#charlie is just reaching the light at the end of the tunnel that is the most depressed years of his life

[dirt-grub]

Smiling friends hc basically canon tho that pim is one of those people who had a lot of really bad shit happen to him but tries his hardest to keep everyone around him happy almost to his detriment. I mean in the first episode u saw his family lol

YESSSSS YESSS and thats why im so obsessed with him i can't think of another character that's like that off the top of my head and its so fucking relatable TWT like the message a lot of people got from the first episode is that pim is naive and i dont think thats the case at all, i think he just realized over time how to keep himself stable as long as he doesnt dwell on shit until he spirals and he started spiraling, i dont believe for a second hes never once thought the same shit desmond was talking about

[bindeds]

bite me part two? 🥺👉👈

BITE  ME ( PART 2. )   ALASTOR  (HEAVILY  FT.  LUCIFER)  X  READER. —  you  arrive  back  from  your  outing  with  charlie  and  find  a  familiar  face  at  the  bar.  it  was  unusual  to  find  him  there,  and  when  he  asks  you  what's  wrong,  it's  hard  to  turn  him  away  even  if  you  are  looking  for  someone  else.

tags.  explicit  consent,  but  you  don't  actually  fuck  alastor,  acknowledging  his  asexuality,  jealousy.  plot  contains.  ballroom  dancing  and flirting with  lucifer!  <3 wc.  3.3k

a/n. so sorry this took weeks! i hope you enjoy this anyhow <3

related links . . . part 1. bite me : lucifer’s ver.

masterlist. requests as of 0324 : open.

“You smell delicious, mon cher.”

Your eyes widened at the mirror blurring right in front of you. The dull bathrooms of the hotel hadn’t gone through any paint jobs yet, so in this light, it was the palest, dullest blue that almost glorified the blaring red that your companion possessed. There was no running water and yet the edges fogged up, puffs of greedy heat threatening to reach the very center. You stared right back at your own puzzled complexion, a mix between restraint and twisted bewilderment.

Your hands were limp in Alastor’s slender ones as he held them by your sides, your right hand a little more extended than the other.

He lowered his chin and rested snugly on your shoulder. His eyes shut. His smile was persistent, mocking and as bright as ever.

“Is it truly what you desire?” Alastor asked, and like the moisture that infected the mirror, his bloodied velvet voice rang like a snake’s hiss in your head. “To be … undone by his frivolous charms.”

He spat the words out like it was venom threatening to poison the very tongue he used to keep you right where you were, conflicted with the thrill of your wrestling heart over what this man had been doing to you.

“Alastor …”

“Or would you prefer it to be by my own hand?”

Alastor’s left hand left yours in a quick motion as it went flush against your upper abdomen.

You bit your lip as his hand traveled further down the smooth fabric of your clothing, almost mirroring the movement of sweat rolling down your forehead and cheek.

“Well?” He refrained himself from laughing, but of course it was a very poor attempt.

You were slowly but surely crumpling in his ever tightening grasp.

His hand stopped dead at the very bottom of your stomach.

Your breath hitched. Liquid fire spread in between each strand of hair on your head as you gulped.

“May I?”

“Al, what are you doing? You wouldn’t do this. You’re playing with me,” you dared to speak out amidst the haze of speechlessness that had been cast upon you by this half-done bathroom—by the swell of Alastor’s chest on your shoulder blades, by his entire body that had been so perfect of a puzzle piece against the back of your own.

“Oh, but I would,” Alastor snickered in a low, sinister tone that only finished in a high. “You’ve already witnessed the measures I’d travel just to make myself happy. You and I are both unaware of what I’m capable of doing for the one I yearn for.”

“Al … that’s …”

This is all wrong. He’s going about it the completely wrong way.

Your eyes finally shoot up and away from the mirror that distorted your tunnel-vision view—but that could very well be your own mind overwhelming your body, making it jump hoops all for its own sick gain.

If you started all over again, you couldn’t have guessed you’d end up here. And even if you could … would you have avoided it?

…

The bar had been its usual glowing, droopy green as it always had, with Husk tending to it like he was its loyal servant—and in a way, he was. With being the hotel’s bartender, he was unspokenly tasked to help the poor souls that wander over to his bar to look for solace at the bottom of a whiskey bottle.

But today … had been slightly different.

Slightly different in the sense that Husk … couldn’t read the man before him. He looked … tired, with subtle bags forming below his once bright, wide eyes whenever he looked down, but he still smiled when he downed a shot and settled for red wine after the very first one.

When you and Charlie came bursting in with what would be the sun’s energy if it possessed the power to speak, your eyes matched the man at the bar’s. Husk saw it immediately.

Not just the dark circles under your eyes, or how your shoulders went limp the moment Charlie regrouped with her girlfriend.

Your neck.

It had been very slightly deformed, but he couldn’t explain in what way. In almost every angle, it was flawless skin that looked the same all across your hands, arms and face. But in just one angle in particular …

Husk flinched when Lucifer called your name from across the hotel lobby, waving at you to sit down next to him. The bags disappeared without a trace, with only that bright smile everyone knew so well to accompany his already cheery demeanor. You would have almost forgotten he was even sitting at the gloomy bar in the first place.

“How was your little outing with Charlie? Did you and my little girl have fun?” He asked as his smile persisted through his drinking.

“Yes, sir, we—”

“Oh, no need for that now, just call me Lucifer,” he chuckled as he waved you off.

“Okay,” you smiled, tucking some hair behind your ear. “Are you okay?”

“Oh, yes I’m fine! I’m perfectly fine, why do you ask my dear?” Lucifer raised a brow but his other hand was still wrapped around his half-finished glass of liquor.

“Well, it’s just that—”

You flinched as gentle fingers on your cheek had forced you to twist your neck at an awkward angle.

A whispering breeze blew past a sore spot you had forgotten.

You swatted Lucifer’s hand away and gasped at your own sharp reaction.

“Shit, I’m so sorry sir I—”

“Who did that to you?”

His voice crumbled unstable, being held up by only his will to know what happened. He glanced up at you, brows tensed and pulled together.

You covered your neck, rolling your lips into a crumpled line.

“Lucifer, it’s nothing, really,” you insisted.

Lucifer reached out again. “At least let me heal it—”

“You can’t,” you said, gently deflecting his hand once more.

He blinked a few times. His gaze briefly rested on your shoulder before resuming to his own glass as he sighed silently.

“Alright then.”

He snapped his fingers and summoned a soft scarf from a pume of red smoke. He presented it to you with two hands and you took it wearily, but wrapped it around your neck as soon as you had it in your grasp.

“We don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to. I’m only worried,” he said, and your name was exhaled from his lips like it was something he’d been keeping in.

“Could you at least … think about it? For me?”

“Think about what?”

“Letting me heal your wound. It looks painful,” Lucifer added as he squinted back at where your wound would have been had you not covered it up with the scarf.

“I’ll …” you paused as you looked away. The lobby had been rather empty tonight considering the evening was settling in, this was usually when people would be flooding either into the dining hall for dinner or out to catch their own meals.

Your gaze fell on Charlie who had been Vaggie’s headrest as they watched tv together in the lobby. They don’t usually do this, so you had a feeling it might have had something to do with the man right in front of you. After all, it wasn’t a usual sight to see him anywhere near the bar considering he clearly found it distasteful.

“I’ll think about it.”

Lucifer nodded. A warm smile overtook his cheeks. “Thank you.”

Husk glanced between you and Lucifer and set down the empty wine bottle he’d been wiping at the side.

He walked over to the back of the bar where the other bottles of liquor were on display and reached for a small radio with knobs on either side. He knew that this would come in handy someday, even if he hated to admit that the radio demon was right.

He turned the knob once, and a fast-talking demon barely got a word in before he turned it again. It took a few more turns before he settled on a song he was lucky to have stumbled upon.

The slow, swaying tune of trumpets began to play, the sound bouncing off the walls to create an ambience similar to that of an old film shot in a fancy hotel just like this one.

And like the corrupt angels heard Husk’s scattered prayers, Angel Dust appeared by the main stairs of the hotel.

“Hey, I’m just gonna head out for dinner,” he called to him before his eyes wandered the ceilings. “Hey, what’s this fancy tune?”

The radio had been magically routed throughout the hotel lobby, and it had been like this since Alastor had given him this radio to tuck away in case of ‘dire situations.’

Everyone looked around the walls of the hotel, amazement filled in the glimmers of their eyes at what they were hearing.

“Just a lil’ somethin’ to lighten up the mood. I haven’t been outside but I’m sure it’s a fine evening,” Husk says rather apathetically, considering the actual content of his words.

“Hey, wait I know this song!” Angel Dust perked up as his eyes widened just as much as his agape smile had. “Husk, c’mon!”

Charlie and Vaggie had already taken the floor and slow-danced in swirls.

Angel Dust rushed towards the bar and beckoned Husk once more.

“It … is a lovely night,” Lucifer uttered your name once more, catching your attention as you exchanged tired gazes with him. “Care to dance, love?”

Lucifer offered you his hand.

But all you saw were the memories of what had happened upstairs not too long ago. The striking pain, the oozing pleasure—Alastor’s gaze.

“Lucifer, it’s very sweet of you, but I can’t,” you refused again.

Lucifer’s already effete smile dissipated, but his hand remained persistent.

“It’s only a dance, my dear. With all the things that wear you down, I can’t think of a more perfect distraction,” Lucifer persisted as his hand remained extended out before you.

You considered Lucifer’s words for a minute. Alastor hasn’t appeared when he usually does whenever Charlie comes back from an errand, and you didn’t want to disturb him especially after the intimate moment you shared before leaving. It must have been a lot for him considering his sexual orientation, even if sex wasn’t involved.

And, Lucifer had been nothing but endearing since you came back. He didn’t pry into your business even if you knew he could tell that you were fatigued.

You hooked a finger in the scarf Lucifer had given you, as if to remind yourself of just how patient and kind Lucifer had been when even he seemed out of it tonight.

You nodded as you took his hand, and you yelped at the sudden pull of your entire body as he spun you around. Before you could reorient yourself, you were in the empty floors of the hotel lobby, with one hand clasped on Lucifer’s own, and the other on his shoulder. His other hand held your waist upright as you danced in tandem, you and Lucifer’s feet like two parts of the same mechanism. His one step forward was your one step back.

“Kiss me once and kiss me twice and kiss me once again, it’s been a long, long, time …”

His eyes remained on you, a gentle smile shone in the gold lighting of the hotel. Perhaps this was why he was named the Morningstar; the setting sun whispered over his cheeks and his gaze, even if it had now been tainted red, was still something to behold.

“Did I tell you you look lovely tonight?” Lucifer asked gingerly.

You held back a chuckle. “You might have mentioned it, yes.”

“Oh, you kid,” Lucifer grinned as he shook his head. “The answer is ‘no,’ dear.”

“Then what was the point of asking?”

Lucifer paused, and all you could do was search his features for an answer.

“It was so that I can tell you a million times over.”

You only had a second to react when he spun you a lot slower this time, and you were actually able to catch a glimpse of Husk and Angel dancing nearby and … was that a stain on the wall?

“You look lovely tonight,” Lucifer uttered in hushed tones, the low voice casting a fumes over your line of thought.

He pulled away from you for a moment, but had a firm grasp as your only link to him was both your hands, arms outstretched to each other. He pulled you back towards him again, your chest to be flush against his own as your hand instinctively found his again.

“You look lovely tonight,” he repeated in a more hopeful tone, and by this time you understood what he was doing and you finally let yourself laugh.

As the song slowed to an end, he dipped you delicately as his arm steeled under your lower back to hold the rest of you up.

“You look … lovely. Tonight,” Lucifer finished.

He helped you up as your eyes locked onto his, though, if you were being honest with yourself, it might have been locked there for just about the entire dance; you were just too busy exploring what laid beneath. You finally returned his solemn smile and he reached to the side of your face to tuck some stray hair behind your ear.

You tilted your head towards his touch, as if it was almost by instinct again.

“You know, I was looking to … loosen up tonight, if you catch my meaning,” Lucifer lifted his chin as hints of that signature grin peeked through his lips.

A raindrop string, a bird’s cry—what had been something so endearing had suddenly turned strangely bittersweet. The answer had been more than sparkling clear in your head.

“Lucifer, I—”

Your eyes instinctively fell on that dark spot on the wall again.

And your entire body shivered ice cold. You perked up and away from Lucifer’s hand as the stain on the wall sneered at you.

“What’s wrong?” Lucifer asked.

Except, it really wasn’t a stain on the wall. More of a shadow in the chair. Alastor materialized fully into a single seater by the tv, eyes squinted as his close-mouthed smile stretched from ear to ear.

Alastor’s high pitched cackle echoed in your head as he dissolved into black wisps again, his shadow stretching towards the half-done women’s public bathroom of the hotel.

“Did you hear that?”

“No … what’s—”

“I’m sorry, I have to go—um, to the bathroom.”

Lucifer called your name as you slipped away from him, but you ignored his call as you rushed into the bathroom like you said you would.

When you burst through the door, the bathroom sat humid and abandoned with the air conditioning of the hotel kept completely out from the stuffy room. The structure of it had really come together nicely, so it wouldn’t have looked nearly as creepy if the team had gotten the paint job done this week.

“Why have you come, dear?” That smooth yet high pitched voice echoed not just in your head this time, but it ricocheted off the walls and back at you to hear it ring a second, third, and fourth time.

Alastor was loudest over your shoulder. You felt his breath tickle your neck as his shoes clicked along the tiled floors. He walked around you, finally showing himself as he planted his cane on the floor between both of you.

“Lucifer and I were just talking and I was looking for you after we came back but you didn’t come to see us. Then music played and …”

Alasto waited a while before speaking up himself. “And what?”

“Oh c’mon Al, could you just—not do this for once? Please? You know what I’m trying to say. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to … do that.”

“Do what? Dance with the very man that has me scratching layers of my own skin and flesh out?” Alastor looked up in thought, though knowing him, this remark had been smeared all over his lips since he’d first observed you with Lucifer. All he’d done was scrape the nastiest parts and flung it right at you.

“Alastor, I didn’t know if I should have disturbed you when I got back, alright? Don’t be like that. I really am sorry—and you’re being mean about it, I’m trying to be genuine here,” you protested as you folded your arms over your chest.

“Oh, darling,” Alastor sighed sympathetically. He approached you with just a step or two forward, and with your head still hung low, your eyes zipped at him as he laid a gentle hand on top of your own.

That hand grabbed yours and in a gush of wind, you were in front of the mirror with Alastor’s entire body glued to your back.

. . .

And you’re back in the present. His hand was a clothing iron to your lower stomach, burning and sticking to you like you had to get it off.

“Alastor, do you think I’d choose Lucifer over you for sex?” You shrieked in disbelief.

Alastor’s lips pursed in thought. “It’s the one thing he acquired that i have not. It’s the only thing I can think of.”

“And you’d make yourself uncomfortable … just to keep me from leaving you?”

You feel Alastor slowly nod with his head still pressed against you.

“It’s an indulgence i find useless and quite incomprehensible however—”

You broke out of his grasp and turned around, your hands ending up around his nape.

“Al.”

His complexion relaxed from its previously shocked state. He blinked, and he pinned you against the sink when he leaned into you, his hands on either side of the sink’s edge.

“I think it’s very sweet that you would do that for me,” you began shakily. “But I also … I want you to want me.”

Alastor tilted his head.

“But I do want you, darling. Just earlier up in my quarters I was thinking how lovely it would be to read dracula to you while you drift off to sleep.”

You smiled sheepishly, finally breaking eye contact with him as you lower your head.

“Yes. I’d like that very much. But that’s not what I’m talking about, dear,” you reiterate with honey that Alastor could taste in your tone as you felt him ease up in your hands, he somehow grew warmer, softer—like he had been making himself easier to hold for you.

“I’m … I’m talking about sex.”

“Yes. If you’d like that then—”

“No, Al. I’ve accepted that you’re aromantic and asexual a long time ago. And I consider myself lucky to be in some sort of exclusive arrangement with you already.”

“‘an individual that rarely experiences romantic or sexual attraction.’”

Your eyes widened. “You know?”

“I asked Niffty to use voogle because I felt my skin crumple and bubble at the very thought of participating in that picture box head’s scheme. But yes, I am now aware of such terms. I find that it suits me quite well.”

“I’d like to respect that, Al. You’re who I want to spend all my time with. And if sex makes you uncomfortable then we don’t have to do it. I can always do it myself.”

Alastor continued to smile as if you hadn’t said anything. As if you hadn’t just handed him your heart—blood, arteries and all—on a silver platter. You bit your lip and it pulsated like a heartbeat, but maybe you were just getting lightheaded.

Alastor finally pressed his forehead to yours, closing his eyes as his grin shrunk down to a barely visible smile.

“Thank you, my treasure.”

That night, as Alastor had mentioned, you went to bed in matching pajamas as he read your own book to you, Dracula by Bram Stoker. You fell asleep quite a while after he’d begun reading, and even if Alastor barely gets any sleep at all, he still shifts next to you under the sheets to have you close.

taglist : (comment if you’d like to be on it! tell me if there’s other characters you’d like to be tagged for as well <3) @whateverlololo @shunsuiken @rineptune

[ask-valentino-anything]

Charlie Whitelock

When I woke up, I changed into my normal clothes. I brushed my white hair and washed my face. Today my mom wasn't at home, so it was the perfect time to escape. I ate breakfast, which consisted of bread, scrambled eggs, and orange juice. I put on my shoes and left. I tossed away my keys and started running. The sky was a clear blue, and I could smell cigarette smoke.

I moved quickly, each step taking me further from the house that no longer felt like home. The streets were unusually quiet for a Saturday morning. Only the distant hum of cars and the occasional bark of a dog broke the silence. My backpack, packed hastily the night before, bounced on my back with each stride.

I turned a corner and ducked into an alley, my heart pounding in my chest. The narrow passage was littered with trash, the smell of decay mingling with the cigarette smoke. I pressed on, my eyes darting around for any sign of danger.

As I reached the end of the alley, I glanced to my right and saw Roman and Andrew in the park. They were laughing, completely carefree. The sight made my chest tighten with anger and frustration. How could Roman be so happy after everything he'd done to me?

Suddenly, a strange shimmer appeared in the air before me, like a heatwave on a summer day. The shimmer grew, swirling into a glowing, oval-shaped portal. I stopped dead in my tracks, staring at it in disbelief.

Before I could react, a figure emerged from the portal. It was a girl, wearing a mask that looked like an owl's face, with large, feathered wings on her back. She looked at me with piercing eyes, then reached out a hand.

"Come with me," she said, her voice urgent and commanding.

"Who are you?" I asked, taking a step back.

"There's no time to explain. Just trust me," she insisted, grabbing my arm and pulling me towards the portal.

I hesitated for a moment but then decided to trust her. Together, we stepped through the portal. A sensation of being pulled through a tunnel of light enveloped me, and when it cleared, I found myself in a completely different place.

We were in a lush, vibrant forest, with trees taller and greener than any I had ever seen. The air was filled with the sounds of birds and the rustling of leaves. It was as if we had stepped into a different world.

"Welcome to Kingue," the girl said, removing her mask to reveal a kind face beneath. "I'm Issa."

"Where are we?" I asked, looking around in awe.

"This is the kingdom of two kings," Issa explained. "Rigt now you are on the side of Lord Everen."

"Now who are you?" Issa asked. 

"I-I'm Charlie" I blurted out. 

"Okay Charlie. I am an elf. And on the other side there are Imp's. wich rules king Fang, let's just say you are on the better side." She took off her wings. "Oh by the way I'm a therian. I hope that dosent make thing's weird between us." She smiled.

"N-No of course not." I smile. "Anyways... do you have like a mom, dad... parent ?" She giggled "Whell he isint a relative but he is like my dad . His name is Aaron." I smile. "Cool. Anyways ... do you ever take off that owl mask?" "Whell only at home"Her body language seemed off. "Oh! I'm sorry, did I overstep a boundary?" My voice cracked.

"Haha, no, but sometimes talking about it hurts." She took off her owl mask, and I felt my cheeks heat up. Her curly brown hair lifted in the gusts of wind, and her olive eyes sparkled. I felt my chest tighten. Her tan skin made me feel like I was going to melt. She was so pretty. I wanted to kiss and hug her—"Hey, Charlie, are you listening to me?" she interrupted, snapping me out of my daydreaming. "No-No yea... so what were you saying?"  Issa smiled at me, her eyes full of understanding. "It's okay, Charlie. I get it. Everything here must be overwhelming."

I nodded, still feeling a little embarrassed. "Yeah, it's a lot to take in.""Well, let me show you something that might help." She held out her hand again. "Come with me. I'm going to show you how the portals work."I hesitated for a moment, but her calm demeanor reassured me. I took her hand, and we walked deeper into the forest. The trees around us seemed even taller and greener, their leaves rustling softly in the breeze.We reached a small clearing, and Issa let go of my hand. She stepped forward, her wings rustling softly as she moved. "This is a safe spot. Watch closely."Issa closed her eyes and began to chant in a language I didn't understand. Her voice was melodic, and I could feel the air around us shift. A shimmering light appeared in front of her, swirling and growing until it formed a glowing, oval-shaped portal similar to the one I had seen earlier."That's incredible," I whispered, unable to tear my eyes away."It's a simple spell once you get the hang of it," Issa said, smiling. "But it takes a lot of practice. Come on, let's go see Aaron."I followed her through the portal, the familiar sensation of being pulled through a tunnel of light enveloping me. When we emerged, we were standing in front of a cozy-looking cottage surrounded by even more vibrant greenery.Issa led the way to the door and knocked. After a moment, a tall man with a stern face and piercing blue eyes opened it. He looked at Issa, then at me, and scowled."Who's this?" he demanded, his voice rough."This is Charlie," Issa said gently. "He's a human." She gives him a look of somesort.Aaron's eyes narrowed, but he stepped aside to let us in. "Fine. Come in, but don't touch anything."The inside of the cottage was warm and inviting, with wooden furniture and a fireplace crackling in the corner. Despite Aaron's rude demeanor, the place felt oddly welcoming."You can stay here, but you follow my rules," Aaron said, looking directly at me. "Got it?""Got it," I replied, trying to match his intensity.Issa showed me to a small room upstairs. It was simple but cozy, with a bed, a desk, and a window overlooking the forest. I dropped my backpack on the bed and sat down, feeling the weight of everything settle on me."Thank you, Issa," I said, genuinely grateful."No problem, Charlie," she said with a smile. "We'll figure this out together."

IN HIS SLEEP

That night, I had the strangest dream. I was lying in a hospital bed, surrounded by beeping machines and sterile white walls. People moved around me, their faces blurry and indistinct. I could hear their voices but couldn't make out what they were saying. It felt real, too real.

MORNING

I woke up with a start, my heart pounding. The room was dark, and for a moment, I didn't know where I was. Then it all came back to me – the portal, Issa, Aaron. I took a deep breath and tried to shake off the lingering feeling of the dream.

Issa knocked on my door. "Hey, Charlie, you ready to go out?"I nodded, eager to distract myself from the dream. We headed outside, the fresh air and bright sunlight instantly lifting my spirits.

"Come on, I'll show you around," Issa said, her excitement contagious.Before we left Issa put on her owl wings and mask. 

 We walk around for a bit and then we head into the woods. Affter we get in a bit deep Issa points to a especialy large tree. "This tree is called the knowing tree. Its were I do my homework and just think. Its also the bigest tree in the forest." She smile's. I nod and look at the tree. Its a purplish brown and I must admit it is beutiful. The stump in contrast with the dark green trees really make's in a wonder outside of earth. "I Must admit it is really pretty..." She climbs the tree then she helps me climb up it.

"You know... I made this." She points to her wings and mask. "Really? I must say you did a good job!" She blushes and I feal a weird pang in my chest. "Charlie... I am really glad you are here... -and I know that I kinda pulled you here but I'm glad you dont hate me." She said twisting her hair withing her fingers. "Issa I could never hurt you." I smiled. She held my hand and we jumped off the tree. She began to run and I had to cach up to her. We ended up in a garden like part of the forest.

"There used to be a garden here. Before everyone stopped going here. And I started re-growing some plants and flowers." She said picking up a already blowmed flower. "This is the most beutiful flower on the side of Lord Everen." Its a green flower with blue undertones.

It holds a intoxicating hold on me. Like it's calling me.

I then start to see a hospital room. And my mom there? I swear I'm starting to have halucinashions. "Its magestic" I say in a wisper. "Whait ... you said on Lord Everen's side... does that mean that King Fang has a even more beutiful flower?"

"Yes" Issa said smiling. "Its the most beutiful flower ever. And it even lets you teleport into the place you are from. So I would go back to this side of Kingue, and as for you... you would go to

... Where did you say you are from?" I choke on my words. "Earth" She nods.  "You would go back to earth." She says.  Her smile disappearing.

She showed me aroud a few more spots before the sun began to set, we sat by a small pond, skipping stones across the water. "Thank you, Issa," I said, feeling a genuine connection with her. "For everything."She smiled, her olive eyes sparkling in the fading light. "You're welcome, Charlie. I'm glad we're friends ."We walked back to the cottage, the sounds of the forest around us. For the first time in a long time, I felt like I belonged somewhere.

End of Chapter

-----------------------------

Very creative. Is this a story you're working on? (11/20)

[magnumversum]

La Vie De Fête Season 1 Episode 6: Presto

RATED PG-13

There were six shadows, circling around the two of them, Joran and Rasheb Nevim. The alternating red and blue lights from police cars became brighter and brighter as they pulled in closer. Police officers waited outside of the prison, hollering and shouting at each other. The six investors, who Joran and Rasheb just discovered the identities of—except for The Cryptic, who sat in his own little corner of the room—had Joran and Rasheb trapped.

They either had to fight their way through the six investors and break Justin Williams out, or let the police do their job. The police weren’t making the first moves though. Panicked police captains and the town’s sheriff deputy stood outside, clearly not on Joran’s and Rasheb’s side. Ambulances, with their own buzzing yellow lights illuminating the dark visitor’s room, pulled up. Medical workers jumped out, joining the officers.

Rasheb knew that their only shot at breaking Justin and themselves out of the high security prison was to get through the seven investors of the corrupt investment conglomerate: Global Cultivation Worldwide Confidential. There were helicopters in the air, police cars and SWAT vans on the ground, so the only way out was through the nasty, grimy sewage system, which Justin had seen enough of already. With the press of a button, boom. The tiled floor gave way, revealing a small tunnel where grime passed through beneath it.

Rasheb and Joran jumped into the sewers, being tailed by the seven investors. They turned left, then left again, until they were right beneath Justin’s cell, where he himself waited. Genevieve Jones took the opportunity, jumping into the air, unsheathing her katana and striking Joran’s knee. He tripped, hitting his face on the cold pavement.

Rasheb picked him up, threw him over his shoulder, and ran down the nasty tunnel. He was about a mile from the fresh air of the outside world, and he had to keep moving. Gunfire came from the end of the tunnel. Rasheb ducked, pulled out his gun, and popped back up.

He fired away, moved further down the tunnel and hunched down. In his estimates, he guessed that there were about twenty one men: six in the tunnel to his left, and six waiting to the right, at nine at the end of the tunnel. Noises of sirens and panicked visitors hovered above his head. He stumbled into the right corridor.

Instead of the six he expected, all twenty one waited for him there, flaunting their katanas. He pointed at them, closed one eye, and fired. A carefully pointed gun left them all on the floor. The end of the hallway was so close, but so far. Seventeen men waited for him at the tunnel’s end with machine guns.

He ducked behind a corner. For a second, he tried to size up his opponents, but backpedaled. Sirens got louder and louder. The three of them were only burying themselves deeper into the maze.

Before he could think, something pierced his hand, and his mind. A small whisper, quieter than an owl in an asleep forest, guarding, watching. He turned around, pushed Charlie Tinman away. As soon as Joran regained awareness, he got to his feet, startled by the ammo shells quickly flooding the halls.

There were more men waiting at the end, and Justin was starting to look nervous. “We’re trapped. We’ll never make it out.”

“No,” Guy Red said, reaching into his pocket. The quiet voice filling the back of his mind began to reveal itself. “We’re not stuck here with them, they’re stuck here with us.” Time slowed down. All was still; all was silent.

The two moved down the tunnel slowly. The mob waiting for them at the end grew. The two: an ex secret agent, and a vigilante clad in red light, made their way down the tunnel like creeping snakes. The mobsters waiting at the end couldn’t trace the two’s footsteps over their own trampling of the marsh until they attacked.

They crept through the mob, carving holes in the mobsters’ tough leather jackets. Gaseous fumes arose from the brawl. Mobsters trying to run away were quickly dragged back into the fumes. Blood and guts mixed with the marsh below their feet, forming a disgusting stew of innards. When the smoke cleared, there stood Rasheb Nevim, donning a black motorcycle helmet, motorcycle jacket and jeans with smears of red; and Joran, drenched in the murky yellow sewage.

Then, the ceiling above them gave in, trapping them beneath the jail grounds, and keeping them in the sewers a little while longer. Six shadows quietly slipped around the corner, the six investors Joran and Rasheb had been chasing. Until law enforcement officials could get to them, it was Rasheb, Joran, Justin, and the six investors trapped in a tense cat and mouse chase, digging through piles of dead bodies until they could throw hands. There was just an hour of sunlight left, but they didn’t know that.

They were stuck underground, making their way through the clutter of waste and gore. The sewage tunnels weren’t used since the 2000s, when the penitentiary cleared out all of the waste. Instead, it became a dumping ground for inmates, who deposited leftover food and illegal items. Joran even found a packet of heroin, lying next to some cigars and a pack of instant ramen.

Joran, Justin, and Rasheb moved slowly but surely, making out some of the inscriptions inmates etched into the walls during botched prison escapes as they crept down the tunnel. There was only about fifty five minutes of sunlight left, but they didn’t know that. As far as they were aware, the Sun was still out, and it was right in the middle of the afternoon. The sewers were dark and mushy, and didn’t let much of the outside world in, apart from the peepholes in the cement, which let in small tinges of blue.

The three were below a river. The sounds of water running down a hilltop boomed through the sewer tunnels. At the end of the corridor was a bright red sign, indicating the exit. Finally, they felt liberated, as the shallow stream could be seen from the back of the tunnel, and a warm beacon of light, the glistening setting sun, burned down on the face of the sewer exit.

But as the three of them made their way through the marsh, they heard the swift strokes of a katana, until it eventually reached Joran’s neck. “Did you miss me, Joran?”

Joran muttered, stepping back, “Henry Jones. I always knew you’d come back for me, but I didn’t know when. How is the House of Jones after the gala scuffle?”

“Operations were going smoothly until the gala happened. Half of my face got blown off.” Henry Jones reached into his pocket. “Then things started going downhill. My involvement in the gala event made it quickly into mainstream news, and I had to work more behind the scenes.

“The world learned of Presto Industrial’s involvement in the 9/11 attacks, and we had to go under a new name: Global Cultivation Worldwide Confidential. Me and the sixty five other investors had to be creative in how we orchestrated events, and things weren’t smooth. There was infighting and turbulence, until The Cryptic settled everything.”

“I always had a hunch that you were involved in the attacks,” Joran said, reaching his hand into his jacket. “You worked with Al-Qaeda because like them, you wanted to see our country and its star spangled banner burn.”

“You worked with me, and you worked with Genevieve, Keshin, and Marten.”

“Yes, but I never orchestrated the attacks.” At the same time Henry pulled out a handgun, Joran went for the pistol at his side. “The difference between you and me, Henry, is that I don’t kill innocent people. I only worked for you until I knew about your involvement.”

“There isn’t a difference between you and me. We’re all the same, Joran: convincing ourselves that the person we killed is in the wrong. We all believe that—” He dropped to the ground, with a pool of smoke rising from his chest.

Rasheb stammered, “H—he left us with no choice, Joran. Once I learned about how he helped plan the stuff with the planes and the t—tower… his lack of remorse made me pull the trigger.”

“I understand.” Joran hugged him, as he fell onto Henry Jones’ lifeless corpse, soaked in a puddle of blood and tears. It shook in reaction to Rasheb’s shaky feet. “It’ll all be okay.

“Everything will work out, Rasheb. I promise you, everything will work out. It’s over now.”

“Your Honor, I was brainwashed and turned into a terrible, terrible killer,” Joran said to the CCA magistrate. “But now I am a changed man. I am simply looking to do good, and to make amends with the people I’ve hurt. I’m aware that I’ve destroyed the lives of a lot of people, intentionally and unintentionally, but I will do whatever it takes to set things right. And most importantly I want to take back what they took from me, and I can only do that with the help of this agency.”

“Very well then.” The magistrate banged his gavel. “From here on out, you are pardoned, and are invited to work for the Crime Control Agency once more. The court is dismissed.”

Joran rose from his seat and looked into the gallery. Rasheb sat there under the yellow glare of the sunset, with a sly smile plastered across his face. There was a sense of restoration, finally. Everything felt fixed.

Everything felt correct. It all felt perfect that night. As Joran lay in bed that night, looking at the reflection of the glimmering moon in his mirror, he wondered what tomorrow would bring. He looked at himself, and his unbuttoned vest, and the scars on his shoulders from the past week.

He remembered Nevim, and Dorothy Hoffs, and Armstrong, and Harlow Greene: The Accuser; and The Superpeople: Mariq, and the elf, and the donkey man and the screaming man, and the scientific anomaly, and the bumblebee queen; and all of his friends. And as he lay in his bed, thinking about all of the people he loved, and all of the people who loved him back, he felt a deep presence looming over him he hadn’t felt in a long time: a sense of tranquility, and a sense of self worth.

And as Joran lay in bed to ponder, as he lay in bed to drift into a deep sleep, Rasheb Nevim lay awake in his motorcycle shop, with all of his spare parts cluttered around him, and his motorcycle helmet removed, gazing into the starry night sky, thinking about his conquests, and looking into the future. Donning the helmet, fighting off criminals, dabbling in the way of the forest, and now, he had his home back. Then he looked out into the distance, spotting the blue street lamps of Kasambine, dotted along the landscape, and the red lights scattered along Vishingland's piers.

[rosyfingereddawnn]

That’s The Way (Chapter 4)

Pairing: Jimmy Page x Reader

Word count: 5.7k

Warning(s): Jimmy and Y/N falling in love at first sight🥺, nsfw insinuations in the beginning but nothing bad, language

Author’s notes: It’s Jimmy time, mates! I’m so sorry for making you wait so long! Slow burns can suck like that sometimes. I hope you’re enjoying the plot so far, and that it wasn’t what you expected! There’s so much more drama to come, though, so I hope you’re excited for that😂 As usual, please enjoy, happy reading, and send us messages if you have theories, comments, music recommendations for the playlist, or if you want to be added to the tag list :)

Chapters: 1 | 2 | 3

------

Y/N’s train ride home from The Yardbirds’ hotel was a constant swirl of what the fucks booming in her mind: what the fuck just happened, what the fuck does this mean, what the fuck am I doing, what the fuck is Jim doing, what the fuck will this become?  

Out of all the things on God’s good, green earth he could have wanted, he wanted her to kiss him. What the hell was that supposed to mean? Y/N thought when she initially heard the request. Then, when she questioned it, he escalated it to a blowjob since she thought a kiss was “too tame.” Y/N eventually did kiss Jim, as he wished. She was pretty sure that he still wanted her to kiss him after his little upgrade, and boy, was she right. ‘He called me a princess’, she remembered...what the hell was that supposed to mean?

As contradictory as it was, her mind was racing with so many thoughts, yet, at the same time, none at all. She was in overdrive, unable to think straight. Y/N forced herself to come to her senses as the train neared her stop, since her parents could not see the sheer bewilderment in her eyes and facial expression as she walked into her home. They would ask question after question, interrogating her as if she had committed a crime they had to get to the bottom of. She had to admit, reluctantly, that this was exciting. The star-studded aspect of it, the secrecy… It was a rollercoaster ride, yet Y/N wasn’t sure she wanted to get off anytime soon. In the back of her mind, though, she knew this little dalliance wasn’t going to lead to anything serious.

Jim, however, currently sitting at the foot of his bed in an empty hotel room, was in a complete daze. He couldn’t comprehend that this was reality. The most beautiful girl in the whole world had just sucked him off, and then kissed him! She was completely obedient yet willing, and adorably shy, blushing every two seconds. But the kiss. It was dizzyingly soft, sweet, and passionate on her part. To Jim, this meeting of lips was perfect. Addictive. Devastatingly addictive, like a drug. He wanted more. Her lips were something else to taste and feel. He wondered if she would ever come back to him with intimate intentions. Perhaps even to spend the night, or something even more serious. By the way she so often smiled in a bright and enthusiastic way, Jim thought she just might. He had come to the conclusion, after continuously replaying what had happened just minutes ago in his head, that he was falling hopelessly in love with this girl. His Y/N.

Jim had never felt like this before.

And he didn’t know what to do about it.

~~~~~~~~

A few weeks later...

Y/N’s mum had sent her and her brother Charlie by train into London to go grocery shopping, and perhaps to visit Carnaby Street, Portobello Market, and the Oxfam charity shops to get some new clothes for themselves. Pushing the cart around the supermarket, Y/N and Charlie looked intently at the handwritten list their mum had given them.

“Alright, what do we need next?” Y/N asked, her head tilted to see the small piece of paper.

“Uh, we still have to get oatmeal, eggs, and some fruits and vegetables,” Charlie replied, mirroring Y/N’s position as he gazed down at the list in his hands, which was slowly being painted with black ink. They were making good time, all things considered.

“Let’s go to the produce section then, so we can get everything all in one go,” Y/N decided, starting to push the cart in that direction.

“Yeah, that makes sense.” Charlie’s nod served as confirmation, and the two walked on, gazes captured every-so-often by the gaggle of people passing by.

Once the two siblings reached their desired destination, Y/N began inspecting the clear clamshell containers of assorted berries as Charlie went to fetch a bag of broccoli florets and a variety of potatoes. As Y/N began placing the fruit in the cart, she heard a familiar voice calling her name.

She turned around to see a very domestic-looking Jeff Beck, pushing around a grocery cart, just like she was. It was odd to see him going about his life as though he was just an ordinary working-class man, especially being the revered guitar god he was. Y/N laughed at the sight as he came over towards her.

“Hi Jeff,” Y/N greeted, walking over to give him a hug.

“Hello darling,” he responded, tilting the girl back and forth in the hug, long arms cradling her against his chest. “How are you doing?”

Y/N looked at him with a small grin after pulling away. An exhale passes through pursed lips as she replies. “As well as I can be, I guess. How ‘bout you?”

“Can’t complain,” he smiled, which then turned a little more solemn. He reached out a hand to place on her upper arm in solace. “I’m still really sorry about Sam, love. I wish I could’ve told you, but he swore me to secrecy… and I don’t want to lose my job just yet.”

“Don’t worry about it, I completely understand. It’s not your fault.” Y/N’s chuckle chimed through the air, much like the birdsongs that seemed to fill the space around them, and she paused, “I’ve done quite a bit of soul-searching recently, and I don’t think I truly loved him...the situation was all so new and exciting, that it made me believe I did. But now, I realize I didn’t.”

“I’m glad you found the light at the end of the tunnel, kid. But that’s life, Y/N. You win some and you lose some.”

“Thank you, Jeff. Really. For being so supportive,” Y/N said in gratitude, as Jeff flashed her a toothy smile.

“Ah, don’t mention it...actually, it’s funny I ran into you because I was actually going to call you, but I… may have lost your number.” A sheepish hand ran through the short hair at the nape of his neck, and Y/N giggles at the man’s hesitancy.

“That’s okay. Here, I’ll write it down for you,” Y/N grinned as she took out a spare piece of paper and a pen from her bag, “what did you need to call me for?”

Jeff watched Y/N’s hands as she scribbled down her number. Her handwriting was neat, soft spirals decorating the ends of her letters. Playful, yet full of grace. Just like her, Jeff thought. “There’s a May Ball at Queen’s College in Oxford on the 18th, and I was wondering if you’d like to come. It’s outdoors, and it should be a nice day.”

As Y/N handed Jeff the piece of paper, he continued. “More importantly, a good friend of mine is attending, and I thought you would like to meet him. You two are pretty similar, so I think you’ll hit it off really well.”

“Do you mean that this meeting is supposed to be a sort of… romantic proposition?” Y/N tilted her head in playful confusion.

Jeff smirked. “Not necessarily. He’s friends with the rest of the guys, so it’s only fair that you meet him, since we consider you a part of our inner circle.”

Y/N grinned at his statement, shaking her head, a chuckle tumbling past her lips. “Well, for the record, Jeff, I’m retired from dating for a while,” she admitted, “the whole thing with Paul shook me up a bit, and I need time to trust again, y’know?”

“Yeah, I understand. But my friend is a nice bloke, so I don’t think you’ll have to worry too much, or put up a front. If you’re uncomfortable, of course we can—”

Charlie came running up to Y/N’s cart and placed the bags of broccoli and potatoes inside. He then stood next to Y/N to see this stranger that she was talking to. Jeff noticed the little boy who suddenly appeared next to Y/N, and smiled warmly. Pointing to the boy, and changing his voice to be a bit gentler than usual, he asked, “Who’s this, Y/N?”

“This is my little brother Charlie,” Y/N said, softly putting her hand on her brother’s back, bringing him to the forefront. Charlie widely smiled at Jeff, baring his childish grin that was missing a couple teeth. Charlie couldn't wait until they grew in, because it would “finally make him look like a real man”, as he exclaimed so often at home.

Jeff crouched down to Charlie’s level and stuck out his hand to shake Charlie’s. “Nice to meet ya, mate. I’m Jeff, a friend of your sister’s.”

Charlie’s eyes widened as he recognized who this man was. “Jeff Beck?” Charlie asked hopefully, “as in the guitar god, Jeff Beck?”

Jeff chuckled as he looked up at Y/N. “Is this the shit you’ve been feeding him?” Y/N nodded and laughed.

“There’s an ounce of truth in that statement, isn't there, Beck?”

“Yes, I’m Jeff Beck, but I’m just the lead guitarist for The Yardbirds. The guitar god title goes to Hendrix, or Scotty Moore,” Jeff explained. What a humble change of pace for Jeff, Y/N thought.

Jeff stood back up and walked with Y/N and her brother throughout the store, pushing their carts in sync and grabbing food as they went. He asked her about what she was up to musically, and she talked about how she was polishing up some Debussy and Rachmaninoff pieces, as well as fiddling around with some old Fats Domino and Everly Brothers records. Charlie and Jeff bonded over their love of cars, which made Y/N very happy.

~~~~~~~~

18th June 1966

The day of the May Ball came. Y/N was excited for the show, but she didn’t want a sour encounter with Paul to ruin her good time. Jeff had called her earlier in the week to give her instructions on what to do upon arrival, and how to access the backstage area safely.

The backstage area was a white tent with the sides covered. Inside, there were multiple long tables of different distinguished people, such as Mama Cass and Graham Nash. Alcohol and little finger foods littered the tables, served in such abundance that it seemed no one was going to see tomorrow.

Y/N walked over to where she saw her friends, and upon spotting the girl, they all waved and said their cheerful hellos. Y/N walked over to sit with them, and ended up taking a seat between Chris and Jeff, crossing her legs and folding her hands in a sophisticated manner, always the lady she was taught to be. She chose her seat at the table very carefully, sitting very far away from Paul Samwell-Smith.

As everyone chatted away, she noticed there was a tall, thin young man with short, dark wavy hair who sat down in a seat between Jeff and Keith, delicately holding a flute of champagne. He was looped back into the conversation immediately, as if he had known the band his whole life. When Y/N saw him, her heart stopped.

This new boy was the most beautiful man she had ever seen. He looked like an English James Dean; with the kind of attractiveness that anyone, male or female, completely swooned over with a single glance. This stranger could get anything he wanted at the drop of a hat, with his gorgeous looks and his graceful countenance. He had a sullen, mysterious edge to him, but he also looked gentle and sweet at the same time. He had eyes as green as a forest full of lush deciduous trees, flawlessly framed by dark, bushy eyebrows and accented by long, thick eyelashes. His nose was adorable, petite as it was, and his lips were full and pouty. His smile and laugh made Y/N melt on the inside, his perfectly straight teeth illuminating his porcelain face.

For a moment, Y/N thought she was in love. She was pulled back from her daydream quickly, though, because Jeff realized that now was the perfect opportunity to introduce his two friends.

“Y/N, this is my friend Jimmy, who I was telling you about,” Jeff said, getting Y/N’s attention. Y/N grinned as she refocused on the situation.

Jimmy turned towards Jeff when he heard his name, and that’s when he saw the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, sitting right next to Jeff. Lucky bastard.

His breath hitched in his throat upon sight of this girl. She was perfect; she looked like an actual angel. The way her hair, soft-looking and slightly wispy in the light summer wind, cascaded down her shoulders; her doe-eyes seemed to twinkle in the dimming light of day, pulling him in like the strongest of currents. Her  pillowy, supple lips encased a perfect smile, slightly crooked. It was, like the rest of her, completely endearing.

It was then, looking at this beautiful woman, (Y/N… Jeff had said her name, hadn't he?) that Jimmy remembers he was taken. His girlfriend, Jackie DeShannon, was waiting for him at home, but he only had eyes for the girl in front of him, and it would stay that way, it seemed.. He had to get to know her.

Jimmy snapped out of his hypnosis in the nick of time. He softly smiled at Y/N, a smile that made Y/N’s insides lurch, holding out his hand for her to shake as he turned on the charm. “Jimmy Page,” he initiated, his voice being softer and more calming than Y/N expected.

Y/N shyly smiled at him, a dark pink flush gracing her natural complexion, as she reached out to grasp his hand. “Y/N Y/L/N. It’s so nice to finally meet you. Jeff has told me about you.”

“All good things, I hope,” Jimmy chuckled.

“Yeah, I’d say so,” Y/N beamed, a feigned contemplative look on her face.

“How do you know Jeff?” Jimmy asked, turning his body towards her, now fully invested in getting to know Y/N.

“I met him...a year ago I wanna say? Is that right, Jeff? At a Yardbirds gig at the Marquee,” Y/N asked for clarification. The last thing she wanted to do is lie about Jeff to Jimmy, even if it was something as insignificant as this. In addition, she wanted to use Jeff as a temporary crutch in the conversation. Jimmy’s beauty was making her feel shyer than she already was; she felt as if she was curling into herself.

“Yeah, that sounds about right,” Jeff intervened, “but she didn’t just meet me, she met the whole band.”

Jeff immediately noticed that the band was leaving the table to get ready to go on stage. Jimmy and Y/N didn’t even notice the table’s departure because they were so wrapped up in each other’s presence and words. Jimmy even moved a seat over to get closer to Y/N, although he said it was an attempt to “hear her better since the room was so loud of drunken buffoons”. Y/N had giggled at that, and it had sounded like music to the man’s ears. Jimmy was completely taken with her, as easy as it was to see.

“Wait, so how do you know Jeff?” Y/N asked curiously.

“I've known him since I was… gosh… thirteen or fourteen? We bonded over the guitar and blues. Indian music, too,” Jimmy grinned, taking a sip of his warming champagne.

“You play the guitar too?” Y/N gasped. Jimmy nodded his head enthusiastically.

“Oh jeez, I should’ve known! No wonder you’re tight with the Yardbirds,” she giggled.

Jimmy’s eyes twinkled at her now-flustered demeanor. “You’re okay, Y/N,” he chuckled, placing a hand gently on her forearm. Y/N felt her entire body break out into chills.

“I’m a session musician, actually,” he began, his hand lingering on the girl’s arm, for what seemed like a millennium to Y/N. “I’d hate to simplistically explain what a session musician is to someone like you if you already know what it is.” It sounded like he was holding back a bout of embarrassed laughter. “You must be quite intelligent, especially in matters of music, if Jeff has stuck by you for all this time.”

Y/N smiled bashfully. He’s so sensitive, she thought dreamily. “Yes, I know what a session musician is,” she giggled, “I’ve been a piano player all my life, so I know a thing or two about what you blokes are talking about when it comes to music.”

Jimmy’s heart began to thump a little faster as his smile widened. “Wow! That’s brilliant. Are you classically trained then?”

“Yes, but I do know quite a bit of blues numbers.”

“Oh, so you really know what you’re talking about! I have to admit, although I am a session musician, I’m not particularly good at reading music. Maybe you could teach me a few things about sight reading and we can jam some time?”

Y/N blushed as her lips pursed together in a grin. “I would love that. We’d have so much fun!” The way that Y/N’s full lips twisted together in a smile looked so damn kissable to Jimmy.

“My girlfriend was actually supposed to teach me music theory, but we never got around to it, unfortunately,” Jimmy continued.

“Ah, okay. Well, if you give me a time, date, and place, we can definitely make it work,” Y/N beamed.

“Wonderful!” An awkward, pregnant pause filled the space, and Y/N cleared her throat, unconsciously sliding closer to Jimmy. There was almost a magnetic pull to him, and Y/N was caught up in it.

“So, what’s it like being a session musician? I’m sure you get asked that all the time,” Y/N laughed.

Jimmy smiled. “It’s quite grueling, brutal at times, but I find it fulfilling. One mistake, and you’re fired, so it’s a lot of pressure.”

“Oh wow! That must be horrible to deal with.”

“Yeah, sometimes the pressure can really settle into you, but for me it dissipates once I’m in the booth. There’s three sessions a day, five days a week, so I don’t have much time for leisure. It’s been getting really dry lately since all I’m playing is rhythm guitar. I love experimentation and stretching out on lead guitar, so constant rhythm is getting quite annoying.”

“I understand where you’re coming from then, from a creative standpoint. How long have you been a session player?”

“Four years, roughly.”

“You must be quite dedicated then!” Y/N exclaimed, “who have you played with?”

“Oh gosh,” Jimmy exhaled deeply, calloused fingers raising to land on his chin. Slight stubble shadows it, and the sharp scent of aftershave wafted towards the girl. Lost in the scent, Y/N nearly missed his reply. “The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, Donovan, The Who, Petula Clark, Jackie DeShannon, Carter Lewis and the Southerners, Neil Christian and the Crusaders, Herman’s Hermits, Marianne Faithfull… just to name a few.”

“Wow! What a resumé!” she gushed, “That’s incredible. You should be so proud, Jimmy.”

“Thank you very much, love, I appreciate it.”

Suddenly, an announcer’s booming voice cut through Jimmy and Y/N’s conversation as he introduced the Yardbirds to the stage. As the five men walked on, Jimmy stood up from his chair.

“Come with me to the wings so we can see and hear them better,” he smiled, holding out his arm for Y/N to take. Y/N agreed, standing up and linking her arm with Jimmy’s as they walked in sync to the side of the stage.

The first few numbers were played perfectly, and it was clear that the audience (and even the road crew) were enchanted by the spectacle. Y/N knew from past shows that the next song would be “Train Kept A-Rollin’,” and she knew that they always knocked that one out of the park. It was always stimulating and explosive.

Jeff and Chris began the opening riff, the low E, G, and A notes thundering out of the monitors melodically. Just as Keith sang “got a train” on his cue, he fell straight backward and hit his head off Jim’s bass drum. Jimmy and Y/N’s jaws dropped in shock as a loud gasp echoed through the air from the audience. The music abruptly stopped as the rest of the band crowded around Keith’s fallen figure to see if he was alright. Murmurings of “fucking hells” were all that were spoken from the road crew as they tried to redeem the concert.

“He was drunk,” Jimmy whispered to Y/N giddily, “he was completely out to lunch and wobbling as he walked onstage.”

“I didn’t even notice,” Y/N replied quietly with a grin, “that definitely explains all the empty bottles and glasses on the table.”

Momentarily, Keith got back up and motioned for the band to restart “Train Kept A-Rollin’” and they finished the song without another mishap. The rest of the set was completed smoothly, and everything sounded sonically incredible. Jimmy and Y/N stood close together the entire time, Jimmy sneaking glances at Y/N from time to time. He lost his breath with the way her eyes were almost aglow in the fading light, and her soft-looking lips parted in childlike wonder as she watched the live music.

The Yardbirds came off the stage, begrudgingly making their way into the backstage tent, where Jimmy and Y/N had situated themselves. No one looked happy, especially Paul. Jeff had his usual stoic look, but he was rushing around for any alcoholic beverage he could find to ease his nerves after what could have been the worst possible scenario.

Everyone took a seat at the table where they were before the show. Jimmy and Y/N sat next to each other as they took in the distressed expressions of the five other men. Jeff was slumped in his chair, next to Jimmy, taking swigs of a beer he’d found. Jim and Chris just stared at the ground, drink in hand. Paul just looked royally pissed off, to the point that it almost scared Y/N. Keith, however, was still totally out of it in his drunken stupor.

“Hey, Jim,” Jeff said quietly to Jimmy, “look, you know, I’m really sorry about the gig. I’m sure you aren’t interested in joining the band now…”

“Oh no,” Jimmy chuckled, “that was amazing! Absolutely brilliant! I loved it.”

Y/N’s interest piqued as she heard their whispers of new information. “Wait! Jimmy’s joining the band? I thought there were only supposed to be five live Yardbirds,” she whispered.

Jeff leaned over Jimmy to whisper back to Y/N. “Oh yeah! I can’t believe I didn’t tell you this already. Paul is probably going to leave the group...and I think it might be sooner than we thought, especially after the whole Keith fiasco...Jimmy is going to take his place on bass, and hopefully he’ll take on dual lead guitar at some point. Then Chris will do bass,” Jeff’s eyes diverted to Paul, who was sitting with his arms crossed and face angry, staring off into space. Jimmy and Y/N followed Jeff’s line of sight mischievously.

“Oooh! Great plan,” Y/N smiled.

A little smirk creeped across Jeff’s face as he quietly counted down, “3...2...1…”

At the very prompt “1,” Paul abruptly stood up from his chair very loudly, capturing everyone’s attention.

“You know what? I’m done,” Paul exclaimed, stepping away from the chair as he pushed it in under the table.

“Woah, woah, woah!” Jim began, standing up from his own chair, “what do you mean ‘you’re done’? What the hell does that mean?”

Paul sneered at Jim. “What do you think I mean? I mean I’m done with this bullshit. I’ve had enough of the horrid travelling, not being noticed, and this drunk-off-his-ass bastard,” he exclaimed angrily, pointing at Keith.

“You need to relax, Sam,” Chris said gently, “look at everything we’ve accomplished over the last three years. You want to give that up? You’re losing your shit over one bad performance.”

“It’s been on my mind for a long time now, Chris. I fucking hate it,” Paul continued, anxiously running his hands through his hair, “and you know what? Y/N hanging around all the time has made it worse. She’s just here to be our fucking groupie. She’s only eating off our clout to be friends with famous people.” The entire table went silent, looking around nervously.

Y/N’s eyes widened at Paul’s awful accusation. “Are you serious?” she shot back coldly, “I knew you were an asshole, but I didn’t know it was this bad.”

“Oh what, you think I don’t recognize that that’s your motive?” Paul said condescendingly.

“If you think that being absolutely obsessed with you all is my sole hobby, my motive, whatever that means... you are sadly mistaken,” Y/N responded, her eyes closing to slits and her lips pressed together in disgust.

“You’re probably sleeping with Jim or Chris now for all I know!” he shouted, arms flailing in the air.

Y/N was fuming now, standing up from her own chair facing Paul. “How dare you make me seem like I’m a whore for the Yardbirds! Even if I was sleeping with Jim or Chris, that would be none of your business because you pursued me when you were fucking married, you dipshit.”

Paul’s maddening countenance grew. “You’re just an insecure little girl who needs famous musicians around her to validate her and make feel better about herself. You’re a fucking nuisance, like a gnat that just won’t fly away even when you swat at it again and again.”

Y/N gasped, the sound drowned out by the screech of metal against tile, as Jimmy stood up from his chair. He was distraught, upset at the antics between the two bitter exes, and stepped in front of Y/N to protect her from the horrible verbal blows served by Paul Samwell-Smith. Jeff beat him by a second, as he started to berate Sam for his little episode.

“You listen up, you wanker,” Jeff started, wagging his index finger in front of Sam’s face, “you’re just being a butthurt little bitch because Y/N found out that you were married. If anyone’s the whore here, it’s you. Y/N is our friend, even Jimmy’s now, and she takes care of us and makes us happy. She’s not just some whimsy, disposable groupie like the way you used her; she’s an intelligent, sweet, pretty girl who has our best interest at heart. And we have hers. You have to be a fucking idiot not to see that.”

Paul was taken aback. “I write, produce, and play bass for this group. All you do is play lead guitar. Trust me, Beck, I’m not the idiot here.”

“Well, your goddamn head isn’t screwed on straight, then,” Jimmy added, “I’ll be taking your place, thank you very much. And you will never mistreat Y/N on my watch. Ever. I’ve known her for about an hour, and she’s already absolutely magnificent.”

Y/N’s throat felt clenched, but some of the tension was relieved when she realized how protective Jimmy was being over her. As mad as she was, butterflies filled her stomach at his warm ways.

“I’m out of here! You all suck anyway. Have a nice trip to hell, all of you,” Paul said as he walked away to the road crew to get his belongings, flipping the people at the table off.

Y/N sat back down in her chair once Paul was out of sight, slouching and holding her cheeks with her hands as she blankly stared at the edge of the table. Jimmy and the four Yardbirds dragged their chairs closer to a saddened Y/N, who was determined to fight off the tears that threatened to roll down her fury-flush cheeks.

Jeff frowned at the state of his friend, starting to softly rub her cardigan-clothed back to console her. “I’m so sorry about Sam, Y/N. His behaviour was absolutely horrendous, and I can assure you, none of the things he said about you were even close to being true.”

Keith, still a bit drunk, stood up and walked over to Y/N, planting a peck on her cheek. “We’re so glad you’re here, dear. Truly. That belligerent little asshole can suck a fat one.”

A close-lipped smile found its way on Y/N’s lips. “Thanks Keith,” she chuckled.

“I’m going to go get you a cup of water, alright love?” Chris said as he stood up to walk over towards the bar.

“Thank you so much Chris,” she called after him. Chris flashed her a kind smile as he walked away.

I guess Mum and Dad were wrong...they really do care about me, Y/N thought happily, they really, truly do.

~~~~~~~~

After the May Ball was over, and the sky was growing darker with the coming evening, Jimmy and Y/N walked around the grounds of the venue together, talking about anything and everything and sharing laughs.

The lighthearted mood took a drastic shift at one of Jimmy’s followup questions.

“So, Y/N, if you don’t mind me asking, what was the whole row between you and Sam about?”

Y/N flashed a sad smile, but it quickly faded as she took a deep exhale. “Well—”

Panicked, Jimmy took this as a cue that she didn’t want to talk about it. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, I get it because of how heated it was. I’m just worried about you, is all,” he interrupted.

“No, it’s okay. Really. I trust you,” she replied with a pursed lip-smile. Jimmy returned the sentiment, internally relieved that Y/N had already seemed to take a liking to him.

“Alright, so about a year or so ago, I went to a Yardbirds gig at the Crawdaddy Club, a few months after I met the band for the first time. Paul asked me out after that show, and nobody told me he was married, so naturally, I accepted.”

“Oh gosh, I’m so sorry, love. What a shitty thing to do, especially to someone as wonderful as you,” Jimmy replied with a little flush, giving the girl a little rub on the small of her back.

Heat rippled throughout Y/N’s body at his touch. Regaining her composure, she sighed. “Thank you Jimmy. That means a lot. More than you know, actually.”

After a short silence, Y/N continued. “We went out for about eight months...and in retrospect, it now makes sense why I could never go over to his place. But anyway, I found out about it before the band played on Ready, Steady, Go in February. Keith, Jeff, Jim, and I were all talking at the front of the stage before rehearsals and it slipped.”

“Who ended up telling you?”

“Jim, but it was purely an accident.” Suddenly, all of the events that had happened between her and Jim guiltily flooded her mind. Now with Jimmy beginning to infiltrate her mind and cloud her vision, how was she supposed to genuinely enjoy the secrecy? Ah shit, she thought, here we go again.

“After the show, I confronted him about it,” Y/N continued, “and he was blaming me for our time together, a-and for ‘tempting’ him into asking me out just by being… me?”

“He seems like a right wanker, I can tell you that for sure,” Jimmy muttered, sliding his hand from its resting place on her back, to her shoulder, squeezing it lightly in solidarity. Y/N met his eyes then, tears filling her gaze, and Jimmy frowns. No one as lovely as her should be feeling this way. He smiles at her, and to Y/N, it is filled with comfort and appreciation. Some emotion… something akin to love, perhaps, lit a fire in her chest, and she looks away. The evening ambience does nothing to hide the traitorous blush that painted her cheeks.

“It’s getting quite dark out, love. How did you get here?” Jimmy asked, stealing another glance at a girl as she looked down at her ballet flats once more.

“I took the train, actually,” Y/N replied.

“Oh, so did I! Here, I’ll walk with you over to the station then.”

Y/N grinned at him. “That’s so kind of you, Jimmy. Thank you.”

“No problem, love. What’s your stop?” Jimmy asked as they began to make their way over to the station.

“St. Alban’s. How about you?”

“Epsom. I still live with my parents, I’m afraid,” he chuckled sheepishly.

“Oh, it’s okay!” she laughed with him, “so do I. It’s nice though, to still live with your parents… home-cooked meals and laundry and all. Plus sleeping in your own bed, and using your own bathroom, of course.”

“Those are very good points,” Jimmy agreed with a chuckle.

The two boarded the train once they got to the station, only waiting on the platform for a few minutes. They continued to talk all the way to St. Albans, where Y/N got off to walk home.

“Say you’ll see me again sometime soon, Y/N,” Jimmy half-asked, half-declared as she stood up to get off the train.

Y/N grinned at him. “I definitely will, Jimmy. It was so nice meeting you tonight...I loved getting to know you.”

“The feeling is mutual, love. Please stay safe and take care of yourself, okay?” he reached out his hand to grab Y/N’s, shaking it a little and smiling at her. Y/N nearly swooned at the gesture.

“I’ll try my best. You do the same as well. Have a good night!”

“Thank you, you too!” Jimmy waved as Y/N walked out the train’s doors. Her scent, a delicious mixture of vanilla with a hint of laundry detergent, lingered in the air as she passed by, weakening him both physically and his rational judgment.

He had a lot of thinking to do on the ride home.

————

Taglist: @blood-on-blood @reincarnated70sbaby

[verfound]

Six [Hundred or so Words] Sunday: 4/25/21

Everyone good? Everyone alive? Guess who almost wasn't this week? 😂 (Guess whose tooth couldn't wait two weeks? I spent Monday night in the ER, got rushed into emergency dental surgery Tuesday morning, and have been varying stages of Dying most of the week. It's been a...well, a series of Weeks, if I'm honest. 😂 The light at the end of the tunnel is looking a lot less like a train now, though.)

Anyone interested in some time-travelly House Band fluff? Maybe a bit more than six sentences bc I've been so out of commission? 👀

The set up: eighteen-year-old Luka is hit by an akuma and swapped with his future self (who had just been kicked in the head by a horse). Before he can get his bearings, he's swarmed by one...two...four...how many kids now?

Except before she could turn away from Marinette, another kid came barreling between them and crashed into his chest, screaming as he knocked him back into the dirt hard enough that Luka was pretty sure he saw stars.

“…ow,” he mumbled as the kid – a boy? – grabbed two little fistfuls of his shirt and shook. He pushed himself up on his elbows and blinked at the kid. Tears were streaming down his panic-stricken face.

“Papa! Papa, you can’t do it! Don’t send him away, Papa! Pleeeeeease!” the boy cried, shaking him with every wail. Luka groaned as his head rattled, and Marinette reached forward to try and pull the boy off of him.

“Dewey, stop!” she said firmly, but the boy – Dewey? – was inconsolable. He turned his huge, teary eyes on Marinette. She wiped them away, frowning at him. “Sweetheart, what on earth’s gotten into you?”

“L-Lou…Louie said…” he sniffled, and Marinette pursed her lips as the girl groaned.

“What did that dummy tell you now?” she sighed.

“Harmony,” Marinette reprimanded softly. Luka’s head was spinning, and he was pretty sure it wasn’t from Charlie kicking him. The girl – Harmony – kept calling him Papa. And she’d called Marinette Maman. Which meant, if he was understanding things right, she was their…daughter? His and Marinette’s daughter? And there had been another voice – Harmony had mentioned two other girls? Mellie and Clara? And now the boy – Dewey – who had also mentioned a Louie. And Charlie, the one that had kicked him? Was he another kid?

…how…how many kids did they have?

But Dewey was still rambling on, which…yeah. He was definitelyMarinette’s kid. God, that was awesome…Marinette’s kid? And his?

“Louie and Huey said KK said bad horses go to the glue shop and turn into glue, and we always need more glue for Maman’s work and our crafts, and since Charlie broke Papa’s head he had to go, and I like Charlie, Papa! He’s not a bad horse – he didn’t mean to kick you, and you can’t send him away, and –” Dewey cried, but he stopped when Luka held a hand up.

“Wait…Charlie’s a horse?” he asked, blinking at Dewey. He looked at Marinette, whose eyebrows had nearly disappeared beneath her bangs. “Not another kid?”

“Charlie’s your latest rescue project, yes,” Marinette said with a laugh. She reached out and gingerly touched his head. “How hard did that stupid horse kick you, anyway?”

“But…” Luka started, looking back at the teary-eyed kid on his lap. He’d mentioned a few names – Louie, yeah, but…Huey and KK? He looked back at Marinette and hoped he wasn’t smiling toowide. “How…how many kids do we have, Ma-Ma-Marinette?”

“Oh, no,” she laughed, lightly flicking his forehead and making him chuckle. “Don’t you go getting any ideas just because Clara’s almost three, Couffaine. I told you she was the last one.”

“…I wouldn’t mind another baby sister,” Dewey said, and Marinette laughed as she hoisted him up by his armpits. She set him on his feet beside her and kissed his forehead before ruffling his dark hair.

“Don’t you start – you have plentyof brothers and sisters,” she said. She winked at him. “And don’t you worry about Charlie, either. I’m sure it was an accident that your Papa brought on himself. Go back inside and help Harmony with the first aid kit?”

“Yes, Maman,” Dewey said. Harmony shot Luka one last worried look before she took Dewey’s hand and led him back inside. With the kids – their kids, holy shit they had kids – gone, Marinette turned back to him.

“…they’re ours?” he asked, and her smile slipped. He sat up fully, wincing as his head throbbed. Her fingers were back in his hair, pulling his head towards her as she parted his hair to better inspect the wound. “They’re beautiful, Mari…agh!”

“Of course they’re ours, Luka,” she tutted, smoothing his hair away from the wound. She hummed, her tone concerned. “All six of them – we make beautiful children together.”

…he was blaming his blush on what she’d just said and not the fact that his face was inches away from her chest.

[weasleyslag]

i could probably hit your baby mama

summary: Fred's death has been really hard on everyone, especially his pregnant fiancée. George creeps into her room in the middle of the night to retrieve something, and due to darkness combined with her grief, she mistakes George for Fred.

pairing(s): Fred Weasley/ f! Reader (past), George Weasley/Angelina Johnson

wc: 1573

warning(s): pregnancy, grief/mourning

a/n: Oh my god the tone of this story so does not match the title, but I couldn't help myself. I can’t believe I let a TikTok song about sex inspire me to write a grief fic.

ao3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30626528

     You had been having a really hard time lately. Anyone could have guessed that. It was to be expected. Being in your third trimester of pregnancy was hard enough; it was infinitely harder when your partner had passed away. You didn’t have time to pause and mourn, your life was so hectic now. You had doctor’s appointments, maternity shoots, brunches and parties to accept your pregnancy. The doctor’s appointments were obviously a must, you would never dream of missing them, but the photos and parties? There was nothing you wanted to do less. You didn’t want to celebrate. Fred was gone. If it was up to you, there’d never be another party in the whole world ever again. But the Weasleys and all your friends wanted to celebrate and they were mourning too, so you didn’t want to let them down.

     The only person that had the same mentality of not wanting to move on and bring happiness back into their life was George. Sure, the others had lost a friend, a brother, a son, and that was devastating. But George and you had a bond with him that far surpassed that. George had immediately closed Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes (you had to convince him to not sell the space altogether) and locked himself in his room all day, only opening the door to talk to you or Angelina. Hell, Angelina practically had to force feed him in order to get him to eat. You felt like acting the same but it seemed for some reason, most likely your pregnancy, the others expected you to act differently. They wanted you to be the carrier of a beam of light at the end of the tunnel. And you supposed they were right, the twins you carried in your womb (you had never realized before you got pregnant how big the jump in percentage of carrying a twin pregnancy would be when twins ran in the family) were the one joy in a tragic situation. But that was them, not you. You wanted to stay in bed and cry all day. That luxury, however, was not provided for you. Therefore, most of your crying was done late into the night.

     It was close to 2am when George ventured out of his room one night. He didn’t like to be up when other people were around, lest they see the mess that he had devolved into. He creeped into Charlie’s old room that he had let you have. He was bored out of his mind, having read every book and comic in his room, so he was hoping that Charlie’s would have left some interesting books to read. Something about dragons, maybe, or really anything besides a silly romance novel.

     George tried his best to be silent, but as he tiptoed around your room, the floorboards creaked. George cursed under his breath and looked over to you. Sure enough, you were stirring.

“Sorry, I’ll be gone in a second. ‘M looking for a book.” He whispered, hoping that you would go back to sleep and that would be the end of the conversation.

You sat up, bleary eyed. “Fred?” You had always been the best at telling the twins apart but between the darkness in the room and the desperation to see your fiancée again, you mistook George for Fred.

George didn’t say anything. His heart broke for you. He knew he should say that no, it was him, but he just couldn’t bring himself to do so.

“Am I dreaming? Do you need to tell me something, is that why you’re in my dreams?” Your words dripped with hope and desperation.

George hesitated before affirming, “Ye-yes. That’s right.” He felt extremely awkward but you sounded so excited to be able to communicate with Fred again that he couldn’t bring himself to let you down.

“I missed you.” Tears ran down your face. “Only a few more weeks and then our babies will be born. The doctor said it’s a boy and a girl. I would have named the boy after you but I know George and Angelina want that to be their first son so I’m letting them have it. He’s really torn up, you should visit him too."

“I, um, yeah, I’ll talk to him.” It felt strange talking about himself like that. It was heartwarming, though, that even in this moment, you were thinking about him.

“Good. Just so you know, I remember what you said in our sixth year about not wanting me to move on if anything ever happened to you. And I’m not gonna.”

“That was just a joke, you don’t have to do that. I want you to be happy.” George tried to answer the way that Fred would.

“I would have only been happy with you. I love you. I wish you hadn’t left me to go help Harry and them. I know it’s selfish but I don’t care.” You shook as you sobbed. George walked over to your bedside and put his hand on your back.

“I had to do what I had to do. They needed me there.” George found himself getting choked up on his own words. He felt the same way as you, he wished Fred had never come down to Hogwarts that day.

“I know you would say that. What did you want to come here to tell me?”

“Just that I love you. And you’re gonna be a great mom.”

“Oh, Freddie. I know you wanted a big family and now we’ll never have that. She leaned her head onto George’s chest. “Every day is so hard” You admitted.

“I know, I know.”

“Come to bed with me.” You reached for George’s hand.

“To like, have sex?” George looked around the room frantically, not meeting his eyes with yours. Fred would have certainly jumped at the chance if he was there, but he was not Fred. George wanted you to be given peace but he could most definitely not go that far. Fred would probably find a way to strangle him from the afterlife and Angelina would cut his dick off.

“If you want,” you giggled “Or we could cuddle. Then you can feel my belly. It’s huge now, way bigger than when you last saw me. Hopefully you still think I’m pretty.”

“Of course you’re pretty. Here I-scoot over.” You made room for him.

     He laid down and placed his hands over your baby bump. “They’re already kicking!” He said, in genuine surprise.

“Yeah, body movements during the day lull them to sleep. At night is when they’re most active. It’s a pain in the ass, really. But I’m just glad they’re healthy.”

     George nodded. He looked at the ceiling, waiting for you to go to sleep. Then he could finally go back to his room.

Unfortunately, you were full of questions and affection. You wanted to get Fred up the speed with what had been going on with the people close to him. You babbled on and on about how tore up everyone was. How Charlie couldn't bring himself to leave the country again and slept on the couch every night, how Ginny slept with an old flannel of Fred's every night now, how Percy felt utterly responsible for his death and tried everything he could do to redeem himself, putting out new flowers at his grave each day and going to every single doctor's appointment with you (and read every pregnancy book under the sun, making it his mission to give you all the unsolicited advice he could think off, which annoyed you to no end). It took about an hour before you finally fell asleep, and as soon as you did, George gently removed his hands from you and got up out of the bed, before scurrying back to his room. He slammed the door behind him and faced his sleeping girlfriend.

“Angelina, you will NOT believe what just happened.”

                                                             ***

     At sunrise the next morning, George made another rare appearance. Molly was so excited to see him, even though he hadn’t showered for days and looked ragged. She ran over to give him a hug, which he gingerly accepted. He explained he wasn’t up to make small talk, he was going outside to visit the makeshift grave that their family had made for Fred. He wasn’t actually buried there, but the whole family felt better having the symbol of him at the Burrow and hoped that his spirit had followed. Molly was disappointed that her son didn’t want to stay up with her and talk, but she understood he was in pain and let him go.

Upon reaching Fred’s grave, George laughed nervously.

“So…” George began. He felt silly, what if Fred’s spirit couldn’t hear him? What if he was talking to nothingness. “I almost hit your baby mama last night.” He tried to make a lighthearted joke. A light drizzle started almost simultaneously with his words. He didn’t think that it was supposed to rain today.

    George laughed, taking the rain as a response from Fred. “I’m sorry, mate. Just trying to make a joke. You know I wouldn’t.”

“She really misses you. Hell, we all miss you. I wish you had become a ghost instead of moving into the afterlife. But it’s okay. Although if you still change your mind and do that, go right ahead.” George’s voice cracked and a tear ran down his cheek. “Please.”

[imnotwolverine]

LOVE IS LIKE - Books and Babes

PART 1 Books and Babes | PART 2 >

Summary: As he travels home to London with his assistant Leah, Henry recalls some moments from his past, including breakups, ladies and that one book that keeps getting into trouble. 

Word count: 2.566

The song: Sweet - Love Is Like Oxygen 

Disclaimer: mentions of one-night-stands, breakups, bullying, hopeless love and weed smoking. Other than that it’s pretty much just comedic fluff 

--

LOVE IS LIKE... books and babes

--

‘Love is like oxy-gen,

You get too much,

you get too high..’

Henry mimed along with the music in his earpods, shuffling forward as the line of businessmen moved to the gate that would transport him to the plane taking him back to London Heathrow.

‘Not enough and you're gonna die--’

A short jab in his ribs made him look down at the glowing pink cheeks of his PA. She’d had to make a run for it.

‘Love gets you high-.’

With a quick fumble Henry killed the music, as he was greeted by one heavily panting Leah who pushed his lost book back in his large hands.

‘Found it.’ She smiled with another few long puffs, sweet sweat beading down her brow.

‘Leahhh.’ Henry sighed and shook his head with a laugh. ‘You know you didn’t have to do THAT.’

She chuckled. ‘And have you bother me all flight? Ohhh no, none of that.’

‘Like I’m such a pain.’ Henry winked, shuffling forward now the line before him was slowly funnelling down the long white tunnel into the plane.

‘Sometimes..’ Leah gave him a playfully chastising look before starting to quickly dig down her bag to find her ticket and passport.

‘Piers?’

Henry wanted to knock on his brother’s bedroom door, but halted, hearing something peculiar arising from the small confinement his oldest brother was hiding out in. Was that a..girl he heard giggling? Putting his ear flat against the rough oak wood, he listened more closely.

‘Do you like that?’ He heard his brother ask. The girl giggled again.

‘Stop it! Hahaha. Piers! Stop it!’

Henry felt his muscles tighten and he wasn’t quite sure what to do. Was that Ellie? The blond girl that lived a street away? And was Piers...hurting her? His older brother truly was strange now he had full on hit puberty. Frowning, Henry looked down the hallway, his ears now picking up the sound of feet climbing up the stairs.

‘Did you call him for dinner yet?’ Marianne puffed out as she dragged a full basket of dirty laundry up the narrow steps, her face not managing to poke out over the large pile. Henry quickly straightened up and swallowed.

‘Eh..’ With a sharp knock he finally rapped on his brother’s door. ‘Piers! Dinner!’

Inside he could hear the panicked kerfuffle of what may have very well been clothing zipped up, but again Henry couldn’t be sure as he looked back at his mother who now lowered the basket in her arms. One conspicuously raised eyebrow from her was all it took to burn his cheeks a bright pink.

‘I wasn’t listening!’ He squeaked, though Marianne knew better.

‘Sure you did sweetie.’ She winked at him then tilted her head in the direction of Piers’ room. ‘Piers honey, don’t forget about what me and dad told you!’

With a swift swing the door was pulled open and one both terribly embarrassed and terribly annoyed Piers appeared in the door opening. ‘FUCK mom! Did you really have to --’

‘Language young man! ..Especially in front of ladies.’ Marianne looked over the shoulder of her lanky teen son to find the shy expression of one equally embarrassed Ellie.

‘Hello Mrs. Cavill...’ She squeaked before noticing the fiercely blushing young boy next to Marianne. ‘..Henry.’  

Henry felt his chubby cheeks burn even more. Oh why was he like this with girls?

‘This is not working out...It’s not you, it’s me...’ Her words swam in the back of his head, tumbling around like his brain had turned on the dirty laundry setting of his conscience. Henry felt nauseated, tired and utterly empty as he lay here on the couch of his friend, his hands folded over the phone on his chest. He had thought she was the one. Starry eyed and hair black as night. That smile throwing him off whenever he saw it. She was still the one, right? Why oh why did she not want to work through this? Why did this have to be the end? Why did she have to decide for him how to feel about all this? Why not put in the darn fucking work?!  

Looking to his right he heard the soft snoring of the puppy they had adopted only months ago. His body was all disproportionate with his floppy ears and oversized lanky paws. Henry sighed. At least he still had Kal.

‘Welcome Mr. Cavill and thank you for travelling with us.’ The pretty asian lady handed him back his boarding pass with a smile that was near inappropriately close to a flirt. Henry didn’t mind though. Mind a kind smile his large paw retrieved the most used book in his life: his passport, and stepped to the side as they checked Leah’s boarding pass as well. Leah did not receive that same flirtatious look, the asian lady barely offering Leah a glance as her eyes already roved on to the next business man who stepped in line.

Leah raised an eyebrow at him and Henry couldn’t help but offer his dear PA an even wider smile to compensate. ‘What’s the matter with you today?’ She asked, chuckling as her legs moved past him to start their way down the white tunnel of led lights and muffled blue carpet.

‘Absolutely nothing dear Leah.’ Henry smiled. Most women came and went in his life, but at least Leah was here to stay. Like Kal she was one of the few who were true friends to him.

In for it through thick and thin.

‘So what do you think of King Pellenore?’ Young Henry shuffled a little closer to the girl who was sitting on the other edge of the school yard bench. Rosy cheeked and hunched over in his hand-me-down blazer he eyed the sweet red haired girl that seemed to share his fascination with reading. They had worked together on a group project a week ago and he couldn’t help but be interested in her.

Finally she looked up, Anne, her brown eyes skittishly skimming over him before both their ears picked up the sound of a bunch of classmates laughing. Laughing at them. Him. With a small “o” on her mouth the girl quickly grabbed her belongings and rushed inside, leaving Henry alone on the bench, his hands nervously picking at his backpack as the other kids threw him some mean comments.

Fat Cavill. Nerd. Sissy. Fool!

Was he really such a failure with girls?

‘Kal! OH NO...KAL! Give that back!....naughtyyyy.’ Bent through his cracking knees Henry tried to reach for the book that his dog had snatched from the coffee table. But the pup was quick. With a cheeky side eye he glanced at Henry before sprinting down to the hallway, nails tapping on the slippery tile floor. He was near full grown now, but had antics in abundance - and sharp teeth to grab anything and everything he could drag around. Shoes, socks and his new favourite: books.

Chasing after the Akita, Henry followed him down to the kitchen; the home thankfully anything but large and with a few large steps he had managed to chase the dog into a corner, hands grabbing him by the collar before he pried the slimy book from his maw. ‘Oh well would you look at that..’ Henry sighed and tried to swipe some of the doggy drool off the leather bound cover. He had started to read King Arthur again, but his dog was clearly just as little a fan as his old classmates had been. Though of course the dog was not really being mean: he just thought it was time to go out, play, run, chase squirrels!

‘You are one cheeky bugger, you know that?’ Henry looked down at the Akita who sat down, looking up at him with big puppy eyes. It was hard to stay mad at him for long.

‘You sure you’re okay with this?’ Charlie settled down in the comfy hotel deck chair, the Californian sun burning down on their heads.

‘Why of course! I mean, I’ll still tease you like any good older brother. But you LOVE her you big Sissywat. Of course you’re going to marry her.’

‘Haa…’ Charlie sighed and looked at the pool where some women were lounging on sunbeds. ‘..well I guess here’s to the last days as a truly single man?’

Henry raised an eyebrow from behind his sunglasses. ‘I really don’t get how people think you’re still single before the ring’s on the finger.’ He sniffled as Charlie shrugged.

‘It’s just a saying, Hen.’

‘Well single or not, you better take good care of her, will you?’

‘Of course! Each and every day, with every make-up stain on my blouse and every cold foot giving me first degree freeze burns beneath the bed sheets.’ Charlie clinked his beer with Henry’s.

‘For better or worse!’ The brothers laughed.

‘Don’t want to stay for breakfast?’ Henry sat up to see his late-night ladylove squeeze herself back into her skinny jeans. Her round butt cheeks didn’t seem to cooperate and he had to resist from pulling her back into the bed so he could convince her to stay. 

‘No, thanks.’ She inhaled deeply so she could zip up the tight jean fabric. 

‘Will I see you again?’ Henry internally scolded himself for sounding so insecure. 

The woman shot him a confused look. ‘I don’t think I’ll be in London any day soon. It was fun though. Hey,’ She crawled up onto the bed and Henry rolled onto his back in hope she’d at least give him a kiss, her body folding over him. ‘ah there it is.’ With a swift hand movement she retrieved her bra from behind his pillow. ‘Gotta go, my cab is here.’ She pushed herself back off the bed and grabbed her bag. With one last glance and smile she was out the door. ‘Bye Superman!’ 

Henry felt his heart sink. Oh Henry you fool!

‘OH CRAP!’  The woman in the business class chair next to Henry shot up from her seat, hands pulling a book away from what appeared to be a fallen over drink. ‘Shitshitshit.’ She quickly bit her lip and anxiously started to look around for something to wipe down the mess. Henry killed the music in his ear.

‘Love is like.. --’

‘Oh dammit.’ She scrunched up her nose as she realised how much of the juice had fallen over her book; it was just about ruined, pages soaking up the berry purple colour.

‘Here.!’ Henry sat up and quickly grabbed some tissues from his travel bag; having a slightly messy dog taught you to always be prepared.

‘Thanks.’ The woman breathed, some staff now also joining in to help clean the mess and put the book on a tray before it’d contaminate anything else. It took a good minute before it was all cleaned and gone, the brown haired banana-sock-wearing business woman settling down in her chair with a sigh.

‘You alright?’ Henry asked. It was the first words they shared after a whole hour of flight, her attention first having been preoccupied with her laptop or..reading, which now seemed out of the question.

‘Yea..yea..’ She shook her head and looked at Henry. Mediterranean turquoise eyes hidden behind thick glasses, her low brown-haired ponytail slightly disheveled after being smushed into the seat.

‘Was it a good book?’

‘Yea..just some..old timer. Good ol’ ..King Arthur.’ She hushed the last words as if she felt awkward about admitting she was reading a children’s book.

Henry blinked for a moment as he looked at her, his brain short circuiting before he turned to rummage through his bags again.

‘Oh am I..Is there something on my face?’ She grabbed for her glasses and took them off to look at them with squinting eyes.

‘No no, please. Eh..’ Henry raised the chewed and mauled, but ever loved copy he had bought himself all those years ago. ‘..just..coincidence I guess.’ He reached out his rendition of King Arthur and His Knights to her.

‘Well have you there. Leather bound too!’

‘And absolutely destroyed, also. I think these books just ..beg..to be harmed haha.’

‘You have a dog? Or..’ She pushed her glasses back on her nose and let her finger trace over the large indents.. ‘..bear..perhaps?’

Henry laughed. ‘No no. Just a dog. A large one. But, deep inside still very much a sweet pup.’

‘Apologies.’ A flight attendant halted as the glassed woman turned to look up. ‘We are seeing to the drying of your book. Though I’m afraid we do not have anything to get the stain out.. -’

‘Oh, that’s quite alright. Please.’

‘Could we perhaps offer you a new refreshment?’

‘Some wine would be great. WHITE wine..’ The woman grinned. ‘..less chance of stains.’

The flight attendant nodded, before Henry quickly interjected. ‘I’ll have one as well.’

‘Chardonnay, Sauvignon?’

The woman turned to Henry and with a dapper smile he picked their choosing.

‘You just gotta be yourself man.’ Henry’s skinny, beanie-hatted friend spoke, inhaling the saturating smoke of his Red Dragon joint. The whole room was some kind of blue, bean bags scattered around the Californian apartment, people lounging and chilling in their daze.

Henry inhaled deeply and felt the wooze of a broken heart and drugs fight an odd battle inside his heavy chest. He felt both extremely relaxed and extremely wrong for being here; shouldn’t he be trying his best to get her back?

‘What if I never find anyone to be with me?’ The chubby boy inside him spoke, unsure blue eyes peering out at the ceiling that seemed to move and dance before him. The whole world had slowed down, but his mind tried its best to keep going.

‘Hey,’ His friend struggled up from his beanbag, making Henry fall to his side. ‘you’re a good guy mate. You hear me? You’re a GOOD guy. And if you’d be gay I’d totally..totally do you.’ His friend burst into a fit of giggles before he cleared his throat and shook his head to clear his mind. ‘No, but really. Don’t change for the girl, ever. Yea? You’re such a good guy.’

Henry wondered if this is what Kal felt like. 

Good boy! Good boy! 

‘Where’s your book?’ Leah had to speed up to keep up with the light long steps of Henry as they moved through the long airport hall for their connecting flight. Henry smiled and looked over his shoulder.

‘Who said it again? If you love something, let it go?’

Leah frowned and with a few more fast steps got in line with him. ‘You are a handful! You know that Cavill? I ran my lungs out to--’

‘Leah. It’s fine. I gave it to someone who I’m sure will love it even more than I could ever.’

Leah puffed and, from the way her cheeks already burned, Henry decided to slow his pace.

‘And if she doesn’t appreciate it, I can always buy a new one.’

‘She? Did I miss something?’ Leah hoisted up the bag on her shoulder and shook her head. ‘You and your romantic antics.’

‘Incorrigible Cavill.’ Henry mimicked her voice, before smiling down at her. Leah rolled her eyes.

‘You said it first!’

‘One very high man once told me I just have to be myself. So that’s what I’ll do. And who knows..’ he hinted at a Valentine’s day poster they passed by. ‘..Love is like oxygen!’

--

Go to PART 2 > 

--

General Tagsquad: @harrysthiccthighss @tumblnewby @magdelen69 @thereisa8ella @mary-ann84 @darkbooksarwin @summersong69 @madbaddic7ed @luclittlepond @maroonmolly @just-a-normal-fangirl18 @hell1129-blog @agniavateira​ @tillthelandslide @elinesama @maddyreads14

@beck07990​ 

[lost-andfound]

CARRY ON (How Supernatural Should Have Ended)

AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28041390 

INT. VAMP NEST BARN. NIGHT.

A VAMPIRE has just impaled DEAN on a nail. It is suggested that he is about to die. There are two flickering light bulbs hanging from the ceiling. The barn looks uncannily similar to the barn in which Dean and CASTIEL first met.

Dean chokes, blood pooling from his mouth. His eyes are glassy and fighting to stay open. SAM’s eyes are filled with tears--he can’t believe it.

DEAN (coughing, trying to speak through the pain) I thought— dammit, man, I thought this was our chance. A chance at a real life.

SAM (truly, genuinely, painfully) I’m sorry.

Sam’s hand hovers around the wound, as if trying to cure it. Dean shakes his head. He doesn’t want to die, but he’s past the point of no return.

DEAN (gently) Sammy— everything we’ve been through, everything we’ve lost— I’m glad it was with you.

SAM (starting to panic) No, Dean, no—

DEAN (breathing slower, but doing his best to look his brother in the eyes) I didn’t wanna die. I didn’t. Promise me you know that.

Sam nods. He can’t speak. He wishes— he prays— but no one comes. Dean’s head goes slack in Sam’s hand. His eyes are empty. He’s dead. The camera PANS slowly to Sam’s stunned face.

SAM Dean. (He waits for an answer, but none comes.) Dean, please.

Behind, there is a flutter of wings. The light bulbs blow out, glass shattering on the ground. Sam freezes, hoping against all odds—

CASTIEL (firmly, as if with all the power of Heaven on his side) No one dies today.

Without further ado, he grasps Dean’s body and pulls him off the nail. Sam winces at the sound, but Castiel does not flinch. He grips Dean by the shoulder and puts his hand over the wound. An unearthly blue light— the light of angelic Grace— flows from his hands, shines from his eyes. It is not the healing we’ve seen before— this power seems to come from the deepest part of Cas himself.

A beat. Sam stares, tense, hoping. Cas steps back, and Dean gasps.

SAM (with deep relief) Thank God.

DEAN (exhausted, yet still wise-cracking) That asshole ain’t to thank for this one, Sammy.

He sways, and Sam rushes to hold him up. Dean looks at Cas, who is, as usual, unreadable.

CAS Hello, Dean.

DEAN (softer) Cas. Jesus, you’re— you’re here.

CAS (with a slight smile, hardly believing it himself) Jack. He came for me.

Dean’s smile falters. He glances at Sam— they both feel guilty for leaving Cas behind. Castiel catches this look, and is about to speak, but winces. A curl of blue Grace floats from his mouth, winding into the air and vanishing like smoke.

SAM (concerned) Cas— are you okay?

Cas stumbles, falling to brace himself on the wall. Both Sam and Dean reach out to grab his arms on either side.

CAS (looking between them, suddenly weak) I think— I think I’m falling again.

BLACKOUT.

END OF ACT TWO

ACT THREE

INT. BUNKER - KITCHEN - MORNING

With a WIDE SHOT, we see that Dean is making eggs this time, with less spirit than the last morning. He slices peppers and onions with precision, but we can tell that he is worried, his brow furrowing as he sprinkles them in the pan.

Sam sits at the table, flipping through a huge, ancient tome. A stack of books rests next to him, waiting to be studied. Cas is not at the table, a noted absence.

Dean flips the omelet off the pan and onto a plate, setting it in front of Sam, who barely looks up.

DEAN (demanding) So?

SAM (looking up apologetically) I don’t know. I think it’s something to do with The Empty— sapping his grace, somehow. Saving you probably took a lot of mojo.

DEAN (muttering sarcastically, as usual) Great.

INT. CASTIEL’S ROOM

Castiel sleeps, his face serene. Morning light spills in through the window, the drapes gently fluttering. It’s a beautiful scene, almost like a painting. The song “THANK YOU” by Led Zeppelin begins to PLAY. PAN TO Dean in the doorway, awkwardly holding a plate of eggs and mug of black coffee. Dean’s face is softer than we’ve seen it in a long time. He hesitates, not wanting to disturb his friend.

CAS (sleepily) Dean?

The music fades, but remains in the background of the scene.

DEAN (gruffly) Mornin’, sunshine.

Dean moves to sit on the bed, a respectful distance away from Castiel. He sets the plate and mug on the bedside table. Castiel shifts into a sitting position. Dean looks at Cas, and we think he is about to speak— he thinks he is about to speak— but he remains silent. Cas merely looks back at him, at the face he thought he’d never see again. The awkwardness is mostly on Dean’s side, which is not a surprise. Castiel seems content to merely look.

DEAN (eventually) So, are you… human now? For real this time?

CAS (eyes flickering briefly) Yes. I believe so.

DEAN (gearing himself up to be angry, to find a solution) Okay. Well— we’ll fix it. Find some spare grace, find a spell to restore your grace, whatever. We always do.

CAS (sighing) Dean—

DEAN (a little heat to his voice) Dammit, Cas, let us help you. You saved my skin at the cost of your own for the hundredth time and— and I won’t let you do that. Not again. No one dies this time, remember?

CAS Dean, you’re not gonna find anything. Not this time. And I’m— (he pauses, smiling slightly. He looks calm, at peace.) I’m happy. And I can say that now, without fear. I can feel. That’s all I’ve wanted, for so long.

There is a pause. Dean swipes a hand over his face and shifts closer on the bed. There is so much left unsaid, between these two, and it hangs heavy in the air.

Dean (voice ragged) Cas. What you said. Before the Empty took you.

CAS (steadily, without hesitation) I meant it.

DEAN I’ve wanted to say it back. For so long, Cas. But I— I didn’t think— I mean, you were an angel, and there was Lisa, then Purgatory, and the Mark, and Chuck, and everything against us— it was never right, and I never thought you felt— (he breaks off, swallowing.) I never thought you could. Love me, I mean.

Cas says nothing, but laces his fingers with Dean’s. Dean looks down, stunned, then back up at Castiel’s face.

CAS But I do. Against all odds, I do.

Dean kisses him. “Thank You” by Led Zeppelin resumes. Cas pulls him in, closer. It is a beautiful, tender kiss, a movie kiss. After a moment, they break apart, still holding hands.

DEAN (slightly embarrassed, yet as unguarded as we’ve ever seen him) I love you too, Cas. I always have— you’re family.

CAS (softly, as if this moment is one he could break) So what now?

DEAN (his voice opening, finally, into hope) The rest of our lives, man. Everything that comes after.

PAN OUT, as they move into a tight, intimate hug. They’re family. The camera moves from them to the window. The curtains. The soft light outside.

INT. BUNKER - KITCHEN

Sam sits at the table, hands in his hair, still poring over the books. His plate is empty— Dean is a good cook. He is unaware of the conversation his brothers are having inside Castiel’s room. There is a CRASH. Sam sits instantly alert— there are those killer instincts. He grabs a gun and creeps slowly towards the entrance, where he finds… EILEEN. She stands at the entrance, confused, looking around. Sam keeps the gun trained on her, grief and rage and confusion flitting across his face.

EILEEN Sam?

SAM (speaking with certainty) You’re not her. You can’t be her. No one ever really comes back, no one that I— that I—

EILEEN Sam, it’s me. I promise.

She pulls out a silver knife, slashes it on her arm. She lets Sam pour some holy water on her hand. She goes through every test, staring at Sam’s face, willing him to believe her.

SAM (disbelieving) Holy crap. It’s you. It’s really you.

EILEEN (smiling) Duh.

Sam sweeps her into his arms, as if he’ll never let her go. She holds onto him just as tightly. In the same moment, they both realize how lucky they are to be here, together.

“CARRY ON MY WAYWARD SON” begins to PLAY.

CUT TO MONTAGE:

Dean hunting with Charlie and Cas, watching their backs as they move through a dark tunnel.

Sam and Eileen sharing a beer as they watch a movie, the lights flickering on their faces.

Dean throwing popcorn and Monopoly pieces at Sam, chasing him around the living room as Sam raises his arms in protest.

Cas and Dean washing dishes together, bumping shoulders and hands, smiling.

Eileen holding a newborn child as Dean, Sam, and Cas all crowd around her— someone takes a picture.

PAN UP from that picture on a table to an older Sam, reading in the study while his son reads next to him, a picture of his father.

Cas playing catch in the yard with Claire, who is clearly indulging him. His brow furrows as he drops the ball again and again, Dean laughing from the porch.

An older Dean finally perfecting his pie recipe, passing the plate around the dinner table, looking pleased with himself. Contented.

Sam’s son goes off to college, and Dean takes a breath, and claps a hand on his shoulder. Smiles proudly at him.

Finally, Dean in a hospital bed, surrounded by his family. He grasps Sam’s hand, looks at Cas like he’s trying to memorize his face. They are all old. They are all satisfied with their lives. Dean smiles, closes his eyes.

BLACKOUT. Heart monitor FLATLINES.

ACT FOUR

EXT. BOBBY’S FARM - PORCH. LATE SUMMER.

The field is golden and beautiful, yet as ragged as Dean remembers it. BOBBY SINGER sits on his rocking chair, beer in hand. Dean walks up to the porch. He takes his time— he has all the time in the world, after all.

BOBBY (fondly) Took you long enough, boy.

DEAN (looking around, smiling slightly) Had a life to live.

Bobby grunts, motions for Dean to sit down next to him. He hands him a beer from the cooler.

DEAN Thought you’d be able to magic yourself one of those from thin air, up here. Service not working lately?

BOBBY More authentic this way. (pause) Heaven’s better now, actually. You saw the old version— it’s not like that up here anymore.

DEAN How’s that?

BOBBY That kid of yours: Jack. He made it so you’re not just trapped in old memories— you can go anywhere, see anyone. (another pause— he knows how much this means to Dean) Anyone.

DEAN (swallowing— this is difficult, painful) Even—

BOBBY (more gently) They’re just up the road. (He takes a sip of his beer.) You have a lot to talk out. Bad memories to work through. But you can do it, with time. Work it all out.

DEAN I hope so, Bobby. I think so.

Pause. Something catches Dean’s eye. PAN OUT to the road— to the IMPALA, shiny as the day she came off the line.

DEAN (reverently) They brought my Baby.

BOBBY (looking at him like a father looks at his son) Go. They’ll wait.

Dean smiles, as big as we’ve ever seen, like a kid on Christmas. Driving down an empty highway, with nothing to do, nowhere to go. His favorite.

Dean turns on the car, smiles nostalgically, and flips on the radio. “HEY JUDE” by The Beatles begins to PLAY.

As the song plays, Dean sees people standing by the road— old friends, old lovers, old rivals, old members of his family. There is CHARLIE, waving frantically, a grinning KEVIN by her side. There are JO and ELLEN and ASH in the Roadhouse, bickering among themselves. There are MARY and JOHN, young lovers again, looking at each other with hope in their eyes. There is PAMELA, there is JODY, LISA, JESS, countless others they’ve loved and lost. JACK even blips in to wave hello.

And then, as the song concludes, Dean pulls to a stop. At the end of the road is Cas, and Sam standing behind him, waiting. They stand on a bridge that stretches over a river. The sun is just beginning to set. Dean gets out of the car, closing Baby gently.

DEAN Miss me?

SAM (rolling his eyes fondly) Shut up.

DEAN (brief confusion) So? Where’s everyone else?

SAM They’ll be here soon.

CAS They have some more living to do.

Dean nods, and turns to gaze out over the bridge. Cas slips a hand into his, and they stand together, looking at the sunset, breaking gold and crimson rays over the water, finally calm, finally peaceful.

BLACKOUT.

CARRY ON WAYWARD SON begins to PLAY again as the credits roll.

THE END.

[guigz1-coldwar]

'Western Brick in the Wall : Part 1' : New chapter for "Always for the greater cause..." is out !

Chapter Summary: The first real mission for Stitch's team can finally begin: infiltrating West-Berlin and track down two enemy agents who got their hands on important documents...

To read it on AO3, click here!

Taglist: @snowgoldwaylon , @clxudtea , @efingart

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

23rd February 1981

Yirina 'Bell' Grigoriev, Ex-KGB, Perseus

In the U-Bahn under East-Berlin, Line 6, in the direction of West-Berlin

I thought that we were going to enter West-Berlin by normal means through one of the few checkpoints with fake identity papers for the mission but instead, we had to use the U-Bahn system of the city to actually make our move, something that Stitch has planned for us, knowing that it would be safer for us. After hours of preparation and when the evening came to set down on the city, it was time for us to get out of the safe house to join the U-Bahn.

When we arrived in one of the East-Berlinese U-Bahn stations, the whole team directly installed itself right in the last wagon of the metro that we took, getting ourselves prepared discreetly as they were still a few people in the wagon, descending from time to time to the stations on Line 6. I was installed near the door leading to the second-to-last wagon, Knight was near me, Bellamy was in the middle, standing up as he got to cede his seat to an old woman as Stitch & Wraith were hidden at the end of the wagon.

"For fuck sake, I really had to cede my seat," Bellamy sighed as the last person that wasn't part of the team left the wagon, leaving the full team inside of it. "And to an old woman, come on," He added, wanting to take his seat back but he didn't do it despite the urge on his face.

"At least, you were generous," Knight scoffed, going up from his seat to lock the doors that were leading to the other wagon.

"Oh, just fuck you, Knight," Bellamy cursed loudly, pointing his hand towards Knight that was having his back turned around to lock the door, making me rise from my seat in case.

"Are you two going to stop this or not?" Wraith said from across the wagon, freeing her seat to join the middle near Bellamy. "You two are still acting like fucking children, behave yourself, we've got a job to do!" She clarified as I was staying near Knight, my hand towards his chest, gesturing to not move before shaking my head.

"Yes, that's the thing now," I joined up Wraith on this point, focusing on Bellamy as he was the one starting it. "We're on a mission,"

"Bell is right, I don't want anything from you two over the comms, arguing, understood?" Stitch spoke up, walking towards us from his seat and the two nodded in approval, realizing the situation...for good, I hope. "Are earsets good?" He asked, making everyone check-up the little earset hidden in our ear, me tapping it gently in my right ear.

"I'm good," I replied to him.

"Same for me," Wraith told him as Knight & Bellamy only gestured with a thumb up.

"Okay, knight, light out," Stitch ordered, making a sign to Knight who directly moved towards the control panel of the wagon, shutting down the lights of the wagon, plunging it in darkness. "Wraith, do you have everything good?" He demanded and she nodded. "Everyone remembers their roles tonight?" Everyone nodded to him.

"And if something changes?" Bellamy questioned him, peaking his eyes outside the wagon. the lights of the tunnel and the passing of the other trains lighting up a bit in here.

"Then, we get along with it," I responded to him clearly, Stitch looking at me with a little smile before Wraith looked up.

"We should be in a few seconds in West-Berlin," She guessed as I have remembered to have view the U-Bahn map after our discussion for a long time to prepare exactly & precisely the mission...a true pro...

"Good," Stitch breathed before he starts to walk slowly towards the back door of the wagon, gesturing with his hands to me to follow him. "I & Bell are jumping first to observe the moves of Katinka, Wraith & Knight, you're taking shelter to the store in front of Katinka's hideout and Bellamy, you're assuring the extraction," He reminded everyone before he opens the door with his hands, the noise of the train been heard louder than before as he knelt on one knee. "You're ready, Bell?"

"Of course," I said, nodding at him.

"Let's go then," He told me, tapping the back of my shoulder gently before he jumped first from the train.

I took a deep breath before I jump off the train too, landing on the rails of the tunnel...and almost fall because my feet tapped against one of the wooden planks on the ground, feeling so ridiculous as Stitch was looking at me and it was unsure if he was laughing or not on his face even if he was without a mask. The only thing he did was shake his head, his eyes rolling up.

"Here's the ghost station, it's our entrance to the West," Stitch exclaimed, taking out a silenced pistol as we were walking on the rails discreetly.

"Sure that it's safe?" I asked, staying behind him as he was the one leading the way to me.

"The HVA was using this ghost station to slip some of their agents in West Berlin, abandoned by them a year ago and even the Americans didn't spot it," He replied, reassuring me as we entered a little maintenance room to join the bay of the station, finding actually no one that could disturb us in our moves, not even on the other bay as the train was covering us in case. "There should be a ladder inside," He pointed out towards another locked door that he opened easily.

"I'm climbing first," I volunteered myself as there was a black ladder at the end of the room and Stitch nodded, approving my choice.

I put down my gun for the moment as I put my hands on the ladder to climb up slowly to reach the surface and when I was going to arrive near the trap of the surface, I was able to hear what was the weather outside: all rainy, hearing the sounds of the drops falling on the manhole...the same time we're been having for days now and West-Berlin has to have it too...things are never changing here.

It's with a sigh that I opened the manhole from the inside, getting greeted by the heavy drop of rain on my face, causing me to put on the hood of my blue sweater before actually got up back on my feet, finally breathing some fresh air from the outside...feeling so good but also good enough to catch a cold. I took a breath before turning around to help Stitch that was going up from the ladder, offering my hand to help him.

"Thanks, Bell," He said, taking my hand in his, helping him to get on the surface before passing his hands on his pants, cleaning up some dust on it. "Welcome to West-Berlin," He scoffed, closing the manhole behind him once he was done.

"Not changing from the East for the moment," I stated as I was looking around, we were in a small alley that was surely near the Berlin Wall, finding it in the same state that was around the safe house.

"The Germans..." Stitch sighed before he took a look around with me, his eye getting on a locked door, "We should get to the roof before someone caught us here," He exclaimed, starting to move towards a red locked door as I was staying behind him, him trying to discreetly open the door without making too many noises.

"I thought that we were going to be stopped by guards," I said to him, my silenced M1911 in my hands, my eyes on the way to get to the street.

"Me too, Bellamy said that the West-German police was somehow going to be on alert because of a leak," He revealed to me, the talk seemingly making him less focused on unlocking that door and it was looking like I was going to force open it with my feet if he was going to be this long. "We stay aware and...finally, it's open," He told me, able to open the door without me and let me enter the building.

"We're near Checkpoint Charlie, right?" I demanded to him.

"Yes, Krypto & Katinka are meeting in the bar nearby, we're here to make sure Katinka has the briefcase and that the meeting is taking place," He responded, closing the door and locking it again to make sure that no one was going to come here. "Lead the way, I'm behind you," He ordered, making me get upstairs as the first thing I saw when entering the place was directly that.

I complied as I moved up on the wooden stairs before arriving at a locked door, opening in less time than Stitch did before and again, back into the outside air, finding myself on the roof and having a big view over the Berlin Wall, seeing its full layout, a No Man's Land between two big walls, patrols with dogs & watchtowers with spotlights, watching over the area to search any person trying to pass the Wall but it would be suicide.

"The Soviets did really make quite a job," I spoke to myself as Stitch was arriving behind me, closing the door again before he took up the lead, walking towards the ridge at a few meters while avoiding the spotlight that was trying to light up the roof but the red sign with letters on the roof allowed us to move without any problem, the ridge out of sight from the spotlight.

"In time," Stitch sighed, kneeling on his right knee near the ridge, overlooking the checkpoint that was at its full usefulness. "Bell, take your camera, see if you can spot Katinka," He ordered, prompting me to take out the camera I was given by Wraith for the mission. "Try to watch any person that could hold a briefcase," He clarified as my eyes were looking right through the camera.

I was looking at everything around the side of the checkpoint, seeing only the car that was getting frisked along with its occupants by the American guards, thinking at first that I was finding that Katinka before I moved a little to see the person that wasn't using a car, spotting a woman with blond hair, with a black briefcase & a brown umbrella in each hand, walking towards the checkpoint.

"I got her: the woman with a brown umbrella," I announced to Stitch, pointing my hand discreetly towards her position she was as she got stopped by a guard by the moment she arrived near the checkpoint.

"The guard is letting her pass," Stitch commented after Katinka pulled out something from her white coat with her right hand to the guard before he let her pass after moving away from her. "Must have been important, the Americans can't let her pass despite the alert they are," He added.

"That's also meaning that she got what we need," I raised my shoulders, still looking at Katinka that was walking towards the bar of the meeting before moving my eyes away from the camera, putting it back inside my jacket, "Do we move?"

"Yes, we had to," Stitch got up from his spot before quickly walking away and following him out of the roof, taking another direction to leave it, passing through some stairs inside the building before we landed on the ground, inside another alley, with a path towards the street. "Shit, it's looking like the police are on high alert," Stitch said, seeing the multiple policemen around the street.

"It might be too dangerous for you to get in that bar, I presume?" I presumed, meaning that it was the first change of plan of the whole mission, Stitch could be recognized by some around and we couldn't risk that.

"Yeap but I know that you can do it, I'll stay here to watch over the place," He assured me about my skills as I took a deep breath, walking with Stitch near the street. "My contact inside is from the Stasi, he's wearing a black leather jacket, brown hair and has a red umbrella," He explained, giving me better details about the person that we were supposed to meet together.

"I'm on my way," I breathed, leaving Stitch alone to engage myself inside the street sidewalk.

The police were looking very suspiciously and I couldn't let myself got stop by them, having no fake identity papers with me, just an earset and a silenced M1911 in my jacket but hopefully, my clothes weren't looking too much suspicious, much adapted to that side of the city. I walked through the pedestrian crossing of the street to join the bar where this Zasha and Katinka were supposed to meet, the name of the bar wasn't so important for me now.

I took a quick look inside through one of the main windows, perceiving Katinka with her back turned against the front door of the place, sit on a table and all alone, having put her briefcase and umbrella near it before I decided to enter the place, passing the front door and removing the hood of my jacket after having it on top of me since I stepped out of that manhole cover.

My eyes went directly towards the end of the bar, having found with them, the contact that Stitch mentioned to me: a man with brown hair and having a red umbrella leaned against the table he was staying on, making me walk to him.

"Hey, good to see you," I faked to know the man, having to act like normal friends with him.

"Oh, that's you, have a seat," The man greeted me with a smile, offering his hand for shaking and I complied before he pointed at me, the seat in front of me, sitting down on it. "So, you're 'Bell'? From Stitch's team?" He asked me clearly in a low voice.

"Yes, and you?" I asked him back,

"Franz Kraus, affiliated with Volkov, ex-Stasi," He replied to me, putting his hands on the table, palms against it. "Are your team listening?" He demanded, gesturing with his head to my ears.

"Of course," I reassured him, putting my hand above my right ear. "Is the sound clear for everything?" I questioned the others through the earset, receiving a big yes from Stitch, Bellamy & Knight, and an all nice for me from Wraith...very different from the others, I can say.

"Katinka Goodman is at the table near the entrance, you should have seen her when you come in," He said, keeping his eyes on me as I was making furtive looks to where Katinka was, still seeing her alone.

"Do you know why the police are looking agitated?" I demanded at him curiously, seeing through the window near us, the police cars outside.

"Rumors said that the police are after some HVA agents, our informant inside the BND still in East-Berlin managed to tell us about it," He responded to me, tapping with his left hand on the table as, near it, there was a little plate with cute snacks on it, giving me the idea to take them for me. "Apart of it, I shouldn't be here in the West," He added, probably talking to himself, profiting that he was looking away to take those snacks inside my jacket. "But anyway, it's part of the job, got a kid & a wife to take care," He sighed, pulling out of his jacket a pack of cigarettes, taking only one after I gestured that I didn't want one.

"Katinka is looking rather nervous," I suggested, seeing her from afar, tapping with her feet on the ground, her hands on the table.

"To what I heard from her, she needs to be taken seriously, she ain't someone to joke with," He explained, his voice actually meaning it and he was looking sure of his words at me. "She's..."

"Wait, there's someone coming to look at her," I interrupted him as I could see a man dressed in black, directly going to whisper something inside Katinka's right ear before he left, soon followed by her. "Shit, she's leaving," I cursed.

"Bell, get out, the police is coming in," Stitch warned me as the second after he speaks that four policemen entered the bar, "I'm going into hiding," He added before his earset went shut on all the team.

"Bell, join me at the store near Katinka's hideout, Bellamy told me that she's walking back to it," Wraith ordered to me, me trying to not panic as the policemen were starting to check up everybody.

"Don't worry, I've got something," Kraus reassured me before he looked in the direction of the bar counter, a group of three men dressed in blacks like the other man, and Kraus made a sign to them with his head before one of them starts to walk towards the policemen group.

"Hey, asshole, take that," The man shouted before he literally throws a punch on the first policeman he approached, causing a brawl to spark inside the bar, Kraus's men engaging the policemen.

"Go, now!" Kraus ordered to me and I nodded, having given me the perfect opportunity to leave the bar without any problem.

That brawl was going to put some attention to every cop around in the sector, passing next to it and not taking care about who was winning or losing before heading out the bar by the same door I came in as some cops were coming in to help their friends in needs, not paying attention to, and then, I needed to go into the store where Wraith & Knight should've been waiting for me.

I thought at first that I was going to get myself lost inside the streets of West-Berlin as Katinka's hideout was a few streets away from the bar but thanks to having studied the layout of the sector with some maps back at the safe house instead of staying on my ass on a chair as Bellamy did, I managed to remember the way to get to the store, avoiding, of course, the few cops that weren't running away to calm the brawl at the bar.

It took me 5 minutes to get myself to the store, passing in front of the place where Bellamy was waiting for us before arriving near a grilled door, Knight at the other side of it and by seeing me arrive, he opened it widely.

"Here you are, you did nose or what?" He asked me in a serious voice, letting me enter the alley he was waiting in. "They're talking about a brawl inside the bar," He clarified himself about what he was asking about.

"Yes, Kraus's men did one to let me away without any suspicions," I replied to him before he closes the grilled door, and then walking next to a door.

"Wraith is inside, she's waiting for you," Knight told me as he opened the door leading inside the store. "I'll be waiting here in the case for Stitch," I nodded to him before I stepped inside the store, looking like an electronics store but then, as I was walking to get to Wraith that was near the window, earsets around her head and holding a strange device, something weird happens.

There were one of the TV that was shut off completely in the middle shelf but when I approached it, it suddenly goes on, showing me pictures of...various things...Rebirth Island...a red door inside a big hallway...some archives from the Vietnam War...and then....

"Bell! Bell!" A voice spoke up, getting me out of my thoughts as I could see Wraith, standing near me, looking worried, her hands on my right arm. "Hey, you're okay?" She asked me.

"I...this TV turned on by itself," I said, gesturing towards the TV in question that was now shut off.

"Bell, are you sure you're fine?" She questioned me, keeping her hands on me to reassure me.

"Yeah...yeah, I'm fine, I'm fine," I told her, shaking my head, thinking that it was just my head messing up, knowing that it was some side effects of my one-month coma as reported by Stitch before. "Uhm...what's the situation?" I demanded to her, finding a better voice for me to talk with.

"Katinka just came back and got called by Smirnov, the meeting's place has changed," She answered, gently tapping my right arm before she walks back to her spot, kneeling with one knee on the ground. "Someone warned them," She added.

"Shit," I muttered, looking at my feet. "But we aren't aborting, right?"

"Nope, we need someone to enter her apartment and put a tracker inside that briefcase she's holding around," She confirmed her determination to do her job, taking out from a bag that was posed on the ground near her, a green hood along with a little tracking device. "You're the one doing it, you got the lockpicks," She exclaimed, handing me the two things in my hands.

"And the hood? What it is for?" I was curious about its usefulness here, taking it nonetheless.

"It's to use when you will enter her hideout, we can't risk having our faces recognized," She explained to me as I was looking hesitant to actually go inside her hideout. "Listen, Bell, I know that you can do this, you're the best," She affirmed, myself wanting to say that I couldn't be the best but it was nice from her anyway.

"Okay, I will do it," I grinned at her, getting the hood and the tracker inside my jacket before taking a look at the window Wraith was focusing her strange device, that was in fact a listening device to hear discussions from afar...very stupid from me..."I'll do my best," I admitted before taking a deep breath and joining the front door to get on the street...

"Bell," Wraith's voice stopped me in my moves, just having my hands on the front door handle, looking worried on her face but still with a little smile...

"Don't worry, I'll be your eyes, I've got hope on you,"

[katherinewilliams221b]

For A Greater Good 13/18

not my gif. just the text- Threats

Summary: Kate Williams, young healer and member of the Order, joins Durmstrang’s staff at Dumbledore’s request. Her mission? Find a   Death Eater and survive long enough to tell the story. Set in 1996.

Pairing: Charlie Weasley x ofc/mc

Masterlist

[Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4] [Part 5]

[Part 6] [Part 7] [Part 8] [Part 9] [Part 10]

[Part 11] [Part 12]

Warnings: mentions of drug abuse

--

The first storm of May left the school in a darkness Kate never saw before. The temperature had abruptly dropped; the exams were getting closer and the Quidditch game that week had been cancelled as a result of an avalanche that had reached the castle grounds.

Ranunculus glacialis; Draba lactea; Dryas octopetala; Cicerbita alpina... she was reading the different plants stuck together with Spello-tape and correctly classified that she had hung on the walls of the classroom. The herbarium project had been successful even among the most reluctant students; so much they begged to go to the lake and expand their works of art with aquatic plants.

With a proud smile, Kate looked out the window of the herbology class, following the comings and goings of the students who passed by and lamented their lost quidditch match.

In the distance, Mer Yankelevich was coming from the lake, wearing a large hood to protect herself from the rain.

Her gaze turned to the column. Astrid Rhode and Libor Marek were talking beside it. The teacher must have felt eyes resting on him, for he scanned his surroundings. Realising that it was Kate who was watching him, he turned his attention back to Rhode, who glanced at her as well. “In my experience,” the curse-breaker from Iceland than Rhode had hired had said, “someone has tried to break a curse that does not exist.”

In another time and in another school, all eyes would have been on Kate. Now, free of that burden, she turned to see if her students had finished copying on their scrolls the Herbivicus charm used to make plants grow at high speed.

“I know that the attempt to make the umbrella flowers germinate has not turned out as we expected. They are very obstinate flowers, but we must be even more stubborn. This Friday, we will change the fertiliser we have been using for a more refined one”.

Thunder rumbled on the castle walls and some children began to get restless.

“Perhaps they don’t like this weather,” she joked before climbing onto the platform where her desk was placed. “When we get the optimal conditions for their germination, we’ll practice the spell until they come into bloom. However, and this is very important, we must not let the flowers open yet. We want to prevent them from pollinating naturally before we select them.”

Micael Angelov raised his hand. “What about the fanged geraniums?”

“I’ve been doing several tests and they germinate properly. They are easy to control and that is why we will be working on them after getting at least ten healthy umbrella flowers...”

The classroom door blasted open, revealing a hooded figure. All the sheets and scrolls in the class were scattered with the gust of wind that came in with the stranger. Thinking that it was Mer Yankelevich, she went to the door to ask for explanations, but Corentin’s face stopped her. Surprised, Kate aired her wand to close the door and stop the cold coming in.

The librarian lowered his hood and immediately apologised to the students, who began to whisper.

“I must talk to you,” he murmured.

“Can it wait until the end of the class?”

Corentin nodded and headed for the end of the classroom where he stood on a corner without looking away from the window.  He kept looking outside until the bells indicated the end of the lesson.

“Let me know if you want to go to the greenhouse before Friday and I’ll open the door for you. Jon, you must give me the list of your inventory, ah! Wait! I have your works on the mandrakes corrected, on Wednesday we will comment on it... Be careful outside!”

When the class was free of students, Kate approached Corentin, who was looking at her with a sly smile.

“You are getting more comfortable here.”

“What’s going on?”

“Last night someone went through my desk. Don’t worry, they were unsuccessful. I have the plans well in hand, but that shows that someone has the same goal as us.”

“And also that they have been spying on us.” She waited a moment and added, “This is not a good sign, Corentin.”

“I advise we continue with our... project.” With one hand, he gestured to the windows, and the curtains closed, leaving them in almost total darkness, except for the candlesticks on the ceiling.

He shook his sleeve, and from a black smoke the different scrolls that made up Nerida Vulchanova’s maps appeared.

Kate had some candles levitated, providing light and some warmth around them. From her desk, she took out seven books on magic walls, curses, portals and doors, and as every day since the discovery of Nerida’s painting, they began their study session.

After a couple of hours, Kate dropped her head on the desk with a thud.

“I have superposed all the rooms, corners and nooks of these plans, and they are all dead ends.”

“And there is nothing in these books that works... There are spells, incantations, words and words that say wonderful things and nothing at the same time. It’s like reading a blank page...”

“Did you wake up poetic today?”

“What do you think is inside?” Her voice sounded a little nasal, as she had her entire face smashed against a book, “One of the Deathly Hallows?”

“I doubt it, it’s not known if Grindelwald got any in his time at school and I don’t think, in case he had the elder wand, he came here to hide it.”

She raised her head and scanned the desk “Let me see the room behind the portrait again.”

Corentin gave her the plans,  forming the rectangle that represented the secret room.

“If you look closely, there is no passageway connecting the trophy room to this place, and I have been trying to match it to one of these, but nothing convinces me.”

“We lack information.”

“That’s obvious. But there are no other documents than the ones we have here. There is a possibility that Vulchanova destroyed them.”

“No...” she trailed off. She checked several sheets and held one that was blank. Only a triangle adorned one corner. “My grandmother was a Muggle...”

Corentin raised an eyebrow. “I don’t want you to take this as a lack of interest, but what does it have to do with this?”

“When I was a child, I was not allowed to see my grandparents. One of the conditions for allowing my parents to marry was to cut off contact with that branch of the family, and in return, the Williams offered my grandmother protection from anti-Muggle politics.”

“I’m sure this is going somewhere...”

“Of course my mother didn’t cut off contact. I was very young, but I remember the distinctive smell of...” she sniffed the parchment and a hint of a smirk appeared on her face, “lemonade.”

“I really try to follow you.”

“My mother wrote letters that, in the eyes of wizards, were empty. Muggles have a technique for making invisible ink.”

She extended her arm to one candle and held the paper so close to the flame that Corentin leaned over in his seat for fear that she would burn it.

As Kate moved the parchment, several lines appeared in a copper colour, which Kate recognised perfectly.

“Fascinating.”

Kate chuckled and left the parchment on the table. “I don’t think Vulchanova intended you to live in a controlling regime in order to decipher her map. Just that you knew a little about alchemy.” She pointed to the triangle in the lower corner. Corentin’s eyes shone with excitement.

He grabbed the missing piece of the map and spent long minutes trying to fit the lines over the fragment they already had. Meanwhile, Kate was trying out different pieces of parchment and new lines appeared on the existing maps as she drew them closer to the fire.

“Look,” said Corentin, “it can be accessed in several ways.” From where Nerida’s painting was, two paths branched out showing two tunnels leading to the room.

Kate gasped. By turning one of the sheets of paper, she made the newly discovered lines coincide with others drawn in ink.

Corentin imitated the procedure of heating the scrolls and, as if in a perfectly synchronised dance, they fitted each parchment with the previous one, forming a map of the ground floor that occupied the whole desk.

When Kate placed the last paper, a golden light emanated from one corner. The light moved through the junction between the papers, forking and coming together until it disappeared. Corentin raised a corner, noting with fascination and surprise that they now had a single plan of the castle.

“Wait! It’s disappearing!”

Corentin brought the map closer to the candles and the rooms and passages reappeared, making both of them sigh in relief. “With the Muggle trick that doesn’t happen.”

“Maybe she thought she had to give it a magic twist.”

 After tidying up the room, Corentin left Kate thinking about their more-than-suspicious meetings.. They had to be more careful from that moment on; if someone was watching them, they could get into trouble.

The storm had subsided, and instead of the sky it was Kate’s stomach that was roaring.

Corentin had taken her students’ books back to the library, so she exhaled happily that she could go directly to the dining hall. As she opened the curtains, she came face to face with Libor Marek, sitting on the outside stone wall.

“Good afternoon,” she greeted as she closed the door behind her.

“I thought you’d never get out.”

“Have you... been waiting for me?”

“No. There are rumours that Karkarov has returned to the grounds... I’m here on Rhode’s orders. When the students are eating, the guards reinforce the doors and this area is left empty...”

“I don’t see you too worried.”

Marek huffed and began a thorough inspection of his wand. “I will not hunt down the man who gave me a job.”

“Igor Karkarov...?”

“Yes.” He did not look up. Kate waited for him to say something else, but concluded that she would have to force him.

“Who else did he hire?”

“And how would I know that? I was the last to arrive. Well, Hodges came later, but that was Rhode’s doing.” He shook his head and put his wand up his sleeve before looking around. “I’m going to eat.”

“Didn’t she tell you to stand guard?”

Marek walked up to her and in a raspy voice said, “I would stop whatever it is that you’re doing .”

The difference in height gave Kate some security, but she chose not to adjust her stance to one of defiance; the last thing she wanted was to duel that man again. “Watch your back.”

Marek squinted and left her standing in the cold, wondering if he was referring to himself or someone else.

The rest of the week proved uneventful. After the discovery of Nerida’s complete map, Kate avoided the library as part of an unspoken agreement with Corentin. The librarian, for his part, did not contact her until Thursday afternoon when they enjoyed each other’s company with some tea and biscuits.

Only one sentence was exchanged about their research and that was Corentin commenting nothing out of the ordinary had happened and that only Sheyi Mawut approached the library to borrow a book on batting techniques.

Friday’s class in the greenhouse was fruitful; Kate’s students managed to germinate seven umbrella flowers with the new fertiliser, eight according to the children, who took the flower grew in such a way that it shot up into the air, opening a gap in the greenhouse roof, as a success.

Kate proposed a prize for whoever found the flower when it fell.

The path to her room after the class was full of obstacles; the students, motivated by the proximity of the competition, practiced their spells and incantations in the corridor or moved in groups to see the lists of participants.

Amidst robes and hats, Kate spotted Leron Angelov’s head in the distance. She had no intention of worrying about him until she saw him stagger down the hall. He rested both hands on a door and dropped his head forward.

There were students everywhere, but Kate could perfectly see Cassandra Steiner make her way through to Leron. She opened the door and pushed him into the room.

With firm steps she advanced to the classroom at the end of the corridor and without waiting a second more, she muttered Alohomora, and burst inside.

Like a niffler caught in the middle of a robbery, Cassandra looked up with big eyes. Her expression hardened instantly. She waved her wand to where Kate was and she heard the click of the door closing.

Without her eyes off Leron Angelov, she moved closer to get a better look.

He seemed to be standing in a strange position. His eyelids were not fully closed, his arms hung like two dead weights on either side of his torso and his legs... his legs did not touch the ground.

He floated in the air, without a broom, without a spell. His posture was grotesque, and Kate looked at him in horror because even though she saw no rope, he seemed to be hanging.

“Is... is he dead?” she asked with a trembling voice. She sought the healer’s gaze, but she was busy airing out the desks in the centre to create a larger table. “Steiner, is he dead?”

“No. Shut up. Help me with him.”

Both healers grabbed Angelov’s body and turned it in the air until it was in a horizontal position.

“Hold him against the table.” Kate obeyed and put her hands on Leron’s chest. She had to use a lot of strength as the body insisted on levitating.

Meanwhile, Cassandra moved around the makeshift table, uttering a spell repeatedly. Angelov’s hands and ankles were quickly anchored to the wood.

“You can let go.” She informed, before heading for the windows and starting to close the curtains.

Kate watched his eyes move behind the eyelids, and small wrinkles appeared on his forehead from time to time. As a good healer, she followed the inspection, looking for symptoms that could explain the teacher’s unusual situation.

The buttons on his left sleeve were open, revealing a red and bruised arm.  By removing the sleeve completely, she discovered what Leron Angelov had been hiding.

Puncture marks covered the inside of his elbow, made so fiercely that a wound had begun to form.

Kate let go of a slow breath and reached into the pockets of his tunic.

“You won’t find anything,” announced Cassandra, “I’ve already taken care of it.”

“What is it that makes him be like this?”

“Something called Billywig.” Kate exhaled at the news. She should have deduced that before. She watched as Cassandra opened a small chest, containing several rows of vials, and grabbed one. “Although you already knew…”

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t try to fool me. Didn’t Rhode ask you to spy on him? To catch him in the act?”

“I’m pretty sure that Rhode doesn’t know about this.” Steiner stared at her.

“Does he sting himself in the greenhouse?”

“Not since you started using it. Thanks for that, by the way, since you started playing teacher, it has been impossible for us to keep track of him.”

Kate frowned. “Us? Who is ‘us’?”

“You’d better get out of here, things are going to get ugly.” As if on cue, Angelov’s body moved. He opened his eyes, injected with blood, and tried to get rid of his bonds with a force that did not seem like his body.

Cassandra forced the contents of a vial into his mouth until it was empty. In a few moments, Leron fell asleep.

“Calming draught?”

“Do me a favour and stop meddling in matters that don’t concern you.” Kate ignored Cassandra’s attempts to keep her in the dark.

“Steiner, who else knows about this?” she asked with a solemnity unbecoming of the situation. “I need you to trust me.”

She wasn’t entirely convinced, but gave her an answer, anyway.

 “Jorgensen. No one else can know about this, understood? If you tell anyone, I will make sure you never set foot in this school again.”

“I wasn’t planning to do that anyway...” she replied, referring to the part about revealing his secret, but also valid for the latter statement. “May I ask... why do you keep the vials... locked up?”

“Because these potions are not part of the school’s inventory. When Igor Karkarov was here, there was no problem; Rhode implemented a budget for ingredients that Jorgensen has to meet.”

“Don’t you grow your own ingredients?”

“I thought you’d noticed that you’re the first person to use the greenhouse in a decade. Kent sometimes picks some herbs from the forest, but it’s not usual.”

“But why do you have them at the hospital wing?”

“Kent and I buy what we need for the potions, he brews them, and we used to keep them in my room until Rhode started bringing in people from the British ministry, guards, inspectors... so we moved them to a place where they wouldn’t ask questions.”

Kate looked at Leron, who was becoming agitated again. “Kent hasn’t found a formula that won’t make us waste so many potions. For now, this is what we can do.”

“Beats his son, you know?” Kate accused.

“When he’s under the influence of the Billywig liquid, he’s not aware of his actions. Giving him so much calming draught doesn’t help his memory either. Micael went into his room. I hadn’t had time to tie him up and his hand slipped out. He went after him for a while, to make sure he said nothing. Most of the time he doesn’t even go near him.”

“That doesn’t speak in his favour either.”

“I didn’t say he was going to win an award for being father of the year.”

“Why are you doing this? Isn’t it better that he’s in a hospital and not teaching?”

“Look where we are, Williams. Many of us have known each other forever. We take care of each other here.”

“And Micael? Do you take care of him too?”

“Of course we do.”

“What about the sticky box that was with the bottles?” Cassandra rolled her eyes, irritated by the interrogation.

“I pick up the billywigs that Leron leaves all over the place and give them to Jorgensen. What’s left of them is useful in some potions.”

Leron awoke with a start, and the mediwizard came to his aid immediately. When he saw Kate, he gripped Cassandra’s wrist.

“Don’t worry. She knows.” Cassandra got rid of the magical bonds and he stood up slowly. He groped the ground and after a while managed to stand up without floating. He eyed Kate as she aired her wand at the tables, making them return to their original place. She felt his mind on her, and she purposely avoided his stare.

“My wife passed away some years ago.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” She still didn’t look at him.

“I have the feeling that you’re not” at that she raised her head.

“Why is that?”

“Because of the way you looked at me at the staff meeting. With utter...disgust. You have a very expressive face, even when you think you are concealing it.”

“Your perception of me is based on your own experiences.”

“No. No, I know when a person doesn’t like me. And I could say the same thing to you.” A heavy silence fell over them. Kate watched as Cassandra organised her things.

“My son has good grades in Herbology. I didn’t think that could happen.”

“I am not giving him special treatment just because he’s a professor’s son.”

“I meant nothing of the sort. Just implying that you are.... You know how to connect with children. You... talk with them. Right?”

“Yeah, that’s...how you often interact.”

“I’m not sure if you have a wicked sense of humour or you just really despise me.”

“Everyone, at one time or another, loses a loved one. Sometimes prematurely. That doesn’t give us the right to compromise the safety of those who are still alive.”

“Who are you?”

“Excuse me?”

“You appeared out of nowhere. In the middle of the school year, and in a few months you became a teacher and the talk of the town. I hear your name everywhere, from everyone’s lips. And every time I turn around, you are there. One might think... you are up to something.”

“What exactly are you accusing me of?”

“Just an observation. But let me give you a piece of advice...”

“No. I won’t tell anyone about your condition if that’s what you’re worried about. But If you hit Micael again I swear....”

“You shouldn’t be threatening me.”

Kate found herself positively conflicted. She meant it when she said she didn’t want to betray their trust, and as a healer she wanted to help him in any way she could. However, the need to protect the boy was competing with her compassion for his father.

Abstracted by her own thoughts, Cassandra’s voice went unnoticed and only caught the last few sentences.

“We’ll get out first. Rhode will be coming to give the Dark Arts lesson now. Don’t tell her about this.” With one last look, they disappeared out the door, leaving Kate alone with her conscience.

She took a few steps towards the wall and exhaled as she let herself fall back slightly. She rested her head on the stone and closed her eyes, seeking the only thing that could comfort her at that moment.

Charlie.

Perhaps if she concentrated enough, she could connect with his mind as she had done the night they spoke through the flu net. She visualised his freckles when the sun hit them, the movement of his fingers when he drew. She tried to remember his laughter...

Kate?

She opened her eyes suddenly. Astrid Rhode looked at her with concern.

“Williams, are you all right?”

No, she hadn’t said her name before. A little upset at her cowardice preventing her from talking to Charlie in a way she would never have imagined. She peeled off the wall and nodded fervently.

“Yes! Yes... “

“Is there anything you should tell me?”

“Nothing at the moment, no. Although... I wanted to ask you: why did you send Professor Marek to stand guard at the back of the castle?”

Rhode raised her eyebrows. “I have done no such thing. Why would I?”

--

[Part 14]

Tag List: @eldritchscreech @meteora-fc @cazreadsstuff @the-navistar-carol

@am-i-space​

[fool-inthe-rain]

Angela

Bill Weasley x Reader, Charlie Weasley x Reader (unrequited)

Warnings: unrequited love, angst, fluffy ending

Lyrics from the song Angela by Flower Face

wc: 1101

masterlist

Daylight, I dream of you softly

I wrote you a letter that will never reach you

She had always looked forward to Christmas. Molly Weasley had opened the door for her, pink cheeked and flustered, for fifteen years. No matter how crazy things were at the Burrow during the holidays she had always been welcomed in and greeted with open arms by the entire family. Where her parents used to stand, it was now just her at the door. 

By the time she was 13 Molly was no longer opening the door at her arrival, no, now it was Charlie who opened the door with the same pink cheeks his mother had. A large grin would spread across his face once he laid eyes on her. Being in the same year the two had become best friends over time. 

It wasn’t until her sixteenth year at the Burrow when she realized she had feelings for the boy. The one who helped her in Care of Magical Creatures, the one who beat her in wizard chess and gobstones every single day, the one who could make her dream about settling down in a place like the Burrow. 

You’re gone in a moment, you leave me alone

But I swear you were real in my hands

When she arrived at the Burrow her seventeenth year Molly opened the door, the same smile on her face, but a glint of guilt in her eyes. The lounge was bustling with noise, and there in Charlie's arms was another girl, not anyone she recognized, but someone she wished to be. Bill was the first to greet her, jumping up at the sight of her.

“Y/N! How lovely to see you, I miss seeing you in school everyday.” He pulled her into a hug, not noticing the dejected look on her face. Next was Ron who only reached her torso, and then little Ginny who wasn’t so little anymore, she must’ve been eight by now, Y/N thought. 

“I miss you too Bill, how’re things in Egypt?” This seemed to set something off in him as he began telling her story after story, Charlie still hadn’t noticed her. As Y/N half-heartedly listened to Bill finish his third story she got up with the intentions of seeking out the twins, but Charlie finally looked up. He finally noticed she was here.

“Oh! Y/N you’re here!” A confused look fell upon his face as he couldn’t recall her walking into the lounge.

“Nice of you to notice.” She chortled under her breath. He didn’t hear her.

“Y/N, this is Angela, my girlfriend.” His smile told her all she needed to know. He was in love with her. “Angela, this is my friend Y/N.” Friend. He seemed to leave off the ‘best’ part. 

“Lovely to meet you Angela, I was just about to see if I could find the twins actually so I'll be back.” She turned quickly, so as not to spill tears in front of Charlie.

“I'll come with you.” Bill told her, grabbing her arm and pulling her out of the room.

I danced in the parking lot, cried in the taxi home

Cause I still remembered your name

Bill brought her outside, cold as it was, she was indifferent to the light snow falling on her face and hands every few seconds.

“What's wrong? You look near tears.” Bill turned her around so she was now facing him.

“I guess it’s my fault right? It was my fault I didn’t tell him how I felt sooner. God, I don’t know why I'm crying!” Y/N wiped furiously at her eyes in attempts to bar the tears from spilling out. 

“You’re talking about Charlie I presume?” The question earned him a small glare. “Sorry, sorry. Of course it’s Charlie, I’m sorry truly. When I came to the house yesterday I was surprised too, honestly I thought you two were dating.” The comment only made her cry harder. Bill wrapped his arms around her, rubbing his hands along her back to try and stop her crying and shivering. 

“He’s a git, Y/N, for not seeing what was right in front of him.” He whispered. Holding her for a minute more before he got too cold. 

“Let’s go back inside yeah? We can get you all set up in my room for tonight.” The two silently made their way back into the house and up the stairs to Bill’s room. Her bag was already in there, presumably Arthur’s work. She sat on the edge of the bed, a sad pout resting on her face as Bill turned to the dresser pulling out the sweater Molly made for him last year.

“Change.” He said simply, leaving the room so she could have some privacy.

Pulling on the big grey sweater and seeing the huge ‘B’ on it had been a breath of fresh air as it was usually Charlie’s sweaters she was stealing. 

“Bill? You can come back in.” She called through the door.

He sat down next to her on the bed, listening as she began to speak.

“I remember the year your sweaters changed from having a ‘W’ on them to a ‘B’. You complained about the ‘W’ so much I thought Molly just wasn’t gonna knit you a sweater at all.” She laughed softly, looking up at him. Placing a hand on his thigh she hoisted herself up so she was now standing in front of him.

“Think we should go back down?” Her cheeks were pink still from the cold.

“Whatever you like darling.” He spoke softly in the small room, their breath mixing from the close proximity. She wordlessly made her way out of the room and down the stairs, Bill following closely behind her. The couch that sat Charlie and Angela just moments before, was now empty for Y/N and Bill to use. As soon as they sat down Y/N curled herself into Bill’s side, his hand laid on top of her head, fingers running through her hair. 

“Thank you Bill.” Y/N whispered before being pulled into sleep. She was not over Charlie, not by a long shot, but she wanted him happy and if that meant moving on then that’s what she would do. And Bill would be the one there at the end of the tunnel, when the brightness resurfaced. 

Someday I’ll find my way out of here

If you don’t change your mind, my dear

I’ll take you with me

[wonkasmissstarshine]

The Chocolatier’s Rose {Willy Wonka x OC} Ch.20

GIFs not mine. Credit go to owners.

Summary: It’s Rose’s birthday, and Willy keeps his promise by making it the most special birthday she’s ever had.

A/N: Super fluffy chapter ahead!!! Picture of Rose’s outfit is included within the chapter.

Tagging: @holdmeicant @willymywonkers @sleepiesapphicxoxo

Rose woke up bright and early next day. She sat up on her bed and stretched out her arms. It was her twenty-sixth birthday today, and she was very excited to see what was planned for her today. She looked over at Charlie only to find him still fast asleep. She smiling, got up off her bed and went over to kiss him on the forehead. Charlie grinned in his sleep. Rose turned around, facing her own bed. That's when she noticed the pile of clothes sitting on the end of her bed. There was a bow and note sitting on top of them. Rose picked up the note, and she started reading it.

Good morning starshine,

I hope that you are reading this letter, because if you are, then you have found my first birthday present to you. The Oompa-Loompas made these for you. I can't wait to see what you look like in these. I know you'll look absolutely beautiful, like you always are.

Rose grinned and look down at the clothes. She grabbed each article and looked them over. First, she looked over the boots. They were black high-heeled boots that came up just above her ankles. Then she looked over the jacket. It was burgundy and velvet, with flared sleeves, and a black lace hem. Finally, she looked at the dress. It was black with a flared skirt, that would come just above her knees. The collar and the sleeves of her dress were laced.

The final detail about the dress was perhaps her favorite. There was golden W pinned to the collar of her dress.

Rose put on her new clothes and made her way downstairs. Her grandparents were still sleeping, but Mr and Mrs Bucket were wide awake. Mrs Bucket was preparing breakfast, while Mr Bucket sat at the table, drinking a cup of coffee and reading the newspaper. "Morning" Rose greeted her parents quietly.

"Morning, darling" Mrs Bucket said. She hugged her daughter and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Happy birthday"

Rose walked over to Mr Bucket. She leaned down so she could give him a kiss on the cheek. "Happy birthday, Rose" He wished his daughter.

"Thanks" Rose smiled.

"Oh, darling. You look very beautiful" Mrs Bucket said.

"Willy had these made for me" Rose explained. She looked down, glancing at her outfit. It reminded her of what Willy wore on the day of the tour. The day they met. "I'm dressed just like him"

"But it does suit you" Mr Bucket said.

"Speaking of Willy," Mrs Bucket spoke up. "I think you'd better head outside. He's been waiting for you"

"Now, go have fun" Mr Bucket encouraged Rose. "We'll see you for dinner tonight, and we'll make sure your friends are well taken care of when they arrive"

Rose grinned at both of her parents. She kissed and hugged them both goodbye once more before she stepped outside the house. Today, the meadow was snow free and it's usual bright green self. She scanned the room, hoping to find Willy. And she did. He was standing on the bridge closest to the waterfall, facing the chocolate wonder. He also happened to be wearing that outfit he was wearing when they first met. They were matching today.

She made her way over to him. When she did, she was about to say something to make her presence known to him, but she didn't know that he already sensed her presence. "Happy birthday, starshine" Willy said, turning to face Rose. He looked her up and down. An adoring smile grew on his face. "I knew you'd look absolutely beautiful in that"

"Thank you" Rose said, the slightest blush coming to her face.

"You look so pretty when you blush like that" Willy gushed. "Now, we have a long, busy, and most importantly, special day ahead of us! We have a lot to get to today"  He took her hand and lead her along the river. They kept on walking until they reached the boat. Oompa-Loompas were sat inside it, holding the oars in their hands.

"Oh, you've decorated it!" Rose pointed out when she saw the boat. There were bright lights and colorful streamers hung on the outside of the boat. Something else also caught her eye, but it was something inside the boat. She could see flecks of red, white, pink, orange, burgundy, and purple. "Rose petals..." She breathed. She couldn't help but take notice of the colours chosen. They were very specific.

"Roses for my pretty Rose" Willy whispered in her ear as he nuzzled his nose against the soft skin of her neck. "I know they're your favourite. And do you know why I picked the colours I did?"

"Yes" Rose answered breathlessly. "They all represent feelings of love"

Willy stepped into the boat first. Then, he offered Rose his hand. "My lady"

Rose took his hand and he helped her into the boat. They then sat down. The Oompa-Loompas started rowing the boat forwards. They kept it at a slow and steady pace. Rose reached down and grabbed one of the burgundy rose petals. Willy watched her intently.

"Burgundy roses are my favourite of them all" Rose began to explain. She rubbed the velvety smooth petal between her fingers. "They signify very deep passionate feelings"

Willy smiled at her before reaching behind him and grabbing a basket. He showed the contents of the basket to Rose. She peered inside it. "More rose petals?" She asked.

"Except you can eat these ones" Willy explained. He reached into the basket, and grabbed a burgundy petal since it was Rose's favourite. "Try this one"

Rose took the petal from Willy and took a bite out of it. She couldn't help but let out a moan of delight when she tasted it. It tasted like a mix of dark chocolate and cherries. "Oh, Willy, this is wonderful!"

"That's because you inspired them"

"You made a new type of candy because of me?" Rose asked softly.

"Of course I did!" Willy said, then giggled. He reached into the basket and pulled out another candy petal. This time it was a white one. He offered it to Rose and she gladly accepted it.

She took a bite of the petal. "Oh, I like this one too! It's white chocolate and its got a creamy filling"

Willy was still smiling at her. He was glad she liked it, but that was only part of what he made for her. He looked forward to notice that they were nearing a tunnel. It was a different one, with a more steady stream and not as much drops.

"It's really dark in here" Rose commented as soon as they entered the tunnel.

"It has to be if you want to see the next special something I did for you" Willy replied to her.

Rose smiled to herself, trusting what Willy had to say. They went even further into the tunnel. The darkness was soon replaced with the illuminating glow from thousands of small twinkling lights that lined the ceiling and the walls of the tunnel. They closely resembled stars lit up in the sky.

"A boat ride under the stars" Rose mused. She giggled that giggle that Willy found so angelic. "I've always wanted to go on one!"

Willy stared at her again. It was still fairly dark, but it was illuminated just enough from the fake stars so that he could see the features of her face. He just couldn't look away from her. She was the most breathtaking sight he had ever seen.

That's when he knew for sure that he wouldn't be able to spend the rest of his life without her.

"This is amazing, Willy" Rose said dreamily. She was still gazing up at the twinkly ceiling. "You're amazing" She shifted her gaze to the man next to her. "Truly amazing"

She nearly felt her heart beat out of her chest when she noticed the way that Willy was looking at her. Nobody had ever looked at her with such love in their eyes. He reached up to cup her face.

"Starshine," He started, speaking ever so softly to her. Rose closed her eyes, leaning into Willy's touch as he continued speaking. "You're the most beautiful thing that I've ever seen. You're more beautiful than the chocolate I make. And with everyday that I spend with you, I find myself realizing something more and more. Rose, I'm in... I'm in..." It was difficult for Willy to get the word out. He had never experienced any kind of feelings of love before, let alone romantic love. But he wanted to say it for Rose. Not just show her. He eventually mustered up the courage to say the magic words. "I'm in love with you"

Rose went wide eyed, but in a good way. No one had ever loved her in this way before, and she had never felt this way about anybody. And then she met Willy. She couldn't help the smile dancing on her lips. "I'm in love with you, too" Rose said it back to him.

Willy smiled, happy that she said it back. Then he found his gaze settling on her lips. He ran his thumb along her plump, cherry red bottom lip. "You have such pretty lips..." He mused in a dreamy tone. "Can I kiss you?"

Rose grew excited yet nervous at the question. Never had she been kissed before. But, the nerves she had settled when she realized that Willy had probably never been kissed either. They would be each other's first kiss and she wouldn't have had it any other way. She flashed another smile at him. "Yes, you can kiss me"

The two of them leaned in slowly at first, unsure of what to do. But, then it happened. Their lips had finally met. It was like a fiery explosion of fireworks were going off for the both of them. What had started out as a soft, gentle kiss, was now turning into an intense burning flame of passion. Willy's hands were gently cradling the back of Rose's head, while Rose had brought up one hand to cup his cheek.

As much as neither of them wanted to, they eventually had to pull away at some point. They did, and only left about an inch of space between their faces. "That was amazing, starshine" Willy cooed softly to Rose. The taste of cherry from her lips still lingered on his own. He never wanted that taste to go away.

"That was my first kiss" Rose admitted.

"Really?" Willy smirked proudly. Rose only nodded in response. "That was mine, too. And I swear to you, starshine, you'll be the only one I'll ever want to kiss for the rest of my life" He pressed another kiss to her lips. Then, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to him. Rose let her head rest in the space between his neck and shoulder. Willy rested his chin on top of her head.

The two of them seemed to forget about the fact that the Oompa-Loompas were with them, rowing the boat and watching the couple with pleased smiles on their faces.

******

"Can you uncover my eyes now?" Rose asked with a giggle. Willy stood behind her, covering her eyes, as he carefully led her to the final room he wanted to show her today.

"We're almost there, starshine!" Willy told her. Rose didn't say anything else. She just smiled and let him guide her to wherever they were going to. Then she could feel them come to a stop. "Here we are!"

Willy uncovered her eyes, and then Rose glanced at the door they were standing in front of. She looked up and read the name above it. "Rose Garden?" She said the name out loud. She turned and looked at Willy. "Is this room for me?"

"It sure is, starshine" Willy told her happily. "I actually started working on this room they day after I met you. I was so sure of my feelings when I met you, but then I thought I'd never see you again. So, I made this room as a way to have you in the factory with me. But, now, here you are, and I can show my favourite room in the whole factory"

Rose's eyes glimmered with love and curiosity. "You made a room... after me?"

"I did, because I love you, my beautiful Rose" He tucked her hair behind her ear and then cupped her face in his hand. "I'm going to start making a lot more things inspired by you. You're my muse now, Rose. My sweet and beautiful muse" Willy kissed her again. He just loved the way her soft lips felt against his own, and he couldn't get enough of that sweet cherry taste.

"Can you show me the room now?" Rose asked softly when their kiss ended.

Willy smiled lovingly at her. He opened up the door, grabbed Rose's hand and led her inside. Rose thought the meadow was beautiful, but this garden, it was absolutely breathtaking. It held this eternal beauty that she couldn't quite describe.

First of all, the room was a lot bigger than she was expecting. It wasn't as big as the meadow but it was big enough to fit a house. The same bright green grass from the meadow covered the room from one end to the other. There was also a small chocolate pond with it's own little waterfall and some lily pads floating on top of it. She very much loved the trees in the room. The bark of the trees were no doubt made out of chocolate, and the tops of the trees were fluffs of pink. Cotton candy.

Of course, it wouldn't be a garden without an actual garden. Well, Willy's version of a garden, anyways. The soil for the garden was a mix of chocolate pudding with chocolate graham crumbs sprinkled on top. Multi-colored gummy worms were spaced out through the garden. And what did this garden grow? Why roses of course! Candied and chocolate roses with mint chocolate stems.

Another special thing Rose noticed about the room was the ceiling. The scene of a sunset was being projected onto it. Willy saw that she was looking up at it and decided to explain it. "Whatever you see when you look up at the ceiling, will always be reflected on the time of day and the weather outside. See, right now the sun is setting, meaning it's getting closer to the evening. And when that happens, the image on the ceiling will be replaced with the moon and starry sky!"

"Wow" Rose said in awe and wonder. She just couldn't get over how amazing and beautiful this room was. "Willy, this room is... this room is just so beautiful, you can't even find a way to explain how beautiful it is! It just is!"

"Because that's the way I see you, Rose" Willy confessed to her. He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He rest his chin on her shoulder and rocked her gently from side to side. "I did say that this room was inspired by you, after all" He giggled.

Rose giggled with him, before she decided to speak up about the biggest thing in the room. "Why is there a house in here?"

"Oh, that!" Willy chirped before giggling again. "I want us to live in it. You know, together. Just the two of us"

"Willy..." Rose gasped breathlessly.

"I know we already live in the same factory, but I want us to live in the same house too"

Rose smiled again, turning herself around so that she was facing Willy. She put her hand to his cheek and stroked his soft, pale skin with her thumb. "I would love to live in the house with you, Willy"

"Oh, my beautiful, wonderful, and spectacular starshine!" Willy cheered happily. He picked her up and spun her around. Rose laughed joyously as he did so. "I can't wait until tonight! I think I'll sleep much better now knowing that you'll be right beside me!" He put her down and kissed her again. Then they embraced each other.

Their embrace ended when an Oompa-Loompa approached them. Willy crouched down so the Oompa-Loompa could talk in his ear. "Rose's friends are here? Wonderful!" He stood up straight and smiled at Rose. "Why don't you go greet them? I'll be waiting with your family in the meadow"

******

Mrs Mason, Priscilla, Eleanor, Danny, and Felix all waited just outside the factory for their friend to come greet them. Priscilla held a box with a bow on top of it in her hands. It contained Rose's birthday present which everyone contributed for.

"Do you think she'll like her present?" Felix wondered.

"Of course she will!" Mrs Mason assured him. She was carrying a rather large cake in her hands.

"Guys, guys! The door is opening!" Eleanor yelled excitedly, jumping up and down.

"Has anyone ever told you that you act like a six year old?" Danny teased her.

Eleanor narrowed her eyes at him. "At least I'm not a boring square like you!" She teased back.

The door to the factory opened and the four friends, and their figurative mother, were greeted by the sight of a smiling Rose. "My friends!" She squealed with excitement.

"Rose!" Priscilla greeted her first. She hugged Rose and looked her up and down. "Wow! Look at you. I love this whole look" She held out the box to Rose. "We all pitched in to get you a present"

"Oh, you guys didn't need to do that"

"But we wanted to" Danny said also giving Rose a hug. Eleanor and Felix then hugged her.

"I'd hug you, my dear, but I've got my hands full with your cake!" Mrs Mason said.

Rose went wide eyed when she saw how big the cake was. "Look at this thing! How are you carrying it by yourself?"

"I'm stronger than I look" Mrs Mason sent the girl a wink.

"Open your present!" Eleanor urged her. She was just jittering with excitement. "You're gonna love it!"

Rose opened up the box and she gasped at what she saw. "Oh my..." She pulled out a golden tiara that was decorated with colourful jewels. "Are these real jewels?"

"Yep, and the gold is eighteen karats" Felix explained.

Rose went wide eyed. "That's pure gold!"

"Well, a beautiful princess like yourself deserves an equally beautiful crown" Mrs Mason said.

"Put it on!" Priscilla urged her. Rose smiled, placing the tiara upon her head. "Oh! You look beautiful!"

"Thanks you guys" Rose said. "Now, come on in! Everyone is waiting for us!"

Everyone followed Rose inside into the entrance hall. "Wow, is it ever warm in here" Danny commented as everyone shed their coats.

"The Oompa-Loompas are used to an extremely hot climate" Rose explained as she began leading her friends down the hallway. "They can't stand the cold"

"Rose, how are we supposed to fit through that door?" Eleanor questioned once they reached the end of the hallway.

Rose didn't say anything. She just smiled and pushed open the bigger door. Everyone went wide eyed when the took in the sight in front of them.

"Wow" Mrs Mason gasped in amazement. "Is this ever beautiful"

"Look, look, look!" Priscilla said. She pointed in the direction of the waterfall. "It's the chocolate waterfall!"

"That waterfall is really important" Rose found herself explaining yet again. Honestly, she loved explaining everything in this factory. "It mixes the chocolate of the river. It churns it up and makes it light and frothy. Oh, and no other factory in the world mixes it's chocolate by waterfall" Her eyes then scanned the room until they landed on a large table near the edge of the river. "I see them! Come on!"

Everyone followed Rose through the meadow and to the dinner table. Since there was so much food, there was another table set up like a buffet. "Hello everyone!" She greeted her family. "Everyone remembers Mrs Mason, right?"

"Of course we do, darling" Mrs Bucket said. She walked over to Mrs Mason. "I can take that from you, if you'd like"

"Oh, thank you, dear!" Mrs Mason thanked Mrs Bucket as she handed off the cake to her.  Mrs Bucket managed to find an empty spot for the cake on the buffet table.

"And then these are my friends" Rose pointed them out as she introduced them. "Priscilla, Eleanor, Danny, and Felix"

"Hello!" The four of them waved at the Buckets.

She then introduced her family to her friends. "That there's my mum, my dad, Grandpa Joe, Grandma Josephine, Grandpa George, and Grandma Georgina. And of course, you guys have all met Charlie before"

"This is a very nice family you have here" Priscilla said, nudging her arm against Rose's. "And I do believe there is one other person you'd like us to meet, right?"

That's when Rose looked over at Willy and waved him over to officially meet her friends. He walked on over and stood beside Rose. "And this is Willy Wonka" She introduced, smiling up at him.

"Hello! It's very nice to meet Rose's friends!" Willy said. He shook all of their hands excitedly. "Any friends of my starshine are friends of mine as well!"

Eleanor thought Willy calling Rose starshine was the cutest thing in the world. She decided to gush about it to the others. "He calls her starshine! That is so cute!"

"I think it's cute that they dress like each other!" Priscilla commented.

"Alright, we can gush over this lovely couple later. I'm sure everyone is starving and would like to eat" Mrs Mason said.

Everyone went over to the dinner table and took their seats. Rose and Willy sat together at one end of the table, while Mr and Mrs Bucket sat on the end opposite of them. On the left side of the table sat Priscilla, Danny, Grandpa Joe, Grandma Josephine, and Mrs Mason at the corner next to Willy. Then, on the right was Eleanor, Felix, Grandpa George, Grandma Georgina, and Charlie at the corner next to his sister.

As soon as they were seated, Rose's friends were quick to start talking to her family and getting to know them. She was happy to see her family and friends getting along with each other like they'd known each other for years.

"I like your tiara, starshine" Willy mentioned to Rose. "It makes you look like a princess"

Rose smiled, reaching up to touch the tiara. "The jewels kind of remind me of candy, don't you think?"

"Oh yeah!" Willy giggled. "They do!"

Rose's friends all smiled and gave knowing looks to each other, now realizing where Rose was picking up her new behaviour.

The Oompa-Loompas had offered to serve the food for Rose's birthday. They had grown really fond of her and wanted to help out as much as they could for her birthday. They filled everyone's plates with food, and everyone thanked the Oompa-Loompas as they set the full plates down in front of them.

"So, these are Oompa-Loompas" Felix mused. "I must say, I rather like them"

"You should see them sing and dance" Rose mused fondly of her little friends. "They are quite talented"

"And Willy, this room is amazing!" Priscilla admired. "I can only imagine what the rest of the factory is like"

Willy smiled at Priscilla. "Thank you! Perhaps you can come visit again and we can give you a proper tour" Willy turned to look at Rose. "Maybe with you conducting it this time, starshine?" He suggested to her.

"I would absolutely love that!" Rose sang in joy.

Rose's birthday dinner seemed to last all night long. Everyone was talking and laughing with each other. Like they were a big happy family, because that's what they were.

Charlie tapped on Rose's arm at some point during dinner. "Yes, Charlie?" She said, smiling in his direction.

"I hope you had a wonderful day today, Rosie" He said.

"I did, Charlie, and I want to thank you for it. I know you worked hard with Willy to plan it all for me" Rose said. "And can I tell you a secret?" Charlie nodded and Rose leaned in close to whisper in his ear. "I had my first kiss today"

Charlie grinned even bigger at that. Rose sat up straight again, still looking at Charlie with that loving smile. She felt Willy grab onto her hand. She looked up at him. "Did I make this birthday special for you?" He asked her.

"Willy, it'll be a birthday that I'll never forget. Thank you" She answered.

"I love you, my beautiful starshine"

"And I love you, my handsome cocoa bean"

They kissed again, though it was just a quick peck this time. Everyone was watching them with happy smiles on their faces. Eleanor couldn't help but gush some more. "Aww! I just can't get over how cute they are!"

Rose really was never going to forget this day. It truly was the most special birthday in the history of birthday. And what made it even more special was that she spent it with her friends, family, and the love of her life.

[ghostsreadingghosts]

The Specialist

Synopsis:  Welcome to the Institute - a business slotted into the space between worlds. Here, strange things aren’t so abnormal, but should still be feared. Follow Ellis, a Data Specialist, as she fulfills her tasks in the archives and perhaps finds more than what she was meant to in the process.

Data Specialist. Data. Specialist. Such a vague title, though Ellis thought it was probably fitting. She felt like a vague member of her company, just an almost faceless little job puppet that flitted from work load to work load without ever leaving much of an impression on anyone. She wasn’t closely tied with any person here - wasn’t even close enough that most of them knew her name. But she knew them, or at least, observed them.

Amilia was head analyst for the Institute, meaning she was the one who assigned everyone’s work load in their department. She was a petite, intelligent woman who’d never worked anywhere other than the Institute for her entire life and, honestly, was probably born there. No one was really sure where she came from. She just sort of appeared one day working in the archive vault and no one questioned it. It was one of those things that was best not to question, Ellis had learned. 

Charlie, on the other end of the employment ladder, was a junior analyst, having been hired right off of his college internship, meaning he’d already been working there for a year so it was easier than putting up another job posting and training in someone else. It also meant he’d probably stick around for awhile because he had no “real world” experience yet outside of an internship and he was just poor enough that he couldn’t afford to quit without another job lined up. Which was unlikely in the near future, given the experience garnered at the Institute was a very specific kind.

Then there was Darius, who was one of the Analysts and field workers. They were always running on too much caffeine and too little sleep, but so was everyone else in the Institute aside from Upper Management. They’d been a runaway at one point in their life, but by now would simply describe it as having a ‘no contact relationship’ with their parents. Only Ben tried to ask about them once and Darius had stonewalled him at every turn. So much for a “close knit workspace,” as Ben liked to call it.

Ben was the secretary and the liaison between Upper Management and the Data & Records department where Ellis worked. He was the perfect creature of poised charm and warm smiles - all grins and business talk with nothing really much deeper. It made Ellis’ skin crawl. He looked like one of the Office Drones from the top floor. Those strange little eldritch beings peeled off of the Beyond and stuck into expressionless skins, milling about on the upper floors in jerky, uncoordinated movements as they fulfilled the tasks of their masters until they could be released back into the Beyond again were the primary menial workforce of the Institute, though Ellis couldn’t imagine why. Their faces never moved right, their skin and clothes never settling quite into a perfect facsimile of humanity. Instead it was always just off enough to cause discomfort and Ellis had long learned to steer clear of them when they made their rare appearances on the lower floors to deliver packages or run office errands. It did make Ellis wonder how other offices worked, though. 

She had never really had work outside of the Institute, as far as she could recall. Maybe a job when she was teenager babysitting or cutting grass, but she couldn’t remember. Her life was full of long days and boring evenings, so it’s not as though there was anything particularly worth remembering if her life had always looked the way it did now. But she heard stories from time to time from other people about work outside of the Institute and it always made her mind twist about in strange ways.

She’d gone on a date once with a man named Garrett who, when Ellis asked about his work, laughed and said he was just an office drone. He’d been very confused when Ellis’ color drained from her face and she excused herself to pay her tab and leave. Ingrid, Ellis’ roommate and a woman who worked in marketing, stated that he was just making a joke and that Office Drones were different outside of the Institute. Ellis wasn’t sure what to make of that, but wasn’t particularly keen to go out with someone who referred to themselves as a lifeless husk with nothing but a squirming, wriggling mass of inhuman tentacles and teeth inside.

But was it really any better than her job, when she thought about it? Data Specialist. Did that mean she specialized in data? Or that she dealt with specialist data? Perhaps both. She did have to sign a rather lengthy NDA when she was hired, or at least she thought she remembered signing an NDA. It was so long ago now.

She frowned as she climbed up onto a ladder in the archives, putting a rather temperamental file back onto the top shelf. As she completed the task, she shuffled through her notes and found the form she was looking for just as Ben rounded the corner.

“There you are, Ellis,” he said, never looking up from his clipboard. Ben was one of the only people there who actually remembered her name and Ellis was fairly certain that it was only because he worked with Upper Management and thus was required to know any and everyone who entered the building. “You’re so quiet now. I was wondering if you had the -” he lifted the pages on his clipboard and flicked through a few before Ellis cleared her throat.

“Here.”

“Ah, excellent.” Ben took the yellowed sheet she had stuck in his face, the heading printed in dark gothic lettering, and slid it into the papers on his clipboard. “And the -”

“On the table.” Ellis motioned to the work table where a thick manilla folder sat.

Ben followed the gesture of her hand and spotted the envelope. “Splendid,” he purred through a toothy smile. The air hissed through his teeth unpleasantly as he did so. “I’m not sure how we managed before you, Miss Ellis.”

Ellis wasn’t sure how to take that, but the statement almost sounded like a threat. She wasn’t entirely sure how it could be a threat, but it definitely felt like one.

Before she could respond to his question, the man was gone, the clip of his hard leather soles reverberating through the cramped archive halls. Ellis sighed through her nose and collected her papers into her soft leather briefcase before sliding haphazardly down the ladder to land with a neat plop on the floor. One of the files about halfway up the shelf - far out of reach from the ground level - spat a paper out at her and Ellis caught it with her fingertips as it drifted towards the floor.

“Thank you!” She waved up at the shelf and saw the edge of the file rustling back and forth in response.

“That’s a neat trick. I don’t think the archives behave that well for anyone else here.”

Ellis jumped when she heard the voice behind her and turned to see Francis resting against one of the shelves, his arms crossed against his chest and his dark eyes blinking at her in the dim archive light. Francis had always reminded her of a spider, somehow. Perhaps it was all of the eye tattoos on his arms or his long, spindly fingers that always seemed to be able to grasp things just beyond their reach. Whatever it was, he was as unnerving as he was beautiful and Ellis did not like that she was alone with him in the archive of all places. He technically was the head of Human Resources, so never really needed to come down to the archives except in very specific circumstances.

Ellis didn’t like Very Specific Circumstances. She swallowed and wiggled her fingers in a nervous ‘hello’ towards the man who was technically her superior but was still in a completely different department.

“Ah, I forgot about the silence thing. It has been a while since we’ve seen each other, hasn’t it?” he mused. He waved his hand in a dismissive gesture before Ellis could answer. “It doesn’t matter. I was hoping you’d be able to find something for me and bring it down to the mail center. I’d bring it myself, but, well - you are the Data Specialist for a reason and even I can’t crawl my way through these archives the way you can.” Francis bared his teeth in a strange mimic of a smile which Ellis couldn’t bring herself to return. She cleared her throat to ask what Francis needed, but the suit-clad HR manager simply began speaking again.

“It’s actually a few somethings - if you don’t mind. It’s for the Guillespe case. You know the one, I’m sure. The gentleman with the unfortunate bog hound?” Francis pulled a sheet of paper from his breast pocket, folded long ways down the center and handed it off to Ellis. “I was hoping it was an isolated incident, but Hellen thinks otherwise. She gave me a list of call numbers for you to look up. Just put them all in an envelope for me and bring them down to the mail room. They’ll make sure it gets to me in the morning.”

Ellis tugged on the tarnished chain hooked to her belt and pulled out her pocket watch to check the time. If he wanted this by morning, it meant a late night for her. And it was supposed to snow as it was. She frowned.

“Any questions?” Francis asked and Ellis looked up at him.

“I don’t think -”

“Good. Have a good night, Ellis. I’ll try to remember to swing by more often. It’s such a lovely little hovel you’ve carved out for yourself down here.” With that, the man scurried up the shelf and back into one of his tunnels in the ceiling, disappearing into the black void without another word. Ellis let out an exasperated sigh and unfolded the paper in her hands, scanning the call numbers and already forming the most efficient way to look for the articles and files that Francis wanted her to dig up. It would take her awhile, but she could manage it if she worked quickly and the archive decided to be helpful.

She made her way determinedly through the sprawling catacombs of the archive, taking long-familiar turns and winding her way on sure feet through the space, sometimes pausing and glancing up at the shelves to verify the call sections again. The struggle in compiling already collected data for the people at the Institute wasn’t so much that it was difficult to find, but rather that it was difficult to get to. Shelves were sometimes fathoms deep and some files were particularly cantankerous, whereas other organizational units and shelves were high enough that just getting up the ladder took several minutes, let alone climbing up on the shelf to then finish the journey. The information was easy enough to find, but collecting was a wholly different matter.

But Ellis knew the archives. She knew every shortcut, every switchback and wrong turn, every ladder and high shelf and soothing song to play for the files and the creatures that lived with them. She knew where to go and how to get it and where other people could become lost in the endless hallways and cramped corridors, Eliis could always find her way. It was a pity that so few remembered she was here to congratulate her on her hard work.

Oh well. She couldn’t have everything.

It was a long trek to collect all of the data for Francis and by the time she had it all, it was well past closing time for the Institute. The mail room would still be open since they sorted mail at all hours to make sure they kept deadlines, but most everyone else would have gone home or be in their Institute Approved cabinets by now. She’d be lucky if she wasn’t locked in.

The hallway to the mailroom was long and narrow and steep, almost more of a chute than a hallway and it was always a struggle to get back out again. Ellis had once slipped and wound up falling into a mail bin and was almost put in the paper shredder since non-addressed living organisms couldn’t be accepted. She’d gotten out of that by quickly writing “To: Archives” on the back of her hand, making her an addressed living organism and thus mailable. It had taken half an hour, but she eventually was deposited back at the archive door and only had to spend a few minutes getting the mailroom label off of her forehead. Ever since then she’d been more careful and always made sure to keep a new felt-tip pen on her when she went to the mailroom just in case. She tucked the files into an inter-office folder and wrote “Human Resources: Francis” on the front before dropping it into the open maw of the mailroom and scurrying her way back up the hallway to safety.

To her dismay, it wasn’t the locked doors that were keeping her in the Institute when she finally reached the entrance, but the foot and a half of snow piled up on the ground. Ellis groaned as she looked out at the fat snowflakes the clouds hurled down at the earth. She couldn’t see more than five feet out the door, which meant she’d almost certainly get lost before she made it to the bus stop. If the buses were even running in this weather, which they probably weren’t.

She eventually turned back into the Institute entryway to see if she might be able to snag a guest cabinet for the night. It was no use trying to find alternatives outside. She would sleep in the archives, but that wasn’t the best idea. She knew what was there when she was awake, but even Ellis, who knew the archives better than anyone, didn’t trust them while she was sleeping.

Twenty minutes and several flights of stairs leading to nowhere in particular later, Ellis found herself at a very odd door that she didn’t remember seeing before. It wasn’t as though the door was odd in any way. It was simply an office door - brown with blinds covering the window and a round handle with a lock in it. It looked much like any other door Ellis had seen in the Institute before, but Ellis was certain - certain! - that it had not been there before. Or, at least, she was sure that she’d never seen it there before. So then why did something just seem so familiar about this one?

Ellis had always been a curious person and on instinct, her hand began to reach out towards the handle.

“Don’t open in,” a part of her whispered in her ear and her hand paused. “You know something bad will happen if you do.”

“Open it,” another part replied. “Who knows what might be behind it? It could be different this time.”

This time? But Ellis hadn’t ever seen this door before. Or, at least she thought she hadn’t. Had she? No, wait, that wasn’t right. Something was… wrong.

Ellis dug the heels of her palms into her eyes and scrubbed until she saw stars. She felt a headache coming on. 

But she wanted to know what was behind the door. And besides, Upper Management went to bed when the Institute closed for the night. And Francis - dealing only in Human Resources - was probably out schmoozing their next Human Resource, so it’s not as though he was there to get angry with her. What harm could it really do? She placed her ear to the door and listened. If there was no sound coming from inside, then it was probably just a storage room and she wouldn’t bother going in, she decided. But she did hear something. A little mechanical whirring noise, followed by a pause, then more whirring.

Hesitantly, Ellis reached out and tried the handle of the door. It was unlocked. Ellis felt her heart thrumming loudly in her chest and she swallowed before swinging the door open and looking inside.

Ben looked up from a desk. Bright pink readers perched precariously on the end of his thin nose and his eyes narrowed as he saw who was standing in his doorway.

“Ah, Ellis. I’d hoped you’d gone home for the evening.”

In front of the man was what looked to be a rather ancient sewing machine all in black with an electric lamp attached to it that had clearly been added at a later date. Ben appeared to have been using it and now he picked up a seam ripper from the desk and clipped the threads connecting his project to the machine.

“Rather unfortunate, that. I had hoped you’d remember what happened last time. But I suppose it can’t be helped. They did a little too good of a job when making you a Data Specialist.”

Ellis’ eyebrows furrowed and she tried to open her mouth to speak.

“Ah, ah, no. You’ll tear your stitches, dear Ellis.” Ben rose from his seat and crossed to her. Ellis noticed for the first time just how tall he was. And that he wasn’t wearing his suit jacket. Without the suit jacket, the sleeves of his dress shirt were rolled up to reveal the thousands of little threads running up and down his arms. All his Connections. It was a little frightening how many he had. Ellis looked up at him in confusion and Ben simply motioned to her left.

In the mirror was a woman - unkempt dark, curly hair and large eyes that looked like black marbles. Her long, thin form was covered by dusty, ragged clothes and her soft leather briefcase hung at her side like a satchel. But her mouth - 

Her mouth had been sewn shut.

“I suppose you won’t remember. I had hoped-” Ben paused behind her and looked over her reflection. His face held the imitation of a frown and for a flash of a second he almost looked sad. Almost. “Well, in the end t was Upper Management’s decision, not mine. Though, I did ask to do the the stitching myself. I thought the blue silk suited you. It really stands out with your eyes.”

Ellis blinked at Ben’s reflection in a panic, her heart racing faster than before.

“Oh, now, now, Ellis, don’t worry,” Ben spoke reassuringly as he pulled several long threads from his arms. He held them up to his lamplight, squinting and checking the threads against each other before choosing one and threading it on a needle.. “We’ll just start again like last time, little puppet.”

Ellis watched as Ben lifted the limp form from his sewing machine up, holding it out like a dress for her to appreciate.

“What do you think?” he asked.

It was a skin. A skin that looked like her. Ellis felt herself go stiff with fear as Ben laid the skin out carefully on the work desk and walked over to her, brandishing his seam ripper.

“Now, hold very, very still.”

[alastanor]

To start, I would like to thank @cis-het-angel-kinnie for bringing this video to my attention, even if it was to praise the video rather than to point out it's flawed arguments against Charlie for main character.

If you have not seen the video yet, I recommend giving it a watch prior to reading this or you may be confused.

Click to read more...

What Is A Protagonist?

I am not bringing up this question because I think the source used was incorrect. However, the statement that "protagonists ask questions and antagonists make arguments" is an oversimplification of both roles. And I am going to explain why.

The trope of protagonist vs antagonist is an age old theme which has been used countless times throughout storytelling's history in books, plays, films, and story-driven video games. As such, the definition of both roles has continued to flourish and evolve over time. It is no longer good vs evil.

While @diregentleman used books written by, I assume, published writers for his argument, I am going to use Creative Writing and Literary Experts from a Masterclass article.

In the article, a protagonist is described as this:

"In storytelling, a protagonist is the main character or principal character or group of characters in a story."

More than one character is capable of being an antagonist in this story. Given that demons are meant to be redeemed, fitting the theme of the story, it is fair to surmise that all (or the majority of) the demons surrounding Charlie are protagonists in some form.

The article goes on to state that the protagonist's goals reflect the overall story goals and the plot moves forward based on their decisions.

This being said, Charlie's overall goal reflects the premise of the story, that being that Hazbin Hotel is a story about redemption. This is a goal that Angel Dust does not have.

In DireGentleman's video, he claims Angel Dust joined the Happy Hotel with the intention of being redeemed, albeit skeptical whether it could actually be done. This is actually inaccurate, and we see this in both the pilot and the comic.

Angel does display skepticism straight from the gate, but when they explain their reason for approaching him (that no one else has agreed), he makes this face:

Does that really look like someone who believes redemption may be possible? But for further establishment of just how little Angel believes redemption is possible, Angel also laughs them off and calls their goal "lame."

The only reason Angel agrees to Charlie and Vaggie's proposition is because it is a rent free place to stay. He admits as much just a bit further into the comic. By the end, Angel says "Redemption, it's silly. Huh, Nuggs."

The tone we are led to believe he uses is one of contemplation and relief. Relief due likely to the fact that there is some light at the end of the tunnel to the shit situation he was in.

This is just comic evidence, of course. If we go to the pilot, when Angel is engaging in the turf war with Cherri Bomb, he explains that he is using Charlie and Vaggie for free rent. Further exemplified when he later asks if participating in the turf war meant he didn't have a free room anymore. But also in his conversation with Cherri, he also admits that he is still taking some drugs behind Charlie and Vaggie's back. Something that we see immediately toward the opening of the pilot when Angel buys a bag of Angel Dust.

Character Dynamic

I cannot emphasize this enough, the Hunicast is NOT a good exemplifier for character dynamics. Every single "character interaction" is based on fanon, not canon, and they are prompted by the fans themselves. Only Viv really knows exactly how Angel and Alastor would canonically interact. It is no better a source for character dynamic than the wiki is for accurate information. IE, some things may hold true, but the majority of it is not and it is better just to wait until it is confirmed canon.

Moving on...

There is a lot of focus on Valentino as a main antagonist, based entirely too much on the hope that Angel will be the main protagonist. And this is really just disingenuous when you consider there are two other implied Overlords, as well as several other sources of strife within the world of Hazbin Hotel.

An Antagonist is someone working against the protagonist to prevent them from achieving their goal. Alastor would not meet this criteria, as he is a self-professed observer and conflict creator. But he is not a main antagonist. Someone working against the goal of redemption could be anyone from the Overlords (which, far as we know, would include Valentino), Lucifer, or even Heaven itself.

Where antagonists come into play, quoting Masterlist once again, I think these two types of antagonists were overlooked:

A conflict-creator. An antagonist doesn’t have to be a “bad guy.” Sometimes, they’re just a character whose goals are in direct conflict with the protagonist’s, like Mr. Darcy in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice or Javert working to arrest Valjean in Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables.

The protagonist themselves. The main source of conflict in a story can be from within the protagonist themselves—their shortcomings or insecurities are keeping them from reaching their goal. A prime example of this is Holden Caulfield in J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye. While Holden comes into conflict with many characters in the novel, the ever-present antagonizing conflict comes from his own obsessions and insecurities.

Now, why did I bring up these two types? Well! I'm glad you asked! You see, where conflict-creator comes into play would line up more with Alastor. He isn't really the bad guy, but he does create some friction where his goals meet with Charlie's. He is a professed observer, but it is strongly believed that there is something else, another goal, that he has omitted.

As for the Protagonist themselves, this lines up pretty strongly where Charlie is concerned. You could argue that it does for Angel too, but Angel's goal, as mentioned before, is not Redemption. That goal is Charlie's, and hers alone. Yet it is her naivety, inexperience, and insecurities surrounding her failures as a princess that are holding her back from achieving her goal. Going by this, not only do we have multiple protagonists, but we also have multiple antagonists.

"So far, no one else's past is wrought with tension like Angel Dust's."

Even if this wasn't a sweeping, dismissive statement made with limited information, it would still be incorrect. Why? Because each and every character in Hazbin Hotel is going to have their own story to tell. Stories that will each be as relatable and wrought with tension, the only reason we know Angel so extensively is because Viv put the most work into him. She has admitted that Alastor and Angel were characters she wrote based on past dealings and experiences she had. Let those implications sink in a bit.

Now, to further this, people don't need to empathize with a character to like them. They can sympathize as well, even if they personally cannot relate to the emotions the character is feeling.

And where Angel is concerned, he is not addicted to drugs. Angel has used drugs to escape the pain of his trauma. His response in the pilot to having his drugs stolen from him is not one of a typical addict. Which leads us to believe the drugs are simply a coping mechanism more than they are an addiction.

Real Audience for Hazbin is 12 to 16

I would really fucking hope you are joking. I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess that this was said by someone who isn't a parent. While yes, kids will be sneaky and watch or play things they're not supposed to, a show with drug use/abuse, rape, sex, physical/mental/emotional abuse, and suicide is as much for them as Rick and Morty.

Further, it is not just these themes that make the show for adults. It is the format of the storytelling. Yes, you can complain about what you consider issues with the pilot. But at the end of the day, it did it's job. It established the story premise, introduced important characters (Fat Nuggets does not fall in that category, calm down), gave a basic understanding of their relationships to each other, and get the audience interested in continuing the series. Considering the views for the pilot and the resulting disproportionate growth of the fandom, I would say it did that in spades.

Hazbin Hotel is not Steven Universe. I cannot say this enough times, and the reason I cannot is because I cannot tell you how many times I have come into contact with the underage side of the fandom griping about lack of lore, griping about lack of production information, and overall being exceedingly impatient. At the risk of sounding like an old miser, the underage side of the fandom has never had to wait for additions to a series. Like waiting for Homestuck updates, or the new release of a Harry Potter novel. They have had a steady schedule of content, along with shows that give exposition dumps "in the first 3 minutes."

So don't look at Hazbin Hotel through the lens of kids' show fandoms. It has so much more to offer than that.

Alastor vs Valentino

No, this is not about whether Alastor could beat up Valentino. In the video, DireGentleman pulled a huge pet peeve of mine and lumped Valentino and Alastor together, labeling them both "monsters." Which is opening a huge can of worms for me. So, I will give a brief summary of why that is wrong, and provide a link to one of my other posts for deeper diving.

So, there is a reason why Valentino is more hated than Alastor is. Lumping them together is a mistake.

Valentino is a pimp that abuses and manipulates his victims through intimidation and (implied through) some kind of addiction to the red smoke (whether that is real or symbolism is yet unknown). He takes who and what he wants, be damned the consequences or who gets hurt. He is incredibly self-serving, with no consideration for anyone else. He uses people like pawns, and when those pawns refuse to do what he wants, what does he do? He forces them to do it anyway.

By comparison, while Alastor may use his people like pawns, he also has more consideration for them and doesn't abuse them (far as we can tell). The evidence to support this is the attitude of those serving under Valentino vs those under Alastor. Niffty and Husk both seem to not have a problem with Alastor, and where Husk is concerned it seems that his attitude toward Alastor is their typical banter. But definitely nothing that displays abuse. In fact, when Husker is hesitant or even refusing to do as Alastor asks, Alastor doesn't force Husker. He offers payment in the form of something Husker genuinely likes.

Now, while some might argue this is also manipulating through addiction, one could look at it this way. However, Alastor didn't make Husker an alcoholic. That was Husker's vice to begin with, Alastor simply has no intention of fixing it. After all, Alastor has said he doesn't think anything can change a sinner.

For further explanation and delving into Alastor, click here.

Parents don't 'get' Charlie = Disney Princess

Once again, we fall upon the slippery slope of disinformed statements. While the joke was made that the princess of hell expresses herself best through song, parent issues do not equate to being something that is relatable primarily or only to kids and teens. It's kind of offensive that there is a sort or implication in this statement that adults don't have issues like insecurities surrounding their own failures, or parent issues like what Charlie has or worse. And once again, we fall into the empathize vs sympathize realm and I once again will say that the audience does not need to empathize with the protagonist to make them a good protagonist.

Charlie is a failed princess, her people don't respect her and didn't even prior to her hotel announcement. Yes, she is sheltered and naive. Likely due to how little she was able or allowed to interact with sinners. After all, her ex-boyfriend was from another hellborn family. One that, from what we can surmise, interacts rather frequently with the Magne family.

And it is because of this naivety and inexperience that her method to redeem sinners will not work.

In the video, DireGentleman states that we can pretty much assume that Charlie's redemption methods will work. But her methods, as we see in her song, is to inject demons with meds and take away/burn their vices. She is seeking immediate resolutions to problems that require therapy and a long process that should be making sinners want to change. All Charlie is currently accomplishing is earning the ire and scrutiny of her people. This is why I previously mentioned that Charlie is both protagonist and antagonist, as she is getting in her own way to accomplishing the goal of redemption. And this is where we find that Charlie meets the "starts out being wrong" requirement mentioned in the video as well as "admiring a character for trying."

Charlie is also in a perfect position to be the tour guide for us, the audience, as we observe the metamorphosis of every demon who needs to be redeemed. She is, once again, surrounded by those who need to be redeemed which means we will witness every character arc. This includes Angel, who does not need to be the central focus for us to witness his story.

Finally...

It was stated, or at least implied, that Hazbin Hotel's pilot is no longer relevant. This is a statement that pretty much leaves me puzzled. The only way it would be irrelevant is if Hazbin went in a completely different direction, and we have no reason to believe it will. Vivziepop is still creative director for Hazbin Hotel, and A24 is notorious for giving creators their creative freedom. What A24 is doing is animating, making VA regulations, and ensuring there is an air tight lid kept on the project. Especially given it's popularity in such a short amount of time.

Contrary to what DireGentleman said, Hazbin Hotel will definitely live up to it's hype. Being picked up by A24 will not compromise the show simply because it's not in the same realm of indie production that Helluva Boss is. And it's a bit unfair to Vivziepop to imply as much.

In Conclusion...

Please do a bit more digging in regards to not only the show, but everything surrounding it. Don't lump fanon and canon together and expect them to be equal sources, and please do not claim an obviously adult-audience show is more fit for children and teens.

And lastly, please do more digging to better understand media and storytelling. Reading books is great, but what you were using as the foundation for your arguments were far too simplified and vague,, given the complexity of the protagonist and antagonist roles. Overall, the video just came across as one huge helping of Angel Dust bias with a side of strong dislike for Charlie.

[hotpotrandomfics]

Future AU: Rependence and Passion

Summary: Jason and his friends have been safe for the past few months, taking time to collect themselves, but something has been on the young man mind and Merula decided it was best to ask what was wrong. Before much could be said a loud explosion went off...

Word Count: 7,617

Nearly four months had passed since the group of curse breakers were saved by their friend Jason and his brother Jacob. Jacob was intrigued to meet his brother's friends. He was just a tad hostile to Merula. Mostly because she bullied Jason a lot when they were kids but with lots of convincing and a lot of screaming in a twist of English, Italian, and Spanish they came to an understanding. A sight everyone enjoyed as Jason wouldn't let anyone talk Merula down, even if it was his long-lost brother. The group of friends had stayed at the brother's family estate for that time. Jason took care of a lot of the housework despite the others offering to help. He made life rough for them for some time and wanted to repent for being secretive. They all been through so much, so he wanted them to rest properly. It was good for them to have moments like this, but this made them all a large target, and knowing that the world was upside down didn't mean luck was on their side forever.

It was early in the morning, and Merula was woken up by a knock on her bedroom door. "Damn, who's waking me?" she thought as she shifted around begrudgingly.

"Merula," Penny hummed, "breakfast is almost ready. Jason said if you don't hurry you'll miss out on the cinnamon rolls."

"WHAT?!" Merula shouted. "I'll be down in five minutes. Tell him to save some for me!" She jumped out of bed rushing all-around dashing to her bathroom. Those were the perks of a rich boyfriend. She washed her face after brushing her teeth. Brushing her hair to seem presentable while getting dressed in her boots, ripped jeans, and a violet blouse. "Okay. Ready."

A few minutes later the dining room started being filled with the gang of tired wizards and witches. Jason had been reading the table as he saw his friends zombie one by one.

"Good morning," he smiled at them. "Everyone sleep okay?"

Barnaby planted himself down on the nearest chair and looked at the spread. "Well I had a dream of a purple niffler stealing my rings, and then it transformed into Snape."

"What?" Tulip looked confused at him. "Seriously? Sounds like a nightmare."

"Who'd dream about Snape is my question," Tonks chimed in grabbing a piece of toast. "If anything I'm sure you'd be terrified to dream of any teacher. I know I do."

"I'd be frightened if Snape was in my dreams," Ben murmured.

"Ben, are you ever gonna stop being afraid? You're an adult." Tonks nudged him.

"Okay, too early to be poking fun," Jason looked at Tonks with a raised eyebrow.

"Well Jason, you know me," Tonks pointed at Jason. "I must say though what's with that outfit?"

"What?" Jason looked down at his clothes. He was wearing a white tank top, jeans, and boots. "It's all I have that's clean. What am I expected to dress any other way?"

"Mate, simply put you're jacked and I fear how Merula will deal with you when you two-"

"When we what?" Merula said standing behind Tonks placing a hand on her shoulder. "Exactly where were you going with that?"

"N-no where," she gulped. "I said nothing."

"Morning beautiful," Jason smiled at Merula. "Slept well?"

"I did," Merula said looking at her boyfriend with a slight blush. "Where are the cinnamon rolls?"

"They should be done," Jason made his way back to the kitchen to check on the rest of the food. "Start eating, don't wait for me okay?"

On cue, everyone started to dig into the spread their friend made for them. Merula, watched as Jason disappeared and wondered what was going through his head. She learned his habits and whenever he was hiding something she could tell. Just as she was about to sit there was a loud crash coming from the kitchen that made everyone jump.

"Jason? You okay?" Merula called out, but she didn't get a response. She made her way over to see Jason was picking up the shattered pieces of a coffee cup. "You are breaking stuff because you can afford it?" she kneeled to help him.

"Y-yeah just um..." he looked at her softly. "Just got a lot on my mind. I got this. Go eat amore."

"No," she said stubbornly picking up the broken pieces of the cup. "I won't sit while you work, okay? We agreed to that when you saved me, remember?"

"Yeah but-"

"But nothing Aurelius," she said looking at him calmer. "Don't you trust me?" "I trust you. I just..." he looked down nervously. "I'm having a hard time trusting myself." He stood placing the broken bits on the counter while staring outside through the kitchen's window. "It's hard to explain."

"Do you doubt my ability and knowledge to understand?" she walked over to him, placing a hand into his while giving him that signature smirk that always made him melt. "Try me."

"Did I ever tell you how beautiful you are?"

"Many times and I don't get tired of it. But stop using flattery to dodge the question," she cupped his cheek turning him to face her. Eyes locked. Emerald and amethyst. "Please."

"I haven't been sleeping all that well. I keep having nightmares over and over," he bit his lip holding back his wanting to cry. "Meri, I'm scared of..."

"Scared of what love?" Merula heart began to sink as she worried about her beloved. "It's okay Jason. You can tell me, and no one else here doesn't need to know."

The two stood in silence for a few moments before Jason said anything a massive explosion was heard shaking the entire manor. A series of smaller explosions followed it. The two lovers ran into the dining room seeing their friends had barracked the door.

"What the hell was that?" Merula asked looking at her friends then at the windows of the dining room seeing shadowy streams flying around.

"Dammit, they found us," Jason pulled his wand out. "Everyone, follow me to the cellar. There's a secret passage we can leave from. Come on!"

The gang followed their friend's advice as they made their way to the kitchen and opened the cellar door with Jacob leading them. They were filing one by one.

"This is gonna be a tight fit," Tonks chimed.

"I wouldn't have guessed Tonks," Tulip replied. "Once we get out where do we go?"

"Let's focus on getting out first," Jason said. "I'll cover the rear. Jacob, get them out!"

"I'm sticking with you," Merula said looking at the giant man.

"Meri I-"

"No buts!" she drew her wand. "We are a team."

Jason sighed but smiled at her as another explosion kept rustling the manor. They need to get out fast. Jacob led the group of wizards down a stoned tunnel as they made their way to safety. There were many twists and turns that if they didn't take caution they'd get lost and that was the least of their worries. Luckily Jacob knew the path very well to the point it was second nature.

"Will they be able to follow us?" Barnaby asked. "Guys?"

"Mate, I think we'd do best to stay quiet, so please stop talking," Rowan said as he adjusts his glasses while squeezing Penny's hand.

"Sorry," Barnaby pouted only to have Liz pat his shoulder reassuring him.

The path seemed to go on forever until the light at the end of the tunnel began to show. The gang slowly emerged and scanned around their surroundings. The coast was clear for now.

"What's the plan?" Bill asked Jason. "We can't be here, or we'll run the risk of getting found."

Jason thought for a moment and looked at his friends and sighed. Why did these decisions always fall on him he wondered? For all, he knew the choices he made would lead them to a certain painful and gruesome death.

"We need to separate. Small groups. We contact each other every few days through Fire Talking or owl if it's close. Okay?" Jason looked at his friends clenching his fist. "It's the safest bet, and we need to contact the Order too. Apparate. Nothing else."

"How should we divide ourselves? Fours?" Ismelda asked. "I'm fine with it as long as I can stick with..." she looked over at Ben with a smirk.

The group just sighed and giggled despite the tension. Jason had divided his friends and told him the time to reach out to him. Jason would be with Merula (naturally), Penny, and Rowan. Jacob would be with Badeea, Diego, and Jae. The Weasleys would be with Ben and Ismelda, which left Tonks, Tulip, Barnaby, and Liz. If they all were to survive, they'd need someone who could watch their back and cover their weaknesses. Jason considered this heavily as he knew his friends better than most and knew their skills were beyond excellent.

"We are agreed then?" Jason looked nervous at his friends. "I don't want to be giving commands around, but I think this our best option. Strength in numbers but we'd be more elusive if it's

"We're with you Jason, and we trust your judgment." Rowan clapped his best friends back. "You've always had everyone's best interest at heart."

"That's true," Charlie patted Jason's shoulder, "you need to stop worrying so much Aurelius. You have the best in mind, no?"

"Come on now. We need to get going," Merula tugged on her lover's arm. "Okay? Have faith. You can't do everything alone." She offered a smile up to him. "We aren't kids anymore, and you divided them by their strength because you can see that. You're our tactician, and we all trust your judgment. Even though I'm smarter than you."

That prompted the group to laugh as Jason blushed embarrassed at the statement from his love. No matter how much time passed Merula was still that prideful girl that always had faith in herself. It was one of the many reasons Jason fell in love with her and one of her unique quirks.

"Have faith like she says, little brother," Jacob hugged his little brother. "You take care of him. If I hear anything about bullying him well..." he gave Merula a playful smirk that was hard to tell if he was joking.

"R-right," Merula held Jason's arm tightly, "I won't."

"And no slapping him!" he leaned down wagging a finger in her face like a father reprimanding their child. "I am still not over the bullying of my precious baby brother!"

"Brother, stop!" He blushed more because of his big brother's protectiveness. "She had every right to be angry, so let's let it go." Jason sighed then smiled. He was blessed to have so many people in his life that had faith in him. More so than he has in himself. "Okay, we really should get going."

"Guys, I thought we'd be going — no rush minus the fear of Death Eaters closing in. But I'd like to see Remus again. You know, my husband," Tonks ran her hand through her hair while looking at her friends. "He's probably due for his transformation, and it's better if I'm around to help him. Jason should be due too so I'm sure you need to make a Wolfsbane potion no?"

"You're right," Merula looked at Jason as he looked out into the distance. "Jason will need it. Good luck everyone and we'll meet again soon."

With that everyone said their farewells for the time being. The Weasleys team would return to the Burrow with Ben and Ismelda. Jason hoped Ben would be fine with knowing there's a ghoul in the attic or that he has to be around Ismelda. The two seem to be working on his fears but whenever they saw the two they had a look in their eyes that was innocent.

Barnaby group would go to his uncle's house, but Tonks needed to get in contact with her husband too. Tonks had been married for some time and knowing that one of his best friends was married made him smile. It was one of the many things Jason thought of, and he hoped one day he could have that one day. Maybe after all this, he could ask but now wasn't the time to get lost in fantasies.

Jacob and his designated team would be heading somewhere in Whitechapel. He knew how to make Polyjuice Potions so he could help make covers for them as different people. Badeea had also come up with new spells that could change the colors and textures of one's face. They were well protected with Deigo talents as duelist too so they won't go down easily. If things went south, Jae knew how to get away with things you shouldn't and routes no one knew of too.

WOOSH!

Merula along with Jason, Penny, and Rowan had apparated into Penny and Rowan's apartment in London. Penny and Rowan were to marry in the time Jason was undercover but had to put their wedding on hold. It was in a townhouse made of white and red bricks. Vibrant like the Slytherin and the Hufflepuff couple. The friends climbed the stairs, entering the gold and red wooden door. The house smelled of different plants that Merula and Jason couldn't tell apart. There was a hint of parchment, old books, and ink that no doubt similar to Rowan. The walls were lined in with photos of all of them through their time at Hogwarts and both Penny's and Rowan families. It was a cozy place. They searched through the house to make sure there were no break-ins. To their luck they were safe.

"Welcome to our beloved home," Rowan said as he guided them to the living room. "Go on and sit down and relax. I'll make tea for you."

"Do you need any help?" Jason asked.

"No, I got it. Just take it easy okay? I'll be back in a moment." Rowan made his way to the kitchen to get started on the tea.

"I'll go prepare the guest room. Fill free to read any of the books. After I'm done, I'll make the Wolfsbane for you Jason." Penny said as he headed down the hall and made a left turn.

"Well, now we have a moment," Merula turned to face Jason as he looked at the many bookshelves of their friend's home. "A serious one."

"About what-"

"About these nightmares, you've been having and why you haven't said anything to me," Merula placed a finger under his chin. "Just let it out, Jason. Please," she said leaning into his chest. Merula hated when Jason shut himself in and acting like no one wanted to listen to his problems even though the pain was evident on his face.

"I..." Jason looked down at her worried. He didn't like causing pain to her. Seeing her get like this was worse than being tortured by the Crucio curse. "Okay," he mustered to say while guiding her to the couch. "W-where should I begin?"

"Wherever you want," Merula offered him a small smile. "And take your time."

"R-right," he took a deep breath as he collected the mess know as his thoughts. "My nightmares have been going on since I was a Death Eater. More specifically," he glanced down biting his lip, "when I killed a man — a ministry worker who spoke out profoundly against Voldemort. My very first task was to kill him. It was the first time I ever used my magic to kill. The first time I used..."

"The Killing curse..." Merula heard of a series of deaths that happened within the past two years. At least two dozen wizards and witches didn't wish to join the Dark Lord or spoke out in saying he was a coward. Her heart felt like it was being squeezed by a hand as she thought of only two others who did this kind of action — her parents.

Jason nodded in response to her filling the blank as he dug his nails into his knuckles. Each death. Each scream and pleads for mercy ran in his head like a recording stuck in an infinite loop.

"If I didn't..." Jason shuttered as a tear slowly escaped his eye. "Jacob would have been killed. I would have been killed and..." he looked down at the ground defeated as he slowly felt the streams of tears fall. "Everyone I love, but I did it..." Jason wanted to look her in the eyes but couldn't meet them despite his efforts. "I'm a monster. I've seen myself like that for these past two years. I can't sleep because I lie awake thinking I'm no better than those we fight against. So that's why I didn't let anyone help at the manor. I was trying to fight the guilt away by doing something. Anything to keep me busy. Cleaning. Cooking. Drinking. A lot of drinking. I'll understand if you hate me or think less of me. By all that's holy I do."

There was nothing but silence between the two for a few moments till Merula lifted Jason's face to look into the eyes of the man she loved. It didn't matter what he did in the past but what he did in the future to ensure nothing like that would ever happen again. Merula knew who he was despite his doubt and fears. She smiled with tears of her own as she stared into his eyes.

"Jason, you are an idiot," she flicked his nose.

"Ouch! Hey, that hurt-" he said as he was pulled into Merula chest. Her scent was filling his nostrils while giving him some comfort. "Meri?"

"I know it's not much, but I know who you are. I know you try to think of every possible outcome," Merula patted his head gently as it served as the means to calm him down. "You're no monster. Of that I'm sure. Jason, you have sacrificed so much for your friends. For our world. For me. I don't hate you, and I could never think less of the man who's saved my life time and time again. Taught me there was more to life than misery, hate, and causing pain to others. You've given so much to us Jason. I couldn't be any more proud of you." Merula then lifted his head wiping his tears away. "Don't think less of yourself and the actions you had to do. You can repent by living your life. Fight to stop any more pain these fools have caused. We are in this together until the end. So don't be afraid to confide in me. It hurts more when you hide your pain. Share yours as I shared mine with you."

Jason and Merula sat in silence embracing each other as he let out the cries of anguish. All of the rage and torment he's held in for the past two years washed out with every grunt and shaky breath. Penny and Rowan came to check in to see what the noise was about but stepped out as to not interrupt the couples moment. The two had a bond that seemed so strong that not even their friends could understand. They carried each other's pain and never judged the other for their faults. Admittedly, it was this bond they held that kept either one sane in these times. Merula could judge anyone because she was good at reading people but never Jason as he always wore his heart on his sleeve. After their talk, they met their friends at the kitchen table to drink the tea Rowan had made. He had to reheat it as the conversation of the couple took some time to finish. Penny had begun working on making the Wolfsbane potion Jason needed as the next full moon was a few days away and he's sure his friends wouldn't want him tearing their home apart.

"So," Rowan sipped his tea while looking at Jason and Merula being their lovely Dovey selves. "Jason, I got a grave question to ask you. I hope you accept it. Will you be my best man at my and Penny's wedding?"

"I..." Jason's jaw dropped at the question. "Rowan, are you sure you want me to be the man?"

"Jason, I see you as a brother, and I wanted you to be it as you're my closest friend," he responded as he polished his glasses.

"Hey now!" Penny responded with a pout. "What about me?"

"You know you're important to me my inquisitive puff skin," Rowan said as he kissed her hand making Penny respond with a peck on the cheek.

"Besides, Merula is going to be Penny's maid of honor so do you want to see someone walk the aisle with your precious love?"

"No way is she walking down the aisle with another man!" Jason pulled Merula close to his chest in a protective manner. "You wouldn't dare Khanna!"

"Then you accept?" Rowan laughed remembering how overprotective he gets with Merula.

"I accept then," Jason smiled softly as he loosened his grip on Merula. "I'm gonna need to look for a suit then."

"You do look rather dashing in a suit love," Merula said laying her head into his shoulder while drawing a circle on his biceps with her finger. "But you'll need it custom made because of these hydras you call arms. What did you do to get like this?"

"I exercised a lot. Pull-ups and push-ups," Jason blushed, "are they that impressive?"

"I only comment when I see the quality, and you're of the best quality material. Perfect for me."

"I'd hope so. The best witch in the world needs only the best."

"Why do I feel like I'm back in school again?" Rowan sighed as he looked at the pair.

"What makes you say that?" Jason looked confused.

"Well," Rowan pointed at them, "Merula is sitting in your lap for one. Hey! No groping at the table!"

"Khanna, you're no fun," Merula hand was feeling out Jason's arms while she decided a chair wasn't comfortable enough and that her boyfriend was a better substitution for it. "Tell me, love, why do you have tattoos?"

"W-well I like them," Jason looked down at their left arms pointing to the few tattoos he had. "This," he pointed to two black bands, "I thought it looked cool. But this," he moved his top slightly showing his left pectoral and a tattoo of two wolves chasing each other in a circle, "represent us. You and me always following each other."

"Jason. I. You..." Merula blushed a deep red as she looked at the cute gesture her lover made. "Oh Merlin, I love you."

Soon night fell, and the four friends had dinner. Penny was a pretty good cook in her own right though Merula and Jason would say their skills are superior in that. She had made a stew with the plants they had for making potions so you know it was going to be a healthy and hearty meal. As they progressed through the night, the atmosphere held something like a great nostalgia falling into the past when life was much more straightforward as kids where you laughed more and didn't see the darkness in the world — only the light. It was moments like this they could all appreciate despite the strife that has passed. It was getting late, and the couples decided to retire to their respected rooms.

"S-so we should um get to sleep huh?" Jason said as he looked at the bed nervously. "You can take the bed. I could sleep on the floor or the couch." Jason was about to make his way to the door until he felt Merula wrap her arms around his waist. "Meri?"

"Stay. Please," Merula whispered as she pressed into the titan of a man she held. "I don't mind if it's you. Jason?"

"Yes?" he said as his heart raced as Merula chest pressed against his lower back.

"Do you think we will win against the You-Know-Who?"

"I don't know. But I won't let anything happen to you so long as I draw breath." Jason turned to embrace Merula, feeling her shake was uncharacteristic of her. She may be strong, but even she has fears too.

"And if we were to die tomorrow? What would you want to do?" she looked up at him. "If these our last moments what would you want to do?"

"I'd want to spend it with you," he stroked her cheek while giving her a caring smile. "Loving you with all I have since you're the greatest blessing I have. I'd die fighting to ensure you live. What would you do mi amor?"

"I would want to spend it with you — every second. I couldn't imagine anything more perfect than being with you." Merula smiled gently at him while holding him tight as if he'd fade into nothingness.

The two stood in quiet gazing into each other's eyes: the clashing of emerald seas and the amethyst stars. A chill ran down their spins as they felt a warm sensation burning through their bodies. Merula brought herself to her tiptoes as she wrapped her arms around Jason's neck as kneeled slightly down for them to share a kiss. This was unlike any other they had shared beforehand, it was a twist of passion accompanied by desperation as the fear of this being their final days. If life as they know it was to fade away then they'd used what time they had left to engrave the other with the essence of the other. Jason lifted Merula as she wrapped her legs around his waist as carried her to the bed of the room. Both were swept away in the desire for one another. What followed next would be one of the best moments in life between the couple as they had succumbed to their craving for one another.

The next day Merula rolled around under the sheets holding the man she was sharing the bed with. She opened her eyes to see a messy-haired Jason gazing back at her. The two smiled and shared a kiss greeting the morning.

"Hey..."

"Hey..."

"Sleep well?"

"I didn't do much sleeping thanks to some jerk of a werewolf. How about you love?" Merula said with a sly grin. "I'm gonna have a hard time getting out of bed now."

"Sorry," Jason replied with a grin of his own. "But to answer your question, it was the best sleep I have gotten in some time thanks to the best and most beautiful witch in the world."

"Stop it you," Merula said as she lightly whacked Jason's chest only receiving two large hands tickling her. "No! Jason stop it! "Merula laughed as the man worked his magic. "Stop it~!"

"Nope, not happening I'm afraid," Jason said as he pulled Merula on top of him and kissed her playfully.

Just then a knock came to the door of the lover's room; it was Rowan telling them breakfast was being made and that they should get ready. Penny and Rowan had let them some of their clothes. Lucky for Jason, Rowan buys large shirts that are slightly too big for him but just right for Jason. The couple had washed their face, cleaned brushed their teeth, and gotten dressed making their way to the kitchen. Jason had to help Merula as she was in some minor pain from the previous night, but she didn't regret it. Jason wore his boots, jeans, and olive green v-neck with his signature necklace and bracelet. Merula wore her boots, shorts with a grey tee shirt.  The two went downstairs and sat at the table while Penny and Rowan were cooking breakfast.

"Good morning! Sleep well- what the? Merula you got a- and Jason you got a- oh Merlin!" Penny clapped her mouth with her hand laughing harder than anyone had seen her. "Seems like you two had a lot of fun!"

The two looked at each for confused by Penny's actions. What was it that they had?

"What?" Merula looked at Penny with a raised eyebrow. "What is it do we have Haywood or should I say, Mrs. Khanna?"

"Um, well, to put it bluntly, you appear to have a case of hickeys showing," Rowan said as he tries to stifle his mouth as not to let his laughter escape. "That's it."

Merula and Jason's faces both turned redder than as they looked at each other seeing they didn't spare the other's skin from the previous night. Jason covered his face in the moment of embarrassment. Merula tried to find a way to explain the marks on them by saying there were ticks in the bed. But that was a failed lie if anyone had heard one come from the master at lying. The companions ate their breakfast with Rowan and Penny still laughing at the matter. It was a fantastic sight. Later that day Penny and Merula worked on creating a supply of Wolfsbane. Jason and Rowan were discussing issues on how Rowan wanted to conduct his wedding when an owl landed on the window. Rowan opened it to take the letter from the owl.

"What is it?" Jason inquired.

"It's a letter from Bill," Rowan opened it and began reading it. "It seems the final battleground is probably going to be at Hogwarts. It'll be within three days."

"No way," Jason clenched his fist as the whites of his knuckles protruded. "Of course they want it there. Don't they realize they'd put innocent kids in danger?!"

"It seems that is the case," Rowan sat down as he ran a hand through his hair. "They go to any means if it benefits them. So what's the plan?"

Jason and Rowan sat in quiet as they went through their thoughts. What would be the best choice? Fight? Hide? No, if they hid Voldemort forces most likely will find them. Merula stepped in placing a hand on Jason's shoulder while Penny brought in some coffee for them.

"What's the matter?" Merula asked as she saw the solemn look in the men's eyes. "Why does the air feel heavy in here?"

"Hogwarts is to get attacked in the next few days," Rowan answered as he took his cup of coffee.

"What?!" Penny looked aghast. "When did you find out?"

"Through a letter from Bill just know," he responded.

"So what shall we do then?" Merula asked as she gazed at her lover. "Jason?"

"I want to fight. No matter what. Hogwarts was..." Jason smiled at Merula. "Was where I met you all. It's our home. I would rather see it prosper than fall to ashes. We made many memories there, and I won't let such chances become robbed for the next generation. After all," he smirked at Rowan. "Who is gonna be the teacher for our kids when the time comes? Professor Khanna?"

"You know I will be the best Professor at that school," Rowan rose to his feet almost spilling his coffee. He was now flexing feeling fired up at the mention of being called Professor Khanna. "Hogwarts will know me as it's the greatest professor to the headmaster."

"I'm in too," Penny laughed, "no way is my fiance going to fight and fall into peril. I can't have a wedding without him." She threw her arms around Rowan kissing his cheek. "And I'm sure Jason would love to have Merula as his wife too whenever he pops the question."

"Hey now, knowing my love he'll ask when he feels the time is right. He tends to make things more theatrical," Merula responded to Penny nonsense while stroking Jason's hair. "I am in too. No way am I going to let all those trophies with me be destroyed. Plus," she leaned down to hold her lover, "it's where you saved me from my loneliness. So I don't want my home destroyed again."

The gang was in agreement. Hogwarts wasn't some run-of-the-mill school to any of them; it was a place of growth, where you'd discovered who you are. The memories from their time searching for the vaults, the Christmases they shared. But most importantly, was finding that you had the potential to grow and become better with others who were like you. Now was the time to fight for their school, their home.

Penny and Merula were brewing potions together, possibly using all of Penny plants to make fire-breathing, healing, strength potions, and anything that would serve as useful. Jason and Rowan packed supply bags with whatever they felt necessary. They packed their supplies as they needed to organize what is going to be used in combat versus first aid. Jason had gone through his transformation through that time, so he was more clear-minded for the coming battle. This would be the most challenging adventure they would have in their lives.

The day had come for the battle to commence. Lives were on the line and death was to follow behind without question. Jason and his friends had gathered what they needed and left to fight the good fight. The four had apparated into the outskirts of Hogsmeade and hiked their way to Hogwarts. Their former mentors and their friends greeted the four alumni. But the greetings needed to be cut short as the ground was shaking from a volley of spells hitting the barrier protecting the school. It was time for the confrontation to begin. Each of the curse breakers was broken into two-manned teams and spread throughout the castle. Jason and Merula would guard the passage to the Slytherin house. McGonagall informed the two on how Slytherin's house has acted needed to be defended so they'd avoid falling to the temptation of Voldemort's words. Jason and Merula both stepped in as the Slytherin house pointed their wands at the couple.

"I suggest you put your wands down kids. We are here to protect you," Merula glanced at them with the softest expression she had ever shown. "Do you realize what is happening here? History! Lives are being lost protecting this school. Slytherin's house is being looked down upon because of your fear. You need to step up and decide. Have our house knows as cowards or be seen as heroes that will go down in history?"

"What makes you think none of us who are fighting are scared? We are, but here we are. Slytherins fighting for something greater than ourselves. I was Slytherins prefect, and no one loves this house more than I because I know I left it to capable wizards and witches." Jason knew they had potential because he was a Slytherin and always believed they were Hogwarts strongest assist.

The two Slytherins went on telling them they could be the next greatest witches and wizards but could not do that if they submitted like cowards. Slytherins had fangs and knew to use them. They were a cunning lot and were underestimated which always played to their advantage. At that moment the house door burst open with Death Eaters swarming in. Jason and Merula sprung into action fighting the Death Eaters with little effort. The two lovers gave each other compliments making some of the young Slytherins cringed. Minus, the cutesy moment, the younger Slytherins knew their seniors had a point. Rather fight than be seen as cowards. Slytherin's house was now ready to join the battle. Hogwarts was their home too, and they'd defend it no matter what.

"So," said a raspy voice, "it seems I was right to come here."

"No way," Jason aimed his wand at the figure, "Arthur. Well, I got to say that burnt face suits you.

"Well, I have your brother and you to thank for that," Arthur said as he caressed the left side of his face grinning. "My my, that girl. She yours?"

"That business is mine and mine alone you creep," Jason looked at the men with eyes burning with disdain. "Looks like I need to finish where we left off."

The two men began fighting in a display of quick spells and counters. Slytherins common room caught ablaze by the spells of the two wizards. Merula had to reflect on some of the spells so the Slytherin students weren't hurt.

"Meri! Take the kids and run I got this!" Jason shouted as his shoulder was struck. "Bastardo!"

"But Jason-" Merula tried to argue only for Jason to cut her off.

"I got this! Protect them and go!" Jason shouted as he backed Arthur up against the window that looked into the Black Lake.

"You better win dammit! Come on kids, let's go!" Merula shouted as she led the kids out of the dungeons. She took the kids to where most of the other students were in the Great Hall. "Barnaby! Tulip!"

"What is it Merula? Where's Jason?" Tulip asks. She looked like she had been through a ringer covered in cuts and bruises.

"Back in the dungeons fighting some Death Eater named Arthur. Guess he has a score to settle with him. Burnt and creepily pale."

"Why is the  Slytherin House here?" Barnaby asked as he cast a spell sending a Death  Eater out of one on the Great Hall windows. "Are they here to-?"

"Help, yes. Good analysis Lee," Merula smiled knowing how far he progressed from the headstrong kid they knew. "Take care of them and let the senior ones help. Barnaby, you're in charge of them. I'm going back for Jason."

"Merula," Tulip shouted, "it's too dangerous to go alone!"

"I'm not losing him again!" Merula dashed out of the Great Hall. The castle shook all around her. Cutting left then right following down the stairs. "Jason!" she kept repeating his name in her head. Merula had made it to the dungeon when she saw it was flooded. "Oh no," immediately she dove casting the bubble jinx swimming through the corridors. She went to the door for the house, swimming through and cast Lumos as she searched for Jason. She screamed as she saw the corpse of Arthur being dragged away by some Grindylows. She scanned the room seeing Jason floating on the common room floor. Merula cast Accio summoning Jason to her as she swam out through the entrances back to the point of the surface. She carried the bulky man and dropped him down. "Jason! Wake up, baby! Please," Merula panicked as she searched for any signs of life, "no no no no no! You're not dying!" she began conducting CPR to try and revive him. "Come on love," she screamed in her head. Nothing. Tears began to run down her face as she sobbed.

"Merula!  We've won! Voldemorts dead," shouted Jacob as climbed down to her with Tulip, and Charlie. " We've come to- no." Jacob fell to his knees next to her as he stared at the colorless face of his little brother. "No. Jason." Jacob punched the ground shouting in anguish.

Charlie and Tulip embraced each other as they too were in shock and weeping for the loss of their friend. Or so they thought until they heard the man cough out the water of his lungs then laying back down.

"Five more minutes Meri," Jason groaned in pain. "I'm too comfy."

"Y-you idiot!" Merula threw herself on top of him crying in relief. "Why are you such an idiot dammit!"

Jacob, Charlie, and Tulip followed by piling on top of the couple crying in relief. Today was a great victory but came at an unforgivable loss. Many friends were lost. Many of Voldemorts followers fled into hiding after his death. Those who couldn't escape were imprisoned and tried for their crimes against the wizarding and muggle worlds. Hogwarts was safe, and peace had returned for the world.

Epilogue:

Two years had passed since the Battle of Hogwarts, Merula and Jason had moved in together and were happy being with each other. The lovers worked at the Ministry as Aurors and were very good as a duo. Now if only they could focus more on work and less on making out then they'd get that bonus for their work.

Today the two were heading to Azkaban for a more personal matter. They were to visit Merula parents, Johnathan Reid Snyde and Selina Kyna Snyde. The two kept in contact with Merula through the years via letters. They had gone exchange many things and shared their regrets.  Her parents both admitted that serving Voldemort was their biggest regret as it tore them away from her.

"Nerves?" Jason glanced down at his beloved. "It's must be a little  crazy, no amore?"

"A little? Try a ton beloved," Merula was fiddling with a lock of her hair, she probably learned the habit from Jason. "But, I'm hoping they're going recognize me."

"I'm sure it'll go great," Jason kissed her cheek. "Have faith."

At that moment the door for the meeting slowly opened as a guard guided two prisoners in. A man with brown hair with a spot of silver in the middle with a beard that was somewhat well kept. He stood at 5"11 with a thin build, probably was more muscular in his heyday. His eyes were grey as a thunderstorm and a certain spark to them. Johnathan smiled softly, something that was very uncommon by him.

The second prisoner was a woman that was the same height if not a little shorter than the Merula. Her hair was auburn or copper in the light, and her eyes were the same shade of amethyst as that of Merula eyes. She cupped her mouth as tears welled up in her eyes.

"Merula?" said the woman in an Irish accent. "Darling?"

"Hi, Mum. Hi Dad." Merula said as tears ran down her face as she ran over and hugged her parents.

"My daughter." the man replied in a British accent. "Oh, how you have grown!"

The Snyde family was reunited at last. Jason couldn't help but feel out of place but was happy to see his beloved was having a sunny day. After they spoke, Selina looked at Jason curiously.

"Merula, dear, is that him?" Selina looked at her daughter.

"Y-yes Mum, that's him." Merula smiled at Jason. "Come and introduce yourself beloved."

"Right," Jason walked over slightly tensed. "Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Snyde. I'm Jason Piscius Aurelius De Leone. But you can refer to me as Jason or whatever is easier."

The two parents looked Jason up and down. Analyzing his features from head to toe. Taking in every detail of him and rating it. Johnathan and Selina looked at each other than to Merula and nodded in approval. Johnathan offered his hand to Jason and Jason greeted his gesture with a respectful.

"A pleasure to meet you, Jason. Merula told us much about you in her letters. Thank you for watching over her for so long." Johnathan clapped Jason's shoulder and smiled at him. "Hopefully she hasn't caused too much trouble for you."

"Dad!" Merula whined at her father's claim.

"She hasn't caused too much trouble for me. When she does it ends up being loads of fun," Jason laughed softly. "She's been a blessing."

"Jason!" Merula blushed embarrassed. "Oh, Merlin why?"

"Well, he seems rather innocent. Are you sure he was a Slytherin?" Selina looked at her daughter laughing.

"Sadly, yes and the prefect to boot," Merula sighed but smiled as she watched Jason and her father speaking seeming casual. Odd but it set her mind at ease.

Jason and Merula had spoken with her parents for an hour which was all the time they were given, but they promised to visit every month. Merula headed hugged her parents one more time bidding them farewell. As she made her way out Jason told her he'd follow them shortly. She waited outside as he handled his business with Merula parents.

"Johnathan. Selina. Us coming here wasn't simply for the sake of Merula. Well, it's for Merula, but she doesn't know." Jason pulled a small box from his pocket and opened it. In it was a silver band with a clear white diamond. "I wanted to ask you for your blessing to marry your daughter formally. She is my world, and I can't see life being possible without her."

"Oh dear," Selina gasped at the boldness of Jason's request on their first meeting. "My boy, I see the way you are if everything is correct like in the letters then you have my blessing." She smiled at him.

"Bold move. Son," Johnathan grinned at him. "I agree with Selina. You are a good and caring man, and it would be our honor to have you as part of the family."

"Thank you. I will not let you down. I swear it." Jason looked at them with a soft smile.

With that, Johnathan and Selina were taken back to their respected cells as Jason met with Merula to leave Azkaban till their next visit. The lovers made it to the Floo entrances of the person, sending themselves back to their home.

"So, what business did you need to carry out with my parents?" Merula asked looking at her boyfriend.

"That my dear is a secret for now," he leaned down. "But all will be revealed in time." Jason embraced her while planting a kiss on her forehead. "You'll see."

Whatever Jason had planned Merula knew it would be something crazy and outlandish. But Merula trusted her lover and hopefully this secret will come in time as he said. For his sake, she hopes it would be worth the wait.