feels more content than he’s ever felt in his life.

“I can’t believe you left your suitcases on the plane,” he murmurs, voice gentle. You’ve been sitting together and talking all evening. He’s been spacing every few sentences with another kiss to your temple, enjoying the expressions of fondness that find your face each time his lips touch your skin. You look very cute in one of his oversized hoodies. “Did you tell anyone that you left?”

“Nah.” You sit up, stretching suddenly and yawning. You turn around to look at Tom, eyes flickering out over him until you smile mischievously. You move closer, swinging one leg over Tom’s thighs before settling in his lap, your hands falling to his shoulders. A wave of your perfume washes over him, and Tom sighs contentedly as you kiss him quickly. “I told the flight attendants, but they couldn’t get my stuff off the plane. I thought it was worth it, though.”

“Oh, definitely.” Tom can’t stop kissing you. The urge to press his lips to yours whenever he wants is too powerful to ignore. “I’ll replace it all for you, if you want,” he mutters, distracted by your mouth. “I’d buy you a whole bloody house if you wanted, darling.”

You laugh against his lips. “That’s unnecessary, Tom, but very sweet.” You pause, pulling away with a bewildered expression on your face. “My lease expired on my flat,” you say, processing the words, “So I actually don’t have anywhere to stay.”

Tom wiggles his eyebrows. “Well, luckily for you, I know someone who just so happens to have a house all to himself.” He walks his fingers over your shoulder, smiling at you. “You might be able to convince him to let you stay. I hear he’s a very generous landlord.”

“Oh yeah? Happen to know where I can find him?”

He nods, grinning. “He’s right here, love.”

Tom goes back to kissing you for a while, both of you growing giddy off chaste pecks. His lips are numb and puffy but he loves it, loves the ache and the way the back of his neck hurts from all the tugging of his hair.

There’s a phone ringing, out in the porch. Both of you ignore it, even as it rings a second and a third time. When it dies after the fourth, you pull away from Tom’s lips to roll your eyes.

“It’s mine,” you mutter, “Just ignore it. I don’t care about whatever it is.” There’s a hunger in your eyes, and Tom smiles.

“Whatever you say, boss,” he teases, earning himself a flick on the shoulder.

“Don’t call me your boss,” you scowl, scrunching up your nose. “I’m not your boss.”

“Oh, do you want me to be the boss, then?” Tom returns.

You glare at him. “No. You’re not my boss. You’re…” You trail off, and Tom tilts his head to the side, smiling softly.

“What am I, darling?”

A smile curves out across your lips. “You’re my boyfriend.”

The warmth that unfurls in Tom’s chest as he hears those words almost brings tears of relief to his eyes.

“Yeah.” He brings a hand to your face and you nuzzle your cheek into his palm. “I am.” He kisses you, softly. “And I love you.”

“Love you too, boyfriend.” You look at him for a moment before tilting your head and kissing the flat of his palm. “I am overjoyed to be your girlfriend. Your real girlfriend.”

Tom laughs, nodding his head in quick agreement. “Yeah, I-”

His phone starts ringing. It vibrates over the glass coffee table, clattering noisily, and a shadow of irritation passes over his face. You turn around, craning your neck and screwing your eyes together as you get a read on the screen.

“Shit,” you mutter, grabbing the phone and passing it to him. “It’s Rebecca.”

Tom feels his mood sink. “Fantastic.” He looks at his phone before glancing up at you. “Should I answer it?”

You sigh as you nod. “She’ll just keep phoning.”

Rather reluctantly, Tom swipes his finger over the screen, accepting the call and then putting the device on speakerphone.

“Hello?” He says.

The line crackles for a moment. “Oh, hi there, Tom,” Rebecca says. “Is Y/N with you?”

Tom glances at you. You clear your throat before replying.

“Yes, I’m here. You’re on speaker.”

Rebecca swallows so loudly that it’s audible. “What have you done?” She whispers. “Paps got you leaving the airport.”

“I changed my mind,” you say. Tom reaches down and takes your hands in his, squeezing your fingers when he hears the waver in your voice. “I didn’t want to go back to LA.”

“They also got you going back to Tom’s house. The tabloids are going crazy. Nobody knows what’s going on.” Rebecca pauses, and then sighs, deeply. “What is going on?”

“I’m staying in London,” you tell her, eyes on Tom’s face. Your lips curl into a nervous smile, and you continue to look at Tom as you speak. “We’re not… We’re not breaking up, Rebecca. I don’t care if it’s not part of the plan.”

“So… You’re actually dating?”

You hum. “Yes.”

There’s a tense few moments. The sound of rustling papers comes down the line, and Tom tries to ease you by rolling his thumb over the back of your hand. He can see the nerves in your shoulders, understands that for you, the prospect of being scolded, and possibly even dropped by your management is terrifying. He knows just as well as you how much power they have over you.

“Okay.” Rebecca sighs. “Tom?”

“Yes?”

“You’ll take care of Y/N in London?”

“Of course.”

“Good.” There’s a brief moment’s pause. “I’ll get someone from the office to call you tomorrow, Y/N. You’ll need to come back to LA to shoot your next film, but I don’t see why that needs to be immediately.”

A relieved smile splits across your face, and Tom exhales.

“Thank you, Rebecca,” you say. You lean down to rest your forehead on Tom’s shoulder, and he rubs a hand over your back. “Thanks for understanding.”

“Well, it’s the least I can do,” she responds. “Congratulations, you two. For what it’s worth, I think you make a lovely couple.”

The line disconnects and Tom grins, wrapping his arms around you and pulling you impossibly closer. You squeal as he nuzzles his face into your shoulder, kissing the base of your neck over and over again. He works his way up to your lips, pausing briefly only to suck a light hickey just below your ear, and by the time he reaches your mouth, you’re pushing back against him, eager.

“I can’t believe that this has worked out,” he says. Tom lets you pad your thumb through his ruffled eyebrow.

“Neither,” you admit. “Feels almost anti-climactic. Every other part of this relationship has been so dramatic.”

“Oh, don’t tempt fate,” Tom says, eyes wide. “We’ve had enough drama.”

You laugh, nodding in fast agreement. “You certainly have a point there.”

You crack open a few beers and end up chatting in the kitchen together, the hours slipping away. Tom sits across from you, holding your hand as you talk, and talk, and talk, covering every topic beneath the sun. There have been so many taboo subjects that neither of you have felt confident enough to bring up over the course of your fake relationship, and you take the time to work them through - together.

Tom finally admits that he’s had a crush on you since you first met. You tell him that you’d only suggested the one night stand because you’d wanted to be close to him. He counters that by opening up about how stressed he’d been before his failed revelation of love.

You laugh together, you cry together. Then you move on, together.

“C’mon, Tom.” You stand up, smiling, and walk around the table to pull him up. Tom gets to his feet, his body full of a nice, lulling buzz from the beers he’d drank. You lean in and peck his cheek before tugging him towards the patio doors. “It’s too hot in here, isn’t it?”

Tom hums. He can feel the red flush to his cheeks. “We could go shower.”

You turn around to grin at him. “Or…” Dropping his hand, you twirl the lock on the patio doors and pull them open. You look back at Tom, smiling. “Care to take a dance in the rain with me, lover?”

Tom blinks a few times, looking at you curiously. “Sure,” he agrees. As you pull off your hoodie, he pulls out his phone and then turns on one of the bluetooth speakers that sits by the door. “What do you want to listen to?”

“Something romantic,” you respond.

There’s a frown of concentration on Tom’s face as he scrolls through his Spotify, but it clears when he finds a playlist of some classic love songs. He shuffles it and Elvis drifts through the air as he puts down his phone and shakes off his hoodie.

“This is very random,” he tells you, accepting your hand. You tug him out onto the patio, into the night sky, and Tom feels his t-shirt begin to dampen. It’s no longer pouring with rain, but it’s still drizzling enough to be noticeable.

“Well, I had a reason,” you murmur. Together, you do a bit of a dance. Tom grins as you spin around, laughing brightly as droplets of water stick to your face. You have fun for a while, and you even spin Tom around too, but then you both get dizzy and settle back into a loose slow-dance position, your arms around his neck as Tom perches his hands on your waist. Your foreheads press together. “I used to think about this,” you admit.

“Dancing in the rain?”

“No, no.” You pause to kiss him. Your lips are warm against his skin. “We’d used to see one another at all the shows. Oscars, BAFTA, Golden Globes… And we’d argue, or brood, and just generally be miserable.”

“I’m following.”

“Well.” You shift your face into the crook of Tom’s shoulder, kissing his neck a few times. “I always wondered what it’d be like to sneak off with you, and just… Have fun. Do something crazy. Have a couple drinks and dance. I didn’t… I didn’t like you, but I always thought we’d be able to have fun together. If you weren’t always such a dick.”

Tom hums, resting a hand on the back of your head. Raindrops pour down his face, but it’s nice. He can feel the weight of his heart pouring onto the ground, swept away with the water.

“Well, I hope we can have many fun nights together, love.”

You pull back to look up at him, water droplets clinging to your eyelashes. Both of your hands shift to Tom’s face, and you smile. It really is very romantic, swaying together in the rain, soft romantic tones in the air. You feel so warm wrapped up in his arms.

“I hope so too.” You have mascara running down your cheeks. “Plenty more nights in London like this, please.”

Tom nods. “Plenty more nights together.” He brings you back in, hand soft on the back of your head as you bury your face in his chest. Tom lets his lips rest against your head. “I love you,” he says. He can’t seem to stop saying it, thinks you must be fed up with the number of times he’s sprinkled the three special words into conversation. He just can’t help it. Now he’s open with his heart, he wants you to know, completely and without any shred of doubt, that he loves you. He never wants you to question it again.

Your hands sink into his hair, and Tom sighs happily as you play with his wet curls.

“Love you too.”

The two of you last another ten minutes before getting too cold, and then you take a shower together. Tom lays you down in his bed and you kiss some more, before things get a little raunchier. He tells you that he loves you in every way he can, and it feels like the two of you have knitted your souls together as he holds you afterwards, the bedroom full of a tranquil glow.

Tom’s hand is on your cheek, fingers stroking gently over the soft skin of your face. You look so beautiful, hair a mess, eyes bright.

“Isn’t it funny,” you say, softly, “how we’ve ended up like this?”

Tom hums, his pinky nudging against your hair. “We’re lucky. Such a mad world we live in.”

You release a warm chuckle, nodding. “Our world is crazy. Fame is… Insane.” You pause for a moment. “It’s the whole reason this happened. Management wanted me to stay on top, didn’t want my image to get shattered because of that kiss. They wanted me to win the game.”

Tom tilts his head to the side. “What do you mean?”

“The fame game,” you reply, smiling. You inch nearer to kiss him quickly, and Tom finds himself chasing your lips. For a few moments, you’re both distracted, and you further intertwine, Tom’s arms hooking around your waist as he holds you close.

“The fame game,” Tom repeats, nose nudging yours. “That’s a funny way to put it.”

You shrug. “Just the way I like to think about it. Making it seem like a game made it easier when this started. It was all just a performance until it became real.”

“I like that.”

“Me too.” Your hands are on his shoulders, fingers trailing Tom’s warm skin. “The game always has its winners and its losers, Tom.”

“And what are we?”

You kiss him, softly. Your lips linger against his. Tom feels so much gratitude and love for you that his eyes prick with tears.

“The winners, of course.”

↠ EPILOGUE

[leupagus]

It's the Mileage pt. 3, aka seriously Zach can't catch a break

More from the Twink Nightingale Verse (Nightentwink? Twinkengale?) because I'm waiting on betas for my next It's Complicated chapter and I might as well write this scene that I've been imagining in some form or another since Peter mentioned it back in The Hanging Tree:

*

Another problem I’d started to notice was how Tommy would sort of… randomly not be able to do the job. Or if he did, the consequences were so catastrophic that I had to do everything, anyway.

It wasn’t laziness, whatever you might think about the aristocracy (he swears up and down to this day that he’s not any sort of a minor duke or anything, but I’m understandably suspicious). It was flat out just — well, it was weird, is what it was.

The first time it happened was a couple months into our probation. We’d been called to deal with some sort of argy-bargy at a pub near St. James’s (or maybe St. James’, I can never remember the rules about the apostrophe), but once we’d arrived Tommy had balked like a scandalised goat.

'I can’t go in,' he said.

'I… think you’ll find you can,' I said. I could hear shouting and, worse yet, I couldn’t hear music. Usually they only cut the sound once the fighting has progressed to things that involve words like 'contusions.' I wanted to avoid contusions, but that wasn’t going to happen if Tommy was about to reveal a sudden-onset phobia of belligerent drunks.

'Yes, I suppose I can, but it would be an extremely bad idea for me to do so,' he said, with the kind of rapid-fire clipped speech that I already recognised as him being nervous about something.

'It’s a bunch of chavs having a bad Friday night.' Somewhere in the pub a glass broke. 'Or a bad Tuesday night,' I amended. 'I promise to beat up anyone who has a go at you.'

'No one will make any such attempt, of that I can assure you,' he said, fiddling with his shirt cuffs — he wore the standard uniform shirt, but he’d gotten them altered so that they could take cufflinks, which by the time I noticed, didn’t surprise me. 'Kay, please trust me when I say that you would be far better off going in there by yourself.' And he lifted his chin to show that he really meant it.

The thing about Tommy, though, is that he folds like wet cardboard if you give him any kind of pleading look. I hadn’t asked but I’d reckoned that he was the youngest of his family. Older siblings catch wise to this kind of emotional manipulation.

So he came down with me after all. It was the worst kind of fight, the kind where two people are sincerely trying to kill each other and the crowd’s egging them on. I started wading through, tossing spectators out of the way so I could get to the two in the centre. One of them was a skinny ginger arsehole with, of course, a broken bottle in his hand; the other was a short squat guy with his hair in unflattering cornrows, holding a crowbar. I didn’t really fancy getting in between them, but the stab vest has gone from stab-resistant to stab-proof in the past few years, and most of your run-of-the-mill drunken sots don’t know where the gaps are.

Still, I thought I’d try some vocal calming techniques first. 'Oi!' I bellowed. 'Put the fucking weapons down!'

I’m used to people shouting back at me, or even taking a swing. But neither of them even seemed to notice. Nor did the audience; the people I’d pushed out of the way had swarmed back, and I was swallowed up into the crowd. Not just figuratively, either; I felt like I was being consumed. Violence and blood and fear and excitement — I could feel it in the pit of my stomach, in the stutter of my heart. The fighters were closing with each other again, ready to strike, and I had to watch, I couldn’t look away, couldn’t do anything but wait for it—

'Drop your weapons,' came a voice from behind me. 'Now.'

To be fair, they did — not just the fighters, but everyone in the pub, a clattering rainstorm of knives and blunt instruments and several firearms which, thank fuck, didn’t go off. I almost dropped my fucking baton before realising that the voice must’ve been Tommy’s, even though it hadn’t exactly sounded like him.

There was a pause while the crowd, the fighters, the bartender, everyone turned toward Tommy, stood still in the doorway. He wasn’t doing anything, just standing there, but the whole pub backed up a step.

And then another, and then they fucking stampeded out toward the back of the pub, knocking over tables and chairs and smaller patrons. There was yelling and a few screams and someone shouted 'the nightingale!' Then they were gone, like water down the tub drain. I could almost hear the faint sucking sound as the last of them scrambled off.

I hadn’t managed to grab hold of a single one of them, but I noticed the bartender was still here, glaring daggers at Tommy with his arms over his chest. He was another skinny guy, in his mid-forties maybe, the kind who never learned to sit still and so had made a career out of being high-strung and twitchy.

'Ten years,' he squawked, flailing his hands as he came out from around the bar. ’Ten years and not so much as a fucking postcard, you know there was a dead pool going round? And now I’m out of pocket five grand because you wanted to make an impression?'

'Dead pool?' asked Tommy, with the sort of polite interest he usually uses when he’s pretending to listen to our governor talk about his beagles.

The bartender wagged his finger in Tommy’s face. 'You tell your boyfriend that I’m putting all of this on his tab, all right?'

'We are not romantically involved, regardless of whatever rumours you and Stephen put about,' said Tommy. 'And if you want to bill the — police, you’re always welcome to open a small claims dispute with the Department of Professional Standards. However, please remember that I have a witness that can verify I merely asked that people drop their weapons.'

The bartender looked around and seemed to notice me for the first time. Which was a new experience for me, I’ll admit. I tend to get noticed right off. 'Oh — oh,' he said, and gave me a broad smile. 'Well, hello there, darling.'

'Zach,' and now Tommy’s voice sounded different, a bit like before but not exactly. It worked, though; the bartender gave a huff and went off to, I guessed, find a broom.

'Who’s that?' I asked, once he was out of earshot. 'And what was he talking about, ten years?'

'That,' he said, 'Is Zachary Palmer. An old friend of the family, I suppose you’d say,' He gazed after him for a few moments before turning back to me. 'So — what is a dead pool? I thought it was a comic book character or a film or some such.'

'You’re like the world’s shittiest time traveller,' I complained. Later on, Tommy would do some tests to see if I had some sort of clairvoyance ability or something. Jury’s still out, but I think mostly he was just pissed off that I’d managed such a sick burn without even knowing it.

[rokachan]

M   :   MOONLIGHT.   what is your muse’s ideal date? where / who with / etc?

To Roka.

Extra ask: would your muse go on a platonic date? Sometimes a Cafe shop has a good couple discount for all the sweet. 👀

Roka hasn't really gone on many dates beyond food-oriented ones. Lets go to the bar! Lets go grab pizza! That sort of thing. Loooong ago she did have a date where her then-fiance took her bandit hunting and taught her to use a revovler. It's probably the most unique official date she's had. And there was an aquarium date which turned into a group outing when she added in three more people who were dear friends so everyone could go see the fishies.

Because of limited experience she doesn't really have an ideal, especially givent he alterations to her own diet now. She'd accompany someone wherever they wanted to go quite happily. An actual ideal for her, though she wouldn't think of it as a date? Take her somewhere that's special to you and share a piece of yourself. Favourite bookstore or cafe. A little slice of Thanalan you like to escape to, or a cove in Limsa no one seems to know exists that you found while sailing. Take her to your own home, or somewhere of significance from you. Roka cares deeply about her people, and will absolutely devour anything they wish to share oft hemselves and cherish that knowledge. She rarely pried though, knowing that people have so many things they aren't ready and may never want to talk about. She trusts people to share what they're willing to with her when they're ready, treating those glimpses into the past of someone as some of her most valuable things.

She will remember those things, those shared moments. She will catalogue and treasure them. She will find a token item of the moment and keep it among her hoarde. She'll seek out those little trinkets and trash, run fingers over them with utter reverence, and relive those special moments that have been gifted to her.

Her ideal date is any moment where one of her people choose to share things with her.

For the extra! She would! Platonic dating is a grand thing, and technically (again, she wouldn't really consider it a date but... She's a lil' odd) she goes on those more than anything else. She used to frequent pubs and dives with her best friend. She's dragged Ren out to a few different locales (one of which she was fairly certain had a rigged game). She's hauled people off to go strolling through the woods with her while she talks and picks herbs. If you're her friend, she's more than happy to go on a platonic date and get to spend time with you. Just... Don't word it as a date? She'll overthink that and then devolve into a mess while she tries to figure out how she feels, how you feel, did she mislead you? Does she like you like that? Do friends go on dates all the time? Etc.

10/10 reccommendher tagging along with friends for discounts though, especially since she won't be eating the food. You pay a fraction of the price and get all the goodies! Can't go wrong!

[hljournal]

Today’s author is abrighteryellow / @a-brighter-yellow ! Don’t forget to give the fics kudos and leave a comment!

You, Who Neve Arrived (42k)

Louis Tomlinson is days away from marrying a perfectly nice podiatrist when he gets a phone call that changes everything. Or, the Only You AU in which Louis has a soulmate and it's definitely not Harry Styles.

What You’re Signing On For (30k)

Back at home in London after a whirlwind romance, Louis wants nothing more than to break ties completely with the sophisticated Frenchman who swept him off his feet. In order to do that, he needs the help of Harry Styles: former town bad boy and adopted brother of Louis' flatmate.

An O.C. AU about flawed first impressions, the seductive power of French pastries, bad romance novelists, and getting on the same page.

More Of a Comment Than a Question (8k)

After guest starring in a popular science fiction series, Louis is invited to attend his first fan convention. He arrives ready to take it all in stride, but finds himself distracted by a handsome stranger who seems to know exactly who he is.

Hello My Name Is Harry (3k)

Louis’s 20-year high school reunion takes a turn when a celebrity classmate – who also happens to be Louis’s long unrequited crush – unexpectedly shows up.

A famous/not-famous AU inspired by Chris Evans.

Not That Gone (62k)

Around four in the afternoon on day two, Harry was dropping kisses on Louis' chest and heading downwards when he abruptly stopped. “I can move back here,” he said, propping himself up on the mattress with his hands. Louis' eyes popped open and he looked up at him, totally lost. “What?” “For a while,” Harry continued, the idea taking hold. “Hang out with my mom. Work on my script. Be with you.” Louis had already resigned himself to the fact that this weekend was a crack in the space-time continuum that would soon close, sending him and Harry back to their respective, very different lives. It would be a memory that would keep him warm when he was an old, old man – that time one of People’s 50 Most Beautiful had kept him on his hands and knees for two days straight. He wasn’t so stupid as to hope for more. “You’re crazy,” Louis scoffed. Harry’s eyes shone. “Am I?”

A few weeks after Louis and Harry, *ahem*, reconnect at their high school reunion, Harry temporarily moves back home. Louis isn't sure he has the emotional fortitude for a prolonged fling with the man of the dreams.

Call It True (49k)

With dreams of being a successful novelist, Harry’s been working so hard that he almost doesn’t notice the smoothie shop that just opened down the street. But he can’t miss the mysterious, irresistible boy who works there, nor the strange but entirely positive effect his drinks seem to have. Harry needs to know what’s going on and he wants to get close to Louis, though not necessarily in that order.

Wine Not? (20k)

Louis’ Wine Dive is a bar run by the people for the people. Wine Styles is a boutique tasting room that caters to a more highbrow clientele. When their worlds clash on a beautiful Charleston street, one of these owners may find that an ounce of pretension doesn’t stand a chance against a pound of perseverance.

Sometimes Fires Don’t Go Out (17k)

With a corporate chain eyeing their town’s ragtag independent record store, Harry and his coworkers have one day to come up with a way to save their jobs – and possibly mend some hearts in the process. Featuring unrequited love, the best and worst of the mid-’90s, and one long-suffering James Corden.

High enough for you to pull under (65k)

Louis makes a mistake that alters the course of his entire life. The universe wants him to fix it. 13 Going On 30 AU.

All My Friends Are Here (3k)

He is about to decline, though. If he has to sit through forced merriment, the least he can do is avoid participation at all costs. He is about to, but then the guy with the microphone is looking out into the crowd. He’s saying things, too — about rules and prizes and team names. At least, Louis assumes so. He can’t really hear him over the ringing in his ears.

“Alright, mate. I’ll play.”

A pub quiz has invaded Louis’s favorite dive. Fortunately, it comes with a charming host.

[mwfhomebrew]

Parvathirax V.S. Virago

Blue Dragon by Sandara Tang

NPC: Parvathirax

Sailors tell tales of storms that come on faster than seems possible, of rain that comes down hard enough to flood the decks and lightning that seems almost malicious, and of a dragon whose very presence is enough to sink ships. This is the legacy of Parvathirax the Flood Bringer. - Leovold Marrow, scholar and maritime specialist for the Infinite Arcanum

The ancient blue dragon who once made her home among the mountains of the Stormblight Canyons is a well-known threat not just to those who trek too close to her home, but to seafarers as well. While her lair may be in the canyons, the oceans are her hunting grounds. Sailors speak of her in hushed tones whenever a storm seems to be moving just a little too fast, and many ships have met their end thanks to her scraping claws and electric maw.

Parvathirax’s fury only seems to have grown in the last century. Before, she would spend months, maybe even years, resting at her home in the Stormblight Canyons before resurfacing again. For the past one-hundred years though, the Flood Bringer has routinely terrorized every ocean and settlement within 10000 miles of her lair. It appears as if she is desperately searching for something or someone, but no one who encounters her has lived to tell of it.

The only place safe from this ancient blue dragon’s wrath appears to be the very place she used to call home. The storm over the Stormblight Canyons has almost entirely disappeared in her prolonged absence. Some scholars are even calling for a name change considering, with Parvathirax gone, the canyons actually get less rainfall than would be expected for the area.

Ms. Orc- Last Stand by Bayard Wu

NPC: Virago

I first saw her at the pub in Svenali’s Retreat. She looked gorgeous! Hair curled, tusks shined, brows plucked, not what you normally see in the pub, so I knew I had to take my shot. But something was off. While she may appear to be a young woman, there was something about her eyes that spoke of age. Was it wisdom? Or trauma? Or was she just tired of me talking to her? Either way, I didn’t buy her another drink after the look she gave me. – Polanch Trichavik, exasperated tavern goer.

Virago was a talented wizard from a very young age. The nomadic orc tribe she grew up in scraped together as much gold as possible to send her to be trained at Vanistrom Academy when she was just 12. It didn’t take long for her to rise up through the ranks and become a prodigy at the academy. She had a knack for spellcraft, particularly transmutation, and was easily able to alter formulas and manipulate circles in order to improve effects or even create brand new ones.

After graduating from the academy at 28, Virago worked briefly as a researcher before feeling the pull of homesickness. She left the academic life behind and returned to her tribe to act as an advisor and a teacher. While she was away though, the land had turned against her tribe. What was once lush plains full of game and food had been replaced by cracked dirt and a starving people.

Knowing that something had to be done to save her tribe, Virago convinced them to travel with her to a new land she had found during her time as a researcher. It had everything her people could need, game to hunt, fruit to forage, an abundance of water, and, best of all, no other people. The only downside were the blue dragons that made their home among the mountains.

It took two years of prolonged travel through unknown wilderness, but Virago’s tribe finally made it to the Stormblight Canyons. They thrived in this new land for over a decade before they drew the attention of Parvathirax. One of their hunting bands encountered a young blue dragon while chasing down a giant elk. Instead of allowing the creature to steal their catch, one of the young hunters thrust her spear into its belly. Its cry brought the wrath of Parvathirax down upon the whole tribe.

In less than a week, every last orc had been hunted down and killed. Every orc except Virago. She wept with fury and guilt at what had befallen her family. She swore, if it was the last thing she did, she would get her revenge.

It took years of research and contact with an entity not of this plane, but Virago was able to craft a spell that would punish Parvathirax for what the dragon had done to her family. The orc woman set up the ritual site atop a mesa in the canyons. She carved sigils into the stone, sacrificed creatures, spilt her own blood, and chanted for a solid seven days before a blinding flash of lightning told her that it had been a success. All of Parvathirax’s children were blinded and their wings would all wither and slowly fall away. The same would be true for any children she may have in the future.

This was just over one-hundred years ago.

Since then, Virago has used her transmutation magic both to hide herself and to extend her lifespan. Parvathirax has been searching for her for the past century, all the while she has been hidden in canyons, changing her body every few decades. Her newest form most resembles her original. An orc woman with yellow-green skin, flowing brown hair, and cheek bones that could stab a man. Despite appearing to be about twenty-three, her eyes are still unchanged. They bear the markings of someone who has lost everything, of someone who has obtained vengeance, and of someone who has lived much longer than she should have.

[liminalcipher]

👁 Summary 👁

In Hazelwood, everyone has a secret. Dark things lurk in the shadows, behind the hedges, and sometimes even in your neighbor. You can never tell with these things, really. Now there's a new mystery: teens have been going missing, all determined to be runaways, all written off and forgotten. But someone has to do something, someone has to figure out what's going on and who (or what) is behind it all.

Can the truth be uncovered before it's too late?

And what if the truth is something you don't want to know...

👁 Characters 👁

Rowan "Ro" Locke: Main Character

Sent away at fourteen to a school for rejects and delinquents, she decided to do everything she could to become the person no one ever thought she could be. Upon graduation, she was offered a job in a prestigious organization with a mysterious reputation.

After years of work as an archival assistant, she finally gets to become a field agent... and is promptly transferred to the one place she never thought she'd have to come back to.

Kit Evans: The Nemesis

There was something about them that always rubbed Ro the wrong way. But that seemed to be mutual. Since the moment the two met, they did not get along. From stolen pencils to black eyes and broken noses, Rowan and Kit have gone through it all in the worst of ways.

The return of their old enemy changes things in ways that they would have never guessed. Whether that's a good or a bad thing is up for debate.

Dwyn Douglas: The Old Partner-in-Crime

The smartass old friend who always had Ro's back, no matter what kind of dangerous nonsense they got into. After her sudden disappearance, he was devastated, but there was little he could do to get her back.

Being the son of the owner of the oldest pub in town has its perks: Dwyn is the person you want to talk to when you want to know anything about anyone. But in Hazelwood, knowing things doesn't always pay off.

John Hollins: The New Guy

John moved to town a few years ago for work and to be closer to his grandma so that he could take care of her.

As a part of the Blackthorn Institute, John is a somewhat senior agent to Rowan.

There are many unknowns when it comes to him, but one thing is very clear: he wants to help (even if he doesn't always know what to do).

👁 Features 👁

A small-town mystery

A disastrous (?) investigation and a shadowy organization

3 potential love interests. You choose what kind of relationships you want: romantic, platonic, or antagonistic. Romances are 100% optional!

Your answers will shape you as a person and alter which paths become open to you

+more

👁 Notes & Links 👁

Maybe a little unusually, Sea of Graves begins its life as an Interactive Fiction story, that will eventually turn into a visual novel.

The first demo is coming on June 19th!

Demo (Soon) || Discord (Soon) || Twitter

[i-heart-danchou]

Deserving

Okay!  This is for @bottomerwinweek​, prompt 1, Reunion/Reincarnation AU This ended up being a million words long (well, 6k), so I’m sorry about that.  I also switch between Levi and Erwin’s POV which will be differentiated using different fonts.  I hope you enjoy it! ------------------------- For as long as Erwin could remember, he had been harboring a secret.  It had started when he was a small child; he would wake up in the night screaming about titans and monsters and dangerous governments, and his father would cradle him to his chest and promise him, promise him, that he was safe in his bed.  It got worse over time- he had memories which weren’t his, visions of a world and a life that had never and could never have happened.  His parents had sent him to a school psychiatrist a number of times and the diagnosis often wavered between ‘wanting more attention’ and ‘severely mentally ill.’ He learned rapidly to hide his dreams, his memories, the pain of loss which he felt every day.  It was easier to make friends that way, to do well in school, to be bright and successful like everyone seemed to envision for him.  His parents were glad; it was just a phase, then.  Imaginary friends, he’d grown out of it. Over time he learned that virtually no one else in the world experienced life as he did.  His friends at school weren’t born yearning for a face in their dreams, and certainly none of them had lived through the downfall of civilization, a military coup, nor been sentenced to death by hanging.  He assumed he was unwell, and after trying a number of different mood altering medications had determined that he wasn’t going to get any better. It would have been fine if it weren’t for Levi.  Dreams and delusions were easy enough to get past, but for as long as he could remember, Erwin Smith had been in love with another human being, one which (in this lifetime, at least) he had never even laid eyes on.  It was more challenging as he went through puberty, as his friends were discovering porn on the internet and their love for large breasts, Erwin found himself unable to get past this surly man in his mind. 

He was teased for being a prude, but it didn’t bother him.  The Levi in his heart was worth waiting for, and he couldn’t really imagine finding happiness with anyone else.  He had a few flings of course, short people with sharp eyes but… There was no one in this world who could hold a candle to what he’d shared with Levi— an odd mix of passion, trust, respect, and absolute devotion to one another.  Even the memories with Levi where things had been grim, dangerous or terse were precious to him.  

He smiled even now when he recalled Levi threatening to break his legs, how they’d fought hand to hand in those difficult beginnings… how Levi had swallowed his feelings and put Erwin first, telling him to give up on his dream in those last crucial moments.  

**

Erwin tried to find Levi in any way he could— searching for his name on social media, using the internet to see if there was anyone, anyone else in this world who had lived a past life like Erwin had.  That was how he connected with Mike, and the relief at knowing that he wasn’t crazy was almost impossible to describe.

They agreed to meet at a nice gastro-pub near Erwin’s work, and idly Erwin wondered if this was too good to be true.  He and Mike had been so close… and yet, he held himself responsible for Mike’s death.  It was likely that Mike resented him, blamed him, hated him now.  It might also just be a scam; a con artist online taking advantage of desperate people like Erwin.

He needn’t have worried though.  From under his umbrella Mike spotted him across the street and knew him immediately.  It wasn’t often Erwin was swept off his feet in an embrace, but he found himself actively reciprocating and burying his face into the warm crook of Mike’s neck.  “Erwin.”  He whispered, taking deep, long breaths in through his nose.  “It’s you.  It’s you.  I thought I was mad.”

Erwin squeezed tight, his heart racing in his chest.  He looked the same, he sounded the same, he smelled the same.   Fuck, it was real.  Levi was probably real.  He pulled away and looked into Mike’s eyes, his eyes crinkled with joy and relief.  He was almost too happy to speak.  

“You ah… you wanna grab an overpriced cocktail and some avocado based appetizer that probably won’t be served on plates?”  Mike managed eventually, his hands perched on Erwin’s shoulders.  

“I’d like that.”  Erwin nudged Mike’s body with his elbow and they walked in together.  

Erwin was all questions— have you always felt like this?  Have you found anyone else?  Nanaba?  Do you hide it?  Do you remember how you died?  Why is this happening?  Who are we?  Who were we?

Mike smirked, apparently glad that some things never changed.  Erwin’s inquisitive and brilliant mind was as sharp as it ever was.  “Yes, no, no, yes, no, I don’t know, I don’t know, and I don’t know.”  He said without much emotion in his voice.  

Erwin nodded.  “It’s funny.  I can’t remember how I died either.  I was leading the charge against the beast titan and... that’s where it ends.”  He swirled his drink around in the glass with his straw, watching the ice cubes dance.  “My whole life I’ve been researching alternate realities, parallel universes… trying to find evidence of these titans, of the walls… I haven’t found any.”  He looked wistful.  “I imagine we’re not the only ones.  A whole world can’t have disappeared into nothing.”

“I wonder.”  Mike mused.  “You might be onto something with parallel universes.  Wormholes, old souls, that kind of thing.”  He shrugged.  “I’m glad we found each other.”  

Erwin nodded.  “Me too.”  He could see it on Mike’s face; the man was searching for someone too.  A face in his dreams that consumed his heart and most of his thoughts.  He had a hole in his heart and only a faint memory guiding him towards fulfillment.  

**

By the time Erwin was approaching his thirty-fifth birthday, he had more or less given up on finding Levi again.  Or, that’s what he told himself anyway.  He’d tried to function in a romantic relationship a number of times, but nothing had ever quite clicked.  He was too aloof, maybe, not good enough at displaying his feelings.  He was never… there, in an emotional sense.  

Gone where the days when Erwin had browsed teashops, underground fighting rings, cleaning supply stores in hopes of finding Levi again.  Mike in that time had found Nanaba, and Erwin was truly happy for them both.  It was difficult to give up hope, he supposed, but hope was making it difficult to function.  In the other world his depression had consumed him, had damaged the lives of the people around him.  He didn’t want to make his parents worry, after all.  They had done so much for him.  

Despite his resolve, Erwin still found himself always keeping an eye out for Levi wherever he went.  He never used headphones in case he missed Levi’s voice calling out, he tended not to stare at his phone for a similar reason.  At night, he’d look through obituaries, death announcements, anything to just… prove that Levi existed.  That it was okay to give up on finding him.  

Nothing ever panned out, of course, so on his birthday he decided to treat himself.  He took the Monday off to give himself a nice three day weekend at the beach.  Living in the city as he did he very rarely got to get out and see nature, and… well, the ocean carried a lot of significance for him.   He’d always, always dreamed of seeing it with Levi one day.  

It wasn’t very difficult to rent a cottage by the beach in the middle of October, and he spent the better part of the weekend huddled up inside next to the quaint little fireplace.  The weather was awful, the winds were roaring, and he was glad he had a bit of privacy here.  He filled a solitary glass of wine and watched the watched the beautiful full moon break through the clouds and dance on the surface of the water.

**

The weather broke on his birthday, at least enough for him to stroll up and down the coast and get some fresh air.  He ignored the notifications on his phone and shoved it in his pocket.  Aging was hard.  Perhaps harder still now that he knew he was approaching the age when he’d died in that other world.  That Erwin Smith had accomplished so much in that time and… although this Erwin was successful by virtually all measures, he felt he had accomplished nothing. Thirty five years of looking for a ghost.  Thirty five years alone and desperate.  Happy fucking birthday, commander.  

He snuggled up against his thick woolly scarf and made his way down the pebbly shore.  The wind was harsh and angry, but at least the sun was vaguely trying to make itself known.  It wasn’t pleasant, but the ocean spray in his hair was making him feel alive.  There was something haunting and beautiful about the vast expanse of the sea, and he found himself looking across the horizon and wondering where… wondering where Levi was.  If he was even alive at all.

Possibly he needn’t have worried so much.  Off in the distance he heard a soft ‘fuck.’  

His ears pricked up, his eyes widened, and he scanned the beach.  Maybe a hundred yards away there was a slight man standing at the edge of the water, staring right back at him.  His arms were crossed, his eyes narrowed, a shock of black hair blowing in the wind around his eyes.  His clothes were worn but clean, he looked healthy.  

Levi.  Erwin’s mind was racing— it was Levi, it was Levi, he was certain of it—yet he hadn’t considered the possibility that Levi might not know him, might not remember or recognize him, might not want anything to do with him— shit. His heart ached with how much he adored this man, and it took everything he had to keep himself restrained and not throw himself at Levi.

He took a calming breath and started to approach, as it was apparent Levi was not going to come up to him first.  Each step closer hardened his resolve; it was Levi, he knew his face, he knew his stance, he knew this man.  Thirty five years of searching, it was him, it was him. 

“Levi?”   He called tentatively, carefully… as a young man, Levi had been so skittish and mistrusting.  Who knew how old he was now?  What his life had been like, if he had any reason to be wary of strange men calling out to him on the beach.  

There was something difficult in Levi’s expression— pain, certainly, worry, confusion, heartache… a touch of excitement, disbelief, joy too… but… pain was the predominating feature.  “Erwin.”  He said at last.  “Of all the fucking beaches in all the fucking world.”

They didn’t run to meet each other in the sand and hug, they didn’t kiss, they didn’t cry.  That interaction answered a few questions, actually.  Levi knew him.  Levi had at least some of his memories from the past.  Levi likely had met someone else from their world, or he would have been much, much more surprised to see him.  And… Levi had been actively avoiding him all this time.

Erwin hesitated for a moment, trying to plan how best to proceed.  “It… it’s been a while.”  

Levi’s expression fell into something detached and cynical, a more typical look for him to be sure.  “Yeah.”

“I rented a little cottage by the water.”  Erwin said, forcing a plastic smile to his lips.  “Do you want to come in so we can catch up?”

A war raged in Levi’s eyes.  “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”  He muttered, and started turning his back on Erwin.  

“Levi.”  Erwin said softly, the vulnerability and hurt was obvious in his voice.  “Please don’t walk away from me again.  I’ve been searching my whole life for you.  Only you.  Please.”

Levi pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a small groan.  “Fine.  It better not be a long walk.”

**

They were both silent as they walked to the cabin, the soft crunch of the sand beneath their feet and the soft roar of the waves as they hit the shore were the only real sounds.  Erwin kept a respectful distance from Levi, but he noticed that although Levi was keeping his eyes in front of him, on occasion he snuck a little glance up at Erwin.  He smiled then.  It was such a Levi thing to do that it made his heart sing.

“Make yourself at home.”  Erwin said pleasantly when they arrived, tossing a log onto the dying embers in the fireplace.  

“You kept the place clean.”  Levi remarked with no small amount of surprise.  His fingers ran along one of the wooden surfaces, coming up dust free.  “Not bad.”

Erwin chuckled.  “My whole life I’ve been looking for you, Levi.  I got into the habit of keeping a clean home just in case.”  

Levi cocked an eyebrow.  “Gay.”  He decided, inviting himself into the kitchen so he could brew them both some nice tea.  

The swell of love that Erwin felt was almost indescribable.  His face ached from smiling, and it was all he could do to stop himself from hugging Levi from behind, from kissing his neck up and down, from running to the bedroom and just… seeing where the day took him.  

But he didn’t do that.  “I suppose so.”  He tried to swallow his smile.  “How have you been, Levi?  Tell me about—“

“What do you remember?”  Levi demanded, his eyes sharp and desperate.  “From before.”

Erwin swallowed.  “I remember titans.  I remember a world crushed from the outside by disgusting monsters who threatened to destroy everything.  I remember losing my father to my own stupidity, and I remember being in the army.  I found a young man in the underground who changed my life, a man so brilliant and talented that I believed he and I could save the world together.  He was my right hand, and he stood beside me and supported me through all my crazy ideas.  I was in love with him, and he knew me better than I knew myself.”

He paused there, watching Levi carefully.  He’d always been good at coaching his expressions, and he was difficult to read, but… the pain in his face was escalating, and the tips of his ears were red.  “We did everything together.  People seldom saw me without him— without you.  You supported me through losing my arm, through the coup, you helped me chase my dream and… and when everything was falling around us, you stood beside me and helped me lead the final charge.  I died proud, I died as the man I wanted to be.  I died knowing you would finish what I started.”  He reached over and took Levi’s hand.  “You were in my heart as I faced the beast titan.  The greatest love of my life.”

Levi’s face was grey and ashen.  He pulled his hand away from Erwin and licked his lips.  “Do you want to know what was in the basement?”

Erwin narrowed his eyes for a moment.  “Yes.”  

“You were right.”   Levi said, putting on his coat as he headed to the door.  “You were right about everything.”

**

Letting Erwin die had been the hardest thing Levi had ever done.  Leaving him alone in that cottage, that desperately lonely look in his eyes, was certainly a close second.  His whole life he’d been dreaming of Erwin, wondering where he was, what his life had ended up like.  He seemed put together, at least.  Well dressed, wealthy, nice car, nice watch… good.  He’d done well in this life, he was probably happy, had friends… this was fine.  

Levi hastily texted Hanji before he got on his bike.  ‘Meet me at the bar.  Some bullshit happened.’

He had come to the ocean for the same reason Erwin had, dammit.  He’d wanted to be close to him on his birthday, he wanted to honor the commander in one of the only ways he could think of.  He didn’t fucking like the ocean, it was cold and polluted and fish fucked in it.  …besides, the ocean had always been a sore point for him.  It reminded him of Armin.  It reminded him of he day he’d let Erwin rest.  

He hated the ocean, but he often did things he hated out of respect for Erwin.  He hadn’t expected to actually find the piece of shit, with his stupid gorgeous face and his hopeful eyes and god dammit why was this happening?  He was never supposed to see him again.  Erwin deserved better.

Despite his helmet and hood Levi had ended up soaked by the time he peddled up to the bar.  “Levi you look like a drowned squirrel!   So cute.”  She patted him dry with some questionable bar napkins and Levi slapped her hand away.  

“Fuck off, Hanji.  I’m not in the mood.” He went behind the bar and poured them both some whiskey.  

She rolled her eyes.  “What, did you find Erwin or something?”

He shot her a glare so withering and severe that she actually flinched.  “Oh.  Jesus Levi.  I had no idea, I’m so sorry.”  She put a hand on his shoulder and he shrugged her away.  “Did… you talk to him?”

“Yeah.  He remembers the old world.  He remembers me.”  Levi swallowed.  “He doesn’t know how he died.  Hanji I can’t—“

“I know.”  She said gently.  “And you know that I’m going to tell you that he’s not going to be angry with you. You must have been wondering, right?  All these years— where he’s been, who he’s become, if he dreamed of you like you dreamed of him?  Finding me was one in a million, Levi!  Finding both of us was one in a billion!  Don’t fuck this one up because of your hangups.  Look at me.”  She forced him to make eye contact by clutching his cheeks.  “Erwin will love you no matter what.  Don’t fucking do this.”

Levi had reconnected with Hanji a few years earlier, purportedly by chance but he now suspected she had tracked him down on her own.  Her whole life had been marred with difficulty, as the memories of her past life had caused her nothing but trouble.  She had refused to hide her ‘mental impairment’ and it had cost her dearly.  When she had finally found Levi, she had broken down and sobbed.  

On Levi’s end, he had spent his whole life wondering if he was insane— cursing himself every time a tall blond man made him turn his head.  Meeting Hanji, confirming that it wasn’t all in his mind had been extremely liberating but… that meant Erwin was real too.

He’d been able to avoid tracking him down for a while, as Hanji was highly motivated to find Moblit first.  After an exhaustive search they found him at last, as the subject of a gofundme page for a young man with leukemia.  According to the last update, Moblit had died about two years prior, surrounded by family and loved ones.  Hanji didn’t speak about him much, but knowing Erwin was out there, that Levi was squandering this chance was probably killing her.

But it didn’t matter.  Levi had allowed Erwin to die.  He had snatched his last chance at life away, and ensured his dream would never come true.  Beyond that, he had failed to kill the beast titan.  Levi Ackerman had spent the last decades of his life crippled and useless, unable to join the final fray, unable to keep his vow.  Levi had survived all of them.  Little by little his world became empty, and he wasted away to nothing.  His penance had been a life of solitude and reflection, and that wasn’t about to change now.  

He had robbed the world of Erwin Smith, he didn’t deserve to find happiness with him now.  Erwin fucking deserved better.

**

Erwin had stood for a good long while staring at the door after Levi left.  He thought about following, about grabbing Levi’s arm and forcing him to stay but it just wasn’t the way Erwin operated.  He’d watched through the window as Levi had cycled off and covered his eyes with his hand.  

He could have followed, but he didn’t.  If Levi didn’t want anything to do with him, he had to respect that.  Perhaps it was enough to know that Levi was alive and well, that he was well, not happy exactly but… functional.  Fuck.  

He wondered what might have transpired in their old world to have gotten Levi to turn on him so completely.  Maybe in his last moments, Erwin had betrayed humanity, let them all down, disappointed Levi beyond measure.  Maybe Levi had reconsidered all of the deaths Erwin had been responsible for, maybe he blamed him and thought him a monster now.  Maybe he’d lived a long happy life in a titan free world, settled down with a nice man and felt disloyal to consider the love of another?

Erwin had never entertained the possibility that Levi would reject him if they were ever reunited.  He’d taken their love for granted, and now he was paying the emotional price.  Idly, he wondered if he would ever recover from such a blow.  

He called in sick to work for the rest of the week, and extended his lease on the cottage.  He was in no shape to work right now, and he needed some time to heal and plan his life from now on.  Levi was not an option anymore, and he had the rest of his life to think about.  Maybe he could get married now, give his parents some grandchildren.  Maybe he could fake his way through the rest of his life, and die knowing his soulmate had moved on long ago.  

It was fine.  He was fine.

He sunk into the plush little armchair which sat beside the fireplace.  His head fell into his hands and he took some deep, solid breaths as he tried to calm the miserable anxiety coiling in the pit of his stomach.  Depression had destroyed commander Smith once before.  He wondered if loneliness might do it this time.

His phone started buzzing in his pocket and of course he ignored it.  That is, until the buzzing became incessant, annoying, and worrying in its urgency.  An unknown number was calling, and he sent it straight to voice mail.  Immediately following was a series of texts.

‘Erwin, it’s Hanji, I found your number online.  I know Levi met up with you, I know everything is fucked up right now.  Can we talk?’

**

Levi examined the glass he was holding against the warm yellow light of the bar.  Spotless.  Just how he liked it.  His heart was aching and he swallowed it down, deftly placing the glass in line with its siblings.  Had it always been this monotonous?  In a strange way, it reminded him of what life had been like immediately after Erwin had died.  The world was darker, music seemed muted, everything moved slower.  

It had been an awful part of his life the first time it had happened.  He’d staggered through life, his face unchanging, having to hear the snickers and whispers of those who blamed him for letting Erwin go.  What a fool that Levi was, he’s doomed us all, and that Erwin Smith, what a monster, what a villain, the two of them deserved each other.  Levi had silently borne it all.  He owed no one an explanation, and he felt he deserved some retribution for what he’d done.  It had been the right call, but it was hard to convince himself of that sometimes.  

Eren and his cohort had scarcely noticed a difference in Levi after Erwin died, and he wasn’t surprised.  They got to their fucking ocean, and the world kept spinning like Erwin had never mattered.  The fucking shitshow that followed was another story entirely but… fuck, what was wrong with him?  Levi never reminisced like this, it was pathetic.  

He’d seen Erwin for less than an hour yesterday, and his whole life had been turned upside down once more.  The man had a strange and terrible power, that’s for sure.  He shut his eyes and tried to banish Erwin from his mind, but as was often the case his beautiful gentle smile came to the forefront of his thoughts and made his heart clench.  

He’d spent the last decades of his first life praying for a chance like this… to be with Erwin again, unencumbered, free, living a life where happiness was a real possibility but… he’d let Erwin die, he’d broken his promise.  Erwin deserved better.  

The bell above the door chimed cheerfully as a customer allowed himself into the bar.  Levi glanced up, started offering to take the guy’s order when he saw it was Erwin.  His eyes widened and his jaw clenched.  “What the hell are you doing here?  You followed me?”

Erwin shook his head.  “Hanji called me.  She told me I would find you here.”  He sat down at the bar.  “I’d like a beer, please.”

Levi poured him one of the microbrew special crafted IPA bullshit beers he had on tap and set the glass down in front of him.  

“Thank you, Levi.”  

Levi’s heart clenched and he felt like he might be sick.  

Erwin was silent for a moment as he sipped his beer.  He carefully placed the glass on a coaster and looked started watching Levi with those impossible beautiful eyes of his.  Levi knew he looked pained, nervous, highly strung, and defensive.  He hesitated, not sure what to say.

Erwin broke the silence, then.  “I’d like to speak with you, Levi.  I’d like you to listen to what I have to say, and if at the end of that you still don’t want me to be a part of your life, I’ll accept it and I won’t bother you again.”

Levi met his eyes and nodded his consent.  How?  How could he still be under this man’s spell after a lifetime and a universe apart?

“I spent the final years of that other life loving you.  Wishing that we had the luxury of security and simplicity so we could just find happiness together.  Wishing for a world just like this one.  I loved that you were able to prioritize our mission, I loved how passionate we were, and I loved how I could be myself around you.  I’ve spent this entire life yearning for you and searching for you.  I never stopped loving you.”

Levi kept how moved he was off his face.  He kept his expression hard and cold. “You don’t understand.”  He muttered.  “You just don’t—“

“Hanji told me how I died.”  Erwin interjected, and Levi’s blood ran cold.  

“I don’t resent you for that, Levi.  She didn’t understand why you did what you did, but I do.”  He reached over and offered his hand for Levi to take.  His palm was warm and inviting looking, but Levi resisted taking it.  “You did it out of love.  It was a gift, an act of mercy.  You let me die with my humanity, my dreams, my sense of self intact.  I can’t forgive you, Levi.”  Levi’s heart dropped.   “…because there’s nothing for me to forgive.  You were right to let me go then.  I was ready to end it, I was at peace for once in my life.  It never would have ended up like this world, not in our lifetimes.  We never would have been happy.”  Erwin looked so tired, so hurt.  “We have this chance now.   A chance to carve a beautiful, peaceful life for ourselves.  I love you and I want to be with you.  Please, please don’t send me away.”

Levi recalled when Erwin had died.  How the news had hit him like a punch in the gut, how all at once the light had been snuffed from his life.  The way he’d crumpled into himself, picked up the pieces of his heart, and forced himself to keep standing.  Letting Erwin go was a choice he had to live with, one that he told himself he’d never regret, but… it had killed him.  His soul had died with Erwin, and that moment of intense, visceral pain hadn’t left him even now.  

He came out from behind the bar and hugged Erwin as tightly as he could.  His eyes screwed shut, the vague threat of tears at the back of his mind, he squeezed Erwin nice and hard and his breath hitched when he felt those strong arms envelop him.  “I missed you.”  Levi said simply.  “All this time, I thought of you.  I never stopped fighting for you, Erwin.  I never let you go, not really.”

“I know.”  Erwin’s voice was deep and soothing as ever, and Levi found himself smiling as Erwin nuzzled his hair.  

**

Erwin had often wondered what his first time with this world’s Levi would be like.  He sort of imagined someone getting slammed into a wall, fists raking through hair, more biting than kissing… a marathon of desperate animal sex which one might find in the deepest caves of the internet.  But it wasn’t like that at all.

Levi had closed the bar early and taken Erwin’s hand, and they’d walked to his little apartment in blissful, almost giddy silence.  Erwin followed Levi to his bedroom and sat down beside him on the mattress.  A comfortable beat of silence passed between them, and Levi made the first move.  

He crawled into Erwin’s lap and kissed him up and down his face, deft fingers working his shirt open, breathing in the soft skin beneath the fabric.  Levi was soft, tender, reverent even, and it made Erwin’s heart sing.  

Erwin cupped Levi’s face and drew him in for a kiss, urging him out of his clothes too.  Levi yielded, presented his neck, started rubbing himself along Erwin’s warm arousal.  He could see Levi wanted to be submissive, perhaps a show of apology for… everything, but it wasn’t exactly what Erwin had in mind.

In letting Erwin die, Levi likely felt he’d betrayed Erwin’s trust.  Like he’d been trusted with a precious jewel and he’d thrown it away without a thought.  Levi probably wanted to make things right, to spend the rest of his life apologizing and worrying that Erwin loathed him for his act of love and mercy.  Erwin didn’t want that.  They had this second chance, and he didn’t want to waste another second lamenting over a world filled with monsters and angry teenagers.

Levi began to prepare himself and Erwin gently caught his wrist with his hand.  “Not today.”  He said peacefully, his eyes hooded with affection.  Erwin leaned back on the bed and coyly spread his legs, an act of love and trust which he would do for no other.  “I want you.”  He informed Levi.  “I love you and I’ve never stopped loving you.  I always, always want to be with you.”

Levi’s expression relaxed into something trusting and warm, the little wrinkle between his eyebrows diminished and he licked his lips.  “You might regret that.”  He said, a light tease in his voice.  “You might not realize this, but I’m a cranky, fastidious, miserable little asshole.”

Erwin laughed and the mattress vibrated beneath him.  “I think I can probably handle that.  I’m a manipulative, emotionally distant, megalomaniacal bastard.”

“Not much has changed then, old man.”  Levi’s eyes were warm, a cautious joy threatening to mar his facial features.  He took his time prepping Erwin, kissing his temple and cheeks as he worked.  Every touch was tender, and the whole room was heavy with love and affection.  Erwin was glad to take Levi like this, and he shut his eyes against the pleasure he felt as he was filled.  

Yes.  Everything about this was right.  

The sex itself was over quicker than might be desirable, but perhaps that was to be expected considering how long they’d both wanted this.  It didn’t really matter; they were both satisfied, fulfilled, and drunk on each other.  Levi insisted on washing up before they cuddled, but as soon as they’d rinsed off Levi found his usual spot nestled up against Erwin’s chest.  

“I never thought this would happen.”  Levi admitted.  “I never imagined we could get time like this.  To just… be together.  Nothing hanging over our heads.  It’s not bad.”

Erwin smiled and stroked his shoulder.  “Not bad at all.”  He agreed.  “The rest of our lives is going to be like this.  I never want to be apart from you again.”  He kissed the top of Levi’s head.  “Move in with me?”

“Fuck, Erwin.  You move fast.  This wasn’t even a proper first date.”

“Oh goodness, you’re right.  I barely wined and dined you at all.  Your friends are going to think I’m terribly cheap.”

“Guess you could make it up to me by going for another round?”  Levi was smiling.  

“Levi, I’m sorry, but I’m just not the type of man who has sex twice on the first date.  I have to have some boundaries.”  Erwin was smiling too.

“You’re such a loser.”  Levi grumbled affectionately, wrapping his arms around Erwin’s neck and kissing him all over his face.  “You’d think I’d have developed better taste in men by now.”

“Mm, can’t argue with that.”  Erwin flipped him over and pinned him to the bed.  “You never said if you’d move in with me or not.”

Levi looked up at him, his eyes sparkling as he pushed Erwin’s hair out of his forehead and back into place.  “Duh.”  

**

Life fell into a pleasant routine after that.  Erwin sold his shares in his company and used the profits to buy a quaint little tea shop in a cozy village by the sea.  He loved his life with Levi, the simple pleasures that came with living a normal existence.  He was getting better at baking, and Levi seemed truly content.

Each night they’d make some time for each other, even if it was just snuggling up together while they both dicked around on their phones, or doing chores together, just… simple, gentle time.  

Sometimes they’d reminisce about the old world, or wonder about how the universes were connected, about the metaphysical implications of past lives or wormholes or… it didn’t matter.  Erwin sometimes surprised himself by not obsessing over that life anymore— the basement, even held only a small appeal now that there was no war to be won, no ghosts to avenge.  

Still.  It was in his nature to be curious.

“Levi?”  He asked one night, resting his head on Levi’s thigh as they both sprawled out on the couch together.  “So… after the basement, what happened next?”  He wiggled his eyebrows.  “Didja miss me?”

Levi flicked his forehead and let out an exasperated but affectionate sigh.  “Don’t even go there, Erwin.  The whole thing was a fucking shitshow and you should be thanking me that you weren’t there for it.  Teen angst everywhere.”

Erwin laughed and snuggled into the warm flesh of Levi’s leg.  “Mm.  We should have gotten a spinoff.” “Two old men bantering in the woods.  Dunno if it has any real market appeal, commander.”

Erwin just shut his eyes.  “We just need a media strategist.  I bet it’d be very popular.  I’ve never been wrong before.”  

Levi smiled and stroked Erwin’s hair.  “That’s true.”  His voice was gentle.  

Erwin found it so easy to fall asleep like this.  The couch was warm and comfortable, Levi’s body was soft and smelled amazing, and the gentle hand in his hair was soothing beyond words.  He drifted off with a smile on his face, wondering what Levi would mumble now that he was sure Erwin wouldn’t hear him.

“I love you, you bastard.”  The words were soft and reverent.  

Erwin wondered what he’d done to deserve such happiness.  

[simplynarcissa]

Whispers || N & S

In a time long gone, Narcissa would have been bothered by the looks that were being thrown her way. Yet, she had grown accustomed to them and knew that no matter the circumstances people would always look at her; carrying an important name brought it’s fair share of troubles and though she was use to them, she hated them in that moment. Pity and curiosity were what she assumed most were attempting to gift her and while she offered a small smile to those she unfortunately locked eyes with, the privacy shops attempted to offer her was welcomed. After all, they were all going through hard times. 

A dress in a color that she momentarily detested was what she had dared to go out looking for. Had it been a harder challenge to find, Narcissa might have been thankful for the distraction. Had it been for any other occasion, she may have offered a compliment to the dress maker once she found it. But things were different and all she had to give was a polite word of thanks before stepping out of the second shop she had walked into with a funeral dress that was ready to serve it’s purpose. 

Did she hear the words of condolences? Yes. Had she taken a moment to acknowledge them? No, after all it was her uncle, not her father, that had passed. So she stepped out into a busy street that seemed intent on focusing on her.

How many reporters had dared to step in her way and offer their condolences while simultaneously pestering her for answers to intrusive questions? Her uncle had called them a necessary evil once and while she had stood opposed to that descriptor, Narcissa found that he had been right.   

The plan had been to find a dress and a few of her aunts favorite treats to offer her during a visit Narcissa knew she would have to make before the funeral. However, plans had a way of altering and perhaps she had a thanks to give to a persistent reporter for her stop at the Leaky Cauldron. In a place she knew was clearly below her standard, Narcissa believed that she would be left alone. To be free for a few moments was worth a downgrade in the company she was keeping. Did Narcissa take a careful look around the pub to see who was actually in there? No, she cared little of who saw her in there at the moment. “I’ll have a bit of sherry.” The words left Narcissa as she placed the two bags she had managed to acquire beforehand down next to her secluded bar stool. 

@im-never-sirius​

[mybeautifuldecay]

Private Tutor. Chapter Twenty-Seven; I Haven’t.

I know this has been a long time coming, but I have some New Years resolutions - one of them is to get this one more up to date with less time between updates. Writing these days is incredibly hard because my job from September suddenly became quite intense and I’m finding it increasingly more difficult to enjoy Show!OL to the point where I sort of zoned out...though I still love fic of all kinds. 

Happy New Year all!! <3 

Master List is HERE if you need to remind yourselves :)

The phone call came in the middle of an intense study session and Claire barely heard it ring.

“It’s for you.” Murtagh called, sliding her mobile across the bar as she lifted her head from the particularly large textbook.

“Hello?” She answered before mouthing ‘thank you’ to Murtagh and slipping into the ladies bathroom. “This is Claire speaking.”

As the door closed behind her, Jamie came out from the kitchen, wafting the hot chips with his free hand. They could hear a slight mumbling through the thick wood but no actual words which made him edgy and nervous. Putting a chip into his mouth, he placed the bowl on the bar and kept his eyes glued on the bathroom.

“It willna make her come out any quicker, my lad.”

“Do ye ken who it is?”

“Nah, I couldna tell, though he was Scottish.”

“It’s Ned,” he sighed, “I dinna think she kens anyone else other than Joe and he’s a Yank.” At the mention of the lawyer, his heart rate increased exponentially. With the chips going cold in front of him, he tapped his foot nervously against the bar stool. He could see her wandering up and down through the glass panel but there was nothing he could do to alter the course he just had to hope that Randall had done the honourable thing.

Stepping outside, shedding the scent of stale urine, Claire bit the inside of her lip to try and stop herself from crying.

“I’m free.” She whispered, the choked sound echoing around the empty pub as Murtagh quirked a brow.

“Christ. Sassenach. He signed them?”

“Y-yes. By noon tomorrow I’ll officially be divorced.”

A smile overtook the worry on Jamie’s face as he stood and strode towards Claire. Placing his hand over the arch of her belly he rested his forehead gently against hers. “In three months, mo nighean donn, ye’ll be a mother and I’ll be a da - and we’ll be free to marry should ye want to and I canna wait.”

Tears ran down her face, her cheeks pinked from holding her breath as Ned had conveyed the good news to her and her heart was beating clearly in her chest as the weight of her sham marriage lifted from her shoulders.

After their return from Lallybroch and through the beginning of Claire’s course both her and Jamie had patiently waited for any news from the lawyers about the proceedings but Ned had been suspiciously quiet for a whole two months. Though cold, September and October had been milder than usual but they had both begun to numb themselves - even the excitement of the coming halloween hadn’t brought Claire any relief. But, now, just in time for the run up to Christmas, Ned given them some unexpected (added) joy.

“I don’t think I can read anymore about the central nervous system tonight.” She hiccuped, her hands shaking as she placed the phone back into her pocket.

“Nor should ye have to,” Murtagh interjected, “have some champagne on me, aye?” He said, reaching into the small fridge to collect a bottle. “Go upstairs and celebrate the two of ye.” With a wink and a nod he passed the cold Bollinger over to Jamie and watched as the two disappeared through the door to Jamie’s apartment.

They were calm and quiet for all of a moment but the second the air settled around them, Claire let out a squeal of delight, her hands coming to cover her mouth as she bounced on the balls of her feet. “I’m free, Jamie. A divorcee.”

Standing with his hands in his pockets, Jamie twisted the material against his fingers, the sweat dripping down his spine as his hands gripped the small velvet box that he had concealed earlier. “How would you feel…” he started, the pulse racing in his neck as he tried to pluck up the courage to ask the important question, “if I were to ask ye, Claire *Beauchamp*...”

She saw the nervous twitch, the tilt of his head which highlighted the wee droplets of moisture forming on his forehead and she recalled the time, not so long ago, when she’d removed her first wedding ring and how it had felt to finally be free of the shackles of it.

“You remembered my maiden name.”

He’d seen it on the forms she’d been filling in and he’d taken an internal snapshot for reference later.

“Aye. I want to ken everything about ye, Claire.”

“Including whether or not I’ll say yes...to your question?” She said with a knowing glint in her eye.

“Aye.” He whispered, the nerves suddenly dissipating.

Reaching forwards, she pulled his hand from his pocket and smiled shyly at what she saw clasped between his fingers. Placing her mouth carefully over his, Claire kissed him as she rested her hand over his. “I think you already know how I’ll answer. I don’t think you’d have been carrying this-” squeezing her fingers around the back of his hand she let her nose bump against his as she paused, “waiting for Ned to call with news if you had even considered the possibility of me saying no.”

“Say it, then.” He returned, his eyes closed now as he pushed his flat stomach against her distended one. “If ye know what ye want.”

“Right now, would you judge me if I said I just wanted you to take me to bed?”

In the last month her hormones had gone wild, lust ravaging her at a moments notice and having Jamie touch her - even in the most discreet way, caused her temperature to rise in the most delightful way.

“Say yes and I willna judge ye ever again.”

“I’d say screw you, Jamie, but really I mean it the other way around.” She sighed, giving him her most coquettish look.

“Such a filthy mouth, Miss Beauchamp, I like it.”

Removing her top with a swift flick of her wrists, she mouthed “good” as she stepped backwards towards the bed.

Perched on the edge with the duvet scrunched around her bottom, she looked glorious with her maternity bra sitting snuggly between her belly as it covered her breasts. He wanted her naked, he loved seeing the changes in her body as she grew bigger with their child and he especially loved seeing the flush blossom across her skin in the few moments when desire began to take hold of her. She didn’t even need to tell him, she just got this twinkle in her eye and then her flesh just seemed to get this iridescent glow that called to him on a primal level.

“If you want them off,” she said as she leaned backwards on the bed, “you just have to come over here.”

Needing no more coaxing, Jamie went, wrapping his arm around her waist he pulled her close and buried his nose beneath her chin. She smelt of talcum powder, a type of motherly scent that clung to her skin. Dragging himself lower he placed his mouth over her covered nipple before sucking softly.

She moaned making him suck harder. Even half clothed he could tell that she was desperate, the way she bucked her hips and clung to him, her hands now lost in the mass of curls that lay at the nape of his neck.

“Have ye thought about much else for the last few weeks?” He moaned as he fell onto his back, pulling her over his hips.

“I haven’t. No.”

“It’s just us now, Claire. You and I. There’s nothing to stop us.”

Undoing the clasp of her bra and flinging it onto the floor, she took both of his hands in hers and lay one of her the arch of her belly and one over her bare breast. “I’ve never been happier.” She whispered, the rasp of her voice causing the breath to leave his lungs in an instant. “There’s nothing I want more. So yes, Jamie,” she continued, writhing her hips suggestively, “Yes. I’ll marry you.”

[eternityunicorn]

Elijah’s Eternity: New Orleans - Part One

Author: eternityunicorn 

Genre: Romance/Adventure/AU

Pairing: Elijah Mikaelson x OC

Warnings: Violence, Smut (*Smut chapters marked +18)

Summary: Sequel to the AU Elijah’s Eternity - Ten years have passed, a mournful Elijah has finally started to move on without his lady. In that time, he has gained a reunited family and has also found a new lady love. Yet, all is not well as danger comes for the smallest member of the Mikaelson family: Hope, and it prompts Niklaus to call upon the white goddess, drawing her back into Elijah’s life. As they reunite, can Elijah really say he’s truly moved on?

NOTE: OC and original elements are from my up and coming novel series!

———————————————————————————————————

Ten years.

Ten long and agonizing years.

That was how long it had been since that devastating day when Eternity had left Elijah, assumingely forever. It was the day that would be burned into his very soul for the rest of his immortal life. Forever altered was he, but that was the price he had to pay for daring to love an immortal goddess queen.

“Not a god,” he could hear her voice echo in his mind, every time he referred to her as a goddess.  It made him smile, but it was always short lived. The pain of loss quickly took hold always.

For a decade, Elijah suffered through his heartbreak, which seemed ridiculous to most that he would feel so profoundly over a relationship that had only lasted a little over a month, maybe more, maybe less. He didn’t know. It wasn’t like he had been counting the days he had been with Eternity like some love struck high schooler might. Still, it may have been silly to be so torn up over a budding romance, but it had been so much more to him.

After leaving Los Angeles, California those ten years ago, Elijah drove the sporty mustang he had acquired aimlessly back toward the east coast. Along the way, he had stopped in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma to the Mitchells’ bed and breakfast.

He had gone to inform them that he and Eternity would not be returning as promised and that he was heading back the way he had come. However, the old couple recognized heartbreak and requested that he stayed with them for a little while. He wanted to deny them, not wanting to be in a place that held the ghost of Eternity’s memory. Yet, he couldn’t find the will to say no to them, they were simply too kind. So, Elijah stayed...for two years.

To take his mind off his loss, he kept busy and helped the couple run their bed and breakfast, something that he would have done forever. He did his best to avoid the rookie in which he had stayed in with Eternity, instead choosing to help out with maintaining the property as much as possible. It had been a good two years, despite the circumstances. 

Unfortunately, the healths of the old humans deteriorated quickly in those few years. Eventually, Elijah was not only running their business, but paying for their medical bills too as they both found themselves in and out of the hospital. Their little frail bodies had simply begun to give out, as mortal bodies do.

Mr. Mitchell was the first to pass, which had devastated Mrs. Mitchell. Some believe that one can die of a broken heart and Elijah was inclined to believe that too. Only months later did Mrs. Mitchell die, passing in her sleep one night for him to find the following morning. 

Elijah couldn’t help but to be angry at Eternity for their passings, at the time. She could have saved them from death, he had irrationally thought, knowing logically that she could do no such thing. Mortals were meant to grow old and die. This was part of nature’s balance. Even if she had been around, she wouldn’t have saved them from naturally caused death. Still did he blamed Eternity for the loss of the kind elders.

Speaking of Eternity, at each small funeral service which had taken outside in the local cemetery, of which he had paid for since the Mitchells didn’t have any close family, not even children or grandchildren, he swore that he had seen the shimmering grace of the unicorn out of his peripheral. Yet, when he looked in hope of seeing her, he found the field empty. There wasn’t any visible sign that she had been there at all, much to his disappointment.

After that, Elijah wanted to keep the bed and breakfast open, but couldn’t stay. It had been time to move on. So to keep the Mitchells’ place going, he compelled a young local couple to take over the business. Once that was done, he left Oklahoma and continued east.

It was about half way back that Elijah encountered Niklaus again. He had stopped at a local pub for a drink and to hunt for prey. Without Eternity, he was forced to feed upon humans. It was after he had feed upon a couple of young women using the catch and release method, that Niklaus had slinked up beside him from the shadows.

“Brother, you look like hell,” his little brother had said.

“I wonder why,” he had quipped back, in no mood to deal with his brother.

Eternity wasn’t the only one who bore thee brunt of Elijah’s blame. In fact, there was one that received more of it than her; Niklaus. If his brother had acted in someone’s interest rather than his own, he would have broke ties with Loki or at least, distracted him and Eternity wouldn’t have felt so afraid for him that she thought it best that she left.

Elijah had told his brother as much and Niklaus had enough sense to look apologetic.

“I tried to warn you,” his little brother had responded. “I told you that she would leave you as she has done others. Though if it makes you feel any better, I saw her not long ago and she looks as bad off as you, brother. It seems the dramatic listlessness is mutual.”

His brother’s encounter with Eternity had surprised Elijah. Niklaus had explained that she had come to inform him that his alliance with Loki had been abolished by the Trickster’s death. Eternity had finally killed her long time nemesis. 

He had felt relieved as even a little proud that she had finally freed herself. Yet, like with any positive thought regarding the lady, it was short lived and bitterness quickly took hold of Elijah. If she had freed herself from Loki, then why hadn’t she returned to him? Surely, if she loved him as she had claimed, then she would have come back to him. Yet, she had not, for whatever reasons.

Elijah told Niklaus to never speak about Eternity again in a hostile and threatening manner, before returning to the drink he had been nursing.

It was then that his little brother had informed him of one other thing. “It’s no matter,” Niklaus had said about his broken alliance with the Trickster, “as I have found another way to break the binding spell upon me. I have found a new Petrova doppelgänger. An Elena Gilbert located in our home town of Mystic Falls. I’m heading back there to meet her.”

That had caught Elijah’s attention immediately. “And you want me to aid you in this endeavor,” he had said knowingly.

That devious grin stretched across the hybrid’s face, “Yes, brother, I do. Though I hope you have enough sense to not fall in love with this one as you did with Tatia and Katerina. It only complicates things more than need be”

“I have forsaken love, so you don’t have to worry about that, Niklaus,” Elijah had bitterly replied, “but if you think I will aide you in any way, after the part you played in Eternity’s departure, you are sadly mistaken. In fact, you’d best hope that I don’t get to this Elena Gilbert before you do. You’ll never break your curse, I’ll make sure of it.”

Without letting his brother say another word, he used his vampire speed and sped away from the pub. All the while, a plan to steal the thing that Niklaus wanted most and to kill his little brother had formulated in Elijah’s mind. 

Well, from there, he returned to Mystic Falls, met the lovely Elena, and in the end, did not stopping his brother from breaking the binding spell that suppressed his werewolf side. Instead, there was an eventual reconciliation between brothers, but not before Elijah had freed his siblings from Niklaus’s grasp and exacted a little vengeance upon his little brother for all the wrongs he had committed against their family.

From that point of unity between all the Mikaelsons, the journey of the family lead them all to New Orleans. The reason? It had been discovered that Niklaus was the only fertile Original vampire and had knocked up a young werewolf girl named Hayley Marshall while still in Mystic Falls.

Elijah had been the first to encounter the pregnant werewolf, to see if it were true; that a new Mikaelson would eventually be born. It was a miracle that seemed too good to be true this glimmer of hope for a dysfunctional family of vampires and witches. 

The connection between himself and Hayley had been as immediate as it had been with Eternity. Though he had sworn to forsake love, Elijah had experienced the feeling twice after the goddess’s departure. The first had been in the form a rekindling romance with Katerina that ended when he decided to follow his little brother to New Orleans. The other had been with Hayley.

With Hayley, he had danced around her and she around him, neither quite willing to act upon their mutual attraction, even after the child had been born. Elijah had tried to resist out of respect for Niklaus until he realized that his brother had no interest in marrying Hayley...at least at that time. 

In the end, the two of them did end up together, but only for a time. It turned out that their relationship had been doomed from the start as Hayley’s feelings were based off the suave noble stag that had looked out for her when she was scared and alone, and not for the more complicated and darker man beneath. In a sense, he had ended up scaring her off once she saw the monster behind the red door.

It was after their romance had ended as friends that Hayley had realized her feelings for the father of her child had grown in affection and that the feeling had been mutual. The two of them had decided to marry after all and were now living in martial bliss with their young daughter Hope Mikaelson.

A few years after the end of Elijah’s relationship with Hayley, he found...affection with yet another woman, a baby vampire by the name of Gia. She was beautiful and accomplished in the violin. Music was one of his favorite things, being accomplished in the piano himself. It had started as a pupil and teacher relationship after she had turned and found she couldn’t play her violin anymore. He was always one to fix what was broken, his united family being an example.

They relationship only grew from there and now, after ten years without Eternity, Elijah was about to be married to Gia. There was only one problem; he couldn’t exactly say he was happy. Though he did care for Katerina, Hayley, and now Gia, maybe even loved them, it was hollow, as if his heart hadn’t been completely with his two former lovers or the current one. Elijah realized the hole left by Eternity hadn’t been healed in the least and all these other relationships had been an attempt to fill the void.

When he had realized this, he had acted in frustration and desperation to move on immediately and made the impulsive decision to ask Gia to marry him. She had accepted readily, despite knowing upfront that he was hung up in some other woman. He never told her the full story, only that there had been someone extraordinary that had walked into his life and then quickly exited it. He never told Gia who Eternity was, keeping her a secret from both his new lady and his family, save for Niklaus. 

Regardless, Elijah had a new woman that he planned on settling down with, a completed, thriving family, and a young niece of whom he adored. Though he still suffers a bit from the loss of Eternity, he could at least say that he was content or at least, as contented as he was going to be considering his frozen, longing heart.

Over the years, there had been plenty of enemies come to call, triumphs and tragedies, but none were as dangerous and uncertain as the threat that was currently coming for the Mikaelsons or rather one of them - Hope.

The spirit of the most powerful witch ever to exist called the Hollow was searching for more power and a new corporal form. It had chosen to zero in on young Hope, a tribred with great power. A perfect target for the Hollow. The threat was imminent and it seemed that the most powerful vampire and witch family was not enough to stop it. 

Currently, the Hollow was in possession of little Hope and her family was desperate to find a way to free her free her from it’s clutches. They were all afraid and desperate for a solution to defeat this impossible enemy. Yet, there didn’t seem to be one in sight. It seemed absolutely hopeless.

“What are we going to do?” Rebekah asked as the family gathered for a family meeting over this matter. “What can we do? There has to be something or someone that can help.”

“There’s nothing we can do,” Kol replied realistically. “The Hollow is the most powerful entity to ever exist. Nothing is powerful enough to destroy it.”

“Well, we can’t just let it have my daughter,” Hayley protested. “We have to do something. There just has to be a way to save Hope from this...thing.”

Back and forth, they went, trying to think of anything that they hadn’t already that might help the child. Elijah remained quiet, his attention was on Niklaus.

His brother, whom had been strangely silent during this exchange finally perked up with a determined look upon his face that only meant one thing; he had a plan. Elijah had a feeling he knew exactly what it was too, having considered it himself before dismissing it.

“Don’t worry, wifey, I won’t let anything happen to our daughter,” Niklaus said to Hayley. Then he turned to Kol, “You’re wrong, little brother. The Hollow may be the most powerful entity on this world, but it is not the most powerful in existence. That honor belongs to another.” His eyes shifted to Elijah and all other eyes followed until everyone was looking at between the two siblings with confused, curious looks.

Elijah felt his heart leap into his throat at the vague mentioning of Eternity. He wouldn’t. He couldn’t. Could he? Did Niklaus know how to summon her? How did he know? Perhaps Loki had told him? It seemed like a likely conclusion.

Still, he wasn’t sure he was ready to face the woman who abandoned him. He swallowed thickly as he spoke his brother’s name in warning. A jumble of emotions courses through him, so messy were they that he couldn’t make one a single one thing he felt at the moment. He couldn’t formulate more words to follow.

“Desperate times calls for desperate measures,” Niklaus said as he approached. “Elijah, I need her help. Hope needs her help. And I will not let you or your hang ups stand in my way of saving my daughter. I will do what I must, regardless of your past with her.”

After a short pause, Elijah nodded in acceptance, unable to do much else. Though he was still very unsure about the whole thing. “Do what you must,” he said to his determined sibling.

“Would someone like to tell us what the bloody hell is going on?” Rebekah called, but it feel upon deaf ears as both Niklaus and he were already gone from the room.

To Be Continued....

[afaithy]

A Crinkle in Fate; Ch. 11: Heartchanging realization

Original: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16896918/chapters/40183823

Fancast:  http://afaithy.tumblr.com/post/182695568319/so-an-anon-asked-for-some-real-people-references

"There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered."

— Nelson Mandela

Summer passed in a blink of an eye. The amount of time spent together allowed Sirius and Tonks to bond and she now saw him as the brother she didn’t have. To Sirius was more than pleased to take on the role and he enjoyed teasing the girl. Lupin came to visit several times during the three months of summer vacation; sometimes on his own and some other accompanied by his parents.

When September 1st came, the three stood together in the platform 9 ¾  saying good.bye to their families and ready to board the train back to Hogwarts.

Unlike the year before, Tonks didn’t have to seat in a compartment with unknown people; in fact she was now trapped in a very crowded space with four Gryffindor boys with lots of energy, a girl with lots of things to tell her and a quiet and grumpy Slytherin boy who was having too much fun calling her by her full name.

“So this year we get to go to Hogsmeade…” Peter said excitedly “Finally!”

“It’d be fun and we will bring you lots of things, Tonks.” Lily smiled.

Sometimes it was tough to be younger, but surprisingly, she didn’t feel bothered or envious of them. In fact, she felt ...normal. She wasn’t that excited to visit the town after all.

“Oh, don’t worry about me, Lily.” Tonks smiled.

“Blimey, I always forget you’re one year younger, Tonksie.” Sirius said pouting “And there I was planning some adventures for us…”

“You can have your adventures without me, Sirius…”she laughs “I’ll be fine. There’s always something to do in the castle.”

“You wouldn’t have this problem if you hung out with the students from your year instead…” Snape said with a frown.

“Oh, well...mind you. Maybe I’m too mature to be with people from my age…”

“If you’re comparing you matureness to theirs...then maybe you should have skipped another two years…” Snape shrugged pointing at James and Sirius who were know making faces and jokes with some chocolate sticks.

“...Fair enough…” Tonks chuckled under Lily’s laughter “Then let’s leave it at...I hang out with you because I like you…”

“And that’s a good reason enough…” Lily approved “Come one, Severus. You’re not really annoyed about it. You were asking about Tonks each time I got her  owl.”

“I was just curious of what new stupidity she had done with Black…” he replied quicker than necessary and Tonks chuckled.

“But no. For real, I’m alright. I’m not dying to go to Hogsmeade, anyway…”

“You’re not? I mean there are lots of things to do and see there…”Peter asked incredulously.

“It’s just a town…” Tonks shrugged “A town with pubs, with shops, with people…like any other town. I can survive a year without going, I am sure.”

“You’re probably right…”Lupin nodded “but that doesn’t change that we will miss your company…”

“Aww, I can give you a picture so that you can keep it in your pocket.”

“I’m sure Remus would like that…” James laughed and Lupin elbowed him.

“Still...we will bring you a lot of things and then, next year, we can all go together.” Lily said.

Tonks nodded. The conversation soon drifted to some other random topics; Lily was happy to tell her what things she and Snape had done during summer vacation and Tonks was happy to tell her about the her own. Sirius would occasionally jump in with a funny memory and then Lupin would most likely remind him that it had all been his bad ideas. The trip to Hogwart felt shorter between the laughs and jokes the filled the tight train compartment.

The group reluctantly fell apart when they entered the Great Hall. As much as they’d have prefered to share the table, no all of them were Gryffindors. The SLytherin table was just next to Hufflepuffs and if she ignored the idiotic face of 80% of the table occupants, Tonks could find some solace from Snape sitting right behind her.

“Say what Half-blood scum. No one tried to kill you this summer?” Boreas laughed.

“Ignore him…” Snape whispered in a barely audible whisper.

Tonks smiled. Snape could be rude and had no reservations when claiming how much of an annoyance she was, but the he sure knew how to let her know he was on her side when the situation required it, she thought as the sorting of the new first years took place.  

“Hm...none seemed to trip this time..” she caught Snape whispering behind her “Disappointing…”

“Well, mind you. That seems to be a privilege reserved for me…”

“Normal people wouldn’t sound so proud about it…”

“Have I ever been normal?”

“Heh, you just admitted it.”

“What?”

“That you’re abnormal….” “I never…ahg..you  know what, if you keep taunting me I’ll throw the centerpiece at you…”

“What are you going to do? Throw the berries at me?”

She could hear Snape’s victorious snort and she felt like throwing him her plate, though that would have catched too much unwanted attention and she wasn’t going to fall into his trick to make her the center of attention of the entrance ceremony again. She grabbed one of the small berry like things from the centerpiece with the intention of throwing it at Snape, but to her surprise, hor most likely horror, the so called berry wasn’t a berry but some type of magical pill bug that uncoiles as soon as she had touched her and crawled up her hand. In the middle of her panic, she shook up her hand with far more strength that she had intended hitting twof her Hufflepuff mates and sending the bug flying; the bug knocked at the the juice bottle with a loud crash that echoed in the hall making Dumbledore stare at her with an amused smile as the bug ended up over the Hufflepuff prefect’s head..

“For Merlin’s sake, Tonks...what the hell are you doing?” her prefect said annoyed and she was sure her hair would probably be brightly purple as the bug began crawling down the Prefects face. THe girl let out a panicked screech as another Hufflepuff boy helped her take it off. As soon as the boy had grabbed the thing, the pill bug was gone and all that was left was one round, marble like fake berry. After a few minutes of awkward silence, the whole table broke into laughs.

Snape was far too amused by what she’d done when she turned to glare at him.

“You knew it was charmed!” she mumbled accusingly “And you know I hate pill bugs!”

“I didn’t think you’d be idiot enough to try that…”

Tonks sent him a annoyed look as the food appeared in the tables. She’d get even with him later.

***

Tonks began her first week of classes as a sophomore in her most traditional form: stumbling and spending almost 80% of the time on the floor. On Friday morning, the girl was rushing in to breakfast  in the Great Hall when a certain poltergeist, pulled on her tunic causing her to stumble and crash against the benches at the Gryffindor table. It seemed that Peeves had comet to enjoy watching her in very indignant positions lately.

The students eating at the time had laughed loudly, but were quickly shut off by a glare sent by her favorite cousin and his gang. As per usual, the one to help her back on her feet had been Lupin.

“You okay?” he asked with a frown.

“Ah...Wotcher, Remus…” she answered rubbing her waist to asses the damage. It stung but it wasn’t too bad “Yes, I’ll survive.”

“Always know how to make an entry, don’t you, cous?” Sirius smiled “Sit down, will you?”

“Ah, I think I’ll just grab it to go since I seem to be already late…” Tonks said shaking her head “You don’t happen to know a poltergeist repellent spell, do you Remus?”

“A what?”

“Peeves…”she shrugged “The damn prat has made of me stumbling into a hobby.”

“Wait...is that why you have been falling all over the castle?” Lupin asked concerned.

“Well, I’m clumsy...but not that much. Peeves keeps messing with me...I guess he finds it rather amusing…”

“That’s not alright. It is dangerous…” Lupin said shaking his head “I’ll ask dad…”

“Well, thank you. Then ...I’ll leave now. I still need to make it to Transfigurations. Wish me luck...hopefully I will make it without breaking my neck…”

She had said in a joking manner, but Lupin seemed to take the prospect with horror.

“Maybe you shouldn’t go alone…”

“I’ll be fine. It’d be a little embarrassing if I have to go to classes with an escort…” she laughed “Anyway...so I’ll see you all later!”

Tonks picked a buttered toast from Sirius plate and left the Hall slightly limping. Lupin was watching her with worry when Sirius patted his back with a smirk.

“What?”

“Nothing…” Sirius laughed.

Lupin quirked an eyebrow at his friend and rolled his eyes. He knew better than to expect a proper answer when Sirius entered into his “all mysterious” mode; the boy would eventually tell him what was going through his mind. He looked at the spot where Tonks had been standing at some minutes before. He could only hope that the girl would make it out from her first week unscathed.

“She’s always so energetic, is she not?” Lily giggled “It’s quite admirable…”

“If only I had as much energy as she does in the morning…” James said. He wasn’t a morning person and after three months of sleeping in to late hours, waking up early to attend classes was giving him so issues.

“Oh, that girl is always awfully early…” Sirius replied “but I guess it’s a family thing. When I was staying with them, I was always the last one to wake up…”

“Oh, you two met her parents….” Peter said curiously “So how are they?”

“They’re nice folk. Dromeda is just as I remember her, haven’t changed a bit and her husband is great.” Sirius grinned “They were all great with me staying over and all; and you would guess, but it seems Remus’s mum and him might have known each other!”

“Really?” Lily said amazed.

Lupin nodded.

“Tonk’s father is older, but he’s Welsh as my mum. Coincidentally, they’re from the same town and attended the same muggle school. They saw each other a few times before. It wasn’t until my dad told the story of how they’d met that Mr. Tonks realized it.”

“Oh wow. That’s such a coincidence. So how’s the town she lives in? She gave me very vague descriptions when I asked…”

“Well, she doesn’t live in a town; which makes it even better...if you ask me.” Sirius replied “ A pretty house in the countryside, with big gardens and few to none snoopy neighbors. Great place. I wouldn’t mind to spend more holidays in there…”

“They live up north. Close to the Moors.” Lupin added “Outside of town…”

“I never thought of her as a country girl…”James said resting his head on his hand “but sounds like a nice breather from London. Maybe I should join the party next time, too!”

“Somehow I think Andromeda would love that…”Sirius chuckled “she was quite happy to have people around for a change....”

“How about a full summer camp this year. I could persuade Severus to attend…” Lily smiled “He hates to travel, but he might do the effort if it is for Tonks…”

“He would, wouldn’t he?” James said with smirk “Don’t tell me Snivellus actually fancies the queen of clumsiness?”

“Wait, what?” Sirius growled and Lupin found himself listening with sudden interest.

“Not in that way…” Lily replied glaring at James “Severus has few friends. He appreciates her even if he doesn’t admit it himself. I think he finds...likeable? That she’s so into challenging him…”

Sirius seemed horrified, but he didn’t say anything more. Lupin on the other hand was thoughtful. He had noticed that those two were quite close; maybe Snape was the third person in the group- after Sirius and himself- with whom she seemed to feel most comfortable with. The boy told himself that it was only natural considering that they had spend quite an amount of time  together doing those small jobs with Slughorn. It was a good thing that she was making friends -other friends besides himself- then why was he feeling a little irritated by James’s silly remark about Snape and Tonks closeness?

They didn’t see Tonks again until much later that day. The girl had skipped lunch  and her whereabouts were unknown until mid afternoon, when classes were over and they were free for the day. The group stumbled with her as she climbed down the stairs to the courtyard and Lupin noticed that her limping seemed a little worse than earlier.

“Tonks!” he called her once she had properly stepped into the courtyard. The last thing he wanted was to startled her in the middle of the stairs and provoke her another fall.

The girl turned to them looking miserable and Lupin felt a knot in his throat.

“Oh...wotcher…” she said with a sigh.

“Woah….what’s up with that face?”  Sirius said blinking worriedly “what did you break?”

At the question Tonks let out miserable groan.

“Ooookaaay. For real ...what’s wrong?”

“Peeves…” she replied simply.

“What did he do?” Lupin asked her worried.

“Well…”

But before she could answer, a group of giggling second year Ravenclaws stopped by pointing at her between laughs and mutterings. Tonks let out a loud sigh and putting her arms on her hips in a, supposedly dignified pose, she turned to them with a firm face.

“Oh, okay...snap out of it. It was a damn accident! So fly off and do something more productive than stand there gossiping about me!”she growled angrily at the girls who stared at her with wide eyes and quickly rushed away.

“Wow cous” Sirius whistled “You really scared them off. So...what was an accident?”

Tonks turned back to them. The spark of hardness and anger in her face quickly dissolved, and the same miserable look she’d held before the Ravenclaws interruption took over once more.

“I told you that Peeves was making me trip as a hobby...well he did it again when I was coming out from charms and I kind of hit one of the magical armors when I went down. I don’t what was wrong with the thing, but it went crazy thinking someone was attacking it and well...it hit that stupid statue of the druid.”

“You mean the one that is reading that big book?” James asked. “Yeah, that one. The armor hit it with its rusted sword and the druid dropped that book over…over...” “Over?” Lupin coarsed her.

“....Mrs. Norris…”

There was a long silent pause  that was suddenly broken by Sirius bark laugh followed by James and Peter’s giggles and guilty chuckle from Lupin. The boys were actually relieved; the miserable look and the paleness in the younger girls had made them think that something worse had happened.

“It’s not fun! Filch was furious. I had to stand his yells for two and half hours before professor Sprout came looking for me!”

“And what happened to Mrs. Norris…?” James asked trying to drown his laugh.

“Well...she’s alive, if that’s what you’re asking. But she might lose a piece of her tail…” Tonks sighed “ And hey, the cat might be a pain, but...it doesn’t make me feel any less guilty.  Now Filch is demanding that I to get detention for the rest of the year…”

“What? Why? It’s not like you hexed Mrs. Norris.” Sirius asked with a frown, but he couldn’t stop himself from laughing. The whole situation was so ridiculous “I mean...you just tripped....”

“Well, Filch thinks I did it on purpose….and since he can’t actually punish Peeves, I am the scapegoat...” Tonks said sighed “I really don’t mind the detention, if I really had done something. The whole thing was just a chain of unfortunate events!”

“He’s not a teacher. He can’t put you on detention” Lupin reasoned resting his hand on her shoulder “I doubt professor Sprout would give into Filch’s demands. She knows you wouldn’t have done that…”

“Well, yeah...that’s what Professor Sprout told me. She said I shouldn’t worry, that she’d talk to Dumbledore and that it was unfair to punish me for an accident. But Filch isn’t happy…I’m pretty sure he’s going to make the rest of my school life a nightmare if I don’t get that detention…”

“That old rat…” Sirius said crossing his arms “Well, if he’s going to put you through hell...I’m sure we can put him through hell as well…”

“We all know how much he hates students anyway…” James nodded “If he bothers you we can...leave him a present?”

“Besides...what’s the big deal. I am sure Madam Pomfrey can fix that cat’s tail in a blink “Peter said.

Tonks bit her lip in a gesture that Lupin now knew meant she was concerned. He rubbed her back comfortingly and smiled at her.

“Don’t worry about it. Professor Dumbledore wouldn’t be that unreasonable. I’m sure of it. You missed lunch, didn’t you?”

“I was stuck in Filch’s office…” she shrugged “And honestly, with all that mess I kind of lost my appetite…”

“Well, but you need to eat something. Come on...we were planning on doing a small picnic outside. How about you join us…?” Lupin offered.

“And mess up with your Boys’ hang out? I wouldn’t dare…” Tonks replied shaking her head “I think I’ll just go back to my room. I’m tired. I will see you guys later.”

With that said, Tonks said goodbye to them with a gesture of her hand and walked away as fast as her  slight limp allowed. Lupin watched her disappear among a group of students and he felt Sirius and James rest their elbows on his shoulders. He still wondered why those two enjoyed doing that considering that he was several inches taller and the position was probably uncomfortable.

“Well...there she goes. Do you reckon she’d start every year with an injury? Because lat year she rolled down a hill…” James said slightly amused “She shouldn’t take it on as a habit. I like her, and I certainly would prefer if she survives her school life…”

“Yeah, but considering what Dromeda told me of her, she’s already used to get all knocked over…” SIrius chuckled “Clumsiest thing ever...that one...adorable, though...don’t you think, Moony?”

“Yeah...adorable…” he replied absently “I mean...it is cute, as long as she doesn’t get that hurt. I’m worried that Peeves will continue to sabotage her…”

“Oh, yes...that, too. Well...any ideas of how to control a damn poltergeist, Mr. DADA ace?”

“No idea, but I’m going to owl my dad as soon as possible. I don’t like to see her getting hurt…” Lupin sighed “What…?”

Sirius was grinning amused at him.

“Nope, nothing. Come on...I want to get out of this castle for a while…” he answered turning around and walking away.

Lupine frowned, intrigued by his friend's behavior, but decided to ignore him as he followed the rest of the group out.

***

Tonks was feeling ill. She had originally intended to get into her dorm and nap the rest of the day, but the Hufflepuff house was crawling with students and after the events from earlier she wasn’t feeling in the mood of gossipers and mocks. She had twisted her ankle on her fall and even though she knew that Madam Pomfrey would fix it in a blink, she didn’t feel like hearing the nurse’s lecture regarding her inability to stay in her feet.

That’s how she’d ended up in the library, curled in her favorite seat in the Muggle LIterature section with  her ankle swollen and stinging and a pretty strong headache.

“First year a fracture hip; second year a twisted ankle…” she muttered to herself “well, I guess it’s getting better…”

At least she could enjoy some peace and quiet in there; and she certainly enjoyed the chance of reading a good book in her free hours, however, after a few minutes, she found herself drifting off into sleep.

Her sleep was light, but filled with dreams. Strange dreams that made her heart beat heavily. She saw a group of redheads, most of the male, with kind smiles; she saw a boy with glasses that reminded her of James and a girl with honey colored hair. She saw a lot of faces that felt familiar, but she could not name. She also saw a green symbol in the sky: a skull with a snake coming from its mouth. The images were scattered, not exactly connected to each other, yet somehow related. It was confusing and yet comforting, unlike other dreams she’d had.

You can change it all. If that’s what you really want…

Her eyes fluttered open as the words vanished into the deeps of her mind. She felt a warm heaviness on her shoulders that she didn’t recall having before falling asleep. It was a robe, more precisely, a Gryffindor robe judging by the scarlet and gold lines in the rim and if her senses didn’t fail her, the scent of chocolate, tea and mint was something she could easily recognize.

“Remus?” she said still half asleep.

The boy was sitting in his usual spot with a book open in front of his face. He turned to her as he heard his name being called and his green eyes stared at her gently.

“Hey…” he replied putting down the book.

“ What are you doing here…?”

“I could ask you the same. Didn’t you say you were going to you dorm?”

“I...tried, but it was too noisy…”

“Noisy?”

“My head hurts…” she replied. The pain seemed to be slightly stronger and she was beginning to feel nauseous.

Lupin looked at he conflicted. He raised from his seat and came to kneel in front of her. Soon his hand was resting over her forehead.

“You might be having a slight fever. I saw you trembling, that’s why I gave you my robe. Are you feeling sick?”

Yes.

“ No, it’s just a  headache…”

“Are you sure? Maybe I should take you to madam Pomfrey.”

“The last thing I need is her lectures, Remus…” she half snorted “I am okay. I just need to sleep it off…”

“Then wouldn’t it be better if you went back to your room?”

“I told you...too noisy…”

Lupin sat down next to her concerned. It was obvious that he wasn’t convinced that sleeping in a reading chair in the library could be better than her warm  bed, so Tonks pushed herself up and rested her head on his shoulder.

“There...it won’t be that bad for my posture like this…”

“I doubt my shoulder is more comfortable than a pillow, Tonks…”

“Then I can use your lap...just don’t make go to my room. It’s not comfortable…”

Lupin seemed to ponder it, but he eventually gave in.

“Alright, you can use my lap. That has to be better than my shoulder.”

And- she had to admit it- it was. Lupin was still too tall for her so his shoulder felt a little too high, his lap however was nice: soft and warm. She could get used to it.

Lupin watched the girl drift back to sleep with her head resting comfortably on his lap. Her hood had fallen down a little and he could see  the locks of her purple hair that, after a few minutes of sleeping, had turned its points into pastel pink, crating a slight gradient. Unconsciously, he found himself caressing one of the wavy locks.

So that was what she tried to hide under her hood, he thought. He had read about her little gift, but he had never seen it, and as he watched her singular hair between his fingers, he couldn’t help but think that it was a beautiful. THe way the hair turned from a shade to another so naturally that it reminded him of the petals of a flower. It was such a pity that she didn’t let others see it, considering how lovely it was. He would hex anyone who would dare say otherwise.

Tonks sleep quietly. At least she seemed to be  having a pleasant rest and Lupin’s lips curled into a smile. He had picked his book, but somehow he found himself too distracted to read it. His attention was all over the sleeping girl: from her lovely color changing hair to the quiet raise and low of her breathing. He pulled  his robe up to her shoulders and sat there watching her sleep. The book was long forgotten on the table.

[bimboized]

Oops!

er screen in stunned silence. Running his fingers through his short brown hair, he lowered his hands and pondered sending what he'd found to a watchdog group. The information he'd stumbled across and then pieced together scared him. If he was right, the biochemical company he worked for was in deep with the CIA and MI6. While he didn't know much about organic chemistry, as he was a polymer chemist and engineer, it took some digging, but his research into CRISPR had netted him the information he needed.

The process that Biology Information Manufacturing had come up with, in theory, was decades ahead of what anyone ever thought possible. It had taken some effort, but Andrew had managed to find information: terrorist kept at Guantanamo Bay had been the first unwilling test subjects. Andrews first thought when he'd stumbled over the video files was that someone was browsing porn at work and had been trying to hide it. The time-lapse of the middle Eastern man slowly being feminized, growing massive tits, and then being fucked by two guards had shocked him.

Digging deeper, he found records of people who'd gone into witness protection, along with several missing political figures, most of them running to oppose current leaders. New identities had been forged and post-transformation interviews had clearly shown the full effects of the treatment. It didn't matter how you started, male or female, thin or thick, in your twenties or in your sixties, by the time the treatment was concluded, you looked and talked like some twenty-something bimbo that craved sex in almost any form. It was crazy.

The worst part was that not only did the company had a way to reverse it, they simply chose not to as the governmental agencies wanted those subjected to it left that way. Worse still, while there was information about ways to alter to process to not be so extreme, providing either "natural accelerated breast growth" or complete genetic gender reassignment, the cost wasn't considered "economically viable enough" to provide the treatment to those suffering from gender or body dysmorphia.

Flipping through the files, Andrew wanted to warn the world about this. Had they been willing to offer this to the public, his ethics may have struggled a bit. The way things stood, this was evil. No government should have this ability without steep oversight. Encrypting the files, he pulled the thumb drive from his pocket and slipped it into the machine. He began to copy the encrypted files and tried not to look suspicious.

As soon as the files finished copying, Andrew slid the USB drive into his pocket and closed the windows, leaving the armor weave project information he had been working on in the background along with an email he'd already typed out stating he was taking the rest of the day off. He sent the email, locked the computer and stood up only to see the head of the Biochem division, Jennifer Allister, heading his way. He quickly ducked the other way and, as discretely as he could, he headed toward the exit. He waved at the security guard, Harry, as he made his way out the front door. It was around lunch time, he rationalized, so his leaving shouldn't draw much attention. He got into his car and left the parking lot.

It was a long thirty-minute commute back to Parkview, the village he lived in, his eyes fully expecting that someone was tailing him. When he passed the gas station at the edge of town, he sighed with relief, given the last car that had been behind had turned off a few miles back, probably heading to Fondulac. Thinking about Parkview, he smiled. Andrew liked the people there. He knew most of them, having gone through grade school and high school here. The local bars were decent watering holes and the one restaurant served great comfort food. The small grocery store didn't stock much, but it was better than driving all the way to Springdale.

He pulled into the duplex he lived in and owned, renting out the other half to Isabelle, a Mexican woman in her mid-twenties that often joined him when he'd barbeque on the weekends. She'd outrightly stated she had no interest in men and he'd met one or two of the girlfriends she'd had over in the past. All and all, a nice enough lady, if I bit peculiar in her choice of outfits. Andrew waved at her as she got out of the custom Beetle that she owned. She was wearing a purple and black corset, matching dress, and steampunk goggles that sat atop her head. She waved back, smiling, and waited for him.

"Hey, Andrew," Isabelle said, leaning forward to kiss his cheek, "you're home early."

He shrugged. His hand in his pocket gripped the USB drive. "Yeah, decided to take half the day off to relax," Andrew replied. He stepped back and gave Isabelle a once over, chuckling when she twirled to show off. "Okay, so I have to ask. What's up with the fancy outfit. I'm used to you dressing goth, but this is over the top."

"Had a photo shoot in town," Isabelle replied. "I was supposed to take the day off, but the money was good. You still planning on grilling this weekend."

"Probably," Andrew said, as he really had no idea what his life was going to be like later today, much less later this week. "Look, I need to take care of a few things. Chores, that sort of thing. Let's catch up later, okay?"

Isabelle nodded. "Sure thing," she said, turning toward her front door, pausing there to look back at Andrew. "One of these days, you're going to find yourself a good woman."

Andrew laughed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, maybe you will, too." Isabelle laughed at that and headed inside. Andrew, in turn, headed to his front door, unlocked it and made his way inside. He kicked off his shoes and walked to the spare bedroom that he'd converted to a personal office. Turning his computer on, he waited until everything was loaded before slipping the USB drive into the USB port. He copied over all the files and mulled over his options. He pondered BookLeaks and a few other sites, finally deciding on one. It took some effort to find actual contact information.

Andrew sent over a few of the files and, as they uploaded, got up and paced. He was going to get fired, that much was certain. Probably sued. He mentally told himself, again and again, that this was the right thing. The upload complete, he sent the email.

He got a reply about an hour later, the person identifying themselves only as Xiang, stating they wanted to see more and were eager to get this out to everyone they could. Andrew replied with several emails, sending the rest of the files. By the time they were done corresponding, it was almost six in the evening. Andrew's stomach grumbled. Sighing, he decided he needed a beer or three along with some food. His nerves weren't exactly shot, but they were close.

Deciding he might be getting fairly sloshed, he chose to hoof it to the local watering hole. It wasn't that far, only about a mile. He waved at Bruce, the one cop that lived in town, as he headed into what amounted to downtown Parkview. Reaching the aptly named "Last Chance", he opened the door and stepped inside, country music playing over the speaker system, the sound of pool being played further inside the tavern. Making his way to the bar, he ordered a pub pizza and a beer from Molly, the woman that ran the place.

As the beer was sat down, Molly smiled at him. "Seems like you got someone's attention," she said, gesturing up the bar to a woman sitting at the other end. He didn't recognize her, but her dark black hair, the overall dress, cute top, and girl next door look of her got his attention immediately. Not to mention her melonous breasts. He raised the beer to her and smiled. She grabbed her own beer and walked down, her hips swaying and her breasts, larger than he'd first thought, bobbing back and forth as she walked.

"Mind if I take this seat?" she asked, looking at the stool next to Andrew.

"Not at all," Andrew replied, "and thanks for the beer."

"You looked like you could use it," she said, sitting down and setting her beer on the counter. "I've seen less jumpy rabbits back on my uncle's farm." She offered her hand. "I'm Kelly, by the way."

"Andrew," he replied, shaking her hand. He took a pull of his beer and sighed. "Been a long day, just not one I overly feel like talking about. Who's your uncle?"

"Leo Smithers," she said, reaching for the menu. "He runs the cattle farm 'tween here and Fondulac."

Andrew was aware of Leonard. He'd heard his brother call him Leo when the two ran into him at the grocery store once. "In town with your pa?"

Kelly shrugged. "Just finished college and looking for work back in Springdale. Uncle Leo suggested this was a good place to get a drink and maybe meet a nice boy." She rolled her eyes then winked at him. "I'm not a big fan of nice or boys, but I like finding a good man who's not too nice if you get my meaning."

Andrew took a pull of his beer. "I might, though I'm afraid my beer is empty and to get all the niceness out of me may take a few more."

Kelly laughed. "Here, have mine as a start. I'll order us a few more."

After a half dozen beers and a couple of shared pub pizzas, Andrew was very into Kelly. She had this charm about her that made her irresistible. It didn't hurt that she'd intentionally leaned toward him and pressed his boobs against his arm when she caught him staring at her breasts. She stood up after her fifth beer and reached for her phone. "I should probably call it a night and call a cab," she said, leaning over to kiss Andrew's cheek and somehow unbalancing herself so that she ended up stumbling against him, her boobs pressing against his chest. Andrew felt himself get instantly hard.

"Or, you know, you can walk me home first," Andrew said with a grin, slowly standing and helping Kelly steady herself. He reached for his wallet before Kelly waved him off and reached into her purse.

"You pay for the cab and I'll get our drinks," she said, her speech a little slurred. She handed her credit card to Molly, who ran it and handed Kelly the receipt. The two made their way outside and started walking toward Andrew's house.

Pausing at the doorstep, Andrew was pushed against the door as Kelly pressed her body against him, kissing him soundly. His hands went around her back before slipping down to her ass. She wiggled against his palms and slowly broke the kiss. "Mmmm, forget the cab," she murmured in his ear. "Why don't you take me inside?"

"Yes, ma'am," Andrew replied, fishing out his keys and unlocking his door before making his way in. They both kicked off their shoes before Andrew led the way to the bedroom. Kelly paused at the door to the bathroom. "Let me freshen up first, okay?" Andrew laughed and nodded, making his way to the bedroom. He was completely naked and laying in bed when he heard the toilet flush. A moment or two later, Kelly walked in, completely naked, holding nothing but a condom. "I like to ride cowboy, if that's okay?"

"Happy to let a woman have her way with me," Andrew replied. Kelly crawled over him and began to lick and stroke his cock before rolling the condom down around his shaft. She then lowered herself atop him and began to rock her hips, causing both to moan in pleasure.

He wasn't sure if it was the booze or what, but Andrew never seemed to grow soft despite Kelly bringing him to orgasm four times. By the fourth, though, he was so exhausted, it was all he could do to pull the light sheet over them both as Kelly snuggled against him.

Andrew woke the next morning to hear the shower running. He lay there for a moment, both dealing with a pounding headache from the hangover and trying to sort out the memories from last night. It was all a bit fuzzy. The shower, at least, confirmed that the dream he had about a woman fucking him silly wasn't some dream. As the shower stopped, Andrew staggered to his feet. He still felt a bit weird, like his balance was off. He staggered to the bathroom just as a pantied Kelly opened the door to it. Her breasts hung freely but she had one hand toweling her hair while the other held the rest of her clothes.

"All yours," Kelly said, kissing Andrew's cheek. "I'm going to get dressed."

Andrew nodded, making his way into the bathroom to relieve himself. He left the door open and lurched in. His foot slipped on a bit of water and he found himself spinning, only to land with his butt on the toilet. "Fuck it," he thought, deciding to pee sitting down. It felt a little odd, to be sure, but he didn't feel like standing just yet.

"I left my number on your nightstand, Andy," Kelly said, pausing at the door to the restroom. "Call me once you're coherent, okay?"

Andrew looked up and nodded, giving a thumbs up. He heard the front door close and decided he might as well stagger to his feet. Slowly pushing himself up, he flushed the toilet and opened the standing shower. He turned on the spray, getting it nice and warm. The shower smelled like coconuts and hibiscus. He realized it must've been the body wash his cousin, Amber, had left behind a few months ago. He grabbed his own body wash and opened it, immediately wishing he hadn't. Something about it smelled off. Closing it, he set it aside and reached for the feminine body wash.

Sighing and rationalizing that it would get the smell of sex off him at least, he put some of the coconut body wash in his hands and began to lather up his arms and legs. His whole body felt week and his eyes stung. He realized he'd never taken out his contacts even as he reached for the similarly scented shampoo to clean his hair. The scent seemed to grow on him, though he was having a hard time focusing. He rinsed his slightly shaggy hair out only to realize he'd completely neglected his crotch.

Lathering up his palms, he reached between his legs to clean his cock, only to realize that it was no longer there. In its place was a perfectly formed female pussy. Rinsing himself clean, Andrew staggered out of the shower, for the first time noticing all the hair on his arms, legs, and around his crotch were gone. Wiping the mirror clean with a towel, he looked at his face and body. Even through the blur, the reflection showed softened features in both his face and body, his waist having thinned slightly while his chest showed the barest hint of breasts. They'd dosed him! He was sure of it.

Staggering back to the bedroom, he found a note along with a pair of panties. The note was blurry until Andrew remembered to take out his contacts. Everything became crystal clear as if his vision had been completely fixed. He grabbed the note and read it again.

"We know what you did and intercepted it, Andrew. We're going to give you a chance to rethink your options. You can either come to work and talk to us about this or you know what the consequences will be."

Well shit.