#i *may* have passed along to Crowley

[shiratamahatsumiyo]

TWST with Amane Ubuyashiki reader

Amane Ubuyashiki is a supporting character in Demon Slayer. She is the wife and caretaker of Kagaya Ubuyashiki, and the mother of Hinaki, Nichika, Kiriya, Kuina, and Kanata Ubuyashiki. She helped her husband make plans on how to destroy Muzan Kibutsuji and aided him when Kagaya's physical state weakened.

• I'm just gonna rearrange their background for a bit. Their age here is when they're old enough to be chosen to marry Kagaya but was taken to the NRC first. Their age here is 17. I will also be changing their name from Ubuyashiki to Himorogi, which is Amane's maiden name.

• So basically, you already assumed that you were kidnapped by a demon and hid you inside a coffin to snack on later. You became puzzled when you felt the unfamiliar fabric of the ceremonial robe instead of your kimono. When you meet Grim, you didn't panic easily since he doesn't seem to be an Upper Moon. Grim was so dumbfounded when you calmly asked him why you should strip...

Grim: "Fnyagh?! Why are you awake?! W-whatever, just gimme your robe!"

Amane: "..."

Grim: "Hey! Did ya hear me?! I said, gimme your-"

Amane: "May I ask for what reason should I give you my clothing?"

Grim: "That's 'cause I'm The Great Grim! The sorcerer extraordinaire! So hand over your robe!"

Amane: "...And if I refuse?"

Grim: "Ya get burned by me!"

Amane: "...I apologize but no."

• Grim was getting irritated with how calm you are, almost as if you're treating him like a fly. Although... He couldn't help but sense the cautiousness of your tone. Him staring at your eyes felt like staring into the void yet there's beauty with your appearance.

• You walked passed him. He doesn't seem like a powerful demon. You have more important things to do... return to your home and marry the Ubuyashiki son. Grim, albeit a bit intimidated, could not stand you simply ignoring him. He pursued you, you ran.

• You avoided the demon wearing a crow mask while hiding from Grim. You explored the hallways until you memorized it's interior. You see a giant door and opened it to see... People on broomsticks?

• ....

• You don't understand.

• What is happening? Are they even human? How can they do that? And why are you in a building? As you thought of an answer for your questions for the sake of your sanity, Grim caught up to you...

Grim: "...*Pant*... Hey! You...*pant*... Ya think you can escape from my nose!"

Amane: "...."

Grim: "Fnyaagh... Hey! Enough with you ignoring me and face your-"

Amane: "Where exactly am I?"

Grim: "What? The heck are you asking me for? This is--"

???????: "Night Raven College, of course!"

Grim: "Fnyagh! What is up with randos cutting me off!?"

Crowley: "I am not just a rando, you beast! I am Dire Crowley, Headmaster of said college! And you, new student, have caused the orientation ceremony quite a problem. Come along now, we don't have all night."

Amane: "Pardon, but I am not a student here."

Crowley: "Did you wake up inside a coffin?"

Amane: "... Yes. Did you perhaps did-"

Crowley: "Then you are a new student! Also, please tame your familiar a little more."

Grim: "Hey, I ain't no--MMPH!"

Amane: "Hush."

• Grim didn't get to correct the headmaster for you placed a hand on his mouth to shut him up so you could silently observe Crowley while he's blabbering nonsense all the way to the Ceremony. You take in all the information you can get from Crowley as you near the Hall of Mirrors. The magic part is what you didn't understand. Does he mean Blood Demon Art?

Crowley: "Perhaps the teleportation magic made you forget? Allow me to help you remember. You are a new student in this prestigious academy filled with young mages who have the chance to hone their magical skills even furthur! This academy is founded by the Great Seven themselves! Isn't that quite an honor?"

Amane: "....I see."

• His explanations don't help at the slightest. He didn't tell you the reason why you are wearing a robe, why you came here in the first place, or why he assumed this floating tanuki is your familiar.

• You finally reached a room with muffled voices. The headmaster swung the doors open and revealed a crowd dressed in same robes you are wearing. He instructed you to approach the mirror... But you refused.

Crowley: "Now then, I must have hold of your familiar while you face the Dark Mirror. Go on."

Amane: "...Excuse me, but I musn't."

Crowley: "The ceremony is nearing its end! It's a simple process, just go to the mirror and say your name!"

• Crowley shoved you in front of the mirror and a face appeared in the glass. You have a staredown with the mirror before you say your name.

Amane: "...Hinaki Nichika..."

Dark Mirror: "Hinaki Nichika... Thy soul is..."

• Honestly, you are not that foolish to give them your real name. You decided to go with a fake one instead. You are not letting these demons take control.

Dark Mirror: ".... I do not know."

Crowley: "WHAT?!"

[shukein]

𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿(𝘀): 𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝘆, 𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗺 𝘀𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀: 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗻 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗼 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿: 𝗴𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿(𝗻𝗼 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘀) 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻(𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁), 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝘆, 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗲, 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 (𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲), 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁: 𝟱𝟱𝟵

𝗳𝗮𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲

it has been almost seven months now, and nothing has happened. nothing.

crowley has yet to still find you a way home, dealing with multiple overblots has become far too tiring to deal with, and having to be the one to solve everyone's problem was too much.

where was your help? why hasn't anyone helped you get back home?

sure, the last few months in twisted wonderland have been lots of fun, but you still didn't belong here. you don't belong here.

you just wanted to go back home, even if that meant dealing with the pain of leaving everyone else that you care deeply for.

"Headmage?" you call out to the man, opening the large door into his office. the man was sitting near his desk, seemingly busy with a bunch of paperwork that was scattered on the table.

he'd shift his gaze up away from the papers, a wide grin spreading across his lips as he dropped his pen. "Ah, well if it isn't Ramshackle's Prefect! What may I be of help to you?"

his voice booms loudly, watching as you approach his desk, fiddling with your fingers. "Uhm... I just wanted to know if there was anything that you found... to help me get home?"

with those words alone, crowley's grin faltered slightly, and you already seemed to know what his answer would be.

"A.. Ah! Right, I am... uh, I'm still looking into it of course! Just a little delayed with... uh, well, with all this paperwork. But worry not, I'll find you a way back home soon enough!"

and it's taking you six months?

you would let out a sigh of disappointment. you knew how this would end, but you had hoped with how long had passed that maybe, just maybe, crowley would've found something.

"Well, I still have a lot of work right now, so how about you hurry along now. You wouldn't want Grim causing any trouble now, right?" the man would shoo you away, and you'd find yourself leaving his office soon enough.

"Hah... what a letdown."

"-ease! Please! Just help me find a way back!" you yelled, screaming desperately for the person's assistance.

"Why should I?" their voice was cold, filled with nothing. a void of any emotion as tears welled in your eyes. "Aren't you supposed to be the one helping people? Why would I be doing your job?"

you could only stay silent as tears streamed down your cheeks, staring at the person before you.

"How about you go and kill yourself and see if you'll get home that way."

you immediately sat up, panting heavily as you looked around the room. you'd lean back against the headboard, trying to catch your breath as your gaze shifted over to the side of you to see grim's sleeping form.

"Fuck..." you brought your hands up to cover your face, feeling all the tears coming out again.

you sobbed quietly in your hands, staying as quiet as possible to keep from waking the feline next to you. fuck! fuck! fuck!

"Is there really no way of going back...?" your voice croaked, wiping the tears away as you stared down at the small beast next to you, moving one hand down to pet his small, chubby body.

"It's ok. Crowley will find something soon. I just gotta keep hoping for it."

©SHUKEIN. please do not translate or repost any of my work on any other platform, or claim any of it as your own. 2024

[yuurei20]

can i ask about what happens After the overblots? im pretty sure its mentioned that the memories of overblotting are foggy but im not sure if any other symptoms are mentioned?

Hello hello! Thank you for this question!

The memory issues that happen with overblots are particularly interesting because we don't technically know at what point during the process it is that the overblotters lose consciousness!

Were Riddle and Leona even awake inside of their own minds when they tried to kill Ace and Ruggie? Did Azul consciously start stealing everyone's magic, or had he already been taken over on the inside and the physical transformation was the final step?

Riddle does not seem to remember his overblot but it is possible that he remembered his flashback, as he references it when he regains consciousness.

These lines are identical across the game, manga and novel versions of Riddle's story.

Thanks to the second novel we might get more insight into Riddle's overblot that any other (as of this post):

"‘I can manage my own health just fine.’

He says this, but in reality, quite a bit of time had passed before he had been able to so much as stand on his own feet after overblotting.

He had felt so heavy; been in so much pain. It had been as if his entire body had burned itself out, along with his magical power."

-Twisted Wonderland the Second Novel

It seems Riddle had not been even able to stand upright for a while in the novel, though we do see him standing shortly afterwards in the manga (due to the limitations of the visual novel medium, whether he was able to ever stand or not in the game is a little vague. He is escorted out of the scene by Trey and Crowley, and Trey is described as physically supporting him to the nurse's office in the novel).

Leona's first line in the novel is "What did I...," but the lines above are otherwise identical and, like Riddle, Leona does not seem to remember what happened.

When Leona wakes up in the novel, Riddle explains to the others that Leona's consciousness may not have wholly returned yet and he is likely confused about what is going on.

Leona is also described as being physically spent in the novel: he refuses an offer from Crowley to help him up, but he repeatedly braces his hands against the ground as he struggles and fails to stand on his own in a sight that is described as "painful to behold." (He does eventually manage to rise to his feet without help.)

As Leona then suffers through several vengefully violent rounds of Spelldrive (it is explained that, aside from Cater and Trey, the other Spelldrive players like Jamil were unaware of his overblot), it will be interesting to read about his recovery if/when a third novel is released.

Azul doesn't seem to remember that he went "berserk" at all, presumably meaning that he doesn't remember the overblot. But this does not really answer the question of when, exactly, an overblot counts as an overblot: is the physical transformation necessary, or did losing his mind and using his unique magic without his contracts count?

(Azul does not need his contracts to enable his unique magic: he needs them to limit it, as his own magic is too powerful for him to control.)

Much like the others Jamil also seems confused about what happened when he awakes, but unlike the others we receive a little bit more follow up:

Jamil says that he has been able to successfully hide the real reason why he overblotted from his parents and Kalim's family, so while they know it happened, they don't know why.

But Jamil does know, and I think he might be the only overblotter who has come close to insinuating, "Not only is it possible to pinpoint the exact reason why I overblotted, but I know what it was."

(Thank you to @oddberryshortcake for pointing out that it is insinuated that Jamil also needed time to recover from his overblot!)

If the "overblotting happens internally over time as blot accumulates, prior the physical transformation that reflects it" theory is true, Vil reaching his point of no return might be easier to pinpoint than others.

(Vil's reaction upon awakening was localized as "How am I...?" on EN, but I would also suggest the alternative of, "Why am I...?")

Vil, too, seems confused about his situation upon regaining consciousness, but we find out later that he seems to remember a surprising amount about what happened post-transformation: he describes the phantom that appeared behind him in Book 5 as though he remembers seeing it for himself.

(Credit to @unrivalling for this follow-up, thank you very much!)

This is a fascinating revelation--do the other overblotters also remember what happened after they were overtaken, watching the events play out as if they were trapped inside of their own minds?

Idia's reaction upon waking up is identical to Riddle's (in the original game), and--also like Riddle--he might also show signs of remembering something, immediately asking after Ortho (with whom he's been conversing in between being defeated and waking up).

To the initial question: yes! Memory issues seem to be one side effect of overblotting, and it might also be the only effect that gets referenced in the game.

While post-overblot "medical treatment" is referenced it is not specified what kind of treatment was needed for what ailments.

There are many things in the novel that vary from the game and thus I would not recommend using the canon of one as proof in favor of or against the canon of the other. But we do get more details there about the physical toll that overblotting takes upon a mage's body, which might be of use for fanfic purposes? :>

[fuckyeahgoodomensfanfic]

Good Omens Fic Rec: Wild Hearts

In the idyllic English countryside, far from the hustle and bustle of the big city, two teachers at Willowbrook Hall set out to transform their students’ lives through the world of theatre. But for Mr. Crowley, the challenge of navigating his long hidden feelings and dear friendship with Mr. Fell may prove to be the greatest drama of all.

Length: 145,589 Words

AO3 Rating: Explicit/ Spice Level 🔥🔥🔥🔥

Best for: Mostly Safe in Public, Human AU, Romance, Slow Burn

Triggers: None

Read it here, fic by foolishlovers

*Minor Spoilers* Welcome to Willowbrook Hall, or as I like to call it, The Gay and Trans School for Gay and Trans Teens. Come meet professors Mr. Fell and Mr. Crowley, and their colorful cast of teens as they spend the school year getting ready for the performance of a lifetime in the school play. This place has it all: hijinks, dances, costumes, drama, and best of all a cat.

What I really loved about this story was how cinematic it felt. Sure, some scenes intentionally reference a movie (Wild Child, so fun and camp!), but that's not what I mean. The whole thing plays out like a movie or its own TV show. We get big dramatic moments of romance and heartbreak, plus fun ones like a mini makeover, the school dance, and the play. And there is tons of subtle foreshadowing along the way that will make you jump up and down when things come to fruition. It's thrilling and engaging, and waiting for updates when this was a WIP was excruciating because I wanted to know what was going to happen next so badly!

The side characters especially are so much fun! I loved the kids and their side plots. Even though we don’t follow their story directly, we see enough to get hooked. Adam and Warlock are standouts, but they aren't the only ones I enjoyed! Honestly, I'd read a standalone from the kids perspective! The teachers are excellent too. I have a soft spot for Newt, who pops in now and then, always a sweetheart. Crowley could be in the depths of heartbreak and still manage a smile for Newt. All the teachers (plus Nina) don't feel like they're just there. I was interested in them, and you really get a sense of how much of a family they all are. It's a real skill to make side characters as interesting as the main duo.

Of course, the main attraction is Crowley and Aziraphale. They’ll make you fall in love with them all over again. They’re the perfect domestic couple well before they admit anything. So many lovely details about them, from note passing and bets, to their shared bond with Beethoven the cat (aka the best character ever). You'll experience everything with them: the highs of gender discovery and euphoria, and the lows of miscommunication and misunderstandings. What drama is complete without that? Yes, they’re a bit thick headed, and yes, a single conversation could have fixed everything. But where's the fun in that? I'm here for the drama! The pang of heartbreak and yearning makes the reunion so much sweeter! They are wonderfully characterized, and yet still have an air and life of their own. Unique to this story, but true to their characters.

You’ll be mostly safe reading this in public. There are a handful of explicit scenes but you should have enough notice to get away from prying eyes. The sex here is delicious and heart pounding! Plus the way that Crowley's gender fluidity plays into those scenes was very beautiful. There are so many reasons to love this story. It's engaging, cinematic, dramatic, funny, and romantic. This was an incredible achievement and I hope you have just as much fun and I did!

Read it here, fic by foolishlovers

[kokiri-leaf]

I can't stop thinking about this post from a few years ago that really just makes everything click together about Crowley better than I think anyone actually realizes...

Crowley was The Serpent. He introduced free will into humanity, not by tempting Eve with fruit, but by helping her understand that she could CHOOSE whether she wanted to follow orders or not. Crowley gave her the Gift of Knowledge, not the fruit.

Crowley has all the empathy for the Universe, because he was its Architect. In the Great War of Heaven against Hell, picking a side was arbitrarty, because as he saw it, it wasn't a real choice that mattered. It was just a contest between two sides over who to gets privilege of destroying it all. Either way, the Universe loses. Only Crowley could see the bigger picture; only he dared to ask the question: Why?

Ultimately, the only lesson he took out of his damnation was that Heaven could not be trusted to understand the difference between what is Good and what is Right any more so than Hell. It was out of empathy, when he told Eve that she shouldn't need to listen to God, and in doing so, he gave the Universe the chance to make its own choice, to do more than just follow orders. Following God's orders may be seen as being Good, but if those orders are unjust, then how Good can they really be?

But Crowley is the only one who can see this, because as the serpent, he IS the free will that gave to the Universe. After witnessing the death and destruction of nearly the entire world's population to the Great Flood, he refused to remain complicit to any injustice that God wrought onto humanity. He refused to follow orders given to him in Uz to kill innocent children and livestock just because God took a dare to make one particular man's life suck for no other reason. When Crowley meet Jesus of Nazareth, he decided to show and educate the young messiah all about the rest of the entire world and all its beauty, because he thought the kid just simply ought to know. He taught others to think critically when it came to blindly following orders. All because a universe where an individual's choices don't matter, where every decision is preordained by cosmic forces until the end of time, is unfair. And Crowley learned firsthand just how unfair that is, to not have a choice in one's own destiny. This was the gift of knowledge he hoped to pass along to humanity: to ask questions, to address injustice, to be able to choose between doing good and doing right.

The serpent told Eve that we should always have a choice.

[blueberry-pride]

Referring to this~

OMG! I read the Q&A but IS IT TRUE? Im so excited 😳👉👈 Ummmm may i req then? Not for the event, but just a general req 😌 A scenario/hcs of Leona with fem!s/o where s/o needs comfort & gets spoiled cz she's having burnout due to all of the incidents on NRC~ I hope this is not too much, if u want to change the plot it's ok, thank u & have a nice day 😳✨

I See Right Through You...

Leona x FEM! S/O

warnings: leaning on to very angsty, cursing, personal issues

Berry: I'M FINALLY BACK AA-💀 just wrapped up some things and you should have some of the requests from the events roll around within the month or so 😣 I changed a bit of it but the overall theme is the same just something that hits a little too close to home ;=; Special Thanks to my lovely friends Len and Luna who helped me out with this one ❤️❤️

"This isn't me wanting some semblance of pity, You can keep it for all I care- I'm so goddamn tired but did I ever ask to be in Twisted Wonderland? Oh don't get me started..." "Did I ask to be Crowley's clean up crew? Did I ask to be in the middle of every. fucking. issue?"

"Sometimes I'd like to be the damsel-but sevens forbid the woman wanting to be saved from all the stupid stress of this world."

"Well I'm so sorry for complaining over a job I didn't ask for but hey- we're in a magical school full fun and dreams, cuz that's sure to make up for ALL the unnecessary emotional and physical labor!" Your voice cracked as you forced a cheery smile.

Leona wasn't expecting you to snap at him when he wanted to mess with you for just a little bit. He had observed you from afar for quite some time now. And most importantly, he wasn't a stranger to people putting up a face for other's sake.

His emerald gaze would glint over your figure as he studies the creases in your eyes from all the work you've been doing. He'd always wondered how much you could take, often times giving you snarky or witty advices in hopes to get you out of your doormat cycle.

He admitted what the Head-mage was doing is a bit too far. He was kinda impressed on how you pushed on with that fiery and stubborn heart of yours.

A sadistic part of him wanted to see when you'll break

He wanted to see you bite back

He anticipated it even more when multiple students come to you for help increased by the day;

You nodded along as Ace and Deuce were once again asking help in doing their chores back at Heartslabyul, you laughed it off as one of their usual antics.

You happily agreed when Kalim invited you to one of his many celebrations despite just finished with your cleanup at Ramshackle, your smile didn't reach you. Those glassy eyes of yours, shifting downwards to hide the reluctance.

It was an asshole move of him in all honesty.

Not lending out a helping a hand but he knew you were capable. For fuck's sake you got him AND his dorm to help you out during Azul's little "tantrum".

He wanted you to overcome this on your own. However, he had an oversight on how much you can take on the world alongside his bullshit attempt of support.

Leona had happened to pass by a class with the door wide open, his lions ears perked at the ongoing conversation.

"Phyn, you're in our group." One student spoke up. "Oh hell yeah, thanks dude!" Another cheered, followed by the sound of a high-five.

"-And I guess that's everyone.. Oh (Y/N)..hmm I guess you and Grim would be a duo, every other's group is already filled up." "Uh.." You chuckled with a loppy smile. "No worries, at least I get to stay in my dorm this time." The class chuckled at your comment and nodded along. As the groups filed out chatting amongst each other, he took lighter steps walking closely behind you.

It wasn't until you reached the entrance of Ramshackle is when you finally noticed him. Which led to the situation right now. "Why the long face herbivore, where's the can-do attitude I know and adore~?"

Your hands balled into fists, shaking as tears were running down your eyes.

"This isn't me wanting some semblance of pity, You can keep it for all I care- I'm so goddamn tired but did I ever ask to be in Twisted Wonderland? Oh don't get me started..." "Did I ask to be Crowley's clean up crew? Did I ask to be in the middle of every. fucking. issue?"

'Shit...' He said mentally.

"Let's...do this inside. We don't want anyone gawking at ya like this." He laid a hand behind your back inside and joined you not before he scanned the area for any curious on-lookers.

He leaned against the side of the wall of the living room, listening to your continued rant. Throwing hands and even had the strength to throw away the innocent coffee table in the middle, Its legs breaking into splinters as soon as it hit impact onto the cold hard floor. "-WHY IS IT ALWAYS ME WHO HAS TO FIX THINGS?" You exclaimed towards the pillow you threw towards the ground.

"Helping fix things is nice and all.." You sniffled. "But is it really so wrong to want that shit in return?"

He knew it was bad but he wanted to see how far you're flames would burn him. He wanted it to hurt-what you've been going through, he knows he can take it.

"You're ranting to the wrong person, go off on Crowley, yell at your classmates for ignoring ya. Tell that red-head and blue-haired friend of yours to fuck off and do their own stupid chores." "Be fucking selfish for once herbivore, Treat yourself to a nice nap-"

"-Oh what? like you? I'm not you Leona." You retorted back. "For fuck sakes you were born here-you were supposed to exist in this plane of existence while I got chucked out of mine." "You say I exist here but I'm one of the least wanted given my 'cheery' attitude. At the very least I know when to stand my guard." You huffed as you sat on the couch, tears still spilling from your eyes. "Is this your way of helping me? because I could clearly feel the love right now..." Leona let out a dry chuckle as he walked over to you. His imposing figure casts a shadow over you but as you gaze at his eyes, there was a lingering feeling of warmth. "Dont be like me." He shook his head. "Sevens, I hope you don't end up like me, but what I'm trying to say is..." His voiced trailed as he looked at your shaking form.

A memory sliced through him for a second. For a brief moment he saw his little self all those years ago in the visage of you. "In a campus full of these jackasses in NRC-including myself sometimes, I... I see right through you." He awkwardly patted your back. "I know it sucks but don't do that shit to yourself where you thought 'hey, I know who to look for if I'm in a room full of folks I adore, but who would look for me?'" Leona had a distant look as he stared at the broken table in the middle of the dorm. "Look for yourself first, look for that little corner of your room to be selfish with what you want to do. Worry about the details later." You cleared your throat as you steal a soft glance at him "You may not be the best and most unlikely to look for advice." The air seemed to change as the both of you share a soft laugh. "But you get right to the point...even though you could've done something much earlier." "What's the fun in that?" He raised an eyebrow. "Besides, You don't need a king's help in chess, a queen...has all the moves she needs."

Leona was surprised to hear your melodic laughter, belting out through your still falling tears at his small comment. "Oh my God Leona you did not just-" You wiped a tear as you smiled at him. He felt a flutter in his chest from the way you're looking at him now. "Well you did just say, I'm not the best." He smirked.

The tense feeling in his shoulder now dissipated as he settled himself on the couch strangely close to you, a tiny voice inside him wondered why. Seeing you smile even though you just murdered the poor coffee table not too long ago is a sign to him he did his job.

It's certainly weird but it's you. People may not look for you or choose you in a room full other characters from their lives, but you can trust that there's always a lion beastman just out in hallway, willing to stand with you through it all.

[aziraphales-library]

I need some fix-it fics after season 2. Anything that continues straight after S2 and has a happy ending or alternate endings to S2 where they actually know how to communicate

We have started a #fix-it tag! Here are just a fraction...

Heliotrope (flower of undying love) by scatterbrained_salamander (G)

It had started off so simple. “Ah, well. He always did want to go his own way. Always asking damn fool questions, too,” Metatron had said, oblivious to Aziraphale’s inner turmoil. Aziraphale had given a false smile, and let the conversation drop. Aziraphale had figured it was just the Metatron, trying to sympathize with Aziraphale’s rejection. Surely he didn’t actually think that about Crowley. Not deep down, at least. Or: Working Heaven isn't quite what Aziraphale had pictured. After months of coping with the too-high expectations of Metatron and Co, and months of monotonous paperwork, Muriel comes in with an unexpected report. Someone had left flowers on his bookshop's doorstep.

Another Round by AverageContentProducer (T)

Crowley is quiet for a moment before responding. “Angel,” he says, voice low. “I don’t think the apology dance is getting us out of this one.” - The art of repair can be a tricky one. In certain instances, one may find that fixing that which has broken requires a person (or an entity, as it may be) to adopt a non-linear mode of thinking. This is not an undertaking for the narrow of mind, nor for the faint of heart. It is a very, very delicate operation. Which is to say that, sometimes, under truly dire circumstances… you may find that the solution calls for breaking things even further.

The Day After: Early in the Morning by the Sea by Eigen_Licht (T)

“... ’That doesn’t mean I will let you off the hook this easy. …I still want that apology dance.’ ‘Of course, my love’” Later, on a cliff by the east coast of Sussex, the night sky above them, Aziraphale and Crowley finally talk.

You left me with no choice by Wullam343 (NR)

"Just explain this to me, angel," Crowley growled. "If you know how things are going to turn out if you try this, why are you so hellbent on risking everything you have, even OUR FRIENDSHIP to defy heaven?!" "BECAUSE I WANT TO PROTECT YOU!" Aka i absolutely refuse to accept how the season ended so for my mental health i had to write this as a coping mechanism

everywhere by vivahate (T)

Something in Crowley snaps. He’s hearing what his heart needs, what it’s wanted to hear for ages, yet instead of long-sought relief all he feels is anger so bright and hot, he feels like he might catch on fire. A growl rips from his throat, unbidden and he stalks out of the room, out of the house, out into the raging storm. It is no match to the storm brewing inside. He doesn’t bother counting. It will do nothing. Lightning passes through him and he roars along. It hits a tree nearby and the emotional release only leaves him all the more empty. Even now he can feel Aziraphale’s presence, watchful, careful. His angel in despair. But still looking out for him. - (or; Aziraphale uncovers what Heaven was actually trying to accomplish by appointing him as a leader, grovels and gets his priorities straight. And the world does not end this time around either.)

tender is the night by Path_Finder (T)

“I confess, I’ve never had the opportunity to do something like this,” Aziraphale says. Crowley huffs in amusement as he grabs Aziraphale’s hand, guiding it up and letting his hand come to rest just behind Crowley’s shoulder blade. He places his own free hand on the small of Aziraphale’s back. Crowley can feel the rustle of Aziraphale’s breaths, too infrequent to be truly human as if he keeps forgetting that it’s something he’s supposed to do. “Is this...alright?” the angel asks. Crowley can only manage a nod. -/- Aziraphale and Crowley share a slow dance together during the ball. Confessions ensue.

- Mod D

[wrengrif]

Blargh more wild Meta

I kinda want to expand on something I said in passing on someone else's repost, because I've been thinking about it Really Hard. I know we all know that Crowley does not want to become an angel again because it would be equivalent of shoving yourself into a small box when you're a fully-sized human being. He doesn't want to lose himself to become a less-than-himself version, just to make himself palatable to Heaven and to Aziraphale.

Aziraphale says some very emotionally panicked things - some callous, 'Well of course not, you're the bad guys' comes to mind. However, in desperation, in desire, he yells at Crowley, 'I Need You!'

Aziraphale is not talking about the Starmaker. He's not talking about that giddy girl with her Starmachine. He's talking about Crowley - his Crowley - his Six-Thousand-Years-We've-Known-Each-Other. If he wasn't being watched by the Metatron, I believe he would have screamed something along the lines of, 'OH MY GOD CROWLEY NO I NEED YOU AND YOUR HELP. The Metatron wants me to Lead Heaven, but I'm pretty sure it's a trap but at the same time Heaven Needs Sorting. Fuck being an angel just come with me as is. I cannot hope to deal with these bastards alone - I need your genius, I need your patience, I need your ability to cut through all bullshit -- '

(Of course he did not say that, probably because he was being watched, but Michael Sheen really sold it. )

Aziraphale may have had a crush on the Starmaker, but come on, He Loves Crowley. He needs him, desires him, whatevers-him. If it was possible he'd just give Crowley a permipass into Heaven without any of the angel nonsense. Metatron put that in the mix, not Aziraphale.

So let's never forget, Aziraphale does not reject Crowley, his 'wily serpent'. He does reject running away. He's our Brave Little Toaster Angel, and he's going to stick it out.

.... yeah everyone light a candle for this baby boy.

[gimmeurmoneyagh]

𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐌𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐍𝐍𝐀 - 𝟎:𝟎𝟑

❝𝟏𝟔𝟎𝟎 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐠 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭, 𝐄𝐠𝐲𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐫𝐨𝐲𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭❞

- Cleo De Nile

“OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!“

“NYAH?! The heck is this!?“ Grim frowned.

A half-red, half-black collor appeared around Grim’s neck, Grim tried to claw at it to make it get off.

“Laws of the Queen of Hearts: Number 23 ’One shall never bring a cat into a festival’!“ He glared at you now, you were about to walk over and curse his entire bloodline when Riddle began to speak again.

“You being a cat means you’ve broken the rule. I shall have you leave at once!“

“I’m not a cat!“ Grim cried, “I’ll burn this collar right up and... EH! I can’t use my fire!“

Riddle giggled but tried to pass it off as a chuckle (spoiler alert it did not convince anyone) to Grim’s misfortune, “Hmph! You won’t be using any magic until I remove the collar. Just like an ordinary cat.“

“Wh-what?! I’m not some pet!“ Grim tried to retort.

“Don’t worry I’d never keep a pet like you“ Riddle sneered. “I’ll take it off when you get thrown out anyway.“

Azul butted into the conversation wearing a saccharine smile, “Wonderful as ever. Any and all magic gets sealed by your unique magic, Riddle. I want it..- *cough* No. I would never want that cast on me.“ He nervously chuckled.

’Real smooth’ you thought, frowning a bit when that failure of a person, Crowley decided to reprimand you (for what? you never make any mistakes you’re practically perfect!)

“You must do something about this, (Name)! It is your familiar!“ He scowled. “Maybe properly discipli-“

“It’s not mine,“ You gritt your teeth in anger, you wanted out of this weirdo school. You missed Ghoulia and her doing your homework. 😢

“It’s not yours...?“ he pursed his lips, as you shook your head for a ’no’.

“Yeah, If I’m supposed to be ’magicless’ how am I supposed to have a familiar?“ You asked, motioning for him to answer.

“Ehhh..“ He tugged at his coat and coughed into his hand, “My apologies! Anyway, let’s get it out of the school. And as I am gracious we won’t cook it into a stew. My my, truly my kindess is boundless!“ He smiled.

’boundless my ass’ 

“Someone help please!“ at those words the entire crowd shuffled and went farther from him.

And honestly, same.

“GYAH! LET ME GO!“ Grim shrieked, still clawing at the collar “I am- I’m going to become the greatest mage ever!!“

Two boys were pushed into the open and forced to through Grim out of the ceremony.

’How annoying’ you curled your lips downwards, eyeing Grim with distate. It was deserved as he was annoying and even almost burned you! You took immense satisfaction at his shouts (were you beefing with an animal? yes. do you care? no)

“W-we may have had a bit of trouble along the way but this bring the entrance ceremony to a close!“ Crowley loud ahh voice snapping you out of your thoughts. 

“Housewardens, please show the new students back to the dorms!“ He said, putting his hands on his hips and looking into space as if he was delivering a great speech.

He looked down at the students again before pausing, “...hmm? Now that I think about it, I don’t see the dorm leader of Diasomnia, Mr. Draconia anywhere.“

“That’s no different from usual, is it?“ the were-lion(? you still weren’t sure) snarked.

“Whaat? Did nobody tell him about the ceremo....“

You tuned out and just looked around the room, you were busy looking at some cutie with white hair and purplish eyes when someone with a deep voice spoke up (LOUDLY! VERY LOUDLY! [it wasn’t it really wasn’t])

“It seems I was correct“ people still talk like that? 

“I thought he might come but Malleus really didn’t“ you turned your head to the direction of the voice and...

Draculaura?! She’s here too?

Wait no that was a boy.

But uhm... why was he so fucking short. No short people-hate but you did not expect that voice to come out of that.

You liked his hair though.

“It seems the invitation ’never arrived’ again...“ He lamented.

Not being invited? hah. Could never happen to you. (you miss monster high, even if you’ve only been gone for probably an hour)

“My dearest apologies. I promise we didn’t intend to exclude you“ said Azul, putting a hand on his chest. (he seemed fake)

“His aura makes it hard for us to approach him.“ Riddle defended himself (and the others ig).

Meanwhile you went back to looking at the cutie with white hair again.

“It’s fine. Members of Diasomnia can come follow me. I just hope this doesn’t upset him...“

That was a weird interaction. 

You were standing blinking wide eyed wondering what just happened when- “Then (Name), I’m terribly sorry about this but..-“

“You’re making me leave? Yeah I figured“ (you really didn’t but you would rather die then admit that)

“*ahem* Correct! Those without any talent for magic cannot be allowed to attend class here“ You shrugged at that you didn’t really care about this place and if you were gone for too long that bitch Torelai might steal your spot as fearleading captain.

“However there is no need to worry. The dark mirror will send you directly back from whence you came from“ He motioned his hands toward the big mirror.

You smiled a bit at that one, who knew a clown could actually make people smile!

“Enter the gate and picture your home clearly in mind...“

“Oh Dark Mirror! Guide this one back to the place she belongs!“  He belloed raising his hands ip

At that you scrunch your eye-lids tight causing some of those color/light spots. You thought of the sea Lagoona’s family came from, the normie town near Monster High, your room. Your room filled with clothes, posters, and burn books. You thought of your jewels and all your credit and debit cards. You missed your money already. And all your friends even Clawdeen’s annoying little sister. Uhhhh... Growleen. Yeah her.

You even crossed your fingers and spoke an old egyptian chant for luck. (you however didn’t notice someone jolting in surprise at the chant)

“........“

Crowley looked around (probably embarrased) “Oh... Uh once more. Oh Dark Mirror! Guide thi-“ 

“It is nowhere“ 

That’s a lie. You wanted to go already. ☹️☹️☹️.

“Eh?“ Crowley looked shocked “The place she belongs is nowhere in this world... It does not exist“

What?! Now you were shocked, you were standing hunched over mouth open and your eye was twitching. This wasn’t in (whatever Monster High world is called)?! And apparently (whatever Monster High world is called) doesn’t exist here either?!

Where the fuck were you?! You missed your ghoulfriends...

“What did you say? That is unbelievable! Hmm, well, the unbelievable has been on parade today.“ Crowley hummed, putting stroking his chin again.

Meanwhile you were having an existential breakdown, iconically.

“This is the first time it’s ever happened since I became headmaster, what should be..“ Crowley’s sockets narrowed. “Where exactly did you come from?“

“Are you dumb? I told you earlier Monster High, which is located in (wherever the fuck Monster High world is called)“ you stood straight up at the attention being brought back to you. Even if you were scared you had to make good impressions because you didn’t have daddy’s money anymore.

“I’ve never heard of such a place“ Crowley admitted. Yeah, you were absolutely screwed. 

“I have a general grasp of where all the students came from but I’ve never even heard that name before. Let us do some research in the library.“ 

And with a swish of his cloak he quickly motioned for you to follow him.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

"Bonjour, dear Headmage!" Rook's voice resonates before the hunter appears out of seemingly nowhere, like usual. "Don't mind me, I just couldn't help but need to sate my curiosity. After all, for how long you've been here, not much is known about you. Where you're from, what's the extent of your powers, ce genre de choses (things like that). I'm not the only one curious, even: a little rose mentioned something along those lines during an impromptu visit of yours truly to his Alchemy class."

I believe the asker is referring to a voice line that Riddle has when Crowley drops into Alchemy for a Special Lesson. He wonders what kind of magic the headmaster must use--though knowledge of this line isn't necessary to enjoy this interaction.

Enter; An Unkindness of Ravens.

It's odd, Rook had concluded, that he cannot discern anything meaningful about Crowley. It’s unlike the huntsman to be lacking in information, in details—but when it came to him, it became a jumbled mess. Unknown birthday, unknown home country, unknown past and powers. No records in any textbooks or formal documentation he could find.

All that was known was the name, occupation, height and weight. The bare basics. Hardly anything to work off of.

Rook regarded Crowley with curious eyes carved into emerald crescents. He provided his brightest smile, his warmest voice. He was a hunter laying out a nasty snare for his prey.

“By all means, I invite you to elucidate. I would personally love to learn more of our dearly beloved headmaster and his long and most illustrious career.”

“It seems as though my students have been gossiping about me once again… even my most studious boys!” Crowley mumbled to himself. (Rook’s hypersensitive ears had no issues picking up his words.) “Dear me, I’m too popular for my own good!!”

Then, addressing Rook in full, “I understand that you are all dying to know more about your dashing, intelligent, highly competent headmaster—however, prying into the personal matters of your teachers is not necessary to your pursuit of a magic education. I ask that you grant your instructors and myself our much-needed privacy.

“Adult matters are just that: adult matters! One day you will understand when you, too, get to be of that age.”

Rook's brows pinched ever so slightly. It's as though the briefest of clouds has passed by the sun, drowning out its light--but it returned, the momentary shift imperceptible to the naked eye.

“Je suis désolé,” he said, lowering into an apologetic bow. "I will mind my words when speaking to my superiors."

"Good, good! I shall be off, then. There are important snacks--" Crowley stopped and hurriedly corrected himself. "Erm, I mean important paperwork in my office which I must attend to. Enjoy the rest of your day, my student!"

The headmaster turned and started to make his way out of the courtyard. His back, exposed.

When the arrow came flying at his head, Crowley didn't flinch, didn't move--didn't have to. It froze midair, nowhere near its intended target, then dropped to the ground. A second later, a crystalline shield flickered into view, then vanished again.

Oh là là!

Rook's heart leapt with excitement. His interest, piqued.

Crowley craned his head back at him.

"Oops! Slip of the hand," the huntsman chuckled, not sounding so innocent with his excuse. He made no effort to hide the bow and a quiver he had somehow produced from his robes.

Bait left out to lure him in.

“Careful, Hunt-kun,” Crowley tuts, wagging a finger. “I may be a kind man, but even my kindness has its limits. I assure you, you do not wish to incur my wrath."

The headmaster--it was the same headmaster, harmless as ever, but... His shadow, it seemed to stretch along the path, taking on a new sinister shape. A monstrous raven, beak full of dagger-like teeth and blood-red eyes.

A chilling thrill bolted through Rook.

"That man seems so preoccupied with trivial matters," Riddle had once said. "It's difficult to believe he is a formidable mage."

Non, Roi des Roses. It appears that our headmaster is, in fact, quite the formidable mage indeed.

"... Bien sûr." Rook knelt, laying his bow and arrows on the ground. "You have my word. No more trickery or deception, fufu."

"Excellent! I'm glad we understand each other," Crowley chirped with the twirl of his cane. "Because I am so very generous, I shall overlook this transgression and allow you to be on your merry way."

He taped his lips together and whistled as he walked off. A cheery tune lifted up into the air like a bird taking flight.

Rook silently marveled at the beauty--and horror--of it.

[ashensgrotto]

The Sea's Sacrifice (Part 3)

Characters: Azul Ashengrotto / Jade Leech / Floyd Leech x F!Reader

Total Word Count: 14.7k+

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 (You are Here) Part 4 Part 5

Synopsis: A potential job as a marine biologist’s assistant leaves (Y/N) feeling something fishy going on behind the scene…

Author's Notes: Original Idea came from @merakiui 's annonymous ask with a short story / headcannon -> https://www.tumblr.com/merakiui/684490143936167936/ooohhh-i-love-those-writing-ideas-you-had-for-sea?source=share

and I absolutely love this concept and wanted to take it a step further. I don't write yandere nor fanfiction as much as I did a few years ago. However, I do hope I do this piece justice; I will had links to the next part once it is completed and ready for viewing.

Also, this is a work of fiction. I disagree with anyone that justifies the following behaviors which are represented in this fic (if I think of more, I will add them as I go):

rape/non-consent/dub-consent, possessive/controlling/dominating behaviors, and manipulation

***

Play the song you sang long ago

And wherever the storm may blow

You will find the key to my heart

We'll never be apart

***

“...And how is everything going with our trio?” Mr. Crowley had called both Trein and Crewel into his office along with Grimsley for a meeting that night after the rest of the staff had left for the day.

“Absolutely swimmingly,” Professor Crewel answered with a psychotic grin on his face, “Only nearly got my head bitten off by two mers today, but other than that, we’re fine!”

“You weren’t even near the pool,” Professor Trein let out a sigh, rolling his eyes heavenward, before turning toward Mr. Crowely, “The subjects have allowed test number 03182020 to interact with them as well as talk with them. We know that both of the morays see 03182020 as a match, we are still waiting for the octopus to make the decision as well.”

“I heard about that attack,” Mr. Crowley leaned forward on his desk, elbows resting on the surface as his long fingers criss crossed each other, “and the morays’ first instinct was to protect, not only the octomer, but 03182020 as well?”

“Yes, sir,” Trein answered.

“Hmmm…” Crowley shifted, fiddling a contract in his hands before one nail tapped against the desk.

“Whacha thinking?” Grimsley asked, a dark brow raised in question.

“We don’t have much time left before the contract is up - I had sort of hoped it wouldn’t come to this, not yet at least,” Mr. Crowely stood from his desk, moving toward the window and looking out into the courtyard behind the office, “When was the last time they went into heat?”

“All three had experienced their urges around September last year,” Crewel answered, pressing his hands into his pockets, “Now, normally for moray eels, their mating season runs from July to September - and octopi fry are typically hatching at this point.”

“And if they are anything like their counterparts,” Trein mused, “The twins and the octomer will likely die following the mating process.”

“Hold on, these things die after mating?” Grimsley cocked a brow at the two of them.

“Unfortunately so,” Crewel answered with a nod, “Octopi will mate somewhere between November and early February - following that process, the female will eat the male before she goes into incubation. The few lucky males that are able to escape their mate’s hungry clutches eventually succumb to death a few months after the mating process - some male Giant Pacific octopi have also been known to get dementia before passing. As for the females, after they lay their clutch of eggs - which can be roughly around a hundred thousand, they starve themselves and sometimes tear themselves apart piece by piece. After the eggs hatch, she succumbs to death as well - leaving all of her fry to the current of the sea and one can only hope some of the eggs make it.”

“As for morays,” Trein answered, “depending on the type, males and females will travel to a particular spot and breed there, the males - exhausted from the travel and mating - pass away. The female will incubate her clutch - which is about ten thousand eggs - before laying them in the rocky beds among seaweed before passing away as well. If the water is warm enough, the eggs will only take about 30 to 45 days to hatch - sometimes sooner depending on the temperature of the water.”

“Sheesh, talk about a sexual turn off,” Grimsley crossed his arms over his chest.

“But, we don’t know if mers act in the same fashion,” Crewel answered, “I’m guessing that they follow some of the same mating habits as their counterparts, but not all of them.”

“And we won’t know anything unless we try something,” Crowley spoke, turning toward the duo, “We can't wait seven months, it's now or never. Speed the process up - add about three degrees to the pool each day and try to see how the mers’ attitudes change toward 03182020 in the coming weeks. I want to see some results before the end of next month.”

“Consider it done,” Crewel and Trein smiled as their hands rested over their hearts, a sign of their understanding.

"We've got one last shot - do not fail me."

***

Floyd and Jade greeted you in their usual fashion the following morning, with chirps, clicks, and echoes of ‘Hello’ and your name.

“Good morning,” you smile with a soft wave at the duo, “Are you guys hungry?”

“Hungry!” Floyd shouts, back flipping into the water to toss it in your direction before reappearing on the surface again.

You only snort, pulling the buckets from the freezer before strolling toward the edge of the pool, kneeling down to deposit the contents into the murky depths. 

Before you can do so, however, both of the twins pounce. Jade had shifted so his upper body laid behind you on the edge of the pool, his long tail still draped into the water with your shoulders trapped between his webbed hands as his face buried itself into your hair, cool breaths tickling your nape; Floyd, on the other hand, had attached himself to your front - arms wrapped tightly around your waist with his head tucked under your chin as he rested against your chest. Soft clicks and coos came from both brothers as they twisted their bodies closer to yours, noses nuzzling your warm skin as the slippery film that coated their bodies clung to your skin and clothing.

“Safe?” Jade had asked after a moment, pulling away and looking directly at your face.

“Safe?” you ask, confusion slowly writing across your features.

“Shimpy safe, Jade,” Floyd grinned, sharp teeth on display.

“Wait a minute, who are you calling shrimpy?!”

The twins only clicked and chuckled before removing themselves from you, though each still clung onto each of your hands, sharp nails tracing the smooth skin of your wrists as the two brothers chattered with each other.

It was then that it dawned on you.

Following the arrival of Crewel after the first encounter with Azul the previous day, the twins had believed that you, maybe even Azul, were in danger - hence why Floyd had acted like a guard dog most of the day, even going so far as to refuse to return to the water. It had been yours and Jade’s gentle urging that allowed him to submerge under the water, allowing the gills behind his ears and on his sides to breath again; now, Jade - on the other hand - had paced the water, keeping one eye on the set of glass double doors and growling any time someone walked by it. When you set out to leave for the day, both of the twins had let out ferocious growls that you jumped in your skin - but seeing you frightened was the last thing they wanted. You had made it clear that you were going to be careful and that you would return in the morning like usual - the two could do so little as they watched you leave, worry filling their brown and gold gazes.  

You shouldn’t have been surprised since the two were likely very apprehensive about you and maybe had been up all night, wondering if or when you would return - and when you did, they wanted to make sure that you were safe; no injuries or pain on your body from the other humans that had made appearances prior to your arrival.

You smiled and patted both of their heads, trying to show some reassurance, “Don’t worry, guys. I’m okay. I was just a little nervous from that incident yesterday.”

Jade growled while Floyd hissed in agreement.

“I swear I’m okay,” you sigh, dipping your hands into the water as you lay on your stomach before the duo, “I wasn’t attacked or anything, I don’t have any bruises or cuts - nothing worth reporting. So, please be a bit more gentle when the others come in. I know you guys like me and all, but you also have to work with them too - after all, they brought me here to look out for you and vice versa.”

The twins looked at each other before clicking in agreement, although Floyd looked dejected - likely hoping you’d allow him to do more than splash the intruders during your time together.

You could only chuckle before standing and taking the knocked over bucket of seafood and depositing it over the side, “I hope you guys are hungry. You look like you both deserve this one!”

***

The next two weeks pass by slowly as you continue your interactions with the duo - now turned trio.

Azul made his appearance again a day or two after the Crewel incident, but only stayed and watched your interactions with the twins for a few minutes before disappearing beneath the surface again. Every time you saw him, you waved at him - trying to reach a hand out to accept your presence into the group, especially since Crewel had interrupted that near precious moment between the two of you; Azul was always shocked to see you wave at him and slowly began copying the movement with the tips of his fingers peeking out from beneath the water. He began to grow bolder, appearing closer and closer to the pool’s edge with each passing day until by the end of the second week, he was greeting you with the twins as you walked in - clicks and coos higher pitched than the twins'.

“Hey guys!” You grin, setting your bag down and heading over to the freezer, “And I see Azul decided to join us this morning! Nice to see you again!”

Azul ducked his head down, but you had seen the blush slowly creep up his face - turning his face and ears a deep shade of blue.

You giggled, setting the buckets down before them. You had stopped dumping the contents into the water earlier last week, instead handing out the food to the hungry mers as a way to continue to build trust between the four of you. Azul was far too nervous to approach you at the time, so you had tossed what he was interested in eating towards him - allowing you to get a good glimpse at his tentacles for the first time. They were long and black with a purple underbelly and multiple suckers that appeared to be the size of quarters and half-dollar coins. Whenever you tossed something in his direction, one of his appendages would shoot out of the water like a snake launching at its prey. It was fascinating to watch the tentacle curl around the meal, nearly crushing it within its grasp - the dozens upon dozens of suckers clutching it tightly as if it was afraid to let go.

 After giving the impatient twins their choice of meals, you smile at Azul, “What would you like? I still have some crab, shrimp, some fish, and a few snails left over…”

Azul looks into the bucket that is turned on its side before several tentacles reached forward and pulled several pieces of fish and crab from the container before dipping below the surface to eat.

You take the remaining contents and dump it over the side before standing to get your notes. You flip through the filled pages as you take a seat on the edge of the pool, your shoes discarded so you can soak your feet in the water. You absent-mindly begin to hum, your head swaying with the tune that had been trapped in your head for a few hours at least. 

Something slimy touches your foot, causing you to jerk slightly before you realize Azul had attempted to touch you. He looked broken as he regarded you, moving a bit away from you.

“Hey, it’s ok,” you offer your hand out, palm upward, “you just startled me is all.”

A soft click comes from the octomer as he comes to your side again, slowly.

“There we go, I won’t hurt you.”

The scene plays itself out how it should have been the first day Azul approached you; his hand slips into yours, allowing you to feel the surprising smoothness of his skin. One tentacle slips around your ankle, squeezing slightly as his gaze remains on your smiling face. You recalled reading somewhere that octopi used their suckers to help them travel along the ocean floor, but they were also used to taste by touch. Azul was likely testing to see if you were good enough to eat - maybe.

"Am I tasty?" you joked, which earned you a disapproving grunt from the octomer.

You giggled and reached out with your other hand to touch the top of another tentacle that had made its way up the side of the pool. It felt like a soaked piece of gummy candy - slimy and smooth - before lifting the edge and admired the pale lavender-colored suckers, rubbing your thumb slowly around the inner edge. Azul squeaked slightly, the tentacle around your ankle squeezing tighter and causing you to wince.

"Hey, not so tight there," you pull your legs up from the water and away from Azul’s grasp.

The octomer whined, his hands reaching out and clutching the ankle that had been in his grasp. Your eyes widened at the sight of multiple little circles that surrounded your ankle - deep blue in color and slowly turning darker to a dark purple. Azul releases you and ducks down so you can only see the top of his head and his eyes as they shift nervously between you and the marks in your leg. You offer another smile and reach out, stroking the top of his head, offering words of kindness and support - letting him know you were okay and that it didn't bother you.

One finger traces the outline from one of his suckers - a strange feeling settling in your gut at the thought that this was more than just a mere marking.

***

As time goes on and you interact with Azul more and more, you realize that he was touch-starved to an unhealthy amount.

He enjoys wrapping his tentacles around your legs when you sit on the edge of the pool before him, his head on your lap while you hold your notebook above him and jot notes down about your experiences with the mers. Jade and Floyd often attempt to sneak in for what you've deemed as a "cuddle session" - but Azul often growls at them with a few clicks in their direction before his arms wrap around your waist tighter. The trio do switch things up eventually, with Jade and Floyd both curled protectively around your form as Azul keeps a set of eyes on the glass doors.

Whenever someone attempts to enter the enclosure, all three go into defensive mode - Azul now taking a stance in front - or rather, over - you as the twins shift to lean over the edge of the pool, all three growling frighteningly and baring teeth at the intruders. It was also during the last week you noticed how their touches would linger longer on your skin, Azul - on more than one occasion - wrapping his tentacles around both your ankles, wrists, and your waist multiple times, leaving marks that had many of your coworkers arching brows at you.

"Not that I mind the interactions between the four of you, puppy," Crewel comments when you meet up with him and Trein at the end of the second month, two notebooks resting before you on the desk as Trein goes over them, "but the results we've seen are… kind of startling."

"I've noticed the trio has been a bit more aggravated than usual, as well," you answer.

"How so?"

You press your lips together, trying to think of the best way to describe the events of the previous week.

It wasn't uncommon for the trio to touch you - especially Azul, who seemed to now dominate the spotlight - however, those touches that had shifted from curiosity to protectiveness had now shifted to what you thought was longing. The trio's eyes would watch you intently when you were away from the edge of the pool - either as you were entering, getting their food ready, or preparing to leave - their gaze not once shifting away from your form. As soon as you had taken a seat at the poolside, all three were upon you in the same fashion following the "Splashing Crewel" incident. The twins would pull themselves up to sit behind you, pulling you into their arms while each of them grasped one hand to keep you still, as Azul would launch to lay on top of you with his tentacles curling around your legs and thighs. They would coo and click softly at you, noses running along the column of your neck and into your hair. It would take hours just for them to let you go, even with your soft pleading - only releasing you when you mentioned food. You also notice how the trio enjoy hearing your humming - it may have been the reason why they nuzzle at your neck, wishing to hear your voice bring whatever tune you happened to be humming out of your mouth.

As you explained this, Crewel’s and Trein's expressions turned dark.

"That is… unsettling," Trein answered after a moment.

"Perhaps those puppies should be put in place," Crewel thought aloud, crossing his arms and tapping a finger against his bicep.

"Why are they acting this way is what I'm concerned about," you answered.

"We couldn't be sure," Trein explained, "Personally, we've never had a keeper get this close to them, never mind see them react in this fashion."

"I would venture a guess as to say they might see you as a member of their 'family' or 'school'," Crewel answered, "Given the circumstances of your arrangement, I wouldn't be surprised if the reason they cling to you is primarily due to their worry when you are away from them."

"That’s what I was thinking as well," you nod in agreement.

"And as for the humming," Trein spoke, "Sound travels faster in the water than it does on land. Legends of merfolk often indicate that they are attracted to music - though it's typically the mers that use it to lure in unsuspecting prey."

"Do you think they were interested in my humming because of their love for music?"

"Perhaps," Trein nodded in agreement.

"I also noticed when they are, well, clinging to me, they also seem… warmer than usual?" You ask, trying to think of the proper terms, "I also noticed the water seemed visibly warmer too. Do you think their change in behavior may have something to do with it?"

"We'll have one of our men check it out," Crewel nodded, "If someone messed with the thermostat, we'll know."

You nod and leave the office, the door closing behind you.

"Think she's onto us?" Trein asked 

"Never trust anyone, Trein," Crewel pulled a cigarette out of its case, "even your own coworkers."

"I suppose with all of those hints we've dropped, if she hasn't figured out what our plan is yet she likely never will."

"The only thing we can do now is wait for the right time. Hopefully this will satisfy that crow's interest."

***

Unbeknownst to the world above, the waters of the enclosure shifted as the twin mers lounged about outside a built cave.

"Jaaade! I'm boooored!!" Floyd grumbled, shifting his body to drape over one of several rocks that lined the entrance to their dwelling, "I wanna play with Shrimpy!"

"In time, Floyd," His twin shifted, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned against the rocky walls, "Azul has to finish up the final piece. Besides, our little pearl isn't around right now to play with."

"This suuucks! Why couldn't we just pull her under when we had the chance?"

"She would never survive if we did that, Floyd. You know humans can't breathe underwater, nor swim like this. We need to bide our time, just a bit longer."

"Luckily we won't have to wait too much longer," Azul appeared in the entrance, his tentacles swaying with motion as he moved to greet his friends and fellow captives.

Both twins perked up, shark-like smiles appearing on their features.

"Did you make it?" Jade asked.

"It's almost complete, I just need scales from both of you," Azul answered.

"Sooo, what does our scales have to do with a mer potion?" Floyd asked.

“It will make our mate more compatible,” Azul answered, “In order for us to successfully, one, produce fry, and two, live with us, she needs to be our equivalent. A human mate isn’t a bad thing, we just need a bit more… well, given that those other two-legged monsters have been observing us for the past two years, I wouldn’t be surprised if they were planning on using her for something.”

“Hence we need to take precautions to make sure she’s safe and comfortable,” Jade followed through.

“Does that mean we can eat them?” Floyd asked.

“When the time is right, you’ll be able to squeeze those beasts who’ve harmed our mate to your heart’s desires,” Azul grinned, “Personally, I don’t think they would taste good, but if you want to eat them, by all means help yourself.”

Floyd grinned, all teeth and gums as he bounced giddily in the water.

“How long after the scales are added will we need to wait?” Jade asked, turning toward Azul.

“At least one week.”

“What’s the plan for our Shrimpy, then?”

Azul grinned, indicating for the twins to follow him into the lair, explaining things as they moved, “Our home here will only be temporarily. Once they realize their precious little angelfish is one of us, they will try every means to get her away from us to revert the process. When they make their move, we’ll be able to shift our focus to breaking out. I’ll need several things to create a temporary transformation potion that will allow one of us to move about the surface to transfer us back to the Coral Sea. And we’ll need to work fast - once (Y/N) lays those eggs, she’ll need to be protected and guarded at all times. I’d rather not have her lay them here - hence our haste to get her out of here.”

“And then the big family we’ve always dreamed of!”

“Indeed - so, two weeks?”

“Two weeks. When the moment is right, (Y/N) will be ours…”

[drconstellation]

Taking Things At Face Value

This post is dedicated to all those Ninas out there, who are "just enjoying the show."

I have been pondering an problem that had come up for a second time in another meta I'm writing (I left it out of an earlier one for clarity) regarding acknowledgement of identity and faces in S2, but when you keep running into the same road-block, you have to tackle it head on. Then I ran into the exact same problem a third time here, and the beginnings of this meta has sat in my drafts file staring at me for several weeks while I've been doing other things. But finally, finally, the answer has come to me, while being kept awake by a passing thunderstorm at 1.30am.

MRS SANDWICH: You're a good lad. CROWLEY: I'm not actually, either. But thank you.

Let's start with this exchange between Crowley and Mrs Sandwich, after Crowley has led all the Whickber St shopkeepers out of the ball to apparent safety. She calls him a "good lad," and he denies it, but thanks her anyway, and gives her a charming smile. We all know Crowley hates being called 'nice' and the last time he did something 'good' he got dragged down to Hell for punishment, so it seems like an odd thing to happen.

But the thing is, while Mrs Sandwich is complimenting his actions, he is responding about his appearance - that is neither 'good' (i.e. he is a demon) or a male human (i.e. he is an supernatural non-gendered entity.)

At this point you might be going "yeah, yeah, we know, we get that! Move along op..." but this matters, as you soon will see. We should also note that neither Crowley or Aziraphale judge Mrs Sandwich for being a brothel madame (how Aziraphale does not know this when her shop is just over the road from his I will never fathom, but there you go) and Crowley is actually quite charming all-round to his parallel character (prostitution and demons going hand-in-hand - er, not literally. But they went out the door as the vanguard arm-in-arm, though.)

The Metatron turning up at the bookshop in person is the next scene on the cards. Firstly, archangel Michael doesn't recognize him, but Saraqael obviously does.

Now, I know I'm guilty of saying that Michael may have had their memory adjusted at some time, but I'm going to suggest something else at this point. Saraqael knows who this is, because they have just had a fresh reminder from watching the recordings of Gabriel with Crowley and Muriel. And Saraqael is a pretty smart angel, so lets give them some leeway on this one. But for Michael, well, they are in the same situation as Aziraphale. They have only seen the Metatron as giant floating head without a body, so don't associate him with this appearance before them, and also because he has a beard.

Just before you jump on me and say "But he had one in the recordings!" yes, yes, I know. Two things, though, I want to bring to your attention: angels are not supposed to have facial hair,* and he doesn't have any in S1 (I checked!) and he also makes the comment "This calls for much less attention, though." Yeah, well a giant head floating through the streets of Soho would be quite a sight, wouldn't it, even though they had already been treated to the view of Gabriel's royal rear-end. Aziraphale had only met him once before, as a giant floating head in S1E4 who had had to introduce himself, so we could surmise this is Michael's problem as well, even though they were at Gabriel's trial. This is backed up by a tumblr ask/answer from NG as well, where he said "I think because they normally see him as a giant floating head, and not as a little man in a raincoat."

MICHAEL: Um, and who are you? METATRON: For Heaven's sake. And I mean that most literally. You don't know me? Well, uh, what about you? Demon? Do you know me?

Demon. That is what the Metatron chooses to call Crowley in that company, and we know in hindsight that he knows Crowley's name - as does Uriel, and Gabriel. Even Muriel learns it. But they don't use it, at least not in S2.

Even more notable is that the archangels don't deign to him give the respect of using his chosen name at all. He's not not even their enemy at this point - he's beneath their notice altogether, even though they are in the same room. Only Aziraphale seems to acknowledge his existence, instinctively trying to reach out to him as he passes by.

To Nina, people are coffee preferences.

To Mrs Sandwich, they are desires that need servicing.

So then question I had, and that stopped me, was why did both Crowley and Gabriel question Beelzebub about their new face?

It stood out to me because you don't normally make an obvious comment about the change of actor for a character, and to do it twice - !! You can't ignore that. No meta writer should ignore that. There is a trope term for this, actually, called "lampshading," which means to intentionally call attention to an incongruent situation within a story before moving on, but in a show where nothing is an accident, this seems a bit trite to me. Eventually I realized that this was the whole crux of the problem to me - that while we all too readily take things at face value, its not the faces that really influence us, its our internal values.

In the case of Beelzebub, Crowley recognizes the demon, their power, and their identity via the flies without any doubt; he merely comments on the change of exterior appearance. In terms of value, he knows straight away he's dealing with someone dangerous, no matter what they look like. Gabriel, on the other hand, is judging the book by its cover, and because he doesn't recognize the new cover, he needs proof of which demon he's dealing with, or maybe if they are even a demon at all.

"Bravo," says Nina, "Just enjoying the show." She's already seen a few that week, not to mention just in the general flow of life as a shop owner involved with customer service. If you've had any sort of life in a customer service role I'm sure you've got a few stories you could tell of things you've seen or experienced as well! I know I can.

The conversation between Nina and Crowley after Aziraphale walks away is amusing for all the assumptions Nina makes about them based on what she's observed that week, but also because Crowley tells the truth every in every reply to Nina, and yet she still has no idea what he's really saying. But her judgements, based on her experience and values, still manage to drop the proverbial ton of bricks on his head so badly he slinks off to sooth himself with some alcohol while he thinks about it instead of catching up with Aziraphale to continue being the angel's nameless shadow.

This problem with judging people on previous experience and not on who they actually are is everywhere in S2.

It's Ennon treating Aziraphale, an angel he's never met before, as a slut.

It's Elspeth judging Aziraphale on his accent.

It's Mrs H. giving a powerful demon a blistering tongue-lashing because she thinks he's a just simple human black marketeer.

It's Crowley refusing to call Gabriel "Jim" because he believes Gabriel is faking it.

...and so on. These are just a few examples. I'm sure you can spot a few more.

Which brings us back around to the meeting of the supernatural Councils in the bookshop in S2E6 and Crowley's "invisibility" to the other angels and demons gathered there. A demon to the archangels, an arch-traitor to the demons, why would they want to acknowledge him? Once he restores Gabriel, he becomes rank-less and faceless to them because they don't need him any more - its basically an act of celestial racism.

Nina and Maggie don't really know any better, they still think Mr Crowley and Mr Fell are just, well, "partners." OK, so maybe they've been doing some weird shit the last few days manipulating things in the neighbourhood but they're still obviously a couple a group of the two of them in their human eyes - and neither do they seem to care that they seem to be mlm, either. No judgement there.

A number of times I've seen ops say they've been watching GO with family members who are seeing it for the first time, and the family member thinks they are just "close friends." Why? Because they haven't seen S2 and the kiss? Because they haven't verbally said "I love you" to each other? Do they really need to say that to prove their feelings for each other? Is that just your values creeping to the fore?

And where did you get your values from?

Sometimes you need to stop and question why you think what you think. I'm not just talking about religious indoctrination. Some expectations put on us by by society at large can be insidious. Expectations around how gender should act, the life purpose of a gender, your worth to society if you don't meet certain unspoken standards, age-related behaviour, social norms around alcohol consumption, the way they dress, what someone eats, the way they eat it, that you must be seen to be productive, or busy...take your pick for whatever is prevalent around you at the moment and for your culture. Just start by noticing, and being aware.

Yes, it is pointless, because demons and angels all come from the same angelic stock. There was a bit of a disagreement at one point and they split into two groups, and judgemental labels got applied to them. They are both still bureaucratic horrors. Which ever side wins the final battle, humans still lose.

Mortal humans all look the same inside, too, if you take their face and skin away and take the societal labels off them. We forget that about ourselves all the time.

There doesn't have to be any wibbly-wobbly timeline stuff going on to explain things. What ever happened to the concept of Occam's Razor? The simplest answer is usually the correct one. And that was what I realized in the middle of the night - the cliche I had used to title this was the answer. It's about being aware of those ingrained, instinctive, judgmental values that you don't realize you've learnt, and looking past the faces that you meet.

*oh lawdy, I'm giving strength to all of you who want to believe he is a demon then, aren't I? But do demons have facial hair either?

[subrenaspade]

Twisted Wonderland x Reader :No Place For Children Heartslaybul Pt. 1

This story is just some cute fluff I thought that some of you all would enjoy. There might be some cursing, that's all I can think of at the moment. The reader does have a bit of a backstory, giving her a little bit of OC vibes, but besides some background elements the rest is up to you. I only write Female, if that bothers you I'm sorry, I'm used to writing female and I keep having to go back to take away she/her pronouns. 

I do plan to make a series but more along the lines of while in this dorm for one chapter then while in this dorm for this other chapter.

A little background about the MC in my story so you're not all too lost. The MC used to suffer from androphobia (A fear of men), that has to do with some past trauma That I might go into more detail about later on if I decide to continue this story. The MC is also a Orphan losing her father at four, then her mother at fourteen, so there will be mention of family. The MC spent all her time in foster care, due to her mother being an orphan herself and her fathers family disowning him. 

:(Prologue)

Heartslaybul: pt one (you are here)

Savanaclaw: Soon

Octavinelle: Soon

Scarabia: Soon

Pomefiore: Soon

Ignihyde: Soon

Diasomnia: Soon

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

The second Riddle had caught sight of the troublesome duo, they had collars around their necks. They also got stuck on hedgehog duty, by themselves may I add. About an hour after arriving (Name) Woke up in the arms of Trey who, let's be honest, was using her as an excuse for some quiet time. (Name) pulled away from the green haired man with glasses with a start, confused about her surroundings. A hand was placed on her head, making her stop frantically looking around. 

“Don't worry, (Name). You are just at Heartslabyul, our dorm.” Trey explained, the girl slowly relaxed at his gentle words. “How was your rest? You where really tired.” Trey laughed a little. (Name) nodded her head as she rubbed some of the lingering sleepiness from her eyes. 

“Oh! (Nickname) is awake! Hey cutie!” A ginger with long hair and a red diamond under his green eyes almost squealed. The girl shrank a little in Trey's arms, making him send a scolding glare at Cater. “Sorry, I didn't mean to scare her.” Cater chuckled warily. Trey stroked her hair soothing the already nervous child. 

“Its okay, He is my friend, Cater. I guess I have yet to introduce myself too, Im Trey.” He explained, knowing that this information might give the girl some comfort. She eyed both men before giving them a hesitant nod. Her body relaxed as she looked at the two boys. 

“Hi Mister Cater and Mister Trey.” The girl said politely. Both boys looked at the young girl, feeling really old all of a sudden. 

“You… uh can just call me Trey..” Trey muttered, feeling tired. 

“Yeah, Just Cater…” Cater followed, sitting next to Trey to pull the girl into his lap. (Name) kinda sat there feeling like a baby getting passed around at a family reunion, once she remembered what happened in Crowley's office. 

~~~(Moving to your POV cause this 3rd person is throwing me off)~~~

I shifted around as Cater started to play with my hair. As strange as it was, these strangers didn't seem dangerous to me, they almost felt comfortable. I jolted as I heard someone coming into the living room we were in. I turned around to see the man from earlier with something around his neck. I smiled at the sight of him, leaping off of Caters lap and rushed over to him.

“Ace!” I cheered as I wrapped my arms around his legs, earning a yelp from him. He had frozen in my grasp as I looked up at him. A sly smirk played on his lips as he kneeled down in front of me, meeting me at eye level.

“Hey pip squeak. I see you're awake now.” Ace said as he patted my head. I grinned at him with a nod. “It's good to see that you calmed down now. I thought that I was going to have to get the tickle monster after you earlier.” He said as he started to poke at my side. I let out a small squeal, giggling at his playfulness. I reached out and booped his nose, making him freeze. A slow evil smile played on his lips as he raised both hands slowly, wiggling his fingers to indicate that he was going to tickle me for real. I yelped as I bolted away and around the couch with him following me. 

I let out playful cries for help, though it only made the boys chuckle or smile at us. After running around for a bit I finally started to feel my little legs tire out a little, so I ducked behind the leg of a navy blue haired boy who had entered with Ace when he came in. I held his leg breathing really hard, trying to catch my breath. Ace had stopped in front of us with his arms out ready to catch me. The boy looked down at me with a blush. I fisted his pants leg in my hands giving him my best pleading look. “Please help me, mister.” I begged he stiffened at my words looking shocked I was asking him for help. Ace froze at that too, giving me a shocked expression. 

We all sat in silence for a few, then the boy swooped me off my feet and into his arms. A look with fierce determination and a challenging smirk played across his lips. Then… He bolted. I squealed as he took off down the hallway and out the door into the front yard or was it a garden. I saw Ace rushing after us and giggled into The boy's shoulder. “Deuce! You traitor!” Ace called out. I felt the boy laugh at the call out of his betrayal. 

“It can't be helped! You saw her face!” The boy who I now know as Deuce called back. “She was too cute!” 

I gave Ace an ornery wave as I tightened my grip on Deuces shoulders. Ace gave a scowl at me but soon replaced it with a smirk. He tried to pick up the pace, though Deuce still seemed to run faster than him. I then saw Aces face drop into what I would assume was horror. Followed by Deuce letting out a gasp and slipping on his own two feet. I yelped as I felt his feet slide under him, letting him land on his butt. He made sure to keep a firm grip on me, even going as far as to place a hand on my head to prevent me from bumping my head. 

“What do you two think you're doing..” I heard someone seeth. I stiffened at the enraged tone, gripping Deuces jacket. Ace had caught up to us and stopped right next to us. 

“We were just playing-” Ace was cut off with a stern voice. 

“You two have yet to do the flamingo enclosure, and your out here playing?” I had finally looked up from Deuce's shoulder to see that it was the red haired boy from earlier. I shivered at the look of anger on his face. “First you cause an accident in your class, then you try to-” I looked down feeling guilty since I was the one who got them in trouble. I pushed off of Deuce, somehow getting out of his tight hold, making Riddle snap his lips shut. I stood in front of both of them, trying to act like a shield while looking down in shame.

“I-Im sorry mister. I was the one who had them play with me. I-If you need to punish me.” I claimed to feel my legs shake. I pulled all my courage to look up and met the red hairs glare. His eyes were wide as saucers and his mouth shut and closed like a fish out of water. Slowly his face turned red. He stood still as a statue and stared at me as if contemplating every life choice he made. Finally after defeating silence he sighed, seeming to relax. He moved his gaze back to Deuce and Ace.

“Go finish the rest of your chores.” He commanded, earning surprised looks from the two boys. He looked back down at me and held out his hand. “You will be coming with me, we need to talk for a bit.” He started, waiting patiently for me to take his hand. I nodded my head, taking his hand. I turned and waved at the two still shocked boys as we walked away. 

~~~~~( third POV)~~~~

The little girl hung her head in shame as she was led through the hallways. Riddle felt a cold sweat run down his neck. Riddle can honestly say he had no clue what to do with her. He didn't have a real childhood like many of his peers, and he knew that not every child would be able to follow the rules that he had abided by in his raising. This meant that he had to control his temper and learn to let some rules go, even though it went against everything he learned. 

He was normally very lenient with her since she was from another world with no knowledge of the rules here, but she had always made an effort into abiding all the ones she could remember and keeping in mind the ones he would explain to her if she broke a rule unknowingly. However a child wouldn’t be able to remember all of them, so with a talk with Trey, as long as there was really no harm he would let it go. 

Finally making it to his room, he opened the door and ushered the young child in. He had asked Trey to bring in some tea and snacks that sat on the small coffee table in front of his chairs. Riddle finally released the girl's hand walking over to pour the tea. 

“Go ahead and have a seat (Name).” Riddle ordered. The little girl who was sure she was in trouble, nodded her head and crawled onto the sofa waiting for her scolding to begin. She looked down at her hands in shame as she waited for him to start, only he never did. She stiffened a little when a tea cup on a saucer blocked her view of her hands. She looked up at Riddle who held out the drink to her. With steady hands she took them into her hands, making sure not to spill anything. She looked back up at him confused at the kind gesture. 

“I suppose I should introduce myself” Though you already know me Riddle fought the urge to say. “I am Riddle Rosehearts, the dorm leader of this dorm. For the next few days and nights you will be staying here and sleeping in my room. Some of the students have offered to let you tag along with them during classes. So you wont be alone.” He explained, taking a sip of his tea. His eyes drifted to the still confused girl. She bobbed her head up and down to show that she understood him. “Trey told me I should inform you that I can be a little…… strict when it comes to rules… But I will try too be lenient and let some things go since these rules will seem… odd to you.”  Riddle tried to explain in a slow but easy manner. 

“Rules? But aren't there rules for a reason?” She asked, tilting her head.

“EXACTLY!!” Riddle exclaimed, making the child jump in surprise. He stared at her awkwardly then moved back to cough into his hand. “It's more… tradition for this dorm. So there is no need to worry about it.” He explained. The girl nodded still startled. She finally tilted her head at him confused.

“So mister Riddle… You're not mad at me?” She asked. He looked at her confused at the question. 

“No, why would I be?” 

“Well, you were really mad when we were playing earlier…” She explained. It was Riddle's turn to jump a little. He placed his saucer down as he recalled that he never explained that situation, though he would have to jump over special information.

“There seems to be a misunderstanding. I was more upset with Deuce and Ace for dodging their punishment. You see they put someone I care about in a bind due to their negligence. I MEAN SOMEONE WHO IS IMPORTANT TO MANY PEOPLE IN A BIND!!” Riddle corrected the last part as he realized he admitted out loud he cared for the perfect, though she had no clue she was the person. 

“Oh…” She said, looking at him in understanding. 

“A-Anyways dinner will be ready before too long, go wash up!” Riddle stood feeling his nerves rattle around. She looked at him then down at the tea she had yet to touch. She chugged it down and slid off the sofa to place it on the coffee table. She let her eyes linger on the cookies on the try, hesitantly looking up at him.

“Be for that… c-can I have a cookie?” She asked. Riddle felt his mouth form a no, but stopped himself. It was like a wave of trauma washed over him. He stood there, living every moment his mother told him he was not allowed to have any sweets or anything that was considered not healthy. Every smoke on his hand, Every time he was forced to sit at his desk  to work on a problem or think over his actions that were wrong in his mothers eyes. His hands trembled and he bit into his lip to keep from having a wail leave his throat. 

A hand. 

A small hand grabbed his arm and held on tight. He blinked his wide eyes still holding the trauma that he was reliving. The small girl stared up at him, worried swimming in her expressful eyes. He gave him a gentle nudge, making his legs buckle under his weight. However she had him pushed against the chair he was once sitting on. She crawled up next to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. All those horrible memories faded away as the warmth of her arms brought comfort to his shocked heart. He sat there silently as he regained his composure. His breath that he had not noticed he was holding started to come out in slow and even breaths. 

Once his brain started to catch up he wondered what happened. He has told many people no before. It was a common word he used for the troublesome duo, why was it so different all of a sudden. He then looked at the girl who still held him in her small arms as if protecting him. Maybe it was because he was saying no to a child?  (Name) Finally pulled away from him, noticing he had calmed down. 

“Are you feeling better?” She asked in a small voice. She stroked his hair as if comforting a child. He then came to the understanding that this was not the first time comforting someone. She analyzed the situation and his person and acted how she thought fit. No child should be able to react like that. 

“H…have you done this before?” He asked. The girl gave him a small nod.

“When anyone mentions daddy to mommy… she gets the same look in her eyes you do. Hugging her and letting her sit helps….” She explained, still stroking his hair. He felt his body droop a little, this time wrapping his arms around her to get an extra grounding. The small child did not complain or say anything to make him pull away, she wrapped her arms around in return and leaned into him. 

“That's…. Not something I would have expected….” He muttered, trying to finish gathering his thoughts. He felt the child let out a tired sigh, but not say another word. He already knew she had suffered quite a few loses in her life, from her father, then her trust, than her mother. But he didn't know what happened to her after the passing of her father. Not once has she brought it up or pushed blame onto her mother. However as an adult she was never one to bring up much about herself without being asked. That seems to be similar to her as a child. Someone who had to learn to be sympathetic and selfless at a young age. Someone who gave up their childish mind at a young age to please others. Someone…. Who was starting to seem similar to him in many more aspects, yet different in their own situation. They both just held each other, enjoying the human contact the silent comfort they got from the other. 

‘Knock Knock” 

“Riddle, you guys ready to go get dinner?” Trey’s voice came from the other side of the door. The second a knock hit the door, Riddle stiffened, but when he heard Treys voice he relaxed, knowing that Trey would not enter without permission. He pulled back, coughing into his hand to get the nerves out of his voice.

“Yes, we are coming.” Riddle called out, cursing the quiver in his voice. The child pulled away letting him have his space. She reached over for the tea, pouring him a cup and handing it to him, hoping that it would make him feel better. Out of every rule in the book, from the way she poured it and failed to place three cubes of sugar in it, he could not turn down her kind offer. He took the cup and took a sip, earning a gentle smile from the young girl. He fought the horrible feeling of breaking the rules and downed the tea like a champ. Once finished he stood up, taking the (Name) into his arms and walking to the door to go have dinner. 

[mrscakeishere]

I joined the @goodomensafterdark Angst War with an angst mullet (fluff in the front, angst in the back). I also met a ton of awesome people along the way! You can find the story here (Rated T). Excerpt below:

Thirst

Summary: Crowley had never realized how much he longed to touch Aziraphale’s skin, or how it would feel when he finally did.

Crowley was standing in the bookshop feeling impressed with himself. This was nothing particularly new, but tonight he had taken impressive to a whole new level. He had tickets to a musical that Aziraphale would adore—and that he would hate—and had procured a few bottles of red, a vintage he knew the angel particularly liked. In addition, he had ensured that the West End would remain bomb-free for the evening. To top it all off, Crowley had manifested his best double-breasted suit and red tie and had convinced himself that he looked even more dashing and fashionable than usual.

The demon waited by Aziraphale’s desk while the angel fussed over some last minute book organization. He glanced down at the slightly ajar desk drawer and saw the photo that Furfur had taken months before. It was carefully tucked away with all the other small things that the angel held dear. Only a fraction of the image was visible, but it was there nonetheless. Crowley smiled.

So much had changed since the incident with Furfur. At first it had been dreadful. The requisitions demon may not have had proof, but he did stir up gossip. Then there was the uptick in work requests from Heaven and Hell, a sign that their respective bosses were keeping an eye on them. However, after some time had passed, the gossip died down and things returned to what passed for normal for an angel and a demon living in England during the Blitz.

Even better, the entire incident had led Aziraphale to question his binary thinking, recognizing from time to time that life wasn’t black and white—it was grayscale. Aziraphale had begun to consider that maybe Crowley wasn’t a demon who still had the kindness of heaven within, despite his fall. Perhaps he was simply a demon who, like all God's creatures, was full of complexity and contradictions.

Moreover—and more importantly—the angel had started to spend more time with him.

Continue at https://archiveofourown.org/works/52167940.

[fuckyeahgoodomensfanfic]

Good Omens Fic Rec: Pass the Star

Azalea Fell meets Antoinette Crowley at her first roller derby bout with a new league. After an incident leads to a trip to A&E, the two are drawn to one another but Crowley is reluctant to potentially ruin a great friendship for something more.

Length: 57,618 Words

AO3 Rating: Explicit/ Spice Level 🔥🔥🔥🔥

Best for: Mostly Safe in Public, Human AU

Triggers: None

Read it here, fic by mageofthepeople

*Minor Spoilers* I'm super totally normal about this one. I've been on an ineffable wives obsession this week and that was largely due to this fic. This is everything I want in a wives story! It's fun, engaging, creative, and a total win for lesbians.

Azalea and Crowley are derby girls on rival teams. I love the derby use here because, well it's hot, but also it's a fun sport that I can totally understand these two enjoying. Crowley is obvious to understand, it's physical and aggressive, outside the norm, and again hot. But the hard work here was to make Azalea fit in this space. The author does this by giving us a character that has already done some of the work of leaving her repressive past behind. She's uniquely herself, has a strong moral code, still hates customers and selling books, and has a sense of fashion and style that doesn't give a damn what other people think. She's still our sexy bookseller, but with tattoos and skates! Ugh tattooed omens is like catnip to me!

But the setting also works because it's well crafted! If you didn't have an obsession with the Elliot Page movie Whip It like I did, and don't know anything about roller derby, there's no worry here. You'll be able to follow right along. And the side characters fit into this word great! Ana was a surprise use, and one that I enjoyed! I feel like we usually see a Gabriel type character in the role that Ana fills here, so I loved the shake up. Plus, CAT. It's an instant win for me when there's a cat.

And did I mention it's hot?? The sex scenes in here are a little shorter, but excellent, and something to keep thinking about afterwards for sure. It's mostly safe in public overall, but for me I devoured it in one sitting at home. It's set up well for something to read in smaller bits but I cannot resist a good binge read. It's also clearly setting up for a sequel and honey, I'm seated. I'm subscribed and ready to go the moment more of this series drops. Already after my first draft of this post we got one! So I will end with a reminder to always subscribe to your favorite authors, because if I hadn't been I may have missed another entry to this universe and I'm an addict to these girls.

Read it here, fic by mageofthepeople

[queerlordsimon]

Tis the season of giving

Cw: y/n is ramshackle prefect, winter, cold, kissing, loving couple things, the works

An: merry christmas cattie, i know i organized this secret santa so it may seem cheap that i got you, but i swear it was the only way to make the organization make sense- so enjoyyyyy @hotchocolatefairy

It was the holidays again in Twisted Wonderland, and that meant Night Raven College was covered in snow again as well. Ramshackle dorm had yet to get heating inside, so y/n was just as cold inside as she was walking to the school, or anywhere else.

She had started traveling from her dorm to see her partner. Most of his dorm had stayed over the holidays for studying, and so had he. She stumbled through the cold breeze that brought more snow down on her, falling onto her knees a few times in the process. She shivered in the cold, but kept moving. 

Now her boyfriend had exited his dorm mirror to go get a few things from the school kitchen, when he spotted y/n in the courtyard. He blinked a moment, confused, before she fell to her knees again. He rushed over quickly, kneeling down next to her and wrapping an arm around her, helping her up. 

“Ja-mil-” she gasped softly in the cold air, looking up at his face lovingly. He looked at her softly, concerned.

“How did you end up all the way out here, my love?” he asked carefully, already walking her to the mirror room.

“I was-s coming to see y-you” she managed to say softly before another shiver passed through her. He trained his eyes on her, noticing she was still wearing what she was when he had visited a few days ago.

“How long have you been wearing those clothes?” y/n might have flushed if her face wasent already flushed from the cold as they entered the mirror room. 

“Grim-m managed to ruin-n all the other o-ones, so now this is all i have-e until C-Crowley gets b-back” she shivered again as Jamil took her hands softly, making her smiled softly. “Your hands are warm-m” Jamil smiled fondly in return and nodded.

“Youre about to be warm too, were heading into my dorm.” she nodded softly, as Jamil pulled her through the mirror, and y/n instantly felt warmer, still not fully warmed up but much better than she felt outside.

Scarabia had become a second home to y/n, her visiting whenever she had the chance whether it was to just see Jamil, or to study with him, or help him cook. Practically anything happened and she was over there, so she had many fond memories over there. So it felt natural for her to be there.

Jamil lead her into the dorm itself, and through the halls till they reached his room, as he opened the door and lead her in, moving the blanket on the nicely made bed out of the way and having her sit, before wrapping the blanket around her tightly, almost like he was swaddling a baby, and not that she fought it. He then went to his closet and pulled out a shirt for her, and his birthday jacket before setting it on the bed next to her.

“Im going to go make you some hot tea, change into these while im gone, alright? Itll help you warm up” she nodded carefully, smiling gently.

“Alright mil, thank you” she hummed, already warm enough her voice wasent shaking, and he nodded back, smiling softly before leaving and closing the door. 

While he was gone she changed into the clothes, and he was right, she already was feeling warmer. She looked around the room that was so familiar to her, smiling softly at the familiarity. As Jamil came back with a tray, a small pot of tea and two tea cups on it, along with some small treats, which he slid onto the lightstand next to the bed. He poured some of the tea into one of the tea cups, offering it to her, smiling softly at how warm she looked in his coat. 

“Here, drink up, its your favorite.” she smiled brightly at him.

“Thank you jami.” she look it carefully, sipping at it softly as he sat next to her on the bed, and she rested her head against his shoulder. “Youre too good to me.” he shook his head softly. 

“I cant have you getting hypothermia, now can i?” he hummed softly, looking at her gently. Before he thought and stood up again, making y/n raise an eyebrow. 

“Where are you going?” he smiled. 

“I have a surprise for you” he hummed, eliciting a curious look from y/n as he reached up on the shelf in his closet, pulling down a small box before bringing it back over to her, her putting her tea cup on the tray again. He handed it to her and she inspected the box carefully as he sat back down. “Open it, love” she nodded before opening it carefully.

Inside was this beautiful necklace, a round stone that looked like a galaxy with a single gold band around it hung from a gold chain, and y/ns eyes were astonished as she looked at it.

“Najma picked it up from at home, thinking youd like it, from everything ive told her about you since she met you last year. Do you like it?” 

“I love it, Jami. thank you” Jamil smiled softly.

“Good, cause some force took its energy to send you here from another galaxy, just so we could meet. And for that im so grateful.” y/n smiled gently.

“Im so grateful too love.” he smiled warmly and flushed softly, “can you help me put it on?” he nodded, y/n handing the necklace to him before turning away from him, moving her hair out of the way as he put the chain around her neck, clasping it carefully before she turned back to him, fingers going up to mess with the stone, as she looked above them, a small thing of mistletoe forming above them, making her look at it curiously. 

“Did you do that?” Jamil looked up, confused, before his eyes locked on the mistletoe as well, and he shook his head. 

“No- who could have-” he looked at the door, which he hadnt closed because his hands were full, and he sighed. “Kalim must have.” y/n smiled gently, leaning closer to him carefully. 

“Tis the season of love. “ she smiled mischiviously, making Jamil chuckled softly and shake his head. 

“No, thats true hearts day season. Tis the season of giving.” y/n giggled softly in return.

“Well then, give me a kiss.” Jamil laughed, before leaning in and kissing her, as she returned it. Before they broke apart, resting their foreheads against one another. “I love you Jami”

“I love you to, y/n”

--------

@secretfandonsanta