#drop dead fred x st

[wheelercore]

using pastel pink + white + florals to symbolize your cold emotionally abusive mother's control over you. starring phoebe cates.

[dreamcubed]

soon you’ll get better | george weasley x reader

song; soon you'll get better [taylor swift, the chicks] pairing; george weasley x gender neutral!reader genre; established relationship, heavy angst, hurt comfort, slight fluff word count; 1,4k timeline; post-second wizarding war warnings; talk of fred's death, grief summary; george was a broken man after the untimely death of his built-in best friend, and as his lover you were at a loss of how to help his grief

masterlist

"this won't go back to normal, if it ever was."

—————————————————

You could never forget the look in George's eyes when he realised his twin brother was dead. It was ingrained in your head like a tattooed memory.

The pain and the anguish. The tears and the sobs. The pure grief.

You were upset too, of course. You loved Fred like a best friend, like a brother, and to have him ripped away from you so soon was heartbreaking. But you also knew what George would be feeling would be ten times worse - they had been attached at the hip since they were in utero.

You were also scared: all throughout the funeral planning and the initial stage of mourning. With how badly this would affect George, what if it drove him to suicide? It didn't help that the state of depression he entered afterwards was beyond any you had ever witnessed before - but maybe this was your first time getting the brunt of it as George was your lover.

He switched between phases of constant sobbing and being emotionless a lot. It hurt, and you hated to admit how prepared you were to have to contact St Mungo's.

The both of you were engaged, as well, but the wedding plans had been put on hold ever since the Battle of Hogwarts. You hadn't even brought them up because you didn't know how suggesting such a happy event would go with George since his twin brother wouldn't be able to be there for it. Especially because Fred would have obviously been his best man.

"Darling?" you spoke when you heard the front door to your shared flat shut.

No reply, but that was how he usually was these days. Relatively non-verbal.

You turned your head from washing the dishes when you heard him enter the kitchen and stand still for a few moments, staring into space.

"Georgie?" you said more gently, your voice breaking. You had tried so hard to be strong for him through his grief, but you were reaching your limit.

His eyes met yours with furrowed eyebrows.

"Should we, uh, should we get a takeaway for dinner?" you asked, clearing your throat to re-stabilise your voice.

George gave the slightest of shrugs, moving further into the kitchen to get himself a glass of water. He brushed your shoulder as he reached the sink, which made you jolt instinctively. Truth was, you hadn't touched George since the first night after Fred's death, when he sobbed into your arms until sunrise. Ever since, he had leaned away from affection.

The closest you got anymore was sharing a bed.

He noticed your movement and stopped before he turned the tap on, looking down at you with terrifyingly blank eyes.

For a second, regret glinted in them.

"I'm sorry, darling, I'm sorry," he spoke, dropping the glass in the sink and quickly disappearing into the bedroom.

You followed him but stopped to stand outside of the door when you heard his crying. And then tears were flooding down your cheeks, in flood loads as you rarely let yourself cry, causing it to build up. You had taken to hiding your feelings for George, as you didn't want him to deal with your grief as well as his own. As his sobs grew more choked, you turned around and sank to the floor with your back pressed against the door.

This divide between you was getting too much, because you still loved him more than anything.

***

One thing was for sure: the atmosphere of your flat wasn't improving anyone's mood. Some brighter colours couldn't hurt, right? You were sick of staring at the pale beige walls and wishing you could turn back time.

So there you were, in a shop down the road from your flat in Diagon Alley, staring at the vast range of paints for you to choose from. The kitchen would be nice in golden yellow. The living room would be pleasant in a pastel blue - not a dark depressing blue, of course. Your bedroom? That could be green.

You made your choices and headed over to the till, where the shop owner greeted you with familiarity: all the shop owners knew each other in Diagon Alley, and as a co-owner of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, you were no exception.

"How's George?" he asked.

You stilled and chewed on your lips, "Getting there." You weren't sure if that was true.

The shop owner nodded with a kind smile, "See you again soon."

"Yeah, thanks," you gave him the happiest smile you could before turning around and leaving.

***

George entered the flat to the smell of fresh paint and the sight of linen cloths draped over the furniture.

"What are you doing?"

"What does it look like?" you turned around from where you stood holding your wand, using it to flawlessly guide the roller over the wall from a distance.

"It's bright," he stated.

"That's the point."

He hummed as you turned back around, and you didn't hear him approach before his arms were wrapped around your back and his head was on your shoulder.

You stiffened briefly, but then relaxed into the warmth that you had missed ever so dearly.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled, "I've been such a bad fiancé."

"It's not your fault."

"Yes, it is," his voice broke slightly as he spoke, "I've been too focused on the person I've lost when I should be focused on the people I still have."

"He was your brother and best friend, you can't help but think about him."

He moved around to in front of you, "He was your best friend too. You've spent all this time comforting me but I've spent none of this time comforting you."

You remained silent as you stared up at him.

"And- I'm just- I'm sorry. You can't lie and say I haven't been a bad partner when you flinched yesterday when I touched you. That's how little affection I've showed you."

"I've missed you," you let yourself say.

"I know, I've missed you too," he embraced you again.

"I know this won't go back to normal, if it ever was," you said, "But I want us to live again-" you took a deep breath, "-and I know Fred would want that too."

George nodded.

"I also know I'll never understand the same level of grief you have, but there's not a day that I won't try."

He shook his head this time, "You've done too much for me, it's time that I help you instead." He picked up a paint brush. "What say we do this the muggle way?"

You cracked a smile.

***

"Merlin, Freddie, slow down!" you called, running after your son through the downstairs rooms.

"Catch me if you can!" he called back.

"What's all the ruckus?" your husband said as he opened the front door, "I can hear you from outside."

Your son squealed, "Daddy!" and ran over to greet the ginger man.

"Hey, little man, how's your day been?" George asked as he picked the boy up.

"So much fun!"

"For him, maybe, but I think my legs are gonna kill me from all this running around," you scoffed.

"No, did you give somebody a hard time, Freddie?"

The boy shook his head but couldn't hide the mischievous grin on his face.

"Like father, like son," you sighed.

George moved over to you to greet you with a peck on the lips, "How was your day, my love?"

"Fine, it was fine," you smiled, "Dinner's nearly ready."

"Ooh, lovely," he put his son down and took his shoes off, before heading into the bright yellow kitchen.

You had long since moved out of the flat above the shop and into a lovely big house, but you had kept the bright colour scheme as a reminder of your commitment to living again.

Your fridge had many newer moving photos of your small family pinned up by magnets, including photos of your wedding day - but it also had the odd photo of your Hogwarts days with both the twins. Fred Sr would never be forgotten, you had to live for him and his memory.

Little Freddie knew all too many stories about his amazing uncle of whom he was named after.

And as you watched your son attempt to help his father lay the table, you couldn't help but feel as if Fred was still with you all in the room, pleased to see that you were happier once again.

———————————————

masterlist

written; 17/02/2023 —> 26/02/2023 published; 27/02/2023 edited; —/—/——

taglist ; @workinatdapyramid @iluvweasleys

[fanficfanatic000]

eddie x female reader

Chapter 7 (Fred?) Story :I just moved to hawkins Warning 18 plus Spoilers ahead Goes with Story of ST kinda

The group was concerned about you having a panic attack. "Does that mean you still have powers?" Dustin asked. "I have no idea maybe but maybe not." "Steve: Well we will figure it out later but we gotta go Nancy has work me and Robin have work Dustins mom is probably looking for him and um max has…..has…" "hasss to find more things about this"

They left you and eddie Sitting on the train "Eddie?" "Yes sweetheart?" He raised an eyebrow "So i was picking up your guitar pick and i saw a name on it percy munson" He gulped his Adam's apple visibly moving "Well story time i guess… percy munson was my mom. She was in a band she was the best person of my childhood but my father was not a good person he cheated on my mom he was abusive to both me and my mom he would shave my head cause long hairs for girls he said. But I was 11 years old until one night he was driving drunk to drop my mom off at a concert and they crashed… they both died so I got left with my uncle Wayne and now here I am 18 with long hair accused of murdering a girl I was selling drugs so that's pretty wild " He looked at you his brown eyes had tears falling from them. You went closer and you hugged him tightly. His tears dried up "Im sorry you went through that… im always here to listen " Rose pink blush spread visibly across his cheeks then he sprang a sweet smile

(Maxes pov) She's at school Hmm I need to find more about this qhole thing what if there's something chrissy and patrick shared if I could find that out then I might find out the rest come on think think She went through her memories and found something. The fact that she's seen Chrissy and patrick walk out of ms Donald's office. Ms Donald was a therapist for the school she is my therapist so maybe I could ask her for the files on chrissy and patrick I mean they're dead anyway so why not. Max went through her classes and now it was time for her therapy She walks in "oh hey max take a seat get comfortable" "thanks ms donald" "Okay max what do you feel like discussing in todays session?" "Well i was wondering if i could maybe see the files of chrissy and patrick?" "Max files are completely confidential" " okay well i dont feel like talking today maybe tomorrow?" "Okay just remember the door is always open ".

(Nancy pov) Driving to eddies trailer "Stop what are you kids doing at this crime seen?" "Hi im nancy wheeler this is my colleague fred Benson" "Hm your that kid that got in that car accident murderer murderer murderer!" Fred was acting off hm it's probably nothing right? "Fred are you okay?" "Hm i-i im fine" We pulled in at the side of the road maybe we can manage to find something here Eddie's trailer Nancy walked in and saw blood from chrissy Cunningham on the carpet but there was like black mold on the ceiling hm? -hours passed it was sunset and Nancy found out literally nothing "Fred I think there's nothing- she turned and Fred wasn't there "fred?!" She walked outside he's still not there Oh maybe the cop from earlier saw where he went "um hey my freind is missing hes short glasses has a scar…" "nope havent seen him for quite sometime now" Frederick where are you?… after some time Nancy decided to leave without him Fred was smart so if he was lost he would find his way.

[boxofbadaddiction]

Reassurance

Fred Weasley x [She/They]Reader

WARNINGS: Blood Mention. Death Mention. Lots of Crying. Nudity. Memory/Nightmare in Italics. Scars. PTSD. Swearing.

SUMMARY: After Y/n wakes from a nightmare, of Fred's death, Fred helps them calm down and reassures them he isn't going anywhere.

For @prettywhitedoves because I broke her heart with Dead!Fred tiktoks [It starts rough but there’s fluff, I promise.]

Y/n’s hands grip harshly onto the cold porcelain of their bathroom sink, tears stream from their eyes and crash against the basin as they try desperately to ease their shaking and panicked breaths. Their limbs tremble under the weight of holding themself upright; the white light cast from the bulb above the mirror feels like a spotlight as it abrasively sheds down upon their broken state.

They draw a deep breath to calm themself but as more memories rise to the surface of their mind a cracked sob overtakes their chest instead.

Fred’s laid out, cold and still, on a stretcher on the stone floor of the Great Hall. Splashes of blood and thick smudges of ash and dirt contaminate his beautiful face. Above him Molly stands crying for the loss of her child as George clings to his chest; body wracked with despair and broken wails. Y/n stands frozen in fear staring at his lifeless body.

“Y/n/n?” a distant voice calls, beckoning them back to reality. The bathroom door creaks open, shedding the light into the dark bedroom without and highlighting a familiar face.

Y/n looks to the mirror as they enter, their vision blurred from the tears that refuse to stop falling.

“Shit- Y/n/n, what’s wrong?” the person speaks rushing to pull them into his body. “Breathe, Darling, just breathe I’m here.”

“But you- you weren’t” they sob, clinging to his shirt, “you were dead. I saw you...on that stretcher in the Hall-” “The Hall?" he questions in confusion, it takes a moment for things to make sense but suddenly everything clicks into place. 'Another nightmare' he thinks.

"Love...I was just knocked out, remember? I’m okay.”

“It felt so real-” “It was just a dream” Fred assures, slightly swaying them in place as he holds them, thankful as he feels their cries start to steady the longer he holds them.

“What would I have done without you?”

“Hey, shh, don’t think about that.” he says, pulling away enough to lift their gaze to his, “I’m here. You don’t have to worry about that.”

He raises a hand to comfortingly stroke through their hair and takes a deep pointed breath in through his nose and out through his lips wanting Y/n to do the same. She draws some long slow breaths in time with Fred’s, one hand placed above his heart to be sure it’s truly still beating.

Their eyes close as they take in his scent and the rise and fall of his chest against their splayed palm; it’s the reassurance they need to finally calm down.

“There,” Fred remarks, bringing both his hands to cup his lover’s face and swipe away their tears with the pad of his thumbs, “that’s better.”

“I’m sorry.” Y/n croaks, “No, no, you have nothing to be sorry for, Love.” he places a kiss on their forehead but grimaces at the feeling of their cold skin beneath his. “You’re freezing sweetheart.” 

“A little.” Y/n chuckles sadly. “Reckon I look like a right mess too.” “A little.” Fred teases and Y/n bats his chest with a weak arm. “What do you say we take a shower and warm you up, hmm? You’ll feel much better.”

“Okay.” she nods.

Fred squeezes their arms momentarily before directing them to take a seat on the toilet lid while he moves to get the water running hot.

As the water runs Fred turns back to Y/n, he kneels before them and places his hands to their waist, “I’m gonna take this off, okay?”

At their approval Fred’s fingers hook beneath the hem of their shirt; Y/n lifts their arms as he pulls the fabric up and over their body.

Sat bare chested before him Y/n looks to him with a soft expression, they reach a hand out and grab the ties of his pajama bottoms giving a playful tug, Fred cocks a brow to the action. “Well you are joining me, aren’t you?” they pout. “Of course.” Fred laughs breathily.

Y/n grabs the hem of his pants as they stand, “I’m going to take these off, is that ok?” she parrots his earlier words. “If I ever say no to you asking to take my pants off, Love...check me into St. Mungos, I’ve lost my mind.” Fred jokes bringing a giggle to Y/n’s chest and a wide smile to their lips. She tugs the material down to his knees and Fred steps the rest of the way out kicking the clothing aside.

Y/n next removes his shirt, with slight difficulty thanks to his size, as the shirt slips from his head roughing his hair Fred dips to grab a hold of her waist pulling them into his body and placing a kiss to their lips.

Y/n’s initial gasp of surprise quickly turns to a content moan, they bring their hands up to rest against his chest but Fred jumps away with a sharp inhale.

“Shit your hands are cold!”

“Oh, are they?” Y/n asks feigning concern, “Are they still cold here?” she questions, placing their icy palm on the inside of his thigh making him jump once more. She laughs at his reaction and attacks his exposed skin in more places just to hear him laugh.

 “Ah- woman, I swear!” Fred exclaims as she touches his neck. “Swear what?” Y/n challenges, “You’ll be showering alone in a minute if you keep that up.”

His partner gasps at his words, “ You wouldn’t…” “Wouldn’t I?”

Y/n’s mouth hangs open wide then closes softly as they look at him with an exaggerated pout.

“Oh, not with the face...alright, come on you,” he says, giving into them he places a kiss to their brow, “we’re wasting water.”

Discarding their last items of clothing the two step into the steaming warmth of the shower, Y/n being the first to go beneath the waters jets.

They spend some time simply holding one another, running handfuls of water over each other and basking in the feel of their bodies pressed together.

Fred reaches for some of their body soap, lathering it between his hands he runs long strokes across Y/n’s back and down her chest. He massages her neck and back to rid the tension they’ve been holding there.

Reaching for the shampoo he twirls his finger before their face instructing them to turn around so he can wash their hair. Y/n sighs comfortably at the feeling of his fingers working against their scalp. After rinsing he does the same with the conditioner.

“Your turn.” Y/n smiles, once he’s finished, squeezing some soap into their palm. Fred smiles and lets Y/n dutifully massage his body as she cleans him. Turning so she can clean his back Fred gets lost to the feeling of their fingers tracing his body and his head lulls back as he basks in the moment; while Y/n, contrarily, gets lost scanning the countless scars that litter his body. 

From the ones they’d long ago familiarised themself with: due to Quidditch and pranks gone wrong, to the newer ones she were yet to and that were much harder to look at; ones which Fred usually hides. 

Cuts and lashes from the wall that collapsed atop of him, nearly stealing him from the world, cover his back. Each one a reminder to them that he survived and that he’s here breathing; that he healed.

A few fresh tears fall from Y/n’s eyes as her finger repeatedly traces a particularly large one, they lean forward and place three tender kisses to the mark; one at the beginning, one in the middle, and one at the end.

Fred can sense their change in mood and turns to see them standing with a forced smile and broken teary eyes. He tilts their chin up with his forefinger and thumb and kisses them slowly.

“I’m here.” he says simply between breaths as their lips move together.

“I survived,” he whispers to them.

“I’m not leaving you, I swear.” this time as he speaks his own tear drops to his cheek.

“I really don’t know what I would have done without you.” Y/n voices, nudging their nose into the underside of his jaw as she holds him close.

“You’ll never have to know.”

After their shower Fred helps Y/n get dressed into a pair of warm pajamas, he pulls back the blankets of their bed and slips beneath the sheets inviting them to lay with him.

Their arms encapsulate his torso and head buries into his chest. Releasing a heavy breath Y/n mumbles to him simply, “I love you, Freddie.”

“I love you more, darling.”

[comfortwriting]

Coming Clean - F.W

Masterlist, Requesting Rules, Writing Prompt Masterlist

Fred Weasley x Fem Reader

Prompt 93: “I’m in love with you, I can’t hide it anymore and I don’t want to.”

Prompt 98: Shaking out of fear, he took hold of your hand, comforting you.

About: After being injured due to an explosion during the wizarding war, you are a patient in St. Mungos for months trying to recover. One day, your best friend Fred comes to visit you after realising life is too short for secrets.

Warnings: Mention of death, blood, bombings/explosions, wounds, scars, disfigurement, swearing, blindness, weight loss, death of family member, fluff towards the end.

One moment you were duelling with a death eater, shielding your best friend Fred from harm's way, and then the blast rang out, shooting you backwards, slamming you down, and the wall in front to collapse on top of you.

Alive? Dead? Inbetween? You didn't know.

You couldn't remember what happened after the blast, all you did know was that you were far away from Hogwarts, with no news or clue on the status of your family, friends, and Fred.

You felt numb, alone, scared, and in a different world - you heard small talk of the war, you heard of the casualties and injuries but you didn't know who - you felt enraged that you ended up here and not at Hogwarts, laying on the cold hard floor surrounded by those you needed now more than anything.

"Miss Y/L/N, please stop touching your face." Your nurse sighed, pouring a dark slimy potion into a cup.

Shrapnel grazed, pierced, and embedded into your left cheek, leaving a large gaping wound, another blinded you - your legs broken beyond repair and re-growth because of the collapsing wall which meant the skelegrow was no longer strong or fast enough to work on cases like yours, and your whole body covered in purple, green, blue, and yellow circular marks that made you feel like a Polka-dot fabric.

"How long have I been here?" you grumbled and winced weakly not wanting to move your mouth too fast or wide, slowly picking up the cup.

Your nurse opened the curtains with her wand, swishing it across the room, rearranging your Quibbler magazines, Daily Prophet Newspapers and 'Get Well Soon' cards which you couldn't yet read - you were too scared to find out who did and didn't make it.

"We've talked about this Y/N-"

"Just tell me!" you shrieked, cracking open the wound on your face, jolting, causing shockwaves to pulse through your body.

Your nurse swallowed hard and sat down on the bed next to you, gently cleaning the trickling blood and scabs from your cheek with a damp cloth.

"Three months," she sighed.

Your heart dropped. Three months. Three months without hearing your parents voices, Fred's voice, your little sisters-

"How long will I be here for-"

Before she could answer, a knock at the door interrupted you.

Your eye followed your nurse as she stood up, opening it narrowly and slipping out, before slipping back in.

"You've got a visitor," she smiled for the first time since you got here.

Moving out of the way, Fred walked in, stopping in his tracks at the sight of you.

Fred looked different, his eyes were lifeless and were sheltered by deep dark circles, his face was more gaunt, his hands covered in scars - possibly from deep grazes and cuts from the same explosion.

Fred didn't know what to say, the sight of you broke his heart - you were injured beyond repair - you were so badly injured and left disfigured because of him not being brave enough to step in front and take charge.

The nurse left the room, closing the door behind her, your hospital room so quiet you could hear each other's hearts pumping.

"Freddie-"

Fred walked over and sat on your right-hand side, wanting nothing more than to pull you into a tight embrace, to smell your hair, to feel your skin against his - but being too scared to cause you more pain than he already has.

"I'm so sorry," he croaked, holding your hand "Look what I've done to you."

You shook your head "It's not your fault, Freddie." you said softly "The death eaters, they-"

Fred started to cry and shake, completely coming undone "I was too scared, I allowed you to step in front, you took the blow for me-"

"Fred, please, slow down," your eye started to well up with tears, your face hurting, the lump forming and settling in your throat.

"George is dead because of me."

Your heart stopped.

George? George Weasley is dead?

"Fred! I need you to cover for me!" You yelled out, sending out more sparks to the death eater.

Fred couldn't focus, he didn't know where to look or what to do.

"Fred!" You yelled again, "George needs either you or me, please!"

The death eater closed in, holding out his wand and aiming towards George - before you could think of the next step, you pushed Fred behind you and sprinted towards George to try to protect him.

The blast, the force, the heat, the smoke, the wet blood, the darkness.

"You tried to save him, and all I did was stand there... and the wall..." Fred cried "George just... he... we thought you were dead too,"

"It isn't your fault," you cried "Please listen to me."

"Professor Lupin and his wife Tonks, they're gone, Ron's ex-girlfriend Lavender Brown, Colin Creevey, Professor Snape...  and your-" Fred paused shaking out of fear, he took hold of your hand, comforting you "your little sister."

You couldn't breathe - how could you after finding out so late? Taking one blow after the other. Losing your best friend, your mentor, the young boy you were fond of, the professor who despite being hard on others helped you, and worst of all, your innocent little sister who you pleaded not to go to war.

"I'm so sorry," Fred cried, his eyes bloodshot.

You nodded, tears streaming down your face "I'm sorry too."

The two of you cried whilst Fred told you everything, who else died and how, what his family and yours were going through, the funerals, everything but one.

Fred read the Quibbler magazines to you, stroking your hair and helping you drink down the potion, you could see out of the corner of your eye he was debating his thoughts.

"What is it?" you asked, chewing the inside of your lip nervously, preparing yourself for another blow.

Fred stayed quiet for a moment, pursing his lips before he finally looks you in the eye.

"After losing so much, it's made me realise that time is too short." he said sadly, still in deep thought before finally revealing “I’m in love with you, I can’t hide it anymore and I don’t want to.”

"Fred," you smiled softly "I've been thinking exactly the same thing."

taglist: @alwaysnforeverfangirl @horrorxweasley @inglourious-imagines @sebby-staan @lucymfer @xmalfoyweasleyx @livvysnaps @supermassiveblackhope @youralternantpersonality @snivellouss @potters-heart @onlyfreds

[xxreader-writerxx]

Red Haired Boy

Word Count: 3.6k (sorry got carried away)

Fred Weasley x Fem Reader

Warnings: PTSD, mentions of death (happy ending tho), panic attack, graphic violence at parts, mentions of blood, cursing (maybe?), tell me if I need to add anything

Y/N= Your Name L/N= Your Last Name Y/H= Your House Y/N/N= Your nickname

I get shoved sideways by a red haired boy and run into the wall. I let out a small gasp feeling my shoulder run into a sharp brick. I hold the cut with tears in my eyes. I see the boy turn around and run back worried. "Bloody hell! I'm so so sorry!" He tells me and I shake my head firmly. "It's alright." I mumble trying to make it seem like I'm not crying. "No it's not, you're bleeding!" He tells me and I see another boy run and stop seeing us. "Fred! He's on my tail!" He tells him tugging his arm. "Go on then! I need to handle something!" He tells him angrily getting his arm free. "Whatever..." The other boy mutters. "Does it hurt?" He asks and I shake my head shyly. "No... I'm fine. Really."

"WEASLEY!" I hear and see its our groundskeeper. "I'm going to enjoy this one..." He mutters to himself as he pulls the boy by his arm harshly. I look at him and he looks sad but smiles weakly at me. "AH MY ARM. OH IT HURTS!" I say not thinking. "What?!" He asks and I clutch my arm. "AH HELP HELP!" I yelp and he drops Fred, as soon as he's freed I silently tell him to run and he smiles at me. He runs and Filch is still distracted by my wailing. I stand straight and smile. "Its gone now. I think I just need to get patched up." I say calmly, walking to the infirmary.

"What do you mean?" I hear as I get wrapped up by Madam Pomfrey. "It was bloody amazing. She started screaming her arm hurt and let me run off!" A nearly identical voice replies. "Well good for her but karma must've came to bite you." The voice replies. "Yeah... But- No way! It's her!" He says and I look up to see the boy I helped earlier. "Hey- What happened!?" I ask seeing his eye covered in blood. "When he was running he was distracted and fell face first into a statue, cut his eyebrow pretty good." His identical brother tells me. "Oh no!" I say and he walks over and Madam Pomfrey groans.

"Sit there, I'll be back in a moment... Foolish boy..." She mutters and he hops up next to me. "Fred Weasley." He introduces and I smile shyly, shaking his hand. "Y/n, Y/n L/n..."

"I wanted to say thank you, for not only saving me but I also wanted to say thank you for saving me despite me hurting you." He tells me shyly and I smile. "My pleasure."

***

I wake up to my boyfriend kissing my shoulder as I sleepily wake up. "Hi baby..." I whisper groggily. "Hi darling..." He smiles at me and I notice he's kissing my scar from how we met. He places his cheek against mine as I wrap his arms around me. "Whatcha thinking about?" I ask and he sighs. "I never payed you back for saving me the day you got this..." He tells me and I laugh. "How bout..." I say pushing him lightly so I'm on top. "Five minutes, whenever I choose to use it, you have to do whatever I want." I whisper and he smiles cheekily. "Yes ma'am..." He tells me and I chuckles. "Yay that one day I will be doing no dishes." I tell him and he scoffs. "I was thinking something more sexual but ok." He tells me and I kiss his nose.

***

I look around frantically for my loved ones, happy I am a half witch so my family isn't here, blood related though. I look for the Weasley Family trying to see through the falling dust and rubble. I see a messy ginger hair and get excited. I limp over as quickly and see its not my Weasley but Percy. He's screaming for help. I ignore the pain coursing through me and run the best I can.

He's digging through rubble and I freeze in fear. "W-who is that?" I ask seeing a hand underneath it all. "JUST HELP!" He screams and I rush over moving each piece of rubble. I finally help drag the body out. I lay him on me to support his head and moves his hair from his eyes. "Freddie?" I ask softly and he looks at me smiling. "Hey..." He barely says and he gasps slightly for air. "Hey, stay awake for me... Percy get help, he's bleeding a lot..." I cry and he runs. I feel Fred's weak and cold hand wrap around mine. "I hoped you were in my last moments ya know?" He tells me smiling, tears brimming in his eyes.

"Well let that be another day. Freddie you are going to stay alive you idiot." I tell him chuckling through my worry, combing his hair lightly. "I want you to be happy. Don't wait for me to come back. Find someone who makes you happy. Alright?" He asks and I scoff. "I would if you were dying. But you aren't." I sob and he holds my hand. "You'll be ok..." He whispers closing his eyes but I grab his head shaking my own. "Hey remember the time we met?" I ask smiling at him and he nods smiling. "You cut my shoulder so deep and I saved you minutes later, remember that?"  I ask and he scoffs leaning his head back weakly. "Didn't think my last moments would be getting guilt tripped." He tells me and gasps at a pain in his side. "Well because of that you told me you would give me five minutes of anything I wanted. I want to have five minutes, after this war, dancing with you. You understand? I want to get married and dance for five minutes." I demand and he chuckles, then cringes at the pain.

Wizards swarm us and help him onto a stretcher as we finally let go of each other's hands. People help me up saying I need to heal my injuries. I keep my eyes on him scared..

***

Three months.

Three fucking months and nothing is better. They said it would be better by now. But I still miss him, miss my fiancé. He died shortly after I saw him. His dead body being the only thing on my mind every single day. Today I need to collect his belongings so I throw myself out of bed sadly. I walk out to the room to the empty, quiet, kitchen. I look for my mug and think George must have put it away when he was cleaning. The twin of my passed fiancé constantly stops by to help around the house, he says it helps pass the time.

I climb on the ladder and see he just put it far back in the shelf. I look right above it and look at it shocked. It's Fred's mug.

I hold it and tear up. "Why couldn't you stay? You promised you would stay! You promised! Wh-why did I have to loose you?!" I scream and fall to my knees feeling my heart crumble. "You promised..." I whisper against the mug. I put it down and feel the ground rumble from the nearby train. I ignore it until it makes my mug fall from the counter and drop on Fred's. "No... No no no no no..." I sob picking up the pieces.

George's POV:

I walk into the building to see Y/n yelling at the landlord angrily. "NO YOU CALM DOWN GARRETT! THAT BLOODY TRAIN BROKE MY FIANCE'S MUG! HE FOUGHT IN A WAR YOU WOULD NEVER IMAGINE! HIS MUG IS IRREPLACEABLE! HE FOUGHT DEATHEATERS! DID YOU FIGHT DEATHEATERS GARRETT?! NO! SO YOU WILL GET THAT BLOODY BLOODY TRAIN TO STOP OR PUT A DAMN SPELL ON THIS BUILDING SO I DON'T HAVE TO THINK I AM ON A CRUISE EVERYTIME IT PASSES!" She yells at him holding a bag to her chest, tears streaming down her face. I grab her arms holding them to her chest as she continues to yell at him. "Sorry mate its just a horrible day." I explain as I wrestle her into the lift. "Y/N!" I yell at her and she sobs clutching the bag. "All I had left George! I didn't even know I had it! And it was gone just like he's gone! It was practically a reenactment!" She cries and I hold her close. I kiss the top of her head knowingly.

"He's gone!" She sobs and I nod not wanting to add to it. As much as I miss Fred, she misses him more. She has had everyone in her life leave her and he was all she had besides our family but we weren't even close to him. She trusted him with her life and it was ripped away so quickly. Her love for him was more than a man could describe.

"Let's get you washed up..." I whisper and she nods silently.

***

Fred's POV:

I limp inside the home I once knew and look for my mother, brother, anyone. I can barely see through my bloody hair that has overgrown. I climb the stairs harshly noting the pain in my ribs. I open my room and everything is empty on my side. I walk over to George's bed and nothing. "Mum?" I barely croak. I keep searching ignoring the pain.

I hear a teacup fall and break behind me, I whip around to see my mother as pale as possible. "George? What's wrong?!" She asks and I try to smirk. "Mum wrong twin, but before I yell at you about that I need to find- well myself..." I say drawing my wand. "What? George are you alright? Please don't tell me my boy is gone too." She whimpers. "Mum, where have you last seen me, or well Fred?" I ask and she walks over, tears filling her eyes. "Georgie... Fred died. You remember don't you?" She whispers, combing my hair, I nearly relax at the sensation, haven't been able to see my mother in a year. Only being tortured.

"Mum? I died?" I ask and she sobs, holding me. "C'mon Georgie! Don't tell me we have to go back to St. Mungo's!" She sobs into my chest. "What?! George went to St. Mungo's?!" I ask getting worried. "Oh Godric... Georgie! Y/n! She snapped! Please stop this!" She cries and I freeze. "What do you mean mum?" I ask and she cries more. "You know what happened!" She clutches my shirt tightly. "Mum!" I say grabbing her wrists. "It. Is. Fred. I have been tortured for a year. I need to go find Georgie and Y/n. Where's my girl?" I ask getting worried. She places a hand on my cheek and looks at me carefully. "Freddie?" She asks and I nod, cupping her hand. "Yes mum. Freddie. Can you heal me up and show me where my girl and twin is? I haven't seen them in so long, I miss them." I ask and she smiles. "ARTHUR COME HERE!" She yells as she helps me to the den.

***

I walk into George's apartment with him and my parents slowly. "Why's she living here?" I ask and George sighs. "Please be calm alright?" He asks and I nod. He unlocks the door and looks around. "Y/n?" He calls and sighs. "Don't know why I try anymore..." He whispers mostly to himself. "Please show her slowly George. We can't have her getting worse." My mum tells him and he nods.

I walk into a room across from his and see her laying on her bed. "Hey Y/n! Got you a surprise..." George says and points to the corner. "Let me get her used to seein me first." He whispers and I look at him confused. She turns around and smiles at him silently. "Still no talking?" He asks and she tears up. "It's alright. Can you trust me real quick?" He asks and she nods confused. My heart breaks seeing her, she looks broken.

"C'mere Fred..." He tells me and she whips her head around. I walk over and she tears up. "No..." She whispers and I back away. "Hey Lovey..." I whisper. "You're dead." she tells me and I chuckle. "Turns out. A lot of people think that..." I joke and she walks over. She pokes my chest and I poke her shoulder playfully. "What was that for?" I ask joking and she says nothing but wrap her arm around me.

"Hey Y/n/n, want some tea and we can explain?" George asks and she nods. "Alright me and Fred-" He begins but she shakes her head, holding me tighter like a toddler with a teddy. "I want Fred to stay." She says and I kiss her head. "Y/n, you need to change." He tells her and she grips on my shirt. "I want Fred to stay." She repeats and he sighs. "George. She can just change while I'm turned around. I don't think she'll let me leave, right lovey?" I ask and she nods, nuzzling her face into my shirt. "He'll leave again." She states and I kneel. "Never again. I promise." I tell her and she starts to cry. "You said that." She tells me and my heart breaks. "I know, but this year was temporary. I promise." I tell her.

George finally leaves and she changes as quickly as possible and races back to hug me again. I pick her up and she stays hugging me. "Freddie..." She whispers and I nod. "I gotcha baby." I tell her and she shoves her head in the crook of my neck.

I sit down and George is tearing up. "You got her to talk." He tells me and I look at her confused. "What do you mean?" I ask and he wipes his face. "She was ok at first... Then she saw a Scrapbook of you guys. She realized that you were actually well- You know what I mean. And she stopped talking. We brought her to St. Mungo's in hope she'd start talking but after a month I just took her in here. Hoping one day she'd talk again. Then you came back. She talked for the first time today. Only because she saw you." He explains. "Your turn." She says and I nod, rubbing circles on her back.

"They thought us twins were the only two who were important enough to be in the army but slightly unimportant to kidnap one and try to get answers. They replaced me with a soldier using Polyjuice. Luckily... I had the memory of you guys keeping me strong." I explain kissing her neck. I feel tears on my shoulder and I move to see her face. "What's wrong lovey?" I ask and she hides in my neck again. "My fault." She cries into my neck. "Hey... What do you mean?" I ask and she nuzzles her face into my neck. "I didn't notice..." She cries and I kiss her neck up and down softly. "No baby, they took some of my memories so it would be impossible to not notice." I explain and she holds me tightly. "But I love you so much. I should've." She explains, taking breaks, every time trying to remember a word or at least how to say it. "I'm going to pack her things, I think your flat will be more comfortable." George says and I nod.

"I'm sorry." She mumbles and I kiss her again. "Me too..." I whisper.

***

"Good morning darling." I say as I sit on the couch next to Y/n. She smiles at me slightly and I grab the newspaper. "Want me to read for you?" I ask and she nods,  laying on my lap. I run my fingers through her hair as I read the news, showing her the cartoons. I'm smiling and laughing for her until she gets up and grabs a grape. She eats it and I pop up straight. "Sorry did you want that?" She asks and I smile at her. I kiss her all over her face and she giggles. I start kissing her even more causing more giggles. The sound I haven't heard in two years, right before the war.

"Freddie!" She giggles and I smile at her with the dopiest smile I can muster. "I love your laugh..." I sigh and she smiles at me. I get a call and answer it seeing its George.

"Hey could you come down to the shop? Ron set off fireworks after falling and there might be a hole near your office. We tried fixing it but your Magic Blocker is being a pain" He tells me and I sigh. "Alright coming. You two are very much interrupting the best day of my life." I say kissing the crown of Y/n's head. "Why? What happened?" He asks and I smile at the girl in my hold. "Y/n both ate and I heard that gorgeous giggle of hers." I say smiling proudly at Y/n. She blushes slightly and I kiss her nose.

I get up to change with Y/n following closely behind after hanging up and change in our shared room as she fiddles with the sensory knickknacks. With my ADHD and her PTSD we got them to keep our minds healthy. I laugh when she throws the dollar bill squishy at me playfully. I pick it up and she smirks at me. "Pass me my wallet." She tells me and I sigh knowing what I'm getting myself into. I toss her the wallet and she opens it looking for something.

I continue getting dressed when I feel a coin hit my back. "Hey! Dollar bills!" I say tossing the coin back. "I see no such rule." She replies and I smile. "How can you annoy the hell out of me but make me fall so much harder..." I mumble and she smiles. "Its cause I pay good." She quips, tossing a coin at me. I finally get my belt fixed and I walk over. I pick her up and drop her onto our bed. I kiss her neck and she giggles as I tickle her lightly. "I love you so much..." I whisper and she kisses my cheek. "Not as much as I love you." She whispers back.

I get fully dressed and I watch as she disappears into the closet and returns, first eyes searching for me quickly and when she finds me she walks over hugging me. "Ready to go?" I ask and she nods.

Y/n's POV:

I walk into the shop with Fred as we walk out into the streets of Diagon Alley. "Busy street today." He mutters worried and I nod, holding onto his hand tightly. "Don't worry. If we lose each other, meet me at the shop. You know the way." He tells me and I nod silently.

We set off and halfway I lose him in the crowd. I look around scared. My heart beats faster and faster as the seconds pass. "Fred?" I say loudly and get no response. My heart starts to go faster than I've ever felt. "Fred?" I say, tears forming in my eyes.

What if he gets kidnapped again?

What if he's hurt?

What if I get kidnapped?

What if Fred has to go through the same as I did?

What if-

I rush to the shop and go into the bathroom, locking the door as I fall to the ground crying. My heart beating faster than it should. I try to breath but no air is allowed down my throat. Tears fall from my eyes and I cry harder.

I need to go back and look for him.

Stop being a coward.

He could be hurt.

God I can't move.

What if me being a coward causes the last of the Deatheaters kidnap him again?

I can't lose him-

"Y/n? Darling?" I hear and I wipe my tears, quickly standing up shakily. I unlock the door and smile at a distressed Fred. "Hey I just had to fix my makeup." I say and his frown deepens. "C'mere." He says holding his arms open. I stop before hugging him and take a step back. "How do I know?" I ask and he sighs. "I got some Veritaserum in the back if you'd like that." He tells me and I run into his arms, hugging him tightly. "I'm sorry." I cry softly into his chest and he kisses my head. "I'm here for you every step of the way. For better and worse." He whispers into my head softly.

"Now it's time to deal with my idiot brother's mistakes."

***

Fred comes into the apartment and smiles happily. "Lovey!!!" He says and I smile brightly at him. I hold up my now empty plate and he wraps his arms, one hand holding his briefcase, around me. "I made you some too!" I tell him and he looks at the coffee table. "I can't believe I was lucky enough to marry you..." He whispers in my ear and I smile. "I can agree." I tell him, kissing his nose. It's been two years since he got back and I finally got better. I started talking again, laughing, hugging, all because I had my loving husband next to me the whole time. I still have some issues with him leaving but not as bad as before.

"How was work?" I ask as he sits down, starting to eat. "Good. Missed you though." He tells me and I smile, laying on his lap as he devours his food. I unbutton his shirt and pull up the t-shirt underneath, I put my head under the cloth and kiss his scars lightly as he rubs my hair lightly. "I love you my crazy lady." He tells me and I pull my head away, smiling at him goofily. "I love you my red haired boy."

[hello-everyfandom]

“Stay next to me then, so I can protect you.”

Warnings: Mentions of violence, war

Pairing: George Weasley x Reader

Words: 2.9k

Summary: Small snippets of your pregnancy with George Weasley

Part One: “I never said I was good at picking names, for all I care we could call them Bob.”

It was easy to fall in love with George Weasley. You had fallen in love with him as quickly as it was to pluck a flower from a meadow or quicker than a simple blink of the eye. You two were quite happy together, there was no doubt in your mind that George was your fellow, the man you wanted to spend the rest of eternity with.

A pop sounded rather loud and your head felt dizzy as you stabilized yourself after apparating out of the wedding. George placed a hand on your lower back and looked at you grimly, hearing the Death Eaters continue to rampage the wedding. The rest of the Weasley’s, besides a certain Ron, began popping in as well. 

George, rubbing soothing circles on your back, leaned and whispered, “Don’t worry, Love. ‘verything will be alright.” You looked back and nodded silently, clutching his arm.

“What will we do?”

“I expect they will come in and-” before Mr. Weasley could respond, multiple Death Eaters stormed the Burrow, pointing wands and yelling orders. Guests who remained and the Weasley’s were questioned rigorously. You had watched nervously, hands intertwined, until a Death Eater who you couldn’t place a name to, pulled you and George into the interrogation room. 

“What is your name?” He asked your boyfriend who answered confidently.

“George Weasley.”

“Blood status?”

“Pureblood.” George squeezed your hand without breaking eye contact with the man who looked at you with extreme loathing.

“Where is Harry Potter?”

“I don’t know.” George lied.

“Don’t lie. Tell us the whereabouts of Harry Potter, and perhaps we will leave your family unharmed.” 

“He said he didn’t know.” You hissed harshly, glaring at him.

He turned, “Name?”

“Y/N Y/L/N.”

“Blood status?”

“Half-blood.”

“Proof of magical blood?”

“My father was a wizard.”

“Was?”

“He’s dead. He died a few years ago.”

The Death Eater seemed to grin wickedly, “As I hear, you have no true proof of wizarding lineage. And no lasting connecting,” he licked his teeth, “to any magical being. Who did you steal your magic from?” his voice lowered in disgust, he nearly spat. 

“This is preposterous! She didn’t steal anyone’s magic, she was raised as a wizard!” George yelled, the veins of his neck popping out. His face began to turn red as his hand moved to his back pocket where his wand was.

“If there is factual evidence that can be proven, I will have to take her to the ministry to be fully detained.”

“Like hell, you will,”

“George,” you whispered, attempting to calm your boyfriend. “My father raised me alone, as a wizard. He worked in the ministry, you may look him up and I’m sure you will see my birth records.”

“Artifice and forgery are easy to construct, assuming that your birthright and blood status is correct, you still do not have any lasting relationships in the wizarding world. I’ll ask one more time, who did you steal your magic from.”

“I did not steal anything, I was born with it.” your voice slightly wavering.

“Then, I’m afraid,” his smile grew sickening and wider, “That we will have to interrogate you further at the ministry.” His hand reached and snatched your arm, beginning to bruise it with his fingers. George jumped up,

“She’s my fiancee!”

The Death Eater twisted to face him, “Lies!”

“No lies.” George looked at you pleadingly, “We just got engaged tonight, at the wedding. We’re to be married in months.”

The Death Eater sneered at you and dropped your arm, “And you would want to marry this filth?”

George gathered you in his arms, and snarled back, “It’s a wizarding connection, is it not?” and pulled you out of the interrogation room.

“George, they’ll wring you for that,” you whispered, eyeing the surrounding Death Eaters.

“They won’t if it’s true.”

“But, it’s not true. Darling, please, I’m afraid for you.”

“It may as well be,” George gathered your hands and kissed the knuckled, “We love each other, don’t we?”

“I love you with all my heart,”

“Then, why don’t we get married? Why aren’t we married right now?”

“Because...” you tried to think of a good excuse, but nothing came to mind. It was true. You loved George and he loved you and with the war thundering upon your heads.

“Exactly, so marry me, please,” George whispered again.

“Yes, of course, I’ll marry you, George.”

--

The day you told George you were pregnant you were terrified. Perhaps terrified is not the right word, but the only thing you could think of was the fear running through your veins. It wasn’t as if George’s excitement for a child had been a secret, you learned at the wedding he was quite ecstatic to begin a life with you. However, the fear came from the war. You feared for your unborn child being born into a world of prejudice, violence, and anger. But, as you sat down with George in your small shared apartment, you couldn’t shake the nerves that seemed to plague your mind.

“What is it, Y/N? You’re worrying me.” George asked.

“I need to tell you something,”

“Go on, then, love. I’ve never seen you so serious.” George chuckled humorlessly.

“I went to St. Mungos today.”

“What?” George jumped, holding your hands and scanning you for wounds or injuries, “Why? What happened? I knew I shouldn’t have gone into work today I-”

“George, please, calm down.”

“What’s happened? Has someone come into the apartment?”

“George-”

“Were you hurt? How did you get to St. Mungos? Did you-”

“George,” you cupped his face lovingly, “I’m pregnant.”

Silence. George’s mouth fell as his eyes widened.

“Please say something, Georgie. Now you’re scaring me,” you laughed, rubbing his cheeks with the pads of your thumbs.

“You’re pregnant?”

“Yes, Georgie.”

“As in, baby? In you? From sex?”

“That’s generally how they are made, darling.” you laughed. George’s face broke into a smile, his freckles seemed to glow as he jumped up from his seat and pulled you to your feet. 

“You’re pregnant!” He beamed, spinning you around. The nerves you had previously felt before had dissipated as George peppered your face with kisses. 

“We’re pregnant, George, we’re having a baby.” you felt tears well in your eyes as George pressed a long, loving kiss on your lips. 

“I am,” George laughed, “I am overwhelmed.”

“You’re overwhelmed? I have a baby growing in me!”

George spun you around once more, “You have a baby growing in you!” He turned and yelled into the apartment, “Fred! Fred get in here, you silly oaf! Get in here!”

You heard a loud thud as footsteps ran towards you. Fred, with shampoo in his hair and a towel wrapped around his waist, held his wand up in case of danger. You immediately shut your eyes,

“Fred, dear god, you could’ve put some clothes on!”

“I was in the bloody shower, what in merlin’s pants is going on? I’ve nearly cracked ‘m head open!”

“Fred, for god’s sake, shut the hell up!”

Fred looked around the small apartment living room frantically before looking at George. His eyes lowered to his twin’s hands on your stomach and his wide smile. He looked back and forth from George’s hands to your stomach before slowly looking up with a grin placed on his face.

“George, you did not.” He said.

“George, I did,” George replied, smiling widely.

“George,” Fred warned, “is she-is she pregnant?”

“She so is,” you answered.

“Oh my god! You’re! She’s. And You! Oh, I-”

“Fred,” you put your hands our warily, watching Fred begin to sway. Fred’s eyes rolled as his arms flapped and he fainted.

When Fred’s eyelids began to flutter, he managed to regain focus from the ground staring up at his brother and his wife’s worried faces. His hands flew to his chest and then down to his towel which he was glad was still there.

“Alright, I agree, we probably should’ve waited,” George turned to you,

“I’m surprised he didn’t just die on sight, ‘ve only just found out today.”

“Mate?” George pulled his twin’s shoulders so he was sitting up, “you doing alright? You had quite a fall.”

“You fainted, remember? Your towel fell off, but I-uh- closed my eyes.”

Fred looked back and forth before jumping up and slamming George in a death grip hug.

“More than alright! Bloody hell, we’re having a baby!” 

“Yeah, we are!” George hugged him back, 

“Ye-wait, we?” you asked.

“Yes, we! Get ‘ver here, Y/N! You little oven heater for our bun!” Fred reached his arms out, you laughed and backed away.

“How about, I’ll give you a hug when you’re all settled and dressed,”

Fred pointed, “She’s a smart one, she is?”

“The smartest.” George could feel the happiness swell in his chest, the pride he felt for his family, and the love he exuded for you.

By the time you were perfectly plump and showing, George seemed to fret over you even more. From making cups of tea to helping you get up, you never seemed to lift a finger. However, the smothering seemed to drive you slightly insane as all you wanted to do was lay on the couch and read a novel without George constantly on your shoulder.

“Love, I’m alright, you’re acting as if I am on bed rest.”

“Bed rest!” he exclaimed, “That’s a brilliant idea, come on then, go on to bed,”

You groaned, “George, that was a joke! Please, I’m perfectly content where I am. Now hurry on to work before Fred becomes cross with you.” you leaned and kissed him on the cheek before handing him his briefcase and nudging him out the door.

“Send me an owl if, bloody hell woman, stop trying to shut the door and- ouch! Y/N!” he yelled after you accidentally nicked his foot under the door.

“Love you, too darling! Have a good day at work!” you said before closing the door. 

For a while, the silence was quite nice until the silence became longer. You glanced at the clock worriedly at the kitchen table as late afternoon turned to evening. Fred and George were usually home by now, and of course, they could be restocking, but it was unlike George to be so late especially now when his wife was pregnant. You stirred your tea before sipping it lightly, not really paying attention to the flavors and more of your nerves. Your hand on your plump belly as you caressed it softly. 

“Daddy will be home soon, yeah?” you whispered.

As evening turned into night, you debated on sending him an owl message or even floo-ing down to Diagon Alley. Just as your hands reached for the parchment, the door burst open. Fred and George barged in with wands in hand, waving quickly to summon clothing and suitcases. 

“George!” you screamed as you ran towards him, “What’s happened? What’s going on?”

“We need to leave,” George said seriously, “Y/N, love, grab your wand and the things you need.”

“But-”

“Now!” George’s voice raised. You were not frightened by his yelling but rather the grim expression on his face. You hurried and gathered your wand and slipped on some shoes. Fred quickly packed any photographs and business papers for the shop as George moved clothing into suitcases. Your hands, quick and nimble, helped George’s shaky ones. You zipped the suitcase and snapped it shut before standing, a hand on your stomach.

“What’s happening, George?”

“The burrows been attacked, we need to go. Bill and Fleur are expecting us.” George looked around for Fred before his eyes softened at your worried face. George’s hands grabbed the back of your neck as he placed a soft kiss on your forehead. “Need to get you and the little one out of here. Fred?”

“Right here.” Fred popped next to George, suitcase in hand. “Alright, Y/N?”

“As alright as I can be.” 

You looked back at the seemingly empty apartment and grabbed hold on George’s hand as the twins whisked you away.

--

With the due date just weeks away, you struggled to do daily tasks. Frustration was key on your face as you listened to the Order of the Pheonix explain the battle strategies. Much to George’s despise, the baby would be due a month before the battle meaning, if you were completely healed and ready, could fight alongside the Order of the Pheonix.

“Y/N, stop it.”

“George, if you are going to fight, I am too,” you argued. It was exhausting arguing with George, even when you were younger. He seems to only hear out one ear and out the... well. 

“You’d have just given birth!”

“It would be a month after and-”

“This is not up for discussion, Y/N. I can’t lose you.” George sat on your shared bed, putting his head in his hands, “I can’t lose you.”

You sat next to him, wrapping your small arms around his broad shoulders, “You would never lose me. But, I have to do what is right, and if you are going to fight then I will too.”

“Then I won’t fight.”

“Of course you will, Georgie.” 

“No! We can stay here and we can stay with the baby-”

You shushed him softly and kissed his shoulders. “You know this is what’s right.”

His shoulders shook with a small cry, “Stay next to me then, so I can protect you.” George faced you, wrapping his arms around your pregnant figure, 

“I’ll never leave your side,” you leaned and kissed your husband.

As Fleur braided your soft hair and hummed a french tune, you leaned on her deep in thought. The smell of the salty sea and the sand made you think even harder.

“Fleur?” you asked,

“Yes?” she answered back. You turned from your position to face her beautiful face.

“I need to ask you something,”

“Vhat iz it, Y/N?”

“If...” you inhaled a shaky breath. “If anything happens to George or me during the battle...”

“Plez do not zalk like that, you and George will be fine.” Fleur pleaded, grabbing hold of your hand.

“I’m not oblivious to the war, I understand that there will be... casualties.” you swallowed, “but George and I plan to be there for the battle and...”

“You and Georgie will be okay.”

“Please, Fleur?” she stayed silent, tears in her blue eyes, “If George and I die, please, I. I don’t want my baby to...” you chocked up.

“Iz okay, Y/N. I understand.” She rubbed your arms comfortingly. “Bill and I will do anything for ze baby.” 

“Thank you.” your voice cracked as Fleur leaned and placed her forehead against yours. “Thank you.”

--

“Molly?” you called from the small sitting room.

“Yes, dearie?” she approached, wiping her hands on a towel.

“May I ask you a question?”

“Of course,” Molly sat on the edge of the couch where you laid. Your hands laid on your stomach, now huge and ready to burst. Molly reached and brushed the hair off your forehead and gave you a motherly smile, “How is my grand-child doing?”

“Other than a little finicky and particularly opposed to any sweets or anything I feed them, I think are doing quite well.”

“The little one’s picky, isn’t she? Wait until she meets her Grandmother, she’ll be stuffed with to the brim.”

 You laughed, “How are you so sure she’s a she?”

“Oh well, call it a mother’s intuition,” Molly waved her hand.

“I, well. My question was... well. You had seven children,”

“I knew this question was coming,” Molly placed her hand on your stomach and another on your arm, “It’s not as bad as you think.”

“Are you sure? I feel as though I’m ready to pop,”

“Truly, Dear, I will be there, George will as well.”

“I’m scared, I think, thas all,” you mumbled, looking at your pregnant belly.

“I understand, when I was pregnant with Charlie, I practically broke Arthur’s hand!”

“You should’ve seen her pregnant with Ginny,” George’s voice chimed in. You turned to see your smiling husband approach and kiss the top of your head. “Nearly tore our heads off,”

“Oh,” Molly blushed and smacked her son’s arm, “If only my sons weren’t acting like fools, then perhaps I would’ve been more lenient.” 

“We still haven’t decided on a name,” George said, “This one,” he pointed at you, “Likes the name Posy.”

“Posy is a wonderful name,” you defended, 

“I still think Herbert is a nice name,”

“I’m not doing this again, Georgie, we’re not naming our child Herbert!”

“Why not!” George argued. Molly watched in amusement as the two of you bickered, “We could call him Herb for short.”

“What if it’s a girl?”

“Herba.”

You groaned making George laugh. It was only until you groaned louder when he stopped. You gasped sharply and sat up, “Oh my-”

“The baby’s coming!” Molly yelled excitedly, helping you off up the couch. “Come on then George, don’t just stand around! Help your wife into the bedroom!”

George froze, his face blank. It appeared that fire lit in his face as he quickly grabbed ahold of your arms, steadying you as you breathed rapidly. “Don’t freak out,” 

“I’m not freaking out!”

“I’m not talking about you! I’m talking about me!”

“If I make it out alive after this, George, I’m going to punch you.”

George let out a loud laugh before helping you into the bedroom, “You sound like Mum.”

[celestialinception]

When All is Right with the World

Summary: When the ministry issues a call out for the proving of blood status, Fred decides that it’s too dangerous for the Reader and him to be together, leading to unforeseen consequences.

Pairing: Fred Weasley x fem!Reader

Word Count: 4.4k

Warnings: Whump, brief mentions of torture, lots of angst. You know the drill.

A/n: This is set in Deathly Hallows after the golden trio have gone off Horcrux hunting. There will be a part two posted as well :)

Fred paced the flat, giving the appearance to George as if he was trying to wear a hole in the carpet. The clock on the wall chimed 6, startling the twins out of their thoughts. Both of them had been on edge since the Bill and Fleurs’ wedding, waiting for Deatheaters to turn up at their door at a moment’s notice. At this point, George could not remember the last time he had a good night’s sleep.

Fred resumed his pacing.

“Alright stop it, you’re going to do my bloody head in; stop walking.” Fred stopped. “Thank you. You know she’ll be back soon.” Y/n was due back from her shift at St. Mungo’s at any minute.

“I know. I know. That’s half the problem.”

George sighed. “So, you’re going to do it then?”

At that moment, Fred looked more tired than George had ever seen him. “I have to. I don’t have a choice.” Fred ran a hand over his eyes.

“Well you know how I feel on the subject but…”

“But nothing. I’ve told you why this has to happen.”

“And I’ve told you why we can make this work!”

Fred thought back to the conversation they last had on this topic earlier in the week.

“If she stays with us, she’s going to get hurt.”

“Look I get it. She’s my best friend as well. But at least if she is with us, she can have some protection.”

“Protection that will mean nothing if she gets targeted by a band of snatchers because she’s associating with blood traitors! She is better off as far away from us… and from me, as possible.”

“We can go and...”

“No. We can’t. She’s half-blood George, and her dad, the only one who could have proved her status mind, is dead. Besides, if they know she’s with me, they’ll target her to get me to spill information on Harry. For both of their sakes I can’t.” Fred looked out of the kitchen entryway back to their room where Y/n was sleeping.

“You’re not thinking this through. There are ways of hiding people.”

“You and I both know that that won’t work…”

Fred came back to the present and shook his head, “It’s not going to happen George, I’ve made up my mind.”

“You’re being a git! If you’d just think for once instead of being a bloody impulsive-”

“I WON’T HAVE HER DIE BECAUSE OF ME!” Fred’s voice cracked.

Unbeknownst to the twins, the door behind them creaked open as the third occupant of their flat walked in.

“I can’t..”

“Fred? Are you alright?” Y/n stood in the doorway, coat in hand, anxiously peering between the two of them. Fred felt as though an icy two-ton ball had just been dropped into his stomach.

“George, can you leave us alone for a minute please.”

George tried to protest.

“Please, George.”

Fred looked him dead in the eye and George, seeing that his twin would not be swayed from his decision, got up and headed towards their back door. He gave Y/n a small, sad smile, before he disappeared into the night.

“Fred, why did George look like that? What’s going on?”

Fred steeled himself for what had to be done. While he was turned away from Y/n it was easier to pretend he was emotionally shut off from the situation.

“We need to have a talk.”

“Are you okay? Did something happen?” Fred grimaced to himself and turned around.

“I think we need to talk about… us.” This is the only way to do it. The only way she’ll actually leave.

“Alright,” Y/n sat down on the couch, still holding onto her coat. Her fingers were twisting the belt. “Shoot.”

Fred took a deep breath, “I think it might be time that we stop this.”

“Stop what?”

“Our relationship. I want to see other people.”

“Other.. What? Are you serious?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Oh, wait a minute. No, no, no, no, this isn’t about other people. This is about me getting hurt isn’t it.” Y/n paused for a minute, as if she was expecting Fred to nod yes emphatically and ask for forgiveness. He wanted to.

“I told you I’m not…”

Fred lied through his teeth, “This isn’t about that. I don’t want to be in this relationship anymore.”

She was beginning to look hurt now, he pressed on. “I don’t want to be tied down anymore. This is not working for me. I’m tired of this,” he gestured between them

“But you said that-” Break it off now quick like ripping off a plaster.

“I don’t love you anymore.” He heard her quick intake of breath.

She then started to laugh. It was high and sharp and completely unbecoming to her.

“You’re joking right now. I know you are, and George is going to pop out any minute, but I can tell you, this is not funny.” She got up from the couch and moved closer to him. Her finger poked him in the chest. “You can stop the charade now. You’re not like this, you’re not this cruel. If this is not about trying to protect me and this is a joke you need to stop now. It’s not funny and it hurts.”

Her eyes were shining with tears. It took all his strength not to pull her closer, but to instead move away.

“This is not a prank. I’m being honest. I’m done.”

“Can I get an actual reason why?” Because this is for your own good.

“I’ve changed. I don’t love you anymore. You are not a person that I want to keep in my life. I want to find someone who can actually do that for me.” Lies, Lies, Lies.

“Oh. And you’re sure about that?”

He almost choked, “Positive.”

“Well then” She was avoiding looking into his eyes. “I guess we’re done then.”

She looked at the wall and he stared at his feet, fearing that if he saw her eyes or trembling lip the whole charade would come crashing down.

Her voice was tight and shaky, “If you give me half an hour I can be out of here with my stuff.”

He nodded, still not looking at her. He walked to the door, and opened it, the cool night air chilling him.

“Say goodbye to George for me.”

He looked through the doorway to see her one last time, standing with her back facing him, the yellow light from the kitchen giving her an almost otherworldly glow.

Before he lost resolve he shut the door, and walked away, leaving her behind.

_____________________________________________________________

Y/n held her breath, ears straining for the sound of branches cracking from outside her tent. She silently cursed as the now falling snow would muffle the footsteps of any passers-by, making it even more difficult to escape if the snatchers uncovered her hiding spot.

After the ministry had issued the call out for the proving of blood status, Y/n had begun to move from place to place, only stopping for the night, and always leaving before daybreak. With Fred out of the picture, there had been nothing holding her to London, and so she had set off, staying at little inns under false names, trying to destroy any trail she may be unintentionally creating.

Despite creating distance between herself and London, Fred still managed to pop himself into her thoughts no matter where she went. On one rather depressing occasion, she mistook a muggle in the street for him, and when she got back to her bed at the tavern, spent the rest of the evening drinking down a particularly big bottle of firewhisky.

She hadn’t forgiven him. That, she was very firm to maintain with herself. Not only what he’d done but how he had done it, had hurt, and Y/n was adamant that she would never let that happen again.

But despite not forgiving him she still had relapses in missing the life she had had. The evenings at the Leaky Cauldron after they were both too tired from work to actually cook. Sitting in the twin’s office gleefully testing out their new projects. The peaceful breakfasts when the shop had to open early, where the streets outside were calm, and lamps were still shining mutedly through the morning mist. Those mornings had been her favourite, where all had seemed to be right in her world. And now her mornings were spent on the run avoiding snatchers.

It was pitch black in her tent, and Y/n closed her eyes, concentrating on trying to make out the soft sounds outside. In the last couple of towns she had stayed in, she had caught glimpses of snatchers, and when she saw them in the last inn she was staying at, had folded up her small bag of luggage and apparated to the next town over. On the outskirts of the town was a dense forest, and so after purchasing a tent from a nearby muggle camping shop, she hiked up into the woods praying that she would be so deeply concealed that the snatchers would give up.

A rustle on her left made her inhale sharply, and Y/n bit her lip in an effort not to make a sound. Then she heard them.

“How long we gonna be Scabior? I’m just ‘bout freezin’ my bloody pants off out here. I don’t think the girl’s around. We would have seen her by now.”

“We are goin’ to be as long as it takes. I know she’s ‘round here. There were footprints ‘bout a mile back.”

Shit. Y/n had placed concealment charms around the campsite, but she must have forgotten to clear-out her tracks from earlier. She had made the tent invisible, but she had not had time to cast a muffliato charm before they came closer. She didn’t dare speak now, not when they were so close.

“We’ll canvas the area a little longer, and ‘en we’ll go. If my source’s right, she’s the girlfriend of one o’ the Weasleys.” Scabior spat on the ground, “Filthy little blood trai’ors they are. But she’ll be good leverage for them to spill on Potter’s whereabouts. The dark lord will be most pleased. And then they’ll be a nice little reward for those who helped bring that about.” The group murmured in agreeance and continued trudging their way around Y/n’s campsite.

Once they were far enough away, Y/n performed the muffliato spell and began packing up her things in the tent. She needed to move, now. If she got caught there was no one coming to rescue her.

“I don’t think she’s here, Scabior.” Another voice Y/n had not heard before spoke up. There were at least three snatchers then. They were making their way back through the site and her escape was becoming more necessary by the minute. She would never be able to get past three of them.

“Well ‘en, I s’pose we can..” The tent shook slightly as Scabior fell down. With icy dread she realised he had fallen over one of her guy ropes. “Wha’ the.. There’s somethin’ invisible ‘round ‘ere!”

They were going to find her. Dread filled her as she knew she needed to do everything in her power to save Harry. Y/n acted on instinct.

Out of the tip of her wand, the form of a beautiful, shining unicorn appeared and bowed its head. Y/n spoke lowly and quickly.

“George, I have been, or will soon be, caught by snatchers.” She inhaled sharply, trying to stop the fear in her voice. “They are going to use me to get to Fred and Harry. They still think we’re together and they’re coming for you at the Burrow. Get Fred and yourself out of there and don’t tell them anything! Protect Harry at all costs, he’s the only one who can get us out of this.” Her voice nearly broke “Please be careful. Tell Fred I...” Y/n screamed as two hands grabbed her from behind and began to pull her out of the tent. The unicorn ran off, fading through the wall of the tent.

“Now look what we ‘ave ‘ere.” Y/n wand was ripped out of her hands. “I think we just found the key to mister Pottah. Stand up there pre’tty, I ‘aven’t got all day.”

Y/n was forced to her feet.

“Now look at that. Not too shabby for a thief.” Scabior trained his wand on her.

“I’m not a..”

“Save it, pre’tty. No point denyin’ that you stole your magic.”

“I’m half-blood. My father was..” Y/n was cut off again, this time by one of the other snatchers.

“Don’t matter what your father was, unless he can come and explain to the ministry that you’re his daughter. But wait, he can’t. ‘Cause he’s dead.” He chuckled nastily. “But that’s not the most important thing right now love, we’ve got another purpose for you.”

Scabior was growing impatient. “Rookwood, grab ‘er and let’s go. We’re goin’ to take her to Malfoy’s.”

“Right you are then,” With a flick of his wand, ropes tied around Y/n’s feet, hands, and mouth. Every time Y/n struggled they grew tighter.

“You’d best stop with that, or you might not ‘ave hands and feet by the time we are done with you. Although you might not ‘ave ‘em even without the ropes.” The snatchers laughed as Y/n was secured and her ropes held onto by Rookwood. With a stinking warm breath, he simpered in her ear, “Hold on tight.” Y/n couldn’t suppress the shudder that ran down her back.

They disapparated away from the camp.

_____________________________________________________________

The Burrow was quiet. Without the usual hubbub of everyone in the family going on with their day to day activities, the house was almost silent, with the only noises to be heard being Molly’s knitting needles. Fred did not like it at all.

With the shops business being reduced to Owl-orders, the twins had had more time to visit their family. George was currently upstairs twiddling with a new design, and Fred assumed his father was playing again with the muggle radio he had gotten for his birthday. Fred himself was distractedly musing over accounts, one of the only terrible parts of his job. Still, it was a way to pass the time. It was all he seemed to do these days, work, sleep and sometimes talk on Lee’s show Potterwatch.

The clock chimed 9;30 against the silence, and Fred put his head in his hands. He contemplated going up to bed, but upon remembering his argument with George earlier in the evening, decided against it.

George had snapped at him after Fred had only distractedly listened as he listed the new modifications he was planning for one of the new products. He had rounded on Fred, telling him he was bloody useless while he was so hung up on feeling sorry for himself and that if he was going to keep being a prat, the least he could do was fake interest in their livelihood. Fred had then immediately bit back, which had ended in a full-out argument between the two. Arthur had stepped in after they had started to shove each other around, and Molly had ordered them to go to other ends of the house, to which the twins had no issue with doing. Fred had been at the kitchen table doing accounts since.

The clattering of knitting needles on the wooden table shook Fred out of his reverie.

“Alright, you and I need to have a talk” Molly Weasley pulled out a chair opposite to her son.

“You and George don’t argue. And what your father and I saw up there was not usual.”

“We argue all the time. That’s what siblings do.”

“Yes, but not like this. And this has been happening a lot lately. Is this about Y/n?”

“Mum…” Fred sighed dejectedly

“Is it? Because I know George misses her so I can’t imagine how you are feeling.” She gave him a pointed look. Fred started to defend himself, but she cut him off,

“Cut it out Fred, I know you didn’t break up with her because you didn’t love her anymore. I saw the way you two looked at each other. It was the way your father looks at me.” She smiled at him softly.

Fred got frustrated then. Why can’t they understand?

“I had to Mum, she’s in enough danger as it is. There’s no one to vouch for her blood status. I had to, for her sake. She would never have gone if I didn’t make up another excuse.”

“But dear, why not…”

“He would have used her to get to me and to Harry. He would have tortured her Mum. Maybe even killed her. How could I live with myself knowing that she died because of me? At least now she has a chance of escape.” Tears were in his eyes now.

Molly sighed. She stood up and walked around the table.

“Stand up,” he looked at her in disbelief, “Come on, up you get.”

He stood up and she drew him into a hug,

“Listen to me. I know you did what you thought was best, but I think it’s time you go and straighten this all out. Just because there is a chance of something happening it doesn’t mean it will necessarily happen. We are always, always stronger when we are together. And at least you will be able to protect her then. Just, tell me you’ll think about it?”

He pulled out of her embrace and slowly nodded. Her eyes were sad as she looked up at him.

“Now, I think you should go and talk to your brother. Despite what you may have been thinking, he is not actually mad, he’s just having a hard time of it, just like you. Go talk to him.”

“Yes Mum.” He gave her a quick hug once more. “Thank you”

“No problem, dear. Go on, up you go.” She shooed him out of the kitchen.

Fred climbed up to the landing where their shared room was.

“George?” he knocked on the door. After hearing George’s admittance, he twisted the doorknob and walked into the room.

“Look mate, I’m sorry I…” Fred trailed off as he took in the large translucent Patronus that was in his and George’s room. “When did this….?”

“Just now.” George was stunned.

The Unicorn’s mouth opened, and Y/n’s voice rang out,

“George, I have been, or will soon be, caught by snatchers.”

Fred’s pulse began to quicken as fear gripped him like a vice. “Oh my god.”

He could hear her breathing quickly, the fear in her voice shook him to the core.

“They are going to use me to get to Fred and Harry. They still think we’re together and they’re coming for you at the burrow. Get Fred out of there and don’t tell them anything! Protect Harry at all costs, he’s the only one who can get us out of this.”

George looked from the Patronus to Fred, his expression shocked.

They turned their attention back to the Patronus as Y/n’s voice cracked. Fred could tell she was crying.

“Please be careful. Tell Fred I…” The Unicorn opened its mouth and let out Y/n’s piercing scream before fading away into nothingness.

The desk chair flipped over as George stood up out of it so quickly.

Their voices rang out in unison, “We need to go.”

The twins ran out down the flight of stairs. Fred’s heart was in his throat. I shouldn’t have sent her away

Molly began to shout from the floor below “Boys! For Merlin’s sake what are you…” She stopped as the two bounded into the kitchen.

Fred spoke out, “Y/n is in trouble, she’s been caught by snatchers. We need to go.”

Molly’s eyes flickered between the twins, searching for answers, “What do you mean she’s been caught by snatchers?”

“I just got a Patronus from her. They are taking her to get information on Harry.” George answered his mother, “They’re coming for Fred. We need to go and save her, and we need you to cover for us.” He gestured between Molly and Arthur who had just walked into the kitchen.

Arthur looked at his wife. “If Y/n was taken by snatchers they would have gone to Malfoy Manor. That’s a base of operations for them.”

Molly tried to interject, “Arthur we can’t-“

“Molly, the boys are right, they will suspect them coming if all of us are gone. We can track how they are doing with the clock.” Arthur gestured to the tall grandfather clock that was sitting in the living room, “If they get in trouble, then we apparate in and get them out quickly.”

Molly was still not convinced.

“But..”

Fred slammed his fist down on the table. “The longer we wait the more time they have to do something to her.” He looked at George, “We are going now. Tell Bill to be ready to come and back us up. Either George or I will send a Patronus if things start to get bad. George, let’s go.”

The twins stood back ready to apparate when Mr. Weasley stopped them.

“Get in and out quickly, don’t let them see you. Sneak in from the back and stick together. If anything at all goes wrong, you send word immediately; Understand?”

The twins nodded solemnly. They stepped back from the table, nodded to each other, and apparated out of the Burrow.

Arthur took Molly into his arms. He murmured into her hair, “They’ll be fine. I’ll call around for back-up. Just keep an eye on the clock.”

Molly nodded and once Arthur left the room, picked up her knitting and went and sat in the lounge directly opposite the clock. It was going to be a long night.

_____________________________________________________________

The cold lights burned harshly at Y/n’s eyes as she was transported into Malfoy Manor. Rookwood, who had kept his grip tight on the ropes binding her hands, threw her down onto the cold marble floor, walking away with her wand still tight in his grasp.

Y/n landed poorly, and pain seared through her side and shoulder. She tried to move back to her feet, but the ropes only grew tighter. She tried to slow down her breathing, don’t panic that won’t get you anywhere. Just keep breathing, nice and slow.

A sharp, cool voice echoed around the marbled hall, “What is the meaning of all this commotion? Who is the girl?”

From Y/n’s spot on the floor, she saw the figure of Lucius Malfoy walk through to the snatchers.

“This girl’s the key to findin’ Pottah! She’s one of the Weasley twins’ girlfriends. He’ll have to give us the whereabouts of Pottah when he sees how bad we’ve bloodied her up.” Scabior replied gleefully, seeming to take great joy in the pain she was about to be afflicted with.

Lucius took interest immediately, “Sounds like you might have actually done something correctly for once. I’m assuming she’s not pureblood, and that no one is coming to help her? I trust I won’t have an invasion on my hands Scabior, because if I do I will be most displeased. ”

“No, she’s got no connections, we should be…”

While this exchange was occurring Y/n had managed to relax enough to let the ropes around her mouth fall down onto her chin. She had to make an attempt to keep them away from Fred.

“He won’t talk, you know. We broke up. Months ago. He would never betray Harry, especially not for me. Bad luck guys, you’ve got the wrong girl.” Y/n stated this with a false sense of bravado.

“Ha! Listen to ‘er.” Rookwood crouched down and lifted her chin higher. His foul breath wafted into her face as she tried to squirm away. The ropes around her got tighter and were becoming very uncomfortable now.

“Even if I believed you - which I don’t- I still know you’ve known those identical weasels for years. They don’t have it in ‘em to let ya die. Won’t stop me though. And I might get to have a bit of fun while I do it” His grip became tight on her jaw.

“Rookwood,” Lucius summoned Rookwood back to their conversation, “You can play with your new toy later.” He addressed Scabior and the other snatcher, “Go to that pigsty they call a house and tell them we have the girl. Bring this..” He stalked over to one of the side tables and picked up one of two silver two-way mirrors, “That way you can show that you actually have her.”

“Who made you-“

Lucius made an impatient sound, “If you have a better plan then by all means go ahead, but as it is my house and this is the only way of not having to transport her, or one of them here, I suggest you do as I say.”

Scabior opened his mouth to speak, and obviously thinking better of it, shut it again and nodded mutely.

“Very well. Get going then.” Lucius waved Scabior and the nameless snatcher off, and in a blink of an eye, they were gone.

Rookwood remained, uncomfortably close to Y/n. Lucius turned to him, “I do believe it would speed negotiations along if you damaged her a little before they see her.” Rookwood’s eyes shone in glee. “Don’t make too much of a mess. I’ll be back soon to check on your progress.” He turned on his heel and once checking that the second mirror was placed carefully on the mantlepiece, walked out of the hall.

Y/n’s unkempt hair and dirt-covered clothes were easily visible in the mirror. They had put her right on display for one of the most sickening exhibitions in the world. Her reflection was gone as Rookwood stalked over to her, a shining silver knife in his grasp.

It was becoming very difficult not to panic now.

“You see, pretty, Cruciatus curse really won’t do the trick for what we’re tryin’ to achieve here.” He knelt down on the floor, “We gotta make you look the part. Now, anytime you want ta’ tell me something about mister Potter you can go right ahead, and we can stop this unpleasantness. I won’t lie and say I’ll be relieved to stop carvin’, but it’ll definitely be a lot easier for you.”

“You’ll never get anything out of me.” Y/n spat in his face.

He grinned, seemingly not to be angered by the act of disrespect, “Excellent”

Rookwood gently bought the knife down and sliced under her collar bone. Y/n writhed in pain, tears streaming as she started to scream.

[luvneedsnosyt]

My Favorite Albums of May 2020

Here’s my monthly list of albums released in May I was feeling, and some other discoveries made during the month.

Previous Month’s Lists: January, February, March, April

You can find my list of my favorite albums of 2019 here And my list of my favorite EPs of 2019 here

Best:

ALMA - Have You Seen Her? Genre: R&B / Synth-Pop

Proof: Worst Behavior (w/ Tove Lo) / Bad News Baby // Bonus: Bad News Baby (Digital Farm Animals Remix)

Blanche - EMPIRE Genre: Indie Pop

Proof: Empire / Till We Collide

Buscabulla - Regresa Genre: Latin / Pop / Dance

Proof: El Aproeto / NTE

Car Seat Headrest - Making a Door Less Open Genre: Alternative / Indie Rock

Proof: Can’t Cool Me Down / Deadlines (Thoughtful)

Carly Rae Jepsen - Dedicated Side B Genre: Pop

Proof: Stay Away / Comeback (Feat. Blachers)

Charli XCX - how i’m feeling now Genre: Synth Pop / Dance

Proof: i finally understand / anthems

Deante’ Hitchcock - BETTER Genre: Hip Hop

Proof: I Remember / I Got Money Now (Feat. J.I.D.)

Dijon - How Do You Feel About Getting Married EP Genre: alt-R&B

Proof: rock n roll / hunni

Fred again.. - Actual Life EP Genre: Electronic

Proof: Adam (Act Like) / Me (Sorry)

Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist - Alfredo Genre: Hip Hop

Proof: Look At Me / Something to Rap About (Feat. Tyler, The Creator)

GRiZ - bangers[5].zip EP Genre: Electronic / Dub Step / Dance

Proof: My Friends and I, Pt. 3 (Feat. Probcause & Chrishira Perrier) / Spaceship Ride // Bonus: Solo (Feat. Probcause) / Medusa (Feat. Wreckno)

Hayley Williams - Petals for Armor Genre: Pop / Indie Rock

Proof: Sudden Desire / Pure Love // Bonus: Simmer (Caroline Polachek Remix) / Dead Horses (Glass Animals Remix)

Illenium - ASCEND (Remixes) Genre: Electronic / Dance

Proof: Good Things Fall Apart (3LAU Remix) w/ Jon Bellion / In Your Arms (Alan Walker Remix) w/ X Ambassadors

Jason Ross - 1000 Faces (Remixes) Genre: Electronic / Dance

Proof: Known You Before (Trivecta Remix) Feat. Emilie Brandt / Shelter (No Mana Remix) Feat. Melanie Fontana

Jonah Mutono - GERG Genre: alt-R&B / Soul

Proof: The Low / Circulation

Kehlani - It Was Good Until It Wasn’t Genre: R&B / Soul

Proof: Grieving (Feat. James Blake) / Open (Passionate)

Kygo - Golden Hour Genre: Electronic / Synth-Pop / Dance

Proof: Broken Glass (Feat. Kim Petras) / Higher Love (Feat. Whitney Houston) // Bonus: Forever Yours (Avicii Tribute) w/ Sandro Cavazza

Lady Gaga - Chromatica Genre: Pop / Dance

Proof: Stupid Love / Replay

Little Simz - Drop 6 EP Genre: Hip Hop

Proof: one life, might live / where’s my lighter (w/ Alewya)

Mahalia - Isolation Tapes EP Genre: R&B / Soul

Proof: Plastic Plants / Too Nice

MAITA - Best Wishes Genre: Indie Rock / Alternative

Proof: A Beast / Perfect Heart

Matoma - RYTME EP Genre: Electronic / House / Dance

Proof: Don’t Stop The Rhythm (Feat. Bryn Christopher) / Beside You (w/ Captain Cuts Feat. Georgia Ku) // Bonus: The Bender (The Him Remix) (w/ Brando) / Time To Go

Perfume Genius - Set My Heart on Fire Immediately Genre: Indie Pop / Alternative

Proof: Without You / On the Floor

RAC - BOY Genre: Synth-Pop

Proof: Passion (w/ Louis The Child) / Better Days (Feat. St. Lucia)

Ric Wilson & Terrace Martin - They Call Me Disco EP Genre: Hip Hop / neo-Jazz / Soul

Proof: Breakin Rules (Feat. Crobin Dallas) / Chicago Bae (Feat. BJ the Chicago Kid)

Ro James - MANTIC Genre: R&B / Neo Soul

Proof: Last Time / Be Mine

Tchami - Born Again / Buenos Aires EP Genre: Electronic / House / Dance

Proof: Buenos Aires / Proud (Feat. Daecolm) // Bonus: Proud (Steffan City Remix) Feat. Daecolm / Ghosts (Vowed Remix) Feat. Hana

Tiësto - The London Sessions Genre: Electronic / House / Dance

Proof: Ritual (Feat. Jonas Blue & Rita Ora) / Over You (Feat. Becky Hill)

Various Artists - Ophelia Presents: Advent Volume 1 Genre: Electronic / Dance

Proof: Thrillogy - Enough (Feat. Gallie Fisher) / Amidy - Fix You

Varsity - Fine Forever Genre: Indie Rock / Alternative

Proof: Runaway / Shaking Hands

The 1975 - Notes On A Conditional Form Genre: Indie Rock / Alternative / Pop

Proof: Me & You Together Song / If You’re Too Shy (Let Me Know)

Bonus:

A Deluxe Edition of one of 2019′s smoothest albums

Lucky Daye - Painted (Deluxe Edition) Original Release: May 2019 Genre: R&B / Soul

Proof: Fade Away / Shoulda (Feat. Babyface)

Others:

Alec Benjamin - These Two Windows, April - New Conditions EP,  ARTHUR - Hair of the Dog, Bad Bunny - LAS QUE NO IBAN A SALIR, Baril - One More Rush EP, Baths - Pop Music / False B-Sides II, Bishop Nehru - Nehruvian Tuesdays: Vol, 1, Diplo - Diplo Presents Thomas Wesley Chapter 1: Snake Oil, Drake - Dark Lane Demo Tapes, Future - High On Life, Hailee Steinfeld - Half Written Story EP, Jacob Latimore - C3, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit - Reunions, JoJo - good to know, Long Beach Dub Allstars - Long Beach Dub Allstars, Moses Sumner - græ, Mourning [A] BLKstar - The Cycle, Noah Cyrus - THE END OF EVERYTHING EP, Pure X - Pure X, Rileyy Lanez - Beautiful Mistakes EP, Roy Woods - Dem Times EP, Shakey Graves - Look Alive EP, Sweet Whirl - How Much Works, TeaMarr - Before I Spill Myself, Thao & The Get Down Stay Down - Temple,  Tourist - Wild (Remixes) EP, Vistas - Everything Changes in the End

[sammysdewysensitiveeyes]

Another self-indulgent fan-fic, this time with Blob and Pyro drinking, fighting, talking, and bonding over bullying a teenager.

This was an attempt to give Blob a little more depth beyond just the crass asshole of the Brotherhood, and show that he’s got some feelings, too.  I also wanted to deal with some stuff with Pyro that Marauders hasn’t really gotten into, especially his death and relationship with the rest of the Brotherhood.  There’s also some discussion of Pyro/Avalanche.  I will forever headcanon original Pyro as a closeted gay man, who had a kind of undefined friends with benefits thing going on with Avalanche (I don’t care how many fantasy Jean Greys he kisses in Marauders), and who still feels uncomfortable being open about it, even if attitudes have changed somewhat. 

Warnings for - Very nasty language, some body-shaming from Pyro, some discussion of homophobia.  Blob says some things that maybe aren’t quite homophobic, but kind of insensitive.  Behind a read-more, because it wound up being long.

Pyro was absolutely not nervous when he knocked on the door of the small habitat building nestled just at the edge of the Krakoan jungle.  It was a nice spot, with one window offering a view of the beach, but the trees providing a bit of protection from tropical storms.  There was a little garden plot to one side, so neatly and delicately arranged that he wondered if the man he was there to see had a tidier room-mate.

He wasn’t nervous.  And he hadn’t been putting this off, he’d just been busy. He’d fallen in with a whole new team, after all, who had accepted him with a surprising amount of tolerance, and he was spending most of his time having high-seas adventures.  Not much time on Krakoa itself, to drop in on an old….friend? Acquaintance?  Former team-mate who could snap his spine in half if he happened to be in a foul mood?  Pyro wasn’t sure exactly where he stood with any of them now.  But he wasn’t nervous.  Sod that.

The door swung open, the view inside immediately blocked by the massive fleshy mountain that was Frederick J. Dukes, the immovable object.

“Hey Fred.  I brought booze.”  Pyro held up the wine bottle like a peace offering between them.  It was entirely possible he was about to get his face bashed in, or possibly smother to death under Blob’s sizable buttocks.  And sure, he’d get resurrected, but he wasn’t keen to go through all that unpleasantness.

“Aww, hey matchstick!  Get in here!”  Blob grinned and swung an arm around him, practically clobbering him forward into the living room.  “Where ya been?”

“Um….dead, mostly.  Yah know,” Pyro quipped, not willing to admit to the relief that was flooding into his chest.  Because he hadn’t been nervous.  He had just been…curious….to see where he stood with the mutants who had been his team-mates for years.  Just wanted to catch up and see how they were.

(To see if they all hated him.)

“Haw, haw, yeah, don’t I know it. You shoulda seen Avalanche cryin’ into his beer over that,” Blob guffawed, pulling him in close and hugging him against his side.  Pyro could smell body odor and coconut oil.

“He cried, huh?”  He murmured, his mouth muffled against pillowy flesh.

“Blubbered like a damn baby.” Fred released him so that he could step back and gasp air.  

“What’d you do to your face, man? You going emo on me, now?  C’mon, buck up.  You only died the one time.  Not like those X-Men, they got a whole revolving door thing going.”

“It’s not emo,” Pyro protested, running his hand over the skull tattoo covering most of his face.  “It’s ‘cause I’m a pirate.  I’m runnin’ round with the Marauders.  We’re wrecking ships and stealing supplies, it’s a blast.”

Blob scoffed.  “You’re running around with X-Men, matchstick.  You’re basically an X-Man, now.”

“The hell I am!”  Now Pyro really felt insulted.  “I’m not wearing an X anywhere.  We’re the Marauders, not the X-Marauders or whatever.  We’re pirates, doin’ pirate things!  Like fighting the military and helping mutant kids get to Krakoa – “ Except that wasn’t exactly what pirates did, was it?  That was more of a hero-type deal.  “-and sinking ships –“ and delivering medicine to people that needed it around that globe, but Pyro wasn’t going to mention that.  Even if it did give him a bit of a warm glow in his chest to be helping the sick and desperate.  He knew what it was like to be sick and desperate.

“Everyone on that ship is a goody-two shoes X-Man!” Blob sneered.  “Storm, that phasing girl, Ice-nerd.”

“Bishop’s pretty cool,” Pyro felt the need to interject.  The man could fight, and he respected that.  He was also extremely good looking, something Pyro tried to not notice.  

“Still an X-Man.  You’re one a them now.  I shoulda expected it after the way you died.”  Blob stepped back from him, shaking his head.  And oh, there it was.  

It didn’t seem quite fair.  Pyro couldn’t even remember what he’d done. What he’d been thinking at the time.

“I mean….does it really matter?” He tried.  “We’re all one big happy mutant family on Krakoa now.  Xavier and Magneto getting all chummy.  Seems like the X-Men and the Brotherhood don’t even exist anymore.”

“Seems ta me like there’s a bunch of X-Teams and no Brotherhood.  They split up all us nasty “bad” mutants and stuck them on teams with the wussy good guys ta keep us in line.  Except when they need their dirty work done, then they’ll send out those of us with criminal records.  I dunno who’s really running the show on Krakoa, but it ain’t the Brotherhood.” Blob slumped down on his sofa, but gestured to Pyro to sit in one of the chairs.  At least he wasn’t being thrown out.  

“Guess you might be right there,” he mused, tossing himself down sideways across the chair, both legs hanging over one arm.  The X-Men were in an awful lot of positions of power, even with the attempts to balance the Council.  And they seemed to dominate most of the island’s strike teams.

“I guess there are more of them than there are of us.”              

“Guess running a school for mutant kids is better recruitment strategy than a creepy dude in a metal helmet that’ll throw his own people under the bus in a heartbeat.  Did I ever tell ya about how he chucked an explosive at me?  And that was back he was tryin’ to recruit me!”

“Many times, Freddie,” Pyro was a little relieved that the conversation was meandering away from his own status – X-Man, Brotherhood member, Krakoan or whatever the hell he now was.  He wasn’t sure himself.  

“Wine?”  He held out the bottle again.  Blob swiped it and held it up between two fingers with another guffaw.

“What is this, matchstick, booze for ants?  That ain’t gonna be thimbleful for me.”  

“Oh, but this is a very special bottle, Freddie.”  Pyro took the bottle back.  “Have ya got a bucket?  I’m gonna be like Christ with the loaves and fishes here.”

“Doncha mean water into wine? That was one of the miracles, right?” Blob came back with a massive stew pot.

“Yeah, but there’s no water involved here.  Watch and marvel!”  He upended the bottle with a dramatic flourish.  Moments later, Blob’s mouth dropped open as the stew pot was half-way filled, and the bottle showed no signs of emptying.

“Ain’t that a hell of a trick. What’s the deal, Aussie?  Some kind of mystical Outback dream-time thing?”

“Nah, just a bribe from a wizard. Bottomless bottle.  Never runs out.”  Technically, Dr. Strange had offered the gift as a gesture to the entire island.  But technically didn’t matter, because Strange had given the bottle directly to him, which meant it was basically his.  He certainly wasn’t going to hand it over to the Council to use in their fancy-pants secret meetings.  Better to keep it among the people, right?  Pyro was willing to share.  A bit.  

“Well, tell Harry Potter thanks. That’s one hell of a gift.”

“Who?”

“C’mon, don’t fuck with me.  You haven’t been dead that long.”  

“True,” Pyro grinned.  But being dead was certainly a convenient excuse for bowing out of whatever must-see pop culture phenomenon he was supposed to be familiar with.  “Sorry mate, I was dead at the time,” usually shut people up.

Blob took the full bucket, downed half in one gulp, and held it out again for more.  Pyro took a moment to fill his own glass to the brim before pouring again.

“Damn, that’s good stuff. Usually bulk wine is pretty crappy.” Fred licked his lips in appreciation.

“I wouldn’t know the difference,” Pyro shrugged.  He’d gotten invited to a few fancy parties, way back in the day when he was journalist/writer St. John Allerdyce and “Pyro” didn’t exist.  But it hadn’t exactly refined his palate.   He’d rather have a full goon bag to himself than a dainty little glass of something aged and expensive.  

“Well, we can’t all be sophisticated gourmets,” Blob said airily, swirling the wine around and giving it a sniff. “French grapes, I’d say.  Black currant, acai, cherry, and just a hint of chocolate.  Probably a ’78 or ’79.”  He proceeded to down half the stew-pot again.

“Freddie me lad, you are absolutely full of shit.”  Pyro obligingly poured a refill.  Maybe he should get some kind of stand for the bottle, or he’d be doing this all night.

“I aim to be full of wine, so keep pouring, toothpick,” Blob laughed.  They lapsed into a moment of comfortable silence while Pyro finally had a chance to drain his own glass.

“So how’s it feel to be back in the land of the living?” Blob ventured.  “Ya know they cured that Virus just a few months after you croaked. Ain’t that a kick in the teeth?”

“I wasn’t gonna last a few months at that point.  I wasn’t gonna last even a few days, so…whatever.”  Pyro shrugged.  He still couldn’t remember the moment of his death, but he remembered some of the time leading up to it, feeling incredibly frail, and wondering every night if he would wake up in the morning.  Is it gonna be tonight?  Today? Will I just drop dead trying to walk down the street?  Even if some miracle cure had appeared, he suspected he would have been too far gone at that point.  

“It’s just good to be healthy again,” he added.  And wasn’t that the truth.  Just walking around, breathing the ocean air freely and without pain had been heavenly. He’d made it a point to get laid the first time the Marauders spent the night in Taipei – hadn’t seen any of that action for months before his death.  He didn’t want to touch anyone after the diagnosis (he was a selfish bastard, but not so selfish as to potentially spread the disease), and pretty soon pain and fatigue had meant his cock was the furthest thing from his mind.

“Yeah, I bet.  Ya made a real spectacular flame-out at the end, there,” Blob said, and there was something left hanging in the air at the end of that sentence.  What Pyro might have called a “pregnant  pause,” in one of his novels.  He gulped down another large swallow of wine.

“Yeah that was….I dunno.  I dunno what I was thinking, exactly.”  He hadn’t been able to believe it when Mystique showed him the headlines.  Sure he’d tried to help her save her shitty racist spawn Graydon Creed (a spectacular failure, thanks to X-Factor), but it had still been him playing Follow the Leader, trusting Mystique to know the right thing to do.  Apparently he’d made that final decision completely on his own – turning on his comrades to save the man they’d once tried to assassinate.  He didn’t like to look at the articles – all splashed with that one famous picture of Kelly cradling his dead body.  It made him feel sick to look at it.

Blob just grunted in response, and the silence became uncomfortable.  Pyro sighed.

“All right, you want me to say it? I’m sorry.  I’m sorry for turning on you guys.  I can’t say I’m sorry for protecting Kelly.  I guess I thought it was the right thing to do at the time, and I’ll stand by that.  But I’m sorry for going against you guys.  And especially for killing Post.”  Blob snorted, but held the stewpot out for more wine.

“You were gettin’ real soft near the end there, toothpick.  Can’t completely blame ya, I guess.  You were starin’ death right in the face, and Legacy was probably eating away at your brain. Avalanche said you seemed half-delirious near the end, whenever he went to see ya.”  

“Maybe I was.”  Time had gotten fuzzy back then – long patches of confused dream-like haze, punctuated by sharp, painful clarity.  Dominic would be there one moment and gone the next, conversations evaporating mid-sentence.  He’d lay down for a moment in the morning and wake up in the evening two days later.

“It was just all starting to seem a bit pointless, ya know?”  He continued after another swig of wine.  “All that violence….well, I won’t deny it was fun.  I don’t need an excuse to start a fight.  But it was also for a cause, right?  And things just kept getting worse no matter what we did.  I guess I just thought….if I could change the guy’s mind, maybe things would be different.”  

“Well, ya did change his mind, I’ll give you that.  Too bad he got himself killed right after that,” Fred smirked.  

“Yeah.  That’s the real kick in the teeth.  More than dying before the cure, really.  Bloody pointless.”  Pyro poured again.  

“I reckon everyone was pissed at me, yeah?”  At least the wine was giving him the courage to ask certain questions.

“Heh, yer lucky you croaked when ya did, really.”  Blob grinned. It was not a nice grin.  “I woulda snapped you in half for Post, invalid or no. Lady Mastermind wasn’t real pleased, either.  But you ain’t really here to ask about how I felt, are ya?  You wanna know whether yer boyfriend is pissed at ya.”  

Pyro was suddenly sitting up very straight, tension running up and down his spine.

“The fuck did you say?” he snapped.

“Oh, come off it, man.  Don’t act like I’m stupid!  I know you had this whole ‘don’t ask, don’t tell thing’ going on back in the day, but I figured it out.  We all did.”

“I don’t know what you’re blathering on about, mate,” Pyro said, each word coldly annunciated.  The tension from his spine was spooling tight in his mid-section.  “You’ve been watching too many soap operas.”        

“You’re the one that watches that crap, matchstick.  I gotta listen to you talk about ‘Home and Away’ every time you get smashed.  But don’t change the fucking subject.”  

“What subject?  Some made-up bullshit you imagined in your head?” Pyro’s hands were clenched tight around the glass.  Some logical part of his mind wondered why he was even making a fuss about this.  Times had changed a great deal in the years that he’d been floating in a void of nonexistence.  Iceman was openly gay, Mystique referred to Destiny as her wife, and no one batted an eye.

But still.  When Pyro was growing up, you didn’t say it.  You didn’t dare say it, because it would it ruin you, at best, and possibly get you killed, at worst.  It had been something he’d kept locked up tight in his chest, even when he was boldly and proudly “coming out” as a mutant.  And what he’d shared with Dominic over the years, secret little intimate moments slipped under the surface of their public friendship, had always rested on a foundation of silence.  They didn’t talk about what they did.  Didn’t even really acknowledge it to each other or try to define it.  It was their own special, private thing, and it was meant to remain unspoken.  

And now, here was Fred J. Dukes putting his fat, clumsy, grubby hands all over it, like a toddler smearing chocolate on a cashmere sweater.

“Quit bein’ so stubborn about it,” Blob continued.  “Ya think I’m stupid, that I couldn’t figure it out?  You guys were always slipping off together, locking your door.  Fuck man, I heard you two dumbshits in the shower together a couple of times when we were doing that Freedom Force thing.  My room was right next door, you know.  Haw!”  His laughter was an ugly sound.

“What, were you getting off on it?” Pyro snarled.  “Were you alone in your room jerking it to us, you fat fuck?  Probably the only action you ever see, ain’t it?  Assuming you can even find your dick.”  He paused, suddenly wishing he could hook the words back into his mouth, because he’d basically just admitted to it, hadn’t he? But he didn’t think he could stop now if he tried, with the anger burning in his chest, a familiar, almost comforting heat.  

“No, I was just sick of you both lying about it.  Pretending it wasn’t happening, and making the rest of us pretend, too!  Acting like we’re all idiots!”  Blob was on his feet now, red-faced.  

“Well, you never made that very hard, did ya, Freddie?”  

“Ya know what?”  And Blob had suddenly grabbed him by the shoulder with one meaty hand.  “I’m tired of your bullshit!”  Then Pyro found himself flung across the room, smashing into the wall and knocking crockery down to shatter on the floor.  Maybe he was going to get his spine snapped after all – but the way he felt at the moment he didn’t much care.  

“You always act so superior, like you’re sooooo much smarter than me.  What, just ‘cause you wrote some crappy books to help lonely women get their panties all moist?! ”

“At least I know how to write. Least I can get a woman wet,” Pyro quipped, while trying to climb to his feet.  Hell, Blob had just handed him that one, hadn’t he?  There was a blur at the edge of his vision, and suddenly Blob had grabbed the front of his shirt and tossed him again.

“You ain’t smarter than me!” Pyro could hear Blob bellowing through the ringing in his ears.  “You and Avalanche always acted like you were better than ol’ Fred Dukes, gangin’ up on me all the time.  Well, I danced on both of your graves, didn’t I?  I’m glad you died like you did.  Mr. Smart Fancy-pants, wasting away to nothing.  It was funny!”  Blob was towering over him, fists clenched.  Pyro raised his wrist and sent a jet of flame up at the man, mentally intensifying it enough to hurt as he darted for the door.  

“Augh!  Pyro, you asshole,” Blob roared, slapping at the flames on his clothing. They’d keep right on burning if Pyro wanted them to, and he had half a mind to let them.  Why not have a pig roast right there on the beach?  But in another moment he shook his head and let the fire gutter out.  Perhaps a mistake, as Fred charged out through the door.  

“Don’t think you’re getting away, you skinny little fucker.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it, Freddie, just getting myself a little more room,” Pyro said through clenched teeth.  “Go ahead and come at me if ya wanna get burned again.”  

Apparently Blob did wanna get burned again, because he ran at Pyro, arm raised to swing.  Pyro shot out another blast of fire at Dukes as he dove out of his path.  Blob tried to duck, but it was hard dodge fire that Pyro could mentally send wherever he pleased.  That was one advantage he’d always enjoyed over the fire-producing mutants.  This time it singed Blob’s eyebrows and licked at his shoulders.  Blob howled.

“Cut that shit out!”

“What, so you can hit me again? Ya know, this is why no one likes you, Blob!  You’re always flying off the handle.  Gotta turn everything into some big fight.  I was tryin’ ta be friendly, coming here- “

“Bullshit!  You didn’t come here for me, you came here for news.  You wanted to know if your boyfriend hated ya after what you did.  You only came to me because I’m the only one here who was with the group when it all went down.  The only one let alive, anyway.”  

“I came to you ‘cause I wanted to drink with ya, Blob.  And you started acting like a dick, like ya always do!” Pyro protested, although he couldn’t quite suppress a guilty twinge.  Blob wasn’t entirely wrong…and if Avalanche was alive again, it probably would have taken him even longer to get around to visiting Dukes.  

“You’re the one who started getting all hot under the collar when I was just tryin’ ta talk to ya!  But I ain’t surprised, I know where I rate!  None of you assholes give a shit about me!”  Blob charged again.  Pyro sent more fire swirling towards him.

“You wanna keep getting singed, Freddie, I could do this all da – oof!”  Pyro grunted as Blob ran right through the fire and slammed into him, shoulder first, knocking him back into the well-tended vegetable garden.    

“Pyro, you jerk, I worked on that for weeks!”

“Ya knocked me right into it, ya stupid wanker!”  Pyro jumped to his feet, brushing ruined squash and pumpkin off his uniform.  “I’ve been pulling punches, but if you come at me again, I will absolutely barbeque you, you fat piece of shit.  Then you can wait in line for resurrection behind all the people that actually deserve to be alive and breathing right now!”

“Yeah, you’d like that, wouldn’t you? Me gone, and you all alone with your precious Dominic and your new X-Men friends.  I know you wouldn’t miss me.  Nobody would!  Ya know I tried to kill myself, back when I lost my powers?  And who was there for me?  No one, that’s who!”  

“….ya tried to kill yourself?” Pyro paused for a moment. Dropping his guard was a mistake, as Blob charged again and belly-slammed him several feet away.  It might have done some damage if he hit a tree, but luckily he just rolled on the soft sand.  

“Freddie, wait, what’s this about – “

“It was a fucking nightmare.  I had huge folds of skin hanging off my body. I looked like….like melted wax or something.  Couldn’t go out.  Couldn’t look at myself in the mirror.  It hurt just to move.  I tried…tried to cut my own throat, and I couldn’t even get through the skin.  And none of the Brotherhood lifted a goddamn finger to help me!  You had Dominic holdin’ your hand and cryin’ over ya, ya think anyone spared a thought for me?!”

Pyro clambered to his feet, feeling uncomfortable.  Angry Blob he was used to.  People called Pyro a hothead (and maybe it was just a little bit true), but anger seemed to constantly run under the surface with Fred, coloring every interaction – snide remarks during briefings, playful banter quickly turning into explosive outbursts, laughter that always had a cruel undertone, always at someone else’s expense.  But this was new.  Fred’s voice was shaky, threatening to crack.

“Freddie, are ya serious?  Look mate, I didn’t know.  I was – “ Dead, he was about to say.  But they were interrupted as a sudden telekinetic force lifted Pyro off his feet, leaving him flailing uselessly in the air.

“The fuck?”  Blob slurred.  Something was tugging at him, a psychic force attempting to lift him skyward. Attempting, and failing, as he remained solidly on the ground.  

“Haw!  Who’s tryin’ ta lift me?” he laughed, digging his feet into the sand for good measure.  “Ya must be really stupid, whoever you are!”

The pressure around Blob increased, and the sand at his feet flattened as Blob pushed  down with his personal gravity field.  

“Keep tryin’, Chuckles!  That tickles!” Blob yelled.  

“Hey, whoever you are?  You wanna put me the hell down?”  Pyro called out, from a good six feet in the air.  “Unless you wanna see me blow chunks all over this beautiful beach.”  He’d been tipped partially upside-down, which was really not helping his drunken nausea.  

“All right, that’s enough, lad. We’re just here to break it up, and it’s broken up.”  Banshee stepped out of the jungle, accompanied by a scowling boy with pink hair that Pyro didn’t recognize.

“Aww, are you the one tryin’ ta lift me off the ground?” Blob cooed nastily.  “That’s cute.  Nice effort, kiddo, but ya obviously didn’t do your homework.  Nothing moves the Blob!”  

“I could telekinetically hurl you into the sun, you simple-minded tub of lard,” the boy snapped.  “I’m only holding back because of Krakoan rules. But by all means, feel free to try my patience.”

“Try my patience?”  Pyro repeated incredulously.  “Hey Freddie, this kid thinks he’s Magneto or something.  Simmer down, junior.”  Perhaps it wasn’t the best idea to be mocking the mutant who was telekinetically holding him suspended in the air, but booze had ruined Pyro’s already less-than-stellar decision making skills.

“It’s Kid Omega,” the boy corrected, and whatever he wanted to say next was drowned out by Pyro and Blob’s obnoxious, jeering laughter.

“Kid Omega, you’ve gotta be bloody kidding me!  That’s so adorable!”  Pyro stopped laughing as the boy bounced him up and down in the air a few times. “Seriously, ya don’t wanna do that. I’m gonna – “ he interrupted himself by spewing wine and stomach fluids all over the ground below him.

“Gross, dude,” Blob said casually.

“Listen, we’re here because you boys are causing a public disturbance,” Banshee said, hands on his hips.  “Remember, you’re expected to follow certain rules and keep the peace if you wanna stay on Krakoa.  Pyro, I thought you might be better than this since you joined Kate’s crew, but I guess you’re still just as dumb and violent as always.  I don’t think Storm’ll be pleased to hear about this.”

“Aww, c’mon mate, “ Pyro sputtered, still trying to spit the taste of bile and sour grapes out of his mouth.  The wine wasn’t nearly as good coming back up, and his stomach was roiling.  “It was just a little scuffle that got outta hand. We weren’t hurting anyone.  ‘Cept each other.”

“Oooooh, you’re in trouble now, Pyro! Banshee’s gonna tell on you,” Blob drawled.  “Then they might kick you out of their little heroes club.”  

“Piss off, Freddie.”   Pyro would never, ever admit to that particular fear, buried deep under a shit-ton of apathy and forced bravado.  He honestly kind of liked the Marauder crew, despite having tangled with most of them in the past (although in some respects, he really liked them more because of that.)  He knew he had the reputation of being the loose cannon of the group, given how frequently he was reminded not to kill (as if Sabretooth’s horrific fate wasn’t enough of a deterrent), but he was following all their bloody rules, wasn’t he?  He wasn’t keen on getting thrown out.  He’d go stir crazy on the island without a way to burn off all his energy with “a bit of the old ultraviolence.”  

“Don’t think you’re off the hook either, Blob,” Banshee said sternly.

“Awww, whattaya gonna do?  Use Lady Mastermind to force me to be a good boy?” This apparently struck a nerve, as Banshee blanched for a moment.  He’d have to ask Blob about that later.

“Maybe we should, if that’s what it takes for morons like you to behave yourselves,” said the kid snidely.  “No wonder the cause of mutant rights never got anywhere before if it was championed by you two losers.”

“Hey, I ain’t gonna listen to any lip from some brat that hasn’t even grown pubes yet,” Blob snarled.  “I was out busting my ass for mutant rights while you were getting conceived behind a bowling alley at 3 AM!”

Pyro was about to chime in with something equally nasty, when suddenly his entire world shifted.  The beach disappeared, and he was floating with the vastness of space stretched out before him.  Stars and planets that he had never seen, that he couldn’t even conceive of, glittered in impossible colors against the darkness, and it would have been extremely cool, if not for two unfortunate facts.  One – he couldn’t breathe, and his lungs spasmed and choked in a horribly familiar way when he tried.  Two – it was cold.  It soaked through his skin, into his bones, seeming to devour him from the inside.

And then, just as suddenly, he was back on the island, still shivering in the tropical heat, taking deep breaths of the moist air scented with the ocean, the faint perfume of nearby flowers, and the strong scent of sour wine.  He’d been dropped onto the sand, and was lying in his own vomit.  Well, he’d always said it wasn’t a good night if you didn’t puke on yourself at some point.

“Whoa, that was a hell of a thing,” Blob stammered, still shaking as Pyro sat up.

“All right, boyo, that’s enough. I’m not sure what you did, but I’m sure they deserved it,” Banshee said briskly, putting a hand on Kid Omega’s shoulder.

“I made a universe in my own mind, you know.  And I can put people there anytime.  So don’t piss me off,” the boy said, staring daggers at Blob.  

“Yeah, yeah, nice tricks, pink hair,” Blob waved his hand dismissively, quickly recovered from the ordeal.  “I used to work with a guy who can do illusions. You’re nothing I ain’t seen before.”

“I’m Omega level!”  the boy snapped, as Banshee just shook his head.

“i’M oMeGa LeVeL!” Blob mocked, and Pyro couldn’t stop himself from snickering.  

“Forget it, lad, they’re not worth it. They’re just drunk and stupid. Very, very stupid, “ Banshee said.  “I’m giving you idiots your one warning, got it?  If I have to come back out here, you’re gonna spend the night in the drunk tank – which is NOT built for comfort – and spend all day doin’ community service tomorrow.  There’s bathrooms to be cleaned, you know.”

“Yeah, yeah, message received. We’ll be good,” Pyro said.  He almost wanted to apologize, it was right on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn’t bring himself to say the words in front of that posturing little brat.  Banshee he could respect, but not this pissant half his age that thought he was the next Big Thing for mutantkind.  There was always one of them running around.  

“Yeah, we wouldn’t wanna keep junior here up past his bedtime,” Blob added.  “He’s obviously already cranky.”

“Shut it, or I’ll let him put your minds through a telepathic blender,” Banshee snapped, but he grabbed the boy by the arm, and walked off into the jungle.  There was a quiet moment, while Pyro staggered none too steadily around, gathering up the wine bottle and their respective glasses (or pots), then collapsed against Blob’s side.  He needed something to wash the taste of stomach acid out of his mouth.  And besides, throwing up meant he was entitled to more – it was like hitting the reset button on intoxication, right?  He could feel Blob quivering against him, and realized after a moment that the man was shaking with laughter.

“Can….can you believe that little twerp,” Blob gasped.  “Strutting around with his boots and leather jacket like he’s hot shit.  Oooo, look at me, I’m Kid Omega!”

“I think pink hair is a substitute for having a personality!”  Pyro chimed in.  “Probably jerks off to…..I dunno, what are kids into these days?  Is it still Harry Potter?  NSYNC?”

“Fortnite?  I think?”  

“What the fuck is Fortnite?” Blob shrugged in response.

“Christ, Freddie, we really are over the hill.”  Pyro shook his head and filled Blob’s stew-pot to the brim.  

“Well, you ain’t.  You missed some years an’ I’m pretty sure they brought you back younger.  You’re missing some lines there.”  

“Missing scars, too.”  Pyro stretched his arms out in front of him, as if he could see through the spandex.  Underneath, they were disturbingly smooth, no trace of the marks life had left on him.  Like Blob’s skin, which was almost impossible to pierce.  But he probably had scars hidden somewhere.  

“Hey, Freddie.”

“Yeah, string bean?”

“About that whole….suicide thing. What you said earlier.  You wanna talk about it?”  Blob shifted against him.

“Nah, it…it wasn’t really such a big thing.  Just went through a rough patch, is all.  You know me, I can bounce back from anything.  That’s why I made it so long.  I was kicking up shit way back in the day, and I’m still kicking now.  No need to resurrect the Blob,” he finished proudly.

“Yeah, you got me there.  Me, and a lot of others.”

“Too many.”  Blob shook his head.  “I been waiting forever for Unus to come back, but seems like he’s low on the list. Most of us are.  Same old story.”

“Yeah.”  Pyro had asked Mystique when Avalanche’s turn would come, but she couldn’t give him a clear answer – given that Destiny hadn’t been resurrected yet, it seemed like she didn’t have a huge amount of power over those decisions, despite her position on the Council.  Would former terrorist criminals come before or after the millions of mutants that had died at Genosha?  Meanwhile other Council members’ family and friends got pushed to the front of the line, and Magneto couldn’t be bothered to stand up for people like Avalanche and Unus and the old Mastermind – but he’d still brought back several of his Acolytes (even Fabian Cortez, who, according to what Frezny had told him over a couple of drinks, was the absolute worst.)  Of course Magneto would bring back fanatics that worshiped the ground he walked on.  He couldn’t completely quiet the fear that lingered in the back of his mind – that this whole thing would eventually fall apart, before certain people came back.  

“I guess I was lucky to be a guinea pig after all, otherwise I’d probably be at the back of the line somewhere.”

“Fuck it, man, it’s all political. They just bring back their people, or the ones they think’ll be useful.  I’m lucky I ain’t croaked,” Blob sighed.

“They’d bring ya back, Freddie. You’re one of a kind.  Look, mate, I’m sorry about what I said.  That no one likes ya.  It’s not true.  I like ya. Toad likes ya.  Dom liked ya, even though you picked fights all the time.  I’m glad you’re here and not dead.”  Pyro wasn’t sure why he was being so generous after some of the crap that Fred had said, but to hell with it.  He was probably feeling soft ‘cause of the whole “suicide” thing.  And when it came down to it, he didn’t have that many friends – and his very closest one was still dead.  May as well appreciate the ones that weren’t six feet under.

“Only picked fights ‘cause you guys were always looking down on me, acting like your powers were so much better,” Blob grumbled.

“We only did that because you were always throwing your weight around, pretendin’  you were too good to follow Mystique’s orders, bein’ nasty to everyone – “  Pyro abruptly stopped, biting his tongue. This wasn’t where he wanted this conversation to go, and he was still just sober enough to remember Banshee’s threat if another fight broke out.  He sighed deeply, then poured Fred another generous serving of wine.

“Fuck, Fred, let’s not do this. We’ve been through some shit together, yeah?  We all acted like dicks sometimes back in the day, but it doesn’t really matter now. I’m sorry I said you were a fat piece of shit.”          

“Well, I kinda am, ain’t I?”

“If you’re a fat piece of shit, I’m a skinny piece of shit.  None of us are exactly saints in the Brotherhood.”

“You’re a saint.  It’s right in your name.”  Blob poked at him clumsily.

“Yeah, real ironic, that.  Gran wanted a good Christian name so I’d be good Christian lad.  Buckley’s chance of that.”  

“You get real Aussie when you’re drunk, ya know that.  Can’t barely understand ya.”  Blob was starting to slur now, having gone through the equivalent of several vats of wine at this point.   “But hey man, I’m sorry I said that I was glad you died.  I mean, I was glad right when it happened.  I was mad at you ‘cause of Post.  But it was a shitty way to go, wasting away like that.  You didn’t deserve that.  Gettin’ eaten up inside by your own power.  I remember when that happened to Unus.  He…he died right in my arms, man.”  Blob’s voice sounded shaky again.  Pyro reached up and patted his side – somewhere below the armpit, since he couldn’t reach huge man’s shoulder.  

“Sorry, Freddie.  I’m sure Unus didn’t deserve that, either.”  Pyro had never met the force-field wielding mutant, but he’d heard stories when Blob was feeling especially drunk and sentimental. But he didn’t think he’d ever seen this kind of raw vulnerability from Fred J Dukes before.  He’d blame the wine – stupid wizard probably cursed it with a sadness spell or something.  Get the mutants to drop their guard by making them all soppy.

“He sure as hell didn’t.”  Blob actually reached up and rubbed his forearm over his eyes, and Pryo diplomatically pretended not to notice. “I miss him, man.  He was a real stand-up guy, you know, for a criminal piece of garbage, and he didn’t let anyone push him around.  Don’t think I’ve ever clicked with anyone like him.  And now they’re danglin’ this resurrection thing in front of us, and who knows if they’ll ever get around to him?  Must be worse for you, with Dominic, right man?”

“I sure as fuck miss him,” Pyro admitted, downing another glass.  “He’s my best mate.”  

“Hey look, man, what I said earlier, I wasn’t tryin’ ta –“

“Freddie, I really don’t wanna talk about it.”  Pyro abruptly found himself pinned as Blob swung an arm down around him, holding him pressed against his side.  “What the hell, Freddie, are you tryin’ ta flirt, now?”

“No man, just listen.  Listen, listen man, shhh, listen,” Blob said in what he probably thought was a soothing whisper, while Pyro pushed uselessly against him.  “I don’t wanna start another fight, but I got stuff I wanna say.  I wasn’t tryin’ ta be a jerk before, okay?  When I brought it up.  I just wanted to say that, you know….we knew.  We ain’t that dumb, and you guys weren’t that slick.  We figured out you were – “

“Don’t say it, okay?”  Pyro snapped.

“Fine, but dude.  Listen.  We don’t care.  That’s the important thing here.  I mean, we probably cared a little back in the day.  I admit I made some pretty shitty jokes, but, you know, times were different.  I mean, ‘homo’ was the worst thing you could be back when I was growin’ up.  Until mutants started becoming a thing, of course.”

“Yeah, same here,” Pyro muttered. Apparently this conversation was happening whether he liked it or not.  He downed more wine to try to stop his insides from twisting up.

“But everything’s like, different now. Most people don’t give a shit anymore. Including most of us in the Brotherhood. I mean, it was stupid to ever care in the first place.  We’re already a group of outcast criminals, and we’re gonna judge you guys for wanting to bang each other?  It’s cool if you don’t wanna make out in public or get married or anything, but you don’t haveta sneak around anymore.  I’m cool with it, Toad’s cool with it.  I think ‘Tazia had you figured for gay even before Avalanche came back.  ‘Cause you weren’t drooling over her like Toad an me.”

“She was a perceptive one.”  Pyro wondered for a moment whatever had happened to Eileen.  She had been close-mouthed about her past – and Pyro could respect that – but extremely intelligent, and fun to talk to.

“The point is, it’s a brave new world and all that.  Dudes are marrying each other, chicks are marrying each other.  There’s a whole show starring drag queens that’s run for like, 10 years or something.  It’s all mainstream now.  I mean, I still don’t get it.  Making out with another dude sounds gross to me.  But I ain’t got no problem with other people doing it.”

“That’s real decent of you, Fred,” Pyro said, and he wasn’t totally sure if he was being sarcastic.  This was a surprisingly heartfelt comment coming from Dukes.  “You spend a lot of time writin’ that speech up?”

“I’m tryin’ ta be nice here, okay, matchstick?  And I’m just sick of you pretendin’ ta be straight, an’ me havin’ to pretend I don’t know.”  He trailed off, and gulped down his pot of wine, finally releasing Pyro from his grip.

“Fair ‘nuff,” Pryo conceded. Even though actually dragging all this out into the open felt horribly uncomfortable.  Exposed.  “Don’t expect me to do some big ‘coming out,’ thing or wear a rainbow or any of that crap, though.  I’m not into that.  My private life is my private life, right?  I’ll just….stop trying so hard to hide it, you know?”  

He’d already started to relax his guard a little in front of the Marauders, even picking up a guy at one of the bars that Iceman always dragged them to – although he’d waited until Storm and Bishop had left for the night, and Kate and Iceman seemed too drunk to notice. Iceman seemed to think Pyro was straight, as he’d asked him, with a mix of nervousness and defiance, if he “minded” the first night they went to a gay bar.  That probably would have been the time to say it, if Pyro was a little braver, but instead he’d just shrugged and said, “No worries,” like a good tolerant fellow.  Of course they wouldn’t care.  For all he knew, maybe none of them were straight.  He’d seen Kate give sideways glances to girls, Storm and Calisto seemed to have some chemistry between them, Bishop never seemed to mind men hitting on him at clubs.  But still. A literal lifetime ago, he’d been afraid of getting his teeth kicked in, or worse.  Things were different now, but actually coming out and saying it….it was not so much baring his chest, more like stripping completely naked and handing the other person a knife.  

“Hey, fine.  Do what ya want.  But I’m still gonna make fun of you and Dom if you get all lovey-dovey in front of us.  Not because it’s gay, just because I hate that hearts and flowers crap.”  

“I would expect nothing less, Blobbo.” Pryo took another long drink of wine, refilled his glass and downed it again, until the tension eased out of his spine.   

He supposed it had been stupid to assume that no one noticed.  Everyone living in close quarters, both in Brotherhood safehouses and government facilities (not to mention prison).  They’d all known.  Had they gossiped about him?  Laughed behind his back?  Been disgusted?  

But then, Toad and Phantazia had both hovered over him protectively in the first stages of his illness, when they were all on Empyrean’s private island together.  Toad had even talked about how glad he was that Avalanche could be “there for him,” and wow, there was probably a coded message that Pyro had been too dense at the time to pick up on.  Mystique was certainly not one to judge, and she’d figured him out ages ago. And if Fred Dukes, of all people, was accepting, then…well, it was probably okay, wasn’t it?

“Hey, matchstick.”

“Yeah, Freddie?”

“You and Dom.  Who tops?  Be honest, ‘cause I got money riding on this.”

“Shit, Freddie, I gotta be way drunker for this conversation.”  And he poured again.  The bottle continued to oblige.  

  When he opened his eyes a crack, the sun pierced right through to stab into his brain.  Pyro groaned and squeezed his eyes shut again, bringing one arm up clumsily to better block out the light.  He felt like utter shit, and that realization caused a sharp spike of alarm in his chest.

Sick.  I’m sick again.  

Or maybe he’d always been sick. Because it was all too good to be true, wasn’t it?  Dying like a hero, coming back to life on this magical island where mutants from all sides of the political divide were having nonstop raves and orgies, getting to sail around and play pirate with the X-Men, who accepted him as a team-mate without question.  How could that possibly be real?  Wasn’t it more likely that this was all just the fever dream of a dying man, still lingering comatose in a hospital somewhere?

Except Pyro realized in a moment that he was lying on sand, with ocean waves creating a comforting rhythm just at the edge of his hearing.  And the pain he was feeling wasn’t quite the same as what the Legacy Virus had done to him. His head was pounding like a drum, he ached all over, and he was fairly certain he wouldn’t get through the morning without barfing at least once – but he could breathe without pain.  He sucked in a deep, cool breath and slowly let it out again.  No coughing, no burning in his lungs, no constricting weight on his chest.  

This wasn’t Legacy, it was a very familiar kind of suffering.  One he’d inflicted on himself many times before.

“Heya, toothpick!”  Blob’s voice boomed cheerfully in his ear.  “Had a little too much last night, huh?”

“Uggghhhhh…..fuck off, Fred,” Pyro mumbled, trying to roll away from the sound of his voice.  Moving made his stomach flip-flop, and he stopped for a moment.

“Haw, haw, ya shouldna tried to keep with me, ya scrawny little light-weight,” Blob guffawed, but he didn’t sound as mean as usual.  Pyro feel something cool being pressed against his face.

“Here man, drink this and come back to life.”  He opened his eyes again, wincing, and accepted the water bottle that Blob was holding out to him.  

“Probably gonna take a few of these, Fred,” Pyro said, carefully sitting up, pausing for a moment to swallow saliva and wait for his stomach to hopefully quiet itself.  Then he began sipping the water cautiously.

“You’ll probably need a couple of these, too,” Blob offered, slipping him some aspirin.  

“Thanks, mate, right neighborly of ya. You’re in a good mood this mornin’ aint ya?”  He swallowed the aspirin and gulped down more water.

“Well, I actually was smart enough to drink water last night, so I didn’t totally wreck myself.  Plus I never get hit too hard with hang-overs. Got all this extra body mass cushioning me.”  He laughed again, slapping at his belly.  “Besides, it was hilarious watching you last night.  You were trashed, man.”

“Well, I had good company, didn’t I?” Pyro looked around, squinting in the bright morning light.  He’d wound up sleeping sprawled out on the sand at the edge of the jungle, just a few feet away from Blob’s hut, thankfully some distance away from the puddle of vomit he’d left the previous night.  He remembered that part clearly – the fight, the encounter with Banshee and that little pink-haired shit acting as Krakoa’s rent-a-cops, some of the heartfelt conversation that had followed.  And then, the night dissolved into a dream-like haze.  Well, they weren’t locked up in the drunk tank, so they must not have gotten in any more trouble.

“Least I know how to handle my liquor,” Blob chuckled.  “You wanna shower, toothpick?  You smell like something Wolverine rolled in.”  Pyro grimaced as he realized that the sour aroma of dried puke and smashed pumpkin was wafting up around him.

“Yeah, that’s a good idea.”  

He spent a good twenty minutes in the shower, using Blob’s surprisingly luxurious bath products, then gave his uniform a thorough scrubbing, and fire-dried it.  He’d get a clean one from the Marauder later, but he didn’t feel like sitting around smelling like garbage in the meantime.  

Vague images kept floating up out of the haze while he washed, little snippets of memories dissolved in wine.  

…..Blob putting the stew pot over his head and fastening a curtain around his shoulders, staggering around shouting, “To me, my Brotherhood!  Throw yourself under the bus for mutant rights!  I’m a self-important jackass and I don’t actually care about any of you, my loyal soldiers!” while Pyro rolled around in the sand laughing hysterically…….

……Pyro splashing into the waves, yelling back at Blob, “I’m gonna do it, you’ll see!  I’m gonna fight one a’ them sharks with my bare hands, then fry up it for dinner!  We’re gonna have a barbeque right on the beach, yeah.”  Blob was bellowing laughter while pulling him back with one hand, so that he was helplessly flailing around, swimming in place. “C’mon mate, I can do it!  Aussies aren’t scared of sharks!  We’ll kick the shit out of any animal!”  “C’mon dumbass, this won’t be nearly so funny if you drown,” and then he was being hauled back up onto the beach……

…..then he was draped across the stomach of a maudlin Blob, who wasn’t even bothering to hide the tears that dripped down his cheeks.  “It’s just….what am I if I’m not the Blob, right?  You’ve got those stupid books, but what have I got?  I mean, I’m nothing without my powers.  I tried to make it work back then, I really did.  Got my own reality show, got real popular in Japan, but it just wasn’t enough.  I was miserable not bein’ the Blob.”  Pyro was patting at Blob’s stomach, almost kneading it like a cat, in what he probably had thought was a comforting manner at the time, muttering encouraging nonsense,” Nah, Freddie, c’mon mate, you’ve got lots to offer, you got a big heart and a big personality……”  

….then the two of them were chucking the last of Blob’s squash and pumpkins at the trees.  For some reason they were both singing “Highway to the Danger Zone” at the top of their lungs……

Pyro just sighed and tried to blink it all away.  It wasn’t actually the worst drunk memories he had.  At least neither of them had gotten naked.  He hoped.  

“Hey man, you took your sweet time. You jerking off in there?”  Blob said as he emerged, piling eggs and bacon onto a plate and passing it to him.  Luckily his stomach had settled a great deal by then.

“Nah, I wouldn’t be so crass, Freddy. I only jerk off in my own shower.”

“Guess it’s not as much fun without Avalanche, huh?”  And Blob actually winked at him.

Pyro opened his mouth to snap back at Dukes, to tell him to shut up and mind his own damn business.  Then closed it again, because he couldn’t actually detect any malice in the other man’s tone.  Not needling him, just…playful joking, in Blob’s own crass way.  

Instead, he just shrugged and grinned. “Guess so.  Thanks heaps for the food, Freddie.  And the bloody aspirin, I really needed that.”

“Well, what can I say, I know my manners.  I’m a hospitable guy,” Blob chuckled, sitting down to his own breakfast.  “Besides, it’s the least I can do after what you gave me.”

Pyro paused with the fork mid-way up to his mouth, thinking back.  What had he given him, besides a whole fuckton of wine?  

“’Fraid I don’t quite remember what you’re referring to there,” he said cautiously.  Had he promised his services or something?  Given up some of the booty he’d stashed from raids with the Marauders? (He didn’t feel at all bad about that, as the captain herself was actively encouraging them to take as much booze and money as they pleased.)  

“The wine.”  Blob jerked a thumb over to the shelf on the wall, where the bottle sat surrounded by little ornaments, as if occupying a place of honor.

“Oh yeah, well I’m always glad to share – “

“No man, the whole bottle.  You gave me the bottle.”  

Pyro’s fork slipped out of his hand. Fuck.  Fuck!  He hadn’t. Surely he hadn’t been so stupid as to give up a priceless treasure like that, just because ol’ Blob had gotten a little weepy last night.  Surely not.

“Oh hell, I didn’t really, did I?”

“You did!  You insisted.”

And much as he wanted to deny it, there was a memory creeping back into his mind.  Himself, holding the bottle up to Fred with a grandiose air, waxing poetic about how he would be Krakoa’s Dionysus, Life of the Party, Keeper of the Mysteries, and the other mutants would frolic around him like the Maenads. Christ, he really was a pretentious sot when he got drunk, wasn’t he?  (But hey, he couldn’t help that he’d gone through a pretty heavy Greek mythology phase as a kid.  It was just so interesting!)

“I….guess I might remember something like that,” he conceded hesitantly.  “But that doesn’t count, does it?  You can’t hold me to that!  I was trashed out of my mind!”

“Not so trashed that you couldn’t blather on about a bunch of Classical bullshit!”   Blob declared.  “It was damned funny.  And if you think I’m givin’ this bottle back to you, you’ve got another thing coming.” His tone stayed light, but a sharp gleam in his eye suggested the promise of another fight.

“C’mon Freddie, you’ve gotta be kidding me!”

“Look man, I thought this might happen. So I got video evidence.  I got a message from Drunk Pyro to Sober Pyro.” He held out his cell phone.        

“Fuuuuuck,” Pyro moaned, not even wanting to see.  He took a side glance at the bottle, so inviting out in the open.  He should just grab it and run.  Instead, he heard the sound of his own voice, slurred with wine, Australian accent even thicker than usual so that he was running his words against the backs of one another.  

“I, St. John Allerdyce,” the figure on the video stopped to belch, “bein’ of sound mind an’ body, do hereby bequeath this bottle of never-endin’ wine to Frederick J. Dukes, the Blob, forever an’ ever, no take backs!  Be’cause…..’cause….he’s my good mate, an’ he needs somethin’ for himself, an’ I’m fulla good will tonight.”  The figure was bleary-eyed and staggering, but at least he seemed to be happy, judging by the wide grin stretching his face.  

“Fuckin’ hell, Drunk Pyro,” Sober Pyro groaned, laying his head in his hands.  That bastard had gotten him into more scrapes than he could count.

“But!”  Drunk Pyro continued on the video.  “There’s….conditions.  One….no….two! Two…two conditions.”  He swayed for a moment, seeming to look up at the stars before pulling himself back together.  “Condition the first!  You gotta share the wine, Freddie.  Share it like, like I’ve been…been sharing it.  Bring it to all the parties.  Pour for….for eeeeveryone.”  He made a sweeping gesture and nearly fell over.  “Condition the two!  You gotta….gotta give me special access, right?  I get ta come over and drink as much as I want, any time I want, yeah?  No matter what!”  

“I accept your conditions,” came Blob’s voice from behind the camera.  Drunk Pyro grinned again.    

“Then I now pronounce you man and bottle!”  He crowed, holding it aloft.  “You may kiss the …wait, no, don’t put your mouth directly on it.  Everyone’s gotta drink that.”  

“Now make it official by singing Waltzing Matilda.  That’s Australia’s national anthem, right?”  Blob’s voice suggested on the video.

“No, it isn’t, “ said Sober Pyro.

“Yes, mate, you’re exactly right!” exclaimed Drunk Pyro.  He made it through one off-key verse and chorus before fumbling the words and collapsing to his knees, laughing.

“Hey man, thanks for this,” said Blob’s voice on the video, as a hand reached out to take the bottle from Drunk Pyro. And Blob actually sounded a bit sincere. “I really appreciate it, ya doing something like this for me.”

“Well, you’re my special mate, right?  We’ve been through loads together.  And I feel sooo wonderful tonight.  I’m fulla…..fulla love for everybody!”  Drunk Pyro spread his arms out to the stars.  “The world is so bloody beautiful, yeah?”

“Who do you love, Pyro?”  Blob asked from behind the camera.

“Everybody!  All the little mutants, and even the humans, too!  The ones that aren’t too shitty, anyway.”

“Who do you really love?”  Blob asked pointedly.

For a moment, Drunk Pyro looked up at the camera in confusion, then he lit up with the nicest smile Pyro had seen on his own face in a long time.  It wasn’t cruel or sarcastic, not sloppy drunk or wild with adrenaline.  It was the kind of genuine, soft smile he’d described in many novels over the years.

“I love Dominic!” Pyro exclaimed, hugging arms around himself and slumping down against the sand.  “I love Dom.”  

“Oy, you fucker!”  The video switched off abruptly as Sober Pyro made a grab at the cell-phone in Blob’s hand.  “How dare you, how fucking dare you pull that shit!  Fucking shit-cunt!”  

“Hey man, chill out!  You gave me the bottle fair and square!”  Blob held the phone over his head, while Pyro began trying to clamber up him.

“Forget the bottle, I don’t care!  Why would you make me say that!  On video, for fucks sake?  You lookin’ to blackmail me?”  

“No man, no!”  Blob plucked Pyro off with his other hand, and deposited him back in his chair.  “That’s not what that was about!  I ain’t gonna show it to anyone.  Here, look, I’m deleting it.  Geez.”  Blob pushed a couple of buttons in his phone.  

“You were tryin’ to make me say it, though, weren’t you?  Why would you want me to say that?!”  Pyro glowered at him over the table.

“I dunno man, I was loaded, too! I just….thought it would be nice, I guess.  I thought maybe….maybe you’d feel a little better if you said it.”  Blob looked confused, and again oddly vulnerable.  Not mocking or mean.    

“You thought I’d feel better?  Seriously?”  Pyro gave a breathless laugh.

“I mean….yeah, man.  It’s like what we talked about last night.  You’re so uptight about this shit, but no one cares anymore.”  

“Fucking hell, Fred,” Pyro sighed, putting his head in his hands again. Fucking Blob.  Fucking Drunk Pyro, spewing everything out into the open.  

But….it probably had felt kind of good to say it in the moment, hadn’t it?  All open like that?  He couldn’t deny, Drunk Pyro had looked beatifically happy when he said those words, his eyes soft and gentle.  Perfect for a scene in a romance, even if he was absolutely humiliated to see that expression on his own face.  He supposed there was no sense in denying it.  He’d said it, after all.

“Don’t spread it around about Dom, okay?  I mean, I know what I am.  I’ve known for a long time, and I guess I don’t mind people knowing, now that we’re all enlightened these days.  But I think Dom’s still working some things out.  Or at least he was.”

“Yeah, sure, man, my lips are sealed,” Blob agreed.  “So, are we cool?”  

“You deleted that video, right?”  

“Yep.”

“And you’re gonna give me free wine whenever I want, just like you promised, yeah?”

“Of course!  I’m a generous fellow, and I don’t go back on an agreement!”  Blob pressed a hand against his chest, proudly.

“Then, yeah. Freddie.  We’re cool.” 

Notes: Apologies to poor Quentin Quire, he didn’t deserve the crap Blob and Pyro were throwing at him.  I have nothing against the character, he just seemed like the kind of arrogant young hot-shot mutant that Pyro and Blob would have no respect for (even if he could absolutely destroy them).

[razieltwelve]

Apocalypse (RWBY AU Snippet)

Note: This is set in the same AU as Emissary, I Am Become Death, Thunder and Paperwork, and Ice and Fire.

X     X     X

Ruby breathed a sigh of relief as her father and sister finally woke up, so she could explain to them how the goddess of bureaucracy had brought her back from the dead to help stave off a demonic invasion by increasing faith in the gods and dealing with any demons that might already have snuck into the mortal world. Oh, and the goddess had this awesome raptor as one of her assistants.

“So…” Ruby said as she finished her explanation. “That’s what happened.”

Taiyang stared at his daughter. “Are you serious? We buried you, Ruby.” His voice shook. “You… you were dead.”

“And now I’m not.” Ruby hefted the colossal book that had dropped out of the sky. “Plus, I have awesome powers now except I’m not entirely sure what they are. I haven’t had time to learn yet.”

“Ruby…” Yang pulled her into an embrace. “I’m so glad you’re back even if you’re a zombie.”

“I’m not a zombie, Yang.” Ruby paused. “At least… I don’t think I am. I mean I don’t feel like I have to eat anyone’s brains or anything…” She trailed off as a vast sphere of crimson flame appeared in the sky. The world was suddenly awash in blood-coloured light.

“Uh…” Yang pointed. “I don’t suppose that’s something your goddess did, is it?” She gulped. “Please, tell me it is because I’m really starting to freak out here.”

Ruby cringed. “I… don’t know.” She flipped through the book. There it was! Written on one page was a very simple instruction: tear in case of emergency. But was this really an emergency? She had a feeling that Weiss would be pretty cranky if she tore the page and it wasn’t actually an emergency.

In the sky, the sphere of crimson flame shattered to reveal a vast, gaping hole in reality. For a moment, all was still, and then twisted shapes began to pour out of the hole. Demons, Ruby realised. There were thousands upon thousands of demons pouring out of some kind of portal.

Okay. This was definitely an emergency. She tore the page.

And Fred appeared.

Unlike before, the raptor was no longer wearing gloves and reading glasses. Instead, the dinosaur was covered in gleaming power armour.

“Did you just summon a robot dinosaur?” Yang blurted. “Because that is a seriously cool power to have.” She glanced up. “Maybe you should tell your robot dinosaur to start fighting those… uh… things up there.”

“Silence, human.” Fred’s voice was deep and powerful. He turned to Ruby. “How were you able to bring me here?”

Ruby pointed at the book and the torn page. “With that.”

“I see.” The slits of sapphire light that served as the power armour’s eyes narrowed. “You are fortunate. I come with grim tidings.”

“Uh, dinosaur guy,” Yang said. “I don’t mean to burst your bubble. But the tidings here are already pretty grim. There are demons coming out of the sky.”

“I am aware of that,” Fred replied. “But the news I bring is graver still.” He turned to Ruby. “The Goddess of Bureaucracy has vanished, and someone has sabotaged the defences she was in charge of. The mortal realm is no longer protected from demonic invasion, and the gods have been stranded in the divine realm.”

“Okay…” Taiyang took a deep breath. “That all sounds awful, but what does that mean exactly?”

“You see those things?” Fred pointed at the demons. “Those are demons. WIthout the defences my goddess was in charge of, your world will soon be overrun by billions upon billions of demons. Worse, the other gods cannot come to help you, nor can I call for aid. The only reason I was able to make it here at all was because of the failsafe built into the page you tore. Somehow, it allowed me to bypass whatever is keeping everyone stranded in the divine realm. With a few years of research, I might be able to replicate it, but…”

“We don’t have a few years,” Yang said.

“Exactly, human.” Fred put one armoured claw on Ruby’s shoulder. “Human, your world lies under siege. There are precious few with the strength to defend it, but you are one such person. You must use the powers our goddess gave you to help drive the demons back.”

“I’d love to,” Ruby pointed out. “But… I haven’t even started reading that book you guys sent me.”

Fred stared. “That is a problem.” He growled as some of the demons in the sky began to angle toward them. “But there is no time to learn like the present. Reach deep inside yourself for the power you have been given and unleash it on your foes! I will do my best to hold back our enemies!”

“What about us?” Taiyang asked.

“Do you have arcane powers?” Fred asked. Taiyang and Yang shook their heads. “What about psychic powers?” Again, both of them shook their heads. Fred winced. “I don’t suppose either of you are demigods, spirits, or anything else exotic?” Sadly, both of them again shook their heads. “I see. In that case, I would suggest you each grab a stout stick and whack anything that gets too close. Leave the heavy lifting to me.”

As Ruby closed her eyes and searched for the power within her, Yang and Taiyang each went to grab a stout stick. Fred, meanwhile, turned his gaze to the horde of demons approaching them from the sky.

“Do you remember me?” Fred boomed. “Sixty-five million years ago, your kind overwhelmed this world! I lost countless friends and kin to your dark powers, but I stand here before you now, and I say to you, you may have killed most of the other dinosaurs, but there is one dinosaur yet that still draws breath! And I will have my vengeance!”

Fred’s claws wove through the air in an intricate pattern, and a vast, complex sigil appeared in front of him. There was a flash of light, and the air was suddenly filled with thunder and lightning. Huge bolts of electricity rained down from the sky, striking demon after demon after demon. But Fred wasn’t done yet. His hands continued to move as did his tail, and several even more complex sigils appeared before merging into a single, gigantic sigil in front of him.

The ground in front of the raptor rippled and buckled, collapsing into a sphere of incredibly dense material at the centre of the sigil. Flames whirled into existence, and the sphere grew brighter and brighter. As the demons drew near, Fred drove both claws into the sigil.

There was a great, echoing boom, and the sphere exploded outward. A cone of molten rock shot forward, each fragment heated to thousands of degrees and propelled to speeds far greater than the speed of sound. Everything in front of Fred died, shredded, burned, and exploded by the attack.

“Okay…” Yang gulped. “We’re definitely staying with the dinosaur.”

“Oh, yeah,” Taiyang agreed. “But… there’s still more of those things coming.”

Indeed there were. Fred gave a mocking laugh as thousands more demons poured out of the portal and headed toward them.

“I have studied the bureaucratic arts for sixty-five million years, demons. I have learned how to bend the rules that govern Creation from the very goddess who crafted them in the first place. You will not find me easy prey!”

X     X     X

Ruby was sorely tempted to open her eyes, but she needed to find the power inside herself. Whatever Fred was doing, it had to be cool. She could hear explosions and screeching, and the stuff he was saying just made him sound like such a badass. As if being a dinosaur didn’t make him cool enough already…

But no. She had to awaken her new power. Her family… and the entire world were counting on her!

Alas, the only thing she’d awakened so far was her hunger. She could really go for some cookies right now. No. Focus. Find her power. Find her power. Find her…

A flash of blood-red cloth.

Eyes like stars.

A scythe as black as the dead of night.

Ruby gasped was that her power? She really hoped it was. It looked awesome. She tried to reach for what she’d seen but it slipped out of her grasp. No! She grit her teeth and tried again. She had to find something - anything - to help the others.

“We are all echoes of something greater!” Fred roared. “Ruby! We are mortals here and now, but there are many worlds! Our goddess knows every loophole, every flaw, every mistake that can be turned to her advantage. You are not a god, but something within you is connected to one. Draw upon that power! You might become only the shadow of a god, but even the shadow of a god is mighty beyond measure!”

“Everything he says sounds so cool,” Yang muttered.

“Yeah,” Taiyang agreed. “Wait! Get ready. There’s more coming this way!”

Ruby’s jaw clenched. A shadow of a god? Yes. She could feel it. She could -

X     X     X

Countless worlds away, Death paused mid-stride. Her gaze shifted, peeling away the layers of the world she was in to follow the thin tendril of her power that was seeping into the great void between worlds. Interesting…

X     X     X

Ruby opened her eyes, and silver light poured out of them. The shadows around her formed into a scythe, and she grasped the weapon with utter familiarity despite never having held one before. Images from the lives of countless different Rubys filled her mind, and she found her body moving of its own accord. She couldn’t move like they could, but she wasn’t a complete novice like she should be.

“Fred,” she said. “Let’s go kill some demons.”

The dinosaur laughed and pointed at her with one claw. “Yes… that’s the power our goddess foresaw!” A sigil formed around his claw and then drifted to circle Ruby. “That sigil will give you the power of flight! Let us take the battle to them, human!”

“Yeah!” Ruby cheered. “Uh… but maybe do something about my dad and my sister first.”

“I will send them to your home.” Fred pointed again, and both Taiyang and Yang vanished. “Now, we fight!”

X     X     X

Yang and her father reappeared on their couch. Zwei trotted up to them and tilted his head to one side.

“Did we just hallucinate Ruby getting god-like powers and going off to fight demons with a talking dinosaur?” Taiyang asked.

Yang hurried to one of the windows. There were people running around screaming everywhere as demons flooded the streets, but up in the skies, she could clearly see Ruby and the dinosaur unleashing pure devastation on as many demons as they could reach. “No. I don’t think we did - gah!”

The wall of the house exploded, and a demon lurched into the living room.

“Get out of here!” Taiyang shouted as he grabbed a baseball bat and slammed the weapon into the demon’s face. It staggered for a moment before tearing the baseball bat in two. “I’ll hold it off!”

“Dad!” Yang cried. “I’m not going to leave you here!”

At their feet Zwei let loose a low growl. And to their amazement, the demon actually retreated. Was… was it scared of Zwei? No. Slowly, Yang turned her head. There was… a thing standing behind them. It was vaguely canine in appearance, but it was as big as a horse and growing quickly. Fire roiled over flesh that was seemingly hewn of obsidian and magma. The creature opened its mouth and roared, and the demon in front of it simply disintegrated. Still growing, the creature rumbled forward, ripping an even bigger hole in the house as it turned its ire on the other demons on the street.

“What… the…?” Yang stared.

At her feet, Zwei let loose a happy bark and ambled over to the giant… thing. It was bigger than a house now, but it turned to Zwei and made a sound that was almost playful. It was then that Yang realised something. It’s eyes… it had the same eyes as Zwei. Sure, they were way bigger, but she’d know those eyes anywhere.

“Are you… another Zwei?” Yang asked.

The massive creature nodded and then rounded on the remaining demons. Another bark obliterated thousands of them in an instant, and the flames rolling over the creature’s body lashed out, slaying even more. It was cleansing flame, Yang realised, because although it incinerated every demon within hundreds of yards, it didn’t harm anything else.

“What is going on?” Taiyang whispered.

“I wish I knew, dad,” Yang said. “I wish I knew.”

X     X     X

“What’s that?” Ruby asked, pointing. “Is it a meteor or something?”

Death followed Ruby’s gaze and frowned. At this distance, all Ruby could make out was something bright in the sky. Death saw far more clearly. “That is not a meteor.”

“Then what is it?”

Death’s eyes narrowed. Something was hurtling toward the ground. It was wreathed in tendrils of something that was far darker than mere shadow. It was the power of the Void, the emptiness that had come before Creation. The Salem of her world had tried to wield that power, but even she had not been equal to the task. No god was. The Void was its own entity, the antithesis of Creation that hungered only to return all that was to how things had once been: empty, barren, devoid of anything even remotely resembling life. 

One day, Death knew, she would have to confront that power. For on the day that Creation ended and the Cycle of Death and Rebirth was restarted in earnest, the Void would seek to unmake all that was, had been, or could ever be. On that day, Death would have to stand alone, the last of the gods, and if she failed…

Death shook her head. That was a thought for another time. The Void should not be here, not now, not in this world. Something must have learned to harness its power, but that should have been impossible. Then again, moving her to another world without her permission should have been impossible too, yet here she was. Her lips firmed into a thin line. This might tell her more of how she had come to be here.

But first…

Death raised her hand to lash out with her power when there was a burst of blinding radiance so bright that even she could barely stand to look at it. The Void reeled away, the tendrils of darkness beyond darkness shrivelling to reveal a god that did not come from Death’s world.

“Is that… a person?” Ruby murmured.

“No.” Death chuckled. Night had given way to day, and it seemed as though the sun had risen. “That is no person. That is a goddess. If I had to guess… I’d say she was the Goddess of the Day.” The goddess in question noticed them, and the light dimmed as she reined her power in and dove toward them. “Yang,” Death said. “You might want to brace yourself.”

“Huh? Why?”

“You know how I’m a divine version of Ruby,” Death said as Day landed in front of them in all of her splendour. “Well, Day is a divine version of you.”

X     X     X

Author’s Notes

The plot thickens as more is revealed! Whoever is behind it all has laid siege to one world, unleashing demons upon it while sending Bureaucracy!Weiss to Remnant. Meanwhile, Death’s version of Zwei has also turned up, which should help Fred and Emissary!Ruby even the odds.

Back on Remnant, Death and the rest of the gang have run into another god, Day!Yang. Moreover, Death has finally gotten a glimpse of what they might be up against. After all, if it’s strong enough to give her a challenge, you just know things on Remnant are going to get dicey. Who could be controlling the Void, and what new horror are they going to unleash on Remnant? With several gods around, it’s got to be terrifying.

You can find me on fanfiction.net, AO3, and Amazon.

[cortexifansquint]

                        matching pairings & annotations under the cut!

                                             Youtube (x) Spotify ( x)

Buffy / Cordelia / Willow

*  Cloud 69 // Lowell

I'm like dynamite / need a cheerleader / let me throw you down / while I look at her / I'm like "Oh my god / I think I need a girlfriend"

*  Crazy // Au Revoir Simone

you knew me, wanna love to lose and to lose again / seems we're either giving up or giving in / but, uh, you girls, you drive me crazy

Willow / Tara

* There’s a Girl // The Ditty Bops

there's a girl that you might know / she's a friend at least I tell you so / but it might surprise you to find / there's something going on behind the door

* Horizon // Luna Blake 

you tower over me / you are sky and I am sea 

* Truthfully // Lisa Loeb

truthfully, I really can't explain / I'm floating, I'm smiling again 

* Room // Palehound 

she comes over / growing like a clover / in my room / in my room

* Sugar in a Pie //  Erin McKeown

love me sweet like a sugar in a pie / kiss me deep with a dreamy little sigh

Faith / Buffy

* Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover // Sophie B. Hawkins 

that old dog has chained you up, alright / give you everything you need to live inside a twisted cage / sleep beside an empty rage / I had a dream I was your hero

* Hologram // Katie Herzig

I'm gonna let you down / gonna toss you around / gonna make you want everything you haven't found / I'm gonna hold your hand / then ask you to stand / ten feet away

* Buy her Candy

she's a famous / she's the best / I cannot lay / my heart to rest / she is selfish / she is kind / no one can say / she is mine

* Nights with you // MO

I'll take you out tonight / leave it all at home / don't care about your boyfriend waking up alone

* Portions for Foxes// Rilo Kiley

'cause you're just damage control, for a walking corpse like me, like you (S6 Fuffy edition)

* Last 2nd Chance // Vaughan Penn 

this is the last second chance I’ll ever need / this is the last time you’ll hear sorry from me

Buffy / Cordelia-

* More like you // Hazel English

I could waste all of my time / thinking up ways to catch your eye / and I tried but it just didn’t feel right / and besides I'm just trying to get by

* She // Dodie 

and I'll be okay admiring from afar / cause even when she's next to me / we could not be more far apart  (late S1 - mid S2 coffy, either pov)

* Can’t / Naaz 

in my mind / I can be what we choose / but in life / we can't stand in those shoes

* Midway // Bad Bad Hats 

the shadows you were casting nearly swallowed the night /  but god, I could have kissed you (I imagine this as the night Cordelia drops Buffy home in Helpless or sometime in mid-late S3)

* Touch //  Shura 

I wanna touch you but I'm too late / I wanna touch you but there's history / I can't believe that it's been three years / now when I see you, it's so bittersweet  (if either had showed up in L.A or Sunnydale after Buffy was resurrected)

Tara / Buffy

* If I Could // Sophie Zelmani 

If I could help you with /  this part of life you've got to live /  you could load your weight on me

* Our Eyes // Lucy Rose 

I'm alive / I feel it now / I never knew I'll find it on you / out of line we got ourselves / in a look, wait we are not fine / wait, you are not mine 

* Wire // Alessi Ark 

I'm tired of walking this wire / it keeps me awake for heaven sake / I was made for this girl / I feel lonely / my friends don't seem to know me / like i thought they did

Willow / Cordelia

* Upper West Side // King Princess

I can't stop judging every thing you do / but I can't get enough of you

* Then If I’m Weird I Want to Share // Tender Forever

people told me / that you're too sexy / you're too sexy for me / but actually I just don't care / I think it's bullshit everywhere

Buffy / Willow

* Loners // Maddie Ross

one night alone in the bookstacks / summer to make all the kids sad / next fall we're back in the corner / nice girls love kissing the loners

* Ray of Sunshine // Go Sailor 

yellow hair, fiery stare / nothing's right, 'cause she's not here tonight 

* Explosion // Zolita 

it's a mindless love affair / one hot mess of bleach blonde hair / I could kiss her but your lips taste better / you could kiss him but my words are sweeter

* Sweet Moon // Sundarta 

when the world is big and I’m alone / I call you and I am home

Faith / Tara

* Will You Be My Girlfriend // Alanis Morissette 

I guess I fall and you stay intact is that right? I guess you hear me and won't attack me, is that right? guess I reach out and you reach back, is that right?

* Not gonna Get Us // T.at.u 

soon there will be laughter and voices / beyond the clouds over the mountains / we'll run away on roads that are empty / lights from the airfield shining upon you (teenage runaway mehane)

* Love you Anyway // Jil Nisson & Marlene

I know what you've been getting / coz I sure got it too / don't, don't you forget it / the damage they do

* Walk The Line // Halsey

I keep a close watch on this heart of mine / I keep my eyes wide open all the time / I keep the ends out for the tie that binds / because you're mine, I walk the line

Willow / Amy

* Wherever We Are // Human Life

after the day we're chasing the sun / farther away the faster we run / feet on the ground our head in the stars / finding the sound wherever we are

* When We’re High // LP 

let’s swallow the moon and the stars / let’s wallow just right where we are

Amy / Faith

* Whiskey & Black Leather // Sapphic Lasers

some they want a girl next door / but that ain't what I'm looking for / I first saw your lips across the room / red like a blood moon

* Her Lover // Ally & Stevie 

she is like a cat in the dark / and then she is the darkness

* High Enough // K Flay 

don’t try to give me cold water / I don’t wanna sober up / all I see are tomorrows / oh, the stars were made for us

Cordelia / Anya

*  Only a Girl // Gia

soft touch, warm skin / nothing like my ex-man / slowly falling, I don't want my next man

* I Don’t Do Boys // Elektra 

I don't do boys, I just do girls / just do girls with style and class / I don't do boys, I just do girls / just do girls with kissable ass

Fuffy / Radison

* One More // Elliphant 

stay with me tonight / we can count the street lights / stay with me alright let's bring it all back to life (bad girls & smashed shennanigans)

Dark Willow / Anyanka + Darla / Drusilla + Lilah / Cordelia (Jasmine possessed version)

* Glory & Gore // Lorde

delicate in every way but one, / God knows we like archaic kinds of fun / chance is the only game I play with / baby, we let our battles choose us 

“ Your Lips are Red // St. Vincent

this city's red / this city's red from riding us into the ground / this city's black / this city's black from all the ashes in downtown

Willow / Anya

* Wishful Thinking // The Ditty Bops 

when the cold and lonely hours put your heart to the test / maybe I'll be the one that you like best (S7 Rosekins)

* The Happy Song // Kate Miccuci 

'cause isn't it nice to have the friends that you do? / and isn't it nice that the sky is so blue? / and isn't it nice to say "I love you"? (the cheery & matter -of-factly style of this song reminds me of anya)

Faith / Willow

* So-Called Str8 Grrrl // Gina Young

I think you want me / you know you want me / so why do you talk shit about me

* She’s so Lovely // The Butchies 

she's a rocker dressed like a killer / she's got lips like wine not sugar 

* Sum of your parts // Mary Lambert

I didn't know I was a phoenix till I learned how to speak / even with ashes in my mouth I was still born to breath / I wonder are you like me

* All I Want is To Be Your Girl // Holly Miranda

Well there's ghosts in the night and ghosts in my mind / and if we quit changing we'll be left behind / but I won't take another chance of screwing it up / so I stay where I am / but all I want is to be your girl

Buffy / Satsu

* Cliff’s Edge // Hayley Kiyoko

you turn me on / you lead me on / you got me on / a cliff's edge (satsu’s pov)

* One Night // Charlie XCX 

you are somethin’ special / twenty carats, solid gold / what we had was precious / but I had to let you go

Cordelia / Lilah

* Short Skirt, Long Jacket // Larkin Poe

I want a girl with a mind like a diamond / I want a girl who knows what's best I want a girl with shoes that cut / and eyes that burn like cigarettes

Fuffy + Willow / Kennedy

* We Might be Dead by Tomorrow // Soko

give me all your love / ‘cause for all we know / we might be dead by tomorrow

Kendra / Buffy

* Eleventeen // Kimya Dawson

you may feel strange, well, you are an angel / stuck in tight pants stuck at a high school dance / stuck doing people things not knowing you have wings

* Supergirl // Anna Naklab

you can see in her eyes / that no one is her chain / she's my girl / my supergirl

Cordelia / Faith

* Can I Say Baby // GIRLI 

can I say baby? / I don't wanna be soppy / but I like your style / think you're kinda cool / I'm sort of into you

* Rebel Girl // Bikini Kill 

rebel girl rebel girl / I think I want to take you home / I want to try on your clothes

* Flowers and Rope // Princess Nokia

voices in my head, monsters under my bed / I'm alone again, I lost all my friends / wanna play pretend? hope this never ends

Fred / Faith

* Whiskey // Nicole Reynolds

you accept that i talk too much / i accept that you talk too little / but it's fine / i like a good riddle

In the Margins // Ani Difranco

you are a rare bird / the kind i wouldn't even mind / writing in the margins of my books

Willow / Kennedy

* Pretty Girl // Hayley Kiyoko 

I can tell you’re real smart / world class piece of art / I can see you in the dark / all we have to do is start

* Let it Go // Allie Moss 

darlin' you see / the fear in me / and how I'd finally be / if I were willing to let it go

Buffy / Anne

* Annonymous Club //  Courtney Barnett 

let's start an anonymous club / I'll make us name badges with question marks

* Hideaway // IVY 

under stars and satellites / a thousand miles / from where we've been

Willow/Fred + Buffy/Tara

* I Was Made for Sunny Days // The Weepies

I was made for sunny days / and I was made for you

Faith / Kennedy

* Crimson and Clover //  Joan Jett & the Blackhearts 

ah, now I don't hardly know her / but I think I can love her

“ Honey // Kehlani

I like my girls just like I like my honey; sweet / a little selfish

Cordelia / Fred

* Genius // The Murmurs

she's kinda weird / she's kinda freaky / but I don't know / I think she's a genius

* There she goes // Sixpence None the Richer 

there she goes / there she goes again / racing through my brain / and I just can't contain / this feeling that remains

[fanfics4all]

The Calm During The Storm

Request: Yes / no Can you please do #12 with Veronica where the reader was there with her and her mom when Small Fry tried to attack them and Veronica has a panic attack? Please? Anon

Don’t be shy, request things! (Requests are closed for now but will be open again soon!) <3 Have a nice day/night

Veronica x Andrews! Reader

Word count: 1798

Warnings: Veronica and her mother getting attacked, Panic attack, someone getting shot and I think that’s it.

Y/N: Your Name

Y/N/N: Your Nickname

Prompt: 12. “It’s okay. Everything’s going to be okay. Just breathe.”

Summary: You’re Archie Andrews younger sibling and dating Veronica Lodge, you go back to her house and are with her when she and her mother are attacked.

A/N: This request did say if they wanted Veronica dating the reader or what gender they wanted so I left it gender neutral.   

(Not my photo, credit to whoever made it!)

Riverdale had officially snapped, everyone was running around like a chicken with its head cut off! The Serpents were trying to protect their own and the Northsiders wanted Justice for Midge Klump. My girlfriend and I were at my house while Archie, my brother was out helping Jughead and the Serpents.

“Archie?” We heard my dad call out. There was a pause then footsteps grew closer to my room. There was a knock and my dad opened the door.

“Hey, Y/N, do you know where your brother is?” He asked concerned.

“He went to go help Jughead.” I answered. My dad looked at the both of us and left the room quickly. The two of us looked at each other and rushed after him.

“Dad wait!” I said.

“Archie was there when that Serpent got shot, I don’t know what he’s caught up in.” He said grabbing his keys.

“We’re coming with you Mr. Andrews.” Veronica said. My dad sighed then there was a knock on the door. He answered it and we both looked to see who it was.

“Good evening Mr. Andrews, I’m here to pick up Miss Lodge.” Andre said once the door was open. Veronica sighed and knew there was no point in fighting.

“I’m coming with you.” I said grabbing her hand.

“Y/N I’d rather have to at home…” My dad said.

“Dad please.” I begged and he sighed.

“I’ll make sure she’s safe Mr.Andrews.” Veronica said. My dad sighed and gave in. We both got in the car and started down the streets of Riverdale. We looked out the window and saw it was a madhouse outside. Veronica rolled down her window to get a better look and there was fire and people screaming everywhere.

“Oh my god...Is that...Is that Mrs. Klump?” She asked and I turned to look out the window. Sure enough Mrs. Klump was walking next to the church holding a gun.

“Andre stop the car!” Veronica ordered and he did.

“That’s Midge’s mom.” she said as she got out the car, I followed right behind her.

“Miss. Veronica, wait!” Andre said trying to stop her but she simply brushed him off and continued her wait to Mrs. Klump.”

“Mrs. Klump?” Veronica asked concerned, she looked dazed and scared.

“Are you okay?” I asked worried.

“I may have killed that boy…” She said in a scared whisper. We looked at her shocked.

“Mrs. Klump we need to get you to the Sheriff’s Station.” Veronica carefully said. She simply dropped the gun and nodded. The two of us lead her to the car and Andre picked up the gun. We drove to the station and turned Mrs. Klump into the authorities.

“I’m gonna call Archie.” I said and walked a bit away.

“Y/N, can I call you back I’m busy a riot broke out.” He answered.

“Yes, I know I was just out in the middle of it with Ronnie.”

“What? I thought you were home!” He said angry.

“Andre came to get V so I went with her and we found Mrs. Klump, Fangs shooter.”

“Mrs. Klump shot Fangs?” He asked.

“Can you blame her?” I asked.

“I gotta go Y/N/N, I gotta tell the Serpents. But be safe.”

“You too Arch…” I said and he hung up. I walked back to Veronica and saw her talking with her mother.

“Veronica, what are you doing here? You’re supposed to be at home with Andre.” Her mother said.

“Andre’s in the car we had to make a detour.” Veronica explained and grabbed the paper her mother was holding close to her chest. It was a wanted poster for the black hood with a bounty of 1 million dollars, dead or alive.

“Good lord mom, are you and daddy trying to turn Riverdale into Gotham city?” She asked shocked.

“Veronica the black hood is a menounos, he deserves to be caught.”

“Not by having civilians be put in danger?” She asked.

“Sheriff, you can take it from here right?” Her mother asked the new Sheriff.

“Of course.” He took the poster and left.

“Let’s go mi hija.” Mrs. Lodge turned and started for the entrance. Veronica sighed grabbed my hand and we followed her to the exit.

We made it to Veronica’s house and as soon as we entered the door that leads to their living room Veronica started yelling at her mother.

“Where do you plan on getting the million dollars for this lunatic bounty?”

“Your father has secret funds.” She answered while starting to prepare a drink.

“My ass he does.” Veronica said and I place a hand on her shoulder to try and calm her.

“And if daddy thinks he could use my money for one of his Machiavellian ploys, he better think again.” She said starting to walk to her father’s study, pulling me with her.

“Because I'm taking back what I got from the St. Clairs.” She said.

“Your father already told you he'd put that money in a trust for you!” Mrs. Lodge yelled making her way to us.

“He stole it, you mean!” Veronica shouted back and locked us in the study.

“Veronica! Veronica! You're wasting your time. Your money is not in there. Veronica, just open the door and we can talk about this.” Her mother said as Veronica searched the room. She sat at her dad’s desk and tried to open the top drawer.

“V, you know I’m on your side 100% but maybe this isn’t a good idea…” I said a little worried her dad would come back and see us. She unlocked the drawer and pulled out a file.

“Check this out…” She said and I walked over behind her. It was pictures of her mom and my dad together. She put them down and picked up an article titled ‘Family Man Fred Andrews Not So Innocent’.

“What the…” I said.

“We have to show my mom…” She said. She got up and grabbed the folder, we unlocked the door and came out.

“I told you your money wasn’t in there.”

“No, but this was.” Veronica said handing her mother the folder. She opened it up and stared in shock.

“Come sit down.” She said and we all sat at the table.

“This is utterly vile. Daddy has already written the story. About the affair you and Fred had. What was he planning to do? Publish that in The Register? And drag you both through the mud?” V asked looking at one of the pictures again.

“Fred's running on family values. I'm the law and order candidate. Your father believes an October Surprise like this one would hurt me, but I'd survive. And it would utterly destroy Fred's campaign.” Mrs. Lodge calmly explained.

“Wait, you're in on this?” I asked angry and shocked.

“What kind of man would do this to his own wife? I'll tell you! The kind of man who always has someone else to take the risk, to stand in the line of fire, to run for Mayor. That's what you are to him. A means to an end. Kindling for the fire.” Veronica said standing up and leaning on the table to look at her mother.

“Oh, no, Veronica. Your father would never put us in harm's way.” Her mother said sweetly.

“The fact that you still believe that after everything he's done, chills me, Mom.” She said seriously. The two stared at each other with unreadable faces.

The arguing got more intense. Her mother was standing with her back to the door and Veronica and I stood opposite her.

“This is a game of nerves, Veronica, and clearly, you've lost yours!” Her mother yelled.

“I'd rather have lost my nerve than my mind, which clearly, you and Daddy have. That "October Surprise" wouldn't just destroy Fred's campaign, it would ruin his life!” Veronica yelled and I place a hand on her back to calm her, even though I agreed with everything she said. Someone pounded on the door but everyone ignored it. The person pounded again this time louder.

“Oh, God, who is it?” Mrs. Lodge yelled but there was no response, instead, the person kicked the door in. A large 6-foot man stomped in and Mrs. Lodge pushed Veronica and me behind her.

“You may know my father. Goes by the name Papa Poutine.” The man said and Veronica gasped.

“He told me, if he was ever to be murdered, not to take the life of the man who killed him, but to take the lives of those that man loved the most.” The large man growled.

“Mom…” Veronica said scared and grabbed my hand squeezing it.

“Mija, run.” Mrs. Lodge said pushing us to the study.

“Run!” She shouted scared and ran behind us. We made it to the study and locked the door, Veronica and I pushed one of the chairs in front of it to try and help stop his path. We ran to the other side of the room near the windows

“Stay behind me!” Mrs. lodge said panicked and opened a box trying to find something.

“Y/N!” Veronica grabbed me and I held her close.

“It’s okay.” I said scared. The man kicked the door open and Veronica screamed, I held her closer. Mrs. Lodge pulled out a gun and aimed it at the man. She shot him but he still came towards us. She shot him another three times and then he finally fell. Everyone was breathing hard.

“Are you two okay?” She asked turning to look at us. I looked at her still holding Veronica close.

“I think so…”

“Y/N take Veronica into the other room now.” I nodded and followed her instructions. I sat V down on the couch and she was still breathing heavily.

“Ronnie...It’s okay. Everything’s going to be okay... Just breathe.” I said holding her and gently petting her hair.

“We almost died…” She cried and I felt tears fall on my shirt.

“But we didn’t we’re alive…” I whispered and held her head to my chest.

“Try and match your breathing to mine.” I said and started taking deep breaths. It took maybe ten minutes until her breathing became normal.

“I’m sorry Y/N…” She said. I pulled her back and had her face me.

“Don’t be, none of this is your fault.” I said quietly.

“If we weren’t together you’d be at home safe right now…” I smiled at her.

“It’s me, do you really think I’d be at home? I’d probably have gone with Archie to help Jughead, if anything I’m safer with you.” She gave a small smile and looked at me.

“I love you Y/N.”

“I love you too Ronnie.” I said and kissed her.

[forzalando]

Give Me A Chance - George Weasley

HI HELLO HELLO this is a George request from the lovely, wonderful, beautiful Rosie ( @thephelpstwins )!! I hope you like it AHHHH :)) i love you so, so much!! 

@thoseofgreatambition I hope you like this as well, thank you for getting excited about it with meeee :)

Request: marissa!!! “give me a chance” + “i’m so in love with you” with george ??? maybe the reader thinks he isn't serious bc of the twins reputation as jokers idk ??? you're the queen of writing here so i trust your judgement my love!!!

Pairing: George Weasley x Gryffindor f!Reader

Warnings: language ha ha ha sorry I have the mouth of a sailor, mentions of d*ath (Harry’s parents), dark humor joke, alluding to sex

Y/N: Your Name

Word Count: 1.8k

For the third time that week, George Weasley was kneeling in front of you with a bouquet of flowers in his hands. This time, however, he was reciting some cheesy poem that you were sure he bribed his sister to write.

“Oh, Y/N, I long for your kiss, If Voldemort kills us all, You’re the only lass I will miss,

Please, accept these flowers, My heart burns and yearns for you, I think of you every minute of the hour, I can’t believe you don’t feel it too,

Just give me a chance, You won’t regret it one bit, I swear on Fred’s life, I’m really not an insufferable git!”

You rolled your eyes dramatically, and walked away without acknowledging George, leaving Fred in fits of laughter and a frown on George’s face.

He didn’t know what to do about you; he had tried subtle, he had tried playing hard to get, he had tried making you jealous, and none of it had worked. Now, he was resorting to the lowest of lows; embarrassing public displays of affection.

It was definitely not his first choice to get your attention, but he was all out of options and didn’t know what else to do. He thought it was funny, to be honest, and enjoyed writing stupid love poems or picking flowers for you.

You, on the other hand, were completely mortified because of his poem. If Voldemort kills us all, you’re the only lass I will miss? If there was one thing George Weasley was not, it was tasteful.

The entire day, people were teasing you about George’s ‘poetic and romantic’ gesture; all you could think about during your last class was hiding in your dorm for the rest of your life. When Charms was over, you practically ran all the way to the Gryffindor common room.

When you reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, she giggled and raised her eyebrows at you.

“Sherbet Lemon,” you grumbled, eager to crawl under your thick blankets and never face the world again.

“Oh, no, I have strict instructions not to let you into the dorms yet!”

“You can’t ban me from my room! Who told you I can’t go inside?!”

“I think you know, however, if you need a hint, he has red hair.”

You let a frustrated scream erupt from your throat, and turned around, only to come face to face with George Weasley. He opened his mouth to speak, but you cut him off.

“George Weasley you tell that woman to un-ban me from the common room this instant or I swear to Godric, I will NEVER speak to you again!”

“You already don’t speak to me, so I don’t have anything to lose, now do I?”

You blinked rapidly at his words, realizing you really didn’t have anything to threaten him with.

It wasn’t that you hated George, very far from it in fact, but you stayed away from him in order to protect your heart. You had spent the last year or so falling harder and harder for him just by observing from a distance, and you flinched when you thought of how you would feel if you let yourself get close. He had stolen your heart without even trying, and that thought scared you to death.

“Please, Y/N, just one date. That’s all I’m asking for and if you hate me even more afterwards, then I’ll give up on you. All I’m asking for is one chance.”

“I won’t give you a chance to break my heart George, it’s not going to happen. So, I would greatly appreciate it if you would stop embarrassing me in public with your silly antics.”

“Break your heart? I don’t want to break your heart, Y/N, I would never do that.”

“Well if that’s not the reason you’ve been chasing after me for the past week, then you must have a bet with Fred or Lee. Am I a bet to you, George?”

“A week? Y/N, I’ve been trying to get you to go out with me for damn near four months!”

Suddenly, you recalled all the times George had cheekily complimented you on your hair or your eyes. You remembered how whenever you entered the common room, he seemed to pay extra attention to Alicia, Angelina, or whichever girl was nearest to him. You thought of the two weeks he didn’t speak to you at all, which had bothered you so much more than you would ever admit out loud.

“That was you trying to flirt with me? Or get my attention? George…you went from too subtle to being positively annoying! I thought you were teasing me or trying to make a fool out of me!”

“Well, I thought the grand gestures would work, I mean, Harry told me his Dad did stuff like that for his Mum and look where they ended up!”

You raised your eyebrows and your mouth opened in shock, while George’s face turned as red as his hair due to how his comment could be interpreted.

“Oh, fucking hell, I didn’t mean dead, I meant married, don’t look at me like that!”

Your laughter echoed through the halls with George soon joining in. The two of you were doubled over and clutching your stomachs with one hand and wiping tears with the other. However, all of a sudden, George stopped laughing and started staring at you while smiling.

“I think that’s the first time I’ve ever made you laugh! I finally made you laugh and now I can die happy.”

“I laugh at all of your jokes and pranks, George, I just hide it well.”

The lighthearted atmosphere disappeared, and George sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair.

“What did I do to make you hate me, Y/N?”

“Oh, George, I don’t hate you. I…well, what I feel for you…it’s far from hate, and I’ll just leave it at that.”

“Then why won’t you go out with me?”

“It’s our last year at Hogwarts, and we only have a little over a month left. When we graduate, you’ll start your joke shop with Fred, and I’ll start my training to be a healer at St. Mungo’s. I won’t let myself fall for you anymore than I already have only for our relationship to end before it can even really begin.”

George stared at you with wide eyes, blinking rapidly as he tried to process your words. His heart felt like it had dropped to the bottom of his stomach; and he couldn’t believe that you weren’t going to give him a chance because you were simply afraid.

“You don’t get it, do you? Godric, Y/N, I’m so in love with you. You’re always on my mind. Even when I’m asleep, I dream of you. My amortentia smells like your shampoo! I’ve been asking you for one date, but I want that to turn into so much more. I wouldn’t leave you or neglect you after graduation.”

“You can say that but it doesn’t mean you’ll follow through!”

“Are you really going to spend the rest of your life refusing to take a chance because of your fears? That’s an awful way to live, Y/N, and if that’s what you decide then I feel sorry for you. I would never hurt you, or abandon you, and if you’ll let me, I will love you for the rest of your life.”

“You’re barely eighteen, are you sure you should be making promises like that?”

“Y/N, there are two things I am sure of in life: one, Fred and I are going to own the most fantastic joke shop the Wizarding World has ever seen, and two, I love you so much it’s impossible for me to ever stop.”

“Okay.”

“Okay, what? Are you saying okay to the date or to me loving you forever?”

“I’m saying okay to all of it. I want all of it, I want all of you, George.”

“All of me, eh?”

“You prat, why can’t you just let us have our first moment? Why did you have to go and say something like that?”

“You’re grinning like a Cheshire cat; I know you’re not really mad.”

You promptly realized that you were, in fact, smiling like an idiot, and that all of the portraits around you two were watching with wide eyes.

“George, the portraits are staring at us.”

“I suspect they’re waiting for me to kiss you or something crazy like that.”

“Well, then, give the audience what they want, don’t keep them waiting any longer!”

“Maybe I should make them wait, they’ve been ignoring me for months because they were afraid I would break their heart.”

You pouted as you realized he was speaking about you, and a large, toothy grin spread across George’s face.

His smile was the last thing you saw before he pulled you into him and crashed his lips to yours in a breathtaking kiss. He pulled away and shot you a mischievous wink while softly tugging on your lower lip.

“Sorry, love, I had to. Honestly, it would have been torturous for me to wait to kiss you now that I can.”

“You obviously underestimate just how much I want you, but that’s a conversation for another time, preferably late at night, with much less clothing on.”

George’s jaw went slack, and a gasp of shock left his swollen, pink lips.

“Sherbet lemon,” you whispered softly.

The Fat Lady finally opened the portrait, and you dashed inside, leaving a speechless George Weasley pondering your words for a fraction of a second.

He raced in after you, only to find you halfway up the steps to the girl’s dormitory.

“You’re insufferable,” he shouted after you. “But, what about our date? Where are we going? What are we doing? Can I do you? I mean that can wait, but at this moment it’s kind of the only thing running through my mind.”

You chuckled and turned around to see a giddy smile adorning George’s handsome face and a delicate blush coating the apples of his cheeks.

“Hmm, meet me outside the Great Hall on Saturday at noon. Impress me with your date planning abilities, George Weasley, I want to be surprised.”

“Y/N, prepare to be utterly amazed. I will make you fall in love with me because of my incredible date planning skills.”

“I’m already in love with you, idiot.”

George dramatically blew you a kiss, and you giggled at the massive smile on his face.

You watched him head up the stairs to the boy’s dorm and smiled at the way your heart hammered in your chest because of him. It was very, very rare for you to take chances, and when you did, you always regretted it. But you knew in your heart, your mind, and your soul, that George Weasley was the one thing in your life you would never, ever regret.

[thoseofgreatambition]

lost

@partyiinthedungeons​: during the battle of hogwarts, oc (harry's girlfriend) gets injured and loses her memory. So Harry have to make her fall in love with him again, and he have to tell their story but maybe he hides some bad parts of the story and it may cause some drama, something like that

nonnie: If you aren't too overwhelmed would you please do “don’t worry, i’ve got you.” and “no one will hurt you as long as i’m breathing.” with Harry Potter himself? Thank you and sorry

wordcount: 2K

genre: hurt, comfort, romance

pairing: harry x roxanne (oc)

description: hurt in the blast that almost killed fred, roxanne suffers from some rather severe memory loss. some bits are there-- she knows harry. she knows hogwarts. she knows her name. the rest though, like her relationships after halfway through fourth year, are a mystery. she believes that they were dating-- or are, depending on how you view it. her best friends tell her that she was dating harry, and she believes them and him though she doesn’t remember. the question now is how do they fall back in love? the better question is does harry tell the whole truth?

a/n: this took a while! i’m sorry about that. this is a reward for @partyiinthedungeons​ for winning my 500 follower giveaway! she won a 2k-2.5K of a canon character x her/oc story, with the plot of her choice. i’ve decided to roll another request in here because it fit so well. i hope y’all like it! also 2nd person bc it was easiest lmao.

Harry wondered if this was what it was like-- to truly have his life come crashing down upon him. 

He walked into the Great Hall, and saw you lying there unconcious, on a cot next to Fred, your head covered in blood as Madam Pomfrey hovered above you, kneeling and waving her wand over your wounds as she muttered spells underneath her breath. It felt like the air had been sucked out of his lungs, and it wasn’t until he heard you let out a long groan of pain that relief flooded his body. 

He was fighting for you. Fighting to know that you’d be safe. It was why he’d refused to take you with him. It was why he hadn’t told you about the horcruxes. 

All of that, all of it would have been for naught had you died. Harry stumbled over and knelt beside you, quick to smooth down your hair as gently as he could without harming you. “Don’t worry, I’ve got you.” 

“Harry?” your voice was slurred, and he could see your pupils were two very different sizes. “Wha’s happ’n?” 

“You were hurt, Roxanne.”

“Wha?” you let out a whine, as Madame Pomfrey began to reset some of your bones-- your hand instinctively reaching out and clutching Harry’s. Your fingernails dug into his skin so hard that they left bloody crescent shaped cuts into his palm. “’m scared.”

You didn’t know what was happening. It all seemed like you’d been wrapped up into a wool blanket. Darkness dotted your vision and everyone’s words seemed like they were far away and heard through cotton balls stuffed in your ears. You knew Harry was speaking, and you knew he was Harry-- but your knowledge stopped about there. 

Still, you felt him stroke your hair some more and press his lips against your bloody forehead. “No one will hurt you ever again, as long as i’m breathing.”

He watched as your eyes fluttered shut, and looked towards Madame Pomfrey in fear before she shook his head. “Don’t worry Harry dear. She needs her rest. I’ll make sure she’ll be alright.”

“You’re sure she’ll be alright?”

There was a small smile on the witches’ face as she looked toward the much younger man before her. “I’ve healed plenty of children after getting whacked in the head. You can only imagine what I’ve seen. She’ll be alright, Harry. We’ll get her to St. Mungos after the battle is over, and you’ll see.”

After the battle was over. 

Instead of if. 

Harry was about to speak, until he heard an all too familiar voice fill the hall.  

“You have fought valiantly, but in vain. I do not wish this. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a terrible waste. I therefore command my forces to retreat. In their absence, dispose of your dead with dignity. Harry Potter, I now speak directly to you. On this night, you have allowed your friends to die for you, rather than face me yourself. There is no greater dishonor. Join me in the Forbidden Forest, and confront your fate. If you do not do this, I shall kill every last man, woman and child who tries to conceal you from me.”

The looks around the hall were those of fear, and he saw out of the corner of her eye, Molly clutching Ginny to her all the more tightly. 

As much as Harry loved you, and as much as he wanted to stay by your side, he knew he was unable to do so. 

He was the Chosen One, and with that came responsibility. 

As he stood up he accepted the fact that he wouldn’t be able to see you through your healing after this-- if all of this worked the way he hoped. 

But you would be safe. 

His friends would take care of you. 

And Harry forced himself to be content with that. 

When the battle was over, the first thing Harry saw to was to make sure you were taken safely to St. Mungos. He was hopeful, after what Madame Pomfrey said. When you woke up a few days later, he couldn’t help but grin ear to ear. “Roxanne.”

Your entire body felt heavy, and your eyes hurt from the light around you. “Harry?” that was Harry right? Something didn’t feel right. 

Why the hell was he holding your hand?

“What’s happening?” you weren’t sure if you were focused on the show of affection or the fact you were in a hospital-- St. Mungos, you assumed-- but you hoped your question would offer you some sort of explanation. 

“You got hurt in the battle.”

Your blank stare was a bit confusing for him, especially seeing as you looked at him like he’d said that he’d just got done playing Quidditch on the moon. “What battle?”

There were a few moments where Harry realized that he should have expected this-- you not remembering the battle at first, or possibly ever. The healer warned him that something like that was possible. He chuckled a bit. “There was a War. Voldemort came back, and we fought him off.” 

You flinched at the name that passed his lips, and Harry found himself a bit worried. You, along with him had started calling Voldemort ‘Voldemort’ instead of ‘He who must not be named’ right before you’d started to date. “Harry you shouldn’t use that name.” your voice was hushed, as you tried to process all of this, “When did he come back?”

“In our fourth year.”

There was a look of horror that spread upon your face-- as you quickly looked down at yourself. You were no longer the teenager that you remembered yourself being. “What year are we now?” 

Harry hesitated, realizing that this meant you didn’t remember starting to date him in your fifth year. It also meant, that he was most certainly about to cause you a sincere amount of distress. He reached out to take your hand but you quickly snatched it away. 

“Tell me!” Your voice was shrill, and he flinched back just a bit from it. 

“You’ve just finished your seventh year.” 

There was a long moment of silence, as you let the words sink in. As you realized that you’d lost three years. Three years that you weren’t sure you’d ever get back. You’d grown up overnight and there was no going back to innocent days. Long gone was the time where you simply wondered if Harry would go with you to the Yule Ball, and the innocent boy you knew wore the expression of a world wearied man. 

He looked older than his years. 

For a second he thought you might be taking the news well, until the vein in your neck began to jut out, your eyes began to water, and you let out a long wail that brought to healer running towards your room. When Harry tried to wrap his arms around you, you screeched and pushed him away. “Roxanne--”

“No--! No! No!” your breaths came out in gasps, and you sucked in air too quickly. It was too much. It was a bad dream. You’d wake up tomorrow and go to potions and Lavender would laugh at you for having such a silly dream before trying to discern what it meant about your future. 

The healer rushed in and quickly shoved Harry out the door while he tried to soothe you. The door slammed in his face, and as he turned around he saw Molly looking at him sympathetically. 

“What do I do?” 

Her heart strings were tugged on just a bit, the poor boy. She didn’t care what the proper ‘coming of age’ age was-- seventeen was still a child. He didn’t need this. Like she always had, she reached out for him like she would one of her children and smile as he walked in to allow her to embrace him. 

Molly smoothed his hair, and let out a hum, trying to muffle the shouting coming from your room as you tried to make sense of the news delivered to you. “Give her time. She’ll remember and things will get better. She just needs time, Harry.” 

It was three long days before you let Harry come and visit you. When he walked in, he immediately noticed that you looked much older than you did before. Your eyes seemed sunken in and you looked quite pale. “Are you alright?”

“Parvati and Padma told me everything.” Well-- what you thought was everything. What happened in the Triwizard tournament. Dumbledore’s army. The war. How Harry went away for your seventh year along with Ron and Hermione to find a way to defeat Voldemort. 

That Lavender was dead. 

That Colin was dead. 

You had-- apparently-- been fighting side by side with Fred Weasley when a wall had exploded. You’d gone to visit him down the hall and had a surprisingly pleasant chat. It was quite nice, to have some things be like you remembered them. 

The Twins being funny was one of those things. 

You watched Harry as he slowly approached you, like he would a wounded animal who was at risk of darting off instead of allowing themselves to be assisted. “Everything?”

“Yeah.” there was a pause, “Well, I think it’s everything. I know they said we were dating.” another pause, as you grit your teeth, wondering if past tense was the correct one to use. Did amnesia constitute breaking up? Did it mean that you weren’t dating anymore? Certainly you still had a crush on Harry, but that was the boy you’d known a long time ago-- and you weren’t sure if that would hold true now. “Are dating?”

“We were, right before the battle.” he found himself wondering the same thing you were. “Are, if you’d like. But that’s not important right now. You getting better is a lot more important. So don’t-- don’t worry about that. I’ll be here to talk if you’d like, but we don’t need to pick back up.” 

That hurt to say, damn near broke his heart, but Harry wouldn’t have felt right immediately trying to press things back to the way they were before. He loved you, and he’d thought that once all of this was over you two could live a normal life, but pressuring you into it?

That was wrong. 

You seemed to consider his words for a moment, before you finally spoke. “When did we start dating?” 

Padma and Parvati had told you quite a bit, but it sounded a lot more like you were getting an abridgment of your life read back to you. You wanted to hear it from a first source. 

He smiled a bit as he took a seat at the edge of your bed, watching as you scooted yourself up into a sitting position. “We started dating in November of our fifth year. A little before Halloween.” He didn’t bring up how terrible your first date had been. Between Umbridge and DA meetings you’d both been too frazzled to properly enjoy Hogsmeade, and it had all been pretty damn awkward. 

It had gotten a lot better though, at least. You’d been nice enough to give him a second chance. 

“And we’ve dated ever since?” 

That was a loaded question-- before he’d left to hunt the Horcruxes you two had one hell of a row. A big enough one that he’d wondered if you two were still dating while he was away. But when he’d come back you’d immediately jumped into his arms and kissed him so hard it was like he’d never been away. 

“Yeah, we’ve been dating ever since.” 

Was this bad? Should he be telling everything that happened? It seemed like that would be impossible to do at once. 

He was pondering just that when you spoke up, and Harry found himself faced with the decision right at that very moment. 

“Tell me everything about us, Harry.”

He stared at you for a long while, not sure where to start or what was worth not telling. 

“Everything?”

“Everything.”

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[houstonlocalus-blog]

Mallwalkers: The Best of The Week

Fred Thomas. Photo: Jimmi Francoeur/Riot Act Media

  Now that Super Bowl is a distant memory, things are truly starting to feel normal again.  This week, the city will see multiple tours from the likes of Fred Thomas, Devendra Banhart, John Doe, and more with locals dropping sets as well.  Houston, the next week is all planned out.

  Wednesday you can begin at White Oak Music Hall downstairs when the indie rock of California’s Joyce Manor brings their emo-tinged goodness to the big stage.  Riding high after the critical acclaim of their previous releases, their latest, Cody from late last year, is a new direction for the four piece.  The folk punk of AJJ, formerly Andrew Jackson Jihad will provide direct support while the indie gruff of Philadelphia’s Mannequin Pussy will open the all ages show with doors at 7 pm and tickets between $16 and $20.

  Over in the studio at Warehouse Live you can get groovy with the R&B of Ro James.  James has been dropping plenty of jams from his latest release ELDORADO, and the sultry nature of his songs means that this show might sell out.  Candice Boyd will provide direct support while the soul sounds of California’s MAJOR will open the all ages show with doors at 7 pm and tickets between $24 and $27.

  Mockingbird Brother. Photo: Josef Kintley

  Thursday you could head to Notsuoh for the post rock indie goodness of St. Louis’ Mariner.  This four piece makes some pretty epic sounding songs, and their latest release, Bury You, is definitely worth hearing in person.  Houston’s Mockingbird Brother will provide direct support with all their emo goodness while the dream pop of Houston’s Astragal will go on prior.  The math rock of Galveston’s Blast Dad will open the 18 & up show with a $7 cover and doors at 7 pm.

  Upstairs at White Oak Music Hall you could welcome back the family sounds of Eisley.  While it’s been a little over three years since the band dropped a full length album, they’ve been releasing singles as of late with the progressive sounding “Louder Than A Lion” as their most recent.  The pop rock of Nashville’s Civilian will provide direct support while the alt rock of Backwards Dancer will open the all ages show with doors at 7 pm and tickets between $15 and $17.

  Arlo’s will host the beginning of a new series called Goflex & Chill featuring diverse DJ’s and party games as well. The 21 & up show with doors at 8 pm will feature sets from Mentoz Fresh, Post Boyz, and Lobo and it’s 100% FREE.

  Mucky Duck will host the gorgeous vocals of NOLA’s Andrew Duhon.  Mixing folk and Americana, Duhon offers up a road weary sound accompanied by subtle melodies that are difficult to shake.  His latest release, 2013’s The Moorings, was nominated for a Grammy and it still hits today.  The 21 & up show has doors at 9:30 pm and tickets between $20 and $22.

  On Friday you can get started at Warehouse Live in the studio for another edition of Kiki Maroon’s Burly Q Lounge.  The show that mixes live music, comedy, and burlesque is kind of a throwback to vaudeville while still keeping fresh and inventive.  This edition will see music from Ryan Adam Wells as well as a special burlesque performance from Lollie Bombs.  The 18 & up show has doors at 7 pm and tickets for $25 seated.

  John Doe. Photo: Jim Harrington

  Of course, if you’re a fan of LA punk band X, then you might want to head to Mucky Duck to catch a solo set from founding member John Doe.  Last year Doe dropped the pretty amazing album The Westerner and having the opportunity to catch him in such an intimate setting doesn’t come often.  The 21 & up show has doors at 7 pm and tickets between $25 and $7.

  Downstairs on the big stage at White Oak Music Hall, the always engaging tunes of California’s Devendra Banhart.  Quirky and without apology, Banhart has always made music that’s hard to compartmentalize, while his live shows are always a blast.  His latest release, Ape In Pink Marble, from last year is a little softer while not deterring too much from his previous releases.  There’s no word of openers or support, but that will more than likely change on the all ages show with doors at 7 pm and tickets between $25 and $33.

  We Were Wolves. Photo: Randy Edwards

  Nightingale Room will host a barn burner when We Were Wolves bring their full throttled rock to the Main Street room.  These guys are a nonstop party with a live show that’s as intense as the riffs from 2015’s Ruin Your Weekend. The punk rock of Dead To The World will open things for the 100% FREE 21 & up show with doors at 7 pm.

  Over at Walter’s the lo-fi garage rock of Detroit’s Tyvek will make their return to our fine city.  Kind of like catching a tornado indoors, their live sets are pretty legendary while their latest album Origin of What from last year is pretty amazing.  The critically acclaimed sounds of Fred Thomas will be on hand as direct support, and while his previous record was loved by all, his latest, Changer from this year, has him sounding like a modern day Lou Reed.  Houston’s indie rock darlings Rose Ette will also be on the bill with a new cassette single to be releases as well, while the college rock of Huntsville’s The Hammer Party will open the all ages show with doors at 8 pm and a measly $10 cover.

  The Secret Group will have the tiniest comedy show going, upstairs on their balcony with the Bad Idea show.  Hosted by Zahid Dewji, the show is limited to how many people can fit on the club’s rooftop balcony and will have out of town comics alongside Britt Vasicek, Zach Dickson, and many more.  The pay what you can show is all ages and has doors at 8 pm.

  Satellite Bar will host a set from electronica act Rex Hudson.  Started as a one man band, Hudson has grown things into a full band with lush sounds from his debut release No Return.  The chillwave of Houston’s Whale Bones will provide direct support where St. Evie will go on prior.  Passerby will open the all ages show with doors at 8 pm and a $10 cover for adults or $12 for under 21.

  El Lago. Photo: Bayou City Photography

  Rockefeller’s will have the album release from Houston’s Dollie Barnes.  While the group has grown leaps and bounds since they began as a solo effort, their new album Caught In A Phase is pretty stellar, and their live sets are always fun.  Houston’s Young Mammals will bring their indie rock goodness on as support while the dreamy rock of Galveston’s El Lago will open the 18 & up show with doors at 8 pm and a $10 cover.  

  On Saturday, if you missed Dollie Barnes at Rockefeller’s then you can swing by Cactus to catch an in-store set from the band.  Performing songs from their new album Caught In A Phase, the all ages event gets going at 3 pm, and the 100% FREE set will have gratis beer for the adults.

  Later on at The Secret Group, California punk legends Agent Orange will swing by to perform.  Formed in the late seventies, these guys haven’t slowed down much, their live shows are always full of energy, and their latest release Real Live Sound, a live album, is over 25 years old.  Late 90s punks Guttermouth will be on as direct support, while the never grow up pop punk of The Queers will go on prior.  The insane energy of garage punks The Atom Age will open the all ages show with doors at 6 pm and tickets between $20 and $23.

  Brumes. Photo: Uncredited/Courtesy of Artist/Facebook

  Alt rock pop group Save Ferris will take the big stage at White Oak Music Hall downstairs.  Converting from ska to pop, the 90s holdovers have recently returned with a new record, Checkered Past from this year.  Houston horror punks, Brumes will open the all ages show with doors at 7:30 pm and tickets between $18 and $22.

  Over at Walter’s you could get down at the Skin In The Game show.  Featuring sets from Tim Woods and Flygerwoods, the show features DJ’s and hip hop acts that are worth making it out for.  There’s more information here for the all ages show with doors at 8 pm and tickets for $5.

  Big Top will host Splice Records singer/songwriter night featuring the road weary sounds of Arthur Yoria.  Yoria has been dropping true gems as of late, his live sets are fun and feel intimate, and his latest single “Shake” is pretty hard to ignore.  Buxton’s Sergio Trevino will also be on hand to perform while Heath Ledet is also scheduled to perform on the 21 & up show with doors at 8 pm and an $8 cover.

  George West. Photo: Uncredited/Courtesy of Artist/Facebook

  Over at Wonky Power Live, Houston’s George West will be on hand to drop his new EP, Palmetto.  Of all the acts associated with the Wonky Power label, West is the one to keep the closest eye on as next level sounds, merch, and an intense work ethic mean he’s the sleeper act from their roster.  His mix of chill wave and ambient music is something to behold and his live shows are definitely worth checking out.  The show also features sets from DJ DNICE, Josiah Gabriel, and an opening performance from Melting Pot with doors at 8:30 pm and tickets for $5.

  Grand Prize will have another edition of Love Tempo with Andy V and Luz.  The good time get-down jams from these sets are always worth making it out for and this edition will feature a guest slot from Dallas’ P2P.  The 21 & up show gets going around 9 pm and it’s 100% FREE.

  The Alley Theater is branching out and is hosting a set from Houston’s The Hue.  If you’ve never caught this group then you’ve definitely been sleeping, as their latest album, Aurora from last year, is pretty stellar and their energetic sets are pretty amazing, too.  The event, titled Top Billin, will get going after the showing of Syncing Ink, it’s 18 & up, and it gets going around 10 pm or so.  It’s 100% FREE with RSVP, found here.

  On Sunday you could head over to the Bronze Peacock Room at House of Blues for the alt country of Dallas’ Wilderado.  The four-piece has been making a steady stream of fans since their debut dropped a couple of years ago. Lately they’ve dropped a steady stream of singles including the catchy “Under The Weather.”  They’ll also have the Americana of Houston’s Ruckus on as direct support and the twangy good time sounds of Second Lovers on as openers.  The all ages show has doors at 7 pm and tickets for $10.

  Tuesday you might want to head to Rudyard’s for the always popular show, Grownup Storytime. Presented by Boo Town, the show usually sells out the early show, so make sure you get there early.  The 21 & up show has shows at 8 pm and 10 pm, both with a $5 cover.

  Jonathan Richman. Photo: Angelina Castillo/High Road Touring

  Continental Club will have the storied tunes of the always impressive Jonathan Richman by to perform.  Richman has made quite the name, if not for anything other than his songs and appearances in the film There’s Something About Mary.  While his last album came out in 2010, it should be noted that you’ll more than likely hear new songs as well as old favorites.  His longtime drummer Tommy Larkins will be in tow for the 21 & up show with doors at 8 pm and tickets for $15.

  The Secret Group will host another Sci-Fi Movie Night with Houston rapper Guilla.  This edition will show the film “Dune,” and will also feature a DJ set from Mark Drew.  The all ages event has doors at 8 pm and it’s 100% FREE.

  That’s about all that’s happening around town this week.  No matter what you decide, remember that drinking like an adult is in everyone’s best interest, so taking a safe ride home is greatly appreciated.

Mallwalkers: The Best of The Week this is a repost