#he'd never admit it to Anyone but he misses them. he can miss One organic life. as a Treat.

[baalzebufo]

Whatever. Go My Scarab 🪲

so this is the start of my first 40k killteam! I'm building a hierotek circle, and this is my leader Kheper, The Eternal Sun. former opulent ruler of the Kheper Dynasty who is way down on his luck. he's a psychomancer whose favourite awful hallucinations to inflict are one million bugs eating you forever

i've got additional lore (he lost virtually all of his slaves and workers during the big sleep because tyranids munched half of his crown world and so woke up with basically just a handful of lackeys left) but mainly he's big, bitchy, and misses his bugs. (they went extinct in the time since he went to sleep and he's still bothered by it)

[twopoppies]

Hi Gina , Do you have a category for reread fics?How can I find them

Meaning fics I’ve read more than once? I don’t think I’ve ever made one—let me see what I can do.

Hats Off To My Distant Hope by orphan_account (E, 21K) This was such a pleasure to read. The writing feels so effortless as the fic explores the deep emotions of these two characters. They’re stubborn and inarticulate and gentle and passionate and finally, finally open up to each other. I really wish I knew who wrote it because I’d love to read more of their work.

Walk That Mile by purpledaisy (E, 150K) I’ve read this one multiple times and still love it. Their bickering is so realistic, their resistance to their attraction to each other is perfect, the way the author portrays all of their weird quirks and differences but still makes it believable that they’d fall fo reach other is such fun to read….I love this fic.

my heart is breathing for this moment in time by usedtothebeach (E, 160K) Probably my absolute favorite time travel fic. I’ve read it more times than I’d like to admit, and every time I love it more. One of the things I like most is how organically the author weaves in canon events…every little moment is an easter egg without it being so obvious that it pulls you out of the fic. Anyway, this one is so moving and so absorbing, I hope you like it if you give it a try! There’s an 18K companion piece to it as well, but you’ll see the link at the appropriate time when you’re reading the main fic (and when you read the scene that breaks your heart –– in the best possible way –– come and scream at me. You’ll know which one I mean).

Our Lives, Non Fiction by @indiaalphawhiskey (E, 114K) this is, quite literally, the best fic I’ve read in years. It’s so well written, clever, funny, emotional, and sexy. Its draw you in immediately and you’ll end up falling in love with these characters before you know it. Don’t miss this one.

Never Never Never Stop for Anyone (Sheylinsonverse) by aimmyarrowshigh, spibsy (E, 10-work series, 439K)Yes, here I am again, putting this series on a list. Probably 10 people in this fandom like it as much as I do, but I don’t care. I have read all 440K words more than once, and will likely do it a few more times. Yes, it needs editing, but even so…really well written, super sexy (if you like reading BDSM and can handle Larry + someone else), and such interesting character development. One of my favorite things about this fic is how the authors differentiate between the ways the different characters inhabit their Dom and Sub personalities.

Make Your Words A Weapon by HelloAmHere (E, 36K) I love everything this author writes. This one just really hit me hard for whatever reason. Maybe it’s the way they explore Louis’ anxiety and coping mechanisms and pain and the way he pushes people away and protects himself, but also wants someone to push back just a bit and love him despite all of that. And the way Harry is the perfect foil for all of it, while also feeling like a fully developed character himself. Yeah, it’s probably all of that. Plus soul marks!

Pull Me Under by zarah5 (E, 140K) One of the very first fics I read when I came into this fandom…and I’ve read it multiple times since. Zarah’s fics hold up every time. This one has it all, great pacing, ot5 friendship, banter, super sexy smut, etc etc. Plus, Louis being super jealous of Harry’s best friend.

Into The Blue by zarah5 (E, 117K) honestly, I love all of this author’s fics, but I think this is my favorite of theirs. Louis as a flirty scuba instructor? Newly single Harry who just wants a fling? Boys living on other sides of the world who only have a few weeks together? Heartbreak. Hot af smut. OT5 friendship. Please….give me all that shit.

Faking It by TheCellarDoor (M, 46K)This one is so sweet. I loved Harry's internal monologue... his insecurities and thoughts that he'd made Louis uncomfortable because he liked, him made me cry. Louis is so soft and supportive. It’s just a lovely fic.

Remind Me Again by momentofclarity / @gaycousinlarry (E, 29K) Every sentence in this fic is so effortlessly beautiful. I love that the miscommunication between them is done in a totally realistic way. The fight and make up like real people do and that makes the angst more painful and the making up more emotional. One of my favorite authors.

And Touch Me Like You Never by runaway_train (E, 36K) I really enjoyed how this author handled Harry’s confusion and growing attraction and eventual sexuality crisis. That, along with the angst and very sexy smut, made it a really good read.

may we all have a vision now and then by momentofclarity / @gaycousinlarry (M, 4K) This author is one of my favorite writers in this fandom and everything they do is infused with so much delicacy and tenderness. I literally cried through this fic because of how wounded Harry’s character feels. Read it and then treat yourself to their whole AO3 catalogue.

Seeing Blind by zedi (E, 47K) I really liked the way this author gave a twist to both Omega Harry and Alpha Louis’ characteristics. It’s a whole lot of smut and miscommunication and, of course, a happy ending.

Shake Me Down by AGreatPerhaps12 (NR, 209K) this fic will run you through the wringer, but it’s really a great read. I really like the way the author took the boys from enemies to friends to boyfriends, and how we got to see how protective and supportive Louis became towards Harry.

smell the sea, feel the sky by @lightwoodsmagic (E, 16K) This is the perfect summer pining fic. I love that they’re adults and still the same horny, pining fools for each other and it still works. It’s just very sexy, light, and fun.

we can take the long road home by @pinkcords (E, 46K) This was absolutely gorgeous. And it made me cry, damn it. Seriously though, the writing is so beautiful. I loved the characterizations and the way they both showed their vulnerability. I loved the slow pace and the hot smut. I loved this fic.

smile in slow motion by istajmaal (E, 24K) One of my favorite Daddy kink authors, this one is lighthearted and funny while also being super sexy. Plus it’s got great Zouis friendship.

all my love was down on a frozen ground by navigator (E, 16K) This is an old one that I didn’t have bookmarked for some reason. But it’s a favorite and I love everything this author wrote. This is one of those quiet, soft fics with a bit of angst and a lot of internal monologue and gentle conversations. I don’t know, there’s something so touching about it.

Thought The Song Was Sung by 100percentsassy (E, 13K) This is both a famous/not famous and a dating app AU. Plus, older Larry. Plus an author who writes great fic. And this one is just sweet and charming and I really like this one.

the way the storms blow by rbbsbb (E, 22K) What would happen if you walked in on your best friend in the midst of an orgy? Louis finds out and it’s pretty damn hot.

we can take the long way home by eleadore (E, 27K) this one is a canon divergent future fic where Louis is a “carrier” (basically, he would be able to get pregnant) and it’s just SO good. It’s beautifully written (like everything this author does), so well-paced, and I just find the way their developing relationship is written to be so touching and realistic.

The light to guide me home by Star_Henderson / @tommosgun (E, 65K) I don’t know what it is about this fic but I’ve read it so many times and I just really love the instant chemistry, the smut is stupid hot and fuels the character growth, and even with the angst, the whole thing is just lighthearted and sexy.

Speaking of Marvels by navigator, quitter (E, 101K) This was one of the first fics I read in this fandom, but I read it again recently and had forgotten how really wonderful it is. The writing is so lovely and the characters feel so well developed. I especially loved how the authors explored how differently the two of them would respond to their relationship given the different stages of life they were in. It made the romance and the attraction and the angst feel really real.

Constant Debauchery by Blake (E, 19K) Yes, yes, I know. I’ve probably recommended this 10 times. But have you read it yet? Anyway…Edwardian setting, uni ABO (Alpha/Alpha) fic. Gorgeous mood setting, I’ve said before that it reads like an Merchant Ivory film looks…just gorgeous. There’s a similar sense of repression and uncertainty about flouting societal expectations, and a character who appears one way on the surface, but underneath is quite different. I love this one, I’ve read it a number of times.

Lightening Strikes Twice by @dinosaursmate (E, 106K) It’s not often that I read a 100+K fic multiple times, but this one is worth it. It’s one of my favorites from this author, and a favorite all around. It’s an epic love story spanning decades and massive life changes. It’s sexy and well-written, and so touching, and so fulfilling in many ways.

precious little thing by mercutionnotromeo (E, 21K) I’ve read this one so many times…it’s got it all. This time the phone sex operator is Louis, and subby Harry is just beginning to realize his daddy kink.

Good Enough to Eat by objectlesson (E, 7K) This author always does such a good job with depicting young, queer love and the way their characters experience the overwhelm of realizing they’re not straight, realizing the’ve met their Person, pining, and giving in. I love a lot of their fics, but I think this is my favorite of them. Link is to a download.

One day to believe in you by mediaville (E, 8K) another author who always hits it out of the park as far as I’m concerned. This one is super funny and then super sexy. Louis gets cursed and has to tell the truth. No matter what Harry asks him. Read it!

like a bastard on a burning sea by vashtaneradas (NR, 21K) Heartbreaking, perfect writing. So well-written that the fandom hated real-life Harry for a while after this was posted. 😅

These Roads We Stumble Down by onewasturning (E, 18K) I adore this author’s writing and I’ve read this particular one multiple times. It’s just a little melancholy and very sexy and one of those fics that reminds me why I can read about the same two people falling in love 46372 times and never tire of it.

Empty Skies by green_feelings / @greenfeelings (E, 13K) I just started re-reading this the other day and it holds up so well. This author is always a pleasure to read. Their fics just are well plotted and the characters are nicely fleshed out. I loved Perrie as Harry’s bestie, the bitterness and angst is PAINFUL, and the ending feels well earned.

Wild and Unruly by 100percentsassy, gloria_andrews (E, 124K) One of the OG classics in this fandom. If you haven’t read it yet, you’re missing out. It’s just a great, original story. Plus, cowboy Harry, city boy Louis, bad guys to hate, nail biting drama, hot af sexual chemistry and smut, and a super satisfying ending.

Love Is A Rebellious Bird by 100percentsassy, gloria_andrews (E, 135K) Everything about this fic is glorious. I’m always struck by how well the characters are fleshed out, how their behavior lines up with their backstory, how ridiculously hot the chemistry is, and how agonizing the angst is. So yes, no shocker, I cried buckets. Thank god for a happy ending.

Unbelievers by isthatyoularry (E, 137K) High school Au, footie, enemies with benefits, so much sexual tension (and just tension), and really well-developed, complex characters. Most of the conflict in this (and in the companion fic from Harry’s POV) is straight up lack of communication. But, given the age of the characters, it’s forgivable (although sometimes frustrating).

In Dreams by dolce_piccante (M, 24K) This actually might be my favorite of this author’s fics, although I know it’s definitely not the most popular. It’s just soft and romantic and sweet and I’m a sucker for tattoo artist Louis winning over slightly uptight Harry.

Your Name Is Tattooed On My Heart my mcpofife (E, 87K) I reread this one recently and it's truly delightful. The characterizations are so well done. Harry is so endearing (I cried over his heartbreak). And the smut is both hot and really emotional. Love this one.

[essycogany]

Guess what surprise both me and @saltynsassy31 cooked up? It’s nothing really. Just an add on to Sonic Prime fanfic we decided to collaborate on. No biggie. Correction! You most definitely can come into our restaurant and serve yourself to this meal with different flavors of emotions. What are they? That’s for you to uncover. We both put our own ideas and mixed them into this dish for you. Enjoy!

For safety reasons we decided to private it on AO3, so you’ll need an account to read it there. But don’t worry, if you want to still read it, here you go!

The Little Things

Summary: Have you ever felt a weight on your shoulders? A tingling sensation throughout your body? A lump in your throat? You get the point. Well, a certain blue hedgehog hero gets the worst of it and feels as if he can’t tell anyone. Does he eventually find someone who can help? Let’s find out.

It was very early in the morning, around 11:00 when a group of friends defeated their greatest foe named Dr. Eggman. It was earlier than they usually fought. Not that it mattered much as the team would be fighting him the very next day after he recovered from his recent defeat. Sometimes Eggman bounced back quicker and attacked twice in the same day, but even a villain needed his rest. It’s become routine at this point, which neither complained about. The evil genius content in finding ways of improving his inventions and the heroes just happy to bask in each other's company. For as long as they were together, every adventure was a special one. They wouldn't have it any other way.

Especially a certain blue hedgehog.

After the battle, everyone went their separate ways. A hero, known as Sonic, went with his friend. A two tailed fox named Tails who was known for his incredible intelligence and inventions. Sonic wanted to crash at his lab on the other side of the island, Green Hills. Tails didn't question why Sonic decided to join him. It wasn't as if he hadn’t done it before. Their relationship was a relatively close one. Sonic, in a way, raised the fox and became a sort of family. He admired him a lot. Not only as a hero but an older brother. And he wasn't ashamed to admit it.

So when Sonic asked Tails if he could come over for the day, he didn't think twice about it. The answer was an immediate yes, before they raced over to his lab. Even if they knew who the obvious winner was.

Once they arrived, Tails went straight to working on the Tornado. Trying to find ways he could improve upon it based on their latest battle. There were always ways to improve it, even if his friends told him it was already perfect. Sonic climbed up the ladder above the workshop and sat on it. Making himself comfortable as he idly watched his little brother work on his favorite toy.

Sonic couldn't help but smile, watching the way the fox's ear twitched at every creak of the gears. His twin tails smoothly flowing beneath him like they were soft clouds. How his brows furrowed in concentration. Or how he would sometimes stick his tongue out to better focus. Quite the adorable sight, if he was being honest. It was these little things he took for granted and missed the most. He'd never make that mistake again. It’s what Sonic swore to himself the moment he returned to his world, his home. Speaking of, it had only been more than a few weeks since the “incident” happened. Just the thought of it had his insides doing backflips.

Sonic could feel the phantom sensation of his skin fading and fizzing out. Almost by instinct, he reached to wrap his arms around himself to somewhat ground him as he averted his gaze from the small fox below in favour of the window. He wasn't looking at anything in particular; Sonic just didn't want Tails to catch him staring.

He’d gone several nights without sleep and when Sonic did they were restless. Images of his friends and their many variants, the lifeless shell of his own group of friends repeating themselves over and over in an endless loop, like a broken record. It was haunting. His dreams, or rather, nightmares, consisted of him wandering in that empty, blueprint world alone trying to call for his friends. Not even Shadow was there to give him a beat down, shake him awake from that awful place. He'd cry for them and try to bring them back to their senses, but to no use. Then a loud, piercing laughter of a cunning fox would ring through the fields as it all began to fall apart. Hills and trees flying off into the cracking sky that he'd desperately try to hold into place, but there was only so much a lone hedgehog could do.

Other times he'd be having a normal day out when all of his friends would suddenly freeze up and the world got drained of its color. He'd watch as all of his friends looked at him panicked and confused before anger clouded them, blaming Sonic for what was happening. Part of him knew it was warranted.

Sometimes Sonic wondered if it happened at all. If everything was just a convoluted nightmare he was forced to live through.

But Shadow never really let him forget it. Not that they talked much after everything, but it was clear that things had changed between them. For the better, thankfully. But he was living proof that it indeed happened.

That didn’t stop Sonic’s thoughts from swirling, though. He’d wonder about the others, worry if he’d lose it all again. He wouldn’t know what to do with himself if he lost everything all over again. He couldn’t, and the mere thought made him break into cold sweat.

Sometimes his brain reminded him the only reason he was even here was by luck alone. Shadow did most of the work after all. Heck, Sonic wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for him! He barely remembered the trip back, only the sizzling, static pain and the wind passing through him. The mere thought of it made Sonic’s brain hurt. He brought his hands to his head, trying to ease the throbbing in his skull. While doing his best to muffle a pained groan.

Sonic couldn’t do this. He couldn’t live the rest of his life in constant paranoia of any day being the last. Not allowing himself to fully enjoy the good, peaceful moments because he’d waste time worrying himself. He would do his best to force more enjoyment out of life. If only because he didn’t want to leave in regret, which was already an old friend to him. Stuck in his own paradox. Sonic scoffed. The word brought a bitter taste to his mouth. He was home now, and he wouldn’t let anything or anyone ever take it away from him again. Even if it was by his own fault, he’s done more than enough to prove himself capable, right?

A few hours of this torture passed. Sonic’s sense of awareness was so bad, he couldn’t recall what day of the week it was. Let alone an hour. Sonic let out a shaky exhale as he stretched his legs out first from the ladder. Then his arms before jumping down, startling the busy fox. Tails rolled out from underneath the Tornado, and lifted his goggles to look at his friend. His head tilted. “Sonic?”

“Yo, Tails. You don’t mind me heading off for a sec, do ya?” Sonic shot the fox with what he hoped was a convincing smirk, his signature look. But it only came off as fake and caused his cheeks to hurt.

Tails looked him up and down for a moment. His lips curled into something Sonic has come to learn as worry. It made him feel slightly guilty, but he tried not to falter, making a conscious effort of keeping his tail and ears from giving off too much of his internal struggles.

After what felt like an eternity, Tails shrugged and put his goggles back down, seemingly finding nothing of note in Sonic’s sudden want to depart.

“Alright, be back in time for dinner.”

Sonic chuckled, feeling himself becoming more laxed. A genuine smile took over the forced one at the small joke. “Very funny, Tails. When did you become my guardian?”

Tails rolled his eyes without answering. Then pressed the button to let Sonic out before laying down and rolling back under the Tornado to continue his work. But as Sonic was about to turn around and dash off, Tails quickly got back up.

“Wait!”

Sonic turned around to face him. “Yeah, bud?”

There’s a moment of silence. Tails seemed to ponder his next words carefully, looking like he wasn’t quite sure if he should say anything. He bit the bottom of his lip and rubbed his index finger with his thumb. Trying to find the right words, he looked anywhere except Sonic himself, until they suddenly locked eyes.

Tails was smart, he noticed the little things, as he always does. But he couldn’t find the right words he needed to convey that. And even if he did, the probability of him getting an answer from the stubborn hedgehog was zero to none. He gave out a heavy sigh as he broke off their staring contest, looking away with solemn resolve. Maybe this wasn’t the right time. He shook his head and gave an awkward smile as he rubbed the back of his neck. Then waved Sonic off with the other. “Never mind, just be careful out there.”

Sonic gave Tails a puzzled look, but shrugged it off. Not wanting to push on the already stiff atmosphere. He winked and gave Tails a single finger gun.

“Will do. Catch ya later.” And before Tails could blink, he was gone. A puff of dust was the only indicator of Sonic being there.

Tails let out another defeated sigh, his shoulder sagged as he dropped back down the creeper and rolled under the Tornado to resume his work. “I hope he’s okay.” He mumbled to himself.

The late afternoon sun painted the landscape of Green Hills in an array of pinks, purples, and blues. A soft, gentle breeze made the grass and flowers dance gently in place. Blowing the heat of the morning away. It made for a calming atmosphere to relax in, but it wasn’t enough to calm Sonic’s nerves.

He could feel his skin sizzling, fading from existence. The phantom pain of every punch he got from faces he once knew as friends bruising his very soul. It made him shudder, and no amount of running would make it go away.

He hoped the brute force of the wind would numb the pain, numb his thoughts. He tried to focus on the sharp breeze against his skin, the way the grass felt under his footsteps as it pushed against it to go faster. Sonic tried to see if slowing down would help instead, as running from his problems didn’t fix them last time. Only it didn’t, and he would argue it made things worse. So he pushed on. Counting how many times he broke the sound barrier only silenced his thoughts for so long.

Sonic wanted to take a pause, a moment to stop his thoughts from consuming him, but he couldn’t. He felt like an everlasting motor, never running out of fuel. Every thought that’d pop into his head would make him run faster, letting Sonic feel as his heels began to dig into the soft dirt below him, making him sink but never slow down. It honestly didn’t matter where he was going anymore; he just let the wind take him, mind too cloudy to think about the directions. He just wanted to be as far away from people as possible.

The look Tails kept giving him….Sonic didn’t want to worry his little brother, but he couldn’t burden him with what he should’ve told him from the start. Sonic was vulnerable with his emotions, he could admit that, but he knew which ones to display or not…Kind of. He would usually mask his emotions with a punny joke or smart comment, but lately, it’s become harder for him to hold them back.

Sonic eventually came to a halt on the other side of the island. The pain in his heart outweighing the pain in his head to the point he couldn’t take it anymore. He couldn’t do it anymore! His legs could keep running for days, but his lungs felt constricted against his ribcage and it was like he was being suffocated with every step. He tried to even them out, but each breath was shakier than the other. It was unbearable.

He wanted to claw at his throat, gloved hands pawing at his chest in hopes to ease the pain, but it did nothing but make it worse. His vision clouded with tears and with shaky hands, he tried to search for support, feeling the ground beneath him become unsteady. The hedgehog’s expression was almost unreadable. It seemed to be a mix between a grimace and confusion. Sonic wanted to scream, to vomit out all the anguish bubbling inside of him like a roaring storm, but he didn’t. He didn’t want to disturb the peace of the valley, call any attention to him, or signal that he was there at all.

Instead he let himself cry. Thick tears rolled down his cheeks as he slid down to the ground and leaned against the palm tree he initially used for support. He bit down his trembling lips to muffle out the whimpers and hiccups, swallowing any noise that tried to escape him. His ear went flat against his head, tail tight against his leg. He wanted to stay strong, like he was back when he first arrived in New Yoke. He couldn't falter….he couldn’t let himself be weak.

But now it was just him and his thoughts, battling against each other with no distractions. At least, that’s what he assumed.

***

Somewhere else in the island lived a young, pink hedgehog, Amy Rose. Like Tails, she was part of Sonic’s team. She was the heart of the group; the one keeping their team glued together. After the battle, she bid her friends farewell and set out to a little spot she claimed as her own. Along with her companion, Birdie.

The place was located below a small blocky hill, where most of the flowers grew and other small animals gathered around. She watched as Birdie joined its other friends, laying down on a small patch of soft, green grass with a satisfied sigh. It was moments like these which made the hammer smashing worth it. Every battle, every hardship.

Amy wasn’t sure how long she’d spent outside, watching the Flickies and other critters play about the field. At some point she got up to tend to the flowers, something to keep herself busy.

While she worked, a sudden rustling of grass grabbed her attention. Despite that, Amy didn’t move. Didn’t even try to turn around to see who it was. The familiar gust of wind coming with the speed of sound told her exactly who it was, she simply smiled and continued her work. It took a while for the mystery person to speak, which was odd. But Amy figured he might’ve not noticed her there, so she let it be.

She smiled as her feathered friend flew over to her with the exact tool she needed. “Thank you. Remind me to give you a treat when we get home.” The Flickie chirped happily. That seemed to snap some awareness to the person behind her. A small gasp and more rustling of grass indicated they were still there.

“Amy, didn’t expect to see you here. What’s up?” The voice spoke, proving her initial suspicions correct.

“Didn’t we already see each other a few hours ago?”

Sonic clenched at his chest dramatically with a drawled out, offended gasp. “I thought you’d appreciate me here since we don’t hang out much. But if not, then I guess I’ll just head on home and–”

“What are you doing here, Sonic?”

Despite her tone coming off as annoyed, she was actually glad someone had found her. And it was Sonic, no less. Of course she’d be happy to see him over. Though maybe Amy’s tone was a little too harsh because Sonic cringed at the question. He was thankful she was facing forward, so she couldn’t see the falter of his persona. It gave him ample time to fix up his act as he walked up closer to her. He wasn’t quite sure how to respond, so he settled on a half truth.

“You know me. Felt cooped up in the lab, so I went out for a run.”

The pink hedgehog wasn’t convinced, but she didn’t press the issue, not wanting to scare Sonic off knowing she wouldn’t be able to catch him. So she hummed in reply.

Sonic, feeling ignored, awkwardly got on his knees next to Amy and waved at her Flickie friend. It raised its tiny eyebrows at him and he looked away nervously.

“Whatcha doin’ there? Oooh, seeds! Can I have some?”

“Are you going to eat them?”

Sonic gave a faux guilty look, pursing his lips as he glanced up. “Probably~”

“Then no.”

Sonic’s eyes quickly widened as he looked at her. He raised his hands and clasped them together over his chest in a pleading gesture.

“Ahhh, Amy. C’mon, don’t be like that. Please?”

Amy let out a small huff and reluctantly shoved a bag over to Sonic. Who quickly grabbed it after shaking off the initial shock of the sudden action. Birdie gave him a shovel and he responded with a salute. It rolled its beady eyes and flew off.

The two hedgehogs quietly planted the seeds together, basking in each other's presence until the stars began to creep up in the sky. The soft shift between warm to cool colors left a calm atmosphere to blanket over the hills. The breeze became slightly colder than before, blowing away petals to dance with the stars.

Amy looked up briefly before finally patting down some of the dirt over the flower. Letting out a small, satisfied huff as she placed the back of her wrists over her hips proudly.

“That’s the last of them. Thanks, Sonic.”

Sonic smirked. “Are you happy I came now?” He said, unknowingly wrapping an arm around Amy as she playfully hit him on the elbow.

She pulled away from the half embrace and began to make her way towards the edge of the hill. Laying down on her stomach with her ears tucked, Amy smiled at the setting sun. Only the peak of its head layed over the horizon, painting the waters with all its glory. Birdie joined her and sat over Amy’s head, making itself comfortable on her quills.

Sonic stood in the same position as before, a little dumbfounded and unsure of what to do. He looked around for a moment before deciding to join her. He laid on his back, head resting on the soft grass that intertwined themselves with his quills. It eased the headache that split his brain just moments before, but Sonic knew he’d have to go back to the lab eventually. It made the pain linger.

“The sky is really beautiful tonight, isn’t it?”

Sonic didn’t answer.

“Sonic?” Amy turned her head to look at Sonic, wondering if he fell asleep. Something she’d partially hoped for because the eyebags he carried weren’t hard to miss. But what she saw was even more confusing. Sonic had a thousand yard stare, looking up at the stars with no real direction. It was like he wasn’t even there!

“Sonic!”

“AH!”

Amy’s yell made Sonic flinch, snapping him out of whatever daze he was in with a startle. He looked around disoriented before his gaze met Amy’s. For a moment he saw someone else, her expression eerily similar to one of her counterparts. He felt his heart rate spike up for a second, but quickly schooled his expression.

“Oh, yeah. Yeah, it sure is lovely.” He said, a little more rushed than he would have liked.

By the way Amy’s face twisted into a grimace, he knew her leniency towards him to not push the subject had dropped, and he tried to prepare for what was to come.

“Sonic, I didn’t want to say this, but ever since we saved the Paradox Prism you’ve been acting weird! What’s gotten into you?!” There was desperation in her tone, like she had exhausted all her options and was at a loss on what to do.

“I-I’m sorry, alright?”

Sonic felt his legs itch, bouncing just a little as he got the sudden urge to go on another run. But he was tired of leaving his friends in the dark, picking up the pieces he left behind. They didn’t deserve that.

Amy was getting frustrated, clear by how her facial features wrinkled. But when she noticed how agitated the Sonic looked, she felt it all get whisked away, softening to a more concerned expression. It made her feel guilty for yelling. Adding to her soft approach, she sat up and placed a hand over his shoulder.

“I understand you might not want to talk about it, but you know me and the others have your back.”

Sonic rolled over and hit his head against the grass in frustration. It was clear that he was battling himself inside, trying to find the right way to word things, to say or not to say.

Amy sighed, “It’s okay. If you want to wait until you’re ready, I’ll do the same. Take as much time as you need.”

She sat there for a moment longer. Waiting for something before deciding that there was nothing to wait for, not in that moment at least, and began to stand up and make her way out of the field. She hugged herself and rubbed her cold arms to warm them up when a sudden force wrapped itself around her from behind, sending Birdie flying off of Amy’s head and making her stop dead in her tracks.

She was frozen for a moment before slowly moving around and reciprocating the gesture. Amy felt the desperation in the action and how gloved hands grasped at her dress as if she would vanish in thin air. It wasn’t the first time Sonic hugged her in such a way. After the “incident” he did it constantly, and each time it felt more desperate. They were awkward and sometimes overwhelming, and he never failed to thank her each time. It was odd, but she didn’t push. She gave it twice the squeeze. Being much stronger than most of her friends, Amy was usually careful to not hurt them. Not noticing her own strength sometimes. But she knew this was the moment Sonic needed it.

After a while, she pulled away, much to Sonic’s protest, and moved one hand over to cup his face. He looked at her with bleary, emerald green eyes before closing them and leaning into the touch. Seeing Sonic up close now made it abundantly clear he cried earlier. The tears long since dried, meaning it was before he found her. But the fur on his cheeks still felt rough and stiff. The rim of his eyes looked red and puffed up.

“Oh, Sonic.” Amy thought to herself.

She rubbed her thumb against the tear streaks for a moment. Then gazed at him kindly and caring before wordlessly sliding her hand over to his and moved to stand beside him. Birdie looked at the two a little exasperated. Unsure, it tried to gain Amy’s attention for some form of answer. She only gave a shrug and a slight shake of her head. The Flickie flew over to the other hedgehog. With resolve in its expression, it chirped as it rubbed its head against Sonic’s cheek, gaining his attention. Birdie felt satisfaction in its chest at the light and quiet chuckle Sonic gave at the action. A gloved hand scratching its head as a form of gratitude. Sonic still felt too overwhelmed to speak, but he didn’t want such a kind act to go thankless.

The Flickie perched on Sonic’s shoulder and curled up in the crook of his neck, wanting to be of some comfort to Amy’s friend. She gave her own form of thanks through a smile. They walked in tense silence after that, Amy rubbed gentle circles on the back of his hand to try and calm his nerves.

Amy would occasionally glance over at Sonic to check on him, and he never looked more miserable. His ears were loosely flopping to the sides of his head, bouncing gently as they walked. Inside, Sonic was having another war within himself over all his internal struggles and how he wanted to spill everything out. But the lump that formed so tightly inside his throat prevented him from doing so. All it did was make him choke on air and made him want to puke.

He felt his skin start to sizzle again with phantom pain and he couldn’t take it anymore! Like a kettle boiling over, something inside him tipped and he finally managed to spill the needed words out. They felt like sandpaper scratching at the walls of his throat, weighed so heavily on his tongue that it made it hard to lift, and clenched at his jaw like glue, keeping it from opening.

“Uh, Amy…”

But he did it. It was just two words, and they were weak, frail. If the wind was any stronger, it would have taken them away like dead leaves. But it wasn’t, and Amy heard his desperate plea for help.

She turned to him, those big, green eyes looking at him expectantly, a small hum notifying him she was paying attention. They were gentle, kind, warm, everything Sonic loved and feared at the same time. They looked at him with such sincerity, it weighed on him like a heavy blanket, comforting but suffocating. They expected so much, yet nothing at all.

Sonic couldn’t disappoint them, not any more than he already has.

So, he told her.

He told her everything that haunted him, everything that weighed him down. After the first couple of words being rasped out, it was like a dam had been broken and he couldn’t stop it from overflowing. One word after another, it all came out in a fury of emotions that felt terrifying, but there was no stopping them. Or the small tears he didn't even realise were there until Amy kindly wiped them away. It wasn’t crying though, it was frustration, and his words suddenly came out as bites and growls the longer he talked.

Sonic’s rant felt exhausting, like he was drowning in a sea of doubt. Yet solace in a way he had never expected it to be. Amy didn’t talk, didn’t intervene. She just let Sonic get everything out while tenderly giving him reassuring gestures to keep him grounded.

The gentle bumps of Birdie’s head against his and Amy’s soft rubs of his hand helped more than he could thank them for.

Eventually, things began to slow down, and Sonic could feel the grey clouds that surrounded him gently fade away. Allowing him to see things clearly. Strangely, they were right outside the path that led to Tails’ lab, and Sonic wasn’t quite sure when they got there.

Once Amy determined Sonic finished ranting, she spoke up. “Oh wow. You’ve been holding all of that in?”

Sonic looked at her. His disorienting gaze was still unfocused, but he was there. He looked away and scratched his ear in shame.

“I figured pretending everything was fine would help me forget about it.”

“And how did that turn out?”

Sonic cringed a little. “Not great…”

“Does anyone other than Shadow know about this?”

“No.”

Amy was surprised, in disbelief even. She had to ask, just to be sure. “Not even Tails?!”

Sonic didn’t reply, which left Amy fumbling in complete confusion. Mouth agape, trying to find the right thing to say. Not even Tails?! Sonic told that fox almost anything that came to his mind! Shadow knew before his own brother?

“Sonic, we’ve–”

Sonic quickly shut down whatever Amy was about to tell him, with urgency in his voice.

“How am I supposed to tell them?!” The way the pitch in his voice raised caught her off guard. “Hey guys, guess what?! I’ve almost permanently destroyed the entire shatterverse! Luckily, I had Shadow around to help, right?! Please…” He exaggerated a happy tone of voice that almost broke into frustration. The response was so obviously fake that when he dropped to a more annoyed tone, it wasn’t surprising.

Amy felt unsure what to say for a moment, but quietly muttered, “Yeah, but everything’s fine now. You saved us.” Amy swore she could hear a small scoff from him, though it sounded more sad than angry. “More like Shadow saved you guys. I only made things worse.”

Amy let out a frustrated huff, one that the Flickie mimicked as it flew over to her head from Sonic’s shoulder to emphasize their sentiment. They placed their hands and wings over their hips. Amy turned her whole body to face him, making them stop walking for a moment, right in front of the lab. “Hey, blaming yourself isn’t going to help! Both of you saved us, and you’ve changed. That’s an achievement.”

Sonic paused for a moment, eyes wide and hands up in surrender.

“On top of that, you...” Amy stuttered, struggling to find the right words to convey her thoughts. “You sacrificed yourself for them. For us. That’s what makes you a hero, Sonic. I know you still feel awful about shattering the prism. Anyone would. But what’s important now is that you’re doing your best to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Besides, the Sonic I know is still one of the bravest and strongest hedgehogs I’ve ever met.”

Sonic snickered, leaning to the side as he placed one hand on his hip and looked away. “But he’s definitely not the brightest.”

Amy smiled satisfied and shrugged. “Baby steps.”

Finally, after what felt like hours since, Sonic had a genuine smile on his face. “You’re right. As usual from The Amy Rose.” He stretched his arms towards Amy as if he was presenting her on a stage. Emphasising his admiration for her in his own way.

Amy curtseyed with a guffaw, “What can I say? I know my stuff.” She paused for a moment, looking up at the familiar orange lab ahead of them.

“You know, I never expected you to take my advice. That was really sweet of you to do for them.”

Sonic chuckled. “It seriously came in handy. And I needed something to keep my head straight.”

They were silent for a moment. Sonic tilted his head up. Amy followed Sonic’s gaze and stared at the beautiful starry sky.

“You really missed us, didn’t you?”

“Yeah, I did.”

Suddenly, Amy’s ear perked up as it picked up the sound of a small whimper. She brought her head back down and looked at Sonic who was staring up. Desperately trying to keep tears from rolling down his face again.

“Um, Sonic. Are you…?”

Sonic quickly lifted his hand up to his eyes and covered them, trying to keep them as dry as possible. “Oh, uh. *Sniff* Nope! Totally fine! Nothing to see here!” He said with a strained voice and wobbly smile.

Amy held back a giggle by raising a fist to her lips. “Awww, it’s okay. Ya big softy.”

Sonic’s ears dropped as his muzzle suddenly became very hot. “Ames, please stop…”

“You started it.”

He huffed and crossed his arms, looking away with an embarrassed smile.

“Whatever.”

Amy couldn’t help but laugh. She turned to face the lab once more, letting a small, content sigh leave her. “You might wanna explain to Tails why you missed dinner.” She said with a knowing smile.

Sonic looked at Amy incredulously, “You too? I mean–” he shook off the initial shock, “fair. I’ll tell everyone else eventually. Thanks for the pep talk, Ames.”

Amy smiled at him, satisfied at their progression. “If you ever need me, I’m always available.”

Sonic gave her a thumbs up and a small nod before making his way to the front door, typing in the code to let himself in. Amy gave him one last knowing smile before leaving. Birdie spun around her head to wave its little wing at him until they were out of sight. Sonic let out a small laugh as he waved back, turning around to face the lab once he could no longer see them.

As soon as Sonic entered the lab, Tails was all up on his business, concern and frustration clear on his face. “You know, for the fastest thing alive, I’d figure ‘being on time for dinner’ would be an easy task for you. Mind explaining yourself?” He sounded like a disappointed mother scolding her kid for missing curfew; Sonic held back a laugh.

“Sure thing. But I gotta tell ya, it’s gonna be a doozy.”

***

Welcome to the end! Did you like it? Hope so because we both had a BLAST creating it. The Little Things was a way to show how much Prime’s events affected an emotionally driven Sonic. Unlike in the Games or IDW this broken blue blur isn’t as good at hiding his emotions and is more open towards others. It’s what keeps him going. The story also plays with the swapped roles of Amy and Sonic and expands it in an emotional and hopefully fun way. Also, if you’ve ever felt this since of hurt and anguish, remember the people you love in your life and that even if you think you’re alone, you’re not. Thank you for reading!

Also, definitely recommend following @saltynsassy31 she’s an amazing writer. Give her some love!

Stay Creative! 💜🍓

[carewyncromwell]

"Livin' might mean takin' chances, but they're worth takin' -- Lovin' might be a mistake, but it's worth makin'... Don't let some Hell-bent heart leave you bitter! When you come close to sellin' out, reconsider..."

~"I Hope You Dance" by Lee Ann Womack

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tagging @drinkyoursoupbitch because I know it's late, but here's some World-Building Soup! 🥣💚

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Throughout the years, Carewyn Cromwell sent her mother Lane many letters and photographs. Perhaps she didn't write about all of her experiences -- her pursuit of the Cursed Vaults and hearing her missing brother's disembodied voice in her own head were conveniently side-stepped -- but even so, it was through these letters and photographs that Lane met most of Carewyn's eventually rather large friend group. Here are some of Lane's impressions of them, based on what her daughter told her about them.

I do have one dormmate who's nice, though. Remember Rowan, the girl from Flourish and Blotts I told you about? Yeah, she's one of them! She took the four-poster closest to mine, and we've started sitting in class together. She's absolutely brilliant, Mum.

Lane liked Rowan from the off-set. Not only was Rowan the first person who'd actively befriended "her Winnie," but Carewyn frequently (and favorably) compared Rowan to Jacob, and when Lane first encountered Rowan on Platform Nine and Three Quarters, she completely understood why. Both enthusiasm and intellect just rippled off of Rowan, just the way it did Jacob. Lane was heartbroken when she learned about Rowan's death in her daughter's sixth year, and learning that her father Charles's criminal organization was largely behind it infuriated her like nothing else could. Even now, Lane hates her father far more for what he's taken from Carewyn and Jacob than anything he ever did to her growing up, and despite being a very gentle and even-tempered woman most of the time, Lane thinks that Charles deserved to rot alone in Azkaban, just for what he did to Duncan Ashe and Rowan Khanna.

Ben Copper and I went outside to study next to the Black Lake today. Ben wasn't so sure at first, since he'd heard stories about the Giant Squid grabbing people and yanking them into the Lake, but once we put a Waterproof Charm on all his things, he felt a little better.

Lane honestly wasn't surprised that one of Carewyn's first friends was someone like Ben. Considering how sensitive Carewyn was and how much Carewyn herself had been bullied as a little kid, Lane couldn't have been more proud of how her daughter empathized with others who were bullied and stood up for them. When Lane met Ben on Platform Nine-and-Three-Quarters after Carewyn's first year, she found him a very shy and sweet boy. Needless to say, she was a little surprised when she met Ben again in Carewyn's sixth year -- especially since he now towered a good eight inches over her!

Penny Haywood sat with Rowan and me in Potions class today. Rowan was a bit starstruck, since Penny's the most popular girl in our year, but fortunately she's not stuck-up about it. I mostly just don't understand how she can be so good at talking about silly things -- I wonder if it's just something that comes more naturally to Hufflepuffs?

Carewyn befriending someone like Penny, though, did surprise Lane. Penny was the sort of person Lane probably would've never managed to befriend at school herself since she was so soft-spoken, but she was happy that Carewyn was opening herself up to different kinds of people. Still, Lane completely understood where Carewyn was coming from whenever she admitted having to turn down one of Penny's invitations -- the poor woman suffered from severe enough social anxiety that the thought of anyone being such a social butterfly was foreign to her.

The gamekeeper Hagrid invited me over to his hut for tea tomorrow. He said he remembers both you and Jacob from school, so I reckon he must be older than he looks. Maybe he's part Giant? Giants age differently than wizards, right?

Lane was delighted when she learned Carewyn befriended Rubeus Hagrid. Lane had only ever spoken casually to the gamekeeper when she was at school, since her family would've never approved of her speaking to the "hired help" with any familiarity, but she'd always had a favorable opinion of Hagrid, even if he came across as less than scholarly. Lane actually even ended up sending letters to Hagrid directly a few times, the way she did with Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, and Severus Snape over the course of Carewyn's school career. Hagrid always gushed over Carewyn in his responses and occasionally even let slip some things Carewyn didn't tell her mother about in her letters, such as how much the new Professor Rakepick had taken to Carewyn.

I've made a new friend, though. His name's Bill Weasley -- he's a Gryffindor two years ahead of me, and we met on the Training Grounds, while he was practicing on some dummies. Rowan says most of the kids in our year know him for sticking up for younger students, and after meeting him, yeah, Bill seems like a really nice person! Bill's brother Charlie's in our year, also in Gryffindor. I gather from Rowan that most Weasleys have been in Gryffindor. She said one of them was even Gryffindor's Head of House at one point! I wonder if she was anything like Professor McGonagall...

Out of all of Carewyn's friends, Lane arguably heard the most about Bill over the years. His name was the most constant in her daughter's letters, and Lane loved him almost immediately, just based on how kind and generous he sounded. Lane was familiar with the Weasley family's reputation beforehand (the Cromwell Clan had always been very derisive about their stance on blood purity), but she was delighted to see what sincerely good people they were. Bill and his family being so upset that Lane was forced to spend Christmas away from Carewyn that they invited her to stay and celebrate with them at their house touched Lane like few other things have, and ever since that winter, Lane has kept in close written contact with Bill's mother, Molly. Lane saw Bill at Platform Nine-and-Three-Quarters more than any of Carewyn's other friends over the years, and so by the time she saw Bill at Carewyn's graduation, they greeted each other like old friends.

Bill's brother Charlie invited me to join in on a Quidditch friendly today. Andre Egwu was there too -- I don't know if you remember him, Mum, he's the one who gave me that pretty light brown coat? -- but I'm not surprised he was there: he's brilliant at flying. Charlie is too -- he became the Gryffindor Seeker back when he and I were still second years! I wish they were on the Slytherin team!

Just like with Bill, Lane liked everything she ever heard about Charlie. She especially loved whenever Carewyn would rave about Charlie's interest in dragons, since Carewyn's own interest in magical creatures would leap off the page every time it came up. Their shared interest in Quidditch Lane didn't jive with as well considering she wasn't much for sports, but that didn't mean Carewyn's mother didn't like knowing Carewyn had people she could enjoy it with.

Andre was another surprise for Lane. On the one hand, he was a Ravenclaw, same as Lane and Jacob had been, and he seemed like a very generous and talented kid. On the other, the interests he shared with Carewyn (Quidditch and fashion) were ones Lane didn't share as much herself, and Andre seemed so gregarious and out-going that Lane wasn't sure he and her daughter would have much common ground. That didn't mean Lane wasn't still very happy for Carewyn when they started dating, nor did it mean Lane wasn't sad to hear they'd broken up. After all, just because Lane wasn't sociable at all and didn't have the same interests as Andre didn't mean she didn't want Carewyn to socialize and try new things. Lane was just relieved that Carewyn and Andre broke up on good terms -- she would've been very unhappy thinking of Carewyn having her own "Evan" who had helped her grow so much as a person, but whose memory now only flooded her with regret.

Tryouts for the new Slytherin Chaser position are coming up really soon, and I want to be ready for them. Fortunately Charlie and Andre have been helping me practice, and now I've got Skye Parkin coaching me too. (She's Slytherin's Star Chaser -- a bit full-of-herself for my taste, but she's been helpful. Her father's Captain of the Wigtown Wanderers.) The main commentator Murphy McNully (just called McNully) also gave me some books on Quidditch strategy -- or, at least, he dropped them in my lap, thoroughly expecting I'd come up and talk to him more about it later. (I'm starting to get the feeling a lot of Quidditch people don't have the best communication skills.)

The last sentence of that paragraph had made Lane laugh. Neither she nor Jacob had ever been a sports fan -- the one most into sports in their immediate family had been Evan, and he'd ended up quite disappointed that he hadn't had anyone who would enjoy going out to cheer on Arsenal F.C. with him. It made Lane a bit sad to think that if Evan hadn't been so stubborn and if he hadn't been so upset about the revelation of their magic, he could've really bonded with Carewyn over their favorite sports in a way that Lane couldn't. Lane supported Carewyn’s decision to leave the Slytherin team after Skye publicly accused Erika Rath of stealing the Cleansweep she'd intended to give Carewyn, even if she'd really wished things had been resolved more peacefully.

As for getting a tryout, well, I've been meeting with Orion Amari every morning now, trying to do just that! He's been testing me, I think, though he won't flat-out say so. Instead he's been having me balance on my broom on one foot (which, trust me, is not easy!) and meditate with him for an hour at a time. Skye and McNully both warned me that Orion is a bit eccentric...and after meeting him, yeah! They weren't kidding! But still, I think Orion has good reason to not give me a tryout right away. I mean, I am only a third year, and I'm not exactly built like a Quidditch player. I know Skye didn't really think much of me when I said I planned to try out for the open spot either. And I can tell for all his weirdness, Orion Amari is good at what he does.

Ah, yes, Orion Amari. The one who would eventually, way down the road, become her daughter's romantic partner. While Carewyn was at school, she wrote rather admiringly of Orion, not just for his Quidditch talent, but for his calm and wise temperament. Orion's detached affect was very apparent in Carewyn's letters -- Lane was reminded of some of her old friends in Ravenclaw, just reading about him. Carewyn also on multiple occasions compared Orion to both Jacob and Lane herself, though, in her letters home, and usually in the sweetest ways. Like Jacob, he saw the world differently than everyone else and didn't feel the need to conform or change himself. Like Lane, he was soft-spoken, level-headed, and brilliant, and he was happiest when the world was calm and others were at peace. Carewyn even once admitted that Orion reminded her of Lane when he laughed. When Carewyn formally introduced Lane to Orion many years later when they were adults, Lane found she did like him quite a bit, especially when she saw how calming of an influence he had on her emotional, perfectionistic daughter. Admittedly Lane never understood her daughter's other half's "Orionisms" more than half the time -- but it still filled her heart up with such joy, seeing how in-tune Carewyn was with them, regardless. And it did amuse Lane, when she learned that Orion compared her to a Porlock.

I'll tell you more about our new professor in my next letter -- I promised Tonks and Tulip I'd meet them at Zonko's after lunch. (Not exactly enthused about the location, but Tonks said we could stop at the Three Broomsticks afterward, and I plan to hold her to that.)

Lane rarely heard about Tulip Karasu or Nymphadora Tonks as anything other than a unit, but she always smiled hearing about them, because Carewyn's huffy streak tended to come out more in her letters whenever she wrote about them. Lane gathered that Tonks and Tulip ended up giving Carewyn more than a few headaches since they were on the mischievous side, but for all of the minor griping she would make about them, it was very apparent that Carewyn loved them dearly. After all, no one as proud and sensitive as Carewyn would put themselves in the position to get pranked time and again if she didn't feel anything for the prankers in question.

I also made a new friend yesterday. His name's Barnaby Lee, and he's a Slytherin in my year. He was originally friends with Merula (if you can call it that -- I hardly would, considering Merula doesn't know the meaning of the word!), but after we had a friendly duel, we went to the Three Broomsticks for some butterbeer and talked for a while, and he's so nice, Mum. Way nicer than I thought he would be, hanging out with Merula so much! His family's rotten too -- I was reminded so much of your stories about your family, just listening to Barnaby talk about his awful parents and his nasty grandmother! But even with all that, Barnaby's still such a good person. He even introduced me to a Knarl he befriended at the Magical Creature Preserve this morning before class. (His name is literally just Knarl. Not the most creative name, but he's still really cute!)

Oh, Lane liked Barnaby. Not only did Lane's Mama Bear senses go off hearing about Barnaby's family situation, but she was happy that Carewyn had found people in her house who were just as sensitive and kind as she was. One of Lane's favorite pictures of Carewyn's time at Hogwarts was the one her daughter had taken of herself, Liz Tuttle, and Barnaby with their shared pet Lune the bat, who they'd rescued from the Hogwarts owlery -- that picture lived on Lane's bedside table for a good long while, alongside one of a young Jacob staring into the lava lamp in his room. Barnaby is also one of the few members of Carewyn's friend group who Lane actively invited over to their flat over the summer, and when he came over, the two of them geeked over some old handwritten notes by Newt Scamander that Lane had borrowed after a recent trip to the Scamander Museum archives in New York.

Mum, if it's not too much trouble, over the holidays, can we stop by the CD store down the road? I want to get Chiara something special for Christmas.

Out of all of Carewyn's friends, Chiara Lobosca was the one Lane became the most fond of, aside from Bill and Rowan. Not only were Chiara's and Lane's personalities very well-suited to each other, but Lane could see the pure, unmitigated love Chiara had for "her Winnie," and it just flooded her heart with so much joy. Chiara is one of the other few friends Lane invited over to her and Carewyn's flat over the summer, and they had a lovely visit over tea and pikelets. She also met Chiara's parents briefly when they came to pick her up, as well as at Chiara and Carewyn's graduation: Chiara's mother Donna in particular greeted Lane very kindly and gushed over Carewyn profusely. Lane was very flattering of Chiara in return, which made the Hufflepuff blush. Chiara didn't tell Lane she was a werewolf for a long while, since she was harbored some fears that Lane wouldn't want her around Carewyn anymore if she knew. Fortunately when she finally explained to Lane about her condition and that Carewyn had become an Animagus to keep her company during full moons, Lane responded very warmly and gave Chiara the biggest hug.

"I couldn't have asked for a better friend for my Winnie," she'd said.

In other news, Talbott Winger actually called me his friend the other day. It feels weird to hear him say it aloud, but really good, all the same.

Talbott Winger was the last of Carewyn's friends to be directly invited by Lane over to their flat over the summer, after Lane and Carewyn saw a flyer about a slam poetry session going on at a local Muggle bookstore and Carewyn offhandedly remarked that Talbott would love something like that. The three of them ended up having a really nice time, and afterward Lane invited Talbott over to their place for a proper Toad-in-the-hole supper. Lane enjoyed Talbott's wry sense of humor, which was very in-tune with Carewyn's -- Talbott appreciated Lane's extensive knowledge of History of Magic, which was a subject he'd never excelled in. He also borrowed a copy of Homer's Odyssey from Lane, after a long discussion they'd had over supper about Greek epic poetry.

I had my first Divination class with Professor Trelawney today. I wish I could say it was fun, but I found the class rather woolly. I wouldn't mind asking Torvus what he thinks about human Divination now that I've taken my first class, because I can't imagine that he and his herd throwing a hysterical fit over a clump of soggy tea leaves.

Lane was incredibly intrigued by Torvus. Although Carewyn neglected to tell Lane exactly how they'd met, her mother gathered that Torvus had known Charlie first. After learning Carewyn had befriended a centaur, however, Lane sent a very long letter back not only offering her what little she knew about centaur history, but also asking if Carewyn would pass along some of her own questions to Torvus as well.

I swung by the Prefects’ Bathroom briefly after doing my nightly rounds with Charlie. While there I saw the ghost who lives there, who’s named Duncan — I met him earlier this year, while Bill was showing Charlie and me around. He can be a bit of a prat sometimes, but you’d like him a lot, Mum. I hope I can introduce him to you someday.

Carewyn didn’t give her mother full context about who Duncan Ashe was, since talking about who he was to Jacob would’ve opened up the floodgates to Carewyn herself seeking out the Cursed Vaults, but she still couldn’t help but bring him up every-so-often. Lane got the impression that Carewyn felt sorry for Duncan since he was stuck haunting the Prefects’ Bathroom all by himself, and she was charmed by it, imagining Carewyn was so sensitive a soul that she even befriended ghosts if she thought they were lonely. Obviously there was a lot more to why Carewyn interacted with Duncan than that, and when Lane did get a full explanation about who Duncan was, she understandably was very upset, especially with the Hogwarts staff for not telling her that her son lost his best friend right before he was expelled. After the Cursed Vaults were dealt with and Duncan was finally laid to rest, Lane made the extreme step of actually reaching out to Duncan’s father asking for a picture of him and wanting to know where she could pay her respects. She was shocked and dismayed when Mr. Ashe informed her that he’d “shed” all of Duncan’s belongings after his death and so had no pictures to send her. He’d also had Duncan cremated and his ashes scattered at sea. After sending back a coldly disapproving letter making clear that Duncan had been loved dearly by her family and she at least would pay the respects that Mr. Ashe seemed determined to deny his son, Lane then went out of her way to track down as many photos of Duncan as she could from Hogwarts's staff and Jacob's school friend, Olivia Green. The best of these Lane framed and hung up near her small cauldron set up in the kitchen. When Jacob saw the little tribute his mother had made for his boy best friend, he threw his arms around her, unable to stop crying.

Thanks to Merula of all people, I actually have a new sparring partner: the Dueling Club's darling, Diego Caplan. I admit, I never really spoke to Diego before, as he always came across as overly flirtatious...after getting to know him better, though, all I can really do is laugh, because for however over-the-top and theatrical he is, I think he is actually sincere in his compliments! He acts like a total Casanova, but it really seems as though he's just the sort to wear all of his emotions on his sleeve -- the biggest, brightest, flashiest sleeve imaginable. And yet he'll roll up that sleeve and hand your arse to you on the Dueling Field, with no reservations. It's kind of hilarious, actually.

Diego was another friend that seemed completely opposite to Carewyn in every way, largely because Lane had so much difficulty imagining her overly sensitive daughter dueling seriously. It was one thing for Carewyn to duel with Bill, who Lane knew was also very nurturing and gentle with his friends and would never really want to hurt anybody, but to learn Carewyn was enjoying dueling with someone as hard-core competitive in it as Diego was surprising. It made Lane wish all the more that Jacob had considered joining the Dueling Club full-time when he was at school, since he would've enjoyed having an opponent as talented and yet amiable as Diego. When Lane met Diego in passing at Carewyn's graduation, Diego did not hesitate in turning on the charm even with her, which tickled Lane to no end.

"Careful, young man," she said with a wry smile. "I know plenty of younger women would swoon at such compliments."

One small advantage to being in detention has been the company. Charlie and Ben's dormmate Jae Kim is there right along with me, and we've been able to talk while we're working, so long as we're quiet. Oh yes, I’ve learned something new about Charlie today: apparently he sings Queen badly in the shower.

Carewyn was generally very understated in how she talked about Jae, aside from the fact that he was in detention often, so Lane surmised he was a “troublemaker” sort, akin to Tonks and Tulip. During the Second War, Lane also learned Jae was one of those friends of Carewyn’s helping keep other families hidden from the Death Eaters. Jae and Lane finally met when he catered the party Carewyn and Orion held after their partnership ceremony, and she took to him far more than she’d imagined she would after they ended up in an involved conversation about saving money on various food ingredients and household goods. Lane was very touched to hear Jae was so financially supportive of his mother, instantly reminded of how much Jacob and Carewyn tried to help her out around the house while they were low on funds. Jae now will reach out to Lane whenever he needs input on anything Muggle-related — no offense, Mr. Weasley, but Lane is that bit more experienced in this field than you are.

The Frog Choir’s been rehearsing hard for the graduation ceremony. Merula has a solo in their performance of In Noctem — I gather Snape likes the piece just as much as you do.

From the moment Lane first read about Merula Snyde, she really hoped that Carewyn and she would either find some common ground and make peace or that Carewyn would just put some distance between them. Yes, perhaps Merula sounded unpleasant, but the last thing Lane wanted for either of her bairns was for them to have "enemies." After Carewyn and Merula both stayed with the Weasleys for Christmas, Lane was a bit more hopeful that the two girls would be able to mend fences, but that hope persisted largely because she was unaware of just how much Merula was getting in Carewyn's way while pursuing the Cursed Vaults. This is ultimately why she encouraged Carewyn to consider letting Merula take the open spot on the Frog Choir after her daughter asked her for advice -- Lane thought that it sounded like Merula didn't have a safe space to sing happily at home the way Carewyn herself did, and perhaps the spot on the Choir could give Merula a constructive outlet for her negative emotions, the way that it often had for her while living at the Cromwell estate. By the time Carewyn and Merula both graduated, even if neither of them classified each other as friends, they had come together in large part because of them co-founding the Circle of Khanna with Bill, Charlie, and Ben. This made it so that when Lane saw Merula at Carewyn's graduation, she embraced her fully and praised her performance with the Frog Choir. Lane also noticed Merula eying the heck out of Jacob at the ceremony. Rather than feel any matchmaker-esque urges in response to this, though, she ended up trying to gently coax "her Blue Jay" elsewhere. The last thing Lane wanted was for Jacob to cause unnecessary drama at his and Carewyn's graduation by accidentally hurting Merula's feelings with his utter cluelessness.

"How long has Merula been sweet on your brother?" Lane murmured to Carewyn at one point.

Carewyn was unable to hold back an eye roll. "Since last year. She loved the fact that Jacob wiped the floor with me in a wizard duel."

Lane winced. "I see." She paused very briefly before saying, "...Well, that's not going to go anywhere."

"Nope."

[those-late-night-feels]

Letters

Part 2

Summary: Writing everything down should help you process your feelings. Somehow it always turns into letters to him.

Warnings: Grief, angst, eventual smut.

Feb. 4

Natasha stopped by today–brought a bottle of Zin to catch up. It was nice to have a distraction. She asked how I was doing, but it's easier to lie with a smile than dig into whatever this is…even I don't know. Emptiness?

We sat on the balcony, swapping war stories while watching the tide come in. It reminded me of that night in the common area of the tower. Too much to drink, getting rowdy and stupid, sharing way too much with one another. 

You sat back, reminiscing. Sam and Bucky egging everyone on to share stories of their misdeeds–times when they hadn't been the perfect, stand-up Avengers. Loki sat in a corner, leaning back in his chair with crossed arms, relishing in this side of the team. Sam shared a tryst he'd had with twins; Tony recalled a pornographic escapade during his playboy days with some unnamed celebrities. Wanda shared the cons she would run with her brother once upon a time. You could feel their eyes start to drift toward you. Clearing your throat, you brought back a memory that felt like a lifetime ago. "Before I joined this team, I was part of an undercover operation to assist in infiltrating large crime organizations. I was only supposed to be a cocktail server, slip by their security, grab the intel while the team disabled the cameras and leave before anyone suspected a thing. Everything was going according to plan, until one of the Narcossi brothers decided he needed an extra hit upstairs. We were both shocked when we found each other in the study, but he was the only one who showed it. I played it off like I'd followed him upstairs, that I desperately desired him, and then performed my first impromptu strip tease."

"Wait," Natasha interrupted. "The Narcossi brothers? Didn't one of them OD?"

You smirked. "That was the official report."

Sam choked on his drink mid-sip. "Did he OD on that pus–"

"Sam!" A balled-up napkin hit him in the chest. "He didn't get that far. He took a few more hits while I stripped down to a few flimsy lacy garments. Men tend to lower their guard when you're standing in front of them in only heels and a thong." From the corner of your eye, you saw Loki slowly lean forward.  "He turned to take another hit and I shot a serum into him that would take down an elephant."

"Boooo!" Sam yelled. "Come on, you tease!"

Awkwardly you stood in your inebriated state. "Sorry team, that's all I got tonight." 

Was that the first time you desired me? Or the first time you'd admit it to yourself? Following me back to my room, scaring the hell out of me outside my door. Do you remember what you had said? "Tell me, y/n. Have you stripped down for many men?"

You were standing so close I could smell Thor's mead on your breath. I barely heard the question and shook my head. 

"Interesting," you had whispered, and took a strand of my hair in your fingers. "And what exactly were you wearing when you stripped down?"

Were you teasing me, or were you intrigued? At the time, I couldn't tell. I grabbed the hand fiddling with my hair and with a cheeky smirk, told you, "Something skin tight and green underneath." 

You should have seen the look on your face when I told you goodnight and slipped into my room alone. 

Feb. 20

How can I miss someone so terribly that I hardly knew? Sometimes I am so angry with you, for making me feel this way and then leaving. I'd never tell you to your face (you were cocky enough as it was), but you were so much greater than most of us. But, even now, I don't think I'd ever be as mad as that other time (you know the one).

The team had been called together for a meeting with Fury and Hill, giving updates on the developments around the world, including Istanbul and a new subset that popped up in Liechtenstein. 

"We'll need to set up a team for a covert operation. Loki, I'd like to see you in there this time. Y/n, Dr. Pham gave you a green light. I figured you'd want to be there as well."

Internally ecstatic to finally be away from the mind numbing desk work while on medical leave, you turned to Loki. He stared ahead, jaw clenched. "Might I suggest that Thor and I take the lead on this one? It wouldn't be our first time handling this type of group."

"Not this time," Fury said, eyeing you. "Y/n has the stealth we need and she's familiar with the operation."

He slowly nodded as Maria handed the logistics sheet and went over the timeline of the mission.

As you made your way back to the compound to prepare, the tension was thick. What was wrong with him? Did he not trust you?

Leather jumpsuit zipped up, the katana was strapped to your back, a knife to your ankle, throwing stars on your hip. Waiting for the final word from Hill to take off, you found him alone, dressed in green and black leather, ready for battle. He glanced your way, jaw silently working again. "Will you please spit out what your problem is so we can move on?"

His head cocked to the side, obviously not expecting the outburst. "Do I have a problem?"

"Well you certainly would rather have Thor on this mission than me."

His smile was menacing. "Yes, I would rather have the God of Thunder at my side than the mortal who couldn't handle this mission the last time."

Pursed lips, your face burned, his words a kick to your gut. "We were ambushed."

"Indeed."

Internally, rage pulsed through your veins. How dare he think of you as incapable! "We all have made mistakes before, even the mighty Thor. I'm still valuable on this mission."

He took a daring step forward. "Little girl with a big stick. Take that away and what are you?" 

The handle of the katana was like an extension of your arm as it was unsheathed. "Come and find out."

His daggers appeared in his hands as you wielded the sword. He came at you quickly, more agile than you were used to with humans. Even alien invaders weren't like this, taking you by surprise. But you had trained with the best of them. Natasha had taught you stealth, Steve had taught you strength, Tony had taught you courage, and Clint had taught your precision. But you had taught yourself control. And when he came at your left, the katana swung, but instead of moving against him like he'd anticipated, you followed with. The sword could have sliced him open, you were better than he had imagined, but you held back the sharp blade centimeters from his skin. 

"Are you satisfied?" you asked breathlessly.

"Almost," he responded and reached palm to your forehead. Your eyes rolled back and he saw everything–the training you went through, the agony of losing everyone you loved before finding your way to the Avengers, every mission you'd taken, every battle you fought, every fear and desire you held. And when he let go of you, you knew that he knew everything. But the words that left his lips were not what you expected.

"You're a virgin…"

[hypnified]

👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀(I misunderstood the assignment 🥲💙)

@t3mpest98

Lore for possibly all my ocs I don't know, there's a lot. Some are headcanons because yes

Barks- most of the time he chooses not to sleep, he's too busy thinking of lives he could've possibly saved but couldn't. It eats him alive. Barks actually has a stutter, but he's really good at keeping it hidden he'd prefer if you didn't mention it, he's kinda insecure about it.

Erix- oh yes the flirt. Erix has a bullet in a necklace given by Skunker the first time they met, the other clone jokingly said "Next time you annoy me this is gonna go in your forehead" and Erix kept it just to annoy him, fun fact this is when Barks immediately decided he disliked Skunker. On the first meeting.

Storm- a literal menace to society. Falls on his feet frequently, like buddy you good? Constantly pranks the commanders like his life depends on it, if he misses a day he claims he'll get organ failure or some shit, Irais is ten seconds away from throwing him literally he's not even joking.

Skunker- oh yes, Mr. I threatened Erix and now his batchmate wants to murder me but I also want to murder him. Yes, he actually hates Barks it's not a joke, Crimson drags him away all the time.

Irais- oh yes the closed off commander whipee. Officially apart of the "I lost an eye club." His whole batch has problems, they are problematic but won't admit it. Irais jokes that his whole batch are failures, insert plasma throwing something at Irais here. If storm pranks him again he's gonna flip.

Dipper- has only been pranked by storm once, he's super likable. Very ori'vod coded. Drags Irais away like a lil kitten. Loves space, him and Bear talk about space together.

Lazarus- oh look it's another asshole, well he wasn't always an asshole but trauma loves him. Blames himself for the death of his batchmates, feels guilty for what happened to Phoenix.

Phoenix- feels guilty for what happened to his batchmates, definitely feels like he failed. His death is a well kept secret. Actually growls, no one knows why. Phoenix is, morbidly, a medic- and he himself has died for a few minutes before Laz restarted his heart.

Frey- looks up to all of the commanders, he has a favourite okay but yeah I'm not gonna mention who. "Crimson you can't bite them, Pluto stop climbing on everyone." Tired.

Pluto- climbs on whoever he can, mainly the 104th specifically. Did this Laz once and uh he got punched in the face- Laz didn't mean to do that but uh it happened

Crimson- has no self control, it's a problem. Does everything Frey tells him not to do.

Bear- BABY BABY BABY BOY. severe abandonment issues, terrified of being alone, hates saying goodbyes. Clings onto others, good luck getting him off of you :) tired, barely sleeps. "Glowstick if you do that again I'm going to personally revoke your glowstick privileges." "Bear is normal" have you seen his batchmates? Has daily breakdowns, sir are you okay? Comforts everyone, puts everyone first but he never takes care of himself. Actually kinda shy, glowstick is trying to get him to come out of his shell. A nervous wreck. Has a love hate relationship because of his batchmate Teddy, usually Joystick calls their name right another another "Teddy Bear come here!" They hate this.

Glowstick- actually eats glowsticks, got dared to eat one by Vixen don't worry he's fine and has done this before. Loves scaring Bear, probably the reason Bear barely sleeps. Rumour has it if you try hard enough he might glow in the dark, give it a try.

Joystick- the other unhinged feral guy. joystick is a pilot, and a very wild one at that, so they call him that because of the way he handles the throttle. He is the less unhinged out of glowstick and obviously himself still unhinged though. Absolutely feral.

Ginger- will fight you on the fact that he's the best cook.

Dainty- keeps Ryder in check or is supposed to.

Ryder- honestly what the fuck is he doing? Nobody knows

Unknown- does anyone really like him? Tragedy complains he's too negative.

Tragedy- unknown complains he's too tragic. He's the opposite of Peace kinda, likes conflict/is okay with conflict, talkative ish you get the idea.

Peace- Bear's little shadow and would do anything to help him, was abandoned by his batchmates no matter how many times Ryder denies it, Unknown claims he chose to leave this was not the case. Conflict makes him uncomfortable, barely speaks. Bear learnt sign language to help him. Constantly shakes. He's scared okay?

Beau- nothing to say here

Plasma- the asshole, the beloved. Has a dark sense of humour, it's kinda fucked up. "Fuck around and find out." Is such a tease. You're always safe with him. Throws rocks and anything at Irais. Once screamed in Mist's ears to see what would happen, Mist fucking decked him on the spot.

Fuze- the baby, he likes nature okay? Um what else, I don't know. Squish. He's also a corrie. Could tell you random facts about anything, August and Muffin fall asleep to this. I wanna put Fuze in my pocket, he's just a guy. He enjoys learning new things. He once got his hands on fireworks, glowstick helped.

August- I don't know what I'm doing with him but he's a guy.

Teddy- him and Bear matching names kinda happened, actually the opposite of Bear though. No more on him yet.

Lavender- thinks glowstick and joystick are insane, but where's the lie?

Muffin- I think people will like him when I introduce him in my big oc post

Mist- I don't wanna say anything until my big oc post

Slush- he baby

Bubbles- he best boy

[rosewritesfanfics]

Human

Sora x nobody!reader

There was ringing in your ears, and your vision blurred before sharpening and making you hyper aware of your surroundings. Things seemed like they were going in slow motion as you watched the blade go through your abdomen. Riku- no, not Riku, he would never do this. The creep who had possessed your friend laughed. You didn't know if Riku was aware of what was happening, and you honestly hoped he wasn't. He'd never forgive himself. The last thing you saw before you lost consciousness was Sora's horrified face as he banged his fists against the invisible barrier that prevented him from reaching you. You may have been scared, but stronger than that you felt hope. You knew Sora would succeed without you, he's stronger than anyone ever gave him credit for. With that last thought, you blacked out.

_________________________________________

You hated those stupid memories. You hated those stupid feelings that you can remember but never have more than a glimpse of. You hated the boy who let this happen to you it's not his fault, you loved him

Well, that wasn't entirely true. You didn't really hate him. In fact, you didn't feel anything for him or anyone else you missed him

He didn't recognize you with the hood you wore covering your face. Whatever, it didn't matter it hurt

The only reason you looked out for him is because you knew that he didn't stand a chance. The organization would have torn him apart if you hadn't agreed to help. He had lost all his previous abilities, and had to relearn everything. He should consider himself lucky you were willing to work with him.

Despite that, the two of you were constantly at odds. You couldn't understand his compassion for others. He couldn't understand how you could be cruel to others and still fight for the light. It led you to yet another training-session-turned-argument.

"I still don't understand, why are you helping us? How do we know your not a spy for the organization?" He asked. Sora knew you were a nobody, so why did you act like you cared? Why did you help him train? Why have you protected him and helped him with his quest?

"If I was with them, would I be helping you?" You asked in response to his question, he was seriously getting on your nerves. "This coat is used to shield me from darkness, it's not just the organization that wears this."

"Sorry if I have a difficult time trusting you, I've only had an entire group of people with that outfit trying to kill me this whole journey." He snarked back.

"I used to have a life before this you know, like all nobodies. I'm lucky enough to remember mine, and those memories show me that whatever this organization is planning needs to be stopped." You explained. Of course, that wasn't the real reason, but you would never admit that.

"Then why won't you show your face?" Sora asked. "If we're really on the same side, then me seeing your face shouldn't matter."

You know what. Fine. It wasn't your problem if what he saw hurt him.

You pulled down your hood and whatever he was going to say next got caught in his throat.

You looked slightly older, like he did, but it was still definitely you. You were gone, he'd mourned you, he'd watched you die. But there you stood right in front of him, only it wasn't really you. This was only a shell of who his old friend used to be. The universe wouldn't even let you pass peacefully, instead giving you a fate some would consider worse than death. Once the shock subsided, he realized he'd started crying. It felt like he'd been frozen, unable to wipe the tears away

You had expected shock, and maybe even a sad look, but Sora was crying. He had finally stepped closer to you, like he wanted to do or say something, but he looked unsure. It was honestly pathetic-

Your train of thought gets cut off by something sharp going through your chest. It wasn't physical pain, but instead a split second of a feeling. You no longer had the ability to specify which one, but you knew you had felt something.

That split second of feeling compelled you to pull Sora closer, and then the two of you were hugging. There was only silence for a while as you let him process what he'd learned.

"I lied. I didn't tell you the real reason I'm helping you." You start, Sora looked up at you, no longer crying but still oddly quiet. "When I'm around you, sometimes I get brief moments of feeling something. I know I'm a nobody, and it should be impossible, but maybe there is a way to get my heart back. Maybe you're the key."

You both stay there just holding each other for a while, until Donald and Goofy became worried enough about Sora to look for you. When you hear them approach, you quickly pull your hood back up to cover your face. Sora frowns, but doesn't object. It's up to you to decide when you tell them, if you ever tell them at all.

Goofy and Donald were suspicious of you once they saw Sora's tear stained cheeks, but he assured them everything was fine. You didn't bother listening to the stupid excuse he came up with, but at least the two animals didn't press for anymore details. You walked back towards the campsite with the rest of them, the sun having set already (how much time did you spend just hugging him?). You don't really need to sleep, so you'd keep watch tonight like you always did. Sora pauses before he enters his tent (the one you used to share with him). He knew you didn't physically need to sleep, but you had looked so tired.

"I can keep watch tonight, if you want to rest." Sora spoke softly, trying to avoid waking Donald and Goofy.

"It's fine, I don't need to-" you began, but Sora quickly interrupted you

"I know, I know, you don't need sleep. But that doesn't mean it's not nice to have once in a while." Even if Sora was exhausted from all the crying, he felt enough energy to keep watch for a while. You didn't look convinced. "I promise I'll wake you up in a few minutes if that's what you want, but please sleep." He was almost begging at this point.

"Fifteen minutes, no more than that." You finally gave in. "You better wake me up before that if you feel too tired."

"I will, I promise." He smiled as he replied, and you felt another small jolt of emotion, only this time it lingered. You weren't sure what it was specifically, but you began to tear up from how overwhelming it felt. Sora looked at you with concern.

"I'm ok, this is just the longest I've felt anything since I became a nobody." You explained. His confused face changed into another smile. He wrapped an arm around you and pulled you closer while you sat by the campfire. You felt yourself begin to drift off once the feeling finally faded.

Not too long after, Sora fell asleep as well. He hadn't meant to, but the emotional exhaustion finally took it's toll. Luckily being a nobody apparently effects how long you sleep too, because when you woke up it was still dark. You'd tease him about it in the morning, but you weren't irritated. He was right, sleeping was nice.

"Thank you." You whispered, still leaning into him. It was the most human you had felt in a long time.

[peninkwrites]

mafia au you say?

I made a moodboard for this au idea before posting anything about the au, so here's the gist!

OKAY.

So. Two sections of sorts. The Before Times and the Now. With an eight year gap in between. The factions have changed over that time. Before times, the majority of the city was occupied by the Arctic Empire led by the Crowfather, but when a rookie cop, Dream, commits himself to a war on organized crime (for reasons unknown) once an attempt is made on the Crowfather's son's life, Phil breaks down, takes his kid and his ally Technoblade, and flees. In that power vacuum left behind, Schlatt takes over with ruthless abandon. The Before Times have a few character focused prequel fics at present, but I'll have more plot stuff for it later!

(I'll put my shitty maps in here too for reference) (Yes I called the region under government control pig land. ACAB and all that.)

So at the beginning of the fic, the Empire has been divided up between Schlatt and the Badlands, with a lot of violence over some turf in the middle, but the real prize is West of the river, a much more upper class part of town which the cops keep careful control over. The arrows indicate borders shifting/where each group hopes to expand. The only other party of relevance is Puffy, who has a small strip along the docks from a deal with the Badlands, she is the one who runs all the drugs and booze in the city (city is in a prohibition type beat) after she quit the force.

The plot will start out with a few bangs, people going missing and dying and meeting and betraying each other, fun stuff like that, but I don't want to spoil anything so I'll talk characters instead– some of them will be important enough to have stuff from their pov, especially earlier on the list, but I don't know for sure yet who I'll focus on!

Tubbo: Just turned 18. Son of a mob boss. (Schlatt. I am sorry.) He's a ruthless little genius, but he hates the way things are run right now. His dad has put Tubbo and everyone he cares about in danger. Schlatt has made enemies, behaved recklessly, but it's Tubbo who will be left to pick up the pieces and try to keep everyone safe. The moment he can, he's going to change things for the better and strike down anyone who gets in his way. His friends include Tommy, the proud street rat, Niki and Ranboo, sister and brother who run a bakery/speakeasy together, and tentatively Schlatt's lawyer Quackity (they're foxhole buddies. friendship means survival)

Quackity: Schlatt's lawyer. Has an... interesting relationship with the guy (ew) but he's got a Plan. He's gonna get the fuck out of there and start up a casino with his boyfriend Karl (who sells counterfeit watches lol I had to) but you can't just up and leave the mob. So he's keeping his cards close to his chest for now, and when he sees an opportunity, he'll get out. He'd never admit it, but part of why he's sticking around is because he won't leave Tubbo alone with that piece of shit.

Sapnap: Grew up in the mob life because his father, BBH, led the Badlands, but left it the moment he turned 18 because he didn't want to live a life of crime. He wanted to help people, so he became a cop (please laugh. laughter is appropriate. Sapnap starts out wearing clown shoes.) it ended messy with his dad, as he basically completely cut him off. He joined the police academy with his best friend Dream and never looked back. (he joined eight years before around the same time everything changed.) Karlnapity is endgame.

Sam: Used to be a top dog in the Badlands before he pussied out– I mean had a moral crisis. Police captain after Puffy went awol. very canon-esque. Strong moral compass, but also such a fucking idiot. He lives on the nicer side of town with his boyfriend Ponk. Who works at Eret's museum and volunteers in the evening to give medical care to the homeless (aww isn't that sweet)

Ponk: Ponk is a fence who runs their operations out of Eret's basement. They're also Schlatt's doctor and sneak over there after dark to try and keep the stupid bastard alive. But they want out. They're tired of lying to Sam and working for someone they find morally reprehensible. So they make a deal with the Badlands– if they give them a way to get into the police station without breaking in/getting caught, the Badlands will protect them from Schlatt when they leave. So they steal Sam's keys (police files? haven't decided yet). One more job, then they go straight. For Sam. They're well liked across borders, but will that be enough to keep them safe?

Wilbur: Son of the Crowfather. Grew up in the city alongside the Empire kids, kids Phil took in, Fundy, Jack, Niki, Ranboo, along with a less close... rivalry? friendship? with the Badland's kid Sapnap. Then all of the sudden things got bad and when he was 18 or 19 his dad took him and ran, leaving all of his friends behind. (The other Empire kids were safe, they had no known affiliation with the Arctic Empire, Fundy squared away to become an accountant, Jack had already sort of separated him from the empire and had a job at a hotel, and Niki had her bakery to support herself and Ranboo.). Wilbur, going firmly against everything his father taught him, wanted to return to the city a new man, a musician who was down for a scheme or two, but definitely not the son of a mob boss. His first night back he runs into two people: his old friend Sapnap, who has degraded himself into working for the man, and Tommy. This annoying random kid who was kind enough to help him find Niki's speakeasy– The Secret City.

Tommy: street rat. refuses to tie himself down to an organization and heavily frowns upon it, tolerating Tubbo's family ties, but refusing to join anyone. He likes the freedom of it all, even if it gets lonely at times. He used to work with his buddy Eryn, the two of them planning pickpocketing hits and breaking into hotel rooms to sleep for the night, until Eryn decided he wanted to be a part of something more and joined up with the Badlands. He still spends most nights breaking into hotel rooms, his favorite being one which belongs to Jack Manifold, who hates his guts but also has never been able to catch him until he's already sneaking down the fire escape. 17 at the start of the fic. Helps this stupid tall fuck with a guitar find Niki's place because he's just ASKING to get mugged. Has no idea they'll one day consider each other brothers.

(the rest are more minor characters but boy do i have a lot for them lol)

Puffy: Basically in the Before Times she was the police captain that trained Sapnap and Dream when they were rookies. Her son Foolish is taken hostage, because ofc the mob want the police captain in their pocket, but she doesn't know who took him. The rest of the department/higher ups basically go "ya we can't do anything until they make demands good luck lol" so she goes. Okay. Fuck you guys. And takes her and her two little rookies to go look for him. The Arctic Empire are the most powerful players on the board at the time, but it's not them. The Badlands offer to help Puffy get her son back if she agrees to come work for them. She does. The police force basically were gonna leave Foolish to die. First she plays both sides, keeping an eye on Sapnap for Bad, undermining the police force, but Quackity the lawyer owes her a favor and helps her retire peacefully when the pigs start to catch on. She works for the Badlands for a few years, becomes a drug lord, starts her own little empire. Becomes the Godfather. (get it. bc Foolish is her son. the Godfather.)

Dream: A driven little bastard. In the before times, he and Sapnap joined the academy together. For reasons I will not yet explain, Dream makes it his one fucking mission to get all organized crime out of their city. He's ruthless. He's not committed to justice, he's committed to victory, damn whoever gets caught in the crossfire. He is supposed to play a major role as a villain, but I might make his whole deal more off-screen/reduced if I can.

Badboyhalo: was the second most powerful mob boss in the Empire days. Proud of his work, until his son left the family and basically went "you're dead to me." Bad had a crisis of faith. He cares about his family more than he does power, so he gives up some of his territory to Puffy, and asks Skeppy to run things for him. He's going to open up a diner (with a hint of money laundering ofc) and live a Normal Life in the hopes that one day Sapnap will come back to him. His peaceful retirement is an illusion. He could return to his former glory on a whim, but he'll wait for Sapnap for now.

Phil and Technoblade: Not too much to say here, they won't be active for the majority of the story, but Philza is The Crowfather. Insanely powerful. Even after he left the city to take over another one, he left behind some of his Crows to keep on eye on things (crows are people/spies, not birds lol) and Technoblade. He is Phil's enforcer and his right hand. He wears a pig skull mask because he's a notorious cop killer.

Eret: RICH. Runs the museum. Partially blind. Gives off an aura of being naively above all of the crime running rampant in the city. But she knows Everything. She is fiercely protective of her staff, which includes Ponk, museum curator, HBomb, her chauffeur/general guide, Fundy who runs the museum finances (aw an accountant just like his mom), and Foolish who has no idea what he's doing but Eret hired him as a favor to his dad Puffy.

Eryn: Was a street rat running around with Tommy, left him for a few years to go sailing with a crew as a little cabin boy. Came back with some cool scars and stories, tried to work with Tommy again but found he still wanted to be a part of a 'crew' of some sort, so he joined the Badlands. Now a spy with... let's say limited loyalties. (Tommy will always come first, but other than that...)

Niki: runs a bakery which is mostly a front for her speakeasy. Ranboo isn't really her brother, but she looked after him when she was alone on the streets until Philza took them under his wing. She just wants to make bread and a safe haven, but her speakeasy is right in the middle of highly fought over territory. She's used to being threatened or bullied by idiots trying to claim her fucking business. She doesn't blame Tubbo for his father's bullshit when he comes to collect dues, but she will keep this place running or burn down the city with it. Her speakeasy is open to everyone. No conflict, no sides, no guns allowed.

Ranboo: he's just a shy little dude. Didn't ask to be involved in this shit, but when one of your best friends ends up being the son of a mob boss you gotta roll with the punches. He's got a scar and a not-so-mysterious backstory.

Skeppy: this man is terrifying. A force to be reckoned with. When Bad stepped down, he stepped up. Has a soft spot for Bad and Bad alone, even if he doesn't understand him giving up everything for his son, he wants to help him and has the power to do so. (until, on the night of the first chapter, he mysteriously goes missing...)

Foolish: Found trouble in his youth, violent troublemaker in his early teens, but his dad is super protective of him from that one time he got kidnapped when he was like 14. He's a bit clueless about how the every day world works as he went from an absent father to basically being bubble-wrapped 24/7, so he starts working at Eret's place. He's buddies with Ponk and Eret, loves his job at the museum, not very good at it yet. Has a slight propensity for violence that his dad has made him outgrow, but will protect his friends.

Jack: Runs a hotel. Former Empire kid. Will lose his mind (he's moments away from Snapping) and end up helping Tubbo with his whole deal. Cares a lot about his friends. Sometimes wants to strangle Tommy.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head! And this was me trying to avoid spoilers lmao.

If you managed to read all this, thank you!!! I am always happy to talk about this au and maybe even some sneaky plot stuff but right now nothing is written yet! I am trying to figure out how I'm going to write it, I might write a bunch of fics each centered around different characters, but chapter titles with correspond to where in the timeline it takes place. Something like that, bc I don't think I can make this into one huge fic, and if folks are interested in a specific character/storyline, they can pick and choose what they read!

But again, i already have many wip I am in the middle of. But god does this au tempt me.

***UPDATE***

Part 1 of the series is now posted!

[latte-fairytaekwoon]

𝑻𝒆𝒆𝒏𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝑫𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒎 (𝑱𝒆𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒀𝒖𝒏𝒉𝒐) 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅

𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐉𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐘𝐮𝐧𝐡𝐨 (𝐀𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐳)× 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 (𝐅𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐞)

𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: 𝐒𝐦𝐮𝐭, 𝐅𝐥𝐮𝐟𝐟, 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞 𝐀𝐔, 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬.

𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: 𝐓𝐰𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬 𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐧'𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬.

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 𝟓.𝟖𝐊

𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: 𝐀𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐡𝐨𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬, 𝐞𝐱𝐡𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐢����𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐦, 𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐢-𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐨𝐨𝐥, 𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐥 (𝐟𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠), 𝐬𝐨𝐟𝐭, 𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐮𝐧𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐱 (𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧).

𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐓𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐛𝐲 𝐊𝐚𝐭𝐲 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐲

𝐓𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭: @yunhoiseyecandy @yunhofingers @galaxteez @little-precious-baby @multidreams-and-desires @vocalyunho

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The girl's eyes peered with great attention onto the map in front of her. Making sure it was the correct hallway, she proceeded to make her way down the small staircase. Being so attentive towards the schedule and diagram given to her, not to mention carrying her binder and some of her journals, she nearly tripped on the last couple of stairs but luckily regained her balance before any disaster happened. Faced with a wall full of lockers, she made a right turn and carefully looked for the number written on her paper. Her locker was one of the last ones, which she didn't mind. A door at the end of the lockers was half open, letting her have a peak inside what she assumed to be the training room for the boxing club, given the huge punching bag that was hanging and all sorts of other equipment that she would never guess what they were for.

Squinting her eyes, she began to put in her combination, safely maneuvering the lock and getting her locker to open. With a soft grunt, she tossed her heavy book bag into the compartment, her shoulder aching after having carried so many things at once. She began organizing things so loudly in there she didn't notice the tall, lean figure that approached the punching bag, one of his hands finishing the task of wrapping the safety bandages on the other. His black hair was already sticking to his forehead after having run some laps outside in the track field, his usual warm up before heading inside. Making sure the bandages were tightly secured, he held his fists up before landing a couple of punches onto the bag, stopping momentarily before resuming to strike at it with as much force as he could. Through pants and grunts, he continued his punches, teeth clenched and eyes completely focused, his body beginning to perspire even more sweat, leaving his shirt nearly soaked through.

Gasping for air, he decided to take a break, body hunched over as he rested his hands on his knees, slowly getting his heart rate back to normal. Getting an unusual feeling, he suddenly lifted his head and tilted it to the left. He was both surprised and intrigued to see a girl he'd never seen before gaze at him, her eyes wide open and lips slightly agape, fascination clearly visible on her features. Having been caught eyeing him, she quickly hid her face behind the open locker door, her cheeks immediately reddening and her hands fumbling to quickly take out what she needed and just dash out of there to avoid any further embarrassment. The young athlete chuckled softly, smile still plastered on his face as he began walking out of her room and up to where she was.

"I take it you're new in the school right?"

Startled by his close proximity and tall height, she dropped all of the things she was currently holding, muttering out a slight curse as she began bending down to pick them up.

"Here. Let me help."

Pulling her back up, the male speedily gathered her things and held them back out to her.

"Thank you..." Her voice was barely above a whisper.

"You never answered my question." He gently reminded her.

"Oh...yeah I just transferred here." She responded, hand reaching up to brush some fallen hair behind her ear.

"Thought so, in my years here I'm pretty sure I would have remembered a cute little face like yours."

His compliment followed along by his large hand booping the bun on the top of her head only worked to make her feel more shy about standing in front of such a handsome guy.

"I'm Yunho." He held out his wrapped hand out to her, which she gratefully shook.

"I'm Y/N."

He looked at her with a fond smile upon hearing her name.

"Well Y/N, if you ever get lost or need something, please let me know. I'd be happy to help."

Unable to help himself, he leaned down and bumped his nose against hers, making her slightly crinkle her own after he pulled back.

"I like you. Let's be friends."

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"Look! Yunho! I see the beach already!"

Yunho only took a small glance over at his friend, who had of course taken off her seatbelt in order to stand up and get a better view of the blue ocean that was now drawing closer and closer to them. Without taking his eyes off the road, he grabbed one of her belt loops and firmly sat her back down, not about to risk an accident happening.

"Y/N just because this car is convertible, doesn't mean you can just go wilding about and standing up. You could get hurt."

Poking her bottom lip out with crossed arms, the girl pushed the seat further back so she could rest her feet up on the dashboard. Still hyped up about their trip to California and unable to contain her excitement, Y/N moved one of her legs so it could nudge Yunho's arm. He merely rolled his eyes at her, so used to her mischievous yet rather adorable antics. He couldn't suppress the smile on his face when she kept bumping her knee up against his elbow or tapping her foot against one of the hands that was gripping the steering wheel. During one particular move of her leg, he got his hand off the wheel and grabbed her thigh, squeezing at it softly and keeping it within his reach.

"Do you have a death wish?" He questioned her.

"No..... I'm just too excited and I can't wait to see the rest of the gang." She bounced against the seat.

Releasing a light chuckle, Yunho used his thumb to rub circles against her exposed knee, tugging at the ripped fabric coming out.

"Seriously, couldn't you pick another pair of jeans?" He shook his head.

"What's wrong with them?" She exclaimed in offense.

"They're practically ripping from how skin tight they are. Honestly, did you just paint them on? Guys will stare at your ass." He involuntarily gripped her thigh a little tighter when he pictured some pervert eyeing his best friend up and down.

"Maybe that was the whole plan along."

Her little snort only made him smack her thigh rather abruptly, earning her a glare from him as well, which only served to make her burst into giggles.

"Hit me harder daddy." She teased him, sitting up to rest her head on his shoulders as she batted her eyelashes at him.

"Oh my fuck- I can't with you! You know I hate that word!" He cringed in disgust at the unholy word, lightly shoving her head off him, opting to instead turn up the volume of the music to hopefully calm his energetic friend down a bit.

Pulling into the parking lot, Y/N wasted no time in jumping out of the car and sprinting out towards the small crowd that was already gathered near the shoreline, a small bonfire already being started while the sun was still out. Finally catching sight of the last pair to get there, some of their friends waved them over.

"Hey guys! They're here! Yunho and Y/N are here!" A bright pink haired male who was donning a crop top began jumping up and down in excitement at the whole crew being gathered.

Meanwhile the jet black hair male next to him was not amused by his screeching.

"Ok ok geez, we get it." He held San down.

"Yeosang stop being a drag and let loose for once. We're on vacation, no more mean professors. No late night studying, no more presentations. Tonight we're just a bunch of adults who are going to get shit faced wasted and party all night long!" His friend let out a piercing holler.

"Ok but I'm not carrying your drunk ass back to the room then Woo." Yeosang warned him.

"Mingi!"

Y/N immediately ran up to her friend who was just as tall as Yunho. She was so happy to finally see him after so long, none of them having been able to see much of him since he had gone away on a transfer college program and had been living abroad for a while now. She clung onto him tightly.

"I missed you two munchkin." Mingi bent his face to kiss the top of her head before ruffling her hair into a tangled mess like he'd usually do.

"I'm not going to punch you for that only because I missed your clumsy ass too much." She squinted her eyes at him, but immediately went back to her happy self and began asking him so many questions about what he had done.

Yunho went over to see if anyone needed help, always stepping up to set up anything they needed. He had decided to help out his older friend, Seonghwa, bring out the coolers full of beer and other alcoholic beverages while another one, Hongjoong, began making a playlist on his phone which would soon blast all over the bluetooth speakers.

"How was the ride here?" Seonghwa asked Yunho, who could only let out an exhausted sigh.

"That crazy huh?" Hongjoong chuckled, looking over at Y/N who was practically hanging onto Mingi's arm like a koala, while San and Wooyoung were arguing about not being giving the same amount of hugs.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm happy she's already having fun, but even I think she's a little too much for me nowadays. I can barely keep up with her energy sometimes." Yunho admitted, although he found it ironic how ever since the years passed, it had seemed as if though his once bubbly and energetic nature switch somewhat with Y/N's more calm and mellow personality.

"Well I mean, don't worry about babysitting her tonight. Just drink some beer and go wild like we used to back in high school."

Popping off the cap, Seonghwa handed the bottle over to Yunho who immediately took a small sip of it.

"Are you kidding me? I'm going to have to stay sober and make sure she doesn't do anything too crazy."

Smirking, Hongjoong came up to him as he pulled something out of his pants.

"I thought you'd say that which is why I took the liberty of placing you two in the same motel room. Now you don't have to worry about rooming with tweedle dumb or tweedle idiot there." He nodded over to Wooyoung and San.

Yunho looked down at the room key with bewilderment.

"Oh Hong- why would you? Listen she's my best friend, but to share a room with her-"

"Is the best idea if you ask me. Seriously Yunho, we're here about to get fucked as hell. Maybe this is the chance for something between you two to finally happen. If you know what I mean." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, which made Yunho blush wildly.

"Nothing will happen. She only sees me as a friend." He tried to convince himself more than anyone else.

Seonghwa and Hongjoong looked at him and then at each other, both of them with a dead panned expression.

"Oh honey you are so lost." Seonghwa stated, letting out some very audible tsks.

"Jongho! Come here! We need an opinion from a level headed person." Hongjoong waved over a muscular red head over, who came over with arms crossed over his chest.

"What?" He looked unamused.

"On a scale of 1-10, how much would you say Yunho and Y/N want to fuck each other?"

Yunho covered Hongjoong's mouth at that.

"Hyung! What the fuck?!" He looked around to make sure Y/N didn't hear anything.

Shrugging, Jongho slid his hands into his pant's pockets.

"I don't really pay attention to hetero shit, but I'd say solid 12 if I'm being honest." Satisfying their curiosity, he went back towards Yeosang, who was already downing down another bottle and laughing a lot more than he'd usually do, which prompted his partner to take the bottle away from him, which Yeosang did not appreciate and began grumbling in a not so threatening manner.

Yunho looked over at his friend, talking so casually with the other girls, all of them showing off pictures of clothes or their pets no doubt. He began to think that maybe Hongjoong and Seonghwa were right. Perhaps this could be the night where something would spark between them.

He just had to wait and see.

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Loud cheers and hollers were being poured out at the two females who were currently tongue deep inside each other's throats due to the dare they were given.

"3, 2, 1! Ok. 40 seconds is up."

The more dominant of the girls got off the other's lap, a smug look on her face while the other looked completely dazed as she tried to regain her composure.

"Dang Sua, you didn't need to go that intense. Poor Yoohyeon." Wooyoung shook a finger at her.

"I know for a fact you enjoyed that little show just as much as she did." She glanced in between his legs, eyeing the very visible boner that had formed there before brushing some hair out of Yoohyeon's face.

"Ok it's not my turn but I've really been wondering long and hard about something! Seungyeon! Is it true you got your nipples pierced last month?" San suddenly blurted out, words slightly slurring as all eyes looked over at the bronzed beauty who had a wicked grin on her face.

"I did." She confirmed the rumor.

"No way! You have low pain tolerance! I don't believe you!" He interjected.

Putting her drink down, she sauntered over to him, hands on her hips as she stood in front of him. Grabbing the end of her shirt, she lifted it up and let her well endowed tits pop out. San nearly choked as he stared at the metal bars piercing through her nipples.

"Hot damn. I love being Bi." He licked his lips.

With a giggle, Seungyeon gave her tits a little shake before covering them up again.

"Ok now that I blessed you with my chest, now you have to do something for me."

Always up for a challenge, San immediately agreed.

"What is it? Come on throw it at me. Who's dick or pussy am I sucking?" His question had everyone laughing.

"No, don't get ahead of yourself fuck boi. I dare you to strip and jump into the cold water." She smirked, really convinced he'd never do it.

But to everyone's shock, horror and amusement, San didn't waste a second before standing up and ridding himself of all his clothes, leaving some of his friends wide eyed while others were getting more turned on by the ever escalating game of truth or dare.

"You know if you wanted an excuse to just see my dick, all you had to do was ask."

With a wink towards the tanned female, San ran into the water and let his entire body submerge underneath the waves. Meanwhile the rest of the party got off their seats to witness or record the entire thing. Coming out of the water, San swiped his hair back before calling out to them.

"I bet none of you have the guts to do the same!" He challenged them.

"Bet!" Wooyoung responded before practically ripping his shirt off.

With a shrug, Seungyeon completely took off her top.

"You have all seen my tits already. What the heck?"

Soon a few more of them joined San in the water, while the others either stood there contemplating if they should do something or just let them be.

"I knew it. I knew this would eventually turn into one of those college parties that ends in an orgy- NOT THAT I'VE EVER SEEN THEM!" Mingi immediately shouted, but everyone around him just looked at him with absolutely no surprise or judgment.

"I wanna join!"

Yunho watched in horror as Y/N took off her shirt and threw it at him. Before she could even reach for her bra clasp, he took off his jacket and covered her, picking her up and slinging her over his shoulder.

"No you don't. We're going to our room and you're going straight to bed." He firmly said, ignoring the suggestive glances the others were giving him.

"Put me down Yunho! Put me down!" She wiggled in his grasp, trying to break free but in her tipsy state she couldn't really do much.

"Bye Y/N! Sorry you didn't get to show us your boobs! I bet they're great!" Yeosang waved at them, completely drunk with Jongho holding him up so he wouldn't fall.

Y/N eventually gave up and just let Yunho carry her across the motel parking lot, his car already having been moved over so it'd be easier for them to get their stuff. Not fully coherent and with still leftover energy, she began tapping on his back.

"Truth or dare."

"Y/N, I'm pretty sure the game already ended." He told her as he took out his key to lock and put the alarm on his car.

"But you didn't pick anything besides truth you boring old sack! Now pick dare! I wanna dare you to do something!" She insisted.

"Fine. What do you want me to do?" He wanted to satisfy her whims for a moment.

"Dare you to slam me on the hood of the car and make out with me."

Yunho wasn't sure if she was being serious or was playing around like she usually did, but her sentence made him freeze up.

"I knew it. I knew you didn't have the balls to do it." She snickered at him.

Finally deciding to snap, Yunho tore his jacket off her body before hauling her down and slamming her onto the hood of his car, not to hard so she wouldn't get hurt. With a dark look in his eyes, he smirked down at her.

"Bet."

Before she had time to respond or comprehend what was going on, Y/N was already melting into the kiss her long time friend was giving her. She didn't hesitate to allow his tongue to slither in her mouth. Y/N moaned as Yunho continued to massage his tongue against hers, rolling them over each other before sucking down on it. His hands which had been holding her arms over her head let go of them so they could snake down her torso before gripping her hips. Prying her legs open with his knee, Yunho pressed himself in between them, his growing bulge grinding against her jean clad core. Y/N could feel her underwear stick to her folds from how aroused she was becoming. Having nothing to lose, she wrapped her legs around Yunho's waist, squeezing him closer as she grinded harder against him, practically dry humping him.

"Fuck! You're driving me insane."

Wanting to get her as frustrated as him, he trailed wet and sloppy kisses down her sternum, licking on the top of her cleavage, while his fingers pushed underneath her bra cups so they could rub her nipples in between them.

"Oh! Oh my god!" She gasped out, her hands going to the back of his head, fingers harshly tugging at the strands of his hair as she pressed her chest out more forward him.

"Please suck my tits."

Yunho let out a brief awkward laugh at her request before pulling himself off her, which resulted in her writhing in an annoyed manner.

"That wasn't part of the dare Y/N and I'm not doing such a lewd action out in public."

He did not let her glare deter him from patting the top of her head softly. Turning his back to her, he made way towards their hotel room calling out to her so she could follow him. When he didn't hear nor sense her following behind him, he quickly turned around and saw that instead she was walking towards the pool.

"Y/N I'm not going to tell you again. Get in the room right now and- No! Y/N no!"

He chased after her as if she was a misbehaving cat, internally cursing himself as he saw her entering the pool area. He stopped in his tracks when he saw her peel off her tight skinny jeans before diving into the pool, some of the water splashing onto him.

"Holy hell, please give me the strength to deal with her." He muttered to himself as he picked up her discarded clothing.

He just stood there both admiring and just guarding her as she freely swam around without a care in the world. Emerging from underwater, she swam up to where Yunho was and propped her elbows on the concrete.

"Join me Yuyu." She made it a point to use the nickname he favored and to glance at him with puppy dog eyes.

"No. It's late and you have gone wild enough for one night. Now come on, out you go now."

Extending his hand out, he ordered her to take it so he could pull her out of there. Having other thoughts in mind, Y/N acted as if she was giving in. As soon as she took his hand, she took advantage of his unguarded state to strongly pull him down into the water with her. Yunho came back out of the water with a shocked expression.

"Have you completely lost your mind?!" He shouted at her, wiping some of the dripping water off his face.

"Maybe. I don't know."

With absolutely no remorse, she pushed him towards the pool steps, making him sit down on one of them before straddling his lap. Not giving him a chance to ask, Y/N just cupped his cheeks and began to fervently kiss him, not lingering long on his lips as she preferred to attack his neck, biting and sucking at various points in an effort to leave purple and red spots all over his milky skin. Yunho's hands cupped her hips in a futile attempt to hold her still but ultimately failing as they seemed to have a mind of their own and wandered further down to cup her ass. Kneading at her cheeks, Yunho bucked his hips up at hers, head tilting to the side to allow her to nibble away as she pleased at his skin.

"Just what exactly do you want with all this?" Yunho finally asked.

Humming against his skin, she placed a sweet peck on the recent mark she made.

"I want you to suck my boobs." She repeated her words from before.

Taking his hands off her ass, she placed them on her chest, making them massage them as she liked them to be.

"That's it? You go through all this just to get your boobs sucked?" Yunho found it ridiculous yet cute.

Shaking her head, Y/N began bouncing on his lap.

"No I want you to fuck me." She blurted out.

Yunho immediately retracted her hands off her body, eyes not even blinking as he began processing what she just said. Gulping down an imaginary lump, he took a deep breath and gathered his strength and self control.

"Y/N, baby. You're probably too wasted to think straight. You don't know what you're saying. So let's just go back to the room and go to sleep. Don't want you regretting anything in the morning."

Even though he said it to her, he mostly meant it for himself. He didn't want to ruin anything they had already built up over the years just because of some stupid decision. Y/N however clung onto him when he attempted to let her go.

"I'm not wasted trust me. I'm in full use of my 5 senses and I mean it when I say I want you to fuck me Jeong Yunho."

Trying to seduce him one last time, she began to nibble at his earlobe, knowing he was sensitive around that area. Wanting to rile him up, she whispered in his ear.

"If not then that's ok..... I'm sure Seonghwa or Hongjoong won't mind me joining them for a night."

Instantly, she was lifted up by his strong arms and carried away towards their room.

"You're not spending the night with anyone but me."

Yunho nearly broke the door down from how hard he opened it, using his foot to slam it close behind them. Setting his friend down on the bed, he began to rid himself of his soaked clothes, letting them pile up into a short wet stack on the floor. Y/N bit down at her bottom lip as she took in the size of Yunho's cock. It was well above average and the thickness had her mouth watering. When Yunho came over to her, she tried to reach out and stroke it, but he quickly grabbed her wrist and stopped her from getting closer. Pushing her further on the bed until her head hit the headboard, Yunho reached under her back so he could unclasp her bra and free her boobs from their confinement.

"Are you really going to fuck me? Fuck me like one of your exes? I heard a few naughty and interesting rumors." She let out a soft giggle.

With darkening eyes, Yunho used one of his hands to wrap itself her neck, tightening around it so as to cut off her breathing for a brief moment.

"First of all, don't mention any of those skanks right now."

Releasing her neck, he peeled her panties off her legs and threw them across the room, ignoring where it landed. Taking both of her hands in his, he pressed his forehead against hers, his lips tenderly brushing against her own.

"And second of all, I'm not going to fuck you...."

Giving her a loving peck, he smiled at her.

"I'm going to make love to you."

Unlike his previous hungry kiss, this time his kisses were more soft and drawn out, as if he wanted to take his time in savoring each and every time his lips enveloped hers in a tender yet passionate kiss. Every once in a while, he'd tug at her bottom lip with his teeth in a playful way. Once he got her fill of tasting her mouth, his lips traveled down her chest, finally giving her what she'd ask for since the beginning. Looking up towards her, he took hold of one of her delectable breasts and brought his mouth close to it, tongue circling around the sensitive nipple before it disappeared inside his mouth. Yunho couldn't hide the proud smirk on his face whenever he felt Y/N squirm underneath him, back arching everytime he gave her tits a particularly long and hard suck. Pressing them together, he squeezed them into his large hands before taking both of her nipples in his mouth, teeth grazing over them. Taking notice of her change in breathing, Yunho couldn't resist himself in teasing her a little.

"Finally satisfied that you got what you wanted? You got your tits sucked, should I stop now?"

When he began moving away from her, Y/N pulled him back to land on top of her.

"No! You said you were going to make love to me." She whined at him, lips pouting out.

Pecking her pouty lips, Yunho began crawling down her body.

"I did say that and I'm following through on it."

Pulling her body close to his face, he ran his nose against her slippery folds. Parting her lips with 2 of his fingers, he delved his tongue into her hole, collecting some of her arousal and lapping it up with such ardent intensity. His face was practically smothering itself into her heat, her juices staining not only his nose but even his chin. But Yunho couldn't help himself as he continued to feast on her taste, his tongue flicking out against her clit before sucking more of her juices out of her. He loved having her roll her hips against his face, her eyes shut tight as she let herself get lost in the addicting feeling of having his mouth swallow her mound and folds. It boosted his confidence when he heard her moans get louder and her the rising of her chest become more agitated. By the way her thighs began to clench around his head, he knew she was going to cum any second. Before that could happen, he released her delicious clit from his mouth with a loud popping sound and climbed back on top of her body.

Before she could complain about him leaving her hanging, he began to pump himself slowly, the tip of his dick running across her folds. Looking at her one last time, he asked her one more time if she was ok with it. Instead of answering, she replaced his hand with her own, getting a low hiss to spill out from his lips as she began to stroke his length. Thumb playing with his slit, her mouth was occupied in kissing all over the marks she had previously made on his neck. Not wanting to waste any more time, she lined him up at her entrance and pushed him inside enough to get the tip in.

"Go ahead Yuyu." She encouraged him, her hands steadying themselves on his arms for support.

Slowly easing the rest of himself inch by inch in her, Yunho gave them both a few seconds to get adjusted before he began to expertly roll his hips. It was a slow and steady pace, but he made sure to hit deep enough for both of them to start moaning against their lips, which were never more than a few inches apart from each other. Yunho never took his eyes off her face, drinking up every single one of her facial expressions. He moved her hands off his arms so he could hold them in his own, their fingers intertwining with one another. He began to pick up his pace, hips slamming further onto her body. Unable to contain his emotions any longer, Yunho captured her lips one more time in a desperate kiss. He only pulled away so she could hear what he had to say.

"You don't know how long I've wanted you. From the first moment I laid eyes on you back in high school, I've yearned to make you mine."

Y/N gasped when he sunk his teeth into her neck, his hands pressing her hard against the mattress as his thrusts became more forceful, ripping out whimper after whimper out of her throat.

"I tried to find someone else....hoping I'd get over you....but none compared to you. I've only ever wanted you."

Y/N was left completely speechless at his words, never imagining he'd actually feel the same way she felt about him. She could see the longing in his eyes and she had no doubts that her own were probably mirroring his feelings at that moment as well. Caressing his face, she found it difficult to get out any coherent words due to Yunho ramming his cock inside her, but eventually she found her voice.

"I love you Yunho."

His hips momentarily stopped when he heard those 4 words, his mind trying to decipher if it was real or another one of his fantasies. Knowing he was doubting what he heard, she repeated herself.

"I love you Yunho."

Lifting her up, Yunho sat her on top of him, his arms holding her so close to him, he could practically smother her.

"Say that again." He begged her.

Y/N began crying out when he began lifting her up and sinking her back down onto his cock, his hips relentlessly bucking up into her. His fingers were gripping onto the sides of her waist so hard they would probably leave prints for days to come. Her nails raked along his back, leaving scratch marks plastered on the top.

"I love you! I love you!" She began chanting loudly through chattering teeth and shaky breathing.

Yunho felt himself go feral at hearing her repeat her words, wanting to hear her say it for so many years.

"Fuck I love you too my darling."

When he shifted angles underneath her slightly, he brushed against her g-spot, making Y/N's whimpers turn even louder and her walls clenched tighter around him.

"Right there love? Does it feel good right there?" He cooed in her ear, fingers brushing against the bulge protruding out of her stomach.

Through tear brimmed eyes, Y/N frantically nodded.

"Yes! Right there feels good. Please keep going, I'm going to cum." She begged him, her nails digging sharply into his skin.

Yunho continued to stroke his hips up, watching intently as Y/N shut her eyes tightly and clenched her teeth. Holding onto her tightly, he witnessed as she began sputtering incoherent words while her body shook uncontrollably on top of him, her orgasm washing over her and coating Yunho's cock which was still sliding in and out of her. It was such a beautiful scene, seeing her dissolve into immense pleasure that he didn't fall far behind as he began pumping all of his cum into her, shooting a heavy load that some began to spill onto his thighs as he continued to bounce her on top of him, helping them both ride out their highs.

They were so exhausted they ended up collapsing on the bed, their breathing raspy and hoarse. Reaching his hand out, Yunho pulled her body back up against his, wanting to stay as close to her as possible. Brushing some of her hair out of her face, he wiped off some of the smudged eyeliner and mascara that had become messy.

"I look ugly don't I?" She questioned him.

"You're always gorgeous to me, although if you want my honest opinion, I think you're prettier without any makeup on." He nuzzled his nose against hers.

Snuggling close to him, Y/N buried her face in his chest, inhaling in his scent while her ears listened intently to the beating of his heart. Their fingers began to play with one another, bumping against each other or just clasping and unclasping back and forth.

"So does this make us....?" She looked up at him.

"I mean, I would hope so. I was literally balls deep inside you while I declared my love for you. I would expect us to be official at this rate."

They both laughed softly at his answer.

"We should have been honest with each other a long time ago." She lamented not saying anything before.

"I'll say, I could have been making love to you a long time ago."

Y/N squealed when Yunho flipped her over, making her lie face down while pushing her legs apart.

"Y-Yunho! Already?" She couldn't stop blushing as she felt his dick poking at her ass.

"What can I say beautiful? You rile me up as if I was a teenager again." He had absolutely no shame as he began pushing inside her once again.

"But what if they hear us?" She pointed to the walls, knowing fully well her friends were probably already back in their rooms by now.

Yunho didn't seem to care as he fully shoved himself inside her folds and pressed open mouth kisses on the nape of her neck.

"Well then I hope they brought ear plugs."

✿*:･ﾟﾟ･:*✿✿*:･ﾟﾟ･:*✿✿*:･ﾟﾟ･:*✿✿*:･ﾟﾟ･:*✿

[linkedkeysau-official]

Whumptober 2022- Linked Keys edition

Day 22- pick your poison

The market in Crossroads Village filled the streets with the smell of various foods as the boys wandered around. Making another trip to the Big Island to stock up on supplies, the boys had decided to see what the locals had out today. Mouths were watering as they walked past stands with fresh fruits and vegetables, homemade snacks, and baked goods.

"Excuse me, young man!" A lady called from one of the booths as Hyrule walked past, "Aren't you one of those otherworldly heroes who they say have the power to finally defeat the evil Nihrie and save our world?"

"Ah, I…" Hyrule blushed as he approached the stand, "Y-Yeah, I'm… I'm with them. I don't know if I'm really that strong myself, but—"

"Oh don't be so modest! We all heard the news about how you freed those trapped in the cave with that horrible dragon. You all are so brave and strong… Please, you must try some of my cookies! Actually, wait a moment, I just finished baking a new batch. Only the best for one of you brave heroes." The lady pulled a tray of cookies from behind her and pushed it on the table closer to Hyrule with a beaming smile. They really did look tasty. Each one a thick biscuit of buttery, sugary crumbs, coated in some kind of syrup. The fairy in him found so much sugar almost irresistible.

There was something off about the baker, though he couldn't put his finger on it. His gaze drifted to the shining blue… pearl? on a string around her neck. Something about that made him feel uneasy. But she seemed so nice… She couldn't possibly be anyone bad. Could she?

"Well… they do look pretty tasty…" Hyrule admitted, "But to be honest, I don't have any money." He said nervously.

"Oh, sweetie, don't worry about it! You can have this one for free. Your quest must be so difficult, you boys could use a break." The lady held out the cookie. Hyrule stared at it for a moment, in all its warm, sugary glory. He never could resist food when it was offered to him like this…

"Thank you so much, miss." He smiled as he took it.

"Of course, hero. Good luck on your quest!" She waved to him cheerfully as he walked away. The moment he was out of earshot, she lifted the jewel on her necklace to her lips.

"The fairy boy has taken the bait. With their healer gone, the boys' abilities will be greatly dampened, especially against any of your monsters, my lord."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The cookie was amazing. Even better than Hyrule expected. So sweet and soft, yet crumbly and buttery at the same time. Even having spent several weeks now eating Wild's cooking, Hyrule wasn't sure he'd eaten anything so good in his life. He still had a gut feeling that something was off, but he tried to ignore it. He was probably just being paranoid. Interactions with strangers always set him on edge no matter how friendly they were.

He quickly stopped by one of the shops to stock up on potions and other supplies before heading back to the inn to reconvene with his brothers. It was late afternoon by this point, and Hyrule was tired. He was beyond tired, he felt exhausted. Fatigued, even. He didn't think he did anything too strenuous today. He hadn't even used any magic. So why did he feel like he'd run a marathon after drastically overusing his magic? Come to think of it… He felt sick.

"Hey, there you are, Rulie. Been wondering where you've been all day." Paint greeted him as he finally returned to the inn.

"Are you feeling okay, little one?" Time asked, noticing Hyrule's current condition.

"M'not sure. Think I might be getting sick…" Hyrule muttered. He swayed slightly, nearly falling over before Twilight jumped up, grabbing him and holding him steady.

"Time. He's got a fever." Twilight turned to his mentor with a look of intense concern. Time started to approach the healer to check on him when Hyrule suddenly lurched forward, slapped a hand to his mouth, and stumbled away from Twilight's grasp. The moment he was out the doors, he let loose a stream of vomit onto the ground in front of him. He had barely even drawn in another breath before more bile came up and spilled out of his mouth. His stomach, his throat, his mouth… they burned so much!

Even when he had nothing left in his stomach, he continued to heave, until suddenly his vision began to swirl. His legs gave up on keeping him upright, knees buckling as he crumpled to the ground, just barely missing the puddle he'd just created. His body hurt so much. He felt so cold… So cold, and alone, and dying.

"Hyrule!" Twilight cried, running out after him. He turned the younger hero onto his back. He looked so pale… He'd been perfectly fine this morning. How could he have gotten sick so suddenly?! Unless… had he somehow been poisoned?

"It's okay… you're gonna be okay, Rule. We're gonna take care of you." Twilight muttered softly as he scooped up the healer in his arms, carrying him back inside. He carried the smaller hero upstairs to one of the rooms the Chain had booked, laying him down on the bed gently and pulling the blankets up to his chest. He ran downstairs briefly, coming back with a wet cloth, which he laid over Hyrule's forehead.

"Doll…" Hyrule muttered, only half conscious.

"What?" Twilight asked.

"In… In my bag. Want… my doll." Hyrule continued. Twilight was confused, but didn't question it, remembering that, to some extent, Hyrule was still kind of like a kid. And he was probably scared. Even if Twilight had no idea what to do for him right now, the least he could do was get him what he assumed must be Hyrule's comfort item. Digging through Hyrule's bag, he eventually found a little doll bearing a strong resemblance to Hyrule himself. Or at least one of the heroes. It was cute, honestly, and fairly soft too. Twilight could kind of see why Hyrule liked it so much.

"Here you go." Twilight brought it up and handed it to Hyrule, who reached out to grab it weakly, pulling it close as a small smile lit up his tired face.

"Try to get some sleep. We're going to find out what did this to you. I promise." Twilight ruffled his curly hair lovingly. Hyrule nodded, eyes already drooping. Sleep… sounded so good. He was… so… tired…

"Hey, wake up, Rulie. It's morning."

………

"Hyrule? Wake up!"

"Hyrule?! HYRULE!!!"

[gh0sture]

Under the Sea

Trafalgar Law x gn!reader

Part 2, Meet the gang

You've never been particularly good at meeting new people or making good first impressions for that matter but this, by far, has to be your worst one yet. Your clothes are soaked still, your hair a sticky mess from the saltwater and your mouth is opening and closing lika a fish gasping for air as it flaps around on a bridge after being caught. It's not one of your best looks you'll admit but it is all you can offer at the moment given the circumstances.

You try to form coherent thoughts, you really do, but this is just way too much for you to take in. He reaches a hand out and you flinch before grabbing it to make an awkward shake.

This isn't just insane. This is completely knock-your-socks-off bonkers.

You feel as if you were looking at the golden gates of heaven themselves, not daring to look him in the eyes out of fear that you might go blind from the sheer radiance of his aura meanwhile the man in question just looked at you blankly. Possibly with a hint of disgust. Definitely a bit of disgust.

"The name's Trafalgar Law, captain of Polar tang" his handshake is firm and he looks at you expectantly while retrieving his hand and crossing his arms over his chest.

Neither of you say anything. He clears his throat but you give no reaction. Still staring at him like a five year old looking at a blackboard of university level algebra equations. He grimaces slightly at your behavior.

"Are you ok? I don't remember finding any trauma to your head, you should be fine" he grabs your chin and tilts your head around to inspect it disapprovingly in search of an injury. Although, he is an expert doctor so he would never miss any injuries, his pride wouldn't let him. This does nothing to soothe your symptoms though and doesn't exactly help with calming your heartbeat at all.

"I wouldn't have missed anything what's wrong with you" he mutters to himself when you finally managed to collect yourself enough to remove his hands.

"uhh no! no, i'm ok! thank you for ,uh, saving me by the way" this is the best and worst thing that have ever happened to you.

"it wasn't my choice" he deadpanned and turn back into the room to get a den-den mushi with a familiar penguin hat on it. Its so strange seeing on in real life. Although, you don't know if this is real life (is it just fantasy?). He proceeds to make a phone call (mushi-call? den-den call?) into it while you shift awkwardly on your feet in the hallway. Your feet ache from walking on the metal grid barefoot you had barely noticed until now. After exchanging a few words he walk over to the desk where he'd previously  been sitting and open a journal, presumably to continue doing whatever he did before.

"One of my crew members will be here shortly to get you settled for now and give you some necessities. We reach a port in nine days where you can leave." his voice was calm and composed, like pouring molten chocolate into your ears even though the words themselves were less than pleasant. When he spoke you could feel your knees get weak and you feel tempted to ask him a question for the sole purpose of hearing him speak more. God this man was hot. You nodded at his statement at first, not really paying attention to what he had actually said until you realized that nothing he said had been actually registered in your head.

"Wait, what?" you asked. He doesn't look up from his writing but you can hear the mild annoyance in his voice when he answers.

"Looking at you, you are rather ill equipped for staying here until we reach a populated island. Since you don't have any money or anything valuable, my crew will provide for you until we reach the port where you can find another ship to go back wherever you came from...Whatever weird country that's supposed to be...Now go down the hallway, He should be there already to help you so leave me alone" you get the feeling that you'll loose a limb if you stick around longer so you turn to head down the hallway and find "Him" who you hoped would be more polite.

"Not that way" you hear from the study and you turn around to head down the other way, somewhat (very) embarrassed.

You really wished that your first time meeting a celebrity would've gone better, but then again they do say that you should never meet your heroes. Was he always this rude in the series and book? Sure he came across as a bit of a tsundere but he seemed at least approachable in the series. You don't have the charisma or extroverted superpowers that Luffy have so that is probably an important thing to consider. As you head down the hallway you come across a man walking in your direction pretty soon. He seem far more ok with your existence and even appear to lit up a bit when he sees you and give you a friendly wave. This is already going a lot better than last time.

"Yo! You're the one we found floating around yesterday! Nice to meet you, people around here call me Penguin" He gives you a wide yet genuine smile as he grab your hand and shake it enthusiastically before you even have the chance to reach out.

"thought you were a goner when we found you haha!So it's good to see that you're up n' about, c'mon let me show you a round!" he turn around to walk from where he had just come from while you follow behind him silently.

Penguin makes it his personal responsibility to keep a conversation going even if it's pretty one-sided but it's nice. Comforting even, as he went on about how nice the other crewmembers are with the exception of the captain but you shouldn't take what he says too personal as he's a bit misunderstood. He  ask you different questions like your name, where you came from, complimenting you on your weird clothes, although it feels like that was mostly him being polite and you didn't have heart or energy to tell him that you're wearing PJ's. He doesn't mind your short answers and seems satisfied with the information he's able to divulge. To be fair you aren't sure how to answer since you don't know how you ended up here but also out of fear of ripping the space-time continuum open by telling him forbidden knowledge about his universe. It would be rather awkward explaining to him that you know a lot about them and what they've done/are about to do. You've technically stalked them through tv and books and if someone told you that they've been watching you, you would freak out. Rightfully so too. They might even think that you're a navy spy sent to gather information action for their arrest and they could kill you. Yeah, this is a mess and a half but you'll burn this bridge when you get to it. You did tell him your name though and he doesn't seem to suspect you working for some nefarious organization so all is well.

He showed you where the important places in the submarine was such as the kitchen, living quarters, rec area and bathrooms. You still have trouble telling up from down will undoubtedly get lost but he assures you that after a while you'll know this maze like the back of your hand. After leaving the living quarters he guides you to the top deck to find someone else he says will help you so that he can get back to work.

The yellow ship had surfaced at a deserted summer island and everyone was outside enjoying the sun after spending several days in the dark of the ocean. You hadn't been down in the submarine for that long , at least not while being conscious, and was already getting a bit unnerved over how cold and cramped it was. As soon as the warm rays of light hit you both the cold and your worries melt away.

"Hey Ikkaku! You have to help the drifter get some clothes!" He yelled at a woman laying in a sun-chair on the deck with her eyes closed. The familiar heart pirates uniform was open to reveal a green tank top and an orange and yellow striped hat was laying beside her.

"Haah!? Why do I have to do it?" She sat up to glare at Penguin and was about to protest when she spotted you behind him. One second you were hiding behind Penguin and the next you're face to face with a very pretty woman with very poofy hair. Her glorious lion name bounces a bit as she hold up both your hands in hers and lean over a bit to stare into your eyes. Everyone is so tall here why is everyone so ridiculously tall. Anime proportions are wild.

"Oh my god!! We were so worried about you, we thought you were dead when we found you!" You felt uncomfortable with her being so close to your face and politely thanked her for saving you while doing your best to avoid eye contact.

"Oi! Where's your manners! They've been through a lot being stranded in the ocean have some respect!" He bops her on the head and she lets you go to tell him off (and/or punch him back) but she remembers the shiny new toy in front of her and settles for staring daggers at him instead.

"Oh shut yer trap" She stares at you intensely as if to make sure you wouldn't run away or vanish into thin air. It's kind of nice being fawned over like this, and clearly the crew enjoy having a visitor.

"It's so nice having a fresh face around, It's been years since Captain let anyone new stay onboard  and being stuck with all the same jerks weeks on end gets a bit tiring you know. Now come on and let's go find you some proper clothes!" She grab your hand to drag you along back into the dark,dark depths of the submarine.

Oh joy. more cold, feet grating and claustrophobia.

"You're a bit smaller than everyone so we should probably ask Uni to sow it in for you if it's way too big" She says more to herself rather than you while handing you the classical white uniform with the heart pirates logo on the chest over your heart.

The woman who's name you had learned to be Ikkaku turn around and continued rummaging around the small closet in front of her in search of more clothes for you while you change into the white uniform when she isn't looking. It feels incredible to finally get out of those damp and sticky clothes and into something soft and warm instead. You are also the proud owner of a pair of fuzzy socks and black boots. Your poor abused feet are overjoyed that they no longer have to walk the metal grid of a thousand needles. Life is good.

"Once we get to the port of Pellar island you can probably trade your way to some more clothes but this should be fine for now"

In the little time you had spent with her you had learned quite the few things about the crew on the ship. For starters there were 21 members in the crew (including the captain), You were lucky number 22 according to Ikkaku, even though you aren't a part of the crew it's apparently better to have an even number of people aboard the ship. And hearing the stories of what they've been through it seems like you're their new rabbits foot. Since you're considered baggage or fancy cargo rather than someone useful she gives you some times on how to stay out the way, especially out if the captains way which you feel is probably a wise decision but you offer your help should she need it in the kitchen which she greatly appreciates. You hate feeling useless.

You can't help but wonder where you are in the Once Piece timeline as you rolled up the long sleeves of the uniform on your arms and legs for comfort. Had Luffy and Law already formed the alliance? Were you before the timeskip and the incident at Marine Ford? Maybe you were even ahead of the manga and anime itself in a future arc even. You were snapped out of your thoughts when Ikkaku pushed a bundle of toiletries into your arms involving a towel, a toothbrush, and a bar of soap.

"We haven't figured out where you'll sleep for the moment but it'll work out soon enough. Otherwise you can just sleep in a spare bed in the infirmary but come help me gather food from the island! We don't want to get scurvy while we're submerged!" She drag you away towards the deck after leaving your things in her room for safe keeping for now.

This woman is going to pull your arm off.

She seemed very sweet but all the touching and stereotypical anime arm-pulling is weird since you have literally just met. The way she smiles while asking you about your favourite foods and how she excitedly plan different recipes out loud make you almost forgive her though. Almost.

You move sluggishly towards Ikkaku's room to get the only material items you currently own in this world. Foraging for fruits and herb until nightfall was tiring but at least you didn't have to carry that much stuff, a guy with a black pompadour haircut had come along to help carry the crates of stuff you and Ikkaku gathered. He seemed very nice too, somewhat cocky though. You had asked Ikkaku for information on a certain Straw-hat pirate while making small talk and have come to the conclusion that he probably hasn't even started his adventure towards becoming the Pirate King yet. She didn't know who you were referring to and was even showed some seagull newspaper from their library but no info of the gummy monkey man could be found whatsoever. Since you recall him making news very early on in his "career" it's fair to assume that he hasn't gotten up to his mischief yet.

It feels a bit weird to be honest. To be in the prologue of the story like this and you have no idea what kind of things anyone other than the Strawhats and Luffy had been up to since the story followed them, maybe some vague details about Law's past and fragments from some characters backstories but this is all uncharted territory. Your thoughts are interrupted as you suddenly bump into someone and fell backwards. You reach your arms out like a bad imitation of a seagull in attempt to grab the wall but someone grabs you before you manage to take hold of anything. Your grab their shoulders to steady yourself and let go once you're back on your feet but they don't remove their hands from you. You look up to thank them for catching you when all the colour drains from your face and you realize who you're standing prom-slow-dance proximity to. It is but the one and only person you'd least want to embarrass yourself in front of. Again.

"Do you have a death wish or are you just plain stupid 22-ya" He looked down at you with what you assume to be the ghost of an amused smile or slight disgust. Probably disgust. Again. while you're distracted by his closeness and the humiliating event that is currently taking place. It could be much worse though, right? you can salvage this situation probably.

"Crap, sorry I was just zoned out.." You tried looking anywhere but his oh-so-handsome face to avoid you making this anymore awkward than it already was. You are not immune against handsome people after all. You tried moving away from him slightly but his hands stayed firm on your shoulders and could feel his gaze on you like needle pricks on your skin. you definitely do not dare looking him in the eye.

"You have to look where you're going or you might get seriously hurt next time" He mused. He may be attractive but he's definitely a jerk.

"It's impossible to see down here it's so dark..." you mutter under your breath and quickly move to side to walk past him, he let's go this time rejoice that your attempt to escape the harassing captain is successful, desperate to get away from this weird atmosphere you have created. Unfortunately for you, the universe have other plans  as he start walking behind you in the same direction you are and boy, is it awkward.

After a bit of walking you start to get a bit suspicious though. Was he following you around, waiting for you to get lost so that he could make a smartass comment about it? He is the kind of person who would find great amusement in petty bullshit like that for sure but then again you do have a tendency of assuming the worst in every situation. You decide to test this theory out by steeping to the side and make as much room as you could in the hallway and drop down to pretend fixing your shoelace. Instead of trying to walk past you he stops completely right behind you. You move as slow as you can without arising suspicion but he so kindly wait patiently behind you. When you're done "tying your shoelace" and stand up to continue your journey he follows close behind.

Oh hell no.

You can handle rudeness but this is some psychological warfare or foul play that you want no part of. No matter how handsome the guy is you will not stand for this kind of fuckery. You make a sudden halt and quickly turn around to kindly tell him to fuck off.

"Do you need something from me?" you ask with as much calm you can currently muster, irritation building up behind your customer service smile but he doesn't say anything and only look at you with the same dumb face as before. Almost like he's sizing you up before a fight. Possibly with even more disgust this time.

This Motherfucker.

When he still doesn't say anything for several seconds you just decide to be the bigger person and turn around to start walking again. Of course, with him still following you. It's better to just ignore him and he'll go away, you know where you're going. You finally reached Ikkaku's room and gather up the few items that belong to you when he finally speak up.

"You don't have a room assigned yet right?" You gave him a somewhat puzzled look. That's what he needed to know? That is why he followed you?? To ask you this???

"No? why?" You admit cautiously, almost preparing for him to start fighting you or using his power to "confiscate" one of your organs. For a brief second you could've sworn you saw a mischievous glint in his eyes you know that something bad is brewing. The cogs of evil are turning in his mind and you know that whatever comes out of his mouth next will undoubtedly mean bad news for you.

"I have an idea"

[pizzaboat]

After a particular bad storm, Luz and king decide to have a movie night..

It should be fun, but Luz just hopes the two adults joining them don't kill each other in the next 2 hours...

"No way, I'd rather clean Hooty than watch some goofy kids movie"

"But Edaaa!" The teen whined, "There's nothing else to watch, and the storm nocked out all the power!"

Sure the power was out. Courtesy of the terrible weather. The magical grid through out the building had been temporarily shut off for hooty's safety, and so most things in the house had stopped working. But that wasn't a good enough reason for Eda to sacrifice napping time.

Eda watched as the human brought the box containing some human *VHS tape* titled "The Lion king" up to display. 

"Come on Its a classic," Luz pleaded, " and you agreed, after some persuasion-"

- Manipulation." 

"-that you'd do something with me and King," Luz pointed, "And you said I could pick. I pick movie night."

"Hey, I say alot of things. Doesn't make 'em true." Eda said with a shrug, "And don't even try to give me any puppy dog eyes kid, I'm immune now."

Luz pouted, and Eda watched as an idea formed on the girls face. Never a good sign..

"Well," Luz said, "You think your tough, but it'd be a shame if anyone in town found out you secretly like hugs!"

"You wouldn't dare," Eda gasped, "They'd never believe you!"

"Oh really? Try me." Luz challenged.

Damn it. Blackmail. She really was her kid. Eda knew teaching her would come back to bite her in the ass.

"Fine," She sighed, "But if anyone starts singing, I'm out."

"That might be a problem.. since it's a musical,"

Titan damn it.

***

And that's how thirty minutes later everyone was gathered in the living room as Luz stuffed human candies into some contraption and King dragged an assortment of snacks to the sofa, throwing them on the coffee table.

Even Lilith had been dragged out of her cave for the night.

"I didn't know you were interested in this stuff," King said to her sister as she settled in the furthest side of the couch, away from everyone else.

"Of course I'm not," She told him, "This is the only room in the house with sufficient enough lighting to read my book."

"If you say so," He muttered.

Eda plopped down onto the couch, opposite to her;

"Yeah, Lily's a nerd," She yawned, pulling a blanket over her self and settling in, "She doesn't do fun. So don't expect her to thrive in social situations."

"I'm not a nerd!" The other woman glared, " I'm trying to research a cure. For our curses."

"Save it," Eda snorted, "I'm fine the way I am, no thanks to you."

"I split the curse, what more do you want?"

"for you to take some damn accountability." 

"How can I do that if you don't let me!?"

"I don't care, figure it out!"

"OK!" Luz cut in with fake enthusiasm, "The movies starting! Who's excited!?"

Eda snapped her gaze to the teen. The two adults had missed the worried looks both Luz and King had been giving them as things had escalated.

Eda felt a wave of guilt, as Luz wormed her way into her side, deviding the two sisters in the hopes of preventing some all out fist fight, she guessed. Eda wrapped an arm around the girl hugging her back as the movie started and music played.

"Hey king, pass some snacks up," Luz whispered.

 

"Get your own, peasant," He whispered back.

***

Lilith had tried her best to focuse on words of the book infront of her in the flickering candle light, but her gaze always wandered back to the small box set on the coffee table infront of them.

The demon had been scolded multiple times by the other two, as he always managed to sit himself directly infront of the screen every five minutes, completely engrossed in its contents.

Lilith didn't do musicals. She hated them. Always had.

Edalyns loud complaints and groans of annoyance when the characters had broke into song, were more obnoxious than the movie its self.

That was new.. wasn't Edalyn big into musicals back when they both were in school?

The human had sung along to every word, boasting that she knew the lyrics to all the "Disney songs," What ever the hell a Disney was, Lilith didn't know. And she didn't want to find out.

Lilith had also noticed the wary glances the human sent her every now and then, as if she thought Lilith would pounce on them all. Lilith couldn't blame them for that one, so she did her best to keep her gaze anywhere else but the rest of the room, and focused back in on her book.

***

King could sympathise with the young creatures desire to become king and rule over all those bellow him. The young lion was the most relatable main character he'd ever seen. Much better than those characters from Luz's books. 

Someone hungry for status much like himself. Though King was already a king. Feared by all.

He clapped when Simba scratched the hyenas face. These animals names were weird he decided though. Lions. Hyenas. Elephants. The movie had even featured those freaks, the giraffes.

He understood the feeling of helplessness when both Simba and his companions had been trapped In the elephants grave yard, only to be saved by Simba's father Mufasa.

He gasped when he discovered Scar's plan to usurp his brother. Maybe Luz had chosen a good movie after all...

***

The human whiped tears from her eyes, then continued to blubber. King wailed clutching his stuffed animal. Even Edalyn seemed somewhat moved, though she didn't show it much.

The father had died apparently. Betrayed by his brother. Lured into a trap by his trusted sibling. His son used against him as bait.

OK maybe that one hit close to home. Hadn't she lured her sister to a witches duel using their apprentice against them? Seeing the broken form of the betrayed, forced images of what could have happened into Lilith's mind, and she suppressed a shudder.

Edalyn petrified. Luz skewered.

It hit her just how close she had come to getting both her sister and her sister's apprentice killed.

Damn it. She'd lost her page.

***

These guys had the right idea, "Hakuna matata", no worries. If society decides your not worth it, why not atleast relax and try to have a good time with your friends. Screw it. Y'know?

Maybe that's what she would've thought even a month ago. But she wasn't so sure that was such a great message to send kids. Abandon responsibly. She knew predictably that the movie would correct this. She was proved right of course.

***

Luz's excitement bubbled towards the end. She'd seen the movie a thousand times when she was younger. But big confrontations were always exhilarating to watch.

Though less fun when your the one confronting things in real life, that's where the beauty of fiction comes in; She was in the mood to enjoy some nice old fashioned living through fictional characters. No danger. Just movies and her family. And Lilith. She wasn't sure why Lilith was In the owl house. Not because of the storm. Just in general.

Luz would have figured Lilith would have found somewhere to stay by now. But it might be difficult for her, what with the Emperors Coven declaring her a wanted criminal, while the rest of them had been pardoned. A selfish part of Luz wished she'd just leave anyway. Her skin always crawled when the woman was around. 

Luz felt bad about this. But it didn't stop her from occasionally thinking it.

She caught a glimpse of the woman In question, when Scar had been left to be killed by the hyenas. Lilith look paler than what seemed possible with her already ivory complexion. Her gaze fixed on the old mini TV. Was she rooting for Scar or something?

Luz wouldn't be surprised.

***

The villian had recieved what he deserved. To be vanquished by his enimies. 

Lilith felt sick thinking of the similarities between her and the character.

Jealousy. Ambition. Cunning. The will to do what ever it takes. 

She knew they were different. But she couldn't help but wonder what could've happend if she were more like this "Scar" character. 

Titan. She thought this was just a kid's movie.

***

The movie finished. Eda had fallen asleep towards the end only to be gently shaken awake by Luz after. The movie hadn't been bad. She'd even enjoyed it, Eda wouldn't admit that to anyone though. Not in a million years.

Luz said goodnight with a tight, crushing hug, then carried King to bed. The little guy must have conked out at some point into the film. 

Movie night accomplished and no one had even died. A win if ever there was one.

They would clean up in the morning but for now sleep, she made her way to leave as well but was stopped by her sister.

"Edalyn, I think we should talk.."

[darth-rainbow]

Basically, I have a fanfic going on called 'The Traveler' and it follows Lucie, my main character through the multiverse. At this point, Lucie and Clary have been hiding in Narnia. The rest of the Shadowhunters crew finds them and basically, so does Jonathan & Leith (Lucie's brother, a well trained hunter) and they slaugher them. Do you guys mind reading and giving me some feedback?

WARNING : It's pretty gorey and blood filed.

ps : wooden mallets are because Lucie & Clary were playing croquet before they rejoined with the rest of the gang.

"Can you please stop pacing? It's frustrating me." Alec told his parabatai. Jace rolled his eyes but halted his steps, standing arms crossed next to Isabelle. The female was chewing on her nails, apprehension growing in her eyes. She had no idea of when that Clary had been taken from reality. But it was still Clary, her Clary. And knowing that she was safe, would be enough. It had to. Magnus fondly glanced towards his seemingly exasperated lover. Bringing a hand to Alec's face, he gently ran a thumb along the male's cheek. "Thank you." Alec said softly, mustering an exhausted smile. Magnus gave a silent nod, before pressing his lips against Alec's in a short kiss.

Wooden mallets in hand, Lucie and Clary entered the vast castle hall. The redhead instantaneously recognized her friends standing at the center and dropped the possible weapon, rushing into Simon's open arms. Clary tightened her grip around the male's neck as she felt Simon shake a little, recognizing the muffled pants against her neck. He was crying. "Hey, hey, it's okay Si. I swear, I'm okay." The redhead promised, glancing with confusion towards the rest of the group. Clary nodded when Isabelle mouthed the word 'later', holding her best friend just a little tighter.

Lucie stood a couple of meters back, a perplexed expression on her features. The female recognized none of these people, and she knew she wasn't supposed to, since she hadn't met them yet. But there was something disappointing in not being able to recognize a single face. Tightening her grip around her wooden mallet, she watched as the blond took a couple of steps towards her. "You're alive." He said, looking so relieved.

"Huh, yeah." The female replied, uncertainty coloring her voice.

The blond smiled, letting out a breath that visibly moved his chest. It was as if an invisible weight had been removed from it. "You're alive." He repeated, bringing a hand to Lucie's cheek.

"Jace, don't..." Too late. Out of reflex, the Traveler grabbed his wrist and twisted it, forcibly removing his hand. Clary sighed, untangling herself from Simon completely to face the blond. "She's from the past." The redhead finished, belatedly. "A past in which she hasn't met us yet. She's not even a Traveler." The blond rose his eyebrows at the information, eyes flickering from Clary to Lucie. Narrowing them, he took the time to examine the female's features. He saw the subtle shift, the greater roundness of her cheeks, and the missing spark in her gaze.

Lucie blinked at the visibly wounded expression on the male's face, her features loosing the animosity. "I'm sorry." She said softly, letting go of the male's wrist as if she'd been burnt. "Just don't..." She shook her head. "Don't do that."

After a beat, the blond nodded. "I won't." Jace's lips parted as he heaved a soft sigh, taking a couple of steps back. "You're from the," he wet his bottom lip. "the past." He finished, in a whisper. "Okay. I can, I, it's fine." He nodded a few times. The blond cleared his throat, visibly embarrassed. "Sorry. I, I didn't knew."

Lucie pressed her lips together, as she clutched the mallet with the both of her hands, protectively holding it against her chest. "It's fine." She repeated, before swallowing thickly.

Jace furrowed his brows. "No. It's not. It made you visibly uncomfortable. That's not fine. I'm truly sorry for invading your space. It's just that my Lucie, I mean, the one I knew, she—"

"You had a different bond. I get it." The Traveler said. "If anything, I'm sorry for you. But I'm just not your, Lucie."

Jace nodded. "Thank you for being so understanding." The female shrugged as a reply and the blond sighed, turning to face his brother. Alec instinctively grew closer to his parabatai, gently putting a hand on Jace's shoulder. The taller male nodded and the two exhaled in synch. This was fine. A minor set back. Jace could deal with it.

Clary and Isabelle observed one another, uncertainty mirrored in the gazes they exchanged. "Iz, I..." The redhead swallowed thickly, reducing the distance between her and the brunette.

Isabelle's gradually gently curled up, eyes filling with tears. "I thought," she breathed through her nose, trying to stop herself from actually crying. "I thought I'd lost you." She breathed out, as the first tears started to roll down. "I thought I'd never see you again." Clary shook her head, taking ahold of Izzy's hands and gently squeezing them. "Please," The shadowhunter looked down at their hands. "don't interrupt me. I need to say it. I know, you're not," She looked up, smiling. "you're not exactly the Clary I lost. But you're still my Clary, right?" She asked, letting out a short chuckle when the redhead nodded at the words. "I love you Clary. I truly do." She admitted, before squeezing her eyes shut.

Clary slid her fingers between Isabelle's, intertwining them. "Iz," She whispered out, lovingly. "look at me. Please." The brunette let out a long breath before obeying, her eyes meeting with Clary's. "I love you too." She replied. "I've probably loved you since you said 'You have me. And that's not gonna change.' I think." The redhead let out a short laugh. "I wasn't lying at the Seelie Court." Isabelle let out a breath she didn't knew she was holding, smiling at the female.

"Does anyone get a little bit of a gay vibe?" Simon interrupted, earning himself a chuckle from Clary. "Sorry, I had too." The redhead scrunched her nose, fondly shaking her head for a second. "The occasion was too great." Simon went on, seeing the glare Alec shot his way.

The two females focused back on each other. Tentatively, Clary reached out for Isabelle. Cradling the brunette's face in her hands, she wiped away the traces of tears left her cheeks. Isabelle stood, eyes wide and full of vulnerability as the redhead gently ran her thumbs on her cheeks. Clary leant in, smiling when Isabelle gave a short nod and met her halfway. Their first kiss was tentative, a way to translate both fondness and longing. There was no regret in there, no haste. The two had enjoyed their friendship. This made sense. This was the next step. And they'd gotten there very organically.

"I am deeply, deeply touched. Moved beyond measures, really." A male voice interrupted, seemingly coming from nowhere. Lucie stilled as she recognized it, drawing in a loud breath.

"I, personally am disgusted." Another male voice said. This one familiar to everybody in the room. "How could you, sister?" The voice asked, seemingly coming from closer.

Isabelle protectively stood in front of Clary, lifting up her seraph blade. "Magnus?" She called, hoping he'd have a solution to make their opponents visible again.

With a swift kick, Lucie sent the wooden mallet towards Clary feet. The Traveler's stance shifted as she anchored her feet to the ground, protectively holding an arm in front of her as she kept her weapon raised.

"You truly think that little toy of yours will be able to stop me, sister?" Lucie snarled at the voice, wildly swinging the mallet in front of her. He sounded so close, so uncomfortably close.

"You think you could stop us at all?" Jonathan asked, a whisper in Jace's ear. The blond flung his elbow backwards, to be met with nothing but a pleased chuckle having distanced itself.

Eyes shut as power seemed to flow through his ignited hands, the warlock was channeling his powers to create a growing sphere of energy. Being a warlock and not a seelie, the communion with elements, especially when it came to the generation of matter that wasn't there was difficult. But he was, the High Warlock of Brooklyn, and soon enough, the blue sphere was elevating itself in the air. Magnus reopened his eyes, the feline part of him in full display as his yellow orbs glowed. With a flick of the wrist, the warlock made the sphere explode, dousing everybody in water. With more ease, he then generated a yellow orb that grew as it elevated itself towards the ceiling, smiling, the warlock made it explode by  lowering his hand towards the ground, covering everyone in the room with sand. "I couldn't think of a visibility spell, I don't know egyptian magic enough." He admitted, panting slightly.

Alec grinned at his boyfriend. "You're a genius, Mags." He told him, before his eyes trailed ahead, searching for masses with no body. "Jace!" He called, nocking an arrow. "Duck." He told the blood, before shooting. Sadly, the arrow went through nothingness, both Jace and their invisible opponent getting out of the way. Isabelle and Clary stood back to back, matching determined expression on their features as they awaited to be attacked. Using his enhanced speed, Simon lunged at one of their opponents, wrapping his arms around them. His teeth sank into what he hoped was a neck to be met with a burning sensation. The male withdrew as soon as possible, spitting out the black, viscous liquid.

"What? Can't handle a little ichor, Downworlder?" Jonathan asked, watching the vampire crouch forward as the acidic blood burnt his lower lip. "It's in your veins now." He pointed on, as Simon fell onto his knees. The male raised his sword, planning to cut off Simon's head when an arrow lodged itself into his wrist. Hurling in pain, Jonathan dropped the blade to pull it out. Working in tandem with his boyfriend, Magnus sent a blast of red magic in the direction of their opponent, sending him flying backwards.

Meanwhile, Lucie was struggling with her own brother. While she was able to distinguish a vague shape thanks to the sand clinging onto him, she couldn't actually see his weapon. Whomever had cloaked the two, had done a pretty darn good job. A hand grabbed her wrist as she flung the wooden mallet forward towards the level of his head. Jace saw an opening, moving forwards to stab the male's side with his blade, but Leith dragged Lucie to him, pivoting his body to face Jace in a swift movement. He watched as horror wrote itself on the blond's features while his blade sank in the female's stomach. The hunter pushed Lucie forwards with an amused chuckle, shoving her into Jace's arms.

"Magnus!" Jace called, catching the Traveler.

"I'm fine." Lucie hissed, applying pressure on her wound. "Finish him." She let out through gritted teeth.

Jace shook his head. "I've already lost you once." He weakly argued, his gaze gaining a certain glaze.

"You don't know me." The female replied, disbelieving. Her lips remained parted, short pants coming out. Jace bit his upper lip at the word, holding onto her still. The female furrowed her brows, wondering what could possibly make her worth any sacrifice? She'd handled much worse pain in her life. Had fought through much worse pain. But there he was, holding her as if she was fragile, as if she was worth protecting. Tears welled in the female's eyes as gently pushed him away. Lucie sucked in a sharp breath, forcing herself to stand tall. "I'm fine." She repeated.

Clary had rushed to her best friend, gathering Simon's head and gently holding it as she brought her wrist to his lips. "Simon, please..." She whispered, ignoring the burning sensation of ichor on her own skin.

The vampire weakly shook his head. "Protect you. M'fine." He spoke, struggling as the demon blood burnt in him. Tears welled in the redhead's eyes as she pressed her wrist harder, sensing fangs coming out. "No—" Simon's plea was cut short by Clary thrusting her wrist into his mouth, letting out a sigh of relief as teeth sank in. Izzy was hovering over the two in a protective stance, unfurled whip in a hand and seraph in the other. Alec carefully retreated to stand beside his sister as Magnus threw blasts of red energy towards an ever elusive target.

Forgotten to the group, was a certain Shadowhunter, infused with demon blood prior to his birth. After entirely pulling out the arrow out of his arm, Jonathan applied an iratze and forced himself back onto his feet. The male ran to the wooden mallet forgotten by Clary, dodging the arrows sent his way by a particularly skilled Alec. But the Morgenstern son was just as deft when it came to weapons, and with a well-aimed throw, he managed to hit Magnus in the head, temporarily distracting the archer who yelled his partner's name, and ran to him, in order to protect him against any assault of Lucie's brother. Isabelle saw an opportunity, her whip easily wrapping around Jonathan's. The male chuckled, wrapping his two hands around it and tugged the brunette to him. "When will you learn?" He asked, disbelieving and a little amused as he kept dragging her closer, barely affected by the burning sensation on his skin. The female let go of the weapon, laying face first onto the ground, a couple of feet away from him. Unsheathing a dagger, Jonathan chuckled, grabbing the female's hair and harshly tugging. "I wish you could see me, I would I could be the last thing you see before you depart for the after life." He chuckled. "But I guess there's no room for sentiment today." He finished, sinking the blade into the female's throat.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Clary screamed, planning to lung at the male. Simon held her back, firmly wrapping his arms around her as tears formed in the both of them's eyes.

Alec turned at the gut wrenching cry, facing away from his opponent. Just the second Leith needed to sank his blade into the male's back and harshly tug it out. The eldest Lightwood fell onto his knees as blood stared to trickle down his chin and fill his lungs. Tears welled into Alec's eyes as his body fell sideways, next go Magnus' unconscious form.

The air was knocked out of Jace's lungs as the blond faltered, the strength of the pain hitting much harder than he would've anticipated. Tears welled in the blond's eyes as the realization hit him : His parabatai, his brother, was dying. Confused, Lucie kneeled in front of him, forcing herself to him straight even if it meant releasing the pressure on her own wound. Cupping the blond's face with her hands, the female frowned, unexpected tremors moving her chin. "How, how can I help?" She asked. Jace shook his head as tears rolled down his cheeks. Because there was nothing she could do. The blond squeezed his eyes shut as he felt the parabatai rune fade away, taking with it Alec's last breath.

Seeing the shape that moved closer to the two, Simon vamp sped between Jace and Leith, not caring about the blade that sank in his stomach as his fangs pierce skin. Mundane blood, he noticed as a sort of hazy afterthought, as he felt the male go lax into his grip. Simon forced himself to keep drinking, with the intent to drain, with the intent to kill. Despite the blade lodged in him.

Clary had picked up Jonathan's own seraph blade, anger darkening her gaze as a determined snarled settled on her features. "Show yourself." She said.

"I would, if I could. But it's not my magic." The male explained. "It'll make things easier this way. For both of us, sister." He spoke, lunging at Clary with a dagger for sole weapon.

Leith's body soundlessly hit the ground, becoming visible again now that death had claimed him. Tears rolled down Lucie's cheeks as she glanced past Jace's shoulders. Pressing her lips together as Simon turned to face them, she saw the blade lodged there. She saw the despair of the male as his eye shot to Clary. The redhead seemed to be holding her own, anger fueled and driven, but how long would it last? Inhaling deeply, Lucie glanced down at Jace. "I'll buy you time." She said, before wiping away a tear that had rolled down the blond's cheek. "But you have to win." The female finished, before standing up. She marched to Simon, pulling out the blade in his chest and letting it clatter at her feet. "She'll need you. The both of you." She spoke, exposing her neck. "Don't bother fighting it. I'm already bleeding. I'm dead weight." Simon shot a final glance at Clary, seeing the female push forward against a much shorter blade, teeth gritted due to the strain and sank his teeth in Lucie's neck.

Upon hearing the redhead moan in pain, Jace was forced out of his transe, eyes glowing golden. Nostrils flared and teeth gritted, the blond picked up the blade a few feet away and leaped to Clary and Jonathan, every rune on his body possessing a match glow.

Simon gently laid Lucie's body on the floor, nodding as she mouthed 'win', a tired smile on her features. He glanced towards Clary, to see that the female had a cut on her cheek and another, seemingly deeper on her neck. Meanwhile, Jace and Jonathan were fighting each other, matching determination in their belligerent gazes. But Jace was still weakened by the loss of his family, and despite having a much shorter blade, Jonathan seemed to be doing a lot more damage. Simon vamp sped to the two, once again sinking his fangs in their opponent's neck, but with every intent to drain a lot more this time. So Simon kept going, despite the burning sensation filling his veins and sneaking under his skin. Simon kept going until Jace buried the blade he was wielding into the man's chest. He then let go, falling onto his knees as he started to vomit dark ichor, tears of the little good blood left in his rolling down his cheeks. The acidic venom seemed to be spreading everywhere, despite his best attempts to regurgitate it, and soon Simon was crying tears of ichor, the liquid asphyxiating him into he passed out.

Clary glanced around the room, pressing a hand against her mouth as she sobbed. "It's..." She struggled to take in a breath. "It's all my fault..." The female shook her head. "It's all my fault. They're all, they're—" She choked out on sobs. Tears freely rolling down his cheeks, Jace slowly marched towards the female.

A detail neglected by the blond, was that the invisibility spell placed on Jonathan hadn't been lifted, like it had been for Leith upon his death. The male had risen to his feet, and before Jace could actually embrace Clary, his head was neatly chopped off, stains of the blood spattering the redhead's face. "I'm truly sorry, sister." Jonathan spoke, seeing the look of utter horror on the female's face as Jace's body fell to the ground. Letting out a soft, satisfied chuckle, Jonathan crossed over it to stand in front of her. He reached out for Clary's face, running his thumb along her cheek. "But you'll be my princess soon." He whispered, to an unmoving Clary, tears freely rolling down her cheeks, the sheer shock paralyzing her. "I promise." He added, sinking the blade in her ribcage. The male's eyes fell shut as he let go of her cheek, watching the exhausted female not even bother to fight for life. "Ave, Atque, Vale." He spoke, tears rolling down.

https://my.w.tt/MnpQQYMAU4