#f*ck almost forgot the trigger warning

[chiliger]

Duality of (lion) man.

[demivampirew]

Keep Calm and go to London chapter 3

Tag list: Here’s the incredible people who showed me support (thank  you so much for that) and people who asked me to tag them too  ☺️   (I think I will write a few chapters of this story, if you want me to  tag you, tell me ☺️   ) @cavillanche​ @mary-ann84 @henry-owns-these-tatas @yespolkadotkitty @dancingwendigo​   constip8merm8  penwieldingdreamer iloveyouyen  littlefreya  wondersofdreaming alyxkbrl solariumss  sweetybuzz25 @thethirstyarchive​ @agniavateira​   @honeyloverogers​ @hell1129-blog​

Trigger warning: talking about low self-stem and body image issues.

The morning after you woke up exhausted, not just because of all the walking and the stunt practice you did the day before, but also because you had trouble sleeping because you could stop thinking about Henry. "It's ridiculous. I just met him, I cannot like him this much already." you thought, throwing your phone into the bed, after checking the selfie that you two took together that day, again. That's what you did all night long: you slept for like an hour or so, woke up, saw the photo, remember the day part by part and went back to sleep.

You had a work meeting that day. You swore that you were not there to work, but an old friend -acquaintance would be more accurate- found out that you were in London and call you to see if you could help him finish a few songs for an album. You accepted because he was a nice guy and because you enjoyed working with him in the past.

- Wow, I brought here because I thought that because of your breakup you would write some so "f-ck you" songs or sad songs, but they were pretty "I'm walking on sunshine" kind of type. - he said when was walking you to the door as you were leaving the studio. - Sorry, that was insensitive for me to say - he apologized.

-No worries. I guess you're right. - you replied, offering a sympathetic smile. " Oh, sh-t, what does that mean?" you thought.

Back at the hotel, you were about to take a bath and planning to go to bed and watch a movie when your phone started ringing. You check to see who was calling you and saw that was your friend.

- Hi girl! - you answered- What's up?

- Hi babe! - she replied- No much, just wondering why my friend had a date with my other friend and didn't bother to tell me about it.

- What?- you questioned confused and then you realized that she was referring to you hanging out with Henry yesterday - Oh, yeah...first of all, it wasn't a date, it was two new friends hanging out...and second, I'm sorry, I didn't know that I needed to ask you for permission to hang out with your friends.- you said playfully.

- Apologies accepted. No need for permission, just want to know when you're on a date, especially if it is with a friend of mine.

- I told you already, not a date. By the way, how did you know that we went on a dat... that we hung out together yesterday?- you asked confused

- Henry told me.

- Did he tell you? - you repeated still confused

- Yes. He mentioned after you left the party, he left right after you left because he wanted to get some rest because tomorrow you two were going to visit the set of The Witcher. And also, I call him too today, because I tried to talk to you but your phone was off apparently because I was directed to voicemail.

- Yes, I was working in some songs with a friend so a turned it off. Wait, you talked to Henry today?

- Yes. He basically told me the same that you did, that you were two friends hanging out and that had a great day.

- Yes, we did. - you agreed.

- Hey, by any chance ...- your friend started to ask you a question and then took a slight pause - do you have a crush on him?

"Oh, sh-t!...sh-t...sh-t! Was it too obvious? Did he asked her to ask me that?" you thought. You sighted before answering your friend question.

- Is it too obvious? He told you that, didn't he? He noticed that I starred at him like a creep and asked you to tell me that please don't do it in the future because he's no interested in me in that way, right? - you asked her

- So you do have a crush on him.-she repeated looking for confirmation

- Yes. I'm absolutely crazy about him, which is insane if you ask me... I mean, c'mon, I just met him two days ago, TWO DAYS! - you replied, almost screaming the last words searching for an affirmation of the insanity of your feelings.

- Y/N! - your friend screamed excited

- What? - you answered holding the tears for falling. You felt so stupid.

- He has a crush on you too - she told me excited

- What?! Did he tell you that?

- Not exactly with those words. Let me explain - she began - The day of the party after we left to the ladies room, he and Edgar started talking about you and how cool you are, and Edgar encouraged him to ask you out, but Henry thought that you were still dating you know who, and then Edgar told him that you were single  - and even show him the news of your breakup in his phone- but Henry still had doubts about asking you out because thought you may found it disrespectful that he was trying to get a date with you while you were dealing with something personal and might not be ready or might not be interested in going out with him at all. That's why Ed started to ask you all those questions when we got back, to see if you were ok to date, to convince Henry to ask you on a date and that's the reason why we left you two alone, so he would make his move. He didn't dare to ask you out directly, so he did it to hang out with you as a friend and then see. Today when we talked, he told me that he likes you, a lot, those were his exact words. I know that might not seem like it, but he's quite shy. He doesn't want to seem desperate, especially since he thinks that you want him only as a friend, so he will wait sometime before talking to you again.

You sat down on the edge of the bed while trying to process the information that your friend just gave you. He liked you too. It wasn't just you, he felt the same way about you. That thought makes you smile and your heart was beating so fast of excitement.

- So, you want me to call him and tell him to call you and ask you out? - she questioned

- No, I have another idea on the mind - you said playfully - By any chance, do you have his home address?

- Lucky for you, I do - she replied curiously - Why?

- I'll share my plans later, could you please send me the address?

- Sure, I'll send it to you via text.

- Great! Thanks a lot! Seriously! I got to go, talk to you tomorrow, ok? - you said while standing up and picking up some clothes and going to the bathroom to take a shower.

- Sure. Good luck with your plan! - she said and after saying goodbye you hung up the phone and ran into the bathroom.

You decided to put on a white dress with long sleeves and short to the knees, sexy but cosy for the cold weather. You also put another pair of comfortable boots and a camel colour blazer. You decided to continue your new trend of natural makeup look, with some foundation, pastel colour eyeshadow, eyeliner barely visible and mascara and your favourite nude lipstick - Ludwig of the line Kat Von D Beauty Everlasting Liquid Lipstick -.

Once you were outside his house, you walked to the front door and were greeted by barks. "Kal, his dog" you remembered. "He told me he's very friendly, relax" you remind yourself. You love dogs, but sometimes loves don't like strangers, and that's what you were to him. You knock on the door and heard a voice so deep and beautiful that gave you chills, a voice that only could belong to one person.

- Who is it?- Henry asked

- It's me, y/n- you replied.

- Oh...yeah, wait a minute, please. I'll look for the key. - he told you, for the tone of his voice you notice that he was surprised by your visit.

- Sure. No worries.

A moment later you heard the key turn on the door and this opened as Henry greeted you with a smile.

- I wasn't expecting company, sorry for the mess.- he said as he let you in.

- What are you talking about? Your house is lovely and very clean. - I assure him.

- Thank you. - he said - It's a lovely surprise to see you.

- Oh, yeah, sorry for the impromptu visit. Probably was not polite of me to show up without notice. - I apologized

- Don't worry, I'm delightfully surprise.- he affirmed.

- I just wanted to thank you for the lovely day that I had yesterday thanks to you. I brought you a gift - you said as you handed him a bag.

- Oh, thank you, you didn't have to.- he replied as he took the bag and opened. It had two packs of the finest Guinness beer and a box with some expensive swiss chocolate. - Thank you so much, this is amazing! - he said with excitement in his voice. You smiled happily because you knew that you choose the perfect gift for him.

- You're welcome. I'm really happy that you like it.

- I do a lot. Thank you. - He said and starred at you smiling for a moment, while you were thinking "how is it possible that this man likes me? He's so incredibly handsome" but at the same time, but the way he looked at you, you saw it, it was true, he likes you, you can see it now. He must have noticed that he was looking at you for a little too long so he blushed and started to act a bit nervous - You want something to drink?

- Tea would be great.

- Sure, I think I have tea somewhere. - he said laughing slightly - I don't drink tea, but sometimes, when I remember, I buy some for friends and family when they visit me.

- If you don't have tea, water will be fine. - you assure him.

He made his way to the kitchen and you decided to look around the living room. Before that, you pet Kal that, just like Henry said, was very friendly and anxious for the attention. In your tour on the living room, a blanket with the British flag on it caught your attention, and you put on a big smile thinking on how adorable it was that had that.

- You wanted something to remind you that you're from Britain in case that you forgot? - I said loudly so he could hear me from the kitchen.

- What?... oh, that - he said seeing the blanket as he approached you with a cup of tea that he handed you. - It was a gif from my brother.

- I love it. It's adorable. - you assure him and smile.

You took a sip of the tea and continue walking around, looking at pictures that he had all over the place.

- Is that your family?- you asked

- Yes. Those are my mom and dad - he said as he pointed at one photo; then he pointed at another - those are my brothers. This was taken on Christmas two years ago and I'm with my nephews and my niece.

He showed a couple more pictures of his family, one with his assistant and a few that he had with some close friends and then sat down on the couch. After a moment of silence, in which you were distracted looking at the blanket, you continue the conversation.

- You know, I'm thinking about moving to London.

- Really? - he asked curiously and trying not to sound way too excited

- Yes. I've always loved the city, but this last few days have been some of the best days of the last few years of my life. It's like I finally feel alive again. I get this homie vibe that I've got from LA in a long time.

- That's great! I mean, not that you went through something awful, but that you're feeling much better and that you like the city. I'd be great to have you closer. - as he was saying this he blushed - I mean, you always will have a friend to chat with when you need to - he offered and smiled.

- Thanks.- you smiled back.

(PS: chapter four will continue exactly where I left off 😉 )

[dreamxsims4]

Newcrest Gameplay Day 15

50 Shades of Garbage Edition

Lol I skipped some days, missed some days but today, it’s Thanksgiving! And that’s all I need to know at this point. 

So....ap opera.....time......irl I drank entirely too much cognac, champagne and tequila. I also smoked a blunt (2 puffs worth lol) for the first time in five years. What triggered this relapse was....just being around it all the time in my most intimate and personal spaces. So in my head I was like, im gon smoke me a blunt. I barely made it past the first puff, was high all night and was tripping major ball sacks. Don't do drugs, I’m also suffering a two day headache. Anyways! The importance of me saying this is one, just venting, two this is why this gameplay is so shitty. Because I just wasn't in the mood. Plus.....plus...and thanksgiving only lasts for so long y’know. Plussssss I am suffering depression because one of my relationships won't work out no matter how hard I try and its kicking my emotional ass. 😏

Let’s get into this gameplay shall we, thou it is not much to get into. Fair warning. 

*ahem* sorry about the quality. Welcome you guys, this is Cedric’s side of the family. From left to right, Cedric’s Mother, Nita (that’s not her name), his niece Latriece (that’s not her name), his sister Bronhelda (not her name, I forgot all of their names unfortunately....I might be suffering brain damage), his dad Cedric (don’t ask what’s wrong with me, that is not his name), and his brother in law Roderick, (not his f*cking name, sorry).

This is Brielle Miller, Yvette’s little cousin. She is a freshman in college now, technically which is really driving me to buy this $40 dollar game but....guess what...shh, lean in close.....

So I jump on the game after changing everyone’s outfits and wow, just wow. Someone has died, Elvis has left the building however, get this.....no one knows who passed away into the sim heavens. I looked through notifications, contacts and didn’t see anyone who passed on to be a ghost so....I was confused Confucius. The whole entire freaking family was mourning though no one actually passed away. At this point I was aggravated and almost shut the game down. 

.......

So! I took Jamal to the bar so he could cheer up. He was the only one who could go out of him, Yvette and Cedric so he invited Brielle to go with him. Now that I think about it, it might be homophobic that he didn't invite Cade, Brielle’s brother. They are the same age, can't drink, but can still have fun. It’s just that Cade is what one calls a flaming gay, and I didn't bring him along and now I feel bad about that. Jamal is not a homophobic, he just forgot. Anyways, Brielle is flirting with Jamal all night and  I’m like, what the hell...does she not know that he is her cousin. 

So around midnight, in great sim morale and fashion he leaves and drops her off at home. He was on the sunshine pill and a glass of whiskey, but he was still sad at the end of the night. I mean sobbing, like...who died bro? For real.

Back at the Miller-Woods residence, Yvette and her mom Cecilia (these are their names now, by the way), are preparing the meals for Thanksgiving. 

They are also eating the meals for Thanksgiving. Noice. 

Yup....I guess it’s safe to say, they did a great job. Alright, so they went to sleep woke up the next day and it was time to celebrate SimsGiving!

Lmfao, that’s all they cooked. I ended up placing the @indisim​ Thanksgiving set but I didn't take a picture. It wouldn't have done it justice though because game lag was too real. 

Look at Momma Miller’s face....she was like, “Brielle! Brielle Miller I know your mother did not let you come out the house like that with them lashes on. They so long you can use them as wings and fly away if you wanted to!”

That’s what she was saying at that moment. Brielle replies, “She has on the same lashes. You have on lashes, it’s what the kids are wearing these days.”

Touche, m*th*rf*ck*r, touche.

And so yeah, I mean they were pretty not lit, I mean we got a good playlist though with this new hip hop playlist! I was like ohhhh okayyy, seema wema blocklist poppin, exactlyy.

Everyone left with food poising because...if you look closely to the right....they were eating spoiled food. I don't know where they got it from. IF ALL THAT WAS OUT TO EAT WAS THE DAMN FOOD THEY JUST COOKED, STAY TF OUT THE FRIDGE, EAT THE SIM FOOD ON THE DAMN SIM TABLE. Sh*t.

at this point I'm just about as done with this SimsGiving as I am with the new American Impeachment. Who forgot to pay the bills???? Then it took them the rest of the party to get the lights turned back on, omg....so frustrating. So the dinner party got a low rating and I was just like...I am not neglecting my homework for this sh*t.

They just sat in the dark and ate they spoiled food too. I didn't see nobody eat the roast chicken, macaroni and cheese, or the damn salad, or drink the drinks!

Can we say...

Waaaaaste of simoleonssssssss.

Eating spoiled food in the food, mm I mean in the dark🤦🏾‍♀️....and what do y'all have on?!?! I spent like an hour creating bomb af outfits for them to show up in this sh*t. Ugh. 

So then everybody went home, Poppa Miller cleaned up the kitchen thankfully and Myles Miller got left behind so Yvette had to take him home. The end! 

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! I hope everybody enjoyed their holiday! Got out the house, spent time with loved ones, loved themselves or showed love to others. I’m out of hereeeee boiiiiiiiiiii ✌🏾

[letmewritemylife]

Home Is Where You Are Not (Part 1)

Home is where you can’t reach me. - 8kids (Ich gehöre dir nicht)

A/N Oh yeah, good old angst. But tbh Lara is too baby to deserve this

TRIGGER WARNINGS Implied demonic possession (is that a thing? idk), implied past abuse

‘Das ist nicht mein Mann’, sagt sie sich immer wieder während sie im Zug alle anstarren.*

She adjusts her sunglasses with the back of a hand, trying harder than ever to ignore all those eyes set on her. Why can’t anyone mind their own business? With a sigh, she collapses on her chair, focusing on the report before her. At least Feige didn’t question her unusually covering clothes. Then, she lets out a breath, glad beyond imagination by what she has just read. Luckily, this time her mission doesn’t include going undercover at a party full of male guests. She could not bear it again. He could not bear it again.

She is walking back and forth across the Sanctum library, arms crossed tightly on her chest in defense. Sh*t. Sh*t. Sh*t. She collapses on the couch and buries her face in her hands, sobbing weakly. “How does one even break a wall of a high-security cell?” 

A shaking hand tentatively sets on her shoulder and she turns around to wrap Stephen in her arms, nestling her face in the crook of his neck. The sorcerer waits for a moment, as if to wait for any signal to stop, but upon receiving none he pulls her closer. All his attempts to steady his hands turn vain and he lets out an exasperated sigh. “You’re safe here,” he murmurs against the side of her face, but they both know very well that, despite how sad it may sound, it’s not true at all.

But she nods all the same, appreciating the effort. She pecks his cheek and closes her eyes. “Please, just once, stop time, let me live in peace a little more,” she thinks, tightening her grip around his shoulders.

Stephen brings a hand to the top of her hand and begins slowly caressing her hair, his scarred fingers getting stuck in the silky strands. Witnessing her fear, he doesn’t have the heart to tell her how dangerous the situation may actually be, regardless of some psychopath escaping jail. “One doesn’t simply break a wall of a high-security jail.” But what scares him the most in the fact that no guard or prisoner seems to remember anything about those damn two hours. Absolutely no one. And that assh*le clearly doesn't have enough money to corrupt an entire prison.

She swallows heavily, holding back a sob. “I just wanted to move on,” she whispers.

He doesn’t say anything and instead pulls her closer, brushing his lips against the side of her face. “I know.”

Contrary to Lara’s deepest wishes, time slips fast and the previously sunny sky is quickly covered by clouds. Snow begins falling and Lara raises her gaze from Stephen’s shoulder to watch it as it covers New York with unusual delicacy. She lets out a breath and leans with the side of her face on Stephen’s shoulder, closing her eyelids in an almost desperate attempt to calm down.

When Stephen’s lips brush her forehead, a smile creeps on her lips. She opens her eyes and cups the sorcerer’s face in her hands, almost laughing at his confused expression. “Thank you for being here with me,” she whispers in a tone that is much sadder than it was intended to be.

His lips turn slightly upwards, even though he can’t shake off the lingering feeling that something bad is about to happen. “Anytime.” When his eyes set on her, he remembers the promise he made to himself many years before, on a cold night of that mess of a year that 2020 had been.

It was almost dawn and he had woken up after a nightmare. Nothing unusual, Dormammu had been tormenting him for years back then. What was still painfully unusual was, however, waking up without someone ready to calm him, someone who had most likely had a nightmare too, but didn’t want to admit it, someone who would talk with him about the most random topic until they both would fall asleep.

That void had been painful for him since the first moment, he knew that. But on that specific night loneliness came accompanied by regret: regret for never openly appreciating that pair of blue eyes shining beside him, comforting him, distracting him, fighting away whatever demon had been haunting his dreams. And that was the night he decided to never take for granted those precious people keeping him grounded and never expect them to just know how much he cared about them.

Now, those blue eyes are right in front of him, studying his face. He lets out a breath, a sudden knot in his throat. “Lara, I-”

His awkward attempt at explaining his emotions is stopped by Lara pressing her lips to his, almost as if she already knew what he was about to say. When they part, any chance to go back to their conversation is destroyed by a message on Lara’s phone and a request from Elize: “Come here before Lilith kills your brother.”

When Lara steps out of the portal Stephen has promptly conjured, Lilith is one step away from breaking Jonathan’s skull against the wall. “Jonathan Houghton, I swear if you go after him-”

He laughs sarcastically. “You’ll do what? Treat me like sh*t? Would be no novelty.”

She sighs loudly, trying to bring the conversation back to calmer tones. “Jon, I’ll handle this situation just fine on my own, you don’t need to worry.”

“You told me the same when we arrested him and here we are!” He screams, his face as red as Lilith’s pants. “I SHOULD’VE KILLED HIM MONTHS AGO!”

Lilith clenches her fists and raises her voice too, not caring about disturbing the poor neighbours. "You dumb idiot, not everything's about you and your sister!" She takes a step towards him, her eyes locked on his. "If you do this, you may get hurt."

He arches an eyebrow. "And since when do you care so much about me?"

She opens her mouth slightly, then she finds enough self-control not to answer. "Whatever. You have no idea what you're getting yourself into, Houghton." Without further explanation, she walks out of the flat, pushing Stephen out of her way.

Jonathan watches her as she leaves, barely able to hold back further insults, and is only woken up from his tranche by Lara placing a hand on his arm. “Is everything alright?” she asks with astonishing calm, surprising not only Jonathan but herself too.

He shakes his head. “I’m sorry, Elle,” he mumbles, moving his gaze frantically between the parquet and her face.

She bites her bottom lip, catching with the corner of her eye his laptop still laying on the couch, Google Maps open on the screen. “What did you call me for?”

He throws a glance at Stephen, who is standing in perfect silence beside Elize, and the man ponders whom among his sister and the sorcerer he’d rather have by his side to commit murder. “We- actually, Lilith found Main.” He reaches for his laptop and moves it on the nearby table to let her the map. “He’s supposed to be with an uncertain number of agents here,” he says moving the cursor on the screen. “Near Whitman, Nebraska. We suspect he’s occupying an abandoned base.”

She nods and, leaning with her palms on the wooden surface of the table, she straightens herself. “And when are we leaving?”

He blinks a few times, unsure if he’s more surprised or concerned. “I- I didn’t think you wanted to-”

“Why shouldn’t I want to come?” she asks, arching a brow as a smirk paints her lips.

Jonathan would like to reply, but judging by her reddened eyes he understands his sister is going through that phase after a breakdown in which she is the most stubborn. Sure not to be able to convince her not to come, he nods. “We may as well leave now.”

Elize joins the conversation, hands buried deeply in the pockets of her sweatshirt. “Shouldn’t you, you know… inform S.H.I.E.L.D. of this little trip of yours?”

Jonathan scoffs, pleased to be able to throw out the remains of his anger towards Lilith. “Miss America doesn’t give a f*ck about this thing, last time it took me more to convince him than to actually get to Oklahoma City.”

Elize is about to reply, hoping to use Stephen’s clear disagreement with Jonathan’s plan to her advantage, but Lara stops her. “Yeah, don’t worry, Liz. We’ll be fine.”

She sighs loudly, putting so much effort into not reminding the two idiots - no, sibling, the two siblings - about all the other times they were supposed to “be fine” and almost died. “Whatever, have fun. Now I have to make a call.” She leaves to her room, damning whoever forgot to give her friends a little common sense. Luckily, her girlfriend is used to their stubborness mixed with pure idiocy and won’t miss a single step of them.

In the meantime, as Jonathan is in his room, reading his gun to hopefully shoot some assh*le, Lara finds herself staring out of the window of the living room, her gaze following the cars running below her. Something deep inside her hopes not to see any dark grey SUV. 

A shaking hand lingers on her waist, failing to bring her back to reality completely. Stephen lets out a deep breath, the side of his face brushing her hair. “Are you sure you want to do this? I mean… Yo- I-” God, how come his brain always short-cuts around her?

She smirks and leans against his side, enjoying the sight of the former world renowned neurosurgeon and now Master of the Mystic Arts Doctor Stephen Strange stammering like a shy boy offering his snack to his pretty classmate.

Her amusement does nothing but make the sorcerer blush until his face is almost of the same colour as Lara’s boots. “I… I lo-”

And once again she cuts him off by pressing an affectionate kiss to his cheek, definitely throwing all of his brain cells out of the window. Or at least it seems so, because otherwise the far from stupid man would have noticed the curious way Lara always feels like kissing him when he’s about to say those damn three words. After quickly pecking his lips, she runs a finger along his jaw. “You can come with us, if you want to,” she says with a strange glint in her eyes that makes Stephen wince.

He nods just before a cough behind them prevents him from going back to his previous point. Jonathan arches a brow, throwing Stephen a look that could kill, an option way scarier considering the loaded gun in his holster. “Are you guys done or you need a room?”

Stephen huffs and before the other man can even acknowledge it, he has portaled the three of them inside their intended base of destination. Jonathan just stops a broom from falling on his head and throws a glance around the dark closet. “You know this place’s abandoned, right?” he groans to Stephen, but the sorcerer arches a brow.

“Like that one in Washington?”

“It was one time.”

“Already too much.”

“What’s the matter with you two?” Lara comments, her arms crossed as she stands between the two men.

“Your boyfriend doesn’t trust me!” Jonathan whines.

“I would trust if you weren’t so stupid all the time,” Stephen replies, rolling his eyes.

Lara huffs and damns the day she decided to make them meet. “Join me when you’re done,” she says before leaving the two to their banter.

The hallway is empty, dust dancing in the air and shining when hit by sunlight. To Lara’s left, broken emergency stairs lead outside, where heavy snowfalls have covered everything but a narrow street surrounding the building. The whitish emergency door, with the stained glass on the top half broken, has been knocked off and leans useless against a wall, letting in the freezing wind of Nebraska’s winter.

Lara walks down the other end of the hallway, her boots leaving prints on the dirty floor. She hasn’t even got to the end of the corridor, when a strong stink of sulfur fills her nostrils. Her inner chemist takes over and she begins scanning her mind, searching for all possible compounds containing sulfur that could be found in a place like that. As her magic proceeds to isolate it, Lara walks to an unusually dark door and upon touching it she confirms that it’s been burnt all over its surface. She pushes it carefully, black ashes covering her palms, and she steps inside what used to be a laboratory, shattered glass and damaged tools scattered on the floor.

Before she can even realize what is going on, something wraps around her neck and her vision goes blurry. A voice gets inside her head, mumbling words in one of those strange languages Stephen sometimes speaks in with supernatural creatures. The only sentence she can recognize is a long series of fake apologies spoken by someone she knows too well. And then nothing.

*“That’s not my man,” she tells herself over and over while everyone on the train stares at her.

[letmewritemylife]

Wizards Don’t Exist

I found myself through the dark…                                                                                       - Citizen Soldier

A/N Yes the title has nothing to do with the fic, but it was cute

TRIGGER WARNINGS Very brief reference to bullet wounds

Lara’s eyes open slowly, her vision adjusting to the dim light, and she struggles to inspect the room. The dark wooden walls around her are much higher than any other she’s ever seen, decorated with colourful masks and climbing plants. Heavy blue curtains cover the big window on the opposite side of the room and the only light is a candle on the bedside table to her left, which spreads an intense scent of moss and lichens. Lara outstretches her arm to touch the bed frame, made of a wood that seems burnt to the touch, almost black and somehow just as warm as the covers on the bed. But again, Lara isn’t sure what they are made of, their material is too soft to even be very expensive wool.

“Now where the hell am I?” she murmurs, her voice still deep and sleepy.

If not for the painful wounds in her chest, she would jump on the spot when she hears a loud voice coming from a corner of the room. A woman dressed in a long indigo dress smiles at her, saying something in a language that Lara can’t even recognize. Noticing her confused face, the woman presses a finger to her own throat, a purple light travelling around her neck. “Sorry, I forgot you didn’t speak Duirlian.”

Lara is about to sit up, gripping the edge of the bedside table for balance, but the other woman screams at her, her green eyes wide open. “Don’t you move. Urill spent an hour stitching you up, if you ruin her work we’re never gonna hear the end of it.” 

Lara narrows her brows, falling back on the soft mattress. “Who? No, wait. Who are you, who is your friend, where am I and why am I here in the first place?”

The woman smiles, trotting closer to the bed like an excited child. “I’m Yngun,” she says, offering her hand for Lara to shake. “my friend Urill and I are Enchantresses and… well, technically so are you-”

“I am what?”

“Hey, slow down with the questions, they’re already piling up,” Yngun silences her, plopping on the bed. “You’re on Duirl, sixty-four galaxies north of your galaxy. Or south, I can never remember how these interstellar coordinates work…” 

“Doesn’t matter, go on,” Lara says, pinching the bridge of her nose as her head starts to hurt.

“Oh yeah, and the Creator brought you here to, well, not to bleed out on a sidewalk.” 

Yngun’s careless tone makes it seem like a normal thing, but Lara’s eyes widen and she has to fight her urge to jump back up. “God brought me here?”

The other woman laughs like she hasn’t done in decades. “Oh no, not God. Just the embodiment of the creating principle in your blood, aka the thing that gave you your powers.” 

Again, the ease with which she says it sends Lara crazy. “Please tell me I’m drunk,” she comments, covering her face with her hands. Gosh, how she misses the times when the strangest thing she had ever heard was that her father’s real name wasn’t “Dad.”

Yngun pouts. “You may be, I’m not sure whether they put alcohol in your anesthesia.” 

“In my what?” Great, human-like aliens know what anesthesia is. What’s next? Aliens reading Marlowe?

“Sweetheart, Urill had to take out three bullets out of your chest, she had to give you something.” 

“AND WHO IS THIS URILL??” 

As if Lara had magically summoned her, a woman walks in the room, dressed in a long, orange dress. Finely embroidered golden flowers embellish her corset, contrasting with her dark skin. She moves a mass of curly, black hair behind her shoulder and throws a confused look at both Lara and Yngun, but she doesn’t have the time to say anything before her friend can talk for her.

“She’s Urill,” Yngun says, pointing at the woman with a wide grin.

“Why is she already awake?” Urill asks, her deadpan voice melting away Yngun’s smile.

She groans loudly, throwing her hands up in the air. “What’s this, an interrogation?”

Lara arches a brow, struggling to hide the pain coming from her chest as she adjusts her position in the bed. “Sorry for waking up in another galaxy and trying to figure out what the f*ck was going on,” she comments sarcastically.

Yngun looks at her offended. “Hey, watch your language, you’re basically underage.”

“What? I’m like… thirty-six.”

“And I’m five hundred and sixty-two, so you’re underage compared to me.”

Lara cocks a brow. “That’s not how age works.”

Urill rolls her eyes. “Don’t worry, you get used to it after a while.”

“Yeah, about that...” Lara says, attempting to sit up before being pushed back on the bed by Yngun. “Do I have to? I mean, can’t I just go back to Earth and go to jail like normal people?”

Yngun tucks her in. “Sweetheart, they’re not gonna bring you to jail, they’re gonna burn you at the stake.”

“Metaphorically,” Urill corrects.

“Would not be the first time,” Lara replies.

“Not happening,” Yngun insists, digging her nails in her fawn skin. “We won’t let them vent their repressed anger on you, right?” she affirms, turning to Urill for a sign of assens.

The other woman nods. “Plus, I’m sure you’d appreciate some more information about this whole situation.”

“That would be very kind of yours,” Lara replies with a smirk.

Urill crosses her arms on her chest, tilting her head slightly to the side as her dark eyes scan Lara for any sign of pain caused by her wounds. “I’ll try to make it as short as I can,” she promises, but despite this her explanation seems infinite, covering even the smallest details of Project 58, Lara’s birth and adoption, her biological family.

As the witch talks, Lara’s head is spinning. The truth about her washes over her like waves, dragging her under an ocean of unsolved questions and doubts. It was all fake. Her parents weren’t her parents, or at least not her biological ones. Lara hates admitting it, but a feeling of rage towards them rises inside her, making her want to scream and break everything. Instead, she takes a deep breath and buries her face in her hands, letting Urill’s words sink in.

At some point, the woman falls silent, a look of pity on her face. Yngun reaches for Lara’s hand, her lips slightly curved downwards as she strains her voice to be soft. “Are you okay?”

Lara laughs bitterly, uncovering her face and her tear-stained cheeks. “Of course I am, it’s not like I’ve just found out my whole life was a lie,” she replies sarcastically. However she lets Yngun hold her hand, finding the tiniest bit of comfort in those warm fingers wrapped around her cold ones.

“I’m sorry,” Urill’s previously detached voice seems now much gentler.

Lara sniffs, holding more tightly onto Yngun’s hand. “Why didn’t they tell me?” she asks, her voice lower than before. “I- I would’ve loved them all the same…”

Yngun shares a look with her friend, before she sets her green eyes back on Lara. “Maybe to them it didn’t matter whether you were adopted or not,” she attempts.

“But it does to me,” Lara argues, a hint of resentment that she’s sure she will regret in the future. “I had the right to know.”

Yngun can do nothing but look away, her eyes slipping on the parquet as her thumb caresses the back of Lara’s hand. Seconds pass, filled only with the unnatural silence that has fallen on the room. After an indefinite amount of time, Lara swallows heavily, fighting the lump in her throat to talk. “What did you say I am?”

Urill takes a tentative step forward, eyes glued to the blue blankets. “An Enchantress.”

She nods. “An Enchantress,” she replies to herself, tasting that new word on her tongue. “Sounds good,” she comments, moving her gaze to the witch standing beside her.

Urill attempts a smirk. “Great fun, you don’t really get bored easily.”

Lara smirks back. An Enchantress. She has no idea what that means but the name is pretty cool. The place seems okay too. For a moment she wonders what someone she knows would think of that new title, but she soon casts that thought away, still too painful for her.

Instead she turns to her two new colleagues. “And what does an Enchantress do?”

Yngun smiles excitedly, clearly happy to talk about her job, if one could call it that way. “Oh lots of things: fighting demons, protecting planets, travelling across the multiverse, just looking cool-”

“There isn’t a limit,” Urill interrupts her. “As some of the most powerful magic users in the multiverse and the closest living beings to the original principle that created the universe, our powers are immense.”

“The only downside is that mister ‘I’m God but not really’ often asks us to do stuff,” Yngun adds with a smirk.

Lara laughs. “Yeah about that, you haven’t told me yet who this guy is.”

“The embodiment of Substance Y.” Urill’s answer is short and direct. Lara already loves her. “However I think it’s time we leave now,” she adds, turning to Yngun. “You are still injured and need rest.”

Lara has to force herself not to laugh at Yngun’s poorly concealed pout, but right before the two witches have left the room a question comes to her mind. “Sorry?” The two women turn back to her, questioning looks on their faces. “Do you have any book about Enchantresses or stuff like that?” Urill smirks, already thinking of the shelves of volumes that she will drop by her bed in the following days.

It’s been not even three days since Lara’s sudden arrival on Duirl, yet she seems to have already accustomed to Yngun’s spicy food. Munching on a blue fruit that she doesn’t know the name of but tastes strangely like apples and that her new friend has covered in some unknown spice, Lara abandons another heavy volume at the foot of her bed, piled on top of the dozen others.

She groans when, upon opening the next one, she finds only those unknown characters that make up Urill’s language. After leaving the book on another pile, that of volumes to translate with magic, she reaches for another one. She’s quite glad to notice how the pain in her chest is dying out more quickly than she expected it too. According to Yngun, it’s because of her healing powers, mixed with Urill’s spells. 

For a moment, she wonders whether she’ll ever be able to heal people too. Urill’s magic is extremely appreciated on nearby planets and everyday desperate people walk into their house - honestly she’s not sure whether it has a name - asking to be healed. Not everyone is helped though. Yngun has to read the future first and decide whether the poor suppliant deserves to be healed by an Enchantress’ magic. 

Lara isn’t sure what are the criteria of her decision, maybe something depending on one’s potential for good or similar. It’s still a mystery to her whether Yngun had to take a decision in her case too.

Her thoughts are interrupted by a knock on the door. “Come in,” she says, expecting to see either one of her new colleagues.

Instead, a man walks in, smiling softly at her, a hand hidden behind his back. “I’m glad to finally meet you properly, Doctor Johnson,” the man greets her, slowly walking up to her bed.

She blinks slowly, trying ever so hard not to focus creepily on his eyes - why the heck are they purple? “Do I know you?” she asks, scanning her memory for any middle aged man who looks like one of those single dads from cheap sitcoms, but seems crazy enough to join a cult. It takes her a moment to put together all the pieces. “No wait, are you the Jesus guy who brought me here?”

“I could say yes,” he replies with an amused smile, sitting at the foot of the bed. “But most people prefer calling me ‘the Creator.’”

His presence is confusing for Lara. Despite his abnormal height and his consequent weight, the bed doesn’t dip in the slightest, staying as if no one had joined Lara on the mattress. Furthermore, his body radiates some sort of warm energy, almost as strong as fire. She tells him that and he smiles softly again, as if he were talking with a child.

“What are you doing here?” she asks after a moment, her fingers lingering on the pile of books to her side as her eyes scan the so-called Creator.

“I figured that you might use some explanations about your powers,” he says, leaning slightly forward. “I doubt the sorcerers of Kamar-Taj spent too much time studying your magic.”

She nods and he begins talking. “Billions and billions of years ago, our universe was born with the intervention of a creating principle that some human scientist would later call ‘Substance Y.’ As the newborn cosmos expanded, Substance Y assumed a form to better keep an eye on its infinite creation.”

“And you’re that form?”

“Precisely. But my role is simply that of a watcher, of a guardian, if you will. Substance Y therefore chose a small number of sorceresses to guard the universe and protect it with their powers. Of course, this was an important responsibility that was rewarded with immense powers capable of completing the wide variety of tasks that these people could come across.”

Lara shakes her head, furrowing her brows. “This doesn’t make any sense, Urill told me about experiments and-”

“Useless, all useless,” he interrupts her. “You already had magic inside you, as well as Substance Y. The diluted mixture they put inside your veins did nothing but temporarily pause your true powers.” The Creator’s tone seems almost angry and Lara wonders if he feels offended because of what Agency X did to her. 

“And how does this whole thing work? I mean… Why am I here? Shouldn’t there be another woman already doing this?”

“The previous Enchantress was killed by a human witch who stole part of her powers just a few years before you were born. Not to scare you, but this kind of event is rather common. The last human Enchantress was also killed, burnt at the stake if I remember correctly.”

Lara nods, suddenly not so happy to have been chosen for such a task. “Well, sorry to tell you, but hiring someone who will likely be dead in forty years at best seems stupid.”

The Creator laughs, forcing himself up from her bed by gripping the footboard. “Did no one tell you? Enchantresses can live for millennia.”

“What?!”

“Dark magic permitting, of course. But I suggest you take a look inside Urill’s library, she will be more than happy to help you.” With that said, he walks up to the door.

“Wait!” she stops him. Once he’s turned, his purple eyes back on her face, she swallows heavily. “What about my biological family?”

The corners of his lips turn slightly upwards, a sad smile forming on his face. “Your parents, Abraham and Sandra should be their names, were snapped away. But your brother, Jonathan Houghton, is safe and sound in Boston. Yngun will help you contact him.” These are his last words before he disappears, going back into whatever dimension he came out of.