#he wore suspenders once and didn't like em

[lockandkeycake]

I got the Mark of Athena graphic novel and the valzhang is strong with this one.

Why are you making that face.

Also this entire page

Unfortunately there was none of their underwater scenes in the graphic novel like there was the book but whatever.

Also this page was good just cus it looks like Leo's reenacting the Charlie iasip meme

[visxme]

Treat me badly

https://open.spotify.com/track/5SggYD5dqyUXxJMMgaMmvK?si=01050feec225483e

summary;  Obviously, the first had to be Karl - he complained about how Alcina didn't let you drive him home. But you waved him off - you knew he didn't like her at all. The second was Miranda - still obvious. She said something about how you didn't make any decision in your household but you only smiled awkwardly and said that Alcina was an accountant, she knew better than you or even Miranda herself. Even Donna brought up how Alcina usually looked disappointed by your choice of clothes to their tea party, so you you began to wonder if there really was something wrong. But when your own daughters suggested that Alcina shouldn't talk to you like that, you gave in. You have gotten into a fight with your wife - because she treated you badly.

"My love? Can I steal you a minute?" You smiled at Alcina as you stood at the doorway to her office in your house. "Rather long minute so I'll understand if you're too busy-" You were so happy that she couldn't see how your other hand was trembling

"No, it's alright, Y/N." She looked at you and took her glasses off. "I always have a minute for you, the rather long one too." She teased and you laughed lightly. You could see as she was putting her books and documents away to make space at the desk in front of herself.

You came in and sat in front of her. You took a deep breath - you were so stressed. It wasn't because of Alcina, it was because of the subject you wanted to bring up. You were sure as hell that she would be mad but it was highly time to have that talk.

"Well, I wanted to talk." You said slowly. "You know that I love you deeply but-" You couldn't even finish your thought when she cut you off.

"Do you want a divorce?" She asked in a serious tone.

"Wiat, what the fuck? Of course not." You looked at her like she was at least from another planet. During your four years of marriage you didn't think about it even once. You were of the opinion that you could work out every problem by talking it out. Surely, it was hard with a woman like Alcina - such a proud, self-confident, always being right person - but you loved her too much to give up on her; and she loved you more than she lover her pride.

"Oh, do hush, you sounded so." She giggled and looked warmly at you, "please, continue, my love." She leaned with her back against the backrest of the chair, put her elbow-bent hand on the side support and her head on her hand, and looked at you, in a deictic motion encouraging you to say more.

"Uh, well- it's-..." For a few seconds you lost your words. "I- Em, why didn't you let me drive Karl home a few weeks ago?" You found the remnants of your confidence and forced yourself to look at her.

"Seriously, love? That is what you wish to speak about?" She started to look annoyed the moment you mentioned her brother name. Under different circumstances you would probably laugh at it and tease her for the rest of week.

"No, no, it's only the part." You licked your lips as you noticed her narrowed eyebrows. For a moment, she was silent.

"Well, he was drunk as fuck, darling. I did not want you near him in such a state." She cursed. She didn't do it often - only when she was really mad or annoyed at something. The first lamp lighten up in your mind  - that talk wouldn't go smoothly at all.

"Oh, ok. And what do you think about the clothes I have last friday at Donna's?" You said casually while nervously sliding your hand down your green shirt. "Or two weeks ago? Or three?"

You and Alcina had very different sense in clothes. She - prcatically always - wore something elegant. A black envelope skirt with a cream shirt that deliberately had a few top buttons unbuttoned, a white dress that framed her skin, perfectly accentuating her figure, or navy blue pants and a white, prkatically see-through shirt with suspenders. You thought that sometimes it was too much - but you didn't mention it since she felt good with herself while dressing like that. And you thought it wouldn't be fair since she was also ok with the way you dressed - One day you had a white shirt and black suit pants, the next you had non-fitting black pants and a denim jacket with tons of patches and lettering, and the third you had just a skirt and a top that covered only your breasts.

"Y/N? I do not think I understand." You could hear the annoyance in her voice caused by Karl slowly turning into anger. The second lamp lighten up in your mind  - that talk wouldn't go peacefully at all.

"It's just a question, Alcina." You raised your hands in a defensive gesture. "But if you don't want to answer then that's ok." You saw as her arms slightly relaxed and took a deep breath, knowing you were about to unleash a storm. "You can tell me instead why I couldn't even decide what toaster we should buy."

"Y/N, if you will not tell me what are you implying, I will throw you out in a minute." She said in a warning tone, her patience slowly escaped through your fingers. The third and last lamp lighten up in your mind  - that talk wouldn't go however well.

"It's- The others said and I gave it some thought and I think they right-" Your voice was quieter than before, as you gave it a last try to bring some peace into the conversation.

"Of course the others said, you could have not thought about whatsoever it was yourself." She snapped at you. That was how it was with Alcina. When you denied her what she wanted, when you hurt her, she made sure you hurt, too.

"That's what i'm talking about, Alcina!" You couldn't hold it any longer and stood up, looking at her. "Even Cassandra was concerned why I am saying nothing when you're talking to me like that. Cassandra!" You didn't even noticed when your voice went a little too loud. "Or how you screamed after my car accident. Fuck, the girls thought I was scared of you!" You couldn't understand why she looked so stoic when you were talking about such terrible things.

"And are you?" She smiled sinisterly, looking at you as if she was about to kill you with her eyes. You knew that even if she was trying to look as if she wasn't moved by it, in reality she was losing her mind with anger.

"No! I just- I don't think you'e doing the right thing treating me like that, Alcina. You forbid me and order me, criticize things I do or like, damn it's my house, and I can't make any decision in it because you will do it better after all!" You shouted, but only desperation could be heard in your voice.

"Seven years of being with me and you just now noticed how bad I am? Very cleaver of you, my sweet girl." She said in a mocking tone and then also stood up. "I do it because i love you." She looked at you and that was one of the times then the reality of the difference of your heights was hitting you.

"Alcina, no! I want to be your equal, not under you. That's not going to work!"

"Fine, then leave!" That time it was her who shouted. "You better be gone within a minut or I will divorce you on the spot." She said it numbly, while you could not comprehend what you actually heard.

The first day was weird but yet bearable. You effectively eluded each other in the kitchen - you went into it, she put away the plates after her breakfast in the dishwasher. After work, it somehow managed too - you found that the extra two overtime hours were a bit of a higher paycheck, and Alcina finally did a general overhaul of her office. It also went well with your daughters - she drove Bela to her lessons, and you drove Daniela and Cassandra. Worse was the night, as it turned out that the couch wasn't quite as comfortable as you thought it would be.

The first week was more difficult. You couldn't fall asleep, so you'd walk into the kitchen early, bumping into her and her gaze, which probably would have killed you the most. Not having the strength to go overtime, you normally came home and even when you two were just sitting at opposite ends of the living room, you felt like you were in Spain and she was in Alaska. It was a little worse with the children - as always, the talkative Daniela would start asking why you weren't talking to their mother and you, of course, smilingly assured all three that nothing had happened after all and it was only temporary. And Alcina told them directly that you have a problem with her. A big one.  And since the couch was not very comfortable, you slept on your bed, trying not to die of sadness by her presence next to you. Well, until Alcina herself left slamming the door.

The first month was a complete failure. When you walked into the kitchen and tried to say good morning, she always ignored you - she didn't turn around or anything, she simply ignored your existence. At work, things fell out of your hands when you thought about what awaited you at home. This week you got your first complaint since.... since ever. You walked home because you didn't believe you could drive under the influence of stress and exhaustion. Once you returned early and made dinner for yourself and Alcina. You ate it and left her portion on the counter and took care of the house. In the evening you saw that she didn't even touch it but made herself something else. An even bigger failure was when you had to get dressed for a family meeting you were going to with Alcina and Bela found yourself crying in despair on the bathroom floor. The meeting, by the way, was a total misfire, because Alcina didn't even pretend that things were at least civil between you, and as you were driving you thought she was going to deliberately drive into a tree to get rid of you. And at night you just slept in the car.

Of course, all was well at Alcina's. Maybe Donna kept asking why her eyes were red and her hands were trembling and she was paler than usual, maybe Karl, seeing her staring blankly at the walls of his house, stopped laughing at least for a moment and maybe even Miranda sounded at least a little concerned when she saw Alcina for the fourth night in a row prcatically not leaving the office. But that didn't mean anything - they were all just being very oversensitive. Sure, maybe her heart ached every time she saw you try to explain to Daniela that you loved their mother very much, and since that was the case, it was all good, maybe she felt a little guilty when Bela came running to her, saying that for half an hour you prcatically drowned the bathroom in tears, and at that stupid meeting you must have stretched your imagination to the square, trying to answer all of Andy and Salvatore's questions about Alcina's and your common life.

Maybe Alcina saw you falling apart in front of her, but she did nothing but silently cry at night - after all, you were the one who complained about how bad she was. That was why you decided you couldn't stand it even a moment longer and knocked to the door of her office when you both were home. And she answered, thinking it was Cassandra.

You looked at her and all the courage you had left, has just left you. You licked your lips, knowing it was time to say something if you wanted to have a talk at all.

"Alcina, I- I wanted to talk." You couldn't even recognize your own voice, you sounded so small.

She spun around on her heel, accidentally dropping the things in her hand. Now, she looked at you like you were form different planet.

"You wanted to talk?" She said it in a mocking tone yet like she couldn't believe it.

"Yes, please!" You sounded so desperate but you couldn't care less. "I know I did wrong, please let me fix it." You took a deep breath, "I said wrong thing and I didn't even mean them!" You went silent for a moment and she didn't bother to break it. "I can't live like that any more, please, talk with me." You looked her in the eyes but couldn't find the same hope you had in yours. Instead, she walked up to you.

"What is it now, silly girl?" She snapped, "did you not hear and listen to them?" She run her finger along your lower jaw, smiling - but you know that smile; she was disappointed and hurt. "You seemed to agree with them, with their every little word," she moved her head dangerously close to yours, she smirked and it felt like the devil had done it herself, "about how bad I treat you, how I do not let you do things on your own, how controlling I am." She said with a hint of anger in her tone. "And yet, you are the one who is begging me to come back." She raised her brow, waiting for any answer.

You opened your mouth but nothing came out. You looked at her with tears forming in your eyes. You weren't scared - just now she looked so intimidating; raised head, upright posture. Golden eyes that pierced you to the core and lips pressed into a thin line. Crossed arms and a cold aura around her. A tone of voice colder than winter and sharper than any knife.

"I h-... I've heard and listened to them." You licked your lips and turned your gaze away under hers. " I- I agree with them on some things." You whispered - you couldn't bring yourself to say it out laud once again. Alcina felt another sting in her heart, perfectly hearing your words. "But please, Alcina..." Hesitantly, you took a one step towards her and you reached out your hand. "Treat me badly." You could see the surprise in her eyes. "The way you always treat me." You sounded so desperate, like your world was falling apart right in front of you. You clenched your hands on the collar of her shirt, too scared she might disappear the second you would let go of her. "Because when you're gone it's even worse." You couldn't help but cry, you lowered your head to your hands.

Suddenly, you could feel arms around yourself. Alcina brought you closer to herself. She kissed your forehead and looked away in the wall in front of you. She waited for you to come down a little. When she heard that your breath was starting to come back to its normal tempo, she opened her mouth. "No matter how it pains me to admit it, I-," she sighed and looked away from your eyes, "I also think they were right." She put her index finger on your lips, sensing that you wanted to protest. "It not only pains me to say that someone else was right but also because I am your wife and I have failed you. Completely." She gently put her hand on your cheek, stroking it. "Let me fix it." Her hitherto cold and sharp voice broke down. You could see tears running down her face. "Please, let me fix it, please." She wiped her tears, "I want to- I want to do better, be better. I know I can be batter."

You looked at her and tucked a hair behind her ear, "we'll work on it together, Alcina. I- I want our love back." You whispered, fearing to say it out loud. "It would take a lot of talks and adjustments-"

"Which I am willing to make." She finished for you. "I was a fool to act like that. You do not even know how sorry I am and I would completely understand if you would not forgive me-"

"But I do," you smiled shyly at her. "I love you too much to give up on you."

"And I love you strong enough to want to be better."