#giving everything they've got

[loveisonlyforthebrave8]

[crimsonlyinglilly]

April of Angst and Whump, Day Twenty-Seven

On time for a change, then back to catch up.

Part of Forgotten - Kol faces that Elijah may never return to what he knows and accepts their family needs to change, it was time to grow up.

Set after "Just a little more." and before Normal

For @whumpril 2025 day 27 - Tossing and Turning

For @chaos-company's Angstpril 2025 day 27 - giving everything they've got

----

Kol’s been at the house for about a week, and while there hadn’t been another episode like there had been at the mention of Nik’s name it was clear something was different.

Elijah had always been the calmer ones in the family, even when he was a child he remembered Elijah could be just as at home in the centre of his friends from their neighbours as he was alone, helping mother around their home or hunting, Kol knows the rest of them always had a habit of growing bored and looking for something to entertain them, it had cost Henrik his life after all.

So the apparent house arrest Elijah was under wasn’t out of character but even when Elijah had all the instruments, books and modern tech at his hand, something about it seemed subdued.

Kol wanted to deny it, to pretend he couldn’t see it but while it was clear his brother was trying to act as normal, it wasn’t. He was hesitant about everything, his movement switched from his normal graceful to as clumsy as a toddler, he flinched at sudden moves or loud noises and was easily distracted.

Kol or Davina had had to remind him to drink four times out of five mandatory feeds Marcel had set.

Elijah tried to hide it but Kol had spent his life looking up to him, watching everything every change was an alarm bell and forcing Kol to accept Marcel’s words and concerns were well founded.

Kol hated the idea this was an improvement and dreaded wondering what Elijah had been like when first freed from the dagger or the idea that something could so easily set him back to that.

Something like Nik, wandering the city and seething about Elijah abandoning them, when he had been the one to fail their brother. And it could only be Nik because the rest of them had been in coffins of their own.

He was passing Elijah’s room when he caught the sound he had grown familiar with back in Mystic falls, and from the few nights he had stayed with Finn and Sage since mother’s tragic second death. The sounds of distress, of one of his older brothers crying in his sleep.

With Finn it was easy, once he was reunited with Sage leave it to her to wake him and remind him the coffin was in his past.

Kol pushed the door open, he had been warned of this, Marcel and Davina had both told him it would happen and what to do but Kol had hoped they were unneeded warning. That their reunion would help Elijah, he was starting to realise much of that hope had been unbecomingly naive of someone his age and familiar with his family.

If anyone could break Elijah it would be a mix of Mikael and Niklaus.

Elijah was tossing and turning in his sleep, several of the additional blankets had slipped from him to the floor, creating a mess unnatural of Elijah.

The choked whine was equally unnatural of him and Kol was across the room and at his side in an instant, hand gently shaking him. 

The whine became a sob, and Kol flinched,

“Help me.” Elijah choked in his sleep, twisting in Kol’s grasp; they had warned him that sometimes it was impossible to wake him, his mind turning against him and sending him back to be trapped in the coffin.  

Davina had a spell that woke him, they had told him but it left him exhausted and trying to refuse to sleep until he collapsed, even without it being spelt out Kol knew that would cause a set back.

For a moment Elijah stilled and Kol thought for a second it was over.

“I’m in here” Elijah wisphered and Kol took a step back as his mind wondered how often had Elijah begged to be heard while trapped within his body, the same way Finn had been doing for centuries, while Nik ran free and he and Rebekah slept.

Marcel held Elijah’s hand, he had admitted, until the contact got though and calmed the nightmares.

He sent a look to the door, to the fascinating spell for daylight windows, Davina had created with Elijah help and a library he wanted to read before a muffled cry froze him.

Elijah was never meant to sound that small, scare and alone, Elijah who had given everything he had ever gotten to them, from food and time when they were little and human to his own blood as monsters. He took every loss there unthinking actions had cost him, from lovers, friends and power, with brief anger before returning to them with a tired sigh and fondness.

Elijah loved them and that's why he stayed when he shouldn’t have, that's why he fought for them and bled, that’s why he had returned to fight father alone and this was what he got for it.

His strength taken from him, his confidence shattered, his stability, the thing they had all fallen back on at points to anchor themselves, gone.

“Please.” The voice was quiet, almost inaudible but as much as he wanted, Kol heard every part of it, the broken crack at the end of it, the despair as even while pleading he didn’t expect a response.

The books could wait, getting Davina Clare to like and trust him to unlock his playhouse could take a backseat, it was time Elijah came first.

He pulled off his shoes and set them by the door, there was no point upsetting Elijah about making his room untidy, he paused a moment before dropping his belt on top and what he had wanted that first night and climbed into Elijah’s bed.

Elijah’s bed wasn’t as soft as he expected, given his brother’s new collection of oversized soft hoodies and thick blankets, but it was clearly expensive given how comfortable it was. Not that he was surprised it was clear Marcel had put a lot of thought and care into providing for Elijah and Davina.

He barely had to move Elijah into his arms as his brother moved himself, unconsciously seeking his body heat, comfort or security to curl into his side, arms wrapping around him and the noises of fear died away. Kol shifted down so his head was on the pillow and returned the gesture curling his arms around Elijah's thin build.

He barely had to move Elijah into his arms as his brother moved himself to curl into his side, arms wrapping around him. Kol shifted down so his head was on the pillow and stared at the top of his brother’s head.

“You're not alone,” he promised into his brother’s hair, they had always looked similar, where other kids looked to their parents to see how they would grow up Kol had looked at Elijah. But now he was forced to really see he had outgrown his big brother. Not just physically, even with his missing decades- centuries in the coffin Kol had managed to search for a life of his own while Elijah had allowed them to trap him in the centre, given up everything he wanted himself to bow to Klaus’ megalomania, to try to support Rebekah’s dreams, or, Kol knew, drag him out of a pit of trouble he put himself in.

He ignored the pain as even in his sleep Elijah reached out and clutched his ribs with original strength. cracking them slightly, they would heal and Kol had to face Elijah wouldn’t.

It would take time to adjust but Elijah could no longer fulfill his role as the family’s protector, it was time they took care of him and it would take time for Elijah to accept that himself.

It was a good thing Klaus had handed him over to Marcel however much he hated. He could help prepare Elijah; in accepting the changes before them and getting him to trust that Kol would and could stand for him, that he didn’t need to be useful to be part of the family. 

Kol had a deep feeling Klaus and Rebekah would take this far worst and he was annoyed to find he would be on Marcel’s side in this. Elijah had taken enough damage for and from the family, Klaus and Rebekah would have to adapt to this themselves.

A thousand years hiding behind and relying on the idea of Elijah that their brother had built for them, it was time they stood on their own, and gave him a break.

Finn lost nine centuries to the dagger, Elijah lost a thousand years to their needs and demands and both spent night tossing and turning, fearing they were left alone in the dark, while the rest of them never tried to grow up, always expecting someone to clean up after them.

Marcel was right as much as he loathed admitting it, it was time they actually acted like a family and supported each other, before Nik’s kid ended up as broken as the rest of them.

[transhetanybodys]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: West Side Story (1961) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Anybodys & Ice (West Side Story), Anybodys & Tony (West Side Story), Riff & Tony (West Side Story), Riff/Tony (West Side Story), A-Rab & Baby John (West Side Story), Anybodys & Original Female Character(s), Anybodys & Original Male Character(s), Ice & Riff (West Side Story) Characters: Anybodys (West Side Story), Ice (West Side Story), Tony (West Side Story), Riff (West Side Story), Action (West Side Story), A-Rab (West Side Story), Baby John (West Side Story), Tiger (West Side Story), Original Female Character(s), Original Male Character(s), Doc (West Side Story) Additional Tags: Drama, Drama & Romance, Angst and Drama, Romance, Angst and Romance, Angst, Fluff and Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, chaos-company's Angstpril 2025, Trans Male Character, Transmasc Anybodys, Friendship, Male Friendship, Developing Friendships, Romantic Friendship, Repression, Emotionally Repressed, Loyalty, Canon-Typical Violence, Transphobia, Xenophobia, Bullying, Harassment, Sexual Harassment, Smoking, Underage Smoking, Rituals, Gang Violence, Anger, Resentment, Trauma, Childhood Trauma, Bad Parenting, Child Neglect, Hope, Optimism, underage noncon happened in the past but it's implied rather than being directly referenced, Sex Work, Emotional Hurt, Jealousy, Gender Identity, Gender Issues, Gender Roles Series: Part 8 of Anybodys POV Fics, Part 27 of Angstpril 2025 Summary:

Angstpril 2025 Day 27: Giving Everything They’ve Got. A follow up to my fic Are You Okay? that should be understandable without reading it. Tony introduces Anybodys to the Jets as a new member of the gang.

[jonathanbyersphd]

I hope stranger things ends with Will Byers suing the government and winning

[cozza-frenzy]

Speaking as someone who loves Dungeon Meshi and usually watches subbed anime?

Watch the dub instead.

[thank-god-and-you]

Suki Panesar and Eve Unwin + Public Affection

She has met someone who isn’t ashamed of who she is. Someone she can hold hands with in public, kiss in a room full of people. She doesn’t have to hide away. Something that you can’t and never will be able to give her.

[abyssembraced]

What's Your Role in a Found Family Dynamic?

The Hermit Who Helps

At first, you were a resource for the established characters to turn to, but you quickly began to steal the show due to your personality, your usefulness, or your inherently interesting perspective on life. You were pretty much already able to provide for yourself, but the next thing you know, these people are growing on you. Instead of asking favors, it becomes an invitation to socialize. You find yourself sticking around for no apparent reason other than you like it here. The people are fun to watch, if nothing else, but ultimately they're just--oh no. Oh no, you care about them. You always thought you stayed away from this "relationship" stuff for a reason. It gets messy and isn't worth it unless it really works. For some reason, this group really works. These weirdos are now your weirdos, and if anything happens to them, there will be hell to pay. You were basically already looking after them before this, after all. Welcome to the family, hermit.

Tagged by: @distrxst (thank you!)

Tagging: @quillheel , @tazmilyxfamily (or your other blog!) , @bladesfromthedark , @pri-rp , @legalbrats (or your bug blog!) , @hopeful-hugz (or one of your other blogs!) , @musescfmusic (or one of your other blogs!) !

[chameleonsallinvermillion]

It's finally April and colour is returning to the gardens where I work

[valkyurii]

couldn’t sleep last night so i was watching some of those boss vs boss videos and there was a “can the bosses raid the haligtree” video. they had to make their way across loretta’s arena and kill a bunch of enemies and bosses. first a rot flower, then triple crystalians, then loretta, then a rot avatar, then duo clean rot knights, and finally malenia. only two managed to get to malenia and only malenia herself was able to clear the whole thing (no surprise there).

but the most fascinating one was godrick. dude got killed by the flower 😐

[mani-mari]

do you think they've explored each other's bodies

[abovetherainandroses]

DARK ALLEY ON PIANO HOLY FUCKING SHIT

[ballsballsbowls]

Cannot believe that Slate has more advice columns than ever before and all of them suck now.

They cannot afford a single person who understands why people used to read their advice columns, apparently. If you're not good at giving advice AND you're not funny or genuinely fun to read, why are they paying you?

I feel almost obligated to assume that someone in charge of them doesn't understand why people read advice columns.

[janetfraisersmassivestrap]

urgh ough you ever read a scene so vivid it's stuck in your head for the next five years

[nerdyfangirlingbooks]

I resent book series with maps that don't show things until the book after they're mentioned. Oh Point B is 2 hours away from Point A? That's cool. Where the hell is Point A??? Guess I'll find out in two years when the sequel comes out

[review-anon]

"That is a good idea Yomiuri. I trust that you keep Ouma under wraps."

"I can deal with the rest of Void, if you allow me to do so, of course."

They aren't gonna do anything.

I'm just trying to lessen my punishment here.

Plus seeing how Ouma tried to give Iroha slack, its high time for some payback hehehehehehehe....

[mortalityplays]

talking about impenetrable accents/dialect just reminded me. when I was in Milan a couple of years back I was staying in this little rathole hotel and I had the biggest fucking migraine, so I was like non c'è problema I'll just go buy painkillers. of course every pharmacy on the map in a three block radius was closed, so my stupid ass just starts wandering around trying to figure out on the fly if you can get OTC from supermarkets in italy.

I walk into this little everything store (to my foreign eyes the kind of place that back home could sell you a bunch of carrots, a 6-pack of beer, pantyhose, bleach and a screwdriver set) and I see some household basics in the back but not what I need. with the confidence of a person who is only in the city for 3 days because he got bored and packed a bag and booked the cheapest flight available the week before (<= MENTAL ILLNESS), I was like no worries I know some italian, I can just ask.

I grab a bottle of water, walk up to the counter, and I'm like Ciao, hai il paracetamolo? And the guy is like che, and I'm like paracetamolo. Per la mia testa. And he's like che?

This is where I would have said 'aspirina' except I can't take aspirin for medical reasons, or 'antidolorifico' except I don't know that word and I've got no phone data for google translate and also I'm stupid. So in my fucked up leith-glasgow-italian accent I'm like paaa-ra-cetta-mollll-ooo. He's like ohhh bene, bene, and he calls another guy out of the back and asks him to go get something. Other guy then walks out of the store into the street, and before I can be like hey, che la fuck, he comes back and hands me a huge bundle of herbs.

At this point I'm like okay this entire interaction has been a bust, but these guys have been very nice and patient and they're both smiling happily at me because they've been of service, so I'm like ahh perfetto, grazie, pay them a couple of euros and leave.

EVENTUALLY I find a pharmacy that's open, and my head is fucking killing me, and my phone still isn't connecting, and now I have this small shrubbery poking out of my coat pocket, so I don't even bother looking around the shelves. I just walk straight to the counter and I'm like uhh ciao, scusi. And hearing my nightmare of an accent the guy answers in english and I'm like thank christ, do you please have paracetamol. Not aspirin, I can't take aspirin. And he's like yeah yeah hold on, goes into the back, comes out with what I need.

Only when he comes out he gives me this look, and then he starts laughing. And then he pretends he's not laughing and rings me up and I pay, and as I'm leaving I can see him losing it. But I don't care, my head is going to explode, I'm going back to the rathole to close the blinds and fall comatose for four hours.

When I get back to my hotel room I take off my coat and remember the huge bouquet of herbs in my pocket. They smell amazing, and I'm like I'm pretty sure this is parsley in which case I can just get some tomatoes and mozzarella later and make it work. but since I have no idea what that interaction was, I want to make sure. I bring out my phone to get a visual reference of what parsley leaves look like, and because I was using it for google translate earlier I put 'parsley' in the wrong box like a dope and translate it to italian.

prezzemolo

I wish I could have been the pharmacist in the moment he looked at my tired pissed off anglophone ass, heard me say 'paracetamol' in my fucked up accent, and turned around saw what was in my pocket. I'd have lost my shit too.