#fic: Smoke and Mirrors

[getvalentined]

Smoke and Mirrors ║ Seven: Ontogenetic Niche Shift + Epilogue: Post-Mortem ⤳

Chapters: 7/7 + epilogue Fandom: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII Rating: Explicit Warnings: Author Chose Not To Warn Relationships: Genesis Rhapsodos/Sephiroth Characters: Cloud Strife, Zack Fair, Claudia Strife, Sephiroth, Genesis Rhapsodos Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Eventual Smut, Medicinal Drug Use, Recreational Drug Use, Nibelheim Incident (Compilation of FFVII), Graphic Depictions of Illness, Degradation (Compilation of FFVII), Averting the Nibelheim Incident With:, Weed, Blowjobs, Threesome - M/M/M, featuring C/G/S, Praise Kink, Bottom Sephiroth (Compilation of FFVII), Top Genesis Rhapsodos, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Timeskip, Other Characters Not Mentioned in Tags, Other Ships Not Mentioned in Tags, See Epilogue for Details

Finding the end of the journey.

———

And that's a wrap, folks. This update is actually two in one, as it's the final chapter (15k words) and the epilogue (7.5k words). And with that, Smoke and Mirrors is officially complete.

Thank you all for coming along on this ride with me. I hope it was worth the wait.

———

[illustrator-dani]

I just discovered an old wip that has to do with motorsports. I am so going to work on this during the weekend!

[whatwooshkai]

rough night

bonus:

[tessa-liam]

Royal Adventures 

-Prologue- 

Book: Choices, The Royal Romance Series Finale +     A Smoke & Mirrors Series Alternate Universe

Pairing: King Liam Rys x F!MC Queen Riley Brooks-Rys OTP 

Rating: Teen, not beta’d-please excuse all errors    

Category: On-going series, fluff 

Warnings: a few swear words 

Most Characters belong to Pixelberry 

Music Inspiration: I Want It That Way, Backstreet Boys 

Series Inspiration: Royal Misadventures, A Smoke & Mirrors 1-shot 

Smoke & Mirrors Masterlist

My Main Masterlist

Series Premise: A collection of stories of the journey 12-year-old Crown Princess Eleanor Rys of Cordonia indertakes as she officially starts her Royal education. Tutors and advisors, that had been personally selected by Their Majesties King Liam Rys and Queen Riley Rys, were set to begin her royal lessons, and her days were packed full of knowledge. The young princess was a natural leader, and the King and Queen could not be more proud of their daughter.   

Royal Adventures 

-Prologue- 

Busy days turned into busy evenings when Ellie Rys enjoyed her free time. As a 12-year-old, her parents wanted her to enjoy her childhood as long as she could, but the Crown Princess' life was going to change forever when she would reach her coming of age, and she would be required to take her place at court, as her father had taken previously. 

Ellie knew her parents had a strong bond, and their love for one another was the reason their country had remained at peace for well over a decade. The Princess had always felt safe and secure, knowing she was loved and cherished. 

Ellie didn't have a typical royal upbringing and was a carefree and happy child.  Liam was more than happy that his children had an American mother as a role model, that grew up in a world of freedom.

She didn't have the same pressures that other royal children had, but the pressure would eventually start to mount in the next few years as she would grow older and need to learn more about the world and her duties of a future Queen.

Liam and Riley made it a point to ensure their kids were well-adjusted and had a happy childhood. 

They'd taken trips all over the world, and their favorite place was New York, where they'd visited during the last Christmas season. 

Ellie had seen the Rockefeller Center Tree, the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, and the Staten Island Ferry. However, what she enjoyed the most was the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Broadway musical 'Wicked'. 

She'd been mesmerized by the performances and sang along to the music. Liam and Riley couldn't help but chuckle at their daughter's enthusiasm. 

"What?" she'd asked innocently, with her big blue eyes and her cute dimples. 

"You remind me of myself at your age," Liam replied, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and pulling her close. 

"I can't wait until we go back to New York," she'd exclaimed, as the family flew back to Cordonia on their private jet.

"Me either, Princess, but we'll make sure you have many more happy memories at home," Liam said, and planted a kiss on the top of her head. 

*** 

Liam walked into his study, after he escorted Ellie to the royal library for her first royal lesson. As he watched his daughter attentively listen and interact with the history tutor, the pride he felt was all consuming. He couldn't believe his little girl was growing up so fast. It seemed like only yesterday when he and Riley were watching their newborn daughter take her first steps. 

It was later in the afternoon when he looked up from his laptop to see Riley's soft smile as she walked in and closed the door behind her. 

"Hello, love. How was Ellie's lesson?" Liam stood and walked around his desk to greet his wife with a kiss.

"It was great, Li ... she's a natural. The tutor was impressed." Riley grinned as Liam smiled wide.

"Of course, she is. She's a Rys." 

"She's just like her father. Always eager to learn new things," Riley teased, kissing him softly in return. 

"And her mother. Ellie has the heart of a fighter, and she's smart, brave, and kind." 

"I hope she's ready for all of this. It's a lot to handle."  Riley sighed, biting her lip.

"She will be. She's surrounded by love and support, and we will always be here for her." 

*** 

Ellie's first day was going well, until ....

Leo had a mischievous grin on his face as he crept towards the library. 

"Leo, what are you up to?" Maxwell asked as he noticed him peering through the gap between the double solid oak doors of the Royal library.

"SSHHH! ... You'll see," he replied in a hushed tone.

"Come on, man, don't pull anything stupid," Drake warned him as he walked up to join Maxwell.

"Just watch and learn, boys." 

Leo peeked through the space and saw the tutor reading a textbook to Ellie. He knew it would only be a few minutes before the lesson was over, and he had to act fast. 

He reached into his bag and pulled out a remote control.

Leo found a way to sneak a glitter bomb into the library without anyone noticing earlier in the day. He'd done it a million times at parties, and he knew it would create a big mess. 

"This is going to be epic," he muttered. 

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Drake whispered.

"Oh, come on, Drake, it's harmless. I've done this tons of times. Watch and learn, boys. " 

"Fine, we'll see," Maxwell shrugged. 

Leo took a deep breath, and with one flick of his wrist, the balloon was triggered and exploded with a loud pop.

As it burst, the glitter covered everything, and the sound of the balloon burst startled everyone. 

The tutor had a look of horror on her face, and Eleanor was shocked, standing up and moving quickly away from the table.

"Oh no," Leo whispered. 

"This is not what I was expecting. Shit." 

"Well, you better think of something quick," Drake shouted.

Through the gap in the door, Ellie spotted her uncle. Her brow furrowed, she pushed the heavy oak door forward.

"I can't believe you, Uncle Leo," Eleanor scowled, "you've ruined my first royal lesson." 

"I'm sorry, El, it was supposed to be a harmless prank." Leo looked at his neice regretfully.

"Well, you ruined everything. I can't even look at you right now. " 

"I'm so sorry. I was just trying to make things fun. I was always bored in these sessions, and I was just trying to lighten the mood." 

"You are the worst Uncle, ever, you know that?"

Leo raised his eyebrows and chuckled. "Oh, come on Ellie, you know it's all in good fun." Ellie was fuming, "Uncle Leo, you've made me feel awful, and I can't believe you would embarrass me like that."  

"Hey...hey, Ellie, don't be upset. You have nothing to be ashamed of." 

"Really? How can you say that after what you did? I want Daddy to be proud of me. I want it that way!" 

Crossing her arms, Ellie stared down her uncle, smirking, "wait till mom finds out!" 

"Wait, you wouldn't. Not your favorite uncle," Leo pleaded. 

"Maybe, maybe not, depends how you behave from now on." 

"Alright, I'll do anything, just don't tell your parents." 

"Anything?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. 

"I will not be your servant again, though."  Leo thought back to an earlier prank gone wrong, and shuddered.

"Then don't mess with my lessons again! Deal?" 

"Deal."  Leo sighed.

Drake and Maxwell were speechless as they watched their friend and their niece, banter with each other.

"Wow, El, you've got your uncle Leo wrapped around your little finger."

"I have no idea what you are talking about, Max. I'm a reformed man." Leo admonished.

"Yeah, whatever you say, Leo." Drake snorted.

"Okay, okay, free drinks at the beer garden. Now ... are you two going to help me clean up or not?"

✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️

📌tagging my perma's in the notes❣️

📌please let me know if you would like to be tagged for this series❣️

[13eyond13]

Literally do not have to be a genius to accurately write any of the Death Note geniuses. You just have to be good at thinking of ways to subtly be an underhanded bitch who plays the most embarrassing games of chicken you've ever seen

[joycieillustrations]

He understands her silent look; he always does.

A moment from chapter two of my fic salt and smoke 💕

Please do not repost without my permission!

[wraithdance]

“Kyle tells him you’re skittish, with a tendency to run like a feral cat. A defense mechanism.”

[sapphire-drawings]

Now that I think about it, you know that don't starve is set in 1914 or something, right? So while the survivors are in Constant on their world, World War I continues.

What do you think it would be like if they leave The Constant, will it be after WW1 or in another scenario where The Constant has another time rhythm, will they arrive on time or before WW1?

Wasn't Wilson taken away in 1930 or so? Isn't that canon lore somewhere?

They would've already lived WW I and I like the idea Wilson served as a surgeon during war (COUGH COUGH SMOKE & MIRRORS), and Wolfgang participated too for that unused skin of his.

So if they skip a few years when they leave the Constant they could be on time for WW II and I think it would only make easier the decision to just stay as far away from society as possible and build their own little village

Most of them had rough lives, they lived war, lived and died a thousand times in hell. Just let them breath and be happy for a moment

Anyway, have a little Happy-Post-Constant-Ending piece

One day. . . I'll fucking learn to use colors. . .

[practically-an-x-man]

18, 20 for Jimmy, B, C and F for whichever couple you want to talk about, and 🔥 and 🌍 for you please!

Thank you!! I think I'll go with Maddox (Madison x Alex) and Kysper (Jasper x Kyle) for the couples' asks, just to introduce you to a few more OCs :D

OC/Ship Ask Game: Firsts

18. First example of real character growth along their journey

I think one of the first big examples we see from him is a few chapters into HIYH - he starts to open up a bit more about his emotions, particularly in his feelings towards the people around him, which is something he's not used to doing (since during his life, he was forced to hide so many of his deeper emotions)

20. First time they felt accepted/welcomed by another character

During his life, he made friends with a few of his coworkers in the aviary, named Dorothy and Marie. Dorothy was a married woman in all the time he'd known her, but Marie at one point tried to pursue him romantically... which led to Jimmy, in an unprecedented act of courage for him, admitting that he was gay to the both of them.

He expected them to react negatively, as was the time period, but they were actually very accepting and even posed as beards for him and his partner Robert at times (as you can see at the start of my fic Francesca).

It was really the first time in his life that anyone had just taken that information in stride - even his parents, while they didn't turn their aggression against him, were incredibly stern about him keeping that information hidden and refused to speak about it.

B. First impression of each other

Maddox: Alex thought she was a very attractive, very interesting person right from the start, and her sharp, intense personality made him feel like he could play off her without needing to turn it into some big emotional thing (boy, was he wrong). Madison was a little annoyed at first, though that was mainly circumstantial - the X-Men and Brotherhood had both crashed the campsite she was living in at the time, and she really wasn't intending to break up a mutant fight OR play host to a clowder of X-Men after the battle ended.

Kysper: Kyle was intrigued, and felt an immediate pull towards them (though that led to a bit of confusion, since he'd never had a queer relationship before and wasn't sure what that meant about his own orientation - he got past that, don't worry). Jasper thought he was cute and charismatic and started crushing hard right away, though at the time they were also drowning in embarrassment from having literally crashed into him and spilling his coffee.

C. First physical contact (handshake? hug? something else?)

Maddox: At the start, Madison was not a physical contact person in the slightest. The first physical contact they really had came several days after their first meeting - the Brotherhood had come after Madison for revenge for that first battle, Alex was the one to answer the door to the X-Mansion and carried her down to the infirmary after she fainted from blood loss.

Kysper: Technically speaking, Jasper crashed into him face-first while on roller skates. And if that doesn't count, Jasper nearly went down (buying Kyle a replacement for the coffee he spilled: roller skates plus slick floor tiles...) and Kyle caught them before they could fall.

F. First date

Maddox: It took a while (MAJOR slowburn here), but when they finally did have their first date, they went out to a throwback diner for milkshakes and cheesy fries - super chill, super low-key, very casual.

Kysper: The exact opposite of a slowburn. They got into a discussion about their favorite coffee shops while Jasper was replacing Kyle's spilled coffee, and it led to Kyle asking Jasper out to the Café Du Monde for a "comparison"

🔥 - First time writing romance/spicy scenes, and how you felt about it

Honestly, when I first started writing, I was kind of awkward about that. I knew what I wanted to convey, and it wasn't an issue of imagining the romantic/spicy scenes, but one of my biggest little cringe points when I read is a poorly-written romantic/intimate scene and it made me hesitant to write the same types of scenes while I was still learning to write.

My first fic still featured a romance, and there are a few distinct romantic moments there, though I think my hesitance does shine through when you compare it to some of my more recent works. In a way it almost works at times, since the characters are meant to be a little awkward and inexperienced themselves, but I still think I could do much, much better now if I rewrote it (but who has the time for that?)

🌍 - First attempt at worldbuilding, or a notable piece of worldbuilding you're proud of

I've definitely gotten more adventurous with my worldbuilding as I've gotten more comfortable with writing (one of my fics, Taking Flight, features a whole conlang structure and several fictional cultures!), but I've always put bits and pieces in there, I think. I don't remember what all the specific details were in my first fic, but I did a fair amount of worldbuilding surrounding my main OC and her history.

[goldeneyedgirl]

Assignments submitted and whilst I do have two drafts for future assignments to get started on, I have two weeks off. So have a mystery snippet of an upcoming chapter.

“She’s not a threat to you or Charlotte,” Jasper tried again. Peter lets out a bark of laughter. “I’m not worried, Jasper,” he says, and the words are dark. It’s a warning to Jasper how far he will go if he feels like his hand is forced. It’s the same voice that Jasper used that night, when Peter said that Charlotte was running whether Peter did or not. “Don’t.” His mouth feels dry. “She’s family, Pete. She’s not going to hurt anyone.”

[getvalentined]

I can't believe I'm like two scenes away from finishing Smoke and Mirrors. What a time to be alive.

[flame-hair]

Smoke and Mirrors

Chapter 22: Tension

Out Now!

[whatwooshkai]

24?

Heatwave should've seen this coming.

He knew he was forgetting something last night, and now sure enough, there's a pressure behind his optics and a burn at the coolant ducts beneath them.

"I'll be right back," he mutters, pressing the back of his hand to his face and detangling himself from the other rescue bots on the couch. No one bats an optic, they all just shift slightly to give him an easier exit.

Heatwave steps into the closet where they keep the medical supplies and grabs the coolant bucket, plopping himself on his aft and bringing it between his knees. Coolant begins to flow freely from the ducts under his optics, and Heatwave sighs heavily, settling in best he can.

Heatwave's frame has always produced excess coolant, something Ratchet had told him after The Incident was a symptom of his outlier ability, going hand in hand with his frame running hotter than most. His other rescue bots have known about it since he's known them, there's only so long you can hide having to siphon excess coolant from an auxiliary intake every night before someone notices and has questions. They've always thought it was just an issue with his code, and he's let them believe that. It certainly makes more sense than "symptom of having psychic visions".

This is the first time in a long time he's forgotten to siphon out his coolant. It happened a lot when they first got to Earth, what with the completely different solar cycles, but he got used to it pretty quick, and his rescue bots have taken to reminding him on the regular. So what happened last night that he forgot?

Heatwave wracks his processor as coolant runs down the natural divots in his faceplate, filling up the bucket far more quickly than he thought it would. That shouldn't be right, it should be just enough to even out the tank, why is there so much coming out?

Actually, now that he thinks about it, he can't really remember the last time he properly siphoned his coolant tank beyond just skimming off the top…

Heatwave suddenly lurches forward as he vents hiccup, and another, stronger wave of coolant pours out from his ducts. His servos are beginning to shake, his vents quickly becoming faster and shallower. Shit, shit, shit. He quickly checks his coolant levels and-

Holy fuck- 371%?!?! How-

Oh.

He hasn't siphoned his coolant since The Incident, has he?

Heatwave presses his fist to his mouth, feeling a burn in the back of his throat. He's been good about this his whole functioning, he's never ever let it get this bad. Some part of him wants to blame his rescue bots, for being so on top of him about everything lately and yet letting this slip through the cracks, but he knows through and through it's his fault.

Ratchet had lectured him for hours about taking proper care of himself. And yet he let the simplest, most habitual thing he can possibly do to keep his frame in good condition is the thing that he hasn't been going.

His frame gives another uncomfortable lurch and Heatwave purges into the bucket.

Purging coolant burns in a weird, new, freezing and uncomfortable way and Heatwave already wants it to stop so he can never experience it ever again. But that's wishful thinking, and they'd established years ago that Primus hates him specifically, so he purges again, his optics beginning to short out from the flood of coolant running the ducts ragged.

Heatwave pulls up his levels and the slowly decreasing number is almost comforting. But when it's been twenty minutes and he's barely down to 200%, Heatwave jams two digits down his throat.

Purging has proved to be the most effective way to dump coolant, and his coolant ducts fucking hurt, and the burn in his throat will be soothed by self repair eventually, his ducts are going to hurt for days.

He doesn't know if the pink swirls in the bucket are blood or unprocessed energon, but it's not like it matters. This is unusable, anyways.

Normally they can reuse his coolant excess on hot days or during emergencies, but this... is bad. Yeah. He's got to get rid of this before the others find out.

Between purges Heatwave checks his levels, watching it slowly creep down to 100%, then past, to his normal 50%. It'll be back to 100% in a day or two.

Heatwave wipes his face, getting into the divets to clear the coolant out properly and cycling his optics, hoping to get the feed back to normal. He stares reproachfully into the bucket, then slams a cover over it and forces it into his subspace. He'll throw it in the junkyard later.

Stepping out of the room, Heatwave continues rubbing at his optics, trying to ease some of the ache.

"Heatwave?"

Heatwave looks up to the couch, where Boulder and Blades have fallen asleep, and Chase is looking up at him blearily from between them.

"Are you alright?" he asks, squinting at him.

"Yep," Heatwave says, coming up behind the couch to rub between his finials. "Just fine."

Chase frowns, clearly fighting against falling back into recharge. "Have you siphoned your coolant lately?"

Heatwave bites his glossa to keep from laughing aloud, and instead pushes Chase's visor down. "Yep. Go back to sleep."

There's a noncommittal hum from Chase, before he succumbs to recharge and his vents even out. Heatwave sighs heavily, and rubs under his optics again.

Better take care of this before he forgets.

[tessa-liam]

Royal Adventures

All Hallow's Eve

Chapter 1

Book: Choices, The Royal Romance Series Finale

A Smoke & Mirrors Series Alternate Universe

Pairing:

King Liam Rys x F!MC Queen Riley Brooks-Rys

Series Inspiration: Royal Misadventures Smoke & Mirrors series 1-shot 

Series Premise: 12-year-old Crown Princess Eleanor Rys of Cordonia has officially started her Royal education. Tutors that had been personally selected by His Majesty King Liam Rys and Queen Riley Rys were set to begin her royal lessons, and her days were packed full. The young princess was a natural leader, and the King and Queen could not be prouder.   

Rating:  M, not Beta'd-please excuse all errors    

Category: On-going series, fluff 

Warnings: swearing, drinking 

Most Characters belong to Pixelberry Studios 

Chapter Summary: Ellie enlists help from her uncles, Leo and Maxwell to pull off a Halloween prank on her uncle Drake...with two unexpected situations that may spoil her fun...maybe. 

Words: 2.0 k

Royal Adventures 

All Hallow’s Eve, chapter 1 

Cordonian Royal Palace

"Ellie, you're so funny," William howled in laughter. 

"It'll be great," Eleanor insisted, her eyes lighting up with excitement. After describing her plans to her brothers, she was determined to make her idea happen. 

"Drake will never see it coming," Stefan agreed, giggling. 

"Okay, now I need Uncle Leo and Uncle Maxwell." Puling out her phone, Ellie tapped -

Ramsford Country Club - Golf course, 11th hole

"Nice swing, Your Majesty," Drake smirked slyly. 

Liam chuckled, "I can't believe it took us so long to do this." 

"Yeah, well, ruling a country takes a lot of time," Drake laughed. 

Handing his club to his caddy, Liam sighed, "So, what do you think of the club? 

"I have to admit, it's pretty awesome." 

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself."  Liam took a swig of water.

"I could get used to this," Drake replied, sipping on a cold beer. 

"We should do this more often." 

"That would be great, Li" 

Liam's phone vibrated, and he pulled it out to answer a call from his daughter...

'Hi, Daddy, can you give Uncle Drake a message?' 

'What is it, Princess?' 

'Tell him - Gotcha.' 

Chuckling, Liam replied ...

'Okay, sweetheart. I will.'

He put his phone away, with a puzzled look, and decided not to question her. 

"Ellie ... wanted me to tell you ... 'Gotcha'." 

Noticing Liam's expression --"What is it?" Drake asked with hesitation. 

"I'm not entirely sure, Drake. Give her a call later. Riley is planning a surprise party tonight for the kids."

Drake looked puzzled. "What the hell does that mean?" 

Grabbing another club from the caddy, Liam shook his head. "Yeah, well ... she has a costume waiting for me to wear."

"Really? ...they are going to enjoy an American tradition...New York style."  Drake chortled, "Knowing Riley, she will pull out all the stops."

Snickering, Drake added, "I want to hear all about it."

Liam raised an eyebrow, "That's a hard NO! Now, let's finish up our round." 

"Sure, Your Majesty."  Drake continued to snicker.

Meanwhile, in the clearing behind Drake's cabin. 

"Okay, Ellie, you're the mastermind, what do you need us to do?" asked Leo. 

"We're gonna need a ton of fake spiders, some black cloth, and lots of fake cobwebs." 

"On it!" Maxwell cheered. I had all the supplies dropped off after he left for the golf course.

"And the fog machine!" Ellie looked pleased, as Maxwell uncovered a cage beside it.

"That's diabolical!" Leo sneered as he opened a box of plastic bats and spiders.

"...and ... la meillure partie."  (the best part)...

"Perfect," she giggled. 

"What else, Ellie?" 

"Hmmm. I know, we can add sound effects for the bats, and the fan will swirl and make the spiders come alive." 

"How'd you get these ideas anyway, Ell?"

"From the best horror movie ever made," she replied proudly. 

"Which one is that?" asked Leo. 

"Nightwing." 

"That's an old movie, isn't it?" 

"Yes, it is," she replied, "but it's the best." 

"I'm surprised the nanny let you watch that," said Maxwell. 

"She didn't. Mom did, though." 

"Oh, man, your mother's gonna kill me," Leo groaned. 

"Don't worry, Uncle Leo, this will be so worth it," Ellie giggled. 

"I'm still not sure about this, kid. You really want to pull this prank on Uncle Drake?" 

"Trust me, Uncle Max, I promise I won't tell anyone," She insisted. 

"If you say so, kid." 

"All right, Ellie, we're ready," Leo called out. 

"Awesome, let's get started."

They placed the fake spiders all around the cabin and draped the black cloth over the furniture. 

"What's next?" 

"We need to put the real bats in the rafters." 

"The real bats? How did you find those?" Maxwell gasped. "That is so cool!" 

"I ...may have asked one of the menagerie guards in Valtoria." she replied proudly. 

"Damn, Ellie," Leo cackled. "I am so proud of you!" 

"Thanks, Uncle Leo. Now, let's get started." 

After their plan was set in motion, they hid behind the bushes and waited outside of Drake's log cabin. 

As the fog machine began to create a thick haze around the cabin, the lights inside flickered on and off, and the sounds of bats echoed throughout all the rooms inside. 

"Holy crap," exclaimed Leo. 

"It looks like the set of a horror movie." 

"It's perfect," Ellie beamed. 

"Wait until he comes back." 

"What do we do then?" asked Leo. 

"Hide, of course. I'll tell you when to jump out." 

"Sounds good to me." 

***

Drake was exhausted after his round of golf with Liam. He couldn't wait to relax by the fire with a cold beer and some good music. Not paying particular attention to the fog outside.

However, when he walked into the cabin, his entire body went rigid. 

He was met by a sea of cobwebs and fake, moving spiders. 

The lights flickered, and the sound of bats echoed through the air. 

"What the fuck?!" 

Trying the light switch, Drake felt something flutter on his head. 

"This is not fucking funny!" 

He searched the cabin but found no one. 

"Come out, now!" 

Suddenly, the front door slammed shut, and Drake was trapped inside in the dark. 

"This isn't funny anymore!" 

"Whoever did this is going to be grounded until their kids have kids!" 

"I'm serious, now!" 

Drake's blood was boiling, and he was fuming. 

"I don't have time for this bullshit!" 

Suddenly, the music began to blare, and the fog machine created a thick haze. 

The sound of bats echoed throughout the area, and the lights flickered on and off. 

Drake was furious, and he stomped over to the stereo, slamming his fist on the button. 

The music stopped, and the cabin fell silent. 

But the real bats kept flying, and the sounds of bat chirps were all around him. He grabbed a broom and began to knock them down. 

"Fucking bats!" he screamed. 

"Who the hell thought this was a good idea?" 

"It's not fucking funny, Ellie! If you're watching this, it's not fucking funny! Your dad is going to hear about this!" 

Drake was so angry that he didn't notice the front door open, and he was oblivious to the footsteps approaching. 

"Drake?" Liam called out. 

"Fuck!"  Drake jumped at the sound of Liam's voice, and his heart nearly stopped. 

"What the hell are you doing here?" 

"I came to check on you. I heard your yells when I dropped off your clubs on the porch. You forgot them in the SUV." 

"I'm fine," he grumbled. 

"Why is it so dark in here?" 

"It was like this when I came in." 

"I see. So, you're hiding from the spiders." 

"Fuck no! I'm not afraid of fucking spiders!" 

"Okay, then let's turn on the lights and get rid of these." 

"Fine."  Drake exhaled loudly.

Liam flipped the switch, and the cabin was bathed in light. 

"Better?" 

"Yes, much better." 

"Good. Now, why don't we have a seat and relax." 

"Fine." 

They sat on the couch, and Drake poured himself a drink. 

"So, do you have any idea who could've done this?" 

"Not entirely sure," Drake sighed, taking a sip of his whiskey. 

"Well, it was a clever prank." 

"A clever prank? It's not funny, Li." 

"Of course not. But, come on, Drake. You have to admit, it was creative." 

"It was not fucking funny. Someone needs to ground her." 

"Who? 

"Eleanor." 

"My Ellie? She did this?" 

"That's it?" 

"I think she had some help from Leo and Maxwell. She sent that message 'gotcha' to me, and I'm sure they helped her pull this off." 

"Yeah, that's it. And I know for a fact that this was her." 

"How?" 

"Because she's the only one who can get away with shit like this."

"Drake, come on, she's just a little girl." 

"She's twelve, Liam, and she's too smart for her own good. She is just like her mother." 

"Hey, I resent that." 

"It's the truth. Your wife is always coming up with some scheme or another, and now, Eleanor is doing the same thing." 

"Look, Drake, I understand you're upset, but I'm sure she didn't mean any harm." 

"You're not the one that was almost scared to death by bats."

"It could've been worse." 

"Yeah, well, it wasn't. It was just a stupid prank." 

"Look, Drake, I'll talk to her. But, come on, it's Halloween, and she's only twelve. Cut her some slack." 

Drake breathed out loudly, hanging his head.

"I'll make sure she apologizes to you, too."

"Well, I can't argue with that." 

"That's all I ask... now, I need a fucking drink." 

As the two friends relaxed by the fire, Drake decided to let his guard down and enjoy the moment. 

He couldn't believe Eleanor was able to pull off a prank like that. She had to have had help. He knew she had a mischievous side, but he never expected her to be so bold. 

"Well, I'm glad you find this amusing," Drake grumbled looking at Liam.

Liam, on the other hand, was amused by the whole situation. He couldn't help but chuckle to himself at the thought of his daughter scaring Drake. 

"Drake, come on, the princess just wanted to have a little fun. And, let's face it, you can be a bit of a grouch sometimes." 

"Gee, thanks." 

"It's the truth. And you know it." 

"Fine, I may have been a bit grumpy. But that doesn't excuse the fact that she scared the shit out of me." 

"Again, she's only twelve, and you were in no danger. I'll talk to her." 

"Good, thank you." 

As the two friends relaxed by the fire, Drake couldn't help but wonder what else the princess would get up to in the future.

"Here's to Eleanor Rys and her sense of humor," Liam said proudly, raising his glass. 

"May she always find joy in life, even if it's at the expense of others." 

"And here's to you, Liam, for putting up with me," Drake chuckled. 

"Cheers." 

They clinked their glasses together and drank deeply, enjoying each other's company. 

They had no idea that their princess had already hatched a new scheme in her head, and she was determined to get the upper hand on her uncle Leo. 

It was going to be a long Halloween season. 

As Drake and Liam enjoyed their drinks, the princess and her uncles were having a celebration of their own outside the cabin. 

"Did you see his face?" Leo chuckled. 

"That was epic," Maxwell added. 

"You were brilliant, Ellie," said Leo. 

"Thanks, Uncle Leo," Ellie giggled and hugged her uncles.

"Happy Halloween." 

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[colormepurplex2]

Smoke & Mirrors 🪞👀👀👀👀👀

MafiaHitman!Jungkook x ChildCaregiver!Reader Strangers to Lovers, Single dad (DILF JK) Mafia AU

"Your whole life is a lie," you whisper, angry at the emotion in your voice. He doesn't deserve your pity. "Sunny needs a father, not another monster lurking under her bed!"

This is from the same universe as Till Death Do Us Part

After the fallout between Yoongi and Namjoon, The Hitman doubled down on what he expected of his sons and their duties to the family. Only, Jungkook has always been the softer one, the one with the kind smile. That smile got him into a bit of trouble with a girl...a girl he loved, and cherished, but who was taken from him for the trouble she caused, leaving his newborn baby daughter motherless and him desperate.

You were only trying to help the girl deliver her baby safely. Never did you think you'd end up raising it—her, Sunnygirl as she's so affectionately called by the mysterious yet handsome man that shows up every few months with a bag full of cash and a new toy. It's pleasant if confusing at times, but you love Sunny like she was your own and by the time she's old enough to care for herself, you'll have made enough money to start a life of your own. Everything is going great until the one time instead of money and toys, the man brings with him blood, destruction, and a terrible truth.

Thanks for the ask, Anon! I hope to have this particular WIP done sometime before the end of this year 💜🙌🏻

Interested in hearing more about my WIPs? Find the WIP game here!

[can-of-pringles]

Since I wrote something for Arline... I'd be curious to see how you write for Madison, if you were interested? No pressure!

Okay so I got this idea a little bit too late (sorry) it's short but I hope you like it anyway.

"Remember, I get some candy too," Madison said.

The girls whined as they placed their nearly-full pillow cases of candy on the table.

"But why? We went trick-or-treating! Not you." Hazel grumbled.

"Someone had to take you trick-or-treating," she pointed out.

"Okay, we'll give you all the stuff we don't like," Hope added.

Madison dramatically placed her hand on her chest. "Wow, I am really feeling the love between sisters."

Honesty chuckled and stuck her tongue out at her big sister. Madison did the same back.

"Oh, also don't forget to save some for Alex," she reminded.

"Can't you and him share?" Hope tilted her head.

"Yeah, we're not just giving candy away!" Hazel exclaimed.

"Remind me how you got that candy?" Madison raised a brow.

The triplets went quiet, smiling sheepishly.

"Okay, okay, I guess we will leave you and Alex some candy." Honesty sighed dramatically.

"Don't leave the candy down where Bravo can get it because he will get it."

"Okay, put our candy way up in a tree, got it." Hope joked.

Madison chuckled. "Well, maybe not that high up."