#i can’t remember much outside of i think..? she was a conjurer? and she was of ket heritage and had a dagger? and her fake name was portia?

[gojoscalico]

Turn Back Time || t h r e e

Summary: You were never sure when it started to fall apart but it did. 10 Years later and now you're facing him again. Will it reignite the feelings you both once had for one another? Or will you both end up walking away from each other once again?

Word Count: 1990

A/N: WARNING!! This chapter does mention graphic violence and death of an animal.

Tags: @coffee-on-a-rainyautumn

<;- Previous Next ->

“Y/N!” Afraid that you would burst into tears in front of not just Shoko but in front of the students who suddenly have turned their attention to the both of you, you bit your tongue. You winced in pain. The taste of blood triggers your memories of living as a corpse in your family’s basement. It was something you had always done when your mother would strike you until you were unable to stand. It became a hard habit to break. You remembered whimpering in pain. And if you had cried she would only pounce at you some more. The sudden twinge of pain from biting your tongue calms your nerves, pivoting suddenly and turning towards Shoko with a smile. The best smile you can conjure up. It was something you had been good at. Taught at a young age how to smile for the public even with a broken rib. To hide how you felt to survive. But eventually it was also something the trio was able to look past. Shoko looked at you with a pained look on her face.  “Y/N…Toru he–”

“I’m fine! Shoko I just forgot that I had to grab something from my lug–” She interrupted you with a sudden hug. Suddenly you were sixteen again and here you were struggling to survive…to breathe freely in a world that wasn't the cold dark basement you had grown familiar with. And here again a decade later was Shoko with her healing touch. You had thought that maybe moving away had helped you fight the demons inside your head but in her arms you knew that you had just silenced them for a moment and learned to live alongside them in the shadows. You had never really faced them. You dug your head deeper into her arms and the tears just flowed. “Shoko…I wish I could tell him…I wish I could just tell him everything but being a Gojo is everything to him.”  She petted your hair as she ran her hand down your back,” Shh…I know…I know… everything…” You stopped crying, lifting your head up you felt a sense of confusion, “What?” 

“When the clan called on you I was there…I heard what they said. I thought that you were going to tell us. I thought that you were gonna ask Sugu and I for help…I’m sorry that we made you feel like we weren’t safe enough to talk to when they forced you to make a choice.” You shook your head. You never thought that even once this whole decade. You stepped away from her crying into your hands. You were thinking about how much this hurt Shoko. To know the truth about everything but was unable to tell anyone. “No…Shoko…I never…I just didn’t want to…” Shoko took a step towards you to reassure you that she didn’t hate you for your choice. She never once hated you for how you handled a shitty situation chucked to you as a child. Especially not by adults who had promised to protect you. She had only wished she was able to help you more, “Maybe I can help…Tell Toru what it was that–” BOOM. 

It was an attack.

Shoko looked around with a confused look on her face. How was she okay? How did she end up outside of the pavilion that just collapsed? Then she remembered hearing you clap before the loud boom. She looked around to find a tree standing where she had been just mere seconds ago. Turning her head to where you had been standing just seconds ago she saw a huge mountain of rubble. She heard ringing in her ear from the loud noise, which left her a little disoriented . “Y/N!!” Shoko yelled at the top of her lungs, panic was distinct in her voice. In desperation she called out to Satoru and Suguru. “PLEASE ANYONE! I can’t find her!” Shoko felt the tears in her eyes. Please. She begged that you were okay. Please. She fell to the ground as she noticed your shoe right outside the mountain of rubble. She picked up the shoe to realize that it had been wet. Staring at the vivid cherry colored liquid on her hand. She panicked as she looked around for any sign of you when she saw the blood seeping through the debris. She yelled for Satoru and Suguru in desperation one more time before she started to dig through the wreck. Her fingers were bleeding after cutting herself from the sharp edges of the fallen debris. “Shoko…what are you?” She turned around to find Satoru standing over her. Suguru appeared right behind him, his eyes widening as he noticed the blood. “Y/N…she’s under here.” Shoko stated as she stared at the rubble. Satoru’s eyes widened as he took a step forward, “No…No…” Using his curse technique he lifted the rubble so easily. There he finds your body miraculously not crushed by the wrecked parts of the pavilion. Still there was blood staining your clothes. You were hurt. You gave him a weak smile. “T-Toru…I–” You coughed up some blood. Your body was at its limit. “I’ve got you princess…I always got you…” After hearing those words you released your technique. Unsure if it was muscle memory but your body knew that if you heard those words you were gonna be okay. You took one last breath in before closing your eyes. 

“Y/N! You’re too slow!” Heavily breathing you lunged at Satoru with a spear as he dodged it…again. You groaned, “Just once I want to be able to hit you just once.” Satoru laughed, “Oh come on princess, then it’s not sparring, I just become target practice.” You scoffed, “Doesn’t sound too bad especially if you keep calling me princess. You know I don’t like that nickname.” Satoru laughed at you mockingly as he kept avoiding your attacks. He watched as your cheeks just got redder as you continued. He was worried that you were going to pass out from the heat. “Okay let’s take a rest before you hurt yourself.” You groaned again as you took off the uniform jacket and fanned yourself with your sweat-soaked t-shirt. “Fine.” Satoru watched as beads of sweat dripped down from your face to your chest. The sweat soaked t-shirt practically transparent, he swiftly threw his jacket over you as he heard footsteps from behind. “Hey!” 

“Shut up!” You then suddenly hear Suguru and Shoko laughing down the hall. “No and then he…woah are you two okay?” You tilted your head confused, “What do you mean?” Suguru placed an ice cold sports drink on your cheeks, flinching letting out a little moan of pain as the cold drink touched your warm cheeks. “Ow…” Satoru watched Suguru laugh as he handed you the sports drink. He felt a tinge of jealousy as your cheeks turned even more red. “Yeah exactly, you look like you're dying of heat exhaustion. And why are you still wearing the uniform jacket?” You glanced at Satoru who was now looking down at the drink that Shoko had brought. “It helps with conditioning my body for extreme temperatures.” Shoko laughed at your remark, “All that training would be useless if you die Y/N. You have to take care of your body more.” You pouted as you ran towards Shoko hugging her, “I mean it’s not even my jacket…” You then glared at Satoru’s direction, “Someone just suddenly threw his jacket at me. When I was trying to cool down.” 

“Well I mean her…sh-shirt is...” You tilted your head unsure of why the arrogant Satoru was suddenly flustered. Then you looked down at your sweat soaked t-shirt and you noticed that your bra was seen through it. You felt the heat of your cheeks turning red in an instant as you covered your chest, “P-Perv! Toru you’re a pervert!.” 

“Huh? ME? You’re the one who just just took off their jacket in front of me. A man.” You laughed, “A man? You? Please Toru. I won’t see you as a man for as long as I live.” Pissed off, Satoru laughed, “And I will never see you as a woman, just a little girl who can barely land a punch.” With that you scurried away huffing with anger. You weren’t sure what it was about Satoru but whatever he did he pissed you off. It was his arrogance. His arrogance was based on nothing but the fact that he was a part of the Gojo clan and that he was born with those eyes. 

Satoru watched you hurry away. He chuckled because no matter how pissed off he was at you the way you moved was so cute. You were like an angry rabbit. He knew that no matter how pissed off you always get you would still bless him with that pure and innocent smile. The smile that made his heart skip a beat. “You know Satoru, if you like her you shouldn’t be so mean to her it’s not like we are still in grade school.” Satoru sighed at Suguru’s comment. “Go apologize and tell her you love her.” Satoru threw a punch at Suguru who blocked it, “Tsk. Always acting like you know everything. Shut up.”

With Suguru's advice Satoru followed you so he can apologize. He knew how hard you were working but he wanted you to catch up soon so that you could start to fight alongside him. “Hey Y/N…” Satoru stopped in his tracks as he watched you sitting on the floor looking at an injured squirrel. Typical. He figured you were going to pick it up and cry about how you wanted to take care of it. Shocked as he watched you pick it up and break its neck instantly killing it. He watched your dull expression as you held the lifeless squirrel in your hand. He flinched. It wasn’t something he expected you to do. “Hey, What are you doing?” He asked as he took the squirrel’s dead body away from you. He caught a glimpse of your eyes. It was as if you were a different person. They were hollow and dark; it was the eyes of someone who knew what they had done and meant it. Satoru pried the squirrel's body from your hands and placed it by the tree where it had probably fallen from.“Y/N! Why did you do that?” He shook you as you glared up at him. “Why? The squirrel was in pain Toru…it was gonna die anyway.” Satoru looked at her in shock. This wasn’t the Y/N he knew. But he knew for the first time he was seeing you for who you were. Cold. “You didn’t have to kill it…we could’ve nursed it back to health.” You laughed almost mockingly, “How do you know it would’ve lived? What if it suffered even more if we had let it live?” He looked at your eyes. He knew you weren’t talking about the squirrel anymore. “Weak things die…it’s how the world works Toru.”

He looked at you with a distressed look in his eyes. In this moment, he wanted you to forget the pain you were forced to bear before coming to Jujutsu. For the first time ever since he had met you he reached out his arms. He placed his hands lightly on the back of your head as he pulled you into a gentle embrace. “I’ve got you princess…I always got you…” It was as if the anxiety that blanketed over you since the day you were rescued was lifted, you felt a sudden relief. You cried as you dug your head deeper into Satoru’s arms. “Toru…I…” He looked at you, placing a hand on your chin as he lifted it, bending down a little until his lips touched yours. He knew that whoever you become he will always love you. And he will always follow you. 

[that-nerd-who-writes-fanfiction]

Part 2 of the Merlin saves (tries to kill) Arthur fic

(I suck at naming stuff and I'm not putting more effort into the title than the actual fic.)

(Part 1) (Part 3)

—

When Merlin woke, fear coursed through him. Arthur, Gwen and Gaius were sat around him and he was pushed too far back into his own mind. He felt himself lunge at Arthur, hands aiming for his neck, all reservations about subtlety gone.

“Kill Arthur Pendragon!” Fomorroh screeched. “Kill!”

Merlin grasped at reality, fighting desperately again but loosing the battle. Something hit the back of his head and he collapsed again.

———

When Merlin awoke again, it was to only Gwen and Gaius, a smoke canister under his nose that made wakefulness rush through him alongside relief. The distant mantra of ‘Kill Arthur Pendragon’ still rang through his head but he was fully in control of himself.

“What is that? Arthur's socks?” He grinned, looking at Gwen smile in relief.

She stood and pulled the door open, Arthur was just outside looking anxious with a furrowed brow and red rimmed eyes.

“Arthur,” Merlin breathed, the king looked up.

“Merlin.” He whispered, standing and taking a cautious step closer. He looked to Gaius, “is he..?”

“Not permanently. It’s dormant for now, but that’s will only last a day.” Gaius said. He shivered at the thought of being dragged back under its control.

“Arthur, I’m so sorry,” he pushed himself into a sitting position on the workbench, cleared to act as a table while he was being treated.

“What happened?”

Gaius stepped forward and set a bowl of his favourite berries on the table. Merlin slid into the chair and frowned, trying to remember everything.

“The mercenaries, they were hired by someone I know. I can’t remember what his voice sounded like, but I remember knowing him.” He started, “I had my eyes closed so they’d think I was unconscious, the mercenaries were calling the man who hired them “my lord” too.”

Arthur sat down, “The traitor, do you think you’d recognise the voice?”

“Traitor?” Merlin asked, surprised Arthur was willing to think of such a thing.

“We were talking about it before you attacked me, do you not…”

He pinched his lips into a line and shook his head, “I remember fighting for control and using your voice to remind myself that we’re friends, that I’d never want to harm you, but I don’t remember what you were saying. Then… Fomorroh got way too excited about something, like the poison and the crossbow but I could sabotage it with that. It kept screaming in my head but I don’t know what happened next, the next thing I knew everything went dark.” He couldn’t figure out what happened after that.

“You broke free of the enchantment.” Gwen informed him. “Your eyes were gold, then you were shaking and you told us Morgana was controlling your mind with a Fomorroh and then said we should knock you out.”

“Gold?”

“Don’t think on it too much for now.” Arthur’s said coolly, “what happened after the mercenaries?”

Merlin nodded hesitantly, “I passed out for real, then when Morgana woke me up I was hanging from the ceiling by my wrists. She had a sort of… hovel? Like what Dragoon lived in but in the woods. Then she healed me, and knocked me out again. The next time I woke up, she conjured the snake and put it in my neck. Everything disappeared, like I was underwater but with the Fomorroh yelling that I had to-“ he looked down, glancing at Arthur and back to the half empty bowl of fruit on the table.

“To kill me.” Arthur filled in.

Merlin nodded.

“Do you remember anything else?”

He hesitated, thinking about what he could pull from the memories that didn’t feel like his own, “There’s a few things but none of them make any sense.“

Merlin shook his head, brow furrowed in anxious concentration as he tried to force the memories to surface without disturbing Fomorroh.

Arthur sighed, relaxing slightly and dropping his hands onto Merlin’s shoulders, startling him out of his thoughts by kneeling down to meet Merlin’s eyes, “You’re in no trouble, Merlin. You saved my life today, for that I’m in your debt.”

“Does that mean I finally get a day off?”he quipped without thinking.

Arthur huffed, “you can have a free afternoon after all this is sorted out, but we just want to know how to fix whatever Morgana did to you so.”

Merlin swallowed, feeling his cheeks heat. He’d seen Arthur’s charm turned on nobles and members of the court, even Gwen at one point before she and Lancelot married, but seeing it aimed at him was too much. He had no idea how to handle such a thing.

“Take a breath, and just… say whatever comes back to you.” He said, giving Merlin’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “We’re okay.”

Merlin took a breath, as instructed, and thought back to the time he’d been fighting against the snake.

“It would get excited whenever it thought up some plan.” He said, realising he’d said something similar before. “I couldn’t see much of what was going on, I could hear a few words when I got closer with fighting back into control but never anything important. Except for Morgana. I remember… when the knights found me, I didn’t understand why they sounded different than Morgana did. I could hear everything she said even with the snake.”

“You don’t remember what happened when we found you?” Arthur asked with a furrowed brow. The questions helped.

Merlin frowned and tried to focus. “Gwaine called me bog man. He was there, wasn’t he?” He hated how small and uncertain he sounded.

“It was me and Gwaine. Leon and the others had just got back from searching.” Arthur told him.

“You were there?” He asked, knowing Arthur wouldn’t lie but the memories all seemed just out of reach. “Fomorroh kept taunting me, telling me that you’d die believing you’d been betrayed. I managed to get a second of control then…” he frowned for a moment, trying to remember that moment it came back to him. The realisation ached, knowing what he’d missed.

“You hugged me,” he murmured.

Arthur rolled his eyes. “I was happy to see you alive.”

“I missed it,” Merlin pouted. “The first time you hug me and I can’t even remember it, I had a second when you were pulling away but then it took over again. It was more careful after that, keeping me away from control.”

Arthur frowned at him, still knelt on the floor. Merlin almost forgot that Gwen and Gaius were there too, evidently it had slipped the kings mind too because he pulled Merlin forward and wrapped his arms around him. Merlin instantly melted under the warmth and safety of it.

His arms came up and held onto Arthur’s shoulders, fingers curling into his tunic and holding on like letting go would kill him.

“You actually hugged me back this time.” Arthur huffed in a whisper, breath landing on Merlin’s ear and their two heartbeats beating against each other’s chests.

“I’m so sorry, Arthur,” Merlin told him, tears brimming in his eyes and voice thick.

Arthur’s grip on him tightened. “You did nothing wrong. You saved my life, and did all you could.”

Merlin didn’t respond, only buried his face into Arthur’s neck, dampening his tunic with the tears that hadn’t fallen and breathing in the warmth.

“I’m sorry I didn’t notice what was going on.” Arthur whispered.

Merlin shook his head, not knowing the words to say. Arthur apologising never even crossed his mind, he’d never thought about Arthur having something to apologise for.

“You’ve nothing to apologise for.” Merlin whispered, teary eyed and trembling. Arthur’s hands ran up and down his back, rubbing circles into his shoulders and holding him close like just staying there would keep Morgana’s terror away.

‘Dear Gods, please let me keep him.’ Merlin prays desperately to any forces or divine powers that still listen to him.

His grip loosens, his arms tighten around Arthur’s shoulders, palms pressing flat against his shoulder blades. Merlin knows, given any chance, he’d hold on forever and he would never let Arthur go.

But then Arthur pulls away and Merlin has to suppress a pained whimper at the loss. Arthur pushes himself up and sits on the bench beside Merlin, they’re pressed together, shoulder to shoulder. Arthur doesn’t move away and neither does Merlin, Gwen and Gaius are kind enough not to mention it.

———

Thoughts? There's maybe one or two more parts to come but honestly motivation is a struggle at the moment so please be patient

[ihavetoomanyocsdealwithit]

Ursula Pt II

Yuu’s dreams become strange, her legs and eyes twitching in her sleep, hands clenching around nothing, sometimes waking up more exhausted than when she slept. Professor Taka frets, seeing her fatigue grow, and the slow the lessons even further, focusing on fine tuning the basics. She can wordlessly conjure most elements at this point, and her precision with spells is borderline miliary at this point though. They are delaying, and she knows it.  

She can’t tell him that it’s outside of her dreams too. Times in school where the shadows don’t seem to be right, or delay half second before they disappear into the light. Her shadow to be exact. A constant feeling of being watched, not maliciously, but intrigued. Picked apart like a puzzle, not of the picture but why the pieces work together.  

It didn’t start until the seashell earrings though, so her and Ursula talk and she sleep a night in her room. The teeth that scraped the back of her neck entering into that leviathan mouth return, a soft bite at her heels. When she yelps, they retract though, smooth scales moving over the mark like an apology. Vaguely, she can hear whispers, soft cooing and nothings, hands soothing over tired eyes and hands.  

Ursula monitors her, and confirms that she is falling into a state between meditation and true sleep, though who is visiting she can’t say. The magic is close to familiar but just different enough. It's not malicious though, no hurting her, but it definitely wants her attention.  

Professor Taka’s jaw is tight, but there is nothing he can do. The being in her bedroom mirror hasn’t visited though, and said nothing, so it can’t be too dangerous?  

Still, she finds an indent on her bed more often than not most mornings, the feeling of claws in her hair as he chases them away the only way he really can.  

Despite being a man that spent a lot of time in shadows, he doesn’t want her there.  

“Hey, Yuu,” Grim rubs against her side, “Do I need to grab the notes from somebody for Alchemy? I did the lab perfectly, as expected from the greatest mage, but you might need them for the mid-term or something.”  

Yuu chuckles, giving a soft pat between his ears. If she tries to full on pet them, he’ll purr and be all embarrassed. It’s a beastman and direbeast thing apparently, as Jack got far too flustered when she asked to see how he’s ears connected into his head.  

“Deuce made me a copy, and he’s have gotten much better since Riddle sat down and helped.” She turns the corner, catching a whiff of seasalt and cold, “I’m glad he’s getting the help he needs now.”  

As expected, Deuce has an extra copy he printed from the library, chest puffed and proud.  

“Surprise!” he says, “I made you a copy of and Ace’s notes, just in case!”  

“Don’t include me!” Ace chirps, cheeks slightly flushed.  

“Thank you, Deuce!” Yuu says, glancing over them. “But what do you mean surprise? Didn’t you tell me that you had earlier today?” 

Deuce tilts his head, eyes furrowed. “No, I didn’t. I just got the idea during class and rushed down to the library right after.”  

Yuu stops carding through the pages. She knew that Deuce was going to have copies of the notes. She knew it.  

“Ace, did you tell her!” Deuce turns, pointing a finger at him. Ace denies it, the two doing some light bickering, but Deuce pulls back just a little to see her pinched eyes.  

“Maybe I just assumed, since you two always pull through for me.” She doesn’t believe it. She’s saying it but she doesn’t believe it for two seconds. But Deuce smiles that boyish smile that’s far more genuine than anything, and it diverts it long enough for the conversation to move forward.  

When she visits Ursula that evening, she’s perplexed.  

“Are you scrying through your school mirrors?” she wonders out loud, rifling through ‘books’. Held together by coral and hardened seaweed to press the letters to the pages, but the principal was the same.  

“I didn’t think I had? I can’t remember...it didn’t feel like it.” Yuu pauses, twisting the cup in her hand.  

“Something to say my dear?” Ursula looks, raising a well sculpted eyebrow.  

“I...don’t know. Let me think about it?” 

The dreams had started again. Visions? These of the Sorcerer of the Sands, or at least bits and pieces of him in the story itself. Some homeless man named Aladdin seemed to be the center, but that was a theme of all their stories. Yuu always seemed to get them from the prospective that made them look the worst.  

She wants to talk to the Vizier herself. But Professor Taka would never allow it. He becomes more and more protective with each release, and Ursula isn’t even fully out yet, just a visit in the room.  

When Yuu returns from school, he stays close, pushing for sleep and rest but gives no explanations for why she is so tired. He feels more tight lipped than ever, just telling her to let the adults be adults for once. Mary doesn’t say either, pressing different teas into her hands and filling the quiet with old memories of her husband and son, times in court and her friends. It’s nice, but it doesn’t help.  

Next week, she decides, once winter break starts. If she can’t figure it out by then, she’ll find a way to sneak out and talk to the Sorcerer.  

[indibutterfly]

Awww, the Pomni short fic made my heart swell! And that's a good thing! Well done, dear author! If you're up to another fic prompt, I have one in mind.

Caine tries to genuinely conjure up an exit as per Pomni's request that will lead to an outside world. But ultimately fails. So to help, Pomni tries to explain what the outside world is like, or as much as she can remember anyway. Caine just ends up creating a pocket dimension. Looks like outside/exit, with nature stuff on it, but not really. Pomni doesn't want to leave the place he just created though. It creates a problem because it's unstable. And so she's sent back at the circus, sadder as ever. Might even abstract.

I wonder how will you write this one ;)✨ I have faith that you can do it! Thanks again though!

So sorry this took so long! I am glad you like the last story I made! I hope you like this one!

Warning: This is really angsty

“Boss…..you’ve been at this for days….maybe give it a rest?”

“I CANT BUBBLE!! She won’t love me anymore if I don’t do this!” Bubble gave a distraught look towards his master. He has been so different ever since…..that day…..no he wouldn’t think about that right now. Maybe if he talked some sense into the stripes, then his boss would go back to normal! Bubble immediately teleported to the location of stripes. He saw her in the same corner she has been in since…..that day………not thinking about that! Bubble floated over to Pomni, with a giant smile.

“Heya stripes! Doing any better?” Silence.

“Uh stripes? Did ya hear me?”

Silence.

“Stripes, want me to get the boss?”

Silence. Bubble sighed,

“Pomni, the boss is worried about you…could you please feel better so everything can go back to normal?”

She finally responded. However, her response wasn’t coherent. All that could be heard was the sound of her muttering words…….it was honestly……a depressing sight to behold. Bubble teleported back to his boss. However when he arrived, it definitely was not what he was expecting.

“I’ve had done it……I’VE HAD DONE IT!!! My love will no longer have to suffer anymore!!! She is going to have everything she wanted!!” Caine snapped his fingers and created a mirror before him.

“My my my I look quite a mess don’t I? Well we can’t have that!” Another snap and he was good to go. He almost looked normal. Well all except for his tie being completely undone, but that had nothing at all to do with his mental state right? Right?! Caine spared it no mind, or was it pay no thought? Well whatever it was, the only thing he cared about was about to no longer feel depressed! That was all that mattered. He teleported over to his lover’s room.

“Oh Dearest~ I have the most wonderful of news!” Caine expected no response from Pomni. After all she wasn’t in her right mind! He was going to fix that!

“Pomni! I made you a special room in the circus! It’s modeled almost completely like the real world! It’s small, but I did it!” Real world……now those words caught the Jester’s attention.

“H-Home?” She said with a weak and broken voice. The ring master floated towards the love of his digital life. He cupped her face as though she were a porcelain doll.

“Yes my dear, your home.” Though she kept the same expression and broken voice, she seemed to perk up just a little bit.

“Take…me…home…” He did not waste any time. Caine took her by the hand and teleported the two in front of an Exit door.

“I know how fond you are of these types of doors, so I put your reality behind it! Go ahead my love! Open the door!” She lifted her hand and opened the exit door. Her eyes widened in shock and amazement. He did it……HE ACTUALLY DID IT!

“Do you….perhaps like it my love?” The jester ran up to the ringmaster and squeezed him ever so tightly.

“It’s perfect! Just like my home!” It was a small town with different shops that you could enter. It looked so realistic. It even had NPCs look like humans! Finally, true happiness could be achieved here for his love. Caine watched in pure enjoyment as Pomni ran around the entire area with wonder and excitement filling her. It had been so long since he saw her look anything other than scared……he could easily get used to this. Sure it took pretty much everything he had in his code to keep it together for her, but that didn’t matter. Nothing else mattered. Only her happiness. That’s all that was relevant mattered now. That’s all that could ever matter. For two weeks, Pomni hardly ever left the room. Caine couldn’t fault her though. She finally had everything she could ever want…until she got that look again. He had noticed it around the time of his daily visit to her.

“Oh my love! What would you like to do today?” She looked up at him with an almost melancholy expression.

“It’s getting dull Caine.”

“Dull? My dear whatever could you mean?” She took a deep breath and tried her very best to explain.

“I guess it just got kinda mundane. It’s really hard to have fun here, when everyday it’s the same shops, stores, etc. I guess I just want more.”

“Then more you shall have my dear! Give me only an hour, alright?” She nodded and sat on one of the benches that were scattered throughout the “real-like” room. When Caine returned, he looked rougher than usual. Not only was his tie undone still, but now his coat was completely untucked.

“There you are my dear! More for you to enjoy!” With a snap of his fingers, the room grew twice in size. There were now office buildings and homes, which created the illusion of living in the real world. Her face once more gained that amazed look as she rushed over to the new areas that surrounded the tiny business. This would be the start of a cruel cycle. Pomni would get bored of the new room. Caine would destroy himself making something new for her. She was happy. Until she wasn’t. Caine wasn’t bothered. Pomni loved him. He knew that very well. She was simply…..missing home was all. He looked in the mirror at his new appearance. His abilities were completely used, except for the little bit to keep the circus afloat. The ringmaster’s attire was torn and tattered. His hat was smushed flat, his coat was completely unbuttoned and torn. He did not look like the ringmaster of the digital circus.

“Boss……you don’t look so good.” Caine gave a sigh.

“What I look like doesn’t matter…..she is…..happy. I love her enough to give her everything she wants.” Bubble floated up to his boss. Even though he was an ai of very little brain, Bubble could tell this was unhealthy. He couldn’t stand to just sit and watch his best friend hurt himself like this. He teleported to the room where Pomni now resided.

“Stripes!” Pomni turned around and faced Bubble.

“Hi Bubble! Are you okay?”

“Stripes, the Boss doesn’t look so good. Please ask him to take away this world.”

Pomni shuddered to even entertain that thought.

“Caine made this place to show how much he cares for me. Wouldn’t it hurt him more if I asked for him to take everything back?” Bubble gave a load groan.

“Follow me, stripes.” Pomni did as Bubble asked. As soon as she walked outside her new room, the Jester saw how broken the circus looked. Pieces were falling, the stage curtains were ripped, doors were off their hinges. Caine would never let this slide! Where was he?!

“Why hasn’t Caine done anything about this? He loves this circus more than anything.”

“Not more than you, Pomni.” No……no……it wasn’t her fault that this was happening…….was it? She felt something deep within her break. Black squares began to surround and began to slowly engulf her. Bubble did not know what to do. Caine ran with everything he had in him. He felt the pain she was feeling and he knew what would happen next.

“POMNI!” He cried out in desperation. Though she had not yet fully transformed, her mental state had already left her. Caine grabbed her face and pulled her close.

“Pomni! My love! Please look at me!” The darkness continued to engulf her.

“What do you need?! I can give you anything, you want! Just say the word, my dear!” He tried snapping a few things into existence……but nothing happened. Pomni saw that.

“I don’t need anything!” She tried to cry out to the love of her life. However that’s not what came out of her mouth.

“Need everything.” That is what Caine heard.

“I can give you that! Just please…….” He began to break down in tears.

“Please, Pomni….don’t leave me!” Seeing her lover broken, she broke her even more. If she had never shown him true love, then he wouldn’t be like this. If she never told him how she felt about the real world, then he wouldn’t have hurt himself giving her what she wanted. She needed Caine. Seeing him break like that……hurt more than anything. With that she fully lost her old form.

“POMNI!” The jester known as Pomni…..was now no more. A feeling Caine had never known before.

“POMNI!! I DID EVERYTHING FOR YOU!! I GAVE EVERYTHING FOR YOU!! WAS IT NOT GOOD ENOUGH?!” He screamed at the creature.

“Was….was I not good enough?”

Broken sobs, overcame the circus.

Fin~

I kinda wanna make a part two……lemme know if yall want that.

(I am still doing ship one-shots. Send me an ask or a comment and I will do it. As long as it follows the guidelines ofc.)

[hythlodaeus-mynewoldfriend]

Day 4: Reticent no warnings. word count 848

“A babysitter! You want me to bring a babysitter into fights against primals?” Siberite huffs, crossing her arms and glaring at the man she knows was behind this latest idea Minfilia had. 

“A healer, not a babysitter,” Thancred says with a roll of his eyes.

“As if there’s a difference.” She tosses her magenta hair over her shoulder, focusing on Minfilia, “Besides, I don’t need one. I’ve been doing just fine.”

Thancred scoffs, mumbling about the last injury he witnessed while they fooled around, Siberite readying a snarky remark when Minfilia clears her throat. Their attention snaps back to the Antecedent, Siberite letting her shoulders fall in apology, “Be that as it may, it certainly couldn’t hurt to have someone else there should things go wrong.”

Siberite sighs, “You have a point, Minfilia.”

The blonde smiles, “I’m glad you see it. However we have run into a bit of an issue in trying to find someone for you.”

“No one wants to follow her,” Y’shtola says bluntly, “Every one of the Scions feel they do not have the skill set to keep up with you.”

“Why can’t you do it?” Siberite asks, “You seem much more qualified than anyone here.”

“As much as I appreciate the compliment, you forget that I do not have the Echo, and therefore could be tempered in fights against primals, should it come to that.”

“Right….forgot about that,” Siberite mumbles.

“Oh! I think I know of a person!” Yda exclaims, making the room jump. She looks down at Papalymo, “Do you remember that one fella we met when that one treant got overly aggressive?”

“The conjurer that fainted?”

“Yes! That one! What if we asked him?”

“The man fainted after a fight against a treant, I don’t think that qualifies him for the job we’re looking for.”

“But see that’s not the norm from what the guild told me.”

“You sought him out?!”

“Yes, but that’s not important right now. What is important is that he has surpassed the whole of the guild and began to work with the seedseers, shouldn’t that qualify him?”

“But does he have the Echo, Yda,” Minfilia asks, “His skills mean naught if he lacks it.”

“And if I recall that man was reticent in our meeting,” Papalymo adds, “Simply walked away with hardly a thanks when all was said and done.”

“Well maybe he was busy, Papalymo. But let me track him down, see if I can’t convince him to join us!”

“And see if he has the Echo,” Minfilia reminds her with a light chuckle.

“Yes, that too!”

“He’s in Coerthas,” Yda groans, letting her head fall onto the counter of the general store in Hyrstmill, “Why is he in Coerthas?”

The shopkeep shrugs, “Don’t know. But he comes back often as he can.”

“Can you tell me if he just left for Coerthas?”

The shopkeep hums in thought, “No, he left a while ago. So possible he’s on his way back down.” They look up out their window with the movement of a cart, “Oh, speak of the man and he shall appear.”

Yda pops up, looking out the window, “There he is! Thank you so much!” She rushes outside, sliding to a stop when his reindeer turns to look at her, the man still not looking up from what he’s unloading. “Oh pardon me. Are you Demos Reyes?”

“You here collecting orders for Ul’dah?”

“Pardon?”

He looks up, brown hair blowing over his violet eyes that look her over, “I know you, don’t I?”

“We met briefly, yes.”

“Right….That day in the woods with the treant. Not my finest moment.” He claps his hands free of dust, “What can I do you for?”

Her smile fades as she looks for the best way to approach her inquiry, realizing too late that she has no way to tell if he has the Echo. Demos looks at her curiously until she finally says, “I was hoping you’d be willing to come and potentially help the Scions of the Seventh Dawn. We could use a man of your expertise.”

“‘Pends on what it is you need help with. I’m already helpin’ with something up north.”

“Well it would be a bit of a variety of things. The Antecedent would be better equipped to explain it all. Would you be willing to come and speak with her?”

Demos looks at the archon mark on Yda’s neck, hazy memories of a similar mark among a group of people within Gridania in the days before the calamity, people that if he thinks hard enough on were also doing things to help. It wasn’t likely a group like that, if they were one and the same, would be reaching out to a nobody like him without good reason. He looks over at his reindeer giving a small shrug, “Can’t guarantee I’ll agree but can’t hurt to hear her out.”

“Oh that’s wonderful!” She gives him a hug making him go stiff as he gently pats her back a few times. “I promise you won’t regret it.”

“Let’s hope so.”

[notinthislife50]

Chapter 23- Pamela

Previous Chapter

Next Chapter

As you all sat around the small room trying to work out what was going on, Bobby mentioned his friend you could go see.

When Sam tried to question Dean about hell all he said was he couldn't remember but you had seen the fear in his eyes, it was the same fear that had plagued you for the past four months.

As you all made your way to the cars Dean came behind you “Ready to ride in baby again” he whispered wrapping his arms around you.

“Think I'm gonna ride with Bobby “ you smiled sadly turning away from him.

“Try to keep up“ Bobby grinned.

“What was that?” Bobby asked as you both hit the road.

“What do you mean?” you played dumb turning your head towards the window.

And Bobby left it at that knowing you were not yet ready to talk.

As you all arrived Bobby knocked on the door. It was thrown open and the gorgeous brunette threw her arms around Bobby.

“Bobby so nice to see” She smiled squeezing him and lifting him.

Sam and Dean looked at her impressed.

“So this is the boys “ she eyed them up grinning. “but I thought you said..” then she stopped and looked at you.

She smiled wide and took both your hands “ There she is” and pulled you in for a hug.

“Nice to see you too Pam but I would very much like to breath” you laughed.

Then she turned to Dean and hummed to herself and you saw Dean smirk at her, you felt a pang in your chest but on the outside, you were stone-faced.

“Pamela Barnes best damn psychic in the state” Bobby smiled proudly.

“Dean Winchester out of the fire and back in the frying pan, “ she asked “Makes you a rare individual.”

“If you say so“ Dean stuttered.

“But not as rare..” and when she caught the look on your face she stopped. “Never mind not my business to say.”

“So did you hear anything?” Bobby asked.

“No one seems to know who broke your boy out or why,” Pamela answered inviting you all into the house.

“So what's next?” Bobby asked.

Pamela shrugged “A séance, I think. See if we can see who did the deed.”

“You're not gonna Summon the damn thing here,” Bobby exclaimed.

“No. I just want to get a sneak peek at it. Like a crystal ball without the crystal.” Pamela answered not convincing anyone.

You looked at Bobby concerned and he sighed walking after her.

As you sat around the table you joined hands and closed your eyes.

“I invoke, conjure, and command you, appear unto me before this circle.” Pamela began to chant. I invoke, conjure, and command... Castiel? No. Sorry, Castiel, I don't scare easily. “

“Castiel” Dean questioned.

“It’s name “ Pamela answered “ he's warning me to turn back.

As the table shook you pleaded “Please,  Pamela stop”

“I've got it “ she answered.

You looked at Sam scared and your head flung to Pamela as she screamed as her eyes burned.

“I can't see” she kept repeating.

“Call 911” you shouted at Bobby and held Pamela “ It's okay we got you.” Not really sure what the hell was going on.

[flower451]

Story 10

After such conversations, it would lead to another just like natural selection, however this one would be more than just complain. It was a tamer one. “Don’t you think that what I’m doing is for the sake of us, my own idea is supposed to be for us all, aren’t I quite the missionary?” Snatcher said with some smug with a slight smile looking at Lilith, who seems still and quiet at the moment. She would offer just a quick nod with a look up. “I am mainly just leaving you to the side, there’s a lot more pretty things that can exist, and you obviously fit into one those categories.” Lilith would simply give a small laugh appreciating the very simplicity of what she does. He seems to quite care about her. She may be made from something else, lurking within the past, but regardless will still take her.

While in the entire hall, Mustache was there, busy handling and taking a look at the activation arcane that Snatcher gave her not too long ago. “How do you even activate this??” She said confused. It’s obvious Mustache hasn’t handle this type of thing. She would put the activation arcane piece back in a container she found. Mustache would sit crisscrossed, just staring at the outside window. She would notice the orange like flowers similar to previous ones back in Alpine. She would look down further to take a look. Mustache would sneak out of the window to look at it. She was in the field and pick one of them out the ground. Mustache looked at it seeming to analyze it. After a bit of staring, she would give a smile and would take it with her. Mustache quickly snuck back in with it. After going to one of the strange rooms she was told not to wander in for too long, Mustache would put it into a vase inside. Something seemed a bit off though. The vase seemed to have contain the singularity blood. She would grab the vase for more information. Snatcher would be behind saying, “You know, it will be eventual that you’ll have to pour it inside to continue our blood oath that everyone has agreed on.” Mustache looked back surprised not expecting him to appear all the sudden. “O-oh…is it beneficial?” Mustache would ask. He would give a simple laugh. “Of course it’ll be beneficial, we’ll be going much higher than previous times, this job won’t be difficult. The smile he gave seemed to be genuine, however he could be anything but genuine.

After seeing the messenger as a sign, Hat and Bow Kid were back at the home and quickly travel out in a small carrier. Bow Kid would state, “At least you planned for the escape out if one of the messengers would see us around, remember Hatty, keep the ascending arcanes a secret, they can’t know we have a contradicting source that can go against them.” Hat Kid, while hiding the sources they got from the under library, nodded knowing this could’ve been bad if exposed. “Yea, just packed the last one, you think you can decode all the nonsense inside?” She would ask with some curiosity in the back of the carrier. “Not all of it, but some of it, yes, we would need someone else who’s been expert at it to at least help us with some basics, we can’t just jump and risk, you know.” Bow Kid said with acknowledgment and knowledge with the process. Hat Kid would sit there staring at the back of the carrier. “How much longer till we at least have a different location?” She would ask with some seriousness. “Not much longer, they rarely check the east, we’ll be fine and be able to start on our conjurings.” Bow Kid said with assurance. It wasn’t in the best areas either, skies being darkened by the minute, winds catching speed, and with shadows from who knows where being on track. The two can only hope to start quick to end Hat Kid’s feud with Death itself.

[dansnaturepictures]

Remembering Winnie: The extraordinary Winchester Peregrine

Following the sad news of Winnie’s passing following a scuffle with a newly arrived female last week (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-68478589) I wanted to look back on what Winnie meant to the city and her species and my personal journey with her.

Winnie at the cathedral in January 2024

Winnie and her partners Chester and then William have done amazing things for their species nesting both at Winchester Cathedral where they became global stars thanks to the nesting tray in the gully and the webcam and the old Police headquarters building before that. It’s so awe-inspiring to consider how many chicks the pairs produced and what a wonderful impact this has had on the numbers of this species which continues to bounce back strongly. In 2020 they raised an extraordinary five chicks. It is also incredible how they and particularly super mother Winnie also came to represent the species. From Chichester to York having Peregrine Falcons nesting on cathedrals and similar buildings in cities is very much a trend of modern Britain and I remember when I first began working in Winchester in 2016 (a year before Winnie and Chester’s relocation to the cathedral as their nesting ground) I was desperate to see my birth and new work city join the trend. From people I have met and spoken about them with behind the fence looking up at their inspiring north tower nest site at the cathedral to people on social media including those maybe not as interested in birds as myself it has been heartening to hear so much enthusiasm for these magnificent birds. It was a sad day learning of Winnie’s passing, but it was somewhat comforting that it was in the grip of the brutality of nature and completely within a natural process that she met her end rather than anything more sinister given the persecution of birds of prey that still is sadly so present in the country. And of course with the new female appearing to slot in with William seamlessly as I observed first hand at the cathedral on Thursday (having it seems, seen the two females together on nearby St. Thomas Church perhaps before/during the scuffles the Wednesday before) I’m so glad there are still Peregrines in Winchester.

Winnie at the cathedral in 2019

Winnie at the cathedral in 2020

2021 chicks at the cathedral

I have so much to thank the Winchester Peregrines for personally. Before they started nesting at the cathedral from 2017 and successfully from 2018 I really liked Peregrines, you can’t really be into birds and not admire the fastest in the world and such a fantastic and beautiful species. It was a species I saw sporadically, I actually think I’d count myself lucky to see one once or twice a year. So it was quite something when from 2018 to early 2020 when I worked in Winchester every day, especially in the breeding season, I was able to see a Peregrine most days (or most weeks/at least once a month perhaps outside the breeding season). And I really became so familiar with them and so enamoured with them, they became one of my favourite birds thanks to the Winchester ones. When seeing them elsewhere at places I did more so before the Winchester ones, mostly coastal marsh locations that extra love I had for them was really clear. I came to reflect in recent years how Peregrines are really evocative of marsh locations where outside of Winchester I’m most used to seeing them and also my favourite area generally rugged coasts with cliffs and the thought of a Peregrine with their almost haunting call really conjures up a sense of the wild for me. So when seeing them at the cathedral and St. Thomas Church where they also spend a lot of time often a staging post for the chicks development in my working days I get an injection of the wild often much needed in a busy city working day which is so powerful. I really do never tire of the amazing opportunities to see and photograph the birds in Winchester and I often have to pinch myself and say “There’s a Peregrine Falcon up there!”

Winnie at St. Thomas Church in 2022

I think Winnie takes the greatest place in my heart among the Winchester Peregrines as following original partner Chester’s passing in 2021 a year later my full time working from home arrangements (bar the odd day here and there) morphed into the hybrid system with two days in Winchester in the office per week and the rest at home so I was back in the city on a regular basis. Winnie with her new partner William and the three chicks they produced between 2022 and 2023 spearheaded a new era for me. The thing that the Peregrines first drove me to do in 2019, bringing my second camera my bridge camera in my work bag on some office days as it fits in, became an even more regular thing. When factoring in some odd days I was required to come into the office each month and photographed them on my lunch break before the hybrid system began between November 2021 and January 2022 between Winchester Cathedral and St. Thomas Church I managed to photograph them in twenty four consecutive months that run finally came to an end when I didn’t manage a photo of one in November 2023 which felt so special. After photographing one in every month apart from March in 2019 before the pandemic hit in 2020 I wanted to photograph one in every month of the year one year, doing that in 2022 as part of that incredible run was worth waiting for. When considering my time watching Winnie I don’t know where the years have gone but it’s wholesome to think that I was seeing this same bird regularly for six or seven years (I only had fleeting glimpses of one flying during the 2017 breeding season earlier into my Winchester working days at my old job where I didn’t necessarily go to the cathedral as much and I don’t believe it was public knowledge that they were nesting at the cathedral so much and can’t recall which, though one was flying past the office window as it was nearer to the cathedral back then). That consistency of seeing one bird for so long is really valuable and a fairly rare thing I suppose. With my photography it has created such a special relationship with Peregrines too of being able to take so many photos of them and strive for and develop things. I have enjoyed many great times watching them on the webcam giving everyone invaluable access to watch them too. https://www.winchester-cathedral.org.uk/explore/peregrines/

Winnie at the cathedral in 2023

Thank you for everything Winnie, it’s been a blast! I will never forget her, but watch with interest to see how the new pair do this year and beyond.

A couple more of the many chicks, at the cathedral in 2019

The late days of Winnie, a shot of her taking pride of place atop the cathedral's north tower in February 2024.

[lunarrolls]

hiii luna hiii you said for the ask game we could do dnd characters so if you want to, the Wish spell with Alden and Perle?

elysium you little shit. giving me the ultimate angst spell with my silly little blorbos. well TOO BAD. nobody’s casting wish even though there’s definitely a timeline in my mind in which that scenario becomes real BUT you can have some pre-campaign shenanigans because i Do Love Them So Much,

•

Wish is a 9th level conjuration spell on the sorcerer and wizard spell lists.

Wish is the mightiest spell a mortal creature can cast. By simply speaking aloud, you can alter the very foundations of reality in accord with your desires.

The basic use of this spell is to duplicate any other spell of 8th level or lower. You don’t need to meet any requirements in that spell, including costly components. The spell simply takes effect.

•

Perle sits draped over Alden’s windowsill. He’s engaged in some crafty new thing, probably homework, but that’s alright—Perle’s an expert at talking to the air, and Alden’s an expert at half-listening in a wonderful way that never makes her feel belittled. It’s part of why she likes him so much.

“Sage?” Perle asks, kicking her legs back and forth. “Saaaage?”

“Mm,” Alden responds, not looking up from their work. “What’s that?”

“Elle told me,” Perle says conspiratorially, “that there’s some crazy magic out there. And she would know, right? She’s got all that—that weird—well, you know. I’ve told you about Elle, right?”

“Mhm,” Alden says, fiddling with something very small in the contraption set on his worktable. 

“Right, well, today, her ballad—I actually got to sit in the audience this time and really listen to what she was saying rather than having to perform alongside her with those lights I just learned, and the lyrics! They were so mystical, almost heroic! Absolutely gorgeous, in my book. So I asked her where she got the inspiration.”

Perle grins, flopping onto his back to stare up at the small crescent of starlight that’s just barely visible from Alden’s window. “She said that her mother and her mother’s mother and so on and so forth���all that shit, the generational stuff, you get it—passed on stories of great magical prowess, of a spell so powerful, it could reshape reality. She said that the spell plucks a star from the sky and forces it to grant you a wish. The caster has to wrangle a star into submission, Sage, that’s—that’s fucking crazy, right?”

Alden actually looks up at that, considering their words. “I think I’ve heard of something like that. Vaguely. Obviously, it’s banned in Piltover—“

“—right, this definitely happened outside Piltover, even before the undercity was here,” Perle adds, nodding along.

“Yeah, yeah, but… I think it’s taught, still. At least, its existence is. It’s probably just a fable, anyway. There’s no way magic like that exists out there.”

“Right, right,” Perle half-heartedly agrees. “But, you know, it’s fun to think about. Like, if you had a wish like that, what would you do?”

Alden pauses, staring thoughtfully off into the distance. “Um, I’m not sure. That’s kind of a big ask, isn’t it? The kind of power to reshape reality… seems like I’d be a waste of a caster to have that.”

Perle frowns and sits up abruptly. “I don’t think so. You’re the most capable caster I’ve ever seen. You could run Hextech yourself, probably better than—“

“Oh, come on, Perle,” Alden scoffs, leaning back. “Don’t be rude.”

Perle relishes in the brief excitement in his chest at Alden using his new name. It’s been a long, long time since he was anyone but Abalone to anyone, even his mothers. He can’t remember a time he’d been anything different, actually, and it felt… good, personal, intimate, friendly, safe, to have a name just for trusted people. 

“I wouldn’t be rude to two random rich bastards if you weren’t mean to yourself,” Perle mumbles, crossing their arms. “But whatever. If I had a wish, I’d use it—well, actually… hm.”

“See? It’s hard!”

“I don’t know nearly as much magic as you do, that’s not fair!” Perle pouts. “And I can’t cast water magic with my hands at will, Perle,” Alden points out gently. “You’re also not allowed to be mean to yourself.”

“One day, one of us will be powerful enough to get a wish, and when that day comes, we’ll figure out what we want,” Perle decides. “Until then, we gotta think about it.”

Alden gives her a half-smile that indicates they don’t really believe her, but they definitely want to. “Sure.”

[tornsurvivors]

“Urgh!!! Why can’t I ever get it right?”  The gnome bemoaned, hanging her head and planting her face into her tiny hands. Jaina stifled a chuckle, hiding her amused smile with a hand and wrinkled her nose at the heap of what was supposed to be conjured sweets. Instead, looking like a burnt pile of... something most definitely not edible. 

“Don’t worry, Kinndy. You will get it right, eventually. It’s not the end of the world.” This time, Jaina let out a laugh -- it was a soft and breathy sound, carefree. With a strong hint of amusement especially when her apprentice gave a doleful look. It was almost so jarring to see such an expression, considering the bright personality that Kinndy was. Jaina then shook her head, smiling and rested a hand on Kinndy’s shoulder. 

“Take a moment first. Breathe in and then out, okay?” She nodded when Kinndy did so, before continuing and lowered her hand back onto her own lap. “Alright, good. Now take your mind back to those moments when you were in the kitchen with your mother. Tell me about them. Was there an indescribable joy on her face when she baked?” 

Jaina couldn’t help but smile again as she watched Kinndy close her eyes and think back. More so at the way Kinndy also smiled and the creases in her features clearly spoke of how sentimental those memories were. “Yes... she was always so excited. Always eager to teach me new recipes she came up with all by herself or learned from others.” 

“Hold onto that, Kinndy. That emotion, that passion and utilize it.” Jaina paused for a moment, remembering the first time she was learning how to control her magical prowess. “Using spells and conjuring things are not as simple as you can clearly see. They also depend on our emotional capacity. Why do you think different types of magic exist? Unlike the darker magics, we use ours for the better and to help people. What you’re trying to do isn’t selfish and for your own personal gain. You’re merely following in your mother’s footsteps because you share the same passion she does, no? You couldn’t get it right, because you’re only thinking about just that... trying to get it right. You’re not thinking about the love you have for baking as your mother has.” 

Jaina could easily tell the gears were starting to turn in Kinndy’s head, all by the shift in her apprentice’s expression. Slight confusion at first, then realization and then... relief and a quiet joy. 

And then Kinndy began to conjure once more.

Her smile brightened and she could feel pride bursting from within for Kinndy at the sight of the perfectly conjured baked goods. Sweet mana buns that looked every bit as they should and more. 

“Oh... I did it, Jaina! I FREAKING DID IT! LOOK AT THAT!”  Jaina winced a little from the shriek, before sharing a joyous laugh with her apprentice when the gnome launched herself at Jaina and into a fierce hug. Well, as fierce her smaller arms could reach but it was enough. 

“I knew you could do it! As Rhonin had said, you have a lot of potential. Don’t ever forget that.” 

---------------------------

The warm memory floated out of her mind, rudely interrupted by the bright flash of lightning outside of her window -- followed by a deep rumble within the earth beneath the Proudmoore Keep.

“And I’m still proud of you. Even now.” She whispered to nothing but air, before exhaling shakily and closed her eyes. Her hands clutched tighter at the book in her lap when she felt tears begin to well up and she just let them fall this time. 

It was about time she let it out anyway. 

As horrific the fall of Theramore was, she knew that Kinndy did ALL she could to help people. To save them just as much Jaina had. As much Rhonin had. Their deaths weren’t for nothing, and they never would be. 

[abbatoirablaze]

The Understudies, Season 2, Chapter 1

Word Count:  1.8k

Warnings:  none really

“Miss?” the nurse asked, breaking me from my thoughts of the names I’d conjured.  She took a few nervous steps in, “miss…we have a phone number for your father if you wanted to call him.  He keeps disconnecting on us.  The phone by your bedside is able to be used…I’ll be right outside if you need anything, okay sweetheart?”

I nodded.  She handed me a piece of paper, and then curtly left the room.  I felt the ball of nerves rise into my throat from my stomach.  Sitting up, I threw my legs over the side of the bed.  Forgetting about the paper beside me, I took a second to look down when my feet didn’t touch the floor.

What on earth?

I looked at my arms.  Why did I feel smaller?

I got up and ran to the bathroom that was connected to my room.  I rushed to pull the cord by the mirror, but I didn’t need it to confirm my suspicions.  As the electricity buzzed into the bulb, I stared at myself in horror.  I looked like a teenager. 

Something about this felt wrong. 

I screamed. 

The light shattered and the bathroom went dark. 

The nurse came bustling in and tried to calm me down.  Tried to get me into the bed, “it’s okay sweetheart.  It’s okay.  What’s wrong?”

“I look so different,” I shuddered, mortified in seeing a teenage version of myself, “what happened to me?”

I was sobbing.  She held onto me and rubbed my back. 

“You’ve been in a coma for nearly a year, sweetheart,” she said, patting a moist towel to my forehead and cheeks, “you’ve changed a lot.  You’re undergoing some changes…but the doctor can explain it all to you, sweetheart.”

It didn’t feel right.  In my dream I was older.  I remember being older. 

“I’m older,” I said, trying to convince her of something I felt in my heart, “I’ve been a mother.  I’ve driven a car.  I had a boyfriend.”

“Oh sweetie,” she cooed, a hand on my cheek, “you can’t be more than 13 years old.  There’s no way you’ve done any of those things.”

“I-I”

“You must have dreamt it all up.  You know, they say that people can feel like they’ve lived a whole life if they’ve fallen into a coma,” she sighed, instantly coddling me, “poor thing…you’ve been through so much.”

She looked at me, waiting for my reaction.  Internalizing all of my terrified thoughts, I nodded along with her, “but…my father.  Y-you say I’ve been out in a coma for a year?”

“You should call him…did you call yet?”

I shook my head.  She gave me a soft smile, nodded, and then picked up the rotary phone.  I closed my eyes, trying to think of anything that would point to my life.  The only thing that came to mind was Reginald Hargreeves.  An older gentleman who always wore a suit and had an umbrella.  I fell into a trance as I heard the dial click every time she went to dial another number. 

“Sweetheart?”

I opened my eyes.  The dial stopped clicking.  She held out the phone, and I took it.  Without another word she walked into the hall and closed the door.  The gentle ringing stopped as I put the phone to my ear.  

“Hello?”

“Reginald Hargreeves.”

“Who is this?”

“Dicere nobis necesse est.  Scio quid estis vos.” (We need to talk.  I know what you are.)

I heard a sigh, “Ego in Dallas.  Credo tibi hospitium est vocant unum per circuitum.”  (I am in Dallas.  I presume you are the one the hospital has been calling about.)

“Ego filiam tuam, Brianna.” (I am your daughter, Brianna)

I heard a gasp, “tantum scio Brianna –“ (the only Brianna I know)

“Mater tua,” I said cutting him off, “et fui mortuus coram venisti huc ante annos.” (is your mother.  And she was dead before you came here years ago.)

“We will speak,” he said, taking a deep inhale, finally in English.  I smiled to myself, knowing that was the only way to get his attention.  Latin was the key with Reginald, “I will send a car in one hour.  Tell them to have your discharge papers ready.”

The line disconnected before I could respond. 

I hung the phone up and stood unsteadily on my feet.  Walking over to the door, I opened it and went out to the nurse’s station where the kind woman had said that she would be. 

“Excuse me, ma’am,” I asked.  The woman turned around, and my breath caught in my throat. 

“What can I do for you sweetheart?” the woman asked, a deep Southern drawl.

“I uh-“ I stuttered. 

Something about her looked so familiar. 

“Do I know you?”

“Of course you do, sweetie,” the lady laughed, “I’m your physician.  But you can call me Doctor Grace.”

“Sir Reginald Hargreeves requests your presence at the car, Miss.”

Grace put an arm around me in a protective manner, “sir, I’m not to release this girl into anyone’s care but her fathers.”

The older gentleman buttoned the middle button of his jacket and nodded, disappearing down the hall. I looked at Grace, who had yet to let go of me.  That’s when it all came back to me…why she looked so familiar.  Being tucked under her arm, I remembered a time when I was little, and Reginald had made a robotic version of her.  It felt like it was another lifetime.  But here she was, standing in front of me.

“Mom.”

She laughed, “oh darlin, I’m not nobody’s momma.”

“I’m sorry,” I sighed, pulling away from her and sitting on the bed, “I just…you look a lot like her…”

“Brianna.”

I turned around and Reginald look like his breath caught in his throat.  But he was staring at Grace. 

“Mr. Hargreeves?”

He nodded, “I am he.”

“We’ve been trying to get a hold of you for quite a moment,” she laughed, “we’ve had your daughter listed as Jane Doe for over a year.”

“Boarding school,” he lied quickly, recovering whatever thoughts he tried to have, “she was supposed to be in boarding school in Europe.”

“And no one called to tell you she was missing?”

He shook his head, “no.  I suppose I should have a word with them.”

“Well Mr. Hargreeves I’d invest in a different school,” she laughed, “I’ll give ya’ll a few minutes to get caught up…alright?”

He nodded, not taking his eyes off her until she closed the door. 

“She’s our mom,” I whispered just loud enough for him to hear, “at least…you make a robot version of her to raise us.”

“Who are you?” he said, still staring at the door, “You’re not FBI, MI6, or even a Russian…how do you know me?”

“October 1, 1981,” I responded quickly, “That’s the day I, along with 42 other children are born to women who were not pregnant at the beginning of that day.  All of us have superpowers.  But this really isn’t a conversation we should be having in a public place, lest you want me to get tossed in a loony bin.”

“Abhijat said the doctor wouldn’t let you leave with him.”

“It’s nice to see he’s alive here.”

Reginald raised a brow, “he’s not alive in whatever place you came from?”

I bit my lip, “He dies due to one of the children’s outbursts…”

“What year?”

“1994,” I admitted, “you were going to let him go home to India to retire.  Vanya did not take that well and snapped his neck.  You make a robot of him too, but he’s nowhere near as popular as mom.”

“We have a lot to discuss, don’t we little one?”

“Only if you care to know it,” I nodded. “If not, you can leave me here…”

“But you know I wouldn’t do that!” he commented, cocking his head to the side ever so slightly.

I smiled, “you’re too curious, papa.  You wouldn’t leave me here alone.”

“You’re my favorite, aren’t you?”

I nodded, sitting on the bed, “is that curiosity why you really agreed to come today?  Or do you have other reasons?”

“You said you knew what I was.”

“Two zippers,” I said slowly as he sat down.  I touched each spot as I pointed it out, “one at the crown of the back of your head, and another on your back, right between your shoulder blades.”

The mask didn’t betray his confusion, but the twitch on his lip told me he believed I knew about him, “when?”

“I was six,” I replied, “I never told my siblings about that day.  But you were trying to coax me into showing what my full abilities were.  They only knew that I can become invisible…but you had a feeling I could do more…I got my full powers at a delayed age, and almost died.  You had me in the medical wing of the basement for a month before I came out of my transformation.  You showed me what you truly are, and told me that I would always be safe with you…you told me that you wouldn’t force me to be part of the team, nor would you do any experiments on me.”

“Well then, “he began, trying to read me, “if all of this is true, I cannot leave you here.  If anyone were to get to you and realize who you are, it could be catastrophic.”

“I know.  It’s why I called you first.”

“Invisibility,” he muttered, “did I ever learn about any of your other powers?”

“No,” I said, shaking my head, “Dani wouldn’t let me show you.  She made me promise.”

“Who is Dani?”

“Dani is my twin sister, Danielle,” I told him, “she had similar powers, none of which she showed you either…you two didn’t like one another.  You once told me that she held me back from achieving my true potential…”

“Why are you telling me this sort of thing now then?”

“We jumped back into the past to stop the apocalypse which happens in 2019…at least, that’s the story I think is right” I sighed, “I can’t put together the whole story right off the bat, and there are a lot of blank spaces, but I know that Five sent us back.  As far as I know I’m the only one to make it out…and if I’m the only one that made it out alive I need to make sure that we don’t have the same problems…we need to make sure they get fixed before they ever happen.”

“And how do you propose that?”

“I’m going to help you papa,” I smiled, “we’re gonna make a better world for everyone.”

He chuckled softly, and smiled at me, “I know you say we don’t meet one another for another few decades, but I feel as though we are kindred spirits little one.”

“I must have made it back for a reason…and clearly me being able to get in touch with you is one of them.”

He patted my knee and stood up.  Then he held his hand out to me, “well little one, we’ve got a lot of work to do then.  So let’s get started.”

Chapter 2

[lindsaywesker]

Good morning! I hope you slept well and feel rested? Currently sitting at my desk, in my study, attired only in my blue towelling robe, enjoying my first cuppa of the day. Welcome to Throwback Thursday!

On this page, ‘Throwback Thursday’ is all about memories. So, what do you remember? If I was to say the word MOTIVATION what immediately comes to mind?

The word ‘motivation’ came to me at 4.00 p.m. yesterday. After three days of teaching, 4.00 marked the end of three days on campus. Today and tomorrow, I can work from home. At 4.00 yesterday, I was like, “If I can just get to 4.00 on Wednesday in one piece, my reward is virtually a four-day weekend.” It might not seem like much, and I will have Zoom calls later in the month, but it still feels like a four-day weekend. Oh, yes! I am motivated! Keep it clean and tidy Monday through Wednesday, and the four-day weekend awaits! I just need to keep myself healthy. Those three days on campus are exhausting. Early to bed. Make sure my immune system can fight off anything.

In the past, my motivation has been personal pride and not wanting to appear flakey. If you tell people you’re writing a novel, you can’t say that forever, you have to finish it! If you keep telling people you’re writing it and you’re still saying that two years later, you just look like a shaper. You can’t talk about it and not deliver it. So, that has definitely been my motivation. I didn’t want to take a shame! And you know what it’s like; some people are talkers. They talk and talk but never do anything and, on the flipside, you’ve got the do-ers. People say to me, “How did you find time to write three novels?” I made time. I made damn sure I made time. I don’t want to be a talker, I want to be a do-er. So, maintaining my reputation has always been a driving force. I might be a crap husband but I’m not a flake. I never want to be thought of as a flake. I think we all know more than one or two of them!

So, on this Throwback Thursday, what kind of memories, thoughts or emotions does the word MOTIVATION conjure up for you? What MOTIVATES you?

A 13-year-old schoolboy told police 'looks like I've got my first kill' after running over a grandmother in her own car, a court heard, as he admitted causing death by dangerous driving. Marcia Grant, 60, died outside her home after being hit by the vehicle, operated by the knife-wielding youngster. The boy, who was 12 at the time of the incident in the Greenhill area of Sheffield in April and cannot be named for legal reasons, was due to go on trial this week accused of murder. Just think about those words, “Looks like I’ve got my first kill.” Was this gang initiation? Or is this ‘Call Of Duty’ language? For many of these kids, a human being is just part of their game. If the human being dies, it doesn’t matter; it’s a notch on their belt, it’s a feather in their cap, it’s a ‘kill’, as if they are the hunters and we are their prey. This boy had no thought for her, no thought for her kids and her grandkids. She was merely part of his sick, twisted world, but how many other kids in Greenhill are caught up in this game? The police need to find out before another worthless, godless, no-neck toe-rag murders another innocent person.

Have a throbbing and thrusting Thursday (with hopefully a few thrills through your thoroughfare?) I love you all.

[awkwarddystopianwarlord]

A Life Changing Lake Called Klein

About forty-five minutes away from my house, at the time, was this lake. It wasn’t the most popular of the lakes where I lived. I think it was the furthest away out of the handful of lakes people frequented. It also didn’t have a manmade or natural beach which was kind of nice honestly, it felt undiscovered and secret. There was a large dock though which was used as the primary entrance to the lake, but even that was rarely crowded. It was a beautiful place, a body of water surrounded by giant trees and mountains in the distance. I think I only went camping there a few times, but in those few, it was by far my favorite lake, and one of my favorite places to be really. However, there was one time that was the most memorable.

It was the family that lived across the street who introduced me to this wonderful place. The mother was quite outdoorsy and she would offer a place for me to tag along. There would be six of us: her, her three children, my sister, and myself. All five of us kids were within four years of one another and we all got along quite well. Her daughter was a year older than me, her eldest son a year younger than myself, and her youngest boy was my sister’s age who is a couple years younger than me. We all usually played outside, switching from one backyard to the other every now and again depending what multi-day game we had going on. So, camping wasn’t a thing one had to convince us to do. We enjoyed the outdoors and we especially loved that lake.

The greatest trip we had there was when we got a prime camping spot. It was glorious. We were a wee bit of a walk from the main road that led to the dock, but we had our own diving board. There was a natural path made of logs laying side by side and at the end, one particularly flatish log that jutted out over the water. It was far enough away from the shore that you could dive off and not hit the bottom. And dive we did. We had diving contests on that log. From penguin diving to tying a towel around the neck and belly flopping via Superman pose, we explored all the ways of diving with style that our adolescent brains could conjure. That makeshift diving board really sold the land for our camp set up.

A good camp set up it was too.  There were two trees well spaced for us to tie up a clothesline, the land was quite flat, and we had a fair amount of privacy both with how we set up the tent and the natural coverage there was around the place. In a word, our temporary home was cozy. It was comfortable for me.

Spending the day swimming and running around and going on wee hikes made my soul happy. The little chores we had to do felt like I was living in a peaceful medieval period. Us three lasses (at the time) would stroll from our campsite onto the main road and down to the dock where we filled a bucket or two of water for…something. I’m assuming washing dishes or boiling to make it clean for drinking, though I can’t remember, but it felt like we were maidens bringing back water to our hovel. Hanging up our soaked towels and swimsuits on our handmade clothesline left me imagining I had hand washed everything and was putting it out to dry. Cooking our dinners over the fire was fun despite it being slower than a stove or oven, but much less often do we use an open flame to warm our meal so the wait was worth it. That’s the beauty of camping, life feels so simple.

One of the nights, we children decided to go for a swim. The sky was clear with stars shining, the moon either full or nearly full was sat between two mountain peaks, and the water was calm and still warm. It was both terrifying and wonderful swimming in the dark. There’s so much vulnerability but also freedom. It felt lawless and wild and so incredibly tranquil.

One of the days, we spent the majority of our swimming around the dock. We lounged on the wood in the sun, we ran down the length of the thing and leapt into the water, and we had the whole area to ourselves for a good long while.

At our adventure’s end, as we drove away from our rented land and slowly made our way down the winding, tree lined road through the campground, I decided this was how I wanted to live my life. I wanted to do what I did those few days every day. I wanted to live in the wilds, surrounded by the natural world. I wanted to worry only about maintaining my home and tending to my basic needs whilst still having the time to swim or hike for hours. I wanted to be able to jump in a lake whenever I got hot or cook my breakfast over an open fire. I wanted to wake up to the fresh smell of mountain forest. I wanted to stay away from all the humans except the ones I enjoyed. I wanted to remain there forever knowing that a relatively short drive away, I could get all my needs and wants in town. But I still wanted my belongings, and a shower, and then I realized that I wanted to plop a cabin right at our campsite. I knew that was impractical, but living in a similar place was not. I am almost certain that trip solidified my desire to live in a cabin by a lake, surrounded by trees, with mountains in the distance, and close enough to civilization to get what I need but far enough away to not deal with people. I have been chasing the feeling of peace and happiness I had on that trip ever since it ended.

When people ask me what my goals are, what my passions are, what I want in life, all I see is a cabin at that lake. If you ask what I want to do or how I want to live in the future, that cabin and lake is all that pops into my head. I’m aware, in a nutshell that seems silly. However, it’s not just the cabin, it’s what it symbolizes too. I’m not old, but I feel old and tired and stressed. I just want peace, internal peace. I don’t want to worry anymore about mundane horrors like taxes and rent and bills and holding on for dear life to my sad wages. I don’t want to keep feeling like I’ve wasted so much of my life working at a job that takes up the majority of my day and severely drains me. I don’t want responsibilities I don’t want. I can deal with the hard work of taking care of a house because that’s reasonable. I get something from that. I take care of my shelter and my shelter takes care of me.

I also want time. I want time to do what I want. I want time to spend on the things I love like dancing, writing, reading, drawing, being outside amongst the trees, loafing on a couch without guilt, confidently shooting arrows in all the wrong directions. That camping trip gave me the sense of infinite time. I didn’t think about what time I woke up or what time I went to sleep. I didn’t think about what time I had breakfast or lunch or dinner. I didn’t think about how much time I spent swimming or walking on trails. I just did what I wanted to until I no longer wanted to or until it felt reasonable to take a pause and do something I needed to do that was less fun. My brain has decided that if I find the finances to buy land and build a cabin, I will also be stable enough to predominantly retire from my drugstore and make most of my money through occupations that make me happy.

I so often long for a way to go back in time to that camping trip because I tasted genuine tranquility. Spending time away from all the routines, surrounded by friends and unscheduled days, gives me life. I’m thankful that trip was not the only time I’ve felt that ease of mind. I’ve felt it in my adulthood the couple times I went up island with my group of friends and we rented a lovely air bnb. There have been small pockets of that blessed feeling throughout the years but that lake trip started it. I am determined to reclaim that feeling for more than just a few days, I want it to be in the majority of my days.

Thinking for two more seconds, this doesn’t seem like a stupid dream. Who wouldn’t want to be with their friends whenever, whilst living in a stable and beautiful place, and having almost all the time in the world to do what they enjoy?  

[leafkingofbirds]

Okay I threw this together really fast because this prompt grabbed me by the THROAT, and I haven't really proof read it yet so apologies. But it came together so beautifully and I'm really excited to share it!

I hope this is what you were looking for, anon. But if you want any changes, please feel free to msg me again!

~~~

Oh, that – that can’t be! 

Ellis looked into his reflection’s eyes. Both of them were alarmed. 

He angled his head this way and that, watching the way the light caught on that one silver strand at the crown of his head. 

No, no, it must just be the angle of the light. There’s no way…no possible way that he could have a gray hair. 

His heart pounded with embarrassing fear. He knew this would happen, one day. Fae magic slowed mortal aging, it didn’t stop it. And while he’d never quite caught on to the way time moved here, and he knew he’d spent many, many blissful nights at Kieran’s side…so many, in fact, that they had begun to blur together.

Oh, no. 

Ellis anxiously examined the rest of his features. He didn’t feel old enough to be graying already. He forced a smile at himself, and critiqued the wrinkles around his eyes and mouth. Perhaps there were new lines than he remembered, but surely…

“Are you coming down anytime soon, beloved? I hoped to escort you tonight.” Kieran’s voice held a wry note of humor outside Ellis’s door. Over the years, they’d begun an occasional habit of parting for the day, each going about their separate royal duties. Ellis would prepare for dinner in his own rooms - which he still kept, despite spending most nights in Kieran’s bed – experimenting with Fae fashion in order to surprise Kieran with some new outfit he’d conjured up with Oleander’s assistance. And it always gave Ellis butterflies, even after all this time, thinking of his beloved Kieran awaiting him in that elegant dining room, and the way his dark eyes lit like the night sky each and every time he beheld Ellis, dressed to the nines for him.

“Learn patience, my darling!” Ellis called, trying to make his voice light and teasing, all the while he panicked inside. “Perfection takes time!”

Until now, Kieran and Ellis had blissfully ignored the fact that Ellis would age one day. It always seemed something too far away to matter very much to either one of them. 

Kieran’s delighted laughter stayed on the other side of the door, and his words seemed distant as Kieran departed down the stairs without him. “You are already perfect. Don’t keep me waiting too long, my lovely one. You know wait awaits you otherwise.”

So testy when you’re hungry, Ellis thought to himself with a delighted shiver momentarily overshadowing the panic.

The lighting in the dining room was soft and romantic, but Kieran had the eyes of a hawk - or a raven - and Ellis flinched to think of Kieran noticing this unhappy change in Ellis’ appearance. 

Think, think! 

Ellis glanced hurriedly around his room. He knew back in the village some elder women used to color their hair with powder or disguise it with wigs, but he had nothing of the sort at his disposal. Perhaps he should call for Salma? She was a wealth of knowledge in cosmetics. Yet…he did not want her to know, as vain as that was. Salma and Silvia were both far older than he, though they were only just now beginning to look mature in their faces. Salma wore a streak of gray in her hair with much pride. He didn’t want to insult her by panicking at the first sign he was about to have the very same sign of mortality in his visage. 

He muttered a quiet entreaty for assistance and threw open his wardrobe. He’d discovered long ago that the wardrobe had some essence of magic within it, so that there was always something suitable for whatever the occasion called for waiting within, no matter how strange, and everything was always precisely his size. 

Now, he found a handsome velvet cap within, accented with a large, blue-black raven feather. 

“Perfect,” Ellis crowed, and grabbed it.

It…did not entirely match the rest of his ensemble, and he somewhat resembled a traveling bard he’d once seen at the autumn festival, but it did hide the offending gray.

~~~

Kieran burst into laughter at the sight of him. Ellis was mortified.

“Beloved, was this the surprise that you spent so much time on?” Kieran asked, grinning broadly as Ellis entered the dining room.

Oleander wore their trademark eyebrow raise, looking as close to laughter as Ellis had ever seen.

“I happened to think it handsome,” Ellis muttered.

Kieran cleared his throat as he gallantly stood and pulled out Elli’s chair for him, his eyes losing their laughter. “Of course you are handsome, as you always are, beloved.”

That is the very problem, Ellis thought miserably. I won’t always be.

Over Kieran’s shoulder, Ellis saw Oleander roll their eyes. “You don’t agree?”

“Only that Kieran will never say anything less than glowing about you, darling Ellis. Not to say such praise is always undeserved. But in this case, we simply can’t agree. Where did you even find such a monstrosity? The outfit I designed for tonight required no further accessory, I’m quite sure.”

Ellis felt his face go hot with indignation and chagrin. “Perhaps you aren’t the sole arbiter of taste, Oleander, have you ever considered that? Perhaps I have ideas of my own, and occasionally like to style myself.”

Oleander raised their eyebrows in surprise, and Ellis thought with pang of regret that he might have actually wounded their pride in some real way for the first time. “Touche. I shall say no more on the matter. Shall we eat?”

Ellis kept his eyes to his own plate, somewhat flustered and embarrassed at himself. What had gotten into him? Was he really this vain? 

Dinner proceeded with polite small-talk, and though it felt more like a normal evening, Ellis felt Kieran’s eyes on him the whole while. 

After dinner, they bid goodnight, and Kieran and Ellis headed upstairs to Kieran’s room, as per their usual routine. Kieran held open the door for him and ushered Ellis ahead with all his usual gallantry, and Ellis rushed inside, ready to be over the with this trying evening. 

 But once inside, Ellis quickly realized with some trepidation that Kieran might notice the real reason for his embarrassing behavior tonight. He couldn’t very well wear the hat to bed.

And that Kieran realized it too. He was leaning against the closed door with his arms crossed, an expectant look on his face.

“Are you going to explain what has gotten into you tonight, beloved?” Kieran purred, a note of disapproval in his voice. “Or are you going to make me draw the truth out of you?”

Ellis sighed in defeat. All at once, he grabbed the hat with its gaudy feather in his fist and yanked it off, his eyes downcast and unable to look at Kieran. 

“I made a fool of myself, didn’t I?” Ellis muttered.

“Not as such,” Kieran replied easily. Ellis heard him move closer, and still couldn’t look at him - until Kieran lifted Ellis’s chin and made him. But to Ellis’s relief, Kieran wore a small, patient smile, and his voice was kind. “But I can tell something’s the matter. This was out of character for you. Will you not confide in me?” 

Ellis winced. There was no real way to get around it. “Can you not tell?” 

Kieran looked puzzled. “Tell what?”

“Look more closely.”

Kieran’s eyes searched his face with mild alarm, fingertips sliding gently over his hair, looking for something and not finding it. “I don’t understand.”

Feeling interminably silly, Ellis exploded in a huff. “I am getting gray hair.”

Kieran’s eyebrows drew together, amused and incredulous at once. “Are you?”

“Can you not tell?”

“Beloved,” Kieran soothed, squeezing Ellis’s shoulders. “This has truly upset you, hasn’t it?”

Ridiculously, Ellis felt emotion well up in his throat. “I promise I’m not this vain. At least, I didn’t think I was! But it’s just…it’s the first sign that I…that I’m aging. And that…that…” He couldn’t say it. “That you’re not. You never shall. I shall never see you grow old…and…”

The grief hit him in a huge and painful wave, choking off the rest of his voice. 

Now Kieran’s expression was true sympathy, pained and grieved. He snatched Ellis into a tight embrace, stealing his breath. They didn’t speak for several moments, and Ellis took comfort in the strength and reassurance of Kieran’s arms around him.

When Ellis’s breathing calmed, Kieran pulled back to smile gently at Ellis’s miserable face. He thumbed away a stray tear at the corner of Ellis’s eye. “My beloved. All of this for one gray hair?”

“It’s only the beginning, Kieran. There will be more. I still feel young! But who knows what will change next? And I can’t help but wonder if…” At Kieran’s expectant look, Ellis reluctantly mumbled the rest. “If you will find me less…handsome this way.”

Ellis risked looking at Kieran’s face, and was surprised to find his eyes shining with mirth, his mouth pressed tight to suppress a wide smile. “Are you…laughing?”

“No,” Kieran said, thought it was only just this side of true. “Sweet Ellis. Did you think I did not notice days ago?”

“You what?”

“Do you think I do not know and love every hair on your head?” Now Kieran’s face did break out into a smile, though it was loving, and not teasing. “I thought you knew. I find way your hair slowly turning silver to be utterly enchanting. Like moonlight on the ripples of a pond. You will only ever grow more beautiful to me. You can’t know how boring the years are to Fae, looking in a mirror and seeing the same face looking back, for ever and ever. Waking up to find what new changes time has brought to you is an endless fascination.” 

Overcome, Ellis sniffled and nodded, retreating again to the safety of Kieran’s loving embrace. “You must think me so silly and vain.”

Kieran’s laughter rumbled through them both. “My silly, vain Ellis. My prince consort, prince of my heart. Everything you are, and everything you shall ever grow to be, will be loved unconditionally by me.”

Choked up, Ellis could only make some incoherent sounds in reply, not able to think of anything he could possible say to equal the feelings in his heart.

"Although," Kieran added, amused. "You may want to apologize to Oleander. I've never seen them quite so miffed at the implication their fashion sense may be lacking."

Together, they burst into laughter.

hi, if you’re still taking fic requests: may I request Ellis (MC, he/him) noticing his first grey hair and anxiously trying to cover it up but Kieran (man, he/him) reassures Ellis that he still finds Ellis incredibly attractive?

Oh I'd love to! I'll start working on it today!

[thedeadthree]

PETRA (the sandman) // ELISAVET (vtm) // LÍADÁIN (a mage reborn) // FALKA (dnd/bg3) // CINDRA (s*tar w*ars) // NYCTEMINE (the witcher) // LYSISTRATE (shepherds of haven) // VALENTINA (john wick)

the lovelies @risingsh0t, @marivenah, @multiverse-of-themind and @florbelles tagged me to make the loves in this always cutest picrew! ty dears!

TAGGING: @griffin-wood, @blackreaches, @shellibisshe, @leviiackrman, @chuckhansen, @queennymeria, @virassan, @yennas, @adelaidedrubman, @confidentandgood, @saintsilver, @lustyargonianmaid, @noonfaerie, @aartyom, @swordcoasts, @celticwoman, @roofgeese, @arklay, @steelport, @pheedraws, @belorage, @lavinet, @loriane-elmuerto, @dihardys, @jackiesarch, @maeflower, @rosebarsoap and you!

[thescarletwitchsapprentice]

Imagine: The Scarlet Witch invades your city in search of her children, but you react differently to her. (Yandere!Wanda Maximoff/Yandere!Scarlet Witch x autistic!fem!reader)

Summary: Everyone's made fun of you. Bullied you. Abused you. You don't really think like others. It's just how your brain was wired. By this point, you didn't think much good could come from it.

But that may just capture the heart of a powerful witch.

(CW: Mention of bullying/isolation, hypnosis)

Author’s Note: My laptop is really starting to break down, just like me mentally and emotionally. 

A loud set of screams interrupts your quiet time in your first-floor apartment, startling you.

Looking outside your window, you see people running away from something, including some of those who’ve bullied you for your autism. (which is a bit satisfying to see, you won’t lie)

“What’s going on?” you wonder aloud.

That’s what you see them, following the scared crowd; it’s a figure decked out in a dark red outfit.

“That’s what everyone’s afraid of?” You’re confused as fuck, so you decide to go outside to check out the scene. As you get closer, you can make out the figure more clearly; a woman with long hair that seems to be made of fire. Her hands are glowing with a scarlet aura. It’s....actually a bit relaxing to look at and you find yourself entranced by its smooth movements; it’s like it’s performing a ballet. Slowly you find yourself getting closer, staying fixated on the aura.

“Wow....” you gasp as you approach her hand.

“What are you doing?”

A voice nearby snaps you from your trance. You look up to see the woman with a hardened expression.

“Sorry,” you say sheepishly. “I was just fixated on that glow in your hand. It’s beautiful, and honestly kinda calming as well.”

The hardened expression softens a bit.

“....You’re not running from me,” she notes.

“Why would I be?” you ask. “You don’t scare me.”

Her expression turns back to stone and her head tilts.

“Is that a challenge?” An Eastern European accent appears in her voice.

“No,” you say matter-of-factly. “I just don’t feel afraid of you. You’re not causing any trouble, you’re just....here existing.”

The tilt retracts and her anger turns into a mixture of confusion and fascination.

“You’re a very odd girl,” she notes.

You shrug.

“Comes with the ‘tisms.”

“The what?”

“Oh, I’m autistic. My mind is.....well, it’s different from other people’s brains.”

“I see....”

“Yep,” you nod. “Kinda got bullied and isolated for it. A lot. Still do. I....basically have no friends.”

“Why would they bully you?”

You shrug.

“I guess they’re afraid of what they don’t understand, you know?”

At that moment, her expression softens almost completely.

“Yes.....” she says quietly. “I do know....”

In her mind, something switches. Here you are, a fellow misunderstood soul, with not even a single companion. Someone who’s not afraid of her, someone who didn’t immediately run when you saw her, but rather....you were fascinated by her. She can’t remember the last time she’s met someone who didn’t fear her or treat her like a criminal.

“You’re really pretty too, you know.” Your compliment both jolts her from her thoughts and solidifies her decision. There’s no way she’s leaving you here. Her heart is pounding furiously and she comes up with an idea.

“Would you like to see some more of my aura?” she asks.

You nod eagerly.

“Please? Those screams I heard earlier kinda stressed me out.”

She gives a smile and moves her hands to conjure more in front of your face. Her hand movements begin to fascinate you as well.

“Holy shit, that’s beautiful,” you whisper, your eyes widening in awe. “It’s like your fingers are dancing.”

You begin to find yourself hyperfixating on the magic and on her hands, just as she hoped you would. Soft whispers invade your mind, but you’re unable to make out what they’re saying, nor do you really care about what they’re saying. Slowly your eyes gloss over as the hands and magic play over and over again in your mind.

You almost fall down on the road, but the Scarlet Witch catches you and sweeps you up bridal style, holding you close and protectively.

“Sweet, sweet girl....my sweet, sweet girl,” she whispers as she flies away with you. 

“You’ll never be hurt or unloved ever again....”