#he should have never come back. damn it. everyone knew that would happen eventually

[goldenpinof]

putin: *has elections*

putin: *finally kills the only opponent he feared*

putin's regime killed Navalny?! if this is true and people won't do anything-

[logansdoll]

professor

the students are excited to have their old biology teacher back, but you can't be that great... right?

CW: fluffy fluff, the events of Last Stand didn't happen, Logan being Logan, reader is a chlorokinetic (controls plants), love at first sight, Logan's down bad off rip

It was a couple months back when word of your return began buzzing around the mansion.

No one knew where the rumor started, or who started it, but the day wasn't even half over before the entire student body was obsessed.

Whispers muttered during class, lunchtime gossip chains, study group pow-wows.

Many couldn't believe it.

You? Come back?

No way.

Some could've sworn you were supposed to be gone for at least a few more years.

Others thought you weren't supposed to come back at all.

And a small few even believed that your arrival could come as soon as the following month.

But after a week or so of no follow up, eventually, the rumor was put to rest, interest diverted to the next, newest gossip on campus.

...

That is... until the story came out.

Apparently, one of the students—who seemed to have some sort of super-hearing—eavesdropped on a conversation between Scott and Charles, and found out you would, in fact, be returning to the school and your position as the biology teacher.

And that was all the students needed to go absolutely berserk.

It wasn't even a full twenty-four hours later before the first meeting of your welcoming committee was held, the new club already having about twenty-five members.

While they began making preparations and to-do lists for your arrival, another group began going out to your garden on the weekends, trimming the overgrown weeds and planting new flowers in their place, caring for them in the meantime.

Some students even started straightening up your old classroom, cleaning the clouded glass of the greenhouse and redecorating with your favorite blooms.

And, of course, Logan had to return from one of his trips right in the middle of it.

Now, at first, he didn't really give a shit.

But out of curiosity, he asked Rogue what all the commotion was about—especially after some kid ran past him with a trolley full of potting soil—and what he gathered was that you were some professor who left about a year ago to teach abroad.

Apparently, you were nearly every kid's favorite teacher, your fun and interactive lessons, along with your genuinely kind and caring personality, touching the hearts of damn near the entire student body.

Even kids who had never met you before were chipping in, helping out those who needed a little extra manpower.

It was almost unbelievable.

'If this chick doesn't show up, Charles is gonna have a nuclear war on his hands...'

"Guys!" Kitty shouted, running straight through the front door and into the foyer. "I think her car just pulled up!"

The following stampede could've ranked as a 9.0 on the Richter scale.

It was eight in the morning on a Saturday, and half the kids were still in their pajamas, but they all moved with lightning speed, grabbing their signs and noise-makers before running down the stairs.

A boy with super speed sprinted to the lower level dorms and woke everyone else, while a girl with the ability to stretch hung up a welcome banner over the archway.

"Hurry! She's walking up!" Kitty reported, her head halfway through a window.

Quickly, the students formed a crowd at the door, the teachers slowly descending the stairs to join them.

"Mmm. She's here already?" Jean yawned, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she landed on the final step, hand in hand with Scott.

"Still as punctual as ever," he smiled.

"I'll say," Ororo grinned, crossing her robe over her chest, "She wasn't supposed to show up for another week."

Logan was less amused.

No one should have that much energy on a weekend.

Even still, he quietly settled himself off to the side, leaning up against a wall while the others joined the crowd.

'You wouldn't get this kinda reception if the President was the one coming...'

"Y'know..." Ororo started, seemingly out of nowhere, as she joined him on the wall. "I think you'll like her... she's just your type."

He turned to her, raising a brow, "Is she, now?"

Despite his playful tone, he wasn't entertaining the idea in the slightest.

All that true love-soulmate bullshit didn't exist for men like him.

He was 136, going on 137, and had loved and lost enough times to realize that at the end of the day, he'd outlive her.

So why bother?

His life would be one he forever walked alone—a fact he was slowly coming to terms with.

Or at least he thought he was.

Because as you walked through the threshold before him, flashing a heart-stopping grin, he felt all that shit go flying out his head.

You were absolutely beautiful.

And you'd think after 200 years he'd learn...

"Surprise!" the children cheered, proudly holding up their signs and tossing confetti into the air. "Welcome home!"

You gasped, dropping your bags and covering your mouth in shock as you admired the homemade decorations.

"Kids, you shouldn't have!" you smiled brighter than the sun, letting out a small laugh as they all rushed you for a group hug.

And, of course, you were happy to oblige.

"It's good to see you, (y/n)," Scott greeted, he and Jean walking over.

(y/n).

The name sounded like honey on his tongue.

"Logan," Ororo smirked, elbowing her friend in the rib. "You're drooling."

The man cleared his throat, closing his mouth and averting his eyes so they couldn't embarrass him any further.

"Some of you have gotten so big since we last met!" you cheesed, pulling back to examine each of them. "And I see some new faces, too..."

But, against his will, Logan's gaze trailed back to you, Jean's speech going in one ear and out the other.

And when it landed on your face again, he realized he wasn't the only one staring.

Your soft, (e/c) eyes were trained on him as well, their flicker of curiosity and awe completely contrasting your composed demeanor.

It made him feel hot, being subject to your gaze, and he could feel himself thoughtlessly straightening his posture, making himself appear taller, and slightly larger.

You let out a silent laugh, discreetly bringing a hand to your lips to cover it, but not before letting the man get a peak of your smile once more.

Fuck, that smile.

"Can you two quit eye-fucking? It's gross," Scott groaned, joining the two on the wall.

Logan ignored him, looking toward you with a small smirk.

Something about you gave him a good feeling... like things would be different.

Maybe love could exist for him after all...

[buckyalpine]

You know what I was thinking of all day? Comforting our sad baby Bucky who just wants a hug. He's tired from a bad mission. His body aches. He saw things he didn't want to. He could really just use something.

Even just a smile?

He doesn't have a lot of friends and most people around the compound outside of the team avoid him. Even those who'd worked with him for ages were still wary, scared he'd snap if they just asked how he's doing. He would have liked it, even just a hello in passing. When he walks by with a scowl on his face, no one meets his eye. If they did, they would have seen the storm that was brewing inside was not an angry one.

He just needed to be held.

When he continues to make his way towards his room, he's given a few nods from a couple of teammates but he knows they're doing it while holding their breath. He reaches his room and the damn is about to break, he hasn't been held in years, he feels so cold and empty, was he really so terrifying, no one would-

"Sergeant Barnes?"

A gentle voice calls for him, forcing him to swallow the lump in his throat. He knows that voice, mustering his best smile as he turns around to find Tony's lab assistant with a cup of chamomile tea in his mug and a file with the mission report he was supposed to fill out.

"Everyone's filling their reports in the conference room, I figured you'd rather have some privacy so I thought I'd bring it to you" You give him the same warm smile you grace everyone with, handing him the steaming cup, "and of course, your favourite"

It's too much. Normally it wouldn't be but he's never given such kindness but he always gets it from you. You're so unbelievably affectionate to everyone and he really doesn't feel worthy but today he needs it so he graciously accepts the tea and file with a soft thank you.

"and call me Bucky, doll"

You stiffen at the slight crack in his voice, frowning when he keeps his eyes trained to the floor. It wasn't unusual for Bucky to keep to himself but you catch his reddened nose and glassy baby blues and it breaks your heart.

He opens the door to enter his room ready to drown in a lonely storm when that voice calls again. Surely he was dreaming. He sets down his things, turning to find you still at his door.

"Bucky?" You enter his room, standing before him when he doesn't ask you to leave, "Are you okay?"

He doesn't trust himself, nodding and desperately blinking back tears. He wished you'd leave, he wished you'd stay, he wished he could just tell you what he needed, his hands fisted into balls by his side, he should just suck it up, what was he expecting-

"Come here" You whisper, your hand coming to cradle the back of his head, bringing it to rest into your neck where he can let go, your arms wrapping around his body.

Bucky doesn't get a chance to realize what's happening because as soon as he feels your touch the first sob escapes. He's hidden himself away in your hold, his tears wetting your skin with no remorse. He clings onto you like a lifeline while you coo and comfort him, playing with his hair and rubbing his back.

You don't let go, allowing him to cry for as long as he needs. Even after his cries turn into sniffles, you comfort him, pressing a kiss to his temple while he holds you extra tight.

When he's finally ready to let go, albeit reluctantly, he's instantly shused from trying to apologize. You don't ask questions asking what happened or why he was upset. It really didn't matter. You just knew. Bucky whispers a thank you, making a mental note to get you some flowers to properly showed you how much he appreciated it.

Of course you'd always just know when he needed it so he'd thank you again with coffee.

Dinner.

Dinner again.

Eventually, a ring.

You always knew what he needed.

A hug.

That was all.

[lunarxcity]

Why Pretend? (Part X to Why Me?)

Azriel x rhys sister! reader!

angst/eventual comfort (A little bit of fluff a little bit of angst because nothing in life is free)

Summary: When you walk in on Azriel and Elain the mating bond snaps leading you to flee to Autumn with Eris so you can be free of Azriel. Your absence causes Azriel to come to some drastic realisations, but is it already too late and has your time in Autumn led to you moving on?

Parts I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, and IX if you missed them!

-

Azriel has a shadow and while he is accustomed to having many shadows the shadow he is referring to is not his. It follows him around constantly, not offering him even a second's respite. He shadow is on his heels at all time and unlike the elusive nature of his shadows this one was corporal.

The shadow he is referring to is the pet fox you had recieved from Eris of course. Whenever you were busy or not home the fox would follow Azriel around like a lost puppy which in some sense it was. It was fun at first but it was starting to get on his nerves, the fox followed him everywhere. He means everywhere.

At one point he was doing his paperwork and had looked away for a second and when he looked back the fox was gnawing on his pen. The pen was still in his hand. Another time they had came inside the bathroom and had just stared at him while he took a bath which was uncomfortable at the least and creepy at the most.

But it wasn't permanent; whenever you would come home the fox would run excitedly to you, it's owner and you would excitedly sweep him up in your arms littering his head in kisses. Azriel cannot believe that he is jealous of a cauldrons-damned fox and he believed that the fox knew it too, always staring at him with his sly foxy smile as you held him and gave him all your attention.

Azriel sulked over his bitterness towards the fox for a few days until he redeemed himself by hissing at Eris and trying to bite his hand. Azriel had snuck him some of the steak from the previous night's dinner as a reward ad he considered that truce enough.

Azriel hadn't properly spoken to you since the fateful night in your room, where in his sleepy jealousy-addled mind he had thought boisterously flirting with you the way that Eris or Cassian would could be the way that he could sway your affections. He was so jealous that he thought he could out-Eris Eris at his own game and it backfired, horribly.

He not only made a fool of himself, but had actually worried you. Instead of swooning over his flirty words, you had instead became worried thinking he had been going mad. He didn't know whether to apologise to you or to pretend like it had never happened, but it didn't matter because he had barely seen you this past week.

You had constantly been with Nesta and the rest your book club or with Madja working or showing Eris and Lucien around Velaris. He's also pretty sure he saw Rhys and Feyre sneaking out to breakfast with you. At this point you were regularly hanging out with everyone except for him, he even saw you having tea and biscuits with Elain, Mor, and Amren. You were spending more time with Amren than him.

Whenever he would catch you he would ask to properly make plans and talk, but you had brushed him off every day this week with a different excuse. First, it was busy, then it was you already had plans, by the time you hit the seventh excuse and said that your fox was attention depraved and needed one-on-one bonding time it was getting ridiculous.

Everything should have been fine between the two of you, so why were you ignoring him. He doesn't think it's the remarks he made because your sleep-addled brain was likely not processing anything as much as he had been. He knows you get cranky when you're woken up, and you're so focused on complaining that you're tired that you can't fully process anything going on around you. He found it adorable, actually.

So Azriel sat on one of the living room sofas and continued to interrogate the fox.

"Okay so blink twice if she's upset with me again and sneeze if she isn't."

The fox looked at him deadpan. At this point he was judging Azriel too and who could blame him.

Time passed and the fox continued to blink, unaffected by the words of the shadowsinger.

"AHA! I KNEW IT-"

Azriel stood up so quickly that he had lost his balance and toppled over the couch.

"Introducing the most feared warrior in all of prythian. Asking animals for love advice and toppling over couches, be afraid."

Cassian was cackling and Azriel was looking up at him deadpan from his position on the floor. This only made Cassian laugh more which led to him spilling his drink all over the floor.

Nesta walked in holding a rag like she was already anticipating this was going to happen. "Why are you acting like this is a new thing you haven't heard Azriel talk to him yet?" She points to the fox.

Cassian's face goes straight and then he erupts in laughter clutching his stomach and bending over unable to catch his breath.

"Mother help me." She throws the rag over his face and went over to help Azriel up.

-

Lately, you've felt like you're being followed. You can't escape the feeling of being watched, you swear there are phantom eyes peering over your shoulder anytime you leave the house of wind.

If you had known any better, you would say that you're being followed, but you have a feeling you already know who the perpetrator is, and you would rather accept ignorance's comfort than deal with the burden of truth.

Truth would be a blow taken to the walls you have built up; one that could be strong enough to tumble them completely. Your defenses have been lowered since your emotionally charged discussion with Azriel, but he wasn't deserving of your unyielding attention anymore.

You didn't even want to give him half of it. The idea that he would only now start becoming drawn to you because of this bond that he knows nothing about is a bitter poison, just like the one you are currently infecting the plant on your desk with.

The plant sits on one of Madja's dark oak working desks in the back of her office adjacent to the vials of mysterious glowing neon liquids boiling on burners with different colored flames. The liquid you're working with is a dark purple boiling on a flame of pink.

You need to infect the plant with a mercurial disease, one that slowly drains its life force, only showing external signs of danger when it's teetering on the brink.

You will then try to heal it back to health with one of the various bubbling potions and elixirs you have been working on. Open books were strewn everywhere accompanied by the quills scattered from your note taking.

Black ink spilled on empty pages eerily reminding you of the spies lurking in all the corners of the room, likely reporting your movements back to your alleged stalker.

You knew that they were spying on you from the difference in how the shadow he gave you behaves and the shadows he sent. Although they are scattered in the room, you could recognise where the shadows hide. You look at the potted tree that sits in front of one the bookshelves and see that the shadows are a bit darker than usual and that they are a bit sharper. The movements are calculated and rigid and you know those shadows are on duty.

You try and go back to your work. You've been ignoring the owner of the shadows lately your confrontation took a toll on you and you just didn't want to deal with him.

You've been getting to work early and staying late, Madja doesn't know whether to be impressed or concerned. Every time you try to evade him the Mother always has another plan.

It started when you misplaced a vial that you had been brewing all day of a possible healing potion. Exhaustion and frustration had taken a toll on you and tears began brimming in your eyes when you saw the vial rolling towards you on the ground.

Since then random things have began appearing, always in your aid. Random baked goods you've been known to like, caffeinated beverages during your afternoon slump, misplaced items being mysteriously found, and even a bowl of steaming soup one day when you forgot to eat.

Confronting who is behind this would lead to a lot more confrontations that you just weren't ready to face and let's face it you were so tired that it was a huge help.

You mentally reprimanded yourself for looking forward to the ministrations of your little helpers and you told yourself that if you told him you would be giving him the satisfaction, so you would continue to pretend like you don't notice.

At this point you were fighting a ghost; the push and pull of your feelings towards the shadowsinger were something that had been brewing inside of you and while you had partially aired it out there was a lot more brewing under the surface.

You looked back at the plant, the vivid green colour had begun to slowly fade, and you knew that the toxin had begun to take effect. Just a few more minutes and then you could start experimenting with your various potions.

You had been there since the morning and had lost track of how many hours it had been since sunset. Madja and her apprentices had all left hours ago, leaving you muttering to yourself in her study. You looked more mad scientist than healer, and you knew that if anyone saw your current state, they would be very alarmed and slightly terrified.

When you focused on something, it consumes you; the mere thought of it takes over your mind until you can only focus on that one thing, and right now it was your research. You've heard rumours of a disease spreading throughout Prythian, one that is immune to healing magic due to its degenerative nature.

Your head began to spin. How long had it been since you've eaten? It must have been a little while, but it must have been longer since the last time you had felt the fresh air on your skin.

You sat down on one of the chairs and put your head in your hands, hoping that it would offer you some respite from the sudden onslaught of dizziness.

A knock on the door interrupted your thoughts. Did one of the apprentices leave something behind?

"Come in." You try to say as normal as possible, but even that comes out weary like the exhaustion has even worn down your vocal cords.

You feel him before you see him, cobalt siphons glowing under the darkness of night. Wings tucked in and hazel eyes twinkling with the reflection of the stars that shimmered on the hilt of the weapons he bore. A warrior in a place of healing. A destructor in a place meant to fix and heal.

The glow of the candlelight made him look softer; the lines of his face were much less harsh in this light and even his shadows looked less sharp. He almost looked at place in the warm golden golden light surrounded by life and knowledge, you swore the shadows cast by the plants and books had almost turned towards him beckoned by his call.

Right now, he wasn't the terrifying shadow of a warrior's blade, perfectly honed for destruction and so sharp you could barely see it. He was the sun's shadow at dawn, the respite after a long, cold night, lazily stretching out over the horizon. He was the shadow that children play with, the one you find comfort in when your truly alone.

He approached you carefully, like you would run away from him screaming if he got too close. He placed a bag on the table next to you and knelt in front of you.

Picking up your head from your hands, he looks you in your eyes, scanning your face to see what's wrong. His cold gloves are a relief on your warm skin and you begin to close your eyes exhuastion taking over.

"Hey hey. Stay with me now." The words quickly leave his lips and you look up remembering where you are and who your with.

He pulls out something from his bag and hands it to you. Bringing it to your lips you drink what appears to be some sort of enchanted water meant to enhance hydration. Madja must have put him up to this.

He leaves you for a moment to collect yourself, you can't even form words at the point of exhaustion you have reached. When was the last time you had an actual conversation with another individual?

He walks around, taking in the state of your workspace, the various books, potions and piles and piles of notes. You know he's been trying to catch you, trying to spend time with you, but anytime you haven't been here in your little lab you've been with different members of your family to try and make up for lost time.

The back and forth between self-isolation and completely locking yourself up has caused you to burn yourself out. He knew it, and you knew it. Ignoring him was a bit selfish and petty on your part, but you don't have it in you to pretend to care at the moment.

You can't help people if you don't find a cure, and you can't find a cure without working.

You feel your temperature start to lessen and your head is growing less hazy, whatever liquid Azriel had given you had worked wonders.

"So are you going to lecture me now and drag me outside my lab because I will give you the same answer I gave Rhys-"

He cuts you off with a sigh.

"I would never tell you what to do, I only wish you would take care of yourself more." He looks at you, his eyes carrying the weight of secrets that he knew he could never spill. The feelings that he lost the right to divulge.

He would never command your attention directly and after his attempt at trying to emulate Eris had greatly embarrassed him he decided to follow his own approach. Azriel's love was a silent whisper in the dark, it was not meant to be loud or seen for that would defeat the purpose.

If he could make your life only a little bit easier that would be enough for him, he didn't need your care or your devotion the promise of your wellness was enough for him. He was told to back off, but he just couldn't watch you slip away into your work so he sent his shadows to be your silent assistants.

The honesty that shone in his eyes was enough to have your resolve crumbling because this was the Azriel that had admired greatly for so long. The loyal Azriel who would put other's first and cared more than he would ever let on.

He pulls out a sandwich from the mysterious bag he had brought and hands it to you, grabs a chair, and plops himself down directly next to you.

"If you're not going to slow down, then at least let me help you. Whatever you wish me to do, name it and it will be done."

He speaks each word like it's a promise and you look at him wide-eyed, "Do you not have spymaster duties to attend to?"

Without missing a beat, he says, "This is my priority at the moment, any other task is secondary."

You look up at the Mother, she really isn't offering you any sort of respite. Oh well an extra pair of hands is an extra pair of hands and you needed the help considering just a moment ago you were teetering on the brink of collapse.

You begin to eat your sandwich, feeling your energy levels slowly rise. "Alright, but this is only for tonight."

He nods, a look of surprise written across his features like he couldn't believe you didn't shoo him away and that you were actually letting him help. His shadows even perked up and began excitedly swirling around. Is this how your mother felt when she told little you and Rhys that you guys could help her in the kitchen?

You immediately realise that you have never had anyone directly assist you in your lab. You were very particular about each and every thing, which led to you declining help because having someone else in your space was unpredictable and could lead to events out of your control, like how you and Rhys accidentally burned the dinner you were helping with and then were banned from the kitchen by your Mother.

You began giving him instructions on what herbs to grind up, and for each one, he would ask what it was and what it did, asking questions and even looking surprised at the potency of a mere plant. You were actually very excited to tell him about everything; you couldn't talk about it with the healers since they were already so knowledgeable and you didn't want to bore your family to death with idle talk about plants.

He would ask what would happen if you combined various plants and why certain mixtures had to be prepared the way they did. You excitedly divulged on how the properties of certain plants could be enhanced or completely change when mixed with others or exposed to heat.

He stayed out of your way and followed your directions to a tee. When your plant had began to show external bruising you cut it up and began to apply the different elixirs on the different pieces of decaying plant.

Azriel just sat back and watched you work in awe and had his shadows transcribe notes for you in scathing detail, looking it over just to make sure they didn't miss anything. He knew you always complained about how time-consuming the write-ups can be post experiment.

You were on your last elixir, a lilac liquid that was about the same thickness as mud and had smelled like rock dust. The midnight sky was beginning to lighten into a similar color as the potion and you feel your eyes becoming bleary from staying up all night.

Azriel moved your hand to spill a few drops on the final plant stem fragment and you watched the graying decay stop in it's track. You smiled to yourself.

It's not a cure, but it's progress. The first big sign of progress you had made. You look over to Azriel, and he was already looking at you and smiling. His arms were out and next thing you knew, you were buried in his arms, both of you happily laughing.

He picked you up and spun you around. You don't know why the last few times you've seen him have always when you've been so sleep deprived that your inhibitions are borderline non-existent.

He looks away for a moment and nods towards his shadows. They wash over your workspace, like a tidal wave of night, and when they return to him you notice that everything on your desk is in order.

They swirl around his shoulders and he looks proud that he could help you in any matter he could.

"Come on, let's go home." You tell him, scared of the direction this was going in.

He packs up the bag that he brought and holds out his hand.

"If that is what you like, then so be it." You thought he was going to winnow you, but instead, he leads you out the door and down the hall towards a golden spiraling staircase.

You follow him until your senses are assaulted by the elements. Wind on your face and the light that flirts with the horizon. You may have been doomed but your sleep schedule was obliterated.

You walk over to the edge and take a deep breath. You had spent so long cooped up indoors that you had forgotten how nice it felt to feel fresh air on your skin. You go up to the railing of the roof, and Azriel follows, standing right next to you.

He was silent, and you were glad for it. The lack of words somehow made this moment even more intimate, and you cursed your treacherous heart for the way it beat perfectly in tune with the shadowsinger, as if you were playing a duet.

"I don't know if I ever told you this, but you truly are a genius. You are truly in your element. I could spend eternity watching you work and wish for an eternity more only to see it again."

His voice is shadows and whispers and everything you have to fight yourself to get lost in.

Light breaks over the horizon, and a sliver of sun catches the gold in his eyes. You can't even tell which is brighter, and you think it may be the smile he wears. He's looking at you as if you were the first light of day after a hundred years of night, you see awe, admiration, and something else you don't want to read too much into because it would be your ruin if it were true and your destruction if it were false.

That you could immortalise this moment and never let it go. That you could pretend that all the history and pain had never happened and you could just be existing like you were right now.

"I used to think the same way when I first saw you fight with your shadows. Before, it seemed like they controlled you, but those times when they become an extension of you, you become night incarnate, and it never fails to leave me in awe."

Your voice is soft, your words a silent admission, for his shadows are an extension of himself, and while many look away in fear, you admire them and by extension him. Azriel has fought in wars, he has won valor and admiration from his time on the battlefield.

He has medals and a title that only a few warriors can claim and in the face of all he has achieved this single compliment from you may be the single greatest accomplishment that he has achieved in his long fae life. He wishes he could imprint your words on his skin and wear it for the rest of his days.

His cheeks redden, you notice. The almighty shadowsinger doesn't blush. Have you embarrassed him? Did you say something wrong? Oh gods maybe you shouldn't have said anything about the shadows.

You open your mouth to apologise when he swiftly scoops you and shoots towards the sky.

"Azriel!" You yell at him, the surprise of the moment catching you off guard, and then he is laughing. You guys soar through the skies, taking in the beauty of the sunrise. Lilac, gold, pink and orange blending together in perfect harmony.

You are so entranced you didn't even realise you made it home until Azriel plops you on your feet and you almost sink to the floor tiredness hitting you all at once making your legs feel like jelly.

He smirks and then picks you up bridal style and triumphantly carries you into the house, with the stealth that one only obtains from years of being a spymaster. You felt like you were teenagers sneaking around after you'd been forbidden to see one another.

It's a feeling you're cherishing a lot more than you would care to admit. It's not until you make it to your room and his shadows close the door behind you that he begins to grin before throwing you on your bed.

You land with an "Oof."

You give him a look of betrayal.

"I had to make up for being softer on the landing than usual somehow."

You both look at each other and burst into laughter.

The mask of the spymaster left broken in tatters somewhere on the floor of your lab hours ago, and he didn't even care to look for it.

"Who knew you had a had sense of humour Az. Where have you been hiding it all these years?"

You had called him Az. At this rate he would turn into Cassian, stupid jokes flying from his mouth in rapid succession just to hear you call him Az.

"Is that what you want for me to turn into another Cassian?" He asks jokingly, well at least half joking.

You looked at him and then doubled down on the fit of laughter you were having, tears streaming from your eyes.

"As much as I would love to see that, I think Cassian would throw a temper tantrum at you taking his spot. I like you as you are, you are my calm in the everlasting storm, becoming a clown doesn't suit you."

You say as you begin to catch your breath from all the laughter and wipe your tears from your eyes.

He doesn't understand how you could just make these world-breaking statements and just look completely fine while his stomach was in knots and his heart was in a twist from your words alone.

He gives you a small smile, one reserved for only you, and he begins to depart. You needed your rest and so did he.

"I would tell you goodnight, but I'm afraid we are way past that at this point. So until next time, I will bid you farewell."

He looks to you to see you already strewn out on your bed fast asleep. He leaves his shadows to change you into your nightclothes and make sure you are comfortable in bed and he smiles to himself as he closes your door and heads to his room where sleep welcomes him instead of drags him under for the first time since he had fallen asleep in your room.

-

Your words to Azriel about his assistance being a one time thing had turned into a lie. He would show up at odd hours whenever he had down time, sometimes before a mission sometimes directly after.

You guys had fallen into a routine of sorts, and it was actually helping your productivity and you got to get out of writing those treacherous reports.

You had preferred him to come at night though, since an Illyrian warrior did tend to draw a lot of attention during the day and all the apprentices and even Madja herself give you a knowing look whenever Azriel enters the building.

You had been getting a lot closer with your final result with Azriel's help and while you haven't fully figured out a way to reverse the cell degradation you had managed to stop it and in combination with other potions you, with the help of Azriel, had developed you could at least stabalize a patient enough that their life could be saved.

Huge progress. Groundbreaking progress. The night you had made that discovery you let out a scream so loud that Madja came rushing in from her dwelling on the floor above. Her worry had quickly turned to elation as you guys stayed there excitedly reviewing your work while Azriel just silently lingered in the background.

She then brought both of you into a bone-crushing hug with a strength that no one her age should possess, and made you present your findings to all the healers at her monthly briefings and then again to the inner circle.

They were all eyeing you and Azriel curiously, you weren't surprised by this since they knew that he was your mate and everything that had gone down since that discovery.

Right now you were still tinkering with the potion, seeing if there was a way to make it more effective when Madja had walked in with a smirk.

"Your shadowsinger is here to see you." Mother above you swear she could be worse than the adolescent apprentices at times.

"He's not my anything, you don't have to say it like that." You give her a retort and feel like your back in school pretending you don't have a crush.

"If you say so." She says shit-eating grin plastered on her face. The lines around her eyes reflect all the years and experience she has on you, and while her words were lighthearted, there is wisdom behind them.

Azriel strides in looking frantic, his shadows were rapidly swirling around him, and he was obviously in a rush. He rushes to you and grabs your arms in his hands.

"I have a mission, it's urgent, and I don't know how long I'll be gone."

Your heart fell, you're going to miss his company, but he is never this way when he goes on a mission. You then realise why he's here. He doesn't know if he's going to make it or not.

You've only seen him this way on a handful of missions, and each time he returned from one, he had come back on the brink of death. His line of work asks for payment in the form of risk and for once you wanted to ask him to stay. You had a bad feeling.

"You have my shadow if you need it. If anything happens, you can tell him." Azriel tells you like he is briefing his soldiers for war or his spies for a mission.

You nod your head scared your voice would betray you. You hide your face in his chest and he wraps his arms around you. Half the reason was you wanting to be closer before your separated and the other half is to hide the tears threatening to spill over your waterline.

You stayed there for a minute until you felt the pulse of his shadows. He's being called somewhere. He has to go.

You pull away and his hand goes from your head to caressing your cheek wiping away the stray tear that begins to fall.

"Come back to me in one piece. I mean it Azriel." You whisper to him like commanding him to be safe would protect his life. You gave him a lifeline, but even that wasn't enough to soothe the worry beginning to bloom in your chest.

"I would fight the Mother herself if she stood between us. I mean it." The words are a vow and you knew he spoke the truth.

Before you could say anything else he disappeared in a wave of shadow, leaving only a small silver bag in his wake. You can't bring yourself to open it not right now.

You knew in your chest that Azriel was not going to be back for a little while if at all. You fall to the ground and cry as Madja holds you together.

-

The next 2 weeks had felt like an eternity. No word from Azriel, Rhys refused to divulge what kind of mission he was on, and Cassian missed his training buddy. Even your pet fox seemed down in Azriel's absence.

You opened the silver bag a week later, and it had been a little plush bed for your fox with a note that read:

"For your new apprentice, may he keep you good company in my absence. - Az"

You missed him. You weren't even going to pretend like the questioning eyes of the healer's apprentices silently asking you where your Illyrian went and if everything was alright didn't get to you.

That the occasional stabbing of fear and worry down the bond didn't cause sleepless nights and that you woke up from countless nightmares, clutching your chest to make sure the bond was intact and he was still alive.

14 days it had been.

The longest 14 days of your life.

You were in Madja's, well basically your, office when you felt him. He was near. He had to be. You felt the bond light up and then start screaming and then he emerged from the shadows.

Your excitement had quickly turned to horror as you saw that the leathers on his chest had been singed, almost disintegrated off and his skin was a darker color than the shadows.

"Azriel!" You screamed physically and mentally for Rhys, for Madja, for anyone who could hear.

Rhys was there in a second, and Madja right after, running through the doors. Feyre, Cassian, and Feyre winnowed in mere moments later.

A jolt of pain like you never knew burned in your chest and you felt the bond flicker.

Madja rushed to her shelves, quickly beginning her work, no time to spare to even process what's happening.

Rhys looks at you with a look of complete panic on his face, "What's happening? You can feel him."

"He's slipping away Rhys. I can't-"

Madja yells your name, a reminder that the longer you spend panicking over Azriel's, the less time he has to live.

You rush to Madja, the bond act like a physical hourglass making you feel Azriel's time slowly run out, and race against it to save your Mate.

-

Somewhere which also happens to be nowhere the Mother is about to make her next move when she sees Azriel's piece, which is ironically white and not black like the colour of his shadows, has a gray spot. It's the gray of ash and destruction not the gray of swords and stones.

She looks at face, confusion written in her features to meet an identical expression.

"This is not my doing. Not even when time ceases to exist and we are all that's left in this plane of existence would I resort to this kind of cheating."

The gray begins to burn through the piece, a visible plague infecting it from within.

The Mother and Fate pause.

He stills. "You don't think?"

He couldn't even get the words out, scared that the dark reality would come true if he even spoke of it.

The Mother's features become grave. "There is a dark magic in Prythian, I fear it's now up to them to stop it."

part xi

-

Note: Hey guys, long time no see. This is actually the longest chapter of why me? that I have written. I wanted to make up for the little break that I took. I felt like I had lost my footing in the story and now I really know where I want it to go. This chapter did take a turn or two or three, but at the heart of this chapter is their relationship and those good moments that we haven't seen that many of. It's the first chapter that I can wholeheartedly say they are being their true selves and it felt really good to get to the point of writing this. I'm sorry I had to leave it on a cliff hanger, I can't be too generous, I have to keep you guys on your toes. Gasp** a dark magic? I guess you'll have to stay tuned to find out what it is. Until next time my darlings!

note note: At this point you all know I have a problem with editing, it just takes so long to write you can't ask me to sit down and basically rewrite it again what am i a professional? (in truth i am just lazy). So thank you to my typo police that catch anything that makes the story slightly illegible I appreciate y'all and all my readers for following along with me <3

my lovely taglist: @alimarie1105 @chaosabroad @bbontenswhhore @tele86 @ashblooddragons @circe143 @i-am-infinite @princesssunderworld @thestartitaness @tiffany-xx @cpfantasybooks @lucia-valentinaa @jennigsonl @ivy-34 @firefly-forest @k-homosapien @coeurdeveea @cherryjain17 @bckynatt @becstersworld @rcarbo1 @gojospearlycim @atluky @juliebluehufflepuff @willowpains @abadfantasybook @neverendingstay @hellohauntedturnstudent @highladyofhogwarts @littowl @iluvyewman-blog @lunaticpotatoe @justlivinginadaydream @julesiebean @shylahstarzz @olive-main @lreadsstuff @noonenuts @sourapplex @aquellaspequenascosas @anuttellaa @honethatty12 @moonlwghts @kittymeyers @beabogsims @sillyfreakfanparty @starswholistenanddreamsanswered @lilah-asteria @chicaconfundidaycuriosa @florencemtrash

[allthingsfangirl101]

In The Past – Ben (Anyone But You)

Ben's POV

I got out of my car and tossed my keys to the valet. I put my hands in my pants pockets and smiled as I looked around at all the familiar faces. I was feeling confident and excited to be at my best friend's sister's wedding.

All of that evaporated when my eyes landed on her.

I instantly knew it was her. I'd know her anywhere. She looked exactly the same. Well, not exactly. She looks even more beautiful all these years later.

"Holy shit," I said under my breath. I didn't notice that I wasn't alone until someone very loudly cleared their throat. I looked over to see Pete smirking at me.

"Y/N looks pretty damn good, huh?" He chuckled.

"She always looks good," I mumbled looking back at her.

"How long has it been since you've seen Y/N?" He asked.

"It's been a while," I answered slowly.

"When was the last time you talked to her?"

"The night before I left," I said before I could stop myself. "Things didn't end well and she never spoke to me again."

"You know," he sighed, "I never understood why, in all the years that the three of us were best friends, you never told her the truth."

"What truth?" I pretended not to know.

"Come on, Ben," he said, actually sounding disappointed. "I know. You know. My sister knows. Hell, everyone knows. The only person here who doesn't know how you feel about Y/N is Y/N."

I looked back at Y/N and watched her hug some other old friends. I couldn't help but wonder what she's been up to all these years. She always talked about wanting to go to art school. I wondered if she ever ignored her family's pressure to go to med school or law school. I wonder if she ever used her art knowledge and became an art curator for a big museum.

"Why didn't you ever tell her, man?"

"It would've messed with our group dynamic," I said the thing I've been telling myself since I walked away from her.

"Bullshit," he scoffed. "If you had talked to me about it, I would've told you that I was okay with it. I would've told you that I support it. If you asked me what you should do right now, I would tell you to get off your ass and finally tell her how much you've always loved her."

Little did he know, that I did tell her the truth.

Once. A long time ago.

I still remember the look in her eyes when I told her I loved her.

~ • ~

"What do you want me to say to that?" She asked, her voice softer than I had expected. I opened and closed my mouth, unable to come up with an answer. "This isn't funny, Ben."

"I'm not trying to be funny," I said slowly. "I mean it. I really do love you, Y/N."

"Please, stop," she said, her voice breaking. "Do you not see how cruel this is, Ben?! You are leaving for school tomorrow. Literally, in nine hours you are getting on a plane and flying far away from here. Away from me. It was horrible of you to tell me you have been in love with me for years the last time I'm going to see you."

"It's not the last time," I stuttered. "I'll come home and visit."

"Right," she scoffed before slightly starting to pace. "You'll come home a couple of weekends during your first semester. Then you'll only come home for the holidays. Pretty soon, those visits won't happen anymore and I'll never see you. And I'll begin to wonder if you actually loved me or if you met someone else and completely forgot about me. Or worse, the longer you are away, the more out of love you fall for me. You'll eventually move on. And me? I'll be heartbroken and won't believe in love anymore. You'll move on and I'll be stuck. Stuck, Ben. I can't handle that. I can't sit back and endure losing you."

"Y/N," I said, grabbing her wrist and stopping her from pacing.

"No," she said, instantly pulling her hand out of my hold. "I can't do this, Ben. I'm sorry, but I can't set myself up just to be heartbroken in a year."

~ • ~

I snapped out of the memory when Pete pushed me toward Y/N. I quickly recovered before weaving my way through the rehearsal dinner guests. As I got closer, Y/N still hadn't noticed me. When I got to her and Pete's cousin, her back was still to me. Pete's cousin saw me and excused herself. Y/N turned around, her eyes slightly widening when she saw me.

"Well, I'll be damned," I teased. "Y/N, you haven't aged a day."

"Ben," she gasped, tightening her shawl around her shoulders. "It's good to see you."

I hated that it sounded like she wasn't sure if she meant that. I hated that it seemed like I made her uncomfortable. I didn't want that. I wanted her to feel comfortable and safe around me. I wanted her to depend on me, to need me. I wanted her and I wanted her to want me.

"It's great to see you," I smiled, trying to reassure her. "I've missed you."

She studied me for a moment before finally whispering, "I've missed you too, Ben."

"Ben! My sister wants to go over the timeline for the wedding tomorrow," Pete yelled across the restaurant.

"In a minute," I shouted back. I turned back around toward Y/N to see the disappointed look in her eyes. "Y/N, I'm. . ."

"I'm sorry, man, but my sister is seconds away from a panic attack."

I opened my mouth to say something but Y/N beat me to it. "Go," she whispered. "You're needed."

She started to walk away but I grabbed her hand and turned her back. "Y/N," I whispered her name, not caring how desperate I sounded. "I hate how we left things. I know this weekend is going to be crazy with the wedding, but I want to fix this. I want to fix us. Please. Promise me you'll sit down with me for ten minutes."

"Ben. . ." She stuttered.

"Five minutes," I changed. "Give me five minutes to try and apologize for breaking your heart. Please, Y/N."

Y/N studied me. The longer she studied me, the harder it was for me to breathe.

"Okay," she whispered.

"Thank you." I let out a sigh of relief. Before I could think about it, I leaned in and gently kissed her cheek.

"I'll be right back, Y/N," I tried to reassure her. "I promise we will talk."

* * * * *

Going through the timeline took longer than I would've liked. The entire time, I couldn't focus on the wedding day schedule. Instead, I thought about Y/N. I thought about our childhood together. I thought about the last time I saw her. I thought about how I felt about her. I thought about what I wanted to say to her.

By the time we were done finalizing things for tomorrow, the guests had all gone back to the hotel. Part of me wanted to do this big romantic gesture and find her hotel room, knock on the door, and confess to her that I still loved her. But another part of me knew that was insane and I should wait to talk to her until after the wedding.

I listened to the first part.

It took some convincing (a.k.a. begging, negotiating, and promising), but eventually Pete's sister, Claudia, finally told me what room Y/N was staying in.

I knocked on the door before I could chicken out. I held my breath as I waited for her to open the door.

"Ben?"

When she opened the door, my heart jumped into my throat. "Hi," was all I could say.

"What are you doing here?" She asked. She checked her watch before adding, "At 11 o'clock at night."

"I was wondering if we could have those five minutes."

"Are you sure? Can't this wait. . ."

"No," I said, cutting her off. "I'm sorry, Y/N, but I've waited too long to talk about this. To talk to you. Please. Just hear me out and, if you don't like what I say, then you can kick me out."

I watched, holding my breath, as I waited for her to decide.

"Five minutes," she whispered. She slowly opened the door and stepped aside. I nervously wiped my hands on my pants and walked into her room.

"What did you want to talk about, Ben?" She asked with her arms wrapped tightly around herself. I walked over and gently grabbed her wrists. I was surprised when she let me unwrap her arms.

"You were right."

"What?" She asked with a small giggle.

"All those years ago," I continued. "I never meant to break your heart, Y/N. That is literally the last thing I want to do. With that being said, I meant what I said that night. I really do love you. And I have loved you for a long time. That's where I was an idiot."

"You were an idiot for being in love with me?" She asked, her voice breaking.

"No," I said quickly. I pulled her closer to me before trying to explain this all better. "I was not an idiot for being in love with you. I'm an idiot for choosing the night before I left for college to tell you. I should've told you how I felt a long time ago."

"That would've been better," she whispered.

"I know," I sighed. "But if you don't hate me too much, maybe we can try this again."

"Try what?" Y/N stuttered.

"Y/N, I am and always have been deeply in love with you," I confessed. "I have loved you since we were young. When I went off to school, all I could think about was you. I never stopped thinking about how much I hurt you, Y/N. And if you give me a chance, I will spend every day of our life together proving it to you. I will never walk away from you again, Y/N. I swear."

Time seemed to stop as I waited for her to say something, anything.

"You'll never walk away from me?" She whispered, her voice barely audible.

"I promise," I said desperately trying to get her to believe me.

"Prove it."

My heart finally left my throat as she smirked at me. I pulled her until her chest was pressed to mine. I studied her face, making sure to never forget her expression before leaning in. Soon, I felt my lips press to hers. As soon as they did, I let go of her hands and wrapped my arms around her waist. She started kissing me back as she wrapped her arms around my neck.

After making out for several minutes, I broke the kiss. I leaned back and studied her.

"Are you done proving it?" She taunted.

"Not even close."

* * * * *

I woke up the next morning to my phone ringing non-stop. I looked down and smiled when I saw Y/N sleepily moan and roll away from me. I quickly sat up and kissed her bare shoulder before answering my phone.

"Hey."

"Where the hell are you?!" Pete yelled as soon as I answered the phone. "Why aren't you in your room? We have pictures in an hour."

"Calm down," I sighed. "I can be ready in ten minutes."

I hung up and turned around to see Y/N sitting up in bed with the covers close to her chest. "You in trouble?"

"Nah," I brushed off. "I can get ready fast."

Y/N smiled when I gently pushed her back down, hovering over her. She wrapped her arms loosely around my neck as I made sure I wasn't hurting her.

"I thought you had to go," she teased.

"Pictures are in an hour," I said, slowly leaning closer to her. "It only takes me ten minutes to get ready. Twenty if I want to shower."

"Which you should," she smirked.

"That still gives me forty minutes to keep my promise," I said as I slowly pressed my lips to hers. She instantly started to kiss me back. But she was the one who broke the kiss.

"You should get going," she sighed, gently pushing on my chest. "Today is Claudia's and Halle's day. Go focus on making this day go as smoothly as it can. Once the wedding is over, you can focus on. . ."

"Us," I finished for her. "After the wedding, I'll focus on us."

[cometjuice]

Do you have any headcanons for Lou Ellen? Love ur art btw!!

OH BOY DO I

and thank you!!

Here’s my little headcanon backstory of where lou came from and how she met will.

i think lou ellen is originally from tennessee, deep deeeep in the appalachians where old magic is rife. The appalachians are one of the most haunted places in the united states, and for good reason. There is a lot of history there, spanning back millions of years.

she grew up dirt poor, like in a tiny cabin her granddaddy built himself in the middle of assfuck nowhere with just her mom

who is not the most mentally stable and definitely was not ready to have a kid.

since lou is a demigod, weird things happen (as they do) and the town begins to see her as “other��� and “odd”. they ostracize her and her mother, and her mother blames lou ellen for their treatment.

eventually she either runs away or gets kicked out at age 12 and makes her journey to new york.

she is completely alone, but something is telling her to go north. does she know why? or where north is? nope, but she knows better than to question the woods.

basically hitch hikes cargo trains until she hits new york where she never makes it to camp but is instead intercepted by luke.

in return for her loyalty, he gives her food and shelter while also capitalizing on her anger towards both her parents; her mom and her other mom who she’d never met but resents for leaving her with a crazy woman who hated her.

she fights for luke simply because what else can she do. she doesn’t *like* him but he’s her only source of food and shelter right now. she starts to bond with some of the other demigods in luke’s camp, some other nemesis and hecate demigods.

she gets claimed on a quiet night, by herself. i think a part of lou ellen just knew, after being told by luke that she was a demigod, that hecate was her mother.

it’s just made sense. and that night, three snakes come to her, and she just knew. a bit of an odd night.

she keeps it to herself, that gut feeling that brought her to new york telling her that she should NOT divulge this information.

during the battle of manhattan, she is locked in a scuffle with some ares kids (post silena) and is left to bleed out by her “comrades”.

that’s when she meets will.

despite knowing who she fights for, he still saves her life, unwilling to lose another person even though she fought for the people who killed his brothers.

wills kindness and desire to choose forgiveness strikes lou ellen. he offers for her to come back with him, that they could protect her. she doesn’t need protecting, she survived all this time on her own goddammit.

but she doesn’t go back to luke either. after watching another battle where it’s obvious kronos (masquerading as luke)doesn’t give a shit if she lives or dies, she goes to will.

it was hard at first, everyone treating her like she was dangerous. it was exactly like tennessee.

but will was her rock. he defended her and his constant presence eventually persuaded others to let down their guard.

the second to really let his guard down around her is cecil of course. cecil didn’t have an opinion but if will liked her, than damn of course he would.

they bond over terrorizing him and debilitating mommy issues.

[yanderes-galore]

Micah bell with Prompts 8, 10, by inuzkua

12/13

Wel almost there

-🧨

Oh... well, these prompts alone are pretty dark like most of the Micah ones. I'll see what I got. WARNING, THIS COVERS SOME DARK TOPICS, PLEASE KEEP THIS IN MIND.

Prompts Here

Yandere! Micah Bell Prompts 8 + 10

“You’re so dramatic. The bleeding should stop soon.”

“The more I look at you the more I wanna hurt you, why is that?” 

Pairing: "Romantic"(?)

Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Obsession, Manipulation, Sadism, Micah likes to hurt you, One-sided relationship, Possessive behavior, Blood, Violence, Marking/Branding with a knife, Touchy behavior, Forced "relationship".

You and Micah had never gotten along. Honestly, not many got along with Micah in general. However, you and Micah tended to clash heads more than most.

You had gotten into many arguments. Most of which were because Micah wanted to see how far he could push you. To him, being cruel to you was his form of fun.

He liked to see you get worked up. He liked you upset. He liked fighting with you. He liked how much it hurt you.

Micah wasn't sure why making you suffer brought him joy. He was already quite insufferable to everyone he comes across. Yet with you...

It's so much different.

He likes the tears in your eyes as he's belittling you. You may hide them, but he knows. He likes that he has that power over you.

Your fellow gang members were aware of Micah's sadism to you. His gaze was normally cold, yet there was a hint of desire in his eyes as he looked at you. One may even describe it as ownership towards you.

You thought it couldn't get much worse. You thought he was just going to be a stinking rat who likes to toy with you. Unfortunately...

Micah loves to discover new ways to hurt you.

Micah was always vile. You knew that even before he got touchy. He always has such a grin when he reaches for you, chuckling when you smack his hand away.

Micah would give you crude flirtation as he wraps his arms around you. He acts like you two are something close. In reality, you despise him.

He probably despises you for other reasons.

After all, why else would he be insistent to hurt you? He insults you, makes you uncomfortable.... Micah is a vile man, always will be...

Yet he's a vile man with a goal it seems...

A twisted goal.

“You’re so dramatic. The bleeding should stop soon.” Micah grumbles, looking wistfully as his blade finishes its job. Blood coats the sharpened edge as he pulls it away.

In its place, a carving of 'M.B' struggles to heal, no doubt meant to leave a scar.

You're shivering, tears pricking your eyes as you hiss and sputter in pain. It all happened so fast. Micah and you had gotten into another argument after you had finished one with Arthur.

Things seemed to just keep getting worse... You had even left camp to get away from him...

Only for Micah to follow... and tackle you with his knife.

You had thought this was it. Your arguments had hit a peak and Micah was going to risk it all to kill you. Except... He didn't.

He just liked the fear in your eyes as he carved his name into your back.

"You're so irritating, know that?" Micah growls, begrudgingly wiping off the blood from your skin. The action makes you tense, another hiss leaving your mouth.

“The more I look at you the more I wanna hurt you, why is that?” Micah continues, staring at the engraving. "You make me feel a weird way, cowpoke. Bet you have no clue, huh? I can't explain it..."

You tense when he grabs your chin, turning you to face him. His eyes still hold that cold desire in them. He looks at you like you're an annoyance he can't quite let go.

"I want to make you mine." Micah eventually says, grip tight on you as you shiver. "I want to be the only one who has you. I want to mark you as mine, I want to be the cause of your hurt. That way... you'll know you're mine... and I can ignore these damn feelings you keep giving me."

Micah spoke to you like he was in denial. He was obsessed with you, you knew that at the very least. The nature of his obsession... was significantly harder to pin point.

Was he obsessed with hurting you... or just trying to distract himself. Did he love you and didn't want to admit it? Did he view himself as weak for you catching his eye... and wanted to punish you for it?

Regardless, it only made you hate him more. Even now as he pins you to the dirt ground, your blood spilling his hands, you doubt anything will be done. You doubt Micah will get in trouble with Dutch.

Nevertheless, you remain hopeful.

"Now you're all mine, sweetheart... gonna be sweet for me from now on? Maybe that will change something in me...."

Even when Micah leans into your ear, telling you you're his, you think of hurting him in return. There was never going to be anything good between you and Micah. You didn't care if he seemed misguided.

You just hope Dutch would do something to make Micah pay once he eventually learned of this... because if he doesn't...

You may very well be the cause of Micah's retribution if he isn't careful.

[hiddenwritingsintheworld]

My Alpha Ch. 3

 Donations | Share your Thoughts & Feelings | My Alpha Series (coming soon) | Chapter 2

You wrapped your arms around yourself as you leaned closer to the campfire. The quarterly pack camping trip, you hated this damn camping trip and for the last two years, you’d been lucky enough to get your heat during EACH one. But, you should have guessed your luck would run out eventually. “Hot chocolate?” Declan's voice came from above you, looking up, you saw him extending a hand with a small, steaming cup in it. 

You smiled and graciously took the cup, “Thank you very much,” you said sipping the hot beverage. Declan took a seat next to you and smiled nodding, “Of course, you looked like you were ready to throw yourself into the flames to get warm.” he chuckled as you laughed some. “Yeah, I haven’t been on one of these trips in a long time, forgot how cold it gets.” you said quietly. 

Declan stared at the fire for a few moments, just enjoying being near you, before he looked in your direction, “Do you mind if I ask you something?” he asked as you looked at him and shook your head. “Where’s your mom?” he watched as you flinched slightly at the question. “I’m sorry, it's not my business, I shouldn’t have asked.” but you shook your head, “No, it's fine. I just…haven’t thought about my mom in a really long time…” 

You turned more toward Declan, wrapping both hands around the hot chocolate to keep them warm. “My mom and dad were killed by a passing pack. Since I was a baby, pack master became my dad.” you shrugged as he looked on with sorrow etched in his features. “He became my dad after I was orphaned…” you looked from the cup in your hands up to meet his eyes as Declan laid a hand on your arm. 

“I’m so sorry, that sounds awful, did you ever find out who was responsible for their deaths?” he asked as you shook your head, “No, dad just said it was another passing pack, I guess there's some packs that act on wilder tendencies than we do.” you sighed softly looking over at the fire, as Declan nodded, “That’s why I left my previous pack. The Alpha pack master always wanted to fight over all the omegas, he felt he was entitled to “own” them.” he shook his head, “Omegas, I think, are greater than Alphas…everyone looks at them like they’re this weak, timid, mindless, baby making, homemaker machines…but they’re strong…they not only take care of the younglings, they make a home for their alphas to come back to, they hold the entire family together…” he smiled looking down. 

“My mom and dad were true mates, and she used to tell us that Alphas were the biggest and best, because she knew, that one day my brothers and I would become alphas, She was correct by the way, we all became alphas, and last I heard my younger brother just had his 6th child.” he chuckled as you smiled, “thats awesome, congratulations,” you smiled up at him as he smiled back at you. 

Arthur glared from across the campsite, this could not be happening. You were not going to be taken from him, he refused to let you go. His plan may not have gone the way he wanted, but dammit, he’d come too far to lose out now. He had to get you away from Declan. 

“So, I'm sure you believe in true mates and all that?” you asked as he nodded, “yeah, I mean, I know it’s rare but I do, I believe there are two souls that are destined to be together.” he refilled your hot chocolate, and took his coat off, draping it over your shoulders as he noticed you getting colder. “Thank you, it's never been this cold before, but I also don’t remember us ever coming up this high on the mountain for these trips.” you said, shivering. “What’s the point of this trip anyways?” he asked as you bit back a laugh, “It’s supposed to bring us all together, and make us a better pack…but really I think it used to be a way for betas, alphas and omegas to just kinda...hook up, without their parents finding out…and dad just kept it going, but usually the alphas go out hunting, and the rest of us ladies stay here and…as you said “home make”” you laughed as he chuckled, “But it's not all bad, we really get to bond as a pack, which is nice. The guys usually share hunting tips, and they all usually come up with some project, dad usually talks to you guys about anything we need to be aware of, while the women bond, some of us like to sew, so we bring that along with us, others really enjoy books, recipes, even just talking. I think my dad misses how it was when he was a kid, and the women would all kinda….come together to raise and manage the kids, while the men hunted for dinner.” you rolled your eyes as Declan laughed, “your dad is not that old.” 

“Well, what’s got you two laughing so much?” Arthur asked as he stepped in front of you and Declan, “oh, I was telling Declan about why we do these camping trips.” you smiled softly as Declan nodded, “she’s actually given me quite the history lesson of them, I’m really glad I get to experience it this time, my old pack never did anything like this.” he smiled at Arthur who eyed you before nodded and forcing a smile on his features, “yes, pack bonding is important, it’s important we all remember our roles in a pack too. Declan, I wanted you to join us alphas tonight on a hunt. We’re hunting boar…have you ever hunted boar before?” Arthur asked as Declan and you both stood, “I have not, but it sounds exciting, I’d love to join you.” he glanced over at you, and Arthur could feel the time slow right before his eyes. 

An Alpha….checking in with his omega. 

It’s a silent exchange, one that usually happens without either party knowing, Arthur knew exactly what he was staring at and he had to stop it before it progressed any farther. True Mates. He watched as you looked up under your lashes at Declan, blinking once before a small smile crossed your face. Giving permission….to him. He felt his temper growing more and more as each second passed. “Great. We leave in 5 minutes, best go grab your stuff.” he forced out as Declan nodded at him before glancing back at you. “I’ll see you later,” he smiled as you nodded with a smile. “Of course!” 

Arthur watched as Delcan walked over to his tent before grabbing your arm. “Stay. Away. From. Him.” he growled using his alpha voice on you, but something in your eyes, you weren’t entirely buckling before him this time. “I was just being friendly…dad.” you said quietly. “Bonding...as a pack….the whole point of this trip. Declan is part of this pack right?” you asked, raising an eyebrow as Arthur flared his nostrils. “Just stay away from him.” he snapped, growling as others glanced over at the two of you. 

You watched as Arthur stormed off, gathering supplies and others for the hunt. You were standing in your tent, when you heard someone clear their throat behind you, turning around, you smile, seeing Declan holding the tent door open, “Mind if I come in?” he asked as you nodded, “Sure.” you nodded watching him duck and stand hunched over slightly. “I wanted to apologize for earlier if you got in trouble for talking to me…I don’t like seeing you get into trouble.” he said as you shook your head, “Don’t worry about my father, he’s just over protective…he thinks you're going to hurt me or something.” you wave your hand dismissively but Declan nodded, turning his head to listen before looking back at you. “I wanted to tell you that I really enjoyed talking with you tonight and I hope we can continue our conversation over breakfast in the morning.” he smiled as you bit your lip, “I’d really like that,” you said softly. 

The small tent caused the two of you to stand closer than you usually were used to. His scent of pine and campfire filled your nostrils. As you looked up at him again, you could feel the blood rushing into your cheeks, “I overheard your father telling you to stay away from me,” he said softly. You nodded, “But I don’t want to, please be careful out there hunting with everyone else.” you whispered as he leaned down and let his cheek graze yours, “I hope you don’t stay away from me,” he whispered as his lips brushed over the shell of your ear. 

You let out a shaky breath as he slowly pulled back some, and pressed his lips gently to your cheek. “I’ll be fine sweetheart, you stay safe too. I won’t go far, so if you need anything, call me okay?” he stared down at you, his eyes soft as he smiled. You pressed yourself against his chest, rubbing your face into his shirt sighing, “I will. Thank you Declan,” you whispered as he wrapped his arms around your smaller frame. “Of course,” he stayed there for a moment before he pulled away and left your tent without anyone seeing. 

You stood with everyone else as the guys loaded up and headed out to hunt for the night, you kept an eye on Declan as he glanced at you, before they all left. “God he’s so fucking hot, Devin would kill me if he heard me say that, but damn what I wouldn’t do to let that alpha fuck me.” Marlene said as she and Christie walked back toward their tents, your father left a list of chores for the women and betas to take care of while he and the other alphas were gone. As the night went on, most of the women finished their chores and laid down in their tents. 

You however, were still sewing on some items when an alpha broke through the trees, “Pack Master has been injured!” he yelled waking the camp up.

Tag List:

@notebooks-of-nonsense @fdl305 @bval-1 @calimoi @syntheticavenger @forgetmenotsexy @mrsjenniferwinchester @chaneajoyyy @mommad @wolfieeebbbyyy @dontbescaredtosingalong @ellen-reincarnated1967 @adriellej @coffeebooksandfandom @patzammit @posiemax @auriel187 @ladybug05 @stoneyggirl2 @fallenoutofrose @mrspeacem1nusone @teamfreewill-imagine @inlovewith3 @auvisanspeur @whiskeytangofoxtrot9889 @leaveitbythewave @sleutherclaw @sandlee44 @aaqua-tofana @nohumanswereharmed @msgrandma49 @seraph-ulysses

[devildomwriter]

One Little Thing, A Ring Part IV | Mammon x Reader

1.1K Words | GN! Reader | CW: Angst

You came home late again that night from work and were surprised to find Mammon already asleep. The past few weeks you’d been working extra hard, Mammon had stayed up for you and offered you a rose he’d stolen from a bouquet somewhere in the house. But tonight he was sprawled out under the covers and his cheek was pink and puffy.

You inspected closely without waking him up and felt the skin had liquid beneath. Using your magic you identified the perpetrator and healed his wound, draining the last bit of magic you had in you for the day.

Not bothering to change out of your old clothes you lifted the blanket and fell asleep next to Mammon.

Mammon was practically comatose but he could sense your presence and his pained face grinned as he snuggled closer to you, head on your chest.

You smiled and held onto him as you drifted into sleep.

Mammon was sad the next day to see you’d left early again. He noticed your slippers by the bedside and began to wonder if you’d actually been there or if he’d dreamed it up.

He pulled out his D.D.D. to call you but you couldn’t answer and he gave up after a few tries and sighed.

He scratched his back and stretched, trying to wake up his body before being put back to work. Despite the cheer of the holiday season, Mammon stayed occupied only with work and didn’t enjoy it as he normally did. All he could focus on was money and this time it was for a good reason. All of this was for you.

Mammon’s brothers had all learned what was happening and dealt with it in their own ways. Lucifer’s way of dealing was to occasionally ensure Mammon had more work to do but he remained at the castle a majority of the day to make sure he wasn’t worked too hard.

His brothers began to randomly appear at the castle and soon after some kind of disaster would occur that they’d never be punished for.

Eventually, Mammon caught on and he wasn’t happy. He put up with a lot of shit from them over thousands of years but he wasn’t having it and called for an intervention.

They didn’t listen to him so Lucifer forced everyone to come together and hear him out. Mammon got a pardon from work so everyone could meet up at an acceptable time of the day.

“Okay, why’d you call us here?” Leviathan asked annoyed and focusing more on his D.D.D.

Mammon growled, “Dammit, you know why. All of ya do!” He pointed his fingers at his brothers.

Asmodeus gasped and placed his hand over his chest. “I’ve done nothing wrong, how could you accuse me!”

Mammon glared at him and Satan nudged Asmo to cool it with the theatrics.

Belphegor rolled his eyes at Mammon’s declaration. “What did you expect?” He hissed, in demon form.

Beelzebub put a hand on Belphegor’s shoulder trying to ease his anger but it was palpable.

“You guys know damn well why I’m working and you’re makin’ it harder what gives!”

Satan glared at Mammon now, “as Belphie said. What did you expect?”

Mammon clenched his fists and his demon form slipped out which surprised his brothers. Mammon didn’t often lose control like the rest of them, even when they beat on him, called his names, or won their money back, Mammon would stay calm. But not now, Mammon was beyond pissed.

Lucifer remained silent, he knew what Mammon was going to say and he knew that Mammon would be right too.

“Do ya realize that by gettin’ in my way, you’re really just gettin’ in ___’s way!”

They froze in silence.

“I get that you’re all mad they didn’t date you instead! I get that cause I’d feel the exact same way! Y’know how pissed I got all those times I thought they were dating one of you! Or when they kissed Lucifer that time he got amnesia!”

Lucifer chuckled and earned hateful glares from each brother.

“Anyways, I get it! But this isn’t about me, it’s about ___! And if you really care about them then you should want them to be happy and like it or not, they’re happy with me! And I’m tryin’ to give them a ring they deserve and I’m doin’ honest work! So quit comin’ into the castle and screwing everything up! It’s not cool and you know that!”

Everyone was silent for a while and Mammon finally tucked away his wings and sat on the couch facing his brothers.

Lucifer finally spoke with a small nod. “I know.” He relented. “You’re right. All of us are making things harder on you.”

“Hey! You don’t speak for me,” Belphegor snapped but Satan shook his head.

“Give it up Belphie. We’re too obvious.” Satan looked Mammon in the eye. “Fine. We’ll stay out of your way and we’ll do it for ___ not for you.”

Asmodeus nodded and Beelzebub looked at the ground.

“But know this,” Satan continued. “I’ll be waiting for the moment you slip up and when that happens I’ll be the one by their side.”

Leviathan set his D.D.D. down and glared, “That goes for me too.”

Everyone agreed and Mammon sighed. “Whatever, that’s not gonna happen so you’re all gonna have to suck it up for ___’s sake. You really think they want you guys trying to ruin their relationship the second you can?”

Satan turned red and Beelzebub blushed in some sense of shame. They wouldn’t admit to it but they still intended to romance you any chance they could get. Similarly to Diavolo, they were hoping that after hundreds or thousands of years with Mammon, polygamy might be on the table.

Mammon knew this and stayed wary of his brothers but took solace in the fact they wouldn’t dare upset you, so his relationship was safe as long as you were happy. That scared him at the same time.

The closer Christmas got the more he panicked. Was he really good enough? Could he really make you happy forever? He couldn’t even make up his mind on a ring because everything looked so damn perfect when you wore it and he couldn’t afford to get them all.

Mammon looked at the calendar one more time before collapsing into your bed, “the twenty-third already…” he sighed and covered his face.

He was so close to eternal happiness but at the same time feared letting you down. Mammon had nightmares that night until you shook him awake.

“Huh! What’s happening!” He shouted with a start, his cheeks stained with dried tears.

“Mammon…” you said in a gentle tone and wrapped your arms around him. “You need to tell me what’s going on.”

Part I • Part II • Part III • Part V

[lovely-peace]

Moonlight To Dawn

Summary: A forgotten night is all it's gonna take to mess up a life. A forgotten warning is all it's gonna take to mess up everything.

Pairing: Sirius black x hufflepuff!reader

Warnings: past toxic friendship, past toxic relationship (not with the reader), insecurities, self conscious , fake dating

Masterlist Last Part Part 7

Wc: 4.2k

"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the first game of this Quidditch season! And for the start, we have the most heated game of all! The golden heroes against the silver antihero! The big lion against the sly snake! Ladies and gentlemen, we are watching Gryffindor against Slytherin!" Loud cheering.

"The Gryffindor who played the moderator this time really had no taste. I mean 'sly snake'? 'Silver antihero'? Between the lines, he's saying we're the bad guys! What a jerk…" whispered Cassie. I tried to listen to her, but I couldn't.

I could only focus on what I was seeing right now. A little Black, glaring at his brother's 'girlfriend.' She stared back at him in disbelief.

How could I have overlooked all of this?

Ohhh, Sirius. You little jerk. You despicable, vile, loudmouthed, disgusting, scheming-

"Now that everyone is on the field, we should start soon! Our dear players must move on their brooms and rise into the air. Are you ready?"

Regulus Black knows his brother well. Even when I was with Sirius, he knew when our relationship was just a pastime. He was never mad at me. At least not that I knew of.

"One!"

He knows much more about me and my friends than I want. Sometimes he scares me.

"Two!"

Sirius and he have quite a few conflicts. They almost never agree. And even when I was with Sirius, they argued about it. But not about whiskey.

"Three!"

Why not? Because Regulus didn't know Sirius liked whiskey. Why didn't he know?

"Go!"

Because it's not real. Holy crap, Sirius.

"There, our heroes rise into the air and battle for the balls! Gryffindor's Seeker James Potter searches the field from high above for the Snitch! Will he find it? Probably not, as the game has just begun!"

~~~

"Come on, it's not that bad! I'll take a glass, and you take the bottle, okay?"

She looked at me with wide eyes. It was just whiskey, after all. Why was she making such a big deal out of it? I smiled at her, hoping she would finally drown herself in the drink.

Carefully, she took the bottle and looked at me uncertainly. "Seraph, are you sure nothing will happen?"

I shook my head, laughing. "What could possibly go wrong, you silly? Maybe you'll feel a bit off for a moment, but so what? You'll have done it, and the experience counts, right!"

She stared at the bottle for a long time. Eventually, Damien whistled loudly. "Come on, or I'll take the bottle!"

He was a repulsive guy, way too loud, with too little empathy in his small brain. Leander, sitting next to him, looked at him frustrated and shook his head.

His hair shimmered in the light, and his eyes had that deep brown color I wanted to disappear into. His lips looked so gentle…

An uneasy feeling spread within me, and I took my glass and downed it in one gulp.

"Seraph!" the girl in the yellow uniform looked at me in shock. "Are you okay?"

My head seemed to spin. The face of this ugly girl spun right before my eyes as if it would never go away. I wanted to hit her. Push her away. I wanted to take the bottle and beat her to death with it-

"Of course!" I snapped at her. "And now, hurry up! If you don't have the guts anymore, it's okay, but say it so we don't have to drag this out unnecessarily!"

She flinched and stared back at the bottle.Her lips trembled and something shimmered in her eyes. I felt something like triumph when I saw her fingers turn white from the firm grip on the bottle. "I told you." Phina said after a while. "She's just too scared-"

With one gulp, she opened the bottle and drank. She paused occasionally and then continued. Until. The. Bottle. Was. Empty.

"Damn, she did it!" Damien laughed loudly, probably at my friend's stupidity. He couldn't stop laughing.

"Stop laughing, you jerk," grumbled Leander, looking almost concerned at her. The look in his eyes disgusted me and I wanted to push her out of there. Had he looked at me like that once? No, there was no need to worry about me. Somehow it still made me angry. I don't know why, but I wanted to hit him. I wanted to pull her out of here and never bring her near my friends again.

My little friend swayed and desperately grabbed onto me for support. "Oh my God, she's gone! I can't take it anymore!" Damien laughed even louder. His laughter rang shrill in my head, like a warning. Get out of here.

"Seraff, where are you? What elshe do I hashe to do?" she mumbled the words incompletely and swayed in my arms. Why was I even holding her?

"Let go of me," I snapped at her and pulled away. Her dirty hands seemed much worse than usual. Her eyes were glazed, and it dawned on me that she probably wouldn't remember this tomorrow. "Go to your house. Now."

Confused, she looked at me, as if nothing in her head was functioning. Slowly swaying, she moved toward the exit. I didn't watch her as she left the room.

"Come back tomorrow, 'Whisky'!" Damien shouted after her. "Dude, shut up!" Leander gave him a little slap on the head, but Damien just laughed.

"Why? The name 'Whisky' fits, right?" I wanted to kill him with my gaze. My head throbbed. I didn't know what was happening to me, but something in me sought satisfaction. Phina looked at me approvingly and nodded. Her smile revealed how much she was enjoying the situation. She looked at me with half-open eyes and that stupid smile, I could puke.

"Or don't you think so, Leander?" I challenged him. Agree with me. Now. Come on. Stop hesitating. You're always on my side, what's wrong? Agree with me. Please—

"Well, yes… But—" he looked away and fell silent. Something in me tightened at this 'but.'

"What 'but'?" I asked with a sugary voice. Come on. Say it already. What do you hate so much about me right now? What? Say it. Say it to my face. I want to hear why you're looking at me like that.

"Cassie also collapsed because of the alcohol. What if your friend collapses on the way to her house now?" he scratched his neck and didn't look at me.

Damien groaned loudly. "Oh, who cares. Then she'll miss the test tomorrow, no big deal."

Leander ignored my glances. He stared into the fire. I wanted to push him into it. He should finally say what I did wrong! What did I do?

"Phina, let's go to sleep." I stood up and finally turned away from this guy who frustrated me so much. "We have an important test tomorrow."

She looked at me bored. Then she looked back at Damien, and I saw out of the corner of my eye how they seemed to silently discuss me.

"Come on!" I said now with a firmer voice and went to the girls' dormitories.

"I'm coming already…" said a very annoyed Phina. I wanted to strangle her.

Phina followed me, and we closed the door to the girls' dormitories behind us. But I stayed for a second before closing the door.

"You guys are such assholes." Black. "Be quiet, kid. It's none of your business." Damien. "You should be expelled from school." Regulus Coward Black. "Where are you going?" Leander. "Somebody has to take her to the Hufflepuff house." Two doors slammed in response.

~~

Late it was that evening when I left the Slytherin common room to search for the intoxicated girl. I didn't know her personally, but I somehow felt connected to her. She had been in our Slytherin common room on several occasions.

I saw it all. Seraph, who always dragged her along, or rather, the one who always followed her. Damien, who mocked her. Leander, who felt pity for her but was too captivated by Seraph to do anything. And Phina, who didn't care about anything as long as there was some drama.

It was disgusting to watch them.

I walked through the corridors of the grand castle, wondering how far she had gotten. But certainly not far, because it was dark, and she had a massive amount of alcohol in her system.

Holding my wand high with the Lumos spell, I hoped not to be discovered by teachers as I heard labored breathing. I scanned my surroundings, but there was no one. No corners, no closets to hide in. Yet, I heard that breathing. What the hell?

Soft steps echoed through the corridor as I turned around, trying to find the origin. Was I going mad here?

I turned around and saw a silhouette at the corner of the corridor and was about to run towards it when—

"Regulus, what are you doing here?"

Sirius.

Startled, I turned to my brother, who looked at me inquiringly.

"How did you—? You—Just a moment ago, there was no one there!" I looked at him suspiciously as he gave me a feigned look of confusion.

"What are you talking about, Regulus? I just came from the Gryffindor tower," he said, grinning crookedly. "What are you doing out so late on a full moon?"

"I could ask you the same thing." His gaze hardened a bit. "Besides, it's none of your business."

I turned back to the silhouette, but it had disappeared. Sighing, I continued, disappointed that my slightly older brother was following me.

"Well, I think I have a right to know what my little brother is up to at this late hour," he murmured as he walked behind me. "My little brother wandering around in the middle of the night… What if something happens to you—"

"Shut up, Sirius," I snapped at him, hoping he would lose interest. I looked around, but 'Whisky' was nowhere to be seen.

"Or…" Sirius grinned now. "You're looking for something." He looked at me triumphantly. "I can help—"

"I said, 'shut up, Sirius!'" I listened carefully to the steps, and it seemed like I could faintly hear them.

"What's actually going on with you? Lately, you hardly talk to me! I'm really worried about you, Regulus. Has something happened?" his voice behind me became somewhat harsh. "Did your parents say something?"

"No, they didn't." Lie. "I just find you insufferable lately." Truth. Recently, he basks in his popularity, constantly putting himself in the spotlight and enjoying the attention, with many girls chasing him like little dogs.

I hated how he acted with his 'friends.' Their 'jokes' were just disgusting. I couldn't understand the senseless joy in it. But how could I.

"Hey, what do you mean-"

"Shush!" I signaled for him to shut up. It was very quiet, but you could hear it. A muffled sob.

"Do you hear that too? That-" I couldn't hold back anymore; I punched Sirius lightly to make him understand he should be quiet. "Hey-!"

Very quietly, I took step after step towards the crying. I was almost at the corner of the corridor when-

"What are you doing here anyway?" A. Much. Too. Loud. Sirius.

The crying immediately fell silent. Now it was dead silent. I flipped my brother the middle finger before turning the corner. An empty corridor awaited me. But unlike just now, there was a small cupboard here. A suffocating little cupboard.

Sirius followed me, but before he could say anything, I knocked on the cupboard. "What are you doing there?" he asked, but I ignored him.

"Hello?" I inquired.

Silence.

I knocked again, but this time slower. "Everything okay in there?"

Silence.

"Do you think someone's in there?" Sirius stood behind me with crossed arms, as if I were the dumbest person in the world. He probably never had to hide in school before.

"Sirius, for the last time, please shut up!" I couldn't hear him anymore. "No one asked you to follow me!"

Sirius just shrugged. "As a big brother, it's my duty to annoy you. Besides, I have to be there when you get yourself into trouble."

"That's funny coming from you. As if you've ever fulfilled your duties as a big brother." He was really getting on my nerves.

"Hey, I've made a real effort in the last 2 years to annoy you properly! Nothing that makes you uncomfortable or anything…" He briefly looked out at the shining moon. "But I also had to take care of other things. But I'm trying!"

"Oh yes, you're really busy not doing your homework and annoying other students with your jokes that sometimes go too far!" He infuriated me. How he stood there as if he understood something. As if someone like him understood how I feel and why I don't want anything to do with him.

He is the one who is leaving me alone.

"Okay, Regulus, I have the feeling that you, how should I put it, are angry. Mainly, that's probably due to the absence of your humor, but that can be fixed, don't worry." He came closer. "Next time, you can join us in Hogsmeade. If you want, we can also come up with a prank together!"

"I don't want to participate in one of your bad jokes, really! I'd rather have detention with Professor Binns, and that says something." His smile disappeared. He looked at me almost desperate. For the first time tonight, he said nothing. And that's why I heard it.

"Pffff-"

Laughter.

Sirius pushed me aside, went to the small cupboard, and pulled out his wand. With a slightly tense voice, he said, "Alohomora!" and with a very exaggerated aggressive jerk, he opened the cupboard.

A laughing girl, seemingly out of her mind, looked out at us. Sirius still pointed his wand at her when she -

"AHHHHH!!!" she screamed and blinked against the presumably very bright light. "DON'T EAT ME!"

"Did you hear all that-; Wait, what?" Sirius lowered his wand in confusion and looked at the girl bewildered.

She looked at him as if he were the devil; he had apparently scared her. But his confused look was priceless. I had to chuckle slightly, I admit it. Sirius glared at me and now completely put away his wand.

"Who are you, what are you doing here, and why are you hiding from us, and why in a cupboard???" With each question, he got closer to her, and eventually, his head was half in the cupboard. "Let her breathe; she really doesn't need your breath in her nose." I grinned at him this time and took full advantage of his confusion.

The girl laughed again. Sirius backed off from her and looked at her almost scared. "I don't have bad breath! Or do I?" She laughed even more but shook her head. He grinned at her oddly. "Come on, that wasn't so funny?"

Somehow, I wanted to puke at the sight of the two. "Just let her out already." He looked at me with a raised eyebrow. But then he grinned at the girl in the cupboard again. "I'm sorry. Here, let me help you out." He held out his hand to her. She looked as if she were thinking about it, like only a drunk person could.

"No, thanksh. I can manashe on my own getting out of here; after all, I manashed to get in. Besidez, I don't trusht you yet! It could be that you actually want to zell me to Professor Shlughorn so he can make a potion out of me!" She slipped out of the cupboard and sat swaying on the floor.

Sirius looked dumbfounded at her. He looked between me and her. Eventually, he looked at me utterly bewildered, and I had to laugh. She seemed not to understand him and shook her head. "You think I'm weird, don't you? No, you're jusht not direct enough; what do you want from me?"

"Me? I haven't done anything! What's your problem, anyway?" Sirius still looked at her confused, but he also started to look really worn out. "Seraph said that every good-looking guy who comes to me just wants to take advantage of me! So, what do you want?" The girl glared at him, and now she also looked at me. Slowly she began to speak normally. "And how did you know where I was hiding-"

"Wait, wait, who is Seraph? And more importantly, you find me good-looking?" Sirius tilted his head and grinned at her. I felt increasingly nauseated. "You can go now." I raised my voice again, eager to take her back to her house.

"No, you're right! Where did you know she was?" He looked at me confused. I sighed loudly. "We heard her footsteps, and the cupboard was the only option where she could hide."

"I mean, why did you go out in the middle of the night and look for her?" He looked at me skeptically.

"How did you come out of nowhere? You can't fool me; you suddenly appeared out of nowhere behind me! How?" Now I looked at him with narrowed eyes.

"You just imagined that."

"Then you imagined that I knew where she was. I was just taking a walk and happened to find her."

The girl looked between us and chuckled again.

"What?" we asked simultaneously.

"Sorry." she fell silent and looked at the ground. She stood up, swaying, and tried to walk away but didn't get very far due to the swaying.

"Hey, hey, hey, we must take you back to your house; where do you want to go so late?" Sirius stood up and went to her. I sighed but nodded. "For once he's right; you shouldn't go alone."

But then she took Sirius' hand and pulled him behind her. "Hey, don't you think it's a bit too early for hand-holding?" Sirius asked with that disgusting tone. Confused, she stared at him; alcohol must have taken her mind for flirting. "Where do you want to go? The Hufflepuff common room is in the other direction." I said and pointed her in the right direction.

Uncomprehendingly, she stared at me. "But we have to go to the hospital wing first." She just pointed in the other direction. "And it's over there."

Sirius laughed softly. "Maybe you really belong in the hospital wing, but I don't think you want to be caught there because of alcohol consumption, believe me."

"Not because of me. You're injured." She said to him, looking at him questioningly.

"What are you talking about?" I asked since I didn't notice any injury on Sirius. "His arm. He has a wound there. That's why his uniform is so messy." She shrugged and tapped on Sirius' right arm. He flinched in response to this touch.

Sirius looked at me, attempting to appear confused. "I think we should take her away quickly before she collapses from the alcohol."

"You're much more likely to collapse." She said, smiling at him. "Come on, you don't have to act so tough. Just let yourself be taken to the hospital wing." Again, she walked off, pulling Sirius along with her.

"Is that true? Where did you get that wound?"

"You're not really interested anyway. Anything related to me doesn't really matter for you." Sirius muttered. "You're just on our parents' side anyway."

I glared at him. "Now you're just talking nonsense to wallow in self-pity again."

"Hey, no more arguing! He's injured; that's more important now!" 'Whisky' looked at both of us angrily. Sirius looked at her almost guilty. "Sorry," he said, but she just shook her head. "Apologize to him, not me. He was just worried."

Sirius turned to me. "I'm sorry, Regulus." She nodded at him and now looked at me expectantly. I sighed loudly but finally gave in. "Sorry, Sirius."

Acknowledging, she nodded at both of us. "Good, now let's-" But then she blushed. She looked at Sirius for a long moment and then at her hand that was holding Sirius' hand. Startled, she let go of his hand and looked at him in confusion. "Are you Sirius Black?"

"Would that be a problem for you?" he asked, looking at me questioningly. I just shrugged.

"No, of course not," she whispered softly, putting some distance between Sirius and her. "You can tell the truth; no one would blame you. I would understand it very well!" I said, grinning at Sirius, who just looked annoyed at me.

"Who are you, anyway? Do I know you?" he asked, looking at her hesitantly. But she just shook her head. "No, don't worry, of course not. I'm nothing without Seraph, so it doesn't matter anyway-"

"Who the hell is Seraph? You mentioned her twice, and again, she doesn't seem very likable to me," Sirius said. I laughed at that. "A bitch. She's a bitch. But an interesting one."

Sirius looked at me confused. "Aha." He turned back to her. "Why are you drunk wandering around the castle in the middle of the night?"

"Seraph," I just said, and that explained everything. Sirius apparently didn't understand this simple explanation. He now looked accusingly at me. "So, you did know why she's here and went looking for her!"

"It's not that important now; you need to go to the hospital wing!" a very confused Hufflepuff said. "You're injured!"

"And you need to go to your bed!" Sirius looked at her just as accusingly. "You've apparently drunk yourself to passing out! Probably because you haven't gotten over your friend or something, right? Well, let me give you a tip, drinking doesn't help at all!"

She looked at him somewhat frightened. "That's not how it was… I just did it for Seraph, that-"

"Seraph really seems to be a bitch," Sirius said. I nodded. "Yeah, she's perfect for you," I added.

"Hey!"

"He's right."

Both of us looked at her confused. She looked down. Sirius laughed nervously. "Hey, I didn't mean to be mean or anything-"

She looked at him in shock. "No, no, that's not what I mean! I just mean… she's so nice and beautiful and funny and -" she took a deep breath. And then breathed out again. "She's amazing. And she really just wants to help me."

Sirius looked at me confused. This time I looked just as confused back. "What the hell do you mean-"

"You know what? We should really take you to the hospital wing now!" she quickly changed the subject and went back swaying towards the hospital wing. I followed her, gesturing for Sirius to follow. She probably wouldn't go back to her house until Sirius was treated.

"Hey, what's your name?" Sirius looked at her curiously. She looked at him confused. "(Y/n)"

We stood in front of the hospital wing. When Sirius turned to her again. "Well, (Y/n), firstly, your laughter is really cute, and secondly, I already like you more than Seraph." With that, he disappeared behind the door.

A very confused (Y/n) stood next to me. But upon closer inspection, she seemed to be blushing. Wait, what?!

"Uh… I should probably go to my dorm, right?" she looked at me hesitantly. I just couldn't imagine someone like her… No, that was just wrong.

"Yeah, let's go. I'll take you." I finally said. Awkwardly, we walked down the corridor while my mind was racing.

"What year are you, by the way?" she asked eventually, smiling at me crookedly. Her way too innocent face was killing me.

"Third. Are you in love with my brother?"

Silence.

"How, what, why do you think that???" She looked at me with a red face.

I looked at her for a long time, but I had to sigh. "I don't care about that, but I just want to warn you. My brother is not really known for serious and lasting relationships."

She looked at me for a long time. Then she smiled one of those sad smiles and looked ahead. "I know. It's not like I think I could ever be in a relationship with him."

We walked in silence for a while. Outside, the full moon was slowly going down while the sun seemed to be rising. "That's not what I meant. I just want to tell you that you have to love yourself first. And you have to finally let go of Seraph. By now, you must see that yourself."

We stood in front of the Hufflepuff entrance as she looked at me hurt. "You can go now."

I looked at her for a long time. "Otherwise, you'll always remain 'Whisky'."

I saw her tears and left.

~~~

In the end, I don't know what happened that night. Whisky couldn't remember herself, probably because of the alcohol. I only found her exhausted outside the Hufflepuff house the next day. She didn't come in, must have forgotten the password. We had a test that day.

Everything seemed normal with her, but she was a bit wobbly on her feet. At some point Sirius Black came to her and asked if she was feeling better. At that moment, I was confused as to why he was even talking to someone like her.

"She's fine!"

And then she pukes on her test. Since then, teachers have been looking more at students who look like they have been drinking.

And now this boy, who looked after her that evening, had this mad look in his eyes as he went up into the sky.

Taglist: @theofficialmadman @fanboyluvr @fjdjsiskcjfj @starsval @olkathedestroyer @helloitsmeeeeeee @xamapolax @maripositanoctruna @ancientimes @cloudlst @marina468 @regulus-black-223048 @loving-and-dreaming @tarzanathetumblingwarrior @princesspuffle8@lonely-nerd-sodaholic@lostgirlsstuff@wolken-n@thepunisherfrankcastle@nefri-black@solitarioslilium@briskesby@ropickle@my-current-fandom-is @hawkinsavclub1983@dancingwithreality

[flowers-of-io]

Destinytober - Grief, Together

Read on Ao3 with proper formatting

Zavala skims over the report with unseeing eyes. Something Shadow Legion, something something Boaz reassigned from field duty. Something... experimental arc grenades? He shakes his head.

It is a beautiful afternoon (every afternoon is beautiful in the Pale Heart, uncannily so), not-sunlight shining through the trickling stream of tea as his mug, then the one across from him, are refilled. He hums in gratitude without looking up.

"Shouldn't you be takin' some time off, anyway?" A handwave, its shadow flickering over the table. "I'm sure our Hunter Vanguard there can manage on his own for a bit."

"I'm good."

"Oh come on." There is a longer beat of silence, distracting him enough that he moves on to the next report, and then words like a blinding grenade: "If it's about dealin' with grief, that ain't the way to do it."

Zavala's jaw clenches, hard. "I don't need a therapist."

"Not what I'm suggestin'." The faint plop of a sugar cube being dropped into the tea, then the clinking of a spoon against ceramic. "But you could use a talk with someone who has a bit of a different perspective."

Now he does look up from the datapad. He tries to school his tone into something as little bitter as possible and says, "What do you mean?"

Amanda leans back in her chair, mug held in both hands. "Y'know, I never envied you guys--Guardians, I mean--that you lived for so damn long. Berriole once told me of a Warlock she used to date, some Hidden who worked with the Owl Sector or whatnot. They'd been pretty serious about it, but then the whole transmission crisis happened and Shun got sick and all, and I guess that made everyone think harder about their own mortality 'cause they wound up partin' ways. The girl couldn't stand the thought of stayin' involved and then havin' to lose Berriole one day."

Zavala smiles sourly. He'd had that conversation with Safiyah, many lifetimes ago, long before they knew it wouldn't be the death of either that'd part them. Ironically, the stakes seemed lower then, because Guardianship was a high-risk profession back in the Dark Ages, and he retreated into the quiet life in the countryside primarily to protect her from losing him. It was only when Hakim came around that he was first faced with the stark possibility of outliving his own child.

The smile fades, and Zavala's fingers clench around the datapad. Yes, he was ready for eventually having to watch his son die. But not... not like this.

"Are you suggesting I should be glad of my current position?"

"You think I'd ever tell you somethin' like that?" Amanda says this reproachfully, but her eyes are soft when Zavala meets them. "What I mean is there're people 'round you who are... transient, Eris would say. I've had my fair share of watchin' folks I loved die on me, and I can't imagine what it's gotta be like to, you know, see little kids out in the City and know you'll most likely be there after they grow old and die. You can only lose so much if you live only so long." Her kind expression morphs into something impish, something he's recognised since the day she finally smiled months after arriving in the City, all those years ago. "And besides, I know you'd miss me."

[aerodaltonimperial]

hello katy. i had just the most fucked up thought about your split jack au and ive never used tumblr before but im learning how to send an ask right now because i NEED to know what you think of this.

does julia… tell jungle boy that he’s going to forget? those five years that he goes back and changes for the better— surely julia knows that when the time comes, the jungle boy that got sent back to 2019 and changed jack’s world for the better will become nothing but a memory that everyone but jack himself will be aware of. and if julia tells him… lets him know that his time is limited… does jungle boy not do it all anyways?

does he make every decision in this new timeline knowing that he’s setting up a life for the jack who deserves it most and not himself? when the days tick down and he knows he’s running out of time… does he leave notes for jack? does he leave notes for darby? how do you explain to the person that matters most in your life that one day you’re going to wake up and be replaced with someone a thousand times more scared and broken, and you need to love him just as much as you love me now, because he’s me, and i love him too?

im sorry you fucked my whole world up and i hate you and ive been crying about it for days. im sending you an edible arrangements. fucking god damn it man

Yo, you just fucking CHANGED MY WORLD with this ask. Like, this.... this is the stuff I legitimately DID NOT LET MYSELF THINK ABOUT when I was writing that because this is so much. Jesus CHRIST. I am... I am sitting with this because I am going to be really honest with you, I don't know the answers. The only thing I can say that I leaned on during this was the traveler's immunity concept: that essentially, the person doing the changing is immune from shifting when everything else does. And it's that immunity that all of this hinges upon. 2024 Jack has the immunity, and he is the original remnant that will remain.

Would Julia tell Jack, the Jack that is going to become nothing once the timelines merge? I presume that, eventually, she would. But what he DOES with that information? Oh my god. I don't even know. This ask has fundamentally changed me as a person LOL. I imagine... in a perfect world, that Jack does leave notes for himself. Because in the end, that's who he is doing this for: a better future, even though he won't be there to experience it once the right time hits. He got a gift. And he is giving one back. A huge, monumental gift that he will never get to see through to the end. But that's what so much of that fic really ended up being about, in the end: forgiving and loving yourself. He would want himself to have SOMETHING to figure his way around, even if it's just important dates. Anniversaries. When events happened. When things DIDN'T happen.

Would he warn Darby? Honestly, I'm less clear on that one. Because at his core, Jack knows that would change them, in his present. And if he had limited time, I don’t know. Would he be able to tell Darby, knowing that it would fundamentally change everything? Would he be able to say, hey, I'm not going to be here anymore, at least not the way you knew me? Man. I don't know. How do you warn someone that you are going to disappear, but that part of you will remain? And that part isn't going to understand that love should be soft? Or that you don't have to fear letting someone in? Or that people, deep down, care about you? How do you prepare someone for that?

This is the most fucking horrible and amazing ask I have ever received. I'm going to frame it on my wall. I'm going to be thinking about this for days. Holy shit, man. As for the notes that Jack could leave for himself, for when he's gone? Let him cook for you, it makes him happy. When you argue, he'll need to go blow off steam before he comes back. I never told him about what happened in that jump, but I also didn't lie when I told him he was all of the firsts.

You told me that love wasn't real. Well, he loves you, and it's the realest fucking thing in the world.

[leahnardo-da-veggie]

Writerly Question Tag

Back from my self-mandated social media break to respond to tags from @urnumber1star, @cowboybrunch, @fortunatetragedy and @the-golden-comet :')

About You

When did you start writing?

Damned if I know. My parents told me that I used to tell my toys stories at bedtime back when I still slept in a cradle, though (I started talking at 6months)

Are the genres/themes you enjoy reading different from the ones you write?

Very different, actually. I love reading sci-fi and almost never touch horror, but I've written tons of horror and only 1 sci-fi. Plus, I hage reading slice of life.

Is there an author (or just a fellow writer!) you want to emulate, or one to whom you’re often compared?

I'm a fan of Mark Lawrence's writing (he's super underrated), and though I'd rather not emulate someone directly, I sure wouldn't mind if someone compared me to him.

Can you tell me a little about your writing space(s)?

The walk to school, the busses and trains I take, walking my dog. Basically on the go.

What’s your most effective way to muster up some muse?

Go out and live my life. Eventually I'll see something cool and insist upon turning it into a short story.

Did the place(s) you grew up in influence the people and places you write about?

Yeah, it's basically made me physically incapable of writing anyone other than city ppl.

Are there any recurring themes in your writing, and if so, do they surprise you at all?

Err... The horrors persist but so do I is a personal favourite among my one-shots. And platonic male-female relationships is another darling of mine.

Your Characters

Would you please tell me about your current favorite character? (Current WIP, past WIP, never used, etc.)

I literally almost never talk about him, but Hans-el, the Spirit Emperor, chews my heart up and spits it out on a regular basis. I'm currently writing a short story from his pov, which I may or may not try to submit for publishing, so I guess look out for that when it happens?

Which of your characters would you be friends with in real life?

Err- I think Hash, Dave and I would be buddies. They're probably the only ones, though.

Which characters would you dislike the most if you met them?

Everyone else. Iraela would get mocked relentlessly by me, Katherine and I would but heads immediately, and I would cheerfully start a gossip war with Luna. And yeah, I would get my ass kicked in every above fight, but that's never stopped me before.

Tell me about the process of coming up with your characters?

They show up whenever the plot demands it, and then headlock me until I write more about them. Alternatively they infiltrate my dreams and haunt me.

Do you notice any reoccurring themes/traits in your characters?

I like people who destroy themselves in blazes of flaming triumph. Also headstrong bitchy women, because I am one.

How do you picture your characters?

I don't lol. My mind just doesn't do the whole 'mental image' thing. I can hear them though.

Your Writing

What’s your reason for writing?

I have nothing better to do with my life.

Is there a specific comment or type of comment you find particularly motivating coming from your readers?

If they like something I did with my writing (technique, phrasing, etc) and mention it, I will melt with joy.

How do you want to be thought of by those who read your work?

I just want to be heard.

What do you feel is your greatest strength as a writer?

Description. I don't really do visual descs, but I love nailing voices to the wall and dissecting them.

What have you been frequently told your greatest writing strength is by others?

Description, dialogue (or internal monologue), and gore

How do you feel about your own writing?

I go through the five stages of grief with it: 'oh I'm finally done', 'i love it so much', 'hey maybe I should edit it some more to make it better', 'oh fuck it actually sucks', 'okay nevermind let's never think of it again'

If you were the last person on earth and knew your writing would never be read by another human, would you still write?

I'd be dead too quickly to write, honestly. But if I survive, fuck yeah. I'll scrawl my words across a meadow and scream it from the sky.

When you write, are you influenced by what others might enjoy reading, or do you write purely what you enjoy?

Every now and then I cringe from how weird my writing is, but it always passes.

Tagging @just-emis-blog, @drchenquill, @novel-nook-blog, @thecoolerlucky, @the-letterbox-archives

@kaylinalexanderbooks, @honeybewrites, @orions-quill, @vampirelover890, @glitched-dawn and open tag!

[dokidokitsuna]

Inventor/Invention

-In case you didn’t notice, I’ve been trying to make most of the characters in this AU look like they’re age 50+...which is something I’ve never done before, and it might explain why the designs have been so hit or miss. ^^;;;  Fortunately, Susie seems to be a hit; I like how this drawing came out. ^^ I think this body type + clothing aesthetic + age demographic is a particularly rare combination; personally I’ve never seen a character who looks like this before. And yet, I managed to make it work~.

-Susie (the current ‘President Haltmann’, btw) is basically Magolor’s right hand, and helps him with all the technological aspects of his conquest-- not only did she create Auto-Nightmare, she also had a large hand in cloning Blade, and studies the progression of her disease throughout the story. In return for playing the tech support role, she’s allowed to have the Haltmann Works Co. drain resources from all the worlds that Magolor conquers-- which he would agree to, of course, since it would be an easy way to keep his new subjects in line (read: oppressed and afraid) while he’s off looking for more heroes to murder.

It makes me wonder, though, what would happen if the “player” chooses to have Magolor become nicer over the course of the story…like, if he really does turn himself around, he and Susie would have to come into conflict over this deal eventually. ^^; Maybe I just won’t let him get to that point; maybe the best he can do for the purposes of the story is learn to love Blade and take care of her…while completely ignoring all the evil he’s done to the rest of the universe, and simply not giving a damn about letting the HWC consume everyone and everything he left behind. XD

-P.S. Susie basically has two main designs: she’d appear in this physical form for certain cutscenes, but fight exclusively with her mecha (which I totally will draw at some point…I promise…⚆u⚆; )

-Auto-Nightmare is the result of me wanting to finally use Nightmare in an AU for once, but wanting to do it in an unorthodox way. ^^ Besides, I can’t really see a more canon-esque Nightmare willingly being subservient to someone like Magolor…and in terms of traitors/fickle allies, Mags already has his hands full with Marx. I don’t need another character in the party who plays the same role…

So Auto-Nightmare was born, combining the Power Orb with some of Nightmare’s accessories to create this cuter, more unassuming design. Which eventually informed his character concept.

-”Auto” is not really Nightmare; not even an amnesiac-reset version of Nightmare. Technically he’s just a machine that was designed to force Nightmare’s Power Orb to awaken…but ultimately failed, and now simply draws from its power to create his own identity and abilities. The result is this walking bundle of anxiety who feels inferior to his “former self”, and tries to make up for it by doing everything his bosses tell him to do. ^^; However, over the course of the story, he befriends Blade, and starts to become more assertive. He may not be able to stand up for himself, but he quickly learns to stand up for his ailing friend, even to the point of openly criticizing Magolor for his treatment of her.

-As you might have guessed, this is where his “death” comes in. ^^ Soon after I decided he should be Blade’s only real friend, I kinda knew he had to die, because he would end up getting in Magolor’s way. Isolation is a large part of what makes an abusive relationship work; a victim with a staunch supporter who genuinely wants what’s best for them will escape your control eventually... …Besides, Magolor is terribly petty, and would probably be offended by this ‘magic tin can’ talking back to him…enough to snap and shatter his face while Blade is unconscious, if the "player" so chooses. =T

Because Auto isn’t really alive, he doesn’t exactly die…the Power Orb itself can even reform on its own. But breaking it in the first place causes his whole system to reset: he reverts to a silent, emotionless shell who just stands around and follows simple commands...and this is a devastating, soul-crushing event for Blade. Especially if you go one step further and choose to have Magolor lie about what happened to Auto, and/or imply that she killed him accidentally during one of her Malady flare-ups.

-On that note, if you don’t choose to have Magolor go down ^that sickeningly cruel path and just leave Auto alone, Blade actually does kill Auto accidentally, leading to a similar outcome. But at least then, it becomes an opportunity for Magolor to help Blade through this traumatic experience, and start to form a genuine bond with her. Again, if the "player" so chooses~.

[hey-that-hurt]

The following Beetlejuice contract au musings brought to you by @rocketonin because they made me realize that if I want it to at least be possible for this AU to turn into something big I should probably figure out what the plot’s trajectory is before I write myself into a corner

Anyway. What would happen long term? Though the circumstances are very messy I still want this to fundamentally be a redemption story.

To me, that means that things have to eventually end on an optimistic note for Beetlejuice. I don’t want him to give up and decide that he’d rather isolate himself than deal with the contract, but I also don’t want him to be worn down to a shell of his former self, to suppress his anger and blunt his teeth so the family will never have any reason to get rid of him.

I think I’d like him to fluctuate between these two points, resenting his situation so much that he’s tempted to leave and accepting it to the point he’s no longer the same person. Both ways to escape the pain of his situation.

Honestly, the smartest thing for Beetlejuice to do here would probably be to leave. He’s effectively trapped in an abusive dynamic where he’s almost entirely dependent on his abusers to realize how awful their behavior is and choose to change it. And that’s what I plan to happen, but he doesn’t know that.

But, as is often the case with abusive relationships, he doesn’t feel like he has anywhere else to go, and he thinks that the messed up love he’s currently getting is more than anyone else would give him.

He might be able to eventually make some friends in the netherworld, but currently the impression he’s getting is that pretty much everyone down there hates him. He could go back to wandering the surface, but then he’s back in the same hopeless, horribly lonely position he started in.

And based on Juno saying “you were so desperate for somebody to love you that you act like a damn fool”, we can guess that she’s said some pretty terrible things about his chances of ever being loved.

Basically his situation super super sucks, and leaving would be a good idea, but I’m gonna say that his relationship with everyone is very unfortunately still one of the most positive relationships he’s ever been in. Lydia actually enjoys his company and wants to spend time with him, the Maitlands are fairly nice to him, Delia is weird with him and not unkind, and Charles… well, Charles isn’t as bad as his mother was, so there’s that at least.

It’s the closest he’s ever felt to being loved and as long as that almost-love is there he’s not going to be able to tear himself away from it.

It’s the same reason he signed the contract in the first place. He knew it was a terrible idea, but the fact that they presented it to him at all meant that, in a way, they wanted him.

So that’s what stops him from leaving. But what’s stopping him from giving up the other way around?

I think it would take a long time for the circumstances to genuinely start to alter Beetlejuice’s personality, but there are still a lot of coping mechanisms he could develop. Coping mechanisms that he developed to cope with his abusive mother and severe isolation could also start to rear their head again.

The main way Beetlejuice seems to react to feeling hurt is anger and violence… except when his mom comes into the picture. With her… I wouldn’t say he’s obedient, but it’s like he turns into a whiny child in trouble with their parent. Interestingly, that’s the sort of behavior I would except from a kid that frustrated with their parent’s actions, but not a kid who was afraid— and Beetlejuice radiates fear when Juno shows up. When she starts insulting him, his face turns distraught, he frantically looks around like he’s searching for an escape route or someone to help. And then he pleads with her again. I wonder if the embarrassment was bravado, in a way. It’s a situation that would be horribly embarrassing, but I think he may be playing up that emotion in order to hide his terror.

In Say My Name, we see him rapidly switch from showboating to begging and back again. It seems like the less power he has in a situation, the more he resorts to pleading, bargaining.

I think that as his frustration with situation grows, the more he would start to jump between anger and pleading— and the anger would likely result in retaliation depending on who he takes it out on, so the pleading would start to win out. I think the pleading would vary in intensity too. With Lydia, yes, he begged, but it was different to how he was with Juno. With Lydia, he was pleading for help, but with Juno he pleaded for mercy.

I don’t think he’d start out afraid of anyone, except maybe Lydia a bit. As time goes on though, the urge to be clever, annoying, or otherwise rebellious might have to fight against the knowledge that any member of the household can force him to stop those behaviors. Pain would rarely be guaranteed, but I imagine that there would be something nauseating about having to suppress yourself to such a degree. He’d constantly have to choose between making himself behave acceptably or being forced to under threat of pain.

… oh god, it would be like wearing a bark collar. Even if he can eventually find people to retract unfair orders, for the duration that the order is active he’d still be effectively getting trained to behave in whatever manner the order demanded.

I decided not to have the contact enforced via mind control/compulsion, but I honestly wonder now if the long-term psychological damage of this method would be worse.

Losing control of yourself due to mind control would certainly be traumatic, but I feel like once the magic was gone so would any urges to behave as you had been ordered to.

But Beetlejuice… he has to learn to adjust his behavior himself. He has to learn to comply almost instinctually, because if he forgets and behaves as he always does it’s going to hurt.

And that means the behavior is going to linger.

… I think that early on, Beetlejuice would be angry a lot, but maybe he’d hold himself back. He chose to sign the contract, he knew what he was doing, and he wants to make a good impression so maybe they’ll actually want to keep him around. This might be when he would be willing to actively annoy Charles— apparently not letting him come back without a contract was his idea anyway. Thus, this would also probably be around the time that the closet incident would happen. He’d probably be pretty whiny during this period too, complaining about the rules being annoying and asking for them to be changed. He’d hang out with Lydia as much as possible, and they’d have a pretty good time.

Before long though, Beetlejuice wouldn’t be able to keep a lid on his temper anymore. Towards the end of this period is probably about where his fallout with the Maitlands would happen. I think he’d also have at least one fight with Lydia, maybe multiple, and she’d order him around more in retaliation. He’d start pushing the limits of his rules as much as he could, trying to upset people, see if he can destroy anything in ways that the contract doesn’t count as destructive, maybe even taking advantage of people being nice and revoking rules, which would cause conflict between other household members. This would result in him being given a lot of very restrictive orders. He’d probably consider leaving at this point, but would ultimately decide he can’t bring himself to.

The aftermath of his angry period would be where his actions would start to reflect fear. Maybe at some point someone actually taught him some grounding exercises for his anger, and he starts to use them to calm himself down so he doesn’t try to break any rules and get hurt in the midst of an outburst. He starts pleading again, but it’s more like how he was with Juno. He starts hiding, reducing the amount of time he spends in places where people can easily see and interact with him (and thus order him around). Orders he’s had for a long time that he used to have to concentrate on obeying become natural to him. He still hangs out with Lydia, plays the part of her friend. Does his job. Makes sure he’ll still be wanted. Lydia notices the downturn in his mood and starts trying to be nicer to him.

The Maitlands, seeing what’s happening, finally decide they need to put a stop to this. Tense discussions are had. I don’t think they’d remove the contract fully, but they’d dismiss pretty much every rule.

Things start to improve. People stop intentionally giving Beetlejuice orders, and accidental orders are quickly revoked. Relationships are improving, and anyone who didn’t fully think of Beetlejuice as a person is starting to now. However, the psychological effects the ordeal has had on Beetlejuice are apparent.

I’m not entirely sure how Beetlejuice would react at this turning point. I think that at some point there would be anger, but it would take a while because of how good at suppressing it he’d be at this point. By this point his mindset of ‘they want me here to be useful, not because they care, but that’s good enough’ would be super internalized. Having the rules be taken away might even be anxiety-inducing, because what if he messes up and they don’t want him anymore and he went through all of this for nothing? He’d keep obeying a lot of rules by himself, which Charles and Delia might see as good while the Maitlands and Lydia might be concerned.

Eventually, there would start to be some mutual trust. Beetlejuce would stop expecting to be ordered around every time he does something that bothers someone. Some behaviors from the orders would remain, but he’d gradually learn where the lines were and his reason for keeping those behaviors would gradually transition from fear and habit to genuinely not wanting to upset people. And one day, the contract would be dismissed, or maybe altered such that Beetlejuice wouldn’t have to live in fear of being forced to leave.

[delopsia]

Del ☕ we know a lot about Rhett's relationship with his father but do we know anything about Robby's? 👀

Now this is something I've been brewing on for damn near a year 💃

The story I crafted isn't pretty, so here is your honorary trigger warning for drug and alcohol use, major age gap relationships, overdoses, verbally abusive relationships, death, and mentions of PTSD.

Here we go

Robby's dad, Glenn, was an ex-Air Force pilot who had served in the Vietnam War; he was 41 when he met Bob's momma, Nellie Floyd, newly turned 19, having run from her small town in Texas, seeking the finer things out in California. At the time, Nellie had her eyes on everyone but Glenn, but they just kept showing up at the bar at the same time, and eventually, that led to conversation. Conversation led to dates, and dates led to something more.

It wasn't meant to last, they both knew that, but they were two lonely people desperate to feel loved. Wanted. So they kept seeing each other. No strings attached, either could walk away when they were reader.

Until Nellie learned she was pregnant. And suddenly, there was a very big string tying them together.

At first, they made it work; their first argument was over Glenn's desire to have Robert take Nellie's last name, Floyd, and by the time her little son was finally born, she was too tired to argue. Robert Floyd, it was.

Glenn made a lot of questionable decisions in his life, but the one unquestionable thing he ever did was love his son unconditionally. Bobby was his entire world, and for a few months there, it was enough to keep him from drinking. They were a happy trio.

Until they weren't.

Nellie and Glenn had absolutely nothing in common; they were so different in every way imaginable. Political views, ages, personalities, experiences. Nellie was a young, free spirit who wanted to explore the world, and Glenn was an old, weathered soul who had seen things no man should see. The last thing he wanted to do was leave his familiarity. His drinking was getting worse, and when Nellie became aware of the drug use, things took a turn for the worse.

They broke up and got back together every few weeks. Nellie would walk away because of Glenn's addiction, Glenn would temporarily clean up, beg for her to come back, and she would return. Rinse and repeat. Over, and over, and over.

During that time, Nellie met another man, one her age but no less toxic, and fell pregnant with twin girls. Where Glenn was a gentle speaker who never raised his voice in front of the children, the father of Bob's sisters had a temper like no other.

And this is where Bobby grew up. Filtering between homes, between being around a hateful man who swore and hollered like no other, and a husk of a soul that turned to the bottle to escape.

Glenn tried to get sober for his son, he really did; he managed to stay clean for the weekend visits. Took Robby to Air Force and Naval museums, even if the very sight of planes made him tremble. He's where Bob learned to love to fly; they got on planes just to turn around and come back right after landing.

They visited ships and built model planes. Glenn was no Navy boy, but he taught Bob to swim better than anyone could. He was the one to get him into surfing. Always challenged him to see who could eat the most dinner; Bob always called him out for letting him win.

Every weekend was an adventure. Bob thought his daddy was just fun like that. Glenn was just trying to keep his son from learning the truth.

But Bobby knew; he was too young to understand at the time, but in time, he would. He saw the bottles and the needles, understood what that funny smell on his dad's breath was.

Glenn passed of an overdose when Bob was eight.

Nellie tried her best to keep Bob from knowing what had happened, but Bobby has always been smart. Not only had he already put two and two together, but he had heard the conversation when the police officer came to tell his momma what happened.

Glenn was supposed to be buried, but before the funeral, Bob overheard his momma talking about moving back to Texas and kicked up a massive fit about wanting to take his dad with them. He didn't want to bury his dad in a place that he could never visit; that wasn't fair!

So, instead, Glenn was cremated, and his urn was sitting in Bob's lap for the entirety of the move to Texas. He has his own shelf wherever Bob moves, some small thing covered in model planes and tiny surfboards.

Bob's childhood was anything but perfect, and it shaped a lot of who he's become. He doesn't drink because of what happened to his father, doesn't swear or raise his voice like his sister's father did. In many ways, he strives to be the opposite of both men, but he's like his dad in so many different ways.

The only reason he ever got grounded was for sneaking out of the house to go surfing at the same weirdly specific hours Glenn did. He shared that love of planes that took him to the Navy; he got into bronc riding because it had always been on his dad's bucket list.

His meal proportions are larger than normal because being a big eater is evidently hereditary. He laughs the same; he wears glasses similar to the ones Glenn did; he unknowingly loves the same books and genres, but he lives his life so much differently.

Bobby is the result of a crippling pattern being broken; he comes from a long line of war-torn veterans on his dad's side and refuses to walk the path created by those before him. He's learned to be strong in all of the places they were weak, and he's far from perfect, but his momma always says he's something close to it.

The only thing he couldn't beat were the sensitive allergies that run on his dad's side of the family 🙄 he's out of commission every spring.

But that's just my two cents 🌼💃