#i am either STUPIDLY lucky. i mean should-have-died

[inkskinned]

so i wrote a book that comes out soon and having that be real feels like falling down stairs because i wanted this since i was 7 years old so now what do i want after it.

so tell me why today all i care about is the word trundle, that the word trundle exists. of course i have things to do and emails to send and a world of suffering to protect but today my brain won't let me look away from the sheer linguistic improbability of trundle.

i saw a truck doing it. i imagine animals did it first. or people maybe. to trundle comes direct from old english. cows do it on occasion, but more often sheep (in my experience). someone had to name lope and someone had to name slog. the verbs to run and to leap make sense; they are singular and important distinguishers.

but we can bask rather than relax. we can scuttle rather than crawl. sometimes when i move in dance class it is to undulate rather than roll. someone had to name things like sonder and whimsy. of course we had words for tangible things like tree and grass and root. i love those words, i'm eating them.

i don't know the word for this thing. where it's real-now. sometimes i feel it when i am dating someone i actually like-and-love and i realize that is real, i am dating them and it's real that i like-and-love them. sometimes i have this feeling when i have been planning a vacation or an event for weeks-and-months and it finally happens - the feeling this is happening, it's happening right now.

it happens randomly sometimes too. i will be at the carnival or at an ice cream stand or with the last light of summer in my hair and i will feel it again, that sense - i have waited my whole life for this, and im finally experiencing it, and i need to pay attention to it.

but it's real! how amazing! how horribly tragic! it's real. it exists. the moment is here.

i have no idea what to do with it.

[starr-fall-knight-rise]

HASO “One of Five.”

Really enjoying writing this arc, so I hope you all like it. 

“Agreed compensation awarded to the Steel eye survivors includes 10 billion dollars in funding for the Machinaw rehabilitation center and its residents for the use in maintenance, housing, cost of living, medical support: including psychological services as well as housing and assistance if those residents are ever to leave on their own. This will also include compensation to the families of those who died during testing or the war. Furthermore, the surviving members of steel eye outside of the Machinaw rehabilitation center will also be awarded an additional 5 million for pain and suffering which includes the cost of future medical bills and psychological services.”

Adam sat back in his seat and blinked a little surprised.

Lucky bastards.

Wait…

Admiral Kelly turned to look at him mouthing the words, “Nice.”

He blinked stupidly for a second before realising, “Do they mean me.” 

Admiral Kelly snorted quickly, “You are a surviving member of steel eye aren't you?”

“Oh yeah, forgot about that.”

She patted him on the back as the judges stood.

“The Geneva court awards these rulings and will be reinforcing ethical guidelines to biotechnology and bio splicing technology the ruling of which will be announced at a later date after a committee hearing has had time to meet on the subject. The sentencing for those tried in the court today begins effective immediately. The judges stood, and there was a loud clattering as the rest of the chamber stood with them, “This meeting is henceforth adjourned,and the ruling stands. Appeals may be made in a year after sentencing.” 

Adam took a very deep breath, feeling the air pass from his lungs out in a sharp burst.

Admiral Kelly patted him on the shoulder squeezing lightly as he took another deep breath, “Think you’re going to be alright?”

“Yeah, I’m alright.”

“I was worried about you a couple times there.”

He smiled ruefully, me too. At his feet, the dog whined and he absently patted her on the head.

Taking stock of himself, he decided that he was feeling pretty good all things considered. Waffles whined again and he patted her again absently, “You probably need to go outside, don’t you.”

She whimpered, and he took that as an agreement.

Admiral Kelly walked with him from the courtroom greeting people and making small talk as they went. It was forced normalcy after all the things they had been forced to witness in the past few days, but at least they were trying, and he was feeling pretty good, almost high. 

Luckily it seemed to be the kind of high that you didn’t come crashing down from. He had survived the entire court case without once breaking out into a PTSD attack. It had come close a few times, but he had done it, he had survived, and he had helped win the compensation for his fellow steel eyes soldiers. If he could do that, there was no telling what he was he could do.

It almost didn’t feel real.

“Are you feeling well enough to join a few of us for dinner tonight, Admiral.”

He glanced over at Admiral Kelly, and nodded, “I think that is something I can do, just let me go and drop Waffles off at the hotel and I will meet you.”

“You’re not bringing her…. She’s a service dog so they have to let her in.”

He waved a hand dismissively, “It's alright, it's been a long day for the both of us, and I am sure she would rather relax somewhere quiet than spend time in a noisy restaurant surrounded by the smell of food she can’ have.”

They stopped outside onto the lawn and he looked down at the dog expecting her to begin sniffing around for a nice patch of grass, but instead she sat at his feet and stared at him, her ears alert, her eyes fixed on him. When he made eye contact with her, she shifted forward whimpering softly to get his attention.

Admiral Kelly looked down in confusion right along with him, “Is she ok?”

He shook his head in confusion, “I have no idea…. She’s presenting like she does while I have an episode, but I feel fine…. Better than fine.”

Admiral Kelly looked at him in concern, “Do you want someone to escort you back to the hotel?”

“No i think I am alright to take myself. I need to relax anyway, and a rail ride would allow me to see the city before dinner.”

Just then Dr. Krill floated his way down the steps and stopped beside him, “That was…. Horrific.”

“Yeah, well now its over and its time to think about food.”

“How very human of you.” Krill sighed, floating with him towards the end of the walk

She lifted her chin and nodded allowing him to walk off with waffles. One of the drivers stopped to speak with him, but he declined a ride and instead headed over to the rail. Krill on the other hand did accept an invitation to the car, and Adam parted with a wave before waiting patiently as a sleek white rail rolled up beside him. Waffles whimpered again, and he looked down to find her pressed up against his leg with big wide eyes staring up at him, nearly runnin into the train door because she wasn’t paying attention to anything else.

He frowned and patted her head as they stepped on.

She squeezed herself between his knees and the sea in front of him as he sat winning softly, “What is your deal today, dog.” He wondered tapping on his wrist and linking it to his implant. The call rang for a second before the other end of the line picked up.

“Hey Doc, is everyone in.”

“Yeah, you’re on speaker.” In the background he could hear the shifting and the coughing of the other steel eye soldiers as they sat in baited breath in their seats.

“We won.”

Muffled hearing in the background.

“We won, and 10 billion is going to you in settlement for pretty much all life expenses for the rest of forever.”

More Cheering and shocked stammering from the doctor.”

“Also a nice little sum for myself…. Don’t know if I’ll keep it though. Anyway, just thought you all should know.”

Waffles whined again, and he patted her ears.

They spoke for a few more seconds when the doctor suddenly grew serious again, “And admiral… how are you feeling.”

Adam smiled, “t was rough, not going to lie, but I am feeling pretty good right now. Better than I expected to feel. Hold on doctor, I will have to hang up in a minute. My stop is coming up.”

The doctor paused, but let it pass, and he hung up as he was stepping off the rail into the heart of the city.

He felt as light as a feather as he walked down the street, his head spinning lightly from the exaltation of surviving the day. Waffles bumped into his side and stepped on his feet multiple times. He nudged her to the side with his leg, “Calm down would you.”

The hotel was approaching just along the street, and he was greeted by a friendly clerk who smiled and waved as he walked into the lobby and headed up to his room. He stepped inside and moved over to change sighing as he finally crawled out of his uncomfortable uniform and into his preferred outfit.

Jeans and T-shirt.

There was no need for his jacket, which he left hanging on the bedpost.

He sat down with Waffles for a few minutes, holding her head between his hands and stroking his hand over her large, pointed ears which hse lay flat against her skull, closing her eyes and beating her tail against the floor.

“You worry too much, you know that.”

Her fur was soft against his hands, “When Krill gets back from sightseeing, don’t eat him, alright.”

She liked his hand and he laughed, standing and walking towards the door.

As soon as he moved however, she leaped up to follow him, stepping on his foot again.

He frowned at her, “Waffles, no.”

He pointed towards the floor beside the couch, “Lay down.”

She didn’t budge.

He was surprised.

She never disobeyed a command, never.

Is brows knitted together and he pointed more hardly at the spot of rug, “Go lay down.” his voice was strong and unyielding. She backed away a few steps but didn’t do as ordered.

He was a bit annoyed now not understanding what her issue was, “I said Lay down”

She lay down, but it was in the spot she was currently sitting.

He shook his head, “I will deal with you when I get back because I have no idea what has gotten into you.”

He turned and walked towards the door ordering her to ‘stay’ as she left.

This time she did as told, though the whimpering and whining grew louder as he made his way towards the door.

“Sleep it off, girl.” he said as he closed the door and stepped out onto the hall. Her whimpering faded behind him in the distance.

He felt good ,

Granted, of course he loved his dog, but,sometimes, she was a reminder to him of his weaknesses. It was good t get out there by himself, and stepping onto the street he raised his head to suck in a lungful of air, completely alone. Being on the Omen, it was hard to get his time away. It always felt like someone was watching him, babysitting him. Sometimes it was hard to feel like an adult.

Despite being the commander for the largest space armada in human history… the only space armada in human history.

He still often felt like he was being supervised.

He continued his way down the sidewalk following directions on his implant to the assigned restaurant.

The sun was just beginning to sink below the horizon, and he was simply enjoying feeling the warm breeze on his skin.

He would be a  little bit early, but that was alright, he was sure he could find an outdoor table somewhere and just bask in the setting sun. Either that or he could find a bakery or something and find himself a pre-dinner snack.

Either one worked for him though the snack was starting to sound more appealing.

He took a step around the next corner just as the setting sun spilled downward into a grouping of clouds. The clouds luminesced and then burst into sparkling tones of red, which momentarily blinded him. He threw up a hand against the beam of light. Just to his left, a hover car was forced to let off its emergency air break, which came out as a sharp hiss of air from the front of the vehicle.

All sound was sucked from the world.

Replaced second later  by a high pitched keening.

Lights passed over him, shadows from people walking just to his right.

Red light spilled past tem and onto his face.

He took another step, and the ground and stone jolted up through his steel eye leg and into stump.

He heard the sharp hiss of the suit as it churned to life, hungry and rpeditory, ready for a fight.

The red light faded, obscured by a shadow.

He could feel the ash against his skin as he passed through, the particles plastering against his skin and stinging at his eyes.

He held up a hand, watching as the servos on his forearm moved with his hand.

A plate of metal covered the back of his hand, as well as the casings that held his fingertips and protected his knuckles.

Stone thudded under his feet.

He spun around in confusion, hands up and ready for a fight. Ash and red mist swirled around him. He spun again, his heart hammering, his head foggy. Ash whipped at his face, he held up a hand to cover his eyes.

Where was he!

How did he get here! Where as his platoon.

His brain was foggy and slow, all he saw was blac shadows in the mist around them. He tracked them with his eye zeroing in on them like  targeting system. He reached down for a gun that wasn’t there.

He was unarmed 

Unarmed aside from the suit.

And he had no idea where he was.

He spun around again, tracking one of the shadows as it moved forward at him through the mist.

A shape, a massive shape with too many arms raced towards him from the red.

He lept back swinging violently out with his hand to stop the blow coming down from above.

The blow never came, and fearing for what might come next he dodged to the side an racked into the ash keeping one hand up over his face. He heard the garbled words of Drev as they rose up around him.

He turned sprinting through a gully of rocks, trying as hard as he could to get away from the voices. The Steel eye suit whirred and hissed below him as h leaped over rocks and dove through shadows sprinting as fast as he could.

The whirring from the prosthetic leg was loud inside his head.

His other leg burned and throbbed in pain.

Oh nooooo, no, no not now, not this pain, not now.

He imagined he could feel the pain creeping up his spine.

It must be the bo, was he missing the box?

He looked down at his chest and stomach to where the black box should have been, but found nothing other than the steel vise of the steel eye suit. Oh no, the painkillers were fading off. His leg began to throb more and more as he ra.

He could imagine the pain racing up his legs ad into his body as the medicine wore off.

He spun in circles hands to his head trying to find an escape. Great pillars of rock rose up on either side of him. Red mist swirled around him.

Ash pelted athis ski.

In a panic, he raced off in another direction, stumbling and flailing as the pain roared up through his human leg.

They were chasing him, he could hear voices calling out behind him… the Drev coming for him.

He sped up and continued his race forward, breath coming in ragged gasps. He was going as fast as he could, as fast as the steel eye suit could, but somehow they were still gaining on him.

Before him, the mist parted, he could see the edge, a small cliff-face where the rock dropped down about thirty feet.

That is where he could lose them.

He broke into a dead sprint, the steel eye whirring along with his movements.

Drev battlecries behind him, and he jumped.

The ground rose up to meet him, and with a thunderous crash he staggered forward, the prosthetic taking most of the impact.

The throbbing in his left leg grew exponentially worse, he cried out in pain but continued running knowing that the steel eye suit would operate no matter how broken his body was. He just needed to fight back the pain for long enough…. Long enough for someone to find him. The voices were fading now, and the large pillars of rock had moved further into the distance.

He sprinted down the center, feeling his feet clatter  over moss and rock.

Pain shot up through his hip and into his pelvis.

He slowed to a halt dropping to his knee with the pain. He gritted his teeth and screamed in agony as the fire went rolling up his nerves and into his body. He had to keep going, he had to keep going. He staggered to his feet, the suit letting off a disjointed clattering. He could feel where it burrowed into his skin, latched onto him like some sort of sick parasite.

He wanted nothing more than to tear it off, but he knew he couldn’t.

He had to get to somewhere safe.

He cut left across open ground and towards the monoliths of rock. Maybe he could lose them in there. He darted inward his knee crying out in pain, the ball joint of his hip screaming. The pain leaked up into his abdomen, into his stomach and up into the lumbar region of his spine.

He thought he could hear more voices behind him, but stopped.

Dead end.

He was blocked, and it was too high to jump.

Just a narrow wall of rock between him and the other side. He could still hear the steel eye whirring, and whirring louder now that he was thinking about escape. He couldn’t go back the way he had come.

There was only one way to go.

Forward.

The steel eye was powerful…. Powerful enough to break stone.

He turned, backed up and then ran, pelting full tilt towards the small wall of stone the steel eye whirring around him, pain throbbing up through his limbs. He lowered his shoulder, tucked his head and….

Excruciating pain.

The whirring of the steel eye armor cut off as he was repelled backward, thrown to his back with a painful crunch. He lay on his back in a shattered heap, looking up at the sky, watching ash roll around him, a whirling mist of red. Small particles pelted against his face, but then…. Dripped down his cheek.

That…. Wasn’t right.

As he lay there the sky above darkened. The red haze that had covered everything faded away

Black clouds hung overhead.

Small drops of drizzle fell from the sky, and the buildings that made up the alleyway he was in rose around him.

He lay on the ground in the metal scraps and refuse.

The rain picked up landing on his cheeks and dripping down towards his ears.

When he moved, there was no whirring.

He wasn’t wearing the steel eye suit.

But he was in so much pain.

He could have gotten up….maybe

Crawled his way to help.

But he just… couldnt.

Not anymore.

He closed his eyes, and relinquished his hold on reality.

He didn’t want it anyway.

***

He spun the cigarette between his fingers ignoring the occasional dirty look he received from passers by. yeah , yeah, he was trying to quit. It was actually pretty inconvenient to be a smoker in the 41st century. Soon the no smoking ads were going to get personal as he became the last man on earth to imbibe cancer sticks.

They could keep their noses out of his business.

Everyone had a vice.

Besides, he didn’t smoke that much, thanks to his wife, but it was a habit he had picked up during the war to keep himself calm in tense situations, and it was a habit he found hard to break. Some people bit their nails, some people picked at their fingers, some people pulled their hair.

He smoked.

His left knee began to ache, and he turned his head towards the sky. Looked like rain.

Felt like rain.

Tasted like rain. 

He reached down to rub his aching knee. 

Stopping outside the door, he noticed the conspicuous no smoking sign, and tucked the cigarette into his shirt pocket, shouldering open the door, and into the dimly lit restaurant, crowded with people and filled with a cacophony of voices. 

A hostess noticed him and smiled, “How many?” she asked 

He shook his head, “here to meet some friends, big party of eight or so”

“Oh yes, they are just back here.” She said motioning him forward, he followed after her through the dim interior and back towards where a group of men and women in casual dress were sitting around a table eating and drinking. Though they were dressed casually, he could tell by their bearing, straight backs and quick eyes, that they were soldiers before anything else.

They noticed him coming pretty early on and smiled.

Admiral Kelly waved him over.

He came to stop by, “Admiral.” He said, nodding.”

“Lindsay.”

He turned to look at the rest of the table, who leaned forward slightly to get a better look at them.

“WHose your friend.” one of the others asked Kelly.

She motioned him to sit in one of the remaining chairs, and he did so, “Everyone this is Kier Lindsay, an old friend here for the trial.”

One of the other men leaned back, “The trial, you have family in the program or something?”

A smile twitched at the corner of his mouth, “Something like that.”

A waiter passed by pouring him a glass of water and he thanked them before they headed off. Reaching out to take the glass, he noticed the other men and women’s eyes as they fell on his hand, and the scars there.

“You?”

He nodded, “Yeah, me, still trying to figure out how to hide my newly awarded 5 million from extended family members.”

Kelly snorted, “he’s one of the five functional members of steel eye, and the old bastard seems to be doing pretty well all things considered.”

His mind turned back to the cigarette in his pocket.

“How was the trial for you? Seemed to be pretty hard on Vir.”

He shrugged, “Seen worse, experienced worse.” He leaned back in his seat, “Other than an overwhelming desire to chain smoke my way through earths last remaining cigarette supply, I did pretty well.” he glanced around the table, “Where is admiral vir anyway.”

Kelly shrugged, “he was dropping his dog off at the hotel before heading over.”

“Hmm…. wanted to talk to him. Boy seemed…..”

“Shaken up.”

“To put it mildly. I just wanted to introduce myself. He did a good job all things considered. Made me a bit smug when he told that lawyer to STFU.”

“He has his moments.”

Lindsay looked towards the door frowning slightly. It shouldn��t have taken the man that long to head back to the hotel. The city wasn’t that big, and its not like admiral Vir had a reputation for being late. Yeah Lindsay knew a little bit about him; he liked to keep an eye on the kid -- in a not so creepy way-- it was good to see other members of steel eye making it big.

But….

He took a few minutes and had a few drinks before setting his glass down and standing up.

“Where are you going?”

He smiled and patted his shirt pocket, “To shorten my lifespan a few years. Please excuse me.”

They waved him off, and he stepped outside.

It was beginning to rain.

And the sun was just about setting.

He stepped into the rain, not caring about the wet. It felt good. Anything that reminded him he was alive felt good.

His little girl had taught him that.

She loved the rain.

Now, which way was that hotel?

He followed his feet along the pavement. No harm done in looking. If the man was on his way, they would probably run into each other, but…. something … call it human intuition told him that it wasn’t that easy.

He was just making his way up the nearest street when he heard something… odd.

Barking.

And the patter of paws on the ground just ahead of him. He squinted into the darkness and then leaped aside eyes wide as the German Shepherd charged from the darkness, ears pressed back against it’s skull. For a second he thought it was coming after him, but then it blew past him.

In that split second, he turned his head, and made eye contact with the alien gripping the animal’s collar, being dragged along like some sort of twisted children’s balloon.

That was  Admiral Vir’s service dog.

A second later he had broken into an almost  dead sprint after the two of them.

He was going to fall behind.

But then the Iron eye prosthetics whirred to life.

His feet thundered over the ground as he flew through the streets behind the dog. She wasn’t going as fast as she possibly could, tracking at the same time she ran, so he ended up catching up to her.

Metal clattered against pavement.

He was going to need a new pair of shoes.

The alien stared at him.

“Where is Admiral Vir!” He shouted through gasping breaths.

“I don’t know!.” The alien squeaked a little bit as the dog leaped over a bench, cutting around a corner and skidding to a halt before an overpass drop.

He nearly flipped himself over the edge, just catching himself before taking a nosedive.

The dog whimpered and paced back and forth.

Lindsay peered over the edge of the overpass to the ground…. Where a line of webbed cracks was evident on the concrete.

“Holy shit…. He… jumped?”

The little alien followed his gaze giving a dark expression for an alien.

“But hes not there anymore.”

Lindsay kicked his legs up and over the railing, “The Steel eye leg probably saved his legs.”

He turned to look at the whimpering dog and held out his arms, “Come on girl, we can find him.”

She stared at him, but somehow, something got across and she lifted herself up on her back paws.

He grabbed the dog around her front and back, grunting slightly at her weight. She whimpered.

“What are you doing!” the alien hissed.

“Relax, its not like I can break my legs.”

He took a step forward and dropped like a stone.

He crashed into the concrete, sending up shards of the stuff outward from his impact.

The dog whimpered again, and he set her on the ground.

The alien floated down after, “You…. you are one of the steel eye soldiers.”

“Yep,”

“Both legs?”

“One above the knee and one below, just got to be careful to take the weight on the right leg or my real knee might blow out…  come on.”

The dog sniffed at the ground for a moment before pelting off in another direction.

He raced after, the alien grabbing onto his shirt at the last moment and holding on for deer life.

He cut through the rail yard and down towards a set of buildings on the side, old scrap heaps covering in tufts of grass dotting the intervening space.

She raced into the next alleyway barking.

He followed after, skidding to a halt.

“Shit.”

He trotted forward and dropped to his knees next to the body.

Adam Vir lay supine in a pool of greasy water face tilted back towards the sky. His clothing was torn. He was bleeding from his nose, and one ear. His entire right side was battered to shit and covered in abrasions. 

It was only due to the shallow movement of his chest that he knew the man was still breathing. 

[thatfrogkiki]

Incendio

Revolution (Royal Witch AU)

Chapter Two: Incendio

Draco Malfoy x royal!Reader

Author: @thatfrogkiki​

Warnings: slowburn, swearing, political themes, eventual smut (everyone is 18+ in this AU), violence, etc.

Summary: The Reader gets caught by Draco in the forbidden history section of the library, but she’s found her book she was looking for. However, Draco refuses to leave her be without a fight.

Word Count: 1935

Author’s Note: I’m not sure how I feel about this chapter, but I thought I’d post it anyways! I have plans for more interesting chapters, so please stick around for them if you’d like! Any feedback is welcome by the way! I appreciate all your kind words!

Y/n = Your name

Y/m/n = Your middle name (going to be used as your fake last name)

~~~

*Reader’s POV*

I have to find it here… I just have to… If it isn’t here, it isn’t anywhere… I try my best to quickly scan each book on every bookshelf in the history section. The further I go into the forbidden history section, the heavier my chest feels. It makes me feel like I really shouldn’t be here, but I must go on. Nothing can stop me from fulfilling my destiny…

“C’mon, it has to be here somewhere…” I mumble out loud to myself. I sigh and close my eyes for a second. Without opening my eyes, I rest my head on the bookshelf ahead of me. When I get back up and open my eyes, they immediately focus on an unusual book with no name on its spine.

“That’s peculiar…” I go to pick it up, and a shiver runs down my spine. I can hear the chanting of my ancestors beating in my eardrums, but I ignore it. This is the book I was looking for:

Sols and Lunes: A History of Genocide

I’ve found it… I’ve finally found it! Tears begin streaming down my face as I open the book and start to read the first few pages. It’s encoded in some strange language of runes I’ve never seen before. 

“And what do you think you’re doing here?” I hear a voice practically yell at me, making me jump out of my own skin.

“H-huh?” I panic and stupidly ask who I now see to be that Draco kid from the dining hall.

“I said, ‘And what…’” He begins again, but I stop him by shushing.

“Shh! We’re gonna get caught if you don’t stop yelling!” I whisper angrily towards him.

“Oh please, no one’s gonna find us all the way back here. No one goes for the forbidden history section, it’s not nearly as exciting as the forbidden spells section…” Draco tries to joke with me, but I’m in no mood to be humorous. 

“Can I help you with something, then?” He steps closer to me slowly, and our height difference becomes more noticeable. I can tell he’s liking that, too, which pisses me off. 

“Not with anything specific… I just came to apologize for my behavior earlier, but then I noticed you sneaked off into here so I…” He trails off with a slight smirk on his face.

“You what? Thought you have leverage over me or something? Look, I’m not interested in being friends or anything you’re thinking of, so just leave me alone. I’m doing something rather important,” I step to the side and begin to walk away from him, but he holds his arm out to stop me. He grips my shoulder and shoves it gently towards the bookshelves.

“You might want to watch that tone of yours… Most people tend to know who they’re talking to, but you’re new so I’ll let it slide this time.” Draco throws me a wink as if I’d swoon, but instead I slam my shoe into his shin. He drops to one knee in pain, cussing me out.

“Watch your tone, Malfoy. Or else you might regret it.” I spit out with venom, slapping his hand off my shoulder. I start walking away again, but, before I get far enough, Draco stops me with a spell.

“Incarcerous!” He yells with his wand at the ready, and I’m immediately tied up with magic ropes. I stumble forward a little but still catch my balance.

“Heh, not so tough now, are ya?” Draco chuckles to himself as he strides towards me.

“Expelliarmus!” I shout back at him, and his wand flies out of his hand.

“H-how did you do that?! Your wand isn’t out…” He stops with shock in his eyes. I don’t answer him, as I’ve realized how stupid I am. I just informed him that I don’t need a wand to do magic spells, which means he might find out what I am… Before he can figure it out, I unbind myself from the ropes and make a run for it. I slip out of the restricted section and library, then head for the Slytherin dormitories again. Surprisingly, I make it all the way there without seeing Draco again. Once in my private room, I’m able to rest finally. I lean my back against my door and sigh with relief. However, I then get the thought that I’ve made an even more terrible mistake. 

“Oh fuck!” In mid-thought, I hear a knock at my door. I panic for a second, but collect myself and unlock the door.

“Hello, Y/m/n. It appears that you’ve left something behind…” Draco smirks, holding my book up to his chest.

“O-oh, yes… M-my mistake… If I could just have that back,” I reach out for it, but he snaps the book up in the air with his long, lanky arm.

“Ah, ah, ah! Where are your manners?” He takes a step forward, but I hold my ground with a glare. He takes another step, and we’re chest to chest. I know what he wants, but it’s not going to happen.

“Give it here, or else I’ll report you…” I try to threaten, but he doesn’t seem fazed.

“Try me.” He leans down and whispers into my ear. I finally take a step back, which seems to make Draco happy. With his foot, he shuts the door, leaving us alone in my room with no quick way out.

“Now, if you’re done sassing me, I’d like to ask you a few questions. I’ll give you your book back if you answer all of them,” Draco promises, but I’m warry to believe him. I know what he’s going to ask about before he does, but I just play along.

“Firstly, how’d you cast a spell without your wand out? Something like that takes years of practice, and no school would ever teach students such power…” He asks, and I try to come up with a good lie.

“I had my wand out, Malfoy. You just didn’t see cuz it was lowered.” I try, but he just quirks an eyebrow in response.

“Sure, you must think I’m as blind as Potter…” He rolls his eyes at me.

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told the truth…” I begin to lie again, but Draco is having none of it.

“Just tell me, or you’ll never see your stupid book again,” He bluffs.

“Fine! I was taught from a young age by my mother,” I feel my face heat up from embarrassment. I hate having to talk about this kind of stuff with normal people. They know not what they meddle with…

“Your mother? And who taught her?” Draco asks.

“Her mother! It’s just been passed down in my family since the beginning of magic…” I answer annoyed.

“Since the beginning of magic?” Draco is taken aback by my answer, and I mentally cuss myself out.

“Uh, I mean… you know what I mean… It’s been forever since this tradition started, I guess… I’m not sure how it started…” I lie.

“No, no… You specifically said, ‘since the beginning of magic’. What do you mean by that?” He questions further.

“I didn’t mean anything by it! It was just an expression!” I lie again, but Draco shakes his head in disagreement.

“I… I can’t tell you…” I pip out.

“Why not?” He inquires, but I let out a frustrated sigh.

“I just can’t! I’m not going to endanger myself or you just because you’re curious!” I yell at him, but he stands his ground.

“You? Endangering me? Like you could…” Draco snickers, making me furious.

“Believe it or not, I can be quite powerful when I want to! You’re lucky we’re at Hogwarts, or else I’d have gotten rid of you a long time ago,” I cross my arms in front of me.

“Is that a threat?” Draco looks livid, but I don’t back down.

“Yes, so back off!” I shout, but Draco doesn’t listen. Instead, he brings my book back close to himself.

“I guess you won’t be needing this then,” He shrugs and takes out his wand.

“W-what are you doing?!” I try reaching for the book, but he’s already spoken his spell.

“Incendio!” A small fire sparks through his wand towards the book.

“No!” I scream for the book, but then it seems unharmed by the flames. Draco’s fire dies out, and we’re both left staring in awe.

“It’s enchanted…?” Draco asks himself, but I take the opportunity to snatch the book from his hand.

“Apparently… You should leave… I mean it,” I answer.

“Hm, I don’t want to… I want to know what that book really is, especially since it’s so important to you,” Draco states, but I ignore him. I begin to flip through the book, hoping to find a hidden key for the strange runes.

“What language is that?” Draco asks.

“Not sure… But seriously, you need to leave.” I close the book and glare his way.

“Why?” He questions.

“Because! Because… It’s dangerous for someone like you to be around someone like me…” I answer honestly.

“How so?” Draco doesn’t let it go.

“Because I tend to attract bad people in my life… People that want to do me and all around me harm…” I look away somewhat ashamed of the lifestyle I lead.

“Heh, I feel that… I don’t have many friends that would look out for me either…” I can feel Draco’s eyes on me still, and, for a moment, I feel pity for him.

“I’m sorry… But we can’t be friends.” I finally look him dead in the eyes and firmly state.

“Why not? I know I’m not always the most polite, but I’m not a complete asshole either,” Draco chuckles to himself, but I simply shake my head in disagreement.

“Again, it has nothing to do with how poor your character is. It’s a matter of safety. I’m not going to put anyone at risk just because they want to be friends with me,” I say with a slight broken heart. Admittedly, it’s been rather lonely the past few years on my own. It’s also rather terrifying to not have anyone that can help me with survival…

“I swear I can hold up my own, Y/n…” Draco practically pleads with me, and it takes everything in me to decline.

“I’m sorry, I can’t… Please just try to understand…” I look down at my feet in shame.

“Fine.” Draco spats out at me, and then I hear him open the door and leave. 

“God, why couldn’t I have been born into a normal family?” I feel my eyes start to tear up slightly. The people pleaser in me just wants to be friendly with everyone, but the danger I possess can’t risk being closer to anyone else.

[godestof3worlds]

On the 1st Day of Christmas my true love gave to me - A Partridge in a Pear Tree

A lot of things can happen in a span of a second, tick since we’re in space. In a second you can feel immense joy for opening a Christmas present to only receive a book of from your father. In a second you could feel a bond with a sentimental lion. In a second you can be completing a mission, then all of a sudden you see fire engulf one of your companions. In a second you could be about to ram your ship into a shield only for there to be no need to complete the course.  

That is what happened to me only half an hour ago, half a  varga  since we’re still in space. I'm just there in the room with the paladins of Voltron and rebels while trying to calm myself from the adrenaline rush. I don’t think nobody knows what almost happened except for maybe Matt, who keeps looking at me. I try to pay attention to  Kolivan , I really do try, but my mind is running at a mile per minute about how I  almost died.  

I shouldn’t be feeling like this. I mean I have almost died several times, and it’s not me being dramatic. I'm in a war, I put my life on the line so others don’t have to. This one though, this one was like facing death head on whereas the other times I didn’t care how close to death I really was. I would have gone through with the act, would have rammed my ship into the  shield  to save the coalition.  

The mission before the individual.  

That’s the Blades’ way.  

Thank goodness Lotor was there, but even  then,  that act alone leads me to wanting answers for my millions of questions I have for the prince. Why help us? Why go against your own empire? Why now decide to join the fight? What did he do to want to switch side from being the enemy, to being the ally? What will he gain?  

So many confusing questions that I can feel them behind my eyelids. I shake out of my thoughts in time to see Shiro and  Kolivan  nod before everybody starts to exit the room.  

I quickly get out of my seat and leave the room, but not before I hear  Kolivan  call out, “We’ll be leaving in a varga,”  

I nod my head, knowing he probably won’t see it, but it’s still the action of doing it. I don’t really know what to do. Everybody is busy, I don’t think I could really go to my old room, and I doubt I can go to the training deck.  Kolivan  has already warned me beforehand that if he catches me on the training deck here, he will make me do drills for five  vargas  straight. I may have great stamina, but  Kolivan’s  drill is a nightmare.  

I just start to walk over to the kitchen to grab a water, my throat dry, before I see a shadow start to follow me, then a hand lands on my shoulder and before I can process whoever it is, my instincts take over. I grab the hand and twist it before I turn around, about to kick the offender’s leg out of them-  

“Woah there Keith. It’s me. It's your second unofficially adopted older brother,” Matt quickly shouts with wide eyes.  

I let go of his hand as I take a step back, “Sorry,” I apologized. I try to get away because I know why Matt is here and not with his sister, and I don’t want to talk about it but-  

“Ah Kogane, I should know better than to startle a Samurai ninja like that after an almost death experience,” He says.  

“First, I'm not a ninja  samurai -”  

“ Yes  you are-”  

“Samurai are nobles that decided to be warriors in ancient Japanese, whereas ninjas are just normal people in Japan who are spies, and assassins, and last I checked, I'm not a noble,” I blurt out.  

“Well sorry that I don’t keep useless information on these types of things,” I just shrug as I start to walk away.  

“Bye Matt,” I wave and I start to speed walk away.  

“Nope, no you don’t. You don’t get to walk off like that after you did a kamikaze move like that.” he grabs my shoulder to turn me around so I could face him, “I thought the Japanese did that in World War ||, and you are Korean, it’s not like it’s in your blood or anything,”  

“I didn’t go through with it, Lotor shot down the shield in time, so I'm fine,”  

“You almost died and you are going to just walk off like that,” we start walking to an unknown destination.  

“We almost die all the time-”  

“But nobody goes running head first into a forcefield, you’re lucky Lotor was there,” and I sigh because he’s right about both statement he made. I was lucky, very lucky.  

“I know Matt, but if one life needs to be  sacrificed  for  tens  of millions of people, then I will do it again,” we turn a corner, and it feels like I'm leading, but I'm still a little to shaken up to really care.  

“But that’s just it Keith, you think nobody will miss you if you exploded into little Keith bits?” we round another corner, and we are before the door that leads to the lions, specifically the Black Lion.  

“Matt, what are we doing here?” I ask as I cross my arms in front of my chest.  

“You think I brought you here? Nope, you did, I let you lead, you’re the one who started to walk around, not me,” and at this I tilt my head in thought before I walk in.  

“Okay, I'm really glad you walked over here because we need to talk, let’s go near the nice  kitties'  leg so the barrier can come down and we can talk about you sacrificing without saying goodbye and how you think you are nothing,” I just nod because nothing much I can actually do.  

So, we walk behind the lion’s leg and the particle barrier come up, surprising me with how it actually listened to me.  

“So, first of all, you DON’T go SACRIFICING yourself!” he shouts at me, startling me, “I know the whole Blades motto is ‘the mission before the individual’ and all that,” he quoted the motto with his fingers, “But if you would not have been so stupidly hotheaded, we could have made another plan,”  

“But there wasn’t time to make any other PLAN!” I shouted back before I took a deep breath, “Matt, tens of thousands of lives were at stake, I couldn’t let my measly life be the reason why families died, and if Lotor wasn’t there, and I didn’t ram my shop, I would have died either way,” I tried to reason.  

“ You  stupid idiotic imbecile!” he shouted, “You are Keith  quiznacking  Kogane! You are not  some type  of worthless person who will not be missed if you died.”  

“Matt-”  

“No, you are not listening!” he stopped for a second before he took a deep breath, “I will now list your accomplishment in no particular order,” he calmy said  

“M-”  

“And if you  interrupt,  I will hit you so hard with my staff that you wish you  kamikazed;  you understand?”  

I nod as I cross my arms.  

“You, Keith Akira Kogane, have accomplished a lot of things even with the universe going against you. You have beaten Shiro’s record back at Garrison. It wasn’t just one, not two, not even five, but all of them before the age of eighteen,” he pauses for effect, “rescued Shiro from the Garrison, found carvings to find the blue lion, became the red lion’s pilot, a paladin of Voltron, fought  Zarkon  head on and survived, survived the trials of Marmora that Shiro has said looked hard, awakened your blade, became the black lion’s paladin, led Voltron, then turned into a space ninja,” Matt quickly took a huge gulp of air.  

I just raised my eyebrow, waiting for him to tell me he was done.  

“Now then Kogane, I know you like being Mr. Macho and everything, but it’s okay to not be okay,” he says.  

“I am okay,” I insist.  

“No, you are not Keith, I saw you during the meeting. You were bouncing your leg, a nervous tick you subconsciously do, and glaring at the table as if it ate Shiro or something. You are not okay,” Matt takes a big breath, “Keith, you are like a younger brother I never have, sure I have Ka-Pidge, but she’ll always be my sister, I can’t lose you to this war. I already lost dad, and I know he’s still alive, but I can’t actually lose you and there is no way to get you back,” Matt says seriously.  

I don’t know what to say. It's war. That's life. Many people need to make sacrifices because it can be the cause for millions of people.  

“What do you want me to say? It’s war, I can’t guarantee that I'll survive,” I whisper.  

Matt holds onto my shoulder before he pulls me into a hug.  

“Just try to stay alive, that’ll be enough,” I nod my head, “besides, who’s going keep giving Shiro white hair, or keep scaring me to death, huh?” we both laugh until we pull apart.  

I quickly wipe the few tears that were staining my  cheeks .  

“Thanks Matt,” I whispered.  

“Anytime,” he had tear tracks too, but didn’t make any move.  

“I should go make sure I'm not late,” I start to walk away when Matt calls out.  

“Keith, you are my little brother, just like Pidge is my little sister, we’re family,” and I nod my head.  

But as I walked away, I knew that I would make many more sacrifices to protect my family. As many as it takes...  

[a19yearoldtryinherbest]

The Life They Had Set Themselves To Live. Pt 3 [Bill Hader]

Masterlist

Part 1 - Part 2

Prompt: Bill makes his way back into Bea’s life and some old feelings might still be there.

Pairing: Bill Hader x OFC [Bea]

Warning: Swearing, maybe feels.

A/N: I loved doing this series. I’m kind of sad it’s over.

Word count: 3341

•  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •

It felt like being back to the days before she decided to let him out of her life. Even better than those days. They were still afraid to ruin the relationship they shared but there wasn't any more guilt, no afterthought of his marriage for either of them. It was better, but it still felt like they were holding their breaths around eachother.

The filming was coming to an end which made Bill's heart sink, he couldn't go back to not seeing her, couldn't go back to not speaking to her everyday, not hearing her voice, not seeing her smile. Even if he had to hold back the “I love you” lingering on his throat, seeing her was enough.

Bea, on the other hand, was confused. She wasn't sure how she should feel, because, no matter how much she loved to see him, it wasn't enough for her. Every day she would see him felt like peeling off a scar, for a moment it seemed like it was healed but every time she would peal it off the fucker would start bleeding again. And she couldn't bear to loose that much blood.

Still, the thought of not seeing him made her dread the end of filming which was a few days away. She wished she could pause the time, only for few times, just to stay in the limbo that had been those three months and a half of shooting, just to look at him for a little bit longer.

But she couldn't stop time, and the days weren't going to be longer just because she wanted them to be.

The last day for most of the cast came around. She was covered in fake blood, which was slightly better than being freezing in a lake on a particularly cold day, and she still felt conflicted.

As they all clapped and smiled she looked at Bill. His heartwarming smile, his peaceful eyes, his awkward stance. She couldn't keep doing that to herself, even if she wanted to, even if just the thought of not seeing him again made her heart twist and turn in pain.

She had already done it once, she figured it wouldn't be so hard to do it again. But she knew she was just lying to herself.

When the claps died out, without saying a word, without having anyone see her, she went back to her trailer. She had found long ago that she could do that, she could almost make herself invisible, unnoticeable. Except to Bill, he would always see her. That's why, when she finished showering and changing, he was at her door.

He was changed and showered too, completely out of costume, a jean and a plaid shirt on. She smiled. Maybe the plaid wasn't completely gone after all.

— Hey. — she stepped out of the trailer, leaving her a few inches from him.

— Hey. — he smiled at her and took a hesitant and small step back, maybe to give her space, maybe to give himself space — Why did you sneaked out? — he tried to say it humorously but failed.

— The blood is manly syrup so I really needed that shower. — she laughed shortly, trying to distract with some sort of comedy. But, even for two former SNL comedians, they were in a pretty rough place to joke around.

Bill nodded, letting out a small “Oh” just to say something. He had seen the way she was leaving, the look on her, he knew it all too well. He had spend four years thinking of that exact same look she gave him before going towards the car. He knew she was gonna leave him again but he still didn't know why.

He wanted to ask her, he wanted to pour his heart put put to her and let it all out but Ransone accidentally stopped him before he could — Just the people I was looking for! — he chimed — We were all gonna go for a few drinks at a bar, as a farewell thing. Wanna come? — he asked.

— Sure. — Bill responded and then looked at Bea. She wasn't looking at him, she was looking hesitantly at James. He hoped she would say yes, because maybe if she did he could talk to her. When she smiled and said yes he felt relived. Maybe he would talk to her, maybe he wouldn't loose her again.

However, she wasn't really up for talking, so the first thing she did was to take up on the offer of a double scotch Skarsgård had made and still got a beer like everyone else. She was trying to get drunk. Bill noted that, seeing her drink as the conversation went on.

— I really think we can all relate to at least one of the losers'. — said Ransone before taking another sip of his beer. Most of the guy chuckled at the commentary, not taking it seriously.

— What kind of fucked up childhood did you have? — Bill joked and got everyone to laugh, even Bea which made him smile.

— Hey, I don't mean like, murderous clowns and creepy father's but like- my mom was like Eddie's mom but down to like- ten percent. She was always worried about me getting sick and that kind of made me scarred to get sick. — he laughed a bit — But it only meant being extremely fucking covered up in coats in winter.

Everyone laughed a bit. An opening came for someone else to talk and Bea decided it would be her.

She immediately threw back the last swing and talked loudly — I like, totally relate to Richie.

— You're secretly gay? — joked Jay in a lower tone than her. Everyone was amused by her drunken state, everyone except Bill.

It wasn't like he was angry or disappointed, he was just hurt. She was drinking just to not talk to him, he knew it and she knew he knew it.

She smiled at his stupid joke — Nooo... — she shushed, shaking her head softly, looking at him with an empty glass on her hand, her eyes almost closed before she had opened them wide — I'm just been stupidly in love, for nin- no- then years, with someone I was- I- am? — she hesitated — Someone I'm friends for ages. — she didn't correct any the many errors she had made then.

— No way! — most of the men chanted.

— Who? — asked Bill. She convinced herself that it was the alcohol but she would've sworn he had clenched his jaw after asking the question.

She giggled — I can't say. — hadn't been for the alcohol she would've been extremely nervous in that moment, lucky for her she just found it amusing.

— Oh, come on! — chimed in Mustafa.

Bill's eyes stayed fixed on her as she laughed, for the first time in his life Bea's laughter didn't made him smile. He felt his stomach clench at the idea of her being in love with someone for so long. Why would she put herself through that? Why would she let herself be left aside? But then, he thought, he was willing to do that for her. And he understood why she had never been serious with anybody. She was so in love she couldn't think of anyone else. And he felt jealous of this person, of this friend, yearning the idea of having her loving him like that.

Bea looked at him and saw him serious. She couldn't keep it any longer, the filming was done, there wasn't any reason they would have to keep talking after, and she thought that maybe if she finally said it, maybe if she could get it out of her system, she would feel better. So she took McAvoy's beer and finished it quickly, having him complain about it. She looked at Bill again, straight into is light blue eyes, and he relaxed, somehow foreseeing what she was going to say, or maybe just hoping for it.

— It's Bill. — she said and the laughter in the table slowly drowned out. She felt her eyes sting as she looked for a reaction -other than surprise- in his face.

— Him? — asked Isaiah, as surprised as the rest.

— Yep. — she said, suddenly feeling a lot more sober. She grabbed the scotch Skarsgård hadn't drink and then drank it entirely in one swing, barely reacting to the sting on her throat.

Bill was confused, to say the least — Me? — he asked. He couldn't really fathom the idea. She was in love with him. She had loved him for years. She was so in love with him she hadn't really dated anyone in ten years. It didn't seem real. There was no way it could be real, he thought. But he was wrong.

Bea nodded, looking at the table, unable to see what she thought would be a cringe or some sort of reaction that would reflect his rejection. She stood up and felt the alcohol rush to her head, making her stumble. Two arms helped still, standing. She realized it was Bill when he said — I'm gonna take her back to her hotel room. — everyone agreed on it and said goodbye. He guided her outside, helping her put her coat on, and called for a cab. The fresh air felt nice but only made her more dizzy and tired but they got into the back seat of a car in no time.

He gave the address of the hotel to the driver and let her lay her head on his shoulder. She was half drunk and half asleep so she didn't notice the soft trail he made up and down her arm with his thumb, or the soft kiss he left on the top of her head.

Bill, on the other hand, noted it all. He noted the coconut scent on her hair, he noted her heart beating against him, he noted his own heart skipping a beat ever time his mind played back her words.

I'm just been stupidly in love, for nin- no- ten years. It's Bill.

They got to the hotel and he lead her to her room, having her lean on him as she hugged him by the waist. He couldn't help as his heart went faster every time she would hold tighter on to him, whispering things he couldn't hear or understand.

On the elevator she kissed his arm -since she couldn't reach for his shoulder- and then looked into his eyes — Please stay with me. — he was about to objet but she cut him before — Just 'til I fall asleep. I get really s-sad when you gone.

He nodded, not sure when he decided he would do that. It wasn't like he didn't want to sleep next to her but that she was drunk. And, even if she had just admitted her feeling for him, he felt like he was taking some sort of advantage. Besides, he was used to feel guilty for loving her and sometimes he couldn't shake that feeling.

Bea guided him to her room and he let the door close behind him, she got inside the bathroom leaving him in the main room standing next to the bedroom door, taking the shirt she had used as a pajama the night before and putting it on. She got out of the bathroom and into the bed really slowly, stumbling on her way.

Bill stayed there for a while, standing at the door, listening to her talk about dumb things as a way to ignore the fact she had said she was in love with him. He let her do it, unsure of how that conversation would go with her inebriated and him a little bit drunk, too. But by one thirty am she changed her mind — You can lay with me if you want to. — he was shocked, that comment was unprompted and he wasn't sure what to answer — I'm not trying to be creepy or anything, I just- it's nice to have you close. Even as a friend.

Bill walked up to the bed and took his shoes off, he would've taken his pants too but it didn't feel right at that moment. He looked into her tried eyes as he laid next to her. He felt awkward.

He wanted to touch her, but not in a sexual way, he just wanted to caress her face and name every good thing about her to a excruciating detail, he wanted to hold her hand and whisper sweet nothings in her ear, he wanted to cuddle her and softly kiss her skin, he wanted to tell her — I love you.

She looked at him surprised — You what?

— I love you. — he said, even calmer. It had been an accident the first time but then he realized there was no reason to hide it anymore. There was a brief silence in which her eyes went up and down his face, trying to think past the feeling of surprise and the dizziness the alcohol gave her.

— Since when? — she managed to say.

— Since the moment I met you. — there wasn't any reason to lie anymore. He felt a weight he never knew he carried being lifted off his shoulders. She loved him, he loved her. That was all that really mattered.

She fell silent. It wasn't bad, not one of the thing he said were bad, but she was expecting bad, she was expecting terrible, so it was confusing. Her mind was still, it couldn't compute the one great thing she had always hoped for.

— Fuck. — she whispered.

He smiled a bit — I know.

They stayed in silence again. It was comfortable. They knew they had a lot to say but it couldn't be said in that moment. And it was easy like that, they loved eachother, they were free to be together, but they didn't have to figure anything out just then, they could just lay in bed next to each other.

— I'm too drunk for this right now.

— I know. — he, smiled softly and she smiled back — We can just lay here if you want. — she nodded and they stayed like that, staring into eachother's eyes until she fell asleep. He thought of going to his own bed but she gave him peace just by being there, he felt powerless to even look away from her. Besides he really wanted to see her face first thing in the morning.

But, when she woke up, he wasn't there. She felt her chest sink again. She thought that maybe it had been a lovely dream she wished she hadn't waken up from. She heard some noise on the other room, unsettling her a little. She got up and went to see what it was, finding the small table by the window decorated by a vase with wild flowers. She looked at the table with a bit of surprise. An empty cup was set in front of both chairs, some chopped fruit in a bowl and some oatmeal in another, orange juice and a kettle with hot water were almost in the middle of the table. She uncovered the plate that was next to one of the cups, seeing scrambled eggs, bacon and two french toast but got distracted by the sound of the door closing. She saw Bill walking past the bathroom door and into the small room. He smiled when he saw her.

— Good morning. — he said with a sincere smile on his lips, stopping a few feet from her.

— You ordered breakfast. — she smiled, her hand touching the table.

He smiled shyly — Yeah, I thought it would be nice.

— It is. — he smiled but didn't move. Somehow they were both still afraid of making rough moves, fearing it would somehow scare the other off — Wanna eat? — she finally said.

He smiled as he moved to the table. They both sat down and started eating, stealing looks from eachother ever so often.

It was odd to say the least. They both had confessed their love for eachother but the fear of screwing thing up was still there. The idea of setting off a bomb that was never really there. And he thought about it, about how stupid it would be to wait any longer. He closed his eyes tightly and recalled the leap of faith she had apparently taken the night before, and he made himself do the same, just one more time

— Bea. — she looked up at him, swallowing the food she was chewing — I love you.

Her breath stopped for a few seconds, she had heard him say it before, twice to her. But it was different from the ones from the night before, it wasn't a declaration, it seemed as usual like a hello, like reminding her of something they both knew, like it had been said a hundred times and there was no doubt about it.

She looked at him, his subtle nervousness, his sweet smile. She felt happy, at peace. It felt like the world was smiling at her, at least her world was.

There was only them at that moment, everything else was gone but it wasn't left as a void it was just not there, it didn't mattered.

She looked at him, the loneliness that always has lingered like a shadow behind her finally gone — I love you, too. — she said, a hesitant smile lingering on her lips.

Bill stretched his hand across the table and held her hand, looking into her eyes, her smile gaining confidence as his grew bigger and sweeter — I want to be with you.

Those words filled her heart with joy. She gave in into the impulse she had fought back so many times for so many years and reached to kiss his lips with sweetness, necessity and desire.

It was a chaste kiss but her heart skipped a beat when she felt his soft lips kiss her back. It felt like that small, beautiful bubble she had lived in for the past three months. After a few seconds she slowly backed away, she needed to see his face after feeling his soft lips kiss her.

Her eyes got clouded with tears of happiness when she saw his smiling face. As the few of them slipped down Bill dried them off, some at bay on his own eyes.

He stood up and went to her side of the table, she sat down by inertia, looking into his beautiful light blue eyes that, at that very moment, seemed to be the colour of happiness. She faced him as he knelt down onto both of his knees right in front of her, holding her face between his hands, smiling through tears as if he had just found her after so many years from looking her.

He leaned forward slowly, intimately and kissed her. It was soft, warm and small but felt like the most radical and gigantic act anyone had ever been committed.

He smiled through it for a moment, and she felt it, making her giggle, which made him giggle. And after a short few seconds of dumb, enamored giggles they ended up with their foreheads against eachother, eyes still closed, Bill's hands on her neck, his thumb caressing her cheek, and Bea's hands on his shoulder, somehow trying not to loose him.

For once they were not hesitant or fearful, they weren't wondering if the other felt the same, they knew what they both meant. And, for once, they told themselves they were gonna live the life they had always wanted, not the one they had set themselves to live.

[fahcandall]

Fictober 2019 - 4 (FAHC)

Prompt 5: "I might just kiss you."

Fandom: Roosterteeth/Achievement Hunter (Fahc)

Characters/Pairings: Ryan Haywood, Jeremy Dooley, Michael Jones, Gavin Free, Geoff Ramsey, Jack Pattillo, Trevor Collins, Fiona Nova, Matt Bragg, Lindsay Jones, Alfredo Diaz, Ryan Haywood/Jeremy Dooley

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Death, serious injury, guns, knives, blood, torture - mentioned, mature language, gta 5, rpf

...

...

...

"What the fuck do you mean they got Jeremy? Michael! What-"

"Ryan. Shut up." Geoff cut in, stepping forward and holding up his hand. "Jack! Can you-?"

"Yeah on it already." Jack had pulled out the first aid kit while Ryan was staring at Michael, frozen still. "Michael-"

"Help Gav first." Michael said. Gavin was swaying on his feet, blood seemingly all over him. Michael himself had a bloody rag wrapped around his arm and a bloody nose.

"Fuck. Gav sit." Geoff said pointing to a chair and pulling out his phone. "Actually both of you sit. Ryan, snap out of it." He held his phone up to his ear. "Yeah, Trevor. Send up the best medic you have here right now. Michael and Gavin are hurt. Jeremy's been taken. Tell Matt to track his cell, see if he can find anything. I'll call when I know more." Geoff paused listening. "Fine, just send them up...Fine." Geoff hung up and looked over at Ryan again, now staring at the ground as both Michael and Gavin had sat down. Ryan looked up and met Geoff's eyes.

"Let me go find him."

"Not until you have enough information to be useful out there. When they're not bleeding they can tell us what's going on and we can decide what to do."

"Jeremy could be being tortured! They could kill him in that time, we have to go look now!" Ryan said angrily.

"You can't find anyone if you don't know where to look." Geoff answered back. "Once Gavin and Michael are patched up-"

"That could take too long!" Ryan interrupted.

"We don't have a choice! It's our best use of resources."

"Geoff!" Michael said. "I can tell you what happened. We were doing a pickup, usual shit, but they were late. When we finally saw the truck pull in, I guess we'd let down our guard,  from impatience. When Jeremy and I walked forward with the money, some fucker grabbed Gav. It wasn't the weapons dealers, it was the Black Wings." Ryan almost growled. Upstart little gang that thought they could play big leagues, but this was pushing the line too far. He'd deal with them, once and for all. "They tried to grab us, they tried to threaten us, then they threatened to cut Gavin's throat right in front of us. I managed to get Gav, and get behind cover but they knocked Jeremy out when he tried to cover me. When I tried to get to him they shot. Got a lucky hit.  Gav was out already, and I'm not much good hiding without a fucking shooting arm."

"So what, you left him there?" Ryan said, not exactly angry at Michael, well, maybe a little.

"No. They grabbed him and left. I couldn't get to him in time. But if they just wanted to kill us they wouldn't have taken him. So I got back here as fast as I could."

"I'm gonna go burn down their whole fucking building." Ryan said calmly, turning around.

"No! Ryan. We don't know where they have him. Let Matt trace it first. Michael do you remember the vehicle or anything?"

"I'll call Matt on the way. Send anyone else who can help after me."

"Ryan." Geoff said in warning.

"Geoff." Ryan answered in a matching tone.

"At least talk to Trevor and take whoever he has in? I think Alfredo should be in at least."

"I'm not waiting for him to get ready. He can catch up." Ryan turned to leave but Michael's voice stopped him again.

"Ryan! Check with Fiona. She's been keeping an eye on them recently. She's probably somewhere near there anyway, take an extra gun for her." Ryan nodded briefly before heading out. Geoff was already on his phone with Trevor again.

"Ryan's on his way down, he probably won't stop anywhere except the armory. Tell whoever you have to follow him and get Matt or maybe Fiona to connect with him. The Black Wings have Jeremy. Ryan wants to burn their whole operation to the ground...yeah, I'm not opposed either but I'd rather he had more backup. Ryan's good, but so are the lads."

...

Ryan pulled up around the side of the building Fiona and Matt had identified. There was no door on this side and apparently no one looking out of upper windows because no one shot at him as he moved toward the back corner, and the Vagabond was a pretty recognizable enemy. Ryan knew why Geoff was worried, one man going in where all three of the lads had been taken by surprise? But Geoff was forgetting, the Vagabond wasn't really a man, he was a monster, and anyone who thought they could take his crew from him, could take Jeremy from him, were very, very wrong.

There were two men standing outside the back door, smoking and talking. Neither had a chance to lift a gun before they were dead. The door wasn't even locked, Ryan could just walk right in. As soon as he did there were two more guards and an alarm started to blare. Like the first two, these guards didn't stand a chance, though one did get the chance to recognize him, fear crossing over his face before Ryan shot the expression off. Sure Ryan intended to kill everyone in this damned crew but he needed to find Jeremy first. So as he heard feet and shouting coming his way he stepped back into an unlocked room. They were checking doors, he could hear them opening down the hall,  but he also heard some of them run off again. The smart thing would be to wait for then to come to him, but the waiting was grating on him, he didn't have unlimited time. So when he heard them slam open another door he opened his and slipped out, a few quick shots and the group was down, the ones in the room having stupidly come out to try and get him. One groaned as Ryan stepped closer and he bent down to fist a hand in their shirt.

"Where is he?" Ryan growled.

"Go back to hell!" Was the response and Ryan snarled and dropped them again.

He stepped around a corner just as two people came up on it from the other direction. This time Ryan grabbed one, gun to their head. The other pointed a gun at him but didn't risk a shot.

"Where is he?" He asked.

"Let her go!"

"Play dumb, and I'll make it hurt." Ryan threatened, pressing the gun hard into the woman's neck. She made a small noise of fear and her partner looked between the two of them quickly. Ryan gripped her neck tightly with his hand then slid the gun over and shot her foot. She screamed and tried to move but Ryan held her up and pressed the gun back to her neck. "Done playing?" He asked the one staring at him.

"Fine. He's in the interrogation room. Second floor, first hallway to the left, third door. It's locked and guarded." The person seemed to suddenly grow a spine, or they remembered who he was and that he wasn't letting them go anyways, because they suddenly spoke with a lot more heat than they had been. "They've had him in there since they got him here. I bet he's cracked under what they've done to him. They'll kill him before they let you get him back." Ryan considered the two of them for a second before shooting the one who'd spoken in the head. The one he was holding screamed again and he shot her too before moving to find stairs.

He was halfway up the stairs when he heard gunfire coming from the front of the building. His backup must have arrived, and as usual, the Fakes weren't subtle. That alarm was still going off and he could only credit that as to why he hadn't been completely swarmed despite his own gunshots. Stupid idea that alarm. And stupidly annoying. Ryan pressed back against a wall as footsteps thumped down the stairs above him, but they didn't check lower before he heard the second floor door swing open and shut again.

As had been predicted, the second floor was swarming with guards, though many of them seemed to be moving toward the front. Ryan glanced through, then leaned back against the wall beside the door. He reloaded his gun and considered waiting for Fiona and the others to get up to this floor and clear some of the guards. He considered what they might do to Jeremy if they had a chance to think they were being overrun while still holding him. Then he pulled a knife and pushed open the door. The first person who saw him tried to shout a warning but got a knife in the throat instead. The next person who saw him was far enough away to get a bullet instead, which ended his hope of a more stealthy approach. So he mowed them down. Anyone who came near him got reminded exactly who he was, not that it would help them any.

He had lost track of the directions he'd been given, but he reached what must be the room based on how many people had tried to stop him from getting to it. This door, at least, was locked, so Ryan broke it down.

Inside the room were two men. Jeremy was handcuffed to a chair, bloody and breathing heavily but he looked up when Ryan came in. The other man held a knife pressed to Jeremy's throat.

"Stay back! I'll slit his fucking throat right in front of you!" The man's voice was shaking and Jeremy let out a strained laugh.

"You're fucked. He's the fucking Vagabond, don't know how you think you can beat him."

"Shut up!" The man yelled pressing the knife in harder. Jeremy winced and Ryan growled.

"Let him go."

"No way in hell. Drop your weapons or I'll kill him!"

"How about this, you let him go right now and I'll shoot you in the head. You'll be dead before you feel anything. Or-" The man started to speak but Ryan just talked over him. "Or, I'll show you just how much pain your body can feel. You know who I am, you know what I do. Let me tell you, my reputation is only based on the stories people can stomach and the hint of more. But trust me there is so much more. If you don't let him go right now you'll be on the fast track to finding out just how far I can go." The man wasn't going to remove the knife, that wasn't what Ryan was counting on. He was waiting for the moment the man was distracted enough by his own imagination to let his attention stray from holding the knife to Jeremy's throat. As much as Ryan wanted to tear this man apart for touching one of his crewmates, he just needed Jeremy away from him, and so he would get a quick death, regardless how little he deserved it. And there it was, that moment he got lost in his own head. That's when Ryan shot and Jeremy jerked back to get away from the muscle spasm. The knife made a shallow cut instead of a fatal one and Ryan rushed to Jeremy's side. He popped the cuffs off quickly. "Are you okay? Can you walk?"

"Shit. Yeah, I should be fine. They didn't break anything. How are Gav and Michael?  Wait, who's with you?"

"Gavin and Michael are back at the penthouse. Lindsay and Fiona are here, and maybe Alfredo? I'm not exactly sure. I didn't exactly wait for them."

"You're telling me you came alone to the main base of a group who took down Gav, Michael and I? And just walked in shooting?"

"Um, kinda?"

"You're crazy." Jeremy said. "I think…" he paused then grinned. "I might just kiss you. You crazy man."

[thechocobros]

My little (not so little) Kingdom Hearts III’s review :)

(possible spoilers under the cut)

Somebody asked for my personal opinion about the game, so, here I am! I’ll try to be as objective as possible, even if you probably know already my deep affection for this saga and for its creators XD

Let’s start with the positive things, the things that really impressed me the most about KH3, which are: the graphic (even the in-game one), the gameplay, the huge amount of enjoyable exploration. And then I’ll start voting the rest, by giving my opinion. 

 - Graphic: 10/10. I was able to see the pores on Sora’s face and on Terra’s hands. I was able to zoom on the smallest details with my Gummiphone and still find some amazing details in the landscape. Literally EVERYTHING was so well done i had to stop more than once to admire what i was playing. It was stunning. Let’s not even talk about the Disney cutscenes, because those were a masterpiece and i have no words to describe them. 

- Gameplay: 10/10. Listen, i never played a game where there were so MANY options for the gameplay. I beated the 13 darknesses by using attractions, limits, different forms, combined moves, special abilities, combos, different keyblades ... There were so many minigames, ideas, i fought on Baymax, i fought as a captain of a ship, i cooked, I did treasure hunts, took pictures, the gummiship style too ... every fricking world offered so many different gameplays options i even freaked out because i wasn’t able to learn them all. It was so FUN!

- Exploration; 10/10. Let’s be real, every world (except Twilight Town lol) was as huge as all the Disney worlds of the previous KH games together. Really, i was lost. It was even too much. It will take me a lifetime to explore all the worlds in all its beautiful details xD for ex in the POTC’s world we are able to access to at least 6 different islands + Port Royal + underwater + the battles setting + we command an entire sailing ship. Also, have you try to collect all the lucky emblems? Because I think they all are in some areas i still don’t know they exist. It was AMAZING. 

- Music: 8/10. I love “Face my fears” so much, i like “Don’t think twice” a lot, Utada is always a queen. As for Yoko, she never dissapoints me either, even though this time she didn’t came out with “new” brilliant melodies like she did in the other games. She mostly arranged differently songs and themes we already were familiar with, which is nostalgic and happily welcomed anyway. + Bonus Points to Somnus song mixed together with Hikari. Wow. 

- Plot twists/Surprise/content/plot elements: 8.5/10. Every Kingdom Hearts game needs a huge amount of “WHAt-THE-moments” and KH3 makes no exception. The final battles and the endings were a concentrated of twists and turns, starting from Yen Sid, to Ephemer, from Sora dying (like twice, during this game? the last one almost got me tho), to Kairi dying, from Xigbar’s real identity to Yozora officially inserted in KH’s main plot etc etc. It was a rollercoaster. And I loved it. Funny enough, the only “secret” that didn’t feel like a “secret” was the “secret” that Nomura defined the “biggest secret” XD ... aka Roxas xD I mean, they talked about making a replica for Roxas all the game long, so when Roxas actually appeared and claimed that Vexen made a replica for him, i was like ... yeah, thanks, that’s not a brand new information xD Talking about Vexen, him and the rest of the Organization had some really nice surprising elements, their story was worthy. 

- The narrative/structure/pace: 6.5/10. Ok, here’s the thing. Even if the actual story content was interesting and pretty good, there were problems in the pace and we all hardcore fans noticed it. Why was that? Because they changed some things they shouldn’t have changed in order to give more space to Disney worlds. 

For ex, I’m talking about the fact that we started our adventure in ... the Olympus world. I have nothing against that world of course. But in KH1 we started in Destiny Islands/Traverse Town. In KH2 we started in Twilight Town. In KHBBS we started in the Land of the Departure. In KH3 we should have respected traditions and start from an original world. Why? Because original worlds are strictly connected to the original characters’ development + main plot. By making Sora starting in a Disney world, they cut out an extremely important part in the KH3 story’s development, aka the very own basis. And  no, Twilight Town arrived 3 hours later, and was half as big as the other Disney worlds, so it doesn’t really stand the competion. 

  So, by putting so many Disney worlds and cutting out the original worlds, they confused the storyline’s pace. The actual story’s progression was reduced to some cutscenes between a world and another which is ... not a really good idea. We needed at least one or two more playable original worlds somewhere there in between, like KH2 had Radiant Garden and KH1 had Traverse Town, so that the story could have been developed  and the characters would have been able to meet and interact properly.

  In fact, the biggest problem is that the entire main plot is rushed in the last hours of the game. 35 hours of funny happy Disney gameplay. 5 hours of actual plot. It’s not balanced. The player didn’t feel the rising pressure for the final battle of light against darkness. No matter how epic the Keyblade War actually was, of course it felt a bit rushed, because it popped out all of a sudden and wasn’t smoothly inserted from the beginning of the game. 

  I can actually justify this choice though: KH3′s purpose was to give a conclusion to Xehanort’s saga. Which means they didn’t plan to develop the story or the characters more than what they already had in the previous games. They just wanted to show a proper “conclusion”. Not “development”. 

  It’s not the choice i would have taken in terms of storytelling, but it’s an option so i’m not really angry about it. It worked anyway because almost all the characters really had a solid background plot. .... almost. Which sadly leads to the sore point of the game. Here we go.

- Characters development: 7/10. Kingdom Hearts has a large quantity of very developed characters. Kingdom Hearts’ original characters are the ones who entered in out hearts years ago and we love them for a reason. They’re all well characterized, with specific strengths and weaknesses. Which means that no matter how weird the pace of KH3 could have been, the characters have been so well written in the previous games that they were able to tollerate everything in terms or story telling. Sora, Riku, Aqua, Roxas, Axel, Ventus, Xion, Terra, Naminè .... they all had a major role in KH’s plot on their shoulders and unique facets. But one character was strongly penalized by this the rhythm of KH3: Kairi. 

  Unlike most of the other characters that belong to the famous trios, Kairi could never count on a strong background, nor a good characterization. 

  Even though i liked her in KH1 (where she at least interacted with both Sora and Riku multiple times and had a part in the main plot, even if she was comatose for 80% of the time), it’s not a secret that she got benched immediately after that. KH2 didn’t make her justice with all that being kidnapped, and in the next games she completely dissapeared even. She was never involved in the story ever again. What am i referring to?

  In Birth By Sleep, only Sora and Riku met all the members of the wayfinder trio and played an actual part in their lives. Kairi barely meet Aqua once, and never played an active part in her life anyway. I mean, Aqua never needed Kairi for anything, never. On the contrary, both Sora and Riku were vital for all the members of the wayfinder trio, back then and later on.

  In Chain of Memories, Coded, 358/2 days ... Kairi was replaced with two other girls that quickly became more interesting than Kairi herself, aka Naminé and Xion. In those stories Kairi is barely mentioned and almost never appears. But Sora and Riku ... oh, Sora and Riku! They’re the PROTAGONISTS. They always interact, they always appear, they always do stuff. 

  Let’s not even talk about Dream Drop Distance, where it’s JUST Sora and RIku. 

  What’s my point? The Destiny trio isn’t a trio, it’s a duo. Kairi is ALWAYS put in a corner, she never has a part in the story. 

  I’m not talking about ships, i don’t care about ships, I don’t ship Soriku nor Sokai, it’s not about this. The problem is Kairi’s character development, which did not exist. Not only a development, but even a purpose was missing. 

  So, since i kinda liked her in KH1 and the potential was there, i thought that KH3 would have set things right for her. I had high hopes especially because of Axel, I was like, “WOW here it is a great potential for a good, healthy, platonic relationship, finally Kairi found someone to be paired with and do stuff. We will finally see her being weak, finding her power again, maybe she will be a playable character, maybe she will interact with BOTH Sora and RIku too, making jokes, express her preferences etc etc” yeah and what we got? Kairi is reduced to a mere man pain object again. She almost forgot about Axel once that Sora appeared. She got kidnapped here and there all along. Again. She kinda forced Sora to eat that fruit and never asked for his opinion, while Riku was having an existential drama going on just some steps away. But i don’t think she cares for Riku anyway since she never had any kind of bond time with him and isn’t interested in his problems. She fought once (badly), revealing that her training was somehow useless (she had to be saved by Sora and the others). She gets killed (pretty stupidly too) and Sora had to sacrifice to bring her back. And what made me angry the most: Sora’s heart gets lost in the process of saving her but it’s NOT Kairi the one going after him in the secret ending. IT’S RIKU. LIKE WHAAAT?? Riku?? She can’t even take her girly keyblade and go after the boy she is supposed to love and that died for her?? Riku has to do it? Really? It’s ridiculous. ... 

  Furthermore, she wasn’t a playable character. The only characters that we were able to play were Sora, Riku and .... Aqua! Pretty funny. (I think they are Nomura’s favorites, i don’t know.)

  Kairi’s only part in KH3 was changing outfit and “being Sora’s light” somehow but ... that was so much out of the blue and most likely an isolated moment. It could have been a nice coronation for a developed love story but the problem is that no development was there before.

  So, going back to my point.

  Even if i would have chosen another way to tell the story, the rushed pace of KH3 worked for everyone anyway, except for Kairi. Kairi needed a different treatment.

  But at this point i don’t think she will ever get it, probably Nomura doesn’t like her too much since he decided to make another DreamDropDistance game settled in Insommia next time xD so i give up on her. I’ll focus on the other beautiful female characters of this game.

  Anyway, even if i talked a lot about why Kairi was another flop, i want to point out how interesting some characters got instead. I’m talking about Xigbar (great plot twist), Saix, Demyx, Vexen (Vexen had so much importance, i mean, i didn’t expect him to be the one moving kh3’s plot), Luxord, Marluxia, Larxene and Repliriku! They used to be marginal characters and now they turned out to be protagonists, it’s amazing.

- FF characters: 7/10. I really loved Verum Rex’s surprise, it’s a clever idea to recycle the Versus characters and concepts Nomura couldn’t bring to life. Now that Nomura turned them into original characters, he has the copyright over them again thanks to Disney and he can use them as much as he wants, bringing the “ff characters cameos in kh” on a brand new level. Starting from the next game, we will have semi-FFcharacters included in the main plot, not just having a cameo here and there, which is amazing!

  But. This doesn’t mean i didn’t miss actual FF characters in Kh3. Cloud, Leon&Co left a hole in kh’s tradition.

Let’s sum it up my notes: 

Graphic: 10/10 +

Gameplay: 10/10 +

Exploration: 10/10 +

Music: 8/10 +

Plot twists/Surprise/Content/Plot elements: 8.5/10. +

The narrative/structure/pace: 6.5/10. +

Characters development: 7/10. +

FF characters: 7/10. +

Total = 8,3

AND ... THAT’S IT FOR NOW I GUESS? xD

[punkpanda16]

Mistakes and Miracles- ch.1

Yoongi x Reader

Word count: 3.9k+

Summary: We never know what to expect in life . Just like you never expected to be a single mother at a young age, much less come to find the father of said child is no other than you idol Min Yoongi from the worldide hit band sensation BTS. What will happen to your somewhat “normal”  life when he comes in and turns it upside down? Will you be able to raise a child with your extremely attractive bias?  

Warnings: hints at abuse, thoughts of abortion, reckless acts

Type: Fluff, angst, smut (eventually)

~Your POV~

How did this happen? One minute you are a simple girl living her life as a college student. You were free one moment and now you’re sitting in a hospital room holding a whimpering baby boy.

He was so fragile and pure...everything you always wanted but never knew you needed. He had jet black hair and small almond shaped brown eyes. He was everything good in this world and you loved him with every ounce in your body but he wasn’t yours.

He wasn’t yours but in this moment you swore to commit yourself to him and only him. He would not end up in the gutter. He would never feel the rejection his mother gave him. All he would know from now on is love.

You held a neatly folded letter in your shaky hands as you tried to soothe the crying little bundle...

Dear Y/N,

I know we haven’t known each other long but I have come to trust you more than anyone. At a time in my life when I had no one and no hope, I met you. You cared for me as if I were your family even when we were merely strangers and despite being younger than me you taught me so much about life. I only wish I could have met you sooner. Before any of this happened.

Sadly, the night we met I made a great mistake that I now have to pay for.

I thought I would be able to move on and forget about it but this thing growing inside me is a constant reminder. I found out that it, is actually going to be a boy. But to me he is still nothing. Something that will tie me down and I would I surely to hate.

I was close to getting rid of him but you convinced me to do otherwise because you said it deserved a chance to live. Now, please don’t think I am some heartless monster, he is and always will be my son, but I can’t help how I feel. You know what my past was like.

When I think of my future this baby was never a part of it. The only reason I give it a chance to live was out of respect for our friendship. That’s why he’s is yours now. I could give him life but not love.

His father doesn’t know he exists. I know I never told you who he is but I only kept it a secret because I didn’t want him to feel obligated to be with me over something so insignificant. Things were too complicated to rope him into this too. If he knew and stayed with me, he wouldn’t have loved me like I wanted. It would have been contract, not what I wanted for him, me, and this baby.

But I guess now it doesn’t matter. By the time you read this I’ll be long gone and you know if I leave you won’t find me, so I might as well tell you. His father is Min Yoongi. Yeah, the guys from BTS is the father of this baby. I didn’t believe it either but life happens Y/N and now I can’t change things.

Y/N, I beg you not to hate me, even though I can already sense how angry you are with me, because you are and will continue to be my person,my rock, and savior. You saved me from myself in more ways that you’ll ever understand. Give him the life he deserves. He is yours. Save him like you saved me. I am so so sorry. Never let him know that I exist.

-Emma

Tears began to roll down your cheeks. Pretty soon you were sobbing like the baby in your arms. How could she hate him? Her own son meant nothing to her. She had a horrible past, she herself was a was abandoned and a foster kid that suffered unspeakable abuse. It left her scarred physically and emotionally, but that was no excuse for all the pain she was inflicting on others.

She remained closed off until you met her. You saw the broken women in front of you and felt compelled to save her. You had first hand experience with abuse at a young age but lucky you had a support system that helped you. However, she was all alone. You could never forgive her for what she’s done but you understood.

Then it hit you Min Yoongi...the father is Min Yoongi!!!

~Flashback~

It was your first concert ever. You couldn’t contain your excitement when you got the confirmation email that your BTS tickets were ordered.

Now you stood in front of the huge auditorium next to thousands of screaming ARMY. It was the first time in months since BTS was in Los Angeles so you knew they were about to leave it all on stage. You could just feel the excitement building. The set was about to begin but your attention was pulled to the front of the stage where security was currently fighting with a young women who seemed to be about your age. She was walking out from backstage and seemed distressed.

It look just like another situation in which ARMY got overly excited and tried to get near the boys you all loved so much. Pretty soon she gave up and took the empty space that was next to you. She continued to frown until the boys came on stage. Her smile only grew as Yoongi introduced himself.

“Are you a Yoongi stan?” You asked.

“YES!! Look at that cute grumpy old man up there! He’s the best!How can he be so cute AND sexy?!? I swear one of these days he will get sued for attacking us with his gummy smile!” She responded with the most genuine joy and excitement.

“Right!” You responded.

“Are you a Yoongi Stan too?!” She asked and you nodded your head excitedly.

“Emma” she stuck out her hand.

“Y/N” you took her hand and shook it with a bright smile.

From that point on you knew that you would be friends. For the rest of concert you sang and screamed and cried together.The concert ended and you shared contact information promising to keep in touch. After saying goodbye she headed to an after party. She asked you if you would like to join her but you being the antisocial little butterfly you were, kindly said next time.

Next time, came sooner than expected. Not even a day later she messaged you and asked if you wanted to hang out.

Your friendship grew quickly. She was everything you wanted to be beautiful, smart, and carefree. Her bouncy Titian hair was as wild as her personality. In a short time she exposed you to things like dark parties full of hot sweaty bodies high on drugs and drunk out of their minds. You were hesitant at first but when she was by your side you felt a new sense of confidence. You socialized, danced, and started living for once in your life you let go.

However, she had a peaceful side. Something about her aura outside those parties was so pure. It was like she was a different person at night. During the day she took you to beautiful spots with amazing views where you would sit and read poetry and talk about life. She told you about her past and the horrors she endured. She was only 3 years older but she seemed to hold the answers to all your unanswered questions.

At night, she let go of all the pain with drugs and a drunken stupor. You felt like maybe it was time to fix her...well actually heal her like you were healed.

Surprisingly she never slept with any guy. She may have been drunk out of her mind but she never let that change the values she set for herself. Which is what made later events all the more confusing.

Over the next few weeks you spent more and more time together during the day you talk and listen to each other. At night you would live life her way. Slowly she opened up more and more. Then she began to see you like the little sister she never had. Pretty soon together you worked on the emotional baggage you both carried.

You were always a misfit but she understood you perfectly. She was your best friend so when you found out she was pregnant you stayed by her side.

“I don’t want it!” She screamed as she fell to the bathroom floor with tears streaming down her cheeks.

You stared at the test in your hands and couldn’t believe it. The girl who, even in her most dazed moments honorably kept her dignity, was caring a child. A child she didn’t want. But that just showed how everyone, even someone you idolize, can make mistakes.

“Em” you said softly as you sat beside her. You took her shaking body in your arms and rocked her back and forth like she had to done to you many times before. “Look, I don’t judge you and I’ll support you with whatever you decided to do but maybe you should give this baby a chance.” Her sobs began to quiet down and she looked up at you with sad lost eyes.

“Y/N do you want kids?” The question came out in broken hiccups as she tried to compose herself.

“Of course it’s been my dream since I was young. A family. Babies. It’s what I see in my future.” You replied simply.

“So that means you are passionate about that dream for your future?” You nodded.

“Okay. Now image that same passion except for the opposite. I don’t want to bring a child in this world. The world ruins things that are good and pure. We are born with hope in our eyes but the all the bad things in this world kills all innocence. You and I both know that the light fades. It dies to the point where all you can do is try to live day by day stupidly hoping things get better.”

You felt the tears pool in your eyes but you refuse to let them fall. She was right the world ruins good things but that doesn’t mean there isn’t good out there, she just had to see it at some point and that baby deserved to see it too.

You cleared your throat trying to keep your voice steady as you continued. “ Em, when the light fades you feel like you’ve died while still living. But sometimes you meet people and find a purpose and hope again. That’s what my family is to me. And my friends.”

“That’s what you are to me” she said softly.

“Yes, Em, that’s what you are you to me too. This baby can be another good thing. Even if right now you think it’s not you can at least give it a try.” You gave her a reassuring smile as you looked down at her. You could see her turning your words in her head until she finally nodded.

You stayed with your arms wrapped around her for a while. You sat in comfortable silence as you let the emotions of the day float away.

“Y/N?” Emma broke the silence.

“Yeah.”

“Will you stay with me...not just right now but through it all?” She asked nervously.

“Did you really think I was going to leave you?” You said with a small laugh. At this she let out a small sigh of relief.

You kept to your promise through it all. Every appointment. Every pain. Every sick morning. Every 3 am craving. You were there. Baby shopping and birthing class. That baby became just as much yours as it was hers. You thought the pregnancy was helping Emma. She smiled and laughed. She even stopped her late nights. She read more poetry and lived a healthier life. She seemed to really try for her baby. Up until the day the baby was born she was fine, at least in your eyes.

~Present day~

“What do you mean I can’t take him home?” You practically scream at the social worker.

“Ma’am we are doing an investigation on what happened with Ms. Rose. We can’t just hand over the baby too you. She may have left a letter saying you would take the baby but first we have to make sure you are a competent caregiver for the child.”

Competent!! Competent my ass!!! You couldn’t believe that they had taken the baby from you an hour ago and now he was being hulled to a foster home. You only got to spend 2 days with him at the hospital. They said it was “temporary” but you couldn’t risk it. Emma had told you the things that happen in those places and although you knew it wasn’t always true, you didn’t want to put him at risk. He deserved the best and you weren’t sure if that was you but you sure as hell were willing to try for him.

Lucky for you, you had friends that worked in child services. Ironically, you met them through Emma. They understood the situation better than anyone. They all knew she was not ready to have a child and that she never wanted them. They even suggested she give him up for adoption but she always refused. Now that you think about it she refused because she already had a plan for the baby, he was going to be yours. They, like she, knew that you were the best option for him. Em, may have been wild but she was always put a lot of thought in the decisions she made. Always taking into consideration the pros and cons, in order to get the best result. That’s why you were the one. No one else.

They pulled some strings and within a couple of days he was with you again. The official adoption would take some time but for now he was under your care.

The court days were the worst. Everyone used lawyer talk to basically say your ex friend was a monster. Of course, you were mad at her for what she did and for the situation she put you in but she also gave you a great gift, a baby. A baby that was quickly becoming the center of your universe. You didn’t give birth to him but he was yours. Despite all the current events, she was your friend at one point and the mother of your son, hearing her being spoken about so negatively still hurt you.

On days you weren’t in the courthouse, you spent it with a private investigator. You wanted to know if what Emma said about the baby’s father was true. And if it was, you felt it was only right for him to know. At first you were angry and didn’t want to let that deadbeat know about the baby but the more you thought about it the more it made sense. Emma never told him either out of fear or maybe because Yoongi was the first guy to make her contradict her value system. She always hated being wrong.

Emma may have done things her own way but with things she valued she thought things through. If she would have told him BigHit lawyers, Yoongi, the six boys, and the media would have been knocking on her door within days. She said she knew he wouldn’t love her the way she wanted too in the letter but the truth is he couldn’t, not with his career. His fans and the media were always waiting for him to mess up. As an ARMY, you understood why this baby would be such a scandal.

This was also a part of the reason why you didn’t want to tell Yoongi. You never wanted the baby to be just another headline on a sleazy tabloid. But, he was the father and had the right to know. He was an adult and could decide what he wanted to do. Besides if you kept the baby a secret you knew eventually it would blow up in your face. Besides, If you were going to raise him you needed to have an answer when he asked about his father one day.

And so, the process continued. During this time you devote yourself to the baby. The all nighters were rough but they helped you get your homework done. You kept going to school with the help of your family. However, you had to transfer back to the local college until the court case ended. You got your place, which was small but it was enough for you and the baby. You maintained a job in order to follow the rules set forth by the court. But every spare moment was for the baby. There were times when you thought you couldn’t do it anymore but then you would look at him and be reminded why you did it. Baby Ro, short for Baby Rose, as everyone called him, was your life. Things were so hectic and rushed you never officially got to name him. That day would come when the adoption went completely through.

Three months in you got a call.

“Ms. Y/N Y/L/N?”

“Yes?” You answered. You tried to listen to what the man was saying but you had Baby Ro in your arms crying of hunger. It was time yet again for another 4 am feeding.

“Is this a good time?”

“Umm yes, hold on.” You gently put Ro down and began to feed him his bottle. When he settled down you picked up the phone again.

“I’m so sorry. What can I help you with?” You said cordially.

“Yes, Ms. Y/L/N. I am a representative of the company BigHit Entertainment and one of my clients would like to have a meeting with you.”

In that moment your heart stopped. For some reason a deep fear began to climb to the back of your throat. It prevented you from breathing. Tears began to pool in your eyes.

“Umm...” you cleared your throat in order for your words to come out. “ I’m sorry. What is this concerning?”

“Well, I’m sorry Ms. Y/L/N but my client would like to speak to you in person. You live in Los Angeles, correct?” He said sharply.

“Y-yes I do.”

“Okay. Well my client lives here in Seoul, South Korea, but he was willing to fly out as soon as tomorrow morning to have a meeting with you, however there is a slight snag in the plan.” He said in a worried voice.

“Okay?”

“Ms. Y/L/N, my client is a celebrity so he can’t just walk around busy streets. We were wondering if you could hold the meeting on your home. For privacy purposes. Of course other staff and I will be present. Would that be okay?”

“Sir, I am well aware of who your client is. And I would be more than willing to meet with him in my home if it is necessary. However, I do have one condition.” You paused. “I will meet him alone. Later on I will have a meeting with all of you if I must but first I want to talk to him alone.” You said firmly.

He hesitated for a moment taken aback by your sudden change in behavior. You weren’t shy or nervous or scared anymore, now you were affirmative. “You see Ms. y/l/n... I-I don’t t-think-“

“No.”

“W-what?” He asked nervously.

“If my condition isn’t met then my answer is NO. I want to speak to him as a human being because this issue concerns another defenseless human being not some property. I don’t want to see checks or contracts. I want to see a pair of really eyes that hold emotion.”

He was silent for a few moments like he was asking someone around him what to do.

“O-okay, Ms. Y/L/N, we will do it your way. I will send you my information along with my client’s personal number so we can arrange the meeting, please do not share any of this information or we will be forced to press charges against you.” He said in a threatening voice.

“Very well. I’ll wait for your information.” You were about to hang up when you hear your name again.

“Ms. Y/L/N. Since we all know what this is about. Will the child be present at your meeting?” He asked hesitantly.

“If that is what your client wishes, then yes.” You answered firmly. In all honesty you were terrified. What if this man walked in and took Ro away? The fear was too immense but you knew this had to be done. Hopefully you could speak to his soul and not his stardom. Being a fan of BTS for a while you knew these boys were pure love, respect, and sunshine. However, you never know. It could all be an act for the camera. Your heart truly believed Yoongi was a good man that’s why you agreed to the meeting but the fear of “what if” was still there. Ro was your life you didn’t want to lose him especially not when you were so close to officially being his mother.

“Yes he wants to meet the child.”

“Ro”

“Excuse me?”

“We call him Ro. The people in his life call him baby Ro. If your client is going to meet him I want him to at least know what to call him.” You said coldly. Maybe if you seemed strong and cold they would be afraid to go against you.

“Very well. Yoon- I mean my client will want see baby Ro in a couple of days.”

“That’s fine. I’ll wait for you to contact me and I’ll send my information.”

“Thank you Ms. Y/L/N. We will be in contact. Goodbye” and he hung up. You put the phone down with shaky hands. Tears began to blur your vision as you look at your sleeping baby. Up until this point you saw him as only yours. But he wasn’t just yours...he was Yoongi’s son too. And Yoongi has the right to take him.

Now, it was a waiting game. BigHit eventually sent you information about the meeting. Of course, everything was very private with a lot of regulations but you understood. You would never wanted to do anything to endanger Ro, Yoongi, the rest of BTS, or BigHit. You just needed all this to be cleared up.

A few days later you received a message.

Unknown:  I will be landing tonight. I’ll be at your home around 10 am.

You: Okay. Just please inform me when you are on your way.

He was cold and direct but you knew Min Yoongi, it was all a mask he put on to protect himself from hurt. Inside he was a sweet shy human being like the rest of us. He too felt pain and anger and happiness and love. You hope the sweet shy boy you’ve seen is the one you will meet tomorrow. This was life changing for him, you knew the feeling all to well. Tomorrow you would have to be firm about what you want but also consider how hard this is for him too.

This is my first Fanfic and I will try to update once a week. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy. It gets dramatic fair warning ;).

[writingsbyshay67ss]

The Death and The Rebirth

Characters: Damon x Stefan x Reader x Caroline x Klaus

Summery: After moving to New Orleans you try to find things to do and people to meet. You had no idea you where going to end up having to fight for your life over something you had not done. You and Klaus gain trust and an understanding and things get crafty.

Warnings: You end up being kidnapped and the boys come to the rescue. Dramatic entrances, fighting scenes, and a death.

Part-One 

xoxo- Enjoy!

Damon- "Oh come on brother we we're having fun."

Stefan- "You know I don't drink human blood Damon."

Damon- "I know but you seemed to enjoy seeing all those pretty women."

Stefan- "You've gone delusional."

Reader- "Excuse me?"

Damon- "Dibs."-- Leaning over to Stefan than looking back to you "Well hello." --Damon wraps his arm around your neck and smiles down at you.

Reader- "Would either one of you know where I could find the Salvatore Boarding House? I've seem to have gotten myself into some trouble and I was told by a vary sweet girl named Caroline that's where I would find the Salvatore Brothers."

Stefan- "We are--"

Damon- "Headed straight there we have a get together with them tonight so could just walk with us." --Walking with you underneath his arm.

Stefan looks at his brother with confusion then just goes along with it for awhile.

Stefan- "So, you said you were in some kind of trouble?"

Reader- "Yeah I really just need to talk to them. I'm not sure what all you know so I don't need to go spilling the milk and crushing bread with you guys."

Damon- "But we wouldn't tell a soul. I'm sure it's nothing we and the Salvatore Brothers couldn't handle."

Reader- "Like I said I need to speak with them about this not two strangers."

Stefan- "Don't be rude she seems to be a nice girl. Don't go hurting hurt feelings."

Damon- "I just so happened to look down at your hand and notice your not married. Do you have a boyfriend in your life or someone you are seeing?"

Reader- "A little personal but no I don't. My life isn't about having the perfect guy uh and it's a little too crazy for anyone to want to be in it."

Stefan- "We're here."

Reader- "Whoa. This place is beautiful."

Damon- "You should see it in the day it would really blow your mind, or I could which ever comes first."

You laugh at his charming joke and push it aside. Stefan opens the door and walks right in like he owned the place.

Reader- "Uhm, shouldn't we knock?"

Damon- "Now why would we if this is our house?"

Reader- "Wait. Are you? No. Really?"

Stefan- "Sorry he really wanted to make the walk more fun."

Damon- "I can't help it. It's fun to play with peoples minds."

Reader- "So you are Damon and Stefan?"

Stefan- "You said you were in trouble? What kind?"

Reader- "Okay I think I need a drink."

Damon grabs you a drink and sweeps in next to you on the couch.

Reader- "Klaus."

Damon- "Did you just say Klaus? As in the evil big bad hybrid dick who just so happens to be the guy we've been trying to avoid for over thirty-years?"

Reader- "Yes. He and I well he needed me to track down a doppelganger but the last one that lived was--"

Stefan- "Elena."

Reader- "I'm sorry."

Reader- "He doesn't know does he?"

Damon- "Apparently not."

Reader- "Damon I need your help."

Stefan- "Why do you need our help."

Reader- "He told me if I couldn't or didn't find her..that he would feed me his blood and kill me."

Damon- "Why is that bad?"

Reader- "I don't want to be a vampire. I'm mean I don't have a need or reason to be a vampire or some hybrid dick's pet."

Damon- "Geez who hurt you?"

Stefan- "Damon."

Damon- "Just saying. Your damaged goods. Someone must have hurt you bad."

Reader- "Well these damaged goods needs your help."

Stefan- "How can we? We want him to pay for what he's done as much as you do but he can't be killed even if we wanted to."

Reader- "Why?"

Damon- "Because if he dies we all die."

Reader- "What do you mean."

Stefan- "Long story short his bloodline created us. If any of The Original Family dies so does the whole line of vampire they turned."

Reader- "Okay that could be an issue because he also thinks I killed his daughter."

Damon- "Why would he think that?"

Reader- "Elijah found me standing next to her body with the weapon that killed her. He wouldn't let me explain what had happened. The person that killed her tried killing me too. I caught him over her body when I walked in and when he threw the dagger I picked it up and just as I was going to go after him Elijah walked in..I was lucky enough to have gotten away at all. I told Elijah but when Klaus came in he. Let's just say it wasn't a pretty big fight between the two while I got away."

The room grew silent and you began to break. Stefan gets on the other side of you and pulls you in for a warm hug. Damon stand us up grabs another glass.

Damon- "Well this is going to be fun. Call Caroline."

Stefan calls Caroline and explains everything to her when she got there. You had already used Damon's bathroom to freshin up and met back in the living room to go over how things are going to go. Caroline looks at you with soft eyes and you couldn't help but not smile.

Reader- "Caroline? Are you hitting on me with flirty eyes?'

Caroline- "What no! I was just trying to show you were here for you."

Reader- "Okay."-- smiling ear to ear "So, how are we going to do this guys?"

Caroline- "I could see if I could talk to him. He has always been found of me..even if I don't want to do that after what had happened to us."

Reader- "Wait? You two?"

Caroline- "It's been years okay Tyler is dead and me and Stefan were over the minute Elena died."

Damon- "Geez Barbie who woke you up on the wrong side of the bed?"

Caroline- "I'm so sorry I didn't--"

Stefan- "It's okay."

Reader- "Look if I have to be the bate to lore him out that's fine but I need to know if you guys have my back."

Stefan- "Of course we do."

Damon- "We're always saving the damsel in distress."

Caroline- "Maybe not fight over this one?"

Reader- "Guys?!"

Klaus- "Well gentleman looks like you have something of mine and I suggest you give her back before things get messy."

Reader- "Klaus, just let me explain!"

Damon gets in front of you and guards you like you were his.

Klaus- "I don't need you telling me what my brother had already tried to."

Reader- "I didn't kill her!"

Klaus- "You run away from me and expect me not to come find you in the arms of the Salvatore dimwits who have the second thing that belongs to me. Now where is she?"

Stefan- "Elena is dead Klaus since you've seem to not care for over 30 years."

Reader- "Why are you still coming after me? Why haven't you tried coming for Elena years ago?"

Klaus- "I had a family till you took it all away from me when you stepped onto my front steps begging me to save your boyfriend and when I did he still ended up dead because you were selfish and didn't listen to a word I told you. So which one of you is willing to die for this unwanted human?"

Reader- "Klaus I didn't kill her! I know who did though just listen to me!"

Klaus- "I'm done listening!"

Klaus comes after you and Damon stands his ground and fights when Klaus throws him across the room Stefan steps in and knocks him on the ground letting Damon get the chance to grab you and make it to the door but Klaus stabbed Stefan in the gut and comes for you again this time Caroline steps in front and tries to talk to Klaus.

Caroline- "Klaus. Look at her. If she killed your daughter why would she be trying to hard to deny it knowing she would die either way. If she is begging for her life wouldn't you think she didn't do it?"

Klaus- "Someone has to pay for letting the monster who did this to me go."

Reader- "Then let me help you find them."

Klaus- "Yes, let's."

Klaus knocks Caroline and Damon away from you and snatches you up and vanishes into the dark.

Stefan- "Everyone okay?"

Caroline- "Stefan. He took her."

Damon- "Why do we always have to do the good thing and save people? Why can't everyone leave us alone?"

Stefan- "We need to come up with a plan before going up against Klaus."

Caroline- "Agreed."

Damon- "That's a waste of time we need to go after then now!"

Stefan- "Damon!"

Damon- "Fine."

After a long plan trip back to Klaus's home you had enough time to accept your death. Klaus throws you over his shoulder and into the house. You are terrified of what is going to come next. He then tosses you over onto the couch as he giggles.

Reader- "Are you going to kill me?"

Klaus- "Now why would I do that? If I wanted to kill you I would have done it in front of those two monstrosities you befriended."

Reader- "Then why am I here?"

Elijah- "You are the only person who saw the murderer. You are here to help us find him."

Reader- " Why did you even argue and fight with the Salvatore's?"

 Klaus- "It's fun. They like dramatic entrances so I never fail them. I'm sure they'll come for you and when they do you will have already found the murderer who killed--"

Reader- "I take back all the evil things about you. You are just a child. As for Stefan and Damon they barely know me they won't come for me."

 Klaus- "See that is where you are wrong. They have a thing for always getting in the middle of my work and saving the Damsel in distress."

Reader- "Okay? Well do you of anyone who might want to hurt your family? Well that came out stupidly tons of people probably want you dead. Do you know of anyone recently who you might have angered?"

Klaus- "None recently, but I did go on a bender a few years back and killed a certain werewolves entire family because he betrayed me."

Reader- "Seriously! You couldn't just talk to the guy and reason with him?"

Klaus- "I do what is necessary to prove I am alpha."

Reader- "You are seriously damaged in a whole different way. Now how am I suppose to find this guy I didn't even get to see his face?"

Klaus- "I have a witch who can help."

Reader- "Then get them to find them for you and not me."

Elijah- "The witch has to have something or someone that was present."

Reader- "Right of course they do."

Elijah- "Once we find them we will let you free. You have my word."

Klaus- "Now he should be here any min--"

The doorbell rings and in came a man who dressed as if he ran a Harry Potter shop from hell. You stand to your feet and tell him "Let's get this over with so I can go home."

Witch- "Oh no, you won't be leaving her alive."

Reader- "Then hell no we need to find another way to do whatever spell you have to do that is going to find someone that isn't going to kill me.'

Witch- "You are no fun. I was kidding."

Klaus- "This guys humor never fails me."

Reader- "Seriously, you swear I'm not going to die."

Witch- "I promise. Not by my hands and not today."

Reader- "Good. Let's get it over with."

The witch grabs your head and puts his fingers on your temples and begins chanting in another language. Your head begins to feel like it is on fire and you scream. Klaus grows worried and tells the guy to take it easy but the witch continues.

Reader- "Klaus make him stop! It hurts!"

Witch- "I see him. She did not lie, she was not the one who murdered your daughter."

Klaus- "Where is he?! Tell me!"

Witch- "He's in a town called Mystic Falls."

Klaus- "That's it! Keep going where at in that ugly little town I he?"

Witch- "Looks like he is in the center of the town. At a festival?"

Klaus- "Y, your coming with me. Release her she will be more use to me then you at this time."

Reader- "Are you going to apologize?"

Klaus- "I will not apologize for you mistake. You should have stopped him but you didn't. This is still your fault."

Reader- "You know what I am so sick of being a scared child. You want to know what I really think?"

Klaus- "Oh yes please tell me."

Reader- "You are just alone and the only person who could stand you was your own flesh and blood and now that she is gone you just can't help yourself but hurt and torture other people into doing things you could very well do on your own. You have a witch that could also very well be powerful enough to do a spell to bring her back and you didn't even stop and think for a second about that did you?! NO! So next time you want to bring someone else into your family drama and risk their life think again. Because I'm sure next time something like this happens and you blame me or someone else take a look in the mirror and think who's really the reason for her death. One more thing--"

Klaus stops you right there and grabs you by the throat as he pushes you against the wall looking like he was about to rip your head off but then relaxes and lets you go gently then kisses you on the forehead . You push him away.

Reader- "Why did you do that?"

Klaus- "I'm sorry. I could have possibly chosen a different way of doing things but this is who I am."

Reader- "Klaus. You want to make excuses for your actions but really all you do is make the same bad choices and mistakes over and over again. You think you would learn by now, being an enemy to everyone and hating everyone is what makes you alone. Even your family has abandoned you every time you fail. Thinking they could change you but they can't. I came here to start a new life you found me in the bar and you told me there was more to life then all the sadness and hopelessness I had. You showed me a new world I never knew existed. You showed me compassion when I had no one. Let's me go I will make sure no one comes for you and if you need help getting her back I will do my best. You know where to find me."

You turn and walk away expecting him to come after you as soon as you left the building but he didn't. You grab a cab and make it back to Mystic falls. Damon and Stefan come out of the house locked and loaded for the fight as you pull into the driveway. Getting out of the car Damon rushes over to you and makes sure you are in fact alone and okay.

Damon- "I'm going to kill him! Are you okay?"

Reader- "Yes I'm fine. No you can't kill him. He let me go."

Stefan walks up with Caroline.

Stefan- "You're sure you are okay?"

Reader- "It's a long story but yes. Klaus will not being coming for me or any of you. He found the man or whatever that thing was and he will be to occupied with that. One thing we should be expecting is him to be in Mystic Falls. That is where this guy is at. We will stay here and out of the way okay?"

Damon- "What?! No why would we just--"

Reader- "Damon stop. I am alive no one else is going to get hurt. Just leave it alone."

Damon- "You don't even know me."

Reader- "Your right I don't but if I am asking you to leave it alone you need to because he isn't coming for us."

Damon has a fit then leaves the room to mope. Stefan gently taps you on the back and tells you he is glad you're okay and that if you needed anything he would be there.

Reader- "Actually there is something one of you could do for me..."

Damon still listening to the conversation from outside.

Stefan- "Yeah what is it?"

Reader- "I want one of you to turn me."

Damon opens the door and storms to you.

Damon- "No way bad idea."

Reader- "You honestly think it's a good idea for me to stay human and possibly get kidnaped again and vulnerable. No."

Stefan- "We don't know you and we don't know your past but Damon is right being a vampire isn't all that some make it out to be."

Reader- "Well If I go bad you guys will be there for me."

Caroline- "I can help her. Elena would have helped her too."

Damon- "Elena is dead and has been for years we don't talk about what she would or wouldn't do anymore."

Caroline- "I'm sorry Damon but it's true. She--"

Damon- "I'll do it then."

Stefan- "Damon I think Caroline or I should."

Damon- "Why? Because I'm evil? Or is it because you think she'd be sired to me?"

Stefan- "Well it has happened more then once."

Reader- "If you guys can't choose then I'll drink from both of you and Caroline can kill me."

Caroline- "Would that even work?"

Stefan- "I don't think that's a good idea either we don't know what will happen. Only making it an even worse decision."

Damon- "Oh come on maybe she's right. Maybe she will be sired to both of us and would have to listen to both of us."

Reader- "Oh my god. Seriously ill find someone else."

Stefan- "Wait. Okay."

Both Damon and Stefan cut their wrist and feed their blood. You look at Caroline.

Caroline- "I can't."

Reader- "Fine."

You grab the letter opener from the table and just ask you were going to stab yourself Damon comes from behind and snaps your neck.

Caroline- "Damon!"

Damon- "What I'm curious what happens next."

...

[loving-jack-kelly]

Racetrack Enchanted

Racetrack Higgins was an obedient young man. He did what he was told, when he was told, every time, without fail.

Not because he wanted to.

Because some idiot of a fairy godmother had “blessed” him with the ever so amazing gift of being perfectly obedient all the time.

It wasn’t as if fairies were common, most had been chased away to the outskirts, the remaining wilds, once humans had started to realize that really, technology was better than magic. More reliable, less unpredictable, controllable, and best of all, everyone who could afford to could use it, rather than only those who could afford the high price of hiring a fairy to  do what they needed done. Steam and metal didn’t have the same risk as a flesh and blood, if that’s what fairies were really made of.

No, fairies weren’t common, but they were drawn to the rich, and that the Higgins family was. Noble father, more noble mother, they had money and were proud of it, and thus the fairies were drawn to them.

Which was why, when he was still a baby, one had shown up, announced she was his fairy godmother because she wanted to be, and proudly announced he would be obedient until the day he died, much to his mother’s horror.

Fairies, you see, have different rules than humans. They don’t think the same way. So his fairy godmother, who never showed up again, never considered that making Race obey everything he was ever told to do could be a bad thing. She never stopped to consider that perhaps a kid would tell him to do something like, say, jump of a bridge, and he’d have to do it.

So his mother had taught him to be disobedient. To rebel in the small ways. His father would complain of his impertinence, his mother would encourage it.

If his tutor said, “do the problem,” he’d do the wrong one.

If the maid said, “pick up your feet,” he’d pick them up briefly and put them back down immediately.

If his father said, “come here,” he would move so slowly and speed up the smallest amount possible every time he ordered his son to go faster.

Until his was almost fifteen, that system worked fine. Listen to what you were told, but don’t be afraid to resist a bit. Wait as long as you could, but give in as little as possible when you have to.

Until his mother got sick, and until his mother died, because then he was all alone, with a tutor who was frustrated with him and a father who was home three times a year and nobody to talk to, because he couldn’t risk it.

And then another unwanted mother figure showed up, Eliza, the exact opposite of his real mom, superficial and mean.

She insisted Race call her “mum” and she was so sickly sweet it was obviously an act, and yet his father fell for it and the next thing Race knew, Mum was moving into their home and bringing her own sons with her.

Oscar and Morris were the definition of “evil stepbrothers.” They were both stupid, and stupidly cruel. They didn’t hesitate to order Race around, and they weren’t long to pick up on the fact that he always listened, even when he obviously didn’t want to.

“Clean my room.”

“Clean <i>my<i> room.”

“Make me food.”

“Give me your money.”

“Don’t tell Mum.”

“Go sleep outside, nobody wants you here.”

As time went on, it turned into less of Race being made to do what they didn’t want to do, and more of Race becoming essentially a servant in his own house. Eliza didn’t care what was happening to him unless it directly affected her, and Oscar and Morris took great joy in forcing Race to give up his nice clothes and things in favor of moving him into long since unused servants quarters that barely even had a clock, let alone any of the machinery Race had been used to. And he didn’t have a choice. He was stuck, because he’d been told to do something, and after all, Racetrack Higgins was an obedient young man.

It went on like that for a long time, Race doing the work his stepbrothers didn’t want to unless his father was home, when he was allowed back in his room and to wear his clothes and relax for however long his father stayed home.

Other than those few times a year, he was even more isolated than he ever had been.

Especially now while his stepbrothers and stepmother got ready for the coronation ball, and Race was the one fetching spare parts and tying Eliza’s hair pieces and buttoning jackets and fixing the detailed masks all three of them were wearing.

Technically, he was invited, too, everyone was, but realistically, he wasn’t going. The nicest clothes he had left weren’t nice enough to present to the crown prince who would be king by the end of the weekend. And anyway, the prince wouldn’t care about him. He wouldn't have talked to him, anyway, since it would be dangerous. Anyone could tell him to hurt the prince and he would do it. He have had to.

At least he’d actually get to sleep in his own bed, since in the hurry neither of his stepbrothers had ordered him not to like they often did.

“Racetrack! The bird fell out of my hair! Put it back!”

“Yes, Mum.”

“Race, tighten the sash.”

“Yes, Oscar.”

“Fix this strap!”

“Yes, Morris.”

By the time his stepfamily was finally out the door, Race was ready for a nap.

Instead, he got a woman.

A large woman wearing the most unnecessarily detailed dress he’d ever seen in his life, complete with a moving train and an actual cuckoo clock built into the bodice, draped across his bed like she was trying to seduce him.

He wasn’t even attracted to girls.

“What the hell.”

“Honey! I’ve been waiting for you!” She sat up, smiling like it was perfectly natural for her to be in his room. “Why aren’t you ready for the ball?”

“Who are you?”

“Your fairy godmother, of course! Didn’t your mother tell you about me?”

It took Race about twenty seconds to process that.

“You’re the one who did this to me!” A fleeting look of confusion crossed her face.

“Did what, honey?”

“You made me obedient! This is your fault!”

“Now, poppet, that’s no tone to take when talking about a gift! Obedience is a wonderful thing! You’ll always want to help the people you care about, you’ll never need extra convincing to lend a helping hand!”

“Or maybe the people I hate can use it to make me a slave and maybe I can’t have a friend because they’ll make me a slave and maybe I couldn’t even go to the coronation balls because not only did my ever so wonderful stepfamily make me give up everything I own but there’s also the chance somebody could tell me to kill the king and I wouldn’t be able to say no! Maybe your little gift has made my life hell since my mother died!”

Now the fairy looked completely offended.

“Obedience is one of my favorite gifts to give, sweetheart.” While every other pet name she’d used had been dripping with sweetness, sweetheart was icy cold and mean. “I give it to the families I love the most. You, sweetheart, are a lucky one.”

“How is it lucky to not be able to choose for myself what I do? They tell me to cook, I cook, even if I’m so tired I’m about to fall over. They tell me to clean, I clean, even if I’m so hungry I’m dizzy. I can’t say no to anything without getting sick! It’s not a gift, it’s a curse!”

“Well if you’re going to talk to me like that, I’m just going to leave!” Race grabbed her arm before she could.

“Take it off first!”

“I can’t and wouldn’t if I could!”

“You shouldn’t do magic you can’t undo!”

“You shouldn’t treat your godmother like this!”

“I didn’t ask for you to make me obedient!”

“And I didn’t ask for you to be ungrateful!”

“Maybe you should have thought of that before you made me obedient for life!”

“Let go of me!”

“No!” Even as he yelled at her, he could feel the magic working, more powerfully than usual, instantly putting him off balance as he tried to ignore the dizzy spell. As soon as he fell, the fairy sidestepped, the birds in the clock on her bodice fluttering as indignantly as she was, twisting her arm out of his grasp.

“There. Now. Would you like to know why I came here in the first place?”

“Not particularly.”

“Well, dove, you’re going to the ball tonight! I brought clothes!” She snapped her fingers, and in a disconcerting whirl Race found himself in a suit fancier than anything he’d ever worn, let alone anything he’d sent his stepfamily away with. The vest had metallic embroidery, shimmering with either magic or the gold it was made of. He had complex gloves made of some kind of chain mail so thin he could barely even feel it, but the metal was so bright whenever he moved his hand it glinted. A deep red shirt and fancy boots that went past the knees of his black pants completed the look, and his fairy godmother looked proud.

“Perfect. Now, are you going to go?”

“No.” As much as he might have wanted to go before, a combination of impertinence and logic made him change his mind as soon he actually had the chance.

If this fairy woman wanted him to go, he wasn’t going, not to mention the fact that if his family saw him, he’d face worse than not sleeping in a bed when they got home. No fancy outfits could change his face.

“Now, lamb, why not? You were just complaining earlier that you couldn’t go to the balls, and I’ve been planning these outfits for years, love. You simply have to go!”

“And I suppose your fancy magic will protect me from my stepfamily when I get home? Or not let them see who I am? And you can promise nobody will tell me to do something that will hurt somebody else? Like, I don’t know, the prince who’s going to be king in three days?”

“You’ll just have to be careful about orders, hon, but here!” She literally pulled something out of thin air. “Masquerade balls, yes? A mask will solve the identity problem.” She held it up for him to see, a silver mask with some kind of red stone set along the cheekbones and eyebrows, and engraving to make it match the pattern on his vest. “Beautiful, no?” She stepped close to him and ignored his flinch while she fastened to mask to his face.

It wasn’t as cold as he expected, and whatever it was made of was light enough that he could tell it wasn’t going to bother him.

“Now do you want to go?”

“No.” Race folded his arms across his chest.

“Well, I didn’t do all the work for these outfits for nothing. Your carriage is outside. Go to the ball.” She smiled triumphantly when he immediately started reeling from trying to ignore the command. “No godson of mine is staying home from a chance to win the heart of a king. Nor are you throwing up on me or that outfit. Go on, out with you, get in the carriage.” Without meaning to, Race gave into the four orders, mindlessly climbing into the old fashioned carriage.

He wasn’t the last to arrive at the ball, plenty of people were fashionably late and plenty more were just plain late, but he did stand out. Most people came in their steam powered cabs, decorated with more shiny metals than probably necessary.

Race’s carriage was just that, a carriage, as ornate as the rest of his getup, but it was pulled by a mechanical horse instead of a real one, and that was unusual.

And, when he climbed out, he didn’t have a name to have announced, so he supposed he must have been rather mysterious as he walked up the palace steps, some strange man in detailed clothes and a ridiculous carriage with no name who just appeared at the first of the three coronation balls.

He was much less out of place inside the ballroom. Most people were wearing masks, even if they weren’t quite as ornate as Race’s, and everyone had on their best clothes. Full skirts, with detailed embroidery and detailed tops, vests and pocket watches and gloves, everyone trying their best to be rich enough to impress the prince, who was sitting above everything, looking bored.

He was in blue, his mask more elaborate than anyone else’s in the room, coming around the top of his head in a crown instead of being fastened with a ribbon or chain.

However, he didn’t seem to be enjoying himself very much. While most people were dancing or talking cheerfully, he was sitting in his throne, ramrod straight and serious, just watching everyone move. His parents were near him, although they looked more relaxed, smiling.

Race didn’t know what to do with himself. He hadn’t seen Oscar and Morris or his stepmother yet, although he knew they were there, and he didn’t know anyone who wouldn’t tell them right away. Anonymity was his old helping hand, he couldn’t afford for his family to know he was here or it wouldn’t end well.

He also was perfectly aware he couldn’t just leave, his godmother had seemed like she was planning on making him go every night whether he wanted to or not and it would be disrespectful to leave after ten minutes only to show up again the next night.

He was stuck, and he had no idea how to proceed, so he ended up finding a seat in a quiet corner of the ballroom.

At least the food was absolutely delicious. There were plenty of servers drifting around, and every time one of them saw him sitting they brought whatever they had on their trays over for him to try.

People tried to talk to him once or twice, but most of them drifted away again after a few minutes of awkward, forced conversation he didn’t know how to continue.

“May I have this dance?”

There was one he hadn’t heard yet.

He looked up, expecting to see a random man he’d never seen before, probably an older man if he was asking some random person he’d never met to dance, or somebody who didn’t like that Race was sitting alone.

Instead he looked up into the face of the prince, still wearing his mask, still looking bored.

“I...yeah.” He stood up, accepting the hand the prince had extended to him, slightly confused.

“You look like you want to be here about as much as I do.” The prince offered as an explanation when they were on the dance floor.

“You don’t want to be at your own ball?”

“It isn’t like I threw it. My parents did, in a last attempt to get me married before I take the throne. I have to be here. You don’t. Why are you here, anyway, you look miserable.”

“I was told to and I have to do what I’m told.” The prince smiled.

“That makes two of us.” He said.

He was handsome, Race knew, even though he couldn’t see much of his face under the mask. His eyes were ridiculously blue, although at least part of that was probably reflecting from the blue on his mask. His hands were very warm where they were placed on Race’s waist, and he was a good dancer, able to guide Race through the more complicated steps without tripping either of them.

“So, you don’t want to find a wife here?”

“First of all, I don’t want a wife at all, so all of these women are really wasting their time. If I were to get married, it wouldn’t be to one of them. Second of all, I’ve never met anyone I would want to even pretend to spend the rest of my life with. I’ve seen political marriages, and I’ve seen arranged marriages, and nobody involved is happy. Falling in love takes more than convenience.”

“Wise words.”

“My parents think otherwise.” They danced in silence for a few seconds, Race completely unsure of his footing, both literally and figuratively. “Are you here looking for a wife? Or husband?”

“No, I really am just here because I was told to be.” The prince smiled again.

“We have more in common than you might think, then.”

“Why did you pick me to dance with?”

“You were sitting alone, I think your mask looks cool, and I noticed you when you walked in. You’re also pretty much the only one here who didn’t come up to me and try to woo me when you got here. You just seemed less obnoxious than the rest of them, and my parents told me I had to dance with somebody.”

“You know, your highness, you could just leave. Isn’t the garden out there?”

“Just call me Spot, please. And yes, but my parents are watching us right now, look.” He casually altered the dance so Race could look back up at the platform where the king and queen were still sitting, and they were indeed watching them. “Once this song is over, I probably will leave the ballroom, at least for a little bit. Although if I don’t take somebody with me, my parents will drag me back in.” Race laughed at the image of the stately monarchs pulling their son in by the arm. “Oh trust me, it’s not beyond them. There have been times when I haven’t woken up on time and they woke me up by having a maid literally dump water on me.” Race laughed again, and Spot smiled, more of a real smile this time. The song ended, and Spot bowed, taking his hands away from Race’s waist. He glanced quickly up at the platform, then around at the people surrounding them. Race did too, noticing that as soon as Spot was no longer actively dancing with him the other people were instantly moving towards them, wanting to snatch up their chance to dance with the prince.

Spot quickly took Race’s arm.

“Come outside with me?” Even though the inflection told Race it was a question that he was free to say no to, it was phrased as an order, and even in the split second he considered saying no he could feel himself getting dizzy.

“Of course.” The gardens, of course, were gorgeous. They were well kept, fountains bubbling and bushes perfectly trimmed, and the entire area smelled nice from the flowers and fruit that were growing.

Once they were outside, Spot seemed more relaxed, letting go of Race’s arm and just walking around, keeping an easy conversation going but not forcing it. Twice it was obvious they were about to walk in on a couple in a more compromised position than they should have been, and both time Spot made eye contact with Race through their masks and tilted his head to walk away, before starting to laugh soon after.

After a little while, Spot pulled his mask off, setting it down on a bench before sitting next to it.

“Look, people are starting to leave.” The clock on the wall read almost one in the morning, and when Race looked out past the gate to the driveway, there were cabs leaving. “Finally.”

“You really hate this, don’t you?”

“I’ll get married when I want to get married. I don’t want to get married to somebody I’ve known for three days.” They sat in silence for a few minutes, until Race, still watching the people leaving, finally saw his family. They were getting into a cab, ready to go home, which meant in about fifteen minutes they would discover Race missing.

“I have to go.” Spot stood up as Race did, his face shifting into confusion.

“You don’t-”

“I do. I promise, I do. I...I might be back tomorrow. Save me a dance?” Race wasn’t quite sure when he started enjoying himself at the ball, probably somewhere back in the shadows of the fig trees, but he was, and he didn’t really like the look Spot had on his face.

“Why do you have to go so soon?”

“I thought you were glad people were leaving.”

“I was actually enjoying your company. I haven’t seen you without your mask, I don’t even know your name I don’t think.”

“I promise I’ll come back tomorrow. I just really have to go, Spot.” He didn’t wait for another response before hurrying away, slipping around the outskirts of the ballroom, still full of people not yet willing to leave, even though they could come back tomorrow.

His carriage was still waiting out front, the mechanical horse standing perfectly still in the moonlight. As soon as he climbed in, it took off, bringing him home through side streets.

It stopped in the courtyard and seemed to vanish as soon as he got out, disappearing down the street out of view much too quickly to be possible. Somehow, he’d beaten his family home, but the fact wasn’t lost on him that they’d likely seen his outfit and he needed to change before they came home.

He pulled his mask off as he rushed to his room, pulling off layers as he went.

“Damn boots.” They were laced tightly around his pants and took more time than he felt like he could afford to get off. He shoved all of the clothes behind his bed, hoping Oscar and Morris wouldn’t think to search for anything there anytime soon. As soon as he did, he heard the door open and slam shut, and his stepfamily grumbling as they got ready for bed.

“Race! Come here!” Oscar yelled from his bedroom down the hall. As soon as Race came in the door, Oscar turned around to have him undo the extra straps across the back of his jacket, otherwise ignoring him.

“How was the ball?” Race forced himself to ask.

“Horrible. The prince didn’t even want to talk to us, he danced with one person and disappeared into the garden with him, he didn’t even give us a chance to get to know him.”

“To suck up to him.”

“Shut up.” Race let himself obey, falling mute.

“When you’re done with him, come to my room.” Eliza snapped from the doorway. Race nodded. “Speak up, boy.”

“Yes ma’am.” Oscar pushed him away as soon as the jacket was undone, and Race helped his stepmother to pull the baubles and ribbons from her hair to to unlace her dress.

“The ball was awful.” She said. “Although you didn’t ask. The people who were willing to speak or dance with the boys were not people we care to associate with. And the prince snubbed everybody by only dancing with one person and leaving before midnight.”

“Will you go again tomorrow?”

“Don’t be an idiot. Of course we will. Rubbing shoulders with the rich makes us seem more rich.”

By the time Race finally got to fall into bed and sleep, it was well past three in the morning.

The next day, the routine was much the same as usual. He cooked, he cleaned, he helped force his stepfamily into even more intricate outfits than the night before, and then he started pulling his own outfit back on.

Putting it on himself was much more time consuming than fairy magic.

“Oh, sugar, no no no! I have a new one for you tonight.”

“How do you even get in here?”

“Locks have nothing on magic.” His fairy godmother was standing in his door, leaning against the frame and looking smug. “Aren’t you glad I made you go last night? Look at you, happy to go off and dance with your love again.” Race felt his face heat up.

“He’s not my love, he’s just friendly.”

“Oh, haven’t you heard the court gossip? The prince swore to his parents he wouldn’t dance with anyone, then he danced with somebody in a mask and nobody knows who he was. You, sweetie, I saw my mask. He may not be your love but you’re his.” She giggled with delight and waved her hand at him, replacing the outfit he had almost managed to get completely into with another of hers. “This one is so much prettier, no?”

Grudgingly, Race had to agree.

This outfit was silver themed, shirt reflected the light and the embroidery making it even more eye catching, and the vest was dark gray with the same silver thread going through it. His pants were the same as the vest, but the boots had more silver threading, and tonight the gloves were finished with tiny diamonds that made them sparkle even more. When the fairy held up the mask, it was far more intricate than the other one, with thin, looping curls of silver that wound around his ears and with a little adjustment, through his hair, so he didn’t even have to tie it on. More diamond like stones accented it, so when the fairy held up a mirror, grinning, he was sparkling all over.

“Looking like that, who wouldn’t want to dance with you? Now, the carriage is outside, try to be home earlier tonight, watching you rush gave me a turn, and don’t try to get back into this tomorrow, I have one last outfit. Now, go to the ball!” Out of habit more than anything, Race resisted for a second before giving in.

Again, he wasn’t the last one there but he was still late, and again, people stared as he climbed the steps into the palace and the ballroom, but tonight, people recognized him as the one the prince had danced with.

And tonight, Spot was sitting up on the platform, watching the crowd much more attentively than the night before. Race caught his eye, probably because of the brightness of his clothes, and waved slightly. Race waved back, watching the way Spot smiled slightly.

This time, he was only alone for about a half hour before Spot seemed to materialize behind him.

“What, do you have an in with the tailor who designed my suits? We’re a pair again tonight.”

“Again?”

“Blue and red, gold and silver.” Spot’s outfit was in fact almost a set with Race’s, gold themed and eye catching, although his mask wasn’t quite as detailed as Race’s. It again came up in a crown, but it was simpler than the strands woven through and around Race’s head. “Dance with me?”

“I did promise, didn’t I.”

“You did.” Spot took his hand and led him out to the dance floor. Race was hyper conscious of the people watching them, especially once he noticed Oscar and Morris scowling on the edge of the crowd. “Nervous?”

“People are watching. I’m not the best dancer, either.”

“You’re fine.” This dance was faster than the one last night, but Spot was again guiding him through it. “And who cares? They saw us dance last night.” The song changed, and Spot seamlessly stepped into the next dance. “Tell me more about yourself.”

“What about myself?” He tried to keep his feet steady while also trying to not immediately spill every secret he’d ever tried to keep.

“Where are you from?”

“North side, not too far from here.” That made the dizziness stop, since he had told Spot more about himself.

“Who are you?”

“Nobody important.”

“So why are you dressed like that?”

“Looking rich is more important than being rich.”

“What’s your name?”

“Can’t tell you that.”

“Why are you so secretive?”

“Necessity.”

“What necessitates hiding your identity at a ball everyone is invited to?”

“It’s...personal.”

“Does anyone here know who you are?”

“No.”

“How do you get here, then?”

“Magic.” Spot smiled.

“Magic.”

“I’m a friend of the fairies.”

“So if the fairies sent you here, why didn’t you want to be here last night?”

“I don’t like being bossed around, and fairies are very bossy.” Spot laughed, clearly thinking Race was telling jokes, which was good. That was easier to deal with than actually trying to explain the magic surrounding him.

“Well, won’t you at least tell me your name?”

“Why does it matter? I’m nobody important, you won’t see after tomorrow, most likely.” Now Spot was frowning.

“What if I want to see you after tomorrow?”

“You...you can’t.”

“Why not?”

“You’re the prince.”

“And you’re a friend of the fairies. So? I can see who I want to see, it doesn’t matter if you’re not the son of the richest people in the city.”

“That’s not it. It...I can’t really talk about it.” The second song ended and Spot pulled away, not enough to not be touching Race anymore, but just enough that they stopped moving.

“Don’t you trust me.”

“Do you want the honest answer or the oh my god I’m talking to the prince answer.”

“Both.”

“The oh my god I’m talking to the prince answer is yes. The honest answer is I’ve known you for two days, we’ve talked twice, how am I supposed to know if I can trust you? And anyway, it isn’t a matter of trust. I’m not allowed to talk about it.”

“And if I order you to?”

“Then I suppose I have to, but then it seems to me that you don’t trust me. How can I trust somebody who doesn’t trust me.” Race could barely see Spot’s eyes beneath his mask, but he could tell his frown had deepened into almost a scowl. They started dancing again, but the conversation had stopped entirely.

“Will you come to the garden with me again?” Race nodded, and Spot led him out the door into the moonlight, the same as they had the night before. This time Spot sat down and took of his mask much sooner, rather than leading Race through the garden first. They sat in silence for a few minutes, Spot still frowning and Race not sure of what to do to re-break the ice.

“Sorry.”

“Why won’t you just tell me?”

“It’s complicated, Spot, I can’t tell you. I just…”

“Your name, at least.” The clock started to chime loudly, and Race counted the bells, unsure of how to continue. On the twelfth strike, he sighed, looking over at Spot who was watching the first of the guests to leave, mostly the older people and the poorer people, who were already tired or had to work the next day.

“I don’t want to hurt you, Spot. People will use me to if you know who I am.”

“That doesn’t make sense.”

“I can’t explain, Spot, I’m not allowed to, but I promise you if I could tell you everything, I would.” Spot sighed.

“Who says you’re not allowed to tell me? What right do they have?”

“Every right.” Race looked back towards the ballroom, noticing more and more people trickling out. “I should go. Do you want me to come back tomorrow?” Spot looked upset, but he still nodded. “Save me a dance.”

“I will.” Again, Race slipped out around the edge of the ballroom, avoiding people as much as possible and climbing into his carriage, leaving the bright palace behind.

“Tell me, are you falling for him?” Race started at the voice, coming from right beside him. The fairy appeared, more smug than ever. “Tell me, I said.”

“Yes.” The word forced its way out of his mouth, causing the fairy to clap gleefully.

“I knew it! Now, is he falling for you?”

“How can he be, when he doesn’t even know who I am?”

“Well, why doesn’t he?”

“Because if he does, my family will, and they’ll use me against him or just not let me see him.”

“They can’t get in the way of true love!”

“Maybe they couldn’t if you hadn’t cursed me, but considering I literally have to obey everything they or anyone else tells me to do, I’d say true love is on the losing side in this one.”

“Now, honey, don’t get so down and out about it. Tell him who you are, see if that doesn’t solve your problems.”

“It won’t.” She tutted and shook her head, then simply vanished, leaving Race to glare at her empty seat until the carriage lurched to a stop outside his house.

It was much the same as last night, although slightly less frantic, hiding his clothes in the same spot, although last night’s were gone now.

And then his stepfamily got home, yelled at him while he tried to help them undress, and sent him off to bed without actually helping.

“Okay, sweet, this is the biggest night.”

“Jesus Christ, lady, it isn’t even noon.”

“I know. I just got too excited to wait!”

“You can’t be here! They’re upstairs!”

“Oh, they're preoccupied with themselves. And anyway, they’re leaving soon, because the ball starts early today, as the coronation is tonight! We have plenty of time to get you ready.”

“No. No we don’t. You can’t be here until they’re gone, because if they find you, it’s me they’ll hurt! Get out of here!” The fairy looked hurt, but she vanished quickly.

“Race! Get up here and fix my hair!” Race sighed and pushed himself off his bed, walking as slowly as the magic would allowed him and fixing his stepmother’s hair equally slowly.

“-and make sure the house is clean when we get home! You’ve been slacking, recently.”

“Yes, ma'am.”

“Race! Make sure my bed is made when I get home. I’m tired of you not doing your work.”

“Yes, Morris.”

“And mine.”

“Yes Oscar.” They finally all seemed satisfied with their appearance, and climbed into their own cab to be taken to the ball that tonight started earlier.

“There. Now they’re gone. Let’s get you ready!” Rather than waving her hand and having him suddenly be in his clothes, she pulled articles of clothing out of thin air, like she had done with the masks before. A vest, a shirt, a jacket, pants, socks, one by one materialized and were laid out on his bed.

At first glance, this outfit was less detailed than the others. It was more formal, with the full jacket to go over the vest, but looked black and simple. When he picked up the jacket, though, it shimmered. There was something more than the black fabric, some tiny jewels here and there and dark, silvery thread connecting them.

“I have it on good authority that our prince loves the night sky, so that’s what you’ll be tonight.”

“Is it a costume ball?”

“No, but if you look like something he already loves, he’ll realize he loves you!”

“You’re crazy.”

“I’m a fairy. We have to be!” Finally, she pulled the mask out of the air and held it up, grinning wildly. “This took me all day yesterday to make!”

It was stunning. Strands of dark metal wove together into the shape of his upper face and head, with the same style of thin, weaving pieces that would go through his hair to hold it in place as the last one. The dark metal was gleaming, and more constellations decorated the solid plate that would cover the right side of Race’s face.

“Get dressed! We have a ball to get you to!” The fairy vanished and left Race to struggle into the clothes. It took him more than a half hour to get himself buttoned in entirely, and to get the mask to settle on his head the right way, only for him to realize he didn’t have boots, and when he checked behind his bed his boots from last night were gone.

“I have the boots for you, here.” The fairy was back in his room again, holding up boots that matched his mask, soft material covered in winding metal and tiny jewels.

“How on earth do you expect me to get those on?”

“They clasp, see?” She pulled the metal at the back of the boot open and slipped it over his foot, clasping it again once it was on. “Easy on, easy off, very fancy.”

“Spectacular.”

“Now, love, I know that was sarcastic, but you’re right, they are, aren’t they? Specially fit to you!” She leaned forward and tucked strands of his hair into his mask. “Go dance with the prince and try get him to fall in love with you, tonight’s the night!”

The palace was even busier than it had been the previous two nights, as even people who weren’t coming to the dance were coming to watch the coronation that would take place later in the night.

In the ballroom, Spot was absent from his throne, but several other people Race didn’t recognize were on the platform, most likely officials. People stared at Race as he entered the ballroom, and it didn’t take long for some of them to approach him.

Including, unfortunately, his stepbrothers.

“Aren’t you the one the prince is so infatuated with?” Morris asked, disdain clear in his voice.

“I suppose.” Race did his best to keep his voice steady, hoping that they didn’t recognize it.

“He isn’t going to marry, you know. Especially not to somebody who won’t even show his face.”

“Why won’t you, anyway?”

“I’ll bet he’s ugly and doesn’t want the prince to know.”

“I suppose you have scars. The pox.”

“We should tell him.”

“I don’t owe myself to any of you. If I prefer to hide my face, then I can do so.”

“Only a dishonest man would need to hide his face while dancing with the prince.”

“Only a rude man would assume he has the right to know who I am if I don’t wish him to.” Oscar huffed and turned on his heel.

“Let’s go, Morris, he isn’t worth our time, anyway.” They walked away, leaving Race on the side of the ballroom, alone. Spot still hadn’t appeared, and people were give Race weird looks as they recognized him from the other balls.

His mask was more uncomfortable than the other ones, or else he was just much more uncomfortable. He was hot under his jacket, and the boots, while more comfortable than they looked, weren’t exactly slippers, either.

So he sat down in the same corner he had the first night, taking drinks every once in a while and watching the people around him.

They were all dressed fantastically. Bright colors were popular, and most of the masks had plumes of feathers or large gemstones set around the eyes. The richer people had moving pieces on their outfits, tiny trains that traveled the zipper tracks or butterfly hairpieces that flapped slowly.

Most of them were either dancing happily with a partner or talking to other people, trying to prove that they were the richest and best. All of them stood like they were the most important people on the planet, like they were the ones being crowned king, not Spot.

And when Spot finally stepped out onto the platform, draped in an elaborate suit in royal purple, people barely spared him a glance.

Race couldn’t really stop looking.

Instead of an elaborate crown holding his mask in place, it was a simple golden lattice that covered most the top of his face and was held up by a circlet. His suit had threads of the same color making a pattern that wound around his arms and chest. It was gorgeous, just enough of his face was showing to show off his looks, and it complimented the darker gold of the fabric of his suit. He looked completely and totally frustrated about the whole thing.

He was picking at the threads of his cuffs, and kept adjusting his mask like he wanted to pull it off. He obviously wanted to be pretty much anywhere other than on the platform, dressed up, with people somewhere in between ignoring him and giving him their full attention.

Spot scanned the ballroom, stopping when he saw Race in his corner. He smiled slightly and waved a little bit, and Race waved back, watching as Spot turned to his parents and said something before stepping down from the platform and making his way across the ballroom to Race.

“You’re dressed up even more than me.”

“Guess my inside informant was informed wrong.”

“Unless they were going for something else. Constellations.”

“So I guess it is true that you like the night sky.”

“And I guess you really do have an insider. Not sure if that should concern me or not.”

“My fairy godmother is just really good at finding things out.” Spot smiled, and seemed to have forgotten the almost fight they’d had the night before.

“Of course. I forgot that you’re a friend of the fairies. Dance?” Race took his hand and let Spot lead him to the dancefloor, stepping smoothly into the music. “Will you stay through the coronation?”

“If I can.”

“Please do. Anyone remotely sane will be a relief. All day long it’s been, Sean wash your face, Sean eat something, Sean get dressed, Sean you know how it’s going, right?”

“Sean?” Spot laughed.

“Did you forget my real name? Only people I’m friends with call me Spot, my parents and all the officials and everyone call me Sean.” Race flushed, embarrassed. “I like this mask. I can see a little bit more of your face in it.”

“Oh. Yours, too.” Spot grimaced.

“I think it’s ugly, but it’s supposed to be childlike, so when I get crowned it’s symbolic.”

“That’s stupid.”

“Yeah. It really is.” The dance Spot was leading was one that moved them around the ballroom, and Race, watching the crowd, saw Oscar and Morris glaring at the pair from the side, never far away.

“Want to go outside?” Having his stepbrothers watching so closely was making him nervous; he knew they hadn’t recognized him yet, and he didn’t want them to.

“Sure. The sun hasn’t even set yet, have you seen the garden during the day?”

“Not yet.” Spot danced them to the edge of the crowd, then took Race’s arm. They walked out the doors into the garden.

The sun was just starting to set, lighting the trees and paths in soft light. Spot didn’t drop Race’s arm as they walked, almost holding his hand but not quite.

“Your parents don’t mind you leaving every time to come out here with me?” Spot laughed.

“They couldn’t be happier I’ve connected with somebody. Although, they want to know who you are almost as much as I do.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m pretty sure I’ll find out one day. I think you like me too much to stay away.”

“What gives you that impression?”

“The fact that the first night you didn’t want to be here at all, and tonight you’re the one who asked me to get away from the crowd. Why in such a hurry, anyway?”

“There are people here who I don’t want to recognize me.”

“And the plot thickens again. Who?”

“Well, if I told you that, you’d be able to figure out who I am, so why would I do a thing like that?”

“Okay, well, why don't you want them to recognize you?”

“They don’t want me here.” Race answered carefully. “They prefer I stay home and don’t talk to anyone.”

“Your family?”

“If that’s what you can call them.”

“They sound horrible.” Race laughed, unable to keep the bitterness out of it.

“That’s one way to put it.” Spot sat down on the bench, not letting go of Race and pulling him down next to him.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.” Race kicked the ground, making his boots clink against the stones paving the base of the bench.

“Is that why you won’t tell me who you are? You’re scared of them?”

“One of the reasons. It...wouldn’t be good if they knew I was here, especially if they knew I was talking to you.” Spot did actually take Race’s hand, then, squeezing tightly.

“I could keep you safe, you know.” Race smiled sadly, knowing Spot meant it but also knowing it didn’t matter how safe he was, Spot wouldn’t be safe as long as Race had to obey orders. Spot pulled on Race’s arm so Race would lean against him, not saying anything more. Race wasn’t used to physical contact being something he enjoyed; even the simple touch of leaning against Spot and having him hold his hand was more than he’d really had since his mom died. It was nice, and obviously Spot could tell, since he laughed a little bit and pulled Race closer.

The garden was quiet and peaceful, the sun was setting over the city, and Race was sitting on a bench leaning against a prince who was hours away from being king, and for that moment, absolutely everything was perfect.

And then he felt his head get snapped back and his hair pulled as somebody forcefully tore his mask off his head. Instantly, he threw his hands up to cover his face, but it was too late.

“Racetrack!” Oscar’s voice sounded from next to him, surprised and angry.

Race’s mind raced, even while he could hear Spot talking next to him and Oscar and Morris yelling at him he pulled his arm away from Spot and stood up quickly. His mind was racing, he knew he couldn’t stay but didn’t want to leave, he couldn’t stay with Spot but he didn’t want to have to never see him again, somehow he was walking away, Spot looked hurt and he didn’t remember being told to leave but when he tried to stay he felt himself getting sick and before he really knew what was happening, he was home, staring blankly at the wall, flinching every time a noise came from the upstairs of the house.

His head had cleared, he was sitting on his bed, anxiously twisting the hem of his jacket, half wishing his stepfamily would just come home and half wishing they’d never come back.

“Racetrack!” Eliza’s shrill voice rang out from the entrance hall. “Get up here!” He was still numb while he walked up the stairs. “You went to the balls.” It wasn’t a question.

“Yes.” He tried to keep his head held high, but couldn’t help but flinch when she raised her hand.

“How dare you?” She grabbed his arm, keeping him from flinching away while she tried to hit him.

“How dare you?” It was Spot’s voice, coming from the doorway, which didn’t make sense.

“Your majesty!”

“Take your hands off of him.” Spot said firmly, stepping into the house completely.

“Your majesty, I-”

“Let go of him.” She dropped Race’s arm, and he stepped away quickly, out of her reach. “Are you okay?”

“I...yeah. I’m fine.” Spot looked concerned, still wearing his gold suit, although the mask was gone. Instead, he had a full crown on, heavy and kind of ridiculous looking. He nodded though, and turned his attention back to Race’s stepmother.

“How dare you hit him?”

“Your majesty, I was merely disciplining him. He had no permission to-”

“He did not need your permission to come to the balls. Everyone was welcome. You have no right to punish him for coming.”

“Your majesty, the boy is a troublemaker. He wasn’t allowed to attend simply because we were worried about the trouble he might cause.” She had slipped easily into the oily sweetness she used whenever Race’s father was home. Spot wasn’t impressed by it.

“He didn’t cause any trouble. I enjoyed his company. And if the way he’s as far away from you as he could get, I’d say he’s not the one making the trouble in this household.”

“Racetrack, explain to the king why you weren’t allowed to attend.” Eliza didn’t know to the same extent Oscar and Morris did that he had to obey orders. His stepbrothers knew that he always listened, even when he didn’t want to. Their mother, on the other hand, seemed to think he’d been scared into listening.

Her order, in her mind, meant, “tell him exactly what I told him, prove my point.”

In reality, it meant he finally got to tell somebody, the most powerful person in the kingdom, how they treated him and why he’d had to sneak into the balls.

“I wasn't allowed to go because they’re scared of what will happen when people finally realize how they’ve been treating me. As far as most people know, I’m treated the same now as I am when my father is home, but it’s a lie, Spot, they make me work, they take away everything I have, I cook, I clean, I make their beds and fix their hair and sew their rips and do their errands. They don't want people to know, Spot, they don't want the other people in the city, they don’t want my father, nobody, to know that they treat me like a servant without pay.” Eliza moved like she was going to try to hit him again, but stopped at the look on Spot’s face.

“Is it true?”

“Your majesty-”

“Answer me. Is what he just said true?”

“Yes, but your majesty, he needed to be taught discipline and-”

“I’ve spoken to him more than once, and he doesn’t seem to deserve being treated the way you treat him. Nobody deserves to be hit, to be scared in their own home. I saw his face when your sons recognized him, nobody deserves to feel like that about the people he lives with.” Eliza didn't seem to have a response to that; she simply looked down and didn't say anything. “Race, come live with me.” Instantly, every fear Race had had about what would happen if he got to know the prince came back.

“Why?” He could feel himself getting dizzy as he struggled to keep himself from saying yes. He couldn’t say yes, he couldn’t live with Spot, even if he wanted to, because he would be the biggest security risk imaginable for the new king.

“To get you away from here. I want to help, Race, come live with me and I can.”

“I...I can’t.” He forced the words out, almost painfully.

“Why not? Please, Race, I want to help. And…” Spot trailed off, not quite picking up on the way Race was struggling to keep his mouth shut.

“And what, your majesty?” Oscar’s oily smooth voice entered the room, Morris following behind him, both of them bowing respectfully. Race took one look at them and knew they had heard Spot tell Race to come live with him. They knew he had to, and they knew they would be able to reap the benefits of it. He couldn’t let it happen.

The pressure inside him to say yes was building and building, but he refused to open his mouth, to let the word out. He clamped his hands over his ears, desperately trying to keep himself from nodding. He wouldn’t let himself be put in a position that could hurt Spot.

He wouldn’t let himself be able to hurt the king, the first friend he’d made in years, the person he couldn’t really deny starting to fall in love with over the course of their three nights together. He wouldn’t.

The dizziness came in stronger and stronger waves, making a pounding headache to compliment the spinning room. His stomach felt like it was turning inside out, but he refused to open his mouth.

Race could hear Spot and his stepfamily saying things, he saw Spot looking concerned, he saw Oscar and Morris and Eliza exchanging confused, nervous glances, and when he couldn’t help it anymore he threw up on the ground, still refusing to say yes.

He started saying everything he could think of that wasn’t yes, trying desperately to get around the magic.

“I won’t I won't I won't, you can't make me say it I won't say it I won't!” He could tell he must look like a mess, vomit on the ground in front of him, snot and tears streaming down his face. He also couldn't bring himself to care. He was resisting more than he ever had before.

For a flash of a second, he could have sworn he saw the face of his fairy godmother in front of him, frowning in disapproval, but the vision was gone as soon as he noticed it.

It was worse than it ever had been before; he’d always given in before it got this bad. He wanted to throw up again, but there was nothing left to throw up. “I won't I won't I won't I won't!”

Slowly, so he barely even noticed it happening, every time he repeated that he wouldn’t, the feeling got less and less. Eventually, though, it was gone. He didn’t feel as dizzy, he didn't want to throw up, the headache was going away. Spot was kneeling next to where Race had sat down, still talking. When they saw Race’s head clearing, Oscar and Morris stepped closer.

“Go to your room, Racetrack.” Morris snapped. Race waited for the dizziness to come back, but it didn’t.

“No.” He said, his voice not a strong as he would have liked, but he was confident. Nothing was happening. He could say no. He didn’t have to listen.

“Go.”

“No! I don’t have to!” Spot seemed to sense that Race wanted to deal with his stepbrothers on his own, and he sat back on his heels, watching. Race stood up, his chin high, defiant in a way he’d never been able to be before.

“Yes, you do.” Morris narrowed his eyes. “Go. To your room.”

“You can't make me. I want to stay here.”

“You have to listen. You always have to listen.” Oscar said.

“The magic is gone.” It must be, if he could say that. His mother had ordered him to never tell anyone, and he could. He could feel it. He could explain everything. “The fairy magic is gone, I don’t have to listen to you anymore.” He laughed, the reality starting to sink in.

“What does that mean?” Spot asked, grabbing Race’s hand and using it to pull himself up.

“I had to obey, Spot, everything they said, the fairy made me have to obey. I didn’t want to, I had to, and I broke it. When I said no to you, I broke it, the magic.” Race was smiling giddily, squeezing Spot’s hand tightly.

Oscar and Morris looked horrified, realizing what it meant that Race didn't have to listen to them anymore. He hoped they were remembering every last thing they’d ever ordered him not to tell about, every chore and prank and girl they brought home, every thing he’d caught them stealing. Eliza didn't seem to understand, which made sense; she’d never really known why he always listened.

Spot looked confused. He was smiling, clearly happy that Race wasn’t on the ground crying and throwing up anymore, but his brow was furrowed.

“I don’t understand.” Race shook his head, clearing it more and organizing his thoughts.

“You remember when I said I was a friend of the fairies?”

“Yes.”

“I was telling the truth, kind of. I’m not really their friend, my mother was, and one of them decided she was my fairy godmother and gave me the gift of obedience, only it’s not a gift at all, Spot, I had to do everything they said, everything you said, anyone said. That’s why I didn't want you to know who I am, I’m dangerous, Spot, if somebody told me to kill you I would have had to, but I broke the magic, it’s gone now. I wouldn't be able to tell you if it wasn’t, Spot, I’m not going to kill you!”

“That’s good.” Spot looked slightly less confused now, more amused at Race’s statement.

“Not that I was planning to in the first place.” He couldn’t stop smiling. He hadn’t realized what it had felt like to know he had to listen to everything anyone told him to do until he suddenly didn’t any more, he felt lighter than he ever had before. “But I wouldn’t have been able to stop myself if I had been told to.”

“He’s lying, your majesty. Clearly he’s sick, he needs to rest. Racetrack, go lie down, don’t bother our king with silly stories.” Eliza tried to put a hand on Race’s shoulder as if to guide him away, but he pushed her away.

“Don't touch me. I’m not lying, Spot, you trust me, don't you?” Spot met Race’s eye, squeezing his hand back.

“Yes. I do.” Spot looked around at everyone in the room, not letting go of Race’s hand. “I trust him. I trust he’s telling the truth. And I trust his father will ver very interested to know everything I do.” He paused, considering. Eliza paled, and Oscar and Morris went green, like they were going to be the next ones to throw up.

Before anyone could say anything else, somebody knocked on the door.

“Your majesty! Your father is waiting for you at the palace! The ball is not over and people are starting to wonder where you are.” Spot looked back at Race, still in his constellation suit.

“Come with me?”

“No.” Race said, reveling in being able to say it without having any side effects. Spot’s face fell, leaving him looking confused and sad. “Not unless you ask.”

“Will you come with me?”

“I’d love to.” Spot smiled again, then looked back at Race’s stepfamily.

“Everyone is welcome at the balls. I won’t stop you from coming back. However, you are never going to touch him again, in any way.” They didn’t say anything, just watched silently as Spot gently pulled Race out the door, back towards the palace.

For the fourth time, Race was stared at as he walked up the palace steps. This time, however, he was confident. He wasn’t wearing his mask, and a rustle went through the crowd when they saw him, unmasked, entering the ballroom on the arm of the brand new king.

Several of them recognized him because of his father, many did not. Spot’s parents, not technically the king and queen anymore, smiled when they saw their son, and met Race’s eyes just as warmly.

Not knowing exactly how to greet them, Race settled on bowing deeply when they reached the dais.

“This is Race.” Spot said simply.

“It’s nice to finally meet you.” Spot’s mother had a calm, quiet voice, and she had a bright smile. Her colors matched her son’s almost perfectly, although her crown was much more simple than the one Spot was wearing. Race nodded.

“Sean told about you. Although, he didn’t seem to know much.” His father seemed just as warm as his mother, although more refined, held back, almost.

“I know more now. And he has good reason to keep secrets.”

“I’m sure we’ll be pleased to hear all about it.” Spot grinned at Race, a much more open smile than any he’d shown before. “Later. For now, the ball is still going on. Go dance.” Spot’s mother gently pushed Spot towards the dance floor, and he offered a hand to Race.

“Do you want to go dancing with me?” Race nodded, allowing Spot to once again lead him out to the dance floor.

The songs after the coronation were faster than those on the other nights. Spot, of course, knew all the steps, and guided Race through them, laughing when Race messed up the steps or stepped on his shoes.

Race’s boots clicked as they danced, and in the light of the ballroom, the silver threads making the constellations on his suit flashed.

For the first time in a very long time that he could remember, Race was having fun without being worried at all. Spot was spinning him out and pulling him in, trading partners when required, but always coming back to holding Race close.

“Do you want to go outside? It’s warm in here.” Spot had lost his jacket at some point during the dancing, and he was flushed.

“Sure.” Race smiled, followed Spot out through the doors.

There were more people out in the garden than there had been before, walking mostly in pairs and talking quietly. Their bench, though, was still empty, and after walking for a little while Spot sat down. He looked up at the sky, tracing the lines on Race’s sleeve that matched the stars above them.

“A fairy really made this?”

“Mmhmm.” Race was comfortably leaning against Spot, almost in the same position they'd been in before Oscar and Morris had shown up before.

“What’s her name?”

“I have no idea.” Spot laughed.

“You don't know the name of your own fairy godmother?”

“I only met her the night of the first ball. I knew of her, but not her name.”

“Fairies don't interact with people much, do they?”

“Not anymore, anyway.”

“How did she know how to dress you? I mean, we always matched and tonight she knew I liked the stars.”

“Magic, probably.” Spot looked away from the sky, back down to Race’s face.

“There's a lot of magic around you.”

“I’m a friend of the fairies. It comes with the territory.” Spot laughed again, and Race laughed with him. His fingers hadn’t stopped moving against the fabric of Race’s jacket, simply tracing the threads over and over again, moving around to Race’s back, brushing against his hair, then coming back down to his arms. Race leaned into the touch, content to be close to Spot.

Like the first night, Spot kept an easy conversation going. If anything, it was better now that they knew each other better. The clock struck two in the morning over both of them still sitting on the bench. At some point, Spot had picked flowers from around the bench, weaving them into a small, simple crown that he’d tucked into Race’s curls.

“How did you know how to make that?”

“My sister and I used to make flower crowns all the time, and play at being king and queen. This was the throne, the bench, that’s why there’s wildflowers all around it. Our parents got them planted for us.” Spot smiled at the way Race poked at the flowers in his hair. “I like the flowers better than your masks.”

“Fairy masks. Everything she made is kind of ridiculous.” Race laughed.

“I liked the masks. I just like the flowers better.” Spot sat back and admired his handiwork, smiling slightly. He didn’t say anything, just looked, making Race blush. “Hey Race?”

“Yeah?”

“Kiss me?”

“No.” Race again relished the ability to say no. “You kiss me.” Spot laughed.

“Are always going to be impertinent now?”

“I wasn’t able to be a bratty kid, I get to be bratty now.” Spot kissed him them, simple and soft and sweet, smiling enough that Race could feel it.

“I know I said the first night I didn’t believe I could fall in love in three nights…”

“Change your mind?”

“No. But I think I want to have the chance to fall in love with you. And I want to give you a safe place. Even if they're scared of me, they’ll try to hurt you again when I’m not there. I want you to come stay here.”

“Ask nicely and I’ll say yes.” Spot kissed him again.

“Please come stay here and let us find out if this is real?”

“If what is real?”

“This. Us. If I really am already falling for you or if I just think I am.”

“It’s real, Spot.” Race said softly.

“Let’s let it develop then. Please come stay here.” This time, Race kissed him, leaning against his side when they parted and getting comfortable.

“I will.” Spot’s arm went around Race’s shoulders, pulling him close and holding him there, looking up at the sky again.

“Good.” Quiet music was still coming from the ballroom, where most but not all of the guests had gone home.

“May I have this dance?” Race asked, pulling Spot to his feet.

“You may.”

They danced under the stars, more leaning against each other than following the steps, Spot tracing the constellations on Race’s back over and over again, letting the night pass over them without having to worry, this time, about Race running away or being interrupted. Tonight, the magic was gone and all that was left was them and two sets of stars, together.

[bensolo-jedi]

Don’t Forget Me

Pairing: Kylo Ren x Reader

Words: 2.5K

Summary/Prompt: Anon: “Prompts you say? Imagine Kylo seeing you in Poe’s mind (not romantically - friendship or how you are always around Leia) after abandoning you when Ben turned to the Dark side and hating himself for hurting you - the only person who made him feel loved.”

A/N: This fic was originally posted on my old blog kylorensith, that blog is no longer active, and I am reposting my works on this blog. Requests can be sent here 

(Part 2) (Part 3)

The day the Knights of Ren attacked the Jedi temple was traumatic, not only to those who lost a child, but to the people who cared about Ben Solo, the new leader of the Knights of Ren. You had just finished your schooling to be a doctor for the Resistance the day it happened. You were called straight to the Jedi temple, you had never moved so fast in your life. What if Ben was hurt?

The minute you got the the temple your heart died a little, as every single Padawan, and Jedi Master you tried to help were already gone. No one was saved, the only two people who managed to get away were Master Luke, who seemed to have vanished, and Ben, neither were found, but General Organa insisted that both were still alive, she could feel it. After days of searching the temple for just one survivor, you and your team were forced to end your time at the temple. There were no survivors. The only thing you could do then, get the bodies from the temple, and dispose of them in a proper way.

Not many days after getting all the bodies from the temple, you were sent back to the Resistance base, and were called in to talk with General Organa. You expected the worst, they found Ben. But you could feel whatever she had to say wasn’t good, it was going to destroy you, and that it did.

You walked into the holo room, and saw General Organa leaning on a table, and holding her heart. “General-“ You began, but soon realized this wasn’t your superior talking, it’s your best friends mother. “Leia, where- is Ben okay?” Your bottom lip was trembling as she faced you and you finally saw her tear stained face, and bloodshot eyes.

“He is alive.” She whispered, taking a few steps closer to you. A smile crossed your lips for an all too short second. “Well, that’s good, right?” She didn’t say a word, only looked at you with sad eyes, and somehow you knew, you knew exactly why she was crying. “He didn’t- he couldn’t have. Ben could never do such a thing!” It was your turn to turn into a sobbing mess. “He isn’t our Ben anymore (Y/N).” As she shook her head, you backed away from her, like that would somehow change what had happened the past few days. “He’s Snoke’s apprentice now.” Her lip shook as another wave of tears escaped her eyes. “He’s the new Master of the Knights of Ren- the ones who did this.” That’s when you knew your heart had broken into the smallest piece possible. The man that you assumed could be your soulmate, if there even was such a thing, had killed all those Jedi Masters, and Padawans.

Several years after the attack on the Jedi temple, you still weren’t the same, anyone who ever knew you noticed. You finally began making friends again, the closest of those friends being Poe Dameron, the best pilot the Resistance has. “So, (L/N). Are you going to isolate again tonight, or are you actually going to spend time with your best friend?” Poe walked into the medical bay, and sat in a chair while you cleaned up from the return of several harmed pilots. “Is this a real option, or are you forcing me to come with you either way?” You laughed softly, and finished up.

“Well, you don’t have to come. But I mean, it is a big day. So why wouldn’t you come?” You looked over at Poe curiously, not understanding what this big day thing was. “What’s today?” You started walking to the door, waving your hand for Poe to follow. “Really (Y/N)?” He looked almost annoyed, but mostly sad. “What did I forget?” You started to worry, and think of all important dates in your life.

“(Y/N). Your birthday.” You shook your head, and rolled your eyes. “Poe you know I don’t celebrate that anymore. We go through this every year.” You escorted him out of the bay, and locked the doors. “Don’t let his actions ruin your life.”

You side-glanced at him, not wanting to talk about Ben with anyone, especially him. “I’m not doing anything because of Ben, Poe. I’m not celebrating my birthday because I don’t see the point. Ben isn’t the reason I’m not a social person, you should know that by now.” Poe often liked to bring Ben into conversation, especially when he finds a behavior of your annoying, or wrong. “Look, I’m sorry. But when was the last time you celebrated your birthday?” He stood in front of you, blocking your path to your room.

“Poe.” You warned, knowing this is only going to annoy the both of you further. “Tell me.” You rolled your eyes and stepped past him. “The last time was like ten years ago.” You mumble, it actually had been ten years, exactly. “And when did the Knights of Ren attack the Jedi temple?” He sounded so confident in the fact that he was right, about this one thing. “Nine and a half years ago.” You began walking faster, feeling tears start to well up in your eyes. “See, you don’t do anything that you enjoy anymore! That can’t be good for you, even General Organa does something she enjoys occasionally.” You narrowed your eyes at him, doing your best not to tell him off.

“Poe. Drop it. I was never social before everything with the Jedi temple, why would that change after my best friend broke my heart into a million pieces? He was the only person who enjoyed spending our birthdays together, and now he’s gone. I may have friends, but in no way will any of you ever replace Ben!” You shouted, ignoring the glances the few people around were giving you. “I’m done talking about this.” You stormed away, blinking away tears.

Kylo stepped away from Poe, not knowing if he really wanted to know anymore about how he had hurt you. Poe’s deep breaths finally started to even out after a few minutes of Kylo contemplating “Don’t… don’t you da..dare act like you..like you care about her.” He managed out, while glaring at Kylo as best as he could. In an instant Kylo’s hand flew up and his fingers pulled together, cutting off Poe’s oxygen to his lungs. “Don’t you talk to me about her. Ever.” Kylo yelled, growing in annoyance at the thought of Poe being your new best friend.

“General Organa, please. I can’t go there.” You had been called to meet with Leia, you thought it had to do with the fight you’d had with Poe, how it was unprofessional of you both, but that wasn’t the case at all. “I need you there (Y/N), Poe needs you there, we don’t know what kind of abuse he’s been put through, he needs a doctor. The First Order won't supply that for him. He needs you.” Tears were filling your eyes much like every other time you’d been forced to think about Ben in the slightest. “I can’t see him.” You whisper, you’d seen Kylo Ren once before, you were called to help save some creatures on a planet in a whole other galaxy, no one had expected the First Order to go back. But there you were, trying to keep a young child alive when the screams began. Kylo Ren never noticed you, but you noticed him. And in some way, that hurt more.

“You might not, I know this is a lot to ask of you. It’s a lot to ask of anyone, especially you. But you’re the only one Ben would never hurt. The only one.” You knew she was right, Ben didn’t care about anyone's mental or physical state, aside from you. The slightest change in your mood and he was ready to fight whoever caused it, physical pain was a whole other story. If you got harmed in anyway, Ben always made sure you were okay, and refused to let anyone near you until you were fine again. Ben loved you, and as long as that hadn’t changed, maybe General Organa is right, he won’t hurt you.

The next day you were sent out on auto-pilot to where the First Order was last known to be, lucky you there it was. You were meant to get caught, captured as a prisoner, soon after Kylo Ren would see you. The part that killed you more than having to see your old best friend, you had to pretend as if everything he’s done didn’t happen, and ask him to let you at least check on Poe. It made you sick to your stomach, even if you didn’t forgive Kylo Ren you knew if for even  second you saw a hint of Ben, you would be done for.

Once your ship was close enough to their shield, the power was taken over by the controls of the First Order. You were pulled from the ship, and held with a blaster pointed directly at your stomach. “Resistance!” A trooper called out, pointing to the badge on your jacket. “Find Ren! Tell him we got a new prisoner!” Your heart took off in a sprint at the mention of Ren, it had to be Ben, right? “Come on scum.” You were tugged roughly, almost pulling your arm from it’s socket. “Oi!” You yelled at the trooper with the gun, you were ignored as you were dragged, more forceful than necessary, to what you assumed to be an interrogation room. You’d heard rumors of the things that happen in here, Kylo Ren kills people for not telling him everything they know.

A terrifying thought ran through you, what if he doesn’t know who you am? He would kill you before I can help Poe. You were strapped into some sort of locked table, while standing. The Stormtroopers left the room, mumbling about how I was doomed because of the mood Ren’s been in. “Shit.” You hiss, stupidly trying to pull your arms from the contraption, like that would do any good.

It couldn’t have been more than five minutes, before the door behind you opened. You tried to turn your head to see who was in the room with you, but it was of no use, you couldn’t see who it was. Please be Ben. You silently beg to yourself, squeezing your eyes shut in fear. There was no hint of anyone else being in the room with you anymore, you opened your eyes slowly, screaming as you saw a black mask staring at you only a few inches from your face.

“Speak.” The creepy automated voice hissed, taking a step back but still looking at you. “W-what?” You attempted to even your voice out, but you knew who was right in front of you, and all you wanted to do was hug him, and tell him how much you miss him. His helmet came off a few seconds after you spoke, you watched carefully, in a way you still felt the need to make sure that he was safe, though you knew he was.

“(Y/N).” His calming voice filled your ears, making all the fear exit your body. You hadn’t noticed tears running down your cheeks until his gloved hand wiped them away. You lowered your head, as you felt your lip tremble. The restraints around your wrists and ankles opened, and you pulled your hands to your face, not wanting Ben- or rather Kylo Ren see you cry.

“I’m so sorry.” He whispered, without looking up, you took a step closer to him and wrapped your arms around him. In that moment you didn’t care what happened to you, you just knew you were finally hugging your Ben again. His arms wrapped around you slowly -like he didn’t expect you to hug him- and pulled you closer to him. “You hate me.”

You frowned, and went to pull away to look at him, but he only held you tighter, like he’s afraid to let go. “I don’t hate you. I don’t think I ever could hate you, Ben.” He stiffened at his old name, but you couldn’t bring yourself to call him Kylo Ren, you just couldn’t. “I’m sorry, but I can’t call you that.” You whisper, wiping some tears from your eyes again. “I ruined your birthdays.” He stated “And I broke your heart. Into a million pieces” You looked up at him, as his grip loosened slightly. You didn’t understand how he knew about you not celebrating you birthday, or that his actions had broken your heart, that is until you remembered why you were sent here. “Poe.” His eyes narrowed for a fraction of a second, before he looked you in the eye.

“Your friend is alive, but he won't be leaving this ship that way, I’m sorry.” Your heart ached for Poe, you wanted to make sure he was okay, the last time you had seen him was your birthday, when you’d told him he could never replace Ben. It’s true that he can’t and won’t ever replace Ben, but he is still one of the only people who’s put up with your shit for the past ten years.

“Will I?” You dare ask, not really wanting to know the answer. He frowned immediately “Of course.” Sadness overcame him, and it showed on his face, the thought of you leaving killed him, he’d lost you once, how could he do it again? You looked down, knowing why he was upset now, and how you had caused it. “Ben,” You looked up to him, and stopped immediately as you saw his eyes fill with tears. You’d only ever see him cry once before, and that was when he’d been pushed too hard at the Jedi temple by his uncle. His own uncle told him he’d never become a worthy Jedi if he didn’t get his act together.

“Ben.” You bit you lip to stop from crying as well, reaching up and wiping away his tears. “Please don’t cry, Ben.” For some reason that only made it worse, little did you know that since the last time he was with, you he’s never been hugged, held, or cared about for that matter. He hugged you so close to him, and you couldn’t help but smile, this was all the two of you simply needed. Each other.

“(Y/N).” He whispered after another few moments of hugging you. You hummed in response, running your thumb back and forth over his cape. “Stay.” You closed your eyes tight, you wanted to, so bad, to stay with Ben forever, the man who for as long as you can remember, you thought of as your soulmate. But if you couldn’t, you’d be deserting Poe, General Organa, and your whole medical staff. “Ben..” He shook his head, then pulled away from you, and looked you in the eye while holding your face in his hands. “I know you want to, I can feel it.” His thumb brushed over your cheek lightly.

“I want to, I’ve missed you more than anything in all the galaxies.” You frowned, How can you just walk away? “So stay, please?”

(Part 2)

[sanerontheinside]

so I’m sure someone’s gonna have my head for this  @kettish here it is...

Finis sighed, and sat down heavily, taking the glass from the small table and cradling it to his chest. “I'm sorry. I forget. You submerge so much of yourself for this job, with or without the wrappings. I must have thought, stupidly, that now they were gone, you have the freedom to be—more open, I suppose. Ridiculous.”

Bin’ shook her head slowly. “No, it's not. Sometimes I forget I'm not free to share all the parts of myself that I often want to. I thought I'd be free of this job a year ago.” Her brow furrowed. “No—more, now. It's a tiring role to inhabit. Terrifying, too. I sometimes wonder if I can tell you all the things I should, or—or if I'll never be able to push beyond what's easy. Silence… is so easy.”

The whole time Finis had been watching her, the fall of short, dark hair obscured her expression, and the curved-in body language that spoke louder than even her words. “I know enough of you, Bin’.” She looked up, though her eyes were fixed somewhere beyond the skyline, her expression still pensive. “Enough to say that you are one of the best people I've ever known.”

A tiny smirk curved the side of her mouth that he could see, and made her look even more somber. “You've only known politicians, Finis. Your sample population carries a significant bias.”

He snorted. “That's true. Perhaps a little more true than you realise. My entire family is a clan of manipulative bastards. You think House Valorum of Eriadu had nothing to do with the corruption charges? Of course they did.”

“Did they?” Bin’ didn't seem surprised. “As I recall, that still had nothing to do with you.”

“It's more that my entire family has nothing to do with me,” Finis said, shifting back into his chair with a sigh. “I went into law because I was told, again and again, that I wasn't quick enough, or smart enough for politics. And then less than a year into my tenure on the bench, I walk right into a ring of corrupt judges. The political career more or less arranged itself, after that. Still hard to believe I got as far as the Chancellorship on blind luck.”

Bin’ scowled, for the first time throwing him a direct look, for all it was a fantastic glower. “Finis, if that's blind luck, I'm in the wrong line of work. I can understand thinking that you were, somehow, an imposter, that your position was undeserved, but—you idiot,” she smiled, fondness creeping into her voice, “your blind luck was one of the best things to happen to this shoddy mess of a democratic republic. They certainly didn't deserve you.”

Finis was very good, and did not blush. “I don't imagine your family expected you to rise to the position of Director of CSF, either,” he offered, trying to change the subject.

It was, apparently, the wrong subject. Bin’ frowned, sinking back into her thoughtful-morose mood. “Oh, I think even our family’s strong sense of irony would have finally broken under that,” she mused, softly, sadly.

“Why irony?”

Bin’ shrugged, then shook herself off briskly, as if trying to throw off her somber air. She tipped back her glass, then leaned over to the table to refill it. Apparently he'd accidentally trod near a topic she would need a lot more brandy for, and Finis pushed aside a twinge of regret.

“You know, I haven't heard my name in twenty years.”

Somehow that didn't surprise him at all, only saddened him. “Bin’ am-Bin. It's an alias?”

“It's a nonsense name. Bin is—it's a placeholder, used for orphans of unknown origins, for dishonoured families, or sometimes just for people who don't want their family name to define their future. Bin’ is for those who choose to walk away from their families, for any reason. It's a very old tradition, mostly abandoned. There's the patronymic—am, daughter of. The whole ensemble of it doesn't mean anything on my world, no one would recognise it as a local name. But it does what I need it to do. It loosely translates to 'fatherless girl'.”

Finis nodded slowly. “He cut you off, then?”

“Aaah… ha.” Bin’ smiled down at the drink held in her lap. “My mother died when I was young. For years, my father tried to raise his son as the best of himself. He taught him politics, taught him how to look through people's words to their true intentions. My father was the respected head of secret police, by the way,” she added, almost as an afterthought.

Finis reflected that the irony was beginning to make sense. He sat back, breathing the chill, rarefied air this high above the city, listening to the fondness in her voice with a warm feeling he didn't quite dare to name.

“The only thing that concerned him, really, was his son's interest in journalism.” She chuckled wryly. “You have to understand, in a world where Truth is defined by the government, it's very difficult to watch your child teach your lessons to the general public. But he thought, my son is a smart man, and lucky—he'll know when to recant and he might even live through it. He would have given that boy anything.

“Except that, one day, he found out that the person he'd regarded as his son all these years was an identity his child struggled to inhabit. Now, this is a world where men are men, women are women, there are only two genders and nothing lies in between, and there can be no mistakes.”

Finis felt a chill crawl slowly down his spine. “That… seems primitive.”

Bin’ shrugged. “Hate is useful. And who would know but the head of secret police? It terrified him, to know that he couldn't protect his child any longer, not after this. It felt horrible, felt like—being unwanted. I should've known, of course—he did everything in his power, buried my past, built another identity, gave me everything from documentation to a startlingly good entry position. But he cut himself off from me, and... I couldn't... couldn't tell at all. I didn't think.

“Then I was arrested at a protest, as an example. Later my friends told me he'd been looking for me. That he'd actually found me, even, given orders for a team to at least get me out if they couldn't break up the camp. I'm ashamed to say, I didn't believe them. Not for a long time.”

Bin’ smiled tightly—or winced, really—and tipped back her drink. Too fast—she grimaced at the burn of it. Finis couldn't have found a word to say if he'd tried.

“Fatherless. I picked the name because they took him from me. Because they took away the chance to see him one more time and know, this time for certain, that he didn't hate what I was.”

“Fuck,” Finis finally whispered.

“Indeed.” Bin’ glared into her brandy.

For a long moment, he couldn't think of anything else to say. “He would be bloody terrified of you, then.”

Bin’ snorted out a sharp, surprised laugh. “Terrified—why terrified?”

“You have the galaxy at your fingertips, to his planet,” Finis said, voice solemnly. “And you survived the impossible.”

“Ah.” She leaned back in her chair, staring up at the city-lit sky. “Then, yes. That’s very likely true.”

kenope is entirely responsible for me shipping these two

[ghoultyrant]

Dawn of War II

At one point I watched a Let’s Play covering Dawn of War II, starting from the base game, going through Chaos Rising, and then doing the Marine campaign in Retribution. The excruciating stupidity on display lead me to A: decide I didn’t want to buy the game, even though I love the original Dawn of War, and B: write the following semi-coherent ravings of a madman.

They are slightly edited for comprehension and I made a little to clarify what any given thing is alluding to, but not much. I had vague notions of posting this to Vigaroe once upon a time, but it really doesn’t fit the tone I’m trying to maintain on that site. Tumblr, meanwhile, I’m perfectly happy to dump things that may or may not be insightful or entertaining and move on with my life.

Here we go.

-----

Broadly: Let's take steps to scale down the player's troop count, and still end up with hundreds of Space Marines dead before the end of the campaign. Also broadly, let's have our special snowflake characters have squads (66% of them, anyway) but have the special snowflake character be the only one that counts: not only do your battlebrothers sensibly wearing helmets not count against your score at the end of the mission for dying, but if the special snowflake moron dies his goons instantly die too. I thought we were fighting against the Tyranids, not as the Tyranids? The score mechanic in general, as well as secondary objectives in general. They don't commit to the score mechanic as mattering, and secondary objectives seem absolutely worthless. In Dawn of War 1, secondary objectives were more like advisories: here's something you might want to deal with, but it isn't mission failure if you ignore it, hope you appreciate the heads-up. In II, they seem to be plotty things with no functionality and not much plot either, present because?... Also: WHY BRING BACK ANGELOS WITH THE WRONG VOICE? (fixed for Chaos Rising, to be fair) I'm a character narrating at another character completely unironically. The Tyranids are MYSTERIOUS AND DANGEROUS OOOOOHHHHH. I AM THE BOX GHOST! BEWARE!

(It’s a constant thing with the game to treat the Tyranids as mysterious and much more scary than anything else in the 40k setting. It falls flat, in spite of the heroic efforts on the voice actors’ parts)

HEY BOSSMEN SPACE MARINES FUCK YOU YOU AREN'T THE BOSS OF US EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE AND WE AREN'T FILTHY HERETICS GO RUN SOME ERRANDS FOR US AND WE MIGHT MAYBE IF YOU SAY PLEASE DO AS YOU ASK. (Derosa’s initial interaction is idiotic) SCALE? WHAT'S THAT? TINY RAIDS BY A FEW HUNDRED GUYS CAN TOTALLY COMPROMISE AN ENTIRE PLANET'S SECURITY. AND NOT BY SECURING A LANDING ZONE OR WHATEVER. (What, exactly, are the Eldar supposed to be doing here?) Psionically gifted individuals. Because we aren't Blizzard fanboyz or NUFFIN. PSYCHIC GODDAMMIT. PSYCHICALLY GIFTED INDIVIDUALS. Furthermore, 40k is a setting in which psychic powers make you a reviled pariah who counts themself LUCKY to be treated as a subhuman tool. IT'S NOT A GIFT.

(Maybe ‘psionic’ has become the 40k default term since I wrote this back in like 2013. I stand by it anyway)

Naturally, It's A Girl Who Doesn't Do As Told was ENTIRELY to then bitchslap her for being bitchy. Admitting her error just leads to her begging you help them anyway, rather than assuring you that Angel Forge will be accessable to you since your need clearly is urgent. In other words, the entire sequence is mental masturbation with a very tiny helping of plot. Yaaaay.

(Still Derosa, only now I’ve shifted from hating her to hating the writer) Angel Gate fails in open mode! Because everyone knows all devices automatically stop doing what they're designed for if denied a continuous supply of electricity! Rather than ceasing moving. Like in real life. Incidentally, how does a GATE protect a PLANET?

(Angel’s Gate is retarded. And not the 40k funny/grimdark retarded, but “does anyone on this team understand anything?”) The Eldar are trying to blow up the subsector's planets to SOMEHOW stop the Hivefleet from... going towards the Craftworld. Not, like, weaken them, or something. Somehow the writer thinks this should redirect them from Ulthwe, instead of HURRYING THEM ALONG.

(This is dumb) WHERE ARE THE BLOOD RAVENS GETTING THEIR INFORMATION. SERIOUSLY.

(Once you’re more than halfway through the game, people just... know things, without any greater explanation than ‘scouts report things they can’t possibly know’) Hey, Force Commander, let's monologue at you why you're here AT THE END OF THE GAME AS PART OF AN OPTIONAL SCENE.

(Yes, you only learn at the end of the game why your avatar is in Sector Aurelia. What?) Derp final mission derp stupidly designed uberbosses in general. Also, thinking the Avatar of Khaine can burn down an entire world, and also EFFORT: THE GAME in terms of... rampaging godmonster patiently waiting in an arena to be killed. Yay.

(I boggle every time I remember this) Chaos Rising PLANET AURELIA IN SUBSECTOR AURELIA. What, is it capital Aurelia on continent Aurelia in hemisphere Aurelia?

(Real life can be like this. There’s still a reason for the One Steve Limit) Personal drop pods because reasons except Cyrus with Commander Hairgel because reasons on the first mission. (No explanation is provided for this) Traitor Guard calling the position, rather than the time or just saying "THEY'RE IN POSITION OPEN FIRE!"

(They’re scripted to only fire on a handful of locations on the map. Come on, writer, help me suspend my disbelief) EVERYTHING IS BUILT INSTANTLY. EVERYTHING. FORGET THAT THIS GAME HAS NO BASEBUILDING MECHANICS TO JUSTIFY THIS NONSENSE, BAD GUYS HAVE INSTANT CONSTRUCTION SPEED. In general, everything happens in implausibly short time periods: when did the traitor get to Aurelia before everyone else? How?

(Chaos Rising’s plot is slipshod nonsense from step one, and it never improves. If anything it gets worse) What is the point of bringing back Eliphas WITHOUT HIS VOICE ACTOR?

(I don’t get this. Bring back arguably the single most popular character from the original game, who was so amazing due to his voice, and then... don’t bring back the voice actor? I really hope they tried and failed to get the man, rather than just failing to realize the voice mattered) "Most notably, the Blood Ravens have-" OUR BATTLEBROTHERS YOU FUCKER. "I must tend to one of the generators, Spess Mahreens-" BROTHERS. To be entirely fair, he's the pure run traitor, BUT COME ON MARTELLUS. (Why does Martellus talk like he’s some outsider? Who thought this made sense?) Of COURSE bitchslapped Derosa is a pseudo-love interest. OF COURSE. (I’m sorry, creepy writer, but this is fucked up in addition to being stupid nonsense. Why are you even writing a Space Marine having a romantic interest? And why does treating a woman like shit act as a vital part of your courtship ritual?) Some Corruption-if-failed-to-deploy missions are vaguely plausible. Sure, Thaddeus hates your guts forever and goes EEEEVVVILLL if you don't let him protect the home he so dearly loves. But Tarkus corrupting for not punching Eldar is dumb and Jonah corrupting for not going on the Space Hulk is DUMBER. HE SHOULD CORRUPT FOR GOING ONTO THE SPACE HULK.

(Corruption is a cool idea. Missions Corrupting someone because they get super-pissed makes sense. Your Psyker Corrupting for failing to go into a Warp-infested horror show is such a basic fail I have no words and cannot imagine how this got conceived of, let alone made it into the final product) Really? Araghast and Eliphas are Bale and Sindri again? REALLY?

(I don’t mind re-doing a cool character dynamic, and Sindri and Bale were great. But Eliphas was more interesting than that. You don’t bring back a cool character so they can do that less-cool thing some other characters did!)

Ulkair is pretty much a Slaaneshi demon with a good laugh and the wrong body. Fuck.

(I liked that Dawn of War II tried to give Nurgle representation and Slaanesh representation, since the original game was basically all Tzeentch and Khorne. It was undercut by making our Greater Demon of Nurgle a straightforward sadist having nothing to do with Nurgle values. Either do the new thing and get it right, or go back to the old thing you were fine at doing. Don’t write the new thing the exact way you wrote the old thing and pretend it’s different) RETRIBUTION Tutorial still sucks, albeit with less narrating at each other. Khornate Noise Marines!

Khornate Noise Marines in Alpha Legion colors. Relic, what?

(It’s baffling how Relic has a clear grasp on most of the lore, up to and including some fairly esoteric stuff, and then they cram in nonsense anyone who’s only peripherally familiar with 40k could probably tell you is wrong) "This is the Ascendant, Azariah Kyras." This is the shitty dialogue, unnatural speech.

(That’s Kyras talking, if you hadn’t guessed) I realize Kyras is supposed to be crazy, but... really? Nihilism? Khornate let's-Tzeentchian-plot nihilism, at that?

(I’ve seen other people point out how it’s questionable to have a Khornate psyker eg in Winter Assault’s campaign, but I’m personally willing to let that pass because that’s one piece of canon that’s always seemed flawed to me. That doesn’t mean Kyras actually makes sense. He doesn’t. At any point) why does kyras tell you his weakness

(It’s like the writers have utter and total contempt for their player base. You couldn’t have one of our dudes take a guess that the demonic artifact of empowerment might, maybe, when destroyed, stop empowering him? Or even have Kyras do 5-year-old levels of cunning and try to pretend very hard that it’s not important? I mean the game wants us to think Kyras is Very Smart and then he tells you his weak point for no actual reason. The writing in Dawn of War II: bonkers to the very end)