#i just quotted camp rock

[vulpinesaint]

boys with a sweet tooth will smile at you and hold out the most vile sugar concoction you've ever seen in your life

[garfieldblunt]

Random VDL Headcannons I thought about on my 10 hour road trip

Dutch- Uses big words he doesn’t know the meaning of to make him seem smart

Arthur- Will eat an entire watermelon, all of it, rind included

Hosea- Uses a lot of midwestern dad phrases (No more mister nice guy, Who’s ready to rock and roll?)

John- had an emo phase (galaxy wolf shirt n all)

Javier- will sometimes speak gibberish and pretend like it’s Spanish to confuse John on purpose

Abigail- Loves perfume

Jack- Quotes Vines to his mom and dad

Uncle- rips the most vicious and violent farts when he sleeps

Micah- motherfucker loves cheese, can’t get enough of it, he *NEEDS* it

Kieran- kisses the horses on their forehead before he goes to sleep

Sadie- can down a bottle of whiskey without flinching

Josiah- married his wife for tax benefits

Swanson- Speaks perfect Latin

Pearson- Loves canned fish

Grimshaw- Helps curl and braid all the women’s hair in the camp

Molly- uses her hand mirror to spy on Dutch

Tilly- serial killer podcast listener (so she can get inspired)

Mary Beth- Frequent Tumblr user

Charles- Has a Disney Princess affect on Animals (all the deer and birds n shit just lovingly flock to him)

Bill- Slept with Cain next to him (sometimes in his arms)

Lenny- huffs book smell like it’s gasoline

Sean- Avid Jerma enjoyer

Karen- Sings herself to sleep (sometimes Sean too)

[theamazingmaddyas]

Apollo Cabin Camper headcanons

Lee was an avid writer, and was planning to go for a Creative Writing before he, you know, kicked the bucket. Michael and Will ended up posthumously publishing his diary as a fiction story (because monsters and all) so that he could have his dream of being a published author. Nico brought Lee a copy in the Underworld.

Michael would only ever call his younger siblings his "little siblings" despite the fact that most of them passed him in height at like 9 or 10.

Will has Michael and Lee's names tattooed on his wrist in their handwriting, as well as a quote from one of Lee's poems on his forearm.

Kayla's known she was a demigod since she was really young, since her father had to explain why she has no mother. Darren could see through the mist, and would just shoot the monsters that came because of Kayla's stronger sent.

Kayla was brought to camp by Hedge when he was in Toronto in TLO (is this a common hc? I feel like it should be)

Austin could play any instrument, except the kazoo. For some reason, he sucked at playing the kazoo.

Jerry's accent was so strong his first summer at camp no one could understand him except for the other internationals.

Yan would hide in the armory with their book so that they didn't have to do sword-fighting or archery practice

Gracie would make rainbow loom bracelets for literally everyone. Even though she came to camp after the Battle of Manhattan and the Battle of the Labrynth, she still made bracelets for her deceased siblings based on Will, Kayla, and Austin's description of them.

Will was protective of the chariot in TLH not because he cared about it, but because Michael cared about it

Lee was born in Connecticut, but lived practically his whole life in NYC, and Michael was from Maine.

The cabin has a world map with push pins indicating where everyone is from. Every camper has also signed the wall around it on the day they were claimed, so there's well over a thousand names by the time PJO takes place.

Cabin 7 has a music room in it's basement, that has every single instrument you can imagine. (Austin is banned from playing the kazoo of course)

The only way the cabin can be cleaned is if It's A Hard Knock Life (Broadway version) (and the reprise as well) are playing. The youngest kid sings at Molly, and they play rock paper scissor to figure out who jumps in the laundry basket like Annie (one time Michael accidently fell asleep and was brought to the laundry room by the harpies. He did not let Lee hear the end of it) (The same thing almost happened to Gracie, but Will found her before the harpies could)

It's tradition that the last day of camp the younger campers write a song for their counselor and play it before bed. There's a binder of all the lyrics of every song dated back to the 1940s on the shelf, when the tradition was started

I'm not even sorry about how many there are, I'm just a tad bit obsessed with Cabin 7 (as indicative of my ao3 fics dedicated to them all)

(Octavian's a legacy and I'm only 150 pages into my reread of Son of Neptune, I can't remember if there are any canon Apollo kids barring Octavian's ancestors.)

[starsandhughes]

Penalty Box— Trevor’s Caddies Edition

SERIES MASTERLIST

might regret posting at midnight but here we go!

yourusername

liked by trevorzegras, colecaufield, and 12,211 others

yourusername my baby boy daddy sir boyfriend went to the rocket mortgage classics a couple days ago and my best friend number two was his caddy (and i was his trophy almost wife)!

i got sunburned (dw trevy is taking care of me ;)) but my boys had fun together so it was worth it! i don’t understand golf, but trevor was happy at the end of the day, so WOOOO GOD BABY!!! SO PROUD OF YOU, KING! (he tries to explain it, but i simply cannot. i prefer to sit and look pretty)

the day was filled of me catcalling and teasing them and that obviously added to the amazing day we all had!

p.s. thanks for the big girl drinky drinks🩷

tagged trevorzegras and colecaufield

view all 222 comments

trevorzegras you calling me a zexy zaddy in public was definitely an experience❤️ i love you, forever, my preciously deranged almost wife!

yourusername i love you, always, my cuter than a basket of puppies almost husband!

trevorzegras why couldn’t you have screamed that?

yourusername that’s less fun

jackhughes @/trevorzegras that is less fun, zexy zaddy

trevorzegras @/jackhughes die

user44 oh i’m a whore for these pictures

lhughes_06 @/trevorzegras get your hand off my sister’s thigh

trevorzegras luke, when a man loves a woman…

lhughes_06 @/trevorzegras STOP

yourusername @/lhughes_06 don’t worry, lukey moosey! trevor wasn’t rabid at the golfy thingy

lhughes_06 @/yourusername that implies he’s rabid at other times

jamie.drysdale @/lhughes_06 so is she

yourusername and i wear that title proudly

user18 PEOPLE DIED THIS DAY

colecaufield my personal favorite y/n quote today is “swing the club harder than you swing at me”

trevorzegras this was not mine! she already bruises so easily it looks like i beat her!

yourusername @/trevorzegras so stop beating me

trevorzegras @/yourusername THIS ISN’T A JOKE! I TREAT YOU SO WELL! YOU’RE GOING TO GET ME CANCELLED!

yourusername 🙄 psa to everybody that trevor actually treats me like the princess i am and kisses the random bruises i wake up with

trevorzegras @/yourusername thank you!

colecaufield psa to everyone that y/n actually swings at trevor

_quinnhughes @/colecaufield you’re telling me she didn’t swing at you?

colecaufield @_quinnhughes no she threw a small rock at me

yourusername @/colecaufield and i’ll do it again

user26 fuck i’m in love with all three of them

_quinnhughes sissy tell me you didn’t get piss drunk off “big girl drinky drinks” at the golfing range

yourusername i did not get piss drunk at the golfing range

trevorzegras she got piss drunk at cole’s

yourusername that i did do

colecaufield she was watered and fed

yourusername but i didn’t grow :(

_quinnhughes @/yourusername good stay small forever

jackhughes @_quinnhughes you just like the fact that she’s shorter than you

colecaufield @/jackhughes i do, too

jackhughes but did you annoy larkin?

yourusername relentlessly 🥰

colecaufield he somehow found her “adorable”

trevorzegras @/colecaufield me too

jackhughes @/trevorzegras simp

yourusername @/trevorzegras SIMP

user4 cole as z’s caddy is everything to me

user16 aw they played hockey foreplay <3

yourusername AHA I’M SAYING THIS FOREVER NOW

jamie.drysdale i miss you :(

yourusername i miss you too, jamie baby! just a few more weeks til camp🩵

jamie.drysdale ditch trevor and come see me

trevorzegras @/yourusername please don’t

yourusername @/jamie.drysdale sorry jamie baby, my almost husband used please!

_alexturcotte @/yourusername and if i said i miss you?

yourusername @_alexturcotte please don’t bc i’d literally burn the world for you

_quinnhughes @/trevorzegras take her lighters

trevorzegras @_quinnhughes already done

yourusername i- i don’t actually know how to burn the world????

jackhughes @/yourusername we can’t take any chances

jamie.drysdale @/yourusername it’s something you would do

yourusername @/jackhughes @/jamie.drysdale you two are the first to go

user56 i need more sissy quotes of the day

colecaufield “i don’t know what a birdie is but if you don’t make it i will throw my drink at you”

trevorzegras “spice it up, cockfield! hit him with the flag!”

colecaufield “i will take the clubs and leave you if you don’t give me a kiss right now”

trevorzegras “good put, daddy!“ (she has never once called me daddy)

yourusername personally i liked “i will shove this club up your butt if you don’t make this”

trevorzegras @/yourusername stop saying you’re going to shove things up my butt

yourusername @/trevorzegras i need house decor

trevorzegras @/yourusername are you insinuating that you live up my butt?”

yourusername @/trevorzegras yes🩵

_quinnhughes i hate this

yourusername @_quinnhughes i love you

_quinnhughes @/yourusername yeah yeah i love you too

——

reblogs appreciated!

[seokka0o]

taesan having s*x in car on backseat and go rough pls.

Taesan is a big man. To be in a car and fuck you requires a desire, an effort that you should consider a privilege. Thinking about a scenario, you're on a camp, college thing or something. It turns out that the dorms aren't enough and Taesan ends up sleeping in his car, alone, so that you have space in a comfortable room. But you can't stay away from him for even a second, even if it's to sleep, you need taesan. Soon you will sneak in the middle of the night to his car only to find him also waiting for you "I knew it" he knows you, more than anyone. At first it's something casual, you're together talking and exchanging some affection, but when you start to show signs that you're going back to your cabin that's when he starts "do you really need to go?" And then he's climbing on top of you, kissing your lips, your neck, placing himself between your legs. You won't deny it, especially because you don't want to, your body is on fire to have him fucking you up to your thighs, the whole thing about you being in the middle of nowhere with college, doing such things in the dark at night, makes you too excited to quoting and taesan is simple, soon his hand is making you cum consecutively, moaning slyly, and you're trying his best not to make too much of a fuss, finding it adorable how you cover your mouth to avoid moaning so loudly. "Let's see how far you go" and then he's inside you, fucking you, fast, hard, your body doing its best to fit inside the car and when tired of the effort, putting you to ride, making the car rock, taking it out the total plan to be something hidden, but still giving him the privilege of feeling you rock on top of him, while he makes your nipples his private party. You wanted to go ahead, so he agrees to the terms, the fogged glass gives you the little bit of privacy you created, every now and then the palm of his hand finds your face and pays a visit, leaving your skin numb, a few slaps of comfort, your eyes rolling back so desperately you're breaking down "so desperate for my dick" taesan's sighs are like a small wind in the night, he's using everything he has and when he feels like he's at the limit he just holds your hips steady so he can punch everything deep inside you, leaving you completely hallucinated "are you going to sleep in the middle of all your colleagues covered in my cum? That's what I call true love"

[bubbleddisasters]

Stupid Shit I’ve done/Gotten myself into by accident/been dragged into as Twisted Wonderland Characters:

—————-

Ace : Heard my sister screaming bloody murder downstairs and didn’t do shit because I assumed she was watching a horror movie. Turns out there was a fire in the oven.

Bonus: Sniped my friend in the eye from across the Cafeteria with a Ketchup Packet, Meant to hit his glasses, but he repositioned them at the last second.

Deuce: Answered Maine four times on a Historical Geography test and was wrong all four times.

Cater: Threw my phone out of the window in a panic after seeing one of my Idols followed me back.

Bonus : Accidentally convinced a transfer camper from Wales I was from London after I quoted something in the accent to myself in the showers and was too awkward to tell them I wasn’t when they struck up the conversation.

(I am from America, and the camp is in America.)

Trey: Accidentally created a puddle of Dark Red Icing and Stepped in it four times in a row while making a cake at 2 am.

Bonus : Befriended and helped out the owner of a French Bakery down the street when they started out, they ended up becoming really popular (rightfully so, her stuff is amazing) and now I either get free shit and/or Friends and Family Discounts.

Riddle : I have read the dictionary on multiple occasions out of sheer boredom.

Bonus: I once read the bible and marked down verses. Im not religious I just needed to win an argument.

Leona: Slept through an earthquake and 3 ambulances coming to my house bcs my sister was hurt.

Ruggie: Waited for families going inside to pass by and asked them to hold the door for me so I could sneak into a VIP rooms for free food. (Usually only at fancy hotels but luckily this strategy is flexible when your 5’2 with a baby face.)

Jack: Used to Smash open large rocks containing Crystals or Quartz at the beach as a kid, and now I have a large collection of them.

Bonus: I have extremely good hearing, to the point I hear into the negative decibels up to -15 - -20 (according to the audiologist this is rare but i literally don’t know shit about audio and decibels) so my old dormmates used to try and bribe me to tell them what I heard about certain things or themselves.

Bonus 2: Almost got shot by an illegal hunter while in the woods with my sister.

Floyd : Cracked my skull open at the pool, lost consciousness for a few seconds and woke up in the water calling for help, then got confused on why I was calling for help.

Bonus : A Sea lion once came up to me while I was scuba diving and did little circles, bumped its snout on my mask and just followed me the whole time in a very gleeful manner as a temporary homie.

Bonus 2: Apparently ate / took bites of my moms library books as a little kid (????) according to the librarian.

Jade: Taught myself to untie my hands with my hands behind my back, tie by hands behind my back with my hands behind my back, deciphered, translated and memorized a fictional hieroglyphic language, Read from Act 1 to Act 6 of Homestuck, and accidentally discovered how to disguise Chocolate Ice Cream as Pistachio; all within the span of 2 weeks. (I had covid and was A-Symptomatic)

Bonus : Lived in the Woods for 7 months (in total), had a large bag of mica and Almost Drowned in a tent when there was no moving water nor rain. (Basically, I was asleep, Woke up underwater, nearly went back to bed, then shot out of my tent screaming “My Tent Titanticed!” )

(It was like 3 am don’t judge me)

Azul: Somehow ended up with $2200 dollars in $100s in Monopoly at the end of the game. Also have been stuck between two identical twins while talking with both and boi that shits TRIPPY. (I also almost died with them later but it was fine)

Bonus: I lived on a middle of fuck knows where island during the spring and summer up until covid, yet I absolutely despise eating fish or Shellfish, and the smell often makes me nauseous.

(Bonus 2: I love shiny things, but very specifically fancy looking keys. I also had a weird obsession with signing a shiny contract after watching Ariel. Another tiny thing Is I own a Flotsam and Jetsam Scarf which I chuck around when Floyd or Jade pisses me off ingame.)

Kalim : Got distracted by a cool leaf while at a fancy resort in Xatapa, Mexico, and waddled off from my parents and explored around to try and find more, somehow managed to get extremely far and ended up lost in a whole different city for 6 hours while trying to find my way back.

Bonus 1: I had an obsession with Kiwis for awhile as a kid, and our neighbors house had a Pangium tree that reached over to our yard. (It was planted before either families moved in so we didn’t know) I thought it was some kind of strange Kiwi and ate one. I didn’t like it and was like “Oh maybe its not ripe” and waited 3-5 months then tried it again, same reaction, repeat process one more time.

I went to my parents out of curiosity and asked them what it was, and so after some process I am unaware of but I think my mom brought one of the fruits somewhere, we discovered what it was.

Pangium contains Fatal amounts of Cyanide if not properly prepared. I was fine but for the love of anything please don’t try eating it like little me did.

Bonus 2: I’ve Almost died more times than I can count on both hands and feet. Im not an heir or something fancy I just have wackass luck.

Jamil: Once had to talk my sister out of jumping off a tour boat because our cousin dared her to.

Bonus : Managed to make French Toast in the middle of the woods with Dehydrated Milk, Cinnamon, Three Eggs I stole, and a loaf of bread we got once a month. Also made 3 kinds marinated chicken in the middle of the woods.

(My Cooking Style is literally “just trust me bro.” I’m like Lilia except it actually works and is edible)

Epel : Whenever we went applepicking at my Grandfathers house, I’d climb into the trees and throw or pass the apples down. Sometimes I actually wish I could sit in trees more often shits comfy.

Bonus: My Mom was a Champion Horseback Rider as a kid, and sometimes took us to this Ranch I shall not name for my own privacy, but I’d run around with this group of kids and this one herding dog like a damn movie protagonist, sometimes go riding horses, or the one time we stole a tractor and near crashed it (THE REGRETS I STILL HAVE-) etc.

The WHIPLASH from that to going back to a whitewashed Northeast suburban town is insane.

Rook: My Cousins and I, and sometimes the kids at the priorly mentioned ranch, would play the most intense games of manhunt (basically really intense hide n seek at night) ,

I mean wearing camo if you had it, alliances, little dollar store walkie-talkies, code words, binoculars, climbing in trees or hiding in bushes/tall grasses/Hay to “scout”.

I hid in a large pot/vase more than once and another time on a roof, and (ONLY ONCE, DO NOT DO THIS IM STUPID) under a car.

I still remain the top in last man standing points. Mostly bcs I’m stingy with rescues but shhh

Vil - Accidentally poured a lot of liquid eyeliner into my eye, was literally crying out Eyeliner for 30 minutes. Also taught myself to run and jump in heels as a kid because I thought it looked cool in movies.

Ortho : Unknowingly was Hacking my Elementary School Databank for several years,

I genuinely thought it was normal to go on the school website, press a few buttons and be able to find a friends address if I had a playdate and needed to tell my mom where the house was, a parents phone number if needed communication with my friends parents , and mostly ignored the other general info.

I didn’t even know I did this until my dad told me a few months ago that I almost got suspended for it but by the time they found out it was the end of my last year there. ;—;

Idia: Accidentally acquired both a Nahida and Eula in Genshin and was genuinely annoyed at the time, they are now my most powerful DPS’s…

Bonus : I own a shit ton of original Japanese first edition Pokemon Cards my cousin gave me, (they are probably worth more than me which is neat), and I have a giant pile of Pokemon plushies I have infact fallen asleep on or in on multiple occasions.

Bonus 2: I was playing Breath of the Wild, and my very first thing I did after getting off the plateau was beeline for the castle. I actually got all the way up and took out 2 blights but the Wind one kicked my ass.

Bonus 3: Got confessed to and asked out by a guy I did not like nor knew very well, and I panicked, said “Maybe, Sorry no.” And ran into a wall. Also have crawled through a chute to avoid an awkward situation as a kid (do not recommend its dusty and definitely not safe)

Bonus 4: Once didn’t sleep for 5 days.

Malleus : Accidentally attended a Private Party and a Private Funeral in the same week. I was not invited nor knew anyone present. Stayed there for most of it because I was too nervous to say I wasn’t supposed to be there. Whoop.

Bonus: Got nicknamed the “Trip Curse.” By my Old Dormmates because everytime I went on a trip with them everything seemed to go to shit or get hella chaotic.

Bonus 2: Another camping one: Once woke up at night with a shit ton of fireflies just chilling in my tent. It was serene but also I genuinely thought I was hallucinating for a few minutes.

Lilia: Literally will hang upside down anywhere I can, its so fun bro.

Bonus : I know an extremely large amount of useless historical information, and once genuinely realized I know more about poison than what flour and eggs are used for in baking.

Silver : Once befriended a wild horse ( Im like 90% sure he was a Chestnut).

I called him Clover the Dog like horse because he was honestly just a golden retriever in the body of a horse.

This is great and theres alot of sweet moments, but then theres the times you have a giant horse galloping full speed at you for attention or trying to nudge you affectionately and nearly pushing you into a creek in the process.

Sebek: Got groundstruck by lightning once. Also I am often told I have a loud voice.

Che’nya : a good friend of mine and I have an inside joke at school where if we see eachother through a window (my school has alot of indoor windows for some reason?), we’ll text the other “Behind you.” Or “To your left.”

——————-

Theres more things I can think of but I have run out of characters and this is getting too long, so ye!

[yuurei20]

Idia Facts Part 39: Idia, Trey and more

Idia is suspicious of Trey, saying, “Trey’s all chill and mature, right? But here’s the thing: you can never tell what guys like that are REALLY thinking,” and ranking him at the top of his personal list of “Turbo Sus Vice Housewardens to Be Avoided at All Costs” alongside Rook.

During Vargas Camp Trey talks at length about the area. Idia explains he almost joined the Science Club but there were too many people.

Trey says it would’ve been cool to learn new things from Idia and Idia responds, “What’s your angle here?” and, "I just do what I like...the last thing I want to do is give presentations or try to impress people…”

Idia later exclaims, “THAT WAS EXHAUSTING…Trey might not be as pushy as the unabashed extroverts at school, but he JUST. KEPT. TALKING...I just hope he never tries to talk to me again.”

Soon after Trey makes a discovery in a nearby mine (it is rock salt) and says, “I should show Idia, too…I’m sure he’d appreciate hearing all about it.”

Contrary to what Idia’s Harveston card’s groovy art may lead one to believe, he cannot play the violin.

He cannot play any instrument, saying, “What’s the point of spending years learning an instrument when you can play a pro performance at the touch of a button?”

Ortho quotes Idia in his dorm vignette, saying, "It's like my brother always says: science trumps magic."

Idia says that he gets the same dopamine high from scoring high on tests that he gets from scoring high in games.

[dazed-and-confused23]

Dear Hearts and Gentle People 19

Summary: While in Goodneighbor, you find out that Cooper was a famous actor before the war, and ask him to tell you about some of his favorite ones. Much to the amusement to you and Hancock.

Pairings: The Ghoul | Cooper Howard x Female Reader , John Hancock x Female Reader

Warnings! Drinking and Drug Use. Movie references. Fluff and Domestic Fun.

Masterlist

The three of you are drunk as a skunk, high as a kite, and having the time of your life in the old state house that John calls home. You sit curled against the mayor, watching Cooper, who, in his delightful mood, had decided to regale the two of you with movie quotes and scenes that he'd done back before the war. It had started after he'd made a comment about being a better actor than the one they'd been watched on the fuzzy TV screen.

You had laughed and demanded that the ghoul show you a scene or two from the movies that he'd stared in.

Cooper stands across the living room table, a crocodile grin on his face as he quotes one of his films, his accent thick with a southern draw, "You ain't never heard of Wellenbeck prisoner of war camp, West Virginia?"

You shake your head, playing along with the ex-actor, and John snickers beside you, his laugh smokey and rough from the hit of jet he'd just had. Cooper continues, strutting around the room as he tells his story.

"Oh, Major Marquis did more than bust out. Major Marquis had a bright idea. So bright you hafta' wonder why nobody never thought about it before."

He skips over the other dialog, unable to remember half of the other men's lines, and continues. He gives you and John a look under the brim of his hat, "There was a rookie regiment spendin' the overnight in the camp. Forty-seven men... burnt to a crisp. Southern youth, farmers' sons, cream of the crop."

You gasp dramaticly, eyes wide as you clutch your imaginary pearls. Coop had told you a bit about the movie, set sometime just after the first Civil War back in 1877. You wish you could have seen Cooper back then, but this was just as good. The bounty hunter sets the scene, a small pit stop way up in the mountains.

He suddenly switches up, expression becoming a bit feral at the edges as he gives you and John a mean grin. He explains that Major Marquis has them all lined up against the wall after two men died from poisoned coffee. His voice is sarcastic, disbelief coloring it.

"So you finally decided I'm tellin' the truth 'bout bein' the sheriff of Red Rock, huh?"

He steps away from the wall, turning dramatically and stalking forward, hand under his chin as if he is pulling his thoughts together, "John Ruth was one mighty mighty bastard. But the last thing that bastard did before he died was save my goddamn life."

Cooper pauses and points at you, "You didn't. You were sitting there all quiet like when I poured that cup."

He spins on his heel, his duster flapping and his spurs jingling as he paces the room, "Both of you. Just watching me, waiting, waiting for me to drink myself to death. So what was the plan, Joe Cage? I drink the coffee, OB drinks the coffee, and John Ruth drinks the coffee? And you two sit around and laugh while we roll around on the ground, holding our bellies, screaming in pain?"

You and John are hooked after the speech, eyes wide as the two of you watch Cooper stomp across the room, grab a chipped coffee mug, and stalk over to them. You jump when he slams the cup in front of John, a nasty smile on his face.

Cooper pulls out all the stops, reaching for his side arm and aiming it at John, who looks more than a little nervous at having the hand canon pointed at him. The ex-actor mimes pulling back the hammer and then swings the barrel of his gun at the coffee cup, a snarl on his lips as he glares down at you and Hancock.

"Drink it."

Cooper keeps the scene going for several long seconds before breaking character and stepping back, shoving his side arm back in his holster and spreading his arms, a grin on his face, "Well?"

You burst into laughter and clap, snickering at the look of relief on John's face and the self-satisfied one on Cooper’s. The ghoul across from you bows before loping over to the couch and plopping down between you and John. He sits back and lights up a cigarette, smug as can be.

"Told ya, I still had it."

Ps. I own nothing here.

[hannahssimblr]

“Granny?” Ivy cries. “I hate granny.”

“You’re not supposed to hate your grandmother,” I point out as I unwind the vacuum cord. “Even if she is… the way that she is.”

“I’m telling the truth.”

“Alright, well maybe don’t tell the truth in front of mom and dad.”

“Ugh! For how long?”

“I don’t know, a few hours. Five, maybe.”

“Five hours?” 

“Bring a book.” I find a socket behind a potted plant and fumble with the plug. “Or you can have my iPod. Actually, you can have and keep it.”

“Okay, but whenever we put on music at her house, she complains and says it’s the devil’s.”

“Not all music, just the Rolling Stones.” I point out. “Actually, Mick Jagger. She said he was the devil personified, remember?” I think she came up with that line in the sixties, thought it was poignant, and hasn't stopped saying it for the rest of her life. I don’t even listen to the Rolling Stones. She just assumes all my music must be theirs, because she hates it with the same vigour as she did Beggar’s Banquet. 

“‘Oh, what are you reading, Ivy? Something by some old cowboy?’” Ivy says in this plummy, pretty spot-on impression of Granny Hyland, who also likes to call everyone she doesn’t like a cowboy, for reasons I could never grasp. That includes me, of course, that time I shaved my head.

“‘I’d prefer that children didn’t speak at the dinner table, and that they ate all of their disgusting, soggy peas and carrots that I’ve put no salt on. And don't scrape your cutlery on my ugly plates!’” Ivy goes on. A direct quote, probably. 

I swear I can see Granny now, sitting there, all thin and powdery in her musty, Glasnevin Victorian that one of us is one day cursed to inherit. She’s always seemed so old, even though she’s still only in the first half of her sixties. How she would sit there at the table, gripping her knife and fork over Christmas dinner with those weird, rheumatic hands and jawing on about manners, she was like a turn of the century relic. 

My decision to throw a party tonight has condemned my sister to an evening of that, and for that, I’m guilty. 

Ivy throws herself onto the settee, her hair spilling over the floor. 

“Move your rat tails or I’ll suck them up in the hoover,” I mutter.

“Why are you hoovering? Irene does that for us.”

I sigh. “I guess I’m the cleaner today.”

“Why?”

“Because mom and dad said so.”

She frowns. “Why would they say that? If they want the house cleaned, they would just phone her to come and do it.”

“Yeah, I know, but they’re teaching me a lesson.”

“A lesson about what?”

“I don’t know, hoovering, I suppose. Move.” I scoop her hair out of the way, then hit the wrong button on the hoover. The cord retracts and tightens. 

Ivy sits up. “Who’s coming to your party? Anyone cool?”

“Define ‘cool’.”

She shrugs. She doesn’t really know what cool is in an Irish way, only in that glossy, American tween show way she knows from watching TV at her friend Ella’s house. I’ve wanted to tell her nicely that if those smiley kids wearing belts on top of their t-shirts from her beloved Camp Rock went to school here, they’d have the contents of the canteen bins chucked over them while inside the bathroom stalls, but they’re cool to her, so I just let her enjoy it before she realises. 

“It’s just gonna be some people from school, that’s all.”

“What about your friends from summer?”

I laugh awkwardly. “I don’t know. Maybe I’ll ask them. They probably won’t come.”

“Why?”

“Because they live far away, and it’s short notice.”

“You should ask. You’re going away tomorrow. Maybe they’d come because it’s the last chance to see you.”

“It won’t be the last chance. I’ll be back.”

“Yeah, at Christmas,” she says, as though Christmas is the year 2036. 

“Uh, yeah. Christmas. It’s not that long.”

“It is! It’s ages away! And also-”

“Ivy! I’m hoovering now. It’ll drown you out even if you keep talking.” With my foot, I whack the button, the correct one this time, and the machine roars to life. Ivy yaps on, but I just move my hand like a sock puppet. “I can’t hear you!”

She sticks out her tongue, and I stick out mine, but when she’s turned away and become interested in a bird out hopping around on the patio furniture, I pull my phone from my pocket and tap out a hasty message. 

Having a goodbye thing at my house. Will you come? 

It’s several minutes before Evie replies, and by then, I already assume that she won’t, in that kind of sad, desperate way, familiar to me only from my pubescent MSN days. By the time my phone vibrates, I jump. 

Okay, what time? 

I type back:

Seven. Look, I know you’re in Offaly, obviously, so you’re welcome to stay if you need to. There’s a few people crashing here. 

She won’t come. She definitely won’t come. Especially not if she has to sleep in my house. Who am I kidding? There’s all that stuff about her strict mother, and being around boys, and-

Ping.

Yeah, sounds cool. I’ll be there. 

Oh. 

Cool. See you later.

Beginning // Prev // Next

Corresponding LG Chapter

[bamnamuu]

31. with lee know? <3

if your oky with it can i be /ᐠ｡ꞈ｡ᐟ\ anon?

w.count 578 | warnings typos mentions leeches | em’s note so so so sorry it took me so long to respond anon :( and of course, you can be /ᐠ｡ꞈ｡ᐟ\ anon <3

You two had been driving for what seemed like forever until your boyfriend Minho said something knocking you out of your daydream, '' we’re here babe.’’ you turned to face him, “Don’t jump into any random bodies of water this time okay.” you replied, causing him to start laughing at your request. “No promises babe!” This was an annual trip for the two of you. It all started about five years ago when your friends decided to go out into the wilderness for a camping trip, and you left with a pretty boys number. ever since then you and Lee know decided you would make it a year-round tradition to go to the place where you met. Last year on your 3rd anniversary Minho and you had just finished setting up the tent, both sweating bullets from the hot sun beaming down onto you. ‘’It's so hot I'm gonna die!’’ you said dramatically while your boyfriend went to the car to get you his tiny fan you had made fun of earlier that day, ''thank you’’ you said while reaching out to take it before he moved it away from your reach ''Nuh uh first apologize to my stupid fan’’ he said with air quotes. ''I'm so so so so sorry I called your fan stupid, can i have it now?’’ you said, giving him doe eyes. ''here.’’ he said, giving you the stupid fan and a sweaty kiss on your head. The two of you finished setting up and hiding in the shade till the sun calmed down, having enough of doing nothing lee know reached for your hand saying ''let's go on a hike!’’ groaning as he helped you up, you got your backpack and went on your way. It's customary for Lee know to point out random things he sees on the trail and tell you things about them, without actually knowing anything about wildlife creatures. ''that is a bird that lost its wings in war.’’ he said pointing at a small animal, ''babe, that's a squirrel.’’ you stated ''Agh same thing !’’ he said offended but then started laughing ''ohh that is the fountain of youth’’ he said looking over at a small waterfall, it's pretty to the point that you actually think he's right. ''I was giving you a 1 out of 100 chance of being right, didn't think you’d beat the odds!’’ rolling his eyes ''of course i’m right love, i come here all the time how else do you think i'm so handsome?’’ ''genetics.’’  ''i'll show you right now.’’ you were confused about what he meant by that till you saw him take off his shoes and walk off the trail to the pool of water and leap into it. You held your breath hoping he didn't hit his head on any rocks until he popped out of the water smiling ''aren't i even more handsome now?’’ He said his hair covering his eyes but he heard you laugh so he's taking it as a yes. ''minho there's a leech on you arm!’’ ''WHAT!’’ you were lying but it was funny to watch him freak out, and splash in the water like a cat. On the walk back to the tent you were holding your cold wet boyfriend who was now upset at your attempt at a joke but with a  couple kisses and millions of apologies later he forgave you on the condition that you had to drive the entire way home.

[robindrake93]

11 days since I sent you that ask and I can now say, I get it. I get what you meant about episode 8. WE DID NOT JUST GET LUKERCY CRUMBS HOLY SHIT-

ALL OF THEIR SCENES TOGETHER WERE MAKING ME FERAL FJGKD WHICH WAS SO HARD TO KEEP IN WHILE WATCHING IT WITH MY SIS 😭😭 IT WAS SO GOOD

the training!! the entire fucking fight with luke practically begging percy to believe that he is his friend and wants him to join him!! the lighting!! just everything!!! you can soo tell luke wanted to shove percy in that portal and take him along no matter what!! (ignoring annabeths appearance cause im still on the fence with that change even if I get why they did it)

i am so going to binge read lukercy fics the entire night just to fill my rabid need for content of them after seeing that AHFJVKDKD I CANT-

You're right we didn't just get crumbs, we got a whole damn pie.

Luke not only welcoming Percy to camp but being the one to show him around, constantly by his side. Even watching him sleep from across the cabin.

The look on Percy's face when Luke tells him he's always on Annabeth's side.

Luke breaking the camp rules that two demigods (with different parents) aren't allowed to be alone in the cabins together to give Percy the shoes in his cabin (as opposed to on the hill like in the book).

Percy wanting to take Luke on the quest but being afraid that Luke would prioritize Annabeth over him.

The jealousy and disgust in Luke's voice during the Iris message when he makes the comment about "when did you two become an old married couple" and the look of equal disgust and discomfort from Percy when he says "gross let's move on from that." (paraphrasing but you get the idea)

Luke influencing Percy so much that the very first words of Percy's book ("Look, I didn't want to be a halfblood") are actually a quote from Luke.

The whole training scene.

Sword under the chin is always hot. Percy's making a face like he knows it too.

When Luke goes to sit on that rock beside Percy, he chooses a spot that lets them sit eye-to-eye but also he rocks toward Percy for a second like he's going to go in for a kiss.

Percy mirroring the head tilt that Luke (Charlie?) does.

Luke's voice full of pride when Percy does good.

Luke telling Percy he's small and scary. So fucking cute.

The way we can see via body language what book!Percy has been telling us all along: that every time Percy picks up his sword, he hears Luke's voice in his head telling him what to do.

Percy and Luke almost never take their eyes off each other for the whole secret meeting about Clarisse.

They're meeting in the woods at night. Luke didn't even have to bribe Percy this time, he just trotted after him.

Luke coaxing Percy into talking. (in the books Percy doesn't do a lot of talking out loud and Luke actually does break the ice several times because Percy is just standing there staring like a little weirdo [affectionate].).

Fireworks from beginning to end. Love the red and blue ones especially for that bisexual lighting. It was easily the best lighting in the whole show.

"Easy. I just want to show you." Everyone says that the maia scene was the hottest thing Charlie said as Luke but they're sleeping on this. Those are 'gonna take your virginity' words and his tone of voice? Mmm. Yum.

AND it's about his sword? HIS SWORD?! The most phallic weapon of all? Gods help me.

Just an interesting detail but Luke doesn't actually ever point his sword at Percy until Percy attacks him. It really shows that his plan is to convince Percy to leave with him.

"The gods are my enemy. You....." - Luke searching for what Percy is to him. lol I guess it's supposed to be a dramatic pause for dramatic effect but it really just makes it sound like Luke is debating how exactly to define their relationship.

Both of them have watery tear-filled eyes? Excuse me? Cry babies? Yes please. I told all of you so.

Also Luke is comfortable with turning his back on Percy to draw the runes (?) even though Percy drew his sword and is sweating like a sinner in church.

Luke actually proposing that they run away. Together. Just the two of them.

"We"

Percy is literally swaying on his feet. You can see that he's nervous but he also doesn't take so much as a single step backward. He still wants to be close to Luke!

Luke's determination to bring Percy with him. During their fight he does his best to keep Percy between himself and the portal. He even tosses Percy towards it a couple of times. Luke wants Percy to run away with him voluntarily but you can see as the fight goes on longer, he decides kidnapping is an option.

Luke is not leaving without his boy.

The skill difference between Percy and Luke. We see this during training too, where Luke is tossing Percy around and basically playing with him (I mean it's serious training but Luke's skill level is so above that it looks like playing). Luke is not seriously fighting Percy. He's trying to herd Percy into that portal.

Luke praising Percy in the middle of their fight.

Percy cutting Luke.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to -" Because Percy really doesn't want to hurt Luke and he's never like actually hurt someone he cares about.

Luke cutting Percy.

Looming.

The way after Annabeth shows up, Luke's eyes flit down to Percy three separate times. You can visibly see him weighing his options. I think he was debating if he could sling Percy over his shoulder and run into the portal faster than Annabeth could catch them.

"I know Luke wasn't trying to kill me." - WOW what a change from the book. I can't believe they had Percy understand that because in the pit scorpion scene, he did not get it. I'm happy about the change but surprised they made it. (makes me wonder if Percy's the one who's loyalty we're supposed to question instead of Annabeth's as the next seasons come up).

Sorry that was long but like. Wow. We won hardcore.

As for reading more lukercy fic, you'll be pleased to know that it's the lukercy valentine's event this week (02/12-02-15) so there should be ✨ new fics. ✨

[1waveshortofashipwreck]

HAPPY HBO WAR SUMMER EXCHANGE DAY @hxad-ovxr-hxart !!!!!

TWAS I WHO WAS YOUR SECRET SUMMER GIFTER

I made you a moodboard and little blurb as your gift! I really hope you like it 🥺❤️

I found the quote when I searched Louisa May Alcott, and I was inspired to do a moodboard/blurb that portrayed you and Toye reuniting after the war and finally acting on unspoken feelings 💜 (I used your name in the blurb but I'll be posting a y/n version later!!)

Thank you for being my Giftee Sky!! I love you and hope you have a wonderful day!! 💖

Sky sprinted across the sidewalk into Joe's arms - finally, her world could be whole again. He held her as tight as he could, lifting Sky up to twirl her around.

"I missed you so much," Toye whispered into the crook of her neck. The pair had been inseparable since they first met in high school. It was a classic story of both having feelings for the other, but each were too nervous to act on them, for fear of losing the bond they had forged. Joe was her rock, Sky was his peace. They were home for each other, and they would not dare mess it up.

Then Joe left for Camp Toccoa. This is when Sky realized just how hot her love for him burned. While Joe was away fighting, Sky would be burned every day by her unspoken devotion to her best friend. One thought never left her mind - what if he didn't come back?

All of this washed away with the wind Sky felt fly by her head as Joe twirled her around. "I missed you more," Sky retorted, holding onto to Toye with no intent to let go, ever.

"Yeah? Thought you'd be married off to some 4F by now," he smirked. Joe gently set Sky back on the ground, his arms keeping their place around her. While the soldier meant to have a joking tone, Sky heard the sense of relief in his voice.

"You know I'd never get married without you, Joey," Sky saw a pinkish hue on his cheeks after using his childhood nickname - Sky was the only one who could call him Joey.

"Joey...I need to tell you some-"

"Can I go first?" Joe never interrupted Sky... She knew what he was going to say... He got married to a girl in France or England and is-

"I'm in love with you, doll... I never said anything 'cause I didn't want to ruin what we had, but shit... Leaving for Europe made me realize you're everything to me, and I can't go another day without yo-"

Now it was sky's turn to interrupt Joe. She crashed her lips into his, the fire burning since he left becoming a roaring inferno. Instead of leaving her burned and empty, though, she was filled with warmth, joy, and an endless love for Joe Toye.

[the-hufflepuffle]

Incorrect God of War Quotes

(Some from a generator, some conversations I had)

🪓

Kratos: you have to apologize to Mimir

Freya: fine.

Freya to Mimir: "unfuck you" or whatever

🪓

*Sif and Thrud skipping rocks*

Sif: it's such a beautiful night

Thrud: take that you fucking lake

🪓

Kratos: What if the person who named Walkie Talkies named everything?

Atreus: Pregnancy tests are Maybe Babies

Freyr: Socks are Feetie Heaties

Mimir: Forks are Stabby Grabbies

Atreus: Defibrillators are Heartie Starties

Freyr: Nightmares are Dreamy Screamies

Mimir: Stamps are Lickie Stickies

Freya, annoyed: You are disappointments

🪓

Kratos: had a realization today

Freya: what?

Kratos: someone asked me what I'd do if I had a week to live

Freya: yeah and?

Kratos: I'd go into the woods, die and let the earth reclaim me.

Freya: yeah okay. You'll need to tell me when you're doing that.

Kratos: why, I'm dying at the end of jt its not camping

Freya: it's cute you think I'm a.) Gonna let you die alone and b.) Die without setting a marker for me and Atreus to find and visit you

Kratos, defeated: yes maam

Freya: because we know how it'll go if you do that

Kratos, still defeated: you'll bring me back, and then kill me yourself

Freya: I'm glad we understand each other.

🪓

Freyr: Whaddya call a fish with no eye?

Freya, not looking up: Myxine Circifrons

Freyr:

Freyr: fsh

🪓

Atreus : You are irrationally angry 365 days a year.

Thrud: Well, that’s just your personal opinion, I don’t have anger issues. Do you guys think I have anger issues?

Skjoldr: Well, I wouldn’t really call it an issue. An issue is something you can fix.

🪓

Thrud: I made this leather pouch and then I made another one and

Sif: we don't even need a DNA test that's all you

Thor: yeah...I know

🪓

Warflower kid, age 7: Atreus, what are you doing?

Atreus, doing a kids puzzle and teasing: I'm figuring out this puzzle. It's clearly 3 different puzzles.

WF kid: uh... no it isnt

Atreus: prove it

WF kid: okay (finds puzzle pieces) ahem

Atreus: go ahead prove it

*a couple minutes later*

WF kid: see?

Atreus: I guess you proved me wrong bud.

WF kid: yeah I did *keeps playing with other toys*

Atreus: I love you bud

WF kid: I love you too. *turns to look* do you really think it was 3 puzzles?

Atreus: yup.

🪓

Odin: hey, Balder come here. Is this flour or powdered sugar?

Balder: it's flour.

Odin: hiw do you know?

Balder: because I can tell by looking at it?

Odin: taste it

Balder, tasting flour: ew why? What was the purpose? That's nasty

Odin: now you know it's flour.

Balder: I ALREADY KNEW IT WAS FLOUR

🪓

Kratos: Hey, random question, what are your favorite flowers?

Freya : Peonies, why?

Kratos:

Freya : Were you going to get me flowers?

Kratos:

Freya :

Kratos: ᶦᵗ’ˢ ᵃ ᵖᵒˢˢᶦᵇᶦˡᶦᵗʸ

🪓

*watching the new Hunger Games*

Atreus: *looks over at Thrud about to say something*

Thrud: *mocking the little voice saying "enjoy the show"*

Atreus: listen I was literally gonna tell you how we would suck in the hunger games cause we'd be marching in there fucking making fun of the little voice each time it went off

Thrud: honestly yeah. Then I'd kill you

Atreus: what?

Theud: we've discussed this. I don't want you living with the trauma of the Hunger Games. Mercy killing.

Atreus: I don't know whether to be afraid or touched.

🪓

Freya: I am the left brain, I am the left brain. "I work really hard until my inevitable death" brain. You've got a job to do, you better do it right and the right way is with the left brain's might.

Freyr: I LIKE OREOS AND PUSSY-

🪓

Freya: and if anything happens we blame Heimdal

Heimdal: wait why-

Freya: you are a smaller version of the man I hate!

🪓

WF kid: how long have you been married?

Kratos: 4 years

WF kid: *big gasp* but I'm 6

🪓

[bluejayboi]

Aishite Aishite Aishite- Soft yandere Vil

This story is based off of the song “Aishite Aishite Aishite” (no specific version of the song, just a compilation of them). I used a variety of quotes (some direct, others altered to fit dialogue) from the songs throughout the story so it should be a fun ‘search and find’ for anyone who’s familiar with any iteration of the song. I understand that the song is intended to be about Golden Child Syndrome but I, like many others, enjoy the yandere vibes that can be interpreted from it. This is a soft yandere Vil story so apologies if he’s not perfectly in character. I hope you all enjoy the story and happy Valentines Day •ᴗ• ♡

TW: Yandere themes, drugging (love potion and poison), violence and blood (not overly explicit), choking (to knock out, not kill), and kidnapping

Male covers of Aishite Aishite Aishite that you can listen to while reading (FYI I based the vibes, quotes, etc. off of the Will Stetson covers):

Will Stetson cover

Will Stetson rock cover

KumaKumataro cover

Chogakusei cover

The sound of a door slamming shut echoes through the hall, being punctuated with an exasperated sigh. Vil lets himself lean against the door he just closed as he mutters to himself; “What a wretched day. Of all the times that Headmage Crowley could have picked to invite prospective students and other guests to visit, why did he have to choose today?”

Valentine’s Day always tended to be a taxing experience for the young actor. It was no wonder he would garner this much attention from his hordes of admirers on this day in particular. True, he thrived off of the attention and compliments being served to him on a silver platter, but he could only turn down these plain potatoes so many times until it got exhausting. It was easier in previous years. Most of the NRC students had already learned to admire Vil like a priceless work of art; something that was unreachable and beautiful, that could be cherished but which the unworthy knew not to touch for fear of the consequences. But that foolish headmage had to invite swarms of newcomers into the halls of this college. Newcomers that hadn’t the time to learn the rules. They fawned over and swarmed him, vying desperately for his attention as they shouted their confessions and thrust flowers and chocolates and other gifts towards him. He had no interest in such desperate advances from the bland masses. It took everything in him to not sneer at them and tell them off for nearly sullying his uniform. He couldn’t even enjoy his lunch in peace without hiding out in some empty classroom like that loner Idia. Of course, the cafeteria and Mostro Lounge were out of the question– seeing as they were bound to be packed with guests– so he was reduced to camping out away from everyone just so he could eat in peace. He couldn’t even return to his dorm without risking being spotted and followed. So he resolved to stay in this empty classroom to eat and regain the strength needed to make it through the rest of this hellish day. Until the newcomers were finally forced to leave the campus.

Reaching into his bag, Vil pulls out the bento box that he had packed in preparation for the day’s chaos. Along with it, he pulled out a shining red apple. Strange. He didn’t remember packing that. It must have been a gift from Epel then. That boy did love his apples. Perhaps this was his way of wishing Vil good luck on this trying holiday. What a sweet boy. He’ll have to thank him when he gets back to the dorm.

Just as Vil started in on his meal, the door creaked open and a girl peeked in. He fixed her with a cold stare before continuing to eat his meal. He saw the way she looked at him, with obsession written in her eyes. She would obviously just follow him if he tried to leave so he might as well regain his energy before giving her the slip like the others. She tried to strike up a conversation but Vil didn’t even spare her a second glance. If he had been looking at her, he would have seen the desperate expression flash across her face before being replaced with an eager look as her eyes landed on the apple next to him. He places the empty bento box back in his bag as he feels someone plunk themselves in the seat next to him. Feeling a little bored, he decided to play along a bit. A little entertainment before he leaves her behind. 

Reaching for the apple, he asks the girl “Just what do you think you're doing?” in a cold voice.

She just stares at him for a few seconds, before a lovesick expression washes over her face: “I’m trying to get close to you, Vil! What else would I be doing? Why would I waste all that time following you just to watch from the sidelines?”

Vil simply sighs in response. This isn’t his first run in with overzealous fans. It stopped being worrisome a long time ago and had just become a hindrance.

“Well you’ve been allowed to bask in my presence for long enough. I will be taking my leave soon and you will not follow me. Understood?” He finishes his sentence with a sickly sweet, fake grin. The girl seems unfazed by his comment and simply watches with bated breath as he brings the apple up to his lips.

The red surface crunches beneath his teeth as the overly sweet taste floods across his tongue. This apple tasted … off. There were hints of certain flowery and fruity tastes, rose petals and strawberries being the most distinguished of them, mingling with the red apples natural flavor. An overpoweringly sweet artificial aftertaste coated his taste buds like tar. It was too sweet. Sickeningly sweet. He could feel his stomach roil after he made the mistake of swallowing it. A strange feeling started washing over him. It felt like a steady haze was covering him, a fog overtaking his brain and making it harder for him to think clearly. He could feel a tingling in his mind, reaching to hold his head in his hands as he shut his eyes. It didn’t exactly hurt but he could feel it overpowering him. He should be worried, this clearly wasn’t a normal response. The apple was probably drugged, a love potion seeming like the most plausible answer. But despite this distressing situation that he found himself in, he could feel a sense of acceptance washing over him, replacing the dread that had previously pooled in him.

“It’s okay Vil, just open your eyes. Just look at me, okay?” the girl cooed, a disturbingly wide smile spreading across her face. “I promise everything will be all better~ Just as soon as you look at me.”

Even in his potion-addled mind, Vil had enough sense to know that this was a bad situation he found himself in. He kept his eyes firmly closed, holding his hands over them even as she tried to wrench his wrists away.

The door to the room softly opened, an NRC student making their way into the room whilst carrying a large stack of papers in their arms. The papers completely blocked their view to the rest of the room, so they blindly maneuvered past desks to the teachers desk where they plopped the papers down with an unceremonious ‘thump’. Both Vil and the girl whipped their heads around at this noise. Vil opened his eyes to see the source of the sound, his muddled state making him temporarily forget what would happen to him upon laying eyes on someone. His hands had been pulled far enough off his eyes that he saw them for a split second. This was all it took.

The girl stared at the student with a deer-in-headlights look, frantic about being caught in the act; “Wha-What are you doing here?!”

The student jolts at this and whips around to look at the speaker, finding this unfamiliar girl manhandling one of their classmates.

“I was just delivering papers for Professor Crewel.” After overcoming their initial surprise, they were able to take in the scene more carefully. “Just what do you think you’re doing? You’re clearly making him uncomfortable, so back off.”

“No, he’s not uncomfortable!!" She stomps childishly, as if to enunciate her point. "He was just about to accept my confession before you interrupted us! Tell them Vil!” The girl turns to Vil with an eager expression before her eyes land on his face and her expression falls.

His hands had completely fallen from his eyes, allowing him to look at the student before him clearly. His purple irises seemed to shimmer with untold emotions, a soft pink ring encircling his pupils and giving him a barely noticeable case of centralized heterochromia. His mouth was slightly agape with his hand gently hovering in front of it. He looked stunned, as if he had just seen an ethereal being flutter down from the sky and land before him in this dreary classroom. He felt himself being overcome with emotions; warmth, devotion, adoration, and desire started brimming within him. He felt the blissful joy that spurs from a crush. This can’t be a crush! That sounds too informal, too juvenile. Calling this a mere ‘crush’ would be an insult to the depth of feelings he holds for them. This had to be love! There’s no other possibility! They’re perfect! So perfect! How could he have ever overlooked them! They had been by his side all this time. He had just been too blind to see.

“ … [Name] … ” A soft whisper escaped Vil as his lips twitched into the ghost of a smile.

“Are you sick or something? You’re all flushed! Come on, I’m taking you to the infirmary.” They grab Vil’s arm to help him out of his seat, quickly snatching his bag as well. They rush him out of there before the girl even has enough time to process the situation at hand. They kept turning back as they led Vil down the hallway, afraid that the girl would follow the two of them. 

Once making it a safe distance away, they released his arm that they were holding onto in order to steady and guide him through the halls. Vil noticed that the spot they had been touching felt unnaturally cold in their absence, causing him to tense up and look at them in confusion. The expression on their face had switched from the overly concerned facade that they had put on in front of the girl to a stoic, nearly frigid look.

“Looks like she fell for the ruse. I’m guessing that’s one of those ‘crazy fans’ that you keep complaining about. Steer clear from that one, alright? I won’t be there to save you next time. Dunno if you actually need to go to the nurse or not but I’m sure you can get there yourself. Here’s your bag.” They state, moving to hand him his pack. His eyes hover over them for a few seconds before he reaches out to grab the strap that they held out to him. His fingers gently press against their hand as he lingers against their touch. They break the contact quickly, swiping their hand away as if they’d been burned, and start walking away. “Good luck with the fans.”

“[Name], wait!” Vil panics as he sees them moving away from him.

They seem to deflate a bit as they turn back to him, muttering an annoyed “What?” in response.

“[Name]. I…well, frankly I don’t know how to put this. I-” For once, Vil felt utterly tongue tied. His mind had gone blank, the overwhelming emotions stifling any attempt to plan his next words. All his charisma and charm slipping from his mind, like water from a sieve, in the face of this blinding admiration.

“You don’t have to thank me or–”

“– I feel as if I’ve been pierced with Cupid’s arrow!” Vil blurts out, cutting [Name]’s sentence off short. The apathetic stare drops from their face and they look utterly shocked. “I have no other way to describe it! I feel as if a blindfold has been lifted from my eyes, allowing me to see the divine being that has been right in front of me all along! I was a fool to not realize this before; you are perfection incarnate! Your visage has brought light and vibrance to my once dull world. Simply being in your presence leaves me feeling light and giddy. [Name], I believe I have fallen in love with you!” Vil flashes an eager smile. Not his usual pristine grin that seemed merely a pose for a camera, but a smile that seemed genuinely kind and heartfelt.

[Name] was frozen in place for a few long seconds. It felt like time was dragging on at a painfully slow pace. They could feel a pang of hurt in their heart. But they pushed it aside for the moment. Swallowing thickly and taking a shaky breath, they look Vil directly in his eyes; “Did… did that girl hit you in the head or something? Wha-… are you okay? Do you need me to call someone?”

The smile on Vil’s face falls, being replaced with a look of worry. “No, I’m fine…really! I- I’ve never felt better! Just being with you has made everything better!” He tries to smile at them again but stops when he sees their expression. Their face had contorted into a look of scarcely contained, deadly calm rage. Their eyes fixed him with a sharp glare as they seethed through their gritted teeth.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me. Is this your idea of a joke? If it is, then you really are cruel. You think you have any right to be saying this after last year?” Letting out an exasperated huff, they continue, “To think; I try to help you, and this is the thanks I get?! You think it’s fun teasing me, huh? Can’t stand the fact that I’ve gotten over your little stunt? That I’m not falling over myself to kiss the very ground you walk upon. That I’m not worshiping you like you're perfect or something? You’d like that, wouldn’t you?! You know what; fuck you Vil. Just leave me alone.”

Vil looked as if he had just been punched in the gut. It felt as if his heart had been ripped from his chest, thrown to the floor, and crushed beneath their shoe. He dashed after their retreating form, frantically spewing words that he desperately hoped would make the situation better.

“I-I’m so sorry for what happened then! I was blind– A fool!! How could I ever treat such a sublime being like that?! I promise I’ll fix it! I’ll make it up to you! I’ll do anything! Wait! Maybe you’re upset because I didn’t have anything prepared for you during my confession! I’ll fix this! You deserve everything! I’ll give it all to you!! Flowers and sweets! Perhaps you want cosmetics and jewelry? Or clothes? Or maybe a poem?! Even a simple card or note would have been enough to show that these feelings are more premeditated than a passing fancy! To prove that what I feel for you is genuine and not merely an impulse. How could I be so foolish to try to confess without a suitable gift to fit a person of your caliber?! [Name], wait, please!!”

Vil continues to bound after them, desperately trying to convince them to respond to him. To slow down and stop slamming doors in his face. To stop stomping their way back to their dorm. Hell, even them looking at him would be enough. Even if it was out of hatred, he needed their eyes to be on him. To feel acknowledged by them. To know that he still held a place in their world. Even if that role was one of the despised, he’d be happy to know that they cared enough to feel something for him. He could work with ‘Something’. He’d show them. As long as their eyes were on him, he could prove that he’s worthy of their love. That he can make up for the past. That he’s not the same heartless fool that had the gall to turn them down so mercilessly a mere year ago.

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The girl stood alone in the room. Picking up the apple that had fallen from Vil’s hands when the potion she made for him started kicking in, she stared at it and traced her thumb over the spot he had bitten. The flesh of the fruit was discolored, tinged a soft shade of pink instead of its usual off-white. She was seething. He had been taken from her. He was supposed to be hers! But they got in the way. She would fix this. She swore that she would. They wouldn’t get in her way again.

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They stepped out of their dorm and felt an uneven texture beneath their foot, along with hearing the sound of crinkling plastic. They didn’t even have to look down to know what it was at this point; another damn bouquet. They hadn’t even gotten any breakfast yet and they were already done with the day. Letting out an irritated huff, they scooped up the newest gifts and added them to the ever-growing pile that was now looming over them. 

It has only been a few weeks since the incident on Valentines and ever since Vil has been religiously sending them gifts. Every day, the gifts would be waiting for them outside their dorm. It didn’t matter if they had just gotten up or just got back from classes, the gifts would be there waiting for them. Every. Single. Day.

Some of the gifts were the common symbols of love that one would expect. Sweet treats like chocolate covered strawberries and heart-shaped confections, exquisite flower arrangements, and absolutely adorable plushie versions of their favorite creatures. Others could have been considered heartfelt- if not for the circumstances. Care baskets brimming with necessities and luxuries alike, beautiful bento boxes containing scrumptious healthy dishes, cosmetic goods meant to improve the users health as well as polish their appearance, and the highest quality supplies for their hobbies. Then there were the really extravagant gifts. The ones that would easily cost more than their whole dorm building and everything in it. Enough glittering jewelry to allow one to shimmer brighter than the stars in the night sky, name brand clothing that–alarmingly–were perfectly tailored to their size (they recoiled in disgust at how he could have gotten this information), trinkets and baubles made from precious metals and fine gems that served no purpose other than being aesthetically pleasing, and any other expensive item that they had even considered wanting.

And then there were the notes. So. Many. Notes. There were letters and poems. Sonnets and soliloquies. The font was always ornate and showy, likely having been penned out with a quill and ink, and some cards even appeared to have a spritz of his perfume in them, allowing the scent to waft out upon being opened. Each of which was flowery in language and insistent in the earnestness of his feelings. Some commented on how they had to take better care of themselves; how their sleep schedule was all over the place, that they were working themselves too hard, that they weren’t getting the proper nutrition, and so on. He rambled about how he could take much better care of them; that he could pamper them and handle everything so they could simply let their beauty shine without the stress of daily life getting in the way. He commented on how a person of their caliber deserved to be living in a mansion and not in some squalid dorm. He went on and on about all the things that he claimed they deserved, that he could provide them with should they simply allow themself to be his. As much as they wanted to toss the notes out, burn them with fire so they can’t be burned into their memory, they kept each and every one of them. There was no sentimentality to it. They would serve as evidence if they ever needed to get the teachers or law enforcement to intervene in the future, should it ever come to that.

The gifts, on the other hand, were a different story. They tried giving them back to Vil, telling him to return them and get his money back. He acted shocked at first, like he couldn’t understand that someone wouldn’t want the marvelous gifts that he had given them. But then he became insistent that they keep the gifts. He seemed to be laboring under the delusion that they didn’t want the gifts because they felt “unworthy” of them or that they were simply “unaccustomed” to being treated in the way that they deserved, to which he did everything in his power to reassure them that they are worth every penny spent and more. What he didn’t understand is that the sole reason they didn’t want his gifts is because it was him that gave it to them. No matter how much they insisted, he refused to take the items back. They ended up pilling it all up in their room, refusing to give him the satisfaction of using or partaking in anything he had given them. They’d sooner give it away, then use it themselves.

Worst of all was the source of all this himself. Every time they ran into Vil in person, he would try to dote on them. He was like a peacock, constantly preening and showing off in a desperate attempt to catch their attention. He always seemed to have some hairbrained scheme, ranging from messages written in rose petals to invitations for extravagant events, all with the end goal of getting them to love him back. He would present them with desperate acts of love, spewing his pathetic rambles of “Lovely results, don’t you agree? Lovely just like me! Aren’t I the fairest of all? Hey, hey– I’m perfect, aren’t I? Please, I’ve done so much for you. If you say no, I’ll cry!” and “I’m doing so well, have you heard? You see–You see! I'm perfect for you!”. They had taken to flat out ignoring him, hoping that he’d just move on when he finally took the hint that they weren’t interested. They tried to be polite at first but they were sick of it. They were sick of him. Was this just a game to him? What was wrong with him? Why was he like this all of a sudden? They just wanted this all to stop. They were tired.

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The sharp clacks of high heeled shoes can be heard heading out of a room used for Alchemy lessons. Vil practically waltzes down the hall, proudly admiring his work; These potions will surely help him win their heart! A few flasks contained shimmering, vibrant substances that he planned on integrating into his beauty routine. Surely a few cosmetic potions would help him look exquisite enough to catch their attention. A little something to make his hair silkier here and a bit of magical cologne there would surely be enough to garner him at least a few extra seconds of their gaze. He fantasizes about how they might react to seeing him after these new additions to his beauty regimen. Would they look at him with a dewy-eyed desire? Perhaps reluctant admiration would be more realistic? Maybe they would even seek him out to compliment him, thus giving him the pleasure of basking in their presence! He sighs dreamily as he safely pockets these concoctions in the inner pocket of his jacket. He then reaches to the pocket of his pants to remove a vial of viscous, lime green poison. With the dreamy look still glistening in his eyes, he continues his daydreaming. Swirling the liquid around the tube it’s contained in, he fantasizes about using it against anyone that might be foolish enough to try and steal his dearest away from him or, Sevens forbid, try to ruin their perfection by corrupting their mind or marring their body! He had no set target in mind upon the initial brewing of this poison, but he’d prefer to have it just in case. He didn’t plan on using it unless he felt it was absolutely necessary. He knew how much of a kind heart his dearest one possessed. They would almost certainly react unfavorably if they found out he had poisoned someone for them, even if said person was a threat. He would hate to give them any reason to despise him, especially given the reluctance they exhibited to his advances thus far. But he would rather be safe than sorry. He was sure that he would end up needing it at some point. What if some brainless oaf tried to taint their perfection? Or some jealous brute tried to hurt them because of the attention he was lavishing them with? Or, Vil seethes at the very thought, what if that insolent brat Neige LeBlanche tries to steal them from him- like he has so many of the things that he so rightfully deserved? No, he wouldn’t let them be taken from him! They meant more to him than any acting role– any prestige or popularity– ever could. He needed to keep them safe, keep their perfect self from being tainted by all the unworthy spuds that surround them. Only he comes close enough to perfection to truly appreciate them. Only he has earned the right to their attention.

“VIL!” A loud shriek from the other end of the hall, followed by a quick succession of heavy footfalls interrupted his thoughts. He swiftly pocketed the vial of poison and turned to glare at the interruption. His eyes fell upon the girl from a few weeks ago. The one who had practically thrown a tantrum after seeing Vil lavish his attention and care upon his dearest [Name] instead of her petulant self. His face twisted into a scowl of disgust as the girl closed the distance between the two of them.

“How could you do this to me, Vil?! I went through all that effort– gathering ingredients, learning how to make the damn thing, hiding it from teachers and classmates and everyone– all to make that love potion for you! And you don’t even fall for me?! No! That slut had to get in my way, didn’t they! Why couldn’t they have just minded their damn business and left us alone!” The girl fumed, jutting about with jagged motions. She was near inconsolable, desperately reaching out to grasp onto Vil’s arm, uniform– anything she could get her hands on. Only to be met with a harsh tug, as Vil pulled himself out of her grasp, and a scathing glare. 

“What the hell are you talking about?” Vil’s voice was calm and cold, dripping with more venom than a snake’s fangs. He painstakingly brushes off his uniform and gloves, as if the mere touch of the girl was enough to bespeckle his pristine form with grime.

Not being blind to the intentions behind his actions, the girl simply grits her teeth and continues ranting; “It was supposed to be me! You should have looked at me first– you should have fallen in love with me! But that nuisance of a classmate of yours just HAD to get in the way! Why did someone as pathetic and worthless as th–ecck!”

Before she could finish her sentence, she found that one of Vil’s gloved hands had shot out and wrapped around her throat, leaving her to sputter and gasp for air.

“How dare you.” It started out as a murmur. A deadly whisper. His blonde locks parting to expose his purple eyes, dappled with pink, brimming like cauldrons with contents far deadlier than any poison he had ever brewed.

“How dare you try to sully their name with that foul mouth of yours! You are a loathsome piece of filth! What makes you think you could even be worthy of my attention?! What makes you think you could even come close to comparing to them?!” Despite the girl trying to pry his hands from her neck, his grip is unfaltering. He meets her resistance with only more hostility, pushing her and allowing her to fall and smack her head against the cold stone floor. As she tried to recover, she found a sharp heel digging into her stomach. Her desperate eyes met the cruel expression on Vil’s face.

“In a normal situation, I would have preferred to spare more of my attention to the muck on the bottom of my shoes than to the likes of you. But this isn’t a normal situation, now is it?” He presents the girl with a cold, closed eye smile. Any coherent words that the girl may have used to respond with are lost to yelps and whimpers as Vil’s heel presses further into her flesh, blood starting to pool and soak into her clothes. His smile drops upon the utterance of his next words, being replaced with a dead eyed stare; “You insulted them. My beloved. My dearest one. My most precious love! The most perfect person I have ever had the honor of laying my eyes upon! And you have the nerve to speak ill of such a sublime being.”

He cracks his knuckles and closes in on the girl, chuckling to himself as she desperately tries to distance herself from him. “You’ve certainly earned what is coming to you.”

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[Name] was making their way down the corridor, adjusting the straps of their pack and fantasizing about returning to their dorm room for some much needed downtime. Lessons had finished a couple of hours ago, but they and a few friends had met up for some studying before an important test. Vil had eagerly offered to tutor them on the subject but they immediately refused his offer. For the last few months, Schoenheit had been utterly insufferable. Refusing to leave them alone, he seemed to have devoted himself entirely to gaining their attention. He always wanted to spend time with them, both in and out of classes; offering unwanted advice about fashion and appearances along with offers for makeovers and self care days provided by him in his dorm room, as well as smothering them with attention, compliments, and gifts. They knew he liked them. It wasn’t hard to tell given the fact that they’ve had to turn down his confessions and actions numerous times already, but he just wouldn’t take the hint and leave them alone. What happened to him in the first place? He wasn’t always like this.

Once upon a time, it had been them who was pining for him. He was so regal, so sophisticated, so breathtakingly beautiful that they couldn’t help but fall for him. But they found out what the real Vil was like. They had tried asking him out, offering him flowers that they had grown, a hand drawn card, and a box of homemade chocolates. They knew they didn’t have enough money to buy anything that would even come close to the standard that Vil must experience as a famous actor, so they thought that handmade gifts would be better. Besides being more affordable, they also felt more genuine. They had put blood, sweat, and tears into making his gifts- quite literally since the flowers were a hassle to grow and often pricked them with their thorns. And how did he respond to their efforts? He laughed. He unleashed his barbed tongue, lashing them with his scathing words, and tossed the gifts in the nearest waste bin. It took time, and more tears than they wanted to admit, to get over this rejection but they had finally recovered. And now he wants back into their life? He tried to apologize and make up for the past. But it was too late for that. The damage had been done. Now, they wanted nothing more than to prove to him just how little they needed him. They didn’t need his gifts; often giving them to friends and classmates who had a greater need for them. They didn’t need his compliments. They had learned to love themself without the input from people like him. They especially didn’t need him to tutor them. They had their actual friends to help them with that.

Speaking of which, those friends had already parted a few minutes ago after some pleasant conversation and a chorus of ‘byes’. Ace and Deuce headed back for the Heartslabyul dorm, Epel for Pomefiore, Ruggie to Savanaclaw, and so on. They decided to close the distance between themselves and their dorm by passing through the hallways of the building they were in so they could exit out the other side. Any excuse to stay inside longer. To avoid the biting cold they knew awaited them outside these halls. Spring break was growing near yet it was still far too cold to be comfortable. They had their earbuds in listening to some upbeat music as a means to reward themself after all the work they had done while studying. They sauntered down the hallway, moving to the music, confident that no one else would be around to see them. As they made their way through halls and past classrooms, they thought they could hear some distant sounds over the music. They stopped their melody-fueled movements and removed an earbud. The sounds of a scuffle made itself clear as soon as their hearing was no longer muffled by the music. They quickly paused their song and stuffed their earbuds in their pocket. So what if they got tangled wires! Someone was in trouble!

Despite wanting to help, they still chose to be cautious. They made their way steadily, yet stealthily, to the source of the noise. The noise was close, just around the corner. They quickly pressed some buttons on their phone, drawing up the camera feature to peek around the corner without making their presence known. What they saw shocked them to their core. They saw Vil sitting in a mounted position atop another person. He was holding them down and beating them with his fist. They could barely make out any details about the person he was doing this to. There was too much blood. It pooled on the stone floor beneath the victim’s head, splattered on the walls, caked their face with a layer of dried-on grime that mingled with the fresh liquid– in the form of blood and tears– drawn out after each punch, and clung to the fabric of Vil’s gloves and clothes. They felt a queasiness pool in their gut at the squelchy ‘schmack’ sounds made after each hit, at the crimson being flung to all the surfaces in the vicinity of the violence. Vil suddenly stopped, letting his hands rest on either side of the person's head, staring down at their beaten form beneath him as he let out panting breaths.  

A quiet whimper filled the air as the person beneath Vil gained the strength to speak.

“Why, Vil … I loved you … I did this … for you … Made it … for you … All … for you …” She, since you could now tell by her voice that this person was likely a she, let out raspy breaths between each thing she said. She sputtered through the blood oozing out of her mouth to let out her small pleas for answers.

They nearly held their breath after this, trying to steady their breathing in the newfound quiet. They didn’t want Vil to know they were here. They thought the way he was acting recently was weird, but they never thought he'd go this far! They hoped he would be satisfied with the damage he had caused and just leave. Without him here, they could get her to the infirmary. Without him here, they could breathe easily again. Just please … let him leave. Their thoughts froze when they heard a shuddering chuckle. It started as a low laugh, quiet and breathy, before slowly rising in volume. They could see him shudder between giggles before throwing his head back as he let out a noise that could only be described as a cackle. A maniacal laugh that was punctuated by gasps for air. The sinister noise filled the hallway like a rolling fog, consuming anything within its vicinity in an aura of terror. They could feel the chills crawling up their spine, their knees turning to jello and threatening to give out beneath them, and goosebumps coating their skin in waves. They desperately clamped a hand over their mouth to prevent any involuntary noises of fear from escaping them– alerting this madman to their whereabouts.

And then, he spoke.

“You just don’t get it do you? What makes you think I would ever stoop low enough to even consider harboring feelings beyond contempt for a pathetic little thing such as yourself? You’re a fool to think I could ever love you. Even with the help of a love potion, you'd still be the detestable little fly that refuses to stop buzzing around me. I’ve read the letters you so obsessively sent to me. What a laugh!”

Vil’s voice takes on a tone of mocking imitation “ ‘A letter penned with charm and wit.’ What a baseless claim! Even with all the work you say you put into them, somehow the feelings never did fit, did they? To say ’I love you from afar’, as filthy a creature you are!” A jarring laugh cuts through the air as he continues with a quiet, cruel tone. “It’s not enough– You’re not enough. Just not enough… Only they are enough for me. They are perfection itself. They are everything I could ever need. And I will become everything they could ever want. And you… You tried to stand in my way.”

A small whimper echoes around the hall as Vil’s sharp, manicured nails dug into the girl's skin. His expression is hauntingly blank. Only his eyes reflect the sheer hatred that seethes forth from him.

“You want to keep us apart. You want to take me from them. Steal my time. My attention. My love! Steal it from the person who it rightfully belongs to. Who I want nothing more than to devote it to. All because you think that you alone are deserving of me? Don’t you get it?! My love for them is just too big, you filthy detestable pig!!”

As his yelling crescendos, he presses her shoulders further into the ground. Her pained noises seem to spur him on, as he continues with a sadistic grin. “And isn’t this so much more fun?! As you so needlessly keep repeating, ‘You did this all for me’ didn’t you? You pestered me like the bothersome little gnat you are, even going so far as drugging me just so I’d spare you a second glance. Such a shame that your plan didn’t work out the way you’d hoped.” Vil seemed to take on an air of fake pity before twisting into an expression of sheer smugness. “You should be thankful that I’m even sparing the time from my busy schedule to personally handle a pest like you. But I guess I should be more appreciative, shouldn’t I? If it hadn’t been for you drugging me with that love potion, I never would have come to the realization that I was in the presence of the perfect angel that is my lovely [Name]. I should reward you for that, should I not?” Reaching into his pocket, he gingerly removed a vial of lime green sludge and swirled it for the girl to see. “Don’t worry, this poison is relatively fast acting so you won’t have to wait very long for it to kick in. I can’t promise that it'll be painless though~”

They watched as Vil’s hand clamped around the girl's jaw, forcing her mouth open. Just as he was about to pop the cork off the bottle, they felt themself lurch into action. Pocketing their phone and tearing into their bag, they grab the first book that their fingers circle around.

Rounding the corner they hurl the book with all their might towards the man, while shouting at the top of their lungs: “Get away from her!”

Despite falling short of its target, the loud thump of the book along with their yell was enough to distract the man from spilling the poison down the girl’s throat. Both pairs of eyes flit over in their direction. Vil’s eyes, initially filled with bloodlust and rage at being interrupted from sealing the fate of this thorn in his side, quickly switches to panic as he recognizes the interrupter as the very person he was devoting this attack to.

“My love! This isn’t what it looks like, I-I…I swear!” He quickly stoppers the vial and puts it in his pocket, positioning himself in a way to better face them and raising his bloodied palms to them as if that would exemplify innocence. Their knuckles whitened around the strap of their pack as they readied another book to use as a projectile.

“I don’t want to hear it, Vil. Just– just get away from her!” They did everything in their power to appear as intimidating as they could. To push down the waves of fear coursing through them. To stop the shaking that would have otherwise wracked their body and seized their voice. They had to be strong. For their sake and the sake of that girl. Any sign of weakness from the prey could inspire the predator to strike.

“[Name] please, you have to understand. She was a threat to us–”

“There’s no ‘us’ Vil! There never has been— there never will be! I don’t care what you think she’s done! How could you do this to her– to anyone?! You’re sick! Just get back!”

Vil looked as if he had been struck. His eyes were hurt and pleading. They’d almost say he looked like a kicked puppy, if it wasn’t for all the blood staining him and the rest of this horrid scene. This distraction on Vil’s part was enough for the girl under him to point a bloodied, shaky finger at them. Her expression was desperate and pleading, but her eyes: Her eyes were vindictive. Her eyes were blaming.

“You…” She spoke with a wavering voice “...did this… You need to help me… It’s your fault after all! This would have never happened if you had ju–Mmph!”

Vil slapped his hand over the girl's mouth, slamming her head back against the ground. Within an instant, his hurt expression had been replaced with the cruel glare that he now directed at the girl. “You shut your filthy mouth! They have the kindness to try to spare you from the fate that you so rightfully deserve! To pardon you from all the misdeeds that you have so carelessly affronted them with– and in response to their boundless patience you only try to insult them more?! You’re even more despicable than I thought you could be.” His expression softened as he turned back to them, moving to stand up and approach. “Darling, don’t listen to her. None of the blame rests on your shoulders, I assure you. It’s all her fault.” He turns to glare at the girl as he says this before turning back with a look that could almost be considered soft. He advanced towards them slowly, as if he was approaching a skittish animal. “I know you're a kind soul. I know you don’t like innocent people getting hurt. But I can assure you, this one is not innocent. They’re not worthy of your kindness. I’m just doing this to protect you– to protect us! She would have gotten in our way. You have to believe me!…My–my love? My love, you’re shaking…”

Despite their best attempts to keep their fear from presenting itself, they couldn’t stop the quacks that wracked their entire body. They clenched onto their school bag like it was a lifeline, holding it in front of them like a shield. “You’re sick, Vil! You’re a– a monster! Stay…stay back! Stay away from me!!”

He took in the sight of their fear with a look of terror adorning his own face. He never wanted this. He wanted their attention to be on him– yes– but not in this way! He wanted their love! Their affection! Their adoration! He wanted them to care for him as he did them. He never wanted them to fear him– much less have to fear anything! How could he protect them from their fear if he was the source of it?

“Wait, [Name]! Please don’t be scared of me! I-I’m not going to hurt you- WAIT!” He shouts the final word as his nearing presence had finally become too much for them to bear.

They hurled the bag at him as hard as they could before sprinting down the hall. They were running on pure instinct, the adrenaline coursing through their system fueling their flight. Their thoughts were limited, focusing solely on getting away from Vil and getting help. They just had to make it out of this building and into a more populated area. Sharp clacking sounds followed behind them, along with shouts of “[Name], come back!” and “Please, [Name]!”. The sounds were getting closer and closer. They could see an exit in front of them. The door loomed ahead, like a beacon of light guiding them out of the darkness. It was Twenty feet away now. Fifteen feet away. Ten feet. Nine. Eight. Seven–

Just as they reached out, hoping to feel their fingers encircle the cold metal knob– to twist it beneath their grasp, to throw their weight against the door, to allow the biting cold of the outside world to wash over them– they instead felt slender fingers grasping around their bicep, yanking them back just far enough to leave them grasping at the air instead of the handle. Falling back a bit from the force of the tug, they felt something encircling them, effectively pinning their arms to their side. They could hear his gasps for breath, feel his chest as it rapidly rose and fell against their back. He was dragging them– nearly carrying them– into a nearby classroom. They kicked and writhed, fought and screamed. Throwing their head back in hopes of smacking against his nose and swinging their legs back to try to hit him in a spot they knew would stun him for just long enough to give them the upper hand. Fighting tooth and nail. Doing anything they could to escape the man holding them back from their freedom. From help. From safety. But he was stronger than them.

Damn his acting career for training him in ways to fight and defend himself! Damn his workout routine for ensuring that he was fit! Damn everything about him! Damn it all!

But it was too late.

Pushing open the door to the classroom, he pulled them inside. Twisting round, he slammed his back against the door– sealing it shut with his body weight. They could hear him panting, feel it tickling their ears and touseling their hair. The heave of his chest against their back rivaling their own frantic breaths. He gripped onto them like he was a drowning man holding onto a life preserver. They tried to wriggle from his arms but he would only hug them closer to himself, as if they’d vanish if he so much as loosened his grip.

Between heaving breaths, he panted out: “[Name]… Please…Please, just listen to me. I can explain.”

They froze in their struggle, faking compliance so they could bid time until he eventually lowered his guard. He took their stillness as a sign to continue.

“You have to understand; I wasn’t going to hurt you. I would never hurt you! There’s no need to run from me. I was just trying to protect you. She would have only gotten between us! If she had her way, she would have taken me from you! She was desperate– crazy even! She would have tried to hurt you, I know it! I couldn’t have that happen!!”

As much as they wanted to snap at him, yell back about how he’s in no position to be calling someone crazy, they chose to take the safe route. Being antagonistic would only make him more unhinged and dangerous than he already was. If they tried to talk to him calmly, maybe they could get him to loosen his grip enough to be able to escape his arms and put some distance between them. With a shaky voice, from both nerves and from trying to catch their breath, they respond; 

“Vil…Ple–Please let me go. You’re hurting me.” They reached up to his arms, softly placing their hands on them in a way that could be interpreted as a reassuring caress but which was actually their preparation to rip his arms away at a moment's notice. It took everything in them to not recoil in revulsion and terror when they felt him bury his face in the crook of their neck. They could feel something wet staining their shoulder as he seemed to convulse; Was he crying? They could feel his breath escape in gasps as each sob echoed from him.

“It’s agony…” he whispered “I just can’t bear being away from you. I can’t bear it when you look at me with such disdain and fear. I’m going insane, I love you so much! Why can’t you see, it’s hurting me my sweet! Please just make the pain go away!” He burrowed his face further against their shoulder as he wept.

“It’s… it’s okay. We can… we can fix this. That girl drugged you with a love potion, didn’t she? We can get you an antidote. I’m sure Professor Crewel should be able to get you one. Then you won’t be in pain anymore!” They ended off with an optimistic tone, hoping that he would just go along with the plan.

There was a long pause. Neither of them spoke. Neither even moved. He seemed to hesitate for a moment, loosening his arms ever so slightly. They could see his hands shaking, feeling him quivering like a leaf in a windstorm against them. They tried to soothe him, gently rubbing his arm to try to coax him into fully letting them go while whispering variations of “It’s okay” and “You’ll be okay”. They felt him tense up and fall still. What happened? Did they push too far too fast?

Any hope they had that this situation could still be fixed was dashed when they felt his crushing grip return even tighter than before.

“… no. No, I won’t lose you. I don’t care if this is because of some love potion, my feelings for you are real! It simply helped me see. That’s it! It helped me see that you’re the only one for me! You’re all I love. You’re all I need! I thought I wanted the eyes of this whole rotting world, but I know now! All I need is your eyes on me!” If they could only see his face, they’d see the desperately lovesick look painting his features. “Love me I beg– just love me I beg! Take it! All of me! Just let me be yours! And you’ll be mine! I’ll take your grief and bury the key! I’ll give you everything you could possibly want! All I ask is for you to be mine!”

They writhed in panic at the extent of his mania. “Vil, please! There’s still time! We can still fix this! We can still get you the potion! We can get the girl to a healer and–”

“–Why do you care about her?! Why do you care about any of them?! I’m the best— aren’t I? I am the best, in our class they attest, I’m a boy far above all the rest. I’m better than those two friends of yours! Those fools Ace and Deuce— what do they have that I don’t?! I won’t be bested by all of the rest— of this pitiful school, I’m the head! What do you want me to change? I will be better for you! I’m better than those two, better than all! But you still prefer them. What must I do to have you look only at me?!”

In a burst of emotion, they tore his arms off of them. Scrambling away, they cowered behind a row of desks to force some distance between them. Their plan to try to calm him being thrown out the window in the face of these overwhelming emotions. Terror. Resentment. Rage. It had all boiled up inside of them and bubbled over.

“Why do I prefer them? Why do I prefer them?! Why the hell do you think Vil?! Maybe it’s because they’re my friends! Because they never hurt me like you did! Because they never made me fear for my life! Or overwhelmed me with gifts in some desperate attempt to buy my love! Maybe it’s because I don’t fucking hate them!” They continued shifting away, trying to distance themself from him as they yelled.

Now that they had broken away from him, they got a good look at his face. Mascara-laced tears streaked down his cheeks. There were flecks of blood splattered across him in splotchy patches. His eyes were wide and wild, making the pink streaks in his irises all the more clear to see. The desperate looking expression was only accentuated by the words that came out of his mouth:

“Please [Name]… Please don’t get angry…” [Name] watched with bated breath as Vil moved towards them, leaving the door unguarded. “Please don’t get angry. Don’t leave and abandon me. Please never say you won’t stay. I’m drowning in pain whenever you look at me with such hatred. It’s a curse in the brain! Take it–please take it away!”

But it seems he’s far too late.

They threw themselves over the row of desks, propelling themselves towards the door. They felt the sharp pang of pain spread through them as their body slammed into the floor. They could already feel bruises blossoming as they pushed themselves up and jolted for the door. The cool metal of the handle twisted under their grip, allowing the wooden door to start creaking open.

But a force pushes it back into place. The door slams shut again. They wrench at the knob, desperately throwing their weight back to try to pry it open, before noticing the hands on either side of their head. Vil was pushing the door closed, pinning them against its surface while doing so. They cowered against the hard wood, desperately wishing it would just engulf them and let them pass through. Vil’s expression was completely unreadable. His head was down, letting his hair block any glimpses at his expression. Refusing to lift his head and look at them, Vil moves his hands to hold their shoulders. He slowly collapses to his knees, his hands trailing down their arms until he reached their hands. Taking them in his, he gingerly leads them to his face. Ever so gently, he presses his forehead against the hands that he clasped in his own, allowing himself to graze over their skin as he lifts his head. He presses his lips against their knuckles with a reverent devotion, eyes trailing up to look upon their face. They could see the obsession swirling in his eyes. The normally purple iris tinged with pink, as well as little white hearts dotting about where normal light reflections would be, and with tears spilling forth. They could feel his hot breath brush against their hands, the vile concoction of mascara-blackened tears mixed with the splatters of blood wetting their skin. Fueled by fear and disgust, they pry their now slick hands from his grasp. Without missing a beat, Vil’s arms snake around their thighs. Fingers intertwining themselves into the fabric of their clothes, he buries his face into the cloth. The tears and blood seep into the fabric. Low, barely audible murmurs spill from Vil’s lips. They sound like gibberish at first, before gaining enough clarity and volume to be coherent.

“…Love me … Just love me … Please love me…”

There was a ringing in their ears and a pain in their chest. It was all too much. The fear was overwhelming. Weeks of resentment had built up to this moment. Tears spilled from their eyes. They snapped.

“How could I ever love you! With everything you put me through! You hurt me! You hurt others! I’ll never love you! This isn’t healthy, Vil!! Just stop this, please!” With each word they utter, they feel him cower and quake. “Just stop it!! Please stop it! Please!” Their words trailed off in a series of sobs and hiccups. If they hadn’t been preoccupied with their own wracking sobs, they would have noticed that Vil had fallen still. It was like a switch had been flipped. His murmuring started back up again, far clearer and louder than before.

“ … Give me your love … give me your love … give me your love … More and more, just give me your love! Love me I say– Love me away! Until I’m not completely sane!” He tilts his head up to look at them, parting the blonde curtains before his eyes. The same swirls of obsession dance around, intermingling with a fiery determination. “Look only at me! Please, I’m begging you! I will become all you could ever need! Just look at me and me alone!” Flecks of what appeared to be guilt and desperation joined in with the frenzy of emotions swirling about his eyes. He caught hold of their hand again, pressing their palm against the spot right atop his heart. “People just…people just– they’re not enough! Only you're enough! You just don’t understand yet. But that’s okay! This is all just too much to take in at once! There’s nothing for you to worry about. I’ll help you! I’ll shower you with my love so that you’ll never be able to deny it! We can be happy together, I promise! I just know that you’re perfect for me. And I’m perfect for you~  I won’t give up on you! I won’t let you go. There’s no other way for me to do this . . . Sorry for what’s coming.”

Those final words sent a spike of dread into their gut. In a last ditch effort, they try to push Vil over and run. Their shove is enough to throw him off balance at least, as they move to the side to escape his range. They’re not fast enough however. His hand shoots out and grasps their ankle as they try to flee. The force yanking them back is enough to send them tumbling to the floor. Their kicks and scurries aren’t enough to ward him off as he throws himself over them and straddles their waist. Vil gently cradles their face in his hands, softly caressing their cheeks as they get a clear look at his wild, mournful eyes and the smile that could've been considered reassuring if not for the situation at hand. Then his hands slipped from their face to their throat. Fingers encircling their skin as he grasps tightly. He gently shushes their protests, promising that “Everything will be okay” and that they “just have to go to sleep for a bit”. They can feel their lungs crying out for air, little black speckles filling the edges of their vision. They scratch desperately at his hands but he doesn’t budge, his gloves likely providing him with some protection. Their mind is addled and gradually ceases functioning. With the last remaining scrap of air in their body, they choke out a desperate;

“…Vi– … Plea– …”

Vil’s hands loosen for a mere second. He looks at them with a pitying look as more tears well up in his eyes. He coos out “Oh, my dear [Name] …” before resuming his efforts.

“I’m sorry, my love. I never wanted to do this to you. I don’t want to hurt you. But I have to! You’d run if I didn’t! And I can’t lose you to anyone, not even yourself. I’m going to take good care of you. I promise! You will want for nothing. I will give you everything you could possibly want! I will pamper you and cherish you! I’ll do anything for you! Just go to sleep. Sleep, darling. And when you wake, I'll be there to take care of you~”

And so, with no other choice, they did just that.

[nicoseyeliner]

Deep Dive Into Nicos Internalised Homophobia

Quote:

You can hold my hand in a crowded place

Just hope that they don't see my face

Car Lights - James Marriott

I feel that this quote fits Nico pretty well as he wants to be openly in a relationship with Will and show him off in public, but he feels that he cannot due to his past. As he grew up in Nzi Italy. This is relevant because the fact that male homosexuality was severely oppressed and shown as wrong when he was growing up. These thoughts would have been drilled into his brain and he would have been constantly told it immoral and wrong.

As much as I love Maria, she was most probably homophobic or not supported. Unless Hades sheltered both of the siblings they would definitely been homophobic at one point.

I also believe this quote represents Nicos internalised homophobia as he would feel like he isn't good enough and probably would be scared to show his face around his family.

In my opinion Nico probably hallucinated when he was in the jar, as tartarus brings out your worst memories and your nightmares, I feel like a lot of these would be nightmares of his friends and family finding out he is gay.

I just did some research and it says the Nzis campaigned against male homosexuality from 1933-1945, Nico was born in 1929, this means he would have been growing up during this time and probably would have been taught in school that is was wrong. Nico was put in The Lotus Casino in 1939. He also grew up in a heavy conservative Catholic household this means most of his family was probably homophobic and openly said bad stuff about that.

In the Percy Jackson wiki about Nico it mentions when he moves to America when the First World War begins. It mentions that he made a friend (Henry Whittaker), they played Mythomagic together and Nico mentions how he thinks Ares is pretty : (see below) Henry quickly said that was weird and stopped play with Nico.

This was Nicos first proper exposure to homophobia towards him. I believe that's why he kept so quiet about his homosexuality.

Cupids reveal of his crush on Percy made this worse (and in some ways better aswell) in my opinion as Nico saw that it was ok to be gay for the first time, but also he learn how unremorseful some people can be towards homosexuals.

I feel that when Nico was in Tartarus this may have worsened things as when entering he felt useless and no one cared about him.. this would have worsened things because he would have been stuck inside his head and only had his (mostly bad) memories in his brain.

When Nico was in the jar I believe he would have had bad hallucinations about his Grandparents; Bianca and Maria. As well as Hades saying that he would have preferred Bianca to have survived.

Hades saying this about Nico and Bianca would have heavily worsened Nicos already rapidly declining Mental Health, many people mischaracterise Nico that he is ruthless and doesn't care about others. This is completely wrong because he literally almost faded into the shadows to get the Athena Parthanos back to Camp Halfblood. This shows that no matter how many bad memories at camp: Such as finding about Biancas passing and Bianca leaving him to join the hunters, the fact that he risked his life show s how much he has grown to care about the camp.

I personally believe that Nico would struggle a lot with gaining the weight and coming back to a normal weight and normalise not constantly feeling hungry.

I feel Will would also help aswell and be Nicos emotional rock, help him get through everything and be his therapist ( to an extent)

pt2?

@the-dying-sun7

@agentwaffle

[cookiewoli]

Moon's whisperer chap 7

This chapter is linked with this Elsie's quotes:

Cassius had a few seconds before reacting and leaping towards the cliff. A piece of Elsie's top caught and tore as she fell at high speed, screaming. Immediately she thought: "Is this it, am I going to die?"

Just as she hit the ground hard, she felt someone grab her firmly from behind, before she crashed in a cloud of dust.

Stunned for a few seconds, she wondered what had just happened. A warm embrace snapped her out of her confusion. Is she still alive? How come? The tinnitus was hellish, and her vision was slightly blurred. She felt air on the back of her neck as Cassius coughed at the sand around them.

That was it, she had 100% come to her senses. Cassius's arms were wrapped around her like a suit of armour. She could feel the warmth emanating from his skin, his breath on the back of her neck, and she could almost hear his heart beating. Or was it hers? The embrace gradually loosened, and Elsie struggled to her feet; her whole body ached, especially her foot. Turning, she saw Cassius lying on the ground.

With incredible reflexes, he had leapt towards the cliff, put one foot against the wall and propelled himself into the air to catch her in mid-air and break the fall. It must have hurt him the most when he landed. He got to his feet in pain, furious:

"I told you not to climb up here without my permission!!!"

Elsie noticed that his hair on the side of his head had taken on a red dye, and he also had abrasions all over his arms.

"Why didn't you listen to me?! Imagine what would have happened if I hadn't caught up with you! You would have died crushed to the ground!"

Elsie lowered her head in shame, biting her lips to stop herself from crying, especially as she had the impression that everything was spinning, spinning, around her. As if everything were unreal.

Once again, someone had been hurt because she hadn't listened to the warnings.

Some time before her arrival at the Sandrock camp, her mother Mabel had been injured because Elsie had brought a giant duck back to the ranch, even though her father had forbidden her to do so. As a result, her mother broke her arm. And then, right now, Cassius got hurt, and she almost died, because she get big-headed and went upstairs without listening to his instructions. This time she had to face up to her mistakes: with her parents, she took the easy way out and ran away from home to get some perspective on herself. Clearly, this journey was in vain, as she remained the immature child she was when she left Sandrock. She arrived here full of resolve. Which she isn't capable of keeping.

Cassius murmured, his eyes empty and his face grim:

"I have failed again..."

Before turning his back and going to sit on a rock further away. Elsie followed him, seeing the blood staining his white hair more and more. What did he mean by "I failed again"?

"You're hurt! Let me check-

-LEAVE ME ALONE.

Elsie recoiled at Cassius's tone of voice. He sounded angry. It was only the second time she'd heard him talk like that, but she knew that in this kind of situation, it was better to leave him alone.

-... Please."

He stood up again to go and sit down further away. She had clearly crossed the line. Her immaturity had almost killed two people. It was all her fault. Again. This time she couldn't help bursting into tears. She fell to the ground with her fists clenched and let out a faint cry of despair. This was too much. "Why am I like this? What's wrong with me?" She really had to get a grip on herself. What would happen the next time she made the same mistake? The best thing would be to never make it again. But every time she tells herself, with determination, that she'll change, she realises a few days later during an event that she was wrong. Some people change, for better or worse, but not for the same. Elsie thought she was a bad person. And that she had probably always been. And will always still the same.

She heard Cassius in the distance repeating to himself:

"I've failed again..."

Before burying his face in his hands, back bent with one leg frantically slapping the floor. His breathing was rapid and loud to hear. No doubt he was in the early stages of an anxiety attack? You could even hear a few hiccups... Just goes to show, even the most imposing man can cry. Elsie felt even more like a horrible person, to make someone cry. Especially a friend... Especially Cassius. It's not the first time people have suffered because of her.

She tried to move closer to him:

"I'm so... I'm so sorry...!

She cried harder and harder.

-It's my fault again...! I-I should have listened to you...

Cassius didn't answer. His back was still to her as he applied a compress to her head wound. No idea if it hurt, because he didn't seem to be complaining about his injuries.

-Because of me... You got hurt, a-and I almost died...!

Talking was becoming increasingly difficult for Elsie. She managed to say a few words between hiccups of tears.

-Sorry...!"

She clutched at Cassius's shoulders. He had abrasions there too, and particularly all over his back. She put her head against his back as she continued to cry, repeating "Sorry... Sorry...!"

Everything blurred in her head. How could she look him in the eye again after what had just happened? She was so ashamed, she thought again of running away. But that would just be repeating mistakes, without any moral high ground. She owed Cassius her life now, and she was prepared to do anything to repay that debt. She still had to make sure she didn't get kicked out of the camp... Perhaps Panah would banish her because their best blacksmith risked his life for an arrogant little girl who wasn't worth it.

Cassius turned slowly to look at Elsie. Her eyes were red, and her face was flooded with tears. You could tell she was terribly upset. But Cassius was glad to see that she was all right. Her childlike face had only a few grains of sand on it, but no scratches. He gently placed a hand on her head. He tried to smile, despite the fact that he too had been crying.

"At least you're safe..."

Elsie looked away, ashamed. He'd never want to talk to her again, that was for sure.

"I hope at least you've learned your lesson..."

How could he forgive her? She nodded rapidly anyway. Surely now she wouldn't make the same mistake a third time. But it took a near-death experience to realise that.

"Um...

Cassius pointed at her.

-What?

She wiped her nose with a wave of her arm.

-Your top's torn."

Because of all the stress she was under, she hadn't even noticed that her T-shirt was torn in two, and on the front too. Part of her torso was visible, including her bra. She gave a slight cry and immediately put her arms against her to hide her body.

"Damn! I really liked this top, I wear it all the time!

-Don't worry, we'll find you other clothes at the camp."

He pulled off his top with difficulty. Maybe indeed, his wounds hurt.

"W-what are you doing, freak?!"

Elsie looked away from the shirtless Cassius. He handed her his top.

"Put this on while we're back at the camp. You're not walking around like that.

-I-I don't want it!"

It was far too embarrassing to wear his top. Especially since he'd worn it before!

"As you want. Everyone will see you're wearing a cutie yellow bra with a yakmel sewn on it.

He shrugged and was about to get dressed, when Elsie held out her hand towards him.

-I've changed my mind!"

He laughed and handed her his top. She put it on and... As you'd expect, it's much too big. She looked stupid dressed like that. Cassius remarked:

"At least it hides the ripped part of your shirt."

Anyway, it's temporary. And she didn't have much choice...

Elsie walked over to the big bag next to her and opened it, looking for a water bottle and a first-aid kit. But to her surprise, she found another bag wrapped in cloth, stuck at the very bottom. Curious, she took it out and inspected it.

"What's this bag? What's inside it?"

Cassius made a startled noise and reached for the bag, but it was too late as Elsie opened it to find a whole bunch of food, including fruit, vegetables and a sandwich. There were drinks, some napkins, and a note.

"Is this... A picnic?"

She looked at Cassius, who had turned red. He seemed to know all about it. Elsie inspected the note. It was from Panah:

"Here's a picnic for you two to share! Have a good time together. Panah. ;p"

The smiley face made her laugh, as she imagined Panah making the same expression, then she stifled her laughter, because the mood wasn't appropriate. How are they supposed to eat together as if nothing had happened...? This is no time to be eating a picnic. Cassius needs healing. But that didn't seem to be his point of view:

"Since it's open... Might as well eat.

-You're joking, right? You're bleeding from the head and you're covered in abrasions!

Elsie lifted the cloth from Cassius's head to check the wound.

-Don't worry, bleeding from the head is always intimidating, even if the wound isn't serious."

From Elsie's point of view, the wound was not to be taken lightly. It was large, with some depth. As she stroked her hair in passing to examine the rest of the head, she thought, "They're soft..." Before Cassius dismissed her touch with an annoyed wave of his hand.

"At least eat something from the bag before you go. You must be hungry after all morning climbing.

-Then eat something too!"

She picked up an apple and held it out to Cassius. He looked from the food to Elsie, several times, before sighing and taking it, biting straight into it, then turning his head away. Elsie felt as if she'd given an apple to a horse, just like at the ranch. She remarked:

"You've got hands, as far as I know.

-They're covered in sand, dust, and blood."

He showed her his two hands. Indeed, they are in no condition to be able to hold and eat anything with them... Elsie took another apple, then began to cut off a few pieces with the knife provided in the bag, placing everything as she went along in a clean cloth. Even though she's a terrible cook, she often helped her mother with meals by peeling and cutting fruit and vegetables. With a wry smile, she held out a piece to Cassius.

"If you want I can feed y-

-No."

He stood up and walked away a few steps further. I guess retreating is a common option with him... Shame, the situation would have made Elsie laugh a lot. Even if, once again, this isn't the best of occasions. She laid the cloth on a stone and joined him. She patted him gently on the shoulder.

"What?"

Elsie gently grasped his hand, and applied a wet cloth using the water gourd, to remove the dirt.

"What the f#ck are you doing?!

He recoiled in surprise.

-I'm cleaning your hands, so you can eat something by yourself."

He gave an annoyed grunt, but relented as she took his hands in hers again. Having your hands cleaned by a little girl... How embarrassing for him.

Once the necessary was done, he gently pushed Elsie away.

"It's all right.

She pointed to the piece of cloth on the rock with the apple pieces on it.

-Hmm.

He walked slowly over to it, with Elsie following in his footsteps.

-Thank you."

So he began to eat. Elsie took a few morsels too: all was done in silence. The wound seemed to have stopped bleeding, but Cassius's hair was still tinged with red. He paid no attention to it, but Elsie felt a shiver down her spine every time she looked at that big red spot in his black-and-white hair. The abrasions on his skin weren't severe, but as she inspected his wounds, she could see old scars on his arms and shoulders. After all, he'd been in the army, on the battlefield... These were battle scars.

"How... Did you do that to yourself?

She ran her index finger over one of his scars.

-Don't pay any attention to it."

Cassius waved his hand away again. Elsie felt more and more that a gulf had opened up between them. Cassius no longer looked her in the eye, spoke curtly as he had on their first meeting, and repelled all physical contact. Who wouldn't react like that after what had happened...? It was probably the end of their friendship. They'll go back to camp, and... They'll go their separate ways. Cassius would resume his work as a blacksmith, and she would continue to train with Panah, and chat with others around the fire, while Cassius would once again be alone at his booth. Suddenly, her morale took a big hit. These were her last moments with him. And she had nothing to say, except to apologize again. But that wouldn't change anything.

"Have you finished eating?

Elsie snapped out of her thoughts. She nodded sadly.

-Then we're going back to camp."

He set off to stow all the gear in the bag: harness, carabiners, ropes, water and picnic. He picked up his coat as he went and waved to Elsie, who joined him at a slow pace when he noticed she was limping.

"Your foot. Does it hurt?

-No, it's nothing. I just twisted my foot a little when I fell off the cliff.

He sighed again and put his things down.

-But I can walk, don't worry.

Cassius knelt down in front of her, and she understood at once that this was an invitation to get on his back.

-I told you I'll walk! I can walk!

-You'll make your foot worse if you walk all the way to camp.

Elsie hid her injured foot behind her other leg, embarrassed, as if that would convince him.

-You'll get even more tired if you carry me...

-So you'll carry the bag, my coat, and I'll carry you.

-But that's the same as you carrying everything!

-You'll have weight too. It's a sharing of tasks."

She didn't know what to say. She wanted to keep refusing, but if this was their last interaction together... If it's the last time she can be near him, then it's okay. She grabbed the straps of the bag and settled it on her back. The bag was heavy... But she'd had worse at the ranch. Cassius laid his coat over her, before kneeling down again. It's time... She stepped forward and pressed herself against him, arms around his neck. He grabbed her legs and stood up, as if she weighed nothing. She got a glimpse of the view you get when you're almost 2m tall. Quite a change from 1m50. Cassius began the walk.

"Rest up for the ride. I won't let you go."

Elsie was determined not to let him go.

She was bathed in a comforting warmth, between the thickness of her coat over her shoulders, and Cassius's body heat. She buried her face in the nape of his neck, to find comfortable support, while tightening her embrace, careful not to smother him. She'd never been able to interact with a man like this in her life. For a moment, she thought this moment would last forever. That it might even happen again. But once at the camp, Cassius would drop her off, walk away... Before never coming back to see her. It was time to enjoy these last moments. She closed her eyes and cleared her head.

She concentrated on her surroundings: The footsteps, the sounds of the equipment moving in the bag, their breaths, his warmth, his smell. He smelled like... A starry night. It's silly, but that's all that came to mind, even though this smell doesn't exist. How to explain it? She imagined a campfire under a starry night. A variety of foods were being cooked, and the smell rose bitterly to the sky. It smelled faintly of fruit, like the taste of lollipops Cassius always has in his mouth. The stars dusted over the fire, adding a spicy touch.

If she had to describe its smell in a few words, it would be a sweet, slightly pungent scent that both cools you down and warms your heart.

The smell was like his personality. At first sight, pungent, cold, repulsive and unpleasant. But once you get used to it, you detect softness and warmth. And it's these two aspects of him that Elsie appreciates. She can't say she prefers Cassius only when he's nice. Even when he's cold and nasty, it doesn't change her opinion of him. He's still the same. He's still himself.

Half asleep, Elsie began to cry again, silently. Even though she was hiding it, Cassius could feel her tears against his skin. He thought again that it was all his fault. He should have been more careful. He should have been clearer. Explained the dangers better. Maybe he's bad at explaining. Maybe he's a bad mentor. He couldn't protect her. She fell, and even though he saved her, it was all his fault. He blamed himself for everything, and Elsie felt the same way about her. Mutually, they blamed themselves.

Just when they thought it was their last time together, they arrived back at camp.

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