#atticus cromwell

[robinsantos]

06. the lovers : how important are relationships to your muse ? do they value having a significant other ?

"A relationship is up there on my list of important things but it's not the most important thing to me. Right now I'm happy being myself and focusing on my career and my friendships. Atticus, Ziggy, Julian, Gracie, Theo, Shiloh and Blake. Those people are what I value." @atticuscortes @ziggykyeons @julianxpark @gracecromwell @theotanaka @shilohsharma @blake-michaels

a collection of muse headcanon questions inspired by the major arcana of the tarot 

[variouspolltournaments]

Next up is the Alive For Centuries Tournament.

Submit a character that is at least 2 centuries old, along with where they come from and (if you want) propaganda through ask or submit a post.

SUBMISSIONS CLOSED

The character does have to be considered alive to count. I know I said otherwise a while back but I have since changed my mind. As a result ghost or vampire characters, to give a couple examples, no longer count for the purposes of this tournament.

Submissions will be closing on the 15th of September.

Top 4 submissions are the ones I submitted myself.

@tournament-announcer

Submissions in bold have propaganda, submissions not in bold do not have propaganda. Whether they do or do not have some already, you are still free to submit some.

SUBMISSIONS:

Chibiusa Tsukino (Sailor Moon)

Saint Germain (Code: Realize)

Agatha Cromwell (Halloweentown)

Charlie Morningstar (Hazbin Hotel)

Glep (Smiling Friends)

John Gaius (The Locked Tomb)

Ren (My Demon Roomate)

Chiron (Percy Jackson)

The Doctor (Doctor Who)

Aries, Leo and Sagittarius (Chronicles of the Red King/Charlie Bone)

Breq (Imperial Radch/Ancillary Justice)

The Strength and Patience of the Hill (The Raven Tower)

Addie LaRue (The Invisible Live of Addie LaRue)

Andrew Martin (Bicentennial Man)

Galadriel (Lord of the Rings)

Connor MacLeod (Highlander)

Princess Kida (Atlantis the Lost Empire)

Hooty (The Owl House)

Cecil Palmer (Welcome to Night Vale)

Zhongli (Genshin Impact)

Darkstalker (Wings of Fire)

Scythe Curie (Arc of a Scythe)

Merlin (BBC Merlin)

Logan Howlett (Deadpool and Wolverine)

Lilia Vanrouge (Twisted Wonderland)

Mother Gothel (Tangled)

Davy Jones (Pirates of the Caribbean)

Zunesha (One Piece)

Foeslayer (Wings of Fire)

Jerboa III (Wings of Fire)

Gruff (Tinkerbell and the Legend of the Neverbeast)

Melog (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power)

The Titan (The Owl House)

Rock (Warrior Cats)

Van Hohenheim (Fullmetal Alchemist)

Solas (Dragon Age)

Senku Ishigami (Dr. Stone)

Taiju (Dr. Stone)

Acnologia (Fairy Tail)

Irene Belserion (Fairy Tail)

Belos/Philip Witterbane (The Owl House)

The Darf in the Flasc/Homonculus/Father (Fullmetal Alchemist)

Fujiwara no Mokou (Touhou Project)

Houraisan Kaguya (Touhou Project)

Methos (Highlander the Series)

Theresa (The Fable Universe)

Simon Petrikov (Adventure Time)

Jerboa I (Wings of Fire)

Jerboa II (Wings of Fire)

Oprah/Ms. O (Odd Squad)

Grandmaster Yoda (Star Wars)

Reaver (The Fable Universe)

Rowena MacLeod (Supernatural)

Rashek/The Lord Ruler (Mistborn)

Carbink (Pokemon)

Xie Lian (Tian Guan Ci Fu)

Giratina (Pokémon)

The Axolotl (Gravity Falls)

Lucifer Morningstar (Hazbin Hotel)

The Master (Doctor Who)

Dongfang Qingcang (Love Between Fairy and Devil)

Atticus O’Sullivan (Iron Druid Chronicles)

Lynette Mirror/Cupid (Cupid Parasite)

Vaati (The Legend of Zelda)

Pian Ran (Till The End of the Moon)

Fangyue (Yin Yang Master: Dream of Eternity)

Liliana Vess (Magic the Gathering)

Carol Malus Dienheim (Senki Zesshou Symphogear)

Quenthel Baenre (Dungeons & Dragons)

Pride (Fullmetal Alchemist)

Lust (Fullmetal Alchemist)

Lord Death (Soul Eater)

Asura (Soul Eater)

Excalibur (Soul Eater)

Arachne Gorgon (Soul Eater)

Medusa Gorgon (Soul Eater)

Cthulhu (Cthulhu Mythos)

Keziah Mason (Cthulhu Mythos)

Mortarion (Warhammer 40k)

Fulgrim (Warhammer 40k)

Perterabo (Warhammer 40k)

Lorgar Aureiian (Warhammer 40k)

Magnus the Red (Warhammer 40k)

Angron (Warhammer 40k)

Typhus (Warhammer 40k)

Lucius the Eternal (Warhammer 40k)

Fabius Bile (Warhammer 40k)

Kharn the Betrayer (Warhammer 40k)

Ahzek Ahriman (Warhammer 40k)

Abbadon the Despoiler (Warhammer 40k)

Asdrubael Vect (Warhammer 40k)

The Devil (Reaper)

Nina (Reaper)

Gladys (Reaper)

Tony (Reaper)

Ikaros (Heaven's Lost Property)

Princess of the Klaxosaurs/001 (Darling in the Franxx)

Orsted (Mushoku Tensei)

Hitogami (Mushoku Tensei)

Deus Ex Machina (Future Diary)

Kagura (Senran Kagura)

Lucoa (Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid)

Ilulu (Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid)

Kanna (Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid)

Gollum (Lord of the Rings)

Lolth (Dungeons & Dragons)

Fitoria (Rising of the Shield Hero)

Hamsuke (Overlord)

Cosmo (The Fairly Odd Parents)

Wanda (The Fairly Odd Parents)

Etna (Disgaea)

The Thing (The Thing)

Phillip J. Fry (Futurama)

Echidna (Queen's Blade)

Earth-chan (Femdom University)

Wuya (Xiaolin Showdown)

Chase Young (Xiaolin Showdown)

Dojo Kanojo Cho (Xiaolin Showdown)

Hannibal Roy Bean (Xiaolin Showdown)

Master Monk Guan (Xiaolin Showdown)

Roswaal L. Mathers (Re:Zero)

Beatrice (Re:Zero)

Anya Jenkins (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Zel (Interspecies Reviewers)

Elma (Interspecies Reviewers)

Lorna (Interspecies Reviewers)

[theirmadness]

muse update list!

below the cut you will find: deleted muses i think aren't going anywhere. if we have any interactions with these muses, please consider them null. thanks!

all fantastic beast muses.

all cursed child era muses.

tom riddle.

severus snape.

sirius black.

remus lupin.

bucky barnes.

steve rogers.

hope van dyne.

thor odinson.

tony stark.

magneto.

thanos.

matt murdock.

bruce wayne.

arthur curry.

clark kent.

dr. fate.

starfire.

lois lane.

anakin skywalker.

kylo ren.

10th-12th doctor.

dean winchester.

castiel.

nicholas scratch.

gabriel.

daemon targaryen.

jon snow.

aragorn.

gandalf.

legolas.

thranduil.

smaug.

geralt.

jaskier.

belle french.

hannibal lecter.

charlie swan.

carlisle cullen.

edward cullen.

damon salvatore.

niklaus mikaelson.

stefan salvatore.

van helsing.

alice cooper.

hermione lodge.

hiram lodge.

alcide herveaux.

bill compton.

eric northman.

john watson.

mycroft holmes.

atticus lincoln.

amelia shepherd.

greg house.

aaron hotchner.

joe goldberg.

emily prentiss.

eve polastri.

joe goldberg.

ellie settler.

jeanine matthews.

lorraine warren.

doric.

ed warren.

jim preston.

ian malcolm.

oc muses:

agna blake.

bambi elsher.

bess cromwell.

bianca delaveaux.

camilla souza.

dahlia ledger.

elia sandstone.

emily reacher.

grace stevens.

george star.

harriet stark.

jane williams.

kitty green.

margot peach.

nymeria sand.

ophelia dragos.

pearl james.

roxy blue.

ruby andrews.

summer hayes.

suzanne preacher.

jean taylor.

gertrud northman.

jack smithman.

juliana marques.

madame erin.

margaret greene.

edward charles.

elias karlson.

jack wallace.

max everwell.

philip windsor.

tiresias iamus thebeus.

belial.

brandon strage.

christopher smith.

daniel williams.

dante smith.

harry williams.

ian caroll.

jeffrey cole.

patrick wright.

paul smith.

[endlessly-cursed]

WIP List & Upcoming Fics

I. A Small Reminder 

These fics don’t have a date and most of them are simply outlined or just exist in my head because I’m lazy and neurodivergent. Please remember that 

II. The Order 

The order of the fics go through eras and the first is the most likely to be finished/written and the last one is a rough draft 

III. Current Fics 

Primrose Gray’s Legacy: The Younger Years (Somersets 1) 

Outlined: 18/18

Written: 7/18

Published: 6/18

Becoming Primrose 

Outlined: 7/7 

Written: 0/7 

Published: 0/7 

Third of Her Name 

Outlined: 0/12 

Written: 0/12 

Published: 0/12 

Viscountess of Viscountesses 

Outlined: 0/17

Written: 0/17 

Published: 0/17 

Over The Brink of War: A The Phoenix Resistance Story 

Act One: The Fall of the Ministry 

Outlined: 5/5

Written: 3/5 

Published: 3/5 

Act Two: Bound By Destiny 

Outlined: 5/5 

Written: 0/5 

Published: 0/5 

Act Three: The Great War 

Outlined: 28/28 

Written: 0/28 

Published: 0/28 

A Living Dynasty, Somersets Prequel 

Part One: The Beginning of All 

Outlined: 7/7 

Written: 4/7 

Published: 3/7 

Part Two: History In the Making 

Outlined: 5/5 

Written: 0/5 

Published: 0/5 

Part Three: Building A Dynasty 

Outlined: 9/9 

Written: 0/9 

Published: 0/9 

IV. Upcoming Fics 

i. Founders’ Era

Trial By Fire (Brunhilda’s Story) 

Outlined: 7/17

Written: 0/17

Published: 0/17

ii. Victorian Era 

Walking Through Time (Cromwell Siblings)

Outlined: 19/19 

Written: 0/19 

Published: 0/19 

Life Stages (Emmeline Falcon) 

Outlined: 8/8 

Written: 0/8 

Published: 0/8 

Unnamed Ernest di Napoli Fic 

Outlined: TBD 

Written: TBD 

Published: TBD 

iii. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 

Heads & Tails (Albert & Catalina Rosier) 

Outlined: 4/4 

Written: 0/4 

Published: 0/4 

(Not) A Man’s World (Jude Dubois, Dubois 2/3) 

Outlined: 0/?? 

Written: 0/?? 

Published: 0/?? 

When Duty Meets Love (Vincent Somerset, Somersets 2) 

Outlined: 16/16

Written: 0/16 

Published: 0/16 

The Search For Valhalla (Atticus Demiurgos-Kennedy) 

Outlined: 0/?? 

Written: 0/?? 

Published: 0/?? 

iv. Riddle Era 

Impossible (Elodie Dubois, Dubois 3/4) 

Outlined: 0/5 

Written: 0/5 

Published: 0/5 

The Lord’s Tale (Lawrence Somerset, Somersets 3) 

Outlined: 7/7 

Written: 0/7 

Published: 0/7 

v. Marauder’s Era 

Splendour And Decadence (Vixen Twins) 

Outlined: TBD 

Written: TBD 

Published: TBD 

vi. Hogwarts Mystery 

Warring Hearts* (Valentina Somerset, Somersets 4) 

Outlined: 15/15 

Written: 0/15 

Published: 0/15 

vii. Golden Era 

Salvaging the Future (Gallardo Sisters) 

Outlined: TBD 

Written: TBD 

Published: TBD 

viii. Magic Awakened & Next Gen 

The Cousins’ Feud (Yvonne & Lucille, Dubois 4/5) 

Outlined: TBD 

Written: TBD 

Published: TBD 

The Girl Gang Project (Mary Ann Von Deyne & the Girl Gang) 

TBD!! 

V. Trivia 

* - Means it’s a working title 

??- The story and pacing is clear, but the number of chapters/parts is not 

TBD- The story and pacing is there, but there is no written record of outline 

Dubois family- The Dubois and their story have a big book/timeline gap since it starts with Bruna’s story as the clear first book, but Blanche doesn’t have a story 

Ernest Fic- I came up with it this week and it’s in the first stages of planning & outlining 

Somerset Saga- Since each book has spoilers from the book that precedes it, it will be written after the book is done writing 

[newmusicweekly]

Cromwell Media Returns Woody and Jim to Nashville Radio

Woody and Jim return to Nashville radio on Cromwell Media's rebranded W227DC (93.3 FM Totally Hits/Totally Nashville). The duo have been a staple in the lives of many radio listeners in Nashville for over 25 years. After a one-year hiatus, they return on Monday July 22 every weekday from 5-10am. Woody Wood and Jim Chandler previously hosted mornings on crosstown WRVW (107.5 The River). "We are beyond excited to have Woody & Jim join our team," said General Manager Shawn Fort. "Their ability to not only entertain but connect and give back to the community perfectly aligns with our motto at Cromwell Media of 'making a difference where you are.' After our first meeting with them we knew we had to make this happen. Woody & Jim are back, and they found the perfect home." Director of Music Programming Chris Atticus added, "Their chemistry and connection with the community is unparalleled, and we can't wait for them to bring their energy and fun back to Nashville radio." "For over a year many have been asking where they are, and now the mystery is finally solved. "We've missed our listeners and are excited to reconnect with them," said Woody & Jim. "We're ready to bring back the fun and make mornings something to look forward to." Read the full article

[necile]

WHY DID YOU HAVE TO ALL COME OUT AT THE SAME TIME. Goddamned full moons.

[thewerewolfsheriff]

A Very Merry Christmas 🎄🎅 from Florence and Atticus!

[carewyncromwell]

May i have 9 & 20 for all your ships? I just cant choose i love them too much (insert heart eyes)

Oh gosh! All of my ships! *deep breath* Okay -- let's go!

9. Have they made each other cry?

Carewyn/Orion ~ Carewyn couldn't keep the tears out of her eyes when she found out that Orion has the same Patronus as her. She'd been so conflicted about her growing feelings, so seeing that their souls were truly that alike was so powerful of a thought that she never had trouble conjuring a Patronus again.

Jacob/Ashe ~ Jacob was inconsolable both when he found out Ashe had died and when Ashe passed on to the next life post-Vaults. His tears on both occasions could've filled an ocean.

Erik/Roxy @mira-shard ~ I could see Roxy getting kind of teary when awkward turtle Erik proposes marriage. Particularly since he'd lean into his inner-Mr. Darcy and give a rather sincere speech confirming the extent of his feelings, even if Erik by nature is much more mind over heart.

Ana/Charlie @drinkyoursoupbitch ~ Sadly, both of these two did make each other cry, and it wasn't just out of joy. Before they got together, there was a very bad misunderstanding between them (classic third-act-misunderstanding, if one looks at the "chick flick" formula these two write out with their romance, LOL), where Ana was controlled by the Imperius Curse by some blood supremacists and Charlie was left wondering if she'd really do those things or not. The true root of the miscommunication, though, had to do with Ana resisting Charlie's friendship for so long only to abruptly stop writing to him out of the blue -- which in truth was because Ana had developed romantic feelings for Charlie and had trouble watching him talk about other girls. Once the two talked everything out, though, and Ana for once was the one chasing after Charlie rather than the other way around, their tears were a lot happier.

Jackson/Monty @cursebreakerfarrier ~ No, unless you count the times Jackson gets watery-eyed whenever Monty does anything particularly sweet.

Bat/Grim @cursebreakerfarrier ~ Grim has never made Bat cry, no -- though there was one significant time that he cried because he was so overwhelmed by the knowledge that he could embrace Grim with no repercussions. I also see both of them crying in the Reincarnation AU when they finally put together their real connection. Sadly I do see two ccasion where Bat made Grim cry -- the first, in their first lives, when he was murdered in Hogsmeade; the second, in their second lives, at the start of their sixth year. Grim's father discovers a letter for his son from Bat, sees that it's a name he doesn't recognize and deduces he's a Muggle-born, and orders Grim to write a letter back telling Bat to not contact him again. Grim reluctantly agrees, but thinks he can explain to Bat later that they can just talk at school, but that his father just can't know they're friends. Bat, however, doesn't take it well. When they return to school, Bat completely detaches from Grim and treats him as coldly as a stranger -- when Grim tries to figure out why, Bat actually shows a bit of cold temper, saying that he may have had no friends growing up, but even he knows his own worth enough to know that he deserves better than a friend who won't stand by him the way he always has his friends. Grim's made it clear what's important to him, he says coldly -- his father's approval means the most to him, and if Bat is such a burden that their friendship will get in the way of winning that approval, then he'll just stop being his friend. Grim was utterly heartbroken when Bat left him alone in the commonroom at the end of that conversation and he couldn't hold back the tears streaming down his face.

Ru/Estrid @thatravenpuffwitch ~ Estrid cried pretty hard when Ru died. Ru cried pretty hard themselves when they were recording their final message to Estrid, Galen, and Siobhan @kc-and-co, thinking of how their friends would be without them.

Farid/Reva @lifeofkaze ~ Both of them got pretty emotional when they came clean to each other about their feelings -- Reva got choked up (and kind of aggravated) when Farid admitted he felt romantic feelings for her after how long she’d stayed quiet about it, convinced he didn’t feel the same way, while Farid got choked up when Reva said that yes, she could see them getting married someday (which communicated to him just how deep her feelings were and made him feel SUCH relief because his were that deep too!!). I also see Farid crying pretty hard when Reva gave birth to their first child, out of joy, of course. He just couldn’t believe he was really a daddy!! 😭

Ed/Regulus ~ Sadly, yes. Regulus cried inconsolably when Ed broke things off between them. Ed, who normally never cries, was just as inconsolable when he found out Regulus had died.

20. What is a promise they have made to each other?

Carewyn/Orion ~ Carewyn's to Orion is on the ring she gave him, when they had their legal partnership ceremony -- "I will always fight for us." (Orion’s wasn’t a promise, but an affirming statement about his partner, namely the magical creatures he associated with her over the years they knew each other: “Snidget, Firecrab, Phoenix, Abraxan.”)

Jacob/Ashe ~ Ashe has promised to look after Carewyn in the past, for Jacob.

Erik/Roxy ~ Erik has promised to protect Roxy on more than one occasion.

Ana/Charlie ~ Both of them promised to have better communication, after they patched things up after their misunderstanding and got together as a couple.

Jackson/Monty ~ I see Jackson and Monty each writing their own custom wedding vows (both written in French! Jacko needed a bit of help to manage that, but it made Monty so friggin’ proud), and one promise they both made to each other was “Je promets de t'aimer pour toujours” -- “I promise to love you forever.”

Bat/Grim ~ In their second lives set in the Golden Era, Grim promised Bat as the Second Wizarding War was getting worse that he wouldn’t leave Bat’s side, no matter how dangerous things got. 💙

Ru/Estrid ~ When Estrid lost her grandfather, she in the height of grief was convinced that Ru would leave, if she set them free. When she removed their “bridle,” though, thoroughly convinced that they’d hightail it away, Ru stubbornly stayed and promised that they would not leave her, bridle or no. 

Farid/Reva ~ The promises these two made to each other largely came down to trying to be flexible and accommodating for the other’s sake -- Reva wanting to respect Farid’s Muslim beliefs and Farid wanting to respect Reva’s Quidditch career and more progressive views. 

Ed/Regulus ~ The last time they saw each other, Regulus swore to Ed that he’d love no one else as long as he lived. As much as Ed said that he was certain he’d never love anyone the way he did Regulus, however, he also said he could see no way that they could ever be together. 

OTP Ask!

[chasingpj]

𝐈𝐈. 𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞

“I know you’re scared. I am, too, but they’re growing and getting strong. It’s time.”

pairing: percy jackson x fem child of hecate!reader

words: 6,762

warnings: brief mentions of religious institutions, catholicism, human sacrifices, and tripping on mushrooms. if you're a ginger... i'm so sorry.

timeline: the lightning thief

a/n: so excited to finally get this posted. one thing i really wish i did when i initially started writing this fic was give a proper insight on the mc's and her brother's home life. i thought the addition of her grandmother and grandpa would be so fun and i'm excited to hear what you think. in the next chapter we will finally see the twins get to camp so stay tuned!

prologue chapter i chapter iii

The final bell of the school year rings, releasing a flood of excited children. Their shouts and quick footsteps move from the hallways to the echoing streets, bodies quickly funneling themselves through the double doors like inmates breaking out of prison. 

You scrunch your nose, trailing behind the crowd along with Atticus. Though excited to go home, neither of you was ready for the awful weather outside. Today’s sweltering heat washes over your body, humid and suffocating, no doubt. Some say it’s a beautiful day, but to your standards, this was torture from mother nature herself. 

Atticus grunts in annoyance as the rays of sunlight hit him hard. It was a slap in the face compared to the air-conditioning you’re begrudgingly leaving behind. Your brother trudges beside you, quick to unbutton and shove his tie into his pocket. You follow, exposing your skin to bake under the unforgiving sun. 

“Glad that’s over,” you speak almost in a sigh, and Atticus nods. 

“I didn’t think it would end,” Atticus’s eyes avert to the statue of Saints in front of your school’s chapel as you pass by. “I still think those things are alive.” 

A snort leaves your lips, flashing your gaze at them one more time. After the principal forced you and Atticus to scrub the stone as punishment for wearing black nail polish, you couldn’t bear to look at them. That and your brother was right. Those angel statues have definitely whispered your name once. “I don’t want to hear or see anything else about Saints for the rest of the summer.” 

“Don’t want to hear about Jesus either,” Atticus adds.  

“Or how Eve ruined everything.” 

 “Or how God made his archnemesis.” 

You pause for a moment in thought. “Satan’s pretty cool, though.” Atticus nods. “Agreed.” 

Neither of you says anything else. The children's chatter around the streets does enough to fill the silence. There are thumps of basketballs in the passing park’s courtyard and the low hum of the sprinklers. The ice cream truck jingle plays in the distance, herding kids toward the sound, and cars whoosh by, honking through traffic on the busy road. As you and Atticus make your way to the residential streets, your silence feels more meaningful as it’s filled with soft croaks of cicadas and bird chirps. 

Soon, your family's familiar baby blue Victorian home is in sight. Like a sore thumb, it sticks out from the traditional American homes on the block. On the outside, the white trim and the many flower bushes your grandmother tends to make the home look sweet and inviting. At first glance, it would look like any regular residence. Though different in style, there would be no reason for a double take if, of course, the white monument sign announcing “Cromwell Funeral Home” wasn’t there. 

“Hey! Wednesday and Pugsley Addams!” A slow, agonizing sigh leaves your nostrils. Felix Bain, a fitting last name for the nuisance he is, runs out of his front door as you and Atticus pass by. His posse of boys is hot on his heels, their faces with the same arrogant smile as their dictator. They giggle and chatter, but yours and Atticus’s stride don’t falter. 

“Ignore him,” Atticus mumbles. 

“I can’t believe you guys don’t melt in the sun,” Felix shouts again. “I’m surprised you can even get into the chapel. You must have some weird pagan magic protecting you.”

You didn’t expect Atticus to betray his advice, halting sharply and turning in Felix’s direction. Your eyebrow raises.

“Felix, do you know what they say about gingers?” Atticus asks. The friendly tone in his voice is bitter under his deadpan expression. 

Felix’s smile widens with arrogant challenge. “What?” “They say gingers have no soul and every freckle on their pale ghostly face is a soul they’ve taken to fill the emptiness.”

Felix’s lips falter, eyebrows slowly knitting in the center of his forehead. 

“You have a lot of freckles,” you point out, your jaw clenching to hide your smile. 

Felix’s mouth opens, but you cut him off quickly. “Gingers are also known to be unlucky. So unlucky that Ancient Egyptians used them as human sacrifices to release their bad luck.” Slowly, he begins to frown, shifting on his feet nervously. “Count yourself lucky you don’t live down the street from pagans….” Your eyes fix on your home a few houses from his. “Oh, wait. You do.” 

“You guys are weird!” Felix yells, his face almost as red as his hair. Smiling wickedly, you and Atticus turn on your heels, ignoring Felix's sloppy insults in your direction. 

“If I were you, I’d make sure to lock your windows at night,” Atticus shouts behind him. 

Angrily, the redhead stomps inside his home and mutters about how freaky the two of you are. The moment his front door slams closed, you and Atticus burst into laughter. 

“That was so mean!” 

You scoff. “So what?! He deserved it, and you’re the one who started it.” “I did, but I wasn’t the one who made it seem like we were gonna sacrifice him!” 

You shrug, opening the gate to your home. “Oh well.” 

Atticus shakes his head in playful disapproval, “You’re on a roll today.” 

Your eyebrow raises in confusion, stumbling to the side from Atticus’s nudge. “What do you mean?” “First, it was Avery and then Felix.” 

Atticus laughs at how your eyes roll, hand coming up in a dismissive wave. “Oh, please.” 

“It was kinda mean.”

“So what if I charged her double?” Quickly, you reach into the mailbox beside your door, collecting the envelopes for your grandparents, “First, you call my tarot cards stupid.” A loud clunk hits your ears as you harshly slam the box close. “Then suddenly, you want to be nice, so I can give you a reading about your stupid crush. You know what, I’m glad the cards told her he doesn’t like her.” 

As he walks into the house, Atticus laughs and mutters something about you being cruel. You trail close behind, surprised to see the ground floor decorated and ready for service. On your left are a couple of loveseats and coat racks right across the rows of banquet chairs. Further inside, there’s a hallway with a lounge area usually set up with desserts and Hors D'oeuvre for the guest. 

“My little rascals, how was school?” A familiar voice calls from inside the mourning area, putting a smile on your face. 

Your grandmother stands on a small ladder, hands carefully arranging flowers where the casket will be placed. Bright reds, whites, and pinks decorate the walls, and Cordelia hopes the display will soothe the eyes of grieving families. 

“It was fine,” Atticus answers, and you nod in agreement. 

Being realistic, how well can school go? Almost every day, the nuns penalize you for something. Whether it’s a minor offense like having nail polish or a freak accident at the chapel altar, you and Atticus never seemed to stay out of trouble. As for today, it was just fine. It could have been worse. You only got outed once by your teacher for dozing off during mass, and knowing it was the last day of school soothed any of your usual dread. 

“Just fine?” 

“Mhm,” you shrug, leaning against the doorway as you admire the display. 

“Very well,” Cordelia says with a slight smirk, aware of the chaos she’s about to unleash. As you and Atticus move to leave your grandmother to her task, she perks up. “Since you’re here….” You halt in your tracks. “Could one of you get me the hammer from the basement? It should be in the toolbox somewhere.” 

Before you can react, your brother shoves you from behind. “Not it!” 

A growl leaves your lips as the boy flees before you can recover. “Hey, get back here!” 

“No!” Hot on his heels, you turn through the lounge area, watching Atticus struggle with the doorknob before he bursts into the back hallway. 

“You’re lazy!” You shout, finger raised in the air. Atticus, already halfway up the stairs, flashes you a smile. 

“And you’re slow.”

☆’.･.･:★:･.･.’☆

Theo goes down the checklist of his last-minute details. First, he soothes the flyaways from the hair, cleans the sides of the lips from any lipstick, and adjusts the flowers in her folded hands. Poor girl, he thinks. Her life was taken right at the cusp of some of the best years life has to offer. Her family wanted a closed casket, afraid her face was too mangled to do otherwise, but Theo never cowered from a challenge. Nothing’s ever too broken to fix, he always says, and his work showed for it. 

Classical music played low from the record player in the background. As he checks the final product, it’s peaceful enough to keep his head clear until the twins make it home. Theo liked to call them Tom and Jerry. You being Tom and Atticus being Jerry and never was it the opposite. A small huff of laughter leaves him as he catches some of their argument. 

“You’re lazy!” “And you're slow!” 

He shakes his head. “Those kids are something else,” he mutters under his breath, middle finger pushing the round glasses up the bridge of his nose. 

Expectantly, he stares at the long staircase on his right as the door flings open. You stomp down the stairs with an angry look and he couldn’t help but laugh at his usually cranky grandchild. 

“Hi, Grandpa,” you greet a lot more cheerfully than you looked, and his heart warms.

“Hi, Pretty Girl,” he coos, his arms stretching wide for your embrace. His hearty laugh is muffled through his chest as you wrap your arms around his waist. “How was school today?”

“It was fine. Slow day,” you shrug. “Grandma needs a hammer. Where’s the toolbox?” 

“In the big metal cabinet back there. Just shout if you can’t find it; I’m heading to the bathroom.” 

“Okay.” You turn on your heels, twisting through the tables of equipment. 

The storage room was filled with boxes of everything from old furniture, family photos, decorations, and a bunch of other things your grandmother insisted on keeping. Grandpa always urged her to clean it out, the room so congested that the door only opens just enough for you to slip in but she refused. Luckily, you didn’t need to tango your way through stacks of items, the cabinet straight ahead. You felt silly when your own reflection scared you, not expecting an old mirror to lean against the space beside you. 

You search for a second, finding the hammer in plain sight. Grasping the head of it, you wiggle it out of the toolbox and shut the cabinet closed. About ready to turn on your heels, you almost missed it. You catch something in the corner of your eye, and it takes a second look to see what it is. 

Not again. 

A girl with ghastly gray skin and hair matted to her sunken cheeks stood a few feet behind you. Soft droplets of water dripped from her hunched-over frame, and her cold blue eyes burned a hole in the back of your skull. 

Your pulse roars in your ears. As much as you wanted to, you couldn’t look away. Her expression changed from a blank stare to pure bewilderment, and in her panic, she catches your gaze through the reflection. A shaky breath leaves you, watching in anticipation as her mouth opens wide. Slowly her chest fills with air, and your hands slap over your ears as a truck horn blares from her throat. 

As if released from a trance, you whip your gaze in her direction to find her gone. Even the droplets on the floor didn’t darken the concrete as you had seen through the mirror. Your eyes flicker across your surroundings. Though nothing revealed what you saw was real, the eeriness left behind was enough to get you moving, and you ran straight to the stairs without looking back. 

One would think you just ran a marathon. By the time you made it back to Cordelia, you were winded. Your heavy footsteps announced your arrival, and Cordelia turned around, her smile faltering when she caught sight of your puzzled eyes. 

“Oh honey, you look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Cordelia jokes, grabbing the hammer from your grasp. 

“I think I just did,” you mutter to yourself. 

Shifting on your feet, you admire the intricate arrangement your grandmother had put together as a distraction. She’s always had an eye for that kind of stuff. You wander a little to your left, curious to see the memorial photo perched on the mahogany stand, and the sight of it makes the hairs at the back of your neck stand up straight. That’s her. Instead, she wasn’t gray and wet. The photo seemed to be a graduation picture, and she gleamed with life, her skin sunkissed. 

You don’t know how long you were staring at the picture, but it was long enough for Cordelia to notice. “I saw her.” 

Cordelia quirks her eyebrow. Her heels click on the floorboards as she arrives at your side. “Did you see her around town?” 

“No.” You rip your gaze from the photo. “I saw her downstairs.” Cordelia opens her mouth, assuming you’d seen her in the casket, freshly put together for her service tonight, but you cut her off. “I saw her in the mirror downstairs, standing behind me.” 

There’s a short pause between you and your grandmother, the two of you pondering in careful silence. 

“You know…” she begins slowly, fiddling with a loose nail between her fingers. “Our family is from a long line of witches, honey.” 

“I know.” She smiles warmly at you, reaching over to rub your back soothingly. “You said my mom is a witch too.” “I did. A very powerful one. You and Atticus, all your gifts are credited to her.” 

The mystery of your mother was a topic that frequented your mind. Occasionally, your grandparents brought her up and often recounted the one time your father introduced her to them. You’ve heard the story plenty, but you yearned for more every time. What did her voice sound like? Where in your face did you look like her the most? How tall was she? Did she have freckles or a beauty mark? Did her green eyes have brown or yellow flecks? You wanted to know it all. 

They always tried to give you as much as they remembered and often asked your father to help them verify some details. You knew it was their way of ensuring you and Atticus didn’t forget about her. However, they never considered how hard it was to hear about your mom and never fully knew who she was.

“Dad doesn’t like talking about her.” 

“It was tough for him when she left,” Cordelia smiles sadly, her thumb stroking the back of your neck affectionately. “I don’t think he ever fully recovered.” 

“Why did she leave?” You ask, testing the waters. This is usually when the conversation ends, but you figured you’d give it a shot. Time and time again, you’ve asked the same question, but your family has kept this piece of information strictly confidential. 

Every time, your grandmother says the same thing as she’s saying right now. “You’ll know one day, but she had her reasons.” 

The disappointment on your face was evident, and she tsks. “Don’t give me that face, honey,” she leans her cheek on top of your head. “One day, you’ll know with age. Just not right now.” 

Not right now. You’ve heard it too many times before. What even was the hold-up? You would think that being 11, almost 12 in the fall, would be old enough to know this secret. If you think about it, you’ve been in the double digits for two years. You were practically a teenager at this point, and still, you were too young by their standards. 

“As for who you saw downstairs, seeing the dead doesn’t always have to be scary.” Cordelia’s voice takes you out of your thoughts, going from one frustrating topic to a daunting one. 

“I know. She just looked scary,” you frowned. 

“Her soul is restless, perhaps, confused too. I’m sure she won’t linger for long.” A shiver runs up your spine, and your arms wrap around your frame. It felt as if the simple conversation about this girl was summoning her. A voice told you you were psyching yourself out, but as your grandmother's eyes flickered across the room, you realized you were wrong. “I think I will speak with her.”  

More than happy to leave the creepy stuff to her, you nod and don’t dare look in the direction her eyes are fixed on. “Well, you have fun with that,” you giggle nervously, stepping back toward the back hall entrance. 

Cordelia sends you an amused smile. Maybe one day, you’ll be as courageous as your grandma. Many times she’s told her creepy, unsettling accounts of the supernatural after you and Atticus would beg them out of her. They always made you feel better about the memories of your own strange occurrences that filled you with dread. 

Weird things happened to you so often you had thought it was universal. However, after the kids in school called you crazy that one time in kindergarten, you quickly realized it wasn’t. Grandma’s stories reassured you that you weren’t losing your mind. However, it was quite an annoyance for your father. As much as you and your brother enjoyed a scary story, you always sought refuge in his room when the tales lingered in your minds well into nighttime. 

“I will.” 

You give her a thumbs-up before turning on your heels. 

“Oh, and honey?” 

“Yes?“

“Remember to light your candle for Lady Hecate. You forgot this morning.” 

Your palm flies right to the middle of your temple. All day you had felt like you forgot about something, but you couldn’t put your finger on it. 

“Okay, I will,” you say shortly. Quickly, you reach the brown door in the back of the hallway that leads you to the mahogany stairs. For a second, your eyes grace the entrance to Grandpa Theo’s workspace, and a shiver goes up your spine. It was in your head, but you bolted up the stairs, feeling like you were being chased. 

“How rude, not lighting your candle for Lady Hecate,” Atticus peers over the railing, and your eyes roll. “Even I remembered.” “Maybe if you had to rush out because someone decided to take forever in the shower, you would have forgotten too.”  

“No, I wouldn't because I’m better than you.” A squeal leaves him when you reach over to push him, hands missing his body by a few inches.

“Whatever lets you sleep at night,” you mumble. 

As always, Hecate’s altar is in your path the moment you reach the top of the stairs. You couldn’t remember a time when the table wasn’t settled tight in the corner of the living room, making it a staple of your childhood. The dark brown table with its offerings was an eerie sight for some people, but to you, it was comforting. Talking at the altar always brought you comfort; oddly enough, you felt heard too.

Right on the top ledge sits a bronze statue of Hecate. She stands tall with an extravagant crown on her head, her dress flowy and rustled under the cape over her shoulders. Her left hand holds twin torches, and her right has a dagger. At her feet are skulls and two dogs peeking from the back of her dress on each side. If the statue wasn’t daunting enough, the shelf right under held five candle holders lined up neatly. The sides are caked with long drops of black wax, except for the holder with the candle you forgot to light this morning. According to your friends, that made the whole setup creepy, not the offerings on the table. 

Those offerings included a bouquet of dried lavender sitting in a vase you made years ago in art class, and beside it was a board of dried bread, fruits, chocolate, and garlic alongside a wine-filled chalice. There are also small trinkets that litter the table as presents to your deity. One of them is a small Yoda figurine Atticus insisted Hecate would love. Finally, settled in the corner is a diffuser, the steam dispersing the scent of citrus and flowers. That combination of smells is one that you equate with home. A whiff of that anywhere could take to the memories of this table. 

“I apologize, Lady Hecate,” you say, pulling the box of matches from the drawer. “It’s Atticus’s fault that I forgot.” A smile emerges as you light the candle and throw the match in the little cauldron beside to snuff the flame. 

“Not true,” Atticus chimes in, his footsteps growing heavy as he emerges beside you. “Hecate should punish you for forgetting.” 

You roll your eyes. “Shut up.” 

Atticus leans on the wall next to the table, arms crossed as you dig for a clean cloth in the middle drawer. You dab some coconut oil on it to polish Hecate’s statue. “Today was the last day of school,” you begin, carefully rubbing the base. “Atticus and I only got in trouble once.” 

“It was probably because we were only there for three hours,” he concludes.

“For sure.” Moving the oil up Hecate’s dress, you hum softly. “I hope the summer goes by slowly. I don’t want to go back any time soon.” “Neither do I.” 

“And I hope we go on vacation like last year.” You bring Hecate’s ear close to your lips as if you were telling her a secret. “Persuade our dad to take us to Disney World this year.” “And Universal,” Atticus adds. “And Universal, please,” you whisper again, and your brother perks up excitedly. “You think she will?” “I think so. She gave Felix nightmares when we asked,” you and your brother smile knowingly, excited for the trip as if it was already set in stone. 

By the time you finished polishing Hecate, you and Atticus had already discussed all the plans for your trip. You would like to think her divine intervention was already at work, especially as you hear footsteps coming up the stairs before your father appears in the living room. “Hi, Dad,” you and Atticus say in unison, and the man smiles tiredly. He only had two lecture classes on Friday, but being up all night working on his latest academic project had taken all his energy. “Hey, kids,” he says sweetly, ruffling your and Atticus’s hair affectionately. Putting his computer bag on the couch and tossing his keys on the kitchen island, he doesn’t notice his twins staring at him. He must have felt the burning gaze, eventually looking in your direction. As he unbuttons the cuffs of his dress shirt, eyebrows raised at how your smiles stay frozen on your faces. “What are you guys so happy about?”

Stifled giggles release from your throats, and Vincent’s expression becomes increasingly suspicious. He’s not sure what those looks mean. “Unpredictable” already felt like an understatement for you two. “So, Atticus and I were thinking,” you pause for suspense, slightly enjoying the nervous anticipation from your father. “We were thinking that you could take us to Disney for vacation,” Atticus blurted out before you could. 

Vincent immediately snorts at the suggestion. “I’ll think about it.” 

You raise an eyebrow. “Really?” “Eh,” Vincent shrugs with a playful smile that tells you not to get your hopes up. At the sight, you and Atticus slouch, ready to beg. “You guys suggest it like it’s cheap.” 

“That’s why you’re paying for it,” Atticus says matter-of-factly, and Vincent couldn’t help but laugh. “Summer’s barely started, and you guys are already planning a vacation?” You and Atticus nod and his eyes switch between you, wondering how this idea came to be. “Let’s talk about this another day. For now, go upstairs and wash up for dinner. I’m gonna start cooking.”

Atticus sighs, and you mimic the boy beside you. It was a shot in the dark, but he’ll come around. You were sure of it. 

“Lame,” you say, the word drawn out, and Vincent shakes his head, amused, as the two of you disappear upstairs to your rooms. 

☆’.･.･:★:･.･.’☆

What is there to do? Sitting at the edge of your bed, you look around your room, searching for something to occupy your time. Usually, by this point of the night, you and Atticus were doing homework at the table and waiting for dinner. You could almost laugh at yourself. School is over for the year, and you’re sitting here wondering what to do besides a homework assignment that doesn't even exist. 

Your usual hobby of reading felt too school-like, and it didn’t feel like the right activity to celebrate your first night of freedom. Through your jack and jill bathroom, you can hear the plastic buttons of Atticus’s controller and his frustration when he loses his game again. For a second, you considered joining him, but that didn’t feel right either. 

You resort to plopping back into the bed, staring at the ceiling—small snippets of your day flash by, your mind skimming through them like pages in a book. Abruptly, the memories stop at your conversation with your grandmother. 

“You’ll know one day, but she had her reasons.” 

Your once-forgotten disappointment ventures right back. If you had a dollar for every time you tried to come up with possible reasons why she left, you’d be rich. Brainstorming every reason you could think of, you concluded the only one that made sense was that she didn’t want you and Atticus. Truly, what could be the reason for leaving you on a doorstep and never coming to see you again? Sometimes, it felt like your grandmother was bluffing when she claimed to know that your mother loves you very much and that one day, you will meet her. Those promises felt like things your grandmother said to convince herself or to uphold an ideal to refuse reality. 

Your father’s feelings about it were the most complicated part. Every time she was brought up, it was like he couldn’t bear to listen or speak of it like swallowing something rotten. Grandma said he was heartbroken, which added to the huge question mark of this situation. How could your mother love you so much but then leave and hurt your father in the process? It was just bizarre. 

If the day ever came when you got to meet her, you questioned what you would even say. You suppose you’d hear her reasons first, but sometimes when you thought of the scenario, you couldn’t imagine giving her the time. Though inconsiderate, you wanted to yell and tell her how it feels to be the only person in class without a mother. Sure, your grandmother was always there, and your father filled in the roles as much as he could. Still, it felt like there was something you were missing out on. 

Putting on a movie or submitting to the prospect of reading felt like a good idea now more than ever. At least then, it would pull you out of these suffocating thoughts for a little while. The moment you sit in your bed, you’re surprised to see your brother standing in your bathroom doorway. 

“Wha—” 

Atticus moves so fast, you barely process the moment he slings a small golf ball right in your direction. 

“Ow!” Rubbing the sting it left behind on your chest, you glare at him

“Give me the money,” he demands. 

 “Seriously? That’s what you did that for?” Atticus doesn’t cower under your growing anger, and he nods pridefully. “Yep.” “It’s not even your money,” you explain. 

“We split what we make; we agreed on it,” Atticus says, and as you open your mouth, he flings a golf ball at you once again. 

“Atticus, stop!” You screech.  When you decided you needed a distraction, this wasn’t the one you were hoping for. Of course, right now is when he decides to torment you for a measly 10 dollars. Both of you had two clients today, and charging Avery double meant you made more money. It was yours to keep, but here Atticus is claiming his half.

His high-pitched laughter fuels your rage, “Give it to me!” “It’s not yours! I worked for it!” With a smile you wanted to wack off his face, he secures another ball into the leather tab of his slingshot. “Stop!” 

You didn’t even have a chance, his eyes calculating the shot with ease, and he releases the ball. It flies right to the plastic cup on your nightstand, and there’s a clunk, juice running out in long droplets straight to the floor. 

I’m gonna kill him, is the first thought that crosses your mind. 

You hate mess. Your brother knew that better than anyone. Along with the pulse thumping hard in your ears is the echoing drips coating the wooden floor. The boards will get sticky, and so will your nightstand. The innocent bystander of the attack, your journal, is probably soaked, and who’s gonna clean it? You. Of course, you, and here he is, smiling at you like it’s the funniest thing in the world. “You’re dead!” You scream with a straight stride in his direction, and Atticus yelps, dodging your attempt to grab him. He manages to slip past you, his hand snatching the money off your desk on his way out. “Ugh!” 

Harmonious thumping footsteps fill the hallway, wooden floorboards creaking with every heavy step. Downstairs, the chandelier over the dining table shakes, and Cordelia's cup of tea ripples into circles. “They’re fighting again.” 

Right through the dining room archway, Vincent cleans some dishes. His hands pause their task, head tilting back and eyes close for a moment. The bickering never ends with you two.

Quickly, he wipes his hands with a dish towel nearby, his footsteps heavy as he makes his way to the bottom of the stairs. 

“What’s going on?” Your father’s tired call is just loud enough for the both of you to hear, but neither you nor Atticus gives him the time. 

Hot on his heels, you follow your twin into his bedroom. He makes a beeline into your shared bathroom and returns to your room. 

“I made that money myself!” Your anger bubbles in your core as every attempt to grab his collar fails. A harsh grunt of frustration leaves your lip, and a door slamming follows. You don’t waste time checking the door that shuts by itself, lunging at Atticus one more time, but alas, he quickly escapes and heads down the hall. “We’re business partners! You’re supposed to give me half!” After several more attempts, Atticus squeals when you finally get ahold of his collar. He falls back on the floor from your hard tug, arms tucking into his chest to cage the money between his hands. “Since when? We agreed we keep what we make, and I made that money!” Atticus squirms in your hold, his fist waving frantically. “GIMME!” 

“Guys! What’s going on?” Your father calls louder, and a loud crack comes from upstairs. It was so loud that you backed off from prying Atticus’s fingers, thinking he cracked a bone. 

Atticus gasps at your father's call, but he doesn’t respond. Instead, he laughs at your frustration. “You’re so ugly. You look like Grumpy from Snow White!” 

His hands catch your arms before you can punt him, and the two of you are wrestling as if your life depended on it, and in Atticus’s case, it kind of did. 

“Shut up!” You yell, then there’s a shatter. 

A painting on your left falls straight off the wall. Atticus gasps and tilts his head aside just enough for the frame to miss his face as it falls flat. When you’re distracted, he shoves you off of him, rolling on his stomach and crawling away as fast as he can. He tries to get back on his feet, but you regain your balance quick, and right as he reaches the top of the stairs, you grab his foot and drag him back. “Help!” He chokes out, reaching to grab the banister of the stairs, but it is too late. A groan leaves his lips as you climb on top of him. Straddling his back, your hand grabs a fist full of his hair and pulls back. “AHH!” 

“Gimme it!” “DAD!” 

“Y/n! Let go of your brother right now!” In your blind rage, you just notice your father standing with a disapproving glare at the top of the stairs. “He took my money!” You lean over to retrieve the bill from him, but he continues to wave his fist.

“It’s OUR money!” 

 “No, it isn’t!” 

“Is too!” 

“IS NOT!” A strangled yell comes from Atticus as you tug on his hair a little harder, causing the skin around his eyes to pull up. He looked ridiculous, but you are too angry to find any humor. “Y/n! Enough!” Vincent stands his ground, and your eyes snap at your father. You looked wicked with your glowing green eyes and a swirling aura over your head. Anyone sane enough would cringe at the sight, but his glare remains assertive and steady. “Let. Go.” 

The sternness of his tone brings you back to your senses, and there is relief in Vincent’s gaze at your dimming aura. You take your time, but eventually, you release your brother. 

“Now, without violence, tell me what happened.” Your father demands, leaning against the staircase railing. His calm and relaxed nature brings your mood down, and you rise from your spot. 

“Atticus took my money.” “It’s OUR money,” he says once again. The repeated phrase makes you so angry that you shove him back on the floor right as he’s about to stand up. “OW!” “Y/n, keep your hands to yourself,” Vincent scolds, and you huff. He sighs, fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. “What money are we talking about?” 

“The money we made from our business.” 

Vincent raises an eyebrow at you. “Business? 

“Yeah, our tarot reading business.” “Tarot reading business?” He furrowed his eyebrows at your nod as if it was the most nonchalant thing in the world. “You two ran a tarot reading business at your Catholic school?”

“Um, yeah?” You shrug, and so does Atticus beside you.

It wasn’t that big of a deal. The nuns never found out, so who cares? The two of you were careful, only doing readings in the bathrooms or behind the bookshelves in the library. Maybe, it was a little wrong to do readings between the church pews, but it was only once!

Okay, maybe twice.

Actually, it was three times. 

Regardless, it’s not like the bible explicitly says, “you cannot use tarot cards.” The last time you checked the fine print, it wasn’t in the Ten Commandments.

Also, five dollars per reading was enough to get you guys all the candy and snacks you could need, so it was something you couldn’t give up. In that case, it could have been considered greed or gluttony even but those rules don't apply to you. After all, you weren’t even Catholic. 

“Pretty sure you shouldn’t be doing Tarot readings at your Catholic school.” “And I’m pretty sure pagans shouldn’t go to Catholic school, but here we are.” You mimic the beaming squint of your father but you backed down. 

Vincent sends you an expression telling you you weren’t being fair and your vision falters elsewhere. Catholic school was the only option after you and Atticus got expelled from the only public school in your area. 

It’s a long story, but basically, Atticus picked mushrooms from the forest behind your house for an art project, and you made the mistake of mentioning them to your friends at lunch. Next thing you know, Jackson makes a bet to eat the mushroom despite you and Atticus saying it was a bad idea.

One thing leads to another, and Jackson ends up having a bad trip in the middle of math class. It could have been worse. Better psychedelic than poisonous, right? Your principal disagreed and expelled you and Atticus immediately.

Vincent sighs, “Give me the money.” “What?!” You ask, and Atticus clutches the bills into his chest. “Give it to me. Now. I will keep it until you two calm down.” 

You furrow your eyebrows, “But—” 

Your father's hand comes up, stopping your words. “Atticus, give me.” Your brother sighs, begrudgingly handing it over. “Go to your rooms.” You move quickly at the command, not because you are eager to obey, but because you’re so angry you don’t want to be around either of them. You slam your bedroom door closed and Atticus’s door follows right after, leaving your father alone in a deafening silence.

The soft sigh that leaves Cordelia makes Vincent’s eyes shut tight. He didn’t even notice she joined him upstairs during the chaos. His mother stares at him in his peripheral vision as he assesses the damage you left behind. The only window in the hall is shattered. Again. Two out of three paintings are discarded on the floor, frames broken at the ends. 

“You’ve held it off long enough.” The floorboard creaks under Cordelia’s slippers. She tsks at the falling paintings. “I know you’re scared. I am, too, but they’re growing and getting strong. It’s time.” 

It’s time. Fear strikes his chest. Those words felt miles away once but not anymore. Vincent envies his past self and the privilege of tucking away the dreaded scenario.

The tiny babies he used to rock to sleep, the ones that glowed in his arms from the sheer power of their tiny wails, the two that snuggled against him when they were scared at night, were ready to leave. It feels impossible. 

Even now, after watching your legs and pride grow, he cannot wrap his head around how the two of you should go off to this camp, unlock your mother's powers, and learn to wield weapons. 

WEAPONS? Oh gods. 

The other day, Atticus stapled his hand, and you almost took a finger off trying to wash a kitchen knife. How will the two of you even manage with swords? Vincent senses an anxiety headache coming around just at the thought.

“Lady Hecate, give me strength.” The statement is drowsy but pleading. He needed all the divine intervention he could get. 

His twin's youth was slipping through his fingers uncontrollably like the shifting nature of water. Through his grief, Vincent tried to think of the benefits of their departure.

They won’t have to deal with the eerie entities they attract for the first time. Finally, no weird nightmares or occurrences, at least for a time. They’d learn to get their powers under control, which would be a blessing to his wallet. It’s going to be his third time replacing that window. They’d also get all the answers about their mother, who they’ve been dying to know about.

Cordelia always pushed her boundaries, telling them bits and pieces of who she was and snippets of memories of when Vincent was utterly in love with her. He didn’t like it, but he was grateful for it. 

It’s been over a decade since Hecate last graced him with her presence, and he still found it hard to talk about. He couldn’t help but grieve the idea of how different their lives would be if their godly parent were more involved. Still, he was glad they knew her as their patron. In a way, just like a mother, they did seek her out for solace. 

Despite all the positives, Vincent had to acknowledge it was also one step closer to becoming the people they were supposed to be. Whoever they were supposed to be.

The mystery of that drove him insane. Even aware that the trajectory of their life was up to the fates, he still prayed and hoped they didn’t end up like the Greek tragedies he’s spent years of his life studying. It was foolish, but praying was the only thing that brought him a faux sense of control.

With a feeling heavy as stone in his throat, he nodded to no one. It’s time, he thinks, the voice in his head far more certain than he felt.

masterlist my lobby: ♡

[carewyncromwell]

Carewyn Cromwell ~ The Cromwell family tradition, when Jacob was around, was for Carewyn, Jacob, and Lane to bake chocolate chip cookies, go Christmas caroling with some Muggles from the church down the road from their house, and have a Christmas dinner complete with a chocolate Yule Log on Christmas day. The two years that Carewyn’s at Hogwarts when Lane couldn’t be home for the holidays, Carewyn spent her holiday at the Weasleys’ and at Hogwarts, singing a lot of Christmas carols and baking chocolate chip cookies in both locations. As an adult, Carewyn and Jacob still always go visit their mother’s little cottage every Christmas day, often accompanied by Carewyn’s adopted “son” Erik Apollo and her partner Orion Amari and his daughter Eos.

Erik Apollo ~ He isn’t as passionate about Christmas as his guardian Carewyn is, preferring to work all the way until Christmas Eve, but his “better half” Roxanni “Roxy” Kim @mira-shard​ is sometimes able to get him to loosen up and have a bit more fun ahead of time by taking him Christmas shopping with her. Erik then spends the holidays both with Carewyn’s family and the Kim family -- there is nearly always a “Christmas Chess Battle” between Erik and Roxy’s brother Junsu.

Anastasia “Ana” Read ~ The Pinkstone-Read family hosts a big Christmas party at their house every year, inviting both Muggle and magical friends and encouraging them to dress to the nines in dress robes and/or pre-WWI fashion. The night is celebrated with a lot of good food and waltzing to orchestral, traditional Christmas, and symphonic rock music. Ana’s love interest Charlie Copper @drinkyoursoupbitch​ actually first realized he had romantic feelings for Ana at one of these parties, and as adults, Ana and Charlie really enjoy dancing the night away together at the event.

Jackson Knightly ~ Jackson loves attending and hosting Christmas parties -- he will never say no to some good old-fashioned dancing and spirits, to keep out the winter chill. As an adult, he also really enjoys taking his precious husband Montelimar “Monty��� Bloom @cursebreakerfarrier​ and the Selwyn-Ellison family @that-ravenpuff-witch​ out to see the Nutcracker ballet.

Bartholomew “Bat” Varney ~ Ohoho, Bat ADORES Christmas. It is his hands-down favorite time of the year, and even if as a vampire who needs to, er...”socially distance” from people, he enjoys every minute of the season. His favorite pastimes include looking over Hogsmeade’s Christmas window displays, singing Christmas songs, watching the citizens of Hogsmeade do their shopping, and (with some help from his associates) picking up small gifts for his honorary niece and nephew, Adelia Selwyn @that-ravenpuff-witch​ and Teddy Ellison, and especially his counterpart, DADA Professor Atticus Grimsley @cursebreakerfarrier​.

Happy Christmas Eve, friends! What do your MCs do during the holidays?

[slaygentford]

Top 5 epistolary or epistolary-adjacent works

do you know what I realized. I have read. well firstly, you are an evil little marmot. secondly, I realized I actually dont read that much epistolary stuff which means I am super normal obviously . no idea why I dont????

so instead this is a list of letters in literature I remember

letter in atonement. KING. NO man who wants to eat pussy that bad should suffer THAT much!

how to lose the time war which I haven't gotten to yet but which I know is really good

Cicero's letters yes I have read all of them. but specifically his last one to Atticus is like having ice poured down the back of your shirt

that Pliny letter... I'm cheating now just going to antiquity but that pliny letter where hes emailing Trajan SUBJ: re: Christians? Hi, I hope you're well. Just emailing you to ask what the protocol is for Christians - I'm wondering if I should kill them or imprison? Enjoy the weather! Pliny

I cant remember which it is but the letter of Cromwell's that mantel puts in the mirror and the light and then you go and read the actual letter and it feels very haunted. I do think she is haunted yeah

[weclassybouquetfun]

The 2020 Emmy nominations have been announced.  

The only big surprises were in the guest categories because this year it seemed the term “guest” was given a wider berth.  Brad Pitt was nominated for his SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE opening appearance as Dr. Anthony Fauci

Angela Bassett for her appearance in a skit for A BLACK LADY SKETCH SHOW

Just goes to show there’s no such thing as a small part. (She was also nominated for her narration work on Disney+’s THE IMAGINEERING STORY.

I was very happy that Ryan Murphy’s HOLLYWOOD wasn’t left out in the cold but was incredibly surprised by the lack of nominations for Patti LuPone and Joe Mantello. LuPone’s nomination was pretty much a sure thing in my mind, 

and I hoped that Mantello’s performance would resonate. Now, the question is whether Mantello and his people actually submitted him. I can’t envision why they would not have. But congrats to the other HOLLYWOOD nominees Jeremy Pope (Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series)

, Holland Taylor (Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series) and Dylan McDermott and Jim Parsons (Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series).  The show also received technical nominations. 

Other nominations? Taika Waititi for his voice-over work as IG-11 in THE MANDALORIAN.

Adam Driver for his guest-hosting stint on SNL.

Andrew Scott for his appearance in BLACK MIRROR.

Hugh Jackman for the HBO film BAD EDUCATION. 

A nomination and he got to kiss Rafael Casal? Lucky duck. 

Hugh just needs an Oscar to be an EGOT winner. He already pocketed an Emmy for hosting the Tonys, he won a Grammy as a producer on THE GREATEST SHOWMAN soundtrack and he was given an honorary Tony in 2012. 

Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for Musical Composition for a Limited Series for WATCHMEN. 

The SUCCESSION supremacy.  With the exception of Alan Ruck, the entire lead cast was nominated (very fitting outcome for Ruck’s put upon Connor Roy). 

And to show you that you can play the game, but sometimes the cards just aren’t in your favor, SUCCESSION’s J. Smith-Cameron who plays their most trusted lawyer Gerri has done more interviews in recent months than the other costars and she has nothing to show for it. Meanwhile, series guest stars James Cromwell (Uncle Ewan), Harriet Walter (as the mother of the Roy kids (except Connor) and Cherry Jones (Nan Pierce) were nominated without promoting themselves. 

Also Sarah Paulson picks talented partners. Cherry Jones was her former lady and she’s currently with HOLLYWOOD’s Holland Taylor. 

The general public  may have forgotten all about the mobile streaming site Quibi, but voters didn’t with nominations for short-form acting going to Anna Kendrick for DUMMY and Christoph Waltz for the quite good MOST DANGEROUS GAME

Reportedly, the series will be edited together for a film release.

Dev Patel for MODERN LOVE

Shira Haas for UNORTHODOX.  There was no way her performance could be ignored. If she didn’t get nominated I would have burned the whole thing down. 

Shira and his costar/bestie Amit Rahav posted their reaction to her and the show’s nomination. 

[endlessly-cursed]

Official OC Ships

FOUNDERS ERA

Brunhilda of Cologne x Mathilde Coventry [ @camillejeaneshphm ] x Lachlann Doherty [ @hphmmatthewluther ]

Henriette of Wessex x Frederick of Kent [ @that-scouse-wizard ]

Sancha Delgado x Betwixt, Monarch of the Changelings [ @hphmmatthewluther ]

Luxia Thorne x Evander Mountmorris [ @foundersofhogwartslegacy ]

next gen;

Dayana of Glasgow x Sam Doherty [ @camillejeaneshphm ]

Odalric the Red x Matilda of Essex

Akelda the Tragic x Edward the Valiant [ @cursedvaultss ]

THE RISING ERAS

Matteo Somerset x Sancia D'Este

Ipolytta Howard x Thomas Somerset x Drystan Gaunt [ @foundersofhogwartslegacy ]

HPHL

Primrose Gray x Malcolm Stolberg-Burke [ @gaygryffindorgal ] 

Cecilia Balinor x Lavinia Wakefield [ @gaygryffindorgal ] 

Jesse Seymour x Nadia Erbland [ @gcldensnitch ] 

Beatrice Brown x Orla Atkinson [ @nightmaresart ] 

Blanche Dubois x Lionel Astor [ @cursebreakerfarrier ] 

Ernest di Napoli x Abigail Bennett [ @mjs-oc-corner ] 

Adonis Demiurgos x Minerva Kennedy [ @unfortunate-arrow ] 

Marcellus Thorne x Victoria Montgomery [ @nightmaresart ] 

Nilufer Sultan x Simon Battersea [ @unfortunate-arrow ] 

Phineas Falcon x Hestia Herron [ @cursebreakerfarrier ] 

Emmeline Falcon x Abraham Alden [ @cursed-herbalist ] 

Sara Rosier x Carmine Elderberry [ @potionboy3 ] 

Lihuan Wei x Noelle Brenton [ @magicallymalted ] 

Lucie Cromwell x Thane Greenaway [ @potionboy3 ] 

Ambrose Cromwell x Melinda Ives [ @kathrynalicemc ] 

FBAWTFT 

Jude Dubois x Caspar Brokenshire [ @cursebreakerfarrier ] 

Vincent Somerset x Margaret Taylor [ @camillejeaneshphm ] 

Enya Thorne x Robert Astor 

Atticus Demiurgos-Kennedy x Iolanthe Arcano [ @kathrynalicemc ] 

Albert Rosier x Ruth Marchmont [ @potionboy3 ] 

RIDDLE ERA 

Elodie Dubois x Lyubomir Vulchanov [ @magicallymalted ] 

Lawrence Somerset x Millicent Abbott 

MARAUDER’S ERA 

Denise Shannon x Remus Lupin 

Delphine Vixen x Bessilyn Quinn [ @gaygryffindorgal ] 

Sybil Vixen x Valentina de Valerio [ @camillejeaneshphm ] 

Rue Selwyn x Regulus Black 

HPHM 

Isabelle Dubois x Penny Haywood 

Valentina Somerset x Caiden Solace [ @camillejeaneshphm ] 

Semele Thorne x Kaari Arcano [ @kathrynalicemc ] 

GOLDEN ERA 

Rocío Gallardo x Trinity Reynolds [ @hphmmatthewluther ] 

Almudena Gallardo x Neville Longbottom

Jimena Gallardo x Jebron Perphyra [ @nicos-oc-hell ] 

HPMA 

Mary Ann Von Deyne x Gabrielle Blanchet [ @nightmaresart ] 

Harry Seymour x Savannah Bradford [ @mjs-oc-corner ]

Lennox Arcano-Thorne x TBD [ @gcldensnitch ]

Diana Somerset x Tiberius Dormer

Shreya Battersea-Parsons x John Arthur [ @potionboy3 ] x Kevin Farrell

NON-HP OCS 

Lady Marie Beauchamp x Eloise Bridgerton 

Lisbeth Foy x Ada Thorne 

Esmeralda Yakovsdotter x Genya Safin 

[icariagazette]

A (messy) summary of what’s been happening in Icaria over the last two-ish months.

Council meetings will be starting up soon!! It’s shaping up to be a big, wacky group.

Chloe’s back in town after unexpectedly extending her stay in London by two weeks! She’s moving out of her one-bedroom apartment that she shared with Nikhil and Mari and in with her girlfriend Noelle. Nikhil and Mari have decided to continue being roommates. Chloe decided for good that instead of moving back to London, she wants to live in Icaria because her friends are her family too!! Ava seems a little ticked at Chloe for not being honest with Noelle the whole time but things seem okay.

Kai and Feliks are giving some gay vibes in each others’ direction. It’s very soft and sensual- especially after Kai’s been having vaguely prophetic dreams for years about a faceless man who is definitely definitely Feliks.

Romeo has decided to grow a terrible porn stache and is having a nice time living with Georgiana.

Charon siblings in general are in danger. Romeo insulted Sam for trusting crystals and I do NOT want to be on Sam’s bad side. Help him???? Yona has already gotten punched in the face by Robin. Also she crashed face first into the ground. And annoyed Alek. IDK girl has just been extra gay and kind of a menace.

Alek is soft for Mari and ONLY Mari. She tolerates select few people, including her freeloading brother Dmitri, who only seems to know how to cook microwave hot dogs. Dmitri whacked Mari’s hand with a shovel after Mari made him plant a tree. This is to make up for the time when Dmitri wore a ski mask and illegally chopped down a Christmas tree in the woods somewhere. Anyway, you know Alek’s gonna be pissed.

Sasha and Jack seem to be doing pretty well raising their twins. Sasha may finally come back from maternity leave soon.

Rye kissed Jasmine buuuuut then Jasmine kissed Rye back. Gasp. Luna who?

Deacon and Mira came back! Deacon isn’t a cop anymore. What will this man do in life???

OMG are Benji and Bernie going to find out they’re full siblings??

Daniel and Remi are planning to open a dance studio together!!

There is a musical. It has been cast. Possible points of drama are mostly Colton-related. If you’ll remember, he and Briar were technically married. He also will have to watch his best friend Warren have a chill time with Warren’s other good friend Levi. We’ll see what shakes out.

Kass and Zoey are a thing or something omg but Kass’ ex Aurora is in town and it’s really awkward.

Cole is only just realizing that his ex Harper has a son... and it is his son! Whoa.

Jane is discovering the world!! Folks like Astrid, Bernie, Mari, and Tori have been helping her learn these things. While Jane isn’t stupid, she didn’t have the chance to learn about... basically anything.

Dexter and Ezra are on tenuous terms but it seems like it could be soft. Let’s see what happens.

Cromwell siblings are a force to be reckoned with in Icaria. Bel’s been doing gremlin things. Kelly may or may not be trying to collect a harem. Probably more casual than that. Millie’s been getting set up with her new shop and with her somewhat less new boyfriend Noah :)

Lark hasn’t apologized to Steffi yet but is working on a genuine apology. Whatever that means. Apparently Lark is trying to become a better person or something but this is taking forever. But it looks like Steffi isn’t going to wait around for... anything? After Lark admitted to Caroline that Caroline was a factor of the big Steffi/Lark argument, farm girl showed up at Steffi’s to find... packed boxes??? Is she moving? What’s happening?

Finn is a good brother. How good of a brother? So good he might even have another sister he doesn't know about to be a brother to.

Will’s back! Who’s Will?? Will Thompson. You might have thought he was dead, but he is not! His old pal Gwen and his brother Mike are really glad to see him now.

Jolene is opening a RESTAURANT and it's going to be totally unlike any other eateries on the island.

Looks like Adrian and Atticus are kind of sort of going to date (maybe?) which is wild af for both of them.

And that’s what you missed on GLEE! ICARIA!

- A

[necile]

Atti-bat came out to visit. I missed him.