#goodnight lovely gemstone friends

[oo-delallymrcrow]

A Kiss to Change Your Mind?

Summary: You have feelings for Kremy Lecroux. It seems like you were the only one that does until something changes that.

A/N: this made me fall soo in love with this alligator!!! @amethyst-gemstone is just feeding me with prompts and it's making me go feral I swear!!!! This is a little angsty but I promise it ends happily!

You watched as Kremy Lecroux was talking up some waitress. Everyone decided to stop by a tavern for a quick drink before heading home and you were starting to regret saying yes.

As soon as everyone sat down, Kremy went up to order everyone's drinks. It seems like he easily got distracted with a cute waitress that was helping him. He let out a laugh and tapped his cane against the floor as he talked.

“Hey what's with that face (Y/N)?”

You quickly look at Gideon who's giving you a questioning look. You shake your head and shrug.

“I don't know what you're talking about. I wasn't making a face.”

“Really? You weren't?”

“Nope I was being totally normal,” you avoid his eyes as you look at the table.

“She's been that way since Kremy started talking to the waitress.”

You shoot Frost a glare as Gricko sits up to look where Kremy was at and makes an ‘oh’ face.

“Ah it's because she's got romantical feelings for Kremy huh?”

“I do not,” you sputter out as they all made a noise of disagreement.

“Yeah I totally don't believe that,” Gideon let out a laugh, “you've been making eyes at Kremy since we started traveling together.”

You opened your mouth to disagree before Frost chimed in.

“Hmm, yes I too have seen the way you look at each other and can tell that there is some chemistry there.”

“Oh yeah! Hootsie and I have been wondering if you two were a thing officially or not. Either way you two are cute together.”

“I don't-wait we have chemistry?”

“Oh yeah, you guys are a little sick with how cute you act together. I think we all thought you were dating secretly but just hid it badly.”

As your mind reeled with this information, Kremy came over with a bunch of drinks and set them down before straightening up to fix his bowtie before grabbing onto the lapels of his suit jacket.

“Here we are friends, I got our drinks!”

Everyone thanked him as the drinks were passed around. Gideon gave a look to you before clearing his throat.

“There's not a lot of room but how about (Y/N) scoots over and you can sit next to them.”

Your eyes widened as you choked on your drink before going into a coughing fit. Frost slapped your back as you claimed down and thanked him.

“That's quite alright Gid. I have some prior engagements.”

He turned his head back to the waitress before nodding his head to the group and walking away. Your cheeks burned from embarrassment as the guys looked from Kremy to you. You shrunk into your seat as Gricko popped up.

“So there aren't romantic feelings?”

“No,” you mumble out and swallow hard as you stare at the table.

You didn't see the look the guys sent each other as you glared a hole into the table before Gideon stood from his seat.

“How about we find a room for tonight and head to bed?”

Everyone agreed and let you take your time to follow alongside Gid, noticing how he blocked your vision to the bar. You glanced up to him as he nodded to you and you gave him a small smile. As everyone walked out, Frost caught up to the group.

“I told Kremy we were retiring for the night. I saw a lodging house up the road we can go to.”

Frost then led the way to a modest looking house. He was able to get a few rooms for the night and all headed to bed. As you headed ro your room Gricko walked behind when Hootsie bumped her head into your leg, making you kneel down to scratch her head.

“I'm sure it's nothing serious. Kremy just likes to pull people's chains. Hey, he's probably just flirting and talking to get free drinks.”

You gave Gricko a smile that didn't quite reach your eyes as you nodded.

“Yeah, maybe he is. Goodnight Gricko, goodnight Hootsie.”

You entered your room and sat on the bed, just staring at the wall before you felt your eyes well up with hot tears that started streaming down your face. You just got under the covers of your bed and cried into the pillow before falling asleep.

When you awoke the next morning you felt a little better but not by much. You pushed yourself out of the warm bed to look into the mirror they had on the dresser. Your eyes looked red and felt puffy but you just wiped at your face before leaving your room.

You bumped into Gideon as he lumbered by your door. He smiled but brought a hand to your face with a scowl at the state of you.

“Are you alright?”

“I'll be fine, Gideon.”

He brought you into a hug that you happily returned before a throat was cleared. You pulled away to see Kremy with his face scrunched in confusion as he watched you two.

“Is there something going on?”

You just stared back as Gideon started speaking.

“Nope. Nothing going on, just comforting a friend.”

Kremy looked at you as his face softened and he took a step forward, “what's wrong chérie?”

“Nothing man took care of it.”

Gideon took a step forward and slapped a hand on his back to turn him back around as he just started talking Kremys ear off. Kremy looked back at you with concern before Gideon pushed him around a corner and disappeared.

You let a breath you didn't know you were holding before following the direction they went off. You heard a hum and almost jumped at Frost walking beside you.

“Remind me to put a bell on you Frosty.”

He let out a small chuckle as he nodded his head.

“Apologies. I forget how quiet I can be sometimes.”

He looked to you, “I saw what happened just now. Are you going to be alright?”

You smile up at him as you nod, “I'm sure I'll be fine.”

He hummed with a squint before turning and leading you both out the door of the lodge. It looked like it rained last night as the roads were muddy and there was a chill in the air as you both quickly made your way to the tavern.

Gricko and Hootsie were already eating a nice looking breakfast as Gideon and Kremy sat across from them. You looked down to your feet and felt Frost's hand on your shoulder in reassurance. Once a minute passed you looked back up and headed to the table. As you approached you were headed to where you always sit, next to Kremy before Gideon called out.

“Hey sweetheart! How about you sit with me for a change.”

Kremy looked at Gid with confusion before looking back to you. You just nodded your head before changing directions and sitting next to Gideon.

“What happened? You always sit with me chérie.”

“Gideon was going to ask her something this morning, Kremy.”

Frost spoke as he sat next to Kremy and crossed his arms as someone came out and placed plates of food in front of the rest of the group. You blinked down at the pancakes and hashbrowns in front of you and slightly smiled.

“I made sure to get you extra hash browns like I know you like chérie.”

You glanced up at Kremy smiling at you before your heart lurched and you quickly looked back down. As you picked up your fork Gideon suddenly sat up straighter and looked at Frost. They looked like they were having a silent conversation before he turned to you with a grin.

“(Y/N) I was wondering if you would go with me to the market to pick up some food for the road.”

“Um sure,” you mumble out, “that sounds like a good idea Gid.”

“You couldn't ask her that from sitting next to me?”

Your eyes moved from Gideon to Kremy as he seemed to be glaring up at him. Gideon shrugged and started eating his breakfast.

“Well I could have but I prefer talking to someone when they're close to me.”

“She would literally be a person away from you, Gid!”

“Well maybe I just wanted her to sit next to me. That's not so wrong is it?”

“Well, no, but we always sit with each other. Everyone eats fast and leaves but we sit and have a nice conversation while enjoying our food. That's how it's always been!”

“Well maybe if you weren't flirting with the waitress so much she would be sitting next to you now wouldn't she?”

Kremy shut up and blinked up at Gideon with wide eyes before looking at you. You just stared back with a shocked expression. It was quiet before Hootsie let out a hoot and you shot up from your seat and rushed out the door.

“Gideon, you better explain what you just said right now.”

“She likes you man.” Gideon ran a hand through his hair before standing to follow you. “She's upset that you were flirting with that waitress last night.”

“And also us all saying that we thought you two was together from how close you are.”

Gricko chimed in as Frost nodded along. Kremy placed his head in his hands before letting out a growl. Gideon took a few steps before a chair screeched as Kremy rushed over to the door.

“Stay here Gid. I'll take care of this.”

You were huddled against a random building and had your face buried in your hands.

‘That's it. I'm going to just leave the group and be on my way. That would probably be better.’

Right as those thoughts entered your head, you heard the sound of running and panting as they slowed next to you.

You peeked up to see Kremy string down at you as he took in large breaths of air.

“I thought I lost you. What are you doing in the mud chérie? Come on.”

He reached out to help pull you up but you just stared at it as he sighed. He pulled it away as you buried your head into your hands again. You heard the sound of footsteps and thought he walked away before a warmth covered you and felt someone settle beside you.

You raised your head to see Kremy sitting beside you and placed his jacket over you to stop you from shivering, his cane and top hat beside him. He brought his legs up and placed his arms on his knees as he started wringing his hands together, nervously glancing around and to you.

“Chérie, I-” Kremy started, but you turned away, trying to hide your unshed tears at how this all turned out.

Kremy cleared his throat and took in a shaky breath, you could tell that he was nervous and clearly upset. You've never really seen him like this before. He was always well spoken and knew exactly what to do. A charming smile or a clever word would get him what he wanted but right now? In the silence of you both sitting here, he seemed to be at a loss.

“I didn't mean to hurt you chérie. You know that I'd never want to hurt you. I just started talking to her and she had something useful.”

You stayed silent, staring pointedly at the wall as if it was more interesting than anything he had to say. His usual tricks, the suave words and playful demeanor, weren’t working, and it seemed like that terrified him.

“Please, chérie. Talk to me. I promise it wasn't for anything but information.”

You glanced at him, your expression softening just a little, but you still didn't say anything.

“I'm sorry, truly. I messed up real bad, and I don't know how to make this right. But I can't stand this, you not talkin’ to me. It's like a knife in my chest (Y/N).”

“You could have just said that,” you softly whispered to him.

Hearing your voice made Kremy scramble onto his knees to cup your cheeks in his hands as he nodded.

“You're right. I should have said that. It wouldn't have broken your heart and caused the both of us so much pain. You not talking to me, even for a little bit, is torture. I was so careless and I shouldn't have. You mean the world to me (Y/N).”

You studied his face, seeing how panicked he is at the thought of losing you. He watched your face and glanced down to your lips before he rasped out.

“I know you're mad at me but will a kiss change your mind?”

A smile slowly crept to your face as he matched it. You placed a hand on his chest as you whispered.

“I could never be mad at you.”

He tenderly pulled you into a kiss, a small kiss. You broke apart and gazed into each other's eyes before you grabbed his shirt and pulled him back into another kiss. It was more passionate as Kremy all bit toppled onto of you as you both landed in rhe mud. But it seemed like neither of you cared as you felt him cradle your head.

You ran a hand up and placed it on the back of his head as his hands ran down your body, to try and pull you closer to him. A large noise escaped from him as he shifted and you pulled away with a gasp. He smiled sheepishly as you realized he was making that noise that alligators do to attract mates.

“Are you…?”

“Yes yes, let's not talk about that right now.”

You giggled as he stood up and helped you up with a shake of his head. As soon as you two were standing you pulled his face down to kiss him again. He smiled into it before he pulled away and brought a hand to your cheek to stroke his thumb against it.

“I’m really sorry for everything chérie.”

“It's alright,” you smiled as you leaned into his hand, “you made it up to me.”

He smiled back before he looked over the both of you.

“Well we can't go back to breakfast like this.”

He snapped his fingers and you both were cleaning again. He placed his top hat back on and grabbed his cane before placing his hand in yours to led you back to the tavern. You smiled and brought your other hand up to grab his arm before realizing you were wearing his jacket still. You went to take it off before he stopped you.

“Keep it on. You seem cold plus I like it on you. Purple suits you.”

“You think so?”

You laughed as he pulled close again as he hummed.

“I definitely think so.”

You both walked in and you avoided the smirk Gideon gave you two as you both sat in your seats again.

“Oh are you two romantic partners now?” Gricko asked as he helped Hootsie eat her breakfast.

“Yes, yes we are,” Kremy shot you a wink.

You smiled as the boys started talking again. Everything was back to normal with the exception of Kremy giving you a few heated glances now and again. You picked up your fork and happily ate your breakfast.

[blackcattyler]

No, but Megumi crushing on reader, who just so happens to be Gojo's younger sister as well? The siblings are super close, it's like they share a braincell sometimes-- but poor Megumi can't figure out why he doesn't find Reader annoying too? And it also probably doesn't help that Reader is so oblivious and Gojo teases so much...

Anyways, take your time on this promt!! I love your writing, can't wait to see what you do with this!! <3

Gojo's sister reader x Megumi

Oblivious fluff

You had been eating lunch with Gojo when Megumi had walked up to you. You offered him some mochi that Gojo got you, and after looking surprised, he accepted it. Gojo started snickering and talked to Megumi while you ate. After some talk you heard your name, so you started listening. "Just ask her, I don't see why it's so hard." Gojo said. "Because she won't understand what I mean. I don't want any misunderstandings." You pipe up and ask "Who won't understand?" "Don't worry." After saying that, Megumi got up and walked away. You asked Gojo what happened and he just told you not to worry.

Megumi had asked you to go out to have dinner with him. You had accepted as it was fun to hangout with a friend. Megumi had picked a ramen place to eat, and you were happy because you loved ramen. Gojo told you to dress nicely for this so you wore a purple dress with a black belt with gemstones on the buckle. Megumi arrived and saw you. His face turned a shade of red and he looked away. "Is everything OK Megumi? Your face is red. Are you sick?" You asked, concerned. "I'm fine. Let's head inside." You followed him inside and sat down. You and Megumi ordered and sat in silence for awhile. "You look beautiful in that dress." He said out of the blue. "Thank you! Gojo said to dress up so I did." Megumi seemed a little irritated at the fact that Gojo told you to dress up. Your food arrived and you ate.

"Thank you for tonight." Megumi had walked you to your dorm room after you finished dinner. "No problem. I had fun." He looked like he wanted to say more but ddidn't. You thought about it and decided to kiss him on the cheek as a thank you for the night. He looked stunned by your action but then smiled. "Goodnight Megumi." "Goodnight."

I hope this is what you wanted. Sorry it took so long. I started writing it but then lost everything when I had to leave the app. It sucked

[goodbyemaryjane]

One Year Sober

I wish I could go back to my past self and say: there are moments of joy in your future that are so enormous you don't even have the space in your mind to imagine them yet.

You are going through some of the hardest times in your life so far, I know. You are so full of hurt and boredom and loneliness, it feels like there's no space for anything else. It feels like the best you can do is get high and try not to look at it, try to feel good for a few hours. You don't want to form clear memories of the same boring, exhausting day repeating again and again. Other people get to drink and get high and feel good, so why do you have to just sit here on a Saturday night and stare at your loneliness without relief? Read something, draw something, cycle through the same inadequate distractions?

Sometimes you are okay, even good, but sometimes you are a well of sadness with no bottom. You are starved for closeness but you cannot reach for it, you're too ashamed of how much you need. You feel like an alien watching groups of friends laugh and walk to lunch together, as if it's easy for them. Sure, you can entertain other people, but they don't know you, they only see the light you reflect. You're tired of writing in your journal, of meditating, of painting it out, of trying to compress the longing into a shape that's easier to carry. You're tired of trying so hard to be happy. You deserve some relief, a break from being the way you are so relentlessly.

When you're high, you can finally ignore all of that. And the absence of pain almost feels like love.

But the more you avoid it, the more it scares you. So you get high again, close your eyes again, and the moments when your stash is out and you catch a glimpse of what you've been ignoring are so overwhelming, you'll tell yourself, I can't stop. If I'm sober I'll suffocate in this. Your addiction will grow until you truly believe you are not strong enough to be alone in your mind again.

But you will get sober.

You'll work hard and make things you're proud of, you'll be there for a friend that needs you, you'll walk down the street and smell the rain on the pavement and know there's more inside you than pain. You will learn that most people are lonely like you, that reaching for closeness is the first thing every newborn learns to do, and the more you practice the easier it gets. You'll tell people you need them and they won't leave you. You'll learn that there is nothing inside you that makes you unworthy of love, and you might have to relearn this twice a week for the rest of your life, and that's okay. You'll have a lot of days that are just alright, some days you just live through, and some days you'll keep in your pocket and rub for good luck until they're as smooth as tumbled gemstones and as familiar as Goodnight Moon. You'll decide not to take your secrets to the grave after all, and it will be terrifying, but you'll learn the slow warm comfort of having absolutely nothing left to hide. You'll fall deeper in love with someone, and in his arms, loneliness will just be a word. You'll have experiences that make you feel like you've unlocked a new level of happiness you've never felt before. You'll make art that makes people feel understood; a stranger will thank you at the gallery opening, tears in his eyes. A stranger at the bus stop will confess his relapse to you and you'll tell him that you know it's hard, that you believe he can get sober again, and he'll thank you for understanding. You'll clean out your drawers and start keeping your promises. You'll be strong enough to lean on.

You'll think to yourself, "Thank God I was sober for that," and mean it. You'll think, "I am proud of myself for doing what's right, even when it's hard," and mean it. You'll think, "I want to remember every second of this," and you'll mean it with all your heart.

The pain doesn't go away entirely, but the space inside you will grow. Your life will expand to fit the love that's coming.

[honey-minded-hivemind]

For the 🦈SirenSong!AU, the reader is going to be related to Logan/Wolverine (35 people voted, majority chose him in the poll, so this is the route we're taking!). The reader will likely be a deep sea siren like him, Laura, and Victor, but could also be part open ocean or reef siren... maybe the reader is more reef or open ocean siren than they are deep sea... or mayhaps they are fully presenting as one of the other two instead of the deep sea type! Imagine what you will, but I might explore (or make canon) one of these ideas in the future.

As for their color scheme, it is probably similar to Logan, Laura, and Victor as well. Something sunny, warm, or warm-toned neutrals... similar to a piece of bumblebee jasper, fire agate, amber, tiger's eye, cat's eye, or other similar warm-toned patterned and shaded gemstone, with bits of brown and black involved. Their scales and fins though... that I plan to make a poll for, one each, so until those are done, I'll leave it vague what their fin and scale types are.

The reader is a mixed bag of feelings and experiences, due to being caught in a siren pup trafficking ring when they were younger, experimented on for a short time, and then raised by a kindly human once they escaped... they don't remember much about the ocean or coastal towns and cities, nothing but vague impressions and certain key things. They do have things they like and dislike, and have unresolved traumatic issues pertaining to the ordeals they went through, and losing their human caretaker recently before the present story...

Some of the things they like are:

• Pearls (any color, shape, or size; they vaguely remember playing with them, but can't remember when; they like the smooth, cool texture to them, too)

• Shrimp (tasty and simple; ate them with the shells on, until they found out you aren't supposed to do that, ever)

• Fluffy Blankets

• Cats

• Crabs (cute AND tasty!)

• Otters (fluffy noodles)

• Seals (cute and fat)

• Octopi (cute; prefer not to eat them, due to their intelligence)

• Jewelry (gold, silver, string, pearl, gem, glass, it doesn't matter: if it is shiny, sparkly, or dangles, they want to collect it)

• Books (Shakespeare, Ivanhoe, Aesop's Fables, or even some children's books like the Narnia series, Goodnight Moon, or Winnie The Pooh... much knowledge and wisdom and whimsy can be found in all of those, and the reader loves them all)

• Classical Music (they adore hearing instruments like the harp, the drums, or the cello)

• Odd Stuffed Animals (the animals that aren't regularly made into plushies, like fish, squid and octopi, caterpillars, foods, etc.)

• Hugs (they crave affection, but don't have friends or family to receive them from or to give it to)

And some things they dislike are:

• Most Humans (they fear them, and have mostly dealt with the more wicked, shady sort; they try to avoid being near them for too long, in fear of them discovering they are a siren)

• Other Sirens (they fear the other sirens hating them or seeing them as defective, due to being so out of touch with their own species and for being caught by humans; but they haven't met another siren since they escaped the humans who caught them)

• Loud Noises

• Bright Lights

• Babies (due to the drool, vomit, and excretions that come out, not to mention their wailing)

• Hot Weather

• Open Ocean (they don't know how to survive on their own in the ocean, and they haven't been to the sea since before they can remember... and the wide, empty waters make them feel lonely)

• Sea Snakes (venomous and can swim, they are a childhood fear of their's)

• Scorpions

• Large Empty Spaces (small empty spaces don't bother them, but too large of a room and only them to fill it makes them feel lost and paranoid)

The reader is someone who feels awkward, doesn't always understand social cues, and tries to be kind (if a bit secretive) to others. They want to be good, and they want friends and family and the love they provide, but they are on their own, now that their only caretaker, the human who raised them, has passed on... So the reader heads into the coastal city, where they know sirens are in charge and they have a better chance at not being found out. They can't risk anyone coming after them or discovering what they are. They won't risk being caught again, they can't bear the thought of having to go through that sort of torture, that type of pain, again. If only the knew that sirens are very caring, especially towards their own... and with the reader being a pup... once the sirens discover that, they aren't ever leaving their new bby on their own with no protection, no pod, no parents or siblings or family... And Logan/Wolverine is certainly going to be emotional when he sees his lost pup again, and he sure as h*ll won't be letting them go, not without a fight... not after losing them all those years ago...

[dagdasgoddess]

A quiet evening with Steven

I'm relaxing in bed with my laptop while Steven rests his weary and tired head on my lap, I hear him telling me about Devon and work, it's been going well and he's glad he took the summer off with me to just relax.

I see he's wearing glasses, we've both aged gracefully I must say. I ask him what he's reading, he just said it's an updated almanac of various gemstones found around earth and possibly space? I find that incredible.

Maybe we can go again next year into outer space with Deoxys!

He then looked up at me and my heart nearly stopped working from how enchanting his blue eyes looked, I smiled at him and he smiled back, he gently pushed the back of my head down with his hands and pulled me into a deep, passionate kiss.

I love him, my heart couldn't stop pounding.

Steven asked me if my stomach was better, as it was feeling a bit upset. I told him I was a lot better now. He seemed relieved, he's.. always known how sick I get easily.

He even stopped by the pharmacy to get my thyroid tablets.. I'm so blessed to have a husband like him, he's not just my lover but my best friend too.

We heard our daughter Celestia giggling from our baby monitor walkie talkie. We smiled at each other and went upstairs to check on our precious little star.

She was standing in her crib and smiled at us, we both held her close and tucked her into bed and kissed her goodnight.

Our daughter Celesta is the most important thing to us. My heart grew warm as a furnace when I saw how my beloved husband held the daughter we created together.

The Pokemon are asleep, they had a long tired day. We checked in on them and went back to our room to sit on the balcony for awhile, just to enjoy the last warm breeze of the fading summer.

It's these moments that make me realize how beautiful life is and how fortunate I am to be alive.

[iffoundreturntosea]

May 25, Day 145/146

Day 145 2015

Ug!

#sickagain #canyoufeelmypain #goodnight #wishmeluck #picoftheday #project365 #day145

Oof, nothing like a raw, unfiltered truth of a photo.

Day 146 2016

Let's art

#crayons #crayola #colors #color #brights #shadesoftherainbow #may #picoftheday #project365 #day146

Day 145 2017

A Horse with No Name

#horse #animals #nature #outdoors #equinetherapy #love #ahorsewithnoname #america #songs #music #may #picoftheday #project365 #day145

Okay, well this one does, Hank! He was a great friend to start equine therapy with.

Day 145 2018

Wow 😮 ❤️

#create #imagine #play #magic #bubbles #fun #kaleidoscope #may #picoftheday #project365 #day145

Day 145 2019

Wine all you want, I love this!

#create #art #imagine #differentperspective #glass #light #bokeh #tunnel #flow #windbottle #nationalwineday #may #may25 #2019 #nationalday #nationaldaycalendar #picoftheday #project365 #day145

Day 146 2020

Elephants for the year my parents sold the house that me and my siblings grew up in. And for the year my mom set a goal to do 60 races plus 4 half marathons! They did it too! The gem is from when they were in Arkansas and had to rush home because niece number four decided she needed to come way early!

#art #create #stuffedanimals #elephants #housesold #sold #races #5k #10k #halfmarathons #goals #gemstone #quartz #arkansas #vacationisover #blackandwhite #colorsplash #elephantmemories #may #may25 #2020 #picoftheday #project365 #day146

Day 145 2021

Starting to feel like that bayou around here

#lovetherain #rainpond #water #reflection #trees #grass #spring #nature #outdoors #itsgonnabemuggy #may #may25 #2021 #picoftheday #project365 #day145

Day 145 2022

What a gorgeous SPRING day in Texas!

#spring #succulents #blooms #texas #may #may25 #2022 #picoftheday #project365 #day145

Day 145 2023

Someone inked himself

#beach #sandopus #sand #octopus #create #seemore #inked #may #may25 #2023 #picoftheday #project365 #day145

Went to the beach with a friend and she made a sand octopus!

Day 146 2024

That frog looks like it's judging everyone else for having a good time.

#childstoy #dailytheme #beaniebabies #stuffedanimals #eye #may #may25 #2024 #picoftheday #project365 #day146

[genshinology]

𝐌𝐔𝐋𝐓𝐈𝐏𝐋𝐄 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒.

doing the “so today i tried to kiss my best friend” trend on them [ albedo, childe, diluc, kaeya ]

them as your roommate [ childe, diluc ]

them as your roommate [ xiao, zhongli ]

impulsive confession [ albedo, childe, diluc ]

them as enemies to lovers trope [ ayato, childe, itto, xiao ]

goodnight kisses [ albedo, ayato, childe, diluc, gorou, itto, kaeya, kazuha, thoma, venti, xiao, zhongli ]

them comforting their s/o [ ayato, xiao ]

“when the time stops for a while, for both of us to unwind.” [ ayato, diluc, kazuha, thoma, zhongli ]

an influential man's companion (or is it more?!) [ alhaitham, ayato, childe ]

genshin men as college au tropes [ alhaitham, ayato, childe, cyno, itto, kaveh, kazuha, zhongli ]

☆彡 individual works under the cut. character names are arranged in alphabetical order.

𝐀𝐋𝐁𝐄𝐃𝐎.

soft night : est. relationship au and fluff. wc; 0.8k

nothing is better than albedo giving you his affections in the middle of the night.

taking care of his s/o's hair

𝐀𝐋𝐇𝐀𝐈𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐌.

simon says : fluff. wc; 0.9k

as a professional procrastinator, alhaitham thought he needed to remind you that this bad habit of yours shouldn’t be a thing for your future assignment under his supervision.

(un)professional approach : enemies to lovers au. wc; 1.9k

when alhaitham offered you a temporary job that just might require you to be by his side all the time, and you objected him without a second thought.

stone cold heart : modern au, bodyguard au and angst. wc; 1.1k

𝐀𝐘𝐀𝐓𝐎.

an unexpected replacement : strangers to lovers au, crack and fluff. wc; 11.6k

who would have thought that you, the younger sister of a lowly clan far from inazuma city, would end up in a blind date with the kamisato ayato? the instructions were simple; make an appearance on the behalf of your sister, do what she requested you to do, and pretend as if nothing happened the day after. the main objective? leave a bad impression on him.

wishing his s/o a happy birthday

sugar : modern au, roommates au, friends to lovers au and fluff. wc; 2.1k

𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐄.

“when was the last time you said you loved me, and meant it?”

love on thin ice : modern au, sports au, fake dating au, college au, friends to lovers au and fluff. wc; 1.4k

minus one [ series ] : social media au, modern au, enemies to lovers au, college au, humour and fluff.

placing second in your year every single time can be tiresome, as childe will always snatch the first place and you will always be behind him. you hate his right answers and the winning smirk he directs at you whenever he gets a perfect score, while you, more often than not, end up with a minus one from his perfect 100. stalking his youtube channel is not exactly an ideal plan to start your mission of obtaining the #1 spot, but hey, apparently, childe gives out great content for super motivated students like so you couldn't really blame yourself for that.

𝐃𝐈𝐋𝐔𝐂.

petals : modern au, hanahaki au, unrequited love au and angst. wc; 1.5k

they said petals were the major factor that distinguished a beautiful flower from the others, but the feeling from the petals inside you said otherwise, it was neither good nor beautiful, it was painful.

𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐎.

toxic lips : enemies to lovers au, modern au and suggestive. wc; 1.3k

𝐊𝐀𝐄𝐘𝐀.

a prince's knight : royalty au. wc; 1.4k

when the crown prince always had his eyes on you since day one.

𝐗𝐈𝐀𝐎.

love & hatred : angst. wc; 2.8k

xiao hated you, but why did he find himself remembering you everyday, even way after you were long gone?

don't stop, don't stop, don't stop : lovers to exes au, modern au and angst. wc; 1k

xiao couldn't help his heart when he saw the shining gemstone on your ring finger—a clear sign that you were already betrothed to someone.

𝐙𝐇𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐋𝐈.

the president : modern au, high school au, friends to lovers au and fluff. wc; 3.2k

when you had a crush on a certain student council; the president at that.

no matter what, it's always you : historical au, modern au, reincarnation au and soulmates au. wc; 1.6k

𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐈 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐒.

one order, please! [ 800 followers event ]

minus one [ childe smau series — 1k special ]

all rights reserved © genshinology 2021-2023 strictly on tumblr only. any form of wrongdoings under the copyright law is strictly prohibited.

[triptuckers]

New In Town (part three) - Kaz Brekker

Request: nope Pairing: Kaz Brekker x reader Summary: after hearing an interesting conversation in the pub you work at, you're determined to find out more Warnings:  none Word count: 2.3K A/N: thinking about a video someone sent me on twitter of freddy saying the quote on bottling inej' laugh..... yea <3 enjoy reading! PREVIOUS PART | NEXT PART TAG LIST (all grishaverse fics): @ayushmitadutta @mrs-brekker15@dancingwith-sunflowers @thegirlwiththeimpala @parker-natasha@story-scribbler @romanoffstarkovs@daliareads@meiitanoia @itsnotquimey @sanktaesperanza @whymyparentscheckmyphone @aleksanderwh0r3 @ilovemarvelanne1 @marlenaisnthappy @brekker-zenik @just-deka @Graceknxwlson @the-very-tired-mess TAG LIST (Kaz Brekker): @mufnasa @janesofia7 @stairscortana @parker-natasha @illicitghosts @brick-by-brick553 add yourself to my tag lists here

When all of the customers have piled out of the pub, and you're cleaning the tables, you can't stop thinking over Jesper and Kaz' conversation.

If only you knew what gang they were part of, you could have easily snuck into their main building. You needed to find out exactly when this party was going to take place, if you wanted to steal the necklace.

You tried to think of any other way to find out the date and location of the party. You hadn't heard any other customers talking about it, so you guessed it was a party reserved only for the elite. And Ketterdam's finest didn't come to a somewhat dirty little pub like the one you work in.

You had to be smart about this. Maybe if Jesper or Kaz came back, you could try to follow them. Find out where they were meeting, what gang they are.

And if that didn't work, you'd just have to find some dirt on them and use it to your advantage. You'd done it countless of times before. Though this was an entirely new city, with new potential targets and clients, you are confident you can pull this off.

You have to, if you ever want to be able to rent a clean room, preferably one not directly above a pub.

But it looks like your luck has decided to abandon you. In the next three days, you don't see Jesper or Kaz in the pub. You even take on extra shifts, claiming you just want to earn more money. When in reality, you are on the lookout for either one of them.

They don't show up. And you have no way of telling if the party already took place or not.

On the fourth night, your gaze is fixed on the door again as you're working. Finally, your coworker steps closer to you.

'Did you like those two that much?' she says.

'Huh?' you say. You'd been so lost in your thoughts you hadn't heard her approach you.

'I'll take that as a yes.' she says. 'That tall one was cute. The other one gave me some creepy vibes.'

'What are you talking about?' you ask her.

'Those two that came by a couple of days ago. You kept hovering by their table, and you've been daydreaming ever since.' she says, smirking at you.

You laugh and shove her away. If only she knew the real reason why you had been hovering around their table. You decide to try if maybe she knows about the party. You doubt it, but there's no knowing unless you try.

'Hey, are there any good parties around here?' you say. 'I've yet to explore Ketterdam's night life.'

'Well, there are some.' she says. 'But most of the fancy ones take place at some merchants house. We'd never get in.'

'Sounds like one hell of a party, then.' you say.

'Oh, they're the best. On nights like those, you can see them all dressed up in their best clothes, jewellery all over the place. It's quite impressive.' she says.

'Hmm.' you hum. You hadn't seen a scene like that, so the party probably hadn't taken place yet.

'The merchants' wives have a new gown for every party.' she says.

'Really?' you say, genuinely surprised that they do. Surely you could spend your money on better things than a gown you'd only wear once.

'Uh-huh, they never wear the same thing twice. The other day, I was in one of those expensive stores to pick up an order for my aunt, and one of them was there. She kept raging on about how her dress wasn't going to be ready in time for a party.' she says.

This gets your full attention. Maybe this was about the party Jesper and Kaz were talking about.

'Was she really mad?' you say, pressing on.

'Furious.' says your coworker. 'She said that if her dress wasn't ready by Tuesday morning, because the party is that night, she'd never come to the store again.'

'Huh, what an attitude.' you say, trying to hide your gratitude for finally finding out the date of the party. All that was left was the location, and which wife exactly would be wearing the priceless necklace. But at least you got one piece of the puzzle.

'You really should have heard her. She kept yelling she couldn't possibly show up to Christensen manor without a new dress.' she says.

'Christensen manor?' you say, hoping you don't sound too curious. But apparently, your coworker loves gossiping way, as she nods eagerly.

'He's one of the richest merchants around. He's the one hosting the party. Rumour goes the ring he always wears is worth so much money, it could buy half of Ketterdam.' she says.

You snort. 'Half of Ketterdam? That seems a little too much.' you say.

'Oh, you'd be surprised.' she says. 'His family is always nearly sinking to the floor with the amount of jewellery they wear. They like to show everyone just how much money they have.'

'Aren't they afraid it gets stolen?' you say.

She shakes her head. 'They have too much security for that. Even the gangs back in the Barrel wouldn't dare to pull off such a daring stunt.' she says.

You smile to yourself. If only she knew at least five gang members were planning exactly that.

The two of you look up when a bell rings, signalling the end of your shift.

'That's my cue.' you say. 'You sure you're gonna be alright out here?'

'I'll manage. Go and get some rest.' she says.

'Alright, goodnight.' you say.

She waves at you as you walk toward the stairs to go to your room. To her, it seemed like you were just gossiping away. Little did your coworker know she'd given you exactly the information you needed. Maybe working at a pub turned out to be useful after all.

So the party would take place on Tuesday night, at Christensen manor. And his wife would most likely be the one to wear the necklace, if they parade around with their riches so much.

All you had to do was make sure you arrive before Jesper and Kaz do. You'd worked your way through more difficult plans, you could handle this.

When you wake up on Tuesday morning, you get dressed quickly and sneak out of the pub without being seen. You're grateful you bought loose pants with a lot of pockets.

You've hidden your gun in your pants, and your knives are strapped around your thighs. You didn't expect there to be an escalation, but you liked to be prepared.

You arrive at the manor, which looks abandoned. There are no lights on yet, but then again it's barely dawn. The reason why you came here so early is so you could inspect the building.

There are at least four different escape routes you can see. But you didn't know if you woud still have access to them when the manor is swarming with drunk party guests. And guard. And, of course, a few disguised gang members.

You pick out a spot in an alley across from the manor, and wait.

When you first stared doing jobs like this one, you didn't have patience at all. It caused you to be sloppy, to make mistakes and miss opportunities. But over the years, you learned that patience is a valuable ally.

You sit in the alley for hours, eating the food you'd brought with you. You're observing the manor, watching as servants come and go in order to prepare the party that would take place later that day.

When the sun starts to go down, the party guests arrive. Your coworker had been right; they're all dressed in expensive looking clothes in the brightest colours. Jewellery shines on their ears, around their necks, on their fingers and wrists.

You're lucky you're patient. Otherwise you would have simply snatched a less valuable necklace. But you had your eyes set on a prize, and you're determined.

When most of the party guests have entered the manor, you sneak closer and enter through the door the servants had used all day. Luckily, there's no one in the room you enter.

All you have to do is follow the music to the main area, and find the merchant's wife. Easy.

You make your way through the hallways, occasionally stopping to take cover when you hear someone approaching. Finally, you make it to the room where the music is the loudest.

People are laughing, drinking and dancing. You'd love to be part of that life some day. To just spend your days dancing with your friends, playing dress up. But that kind of life would have to wait.

You scan the room from where you are standing, and spot a couple dancing in the middle of the room.

They're dressed in colours so bright they seem to light up the room. The woman is nearly entirely covered in shining gemstones. And on her chest rests a heavy necklace, a large diamond dangling from it.

You look around the room, but don't spot Jesper or Kaz. They aren't here yet, or you just hadn't seen them. You had to be careful. They knew what you looked like. And as soon as they caught sight of you, you didn't doubt they would tell their companions.

Behind you, a servant approaches with a tray laden with glasses of wine. You smile and walk up to him.

'I'll take it from here, Christensen said you could take a break.' you say, holding your hands out to take over the tray.

It surprises you how easily he hands it over to you. Was working at a party really that bad you'd take the first change of getting a break you got?

You don't have time to question it. You have to move quickly if you want to be out before the gang members arrive.

You manoeuvre your way through the crowd, and most people don't even seem to notice you're not wearing a servant's uniform. Maybe they're too drunk to notice. Or maybe they just don't care.

After spotting Christensen and his wife again, you make your way toward them. The music stops just about the same time as you reach them.

Before the next song starts, you make yourself trip, spilling wine all over Christensen's wife.

She lets out a yelp of surprise when the red liquid stains her dress. She furiously turns at you and you're quick to put on a shocked face.

'I am so sorry, my lady.' you say. 'I tripped, oh Saints, I'm so sorry.'

'Watch where you're going!' she says. 'You ruined my dress.'

'I'm sorry, I'll help you clean it up.' you say.

'You better.' says the merchant, Christensen, as he roughly takes a hold of your arm and pushes you to follow his wife out of the room.

You keep your eyes down as you follow her through the halls. She opens door after door, muttering to herself about useless servants. She stops when you've entered a bedroom.

She opens another door to reveal a bathroom. When she sees her dress in the mirror, she glares at you.

'I haven't seen you here before.' she says.

'I'm new.' you say, keeping your eyes on the floor.

'New and clumsy.' she says. 'Wait here while I change.'

She takes off her jewellery and shoes before disappearing in the bathroom, closing the door. You don't know how much time you have, so you move quickly.

You grab a hold of the necklace and shove it into one of your coat pockets. You're debating wether or not you can go back the same way you got here, but then you hear footsteps approaching.

You whirl around, and spot a window. You could climb down and get as far away from the manor as possible.

With three big steps, you make it to the window and open it. You carefully climb through the window and being to work your way down to the street.

Just when your feet hit the ground, you hear the merchant's wife scream.

'Thief!' she screams. 'I've been robbed!'

You smile as you start jogging toward the street, to go back to the pub. When you round the corner of the manor, you see a few people making their way toward it.

Two guards and three people dressed as elaborately as the other guests. For a split second, you wonder why three guests would be accompanied by two guards, but then you remember Jesper and Kaz' hushed conversation.

A grin starts to spread across your face. You'd been fast enough. They'd go in only to discover there was no necklace to steal.

You walk across the street, keeping your head down. In the distance, you hear the woman still screaming. She had made it to the main party room.

'My necklace!' she yells. 'That damned servant took it! Find her!'

You see the small group of people outside the manor stop, and turn to each other. You can tell they're confused as they talk to one another. Probably wondering what the odds were someone else would steal the necklace they had their eyes on.

They're all looking at each other, except for Kaz. You can see even more clearly now he's the leader. Instead of looking at his companions, he's suspiciously looking around, his eyes scanning the dark streets around the manor.

You smile to yourself and disappear into the shadows. If you had it your way, he'd never find out you'd outsmarted him.

A/N: If you want to request something, make sure to read my house rules Here’s the list of characters I write for. Everything that I have written can be found on my masterlist. Please don’t repost my work, as I spend much time and effort on it!! Thank you for reading! Much love, Marit

[harrylilies]

The Royal Series | Pt. V

The Royal Series Masterlist

"Think I should get my own flat." You said as you lied on Farrah's bed, looking at her ceiling that had scattered glow-in-dark stars.

"Like in secret? Out of the palace?" She asked, glancing at you then looking back at her laptop.

You hummed in confirmation. "Think I can do that?"

"If it were hypothetical, yes,” Farrah answered, looking at you. "It's unsafe given your status, no matter how much you deny it so if your family knows, it won't be pretty, and I know for sure it’s not easy.” "What if-" You sat up quickly, crossing your legs and looking at her with mischievous wide eyes. "What if I give it all up?"

"Give what up?" She asked slowly, looking at you warily.

"The status. What if I give up on royalty? Step down and live as some normal girl who's good in her work and owns her own flat? I don't have to marry F-"

"Y/N, you really need to sleep." She sighed, closing her laptop and putting it on her bedside table.

You sighed, lying on your back and pulling the cover closer to your chin. "I hope that's the case."

"Anyway, whatever you do, you know I'll support you, even if you end up living with me."

You smiled, snuggling into Farrah's cover, "You're an alright best friend."

"And you're a bitch. Goodnight, your Highness." She chuckled before rolling over and letting her back face you.

"Goodnight, peasant."

--

"Em, call them and tell them that we'll do what we talked about in the meeting and have their social media specialist start tomorrow. Has David called?" You asked your assistant as you both walk in a fast pace inside the palace, Kensington.

"He did. He said that we raised 2 million, we exceeded the target." She informed you.

You nodded, stopping in front of your flat door. "Good. Can you please schedule a meeting for tomorrow with Healing for The Future? We need to discuss the plan and start working as soon as possible."

She nodded, writing on her iPhone as you talked. "Consider it done."

"Thank you, Em. And sorry for keeping you busy till now," you smiled at her gratefully before checking your watch, "It's almost 11."

"It's my job. It's not like I don't enjoy it." Emelie assured you with a smile of hers. "Now you have a goodnight. You've been awake since 4 in the morning."

You nodded, both of you leaning to kiss each other's cheek. "Goodnight, Em."

Emelie walked off, making you turn and enter your quiet flat. You nodded at the two guards standing on your door before going inside, smiling and wishing them a goodnight.

Right as you were about to take off your shoes, a knock on your door made your move halt for a second before you granted permission to whoever was on the other side. In came one of the ladies-in-waiting, Pattie. "Your Highness?"

"Yes, Pattie? Is everything alright?"

She nodded, "Her Majesty is in His Highness Prince William's flat and requested to see you."

"Oh, she's here?" You furrow your eyebrows before standing. "Okay. Thank you, Pattie. You can sleep or do whatever you want. It's a quiet night for me." You smiled at her.

Pattie smiled back, bending her knees in a slight curtsy, "Thank you, Your Highness."

Walking to your brother's flat, you greeted the guards at the door before a maid informed you that “they were all in the drawing room.” Thinking nothing of it, you pulled out your phone as you walked towards it, opening yours and your siblings’ group chat.

Henry💂��‍♂️: why on earth is he here? Wills👴🏻: I honestly don't know... Wills👴🏻: Y/N, I'd advise you to not come before 11

It was too late.

Your eyebrows which were furrowed in confusion at the texts and the frown fell once you walked inside the drawing room and looked up, seeming as if the air had been knocked out of you.

"Y/N, you're here! Fred was just telling us about his last polo match." Your grandmother smiled, patting the spot next to her.

You glanced at your siblings, Kate, and your grandfather who gave you sympathetic looks before your eyes moved to the moving man who was approaching you with a smile on his face.

"It's incredible to see you, Your Highness." Fred said gently, offering his hand.

You snapped out of it and put your hand in his, watching as he kissed it, "Lovely to see you, too.”

Fred motioned for you to walk inside, walking behind you as you sat on the sofa beside your grandmother, deeply breathing as you tried to remain calm.

"Prince Fred has a gift for you, Y/N."

"Ah, yes!" He chuckled nervously, holding a rectangular velvet green box from the table before approaching you. "I know you love emerald," he spoke gently, opening the box for you.

Your eyebrows were furrowed and a frown was set on your face as you stared at the necklace with an emerald gemstone. "Uh," you let out a small chuckle before looking at him. "May I ask what's the occasion?"

"Just a kickstart for what's there to come."

You nodded slowly, straightening your posture as your eyes went back to his face, "That's a lot for just a kickstart."

You heard your brothers snicker from behind Fred, watching as he gave you a small shrug. "It's okay if you don't want to accept it. I'd understand. I asked my mother and she told me it'd be a good idea, honestly." Fred chuckled, glancing from you to the necklace in his hands, almost as if he'd never seen it.

You glanced at your grandmother who gave you a pointed look, almost as if she was holding back a scream that said "take it!"

You stood up, taking a breath and reluctantly nodded, "It's okay, I-," You gulped, an uneasy smile coming to your face, "I'll take it. Thank you."

Fred smiled, "Want help wearin-"

"No!" You instantly replied, hand coming up to graze the teardrop pendant of your necklace around your neck. "I mean," you looked at him, slightly wide eyed, "I'm going to sleep now so it's not really a convenient time to wear it."

He cleared his throat and nodded, stepping back with an arm behind his back, "I understand."

“Y/N, you said you're going to sleep. Can I come with you for a second? I left Louis' bib at your flat the last time." William said, standing up.

Despite knowing that he was coming up with an excuse for you to leave, you went along. "Oh, right. I was meaning to get it but I forgot. Anyway," With the green box in your hand, you walked towards the door with your brother following you before you turned to look at the rest, "Have a goodnight." And with that, you and William were out of the door and walking towards your own flat.

"Show me." He opened his palm, making you rest the box there. "Not bad, huh?"

"Poor lad looked like he was forced to do this." You spoke your mind, hand finding its way to your hair.

"Just like you felt you were forced to accept it?" Will replied almost instantly.

You shrugged, "It'd be very rude of me to just not accept it. He'd look like a fool."

"And why do you care?"

"Because just because I don't see myself with him, doesn't mean I'll make him feel less about himself and treat him like a doormat. I have a feeling he's forced into this like I am." You sighed, walking down the stairs.

"When did you become so wise?" Will chuckled, wrapping his arm around your shoulders. "How's Romeo?"

You chuckled, rolling your eyes. "He's fine. He's in Berlin."

"Busy lad, huh?"

You nodded, "Very. Makes time to call me though."

Will smiled, giving your shoulder a squeeze. "That's good to hear."

As you reached your flat and opened the door, you turned to look at your brother, "You can stay for some tea." You suggested.

"No, it's alright. I'll head back to them. You have a good night sleep, alright?" He leaned down pressing peck to your forehead.

You nodded, smiling sleepily at him. "Goodnight, Wills."

Getting into your bed after a long day was what you looked forward on busy days, and it was the reason behind the sigh that left your lips as you had gotten under the covers.

Right as you were about to lock your phone, the screen changed from your wallpaper of you, Charlotte and George lying on the grass as you laughed – a picture Kate had taken from above months ago and it had been your favourite – to an incoming call from none other than the man who gave you zoos erupting in your stomach; Harry.

You smiled, accepting it. "Hello?"

"Hey, love," His voice alone was enough to have you already blushing. "Are you done with the day?"

You hummed, "It was a long, tiring day."

"Want to tell me about it?"

And so, you did. You told him all about your day, meetings and your scheduled plans, leaving out the part where you saw Fred.

And he told you about his show and how he was on his way to travel to Amsterdam.

"Did you wear that suit you showed me?" You asked him, lying on your back.

"Yeah, I did," He replied, "I'm going to send you two suits for tomorrow's show, choose one of them for me, please?"

You grinned, "Of course."

"Alright, I'm going to let you sleep now. Uh, Y/N?"

You hummed.

Harry chuckled slightly and almost nervously before it got quiet for a second. "I miss you,"

You grinned to yourself, feeling your heart thump in your chest at the simple 3 words.

"Feel like I want to see you already. Think-" He stopped, "Think it's your kisses. You're very, very...kissable."

You let out a small laugh, one hand moving to cover your face as the other clutched the phone tightly to your ear. "Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I miss you, too."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

[mrsalwayswrite]

It’s Always Been You (Eugene Roe x f!Reader)

I have mixed feelings about this piece. But who doesn’t love Soft Roe?

Warnings: couple swear words but PURE FLUFFY FLUFF

Words: 2700

Tag List: @happyveday​ @saritanotserena​ @sydney-m​ @evelynshelby​

  I stood in front of the mirror, unable to believe the person looking back was actually me. I brushed my hands down the front of the gown, enjoying its smooth, silky texture. Such a contrast to the stiff, dirty ODs I had become accustomed to. Light makeup on my face, something I had not indulged in for years. I looked… dare I say… beautiful. Even as I witnessed myself dress up in the mirror, I doubted my own reflection. It felt like I was someone else. Today, though, that was what I wanted.  

 It was a Sunday and everyone was still celebrating being in Zell Am See. We had thought Germany was beautiful but it had nothing on Austria.

 In his pilfering, Captain Speirs had found an abandoned, wealthy home that he thought I might enjoy. He purposefully pulled me aside and told me to investigate the master bedroom before anyone else got to it. At my questioning look, he just gave a wink and said he would stand guard until I was done. Without another word, he lit a cigarette and rummaged through his newest acquisitions. 

 Intrigued and still confused, since everyone knew I did not care much about finding treasures, I wandered into the home and up the grand stairwell until I finally reached the master bedroom. My jaw dropped when I saw what he was referring to and purposefully left for me. I owed him a huge bottle of liquor after this. Whoever the wife was that lived here had expensive taste. There were racks of beautiful gowns and dresses, ranging from whimsical day dresses to breath-taking evening gowns. I spent about an hour just touching all the beautiful gowns, in awe that clothing like this was even real. Even the heels and few pieces of jewelry left behind boggled my mind in their quality. It was a fairytale. It had to be.  

 So, I had decided while all the men were continuing to get drunk, blow things up and joy ride…. I was going to embrace my femininity. Something I had not enjoyed since Albourne, so long ago. 

 Now here I stood, having spent entirely too long getting ready for some kind of elegant ball. The gown I commandeered was an emerald green color, making me feel like I was wearing a gemstone, with wide straps but left my arms bare and dipped low in the back. The red lipstick I found made my lips pop in the bright light of the bathroom. My favorite thing was the small gold chain necklace I discovered half hiding under a dresser, as if dropped and forgotten by whoever was leaving quickly. I wondered if in another life this could have been me regularly, attending socialite functions and dressing up like a princess. Instead I was used to dirt and blood marring my skin, ill-fitting ODs and a helmet that constantly slipped over my eyes. 

 For this moment, just for tonight… I could pretend otherwise. Pretend I was someone important, someone elegant. 

 When I finally stepped out of the wealthy house, Speirs took one look at the gown draped over my arm and the pair of black heels dangling from my hand, and suggested I use the officer's house to get ready in. 

 Taking a deep breath, I took one last look at myself in the mirror. If only my family could see me now, I thought. I slipped on the heels and walked out of the bathroom, the gown trailing lightly behind me. 

 Tonight was about me. Doing something special for me. To remind myself I was more than just a soldier, more than the scars I now bore from our time in combat. That I had not completely lost myself to war and its carnage. Beauty could still be found in the little things...the stolen moments. Like a stunning gown and red lipstick. 

 I could hear the officers downstairs, talking about something, followed by a sharp bark of laughter from Nixon. Before I disappeared into the upstairs bathroom, I had told them I was going to watch the sunset by the lake and if I came back after dark to not worry about me. 

 Being extra careful in the gown, I descended the stairs. One foot at a time. One nervous breath at a time. Beyond aware of how different I looked. 

 As I stepped into view of those lounging around, most playing poker at a table in the middle of the room, silence struck. I could feel their eyes land heavily on me. 

 "Holy shit." Nixon said, mouth dropped open. 

 I stepped down the last two steps, brushing down my gown to smooth out the nonexistent wrinkles. I tried to tease, their amazed looks making me uncomfortable. "I swear, it's like you guys have forgotten I am in fact a woman."

 "Uh huh. Can't forget that right now." Nixon took a sip of his drink in hand. 

 Harry asked, a smirk on his face as tapped his cards against the table. "Where you going dressed like that?"

 "Going to watch the sunset." I reminded them. 

 "Dressed like that?!" Nixon sputtered then narrowed his eyes at me. "Looks like you're planning on meeting someone."

 "Does a woman have to dress up only for a man?" Before anyone could answer, I pointed a finger at the officers. "The correct answer is no. I can dress up for myself. I'll be back in a while." 

 "Y/n?"

 I looked at Winters, surprised to see him sitting in an armchair near the fireplace reading while the other officers were playing cards. "Sir?"

 "You look beautiful."

 "Thank you, sir." I smiled at Winters, receiving a soft one in return.

 "You got a weapon on you?" Speirs asked around a cigarette between his lips. 

 "Maybe." 

 He froze, then slowly pulled the cigarette out and started to rise from his seat. 

 "Christ! Yes! I've got my knife! Anything else, dad, or can I go now?"

 "Be smart, don't stay out too late or talk to any boys." He deadpanned, shuffling the cards in his hand. The gleam in his eyes let me know he was just teasing, but would also have no qualms stabbing anyone who bothered me. 

 Amidst the others chuckling, I groaned. "I'm leaving now."

 Quickly, I walked out before anyone could try and convince me to stay or worse- go change. 

 Thankfully, even in the fading daylight, the air was still somewhat warm where I did not need a shawl. I could hear some faint cheers from the enlisted men but I slipped behind the rows of houses and headed down the lakeside path. I walked towards my favorite spot overlooking the lake. Colors danced upon the water, making it appear as if on fire. A few ambitious stars peeked out from above in the sky painted by angels. Never before would I have imagined finding myself somewhere so absolutely gorgeous. If heaven was real, I hoped it looked like Austria. 

 Standing there, I found myself humming and gently swaying to a Billie Holiday song. My arms wrapped around myself loosely, I tried to soak in everything. I wanted to remember this moment forever, to create new memories to replace the bad ones. The nightmares. 

 "Blue moon you saw me standing alone

Without a dream in my heart

Without a love of my own…"

 "Y/n?"

 I turned to look over my shoulder, not expecting anyone else around. The voice was a dead giveaway but I was shocked our Cajun medic was down this way. "Hey, Gene."

 He stood several paces from me; his medic satchel, that he never went anywhere without, hanging off his side. He stared at me for a long moment, eyes dancing over me in a way that made me self-conscious of how much skin showed. Suddenly, he blinked rapidly as if waking from a dream. "What…" he cleared his throat, "what are you doin' here?"

 "Watching the sunset." I glanced over my shoulder at the lake then looked back at him. 

 "Mmm...dressed like you should be in the pictures?"

 I laughed, even as I felt my face warming. I ran my hands over the gown, still in awe that I was wearing something so expensive. For the most part of the past 4 years, I had been caked in grime and sweat; even though my skin was clean now, I felt too dirty to wear something so fine. 

 "I've never worn anything like this. I just...wanted to do something...for myself."

 "Mmm… well, I'll leave you be. Goodnight." With a single nod, he hesitated then turned around, beginning to walk up the path back to the houses. 

 "You know…" I said loudly, watching his feet still as he turned back around to look at me. "It would be a shame to be dressed up and not able to dance."

 He ducked his head slightly, a bashful smile on his face. I could see the uncertainty on his face. The desire to dance, to hold me close but also the concern for crossing that unspoken line separating us. For two years we had been tiptoeing around our growing feelings. Both aware but never acknowledging. It was in the secret looks, the subtle soft touches, the constant desire to seek one another out amongst a crowd, the solace our presence created when together. The knowledge hung there between us, with one slip we would both fall headlong over that cliff. So we kept back, together as friends but separate as lovers, even if we could read the desire in one another's eyes. It was safer this way. 

 Until now. 

 Without a word, he slowly approached me, as if waiting for me to change my mind, to tell him no, to maintain our status quo. My lips only turned up in a smile as he drew closer, encouraging him, telling him I wanted this. He dropped his satchel carefully on the ground. Our eyes locked, both aware of how this moment could change everything we had built. Carefully, he reached forward and clasped my hand, pulling me into his body. My lips parted on a quiet gasp, feeling his warm breath span across my face, his hand holding mine… and for once, neither one of us was covered in the blood of a fellow paratrooper. I lifted my hand to his shoulder, the muscles tensing underneath my palm. When he made no further movement, I grabbed his other hand and placed it on my waist. For a moment I thought he would reject this, to walk away as he seemed to stay frozen. Then with the softest whisper of my name, as if that was the key to unlock this moment, he pulled me even closer and took the lead. 

 In the stolen evening gown I found and Gene in his ODs, we danced. Like there was no war to haunt us. No rules against fraternizing. No fear of the future that lay before us. It was just him and I, in this moment of beauty and joy and life. We danced. He led me in a simple box step. Our pounding heartbeats, the fluttering of my gown and the soothing sound of the lake lapping on its shore, the only soundtrack we needed. 

 "You are beautiful."

 My face heated up at the compliment. "It's the dress and lipstick."

 "Non, mon chérie." He drawled in that perfect accent and tipped my face back to meet his soft gaze. "It's you. It's always been you."

 I stared into his soulful eyes, a new burning in them. Where once it had only been a candle trying desperately to beat back the darkness; now a bonfire replaced it. Something darkness knew it could never defeat. This man who held me so tenderly, like I was some kind of priceless gem, who had seen the brutality and horrors of war but still kept going, still trying his hardest to save his men even when others would have given up. He was beautiful, both inside and out. 

 "You need to stop lookin' at me like." He whispered; eyes glued to mine. 

 It was when he spoke, I realized we were no longer dancing. When had we stopped? Our bodies were still pressed together, our fingers now entwined but our feet rooted to the path. The air between us felt anything but still. An ardent intensity hovered between us, binding us to the moment, preventing us from escaping it. The sounds around us disappeared. All I could see, all I could feel and sense and taste… was him. 

 "Why?" I asked, my voice breathy. 

 "I might be tempted to mess up your lipstick."

 A nervous giggle escaped me. Instead of dispelling the profound moment, it only seemed to enhance it. With deliberate slowness, I moved my hand on his shoulder to the back of his neck. "I wouldn't mind."

 His hand moved to cup my cheek, holding me still as he leaned in. His lips ghosted over mine, the sweetest of sensations. It sent sparks shooting through me. After he leaned back just out of lips reach. Our eyes met once again, our breathing quickening even from the faint touch. As if our bodies were synced, I rose up at the same time he leaned forward. This time when our lips met, it was with a kiss long overdue. Our lips molded to one another, basking in the taste of the other. Both my hands slipped to the nape of his neck. His hand on my cheek drifted to the back of my head, keeping me from moving away. His other hand slid to my lower back, drawing me closer… and closer.

 The kiss deepened, pulling long dormant feelings from both of us, now finally exposed without reprimand. In the midst, his hand snaked up my side to brush a thumb over the underside of my breast. At the sensation, I gasped in the kiss, surprised by his forwardness. Surprised by the pure wanton need it shot through me. As my lips parted in the gasp, his tongue thrust into my mouth like he owned it. As if he needed more of my taste. Needed more of me. As if a simple kiss would never be enough. Not to him. He quickly drew my own tongue in a dance that soon left my knees weak and wobbling. I found myself clinging to him, not just in desire, but also to keep me upright, else I melted into a puddle of sheer bliss. 

 All too soon, we were forced apart by our lungs screaming for air. He pressed his forehead to mind, his hand still skimming my side from my hip to the underside of my breast and back down. 

 "It’s you. It’s always been you." He whispered as if finally able to confide his deepest secret. The words spilling forth like water out of cracks in a dam, held back for too long. "Since I first talked to you in Toccoa about tryin' to sneak a laxative into Sobel's coffee. And in Bastogne… you were always there for me. Checkin' on me. Makin' sure I knew I wasn't alone. But we're in a goddamn war and I couldn't say nothin'. Seein' you standin' out here, lookin' like an angel, I just...I had to…"

 I pressed a finger to those kiss-swollen lips of his, silencing the onslaught of secrets. "Gene, I'm going to need you to stop talking and kiss me again."

 He smirked, nuzzling my neck for a second. When he spoke, I could feel his hot breath and lips against my skin. "Yes, ma'am."

 This time there was no hesitation, no wavering in dilemma. Our lips touched and it felt like it was meant to be. No great fireworks in the night sky, no great orchestra announcing our love. It felt more like two puzzles pieces finally fitting together. Like the sun peeking through on a cloudy day. It was perfect. 

 When we broke apart again, I felt delirious with joy and the look on his face said something similar. I laid my head on his chest, his arms wrapping around my waist. Bodies pressed against one another, molded together like clay. Without a word, we began swaying. The soundtrack of our shared heartbeats and the lake's waves drowning out anything else. 

 Nothing in the world had changed. We were still paratroopers occupying Austria. Men were still dying. The war was still going strong in the Pacific. Evil endured. 

 But in this moment, in our own little world. 

 Everything changed. 

[kaylor-forever]

omg cyz nobody writes these stupid dumb gory fanfics I have to do it with my terrible writing so here's beginning of the end but rated R also this is based off those fan panels someone made, can't find the pics online but their out there

Darcy stepped out of the darkness. "Hello, girlfriends." Sasha and Anne looked at her in confusion. Anne noticed the similarities between her and Marcy... "Wait.. Marcy? What are you doing?" Darcy shook her head with a mischievous smirk on her face. "It's not marcy anymore. We go by darcy." Sasha looked in shock then rage. "Let our friend go you monster, or so help me I will destroy you." Sasha exclaimed frustrated. Darcy let out a maniacal laugh. "Oh Sasha, you aren't friends! And judging by Marcy's memories.. you never were." That same smug smirk was back on her face.

Sasha looked at Darcy, millions of emotions were going through her and you could tell. "Don't listen to her Sasha." Anne said, trying to reassure Sasha. "Ah the famous Anne. Dumber than a bag of rocks and yet somehow this rebellions last hope. OH! Which reminds me.." Darcy pulled Anne and Sasha over to the balcony of the castle. "Rebellion soldiers, your leaders have been captured. The fight is over." Darcy exclaimed. The army panicked and started to retreat, Andrias jumped back up.

Darcy pulled them both back inside. "Now andrias I'm gonna finish what you could not complete. Killing Anne." Sasha and Anne gasped. Sasha started to struggle against the restraints. "No take me instead!" Sasha yelled. "SHUT IT" Darcy yelled, she put a gag in sasha's mouth. Anne was strong compared to Sasha, she didn't show emotion. "Fine then, if you leave my friends alone." Darcy shrugged then nodded. "Sure! Any last words..?" Anne looked at Sasha and smiled. "I love you more than anything. Don't blame Marcy for this, I know you can save Earth." Darcy pulled out her tiny laser knife and plunged it into Anne's neck. "Goodnight Anna banana." Anne looked shock to hear that nickname. Blood pooled out of the wound and soaked into her shirt, blood started to leak out of her mouth.

Tears fell down her face. She looked at Sasha who was trying to scream out to Anne but couldn't, struggling intensly against the arms that were holding them. Anne smiled weakly, the energy was leaving her body and she felt her eyes giving out. The smile was gone and her body went limp. Her powers were absorbed and went back to the gemstone.

[raysofcrosby]

omg hi so I'm just casually rereading wltay and i was curious, obviously there are elements that will connect to future chapters, but are there any details that have occurred from ch 1 to 10 that no one has picked up on? idk even if it's little things that you think are cool? I just love to hear you talk about this universe you've created because we get an extra insight into it all -👻

hi!! everyone’s actually been pretty good on picking up most of the details that’ll come back around in future chapters, which i love bc it makes writing them back in so much more exciting 🥰

there are a few that aren’t super obvious, but do make some more sense later down the line– but all in all, these are some of the things from chapters 1-10 that come around again:

chapter one:

when matt tells annalee not to call him baby

matt’s whole belief of ‘never throw the first punch’ comes into play later on.

the playlist he listened to on his flight from calgary to st. louis

chapter two:

care’s four senior hockey boy students play a small role later in the story

the playground where caroline and matty met is mentioned for the first time– it plays a big part later on

jonathan only knowing matt (at first) as ‘just some high school boyfriend’ comes into play very very soon 👀

chapter three:

matt mentioning caroline’s distaste for diamonds– “Diamonds just seem so…bland, I don’t know. I’d want a unique ring, a gemstone, or something. Ooh, topaz would be pretty and meaningful too since it’s my birthstone. Yeah, definitely no diamonds.” 

matt seeing that caroline deleted their old pictures off of her instagram...or did she? 👀 [you find that out later]

chapter four:

jonathan saying: “And do you really think that he won’t try to win you back? For God’s sake, the guy was your first fucking love, Caroline! You have a son with him! He’ll do everything in his fucking power to get back with you!”

chapter five:

the halloween photos of matt and ethan come into play much later on

chapter seven *flashback chapter*:

may – the shower scene w/ matt and care + “Yeah, I mean…if you wash their hair like you wash mine, they’d be the luckiest kids alive.” + “It’s calming. Makes me feel relaxed.” + “I’ll teach them how to take care of their curls like I taught you,”

july – baby name dicussion 👀

august – when she and matt slept together one last time and she cried afterwards

september – her cravings of chocolate milkshake + fries<3

december – the phone call caroline made in her hospital room to matt

chapter eight:

sam and his (new) fish – they make an appearance later

ethan’s severe allergy to peaches (people have picked this up but it’s super important!!)

ethan’s super obvious crush on melody comes into play in a few chapters and way off in the future chapters

chapter nine:

matt’s agent saying “Sooner rather than later, Matt. You don’t want this getting out unless you and her are the ones announcing it.”

the black velvet box 👀 [everything is not what it seemssss]

matt talking about how sitting alone at the rink is his way of being able to get his stress out and clear his mind if he couldn’t do it on the ice [this comes into play very, very soon!]

“I could never hate you, Care. I mean, I’m upset, yeah…but I could never hate you. You were it for me…you’re my best friend.” [!!!!!!!!!!!]

caroline putting the emphasis on ethan’s superstition with his sandwich and then talking about matt’s undershirt superstition/ritual 👀👀

ETHAN WANTING TO BE 6′3″

chapter ten:

jonathan offering to take the photo of matt, ethan and care was really nice...or was it? 👀

ethan wanting matching groots with matt = ethan maybe wanting to match him in other ways? 👀

CAROLINE TEXTING MATT “Goodnight Matty 🐢” [pls bc everyone calls him a turtle when he fights sjkhgd]

[pbandjesse]

Today was great and Im only frustrated that my lip has gotten worse again. I think from the friction from my mask and the heat all day made it worse. But my whole mouth area hurts and it sucks. Honestly, I am also just very sore. We did a lot of walking in the sun today!!

I didn't sleep great last night. I had weird nightmares again and I woke up with my lip all covered in dry blood. I was pretty upset about it and it would only get worse. I tried my best to baby it but there was only so much I could do.

I got washed up and dressed though. I was super excited for costume. I would end up wearing my corset open because it was a lot warmer then I expected. But I felt so cute. I loved how I did my hair, with two twisted braids under my headband. I was very pleased. My makeup would mostly wear away half way through the day but I still felt really good about it. James put on their costume so we could see how it looked before we left, just in case something had to change. But I think they looked great. The new shirt is so good and loots great on them. They would wear a regular shirt for the drive, so I put all our accessories and their costume in a tote bag to bring with us.

I was in a really chill mood overall. Jess was texting me all upset about feeling rushed and things not working the way she was hoping but I was chill and tried to give her some of that energy.

We left here and went to Mcdonalds before we drove the hour and a half to the ren faire.

And it was a good drive! The way there we made great time, we listened to a few episodes of the story podcast we listen to on long drives. We had lots of laughs because I kept saying dumb shit and James would tease me but in the best way. It was a good ride.

Jess was worried about the parking line but we got there a little after 1030 and there was no line at all! And they pulled in minutes after us!

It took us all a few minutes to get our costumes right and get ourselves together. But Jess and her brother and sister-in-law would come over to us and then we would all go in together.

We got in really fast. And for real it was barely crowded. Like there were crowds but nothing like Ive experienced in the past. We barely had to wait for anything. When we first got there we got lemonade and played with some photo opp things. I had a great time walking around and was for sure the leader of the day.

I would just lead us to what I thought was good. James was there for whatever and Jess didn't have anything specific. We didn't know what any shows were so we only ended up going to one. Which was the mud pit show. Which I always love. We caught a little of a few other shows but we should have probably planned that better. We did get to see the mermaids which was very cool though. She even had fangs.

I loved seeing people's costumes. And we ate a lot of different things. I had a smoothie. Me and Jess shared a pickle. Jess and James each had turkey legs. I had a baked potato. We would have kettle corn and I got a little sandwich. They got coffee and James shared an apple muffin with me. It was such a food day and it was great.

We didn't buy much beyond food. I did get to do things I never got to before. I got to do the gemstone panning thing. I have always wanted to do that but it always seemed expensive but it was $15 and I got some awesome stones and really had a great time. And James got me one of those copper roses and I always wanted one of those. So it was pretty great.

We would do a lot of walking. A lot of people watching. Going in shops. Enjoying the company. We watched the glass blowing demo. We got James sized for a kilt and the men who ran that place were so excited that were getting married. They apparently also do rentals and gave us their card so we can get something for James that we know is nice. I think we even know the color.

I really had a great day. I was tired but like in a good way. We went to the dungeon and read about all the scary things people did to each other. James found someone's wallet?? So we gave that to the woman at the front. I hope it made its way back to the owner.

We did see a poor girl who was wasted wasted and an actor came to check on her because she was double over on her self, looked asleep, but then security staff and first aid came and checked on her to get her some water and find her friends. I hope she is okay.

We surprisingly didn't see to many embarrassingly drunk people, for being Octoberfest. It was fun seeing people in all kinds of costumes though and I was having a great time.

Jess was moving very slow because her feet hurt and we kept losing her. So to keep James slow I held their hand and to keep Jess with us I held her hand and we were a little train. A man at a booth laughed at us and said we needed a leash when I told him why we were doing this. But it worked!!

Jess got a precious hat. And then we bought honey products. We ran into her brother and sister in law and it was decided we wouldn't stay through the end and instead leave at 530ish.

So we got our last snacks and headed to the front to wait.

Me and Jess talked for a while while James filled our water bottle. And then we went out to sit in a gazebo and take some costume pieces off. It was just a wonderful day. I am so glad we got to go. Lookign through my posts we haven't been there together since 2014, me and James went to the Maryland one ins 2018. But it has been forever so this was just the best. And I get to see Jess again next Tuesday so it wasn't even that sad saying goodbye.

I was excited to go home. But we had some issues. We ended up going on the wrong exit on the turnpike and had to go twenty miles out of the way to turn around. And then we had another wrong turn and it was another 20 minutes added.

But we stopped for donuts and tacos after that. Donuts for James and tacos for me. And we listened to more tanis and enjoyed the sunset.

We got home around 830. Washed up and now were in bed. My lips are hurting really bad and have split open again. Im going to get actual neosporn tomorrow. Auquafore just isn't cutting it.

But now is time for rest.

I hope tomorrow is beautiful for all of you. Goodnight everyone!!

[cherryonigiri]

the retrospective: alice’s 1k special || lover masterlist

matchup requests: CLOSED

@newfriendjen​​​ asked: CONGRATS ON 1000!!!! Your blog is incredible! I love your work! For your matchup special- ISTP! Slytherin! Apathetic. Self-confident. Independent. Stubborn. Well Educated. Writing, baking, reading, researching random things, naps. My style is jeans and t-shirts. I also love heels, like 6 inch ones. Favorite Beverage is a wide variety of tea. Thank you so much! This is going to be incredible, I just know it!

A/N: Thank you!!! I’m so glad you like my work and I hope you enjoy your matchup <3  -alice

Your matchup is: Kita Shinsuke

How you met: You and Kita met at a local farmer’s market. You were looking for new tea blends but figured that getting some rice wouldn’t hurt, so you stopped by his booth. He begins noticing you when you start becoming a regular at his booth and tries to flirt with you by trading book recommendations (he notices you always have a book in your tote bag). 

Your first date: Probably takes you stargazing in the countryside. He knows all the best spots and invites you to a night time picnic when you stop by his stall one week. He’s well prepared - he brought a picnic blanket, iced barley tea and traditional desserts. It’s an enjoyable and relaxing evening, and at some point his hand ends up intertwined with yours. 

Your first kiss: Probably just happens after a while. He’s not overly affectionate but doesn’t mind holding your hand, cuddling or giving you quick pecks on the cheek. One day when he’s walking you home he decides to change things up a bit and pecks you on the lips instead. You two kinda stare at each other for a bit but then you tug him back in and kiss him properly before saying goodnight.

Anniversary: Isn’t one to do anything too grandiose or dramatic, but is definitely thoughtful and intentional in planning how you two celebrate anniversaries. Expect homecooked meals + maybe some fancy desserts from a local pastry shop. Kita puts a lot of thought into his anniversary gift for you - you often get beautiful yet practical gifts - maybe an expensive knife set for your apartment or a very nice piece of jewelry that you can always wear. Maybe a pair of heels you’ve been eyeing (he pays attention to the stores you browse online)

How they propose: I feel like he would be uncannily cheesy and try to re-enact your first date with him. I think he wouldn’t propose until you’ve been dating for a couple years, and by that point he is confident in his relationship with you. If it’s winter he will straight up wait MONTHS just so he can recreate the summer night picnic with you. He probably bought the ring for you when he went to drop off rice for Osamu in the city - chose a simple silver band with a gemstone - nothing big or gaudy but something that will last a lifetime. 

What your wedding looks like: Probably have an outdoor wedding - or at least part of the wedding is outdoors (maybe the reception?). It’s medium sized - it’s both of your friends + family. He invites some of his old teammates ofc atsumu causes some kind of chaos. I feel like he’d be traditional and prefer a Shinto/Japanese ceremony at the local shrine (also Kita in a black haori 👀👀) 

Newlyweds/domestic hc: Sets aside an entire weekend to help you move into his house and he is just so so happy. He keeps imagining his entire life with you - how eventually you might have children (already mentally setting aside a room as the nursery) and is just so excited to finally call you his forever. Expect smiley Kita for the entire day + random kisses pressed on your shoulders, neck, cheek as you move furniture + place things in cupboards. You two are content to fall asleep on your new queen-sized bed with Kita spooning you from behind, arms tightly wrapped around your waist.

[loveafterthefact]

Love After the Fact Chapter 38: You’re Drunk on Wine, and I’m Drunk on You

Lance and Keith share a sweet moment. Too bad Keith won't remember most of it...

First  Previous  Next

It’s vargas later when people finally begin filing out, tired, drunk, happy. Keith leans against Lance, fairly drunk himself. Lance coaxes him through some water as Alfor and Coran say farewell to their guests.

Adam’s off to the side, recording Keith’s behavior on his datapad. Lance catches his eye, garnering a smirk. He’ll be able to commemorate this day forever.

“Did you have fun tonight?” Lance grins as Keith tucks his head under his chin like he had at the very beginning of the ball. It’s too adorable and Lance is too tired to concern himself with decorum. That, and Lance has desperately missed physical contact the last few phoebs.

“I did. It wasn’t bad once Pidge started sneaking me drinks.”

“So that’s where you kept getting them.” Drawing circles into Keith’s back, Lance finds himself facing another moral dilemma. “I wondered.”

“Mhm… We’re in trouble, aren’t we?”

“Well, my fathers are giving you looks, but you’re not in trouble.” Alfor himself is still tipsy after downing a few drinks and Coran seems more concerned than anything else. “Are you gonna be okay? You won’t throw up on me will you?”

“No, I won’t. I’ve been drunk a couple times before. Your fancy clothes are safe.”

“Good. Vetroneius worked hard on them.”

Keith frowns, still cuddled up against Lance. “I missed them. I thought they’d be here.”

“Because of all the clothes they needed to make, they’re exhausted and haven’t seen their family much lately. They asked to be excused.”

“Can we be excused, yet?” Keith grumbles. He’s tired and hot and wants to be done with this. There were so many people and the alcohol made it easier, but even so he’s reached the end of his tolerance.

“Mnh, it’s probably late enough. Let’s say goodnight to our friends, and then we’ll go.”

“Okay.”

Hunk, Shay, and Rosetta had already left once Rosie got fussy. They found Pidge quickly enough, giving them a hug. Lance took Keith’s former circlet, now primitive art project from them.

“Thanks for holding onto it for us. He would have lost it by now.”

“Don’t worry about it. We should try to do something just us friends. Maybe visit Hunk or something?” They rise up on their long tip-toes. “It might be easier for him. Crowds are very much not his thing. And it’ll definitely be easier for Hunk and Shay. Stars know two little pups is a lot.”

“Yeah, I really should take Rosie for a quintant or two so they can have some time together before the new baby.”

“Think Keith can handle that?”

“It’s okay,” Keith murmurs. “I like kits. But I also like quiet. Can we go now?”

Lanval and Gloriana come over in time to hear, laugh in amusement. “Someone had fun this evening, didn't they?”

“Mhm. So it would seem.” Lance chuckles. “Did you enjoy your evening, Lady Gloriana?”

“Yes, quite. I very much enjoyed speaking with you and Prince Yorak. I hope we can see each other again soon.”

“I would like that. Perhaps you two should join us for dinner soon. What do you think, beloved?”

Keith smiles, nods. “I like them.”

“Wonderful!” Lance beams, keeping his spouse steady. He can feel heat radiating off Keith’s form, capillaries dilated, breaths coming just a little fast. “Right, well I’d better get this one to bed-” He squeezes Keith closer. “But I’ll definitely ensure you get an invite soon. Lord Lanval, you and I must meet privately soon.”

"I quite agree. We have much to discuss. Farewell, your Majesties." Lanval and Gloriana bow; Lance inclines his head; he steers his spouse back to their room. He passes Adam on their way out.

“Go eat, since you haven’t yet. You’re done for tonight.”

“Are you certain?” Adam eyes Keith, leaning into Lance’s side for stability.

“Absolutely. Rest. You’re taking tomorrow off, too. Don’t forget.”

“Thank you, your Majesty.” Adam bows as Lance walks past with Keith through dimmed halls to their quarters.

A blast of cold air swoops into the hall when he opens their doors.

“Oh, Ancients! You left the garden doors open again!” Lance sets his spouse on the edge of the bed, closes and locks both sets of doors.

Keith busies himself with his clothes, unclasping his bloodred cloak and slipping out of his vest with a sigh. He tosses the vest and belt aside, gold and gemstones tinkling as the chains dance over the floor. He feels hot, feverish almost. Lance comes over, strips him down to his undergarments.

“Are you alright? You’re practically panting.”

“I’m hot. It’s normal.” His brain feels fuzzy, warm. “I can’t sweat like you can.”

“Right. Stay here,” Lance murmurs. Keith stays, yawning wide, raspy tongue curling tall as his ears tip back. Lance chuckles. “I’m going to say this because I don’t believe you’ll remember. You’re adorable...” Lance tugs a shirt over Keith’s head. “... and precious…” He slips sleep pants around Keith’s ankles. “-stand up- … and I-”

“Wait!” Keith puts his hands on Lance’s shoulders as he suddenly finds his brain. Lance adjusts the waistband of the kit's pajamas. This isn’t his first time taking care of someone who’s drunk. Previously, it had been his sister and Romelle. Or one of his friends.

“What’s the matter?” Lance frowns, starts undoing Keith’s braid.

“I’m supposed to kiss you.” Keith keeps his hands on Lance’s shoulders. “I made a deal.”

Keith rises up onto his toes, but Lance gently coaxes him back onto his heels. “A deal isn’t a good reason to kiss someone, beloved. Don’t worry about it.”

“But I- I want to.” Keith’s ears drooped. “I like you and I want to be with you.”

“Well-” Lance groans, staring into enormous violet and yellow eyes. Adam was right. He is indeed soft. “Well, I...” He sighs, pulls Keith in for a hug. The kit settles against him. Lance takes a moment to finish undoing his thick braid. “Let’s talk about it in the morning, okay?”

“But-”

“Not while you’ve been drinking. If you want to kiss me, you have to wait until you can do it sober.” Lance kisses the top of Keith’s head. “Now, let’s get you into bed so you can sleep this off and hopefully not be too sick tomorrow.”

Keith grumbles as Lance coaxes him into bed. Lance tucks the blankets up to his neck, strokes his hair, rubs his ears. “Promise I can kiss you tomorrow?”

Lance chuckles, bites his lip, eases his young spouse into sleep. “I promise, beloved. As soon as you're awake. And maybe after you’ve brushed your teeth.”

Watching his spouse instantly sink into the mattress, Lance can’t help taking a moment for himself. He can’t help but think that come morning, this opportunity might have slipped them by. A small, sharp breath, some crease in his resolve, and Lance leans down, brushing his lips against Keith’s temple.

It’s not as intimate as what Keith wanted, as what he was asking for, but with him asleep -and intoxicated-, Lance doesn’t want to do anything more than that. Still, it means something for him. It means a lot.

Lance has never in his young life given a kiss that meant anything. Yet it’s this one out of all the others, including every kiss to Keith’s cheek, that settles around his heart like a weighted blanket. It’s heavy, secure, warm. That warmth rises into his eyes.

“Goodnight, beloved.”

[antihero-writings]

Slight prompt/AU. Vlad arriving to the village earlier than in canon. Though is it early enough to save Lisa?

Ahhhhh I’m so sorry this took so long!!

I was thinking this would be a short like 1000/2000 word fic

...And here we are, 5000 words later...

Thank you so much for this prompt!! I honestly really like how it turned out!!

*

What is a man?

If there are stupid questions in the classroom of life, that must qualify as one. Too simple, too crass. For…surely we must know by now. Even those of us who aren’t human are around them enough—(and ‘enough’ is too much)—to come up with some sort of answer.

Despite all this, this question, perhaps the single question whose answer must come easiest to our lips—muscle memory instead of something to think about—is one even those who are human find difficulty in answering. So simple it’s complicated, like saying the the answer to a another question: “I’m not okay.” Too many facets, too many reflections cast on the wall by a single gemstone.

Vlad finds himself asking that question more often than he should.

Dracula was a man once. And maybe that means he ought to know the answer. But when you live long enough as something slightly to the left of human—not far, but removed enough to scorn humanity and their faults as something other—you tend to forget that fact. You tend to forget that you were one of them once. You tend to forget the answer to that question.

He tried to. Remember, that is. He actively tried to remember the answer. Or come up with a new one.

Because of her. Because Lisa wanted him to.

She told him she would teach him how to be human again. Love a woman. Raise a child. Travel the world. She’d take this thing, dark, and monstrous, and extraordinary, and make him mortal. Make him see the answer in the faceless mirrors. She would change that label into conversation, until that question, its answer, rested comfortably in his quiet mind.

That’s what he’s been doing. Loving her. As a man. Putting her picture upon his castle’s walls. Staying in a little cottage by the creek. Raising a child. As a man. Bouncing him on his knee. Teaching him all he knows. Traveling the world. As a man. Asking to be invited. Wearing simple cloaks instead of royal robes. Curbing a thirst, a disdain, that once drove his every action into refined honor.

As a man. That phrase was once so soft, now rumbles low in the back of his mind, an incessant humming that increased in volume until it was loud enough, constant enough to make anyone mad.

That question, the answer, was clearing, pond stagnance into a river’s clear tones, slowly—(everything was slow with them, wasn’t it?)—and he could almost see the answer on the river floor.

But when he walks into the village of Lupu, expecting to return home, like a soldier from his own personal war, to a quaint cottage, a beautiful wife, whose face he hasn’t seen in far too long, and a son who has grown far too much in the time he was away…and finds a few drops of blood and a pile of charcoal—

A rock is thrown into the water, making those years of clarity murky again, and he forgets there was ever anything human in him.

...Either that, or he remembers far too well.

And everything that clouded his eyes before flares up with a vengeance, turning his gaze red once again.

“Where happened?” his voice burns in his throat, this question, and the other, rotting his lungs, his heart, “Where is my wife?”

“Ohh.” The woman’s voice is feeble, like a wisp of the smoke surrounding them, “The Bishop took her. Witchcraft, he said. They’re burning her at the stake.” He doesn’t like how she says it like it’s already done, already too late. “She was good to me, your wife. A good doctor. It’s not right what happened.”

“Where are they holding her?” his hair falls across his eyes, “The Cathedral?”

“Oh. Oh, no, sir. They’ll be burning her now.” The woman’s voice is far too gentle to say a truth so violent.

“What?” The word is thrown onto the ground.

“I couldn’t be there. I don’t care what they say. I wont take joy in that woman being killed by the Church. I’m here remembering her instead.”

What is a man?

So long Dracula has spent trying to understand them, to live like them, be like them, for her. He traveled, and didn’t use magic to move or communicate, because she didn’t want him to go into this halfheartedly.

And now he returns to her, and finds that they, the people she loved, who she tried to heal and save, they took her, like interrupting him before the end of a sentence.

Dracula isn’t one for wanton emotion, but the sorrow and anger burns in his eyes, and red clouds his vision.

“She said to me, if you would love me as a man, then live as a man. Travel as a man.”

“She said you were traveling.”

“I was.” He looked at his hands, at the ring she gave him, “The way men do. Slowly.” He says the word like the idea is an insult to him, the next two words his defense, his battle against it, digging his nails into his palm. “No more.”

What is a man?

What is this woman? What is she to him but a quavering voice that he could all-too-easily break? What is she to him that he should deem her life worth something?

No. She is someone who is kind, says something in the back of his brain. She is someone who didn’t stand and watch. Who protested in the only way she knew how. She is someone who knew Lisa, and honored Lisa, and for that she ought not be punished. As the rest of his mind, the rest of his body, burns in an undead fire of kill, kill, kill them, kill them all, that other part of him says She is someone worth saving.

So he does. One last kindness in her name.

And, as he teleports in a flash of flames, with little regard for the flowers she left, he is a vampire again. After all those years of walking he does not walk those last steps to his castle. He trades the clothing of kind words for the garb of contempt again. After all those years of fasting from murder’s nectar, he is ready to raid their skins and pillage their blood.

“What the fu—! Father!” There’s someone else here, a man—well, not fully, he is half-vampire too, on his father’s side—who was previously reading in the chair.

Dracula motions for the mirror shards on the floor to raise themselves, giving no sign that he even noticed his son.

“You’ve returned!” Alucard stands, a little haphazardly, pushing back his hair, muttering, “I would have appreciated some warning…But I’m—!”

He stops himself, his eyes flashing, gold tinted with fear.

This is no ordinary mirror; its image is not the room in reverse. It is a cracked, silver lens, and Alucard sees within its glass a crowd of humans, all around a sort of altar, shouting, raising bitter fists around a pile of wood—one piece higher than the rest, like another hand lifted in a plea for mercy—and is this what hell looks like?—worshipping a single word, the color orange, and the smell of smoke.

And in the center of it all, tied to that drifted piece of wood, is a woman, a woman with blonde hair and blue eyes, like a gold piece glinting amongst the river sludge. A woman who is different from them—and perhaps they are killing for it.

And they are killing her.

They are tossing wood onto those flames, egging it to reach up and grab her.

The same woman who held Adrian when he scraped his knees, and kissed him goodnight, and told him of the world out there, and how it wasn’t so bad, in fact it was quite good, and the people were the best part.

They are killing his mother.

“That isn’t—?!” The words are little more than a gasp for air.

His father doesn’t answer, as if there are none left in him anymore, but when he steps into the mirror the look in his eyes—like a soldier going back into war—is enough to make Adrian follow.

With a single step the atmosphere shifts; the cozy warmth of the tame fire becoming a fetid heat that could suffocate you if you sat in it in long enough, the smell of smoke and something…cooking enough to make anyone with a sense of right and wrong feel sick, the quiet air of the study shredded with a single word:

“Witch.”

Like that word—that name, that truth, that lie— is enough to damn her.

The fire is not the creature it was in the study, curled up quietly behind bars, providing warmth to the space. They let it loose for the beast it is when allowed to gorge itself, and that warmth, once so inviting, has become something hot enough to bite. To kill.

Like too many things, something calm has become mad at the sound of a human’s voice; something tender a weapon in human hands.

They’re burning her.

Oh God—and it is God they’re doing this for, or at least they think they are—they’re burning her. They’re burning her. They’re burning his wife. They’re burning my wife!

Bloodthirst is an all-too familiar friend to the vampire king, but this is different. Different in them. Different in him.

In them it is a sick thing. Some sort of red lunacy. That word “witch” is laced; a drug that makes them less sane the more they shout it, turning them from intelligent beings with some sense of propriety into things that would eat their own children if given the chance. Severing their tongues, sharpening their teeth, infesting their mouths, rotting their eyes, wriggling in and out of their ears, corroding their faces into the form of beasts, ghouls and demons. They are far more undead than the king of vampires ever was.

In him, before, it was hunger, instinct. A single string in an undead thing. This is alive. This is not some out-of-his-control link, tying a lifeless toy to its animator. This comes from within. It rushes through him like a well-timed-lightning strike; like love, like rage. This is hurt-them-like-they-hurt-me, like-they’re-hurting-her. This is more than just wanting to drink blood; he wants to see them bleed. He wants to stain their oh-so-holy ground with the sins that would send them to beneath it. To dye their pious sky the color of heresy.

What is a man?

It’s been a long time. A long time since he’s killed. Killing was an exotic pet—admirable to own, but formidable to control—which he gave up for adoption, for someone who could better care for, tame it. A cause he no longer believed in. A game he hit quit on.

It’s been a long time, a long time since he viewed men and women as merely blood to be spilled.

It’s been a long time since that field of skeletons choking on stakes.

The Vlad of today—or, at least, a few hours ago—was different. He knew that those bones were people, once. That they had souls, and only the most bloodthirsty of humans deserved to have those souls stolen by a stake. Now that he had a family, he knew what he had taken those bloody bones away from.

He gave up the malice for her. Because of her the word ‘massacre’ didn’t flutter so dulcetly upon his ears. She cleared the red from his eyes. She’s the one who taught him to walk again—as she did with their son. She’s the one who told him that peasants with knowledge would be something more; not a lost cause, a beast to be put down, but something that could do some good. That there was something deep beneath their skin worth saving…just like him.

The other vampires may view them as livestock, but they’re not animals. They have dreams and brains, and hearts, and they are capable of being better than this.

And that’s what makes this so damn sick.

Now…now she is not by his side. She is up there, with her hands behind her back, and the color orange desecrating all the other hues on the canvas that is her life, and they’re all sitting there watching like some macabre stage show…not a single one of them standing up to say “No. No we won’t behave like animals anymore.” And the things he did with and for and because of her he can’t remember, blocked off by the barrier of blood between her and him.

Well, if they are going to act like animals—

if they are going to stand and watchhis wife—the woman who he lie in the grass and counted the stars with, who made them cookies, and who he could never beat at chess—burn—

If they’re going to sit here and shout to the Lord while her hands, which wrapped around him so gently, turn red, then black, char—

Her lips, which kissed his cheek, crack and bleed and break—

Her voice, which raised at him, then fell quietly that on his ears, which spoke so passionately about medicine, rip until it didn’t work anymore—

Her heart, which was always for this creatures, which was bigger than all their evil, melt—

Her soul—she has one too, you know, she didn’t sell it or anything—get devoured by their insolence, like she isn’t one of them—

Then he’s going to treat them like animals.

“Father—!” Adrian’s voice is dull in the back of his mind, like his own conscience and all its foolish wisdom.

Alucard probably thinks they can do this quietly. They can talk it out with the beasts. They can explain that she isn’t a witch, and there’s no need for burning. That they will be able to untie her and take her home safely, and no one has to die. That he can unfork their tongues. That he can unravel the thirst from their mouths, the insanity from their brains.

What is a man?

But Dracula, Dracula knows what they are. They are mongrels. They are demons. And what’s the use trying to talk to a thing that can only grunt back? What’s the use speaking of heaven to a thing with hell woven behind its eyes?

He forgot how sweet death tasted.

And the moon, once a quiet guide of their stargazing, is a fuming guard on his side. He takes their royal blue night in his grasp and wrings its neck—with nothing more than a thought—its blood poured out until their sky, their earth, their eyes fill with the color he sees everything in.

It doesn’t take long before screams cut that ignorant word from the air. Until they fall like dominoes, one after the other in this game of life with no winners or losers, only destined to come crashing down.

Dracula doesn’t catch sight of their faces, doesn’t remember that they are individuals, and have souls. He forsakes the part of him that says worth saving, worth saving, worth saving for the thing on his shoulder chanting kill, kill, kill. He knows only the taste of iron, the sound of their hearts breaking, the smell of meat and charcoal, the feeling of flesh breaking beneath his nails, hearts still beating in his dripping fingers, the warmth of blood on his skin, his tongue.

“NO!”

Then there is another voice. And this voice does not belong to the faceless horde. This voice that sounds like sunlight feels, but which is weathering beneath the elements.

“No! Please…don’t do this! Don’t hurt them! Don’t kill them!”

And something, something comes rushing back to him. Decorating the castle for Christmas. Her head on his shoulder as she sat with him by fire, hiding out from the cold. Her laying in bed, draped in light, a boy with her golden hair, and his features laying his head on her shoulder as she read to him. Her kissing Adrian goodnight with a smile and a lullaby—

Don’t say goodnight just yet.

And the sound of that voice makes the blood taste sour. Makes the flesh feel too soft, the bones harder to break. Makes the cries sink teeth into his ears. Slices the moment, turning the sky-light blue again. Makes him freeze, not with the cold; but with the warmth the blood made him feel. And her name is barely a breath in his mouth, more like the beat of his heart…more like every breath.

No. Not this. Not here. Not now, when Lisa—when his sun and stars and to-the-moon-and-back—is watching.

“Mother!” their son has strength, virtue enough to speak in the face of her voice, and in a flash of red he is on the altar near her.

Her husband follows, a growl and a blink and he is beside their reason for coming here.

As Adrian goes to cut his mother down. Dracula turns to the surrounding humans, looking like vultures surrounding a corpse, waiting to feast on death.

“I am Vlad Dracula Tepes,” he magically magnifies his voice, “and you will tell me why this thing is happening to my wife.”

“Oh no! Oh God, Dracula! He was supposed to be a myth!” The mayor says like this was some grand cat’s-out-of-the-bag moment, “A story made up by heretics!

“She…she’s a witch.” The man, the one who started this all, speaks.

He is old and balding, wearing the red and gold that said he presided over holy things, his features set like he judged people so much it changed the shape of his face, making it impossible for him to smile without it looking like a twisted thing.

What is a man?

Well, the vampire king knows what this man is. He doesn’t need a second’s consideration to know what kind of demon he is dealing with. That he’s the kind of creature who condemns virtuous men, twists the minds of children, and burns women, for fun, and thinks that his ego and his God are the same thing.

“Lisa Tepes is a woman of science, and the one thing that justifies humanity’s stench upon this planet.”

“You are not real.” He says like he can bend existence to his will, like if he just says it enough the demons will suddenly disappear. “You are a fiction that justified the practice of black magic!”

“A fiction?!” the words blazed on his tongue, “You take my wife and deny I even exist!” he digs his nails into his palm, breaking the skin, his pain the only thing keeping from disobeying his wife and digging those nails straight through this man’s chest—(it will all be okay when they return home, he tells himself)—“Tell me, do I seem so fictional now?” He grabs his cloak, holding it up, shooting a wall of fireballs towards them, the orange beast changing allegiance, turning from his wife’s side to gorge itself on the one who set it.

Many bystanders scream, leap out of the way. Windows of nearby buildings shatter, the flames scooping up their innards. The mayor grabs the priest and pulls him away just in time, just; the fire snatches his robes, and he indignantly stamps it out.

Vlad now returns his gaze to his family and sees Adrian talking to Lisa….talking not acting, just talking, like she isn’t going to burn if she remains there.

With teeth bared slightly he raises his claw to cut her rope.

“No…don’t…” Lisa interrupts him, coughing, “If my death can save others…”

His eyes widen. “I’m not leaving you.” His voice is low and irrefutable.

“And I’m not letting you—kill any more of these people.”

“Well?!” The bishop stands, looking at the mayor as if he ought to be doing something, then at Dracula like his existence is more of a great offense to him than an actual threat.

The mayor looks at him, then at Dracula in the way he should: knowing full well what sort of threat a thing with a taste for human blood poses to those who tried to kill his wife.

The bishop closes his eyes, taking out a cross, holding it in front of him “In nomine Patris et Filii…God—”

Vlad teleports before the man-of-something-other-than-God, his cloak dancing in the wind, his eyes red sparks as he stalks his praying prey.

“‘God…’? You say your God is one of love, then proceed burn an innocent woman in His name? Either you have a very poor God, or you are a very poor follower. Regardless, I’d like to see what He thinks of you.” He raises a claw, forgetting for a moment his wife’s command in the face of all this red, about to send it slashing through this man’s chest.

But someone grabs his arm. He’s about to rip the hand off when he realizes it’s not one of the priest’s dogs, but that of his own son. The look in Adrian’s eyes is far too similar to those Lisa gave him when she chastised him…he never understood how something so gentle could be so hard to oppose.

“Father.”

Dracula slowly begins to lower his hand.

But the clergyman does not fall on his knees in a heap of thank-yous and I’m-sorrys; does not look upon the vampire’s son as someone he owes a great debt for deeming his life worth sparing. His lips aren’t capable of admitting such things anymore. His eyes are as beastly as the fire reflected within them, gorging themselves on every scrap of sin they can find. That arrogant gaze falls again upon his wife—Alucard has to keep his father from ripping them out just for looking at her—and his words are, low, horrified, laced with the same drug he put in everyone else’s mouths;

“You...You lie with the devil?!” Then question becomes condemnation, and he says like Dracula, and not he, is the simpering worm, “How utterly vile.”

Alucard’s eye twitches.

“The situation is far worse than we thought,” his knuckles turn white around the cross, “This woman is more than a mere witch. She is the wife of a devil and the mother of a demonspawn!” he jerks his head to the mayor, indignance fused into his irises, “What are you waiting for?!”

Dracula tries to raise his talon again but his son steps in front of him and grabs his other arm, digging his boots into the dirt as he struggles to hold him back, every indication in his eye demanding let me talk to them.

Dracula loses the staring contest.

The fire reflected in the Mayor’s gaze has gotten out of hand. He vaguely motions to the men around him—who look like they’re about to piss in their pants—to do something.

“Don’t worry, I won’t kill you.” The vampire king brings his hand to his face, letting the blood drip down it and drain onto his tongue, “I’ll make sure you live to tell the tale.”

They stare it him, then at each other, the fire, the red, covering their eyes, and they run.

“Cowards.” The priest’s closed fists mutter.

“Please!” Adrian finally makes his move, and his father can tell he’s trying to temper his own rage, “We can talk about this! Like people! Not one sent us, hell or otherwise! The only thing that sent us here was you! Your ignorance, your lunacy! My mother is not a witch! And we are not devils! Just because she had a few beakers and flasks in her house doesn’t mean she’s a witch. And just because my father has a nasty temper”—he gave Dracula a reproving look—“doesn’t mean we’re demons. If you just let her go we will leave in peace!”

The bishop turns to what’s left of the crowd, which now consists of mostly his own followers, no longer waiting for another to act, for the mayor too is nowhere to be found. “Let a pack of rabid mongrels go wild, he says.” He pauses. “What do you say to that?”

“Put them down!” Someone shouts.

The others cry in agreement.

If only they knew how much they looked like mongrels.

The priest gives that gnarled old smile.

“Well fuck you too,” Adrian mutters as they return to Lisa’s side, and his parents, for once, don’t scold him for his foul language.

He’s about to raise his voice again when Lisa breathes,

“It’s okay, Son…they don’t know what they’re doing…”

He stares at her, his mouth slightly open.

No, that can’t be what she’s saying. She can’t be telling him to give up. He can’t go home with well, you tried. He blinks at her, then at his father, and he looks so much like he did when he was a child confronted with a difficult choice that he wants to scoop him up and tell him everything’s going to be okay.

“Yes, I’m inclined to agree with you. Let’s put them down, shall we?” the priest’s mouth is even fouler, and it’s as if he thinks he’s a war commander, not a man who is supposed to sit in quiet places and pray.

Someone comes up the steps behind Alucard, and his floating sword is at his throat before the man even raises his own. “I think we can all agree backing away would be best, yes?”

When one of them touches Dracula’s arm his hand burns. Another comes up behind the first and Dracula wraps his hand around his throat with barely a change in expression.

“Stop!” Lisa cries. “Don’t hurt them!”

He stares her way like he’s a dog with something in his mouth he’s not supposed to. His arm shakes, ever so slightly, caught between two instincts; follow her voice, and kill those who dared hurt her.

“I know it’s cruel, and it’s not your fault, and I wish there was another way too, but you have to let me go. I don’t want you killing anyone else!”

His grip tightens on the man’s throat, and Dracula doesn’t even notice how much the man is grappling at him, trying to scratch his skin, to get him to release him. “If you think I’m letting you go, after everything we’ve been through—”

Something slams into his back, not enough to make him fall over, but enough to cause him to drop the man, who gasps for air pitifully on the ground. The vampire king whirls around to face his attacker and once again sees his son rubbing his shoulder.

He doesn’t have time to demand why he stopped him, for he must block a priest’s sword—“That’s a funny weapon for a priest to be carrying.” he quips aloud—the blade not even piercing his skin. Then he reaches over and grabs his teammate by the collar, sending him flying into a wall nearby before returning to the first, twisting the man’s arm, breaking it.

“Vlad, please!”

One of the holy men pick up a rather large rock, resorting to the other method the church is known for using to judge women of ill-repute.

If Dracula had seen it, he would have been able to stop it.

But it was Alucard who saw it, and the only method he had of stopping it was getting in its way.

“Son!” Dracula teleports catching his wounded son before he hit the ground, his head falling against his father’s shoulder.

What is a man?

Even the cruelest of animals only kill out of instinct. They don’t hit children because they want to send their mothers to hell.

“Vlad! Take Adrian and go!”

The vampire king looks from the two patches of light in his life, then to the humans who want to snuff them out.

How could he ever choose them over her? How could he ever choose the dark over the light?

“You won’t be able to save us both!”

She’s right…it will be difficult to protect them both…impossible without killing or hurting the humans.

So he has a choice; kill, or otherwise harm, most, if not all, the humans here, desecrating his wife’s wishes in order to save her life. Or let his wife die for the sake of these—these—these��

What is a man?

Mongrels? Demons? Blood to be spilled? Maybe.

Someone comes at him, sword raised, and he throws Adrian high into the air, knocking the man down the steps, catching his son before he hits the ground.

“Vlad…please…” her voice is weak but her eyes are strong.

What is a man?

He looks into the twisted faces of these creatures, rushing at him with consecrated blades and blasphemous gaze.

A thing she loves.

That is what they are. No matter what else they are, dogs, ghouls, and hellish things, men, woman, children…she loves humanity. From the day he met her it was clear just how much she cared for them; enough that she wanted to dedicate her own brief existence to saving their equally short, worthless lives. Enough she wanted to remind him how they were capable of more than the pitchforks and the flames, that there was flavor in more than just their blood. Enough that she made him promise to live like his life was as short as hers, and every moment counted.

His time with her was short…But that doesn’t mean that time, that her life was worthless. That every second he spent with her wasn’t a little pocket of eternity.

…And he’s not going to throw away everything she worked for for a few human lives.

He flickers to an alleyway some distance away and sets Adrian down against the wall.

Then he returns, fixes his gaze on the pyre, attempting to wipe the blood off his lips before floating up beside her, out of the clutches of the flames and the fools.

“Vlad…” she tries to look at him out of the corner of her eye, question, reproach there.

He wants to run his hand along her cheek, but his fingers are covered in blood, and he dares not mar her pristine features.

“I said—” Lisa chokes out.

He kisses her hair, and cuts her ropes with one swipe of his claw, catching her before she falls into the fire like a dip in this dance.

“I heard you.”

He sets her down at the wall beside Adrian—gently as if she were a precious vase he ought not break. His son’s eyes blink open, (being the son of Dracula had its perks).

“Father…?” he asks, his voice so small, glancing then at his mother.

He bends down and kisses Adrian on the forehead as if trying to make a booboo feel better.

“Did I ever tell you what a wonderful young man you’ve become?” he’s about to reach his hand to his cheek but thinks better of the blood. “You’ve… grown so much since I last saw you.”

“What—?”

Next to Lisa, “Did I ever tell you you’re as beautiful as the sun on the morning dew?”

“What tavern did you steal that line from?” she coughs, trying to smile.

“Do you have the strength to get out of here?”

They glance at each other.

“What are you going to do?”

Vlad stands up, lets the wind pass them by. “The sun will be up before long.”

“Vlad…I told you—!”

He shakes his head ever so slightly.

Her brow furrows, then upon realizing, her eyes widen.

“But you…no…you can’t!”

It takes Alucard a second, his expression going through a similar metamorphosis. “Wha—Father, you—?! Don’t be a hero!”

“Better than being the villain, don’t you think?”

Adrian grits his teeth.

“As long as I know you two are alright, it will all have been worth it.”

“But…you’re Dracula!” Lisa coughs again, standing shakily, holding on to Adrian for support, “You can’t possibly think my life is worth—!”

“If you think the immortal existence of Dracula is worth more to the world than the mortal life of Lisa and then I suggest you do more research, Doctor.” He smiles wryly.

They stare his way, that fire now twinkling monstrous and wild in their eyes too, their mouths opening and closing, pleas dying on their tongues.

He glances at the shadows of the oncoming attackers on the walls.

He pulls them into a hug, squeezing them tighter than he ever has.

“I love you both so very much,” he whispers into their ears, trying not to let red tears stain their perfect images.

And before they can reply he shoves them back with all the strength he can muster, giving them the best chance of escape he can.

He takes one last look at them, his sun-struck secret, as the sound of holy footsteps rush to him like water.

What is a man?

He turns to the distorted faces of those who will drive stakes, and forks, and blades, and flames into him, and just might succeed if he can’t hurt them in return, all rage and hate and mindless obedience. Twisted, ugly little devils.

But they have families somewhere. Parents. Children. Wives of their own. They have their reasons, their gods, their demons, hidden beneath their skin. Draining their blood won’t show you what they’re made of, not really.

But they forget. They forget that others are the same. That our faces, that our actions, our words today, never show all our yesterdays, the value of leaving us to our tomorrows.

“Have at me.” He mutters sardonically.

He stares up at the moon, the fury of red fading to tranquil blue, blood into water, heresy into holy.

He thinks of his wife and son—who were classified information to the rest of the world—returning safely to his castle tonight, sitting together beneath a blanket before the tame fire.

And that is enough.

What is a man?

He gives a crooked little smile, thinking of himself; looking at him, you’d never know that a loving husband and father was behind those bloody fangs.

A miserable little pile of secrets.