#camila has taken over every ounce of my being

[xthescarletbitch]

i am so tempted to write some self-indulgent camila montero content.

[mythicandco]

She isn’t sure why she says it.

Maybe out of pure curiosity - because it’s just the first name that pops into her head, for some reason.

But a name pierces the eerie quiet of the strange in-between dimension, a place that looks like a Demon Realm-style fun house on steroids. Dark liquid lapping against the wildly-twisting, greenish walls is the only sound here other than a human girl’s breathing.

“Philip Wittebane.”

The moment the name leaves her tongue Luz Noceda realizes she should probably check on her mother. Wasn’t that the whole point of this in the first place? But before she gets a chance to correct herself, a cube slowly floats out of the dark liquid around her, as though simply appearing for her is a difficult task. For a few moments it simply hovers there, it’s sides dripping black goo.

Then the side closest to her turns shiny and gold. Her heart rate increasing, the girl moves forward to take it - and then stops. What if it’s just his coffin, or something? Certainly Philip Wittebane would be long dead by now if he’d written his journal back in the 1600s.

But curiosity once again triumphs over doubt and Luz takes the cube in her hands. The worst that could happen is I see a skeleton, she thinks. Big deal. I’ve seen skeletons before.

Unlike the cube that showed her King, Eda, and Hooty, it takes a moment of her holding it for the thing to flash white and transfer her into a reflection. She finds herself holding her breath, and when the cube finally responds to her touch, the girl is caught off-guard and nearly drops it, severing the connection.

Luz is able to hold on, however, and she blinks as things come into focus around her. She is in the reflection of a glass picture frame. It’s holding up some painting of a black spider and a little red bird, she thinks, but her face is so close to the parchment she can’t tell for sure.

She turns her attention to the room around her, and chokes back a gasp at the most notable feature - a large, circular ring with white-and-gold wings splayed at its sides. It vaguely resembles Hunter’s staff, but that isn’t the most worrying part - it’s being constructed around the portal door, which was supposed to be destroyed. Worst of all, it looks nearly completed.

Luz covers her mouth and ducks to the bottom of the reflection as something moves in the dark - an old man with dirty blonde hair, dull blue eyes, and a dark green scar on his face. He’s wearing robes typical of the Emperor’s Coven, but she doesn’t recognize him-

Wait.

Is that Emperor Belos? Without his mask? Luz never thought she’d actually see him like this. He looks... like a sad old man. The girl frowns, but then the impact of what this means hits her full-force and her eyes widen in pure shock. She had said Philip’s name.

“NO,” she says aloud. “NO WAY.”

Belos stiffens and spins around, his eyes narrowing. They dart to his mask, which is laying next to a closed book a few feet away from him. “Who’s there?” he demands. “Spying on the emperor is an offense punishable by death.”

Luz drops the cube out of pure reflex, severing her connection to the castle. It begins to sink back into the goo, but she lets out a yelp and grabs it again.

“No, bad cube,” she scolds. “I still need your help.�� Luz loosens her hold on it, but it doesn’t light up again. “Hey, come on, go back to the castle,” she says. “Please?”

The cube doesn’t respond. She shakes it. Still nothing. “Let me see Emperor Belos again! Come on, cube!” But the cube doesn’t listen. Luz grunts in frustration.

“You’re on a mission, Luz. Focus.” Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes, the girl does just that.

“Show me Philip Wittebane.”

It still kind of shocks her that it works; but it does, and Luz finds herself in the reflection of the eye on the door. Staring straight at Emperor Belos.

Both sides let out identical exclamations of surprise, and for the fourth time in the past half an hour, Luz almost drops the godforsaken cube. She hisses “mierda” under her breath before she can stop herself, and is surprised to hear Belos use a profanity of his own that she easily recognizes as from the Human Realm.

The two stare at each other for a moment, and Luz takes another few moments to look at Belos’s face. He really does seem like a sad, old man, even more so up close. His blue eyes have no shine in them, and his hair is in desperate need of a good combing through. She can only see one of his ears, but it’s noticeably smaller than any other witches’ she’s seen so far and has a nick in it, and a disturbing thought occurs to her that she quickly pushes aside.

Heavy bags under his eyes - even more noticeable than the Golden Guard’s - are also present, but the most horrifying part of his face is the strange green scar. Luz doesn’t know what it’s from, but it doesn’t look like anything from the Human Realm.

“Surprised?” she asks, summoning up every ounce of strength that she can. Belos can’t hurt her where she is right now, she’s pretty sure. Even if he destroyed the reflection, it would be destroying the door, and she’s fairly certain that that would only sever the connection again, not actually kill her. He takes a step back with a grimace.

“The Owl Lady’s human pet,” the emperor practically snarls, and Luz flinches. “Guess it was only a matter of time before you tapped into this as well.”

Luz has no idea what he means, but she holds her ground. “Yeah, well, it’s a lot easier when your notes are helping me with it,” she replies. “You are Philip Wittebane, aren’t you?” Her voice trembles for some reason. Now is not the time to get excited about a potentially very dramatic backstory, she mentally tells herself.

Even if you really, really, really want to hear everything about it and take notes.

It’s Belos’ turn to wince, and he reaches for his mask. “You got ahold of my journal?” he asks in a voice that sounds more surprised than resentful.

“It was in the library for a reason,” Luz neglects to mention the paper dragon and the Forbidden Stacks and Amity-

No, Luz. Focus. “But, um, yes.”

A dry laugh escapes the emperor’s throat. “I assumed no one was going to let a human into the Forbidden Stacks.”

Luz blinks, the puzzle pieces in her mind still not quite fitting together. “But if you’re Philip Wittebane, then doesn’t that make you human, too?” She is pretty sure that was right, but with her brain still kind of frazzled by the fact that Philip and Belos were the same person, she might’ve forgotten how the laws of nature worked.

Belos chuckles again, this more sharp and harsh. Luz backs up, but with holding the cube in her hands she doesn’t get any further away from him. He puts the mask on and turns away. “I’m hardly human anymore.”

This is an interesting development. “Ooh, is this like from the Henry Pottery books? If you drink unicorn blood, you’re immortal, but also-”

“This is nothing like that.”

“Oh.” Luz frowns. “Could you tell me what it actually is, then?”

Belos whirls around, uncomfortably close to the door’s reflection. “No.”

Luz let’s out a yelp and the cube shatters in her hands. “Crap,” she says, trying to take the pieces and put them back together. Apparently he did get mad enough to break the door. With a deep inhale, the girl tries to steady herself.

Remember, Luz, she tells herself mentally. You’re on a mission to contact your mom. Worry about what just happened once you tell her what’s going on. She’s still freaking out a little, but the girl breathes a few times and promises herself she’ll look into the Philip-Belos mystery once this is over and taken care of. She opens her eyes again.

“Camila Noceda.”

[prinxlyart]

Your Vinira is sSO SWEET MY HEART US MELTING! How Viney not only accept Emira' stutter but straight up loves it?! Oh my poor bleeding heart! Now, my own question: How do the redeemed Blight parents react to their relationship?

Ooohhh see at least in my Willumity headcanons, Alador and Odalia don’t redeem themselves for several years. Like, maybe 8 or 9 years from when our girls first start dating. I imagine Viney and Emira become a thing in roughly the same time frame. So Emira doesn’t even tell her parents about her girlfriend. Viney introduces Emira to her parent(s) (eventually, maybe after like 6 months of dating?? Maybe a year?) and they are super wary at first because a Blight???? Is dating our daughter?????? And Viney reassures them that yes, they’re dating and it’s not some wild ruse. That being said, the heads of the Blight family also don’t know they’re dating so like. They’re trying to keep their relationship on the DL.

But if I’m gonna dip deeper......

( way deeper. This is another one of those Long One’s, lol )

I think....if Alador and Odalia catch wind of their daughters dating people they don’t approve of, there would be hell to pay. Like, all of them being grounded until further notice and that means escorts to and from school, no friends, no extra curricular activities, nothing but school and home. Not even their “approved friends” are able to communicate with them because their scrolls would be confiscated. Tutors (babysitters) while they do homework and further studying on weekends. No contact with the outside world. And if they even try to speak with anyone at school? They’ll all be pulled from Hexside and be homeschooled from then on.

All the while they’ll be using their connections to have Viney, Willow and Luz expelled, permanently. They may not have too much sway over these delinquents’ lives, but they’re going to make sure they’ll never be able to advance in society. And then they find out that this “Luz” is the Human that dared go against Emperor Belos? I can’t even begin to imagine the hell they’d bring down on them all.

So yeah, there’s a lot of disaster scenarios like that that haunt the Blight girls and ensure that they’ll never tell their parents of their relationships and will keep most displays of affection away from the rats that would somehow get the word back to them. At first it might hurt Luz and Viney to not be able to be affectionate, but Willow 100% understands. She already has that history looming over her in her memory. Viney and Luz will often use the Secret Room of Shortcuts in order to just hang out with their respective girls between breaks when they can.

I genuinely don’t know how the timeline of events will play out in the show in regards to Belos and the portal. It could take just days, weeks, months??? Years???? Before he’s taken down accordingly and a new portal is made.

Regardless, I like to think that in that time though, the moment the twins turn 18, they leave and they take Amity with them. They’re not just going to sit idly by anymore. Whether that means revoking their family name by some intensive ritual or just fleeing and using whatever money they took with them to find an apartment somewhere, they need to get out from under their parents’ thumb. As soon as they’ve established new lives for themselves, they are as open with their relationships as they want. They might even be a little over-eager, what with Amity kissing her girlfriends for probably too long at school in front of everyone, or Emira actively distracting Viney from her work while on the clock.

By the time we get to the point where they’re trying to re-enter their children’s lives, it’s stiff and awkward at best and like bulls butting heads at worst. The Blights are using any method they can to bring their children back home, whether it’s promises of extra freedom or putting in a good word to their coven of choice; even sending them extravagant gifts that none of them want. This maybe goes on for about a year before the twins and Amity agree to meet with their former parents. They bring their respective partners with them too; not as back up or anything, but mostly as moral support and as a giant middle finger to their parents.

Alador and Odalia don’t hold back their disdain. For their children’s’ foolishness, for their childish behavior thats ruffled so many feathers within the Emperor’s coven, for the damage they’ve all done to the Blight name; and for their daughters’ choices in partners.

They could take all of the other nonsense their parents were spouting, but being so outwardly hostile to their respective partners??? That causes Emira to nearly turn the entire Blight Manor upside down and Amity to summon an abomination large enough to chuck the manor into the Boiling Sea with her parents inside. Edric manages (somehow) to keep them both sane long enough to continue their conversation, at which point I think the Blights simply write off their girls’ anger as petty childishness.

And that. Is what sets off Luz, Willow and Viney. They absolutely go off on the Blights and just tear them both a new one. I think it’s been a long time since the Blights actually feared anyone besides the Emperor, but in that meeting, they feared these teenagers who seemed to radiate more power than they’d ever been witness to before. I think Emira and Amity are both shocked but Edric just gets comfortable and summons some popcorn to watch the show because finally, someone is telling off these miserable witches they used to call their parents.

They don’t meet with their parents again for a few more years after that encounter. I think Emira and Viney maybe break up once for a week before getting back together due to a misunderstanding, but Amity couldn’t possibly be happier with her life as it goes on, free from her parents and being able to be with her girls as she wants.

Over the course of the following years, they all still receive correspondence from their parents. On every birthday, they send a sum of money and a simple greeting. Every holiday season is the exact same. I think Luz is the only one to actually reach out to Alador and Odalia. I think she sends them a photo of their most recent holiday get together; where everyone is smiling or laughing or making messes or whatever. The exact opposite of every holiday held at the Blight Manor. They see each of their children, smiling and looking truly happy. And on the back, Luz maybe writes something about wanting to speak to them. Alone. Not with Amity or Willow, not with Emira or Viney, not with Edric, no one else. Just Luz and the Blights. They agree.

When Luz meets with them, it’s tense. They’re all quiet and stiff and still have an aura of hatred hanging between them. But Luz clears her throat and informs them that she’s planning on proposing to Amity and Willow. She’s still not sure when, or how, but it’s something she’s planning. She also informs them that if they don’t want to miss another wedding, they’d better clean their acts up and fast. And she just hands them a small scrapbook full of pictures of Emira and Viney’s wedding. They hadn’t even known it had happened. They weren’t informed, let alone invited, and Luz was granting them possibly the only chance they’ll ever have again at being in their children’s lives. Luz lets them know to reach out to her if they decide they want to be in their kids’ lives again and leaves them with the scrapbook.

When they do reach out, Luz shows up at Blight Manor with three others in tow: Eda and Lilith Clawthorne and Camila Noceda. They are three different kinds of pissed and the Blights have the good sense to just be good hosts and invite them in with little fanfare or argument. They all settle in with cups of tea and I think Lilith goes first; she tells them about how she’s had the opportunity to watch Amity grow up, even more so after she abandoned the Emperor’s coven. Over time she still acted as something of a mentor, but also as a parental figure when she or the twins needed her to be. She was honored to officiate Emira and Viney’s wedding. She’s grateful to be part of their lives because she’s been a witness to their incredible achievements. She really digs the knife in deeper when she tells them that Emira and Viney are considering having kids but Emira’s been especially hesitant due to fears that she’ll somehow end up like her parents.

Eda goes next, not even having touched her tea, just sitting with her legs and arms crossed and glaring at them in the most severe way. She tells them about the various sleepovers she’s hosted over the years. How at least half of those sleepovers found Eda talking outside with at least one Blight child if not all of them in the middle of the night.

She tells them she got herself a scroll for the first time ever because she knew those kids needed an adult figure that wouldn’t reprimand them for existing. They needed an adult figure to go to for comfort and guidance, someone that could reassure them that their best is more than enough. They don’t need to work themselves into the ground for a scrap of approval or force themselves into the rigid mold their parents made for them.

She tells them she’s seen more tears from the Blight kids than she’s ever seen from any other kind of creature. Not even Luz cried as often as they did, and she’s a giant softy (Luz lets out an indignant “hey!” At that and pouts). She tells them that she, Edalyn Clawthorne, the Boiling Isles Most Wanted, has provided more warmth and comfort for their kids in the time she’s known them than they [the Blight Parents] had in their lives.

Eda hasn’t had magic for years. But everyone knew how powerful she once was. They had all gone to school together too, of course they remember her and the trouble she caused. She lets them know that if she even had an ounce of the magic she once had, she would use it to decimate the Blight parents in every way possible for causing so much harm to three bright, talented, loving children that have grown into some of the most powerful witches the Boiling Isles has to offer. She also lets them know that before they even consider being part of those kids’ lives again, they have a lot of shit to work on and sort out. Because if they don’t? It doesn’t matter whether or not Eda has magic. She will decimate them.

Finally Camila sets her empty tea cup down and levels them with the most venomous stare she can. She’s the only one of Luz’s guests that’s actually also a biological mother. If she could, she’d probably go Super Saiyan with the sheer power she’s exuding with this stare. The Blights actually flinch which causes Lilith to have to hide a chuckle (she’s been on the receiving end of that rage before and she’s excited to see it unleashed on them).

She just starts tearing into them like her life depends on it. She doesn’t hold back in the slightest. She admonishes them for holding their social status at a higher priority than the safety and happiness of their own children. Her criticisms and curses are all laid out with razor precision. The longer she goes on, the more the Blights shrink in on themselves. Alador definitely starts crying at one point but refuses to wipe his tears away because he knows there’ll just be more anyway. The Clawthornes are shocked at seeing him cry, throughout their time at Hexside and while Lilith worked with the Blights in the Emperor’s coven, they’d never seen Alador express an emotion beyond irritation. Odalia also has tears in her eyes but she refuses to let them fall. Her face is bright red in shame though, it just grows steadily more red as Camila goes on. (Luz idly notes that that must be where Amity and the twins get their blushing genes from. She also notes that Odalia looks remarkably like Amity and wonders if that’s what Amity will look like when they’re that age. Her heart flutters a little at the concept of being with Amity for the rest of their lives, but she tampers down the runaway thoughts to refocus on her mom’s tirade).

By the time Camila’s done with them, Alador and Odalia are hiding their faces in shame. Alador’s trying to stifle his crying to the best of his ability cuz his breaths are turning ragged from how much emotion he’s experiencing. Odalia is desperately trying to wipe her tears away without ruining her makeup, but she’s also quietly sniffling and hiccuping. Camila sits back with a satisfied huff and Luz pats her shoulder (as a thank you? As a good job? As a ‘tag me in it’s my turn’? Who can say).

After letting the Blights collect themselves, Luz clears her throat to get their attention. She struggles for a moment to figure out the best way to say it, but ends up setting her jaw firmly and just blurting it out: she asks for their blessing for her to marry Amity.

After a moment of shocked silence, Luz’s courage starts to crumble a little and she begins to explain herself; she knows that Amity doesn’t value their opinion. She hasn’t for years now. Luz also doesn’t value their opinion. But if she’s going to such lengths to try and give one of the loves of her life her parents back? She may as well start off with a show of respect.

Odalia is the one that gets up from where she’s sitting and quietly approaches Luz. Eda and Lilith are about ready to throw hands if need be and Camilia starts to put her arm in front of Luz, but Luz stands up to meet her. Odalia gently takes Luz’s hands (she also notes that her hands are just as tiny and soft as Amity’s) and brings both of their hands up to about chest level. She has to clear her voice before she speaks; her throat became tight with the tears and hiccuping she was trying to hold back.

Odalia takes one hand to draw a large circle around their joined hands before clasping Luz’s hands again. She tells Luz that she absolutely has their blessing, and vows to do whatever she needs to to atone for the cruelty she put her children through. And so the Everlasting Oath is sealed.

Alador also stands up and does the same in a tear-strained voice. After his oath has been sealed, he places his hands on Luz’s shoulders and thanks her for being so damn stubborn.

They promise that they’ll be in touch with Luz again soon, but they need to talk to one another first and really sort everything out. Luz gives them a small smile and confirms that she’ll be waiting to hear from them as the Clawthornes/Nocedas stand up to leave. Before they leave, Odalia gently places a hand on Camila’s shoulder and asks her quietly if she could maybe come to her for advice on how to approach their children when they’ve figured themselves out. Camila stares at her for a moment before giving her a smile and nodding. She doesn’t have a scroll or anything, so she tells her to just reach out to Luz when they’re ready to talk. Odalia just nods and the Blights watch as their guests leave.

I think it particularly strikes Alador how casually Eda ruffles Luz’s hair and pulls her in for a side hug, loudly telling her how proud she is of her for pulling such a bold move. It dawns on him that he used to do that to Edric when he was still smaller than his own knee. It may have been after the first spell Edric ever successfully cast. Odalia sees Camila scoop Luz into her arms and plant a giant kiss to a her head, probably also praising Luz. They watch as Luz puts her arms around Eda and Camila’s shoulders as they leave the Blight estate and Alador closes the door before he starts crying again.

I think that’s the first time in years the Alador and Odalia really hug each other properly. Not to pose for a picture, not just a quick greeting as they pass each other in the halls of the Emperor’s coven, but like. For comfort. I don’t think they really realized how big and cold and empty their manor is until that moment.

I think it takes several months for them to get their acts together. They seek out a family counselor, they have weekly tea with Camila, they dust off the parenting books that have been untouched on the shelves in their library for decades. They look into Viney’s family and find out that she and Emira have started their own service beast program. The general air of grief and undertone of determination is interrupted by a moment of sheer pride at knowing their eldest daughter not only found someone she loves, but has taken the risk of starting her own business with her wife that’s a genuine service to the Boiling Isles. They make a few duplicates of the newspaper article they found announcing the grand opening of the first Service Beast Training Center and Shelter on the Boiling Isles and have it framed in different places; there’s one on the desk in their study, there’s another on their wall in their bedroom; they each have their own copy at their desks at work.

No joke, it’s taken Luz months to convince Emira and Viney that Em’s parents are trying to change. Emira has absolutely 0 faith in her parents being able to turn over a new leaf. It’s not until they hear Camila say that she’s surprised at the Blight’s improvement after their last tea meeting that they even consider that they actually are trying to change.

Luz coordinates a day and time for them to all meet once Emira and Viney agree to do so. I think they meet at a park somewhere, maybe a particularly nice public garden (maybe it’s Willow’s). Emira’s never seen her parents look so nervous before and that already sparks some hope in her heart that all of Luz’s efforts might not be naught. I think Odalia tries to reach out to hug Emira but like, actually flinches when Emira steps back. So instead they sit at one of the secluded garden tables and just talk.

Alador and Odalia apologize in as much depth as they can. Emira just sits and lets them say everything they want to say. Once they’re done with everything they can think of, they just sit in silence for a minute while Emira processes everything they’ve said. It’s not until Viney squeezes her hand that Emira finally starts crying. She wants to be angry, she is angry, but her entire heart feels like a full-grown griffon just stood up from where it was sitting and flew away. Her heart feels so much lighter. She stands up and moves to her parents and they stand and embrace her tightly for a while. Viney also feels like a huge weight has been lifted just watching the exchange. Maybe she also cries a little bit because she’s so happy to see her wife so happy. (And she maybe ignores the sound of a high five happening in the distance; she’s like, 90% sure Luz is there with someone else spying on them to make sure the meeting goes well).

All the Blights have full-on waterworks going on because they each individually realize this is the first time they’ve expressed their love for each other in probably more than a decade. Long before Emira and Edric took Amity and left. Viney maybe also hears a muffled sniffle and when she turns around to see, yup, there’s Luz, and she’s definitely crying into Willow’s shoulder. Viney rolls her eyes. Luz is such a sap. That’s probably why they all love her so much. She brings out the sap in all of them too.

After the Blights finally calm down, Alador and Odalia have an entire separate list of things to apologize to Viney for, which takes her off guard. She maybe expected an apology for the last time she saw them in person, but they went waaaay deeper than just that. And then they don’t stop at the apologies? They start thanking her for all sorts of stuff. Like loving Emira and being there for her when they weren’t. For helping her grow into the incredible person she’s become. They also congratulate them on their Service Beast Shelter and ask if maybe eventually they’d be allowed to visit and see them in their element. That’s when Viney’s face finally splits into a wide grin and she joins the big family hug they’ve got going on.

Lmao so yeah, long story short, it takes them a long-ass time, but eventually the Blights learn to love Viney 💖💖💖

[5hfanfiction]

In the Morning

‘You’re staying, right?’ I hear a timid voice behind me, hoarse with sleep. though it doesn’t startle me, I look at the radio clock beside the bed and smile, 4:04am on the dot. it’s become a tradition, for her to ask this very question, right at 4:04 but I’ve yet to find out why.

I turn back to her and smile, her sleepy gaze bringing me some sort of comfort.

‘I’ll see you in the morning.’ and that was the closest I would get to a promise. because I needed her to stay, even if she didn’t need me.

–

with a cigarette between my lips, I hover over my Cadillac Series 62, a foaming sponge in my hand (and by my Cadillac, I mean the Cadillac that belongs to my snooty rich neighbour). I sigh as I gaze at the black painted beauty and with a heavy heart, I continue to wash the car, my only companion being the buzzing streets of New York.

I didn’t ever realise I could be in a situation like this, always having the belief that I’d have this car as my own, maybe even more. but I guess being arrogant and stubborn can only get you so far, so I’ve found myself in these battered boots, jobless and goalless.

‘Lauren, hurry up it’s getting colder.’

Not bothering to look up at the call of my name, I continue polishing the car, having promised my neighbour to do so before her return. that, and the cash I was desperately in need of.

‘Lauren did you hear me?!’ I hear my roommate call out for me again, and I sigh.

‘Won’t be a minute.’ I mumble, knowing she can’t hear me.

–

‘Lauren you need to find another job. Washing that bitch’s car won’t cut out for us anymore. It’s fucking freezing in here!’

Taking a drag of my cigarette, I stare outside of the balcony, trying my best to ignore the desperation in her roommate’s voice.

‘Fuck sake Lauren!’ I feel a hand grab my arm before I’m turned around to face the brown-eyed girl.

‘Let go of my arm Camila.’

‘Fucking listen to me and I will.’ 

at that I clench my jaw, ripping my arm out of her grasp.

‘If you’re so fucking desperate why don’t you move the fuck out instead of nagging me?!’

‘I want this to work Lauren.’

‘Want what to work? How many times should I drill this into your fucking head? We are not a thing Camila. There is nothing here to work.’

‘For once Lauren, getting over yourself, I’m trying to help you!’

‘Yeah?’ I muse, stepping into her space, mixing our breaths as I did so.

‘Get in line.’ I spit out, before grabbing my keys and jacket before walking out, slamming the door behind me.

–

the thing with Camila and I was, well, there wasn’t a thing. that was the biggest problem. lately, after her and I started sleeping with each other, I felt like I was constantly under water, not being able to breathe. we wouldn’t work, not really. and that’s what I tell her every time she brings it up, but it doesn’t make sense to her, for what reason? I’m not sure.

she hated that I smoked, I hated that she had yoghurt for breakfast. she hated that my friends reeked of alcohol, I hated that her friends were all sunshine. she hated that I’d never properly burn out my cigarettes, I hated the cinnamon scented candles she’d leave on.

we were a mess, and for some reason she’s blinded herself to the fact. and for some fucked up reason, I can’t seem to deny laying in bed with her when it’s past 11pm and her eyes appear tiresome. we’re not made from the same cloth and she always tells me that it would never matter. but it matters and it always will.

sighing, I finish what’s of my emptying pack of cigarettes and head back to the apartment, my footsteps heavy. I’m used to disappointing and not answering to anyone else. that has never been a worry for me. but when it comes to Camila, shame hugs my bones and guilt settles itself like snow on my heart. because deep down I know if it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t be here. but I’m not used to being taken care of, not used to feeling much at all.

–

I open the door and see two plates set out neatly, a bowl of spaghetti in the middle, the lid stained with condensed drops of water and I sigh, the guilt making itself home.

‘Camila?’ my voice cracks.

‘Hey.’  She walks out from her room, clad in her sweats, her pink fluffy socks and a hoodie that’s a little too big for her, and she looks absolutely ridiculous, yet so fucking beautiful.

she walks up to me and cups my cheeks before gently pressing her lips against mine and I let out a shaky breath, the warmth of her lips fighting away the cold New York instilled inside of me. soft as a feather, her forehead touches mine, and I bask in the warmth of her.

‘Sorry.’ I mumbled against her lips, causing them to curl upwards slightly, amusement laced in the smile she was giving.

‘The food’s getting cold, come on.’ she grabs my hand and walks us over to the small table, never letting go of it even as we ate, rubbing her thumb across the back of it occasionally.

after finishing the meal, she got up, reaching for my plate before I stopped her.

‘I’ve got them don’t worry. go ahead, you’ve got that chemistry exam in the morning.’

‘You’re sure?’ she almost seems surprised and I don’t blame her, I wouldn’t call myself the greatest listener.

‘I know you think I’m dumb and all Camila, but I do know how to do the fucking dishes.’

at that she leans forward, once again pressing her lips to mine and allowing me to taste her laugh as she did and I mindlessly smile, her laugh being one of my favourite things about her.

‘Gotcha, see you in bed Jauregui.’ with that, she walks to her room, her hips swaying as she did and I bite my lip, knowing exactly what lays beneath the clothes hugging her body.

–

as I walk into her room, I see her sitting cross-legged on her bed, her books haphazardly laying around her. she’s counting with her fingers, her eyes closed and eyebrows lined in concentration. recall. I watch her, the crease on her forehead dissipating a little with each answer she gets right and I smile, her passion for her work always amazing me. she was in her last year of NYU, studying some crappy science shit that I have yet to learn the right name of and I was in a band, that dissembled, taking with it every ounce of the career I had built up.

after that tragedy, I had to move out of my actual apartment and get a joint rental, thus how I landed myself into meeting Camila Cabello. we hadn’t gotten off to a good start, obviously, but not having no other choice, began to warm up to each other. maybe a little too warmed up now, and both her friends and mine think it’s the worst idea. hell, I think it’s the worst idea but she doesn’t make me feel so incompetent, so I stick around. and her, well I don’t know why she sticks around, we don’t really talk about feelings.

‘How long have you been standing there?’ she smiles at me, her eyes tired and nose a little red from the cold. I look at the clock and it reads 11:03pm and I feel it’s safe to put away my hostility for the day.

‘You look exhausted.’

‘You know the way to a girl’s heart, don’t you?’

I shrug at that and walk over to her bed, helping her pack away her things before crawling in next to her.

‘Hi.’ she whispered, and something in my heart tugged, but I can’t allow it to build.

‘Hey. Get some rest, you have to be up early.’ I reply, voice low and tired.

her reply is a yawn, not the prettiest one either but I smile nonetheless.

‘Goodnight Laur.’

‘Goodnight Camz.’

–

‘You’re staying, right Laur?’ I feel her breath against my neck and I close my eyes, the warmth of her words easing my restless bones.

I wanted to ask her about it, why the question is always brought up without fail. what it is that she’s afraid of, but that’s not us. we don’t talk, not really. we’re both scared of answers we have not heard, so we don’t talk. not about feelings, not about our past. not about anything.

sometimes I feel as though she’s as broken as I often feel, maybe there are dark secrets behind the tired smile she gives early in the mornings. maybe there’s hope inside of her, no matter how dim, whenever she cooks wearing nothing but a shirt just long enough to cover her thighs. maybe there’s something she lost and whenever she blanks out in the middle of a conversation, she’s trying to find it in her mind. maybe there’s a vacancy laced in the way she so easily trembles under my touch. maybe, just maybe, she needed me too.

‘Laur?’ her voice brings me out of my thoughts and I look down at her, tears kissing the corner of eyes and without so much a thought, I bring my hand up to wipe them away. but I don’t ask, I never do.

‘I’ll see you in the morning.’ I breathe out, and that was the closest to a promise I could say.

a/n: i don’t actually know what this is myself, i apologise but it’s based on the song In the Morning by Keaton Henson. 

also on wattpad: missing_jauregui

[gleeredorp]

Welcome, PJ, you’ve been accepted to play the role of RACHEL BERRY. Please check the new member’s checklist, and send in your account within the next 24 hours, or your role will be reopened!

⇒ OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION:

NAME/ALIAS: PJ

AGE: 22

TIME ZONE: Eastern

ACTIVITY: 6. + I’m in another group and a few 1x1’s and work full time so activity would be limited during the day but pick up at night and most weekends.

ANYTHING ELSE?: Removed

⇒ IN CHARACTER INFORMATION:

DESIRED CHARACTER: Rachel Barbra Berry★

AGE & BIRTHDAY: 16 || December 18th

SEXUALITY: Pansexual

RELATIONSHIP STATUS: I think Rachel and Finn were back together in the beginning of season 2 so I’m open to that, but I can also be okay with them breaking up during the summer, or not getting back together at all. (That doesn’t give you an answer but if a Finn auditions we can figure it out or if admins have a preference it is up to you!)

OCCUPATION: Student: Rachel has a jam packed schedule. She starts her day at 6:30 AM to work out and drink a breakfast shake. She takes AP English, Algebra III,  AP History, and creative writing. Her second semester she will have Calculus, Gym, AP PSYCH, Study Hall. Her afternoons are spent between her school clubs, vocal lessons, dance class, and the school play.  She also occasionally babysits and dog sits.

LOCATION: Lima, Ohio

SHIPS: Rachel/Chemistry

ANTI-SHIPS:  Rachel/No Chemistry.

EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES: Each student must at least have a minimum of one extra curricular activity, and a maximum of four.

Glee club Dance club Poetry club Drama club

CHARACTER TRAITS: What’s your character’s personality like? Include at least two positive & two negative traits to describe your character.

+POSITIVE: Caring +POSITIVE: Ambitious

-NEGATIVE: Abrasive -NEGATIVE: Selfish

⇒ CHARACTER BIOGRAPHY:

Rachel Barbra Berry was born on December 18th on a particularly snowy day. She had to make an entrance, as she always does, and what better way than to arrive on the day of a snow storm. Shelby Corcoran got one look at her daughter before she was taken away and the Berry Men quickly took over, now having a new born daughter to nurture and care for.

Being the successful gay men that they are, they were all for lavish events: dinner parties, Tony parties, traveling to see shows out of town. They wanted their Rachel to enjoy the same types of things in hopes of being one big musically talented family. It’s partly the reason they had chosen Shelby, her need for stardom and her unforgiving talent that needed to be seen. It could only be passed on to Rachel and passed on it was.

Thankfully for them Rachel took to the life style, liking the spotlight, loving the movement dance provided her, and she enjoyed letting the world hear her voice that had been strong since the moment she first let out a cry in the hospital. Her fathers remind her it was a perfect scale of a wail.

Her first movie she ever had the pleasure of watching was Funny Girl with the incredible Barbra Streisand, Rachel’s idol, and inspiration behind her name. She vowed to one day be in the revival of Funny Girl in New York and has since been focused merely on making that dream come true. She dreams of the lights, the busy city, and the crowd calling her name as she took her last bow.

She thought glee club was her chance to make friends, meet likeminded people, but it hadn’t always been easy. She found though that even when the group didn’t get along they all had this need for acceptance and bringing their group from the ground up. It was a devastating loss at regionals but Quinn had her baby, she came out of it okay, and they got the okay that glee club would be able to come back for a second year. She couldn’t be happier but vowed to work even harder to get the club to the top.

The summer after regionals Rachel took every vocal lesson opportunity she could get as well as joining the community theater for their production of West Side Story. Rachel wanted glee club to win so badly, wanted her group, her friends to feel what winning feels like, and she wanted to see that for them even if a lot of the time it all only seemed to be something she was doing for herself.

At the end of the summer Rachel went to the cast party as the production of WSS came to a close. As she was leaving the director approached her at her car. She had tried to get away, having been leaving in the first place because there was some heavy drinking and a few people smoking weed she assumed. It wasn’t the environment she wanted to be in and that thought only intensified as the directors hand went up her skirt. She tried to scream but his hand went up to cover her mouth, and her body just went limp out of reflex she assumes.

Now it’s the start of the new school year and Rachel’s trying to keep her head above water. Her father’s rarely home now that she’s older and can be trusted to fend for herself hadn’t been a problem to hide from. Why would they notice something wrong with her when any ounce of emotion was quickly brushed aside and her therapist called in to deal with it. It’s Mr. Schuester, her glee club mates, who she’s worried about hiding from. How can she remind herself that performing makes her happy when all she remembers is how a great show came to a close just for it to provide a different kind of show in her mind, one that won’t stop replaying in her head over and over again.

⇒ IN CHARACTER QUESTIONNAIRE:

IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME AND CHANGE ANYTHING IN YOUR PAST, WOULD YOU? WHY? WHY NOT? +WHAT WOULD IT BE?

I think I would have to say dating Jesse is something I’d like to change. I made my own fair share of mistakes in that relationship, but what he did was deplorable. He made me trust him, helped me become open about my feelings around my mom, and then the whole time he was her student and him and his club threw eggs at me. I wished I had listened to fellow members of the club and taken a step away from Jesse before any of the crazy things happened. Outside of that I wish I could change the outcome of our regionals performance, we deserved to win, and I strongly believe that. No other group had been through what our club had and no one worked as hard.

IF THERE WERE TO BE A MOVIE MADE ABOUT YOUR LIFE, WHO WOULD YOU CAST TO PLAY YOU?

This is not a fair question for me to have to answer, the only person valuable enough to portray me would be the incredible Barbra Joan Streisand but as many say I haven’t lived enough of my life at this point to have a movie made about it. As much as it pains me by the time my life is fulfilled enough to be broadcasted in some sort of movie, she will be deceased. I’m crying thinking about it. I’d like to think I could just portray myself but since I am a rule follower I’m going to say Camila Cabello, she holds a striking resemblance to me and she has an incredible voice, nowhere near as incredible as mine, but it would do.

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 10 YEARS?

In ten years I’ll be close to 27, I see myself settled down with that special someone. I will have my first Tony (at least) for my role as Fanny Brice, Maria in West Side Story, or I’ll have starred in an original show at this point. I will hopefully be with child at this point in my life as my life plan has always called for the loss of my virginity and the start of my big musical family after my first Tony win- and to be honest I would probably be able to settle with a simple nomination, but the likelihood of an actual win is very probable. Most of all I just hope I’m happy, enjoying my life in New York with my family and doing what I love.

[xthescarletbitch]

how dare she make flipping a knife look so attractive

[xthescarletbitch]

these have been sitting in my drafts because i couldn’t think of a caption… (😐)

[xthescarletbitch]

i know that nobody cares, but i already have at least three parts planned for an arrangement.

finally finishing the game and seeing a lot more of my beloved espada has inspired me to write more. 🥺

[5hfanfiction]

The Price We Pay (Chapter Two)

Her missions tended to be very similar in what she was supposed to do and how was to do it. Her master would give her a folder with all of the target’s information, and she would kill them. It was a simple as that. Those are the missions she enjoyed the least; uncomplicated, easy missions, where she could summon a few arrows and the target would be dead.

Her favorite missions, on the other hand, were like the one she was currently assigned to, where master chose to sell her services to someone else who required her specific set of skills.

She’d be away from the manor for some time now, enjoying her faux freedom in a different city, away from the prying eyes of her master. He’s been different recently since she gave him that letter a week ago, locking himself in his office. She’s found him in Lauren’s old bedroom on many different occasions now as well. Something was going on that he was keeping from her. She didn’t care too much; he was her master, so she would never question him.

“Have you ever been to Miami?” The older man, Richard Mathers, sitting across from her asked as they waited for the private plane to take off. They’ve been on the tarmac for hours now, or it could have only felt that way given the way the pervy man would not stop eyeing her muscled body. It didn’t matter though; if he got too close she could easily handle him. Hell, she could easily handle anyone. She thinks he knows that since he hadn’t made a single move to get closer even though the stewardess has left them alone for some time now. “It’s a beautiful city full of beautiful people. A lot of gorgeous Mexican girls like yourself, chica.”

“I’m not Mexican.” She replied flatly, watching as finally, finally, the light to buckle up popped on and they started moving a few minutes later. She’d been irritable ever since her master had told her where, exactly, she’d been going on the mission. Usually, she loved these missions to get away from everything back home, but not when they brought her to Miami. “I’m from Cuba.”

“Same difference, gorgeous.” His teeth were too white when his lips pulled back in a grimy smile, his skin way too  wrinkle free for his age to be anything other than Botox. “Mexican is Mexican, baby. Now, why don’t you come over here and show me how those Mexican girls move their hips?”

Summoning her abilities came as naturally as breathing now. All it took was slowing her breathing and envisioning the arrow forming in her hand. She knew her eyes flashed white based on how Richard’s own dark eyes flashed in fear and his gaze jerked to the arrow in her hand. Behind that fear though, she could see a hint of awe. “He must not have seen someone use their abilities up close like this”, she thought. Cockily, she gave him a challenging smirk and said, “Why don’t you come here and I’ll show you what else I can move so well?”

Richard was scared into silence for only a moment before a large smile overtook his tan face, clapping and laughing loudly. Clearly, he was pleased. “I knew I picked the right sorceress for the job! Michael talked very highly of you, and I knew you could get the job done right! But seeing it in person… wow!” He paused, and then softer, with more compassion than Camila thought possible coming from a man like him, he said, “Your price is a steep one, then?” and lightly touched the side of his mouth, where Camila could feel blood beginning to leak out of. She’d tasted the copper liquid seconds ago, but let it dribble out to prove another point to him. It was a stupid waste of her powers, a stupid move on her part to waste precious blood, but- fuck it. “I have a daughter only a few years younger than you. I couldn’t imagine what it would be like if she had abilities like yourself.”

“Would you exploit her as you exploit our services? This is not your first time using my master’s organization.” Camila kept her gaze on the window, watching the clouds fly by them as the stewardess finally passed, and handed her a napkin for her mouth. The blood had stopped flowing, but she let it stain her jaw, let it coat her lips. She had grown to love the taste of blood. When Richard didn’t answer, she mumbled, “I couldn’t imagine not having abilities. I pity the people who are normal.”

-

“I have no interest in knowing why you want this person taken care of. All I care about is getting the job done and getting the money from it,” Camila shrugged as they sat in the hotel room Richard had rented for her. She’d be spending a week in Miami most likely, as this wasn’t a typical kill and leave sort of mission. She’d been picked to gather intel for her master and client as well- on a topic she had no idea of. Which annoyed her, but she’d never complained. She’d figure it out in time. “I’ll need a few days to figure out his basic schedule- who he talks to the most and where he frequents. I’ll gather as much information as I can. Most likely I will kill him in his office, that way I’ll have immediate access to his files. Men like him tend to work late hours; it shouldn’t be hard to get him alone late one night.”

Richard stood off to the side, a glass of brandy in hand as he cocked his head at the seventeen-year-old girl before him. She was.. magnificent in the worst of ways, a thunderstorm about to burst. He has never met anyone like her before and knew she’d be able to get his job done expertly and swiftly. He had never been more impressed and scared by a child. There was an ounce of pity in him towards the girl though, especially as he looked at the part of her chin still stained red. He’s seen steep prices before, but he couldn’t imagine vomiting blood after summoning just one arrow.

“Do you have something to say, Mr. Mathers?” The girl smirked without looking at him, focusing instead on the papers scattered chaotically across the coffee table. She had gotten to work right away, opening all the files Richard had given her and beginning to plan the assassination. Michael had promised it would be in less than ten days, a rather impressive feat given how much had promised his sorceress to handle. “Because if you do not, I do not need the distractions. I have to get started.” She stood, moving to a suitcase stored by the front door that Richard knew held her suit and any supplies she may need. The benefit of using Sorcerer Assassin’s over humans was they needed very little tools other than their own abilities. “I will call you in two days, Mr. Mathers. Do not contact me first- do not come see me either. You took a risk even following me into this hotel room. The less contact we have the better. Just in case.”

“Are you expecting there to be issued, Miss. Camila?” Richard smirked more, toying with the girl, not bothering to hide his attraction towards her. She was unique. Utterly exquisite.

“I have come so far because I don’t let anything to take me by surprise. I expect the worst every time and produce the best results. So leave, Mr. Mathers, before I decide you are worth more to me skinned than alive.” He said nothing in response, and a moment later Camila heard footsteps against the dark wood of the floor followed by the door easing shut, and she let loose a breath. That man bothered her more than she cared to admit, and she was looking forward to a few days of moving through the city without him shamelessly ogling her.

Even if the city was fucking Miami.

Camila was ten when Michael Jauregui found her, lost and crying on the streets because she had fucked up so bad. The boy was barely breathing when she ran from the birthday party, panicked and terrified over having hurt her friend. Everyone was too stunned to do anything other than stand there as Camila took off, but she heard the boy’s mother screaming for help, and then heard her own mother calling her name. As she ran, blood suddenly filled her mouth, and she had to heave into a gutter. It was so much… and even at ten years old she knew something was not right. They’ve lived in the same house ever since they immigrated here from Argentina five years ago, and so she grew up running through this neighborhood with the other kids, knew all the best hiding spots for hiding and seek. Her parents didn’t stand a chance to find her, especially when she ran into the trees.

She had been looking for the rundown tree house they typically used to hide in, but most have gone down the wrong path or something because before she knew it the sun was setting and she was exiting the woods into a bustling shopping center. Camila had frequented with her mother and baby Sofia multiple times, but even then she didn’t know how to get back home and didn’t know if she should go back home.

Her parents were going to be furious at her, she just knew it. They had told her time and time again that weapons were very dangerous and she should never ever touch one. She has no idea how the arrow ended up in hand, sleek and black and surprisingly light, but it appeared just as she flung her arm out in the middle of her stupid temper tantrum and-

The boy screamed as he fell.

Camila couldn’t imagine her parents being anything other than completely horrified like she currently was. So she decided right then and there she would not be going home. It was a rash and poor decision made by a scared ten years old terrified of being punished over something she had no idea how she did it, and it didn’t take long to realize her mistake. People kept staring at her as she walked by almost in a daze, and a few women stopped to ask if she needed help. Every time that happened she took off running in a different direction. Before long, she was in a part of town she had never seen before. It was there that she passed a window and saw her reflection, and finally understood why everyone kept staring at her.

There was blood on her chin, nearly brown now from having been drying for hours, and stark against the pink frills of her top. It was a birthday gift from her father, one he had given her this morning to wear for her party, and she been insistent not to spill anything on it. Now it was completely ruined, because something did not right happen to her and she’s crying again as she slumped against the rough brick of the shop, nearly deserted now as the center had closed for the night. Camila didn’t know what she was going to do, didn’t know where she was going to go. Just that she could never go home and-

“Are you lost?”

Camila’s father had taught her about stranger-danger, had drilled the concept into her head so many times it was instinct at this point to run from the man crouching down before her, his head cocked to the side as he stared at her.

Yes, it was instinct to run, but- she just didn’t have the energy anymore. Instead, she sat there, tears mixing with the dried blood as the man waited for an answer, but Camila looked to the person standing slightly behind him.

They looked too similar to be anything other than father and daughter, with the same dark hair and facial features. The girl was most likely around Camila’s age, dressed in black shorts and some type of jersey, she smiled at Camila, saying, “You aren’t hurt.” Her voice was raspy even for a child, low and rough and all too knowing as the smile stayed in place. “The blood is yours but you aren’t hurt.”

“I.. It came from my mouth and I.. I… I’m scared!” She finally sobbed, jerking her legs up and hiding her face in her knees as she cried, her small body shaking. It was just the three of them now, and the unknown girl stepped closer, still smiling and placed a soft hand on Camila’s shoulder. “I… I hurt Jacob! It was. It was an accident, I swear!”

“I bet it was,” The man said gently, moving slightly closer as he forced her to look at him, a charming smile on his face. Camila was calmed slightly just staring into his dark eyes, feeling her mind go kind of blank and her shoulders relax. She doesn’t know when she stopped crying, but the man wiped her tears, never breaking eye contact as he said, “I understand what happened- we both understand,” he gestured to his daughter who nodded as he continued, “but no one else will. Your parents will hate you for what you did. Your friends will be scared of you. Jacob will never forgive you. Do you believe me?”

She did, she did, she did. With everything in her being, she believed him, unable to stop herself from nodding. It was as if she could think of nothing else but the man before her, and for some reason, she could not look away from his eyes. They were… white, and while she should be scared, there was nothing but.. but peace in her mind as the man kept talking.

“Come with us, and I can teach you how to control your abilities so you never unintentionally harm someone again. I can give you a home since your parents will not want you back. Will you come with us?” The girl was nodding her head to get to Camila to agree, and it felt as if she didn’t have the ability to say no as she took the man’s hand, allowed him to pull her up, and she followed them to the black town car waiting down the block. Little did she know that life as she knew it would change completely from just one conversation.

It had taken her some time after her admittance to the organization to understand Michael had used his abilities to get Camila to follow him, but she did not hate him for it.

As she stood and grabbed what she needed to begin tailing her target, she smiled to herself.

Joining Myriad had been the best thing to ever happen to her.

She was made to be a killer.

It just took accidentally throwing an arrow into a boy’s chest when she was ten to realize that.

It has been seven years, almost eight now since she fled her childhood home under fear of punishment, and she scarcely returns since, and when she has she goes out of her way to avoid Palmetto Beach. The chances are very slim that she’d run into her parents, but. there has always been something holding her back, a weakness she could never shake.

She avoids Carlton too.

Camila returned to Miami for the first time since she left when she was fourteen, on a mission with none other than Lauren. It was only a few months before her death, and while it was a mission that had both girls returning to their hometown, Camila has never had more fun in her life. She had been hesitant to board the plane to Florida, but. Lauren made it better.

Lauren had always made things better.

Michael had assigned Lauren to watch over Camila as this was the younger girl’s first big mission. He wasn’t completely confident the fourteen-year-old could do what needed to be done, so he sent Lauren to chaperone. The two girls sat on the plane, Lauren explaining softly what needed to be done and Camila sitting tensely, and when they landed Lauren gave their driver directions to a location that most definitely was not their rendezvous point.

“What… what are you doing?” Camila frowned as the bustling city faded from tightly formed houses and shops to larger manors separated for privacy, the car moving through a gated community after stopping to talk to security. This definitely wasn’t on their list of what needed to be done today, but Camila was interested nonetheless. “Where are we?”

“A little outside of Carlton,” Lauren said simply, a soft smile on her face as the town car rolled to a stop in front of a large house at the top of a hill, no cars in the driveway but a full garden of roses and a swing hanging from the wrap around porch. “This is my house.”

“What?” She had known Lauren spent the early part of her life in Miami, though she didn’t know it was here. These were the nicest houses Camila had ever seen in their city, especially since she had grown up in the rather poorer side of Miami. Her mother spoke very little English, and worked odd jobs here and there, while her father worked construction for a small company. She shouldn’t be surprised that Lauren lived this sort of lifestyle, given that Michael had always been a very skilled assassin.

Before taking over Myriad, Michael had been the previous Master’s right-hand man, working hard to earn the respect that title came with before his own Master was murdered and Michael took over.

“Well… it was before we moved to New York. My father bought it as a wedding gift for my mother.” The green eyed girl didn’t make a move to exit the car, and Camila couldn’t help but wonder if they would be getting closer, or if this was as close as Lauren ever allowed herself to get to her childhood home.

Camila couldn’t stop looking at the large mansion style home with large pillars in the front. It was easy to imagine a young Lauren running around the porch, jumping from the steps into the grass. She pictured a happy family, perhaps a sprinkler in the yard that little Lauren could run through while Michael and her mother watched with smiles on their faces. “Why did you leave?”

“My father couldn’t live in my mother’s house anymore. I was three when she died; six when we moved.” That must have been around the time Michael’s master died then, Camila supposed. What betters a time to start over in New York than then, especially with nothing left truly holding him back in Florida. “I come back here every time I’m in Miami, trying to.. I don’t know, remember her, I guess? It was her face I forgot first, did you know that? I couldn’t remember the shape of her nose, if she had lips like mine, or.. or, I don’t even know. Sometimes I still hear her voice when I’m sleeping, but I don’t know if it’s really her voice or what I imagine it to sound like if that makes sense?”

It does, very much so. Camila had been gone from her own home for four years now, but she still thinks of her family often. She wouldn’t allow herself to think of what it would be like if her family was actually dead and not just dead to her. “I understand, Lauren.” She had always understood her best friend.

A sudden ringing brought Camila out of her musing as she looked down to her phone, forcing her back into the present as she accepted the unsaved number, recognizing it immediately as Ally’s. They all took prepaid phones on missions, but Camila had all the important numbers memorized.

“Yeah?” She knew it had to be something important if Ally was calling during a mission, possibly risking the entire operation if Camila had been in the middle of something important. Luckily she was simply walking the streets, slowly making her way to the target’s office to scope him out.

“Camila…” Ally was too soft for this game, too nice and loving, more so than Lauren had always been, but even then Camila had never heard her be so quiet, so hesitant as she said her name. Something had happened, something big. “I can’t say much right now, and I can’t explain how I know, but I need you to believe what I’m about to say.”

“I’m in the middle of a mission; I don’t have a lot of time, so you need to make it quick.” She had reached the large building that housed the target’s office, and stopped across the street, staring up at the top floor where she knew the man to be.

“Lauren is alive, Camila.”