#he would probably be a fine looking horse if he didn't have all that extra gross muscle.

[craigslisthorses]

what's your opinion on the AQHA stallion Evinceble?

HYPP N/H halter studs should be mandatorily gelded. here's his pic for those curious

[callofdudes]

ghost x fem or gn reader headcannons of a zombie apocalypse AU??? just them trying to survive with the rest of the 141<33

This tickles a little itch in my brain, might have gotten a little carried away 😊

Ghost x reader Zombie apocalypse headcanons

You'd think in a million years no one was ready for the apocalypse. Hell most people didn't even know how it started. But it did. Cities were crumbling, rabid monsters that followed their hunger for blood anywhere it took them.

You were one of few in the grand scheme to survive. Your parents, siblings, they weren't as lucky. You had been unable to protect them at all. Though after escaping and going on the run with some spares of clothing and your father's pistol in your pocket you were soon to become aware this was your new life.

It wasn't easy having to learn to hunt in one day or find all these tactics to remain silent, undetected, all of that.

You felt alone. So alone...

That is until one day, after having spent two days out in the wilderness with not a hint of prey around and you were starving. Walking through the woods up stumbled upon a camp. A fire was lit, a small pot strung by three bundles sticks above the flame, and something delicious boiling away.

Your curiosity and hunger got the best of you and you toed into the camp. A canopy set up of sorts and some old books that looked to have been torn for fire food.

You were about to look through a cooler under the canopy when you heard the sound of a gun above. "I wouldn't do that mate."

Your eyes snapped up, looking up at the tree tops to see... A man. A large man strung up in the tree by a rather thick rope. One used by professional rock climbers and such. Perfectly sat on a thick enough tree branch to hold his weight.

"I... Apologize... I wasn't trying to- I'm just hungry."

He scrutinized you, noticing the backpack and the possibility of a weapon on you. He flicked something on the hook of his rope and hopped off the branch like it was the back of a horse and slid gracefully back down the tree.

You noticed then his mask. A chilling thing. Considering you had been around zombies the last few years, that was saying something. And my dear he was tall.

"Hungry huh? Got a group?"

You could tell he was very excited to get you out of his little set up and didn't seem to want any meddling around with outsiders. People he didn't know. And in this day, hell you could understand and respect that.

"No... Do you?"

He didn't answer, and probably wouldn't answer most of your questions by the way he was acting. However, he didn't exactly push you away either. He was more waiting for you to get the hint through your thick skull and piss off.

And yet you didn't move.

"Look, I don't work with people, you don't want to be with me. So piss off." He finally grunted, checking whatever he had boiling away.

"Sir, I understand. But I'm hungry, I have no where to go and you look like you could be a good protective companion."

"We wouldn't be companions. Extra luggage is what I call it."

"I won't bug you I promise I'll be quiet, but.... Please??"

He rolled his eyes, tearing down the canopy of the set up and shoving it down into his large duffle back. "Fine. But if you piss me off I'm dumping you at the side of the woods alright??"

You nod, slowly sitting down by the stack of books, your stomach twisting and growling painfully. He looked at you, then his food. He sighed and pulled the pot off the small fire and doused it out, finding a small spare bowl and shoved it your way.

He was surprisingly lenient. Although he was telling the truth when he told you to shut up. He didn't want to talk to you and he clearly didn't trust any part of you one bit.

He allowed you to keep your gun and you stayed out of his way. And you tagged along for any scraps of the meals he would make. Even if he clearly was not the best chef in the woods.

This continued for upwards of three months. Not much changed. You learned his name, Ghost, and he pretty much knew yours from near the start of this expedition.

He was closed off, maybe from the fact zombies were a total 65% percent of the population mark up now. Maybe something else.

Eventually though, you made a small trip at a gas station. Ghost went in to search the place while you remained near the entrance, a meat shield should anything try to get through the door. How nice of him.

You stood by the door in waiting, your little pistol ready for any threat while Simon rummaged through food inside the store. It was dead quiet outside. Not a single sound.

You were waiting patiently until you heard a clatter from inside and a loud screech. You knew that all too well.

You ran inside, your pistol at the ready but Ghost had it covered, letting the thing tear into a chip bag and shot it in the back. And then he spotted you.

"I had that." You pouted.

"Sure you did tough stuff." Ghost roughly messed with your matted hair and you were off soon after.

You were pretty much just extra baggage to him for the most part. Though he fed you, bandaged you, cleaned your wounds and made sure you were always able to defend yourself.

"You solid?"

"I have two more clips. Take them, and use them sparingly."

"We don't have all day, we cross the river by dusk and then you can rest... don't make me carry you."

But slowly his belligerently tough nature gives way to care. Slowly here and there you can point it out. The extra glances, checking you in more spots than you say it hurts just to make sure you don't have a single scratch or bruise.

Giving you extra soup or food of whatever has been made. He's strong and healthy but will ration off, having less than two meals a day has become a normality, one at all was a blessing from God, so he'd give you what he could.

And then after his scouting trip was done, he brought you back home. Simon and his small group were all ex military. I say ex military because despite the weapons there isn't much of one anymore.

He brought you back to an old military base, a barbwire fence with a buzzer stretching high and all around the base keeping it secure.

Pressing the buzzer and announcing his presence the door was opened. "Don't worry... only two of them bite." Simon teases, shifting his gun behind his back as you come inside.

He walked into one of the main areas which lead down to the barracks. Inside were three people around a small campout, a fire pit of sorts made in the middle of the living room with ash and bricks.

"Son, you're back." An older man said, standing. "And whose this??" He watched you intensely, looking you up and down.

"This is my carry-on. Dragged them through the wastes with me."

He nods, walking over to shake your hand. "John Price. Glad to see you're well and safe under Simon's care."

So that's what his name was. Simon. A lovely name.

The next to greet you was a man with a ball cap on and stern brown eyes. Looking like he was far away in though. "Kyle Garrick. Welcome to our... bunker."

The last to greet you was surprisingly a little hesitant. Johnny was the least assumed to your presence. He was all for welcoming people but the current conditions has left too many dead or gone and no one trusted.

"John MacTavish... you can call me Soap though, so you don't get me and the captain confused."

And before you knew it you were given a room in the barracks and a place at your table. They were very nice people, they gave you a job, and split the resources and news Simon brought of his last months mapping. So much had changed since they'd last really gone outside.

Overtime you grew to understand how it all worked. Gaz was a bodyguard of sorts, when you needed to go outside to fix something, get some water to filter from a river not terribly far away, he would be there. He'd go short distances with you and the others, being their back and watching their six.

Soap was more of the tinkerer. He put together traps and levers and fixed up any weapons or gear that needed repairing. He called most of it Guerilla warfare.

Price was the leader, you could tell. He had everyone under his voice and what he says went. If there was something going on outside he'd be the first one out there to see if he could take care of it alone. He went out on food and water runs sometimes as well. He is also resident cook.

And Simon, he did a bit of everything from what you saw.

Soap had managed to get the power back up briefly in the base. Somewhere a power grid was still operational that the base connected to and he got the heaters working. Even on colder when you found yourself alone with a blanket around you, you weren't alone.

Simon would watch. His sleep schedule was still on night duty mode even if they were surrounded by brick and mortar.

He'd even sit with you sometimes. The more you came out to sit in the living room the more he'd be with you. Wrapping w second blanket around you or offering you his jacket.

It was small, but it meant something, to both of you.

Ghost eventually stopped letting you come with him into the wastes. After you got hurt badly, needing a tetanus shot they didn't have, Simon didn't let you go with him. He couldn't. Not because you were weak, you know why. He's just a big softy under all that muscle toned to harsh circumstance.

So you'd wait. By the window where you could see the gate, you'd wait until you could see him coming back. One night even passing out at the window when he returned, and he delivered you gently back to your bed, wrapping you in the blankets.

And after careful consideration, a gentle, small kiss on the forehead seared by the fabric of his mask.

Over the many months and then a year you lived with them you became family. You saw how they took care of each other. When Gaz got sick it was like bees back to the queen as they flurried to help him, and you did too.

He was weak, and you didn't want him to catch anything, so you would gently sit him up.

"Here Kyle, gentle."

Kyle winced in thank you as you fed him the soup Price had made.

You couldn't help but notice also how protective Simon was of them all. If Johnny didn't like the taste of the texture of something Price had made and would refuse to eat it, Simon would help.

"Johnny, you need to eat. Try and focus on me, not the texture. At least eat it." And Johnny usually would.

"Guys... I need to run outside really quickly, you think I could take one of you??" Kyle asked while Simon was already standing, grabbing his gun and escorting Kyle outside to watch over him.

Whenever Price was handing out assignments Simon would take the bulk of the work that had to do with being outside that gated fence. If there wasn't enough food for all of you Simon would cut back so you and Price would have enough.

He genuinely cares for all of you deeply under the mask.

The playful banter as you went out on scouting missions with him when you bugged him enough to let you go increased.

The affection he was willing to take and give like a hand on the shoulder or a hug. Sometimes even inviting you to wrap your arms around him and seek his warmth while laying under the cold stars in the sky.

Whispering to you on nights you couldn't sleep. He always took night watch, no exceptions. When you couldn't fall asleep he'd whisper to you. About random things. Maybe something he did the other day or what he remembered about the world before it went to shit and how beautiful it was.

"Simon..." you whispered back, holding onto his jacket. "I'm scared." You admit, tears filling your eyes as you thought of how you might die out here. This would be the end.

Simon brought you in a little tighter, resting his chin on top of your head. "I know y/n.... I know."

Simon was scared too. In his own way. Scared for himself, but scared for you, for his team. In the end Simon is a selfless creature and you all come before him.

Your breathing slowed, relaxing. Feeling safe and protected in his arms, because you were. Simon had you, he's always got you, and he always will.

Come zombies or raiders, or manic survivalists, anything. Simon won't let it hurt his team. He won't let them hurt you. Not you. He may not say it, but looking back, he's glad he met you that day in the woods...

I do hope this is satisfactory. I had started this a bit ago and came back to it after I posted my first zombie fic. Enjoy egg folk.

[wings-of-ink]

Since I'm feeling angsty after reading the "Why do you think I love you ask?" I came up with the following scenario (for Oswin alone):

So, MC learns they are not going to survive no matter what. And they should return home. By that point both Oswin's and MC's had confessed their love to each other. Yet, very much when they were about to reach MC's home so they could rest from the unsuccessful journey, MC falls from their horse.

Oswin, of course, goes to assist them. The fall, fortunately, didn't cause any damage. But even if it had, it wouldn't have changed anything. MC is about to die, and there is little to do now.

Oswin of course screams, so everyone can come. They are so close to home... Yet, maybe they won't reach them in time. Maybe Oswin alone would be the only one to be with MC when they eventually die.

MC stops Oswin with a gentle hand on his cheek. Their face, while sickly and full of sweat, somehow is as radiant as it could be. MC could be the sun, and Oswin was a simple planet orbiting around them. Their eyes, so calm, so loving. MC's voice is both tender and painfully weak as they say:

"Don't worry. It'll be fine. Could you just hold me? If there is anything in the other side... I want to go remembering your warmth... Your scent... Your embrace... Please Yarrow... Hold me, just once. I won't ask for more".

The childhood name had slipped from MC's mouth. Neither said a thing about it.

When everyone reaches them, MC is gone. A smile slowly fading from their face.

Ouch, Nony. You okay? This is rough. What makes it worse is that technically, if the curse does get the better of MC, this would happen on their 25th birthday. So yeah, that hurts a little extra, lol.

I don't have it in my soul to do a POV with this for poor Oswin (giving him a little break), but I can tell you some things he might do in response.

Not take it well, naturally. We're talking nuclear levels of not okay and unhealthy coping. It would take all his family and friends to keep him functioning and from working himself to death.

He'd change his name. No one can tell him no. If he was Yarrow in the end for MC, he will be Yarrow until the end of his days.

I don't think he could love again, not in the same way.

He'd quit is job and stay with his family, probably getting more obsessive over their care and well-being for a while. I am actually also thinking that Kip and Dov would be under this banner. I can honestly see Oswin moving in with them so they can be there for each other.

Grief would be a huge uphill battle for a tremendously long time. And it never is really over (grief never is) - time and space just lets him breathe a little easier. I think eventually he would meet some sort of peace, but it would take just so much time and working through. He would always look forward to meeting MC again in the hereafter. He secretly holds to the belief that their souls will be reincarnated together.

Thank you for the ask, Nony! We'll find something sweet today to go with this angst too. ^_^

Just a disclaimer: I don't have plans of killing off poor MC, not that life will be getting much easier for them or anything, lol. (I can't torture them if they're dead!)

[nkn0va]

Celica, Yuzuriha, and Rise with a more mellow, jaded s/o? Like their still nice and stuff to people they just have completely opposite energy along with being a little cynical, also probably a smoker.

Garcello lookin' headass /hj

-This girl needs someone who can keep her down to earth so, so badly. As much as you love her, she was the type to have her head in the clouds a bit too much for her own good.

-It's as endearing as it can be troublesome at times. Your patience is the biggest reason you two mesh so well together. You sorta remind Celica of Jubei in the sense you have the chill he does that's able to remain so nice and understanding despite seeming to some like you don't care about much.

-You sorta came off that way to her too, but she's a firm believer in not judging a book by it's cover. She wanted to actually take the time to know you, and it paid off. You were definitely more than met the eye.

-If you happen to smoke, she'll gently chastise you for the behavior but it's not the biggest dealbreaker as long as you have the decency to not do it inside. She's too pure to turn something as petty as that into a relationship-breaking argument.

-Having Celica as a girlfriend will also be a huge boon to you because of her healing magic. She won't risk secondhand smoking and can heal the ill effects of it you'd otherwise have to suffer through.

-She one hundred percent wants you to meet Ragna. She thinks you two are similar enough to get along. It's an interesting interaction but it does go surprisingly well. He's lowkey impressed by you being pretty much the only stranger he's met that doesn't react with immediate fear upon meeting him.

-You and Celica stay surprisingly happy together, much to everyone's confusion. Nobody really knows how it happened but there's no complaining, except maybe from Nine, but she can be won over eventually given enough time.

-Yuzuriha takes an extra joy more than anyone else in poking fun at you. The way you contrast her energy so much leads her to finding a childlike, almost petty satisfaction in attempting to get you all worked up. Good naturedly, of course.

-Meanwhile you're the one keeping her down on Earth. She can be a little ditzy sometimes and forget the fact that she has duties at the shrine. Having someone other than her sister to reliably remind her of her schedule is definitely good for her.

-She's kind of the one in charge of your relationship. You don't mind her dictating the pace as long as she's happy. Though again, you'll have to tell her to hold her horses if she tries advancing things too fast.

-Yuzu is overflowing with ideas for dates she's always wanted to try out, both from seeing places that caught her interest as well as ideas she's heard from other people. Almost every other day consists of her taking you out on a new date. She prefers to mix things up a lot to keep it fresh and prevent monotony.

-She kinda just drags you along every time. She knows that you're fine whatever happens. She finds it super cool how you just shrug off what seems like nothing and just keep on trucking, as she puts it.

-You get along pretty well with her sister, though when you ask her to tell you more about Yuzu, she only sighs and wishes you luck with dating her, saying that you'd need it. You didn't really know what she meant at first but it became apparent pretty quickly.

-Still, you wouldn't have it any other way.

-Honestly you are a godsend for Rise. Specifically in the fact that there's no one better to help blend in and keep suspicion down on nearly every level.

-That's far from the only reason she's dating you, obviously, but's certainly a huge plus not a lot of people, if any, have. People would definitely not expect the unenthusiastic, bored looking one to be dating someone with such opposite energy, especially if you smoke, and you're a natural at acting natural. The way you're completely unbothered by paparazzi and can steer them away with such ease nearly has Rise starstruck with how unphased you really are.

-Much like Yuzuriha, she takes it as a challenge to break your facade. If she manages to get you flustered she takes great satisfaction in doing so. Though you can easily see through her tricks after the first couple times. She attempts to come up with new ways to embarrass you almost like it's a back and forth game.

-The rest of the Investigation Team has absolutely zero idea how this happened. She did crush on Yu before you two met and yeah you're both chill and mellow most of the time, though Yu was far more popular for good reason.

-You're the yin to her yang if you feel so inclined, the normalcy she so desperately needs in her life away from the lights and grandeur of being an idol. You're her safe space.

-She honestly makes a ton of jokes at your expense about you two marrying someday which you take in stride, but the more you really pay attention as time goes on the more you start to realize it might not be entirely jokes. She really can't imagine her life being spent with anyone else. She just finally feels like...herself for once when you're around.

[riddles-n-games]

TIG Drabble #3-Nash and Zara

"Come on, girl." He clicked twice at Chili but the mare stopped again, her ears twitching from side to side. Chalking it up to nervousness, he patted the side of her neck. "There's nothin' out here you ain't seen before." But she wasn't budging.

Sighing, Nash put a hand in his pocket to grab a treat and he smirked when her ears pinned back in alert as soon as she heard the shuffling. Sly girl. When he got it out, he handed the apple slice to her and she watched him, her eye wide in delight before eagerly snagging the snack from him. She walked forward soon after. Nash shook his head in amusement. "You are a little bugger sometimes."

But just as they'd gotten around the first bend in the trail, his mare slowed and only then did he notice the sound of an extra set of hoofbeats. He turned and signaled Chili to stop. The horse and rider coming toward him were instantly recognizable, Quicksilver and his Aunt Zara. He couldn't remember the last time she joined him on a trail ride.

"Aunt Z." He tipped his hat.

"Nash," she acknowledged with a nod.

"Fine morning for a trail ride."

"Yes."

"I've been planning to take Chili out on a newer trail for a change of scenery. Would you mind?"

"No, I've been needing some myself." He nodded and took the lead. His aunt remained quiet and a few meters behind. She was grieving; she might never admit it but the old man's death shook her up in a way he hadn't seen in a very long time. Since maybe his grandmother's death. He'd come back only a few days ago to find everyone in disarray, some more than others. Zara, he hadn't seen since his first night back and but for a brief moment by his grandfather's deathbed.

But, despite the tragic circumstances that brought them together, Nash smiled nostalgically. He missed the times when she took him on rides in the Black Wood as a young boy. It'd been some of his favorite memories with her; they became rarer as he grew. Now, they happened once in a blue moon and he clung to each one. But he knew not to ask for more; he always knew to take what he was offered.

He knew that after the ride neither of them would bring it up in the future, their version of the tree house pact. Only they would know and as for their horses? Well, his aunt did once tell him that their eyes held many secrets and one could wonder what they were but a horse would never confirm or deny. They were secret keepers by nature. You could utter all your darkest secrets and they'd take them to the grave.

And didn't that sound just like someone else he knew? The great Tobias Hawthorne had many of them and he did just that, not even uttering a word that he'd been sick until he was gone. Let him keep his secrets. They didn't matter anymore; Nash had other problems. He had to hold his family together by a flimsy thread. And it wasn't just his brothers. He looked behind, stealing another look at his tightlipped aunt. Her eyes were red-rimmed, there were dark circles underneath, a crease above her furrowed brows, and her face which seemed posed in a permanent frown was ghostly pale. She probably hadn't slept in the last three days.

But that was okay too. He would take care of her the way she did him once. Someone had to be the strong one. What was one more time doing the same thing he'd done his whole life? It was his role anyway. I'll pick up the pieces like I always have. You at least trained me well to do that.

His life was measured in aftermaths but he never dwelled on them much. He moved on.

Never forget the broken things, the ones you leave behind. Clean up the shards, because when you don't... People get hurt.

The old man's voice rang in his head. Nash trotted on.

[pynkhues]

Oh you know I need your dream cast for a Succession prequel, Sophie

(x)

Okay okay okay, SO first thing's first, my dream Succession prequel is set against the 80s clusterfuck expansion into parks because every little bit of canon we got about that era just cooks. You've got Logan meeting Frank (and probably Gerri), Logan's whirlwind romance then toxic marriage to Caroline, Logan starting to have the golden trio and reconnecting with Connor and dealing with the aftermath of what happened to, and with, Connor's mother! Plus Ewan may or may not be still involved in the company? (I choose to think he is!)

As a result, a lot of my casting is partially determined by the age the characters would be then, which means I've had to change some actual dream casting (Romola Garai as 40yo Gerri, my beloved), but it's also a pretty fun era to think about so that's fine.

Anyway, let David Tennant as Young(er) Ewan invite you in:

I really love the Snr. Roy's being from Scotland, and their backstory feels so entwined with Scottish WWII history, so I wanted to honour that a bit in the fancasting, but all the same, I think I probably would've cast David Tennant anyway. I think he can sell that simultaneous moral superiority and absolute hypocrisy in a way that Ewan needs, and honestly, I just love the idea of him reading Jesse Armstrong's dialogue, haha.

Was Karl working for Logan in the 80s? I choose to believe yes, because I love him. Jack Lowden's been one of those actors who's popped up in a few things I've watched lately - Fighting with My Family, Small Axe and Slow Horses in particular, and I've been consistently pretty impressed with him? I think he's got a good handle of comedic timing (important for anyone taking up the Karl mantle) but also is a compelling dramatic actor and I think he could kill it opposite...

David Rysdahl as Young Frank! I've always figured Frank would've been a bit younger than Logan, and I love that little glimpse we got in canon of Frank having been brought in to advise on the parks acquisition and then Logan basically making him an offer to stay. There's something extra crunchy there for me if Frank's a little wide-eyed at the time and Logan oozes that charm that we know that he can turn on when he wants to. I like the psychosexual drama, and I also like the idea of Frank having this weird sort of connection to Caroline and Kendall because he met them while he was still impressionable / in the midst of being swept up.

But yes, haha, David Rysdahl I think is a bit of an up-and-comer, which is kinda funny given he's been in a lot of stuff. I've liked him though in the newest season of Fargo, and lowkey think he looks a bit like a young Peter Friedman.

Honestly, I just loved her in Swallow a lot, and she played the smart, unhappy, unhinged, WASP-y wife there to such perfection that I think she'd be ideal for a young Gerri who's still better known as Baird's wife than as counsel. There's such an attitude and vulnerability to Haley too which I think would match J's quite well, plus they have a bit of a similar look too which works for me? I want to see her claw her way in! And I also want to see her toxic relationship with Caroline which leads to her being Shiv's godmother.

Speaking of...

Honestly, I went through a few people for Caroline and she was surprisingly hard to cast. A lot of actresses who felt like they might fit the bill - Michelle Dockery and Claire Foy were two that sprung to mind - didn't really work as I didn't think they could quite balance the acidity with the blunt charm and playfulness that Harriet Walter just does so well (and honestly is a testament to what an actress she is). But then! Jessie Buckley! I've loved Jessie in everything I've seen her in, from Women Talking to The Lost Daughter, but it was actually thinking about her turn in Misbehaviour which made me think of her for this, exactly because of how she can play, well playfulness.

Plus I think she'd be a lot of fun opposite...

I did say I''d go with a Scotsman! Ewan McGregor's been in a few mmm, less good things lately, which makes a turn in a role like Logan Roy could potentially be pretty great. He's always been a remarkable actor, and one who, I think, can find the heart in any role, which is arguably what any actor playing Logan needs. Plus I always tend to think Ewan has chemistry with everyone he acts opposite, and I think he could really sell Logan's naked charisma in this era in a way that would make sense given he's making some pretty questionable choices across the board in the 80s. Plus, y'know, to the point of the post that inspired this one, I think him playing Logan would do a lot of psychic damage to people who could only ever see Logan as perpetrator of abuse and never as product or victim.

[midnightmuffingay]

Rating the pets of EAH based on what is on the EAH wiki and my limited knowledge:

Adelita - Rosabella's butterfly. I have never heard of this. Also apparently Adelita translates to 'noble'?? 3/10 I don't think it suits her and also how do you keep a butterfly as a pet.

Barber - Poppy's squirrel monkey. I guess squirrel monkeys are cute and I can see it as a pet for her but I have yet again no memory of this. 5/10

Clipper - Holly's lion cub. Apparently it is 'charmed' to stay a cub forever?? Don't know how that work or why she has a lion or why she would name it Clipper?? there are better names girl. 3/10

Carmine - Cerise's dire wolf. Okay so technically they're part of the same pack or something but it's the daughter of Littler Red Riding Hood and the big Bad Wolf. You can't go wrong with giving her a wolf friend whose name is another shade of red. 6/10

Carrolloo - Kitty's caterpillar. A sneaky little guy. From what we saw of him he compliments Kitty's personality and you know, a caterpillar with a wonderlandian? It's not like I can be mad. 6/10

Clockwork - Cedar's wooded cuckoo. Okay I do actually like this a lot. Even if we never really saw him it's a great concept for her pet to be wooden like her. Especially when you consider it would probably have to been made specifically for her. I love it 8/10

Clydesdale - Farrah's pet mouse. Don't recall and there are better mice. 2/10

Divacorn - Briar's unicorn. Absolutely slayed so hard I don't care about the name which is an astonishing feat. I mean of course Briar would have a pink unicorn it just makes sense. 8/10

Drake - Hopper's dragonfly. Drake. 2/10 Only getting extra points because it is a literal DRAGONfly. He breathes fire.

Earl Grey - Maddie's dormouse. Perfection. Best dressed of all of the pets. Is a silly little guy with a silly little hat that lives in her hat. Impeccable. 10/10

Gala - Apple's snow fox. Gala is a great name just because of the fact this it is not only a type of apple but also a fancy party. Very royal, on brand, like to curl around her neck. Iconic. 8/10

Grizz - Blondie's baby bear. Blondie. Girlie. You are a reporter. Please get original. A bear for goldilocks' daughter is fine but it's just like. I'm bored girl. You can do better. 3/10

Jelly - Ginger's gummy fish. I. Love this. A sentient gummy fish she accidentally made? So iconic I'll ignore the basic name. It's like naming your goldfish 'Goldie'. Anyway, I love the concept, love the execution. 8/10

King Benedict - Humphrey's chicken. No. 2/10 for egg related name.

Mr. Cottonhorn - Dexter's jackalope. Guys. Guys. look at him.

He's just a little guy. 10/10.

Moustro - Melody's rat. I like the idea and the pun name but I feel like I'd need to see a picture to be impressed. 5/10

Nevermore - Raven's dragon. There is no need for discussion. 10/10

P-Hawk - Daring's peacock. I think I remember him being kind of terrible so uh 1/10 because Daring I don't think that's how you say peacock honey.

Pesky - Hunter's squirrel. I love how even though they're like enemies they have the same haircut and Pesky has a little acorn bag that Hunter definitely made for him. Lives up to his name. 7/10

Philia - Cupid's Pegasus. Apparently 'Philia' is one of the ancient greek words for love that is often translated to friendship. soooo, even though I didn't know about her she gets a 6/10 because I think that's sweet.

Pirouette - Duchess's swan. Queen. Icon. Slay. Need I say more? 10/10

Sandella - Ashlynn's phoenix. The fact that Ashlynn has a phoenix because it rises from the ashes is so hardcore and I love it. Even if her name is Sandella. 7/10

Shuffle - Lizzie's hedgehog. The bestest and cutest little croquet ball. I don't have much to say but love you dearly. 7/10

Sir Gallopad - Darling's horse. He can change colour and camouflage which is THE coolest thing. Horsegirl Darling. 8/10 Also Daring officially has the worst pet out of the Charming siblings.

Spindle - Faybelle's pomeranian. Of course an evil fairy you have such an unassuming evil little dog. And of course she named it after her evil destiny. Iconic. 8/10.

[luvliewriting]

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Arthur Morgan As A Dad

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Pairing: Arthur Morgan x F.Reader

Warnings: slight angst, pregnancy

Note: I'm sorry I've disappeared for so long with no answer I'm most likely gonna do a full fic of this but let me know if you'd be interesting in reading something like that

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Was your daughter planned? Yes and no. Both you and Arthur had talked to each other a bunch about kids but didn't exactly plan anything, it was more "if it happens it happens." Not that he was ever expecting anything to happen, he wasn't sure what he would even do if you were pregnant one day with his kid. Of course, he couldn't really spend his time wavering on the options, but he still did. Honestly, you really worried when Arthur disappeared for a day after he learned the news. But he came around and was probably the best man you could've asked for to share an experience like this with. He already is experienced in taking care of women (More ways than one..) and you being pregnant is no different, he's careful with you, like a porcelain doll or fine china.

When your daughter finally comes into the world though, he's absolutely in awe. She looks almost completely identical to him and not only talking looks wise, she had the same cocky attitude he too possessed as she aged. It was one of the most terrifying and beautiful experiences that Arthur had a chance to witness inside of his tent. He feared losing you or the child but you both were healthy.

Although I guess having a child wasn't all positive, Arthur stayed sure but he struggled to be at camp more often. One he was sent on more jobs due to the extra mouth to feed as well as, he was just scared of disappointing you both. He believes you're both more safe in the care of Charles and Abigail who had both refused to leave your side since learning of the pregnancy and the same went for when your daughter was born.

Of course, Charles didn't let this slide and talked to Arthur too many times to even count, trying to knock some sense into the gunslinger. Saying how he was only disappointing you more with the constant leaving and barely caring for your baby. That was what knocked the air out of Arthur's head and he rushed back to your side almost immediately. Since then, he seemed to have smartened up and was there for your daughter more.

Arthur barely leaves you and the your daughter after that day, if he does it's only because he had Dutch barking more orders and jobs at him. But his first priority the second he's done any kind of job is coming back to camp to hold you both in his arms again. He says that he must protect his family, that it’s a bigger priority than doing anything else. But you’re not sure if that’s just a big fat excuse for him to hold her for hours. Laying in his lap, as he swipes a hand over her little head and feeling the thin, small fuzz of hair on it. With you at his side, singing to her as you stroke her cheek with a soft thumb.

He waits till she's older to finally take her on horse rides with him. Sure she's been on the horse before but that was with you and her wrapped tightly to your chest so she couldn't get shaken around. When she's five, Arthur had gotten her a donkey that she could ride around camp on; more a practice till she can get her own horse.

Hosea takes her on fishing trips and Charles teaches her how to braid, even Kieran lets her help out with the horses once she gets older. With age you soon saw how much she was truly Arthur's daughter, it wasn't just her looks but with age, she grew his wit and smart mouth. A couple of times you've had to remind her of some words she wasn't allowed to say. Of course you were always met with "but dad gets to say them?"

Of course it's not all sunshine and rainbows. Arthur soon learns he's contracted tuberculosis a few days after your daughter's seventh birthday. He doesn't tell either of you at first, he more avoids you two all together; one he's scared of giving it to either of you and two, he's scared of the reaction. He knew it was gonna hurt you both and there was little chance he was gonna live.

He lives you both in the care of Tilly when the gang starts to fall apart, you argued against this wanting to be with Arthur till his final breath but he wouldn't allow it. No, he wanted you both to remember him nice and well (as well as he could have been at least), he wanted you both to remember the good times, not the bad where he chokes on his own blood while his eyes roll back.

I know John is the one who ends up getting Arthur's hat but I believe if he had a daughter that she would get his hat. And trust me, she barely takes it off after she says a final tearful goodbye to her dad. She was at her most stubborn when Arthur had to let you both go, she clung onto him so tightly that she had to be torn off of him. It broke you to see how hurt your daughter was at the thought of leaving her dad. It reminded you that he wasn't gonna come back. This wasn't gonna be like any other mission that he's gone for a couple days and comes back, no he won't come back.

You swore you knew the second he had passed. You were tucked away in a hotel with Tilly and your daughter. Tilly was sleeping on the couch in the room while your daughter was curled up at your back while you slept in the bed. Her rosey cheeks still stained from her tears at leaving her father behind. You were unable to sleep as you snuck out of the bed and to the balcony of the hotel room to look out to the sunrise; Arthur's favourite thing besides you two.

It was as if he was right there with you. Holding you close and warm to his chest as a sense of warmth entered your body looking out to the same sunrise you were sure his spirit was looking at the same time.

After he passes, you find the little things that remind you so painfully of him. First your daughter, her striking resemblence to him. Plus with his hat upon her head, still slightly to big and needing to be tipped back to reveal her beautiful green eyes; his eyes.

You bring your daughter to Arthur's grave as much as possible, you don't allow any memories to fade from her mind of her father.

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Thank you for reading, please like and reblog as it really does help me out. Once again, I'm sorry for the lack of work. Feedback is greatly appreciated

Taglist: @margofiore , @cowboydisaster , @kieropal , @littlesatanicassholebitch

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[pbandjesse]

I feel kind of sad this evening. I don't know why. Nothing happened. I am just in my feelings. Probably just a continuation from my feelings yesterday.

I slept a little better. I had intense dreams again. I woke up way before my alarm and scrolled on my phone for a minute before sleeping another hour. I didn't have to be at work until a little later because I would be staying later. So I woke up at 730. The luxury of it all.

When I got up James was there. And I would get washed and dressed and felt off. But I was fine. Just a little uncomfy.

I realized I didn't want to lead the ground element actives so I asked in the group chat if I could switch and that's when I learned our morning group canceled super last minute. Ah alrighty. No rush then.

I had a nice drive to camp. And would sh e my breakfast. And got to work on finishing up the bear pins I had been working on. Sarah and Elizabeth would come in. And once I was done my bears I would drive the gator to the lodge to try hanging the curtains we got. But they weren't the right size. Boo.

Heather would come over to the lodge and we came up with a little plan for putting the basement rooms back together. Sarah and Manny would join us soon and we would all work together to try and put it back to a presentable state. I was taking charge a bit and directing what needed to be done and it was a little much. Because I didn't have all of the answers. But I think we made the spaces a little better. The art needs to be hung still. But it looks better then it did.

I would drive Manny up to the barn to help out with maiden choice and the horses. We couldn't find Heather for a minute so I went over to the feild and found her. She hurt her back so I took one of the horses to lead and filled her in on what we finished. And once we found Manny I passed Stormy the pony off to him and drove the gator to the hacienda to set up for the group.

While I was putting chairs down the caterers for the overnight field trip came and the guy was really frustrated about thinking he was going to be in the other building. And was just kind of snippy with me for no reason. And the. I found ants. And was trying to just be chill but also like. I am not in charge! Don't be mad at me! I have no power!

Sarah came to help. We finished getting the tables and chairs ready. We cleaned the tables off. And we would drive the gator together back to the office.

I had my lunch. I took a little drive to 711 to get a donut. I had some nice conversations with people in the world. And when I got back Elizabeth would ask if I could run an arts and crafts program this afternoon. Sure. So once I finished eating I would go set that up. I wanted to teach a bead project. So I got some bracelet stuff, some sewing stuff, and some bead critter stuff. And the actual program was so wildly easy because I only had 4 people. Two girl students and two adult lady teachers. And it was just really lovely. I made a few bead lizards and gave two of them to the students. And they were very excited to receive them. Which made me feel nice.

I didn't have anyone sign up for the second block. I cleaned up and checked it with Elizabeth and she said I could go home. Excellent. So even though I was prepared to work an extra hour today, I didn't have to and that was good.

I had a find drive home. I was so excited to go home. I ate the other half of my donut in the way home. And I got home at 5.

James was there!! They had gone on a bike ride to DC today. And we're working on stuff around the house. And our plan for the evening was pizza, salad, and wall paper.

James did most of the actual hanging of the wallpaper. But I did help!! And I think it looks so good. We need to order one more roll but what we got done looks so good. We have to finish some of the tops still. But that will come later. I am still very happy with it for now.

I had to unpack my suitcase to hang all my clothes for the trip because we got a fabric bug spray. So tomorrow I will spray those and let them dry for two hours like it said too. Hopefully it doesn't smell to weird. Things we will do to be safe.

I repacked the other side of my suitcase to to get all my socks and underwear and stuff sorted. I may reassess my backpack again because I'm not positive about the travel purse I'm bringing. But everything else seems good. I still need to download stuff to my tablet. To read and watch. I will probably work on that tomorrow too.

I am trying to feel better. I am going to go get cleaned up and get in bed. And hopefully tonight I can sleep easier. I hope you all have a good night tonight. And that tomorrow is fun. We have a very full field trip day. But I get to spend it down by the stream looking for creatures and I'm excited about that.

Sleep well everyone. Until tomorrow.

[ijustwant2write]

Sweet Boy-Finn Shelby x Reader x Bonnie Gold (Part 7/?)

(GIF CREDIT TO @thesoldiersminute)

MASTERLIST

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 / Part 5 / Part 6

Tags: @stressedandbandobessed7771 @bethany-taylo @lovelynerdytraveler @savvy7392 @kingarthurscat @smallheathgangsters @soleil-dor @alyse45 @bloodorangemoonlight @amirahiddleston @captivatedbycillianmurphy @jenepleurepasbaby @haphazardhufflepuff @ravenoussss @ophelias-flower-bed @peakascum @mzcrazy2 @gothicwidowsworld @psychadelichues

Summary: The incident at the shop has left everyone shaken, but Tommy realises he needs to find (Y/N) a safe place to hide.

Characters: Bonnie Gold x Reader, Finn Shelby x Reader, Thomas Shelby x Reader (platonic), Polly Gray x Reader (platonic), Aberama Gold x Reader (platonic)

Meanings: (Y/N)=Your name

Warnings: Swearing, arguing, angst, mentions of killing/dead animals, fluff, slight smut

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(Y/N) P.O.V

Someone was gently shaking me awake, though I still took in a sharp breath in shock, scared it was those boys coming back for me. My heart skipped a beat before seeing Finn.

"Oh my god, Finn." I breathed out, a hand placed over my chest."You scared me."

"I'm sorry." he whispered. He was crouched down beside the bed.

"What are you doing here?" I glanced to the window, the curtains were still shut and only the tiniest bit of light was shining on them."It's so early."

"Yeah, it's four o'clock actually."

"Why did you wake me?"

"I've got to take you somewhere. Tommy has found some place safe for you."

"What? Where?"

"I have no idea. Come on, we need to quickly pack a bag."

I groaned the entire time, it was mostly Finn doing the packing until I intervened; he was about to go into my underwear drawer. He had only brought a small case, it would just last me the week, if that. After I changed (with Finn out of the room), I groggily made my way downstairs, seeing Polly and Tommy at the door.

"Good morning." Tommy casually greeted me.

"Where are we going Tommy?" I mumbled, still not fully awake.

"It's not too far away. The car is waiting outside."

He left with that, Finn following him. I turned to Polly.

"Guessing you know where I'm going?"

She gave me a small smile."You'll be fine love."

I didn't have the energy to even try asking any questions on the drive. My eyelids were very heavy, I had slept terribly after the attack on the shop. My head would nod forwards every now and then, in the end I leaned my head on Finn's shoulder; he was sat in the back with me, and I really couldn't give any fucks at that point, I needed to sleep.

Finn was the one to wake me again. The car had stopped moving, we were no longer in a place with buildings, factories or even a road. We were on an off road dirt track, surrounded by trees. Why were we here? Had we broken down?

"Tom, why are we here?" Finn leaned forward to whisper to his brother, though I heard him.

Tommy didn't reply, causing Finn to huff. He glanced back at me and shrugged. Without a word, Tommy got out of the car, assuming we would follow. As Finn let me use his hand to climb out, it occurred to me that it had just been the three of us on that journey, no extra protection, no other Shelby's. I shuddered from the cold as I stepped out of the vehicle, wrapping my arms around myself and looking to see where we were. It was only when two figures on horseback approached us did it all make sense.

Finn P.O.V

"Tom, you can't be serious?" I hissed.

That damn bastard. He knew this would piss me off yet he still asked me to come. Polly could have easily got (Y/N) awake and probably pack a better overnight bag than me. I glared as Bonnie dismounted his horse, this couldn't be happening right now.

"Remember Thomas Shelby, you owe me." Aberama said as they walked towards us.

"Tommy, she's just as safe with m...us as she is here. Why take here away from her comforts?" I tried to point out.

"You and I both know that's far from the truth. No one knows her affiliation with Bonnie, they only know about the relationship you two once had. So no one will think to come out here to look for her."

"But how will we know she's really safe?"

"You doubting us boy?" Aberama interrupted.

"You don't have access to a telephone."

"Don't need one." Bonnie said."We've got a good route planned."

"I just don't know how I feel with-"

"Finn," Tommy warned,"it's been done."

"I mean," (Y/N) piped up, having patiently listened to us bicker,"it would have been nice to know where I was going and who I was with. Not that I don't trust you two, I definitely do, I just haven't packed properly for...for this lifestyle."

"See?" I smugly said.

"I'm not disagreeing with Tommy though."

"What?"

"It's probably the best idea. I'll hate being away from home, but I'd rather sleep well at night knowing I'm somewhere no one can get to me."

"She'll be fine, Finn. We need to get moving though." Aberama was clearly trying to move this along.

Bonnie stepped forward, holding out a hand for her case. I hesitantly handed it over, watching as he held out his other hand for (Y/N). Surprisingly she didn't take it, glancing back to me and looking as if she were about to say something. Instead she stayed silent, walking past Bonnie's confused face to his horse. I had to turn away as I watched his hands snake around her waist to lift her onto the animal; the only reason she knew how to ride a horse was because of me. My jealousy was too strong, I had to see her go, regretting it when Bonnie sat behind her, having to hold her as they rode away. This was bullshit.

Bonnie's P.O.V

I could feel how tense (Y/N) was as we rode towards our campsite. It wasn't like she was uncomfortable, more angry about something. My instincts told me that I was the reason, though I didn't want to believe it. I had hoped (Y/N) would be more excited about travelling with me. I had so much to show her, things that would take her mind off of what happened to her, off of a certain person. I wanted to blame it on her tiredness, could I blame her? After a traumatic experience the night before, the girl was bound to be exhausted. But I knew that wasn't to blame.

We rode in silence, and I desperately wanted to break that. Dad was riding further ahead, he wouldn't pick up on our conversation, especially if we were quiet.

"Are you OK?" I breathed out, almost whispering.

She shuddered as my breath fanned over the back of her neck."I'm fine thank you."

Yep, short answers, I knew it.

"So you really had no idea about today?"

"No."

"(Y/N) please talk to me."

"I am."

"This isn't talking. Why are you being so blunt with me?"

"It's still very early Bonnie. I've been awake less than an hour and I also had no sleep last night."

"I understand. I'm sorry if I'm bothering you."

She sighed."You're not Bonnie. I'm sorry for snapping. I just feel like a doll being tossed around by a group of young girls who refuse to share properly."

I hesitated, I should have left the conversation there.“I’m sorry, I’m sorry for this whole mess. Maybe if I had just listened to Finn and stayed away, none of this would have happened.”

One of (Y/N)’s hands rested on top of mine, rubbing it comfortingly.“We can’t change the past Bonnie. Who knew after a few drinks together this would have happened?”

“But Finn and I could have handled it all so differently. We’ve been acting like boys, not men.”

“I can’t deny that. It has been a confusing time.”

“Confusing? You mean, you don’t know if you are really over Finn?”

I didn’t like the way she paused.“It’s not that Bon, it’s just...have you ever been in love?”

I’m glad she couldn’t see me smiling down at her.“Yeah, I think so.”

“Well, Finn and I once loved each other. And even after everything he has done to me, how cruel he was, how spiteful he has been, there’s a part of me longing for the familiarity, how easy it would be with him because we already know everything about each other. Dating means I have to get to know someone all over again without the confirmation that they’ll like me. It’s just so much effort.”

I was tempted to say ‘There’s someone who already knows you’, of course referring to me, and that would be obvious. But the way she was speaking about him, it was as if something had happened between them in the last few hours since I saw her. It saddened me, not only because I really liked her, but because Finn had managed to trick her into believing he had changed. He hadn’t, I knew he hadn’t.  

I had been nervous to take (Y/N) to our makeshift campsite. Dad and I had strayed away from the family, not wanting them caught up in this. I also knew my sisters would tease us both, and now really wasn’t a time for that. It felt horrible to think, but I didn’t want her to judge my way of life. She said so herself she hadn’t packed for this ‘lifestyle’. There were two wagons, one for (Y/N), and one for me and my dad, we would be taking turns patrolling.

Dad said nothing as he got off his horse, he was pissed about this arrangement, but had a good deal with Tommy for it. I carefully got off my own horse, reaching up for (Y/N), who held onto my shoulders as she slid off. I kept a firm grip on her waist, not really wanting to let go. I could see she was still exhausted, the sun was slowly making it’s way into the sky, but she would still be asleep at this time, as would most of Small Heath. 

“You have your own wagon.” I showed her to it, taking her hand to help her up the stairs as she cautiously walked in. I followed.“I know it’s small and no fancy hotel.”

“It’s lovely.” she said as she looked around.

I chuckled.“It’s alright, you don’t have to lie.”

“I’m not. It’s...different to anywhere I’ve stayed before, doesn’t mean it isn’t nice.”

She was too sweet. 

“I think I’ll sleep now if that’s alright. I’m still shattered from everything that happened last night and this morning.”

“Of course. Let me know if you need anything.”

Turning around to leave, I instantly stopped when she called my name, gently grabbing my elbow. I faced her, taking in her beauty one more time.

"Thank you, Bonnie, for everything you and your dad are doing for me. I know some people are annoyed by what's happening. But you've always looked after me."

She reached up on her tiptoes, placing a sweet kiss to my cheek. I was surprised when I felt myself blushing, bashfully smiling at her before leaving. I could still feel her lips, I just wished she had missed and kissed me somewhere else.

(Y/N)'s P.O.V

I slept for a majority of the day, still feeling groggy and out of it, but I had to get up for a few hours before evening fell again. It must have been after midday, though I wasn't completely sure as the sun was hidden by a sky full of clouds. Slowly opening the door, I saw Bonnie sat in a small wooden chair, seemingly enjoying the view of the landscape. I had to admit, it was a lovely change to the smog and streets.

"Sleeping beauty has risen." he cheekily smiled.

"Yes, and her majesty wonders why she does not see a full English breakfast before her."

"My apologies my lady, but it will just be bread for breakfast."

I took the small piece of bread he tore off for me, standing beside him. It would have to do, and I wasn't that hungry anyway; the thoughts of the night before were enough to put me off eating. We were silent as we watched over the fields, seeing the trees and long grass sway in the wind. It was so peaceful.

"Where's your dad?" I asked.

"He's hunting for tonight's dinner. Hopefully find a few rabbits or hedgehogs."

I hid my disgust; rabbit I could deal with, hedgehog would be new.

"How you feeling?"

"Alright. Still overtired."

"You can relax now. Treat this as a camping holiday."

"I'll try. You got another chair."

Bonnie had a hand on his lap, glancing down at his legs and back up at me. I could see he was trying to hold back a smile, but it easily broke. He was gesturing to sit on his lap, and although my first instinct was to do it, I still hesitated. I saw regret flash in his eyes, though I didn't see his next reaction as I had sat on him.

His hands were on my waist stabilising me, he didn't know where else he could touch me. I boldly took his arms, wrapping them around me, leaning back into his chest. He had tensed up, relaxing when I did against him. Bonnie rested his chin on my shoulder, I could hear him breathing he was so close to me.

"Is this OK?" he whispered.

"I'm the one who sat down."

"I'm the one who suggested it."

"(Y/N)...what do you...how..."

Bonnie sighed in frustration, he couldn't seem to form a sentence. His arms tightened around me, his head burying deeper into my neck. He was frustrated, it was almost like he needed to be comforted.

"What's wrong, Bonnie?"

"Nothing, I don't want to ruin this moment."

"You won't."

Gently moving his his arms, I swiveled round to face him, resting my hands on his shoulders.

"I have so much to say. But I don't know how to say it."

"About what?"

"About us."

I knew what he was referring to.

"It's just, earlier, when you spoke about Finn...I dunno, it seemed like you still had feelings for him."

"I...don't. I don't think I do."

He broke our eye contact. I had upset him. And that hurt me. Wasn't this telling me something?

"Did he kiss you?"

"What?"

"Has he stolen a kiss when you've been alone?"

"No. Well, he tried but-"

"But you didn't kiss him?"

"No. I actually pushed him away. If that was my instinct then what does that tell you?"

"I won't lie, that does make me happy."

We were being bold with our words. But this was also what we should have done before. All of us should have voiced our feelings and worked something out. In that moment we were just silently looking into each others eyes, the rustling of the trees, singing of birds and nature's silence surrounded us like a song. One of my hands moved to the back of his neck, stroking down the end of his hair with my thumb, the hand left on his shoulder tightening as my nerves built. Bonnie brought me closer to him, an arm around my waist and the other high on my thigh. I wasn't sure what we were doing, or what I was even doing.

"Good to see you're keeping an eye on the camp, Bonnie." Aberama's voice called out, making me jump off of his son. He had three dead rabbits tied up, swinging limply from his hand, a gun slung over his shoulder."For that, you can take your patrol now."

Bonnie huffed, glancing at me before walking away. I was mortified, how did that look to Aberama? Unsure of what to do with myself, I awkwardly stood there, Aberama watching me as he set down his things.

"Do you know how to start a fire girl?"

I didn't like how he patronised me."No."

"I thought not."

He knelt down where there had been a fire that morning (I assumed from the dark patch of grass with twigs laid on top of one another). Aberama easily caught a flame, there was a small fire in seconds.

"I can chop up vegetables if you have any." I offered, feeling stupid standing there.

He nodded, pointing to a bag besides the other wagon. I brought it over to the fire, finding a makeshift chopping board, a knife and some veg inside. As I started trying to prove myself to Aberama, he also cut up the rabbits, the sound of him breaking the bones and ripping off the skin made my skin crawl.

"Can I ask you a question?" Aberama strained as he tried to cut into the meat of the animal.

I avoided looking his way."Yes."

"Why didn't you leave Small Heath after you lef the Shelby boy?"

"I couldn't, I had no where to go. I'll admit I was stupid at the beginning of our relationship. I left behind my family and friends who were all there ready to support me when he eventually left me. And they were right, he did. And he hurt me. But Tommy said he wanted me to stay, he liked me as a worker. I needed the money."

"I admit, I wasn't expecting to hear that. You are a smart girl."

"I hope you don't hate me Aberama. I know you don't like Bonnie caught up in all this, that was never my intention."

He sighed."I don't hate you. But you understand why I am worried for him."

I nodded."I don't want him in any danger either. Although I know it's a little late for that."

"He's in the Peaky Blinders and he's a boxer. I know he won't ever be completely safe again."

The conversation apparently ended there. I didn't mind, I found it hard to talk to him. We cooked dinner in silence, calling over Bonnie when it was done. Small talk made dinner pass by slightly quicker, though I was relieved to flee to my wagon once we cleaned up Bonnie was still on watch, a long punishment for him as Aberama said.

I tried to sleep, I should have hit the pillow and instantly be out, but I was restless. That moment between me and Bonnie kept replaying in my head. Was I too forward? But that's what he wanted. And if anything escalated, I didn't think he would use me, it seemed sweeter than that. I sighed, rolling onto my side as I hugged the sheet to myself, trying to think of something to soothe me to sleep.

My head whipped towards the door as it clicked open, heart almost thumping out of my chest before I made out Bonnie in the dark.

"Bonnie?" I still whispered.

"It's me, I'm sorry, I should have knocked."

I sat up in bed, forgetting to cover myself up or any decency, not when he was looking at me like that. He walked in, kneeling down beside the bed.

"I had to see you. After earlier, I...I haven't been able to stop thinking about you."

I couldn't speak, my stupid brain wouldn't work.

"I know you have feelings for me. You wouldn't have done that if you didn't, you wouldn't have held my hand the way you did on the horse, you...please say something."

"I feel the same as you Bonnie. I...I need...I want you to kiss me now."

He wasted no time, pushing his lips onto mine as soon as I finished my sentence, one hand flying to the back of my head. However, he was still gentle, it wasn't lustful, this wasn't a quick fuck. Bonnie was taking his time with me, yes there was desperation but that was because of how long we waited for this. I wrapped my arms around his neck, bringing him closer to me, forcing him to climb on the bed and straddle me. I was getting excited, I was feeling flustered and hot, but also nervous. It felt like my first time again.

Bonnie slowly kissed down my neck, noticing how shaky my breathing was.

"I can stop, we don't have to." he assured me.

"I want to Bonnie, I really want to, with you. Sorry, I'm just nervous."

He hovered over me, brushing back my hair as he placed a tender kiss to my forehead."I'll look after you. You don't have to be nervous." he pecked my lips."Let me look after you."

[super-predictable98]

The Girl From Night Raven | Twisted Wonderland AU

Chapter 10: Walk of Shame

Warning: strong language, mild sexual content, a little angst

a/n: It's been a while huh? I have been dedicating myself to my main blog, but I don't want to forget about these series. I probably won't post very often, but don't worry, this blog isn't dead. Hope you all enjoy this little chapter.

(The Girl From Night Raven Masterlist)

"Aren't you gonna get ready? We have class, you know?" Leona asked, buttoning up his yellow vest in front of the mirror.

"You never go to class, you're the biggest slacker in school, why are you so excited to go today?" Ilse cried, trying to use her blazer to hide the fact that her shirt was totally ruined from the night before. "Why did you have to rip all the buttons? You're such an animal..."

"There, take one of my shirts, it might be a little big on you, but it's better than this."

She begrudgingly followed his advice before heading to the door with a huff. "Wait five minutes before you leave, I don't want people to see us walking together."

"Why is that?"

"Because they'll think we're dating."

"Would that be so bad? Who cares what people think anyway?"

It was true, normally Ilse didn't care, but she had way too much pride to admit she drank from the water she said she would never drink, an expression her mother always used.

"Look, if it means that much to you, then fine, go ahead first."

So that was what shame felt like... Never had Ilse felt more embarrassed than leaving the Savanaclaw dormitory in that huge shirt that spilled out of her blazer and her hair even messier than usual. Without making eye contact with anyone, she headed straight to class, taking her seat between Ace and Jack.

"Ilse! Idia and Ortho are crazy looking for you," Ace exclaimed. "Where have you been?" 

"I- I... Leona needed help with potions, I was tutoring him," she cleared her throat.

"You tutoring Kingscholar?" Jack grimaced. "Thought you couldn't stand him."

"I can't, he's disgusting and smells like wet fur, but he... Paid me! He's rich, so I don't feel bad taking money from him, especially when I have to hear his blabbing all night long."

"I didn't think he would need help, he's actually really smart-" Deuce murmured.

"NO MORE QUESTIONS OKAY?" she snapped, resting her head on the desk. 

"After the first period, make sure to let your dorm leader know you're okay, also Kalim, Malleus, and Floyd are worried sick so see if you can let them know too," Jack whispered.

Ilse groaned and rubbed her eyes in frustration. Not only she had made what might've been the biggest mistake of her life, but she also managed to worry her best friends, upset her dorm leader, and potentially ruin her chances with three really nice guys who actually liked her and treated her well.

—————————————————— 

As Ilse walked into the cafeteria for lunch all eyes turned to her. As soon as she sat by one of the empty tables, a small crowd gathered around. Floyd and Kalim being the most enthusiastic members.

"Are you okay, starfish?" Floyd asked. "Did something happen to you last night?"

"Nah, I'm totally fine, not a scratch. I was just tutoring Leona for some extra cash," she tried to sound as relaxed as possible. Virginity was a social construct, right? Girls usually 'break' their hymen way before they even have sex, by riding a horse or a bike... Right? It's not like he had to be this big part of her life from now on.

"Really? Leona told us he was tutoring you," Kalim frowned in confusion.

"Leona... Tutoring me? Yeah like that would happen," she scoffed. "All that matters is that I'm here, I'm fine, nothing bad happened."

"You're right," Kalim smiled softly at her. "We were worried, glad you're okay."

Malleus was on the other side of the room with Lilia and the other Diasomnia members, they always isolated themselves for some reason. Ilse raised her hand to wave at him and he nodded, heaving a sigh of relief knowing his favorite mortal was okay.

"I should probably find Idia and let him know I'm alive," she got up, not able to finish what was on her plate, which Ruggie immediately noticed and took advantage of, stealing her tray as soon as she left.

Idia and Ortho were, of course, at the dorm. After Ruggie's confession about Ilse's safety, they were a little more relaxed, but they still hadn't seen her and the Ignihyde dorm leader started wondering if she actually decided to change dorms like he suggested on the day of her selection. 

"Ids? Idia?" Ilse knocked on the door and he nearly had a heart attack. 

"Ilse?"

"Yeah, it's me, can I come in?" 

"Uh..." That had never happened before, usually Idia could communicate just fine through the door and there was no need for him to look into anybody's eyes, he was fine with that. But for some reason this time he wanted to look into her eyes. "Yeah, sure."

Ilse slowly opened the door and stepped inside his room. It was a mess of food containers, manga, video games, and dirty laundry, but it was cozy at the same time. Idia sunk in his chair, blushing when he saw her come in. She was probably gonna think he was dirty or something... He shouldn't have said yes.

"Hey, I just wanted to see you face to face to apologize for last night. It was very irresponsible of me to just disappear and not tell anyone, especially you, senpai," she said, the sincerity in her voice nearly making his hair explode in pink flames.

"I-It's fine, we were just worried that something might've happened to you," Idia murmured. "I'm glad it didn't. Ortho mentioned something about tutoring, right?"

"Right."

"You're not a very good liar, you know that?" He said. For someone who avoided human contact at all costs, he was very perceptive. He knew it was none of his business where she was and what she was doing, but he still wanted to know. "But you don't have to tell me the truth if you don't want to."

"I'm not- if I tell you something, do you promise not to tell anyone?" She asked quietly.

Idia nodded, unable to tear his eyes away from her blushing face. That was probably the most adorable thing he had ever seen, she looked like an anime character. "Who would I even tell?" He shrugged.

"Okay, so... Sam from the store gave me a chocolate and it turns out it had a true desire spell in it. I ended up going totally insane and marching to the Savanaclaw dorm."

"True desire? So your true desire was to spend the night there?" He asked confused.

"Idia, please don't hate me! I- I spent the night with Leona and I can't tell anyone else, but I trust you and I respect you and you're the only one I can talk to about it!" Ilse finally said and fell onto his bed, crying her eyes out.

"Oh! You... Spent the night with him? Like together in the same bed? Doing... Stuff?"

"Yeah, and I barely remember anything, but now I'm scared that stupid potion prophecy is gonna come true," she sobbed and Idia, against his better judgment, got up from his gaming chair and sat down next to her, gently rubbing her back as if trying to soothe her. "I can't believe I did that, and with him! This school is crawling with cute guys, nice, respectful guys, and I-"

"I'm sorry, Ilse," he reluctantly wrapped his arms around her. It had been ages since he actually hugged someone. The last time must've been when he went home for the holidays, but something about her telling him such a personal secret, trusting him with that confession, made him feel closer to her. "You know, you did nothing wrong, you were under a spell. And even if you weren't, that's not a crime or anything, you don't have to be ashamed."

"Yeah, but it was a true desire spell, that means something."

"I know, but you can desire lots of people, doesn't mean you have to marry all of them. I mean, I have a dozen waifus at least! Why can't you have a few husbandos?"

"What?" Ilse looked up at him confused.

"Look, what I'm saying is that you can find several people attractive at the same time, you might want to... Do stuff with them, but it doesn't mean you love all of them. So what that chocolate made you do wasn't really that serious. It was just one of your true desires, maybe if you ate another one today, you'd end up somewhere else."

"Wow, Ids," she wiped the tears from her face. "I never thought I'd hear something like that from you. Where did you learn to be such a good confidant?"

"Just because I don't like talking to people doesn't mean I can't give good advice, when you listen as much as I do instead of just talking, you learn what people need to hear."

"If I didn't just mess up monumentally and all that, I'd kiss you right now," Ilse admitted. "But that would just make the tangle even bigger."

"Y-yeah, totally tangled, I get it..." Idia's flames started to heat up more, turning a bright shade of pink and he couldn't hide how much that statement messed with him. He had a chance with her? 

—————————————————— 

"Hey, kitten," a low growl made Ilse nearly scream as she worked on her homework at the library. 

"Leona, don't call me that!" She hissed, pushing him away.

The lion boy huffed and took a seat next to her. Ever since that morning, he'd been wanting to talk and maybe understand what would happen regarding their encounter, but she had been avoiding him from the moment she left the room.

"So, we're just not gonna talk about it?" He asked, resting his legs on the table.

"Talk about what?"

"You know what."

"Then no, we are not talking about it," Ilse looked up from her book with a hollow grin before turning her head back down.

"I can't believe you're gonna let this silly hatred ruin something nice. We had a good time, you really don't remember anything?"

"Well, over the last few days I've been remembering, but I'm not enjoying remembering it."

"Are you sure?" He smirked, flashing his bright white teeth. "Because you were very into it that night."

"What is your problem, Kingscholar?" She slammed the book shut. "Are you in love with me or something? Why won't you leave me the fuck alone?" 

He gaped at her words, how could she even suggest he was in love with her? That despicable, bossy, stubborn, arrogant herbivore? Who does she think she is? 

What he felt was definitely not love, it was nothing, it was an animalistic attraction created by the rollercoaster effect she had on him. Sometimes she was nice, sometimes she wasn't and that certainly left him confused.

None of that explained why he hated to see her with other boys, why he nearly lost his shit when he caught a glimpse of her kissing Kalim, why he felt like strangling Floyd anytime he saw that lanky fish boy hitting on her so desperately. But Leona just chose to ignore all of that.

"No! You wish!" He exclaimed instead. 

"Then what do you want from me?"

"I don't even know, just forget it. I don't give a shit about you, Gothel, maybe you just put a spell on me or something. That little song you sing when you make people do what you want."

"If I were using my Siren Song on you, you'd be long gone."

"Or maybe that's what you want me to think, because you are the one who is in love with me!"

"Yeah, keep flattering yourself, stupid cat," Ilse scoffed. "If you don't get out of my face in five seconds, I will use the Siren Song to make you jump from the rooftop."

"You wouldn't..."

"Flower glim and glow, let your power-"

"Fine, you psycho!" Leona was about to get up when he spotted Malleus coming towards her table and instead draped one arm around her.

"What are you doing? Take your dirty paws off me."

Malleus didn't seem intimidated by the gesture. Instead, he took a seat on the other side, elegantly crossing his legs, unlike his opponent. Mal tilted his head, waiting for Ilse to notice he was there. 

"Spit it out, lizard," Leona growled, tightening his grip around her shoulders. "What do you want?"

"Malleus!" Ilse covered her mouth after calling him way louder than she anticipated, her heart nearly racing out of her chest. "Hi, what's up?"

"Lilia heard it from the first years that you spent the night being tutored. I'm so glad it was all a misunderstanding, but I just had to check on you, mortal child," he explained.

"I wasn't being tutored, I was tutoring. When would I ever need academic advice from mister fail-a-lot?" She laughed. "But yeah, I'm okay, sorry I just disappeared like that. I wasn't really myself last night."

"And what were you studying? If you don't mind me asking, of course."

"Female anatomy," Leona wet his lips. 

"Shut up..." Ilse whispered, trying to break free from his embrace, but he was too strong.

"You seem upset, did something happen?" Malleus asked.

"Do you know what popping one's cherry means, you scaly bastard?" Leona countered with a shit-eating grin.

"No, what does it mean?"

"It means Ilse and I had sex that night. That's why she disappeared and spent the night at the Savanaclaw, because I was fucking her brains out."

"Leona!" She kicked his shin and finally managed to push him away, standing up. Her eyes filled with tears and she felt so embarrassed she could just faint. "You had no right to say anything, it was the spell."

"Calm down, meat, everyone would eventually figure it out. What are you so scared of? Your sycophantic followers won't kiss your boots every time you walk into a room? You just wanna keep every boy in this school wrapped around your fingers and never really pick a boyfriend. You're just like your grandma and your mom."

"Fuck you! Second-born piece of shit! It's a good thing you'll never be king, all the people of Sunset Savanna are very grateful for that, you tyrant!" She snapped before running out of the library to hide in her bedroom. She would rather die than cry in front of him or hear what Malleus had to say about this whole thing. 

Truth is that she felt disrespected, she knew the moment people heard the news, they would think less of her just because she was the only girl around.

"How could you do this to a lady?" Malleus finally asked, knowing better than to chase after her. He understood better than anyone that sometimes people just needed to be alone with their own thoughts.

"What? Fucked her? She asked for it," Leona smirked. "And she loved it."

"No, expose her like that," he frowned. "I don't really mind what happened between you and her, that doesn't change the way I feel about Ilse, but after this ridiculous display, it certainly changes the way I feel about you. It isn't my business what you did or didn't do, I worry about her safety and her happiness, something you don't seem to care about."

[risingsunresistance]

Civil War

apologies for any formatting issues. i'm using a screenshot-to-text feature in apple and it's having trouble with some of the IGNs in this one. i've tried to correct them where i can, but i've probably missed a few. wanted to include rank colors, but it isn't very readable on tumblr and would be a lot of extra work

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links to the other fics:

revolution

faced with kings

demons

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(wayback archive of this fic on the forums)

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It was the middle of the day on Sunday and the server had been running smoothly as 35,000 children ran around demolishing eachother in lego pvp. Little did they know, the server was about to plunge into chaos. The server went into lock down, but nobody noticed. Nobody except the couple of people making threads on the forums, which were all titled something along the lines of "Server down for maintenance??????1" But this didn't last for long- soon, the entire forum was covered with "BANNED?" threads, as thousands of users found themselves banned from the network.

And then, minutes after the first threads about them had been created, the forums went down.

But I wasn't aware of this. I was blissfully crossteaming on Caelum with my friends bajanfan69 and pvpgod25. We were camping the middle for the blitz star, although nearly everyone had already died. A lone player with no visible gear approached us, a green nametag above his name telling us that he wasn't an ordinary player. He looked at the three of us, huddled at middle with barely full leather, and stopped. He smiled.

[MOD] SylentButDedly: Teaming isn't allowed on this map.

Uh-oh.

He threw his right arm forward, and a mass of green particles flew out, smashing pvpgod25 off his feet. turned to help him, but he was gone. An announcement in the chat let me know that only four players remained. I spun around, and threw myself to the right, just in time to dodge the moderator's second attack. I rolled, drew my bow, and fired. The arrow beautifully arced across middle, hitting the defenseless moderator right between his eyes.

He flinched backwards, and the health indicator above his head changed to 19.

Dangit.

He raised his arm, ready to finish us off, when I saw a blur behind him. Some pay-to-win horsetamer noob was coming to attack him. The mod tilted his head, and turned to face him. He threw his hand up, but the horsetamer jumped, absorbing the attack with his horse as he dismounted in the air. The horse simply, well, evaporated after being hit by the blast. The horsetamer was fine though- as he leaped off of his horse, he kicked the mod's face, his diamond boots making an audible crunch as the mod lost half of his teeth. He landed on his feet as the mod tried to get up off of the ground. The mod raised his hand to blast him, but a diamond axe swung down and cut it off. And then the fight was over.

pvpgod25 was spamming us in skype "WTF I'M BANNED???", but I hardly noticed. Bajanfan69 and I were staring at the horse 10 in awe as he approached us. He didn't even stop as he walked past us- he didn't think we were capable of killing him. He calmly flipped open several chests, the last of which he pulled a nether star out of. He turned to us, a diamond axe in one hand and the star in the other.

[MVP+] xXx_Skill_xXX: If you want to live, you'll do exactly as I say.

As it turns out, he didn't have much to say at all. Really, he just wanted us to not attack each other. Deathmatch had started long ago, and the timer for a draw was about to be reached. I asked him why we were doing this, and he said, and I quote: "Shut up, nerd"

pvpgod25 was still spamming us on skype, saying that he had been banned from the server. We told him to shut up- and also make an appeal on the forums- but he kept telling us that the forums were down. Maintenance or some nonsense. We told him that if nothing happened soon, we'd just log out ourselves and join him on another server.

Suddenly, an announcement blared across the game: IT'S A DRAW! The Horsetamer 10 turned to us and said "Find me in the lobby. I'm not sure what we should be expecting." I assumed he was being an overdramatic moron- it was a LOBBY. It was the least exciting part of the server! Why was he so calm about having just finished a game where the objective was to kill everyone else, and so tense about the lobby, where the only point is to sit around and chat? But he was probably seven years old, so I let him have his fun. It wasn't like anything was going to happen in the lobby.

And then we teleported to the lobby, and lots of things happened

The horsetamer sprinted away from the spawn location. I turned to bajanfan69, confused. Suddenly, a VIP in front of us exploded as a moderator erased him from the server in a brilliant flash of green particles. I didn't stop to ask him why. "RUN!" I shouted, and we ran after the horsetamer. We narrowly avoided being hit, but I doubt many of the others joining the lobby survived.

We followed the horsetamer into the parkour area.

[MVP+] xXx_Skill_xXX: They're banning players from the network! We need to find somewhere safe!

bajanfan69: But why?

[MVP+] xXx_Skill_xXX: There's no time to explain! Well, actually, there's plenty of time. I just don't feel like it. Where do we go?!

budderbacca24: Well, we have to go to a place where no one in their right minds would expect to find any players...

We all looked at each other, and said simultaneously:

"The Paintball lobby!"

The three of us warped to the paintball lobby. To our great surprise, there were a whole 4 players in the lobby.

Three of them were mods, and they had the fourth trapped against a wall. I didn't recognize what his rank was, but I didn't think that asking would be a good idea, given the three moderators. I told xXx_Skill_xXX that we ought to run, but he told us to stay. We stayed close to the portal though, just in case anything went wrong.

The three moderators looked at each other and nodded. They raised their hands, ready to execute their target. In unison, they fired- the three green orbs of particles combining into one large one and slamming into the poor guy.

It hit him, bounced off his chest, and dissipated into the air. There was a massive grin on his face.

[ADMIN] Plancke: You are not allowed to use that command.

He threw his arms out, and red orbs annihilated the two outer moderators. The third turned to run, but met the same fate. He turned to face our MVP+ friend.

[ADMIN] Plancke: Who are you?

[MVP+] xXx_Skill_xXX: I'm a really good pvper, and I'm here to help you.

He was clearly fanboying the admin, but given his recent performance against the moderators, that felt like a good idea. He looked over at me and bajanfan69, who were still nearly hugging the portal.

[ADMIN] Plancke: And who are they?

[MVP+] xXx_Skill_xXX: Uh, they're some nerds I found and brought with me. They could probably help a bit as well.

I stepped forward.

budderbacca24: We don't know what's going on- and our friend, pvpgod25, got banned. Can you help him?

[ADMIN] Plancke: Nobody can join the server- most of the other admins have taken over, and put it in maintenance.

He muttered something under his breath, which sounded suspiciously like "Hypixel goes on vacation for one day...

budderbacca24: So there isn't any way of getting him in?

[ADMIN] Plancke: There is one rank the admins probably forgot about...

He smiled.

[ADMIN] Plancke: It's time to bring in the Elite Team.

[freementallyillkid]

Jesse x reader (platonic)

Word count:1,381

Your frown deepened, “What do you want? The sun is barely up.” You asked looking behind him to were the sun was just above the horizon

“Aw come on don’t be like that,” He says, taking his hands off his hips and leaning against the door frame, “I came to give you your birthday surprise.” You could help but smile at the stupid notion you didn’t actually remember your birthday it just wasn’t something your parents though was important with the world you lived in, so when you came to Jackson Jesse made the day you met you ‘offital birthday’.

“Okay what is it?” His face brightened when you gave in knowing it wouldn’t take much.

“You have to come outside to see it, we’re going on an adventure.” He said, shoving you back inside to get ready making you groan, dropping all your weight on him, “so go get changed so we can go.” He huffed out dropping you on your bed with an oof!

“I’ll be waiting outside.” He said. You gave yourself a moment to wake up more before standing up and putting on real clothes. When you opened the door for the second time he was waving to a group of kids walking by. Turning around he smiled, “alright let's get going.”

You walked around town and you quickly recognized your normal route to the stables, “Jesse why are we going to the stables? Are you taking me on patrol for my birthday?”

“Enough with the questions Y/n I’m not telling you where we’re going,” He told you, after a second he said, “but no we are not going on patrol.” You reached the stables and as one of the other town’s people welcomed you and passed you the reins to your horse you noticed that Jesse’s horse had significantly more things strapped to them.

Jesse passed you your usual weapon. He said it should be clear, but just in case it’s better to be safe than sorry. Swinging your leg over your horse Jesse and you made your way out of Jackson to whatever mystery place he wanted to take you

After about a half hour of riding and idle conversation Jesse slowed down and hopped off his horse. “Is this where you wanted to take me?” You asked looking around not seeing anything that would be worth getting up before ten.

“No, I just need to set up a few things without you seeing, so stay here okay.” He told you as he unloaded the bags strapped to his horse. You nodded slowly, you knew you were both fully capable of taking care of yourselves if there was trouble, but you would always feel better being outside of Jackson with him by your side. “I’ll be quick.” He reassured you, patting your lower leg before jogging to the north to do his thing.

While you waited you pulled a pen and started doodling on your arm making sure to look up every so often to see if any infected had creeped up on you. After ten minutes you hear a twig break to your left quickly readying your weapon. You point it in the direction the noise came from scanning the area. You relax when you see Jesse move out from behind a tree with his hands up, “Sorry didn't mean to scare ya.”

“I hate you,” You told him shaking your head as you put your weapon away, “are you done setting up whatever you were going to show me?”

“Yes I am, so you can quit your whining and follow me.” He said, grabbing his horse by the reins as you slid off yours following him. “You didn’t see any infected?” Jesse asked, looking back at you with a hint of guilt on his face. He knew you could handle yourself, but he also knew you hated being alone outside and probably felt bad for making you do it even if it wasn’t for long.

“Nope,” You said, catching up to him to pat him on the shoulder making sure to give him an extra squeeze so he knew you were fine. He nodded and continued walking and stopped in front of what seemed to be a random tree. Before you could ask him why you stopped here pointed up looking up to see a tree house semi hidden in the tree.

You gasped, it was small, maybe the size of your room. When you looked at it closer it was clear that someone had been working on it; some parts of it had been reinforced or replaced by new wood. Jesse must have gotten Ellie or Dina, maybe even Joel or Tommy to help him with fixing it up. You loved hearing about about the old world and one of your favorite parts was when Joel or Tommy would tell you about tree houses small buildings that were like minny houses up in the trees it was always felt like a far away dream to have a treehouse and it would take years to grow a tree big enough to hold a treehouse in Jackson.

Looking over to Jesse grabbing his arm jumping up and down smiling so wide it hurt. “Did you fix this up for me?” He smiled at you and nodded.

“I found it a few months ago on patrol and I knew how much you wanted to have one,” he explained, “I know it’s not inside Jackson, so you can’t go to it all the time, but I’ll always be up to go with you.” He scratched his neck.

You hugged him tightly and he did the same, “Thank you Jesse, this has been the best birthday ever!”

He chuckled, patting your shoulder, “Well get ready for it to get better,” He said, “Lets climb up the ladder and you can see the rest of it.” You couldn’t contain your excitement jogging up to it climbing up and pulling yourself through the hole Jesse right behind you. Standing up you looked around in one corner there was a beat up mattress with some blanket and pillows across from it was a tv with a stack of dvds practically skipping over to them you read the labels he had brought all of your favorites.

He walked over to the other side of the tree house under a window that had an amazing view and opened a cooler pulling out all your favorites, some of them home made. “I got all your favorites and we have the whole day to hang out, Maria knows we’ll be out, so we have someone to cover our usual patrol.”

You leaped up from where you were sitting into Jesse’s arms, “Thank you Jesse.”

“Hey, it's no problem.” He tried to say, but you interrupted him.

“No you are always there for me, you always make me feel loved. I mean you literally gave me a birthday and you always remember to celebrate it!” He pulled away from you holding you by your shoulders.

“I told you I’d always be there for you no matter what.” Taking your hand he leads you to the bed both of you plopping down grabbing one of the dvds and putting them in the player and leaning back against the wall a pillow cushioning it pulling the blanket into your lap you smiled as the movie started to play leaning against your best friend your felt content with the life you had built here and the people that you found.

You whispered one more thank you before you fell quiet enjoying the peaceful moment.

______________________

Hope ya’ll like this sorry if Jesse is a bit ooc also don't question how the tv is working

[mbrainspaz]

hrrrrrrrrrrr I'mmmm simmering with poorly suppressed rage

⚠️swears incoming

the teenage coworker is coming in to work to cover for the other guy today because he and the only other worker are out sick. And both of those guys keep trying to come to work sick too. I told the one guy who made it in to get lost yesterday morning because he looked clammy as hell and I ended up working an extra 2 hours. That's 10 f*cking hours of farm work, alone, in a 120F heatwave. My blisters have blisters. Started to draft an email asking the boss if I could pretty please be paid for the 2 hours overtime I worked and thought better of it. Because I'm starting to understand that's not how things work around here. And turns out the other guys informed the boss lady only to have her be like 'well if you guys want to handle this among yourselves that's fine but I don't want to hear about it.' And they all just go along with that?! F*CK. This is so f*cking stupid. 'We have a great healthcare plan' my ass. If your employees are pressured to work with a fever and a cough your health plan aint worth shit. So this stupid teenage coworker who told me yesterday she has 9$ in her account is driving her truck 2 f*cking hours to come in this afternoon to help me get the barn chores done--on her day off--for ZERO DOLLARS. She's like, 'it's the spirit of teamwork! :D' Honey bless your heart but f*ck that. Farm and ranch work doesn't always have money to give but the people who run this place live in million dollar mansions, work in air-conditioned offices, and doordash every meal-- and we're out here hobbling around on aching feet for ZERO DOLLARS PER HOUR? For the spirit of teamwork. Boss lady recently told me, "You should simply only work 8 hour days." "Great plan Sharon. Who's going to feed the horses on time when it's my day off and all the other workers have collapsed from exhaustion because they were naive enough to buy into your toxic unpaid hustle culture bullshit?" I already have 8.5 unpaid hours logged because that's what it took to take care of the damn horses I'm supposed to be caring for. That's more than a day of work they just decided they didn't need to pay me for. Goddamn us americans we are so f*cking stupid. Not like I can do anything about it when they're letting me live onsite and that's the only way I can afford to f*cking live. But I'm not 19 anymore! I'm not the stupid idealist who was happy to work for crumbs and 'the spirit of america' or whatever the f*ck. Because look what that got me. I got the whole damn community trying to f*cking murder me. Multiple times, in ever more creative ways. Oh, and kiddo tells me "it's fine, I'll probably have to work 12 hours tomorrow." Like f*ck you will. Honey it's supposed to be a job, not a free trial version of hell. You're not earning or proving shit by working this hard for a dollar less than a living wage. You think this company cares that you show up 30 minutes early every day? That you do your job well? That you genuinely care about doing good work? That you cover for sick coworkers? They never will. The company--every company--will chew you up and spit you into the dirt, and call you ungrateful for not working harder--NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO. Hun there ain't no promotions for best grindset in the real world. There's only getting fired or laid off because your usefulness ran out.

(f*ck you tumblr for limiting the size of my wall of angry text)

But I'm not a monster so of course I offer to pitch in EVEN THOUGH I know I just picked up a second art contract due in 15 days. Ya know, my work that actually would make me enough money to live above the poverty line if I could ever just get a stable living situation. I need a drink so freaking bad. I can't afford to drink because I don't have a single spare minute to unwind ever, obviously, but I can't be sober 24/7 in a situation this goddamn stupid and not implode with righteous anger. Damn it. Why can't they just pay their workers?!?!!? Y'all don't want me to be sober. I will start a f*cking revolt. "There's just no money in the business budget waaaaah." "Yeah well there are no fucks left in my cynical overworked socialist heart Sharon. Have the salaried office workers tried eating fewer goddamn avocados?"

[ikemen-girl]

YAAAASSSSSS

Then can I have a scenario where Ieyasu who secretly head over heels to MC (They are married) but appears as if he didn't care at all? And his reaction when MC tell him she's pregnant 👀👀👀👀👀👀?????

THANK YOUUUU HEWHEWWWW

Heyaaaa Ame-Chan🤗🤗✨✨😍😍, I loveeeee you and thank youuuuu so much for this request😏😏❤❤❤❤😘😘😘😘✨✨💗💗💗💗! This is my first work on my fav tsundy baby boiii Ieyasuuuu😍😍💗💗✨✨💯💯! Hopeee you have an amazing weekend ahead✨✨❤❤🤗🤗😍😍! Hereeee youuuu gooo~💃💃!

IKESEN HEADCANON💗⚔:

Ieyasu reacting to MC being pregnant🤰🏻❤:

Credits to: sakamaki_1429 on Instagram for this beautiful CG💛💯✨.

You were well known for your gentle heart & compassionate personality as an Oda princess🥰😇💗 while Ieyasu was known for his sharp mouth & cold personality😒😠💢 as a warlord of Tokugawa Clan. Your brothers Nobunaga🍬😏, Mitsuhide🦊😏, Masamune🐯😁, Hideyoshi😩💗 and Mitsunari😍😇 doted on their little sister so much💗💯✨ and you were immensely grateful for their support and love towards you🥰❤😇.

Nobunaga was the type of brother to pamper you with everything you want with a smug grin on his face😏❤🍬✨, Mitsuhide being the type to tease you everytime😂😏💗🤗 but he also helps you at the the very last moment making your problems non-existent💯👍🏻😏😘🤗, Masamune would literally feed you anything you desire no matter the time of the day👨🏻‍🍳🤗🐯😁, Mitsunari being the type to approach whenever you feel down🤗😇❤🥰, he will brightem your day like the angel he is😇💗👍🏻💯 and Hideyoshi being the type to worry over his little & precious sister, 24×7😥💗🤗😍.

The credits of your pure❤, empathetic🤗 and caring nature😍 despite staying in the warring era⚔ obviously goes to the efforts of your brothers👬🏻, you were raised up in the very warm environment💗😇 while your to-be partner Ieyasu😒 grew up in the cruelest environment possible making him shutting his emotions away deep inside his heart making him often come across as a cold or rude person😒.

You and Ieyasu had been married together to strengthen the alliance through family relationships between Oda and Tokugawa Clan🎎🎊🎉❤. And trust me, when I say, that your doting brothers are worried over you due to Ieyasu's reputation is an understatement🤣. "Hey Ieyasu, you better give her a konpeito everyday, got that😏?" "Hey lad, take care of my kitten, will ya🐯😁?" "Lord Ieyasu, she is very pure, please love her with all your heart😇💗" "You should probably work on your communication skills😏🦊" "Lord Nobunaga, are you really sure that you want our precious sister to marry with this person😭🤨?" "Shut the hell up!", said Ieyasu rolling his eyes🙄. "Please don't worry about me, I will be fine💗🥰🤗!", you said with a gentle and reassuring smile to ease your brothers' worries💗. Even though they all were smirking at you proudly, you could clearly see the sadness in everyone's eyes😕 on seeing you go away from Azuchi Castle🏯.

You looked towards him riding in your palanquin and he sharply diverts his gaze away from you riding on his horse🏇. Ieyasu is the kind of person who has no value for love in his life, forget about placing love as his priority, he only focuses his attention on becoming stronger & gaining more power. Despite everything, he couldn't deny the fact that you exuded warmth and happiness around everyone❤.

To be very honest, he was jealous looking at you for the first time as you could express everything you feel just by your face, you were so optimistic towards life💗🥰, seeing your radiance made him annoyed for certain reason maybe because he could see himself as a child before he was sent as a hostage in you right now, he was just like you once upon a time, pure, innocent and oblivious to danger in the outside world. "To think I will have to deal with her all my life, what a pain!", he thought pinching the bridge of his nose. Well Ieyasu, just you wait and see🤣😏!

He took you to his Sunpu Castle🏯 located in Suruga after marrying you. It was surrounded by a lake & it was very beautifully constructed❤💯. It was your new home as you are Lady Tokugawa now, you were excited to begin your new life as his wife. Ieyasu guided you inside the castle and told all the maids to look after your needs. You looked around the new surroundings with high curiosity🤩 which made Ieyasu roll his eyes🙄.

"Um..Ieyasu..where is your room..?", you asked curiously. "My room? You don't have to do anything with it, the maids already arranged everything for you, so you can do anything you want in your room", he replied with a stern voice. "We are a married couple so I thought--", you continued but was interrupted by his cold voice. "So? Our marriage is nothing more than a political alliance so I don't see any reason to entertain beyond anything than it is required & besides, I have no interest in weaklings like you", he replied which made you froze in your tracks with shock,you felt a sharp pain in your heart. He turned his back at you and strode towards his room. The maids and vassals of Ieyasu were quite warm and welcoming towards you and they made you feel at home❤🥰🤗. "I think she is the blooming flower🌸 our Lord needs in his life, I truly think she will melt his heart with her warm smile💓🥰", a maid said with a hopeful smile. "I agree with you, Lord Ieyasu is blessed to have her as his wife, she is an angel💯❤😇", another maid replied with a bright smile.

Next day, you insisted in helping in the work of the Sunpu castle despite the protests of the maids😍💗. "What are you doing😳?", Ieyasu asked, his eyes went wide to see you cleaning polishing the floor💯. "Ieyasu, I thought to help around the castle, can I do it😍❤?", you asked him. "I don't care untill you don't get in my way😒", Ieyasu sighed which made you smile with happiness🥰 & something stirs in his heart seeing it😳💓. You continued doing everything you can to make everyone happy around you💗 with the feeling to made your days extremely productive💯 also following Ieyasu around despite his constant grumbling😒🤣.

A week later, you heard from the vassals that Ieyasu was in angry mood and stressed with his work👀. You made a warm tea & spicy dish🍵 & went inside his room, worried for him😥. "I don't need your concerns, stop annoying me for god's sake", he grumbled in a low voice massaging his temples, his table occupied with many documents🤦🏻‍♂️. "As you wish", you answered. Ieyasu looks up at you and his eyes went wide with shock😳 seeing the extreme hurt in your beautiful eyes & pained smile and before he could say anything else, you slid the door closed🚪.

He told himself that he didn't care but he couldn't erased the memory of you being hurt, you only came to cheer him up & he let his emotions got the better of him, he hated himself for it & he went outside to look for you, to apologize for his mistake🙇🏻‍♂️. You were cleaning the kitchen after keeping the tray back when Ieyasu came behind you. "MC--", he called your name but you weren't ready to face him yet so you went outside quickly. He sighed as he turned his attention back towards the tray of tea which was still warm accompanied with a spicy dish. "How did she knew about my favourite dish🤔?", he wondered as he took a bite and took a sip of tea. It was very delicious and relaxed his nerves but it only made him more worried. Since that day, you avoided him & went on with your daily activities, Ieyasu tried to interact with you but you fled away at the sight of him. Ieyasu could see the way, you grow stiff & the fear in your eyes, it reminded him again of his childhood, he felt guilty😔.

After 3 days of constant awkwardness between you & Ieyasu, you were returning to the Sunpu Castle after purchasing the fabrics, you needed for your commission work & the strap of your heel broke causing you to fall down on the hard ground. Your ankle twisted which made you cry in pain. You got up and started walking on bare foot towards your home, holding your sandal in your hand after realizing you didn't carry extra coins. You staggered inside the castle & made it back to your room. Ieyasu came outside his room after finishing his work & noticed bloodstains on the floor which lead him to your room. He took a glance inside to find you removing the thorns from your foot, whimpering. He quickly went back to his room to carry his medical supplies💊.

"I am coming inside!", he announced before stepping inside your room. "Huh? Ieyasu😳!", you exclaimed as you wiped your tears away. He bend down before you and inspected your foot carefully placing on his knee with a stern expression. "How can you be so clumsy😩?!", he asked in a strict tone but you could see the concern hidden deep in his eyes. He washed your foot and applied ointment making you clutch his shoulder in pain. "This pain is nothing to waste your tears away for!", he said with a cold tone Ieyasu dictionary: Don't cry, it will heal very soon but he dressed your foot with very delicate hands. "Thank you💗🥰😇!", you said with a very sweet smile making his heart pounding wildly in his chest💓, after a long time, you expressed genuine happiness DUE to him❤ WHAT IS THIS WARM FEELING😳? . He quickly got up and went outside your room without as much as a word *ahem*.

That was the incident which acted as an ice-breaker b/w you & Ieyasu❤. He caught you walking around & working hard with the support of your right foot, next day as you were too stubborn to rest in the bed for the whole day & do nothing, well, Ieyasu could relate to you on this behaviour🤷🏻‍♂️. You suddenly found yourself in air. "Woah! Ieyasu, you don't need to carry me--😱", you exclaimed, startled as you cling on him. "Keep quiet🙄!", Ieyasu said coldly as he carried you in his arms everywhere you needed to walk & everytime without any complaints & all the people of the Sunpu Castle were extremely shocked🤯😱😳 seeing their Lord Ieyasu carrying you around with a grumpy expression on his face😒. You were quite embarrassed receiving all the attention😳, your cheeks growing warm, yet you were grateful❤🥰😇. You made him his favourite tea🍵 & spicy dish🌶 as a thank you gift for him on your recovery & he accepted it with a grumpy face😒💗. "I am sorry", Ieyasu whispered glancing at you. "Huh?", you exclaimed, shocked😳. "I apologize for my mistake for letting out my anger on that day!", Ieyasu said it in a single breathe & he was blushing furiously. You giggled seeing his flustered expression & nodded your head😂💗👍🏻while he glared at you😠.

Next day, you saw him feeding a baby fawn🦌. "Wasabi, eat it slowly🙄!", he lightly scolded her. "You have a fawn as your pet, Ieyasu😳😁?", you exclaimed, surprised, a wide grin on your face as you caressed the head of Wasabi💗🥰😇. "She is an emergency food supply! Nothing else!", Ieyasu said, letting out a deep sigh🙄😒. You burst out laughing at his sentence😂 while he glared at you again😠. "Sorry! I didn't mean to laugh😏🤭💗!", you said trying to stifle your laughter. "Whatever! I don't care😒!", said Ieyasu as he continued to feed Wasabi🦌🌿.

This acted as a strong proof for you that despite his cold exterior, Ieyasu was a very compassionate person deep inside🥰 & you were quite determined to broke through his shell that he has built around him💯💗. You noticed the bow & quiver of arrows in Ieyasu's room while cleaning the corridors and you came up with an idea to know him better💃🏻💯. "You want to learn archery🏹?!", Ieyasu asked, looking at you with a dubious gaze. "Why😒?" "Pleaseee🐶" "Just stating a fact, I am a strict teacher!", Ieyasu sighed🤦🏻‍♂️. "Thank you, I am ready for it!", you exclaimed happily😍💗🥰💯💃🏻. He taught you very patiently even when you struggled with the basics💯. Ieyasu often spotted you practicing on your own when you were unaware of his presence which made him smile softly seeing your dedication☺️💯💗 No, I am not smiling😒! Yes Ieyasu, we can see your face😏! Ieyasu gifted you beautiful gold earrings as your reward for working so hard as a student💗✨💯. Your happiness knew no bounds as you hugged him tightly making him stumble backwards. "Hey😳!", he barely avoided the fall holding you. "Thank you, thank you so much, Ieyasu💗🥰😍🤗!", you said, happiness and excitement written all over your beautiful face💗.

You and Ieyasu went to Azuchi Castle to meet your brothers after a long time. "Come here🤝🏻", said Ieyasu as he held your hand. "I don't want you to fall down, it will be a pain!", said Ieyasu with his usual cold tone😒 but still it made your heart warm staying so close by his side💯🥰💗. Your brothers were more than happy to have their darling sister back🕺🏻💗🥰😏😍💯. But one of the messenger of Azuchi Castle came to give a letter to Ieyasu that arrived for him during the banquet to give him while everyone were celebrating together. It took only a moment for him to scan the letter with his eyes and he stood up with seething rage which surprised everyone including you. "Ieyasu, what happened?", you asked, concerned😥. He crumbled the letter and went outside the room without as much as a word. You pick up the letter and read it, "Traitor to Mikawa, Ieyasu Tokugawa, we will give you a very painful death!", your eyes went wide with shock as you excused yourself to go after him. He was in your room standing in the corner, his shoulders tensed. You went behind him & gently touched his shoulder. "Leave me alone!", he said, his tone harsh. "No, I won't leave you alone!", you said with a determined voice as you gently embraced him from behind. He couldn't bring himself to push you away at that moment. "Those Imagawa survivors want to kill me now, huh? Pathetic! They were the one who abused me emotionally & physically in my childhood & they want my loyalty, the audacity to see such a dream", said Ieyasu with a sarcastic chuckle, his fists clenched so tightly, his knuckles turned white. You caressed his knuckles when he held youd hand in return. You let out a gasp of surprise as he told you about his journey as a hostage during his childhood. "You are my wife so you would have known sooner or later, it's better if I told you before you go asking around", he said with a detached voice😒 but you could see the pain in his eyes. "I promise you that I won't let happen anything to you!", you said holding his fist making his eyes go wide, he could see the fire in your eyes, making his heart feel warm hearing someone desire to protect HIM💗. "Let's see, it's quite late, we should go to sleep", he said as he went to his bed, the tips of his ears red. "Yasu...Ieyasu....", he jolted awake with cold sweat all and panting heavily, tears streaming down his cheeks. "Ieyasu, you were having a nightmare but it's okay now, you don't need to be afraid, you are safe", you said in a gentle voice like you were talking to a child, stroking his back. He turns to look at you and hugged you tightly. "There, there, you are very strong, you know that?", you gently whispered to him. Ieyasu despised being vulnerable infront of anyone but he felt very comfortable around you to show his real self for some reason, he let you give him your warmth by caressing his hair while the same time, gently stroking his back and whisper words of encouragement in his ears, he starved for that warmth since years, no one did that for him ever when he was kicked and beaten thousand times over & over. He fell asleep in the very same protective environment on your lap as he kept holding your hand during his sleep as you looked down and realized the cruelties he survived & became the strong warlord he is right now, your admiration love😏💗 for him only grew stronger in your heart.

"Before you leave, carry this with you as a lucky charm💗!", you said as you presented him with the wasabi doll, you made for him praying for his safety. You gave him while he was going for his operation & his chest tighten with feeling of warmth as he hugged you close to his chest, unable to resist himself🤗😍💗✨.

Ieyasu got gravely injured while being captured in the trap of Imagawa survivors on his next operation given by Nobunaga. YOU along with Nobunaga and Mitsuhide came to his rescue which came as a big shock for Ieyasu, you found the wasabi doll fallen on the ground which also showed you the path towards him but also your heart was overwhelmed with worry for him. He didn't expect you to came rushing towards danger for him. He felt a mixture of emotions as he saw you came riding on your horse, he felt surprised, happy, confused, he couldn't pin point this feeling. You successfully lured the Imagawa survivors in your trap using your wits as your brothers wanted and even Ieyasu was surprised seeing your intelligence through his fading consciousness as it gave Ieyasu the moment & adrenaline rush to kill his torturer, the rest of the torturers went outside only to be killed and captured by Nobunaga and Mitsuhide. He stumbles towards you as you caught him in your arms as he said in a soft voice, "Thank you for coming here to my rescue...silly, reckless girl..." as his consciousness drifted away.

He was brought back to Azuchi Castle and you tended to his severe injuries and high fever always staying by his side, taking care of his needs, despite his critical situation, you were filled with hope that he will be okay. You held his hand in both of yours and looked at him waiting to respond to anything straight for 2 days without blinking an eye. Mitsuhide and others told you to take rest and he would look after Ieyasu but NAH🙅🏻‍♀️, you are not budging from his side anywhere making everyone worried for you as well. "Please open your eyes, Ieyasu", you said to him in a pleading voice. His hand twitched in your hands as a response. You looked at him hopefully, "Ieyasu, you can do it!", you said encouraging him to come into consciousness by gently caressing his hair. His eyes fluttered open as a response and you were overcame with a sense of relief as tears roll down your cheeks. Through his hazy vision, he could see you by his side, smiling with tears of happiness. "MC..", he murmured. "Congratulations Ieyasu, I am so happy that you made it back, you are so strong, I am so proud of you💗💯🥺", you said with a gentle voice holding his hand again which he heard very clearly and his heart felt so genuinely happy despite being in pain from the aftermath of the injuries. You quickly ran outside to give this great news to other warlords. As Mitsuhide, Nobunaga, Hideyoshi and Mitsunari was narrating Ieyasu about how worried you were when you got the news, your desperate plea to come to his rescue, the way you took care of him staying by his side, suddenly all the exhaustion of working hard to look after him for 2 days hit you alltogether and you fell asleep by his bedside before he could say anything more. He gently caressed your hair and this was the first time, Ieyasu smiled so affectionately at you, he had fallen in love head over heels over you❤🥰.

He realized that he fell in love with you way longer before, even though he was jealous seeing your innocence & warmth looking at you for the first time as it reminded him of his painful childhood yet he grown attached to it despite everything, the way you constantly followed him around with your cheerful warmth even after his harsh words to stay away from him on your first day at his castle, your down to earth nature with everyone around, the way you worked hard and with full honesty, the guilt on his heart when he acted like he didn't care but he felt like kicking himself for the hurtful expression in your eyes, the way your cheeks grew warm when he carried you in his arms, the way you smiled at him after you recovered, the way your eyes glittered with happiness even when he was extremely strict with you as a teacher, your happiness when he gifted you beautiful earrings, the way you encouraged him when he showed you his vulnerable state, the way you came to his rescue him despite the way you stayed by his side to tend to his wounds & needs when he was in critical condition, how could he have not fallen in love with a woman as amazing as you were💗?

Despite his hatred for being helpless and appearing vulnerable infront of anyone, all thanks to you, he got the strength to tone down his stubborness and recklessness. Dang! You even scolded him sounding like him for trying to get out of his bed, company really matters in terms of behaviour, mind you🤣. "What do you think you are doing, huh🙂?", he froze mid-way while trying to stand as he turned to look at you standing with a strained smile with a tray of rice porridge at the door that sent shivers down his spine making him immediately gulp down with unease as he retreated back into his bed. "You can't get out of the bed untill you are heal completely, not under my watch😠!", you said angrily as you shoved the spoon of the rice porridge into his mouth. "Be gentle😐!", Ieyasu grumbled loudly. "I am trying very hard but you make me so angry sometimes! Will it hurt you so much to listen to me atleast for now, huh? It's only for your own good😠🤦🏻‍♀️", you said angrily. He went silent and whispered a small sorry which made your eyes went wide, "What did you say🤔?", you asked him. "Nothing! Now feed me, the porridge is getting cold🍲!", said Ieyasu as he opened his mouth to you. You rolled your eyes like HIM as you continued taking care of him🙄.

A month later, when Ieyasu recovered properly from all his injuries under your care, a banquet was held in order to celebrate his recovery, there were cheers of happiness all around seeing you both arrived together, hand in hand in the hall as everyone looks at you both with welcoming eyes💗🤗😍. Soon enough, everyone were celebrating eat a lot of delicious food made by Masamune and drinking happily. "Ieyasu, do you really think, you should be drinking so much just after you recovered🤨?", you asked him seeing drinking sake cup by cup at a fast pace, eyeing him suspiciously. "Mmm...MC...you are so adorable....💗😍", Ieyasu slurred on his words. MC.exe.stopped working💓😳 Ieyasu giggled and hugged you😂💗🤗 infront of all the Oda warlords making them all gasp with surprise including Mitsuhide😱. You slapped your forehead, yep, he is quite drunk🤦🏻‍♀️. "It's rare for him to drink so much😏", Mitsuhide commented with a sly smirk towards you which made you quite flustered😳. You excused yourself and dragged Ieyasu in your room throwing his arm over your shoulder. "Now, come on, sleep here!", as you dragged him on the bed when he caught your wrist pulling you down under him. "Um..Ieyasu, what--😳", he suddenly pinned your arms above your head and kissed you deeply on the lips making your mind go blank. "You do some crazy things to my heart💓", he started showering you with kisses making you also feel desire growing for him in your heart. You wrapped your arms around him and pulled him down towards you. You and Ieyasu made passionate love💗 for the first time on that beautiful moonlight🌌.

Next day, you got up and quickly dressed up for the day when Ieyasu woke up feeling the headache. "What happened last night? My head is killing me!", he groaned clutching his head which made your heart ache with pain. You prepared the medicine & gave it to him, you also offered to give him head massage which he accepted reluctantly💆🏻‍♂️.

"Ieyasu, I want to say something important to you", you said sitting infront of him. "What is it?", he asked turning his curious eyes towards you seeing your serious expression. "I love you, Ieyasu!", you confessed your feelings for him deep inside your heart. You waited with a bated breathe to hear his response but his eyes widen with surprise, you were afraid that your confession may even destroy the caring bond you both built over months together but you couldn't deny your true feelings from him any longer and you wanted him to know, no matters if he feels the same or not for you. "What nonsense are you speaking, MC? I don't care about your feelings! I don't love you!", Ieyasu said coldly as he stood up. "Ieyasu, wait--" "This discussion is over!", he cut the topic in a sharp tone. "Lord Ieyasu, Lord Nobunaga requests your presence in the war council", a maid informed him. "I am coming!", he said as he strode outside the room. Despite your conviction, you felt your heart broke with such a harsh rejection of your feelings💔.

Ieyasu was given the order to go into the battle to crush the will of their enemy to fight ever again by Nobunaga. He thought that he will be the best person for this responsibility and Ieyasu also wanted to prove his strength in this battle. You also offered to take care of the forces as their nurse in the upcoming battle. Nobunaga gave you the permission knowing well you are the pride of them💯. Fierce battle took place between the forces. You were worried for Ieyasu as he only recovered just few days ago while you were taking care of the injured.

Suddenly your vision went blurry and your head spins, you fell unconscious. When you gain your consciousness, you found happy faces surrounding you in the relief camp. "Congratulations, Lady Tokugawa, you are going to become a mother!", the doctor informed you. "What?!", you exclaimed, happiness swell inside you when you touch your belly💗. "My baby", you muttered the words happily, tears rolling down your cheeks to received the news. But the happiness was short-lived when you received the news that the forces of Ieyasu were overwhelmed in terms of numbers & surrounded by the third forces. "I will bring the reinforcements from Azuchi Castle!", you announced. "Milady, but--", the maid interrupted but you showed a calm smile & your strong resolve to everyone💯🤗. You mounted your horse after avoiding the eyes of your enemy as you ride towards Azuchi with the emergency news🏇. Hideyoshi immediately took action as you both went towards the battlefield again. You noticed Ieyasu amidst the chaos when he finally won the battle & tension left your shoulders but you caught an injured enemy going behind Ieyasu to attack him with sword when he was catching his breathe after winning the battle, without wasting any moment, you quickly took your bow and arrow with trembling hands and shot the person in the leg causing him to fell down & groan in pain🏹. Ieyasu whirled around & realized that you saved his life. "MC!", he shouted as he came running towards you as all the tension left your body & before you could crumple on the ground, he caught you in his arms, thousand emotions ran across his face,"You are so reckless! I am so sorry! Thank you for saving my life", he hugged you tightly, voice too thick with emotion💛✨. You hugged him back,"I am so glad that you are alive and warm!", you said happily💗.

When you both were alone after a long time together in the tent, Ieyasu sat down across you as you wrapped bandage around his injured arm. You were suddenly overcame with the sense of worry about telling your condition. You were scared that he might not be ready to become a father of a child, he might feel burdened by the news, his rejection towards your feelings made a lump in your throat. "MC!", Ieyasu touched your shoulder when you came out of your trance. "Huh? Ieyasu? What?", you asked him. "Are you okay? You look extremely worried right now?", he looked at you with a concerned look on his face.

"Ie-Ieyasu..I..", you broke down into tears. "Why..why...are you crying😨?", Ieyasu panicked. "I..I..am..pregnant..", you finally confessed the news to him with tears. Ieyasu.exe.stopped.working 😳 He froze for a moment from the shocking news, it was too much for this poor boi to process everything in his mind, he suddenly remembered the passionate night you both shared with each other & made his cheeks warm🙈. "I..I am..going..to become a father?", he asked again after coming out of his shock😲. You nodded. "Please...please...don't hate our baby...", you hiccuped your words. "Wha?! What are you saying, MC😱?", exclaimed Ieyasu, completely taken aback. "You..you..don't love me..I didn't want...to burden you..", you cried which broke his heart when he realized your feelings. He embraced you in his arms as he wiped your tears away gently. "I am so sorry MC for hurting your feelings before, for being such a contrary fool, I love you so much, it hurts! Yes, I thought our marriage was nothing more than an political alliance but you took away my heart, you are the most beautiful blooming flower of my life🌹", he started speaking his true feelings slowly, caressing your hair gently. "You are speaking the truth?", you asked him, surprise written all over your face, startled by his revelation. "Yes, I am sorry for not being honest with you, when you confessed your love to me, I was baffled with the emotions swirling in my chest and tried to shut it down, I am so sorry!", he said with an apologetic smile. "I hate you", you cried into his chest. "I love you", he whispered softly rubbing your back. "Stop it!", you closed your eyes, tips of your ears red making him giggle happily😂.

He held your hands and for the first time, he showed the most beautiful smile as the tears roll down his face. "Thank you...thank you...so much....for giving me the chance..to become a father...I promise you that I will do everything to protect and love you and my dear child..my heart is bursting with happiness...I can't believe that I am feeling so much gratitude towards god for giving me you both as the blessings in my dark life..💗", Ieyasu said as he closed his eyes and let out a sigh filled with happiness. You gently wiped his tears as he embraced you again, "I am looking forward to your birth, my dear child", he said with a very soft and happy smile💗😍😇.

When you both returned to the Azuchi Castle, he announced the news of your pregnancy to everyone standing besides you, holding your hand tightly in his as you both smiled happily and the sun shining down on both of you with it's warmth💛🌞. Cue-Hideyoshi crying happily😭💗. Nobunaga smirking like a big child: Hooh~I am going to become uncle😏💗💯. Mitsuhide: This news is so much amusing, Ieyasu took his bold step quicker than I thought😏👍🏻, fufufu💛🦊. Masamune: Right Mitsuhide, our lad did a great job, I can't wait to pamper the baby kitten💙😁😻. Mitsunari: I am so happy for MC-sama and Ieyasu-sama💜😇! Ieyasu: Purple cabbage, stay away from my MC and my child😒💢. "Ieyasu, be nice🗣!", Hideyoshi lightly scolded him. You laugh happily with tears in your eyes seeing the excitement all around😂💛🥺💗😍.

He was very attentive during the time of your pregnancy💛. He was always by your side to tend to your needs💯. He even used to quickly finish all his work in order to spend so much more time with you💛🤗😍😘. His contrary side toned down so much which used to surprise you so much😳😱, "Are you really my Ieyasu😳?" "Ofcourse I am, what do you mean🤨? Wait a minute, are you okay😱? For improving your eyesight, you should consume this herbal drink💊", said Ieyasu as he started grinding the medicine. "WAIT! IEYASU! I didn't meant that! I am perfectly fine! Stop worrying so much😱😳!", you exclaimed, stopping him from being paranoid. Ieyasu being the best healer in Azuchi Castle would make you all type of massaging oils and medicines that would help in making the journey of your pregnancy go smoothly💆🏻‍♀️. He would always encourage you to do exercises which are healthy for your baby by doing it together with him🧘🏻‍♀️🧘🏻‍♂️💛💯. He would welcome your mood swings without saying anything snarky in return which made Nobunaga smirked so much with amusement😏💯, Ieyasu wondered how his jaw has not fallen yet😒💢. He was being so different from his usual grumpy self which freak the hell out of Masamune😱 as he used to knock his door during late nights to order request quickly to make you something to help with your cravings🍜, the super grumpy warlord around Masamune was being nice to him😳😱 for sake of your happiness☺️💛. He would quickly carry you in his arms whenever he found you facing difficulty during walking around🤗. Ieyasu cried hearing the movement of his baby resting his head on your belly😭. He used to scold the heck out of Mitsuhide for even attempting to tease you so much🗣💢 which surprisingly shut him up🤐 and Hideyoshi was gawking at the reaction of Mitsuhide😱😳. Whenever Mitsunari was around you, he used to freak out so much😱 because he is known for his clumsiness & he definitely don't want any walking risk near you🙅🏻‍♂️😒. Ieyasu was a big walking pillow to you as he used to give you the most soft cuddles whenever you needed him🤗💛. He found your smiling face when you were in his arms so cute, he couldn't resist himself from kissing you so much at the moment making you purr adorably😘💛😍 fufufu. He would make you lay down your head on his lap and sleep whenever he is busy with his own work.You couldn't believe that there was a time when Ieyasu was so cold towards you and now looking at him made you realize how deeply you were in love with him💛🥰✨.

When the time came for the birth of your baby, Ieyasu panicked so much despite himself😱 which took all of the mental strength of Nobunaga NOT to punch him in the face to calm him down💢☺️👊🏻. He eventually calms down when all the other warlords told him that panic will not do anything to help you but create more trouble instead. When you were giving the birth, he stood by your side holding your hand, kissing you softly on the head😘💛, encouraging you throughout the process💗.

You both were blessed with a baby girl with emerald eyes like Ieyasu and brown hair like you👶💗. Ieyasu was so happy that he couldn't speak for a moment, his heart filled with happiness, tears stream down his cheeks when he holds her gently in her arms🤗😭💗🥰. "She looks so much like you, she is going to be wild girl like you💗🥰!", Ieyasu giggled happily seeing the innocent daughter😂💛. "Her nature is going to be like you!", you pouted at him😒 and he kissed it away😘💛. "Thank you so much for giving me my entire world, MC🌏💗! Thank you so much, I love you💛✨🥰", he said gently embracing you while kissing his daughter.🤗😘

EXTRA~

"Papa😍!", your little girl hugged her father as he took her in his arms 🤗💗 while he was feeding Wasabi🦌. "She is so naughty😩!", you sighed entering the room. "What did my naughty princess do again🤨💛?", Ieyasu asked, raising his eyebrows at her watching your tired expression. "I did no such thing Papa, hehehehe😂💗😍", she said giggling happily on his chest. No, Ieyasu definitely didn't melt at her daughter antics💗."Hoooh~ I will tell you Ieyasu😏, she ate a handful of your favourite spicy pickle today🌶, she tickled Nobunaga & ran away🏃🏻‍♀️ when he refused to give her his favourite konpeito, laughed loudly when Mitsunari accidentally fell down the stairs🤣, hit the boy in the town who was trying to flirt with her👊🏻, I think the only good thing she did today was helping Mitsuhide escape from the nagging of Hideyoshi🙅🏻‍♀️, I mean I also used to save him as well but Hideyoshi got angry at me many times for favouring him🤨, so I guess not🤔? Oh god, the stress is killing me🤦🏻‍♀️!", you said slapping your forehead, letting out a wry grin😅.

"I am so proud of you, my dear daughter, you did great💛😍🤗💯!", Ieyasu chuckles happily with a smirk listening to the adventures of his little girl😂💛. "Don't encourage her mischievous behaviour😒, I thought I would be the one who will pamper her to no ends and you will discipline her but the situation is entirely reversed, I see🤦🏻‍♀️😅!", you said shaking you head at both of them. Ieyasu was kissing and cuddling with his daughter so much that it made you jealous☹. "Someone has completely forgetten me, it seems😓!", you sighed sadly. "Who has forgetten about you, my silly and cute wife🤗💗😘?", you were suddenly embraced by him and kissed by Ieyasu, he nuzzled on your cheeks happily which made you giggle happily😂 & the little girl blush furiously🙈. "Mumma, Papa, love me too💛🥺!", the baby girl tugged on your and Ieyasu's sleeves with a needy voice💛🥰 & you both cuddle with her & kissed her happily on either side of her rosy cheeks together💛😘🥰. Ieyasu has truly got the whole world in his arms and he swears to protect and love them at all costs in his life👨‍👩‍👧💛💯✨🌎.

You can find my masterlist💗🤗: Here!

Thank you so much for reading it, I hope you enjoyed it! Likes, reblogs and comments are highly appreciated😘🤗😇😍💗✨.

Tagging:@amenomiko @ashaksara and @sophialovesmitsuhide @ieyasuwu 💗!

[emma-nation]

The Devil In I - Bela x OC (Resident Evil Village AU) - Chapter 9

“Step inside, see the Devil in I”

Summary: Aleena Novak is a 19 years old orphan who desired more than living in a village in the middle of nowhere. A talented artist with a big future ahead, she gets the scholarship of her dreams in United States. But everything changes when her twin brother, Auryk, steals an important artifact from Castle Dimitrescu.

In this adventure, Aleena will find way more than she expected.

“You’ll realize I’m not your Devil anymore”

Pairing: Bela Dimitrescu x f!OC

Genre: Between T and M (Trigger warning: for violence, blood, abuse and eventual smut)

Tag List: @nydeiri

Castle Dimitrescu, Lady Dimitrescu's Bedroom - Present Days

What did dying feels like? Bela couldn't remember the day she died, before she was turned. For many and many years, she wondered how it even happened. Maybe she was incurably ill. That would be the only plausible explanation on why Lady Dimitrescu decided to transform her into a vampire. Having an illness herself, she must've felt sorry for Bela being so young and already losing her life.

But that night, after being drugged by Mother Miranda, the memory from that tragic event returned to her memory stronger like never.

It was a cold night in the 1950's. Alcina threw a special dinner and invited her three favorite and most loyal servants. Three young girls. They felt honored sitting at the same table as their mistress. They were chatting and giggling but then... something started to feel strange. Starting by the fact none of the servants were around.

It began as a burning sensation in Bela's stomach. She tried to ignore it but it'd only grow stronger. She dropped the silverware she was holding. She attempted to swallow another sip of tea. By her side, she noticed one of the other two girls, the brunette one, starting to show signs of discomfort too.

"What's wrong, my dear?" Lady Dimitrescu asked when the red haired girl, the youngest of the three, started coughing.

"I can't..." she tried to answer, but the words got lost in her throat as she began to suffocate, "b-breathe..."

Bela tried to stand up and help her, but her surroundings started to spin. She held on the table for support. At this point, the brunette girl was already lying on the floor, having some kind of seizure. She looked at Lady Dimitrescu again, but she didn't seem to be worried. She seemed abnormally calm.

"W-What have you..." before she could finish the question, her lungs could no longer fill with oxygen. Her throat and her airways started to burn. She tried and tried to breathe, but it seemed impossible. The weakness started on her legs and spread to the rest of her body really quickly. In fact, she barely felt when she collapsed on the floor. When the seizures started, she was barely conscious. Her vision was already going black, but she still had time to see the Countess staring at her body, almost lifeless, as she said:

"Don't worry, daughter. Everything will be alright."

Poisoned. She was poisoned.

When Bela woke up it was already morning. She could tell by the rays of sunlight entering through the windows. She hadn't died this time, but the sensations she experienced were quite similar. Her head was aching intensely and her vision was still blurred. Whatever Miranda had injected in her blood had affected her senses very badly.

"Aleena," she finally remembered. She tried to get up but her legs were still weak. "I need to find her."

She kept moving slowly, using the walls and furniture for support. If only she could transform into flies, it would be a lot easier, but it hurt to even try.

"Fuck!" Bela cursed, frustrated. She threw herself on a couch for a moment. She needed to rest.

Her eyes analyzed her surroundings. Although Bela was in her mother's chambers, Lady Dimitrescu was nowhere to be seen.

Hours had passed since she was drugged. Anything could've happened during this time. She wondered if Aleena was still there and if she was okay. She had to be. But what if she slept for days? What if the ritual had already happened? Aleena could be dead in that exact moment and she wasn't there to protect her. That thought made her stomach feel sick. And rare were the occasions she felt sick after being turned.

"Bela!" Daniela opened the door, she seemed so confused and scared as she was. "There you are, sister! Oh my god, I was starting to think you were dead."

"You wish..." Bela moaned sarcastically. She couldn't miss the opportunity. "What the fuck happened, Dani? Where's that bitch?"

"Who? Cassandra?"

Daniela handed her a cup full of human blood. Bela drank it all in one sip. That was the only thing able to restore her body from the damage Miranda caused.

Cassandra. She remembered her middle sister being the one who told her to go to her mother's office. Traitor! She should've known when she appeared to be so supportive of her relationship with Aleena in the previous day.

"No, Mother Miranda."

"Mother Miranda was here?"

Before she could answer, the door opened with a slam. It was Cassandra, looking completely fine. She had blood around her mouth and all over her dress. In a blink of an eye, Bela lunged forward, pinning her against the wall.

"How could you?!" She yelled. "You sent me directly to a trap!"

"What are you talking about?" Cassandra argued. "Somebody caught me on a corridor and stabbed my neck with a needle, then I passed out."

"Come on, don't lie to us," Daniela shouted. "You entered my room last night and drugged me."

"And why I would even do this to both of you?"

Realizing what happened, Bela immediately let her go.

"Mother Miranda," she huffed. "She must have shapeshifted into you and attacked us all."

It was time to tell her sisters what she learned from Heisenberg. Miranda had already started to proceed with her plans and it was a matter of time before she attempted to kill them.

"This bitch is going to die!" Cassandra punched the wall. "Nobody pretends to be me and lives."

"This is the least of our problems," Bela said. "She can be anywhere right now, pretending to be someone we trust and ready to kill us all."

"Where's mom?" Daniela asked. "I couldn't find her anywhere."

Lady Dimitrescu was the last person Bela wanted to see. She lied and betrayed her, besides helping Mother Miranda to drug her.

"I don't know, I searched for her everywhere," Cassandra told. "On the bright side, there's fresh breakfast spread all around the castle."

"What do you mean, Cassandra?" Bela wanted to know.

"The servants. They're all dead."

"What about Aleena? Have you seen her?"

"No, I thought she was with you."

Bela transformed into flies and went straight to Aleena's bedroom. It was completely empty. The bed was still made as in the previous night. She went to her own bedroom next. The diary was opened on the bed, right on the pages where her father confirmed what Miranda told her in the office, Aleena was indeed the vessel.

Mrs. Volkov corpse was lying on the corridor and not so far away, there was a trail of blood, Aleena's blood. She froze in place, too terrified to even think.

"It doesn't mean anything," Daniela placed a hand on her shoulder. "Maybe she managed to escape."

"She probably did, that girl is fierce," Cassandra added, noticing how disturbed her older sister looked. "I mean, she's not one of the Lords or a servant. There's no reason for that crazy bitch to murder her."

"There is," Bela sighed deeply. "She's the vessel. Miranda was playing us like puppets. The goblet thing was already intentional, to bring Aleena to the castle where she'd be safe until she prepared the ritual."

"Oh fuck, this is bad."

"I... I'm going to the village. Maybe she's hiding in her house."

----------

Eastern Europe, Village - Present Days

When Bela left, she didn't even bother to check the temperature or to mount one of her horses. She transformed into flies and started to fly to the village as fast as she could. Everything that mattered was finding Aleena. She wasn't dead. She couldn't be dead. They were going to California together and they'd start a brand new life.

She stopped by her house first. The door was locked and the extra key hidden in a vase at the entrance, just where Aleena placed it before they returned to the castle.

"It doesn't mean she's not here," Bela tried to convince herself. "She must have found another way in, to not make it obvious she's hiding here."

She used the key to open the front door. The house was dark and silent. There weren't any signs of somebody's recent presence. She checked every room, the basement, the secret weapon storage... Aleena definitely wasn't there.

"Maybe she's at the pub or at one of her friends' houses," Bela concluded.

There was no way. She had to do that. She took a deep breath, gathering enough courage to enter the pub. There were only three people in there, a middle aged woman behind the counter, a blonde young male cleaning the tables and a girl, who was strangely similar to Cassandra, chatting to both of them. Bela recognized them from the pictures Aleena showed her. They were Olga, Gustav and Elena.

"Hello," she announced her presence. They all stopped to stare at her, but none of them had freaked out yet. Maybe they hadn't noticed the tattoo.

"How can we help you, darling?" The older woman asked. "Are you a foreigner?"

"I... uhh... I'm looking for Aleena Novak."

"She isn't here," it was the boy who answered this time. He had a lot of anger in his voice. "She was taken to Castle Dimitrescu a few weeks ago. We don't even know if she's still alive."

"She is," Bela told. "I've been taking care of her."

They finally understood. Their expressions all changed to pure terror and panic. The two younger adults hid behind the counter, together with the woman. The male grabbed a shotgun.

"Get the hell out of here!" He ordered. "And if Aleena escaped, don't you even dare to touch her again or I'll kill you. I'll find her and bring her home."

"Trust me, manthing. This is exactly what I'm planning to do. Mother Miranda has kidnapped her. She has been planning to sacrifice her in some kind of sick ritual tonight."

"Liar!" Cassandra's doppelgänger shouted. "Mother Miranda wouldn't do such a thing! She's always guiding and protecting us. Everything she does is for the best of all of us."

"Listen, little one," Bela exhaled deeply. She had no patience for humans. That was the reason why she avoided them. They'd usually annoy her to the point they became her prey. "I have proof. Aleena's father has left this diary, reporting everything."

"That man was insane. Most of the villagers hated him."

"But he never lied," Gustav spoke. "Adrian had some crazy theories nobody ever believed but... I've never seen him lying before. He was a man of his word."

"This is true," Olga added. "We grew up together. He was absolutely nasty, a real bastard, but not a liar. He wouldn't invent such a thing, especially when it came to protecting Aleena."

Olga locked the door and the group reunited in one of the tables, analyzing the notes Adrian Novak left.

"Fuck," Gustav cursed, while trying to speak on his phone. "Auryk must've gone after this contacts. I can't reach him."

"Do you have any ideas of where Aleena could've gone to, if she was trying to hide?" Bela asked.

"Other than our houses and the pub? Well... we had this fort in the woods when we were children. Maybe she's hiding there."

"Show me the way, little man."

But Gustav wasn't the one who was most familiar with the path to Aleena's childhood fort, it was Elena. The young woman followed them, complaining about literally everything and praising Mother Miranda.

"Mother Miranda would never do that!" Elena protested. "I'd trust her with my life."

"I was about your age when she did this to me, without my consent," Bela took off the hat she was wearing, exposing her scar. "And do you think immortality is a blessing? Try spending your life locked inside a castle, without being able to go outside most of the time."

"Why are we even trusting her, Gustav? She feeds on human blood and now we're alone with her in the middle of nowhere."

"If that makes you feel more comfortable, I've already had breakfast. Besides, I prefer drinking men's blood."

"Can we just focus on Aleena?" Gustav scolded both of them. Bela had finally found a man she respected. That boy was completely loyal and protective of her girlfriend, so he deserved some credit. "God knows why Bela is searching for her but... we have the same goal here."

"We're dating," Bela informed them of the latest news. "I love her. For real."

Both of the young humans stared at her in shock.

"It seems like we'll have a lot to catch up when I see Aleena again," the boy shook his head in disbelief. "I thought the vampire thing was just a phase."

They finally found the small wooden fortress in the middle of the woods. It was mostly destroyed, but it still could fit one adult person inside it.

"Aleena!" Gustav called. There was no answer. Still, Aleena was hurt. Maybe she was unconscious.

"Go," Bela poked Elena and ordered. "You're the shortest of us. Check if she's in there."

The girl rolled her eyes, but obeyed, ducking and entering the small fort. But there wasn't even a sign Aleena was there recently.

"Where do we search now?" Elena asked.

"I'll go to the other Lords," Bela told. "Maybe one of them is keeping her for Miranda. Thank you for your help, little humans. It was a pleasure to meet you."

Bela walked away from them. Maybe in another life, they could've been friends. The priority now was to find Aleena. She wondered if the girl went to Heisenberg seeking for protection or if Miranda had captured and taken her to that creepy cave. There wasn't much time to think, she needed to act.

She followed to Heisenberg's factory. As usual the man was swearing and torturing human beings on his basement.

"What brings you here, kid?" He asked. "Did you find the diaries?"

"Yes, but too late unfortunately," she answered. "The information we were searching for: all the women in Aleena's family have some kind of immunity against the creatures and their mutations. They healed after getting bitten by Lycans, Aleena healed when you attacked her... she's the vessel."

"We have to kill her immediately. Before Miranda puts her hands on her. If that happens, we're fucked."

"She already did. She showed up in the castle last night, drugged me and my sisters, killed the servants and now... I can't find Aleena anywhere."

"Girl, you had the opportunity in your hands," he clenched his fists. "If you had killed her, like you freaks do to every single human that steps into that castle, we wouldn't be in this situation."

"Shut up, Heisenberg!" Bela grabbed a piece of metallic scrap from the floor and threw in the man's direction. "I had no idea. Even if I did, she's my girlfriend and I have to save her before she's sacrificed on Miranda's ritual."

"Good luck with that. The crazy bitch is very good hiding things."

And Bela knew that. Next, she went to Moreau's, Miranda's most loyal follower. She didn't reveal any information, she simply tricked him by inventing an excuse, that stupid freak was easy to fool. But Aleena certainly wasn't there either. Using her flies, she checked the entire place. She did the same at Donna's house. While she entertained the woman and her creepy doll having a tea party with them, her flies inspected every corner of her eerie house.

She was about to follow to Miranda's cave when she ran into Cassandra, in the middle of the way.

"What are you doing, Bela?" She asked. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?

"I'm searching for Aleena. She's gotta be somewhere and the last place I must check is the cave."

"Mother is home," her sister announced. "She wants to talk to you."

----------

Castle Dimitrescu, Living Room - Present Days

In Bela's imagination, Lady Dimitrescu would apologize. Admit she had made a huge mistake and promise her they'd find Aleena together. That was who her adoptive mother was, she'd always do anything to make her daughters happy. But at the same time, she was also that same woman from her memory. The selfish Countess who killed three young girls to have them as her adoptive daughters. She killed, violated and turned them into monsters. What kind of mother was that?

The three sisters were sitting on the couch, waiting as their mother brought a tray with tea and some other treats. That would probably be their only food for days, as Lady Dimitrescu and Mother Miranda had killed all the servants.

Lady Dimitrescu sat on an armchair in front of them, looking at Bela mostly.

"I understand you're confused, daughters. But I'll explain everything."

"Where's Aleena?" Bela quickly asked. That was the only thing that mattered. Who cared about Mother Miranda's child who died ages ago? "What have you two done to her?"

"Bela, daughter... I understand you're upset and frustrated. However, Mother Miranda has been searching for the perfect vessel to bring her daughter back to life for many and many years. This vessel happens to be Aleena. It's her fate, her purpose."

Bela eyes were burning in pure rage. How could Alcina be so blind? Even Heisenberg, that scumbag of man, was smarter than her mother was.

"Her fate is to live her own life, to go to California and achieve her dreams. Her fate is to be with me!"

"I apologize for having to get rid of all of our servants," she clearly ignored her daughter's objections. "They wouldn't understand what's to come. Once Eva is back to life, things will change. I'd like to ask you girls to behave and treat her well, like if she's a new sister of yours. We'll be throwing a party to welcome Eva to our family and I'll need your help to organize it."

"Party?!" Bela let out a sarcastic laugh. "Are you naive or only stupid? Miranda is going to kill you before this ritual is even finished! It has been her plan all along."

"Bela!" Lady Dimitrescu's eyes narrowed and she raised her voice. "I'm your mother! You owe me some respect, little lady."

"I don't! Not when you drugged me and let Miranda kidnap my girlfriend. I want to know where she is."

"Daughter..." Alcina grabbed her by the shoulders and lowered her voice. An useless attempt to help her to calm down. "Aleena is gone. She's dead."

The world seemed to stop. As well as the clock. The voices. Everything. Not even Bela's brain was capable of working and processing the words she had just listened. Dead. Aleena was dead. Her Aleena. Her girlfriend. The woman she loved. She stopped breathing. Her stomach ached as much as in the night she was poisoned. She felt she was about to collapse and die again. Her heart was beating in a strange manner. It was out of control. She was out of control.

Bela raised her golden yellow eyes, filled with hateful tears and stared directly into Lady Dimitrescu's eyes.

"You..." she clenched her fists. "You lied to me... You betrayed me..."

"I was willing to let her live, daughter," the woman tried to excuse herself. "Until the last meeting. Mother Miranda told me the truth and asked me to give her the vessel."

"HER NAME WAS ALEENA," using her strength, Bela grabbed the heavy coffee table and threw it across the room, shocking her mother and sisters. "She had a name! She was NOT a vessel."

Very rare were the times Bela actually cried after being turned. She cried when she first woke up in excruciating pain, with that huge wound on the side of her head. She cried later, when she felt lost, without knowing who or what she was. And she was crying now. Without Aleena, she felt lost again. She had nothing left. She no longer wished to live. A life without that girl's contagious joy, optimism and bravery was meaningless.

"Bela..." Lady Dimitrescu tried to touch her, comfort her somehow, but the blonde girl slapped her hand away.

"I always did everything you asked me... I always tried to be the perfect daughter for you... AND FOR WHAT?" Bela sobbed. "The only thing I ever ask you, you denied me. You took Aleena from me. You chose Miranda over your own daughter!"

"I had no choice, daughter! She'd turn against us if I refused to give her Aleena. Who knows what she'd be capable of doing?"

"She's doing it anyways. She's going to kill us all now she's gotten what she wanted."

She started to walk away. She had to be alone. As far away as possible from that woman, from that family, from that stupid castle. That small bed & breakfast at the village seemed like a good option.

"Daughter, wait," Alcina went after her, as she entered her bedroom.

"Don't you ever call me daughter again, Lady Dimitrescu," Bela angered. "I'm not your daughter. You kidnapped, killed me and turned me into a monster. Who knows what you've done to my real parents. We're not your daughters, we're only your toys, your dolls. You're not that different from your sister, Donna, after all."

She slammed the door and locked it. The bedroom was still the same way they left in the previous night. The candles, the flowers, the discs... Aleena's perfume was still on her pillows. Bela threw herself on the bed, holding the pillow against her body as she cried uncontrollably.

This was all her fault. They should've finished reading the diaries earlier and found out the truth before Miranda's visit, but she distracted Aleena, wishing to spend as much time with her as possible before she left to California. She should've been there to protect her, she promised it. She shouldn't have trusted the woman she used to call 'mother'. She was an idiot and now, Aleena was gone. Forever.

----------

Castle Dimitrescu, Guest Room - Present Days

Memories. Only a few days earlier Bela was afraid memories would be everything she'd have left from Aleena and now, it really was. Without anybody noticing, she went to the guest room the girl had been staying during those weeks in the castle. She obviously wasn't there, but traits of her presence were still all around.

Her clothes were still in the closet. Some where lying on the armchair or even around the floor. Bela grabbed one of her t-shirts, one from Aleena's favorite TV show. It still had her perfume on it.

"I miss you, love," she inhaled deeply the sweet fragrance. "So much it's killing me."

Then, she took the sketch book from the desk. Aleena was the most talented artist Bela had ever met. Her sister, Daniela, was a good artist, but she wasn't so creative, so expressive and precise on her traces. Bela had many classes with Lady Dimitrescu, and though she could paint decently, it wasn't her strong suit.

The drawing was still there. The one Aleena where was drawing her face. The reason why they kissed that night in the library, when she said Bela was worth being remembered.

"And now I'm the one who have nothing to remind me of you, Aleena. Remind me of every detail of your perfect green eyes, your smooth brown hair and those sweet freckles all over your body."

Her cell phone was still inside the bedside table's drawer. Bela turned it on. Aleena had set a picture of them together as her lockscreen. She smiled. In the gallery, she found many and many pictures of all the days they spent together, since the lunch Bela threw on her birthday when she arrived.

There were videos too and as soon Bela heard Aleena's voice, she couldn't help but start crying again. Why did her mother betrayed her like that? She could've helped her to save Aleena. She could've helped them to take down Miranda. That was what a real mother was supposed to do!

"Hey," she rolled her eyes, noticing she had forgotten to lock the door again. Cassandra was standing right behind her. "I'm came here to check on you."

"Leave me alone, Cassandra," Bela angered. "You didn't even like her."

"This isn't true. Aleena wasn't my favorite person in the world, not that I have one by the way, but still... I didn't want her to die."

Bela ignored her. Cassandra didn't have maturity enough to understand how she was feeling. Sometimes she wondered if her sister was even able to feel empathy for another being. But then, she was surprised by her next move.

"I'm sorry," her middle sister touched her shoulder slightly, tenderly. "I know she made you happy. Deep down, I was rooting for you both."

She forced a small smile before pulling her sister for an embrace. It was probably the first time they exchanged such a genuine moment of affection.

"We'll make her pay," Cassandra stroked her hair. "Let's kill Bitch Miranda."

The three sisters gathered together in the library. Lady Dimitrescu couldn't be aware of their plans. Daniela revealed her sisters she once heard about a dagger their mother possessed, one that was able to kill any monsters and demons.

"Are you sure about this?" Bela asked to confirm. Daniela had a creative and delusional mind after all.

"Yes," her youngest sister said. "I stole one of her diaries once. She was reporting everything about this dagger, except for its location."

"Then I'll keep her distracted while you search for it," Cassandra suggested. "I'll pretend to help her with her party for Miranda's daughter rebirth."

"What about me?" Bela wanted to know.

"You're not okay, sister. Let us handle this. Save your strength for when we stab the bitch and end her for good."

"As long as you let me do the honors, it's fine by me."

That was it. Bela would pretend to be alright. She would pretend to forgive her mother. And when the time came, she'd get her revenge against Miranda.

But then... there was nothing left for her in this world. With Aleena gone, she lost her only chance of living a new and normal life. She lost the only thing that made her feel happy and human. And if the dagger could kill any monsters and demons, well... it would be able to kill her too.

Still holding Aleena's shirt against her body, Bela lay on the bed and fell asleep, thinking of the moment they'd be reunited again in death. However, she had a terrible nightmare. Aleena was dying in her arms and there was nothing she could do.

She got up and drank some water. It had been hours since Daniela left the room to search for the dagger. She wondered if something had gone wrong. Lady Dimitrescu would never agree with that plan. She was about to leave the bedroom when the red haired girl entered the room so excited she could barely breathe.

"Bela..." she panted, "I found her!"

"The dagger?!" Bela asked. "Where is it?"

"No! Aleena. She's alive in the dungeons!"

----------

Castle Dimitrescu, Dungeons - Present Days

I opened my eyes, but I couldn't see anything. The environment around me was different from everywhere I had been in the last few weeks, the air was humid but still suffocating. It also smelled terribly, like rotting flesh and blood. I tried to stand up but my leg was still badly injured. I wondered how long it'd take for the amulet to heal my body again. Maybe it only worked once. Or maybe it had to do with the fluid Cassandra injected on me before she threw me inside that nasty cell.

Speaking of Bela's sister, I was pissed. Truly pissed. It was no secret she never liked me, but I never thought she'd be able to betray her own sister like that. Telling Bela to go to their mother's office only to bring me to the dungeons was a low blow, even for her. And there was Mrs. Volkov too. I couldn't believe she was dead.

"H-Help... somebody help me..."

I tried to scream but the blood loss and the drug made me too weak. I had to find a way out. A way to regain my forces and escape that place.

It didn't take long for me to lose my conscience again. As much as I attempted to stay awake and hear any signals someone could be around, I just couldn't. I was trapped in that endless cycle of waking up for a few minutes, moan in pain and passing out again. That was it. The Mother Miranda bitch was certainly behind it. When the right moment came, she'd come and take me for the ritual. Drugged as I was, I wouldn't be able to fight it.

"Aleena!" I heard Bela's voice, approaching. Maybe it was just another hallucination. "Oh my god!"

The cell's door opened, allowing some light to enter. I was able to distinguish my girlfriend's beautiful face among all that darkness.

"It's okay, love. You'll be okay, I promise you."

I forced a small smile as she placed my head on her lap. Using a blade, she opened a small gash on her wrist and forced it into my mouth.

"Drink it," Bela ordered. "My blood is going to heal your wounds and the drug effects."

I felt my stomach twisting from the metallic taste of blood going down my throat. I definitely wasn't born to be a vampire. For a second, I thought I was going to throw up.

"Shhhh," she held me still as the nausea struck. "Just breathe. Hold it down and you'll be okay."

I did as she told. I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths, the nausea was slowly going away. Bela started to caress my face and I felt as some warm tears dropped on my forehead.

"Hey, I'm just a little beaten up," I assured her. "But I'm starting to feel better."

"I... I thought you were dead. My mother told me you were dead."

Why would Lady Dimitrescu do such a thing? Of course, she needed to make sure Bela wouldn't ruin Miranda's plans. She needed to convince her to not search for me.

I was already strong enough to sit. I hugged Bela very very tightly. She was sobbing desperately. Her heart was beating so fast inside her chest, it seemed like it'd explode at any moment.

"I'm so sorry," I kissed her forehead. "I'm here and I'm not leaving you ever again. I promise."

"You're the vessel, Aleena," Bela told me. "Your body is immune to the attacks of any creatures in the village. And now Miranda wants to use you to bring her daughter back to life. She believes your body is going to accept the mutation."

She also told me about my amulet. Miranda was the one to sell it to Auryk. I immediately ripped it off from my neck.

"I knew about being the vessel. I discovered it right after you left the bedroom. My father knew it and Auryk did too, this is why he wanted to get me out of the country so badly."

Bela wasn't listening to me. She was still staring at my face in disbelief, her eyes glistening with tears from the relief of finding out I was still alive. She cupped my face between her hands and pressed her lips on mine multiple times.

"I'm going to fix this," she was still crying. "I promise you. We have a plan to kill Miranda. There's a dagger hidden here in the castle, it can kill any monsters or demons. Daniela is searching for it, while Cassandra is distracting my m-," she hesitated to say that word, "my mother."

"Okay, but Cassandra was the one to kill Mrs. Volkov to capture me. We can't trust her at all!"

Of course. The bitch had more tricks I wasn't even aware of. She could shapeshift. Now I finally knew how my father was probably killed or how Auryk obtained that amulet from her. It was also obvious who attacked the castle that morning, Miranda was willing to test my healing properties again.

"She didn't. Mother Miranda can shapeshift into any person, this is why we need to be careful. We have this safe word, to know we're the actual Dimitrescu sisters. It's 'blowfly'."

I sighed and attempted to break the tension.

"And how do you know I'm the real Aleena?" I smiled.

"Trust me, love. I know," Bela kissed me, slowly and passionate. "Otherwise, I wouldn't be doing this. Imagine how disgusting it would be to kiss that crazy bitch."

We both broke into laughs. Then, she took my hand and helped me to stand up.

"We need to get you out of here. My mother can't know I've found you. Miranda is coming to pick you up at midnight for the ritual."

Through the secret passages we made to the stables, where Bela had already left my bags and a horse prepared to take me to the village.

"Once you get there," she told me. "Just drive as far as you can. Go to the city, find your brother and fly to United States."

And then I realized.

"But Bela... what about you?"

"I'm staying here, love. I'm going to kill Miranda, together with my sisters and Heisenberg."

"And then you'll meet me there, right?!" I raised my voice, fighting hard against the tears that insisted falling down. "You'll go to California."

She was in silence for a moment, trying to find the right words, but I already knew what she wanted to say. First, she handed me my cell phone.

"You said you wanted something to remember. Now you have plenty of pictures of me in this device of yours."

"Bela... what are you saying?"

"Let's be honest, Aleena," she looked down. "It was never a possibility and you knew it. We'd have to stop at the first temperature drop we came across. We probably wouldn't even make it to the airport."

"I said I'm going to find a way! It's Summer, dammit. It's not so cold away from the mountains and once we arrive in California, it'll be even hotter."

"You know your world would never accept me, love. Look at me, I have this nasty scar, this weird tattoo, I need to drink human blood to live..."

"STOP MAKING EXCUSES TO BREAK UP WITH ME! I'LL FIND A WAY! FOR ALL OF THIS. IF THEY CAN'T ACCEPT YOU, THEN FUCK THEM! I LOVE YOU AND IT'S ALL THAT MATTERS."

"I love you too," Bela kissed my forehead. "And this is why I'm letting you go."

"Even if I go, Bela," I argued, punching her shoulder slightly, "it doesn't have to end! I'm going to call you. I'm going to write you. And I'll come here to visit you too."

"In the first few weeks, love. Then, you'll become too busy to write. Our phone calls will become shorter because you'll be too tired. You'll disappear for a few days. We'll start to fade, little by little. And finally someday, you'll meet somebody new. Somebody who can make you laugh and distract you from your tragic past. Somebody who can take you to an actual date. Somebody you can introduce to your family and friends. Somebody who actually deserves you. Who can give you a future with marriage and children. Because she isn't dead. Because she isn't... me."

"I don't want any of this! I want you and only you. This future? We can have it! Here in this fucking castle or in my old small house. I don't care if I have to serve tables for the rest of my life, as long as I have you."

"You deserve a lot more than that."

"And so do you. What are you going to do, huh? To keep playing house with the woman who killed and turned you into a vampire? Serving her every wish and pretending you love this life? Or sleep with a different servant every week to hide the fact you're completely lonely and miserable?"

"Yes, Aleena. It has been this way for six decades now and it's not going to change. I have no choice, I'm sorry."

She vanished into a swarm of flies and disappeared, leaving me completely alone in the stables. I fell on my knees again, sobbing and screaming my lungs out.

"Bela, come back here!" I cried. "I love you! Please... come back..."

I still waited for a few minutes, but as I knew and as Mrs. Volkov always warned me, when Bela made a decision nothing would change her mind. Not even her mother or her sisters. Not even me.

----------

Castle Dimitrescu, Bela's Room - Present Days

"I'm hungry," Cassandra complained from the couch. "Pretty please... I'm helping you with the secret mission. A scrambled egg is enough."

"Tell Lady Dimitrescu to cook," Bela remained unmoved on her bed, staring at the ceiling while wearing Aleena's jacket. The one she borrowed her when the castle was attacked. It was the only memory she'd have from the woman she loved. "She was the one to kill all the servants."

Bela was listening to an old love song from the 60's. It was the one thing she was actually capable of doing in that moment. She couldn't even manage to create different scenarios about how she could kill Miranda inside her mind, or even wander around the castle searching for the cursed knife.

She knew Aleena had safely arrived in her house at the village. She sent one of her flies to follow her and observe her for how long it was possible. The girl was completely devastated, heartbroken and it killed her to see that. She could she glimpses of the moments where she sobbed while packing her bags and taking them to her old truck. But it was the best for both of them. She'd never be safe by Bela's side. Especially while Miranda was still around.

"This music is making me nauseous," Cassandra went to the disc player and turned it off. "You should've gone with her then."

"It was the safest for her. Mother would come after me immediately and take her back to Miranda's claws."

The brunette sister went to her own bedroom and returned with a book in hands, what surprised Bela because Cassandra wasn't much of a reader.

"Check this out. I asked the Duke to get you the sequel," and she started to read, adopting the same dramatic tone as usual. "As much as I struggled not to think of him, I did not struggle to forget. I worried — late in the night, when the exhaustion of sleep deprivation broke down my defenses — that it was all slipping away. That my mind was a sieve, and I would someday not be able to remember the precise color of his eyes, the feel of his cool skin, or the texture of his voice. I could not think of them, but I must remember them. Because there was just one thing that I had to believe to be able to live — I had to know that he existed. That was all. Everything else I could endure. So long as he existed."

"Ha ha, very funny," Bela rolled her eyes. Deep down she absorbed those words. She feared someday she'd forget all those small details about Aleena too, but knowing she existed someday, and that she loved her back, was enough for her to be able to live for the rest of her immortal days. "Next time, get us something useful. Like that fucking dagger."

The door opened and Daniela walked inside, pushing a food cart.

"I brought us dinner," she announced.

"Did you kidnap a villager to cook for us?" Cassandra asked, immediately grabbing a plate.

"Of course not! I cooked it myself. If Bela can do it, I can too."

The two eldest sisters exchanged a suspicious glance, before deciding they were not so hungry after all.

"And here is the main dish..." Daniela said, lifting the lid and revealing the content inside the silver pan. "A poisonous dagger."

"You did it!" Bela exclaimed, surprised and proud.

"Yes! Let's chop that bitch to pieces."

Daniela hugged her eldest sister again. It was happening too often lately, for Bela's discomfort. But this time, she accepted the hug.

"Where's mom?" Cassandra interrupted the moment. "I haven't heard from her since I left her alone in her bedroom."

The castle was way too quiet. It wasn't the first time the servants had to be gotten rid of and they were completely by themselves. Or maybe sometimes, Lady Dimitrescu would lock herself in the Opera House to play the piano or even read a book alone in her bedroom, but that wasn't the case this time. That was a different kind of silence. A silence that indicated danger, a threat.

"Mother?!" Cassandra called, followed by her two sisters. "Where are you?"

There was no answer. They were about to reach the library when the power went out, as well as the heating system. A wave of panic instantly spread over Bela's body. She feared the cold, more than anything.

"What the hell?!" Daniela yelled. "Who's there? I'm starving and angry, so don't mess with me!"

"Shhhh," Bela silenced her. She had a feeling, a hunch about who could it be. As they approached the office, her suspicions were confirmed by the argument coming from inside the room.

"Where is she, Alcina?!" They heard Miranda yelling. "You promised me to keep her safe!"

"Mother, I swear... she was in the dungeons! There was no way she could escape. The drug was supposed to keep her down until now."

"Your daughters... they must've helped her to escape. Decades trying to find the perfect vessel and they ruined it all. They'll deal with the consequences!"

"Mother, no! Don't hurt them, I'm begging you."

In that moment, the sisters witnessed as a powerful flock of birds started to fly around the caste, shattering all the windows. As the cold air of the night in the mountains filled the entire place, the three sisters knew their ending was imminent.

----------

Eastern Europe, Aleena's House - Present Days

The tears blurred my vision as I followed my way back to the village. Sometimes, I'd stop for a minute, hoping Bela would change her mind and come after me. Why would she assume I was safer without her? If there was someone who could protect me, that was she.

As soon as I arrived, I went straight to the garage, getting my old truck to come back to life. Then, I followed to my bedroom to pack my bags. There wasn't much I actually needed to take, mostly my clothes, my laptop and a few other important belongings. I didn't plan to sell the house anyways. I could come back and take the rest later, if I had to.

My books. I would definitely take at least my favorites. Most of them were gifts from my mom. I couldn't leave those precious treasures behind. As I grabbed one of them to place it inside of my luggage, a small piece of paper fell on the floor:

'Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds. It is an ever fixed mark that looks on tempests and is never shaken. Love alters not with time's brief hours and weeks, but bears it out even to the edge of doom'.

I recognized it. It was an excerpt of William Shakespeare's Sonnet 116. Bela should've left it there when she was alone in my bedroom. In the end, she wrote: 'Please, think of me sometimes. I love you, forever'.

Of course I would. There was no way I'd ever stop loving that girl, or even forgetting about her at all. I could never forget about the girl who threw me the sweetest birthday party or made me the best pancakes in the world. And especially, the first girl I ever loved. I pressed the note against my chest, letting out a few tears. I placed it among my belongings, those I was going to take with me to California.

I heard the front door opening and I immediately grabbed my rifle and my blades too. Something had to at least cause some harm to that bitch. I was slowly going down the stairs in an attack position, when I heard a voice.

"Leena? Are you home?" That was my twin brother, Auryk. "I'm back."

"Auryk," I finally revealed myself. My first impulse was running to his arms, before I remembered all the lies and the betrayal. "You knew it. You fucking knew it and you hid it from me!"

"I'm sorry, okay? I was trying to keep you safe from Miranda. I planned to get you out of here before it all came to surface, but that bitch was already one step ahead."

"We have to go, right now. She's coming after me. I just escaped Castle Dimitrescu."

"Leena, no..." he sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I thought I was clear when I asked you to stay in the castle until I returned."

"Auryk, she drugged me and locked me in the dungeons!" I yelled. "She was going to sacrifice me in a sick ritual tonight. Which part haven't you understand yet?"

"This was the plan, Aleena. When she was vulnerable, during the ritual, the agency would take the opportunity to explode this place and all these freaks."

"WHAT?! What about the village... and the people, their houses? What about ME?! What if I got killed in this process?"

"They're going to evacuate the village in a couple of hours," he explained. "And then, they'll help them to rebuild their lives or something... I don't know for sure. But they would protect us."

"Stop them!" I ordered. I couldn't let them hurt Bela or her sisters. Or even put the villagers in danger. Some of them, such as Olga, Elena and her father would never abandon that place and its traditions. "Right now! You're not going to hurt them. You won't!"

"Aleena, what the fuck? They're monsters! They're going to kill you!"

And then, I did the first thing that came to my mind. It was stupid, unplanned and completely reckless. I knocked my brother's head with the rifle. As soon as he fell unconscious on the floor, I tied him up and locked him inside Adrian's secret storage.

"I'm sorry, Auryk. But I must save my girlfriend."