#but probably gonna be magic cloak only

[hoarding-stories]

Genuinely curious:

[somerandomdudelmao]

But what's Casey using to cloak himself?

From what we see in the show, cloaking brooches are normally activated by touch but can be turned on/off without it (eg. big mama's hotel staff). This makes it pretty hard to tell what it is, and normally when theorizing about something like this, you need to go through and reread EVERYTHING but I'm too lazy for that so lets assume I actually did. Firstly lets get the mask and hockey stick out of the way, because he doesn't even have those on him afterward Draxum gave him the cloaking "pin". He doesn't actually seem to have anything that could be identified as a brooch or pin as far as we can tell in the first few panels of the "Commander O'Neil arc", which narrows it down from anything that could be blatantly obvious. He could, however, be hiding it somewhere on his body (chest, shin, shoulder, or boots are most likely in order) There's also the chance of the magic just being infused into him because Draxum is Draxum and magic shenanigan's, which could mean this search is futile and I'm just ranting about useless sh*t. Anyways, since Casey usually has one or two outfits per arc, weather it be different from the previous or not, I'm gonna compile all the first (good) shots of him here somewhat in order (from after the turt casey saga):

The images above seem to be his more casual outfit worn around the base, with short sleeves and long, loose pants tucked into what looks like boots and/or ankle wraps (similar to what Raph has on his arms in the show).

The classic battle/outdoor outfit that we see him wear in the movie, consisting of armor that vaguely resembles a turtle on his chest, a cape that goes over his shoulders and covers his neck as well as the top of his torso, pants with kneepads, shoes akin to sneakers, possible arm wraps that go under the gloves, the cool ass mask, and his hockey stick.

back into the shirt and pants when in the past lair, but is in a different shirt as there is no longer a rip on the left sleeve. He isn't wearing any shoes, scratching the boots/shoes theory, as well as his pants going up past his ankles and almost past his shins, meaning it's probably not there either.

going onto the surface, Casey wears a hoodie supposedly on top of the shirt and pants he wears around the lair, gathering his stick and mask to go with it. He is also seen wearing this hood in the lair on part 10 of "You are in the past, your thoughts are in the future".

The shirt and pants are definitely his lair outfit at this point, the photo above is from "Donatello".

the hoodie returns for a magic spell, only to be replaced with the free Hamato possesion make over

This lovely upgrade keeps his hoodie, but he now has a design similar to the Hamato outfits for the turtles in the episode "Insane in the Mama Train", with wraps on his arms, legs, and around his waist. Donnie's logo now sits on his heart (awww), and he looks pretty damn cool. I wasn't sure if he had socks or shoes on, but looking at that piece of fanart on Cass' page, it's shoes. There is a symbol on his back, possibly being that of the Hamato clan (hard to tell though, as it looks more like some kind of wheel in most panels you can see it)

The turtle version seems to be pretty much the same, the only difference being the wraps changing for his now 3 fingered hands and 3 toed feet, as well as the hoodie likely becoming a bit looser/bigger to better fit his shell. A little something I noticed about the transformation scene is that it starts from his ankles/shins/feet, which is cool and all for the posing, but is a bit controversial because it is, in fact, not in any of those areas. IN CONCLUSION,

The brooch (if there is one) is not on his arms due to him wearing short sleeves around the lair, it is not put in his shoes, and it does not need to be activated by touch. It is not anywhere near his feet, as there isn't anything we can see despite the transformation thingies coming from that general area. If we take the previous sentence into account, it is not on his chest either, crossing out pretty much all of the options we have. The last thing I can think of is Draxum somehow just... injecting the stuff into him as a controllable power. That could be flimsy, though, as Casey could've struggled with that of course. But then again, plot convenience.

TL;DR

The brooch is probably non-existent and Draxum just did some mystic shit to the kid.

THE A M O U N T of research HOLY SHIT??!¿¿¿

Why is it that every time I read an essay with theories, I feel like I'm not the author???Ahahah but for real?? I strait up just sit there like...

like...oh my god, how interesting, there are so many mysteries in this comic, unravel them for me please

[ghostboybrainrot]

DPxDC Ghost Zone Amity AU Part 2

Part 1   Part 3  Part 4  AO3

Edit: I finally got around to adding this to AO3, link above.

Wow! I am completely blown away by the reaction the first part! It’s the first fic idea I ever posted. Thank you so much for all the likes and messages. I have a lot of ideas for this AU but I‘m new to writing so please be patient. I also would love to hear anyone’s ideas.

--------

Batman wanted to see the portal himself. Because of course he did. Nosy idiot couldn't let them handle it. And John Constantine just knew the bat was gonna make things harder on him.

"Can you disable it?" Gotham's knight asked.

"Of course not! This is some sci-fi bullshit and I don't do sci-fi. I do Magic, thank you very much.”

"You said you could sense death coming from it."

Constantine ran his hand through his hair, frustrated.

"Yeah but that doesn't mean I know how! This shouldn't be possible. And it radiates Death, capital D. This isn't just a device that has been exposed to death. It's owned by the Dead.

A grunt was all Constantine got as a reply, as the knight continued to examine the machine.

"Do you know where it goes?"

"To the DEAD! Haven't you been listening?! You know the Underworld? Hereafter? Netherworld? Hell with two L's? Hel with one L? Purgatory? Pandemonium? Hades? Tartarus? Any of these ringing a bell?"

Batman does not dignify the outburst with a response but he turns toward Constantine for the first time since they entered the building, narrowing his eyes.

"Which one?"

Constantine waved his hands noncommittally, "Eh, could be any of them. Could be ALL of them. They aren't completely separate. Like different branches of the same company. Different regional managers but all equally shitty.

Batman grunts again, turning back to the swirling mass. After a moment, he starts to fiddle with something on his belt. Constantine couldn't see what he was doing but he already didn't like it. Every time the bat investigated something that Constantine thought was better off left alone, his day would inevitably get MUCH worse. For the millionth time, he wonders why he bothers to associate with these idiots.

Batman pulls what he was messing with from beneath his cloak. His grapple gun? Constantine took several steps back. Nope. Nope, he definitely isn't gonna like this. 

Instead of firing the gun, Batman slowly pulled at the hook loosening the wire until he had roughly 10 ft of it coiled in his hand. Then without any hesitation, he approached the swirling green, tossing the hook inside. It promptly disappeared, quietly, as though it had simply sunk into murky water.

They both waited. No sound could be heard except the ambient buzzing of electronics coming from the large machine. Batman stood a few feet from the portal, watching the line intensely. He had braced himself as though he expected the line to snap taut at any moment and pull him in. After roughly a minute and no such thing happened, Batman slowly reeled in the line feeding it back into the gun.

The hook came into view, no worse for wear. None of the green substance lingered on it. After briefly examining it, Batman clipped it back to his belt. Constantine was slightly disappointed that it hadn't come back ablaze or melting, only because it would help him narrow it down. Having it come back unscathed didn't really tell him where it led. Then again the fact that it wasn’t instantly destroyed from coming in contact with the portal was probably a good thing.

"I think you gotta put worms on the end if you wanna catch something Bats." Constantine joked. He knew the man wouldn't react but couldn't help it. 

To his surprise, John heard a chuckle from directly behind him. It startled him but he did his best to not show it. He knew who it was and didn't want to give him the satisfaction.

Boston Brand, Deadman, slowly floated into view in front of the magician. He was watching Batman but directed his comment toward John.

"I was expecting the Bat to get dragged in! A little disappointed if I'm bein' honest." Deadman laughed.

"I'd be lying if I didn't feel somewhat similar. When'd you get in?"

"Not too long ago," the ghost said conversationally, "I did a quick lap around the crater. Phew! That thing is huge!"

"No kidding? I hadn't noticed." The magician snarked, pulling a cigarette out and placing it between his lips. He wouldn't light up in here. He wouldn't want to piss off the Bat but the familiar feel on his lips brought him a small amount of comfort.

Batman seemed to have noticed Constantine's one sided conversation. He turned to stare at the occultist, his eyes narrowing again. 

"Boston?"

"Who else?" Constantine grumbled.

Suddenly, without warning, he felt a cold wave rush over him as the ghost phased into his body. He felt his mouth open, his cigarette fell to the ground, and a voice that wasn't quite his own spoke.

"Hiya Batman! Long time no see! I heard you guys could use a little help?" John's face grinned without his approval. The voice coming from John had a Brooklyn accent and was entirely too cheerful for his liking.

Batman nodded, unsurprised by the English man’s sudden accent and demeanor change. He gestured over his shoulder toward the machine.

"What can you tell me about this device?"

"Umm..." John's legs brought him a little closer and his hand came up to his chin as though he was thinking hard. "I mean it's definitely spooky, I get kindof a weird vibe from it but other than that. Meh." He shrugged. "Not really my area, Bats."

"Does it seem dangerous?"

"Honestly? I don't think so. Like Constantine said it definitely radiates Death but not like in like in a scary way. Hard to describe. Feels kinda like a nap after a long day, ya know?"

Batman didn't respond. There was a good chance he didn’t know. Constantine had never know the man to take a break. Did he even know what a nap was?

"Would you be willing to investigate?"

"Ya mean like go in? I suppose. Not like I'm getting any deader. Ha!"

As quickly as it appeared, the cold sensation that gripped him vanished and John Constantine's body was his own again.

"Bloody ghost! You made me drop my cig." He bent down to retrieve the cigarette, brushed it off, and put it back in his mouth. John hated when Deadman did that. Which was probably the reason he did it. He could have just asked John to translate. Or better yet ask him to magic Batman's eyes so he could see the ghost! But Boston loved to see John frazzled. As annoying as it was to be on the receiving end, John couldn’t begrudge the ghost his fun. He knew how lonely it could be being dead in the land of the living. No one even knowing he was there. Constantine may not be dead but he’d been around it enough to know how isolating it could be.

"Sorry John!" The ghost called back goodnaturedly, already heading toward the portal. "Wish me luck!"

The ghost flew through the portal and the room was quiet once again. Batman couldn't see the ghost had disappeared but he followed John's gaze toward the machine and waited. Accurately guessing he had already passed through.

After a short moment, Constantine wondered if he had enough time to go outside for a quick smoke. But before he could decide, Deadman's head poked back through the swirl of green. The rest of him followed close behind, looking exactly the same as when he left.

"Well?" John asked impatiently.

"Seems safe enough. It leads to another portal on the other side. No monsters or anything."

Batman spoke up, "What's he saying?"

Constantine, taking a page out of Batman's book, ignored the knight continuing to address the ghost. "And? Where does it come out?"

"That's the weird thing. I think it's just a garage."

-------

That’s all I have for now! Let me know how i did and what you think should happen next.

I have a lot of ideas on what happens to GZ Amity, and coincidentally humanity as a whole, as a result of it getting stuck. I like to think that over time this creates a whole subspecies of liminal humans and GZ Amity ends up giving a solar(ecto?) punk vibe.

Jack and Maddie are LOVING living in the ghost zone. After the initial shock, and a short adjustment period, they throw themselves into their research just as hard as before but instead of focusing on weapons they focus on researching the properties of the ghost zone. They use what they learn to better the lives of the residents of the town.

Amity Parkers don’t leave when they die. Old Evelyn Baker is still there like 300 years in the future. And because no one leaves, the town expands.

Blob ghosts wander around the city like stray cats. People treat them like pets. The Fentons create a blob collar especially for ecto-pets that is designed to stay on despite their semi-intangible nature. Using that design they are able to make equipment that will automatically phase WITH the user without having to dedicate extra energy to it.

I like the idea of Vlad coming around eventually. I think it would be funny for liminal!Amity Parkers gaining a resistance to overshadowing. And because Amity isn’t really part of the US anymore, his vast wealth doesn’t really do him any good. So here he is sad and alone. All his plans have failed and his power is rendered almost entirely useless. He can still overshadow people in the living world and the US is still a capitalist hellscape so his money is good there. But without any sort of end goal it loses its appeal. Eventually, he’ll come crawling back to Amity. 

------

Tags:

@seraphinedemort @bookreaderman @ronocnogard19 @apointlessbox @d4ydr34min9 @fylylowo @takingspagetts @vythika96 @catmaraudersfan @coruscateselene @gin2212 @running-batty @amercurio @victoria-has-no-secret @clarinetily @imsociallyanxiousgetoverit @ironicvixen @toomanyartsuppliesnotenoughtime @thewondersoflebanon @booklover4177 @malice-of-the-sunrise @thegatorsgoose @theamazingfox @xye-chan @farmercale @dontfightmecauseillcry @alcorbearson

[buttl0rd]

I'm watching like a hawk for that new kid 🤲 THE BABY

ALRIGHT HERE HE IS!! lemme introduce you to the new kid 👉👉

this is carroway - he's the best 😎👽

this is gonna be a long post cause i have so much art and content to gush about. i love this kid 👇

Some fun character details:

he was originally supposed to be like the 90's movie tough bully kid but he's ended up just being a stupid asshole. he probably likes to think he's really cool and tough 💪

has 3 younger sisters, hates being outnumbered by girls

huge foodie and finishes whatever you don't eat. not fussy at all

always leaving his mittens outside. they get all wet and gross in the snow

affectionately ripping on everyone he loves. he's a total asshole but most people know he doesn't mean half the shit he says. the real ones tolerate him 😔🤙

he doesn’t know he’s bisexual (don’t tell him, he’ll find out on his own)

Hobbies & Interests

Aliens. Carroway is a firm believer in alien life and has an immense interest in UFO sightings, alien communication and all things outer-space. He often brags to his classmates that he has been abducted and probed, and is friends with the Martians that visit South Park sometimes (do any of them believe him?). He has a telescope that he set up in his friend Dante’s treehouse which he uses to spot UFOs in the night.

FUN FACT: His probe is linked with Cartman's. It's the connection that makes it possible for OCs to exist in the same universe as canon characters.

Drums. He has a drum set in his garage on which he practices every day after school. He has exceptional rhythm and is very talented. He keeps drumsticks in his backpack just in case he encounters a drumset or anything he can make a beat with (tables, benches, trashcans, etc.) Neighbors complain to his parents about the noise, so his garage is sound-proofed to the best of Mr. Carroway’s ability. 

Snowboarding. Carroway goes snowboarding every few weeks. His family do snowboarding trips and he LOVES it. He also skateboards and rides his bike when he’s not up in the mountains, kid just likes to go fast. He dreams of being a professional snowboarder when he’s older.

TFBW: Boarderline

Boarder is a special flying support unit, part of Coon & Friends. He delivers high-impact quick attacks with his hoverboard and can heal/cure status conditions with his awesome space beams. As a speedster he utilizes the whole battlefield and is constantly moving, making him difficult to hit.

Origins:

He was a human that got abducted and genetically modified by Martians to serve and protect the alien race. After battling in many galactic wars he returned to his home in Colorado. His abilities were noticed by the superhero organization, Coon & Friends and Boarder was recruited to join their alliance. He provides support to Coon & Friends in battle.

Design:

Inspired by the gear he wears when he goes snowboarding.

His superhero costume consists of a white bodysuit with black tape accents and a big old metal zip. There's reflective blue strips on the gloves, boots and around the edge of his signature spaceboard. He's got these iconic space goggles that protect his face when he’s flying at the speed of light.

His name is a play on words - board (from his hoverboard) and borderline (being only just good enough for Coon & Friends). Allies call him Boarder for short.

SOT: Skullrogue

Skullrogue is Carroway’s Stick of Truth character.

He is a rogue-class unit and is quick and sneaky on the battlefield. He has a long black hooded cloak and a skull mask. His main weapon is a pair of daggers that are enchanted with flame magic. He cannot use magic himself but he is proficient with weapons, especially the daggers. He throws them and uses them to stab enemies in the back.

Skullrogue has an undisclosed edgy backstory, like any rogue player. He is mysterious and broody and so cool. He is loyal to the Wizard King and thinks Princess Kenny is hot.

Post-COVID

As a young adult, Carroway becomes a professional snowboarder and competes nationally in competitions. He becomes famous and earns a lot of money from his career, travelling the world for competitions. He makes it all the way to the Winter Olympics, representing the USA in the snowboarding category

After a career-ending injury in his mid-30's, he had to retire from snowboarding early and now lives off his sponsors and used-to-be-a-big-shot money. Despite being wealthy, he moved back to South Park and lives in a trailer (it’s easier than having a huge house). 

He sometimes needs a walking aid to get around and is medicated for chronic back pain.

He was too busy with his career to find love when he was younger, so he stays single and lonely in his 40s. He still goes out and does sport events, commentaries and sponsorships - he remains famous even though he cannot compete anymore. He’s like a living legend in the winter sports community. 

I'm still working on a PCOV design for him so stay tuned for that...

Anyway that's it for now!! I hope you love him 😘

[princessconsuela120]

✰ PATCHING UP ✰

—✰

Summary: after a run in with the poachers, Sebastian patches up all your wounds.

Warnings: mentions of blood, light cursing, fluff

Author’s Note: you already know Sebastian is gonna be here a lot. Enjoy guys!

—✰

“HOLD STILL NOW.” Sebastian said softly, one hand holding the side of your face while the other lightly dabbed at an open cut that took up your cheek. You had been out on another adventure after hearing of a group of poachers nearby. They had taken a baby niffler and were posting posters around town for ransom. You couldn’t let them kill the poor thing. So of course you stormed the camp. One thing led to another, and here you were again, sitting across from your boyfriend, snapping at him every few seconds the disinfectant would stink your wound. This happened so often in fact, Sebastian kept a first aid kit in the room of requirements, seeing as the injuries you gave yourself were too deep to cure with magic not done by a healer.

“It’d be easier to hold still if you weren’t digging that tissue into my skin.” You snapped, gritting your teeth at the stink in your cheek. Sebastian rolled his eyes.

“Actually, I’m not even touching you with the towel anymore, I just sprayed you with the disinfectant your mum sent you.” He explained, making you groan, squeezing into his arm as you tried to suppress the burn that came when he sprayed the bottle again.

“Ugh, we’ll, it hurts like a bugger, you must be doing something wrong.”

He sighed, taking a moment to frown at you.

“Take a deep breath, yeah? You’re probably just still reeling from the fight.” He said, making you listen to his instruction. He sighed, moving to the other side of your face to see your eye bloodshot and red, a large purple mark right below it. “Merlin’s beard y/n, you’d think you’d learn your lesson with magic.” He lectured, gently brushing his fingers against your bruised skin before turning back to the first aid kit.

“I have, mostly at least. The gash under my cheek was when I decided to start fighting with fists. Show those damned poachers who’s boss.” You mimicked a punch with your hands, causing Sebastian to scoff as he pulled out another cloth.

“It looks like they showed you, actually.” He teased, making you shove him playfully as he chuckled.

“Oh posh. They were wearing giant rings on their fingers. Cheating pricks.” You rolled your eyes. “I would’ve had them though.”

“Oh I’m sure you would have.” Sebastian mumbled, not able to hold back his smile as you described the fight with excitement. He wasn’t happy you got in a fight, not at all. But he couldn’t help but smile whenever you got excited over things like this. He couldn’t lie, he would always be proud of his girl.

“Are you almost finished?” You whined, making him chuckle at your childish response.

“Not even close. But I suppose I can patch up majority of the rest rather quickly if you’re in a hurry?”

“Only slightly. I wanted to show Rocky his new home.” You replied with a shrug, causing Sebastian to raise an eyebrow at you, pulling away from your face after smoothing out the bandage that he put on your cheek.

“Rocky?”

“The niffler I saved. You didn’t think this fight was for no reason did you?” He scoffed.

“Well, you do enjoy charging poacher camps for new cloaks, so I wouldn't be entirely surprised.” He teased, though you chose to ignore his comment.

“He’s the cutest thing you ever saw.” You gawked, pulling out the nab sack you had brought with you on your journey. You opened the bag, alleging the small light purple baby niffler to leap from the confinements of the bag. He seemed to quickly make his way into one of your vivariums, Sebastian watching as you swooned for the baby the whole time.

“Isn’t he just the cutest?” You asked, turning to him excitedly.

“I don’t know, I think you’re cuter.” He flirted, making you roll your eyes playfully.

“What a cheeky boy you are, Sallow.” You said with a smirk. He chuckled.

“What? It’s true.”

He grabbed your hand carefully, not wanting to mess up the bandages he had wrapped around your bruised knuckles, and led you back to the chair where he was patching you up.

“I’m sure it is. Now hurry up and finish so I can feed Rocky.” You whimpered loudly, pulling your face away from him as he dabbed a wet cloth on your lip. “Bloody hell!” You shouted, causing him to frown.

“Sorry.”

“Merlin’s, fuck that hurt.” You grumbled, carefully touching your lip before meeting his eyes. He pouted at you, grabbing your hands and kissing them gently, in an attempt to apologize.

“Don’t worry darling, I’ll make sure to kiss it better when I’m done.” He smirked, once again causing you to scoff. You threw one of the cloths at his face as he laughed loudly.

“Oh shut it you arse.” You teased, now laughing as you smiled happily at Sebastian.

[mrs-kmikaelson]

06| The Tribrid

Pairing: Klaus Mikaelson x daughter!reader Summary: While you busy yourself with making sure the deal with the witches runs smoothly, Klaus occupies himself by trying to figure you out. Warnings: none Words: 4.4K

Masterlist | Part 7

I walked into my house, throwing my keys on the side-table next to the door and shrugging off my jacket. I checked my watch: 2:01 PM, so Davina was still at school and wouldn't be back 'til she was done practicing with the witches. 

I just got back from lunch with Elijah where we went over the Mikaelson's terms in more detail. Genevieve had sent a witch to the Abattoir earlier like a carrier pigeon with an outline of their requests.

Pretty dramatic, if you ask me, but she was like just resurrected. She probably doesn't know how to text yet, so whatever.

After Elijah and I talked over everything, I left, telling him I'd type up the contract myself. As an immortal with plenty of time on my hands, I've gone to law school and pursued numerous careers, as I'm sure Elijah probably had, too, so there was no need to hire (compel) someone else to write this contract for us.

I made my way to my room, passing Davina's on the way which was filled with boxes and a few things placed haphazardly on the ground. My room looked a little different: pretty plain, bed parallel to the door. Normal, basically. 

I walked into my adjoining walk-in closet which was probably the most interesting thing about this room. At first glance, it looked mundane; there were some eye-catching statement pieces, but this closet otherwise just looked like a closet.

Unless you knew what to look for.

I closed the closet door for good measure and turned to the back wall, waving my hand and muttering, "Invisique saeclum." Instantly, the illusion of the wall disappear and another, smaller, more compact room was revealed.

It was lined with shelves, books stacked on top of each them. I walked closer, going to pick up the book closest to me. My grimoire. Like the rest of the books in this closet, it was dusty. I haven't needed to look for a spell in a long while. 

I placed it down on the island in the middle of the room before turning to find the other book I needed. Under a few other books, I found what I was looking for: Amelia's grimoire.

I put it down next to mine, staring at both of them. Strong nostalgia came over me. I hadn't looked at her grimoire in long time, or even my own, for that matter. Both of them should have been worn down now after all these years, but a simple preservation spell kept them in pristine condition, looking just as they had when I was younger.

My lips quirked up as I ran my hand along their covers, memories flashing before my eyes of my childhood. But as quick as the happiness came, it disappeared with the thought of how that very childhood was stolen from me.

Enough with memory lane.

I switched my focus onto the purpose of even grabbing these books, opening my grimoire and flipping through it until I found the page I was looking for. 

Illusion spells.

While I was very familiar with this type of spell, the one I wanted to perform was a little different. It was similar to the average cloaking spell, but I wanted a physical manifestation of an object: a decoy.

I wasn't stupid. I was never going to give Genevieve my aunt's grimoire. The only reason the witches wanted something so powerful was for leverage, and they weren't gonna get it. I knew all this last night, so instead of actually giving them Amelia's grimoire, I'd give them a copy.

But this copy had to feel real, tangible. Its energy needed to be able to be sensed in the same way it was with the real thing. They needed to feel like they could trust us, even if the Mikaelsons—or myself, for that matter—didn't trust them.

The thing with magic was that it worked through energy. Witches have their own special type of energy that enables them to perform spells. That's why you could practice magic without incantations; so long as the intent was there and it was strong enough, then your spell would work.

The reason why we often do use incantations is because words hold power. The history behind them holds enough energy to basically back the spell up. So, if you were using spells that weren't your own, then you would also want to use the chant because, without one, your own intent wouldn't be strong enough for the magic to pull through.

That's why I was going to change the incantations written down altogether.

At first, I was gonna exclude certain pages from Genevieve's copy completely, but then I realized that, without the powerful spells, she'd be less likely to trust us. So then I just change them so that they still made sense, but wouldn't work.

Without the written incantations that Bennetts had chanted in the past, these spells would be useless. If the words didn't hold any significance, then they were pointless.

Which was exactly my goal.

I hovered my left hand over Amelia's grimoire, hovering the other over blank space on the island. I closed my eyes and began, "Phantamogriphia decorum, appearatas veridical. Phantamogriphia decorum, appearatas veridical." After repeating this a few times, I felt the emergence of energy into the room and opened my eyes to see a book identical to Amelia's under my right hand.

I picked it up, flipping through it and stopping every once in a while to alter a spell, muttering incantations under my breath so the words on the page would appear as if they were Amelia's handwriting.

When I was done, I set it down on the island to compare it to Amelia's real grimoire. It was almost impossible to tell the difference unless you actually knew her. There was only a slight difference in the energy emitting from each book, but I knew this was fool-proof.

With a grin, I returned mine and Amelia's grimoires to their spots, bringing the cloak of the wall back. I grabbed the fake and stuffed it into my bag, tossing it onto a chair in my room. For now, I'd go type up the contract, then I'd walk over to the compound to give it to Elijah.

With that, I walked over to my office.

THIRD PERSON, THE NIGHT BEFORE

Klaus stood off to the side while his brother and his latest fixation spoke to the witches. He was silent; Elijah already warned him earlier not to cause a fuss, and the last thing he wanted was a fight with a Elijah. He had enough to deal with, this agreement included.

This evening, however, was not something he wanted.

Klaus couldn't care less if the factions tore each other apart in the streets. All of this was Elijah's doing, and so Klaus was only there to oversee it. Truth be told, he wasn't even going to show until Elijah told him Y/N was going to be there.

That caught his interest.

He couldn't figure it out, but there was something about this girl that pulled him to her. She looked familiar; he just couldn't pinpoint where he knew her from.

It seemed that others found her just as fascinating. For some reason, she had the trust of the Quarter's residents, but she wasn't going to get Klaus' trust so easily.

There was something off about her, something far greater than familiarity. And he was going to figure it out.

No matter what.

His attention was drawn away from Y/N when Genevieve cut her off. The words that came out of her mouth had stunned him.

"Esther Mikaelson's grimoire. We want Esther Mikaelson's grimoire."

Elijah's request for peace this evening suddenly went over his head. He scowled, "Are you out of your mind?"

"Niklaus-"

"I am not giving you my mother's grimoire. After what you tried to do to my family, you expect me to hand over-"

"Niklaus." Klaus stopped, turning to look at Elijah. His jaw clenched when he saw the look on his brother's face. He calmed down slightly, glancing at Y/N, wondering how she was going to talk her way out of this one.

Even as he glowered at Genevieve, he couldn't help but feel smug. There was no way out of this, and the oh so special Y/N would fail.

Or so he thought. 

Y/N declined her request, as he predicted. Genevieve went to pull out of the deal, as he predicted. What he didn't predict was what Y/N said next.

"I currently have a Bennett grimoire in my possession." His head snapped in her direction. His eyes met Elijah's who looked just as surprised as him. He glanced over at the witches who luckily didn't notice their reactions, too engulfed in shock of their own. "It's yours, so long as you accept."

The rest of the conversation became muffled to Klaus, as if he were underwater. He could tell she wasn't bluffing—that, or she was a really good liar. He suspected that both were true. So many thoughts ran through his head at once.

While he thought she must have won Elijah over with that save, this only deepened his own distrust in her. A Bennett's grimoire was extremely hard to come by. They were guarded as if they were the holy grail. If he, the Original Hybrid, wasn't able to get his hands on one, then how did a mere vampire acquire one?

And why was she giving it up like it was pocket change?

He tuned back into the conversation when all parties stood up, Y/N and Genevieve shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries that he didn't care for. As Elijah walked the witches out, Klaus didn't glance at Genevieve once, even though he felt like glaring at her whenever he saw her. Instead, his glare was directed to Y/N.

Their eyes locked, and Y/N only continued to surprise him by staring right back. She was confident, and assertive, and unfazed with every comment he threw her way. He kept trying to shake her, but she appeared to be rooted to her spot every time. This only annoyed him.

He was so focused that he didn't even notice when his brother walked back into the room. Elijah thanked her, making Y/N look away to respond. Klaus had an inkling that Elijah wouldn't bring up what just happened, so he had no choice but to be the one to do it.

"How do you have a Bennett grimoire in your possession?" He interrogated, suspicion audible in his voice. Elijah gave him a look that was ignored.

He watched Y/N's body language as she responded, looking for any signs of a lie. "I met one a few hundred years ago. She died after she was in the wrong place, wrong time, but she left that book to me."

She must take me for a fool, he thought. The nerve of her to think he'd believe that. "A Bennett witch left her grimoire with you, a vampire? Not with her family?" He enunciated each word slowly as if to emphasize his point.

A Bennett witch leaving something as valuable as her grimoire to a member of the species they hated was unheard of. 

Y/N gave an excuse, saying the witch wasn't close with her family at the time, as if that made it any more believable. "And I was human at the time so, yes, she left it to me because she knew it could come of use one day."

She showed no indication that she was lying, and if her story was real, then her excuses were reasonable. Perhaps if the story were coming from someone else, he would've rolled over and believed it. But this was coming from Marcel's supposed 'best friend,' the woman who so happened to be there the night Hayley was almost attacked, who had his brother so interested in her that he forced him to allow Marcel back into the Quarter all for the sake of a deal. This was coming from the woman who reminded him so much of a ghost from his past.

So, no, Klaus did not believe her.

Elijah, on the other hand, didn't look as vexed. He cleared his throat and changed the subject, thanking her again. Y/N turned around, making plans for another meeting. She didn't look back at Klaus once, but he was staring at her until even after she walked out the gate.

Elijah sighing broke him out of his trance. "Must you be so difficult, Niklaus?"

Klaus rolled his eyes. "If you want to turn a blind eye to all of this, then by all means. But this woman is so obviously hiding something." He reached for his scotch, downing the rest of it in one go.

"Niklaus, please-"

He cut him off, "No, Elijah—you can't honestly be telling me that you don't see what I'm seeing. She acts as if she's guilty of something-"

"Innocent until proven guilty."

Klaus scoffed. Elijah's immediate impulse to see the best in everyone could very well one day be his downfall. For some reason, he was defending Y/N, even though they both knew the only reason they really brought her in was because he saw the same things Klaus did.

Klaus shook his head. "She's not who she says she is." This time, Elijah's response didn't come as quick. He only silently maintained his stare. Little did Klaus know, his brother had doubts of his own.

Elijah's response never came. He closed the book on the conversation completely. "Good night, Niklaus." Elijah walked way, patting Klaus' shoulder as he passed him before going up the stairs. The hybrid cursed him in his head. How could he be so stupid, he thought.

He knew you were hiding something. 

And he would make it his personal job to figure out what it was.

FIRST PERSON, PRESENT

I closed my laptop, having just printed out the contract. With Marcel, contracts were never necessary; you would just trust the other person's word. But, in this new society, trust could not be guaranteed. 

I sighed, checking the time. Davina should be home any minute now.

Right on cue, I heard a knock at the door. I furrowed my brows. Didn't I give her a key?

She must have left it her by accident. Not thinking anything of it, I got up, walking to the door absentmindedly. "Hey, Dav-" my words died down in my throat once I opened the door. Standing in front of me wasn't Davina.

It was Klaus.

He coyly smiled. "Hello, Y/N. May I come in?" For a quick second, I was stunned. I wasn't expecting this at all. How did he even know I lived here? I wondered before dismissing the thought. He's Klaus Mikaelson; of course, he knows where I live.

I quickly composed myself, reciprocating his smile, only hoping that mine didn't look as fake as his. I held the door open wider. "Of course." The act of Klaus stepping over the threshold into my home almost made me sick, but I didn't dare show it on my face.

"Lovely home you have here," he said, looking around, but I doubted he was just looking out curiosity, and that compliment felt nothing like a compliment to me. What the fuck is he doing here?

I thanked him, resisting the urge to cross my arms. I learned in the few psych classes I attended that it was a sign of discomfort. I instead tried to make myself less stiff, asking myself how a normal person would act in this situation and then trying to behave that way.

"Would you like something to drink? Water, tea, Brandy....?" 

Klaus shook his head, declining. He still wasn't looking at me, continuing to stare at my house. He seemed to be searching for something, and I had an idea what it was.

Well, he wouldn't find it.

I skipped over the like five other questions I had, asking, "What brings you here?" I kept my voice light, even though he probably knew that I knew what he was doing. I was already gonna be heading over to the compound later where he would've seen me. He had no reason to be here other than to look for some sort of flaw.

Finally, Klaus looked over at me. "Elijah's currently preoccupied, so I told him I'd just come here and get what you were supposed to give to him." Bullshit. But I'd play this game. I've won far harder ones.

I reminded myself of the pact I made to myself when I left the compound yesterday, of everything I've endured over the course of my life. If I went through what I went through, then I could go through speaking to my father.

I faked nonchalance. "Right, the contract. I'll go get that right now." I went to my room, grabbing the stapled pages and Amelia's grimoire out of my bag, ignoring the fact that the hybrid could've done anything in the less than thirty seconds I left him alone. However, when I got back, he seemed to be in exact same spot, waiting patiently for my return. 

"Here," I said, handing them to both to him. He hummed, flipping through the pages—though, I doubt he was reading anything, even though the contents of the folder I just gave him were only drafted in attempts to save his city.

But I didn't have to have known Klaus long to know that this wasn't about saving anything for him. Men like him didn't save; they destroyed, and my mother raised me well enough to make sure I never forgot that.

When he closed the folder, he looked at the grimoire with a serious stare. I would've been worried that he was trying to see past my glamour had I not been as strong as I was. Nobody could see past my illusions other than myself; it's always been that way, and it'll always be that way.

Instead, I could bet he was questioning its authenticity or even my authenticity. The white lie I gave the other night was convincing enough to get me out of the compound, but since Klaus was looking for any reason to support his distrust in me, he obviously still had reservations.

Before I could continue with my train of thought, Klaus looked up at me and abruptly questioned, "Where are you from?" My brows went up. Out of all the things he could've said, that was on my list of least expected.

But I wasn't expecting any of the other things that'd happened in my life since I returned to New Orleans, either.

My first instinct was to respond, why do you ask? but that felt defensive and that was the last thing I wanted to come off as to my father. I told him what I told most people who asked. "A little bit of everywhere, I suppose." I shrugged for effect. "I was travelling at a young age due to conflicts around my family, so I was all over Europe as a child."

The suspicion Klaus so eagerly showed me the other night was tucked away. Instead, he only hummed again, but clearly he didn't believe me; otherwise, he would've left it alone, but I could never be so lucky. 

"And how old are you? If you don't mind my asking," he added, as if he cared about whether not I minded.

I didn't hesitate. "About five hundred years old, give or take."

He hummed in response, adding to my irritation, but I was much better at hiding what I was thinking than he was. Not that he was trying. "Well, I suppose I should've assumed so since the Bennett witches had fled to America around that time period." He stared me dead in the eye, a smug smile on his face but a much more serious look in his eyes. 

He was pretty close to me, close enough that I could see his eyes—and I mean really see them. They were blue with twinges of green and brown that I hadn't seen from far away before. And even though almost nothing scared the crap out of me more than the fact that his eyes looked like mine, I stared right back like I had no fears at all.

"Yeah, that's true," I agreed, but I didn't offer anything further. The only other things I could've added to this conversation to convince him I wasn't lying were facts from my personal life and that was information I wouldn't soon give up. 

I didn't know how well Klaus knew my mother before they conceived me, if he knew her best friend's name or even her own, for that matter. So there were some details I just had to keep to myself; revealing certain things may have had the ability to help me, but they could also hurt me just as easily.

That was a risk I wasn't going to take.

Klaus just kept staring at me, and I almost thought he'd never look away until the door opened. We both turned to see Davina in the doorway, keys in her hand.

Her mouth fell open slightly, eyes darting between me and the Original in our living room. Said Original broke the silence. "Ah, if it isn't the little witch."

I watched Davina swallow but still manage to glare at him. "Klaus."

Klaus held his hands up in surrender, that same "friendly" smile on his face that was anything but. "Relax, love. I come in peace." He then looked back over at me. "I was just leaving." With that, he walked toward the door. Back still turned to me, he uttered a thank you for what I gave him and wished us a wonderful night, patting Davina on the shoulder on his way out.

The teenager barely waited until Klaus was out the door to close it, looking over at me with incredulous eyes. Just as her mouth was about to open, I brought my finger to my lips, silently shushing her and pointing to my ear.

She got the message, exasperatedly sighing and running a hand through her hair while I used my hearing to listen to Klaus walk away. Once I could no longer hear his footsteps, I let my finger fall. Davina instantly let her questions loose.

"What the hell was he doing here? Why'd you let him in- no, how did he get in? What was that stuff he walked out with and why did that book look like a grimoire? Oh my God, does he know that you're a-"

I cut her off, "Davina. Slow down and I'll explain." At my interruption she paused, taking a breath. I couldn't help but be amused at her worry, even though the Devil himself had just been standing in my living room.

Once she was calm, I elaborated, summarizing the deal I'd made with Elijah and then the deal we'd just made with the witches. Although I trusted Davina, I gave her the same story I gave Klaus when it came to the grimoire. There were some things just better kept secret and, for now, Amelia Bennett and my family fell under that category.

After I'd explained everything, Davina nodded to herself, soaking it all in, muttering under her breath, "That must've been what everyone was talking about today, a deal with the Mikaelsons." She pursed her lips. "Yeah, I heard Genevieve and some others whispering something about a Bennett witch, so it must've been that."

I nodded. "Yeah, and as for Klaus being here, I let him in myself. Don't worry; the protections are fine." She finally seemed to calm down after that.

"Okay, I guess I'll just go do my homework now or something. See you, Y/N/N." I ruffled her hair as she walked past me, getting a faux angry pout that didn't last long before a smile started to form on her lips. Like her happiness was contagious, the corners of my lips upturned, too.

It was good to see her happy, busying herself with things like homework. That's what teens should be doing, not hiding away in attics, isolated from humanity. Death shouldn't have even crossed her mind but I knew that, living in the world we lived in, that wasn't an option.

In spite of that, I would do my best to preserve her childhood for as long as I could. There was no one there to do that for me, and I'd be damned if I would just stand by and watch as hers was stolen from her.

Davina meant too much to me to allow that to happen, but even so, there were still things about me that she didn't know. There were things about me that no one knew, no matter how close to me they'd gotten.

No one knew I was Klaus' daughter, no one but Amelia, my mother, and the person who killed her.

At that thought, my mood became sour, but instead of drowning in my own self-pity, I blocked the thoughts completely. I couldn't afford to be in New Orleans with Klaus Mikaelson watching my every move and to also think about that part of my past.

So I pulled out my phone and dialled until Cellie's voice filled my ear, "Hey, what's up?"

"Hey, let's go out. We can hit up that new club downtown. And call Cami up, too; we can all go and just have fun."

"Not that I oppose this in anyway, but what brought up this spontaneousness?"

"Nothing," I lied. "I just want to have a night-out on the town. C'mon, Marcel; don't be boring."

He gave in, "Alright, alright, fine. I'll call Cami."

I grinned. "Great; meet at my place." Before he could say anything else, I hung up on him. This was just the sort of thing I needed, to go out like everything was normal.

I rushed to go get ready, pushing all thoughts of Klaus and my past to the back of my mind. For one night, just one, I wanted to feel like myself again.

Ever since I got back to New Orleans, I've felt like this shell of myself. Around the Originals, I felt like little-kid-me. All of these memories and thoughts that I've worked to repress have just been resurfacing, and so, for one night, I just want to feel like myself again. That'll help me get it all together.

I was gonna go out tonight, not as a Mikaelson, but as a Y/L/N.

And after that, I was gonna bury Y/N Mikaelson for good.

Taglist: @scrynexxtins @thisnameistaken1234 @honestlycasualarcade @xlittlestarling @thatgirljas13

[highlordofkrypton]

PROLOGUE SUMMARY:

The world is in ruins. Humans and Faeries pick at each other’s teeth until the bone is whittled from flesh and all that is left is blood in their wake. They had been created equal, once. To think, they’d all fall prey to their own hubris. This is not what the Goddesses wanted. To Prythian, they are sending scouts to decide whether their world is worth saving, or whether it should be devoured and remade anew.

This is a dark fantasy, eldritch horror fic that may end up being unserious more often than not.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Hey, remember that You Wanted a Villain snippet? It's now a fic! I probably won't post the updates here, so follow on AO3 if you like. I'm just gonna be vibing with this one, writing that self-indulgent shit 👌

READ ON AO3 OR BELOW THE CUT

The world is in ruins.

Humans and Faeries pick at each other’s teeth until the bone is whittled from flesh and all that is left is blood in their wake. They had been created equal, once. One people who would breathe life from and into nature, the other that would build upon it in ways that even the gods could not imagine. It was thought that they would complete each other, those who danced in between the trees as spirits and the mortals who sacrificed immortality for knowledge.

To think, they’d all fall prey to the same selfishness.

This is not what the Goddesses wanted.

Creatures skitter across the cracked dry ground, gathering their offerings in the form of sticks, grain and withering greens. Very little survives in the Black Lands, an old forgotten place where myth and legends roamed free. The mound grows and grows until it overflows, a tidal wave of activity where not even the wind dares to blow. 

A wolf lopes towards the pile and the vermin part in reverence. It bows its head, honouring the ghost that sleeps here.

Smoke billows to the West, another prickle of life in this forgotten place. A small spark blooms into a shy flame; it casts dancing shadows across the withered bark of the Black Forest (now made only of skeletons). It distracts from the cloaked figure haunting these lands.

He darts into the wide maw of an unlit cave, clothes billowing behind him with just a breadth of magic. He hides from no one, but he makes no noise, giving way to stirring of the Black Lands—a quiet, haunting symphony. (It can be heard by those who listen with more than their mortal tools. Its revival should wring in their guts, twist them into knots and let bile rise back up into their gullets.) 

The Stranger clenches his fist, tighter and tighter, until the strength of his nails cut into his palm. Blood trickles down his palm and into a small black bowl on the ground.

Awaken, he beckons, not with words, but his entire being.

The Black Lands shudder.

They are coming.

***

Late.

A sentiment that echoes through the Black Lands, like a steady unimpressed voice. The Wolf and the Billowing Smoke met the Stranger, the former’s shoulders stuttering in muffled laughter. The Smoke simply laughs openly without a care in the world.

“Is our little Nightshade upset?”

The Stranger’s ethereal blue eyes narrow and his nostrils flare in clear annoyance. Beings of their age need not words, those are a creation of later when the abundance of races needed some universal language that was not power. He says nothing, jaw flexing in all the things he won’t be goaded into saying. There is only one creature in the world that breaks the Stranger’s composure and it is of the greatest unfortunate that it is made of smoke and sass.

“He is so angy,” the Smoke continues, a wicked smile forming on its pale imitation of a face.

“Angy is not a word,” the Stranger finally snaps.

“And he speaks the mortal tongue! Oh, it sounds good on you, angry one.”

The Wolf’s tail sways side to side, content to be in the presence of its missing counterparts. Johannes, Ballika, it growls through their minds and through the very Earth itself. There is no one here to hear them, no use in containing themselves, but soon—soon, they will need to exist as a fraction of themselves. It has been too long. Tipping its head, it acknowledges them both as peers.

Johannes, the Stranger from the Black Lands, halts his inner machinations on how to exhort physical pain on something intangible. (He would, first, have to change its shape from vapid smoke to something heavier. Perhaps a different element, something so leaded he’d find himself trapped within layers and layers of ground. Bye, bye, Johan would wiggle his fingers and enjoy the peace he’s claimed for himself. A mere fantasy, but a comforting one.) He nods in return.

We have work to do.

The mission sobers them up from bickering and heartfelt reunions. Somewhere in this world, a fracture has widened and widened, disconnecting it from its roots—from what it should be: a Sanctuary. There are others, places where Gods have had their fill of Creation, but those were made in their image and turned to poison as soon as they were left on their own. This world, their world and former home, was built on billions of years of hope. Hope that it would be better than any other existence. It is their job to restore the heart of the Goddesses, but they can only do that by finding the source of the discord.

We will begin with Prythian. My initial investigation points to there.

The Wolf and Ballika nod. Each of them is to return to their home Continent, to the Courts they once commanded. Johan, the former yawning abyss that darkened the Northern skies. The Wolf will return to its prowl across the South and the West. Ballika will swallow the lands made of Smoke. Back to the homes in which they were each born.

“Shall we place bets?” Smoke billows around his younger brother, perching on the shoulders of his little nightshade only to be shaken off.

The Goddess coddled you far too much, Ballika, if you think this is a game, the Wolf grumbles and begins his journey towards the Spring Court. 

“Oh, it’s been millenia since we’ve been let out. Let’s have a little fun.” He looks around to hound Johan instead, but finds him to be gone. “I wager there won’t be a continent left by the time we join him. Hold, Wolf, hold. Let us watch and see.”

[pampushky]

Foot of the Gallows

trafalgar d. water law/reader - chapter 2 - 3.7k

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2.) thunder root

thunder root: a jagged, sharp root that gains a rubber-like quality after being properly dried and treated. after isolating the starch from this tuber, it can be used to soften the blows of an enemy once cooked into a meal although it has a calming, drowsy effect, making it useless in battle.

The next five minutes are silent, aside from Law’s ragged breaths and both of your footsteps on the cobbled city streets. His wrists are bony, the skin rubbed raw from spending his time in mana-draining shackles. If he were his own doctor at this moment, he’d be giving you a rather aggressive lecture on the negative effects of sudden bouts of intense cardio after nearly three weeks of not being able to move properly. But, you don’t seem to pay him any heed, moving quickly through the city for the next half hour, almost as if you’re trying to lose anyone who could be following the two of you.

You don’t look back at Law as you maneuver him through back alleys and yards, eyes trained ahead. He hadn’t even known most of these little paths existed, looking at the brick walls of houses and buildings around him transition into wooden fences, and then to the wrought-iron fencing of a bridge that lead to the northern side of the city, where your shop is. You tighten your grip when he grunts and pulls slightly, looking back at him with a glare. 

“Stop that, you should be thanking me!” You snapped, turning on him with a snarl, and dropping his wrist when the two of you finally came to the back door of your little shop, “I’m going to kill Bepo for convincing me to do this for you,”

“Bepo masterminded this?” Law says incredulously, with eyes the size of a dinner plate when he looks at you. The door is open, and just as he makes a move to go in, you pull him back by his shoulder and reach up to rub away a string of runes on the door above it, hidden by a small slab of wood. Law frowns at the smudged chalk, and lifts the plank of wood, only to have you smack the back of his hand, making him look at you in shock “What was that?”

“Your lifetime ban being erased,” you sigh, almost sadly, and then shove him inside. There are still traces of the spell that would have kept him out lingering as he crossed the threshold, a wave of dizziness hitting him, but eventually fading as you sit on the small stool behind your little counter. The shop is the same as he remembered it, though with the blinds drawn, and the lanterns unlit in the corners. “Sanji’s gonna be pissed— it took him a week to formulate that, you know.”

“I…. didn’t know you were friends with that pervert,” Law mumbles, as you take your cloak off. You freeze, for a moment, and then start to laugh. 

“He’s better than you,” You don’t even turn to look at him and grant him some form of recognition for his insult and instead open up a drawer near you. “And he’s not a pervert, he’s gotten some deeply unsettling issues with a succubus possession his husband is helping him through.” 

“Ah.” 

Law doesn’t really respond after that and just moves around the shop. It’s… still the same, from your childhood, and the hours he’d spent in it as a kid, waiting for Corazon to pick him up on his way back from the the barracks. Still the same jars, probably not the same herbs. An orange, ribbed jar catches his attention, and he studies it. There’s a label with the scientific name, and then the little, embossed with the small language of dashes and dots, entirely unique to the apothecary profession. And just as he goes to run his fingertips over it, you smack the back of his hand again, even though you’re across the room. Instead, one of the large and winding pothos plants that hangs in the window has stretched and smacked him.

“Don’t touch that,” You only look up briefly, scowling. 

“I see your earthen magic got stronger,” Law scowls back at you, even if you’re not looking at him, rubbing at his hand as the pothos returns to its normal state, though he swears he can hear it laughing at him.

“And you’re still an asshole, but the world keeps turning,” You pull out a watering can, and reward the little bastard of a vine that slapped him. “Good job, Gertrude, always protecting my product,”

“You’re…. Talking to a plant,” Law lifts his eyebrows, and lets out a huff of disbelief, “Wow, you have really started to lose it— ow !” 

“Their name is Gertrude, and they agree that you’re an asshole,” You grin at him as if you’re taking pleasure in the plant hitting him again, smacking the back of his head when he wasn’t looking directly at it. Or, them, Law supposes, based on how you had addressed….Gertrude. 

“Fine, I take it back,” Law rubs the new sore spot on the back of his head. His hat has long since been lost, which does hurt a bit— it was a gift from his long-since passed sister. You, meanwhile, continue to search through your drawers for something, and when you’ve found it, you add it to the growing pile of tiny jars, salves, and strips of cloth on your counter.

With a final flourish, you pull out what looks like an eyedropper of some oily substance and add it to the pile. You look at him pointedly, arms folded as you jerk your head to the stool behind the counter. Law stares dumbly at you, and you let out an annoyed huff, pinching the bridge of your nose.

“Sit there. You’re wounded, and I won’t have you contaminating my shop— it’s bad enough that I’ll need to clean down here from you mucking about with your shoes,” You look more upset at the dusty prints on your floor than him being hurt. 

If Law winces when you dab a bit of whatever salve or tonic you’re cleaning and dressing his wounds with, he doesn’t complain, nor thank you for being more delicate as you continue. Your touch is… oddly soft, for someone who has as much loathing for Law as you claim to have, but it’s the trained motions of someone who has been doing this for a long time, and he is the last person who will question why you have this medical knowledge. Your family was a long, respected lineage of apothecaries, both adopted and biological, it did not matter— your founding member was claimed to be the very deity of the earth and sky itself, and were not all mortals and immortals alike their child?

There’s a storm, though, clouding your eyes, especially when you bring the oily eyedropper out again, carefully unscrewing it to reveal a tiny brush, coated in a shimmering, amber slime from within the bottle. 

“Where are the more serious wounds?” Your voice is flat, and you watch as he carefully reveals a rather nasty bruise, some parts still tender and red, not even bruised yet, on his ribcage. You grimace and examine it with a hiss. “How’d that happen?”

“Member of the guard,” Law says simply, watching and you gently pull up a part of his shirt, eyes glued to the injury. “Said he’d show me, for using Lunar magic.”

You scoff, but bring the little brush close, and start to murmur. The bristles make contact with his skin, and Law moans, the pain suddenly condensed completely into the spot where you trace your tool as you draw a singular, continuous line, eventually forming one of the most complex circular runic equations that Law’s ever had the pleasure of seeing, the last line of your activation slipping past your lips just as the pain grows so intense that he feels he’s going to pass out before it stops just a second before he was certain he was going to die.

There’s no bruise left behind. Not even a scar, or a trace of what happened. The substance is gone, and you’re already tucking it somewhere Law doesn’t see— probably aided by ancient illusion spells— before he can so much as ask what that was. 

Whatever you did, it completely healed his cracked ribs. It probably helped with his left lung, too, as if you completely regenerated the entirety of that patch of his body—- reversing time itself to when he hadn’t been injured. It’s amazing, even as he touches his skin in wonder— it’s not even sensitive, blending seamlessly together, as though you had knit and split cells yourself, not just accelerating the growth through magic. There is no soreness, no aches, no puffy red skin— just… the same little splotches of pale white on tan and the ink of his tattoos. 

“What… was that?” 

“…family secret, I will pass to an heir one day,” you speak solemnly, and then pale as the sentence leaves your mouth. “…. Oh, fuck,” And you disappear up the set of stairs that separates the home from the shop, all your supplies still on the counter, some open. 

Law’s mind is blank, until he really has the chance to process how he got here, and isn’t currently a corpse in a cadaver lab. The walk to the gallows. The screaming of the crowd. Bepo not being there. The boredom on the face of the medical student as they waited for the execution to end, arms folded as they leaned against the wagon. The tone of Kizaru’s voice as you objected, and then the…proposal. The rather quick marriage ceremony— oh gods, had he even said a vow? 

You were married to him. Actually, legally married to him. Had saved him at the last possible second, dragged him away to your childhood home and shop, cared for his wounds, and then gone up the stairs as if this was a normal day. Somewhere, in the very back of his mind, this had been a long since given up on desire, wanting to spend his life with you, one that he himself had ruined all those years ago with anger and hurt. This…. Wasn’t how he’d imagined it happening, even in the dreams where he somehow did make it up to you. 

Would he ever, really, make it up to you?

Cautiously, he goes up the stairs, still remembering which ones creak, and comes into the kitchen-and-den hybrid that you had grown up in. The building that hosted your centuries-long family business and home was always changing, the layout shifting every hundred years or so. The current home is the same as he recalls, with the worn wooden floor covered in thick woven rugs, to keep the house warm and cozy. The island with the lava-stone stovetop, which your grandfather had ordered specifically from one of the more hellish realms to use in cooking and potion brewing.

He vividly remembers when he’d had to help wrap your hand after you’d burnt it by unknowingly placing your palm on it. Your tears, the way you’d whimpered at his touch even as your father told you not to cry so much, teasing you enough to distract you from the pain. You’d been ten, and he’d been twelve, starting to feel the strange stirrings in his heart that being around you brought. 

There are more plants now that you’re the main resident. Cooking herbs, with personal balls of solar light you’d conjured to hover over them sit against the wall under the cabinets. There’s a little cactus, dozens of tropical ferns, and well-maintained shrubs that make Law feel as though he’s walked straight into a greenhouse, rather than the home he had once known. A familiar, white-marbled pothos is wrapped around the top of the kitchen cabinets, and he even watches as one of the vines turns the faucet in the sink on, lifting up glass for you, where you stand, muttering to yourself in the kitchen. 

“I didn’t say you could follow me up here.” You don’t turn to address him, but take the glass from Gertrude, sipping it with a slight shake in your hands. 

“I didn’t know I needed your permission,” Law keeps himself at the top of the stairs. You seem… oddly vulnerable, despite his general asshole behavior, until you straighten up, and face him, scowling. 

“Fine, let’s get straight to business then,” You stride to stand right in front of him, eyes alight with frustration as you place your hands on your hips. “I am not the one who masterminded this bullshit. Bepo came to my shop directly after talking to you yesterday. As much as you are a prick I absolutely detest, you are unfortunately a half-decent doctor, and I’d hate to see your patients suffer because you decided to break the law by using illegal magic.” 

“Wow, how kind of you,” Law drawls, and your left eye twitches a bit. Must he always make it so difficult for you to be the bigger person? You’d love nothing more than to let his body be chewed on by dogs, or so you try to convince yourself. “I should be kissing your feet and worshiping you, I suppose now. Oh, great merciful apothecary, how shall I thank you?” Law's tone is painfully dry, and you fight the urge to punch him in the mouth.

“I’m not the one who used illegal magic,” you scoff and fold your arms, “Bepo found some ancient law that allows foot-of-the-gallows marriages, and after rather pathetically begging for me to save you—”

“Get off your high horse, jackass —”

“—oh, save your comments, this was quite literally the only way you’d still be living,” Deep breaths. You can be the bigger person, just float above, ignore his little jabs, and don’t sink down to his level, “I hate this just as much as you do. But, again, your patients don’t deserve to be out a doctor because you wanted to play with fire.”

“Do you even know what lunar magic is?”

“The opposite of solar magic.”

“.... gods help me, I’m going to ask your uncle to kill me, this is already worse than death,” 

“Oh, save me the dramatics! I haven’t even gotten to explaining everything yet!”

Law is desperately trying not to drag his hands down his face and let his composure cave. Every time he thought about reconnecting with you and making right his countless wrongs against you, this would happen. Picking and poking at each other would eventually and undoubtedly turn into screaming matches because you both had to get the last word in any discussion about who had done the other wrong more. Yes, he had started it, but dammit, you had elevated it to this point!

Like now, because he’s completely tuned out your ranting until you let out a loud curse, and scream “We’re lawfully married now, you utter dickhead! No take-backs, unless you want to die for real!” 

Law blinks once. 

Twice. 

And then you have to catch him before he falls ass over kettle down the stairs because he’s so shocked that he forgot he was just standing at the top of the staircase, and took a step backward. Both of your hands are tightly gripping his collar with a force that surprises him, you pull him back up, and he lands squarely on top of you, crushing you into the floor as you let out a little huff of shock. He's oddly heavy, and feels well-muscled, despite the circumstances he's been facing.

You smell so familiar to him. Medicinal, but not in the chemical way. Like the herbal teas and spicy desserts he got to try while across the ocean during his apprenticeship. He’s going into shock— he knows this, and can’t do much to help himself until you manage to squirm your way from underneath him, sighing. “What am I gonna do with you?” You mumble, chin in your palm, as you drag him to the couch. This is quite the situation you’ve gotten yourself into. Your parents will no doubt hear of this— Kizaru is an old war buddy of your uncle’s, and once your mother hears it from him, they’ll be sending countless ravens and your poor sending stone may crack from the number of calls it’ll no doubt receive when your uncle lets the news slip to your parents. 

They’ll be more pissed you didn’t tell them of your plan. Then be even more upset when they realize they’ve missed your wedding, even if it was just a high official in the guard using a binding spell for a placeholder until he could legally marry the two of you. 

“You could have let me die.”

You don’t respond and just keep your eyes forward, nodding.

Law just lays there in shock, eyes on the ceiling, even as you slump into the cushions beside him, rubbing your eyes with the heels of your palms with an exhausted groan. There are bags under your eyes he hadn’t noticed until now, and he chides himself. This hadn’t been an easy decision for you. Tying yourself to him for the foreseeable future, and stirring up trouble between your family and the guard when the relationship was already strained. 

Why had you done it though? 

He’d been nothing but a dick to you, now for over… nine years. Nearly a decade. You weren’t the teary-eyed fifteen-year-old, just at the start of your apprenticeship under your father, but now the owner of the family shop, a tired twenty-four-year-old with dark bags under your eyes and a wariness that most people didn’t have until their fifties. 

You were a good person, he knew this. Really hated you for it, sometimes. It had made you incredibly hard to hate, and the fact that avoiding you had been next to impossible, especially when you were the only reputable apothecary and source for medicinal herbs. 

“Why?”

“...no comment,” You stand from the couch. He can hear your murmuring over the stove, and the whistling of a kettle— was it the same, pale green one, with the wisteria and lichen sculpted onto it, from your childhood? He looked over the couch, watching as you made a cup of tea, sighing as you returned with an extra mug. “...You’re going to take a bath after this, and I’m going to use some of the most vile cleaning spells I can think of on… those,” you gesture to his outfit, frowning. “I think I have extras of my fathers, for the time being.”

“What’s wrong with my clothes?” Law holds the mug carefully, eyeing you with a barely disguised look of suspicion as you start to go through the chest off to the side beside the dining table. You return, with a mustard yellow tunic, black trousers, and a dark-gray woven belt to bring in the waist of the tunic. 

“They’re covered in mud and… gods, Law is that blood?” 

Hearing you speak his name, how it rolls so naturally off your tongue after nine years of ignoring him and only addressing him with insults and anger makes him shudder. The horror in your eyes, the stiffness of your shoulders as you look at him. You don’t drop your mug, but he can see how your hand shakes a bit. The concern is there for a second before it fades when he doesn’t answer after a few seconds. 

“.... You know where the guest room is—”

You’re interrupted by the sound of something bouncing off of a barrier, and a scream of pain. Both of you stand abruptly, and scramble down the stairs, to which you throw open the front door, seeing Penguin rubbing his forehead, with Bepo, Shachi, and Ikkaku standing over him. You let out an annoyed groan, and look at Law as if he’s responsible for this. 

“You’re going to let them in, aren’t you?” Law only prompts, looking down at his friend, who is being helped upwards by his husband. 

“... a month, it took to formulate those,” You grumble and walk to the back of the shop, returning with chalk-dusted hands and a deep scowl, as the two men manage to drag themselves through the front door, shuddering as the remnants of the boundary spell 

“You put a boundary spell on the shop?” Penguin groans, holding his forehead, and you scowl at him. 

“Only for you, your husband, and the dickhead,” You turn on your heel and shout over your shoulder as you walk up the stairs. “They’re still not allowed up in the home proper, Dr. Trafalgar!”

“...charming,” Shachi watches as you walk up the stairs, and winces when Gertrude goes on the attack, tugging at his ear. Bepo is terrified that he’s been added to the lifetime ban list, while Ikkaku just sits on the counter where you normally work, studying the four men before her. 

“Honestly, I can’t blame her,” 

“Whose side are you on?!” Penguin yelps, batting at very angry Gertrude the pothos plant, who seems rather set on cuffing his ears until he leaves or dies— whichever comes first. 

“The two people who just got tied together for what is likely to be a very rocky marriage,” Ikkaku snaps, glaring at the two men. Bepo cowers, even when she’s not looking at him. Law just rubs his forehead and lets himself slump onto the first step of the stairs. He’s too confused right now to really process that he is married. He can feel the binding spell that links him to you, it’s not quite choking, but it’s tight enough around his heart to remind him ever so often that it’s there, squeezing ever so slightly when he least expects it. 

“No one asked her to do this!” Shachi throws his hands in the air and makes sure that he’s said it loud enough for you to hear, regardless of being upstairs. 

Bepo lets out a nervous whine, that sounds like a balloon deflating slowly, loud, and high-pitched, eyes darting around the room between the four confused faces of the humans in the room, which are turning ever more suspicious when the whine doesn’t stop, and only continues to somehow get higher. 

You come down the stairs with a tray of teacups, a loaf of bread, and the kettle, looking unimpressed by the current state of the mink, who is now lying with his back on the floor of your shop, still letting out the whining noise, even as you settle on the stool in the corner, looking at the other five people with a heavy frown. 

“I think it’s time we talk then, no?”

[reborrowing]

curses and confession, part 1 (Stranger Swap)

okayyy this has gotten past 6k and I really want to post so I'm just gonna slice it up since my chapters are usually ~2k anyways!

next | Stranger Swap masterpost Hollow deals with a witch after having an unprecedented close call while checking in on his sibling (probably read that first if you havent!) word count: ~1.8k contains: angst, fear, survivor’s guilt, self-loathing

Hollow

The property behind Glenwood Court apartments had an old, dilapidated shed that the owner mostly used for storage, when they remembered it exists at all. Amid all their junk and forgotten landscaping tools lived an unusual little man named Ely, though most who knew of him referred to him as the garden witch. 

He was a borrower by most metrics: small, secretive, and prone to hoarding any trinkets left unattended. He had a tail and the same sharp hearing you would expect a borrower to have. But he was also quite visibly something Other. Ostentatious, absolutely out of line with a borrower's instinctual pull towards the shadows. He had a love of light and glitter that accentuated the pair of iridescent wings that hung limply down his back. And the tallest borrower he’d ever met had still only been at eye level with his chest.

Most borrowers were afraid of him. Of course they were, they were such a naturally skittish people. But they had good reason to come visit him anyways. Ely was a miracle worker. Something out of a children’s story. A magician. A witch.

He had clients come from all over the neighborhood, maybe even further corners of the city, because he made trades no one else could. The last of your rice for a cloak you lost a decade ago. A secret for a pinch of luck exactly when you needed it most. Give up a warm enough memory and never go cold again. Odd trades for small impossibilities. The prices didn’t always make sense up front, but they always worked out in the end. He didn’t give out anything for free, Hollow had seen that much. 

She watched with a fascinated sort of disgust as the witch molded a stranger’s words into physical paste with a practiced hand. The stranger walked off with a handful of dust and a smile they tried to swallow when they noticed someone was looking.

The witch called Hollow forward. She swallowed nervously and took a seat on a hackysack across from the small giant. The shed was silent for a few seconds as Hollow tried to remember what it was she had planned on saying. 

“You’ve been here before, haven’t you?” the witch said through a thoughtful expression

“Ah, yeah. I–a couple times,” she said. Chai had dragged him here for a sleep aid during the pregnancy, and again shortly after Sunny was born for a sleep alternative.

“I almost don’t recognize you without the piebald. Are they alright?”

“Xe’s fine, I’m not here for…xe doesn’t know I’m here,” Hollow said.

The witch raised a brow as his lips bent into an impish smirk. Hollow tensed as she leaned forward like some housewife gathering gossip. 

“Making trouble, are we? Or are we planning a surprise? I promise I’m quite good at either, for the right price,” he said.

“It’s nothing to do with xem, I just had some questions. About magic. Just questions, I don’t need you to cast…it’s about something I saw happen to someone else. Um, my sibling. Val? I wanted to know, how…did you trade with them?”

The witch drummed his fingers contemplatively against his work table in a quick rhythm, then shook his head. He didn’t remember anyone by that name.

Hollow bit her lip as he worried about where else magic might come from, but he wasn’t entirely surprised. The shed was next door and Val had never exactly been the adventurous sort. Not that Hollow knew about, anyway. She could hardly imagine them climbing through the fence. Although lately, every time she tried to imagine much of anything about her sibling, she fell back into nightmares about Val’s hands punching through the colony walls and burying her in rubble or…or worse. 

“Then, do you know where else they could’ve found magic? Or, however you say that. Bargained for it,” Hollow said.

“Other magic? There’s plenty, if you know how to look. I can’t say I know of many others in the area with my level of expertise, but I can ask around. What is it you think you saw?”

“I know what I saw, I’m not stupid.” Hollow said tersely. She glanced around to be sure there was no one who might overhear. “They were huge. Human.”

“Human,” the witch echoed doubtfully. Several seconds passed as the witch considered Hollow’s claim. 

“You saw this? Were they…solid, do you know? Real?”

“They threw me across the cupboard, so yeah, I’d say they were real,” Hollow scoffed.

“How curious.”

The witch smiled and golden wire bangles clattered down his wrist as he abruptly stood up to jump up onto the next shelf. His wings flared for a second, catching the candlelight, even though the jump onto the bracket was low enough that Hollow could’ve easily cleared it. She fidgeted with the frayed edge of his sleeve, not sure if she was supposed to follow. She didn’t really want to see the witch’s full collection of eccentricities.

There was a cluster of thumps overhead as Ely fumbled with whatever it was he was doing. It sounded like a bag full of pebbles, or maybe marbles. Some nonsense. Hollow hated believing in this shit, that someone could just break reality by waving their hands just wrong. There was enough to fear in the world without worrying about finding magic lurking in the shadows beside her.

The witch came back down a minute later, holding a book of scrap paper with messy stitches for binding. It was about half as tall as Hollow was, large enough to be awkward in even the witch’s hands. He sat on the floor and flipped through it, too fast for Hollow to try reading along, though she noticed there were a lot of symbols that weren't a part the alphabet she did know. A minute passed and Ely hmmed and shook his head, evidently there was nothing useful there for him either. 

“Did your sibling say anything about what had happened?”

Hollow fidgeted with her climbing floss. She felt the witch staring at him even without looking up. 

“I didn’t ask. We…didn’t talk. I just ran when they saw me. And then they…that was when they threw me. I wasn’t there long,” she said.

“When was this, anyway? You went and saw your sibling without speaking to them?” 

Hollow hadn’t spoken with Val since she had abandoned them—10 years, give or take. Even when Ritos had shown up with Val limping along behind him, Hollow had only been able to stare. They were a ghost back then and a monster now. What was she supposed to say?

Sorry I left you with her, but I was sure she was going to kill me. Sorry I didn’t come back, but I figured you’d be dead. I’m sorry I didn’t do more for you.

Please don’t hurt me. I’m sorry.

“I came here for answers, not to be questioned,” she said stiffly.

“Patience, dear. I don’t know any magic like what you’ve described, and wouldn’t it be nice if I didn’t waste time finding you answers you don’t even want?”

“What does it matter whether or not I talked to them?”

The witch took a seat beside her as if they were two close friends instead of near strangers. Hollow flinched as one of Ely’s long fingers tilted her chin so the two were making eye contact. Unnatural. Everything about this man was unnatural.

“What does it matter? If you’re not on speaking terms with your sibling, what does it matter what magics they play with in their free time? Why are the answers so important that you’ll come out and deal with me?”

“It’s dangerous. Them, I mean, or…if they’re h—if they can pass themself off as human like that, they could come after the colony just like any real human. I don’t need to explain why that’s a problem, do I?”

“Fear? Then why waste time coming to me for answers? Your council has its ways to deal with threats, doesn’t it? Even humans,” Ely said. 

“I don’t know if I want them…dealt with. I don’t know where they’d even go or…”

“So what do you want from me?” the witch asked.

“Answers. I want to know what’s going on,” Hollow said stubbornly. 

“Yes, and I don’t have your answers on hand. How I go about finding them depends on why you want them. It will be a lot more work if you’re looking to imitate whatever spell they’ve used.”

Hollow’s face flushed—she’d thought about it. She assumed everyone imagined being human now and then, even if they didn’t talk about it. Who wouldn’t want to know what the world really looked like from human eyes? And Hollow had a list of giants she’d love to confront face-to-face if given the chance: that girl, the leafblower asshole, the gardener, the dog owner across the street, the miniature maker…but it was a daydream. If this sort of thing was real, then dreaming about that sort of violence could invite it. She didn’t really want to fight every other giant that had ever inconvenienced her, even if she could do it without getting hurt. Aggression was their game. 

“I just want to know what happened.”

Ely tilted his head. He looked unsatisfied, like a cat whose prey managed to get out of reach. Hollow looked back down at her lap and took a breath. She didn’t talk about this. She tried not to think about it. There was no good to come of it, just crushed feelings and guilt.

“And…I, yeah, I worry about Val, too. I’m afraid of what they might have gotten themself into. I want to know if they’re…okay. It’s hardly a sin that I care about my sibling, is it?”

It felt like a sin. How dare she? After everything she had failed to do, how dare she claim to care? She’d abandoned them to a horrible fate and then lied about it so no one would find out what she’d done.

“Maybe this was a mistake,” Hollow muttered. 

Ely rubbed her back and for a split second, Hollow felt like a child getting pulled into her mother’s lap after a bad day. And then the overlarge borrower inhaled deeply, almost dreamily, and Hollow pulled away.

“I do love a good confession,” Ely sighed, “Even when the truth is so...plain. You’d likely be better going back and talking to Val yourself, but I’ll see what I can find out, without harming your sibling. Is this agreeable?”

“What do you want from me in exchange?”

Ely smiled, toothy as any predator. Hollow stood up to put at least a few centimeters of distance between them. 

“Don’t worry about payment. I enjoy an excuse to research with my kin and…this has been even more pleasant. I should have some sort of answer for you after the full moon, but you’re welcome to return any time if you need anything else.”

Hollow shook the witch’s hand to seal the deal, then hurried off the shelf. She didn’t want to spend a second more than necessary in that wretched shed.

~

taglist: @da3dm @whumpsday

[the-roo-too]

말리지 마 -> slytherin! oh haewon

-because of a stunt the slytherin pulled, you’re both now in nightly detention. you wouldn’t expect one of the smarter teachers to lead you to the forbidden forest with your biggest enemy in the middle of the night now, would you?

warnings: dead unicorn; dementors; blood

genre: enemies to lovers

notes: haewon 🤭🤭

(⋆._.)⊃▁⛥⌒*ﾟ.❉・゜・。.

“stupid slytherin..” you muttered under your breath, throwing on the warmer cloak. it was well after sundown so the outside was pretty chilly. with a low grunt you exited the common room, watching the doors without a knob close behind you.

you moved silently through the hall, a lantern in your hand as your only source of light. without it, the hallways would be quite terrifying at night. especially the talking portraits. you preferred them complaining that you woke them up with the lamp, instead of hearing their whispers as if you were a intruder in the castle.

the way from your dorm room to the gate was a long one, but it still was the least scary part of the night awaiting you.

when you exited through the main entrance, you could see the lights from the lamps of a fellow student and the care of magical creatures teacher. both figures stood near the teacher’s hut, probably awaiting your arrival.

even from the distance, jeongyeon (or miss yoo, as you formally should address her) smiled at you brightly. she waved you over, not minding the grumpy slytherin on her side.

“l/n! you finally arrived!”

“i’m sorry, miss yoo… did you have to wait long?”

“yes.” jeongyeon glared lightly at the other student before turning back to you.

“it’s fine, l/n. a little cold air is very healthy!” she proceeded to look between you and the slytherin expectingly. “well then, l/n, oh, let’s go!”

(⋆._.)⊃▁⛥⌒*ﾟ.❉・゜・。.

whoever thought that sending two students, a teacher (and a dog) to the forbidden forest in the middle of the night was a good idea was terribly wrong.

because jeongyeon trusted you ‘enough’ she took the dog and went one way, telling you and the slytherin to follow the path and search for the body of a unicorn. apparently she found him dead once, but didn’t have a vial on her by then. the teacher wanted you to collect some blood and hairs of the deceased creature.

“i cant believe i have to walk with you.” haewon gritted out as she walked before you. jeongyeon handed her the lamp, so she was leading you two through the forest.

“well i’m not jumping in happiness too, am i?” you bit back, rolling your eyes. what was her problem, you never actually knew. “it’s your fault we’re here anyway.”

a scoff fell from her lips, a small cloud forming in the cold air. “that stupid gryffindor was gonna spill my cauldron on your head.”

“as if.”

“ask him yourself, dipshit.”

you really didn’t have to, you knew the gryffindor boy hated you. he had some personal problems, nothing that bothered you too much. he just decided to play a prank on you during potions, and apparently haewon doesn’t take easy people stealing her cauldrons.

although you could swear she once let a park like that pass by with students from her own house? never mind that.

something at the path before you shined a little in the light from the lamp. you squinted your eyes, spotting the little horn of the unicorn peeking out.

“is that it..?” you asked softly.

“take a wild guess, l/n.”

you rolled your eyes and took a step closer, not minding the slytherin. one hand holding your wand, you reached the other in your pocket to look for the glass vial. behind you, you could hear haewon complaining quietly as she followed you.

a small shiver went down your spine.

“is it just me, or did it get colder all of a sudden?” you asked in a whisper tone.

“…i feel that too.” that wasn’t reassuring.

you finally stood above the body of the unicorn. you looked at the creature with pity as you slowly kneeled down. “keep the light above me, okay oh?”

as you leaned over the unicorn, you noticed the mist coming from your mouth.

“why is it so cold…?” you asked yourself, but then a sudden push made you fall to your side. the vial you were about to collect the blood in broke in your hand, the small shards prickling at your skin.

you were about to turn to yell at haewon for pushing you, when you noticed what made her react that way.

dementors.

her eyes meet yours just as you noticed the danger in front of you.

“they came here because of the smell..” she whispered, holding the eye contact. “i’m gonna need you to run.”

“what?”

she held up her wand, breaking the staring contest. “run!”

(⋆._.)⊃▁⛥⌒*ﾟ.❉・゜・。.

the next couple minutes were a blur. you know you ran through the forest, calling for jongyeon. you must’ve found her at some point, because then you remembered her running with you to where you left the slytherin.

you definitely found her, but what state was she in?

you fidgeted with the bandage wrapped around your hand. you were now in the medical wing. miss yoo miraculously wasn’t fired when she brought the two of you back to the castle in the early hours of the morning, yet now you were alone again, sitting on the slytherin’s hospital bed. she hasn’t woken up yet.

as you looked at her battered face, you could feel the guilt eating you up. she told you to run, but would she be better if you stayed to help?

she stirred a little, making you look at her face. a small groan slipped from her lips before her eyes made contact with you.

“…l/n?” she asked in a hoarse voice.

you immediately stood up and walked to her bedside table, handing her a glass of water that stood there. haewon nodded her head gratefully and sipped the drink.

“why are you here?” she asked finally, her tone still a bit groggy. her eyes landed on the bandage wrapped around your palm. “oh no, you’re hurt…”

a soft chuckle slipped past your lips. “you’re the one saying that?”

a grin broke out on her face. “i look terrible, dont i?”

“no… not at all..” your hand slowly itched to her own. “you told me to run… why?”

“i didn’t want you getting hurt.” she shrugged.

“but you got hurt. and we’re… enemies..?”

the smile remained on her face. “if we really were enemies, i’d let that gryffindor pour my cauldron on you.”

you could feel your cheeks heat up slightly. “w-what?”

“what you gonna do now that i told you?” her grin widens.

“what should i do?”

“you can start by kissing me.”

(⋆._.)⊃▁⛥⌒*ﾟ.❉・゜・。.

[parkswritessometimes]

Sunday X Marvin

It’s been almost twelve hours without a text from Marvin. Usually, he’d respond within minutes of a message. A little emoji or acknowledgment that he was alive. But nothing. No response from the good morning text he sent when he woke up. Usually, Marvin was the one who woke up early and Sunday would wake up to a cute morning image of Higgins or a bedheaded, shirtless Marvin, but no message today. 

“You good, Kit-Kat?” Sunday types hitting send before his anxieties get the better of him. Marv was probably just too engrossed in a book to even acknowledge their phone. It’s happened before on a handful of occasions, but they always replied within a few hours with an apology or an excuse or something. 

But Sunday can’t stop this gut feeling that something was wrong. That something was wrong. He’s been getting that feeling a lot lately. Especially since the twins rose to power in the magic circle. This twisting feeling in his soul, in his magic. But this was so specific to Marvin like a magnetic force pulling him towards his friend.    

And it’s not like Marvin was going to ask for help if he needed it. Marvin has always been far too prideful for that. Raised by absent parents and a semi-sane mentor who could never be understood by anyone but Marvin, he was always destined to be an aloof person. It probably didn’t help that they were bullied for several years before Sunday came into the picture. 

Sunday was also an outsider always working twice as hard to keep up with the advanced classes he was put in. Magic always seemed to come so easy for everyone else. He’s lucky that he made the cut for the Magic Circle. It would have been so easy to cast him aside and label him a dud, but he was given a single chance. Same with Marvin.

It took a lot of time for Marvin to open up. Lots of shared candy bars, healing magic, repairing uniforms with his more practical sewing skills before Marvin even told Sunday his name. But over time Sunday could feel Marvin slowly opening up. Ivy creeping up his ivory walls until it flooded his heart. 

Now they’re 28 and living life, Marvin had a bookstore that never seemed to be open and Sunday worked for the Magic Circle, always one of the first people to be in the loop. And as much as it annoyed the higher-ups, Marvin was always the first one to know what was going on. It was a good thing the two of them had going on. 

Late-night phone calls that only ended when one of them fell asleep, cute photos, and inside jokes. Nicknames and practice kisses. And yeah their heart always skipped a beat or two or just flat-out stop when Marvin would lay their head in their lap, or hold his hand. But it was fine. Marvin was always skipping from person to person, never sticking with one partner for more than six months. Bar hookups, tinder profile pictures, bumble notifications, that always broke his heart just a little bit. But what was he going to do? Marvin was having fun and Sunday didn’t want to ruin their fun. 

Maybe that’s where Marvin was, on a date or he slept over at a guy’s house and forgot a charger. But still, that didn't feel right.

Sunday looks back down at their phone. No notification. Okay, time for a wellness check. 

“I’m coming over if you don’t text me in the next three seconds.”

“3”

“2”

“1”

“On my way. I’ll bring sushi as a peace offering.” 

Sunday grabs their favorite green cloak throwing it over their shoulder and goes out into London’s warm Summer night. 

—---

Sunday knocks on the door, okay more like pounds, trying to get Marvin’s attention. He wedges his cell phone between his ear and shoulder and listens to the ring over and over again before getting the standard “leave a message”.

“Vin, Kit-Kat, it’s me. Open up. I bring gifts and if you don’t open up I’m gonna portal up to your apartment. So do us both a favor and let me in!” He kicks the door a few more times to send a message before hanging up and shoving his phone into his pocket. Sunday looks up at the flat, the lights are on which is a good sign at the very least. He sighs yanking his bear charm free from his neck letting his mask form on his face. Magic wasn’t exactly allowed in public without a permit but he’s technically on Marvin’s property. He won’t get nicked for that. Hopefully.  The portal revealing Marvin’s room appears and he steps through closing the portal behind him. 

Higgin’s little merp and rub against his thighs settle some of his nerves but the main problem still remains. His mask swirls back into the necklace on his chest and the golden magic fades from his fingertips as his he pets Marvin’s little familiar. 

“Hey, Higgy. Where’s Marvin? You gonna lead me to him?” 

Higgins jumps up on the bed ignoring Sunday’s request. Typical little cat. Sunday pushes the door open wandering out into Marvin’s kitchen and living room. Notes, pictures, and drawings line the walls looking like the workings of a madman. And in the middle of it all Marvin, still in his pajamas, pacing around the room.

“Uh, Marv? You there mate?” Sunday asks, but Marvin keeps pacing and muttering to himself. Sunday sets the dinner down on the countertop and walks over the scattered pages of Marvin’s writing. Slowly, carefully with each step Sunday moves forward trying not to mess up any of Marvin’s work. Their hand finally finds their way to Marvin’s shoulder and in an instant, Marvin’s mask is on and lighting in his hands. 

“Woah! Hey! Hey! Marvin! It’s me! It’s me.” Sunday says throwing their hands up.

“Sunday. Sunday…Sunny.” Marvin says, almost as if he’s in a trance. 

“Yeah, Kit-Kat. It’s me. It’s Sunny.”

“What are you doing here? How did you get in?”

“I used a portal and you weren’t answering your phone. I got worried.”

The fogginess in Marvin’s eyes clear and they flash into so many emotions going from fear to sadness to anger all within seconds. 

"I don't need your help, Sunday." Marvin’s green eyes drill into Sundays. And for anyone else, this would probably strike fear into their souls. But not Sunday. Sunday knows that look. It’s not true anger, if it was he’d be on fire. It’s that pride getting in his way. The fear that if he opens up he’ll be left alone on the porch begging for someone, anyone to stay. He has to push everyone so far away that his heart will never bleed like that again.

"Yeah, I know, kit-kat. You don’t need anyone’s help." Sunday whispers in a soothing tone taking a step forward. Marvin may growl and snarl like a feral cat from time to time but Sunday knows him better than anyone, including Marvin himself. He was just tired and clearly scared of something going on. Whatever he found must have truly shaken him to the core.

“Don’t say it in that fucking tone Sunday. Why the fuck are you even here? Did the twins send you? Because you can tell them-"

 "I came because I was worried. So can you just sit down for five minutes and let me bring you the dinner I bought before Higgins eats it?” Sunday’s golden glow wraps around their fingertips and rests against Marvin’s face. Their thumb go up and down their beard as they try to soothe Marvin. 

“Sunny…”

“It’s sushi, and I know you have some good wine. Let me get us some glasses and you can tell me what's going on.”

“Probably skip the wine.”

“Vinny, did you not eat this morning?”

“I think so? I can’t remember.”

“Okay, let's sit down.” Sunday grabs his friend’s hand and guides him down to the couch. Marvin’s head instantly rests against Sunday’s chest and Sunday finds his hand in his friend's long brown hair. “Do you want to talk first or eat?”

“What did you bring?”

“Sushi.”

“I want to eat first.”

“Okay, kit-kat. Let me grab the food.” Marvin squeezes him closer, refusing to let him get up from his spot. Sunday sighs knowing that he isn’t going anywhere. He opens a small portal allowing the food to fall through and onto the coffee table in front of them. 

“I got California rolls, rainbow rolls, and some salmon nigiri.” 

“You spoil me, Sunny.” 

“I know.” Sunday begins to unpack all the takeout from the plastic bag laying it all out on the table. He hands Marvin a pair of chopsticks and lets him dig in. With Marvin off of him, he gets up and goes back to the kitchen. He grabs a glass from his friend’s cabinet and fills it to the brim with cold water. 

“You want me to grab Higgins?”

“No, that’s okay. He’d just get lost in the papers anyway.”

“Yeah, I was gonna ask you about that.”

“It’s all my notes, I’m trying to decipher some of them.”

“Why? Aren’t they your notes?”

“Yes, but I can’t remember writing some of them.”

“Well, you’ve written so many it doesn’t surprise me you’ve forgotten some of them.” Sunday sets the cold glass in front of Marvin and nudges him towards it. 

“No that’s not the issue, the issue was they were wiped from my memory.” 

Sunday shakes his head and jolts back in surprise. Ras has been wiping Marvin’s memories? Thats-why would he do that? He practically raised Marvin. The Magic Circle has always said that he was dangerous and an outsider. Breaking the rules of magic and not conforming to the laws set in place to keep the world safe, but mental magic? On Marvin? That’s almost too much to bear. No wonder Marvin got so angry. His trust must be shattered on the floor in a million pieces. 

“Ras has been using mental magic on you?! We gotta report this! You can stay at my house until the council has him imprisoned.” 

“What no! Sunday! Ras hasn’t been tampering with my memories. The Circle has been.”

The Circle? No. They were a bit…shifty but what governmental organization isn’t?! Members of parliament and even the prime minister took bribes and did some shady stuff and they were in charge of the country! Don’t even get him started on the mess that was America's government system. But there's no way that The Magic Circle was doing something like that to its members. To Marvin. To Him.   

“Marvin, I think-”

Marvin yanks off his necklace and lets his cat mask form in his hand. The green ethereal glow signaled that some enchantment had been left on it.

“I have it recorded. The twins, they took so much away from us, Sunny. Just look.”

Sunday takes the mask and places it on his face. Green-tinted visions of the past come before his eyes. That’s him in the corner, looking over at Marvin, but he definitely doesn’t remember this. A dead body on a slab with the twins matching fox masks firmly on their faces. Their muffled voices told them to leave the room and like the good peons they were, they left. 

“We’ve reached the limits of what direct observation can show us.”

“Even magical observation is insufficient.”

“Necromancy then.”

The twins cast a spell causing the body to rise up. Sunday’s never seen anything like it. He’s always been told something like this was illegal except in the hands of the authorities. People with permits and power. He couldn’t even pay attention to the answers the body was giving, too shocked by the twin's actions to do anything. 

The body collapses back on the table and Sunday almost does as well. But just when he thought the worst was over.

“We might use Mind’s Eye.” One of them says. Mind’s Eye was one of the most dangerous spells that could be cast on such a body. The Malia it takes could easily drain that of the corpses and the users, leaving everyone involved just dust on the floor. 

“The risk would be enormous.”

“To lesser magicians than we.”

“Very well we do need answers.”

“There remains malia sufficient in the husk to achieve it once.”

The twins touch their fingers to the corpse's skull letting the purple mist swirl around the room chaotically. Sunday can’t make out the images but he knows in his soul it’s bad. The body screams out like it’s dying again before crumbling to ash. 

The twins put their masks back on allowing everyone to rejoin them. Sunday and Marvin are the first to come in but still, Sunday can not remember even being in this room.

Sunday is all but helpless to watch as Marvin picks up his mask as the twins talk.

“We learned much from this vessel, but little of substance.”

“The circumstances of its death were byzantine and inconsequential.”

“A matter of science. Nothing with which to trouble ourselves. Whatever happened to this man does not concern the magic circles. We needn’t investigate further.”

“You needn’t even remember what transpired here.”

The twins chat to cast a spell and just like that the memory is gone. The recording stops and Sunday takes the mask off of his face. 

They took their memories. 

They took his memories.

They took Marvin’s memories. 

Over a man who died to science?! Over something so simple and inconsequential?! What did they erase that was important?! Did they erase a full days months or even years from his head?! How could they do something like that?!

“Marv, what the hell are we going to do? Can we get those memories back?! I can’t- What else did they take from us?!” Could they take larger pieces? Could they take whole people out of the memory? Could they take relationships? When was the limit where they couldn’t touch the memories?! 

“I don’t know. I have regained a few memories they took but that’s only because Ras drilled it in me to record my notes and journal my days. I’m trying to fill the gaps but I think most of them are gone.”

“Shit Marv. What are we going to do?”

“I honestly don’t know. Start recording with our masks? Compare notes?”

“That’s a start I suppose.” 

Marvin takes his spot back in Sunday’s chest and Sunday holds him tight. But it doesn’t stop the intense flood of anxiety coursing through his body. Pumped by the growing beat of his heart. 

Forgetting Marvin would be like forgetting his own name, his own being. They were so intertwined there was no way they could make them forget each other. Right? They surely couldn’t rip each other away. They would have done that years ago with Marvin and Ras. The twins never kept it a secret that they hated the man and constantly pushed Marvin to ditch his mentor. But Marvin was too stubborn, too loyal to even consider that an option.  

He looks back down at his friend only to find him asleep, all curled up in their lap. Sunday smiles and traces over Marvin’s tattoos with their finger. 

“No one will take me from you Marvin. I promise. No matter what.” They plant a little kiss on Marvin’s forehead and shuffle to a more comfortable position on the couch. No use in fighting it, he was gonna spend the night on the couch with Marvin. Not the first time this has happened and certainly not the last. He leans over and grabs a blanket from off the floor and drapes it over the two of them. 

Sunday wasn’t quite ready to fall asleep, still processing the huge mind fuck that the Magic Circle was doing this. And Marvin’s notes and research were within arms reach; he might as well catch up on what Marvin found. His fingertips find a large leather-bound book and pull it closer. Colorful tabs dot the pages probably signifying different spells he needed. 

Sunday opens it up to the first tab to find Marvin’s handwriting. No mention of spells or anything. Sunday immediately closes it and sets it down on Marvin’s back. Not today. There has to be something else he can read to get caught up on all this a spell book or something. But all of the notes around him seem to be in Marvin’s messy cursive writing. 

And then something catches his eye. One of the tabs on Marvin's journal had a little sun and a heart. He rarely lets curiosity get the best of him, that was more Marvin’s department, but he has to know what the little doodle of his nickname was doing there. He opens the book back up and begins to read the tabbed page.

I’m gonna do it. I’m gonna ask Sunny out after this meeting. I know we’re already kinda going out but I’m gonna make it official with him today. I’m in love with him and I’m sure he’s in love with me. Just gotta finish this meeting. I’m pretending to take notes but it's so dreadfully boring. I swear the twins are the stiffest people you’ll ever meet in your lifetime. 

Sunday doesn’t even realize he’s crying until the tear hits the page and smudges the ink. Did they take away that moment? Did they even allow them to have it? It’s not like Sunday could remember it. But he can just imagine it. Marvin just blurts out their feelings and he just goes red with embarrassment as Marvin uses sweet words until they kiss. 

And Magic Circle just took it away like it was nothing. 

Did Marvin know? He had to, he marked it after all. But…fuck. Did they take more moments like that away from them? How many times did they confess only to have the Magic Circle have it erased? 

Sunday wipes the tears away and takes another deep breath. He looks back down at Marvin and traces his finger across his jaw. He looks so peaceful right now. And as much as he wants to wake him up and tell him that he’s right, that he’s in love with him, that he wants to spend the rest of their lives together. It can wait. One big revelation at a time.

Sunday gives him one more kiss on the head and pulls the blanket up to Marvin’s shoulders. Both of them are gonna need sleep if they’re gonna figure out how to save their memories from future tampering. 

“Goodnight Marvin. I love you.”

-----

I don't usually write shippy stuff but here y'all go!

----

Tag List:

@kalcifers-blog

@the3rddenialist

[x-bee-x]

When I Don't Remember You

I remembered this song. It was too painfully perfect to not write about this with these two. It hurt me to look back at parts of vods to make sure I had everything correct and write this, it will probably hurt you to read this.

705 words

Marceline

The room was somewhat dark, and a bit cramped due to the amount of people it held, and then the walls lowered.

Seven children, looking so very small and displaying almost three months worth of dirt and a series of small cuts, hiding in corners and hunched in on themselves behind barriers.

"Dapper! Come here, oh my goodness! Oh son, hi little one!"

We ran to each other, my bigger hand up against one side of the glass, his tiny one pressed against it from the other side.

"Dad, why do you look like Sans?"

They looked at as much as was visible of my face behind the cloak, taking note of my left eye now being a light shade of blue, I missed him and the things he says so much.

"Dapper, what the fudge."

Is it just you and me in the wreckage of the world?

And there was the ticking of a timer somewhere in the distance, and there was yelling from adults and children alike, and Dapper's little hand was holding my clawed one without glass between it now.

"Come on Dapper, follow me son, I'm the only one that can watch you, let's go, we have to get out of here."

The sky was red, it matched the blood splatter stains on my cloak and under my nails and on my face, it was red like a warning of inevitability.

"Come on Dapper, stay with me! Stay ahead, keep ahead of me, keep going."

The boat was so far, and the timer was still ticking, I couldn't have her leave my sight again.

That must be so confusing for a little girl

"Dapper, listen to me. I need you to go, I need you to run, I need you to keep going without me. I have an elytra, I need you to use it, keep going, okay?"

He stopped suddenly, eyes looking into mine, shaking their little head so fast.

"Dapper, pick that up, take this firework with it. You need to use it and go over the mountain and keep going okay?"

We were running again, still so far away from the boat, visible tears matching speed in streams down her cheeks.

And I know you're going to need me here with you

I squeezed their hand as we ran, they squeezed back, he was still shaking his head, still crying.

"Keep going, Dapper, use your ender pearl. Go Dapper, go go go, use the elytra. Go son, keep going, use your ender pearl, go without me, it's okay!"

There was a tiny glint of green among the sea of red, my voice shaking as I yelled and prayed for something I wasn't sure if I believed in anymore for them to be okay, and then it was white.

But I'm losing myself, and I'm afraid you're gonna lose me too

Back on the island where six months ago my world was still colorful.

Back on the island where three months ago my skin didn't have patches of blue and green on it.

Back on the island where today I had been sitting on an iron bench with a girl with eyes different colors like my own and I told a boy with a hat in the shape of a cow head to take care of himself and his other family.

This magic keeps me alive, but it's making me crazy

"You'll never know dear, how much I love you, please don't take my sunshine away."

And I need to save you, but who's going to save me?

"There was something, I know it. I can't remember. I think it was, it was, it was."

There were flowers as far as thee eye could see in front of me, but I could only focus on a blue cornflower, it felt familiar for some reason.

"Where am I?"

Please forgive me for whatever I do

My eyes stung as tears welled inside and formed at the corners.

My chest hurt from trying to keep more coughs at bay.

"Dapper, crawl to the entrance. Dapper, you have to crawl, now. Crawl to the entrance, you need to make it, Dapper."

And then it was white.

When I don't remember you

[redwolf17]

Olyvar/Sansa are both wholesome AND deranged and I love them

Olyvar, 5 seconds after meeting Sansa: sure why not risk my life for her that’s totally normal EVERYONE should volunteer to defend innocent maidens who verbally annihilate Tywin Lannister to his face so what if I’m just a squire and secretly Aegon Targaryen nope don’t think about that

Olyvar: promptly almost dies fighting the Mountain

Sansa: accidentally saves his life by summoning attack birds

Sansa the next day: my unexpected champion has barely survived his trial by combat with the Mountain! I’m gonna try eldritch song magic that I barely understand to heal his crushed arm

Olyvar: has a violent nightmare

Sansa: flees

Olyvar: does not notice his suspiciously fast healing

Olyvar: it is extremely normal to have a marriage proposal be my ONLY idea to save this helpless child from Cersei

Olyvar: EW I’m not going to deeply kiss her at the wedding, that’s a BABY why does everyone think this is a love story??? Also let me make terrible puns to try to comfort the terrified bride NO we are not doing a bedding?!?? drags Sansa to his rooms

Sansa: starts to strip

Olyvar: NONONONO flings cloak over her uhhhh if anyone is listening I’m too drunk to consummate we’ll do that uhhhh never later BYE BYE *flees*

Sansa: …..

Sansa: okay, so, rather than flee my unwanted and possibly a pedophile husband the instant we’re out of the city and I smell Brienne nearby, what if I COME OUT OF THE WEREWOLF CLOSET AND THREATEN HIM WITH A PACK OF WOLVES

Olyvar: 😳🥺 oh wow she’s scary and cool and justified tbh, if she murdered me she’d have a point too bad I can’t tell her my secret, nope, don’t blab, don’t blab —*immediately blabs*

Sansa: wait you’re ELIA’S SON?!?!?

Olyvar: … oops

Olyvar: doesn’t tell ANYONE about the werewolf revelation because that is Sansa’s secret

Brienne: SO. Time to flee north, yeah?

Sansa: no Brienne I’m not going home to Robb, I gotta meet Princess Elia because WTF

Olyvar: okay so my baby wife is just another sister. Clearly that means I gotta watch over Sansa night/day, make sure she’s properly fed/protected from sunstroke, comfort her with lullabies when she has trauma nightmares

Sansa: oh no he makes terrible puns, why am I laughing??? Mmm citrus and blithely sharing my heinous trauma whilst being confused when Olyvar goes 😨😳

Elia: so yeah my son needs to go on a mission to Daenerys, claim a dragon if he can, Sansa should probably stay here

Olyvar: excuse me that’s up to HER

Sansa: uhhh, well clearly I can’t go home rn, I gotta go to Meereen to serve as Olyvar’s dragon translator even though it’s unclear skinchanging will let me do that

Elia and Meria: wait serve as his what

Sansa: … he didn’t tell you??? I’m a werewolf and I can talk to animals no big deal

Elia and Meria: ?!!?!?!?!?!!!!!??

Robett Glover: Sansa is clearly being held in Sunspear against her will despite her apparent freedom and good humor. I shall break into her rooms to rescue her and carry her away!

Gilly: oh no 😱

Olyvar, sleeping in a chair on nightmare duty: oh NO 😳

Sansa, seeing Robett threaten to kill Olyvar: OH NO 🤬

Sansa: turns into a direwolf and tackles Robett before shifting back so she can yell at him for not believing her

Robb, receiving letters from Robett and Sansa explaining she’s going to Meereen: ….. wtf is happening

Sansa and Olyvar in Meereen: wow, what an amazing friend/partner who supports me and balances my strengths/weaknesses. Too bad we can’t stay married

Olyvar and Sansa: … UNLESS

promptly fall in love

spend 3 years openly pining and angsting over the political implications

Dornish retinue: drop constant hints that are less and less subtle

Dany: gives Sansa a sheer muslin negligée

Aegor: gives Olyvar a Yunkish Kama sutra

Olyvar and Sansa: still refuse to have sex

Olyvar: Sansa is my closest confidant, of course she will come with me on a dragonback road trip to track down Drogon. NO we’re not gonna do THAT whilst we’re alone and unchaperoned come on it’s not like we’re deeply in love

Everyone: deep sigh of frustration because they actually believe him

Sansa: falls off Viserion

Olyvar: leaps into the Rhoynar from dragonback to save Sansa from drowning

Sansa: I am literally BEGGING you to join me in bed 🥺

Olyvar: WHOOPS look at the time goes to sleep with Viserion instead

Olyvar to Deziel: goes on about his love for Sansa at length, rather poetically But we can’t consummate the marriage, what if Robb Stark is mad??? What if our love is a political disaster like that of Jaime and Cersei???

Deziel: dude, you’re a fucking moron

Several months later, Sansa to Brienne: but what if Olyvar is right???

Brienne: my lady, you’re a moron

Sansa: …

Sansa: goes to yell at Olyvar

Olyvar: escapes being yelled at by being knocked overboard by a sudden squall

Sansa: is terrified of falling and drowning

Also Sansa: turns into a wolf, leaps off a ship into the Narrow Sea to save Olyvar from drowning

The next morning: Olyvar and Sansa wake up naked together because she cuddled him in wolf form to prevent hypothermia and no other ulterior motives. Sansa puts on the negligée and reads him the riot act. Olyvar gets on his knees to pledge his love by saying wedding vows again. They FINALLY have sex, only to find out the crew was placing bets on when they’d bang and Gilly won.

… they shrug it off and have sex 24/7 for a week

—————

*art of our beloved weirdos by @ohnoitsmyra

[myreputatioooon]

AU where the Change God is not having it so she makes Siffrin xir Virgin Mary to debug/day 1 patch reality (sort of) and Loop is screaming the whole way through

"But the change god uses they/them!!" anypronouns anything goes in this au whippersnapper

kif you wanna us this yourself, go crazy gostupid, just credit me for the inspo :3

Content Warnings - Unconsented Magical Pregnancy (nobody does the nasty), canon typical mental illness and death, canonical child death, difficulties eating, pregnancy symptoms but it gets whack because it's ✨magical✨, capital letters, implied/mentioned non-consensual body & mind alterations

if I need to put any other warnings or tags just ask me in replies or reblogs or asks

fullgame spoilers under the cut-- WAHHH!!1!

~~~~~~~

A critical part of The Island getting erased along with the lobotomization of the knowledge hailing from it--like knowledge on real impactful shit like, i dunno, Wish Craft!!!!--means you have to input constant and conscious effort to bring that subconcious knowledge back into your concious mind so you can maybe grasp whatever the hell you're dealing with

You have to realize dredging up what's left of that culture is something that must be done, and do it

Siffrin hasn't yet. They know the practices and beliefs on some level, but not to a wholly conscious degree--so when they makes his wish to The Universe, the ritual on it's altar, The Tree of Favors?

Their god still listens as they do to the people of Vauguard, Siffrin still possesses that subconcious knowledge to pray to his god. Due to that knowledge being banished to the reccesses of the world's minds however, there's less oomph to the wish being delivered only in The Universe's direction, so to speak

Nay, Siffrin and Vauguard is much more conciously believing that Favor Trees and their fufilled wishes are the act of the Change God

So with a concious delivery of prayer to a previously unrelated deity powered by their people and a follower of The Universe, they recieve a seat in the proceedings!!! └(^o^)┘

and while the change god can do little to prevent the fufilling on another dieity's domain, fey is very very aware of how irate the loops are going to make him given the fit she was having once the king came around!1!!! (ᗒᗣᗕ)՞

so the only logical solution??/ have a baby!! ≧◇≦ everydeity knows theyre the best way to loophole predicaments in clashing domains. with a child you can bypass so many rules and learns things you never could without them!!!! uwu

also just in case something they more devastating than The Island's fate comes around~!! @_@ a backup is a nice idea!!!

And wouldn't you know it! The Universe is already setting it up so that newly false eternal siffrin will keep all the skills and strength they grow along with their memories, so whats the harm in a baby he never asked for? B)

~~~~~~~

They feel a tug on their stomach.

⌫ ⌫ ⌫ ⌫ ⌫ ⌫ ⌫ ⌫

.

.

.

They're back . . .

Back to before the attack on the King . . .

His stomach feels awful. Does he have indigestion?

. . . is that what death feels like? Indigestion?

He'll shake it off. They have a country to save.

✦ ⋄ ✦ ⋄ ✦ ⋄ ✦

They don't eat much this time around. There's probably gonna be snacks tomorrow so they'll chow down then.

"Frin, do you not like the food?"

Their stomach feels awful. It'll get better by snack time.

"No-- I'm just-- not that hungry."

✦ ⋄ ✦ ⋄ ✦ ⋄ ✦

Everytime he hits that counter his body can't decide if they're going to hurt more than the last loop they did feel any pain or if they'll just feel dull discomfort.

He starts biting into his cloak preemptively after biting his lip bloody.

✦ ⋄ ✦ ⋄ ✦ ⋄ ✦

Sometimes eating is all he can do when food is in front of him, other times they have to force it down.

They end up having to perfect biting and cutting his food into small enough bites that it's easy to swallow food fast enough that he doesn't worry his teammates whenever this is the case.

Odile and Bonnie started looking at him strangely during those loops.

He doesn't think he can do anything about it. Just learn to divert their attention.

✦ ⋄ ✦ ⋄ ✦ ⋄ ✦

With all the time in the universe, Siffrin tries out different food combinations, even ones he'd find repulsive before. The loops seemed to loosen his sense of taste. In fact outside of croissants, anything they can eat is on the table.

Sometimes he'll even catch himself craving pinapples. For some loops it was all he wanted to eat, but he learned the first go around what they did to him.

With all the time in the universe, Siffrin figured out an idea of how much pinapple he could survive eating, and tried to stay below that threshold.

He . . . might've failed sometimes? Whoops?

✦ ⋄ ✦ ⋄ ✦ ⋄ ✦

Siffrin picked out another leaf and chewed it more slowly, cringing at how their tongue slid over the ravaged flesh of their mouth.

The last thing they expected when walking up to the Tree of Favors was to find themself taking a fistfull of leaves and going to town, eating like they were a rabid animal.

He hadn't thought his cravings would switch over to leaves of all things, nevermind something as precious as Favor Leaves but it just felt right, even as his thoughts conjoined to rally against the notion.

He would learn quickly that even after growing sick of Favor Leaves, he couldn't bring himself to not eat any for so much as half a day.

Buying or crafting another pouch at the start of every loop to sneak himself Favor Leaves to snack on--away from the watchful eyes of his allies--becomes second nature.

✦ ⋄ ✦ ⋄ ✦ ⋄ ✦

" s t a r d u s t " sneaks its way into their ears in his sleep.

Stars. The stars. Do they have the answer to the loops?

✦ ⋄ ✦ ⋄ ✦ ⋄ ✦

Siffrin all but tears into each and every book for any written in what could only be his native tongue. They spend loop after loop looking into every book on Craft and memorizing his lost people's texts.

They think they should feel more bad, more terrible about perfecting their evasion from the four's suspicion and wariness on why they're so focussed on Craft, on Wish Craft, on the Stars.

After that their allies became--

✦ ⋄ ✦ ⋄ ✦ ⋄ ✦

For all they've been looping, it makes no sense that their ability to battle with Craft or evade hasn't scaled alongside the rest of their skillset. If anything they're only finding it more and more difficult to get up from the ground. To not find themselves dizzy.

It always nearby Time Craft. Whenever he gets close to the King's Curse, he can feel himself doze off. With every repeat it gets worse and worse.

It happens near the Tree of Favors too, when he bites into it's Leaves, and when he prays at the Change God's statues. It's something that must be the side effects of the loops.

How much worse is he going to get if they don't stop?

✦ ⋄ ✦ ⋄ ✦ ⋄ ✦

The King changed his ways, they didn't need to battle at last! but there was something else he still needed to ask.

"I keep hearing the word 'stardust' in my dreams. What does it have to do with Wish Craft?"

"ooooooh . . . stardust how I yearned to hear that again."

"'stardust' . . . . . was proof . . . proof to who our people called them, that the named . . were precious . . . . . . . . . "

!!!!

He was precious to someone!!! He was Stardust to that voice that haunted his dreams and his tree!!!

They were that person's Universe and they forgot them!! They were a horrible, disgusting, vile person!!! How could they forget them??!!!

✦ ⋄ ✦ ⋄ ✦ ⋄ ✦

.

.

.

Stardust is alive . . .

He only saw their body for seconds.

Too many long seconds.

It shouldn't matter, they're already living for so much longer.

But . . . they're alive!!!

It still doesn't feel real, they're talking to them, their family is talking to them and they're alive . . .

It doesn't feel real . . .

He promised to protect them.

They promised.

And the clocktower is going to be dark when they sleep. Just like the House of Change.

Their kid . . . they promised them . . .

"Siffrin--is something wrong? You're eye's watering."

"!!!"

"Frin?"

How does he protect their kid and sleep? What kind of positions do they need to be in? Is the pillow thick enough that Bonnie won't hurt themself on his dagger but no so much they can't arm themself?

His vision's getting blurry but he can feel their kids right under their chest. Both under his chest, everything is gonna be okay. They're still with him.

Somebody wiped their...tears. They wiped his tears away. He looked down to see Bonnie sitting on his lap in bed, taking their hand down.

He brought a hand to their hair, twirling and untangling their curls. Their hair's so much like his, they already look like family.

"Stardust . . . " they held their kid close to their chest, close to his cloak. Maybe he could lend it as pajamas tonight. Sleep? That could wait later.

"Siffrin... can I ask you something?" Bonbon, their Stardust, Bonbon, alive and well asked.

"Anything Bonbon." By now his hand was mindless twirling their stardust's hair.

"Can your belly stop kicking me? It's really uncomfortable."

They froze.

They knew on some level he were shifting Bonnie to his side, a hand on their shoulder, the other on his knee, and eye to the floor.

That hand on his knee, he brought it to that.

That stomach that always tugged.

"Siffrin." Odile stared them down. "There's something you need to stop hiding from us."

✦ ⋄ ✦ ⋄ ✦ ⋄ ✦

Isa and Odile on the front lines smearing the Sadnessess where they stood, Bonnie behind the two with their aid, and behind the three was Mirabelle by his side to guard him.

It's a strange loop. A loop where he was finally forced to tell his-- his family --what he's been going through and confront his ignorance at the other odeal inside of him.

They had almost even left him behind this go around. Not just because of the fetus, but because even the front gate of the House of Change--due to the King's Curse--made him drowzy.

The only conclusion was that because he had been frozen in countless loops before, the curse was starting to course through him.

But when Mirabelle went to lift the curse, she didn't find it.

She felt something greater than her own blessing.

✦ ⋄ ✦ ⋄ ✦ ⋄ ✦

Siffrin had no clue Mirabelle could scream so loudly. And at her own god no less. Thank stars it isn't him with her ire.

Oh wow. She just went to punch zem in the face.

Siffren felt a tug on his stomach

but more importantly his cloak that imbalanced him, snapping his eye back awake and forcing him to take a step back.

Siffrin turned to see what he might have looked liked as a boy.

It had to be a kid looking up at him, because their head only reached his upper abdomen.

"Stars-- Siffrin! Siffrin I need you to listen real carefully to me right now, because it's real important you get my message!"

But who were they? Why did they look like him? Why did they know his name?

"Siffrin, we both know you don't want to have a kid, and I don't want to be a god with all the responsibilities it comes with, I was never even supposed to be here!"

The Change God put them in him. That would make the baby at least half a deity, and they would take on some of his own features if he was carrying it. Wouldn't they?

"Siffrin, you need to find a way to abort the fetus."

Huh. Even his child was in the loop-- that wasn't funny.

Odile discourged calling them anything more than a fetus, both to prevent attachment to is and because he didn't want to keep it. Except since it looks like he'll to talk with them regardless of his decision, so they need a nickname at least. Stardust?

"WELL IF YOU WANT US TRAPPED IN AN TIMELOOP AND SIFFRIN STUCK WITH YOUR OWN CRAB UP SO BADLY THEN CRABBING TALK WITH US ALL!!!!"

"oki!!!!! >﹏<"

Looking to his side, the rest of his family was brought into the space, finding their footing and then shifting looks between eachother, him and Mirabelle.

"hi!! its me! the change god we're gonna practice healthy communication skills with eachother!!! (^.^)"

Their family was quiet. Mirabelle had probably exhausted her voice, and it's an experience witnessing the Change God live up to their name.

Siffrin gathered his footing, putting a hand on Stardust's shoulder.

"With me Stardust," was enough to convince the kid to walk.

"Isa--" he yawned, and forced himself to stand straighter.

Or tried to, instead he found himself leaning on the other man, a hand on his own shoulder. Stardust was . . . talking about getting an abortion again, he thinks.

He gave into his eyelids glueing themselves together. Vaguely he noticed that his feet weren't flat on the floor anymore. He was sitting on two limbs and he felt more . . .

He hasn't rested this well since forever . . .

~~~~~~~

I can't fucking write anymore, FUCK!!

Siffrin either dozes off and completely misses the conversation or gets woken up

But for the same reason Time and Wish Craft make him sleepy, Siffrin's wakefulness is Over™️ because I don't wanna write AUs branching from an AU

Also Loop--or Stardust here as Siffrin accidentally dubbed them--catches the whole squads attention once they get over the "we're in the Divine Domain of the god who magically impregnated one of our members without consent" thing

"Did-- Did Siffrin already give birth?"

Change: not yet, my godling is manifesting his powers already!! ↖(^ω^)↗

Stardust: Ignore that blinding god! Listen, I need you to dedicate everything into aborting me, because that's what Siffrin wants. I was never meant nor want to be here

Stardust: And frankly that blinding countertop has hurt one too many times for this to keep going

"If you can feel the pain from the countertop does that mean you'll feel the moment you're aborted?"

Stardust: 😬😬😬 ignore that

Change: and you can't change my mind on Siffrin having Stardust ◑w◐

Lots of being caught up to speed happens; what caused the Time Loops, how the Island being wiped dominoed into the Change God getting to add bun's own alteration to the loops spawned from the combination of Siffrin's and Vauguard's wishes

Oh the god is veeery furious at this slight against them, but since xe zirself can't do much to prevent or stop these inevitable slights, the only other answer is a godling who bypasses or works around vis limits!

Enter Stardust, a Siffrin from another timeline who only had the loops to suffer through, despaired, and wished for an escape

Since that Siffrin was heading right towards this world, the Change God jumped for an already matured soul who would take less time and effort to raise despite being more difficult to mold

Because it's a divine baby, and the Change God wants to use Stardust to game the system, it's in Change's interest to subtly push Siffrin to consume or surround himself with objects of Wish Craft + Change's own power to absorb those powers into his body and thus help develop Stardust

Siffrin would be the only everchanging factor of the loops, butterfllying more changes, and be surrounded by the Change God's own symbols of worship, Time Craft thanks to the King, the Wish Craft waffing off of the King and Siffrin, plus there's a Tree of Favors to snack on

But also making a new god takes a lot out of humans and even gods, so while the Change God can pump as much of their power into speeding up and easing the process (and taste foods through Siffrin, erasing his disgust at other foods to open horizons as payment), it's still rough for Siff, hence the sleepyness

And it worked, since Stardust's divinity eventually developed and with their new powers, became aware of their situation

And boy was Stardust enraged at their predicament, so they tried and failed to reach out to Siffrin before anybody else could and get the message across that he's pregnant and has to find a way to preform a magical abortion on a divine fetus

It didn't work out as they would like, but being in their parent god's domain gave them the a boost in power to [change] the rules and make a hardlight projection to communicate themselves easier

Siffrin giving birth? Don't worry, it's not happening. One moment he'll be carrying the baby god, the next nobody will even realize the new god is gone as though they were never there

~~~~

tl;dr -- The Change God can do little against greater powers that defile her domain of change, so he's using this world's Siffrin as a Virgin Mary to make a new deity out of another Siffrin that will be able to do something against antithesis's to Change's purpose

Once Stardust has enough power in them to start being a god, Change will whisk them away into xyr domain and teach them everything there is to godhood

After finishing their education? Change will have it's Minor Deity of [Change and Wishes and Time] who exists to take care of any underminings of their superior's domain

With the loops? The Change God will continue to watch the play go on again and again and again, until Siffrin finds out how to make the curtain fall one final time

Or Change will grow bored at last and have the newly made god put an end to the loops once and for all

~~~~

aw shit Im hitting the writers block people, I know what the fuck comes next but idk how to type RIP

The Team (minus Siffrin, plus Stardust) talk with the Change God, negotiation and inquiries on if the god can get them looping along with Siffrin, or if they can do the Favor Tree ritual correctly this go around and then start looping with Siffrin

Also is there like, a way to make the pregnancy easier on Siffrin?

They quickly have to backtrack that they don't want to be Virgin Marys alongside Siffrin but want to know if there's ways to make Stardust's development easier

idk is the Change God will have an answer to that or not

at the very least, the Change God manipulates things to make the whole family loop together instead of just Siffrin

And also Stardust can talk to them all when they sleep, its basically a shared dream, woohoo

idk how this au continues or ends you all go crazy go stupid

some more ideas actually, I wrote down that Mirabelle dropkicks her god and I think that should happen during the screaming match or another fight w/ the Change God with the rest of her family cheering her on

speaking of the family they become the Change God's Number One Hate Squad (joking) after the confirmation that the deity Virgin Mary'd Siffrin

~~~~~~~

clarifications

"he can feel their kids right under their chest" was not a typo, it was Siffrin unconciously catching onto the fact he def has a fetus in there. Unconciously being the key word

Also after learning that Stardust is a term Islander's used for people near and dear to them in the very same loop where the King killed Bonnie, Siffrin was quick to apply that nickname to their kid as a subconcious means of making up for their percieved failure to protect the kid

Also in the same loop Bonnie died, they did the four "Become Family" quests that ends with the stargazing picnic for the first time

And then Siffren met their alt-timeline self who was going to call themself Loop, but Siffrin being kind of dazed applied the first nickname that came to mind; Stardust

I was initially thinking of Siffrin meeting Loop in a dream, which makes Siffy freeze because if they're able to communicate in dreams unborn, how is he gonna make himself abort it?

and then Loop goes "You need to deletus the fetus, aka me, because I do not want to reincarnate as a god, and only you can have the final say about the fetus" which calms Siffrin down cuz even the fetus is on the same wavelength as him

Somehow the rest of the party gets informed on or literally in the loops and because the pregnancy is divine and thus not normal, they up spending entire loops dedicated to figuring out how to abort a divine fetus

but yeah I changed directions

Sorry for weird pacing, I'm mostly mashing together bunch of ideas with little idea of how to connect them together

"Repu, how dare you put this into the world?" I made too many jokes and theories on the tug on Siffrin's stomach being mpreg

[theshadowrealmitself]

I’ve been having a shitty week, and it’s just gonna get worse from here on out cause I have a ton of stuff due starting tomorrow, so I refuse to go to bed disappointed, so I’m just gonna make another post about my ocs, this time probably shorter and quicker, post it, and then edit it and add a readmore

Okay so original post was about Darkness (I wanna get a better name for this one) and Cyber (this name has grown on me), and how originally it wasn’t gonna be romantic in anyway, but then I realized some parts of them reminded me of Danny and Valerie and I’m a huge fan of that ship, so, yeah, it’s gonna be romantic now

Used to be a paragraph here on why it reminded me of that ship on the original post

So Cyber is actually a year or so older than Darkness, cause I think it’s really funny if everyone thinks Darkness is way older and it sends her into kind of a panic, like she’s crushing on this person, but what if they’re ancient under that cloak?? Also with the gender stuff too, does Darkness go by they/them because they’re nonbinary or just to protect their identity?? What if they’re a woman?? Is she into women?? (Darkness is genderfluid and Cyber is gonna realize she’s okay with that, she hasn’t figured out a label for herself yet) (me, I haven’t figured out a label for her yet, demi? maybe?)

There was a thing here about Cyber and Darkness maybe starting off as enemies from Cyber’s pov, will elaborate later if anyone is curious

Anyways, Cyber eventually gives Darkness a comm to communicate with her, which sends her into another panic because Darkness just starts sending her long paragraphs, because it was never about not wanting to communicate for them, and Cyber isn’t sure what to do with all this communication and attention

There was another thing here about how Darkness communicates aside from it just being long paragraphs, again if anyone’s curious just let me know

I think there was some more stuff (stuff like, Darkness’s magic and Cyber’s tech having the same glowing color, magic and tech being one and the same, etc etc etc) but just cutting to the last thing I put was Cyber maybe keeping the beads from her hair stained with Darkness’s blood and maybe making a bracelet out of them which I thought was cool to match with @lenacraft ‘s idea of Darkness’s power being attached to a bracelet, so they’d be kinda matching

And also the bracelet almost accidentally getting Darkness’s identity found out by Cyber because Cyber’s bracelet reacted when they were near in civilian clothes

And the very last sentence was about how I wasn’t sure about how to actually get them together because quiet hero ocs like this kinda represent my anxiety with being seen as a specific gender and only that gender, so every oc I have like this has never had a person actually see them out of costume, so I’m not sure how to like. actually get them. together. y’know?

[matrixxsystem]

Terrapin Soup Part 11

It'd been a few months since "Leo exploding at his brothers" incident. Things seemed to be well, and after a few awkward conversations with his brothers they all made a few extra rules around communication and respecting the others privacy. While the topic of what Usagi or his teacher ate hadn't come back up it was still something everyone was well aware of now and it wasn't exactly easy to get over. Usagi came over less after that day, he understood that they wouldn't kick him out or be rude, but he didn't want to make them uncomfortable, so he was fine with giving them space. No one had really mentioned it to him actually, he would've been pretty honest about it but he wasn't gonna push it either, knowing how uneasy it made Leo to even talk about.

After their monthly date night, which tonight Usagi 'borrowed' Hyo's cloaking pin again so he and Leo could go topside with him. They took a walk around town after going out to eat, visiting different shops that Leo's always wanted to visit. It was like a dream come true for Leo to be able to walk next to everyone on the surface without them staring at him for being a mutant, if they looked at him it was usually met with some kind of friendly gesture, well.. As friendly as New Yorkers could get- No one brandished a gun or knife so it was a win for him.

"Oh, let's go in this one-" Usagi said as he gently pulled Leo with him into what looked like an old antique shop, he was a little curious to see why Usagi seemed to like this place so much but he wasn't really going to question it. He looked around a little, finding some interesting art and gemstones but nothing that really caught his attention. Till Usagi took his hand again and led him up a staircase in the back, disregarding the 'Employee's Only' sign that hung in bold letters, "This store is one of the many hidden in plain sight, mystic items are bought and sold here on the upper floor. When we have extra.. Supplies, we usually come and sell it here." Leos eyes widened at the view of the second floor came into view, he'd at first been a it worried seeing Usagi so casually go past the sign that any normal person probably would've followed and turned away from, but now he knew why it was there. It was a decoy, clever... "I um.. I don't know how you're brothers feel about my anymore, but I was thinking of a way to kind of, explain things to them better." Leo looked confused again, if that was the case why start at some mystic market? "Oh? I mean, they don't like, dislike you or anything- And they don't hate Hyo either.. Well, he makes them nervous sure but its not like.. Y'know-?" 

"Still.. I think I should try. I was hoping to make them a meal, maybe if they'd be willing they'd see its not so bad. I'm not the only one like this in the Hidden City you know? It's not exactly common, but there's a small community. Since it's been a while, and I've seen how serious you are I wanted to show you this place. But this location has to be a secret okay?" Leo nodded, a bit more excited then he should be to find out there was enough people like him to hold a market. Looking around the stalls it reminded him of the market back in the West End. There was mostly food but there were a few other things around, a mix of human looking people and yokai filled the room that looked much larger then the building itself but he knew there was weird mystic magic going on so he wasn't going to think too hard on it. "Oh I've been meaning to ask, where'd you get your pins? I wanna get one, or at least see what its made of, Donnie could probably make some for us if I asked." 

"Hyo's had them since I can remember, he said something about them being gifts, but that was all he ever said, I never really thought to ask. Though I'm sure we could find one if we looked, they are expensive though.. So I'm not sure if well actually be able to get one if we do find it." Leo nodded a bit as he inspected the rest of the stalls with Usagi, "So back to the meal thing. What were you thinking?"

"Well I was thinking about pizza, it's all of your favorites right? Something like that with some meat toppings, and when they're all impressed with my amazing pizza making skills, I'll casually mention how fresh all the ingredients are even the toppings were right from the market. Makes it seem like its a very normalized thing yes?" Leo nodded along, there was no way his brothers would turn down pizza, and if he acting like it was a normal thing who's to say it wasn't? I mean when they had pizza at Run Of The Mill the toppings there were all sorts of crazy, some even moved! So non-moving food seemed pretty normal.. "I'd ask first of course, and maybe make half plain so they don't feel pressured. I was hoping to walk you home and possibly talk to your older brother about it since if I get one of them on board the rest seem to follow without much of a fuss. And you're already biased so that wont really work on you."

"You're right about that, I'm very biased~" He chuckled a bit pressing his face to Usagi's cheek, god he was soft.. He pulled back glancing around again before looking back to him, "Do we need anything then? Or we're we just looking around?"

"Just looking, usually I prefer to get my stuff the old fashioned way but this might be a good option for you if you aren't ready to go out on your own just yet." Leo gave his hand a little squeeze, he was really considerate about all this.. It was sweet. "Right, I'll keep this place in mind, and now that I've been here I can just portal here too. But I'm glad we ate before coming cause it smells so good here.. Like... Really good-" Usagi chuckled and led him down towards the other exit, "It's always best not to shop hungry, oh, you should text your brother to let him know you're on your way back, I'm sure he'll appreciate the update." 

"Ah- Right, I nearly forgot. Thanks for reminding me Sagi, what would I do without you~" He smiled and got out his phone letting go of Usagi's hand for a moment to text before putting it away and reaching back for his hand. Even with five fingers he couldn't help but feel like their hands fit together perfectly, like they were made for each other of something.. His phone 'ding-ed' and he pulled his back out with his free hand to read it, "Raph says he wanted to talk to you too actually, huh.. He added a bunch of emojis so it's nothing bad at least. Guess that's a good thing..?" 

-_-_-_- 

It didn't talk long from where they were to get back to the lair, surprisingly there wasn't anyone waiting for them when they got back. Leo glanced around the room, walking Usagi over to the beanbags, taking his pin off and handing it back to Usagi. "You stay here a sec, I'm gonna go find Donnie okay?" Usagi nodded taking a seat in the blue beanbag chair, sinking much farther into it then he thought possible as Leo headed off to Donnie's lab. "Hey Dee? I'm comin' in!" He called as he pushed the purple drapes back, thankfully he Donnie was there, hunched over in his chair hard at work as usual. Leo slowly approached his desk trying to to spook him and fuck up whatever he was doing since it looked important. "Hey- Dee hey-"

Donatello perked up from his work setting his torch aside and lifting his goggles as he swiveled his chair to face Leo, "Ah, you're back. What's up?" Leo pulled a stool from under another desk and sat down, "Uh well.. A few things, but nothing bad I just. Well first I was wondering if you'd be able to replicate the cloaking pins, like make your own for all of us? It'd make things really easy mission wise if we needed to go incognito y'know and-" 

"Let me stop you right there Nardo- I thought you were against my tech chips?" Leo rolled his eyes, knowing full well this was more of a jest then a real argument, "Well without permission, yes, very against them. And implants I'm still iffy on but as long as you ask first and get permission I'm fine with it."

"Well.. I suppose if I had one to look at, the idea seems simple enough. Scientifically speaking with dads DNA we have human genes in us, if the tech could just get a read on that and project it.. It'd need a pretty powerful source though to keep it charged all the time. And we'd have to make some sort of system for when it's okay to use them, and someone to test it on.. And rules to make sure we don't abuse them once they're made full proof. But again back to the source, I mean.. That kind of power isn't easy to come by even on a regular market-" 

"I know, but if you had everything, you could? I mean think about how much this could help us, blending in and not needed to only go out at night or stick to the roofs, I mean you'll be able to collect so much more data by being in the field then above it!"

"..I hate it when you're right, as rare as it may be. But yes, if I had everything I could in theory make a few functional pins. But again, that's a big if cause the materials-"

"Just leave that to us, make a list of everything you need that you don't have, and whoever wants one can help get what you need okay? We'll all talk about it and decide tomorrow, but I'm serious, I went out topside with Sagi and it was amazing! ITs so much easier to navigate on the ground without worrying about people-" Donnie gave it a moment of thought, if anyone could replicate the tech it was him. But the amount of effort just for this seemed a bit weird, why did he want one so suddenly? They had a system the worked, and it worked well.. Sure there were lots of downs to being unable to do ground searches or go out in the day, or hang out with April at school-

Holy shit.

If he had a pin he'd be able to go to school.. A human school, without sneaking in...

Now that was more then enough to pull Donnie onboard. 

-_-_-_-

Usagi waited for a few minutes before taking his phone out and texting Raph's number saying he was there and Leo had gone off elsewhere if he was ready to talk. Only a few more minutes passed before the snapper came into the room, "Sorry, I got a little busy, would you mind coming with me? I still gotta clean up a bit-"

"I don't mind at all, is there anything I can do to help?" Usagi stood up and headed off with Raph towards one of the training areas, "Uh sure, if you want to, b-but you don't have to, I could always use a hand pickin' up scraps n stuff but it's not like it's your mess-"

"I'd be happy to help, it always goes faster with someone else anyway doesn't it? What was is you wanted to talk about?" Raph nodded a little and once in the next room he handed Usagi a small bag, from the looks of it the brothers had been training, or playing more like- A bit too hard and made quite the mess, and as usual it fell on Raph to clean it up.. "Right, well I didn't wanna ask before and say anything wrong, but I started thinking more and more about what happened.. With Leo... And I keep trying to talk to him but I never know what to say.. Raph is just confused about it all so maybe you could help me understand a bit better. Like, you knew about the scars right? And about him doin' all of.. That stuff  to himself.." Usagi hesitated when Raph turned back to him, but nodded, "I.. Yes, I've known for a long time. I hadn't seen the scars till.. Well, till he stayed for dinner that first night I met you all. But I knew about them long before that."

"..Why'd he tell you but not us..? Was there a reason or.." Usagi stopped picking things up to gently pat Raph's shell, something he knew the brothers did for comfort. "It's not that he didn't trust you with it, I think it was because he was worried it might hurt you? And I've had.. Similar, issues. So we had that kind of understanding I suppose. But he often mentioned not wanting to say things to his family out of that anxious feeling, not wanting to worry you and not wanting to face any repercussions from it. But it's well over now, so I suppose he'd like to forget about it and move past mentioning it."

"I.. I guess... But we could've helped! I could've.. I dunno... I could've done something-! Instead of letting him hurt alone, or feel like he couldn't come to us if he was having problems." Usagi gave another reassuring pat, "There was nothing you could have done Raphael. Even I wasn't able to keep him from it for quite some time. Some people are just made different, the way they deal with things and communicate is never how we expect, but we must love them anyway right?" Raph let out a little sigh and nodded, "Right as always.. You're pretty wise Usagi... And I'm glad Leo has someone like you to lean on, even if he doesn't talk to us I'm glad he at least talks to someone." Usagi smiled a bit, it was nice to hear how much Leos family approved of him even after everything.. "I did want to talk to you as well, I think it's important to be honest, but I wanted to give you all a bit of space after what happened as well."

"Oh? Well sure ,what's on your mind?"

"I'm not sure how to put this, so I'll say it as plainly as I can. But you were all right in what you assumed that night." Raph tilted his head a little, a mix of confusion and worry spreading across his face. "In the Hidden City it is more normalized then it is here, but me and my teacher do eat yokai. T-Though it's not as bad as you might think really.. I-I know it may sound bad when said that way but please allow me to explain further-"

"Does Leo know..?" 

Usagi hesitated again, but nodded after a moment, "Yes. But me and him already talked about it months ago, all our issues with it have been settled long since. So.. May I explain?" Raph found a seat on the floor and nodded, "I.. Yeah- That'd be good."

"Right.. Well as you already knew, Hyo is a basically a bounty hunter, but he's so much more. The system in the Hidden City is broken at best. Criminals are free to roam and do terrible things, and even when they're arrested its never final, they always manage to escape and it takes forever for the police to find and arrest them just for that cycle to repeat. There has always been a small line of people who end that cycle, they only go after the real criminals, ones who've done horrible, horrible things. And as far back as the line goes, they've been taught not to waste anything they were given, just like the humans when hunting in the early days. They used to use every part of the animals they hunted, and we do that same." Raph sat back trying to take it all in, so he really did eat people.. "And it's not just us, lots of other yokai eat like this, even if they don't hunt for themselves there's markets and shops for this sort of thing, but there's very strict rules. We've never hurt an innocent person, and you need a kind of license for it, like a legal pass to go after criminals. And people with minor offences are taken alive first and given the chance to be reformed and turn their lives around. There's a whole process to find who we're allowed to go after.." Usagi gave him a bit of distance, sitting a few feet away from him as he continued to speak. "I know it may be a bit much to take in, but this isn't that unusual for me, I mean Leo had nearly a full year of an adjustment period before he was really okay with it. So if you need more space I understand. I just wanted to be honest with you all since I do care about him very much, and don't want to hide anything from his family.." Raph didn't say anything for a bit, mentally trying to work it all out in his head first. "So.. I'm.. I'm not mad, and I guess I can understand, its gonna be a bit weird for us to get used to that... But if Leo knows, and he trusts you and is happy, I'm not gonna ruin that for him just cause we have different opinions.. And you said there was a bunch of rules and stuff you guys follow for it too, so it's not just some will nilly stuff, I mean it does kind of solve the crime problem..." Usagi nodded, "It is a very good deterrent, when it first started crime was nearly cut in half when the villains realized what would happen if they were caught. And we've all eaten together so it's not that only thing we have, its just a once in a while thing, but I wont talk much about it since I know it's still a touchy topic. But if you ever have any questions you're always welcome to ask me about it. I hope we can still be friends after this?"  Raph leaned over gently patting Usagi's shoulder, "I might not exactly approve on that in particular, but you're not a bad guy. And you've been real good to Leo, I couldn't hate you for somethin' like that. I'm glad you we're honest though, that means a lot." And of course, like all heartwarming and wholesome moments there was a sudden plot twist to throw it all off balance. In this case it was a sudden crashing sound in the other room followed by the lights going out and Donnie's voice shouting, "My bad-!"

Part 12 Part 1

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