#doris the rage demon

[greypetrel]

'also ask me about Doris the Rage Demon' cit

Sooo 👁️👄👁️ now I'm curious?

Hello! 💜✨

GLAD YOU ASKED.

Doris is a lovely Rage Demon who just wants a family of her own and lives in the stove. Please picture her speaking with the exact voice of Doris Day. Fic under the cut! (the title is an attempt at Genitive form. I tried studying Irish with failing results, if you read it and notice a mistake please let me know!)

Bean Chullen

BOOM.

It came from the kitchen, just after a quick spike of mana, and it made him jump on the armchair he was sitting on. The house wasn’t so big -or at least, it was a big complex, but most of it was still under a work in progress of renovations and repairing, the inhabitable part itself, by now, wasn’t so big. Nor they needed much more except from the spare bedroom Aisling insisted having, and keeping always ready should someone came by. He should have heard if someone had made it through the dutch door in the kitchen, Cullen Rutherford, ex Templar, ex Commander of the Army of the Inquisition, thought, old paranoia quickly building up while he jumped over, caught a spare sword he kept by the door -just in case- and strode to the kitchen. He should have heard footsteps, the hinges of that door always complained noisily… Yet…

He opened the door abruptly, guard held high and ready for the worse, just to be met with a lot of black smoke fuming out of the oven, and the green eyes of his wife, crouched down on the ground with her hand around her head, glaring with pure scorn towards the unhinged, crumpled door on the front of the stove.

It didn’t take long to guess that what had just happened had been but the latest battle in the ongoing war between former Inquisitor Aisling Lavellan and the “Stupid human stove” as she called it.

“Are you fine?”

“Yes. But your evil contraption is cursed.”

She declared, voice as scornful and offended as her face was, raising up from her curled up position on the floor just to stride angrily at the window to open it. He did the same with the door, abandoning the sword against the wall -he knew she didn’t want it on the table- and opening the top half. The hinges whined noisily, putting him at ease that yes, any intruder who tried to sneak in through the back garden wouldn’t be able to enter unannounced. Checked that, he kept on, trying to follow Aisling’s logic in a particularly out of the box line.

“I don’t feel anything from the oven, what kind of curse it is?”

“Good, that must be lyrium effects being finally over. I guess there’s a Rage Demon inhabiting the thing.”

He stopped mid-motion, an empty tray in his hand he wanted to use to sweep out some of the smoke staying perfectly still as the ex Commander looked at the ex Inquisitor. Wife who was as serious as in any war council preparing big operation and reporting this and that activity of enemies, crazy mages, bandits, demons and so on and so forth.

“Really.” He asked, perplexed.

“Yes, it’s the only possible explanation. A Rage Demon. They’re in love with you, moreover.”

“That’s very unfortunate, I happen to be married.”

She kept on grumbling, her cheek getting a little pinker at the remainder, snatching a towel from the back of a chair and waving it through the smoke, trying to make It flow out the window quicker. He chuckled, finding it adorable as he helped her, doing the same with the tray.

“That’s the point. They’re obviously communicating their hate for me. They’re very jealous and are trying to get rid of me. Like in that song with Páidín and his wife. That’s why I can’t make the damned thing work.”

She explained, as it was the most obvious thing in the whole world. He knew she was frustrated at herself, it didn’t mind how many times he told her he didn’t mind doing the cooking, she wouldn’t just let it go without a fight. She quickly got a couple of basics of the stovetop, but the oven and baking failed her completely, too used to cooking on campfires and limiting her skill to very basic survival.

He tried not to laugh when, satisfied with the smoke being partially cleared out of the kitchen, she rolled the towel around her hand and slipped it in the oven, to retrieve a baking tray full of… What looked like very flat coals, so black they looked almost blue and still faintly fuming. He wanted to assume they were cookies, but with her professed love for orlesian tiny cakes, he couldn’t really say. He had a grasp of what really happened, but had to ask.

“So, the Demon made the oven explode?”

A moment of silence. The tray with the maybe-cookies, maybe-cakes, was carefully placed on the table in the centre of the room. She looked down at its content, taking her time to answer.

“Love?”

He coaxed her, getting closer and leaning on the table, just beside her. She scoffed.

“… You said it would have taken but few minutes to bake cookies. Well, it didn’t, when I checked they were still raw, so I used magic to speed it up.”

Another moment of silence. He tried, he really did, to rein himself in, be as stoic and composed as years of Chantry training taught him, remember every Chantry Mother who scoffed or scolded him to keep a straight face and perfect posture. But he wasn’t a Templar anymore. Hadn’t been for enough to succeed.  He started to laugh. And couldn’t bring himself to stop.

She blushed till the pointed tip of her years, now directing her best scolding glare at him.

“It- It wasn’t supposed to explode! I just wanted to raise the temperature!”

He couldn’t reply, tears coming to his eyes and cheeks starting to ache. She stomped her feet, blabbered something in Elvhen he didn’t grasp fully -something something cursed shemlen devices something- in that tone of voice he knew wasn’t offense but embarrassment, and marched to the door.

“W-wait, where are you going?”

“Building a fucking campfire that makes any sense! You and Doris figure it out by yourselves!”

“Doris the Demon?”

“Yes, she’s a good demon, she wants to start a family and likes the colour pink, she’s great at cooking. But she doesn't share, so I have to go. You two have fun, I’m building a fire-pit.”

And so, in the next days of renovations and works around the farm, they built a fire-pit that Aisling deemed of a decent enough size for any medium elven clan, lined it in stones and added some benches around it. Even Sera, when she stopped laughing her ass out at the explanation that there was a demon living in the stove now and courting Cullen, decided it wasn’t half a bad idea to have some safe place for bonfires. Dagna was granted to use it for experiments, and everyone was happy.

Doris was allowed to stay in the family, provided she behaved. And she did, as Aisling never again tried to bake unattended after the door of the oven was repaired.

[gods-perfect-idiots]

Y'all have been so kind and welcoming of my half-baked concepts and unpolished doodles - it has been an uphill battle to fight my own self-judgment and just post my stuff! Anyway, here's another one - this time with more ~spicy memories~ (aka trauma).

The premise for this one: I was thinking about how Logan/Worst Wolverine probably hasn't slept next to someone in years, and how that is partially because he is likely prone to nightmares/sleep terrors and probably gets suddenly violent while still half or fully unconscious - maybe reliving past conflicts, maybe lashing out against his demons, maybe just unprocessed grief and rage coursing through his system when he's sober and has his guard down in sleep.

Here, I imagined him not only getting violent, but also screaming and crying while in this somnabulant state, half-waking in a sudden frenzy of fear and anger, and in the process flipping over on top of Wade and rapidly stabbing him multiple times, through the head and the gut.

Regenerative healing and quick reflexes notwithstanding, I think Wade would be taken aback to be awoken to that kind of sudden attack (not least because I think he sleeps better next to Logan - less jumpy and more restful with his big boy next to him y'know?). But his first thought, even with all six of Logan's claws embedded in his flesh, and horny hallucinations galloping through his skewered brain, would be to comfort Logan and try to bring him back to himself, even while his body and mind struggle to catch up to what's happening.

Continued ramblings and details under the cut lol.

I imagine Logan snapping fully awake and being utterly inconsolable, just collapsing and sobbing uncontrollably onto Wade's chest, blubbering nearly incomprehensibly (a lot of hoarse "I'm sorry"s and "Oh God oh fuck"s) while Wade heals and tries to soothe him with one hand combing through his hair and the other gently stroking up and down his back, trying to make jokes that simply don't reach Logan's grief-stricken psyche.

"It's okay, Peanut, no need to apologize, I'm good already see? That healing factor coming in clutch yet again haha. You do owe me a new mattress though, Mr. Scissorhands - you know how head wounds bleed like a fire hydrant, those pesky blood vessels amiright? Though fully half of all of my blood is a bit further south currently ifyouknowwhatimean... did I ever tell you about the weird response when I get Le Brain Stabbed? I didn't mention it in the Odyssey because, well, heat of the moment and all that, didn't want to stop for an expositional lore drop y'know? Anyway, point is, I get like, *diabolically* horny and hallucinate little cartoon characters to boot, it's pretty wacky tee bee aitch but does take the sting out of a surprise lobotomy so that's something... hey, you still with me, beautiful? Shhh sweetheart, it's okay, you're okay, just let it out, everything's hunky dory peachy keen cupcake unicorn rainbow blowjobs as far as the eye can see, darling honey kitty babycakes..."

But no matter what he says, jokes or not, Logan is just completely unreachable for a while; he just keeps crying and crying into his chest, like he's letting out 200 years of grief and confusion and loneliness and fear all in one fell swoop, his tears mixing with Wade's blood until Wade starts to worry he's getting dehydrated (ever since the time ripper Wade has made it his personal mission to Rehydrate That Old Man - the abs were undoubtedly impressive to behold but also a mark of a deeply desaturated body, and Wade keeps energy drinks and water bottles everywhere now, forcing Logan to drink every chance he gets. Sure, Logan's abs are less defined now, but Wade thinks he's practically started glowing - probably from all the nutrients and hydration, and the constant physical affirmations and calm daily routine probably helps too).

The crying isn't even really about Wade - Logan knows Wade is alive and well, but years of being petrified of hurting anyone he loves, and despite that crippling fear haunting him all his life he still failed to save anyone in his universe, and in fact, not only failed to save them but destroyed their memory by turning around and letting his feelings take over and turn him into (to him) an irredeemable monster, slaughtering anyone who crossed his path until he collapsed from exhaustion. And that haunts him even more, the innocent people he massacred in his supposedly righteous fury... he can't think straight amid the turmoil and all he can do is cling to Wade and cry and cry and cry until eventually he passes out again into a deep dreamless sleep.

It's not the last nightmare he has by any means, or the last time he wakes Wade up with his claws in a frenzied state, but Wade makes a mental note to be prepared so he can wake Logan up from his next half-awake nightmare with something pleasurable instead of painful. (Wade - in a rare moment of self-restraint - doesn't dwell on the whole "brain skewering = horny hallucinations" but he is absolutely BRICKED UP about it and the next couple of times he jerks it, all he can think about is fucking that old man silly until he can't even remember his own name much less the centuries of trauma).

(Spoiler: it works, and over time Logan's nightmares become gradually less debilitating and violent as he starts to associate them with - ahem - more positive feelings and maybe - *maybe* - forgive himself and start to imagine a life where he can be redeemed, can be treated like a good person, can be beloved and cherished and maybe even for a moment feel like he deserves it).

.... sorry this turned into a whole thing but here ya go!

[middleearthpixie]

Promise Me ~ Chapter Five

Summary: Friends since childhood, Gabriella has long held back her feelings where Boromir is concerned, as she did not want to risk losing his friendship if he didn't feel the same. But, then he is summoned to Rivendell, and the night before he is to leave, he stuns Gabriella by confessing his feelings for her as well. 

But, war is coming and he cannot put off what he knows must be done. All Gabriella can do is wait for him and pray for his safe return. 

Fandom: The Lord of the Rings (AU, Boromir lives)

Pairing: Boromir x ofc Gabriella

Characters: Boromir 

Warnings: Aftermath of battle, description of wounds  

Rating: T

Word Count: 4.1k

Tag List: @sotwk @heilith @fizzyxcustard @evenstaredits @way-too-addicted-to-fandoms @emmyspov @finnofamerica @lathalea @ass-deep-in-demons @quiall321 @mistofstars @justfollowtheroad @guardianofrivendell @glassgulls

If you’d like to be added (or removed) to the tag list, please just let me know!

Previous chapters can be found here.

Time had stopped. There was no other explanation for how slowly the night crept on. Gabriella and the other two remained in the infirmary with Ioreth, despite her orders for them to leave. 

“Of the four of us,” Gabriella told her firmly, “I am the only one with even a hint of training. I am perfectly capable of defending us if need be. You and Ava are needed here because you know how to heal, so you do that and I will concentrate on keeping us in one piece, more or less.”

“So, why am I here?” Dory asked.

“Because we like you,” Gabriella told her.

“How fortunate for me,” she replied dryly.

Gabriella smiled at her, then moved across the room to the windows that overlooked the eastern section of Minas Tirith. Now she could see the war in addition to hearing it and what she saw unsettled her to no end. She’d never seen so much death and destruction as what played out before her eyes. It wouldn’t be long before the Houses of Healing would be overrun with casualties. 

But hopefully, it would not be overrun by the enemy. That was far too awful to even contemplate.

She’d seen the wizard pass through earlier, and for a moment, he stopped and his gray eyes met hers. Despite being across the room from him, she saw the sorrow in those gray depths, felt it in his heart. He knew what had happened Boromir and for a moment, she wondered if he’d been with Boromir when he’d died. She hoped so. She hoped someone had been, that he hadn’t been alone. Or afraid.

No, he would never be afraid. Not Boromir. He didn't know the meaning of the word. Or so she told herself as her eyes stung and the wizard took a step in her direction. But then, Ioreth caught him by the elbow and pulled him aside and a moment later, they had gone up to Denethor’s chambers.

Now, as she stared out at the battle raging across the fields, she couldn’t stop thinking about Boromir. What had happened to him? What became his final resting place? She hoped it was somewhere that would soon know peace. Perhaps someone would pass through who knew and when the time came that the war was behind them, she might find it. 

The thought of his dying along lay heavily on her mind. He did not deserve an ending such as that. He deserved all of the ceremony of any soldier, all of the pomp and pageantry of being the steward’s son and heir. He deserved a grave where people could go and pay their respects and perhaps lay flowers for him.

She wanted to be able to visit him, morbid as that felt. She missed him beyond grief.

She would miss him until the end of her days.

She would love him until the end of time.

All through the night, they remained in the main infirmary, so accustomed to the thunder and fire of war that they no longer jumped at every sound. From her perch high above, Gabrielle watched as the city fought back valiantly, despite being out-armed and out-manned. It wouldn’t be long before the orcs and their ilk make their way into the fortress and although her heart hammered erratically at the thought, her hand tightened about the handle of her sword. She would not let them take the infirmary peacefully. And while she might not have had the heart to knock Boromir down, she didn't think it would be a problem when it came to orcs and those who chose to side with them. Besides, it was most likely orcs who’d killed Boromir, so she would gladly kill as many as she possibly could in return for him. 

The hours continued to limp onward. The fighting continued. Wounded still arrived. Gabriella rubbed one tired eye. All she wished to do was sleep, but sleeping was out of the question now. 

“Ioreth! The steward! You must come!” 

They all whipped about at the page who’d burst through the doors, red-faced and sweating. Ioreth got to her feet. “What about him?”

“He’s set himself aflame! You must come with me!”

“What?” Horror and disbelief wove through that one word, but before Ioreth could move, they all saw it.

The steward plummeted past the windows and he was, as the page said, aflame. They all gasped in unison, the horror of what they’d just witnessed unlike any Gabriella had ever felt. “What… why?”

“Grief, I’ll wager,” Ioreth said softy as she moved to the door, even though there was nothing that could be done for Denethor now. “He’s lost both of his sons and now his kingdom is falling, such as it is. I imagine that would drive any one of us mad.”

“But, his duty was to protect us!” Ava burst out, shaking her head. “How could he be so… so selfish as to put himself before us!”

“He lost everything,” Ioreth told her flatly. “When you’ve lost all, Ava, come and speak with me about how selfless you feel. Until then, keep quiet and wait for the wounded to come in, for we are most likely going to be overrun, once word is out about his death.”

So they waited. And waited. Minutes became hours. Dark became dawn. Shadow gave way to light.

And as the first beams of sunrise split through that darkness, through that shadow, Gabriella could only stare, unable to believe what her eyes tried to convince her she saw. 

Mordor’s forces were falling apart. Garrisons were splitting up. Falling back.

Running away.

In the distance, she made out the Rohirrim coming from the west and ships came into view on the river from the south. At first, she thought they were the enemy come to reinforce the orcs but then she realized no… they were bottling up the enemy instead. 

“Ioreth! Ava! Dory, come and see this and tell me my eyes are not lying to me!”

They joined her at the windows and all four of them just stared for a long moment. Then, Ioreth stepped back. “We will be inundated with wounded soon. We need to be ready.”

But there was little time to prepare, as the wounded did, indeed, flood the infirmary. Gabriella lost track of all time as she moved from man to man, taking information, covering those who succumbed to their injures, talking with those who needed to talk and time sped up at that point. The hours swept past and by the time the sun had begun its descent into the horizon, the weapons of war went silent. 

Gabriella slipped out of the infirmary and made her way through the Great Hall. She had to see for herself if it truly was over, if only for now.  All around her, it was strangely calm. Hints of grayish smoke still curled away from earth that had been scorched black, from the pyres that had been built to dispose of the orc corpses before they could taint the land and water. All was quiet now, though, and those curling plumes were eerie as a warm, grayish rain fell to put out the last of the fires. 

The rain pattered softly and everyone who stood with her ignored it as they all just stared. It was impossible to to anything else, as none of them had ever seen such pure destruction. The silence was eerie now and part of her thought, waited, anticipated, that it was but a lull in the storm and Mordor would have reinforcements at their door momentarily. 

“Is it really over?” Dory appeared at her side, staring out at the devastation as well.

“I believe so, yes,” she whispered, unable to get her voice any higher. “It seems to be.”

“And if it isn’t?” 

“We aren’t going to think about that,” Gabriella glanced over at her. “We should go and see if there is anyone beyond the walls who needs help, as Ioreth told us.”

“I don't want to go out there, Gab. What if it isn’t over? What if this is but a lull?”

“I’m going to look then. Wait here.”

“Gab, wait—”

Dory reached or her but Gabriella sidestepped it and without looking back, strode briskly from the Great Hall. The streets were littered with the remnants of war—broken stone, cracked cobblestones, bodies—whole and dismembered—who’d been cut down before they could storm the Great Hall itself. Relief swirled through her. Minas Tirith had been outmanned and outgunned, but they survived and still stood. 

The gates had been destroyed, only shards and scraps remained. She carefully picked her away about the rubble, going beyond the city’s walls for the first time in weeks. A chill rippled along her spine as she came upon the grim sight of the terraced slopes of land stretching from the city to the river. Pelennor Fields. All was calm now, or as calm as it could be, as soldiers rushed about now, collecting their wounded, tagging their dead, finishing off the wounded enemy. She turned away at the sight, unable to feel any sympathy yet not exactly comfortable with the feeling of satisfaction that came with watching her fellow countrymen taking their well-deserved revenge. The air was heavy with the scents of smoke and death, burned soil and scorched flora. Her stomach lurched at the sights before her. Blackened, scorched earth. Bodies, some whole, some not, littering as far as she could see. Orcs. Trolls. Wargs. Men. They met on those burned and smoking fields far below her. The rain fell harder, cooler now again her face as she stepped around the bodies, gagging at the sights of the abominations that were orcs, the foulest of creatures to shadow the earth. She wondered if one of them was the one who’d killed Boromir and her hand tightened about her sword as she considered helping her kin in making certain every last one of them was dead. 

But, then she relaxed her hand. None of it would bring Boromir back. The best way she could honor him would be to help aid the men of Gondor instead. And so she squared her shoulders and waded further onto the battlefield.

“Can I help?” she asked the first man she happened upon.

“Have you medical knowledge?”

“No, I don’t.”

“Then no, you cannot.”

“I can help you bring men in, though, so let me.”

He snorted. “You? You hardly look strong enough to withstand a strong wind, lass. Now, begone and let us work.”

“Please! I am far stronger than I appear.”

He rolled his eyes. “Fine. I’ve no time to argue this with you. What is your name?”

“Gabby.”

“Come with me, Gabby. I’m Steffen, by the way.”

He didn't wait for her, but turned and strode deeper into the battlefield. She followed, trying her best to not look at the mangled and mutilated bodies and body parts. More than once, though, she did look and gagged at the sights, swallowed hard, and forced herself to not look again.

Then Steffen stopped. “Grab his ankles.”

She did and as she straightened, she felt a sharp burn along the side of her spine. The man was far heavier than the looked. She kept her discomfort to herself as she managed to keep her grip and lugged the man to the waiting litter. Two more men, each not so much as acknowledging her existence, lifted the litter and spirited the man away. 

Steffen arched a brow at her, but then just gestured for her to follow. They moved from one end of the battlefield to the other. Any man who showed a sign of life was loaded onto a litter, and brought back to the city. The rain fell harder. The mud grew slipperier. Her back went from ache to fire, but she refused to cry quarter. 

Then, she looked up and as she did, she saw a man emerging from the smoke, through the mist, making his way slowly toward them from the north. He stumbled over the uneven, trenched terrain and more than once, went to one knee. 

Gabriella froze, her heart telling her something she knew better than to believe, because what her heart told her was not possible. It simply wasn’t.

The man slowly stood once more, his dark gray traveling cloak billowing out behind him like the wings of a dark angel. His black leather surcoat snapped around his calves. He staggered several more paces, dropped to both knees, toppled face down, and was still. 

“Gabby!” Steffen’s growl broke through her reverie. “Help me!”

“Just… just a moment.” She released the ankles she’d gripped, and slowly picked her way around the other fallen men.

“Gabby, come back here!”

She held up a finger, not taking her eyes off the still figure. The terrain was terrible; muddy and flooded in places, with huge rocks unearthed by the trenches that had been hacked into the fields. The mud sucked at her boots, she slipped this way and slid that way, stumbled over those rocks, over clods of earth the size of her head. 

Her heart beat faster, black dots dancing before her eyes as her pulse throbbed through her temples. No. It couldn't be. It was impossible.

She reached the man and stared down, her gaze blurring as unexpected tears filled her eyes. His hair was matted and filthy, but she had the feeling that once washed and free of sweat and dirt, it would be the golden brown color of fresh honey. 

His cloak was dirt spattered, as were his gloves, and she’d seen his trousers were baggy and stretched out, wrinkled beyond repair and stained with more than simply dirt.

Her mouth went dry as she crouched and let her hand come to rest on the man’s shoulder. He moaned softly, his cry thready and mournful. 

“It cannot be,” she whispered, shaking her head as her fingers tightened over a swell of muscle along his right shoulder. “It simply cannot be…” 

“Gabby! What the deuce are you doing?” Steffen came stomping over, his eyes ablaze with fury. “You do not belong out here if this—”

“Get the litter,” she interrupted sharply, snapping her head up to stare at him. “It’s Boromir! He’s returned.”

“What?”

“Just do it!” She turned back to Boromir and ever so gently, caught him by the shoulder to ease him onto his back. 

He flopped over and another low moan bubbled to his lips. Gabriella stared down at him in horror. He was so pale, he was almost as gray as his cloak, his surcoat and trousers stained with what looked like dried blood.

Then her stomach lurched to sends a sour, brackish taste into her mouth. In the center of each stain, was a broken off shaft of wood.

Arrows. Three of them.

“Oh my—Steffen, the litter! Get it now!”

He nodded and leaped over the next few bodies in his way to catch the arm of one of the men with the litter, while she turned her attention back to those arrows. “Boromir? How… what… oh, my…” 

She curved her hand against his pale cheek. “We’ll have you in the infirmary as soon as possibly, love,” she murmured, her thumb stroking along the scruffy whiskers that shadowed the lower half of his face.

His eyelids fluttered, then his eyes opened. They darted from left to right and back for a moment, then slid in her direction. The tip of his tongue poked out to wet his lips and his whisper was as thready as his moan had been. “Gabby?”

“You’re home,” she told him softly, looking up as the two men bearing the litter drew closer. “Ioreth will take good care of you.”

His eyes slid shut and she thought he’d slipped from consciousness again, but then he lifted a hand to bring it to rest over hers. His fingers tightened ever so slightly as he whispered, “Stay.”

“I will, of course.” She caught his hand between hers. “I won’t leave you. I promise.”

A faint hint of a smile curved his lips. “My love…”

Her eyes misted over and she squeezed his hand tighter as he was carefully loaded into the litter, and she managed to keep up with them, without tripping or stumbling, all the way back to the Houses of Healing on the sixth level. 

“My lady! Boromir has returned!” Steffen’s voice rang out as they hurried into main chamber of the infirmary.

“What?” Ioreth spun about toward them. “That is not possible!”

“It is, indeed, possible,” Gabriella broke in as Boromir’s fingers tightened about hers. “See for yourself.”

Ioreth came over, her dark blue eyes wide with shock. “Take him into the stewards’ infirmary at once.”

As Gabriella went with them, Ioreth called, “Not you, Gabby! You do not belong there.”

“She stays.” Boromir’s voice, soft but without any mistaking the note of authority, carried out across the cavernous room. 

“But—”

“She stays.”

Ioreth looked none too pleased, but nodded and Gabriella kept pace with them as they brought him into the private ward that was meant for the steward and his family alone. The couriers set the litter down and then, as carefully and gently as they could, moved Boromir onto the narrow bed in the middle of the room.

He let out a cry of pain so raw and anguish, the fine hairs all over Gabriella’s body stood straight up, and without thinking, she moved to stroke his matted, filthy hair, whispering, “Shhh… love, you will be out of pain soon.”

Sweat beaded his forehead, trickled down along his temples, and she tried to ignore the less than pleasant aroma that clung to him. His hair felt a bit gummed, and did not move much as she passed her fingers over it, but she ignored that as well as Ioreth came into the room and began barking orders at her underlings. 

Gabriella ignored all of it, her focus on Boromir and him alone. She’d never seen him so pale, so still… he was always a force of nature in the form of a man. He tensed when his clothing was cut away and Ioreth offered up a pointed stare at Gabriella as her assistants brought in cloths and water to wash him.

“You should not be here,” Ioreth grumbled, shaking her head. “This is no place for a lady.”

“I am fine.” Gabriella met her stare. “I am not even looking at his body, so you needn’t worry.”

Boromir’s fingers tightened briefly about hers and she looked back at Ioreth. “If you will give me a cloth, some soap and water, I will wash his face and hair.”

For a moment, she thought Ioreth was going to argue, but then she sighed. “Someone pass Gabby those things, please.”

Boromir stiffened then and let out a cry and she turned to see the healer probing at his left thigh. A sheet had been laid over him to give him at least a hint of modesty, but Gabriella’s mouth went dry and her stomach lurched at the sight and she was sorry she looked. 

His thigh had two broken-off arrow shafts protruding from it and she couldn’t even begin to imagine what sort of pain they must have caused. The wounds themselves were a mess as well, bloody, swollen and weeping, squiggly red streaks running outward in all directions. She swallowed hard and turned her gaze back to his wan face. “What happened to you?” she murmured, reaching for the cloth that had been set on a low stool beside her, along with a basin of warm water. 

She tried to ease her hand from his, only to have him refuse to release her. “Boromir, let me do this,” she murmured. “You are truly a mess, you know.”

“Please…”

She sighed and let the cloth sink into the bucket. “Very well.”

His fingers tightened sharply about hers as Ioreth began probing those wounds on his leg. His entire body went stiff, his fingers nearly crushing her hand as they tightened about hers, a strangled cry rising to his lips as she pulled out the smallest, pointiest arrowhead Gabriella had ever seen.

She concentrated on him once more, focusing on his face, stroking his hair with her free hand. Anything and everything she could think of to keep him calm as the healer cleaned the wounds, which made him howl almost as much as removing the arrowheads did. 

“Easy now,” she whispered, bending and leaning until her lips just brushed his ear. “It will be over soon, love. I promise you it will.”

He went calm and Ioreth said, “Keep talking to him, Gabby. It seems to help.”

Gabriella nodded and turned back to Boromir. “Do you remember the day we met?”

“The horse… at the river.”

“You drew your sword. I was terrified you’d run me through.”

“You were not…” he grimaced as he turned his head toward her. “Were you?”

“Absolutely. You were very frightening, you know.”

“I would… would never hurt… you…”

“I know that now. But then? I was shaking so badly. I thought I might faint from the fear.”

His eyelids slid shut and he grimaced, a howl of pain leaking through his teeth so raw, so full of agony, that Gabriella felt it. She squeezed his hand with hers and smoothed his hair with her free hand. “Do you remember the day at the river, when you told me you had to leave?”

“I… I do.”

“I thought you were going to kiss me that day.” She ignored the pointed look Ioreth shot over Boromir. 

He swallowed hard, sweat rolling down along his temple, his breathing rapid and shallow. “I wanted to,” he confessed, meeting her gaze and managing a hint of a smile. “But that fool interrupted before… before I could.”

“We can get him back later.”

A weak laugh floated to his lips. “We should.”

“We will.”

“Promise me.”

Her heart soared as she brought the hand she held to her lips and brushed them across its back. “I promise you.”

He actually chuckled then, and she laughed with him, her spirits soaring high above Minas Tirith, above Gondor, above all of Middle Earth. But then, Ioreth did something and he let out a roar that made everyone in the room jump. 

“I beg your pardon,” Ioreth said. “There was debris embedded beneath the arrow. Everything needs to be as clean as we can get it, lest the infection rage out of control.”

He gritted his teeth, a muscle bulging along his jaw. “Take care, please.”

“I am doing my best.”

“Easy, love,” Gabriella whispered to him once more. “Let her work.”

The healer muttered something under her breath as she moved up to examine the wound on his chest and once more, Gabriella thought she might be sick at the sight. A third arrow, just below his left collarbone. Swollen. Weeping. Red streaks in all directions. 

“Shhh… my love,” she murmured as he stiffened once more. His cry this time was far weaker and he looked so much paler than he had out in the daylight. His breathing was far faster and harder now, but shallower and his fingers slowly eased about hers. 

Panic nipped at her. “Boromir? Squeeze my hand, love,” she whispered, her fingers tightening about his as if to show him what she meant. 

His hand slipped from hers to hit the sheet at his hip. She pressed her lips together, staring intently at white linen over his chest. It rose and fell in a slower rhythm and Ioreth said, “Let him be, Gabby. Let him rest.”

Gabriella blinked back the hot tears pricking the backs of her eyes. “I am staying with him.”

“Very well. If you wish to wash him now, you should do so. I will be back in a bit to look in on him.” She looked to her assistants. “Come. There are still far more wounded to be brought in.”

With that, everyone filed out, leaving her alone with Boromir. The room grew eerily silent, with only the faint hum of conversation wafting in from the main room. Gabriella bit back a sigh as she moved to the basin once more to pluck the washrag from it. Then, she set to work washing the dirt and grime from his face, his neck, his chest (taking care around the bandages) his arms, his hands. She carefully washed the dirt and sweat and debris from his hair, and when she finished, she dragged over a chair and sank into it. 

[greypetrel]

The flaming pan is Doris the Rage Demon's fault, and also Corypheus surrendered, crying and promising he will never do it again please have mercy please stop picking on me here's the Orb take it.

I had so much fun on these, thank you! I do love June and they're having so much fun together! <3

science horsegirls wreaking havoc, more at 10

OC collab with @greypetrel! :] This was a whole lot of fun hehe

blank template can be found here!

[evajellion]

Anymore Touhou A Live fun facts?

Besides the fact that there are cute little references to other games scattered around? Hmmm-

I haven't talked much about the incarnates of Rage (the new Lord of Dark) for this game yet! They all have really good backstories, well except for one of them.

Draygion, a red dragon from the Wild chapter.

… There's nothing to note here. It's just a flying Odo that breathes fire. Virtually no differences. Cool design I guess, but otherwise a lackluster boss for the most lackluster chapter in the fan game.

He turns birds into yakitori I guess.

Ray Jihad, the vampire butler from the Gatekeeper chapter.

A commoner once hired by Remilia Scarlet but eventually fired due to pressure from her noble peers, who think strength only comes from blood rather than hard work. Rather than understanding since Remilia has the mind of a child, Jihad goes out to terrorize humanity and form his own army of commoners.

He ends up hiring Qiu Jin Lee (a gunslinger), who decides to blackmail criminal tengu via kidnapping and endangers children in order to lure out Reimu so she can't save Remilia.

Meiling ends up defeating him and Jihad is hoisted by his own petard, the Solar Arrow. The dude spent too much time monologuing in front of Remilia rather than actually getting the job done.

He kills Yun Jou, which honestly makes his spiel about the strength of hard work into a complete hypocrite!

Before dying, he utters the words "Julietta, I'm sorry", implying a beloved. (which I turned into Oscar)

The Japanese wikis for this game treat him as a joke boss. He can be killed by Meiling in a mere three turns. The wikis even warn you more about Qiu Jin than him.

Jirou Gurei, a commander from the Netherworld chapter.

This short pretty boy once served under a daimyo, and was known for his ruthlessness. Unlike Ode Iou, he is actually sympathetic. (Jirou is his surname btw, so it’s surname first and first name last)

After he was killed during times of war, the Yama, Eiki Shiki sentenced him to hell. Jirou accepted this fate just fine, but his comrades, who had little experience in war and did nothing wrong, were also punished. He discovered the reason was that too many people were in heaven, so Eiki was punishing people for smaller.

In short, unlike Remilia in Jihad’s case who is innocent, Eiki is definitely at fault for all of this happening (and is sadly never punished, keep in mind how brutal Hell is in Japanese culture too).

Viewing this as injustice, Jirou brings three other demons into his service (Hattori Hanzo, Ashiya Doman, and Ryomen Sukuna), then takes over the Netherworld, imprisoning Yuyuko in the process.

Much like Ode Iou, he has a second form and…

It’s just a fusion of other RPG monsters, but yeah.

Rei Jenova, the dead girl of the Wild West chapter.

A zombie or ghoul type of girl, that was once the daughter of a town mayor. The anger of her town and citizens being destroyed brought her rotten corpse back to life, as an NPC puts it. Because humans had taken from her, she wants to take lives by creating an army of ghouls.

For a spooky corpse girl, she’s kind of cute though! The ponytail and blue eyes are such a selling point, and her outfit reminds me of Doris Day as Calamity Jane!

Still, she wields a heavy machine gun and has these ghastly claws coming out from her scarf. Much like O. Dio, she is fully capable of killing your party. When she’s defeated, her corpse turns to ash and blows away.

I think her name in the fan translation is incorrect actually… her name is spelt レイジ which translates as “Reiji” or “Raze”. Raze would make sense given what she does.

Much like Jirou, her surname is actually first (but this was undone in the fan translation), which is weird because she seems to be an American.

Considering the fact that both her and the Sundown Kid have the same backstory of the town being destroyed by outlaws… I’m pretty sure she might be one of the people he feels guilt over not being able to save.

(Sidenote: Ran does not have her name yet in this chapter, so chronologically, this is actually one of the first taking place-)

Gungrey Jibalt, the challenger of the Ice Fairy chapter.

It’s not a coincidence, he is the challenger that appears for Masaru Takahara. (might be mistranslated, his surname can also be spelt as “Gilbert”)

After Odio made Masaru disappear, Gungrey hopelessly pursues him until he somehow ends up in Gensokyo. After seeing Cirno’s desire to become powerful, he decides he will melt her, and finally claim the title as being the strongest.

Of course, Cirno calls hims a crazy murderer for threatening her. Thankfully, unlike Odie, he never actually goes through hurting anyone! In fact, he seems like a harmless weirdo compared to all the other Rage incarnates.

He can still kill Cirno in a single hit unfortunately, which is one thing he has over Odie O’Bright…

After Cirno defeats him, Gungrey just falls over, and Masaru finally reappears to challenge her.

I like to imagine that after defeating Rage for good, Cirno, Masaru, and Gungrey all became friends. Again, he seems harmless compared to the others, lol.

Dr. Livingstill, the necromancer of the Hourai chapter.

After being drowned in liquefied humans, this crazy bastard got isekai’d to Gensokyo, where he met Eirin Yagokoro. The two decided to research ways to conquer death, in the most immoral ways possible!

The fan translation for this and even the original LAL mistakingly name him “Cindleman”. It’s “Shinderuman”, which literally means “dead man”… thus the localized name of “Livingstill”.

As such, in this game, Livingstill / Shinderuman is just a nickname for him. His real name is Reje Shinderu. (Reje Living I suppose, if you go with the localization)

He makes no mention of his past mishaps with Akira, Tobei, or General Yamazaki. Did Yamazaki and Unryu also get isekai’d? Probably not. Despite that, Livingstill immediately returned to his old ways- except worse.

Livingstill and Eirin decide to set up a Soylent Base plant, where they produce canned meat made out of dead humans. He also took the earth rabbits of Gensokyo and fed them a “slave drug” made by Eirin. They can only survive via oxygen tanks due to the severity of the drug.

The rabbits, now known as Gladys soldiers, start kidnapping children and other people to make into more Soylent Base… or cocooning them… imprisoning them, etc-

He did get the rabbits to make a giant robot version of Yagokoro, and he says that Eirin is the only one that understands his genius. Eirin also hesitates when admitting interest in his research… I think something else is going on.

0-JI, the magic computer of the Return chapter.

The result of taking it easy. Drop dead easy…

The stealth pun is lost in translation and mistakingly calls the computer REI-IJI, but “零” (rei) is one of the ways you say zero in Japanese.

0-JI is a magic computer made from cherry tree by the Hakurei Shrine. Unlike OD-10, the frustration of this machine comes from seeing its kin and forest polluted by both humans and youkai.

Gensokyo is doomed to pollution unless 0-JI kills humanity and youkai alike, allowing nature to be preserved. As such, they send false orders to Reisen so she kills all of the crew mates on the ship, and then uses telekinetic power to bring the corpses back to life as zombies.

0-JI takes the form of a yukkuri version of Reimu (a common meme within the fandom), but when you do damage to them over time…

How cute!

Never mind!

Definitely more sympathetic than OD-10, it really just wanted to save its children but felt trapped.

[thevims2]

🍿🕹🔮🎵 for the curiouses and tycho?

for some reason i cant see the first two emojis!!!! :(((((((

Pascal:

🍿 i think all the curious brothers would like sci fi of course, but each one has a fave genre of scifi. i think pascal would like movies set in space, about space exploration or very light conflicts, like star wars or star trek. he probably loves cult movies that can be considered sci fi adjacent too, like back to the future. outside of sci fi, he likes slice of life movies, stories that revolve around families, but have a happy ending in the end.

🕹 he likes story driven action games, stuff like final fantasy or mass effect (he LOVES mass effect). enjoys playing other games too but thats his favorite.

🔮 all the curious bros love futurama imo, its the one tv show all of them find perfect. pascal's fave character is leela

🎵i think hed enjoy instrumental music, lots of prog rock, maybe early electronic music like mort garson or tom dissevelt. he probably enjoys people playing ppl playing theremins too, like a fucking nerd. (im thinking of sounds like in this video or this other one specifically)

Lazlo:

🍿 he likes sci fi too, but i think hed go for comedy style movies, like the hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy, or parodies. i think outside of sci fi he watches some some horror and splatter movies too, prefferring those that kind of end up being a little ridiculous, like army of darkness (hes for sure a BIG og sam raimi fan).

🕹 hes the real gamer of the family, and likes playing any kind of stuff. they own like, 6 different consoles, and lazlo bought all of them. he gets really competitive, and pascal had to ban playing mario kart cause vidcund and lazlo would always end up screaming at each other.

🔮 his fave futurama character is either professor fansworth or doctor zoidberg

🎵i was going to say ironically that he listens to whatever kind of music math rock is, but then i checked some examples and i found that a) he for sure digs math rock and b) i kinda dig it too. i think hed be into ska too (im thinking 90s ska but 60s jamaican ska works too)

Vidcund:

🍿 i think he goes for either dystopian movies, or plots very centered around conflict. he likes movies like oblivion, war of the worlds and avatar. i think he likes a lot fantasy movies like lotr, or superhero movies. he probably loved watchmen

🕹 he likes stuff overwatch, or tf2, where the gameplay is pretty simple, but also you have external lore to talk about. he gets really frustrated really easily, and rage quits a lot.

🔮 his fave futurama character is fry. obviously

🎵anything from this web page i found - id say especially tmbg and ween. also bands like weezer or ok go come to my mind

Tycho:

🍿 as a kid, huge fan of cartoons with animal characters, like scooby doo or finding dory (i dont think they liked either princess movies or actiony stuff). huge pixar fan. they of course were bombarded since childhood with sci fi stuff, but they feel indifferent grow tired of it/feel indifferent towards it. i feel theyd like pretty mainstream stuff, teenage movies or the one netflix film everyone is talking about. loves romcoms.

🕹 they plays the games they have at home, mostly from lazlo's collection, and prefers more casual stuff, like mario kart or cooking mama. stuff that doesnt have any lore behind, and they can pick up whenever they want

🔮they still think bart is a futuramna character. the kid is hopeless

🎵i think they like some of the instrumental music pascal listens to, but tycho prefers more modern stuff. maybe music thats popular with internet kids? like lemon demon or stuff like that.

[shittykawagirl97]

Phoenix (6/6)

Words: 3582

Pairing: Steve McGarrett/Danny Williams, Chin go Kelly/Malia Waincroft, Kono Kalakaua/Adam Noshimuri

Summary: Malia's Funeral. Chin and Alyssa philosophically drink. Danny and Steve bickering.

⚠ Set during and after 3.02 ⚠

Funerals, whiskey, and tears.

Alyssa hated death.

She loathed it with all her heart, not because of death per se or the gigantic hole someone left in your life without knowing it, she hated death because of the consequences that it had on the living.

The loneliness, the sorrow, the tears, the cold, the heartache, the mental and emotional breakdown; Alyssa abhorred seeing the people she cared for in that kind of pain because she felt and saw it too many times. Any professional would have said it was kinda unhealthy, at that point.

Death was Alyssa's solo, steady, companion in her life and she despised it.

At the first funeral she attended, she was six and no one had to explain to her what had happened or what was happening. She knew that her Nonno Alberto wasn't sleeping in the casket and she felt like she would have never been able to talk to him ever again, but she was okay with that in a strange way.

She was sad, obviously, but after her mother and sister talked to her, she accepted that it was a fact that no one could change.

What had broken her into a pathetic whine was the devastation that she could see on her parents and sister's faces; she didn't want them to feel that way, she wanted them to smile, to laugh, to enjoy the food it was passed around, but she was six and she couldn't do anything to help.

That broke her spirit and her little heart.

In the mare eight years after, Alyssa attended other four family funerals. The last one, when she was fourteen, was her mother's.

For the first time, she didn't just saw the agony in her grannies' faces or her dad's or her sister's; Alyssa felt it, felt the voidness in her chest, the crack in her soul, the ultimate clusterfuck of emotion that her brain was, one moment she was crying for her loss and the next she was hysterically laughing.

Everyone was telling her to be strong. To be courageous. To be there for her dad, but she just wanted to disappear, to stop feeling, to lose herself into the void.

Everything was too much and she didn't know how to copy. The sun was too bright, the sorrow of the people gathered too fake, the emotions too troublesome and Alyssa just turned it all off.

It took hours, a panic attack at the thought of never being able to feel again, and a hurtful headshot with her cousin's forehead to evade the nothingness and being able to feel again. Years later she would have learned that she had her first emotional overload that day.

But death wasn't done with her.

Her mother's cousin, her mother's aunt, her two grannies, her father's aunt, all died before her twenty-second birthday.

Death wasn't a stranger to Alyssa but she now could handle the aftermath.

At least, that was what she thought before Danny's call.

It had been a long work night. She had just finished examining a young boy that was brought into ER at an hour where you can't tell if it is too late or too soon when her phone ringed. Danny's voice cracked when he told her about Malia's death.

Alyssa was so out of it that she breakdown in the middle of ER. The nurses had to take her phone and tell Danny to come, take her home. Her blond friends didn't leave her alone that night: he brought her to his home and tackle her on the couch, under soft sheets. Told her to wake him if there was anything she needed.

Alyssa the world became blurred after that.

Danny was always present. Showing up on her doorstep every time he could, bringing her something to eat or drink; they passed the hours sitting on her couch silently drinking their sorrow away. She knew Steve was away for a few days – this time the idiot told them – and when one afternoon Danny showed up with his brunette partner, she just buried herself in the hug that Steve was offering.

It was only a couple of hours later and a call away that Alyssa learned that Doris McGarrett was alive and being watched by Catherine, Steve's ex. That afternoon she learned that Danny had to thought for Grace once again, too.

It took Chin a couple of weeks to organize Malia's surfer funeral ceremony and he asked for her help. He knew how strongly tied Alyssa and Malia had become during the past year and it would be offensive to not include her in it.

They met at a twenty-four hours diner and set together almost all nights; they needed someone to talk to, to mourn and cry with. Someone that could understand the hole Malia left behind at a hundred per cent.

Sometimes Steve showed up, no words, just a cup of coffee and his presence - the worst nights his strong arm could have been found over Alyssa's shoulders. Other times Danny followed him and there were a lot of words included, but they were soft and warm. She found herself smiling softly at the couple more and more times alongside Chin.

And then the day came.

The sky was impeccably blue, no trace of clouds, and the sun could break a stone. Alyssa, wearing her most elegant black suit, was standing on the beach barefoot; in the water, a few meters away, Chin was releasing Malia's ashes. Her eyes were burning because of the tears but she stood rigid, head high, paying her silent respect to one of the best women she ever met in her life.

At her right, Danny was squeezing her forearm to remind her that she was not alone in that. Alyssa breathed shakingly and throw a rapid glance in his direction.

Danny's expression was contracted and his jaw was rigid, tightly closed; his eyes were dark and shiny, a little tear had escaped his left eye but he wouldn't wipe it away: one hand closed around her arm and the other was tightly buried into Steve's suit.

Steve, on the other side of the blonde, had an arm around his boyfriend's waist and was whispering things, trying to console the other man. For all the things that had happened in the last few days, Alyssa was really happy that at least these two were finally together.

Kono was at her left and had taken residence against Alyssa's shoulder, hold protectively by her arm; the woman hadn't yet won against the demons that were telling her that Malia's death was her fault and for that, she hadn't been able to be at his cousin's side in the water. Alyssa had promised Chin to keep an eye on her.

Behind them, a little distant, there were Adam and Cathrine.

Alyssa had yet to meet Kono's man but she knew was told that between him and Chin there wasn't a good relationship; that alone explained why, even though Adam wanted to be there for Kono, he was standing respectfully away. Everyone was pretending he wasn't there – no one wanted to witness a fistfight at a funeral – but now and then Kono would look back and waved a hand to tell him she was alright. Alyssa looked at him only a handful of times, their meeting every time and she nodded, just once, to tell him that his girlfriend was alright.

Cathrine was an entirely different story: she wanted to help Steve but stood back a little from them because she didn't know Malia personally and didn't want to intrude.

In the water, the surfers started shouting and splashing the water.

Malia was gone.

The wake had been good. A lot of people passed by for condolences and even more arrived armed with alcohol.

Alyssa, Kono, Danny, and Steve helped Chin in every way they can – from taking the food from a newly arrived woman to greetings people when Chin hid for a moment – but when their common friend would bench them because "I'm suffering not an invalid", Danny had an entire argument against that, they would find themselves in a corner of the room mourning and sharing stories about Malia.

Alyssa brought the glass to her lips and sipped the brown beverage. She wasn't a whiskey woman – rum, rum was her go-to for the sourest nights – but it was the strongest alcoholic drink that had been left around.

Not even two hours in and Five-0, minus Chin, was called away for a case. Alyssa found herself alone, with not a lot of booze left around: the Kelly-Kalakaua clan turned out to be composed of pro-drinker.

Snatching away a glass, and the last but already opened bottle of whiskey, she went outside and sat on the porch's steps. It was only two weeks and she already missed Malia as she would have missed a limb.

There was a huge void in her life, in her work, in her daily activity by now. It was said that you understood what you had after you had lost it; Alyssa always thought she had understood what she had in Malia – a coworker, a friend, a sister – and yet she felt like she had just lost a piece of who she was.

She felt desperation, rage, sadness, and numbness; she felt it all at once or nothing at all.

God! She felt precisely the same as at her mother's funeral. This time, though, she had booze to drown herself in.

Her phone vibrated again but she ignored Steve's text: the brunette wanted an update on her and Chin, every five minutes. Yeah, she was starting to understand why Danny was always in yelling mode.

She sipped again at the whiskey – no but seriously, why no one had brought rum? – and looked nowhere and everywhere.

«Are you okay?» Chin's voice asked her. Alyssa looked over and watched the man stumbled towards her and slumped (fell) next to her (almost on her). When had he become so drunk?

«Shouldn't be me to ask you that?» She retorted, settling him the best she could.

«Meh. I am good for now: the Okolehao helped». He raised his still full glass. «But you are not drunk, not speaking, and starting at nothing».

Alyssa smirked and sipped from her glass.

«What are you? A policeman?»

Chin's elbow found a new home in her left side. Hard. Ouch.

«I'm not so gone that I can't see you burying your emotion under your scary amount of sarcasm», he warned. «I had worked with Steve and Danny for over two years now, I am trained. And Malia complained about it. A lot. And loud enough».

Alyssa snorted. Gosh, that woman!

They settled in comfortable silence for a few minutes.

Chin knew that Alyssa was dangerously similar to Steve when it came to coping mechanisms: where his boss coped from trauma with an insane dose of recklessness, the woman used a foolish amount of sarcasm.

Just like Danny... A lot like Danny.

Chin looked at the dark-haired woman and couldn't stop himself from thinking that she was what Steve and Danny's child would have been like. Grace had saved herself from becoming that thank to Rachel.

«I thought I become good at managing it», Alyssa's voice brought Chin back to the present.

«Managing what?»

«Death, mourning... The void». She answered with a tight tone before dipping the whiskey, trying to force down the knot that was forming in her throat.

«Death is death, Lyss, there is no way around».

She snorted before drinking again. «Didn't I know that».

Chin cringed at her level of sarcasm. Malia, during a rare night spent on the couch with Netflix and ice cream, had confessed to him that she was preoccupied with her new co-worker's coping mechanism. Steve and Danny hadn't yet become her patients at that point.

The two women weren't even friends but, because Malia was the only one that Alyssa respect enough to not insult, their boss had asked Malia to talk to the younger woman. She had made a nurse cry that day, after blowing up for a stupid reason; Alyssa had probably been at her breaking point because she opened up to Malia the instant she asked her what was wrong. The unhealthy amount of sarcasm used during the explanation – it had been her mother's death anniversary – had left Malia on edge for the rest of the day.

«I'm sorry», Chin mumble apologetically.

Alyssa winced.

«God, Chin. No!» She exclaimed, passing a hand on her face. «Don't ever apologize for something like that. Your sorrow isn't less real than mine cause I had a lot of people taken from me! That is a very, very wrong idea to have!»

«And yet, you're undermining your own only because you attended more funerals than me!» He threw back at her. «Losing a loved one is never easy! Even after fifty damn funerals».

Alyssa shakingly breathed in and filled her now empty glass. She needed a lot more alcohol in her to be able to survive that discussion.

«Death touched me when I was a baby, Chin», she gulped down a good amount of the brown beverage, burning her throat. «I grew up with death breathing down my neck. Wherever I look there was death in a way or another. That scars you for life; the only way out of that ache is accepting.

Accepting that death is real. Death is everywhere, at any given moment, and we can't do shit about it. Life's meaning is death and that's it».

Chin watched her eyes puffing and reddening with unleashed tears, he drunk.

«I understand what you mean but I think you are wrong on two things».

«Enlight me, please», Alyssa's tone was sarcastic but her face was grim: she honestly grew up thinking that she hadn't any more rights to feel the loss of a loved one because she had lost too many.

Chin's heart strung at the revelation. He wanted to kill every idiot that made her feel that way and then protect her a lot more: she was a beautiful person, with a gigantic heart; she didn't deserve all the suffering she had been through.

«First», he choked out, «I think that we can do something about death. Yeah, we can't save anyone and death is the destination of everyone's life... But we can help to make their life a little bit longer and a little bit safer. I become a cop cause of that and you wouldn't be such a good doctor if you didn't think the same. At least, subconsciously».

«Second», his voice lower, careful and full of affection, «I think that death can help us understand life better. Can let us appreciate what we have a lot more, never giving someone for granted. I thought that I had the rest of my life to spend with Malia and I feel that I hadn't told her enough how much I love her».

Alyssa shook her head vigorously.

«Malia knew how much you loved her, Chin. She never questioned your seriousness or your resolve. She comprehended how much you were giving her and she worshipped it.

«Never, ever guilt yourself with her death. Please, please, believe me when I tell you that Malia loved you with every inch of herself, despite knowing that one day you could have died in action or that your work could have followed you home. She knew what she was going up to and she never regretted any of that. That was the kind of love she was willing to give you and the kind of love she knew you were giving her every single second of your life».

Chin sipped from his glass and closed his eyes, trying to contain his tears but losing miserably when one ran down his sharp cheekbone. He didn't even try to wipe it away, too tired.

«I wasn't the only one she loved, Lyss», he remarked. «She thought of you as the little sister she never had. She cared about you as much as you cared for her. Yeah, maybe you didn't know her for long, but you have the same rights as me to be upset. To be angry. To be sad.

«She was your friend and you can be broken because of her death. No matter how many people you lose or how many funerals you attended».

Alyssa felt her eyes stung like bitches and didn't fight the tears or the emotional breakdown. She sobbed loudly, hiding her face with her free hand, letting herself honestly mourning her best friend for the first time since she had been told she had died.

Suddenly, a weight was left from her shoulders, and Chin was there to keep her together. She didn't know what he had done to deserve such good friends but she was thankful for them all.

Chin embraced her for what felt like forever, encouraging her to let go of everything, before the sobs subsided and she stopped crying. They stayed like that – her head on his shoulder and his arm around her shoulders – a little more afterwards, just to know that they were not alone.

The only sound was the neverending buzz of her phone.

«Are you going to respond to Steve's text?» Chin asked after the umpteenth notification.

«Nope, he should learn a little bit of patience». Alyssa responded truthfully. «And I am enjoying my mental picture of Danny bitching at him at every new text».

Chin snorted.

«I think you forget who you are talking about in that bottle of whiskey you stole».

Alyssa scuffed and admitted to herself that she was starting to feel a little tipsy; it was a good feeling. For the first time in days, she felt the void inside her subsided a little bit.

«He has a job to do and he should stay focus on it», she smirked. «We have alcohol to keep us at bay and each other, obviously, because misery loves company».

The dark-haired man laughed at that.

«You would have been right if you were talking about anyone else, but you talking about Steve McGarrett here. He will terrify someone for life just to being able to return here immediately and smother us with worries. If you think that Danny will not partner up with him on this, I will say you drunk too much».

The woman rolled her eyes and was ready to retort that yes, Steve and Danny were practically insane and unstoppable when worried for their ohana but this was different because they knew where they were; when the rumble of an engine tore the quiet air in half and suddenly a silver Camaro was stopping in front of Chin's house with a dangerous screech.

The car went silent a moment after and the first thing the two cuddling friends heard was Danny's scared-pitched ranting. Immediately, they couldn't understand the single words – obstructed by the car door – but then Steve swiftly got out of the vehicle and Danny followed him.

«I was screaming for my life you Neandertal animal!» He was wailing, waving his hands everywhere after closing the car door. «You went up to the red zone of the speedo and never come down! You are officially insane and I should have dragged you to a psychiatrist some time like yesterday!»

«I was preoccupied!» Steve ranted back, now at Danny's side with an I-can't–understand–why-are-you-shouting-at-me face. «She isn't answering her phone! Everything could have happened!».

Danny made a large and circular gesture with his hand and ended up indicating Chin and Alyssa.

«They are drunk, you shmuck! They are at a wake, they are grieving the loss of a very special woman in their life, they are crying, and they are drinking an unhealthy amount of alcohol! Just look at them, they are fine!»

Steve let his gaze follow Danny's hands and he finally noticed that the sources of his concerns, cuddling on the front step of Chin's house. Their glasses were half empty, the whiskey in the bottle was dangerously close to the bottom, and their cheeks were stained with dried tears.

No dangerous whatsoever.

He felt his face flush and shyly waved a hand in their direction.

Alyssa laughed out loud at that because, yeah, Chin was right and she had forgotten who Steve was: a closet mother hen. Hell, if she didn't love him for that.

Chin joined in her laugh and she caught the shitty smut grin that Danny was giving his boyfriend.

Alyssa felt alive and at home. She felt secure like she could be herself even in the worst moment of all with her Ohana around.

She hadn't to hide her sadness and sorrow anymore because now she had insane, lovely people that would help through all of it.

Part (1/2/3/4/5/6)

[books-in-a-storm]

A Book To Read

Title: Midnight's Daughter(Dorina Basarab #1)

Author: Karen Chance

Pages:373

Synopsis: Dorina Basarab is a dhampir-half human, half vampire. Subject to uncontrollable rages, most dhampirs live very short, very violent lives. So far Dory has managed to maintain her sanity by unleashing her anger on those demons and vampires who deserve killing. Now Dory's vampire father has come back into her life. Her Uncle Dracula (yes, the Dracula), infamous even among vampires for his cruelty and murderous ways, has escaped his prison. And her father wants Dory to work with gorgeous master vampire Louis-Cesare to put him back there. Vampires and dhampirs are mortal enemies, and Dory prefers to work alone. But Dracula is the only thing on Earth that truly scares her, so when Dory has to go up against him, she'll take all the help she can get…

[thedailyimagines]

Imagine finding a cursed Rabbit Foot, then trying to survive after losing it while on a mission with Zatanna and Artemis.

Anon requested: “Imagine finding a Rabbit Foot (and not knowing it was cursed) and trying to stay alive after losing it while on a mission with Zatanna and Artemis. “How was I supposed to know it was cursed?!””

.

So this is taking place during season 1, in the episode ‘Secrets’. It’s the Halloween one with sword dude (Harm) and Greta (Secret). Spoilers I guess? (Can there be spoilers for something that’s been on for a while? Idk).

~~~~~~~~

“What is that?” Y/n looked up at a very disgusted Artemis. After working with the team for so long, the archer and the magician were...at odds sometimes. Maybe growing up around John Constantine has changed some of y/n’s perceptions?

“This? I won it at an arcade game. It’s a rabbit foot.” Artemis shook her head.

“That is disgusting.” Y/n shrugged and headed to their room.

“They’re supposed to be lucky. Besides, it’s probably not a real one. Why put a real one in an arcade?” Neither one noticed the faint glow the rabbit’s foot had.

<—>

“Soooo...Halloween night, and we’re fighting crime?” Y/n toyed around with the bouncy ball in their hand. Normally Halloween was spent with Constantine fighting demons. But Zatanna had insisted they tag along tonight with her and Artemis.

“Yep. Let’s get going before the bad guys get too far.” Zatanna happily turned to start the patrol around the city. Artemis shrugged and checked her bowstring.

“Alright then—watch out!” Y/n threw up a magic shield at the last moment. Which would have worked perfectly if the second attack hadn’t broken through and hit them head on.

“Y/n!”

<—>

When y/n came to, they were in a dusty room. There were no lights, no sounds, and most importantly no sign of Artemis or Zatanna. If there was a door, it wasn’t in y/n’s line of sight. Great.

“Where the crap am I...?” The sound of footsteps from behind caught y/n’s attention, then a sword was held up to their throat.

“It is finally awake.” Y/n jerked their head towards the voice, finding a rather built man wielding the sword. The sword was practically humming with energy.

“Listen buddy, I don’t know who you are but if you want to keep your bollocks then I suggest you let me go!”

“It thinks it is in control. Amusing.”

“Screw you!” The swordsman was about to say more until something fell out of y/n’s pocket. He picked it up and y/n saw it was the rabbit foot. Hadn’t they left it at home?

“It seems that one had a gift on itself. Harm knows what this is, and it curses the last holder.” Y/n rolled their eyes. Of course the crazy sword guy would think a cheap replica is actually magic.

“That’s just a prize from an arcade. It’s not real!” The swordsman smiled menacingly.

“It doesn’t sense the magic. But Harm does, and Harm knows that it is cursed.” Magic? There was no way that stupid foot was magic. Right?

“Look, I really don’t care that you took the charm. But how would it have been cursed? And in an arcade of all places?” Harm ignored their comment and pocketed the rabbit foot.

Extending the slightest bit of their magic out, y/n tried to sense the magic energy around the rabbit foot. They could only sense a hint of magic. Whatever was there, it was either long gone or y/n wasn’t skilled enough to sense more.

“Harm does not care where it found the gift. But Harm will be back to dispose of it after slaying it’s allies.” The swordsman left the room, leaving a tied up y/n to worry about their friends. Y/n hoped that Artemis and Zatanna found a way to escape.

“Y/n! Are you okay?” Speak of the devil. The two heroes entered the room. Artemis kept a watch on the door while Zatanna cut the ropes around y/n’s wrists. Y/n rubbed their raw skin and nodded.

“I’m fine. Listen, remember that rabbit foot?” Artemis groaned and rolled her eyes.

“Really y/n? Now?” Y/n waved her off and kept explaining.

“It’s real. An actual charm. It’s cursed so that the last person to hold it is cursed when they lose it.” The color drained from Zatanna’s face. Artemis however, was not as affected by the revelation.

“So how is that relevant now?” Y/n swallowed hard.

“I was the last person. And Harm took it from me.” Zatanna’s eyes widened in horror.

“You let him take it?!?!” Y/n put their hands up defensively.

“He took it! I was tied up, I couldn’t keep it from him! And it wasn’t even supposed to be in my pocket!” Artemis snorted and led the way out of the room.

“Leave it to you to get cursed.” Y/n glared at the archer.

“How was I supposed to know it was cursed?!?!” Zatanna stepped in and pointed down the hall, where the three could see Harm with a look of rage on his face.

“Guys! Right now we should focus on not dying!” The three heroes ran throughout the old house trying to avoid Harm. But he seemed to find the at every turn. Finally y/n had enough.

“Listen. That foot is either giving him the advantage or I’m giving all of us a disadvantage. The best thing to do would be me to split up with you guys.” Both Artemis and Zatanna shook their heads.

“No way! We are not leaving you alone for that monster to find you!” Y/n pulled away from them and stood their ground.

“This isn’t up for discussion! I’ll be fine, I promise.” Y/n gave them a smile, hoping their fear wasn’t showing. “I’m not going to die on Halloween, it’s too cheesy.”

With some hesitation, Artemis and Zatanna ran down the hallway. Y/n watched them go and then ran down the opposite hall. If there was a way to get out of the house, they could contact the team, the Justice League, Hell even Constantine!

“There it is.” Of course he found them. Leave it to a curse to get y/n killed. Ducking beneath the sword swinging towards their head, y/n darted past Harm towards what was hopefully outside.

“Missed me, missed me, now you gotta kiss me!” The sword wielding psycho turned and ran after y/n.

“Harm will do no such thing.”

“Well fine then! Not like I wanted to kiss a psycho!” Y/n took a sharp turn and darted down another hall. How big was this house? The next door y/n ran through led them outside.

“Y/n! You’re alive!” There was Zatanna and Artemis, with what looked like a little girl? Y/n brushed it off and gave both the heroes a tight hug.

“Why do you sound so surprised—is that a grave?” The sight of the grave surprised them. What was it doing at a place like this?

“It’s Harm’s sister, Greta. He killed her.” Y/n was nearly rendered speechless. How could a brother do that to a sister? Wait, did that mean the little girl was—no, not the time now.

“That bastard.”

<—>

It was done. Harm was arrested, Greta moved on, and everything was hunky dory. And after they got the rabbit charm back, y/n found themselves taking a zeta tube to London. They walked the rainy streets until they found the flat they were looking for.

Y/n steeled themselves and knocked on the door of the flat. Mild curses were heard from inside before a disheveled blond man opened the door.

“Y/n?” Y/n shifted from one foot to the other nervously.

“Hi Mr. Constantine. I need your help.” Y/n held up the rabbit foot charm. John blinked, and then stepped aside to let y/n into his home.

“Of course kiddo. And I’ve told you, call me John. Now come inside, you look like you’re freezing.”

~~~~~~~~

I don’t own the above gif, all credit goes to the owner.

[spiritzrepostz]

since i was bored..

In Warioware Gold, i made a few dubs with my bro. I wanna mention a few of them.

Dribble and Spitz: It is just Spitz, who talks like Kermit, and he is following the script, while ignoring Dribble’s whining about wanting food and Taco Bell. 

Joe and Mona: Joe is mostly following the script, while Mona is possesed by a demon...or just has a old man voice, and constally asks for “ Smokes “ and says that Joe will never get her pot of gold. She also constally insults Joe and his apperance.

5-Volt: The muscle man is following the script and says muscles “ taste good “, while 5-Volt wants to be an millionare and refuses to work out.

Dr. Crygor: Mike asks Crygor why Doris is in his lab, and Crygor replies that he needs to take out his sexual frustration. When he finds out he lost his fungi, he gets sad and requests Mike to play Despacito. Of course, Mike refuses, leaving Crygor in a sobbing mess.

Orbulon: Orbulon is british and constally requests for british food and beverages, while the bored employer just gives him chili fries and chili shake. Orbulon then decides to then order a normal burger, only to find out that they where out of burgers. Out of rage, he threatens the resturant to give a 1 star review on yelp.

In the second part, he has bunch of pigs and asks the employer to slaughter them and “ steam these hams “. Of course, the employer refuses. He tells Orbulon that burgers are made out of cow and that he isn’t getting payed enough, so he tells Orbulon to get out of there before he calls the cops on him. Orbulon’s response? Well...he decides to slaughter the employer instead.

Ashley and Red: Red has an extremly anime girlish voice, and the demon tells Red that he is his father, confusing the living hell out of Red.

I might post the videos of the dubs soon, but my Ipad needs charging first, so i can record the dubs.

[thesirenofhel]

Thel’s Bio

Full Name: Thelxiepeia Tsukinoningyo (last name translates to “mermaid of the moon”, first name comes from Greek Mythology, one of the sirens) Gender and Sexuality: Female though is a bit boyish mostly, bisexual but mostly likes men. Doesn’t trust other women in terms of a relationship. Pronouns: She, her but really she doesn’t care. Ethnicity/Species: Human (previous life) Bat sound demon (currently) Birthplace and Birthdate: Egypt sometime in the 1880s. Guilty Pleasures: Gets a kick hypnotizing other demons to steal from them or just to mess with them like Angel. Phobias: Hates heights and well is a good swimmer, she does have a little fear of deep water. What They Would Be Famous For: Talented singer, dancer and song writer. What They Would Get Arrested For: Being a pirate, violence and theft. OC You Ship Them With: None yet (I ship her with Alastor) OC Most Likely To Murder Them: Doris her ex lover. Favorite Movie/Book Genre: Probably adventure movies like Sinbad. Least Favorite Movie/Book Cliche: I dunno, I guess the ones where the pirates are the ones that win? Talents and/or Powers: Can manipulate music and sounds through her wings and she can mimic sounds and voices through her own voice. She can fly but she refuses to because she fears flying. In her demon form she can drown people by having a wave of water come out from under her (forming a watery mermaid tail) and cause demons (and anyone else) to go deaf or mad from her siren song or ear piercing wailing. Can also change her skin tone from blue to her natural brown skin. Why Someone Might Love Them: She’s beautiful, righteous, kind, mostly laid back, understanding and follows her instincts especially when she feels something is wrong. She can be a very good friend and passionate lover. Why Someone Might Hate Them: Has rage issues obviously, she cut her ex girlfriend’s arm in half at the elbow which lead to her ex’s death, so she can be a bit violent, distrusting, even paranoid occasionally. How They Change: Going through the program at Charlie’s Hotel and her relationship with Alastor will help her control her powers, as Alastor teaches her to control such great power and harness it to her advantage. Not to mention, help her learn to trust and love again. Why You Love Them:  Despite I have many bat characters or bat representing characters such as Tlemamon, Payatamon and Umalea, she does stand out as her own character. She’s more adventurous and laid back then either of said characters and her unique abilities make her different from them power wise. She’s also my first bat aesthetic character that’s not tied to Native American culture and instead tied to Japanese, Egyptian and Romani culture.

[greypetrel]

For the word-story meme -- accurséd, any character

:3

Oh hello darling! :3

So, I know you’re not that familiar with Dragon Age but I hope it's enjoyable as well? It’s not that Aisling -former person in power, very competent, the local Jillian Holtzmann but with magic- can’t cook, it’s that the oven is cursed by a demon made of fire, who speaks in Doris Day’s voice, and is in love with her husband. And is definitely trying to get rid of the competition.

Here’s her grand introduction!

Micro story prompts

39. Accursed – Aisling.

“Ok. I know we’re not the best of friends…” Aisling muttered, in her most serious tone of voice, the one she used in the Inquisition when she had to act the diplomat between two quarrelling parts. Not condescending but calming, yet firm. “…But I really need your help, right now. If you look at it, we have the same goal, we could cooperate.”

After all, she was raised and educated to be a diplomat, a guide, a Keeper. She would have been leading her clan through Thedas right now, choosing the best path, guiding them to a safe place to make camp and rest, deciding when to move, making everyone work together in harmony. She had three years and a half of experience leading a big institution that brought peace to the world. Or tried to. She prevented assassinations and ended a war, and won a siege in less than a day. She had experiences pacifying Spirits and dealing with Demons without ending up possessed.

She was qualified.

Sure, she thought, she could convince Doris to help her this one time. Just once a year, and the rest of the time she would have left her alone. How difficult could it be?

“I need you to bake those cookies for me, without burning them. It’s Cullen’s birthday, as I’m sure you know. I’ll tell him that you participated.”

Aisling paused.

“Ok, I’ll tell him that you made them, it was your idea and you took pity o me. But please… Just this once? I’ll never set foot in the kitchen again, until the next year, I promise.”

Another pause, the tickling of the clock in the living room was the only perceivable noise in the house. Looking satisfied, the elf curled her lips in a smile, nodding solemnly.

“Thank you, I won’t forget your kindness.”

She concluded, turning around to retrieve a baking tray full of wobbly rectangles of pale-yellow batter, disposed irregularly over the surface. None was the same as the others, and there were loose droplets of batter all around. But the wannabe-baker didn’t care: she just placed the tray on her crossed legs, opened the door of the oven she’s been speaking with with a towel to protect her hand, and slipped the tray inside the hot stove, closing it as she was done with a clunk of metal.

And then, she took guard. She stayed where she was, sitting crossed-legged before the stove, staring at the oven’s door with a frown, as if it would make the shortbread bake better and quicker. The last disastrous experiment taught her that she needed patience, and that any magical help would have turned in a failure. So, she stood there and waited, fighting with the pricking on her fingers and every instinct that told her to just… Raise the temperature. Weave a spell that would have sped the process. No. Not this time, she wanted those accursed cookies to be eatable, and not pieces of coal vaguely shaped like cookies that Cullen appreciated for the gesture.

Bran reached her soon after, nails tickling over the wooden planks of the pavement and heavy breath announcing his arrival. She moved her back a little back to make space for the hound, who obediently rested his big head on her left thigh, with a content sigh. Aisling welcomed the distraction: the mabari was big enough that she could pet his head and scratch behind his ears with her remaining right hand without turning her bust too much, leaving her free to stare at the oven.

In the end, her patience paid off: she opened the oven’s door when perfume started to fill the kitchen. It took three consequent anxious attempts with a toothpick -as Mia had suggested her- before she deemed the cookies ready, and ready they were!

They were golden and appetizing, even if the shapes were not regular. Just a little burnished on the bottom, but it was a delicate brown, not the coal black she feared.

“Thank you, Doris! You’ve really been a dearie!” She cooed at the oven, patting its top mindlessly and quickly retrieving her hand with a hiss, forgetting for a moment that it was still scorching hot metal. “Ok, got it, we’re not in so much confidence yet. I get it! I’ll just put the cookies in a nice box and go!”

The dog barked happily, and she had to move his nuzzle down the table where she left the sweets.

“I’m sorry, Bran, but I don’t know if sugar cookies are good for you! You’ll be the official taster the next time, ok?”

Better safe than sorry: she knew next to nothing about dogs, and of course she couldn’t go and ask Cullen right now, ruining the surprise. Instead, patting the dog fondly as he whined in protest, and she promised him she would have given him an apple for his troubles, if he behaved. she set to work.

She found a nice tin box, covered it with the finest handkerchief she could find -the one with tiny strawberries embroidered on the hem, it would have looked nice with the blue box. She fixed it as best as she could, and carefully placed the cookies inside, folding the corners of cloth carefully on top of them. Satisfied, she closed the box and wove her fingers to move the ribbon she had prepared with magic, to tie in a nice little bow on top. It sat askew and it wasn’t elegant -she could never tie bows neatly with magic- but that would have to do. She examined carefully the finished product, and decided it was as good as it got. She nodded appreciatively, took the box and ran out of the door in search of her husband, dog trotting happily at her side.

“Happy birthday!” She trilled, presenting the box with a big smile, when she found him in the garden.

“What is it?” He asked, bending down for a kiss before taking the box.

“A surprise. Open it!”

He did, and surprised he was: they’ve lived there on their own for six months, and it was by now clear as day that amongst the many talents of Aisling Lavellan, cooking really wasn’t one of those. And those cookies looked… Weirdly good, for her standards.

“You cooked? For me?”

“Well, Doris did the most of the work, I just mixed the ingredients in the way your sister told me to. I know you love shortbread, so…”

“Thank you, it was really sweet.” He kissed her again, with a smile. “I’m sure they’ll be a perfect valid reason for skipping breakfast today.”

Aisling had, indeed, shooed him away from the main building that morning, insisting she had things to do and prepare and he shouldn’t be working during his birthday, and to just entertain himself for a hour, before he could set on preparing more than tea. It took something more than a hour -working with one hand didn’t really quicken the operations. But she did it, it was still fairly early in the morning, and the elf looked expectantly for her husband to try them. She followed the recipe to the letter, had his older sister explain to her in very simple terms how to prepare them and…

… And all her hopes crumbled as Cullen took a bite from one cookie and closed his eyes, lips bending together in a clear expression of disgust.

“… What is it? Are they burnt? They didn’t look burnt, what…”

“No. You baked them well…” He cleared his throat, swallowing. “They’re… Very good. I love them.”

Amongst the many talents of Cullen Rutherford, former Knight Templar, former Commander of the Inquisition Army, lying really wasn’t one of those.

“What is it?”

“I swear I like them, they’re very crumbly and you cooked them perfectly.”

“You hate them.”

“I do not.”

“Why haven’t you finished the one you picked, then?”

He stopped before replying them, looking at the leftover cookie still in his finger with a clear doubt in his face. He kept on staring at it for a full minute, doubtful of what to do. He looked at his wife. At the cookie again.

In the end, he sighed, heavily.

“Aisling… What jar did you pick from the counter?”

“The blue one… Why?”

“Ah.”

He offered her the leftover cookie, placing it before her lips. She rose an eyebrow at him, not understanding what he was doing. He nodded, prodding her on until she opened her mouth and he could place the remaining bite on her tongue, carefully. She chewed it and… Oh.

“… Cursed Doris, I knew she couldn’t be so accommodating without a reason...”

“She is, indeed, been feeling salty these last days…”

“I shouldn’t have trusted her.”

“It was a very sweet thought.”

“… At least that was sweet.”

And at least, Bran didn’t mind the fact that those shortbread cookies were made from flour, butter and salt.

[x-unnamedgraves-x]

YA I finished these. now I can write this off the bucket list LOL. these playlists have no order or cohesion I just slap them on shuffle and add/remove songs based on how well I think they make me think of a character. some of these songs I end up forgetting about because youtube decides to never play them LOL

links to each playlist/text versions of the lists under cut v

Nailioe (x) Lillies of the Valley - David Byrne Heavy Metal Poisoning - Styx Touch-Tone Telephone - Lemon Demon Eighth Wonder - Lemon Demon Enter Sandman - Metallica This is How I Disappear - My Chemical Romance Prototype - WoodenToaster The Future Soon - Jonathan Coulton [REDACTED] Don't Hold it Against Us - Groundbreaking An Unhealthy Obsession - The Synthetic Orchestra Ordinary Man - Jonathan Coulton Paint it Black - The Rolling Stones Happy Nation - Ace of Base Gonna Dig Up Alec Guinness - Lemon Demon Breezeblocks - Alt-J Dentist - Little Shop of Horrors My Ordinary Life - The Living Tombstone Killing in the Name of - Rage Against the Machine Say Amen - Panic! at the Disco Black Soul - Shinedown Dance on Vaseline - David Byrne

Andy (x) Birdhouse in Your Soul - Lemon Demon My Time - Bo En Movie Night - Lemon Demon Paranoid Android - Radiohead The Zombie Song - Stephanie Maybe Subtle Oddities - Lemon Demon Angels - Owl City Rainwater - Lemon Demon Stand By Me - Ben E King The Mind Electric - Tally Hall All of My Friends - Tally Hall Omen - Mother Mother Voices in my Head - Be More Chill Tiny Town - David Byrne Fiberglass Monkey - Lemon Demon Schizophrenia - Jukebox the Ghost Half Crazy - Jukebox the Ghost Sunbeam Light Show Flower Seed - Lemon Demon No Surprises - Radiohead Hymn for a Scarecrow - Tally Hall

Mullion (x) I Want to be Evil - Eartha Kitt The Wanderer - Dion Criminal - Fiona Apple Valerie - Amy Winehouse Big Iron - Marty Robbins Jingle Jangle Jingle - Kay Kyser Short Skirt Long Jacket - Cake Tightrope - The Greatest Showman Hand in My Pocket - Alanis Morissette Heartaches by the Number - Guy Mitchell Clint Eastwood - Trey Anastasio The Villain I Appear to Be - Connor Spiotto Goodmorning - Bleachers Shadow of the Day - Linkin Park Stolen Dance - Milky Chance Under the Bridge - Red Hot Chili Peppers Ode to my Family - The Cranberries Que Sera Sera - Doris Day Almost Human - Voltaire Never Wanted to Dance - Mindless Self Indulgence Hate Me - Blue October Giving Up the Gun - Vampire Weekend Ninety-Nine Pounds of Dynamite - Buddy Stuart Hold Me, Love Me - Buddy Stuart Put a Lid on It - Squirrel Nut Zippers Everybody Lost Somebody - Bleachers Running Gun - Marty Robbins She Said - Brie Larson Ain't That a Kick in the Head - Dean Martin Renegade - Styx Black Hole Sun - Soundgarden Long Time Gone - Dixie Chicks Top of the World - Dixie Chicks Mama's Broken Heart - Miranda Lambert

Blitzhund (x) Rose Colored Boy - Paramore Without My Tonsils - Lemon Demon Another Night - Real McCoy Plastic Love - Mariya Takeuchi Potential Break Up Song - Aly & AJ I Should Watch TV - St.Vincent & David Byrne Blue Sunny Day - Jonathan Coulton C'est La Vie - B*Witched This Feeling - Macross 82-99 Spring and a Storm - Tally Hall Kissing Strangers - DNCE All She Wants - Mika Crazy = Genius - Panic!At the Disco Long Time - Blondie I Know You're Out There - Stephanie Mabey Radio-Friendly Pop Song - Matt Fishel The Sign - Ace of Bass I Love You Baby - Frank Sinatra Give it Up - KC & The Sunshine Band Now I'm Your Mom - David Byrne Mad World - Tears For Fears Careless Whisper - George Michael Sad Song - David Byrne Green Light - Lorde Life Itself - Glass Animals Flagepole Sitta - Harvey Danger Dread In My Heart - Mother Mother God Says Relax - Lemon Demon Larger Than Life - Backstreet Boys If I Ever Feel Better - Pheonix Now I Am An Arsonist - Jonathan Coulton Waving Through A Window - Owl City I Want Everything - Hope 7 Hypocrite - Skye Sweetnam Avril - Lemon Demon Greener - Tally Hall I Don't Care - Eartha Kitt Harsh Light - Nate Ruess Into The Ocean - Blue October Home - Brian Eno & David Byrne Everybody Wants to Rule the World - Tears For Fears Stitch Me Up - Fun Nightmare - Set It Off Alpha Dog - Fall Out Boy Kiss You Off - Scissor Sisters

Lollipop (x) Flamingo Legs - Lemon Demon All Around the World - ATC Beautiful Life - Ace of Base Otter Pop - Shawn Wasabi Flamingo - Kero Kero Bonito Rockabye Baby - Clean Bandit Shelter - Porter Robinson & Madeon High Road -  Fort Minor Shout - Tears For Fears How Bizarre - OMC Kitten is Angry - Lemon Demon The Sweet Escape - Gwen Stefani Labyrinth - Tally Hall Lollipop - Mika Goodbye Stranger - Supertramp Human - Skye Sweetnam Lash Out - Alice Merton Biohazard - Crusher-P Lemon Tree - Fools Garden All I Ever Wanted - Basshunter Good Day - Jukebox the Ghost

Horace (x) Deer in the Headlights - Owl City You & Eye - David Byrne Headphones on You Heart - Leeni Don't Feed The Trolls - Jonathan Coulton Digital Witness - St. Vincent Promiseland - Mika Just Apathy - Tally Hall You & Me - Tally Hall White Bread Boyfriend - Lemon Demon This Hyper World - Lemon Demon Being Alone on Valentines Day - Lemon Demon I'm Not Okay - My Chemical Romance Best Day Ever - Blondie When You Die - MGMT Verbatim - Mother Mother Stuck in the Middle - Mika It Can Get Lonely in My Mansion - Lemon Demon Brave - Jonathan Coulton Reaper Man - Mother Mother Hunger - Florance+The Machine Real Life - Skye Sweetnam Hate That You Know Me - Bleachers Almost Sorry - Scissor Sisters Wolf in Sheep's Clothing - Set It Off Enola Gay - Mush No Eyed Girl - Lemon Demon Radio/Video - System of a Down

[hannahsmusings]

Lou

Gotta have a strong name to be in the family so my mom made sure the oldest had the best one. The sister right below’s middle name is Chaos, the one after that Rage, the two middle twins got Spice and Not Everything Nice, Doris got Demon and Ernest… well he’s perfect, so his middle name is Angel. Right, buddy? *Louis looks down at Ernest, using a soft and higher pitched tone with him, getting a big smile and a giggle out of him, kissing his head gently* *Louis couldn’t help but admire you as you continued checking on his brother, watching as you were so gentle and soft with him, some other doctors never taking his anxiety into account and just forcing the stethoscope on him, only stopping when the boy would start sobbing too hard for them to properly hear his little lungs* *Lou nods when you say he sounded a bit blocked* Yeah, the whole fam is just getting over a bit of a cold… I wouldn’t be surprised if he got a little baby version of it. *Lou made a mental note of that, wanting to make sure he kept a close eye on Ernest and see if his cold or anything got worse or better* *he laughs, shaking his head* Every bear looks like a Ted, I am a bit let down that you didn’t get a bit more creative… even Pooh would’ve been better, Doc. *he teases you, smirking at you, loving this banter, not having this with a girl in quite some time* *Louis’ own mouth watered at the sight of Nutella, that being a ‘no go’ on his list of foods he could and couldn’t eat from his manager, always needing to stay ‘in shape’* I would never judge anyone for keeping Nutella in their drawer. *he chuckles, watching you give some to Ernest and then to Doris, knowing she would probably get a sugar high and be a pain on the drive back but he smiled nonetheless, her looking so happy as you offered her some* They’re all good? Besides the cough, obviously…

___________________________________

*eyes widen as you list off all the siblings, giggling at the names and shaking my head* Wow, your mum has her hands full I can see. *grins, watching how sweet and naturally affectionate you were with Ernest, you clearly being so good with kids and I couldn't help the sweep in my stomach at how attractive that was to me, having always wanted a close knit family* *nods as you say everyone was getting over a cold, that making sense to me* Ah okay, well his lungs sound fine so I think he's over the worst of it. *begins to put everything away in my draw, grinning and rolling my eyes as you tease me about the bear's name* It's easy to remember, lay off. *grins as I tease you right back, giggling little before straightening up in my chair and filling out my paperwork for the twins as I nod* They're perfect, all good health wise. I'll write a prescription for some cough syrup for Ernest in case it gets worse again but I can't imagine it will. Other than that they seem healthy and happy. *grins at you, biting my lip a little*

[monicalozzano]

Sentimental education

MOVIES 

Disney Classics 

Alice’s Wonderland (1923), Snow White and the seven dwarfs, Pinocchio, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Make Mine Music, The Jungle book 1, Peter Pan, Dumbo, 101 Dalmatians, Alice in Wonderland, Anastasia, The Sword in the Stone,  The Ugly Duckling, The Jungle book 2, The Practical Pig, The Aristocats, Silly Simphonies, Lilo & Stitch 1 and 2, Plane Crazy, Robin Hood, Little Marmaid 1, 2 and 3, Pocahontas 1 and 2, The King Lion 1, 2 and 3, Mulan 1 and 2, Hercules, Bambi, The Rescuers, The Hunchback of Notre Dame 1 and 2,  The Three Caballeros, Aladdin 1, 2 and 3, Tangled, Meet the Robbinsons, Tarzan 1 and 2, The Princess and the Frog, Frozen, Moana, The Beauty and The Beast, Saludos Amigos, The Many adventures on Winnie The Pooh, Lady and The Tramp, Oliver & Company, The Emperor's New Groove, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Home, on the Range, Wreck-It Ralph, The Leyend of Sleepy Hollow, Animation from Disney/Pixar

Toy Story 1, 2 and 3, Monsters Inc, Monsters University, Cars, Cars 2 and 3, Finding Nemo, Finding Dory, Inside out, The good Dinosaur, Brave, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, A Bug’s Life, Up, WALLL-E, Bolt, Chicken Little, Zootopy, Gnomeo and Julieth, Big Hero Six, Coco

Disney live-action 

Mary Poppins, The cheetah girls, Alice in Wonderland, Alice Trough the looking glass, High School Musical 1, 2 and 3, Camp Rock, Camp Rock: The Final Camp, Wizards of Waverly Place, Wendy Wu: homecoming warrior, Princess Program Protection, The Beauty and The Beast, Stuck in the suburbs, Maleficent, Cinderella, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Enchanted, Princess Diaries 1 and 2, Pixel perfect, 

Dreamworks 

AnimationRaise of the Guardians, The Boss Baby, Trolls, The Croods, The Prince of Egypt, Turbo, Shark Tale, The Road to El Dorado, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, Home, The Guardian Brothers, A Monster in Paris, 

Paramount Pictures

How To Train Your Dragon 1 and 2, Shrek 1,2 & 3, Shrek the Third,  Shrek Forever After, Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted,  Monsters vs. Aliens

Universal Studios

Lorax, Despicable Me 1, 2 and 3, Sing, Pitch Perfect 1, 2 and 3, Mamma Mia, 50 Shades, 50 Shades Darker, Bruce Almighty, How The Grinch Stole Christmas, Psicosis, Les MIsérables, The Land Before Time

Blue Sky Studios

Robbots, Ice Age 1, 2, 3 and 4, Río,  Horton

Studio Ghibli

Tonari no Totoro, Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi, 

Sony Pictures

Hotel Transilvania 1 and 2, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, The Smurfs 1 and 2, Goosebumps, 

alittlebitofeverything..

A lot like love, Basquiat (1996) Fight Club, Spring Breakers, El ciempiés Humano, Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind, 12 monkies, Psyco, Casablanca, 50 First Dates, Get Smart, Love Rosie, Romeo and Julieth (2013) La vita e bella, Batman Trilogy (by Nolan) Ramona and Beezus, The Neon Demon, Under the Skin, the perks of being a wallflower, The proposal, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, Pollock (2000) Charlie St. Cloud, The Danish Girl, The Notebook, 10 things I hate about you, Titanic, Pretty Woman, P.S: I love you, (500) Days of Summer, A Walk to Remember, Letters to Julieth, Nothing Hill, About Time, Dear John, The Crush, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, No String attached, A Cinderella Story, Grease, The Breakfast Club, My Best Friend's Wedding, 27 Dresses, The Vow, Shakespeare in Love, The Last Song, Another Cinderella Story, One Day, Ever After, Remember Me, The Longest Ride, The Lucky One, If I Stay, Paper Towns, Tres metros Sobre el Cielo, Tengo Ganas de Ti, The First Time, Cinderella (2015) Pitch perfect 1 and 2, Mean Girls, Clueless, Wild Child, Not Another Teen Movie, Easy A, Cruel Intentions, La Vie d'Adèle, Bring it on, John Tucker must die, Monte Carlo, Just like heaven, What Happens in Vegas, Runaway Bride, Definitely maybe, Friends with Benefits, Black Swan, The sweetest thing, La la land, Moonlight, Crazy stupid love, Grease, Bad moms, Love and other drugs, The Social network,  Just go with it, Grown ups 1 and 2, Bedtime stories, Click,  We’re the Millers, Big Daddy, The devil wears Prada, The Intern, Bride wars, Coco avant Chanel, The Theory of Everything, Sabrina, The Pursuit of Happiness, Marie Antoinette, Last days, Blue valentine, Singing In The Rain, Cecil B. Demented, eXincenZ, Back to the Future, The day of the Jackal, Roman Holiday, I, Tonya, Phantom Threat, Ginger and Rosa, Lady Bird, Dunkirk, Fifty Shades of Grey (Trilogy), The Orange Workclock, 2001: Space Odyssey, Roman Holiday, Matrix, Dead Poets Society, The Edge of Seventeen, V for Vendetta, Lion, The Glass Castle, Hacksaw Ridge, Arrival, Independence Day Resurgence, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Oz the Great and Powerful (2013), Suicide Squat, Wonder Woman (2017), Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Justice League​, Batman: Lego Movie, Spider-Man: Homecoming​, Captain America: The First Avenger, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, The Amazing Spider-Man, The Avengers, Avengers: Age of Ultron and Avengers: Infinity War, Thor, Thor: The Dark World and Thor: Ragnarok, Iron Man, The Square, Wonder, Murder On The Orient Express, Before Midnight, The DUFF, Peter Pan, Snowman, Anabelle 1 and 2, Insidious: Chapter 2, The Greatest Showman, A Dog’s Purpose, IT, Baby Driver, The Mask of Zorro, The Legend of Zorro, Me Before You, Wish Upon, Happy Family, Atomic Blonde, Water for Elephants, Agora, Ted, LOL (2008), LOL (2012), Hairspray, The Healer, A Question Of Faith,The Danish Girl, Mr & Mrs Smith, Spice World, Bed Time Stories, Pixels, Spy Kids, Sharkboy and Lavagirl, Valentines day, Intern, Little Prince, The Theory of Everything, We Are Your Friends, To Kill a Mockingbird​, Me and Earl and The Dying Girl, Heaven is For Real, Saving Mr. Banks, Life as We Know It, Dorian Gray, Twenty, Nerve, Batman: The Lego Movie, Baywatch, The Emoji Movie, Captain Fantastic, To The Bone, The Lovely Bones, Flipped, Homeless to Harvard, Ghost World, Divergent, The Hunger Games Trilogy, El Club de los Incomprendidos, Final Destination Franchise, Neon, The Longest Ride, Before I Fall, Matilda, My Babysitter's a Vampire, Endless Love, No Se Aceptan Devoluciones, Latin Lover, Now is Good, How I Live Now, Que Pena Tu Boda, Que Pena Tu Familia, Cásese Quien Pueda, Que Culpa Tiene El Niño, Nosotros Los Nobles, Cantinflas, Memorias del Subdesarrollo, Child of Rage, El Amor En Los Tiempos del Cólera, La Vendedora de Rosas, Rosario Tijeras, Soñar No Cuesta Nada, Los Colores de la Montaña, El Acorazado Potemkin, F for Fake, Agarrando Pueblo, Ojo y Vista: Peligra la Vida del Artista, El Tigre de Papel, Sex in The City, Mirror, Mirror, Stepmom, Adore, Think Like a Man, The Three Stooges, Vamps, Zambezia, The Beatles: Eight days a week, Storks, Ghost in the Shell, Bad Moms, Liar Liar, Clueless, Shape of Water, Woody Woodpecker, Everything Everything, The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, Fallen, Dude, The Space Between Us, The Kissing Booth, Barefoot in the Park, Mamma Mia, American Beauty, Guardians of the Galaxy, Fathers and Daughters, Mr & Mrs Smith, world War Z, When We First Met, 

            SERIES 

Friends, How I Met Your Mother, 13 Reasons Why, Sense8, The Vampire Diaries, Glee, The End Of The Fuking World, Las Chicas del Cable, Stranger Things, Riverdale, Jane The Virgin, Gossip Girl, Luis Miguel, Grace and Frankie, Abstract (the art of design), Velvet, 

SERIES ANIMADAS

The Simpsons, The Powerpuff Girls, Dexter´s laboratory, Ruglats, All Grown Up!, Courage The Cowardly Dog, Star vs the Forces of Evil, Steven Universe, Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir, We Bare Bears, Caillou, Hey, Arnold!, Ed, Edd y Eddy, CatDog, SpongeBob SquarePants, South Park, Johnny Bravo, Recess, The Angry Beavers, Futurama, The Wild Thornberrys, Happy Tree Friends, Super Friends, Mike, Lu & Og, Pepper Ann, Bob the Builder, Oggy and the cockroaches, The Animated Series, The Pink Panther, Cow and Chicken, I Am Weasel, The Fairly OddParents, Codename: Kids Next Door, Lazy Town, The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, The Flintstones, Regular Show, Adventure Time, Gravity Falls, Las Tres Mellizas, Woody Woodpecker, Looney Tunes, Merrie Melodies, The Tom and Jerry Show, Tom and jerry Kids, Scooby-Doo ¿Where are You?, Scooby-Doo Creepy Cities, Pokemon, DragonBall, Pucca, Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi, Kim Possible, American Dragon: Jake Long, Lilo & Stitch: The Series, Popeye the Sailor, The Proud Family, Phineas and Ferb, The Replacements, Dave The Barbarian, Doug, Danny Phantom, Brandy & Mr. Whiskers, The Buzz on Maggie, The Emperor's New School, Phil of the Future, Dragon Tales, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Clifford Puppy days, Care Bears, My Little Pony, Bear In The Big Blue House, Zaboomafoo, Curious George, Jay Jay The Jet Plane, Sesame Street, The Book of Pooh, Blue’s Clues, Rolie Polie Olie, Jojo’s Circus, Little Einsteins, Barney and Friends, Go Diego Go!, Pocoyo, The Backyardigans, Higglytown Heroes, Dora the Explorer, Silly Simphonies, Heidi, Animaniacs, The Jetsons, DuckTales, The Ren & Stimpy Show, Tiny Toons Adventures, Inspector Gadget, Pinky and the Brain, Top Cat, The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show,  The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show, The Huckleberry Hound Show, The Yogi Bear Show, Yogi's Treasure Hunt, Captain Tsubasa, Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks, Stanley, Pinky Dinky Doo, The Koala Brothers, Cubeez, Troll Hunters Tales of Arcadia, The Boss Baby, Gravity Falls, The Little Lulu Show,

KDRAMAS

Goong, Uncontrollably Fond, My Love from Another Star, The Heirs, Love Cells 2, 

                                    still in process...

[itsthebeatingofhishideousheart]

Title - Bought and Paid For

Warnings - Talks of child death, car accidents

Word Count - 1061

No Beta. First Published 2011

     Another town and another dingy hotel room and Aida hated it. She had no choice though, the shadows were moving in faster every time they stopped. It used to take months and then days and now they could only stop for a few hours at a time. It wouldn’t be long before they couldn’t stop at all and then what would they do?

Aida was afraid, terribly afraid but she had known what was coming when she had signed that piece of paper. She pulled it from her pocket now as she kept a watchful eye on her daughters as they slept.     At the top of the paper were two pitchforks in an X shape, where they crossed was a crown with two horns sticking out of it. Aida reread the words again but they never changed, the contract was unbreakable. She had sold her soul and payment was way overdue.

    Doris and Gaenor woke to the sound of voices. The two girls were twins and seemed to do everything at the same time whether they meant to or not. They slipped from the bed and padded across the room, both trying not to think about what their bare feet might be stepping on in this cruddy room. Doris eased the door open and they put their eyes to the crack, peering through the gloom into the tiny living room. Their mother was sitting at the small table, tears streaming down her cheeks as she shook her head and sobbed uncontrollably. On the opposite side of the table was a man, he was very tall and exceedingly lank. On his head was a bright crop of red hair, his face was all points and angles.     “Who’s he?” whispered Gaenor.     “How should I know? I just woke up too” snapped Doris. The man suddenly stood and slammed his hand down on the table, making both girls jump.     “Did you really think you could outrun me forever? I am forever!” His voice was a deep, bass growl and his eyes flashed red as he yelled. The twins cowered backwards a little but they stayed where they could see.     “I did it for them. I did it for my girls, I just want them to be happy!” cried Aida. The man walked around the table and leaned against the wall, Doris glanced at her sister and Gaenor and saw that they had noticed the same thing. The man had weird little things sticking out of his forehead, they almost looked like horns.     “I know why you did it, Aida. That doesn’t concern me. But what does concern me is that your payment is overdue by nearly a year! You’ve thrown off my demons so many times I had to come myself! Do have any idea how busy I am? It doesn’t run itself down there, Aida.” Doris felt Gaenor’s hand creep into hers; she was deathly cold and trembling.

    Aida wiped her face and took a long, unsteady breath. She stared at the thing that looked like a man but wasn’t. He stared right back, fire flashing in his eyes.     “I can’t leave my girls all alone” she whispered. He heaved a great sigh, threw his hands in the air and dropped back into the seat he’d just vacated.     “The only way you can stay is if I tear up the contract. Things would go back to how they were before I came to you that night in the hospital. It’s your choice, Aida.” There was a moment of silence before Aida whispered her reply.     “It’s too much. Either way, I’m not with them. Tear it up.” The man stood and clapped his hands, there was a flash of light so bright that Aida closed her eyes against it.

    “Mrs Munroe? Can you hear me?” Aida opened her eyes and looked at the owner of the voice. He was tall and round and wore a white coat, he smiled.     “I’m Dr Stevens, how are you feeling?” Aida shrugged as she stared down at her hands, Dr Stevens asked her a few more questions and then he left the room. Aida began to cry and once she started, she just couldn’t seem to stop. She was such a coward! It all came flooding back and no matter how hard she tried, Aida couldn’t seem to stop the tide.

    They’d been travelling across the country to see Aida’s parents when the accident had happened. A lorry had almost flown from nowhere and crushed their tiny car against the guardrail. Aida had survived with broken bones but her poor girls had died on impact. She had screamed all the way to the hospital and beyond until her voice had failed her. Aida had felt a rage in her that she had never known before. A rage at the other driver, at the doctors that had not saved her children and at the universe that had allowed this to happen.

Aida had lain in bed and prayed that it wasn’t true, that it was a dream and that her girls were okay. She would give anything for it to be so. Then He had come.

    Aida had opened her eyes to find a very tall and very skinny man beside her bed. He was dressed all in black and had a bright crop of red hair on top of his pointy head.     “Hello, Aida. My name is Lu and I’m here to answer your prayer.” She should have refused, she should have told him no but she wanted her girls so badly that the price had not concerned her at the time. There was a bright flash and Doris and Gaenor had been there and it was all smiles and sunshine.

But then the shadows had come and Aida had packed them up in her car and ran.     Aida rolled over in the hospital bed and let out a silent shriek when she saw Lu beside her bed. He held the two pieces of her contract in his hands and a small smile flitted around his lips.     “I’ll see you soon, Aida,” he said. She shook her head and crawled backwards. No, she had always led a good life and there would be no reason for her to see Lu again but the smile on his lips grew.     “You made your promise in anger, Aida. And Wraith is one of mine.” Aida buried her head in her pillow as Lu’s laughter continued to echo around the room long after he’d gone.