#i laughed so hard my cat FLED my lap

[charmac]

LMFAOOOOOO. AND THE REASON THIS LINE FROM MAC DID NOT MAKE IT INTO THE EPISODE... ANY GUESSES!????

[scottybrock]

The Show - Beck/Jade/Reader

A/N: THIS IS MY FIRST TIME WRITING A FIC THAT HAS A POLY COUPLE IN IT, PLS DON’T ROAST ME

“Move,” Jade ordered, slamming her lunch tray on the table. Tori glared at her, but Jade was unfazed. “You kissed Beck during your first week here,” Jade reminded the thin brunette. Beck scrunched his nose at the reminder, subconsciously lifting a hand to wipe at his lips. “That was because you poured coffee on my head!” Tori whined. 

You glanced at Jade, who smirked. “Be glad it was iced coffee,” Jade responded, roughly shoving her way between you and Tori. “If you ever try to put your dry lips near my girlfriend, you’ll have to worry about more than a cup of coffee.” Tori yelped as Jade slammed her hip against hers, but you welcomed the contact, leaning closer to your girlfriend. A small smile pulled at the corners of her lips. “Hey,” You grinned. Jade’s bright blue eyes lit up, and her expression softened. “Yeah, hey,” She grumbled. Beck shifted closer to you, wrapping an arm around your waist. “Hey babe,” He greeted. Jade rolled her eyes at him, but a soft smile spread across her face. “Whatever.” She grumbled.

Tori tilted her head, her brows furrowing. “How is it that Jade has not one, but two significant others, and I’m single?!” She whined. You exchanged a look with Beck, then rolled your eyes. Jade glared at Tori. “What’re you trying to say, Vega? That I’m hideous, so therefore I deserve to die alone?” She snapped. You nuzzled your face into the crook of her neck, pressing a light kiss to her neck. 

Her glare softened as she turned to you. “Excuse me, I’m trying to scare the wazz out of Vega,” She murmured, trying to stop the giggles that were building up in her chest. You pressed another soft kiss to her neck, and she sighed, her tense posture relaxing, leaning against you. Beck leaned over and brushed his lips over Jade’s. “Yeah, but there are more… pleasant things that we can be doing with that time,” He smirked. You lifted your head from its comfy place to turn around and kiss him, your tongue pressing against the seam of his lips. 

His response was immediate; he gripped your hips with bruising force, pulling you onto his lap. Jade leaned over to scatter rough kisses along your neck, biting lightly at your soft skin. “Guys,” Tori cleared her throat. You ignored the waifish brunette, running your hands along Beck’s back, pulling him impossibly closer. Jade’s kisses and Beck’s tongue were doing things to you that weren’t entirely appropriate in a school setting.

With great reluctance, you slid off of Beck’s lap. His hands gripped your hips as if to hold you there, but seeing the determined expression on your face, he relented and gave your hips a final squeeze. Jade’s kisses tapered off, and you finally looked at the table. While you’d been occupied with your boyfriend and girlfriend, Andre, Robbie (plus Rex, but you couldn’t stand the puppet), and Cat had all found their way to the table. “Whoa,” Rex said. If he could, he’d be grinning like the little leper he was. “That was hot, babe.” 

Jade’s brows furrowed, a thunderstorm of emotions flickering over her flawless face. “Call my girlfriend babe again and you’ll lose an arm,” She snarled. Robbie shielded Rex protectively as Andre snickered. Tori looked on with an amused expression, a subtle smile curving her lips. Cat let out a high pitched giggle. “One time, my brother…” She started, then adopted an offended expression when your friends all groaned, nearly at the same time. “What’s that supposed to mean?!” She exclaimed. Jade ignored her, turning to Beck. “Get me coffee,” She demanded. You perked up, giving your boyfriend a hopeful look. Beck caved almost instantly. “What’s the magic word?” He asked playfully. 

Jade’s glare sharpened. “Now!” She snapped at the same time that you shouted “Please!” and offered your boyfriend a charming smile. Beck rolled his eyes at Jade, but bent down to press a firm kiss to her lips. Her expression softened, and she looked up at him with those beautiful blue eyes and uttered in a soft, sweet tone that she reserved only for you and Beck. “Please?” She requested. 

Beck’s handsome face lit up, a toothy grin settling on his lips. “Be back in a minute.” He acquiesced. As he walked away, Jade shouted after him, “Two sugars!” He turned back and gave her a thumbs up. Jade turned to her salad and began violently stabbing it as hard as the plastic fork would allow. You didn’t bother reminding Beck of your coffee order; after all, he’d been your boyfriend for almost three years. He knew what to do. 

You were broken out of your reverie by Tori asking Jade if she could have a cucumber from her salad. Jade glared at her frenemy. “No,” She snapped. Tori pouted, sticking her lower lip out. “C’mon, I just want an itty-bitty piece of cucumber,” Tori whined. Jade rolled her eyes, then picked up her entire salad, aiming it at Tori. Tori shrieked, ducking for cover. Andre immediately grabbed his backpack, ready to make a run for it. Cat was oblivious, eating her pizza without a care in the world. Robbie let out a whimper. You just watched, waiting to see what your beautiful girlfriend was going to do. 

Much to your amusement, she didn’t throw the salad at Tori. She chucked her half-eaten salad directly at Rex, and by extension, Robbie. The salad hit the two of them, landing with soggy splat. Robbie’s jaw hung open, his eyes wide. Jade glared at him. “That’s for calling my girlfriend babe,” She snarled. Robbie glared back at her, then immediately cowered away from her when he realized what he’d done. Without another word, he grabbed his backpack and his puppet and hightailed it away from the table. 

Andre and Tori laughed. You snickered, which brought a small smile to Jade’s flawless face. Jade raised an eyebrow at them. “I think you should leave,” She said, her tone matter of fact. Andre was well aware that when Jade used that tone, she wasn’t asking- she was telling. “Alright,” He acquiesced. “See you guys in Sikowitz’s class,” He stood, but Tori stopped him, furrowing her brows once more. “Why do we have to leave?” The songstress complained. Jade’s smirk sharpened. “Because,” She drawled. “While I no longer have a salad to throw at you, I have these,” With that statement, she whipped a pair of scissors out of one of her boots. 

Tori had a look of absolute horror on her face as she fled the table, with Andre following close behind her shouting, “Why’d you hafta ask why?!” Cat followed behind them, gleefully proclaiming, “Weee! I love running!” You giggled, pressing a soft kiss to Jade’s lips. “Wanna tell me the real reason you scared everyone away?” You asked, your voice teasing. Jade’s perfect lips curled into a soft smirk. “Maybe I just want to spend time alone with my boyfriend and girlfriend,” She replied, shifting so that you could pull her closer, your legs brushing against hers, then finally entwining. You pressed a hand to your chest, your voice playfully mocking. “Jade West, whatever do you plan on doing with me?”

Jade’s gorgeous face lit up, her smile roguish. “Oh, I plan on doing a lot with you,” She murmured. Your cheeks flushed, and you nudged her. “Oh yeah? Like what?” You teased, your lips brushing gently over the shell of her ear. She shivered. “Maybe when Beck gets back… We can go to the janitor's closet and ditch fifth period,” You suggested. Jade’s cheeks flushed, the redness contrasting quite lovely with the paleness of her skin. Her smile was uncharacteristically shy. “I’d like that,” She replied softly. 

Beck returned, balancing three coffee cups. “Where’d everyone go?” He questioned, raising an eyebrow at the blush on Jade’s cheeks. You reached for your coffee, taking a quick sip. “That’s not of importance right now,” You replied, a devilish smirk appearing on your face. Beck’s other eyebrow rose; he knew when you had that look on your face, trouble wasn’t far behind. “Oh yeah?” He asked, handing Jade, who looked rather flustered, her coffee. “Then what is of importance right now?” 

Your smirk grew and you glanced over at Jade, who was squirming in her seat. “The important thing right now is that our girl has some needs that need to be taken care of.” You replied. A matching smirk flashed over Beck’s face. He turned to Jade. “Is that so?” He looked unbelievably smug. How could he not be, when he knew that he was about to fuck two of the most gorgeous girls? “Well, babe. How about we move this somewhere else? Wouldn’t wanna give anyone a show, would we?” 

You shrugged, your eyes glinting playfully. “What if I would?” You teased. Beck’s eyes darkened, and Jade whimpered in the background. Beck set his cup of coffee down and pulled you to him, his hands gripping your hips tightly once more. “Fuck the janitor’s closet,” Beck’s voice was low and gravelly. “We’re ditching for the rest of the day. I’ll give you and Jade a show you won’t soon forget.” 

Jade stood on shaky legs, and you and Beck pulled her in close, so that you formed a small circle. Jade’s fingers ran up and down your leg, causing you to shiver. “I don’t doubt that,” Jade smirked. “Never had a reason to complain before.” You nodded in agreement. Beck growled lowly, moving one of his hands to grip one of Jade’s hips as well. “I’ve got no complaints on my end either,” Beck remarked, his dark brown eyes practically pitch black with lust. “Now get your sweet asses to the truck so we can get to the RV, and I can fuck you both into the mattress until the sun comes up.”

You grinned slyly at him, then glanced at Jade. “Can I fuck Jade into the mattress, too? You can watch.” Jade shifted slightly, letting out a soft whine. She loved that idea, and it was obvious Beck did too, as he pulled you into a bruising kiss. You nipped at his lower lip, eliciting a low moan from him. “Get to the truck now,” Beck growled. “I’m gonna call us in sick. I want both of you in the truck and ready to go by the time I get back.”

“I’m already ready to go,” Jade grinned. Beck let out a soft groan. “Let me go call us in sick, stop tempting me.” Jade’s grin sharpened, and she collected the abandoned coffee cups. “We’re most certainly going to need energy to go until the sun rises,” Jade shrugged innocently. Beck grinned, then hurried back to the school. The lunch period was long over, but the fun was just about to begin. 

“Don’t take too long, or we’ll start without you!” You called after him. Jade laced her fingers with yours, and the two of you began walking to the truck. Her smirk would have made the devil proud. “I like the way you think.” 

You grinned at her. “And I like the way you taste.” Jade’s cheeks flushed once more. “Ditto. I like the way you taste. Now stop talking, or we’re really going to have to start without Beck.” She grunted, opening the door for you. You pressed a soft kiss to her lips in thanks, then slid into the car. Jade joined you seconds later, resting her head on your shoulder. You wrapped an arm around her to pull her closer. She inhaled deeply, then snuggled closer. 

The driver’s side door opened, and Beck slid in. “We’re all set,” He told you and Jade. His dark eyes glinted with the promise of pleasure and love. “Are you ready?” Jade made a soft noise of affirmation. You grinned back at him, your eyes twinkling. “Always.” You replied. 

Beck’s smile widened. “Then let’s get this show on the road.”

[donaweasley]

What If

Pairing: Loki x Fem! Avenger! Reader

Plot:

A silly game of “What-Ifs” between two friends eventually leads to the realisation that the future, if spent together, may not be as bleak as they had anticipated it to be. A dialogue-based best friends-to-lovers cliché.

Warnings: Relationship angst, too many dialogues, long read, happy ending!!!

Read time: ~28 mins

Author's Note:

It's a long read with far more dialogues than can be deemed healthy. The reason is, I didn't want their arc to feel rushed. It had to be cooked slow. Another reason is that, I can't help hearing my characters, and it triggers a flood of dialogues! I'm trying to work on controlling it. 😬 Hope you enjoy!

Now has a sequel: Their Little Secret

“C’mon! You’re breaking the rules now,” Loki casually waved his hand at his best friend.

“I’m not. There’s nothing to answer really,” (Y/N) replied with a shrug.

“There must be something on your mind!”

She pretended to think for a second, and shook her head.

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

It was a usual night in the compound. It was just another night when one of these two friends had called the other in the middle of the night for some midnight snack. It was just another of those happy times when they had tiptoed into the kitchen like thieves because...no, no one would mind some missing nachos or ice creams, but because it was fun!

It wasn’t easy for Loki to open up to someone, let alone to allow the other person in. Neither was it easy for (Y/N) to trust somebody, given her past, especially when that somebody was infamous for betraying almost everyone, at every step, not to mention his attempts at ruling Earth and causing massacre.

But time is a healer and a magician.

And here they were now, looking at the moon-washed night life through the west-facing glass wall, and playing a game of “what-ifs”. One would say that it was silly and immature; some would even call their talks gibberish. But when the night was so relaxed and carefree, why wouldn’t they be?

The pale yellow orb hovering above the western horizon cast a soft ray of light through the glass wall. Oblivious to its movements across the room, Loki and (Y/N) were wrapped in a thin blanket on a couch, their feet resting on two separate pouffes.

It had all started with a silly question, something like, “What if you weren’t stuck in this building tonight?”, or something along those lines; they didn’t even remember correctly anymore.

One question led to the other, and soon they found themselves tangled in a game of questions that would have been enough to create an alternate reality. But eventually, they found themselves, not answering with imaginary scenarios, but debating over one particular question:

“What if you find the love of your life tomorrow?”

This question was posed by Loki, rather theatrically, amidst the many others that had tossed different possibilities of their near future. And it was here that (Y/N) refused to play along anymore because, as she stated, it was “the most silly question ever”.

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

“So, you claim that my question is even worse than your ‘What if you were a Jotun cat’? What kind of a question is that anyway?” Loki teased.

“Of course, it is. Undoubtedly!” With one wave of her hand, (Y/N) dismissed his appeal.

“And how is that even logical, may I know?”

“C’mon, this entire game is out of the boundaries of logic,” she claimed. “Your behaviour is like that of a cat. Don’t make that face; it brings you closer to being a cat. And...a Jotun cat sounds cool!”

Loki sighed. “And my question is ridiculous! If the game is beyond all reason, then...” he shrugged, “say something...weird, and move on!”

“Fine! If I-if... If I meet the love of my life tomorrow,...I’ll stab him. Or her. Or them. I don’t even know.” She huffed.

“Ouch!” Loki made a face, ”Didn’t see that coming. I would enjoy the stabbing part though. Thank the Norns, you never declared your feelings for me!”

She looked at him sideways with a stern face. Loki noticed the irritation simmering just beneath her skin, ready to burst out at the next prodding.

“Hey,” he placed a hand on her arm, “what happened? Was it something I said?”

She turned her face away. But Loki wasn’t giving up that easily.

“(Y/N),” he gently tugged at her arm, “look at me.”

When she finally turned towards him, he held her by the shoulders just to make sure that she couldn’t move away again.

“Now, you’ll tell me everything. What happened?” He inquired again. “I thought you were having fun.”

“It’s nothing Loki, it’s just that...you know I don’t like discussing my non-existent love-life. It’s...it kind of makes me...sad sometimes. Especially in a setting like this!” She waved her hands at her surroundings. “I mean, look at it, a full moon, a silent night, blankets and… It just leaves me with this reminder that I’ll be alone all my bloody life!”

Loki’s hands slowly retracted from her form and folded themselves on his chest. And just like that, they both found themselves staring out of the window.

“I’m sorry,” Loki’s voice audibly reflected the guilt that had formed within, “I never intended to...”

“No, you shouldn’t be. It’s...I overreacted. I’m sorry, Loki. I just ruined the mood. Shit! And it’s not my hormones, mind you!”

“I know,” Loki chuckled. “And you did not ruin anything. It’s natural to feel, isn’t it?”

She looked at him with a raised brow, “Somebody’s learning!”

“Somebody’s got a good teacher,” he smiled.

“Aww!! I love it when you acknowledge my awesomeness!” She wrapped an arm around him, pulling him in closer, and pinched his cheek.

“Ugh! Let go of me! Let...go!!”

The room was filled with (Y/N)’s cackles and Loki’s threats as he wriggled out of her grip.

“Do that one more time, and I’ll stab you!”

But it wasn’t enough to stop her chortles.

“Would you now?” she teased, and raised her hands again in a faux attempt at squeezing his cheeks.

He swatted them away.

“Stop it!” He warned again, only to emanate snorts from her.

But the next second, his voice changed into a compassionate one, “Why do you think you’ll be alone all your life? How old are you anyway? 80? 90? Isn’t that supposed to be old in human years?”

Once again her cheerful mood fled behind a thick curtain of annoyance. But this time she did not look away. She simply rolled her eyes, and pulled her legs from the pouffe to sit cross-legged, and shifted to face him.

“No, I’m not that old. But why are you suddenly so interested in this topic?”

“Because suddenly, you seem to have found an interest in getting annoyed.”

“Then don’t annoy me.”

“Not in my nature, I’m afraid.”

She couldn’t decide whether to hit him or laugh at him.

“Loki-” She curled her fists and shut her eyes.

“I’m listening, darling,” he smirked.

Of course, she knew how stubborn Loki could be!

Who else would know that better than me?

“Okay,” she placed her palms flat on her thighs, “the thing is...I can never make a relationship last more than two years. I waste my time trying to establish a...a proper, long-lasting relationship - something permanent - and end up with a heartbreak. Every. Fucking. Time. I’ve given up. I’ve had enough! Now, even if anyone makes a move, or if I’m interested in someone, I just remind myself that it’s not gonna work! I just don’t put any effort anymore.”

Loki hummed in response; his eyes were focused on her as if he was trying to decipher a mystery.

“And,” she continued, “given my current ‘job’,” she air-quoted the word, “I’m more sure than ever that no one will last more than two months now!”

Once she voiced the storm in her head, her eyes softened and she looked down at her lap. Through hooded eyes, she stole a guilty, fleeting glance at her friend, who seemed to be musing about something really serious. His eyes were strained on the carpet, while his chin rested on a fisted hand balancing itself on his thigh.

For a long moment neither said anything. Only the distant buzz of the sleepless city floated through the air and filled the room.

It was Loki who disrupted the silence with a long and heavy sigh.

“I knew that Midgardian men were impatient, narcissistic-”

“Look who’s talking,” she smirked as she interrupted him.

He gave her a quick deadpanned stare before resuming, “-imbeciles, but I was beginning to think that they have good tastes in women. It’s disappointing, not surprising though, that they have proven me wrong.”

A small laugh almost made its way to its escape, but she pushed it back. “You think so?” She quipped.

He shrugged, “From what you’ve said, there is no reason to think otherwise.”

She sat a little straighter. “Really? Do go on!”

Loki immediately noticed the effect that he had planned for. Without giving away the joy of his small triumph, he continued, “Indeed! Look at you! You’re an amazing woman! You’re brave, witty, independent...smart...excellent with knives! And that’s my favourite thing about you, by the way. ”

Feigning offence, she exclaimed, “And I thought your favourite thing about me was that I tolerate all your tantrums, and keep up with your shenanigans.”

“I don’t throw tantrums, darling,” he pushed the accusation away with his silky tone, “and don’t tell me that you take no pleasure in the havoc that we wreck together.”

At this, she could no longer suppress the evil grin that spread across her face, “I do love a bit of chaos. It’s fun.”

“To think of it,” Loki added excitedly, “had you been on Asgard, you might have been the Goddess of Chaos!”

“Oh! Thank you!” She replied with a dramatic wave of her hands.

Both laughed at the way their words were unfolding.

“Thank you, Loki,” (Y/N) said after their little whirlwind of laughter had calmed down, “I guess I needed to hear something nice about myself. It’s been a long, long time since I heard it.”

“I meant every word of it,” he replied in a solemn tone that made something flutter in her chest.

Was it gratitude? Was it joy? Was it love for her best friend?

It was hard to tell. It seemed to be everything at once.

She simply smiled at him. “Even the ‘Goddess of Chaos’ part?”

“Especially that part,” he asserted, and she laughed.

“You’re the best, Loki!” She gave him a half hug.

“That, I definitely am. But you’re not too shabby yourself. And you should never ever be sad for someone else’s failure.”

“Alright, I get what you’re trying to do here,” she landed a playful punch to his shoulder. “I’m fine! Really! I just got a little carried away.”

“No, I really mean it,” he tried to assure her. “You are one of the most magnificent women I have known! And mind you, I’m rather picky in these cases.”

She laughed, “Of course, I’d know that! ... Loki, it’s...it’s alright. Some people just don’t have it in them to sustain relationships no matter how wonderful they are. I’m okay with it.”

“Come on! A narcissistic God is showering you with genuine compliments! And you’re still not convinced that it’s not your fault but of all those who failed to keep up with you?”

She tried another attempt at convincing him, “It works both ways.”

“Norns! I can’t believe you’re so foolish!”

“Enlighten me, please,” she drawled.

“I believe I have already established the fact that you are phenomenal.”

When she giggled and nodded, he carried on.

“Good. Now, your job, as you put it, shouldn’t be a hindrance in your relationship. You’re doing the marvellous job of being a guardian to thousands of people. People you don’t even know! How many would put their necks out there to do it?”

“C’mon, Loki, when duty calls, you have to leave everything behind and just go! Who’d tolerate that for days? They will snap one day.”

“I’d never do that!” Realizing his mistake, he quickly corrected himself, “What I mean is, had I been in their place, I’d have never done that.”

“That’s because you’re on the team,” she argued. “So, it’s normal to you.”

“No, it’s not because I’m on the team. I’d-” He sighed. “Fine, why don’t you try finding someone from this field? Stark’s parties are a great place to hunt humans.”

“‘Hunt humans’?” She snorted, “I like the sound of that. Nay, haven’t found anyone. Besides, mixing professional and personal life can be fatal. You never know when your personal life might get jeopardised because of a mission gone wrong. Y’know, the usual blame-game and all. I hate all that!”

Loki brooded over her words for a few seconds before asking, “I don’t get it. Why would it be fatal? I mean, look at us,” he gestured in between them. “We have a perfect understanding. We’d never blame the other for any petty thing. Or-or let it affect our friendship.”

“That’s because we have the perfect understanding, Loki! You said it yourself. It’s a rare thing that we have. And I can’t expect it to be with anyone else. They’re not you, Loki.”

“They’re not us,” he corrected her.

Joy seeped through his senses as he watched her face brighten up at his words.

With a nod, she continued, “You see, all that spark, excitement, promises - these sound really great at the beginning. As time passes, as the real world pushes in, love moves to the backseat. Love is not enough. There comes a time when you have to balance everything together, and love becomes one of those things. It becomes a chore.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t follow you,” Loki stated with a frown. “That sounds so sad!”

“It is!”

“Well, it shouldn’t be! Loving you shouldn’t be a chore! Let’s say...hypothetically...if I’m in love with you, then you’d be my passion. And passions never become a duty, not even in the worst of times. Instead, they help us breathe when everything comes caving in. You’d be my...my moment of peace in a war. How could I not be tempted to embrace this beautiful moment?”

“Unfortunately, Loki, that’s not how it works. See, when you have a lot on your plate, say your job, your dreams, your daily life and all the pressure that comes with these, you’ll find less and less time for your loved one. Things get hectic and eventually frustrating. You won’t be able to keep that flame alive even if you want to. And one day, you’ll come to realize that you have distanced yourself from your moment, even if you never wanted to. But it’d be too late. There’d be no going back.”

“I’d never distance myself from you! I mean, from my moment. I’ve been a king, and I know how taxing royal duties can be. Sometimes, it seemed like a luxury to get even a minute to myself.”

“See? So, how could you have found time for me?”

“I would have, darling. Not plenty, but whatever little time I’d have gathered, I’d have made them memorable. For you. For us. And maybe we could have gone on long rides occasionally. Rekindle the old flames? Or-or we could have gone on visits to other realms...for political reasons, of course, but could have taken the opportunity to spend a small vacation with each other. What do you say?”

Painfully tempting images of a life that could have been floated in her eyes.

“And what if we came back to Earth, and I got involved in...say, a job that was all hectic and left me all frustrated, and with little time for you?” She shrugged.

With a sigh, Loki shifted to face her fully. “We will take care of each other, (Y/N). If one gets low, the other pulls both up. And I know that together, we can do anything! I believe in you more than I believe in myself.”

She smiled brightly as she acknowledged, “That is...that sounds doable, yes.”

“You’re special,” he placed a hand on her cheek, “and you need to be treated in the most special manner. One that befits my queen.”

A moment passed between them as they looked into each other's eyes, both seeing the same beautiful picture.

His queen!

My queen!!

Wait, what is he...?

Damn! What am I doing! What will she...!

Loki cleared his throat as he abruptly pulled his hand back to his side.

“I’m sorry, I...”

“No, it’s okay,” she cringed at the way the words squeaked out of her. Clearing her throat, she continued, “We were just giving examples.”

“Yes, just examples,” he agreed.

“It’s fine! I understand.”

“Great! It’d have been quite...awkward...otherwise.”

“Oh no! It’s...uh...totally fine. We’re best buddies!” She gave his arm a light punch.

“Right!” He nodded, and focused his gaze on the floor.

After taking a minute to calm his heart, he wore his witty persona back.

“See, having a relationship is not at all tough. All you need is a good partner. And I’ve proved myself right again! No, wait. There’s something you mortals do. It’s...uh...about throwing something...”

“Goblets? We don’t do that. It’s you-”

“No, not throwing, it’s about dropping something...after you have proven a point...”

“...Mic drop?” She chuckled.

His eyes lit up.

“Yes! ‘Mic drop’. So, as I was saying, all you need to have a happy and successful relationship is a good partner. Mic drop!” He concluded as he mimicked the action.

She sighed. “There’s just one tiny problem. I’d probably never find the right person. The ones that flirt with me, don’t understand me, and the ones that understand me have friendzoned me.”

“I’ve never friendzoned you,” Loki quickly replied with a frown. “J-Just clarifying...in case you were talking about me.”

“Of course, I’m talking about you, you big oaf!” She flicked his arm.

“Hey! You friendzoned me.”

“No…? It was you! Well, yeah, I never tried to flirt with you or anything but...anybody could see that you were being just my friend.”

“I can say the same about you,” Loki playfully accused.

“Whatever,” she shrugged.

A thought started playing in her mind. And a couple of seconds later, she decided to say it aloud, “I...umm...Just curious...y’know, don’t take it in any other way. Did you ever think of flirting with me?” She put forward each word very cautiously.

Loki furrowed his brows, and opened his mouth to reply, but before he could, she warned him, “Be honest!”

Immediately, his confident attitude changed into a helpless one. “Yes, I did. Maybe once. Or twice. But that was all! I assure you!”

She could hardly contain the amusement that was bubbling inside.

“What’s so funny about it?” Loki asked with furrowed brows.

“Nothing,” she shook her head as she tried to hold back her laughter, “nothing at all. It’s,” and then she lost it, “I’m sorry! It’s funny! I don’t know why, I find it funny hearing from you!”

“Look who’s laughing!” He said wryly. “I could clearly hear your thoughts the first few days after I stepped into this structure. Every compliment that your little mind cooed at my divine persona. And may I dare say that not all of them were decent.”

Her hysterics were long forgotten as her face went red at the comment.

“How dare you invade my mind?” Her hand had balled into a fist, ready to hit his arm when he caught it.

“I didn’t invade it, darling. You were practically shouting inside that pretty head of yours. I could have heard it from the other side of the planet!”

“That was a long time ago,” she refused to meet his eyes. “I make better choices and better decisions now.”

“Do you?”

She opened her mouth to speak but closed it without uttering a syllable, and crossed her arms.

Loki nudged her with his elbow. “Hey, it’s fun to tease you. Don’t be a spoilsport.”

“I hate you,” she peeked at him through the corner of her eye.

“What can I say,” Loki sighed. “Alright, if you say so.”

She smirked as she glanced at him sideways.

Loki cleared his throat in a not-so-subtle manner. “So, the next time Stark throws a party, I’ll find someone for you.”

Immediately, she face-palmed, and groaned, “No.”

“What?”

“Please drop this topic. And you’d probably find me a psychopath, anyway” She joked.

“That hurt!” Loki exclaimed with a hurt look masking his humour, “do you think so little of me? Can’t I find a proper partner for my best friend, my darling?”

“No, it didn’t hurt. Don’t fake it. I know you better than anyone.”

“No, you don’t. You-”

“I do. And...I’m fine, Loki” she reassured him, “being with myself, with the people here, being with you.” She gently bumped her knee into his.

“Will these be enough?” His tone had left the playfulness behind. “Will I be enough? For all your life?”

She shrugged, “I think so. You...stick with me all the time, you understand me, you...make me feel good. What more could I want to be happy?”

“You know what more you are missing. A friend can never touch the boundaries of what a lover can give you.”

“I don’t need a lover. Just be with me all my life, and I won’t need anyone else.”

He gave her hand a light squeeze. “I will. I promise.”

Her playful smile was back. “Thanks for all the pep talk, my dearest God. But turns out that I’m better off alone. Now can we please go back to the game? It’s my turn to ask you.”

“Alright,” he smiled back, “if you say so.”

“Stop saying that!” A defeated sigh left her. “You won’t be convinced, will you?”

“Probably not. Because I know that this will gnaw at you again a few days later. I know you’ll be sad again. And that I won’t allow on my watch.”

“God!”

“Right here, listening to you!” Loki quipped.

Rolling her eyes, she muttered, ”Damn you!” And proceeded to put forward a proper argument.

“The reason why I’m avoiding a new relationship is because I don’t want another heartache. I can’t handle breakups. That’s why I’m...”

When Loki didn’t make another attempt at dissuading her from her arguments, she added, “I just...try everything to avoid a heartbreak. Because when I get one, I lose control over myself.”

“Yes, I’ve seen. Once.”

“Then you must have noticed how vicious I become. Sarcasm drips from my mouth all the time, I say things that I shouldn’t, I...I hurt people. And in turn, I hurt myself. I yell at those who want nothing but good for me. But...”

“But being mean seems to be the only way to mask the pain,” he finished her line.

“It does, yes!”

She looked at him, and into his eyes that silently spoke of the pain that was resurfacing. She remembered something.

“You and I are so...alike!”

He nodded with a smile. “And maybe that is why we understand each other more than anyone ever could. … But we’re more than just being alike, if you think about it.”

She noticed how his voice gradually rose from its usual calmness to an excited tone, and his hands moved with his words.

Loki continued, “You point out my mistakes but don’t accuse me like everyone else does. You show me what’s right. And there’s this-this thing about you, which is so scary...the way you make me do all the things that you want. I-I mean, I am the God here! But you…a mortal...how can you have so much power over me?”

He sighed as his voice dropped to a compassionate tone, “You make me happy, (Y/N). You’ve taught me to forgive when I can, to forget what I can’t fix.”

“Don’t always do that,” she interrupted with a smirk.

His evil smile made a brief appearance before he resumed his warm note, “I like being with you. No...I love being with you! You make me feel good. You make me feel...I don’t know.... You make me feel…”

“Complete?”

“Yes!” He observed her, “You complete me.”

For yet another time, silence enveloped them. The only difference was that this time, it was comfortable. Even in their hushed moments, they could hear each other, know what the other wanted to say.

After a while of exchanging quiet stares, (Y/N) spoke, “All this time I believed, but now I know for myself, that you are indeed Silvertongue!”

Loki looked at his lap and laughed, but in the pale light of the setting moon, she noticed the pink that had crept up his ears and cheeks.

“I meant every word of what I said,” he reassured her once again that evening.

“I know, Loki.”

Loki watched her as she shifted to a kneeling position, and leaned towards him. He felt his face becoming hotter as she supported herself on his shoulder with one hand, and placed a soft kiss on his cheekbone.

As she settled back, her lips tingled with the memory of Loki’s skin on it.

They had been best friends, yes, but she had never allowed herself more than a quick hug because she knew that Loki wasn’t someone open to random touches. And she wanted to respect that. Always.

But this peck felt right. It felt necessary. And it felt...different.

What happened next wasn’t guided by logic anymore, but only by their senses.

Loki put his legs back on the pouffe, and scooted a little closer to (Y/N). Taking the cue, she shifted so that her leg was stretched out, and back on the pouffe - not on hers but his - and sat close to him. He arranged the blanket so that it covered them both again.

Another stretch of silence enveloped them. To them, the moment was beautiful. To Loki, who had never experienced anything similar before, it was precious. If he could stop time, he would have done it right then and there.

“Why haven’t you found anyone yet?” She asked him.

“Royalty has its disadvantages,” he replied without taking a moment to think.

She leaned back slightly to get a good look at his face, “Didn’t you ever find anyone from the royal...uh...what do you call it? Of royal blood?”

Loki laughed at her naivety. “Can’t say I didn’t. But none of them were the one. Besides, most people chose my handsome brother over me. And if anyone chose me, well, it was mostly because of my royal title. None of them were real.”

“That’s awful! I would never have done that to you! I’d have chosen you for the wonderful being that you are. But, I get it; happens on our planet, too.”

“Everywhere,” he asserted.

“So...who do you think is the one for you?”

He looked down at her face, which was mere inches away from his. For the first time in months of their friendship, he felt something swell inside his chest at the closeness.

“I still don’t know,” he whispered, “but I think the Norns might have started giving me clues.”

He didn’t need to explain, obviously. All the tension that had been building up throughout the night had placed them both on the same page.

Without thinking, Loki moved his wrist so that his palm was facing the ceiling. And instinctively, (Y/N) placed her hand in it, their fingers closing around each other.

"It's odd," she announced after a while.

"Indeed."

"It's weird. I mean, what were we even thinking!" She huffed, although she was still clutching his hand, as was he holding hers.

"Exactly what I was thinking. You and me?” Loki laughed nervously, “Come on!"

"Yeah!"

"Right".

Silence, their faithful companion for the night, visited them once again.

"Could it be? You and me?" Loki’s voice was a little more than a whisper, and bordered on the edge of confidence and doubt.

"Doesn't sound so bad. Not after all these... Talks?" She whispered back.

"Right!"

"Right."

And once again, they fell quiet.

The strangeness of the moment pushed them both into a whirlpool of thoughts. From acquaintances to partners to friends to best friends to...lovers?

Can this even be possible? What if it’s just a passing phase? What if everything goes back to normal tomorrow? Will we still be able to talk normally? But… This feels right. Just...right.

With a sigh, (Y/N) put her head on Loki’s shoulder.

"I don't want to rush into anything and ruin what we have," she confessed in a hushed tone, eyes staring into the night outside.

"Neither do I. You're the only one I have."

With a raised brow, she looked up at him.

"And Thor," he corrected himself with a small smile.

"Glad you remember him "

"Shut up.

Slowly, hesitantly, Loki put his free hand around her. Unsure of the appropriateness of the action, he kept his arm loosely hanging around her frame.

He waited for a while. Had Loki looked at her face, instead of looking straight ahead in fear, he would have noticed the small smile that had formed on her lips.

When she didn’t flinch or protest, he began to rest his arm properly but gently on her. He even went ahead and made the slightest possible effort to pull her closer to him.

The smile that had started forming on her now spread wide enough to turn into a grin. Its reflection was found on Loki’s face, too, who could finally muster the courage to look at her, although he was equally worried that she would be able to hear his heart trying to hammer its way out of his chest.

With every minute that passed, Loki became more baffled, for he couldn’t decide which moment he’d frame and hang on the wall of his heart as the most precious one.

"Are you feeling hot?" She asked without looking at him.

"A bit, yes. You, too?"

"Quite a bit, actually," she gulped.

"Is it normal?"

"I guess, yes. Totally! Had we been cool about it, it'd have meant that there's no spark between us. It’d have felt awkward, wrong."

"So, you agree that there's a spark between us?" He didn’t even attempt to hide the mischievous smirk that shone on his face.

"I had always suspected," she nodded.

"Hmm. When was the last time we went out for dinner?" He asked.

“Probably last month...or was it-”

(Y/N)’s head snapped up to look at him. She could barely put a lid on her excitement.

"Are you proposing to take me out on a date?"

"Well, if we are going to do this, then I'd like to court you properly."

She felt like she'd burst out of sheer excitement.

"If you'd agree to it, that is" Loki clarified.

Taking a large breath, she replied, "I'd love it."

The night was going better than either had expected. Who would have thought that a game of weird questions and a few confessions could change their lives!

(Y/N) put her head back on his shoulder, and let her body slump against him. He held her confidently this time.

“It still feels weird though,” she declared.

“It does, yes, but...maybe this is...right?” In a long time, Loki was hopeful about something, and he wasn’t going to let it slip away. No.

“I hope so.”

“Me, too.”

“Just so you know,” she sat up straight, “Thor is handsome, yes, but you are devilishly charming. You’re intelligent, well-read, witty, sarcastic, great at combat...uh...”

“Go on,” Loki smirked, earning a playful glare from her.

“You are,” she continued, “seductive! And who can resist a sorcerer who knows his way around everything!”

The evil smile that Loki had put away found its way back on his face. “As far as I remember, I did nothing to seduce you. I wonder what will happen if I try...”

“Shut up, Loki! You know I give away raw compliments. I didn’t really mean...I didn’t think...”

He laughed heartily at the furious way she was blushing.

“I was only pulling your leg. I had imagined you to be wise,” he clarified.

“I am! It’s just... I was...” She shook her head.

“So,” Loki resumed, “you think I’m devilishly charming?”

“Drop the topic, please!”

“You can’t resist my sorcery, ha?”

“Please change the topic! Forget what I said!!”

Loki laughed as he continued teasing her. It wasn’t going to be an easy ride, she realized, with the God of Mischief, but it was going to be the best ever!

“(Y/N)?”

“Hmm?”

“I know it was your turn to ask but, what if...you and I are indeed meant to be together?”

She smiled as she rubbed her cheek on his shirt, “I think we’ll have a gorgeous future together. And...I’d love that more than anything else.”

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

The next morning...

“Morning, Wanda-”

“Shh! Shh!!” The red-haired witch silenced Natasha, and pointed towards the couch.

Curious, Natasha’s eyes followed the direction that Wanda’s finger was pointing at.

There, snuggled in a blanket, fast asleep, sat (Y/N) and Loki, their legs spread on a pouffe, tangled with each other’s. Loki’s arm was wrapped around her shoulder while she was holding his waist. Her head lay on his chest and his on hers.

“Aren’t they cute?” Wanda whispered.

Before Nat could reply, Tony’s voice cut the conversation.

“Who’s cute?”

This time, both the ladies shushed him, leaving a perplexed expression on his once sleepy face.

When they pointed towards the couch, Tony huffed, “These two! God knows what’s taking them so long to realise! They’re just so-” His face lit up. “Know what? I have an idea! I’ll make them confess. Who’s up for it?”

***

Now has a sequel: Their Little Secret

And...a song for keeping the feelings floating...💕

[poison--ivory]

Cat Interruptions

Shinsou x fem. Reader

Warnings: Kissing, NSFW, fluff, modern au, no quirks, drinking black coffee, kind of shy reader

Word Count: 1.5K

Shinsou loves cats, no one can deny that. He cares for his two adult cats each day, feeds them, gives them water, weekly checkups, and cuddles with them whenever he has free time. He starts off every afternoon getting ready for the day, feeding his cats, and watching whatever he found on his for you page. This was more than not his daily routine, besides work and kaminari dragging him to the bar now and again.

 He works at a seven-eleven as a cashier, working from 3pm to 11pm, sometimes even later when his co-worker after him doesn’t come in for the night shift. His manager fired the guy and hired someone else, she’s a small elderly lady, but she gets to her shift on time, so Shinsou never complained when she stopped him for a small chat.

He never really had any reason to deter from this daily regime. That was, until about a week ago his whole routine went out the window. As of lately he's been fluctuating his schedule around to stop by a certain cafe. 

That’s where Shinsou, Hitoshi met a nice girl, around the same age as him at a local cafe. She’s a bit shy, always looking down or glancing away everytime he stared in her direction. Her face always looked flushed, probably from all the hot steam that gets blasted in her face. Her name tag read, (L/n),(Y/n), a pretty name for a pretty face he thought. They chatted every time he came in there, bonding over coffee taste and their anti-social behavior.

He ordered a black coffee with a cat cookie, she made a side comment that she loved black coffee. Then, they both laughed that each of their friends hate the taste of regular coffee.

Shinsou found himself dropping in at that cafe every week or so, just to see her. Waking up early to come drop by the cafe or blowing off trips to the bar to hang out with her after work. He slowly started to gain confidence with each passing minute. He finally acquired enough courage to ask her out on a date and from then on you both have been inseparable. You wouldn’t catch Shinsou without (L/n) next to him.

Like right now, he had his tongue down down your throat, the weight of his body pressed against your front. Grinding against your pelvic, and smirking once you began to do the same. His hard on rubbed up against your clothed area, causing a soft mew to come from you. He pulled away, bringing a trail of saliva with him. He kissed your cheek and worked his way down to your neck. Shinsou’s big hand slid up your shirt, tugging at your bra fumbling with the strap. An annoyed grunt hummed against your neck, and you humored him for a bit before undoing the “tricky” clasps.

“I could’ve done that, ya know.” He remarked. His big hands palmed at your chest, squeezing the plump flesh and teasing your hardened nipples. Your hands worked up his jacket feeling at his muscles, a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. He pulled his jacket and shirt off, aimlessly tossing it behind him. “Like what you see, kitty.”

“Mhm.” She averted her eyes, a look of embarrassment plastered on her features.

Clothes quickly were skewed across the room, Shinsou locked lips with you again. His hand reached out to his bedside drawer trying to pull out his condom stash. Only his hand touched something besides the sleek feel of the box. It was soft and for a moment thought he was touching one of the pillows he received from Mina, but this one was really warm. Tearing his mouth off yours he stared at the cat laying underneath his hand. He forgot that Mochi was still in his room as he remembered that she followed them down the hallway. Soft purring hummed against his palm and as he redirected his hand to his drawer, the cat followed forth and  jumped down into the now open drawer.

Goddammit, Mochi! Not now, I’m trying to get laid.

“What’s wrong, Shinsou?” You asked.

“Nothing,” He uttered, his hand yanked out the rubber presenting it to her. “Just looking for protection.” Tearing the plastic off, Shinsou rolled the rubber down his length, giving it a few practice tugs. Smirking Shinsou went back to making out with you, his hand traveled south down your body. Thick fingers played with your sensitive button for a while, before concentrating on preparing your tight hole.

His other hand caressed your face,“You ready?” Receiving an assured nod, Shinsou moved in between your thighs. Massaging his shaft between your slick folds. Grabbing hold of his length he slowly maneuvered his shaft to your hole. The head slipped in and that alone sent shivers up his spine. Sinking all the way to the hilt he looked up to you for any signs of discomfort. Gripping your knees he leaned down to kiss your heated cheeks, whispering sweet nothings into your ear. As he waited for you to give ‘the all go ahead’, Shinsou was trying his best not to nut just yet. You squeezed his dick in a vice grip making it even harder to compose himself.

Grinding your pelvic and hips to his you wrapped your arms around his chest. “Y-you can continue.”

With that he began his slow pace, looking down at your face to see your face scrunch up in euphoria. Gradually, his pace got a little faster, moving your left leg further towards your chest.

“F-faster.”

“You sure.” He groaned out. You gave a firm nod, Shinsou nodded back in response. Fingers latched around the mound of flesh on the back part of your thigh, lifting them up he placed the back of your knees on his shoulders. Re-positioning his body he situated both his thighs on either side of your hips and slammed his cock back in. A muffled yelp came from you, smirking he pulled out half way before ramming his dick in your plum cunt. Grinning Shinsou’s pace sped up to an abnormal rate, tears fled down your face as he bottomed you out.

His concentration was soon was hindered by something furry rubbing up against his foot steadily trailing up his calf. A flash of silver darted across his peripheral, easing her way between the two gently purring on top of your chest.

“Mochi.” His voice was stern, but the cat leisurely casted her gaze down at you pawing at your nose. “Mochi, no.” Releasing your legs he picked the cat off your chest and softly placed her off the bed. Before he could even go back to having sex with you Mochi jumped back on the bed, placing herself halfway on your boob. Pawing at the fleshy mound before being kicked off the bed again. 

Shinsou decided to put her outside the room, “She really loves her papa.”

Maybe too much. He noted.

Climbing back onto the bed he loomed over your frame, “Let’s continue where we left off, Kitty-cat.” Leaning over her he caught her lips and began to make up for the little distraction. He didn’t get far as the sounds of excessive mewling began to get louder with each flying second. A very loud yowl followed by growling insured.

“We can do this another time or at my place next time.”

Mochi. Goddamnit. Why now? 

“Yeah, sorry.” A defeated sigh escaped past his lips. His mind wandered off to past experiences with lovers, some hated his cats after about a week into the relationship or agreeing to a second date after learning about his cats. A light peck on his cheek snapped him out of his trance, gazing down at you his face grew bright red and before he could give another apology you intruded on his rant.

“To be honest I’m just glad I got to spend this time with you. You make me very happy, Shinsou.” A warm smile grace your features, your swollen lips pecked his lips. “Even if our time was intruded by a very clingy kitty.” A giggle slipped out, causing Shinsou to laugh in response.

“I’m glad I got to spend this time with you, too.” Crawling under the cover he pulled you in with him, the warmth of your body gave some realism to the situation. “Uh, do you want to get washed up before bed or I could just get you a washcloth.”

Nodding you asked to use his washroom, he motioned with his hand that his restroom was down the hall, the middle door. He watched as you sauntered out the room, letting in Mochi as you went. The cat jumped into Shinsou’s lap, stretching and kneading his thigh as he stared up at her master.

“You may be a cock block, Mochi and I can’t really blame you for that since you’re a cat, but thank you. I’m pretty sure you just brung me and (L/n)-chan a bit closer.” The silver haired cat yawned as she curled up in her master’s lap.

Shinsou sat back against his headboard, petting and scratching his cat's head. His mind is roaming to various abstractions, slowly dozing off absentmindedly. . .

Shit! I’m still wearing the condom!

[pluto-writes]

A/n: Here you go~♡ I finished this instead of unpacking sdfgh... (つд｀) And a huge thanks for 135 followers!!! 4 more requests left to go!

Words: 1,094

Dazai Osamu

When Dazai came back from work, you greeted him with a hug at the door as usual. What was unusual however, was your choice of clothing as you approached him. You preferred to wear shorts or something of the sort while home. You had told him before you felt more comfortable in them.

So how come you were wearing pants? “(Y/n)?” He asked after you pulled away from his grasp.

“Hm?”

“What happened?”

Your eyes began to shift under his gaze, “U-um… I don’t know what you mean… Osamu…” 

“Then why are you wearing pants inside?”

“Cause I’m cold! It’s s-so cold in here! Brr!” You quickly came up with a lie on the spot. “Let’s cuddle!”

“That was a poor attempt at lying, (Y/n)... You know I can easily see through them,” His voice dropped an octave, eerily becoming serious. “Tell me the truth.”

Silently, you moved your pant leg up, exposing your skin along with the bandages wrapped around it. A faint red liquid stained them. 

Once he saw it, concern laced his features, “(Y/n)! Who did this to you!? I’ll be sure to make them pay.”

“No one…” You answered, your voice so meek you weren’t sure if he heard it.

“(Y/n)...” He said somewhat sternly, wanting to get a proper answer from you.

“Umm…” You hesitated, feeling embarrassed. “I… did.”

“While I was in the kitchen earlier, I dropped a glass cup… And it broke. So I went to clean it up, but I ended up getting hurt.” You nervously looked at him, waiting for his reaction.

“Pft- haha!” He broke out laughing, covering his mouth with his hand. 

“H-hey! Don’t laugh!” You pouted pursing your lips, “This is exactly why I didn’t want to say anything…”

“Sorry, sorry.” He put his hands up, “It’s just that you’re so cute. Next time, just tell me, okay?” He gave you a kiss on the head.

“..Alright.”

Nakahara Chuuya

While Chuuya was away on a mission, you began to miss his presence, so you decided to hang out in his office until he came back. Unfortunately, you bumped into his case that contained all his knives. And in your frenzy trying to fix up the mess you made, one of the knives managed to make a long gash along your thigh.

“Ah… fuck,” You hissed in pain, looking at the injury. You placed your hand over the cut, in an attempt to stop the bleeding until you can properly dress your wound.

Once you were able to bandage your wound, you went back to Chuuya’s office and finished cleaning up. As you placed the last knife away, the sound of the door opening startled you, causing you to stand unnaturally upright.

“O-oh! Hey, Chuuya!” You greeted him with a smile, hiding your injured leg behind his desk. “I missed you!”

He laughed softly, “I missed you too, darling.” He walked towards you, but at the same time you walked around his desk, using it as a cover. “What are you doing…?” 

“...Playing hard to get…?” 

“I don’t know what you’re playing at but,” he smirked at you, “I’m in.” He followed behind you, circulating his desk. After a couple laps around the table, it suddenly began to grow a red hue around it and started to float.

Shocked, you stay still, momentarily forgetting about your injury, and how your only cover left you. “So that’s what it was about, eh?” 

Chuuya eyed your bandaged wound, “Tell me, who’s the bastard I have to kill? A sneaky one at that since they did it while I was gone! Fuck! If only I didn’t leave you-”

“Actually…” You interrupted him, wanting to stop him from blaming himself, “It was me...” You explained to him what had happened that led up to your current predicament. 

After you were done recounting your story, the room started to fill up with soft laughter, “Was- was that really all?” 

“Mhm…” 

“Come here,” He beckoned, “don’t feel like you have to hide whenever you do something embarrassing.” He gently grabbed your chin and titled it towards him, placing a tender kiss on your lips, “Got that?”

Heat rising to your face, you somehow gathered the words to say, “L-loud and clear…”

Nakajima Atsushi

On your way to the ADA to visit Atsushi, you saw the most particular feline. She had an uncanny resemblance to your boyfriend’s tiger form. Her fur was pure white, with black stripes, and her eyes seemed to glow yellow. As you went to grab her, she clawed your leg and fled into a nearby alley. 

“Shit!” You shouted. The wound stung, and made it slightly difficult to walk, but you managed to reach the agency. Upon entering, Atsushi immediately saw you.

“(Y/n)! You’re here-” His cut himself off when he noticed your wound, “W-what happened!? Oh my God! You’re bleeding! Ahhh!”  

Putting your hands on his shoulder, you held him still, “It’s fine, Atsushi…” 

“No! It’s not fine! You’re hurt! Who did this to you!? It’s all my fault isn’t? The Port Mafia took it out on you, didn’t they!?”

“U-um… not quite…” Your eyes locked onto the floor, feeling too embarrassed to look him in the eye, “Unless they have a member who is 9 inches tall, has paws and a tail…”

It took him a moment to understand what you were getting at, “A cat…?” You slowly nodded. 

He sighed in relief, then laughed, “I’m glad... “ He wrapped his arms lovingly around you, “I don’t know if I could forgive myself if you got hurt by them cause of me.” 

Realizing the amount of panic you just put him through, you hugged him back, and whispered into his ear, “I’m sorry…”

“D-don’t be! Just… next time tell me, okay? I don’t know if my heart can take another scare like that.”

“Of course! It’s just that… it’s embarrassing to get hurt like that…”

“It happens to the best of us! One time I hurt myself while making tea!” He pulled away from you to pull off his glove, revealing a faint red area on the back of his hand. “See,” he smiled, “everyone gets a bit clumsy at times.”

He looked towards your wound again, “You wouldn't want Yosano to heal that for you… let me clean it up for you.” You agreed and allowed him to patch it up. 

After he finished, he pressed a soft kiss onto the now bandaged wound, “To make it feel better,” he beamed up at you. 

“Thank you, Atsushi!”

[astringofmadhousefloozies]

Surprises

Surprises of all kinds, found after a shopping trip goes wrong. Content warning for coarse language, sexuality, threats of violence, mentions of suicide and incest, and copious amounts of headcanons.

As always, there is more in my Twisted Wonderland Fanfiction tag, and send me a message if you liked it, I crave positive feedback.

~*~*~*~

TXT: where the fuck are you guys it's already quarter past

After a few minutes, you got a ding.

M: idia doenst want t leave something about a person see you aftr he needs freind

Oh goddammit, it's so fucking hard to get him out and about. At least Mal was with him.

You looked to Grim at your feet. "Looks like it's just us, buddy."

~*~*~*~

It was just you and Grim browsing through the dollar store, when a boy in a ratty shop apron came up to you. "Ma'am?"

You turned to him, and he coughed. "Uh, Miss. You're not supposed to have pets in the store."

Grim bristled at him. "I'm not a pet!"

Poor kid, he looked so startled. And you decided to make it worse, because yanno, why not. "How dare you refer to my son as a pet! Does he look like a pet to you?"

He looked between your face and Grim's, confusion growing. "Wh-"

"I know the resemblance isn't the strongest, but honestly! How could you say such mean things about him!"

Grim, bless him, actually caught on and decided to play along for the chaos of it. "Why are you being so mean to me? My mom works hard to keep me happy! She said I could pick out a toy today!"

The confusion had turned to anger. "That's not your kid! You're too young and he's an animal!"

Grim looked up at you, mock tears in his eyes. "I'm your kid, right? I'm not adopted like the boys at school say?" He started sniffling. "I'm not adopted, right?"

You clapped your hands over Grim's ears and glared at the now horrified shopboy. "Look what you've done! I hadn't told him yet!"

He just fled in horror, and it was all you could do to keep from laughing.

~*~*~*~

The village on the island wasn't the worst appointed. Being equidistant between two prestigious magic schools, it had a few places worth going, and after hitting up your personal favourite, you went to a small park, settled down on a bench, and started unwrapping your prizes.

You have a love for gashapon machines that bordered on a serious problem. In your biweekly trips to buy snacks and supplies to stock up your miserable, beautiful dorm, you easily fed 3000 madol (which you think was about thirty-five dollars or so at home, but couldn't be sure) into the long rows of machines in the drug store, coming out with tiny keychains, figures, and various useless but wonderful little totchkes that you kept lined up in rows in your bedroom. The joys of tiny presents! And the containers were useful too; for a creature who heavily insisted he wasn't a cat, Grim lost his shit like one every time your rolled a ball with a bell inside across the floor.

You were marveling over a tiny, perfectly realistic jellyfish on a phone strap as someone sat down heavily beside you. "Is that," they pointed to Grim poking his way around the cattails by an ornamental pond, "yours?"

"... Yes?" You turned to examine your seatmate. Charmingly strange looking, they sat impeccably robed in forest green velvet and squinted at you from behind perfectly round sunglasses. Flat-faced and thin-lipped, they reminded you of a toad, with their roundness and severe expression.

"Ah, then you are the one I am looking for. You're the pet of the prince."

"I'm a friend of his. Is that a problem?" You decided to keep opening your prizes, and pulled out a heavy ball from the bottom of your bag.

"His Highness does not have human friends."

"And yet, I am." This one, unwrapped, was the chase in the set: a tiny cauldron the size of a thimble that seemed to be actual cast iron. The chill of it was pleasant in your hand, and instead of returning it to your bag, you left it in your lap.

This presumptive stranger leaned in. "You're a diversion. A distraction from what he should be learning. Instead he plays with mortals and lets them forget their place."

"If it was so important that he didn't play with mortals, then why was he allowed to attend here?" You got a cheap set of rings on a goldtone chain in this one. Boo. You'd wanted the miniature necklace of the set for your doll. "He's very happy with the company of us all."

"Too happy. He forgets his place." The toady eyed the glittering paste gems before looking away. "Above you. Instead he crawls into your lap and serves you like a dog."

You froze. "Now, where did you get that idea?"

"We have sources." They leaned in further, smiling. A barely perceptible line of triangular teeth, sparsely placed and translucent in tone. "Foul things happen to the unwanted lovers of heirs, don't you know?"

"I am a wanted friend." 

"You're a parasite who should flee."

You realized something, and turned to face your strange benchmate. "Why are you threatened by me?"

They scoffed. "Why would we be threatened by you?"

"If you weren't," you said, dropping your voice as your leaned in, "then you wouldn't be here trying to put the fear into me." They leaned back, glasses slipping off their nose. The eyes in their face were exquisite, shining gold and black speckles with a ring of gold around an oval pupil. You could help but laugh. "Pretty eyes. You really are a toad. Who sent you? The Thorn Witch? Can't be, I'm not worth her time and if I was, she'd've sent a fucking letter."

"We're a concerned party, preventing our future king from making the mistake of dealing with filth." 

Well, that one pissed you off. You grabbed their wrist, feeling bumps and warts on their skin through the fabric, and pressed the tiny cauldron to the back on their hand as they started screeching.

"You," you looked them dead in their impossibly lovely eyes, "You go back where you came from, tell them I'm not a threat to whatever stupid bullshit they're worried about, and never bother us again. Or I will make you swallow this and you'll beg the precious prince you're so damned worried about to burn you alive to stop the pain."

You'd never seen anyone run so fast in your life when you let them go.

"Hey, Grim! We gotta go."

~*~*~*~

TXT: MAL SOMEONE SENT ME A TOADY SAYING I CAN'T BE AROUND YOU ANYMORE

TXT: MIGHTA BEEN YOUR GMA BUT I DON'T THINK SO

~*~*~*~

"I'm gonna kill that fucker."

"Killing them might start an international incident. If one hasn't happened already. You burnt them with iron, Yuu."

"I should have done worse! Whoever the fuck they were, that's two friends they've tried to threaten to stay away from you! That we know of!"

It turns out that the mystery toady had been the person to scare the piss out of Idia the night before. Not that they'd gotten far into their leave-the-prince-alone spiel, Idia had simply kicked them square in the stomach and fled, assuming another kidnapping attempt.

"It wouldn't have been my grandmother. In the last letter I got from her, she said it was very nice that I was making friends. She said to keep making them, even."

"She'd probably care if she knew you were sleeping with said friends." Idia was curled into the corner of his bed, and from the looks of it hadn't slept since his own encounter.

"No she wouldn't."

"You sure about that?"

You'd said that that was only going to happen once. Everyone agreed. But when all three of you settled in to play a game or watch a movie, hands moved and bodies flushed and you all seemed to find yourself tangled and gasping. And it didn't seem to require all three of you - you no longer had the strength to say no to Mal's obvious advances, and you'd walked in on your boys more than once. At least you were still friends? Really, really close friends?

"She wouldn't."

"Could they be worried about heirs?" That seemed logical. Even if no accidents were happening, they might not know that.

"That's not possible."

You raised an eyebrow. Everything worked right, and you all knew it.

Mal looked back at you. "Yuu, I hatched from an egg. I could have you both five times a day for a decade and all there would be to show for it is you couldn't walk. I cannot have children with either of you without magical intervention."

Idia made a truly impressive death rattle before mumbling something about the end of his bloodline, and you just nodded. "Makes sense."

"It's quite interesting, really, it requires numerous spells and potions, that if not kept up on, the babe will-" Malleus placed his hands together, back to back, and mimed the motion of tearing something open.

You flinched. "That's awful, goddamn."

"I have a direct ancestor who took a great deal of human women as breeding stock and simply let them be eaten from the inside out. That's what started one of the earlier human/faerie wars." 

"... Wow."

"I am not proud of her."

"Can we please talk about anything else?" Idia looked ready to be sick. "I don't want to think about any of this."

"Sure, let's grab one of your doujins."

~*~*~*~

"So you're already engaged?"

"As soon as it was clear I would survive to adulthood, yes. Idia, what is this series?"

"Nyan Neko Sugar Girls. It's not that great storywise, but it has great gags." He reached over and grabbed the next one in his pile. "It's not that unusual. My mother wanted Ortho to marry my cousin Alecto when they grew up, before..."

"Before he made a lifestyle change?" That seemed the politest way to put it.

"Before she went to the criminal ward."

You shut your book with a soft thump. "What?"

"I remember the trial." Mal sighed. "Strychnine in the sugar bowl at Sunday dinner. I made sure to get the newspapers sent to the palace."

"Mother was heartbroken over it, until she realized that the wealth of that entire Shroud branch defaulted back to us." Idia shrugged. "It's sad. She was just eleven. I still send her emails."

"Idia."

"Mm?"

"Why the fuck would an eleven year old poison someone?"

"My uncle said she couldn't get a puppy until her grades went up."

"What the fuck." You'd lie down if you weren't already doing so.

"It's the curse." He sighed. "We thought she might've been from an affair? But that proved it."

"My dearest Shroud, you can't guarantee it was from the curse." Malleus turned a page. "It might have been trauma from her mother's death."

You could see more bad history incoming. "Oh no."

"Alecto was from Uncle Jo's first marriage, to my dad's cousin Alita. She had a sister, but when her mother drowned herself, she only took-"

"Is this normal for your family? Or is that just some exceptional bad luck?"

He leaned in, lamplight eyes flashing. "Out of all the Shrouds of my generation that are still capable of inheriting, I'm the most mentally sound."

Both you and Mal had to stop and really consider the implications of that.

"So, Mal. Yours isn't that closely related?"

"Fifth cousins at most when they're finally born."

You sat up. "What?"

"I'm supposed to marry the third grandchild of the Hollyoak Baron. They're a well-respected family, and of snake fae descent so little aid will be needed for conception. His eldest child is in..." He had to think about what words to use. " I believe the term is 'middle school'?"

"They really planned it that far ahead?"

Mal shrugged, the movement rolling down his whole body. "I cannot complain. It gives me a very long time to learn how to be a husband before I have to be one."

"But what if you don't like them?"

"Marriage is chiefly a contract to produce heirs. I'll learn to like them, and ideally love them."

"And if you don't?"

"I'll still treat them as kindly as I can."

"And I suppose you'd take a lover."

"Maybe. They can too, as long as all the children are mine. For legal reasons," he added.

Idia, snapping out of his thoughts, tapped Mal's shoulder. "Does the Hollyoak Baron have any friends who are toad faeries?"

It was Mal's turn to sit up. "That... He could be worried that if I have favourites at school, I'll resent my betrothed for not being either of you. Or that I would attempt to break it off entirely."

"That still doesn't tell us how he found out about..." You gestured around the room.

Idia rolled his eyes. "All that would have to happen is any one student from the Valley of Thorns writing a letter home."

"But -"

"Malleus, you're not shy in your affections. At all."

"Yes I am," he bristled.

~*~*~*~

"Mal?"

"Mmph?"

"You have to put me down. I have class."

He made a slightly different mmph and shook his head.

You tried to pat his head, but your arms were securely pinned to your sides. "I know they're fantastic, but you have to stop."

He still refused to remove his face from your chest, making a noise that could have been purring if it cane from anyone who was a proper mammal.

"Mal, we're blocking traffic."

He still wasn't putting you down, instead swaying slightly in place.

A familiar long-fingered hand with dark nails reached from behind you and tugged at Mal's lapel. "Malleus, please stop, it's ten AM and everyone is staring."

Mal finally put you down - only to switch targets, wrapping his arms around Idia's waist and pulling him flush, fixing him with such a look of besotted fondness that you immediately felt like you were intruding.

"You look beautiful today."

Idia immediately burst into a ball of pink flame.

~*~*~*~

"... Perhaps I am a bit obvious."

Idia stared up at his ceiling. "You'd be at home in my otome games."

You chimed in. "What would be obvious, in your mind?"

"Very easy. I finish the paperwork declaring you Lord and Lady of the Bedchamber and have you officially ensconced as Court of Thorns royalty, ensuring you're both taken care of for the rest of your days."

"... Finish?"

"It seemed the easiest thing to do if either of you chose to visit my homeland."

You swatted his leg. "And you didn't think to ask us first?"

Mal was starting to clue in that he had once again overreached himself. "... Surprise?"

"I'm okay with it."

You glared over at Idia. "That's not the point."

"Look, if I ever get disinherited, I have a place to go. He won't make me go outside if I don't want to. I'll bring Ortho. It'll be great."

"They don't even have dial-up over there, Idia. Lilia told me he had to get all this stuff installed to play his MMOs."

Idia pointed at Mal, easy smile turned to outrage. "How dare you try and trap me!"

It honestly seemed like Mal and Idia had switched expressions, the look of worry on his face so strange. "It's a protective measure! If you're titled, people will get in trouble if they try and remove you!"

"That's still... wait." The gears were turning in your head. "If you finish that paperwork, whoever sent Mixter Toad is going to get in so much more trouble."

Everyone went silent as they considered this.

"... As soon as I get the official permission from my grandmother. She won't like it very much, but if I explain..."

Idia turned to Mal. "You were going to make your human fucktoys official members of the Court of Thorns without telling your grandmother, the queen. Who has a notable and often justified dislike of humans."

"No?"

"Mal."

"I simply prepared ahead."

"Mal."

"I - "

"Malleus." You leaned over and kissed his cheek. "You're so goddamned stupid. Love you."

He didn't say it back with words, but you got the message loud and clear.

[thehierophage]

Atu XX: The Aeon

Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

Correspondences:

Hebrew Letter: Shin (c) Numerical Value as Letter: 300 Numerical Value as Word: 360/1010 [nic(Shin + Yod + Nun)/ ]ic(Shin + Yod + Nun fin.)] Meaning of Letter: Tooth Thoth Card: The Aeon (Atu XX) Alternate Title: The Spirit of the Primal Fire. Tree of Life Path Association: Path 31/31-bis, links Hod to Malkuth (8 & 10)

Astrological Sign: N/A Element: Fire / (31 bis.) Spirit (BA) Egyptian Godforms: Thoum-Aesh-Neith, Horus/Mau/Kabeshunt, Tarpesheth; (as 31-bis) Asar

Geomantic Figure: Those of Fiery Triplicity (p t q)

Gemstones: Fire Opal; (as 31-bis) Black Diamond Perfumes: (as 31) Olibanum, all Fiery Odours Plants: (as 31) Red Poppy, Hibiscus, Nettle; (as 31 bis) Almond in flower Animals: (as 31) Lion (Cherub of Fire); Sphinx (if sworded and crowned)

Colors (For Key 31 / 31 bis.):

King Scale – Glowing orange scarlet / White, merging Grey

Queen Scale – Vermillion/ Deep purple (near black)

Prince Scale – Scarlet, flecked gold /  The 7 prismatic colours, the violet being outside

Princess Scale – Vermillion flecked crimson & emerald / White, red, yellow, blue, black (the latter outside)

The Secret Instruction of the Master:

Be every Act an Act of Love and Worship!

Be every Act the Fiat of a God!

Be every Act a Source of radiant Glory!

Mnemonic:

Nuit, Hadit, Ra-Hoor-Khuit! The Aeon

Of the Twin Child! Exult, o Empyrean!

Liber CCXXXI

Then also the Pyramid was builded so that the Initiation might be complete.

Holy Book Reading: Liber LXV, Ch. IV

IV

1.  O crystal heart! I the Serpent clasp Thee; I drive home mine head into the central core of Thee, O God my beloved.

2.  Even as on the resounding wind-swept heights of Mitylene some god-like woman casts aside the lyre, and with her locks aflame as an aureole, plunges into the wet heart of the creation, so I, O Lord my God!

3.  There is a beauty unspeakable in this heart of corruption, where the flowers are aflame.

4.  Ah me! but the thirst of Thy joy parches up this throat, so that I cannot sing.

5.  I will make me a little boat of my tongue, and explore the unknown rivers. It may be that the everlasting salt may turn to sweetness, and that my life may be no longer athirst.

6.  O ye that drink of the brine of your desire, ye are nigh to madness! Your torture increaseth as ye drink, yet still ye drink. Come up through the creeks to the fresh water; I shall be waiting for you with my kisses.

7.  As the bezoar-stone that is found in the belly of the cow, so is my lover among lovers.

8.  O honey boy! Bring me Thy cool limbs hither! Let us sit awhile in the orchard, until the sun go down! Let us feast on the cool grass! Bring wine, ye slaves, that the cheeks of my boy may flush red.

9.  In the garden of immortal kisses, O thou brilliant One, shine forth! Make Thy mouth an opium-poppy, that one kiss is the key to the infinite sleep and lucid, the sleep of Shi-loh-am.

10.  In my sleep I beheld the Universe like a clear crystal without one speck.

11.  There are purse-proud penniless ones that stand at the door of the tavern and prate of their feats of wine-bibbing.

12.  There are purse-proud penniless ones that stand at the door of the tavern and revile the guests.

13.  The guests dally upon couches of mother-of-pearl in the garden; the noise of the foolish men is hidden from them.

14.  Only the inn-keeper feareth lest the favour of the king be withdrawn from him.

15.  Thus spake the Magister V.V.V.V.V. unto Adonai his God, as they played together in the starlight over against the deep black pool that is in the Holy Place of the Holy House beneath the Altar of the Holiest One.

16.  But Adonai laughed, and played more languidly.

17.  Then the scribe took note, and was glad. But Adonai had no fear of the Magician and his play.

For it was Adonai who had taught all his tricks to the Magician.

18.  And the Magister entered into the play of the Magician. When the Magician laughed he laughed; all as a man should do.

19.  And Adonai said: Thou art enmeshed in the web of the Magician. This He said subtly, to try him.

20.  But the Magister gave the sign of the Magistry, and laughed back on Him: O Lord, O beloved, did these fingers relax on Thy curls, or these eyes turn away from Thine eye?

21.  And Adonai delighted in him exceedingly.

22.  Yea, O my master, thou art the beloved of the Beloved One; the Bennu Bird is set up in Philæ not in vain.

23.  I who was the priestess of Ahathoor rejoice in your love. Arise, O Nile-God, and devour the holy place of the Cow of Heaven! Let the milk of the stars be drunk up by Sebek the dweller of Nile!

24.  Arise, O serpent Apep, Thou art Adonai the beloved one! Thou art my darling and my lord, and Thy poison is sweeter than the kisses of Isis the mother of the Gods!

25.  For Thou art He! Yea, Thou shalt swallow up Asi and Asar, and the children of Ptah. Thou shalt pour forth a flood of poison to destroy the works of the Magician. Only the Destroyer shall devour Thee; Thou shalt blacken his throat, wherein his spirit abideth. Ah, serpent Apep, but I love Thee!

26.  My God! Let Thy secret fang pierce to the marrow of the little secret bone that I have kept against the Day of Vengeance of Hoor-Ra. Let Kheph-Ra sound his sharded drone! let the jackals of Day and Night howl in the wilderness of Time! let the Towers of the Universe totter, and the guardians hasten away! For my Lord hath revealed Himself as a mighty serpent, and my heart is the blood of His body.

27.  I am like a love-sick courtesan of Corinth. I have toyed with kings and captains, and made them my slaves. To-day I am the slave of the little asp of death; and who shall loosen our love?

28.  Weary, weary! saith the scribe, who shall lead me to the sight of the Rapture of my master?

29.  The body is weary and the soul is sore weary and sleep weighs down their eyelids; yet ever abides the sure consciousness of ecstasy, unknown, yet known in that its being is certain. O Lord, be my helper, and bring me to the bliss of the Beloved!

30.  I came to the house of the Beloved, and the wine was like fire that flieth with green wings through the world of waters.

31.  I felt the red lips of nature and the black lips of perfection. Like sisters they fondled me their little brother; they decked me out as a bride; they mounted me for Thy bridal chamber.

32.  They fled away at Thy coming; I was alone before Thee.

33.  I trembled at Thy coming, O my God, for Thy messenger was more terrible than the Death-star.

34.  On the threshold stood the fulminant figure of Evil, the Horror of emptiness, with his ghastly eyes like poisonous wells. He stood, and the chamber was corrupt; the air stank. He was an old and gnarled fish more hideous than the shells of Abaddon.

35.  He enveloped me with his demon tentacles; yea, the eight fears took hold upon me.

36.  But I was anointed with the right sweet oil of the Magister; I slipped from the embrace as a stone from the sling of a boy of the woodlands.

37.  I was smooth and hard as ivory; the horror gat no hold. Then at the noise of the wind of Thy coming he was dissolved away, and the abyss of the great void was unfolded before me.

38.  Across the waveless sea of eternity Thou didst ride with Thy captains and Thy hosts; with Thy chariots and horsemen and spearmen didst Thou travel through the blue.

39.  Before I saw Thee Thou wast already with me; I was smitten through by Thy marvellous spear.

40.  I was stricken as a bird by the bolt of the thunderer; I was pierced as the thief by the Lord of the Garden.

41.  O my Lord, let us sail upon the sea of blood!

42.  There is a deep taint beneath the ineffable bliss; it is the taint of generation.

43.  Yea, though the flower wave bright in the sunshine, the root is deep in the darkness of earth.

44.  Praise to thee, O beautiful dark earth, thou art the mother of a million myriads of myriads of flowers.

45.  Also I beheld my God, and the countenance of Him was a thousandfold brighter than the lightning. Yet in his heart I beheld the slow and dark One, the ancient one, the devourer of His children.

46.  In the height and the abyss, O my beautiful, there is no thing, verily, there is no thing at all, that is not altogether and perfectly fashioned for Thy delight.

47.  Light cleaveth unto Light, and filth to filth; with pride one contemneth another. But not Thou, who art all, and beyond it; who art absolved from the Division of the Shadows.

48.  O day of Eternity, let Thy wave break in foamless glory of sapphire upon the laborious coral of our making!

49.  We have made us a ring of glistening white sand, strewn wisely in the midst of the Delightful Ocean.

50.  Let the palms of brilliance flower upon our island; we shall eat of their fruit, and be glad.

51.  But for me the lustral water, the great ablution, the dissolving of the soul in that resounding abyss.

52.  I have a little son like a wanton goat; my daughter is like an unfledged eaglet; they shall get them fins, that they may swim.

53.  That they may swim, O my beloved, swim far in the warm honey of Thy being, O blessed one, O boy of beatitude!

54.  This heart of mine is girt about with the serpent that devoureth his own coils.

55.  When shall there be an end, O my darling, O when shall the Universe and the Lord thereof be utterly swallowed up?

56.  Nay! who shall devour the Infinite? who shall undo the Wrong of the Beginning?

57.  Thou criest like a white cat upon the roof of the Universe; there is none to answer Thee.

58.  Thou art like a lonely pillar in the midst of the sea; there is none to behold Thee, O Thou who beholdest all!

59.  Thou dost faint, thou dost fail, thou scribe; cried the desolate Voice; but I have filled thee with a wine whose savour thou knowest not.

60.  It shall avail to make drunken the people of the old gray sphere that rolls in the infinite Far-off; they shall lap the wine as dogs that lap the blood of a beautiful courtesan pierced through by the Spear of a swift rider through the city.

61.  I too am the Soul of the desert; thou shalt seek me yet again in the wilderness of sand.

62.  At thy right hand a great lord and a comely; at thy left hand a woman clad in gossamer and gold and having the stars in her hair. Ye shall journey far into a land of pestilence and evil; ye shall encamp in the river of a foolish city forgotten; there shall ye meet with Me.

63.  There will I make Mine habitation; as for bridal will I come bedecked and anointed; there shall the Consummation be accomplished.

64.  O my darling, I also wait for the brilliance of the hour ineffable, when the universe shall be like a girdle for the midst of the ray of our love, extending beyond the permitted end of the endless One.

65.  Then, O thou heart, will I the serpent eat thee wholly up; yea, I will eat thee wholly up.

Love is the law, love under will.

[yikesharringrove]

Oooh spin the usual narrative around and maybe Steve got some really cool tattoos on his back after high school and Billy is just being all sweet on him later and notices them and LOVES them and is all like "ride me and show me" and won't let Steve finish until he describes all his tatts on his back

Smut

-

Billy hadn’t been in Hawkins, Indiana for about three years.

He had fled pretty much as soon as he got that diploma, had packed up his car the night before, tossed his stupid cap and gown in the trunk, and just fucking left.

But here he was, ready to watch Max and the rest of her brats graduate.

He was standing, feeling weird in his best shirt, sweating under the Hawkins sun.

And there was Steve Harrington. Of course he would come for his kids, was probably gonna tear up as they made their way across the stage. He could see Steve’s big hair sitting close to the front, with Henderson’s mom, looking just the same.

He spent the entire ceremony glaring holes in the back of Steve’s head, only looked up when Maxine Elizabeth Mayfield stomped across the stage, rolling her eyes as Susan and Neil made a big to-do somewhere in the crowd.

Then went right back to staring at Harrington.

He looked good.

Like, still looked as hot as he did in high school, but he looked,

he looked like a man.

He had shot stubble along his jaw, and he looked a little more filled out.

He was waiting for Max, standing with her mother off to the side when Steve turned, and noticed Billy.

His eyes went wide, and he began making his way over.

“Jesus, Hargrove. Long time no see.” He pulled Billy into a hug, a tight, sweet good-smelling hug. “You look good, man.” He smiled brightly at Billy.

“Yeah, Harrington. You too.” And he did.

“Hey, uh, all the kids are having a little shindig at The Byers’, I’d love to catch up with you.” He rubbed down Billy’s arm, made him so much fucking hotter than the bright sun.

-

The kids’ party was a nice barbecue in the Byers’ backyard.

They were all running around, getting in food fights and being stupid idiots.

Billy can respect that, the last summer before leaving all your friends.

Billy didn’t really have friends to leave, though. Just kinda, left, one day.

He kept his eyes on Steve the whole time, watched the way he smiled and laughed with the kids, the way his eyes kept flicking back to Billy.

The sun was beginning to set when Steve came over to the stairs Billy was perched on, two beers in hand.

He gave Billy one, settling right next to him.

“So, what have you been up to? Been, what three years?” Billy had left the day he graduated, hopped in his car and didn’t stop ‘till he saw the ocean.

“Moved back home. I’m working at a garage, now.” Steve gave him another nice smile. “Saving up to maybe go to school, or get a house or something.” He shrugged, taking a swig of his beer. “What about you? Got a girlfriend?”

“Ha! No. Not really, dating right now.” A slow grin spread over Billy’s face.

“Just fuckin’?” Steve’s cheeks went red, but he didn’t deny anything. “Yeah, me too, Harrington.”

Steve laughed, pushing at his rolled up shirt sleeve.

It was just under his elbow, and Billy zeroes in on dark black ink winding down to an elegant curl on the side of his elbow.

“Any good stories?” Billy licked over his teeth.

He had stopped pretending in California, didn’t really want to here either.

“Well, I mean, there was this one guy, just absolute maniac. He had this thing about getting caught, so we’d go out to shitty bars, see how long it took before we got kicked out. We got away with a lot at most of ‘em, though.”

He watched Steve carefully, didn’t even see a twitch.

And then,

“Oh, I was kinda seeing a guy like that.” Billy’s brain shorted out. “There’s a gay bar down the block from my place in Chicago, and he’d take me out on the dance floor, and this one night, we just about fucked before someone noticed what we were doin’. It was kinda fun.”

Billy’s mind was racing, pictured pulling Steve onto a crowded dance floor, pushing his hands down his pants, fingering him, letting him rut against his thigh until he cums in his pants.

“So you, you’re gay?”

“Bi, actually. Figured that one out right away after movin’.”

“Yeah? Let your queer little flag fly?”

“It’s been fun.” Steve shrugged. Billy licked his lips, had an idea.

“Y’know, you coulda been havin’ fun way before you moved.” He leaned into Steve’s space, looking at him through his lashes.

Steve’s cheeks went red.

“It’s not too late, is it?” Billy stood up, tugging his keys out of his jeans pocket.

“I got a shitty motel room bed with your name on it, Pretty Boy.” Steve scrambled behind him, tossing himself into the passenger seat of his car.

He grinned at Billy.

-

Billy drove like a bat outta Hell, getting Steve to his motel room as fast as possible.

He led him inside, slamming Steve against the door the minute they got in.

He kissed Steve roughly, licking inside his mouth.

Steve moaned into his mouth, fumbling with the buttons on Billy’s shirt.

Billy pulled him, shoving him onto the bed, taking Steve’s shirt off in turn.

And there was the ink.

It curled down both of Steve’s arms, leading from his back.

“Holy shit.” Billy traced on of the curling tendrils. “Never begged you for a tattoo type.” Steve shrugged, his eyes flicking down to trail over Billy’s body.

“I like it.”

“Can I see?” Steve pushed on him gently, but then he got an idea. “Wait,” he grinned at Steve. “Ride me and let me see them.” Steve smiled devilishly back up at him.

He pushed Billy, swapped their positions.

He was straddling his waist, could feel how hard Billy was underneath him.

“Only if you get me all ready.”

Billy undid Steve’s belt, tearing his khakis open.

Steve sat up, awkwardly wiggling out of them to sit back down, completely naked on Billy’s lap. He took Billy’s hand, kept direct eye contact as he sucked on Billy’s fingers.

He was like a fucking pornstar, his eyes going all dark and sultry as he licked over Billy’s fingers, sucked them into his mouth.

“Jesus, Stevie. You’re so fuckin’ hot.” Steve smirked at him, pulling his fingers out of his mouth with a pop, guiding Billy’s hand around his hips, leaning forward over Billy.

“Go ahead.” Billy jostled him a little closer, rubbing his spit slick fingers over his hole.

He pushed one inside.

Steve’s eyes fluttered closed, and he moaned, so loud and pretty.

“God, wished we had done this years ago.” Billy was now pumping his finger in and out of Steve.

“I was pretty repressed back then. Don’t know if I would’ve done this.” Billy eased in another finger. Steve took him so well.

“Then, glad I got here just in time.”

“Welcome to my slutty phase.” He grinned at Billy, grinding his hips back and forth on his fingers.

Billy spread his fingers, scissoring them open and closed, getting him open. Steve squirmed a little.

“Just like,” he took Billy’s wrist, shoving his fingers in deeper. Billy curled his fingers. “Oh, yeah.” He started tossing his ass back, fucking himself on Billy’s fingers. “Fuck.”

He collapsed forward, burying his face in Billy’s neck.

Billy tried to get a look at the dark ink covering him from neck to upper ass cheek.

“I’m I’m ready.” Steve bat Billy’s hand away, turning around.

He lined up Billy’s cock, sinking down on it.

Billy’s eyes fluttered closed.

“Jesus Christ,” Billy groaned. Steve felt like Heaven.

He looked over his shoulder, tossing him a wry smile. Billy clung to his hips.

“Like what you see?”

The tattoo was beautiful.

It was an intricate monster, tall and skeletal, a face like a flower, opened up with rows and rows of horrible teeth. There appeared to be black smoke coming from behind the monster, delicate furls of something, maybe vines? They climber up Steve’s shoulders, wrapped around his arms.

It shouldn’t have been sexy, staring at this thing while Steve bounced on his cock, but it was Steve bouncing on his cock, tossing his head back and moaning.

“What do you think?”

“I think, you don’t get to cum until I tell you all my thoughts on this art.” Steve moaned loudly. “This fuckin’, fuckin’ monster. Black ink looks real pretty on you, Baby.”

Steve turned again to look over his shoulder.

“Tell me about it.”

“I mean, I shouldn’t be turned on, lookin’ at this thing. It’s like, it’s like it’s screaming at me.” Steve shuddered. Billy didn’t know if it was a good shudder or a bad one. “I can, I can see the saliva in it’s mouth.”

And then Steve stopped, panting heavily.

He pulled off of Billy, turning to face him again.

“Sorry, that’s just, you know, not the best dirty talk material.” Billy grinned at him.

In one swift motion he rolled on top of Steve, slamming his way back inside of him.

“You want good material? You want me to tell you about how often I jerked off to you in high school? Pictured how pretty your lips would look around my cock? Thought about how tight your little hole would be?”

That was apparently the stuff.

Steve’s eyes were wide, his hair wild on the pillow behind him. He was panting shallowly, just accepting what Billy was giving him.

“Thought about taking you all kindsa ways. Thought about bendin’ you over in the showers after P.E. and just fucking you right there, in front of everyone.”

Steve’s back arched beautifully, and his thighs trembled against Billy’s sides as he came, thick white spunk sticking their stomachs together.

“Yeah? That get you going? The idea of people watching, of being made my bitch?”

“Jesus, Billy, I already finished.” His cock gave a flimsy little kick as if proving his point.

“Yeah, now I’m getting myself off.” Steve laughed at him, shifting his hips to let Billy drive in deeper.

“That what get you there? Pining me down? Making me your bitch?” Billy moved a little faster, a little rougher. “Now’s your chance, Tiger. Gimme your cum, ruin me.”

Billy bit down on Steve’s neck, made him yelp as he bucked his hips, cumming inside of him.

He breathed for a minute, rolling off of Steve.

Steve stretched like a cat, wincing slightly.

“Lemme see your art again. Was a little distracted with the sight of my dick in your ass.” Steve laughed, rolling over onto his stomach.

Billy traced the monster’s mouth with light fingers.

“It’s cool.”

“Will Byers drew it. Kind of reminds me to, you know, put the past behind me. I know it’s cheesy but,” he shrugged, trailing off.

“Sometimes cheesy works.” Steve’s cheek was smushed against the pillow as he studied Billy.

“What’s it like being back in Hawkins? Must be weird coming back after being gone.”

“Nah. Nothing’s really changed. Weirder coming in blind that first time.” He traced one of the black vines. “I thought you were in Chicago?”

“I am. Only moved out there about six months ago. Didn’t get into college or anything, so I’ve been working shitty jobs, saving up some money. Thinking about running away some more. Get further away.”

“You’re always welcome in California. I got a pull out couch.” He licked over his teeth. “Or you could share my bed.”

“Are you asking me to give you sex in exchange for a place to stay?”

“You did say you’re in your slutty phase.” Steve laughed, burying his face in the pillow.

“We’ll see if I get desperate enough to get outta here to take you up on that offer.”

“You could drive back with me. Stay for awhile, fly back. See if you like it.”

High school Billy would be creaming in his pants right about now, asking Steve Harrington to run away to California with him.

Steve looked at him, his face unreadable.

“I could go for a little adventure.”

[aworldinsideaperson]

It Was always You (Chapter One)

George WeasleyxRavenclaw!OC FanFiction

Word count: 2.6k

Warnings: Panic Attack! Dementors! Mentions of food, mentions of babies? That’s all I can think of but if there is anything else let me know

Story Summary: Cerridwen has known the Weasley family all of her life. Attached at the hips of Fred and George for as long as she could remember has built a strong and lasting friendship that stretches across House lines and stands the test and trials they all face. But how long until “Just Friends” turns into something more, because it always turns into something more.

Chapter Summary: The start of the school year can always be stressful, Cerridwen starts the school year with all the regular stress of starting her fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry along with the added stressors of her father’s escape from Azkaban.

A/N: This is the thing I’ve been working on for months! This is chapter one of... a lot. Thank you @izzytheninja​ for listening to me rant and talk about this story and these characters nonstop for MONTHS I hope you guys like it!

The sun shone brightly through the curtains of the Burrow’s living room. On the couch a very young dark haired woman sat with a small baby in her arms, to one side of her sat a redheaded woman in her late twenties looking down at the baby in the arms of her neighbor and friend, Elinor McNally. On the other side of Elinor was a small red haired boy with light freckles dotting his skin. The fifteen month old stood beside Elinor looking down at the bundle in her arms.

“Baby.” He said, giving Elinor a quizzical look, his small head moved a little to one side.

His mother, Molly, nodded. “Yes George, it’s a baby.”

“Would you like to hold her?” Elinor smiled, her voice soft but George nodded. “Alright well, go sit in your Mum’s lap.” Molly took George in her arms and settled him down into her lap, his arms held out wide as he looked at Elinor with his big brown eyes. She turned and placed the small bundle into George’s arms with Molly's significant support and watched as he looked down at the baby wrapped up in her blanket. “Her name is Cerridwen.”

September 1st

14 Years Later

A ripple of silence washed over the platform as Cerridwen and her family stepped onto it, whispers following them with each group they passed. She heard her last name whispered in accompaniment with her father’s first. Though she had hoped that the news wouldn’t ruin her school year as she felt all the eyes on her she was sure this was only the beginning. Hugging her mother and stepfather goodbye she moved as quickly as she could to get onto the train and away from the prying eyes of her fellow classmates and their parents that held them just a little bit tighter as they looked at her.

Cerridwen settled into a compartment and took a sleek black cat from the travel crate she’d been placed in that morning as well as a book from another small bag settling down to continue reading the muggle romance novel she’d started the morning prior. With the cat snuggled into her left side between her thigh and the wall of the compartment and her book in her right hand she began to twirl strands of her dark hair in her left as her mind wandered to her friends, hoping that even if the rest of the school would hate her she could still count on her two best friends. With her mind drifting to the two the door of her compartment slid open and two identical red haired young men peaked in.

“Cerridwen Black, you are a hard girl to find!”. George said, he and his twin walked into the compartment bags in hand.

Cerri stood to hug the two boys, “Well Georgie did you look with your eyes open or closed?” She chuckled, wrapping her arms around Fred and then George.

Fred looked to his twin then back at Cerri. “You know what, I think that might have been the problem.” They all laughed and Cerri reached up to ruffle Fred’s hair.

“You’re telling me Molly let both of you leave the house with these mops on your head?” She laughed as Fred swatted her hand away.

“We hid all the scissors.” They chuckled and the three of them settled into a comfortable conversation as the train took off from the station.

“How was the rest of your summer Cerri?” Fred asked, leaning back in his seat.

“Well you’d already know if either of you had bothered to write me this summer.”

“Hey! I wrote you once and George wrote you two very long letters.” Fred smirked, eyeing his brother as a light blush dusted his cheeks.

“Three letters from the two of you the whole time you were gone is unacceptable!” Her voice was firm but a smile spread across her face before letting out a small laugh. “Honestly though, if you couldn’t tell on the platform, the only thing worse than the last six weeks of my life is going to be every minute until they catch my dad.” The twins went silent, looking away from her. “Oh come on, I know you guys know there isn’t any sense trying to pretend it’s not happening.” George then turned his head an mumbled under his breath; “What was that George?”

He sighed and spoke again. “Mum and Dad told us we shouldn’t talk about it.”

“You know, in case it upset you or something.” Fred finished with a sympathetic look to his friend.

“I do want to talk about it though seeing as it’s all anyone else will probably talk about.” As she looked up Cerri saw a few third years looking into their compartment as they walked past but when Cerri looked at them they fled quickly.

“Alright, so talk?” Fred offered.

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“But you just said!”

“I know what I said! I don’t know, I just,” Her voice petered off as she

sighed. “They’ve been sending dementors to the house, and ministry officials have been by every few days to ask if we’ve seen him.”

“And, have you? Seen him I mean.” George asked in a tentative voice

“That’s the worst part, I haven’t.”

“Well he probably knows that’s the first place they’d start looking. He’s just trying to play it safe!”

“But wouldn’t it be worth the risk? To see your only child? To see me? Has he not missed me these last 12 years? Does he even remember who I am? Or,” She paused, taking a deep breath and looking down into her lap with sad eyes. “Or is he the person everyone says he is, and not the person my mum has always talked about.” Cerri’s eyes welled up with tears as she fiddled with her fingers in her lap. George slid across the seat and moved closer to her as he put his arms around Cerri he held her close, rubbing his hand up and down her arm soothingly as he closed his eyes and rested his cheek to the top of her head.

Tears gently tipped out onto her cheeks as she sniffled into George’s arms, Fred watching them awkwardly until they felt the train jerk to a stop. The air felt cold and when they looked out the window they could see frost begin to build and Cerri knew what was to come as she pulled closer to George’s side.

The lights flickered and went out, Cerri buried her face into George’s shoulder as she attempted to bring her knees closer into her body while darkness enveloped them. The cat jumped down and scurried beneath the seat; the twins could see their breath as the air became colder, their eyes trained on Cerri, her breathing becoming shallow as more tears sprung to her eyes and her worst moments pushing to the forefront of her mind; the day she was ripped from her father’s arms as he was carted off to Azkaban playing on repeat like a broken record, she heard the door slide open and she could no longer breath. She gasped for air, tears draining from her eyes as she attempted to pull in a single breath but the air around her felt solid. George attempted to tighten his grip around her but Cerri pushed away, pushing herself into the corner of the seat and bringing her knees to her chest and pulling herself into a ball as she choked on air, the scene in her brain playing over and over again, her heart fluttering inside of her chest, sobbing as her whole body shook.

Then the lights were back and the air was warm and Cerri sucked in her first breath in what, her mind, was hours as she continued to shake. George reached this hand out to place it on her knee and Fred kneeled beside her to place his hand between her shoulders, rubbing them soothingly.

“Cerri?” George coxed gently, “Cerri, can you say something?”

She shook her head, still pressed into her legs.

“Do you want us to get you some help?” Fred offered and Cerri nodded once. With that Fred jumped from her place on the floor and popped out the door as the train again began to move.

A few seconds pass, George still has his hand on Cerri’s knee as he watches her shakes become less prominent and her sniffles more defined. “Do you want me to talk?” He offered, when Cerri gave a curt nod George sighed. “I wanted to write you more this summer,” He started. “But Fred gave me a bit of a hard time, and once Bill over heard him he and Charlie started in on me a bit.” He gave a soft chuckle. “I should have written to you more anyway.” George gave an exasperated sigh just as the compartment door slid open and Fred stepped back inside followed by a tall gangly looking man with dark hair and a pale, sallow, sunken and marked face.

He knelt beside the dark haired girl and placed a hand on her back. “Dear?” He questioned softly and Cerri lifted her head, her eyes wide and mouth open as she looked at the man before her and a smile came to his lips. “Hello sweetpea.” And with that he and Cerri flung their arms around each other in a tight embrace.

The twins shared an identical look of confusion as they watched the two separate and the man had their friend a small piece of Chocolate. “That should help dear.” He offered as he stood only to sit on the bench seat across from her as she nibbled on the sweet.

“Do you two..” Fred looked between Cerri and the older man.

“Know each other?” George finished and Cerri looked over at him with her big blue eyes still brimming with tears and she nodded.

Finally able to speak she gave an explanation. “This is my uncle Remmy; he’s my,” She took in a long sharky breath as she tried to continue but the man across from her took over.

“Godfather.” He finished. “But you’ll all be calling me Professor this year.” Remus reached out to shake hands with the boys inside the compartment. The three of them watched as Cerri’s breathing evened out and her shaking began to calm. “Alright, well since you’re doing better I’m going to go check on the rest of the students.” Remus smiled and stood, patting Cerri on the head as he walked toward the door.

“Thank you Uncle Remmy.”

“It’s professor now.”

“Thank you Professor Uncle Remmy.”

Remus shook his head as a smile came to his lips and he walked out the door.

“You feeling better?”

“A bit yeah,” Cerri let out another shaky breath and opened her mouth again before being interrupted by the glass door sliding open and a head of dark curly hair popped in.

“Cerri are you alright?” Miranda mason burst her way into the compartment, brown eyes wide and filled with concern she pushed Fred out of the way, causing him to stumble and fall back into the seat mumbling something to the extent of ‘no no I wasn’t standing there’ with a roll of his eyes.

Miranda sat on the floor beside Cerri, reaching up to stroke her hair. “How could they send those things onto the train that’s completely mental! I came as soon as I was able,” She sighs and rolls her eyes before beginning to ramble. “you know how emotional and clingy Cho can get, I tried to look for you on the platform but I couldn’t find you and then I got caught in with Roger, he asked about you by the way… again, and then Cho saw us and before I knew it the compartment was full and you know trying to get away from Roger can be,”

Cerri clamped a hand over Miranda’s mouth. “Breath,” Cerri laughed lightly, “I’m alright and I know us ravenclaws are terrors at times.” She took her hand away and placed them both back in her lap and Miranda reached over to place her hand on her wrist. The girls looked at each other and smiled.

“We should go change into our robes.” Miranda stood up and walked to the door before turning back. “And hello boys.” She then turned again and slid out of the compartment.

“She is so weird.” George started.

“And oh so hot.” Added Fred.

Cerri rolled her eyes and took another deep breath before standing and fishing her robes out of her bag. “I have a very particular taste in friendships.” She spoke with a smile looking at the two in the compartment. “You should get changed while I’m gone.” And with that she walked out of the compartment to change.

The strares of the crowd on the platform had been bad; but nothing would hold a candle to the way the great hall felt with so many eyes on her. She was sure Ravenclaw table had never gotten so much attention and even trying to bury herself between Miranda and Cho, Cerri could still sense the eyes glancing and staring in her direction, their whispering and stares continued through the sorting until Dumbledore rose and silence fell over the room as he began to speak.

“Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become too befuddled by our excellent feast…

“As you will all be aware, after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the dementors of Azkaban, Who are here on Ministry of Magic business.

“They are stationed at every entrance of the grounds, and while they are with us I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises or even invisibility cloaks. It is not in the nature of a dementors to understand pleading or excuse. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs afoul of the dementors.

“On a happier note, I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year. First, professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of defense against the dark arts teacher.

“As for our new appointment, well, I am sorry to tell you that professor Kettleburn, our care of magical creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his game keeping duties.

“Well, I think that is everything of importance, Let the feast begin!” Dumbledore gave his last exclamation and with a wave food filled the tables as they did every year and in a moment all felt right. Cerri could no longer feel eyes on her, Cho smiled at her from across the table as they filled their plates, Miranda spoke animatedly about how hot her summer fling had been. It was as every other welcome feast had been, full of smiles and happiness. Until Cerri heard a near shout.

“Why do you think they’ve sent dementors here?” Asked a small girl toward the end of the table.

An older Ravenclaw responded quickly. “They’re trying to catch-” The older girl, Penelope Clearwater, cut herself off; her eyes drifting down the table to Cerri before she whispered. Cerri couldn’t hear but she knew what Penelope was telling the young girl. They’re trying to catch a criminal. They’re trying to catch a fellow Ravenclaws father. They’re trying to catch HER father. They’re trying to catch Sirius Black.

[marypsue]

I cracked the last couple of questions I still had for the monster longfic I’m working on and filled another notebook, so I’m celebrating by posting another teaser for the sequel to the kids aren’t alright!

...

It starts, because of course it does, on Halloween.

If she was feeling more like herself, Barb would have some very sarcastic comments for the universe about that. About cliches, and being a little too on-the-nose, and how the original horror movie she had to live through really wasn’t good enough for a sequel.

But she’s not feeling like herself. She’s feeling cold, and shaken, and she keeps thinking she smells rot on the late-October air. Keeps thinking she can see flecks of drifting white moving in the corners of her vision.

Barb had fled fifth period biology when it had first started to seep in, an icy, somehow slimy, unwholesome cold creeping into every crack and crevice of everything yet to come. Had lost ten or fifteen minutes on the grimy tile floor of a bathroom stall trying to heave up something that wasn’t actually in her stomach, nauseated by the slick shivering inevitability of it in every direction she turned. She’s still got no idea how it hid itself from her at all, let alone so completely, so that by the time she got the first hint of a warning about it, it was already too late.

Unless – unless there were warnings, and she’d just brushed them off as paranoia, after what happened last November. After that – place. It had had the same kind of cold about it, the kind that chilled her almost feverishly, clammy and damp and sickening. Barb’s spent a full year trying to shake the memory off. If some of it hadn’t been memory –

But it doesn’t matter now. It’s too late. There’s nothing anybody can do to stop it, not anymore.

Whatever this is, it’s coming.

Nancy, loyal to a fault, had followed Barb to the bathroom, rubbed her back, and made sympathetic noises while Barb lost her lunch. Now she’s sitting on the concrete steps outside with Barb, breathing in the autumn chill, and Barb can tell she’s waiting for an explanation. Loyal to a fault, maybe, and brilliant and beautiful and determined, but one thing Nancy Wheeler’s never been is patient.

“Sorry,” Barb manages, pulling off her glasses so she can rub a hand against her left eye. The fresh air’s helping the dull throb that’s settled behind it, but the low, bright afternoon light isn’t. At least the nausea’s settled. “That – I wasn’t expecting it.”

Nancy just gives her big melty puppy-dog eyes and puts a slim hand on her arm. “Are you feeling any better now?”

Barb manages a nod.

Nancy glances back over her shoulder at the school before leaning in closer to Barb. Her voice goes hushed as she says, “I saw your nose start to bleed before you bolted. What happened?”

For a second, Barb considers lying. Blame the nosebleed on the dry air and the nausea on the pickled frogs they’d been dissecting or a bad egg salad sandwich or something. Whatever this thing is that’s coming, it’s bad. And there really, really isn’t anything anyone can do now to stop it before it starts. But if Nancy finds out – she’s going to try.

Barb doesn’t want to see what happens if Nancy tries to stop it. And not just because she’s got nothing left in her to throw up.

But then the door behind them is swinging open, with a metallic chunk and a squeal of put-upon hinges. Barb whirls around, heart in her throat even though she knows that it’s not that – that thing –

“Heard you left fifth period sick,” Jonathan Byers says, a crease of worry between his eyebrows, and Barb lets out a long sigh of breath as she relaxes. She won’t be able to keep the truth to herself now, but at least this takes it out of her hands. And – even with everything, it’s good to see him. If Barb had known what a sense of humour Jonathan’s been hiding under that hard shell of misanthropy, they might’ve been friends sooner.

The little twist of smile that crosses Jonathan’s face at that vanishes in an instant, that worry furrowing deeper. “What the hell was that?” he asks, with a piercing look at Barb’s face, settling down on the step on her other side.

Nancy shoots him a confused frown, and Jonathan bobs his head in Barb’s direction. And then they’re both looking at her, waiting for an explanation.

Barb swallows. She can still taste the bitterness of bile on the back of her tongue.

“I don’t really know,” she admits. “But it’s coming here.”

Nancy looks from Barb to Jonathan and back again. “Your vision?”

“Not a vision,” Jonathan says, before Barb can, and flashes her another twist of a smile when she turns to scowl at him.

“Something bad?” Nancy asks, her jaw starting to set in that way Barb knows means she’s got hold of an idea and she won’t let it go until she’s done something about it.

“Something weird,” Barb stresses, even though she’s pretty sure it’s already too late to change Nancy’s mind.

“You were throwing up. That sounds bad to me.”

“What sounds bad?”

Barb turns her head to look, just in time to get a faceful of Steve Harrington’s hair as he ducks down to plant one on Nancy. The smell of hairspray is overpowering. Barb coughs, leaning back out of range of the chemical assault, and collides with Jonathan’s shoulder.

Nancy makes a muffled, annoyed noise and pushes Steve off her, glowering. “Steve! This is serious.”

Steve shrugs, and claps Jonathan on the back with one hand before he settles down on the steps on Nancy’s other side. He tucks an arm around her waist, pulling her against his side, and Nancy shoots him a look that’s just a little too fond to really be annoyed before she settles against him. “Okay. It’s serious.” He leans forward a little, looking around Nancy to Barb. “Hey, you all right? Nicole said the frog dissection made you blow chunks. Don’t feel bad, there’s always one.”

“It wasn’t the dissection,” Barb says, as Nancy smacks her boyfriend in the chest with the back of one hand, not taking her eyes off Barb’s face. “It was the future.”

The joking grin drains out of Steve’s eyes before it fades off his face. “No shit? What was it?”

Barb fumbles for words, before turning a pleading look on Jonathan, who grimaces.

“I don’t really want any more of that slime in my head, either,” he says, which gets a quirked eyebrow from Steve and a thoughtful frown from Nancy.

“It – it feels like – that place,” Barb tries, which gets a look of understanding and what she thinks is a little bit of guilt out of Nancy, and a shake of the head from Steve. “The – Upside Down or whatever your kid brother called it. Where Jonathan’s brother was.” Her throat’s gone dry again, and she has to swallow before she can add, “Where that monster took me. And it’s coming here.”

“Not if we stop it,” Nancy says, after a beat, all flashing eyes and fierce determination, just like Barb had known she would.

“Nancy – we’re not going to stop it.” Barb has to look down at her interlaced fingers, away from her best friend’s face. “I ignored all the early warnings because I thought they were just bad memories, and now it’s too late. It’s coming here. Maybe we can – get rid of it, send it back, once it’s here, but I don’t know yet. And I don’t want to have to look at it again to find out.”

She can feel three pairs of eyes on her, but Barb doesn’t dare look up.

“That is bullshit,” Nancy says, at last, vehemently, and Barb puffs out a sigh. “No. I’m sorry, Barb, but I’m not buying it. If it hasn’t happened yet, then there’s still something we can do to stop it. Got to be. Right?”

“Nothing I could see. Nancy, I don’t want you getting in trouble trying to fight the inevitable, okay?”

“That’s our Nance,” Steve says, a little too fondly, tilting his head down to press a kiss to Nancy’s temple and putting both hands on her waist. Her whole face scrunches up, but she looks like she’s trying not to smile. “Always fighting the inevitable.”

“Steve Harrington, I swear to god if you try to tickle me -”

“Hadn’t even crossed my mind, right, Jonny-boy?”

When Barb looks over, Jonathan’s watching Nancy and her boyfriend with a crooked half-grin, like he doesn’t know if he’s allowed to laugh. “He’s an innocent man, Nancy,” he says, with mock solemnity, and Steve breaks into a huge, shit-eating grin over Nancy’s head at Jonathan before he leans over and blows on Nancy’s exposed neck, making her shriek. He follows it with a loud, smacking kiss to the same spot, and comes up looking like the cat who got the cream.

“See? You should trust me more.”

Nancy shoves him, but she’s laughing. “You’re an idiot, Steve Harrington!”

Barb looks back, sees the fond, soft smile Jonathan’s turned on the two of them, and abruptly feels a million cold, dark, rotting miles away from them all.

She pushes herself to her feet, deliberately looking away from Jonathan so she won’t have to watch his face fall. “I’m feeling better now. Think I’d better go apologise to Mr. Neal for running out on his class before algebra starts. Thanks for checking on me.”

“Barb,” Nancy says, but when she tries to get up, Steve yanks her back down into his lap. “Steve!”

“Oh, oh no, I’m – I’m trying to let you go, but – it seems like – kinda seems like – you ending up in my lap is inevitable?”

“Let me go, you Neanderthal -”

The school door slams shut behind Barb, muffling their voices.

[nine-mp3]

- a one-shot inspired by OnlyOneOf’s Love going back to black hair recently

- vampire!love / jisung

- reader!witch/warlock

- word count: 1755

- warnings: blood mention, narrator only curses once, other than that it is very pg-13 

Lifting up the hatch to the roof of the cabin, you carefully move your way up to the surface. The cool night air of the forest is inviting; promising for days when you couldn't sleep, too many thoughts in mind. You walked across the ceramic tiles, careful not to slip. In one of your hands was a can of Coca-Cola, a favorite drink of the mortals in the world. And it so happened to be the same for yourself though you were a witch/warlock. As for your other hand, you held a medium-sized juice pouch with dark red liquid contained inside; it was made of primarily cranberry juice and other herbs, a known supplement for blood that only witches or warlocks can make. A very popular consumable in the supernatural market. 

You sat down at the other end of the roof, a few feet away from the trap door, and set down the juice pouch, while opening the coke. As you take a sip, the carbonation hits your nose strongly, making you wrinkle your nose for a moment. A black and tawny cat, Chestnut, leapt up from the trap door. She walks over, joining you, brushing against your arms. Though it seemed like the cat was accompanying you, she in reality was waiting for someone else. But you give the cat what she wants anyways; attention, rubbing her head generously.

It wasn't long till said person came, as they had promised to do so the other day. You barely had enough time to blink when someone appeared besides you without any warning. Most people would be shocked, or perhaps fallen off the roof. And that is speaking from personal experience, from when you first befriended Jisung. 

You eventually got used to it; being friends with a vampire simply just came with these surprise appearances. It’s one of the lesser terrifying things in the world when you think about it, considering the life you live as one kind of supernatural being as well.

Chestnut leaps out of your arms without another thought and into his, purring endlessly into his chest. Jisung laughs, happy to greet an animal who wasn't afraid of him. Hands running through fur, he hugs the cat with the same amount of affection. 

"You made it. And on time," you said, a smile reaching your face upon seeing him. 

"Did you think I wouldn't show up?" Jisung asked, his dark crimson eyes moving away from the cat to look at you. 

He idly played with Chestnut's paws as the cat rested on his lap now; it was quite scary to see a cat be in the hands of a vampire literally, wary of Jisung's long dark nails. But over time, you came to know that he was one of the gentler vampires in the world. And cats knew better than all of us; Chestnut wouldn't approach Jisung if she felt he was dangerous. 

"No. It's not an easy travel route to here, I mean," you said, setting down your can of coke to poke the straw into the juice pouch you had reserved for him.

He scooted over closer and was mindful not to jostle the cat in his lap as he did. Jisung smiled giddly, teeth and fangs showing, as if he was a child receiving sweets, and took the juice pouch from your hands to take a sip. You watched as his image changed once he took a generous glup and swallowed; he ran a hand through his black locks of hair, before leaning back against his arms. The light from the night stars made his pale skin glisten, even more than usual. It's hard not to look at him. 

And here's the confession; you thought Jisung is very beautiful. Vampires just came with good looks. He's not the first vampire you've met in your life either. Safe to say most of them are assholes and only have one goal in mind: to survive. As for him, he is both beautiful inside and outside; the supernatural transformation did not take away his ability to be kind or blurr the meaning of it. You assumed it took a great amount of willpower to do such a thing. Comparing the life of a mortal to a vampire, it was drastically different.

"Worried that I can't handle a couple of forest demons?" Jisung asked then, elbowing me playfully. 

"I guess it's something like that... anyways, do you know what day it is?" you responded.

"March 20th? Or is it one of your witchy / warlocky holidays?"

"...Witchy / warlocky holidays? Name one."

"Halloween."

"Huh? That one applies to all supernatural creatures-"

Jisung snickered, seeming to enjoy the confusion on your face. You knew he was joking then and shoved him to the side as hard as you could with your shoulder. Unfortunately, vampires have insane super strength in this world also; your physical shove did nothing to him. It might've hurt just your own shoulder in the end. The vampire, unmoving, laughs even harder.

"God, you're annoying. I'll send you across the field with a fireball if you don't shut up," you said, folding your arms and rolling your eyes in irritation.

"You like me too much to do that," Jisung responded, his smile turning into a knowing one.

In moments like these, when he was making fun of you, it was easier not to look at him out of spite. Jisung teased you relentlessly, but it was part of the friendship. You did the same back, except this moment was particularly different. The meaning of this day. The vampire notices your demeanor, the seriousness, and stops laughing.

“Aw, come on...I know what day it is, y/n. March 20th, the Spring Solstice. The anniversary of the day we first met," he said now. "I remember and...it's not something I would forget."

You didn't immediately look at Jisung again when he said that. It was because no one had ever said anything like that to you, the level of genuineness you felt from his words; it caught you off guard. Warmth had crept up on your face, paired off with the sudden acceleration of your heart. This wasn't something you can hide from a vampire though, it was more out of embarrassment to not look at him now. Out of the corner of your eyes, you saw Jisung's face become written with surprise.

It was probably also good to note that a witch’s /warlock's blood was particularly toxic to vampires, which was another reason why it wasn't hard to become friends with him in the first place; you didn't have to worry about him thinking of you as a midnight snack. 

There was a good moment of silence as you attempted to muster the courage to find a way to respond to that and of course, explain why in the world you were reacting this way. You were trying to figure out for the longest time about how you truly felt about Jisung; if you were confusing feelings of friendship for...something else. The last thing you wanted to do was to ruin it all. 

This had happened several times and before Jisung could ask any questions, you teleported away from him. And you were about to do that again. He seemed to have anticipated the move and grabbed your hands, a tight grasp, preventing you from casting the spell. This forced you to look at him, though mainly out of your own surprise. There was a concern on his face now instead, and you couldn't miss the dilation of his pupils either; this made you know, whatever you were feeling, Jisung mutually felt the same. You felt stupid for not seeing it sooner; it made sense since you did literally disappear every moment before you could see his reaction every single time. But you were only scared. 

“Sorry,” you blurted out, breaking the heavy silence. “I’ve just been confused and I don’t know what this all means and you’re like my best friend and I don’t want to lose you and you know how complicated it would be for beings like us and-”

Jisung removed one of his hands to cover your mouth, stopping you from talking. 

“Okay. Now when I remove my hand you’re going to breathe. Sound good?”

You nodded, complying with his words. When he takes his hand from over your mouth, you inhale and exhale as directed. Looking back over to Jisung, he has an assuring smile on his face. He held both your hands in his again, his thumbs gently stroking in comfort. You noted that Chestnut the cat had gone from his lap; she must’ve thought you two needed to work something out when sensing tension from you and fled. It was one less thing to worry about. 

“So, all of that...was the reason why you kept running away?” he asked. 

“Yes. It was,” you admitted, the feeling of embarrassment returning. 

Jisung laughed lightly and you saw it now, his own shyness visible. 

“It’s hard to find the words...but I honestly wondered if you’d ever really think of me that way. I know that I have this irresistible beauty-”

You rolled your eyes for the second time today at that statement, almost wanting to retract your hands, yet he again prevented you from leaving until he finished his sentence. 

“- let me finish! But we both know it’s the vampire charm, blah, blah. Anyways, what I’m really trying to say is that I do have the same feelings- I mean at least what I sense your heart is telling me and all your stinky blood rushing around like that in your veins. Since day one, if you really want this to get anymore cliche...a vampire falling for a witch/warlock, vice versa...happens once in a blue moon, doesn’t it?”

Of course, Jisung still manages to joke while making a confession out of awkwardness. Yet you couldn’t be any more happier though. You pulled your hands away from his to wrap your arms around his shoulders for a tight hug, not minding how cold he was. There was no hesitation from Jisung either, his own arms immediately moving to loop around your frame, enjoying the warmth that emitted from your body, tucking his head against yours. The two of you spent a while like that, enjoying each other’s presence, before beginning to talk again about memories, addressing the moments where you both were dodgy; overall, catching up with each other’s feelings as the night continued on.

[lovehugsandcandy]

Mermaid Magic (ColtxMC, RoD)

A/N: Apparently, if you want something done, you better do it yourself (note: not done well. just done). Based off the amazing idea where MC is a mermaid and Colt is an idiot from @escanorelyon, here. Thank you for letting me write this and for coming up with such a delicious concept. Anyone, if you want to put your own spin on the idea, I would love to see what you come up with! Tag me!

Pairing: Colt x MC, ROD

Length: ~3,000 words

Rating/Warnings: PG-13 (Swearing?)

Summary: Is the surprise that there’s a mermaid? Or is the surprise that it takes him so long to figure it all out?

The plunge is weightless, terrifyingly familiar, and his swift reentry to earth, via splash into the Pacific so deep his ears roar with the pressure, never fails to take his breath away. As Colt kicks back to the surface, salt water around him churning with every stroke, he can almost pretend it has taken his stress away, a complete distraction from the rationale behind his trip to LA.

He emerges and shakes the sea from his hair, swiping at the water dripping from his nose and tonguing at his tingling lips. It’s peaceful here, tranquil, miles away from the confrontation he knows awaits. The cliff had always been the opposite of his home life, peace instead of strife, calm instead of stress, and the trips had always been a respite from the turmoil of his youth. After being forced to make the leap time and time again, he came to see this place as a haven of solitude, where he could be alone and process whatever shithole situation he was currently in.

A sudden splash to his left makes him realize his thoughts of solitude were ill-informed.

“Hello?” He spins, water rippling around him, eyes darting around the surface to assess whatever danger lay beneath.

But it doesn’t look like danger as a face slowly comes into view, chestnut hair slowly rising through the sea. She blinks at him, eyes glowing almost otherworldly in the sunlight, and she purses her lips. She looks wary, scared, as if he was the one who impinged on her peaceful time. “Hi.”

“How the hell did you get here?” He cranes his neck up at the cliff; there were no other cars there when he arrived and he sure as hell would have heard someone else diving into the water. And it’s inaccessible from the sides, cliff towering over them, steep rock jutting out in treacherous points, against which the Pacific crashed in rhythmic pulses booming into the sea air. “This is my spot.”

Her plush lips fall open. “Your spot?” she sputters incredulously. “Are you kidding me?”

“I’ve been coming here since I was eight.”

“I’ve been coming here forever. You don’t own this spot, you utter buffoon!” She swims closer, glaring at him, and, had he less experience in dealing with the rage of others, he might have stood down; however, her anger only fuels his.

“How did you even get here? I was swimming here first.”

“You don’t own the sea and you were not here first!” Her movements are choppy with anger as she gets closer, but Colt doesn’t retreat, treading water and glaring defiantly back. “I’ve been here…” Her diatribe fades into the surf as he notices that she is being followed, graceful teal fin swimming after her, flapping over the water.

“Umm, “ he interrupts, “something’s behind you.”

“What?” She spins, and the tail does too, swirling around her, too close to be a normal fish. It doesn’t look like a normal anything, swaying just over the waves, matching her every motion movement-for-movement.

His heart stops and, before he can think, he ducks under the water, eyes stinging as he forces them open. It has to be a trick of the light, some weird fever dream. Maybe he died leaping from the cliff. Maybe he isn’t even in LA, instead still lying in his dorm room having talked himself out of this adventure of paternal reunion. Because anything would make more sense than what he was seeing. 

For, in front of his eyes, there is a fucking tail where her legs should be, swirling gracefully and leaving tiny ripples in its wake. The scales glisten, catching the sunlight filtering through the ocean, and it is strangely compelling: unnatural, alien, gorgeous. He opens his mouth and swallows a gulp of salt water, sputtering to the surface to hack and cough and try to get air to his lungs.

When he can finally see again, she is gaping at him, eyes wide, breath coming in uncertain pants. “Wait…” she murmurs weakly, “I can explain-”

“Oh my God.” He can barely believe his eyes but, at the terrified look on her face, he realizes he wasn’t seeing things. “You’re a mermaid.”

~~~~~

The plan had been simple: get to LA, go to the sideshow, have the requisite argument with his father, probably punctuated by a screaming match at the garage, and then fight his way into the crew and prove his worth.

But everything had changed after his leap into the water, when he had met a goddamned mermaid, a fucking sea creature, floating outside the PCH like she belonged in California, not in the dusty tomes of some piece of shit folklore.

Make no mistake, he still wanted to fight his way back into his father’s good graces (assuming Teppei possessed good grace, Colt would be content with begrudging acceptance instead). But now, he was desperate to solve the mystery. He had begged her to stay, voice dipping into embarrassingly weak pleas, but she had panicked and leapt into the waves, tail flitting behind her in a merry farewell as she fled.

He couldn’t let that be the last time he saw her; he had to talk to her again. He was so distracted, wandering around the sideshow with his mind on the sea, that he almost walked straight into a couple, wandering the cars side-by-side and meandering through the crowd.

“Watch where you’re going,” he shot out, halfheartedly, more instinct than conscious thought. 

“You watch where you’re going.” The kid turned, swinging his hair out of his eyes to size Colt up. He rolled his eyes. Did this punk really want to start something here? Of all places?

The girl in front of him stops short as well but, as soon as she turns, she flinches, damp hair settling in haphazard waves around her fine features as she gawks at him, eyes wide. They gleam, large in her face, an almost otherworldly glow from the dance floor strobe lights, and she looks terrified. Colt scoffs; he might rough up her man, but he wouldn’t lay hands on this tiny brunette. He’s not that much of a prick.

She stares at him and takes a deep breath, exhaling loudly as she studies him. He blinks back, waiting, never dropping the gaze. Finally, she speaks. “Ummm....Hi?”

With the sour intensity painting her features, he expected a better opening line. “What? Cat got your tongue, sweetheart?” She’s still staring at him in terror, eyes glassy, face pale. 

“What? Ummm… you don’t…” Her tongue pokes out to wet her trembling lips and he follows the movement before remembering the asshole perched next to her. “You don’t know who I am?”

“Sorry,” he scoffs, already bored. “I don’t pay attention to every single pair of losers that has the audacity to get in my way.” He shakes his head and stalks off, mind already returning to the waves and the shadow of a tail underneath the surface.

~~~~~ 

He is absolutely, completely, world-endingly obsessed.

Colt is no stranger to obsession (motorcycles, video games, reclaiming his place as rightful heir through fists and sweat and blood) but his desperate need to see the mermaid is bordering on insanity. He leaps from the cliff, again and again and again, varying hour of day and day of week based on a detailed spreadsheet he drafted to give him the best probability to see her again. The middle of the day is fruitless, depths of the sea a brilliant reprieve from the sun sweltering overhead, but he doesn’t even notice, feeling only dismay when she doesn’t appear. The middle of the night is no better, moon lighting a solemn path through the trees as its glow echoes softly over the lapping waves, but still no mermaid.

He is starting to lose hope, despair seeping its way into his heart, when he spies a familiar head of hair in the evening sunset.

“It’s you,” he breathes and swims closer, drawn to her in a way that he doesn’t want to examine too hard.

“Hi.”

“I’ve been trying to find you, I’ve been coming here almost every day.”

She rolls her eyes. “Is that where you’ve been going?”

“What?”

“When you take off….” she opens her mouth and closes it again, eyes scrutinizing him as if he were a puzzle to be deciphered and conquered. “This is where you go?”

“What?”

“When you…” she trails off before shaking her head, dismissively. “Never mind. You are an idiot.”

He ignores the insult as he takes her in, the water tracing gentle paths down her features, the tail glowing luminescent behind her, reflecting the waning rays of sun dipping over the ocean. “Who are you? How did you get here? Where are you from?”

“You are really curious about me.” She smiles sanguinely and her tail flips behind her. Colt feels lightheaded.

“You have no idea.” 

“I’m from LA obviously,” she giggles and the tilt of her laugh pulls him closer, legs kicking out until he is treading water directly in front of her.

“What, a secret coven of mermaids hidden in the Hills?”

She laughs and his fingers twitch, aching to reach out and touch the droplet heavy on her cheek. “Covens are for witches.”

“Do you mean the mythical kind? Do they also live in LA? Or are you referring to the lady who runs the bodega on 92nd cuz she is a real witch?”

She laughs again and he would do anything, absolutely anything, to hear the sound again. “I’m sure you may have instigated something there.”

“Maybe…” The smile still plays on her lips; there is so much he wants to ask, so much he needs to know. 

“I can’t believe there are mermaids. Damn.” A sudden thought hits him; he considered this his secret but maybe it wasn’t just his. “Does anyone else know about you?”

“What? I guess…My dad…” She looks past him, gazing far away at something only she can see. “He knows but he…he doesn’t understand what it’s like. What I’m like.”

Her eyes suddenly water with something more painful than the sea and Colt is stuck by the fact that even mermaids have human problems. “Yeah, I get that.”

“I know you do, Colt.”

“Wait...How did you know my name?”

She rolls her eyes, and the sadness vanishes, replaced by the familiar teasing grin, the sense that she knows some secret that he can’t comprehend. “You are a goddamn…It’s mermaid magic, Colt. Mermaid magic.”

~~~~~~

He spends less and less time at the shop.

He’s sure his father is delighted, but he’s also sure Pop harbors secret, unnecessary concerns about his whereabouts. The crew seems the same as when he was shipped out east, as bumbling as ever, but now when he desperately escapes from the crowd, it is with purpose. He yearns to catch yet another glimpse of the girl, tail fleeting in the water, smirk on her face as they banter back and forth.

He isn’t interested in anything but the mermaid. 

Except maybe one thing. One person.

The girl from the sideshow, Ellie, has somehow integrated herself into the crew. At first, he was doubtful, wondering how a careful valedictorian could fit in with a group of hardened thieves, but she seemed to integrate seamlessly into the group, her intelligence a compliment to a crew that was severely lacking.

And apparently even he found it hard to reject her, her toughness and drive reminding him of himself. She’s fast on her feet; they have traded almost infinite barbs, various interchanges and insults, her quick wit keeping pace even with his own. He's also caught her glancing his way, peeking glances from across the shop, interest and confusion painting her face. He looks at her as well, more than he would admit, and he tells himself it is solely curiosity. Sure, she's attractive, but she's also rejecting her cozy home for a shadowed existence in a crew on the edge. Of course, he's curious.

Which is how he finds himself escorting her to her driver’s test which, obviously, she passed with flying colors. Beaming with pride, she insists on using her new paper permit to drive them back to the garage, hands confidently gripping the steering wheel as he watches the highway fly by.

“You know you’re an idiot, right?”

He gapes at her. The insult is familiar; it’s far from the first time she called him that, but it seems rather random this time. “Pot, meet kettle,” he huffs.

“You are just so dumb.” She only smiles wider. “You don’t see what’s right in front of your face.”

“I see another idiot who is gonna waste twenty minutes if she misses the off-ramp.”

”Whatever,” she sighs and dutifully puts her blinker on, plush lips pursing at him. “You think you’re so smart, with your stealthy getaways, your little secret. You’re nowhere near as smart as you think you are.”

“What are you-” His voice fades away as his mind races. How did she know-? She couldn’t know. Right? He hasn’t told anyone about the mermaid, about his trips to the cliff, about flying though the air to find her, waiting for him, wet skin glowing in the setting sun.

“I know you have a secret…” She glances over then quickly averts her eyes to the road. “Maybe I do, too.”

“Ha. Your secret is that you got mixed up in a life of crime.”

“And your secret is even more insane.”

He stares at her, trying to figure out what exactly she knows, but she only winks at him, throwing her car in park. “What are you…” he trails off.

“What’s the one thing you want more than anything?” Her lips play in a sly smirk and he can’t help but incline his head towards her. Colt wants, God, he wants all the time. He is a perpetual raging ball of want, desperate for things he can’t have-access to his father’s life, a place in the crew, the trust of a mermaid-all of it swirling in his mind but, right now, the one thing he wants is to lean even closer, to capture Ellie’s lips in his own and bite at her snarky smile until his name on her lips is the only thing she herself wants.

He inhales, sharp, the desire pulsing through him sharp as a splash of water over his face. He is suddenly as cold as the sea.

“You’ve almost got it,” she inches closer and her eyes positively gleam, brilliantly reflecting the dashboard indicators, and she gives him one last smirk before pulling away, springing out of the seat and slamming the door behind her.

Now that she has moved, Colt feels like he can finally breathe, air rushing into his lungs. It smells slightly of salt, as if the sea breeze had made it all the way to Gramercy Park, even through the closed windows. Strange.

~~~~~

“You are an idiot,” she sings, voice high over the surf.

They splash together in the waves and he peppers the mermaid with questions, most of which she answers in between diving under the surf to pop up behind him, hair swirling as he stutters. Every time they meet up, he has more questions, and she indulges him with a small grin. He has learned that unicorns don’t exist, she has never seen an actual sea monster, and, apparently, her overprotective father is so worried about a human finding out about her that he used to put a GPS locator on her phone.

“But how do you have a phone?”

“Idiot!!! How are you so-urgh!” She blows bubbles through full lips and laughs. “Everyone has a phone.”

“What, you just have a pocket in your tail?” He dives, reaching out to slowly caress the scales under the surface. They are smooth to the touch, like sea glass or river rocks, glowing incandescent in the water. She swats at him, tail flicking playfully, and he swims after it, giving chase until his lungs burn and he needs to emerge, sucking in oxygen.

“I told you, I’m not always a mermaid.”

“So you go to school? Like normal?”

She blinks slowly at him, eyes imploring. “I’m in high school. A senior. I’m gonna be the valedictorian of my class.”

“That’s why you think I’m an idiot, because you’re a nerdy smartypants.”

She rolls her eyes. “Nope. Not why I think you’re an idiot, Colt.”

“Will I ever get to see you as a human?”

“Ummm…” She swallows, hard, and a flash of terror crosses her face. His stomach swoops, deja vu hinting at something in his mind, but she continues before he can examine the sensation. “I don’t know. Can I trust you?”

“I’ve kept your secret so far.”

“You have,” she avers with certainty, nodding to herself. “You have.” She looks around at the ocean, deep in thought and chewing on her lips, before she looks at him resolutely. “Ok. Let’s do this.”

“Now?”

She nods again and ducks under the waves, swimming out in front of him, slowly, so his clumsy human feet can follow her to a shadowy cove hidden in the cliff side. He walks out onto a small strip of sand as she pulls herself up, arms propelling her forward as her tail glistens and picks up damp granules of warm sand.

“Wait here. Close your eyes.”

“Fine,” he huffs but dutifully listens, hearing her slither behind a rock. There’s a quiet rustling, movement, fabric draping over wet skin; he can almost imagine her behind the rock, skin wet from the ocean, salt clinging to every inch his tongue could chase. He swallows the flash of heat down.

“Ok.” Her voice trembles and she sounds intensely nervous, though Colt can’t figure out why. “You can open your eyes.”

He does and, standing right in front of him, the mermaid is clad in jeans and a tank top. Her dark hair is sopping wet as she rings it out, strands tangling over her fingers and draping over her shoulder. He steps closer in shock. “You have legs!”

She blinks at him again, dumbfounded. “You are as dumb as these rocks.”

He is about to retort when she reaches down to grasp a sweatshirt, sliding the familiar blue over her head, rocking back on her heels and crossing her arms right below where the white lettering spells out LANGSTON. 

“Holy shit-”

“I told you you were an idiot.”

“I am so stupid. I am so fucking stupid.”

“Wow, we actually agree on something.” She smiles and he can’t stop his fingers from reaching out to grasp her hips, Ellie’s human hips.

When she kisses him, she tastes like the sea.

.

Tags

Perma @desireepow-1986 @leelee10898 @emichelle @client-327 @choicesgremlin @brightpinkpeppercorn @thequeenofcronuts @lilyofchoices @choicesarehard

ROD @omgjasminesimone @mskaneko @lovemychoices

Colt

@deimosensblog @alegria1580   @thefarrari @moonlit-girl-wonder @going-down-downtown@soniadotalves @jolietmaraud @flowerpowell@poeticscolt @zaira-oh-zaira @akrenich @sibella-plays-choices​  @maxwellsquidsuit  @liamzigmichael4ever​ @octobereighth @i-only-signed-up-for-fanfiction

[shy-violet-soul]

The Hunting Incident

Summary: Alpine brings home a gift. It doesn’t go over well, with anyone - including the ‘gift’.  Characters: Alpine the cat, Bucky Barnes, Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson, Clint Barton, Natasha Romanov, Tony Stark Rating: E for everyone Warnings: allusions to injury to animal; bad language words; snort-inducing giggles

A/N: I have watched this video no less than 6 times, and each time, I laugh until my tummy hurts. Then, I wondered - what would Bucky do in this situation? (already cackling as I turn to the keyboard…)

Beta’d by the incomparable @pinknerdpanda​ & the stupendous @thesassywallflower​. Thank you, darlings!

This is a work of fiction based upon characters owned by the MCU. Please do not copy without my written permission.

((A/N 2: you need to watch this video first!))

When 5:00am had glared at him with red, beady eyes from the clock on his night stand, Bucky refused. Nope. Run with Steve was cancelled. The punk could damn well run by himself. Or get Sam. Yeah, please wake up Sam. Memories of Steve coming to wake him up were hazy, and must have involved a dagger because his third favorite was currently embedded in the bedroom door frame. However, he had a sparring appointment at 7:00am with Natasha - she wouldn’t wait, and her coming to wake him up would involve creative forms of punishment. So much NOPE. At 6:45am, Bucky shuffled his way into the common area kitchen, still rubbing his eyes, when a cheerful little mert caught his attention. He blinked sleepily at the scene before him.

Nat. Natasha Romanov. Black Widow. Natalia Romanova. Assassin. Decked out in her black, weaponized glory.

Alpine. The Cat. Pain in His Ass. Ignorer of Expensive Cat Food. Shedder upon Stark Suits. Sitting proudly in his fluffy white innocence.

Blue-eyed gazes stared back at the other, and Bucky didn’t know what the hell was going on.

“What the hell is going on?”

Nat didn’t so much as blink.

“Your cat.”

“Yeah, he’s my cat.” A beat passed. “Wait - what did he do, first? He might be Sam’s cat.”

One eyebrow arched primly at him as Natasha pointed to the floor just passed Alpine and a bit beyond Bucky’s line of sight. He leaned to the right, peering around the feline, and tried to catch his jaw before it hit the floor.

A brown, limp, slightly damp but very dead duck lay on Tony’s clean kitchen floor. 

While the two assassins watched, Alpine sauntered over and lolled out luxuriously beside his kill, the tip of his tail twitching happily.

“Oh, my...oh, my God,” Bucky croaked out, his hand coming up to cover his mouth. “Oh, shit!”

“Mmmhmm.”

“I mean - seriously?!” he hissed at the cat, who simply blinked impassively. “Alpine, you stupid cat!” His heart thudded sickly with dread. “How did he kill it?”

“I don’t know.” Natasha hadn’t moved, just stood there with crossed arms, one eyebrow still raised, gaze clearly unimpressed.

“How did he get it IN here?”

“I don’t know.”

“Is it...is it really dead?”

“I don’t know.”

“Well, hell, Nat, what do you know?” Bucky demanded as he craned a lean closer to try and see if the bird was breathing.

“I know you better get that thing out of here before Tony shows up.”

“Mert.”

“Shut up, Alpine!” Bucky barked, dragging his hands through his hair. Down the hall, the elevator dinged, echoes of star-spangled voices echoing their way. Bucky felt his throat sticky-squeeze shut as Steve and Sam appeared, sweaty and wheezing. Well, Sam was wheezing. Wimp.

Both soldiers came to a halt as Bucky snapped to attention, trying and failing to look innocent.

“You okay, Buck?” 

“Uuuhhh…”

Ding. Shuffle, shuffle, and Clint appeared. The other four watched him slog to the coffee maker, pull a silly straw out of thin air, and claim the nearly-full pot as his own. After four long drags on his straw, he finally noticed everyone staring at Bucky.

“What’s up, Buck?”

“Meow.” Steve just barely kept himself from flinching. 

“What’s he doing up here?”

“Uuuhhh…” Bucky couldn’t come up with anything else to say.

Sam clapped a hand on Steve’s shoulder, grinning at him. “Captain America. Afraid of a cat.”

“I’m not afraid,” Steve was quick to assert. “He just...hates me. With his claws.” 

“Why’s there a dead duck on the floor?” Heads swiveled at Clint’s query, staring at the vanquished fowl in question. Sam and Steve immediately stepped closer, and Bucky’s eyes closed as he waited…

“Did Alpine kill that bird?” Steve whispered, horrified.

Sam cackled, bent over and hands propped on his knees. “Your cat’s an assassin, man!”

“Shut up, birdbrain! Steve, get me a blanket,” Bucky implored as he also turned to look at the poor critter. Steve turned huge eyes to his friend.

“Where?”

“I don’t know, get a towel or something so I can cover it up!”

Steve strangled out another question. Bucky hissed out another answer. Sam kept on cackling. Clint sat on the counter with his feet in a bar stool, still slurping his coffee, and Nat leaned against the counter near him, watching the scene with a near-bored expression.

And then the dead duck woke up.

With a frantic flap of his wings, he floundered his way off the floor. Alpine leaped after him with abandon, claws outstretched gleefully. Steve screamed like a little girl when the duck flailed in his direction, bouncing off of Sam before diving to the floor. Bucky zigzagged after the bird, then after Alpine, then back after the bird before he tripped tail over tea kettle over super soldier legs. Alpine, great hunter extraordinaire, was not about to be denied - he somersaulted into Clint’s lap in a vain attempt to recapture his prey. Clint, unprepared for the attack, tried to dodge out of the way and dodged himself right off the counter in a tidal wave of coffee.

Natasha simply blinked.

The resurrected fowl took shelter on the other side of the couch, and Bucky scrambled after him.

“Somebody hold onto that stupid cat!” Silently, the Winter Soldier skulked onto the couch and peered over the edge.

“Quack.”

“I know, man. Bad day. Sorry my cat tried to kill you.” He looked over his shoulder. Sam was snickering his way to him, Clint was cussing about the coffee, and Steve was hiding behind a loveseat. Punk. End of the line, my ass.

“Sam, help me out here.”

“What do you want me to do?”

“Speak bird to him. You’re family.”

Sam’s eyes rolled so hard, Bucky was convinced the man saw the inside of his own skull.

“Still with the bird jokes. Ha ha.”

“Quack quack.” 

“Yeah, yeah, quack quack yourself. Hang onto your tail feathers, dude, we’re trying,” Sam groused. “We need to catch him first.”

Bucky mulled that over before Clint chimed in.

“We’ve still got that electrified net in the armory.”

Murder Glare arrowed onto the archer. “Jesus, Barton, we’re trying to free him, not flambe him!”

“Get a laundry basket,” Nat suggested blandly. The duck waddled nervously away from the voices, quacking as he went before he flapped his way onto the arm of Tony’s recliner closest to the window.

“Oh, God, get it off Tony’s chair!” Bucky begged. Sam snorted, snagging a nearby throw pillow and stepping closer to wave it in the duck’s direction.

“Come on, Donald. Off the furniture, man. Thank you, I knew you were a gentleman,” he praised when the bird hopped off in alarm at the motion. Bucky’s head hurt, his gears were spinning so frantically. His gaze hurried around the room and landed on Clint; the fool was using his straw to try and sip the spilled coffee off the tile.

“Barton! Why aren’t you over here helping? You’re part bird!”

Straw gurgling sadly, Clint tossed it away with a curse. “Hawkeye, Barnes. Hawk. I’m up high, not some puddle dweller.”

Ding. The familiar sound of an Iron Man suit came clomping down the hall. Tony appeared, battle-ready, and raised one hand, repulsor firing up, and Bucky knew he was truly screwed.

“Where’s the unfriendly?!”

“Quackquackquack!” 

The formerly-dead duck, freshly frightened by the sound of the repulsor, rushed desperately at the window, crashing into the glass. Iron Man didn’t hesitate and fired, sending shards exploding in all directions. Wind from outside the tower gusted inward, swirling papers and other sundry items up and away. Formerly-dead duck fled the chaos happily, kamikaze-diving out the now open window.

Sam belly laughed at the poor bird’s relieved quacking, waving a cheerful good-bye after him. “You go, duck! Go find you a pretty lady, hatch you a bunch of babies, and watch out for Alpine the Assassin!”

The face plate on Tony’s suit opened up, his harassed gaze taking in the carnage. Bucky sprawled face down on the floor, liberally sprinkled with bits of glass. Steve peeking out from behind a loveseat. Clint laying in a puddle of coffee clutching an empty pot. And that stupid cat was sitting on the Weiner Soldier’s ass. 

Natasha just looked at him, leaning casually against the counter.

“What the hell was Darkwing Duck doing here? FRIDAY said there was an attack.”

A sad, pathetic little groan croaked from Bucky, blending with a pleased little meow from Satan’s hairball. Natasha smirked as she strolled over to Bucky, scratching behind Alpine’s ears as she cooed to him like a proud mama.

“A hunting incident, Tony. Just a hunting incident.”

[titansandothersrp]

Memories

(This is a compiled roleplay between my Beast Boy muse and the Raven muse of @azarathian . This is a very old roleplay we wrote under different usernames, but I labeled our writing with our current usernames.)

azarathian (Raven):

All around her was flame and slaughter.

The skies above bled crimson down on the city, roaring with the inferno it bore, all ablaze in suffering and screams. Raven stood amid the carnage, upon the brink of a building she once knew, ingesting the horrors of the world unfolding before her. Along her flesh, lacerations of a burning threat laced her thin arms, the porcelain of her thighs. She grimaced against the heat, but could only endure, unable to move. Unable to look away.

In the distance, a throng of screams pierced her ears. She looked down at the rubble and wreckage to see her four friends, small as ants from her stance on the tower. Above the shrieks, a sudden, foreboding laugh echoed in the walls of her mind, only to swell like a chilling crescendo. Her blood curled in her veins the instant those four bloody eyes emerged in the sky, a sick sort of pleasure deep in their stare.

This was undoubtedly hell on earth. And she’d seen it before. She knew its relentless scald like the back of her hand.

When that sinuous claw plunged from above, she could only scream out, wide-eyed as the figures below were crushed beneath its merciless force.

All at once, her eyes were flung open. She launched upright in her bed, breath heavy and quick as it fled from her lungs into the darkness around her. Her pupils were shrunken in her sockets, hands quivering upon the mattress below her as she felt the bead of sweat trickle down her temple.

A dream. It was a dream. Just a dream.

The Azarathian relayed the fact to herself over and over in her mind, determined to calm her senses and bring herself back to the world of reality. Still, she shook in place, welding her eyes shut before prying them open again to gauge the sight of her room. She was safe. She was at home, in her room, and she was safe. She wasn’t in danger. Her friends were safe. That was all that mattered.

After several minutes of sighing out the trauma, the weight still pressed down on her gut like a boulder. She had to get air. She was practically gasping for it.

Immediately, she threw her duvet from her and rushed for the door, intent on the nearest exit she could reach. The clamour she made on her way out caused some noise, but she didn’t stop to think she might wake someone. She didn’t even know what time it was; she only knew it was dark.

The magus finally reached the tower’s main exit. She leaned against the door frame as the ocean wind hit her like a bullet to her skin. It shook her from her fear. Reminded her that she was awake and alive.

Slowly, Raven ambled down the rocks till she found sanctum upon a flat boulder, overlooking the surprisingly still sea. And finally, looking out to the city she knew was unharmed, she could breathe. titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): Beast Boy lied in his bed, not yet ready to sleep, only resting. Hands behind his head, he thought of Raven for the umpteenth time that night. She was just so amazing, he thought. It felt like anything he once viewed negatively about her, he could put a positive spin on. She was dark, which made her mysterious and interesting. She kept to herself, which made it all the more enjoyable when she joined him. She rarely smiled, which made each one a victory. Then there were the facts that she’s beautiful, intelligent, caring, and strong. His ears twitched as he heard some movement from Raven’s room. Was she awake? Morphing into a cat, he leaped from his bed and placed his ear to the wall. He could hear heavy breathing. It was just a bad dream, he assumed. Hoping she would fall back asleep and forget about it in the morning, he decided to leave her alone. Though he decided on leaving her alone when she exited her room, assuming she needed the restroom or something, he changed his mind when she didn’t return after a few minutes. Having a feeling where she was, he exited his room, then the Tower, to find her outside. Not wanting to startle her, he gave her a “Hey,” before approaching her and sitting down next to her. “You alright?”

azarathian (Raven): Relax. It wasn’t real. It was all in your head. He’s gone. He can’t hurt you, or your friends. Not any more… Breathe… Despite her rational thought struggling to pull her back to the present, her anguish and fear spoke louder. It had felt so vivid. She could still feel the singe of her fate lining her arms in his fire. The night’s chill was almost lost to the memory of cinders scorching in the air. Her skull pulsed, wavering from the truth and lingering to the past. With tense shoulders, she brought her legs up on the rock, arms leaning upon her thighs and hands limp across her knees. Once again, she tried to breathe in the crisp night-tide wind, eyes cast down solemnly to the waves lapping at the island’s bank.

“Hey.”

With a start, her head rose, but she gave no other movement. She should’ve sensed his presence a mile off, but had been drowned deep in reverie.

“You alright?”

Honestly, in that moment, she couldn’t tell whether the boy’s company was a blessing or a curse. Nonetheless, she lacked the will to reject it, merely sighing out as he took a seat beside her.

“I’m fine,” she lied, almost trying to convince herself of the same thing. She’d managed to regain that recognisable tone, level and composed, though her eyes held another story. titansandothersrp (Beast Boy):

“Raven… You don’t have to lie to me.” He knew for a fact that she was lying. Her posture, her eyes, the fact she was even out here… He knew something was wrong. “If you just need some fresh air and quiet to feel better, tell me. But don’t lie and say you’re fine when you’re not.” He hoped she wouldn’t tell him to go away, but he would understand if she did. He gave her the opportunity for some company and that’s all he could really do. “I just want to help. But, if you want, I’ll leave.” azarathian (Raven): In a way, she was grateful for his prying. Now she’d learnt to read his actions in a different light, she could appreciate that he was trying his best to make her feel cared for. Even the fact he said he’d leave if she wished hadn’t gone unnoticed; they really were growing to understand and respect each other better…

“It’s nothing,” she breathed, eyes still clung to the ripples of the sea beneath her feet.

“I just had a bad dream. I needed some air, that’s all.” She hoped the confession didn’t sound too pathetic, nor divulge the essence of fear she’d experience mere minutes before. titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): Just as he suspected. He appreciated that she told him the truth. “Well, at least it was just a dream, so you shouldn’t have to worry about it. I’ve had to do that too sometimes; get out of bed to clear my head. Especially with those nightmares where you keep waking up, only to realize you’re still in the nightmare.” He didn’t think any less of her for needing to calm down from a nightmare. It meant she had emotions just like everyone else.“You want to talk or anything? It might work as a distraction.” azarathian (Raven):

She knew he was right. She didn’t have to worry about Trigon any longer. Not in the real world, at least. Still, she felt him inside her like he’d never left. A feeling she’d grown used to her whole life, and probably something she would never fully be able to relinquish.

And in honesty, she wasn’t sure how much good talking would do, as the sibyl had never allowed herself to just sit beside another and share her feelings on such a matter. It was too personal. Too deep-rooted. And yet, his inviting words played on her thoughts as they sat below the canopy of cloud. It felt as though they were the only two in the world; as though they could scream if they wished, and no one would ever hear…

Raven bit at her bottom lip in contemplation.

“… Yeah. I think I do,” came her soft and tentative voice, though she truly hadn’t a clue where to begin. titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): He was a bit surprised that she agreed. Though they had been getting along, she had always been the listener. Maybe now he could be the one to listen to her and learn more about her. “So, what happened?” azarathian (Raven): She pressed her lips together, lost for where to begin. Her brows creased a touch as she envisioned the dream again in her head; a sight she didn’t really wish to dwell on, but still helplessly felt the need to share with the other. “It was about Trigon.” She managed to force out the sentence, and that was all she needed to spur her on with what followed. “He was back on earth. Everything was destroyed, and…” Her voice trembled a little in the back of her throat as the images played before her, almost tangible. “It felt so real. Like he was really here again.” titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): His eyes widened a bit at the mention of Trigon. He could see why she would be frightened by that. Seeing the planet you and all those you care about destroyed must really take a toll on the mind. He needed to make sure she felt safe. He could only do so much, but he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “But it wasn’t real. You already lived through your worst nightmare. And you won. You defeated him and he’ll never come back. And even if he did, you’d just defeat him again.”

“It’s okay to be scared, but you don’t need to be. You’re the strongest person I know. You’ll always win in the end.” azarathian (Raven): She accepted the reassuring touch to her shoulder, and her eyes flitted to his direction without actually rising to meet his own. “It’s just… hard. His presence has followed me since I was born. Sometimes… it’s hard to believe it’s over. That he’s really gone.” Despite her fears, she knew her words to be true; for it was over. He was gone. But even having defeated the merciless demon she called her father, he still managed to plague her in her thoughts. In her sleep. titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): “I guess it would be hard to let go of something that’s affected you your whole life… You were told your whole life you couldn’t defeat him, weren’t you? You were discouraged all that time. And you still did it. Imagine what you could do when encouraged!”

“You can do it, Raven! I believe in you! Beat up those doubts!” azarathian (Raven): Optimistic as ever. If anything, the lively lilt to his words served to tug her all the more back to reality and away from her nightmares. And for that, she was grateful. The events of her fate had happened over a year ago now, yet she imagined it would take a much longer time before she could find true peace with the fact it was over. As he questioned her, she nodded lightly. But when his little peppy cheer followed, she couldn’t help the giggle it drew from her once frowning lips. Finally, she looked to him. “Easier said than done, but I’ll try.” titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): Yes! He got a smile and a giggle out of her! “I’ll be here to cheer you on. I’ll even get pom-poms, if you want!” He chuckled.

“By the way… if you wouldn’t mind… I was wondering… What was your life like before the Titans? We’ve known each other for years and we’ve been talking more recently, but I feel like I don’t know much about you. I want to know you better… If that’s okay.” azarathian (Raven): The smile faded from her face, a look of hesitance taking its place. As a breeze passed between the two, she let a pause linger before speaking up. “What do you want to know?” titansandothersrp (Beast Boy):

He noticed her smile fade. Was he pushing it? “Well, things like where you’re from, what your childhood was like, who raised you, how you learned to control your powers. If you’re not comfortable with that, you don’t have to tell me.” azarathian (Raven): She shook her head, assuring him she didn’t mind him asking. She just wasn’t quite sure how to answer; her past wasn’t something she could exactly sum up in a sentence or two. “Well…” She swallowed, hands moving from her lap to press down on either side of her against the rock she sat on. Leaning back slightly, the wind caught the tresses of her hair as she breathed out, searching for where to begin. “I’m from a dimension called Azarath… It’s where I grew up, until I came to Earth.” The latter three questions he’d asked honestly all tied in together. “I was raised in a temple there, by Azarathian monks… they’re the ones who also trained me to control my powers.” So far it sounded like a somewhat decent childhood. Raven didn’t know quite how to explain the intricacies that proved it was anything but. titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): He nodded slightly as he listened. He could relate to being raised by those other than his birth parents and being trained to better utilize his powers, but he suspected that their experiences were quite different. “Was it nice in Azarath? Was it anything like Earth? You didn’t seem to have much trouble adapting to our culture, like Starfire did. Or did you research it ahead of time? Given your smarts, I wouldn’t doubt it.” He kept his eyes on her, hooked on every word she said. He wanted to know all he could about her.

azarathian (Raven): Truth be told, Azarath had been a place of beauty before the destruction of Trigon. Raven could see the labyrinth of buildings, the glassy spires towering tall in her mind’s eye. But though it was beautiful, that didn’t mean it was nice. For the magus, at least, her home divulged memories of isolation, rejection, and suffering from both her people and her mentors. She was the devil’s child, after all. Her home was the husk of a young girl’s lost hope. It was only upon coming to Earth did she learn what true happiness felt like.

“It was… similar, in a lot of ways,” she began. “My people are pacifists. Their culture has its differences, but it was easy to adapt here. I can’t say I had the same childhood as any other on Azarath, though. I think that makes my perspective distorted from the rest.” titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): He found it strange that he could relate yet again. Even before he got his powers, he most certainly didn’t have an average childhood. “Pacifists, huh? Does that mean they were gentle with raising you?” He thought for a moment. “Or were they strict like some of the religious people here?” He hoped they were kind, but he knew in his gut that they weren’t. If they were kind and loving, why would she have been so cold when arriving to Earth? He frowned deeply at the thought of Raven being mistreated.

azarathian (Raven): She released a long, deep sigh to the wind. She should’ve guessed this question was coming, and yet it still stunted her to think back on her time under the monks’ meticulous hold. “Strict,” she confirmed, a waver in her tone. No point in sugar-coating the experience, she thought. “They trained me every day, from the break of dawn to sunset. They had to. I wasn’t allowed to feel, or I’d be scolded… It was only when I was around six years old that I began to understand why.”

A silence hung between them for a moment.

“They had their reasons. They all knew who I was – what I was. I had to be under control at all times, or else who knows what would happen. So I was kept in the temple where I grew up. I couldn’t leave or see anyone from the outside. It was… not your average childhood. Even by Azarath’s standards.” titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): “And I thought Mento was strict…” He mused aloud. “Not being allowed to feel… That must have been harsh. I can’t imagine living like that… I’m sorry you didn’t get to have a real childhood… But… I suppose the past is in the past. You have your whole life ahead of you now. With us. You can feel all you want with us.” He offered a small smile. “Feel what you want, talk to who you want, do what you want… You have a new life now. Live it as you see fit.” azarathian (Raven): In reality she knew that he had no idea. The experience of her youth was not something that could be fully understood by merely reciting it; in fact, doing so was simply scratching the surface. Still, he meant well. He just wanted to know more about her, and in many ways, she wanted to tell him more about her. “Yeah.” Her heavy tone seemed to settle a touch as the prospect of the future dawned upon her. Her past was just that, after all. Past. Not present, nor future, and for now she could live her life as she wished. No longer burdened by her destiny or her father. Reflecting on this, the weight in her chest lifted and she returned Beast Boy’s smile with her own. “You’re right. And I’m thankful for it.” The girl clung her eyes to his. “What about you?” she asked. “Where were you raised?” titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): She wanted to know about him? That was a good sign, right?

“Me? Well, believe it or not, I wasn’t raised in America. Not at first, anyway. My parents, my real parents, were biologists. We traveled the jungles of the world for their research. My childhood was spent in Africa, Brazil, India… lots of places, really. Since we traveled so much, I didn’t go to school. My parents taught me instead. They were hoping I’d grow up to be brilliant, like them. So much for that, huh?” He gave a slight chuckle. “That’s why my real name is what it is. They told me I was named after a famous doctor, not the comic strip cat.” azarathian (Raven):

“Really?”

She knew bits and pieces about Beast Boy’s past, but had always assumed he’d grown up in America. California was where he was when she’d met him; she thought at most he’d have lived somewhere outside the city, but not outside the country.

“Too bad you act more like the cat than the doctor, though,” she smirked at him, watching his reaction before she decided to ask more questions.  titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): “Yes, really.” Deciding to have a little fun at his own expense, he pouted.

“I hate Mondays!” He gave her a playful smirk. azarathian (Raven): “The resemblance is uncanny,” she drawled. “So, what was it like travelling ‘round so much? Did you like it?” titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): “I liked it. It was all I knew, at that point. I got to meet lots of people, see lots of animals, try different kinds of food… It sucked when I met someone cool and had to leave though.” azarathian (Raven): “Yeah, I can imagine.” It was actually proving very interesting to hear about Beast Boy’s past; she found it hard to imagine him as a child. To imagine him without his powers and living his life before the titans, or even the Doom Patrol. Suddenly all kinds of questions formed in her head, and she was eager to have them answered, if not for anything else then to serve as a good distraction from her own past memories. “And your parents? What were they like?” titansandothersrp (Beast Boy):

“They were great, smart, adventurous, loving… all around great people, really. From what I remember, everyone seemed to like them. They knew a lot of smart and interesting people. They used to show me off.” He chuckled. “I wasn’t very bright, but they had me recite animal facts I knew. I’d always loved animals, even before I got my powers.” azarathian (Raven): His reflective smile mirrored on her face as she watched him and listened. There must’ve been something very bittersweet about discussing his childhood, she assumed. It sounded like he had quite a nice one while his parents were still living. She gave a light chuckle. “Did they show off your ears too?” she teased. But as soon as the words left her, she instantly shunned them, for she realised a second too late that, of course, he wouldn’t have had his pointy ears at that time. Nor his green complexion, nor fangs, nor powers. It had been a stupid mistake, but she feared now she had stirred some of the not-so-happy memories. This unease made itself known in her frown and creased forehead.

“Oh, I mean-” she scoured for a save, but couldn’t find one. “… Sorry.” titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): He gave a weak smile. “Heh. It’s fine. But, no, they didn’t. I only had my powers for a very short time before they… y’know…”

“They gave me my powers, you know. Back when I was around seven years old, my parents were searching for a rare green monkey. They found it… or rather… I found it. I thought it was pretty. It was little and fluffy and green, my favorite color.”

“Being a dumb little kid, I tried to pet it. But, when I got close, it bit me. Then I got sick. Really sick. The bite gave me the Sakutia virus. In order to save me, my parents made a mix of animal… antigens, I think it was? It cured me, but also gave me my green appearance and ability to transform.” azarathian (Raven): “– before they… y’know…” She felt a lump form in her throat, a pressure grow in her chest. But her eyes stayed on him. “Mm,” she nodded in understanding. “It must’ve been a big scare for you all. It’s a good thing your parents were such brilliant people, and could save you. You must be proud to be their son…” Hesitantly, her smile attempted to return, though this time around there was a certain sympathy weaved within it. A brief pause deterred her speech. “And there’s no doubt they’d be proud to be your parents.” titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): “I am proud to be their son, but, do you really think they’d be proud of me? They were geniuses and I’m… not. And they were able to save me, but I couldn’t save them.” He looked a way, being overcome with a feeling of guilt. “There was a flood… about a month after I got my powers. I tried to save them, but I couldn’t turn into any animal that was strong enough. I kept trying and trying, but I couldn’t get them to safety. I watched them drown… before I flew away.”

azarathian (Raven): As she absorbed the story, a frown formed. It was a horrible thing to hear, and she could only imagine what the reality of living it had felt like, and to a child no less. Raven had always known that her teammate’s parents were no longer alive, that they’d passed when he was very young. But until now she had been unaware of the intricacies their tragedy held; that Beast Boy had been present to witness his parents’ death, that his life was almost taken along with theirs in the chaos. The guilt he harboured was evident in his pained expression, and caused Raven’s stomach to churn with empathy for the boy. “Beast Boy,” she said, a hand instantly planted to his shoulder to better keep him grounded. One of them had to be strong here, and though the changeling was incredibly strong in his own right, she undoubtedly had far more practise with controlling her emotions.

“You and I both know that their death wasn’t your fault. Don’t think it for a second.” Her tone was stern and level. It had to be, for his sake, though she could have easily succumbed to the same temptation to release tears. It was against her nature to do so, by now.

“We can’t change what happened. But know that they would be proud of you. Despite all that’s happened, look at where you are now. You should be proud of yourself, too.” titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): He was trying his best to keep the tears from rolling down his cheeks. He brought his hand to the empath’s on his shoulder. Grabbing it tightly, perhaps too tightly, he tried to find the strength not to break down completely. He took sharp breaths as he choked back sobs, unsure of why he was fighting it in the first place. Raven told him it was okay to cry, but he’d spent so long trying to pretend he was happy all the time. His breathing began to calm and he loosened his grip on her hand, but still held it for support. “I guess I was responsible for taking down the Brotherhood of Evil.” He said trying to stay positive. “I never thought I’d be able to lead like that.” He offered a strained smile. azarathian (Raven): The hand upon her own didn’t go unnoticed, and though her eyes flitted to the sight for a moment, there was a more pressing matter before her. In the space of a mere few weeks, she’d never seen the teen so vulnerable and willing to open up before. And she could now say that this wasn’t the first time her friend looked upon her with teary eyes. His unfaltering facade of constant merriment and revelry was once again peeling back to expose the troubled and tortured boy beneath. She let him breathe, though his breaths came in sobs. It didn’t matter. He needed a moment to calm himself, and she knew this. Sure enough, before long, he seemed to regain himself as best he could for the moment, and it was then that Raven looked on at him with complete patience and consideration. “But you did,” she said. “And you’ve done much more.” Her hand fell from his shoulder as she leaned back and looked out to the sea. “You’re a hero, Beast Boy. I think because we do this sort of thing every day, it’s easy to forget that…” Her eyes found his again. “I’m sorry you couldn’t save them… But you’ve saved so many others since, and for that you should be proud.” titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): He brought his hands to rest at his sides on the rocky shore. Taking a deep breath of the night air, he exhaled, calming down a bit further. He looked to her with a smile. “I may have not been able to save my blood relatives, but I have saved my family more than once; the Doom Patrol, you guys…” He looked to the sea and sighed.

“But that wasn’t always appreciated. Did I ever tell you how I first turned into a large animal?” That was a rhetorical question. He knew he hadn’t. “We were fighting the Brotherhood of Evil; me and the rest of the Doom Patrol. They had a black hole generator. They got caught in some sort of trap of energy that was hurting them and they couldn’t escape from. Mento told me I needed to destroy the generator. It was too big for me though. But, when I saw my team, my family, in danger like that, I was finally able to transform into something big; a T-rex!” He smiled excitedly. “I finally turned into something big! And my first priority was to set them free. I destroyed the trap with my giant tail and freed them! Negative Man took out the generator after that. I was so happy! After years of trying to transform into something big, I did it! I transformed and saved my family! I was so excited when I told Mento I finally did it, but…” He frowned as he remembered what happened next. “He just yelled at me. He yelled at me because I saved their lives instead of destroying the generator, which got destroyed anyway. He told me I would never be a part of the team if I couldn’t follow orders.” azarathian (Raven): “Did I ever tell you how I first turned into a large animal?” Though he wasn’t looking at her, she gave a small shake of her head, listening intently and absorbing the mingle of emotions in his face as he relayed the memory. “He’s a harsh leader,” she stated with assurance. She knew this already from having observed the way he treated his own team during their fight with the Brotherhood. “You have to see things through his eyes. He looks at the bigger picture, beyond his team. To him, they’re second priority to defeating the villain. That’s the most important thing. But we don’t do things his way. We look out for each other, and when that happened for you - when you transformed - that’s what you were doing. Looking out for your team. Your family. … Just because he does things differently doesn’t mean it’s right. You did the right thing, in the end.” titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): “Tell me about it. I lived with him for years. I know what he’s like. He sees the bigger picture… unless you achieve the bigger picture without following his orders.”

He scowled, showing his anger at his former leader. He’d never have talked like this while he was back with the Doom Patrol. Mento would never allow it. “He only cares if you obey his orders, thinking he always knows what’s best in every situation. He acts like you can’t see the bigger picture and care about the smaller one at the same time. I know what I did was the right thing, but it burns me up to think of how he’s supposed to be a leader, but he can’t lead us to do the right thing.” He was on a rant now, one that had been building up for years. “And he cares more about being the Doom Patrol than anything else. We’re supposed to be a family too. Him and Rita? They’re my adoptive parents. Legally, I’m their son. But, did he care? No. Whenever Rita showed me too much affection, Mento would argue with her, telling her I needed more discipline. He’d even get mad when I called Rita Mom. She’s my mother now, but I can’t even call her that in front of him. Is it really that much to ask to be a team and a family?“ azarathian (Raven): Only remnants of how Beast Boy felt towards his adoptive father had shown through in the discord of their battle with the Brotherhood, but even then it had been apparent to any observant eye that he held within him certain dregs of resentment from how the man had treated him in his youth. Clearly Mento wasn’t the ideal father figure; it was somewhat a surprise Beast Boy turned out the way he did considering the strict and steely nature he’d been raised on. In her mind she credited him for not having picked up on the man’s traits, and felt almost grateful for the fact. It just didn’t suit the boy to be cold and sharp. He could’ve grown into someone she wouldn’t recognise as her teammate at all, but thank Azar, he seemed to maintain his true parents’ innate kindness and zeal. “It’s not. And that’s why you’re with us now. We are your team and family. And you don’t do things his way anymore. We have our own way, and that’s all you need to focus on now. Let him lead his team how he sees fit – you’re no longer a part of it.” titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): He sighed. “You’re right. The Doom Patrol are adults. They can speak out or leave the team, if they want to. I didn’t really have that choice… I mean, I guess I did. I did leave eventually. I just didn’t leave sooner because I didn’t want to be a wandering, homeless orphan. It’s not like I would have been adopted again. Who would want a kid who’s green?” He paused. “But, that’s the past, like you said. I have a home now, with the Titans. And I can visit the Doom Patrol whenever I want. I have two homes. That’s more than most people have.” His usual grin returned. “I guess I do have it pretty sweet right now.”

azarathian (Raven): “Exactly,” she smiled, relieved to see that cheerful air return to him. “And if you find yourself hung up on the past again, just try to remember that. Things are different now, for all of us. It’s all worked out in the end. That’s what matters. ”In a strange way, she was grateful he’d shared these concerns with her not only because it disclosed his trust in her, but also because it served as a good distraction from her own burdens that had led her to reflect outside the tower in the first place. She might not have two homes like the boy beside her, but she had her friends, her home, her whole future - all things she had been completely convinced were intangible things. “I guess we all have it pretty sweet right now,” she echoed, quite unlike herself, but in the moment she didn’t care. It was true, after all. titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): He chuckled, not used to Raven using the term “sweet” in such a manner. Smiling to himself, he watched the sea with a content sigh. He was in a good mood now and she seemed to be too. Maybe now would be a good time to ask something he’d been planning to… “So…” He drummed his fingers against the rocky shore. “Do you wanna hang out tomorrow? I was thinking we could visit that one cafe and you could recommend a tea you think is good. I never really drink the stuff, but you make it look like it’s delicious.” Honestly, he wasn’t interested in tea. He just wanted to go somewhere with her he knew she would like. azarathian (Raven): The little laugh merely deepened the warmth in her smile, eyes soft as they looked to him. She hadn’t understood just how important his happiness was to her. There was something extremely wrong about seeing Beast Boy upset and distressed, and she honestly felt a certain need to amend the troubles in his mind. At his offer, she blinked a touch, a blend of surprise and an unexpected flurry of something else. Something unfamiliar… … Eagerness? For some reason, the first answer that formed in her mind was ‘Yes.’ Nothing more, nothing less. And the realisation of this instinctively shocked the girl, for such a proposal would’ve always led to a solid, sturdy ‘no’. When had that changed?… “That… sounds nice,” she admitted, tactfully revealing but a tinge of the emotional flood stirring within her chest. Behind her ribs, a faint flutter dwelled, though she ignored the sensation as best she could. titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): Yes! He was celebrating internally, trying to keep the excitement from showing. He didn’t want to put her off with his eagerness. “Alright, tea for two tomorrow it is then~” He stretched with a yawn. He hadn’t slept that night yet and he was starting to feel the effects. “Hopefully, it’s the kind that wakes you up.” He chuckled. azarathian (Raven): If she were to dwell on it, Raven would come to conclude that the arrangement seemed, in short, entirely extraordinary for the two. True, over the past month they’d spent a handful of times together without the presence of their fellow companions, and yet no such thing had ever taken place outside the tower before. Of course, this discluded matters regarding their profession; patrols and the like weren’t exactly considered leisurely. Who knew? Perhaps having grown closer to one another, spending some time just for the sake of it could be nice, after all. Ultimately, there was only one way to find out, and against her reputation, some unknown force was undoubtedly urging her to take the chance. His yawn brought her to her senses, acknowledging how late it had become during their talk. Time was something completely unknown to her in that instant; they could’ve been sat out on the harbour for a mere ten minutes or an hour. Either way, she wouldn’t know.

“Yeah,” Raven returned wearily. “Maybe we should… go back inside. It’s late.” titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): He pulled his sleeve up to check his watch. “You’re right. Jeez. I didn’t realize how late it was.” He stood up and stretched. “Gotta get to bed.” He turned and headed towards the tower. azarathian (Raven): As he rose to his feet, she granted herself one last glimpse of the ebony ocean waves and city lights before following his lead and heaving herself from the rock she’d been sat upon. “Yeah,” she agreed softly, cloak catching in the breeze as she followed his path and quickly caught up to his pace.  Hopefully this time she would be able to get back to sleep with ease. Her mind certainly felt more settled and calm than it had been before the other joined her.  titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): Once inside, Beast Boy gave a “Goodnight.” and headed for his room. Rather than going straight to bed, however, he decided to look for something first. Finding the item, he tucked it away and headed back to Raven’s room, lightly knocking on her door. “It’s me. Mind if I show you something real quick?” azarathian (Raven): “Night,” she echoed quietly, careful not to wake any of the others now they were back in the tower’s corridor. She entered her room and let the door slide shut behind her, but as soon as she took her first few steps she was halted as she heard a light tapping again at her door.  She turned and paced back to the sound, to be met with the same face she’d talked to through the night. “What is it?” she asked, curious. titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): He smiled. “Something I’ve never showed any other Titan. After the talk we just had, I think you should see it.” He pulled out a photo and handed it to her. The picture showed a man, woman, and young boy. The three were posing in front of a lion enclosure at an animal sanctuary. The boy was pretending to have claws and snarling at the camera while the other two made similar faces. azarathian (Raven): When he took out the photograph, her eyes fell instantly to it, taking in the image it displayed.  The two adults looked like no one she’d seen before, but the child… He looked awfully familiar, in a vague and strange way. The boy adorned messy blonde hair, a fair complexion and bright, baby-blue irises that seemed to light up his entire face.  She surveyed the picture, a twist of confusion burnished in her wandering stare. And then, like a bolt, it hit her. Her lips drew apart and brows rose in succession.

“Is that you?”

Bewildered, the question left her with a heavy resonance that almost filled the hallway.  titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): He chuckled. “Yeah, it’s me. Not Beast Boy, but Garfield.”

“Hard to believe it’s me, huh? And those are my parents, if you couldn’t tell. It was a long time ago, but, if I remember right, we were at an animal sanctuary in Africa. We visited a lot of those when I was a kid. Most people can’t just visit a sanctuary, so I was lucky to get to see all those animals like that.”  azarathian (Raven): Raven’s fingers found one of the photograph’s edges, tracing over the border before gently taking hold of it to get a better look. When Beast Boy released his own grip on the photo she took it as a sign of permission to do so, so she brought it closer to her line of sight, absorbing every aspect of the three figures within. Her face was wistful, and her eyes once again examined the boy in the photo, only to look up and compare to the teen she saw in front of her and had come to know. “Lucky you,” she smirked, resisting the urge to tease. It was just such a rare thing to see him like this; it was almost as if she was looking at a different person, and yet certain features made it clear that they were, in fact, one in the same. She noted the playful way his parents mimicked the lion claws and snarl. “They look like they were really great people…” titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): “They were. Even though they were busy people, they always made time for me. They took time from their work to have fun.” He looked at the picture in Raven’s hands with a smile. “I think that’s part of why I am the way I am. They taught me you can work and play. They also knew how to make me smile. It’s funny. Even though she was my mom, she would always tell dad jokes to cheer me up. Dad usually just made faces. They made it difficult for me to ever be mad at them. They always wound up making me laugh.” azarathian (Raven): Somehow it was all seeming to fall into place; why Beast Boy so stubbornly remained the jokester that he was. His parents clearly influenced his personality far more than the trauma he’d lived through had. Far more than Mento’s constant berating. No - the changeling stayed determined even after all these years to preserve the positivity his parents left with him. And Raven was only realising this now… It all made sense. And, honestly, she admired him greatly for it. “Safe to say you’ve inherited that side of them,” the empath smiled. “They’d be happy you have, too. Even if it tends to grate on the rest of us.” It was merely another tease, and she knew he’d recognise it as such by now. titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): He chuckled.

“I try~ I try~” He smiled. “Thanks, Raven. It means a lot. I used to worry I was just a goof, but talking about it made me realize I’m more like my parents than I thought. And since they were great, I guess that makes me great too. And hey, some people like the comic relief guy!” azarathian (Raven): “And when you find those people, I’m sure you’ll feel very fulfilled,” she smirked, handing the photo back to him with a light touch so as not to crinkle the corner. “Thanks for showing me. You didn’t have to do that, but I’m glad you did.” titansandothersrp (Beast Boy): He smirked right back. “It’s a shame there aren’t any people like that staying in the room next to mine.” He chuckled, taking the picture back. “You’re welcome. Thanks for listening. I don’t get to talk about my parents much. It felt nice. Well, I’ll see ya.” azarathian (Raven): “Tragedy,” she returned with a slight glint in her eye, willingly playing along. “It’s fine. Sleep well, see you tomorrow.” With that, she turned back to her room and once more the door slid shut behind her. As she wandered over to her bed, she noticed the clock on her bedside table read 3:40am. The moment the hour dawned on her, her eyes felt suddenly very heavy. Sleep was calling for her, and this time she had faith that her return to slumber would be a more pleasant one. She hoped, at least. As the heroine slunk beneath her quilt, she allowed her thoughts to dissipate into the air. She no longer had the energy to mull over nightmares of the past; though, if Raven had possessed any energy at all, she would’ve probably found herself contemplating a different matter entirely. No longer would Trigon occupy her thoughts, but the acknowledgement that she had, in fact, agreed to an outing with her green teammate for the following day. Willingly agreed. Because she wanted to. Indeed, had she possessed the energy, this realisation would’ve almost certainly plagued her mind well into the dawn. However, as it happened, the poor sorceress was entirely drained as her cheek nuzzled into the pillow beneath her. Slender fingers curled around the bridge of her duvet, pulling it close to her chin as she lay snug in her bed, slave to the deep sleep overcoming her. [ FIN ]

[thelightofthebane]

I feel what you feel (and my heart got equally broken)

Summary: Alec snorted, too exhausted for fear. Of course. He really played himself. Asmodeus wouldn’t leave now, not when he had his claws in such a rich source of pain as Alec, not until he drained that source entirely dry. “You don’t care about Magnus’ wellbeing. You just want more pain, more fuel.”

Asmodeus’ crooked smile was all the confirmation Alec needed. “Poor child of Raziel. So naïve. This is only the beginning.” He closed the distance between them, crouching by Alec and leaning in close. “You know,” he said, “I received something very interesting along with Magnus’ powers. I think it’s only fair that I share it with you.”

Or, A bigger and more dangerous deal is made.

Pairing: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood

Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Episode: s03e18 The Beast Within, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Time Travel, A different deal, Asmodeus is the worst, self-sacrificing idiots

It was my first time attending the Malec Secret Santa, and I’m very satisfied with the result! This story is a gift to @mirrorofliterature, and was beta-ed by @silver-latin-and-salt. I hope you all enjoy! 

The original post is here.

You can also read here: ao3

“Mama!”

Alec blinked as the child ran past him, into the arms of a young woman with a warm, beautiful, and eerily familiar smile.

Alec watched, trying to place the woman’s resemblance, as she took the boy onto her lap and embraced him. She began to sing, the unfamiliar language spinning a lullaby.

Whatever the words meant, they only made the kid smile wider, beaming happiness.

Another blink, and the woman now lay bleeding on the bed, a dagger blossoming from her stomach. The boy gave a desperate scream, answered only by the furious shouts of a portly man who burst into the bedroom seconds later.

Realization settled over Alec as the boy turned on the man and hit him with an all-consuming ball of fire.

Magnus.

~*~

“I’ll restore both. His magic and his immortality.” Asmodeus smiled, his golden eyes flickering dangerously, and Alec had the unsettling feeling of being eyed as prey. ”However, there is a price for each. Despite how intertwined the two usually are, it is possible to have magic and not be immortal. Or, to be condemned to an eternity as a useless mundane. So, what do you choose, Nephilim?”

Alec willed his blank mask of an expression not to waver. A selfish part of him couldn’t help but wonder if Magnus would be okay with his magic alone, sacrificing only his immortality. Just for a moment, he dared to imagine it – a life with Magnus at his side, one where they could grow old together. No more fights about that damn box. No more fear of the pain Alec knew he’d leave behind when Magnus outlived him.

But even in the face of that temptation, Alec knew better. Fifty, sixty, seventy years were more than enough for a mortal like Alec, but for an immortal to be reduced to that… It wasn’t only the lack of magic tormenting Magnus, driving him to frenetic desperation and last night’s breakdown. Magnus didn’t want to grow old. He wanted to stay.

And who was Alec to deny him that?

“Both,” Alec said with a fearless fire in his eyes, although his insides couldn’t be colder. “What’s your price?”

“End your relationship.”

Alec blinked, taking several seconds to process that. “What?”

“You are the source of all his suffering. You make him vulnerable, weak. You are a disgrace to Magnus. With you, he can never reach his full potential.” Asmodeus punctuated each ’you’, a hammer slamming into Alec’s defenses. “You are not enough for my son. You never will be.”

Alec felt his lips tremble. He knew that, but… “You’re wrong. We love each other.” His voice was quieter now. “I wouldn’t just abandon him.”

“Then I’m afraid you’re going to be the death of him.”

“Magnus will never agree to it.”

“Don’t give him a choice. In fact, Magnus can never know about our little arrangement, or else our deal is off. Break his heart to save his life.”

That sparked something, and Alec frowned. “I’m the one making a deal, here. I should be the only one paying the price. Magnus has already suffered enough.”

“You’re right; but as I said, it’ll be double the price if you want me to return his magic and his immortality. The end of your relationship is but half of what I require – your part in our bargain will cover the rest.”

“And what is it you want from me?”

“Your pain. Your heart so irreparably broken, that your soul will also shatter.” Asmodeus’ voice was cold, though not enough to hide the entirety of his amusement. ”Tell me, Nephilim… do you know what fuels Edom? What fuels any of the hellish realms? How my kind feast on your petty mortal feelings? Anger, envy, lust, jealousy – those are delicious appetizers, to be sure. But sadness? Sorrow? Misery? Ah, the main dish.” He breathed deeply, a self-satisfied smile on his face and cat-eyes taking on a cruel shine. “You, Lightwood, will make a sumptuous banquet.”

And Alec felt only numbness. He always knew that this would be a dangerous game to play – the moment he had decided to talk to Asmodeus, all the possible scenarios had begun to unravel in his mind. He was prepared for the worst.

After all, what could be worse than letting Magnus go?

“Deal.”

~*~

Alec watched as Magnus laughed, chasing after the mundane girl and sweeping her up off her feet, spinning her round until she practically squealed with delight. Magnus was recognizable now, his face sculpted into his familiar adult features, but he still looked so… young, so carefree. He and the young woman turned to face each other, and then they were kissing, and Alec had to close his eyes, unable to face what he’d lost.

When he opened them again, he was standing in a cemetery. Magnus was a few feet away, hand placed gently on a headstone, head bowed.

As he turned to leave, Alec caught sight of his face, and almost shuddered to see the heartbreak etched there.

~*~

What have I done?

Alec punched the alley wall for the fifth time, his skin breaking and blood dripping from his knuckles. He could hear ugly sobs, and it took him a good few seconds to realize that they were coming from him. Good, he thought. Drive the pain out. Out. Out.

He still felt his heart clenching and it was suffocating him.

He broke Magnus’ heart.

He broke his own heart.

He needed to get out.

Another sob. Stop. Stop. Please, someone make it stop.

“Magnus, I’m sorry.”

He cried hard, falling to his knees. Magnus’ pained expression seemed imprinted under his eyelids. Every time he closed his eyes, all he could see was his lover’s despair, all he could hear were his pleas. Fuck, he made Magnus beg. He wanted so much to go back and take Magnus in his arms, tell him that it was a mistake and that he didn’t care if Magnus still had that ‘spark’ or not. He loved Magnus for who he was, not what he had. Magic or not, immortal or not, he loved Magnus Bane for his heart.

A heart that Alec had destroyed.

“I fulfilled my part of our deal,” a voice echoed behind him. “Magnus has his magic and immortality back.”

“Fine. Go. What more do you want? I’ve already paid you,” Alec growled, feeling too weak to get up, but turning enough to glare at the Prince of Edom.

“You did,” Asmodeus nodded slowly, tilting his head a little as hard cat-eyes returned Alec’s glare, familiar but foreign. Asmodeus was incapable of the warmth and love in Magnus’ eyes, would always be a world away from that sort of kindness and beauty. “You broke Magnus’ heart. You hurt my boy. I cannot let that go unpunished.”

Alec snorted, too exhausted for fear. Of course. He really played himself. Asmodeus wouldn’t leave now, not when he had his claws in such a rich source of pain as Alec, not until he drained that source entirely dry. “You don’t care about Magnus’ wellbeing. You just want more pain, more fuel.”

Asmodeus’ crooked smile was all the confirmation Alec needed. “Poor child of Raziel. So naïve. This is only the beginning.” He closed the distance between them, crouching by Alec and leaning in close. “You know,” he said, “I received something very interesting along with Magnus’ powers. I think it’s only fair that I share it with you.”

And then he was grabbing at Alec’s face, his neck, holding him still as dark red magic swirled around him, filling his vision.

Darkness engulfed Alec’s mind. Asmodeus was already gone.

~*~

Magnus was attempting to play the charango, the same one that Alec had often seen lying around the loft, and failing miserably. A man beside him – Imasu, Magnus had called him – just laughed, stilling Magnus’ hands with a flirtatious smile. Magnus met his gaze, his eyes so full of love and devotion it almost hurt.

–

“Live with you?” Imasu shook his head, all the fondness gone. “Never. It was fun for a while, but you are too clingy. Too much for me. I'm tired now. Goodbye, Magnus.”

Imasu walked out, never looking back.

Never seeing the broken look on Magnus’ face.

~*~

Something felt… wrong.

Magnus wasn’t buying Asmodeus’ ‘paternal love’ as the sole reason that he was somehow able to enter this realm and offer Magnus his magic back. And as desperate as he’d been, as grateful as he was to feel his magic again, he would never trade his freedom. Going back to Edom with his father was a fate worse than death, and one that Magnus wasn’t nearly foolish enough to accept.

So as soon as he had his magic back, Magnus had fled. He was done making deals with the devil.

Now that he had his powers back, he could go anywhere. He didn’t have a home, a job or a lover anchoring him to New York. Perhaps it was about time to go away for good. He could try Rome, Venice or Bangkok. It didn’t matter. He just… needed to leave.

After wandering around the city for a while, lost in thought, he stopped by Pandemonium – empty at this time of the day – and decided to take one last look around the establishment. When he took it on, it had quickly become his pride and joy, but now it had been some time since he was last inside. He’d hired one of his most reliable Warlock friends to manage it, because he hadn’t had the time whilst he was dealing with the Shadowhunters’ mess.

He wanted to regret that, but… he couldn’t.

Just as he turned to leave, he received a fire message from Jace.

Do you know where Alec is? His phone is dead, and he’s not answering fire messages.

I can feel that something’s wrong.

Magnus scoffed. Why should he know where Alec was, now? The Shadowhunter had made it clear he wanted nothing to do with Magnus anymore.

He opened a portal, ready to leave, to go somewhere – anywhere – far away; but something prickled at the edge of his mind, and he paused, frowning.

Just days ago, Alec was desperate to not let him go, saying he couldn’t live without him.

Then, he broke up with him.

And then, mere hours later, Asmodeus suddenly appeared and gave his magic back, claiming it was out of love. A pathetic excuse.

…Though not the only pathetic excuse Magnus had heard recently.

I have this meeting I can’t miss. Clave business.

Oh.

Oh.

“Damn it. If you did what I think you did, I’ll kill you, Alexander.”

~*~

Etta was beautiful, and Magnus was clearly head over heels for her. They danced together every night, talked about stars and dreams, about magic and music. She was another Mundane, but she had the Sight and accepted Magnus’ heritage. She loved and desired him.

He looked at her like his heart had finally found a home.

–

The arguments started because it became clear that even with all his magic, Magnus could never give Etta what she most wanted.

A baby.

She didn’t want to adopt, and didn’t want to spend a childless, finite lifetime with someone who was frozen in time. Desperate, he offered her immortality by his side. They’d find a way.

She refused.

Eventually, she left.

Again, Magnus was too much.

(And all Alec wanted was to hold him, to comfort him, to tell him it wasn’t true.)

~*~

Magnus portalled directly into the Ops Center, where Jace was pacing anxiously. He didn’t notice Magnus until he was practically right in front of him, arms crossed and eyes narrowed.

“There you are. Izzy is forging a new Glorious to free Clary from Jonathan, and I need to go to her. Angels above know what that lunatic will make her do. But Alec isn’t here, and if I go to another unsanctioned mission, he will put me into ichor duty for one year.” Jace snorted, spinning his stele between his fingers.

Magnus rolled his eyes and let out a deep exhale, trying to find his last dregs of non-existent patience. “Much as it would seem that what the Head of this Institute does is no longer my concern, I do need to discuss something with him. Have you already tried tracking him?”

“Yeah, but it’s not working – that’s why I sent you that fire message.” Jace lifted one brow. “What’s going on? Did you two fight again?”

“It’s none of your business,” Magnus said curtly. “But I need to know something. Did Alexander have a meeting with some Clave envoy yesterday?”

“No, not as far as I know. He left soon after you did, then came back later so we could track down the Drevak demons. I don’t know where he went, but when he got back, he… he seemed off.”

“What do you mean?”

Jace eyed Magnus a little suspiciously. “Look, if you are angry at him and it’s not int—“

“Just tell me, Herondale.” Magnus snapped, impatient. For some reason, the uneasiness inside him only grew. He felt like he was running out of time, though what the deadline was he didn’t know.

Jace took a deep breath, fidgeting a little. “He… he said something strange. He asked me, if I had a chance to free Clary from Jonathan, but as a consequence couldn’t never see her again, would I take the chance? I said no, and I wanted to ask him more about it, but he seemed really tense and didn’t say anything else.”

Magnus closed his eyes. God, this was a nightmare.

“Asmodeus.” Magnus opened his eyes to see Isabelle walking towards them, a mixture of distress and frustration written across her features. “I see your magic is back.” She pointed with her chin at the red sparkles mindlessly floating around Magnus’ fingers. He hadn’t even noticed. “I promised him to not tell anyone, but I guess you figured it out?” Magnus nodded. “Good. It’s not my place to tell you the details, but since Alec has now disappeared…” She sighed, worry and fatigue making her look older than her years. “I’m worried.”

“He made a deal with Asmodeus, didn’t he?” Magnus asked, already knowing the answer, but dreading it anyway.

“He what?” Jace almost shouted, but Izzy only sighed again.

“He did. Asmodeus promised to give your magic back if Alec broke up with you. He mentioned that there was a little more to it, but he wouldn’t tell me that part.”

“Wait, he broke up with Magnus? After trying to propose at that failed dinner?”

“What?” Magnus’ jaw dropped and Izzy elbowed Jace, shushing him.

Alec was going to propose?

Magnus’ magic flared, but he rapidly took control of it. He was so angry. Angry with himself. Angry with Asmodeus. Angry with the world. But mostly, angry with Alexander for being a self-sacrificing idiot.

Magnus took a deep breath – going around in these circles, getting angry and revealing things, wasn’t going to help. He forced a false mask of calm over his demeanour, but didn’t try to hide his dangerous smile. “Alright. You two focus on Clary. It seems I have some business to attend to.” He waved a hand dismissively, turning halfway on his heels and opening a portal.

“What about Alec?”

“Oh, rest assured, I’m going to find that parabaidiot of yours.” Magnus’ cheerful tone did little to hide the ominous undertone. “But first, I have something to take care of.”

He had a Greater Demon to banish.

~*~

The war was at its peak. In a place of such desolation, it was wildly unlikely that a romance would blossom, and yet here they were.

Magnus was talking to a man Alec recognized immediately from the photograph in Magnus’ box. George. A brave soldier. Magnus was clearly smitten.

But of course, as always, Magnus wasn’t the first option for anyone. George chose the war. He hugged Magnus goodbye and left.

Abandoned again.

People had a tendency to walk away from him.

Alec hated the resemblance.

~*~

“Goodbye, father.”

Magnus closed the portal, a bittersweet echo in the air. He did it. He was finally free from his father’s claws.

He didn’t feel happy, though. Not because he had some kind of childish hope that his father could really love him, but because there was still a lingering feeling of darkness that kept sweetly whispering how monstrous he was. His mother killed herself because of him. He killed his stepfather. He sent his father to Limbo forever.

He didn’t deserve a family.

But… he had a new one, right? Catarina, Madzie and Raphael. Clary, Simon and the Lightwoods.

Alexander.

Magnus grabbed the omamori charm still hidden in his pocket. He hadn’t had the heart to throw it away, even when Alec had crushed his heart.

He was just about to go fetch something of Alexander’s to track him when another fire message arrived.

Alicante fell. Demons destroying everything. People are dying.

Magnus frowned. Okay, that was a problem, but… was it his problem? After everything the Clave had done, did they really expect his help?

Then his cellphone pinged. It was a message from Isabelle.

We found Alec. He’s in Alicante.

“…Fuck.”

Magnus opened another portal, because apparently, Alicante had just become his problem.

He sighed. He always knew that these damn Nephilim would be the death of him.

~*~

If Alec weren’t so exhausted, he would have screamed with frustration and pain. How many love stories had he seen? How many people had he witnessed breaking Magnus’ heart? He’d long since lost track, because it was already dozens – mundanes, warlocks, werewolves, vampires, seelie, djinn…

Somehow, he’d forgotten that the worst was yet to come, until she appeared.

Camille.

In the beginning, she was sweet. Caring. Offered everything that Magnus yearned for.

The poison is never bitter in small doses.

“Who will love you?”

“Poor little Warlock. So naïve.”

“You are insufferable, Magnus. Too much. Honestly, you’re lucky to have me – who else would take you?”

Alec wanted to throw up, watching how Camille manipulated Magnus, forcing his compliance when that wasn’t enough. She broke him in a way nobody deserved.

She put the last brick on Magnus’ well-crafted walls, and Alec watched his heart get locked away.

~*~

Another explosion of flames and ichor, and another demon dead. Alec hadn’t stopped since breaking free of the memories, getting back to the Institute just in time to hear about the fall of Alicante – and worse, that his siblings were there.

With barely a thought, he geared up, reaching for his bow and quiver.

Correction: Magnus’ bow and quiver. Perhaps the last thing from Magnus he would ever get.

He felt hollow, numb, soulless. How could he feel otherwise, when he had caused such pain to the most beautiful soul in existence?

He’d failed Magnus, just as he eventually failed everyone. Asmodeus was right. Magnus was better off without him.

But there was only one thing he could do now, and that was fight. One by one – or five by five – he shot demons down, his arrows flying fast and true even as a voice at the back of his mind whispered that it was useless. With the rift still open, more would just keep coming. Still, if he could buy time for his people to escape, he would do his damned best, even if it killed him.

He was a soldier above all else. Emotions would only distract him from that duty.

“Alexander?”

No.

That voice.

He slowly turned around, losing what little color he still had on his pale face.

“No. You can’t be here. You… You…” His voice broke, and he shook his head in denial.

“I can’t be anywhere else.” Magnus stepped closer, his voice and posture soft.

“No. You don’t understand. I… I’m terrible for you. I hurt you. I…” Alec’s voice broke again, even more painfully. “I don’t deserve you.”

“I get to decide that, and I say you are deserving. More than anyone, Alexander.” Magnus took another step, but Alec retreated, like a scared animal.

Unwanted tears blurred Alec’s vision for a moment, and as soon as he blinked them away, instinct took over – an Edomi demon was launching itself in Magnus’ direction, and Alec could see that Magnus was in completely the wrong position to defend himself.

Alec made his decision in a split-second, throwing himself over Magnus as a shield.

~*~

He didn’t want to see more. It was too much to bear.

And if he’d thought that Camille would be the most difficult to watch… oh, how wrong he was. Asmodeus had left the worst as a sort of ‘grand finale’.

Alec himself.

He watched himself turning Magnus away. Rejecting him with angry words. Lying, letting the Clave manipulate him once more.

He hurt Magnus so many times. He wasn’t better than any of his past lovers. Maybe he was the worst.

Because if Magnus thought he was too much, then Alec knew that he himself was not enough, could never be enough for Magnus.

He watched himself break up with Magnus, heard his own words again, heard Magnus’ pleas again. He saw the despair in his lover’s eyes, wracking his whole body.

He did that.

Alec finally screamed.

~*~

“No! No, no, no—” Magnus begged, and how Alec hated that familiar kind of agony tinting his voice, but he couldn’t do anything. The world faded for a while and he felt himself falling.

But the impact never came.

Instead, he was being held by the only pair of arms that really mattered. He tried to speak, but only blood came out of his mouth, choking him. The demon had torn a deep hole in his abdomen, the bleeding too severe for Magnus’ magic to heal – not on his own, not in this state.

“Stay with me, Alec. Come on. Stay with me.”

Those words again. Oh God, no.

“Sor…ry…” Alec whispered, tears and blood mixing together, liquid hopelessness trailing down his cool skin.

~*~

Alec opened his eyes to reality.

It wasn’t dark anymore, so he could only guess that he was gone for hours.

He couldn’t move, he couldn’t breathe properly – but he also couldn’t stop crying. It was too much, witnessing in less than a day what Magnus had suffered over centuries.

How had he endured all that? How, despite everything, had he remained kind and generous, good and benevolent?

How… How could so many people have hurt him?

How could Alec have hurt him?

He howled, and Asmodeus was there to collect each drop of anguish, of pain, of heartbreak – he absorbed it all, smiling with cruel satisfaction, before disappearing again to Magnus’ loft. His son would be back from the Institute anytime now, and Asmodeus would be ready to take him to their rightful home.

~*~

“I know about the deal. And why you did what you did. It’s okay, I don’t—“ Magnus was still trying to infuse his healing magic into Alec’s wound, to no avail, when he saw that Alec’s eyes had closed. “Alec? Alexander!” Magnus tapped Alec’s cheek, desperately looking for a sign of consciousness.

Alec blinked slowly, dazed. He didn’t understand. Why was Magnus trying to save him?

“Don’t you… hate… me?”

“What-? Of course not. Alexander, I love you. I’d never, ever, hate you. Even though I’m angry that you made a deal with my father, I’d never hate you.”

“I…” Alec licked his chapped and dry lips, tasting the metallic tang of blood. “I only… wanted to… help you. ‘ake you hap-py. Your… magic-”

“I know, I know. Please, don’t talk anymore. We will have plenty of time after this to talk it out, I promise. Just… just rest, okay? Don’t go away. Stay here.”

“I love… you.” And this was his ultimate truth – even when he still felt his heart shattered, bleeding with the rest of his body. He needed to tell Magnus that, even if it were for the last time, even if he never opened his eyes again. “Lo…ve… ‘u…” He breathed, welcoming the darkness once more.

“I love you too, Alexander,” Magnus cradled Alec’s body as close as possible, doing his best to not break down. Alec was alive. He could feel his heartbeat. He couldn’t panic, or else he would lose Alec for good.

“Alec!”

Jace, Isabelle and Clary came running up to them.

They bore more bad news. Jonathan had destroyed the Morgenstern sword.

Alicante was doomed.

Glancing at Alexander, Magnus felt his heart clench even more, if that were possible. His Shadowhunter seemed as if he had given up the will to fight for his life. He forced more healing spell into the wound, turning over a plan in his mind.

“My father told me about a way to increase my power.”

“Enough to close the rift?” asked Clary.

“Potentially, yes. The strength I would need to pull it off can only come from one place.”

“Edom?” Izzy prompted. Magnus only nodded.

“You know, if you weren’t a 400-and-something-year-old Warlock, I’d kick your ass. Actually, I could still do that, except that my brother wouldn’t forgive me.”

Magnus turned to Izzy with wide eyes, dumbfounded. She looked like a woman at the end of her patience.

“You and Alec are ridiculous. Always making these stupid decisions for the sake of others, for the sake of the world, but never choosing yourselves. If you go to Edom, you know that you won’t be able to come back. Then my stupid brother will most likely raise another hell just to get you back. We have no demon blood, so we wouldn’t survive in Edom – which just means that Alec would do something even more stupid to get there, like… I don’t know, trying to turn into a Vampire? Something idiotic like that.”

Magnus’ jaw fell slightly, and for the first time in years, he was truly speechless.

“Magnus… Alec won’t make it without you. He is giving up.” Jace was palming his parabatai rune, clearly in pain. “Please. He’ll only stay if you stay.”

“You…” Magnus huffed, reluctantly amused. “You are all impossible.” Really, these Nephilim would be the death of him. “Okay. There is something else I could try.”

Something that could’ve helped before, if it wasn’t for Lorenzo’s threat.

Magnus pulled away from healing Alec, flicking his wrist and summoning a piece of paper and a pen. He wrote his message, creating another twenty copies with a wave of his hand, and sending them off. All of them flared immediately, flying off in different directions.

It was time to call in all his favors - this time, way out of Lorenzo’s jurisdiction.

~*~

It has been five months since the last time he was at Pandemonium during its ‘closed’ hours. That day, he had decided to leave New York – maybe for good. Now, he wanted nothing more to stay.

Thanks to the combined forces of eighteen warlocks, they’d had enough power to close the rift above Alicante. And the delight of having Shadowhunters owe a huge debt to the Warlock community? Well, it was a delicious bonus.

Catarina had focused on saving Alec’s life, while Magnus had led the spell needed to close the rift. Izzy, Clary, Jace, and other Shadowhunters ran interference, keeping the demons away from the Warlocks while they worked.

Some days later, the danger Jonathan imposed also met its end.

They could finally breathe and rest.

They took turns to get days off. First Izzy with Simon, then Jace and Clary – and finally, Magnus took Alec as far away as he could.

They had a very long (and very overdue) talk about everything – Magnus’ magic, his terrible coping mechanisms, Alec’s deal with Asmodeus, their relationship, communication.

There were a lot of tears. Hugs. Kisses. Reassurances.

Sex.

And if they stayed a bit longer away from New York, well – nobody dared to say anything.

Now, Magnus was at Pandemonium once more, reminiscing about everything that happened since that very first night, when Alec, Jace, Isabelle and Clary had stormed into his life.

Distracted as he was, he barely registered an arrow flying over his shoulder.

Immediately, he called upon his magic, ready to fight – but when he turned around, what he saw made his heart beat faster in an entirely different way, his magic flickering out again.

Alec was there, bow in hand, standing at the stairs leading to the upper floor.

Exactly like that night. Exactly like when he had killed that Circle member, and saved Magnus’ life.

Giving Magnus a crooked smile, Alec climbed down the stairs and put aside his bow.

“You know, it always made me happy that you were my ‘first’ everything. My first kiss, my first relationship, my first ‘I love you’, my first – er – sexual partner.” At that, an adorable pink colored Alec’s cheeks and neck. “I wasn’t yours, but that never worried me. Once, Jace told me that it only ‘counted’ when we have this kind of experience with the one we truly love. He says that it’s only when he had his first kiss with Clary that he felt whole.”

“Oh? I never took him for the romantic type.”

Alec shrugged, trying to not grin. He finally got closer to Magnus and kissed him sweetly, just a slow and lingering slide of lips.

“I asked you to come here today because this,” he gestured to the club, “is our first place. Where our lives got intertwined. So… there isn’t a better place to ask you for another first.”

He took a small velvet box from his jacket pocket and opened it, revealing the Lightwood ring. Licking his lips, he braced himself and looked at Magnus.

Really looked.

And it was intense enough for Magnus to drop his glamour, as the realization of what was about to happen crashed down on his mind. Big, warm, golden cat-eyes looked back at Alec, full of adoration.

“Magnus, will you give me the honor of being my first, my only love, for the time we get to share? Magnus Bane, will you marry me?”

And in all Magnus’ centuries, saying a simple, three-letter word had never seemed so peaceful, so easy.

“Yes.”

[niffin]

you make a fine shrine

Fandom: The Magnus Archives

Rating: E

Word count: 2733

CW: rape/noncon, dubcon, emotional abuse, transphobia, acephobia

Other tags: pleading, trans Jonathan Sims, s3 spoilers

ao3 link

Elias watches his Archivist avoid the Institute for almost a week after they consummated their sacrament. Jonathan fled back to his college friend's flat and promptly got into a row with her over his disappearance, and injuries. After soothing Ms. Barker with enough of the truth to make himself feel better and secure her trust and assistance, he spent a total of fourteen hours over multiple days while she was absent cradling her cat and hyperventilating. He made frantic, furtive doctor's appointments, where he adamantly denied any recent trauma to several concerned medical practitioners. Elias thinks disapprovingly that he'll sicken himself with starvation, particularly after his intense exertion in their last interaction. He's ignoring how statements have become a physical need, and not just an obsession. It does make it simple to ensure he'll return; all Elias has to do is make sure no one thinks to smuggle him any, and wait.

He's enjoying a nightcap at home when he Sees that the prodigal son has decided to return. When Jon finally arrives at the Institute, skulking through disused corridors towards the Archives, he finds Elias awaiting him, settled comfortably in one of the dilapidated sofas his archival staff refuse to upgrade.

Ice seizes his Archivist's heart and surges through his veins, locking him in place. Elias savors it. His fear is… unparalleled, complex and heady, imprinted by so many powers and, of course, by Elias himself.

Elias holds out a thin sheaf of papers. "I think you'll find Lester Chang's statement will help clarify your next move. But you seem unwell, Jonathan - perhaps you ought to get some rest before you record this one?"

He looks wan, enervated. Elias Knows he hadn't slept for over a day before his deprivation outweighed his dread. He Knows the adrenaline pumping through Jon won't compensate for the exhaustion and starvation. Elias anticipates seeing what he will do.

Jon mumbles hoarsely, "I don't want it." But his eyes fixate on the statement, and he unconsciously licks his lips. He's gorgeous.

"Then what did you come here for, Archivist? The pleasure of my company?"

Elias hardly has to try to provoke Jon - it's wonderful how much sheer stubbornness motivates him. He braces himself against the doorway, shaking his head, a hiss of disgusted laughter escaping his gritted teeth. "You are... a nasty piece of work, and I don't want anything you have to give me -"

Elias smiles. "You will." A flicker of fury in Jon's eyes. "Do you know why? Why don't you ask me?"

Jon senses the trap closing around him but obstinately remains silent. Elias feels a swell of adoration for that battered pride. "This statement has the lead you're searching for. I'm sure there are others in the Archive that could give you the information you need, but you don't have the luxury of a leisurely search. And all you have to do… is cooperate."

Elias places it down on an end table, watching Jon's desperation build. Jon can't formulate an argument and they both know it. Surrender only slightly softens the tense lines of Jon's body; the first halting step is the hardest, but soon enough he's standing just outside arm's reach swaying with need. Elias is suffused with delight.

As Jonathan takes that last step into range, Elias stands. Cups his face to pull him closer, runs his thumb tenderly over chapped lips and fingertips over the pockmarks the worms left in Jon's flesh. Jon asks, "Am I… Elias, am I still human?" There's no power behind it, weak as Jon is, but Elias appreciates the attempt.

Elias only Knows truths, and can only make people Know true things. But every mind is primed to accept some assertions more easily than others, and most of the time all it takes is simple manipulation to change someone’s perception in such a way that subjective impressions feel like objective reality. Jon is afraid of himself. Jon believes that Elias has answers. Of course he will provide some.

"What does human even mean? You’ll fool those untouched, those who want to believe otherwise." Bleakest despair engulfs him.

"You're marked. Damaged, Jonathan. Since long before you arrived here. Your temperament, your body, your inability to love." Hot shame in his stomach.

"But I know all of you, the flaws and the inhumanity. You're mine, and I am refining you. Just do what you need to, and you will be… perfect." He implants in Jon's mind what he's feeling - the devotion, the reverence. Then he rips it away. Jon gasps, eyes flying open, and clutches at Elias' suit, presses close, heart to heart. Oh, he still thinks Elias is an amoral abomination, but who else could love a monster like him?

Jon's face twists as he comes to the same conclusion. "Enough," he says hoarsely. "I'm cooperating, aren't I?" But he's thinking about how he could still leave with his dignity intact; how gratifying it would feel to wrap his hands around Elias' throat, the rest of the Institute's lives be damned.

His eyes flick towards the statement, enticing and so close. Then he grips Elias' clothes tighter; his hands shake. He leans in. Presses their mouths together. Elias smiles.

He kisses Jon hard, devouring him and his wordless protests. Jon doesn't know how to reciprocate, especially when Elias nips at his lower lip and pushes his tongue into his mouth. It's taking everything he has not to flinch away, not to resist.

Elias retreats an inch and murmurs, "Good boy. Let's do this properly." He strokes Jon's shoulder, lightly tugs at his pullover. "Off with this."

Jon averts his eyes. Takes it off, then, reluctantly, his trousers too. He shivers under the weight of Elias' gaze. Ms. Barker has forced some much needed nourishment on him, and he's not nearly as scrawny as he was when Elias took the metal pipe he'd been struggling with and smashed Leitner's head in. Truly, if Detective Tonner hadn't been so consumed by the Hunt, she'd have realized that regardless of his motives, he wasn't physically capable of it. And as it stands, his Archivist has too strong a belief in the value of human life, especially his friends'. Elias touches a fingertip to his chest where that tender heart races. Jon thinks uncontrollably of sharpened knives and bloody altars, then of cold earth and his own blunt pocket knife at his throat when Elias cradles the side of his neck where Alice bruised him, now yellowed and faded.

"Hush. You've become too precious for that, Archivist." Elias shrugs off his coat, takes hold of Jon's hand, and places it on his own chest where his heart swells with pride and tender devotion. "Can you feel it?"

There's a part of Jon that wants to feel it. He tells himself he doesn't, that he's being coerced, even as his fingers fumble at Elias' shirt buttons. Elias runs his hands over Jon's chest and slender waist, and marks how his touch incites Jon to speed up, trying to get it all over with.

Elias tosses his shirt to the side and pulls Jon into his lap. He's hot against the climate controlled air of the archive, but Jon is the one who acts like he's been burned when their skin touch. He grabs Jon's elbow to hold him, warn him. "Properly, Jonathan. You can make this good."

Jon stares at him, trying to calculate how much effort Elias will deem proper, how much will get him that statement and an escape with minimal damage. He decides not to leave his lap, and as Elias wraps his arms around him, he slowly spreads his fingers over Elias' chest. Jon's feather light touch traces the lines of the stylized tattooed eyes across it, and slips lower over the intricate geometry on Elias' ribs. For all his claims about his reluctance, the Archivist intently catalogs every detail.

Jon thinks about kissing him but can't quite make himself do it. He leans forward, hands sliding over Elias' stomach and chest, to put his lips on his jaw instead. Elias obligingly tilts his head back for Jon to kiss down his neck. He stops when he reaches Elias' pulse - opens his mouth over his vulnerable jugular - bites down hard enough to make Elias gasp - releases him immediately. They both know it was an empty threat. It didn't even make Jon feel better; now he's angry with himself for lacking the stomach to go through with it. Elias laughs. How provocative. "If inflicting a little pain helps you, Jon, then I certainly shall not stop you."

The permission, predictably, aggravates Jon. He tenses, won't make eye contact. "Am I making it good for you?"

Elias smiles. "Yes. But there’s more to do. You’ll have to mind the teeth this time." His Archivist stares a moment, then understands as Elias slowly eases him off his lap, hand on the back of his head pushing him inexorably downward. Jon resists, tightens his nails on Elias’ shoulders, a low growl in his throat. Then obeys. More or less. There’s a little more pressure in his touch, a few scattered begrudging kisses across his skin as Jon slides down between his legs.

He would be hard pressed to accept this level of sloppiness from anyone else. But it doesn't much matter - his Archivist is inexperienced to say the least, and desire renders foreplay nearly unnecessary. He just needs to watch Jon on his knees, shaking as he undoes Elias' trousers, gingerly avoiding touching his cock until he can't anymore, the distress on his face as he fully wraps his hand around it. He glances helplessly at Elias' face and sees no mercy, no reprieve.

Jonathan takes Elias' cock in his mouth. He gags, naturally, merely from the taste and sensation. He barely overpowers the urge to escape, and tears escape his eyes three quarters of the way down his cock, unable to go any further. Unwilling to even try to take Elias down his throat. Next time, perhaps. There's much to teach, all of it gratifying. He has different plans for tonight.

Elias says, "Wrap your hand around what's left." Jon blinks up at him, then complies. "Cover your teeth with your lips, and pull back up." It's exquisitely sensual, the halting movement of his tongue dragging against the underside of his cock, his hand belatedly following and smearing his saliva. "And again." Jon does it again. He tentatively strokes his tongue this time - a quick study, though he nearly chokes and has to pause and take a deep breath. Elias softly murmurs appreciation, says his name tenderly every time he tries something new. His Archivist, so eager to learn. Trying so hard, and being so good.

He waits until Jon is panicking over the possibility of Elias coming in his mouth (it took him no more than two or three minutes to start thinking about it. His naivete is charming - it's not that he thinks he's good at this, he simply has no idea how long anything would take) to pull him off and to his feet. It hardly makes a difference - now that he's not blindly trying to get through that ordeal, he's consumed with horror he hasn't quite identified yet.

His breath hitches on a sob as Elias kisses him again. Jon jerks away after a second, covering his mouth, sparking the first real irritation of the night. "My mouth, it’s - I know now, I thought it would be better than -"

Elias considers him coolly before relenting. Useful information, that he doesn't need to act on while Jon is being cooperative. He tugs Jon so they're a breath away from each other, just as a reminder that he can, and pulls out a condom. Jon exhales sharply in relief, lashes wet with tears. So as Elias tears the packet open, he says, "How do we ask for what we want, Jon?"

One of the most fascinating things about Jon is how he struggles to choose between basic self preservation and hostility. For a man with weaker defenses than Elias would like, he's remarkably combative. Many things run through Jon's head: insults, threats, accusations, simple refusal. He looks at Elias rolling on the condom, then at the statement. He closes his eyes. He chooses self preservation. "Please. Elias." A long pause before he resigns himself to saying it all. "Fuck me, Elias. Please."

"Good boy. Keep going." Elias helps him align himself over his cock. His willpower barely overcomes his bone deep revulsion as he haltingly sinks down onto it. The lubricant, minimal as it is, eases his struggle; when he's taken Elias to the base, he thinks vaguely that it doesn't hurt as much as he was afraid it would. He can't decide whether that makes him feel better or worse than their first time. He lifts himself, thighs straining, and sinks back down. His cunt is unbelievably tight and hot, clutching at Elias' cock, and Elias runs a comforting hand over his back, pulls his head down to press a worshipful kiss to his forehead.

Before Jon can stop himself he leans into the kiss, and that decides it for him: he feels much, much worse. But he says please again, holding Elias' hand to his cheek. Gasps it when Elias grabs his ass to pull him up, and his voice breaks on it when he's slammed back down. When Elias reaches down to roll his cock between his fingers, he thinks better of pulling away after one blinding panic filled moment; then pleads for it to stop, shivering, eyes wide and filled with tears. Elias does not stop. He presses their foreheads together and, ever so gently this time, suffuses Jon's mind with his own escalating ardor. Jon recognizes the intrusion the moment they both hear genuine eagerness in his begging. He swears, hides his face in Elias' neck, his whole body wracked with hard thrusts, and with sobs and unwilling arousal.

But he doesn't stop asking for it. He even means it, now. Of course it's the path of least resistance to simply submit to whatever demands Elias makes of him; but he pushes the whole length of their bodies together, and tugs on Elias' hair with a quiet, breathy moan. And of course there's a part of him that solely craves the witnessing; but that part is neither entirely foreign or out of his control, and he makes no effort to shut Elias out of his mind. He asks for more, pushes back against Elias' fingers on his cock, because he wants to feel something other than pain and exhaustion, fear and guilt and helplessness. It doesn't matter that the physical sensation of how Elias experiences his pleasure triggers a visceral misery like what Jon felt before his transition, or that sexual arousal, whether his or others', disquiets him, or that the source is almost entirely external. He can deal with that later. He wants to feel good. So Elias takes him over the edge. His orgasm sparks Elias' - then they reverberate inside each other's minds in a fierce detonation that stuns them both with its intensity, leaves them perspiring, trembling, and gasping for air.

Few things surprise Elias anymore, and so when he recovers, he cradles Jon with real affection. He considers himself profoundly fortunate to have acquired this quarrelsome, unpredictable creature, laying quiet for once, trying to regain his faculties. Soon enough Jon will remember his hunger and what he did to sate it. He will leave, with the statement, seething with fury and the quiet agonizing fear that he deserved it. That if he had been the proper kind of human, who could love people and let them love him, if he hadn't already chosen to change his body as he saw fit, maybe it wouldn't have been so easy for Elias to make him a monster. Elias knows how much damage he's done to Jon's self perception, but even if Jon's pride is crumbling, he will be proud enough for both of them. His greatest achievement. Should Jon survive the next year or so, the world will be pleading for mercy at their feet. And Jon's own pleas will be exclusively reserved for Elias, just like this, forever.

Jon shifts lethargically, mumbles something that could have been a question. Elias strokes his hair and answers it. "This was love, Jon."