#funny story it turns out I found this exactly a year after we made it and I was screaming to queen about finding it on it's anniversary lol

[semie78]

So when I recording a group project on zoom I found this masterpiece @a-queenoffairys and I did last year~

My art was the ones with the pixel lineart and queen's was the smoother lines, we hope you enjoy this lol

[amirasainz]

What about reader is a team principal of a team and every driver and there girlfriend are obsessed with her?

Hahaha, omg this is so funny.

Enjoy reading and send some requests!!!

-xoxo

Obvious

The world of Formula 1 was unforgiving, relentless, and absolutely cutthroat. But there was one anomaly in the paddock that no one could quite figure out: Y/N, the 22-year-old team principal of McLaren. Her rapid rise to the top was a story everyone whispered about, but no one dared to challenge.

She was brilliant, tenacious, and had an air of authority that made her presence impossible to ignore. But what truly set her apart was the way she unknowingly had every driver—and their girlfriends—wrapped around her finger. They were utterly, hopelessly obsessed with her, and Y/N remained blissfully unaware, thinking it was just the normal way people treated their boss.

Exhibit 1: Dinner with George and Carmen

It was a rare off-day between races, and Y/N found herself in London at George’s request. The Mercedes driver had insisted on taking her out to dinner with his girlfriend Carmen joining them.

“I’m glad you agreed to come, Y/N,” George smiled as he pulled out a chair for her. “You’ve been working way too hard.”

Carmen leaned in, her eyes sparkling with admiration. “Yes, you need to relax sometimes. You’re always so busy.”

Y/N chuckled, feeling a bit flustered by their attention. “Thanks, guys, but it’s all part of the job, right? I mean, this season has been crazy.”

George leaned closer, casually placing his hand on the back of her chair, his fingers brushing against her shoulder. “You’re the youngest team principal in F1 history, Y/N. You’re allowed to take a break now and then. Let us take care of you tonight.”

Carmen nodded in agreement, her hand gently squeezing Y/N’s arm. “We wouldn’t want you burning out, would we?”

Y/N smiled, feeling a warmth that she couldn’t quite place. “You guys are too sweet. I’m just trying to keep up, you know?”

The dinner passed with easy laughter and conversation, and Y/N was too busy enjoying herself to notice how both George and Carmen kept finding excuses to touch her—a hand on her arm here, a brush of fingers there. It was as if they couldn’t bear to be too far away from her.

---

Exhibit 2: A Mallorcan Escape with Carlos and Rebecca

The invitation had been impossible to refuse. Carlos had insisted on whisking Y/N away to Mallorca for a weekend of sun, relaxation, and good company. Rebecca was there too, constantly checking in to make sure Y/N was enjoying herself.

“This place is incredible,” Y/N said as she stepped out onto the balcony of their luxury villa, the Mediterranean Sea sparkling in the distance.

Carlos grinned, his hand resting comfortably on her lower back as he guided her to the sun lounger. “You deserve a break, Y/N. You’re always taking care of everyone else.”

Rebecca handed Y/N a cold drink, her smile warm and sincere. “Exactly. It’s our turn to look after you.”

Y/N blushed, sipping the drink as she looked out at the waves. “You guys are too nice. Honestly, I’m fine.”

Carlos laughed, sitting down beside her and casually resting his arm across the back of her chair, his fingers lightly grazing her shoulder. “Nice has nothing to do with it, Y/N. We just really enjoy spending time with you.”

Rebecca nodded, her hand resting on Y/N’s knee in a gesture that was both comforting and possessive. “We wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Y/N just smiled, thinking how lucky she was to have friends like them, completely missing the way both Carlos and Rebecca watched her every move with an intensity that went far beyond simple friendship.

---

Exhibit 3: Shopping Spree with Pierre and Kika

Y/N had never been a big shopper, but when Pierre and Kika insisted on a shopping trip in Milan, she couldn’t say no. The day was a blur of designer stores, laughter, and playful teasing.

“You’d look amazing in this,” Kika said, holding up a sleek black dress against Y/N.

Pierre nodded in agreement, his hand resting comfortably on Y/N’s waist as he leaned in to inspect the dress. “Try it on. We’re not leaving until you do.”

Y/N rolled her eyes playfully. “You guys are relentless. I’m supposed to be the boss, remember?”

Pierre smirked, giving her a light nudge toward the dressing room. “Not today, Y/N. Today, you’re our princess.”

Kika giggled, grabbing Y/N’s hand and dragging her along. “Exactly. And our princess needs a new wardrobe.”

Y/N couldn’t help but laugh as she tried on outfit after outfit, completely unaware of the way Pierre’s eyes lingered on her every time she emerged from the dressing room, or how Kika’s hand never left hers for long.

---

Exhibit 4: Movie Night with Max and Kelly

It was a cozy night in Monaco, and Max had convinced Y/N to come over for a low-key movie night. Kelly had made popcorn, and the three of them were snuggled up on the couch.

“You’ve been working too hard again,” Kelly said, her voice soft as she adjusted the blanket around Y/N’s shoulders. “You need to relax.”

Max nodded, his arm stretched along the back of the couch, his fingers gently playing with the ends of Y/N’s hair. “Yeah, you need to slow down sometimes. You’re making us all look bad.”

Y/N laughed, pulling the blanket tighter around herself. “Oh, please. You guys are the ones driving the cars at insane speeds every weekend.”

Max grinned, his hand dropping to rest on her shoulder, squeezing lightly. “And you’re the one making all the tough calls. That’s way more stressful.”

Kelly leaned in closer, her head resting lightly against Y/N’s. “We’re just glad you’re here. We love spending time with you.”

Y/N smiled, thinking how comforting it was to have Max and Kelly around. She missed the way Max’s thumb traced circles on her shoulder and the way Kelly’s fingers intertwined with hers under the blanket, as if they were afraid to let her go.

---

Exhibit 5: Yacht Day with Charles and Alexandra

When Charles invited Y/N out on his yacht, she thought it would be a casual day in the sun. But from the moment she stepped on board, she realized she was in for something far more luxurious.

“This is… wow,” Y/N breathed, taking in the sight of the pristine white yacht against the crystal blue waters of the French Riviera.

Charles smiled, his hand lingering on the small of her back as he guided her to a sunbed. “Only the best for our favorite team principal.”

Alexandra appeared with drinks, offering one to Y/N with a bright smile. “You deserve this, Y/N. You never take time for yourself.”

Y/N settled onto the sunbed, feeling the warmth of the sun and the company of her friends. “You guys are always spoiling me. I’m really not that special.”

Charles chuckled, leaning back beside her, his leg brushing against hers. “Oh, but you are, Y/N. You’re the heart of the paddock.”

Alexandra nodded in agreement, her hand resting comfortably on Y/N’s as they basked in the sun. “And we all adore you.”

Y/N blushed, not quite understanding why they were always so kind, but grateful all the same.

---

Exhibit 6: Golfing with Alex and Lily

Golf wasn’t Y/N’s sport, but when Alex and Lily insisted on a day out on the greens, she couldn’t say no. The trio laughed their way through the course, with Alex playfully showing Y/N how to swing properly, his hands guiding hers.

“You’ve got this, Y/N,” Alex said, his chest pressed against her back as he adjusted her stance. “Just focus.”

Y/N laughed, her cheeks flushed from the proximity. “You make it look so easy.”

Lily watched them with a knowing smile, resting her hand on Y/N’s shoulder. “You’ll get the hang of it. You’re already a pro at everything else.”

Y/N shook her head, trying to concentrate as Alex’s touch sent an unexpected thrill through her. “You guys are way too nice to me.”

Alex and Lily exchanged a look, one that Y/N missed entirely as she tried to focus on her swing. They were both addicted to her presence, to the way she brightened every room she walked into.

---

As the season went on, Y/N continued to be the center of attention in ways she never quite understood. Every driver and their partners found excuses to spend time with her, to touch her, to keep her close. And though she often felt overwhelmed by their affection, she chalked it up to just having great friends in the paddock.

But to everyone else, it was clear: Y/N wasn’t just a team principal. She was the object of an unspoken obsession, the one person they all couldn’t bear to be without. And whether she realized it or not, they were all just a little bit in love with her.

[on-my-vigilante-sht]

Asshole Instructor

Luke Castellan x Jackson!Reader

Request: luke x jackson!reader angst to fluff like he likes reader but bullies her and like one day she almost dies and then he feels so guilty and confesses

Summary: Luke has been an asshole but he can't help it until he realizes the girl he likes could be gone any minute

Warning: Angst, bullying, Luke acting like a five year old, monsters, injuries

Word Count: 1.5K

Masterlist

A/N I tweaked your request a bit so the story flows more imo

“Faster,” I yelled at one of our newest campers. Y/N Jackson dropped her sword and ripped off her helmet, looking at me with fury in her eyes. I was a little afraid but mostly really attracted to her like this.

“Don’t fu-”

“Hey, we don’t curse,” I reminded her of the camp rules. “What with all the kids around.” Seeing her become even angrier made it so hard not to laugh. I was just glad that we weren’t near any bodies of water. When I had told her that her 12 year old brother was a better fighter than her at dinner, every glass of water rose up in the air she was so mad.

She just threw the sword down and stormed off. “Hey!” I yelled after her. “You’re not dismissed.” But she ignored me, continuing to storm off towards the beach. I felt a pang of guilt antagonizing her to the point that she left but I figured I shouldn’t chase after her if she was going to be around water. Plus, it was funny to see her get so mad.

I turned around the clean up the arena only to see Annabeth standing there looking unimpressed. “Why are you being so mean to her?” she asked.

“I’m not, I'm just messing around.”

She rolled her eyes. “No, you’re antagonizing her. And I think I know why,” she smirked.

“Why?” I asked, deciding to humor her.

“Because you looove her,” she replied smugly, drawing out ‘love.’

“I do not,” I immediately defended. I cringed as my response was too fast. She only gave me a satisfied smirk. “Fine, okay. She’s pretty, I’ll give you that.” Annabeth just raised her eyebrow. “And smart,” I admitted. She kept looking at me. “And nice.” More looks. “Fine! Whenever I see her I want to kiss her and never let her out of my sight.”

A smile broke out on her face, finally satisfied. “See? Now go tell her that. Well- maybe not that exactly. You’ll probably scare her off. But tell her how you feel instead of harassing her and making her hate you.”

My heart stopped. “She hates me?”

“Probably!” Annabeth said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Or at least she will if you keep treating her so terribly.”

“Fine, I’ll apologize to her after dinner,” I sighed.

“No! Now,” she demanded.

“But she’s at the beach. She’ll kill me!”

“I don’t care. Go,” she said, pointing down the beach. “And take this to her.”

I grumbled, grabbing her helmet from Annabeth before heading after the daughter of Poseidon. When I finally found her she was sitting near a cluster of rocks, clearly trying not to be noticed by anyone. But as I prepared to tell her how I felt but as I looked at her, I thought about all the horrible ways she could reject me. And then humiliate me by telling everyone in camp about it. So instead I threw the helmet at her.

It bounced off the rock with a clang, clearly startling her. “What? Are you gonna cry because I told you, you sucked. What are you 5?”

“Go away, Luke,” she yelled. I once again felt a pang in my chest as I heard the trembling in her voice. Whether from rage or tears I wasn’t quite sure. But picturing her laughing in my face as she rejected me made me keep going.

“I see why your dad went back to your mom. He couldn’t have his only demigod child in decades be so weak like you.”

“I said go away!” she yelled, standing up. Her eyes were practically on fire as she looked at me with a burning glare. The ocean was getting choppier behind her before it lunged up into a huge wave, soaking me to the bone. I coughed when it finally receded and she was left there, standing dry. “Leave me alone or I’ll stuff you in a sewer pipe,” she threatened, walking off.

~

When I told Annabeth what happened she threatened to stuff me in a sewer pipe. But other than that she let it go and I hadn’t seen much of Y/N. Which hurt at times because I missed seeing her and I thought about her all the time but I honestly deserved that threat she gave me so I respected her wishes.

That was until I heard a scream and then a boy’s desperate yell. I was in the arena when I heard it and didn’t hesitate running towards the sound. There I found Percy and his sister at the edge of the forest. Percy was frantically pushing on his sister’s bleeding leg as she was getting visibly paler. He looked up, seeing me. “Do something!” he yelled.

I ran over, kneeling by her side. I could now see the wound clearly and it was deep. Deep enough to kill her from blood loss. She already had a puddle underneath her and I could see a trail coming from the woods. “Go get Chiron,” I told the boy. He nodded, getting up to sprint to the Big House.

I looked at Y/N’s face, surprised to see her still conscious. “Surprised you’re not cutting me further open,” she said through shallow breaths.

“Look, I’m sorry I’ve treated you like shit and I promise I’ll explain why when you’re better but I need you to focus on staying awake right now. Think you can do that?”

Despite the fact that my hands were keeping her from bleeding out she had the audacity to roll her eyes. “Fine.”

“Thank you,” I breathed. I felt ashamed realizing that was probably the first nice thing I had ever said to her.

Once some Apollo kids came and took her the Big House I went with them. But once they had her in the sickroom and everyone else was kicked out, I became wracked with guilt and worry. I made her life miserable. Why? Because I was afraid of my own feelings for her? I realized just how ridiculous that was. And I realized how little time I may have to actually confess my feelings.

“What happened, Percy?” Chiron’s words interrupted my thoughts.

“We were in the forest just trying to get some monster fighting experience when this big… dog—I think it was a hellhound—jumped at me out of nowhere. I guess she saw it first because she pushed me out of the way but its claws caught her leg,” Percy explained. “Is she going to be alright?” he asked, tears in his wide eyes.

“Yes, she should be fine,” Chiron assured the boy before sending a reassuring look to me too. Did everyone know I liked her? I briefly cursed Annabeth, she probably told him.

But soon enough Lee and Michael said we could go in so I followed Percy into the room. Her leg was wrapped in a pristine white bandage and the sheets must have been changed because they were also white in contrast to her bloody shirt and shorts.

“Percy, why don’t you go get her some clothes for when she wakes up?” I suggested. He looked reluctant but went anyway so I could talk to her. I took a seat by her head, observing her peaceful, beautiful face. “I don’t know if you can hear me but… at least you can’t reject me like this,” I said, letting out an empty chuckle. “But um I guess I'm fulfilling my promise. The reason I’ve been such an asshole to you is because… well… I think I’m in love with you. And I was afraid of my feelings and that you’d reject me so I took it out on you and I’m sorry for that. You didn’t deserve that.”

I sat there for a beat of silence, unsure what to do. But just before I stood up and left, I felt her fingers brush against mine. “Took you long enough to confess, jerk,” she said. I looked back at her, finding the slightest smile and her gorgeous eyes.

“So… you like me too?” I asked, my heart pounding with insecurity.

“Yeah, of course I do,” she admitted. I smiled, leaning down to press my lips to hers. When I pulled away to breathe she took the opportunity to speak. “If you tell anyone I’ll stuff you in a sewer pipe.”

“Sure you will,” I taunted her, connecting our lips again. This time I only pulled away when I heard a slightly squeaky voice.

“What are you doing with my sister?”

Masterlist

[anki-of-beleriand]

A Heart Made of Glass ch. 11

Summary: Ten years ago you left Wanda and the Avengers to heal your broken heart. You never stopped being a hero, just as you never stopped being in love with her. But life had to go on.

Now, after all that time, she is back and with her is a young woman needing help and an enemy that may not be as afraid as Wanda to lay a claim on you.

Pairings: Wanda Maximoff x Powered!F!Reader - Scarlet Witch x PoweredF!Reader - Past Wanda Maximoff x Vision

Warnings: Angst, drama, mentions of cheating, fluff, violence, smut, Switch!Reader, internalize homophobia, hurt, comfort, Wanda being a complete mess, anger management issues, jealousy, Requited/Unrequited love, idiots in love, swearing, mentions of alcohol. More tags as the story progess.

Author's Note: This story is a continuation of Dirty Little Secret I was really surprised at the response I got for the story, I did all the tags you guys ask for but if I forgot someone please do not hesitate to tell me. Thank you for the support.

I am back!! This chaptr took longer than I anticipated, I didn't know exactly how to continue even though I have an aidea of what I want. So here it is the new chapter, hope you guys like it!

Wanda is finally getting there, and Reader has to face so harsh truths about herself and those around herself.

Please, do remember English is no my mother tongue so forgive my grammar, spelling and funny mistakes.

Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3 - Chapter 4 - Chapter 5 - Chapter 6 - Chapter 7 - Chapter 8 - Chapter 9 - Chapter 10 - Chapter 11 Chapter 12 - Chapter 13 - Chapter 14 - Chapter 15 - Chapter 16 - Chapter 17 - Epilogue

Chapter 11

Wanda and Scarlet

Everyone left as soon as you disappeared with the twins upstairs. 

The time seemed to pass without your consent, and by the time the twins had fallen asleep and you were back on the first floor the world around you felt different. You stepped into the living room, your shadows flickering to make sure you were alone while you wandered around the place to take a closer look at the pictures decorating the place. You had always like pictures, and in general, you were good at photography; you realized every single one of the pictures you were seeing had a single purpose: to tell the story of yours and Wanda’s life.

It started with a simple friendship, the both of you were young and as the images move through the years you could see fear behind the attraction, the realisation of love and the tentativeness of a relationship until, at the end, all you could see was a happy ending. You tilted your head, your eyes checking the images over and over again until they fell on a missing section. A missing part of the timeline.

“We broke up one day,” you held yourself tight, your ears twitching with your eyes narrowing lightly, the woman behind you approached slowly, her voice sending a shiver down your back.

Wanda wrapped her arms around herself, her voice carried the weight of unwanted memories. 

“I was scared, it was the first time she said she loved me.” You turned slightly looking at the woman out of the corner of your eye.

“Did you cheat on her?” You couldn't help but ask, your voice dripping with old resentment. 

Wanda finally stood beside you, and she was so much different than your own Wanda. Taller, calm, with a confidence that poured out of her with an electric jolt of power you were not familiar with. The woman dropped her eyes, then you found yourself looking into her green ones.

“I broke her heart, and then I started dating Vision.” Wanda pursed her lips, her eyes narrowing lightly. “I pretend to be normal to honour my parents by being what they expected me to be.”

You clenched your jaw, the tension evident in your posture. 

“We almost got married until…I almost lost her.” Wanda whispered, her face breaking into a mask of pain. “She had disappeared on me, I couldn't reach her out and then, one day she…she came back and saved me and Vis…”

Wanda let out a bitter laughter, tears rolling down her eyes. 

“I almost lost her because I was afraid and I just…I couldn’t let her go afterwards. I fought hard to earn her forgiveness, and her love again.”

You swallowed down your own tears, turning away from this Wanda before letting your eyes wandered around a story you had always wished for. You could feel the weight of her stare on you, the poking of her presence waiting for the right moment to either talk to you, or push for answers to questions you were not ready to hear.

In the end you stopped on the one picture you had feared, the one you had seen before but with a different individual smiling back at you.

“They look like you…and me.” You finally said turning to Wanda, this time around the smile that broke her façade was one of pure bliss.

The other woman stepped forward, her eyes drifting to the picture and then to you. She had seen enough inside your head to know this might hurt in ways she could only imagine, and a part of Wanda was completely baffled by the mistakes done without a single thought of the consequences. She had to wonder, though, how much of those mistakes grew into resentment and how many of them were fear of allowing love in.

“They were our little miracle.” Wanda whispered, her voice softened all of a sudden before she closed the distance between you and her, and this time around you couldn’t look away or stepped away from her overwhelming persona.

“They were possible because of you and me, Y/N.” Her words made you shiver, the touch of her skin against yours was electrifying. “We weren’t even trying, and when I found out it had been me the one getting pregnant I was scared of you finding out.”

“Why?” You finally asked furrowing your brows, Wanda cocked a brow with her eyes gleaming challenging at you.

“Because of your thoughts, because of your doubts.” Wanda sighed cupping your face with her hand, “when I approached you my main fear was of you thinking I cheated.”

Your body tensed hardening your stare trying to ignore the tenderness and the understanding in those green eyes you had dreamed about so many times. It still hurt. It hurt like the very first time you fell in love with her, and the first time you saw the video of her and Vision. You closed your eyes, but never stopped feeling the woman in front of you, so much like your Wanda, yet so different than her.

Wanda opened her lips, her heart yearning to get you closer to feel as if you were real. As if you were her Y/N, but she couldn’t stop feeling the coldness, the anger, the sadness pouring out of you from your every pore.

When Wanda spoke again, she did so with the same tone of voice she used that very first time. The one that had always told Y/N that she was loved that she was cherished, that she was everything Wanda needed.

“When I told her about the pregnancy, Tommy and Billy made sure to help me out. I don’t know how, and I don’t know why…” Wanda let out a breathless chuckle, “but when I told her, it just clicked. It was as if she could feel them, and she could sense the familiarity in them. They were as much hers as they were mine.”

“I felt them.” The words left your mouth before you could prevent it. You lifted your face to the ceiling, furrowing your brows while your powers ignited with the familiarity the twins brought to you. “It was strange, yet familiar…And I…”

You stopped right before you could say more than you meant to, you lifted your eyes only then taking notice of how close this Wanda was to you. You could feel her warm breath on your face, her eyes gleaming with a deep green that showed all the love she felt for you.

Correction, for the version of yourself in this universe.

Not you.

Never you.

Your whole demeanour changed in the blink of an eye. Your body tensed, and you stepped back until there was only coldness and distance between you and Wanda. And in that moment, your heart broke all over again for the things you had just discovered in a world that was not your own.

“I can’t…” You whispered; Wanda lifted her hand but she hesitated stepping back as well.

It was in that moment you thought about the videos you received; those chapters of a story Wanda had lived in world she had created. The twins that had come to life as the children of Vision, the sudden mess that became out of such a magic, and then the piercing pain inside your chest when you realized Wanda was even further away than where she had been the first time the both of you broke up.

Your mind quivered breaking into a flow of memories you had tried to contain behind the shadows, and your chest shrank into a deep void filled with coldness and emptiness that left you breathless with desperation clinging to your senses.

Wanda stepped back; she creased her brows watching as your powers flickered around her. You clenched your jaw tilting your head until your footsteps take you out of the house. The world around you trembled surrounding you in complete darkness until all that was left was the single, crimson light of Wanda gleaming in the distance.

“Why are you so hurt, Y/N?” She asked, and her voice was like a dagger piercing your soul and twisting the memories of what could had been.

Instead of answering, instead of voicing your frustrations you broke down with tears rolling down your cheeks and the woman you loved holding you tightly. You hugged her tightly knowing, in this world, she was yours as much as you were hers and, even if it was for a brief moment, you could pretend this was your life.

And that was all that matter at the moment.

________________________________________________

You had been watching the routine from afar.

Billy and Tommy were extraordinary, their powers had been developing along with their physical attributes under the watchful eye of your counterpart and Wanda. Your heart twisted every time they looked at you or addressed you in such a familiar and loving way. The way kids sought out their parents, and it broke your heart the same way it was breaking Wanda’s.

“You were quite good to them, though I am pretty sure Billy noticed you were not his mother.” The voice was familiar to you, you had heard him a thousand times teasing and overall being a complete nuisance until he was finally killed by Thanos.

Loki Odinson was looking completely different to the Loki you had met back home.

His hair was around his shoulders, and he was wearing a dark suit with a tie matching the green of his magic. He gave you a quick once over, his eyes cold and calculating, while his hand twitched around calling upon a spell. You turned completely getting your body ready for a fight, the god smirked and soon you let out a gasp filled with an exclamation of pain as your back hit the ground.

“Not as fast as you used to, I see.”

“You just wait until I get use to this stranger’s body, then you will wish I was this slow.”

“Indeed.” He replied with just a hint of sarcasm in his voice, he stood by your side stretching out a hand to help you up.

You eyed the hand before taking it, the strength he used was enough to tell you he was not someone to mess with. Yet, there was something different about this Loki; he was calmer, more collected and with a hidden force that made you curious just to know the story behind the Asgardians in this universe.

“So, you played for the good guys in this universe?”

Loki scowled at the question walking past you until he reached the porch steps sitting down.

“I have never been part of the bad guys, but I have never seen eye to eye with Thor or some of those idiots he calls friends,” Loki leaned back settling his eyes on you, “I find it insulting to label people in such a black and white vision of life, when you and I know, that people and everyone in general is just…”

“Complicated.” You finished narrowing your eyes at Loki, the young male smirked tilting his head to one side.

“Exactly. Now, let’s get down to business, how much do you know of what happened before you got here?”

__________________________________

Another day sneaked through the clouds, the sun shone right above the heads of the agents surrounding the area around the dome. 

Yelena was playing with the knife you had given to her for her birthday, her eyebrows creased together while the TV got ready to play the same chapter of your boring life over and over again. Yelena wished whoever was controlling the show would at least get new ideas, or at least let all of you spice things up because this was getting ridiculous.

There was a loud beep coming from the screen, and the image in the TV flickered between colours and black and white. Yelena almost fell off her chair when you appeared on the screen, this time around the story was different, and for the first time Yelena wasn’t sure if this was a good or a bad thing.

“Natasha! You better come here right now!” 

*****

The morning light sneaked through the bedroom curtains. The warm of a single ray of sunshine shook you from your slumber, without really opening your eyes you tried to cover up your face knowing that full consciousness poked through your brain.

Continuing with your marvellous sleep would not be possible anymore.

You furrowed your brows, turning to the side while stretching your arm to try and hug the woman you shared your bed with. 

Wanda.

A jolt of electricity went from your brain to your body, your heart beating at an anormal speed while you sat down in the bed. You glanced around the room but everything was the same as the day before, and the before that one. You frowned lifting a hand to your face, your thoughts came crashing down without any specific order.

Your wife. Her name was…

You turned to your bedside table, your mind flashed the memory of a single frame with the woman holding onto you smiling brightly. Your frown deepened, the name dancing inside your mind but unable to make sense.

It's going to be okay, my love, don't take the pill. Don't take it and you and I will be together again.

The voice inside your head whispered, the sweet tone was familiar, your heart jumped with anticipation. You turned on your side ready to leave the bed when the door of the room opened and another woman came right in.

She had dark hair, her lips full and red, while those eyes gleamed with a strange light.

“Good morning, baby, did you sleep well?” She came onto you leaning in to seal her words with a kiss.

It felt wrong, but you answered to the kiss lazily with the pretension of being just awake for a couple of minutes. The woman narrowed her eyes though the smile never left her face, she leaned back before making her way to the curtains and opening them with a yank of her hands.

“Today is a beautiful day, and last night was just amazing my love, I really enjoy it when you let me use you hard.” Her words pretended to be flirty, with a teasing undertone she tried to converge with the sultry stare she sent your way.

You shifted uncomfortably, this time around you wandered through your body to validate the veracity of her words. You didn't feel sore, but of course it could also be the effect of the drug or whatever it was you were in. You stood up making your way towards the woman.

Agatha.

Your face broke into another smile, your arms wrapping around her before leaning in to suck on her pulse point. Agatha lifted her hands closing them around your biceps, a sudden gasp left her lips and she tilted her head to give you more access.

“I love it when you let me be in charge, love.” You whispered in her ear, your lips teasing the shell of her ear, your eyes narrowing when the fixated on the flickering reality behind the woman.

“Mmm, I can tell you want more, but today we have the event in the school and we cannot miss it, I'm still competing for first place in the desserts contest.” Agatha stepped back her eyes dark and dangerous, a hint of lust gleaming inside them.

This was the very first time you approached her out of your free will, and the woman was excited. If you were already looking Agatha out and making these advances it meant her magic was growing bending the reality and helping her get what she wanted. Soon Scarlet and Wanda would no longer be an issue and you would be next.

“Very well, but you won't escape, Missy, I will have you later on.” You winked at her turning to make your way to the bathroom, Agatha called out to you stepping closer while lifting a single pill in her hand.

“I will wait patiently for you, now be a good girl and take your medication and take a bath.” 

Your smile never faltered taking the pill you put it right away in your mouth swallowing in front of the woman before entering the bathroom to get ready for the day. Agatha stood there for a moment, her eyes squinting trying to catch anything unusual but soon the shower started running and you started humming distractedly. The dark-haired woman smirked and left, the world around her flickering from purple to red.

*****

The day was bright and warm.

It was a complete contrast of the weather America had suffered in Norway. She glanced at the sky, then at the buildings around her, noticing for the very first time the forms of other people walking around the lanes in front of their homes. She frowned stepping back inside the house where Wanda had been recovering after her session with Agatha, she knelt beside the other woman lifting a hand to measure the temperature.

“Today I don't have a fever.” Wanda opened her eyes offering a half smile to the teen.

“That's good.” America sighed checking Wanda before sitting down on the floor. “You look weak.”

“I'm okay.” Wanda sat down slowly, she grabbed the pillows on the sofa tightly clenching her eyes close. “Scarlet is the one doing most of the work.”

America scoffed looking away from Wanda, that was another part of this crazy plan she didn't like. Whatever had happened before America came into the game, Wanda had detached herself from her powers and the part of her that had always been ready to fight for you. She had seen the suffering behind those green eyes, the pain in Wanda’s voice and the defeat in her posture, she had come to terms that you would never be Wanda’s and that she would always be in love with someone that didn't want her back. 

The world had been unfair to you and Wanda, and the both of you had given into miscommunications and pride to even attempt a shaky friendship. America pursed her lips glancing at the coffee table where Wanda had placed the necklace she wore at all times. 

“You are Scarlet.” America finally replied, locking her eyes with those of Wanda, “you and her are one and the same, you told me yourself that you could feel everything she did and that…”

“I know.” Wanda stood up on shaky legs, she pressed her lips together leaning in to grab the necklace. “Let's get ready, Agatha is finally confident enough that the world around her is of her own creation and we need to make the most of this chance to wake Y/N and get her help to break the spell.”

“Wanda?” America asked tentatively, she could tell the other woman tensed waiting for the question.

America hesitated before stepping closer, “are you sure this is going to work?”

“It has to.” Wanda sighed glancing to the floor, “Agatha won't rest until she had completed the ritual and drained me of my powers, then she would move onto Y/N…”

“And finally, me.” America wrapped her arms around herself, her eyes tearing up hating people around her kept being hurt because of her powers. Because of who she was.

Wanda put her hands on her shoulders, she offered a tender smile and her eyes gleamed with determination.

“Nothing bad is going to happen, we will make this work and then we will deal with Agatha.”

“Would you fuse with Scarlet?” America gauged Wanda's expression, she could see the fear behind those green eyes. “I mean, she is you after all and perhaps in that way you and Y/N…”

“Even if we were to do this, America, she is…she would never…” Wanda let out a heavy sigh, her hand putting her hair back holding onto everything she wanted to say, everything she had been experiencing ever since she got a chance to see you again.

“It's never going to happen, she doesn't love me anymore and I broke any chances to be with her a long time ago.” 

America opened her mouth to say something but Wanda silenced her with a gesture of her hands.

“No, she is not…when I accepted this I knew what I was getting into.” Wanda couldn't help the bitterness in her voice, “I knew it would hurt and we would never be nothing more than allies, I just…”

There were no more words, Wanda strsightned up turning her back to the teen.

“I’m going to get ready, I suggest you do the same.”

Wanda didn’t say anything, without tuning around she made her way back to her room and got the bath ready. She held back her tears, tired of the pain this reunion with you had brought to her heart. She knew she had to pay for her sins, what she didn’t know was how high of a price she would have to cover for everything to at least be forgiven. She had been paying her mistakes from day one, without a single moment of peace or redemption.

The water fell on her washing away the painful pressure resting on her chest, her fist clenched tightly as she went along with the plan, with the memories, with everything Agatha made her lived all over again in order to get deeper into her powers. Wanda was not completely sure she understood, and Scarlet had been unable to be cooperative unless you were involved; everything turned out to be a complete mess, and the young witch had to wonder if perhaps outside this reality there was someone trying to help them out solve the mess they were in.

If there was someone out there that was not blaming Wanda for yet another invented reality.

Wanda closed her eyes, her body flinched with the sudden jolt of electricity that went through her limbs all the way to the very core of her soul. She clenched her jaw close, the world flickered for a moment until she felt the pulse of energy gathering around her hands. Scarlet was ready, and they were running out of time. With a single sigh, Wanda turned off the water and went to get ready.

They only had one chance, she needed to be fast if they wanted to safe Y/N and themselves before it was too late.

And, after seeing her weakened state, Wanda knew time was not on their side.

___________________________

Time was relative.

And, apparently, space bent to the laws of time.

Loki had been very clear in his explanation of the multiverse, and his role in getting you in the right timeline and the right body. You heard everything he told you, with your mind taking the bits you thought important while trying to understand those you found hard to believe in. The theory was solid, but it certainly was meant for someone with a deeper knowledge on these matters like Hank, Tony or even Bruce. You went along with the game, believing what the god was saying to you while formulating a plan that could help you out without disturbing the timeline or the multiverse.

But for Loki to make it work, he would need time, and that meant you would need to live in a world you already found was destroying you little by little.

Without a doubt, this universe was going to be the dead of you.

When you were young and left the Avengers, you used to torture yourself with the ‘What ifs’. What if you forgive Wanda, what if you had been enough, what if you and her were still together. What if.

You remembered those long nights in which you imagine a normal life with her, the thought of getting married and forming a family. These thoughts grew inside your mind until you hit the rock bottom and you had to start a real healing process, you had accepted what happened and you stepped out of the shadows to move forward. You were a hero, with or without the Avengers, you were still pretty much a person that could help others so that was what you did.

You never forgot Wanda, and those little what if scenarios would come at nights or on those specific moments in which you were alone with your thoughts. Your heart used to ache with the shadows of the past while facing the light of the future; and now, trapped in this world, you were face to face with the biggest what if there was dancing inside your mind.

What if you give yourself a chance to love her again?

What if you forgive her?

The door of the basement opened and closed with a heavy thud, you shook your head turning to see Wanda Maximoff coming down the stairs with a plate filled with sandwiches and a three glasses of orange juice. Your eyes went from the tray to the woman then back to the book you had been staring at, Loki snorted knowingly sitting down while flickering his hand around.

The lights grew in intensity, and Wanda shot a quick glare to Loki before shaking her head in defeat. She settled her tray on the table taking a seat right beside you, her eyes softening lightly as they read on your face the torturing thoughts dancing inside your head that multiply when you realised Wanda had prepared your favourite sandwich. The young woman offered an affectionate smile before turning to Loki.

“It is quite evident they had been dream-walking, whoever has been doing it, at least, has become quite adept at it and has been creating a complete mayhem while doing so.” Wanda grabbed a sandwich furrowing her brow while opening the book and showing some graphics filled with runes and letters you did not understand.

Loki tilted his head eating in silence while glancing at the graphics, he turned to you then back to Wanda who continued speaking while filling up in the gaps that you did not know. Those that you had not been a part of while on in this universe.

“When we first encountered America, she told us about the multiple encounters she had with strange creatures chasing her around the multiple universes.” Wanda pursed her lips furrowing her brows, “something happened though, there was a moment of peace and then when they came back, she fell into our world.”

“Is this the part in which everything else happened?” Loki asked tilting his head thoughtfully, “but there was a moment of peace as well, was it not? Stark mentioned a time of peace in which she was getting use to this place…”

“And to us, yes.” Wanda shifted lightly, her eyes flickered to where you were already finishing your sandwich, your tongue tucking out cleaning your lips before you went back to your food. She couldn’t help but smile at the gesture, it seemed that some things didn’t change in between universes.

“Dream-walking is a powerful technique, not just anyone can do it and whoever decides to enter in such a realm of dark magic usually gets affected,” Loki leaned back closing his eyes for a moment, “whoever is behind this know what they are doing, and they had probably been planning this for a very long time.”

“I’ve been having dreams I shouldn’t have, dreams with Scarlet sneaking inside a different reality.” You chewed on your lower lip drinking from the glass before continuing, “some of them are pretty real, everything that she does it’s usually pretty real, yet I know it is not Wanda. It feels different, she is different even if they look the same.”

There was a moment of silence in which you tried to ignore the stares from Loki and Wanda on you. You distracted yourself with the food and the beverage while playing with the ring on your hand, you shifted on the chair ready to speak until Loki beat you to it.

“You said you saw a rune before the explosion, right?” Loki inquired, he produced a piece of paper and a pen that lend you waiting for you to draw what you saw.

“Yep.”

Wanda observed as you drew the rune, she leaned forward softening when her nose caught up with the aroma of your shampoo and special scent that was innately yours. She couldn't help the hand that rested on your arm, nor the tenderness behind her caress. You shifted on the spot, your back going rigid the moment you felt the familiarity behind the touch.

“There is something I don't understand yet, why do you call her Scarlet and referring to her as a third individual?” Loki finally asked furrowing his brows, you scrunched up your nose turning to Wanda then to Loki.

“Because they are not the same?” You knew something was not right the moment those words left your mouth.

Wanda and Loki glanced at one another, breaking their eye contact almost right away. 

“What?” You could see the hesitation but it was Wanda the one who answered.

“I am Scarlet, Y/N. That was my alias when I was part of the Avengers.” She clarified, you noticed just how closed she was to you, the twitched of her lips just as her hand cleaned up the crumbs of bread on your clothes and face. 

“Okay, well…look, I don't know what happened there, but my Wan…” You scoffed at the slip, stepping back and giving your back to Wanda you spoke again, “Wanda and Scarlet are certainly not the same. If anything…Scarlet is more…”

“Daring? Powerful? Mischievous? Straightforward?” Loki cocked his head, he smirked when you turned to him, narrowing your eyes. “That's Wanda alright, I will add an annoyance, and a pain in the ass.”

“Thank you.” Wanda glared at Loki who bowed his head, the relationship was almost as confusing as seeing Steve squirmed when talking to Loki.

“I wouldn't describe it like that…” you trailed off remembering the dreams, the touches and her words. 

You clenched your hands, this world was certainly driving you mad. 

“Is it possible this Scarlet is from a different Universe?” You asked looking at the circle on the floor, “perhaps a more deranged and obsessive version of Wanda from a different Universe?”

Loki stiffened at the question, he shifted from one foot to the other before stepping forward with a flickered of his hand a book appeared out of thin air. He grabbed the article, turning to Wanda before stepping forward into the circle.

“A cup of tea would be nice,” Loki sat down on the circle opening the book in front of him, the world soon darkened only to ignite a green flame. 

You stood your ground, stepping inside the circle making the magic around it flickered dangerously. Your eyes went black, leaning forward with your arms firmly placed at your sides.

“Answer the question.” You demanded to which Loki merely shrugged.

“Wherever there is a Wanda, there is always a Scarlet Witch, Y/N. They are one and the same.” Loki then twirled his fingers sitting Indian style while closing his eyes, the electric current of his magic pushed you away. “The fact that you are telling us there are two versions of Wanda only tells me what I should look for.”

“How can you know this? How can you be so sure that they are not two versions of different universes?”

“Because something like this has already happened before.” Loki waved his hand away frowning, “now, hush, I need to do this right or else I may take far longer than necessary and you need to go back to your timeline before something catastrophic happens.”

You observed the god with his hands position to the sides, flickering as the book finally revealed golden pages and he smirked. You were about to speak again but your body went completely rigid when a hand placed itself on your shoulder, you turned around only to see Wanda looking directly at you. Her touch was tender, and almost tentative, but it was enough for you to stop whatever you were about to do or ask. For a brief moment she waited, until you finally relaxed and stepped back.

“Come, this may take a while and I think we still have a conversation pending.”

You hesitated with your shadows flickering around you, whatever power or will to fight you had in you was soon eased out when Wanda sought out your eyes. You swallowed down your weakness before this woman, and without a single word you turned around and left the basement. The door close behind you with a flash of gold and green filling the basement before the closed door stopped any other intrusion from the magic.

You rested your back against the door, the young woman standing beside you bounced for a moment before she went into action and made her way to the kitchen. At first, you only follow her with your eyes, the confidence she was usually wearing faltered from time to time, and you could see the tension building up inside her while she grabbed the tea pot and got everything ready. Her back was turned towards you, but you were completely sure she was pretty aware of your presence and what you were doing.

After a while, and once it was pretty obvious Wanda had nothing else to do but wait for the water to boil you pushed from the door walking towards the kitchen and sitting down on a chair near the counter.

“When I first learnt about my powers, I started hearing this voice inside my head.” Wanda started talking out of nowhere, you sat down waiting for the story to continue.

“It was not a stranger's voice, it was mine though it held an influence and power that soon became part of me.” Wanda turned around, this time around she made sure it was impossible for you to look away. “While I was being experimented on, the voice kept on infusing me with confidence and power, I understood that the magic in me was talking but then…”

Wanda trailed off and her face broke into a painful mask of the past. The memories came rushing in, she lifted a hand to grab her arm hugging herself protectively. You swallowed down holding onto the counter, your heart twisted wanting to go over there and comfort Wanda. You clenched your jaw, looking away and hating the emotions running rampant inside of you.

“I was then given to my parents, my adoptive parents.” Wanda put a hand on her forehead, her voice breaking lightly. “She never told you?”

“She decided to cheat on me instead of trusting in me.” You replied through clenched teeth.

“It's so easy to judge others, isn't it?” Wanda shook her head leaning forward. “Have you ever asked her about the experiments? About the abuse? About the training?”

“Perhaps it was different from her that it was for you.”

Wanda leaned back, lifting her chin, “perhaps, but something tells me our worlds differ in the way we react to the past.”

“Does it make a difference?” You leaned forward, for the very first time spitting out anger while hitting the counter. “She broke my heart in the worst way and then…then came back with a set of troubles that only brought confusion and memories I didn't want!”

Wanda shook her head pointing a finger at you.

“If this is what you think then, you never knew her and you never understood her.” Wanda opened her mouth to say something else but she stopped, her eyes taking in the form of her wife and her heart yearning to have her back. To feel the sweet caress of her eyes on her. 

“She should have been more open, then. I was patient! I was always there for her! Even after Pietro died…”

“What?” Wanda paled at this, she opened her eyes trembling while she approached you, a piercing pain breaking through her chest.

You blinked confusedly shrugging, the anger still lingering in your features. 

“The day she became part of the team, that day Sokovia was destroyed. Pietro died saving Clint.” You hesitated to take notice of the pain crossing Wanda's eyes, “I'm sorry.”

Tears piled up in her eyes, her hand went to her chest. It was quite evident this news affected her greatly, even if her own brother was alive and her country was still pretty much a functional place with a stable government and amazing landscapes. You looked away, unable to face the tears or the sorrow coming from Wanda.

“And then, she lost you.” She whispered, leaning back, Wanda opened her mouth before closing it again. 

You shrugged, passing your hand through your hair, everything was messed up. Your emotions, the situation, the fact your heart ached to comfort Wanda, that you still wondered if perhaps being with her was possible. 

“I just…I want this to end. I don't know if this was…”

“You really don't understand,” this time around Wanda approached you with a tentative stare in her eyes. You stepped back the muscles of your face tense, with your chin lifted slightly.

“I think I understand enough after I saw her fucking Vision while she was still dating me.” You spat out, your eyes black while your powers flickered behind you.

Wanda had seen it.

The treason, the broken heart, the pride and the anger, but she had also seen the love, the nostalgia, the confusion as to what to do, how to proceed. She had seen enough to approach you, to place a hand on your shoulder. This Wanda had seen it all, and she had lived it before; the only difference was that she never hide herself from who she was and what she was experimenting with you. She had to face it because if she hadn't done so, she would have lost you and she was not ready to let you go.

It was getting harder to breathe, your thoughts came rushing inside your mind creating a spiralling of emotions that pierce through your very soul. Those green eyes were looking at you with understanding, there was a hint of sadness there but also hopefulness, and you just dropped your shoulders with your eyes glancing to the window.

“I can't look at you without remembering my pain,” you mumbled grabbing your chest, “I can't be here, and I can't be part of this fight if it means I have to be close to you. To her.”

“You still love her?” The question made you shiver, the darkness in your eyes increased and this time around the shadows wrapped around your body.

“It doesn't matter.”

“It does to me.” Wanda squeezed your shoulder tenderly, there was a hint of a smile but otherwise the woman was trying to be as open as she could be with you. “I can't believe she did what she did, it was something that crossed my mind but I never…”

“Yes, well, things are different in every universe, right?” You tried to move away but the hand tightened her hold and Wanda kept you closer. 

“When I broke things up, and I started dating Vision something happened.” Wanda started, her voice carried the weight of memories while her magic flickered around you and her. “It was confusing at first, denying you, denying me, trying to convince myself that I was living in sin and that I have to change to be the perfect daughter, to be the person I was raised to be.”

You listened carefully, it was the very first time you heard Wanda after what happened. And while this experience was completely different to the one you lived with your Wanda you could perceive the similarities. The relationship with Vision, you running away, the conflict in the world, the need for the Avengers to save the day, everything came crashing down and the fight was almost lost because Wanda had lost herself and her mind. She was becoming a different person, her powers getting out of control. Until she was faced with her powers and the presence inside her mind.

“It was strange, at first, but it was as if I had created a different version of myself, a powerful one that had no limits on the magic she could use, my magic,” Wanda then let out a bitter smile, “I almost killed my Y/N when she tried to reach out to me, that was what made me snapped.”

“I don't understand…” you crunched up your nose, creasing your brows while replaying the story inside your head, “what do you mean another person? Powerful? I mean, my Wanda created a whole new reality for her and…Vision.”

“Are you sure it was for him?” Wanda stepped back letting go of you, “there is something about this whole mess that has been bothering me ever since America stepped into our reality.”

“You mean, besides my consciousness being trapped in the body of your wife?” The sarcasm in your tone made Wanda roll her eyes, though this time around she did smile.

“The magic feels familiar, yet tainted. As if there was something else in there.” Wanda leaned back against the counter, “you mentioned a Scarlet and a Wanda, I was never two different people in here, I became the Scarlet Witch and owed my powers the same day I decided to fight for you and your forgiveness.”

You tensed turning away from the intense stare Wanda was shooting your way.

“I don't pretend to defend my counterpart, her sins are her own, and her demons had been chasing her far enough to leave her alone in your world,” her words crashed the barrier in your heart, and not for the first time you longed to see your Wanda and comfort her. You had seen the loneliness, the misery, and the weight of her mistakes wearing her down.

“But, have you considered perhaps Scarlet is her way to escape who she really is? That perhaps, everything comes down to this Agatha and the world Wanda created for herself?”

You couldn't answer the question that left a burning mark in your mind, the house started trembling and soon the air filled with magic. You and Wanda turned to the door where the sheer strength of the magic being used was making it tremble on its hinges. 

“What's happening?” You narrowed your eyes, your body getting ready for whatever would come out of the door. 

Wanda approached the door tentatively, her hand stretched out but before she could reach the doorknob there was a small explosion. Out of instinct, you grabbed her through the shadows putting her out of harm's way while the hall got completely destroyed. Your arms wrapped protectively around Wanda, your eyes wide open as they glanced at the woman that was kneeling beside you.

“Are you okay?” 

Wanda swallowed down, nodding, she looked away from you, turning her attention to the hall. There was no more magic, and everything was silent. The place looked trashed but otherwise the house was silent, with only remnants of humming power prickling at your skin. You couldn't help but set your eyes on Wanda, the woman holding onto you submitting to your protective embrace. 

“Loki.” There was real concern behind Wanda's voice, with some reluctance she stood up getting ready to go down the stairs when Loki finally appeared behind the threshold. 

“Loki! Are you alright?”

Wanda was on him in no time , her hand gleaming red scanned the body of the male frowning before slapping his arm. Loki scoffed, rubbing the spot she had hit, glaring at the woman.

“What was that for?”

“I told you not to trash the house!”

“Yes, well it wasn't my fault.” He stepped past Wanda, directing his eyes to you. “Tell me everything you know about Wanda and Scarlet, and what exactly do you know about this Agatha.”

You cocked your head, your nose crunching up with just a hint of hesitation in your eyes. The world might have changed in this part of the universe but Loki was still Loki; what could he do to help? What was more, why was Wanda looking at him as if he held the answers to this mess?

“We don't have time for this, but I'm not the Loki you know…” here Loki trailed off, his feet taking him to the teapot, every single moment measured and carefully designed for him to serve himself a cup of tea.

Wanda came behind you, you sensed her hesitation before she too stepped past you and joined Loki in the same activity. You couldn't believe the strangeness of this world, the obvious power these two individuals held, and the secrets behind their powers. You glanced at the mug in front of him, then at an admiring Loki.

“By mere chance, I ended up in a place where all the timelines are stories I can tamper without any effort.” He shrugged, taking a sip from his tea, “while witches and wizards everywhere need to dream walk or steal the powers to reach other realities, I can do so by stepping into the sacred timeline.”

“What is…?” You started and for the first time you saw real annoyance behind Loki's face.

“I could explain to you my part of the story, but I believe our main focus must be for you to go back to your world, and our Y/N to come back.” Loki shrugged, looking at Wanda sideways, “that's why I need you to tell me everything.”

There were many questions in your mind, but with a nod you opened your mouth telling them about your first encounter with Wanda, whatever you found out about Agatha and then the subsequent explosion that led you to this world.

___________________

Wanda was ready to hit someone.

She really was ready to give up and do something drastic. The red magic concentrated on her hand, her eyes gleaming dangerously until a soothing hand wrapped around her forearm, America was torn between being amused and slightly concerned. For what seemed weeks they had been trying to get their plan into motion but every time they got to it you were ensnared deeper into the hex Agatha had placed on you.

The days were changing slowly, instead of the temporal loop they had experimented on those first days, now it was possible to go from one day to another, different days, different scenarios. Agatha was growing stronger while Wanda and Scarlet weakened little by little.

“You told me we had to be patient.” America stated trying to block Wanda's eyes from the scene playing in front of her.

Wanda huffed looking away from you and Agatha.

“She is doing this on purpose, she keeps using Y/N by having her under a spell, and we…”

“We are working on a solution, and the solution is here.” America rolled her eyes, still not believing she was the adult at the moment.

America knew most of Wanda's reaction was jealousy, the other part was guiltiness. Whatever was happening in the basement whenever Agatha dragged Wanda down, America knew the young woman had to face things she was not ready to face. Wanda usually came from those sessions tired, drained and miserable, while it became difficult for her to handle her magic.

America pursed her lips glancing at you and Agatha, Agatha placing your hand on her abdomen while you looked at her adorably. The principal of the school and the woman America and Wanda had met the first time they arrived in Norway were smiling congratulating the happy couple.

“How did she get the…” Wanda couldn't even said it, she turned around and everyone seemed to be having a good time in the school grounds.

“Well, you told me that's what you did…”

“Her magic was not like mine, she really is draining all my powers and here I am…” Wanda turned around and walked away.

America followed her walking faster to keep up with the other woman.

“Wanda, it's going to be fine, this is what we have been waiting for, right? We got her distracted and then you tried to wake Y/N…” America then hesitated pursuing her lips, “you told me your counterpart would help, right? With the signal she would help…”

Wanda stopped her passing, she squinted her eyes before nodding curtly.

“She said she would help.” Wanda didn't want to share her concerns with America in regards to her counterpart.

When they had met, Wanda had been scared out of her mind. The woman standing before her held the full power of chaos magic while being a construct of an inexistent reality. She had spoken harshly to her, blaming her for your indifference and for you to seek out other arms to be happy. Wanda had seen her life in replay, the past and the mistakes, the pain and the wrong decisions, everything that had led her to be alone and forgotten, trapped in a hex out of her control.

“Wanda?” America asked tentatively, Wanda straightened up shaking her head before offering a shaky smile.

“Let's do this.”

America smiled nodding, Wanda sighed begging to whoever was listening to her that this worked, or else, she didn't know what would happen once Agatha had gotten what she came for.

“You know what to do, right?” Wanda asked a very enthusiastic America, the young woman nodded with a smirk forming on her lips.

“Yep, please, Wanda just go for her… I know things will be okay.”

Wanda watched as America left ready to join the rest of the teenagers she had known back at school, soon she pretended to be just like everyone else trapped into the loop while Wanda sneaked around ready to reach out to you. With a single tap into her magic, she signalled Scarlet and soon she felt the surge of power going through her body as an answer. 

There was a loud bang, everyone exclaimed in surprise and soon people were laughing and clapping. While Wanda saw the subtle flickered in the reality, the purple changed into a light red. It was time. Without wasting more time, Wanda sprinted towards you spotting you right away while you laughed at some of the kids putting you away ready to show you some of their works and Agatha was distracted by the mother's asking about her pregnancy. The scene was so absurdly familiar, and stereotypical Agatha never noticed Wanda coming closer, or you walking into the school building.

The place was completely quiet, there was not much light but whatever light sneaked inside the building was enough for Wanda to locate you in the far corner of the building. Her heart skipped a beat, she glanced around knowing at any moment the reality could break and Agatha could get everything under her control.

“Y/N?” She called tentatively, you turned around with a scrunched-up nose and brows knitted together.

Your eyes met hers, and Wanda felt her breath taken away. You looked just the same, the way she remembered, with the same serious facade and the eyes filled with kindness and wonderment. She wished she could reach out to you, that she could gain your forgiveness…

The distance between the both of you shortened, but before Wanda could say anything you did something that left her and Scarlet defenceless.

You kissed her.

Wanda gave in right away, her eyes opened wide only to close slowly while she submitted herself to the kiss. Your lips on her sent an electric jolt through her body until her heart was twisting inside her chest and a hoard of butterflies exploded inside her lower abdomen. She forgot her own name, and everything stopped when your arms pulled her close and your warmth engulfed her with your teasing lips eliciting sweet whimpers of need.

For a brief moment Wanda forgot all about her past, she forgot the problem they were in and even why she had been looking for you. Wanda gave in, and kissed you back with the same tenderness, with the same need, with the same love.

“My Love, I missed you so much.” You said smiling tenderly at her, Wanda whimpered when you went back to her, your lips pressing tentatively before you pressed your forehead against hers.

“By the gods, Wanda, what's going on? Where is everyone? Billy and Tommy? Are they Okay?” You broke the kiss cupping her face in your hands, your questions soon went through her foggy mind, and Wanda felt as if a bucket of cold water fell on her.

“What?”

“Is it Pietro with them?”

Wanda felt her world crumbling around her, and you just went to kiss her again when a ball of purple mist came in between the both of you exploding and sending you flying away from Wanda.

You groaned, hitting the wall, hitting the ground with a heavy thud.

“Honey, I can't take my eyes off of you or you go back to Wanda's arms, tsk even after she fucked Vision you’re like a lost dog after her “

You pressed your hands on the ground lifting your face, your brows knitted together while Agatha held onto America and Wanda. You eyed the woman in front of you, she wore a dark dress floating just above the ground with America trying to grasp for air. Agatha smirked at you, her free hand twitching slightly until Wanda fell on the ground with a purple rope tightly wrapped around her neck.

“Wanda!” You stood up stretching your hands and your eyes darkening completely, you hardened your features stopping only when you heard the groan of pain from America and Wanda.

“Nu-uh, dear, I can be quite jealous and if you even care about these two you will lower your guns and…”

You were not even thinking about the threat, you had found an opening in the hex and in the powers used by the woman in front of you. Your fingers wiggled, and the shadows went into attack mode but you weren’t the only one joining the fight without giving it a second thought. Scarlet and Wanda had been planning it all along, they knew they needed one another to bring Agatha down, the same way the did that first time but they were not counting on you.

Or, the golden and greenish spark of magic that broke into their space, the explosion that followed blinded everyone, and soon they were there no more.

_____________________

The charts and the monitors were going into overdrive, Tony was trying to fix some of the readings with Monica and Friday helping him out while Carol was standing outside the dome getting ready for action.

Yelena and Natasha stayed behind, they had been watching the fill show for more than a couple of hours watching the time passed differently entering into days and nights as if time didn’t really matter.

Yelena was chewing on her lower lip, hitting the table as soon as she saw you running towards Wanda crashing your lips against hers.

“I told you! Didn’t I?” Yelena turned to Natasha pointing an accusing finger at her.

Natasha rolled her eyes trying to go back into the scene, getting other angles only to see Agatha freezing the scene around her and grabbing America harshly by the neck. She saw the way she roughed America up, putting her to her before making her way to the school. Her eyes went from one screen to the other, this time around she noticed Scarlet breaking the chains around her arms, legs and neck, almost crawling outside the house faltering before gathering some energy.

“Yes, Yelena, you told me, you are amazing at this but…” Natasha pointed to the screens, Tony and Monica coming over shaking their heads.

“Whatever the hell is going on is…” Tony trailed off turning around to see a huge explosion affecting the dome.

The earth trembled, and soon everyone right outside was running around screaming orders in different languages.

“Guys, you need to see this!!” Carol was standing right outside the trailer, her face was completely paled, with a hint of worry in her eyes.

Natasha was about to exit but stopped when Yelena grabbed her hand, she turned to her sister to see the concern in her eyes.

“That’s not her.” Yelena was completely serious, with just a hint of fear in her tone.

“I know.”

“Who was that?”

“I don’t know, Yelena, but…”

“Hey, you two, you better come out because we just got a huge problem right now.”

Yelena scoffed turning to Tony, “what could possible be more important than the fact that was not Y/N?!”

Tony tilted his head shrugging, “perhaps the fact they just disappeared.”

“What?!”

Natasha and Yelena soon joined the rest of the team outside the trailer, the cold winter breeze of the north hit them straight in the face. The town was left almost untouched, with people on the ground being attended by the medical team; the dome had disappeared but besides some buildings being scratched and the people around being confused and left on the spots, there was nothing else indicating something strange had happened.

Natasha stepped forward watching the streets, and the sky, her heart almost leaving her chest when she turned around to see everyone looking at her. Yelena came forward as well, she crossed the street glancing around until she realized she was right in front of the street Agatha had used to name the street you were living in.

“What…what happened? Where are they?” Yelena finally asked turning to Natasha who merely shrugged just as baffled as her sister.

Instead of watching the same destruction Wanda had provoked a few months ago, what they found was a city that had been frozen in time. With all the inhabitants trying to remember what had happened, why they seemed to be a little disoriented; meanwhile, Yelena and the others had to wonder where you and the others had gone to.

“Where are they? Where is Y/N?!” Carol asked turning to Natasha and Tony. “You told me this would be fine! That you guy would find an answer before anything happened! Well, guess what, something happened!”

But there were no answers, and while everyone was fighting over what they should have done, or discussing what they should do, Yelena grunted exasperated running back into the trailer ready to get her eyes square while watching the screens. Something must be hiding in the broadcast, something she probably missed, something that would bring you safe and sound back into their reality.

At least, that’s what Yelena hoped for.

______________________________________________________________

Next Chapter: Loki miscalculates and creates a vacoon in the multiverse, Wanda has to face her counterpart and two different versions of Reader, America is ready to save the day and it was Agatha all along.

[cosyvelvetorchid]

Prompt: Buck and Tommy asking Maddie to be their surrogate.

I LOVED writing this one so much. I may actually add it to Ao3 as a oneshot.

I genuinely made myself cry at the end!

I hope you enjoy it! ❤️

It's funny how life works. You think you have a handle on things; that you know where things are headed, and then God, or the universe or something throws you a curveball. A big, giant, cruise ship shaped curveball, with enough power to turn your life completely upside down and give you exactly what you needed despite you having no idea you needed it.

Buck thought he would spend his whole life on the hamster wheel. The endless song and dance of dating, thinking he'd found someone he could be happy with, then they leave. And he loses enough couch.

Tommy had spent a lifetime hiding. Years of repressing who he was to protect himself. And when he finally came into his own and accepted who he was, it was too late. He'd resigned himself to the fact that he would be alone.

And then the captain of the 118 needs help and 2 people who - somehow despite having the job, the city they live in and people they know in common - had never actually met, flew into a hurricane together and everything changed.

Six months later they're sharing keys to eachothers homes.

One year and Buck is moving into Tommy's house.

And, 18 months in, when Tommy finally comes home from a month in the hospital - including 6 days in a coma where Buck thought he might actually lose the love of his life - after a helicopter crash, Buck barely makes it 5 minutes before proposing.

Two years and they're standing on Tommy's deck exchanging rings in front of everyone they love. They saw no point in waiting - they knew they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together.

Three years in and they want to take the next big step. This one, however, was the biggest. The most terrifying: a family.

They'd spoken to a couple of surrogacy agencies but something was missing. Somehow they made it all seem so clinical. A business transaction. On top of that, in their research they had come across some horror stories of surrogate parents wanting to keep the baby despite it not being genetically theirs.

They talked and talked and talked about what options they had. And then Buck had remember something Connor had said about the reason they chose him as a sperm doner - they wanted someone they knew.

The answer was quite simple really. It was asking the question that was going to be difficult.

Three years and four months in they're sat in Maddie and Chimneys living room, nerves vibrating through they're entire bodies waiting for Maddie to say something.

"What?"

"We want to know if you would consider being a surrogate for us." Buck repeated.

"I.. Buck... I.. that's..." Maddie couldn't quite process what was being asked.

"Look, you know that we've been talking to agencies and trying to find the right one and sure they seem all above board and I'm sure that we could eventually find someone to help us build our family. But then it hit me - there's nobody on earth I.. we would trust to grow and nurture our baby more than you. Maddie you're a wonderful mother and I know that if you did agree to this that he or she would be loved and cared for and protected so much while their growing." He stopped to take a big breath. "But, we know its a huge ask, and you have as much time as you need to think about-"

"Yes." Maddie interrupted.

"What?"

"What?"

"What?"

Buck, Tommy and Chimney all sat forward to look at her.

"Evan, you are the most amazing little brother anybody could ever have. And you've been through so much in your life; so much pain and trauma and, all I ever wanted for you was to be happy. And then I found out you and my stupid husband were going to fly into a hurricane and I was so scared - and mad-" She added scowling at Chimney "-but you came back and not alone." She looked at Tommy fondly. "You found someone who makes you truly happy, and I have never been more proud or happy for you." She wiped a tear from her eye.

"So, if I can do this one thing for you, to make you even happier, then of course I will do it."

Buck wiped his own tears away that had started falling somewhere around the helicopter part.

"Really?" Buck said, not quite believing it. His chin was shaking and more tears threatened.

"Are you sure?" Tommy added. Maddie leant forward reaching out for each of their hands.

"I love you both. I'm sure."

Buck practically through himself at her, enveloping her into a hug.

"Thank you Maddie. For everything. My whole life."

"Hey I wanna get in on this." Tommy interrupted, gently peeling Buck from his sister so he could hug her.

"I don't know what else to say other than thank you. So so much."

Four years and 2 months in and they get the phone call. The bag has been packed by the door for weeks, the nursery decorated for a month and 2 men, wildly in love with other, who couldn't imagine life without the others existence, were on the way to meet they're baby.

***

They chose not to tell anybody that Maddie was in labour. They knew they would get nothing but an outpouring of love, but they wanted to spend a little while - even if it was only a few hours, thanks to Howard i cant keep a damn secret Han - after the baby was born to enjoy the moment as a family. However, there was one person Buck did call.

Bobby arrived at the hospital and sat in the labor and delivery waiting area. After a few minutes, Buck turns a corner; a tiny bundle in his arms wrapped in a pale yellow blanket. Bobby immediately walked over with a smile.

"Hey cap. I wanted to introduce you to someone.. meet our daughter - Brook Maddie Kinard."

Bobby stared at Buck for a moment, not quite fully comprehending what he had heard.

"Brook that.. that was my daughters name.."

"I know." Buck smiled softly. "We wanted to name her after you, and Bobby is a gender neutral name, but having two of you might get confusing, so we chose Brook instead. Is.. is that okay?"

Bobby's eyes filled with tears as he swallowed back the emotion.

"Yeah, kid. Yeah it's okay."

[emperor-of-blood]

Next up is Laios!

The leader of our somewhat intrepid heroes! Laois is best known for his love of monsters. It'd be a lie by omission to leave out his autism. It's quite apparent not just in his monster obsession, but in his social life and peculiarities with different sensations. But it's most obvious in his special interest; which makes sense as that just so happens to be at the forefront of the story. It's why the story is even able to happen. What would've happened if Laios didn't know all he did about monsters? Or frankly, if he just wasn't eager to try eating them?

More secondary information about Laios, funny as this is to say, is that he's one of the front liners for the party. He's courageous and tough. He's versatile and quick-witted. He's resourceful-

And he's kind.

So, with that out of the way:

Laios is....

A Knight Of Light!

One who exploits [Light]/protects with [Light]

Listen. It's not my fault that all of these knights keep getting a knight class!

Perhaps the first thing I want to talk about here and to remind everyone about, is that Knights exist in sessions void of their aspect. Tbh sometimes I think I should probably try to work that into my little descriptor above at some point; and then I remember it sort of is already. That's the in the "exploit" part. The Knight gets a lot out of a little. How this exists in Dungeon Meshi, is that nobody is really taking advantage of the dungeon as it exists. Laios sees it for what it is, and because of that, our heroes are able to progress through the dungeon despite not having a penny to their name. Part of it fr me too is that when Laios loses his sword he picks up another one that a lot of people would refuse, or at least kill the monster inside it first. And Laios's insistence not to proves a boon! Also, probably the fault of Dave, but whenever I think about how a Knight should work I always look right to their weapon. How do they get the most they can out of this by exploiting their aspect? Kensuke is a great answer to me.

Would Senshi have even joined their party if not for Laios? ... Probably not? But more likely is that no one else would've let him join their party. Which I guess we do know to be true as he'd been living in the dungeon alone for years. Senshi really was a diamond in the rough and I don't think I can understate that. He's just weird. That's really the only " bad " thing about him; and Our Boy Laios here of course sees that as a positive! Laios learning healing magic lets Marcille shine. Despite a lot of people in the story really not liking Chilchuk, Laios wants him in the party and lets him work as he sees fit. I can't think of a boss I've had that would've been fine in the same scenario. And you know what? It lets Chilchuk thrive! He turns out to not just be great at what he can do but also puts his best foot forward even when he doesn't want to do things. He's always emphasizing his role as a noncombatant, which Laios takes in stride, but when push comes to shove he's throwing a dagger into the eye of a Red Dragon. He could've ran!

Now you might be thinking: "Gee, this sounds an awful lot like a Blood player or maybe a Hope player."

And- well, you're not wrong exactly. There's an argument to be made for each of those. But I want to ask you: "What is Dungeon Meshi really about?" To me, it's about the deconstruction of the dungeon. What actually is a dungeon? Is it really just a setting that only exists when our heroes are inside? How does it function? What happens to all of the monsters after the adventurers leave? Where does the treasure come from? Why are the monsters the way that they are? What happens to the traps after they've been sprung?

These sorts of questions have been largely ignored or hand-waved by storytellers and dungeon masters for years and years. And that's ok. But it doesn't mean you have to do that. As we can see, there are so many wonderful answers to be found here!

And really, who better to explore all of this than Laois?

[ofbluesandyellows]

Black Cat's Curse - TASM! Fem! Reader

Summary: Peter Parker has been cursed, crossing paths with the oh so feared black cat isn't exactly in his itinerary, and no, we are not talking about or favorite lady, Felicia. On Halloween night his bad luck has prodded him to the solution he didn't know he was looking for.

Word count: 6,537

Warnings: cursing, witchcraft (lol idk)

a/n: Hi! I'm back with a lil Halloween story for you, this one fully came to me last week. It isn't anything crazy but I do hope you enjoy it. Happy Halloween y'all. I adopted a black cat recently so maybe that's where the inspo came from. Bye :)

“What do you mean you can’t do anything?” Spider-Man was about to drop to his knees, to beg. And he never begged for anything in his life, other than bringing Ben back to life.

“Ow Spider.” Her finger with a long perfectly manicured nail traced his spandex covered clavicle. “Yes, they call me Black Cat but it doesn’t mean I know how to undo your bad luck. That’s on you and the poor black kitty you crossed paths with.”

“But whenever I get unlucky it’s always because of you, how come this is different?”

“Hey, don’t come to me with that bullshit, that’s just how things are, you should’ve known better. You’re on your own Spider.”

Peter closed his eyes, not that Cat could see him but he needed a second not to throw a punch at her, he knew she’d dodged with ease but he didn’t want to risk it. Exhaling he was about to humiliate himself once more, turning around Cat was long gone.

“Mother fuck-“ a splash of what he knew was bird poo painted the red spandex of his forearm with sickly yellowy-white. “Seriously?” Arms up in the air, no one to reply back.

Peter Parker wasn’t a big fan of Halloween growing up, he always went for the uncool type of costumes, he clearly remembered asking aunt May to buy him a white wig so he could dress up as Albert Einstein when he was about eleven. Uncle Ben ended up buying him white color spray and a fake mustache so they could DIY the look. Knitted burgundy vest, faux wrinkles on his face and the already perfect bushy brows made Peter the happiest kid in the block.

He was beyond ecstatic with the way his costume turned out, adults praised him and aunt May for the effort when he went trick or treating but the real menace were kids’ nasty words and funny remarks about him. After that he either went with a boring costume, he preferred to fit in, or at least try rather than be laughed at. 

It was obvious that the teasing continued up until college, but college was bearable compared to what he had gone through since he became Spider-Man.

Peter hadn’t been in need of a costume for years now, that was the main reason why he liked Halloween now, he could walk around as a civilian in his actual suit, no one batted an eye in his direction during this day.

Flash Halloween party was crazy loud, Peter didn’t know these many people were friends with Flash.

“Hey Spider-Man!” His heart skipped a beat, but Flash was smiling at him. “Peter, you made it!” 

Peter took the mask off, he thought this would be funny, wearing his actual suit was comfortable but now he was regretting it, he had several mini heart attacks whenever called him by his alias. He felt sweat dripping from his back. Yeah he would need to wash the suit.

“Of course man! I promised, right?” he laughed trying to disguise the panic.

Flash was wearing a Beetle juice costume, a pretty epic one if Peter could have an opinion on it. 

“I see you went all in with the costume huh?” He snatched the mask off Peter’s hand. “Nah this isn’t as good as the original.” Flash laughed.

With cherry colored cheeks Peter chuckled. “Yeah, I bought it at Walmart. Everyone seems to love the guy so I just thought why not?” 

“I’ve seen worse Parker, like the guy dressed as Alex Turner? Pfff lazy.”

“Really? I haven’t seen him. Don’t tell me it’s Harry the one dressed like that.” Peter said amused.

“Almost, but no. Harry hasn’t shown up yet, bet he found some expensive costume made suit and will pull off a ‘I’m Leonardo DiCaprio in Wolf of Wall Street.””

Both boys rolled their eyes. “Wouldn’t be surprised.” 

Suddenly Peter felt cold dripping from his back. 

“Hey dickhead, watch where you are going.” Flash was the first to talk, pushing a drunk David Bowie out the way.

Peter was in shock, how come he didn’t notice, why were his senses not alerting him of the guy at his back.

The smell of sweet fruity punch and vodka lingered on his nose. 

“Shit Pete, do you want to change?” 

Peter shook his head, lipped smile on. “No, don’t worry I’m good. Just going to grab a beer.”

“Ok, if you need something just look for me, okay?” 

“Sure, thanks Flash. Cool party by the way.”

Flash grinned. “Thanks Parker! See ya around.”

The lights were kaleidoscopic, New Wave music playing, it was a lot and now his suit was wet and cold and there were pretty girls around, and he couldn’t concentrate in one thing. 

Fuck me.

Tuning around as he dodged a group of girls dressed as fairies he clocked eyes with a witch. She was sitting on the couch with other people, Peter wasn’t sure if she was with them or not but the staring sent shivers down his spine. 

She gave him a lipped smile, one he tried to emulate, not succeeding because she dropped her expression. The next thing he knew it was that she disappeared. 

He shook his body to try and get rid of the odd feeling. Finding a beer was easy, what wasn’t easy was held in the need to puke when the warm and obviously outdated beer’s taste hit his tongue. 

Peter sighed, he was tired of this, it hadn’t even been a week with this black cat curse and he was already done, no fight with Electro nor Vulture had done him this wrong. Sloped shoulders and a bitter taste he was ready to go home. 

Exiting the loud house in Brooklyn, Peter’s eyes found the sparkly ones of a witch. 

A new wave of shivers appeared as Season of the Witch played at his back. Spooky as shit.

“Okay, this is worrying me.” He mumbled.

The girl approached him in two long steps. 

“Hello,” you smiled, showing him your pearly white teeth. 

“Um hi?” 

“Sorry to bother you, I saw you in there and if you don’t mind me saying this… you look like shit.” The apple of your cheeks tinted pink. 

Peter scoffed. “Yeah? Well, I didn’t need to hear it because I do indeed feel like shit, so if you excuse me,”

He took a step to the right to make his escape, but you took the exact same side as he did.

Peter scowled.

“I—I don’t want to sound crazy but you do have like a bad aura around you, you know? Like a dark cloud following you, and… okay yeah I’m going to say this with the risk of sounding like an insane person but I promise you I am not—“

Taking a cautious step closer, you were too close for Peter’s liking. On your tiptoes you angled yourself to reach his ear.

“You are cursed.” 

Peter felt his body freeze, his eyes went wide just as goosebumps formed on his skin.

“You… how did you know?” Peter stumbled back a little. 

“As I said, I can see it.” You took a jump back. Your face went back to a soft smirk. “Need help with it?”

Peter looked around, the streets were busy still, it wasn’t even midnight yet.

“You know how to revert it?” 

“Sure thing. It’s a simple spell.” 

“Can you do it now, like chant it or whatever.” 

You scoffed. “Hell no! It’s a bit more complicated than that,” balancing on the balls of your heels you stared at him. Peter was mulling with the possibilities. You were weird as fuck. But he didn’t feel the Peter tingle as it was. He only felt wary. 

You had this cute smile and very bright eyes. If Black Cat couldn’t do anything to help him, why not take his chances and accept the help of an actual witch.

“Are you like a real witch?” He squinted. 

“Yeah.” 

“Fine. What do we need to do?” 

You grinned, joyous. 

“Follow me Peter Parker.” 

Shrugging, you said: “Flash told me.”

“You know Flash?” Well, that was news to him. He never expected him of all people to be close with a witch.

You seemed offended. “Um yes? We take bioengineering together.” 

Peter almost choked on his own saliva. “You go to Empire?”

“Yes, I’ve seen you around, you’re friends with that rich kid that always looks at the rest of us as if we were dirt under his shoe.” 

You couldn’t help but laugh when Peter scrunched his nose. “That sounds like Harry.” 

“Osborn is not always nice to everyone.” 

Peter knew that but Harry wasn’t a bad person he just hadn’t been given the attention he deserved.

“So bioengineering, huh? You’re pretty smart I assume.”

“It helps with the witchcraft thing, believe it or not.” 

Peter could see why. He grabbed his mask a little tighter.

“Oh.” 

Peter heard you say, a second later a car passed by full gas, the puddle of dirty water splashed wetting his legs. 

“You could’ve warned me, you know?” shaking his legs only made the water go down into his converses, wetting his socks. He needed to come up with a water repellent suit.

“Right, sorry. Never seen such a curse before. The grayish hue around you goes purple whenever something is about to happen. It’s kinda awesome.” You grinned.

Why was this woman always so cheery? Peter sighed and continued walking.

“Do you have a name or should I just call you Witch?” 

You chuckled. “I do have a name but Witch is way more fun. And it’s Halloween, it fits.” 

Peter grimaced. What a time to be cursed.

Both hopped on a bus after walking three blocks.

“Are you hungry Peter Parker?” 

His stomach felt like growling. “I could eat.”

“Nice, I’ll order some pizza. It should be there when we arrive.” 

Peter saw you texting. He noticed for once your whole attire. Pointy hat with purple ribbons and tulle decorating it. You had glitter smeared on your cheeks and eyelids. The dress was black tulle as well with a sparkling touch, he wasn’t sure what it was. The tights had black and purple stripes with a nice pair of black Dr Martens. It was like a modern version of the classic Witch costume he’d seen in movies. 

It suited you, what it didn’t match was your always happy features. Peter wondered if you were in fact a witch or just pretended to be one for the sake of the holiday.

“Do you like mushrooms?” You found him staring. Your cheeks went a tone deeper in red.

Peter panicked and looked out the window, far away from you. “They’re fine.”

“Good, I ordered half pepperoni and half mushrooms.” 

Humming, you, witchy girl unlocked, your phone and started to play…

“Sudoku? Really Witch?” Peter grinned, this was so odd to him.

“I like it, it keeps me on my toes.” you giggled.

Unintendedly, Peter kept an eye on the game, finger pointing to one square and mumbled “there has to be a nine.”

The grid sheet sparkled after you pressed the 9 in. “Nice one, Peter Parker.” 

“Just call me Peter.” 

Your eyes locked on his. “But Peter Parker sounds more interesting.” You nudged him, making him laugh. 

“You’re so weird.”

“Thanks.”

•••

Peter sat in the living room. The apartment was simple, it didn’t even feel witchy at all. It smelled fresh and there was some kind of lavender sent around.

“What? Disappointed?” You laughed at his face.

“A little, yes.”

“It’s 2023 Peter Parker. I don’t have cauldrons and a crystal ball.” Your witch hat rested comically on the kitchen counter.

“So what kind of witch are you, then?” Peter spoke with a mouthful, the pizza was incredibly tasty.

“I’m not one kind, I just do what I want to do.” 

Peter nodded. 

“Careful with the—“ 

Peter’s slice of pizza fell on his converses. He thought he’d been clever by not using his spandex lined boots.

“Shit.”

“I tried to tell you.”

He peeled the slice from his black chucks. “Can I get another slice?” 

You pushed the box his way. 

“How did you get cursed?” You asked, nibbling on your lip, the pizza resting on a plate on your lap, untouched.

“Crossed the path of a black cat.” He grunted. “Sounds stupid but it’s what happened.”

“Been there. I’ll fix it, it shouldn’t be hard” 

Peter straightened. “How long is it going to take?” 

You stared at him. Peter could almost see the nuts turning in your brain.

“A few hours, I suppose.” 

“Is it going to hurt?”

“Maybe?”

Peter had multidimensional war flashbacks from Doctor Strange, and the other Peters. Yeah he wasn’t in. “Well, now that I’ve had time to think about it I remember why I don’t do witchcraft. You need to find another way. I’ve had my fair share of that and it was quite the hustle so no Miss Witch I think I’m good.” He gave you a lipped smile.

“Okay… um why don’t you tell me about it, I assure you this is completely different and safe.”

“I’m not legally allowed to talk about it, so…” He shrugged. “Also you said it can hurt. I’m not down for that."

“Ugh fine, Peter Parker, but if you go, the curse won’t go away, you’ll have to live with it.”

Peter looked down, considering all that had happened maybe you were right, it’s not like he hadn’t suffered enough to handle a little magic.

“Fine.”

You got up in a jump, disappearing inside a room. Peter heard rattling and the closing of drawers. He wasn’t sure what to expect so he tried to not think about it. 

After another two slices of what he considered a perfect pizza, Peter put the plate down on the coffee table. The table cracked in two as if some almighty froze had cut it in two with a really sharp invisible blade.

“How the fuck?” He squealed, holding both sides of his face with his hands. This was nonsense. He didn’t even put force. 

“What happened?” You appeared behind him. “Oh… well I needed a new coffee table anyway.” 

You went away humming again. 

“Insane… she is insane.” Mumbling Peter crossed his arms, trying to not touch or breathe too hard, anything could create a domino effect and make the building collapse or something worse. He could die if he forgot how to breathe!

He guessed that wasn’t possible but he was not going to risk it.

The skin on his back felt sticky but he didn’t dare to move. After a moment you cleared your throat to announce yourself.

“So Peter Parker, I’m going to ask you a few questions…. It's protocol only.” 

Sitting down at his feet, you flipped a few pages, grabbed a pink sparkly gel pen and wrote down in pretty cursive calligraphy. 

Peter Parker. 

Cursed by crossing paths with a black cat :(

“You do this often or-“ he asked.

“Nah, but it’s nice to document these things, who knows when I will need the information.” You beamed, clearly excited by the whole situation.

“Sure,”

“So, have you been cursed before?” blinking, you waited for a response.

Peter wasn’t sure if his Spider-Man issues were a curse, sometimes it felt like that to be honest.

“Not that I’ve been aware of.” He leaned back on the couch. 

“Have you killed people in the past?”

His face contorted, now that was a hard question.

“It’s… um not voluntarily… I mean no, of course no” he let out a pretty fake laugh. “But I saw my uncle die and my… my girlfriend too.” 

Your face dropped. “Sorry about that.”

He half shrugged, looking the other way, he was not going to cry in front of a witch, this was humiliation enough.

“Er, next question. Do you have allergies?” 

“No.”

“Experienced dizziness, or a rush of adrenaline in the past forty-eight hours?” 

Peter squinted, these were very specific questions. “ Yeah, but what does that have to do with the curse?”

You shrugged. “See if there are side effects.” 

“The adrenaline thing isn’t for the curse… I have a stressful job.”

“That responds the next question… so how long has it been since you got cursed?” your head rested on your palm, you reminded him of that one therapist aunt May forced him to go see a few years ago.

“Three days, maybe four.” 

“Hmmm, interesting.” 

“Why?”

“Hmm? Oh well, cats don’t just go out crossing people’s paths like that. Most times they have a reason. Have you wronged a cat in your life?” your knee going up and down nonstop, Peter noticed the nervous thick. He had several.

Felicia could count as a cat but she had wronged him more than he had her.

“No.” He scoffed. 

“Ok, didn’t want to offend you.”

Peter let out a breathy laugh, this was the craziest shit that he had experienced and he had gone through a lot of fucked up shit in his life.

“Please come with me.” 

You stood up with a graceful jump. Dress puffing with air. Peter stared at your hand extended to him. The moment he took it there was this tingly feeling that crossed his whole body. 

You grinned. He glared.

The room you got in was pitch black, a breeze came from somewhere, it smelled like incense. With the snap of your fingers a yellow hue covered the room which was not more than 80 square feet, seemed to be a closet.

Three candles were floating, Harry Potter style. His hand went over the flame no wire attached to them.

“Am I hallucinating already?” He said. Hand now going under the candle he was in awe.

“Nope, we haven’t started yet.” You chuckled. “And those are totally real. It’s a very easy spell.” You said proudly.

“Cool,”

“Sit on the floor.” You demanded, Peter obeyed.

With a bright pink dust, you painted a circle and a bunch of indecipherable symbols that Peter preferred not to know what they meant. Instead he focused on you; your smooth hands tracing patterns as if it was second nature. Your lips were tuned slightly upwards, it was obvious how this made you feel. Peter felt his own lips curving. 

Hmm… he frowned, that was not right. But his mind was taking over, your long lashes with specs of glitter resting on them. Hair, shiny and soft looking. Peter kind of wanted to brush it to the side with his fingers. Shaking his head he couldn’t be thinking such things, he didn’t even know your name. And you were a witch!

And you are a fucking Spider-Man, chill the fuck out Parker.

Great! He was going insane now.

Snapping your fingers, music started to sound. 

“Is that Fiona Apple?” Peter asked, throwing her a quick glance,

“Yes! She gives off the right vibe for this.” Your sly smirk made Peter’s stomach flip.

Oh no.

Squaring down, to be on eye level with him, he caught the very faint scent of cherry. 

“I’m going to give you tea, It’s going to make you a little dizzy and jittery.” Extending your palm, you showed him two little rocks. 

“What’s that for?” Peter took them either way. 

Your index finger pointed to a clear looking crystal. “That’s clear quartz, it clears the mind, attracts positivity and repels negativity. The orange one it’s citrine for positive mood, clarity and focus.” 

His chocolate eyes never left yours, for the first time the whole night your smile quivered. You needed to gain some distance. You stood up quickly.

“Whatever happens, don’t let them go. And you have to have them around until the next new moon. Understood?”

Peter sighed, whatever helps him get over this. “Got it.”

You opened a book with a crimson hard cover. A sage green cup rested on the wooden table in front of you. Your back facing Peter, he let the little crystals roll on his palm as he heard Fiona Apple’s voice mixing with the cooing spell you were casting. Words he had never heard got whispered inside the cup, the energy in the room changed in a second, the yellow hue became brighter. 

Peter’s body shivered when you went back kneeling before him.

“Drink this, you have to close your eyes and don’t open them until I say so, okay Peter Parker?”

Peter nodded, gulping as he took the cup. It was warm to the touch. The liquid inside looked like any other tea aunt May had made him before, a little cloudy but it had a nice smell.

“I added a little honey and it’s spearmint flavored.” You chirped. 

“How many times have you said you have done this?” Peter was really curious, it came pretty natural to you. 

“Oh this is the first time, but I’m sure it’ll go almost perfect.” 

“Jesus, that’s just what one would like to hear in these situations.”

“Come on Peter Parker, this is fun!” 

“Cheers, I guess.” 

Peter drank the whole thing in one go and the taste was surprisingly good.

He sat there waiting for something to feel different but nothing changed. 

“How you feeling?” You asked, looking him in the eye.

“Should I be feeling weird?” he replied, trying to pay attention to his body. Everything was the same. He opened his eyes.

“Shit, you are supposed to be experiencing something by now. And you drank the whole thing,” you stomped your foot on the floor. “I did everything the book said.” 

Quickly, you went back to the book to check the spell as if it was a recipe. 

“Sorry to disappoint.” Peter sighed. “Hey um, this is going to sound weird, but, would you like to… I don’t know, like go for coffee one of these days?” your eyes went wide, big as saucers hearing him ask. “Or not… I mean I was just suggesting.”

“Don’t move Peter Parker.” You squinted, Peter felt something on his arm. 

“You opened your eyes!” She squealed. 

A spider, the same spider that bit him years ago was walking up his arm, then there was another and another, all of them crawling upwards.

“Holy fucking shit.” Horror stained his voice. But Peter couldn’t move. He didn’t know if he was able to feel his body.

“You are Spider-Man for fucks sake keep it together” you cried. “Told you to keep them closed."

In a swift move you grabbed a few vials filled with dust in different colors. Peter was wide eyed, gawking, unmoving about to have a heart attack.

“I can’t move, help!” his voice high pitched. 

“Shut up Peter Parker, I’m trying to think!” 

A marble mortar plopped on the table, a mix of colors and sparks flashed across your face. 

“Sorry for what’s next but you can’t move and I’m not in position to kill our city’s hero.”

Grabbing the dust on the mortar, you put the bright blue dust on your lips as you fell on your knees in front of Peter. Careful not to ruin the pentagram.

Leaning forward you said,

“The spider you see is just in your mind, you are hallucinating for real this time, that’s why i told you to not open your eyes. Wish things were different but this is it, Peter Parker.”

“What?” 

“Good luck.”

You clashed your lips with his. In a second Peter felt his whole body tingle, like he was having a serious case of pins and needles. Involuntarily his palm went up to rest on your cheek. Warm and soft. Cherry scent, and blueberry taste. His eyes fluttered shut as he kissed you, the crazy girl he met a few hours ago at the halloween party.

A sharp turn. Just like when you twirl in one spot until you feel the whole room shake and you are in that state of happy dizziness. Peter felt like that and he kind of enjoyed it. 

When the motion stopped fully he opened his eyes. Blinking he reincorporated, he didn’t know he had been lying down this whole time. 

Spider-Man’s spandex suit still plastered on his torso just that the room was not the tiny room he had been in. 

“Peter?” 

“Aunt May?” 

“Breakfast is ready!” 

Peter rested on his elbows, he was in his room in Queens. He was in Brooklyn just a second ago. And, why was he even here? His apartment was in Manhattan. 

Shaking his head he peeled the tight suit off, his body complained, a common thing by now. Taking a quick shower he saw the water run down the drain, little hints of bright blue in them. He shook his head, migraine settling behind his eyes.

“I had no idea you were staying the weekend Peter, you always let me know.” May dried her hands in the kitchen cloth as she looked at him with fond eyes. “You scared the hell living out of me last night when I heard you in your room.”

Peter frowned, he didn’t remember how he got in, he wasn’t even sure what happened after he saw Flash at the party. Late that night he found two shiny bits of crystal on his bed. His mind screamed at him to keep them near.

Until the new moon, right?

Glimpses of what felt like dreams were trying to tell him something, most days Peter woke up with the feeling that he had forgotten something but he pushed it aside, there wasn’t much time to think of Peter problems when there were Spider-Man real problems. 

It took him six days to notice his bad luck had disappeared, he felt lighter than ever, he even got a rise at his job which was hard to believe. Cat hadn’t been involved in trouble and Peter didn’t need patching or stitches for the week, he was doing amazing.

One night during patrol. He was sitting on a building in Brooklyn, there had been a fire two blocks down, no one had been injured so Peter left the scene before the police arrived. Now his legs hung on the edge of the six story building. Phone in hand. Flash posted the party’s photos, he laughed at one where a group of guys dressed as the one and only Pitbull were carrying Flash as he threw pumpkins shaped confetti in the air. Flash knew how to have a good time, Pete gave him that. 

The next photo was one where he could see himself at the back, he barely noticed it was him, the spandex gave him away. But what caught his attention was the pointy hat, purple ribbons floating. His heart increased its pace. 

•••

Flash was doing some drills at Empire’s gym. Sweaty and all, he greeted Peter with a hug and a laugh.

“Pete, you left too early the other day!” 

Peter’s cheek went warm. “Sorry, yeah I wasn’t feeling well.”

“No problem. You want to play? For the good ol’ days.” Flash chuckled.

Peter remembered high school as if it was yesterday.

“I have class in like twenty minutes, but next time. I was just wondering if you knew the name of this girl I met at your party.”

Flash smirked, nudging Peter on the ribs. “I see why you weren’t feeling well huh? Parker.” 

Peter scratched his neck, this was so awkward, he didn’t even know the girl.

“What she looked like?” 

Peter’s image of you was very vague, he remembered the costume, but nothing else really.

“You have an idea how many girls dressed like that were at the party? I need more intel Parker.” 

Peter closed his eyes for a second. “She- um she said you were taking bioengineering together,” 

Flash huffed, making the basketball bounce. “I’m not taking bioengineering, Peter. Don’t think girls take that class anyway… trust me I’d remember.” He winked.

“Really? Because she was very sure of it.” He laughed, out of pure agony.

Have you been like a dream or something?

“I think someone made you look like a fool Pete. But there’s always more girls.”

“Right, no, you’re right. Um, I’m going to get going. See you later man.”

“Take care Parker!” 

Making his way back home, Peter kicked a can with all the force he managed, it landed inside a trash can. He blinked, shit that was quite lucky. He felt not so lucky when there was no space in the subway to even move your legs, at least it was warm in there, the November wind was getting tougher by the day. Headphones on, he put the music in shuffle. 

In starlit night I saw you

So cruel you kissed me

your lips a magic world

Leaning on the cold metallic tube in front of the doors, he sighed looking at his converse. He needed to give them a wash, those ketchup stains were not making it look any better. His fingers went to his eyes, scratching the corners of them, he could sleep right there if he was sure no one would steal his phone but instead he concentrated on his surroundings. Phone screens shining, Instagram posts passing rapidly, text messages getting deleted and retyped, sudoku grid…

Sudoku grid?

His stomach churned. He had these images like photos archived in his brain. He remembered the sudoku grid, the number 9 for some reason, mushrooms, pink dust, floating candles, a green mug, and a smile. That smile had haunted his dreams for days now.

The owner of the phone had a bright yellow coat. Peter froze just creepily staring at the person.

Next stop was a commotion, people going out, some more coming in. Peter lost yellow coat for a moment only to see it going out with the sea of people.

“Hey!" he shouted. Desperation in his voice. “Yellow coat!” 

Only feet away now, he saw the person go up the stairs. His heart hammering against his ribcage, what was this, why was he so anxious for the person to turn?

Crossing a busy street, he took his earphones off, seeing for one last time yellow coat get into a taxi, mixing in the traffic. 

Peter sometimes really thought he was the most intelligent person in the world. He decided to follow the taxi, this time in Spider-Man clothes. Web shooters full and ready, cold wind wasn’t even a bother, he had perfected the suit to be warmer on winter days. 

Swinging up to Brooklyn’s bridge had been easy, the problem being on which of all the taxis he saw was yellow coat in. 

Running and shooting webs caused lots of honking and almost made a man crash his car thanks to the little kid trying to come off the window to say hello to him.

“Sorry!” He apologized, as he flew by. 

Last taxi entering Brooklyn was his only chance, this better be it. As he plopped as softly as he could on the roof of the car, he bent over to take a peek on the backseat windows. 

He grinned under the mask. Knocking on the window he saw shiny hair flick, and sparkly eyes connected with his white buggy ones. Waving a hand at you, your eyes went wide. In a flash everything came back to him.

The curse, how you feed him and basically cured his bad luck with a blueberry flavored kiss.

Stealing his heart with that, it was absurd yet magical, Peter wasn’t surprised no more with what happened in his daily life.

“Roll the window down?” He made the motion for you to do so.

For a brief second Peter thought you were not doing it, but you did, wind made your hair dance and oh Peter’s heart shivered with joy.

“Witch!” He greeted, still looking at you upside down.

“Peter Pa- Spider-Man!” you smiled, in awe.

The taxi driver rolled his window down too. “Dickhead, get the fuck down of my car!” 

“Just drop me in the next block.” You said, throwing the man some money.

Peter jumped off the car just as the taxi slowed down. 

“Freaks!” The man shouted at them, his middle finger sticking out the window as his goodbye.

“Thank you kind sir!” Peter saluted him.

You snorted by his side. Pivoting on his heels, it took him a second to take it all in. 

“You disappeared,”

“I didn’t disappear, I helped you get home Peter Parker.” You grinned. Oh that smile, Peter wanted to squeeze your cheeks.

“Um, no, that’s not what happened. I was lying in your room, and then you kissed me and then I woke up at my aunt’s? For a moment I thought I was losing my mind.”

You were staring at him amused. “It was fun, right? I know I had a lot of fun that night.” 

“Don't be mean.” Peter’s hand flew to his chest, as if he had been hurt for real. “I even asked Flash about you, and you lied, you never went to Empire.” Hands flying in the air, as he spoke.

“First of all. I do go to Empire, Flash is just not a very observant person.”

“Right, so tell me why you did all this?”

"I had to fix it okay!” Your eyes locked on your shoes. 

“Spider-Man hi!!” A group of teenagers waved their hands at them on the other side of the street.

“Hello, guys!” He had to be kind to the fans, being the beloved neighborhood hero wasn’t an easy task after all. “Have a good day.”

“You are the shit bro!” One of them shouted back.

“Do you mind if we talk somewhere more private?” Peter said through gritted teeth.

You bit the inside of your cheek to not laugh. “Ok.”

Peter took the opportunity to grab you by the waist, in a fast and smooth motion he was flying through Brooklyn.

“This is not what I had in mind.” You squealed against his spandex covered neck, he felt your breath hot on his skin. 

“Oh you owe me, this is the least you can do for me Witch.” 

Peter wowed as they moved between buildings. Landing on the roof of an old cinema. The neon lights casting pretty shadows against your face and the suit’s texture became alive. He took the mask off to reveal the sweetest of smiles. Cheeks rosy.

“What can we do about this?” He asked, arms spread wide, he was falling for someone who he barely knew.

You hid your hands inside your coat, wind biting on your skin harshly. 

“It wasn’t supposed to be like this.”

Peter sighed. “How was it supposed to go? You said you had to fix it, what do you mean by that?”

Why were Peter’s eyes so pretty, his face was a mix of pain and hope, your stomach felt funny again. It had been like that since you first saw him. A month ago.

A blue moon was something you always enjoyed. Making moon water, charging crystals, manifesting and writing spells. 

But Orion, your black cat had been angsty for days now, he always was like that during full moons. He destroyed your quilt, the one to knit together with so much effort. So you let him out.

“Get out! If you could, I’d make you fix this to make me happy!” The window closed with a thud and poor Orion blended in with the night.

After trying to fix it but failing with the quilt you felt guilty. Orion was simply trying to let that energy out, and you took it against the poor thing. After much thinking you decided to go out looking for him. Orion’s name got pronounced several times until you saw him crossing the street a little ahead of you, it was three in the morning. Cars weren’t even passing, the world was still, sirens and honks chimed far away. 

Orion locked eyes with you for a moment. And you knew this was a bit of a dare to him, squatting down you tried to prod the cat to go to you, but Orion only sat in the middle of the sidewalk, liking his paw almost making fun of you. One step closer was what set him off running again. Just in time for Spider-Man to pass walking; half mask up munching on what seemed to be a burrito, mustard on the corner of his mouth, he came to a halt when the cat crossed his path. You saw Spider-Man gulp. 

A moment later his burrito fell flat on the pavement. You knew what this was about, you shut your eyes, cursing Orion under your breath, when you opened them Spider-Man was gone. 

“So you knew I was Spider-Man all along?” Peter scoffed. “You are full of secrets witch.”

“I knew I even said it to you when you were freaking out. Half of the spell had to do with me doing the ritual and half of it was you believing it would work, you still opened those damn pretty eyes.”

Peter kicked a tiny rock off the roof. “So you think I have pretty eyes?” he heard you laugh. 

“You do Peter Parker.”

He blushed deeper. “ So what I felt when you… kissed me was just part of the spell?” 

The disappointment in his voice made your heart jump. “It wasn’t about feelings, Peter Parker, it was just a spell to fix your bad luck. Whatever you felt, that’s on you.”

“Hmm,” he took a step closer, scratching his neck. “I was being serious when I asked you out for coffee.”

“I know.”

Peter smirked. “You like making me suffer, I see how it is.” He laughed, making a full twirl.

The grin on your lips couldn’t be held. “It’s funny to see you all embarrassed.” 

“Jesus… okay so, coffee this Saturday?” His ears were bright red.

“Sounds good to me.” 

“Great.” Another step closer. “Don’t bring your cat, I beg.” 

“I won’t.” 

“Good, because I’m feeling pretty lucky as it is.” His lips ghosted over yours.

On your tiptoes you connected your lips with his cold but soft ones. Both smiling and chuckling. 

“This is even better than the last one.”

“Yeah because you were freaking out about spiders, Spider-Man.” you mumbled, Peter brushed the hairs that floated in your face, he needed a clear path.

“I think I prefer it when you call me Peter Parker.”

Peter kissed the tip of your nose, and you finally let him know your name. He beamed as he repeated it.

“That sounds about right.”

A meow was heard and Peter groaned, forehead connection to yours.

“He won’t do it again. I promise, it was just a blue moon thing.”

You saw his eyes traveling all over your face. “I think I can get used to getting cursed.”

Orion meowed again, rubbing its little black fur against Peter’s leg. 

“Hey pal.” Peter said, patting the cat sweetly.

You snorted. “You’re weird Peter Parker.”

“Thank you.” 

Maybe after all Orion did something that made you happier than a badly knitted quilt.  

Peter found the whole term of black cat curse drastically different, they weren’t about bad luck after all. 

[randomlywanderingmoth]

FANSERVANT: Caster of Blessings

(picture created in picrew)

SERVANT CLASS: "Are- are you seriously asking that? Go back up the header and read that again." ALTERNATIVE NAMES: Kat. "Kat for the English speakers. Phonetically sounds like Cat. Yes I'm human, these are just a funny blessing." Neko-chan. "Neko-chan for the Japanese speakers, cuz Neko means Cat, heheh." Emma. "Wait, how the heck do you know that? I mean- it IS my name, and I don't mind you using it, but… that's the name of my Pseudo half… I mean, I guess if you're referring to the very normal human me, then that's fine I guess?"

TRUE NAME: "- woah woah woah hold on a hot minute here, I was gonna do a whole song and dance! Lemme have this!" True Name information presently sealed. "Thank you, dossier."

===

"Anyway, let's rip the band-aid off now, I'm a Pseudo-Servant. To make an extraordinarily long story short, I was a Master in a Grail War, and Caster was my Servant. A whole buncha buncha stuff happened, and I ended up inheriting her Saint Graph. Obviously, I didn't have the cat-ears or cat-tail prior to inheriting my Saint Graph. Don't worry about them too much."

"Oh- oh right, I should give a long-form description of what my deal is. Anyway, I'm the Caster of Blessings. I was gonna be cagey and tell you to call me Kat, but since the dossier blew my cover yeah you can call me Emma. I'm a hedge mage- was a hedge mage- that got tangled up in a Grail War. I ended up summoning the original Caster of Blessings, the one that wouldn't have been a Pseudo-Servant. We bonded, as people do, and I learned that she… didn't exactly like being the Caster of Blessings. It almost didn't matter, except that it turned out I was also compatible to hold that Saint Graph."

"Anyway, at one point… well, my memories are a jumble. I blame either the Throne or the Kaleidoscope, maybe both, but either she gave it to me after taking a fatal wound to let me keep being in the Grail War because she found my wish beautiful, or I took a fatal wound and she sacrificed her life to infuse me with her Saint Graph so I could survive, or I ended up waking up to my own potential as a Mage and we won the Grail and her half of the wishes on the Grail was to let go of her Saint Graph and it peeled off her and stuck to me… I'm rambling, sorry. Presumably, every path in the Kaleidoscope that lead to me becoming the Pseudo-Servant holding her Saint Graph merged, hence my jumbled memories. Presumably there's also memories in there of me being the Caster of Blessings that I summoned, but I'm thankful to be deprived of those memories in this summoning- I don't need that existential recursive headache, please and thanks."

"As the bearer of her Saint Graph, I incidentally also inherited her memories. And, lemme tell ya, I get why she wanted to leave. How many years, decades, centuries, millennia, do you think you could spend, trying to help people? How long can you work, in- I was gonna say in a Sisyphean effort, but even Sisyphus would object to this. I remembered all of it. All the effort, to try to help Humanity. To fix the mess I made- er, she made. Erm- disregard that."

"Anyway, as the Caster of Blessings, her job was as the name implies. To travel the world, to impart blessings unto humanity. To help fix the problems of the people, then to flee when they learned those problems were, on some level, her fault in the first place. Before you ask, no, her legend will never make mention of any of this, I wouldn't be saying it all if I thought it would."

"Anyway, she traveled, as you do, blessed people, as she could, and learned that… well, it's remarkably difficult to permanently quash the darker natures of humanity. She would say impossible, but I've a pedantic mindset to say it technically isn't impossible. But anyway. To give humans wealth is to invite greed, to give them talent is to rouse envy. Attempting to reconcile conflict only planted grudges to incite further outrage. Perhaps none of those in the moment, but given time, good things seem reluctant to ever last. The apple will always find its way to rot in the end."

"Eventually, she gave up. Because of course she did. Because you can say that, after seeing every attempt to help people crumble and fail, you would still keep trying, but immortality does not typically include immortal determination and willpower. Those are still very mortal, and, trust me, after thousands of years your resolve would also falter."

"One day, though, she met someone. Or, someone met her… the memories are difficult here. That someone didn't want to be remembered, if I had to guess- but anyway. They suggested a simple idea to her. The living person can retire, and her ever unending self-appointed task can be left to her memories. Engrave her existence on the Throne of Heroes."

"… she had the tiniest sliver of resolve left, and it was enough to do this final deed. To leave her task to a Saint Graph. But the Ghost Liner who held that Saint Graph, for a time, was her. Her memories, given form. Still uncontent. Still left to meekly tend the ever-turning nature of humanity."

"And then she was summoned to a silly Grail War by a silly girl with silly aspirations that were barely alive. And that silly girl wanted… so many things. And the Caster of Blessings had one more blessing that she hadn't ever given before, not in this way."

"And so, the original Caster of Blessings took her final retirement, and her erstwhile Master was stepped up to the line. The Pseudo-Servant, Caster of Blessings. That's me."

PARAMETERS:

Strength: E+ "… what's with that look? I'm a Caster. Base STR is what you get." Endurance: D+ "Wow, even as a Caster I have better than base Endurance. Neat." Agility: C+ "I know I have cat motifs going on but I am also a Caster. Be glad you got this." Mana: A+ "Don't be fooled, I can actually blow through my mana supply in a real hurry if I mismanage it." Luck: B- "My luck is actually pretty okay. That malus? I have a faint-but-constant urge to Test My Luck, and you don't need a bad luck streak to get screwed over, you just need one really bad hit." Noble Phantasm: EX "Okay so we can get back to this if I ever I pull out my True Name but even without it, the Noble Phantasm that I DO make regular use of is also still EX rank. It's pretty buckwild."

SKILLS:

"Now, disclaimer, I'm not giving you the proper names of my Skills. Those are sealed up along with my True Name. Don't worry, you'll still get an idea of my deal from the listed."

Item Construction (B+ Rank): "My primary Magecraft allows me to command, manipulate, and reinforce thread and fabric essentially at will. You'd be surprised how strong and durable cotton yarn is when reinforced by such high level Magecraft. It's a point of note, I can't just use straight fabric like shirts or jackets, but if I can unravel the yarn from like a scarf, I always have a weapon. And yes, the stuff I make is quantifiably powerful. Cool magic swords and axes, suits of armor? As long as I have enough thread, sure. The original Caster of Blessings was a lot more deft with this, but I'm capable enough in my own right."

Territory Creation (A- Rank): "I'm also able to delineate and define a 'home' territory, making it my Workshop- and it's a pretty ridiculously powerful Workshop at that, Temple-grade. The only issue, aside from the ritual to delineate that Temple, is that I can only denote one 'home' at a time. Make a new one? Old one stops being a Temple. Pretty sure there's some mythology somewhere about cats being protectors of homes. That's my excuse for now, anyway."

Presence Concealment (B+ Rank): "Ever seen a cat get sneaky? Yeah, I can do that pretty good. What's funny is, even if I get into a fight, if I just put a bit of mana into maintaining my concealment, I don't lose ranks after entering combat like standard Presence Concealment! Ever tried fighting someone your mind refuses to stick to? It's buckwild."

Golden Rule (C Rank): "Ah, erm… quick come up with something- right, y'know those Japanese lucky cats? Maneki-Neko? Sure, this is totally based on that. Anyway, it's not that I have cash, it's that I have, let's say, a remarkable talent for falling into wealth as needed."

Natural Body (A Rank): "Neat, huh? I get pluses to my STR, END, and AGI stats cuz of this, and my body is way more fit than it was when I was alive! Bonus, hostile effects that would negatively impact those stats don't work unless they can bypass this skill! No half measures were taken in the creation of the Caster of Blessings, and that sure as heck is reflected in this skill!"

Clairvoyance (A- Rank): "A byproduct of my Noble Phantasm, my eyes can even theoretically perceive the future if I try! The, uh, the minus is because… I'll take the blame on this, pretty sure original Caster never had this problem, but I'm not as good at controlling it. I can restrain it, and I can use Mystic Eye Killers on it to basically turn it off so it isn't quite so distracting, but… I'll be honest, I give full props to all the Servants who can use a skill like this on the fly, no problem. Clairvoyance is not nearly the free win that I used to think it was."

Divinity (B Rank): "Oh if I didn't have this it'd be real freakin' funny when I started passing around blessings like candy. The only reason I'm not A Rank is because my Saint Graph doesn't make it to god level, and both the original and I take serious umbrage with that. I mean, after everything she's done, hasn't she earned the right to return to- ah, sorry, nearly spilled the beans there, eheheh."

NOBLE PHANTASM:

Fatal Curiosity: Mystic Eyes of Observation

"Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back. That's the whole phrase, by the way. Bet you've only heard the first half, heheh."

"Anyway, my eyes are capable of completely deconstructing the information presented to it in nearly any situation. A single glance and I can fully discern anything about anyone. Presence Concealment, True Name Concealment, Illusions, and similar effects basically mean nothing to me. I can read off nearly everything about any Servant or similar hostile in a matter of seconds. True Name, Parameters, Favorite Ice Cream Flavor, Skills, Fears and Weaknesses, Noble Phantasms, so on and so forth. It's a matter of seconds and not instantly because I need a bit to process and filter out the junk data from the tasty stuff, but the more mana I pump into it the faster the processing goes. At full power, yeah, it's basically instant."

"Speaking of stuff I can process instantly, the moment I see any sort of hostile action- an attack, a directed curse, a trap, or so on, my Mystic Eyes will instantly process and provide autonomous countermeasures. Oh, and bonus? If it's Magecraft, my Eyes will reverse-engineer it basically automatically. As in, if I see Magecraft used, I can use it too. Sadly, I can't take the information from previous summonings, and it's only the information of my Pseudo-Servant self, so I don't have all of humanity's Magecraft at my fingertips, but it's still a whole lotta lot to work with."

"Oh- that all does take a bit of a toll on mana, but even at rest my Eyes are constantly processing information- just at a slower rate than near-instant. At rest I could tell you the weak spots in the local construction or geography, I could autonomously counter minor Magecraft, I can even read minds. Or- rather, I have to. The Eyes never fully power down. It's… rather distracting at times, so I wear the glasses to turn it off when it's not needed."

"No secrets, no deceptions, nothing may be hidden from my eyes. Let us bear witness, together, to what happens next- FATAL CURIOSITY."

[slutforsilverfoxes]

Letters From the Sky

[A/N: Bruv I so rarely write angst because I am a weakling and it makes me Big Sad, but this has been floating around in my drafts and I just binge watched a bunch of NCIS episodes that made me cry so 🤲🏽 a ficlet for u, here u go. It's not really the saddest ending so there's that, at least? I hope? I sorry] Pairing: Jethro Gibbs x wife!reader TW: references to funerals/loss, implied character death

__________

Settling down on the couch in your living room, you tuck your knees underneath one of your husband’s old USMC hoodies and create a makeshift table out of your lap. Writing a letter can help you deal with your emotions, help you move on with life, your mother had advised, and so here you were, pen in hand, staring at the blank piece of paper before you. Hi, I love you and I miss you didn’t quite cut it. And were you supposed to keep adding to the letter daily, filling him in on your life? Was time passing differently for him? How long would it be until you heard his voice again? Could you ask your friend for her thoughts, or would your questions bring up too many bad memories? Head growing fuzzy and eyes growing watery from your endless stream of questions with no answers in sight, you opted to just start writing. Foregoing a greeting, figuring your husband would know exactly who this was from, you let out a deep breath and put pen to paper. 

Funerals are such a funny thing, aren’t they, Jethro? The many faces from your past and present gathered around to celebrate life, lament loss, and say things aloud that they should’ve said to the person who needed to hear it most.

I miss you more than I could ever put into words. It was so strange being there today without you. How many of those solemn events did we attend together throughout the years? Family, friends, colleagues… Too many to count, and most of them senseless losses.

I don’t know how to keep going without you by my side, but it’s been such a blessing to be surrounded by your loved ones. We’ve been trading so many wonderful memories, stories about your fearless feats, your never-ending pursuit of justice, your stubborn nature, your devotion to those lucky enough to know you. I even met one of your former lovers after the funeral, and honey, let me tell you, we got to gossiping. Turns out you’re a regular Casanova, huh? It’s those steel blue eyes that keep you coming back for more, I swear.

I like to think that, even though we’re physically apart now, you can still hear me. After all, you always did say that about my optimism- “from your mouth to God’s ears, sweetheart”. Do you think, if I yelled loud enough, I could get a message delivered to you?

This big house feels even bigger without you. I guess I can think about it like those cases that would last for days, where I wouldn’t even get a glimpse of you until your perp was behind bars, but we both know it’s not quite the same. At least I can raid your closet without hearing you grumble about your favorite hoodies going missing- silver linings, my darling Jethro. I’m not sure how long they’ll keep smelling like you, but I’m determined not to wash them, just in case… My secret’s safe with you, right?

Speaking of secrets (more like hidden gems), I found a stash of Kelly’s artwork upstairs and I’ve started adding her drawings to the gallery of photos on the walls. I know I made some changes after we got married, but the sheer lack of decor when I moved in still astounds me. You’re such a man, she said lovingly.

Anyway, I think you’ll be pleased to know that

The sound of the front door opening alerts you to your friend’s return, and you hurry to jot down your last few thoughts.

Anyway, I think you’ll be pleased to know that your girls are all together in this big house of yours :) Hopefully, we’ll see you soon.

P.S. Not too soon. I know I call you my old man, but you’re not that old- yet.

Gibbs puts his truck in park on the driveway, returning home after another day added to the list of longest days of his life. He sits in the cab for a few prolonged minutes, trying to muster up the courage to enter your big house that feels even bigger now.

When he finally trudges up the walkway, he pauses with his hand on the doorknob and releases a heavy sigh before pushing the door open. And then, for just a split second, he swears he hears you calling his daughter’s name and her answering giggle overlapping with her mother’s voice.

The moment is fleeting, and no matter how hard he strains, he can’t conjure up the sound again. But the house feels warmer, lighter somehow.

And he smiles.

—————

LJG tags 🖤 @ilovemark1951 @doctorwhofan24

[fivenightsatnatemares]

Mangled #1

First part of a twoshot I'm writing for the beginning of the actual story (woohoo!)

It's not my favorite work but it is.. Acceptable. I hope y'all enjoy it. And I hope y'all will find as much love for these characters as we have.

Best to listen to Mangled while reading this story, considering music guides our adventure here 🎶

As always thank you to my lovely friend Boop for being my beta reader 🐰 - Beep

Wordcount: 1.3k

TW: Strong language

It had been years. Years of silence in the place where Mare Wily used to be the nightguard. At least when the children left and the lights went out.

Mare didn't remember exactly how it had happened. One day his brother that owned this pizzeria asked him to do a job for him, just keeping tabs on the security cams, the next he was growing deformities and feeling... Strange.

He had learned to adapt, he had taught himself how to survive amongst the animatronics that came to life at night, even befriending them.

Things changed when fresh blood entered the hallowed halls.

A new nightguard. A young girl, couldn't have been more than 24. Brunette, pretty short. The moment Mare laid eyes on her from within the shadows, he knew she was done for.

It started simple. She did her job, the animatronics came to life, she was terrified. Mare had experienced it all himself. No big deal.

But there was a change. Maybe Mare wanted to scare her off, tell her to never come back. Maybe he just did it for the thrills. Either way, he decided he wanted to involve himself in this little game the animatronics were playing.

It started with changing things on the camera's when he thought she wasn't looking. Moving an endoskeleton that had been dormant even before he was there, opening a pizza box that was previously closed. Little things, just to make her feel like this place was truly haunted... As if the evidence wasn't staring her right in the face in the shape of a giant animatronic bear.

It eventually evolved into banging on the walls and doors, turning off the lights and then turning them back on, and even breaking some of the camera's. Anything to make her feel like she wasn't welcome.

These nights kept going for weeks, until there was a certain night, a night where the young nightguard had been a little too vigilant, the night where she spotted him.

He assumed she had seen him on the camera's initially, as her next course of action was to poke her head out of the security doors and start yelling for 'the guy with long black hair'. No response. Mare wasn't going to go up and talk to her, he needed her out, not up in his business.

She was here every night, and every single night it drove Mare more to the brink of insanity. Why wouldn't she leave, why did she keep calling out to him, why did she care?

It was funny at first, imagining her going crazy thinking there was another human being in here with her. Pfft,as if. Human was far from what Mare would describe himself as nowadays. He was the one who told his animatronic friends about the best ways to go after her. Sure, he made sure they wouldn't actually get her, but what kind of person sticks murderous mascots on someone?

So he stayed away. Partially because he didn't feel like explaining himself. Partially because he thought he might hurt her.

He was a monster, after all.

Another night rolled around, this time the girl had learned something new. Over the weeks she had been clever enough to find out some things, like that she could wander around with a Freddy mask on and the animatronics mostly wouldn't notice her. But this night, she had found the speaker system. Now she was able to broadcast messages throughout the entire pizzeria.

It was getting on Mare's nerves.

"Hey!" He heard her voice loud and.. Well, not clear. But definitely loud. "I know you're in here. I don't know what happened to you, but I want to help."

Mare rolled his eyes. Why would this random girl who was probably gonna end up just like him if she kept coming in, be able to help someone like him? He had been messing with her on purpose, why couldn't she just see-

He groaned, mentally cutting his own ramblings off. She wasn't worth it. All of this wasn't worth it. He made his way over to her. She would have to find out the hard way he wasn't here to make friends.

So now here they were. Mare with his arms crossed, leaning against the wall in the hall across from her little saferoom. She had closed the door when she heard footsteps, just as a precaution, and was now staring at him through the little window.

"Who are you?"

A curious tone, riddled with caution. Mare smiled to himself.

"Nobody important."

The girl's brows furrowed in frustration. She seemed to hesitate.

"Can I open this door or will you kill me?"

Her voice came out stronger than he expected. Maybe this girl wasn't as scared of him as he thought she was.

He shrugged, "Can't promise I won't."

After another moment of hesitation, the girl stepped back, and to his surprise, the door was opened right in front of him.

Gone were the walls keeping them apart. She had put her trust in him.

Mare adjusted, pushing himself from the wall and taking a step closer, his arms still crossed. He raised an eyebrow.

"Are you stupid?" He asked, looking down at the girl in front of him.

"Are you bad?" She retorted, not answering his obvious jab. She still seemed cautious, but there was no sign of her stepping back.

He chuckled. "I suggest you leave this place unless you want the metal assholes to get you. Or worse, end up like me."

The girl frowned, crossing her arms in defiance. "I'm not leaving. Not until I find out whatever the hell is going on here, and until I find a way to help you."

Mare's face contorted into an expression of annoyance. He sighed and shook his head as he ran a hand through his messy hair.

"I don't need help."

She immediately shook her head, a solemn look on her face.

"You're obviously never leaving this place. Tell me why. Tell me it isn't cause you're somehow stuck here. I've felt it too, y'know. I've felt the pull to come back here every night. I've felt something drawing me to this place." The nightguard glanced around the room, vaguely gesturing towards the office before turning back to the man in front of her. "Hell, I'm here every day of the week just to figure out what's going on in this place. It's been months. I'm not stupid, no, far from it. I know something is going on here and I know you have something to do with it."

At those words, something lashed out in Mare. Anger built up rapidly as he snapped his gaze towards her. He felt the blue streaks on his face burn. Before he could even register what he was doing, he had grabbed the girl by her wrist and pressed her against the wall with his arm up to her throat.

"You have so much to say, huh? For someone who doesn't know shit. I have something to do with it? You act like we're to blame, but last I checked it was you wearing a damn mask and coming back every time." He barked at her, pushing her back as he let her go and stepped away. "Why are you even here anyway? Hasn't been a nightguard here in years."

She looked at him with this dumbfounded stare, as if she didn't know what to say for once. She brought her hand up to her throat and soothed the sore skin, her other hand reaching up to hug herself.

"My brother.. He.. He co-owns this place." She sighed. "He wanted to help me get back on my feet after I lost my previous job."

Mare's head snapped back up. Co-owns? He was talking to the goddamn sister of Seán Light? No wonder she was such a pain in the ass.

"Your brother, Seán?" Mare asked.

She nodded.

He visibly clenched his jaw, shook his head and turned to leave. Was this some sort of sick joke? He had finally accepted his fate, and now there was some sister who felt the need to waltz in here. Nah. Not his problem. If she died, that was not on him.

[flamingo-writes]

Hi flamingo how are you? How are you with your leg pain since the move? Have you been resting? I hope so!

Well as always I leave you a mini request before starting the week ;)

What do you think that, reader is a not so well known singer ,who is starting out in the world of music and meets Hobie in one of their own performances when they are singing on stage.

hope you have a wonderful week tysm <3!

I’m not going to lie to you, I’ve had a bit of a writer’s block. I powered through it though. I thought of a million ways this could’ve played out and went for the one I liked the most. I hope you like it too, and I’m sorry for the late reply 😢 I rewrote this like three times help 😭 whenever I wanted to sit and write I ended up doing a lot of other things.

With A Little Help — Hobie x Reader

Title inspired by the song by the Beatles With A Little Help From My Friends. The bicycle thing is inspired after a real accident I had once, except I don’t play the guitar and but I did get hit on a freshly made tattoo 🥲

Warnings: cursing,

The moment you decided to start a band with your friends, you knew from the beginning it would go one of two ways.

You could either sign with a producer and basically sell yourself like whores. Somehow gaining a debt just by signing a piece of paper, and working an ungodly amount of hours just to pay your debt, and hope the fame you’ve gained actually helps you make money after the percentage the producing house gets. Becoming puppets for the producer to move around the way they want.

Or you could do everything yourself working with what you had. Recording wherever you found available –sometimes that place being your own room–, asking friends if you could borrow equipment or instruments. Asking for favours. Gathering coins your couch has been swallowing and hoarding for years to print a few hundred copies of posters announcing your next gig.

And out of the two, you knew perfectly well which one you wanted. One of them helped you maintain your freedom, which was exactly what your music spoke about. Gathering a small and loyal fanbase was relatively easy in the low underground bars. The punk scene, the alternatives, and the rock fans soon spread the word around their friends. Eventually, these same people started offering their help with equipment, a few bills for copies, even instruments. It was still a small fanbase, but it was more than enough and they were all somehow more helpful than most people

One day in particular, your guitar player gave you a call. To your nerves, you picked up your phone, furious.

“Where the hell are you?! You’re so late! We’re supposed to start playing in ten minutes!” You barked.

“Ye-yeah…About that…” Your guitar player said with an awkward chuckle. “You see, it’s a funny story…”

“Oh god, no…” You groaned.

“Listen. First of all I’m fine–”

“What the fuck does that even mean? Wait, shit, bruv, did something happen to you?”

“You see, this is where the story gets funny…” They said with an awkward giggle. “I was minding my own business, on my way to the bar. I was on my bike. Riding it, you know. When an old lady and a tiny ass dog appeared out of nowhere, from the corner. In an attempt to not run over either of them, I turned and there was a tree–”

“You can’t be serious…” You gasped, “you alright?”

“In the greater scheme of things, yes I am…But…I kinda hurt my wrist very badly…”

“God, I’m scared to ask…how badly…?”

“Uh, I don’t think my skin is supposed to look purple…And the lady I almost ran over is offering to drive me to the emergency room?”

“Shit. What do we do? Do we cancel—“

“No! Don’t! I don’t know. Improvise?”

“How? You’re our guitar player!”

“Go wild on the bass?”

“Fuck off!” You groaned, annoyed.

Hobie Brown was not far from there, hearing to actually both sides of the conversation through his enhanced hearing. Helping your drummer setting everything up.

“I think something happened to your guitar player, mate?”

“Yeah, that’s what I’m hearing…” Your drummer said nervously.

“If you guys need help, I know how to play the guitar…I can sight read too, but if you give me a couple of minutes to look through your songs, it would be better…” Hobie said as your drummer’s face widened in surprise.

“Dude, seriously?”

“Yeah,” Hobie said, smirking confidently.

“The motherfucker broke–”

“We found a guitar player!” Your drummer interrupted, raising both arms in the air happily.

Hobie giggled and looked over at you. Your eyes remained wide and confused, wondering when the roller coaster of emotions was going to end. You knew him. You didn’t really, but you’d seen him around enough to recognize his face.

“Seriously?”

“Sure, why not?” He said, shrugging.

“Oh god, thank you! Thank you so much, mate!” You said happily, running your hands through your hair in relief, making Hobie chuckle.

“Call me Hobie,” He said with a cheeky smirk.

You introduced yourself, as well the rest of your band. As you discussed what t do for the set list, you insisted Hobie didn’t improve and sight read all of your songs, and instead settled for a set list made out of mostly covers from famous songs, and just leaving a few of your original songs distributed for Hobie to take a break from a hyper concentrated state.

As the anxiety was rising in your belly, about to make you puke a minute away from starting your gig, Hobie grabbed your shoulder, catching your attention.

“Hey, it’s going to be alright,” He said, trying to comfort you. “And if it blows, then what the hell? It’s not going to be the last time you play. That way you could always make a dramatic comeback and look even cooler,”

His words while making you feel less scared about it all, it did nothing for your nerves.

Although as soon as you started playing, the music consumed you. Playing with Hobie instead of your guitar player was simply different. Not that any of them was better or worse than the other, but the dynamics changed drastically. Despite not really knowing Hobie that well, the interactions on stage were fun, spontaneous, even comfortable, like you’d known him for way longer than just the last hour.

Hobie not only exchanged glances with you and walked over to you while playing his guitar, he also went over to your drummer. Sometimes jointing you for the choruses of the covers, or adding spontaneous riffs to guitar solos.

By the end of the gig, people were crazy, screaming, jumping around. As you grabbed the mic, covered in sweat and breathless you thanked them.

“We’d love to stay, but we actually have to go check out on our friend…” You chuckled. “Our guitar player had Ana vidente earlier today, and couldn’t play. We had the magnificent Hobie, here, helping us out!” You sighed. “Let me hear it for Hobie for being a real one!” The crown screamed and clapped, as Hobie smiled at you.

“Thank you for letting me help,” Hobie said, walking over to the mic and grabbing it. “Thank you guys as well!”

“Oh yeah. You guys made this very fun!” You said going back to the mic, your face bearing Hobie’s as he glanced at you with a smirk, “Have a good night, everybody!”

As you walked behind the stage, you grabbed a towel you had nearby and dried your face and hair.

“Good job out there,” Hobie said walking behind you.

“Thank you! It was all possible thanks to you!” You said looking up from your towel. “I’d love to stay and talk but…”

“Yeah, go check on your friend. You can buy me a beer some other time to return the favour,” He said with a cheeky smirk.

“Just one? An entire gig for just one beer?” You joked.

“Well, at least three,”

“Sounds like a deal,” you sighed, meeting his stare and biting your lower lip softly. Seriously, thank you…”

“My pleasure,” He said confidently, meeting your stare, as you noticed something in them sparking.

“See you around?”

“I hang out here an awful lot so, yeah,” He shrugged, putting his hands in the pockets of his vest.

[sasha199]

You Promised Me

Hey yall, posting my first ever BG3 fanfiction here, about my Tav a she/her female high elf wizard name Gwyneth. She is widowed at the start of the nautaloid adventure and doing research work in the city of Baldur's Gate when she is abducted. She does end up pairing off with out favorite Wizard of the Deepest Water. Trigger warnings for some gore and ickiness, lots of smut coming soon! Enjoy!

Chapter 1

(3 years after the death of Professor DeMarco Daneil and on the cusp of the beginning of our story.)

"I just don't understand it, Professor."

Gwynnie smiled slightly, exasperated and amused. She set her wine goblet down absently on a passing tray that was floating through the room of its own accord. "Gerrett, please don't address me as professor here. This is an informal setting." She had thought long and hard about what to wear to this event, the black form-fitting gown she'd chosen was perfect, formal and floor length but sexy with an open back, revealing and hiding just enough. DeMarco would have loved it, or rather he would have loved getting her out of it, once all this posturing and networking with the bigwigs of the wizard community was done.

She sighed and picked up a fresh drink from another floating tray, DeMarco had always hated attending industry and academic conferences and galas. It all took time away from the actual work he could be doing preferably in the field, but research needed funding so Gwynnie had always ushered him into some formal robes and taken it upon herself to lead him into the fray of their colleagues' annual dinners, cocktail hours and other social events. The department needed to put faces to names and they deserved to know what an asset he was to the industry, how wonderfully funny and witty her husband was… She took a long slow drink from her goblet and blinked hard. She could do this, she could bear it for DeMarco.

"Are you alright pro- ah sorry I mean, Gwynnie?"

She blinked again, adjusting her spectacles, "Yes, Gerrett, much more than alright. And in response to your statement I quite agree. Very little makes sense regarding the progress made by the department of Transmutation. They claim that many of their recent breakthroughs prove theories that the gods themselves, while divine are not infallible. In fact, some deign that we are not as far removed from the higher powers that rule our lives as they would have us believe."

"Would that it were true," Gerrett tugged absently at his collar, "but if the veil between the mortal and the divine is so thin, why have the gods at all?"

"Do I hear you casually speaking heresy, Mistress Deneil?" came a gruff voice from over her shoulder. Gwynnie felt a genuine smile spread across her face for the first time in months as she turned to see the Sage of Shadowdale shambling over. His formal robes were threadbare and his cheeks ruddy from wine. Long winded though he was Gwynnie always found the archmage amusing, and she never had to work hard to be taken seriously by him, unlike a few of the mages in his entourage that were following in his wake. Rumor had it that he had spent some time in his long existence on the material plane as a woman. She couldn't say exactly why but she found the idea of this powerful man choosing to spend centuries as a woman hopelessly endearing.

"Always, Magister," she inclined her head politely, "though I'm sure your sweet and forgiving mistress will spare me from the ire of her silver fire."

"Mystra spares those who deserve it, or who have earned it. She does what she does for divine reasons, I know my place in that equation." He suddenly turned serious and took Gwynnie's goblet free hand between his own. "My personal condolences are long overdue, my dear," his voice was low and somber, "DeMarco was such a talented and forthright elf. I know he is sorely missed by many."

"Thank you." Gwynnie felt a mask slip over her face, "the flowers you sent were lovely." She glanced sideways at Gerrett who was standing to her side slack jawed at this informal exchange. "May I introduce you to Gerrett Highchamber, he is our - my - primary research assistant and a great talent regarding Abjuration magic. I would not be standing here before you without him."

Gwynnie tuned out the continuation of the conversation, silently congratulating herself for being so composed. She was so tired of all the condolences, the sympathy. Her face ached from smiling somberly and graciously, it was all beginning to feel like an act, a performance. She missed DeMarco deeply, of course she did. Everything and everyone was a reminder of his absence, being here mingling among their colleagues and friends on her own felt as if someone had cast Inflict Wounds on her heart again and again. Part of her wanted to disappear, to vanish to become someone else.

Hours later she made her way back to her home that evening alone and exhausted. Gerrett had been a perfect escort, and she was grateful for his help this evening but he had a family to get home to. She trudged up the stairs to her tower, still strange to think of it as her tower now, slipping off her high heels at the door. She padded barefoot into the kitchen unzipping her dress as she went, letting it pool on the floor around her and leaving it where it hit the floor.

There was nothing in her icebox but a half pint of frozen sweet cream with the spoon sticking up out of it. She popped the lid on a half empty wine container and took a swig directly from the jar. She pulled the pins out of her chignon until her hair brushed her bare shoulders in pink waves. Sticking a spoon full of the sweet cream into her mouth she half-heartedly waved at the dusty piano covered with documents in the corner of the room. Something began to play, she didn't recognize the tune but it was better than the immensity of her own thoughts.

She looked at the scroll spread before her on the table where she'd left it that morning. Baldur's Gate. She had never been there, but from what she knew it was a big city, not as large as Neverwinter or as grand as Waterdeep but still, easy to get lost in. She had never heard of this Lord Gortash, the noble who had signed the document, but his seal did look official.

"Fuck it," she muttered around the cold spoon, "I can do research anywhere. The work will get done." She glanced up at a painting of her and DeMarco, that hung over the mantle, there were cobwebs in the corners of it. His face was bright, looking at her caught in the moment between a laugh and a smile. Could she still remember his laugh? Worry suddenly gripped her belly through her drunken haze and with a flash she conjured Silent Image. Suddenly a shimmering translucent copy of a dark-skinned curly-haired elf with grey eyes appeared before her. He took out a book from his pocket and crossed the room towards her. She stood there naked, metal spoon still in her hand, she opened her arms wide… and let the image walk through her. She felt nothing as it became invisible for a moment, became one with her and continued on. She turned to watch it dissipate as it reached the opposite wall behind her and hot tears spilled unbidden down her cheeks. "The work will get done, DeMarco. I promise you."

Thanks for reading!!

[rudystree]

ok how are we feeling?

OK LET’S GET INTO THIS. 🧨

I’M READY (MAYBE).

my heart is so full. i am satisfied. i am overwhelmed with feels but in a good way. and i’m sucked right back into the boat show. i love remembering why i love these characters and their story and their relationships. i watch the show mostly for jj tbh, and boy was he carrying this season.

of course i had minor disappointments, that’s kind of a given. like most ppl i was not a fan of the big john x john b storyline. it was boring and frustrating to watch them. way too much screen time given to that which could’ve explored other things…i thought this season they’d really give us some answers to big questions (kie’s kook year? jj and sarah’s moms? how did the pogues even meet?) but alas. can’t have everything.

here’s some of what i DID get:

JIARA. do i have to elaborate on how fucking amazing they were? how they were the most precious and also badass duo ever? how their slow burn was perfectly executed? the way they were so damn protective of each other? kie helping jj understand that he’s loved and cared for? jj going absolutely ballistic whenever he thinks kie is in danger? the angst? the way he admits that he thinks he’s just a loser and she can do better than him? the way she understands that he’s sensitive and doesn’t let people close easily? the way pope gives his (semi) blessing? the way john b teases him? the absolute fucking heart eyes they carry the whole season? because they’re the two most endearing characters of all time? this season was about a treasure hunt and they were each others treasure and they fucking found it and i am so damn emo.

CAMBANK SIBLING ENGERY. i’ve been craving more jj x sarah interaction and i finally got it. the way sarah was searching for jj to stay with because both of them have no where else to go (as john b is off with his idiot father)? the way she calls him jayj like the others now? the way she was so freaking worried about him getting hurt? making topper turn the whole truck around to help jj?the way she angrily pushed and then hugged him so tight when they found him alive? john b and sarah sometimes feel like the parents of the group and sarah really stepped up when he was gone. she’s so much more than john b’s gf, she really made the group feel like the family jj needs.

JJ x JOHN B going on their little adventure together was one of my favourite things. i adore watching them together. the way jj was waiting for john b at the chateau? john b confiding in him because that’s his best friend in the world and they need each other? the heads on each others shoulders and “we’re gonna figure this out”? the typical funny crazy moronic stupidity from these two (pls someone gif them crawling under the table or jb catching jj eating from that guys fridge)? the badass fight scenes they have together? not to mention jj’s reaction when they had to leave john b on the island??? “we’re not splitting up again” “we’re not leaving him” kill me now? their little scuffle / wrestling that was really pathetic because they’d never seriously hurt each other? jj going to the ends of the world for him? yeah.

CLEO. she was everything. carlacia killed it. she was exactly what the group needed, especially pope. they pulled off their relationship so well. also her and jj being a badass duo and holding knives to peoples throats together? yeah that’s the energy i needed this season.

The pure SATISFACTION of watching kie deceive rafe and push his whiny ass into the water. ward getting killed. big john getting killed (sorry). it was all very satisfying to watch. as much as they made topper slightly likeable this season, it was also nice to watch him lose after his psycho ass burned down the chateau.

JJ MAYBANK. hello!?? did y’all see this man? because i have never felt this straight before. the outfits (red tank top hello????). the smirks. the body. the water scenes. the everything. this man could do absolutely anything to me. he could run me over with a truck and i would thank him. john b in ep10 also made my lady parts tingle. but jj truly did not give me a break. he could’ve just stood there for 10 hours it would still be great.

THE FOUND FAMILY. my babies. they love each other so much and this season did a great job showing it. i would’ve liked to see more, but what we did get was nice. all the poguelandia scenes. the way jj just wanted to stay there and provide for his family? the angst when they return and jj realises the others all have their own families to go to? the flashbacks to jj being close to john b and his dad? him play fighting with big john who is like his own second dad? jj ready to have dinner with the heywards (him and cleo’s adoptive parents basically)? i’m so emo.

overall i feel like this season was just a lot darker and more serious / mature than the ones before. where S2 was kind of an exciting mess of random, funny, weird craziness and stupid decisions, S3 felt way more grounded and realistic but at the same time a lot more sincere. i loved watching the new dynamics and see cleo complete the group. madison and rudy killed it. it was amazing and i cannot wait to rewatch it (and reblog all the amazing gifs and content).

[emetkoto]

I haven't played bg3 so I'd love to hear how astarion's views of koto change throughout the story pls <3 like is he immediately attracted or what. and what about koto's feelings and how they change. gimmie the deets.

Honestly, Astarion sums up his part pretty well in his confession dialogue!

and then hilariously another tidbit from his final romance scene literally right before he tells you he loves you and you have sex on his grave (ignore old k'oto i havent gotten there on new k'oto yet and also the different outfits these are from two different play sessions)

basically tldr. astarion didnt really care for k'oto at all at first, it was all just manipulation in order to get him to trust him so he would keep him around and protect him since he was terrified of his master finding him (he's a vampire spawn and the only reason he has his free will up until we kill his master is because of the mind flayer parasites all the characters have, he only got away when the mind flayers kidnapped him and has been paranoid about being found since, rightfully so since we come across a monster hunter sent after him early on) so it was all just. seduction and charming! he was really kinda annoyed by k'otos whole 'good guy' thing, like 'ohhhh wow youre a hero. what good are you. nobody ever helped me or saved me. where were you when i needed you.' (obviously completely unfair, k'oto is only 28 and he was turned 200 years ago) and kind of a little bit afraid of him? sure he's shorter than him but he's also way stronger physically and has fangs and claws and strange beastly habits that really just kinda put him off for a while bc yknow. fangs hurt him once. sure this guy seems harmless but he knows better than to trust!!!

except he doesnt. because k'oto was completely unexpected in every way. he's kind and funny and genuine in a way astarion had completely forgotten was possible. he loved him so completely and so honestly the whole time. even when he told him sweet lies and was just so obviously using him he just. kept loving him!!! (k'oto voice) its not real now but someday it might be, and ill still be here when it is. when hes ready to love me back. <--------shit like That!!! the icing on the cake was coming to realize that he and k'oto had. a LOT more in common than he wouldve ever thought. particularly when it came to matters of sex and how they had trouble viewing their bodies as their own due to their circumstances and how it all made it difficult for them to say 'no' to things out of fear/obligation…the very last thing he ever expected from this dumbass catboy was to see himself 100-something years younger in him…..he just. was exactly what astarion needed…uegh!!!

k'oto was pretty much head over heels from the beginning despite the red flags. he was far from home and work where nobody would even think to offer him money for his time and would just spend it with him because they genuinely wanted to for nothing more in exchange than just their own time and company so even if he was being blatantly manipulated it was still the realest shit he'd experienced in years from probably the most attractive guy he'd ever met upto that point so it was a recipe for some good ol fashion love at first sight…or i guess. love at first knifepoint.

maybe a bit of confusion at first bc he'd never been in love before so there was probs a brief period of 'am i in love or is this just lust' until after he slept with him the first time and it didn't go away and in fact only got stronger and he was like 'ok yeah im in love actually!!!!'

sorry this is completely incoherent i love them so fucking much it makes me sick to my stomach and also im so very tired

[summerlycoris]

Is It Really A Birthday Party If You Wake Up In A Hospital Bed?

Chapter 4- And everyone was right about you.

Previous chapter- Tumblr link

AO3 link- current chapter

It was the next day, and the police were here to see her.

One of them had the biggest, bushiest black beard that contrasted so much against his pale skin. The other was short, thin, and tanned. He looked tired already.

Mom was sitting beside her bed, as usual. Andy was standing off to her left, muttering about not ordering any pork sausages under her breath.

Wait, did I do something illegal? Am I gonna be arrested?

Cassie could feel the blood drain out of her face. Mom held her hand to reassure her. "Cassie, they just want to know a bit about how you ended up in the pizzaplex. You're not in any trouble, Starbright." She turned to the officers. "Right, gentlemen?"

"Oh no, don't worry. We just want to know what happened to you on the tenth and eleventh of August, Miss Oliveira-Mathers. My name is Officer Dan, and this is Lieutenant Murray." Mr bushy-beard- Officer Dan- said.

Cassie bit the inside of her cheek. "Umm. My name is Cassie. Hi?"

"Hello." He said with a wave. Lieutenant Murray waved too, then went back to focusing on his notebook as the Officer spoke up again. "Cassie, it must have been really scary at the pizzaplex when you went that night. Dark, and dangerous. You must have been really brave." He paused for a second, as if waiting for her to say something. Her mouth felt like it was full of glue, she couldn't say a word.

“It’s okay if you feel scared about it, or don’t want to talk about it right now.” The Lieutenant spoke up. “Have you seen any cool new movies recently?”

That helped get the glue out of her mouth. “Uh, not really anything new. I like watching some old movies, like…”

They spent a while talking about movies, life at home, what school was like, and what she had liked doing over summer break. Both Officer Dan and Lieutenant Murray alternated questions, laughing if she made a funny comment, and so on. Sometimes, they’d ask Mom and Andy some small questions too. Which Mom would answer as usual, and Andy would give them as little as she could get away with.

Cassie didn’t really understand all these charades- none of this has anything to do with the Pizzaplex?

Still, it did help her relax a bit. So maybe that was the goal?

Eventually though, the officer did ask about the Pizzaplex again- "Could you tell us a bit about why you were at the Pizzaplex, on the night of August tenth?"

"...I went there because I got a message from Gregory on the FazFans forum. He said he was there and that he needed help."

‘Hello Cassie- I’m sorry it’s been so long since we’ve talked. Things have been… pretty crazy for me recently. A lot has happened to me- none of it good.

‘I need to talk to you, in person. Because someone's trying to find me. If they do, they’ll hurt me. So, you need to keep me a secret. Don’t tell a soul.

‘Could you please meet me at the Pizzaplex? As soon as possible? I’ll explain everything once you get here- I'll be in the atrium, waiting for you. You’re the only one who can help me.’

She could remember sending messages back to him, pleading for more information. But he’d already gone offline by then.

In desperation, she did exactly what he had asked of her.

(‘he’, sure Cassie, sure.)

She felt like such a fool-

"Gregory? Who is he?"

Her Mom spoke up, as Cassie was jolted from her thoughts. "Gregory Miskovsky. He went missing last year. You must have files about his case- and Jemima's!"

And Dad's. Cassie thought to herself.

"Ah yes, that rings a bell. So, your friend Gregory asked you to meet at the pizzaplex. What happened after that?"

Cassie really needed to consider her words here. This whole story was a potential minefield of information that could blow up in her face. She knew she shouldn't lie to the police- or her Mom! But telling them ‘I found a mask that let me walk through walls, and needed to avoid an AR anomaly to get to Roxy Racers.’ …well that just sounds like a lie. Or like she's delusional. I guess it's only a lie by omission, though. It's not so bad.

"I, um, found a walkie talkie on the ground. He talked to me through it, and told me he was stuck under Roxy Racers. I went to Roxy Racers, and down into the sinkhole there. Then I found…" She trailed off. More mines, and these ones were set to blow. She looked at Andy. Andy seemed to get she was hiding something, and raised an eyebrow at Cassie. I'll tell you later. Please don't say anything.

Luckily for Cassie, Andy kept her mouth shut.

"What did you find, Cassie?" The lieutenant asked. Mom looked at her with concern.

She took a second to think. If that monster got out, then the police should be told about it. It was dangerous, and had tried to kill her. Had it tried to kill other people? Was that why it was stuck down there? Gregory was so scared of it following her, that he tried to… don't wanna think about that anymore.

But if she told them ‘A robot lured me in to free it, tried to kill me, and is now free to kill other people.’ She may as well dye her hair blond and practice screaming ‘IT'S HAPPENING.’ No one would believe that, and she'd get sent straight to the loony bin.

"...it wasn't even Gregory. It was… it was just a mean prank. Just some jerk pretending to be him." She said, bitterly.

She looked down the bed, down to her covered feet. Away from everyone's eyes. She hated remembering this. It just made her feel ashamed.

Mom put her hand under Cassie's chin, and drew her head back up. She looked so worried. "Do you know who it was?" She asked in a shaky whisper.

Cassie shook her head. "No. It was so dark down there… I could barely see anything." That was only a half lie- she'd remember the monster's glowing orange eyes until the day she died. "And then it chased me- so I couldn't get a good look at it."

" 'It.' Do you know what gender they were?" The officer asked. Cassie shook her head again.

"No. It… it was wearing a costume." That was a complete lie. "And I know it wasn't Gregory in there because it was way too tall to be Gregory. And it didn't sound like him, once it dropped the act."

Why am I defending Gregory here? He may not have done this, but he still tried to kill me…

The lieutenant took more notes, furiously scribbling on the pad.

“So, it chased you. What happened when it chased you, Cassie?”

She shook her head. "Nothing happened. I was able to get into an elevator before it caught me."

She hoped they'd stop questioning her there.

They didn't.

Though, the officer looked over at Mom before asking the next question. “If it had caught you, what do you think would have happened? Had they said anything to you about why they had led you there?”

She shook her head. “It didn’t tell me why it was doing this. It just tried to kill me.”

The police officers shared a look, but didn't press her about it further. Instead, changing the subject a bit.

"Okay. Now I need to ask about your injuries. They're fairly consistent with a high fall. Did something happen after you were in the elevator?"

… She could be honest and say Gregory cut the wires. Then he'd be on wanted posters instead of missing posters. She could get some justice.

But then she'd need to explain why, and that just brings her back to the minefield. She wanted to put it behind her-

"I nearly got away, but… the elevator was really old. It must've broken near the top. It took me down with it. That's why I'm … like this." The officer looked at her with pity in his eyes. She wished he wouldn’t.

“When the elevator fell, where did you end up?”

What sort of a question is that? “Back where I started.” She tried not to sound annoyed.

“Okay. But could you clarify, please?”

She clenched a fist under the sheets. “... I ‘ended up’ waking up in a collapsing elevator. If Roxy hadn’t saved me, I would’ve been buried inside it.”

Can we please stop talking about this now?

"Did Roxy get you out of the elevator? You were found in the Atrium." The lieutenant asked.

“Yeah, Roxy helped me get near the raceway, until we got stuck. Then she went to get help. I fell asleep while she was away. I think she and Eclipse got me to the Atrium?"

"I've heard of a 'Roxy', but who is Eclipse?"

Cassie was confused for a second. Oh yeah, Eclipse only appeared after I rebooted them. "Umm, you may know him better as Sun. Or Moon. They were the daycare attendant at the pizzaplex.”

The lieutenant took some more notes, before he asked. “After the elevator crashed and Roxy rescued you, did you see the person who chased you again?”

"No… kind of?" She stumbled over her words. "It wrenched the elevator door open, but that was while I was unconscious."

More looks. From the officers, and from Mom.

“... Did it try to grab you? Or do anything to you?”

She shook her head. “No, I think it thought I was already dead.” Or I'd be dead, surely… "I think it just wanted out. The grate on the roof of the elevator was removed when I came to, it must've escaped up the elevator shaft? Do they all have ladders?" She remembered the one she'd climbed at the start of her visit to the pizzaplex."

"No, they don't all have ladders. Some do, but most don't, except in the pit." He said. Cassie nodded, it had sharp claws, probably didn't need a ladder.

For a bit, everything was quiet as the lieutenant scribbled down some more notes, and everyone thought.

Eventually, the officer spoke up. "Was there anything else you think we should know, Cassie?"

She shook her head.

"Well…" said the officer, standing up and stretching. "We've had a look at your communications with 'Gregory' in that forum. We may be able to track the IP of the person who tricked you. If not, it may be hard to find a suspect, with the limited information. Is there anyone you know who might have grievances against you or" and he looked between Andy and Mom before continuing. "Anyone who could have grievances with your family?

She shook her head vigorously. She didn't want anyone innocent taking the fall for that monster. Mom also chimed in- "We don't have any enemies- none that I know of…"

Andy scoffed. "Are you guys done with the q and a yet? She's just a kid. Y'know… it was random kids in the eighties? She could've just been picked for being active in the fazfans forum or something." Then she dropped her voice to a whisper. "Stop implying it's gang related."

"...I'm sorry for stepping on any toes." He said, looking at Andy. "Cassie, I'll leave you with some advice- next time an online friend asks you to meet them somewhere, make sure to bring an adult. And don't meet them in abandoned buildings. If you were any older, you could get charged for trespassing. If you think a friend's stuck in an abandoned building, call us straight away. We can get them out safely, we don't want you to get hurt again."

She felt her eyes grow watery with embarrassment. Yeah, I've already learnt all that the hard way! She nodded, looking at her Roxy plushie. She clenched it in her hands.

"She has a personal phone now, so she'll never be in a situation like that again." Said Mom. "Thank you for your time, officers."

"Actually, Mrs Oliveira-Mathers, is it okay to talk to you separately? We could step out into the hall…"

Mom looked worried, then fixed her face. "Oh, of course. Cassie, I'll be back shortly, okay?" Then she left with the officers, to the hallway outside the PICU. Cassie was left with Andy. She could hear the noises of them and Mom talking, but couldn't pick up any words.

"You okay, Cassie?" Andy asked, coming over to the bed.

"Yeah. It was just… a lot."

Andy slumped herself against the bed rails on the left side, leaning her head on them. "You can say that again. They were so smarmy."

Cassie looked away. "I guess they were just trying to do their jobs. What do you think they're talking to Mom about?"

"Probably about the case. 'We think she nearly got kidnapped or murdered by some copycat killer, probably won't find the sick fuck behind it, yada yada we're gonna go be useless somewhere else now bye’." Andy took a deep breath. "That's what they'll be saying. Police in Washington county… they didn't bother in the eighties, they're not gonna bother now."

Cassie nearly told her off for dropping the f bomb in a children's hospital. But she had something more important to get off her chest. "Andy, come here. I need to tell you something." She whispered.

Andy did come over, putting her ear up near Cassie's head. Cassie whispered. "I lied to the cops."

Andy laughed under her breath. "No kidding, kid. It was kinda obvious you were covering for someone. So… I’m guessing they were someone special? A first crush? Were you meeting someone? Was it Gregory?” She asked, with a cheeky grin.

“No way!” Cassie whisper-yelled, shoving Andy away while she cackled above. “No way- we were just friends!”

The last thing she wanted was to think about her ex- best friend like that.

“Okay! Okay- I believe you!” Andy managed to force out, between laughs.

Though, she had to calm down a bit, when a nurse came by to check on the readings. After the nurse left, Andy asked again, in a whisper. “So, who did you lie to the cops for?”

Cassie squirmed. “Well… for myself really. I didn’t want to look crazy.”

The atmosphere got a little heavier again, like the police were back in the area. Except it was just Cassie and her sister, and the weight of the lie she’d told. As Andy raised a brow, like she was saying ‘Go on.’

"Okay, okay. But really. I need to tell someone about this, and you're the only one who won't think I'm nuts."

Andy got serious, and drew in closer again. "I'm all ears. Now what really happened to you?"

So Cassie told her the truth. The whole truth- including what Gregory did to her.

The truth kinda sapped any of the previous happiness out of the room. She could see Andy's face fall as the story continued.

"That V.A.N.N.I mask, that explains the weird chip they removed from your head…"

"…and Jesus Christ- that's what chased you? No wonder you lied to the police… that's almost like something out of the Terminator or something..."

"...I always knew that Gregory kid was a bad egg. Even back when he was a little kid…"

Cassie's shoulders shook as she finished explaining it to Andy, and Andy ran her fingers through Cassie's hair. She could feel tears spring to her eyes again, and her face burn with rage. How many times am I gonna cry over him? She wanted to bite him. Kick him. Pull his stupid self-cut hair. Make him cry too. Make him feel something like she did.

"I tried so hard to find him… I mean, I nearly became a Cassie sandwich, fell out of more vents than I can count. Nearly got drowned by Monty. Got the life scared out of me by Chica- multiple times! I nearly slid off the catwalks above Monty golf, nearly died crashing in the Monty-coaster too. Nearly got attacked by Roxy- because she thought I was Gregory! Monty chased me around the log flume ride trying to eat me. I got chased by a headless Freddy- and he also wanted to eat me. Heck, I even nearly got run over by a go kart! All for what?!"

She couldn't look at Andy right now. She was trying so hard not to start blubbering. Because she hated to think about this. She'd been trying to avoid thinking about this since she woke up. But the police had asked about it, and now she needed to tell Andy… She could feel her chest heaving, as Andy grabbed her into a hug. It was awkward, because Andy was now laying half-off the bed.

"I just… I guess he meant more to me than I ever did to him." She tried to keep her voice steady, but it came out as a whimper. She broke down, crying loudly into Andy's chest.

They stayed like that for a while.

Then Mom came back, and got very confused.

"Andy, what did you do? Cassie, what's the matter?"

"She's just… the police visit brought back some bad memories." Andy said, fixing up Cassie's hair.

She'd had her hair down for… well, probably as long as she'd been at the hospital. So her curls and waves had been crushed for two weeks. Luckily, Andy had a spare scrunchie in her bag, and was pulling her hair up into a pineapple. That way she wouldn't be sleeping on it anymore.

Cassie had run out of tears, and was now just clinging to Andy's jacket, while trying to stop hiccuping.

Mom sighed, and sat down in her usual spot. "They just… they were telling me about the case. They don't know why someone would do this to you, or have any suspects they can chase. They were considering the anonymous tipoff- maybe the attempted killer felt guilty seeing you in the elevator, and couldn't go through with it?" She laughed a bitter laugh. "But she used a public phone booth- far away from the pizzaplex- and the fingerprints reveal nothing. Whoever did this… they have no criminal record…" She placed her head in her hands. "I don't know what to do… sorry, I shouldn't be dumping this on you. That visit already upset you."

"I'm okay now. It's just…" She didn't want to completely lie to Mom. "I was just upset about Gregory." Andy had finished fixing her hair, so Cassie stopped clinging to her and reached out to Mom for a hug. Mom let Cassie grab her tightly, and wrapped her arms around her in return.

Eventually, Mom pulled away, and stood up. "I think that whole event messed with us all. I need a coffee. Andy, Cassie, did you girls want a drink too?

"Yeah, a beer would be good." Andy said. Mom scowled at her, until she amended that statement. "Okay, an iced latte would be best."

Cassie thought about it. Anything fizzy made her throat feel funny, with the nasogastric tube still in. "Could I have some cordial please?" Mom nodded, then left after telling them she'd be back soon, and to be good.

Cassie turned back to Andy once Mom left. "I'm just so angry at him, Andy. I can't get him off my mind… he's gonna get away with it because otherwise I look like a loony."

Andy pulled her close again. "Well, how about this? When we see him again, I'll grab him and hold him down. While you punch him in the face."

Cassie laughed a little at that thought. "Or I could sic Roxy on him… he took her eyes and she hates him for it." Andy laughed at that one. While Cassie jolted out of being angry at Gregory- there were other things she needed to worry about. Time was of the essence- hadn't she seen a wrecking ball through the roof of Roxy Racers?

"Andy! You have to go save Roxy! And Eclipse! And Chica!"

Andy drew back "Excuse me? What? Can you repeat that?"

Cassie didn't repeat it, but she did start to explain why. "Roxy and Eclipse saved my life- I owe it to them! Plus, I promised Roxy I'd fix her after we got out of there. And Chica's scary… but she just needs some help. She never used to eat garbage… we could fix them!" Cassie pleaded their case. Andy remained unphased.

"So you nearly succeeded at killing yourself at the pizzaplex, and now you want me to go there too? I'm starting to think you are crazy…"

"I'm not crazy! Look, I know they say in the news they're gonna reopen the pizzaplex. But they were tearing it down! The animatronics are going to be destroyed! I'd go back and get them myself if I wasn't…" She gestured back at herself. "...and you're the strongest girl I know. If anyone can do it- you can!"

Andy just looked at her. "Okay, look. I know they… mean a lot to you. But think! Can you fix them? It's not like you can just ask your dad to do it anymore. And where would you keep them- would Mom want walking reminders of the company that screwed her over in the house?"

"We could put them in Dad's shed until they're fixed- Mom never goes there anymore. And I was hoping that you would help me fix them…" She looked up at Andy, with big puppy dog eyes.

Andy rolled her eyes. "Oh, this is so stupid… you know I'm in college right?"

"Yep- robotics. So you know how to fix them!"

Andy groaned in frustration. "Yeah, probably- but I might not have the time to do it, Cassie! College is hard work. And if you’re storing them in Dad’s shed… how am I gonna work on them from Salvador anyway?"

"They don't need to be fixed quickly- just when you have time. Maybe when you come home for the holidays? The only thing that needs to happen quickly is getting them out of the pizzaplex." She could tell by Andy's face she was wearing her down. "Please, Andy? If you save them, that'll be your Christmas gift to me for the rest of my life. You won't have to get me anything ever again!"

That got Andy to seriously consider it. Cassie gave her some time to umm and ahh about it.

"Alright- deal! But this is also my birthday gift to you for the rest of my life. Still good with that?"

Cassie nodded, a huge grin on her face.

"I probably won't be able to drag their endos outta the pizzaplex- the police would get me for stealing for sure- but I can get the personality and memory chips out of them… Sam should still have a spare faz wrench in his shed…" She rambled off, kinda talking to Cassie, kinda planning to herself. "Get some friends in on it… Yeah I can make this work…" She focused back on Cassie. "I'll let you know when I go there. If I'm not back within twelve hours- ring the emergency line. Don't tell Mom what we planned unless I'm found dead."

Cassie nodded again and hoped that the last bit was a joke. They stopped talking about it just in time for Mom to return with their drinks. Mom handed Andy her drink, and helped Cassie to take her mask off, tilt her bed slightly, and hold her cup up. Her arms were still weak, and neither of them wanted to spill it on her while she was laying down. "Sorry it took a while, the line was awful."

Cassie took a sip of her cordial through the straw, relief flowing through her. Going to the pizzaplex sucked, but I'm glad I can at least help get them out of there now. Wouldn't have been able to do that if I'd stayed home. Her drink, and small victories, tasted sweet.

________

It was a few days later, and the doctors were getting ready to see how Cassie's spinal injury would affect her. They were planning to give her a reflex test, to make sure the spinal shock had worn off. But they were waiting for Mom to come back.

She'd had the breathing mask, sticky dots, and nasogastric tube taken away yesterday, because she didn't need them anymore. But she still had the tube running into her arm and abdomen, for now.

Mom and Andy had gone a bit earlier. Mom talked to Cassie's case manager at the hospital. Andy left to meet up with her friends. She'd told Cassie in whispers that they'd make a plan for getting the animatronics- though that would take time

Cassie had spent the time reading through some pamphlets that Mom had left her.

They were about a lot of things- like the kind of spinal injury they suspected she had (something called brown sequard syndrome? She hadn't realized there were multiple ways to break your back.) As well as more about sepsis, and about all the broken bones she'd got- like the femoral shaft, fibula, and tibia in her left leg (Jackpot! Three breaks in one leg! I should get a prize for that one…), as well as the radius in her left arm, and her right fibula, closer to the ankle. It was interesting to learn about, so she wasn't bored or anything.

She kept reading while waiting, until Mom returned. Then the doctors and nurse came back. They drew the curtains around the bed, to give Cassie some privacy.

But first they needed to remove the casts off Cassie's legs. That was easy for her right leg- it only had a half cast around her ankle, leading up towards the back of her calf. They cut open the bandages, then used a cast spreader to free her ankle. The left leg had a cast on it that stopped just before her knee. She'd really done a number on it.

(‘We think what happened is that your left foot hit the ground first, and that leg absorbed most of the impact. Then the right leg. Then when you fell forward, you landed on your left arm and hit your head. Does that sound right to you?’

(‘I… I don't know, I can't remember…’ Thinking about that had made her feel queasy.)

Because of the full cast on her left leg, they needed to cut it off with a special saw. One of the doctors demonstrated how it worked first, and that it wouldn't hurt. Mom held her hand while they used it.

Cassie hadn't really seen her legs before this. When she woke up, she had a blanket over her, and could only see her wrist in a bandage. So she couldn't see the casts. She had felt something on her right leg, but hadn't paid much mind to it. She'd had other, more annoying sensations to worry about that day. In the days since, she'd seen the casts when being moved, or helped. But she'd tried to avoid looking at them- she still remembered how queasy she'd gotten looking at them in the sinkhole.

Her legs looked weird- a bit like they'd shrunk? Or gotten skinnier anyway. Her left leg still had some marks- but they didn't look nearly as nasty as last time she'd seen it. Actually, that leg had some new marks on it that had stitches running through it. She could see one just under her knee, and could feel one on her left hip when she ran her fingers along it. Are they gonna become scars?

"Cool." She said under her breath. But not quietly enough- Mom had heard.

"Not cool! Cassie- your poor legs…"

Cassie could hear the nurse snickering under his breath nearby. She needed to defend herself. "Well yeah- but once they've healed I'll have some sick scars- I'll look like an action heroine! But, y'know, one of the super cool ones that wears short-shorts and a glitzy rhinestone jacket while firing an Uzi."

The nurse burst out laughing, and needed to excuse himself. Mom just groaned, and shook her head, while Cassie rolled her eyes. They don't get it- I've got to look on the bright side- and this is the bright side!

After this discussion, one of the doctors ran a stick up the soles of both of her feet, until it reached her toes. She couldn't feel where she was being touched on her left leg, only knowing it was her sole because she could see it happening. That made her uncomfortable. Her right leg seemed to work better- she could at least feel the stick properly.

The doctor straightened up, and then talked to Cassie about it.

"So Cassie, you got some good results in your right leg- the plantar reflex started working today. Not so much in your left leg. Regardless, this indicates that you're out of spinal shock. We can now get a better idea of just how you'll be affected by your injury." He looked up to both Cassie and her Mom. "Is it okay if we go ahead with the ISNCSCI exam? It might feel a bit uncomfortable, but Mom can stay with you for it."

Cassie agreed, and Mom stayed right beside her as they gave her the test.

________

They were right, it was uncomfortable. And invasive at times. They had asked her to shut her eyes, then poked her with pins or cotton buds all over her body. Especially the hips and legs. Then asked her to tell them whether it was the pin tip, the back of the pin, or the cotton bud touching her. This was all to test whether she could feel touch and pain, and the results hadn't been… great.

Overall, she could feel everything above her waist. Which tracked with the damage they'd seen in the x-ray. Once they got below her waist, the results were dicey. She could feel the pain of the pin pricking her on her left side for the most part. But she hadn't felt the cotton ball properly. She could feel it touching her, but couldn't pinpoint where on the leg.

By contrast, she had felt the cotton ball and could tell where it was most of the time on her right leg. But hadn't felt the pain of the pin pricking her- just that it was touching her. They'd also tried putting an ice pack on various parts of her legs- she'd felt the cold on the left side, but only really felt it touching her on the right.

She read about this, in that pamphlet. But it still felt weird to experience it. It was like her legs had two different problems- and she guessed that was right.

They tested her motor skills and reflexes too. Asking Cassie to move her arms and legs in specific places. "But it's okay if you can't move them- they've lost some muscle while you were sick." She could kinda move some areas in her right leg. But she didn't stand a chance with her left leg- she didn't know if this was because of how badly she'd broken it, or because of how badly she'd broken her back. "It's going to be a bit harder for you, because of your injuries. Don't lose hope."

It was hard not to, though. Eventually the test was over. I definitely got an F, she thought bitterly.

They filled out a chart, labeling everything she could feel and do. They went away for a bit to discuss, leaving Cassie in suspense.

Eventually, Cassie's case manager came back in with the results, and some other paperwork Cassie couldnt see properly. He gave it to Mom, then turned to talk to Cassie.

"So! Good news first! It is an incomplete break, you've got some sacral sparing, so there's a chance you'll gain back some function in your hips and legs again. Especially if you start rehabilitation. You could walk again, with braces or crutches. And your fibulas are healed enough where you should be able to start some weight bearing using special shoes for it. They're called CAM Walkers, but most people call them moon boots."

Cassie asked what they were- and got an answer for it. Basically they were big boots that could keep your leg and ankle straight, and they could brace the leg enough for you to walk in them.

Now that her curiosity was sated, she asked a more important question to her Mom: "What result did I get? I didn't fail, did I?" From what her case manager was saying, it sounded like she got good results. But she couldn't help but feel apprehensive.

Mom handed the results sheet to her, then Cassie read through it. She breathed a sigh of relief- "C? Wow I really should have studied better for this, huh Mom?" Cassie joked.

Mom just smiled and ruffled her hair.

"So, what does this mean for me now? Can I go home?" Cassie asked.

"Well, you'd probably get the best results from staying at an inpatient rehabilitation clinic. Unfortunately, we don't have those facilities here. You could go home, then get outpatient rehab. But you'd probably get worse results- it'd take longer for you to build up strength to use a wheelchair, so you'd probably be stuck in bed for a longer time." Her case manager said.

"Are there any impatient options in the state?" Asked Mom.

"There are, there's a pediatric center in Salt Lake City that we could refer Cassie to. Other patients that have gone there have had good results in the past, and because it's a pediatric center, they're equipped to help her keep up with schooling, too. Plus, it's in network."

"Salt Lake City? That's so far away… am I even okay enough to go?" asked Cassie.

The case manager laughed. "We won't kick you out right away, Cassie! You only woke up a few days ago- we'll keep you here for observation for a bit longer. This is just planning for the future- maybe in three weeks or so?"

She didn't know how to feel about that. If she went to Salt Lake City… she'd be so far away from her family. And so far from home. What if Dad came back, and she missed him because she was three hundred miles away?

At the same time, this center would be filled with other kids. It'd be a bit like summer camp. Except not a camp. And it's technically fall now. So probably not that fun… But she did have a chance to make some cool friends there. None of them would've met her before, so it would be a clean slate. Perfect to make a good first impression on.

She was silent for a bit, weighing pros and cons. Mom broke the silence by putting her hand on Cassie's shoulder. "Personally, I think you should go there… from your results in the test, you could really stand a chance. The sooner you get your strength back, and learn how to use a wheelchair, the sooner you can start learning how to walk again. And you have a phone now- I'd ring you everyday!" She handed Cassie a brochure for this facility that she'd been reading through.

Cassie looked through the brochure Mom had given her quickly. Just typical corpo stuff, really- generic smiling kids photos, blurbs saying what services they offer, stuff like that. But she did like the stories on the back- about the success other kids have had there.

"How long would I have to stay there?" Cassie asked her case manager.

"Usually, patients go there for a few weeks. Sometimes longer. By the time you get transferred there, your arm and legs will be healing better." Cassie looked down at her legs. She could flex her right foot back towards herself, with effort.

She made up her mind. "Could I go there, please?" She asked her Mom, and case manager.

"Of course. I'll have to talk to your mother about it a bit more, but we should be able to refer you there. I'll keep you in the loop, Cassie." He said. "Mrs Oliveira-Mathers, do you want to talk about it now, just outside?" She nodded, and they left Cassie alone.

She took a better look through the brochure, checking out photos of the facilities. This could be really good for me. She thought to herself.

________

It turns out that when her case manager said "We'll keep you here for observation." He didn't mean here, in the PICU. He meant in the general ward. Because she wasn't well enough to leave yet, but she was too well to stay here.

And it turns out they were moving her there today.

Mom had come around, to help her get set up for this. Bringing around some clothes- day clothes. Not just nightgowns like she'd been wearing until now. And Mom hadn't just brought day clothes- she'd brought along some of Cassie's best day clothes- the outfits that she loved wearing! Thank goodness, because I really needed them.

She'd had so many different procedures and examinations done over the past few days. X-rays on her legs and back, testing to make sure her infection was gone, MRI scans on her head and chest.

They'd removed the tube that ran into her arm so they could transition her from painkillers through the tube, to painkillers in tablet form. They had also talked to her about how they could help her once the abdominal tube was removed.

They'd fitted her for the two moonboots, fitted her for a back brace, shown her the loaner wheelchair they'd let her use as needed, until she could get one prescribed. There was so much going on. After all of that, she needed some little things to help her keep positive.

They had confirmed that she would be in the general ward for nearly three weeks. They'd referred her to the inpatient rehab clinic afterwards, but couldn't send her yet- she needed to heal a bit more before she could go.

At least this time could be spent gaining back some strength- She'd gotten to see a physio a few times, and she'd given Cassie some exercises for her wrist and right leg, to help build them up. Mainly just flexing the joints and stretching out her fingers and toes. Cassie had spent a lot of time trying them out, there's plenty of free time at the PICU…

Cassie couldn't wait for the move. Nobody near her would really talk to her. The boy on the left was awake, but very young and scared. He didn't want to talk to her, even when the curtains were pulled back and they were alone. The girl on the left was older looking, but sedated. Sometimes it was almost like she was awake. Her eyes would be open and looking at Cassie. But she never talked back. Cassie just tried to tell her fun stories, and hoped it made her dreams a little easier.

She hadn't had any success in her resolution yet. But that could change in the general ward. There'd be more kids! And they'd be less scared and more awake!

Plus, Andy had told her before she'd left that they were going to the Pizzaplex tonight. Her friends had agreed to help her find the animatronics. So Cassie was elated- she could make some new friends, and rest easy knowing that the animatronics were soon not about to be crushed in rubble anymore.

At least, if Andy gets there in time.

…At least, if Andy doesn't die there…

…

Okay. So Cassie still had some things to worry about.

Andy's the strongest girl I know. And she knows what she's getting into. She's gonna be okay…

"Cassie, are you okay?"

Mom was looking at her with a worried look on her face. She'd been putting Cassie's old books and magazines into a bag, and replacing them with another bag of new ones to read.

Cassie's eyes went wide. "Umm, yeah. Just, it's going to be weird. Moving to the general ward, I mean." And it wasn't really a lie- it would feel weird. She just couldn't tell Mom the whole truth.

Mom put down the bag, and came to sit beside her. "It will probably seem like a lot at first, but just remember- it's not forever. You'll be coming home, you just need to get better first."

~~~~~~~~

Authors note- I'm trying to be accurate with medical stuff in this fic, and I'm keeping track of how long Cassie needs to swap from casts to braces to whatever next. But if you see something inaccurate, let me know. I've done research, but research can only take you so far, when you don't have personal experience with something. (And also aren't a med student)

Also- about the cast on her left leg. She's had intramedullary nails in her femur and tibia. But her fibula in both legs is healing without surgery. (One on the left is a fibular shaft fracture, one on the right is a stable Weber b.) That's why she needs the short leg cast- at least until the ISNCSCI exam. By then, both breaks had two weeks to heal enough where they didn't need casts.

I'm also not Brazilian, or afro-brazilian, or from the US of A. Just a white autistic Aussie chick. If I mess up details, or have negative stereotypes in the fic- it's not on purpose, and if you let me know I'll be happy to edit the fic. Thank you in advance.

[monorayjak]

Lost Caverns of Ixalan Thoughts

Ok, so, I just finished reading through the Lost Caverns of Ixalan Story plus the side story that's been released. I just wanted to share some thoughts. (Spoilers ahead)

All in all, an interesting story, with lasting repercussions for both the plane and those who were a part of the story. But, the set leaves a lot more questions than answers, and seems to have added some things just because they could; looking at you Leonin - they were literally in the story for like 10 minutes and then promptly forgotten about.

The story of Kellan continues as a small piece of this plot, and I enjoy that it was woven in without him becoming a key player. He was just passing through and got pulled in, he wasn't a deus ex machina or a big part of the ending, he was just there. Really enjoyed the idea of Kellan building a rag-tag multiversal adventuring party throughout his travels, seems like it would be fun, IF they don't just make it him and Amalia. Because if they leave it as just them its just going to turn into a love story, and I'm fine with a love story, but it just feels shoe-horned in if that's the only reason.

Quint's search for the "Coin Empire" seems interesting, but also seems to come out of absolutely no where, like… last we saw of him his spark ignited. When and when did he learn about this empire? What seems so special about it? How is he so sure it connects across planes? How the hell did they travel across planes in the distant past? How did they end up where they did? What caught his attention about them? It just feels out of nowhere, and it would be fine if they had made him have the revelation of "Holy shit, these things are exactly the same as another site I was working on… could it be some kind of multiversal empire??" but no, they have him already fully aware of it out of nowhere. It could have been better implemented I guess.

Also, what the hell was with the descriptions of "long necks" just being there??? Are they talking about fucking Giraffes? Why do they never mention them in more detail than "fuzzy, strange looking, long-necked creatures??" Why??? Where they trying to hide something??? What was the importance of it?? Are they trying to say BATS somehow have really long necks?? But it couldn't be that because people call the bats, well, bats! Just… what???????

Liked the political intrigue we got from every side:

Vampires having a kind of Reformation level split in the church/government

The sun empire being ruled by a literal 4-year old (ADVENTURE!!!!!!!!!!!) who is being manipulated by two relatives

Huatli working to start a coup

Huatli, Elenda, and Admiral/Governor Brass working together to form a powerful enough force to stop another war

Saheeli being sent in Huatli's place and the fact she is from another world is used in the story by having her keep notes in her home-worlds language, with her also being the voice of reason to everyone without even thinking about it

Enjoyed the fact that Huatli is becoming a tired veteran after the race for Orazca, the War of the Spark, and the phyrexian invasion, and now just wanting a peaceful life with no more needless death.

Enjoyed the moments of Saheeli and Huatli being together, even we don't get many and I'm still not a fan they were desparked.

I found some bits of writing a bit lazy, notably:

These lines are both in the same section about 3 paragraphs apart. There is no break between in the form of a viewpoint switch or anything. There was no reason to have this repetition beyond wanting to compare his use of it to something else and being too lazy to think up another one.

This joke just falls flat. I understand Malcolm has talked like this the entire story, but it just feels so forced and atonal. And it isn't like they couldn't have good jokes in tense moments, for example:

A funny and natural exchange in a very tense moment.

To top off the final bit, I do need to gripe about my BIGGEST annoyance in this set specifically. The discrepancy between both the description and depiction of the "Cosmium Eaters" and the multiple depictions we get of them. Like, this is the description of the lead-up to the transformations

We have a mental image of a large bat god giving this power to Vito and his followers. Which is followed by this image.

Which is fine. Its a great image showing the beginning of the transformation. The transformation, which is described as:

Ok, so they've turned into man-bat like creatures. Cool, good. BUT, then we see this image in the next article, one where Huatli kills Vito.

That isn't a Man-Bat like person... that's Vito with bat wings. Ok, so maybe the transformation was exaggerated a bit in the story... except

No, it wasn't. So why the hell does Vito, as the first person to transform, look like his normal self but is written as if he's become some kind of horrifying monster, one which the characters mention they really only make out its him because he's holding the same staff as before. Why does no one else look like that? What do these people look like?????

Long story short, the story is a mixed bag I think.