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queen-scribbles · 4 years ago

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The Long-Burning Torch

For the @shepherds-of-haven Shepherds Summer event, the Ryn/Red muses latched onto 20′s Detective AU and would not let go. I’ve gone so deep down this rabbit hole there’s gonna be chapters, but the first piece works as a standalone. (title might change along the way, again bc chapters)

----

There were, in Xaeryn’s experience, two types of people who made use of her services. Both were driven by desperation, both tended to hit her doorstep late in the day. There were the belligerent ones, incensed they had to stoop to hiring her, a Mage, to solve their problem. From them she had to pull the pertinent facts of their case one begrudging sentences at a time. And there were the frantic ones, who had exhausted every other route and she was their last chance. Details poured so freely from them she had to pick through it to find what was actually relevant to the case.

The young man standing before her now, at the start of her day, appeared to fit neither of those groups. He’d knocked and entered without awaiting an invitation, seeming unperturbed by the eyebrow she arched at his arrival.

“May I help you?” Xaeryn asked, leaning forward to rest folded hands on her desk.

He shifted to fold his own hands over the head of a walking stick she’d wager he didn’t actually need and smiled dryly. “If your reputation is anything to go by, Miss Shrike, I certainly expect so.”

She gestured to the chairs in front of the desk. “Let’s find out, Mr...?”

“Riel Syndran,” he said, passing her a business card as he took the offered seat.

The card was hardly necessary, and Xaeryn set it on the desk with only a passing glance. “You run Whitestone Couriers, don’t you?”

There was the faintest twitch on the left side of his jaw. “The company is a guild venture.”

“And I wouldn’t be much of a snooper if I couldn’t figure out who truly ran a company as vital to the city of Haven as Whitestone Couriers, Mr. Syndran.”

He gave her a sharp smile. “Very good. I knew coming to you first was the right call, Miss Shrike.”

“Flattered as I am by your confidence” --and she was; she was typically the last resort, being first was something of a novelty-- “why don’t you tell me what or who you need found, and we can discover if said confidence is warranted.”

“I’m certain it is,” Syndran said, his gaze briefly dropping to the Shrike Investigations placard on the edge of her desk. “But you are correct. To business.”

And business, as he explained it, ran thus: Whitestone Couriers had been contracted to transport a collection of artefacts, originally from all parts of Blest, from their previous temporary home at the Conte-by-the-Sea museum to Haven’s Hall of History and Culture.

”How well-known was your being contracted?” Xaeryn interjected.

“It was something of a secret,” Syndran replied, flicking invisible dust off his sleeve. “Some of the pieces are quite valuable, so it was largely in hopes of avoiding theft.”

Hopes that had proven vain. They’d had an uneventful journey--blessed with good weather, even--made it through city customs upon arriving at Haven (checked everything after making it through and found nothing amiss), and proceeded to the museum. Upon unpacking the artefacts, however, it was discovered one was missing.

(Of course.)

The missing piece--an obsidian and bronze pendent thought to belong to a ruler in the Jalis desert pre-Autarchy--had limited monetary value, especially compared to some of the other items in the collection. (Those, of course, had been more closely watched.) Its worth was largely historical and religious.

“Enchantments?”

“None so far as we know.”

“I’ll look into it for you,” Xaeryn said with a nod. She loved mind-twisters like this. “I’ll need to talk to your people, as well as the museum staff, so it would be helpful if you let them know I’m coming. Otherwise my kind” --a twitch of her fingers set energy dancing above them briefly-- “aren’t usually given the time of day.”

“Of course. I shall do so.” Syndran stood and bowed. “I thank you for taking my case, Miss Shrike, and look forward to your success.”

“Two things, Mr. Syndran,” she spoke up as he turned toward the door. She waited until he paused and looked back to continue. “I will, of course, endeavor to find this relic on my own, but should I require an expert’s... knowledge of its history, say, is outside help acceptable?”

His nose wrinkled briefly. “If you must. But as few others as possible, and only those you trust to keep it in strictest confidence.”

“Understood.”

“And the second thing, Miss Shrike?”

She smiled. “One third estimated payment is due upfront.”

“Oh, obviously.” He returned the smile and pulled out his checkbook.

----

She made some good progress between that afternoon and the next day. Interviews with the caravan guards and those responsible for the artefact collection gave insight to their procedures--which were indeed top-notch; it was impressive someone had managed to find a weakness--and how long the pieces were out of their sight coming through city customs.

“Don’t see why that matters,” the pink-haired courier who’d been in charge of the caravan commented. “We checked them all when we got through; made sure everything was still there. Standard procedure.”

“When you say you checked, is this a thorough examination or just a glance to make sure it’s still there?” Xaeryn asked, glancing at the notepad balanced on her knee.

“There’s no fine-tooth comb involved,” came the somewhat tart and harried reply, “but we do look to confirm it’s there and undamaged so nothing undeserved can later be blamed on us. The company has a sterling reputation for a reason, Miss Shrike, and the guild would very much like to keep it that way.”

“Hence your boss coming to me instead of the police.” Xaeryn tapped her pen against her chin and skimmed over her notes. “I think I have everything I need, Miss Aerin. Thank you for your time.”

Aerin gave a sharp nod. “Of course. Anything to get this cleared up and the artefact found as quickly as possible.” She flicked a worried glance toward the notebook as Xaeryn slipped it in her handbag. “How much did you write down? A lot of our procedures are trade secrets; if someone should see...”

Xaeryn laughed and withdrew the notepad again, flipping it open to show the other woman the symbols that filled the pages. “Never fear, your secrets are safe with me. An added bonus of my own shorthand; no one else can read my notes.”

“Smart.” A brief hesitation. “No one? You’re sure?”

“Well, perhaps the friend who helped develop it initially, but I’ve tweaked it since then.” She flipped the pad closed and stowed it in her bag. “I think it would take a little work even for him. We worked it out to take faster notes in class, but taking faster notes also come in handy in my line of work.”

Aerin relaxed and nodded again. “I’m sure it does. Thank you for the reassurance, Miss Shrike.”

“Of course. Have a good day.”

“You as well.”

With the last of the days’ intended interviews behind her, Xaeryn headed back to her office. Now to review what she’d learned from all the sources together. She was confident she had plenty to give herself at least a couple leads worth pursuing, even if there wasn’t enough for a scry.

---

It took a day and a half of running herself off her feet for Xaeryn to burn through the leads she’d found without much to show for it. She’d been unable to track down the specific guard who checked that portion of the shipment, but his supervisor assured her such an important collection would have been treated with utmost care, seeming miffed at the insinuation otherwise. None of the drivers or other courier employees had noticed anything unusual once they passed through customs, no interruptions or suspicious folks in the streets.

Even scrying had fizzled out without so much as a vague semblance of where it might be.

Nothing, nothing, nothing.

Xaeryn dug her fingers into her short hair and glowered at the photographs of the pendent Mr. Syndran had given her. It was so small. So easily concealed. And so simple it would hardly draw attention unless you knew what it was.

She’d been forced to grudgingly admit her minimal progress to Mr. Syndran when he called for an update and it had her in a foul mood. This sort of baloney was not how she kept the lights on. It was time for a new tack.

If she couldn’t (yet) trace where the pendent vanished from, perhaps it would work better to learn more about it; figure where it might be going and get a solid enough knowledge of it she could successfully scry its location. Who would want it badly enough for the hassle of stealing from Whitestone Couriers to be worth their while? Looking into the pendent’s history and provenance seemed the next logical course. Just because Mr. Syndran had told her it was on loan to the collection from the “proper” owners did not mean said owners had told him everything, or indeed, that they’d told the truth. She needed an expert and knew just where to find one.

It had been long enough since her time at Solhadur Academy Xaeryn actually had to look up the telephone number before calling. As she listened to the line ringing, she wondered absently how much of a gentle scolding Headmaster Tevanti would give her for her first contact in more than a decade being to ask for something rather than merely catching up. She’d always been the type not to bother people unless she had to. That was, after all, what she preferred. And her self-reliance had carried her through quite a bit. But she was aware most people would differ from her on that point; Tevanti especially was fond of jawing, so he would surely have words for her long silence.

She let it go to ten rings before giving up. Revelation came with a glance at the clock; it was late enough there was likely no one around to answer. No matter. She could drive out tomorrow. The Academy was in Capra, that wasn’t terribly far. (Not for business, anyway.) Headmaster Tevanti wouldn’t mind one of his favorite students dropping in for an hour or so to discuss a relic from one of his favorite historical periods. She’d even engage in small talk, if he wanted.

Xaeryn smiled to herself and locked both the photographs and her notepad in one of the desk drawers. If that was her plan for tomorrow, she should turn in early, make sure she was well-rested. Time for a trip down memory lane.

---

The morning was uneventful, aside from the troublesome discovery she’d left her office unlocked all night. She was normally more attentive than that, even being on a higher floor. But nothing was disturbed or missing, so Xaeryn shrugged it off and got on with her day.

If she selected her wardrobe with a more critical eye than usual, well, she wanted to look professional. Headmaster Tevanti had been a wonderful mentor, and she wanted to show how far his encouragements about using her bright mind and sharp eye had carried her.

(She wondered, briefly, as she pulled on the royal blue skirt and its matching blouse, accented in deep golden-yellow, if she would see any other familiar faces. But she shook off the warmth of the thought; they’d all scattered to the winds after graduation. Getting to see Tevanti would be enough.)

Satisfied with her ensemble, and needing to fill some time before she left, Xaeryn sat at her desk with her notepad and transcribed everything she knew about the missing pendent(not much), along with questions to ask. She picked out the best of the photographs from Mr. Syndran, just in case, and sighed as she looked at the clock. She’d still be a tad early for it to be polite, especially just dropping in out of the blue, if she left now.

So I’ll drive at a leisurely pace, she argued to herself. Take my time. Allowing a buffer in case there’s trouble along the way is only wise. God in heaven, she wished she could figure why she had worse jitters about this than some dates she’d gone on. “Oh, this is ridiculous,” she muttered to the empty office.

She locked the remaining photographs back in her desk, slipped the chosen one and her notepad in her handbag. After a moment’s internal debate, she slipped one of her stiletto knives down in her boot as well. Solhadur was far from dangerous, but it was prudent to have some measure of protection when traveling alone. She grabbed a hat on her way out the door--which she made certain to lock this time--and had it securely on her head by the time she reached the car.

----

Despite her efforts to make it a leisurely drive out to Capra, and weather that was perfect for that goal, Xaeryn still found herself standing in the entrance hall of Solhadur Academy at an earlier hour than would usually be considered polite for impromptu business meetings. She debated walking the grounds for a while, revisiting some memories from her time here, but decided simply apologizing for her early arrival was the better course of action.

With a final steadying breath and running one hand down her blouse and skirt to chase away wrinkles, Xaeryn headed for the reception desk. She smiled at the young woman behind it. “Good morning.”

The receptionist blinked, seeming mildly taken aback by how far up she had to look to meet her visitor’s eyes. “Morning, miss. Office hours don’t start until ten-”

“Oh, I’m not a student here,” Xaeryn said with a laugh. “At least, not anymore. And I do apologize for the early appearance, the drive out went much faster than anticipated.”

A brow twitched at that. “And what is it that brings you to Solhadur, miss...?”

“I’m doing research on a selection of artefacts and haven’t been able to turn up much on one.” It was barely a lie; she had read a bit on the other exhibition pieces, even if the pendent was the only one she needed to go deeper. “It’s from a period I know is of particular interest to the headmaster, so I was hoping to speak to him for a while, see if he could help.”

The receptionist pursed her lips. “Former student, you say?”

Xaeryn nodded. “If he’s busy first thing, I don’t mind waiting.”

““No, actually, being early is smart,” the receptionist said with a light laugh. “His hours are more full at the later end of things. This would be the best opportunity if you want some of his time.” She glanced over Xaeryn once more, then nodded. “You can go up. Third door--”

“On the left. I remember,” Xaeryn finished. “Thank you.”

“You might actually beat him there,” the receptionist laughed. “He isn’t always punctual.”

“I remember that, too,” Xaeryn returned with a grin. “Like I said, I don’t mind waiting. It’ll be good to see him again, few more minutes won’t hurt.” She toyed with one of her earrings as she headed up the stairs, steps lingering and heavy with nostalgia.

It was almost exactly as she remembered. A few portraits replaced or rearranged, new photographs from after she left. New name placards outside the doors she passed. The headmaster’s office door was closed, and a light inquiring rap of her knuckles brought no response.

Looks like she was right, Xaeryn thought with a smile, leaning against the chair outside the office to wait. Her gaze drifted to the high ceiling, following the details of familiar carvings to the scenes painted on the ceiling itself. Slightly faded from what she remembered, but that was to be expected after a decade--

“Xaeryn?!” The voice, still familiar even after years apart, sounded like he’d seen a ghost.

Her heart lurched in her chest and she’d spun around before the impulse to do so had even fully registered, his name tumbling from her lips unprompted in return. “Red?!”

He crossed the remaining distance between them in just a few strides(God, he’d gotten taller, how was that even possible?), barely remembered to set the books he carried on the chair before wrapping her in a hug.

Xaeryn didn’t even flinch, and only just managed to keep her grip on her handbag as she hugged him back. He still smelled of old books and ink and sunshine and she smiled at the memories it stirred.

Liefred Antiqua, her seatmate in any classes they shared and best friend regardless of how many they didn’t for the entirely of her time at Solhadur. Friendly, charming, and just as fond of books as he was people. (The nights they’d spent pressed shoulder to shoulder reading in the library were still among her favorite memories.) Between his warm nature and classic good looks, he’d had half the student body swooning after him, and yet despite the sharp contrast to Xaeryn’s more reserved and self-reliant bent, they’d still spent most of their time together. Their friendship was the strongest of the few she’d formed at Solhadur, and Xaeryn valued it immensely.

(Too much to risk on anything like admitting when the sight of his smile sent something that was definitely not friendship fluttering in her chest. It was just a crush, it would go away.)

( And then it didn’t.)

They’d both had plans to travel after graduation, and she couldn’t count on all her fingers combined the number of times she’d almost suggested they do it together. But in this one thing, she never could quite summon the nerve. And before she knew it, her departure date had arrived and they were hugging farewell, and come with me wouldn’t unstick from her throat. After a few months’ silence stretched between them--both traveling and unsure where the other might be, obviously--she’d resigned herself to their paths never crossing again, much as the thought hurt.

And yet here he was.

All the memories flew through her mind in the few seconds their hug lasted, and had a lump starting in her throat by the time they parted.

“Wonderful as it is to see you,” Red began as he stepped back to reclaim his books and run a glance over her, “what are you doing here?”

Xaeryn cleared her throat as she returned the apprising glance with one of her own. He still looked practically the same. A few inches taller, shoulders a bit more broad, and an attempt had been made to tame his bright red hair. It had only achieved partial success, and combined with the warm glint in his green eyes, he still was the same Red she knew. (The same Red she’d been more than a little in love with, even if she’d never dared the risk of admitting it.)

“I’m doing research,” she said, reaching up to tug the back brim of her hat as she glanced at the office door. “Into some artefacts. I wanted to ask Headmaster Tevanti about one in particular that’s being difficult.”

Red grimaced and fumbled his books. “Did you not hear, Xaer?” His voice went soft on the nickname, despite them being alone. Voices did carry in these halls, as they very well knew. “Tevanti died.”

She blinked, shock and sorrow curling in her chest. “Wh- How? When?”

“Not long after you left, actually,” he said, raking his free hand through his hair and tousling it out of respectability. “You know he’d been having problems with his heart. It gave out a few months after you left.” His brow furrowed. “I’m surprised you weren’t told when you set an appointment.”

“I didn’t so much set an appointment as show up looking to talk,” Xaeryn admitted with a soft, wry snort. “And I did simply say the headmaster when speaking to the receptionist.” She cocked her head. “Who would that be, now?”

Red smiled sheepishly, half-bit his lower lip. “Me, actually.” He shifted the books to one arm and opened the office door. Slightly nonplussed by two such major revelations in a row, Xaeryn was silent as she followed him in.

“I thought you wanted to travel,” was the first thought to pop in her head and then out her mouth as she looked around the office. It was spacious, lined with jam-packed bookshelves(He must be in heaven), and in a state of... corralled disarray that was so very Red it made her smile despite the news about Tevanti.

“I did,” Red replied, setting the books on his desk. “And I got to, at least a bit.” He tucked a handful of papers inside an open tome occupying one of the chairs, flipped the book closed, and set it on a side table so he could offer her a seat. “I’d already left when he passed, so Professor Rumi and some others kept things going until I got back.” Rather than sit in the chair behind the desk, he shuffled a small stack of books onto the floor and sat in the one next to Xaeryn’s as he continued. “He’d... wanted me as his successor, Xaeryn.”

“That makes sense.” The words were out before she could weigh them, spurred by the disbelief in his hesitation. “You’re brilliant, charming, and have a history with the school.” Her face warmed in the wake of being so candid, and Xaeryn glanced over at the large painting of Tevanti that hung on the wall between two bookshelves. He knew what he was doing. “You’re a logical choice.”

Red laughed warmly. “High praise from the smartest student in our class.”

“But far from the most charming,” she countered with a wry smile.

The warmth of his gaze didn’t abate. “I’ve always appreciated your-”

“Bluntness?”

“Straight-forwardness,” Red substituted, and was smiling when she looked his way. “An ability to cut to the heart of the subject is an invaluable skill.”

Xaeryn gave a faint shake of her head. “As is your kindness. But speaking of the heart of the matter...”

“Ah, right. You came here for a reason.” He pushed his unbuttoned shirtsleeves up toward his elbows. “I can’t promise to know as much as Tevanti would have, but I’ll certainly do my best to help.”

“Actually...” She snapped open her handbag to pull out the photograph and her notepad. “You’ve done a lot of research on pre-Autarchy history, so you might be able to help more than you think.” She set the photograph on the desk and Red cocked his head to look at it.

“Solimer’s torch...” he murmured, turning the photograph for a better look as his gaze gained that focus of a niche interest being whetted. (Which, for Red, meant she was about to hear everything he knew about the pendent’s history in too much detail to called a summary, and Xaeryn found herself leaning forward slightly in anticipation.) He glanced up at her. “Isn’t this one of the pieces in that exhibit about to open in Haven?”

She nodded. “That’s why I’m researching it.” She bit her lip but barely hesitated on the gamble of her next words. ‘Those you trust’, Mr. Syndran had said, and there was no one she trusted more than Liefred Antiqua. “It was stolen, and I was hired to find.”

His head came up, derailed from the growing ramble on the pendent’s history. “Oh?”

“I’m a detective,” Xaeryn said, playing with one of her earrings. She laughed softly. “Scrying does give a considerable leg up to finding things. Or people. But that only works when--”

“You know enough about them,” Red nodded. “So this visit is for business, rather than personal.”

“Mostly, yes,” she conceded, resting one hand on his knee. I didn’t know you’d be here. “But I was more than willing to chat with Tevanti” --there was a pang in her chest--”which most definitely extends to you as well, Headmaster Antiqua.”

His neck and ears went faintly pink as he laughed. “Surely we don’t need to be quite so formal, Detective Shrike?”

“Just ‘Miss’,” she returned with a laugh of her own, withdrawing her hand to instead fiddle with her notepad. “I work for myself, not the cops.” There might’ve been a little pride in her voice at the words, but it was well-earned.

“I thought you wanted to travel,” Red said, turning her own remark back on her.

“And travel I did,” Xaeryn said lightly. “For quite a while, even. But a girl does need a job eventually, and I’ve always loved a good mystery.”

“Or even a bad one,” he teased. “All kidding aside, Miss Shrike, I’m sure you’re a brilliant investigator.”

She smiled, chuckling at the playful glint in his eye even as her ears warmed at the praise. “Thank you. And on that note, what can you tell me about the pendent?”

“Right, right. You’re here on business.” Amusement lingered in Red’s eyes even as he turned back to the photograph. His sleeves started to slide and he shoved them back up again. Xaeryn very deliberately kept her focus on the photograph, not his arms--or hands--as he tapped one finger at the center of the obsidian pendent. “This was a protection... charm, I suppose you’d call it, worn by the head of the Solimer tribe ages ago. Literal ages. Without refreshing my memory, all I can tell you is they were one of the few tribes whose wanderings regularly took them through the heart of the Jalis desert, and yet they always fared better on those journeys than the other tribes, which was credited to this pendent.”

“So it is magical?” Xaeryn leaned closer to look over the piece again, not that a photograph could do it full justice. This was a familiar position; the two of them bent over a shared project, and she hadn’t realized how much she missed it until that moment.

“Possibly?” Red shifted and his shoulder bumped hers. “ The story goes that on their first attempt to journey through, they saw a light, like a torch, keeping pace with them. It only showed up at night, and seemed far enough away from their caravan the chief felt it was too dangerous to let anyone go after it to see what it was. Their wariness at its presence, however, kept them vigilant enough they were able to see and fend off any wild animals that came after them, and it did nothing except travel their same path, so they let it be.

“A couple weeks into their journey, as their supplies were starting to run low, the chieftain’s wife was out hunting and strayed far enough in search of food that the sun started setting while she was out. As the skies grew dim she could see the Torch, much larger than they usually did from the caravan, though it was floating away. Seized by good old-fashioned curiosity” --he paused to wink at her and Xaeryn bit back a smile-- “she followed the light rather than work her way back to camp. She kept after it long enough night had nearly fallen when it crested a ridge and disappeared. She hastened after it, and when she made it over the ridge, found herself standing by a waterspring the likes of which they’d never seen. When she looked around for the light she’d followed, there was no sign of it, save a black rock that lay at her feet. There were no other rocks anywhere nearby, so she decided this must be what had caused the torch-like light her tribe had seen.

“She carried it with her when she returned to the tribe with news of water, and the Solimer took it as a sign of the gods’ favor. The chieftain had it bound in bronze” --he traced a finger along the lines of the coiled setting-- “to be worn as a way to hold that favor. It was passed from leader to leader and from all accounts they had far better luck surviving the desert than the other tribes for a long time.”

“Was that not likely just them knowing better how to handle themselves? If they traveled those portions of the desert more frequently, of course they were better prepared.”

“Maybe.” Red shrugged. “We have no firsthand written records from any of these tribes, just legends and history relayed orally. And a lot of the second-hand ones were... lost when the Autarchy came to power. From the way the stories run, after generation of favor from the pendent, it was lost when the Solimer were defeated in a skirmish over resources with another tribe. Their next several trips went so poorly it cost over half their number, and they wound up assimilated into other tribes within the next couple decades just to survive.”

“Sad,” Xaeryn murmured, though she wondered if the pendent’s loss had become a self-fulfilling prophecy if they believed in it that strongly. “And what happened to the pendent after that?”

“That’s all I know off the top of my head,” Red said sheepishly as he sat back, running a hand through his hair. “Anything more I’d have to research. To refresh my memory.”

“Oh, that’s all? Tsk, tsk, Liefred, you’re slipping,” she teased, then snorted a wry chuckle. “Of course, it’s more than I had.” She showed him the scant lines on a single page of her small notepad.

Red smiled at the sight of the shorthand and let the playful ribbing slide as he ran a finger over the page. “You tweaked it.”

“A bit, to make it jive better with detective work.” Xaeryn tucked the pad back in her handbag. She’d been so caught up listening to him talk she’d not taken a single note. “I’m certain you could work it out with a little time.”

“Oh, time-” Red’s gaze flew to the clock at the same moment there was a knock and muffled “Headmaster?” at the door. “Damn. Forgot I have a meeting.” He smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck. “Tribulations of being in charge. Just a minute!” he called toward the door, then, to Xaeryn, “I can look into this more in my free time, if you’d like.”

What free time? she almost asked, looking at the stacks of books and papers everywhere. But she swallowed that in favor of, “That would be lovely, thank you so much.”

“Any specific information you need?” Red asked as they stood.

“Anything you can find is welcome, but specifically.... What happened to the pendent after the Solimer lost it, who would have claim of ownership, if ownership is contested... anything like that. I want to find it, but part of that may very well lie in figuring out who would have most reason to steal it in the first place.” Xaeryn pulled out a business card and handed it to him. “So I don’t wind up nagging you,” she laughed. “You can call when you find something. The telephone’s in my office, but I live adjacent, so I’ll always hear it.”

Red nodded and slipped the card in his pocket. “I’ll try not to take too long.”

“Much appreciated. Also...” She grimaced slightly. “This is something of a secret; the Couriers don’t want it being common knowledge.”

“Understandable,” he said as they started toward the door. “Oh, don’t you need this?” He reached back for the photograph and held it out to her.

“Yes, thanks.” Xaeryn smiled and tried not to let the flutter in her chest when their fingers brushed as she took it gain purchase. She slipped the photograph back in her handbag as Red opened the door. Given the student waiting in the hall, she was the picture of professionalism--aside from the twinkle in her eye--as she nodded farewell. “Thank you for your time, Headmaster.”

Several things flashed through Red’s eyes, the brief desire to strangle her, a loud burst of laughter, an eyeroll, but he settled on a warm smile, wide enough his dimples just started to show. “Happy to help, Miss Shrike.”

She was still fighting a grin as she turned to descend the stairs, heart practically singing with warmth. Of all the lovely surprises... Regardless of whether she succeeded or failed, this case was already among the most worthwhile she’d ever taken, simply for bringing him back into her life.

#queens fic #shoh #shepherds summer 2021 #xaeryn shrike #red antiqua #ryn/red #i really got find them a ship tag #if you think their canon pining is good HOO BOY JUST WAIT #flamingelmo.gif #tlbt

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thebmatt · 3 years ago

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FFXIV Write 2021 Prompt #22: Fluster

Fluster – make someone agitated or confused.

Aetherytes were constantly busy. You learned pretty quick to move away from one as soon as you manifested next to one, lest someone suddenly appear next to you and knock you both down.

Old Man Franks, tired as he was, almost forgot this, and only barely missed being clipped by an arriving Roegadyn armed with an enormous spear on his back.

He quickly moved out of the plaza and cast a quick glance about, and then raised his hand to his ear, activating his linkpearl

Rheika’s voice answered him. “Heya Franks. You get to the Toll already?”

“Yeah, I’m here. I take it you’re not?”

“Not yet. Fearless isn’t answering her ‘pearl, so Dahk and I went to her place. Ranaa said she and Makoto went to the Sekiseigumi HQ, so we’re headed there. Turns out she left it at home. Again. Anyway, go on in and figure out what’s going on, we’ll be there as soon as we find her. “

“Copy that. Hopefully whatever this is can be resolved fast. I need to catch up on some sleep.”

“Did you stay up all night working on cross-world portals again?”

“I admit nothing, see you soon.” He disconnected the link before she could chastise him further and headed into the Seventh Heaven bar. A few of the regular patrons tossed greetings his way, which he returned as best he could in his sleep-deprived state,

The bouncer who guarded the door to the Rising Stones nodded at him and stepped aside. Franks strode in, turning to shut the door behind him quietly. Darn thing tended to slam, he’d been meaning to install something to slow it down. Maybe after some rest today.

“All right, Tataru, what is this emergency…about…” Midway through his sentence, he’d turned to face the room. Sitting at one of the table were Tataru, Y’shtola, and someone who shouldn’t be there. Someone who couldn’t possibly be there. Because she was dead.

Standing up at the table, hand over her mouth and tears streaming from beautiful sea-green eyes that he hadn’t witnessed in years, was a viera woman that happened to be the spitting living image of the woman he’d married so long ago.

She dropped her hand, looking for all the world as happy as the day they’d wed. “Hello, my love.”

Twelve forfend, it sounded like her too. “What the hells is this? No…you’re dead, this is some kind of trick!” He pointed a shaking finger. “You’re a godsdamned Ascian, you HAVE to be! How the hells did you make someone look like her??”

She ran to him. “Darling, no, it’s me, I swear it!” She moved in close, trying to embrace him, but he backed away, shock and anger on his face.

“Fandaniel, that you? Because you just crossed a fucking line, you piece of filth, and I’m going to make you regret it!”

The woman looks over to Y’shtola, panicking. “He…what’s happening, who does he think I am?”

Y’shtola has already moved next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and holding the other with her hand. “Aleister, I swear to you on my life, this is not a trick. Do you remember how Rheika unmasked Elidibus, by tricking him about the Amaro? It proved that an Ascian can’t access memories of their hosts, do you recall that?”

He had stopped backing away, but his eyes didn’t waver from the woman who looked like his wife. He nodded.

Y’shtola looked to her. “Tell him something that only you would know. Something you’d never reveal under even the gravest duress.”

Her eyes danced back and forth, considering, thinking. Finally, they widened and she smiled again. Closer and closer, she approached him, but now he didn’t move. Could….could it be?

She whispered in his ear and he cried out in joy. His world faded, and there was nothing more than the woman in front of him. He pulled her in, crushing against her. Her arms wrapped around his back and pulled in just as strong. So many sensations, so many memories flooded him, and he took all of them in. The scent of her, the feel of her living body preseed to him, the sound of her voice as she whispers her love between sobs. He could not reply, too overwhelmed to cry and breathe.

Tataru moved next to Y’shtola, unable to take her eyes off of the embracing pair. “It…it really is her.”

Y’shtola nods.

“But…how?”

“I think that story is best told to us from them. Once everyone has joined us. I think our resident Old Man may finally be ready to open up, since the loss that caused him so much pain is no longer lost at all.”

Finally, Franks was able to catch his breath and he pulled back to look at her. He kept her close, arms wrapped around her waist, as though he feared she might vanish into mist if he let go. For her part, she likewise kept her arms solidly behind his neck. “Gwen….I…I don’t understand. They…multiple people told me they saw you get taken by Sylvanas’ death squads. We…” He hiccuped. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he kept going. “We scattered when we heard you got taken…that’s, that’s how I ended up here.”

She smiled. “They were right. I was put in with dozens of others, taken to a camp somewhere in Hillsbrad, couldn’t tell you where exactly. We were lined up. Living prisoners had their names taken, checked off a list, then executed right then and there. Some were….were fed to the soldiers. Others to plaguehounds. But for whatever reason, they didn’t kill the Forsaken. Maybe she had sentimentality about us, or maybe she planned to do it later, but we were just shoved into a makeshift prison and left there. We got food occasionally, but no interaction otherwise. Just neverending boredom. Zenjulin and Beskar finally found the place and killed off the few remaining loyalists that still manned it, freeing us.”

She shuddered. “By that point, the Banshee had fucked off to…wherever it was she went. I don’t know. Zenjulin explained it, but I wasn’t listening very well. Or he was missing details, I don’t know. Anyway, he said that our allies were being brought back together to stop her and whatever else she’d brought with her, but that you were still missing. I told them I refused to do anything until I found you. They understood, and I started tracking your movement. Which was hard, because you’d concealed them well, but eventually I made it to Stranglethorn and discovered the cave, the one Y’shtola tells me you came to that same one and it brought you here.”

Franks looked over to Y’shtola, who smiled. “I went there to take some readings, and found her emerging out of the cave. Once I realized who she was, I brought her straight here and had Tataru contact you.”

“Thank you.”

She shook her head. “There is nothing to thank.”

Franks looked back to Gwen. “I… gods, Gwen, you look like the day I asked you to marry me. Even despite all the years, both living and dead, I recognized you right away. I…I actually hallucinated last night…I saw you. Worked for too long without sleeping again. You looked…almost exactly as you do now.” He chuckles. “You uh…you didn’t have these, though”.

He reached up to stroke the fur of her ears. She made a very happy noise at the touch. “Okay, those are definitely a little sensitive, good to know.” She cuddled up against his shoulder, enjoying the sensation.

Eventually he stopped and pulled back again, looking her over. Everything was the same, her long graying hair, two green eyes, one slightly darker than the other, on a heart-shaped face. Everything save the ears. He vaguely recalled the shape of her human ears, but they were no longer there.

She giggled. “I…I don’t know what changed me or why it gave me my youthful body with these ears, honestly. You, though, you look a little bit older than the day you asked me to marry you. Maybe…around our 10th anniversary, I’d guess? Bit more white though, not that I mind. That haircut’s definitely a lot better, someone’s been taking care of you on that front, I see.

She placed her hands on his arms, rubbing them appreciatively. She moves them to his chest and down to his abs, sculpted like they’d been in his younger days from long hard hours of farmwork. “And I see you’ve definitely been taking care of the rest of you. Been way too long since I’ve seen these muscles.” she purred.

Franks laughed nervously. “Well, um….you get a second chance like this, you tend to appreciate and take care of things you took for granted…before.” His hands slipped down to her hips.

Their eyes met, growing lidded. Slowly, he ran his hands up her sides, appreciating every ilm of her curves, ghosting the sides of her breasts. He pulled her close, and their lips met in a kiss they’d not been able to share in decades.

Memories of all of their favorite intimate moments with the other flooded their minds, and both had a realization that those moments could now not only be remembered, but now relived. The rest of the world had long been forgotten and their kisses and touches became more heated when the world suddenly reminded them that it was still there.

“Ahem”

The pair broke, looking in the direction of the voice. The other Warriors of Light and the senior members of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn had all entered and were staring at the pair in varying levels of confusio

Rheika spoke up. It had been her voice that broke into their moment, Franks realized. “I hate to interrupt your moment, I swear I do, but uh…didn’t we have some kind of emergency? Also, um, who is this? Not that you don’t deserve to kiss someone that gorgeous, but I feel like I’m missing part of the story here.”

Franks laughs. Both he and Gwenefyr have turned beet red having realized just how much of a crowd their reunion had attracted. “Ah, yes. Um, well, everyone…allow me to introduce you all to Gwenefyr Franks. My…not quite late wife, as it turns out”

She giggled at that. “Hi, everyone. Y’shtola’s told me a little about you all. I…think I recognize at least some of you from her stories.”

Franks looked over everyone. Thancred, Estinien, and Alisaie weren’t even masking their suspicion. Dahkar, Alphinaud, and Rheika wore expressions of shock. Fearless looked like she was going to explode with joy. Urianger just looed perplexed.

It was Thancred who stepped forward. “Franks….are you sure? I mean, we’ve seen the Asicans puppet dead bodies before..

He immediately shook his head. ��No, no, I thought the same thing. But remember, Elidibus didn’t have access to Ardbert’s memories so Y’shtola asked her to tell me something only she would know. It…it’s definitely her.”

Gwen took his hand and looked to the gunbreaker. “Thancred, right?”

Thancred nodded.

“Y’shtola told me you’d probably be the hardest to convince. I don’t know what to say or do to prove to you that I’m not a…..Asican, was it? But I’ll do whatever it takes to prove it to you. To all of you. Because I’m not going anywhere.” She looked up to her husband. “Right?”

He looked right back to her, his eyes sad. “I…don’t think I can go back there again. Not if it means…going back to the way our forms were.Are you…okay with that? With leaving it all behind? I promise, this place is…it’s worth it.”

She nodded. “I don’t think I can either. Azeroth has taken enough from us. And the others…they told me they won’t be surprised if we don’t return to the fight. They’re prepared to keep working towards the dream, but they’ll have to do it without us. I’m not going anywhere without you, love. We have a second chance at actual life and I’m not going back to a world without it or without you.”

Alphinaud speaks up. “Apologies, but did you say Azeroth? I’ve not heard of such a place.”

Franks nods. “Yeah. That’s….that’s the other reason I’m pretty confident she’s not an Ascian. And it’s a story most of y’all long overdue for hearing. And now that I have…gods I can’t believe I have you back…ahem. Well, there’s just no point in hiding it anymore. Gather round…time I told the full story of where I….where we are actually from.”

#Final Fantasy XIV #FFXIV 2021 Writing Challenge #oldmanfranks #Aleister Franks #Gwenefyr Franks #Rheika Aliapoh #oh I am so happy I got to write this reunion.#I tried writing the time they were reunited in WoW and it just felt unnatural and weird.#This is so much better

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etherealluminescence · 4 years ago

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Shdjdjjddjjs okay but, more buff cat hcs when ?? But seriously, i know it probably counts as crack hc but i enjoyed it way to much i cant get it out of my head anymore, i havent laught so much in a while now sjdjchdj. I sure hope the buff cat saga will continue !!

You know what? I’ll give you some buff cat content now. 😤 my school work can wait. And trust me, the buff cat saga WILL continue. I just tend to work on requests first rather than my own wants haha.

I’m really happy you like buff cat! Buff cat is my life now. Constantly haunted by buff cat. Maybe one day I’ll introduce a girlfriend or friends for buff cat too 🤔

Maybe I’ll do a background about buff cat and how they met MC?? And why buff cat is so attached to MC? I don’t know. 👉👈 maybe if someone requests, otherwise I’ll just do whatever I feel like in the moment.

Anyone can also feel free to request any buff cat scenarios!! If not I’ll think of some up. THIS IS SO LONG IM SORRY. I WROTE THIS LIKE 1 HOUR OR SOMETHING STRAIGHT AHA.

The boys react to buff cat teaching you

Lucifer

Lucifer had noticed your grades were improving recently, and wanted to take you out to eat for working so hard to both keep up with your class.

When he came to your room, he saw a scene that honestly shouldn’t of surprised him, but did anyways.

You were sitting at your desk, books sprawled across the entire surface area of it. On top of a book pile was buff cat, wearing a pair of glasses, and he was using a pointer to show you important parts you should remember.

He watched in awe as you two never exchanged any words, but you were scribbling down definitions and important notes, while buff cat turned the pages and reviewed your work.

He’s gotten fairly use to buff cat cooking, cleaning, intimidating others, but he has never seen buff cat act like a teacher before, it was sort of new, and he even had a teacher outfit.

He swears that he never sees you buying these outfits, or that people in the devildom actually sell muscular cat clothing.

Buff Cat is the first to break the silence, looking over at Lucifer and positioning his pointer at Lucifer’s head, and then to in front of your desk.

You were still focused on your studying, knowing that you were steadily improving. Buff Cat got out a notepad from one of your desk drawers, and wrote “Leave what you require on this note, I am instructing MC right now, and when we are done tutoring I will give this note to them.”

Lucifer ended up having to take a rain check on taking you out to eat, and learned that your cat has really advanced vocabulary.

Mammon

He was failing the majority of his classes, and ended up asking you for help. You were his best shot, and you seemed to be passing all of your classes with flying colours.

You said you were happy to help him! Except that someone else was actually helping you study. They were a very efficient teacher.

He was relieved to hear that you’d introduce your teacher to him, until he found out it was that fucking demon spawn from hell.

He screeched so hard and ran out of the room, crying like a girl. “aAAAAaaaaAAAH”

Mammon is terrified of buff cat, and now you’re telling him this cat has the intelligence of a genius? You came to the devildom like a few months ago how is this cat tutoring you and making you pass your classes with ease??

He swears your cat is trying to plot for world domination or something. Will NEVER ask you to study with him again.

Leviathan

You walked into Levi’s room trying to find buff cat. It was a Sunday, which was typically a boys night out between them, but it was getting pretty late and you need to study.

There was a test tomorrow on devildom history, and you wanted to review one more time with buff cat, as to make sure you’ll do well on it.

“Mr. Kitty, are you here?” You called out, as soon as you said that Buff Cat paused the game and ran up to you. Levi was slightly annoyed as Buff Cat was beating a hard level for him, but he is your cat above all else.

You smiled as Buff Cat greeted you, and apologised for interrupting them. You explained to Levi how you wanted to review for the test, and if it wasn’t an issue could he spare around 20 minutes?

Levi huffed and agreed and called you a normie, and was about to pick up his switch when your words finally set in.

You put down the book you were carrying and got out a pencil, and took a piece of paper out of the book. You began writing down all of the important stuff on the paper while Buff Cat watched over your shoulder.

When you were finished, he went into the book with you and showed you a couple things you’ve missed or had forgotten, and then got you to write it down three times each as to remember. He even wrote a few essay questions for you which you got.

Levi was impressed. Not only did Buff Cat seem to know the whole devildom history by heart, he knew the exact pages and lines, and even how to write.

He didn’t really care as long as Buff Cat beats the hard level for him. He just considers it to be cool.

Satan

Satan was impressed with your high grades. It must be hard for a human to suddenly learn about a whole new realm, right? So if you had Cs he would understand, but you were getting 97s and 94s.

He understood everything when he started to notice what kind of books Buff Cat had been reading in his room, recently.

You all were having a test on curses soon, and Buff Cat came by his room and began looking for books about curses, and similar ones to what you all had been learning about.

Satan ended up chuckling to himself and found it amusing. It was amazing how your cat even spent his free time coming to someone’s room, finding books for your tests, and reads them before going back to you to help you understand the content.

He likes to get coffee with Buff Cat and talk about the stuff you’re learning in classes, he never directly said it to you, but he helps Buff Cat find specific books when Buff Cat comes over.

Asmodeous

Lucifer decided to punish the house of lamentations by taking away all of their electronics after they did something stupid again. The only way to earn it back, was through getting an 80% or higher on their next test.

You and Asmo suffered because you would normally look up answer during your test, and Asmo had no social media or contact with any of his friends with benefits.

You two weren’t ashamed to beg Buff Cat for help to pass your next test. He was probably the smartest in the house. He goes to Satan’s room almost every day and purchased books when he goes out. Your cat even tutored you when you were in elementary school.

You and Asmo barely needed to convince Buff Cat, as he was ecstatic to help you again. He’d do anything to help you, and was even willing to help Asmo out as well.

Asmo thought that Buff Cat looked REALLY adorable in his teacher’s outfit. A suit, tie, glasses, and his claws were so shiny from their manicure earlier.

Buff cat even slicked his fur back to look like he gel’d his hair. He was a literal fashion icon. Asmo could do some sewing, but nothing to the degree Buff Cat did.

Buff Cat had so many outfits he made himself, and he even did them so quickly. They all turned out perfect. Oh right, this was about studying wasn’t it?

Asmo never really asked questions about why your cat could just be so smart, and more so focused on how cool your cat looked. Priorities.

Beelzebub

Beel and Buff Cat are gym buddies, so naturally they’d walk home together from the gym. Everything was fine until Buff Cat’s MC senses were tingling, and began to walk towards you, crouching down in a store trying to figure out which notebooks to buy.

Beel thought it was pretty cool Buff Cat knew where you were, like how he and Belphie were that close to each other.

Brel asked you what you were doing, and you explained that you wanted to get some new notebooks because your old one is messy and confusing. You just scribbled whatever you could down, and were having a bit of a hard time in class.

Buff Cat immediately perked up, and you two seemed to have a conversation. He meowed and you happily said “I’d love that!”

Apparently, Buff Cat had offered to tutor you. Beel wasn’t so sure how well your cat could teach, though, considering he still is a cat, and offered to help you as well, since he wouldn’t like to see you sad from overworking yourself.

He was scribbling notes alongside with you five minutes into your first session together. Buff Cat wrote such simple explanations, and even prepared notecards ahead of time, Beel forgot he was supposed to teach you.

He is pretty fine with Buff Cat teaching you both, and once again forgets that Buff Cat is a “normal”? cat and not some weird creature that knows the answer to life.

Belphegor

Is really fucking terrified of your buff cat. Like TERRIFIED. So when he sees your cat in a teacher’s outfit sitting at the dinning room table, teaching you math, he was frozen.

He came down to get a glass of milk but what is this. Do you- do you have to do it in the living room?

There is no other reaction than physical fear coursing through his body his adrenaline is at the highest and his fight or flight instincts kick in.

He’s already fought once and that caused Buff Cat to exist in constant Buff form around him, so you can bet he is running.

Probably has a group chat with Mammon and Luke. “Buff Cat Conspiracy”. They talk about how scary buff cat is.

Diavolo

Buff Cat told Diavolo he was the one who helped you study. They were having conversation (buff cat used a notebook) and the topic of your studies came up. He mentioned how he had been helping you study, and understand the terminology in the Devildom better.

He was happy to hear that you understood it, and that it wasn’t too complicated for either of you too.

He actually asks if he can watch your study sessions, to see if he needs to lighten your workload just in case you’re pushing yourself too much.

You two allow him to watch, and he’s giving soft claps and smiles as the two of you give it your best.

Is honestly very happy with how much you two get along, and how you say it’s very simple since Buff Cat explains(meows) it in a very efficient manner.

He already knew Buff Cat was smart, but haha. Maybe he should hire Buff Cat to be a teacher or support class teacher for RAD?

Barbatos

You had grown accustomed to the devildom these past few months, and with Buff Cat with you, you were allowed to freely explore it when you want.

Buff Cat also happens to have a spare key to open the castle when he wishes.

Exam/testing season was coming up, and you knew you couldn’t study at the house of lamentation.

It was very distracting, and so you decided to go to the castle. No one will be screaming there, or trying to convince you your cat is a weird entity trying to plot world domination.

Barbatos was sort of used to seeing Buff Cat come and go as he pleases, but why were you here? Before he could say anything, you told him that you were visiting to study! And that you hope he didn’t mind that Buff Cat was going to tutor you.

Alright, so you’re studying, but why at the castle? You had to explain that it was very distracting at the house of lamentations, and Mammon was trying to convince you to get rid of your cat 24/7.

Ah, he could see that. Your cat isn’t exactly normal, and Mammon does occasionally scream like a girl. I promise I love Mammon. But it’s not like he minded, so long as you two were quiet and actually studied.

He left to clean for a bit, and when he returned to the guest room he saw you wearing a headband, violently writing down and muttering definitions at an insane pace. Buff Cat was in a teacher’s outfit, and holding out flash cards.

He’s slightly taken aback, but doesn’t show it anywhere on his face. He has never seen you so serious before, and neither has he seen Buff Cat so focused on you, as well.

He’s quite proud of you two for your hard work and dedication. He doesn’t interrupt but instead pours you three cups of tea, Buff Cat thanks him, and watches over you two.

Solomon

Solomon invited you over for a study session. He may be a little shady, but he does care for you, as a fellow human.

He was ecstatic to see Buff Cat come with you, because he still wants to dissect your cat.

He was about to talk to you about letting him research you cat, but you made yourself comfortable on his bed, and Buff Cat began to put on glasses and take out a pointer.

He didn’t have anytime to talk beforehand, as you were highlighting certain areas of your book, your cat pointing to certain parts, and you patted the bed beside you for Solomon to join.

Solomon’s plans to dissect your cat are set back another day, but he takes great interest in the way he teaches. Your cat is very methodical about how to remember things, and explains(meows) it rather simply.

He swears that your cat is not a normal human cat, but why can he sense literally zero magic power from it? If only Buff Cat could teach him that.

Solomon also gets 100% on the next test by remembering everything the way Buff Cat had taught you two.

Simeon

Absolutely chaotic man, when he sees you and Buff Cat in a classroom when school was over, he approached you two, and said hello.

You greeted him, and so did Buff Cat. He asked what you were doing after school so late, and that it was dangerous for the two of you. Buff Cat not so much but could still be in danger.

You told him you were studying for the upcoming test, and that Buff Cat was helping you.

Simeon was like!!! 💖👉👈💖💖💖💖🥰🥰🥺🥺 could I join?? This sounds so fun!! Buff Cat is so smart!!

He does not question the fact he’s studying with a cat, learning from a cat, or just how nice your cat can write on paper, like perfect handwriting.

He has such chaotic energy that he’s just like you, what a cute cat!

Luke

no.

just no.

he’s fine with your cat but does your cat have to be in buff form when you’re being taught?

he is happy you are getting good grades but please get him away from buff form buff cat.

#obey me #obey me swd #obey me hc #obey me shall we date #obey me headcanon #buff cat

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cardinal-carvings · 4 years ago

Text

About: Archex Cal’lien

[ Physical Characteristics ]

Height: 5′11″ Weight: about 200 pounds, maybe give some Body build: well-built, muscular Eye Color: hazel

Glasses or contact lenses: n/a; Archex has better eyesight than any pureblooded human would and is even capable of seeing in the dark.

Hair Color: Best way to describe it is to say it’s not unlike a raven’s feathers-- it’s dark in colour, but not black-- a blue tint is obviously there, especially under the right lighting

Type of hair: somewhat thick, a little course but not in a way that’s unpleasant at all... it’s got a sort of soft, fluffiness to it if it’s allowed to grow out

Hairstyle: Military hair cut back in the Order, but after leaving it grows out and Archex takes to not cutting it down as much. In a way, it’s like breaking free from just another aspect of his life that was micromanaged back before he escaped. In his mercenary verse, Cal’lien actually allows it to grow out past his shoulders and keeps it done up in twin braids. Any other time, it usually doesn't grow past his shoulders.

Complexion and skin tone: Warm coloured skintone, oftentimes described as something akin to a ‘golden-tan’. Heavily covered in freckles.

Scent: The best explanation for back in the Order is ‘clean’, and perhaps the lingering smell of what he uses to polish his armour. Post-defection he tends to smell a bit earthy... like sunlight, if that makes any sense. Often times the scent of something he’s made recently to feed people may cling to him, or there’s a sort of wooden scent-- usually after he’s spent some time carving.

Voice: Hard to explain if you’ve never listened to the Phasma novel-- the narrator gives him an accent that has heavily stuck with me and will forever be associated to him (if I don’t hear the accent when writing, I know I’m not going to be satisficed)-- but I have sort of mashed it into Kalani’s voice. I also have a strong idea of his Jakku accent, but can’t find anything to point to for that... which drives me nuts. Bonus; Archex pronounces words differently than everyone else in the book, despite it being the same narrator! It’s a fun little tidbit and it’s not exactly something that can be conveyed through writing.

Health: Aside from the factor he’d suffered greatly back on Jakku, and then just before he was dragged from the Order he sustained two major injuries that have permanently damaged him, Archex is rather healthy. The First Order goes out of it’s way to make sure those in it’s ‘care’ are always at their absolute best, even going so far as to ensure everyone’s getting vitamins they may well have missed out on for one reason or another. Between that, Archex’s stubborn desire to continue working out to stay in the shape he’d managed to reach, and the factor that Archex will be careful about things like eating healthy and staying hydrated... he’s healthy!

[ Intellectual | Mental | Personality Attributes and Attitudes ]

Native language: Not Basic, but I’ve yet to decide just what yet :) but he learns Basic properly once the Remnants of the Empire scoops him up. He understood a chunk of it due to his time on Jakku, but couldn’t form proper sentences.

Do they know any other languages: Plenty! Between being on Jakku, which housed enough different languages for a small handful of different phrases needing to be learned and the factor that it was important for him to learn them for his jobs in the First Order (comforting a kid who didn’t speak Basic yet, for example--)... that’s to be expected.

How smart are they: Smarter than he thinks he is, honestly. Due to the heavy programing and such thinking too much does tend to give him a massive migraine-- may also be a result from the drugs the FO put in their water, who’s to tell. Either way, there’s a roadblock to thinking too hard, so it takes awhile after his defection to break free of that. It’s of note he’s capable of figuring out how to help just about any kid with learning things, no matter their strengths and weaknesses. Sometimes that is not an easy feat.

What is their strengths: Kindness, stubbornness, a strong tenacity-- great with children and figuring out ways to survive despite all odds. Usually he’s one person who is sure to persevere.

Weaknesses: Kindness, stubbornness... his blind-loyalty. The touch of naïveté he actually has despite not realizing it-- he doesn’t quite understand the world he’s in like he thinks he does.

Short-term goals in life: Survive. End this war.

Long-term goals in life: Heal... help his children, however he can, to pay back for the role he’s played. Settle down, and provide a good home for any child in need of one.

[ How does your character feel... ]

... About love: He’s a romantic at heart, though there’s the probability he’d deny it if it were brought up. He’s not particularly looking for love, but if he were to settle down eventually he’d realize something is missing without a partner.

... About crime: Crime is... complicated. It’s not as black and white as he’d like it to be, and it makes it an ever shifting line in the sand. One that could be easy to pass over if you’re not careful.

... About Politics: ugh

... About People of a different sexuality: He’s pansexual... he’d date an alien. I don’t think he’d even bat an eye, honestly? I don’t think he’d even think to think it strange.

... About Different nationality/Species: Despite being raised in the presence of those who survived the fall of the Empire, he’s not even a little xenophobic.

How does your character show affection/love: Acts of service and touch. His biggest way to convey that he cares deeply for someone is to be sure they’re eating healthily and staying hydrated. Making sure they get rest, and comforting them when necessary. If he knows someone's going through a rough time, he’s very likely to find a way to bring them something he knows they like-- usually food or a drink over anything else.

How does your character handle grief: He tries to keep to himself with it. Bottle it up and show no signs... it’s thanks to the Order, but also because of the role he had played when there. He didn’t have the luxury to grieve much, and what time he had alone had to be used for sleeping as much as he could manage it. Hate to admit this, but when the asshole Brendol died he had definitely thrown himself more into his work and nearly ran himself ragged because overperforming was more acceptable than underperforming... and it was a distraction.

Leader or a follower: Not as much of a follower as everyone in the First Order wanted him to believe-- he’s a leader in his heart, it’s why he did so well as a Captain. He’s the kind of leader who will listen to those who follow and if they have valid concerns or a better idea, then so be it.

Are they 'big picture' or 'little details': Big picture... sometimes little details, but usually big picture.

What kind of energy level does your character typically display: Back in the Order he actually had... alot of energy. He trained alot of kids, it was kind of necessary. It was a more contained sort-- nothing chaotic, but you could practically feel it when in his presence. Now...? He’s tired. Depression and the such has worn him out. But when he finds a task and dives into it, forgets everything...? He’s back to that level of energy he once had.

Describe their sense of humor: Self-deprecating. Also, dad jokes but you don’t get those as frequently as you probably could-- again, FO shit. He also has a thing for irony, hah.

[ Hobbies ]

- carving: It’s something he had to do to survive back on Jakku, but has since turned it into a more proper hobby. Though he does usually sell the toys and such he carves, it’s not uncommon to see him gifting them to children who show extreme interest in them or to otherwise help distract / comfort them.

- cooking: Another thing he’d learned originally solely for survival, and something he’d been hesitant on exploring-- perhaps out of fear of messing up-- he actually picks it up rather quickly and loves to make food for others, especially those he cares about.

- does teaching count?: Especially with children, Archex has a love for teaching things. Even just something simple. It’s one thing the First Order never managed to take away from him.

tagged by @irrfahrer <3

#ooc — 🔪 menace #long post #??#yeah #about archex

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chalkxtabletxtowers · 4 years ago

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~A beach day full of feelings~

•Fandom: Ducktales, kinda? I based this fanfiction mostly off of the Italian comics, or "Lustige Taschenbücher" in Germany because the chemistry between the two is ströng there.

•Pairing: Donro, Donald x Gyro

•Warnings/Notes: Trans!Gyro is hinted, otherwise, this is just cute and wholesome. I originally wanted to upload it on valentines day, but I spent the day with my girlfriend and forgot about it, so here you have it now.

Everyone around them seemed to get the hints. Everyone around them seemed to understand what kind of relationship it was between them, better, than the two of them did. They were painfully oblivious, so much so, that they brushed the suspections of the people surrounding them off, even though they weren't unaware of them. But they both knew, or thought to know, that just because they were good friends, and because of that spend more time together, that that didn't mean something was going on between them.

Donald spent the days in the laboratory more often, these days. To upgrade his suit, that had been damaged pretty badly in the last incident with Magica. Even though he only understood half of was the scientist was explaining to him, it was still interesting to see old and new weapons, that were supposed to help him in the fight during crime.

On the inside, he knew that he liked spending the time in the laboratory. Being surrounded by someone. With the scientist in the room, he never had to fear that the silence took over. Silence, that he experienced everyday once the kids were out of the house. Since he never kept a job for more than three days, he didn't have any distraction. Without the three bringing life into the house, it was strangely empty, silent and big.

He had no real entertainment, besides reality TV, but that had changed ever since he spent the days in the laboratory. But he knew, that these days would be numbered pretty soon, after all, Gyro wouldn't have to fix his suit much longer, it was in pretty good condition again and the new weapons and inventions were all added, as much as that was possible.

But Donald didn't want these days to be numbered, which he, of course, couldn't tell Gyro. They were friends, and they did tend to spend some time on the weekend but... That would've been just weird, especially because Donald wasn't an apprentice, and probably wouldn't have been a very good one at that.

"There we go." the voice of the chicken interrupted his thoughts and the duck jumped "It's all fixed and ready for crime fighting again. I bet you were missed on the streets while having your forced break. But these days are over."

Donald was glad, that his suit was repaired again. He was glad, that he could do something against crime again. But on the other side, he was quietly crying. He decided to do something about it "The kids and I wanted to go to the beach on the weekend. And as a thankful gesture-" Since he obviously didn't have the money to pay the scientist "You could join us?"

The inventor seemed surprised. Not, that this was the first weekend he spend with the duck, but usually it was pretty spontaneous. Donald had never flat out asked like this, especially not in the middle of the week. "I.."

Gyro look around over his stuff, and his tables, and sighted "Think I could use a break"

When Donald returned home, the kids were already home too. He could tell by the mess in the hallway and the tossed aside schoolbags. He knew that homework hadn't been touched yet by either of them, but was too relaxed to care. He was in a good mood, but didn't really want to realise why. He just told himself it was because he could finally protect the city, and therefore the people that meant something to him, again. That was the reason, surely.

Donald decided to make pancakes for dinner, and when the kids came down the stairs because they had smelled them, they noticed that something was definitely up with their uncle "Why are you so relaxed?" "Yeah, why aren't you mad at us for not doing our homework yet?" "Did something exciting happen? Did you win the lottery? Are we rich?" "Are we rich?" "Are we?"

Donald chuckled. He wished. Well, technically, the family was rich, but he would've never gotten a single coin from his uncle, at least not until he eventually passed away. "We're not rich." He said as he sat down "I just..." He shrugged "Had a good day. Oh, and, we won't be going to the beach alone."

The three were, on their own, very well aware that their uncle had a crush. It wasn't something he could hide very well. The signs were too obvious. And they were also aware that this crush was centered towards a certain inventing chicken. But Donald, admitting that? Wouldn't happen. "Will Gyro be joining us?" Louie asked, his brothers chuckling in the background. God, it was so obvious "Yes. And that's nothing to make fun of! We're good friends and I'm being nice to him as a reward for all the good things he has done for us in the past! Including inventing stuff that wasn't only useful for me."

He looked at the three, and they knew what he was talking about. Their video game, that they could scan themselves into. Yeah, that was indeed a rad thing.

The rest of the evening wasn't so quiet, the three just couldn't stop teasing their uncle, no matter how often he kept denying a crush.

Gyro, on the other hand, wasn't much better. Not, that he wasn't well aware of the fact that he was a gay chicken.

No, he was just nervous of the thought of sharing a beach day with Donald, even though spending the weekends with the duck wasn't unusual. Sometimes, Donald would just come over for new inventions or to get something on his suit fixed, and afterwards they'd go to a café or watch a movie. Nothing unusual, just things that friends did.

And since they were friends, he was confused about his sudden nervousness. Why was a day at the beach something that suddenly scared him? After all these years, feathers had obviously grown over the scars on his chest, and he felt confident with being a male chicken.

In any way, the nervousness caused him to loose his concentration and he sighted in frustration. He wouldn't get anything done anymore, he had to take a break and clear his thoughts.

But eventually, the dreaded saturday did arrive, and there was nothing they both could do about it.

And even though they both were beyond nervous, they were also excited to spent the day with the person that meant something to them, even though they both weren't aware yet, what exactly that certain something was.

"Have we got everything?"

Donald asked, afraid that 313 would explode at any minute, judging by how full the poor car was. A single pool float was laying around, and he had almost tripped over it, and the sunscreen seemed to glue his feathers together, but he didn't care. Today was a good day, and he wouldn't let it get ruined by his reappearing bad luck.

"We think so!"

The triplets shouted back as they pressed themselves on the backseat of the car. After Donald had made sure they were strapped into their seats, like the good uncle he was, he started driving towards the beach.

"So, will you tell him today?"

Huey suddenly asked, the biggest grin plastered across his beak.

"Will I tell who what today?"

Donald asked, although he knew what they were talking about. And he could've sworn he got red under his cheek feathers.

"Will you tell Gyro today-"

Dewey continued "That he's the love of your life?"

Louie ended the sentence.

They didn't care if their uncle was in a gay relationship, as long as he was happy. And Gyro had visited them so often, that by now, they kinda viewed him as a uncle themselves. They just wanted them to finally realise their feelings, and be officially in a relationship. So that their uncle could be constantly as happy as he had been on Wednesday.

"I am not in love with him."

The duck stated, yet again. This wasn't the first time he had to defend himself in front of the kids. "We're very good friends, and that's all their is. Aren't you three glad that your uncle has found a friend?" All that he got in return from them was a simple chuckle. They knew.

After Donald had parked the car, they hopped out of it "Well, we wish you luck"

They said, before running, trying to find a good spot for themselves and the two love birds. They didn't want to be in the way of their confession.

And Donald, who was waiting at his car, did think about their words.

In love? Him? Well... He certainly knew how love felt, but... Yes, he liked to spent time with the chicken. Yes, he liked the chicken around him, and his company. And yes, they had slipped in each others arm once or twice during sleeping, but love? Didn't love cause butterflies in your stomach and a fast beating heart? He didn't feel anything of that. So it couldn't be love after all, right?

While Donald was lost in his thoughts, Gyro was already on the way to the beach, glowing with excitement.

He was, semi, aware of his feelings, or at least by now finally knew that they extended friendship. He wasn't sure yet in what way, but he was sure of one thing: That he was going to find out today. At least he wanted more weekends like this one, he told himself, and when he saw the bright red car on the horizon, he slowed down "I'm here."

He greeted Donald and almost automatically had to smile. This felt so normal, so... Domestic, as if they were a couple for years. Wait. Couple? Had he just really thought that? Blush started to arise at his cheeks, and the duck obviously noticed it, while the two made their way to the beach, the inventor either next to him, or behind him, when the way got slimmer.

"Are you alright? You look so red. Sure you haven't catched a sunburn already?" The worry in his voice came automatically, when you are a uncle of three very active nephews, you're basically worried 24/7. And, he also wanted his friend to be well. Everyone would've cared about their friend, right?

"N-No, I'm alright, the sunscreen is strong enough." Gyro quickly stuttered together, and the sailor just nodded. Eventually, after some silence, Gyro decided it would be best to switch the topic "And, did you try the new suit out yet? I hope everything works well?"

Donald nodded "Yeah, it's really good. I feel safer in this suit than I did before. The new inventions are practical, though some could need improvement." He chuckled.

When the triplets saw them walking over, they decided they had to do something. It was maybe the most cliché plan of their short life's so far, but something had to be done. These two couldn't continue walking around, being so oblivious towards one another.

So, Huey decided to take matters into his own hands and stretched his feet out. Normally, he wouldn't have wished his uncle to trip and fall over, but in this case, it was necessary for once

And, as the bad luck had already foreshadowed, their uncle did trip and fall, the scientist, that had walked behind him, falling on top of Donald. The three cheered, that was exactly what they had wanted. They didn't care how cliché this was, they knew it would work.

And sometimes, the most cliché ways were the best ways. As Donald rolled on his back in a dizzy attempt to orientate himself, his eyes catched the eyes of the scientist. In that moment, he realised it.

Maybe love wasn't all butterflies and a fast beating heart. Maybe love was all about finding comfort in someone. And being at home, with someone. And with Gyro, he certainly was at home.

"I-I love you."

The duck spurted out, his face immediately after becoming so red, that it could have been a rival to the worst sunburn. As Gyro heard the words, the chicken blushed again, before clearing his throat "I-I can only agree. The time we spent together is the most beautiful time of my entire day. I'm always looking forward to it, and when you're gone, I feel lonely. I feel like a part of me is missing. With you..."

"I feel comforted and at home. I feel like I'm in a safe space with someone, that understands me and doesn't judge me. And someone, that certainly knows my deepest secrets."

As the two joined each other in a loving kiss, the triplest cheered. They had known it all along.

#Donro #DonaldxGyro #Ducktales #Donald duck #Gyro gearloose #I saw like one fanart and wrote this ;-;#Leo writes #Comfort #Cute couple shit #Sometimes two birds have a better love life than most people #Triplets #Supporting triplets #No homophobia in this home °^°#They probably ran around on the beach afterwards cheering.#Duckverse

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anastasiabeaverhousen87 · 4 years ago

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Make Wise Choices Part 3

Doctor Sharpe

You can feel yourself being held by strong arms and your face being placed in an odd angle. Someone is touching your mouth and your cheeks. You can feel liquid filling your mouth, no not liquid blood and tugging inside your cheeks. A few moments later you begin to hear voices, several voices in fact. You can recognize your sister’s voices and Lena’s but there is one you most definitely do not know who it belongs to. Its quite soothing though and because you don’t feel pain, you take that as a major win for now. Then you seem to notice the tugging and hands on your face continue to prod and touch inside your mouth and now you are intrigued to know what’s is going on.

You try to open your eyes but there’s a bright light directly assaulting your eyes, you first instinct is to hiss and close your eyes again but you find impossible to move your jaw to perform such action and in response the person manhandling your mouth tenses their hold to make sure you don’t move your jaw and the pressure grows stronger this time. The hands touching your jaw are strong and cool soft. You don’t feel scare and you wonder who the person might be.

By now everyone in your proximity notice you began to regain consciousness and now the voices are directed at you.

Alex: “Hold still little one, Doctor Sharpe is here, and she needs to look at your incisions and assess the damage. Please don’t be scare its just us and Doctor Sharpe” says in a very calm and reassuring voice.

Doctor Sharpe? You mentally ask yourself; you don’t know anyone named Sharpe and you know your dentist name is Richards.

Kara: “Shhh little one, we got you. Doctor Sharpe is a friend of Lena and she was super nice to come here and check on you. She is a dentist by the way, so don’t think we would just let anyone just prod and touch your mouth. Lena called her once you passed out, we were worry for you and I mean is not like I don’t appreciate your being here Dr. Sharpe but…”

Lena: “Kara, Love please calm down. Take a deep breath, you are rambling, and you are going to make y/n nervous” -Lena puts a reassuring hand on Kara’s shoulder and that makes the blonde stop and relax.

Kara: “sorry…”

You open your eyes once again, this time you are prepared for the assault of bright light and squint your eyes and can barely distinguish 3 figures standing in front of you, one of them holding your face.

Alex rolls her eyes at her sister “Kara tends to ramble a lot when she is anxious, but honestly thank you for coming so quickly to check on our sister. We really appreciate it” – Alex says with a small but grateful smile aimed to the doctor.

Dr Sharpe: “don’t be, it’s fine” the mysterious person says chuckling a little at Kara’s fluster rambling. The doctor removes her hands from your face and all of the sudden the blinding light is gone - “Honestly it’s okay, don’t worry, I’m used to worried parents and relatives doting over my patients. Its perfectly normal to worry about your love ones, especially when they are as cute as your sister right here”

Y/N: “Wow that voice. Pretty voice. I like it …Hooot” In your drugged out state of mind you think you’re having an inner monologue but you actually voiced those words out loud and you are thankful for the mouth piece you have stuffed next to your cheek and that the words come up a bit sluggish. Still you know everyone understood because you can hear different kinds of snickering coming from the women in the room.

Y/N: “nghhh…”

Dr. Sharpe: chuckles- “Well thank you honey, that is very sweet of you to say. But please try not to speak or move your jaw just yet”

That voice again, you really like that voice and you are finally able to see her face and the owner of that voice. You are mesmerized by the eyes looking straight at you, like she is looking into your very soul. The most astonishing blue eyes you have ever seen in your life. And that face, blonde soft waves and kind face. And in that moment, you are so grateful for the fever and swollen cheeks, otherwise you would be bright red with embarrassment and wouldn’t be able to hide it.

Lena: “Actually Cassandra is not a dentist, she is actually an amazing Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon and a good friend of mine” Lena says smiling at the doctor and both your sisters look quite impressed and a bit embarrassed for calling her a dentist without knowing exactly what her expertise or field was.

Dr. Sharpe: blushing a little – “You are very kind Lena. But don’t worry, dentistry specialties are not commonly known. But let’s get back to the most pressing matter at hand” – the woman switches back to her professional persona and imposing presence. “Y/N I need to ask you a few questions, I’m going to hold your hand and please press my hand once for YES and twice for NO, we are going to let the muscles in your mouth rest for a bit. Are you comfortable doing this? – you press her hand once to let her know you are okay with it.

Alex- laughs a little and there’s a smirk on her face – “Oh wow, that’s a great and polite way tell someone to shut it, good one doc. I wish I had used that one sooner on this one” -Alex points at you while Kara and Lena give Alex a disapproval look while you look at the doctor with teary eyes.

Kara: “Alex! don’t mock y/n. she feels bad enough and you are not helping”

Lena: “don’t be mean Alex”

You know its all good and there’s not bite behind the words. You just feel bad because you just remembered why you end up in your current predicament. By being stubborn and a brat. You feel bad for worrying your sisters and Lena and all you want to do is to apologize. But you can’t, because you were told not to speak which makes you tear up in frustration at not being able to communicate properly.

But Alex being the wonderful sister she is, she knows without you being able to say anything she just looks at your eyes and just knows what’s wrong.

Alex: “Kara come on, you know I’m just joking. I could never be mean to her. she is not crying because of that tough.” – Alex comes to sit next to you and holds your other hand – “ y/n don’t cry, I know okay? I know you are sorry, and I know you are just frustrated for not being able to speak at the moment. Please sweetie no, please don’t cry. Just listen to the doctor and we will speak later okay? – you nod at her and she tenderly brushes a few stray tears from your face. She stands to let the doctor continue with her examination.

Meanwhile Doctor Sharpe is looking at the interaction between the women and she smiles at the warm and caring dynamic among you all. She is quite intrigue about how soft Lena is with them and more importantly she was becoming quite smitten by you, you had that power over people. You didn’t have to do much, you y/n Danvers had something that automatically draws people in and your eyes are so expressive and innocent that the good doctor can’t fight the urge to look at them and feel something she wasn’t expecting nor she had felt in a very very long time. She is taken out of her reverie when she hears Alex mentioning the examination she was supposed to be doing right about now.

Dr. Sharpe: “Riiight, yes sorry. Ok so here we go. From what I was told by Lena and your sisters the pain your experienced was bad enough to knock you out. y/n while you were unconscious, I injected you with a very strong pain medication. You should not be able to have much sensation inside your mouth, but let me ask and without traying to move or prod with your tongue, do you feel any sort of pain in your mouth?

You take a moment to take inventory of your current condition and you cannot feel any sort of pain in your mouth nor anything similar to the pain you felt by stumping your foot during your temper tantrum thrown at your big sister. You press her hand twice, saying NO, you don’t feel pain.

Dr. Sharpe: “Good, that’s good. You will experience lack of sensation for a couple of hours. Like I said it’s a strong pain reliever with a numbing agent, I gave you the best drugs available” – she winks at you. “But once that wears off you will feel very uncomfortable for at least the next 48 hours. Basically, strenuous activity can cause pressure to build up and complicate things like heavy bleeding and rupture of your stiches and of course can be extremely painful. Which unfortunately was your case. Because you haven’t developed the blood clot inside the tooth cavity, you are not suffering from what Is called dry socket, and that is not fun let me tell. It’s quite painful.”

Your eyes were comically wide in both surprise and fear.

Dr. Sharpe: “ Ok let me explain that better. Nothing to be scare about. Think about it like a lake. Yes, like a lake or a pond. After a tooth extraction, blood fills the site where the tooth was. Blood is what allows the body to heal. Just like a lake needs to be filled with water, a tooth extraction needs blood to heal. What happens during a dry socket is that the blood washes away and the site dries out too soon. When the blood clot is lost, the site lacks the blood cells and nutrients needed for healing. A dry socket is like a lake in a drought. The lake has dried up.”

You like her voice and how soothing it is. Even tough what she is saying sounds painful and scary. Your sisters and Lena are paying rapt attention to what the blonde doctor is saying.

Dr. Sharpe: “Ok so in your case you were lucky it was just the stitches, but painful, nonetheless. Dry sockets are a very common complication and can cause the healing time to extend. You did cause damage to the tissue surrounding the incision and I was not able to use stitches to close the gap without risking nerve damage. I use aviente, that is a microfibrillar collagen to help you absorb the blood to reduce the bleeding and accelerate the clot formation. I know this is a lot of information and maybe you can feel a little out of sorts due to the pain medication, but I like to explain everything to my patients.”

You could listen to her voice for hours and being explain anything she wanted to you because you liked her voice very much. You were also sporting a goofy smile towards the blue-eyed doctor while your sisters and Lena took into everything the doctor was saying.

The doctor gave you a warm smile and explained more about your condition to your sisters and Lena, making them feel much calmer now that you were okay and being tended by a very competent specialist. After the incident with your childish tantrum you learnt that Alex was about to leave to get your meds when Lena remembered her friend being back in town and she was an expert in all things dental according to Kara’s explanation. She called Cassandra Sharpe right away and her friend was able to drop everything to help her and be there for you because she knew Lena Luthor would never just call and ask for a favor in such urgent way and that only meant that you were someone very important and dear to Lena. You may be high as a kite right now and drooling like a fool, for obvious reasons, now but you certainly weren’t blind to appreciate how beautiful Cassandra Sharpe truly was. You were taken out of your daydreaming once again by the voice you could become addicted very soon.

Dr. Sharpe: “You need to be very careful Y/N, the next 8 to 12 days you need to follow the indications to a T. No hard or crunchy food, no smoking, no alcohol, no caffeine and avoid excessively greasy foods those can irritate and create infections in the tooth cavity. I noticed the drinking bottles Lena got you, those are great, please don’t let her use any kind of straws or bottles that requires suction those are a very hard no, they can easily dislodge the blood clot and that is what we are trying to prevent from happening at all cost. From what I can tell your pain tolerance is almost nonexistent and that would only create a horrible painful experience for you. Taking into consideration what I read and heard from Alex about your medical history, you can have complications due to the poor capacity for your blood to clot. The aid I use is designed to help create the clot but that takes time and you will have literally two open blood oozing wounds inside your mouth. I’m leaving a list and indications of everything you need to know, I’m getting you guys my direct line so if you have any questions or concerns you can call me right away or Lena can get ahold of me. But in the case, she is busy you can easily reach out to me. Y/N You can’t do any kind of exercise, heavy lifting, no strenuous activities even too much walking can be harmful. Try to relax and chill on the couch or your bed for the next 48 hours”

You knew your helicopter sisters and super protective Lena wouldn’t let you lift a finger in the near future. You sighed and nodded to the whole speech. You honestly felt like crap for putting your loved ones in this position, just for being stubborn and you were is no rush to be in that kind of pain again, you were going to avoid it at all cost. Besides you liked to see the bright side of things and meeting the gorgeous blonde doctor was something bright alright. Something about her was drawing you like a mot to a flame.

Alex, Kara and Lena were taking on everything Dr. Sharpe was saying like their lives depended on the words being spoken by the blonde woman.

Alex: “We will make sure she follows all your indications, and if I have any questions, I will call you right away. Thank you so much for all your help Doctor Sharpe, I cannot express how thankful we all are you were able to make a house call at such hour and leave all the important activities you probably had to put on hold”

Dr. Sharpe: “nonsenses, what are friend for right? I mean I love Lena like a sister, and she is one of my closest friends. I’ve heard a lot of stories about the wonderful Danvers sisters and I wish we could have met under better circumstances. But work and life kept me from National City and my favorite Luthor over here” She looks to where Lena standing close to Kara and gives her a very honest and tender smile. “I recently moved to National City looking for a less hectic and strenuous life, I love my job and being able to help and learn more about my field of expertise. But you know, there’s a time in your life where you need to stop and think of what you really want and need. I’m not in my 20s anymore and I needed a change. The need to settle down and have more time for me. I also missed Lee so very much, she’s been my family for a very long time, and it’s been years since we could be together in the same city for more than 2 days at the time. I just missed this amazing woman so much I just knew that if I wanted a fresh start and a place to call home it had to be wherever this amazing soul named Lena Luthor would be”

Lena started to tear up at the heartfelt words coming from the doctor, and you could sense Dr. Sharpe was a force to be reckon with and she was definitely someone very special and that she loved Lena fiercely. Wish only increased your need to know more about the blonde woman.

Lena: “Cassie why are you always trying to make me cry you beautiful idiot amazing woman. I have a reputation to uphold you know?” Lena teased and came to where the blonde woman was sitting at the coffee table in front of you and Kara. She gave the blonde a hug and whispered something in her ear that you couldn’t catch. But you saw Dr. Sharpe tear up a bit and nod against Lena’s shoulder. Suddenly you wanted to move Lena away and hold the blonde blue- eyed woman yourself. Ooookay possessive much? Damn those pain meds are really doing a number on you, what the hell? You mentally asked yourself while trying to sit up a bit since you been in a weird angle for a long time on top of Kara. You could swear you heard the words ´I love you too´ being whispered back from the blonde to Lena. You frowned.

This made the women turn in your direction, Kara helped you to sit with your back to her front while Alex kept looking at the exchange between Lena and the doctor and then at you with a smirk on her face.

Dr. Sharpe: “Okay well I guess that was a lot coming from someone you just met” she gives a nervous laugh while discretely removing a tear from her eye and continue with your examination. “And after that mushy festival, I would like to ask you y/n to really take it easy. Drink a lot of fluids and try to eat the food I listed in the sheet I gave your sisters. I will email you a more detailed list so you can have it at hand. I know it sucks no being able to eat many things but trust me y/s, I made sure to list a very good and delicious options, I swear to God and all the deities in heaven that I don’t eat rabbit food like Lena. I actually love food and I always try to make things easy for my patients. I mean they are already in pain and miserable so why make them suffer even more? I don’t like to see any of my patients in pain, that’s one of my main goals, that and to help them have a fast recovery period so they can go back to their normal lives in no time”

Kara: “wow you are a very impressive and dedicated doctor. Thank Rao Lena only has eyes for me, and we trust each other very much otherwise I would feel very intimated by you Doctor Sharpe.” Kara joked and laughs when Lena tries to slap Kara’s arm while still sporting a beaming smile at her girlfriend antics and having all her favorite ladies in the same room.

Dr. Sharpe: “Rao? As in the mythological Indian king?” – asked the blonde quite intrigued.

Everyone froze at that and Kara just giggled and said- “it’s just an expression from where I’m from but anyhoooow…what’s the verdict doctor?” – trying to change the course of the talk back to y/n.

Dr. Sharpe: “Oh, I see. That’s cool. Well Miss Y/N here needs complete and total rest for at least the next 48 hours. I would like to check on your incisions tomorrow just to make sure there’s no sign of nerve damage nor infection. And to try to gauge your pain tolerance while being out of the hard stuff and make sure you get the best option in time and avoid you experiencing any unnecessary pain. The first couple of days are the tricky ones. Reason why if you all are comfortable with, I would like to be your primary dental specialist, I’m not trying to impose or say that your current doctor is inadequate. The surgery was done perfectly. However, my concern comes from the post op care indications and the pain meds you were prescribed. Due to your medical history, the level of pain you experience today was very extreme, you doctor should have been aware of certain details to avoid searing pain based on your records. I’m sure he or she is a very competent doctor, however there are cases where the patient needs a more specialized professional, not to brag, but I am one of those professionals”. – she jokes while pointing a finger to herself.

Dr. Sharpe: “Besides any friends of Lena are friends of mine and I would hate for such a lovely girl like y/n to suffer unnecessary pain if avoidable” - her smile is kind and sincere.

You smile at the goofy doctor while being in awe of the amazing woman she is.

Lena: “Honestly Cassie you are so very humble I’m amazed you head still within the same space of your body and not floating around the streets ” – she says sarcastically with no bite behind her words, just friendly banter among close friends. “In all seriousness thank you so much for everything, I wanted to referred y/n to you as her first option, but you were so busy with the move and seminars that I never thought of asking. And her current doctor is an amazing professional as well, just not as immerse as you are in the studies of nerve damage caused by maxillofacial surgery. Nor the involvement in recent studies of sensory intervention to the face, and the you are pretty much involved in all the branches in mandibular nerve injuries”

Alex: “Absolutely, you seem to know more about what y/n needs right now and we would love for you to continue as her primary periodontist. And we have complete faith in what Lena says, to impress Lena Luthor is not an easy thing to accomplish and she speaks very highly of you. And like you said, a friend of Lena is a friend of ours as well”

Dr. Sharpe: “Perfect, that’s settles it then” – the blonde woman gives a brilliant smile to the women in front of her.

The Danvers sisters were beyond impress, if you could actually move your jaw, it would probably be hanging low near the floor at the amount of words coming out of Lena because, you were smart but that sounds like doctor Sharpe was some sort eminence in dental care. Can this woman be any more perfect?

Lena seems to be super proud of her friend and the way she talks about her work, you know Lena is beyond intelligent and crazy smart, but her friend is looking like a masterpiece created by the Gods themselves. Yes, the drugs she gave you are doing a number on you indeed.

The blonde doctor turns bright red at the words Lena just said and you think is the most wonderful thing to witness. You are in so much trouble.

You began to feel like all energy was leaving your body, you wanted to keep listening to Dr. Sharpe speak but you felt a heaviness take over your body and you still had something odd inside your mouth and all you wanted at the moment was to sleep. You tried to find a better spot within your sister arms and you brought a fist to your eye a clear sign that you were sleepy and about to get fussy.

Kara: “Someone is getting fussy over here. Dr. Sharpe are you all done, or you need her awake for a bit longer?” -Kara asked while traying to cradle you in a way you felt more comfortable.

Dr. Sharpe: “Oh my, I’m so sorry we kept talking and time got away from us. Yes, just hold her head like before and I will remove the mouth peace and apply the antiseptic and anesthetic gel really quick”

Doctor Sharpe was very quick to clean her hands and put on a new pair of latex gloves and very gently you felt your mouth being held again by those soft hands, and nimble fingers remove something spongy feeling that was placed inside your mouth. Then you saw when she grabbed something from a bag you haven’t noticed before and continue to properly finish wherever she was doing at the moment, finally you felt a sort of cold liquid and that was it.

Dr. Sharpe: “Ok all done. Sorry I got distracted for a moment. But you are all set y/n. You can now try to talk if you want but avoid making too much facial movements or prod the gaps with your tongue. I know is tempting, because you may feel a funny sensation around the tissue or just of out curiosity, please don’t do it. Rinse the extraction site with warm salt water 2 times a day for 1 week beginning tomorrow afternoon. Don’t let her take any of the medications on an empty stomach. If for any reason you experience discomfort or any problems, do not hesitate to call Okay?”

Y/N: “Thank you” – you replied very quietly and with a timid voice. Your sisters and Lena found that odd as you are always a ball of sunshine and not really shy. But then you had to do it, because of course you would…

Y/N: “So that means no corn dogs, right?”- you sheepishly asked.

Dr. Sharpe laughs a little – “No, sorry honey. You can’t eat those right now”

Kara and Lena just hide their smirks at the cheeky comment and Alex being the more mature of you all just gives you a look and you know you need to stop right now.

Alex: “Very well, you heard that y/n? no corn dogs and stick to what Dr. Sharpe is saying. You don’t want to be in pain and you will have tasty food options. So, shush you menace”

You sigh in relief that your sister is not really mad, and you honestly don’t want to prolong the time you need for recovery by doing something stupid, again.

Kara: “Okaay on that note, I’m taking this one to her room and tuck her in. Dr. Sharpe you should totally come to our games night, there’s wine, beer, food lots and lots of food and obviously games. We’re not sure when the next one will be though, until y/n right here feels better that’s for sure. But again, thank so much for all you’ve done tonight”

Alex: “Yes, I’ll be there in a moment, I will stay with her tonight. She tends to move in her sleep, like A LOT and I don’t want her hitting her face or putting to much pressure on her cheeks by lying on her side or stomach. If she is being held, she stays still”

Y/N: “No I don’t, Alex don’t say that” – you’re mortified by what your sister just said in front of the hot doctor and you want to hide your embarrassment.

Kara just snorts and Lena shakes her head. However, the blonde doctor seems to be pretty amused by that statement and looks at you with something you can’t quite decipher, she doesn’t look disgusted or mad. Her eyes seem to shine even brighter at that, and a smile so warm directed at you that you feel butterflies in your stomach. You are in so much trouble.

Dr. Sharpe: “You are just the cutest y/n. I think I’m going to have a blast getting to know you all now that I’m in National City. Now Alex, I think that’s a wise choice. An ice pack should be applied to the face as soon as possible, hold it for 20 minutes and then removed it for 20 more. Do it for a few hours, it will help minimize swelling”

Alex: “Of course, we have several ice packs ready. Thank you again for everything and it sure is a pleasure to meet you Doctor Sharpe I hope you can come to our game night; they are pretty fun and stress relivers. You can text us what time is best for y/n check up tomorrow or if you think it’s better for us to take her to your office…”

Dr. Sharpe: “Please, call me Cassandra Dr. Sharpe is way to formal and I would love to join you, just let me know what I need to bring and the time and date. About tomorrow, just call me whenever y/n is awake, and I can come to check on her pain level and make sure the clots are forming. It’s better for her to stay home so I think it’s easier for me to just stop by.”

Lena was looking at the exchange with curiosity, she seems to notice how her doctor friend was being towards y/n, she knew her well and her eyes never sparkle like that. At least not just at anyone and she hasn’t seen that look in a very long time. It was a good luck on her, however Lena was very protective of y/n, so she was going to have a nice long chat with her doctor friend very soon.

y/n was fading fast, so Kara just said a quick goodbye to the blonde doctor and walk out of the room with y/n in her arms while saying something about lunch or food. You weren’t quite sure.

Y/N: “Byeeeee doctor pretty eyes” – you said with a goofy smile and obviously losing all sense of shame and inhibition the sleepier you got. You gave a cute wave and you let yourself being carried away to your room.

The blonde doctor just gave you a big smile and waved back at you.

Dr. Sharpe: “See you tomorrow cutie, sleep tight”

Yes, things were about to get very interesting soon.

Next Part 4: dry sockets...

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Note: I don't know how or when it happened. The story took a twist without me actually knowing. somehow while thinking about this 3rd part i just kept seeing these scenes playing on my mind and my fingers just kept typing. I just realized how much i written and i was shocked to see it was at least twice the amount of words from the two previous parts. Let me know what you think, I never imagined this story to become so long. But bear with me, this is the first time I have written anything like this and i guess i still need to control my thoughts. Still i kept the same idea of baby Danvers being her silly cute and adorable self while being taken care and dot over her sisters and Lena. I just added something extra that I hope you'd enjoy. Please let me know what you think. I made this fluffier to compensate from the angst on Part 2, However don't think the pain is over (I laugh evilly and I slowly walk away)

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#baby danvers #baby!danvers #alex x baby danvers #origial character #supercorp #supergirl #lena luthor imagine #lena x reader #lena x supergirl #lena luthor #kara x reader #kara danvers imagine #kara danvers #alex danvers #fanfic

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starr-fall-knight-rise · 5 years ago

Text

Humans are Space Orcs, “Secret dreams.”

The conclusion of the Glass tower series. I hope you guys like it. I did something a little different than I usually do, but hopefully it is entertaining.

Have an amazing day! :)

“He has me.”

The Vrul council spun in place comical looks of shock plastered over their faces, so comical that they could almost be read as shock by your average human.

What they saw was in fact, a human, but not a particularly average one.

Commander Adam Vir Stood just before the lip of the drop messaging the palms of his hands which were red and inflamed.

One of the council members floated forward, “How?”

The human looked up dropping his hands to his sides, “You are going to have to be more specific, “How did I escape your guards, how did I get up the tower, how did I know where you were?”

THe council chamber remained silent as the human walked a few more feet onto the floor. Around the room the Vrul guard and council shifted nervously as the predator approached them across the open floor boots thudding softly as he did so. Light poured in from one side of the glass enclosure bathing him in a warm yellow glow.

“How about, all of the above.” The Vrul council member said floating calmly at the edge of the circle.

“Well The first is simple.” He held up his hands and began to clap very slowly, as he continued he began to add soft rhythmic variations to the beat finally joining his voice tying the rhythm together. As soon as he began variations on the rhythm the entire room grew unsteady, and as he added his voice they began to lose muscle tone slouching to one side.

He stopped almost as soon as he began and they perked back up immediately, “Dr. Krill calls it rhythmic syncope with secondary resulting cataplexy.” He glanced over at his friend, “If I remember correctly. I am not a doctor of course. I guess this is a result of having unconnected cortical hemispheres that are required to do manual pattern recognition in an auditory setting. It tends to overload the neural network, and since your auditory function is located close to the motor cortex, it can have secondary side effects. I simply used this to get past your guards. No one could touch me as long as I kept up some sort of rhythm, not exactly difficult for a human.” The room was very silent as he motioned back towards the hole, “As for getting up here.” The human held up his hands, “Primate, I was originally evolved for climbing. The guide wires were a little small, and my hands kind of hurt, but I’m not complaining.”

He stepped a little further into the room next to krill now.

His guards backed away.

“As for knowing where you were…. Well i find that the ruling class, no matter the species, likes to put themselves above others, figuratively but often physically.” He looked around the room, “Pretty true to form I think, up here in your glass tower surrounded by sunlight while those below work in the long arm of your shadow.”

“What do you want, human?”

“Why do you force yourself into business that is not yours?”

The human folded his hands behind his back, “I had hoped you would understand my point by way of demonstration but it seems that the subtle nuance of posturing has no bearing on you, so let me explain in simple terms. I talked my way onto your planet, and now I have proven that you cannot stop me. With the simple clap of my hands your are immobilized. At any time I could have walked away with my friend unhindered.” He looked around the room, “YOu must understand at this point that I still could. You wouldn’t be able to stop me.”

Krill could see by their posture that they understood very well what kind of threat the human was.

“And I will if I have to.”

The Vrul managed to remain surprisingly calm, “Then why haven't you.”

“Because the Dr. wasn’t the only one affected when our species came together.”

There was a silence around the room as they looked on in confusion, “What do you mean, human.”

The Commander looked down at his feet hands still clasped tightly behind his back, “You think humans are barbaric, aggressive, angry, shortsighted and impulsive.” He looked around the room, “And by comparison I can’t argue. In fact, my first impulse when you took my friend from me was to rain hellfire down upon you.”

“Hellfire?”

“Hell, a mythical place where evil humans go after they die to suffer, filled with an ever burning fire. The phrase to reign hellfire means to bring continuous misery and pain down upon someone. In essence,I wanted to react in the most barbaric aggressive and violent way possible, but I didn’t”

He was walking in a circle now feet surprisingly soft against the grouf for a creature his size, “Do you understand why I didn’t?”

They did not answer.

The Commander pointed at Krill, “Because of the doctor. While you say he was being coerced into being more human, you must also understand that he was teaching me to be more like you. You are more tempered, more logical, less emotional , and now here I am, and I ask you to hear me out logically, and maybe you will find that becoming more human isn’t so bad as you say.”

Around them the room held still as the council members looked between each other.

Eventually the pale vrul made a gesture, “We will hear you.”

The human nodded his head, “Thank you….” He turned in a tight circle staring out one of the windows and towards the darkening horizon cast with long shadows from the sun, “WHen Dr. krill first stepped aboard my ship neither of us understood the other, he was afraid, and we were…. Difficult to handle. But since coming aboard the Dr. has taught me valuable lessons, lessons without which I would not have survived as long as I have in this position.” He turned around to face them, “He taught me, that sometimes duty is more important than my own entertainment. That means sometimes I have to buckle down and act like an adult, I have to be tempered and logical and serious because sometimes situations call for it, many situations do. He taught me to analyze my decisions before reacting on pure instinct, in this way there can be diplomacy without insult and action without catastrophe. He taught me to think about what kind of effect my personal actions have on others.” He glanced towards krill who was more than a bit surprised to hear what the human had to say, “WHat I am trying to tell you is without the Dr. Aboard my ship human relations with the Galactic Assembly would have dissolved long ago. IF ou are to remove him you would be endangering yourselves and that of the entire galaxy.”

The council looked on.

“Let us see how concise you can be, human. What will convince us these words are true.”

The human raised an eyebrow, “I have already demonstrated the truth of my words. Despite my abilities, I came to you relying on good faith that your logic would allow me to speak rather than forcing violence. The Dr. is the single greatest reason that I have come here to speak with you rather than just stealing him and walking out those doors.” His voice grew in volume and force as he continued, “I am here to play by your own rules. I did what the good doctor would have wanted and I chose the logical decision, to steal him away, or reign down violence would cause irreparable damage in political relations between humans and the GA. Rumors about humans would continue to be rife with our acts of barbarism and careless violence. This right now was the only way I could convince you that we are a species worth listening to.”

The sun had cut behind the horizon, turning the sky to a pale pink.

“Please, I am begging you to see sense, The doctor means a great deal to the humans of my ship. To punish him would also be to ruin relations with one of the most powerful species in the galaxy. To keep him with us would mean good interspecies relations, and it would also continue to temper the behavior of humans therefore making the galaxy a safer place for everyone involved.”

The council looked between each other.

A dark Vrul leaned forward, “The human….. Speaks a surprising amount of sense .” They glanced towards the psychologist, “and what do you think. Is the human being deceptive?”

The psychologist looked on, “What reason would he have to speak to you if he could simply walk about with impunity. And take what he wishes. Besides, this human does not strike me as the kind of human to use such deceptions.”

“And you, doctor, what have you to say.”

Dr Krill had been very quiet for much of the discussion, but now lifted his head, “I admit I am both surprised and impressed. The command- Adam…. I fully expected Adam and his crew to do something rash, to come in here guns blazing as the saying goes…” He glanced towards his human companion, “IThis proves to me what he says is true. They have grown a lot in my time with them, There is a term out there that describes the humanizing phenomenon, or the tendency for those close to humans to act human, but I find the argument to be a fallacy. Humans change just as much as the rest of us, but it's less noticeable because humans are every characteristic you see in other species, they are just as economic as the Tesraki, as bureaucratic as the Rundi, as warlike as the the Drev,, and as logical as we are, so we don’t notice when they change, but the greatest trait of a human is their adaptability. Any good human can adapt to survive in any place and with anyone human or otherwise.”

Now that he had some space, he began to walk head down in contemplation, “I have spent a lot of time with humans, perhaps the most time anyone has spent in conglomeration, and I do not regard my change as something to be feared. I regard it as a move towards adaptability, for thousands of years our species has remained in a stagnant state of fear, controlled and crippled by our own need to survive.”

He waved a hand, “How many Vrul are off-planet at this moment?”

Silence for a moment and then, “Close to 100 maybe less.”

“Exactly and what would happen if our planet experienced a catastrophic destabilization, change in weather pattern, gamma burst, literally anything.”

The council shifted nervously.

“I will tell you what would happen. 99.9% of our species would be obliterated in one moment, and those remaining would be unable to bounce back. The bottleneck would send our species into a downward spiral that would end in extinction. In fact that is the least of our worries considering that our habitable zone across this planet is the equator with thirteen cities, a single change in climate could wipe out our whole species.” he turned to Adam, “And what would happen if earth was destroyed?”

The human grimaced, “It would really suck, but there are almost as many humans off world living on Mars, and other settlements that…. Well we could rebuild. Even if our solar system took a nosedive we would still probably have enough people to keep our species going.”

“My point exactly. I have proven the one thing that our species has needed all along. Adaptability. Adam, what did your species do, when things became to cold for them?”

The human shrugged, “We put on a coat, or we made our houses climate controlled. You can live anywhere if you can control the temperature.”

“You hear that, there is no reason we cannot do what they do, to make our species more robust. We have the technology to fly in space, so by nebulon we have the ability to climate control and indoor space. For too long we have been letting our environment and our fear control us. Perhaps it is time to start experimenting with our own survival.”

There was murmuring about the council chamber with the sun growing lower on the horizon and the shadows growing longer.

“I wish to speak as well.”

There was a movement of surprise from the assembled Vrul as the psychologist stepped forward onto the floor.

“Do you know where I was less than two cycles ago?”

More silence.

The creature scuttled over to the window and pointed out at the city, “That bridge there over the river…. No I wasn’t standing on it. I was under it sinking towards my own death.”

Muttering of shock.

The vrul continued to speak raising their voice over the cacophony, “That human and his companions saved my life!” He pointed towards Adam, “As a child they saved my life, and brought me back from something no one yet thought possible.”

Krill and Adam exchanged a shocked glance.

Adam shook his head mouthing, “I did NOT see that coming.”

“When I fully recovered, I dedicated my life to determining the psychological reasoning for why someone would do something so reckless for another person. And the further I dug the more stonewalled I found myself because I was asking the wrong questions, showing so much interest in a topic that was not important, it did not ‘further the species’. In private I found this to be true in almost every field, the systematic suffocation of new ideas, and different thought processes that would lead our species towards more than just survival. Yes, I administered the doctor’s test, and you know what I found”

No one spoke.

“I found NOTHING!”

Looks of confusion.

“Yes he is an alpha and that makes him smart, but he is no different from other alphas, not in any sense. This humanizing phenomenon is the propaganda of fear from those who are not willing to admit that the Vrul are more capable of surviving than we are given credit for. We are being convinced by our own fear that we are weak, and need to protect ourselves where we can. But now aren't we proven that false? We have walked on other worlds, death worlds no less and we are still surviving.” The Vrul spun in a wide circle, “Dr. Krill isn’t different because his curiosity makes him a danger, he was different because he was the the only one who didn’t think to hide it. Here you are sitting here thinking that Vrul don’t secretly publish research, and work on personal projects.” The Vrul barked with laughter, “In fact I bet some of you are guilty of that very same sin. It’s just that you believe you have a species to protect, and that fear has crippled your thought process.”

The council had sat quiet during most of this, but now they began murmuring among themselves, “Are you advocating becoming like the humans?”

Adam stepped in then cutting off the psychologist who was stumbling with their words, “Don’t change yourselves, council. But do not be unwilling to allow in those things that would further or lead to the natural progression of your species. Expand, grow, humor the secret dreams of your people. Don’t model yourself after anyone, but take a lesson in survival from a species that perfected the craft….”

He stepped closer to Krill, and Krill stepped closer to him, a united front.

“Stagnation is your greatest enemy”

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shining-red-diamond · 4 years ago

Text

Over the Rainbow (ACT I)

Genre: Fluff, angst in some parts, Wizard of Oz!AU

Word count: 7.1k

Warnings: Angst, mentions of violence, kidnapping, illness, and death; fluff, some peril

Rating: PG-13

Pairing: Reader x TBZ English line (Jacob, Kevin, and Eric) (feat. Sangyeon and Kim Chungha)

DISCLAIMER: I’ve changed a few elements to make this story have my own spin on it. It still follows the same basic storyline of the 1939 film.

Dust from the dirt path kicked up from Y/N’s shoes as she ran with her dog away from Mrs. Gulch’s garden. The old grouch had nearly put Toto out of his misery with her rake. Y/N she was going to be in trouble for allowing her precious dog to chase Mrs. Gulch’s cat, but all she worried about now was if her dog was hurt.

“I’m calling the sheriff, young lady!” Mrs. Gulch had threatened the second the two had escaped the garden. “And you better had put that mutt away!”

As soon as she felt far away enough from the old woman’s house, Y/N knelt down by her dog.

“Did she hurt you, boy?” she asked the small, black, wiry-haired dog as she checked his back. Toto just wagged his tail as if nothing was wrong, which told Y/N that he was fine. “She tried to, didn’t she?” –She snuggled him to her chest- “Come on. We’ll go tell Auntie Em and Uncle Henry what happened.”

It was only another half mile before Y/N spotted her family’s farm just about a football field in the distance, and within a few seconds she had reached the gate camouflaged in the white picket fence. Y/N found her aunt and uncle busying themselves in the chicken coop counting baby chicks as the little birds peeped.

Emily (Em for short) was about mid-fifties, her golden-washed hair pulled back into a low bun, revealing the wrinkles on her careworn face. She was a kind and gracious woman in town, but when she was working on the farm or busy in the kitchen, there was no stopping her. When she wanted something done, she made sure to get it done. Her husband Henry was her age, maybe a couple years her senior. He had a few more wrinkles than Em and was balding at the top of his head. Like his wife, Henry was kind and caring, but he was a little more laid back when it came to busy work. However, he was still a hard-worker and had established the farm from scratch.

Y/N had come to live with them after her parents passed when she was ten years old. It was an adjustment from the city into life in the country, but Em and Henry were gracious to let Y/N to come live with them.

“Auntie Em!” Y/N called as she rushed in, Toto following close behind her. “Auntie Em! Uncle Henry!”

“22, 23, 24,” Em counted each chick.

“Auntie Em,” Y/N was now right next her aunt, “you’ll never believe what Mrs. Gulch did to Toto. She-“

“Now, Y/N,” Em sighed, “can’t you see we’re busy? We’re trying to count.”

Y/N didn’t listen as she ran over to her uncle. “Uncle Henry, I was on my way home-“

“Did you not hear, your Aunt, dear?” Henry interrupted. “The incubator’s broke, so we’re trying to make sure we didn’t lose any babies.”

“Oh, the poor little things.” She managed to stroke one of the chicks’ fuzzy, yellow head with her fingertip. “But Aunt Em, Mrs. Gulch hit Toto right over the back with her rake, because she says he gets in her garden and chases her nasty, old cat every day.”

Em took that chick and said, “Why don’t you run along, and we’ll talk at supper?”

Y/N ignored her. “But he doesn’t do it every day,” she continued her rant. “Just once or twice a week. And he can’t catch her old cat, anyway. Now, she says she’s gonna get the sheriff-“

“Y/N, please!” her aunt begged.

With a defeated sigh, Y/N knew she wasn’t going to get her aunt and uncle’s attention right now. Instead of trying again, she decided to try to console to the farmhands, Toto trotting behind her.

All three of them were friends to Y/N. Kevin was the comedian of the group. He always got his work done, but he also new how to make others laugh while doing so. He was once caught dancing with a pitchfork when Uncle Henry played his record player to pass the time. Jacob was the gentle father figure; maybe it was because he was a dad himself. He and his wife had moved into to town about a year earlier, and Auntie Em had helped her deliver their daughter. As a farmhand, he always made sure to work hard at whatever task he was assigned. The youngest of the bunch, Eric, was Y/N’s best friend, but he always tended to act like it was something more. He was a sweetheart, but like the other two, he was a hard worker.

Most days, Eric always had a smile on his face, but now, with a smashed finger, he was not in the best mood.

“There goes my finger,” he groaned.

“Better your finger than your head,” Kevin said as he started carrying food to the pigs’ feeding trough.

“Kevin,” Y/N went up to him, “what am I gonna about do Mrs. Gulch? Just because Toto chases her old cat-“

“Listen, honey,” he interrupted her, “I’ve got the hogs to feed.”

“Now, listen, Y/N,” Eric chimed in, “you’re not using your head about Mrs. Gulch. Think you didn’t have any brains at all.”

“I have brains.”

“Then, why don’t you use them? When you come home, don’t go by Mrs. Gulch’s place, then Toto won’t get in her garden, and you won’t get in no trouble. See?”

“Oh, Eric,” Y/N scoffed. “You just won’t listen, that’s all.”

Eric began on another task before replying, “Well, you’re head’s not made of straw, you know?”

Y/N rolled her eyes and walked away from him. She wandered over to where Kevin was rounding up the pigs into their pen.

“Come on,” he commanded them. “Get in there before I make a dime bank out of you.”

Out of boredom, Y/N climbed onto the wide fence and started to walk across them, keeping her arms out to maintain her balance.

“Listen, kid,” Kevin said before filling the pigs’ trough. “Are you gonna let that old heffer mess with you? She’s nothing to be afraid of. Have a little courage, is all.”

“I’m not afraid of her,” Y/N justified as she continued her walk.

“Then, the next time she squawks, walk right up to her and spit in her eye. That’s what I’d do.”

Kevin was also the most reliable to talk to when you had a problem. Even the smallest of issues you would be facing would be met with advice from Kevin, even if it came of as a joke or a bit of sarcasm.

Y/N started to laugh, but it ended up making her lose her balance. She flew down into the pigpen as they began running around in fear of what just dropped into their living area.

Afraid of getting trampled, Y/N cried for help.

“Kevin, help!” she screamed. “Get me out of here! Help!”

Within a split second, Kevin had booked it over to her, scooped her out of the pen, and carried her to safety. Eric and Jacob helped her stand, and poor Kevin sat down with his hat off and a hand over his heart.

“Are you alright, Y/N?” Jacob asked with concern laced in his voice.

“Yes, I’m okay,” she assured, her voice trembling a little. “I fell in, and Kevin-“ She noticed the farmhand shaking; sweat beginning to run from his dark hairline. “Why Kevin, you’re just as scared as I am.”

“What’s the matter?” Eric teased. “A little pig make a coward out of you?”

“What’s all of the jabber-whopping when there’s work to be done?” Auntie Em’s voice disrupted the laughter. The other four immediately went silent. “I know three farmhands who’ll be out of a job before they know it.”

“Well, Y/N was walking along-,” Jacob chuckled as he tried to explain, but was interrupted by Aunt Em.

“I saw you tinkering with that contraption, Jacob,” she shut him up quickly. “Now, you and Eric get back to that wagon.”

“Alright, Mrs. Gale,” Jacob sighed as he began to walk away, be he almost immediately turned back around. “But someday they’re gonna build a statue of me in this town, and-“

“Well, don’t start posing for it now.”

Eric laughed, and then Aunt Em gave them some dill pickles to snack on.

Kevin took one and tried to explain what had happened, but Em put her foot down.

“It’s no place for Y/N around a pigsty,” she informed. “Now you go mind those hogs before they worry themselves into anemia.”

“Yes, Mrs. Gale,” Kevin nodded.

Em and Y/N began walking away, and Y/N took the opportunity to try to talk to her aunt again.

“Auntie Em, really,” she whined again, “you know what Mrs. Gulch said she’s gonna do to Toto? She said she was gonna-“

Em just shook her had and told, “Now, Y/N, you must stop imagining things. You always get yourself into a fuss over nothing. You just help us out today, and find yourself where you won’t get yourself into any trouble.”

She scurried off, leaving Y/N standing in shock. Her aunt was always there to help her when she needed it, but Y/N had a tendency to exaggerate things at times. She guessed that her aunt thought this was one of those times, but she understood. Maybe Mrs. Gulch was just threatening her and Toto out of spite as usual, but the look on the old grouch’s face said otherwise.

“Someplace where there isn’t any trouble,” Y/N sighed. She looked at her furry friend, who was sitting on the ground and looking up at her as if taking in her every word.

“You think there is such a place, Toto?” Y/N asked, her mind wandering as she strolled over by the old tractor. “There must be. It’s not a place you can get to by a boat or a train. It’s far, far away. Behind the moon, beyond the rain.”

She then remembered a song Aunt Em would sing to her whenever she felt sad and began to sing.

“Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high

There’s a land that I’ve heard of

Once in a lullaby

Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue

And the dreams that you’ve dared to dream

Really do come true

Someday I’ll wish upon a star

And wake up where the clouds are far behind me

Where troubles melt like lemon drops

Away above the chimney tops

That’s where you’ll find me

Somewhere over the rainbow, blue birds fly

Birds fly over the rainbow

Why then, of why can’t I?”

Toto jumped up on the seat of the tractor, and Y/N snuggled him for a second before listening to a few birds chirp. She looked up and gazed up some rays of sun pouring into a tear in the clouds, lighting up the gloominess of the farm just a little bit, almost giving a sense of hope.

Y/N then finished her song.

“If happy little blue birds fly beyond the rainbow,

Why oh why can’t I?”

“That dog is a menace to the community!” Mrs. Gulch barked. “I’m taking him to the sheriff to have him destroyed.”

The forty-something year old woman sat up straight in the chair across from Em. Her raven locks were pulled into a tight bun, and her hat was perched on top of her head as if it would fly off at any given moment. Mrs. Gulch had dressed in her Sunday best, but she wasn’t here for a church sermon. She had come for something sinister.

Her words were like punch in the stomach to Y/N. “D-Destroyed? Toto?”

Mrs. Gulch gave a slight nod.

“Oh no, you can’t,” Y/N begged. “You mustn’t! Auntie Em, Uncle Henry, you won’t let her take him, will you?”

Uncle Henry gave her a reassuring smile. “Of course we won’t, dear,” he promised. “Will we, Em?”

Y/N turned to her aunt, who now had a conflicted look on her face.

“Please, Auntie Em,” she begged. “Toto didn’t mean to. He didn’t know he was doing anything wrong. I’m the one who should be punished. I let him go in her garden. You can send me to bed without dinner.”

“If you don’t hand over that beast,” Mrs. Gulch threatened. “I’ll bring a damage suit that’ll take your whole farm. There’s a law protecting folks against dogs that bite.”

“How about if she keeps him tied up?” Em suggested. “He’s really gentle, with gentle people, that is.”

Mrs. Gulch was taken aback at her neighbor’s words. “Well, “ she huffed, “that’s for the sheriff to decide.” –she reached into her pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper- “Here’s his orders allowing me to take him, unless you want to go against the law.”

Auntie Em took the sheet and read it, and Uncle Henry came over to take a look at the order as well.

“We can’t go against the law, Y/N,” Em shook her head as her voice began to shake. “I’m afraid poor Toto had to go.”

“Now you’re seeing reason,” Mrs. Gulch scoffed as she opened her basket. “Here’s what I’m taking him in, so he can’t attack me again. Just put the little rat into the basket.”

This triggered Y/N’s anger even more. “NO, I WON’T LET YOU TAKE HIM!!!” she screamed as she forcefully pushed the basket away. “YOU GO AWAY, OR I’LL BITE YOU MYSELF!”

“Y/N!” Em snapped.

Y/N didn’t take her angry eyes off of their grouchy neighbor. She could feel her tears start to push through.

“You wicked old witch!” she spat as her tears started to fall. “Uncle Henry, Auntie Em, don’t let her take Toto.”

Mrs. Gulch tried to grab Toto out of Y/N’s arms, but she fought against her.

“Henry, just put Toto in the basket,” Em sighed as she massaged one of her temples.

As much as Y/N wanted to resist, she wouldn’t fight her beloved uncle. He was a gentle man, not a fighter. Unless matters got too out of hand, then he would take the appropriate action to settle a dispute. This being why Y/N froze the moment he gently pulled Toto from her arms. The same man who had given her a best friend when she was fourteen was now the one taking him away from her. Sorrow even began to grow on her uncle’s face.

The water works flowed as she watched her best friend being put into the wooden basket. Toto even started to whine a little. Y/N’s heart felt heavy, her head dizzy, and she felt sick. Her feet ran her to her bedroom. She slammed the door and threw herself on the floor and sobbed. She was heartbroken.

For about ten minutes, Y/N cried on the floor, not caring who heard. Toto. Her sweet little dog. Y/N had only tried to let Toto run around to exercise, but why the old grouch’s garden of all places, she’ll never figure it out.

Once she was calm, she sat up and leaned against her bed, beginning to accept that Toto was gone for good.

Two little barks interrupted her thoughts. She looked up and Toto jumped through her open window and onto her bed. He licked her face as if to say, “I’m never leaving you.”

“Toto!” she cried before embracing her pet. “Oh my gosh! You came back!”

Y/N held Toto for about a minute before she realized, “They’ll probably be looking for you once they discover you’re gone.”

Although he was only a dog, Y/N always knew he was smarter than the average canine. If he somehow escaped Mrs. Gulch’s basket, he could possibly escape bigger situations than that.

However, Y/N wasn’t about to let anyone take Toto away from her again. She pulled back, looked at Toto in the eye, and said, “We’ve got to run away.”

As soon as she had packed all that she would need and could carry such as some clothes, shoes, and some of her own money stash from under her bed, she and Toto escaped out of her bedroom window. The two of them took the back roads and headed south. Y/N didn’t know where she was going, but she wanted to be as far away from all of her troubles as much as possible.

After a few minutes of walking, Y/N and Toto came across a large caravan painted in blue with gold and red lettering declaring, “Professor Lee! Acclaimed by the Crowned Heads of Asia.” The closer Y/N got, she could hear a man’s voice singing random tunes.

The owner of the voice then rounded the corner of the caravan and immediately spotted Y/N. He was fairly tall, young man of Asian decent and wore a dark green suit and chocolate brown dress shoes.

“Well, a house guest,” he greeted her with a smile before crossing over to sit by a fire pit that Y/N just now noticed was burning. “Now, may I ask who you are? No, don’t tell me. Let’s see.” –He scanned Y/N up and down- “You’re…going on a visit.”

Y/N shook her head.

“No, that’s not it.” The professor thought again. “You’re traveling in disguise. Nope, wait, you’re running away.”

“How did you guess?” Y/N asked with a smile.

“Professor Lee Sangyeon never guesses,” he claimed with a chuckle. “He knows. Now, why are you running away? No, don’t tell me. Uh…They don’t understand you, or appreciate you. You want to see the world. Cities, oceans, mountains, everything.”

Y/N nearly jumped out of her shoes. “It’s like you could read what was in my head! Oh, please, professor, could Toto and I join you and see all of the crowned heads of Asia?”

“You know any?” Professor Lee asked, then realized what she was talking about. “Oh! Well, I don’t do anything without consulting my crystal first. How about we head inside and I’ll show you?”

Sangyeon guided Y/N to the entrance of his caravan, allowing her to step in first. The inside of the caravan was full of all sorts of treasures. A skull sat on top of the doorframe, colorful paper lanterns lined the ceiling, small jade figurines of various gods lined the walls, and suede furniture sat in the center of all of his collection of treasures. Wax candles sat on each side of the chairs. The furniture surrounded a small wooden table with the most sparkling crystal sphere Y/N had ever seen perched in its holder.

“Have a seat,” Sangyeon motioned towards one of the chairs. When she did so, he began lighting each candle. “This is the same magic crystal used by the priests of Isis and Osiris in the days of the Pharaohs of Egypt in which Cleopatra saw the approach of Julius Caesar and Mark Antony and so on and so forth.”

Y/N watched in awe as the professor prepped the room for his reading. She knew it was probably all an act for a circus somewhere, but she still wanted to see what he was doing.

“Now, you’d better close your eyes, my dear,” the professor instructed. “Just for a moment to be better in tune with the infinite.”

With a nod, she did as she was told. What she didn’t realize was Professor Lee was looking through her basket to find some sort of picture of her and her family to better set up his act. He found one of her, Uncle Henry, and Aunt Em taken in front of the farm the previous summer.

“We can’t do these things without reaching out into the unknown,” he continued before putting the picture back in the basket. “Alright, you can open your eyes now, and we’ll gaze into the crystal.”

Y/N opened her eyes again and watched as the professor stared the crystal ball as if he were studying it very closely. She couldn’t see anything happening, but the act displayed in front of her was making her believe it was real.

“What’s this I see?” he asked to no one in particular, his eyes glued to the crystal. “A house with a picket fence, and a barn with a weathervane. And also, a running horse.”

“That’s our farm,” Y/N pointed out.

“And there’s a woman with graying hair at the temples, a striped dress, and she has a careworn face.”

“That’s Aunt Em.” Is he really seeing everything? She thought.

“Short for Emily?”

“That’s right. What’s she doing?”

Professor Lee’s face twisted into a confused expression. “I can’t quite see. Oh, she’s crying. Someone has hurt her. Someone has just about broken her heart.”

Y/N’s own heart was about to break just hearing this. Of course she was angry that Toto had to be taken away, but was running away the best option?

“Me?” she asked.

“Well, it’s someone she loves very much,” Professor Lee shrugged. “Someone she’s been very kind to and cared for in times of sickness.”

Y/N was getting anxious. “I had really bad pneumonia once. But she stayed right by me every minute. What’s she doing now?”

He had figured she was running away out of some sort of anger, and just from the picture he could tell she was close to her family. Y/N was the first young person to come to him in hopes of finding something better, however, he knew he should at least try to help them make amends with their families. Y/N was no different.

Seeing how upset Y/N was getting, Professor Lee had one last trick up his sleeve. Glancing at his crystal again, the professor’s face displayed a look of shock. “What’s this? She’s placing her hand on her heart, and dropping down on her bed.”

“No,” Y/N began to sob.

“I’m sorry, my dear, but the crystal’s gone dark.”

She couldn’t stay any longer. If her beloved aunt was having a heart attack or stroke, then she needed to go home and try to help her or call a doctor.

“You don’t think she could really be sick, do you?” Y/N suggested as she hastily stood from her chair. “Oh, I’ve got to go home right away!”

“What’s this? I thought you were going to travel with me.”

“Oh, no, I have to get to her right away. Come on, Toto.”

The dog immediately followed Y/N out of the caravan. Professor Lee also followed her out and waved good-bye to her.

“Good-bye, Professor,” Y/N called back to him. “And thank you!”

Professor Lee noticed the drastic change in the weather. What began as a sunny autumn day quickly turned into a mighty windstorm. A tornado was approaching, and he needed to get himself and his horse to the nearest shelter possible.

“Woah, there, boy!” he instructed his horse, Gold Foot, as he caught hold of his reigns. “Better get undercover. There’s a storm brewing up. Poor kid. I hope she gets home alright.”

Back at the farm, chickens were running around panicked, horses were neighing in fright, the cows didn’t seem to care, but the pigs squealed in terror. Kevin and Eric were busy getting the animals to safety as much as possible. Jacob had rushed home to join his wife and baby daughter in their tornado shelter. He helped as much as he could, but Em and Henry told him to go home and protect his family. However, it was still chaos.

“Hurry up and get them horses loose!” Kevin shouted orders to Eric over the loud and wailing winds. “Where’s Jacob?!”

“He has a wife and child to protect!” the younger farmhand reminded him. “So he’s gone into shelter with them!”

Kevin looked up at the sky as Eric went to release the horses from the barn. No longer was it just a partly cloudy day. The sky was covered in a thick black, blanket as a cylinder of wind and dust violently pirouetted though neighboring fields.

“It’s a twister! A twister!” Kevin cried.

Em and Henry gathered everything they needed for the shelter such as food, lanterns, and a few blankets, and Em had gone to get Y/N. To her horror, her niece was missing. She thought Y/N had been in her room, but it was empty. Panicked, she ran around the house and farm, calling out for her every few seconds.

“Y/N! Y/N!” she screamed her nieces name over the tornado.

“Come on, everybody!” Henry rounded everyone up. “In the storm cellar!”

“Help me, Henry! Y/N’s somewhere out in the storm!”

“We can’t look for her now! We have to get in the cellar!”

Em was terrified she wouldn’t see her precious niece again. All she had to do was hope she would be okay once everything calmed.

The wind used all of its might to knock Y/N down as she and Toto made their way back to the farm. The dog began to bark, not wanting to brave it by standing on his own two feet. Y/N was quick to scoop him up and carry him back; leaning forward as she marched to she wouldn’t be knocked over.

“Auntie Em!” she called out. No answer.

The gate was jammed as she fought it open, breaking the lock as she did so. She had some leverage as the house blocked some of the winds force, but Y/N still had to fight her way in. She got the screen door open, but it immediately broke off and was carried off into the storm. However, Y/N was able to get herself and Toto into the house and shut the main door.

“Auntie Em! Uncle Henry!” she called again.

When she went out back to try to open the shelter, it was too late. It was closed and locked. She kicked and screamed for her relatives, but there was no chance of her getting in. She would have to brave the storm alone with her dog and hope for survival.

Y/N retreated to her bedroom, told Toto to hide, and she set her basket down.

“Auntie Em!” she called again just before her bedroom window broke off and knocked her in the back of her head. The impact knocked her out, the darkness consuming her as she fell.

When Y/N opened her eyes, she had no idea of how much time had passed. Toto was licking her face as to wake her up, and Y/N pet his furry head. However, the house was…moving? The wind was blowing, but it wasn’t violent. It was more like a windy day right before it rains. Wind howled much louder until a rooster’s crow broke the silence.

Looking out the window, Y/N couldn’t see anything but a dark gray wall. However, she spotted what she guessed was the roof of the farm’s chicken coop with the rooster standing on top of it. A cow floated around in the air, mooing without a care in the world. A wooden rocking chair floated up, and Old Mrs. Ahn was sitting in it and knitting a quilt. She looked up and waved hello. Confused, Y/N waved back before the old woman floated away again. Two fishermen in a rowboat were next to be in Y/N’s line of sight. They made eye contact with her, tipped their hats, and she waved.

Out of curiosity, Y/N looked down and nearly lost her balance.

“We must be up inside the cyclone!” she shouted over the wind so Toto could hear her.

When she looked back, she saw a familiar face riding her bicycle in the tornado.

“Oh!” Y/N cried out in disgust. “Mrs. Gulch!”

Then, without warning, the grouchy neighbor morphed into something horrible. She now had an ugly, green face, and was dressed in all black with a pointed hat. A large broom was now her choice of transportation. It was a witch. Frightened by the sight, Y/N retreated back to her bed and covered her eyes as the witch released an ear-piercing cackle.

The wind began to pick up. Toto jumped into Y/N’s arms and started to whimper. The house spun more times than Y/N could count. She screamed out of fright and sobbed as she didn’t know what was happening. Was she about to go out like this? She began to regret everything she had done earlier that day from the time she allowed her dog to run around in the neighbor’s garden to running away.

Then, everything stopped. The house seemed to land, and everything went silent. Her room was a mess, but that could be taken care of later. All Y/N cared about was if her family was okay. Some thick trees blocked her outdoor view, so she couldn’t see what was going on outside. She figured the house landed in the nearby woods.

“Are you okay Toto?” Y/N asked her dog. He licked her chin as if to reassure her that he was fine. She then picked him up, gathered her still intact basket, and exited her room.

The house was dark, but Y/N could make out the outlines of the furniture with the help of some light peaking through the curtains. Everything was either broken or knocked over, and a few family pictures were smashed. The important thing was that Y/N was alive, and so was Toto.

Holding Toto close to her, Y/N carefully opened her front door and almost fainted. On the other side of her front door was not her farm, but rather a new world on display in front of her eyes. Colorful plants and flowers surrounded a small duck pond and a stream leading away from it and under a bridge. Next to it was a spiral imprinted in the ground made from yellow and red bricks. In the surrounding area, small, white cylindrical houses with straw and burlap roofs populated around the pound and brick paths, but there seemed to be no one in sight. The sky above was the most gorgeous shade of blue Y/N had ever seen. It was as if she had jumped into a storybook.

“Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore,” Y/N said to her dog as she wandered around. “We must be over the rainbow.”

After setting Toto down, Y/N glanced up at the sky and noticed a spherical object floating towards her. Was it a bubble? It looked like one, but it wasn’t your average bubble. As it got closer, Y/N noticed it was changing colors and getting bigger. Stepping out of the way, the bubble, now the size of a horse, turned a bright shade of pink as it landed on the brick path.

The bubble dissolved away, revealing a beautiful woman with velvet red, shoulder-length hair and an extravagant silver crown resting on top of it. She was dressed in a sparkling periwinkle dress with glittering butterflies decorating various spots. The skirt part of her gown was almost as wide as a dinner table towards the bottom, and her sleeves were puffed as large as egg crates. In her hand, she carried a long wand with a diamond star at the top.

“Now, I definitely know we’re not in Kansas.” Y/N was speechless. It was the first sign of human life, and all she witnessed was a woman with a wand fly in inside a bubble.

The woman makes eye contact with Y/N and approaches her, her skirt flowing behind her.

“Are you a good witch, or a bad witch?” she asked.

Y/N was taken aback by her question.

“Me?” she asked, and the woman nodded. “I’m not a witch at all. My name is Y/N, and I’m from Kansas.”

“Oh,” the woman replied, and then motioned towards Toto. “Well, is that the witch?”

Y/N just giggled. “Toto’s my dog.”

“Well, I’m a little muddled. I was informed by the munchkins that a new witch has just dropped a house on the Wicked Witch of the East.” She turned towards the slightly damaged house. “There’s the house, and here you are,” –she pointed towards a pair of dark burgundy legs with opalescent shoes on the feet sticking out from underneath the house- “and that’s all that’s left of the Wicked Witch of the East.”

Y/N was in shock. She had accidentally killed someone. She felt bad, but from the tone of the woman’s voice it sounded like it was a good thing.

“And so,” she continued, “what the munchkins what to know is, are you a good witch or a bad witch?”

“But I’ve already told you I’m not a witch at all,” Y/N reassured. “Witches are old and ugly.” A plethora of giggles sounded from behind her. “What was that?”

The woman chuckled. “The munchkins. They are laughing because I am a witch. I am Chungha, Witch of the North.”

Y/N eyes nearly popped out of her head. “You are? My apologies if I’ve offended you, but I’ve never heard of a beautiful witch before.”

“Only bad witches are ugly. The munchkins are happy because you have freed them form the Wicked Witch of the East.”

“Well, if you don’t me asking, what are munchkins?” The laughter sounded again.

“They’re the little people who live here in Muchkinland, and you are their national heroine, my dear. It’s alright, now.” Her attention was on someone else. “You can all come out and thank her. Come out, come out! Wherever you are, and meet the young lady who fell from a star.”

From everywhere in the greenery and behind the small houses, small people no taller than about three feet high began to come into the light of the circle. Their clothing was just as bright as the flowers. The men wore colors of blues, greens, and reds, while the woman wore lighter shades of greens and blues with purples and pinks. Most of them wore hats, their curls sticking out from underneath, and a few of the women’s’ bonnets were decorated with various kinds of flowers such as roses, marigolds, and daisies.

“She fell from the from the sky,” Chungha sang, “she fell very far, and Kansas she says is the name of the star.”

“Kansas she says is the name of the star,” the munchkins repeated as more of them began to appear and surround the new faces in town.

“She brings you good news, or haven’t you heard? When she fell out of Kansas a miracle occurred.”

Y/N was lead to the center of the town, and she began her story. “It really was no miracle. What happened was just this: this wind began to switch, the house to pitch, and suddenly the hinges started to unhitch. Just then the witch, to satisfy and itch, went flying on her broomstick, thumbing for a hitch.”

“And oh, what happened then was rich,” a man in a tall gray hat hopped out.

A few of the woman munchkins joined in on finishing the story. “The house began to pitch, the kitchen took a slitch. It landed on the Wicked Witch in the middle of a ditch, which was not a healthy situation for the Wicked Witch, who began to twitch and was reduced to just a stitch of what was once the Wicked Witch.”

The citizens of Munchkinland performed a small celebratory dance in their freedom from the witch’s clutches, and a horse drawn carriage pulled up. Y/N was guided into it before two citizens approached her with some candy a bouquet of yellow and blue roses.

“We thank you very sweetly,” the first one said with a smile, “for doing it so neatly.”

“You’ve killed her so completely,” the second one said, “thank we thank you very sweetly.”

“Let the joyous news be spread,” Chungha declared, “the Wicked old Witch at last is dead!”

As the carriage began to move, the munchkins cheered wildly and chanted their victory:

“Ding dong, the Witch is dead

Which old Witch? The Wicked Witch!

Ding dong, the Wicked Witch is dead

Wake up, you sleepyhead

Rub your eyes, get out of bed

Wake up, the Wicked Witch is dead

She’s gone where the goblins go

Below, below, below

Yo ho! Let’s open up and sing

And ring the bells out

Ding dong, the merry-o

Sing it high

Sing it low

Let them know the Wicked Witch is dead.”

The carriage stopped in front of a larger homestead, where three trumpeters came out and blew a fanfare as a large-bellied munchkin in a bright blue suit approached Y/N with seven council like people followed behind him.

“As mayor of the munchkin city,” he announced, “in the county of the land of Oz, I welcome you most regally.”

“But we’ve got to verify it regally,” and officially stepped in. “To see…”

“To see.”

“If she…”

“Is morally, ethically, spiritually, physically, positively, absolutely, undeniably and reliably dead.”

Y/N wasn’t sure what was happening at first, but she realized that the council wanted proof that the witch was, in fact, dead. She hadn’t heard anyone scream in fear or seen a dead corpse try to squeeze itself out from under her house, so they must be in the clear.

A munchkin in dark purple robes and holding a scroll approached the council and gave his two cents. “As coroner, I must aver, I thoroughly examined her, and she’s not only merely dead, she’s really most sincerely dead.” He then unraveled the scroll, revealing a certificate of death.

“Then this is a day of independence,” the mayor stated happily, “for all the munchkins and their decendents. Let the joyous news be spread, the Wicked old Witch at last is dead!”

With another wild cheer, the citizens sang their chant in celebration. Y/N was then given thanks from three girls in pink tutus and three boys in colorful suits, both presenting her with candy and a song. Chungha then guided Y/N back to the square where the rest of the people continued their welcome.

Everything then came to halt, when a cloud of bright red smoke exploded from out of nowhere. Munchkins screamed in fright and began to either hide or drop down in fear, and Toto began to bark at who or whatever was unwelcome. Y/N was quick to pick up her dog, but he still growled in protecting her. As the smoke dissolved, the witch Y/N had seen earlier was revealed to be the uninvited guest to the party. Upon seeing her in person, she was more horrid in face as she wore all black clothing and held a broomstick.

“I-I thought you said s-she was dead,” Y/N whispered to Chungha, confused.

“That was her sister, the Wicked Witch of the East,” the Good Witch explained. “This is the Wicked Witch of the West, and she’s worse than the other one was.”

The ugly hag examined the two legs sticking out from underneath the house, and a look of pure wrath shadowed her green face.

“Who killed my sister?” she growled, her voice an unsatisfying pitch. “Who killed the Witch of the East? Was it you?”

“No,” Y/N answered immediately as the witch approached her. “No, I didn’t mean to kill anyone. I promise it was an accident.”

“Well, my little pretty, I can cause accidents, too!”

“Aren’t you forgetting the Opal Slippers?” Chungha asked, unfazed by the witch’s anger.

“The slippers. Yes!” An unsettling smile had appeared on her face as she began to go back to her dead sister’s feet. However, the shoes in question disappeared, and the legs and feet curled up and snaked underneath the house.

“They’re gone!” the witch cried before returning the pair. “The Opal Slippers. What have you done with them? Give them back to me or I’ll-“

“It’s too late,” Chunga stopped her. “There they are, and there they’ll stay.”

Y/N looked down to where the Good Witch was pointing to and realized the slippers were now on her feet, matching beautifully with her pink socks. When did they slip onto her feet? Not that she was complaining about having beautiful shoes on her feet instead of the plain red converse she wore, but the slippers didn’t belong to her.

“Give me back my slippers,” the Wicked Witch demanded. “I’m the only one that knows how to use them. They’re no use to you. Give them back to me. Give them back!”

“Keep a hold of them,” Chungha whispered to Y/N. “Their magic must be very powerful, or she wouldn’t want them so badly.”

“You stay out of this, Chungha, or I’ll break you, as well!”

Chungha just laughed and told her, “Rubbish! You have no power here. Be gone, before somebody drops a house on you, too.”

The witch glanced up at the sky before announcing her departure. “Very well. I’ll bide my time.” Her attention went back to Y/N. “And as for you, young lady, it’s true, I can’t attend to you here and now as I’d like, but just stay out of my way. I’ll get you, my pretty, and you’re little dog, too!” With a cackle, she dashed into the square and disappeared in a thunderous cloud of red smoke followed by a small explosion of fire.

“It’s all right,” Chungha reassured the munchkins. “She’s gone.”

“What just happened?” Y/N asked.

“I’m afraid you’ve made rather a bad enemy of the Wicked Witch of the West. The sooner you get out of Oz altogether, the safer you’ll sleep, my dear.”

“I’d give anything to get out of Oz,” Y/N sighed. “But which way is Kansas? I can’t go the way I came.”

As beautiful as the land was, Y/N just wanted to be back home with her family and friends and bring Toto back with her. She didn’t know if her Aunt was still alive, or even if everyone else was looking for her. It didn’t help that a wicked witch had basically threatened her life over a pair of magical shoes.

“No, that’s true,” Chungha agreed. “The only person who might know would be the great and wonderful Wizard of OZ himself.”

The munchkins immediately bowed at the mention of the man’s name.

“The Wizard of Oz? Is he good, or is he wicked?”

“Very good, but very mysterious. He lives in the Sapphire City, and that’s a long journey from here. Did you bring your broomstick with you?”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Then, you’ll have to walk, I’m afraid.”

Thanks, Captain Obvious, Y/N thought.

“The munchkins will see you safely to the border of Munchkinland,” Chungha reassured her. “And remember, never let those slippers off your feet for a moment, or you will be at the mercy of the Wicked Witch of the West.”

“But how do I start for the Sapphire City?” Y/N asked.

“It’s always best to start at the beginning, and all you do is follow the yellow brick road.”

Tagging: @barsformars @barnesbabee @daybreakx @juyeonzz @cosmixity @philosopher-of-fandoms

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halothenthehorns · 3 years ago

Text

TLTNLT- THE EYE OF THE SNAKE

Lily eyed the book with worry before glancing to Harry. She wanted to volunteer they stop for the night, at least on the good note of Hagrid's return.

"Don't even Lily," James began pleading at once, recognizing the look on her face as she eyed the book, though it wasn't her turn. "Please, we haven't gotten to hear about the twins revenge yet for what Umbridge did to my boy! After that, I swear I'll back you on calling it a night." She couldn't help but give in quick enough, she wouldn't mind hearing a little comeuppance for that toad as well.

Sirius refused to get up to get the book though and demanded James just throw it to him, it dissolved into an argument of who was lazier, and Remus solved the debate by Summoning the book to him and then smacking Sirius upside the head while Lily did the same to James.

Sirius snatched the book away but waited patiently for Harry's joyful laughter to subside, they knew they were all going to long for that noise too soon again.

Hermione ploughed her way back to Hagrid's cabin through two feet of snow on Sunday morning.

"Dedication," Sirius chuckled.

The boys would have gone with her, but their homework refused to allow otherwise.

"No, I think that one wins," Remus sighed.

It was difficult to concentrate, as someone was enchanting snowballs to fly into their common room window. Ron finally lost his patience after an hour of this and shot his head out, telling whoever it was below that as prefect he'd put someone in detention if one more- then he shouted in pain.

"At least someone around there knows the proper response to that," James chuckled.

He pulled his snow covered face back in to announce it was Fred and George.

All five of them started chuckling, but suddenly Sirius was even harder than before, and he wouldn't stop for several moments until finally he ran out of air and then his shoulders were still shaking.

"You know you're going to have to explain that," Remus said conversationally while watching his friend fall to pieces.

"Think back to the last time the twins were mentioned throwing snowballs," Sirius insisted, now watching the others gleefully for them to get the joke.

"Err, last year, we had a snowball fight with them," Harry offered.

"No, farther back," Sirius insisted.

James got it first, his eyes widening with some fascinating combination of fear and unrestrained humor. "The twins, were pegging Quirrell, with snowballs..." he trailed off in a strange tone of voice, but the twitching smile creeping across his face was threatening the same reaction as Sirius' soon.

"On the back of the head, where," Remus tried, and failed, to finish though the other two realized already and felt their mouth's flop open.

"Merlin's beard," Lily whispered, glancing to the first book and feeling the urge to start praying Quirrell never divulged who it was doing that or the twins would be next on Voldemort's list after her own son.

James couldn't help falling into the same laughing fit as Sirius had now, and Harry joined in uneasily like he was still half fighting back the urge to scream at the idea.

Remus just pressed hard at his temples, now fearing for his friends lives. They may very well start laughing in Voldemort's face the next time they came across him if this crossed their minds at the wrong time.

Sirius kept going with a grin still stuck in place, he hoped Harry had shared that little bit of information with them or he'd be very disappointed.*

Hermione came back around lunch, Ron at once asking if she'd planned his lessons out for him?

"I was surprised she didn't start doing that when he was spending a whole year on flobberworms," Remus sighed.

Hermione admitted she'd tried,

"The sad part is, she's not actually kidding," James chuckled.

before explaining she'd been there the first half hour knocking and he hadn't even been there.

"Why?" Lily demanded of the poor girl. "Go fetch yourself a nice warm cuppa and come back, clearly he was out doing his gamekeeping."

"Credit for determination?" Remus offered weakly.

When he did come back, it was from the Forest, causing Harry to groan in trepidation. That place was teeming with the sort of creatures that would get Hagrid fired.

"Hagrid has to do work in there as well as the grounds," Sirius corrected, "remember the unicorns from your first year? He self obligates to tend to any injured creature in his reach."

"This doesn't automatically mean his first lesson back has to do with something in there," Remus agreed, though Harry hardly looked convinced.

He asked what was being kept in there,

"I'm sure I could spend an hour telling you all the creatures in there, and Hagrid probably has a cataloged book on them," James chuckled.

but Hermione said he refused to explain. She'd still tried to explain to him why it was so important he go over lessons about Knarls rather than Chimeras, while instantly telling the terrified faces of the boys she doubted he had a Chimera.

"Hagrid's disappointing me then," Remus said with a blank face, leaving his friends unsure how much of a joke he meant that. He'd certainly been excited enough about dragons...

Though it didn't seem to be from lack of trying, considering he'd mentioned how hard it was to get eggs.

Remus cracked and began snickering with laughter while the other two rolled their eyes.

He still wouldn't even explain to her how he'd gotten those injuries.

Lily couldn't help but go back to worrying her lip at this, but he was still up and moving so she was at least convinced he was fine. She wished she could know what had gone wrong, to warn the poor dear so this never had to happen to him, but at least he was back at school and away from whatever had happened.

Hagrid's reappearance at the staff table at breakfast next day was not greeted by enthusiasm from all students.

All five of them scoffed, thinking he should have gotten a standing ovation for what he'd been out doing.

The twins and Lee made the event noticeable at least, by running up to the staff table and wringing his hand in a welcoming greeting,

The Marauders began laughing even harder, knowing they'd have done the exact same thing.

though most like Parvati and Lavender exchanged glum looks. The very smallest of Harry's unbiased opinion even understood why, at least Grubbly-Plank's idea of an interesting lesson didn't involve getting heads ripped off.

"Where on Earth has your sense gone?" James demanded deadpan, though not as well as he'd liked as he couldn't help nodding in slight agreement. He adored Hagrid and there was no better gamekeeper, but it wouldn't kill the man to stop putting his son in extra danger like some of his previous creatures had caused.

They trekked down to his first class back with heavy trepidation, with only minimal relief to see only the usual Slytherins present, Umbridge hadn't arrived yet and Harry was not looking forward to how they'd likely act worse than usual with her around.

Sirius was already flush with anger at the thought, in some distant way he almost found it remarkable how he could continue wanting to punch the same person in the face repeatedly, he was more than used to that feeling, and was just having to redirect it.

However, the High Inquisitor was nowhere to be seen as they struggled through the snow towards Hagrid,

"Probably because it goes over her head and she got lost," James said with relish.

"Let's hope she goes wandering into the Forest and never comes out," Remus grumbled.

who was not a reassuring sight, his bruises now turning green and yellow,

"That means they're starting to heal, even if they aren't the prettiest sight," Lily began smiling with relief.

and some of his cuts still seemed to be bleeding.

They all frowned uneasily at that though, but James quickly tried to reassure, "maybe he's just, err, picking at them, you know scratching at the scabs." None of them really believed this, Hagrid should have the self restraint not to, but they couldn't think up anything else.

Harry could not understand this: had Hagrid perhaps been attacked by some creature whose venom prevented the wounds it inflicted from healing?

Sirius practically felt the cold chill wash off of Harry beside him, looking over with worry to see he'd gone ghastly pale and was shivering at the mention of this. He opened his mouth in concern, but Harry was already forcing himself to remain out of the moment, pinching the bridge of his nose and breathing deeply before looking around at them. He did not try to offer a comforting smile, just nodded to show he was fine and turned back to Sirius. There was still something dark lingering in his eyes, washing Sirius with a now familiar deep worry. He hadn't seen Harry this afraid to learn something since the end of last year, when Cedric had died...but no, this must be something else, maybe he was remembering the basilisk too vividly, no one else was going to die!

Sirius exchanged a look with the others, but when Harry felt like the silence was going to smother him he forced himself to find his voice and pleaded, "it's alright, really, I don't know what that was about but it's certainly nothing to do with Hagrid's class," even this small memory he offered made him twitch with unease even as he relaxed for that being true, and Sirius forced himself to keep going for at least that miniscule comfort.

As though to complete the ominous picture, Hagrid was carrying what looked like half a dead cow over his shoulder.

Remus couldn't help but snort in surprise, making Harry smile despite himself.

He gave them the happy greeting of telling them they'd be working in the Forest today.

Lily couldn't help but groan in frustration, she felt like tearing out her hair at her boy now being forced to go back in there again.

"Calm down dear," James placated even as he kept a worried eye on Harry, but though he was frowning his words still seemed to be true, he wasn't afraid of the Forest, much, at least not to the level of whatever memory he'd nearly remembered. "We told you the older students go into the forest for some advanced Care of Magical Creatures classes. Hagrid is doing this a bit early, usually only NEWT students do, but when has Hagrid ever been conventional?" He laughed at the end like something was actually funny.

Lily didn't join in, but she didn't feel like yelling at Hagrid, as much, either.

Malfoy got panicky at once, demanding to know what was in there?

All of the boys couldn't help a dark chuckle for this.

Harry couldn't help but smile watching Malfoy squirm. Ever since his last Quidditch match, anything that caused Malfoy discomfort was good with him.

Even Lily couldn't help a twisted little smile for that. Of all the times she'd detested that sport for multiple reasons, she'd never condone something that made her son so upset, and clearly losing his spot on the team because of this twerp meant he deserved far worse than just a little discomfort.

Hagrid ignored this and beckoned them all to start following him, explaining over his shoulder that he had the only domesticated ones in Britain.

Remus couldn't help his level of interest rise. He completely trusted Hagrid's words on this and was hoping Harry was experiencing something he hadn't gotten to in his own classes with Kettleburn, and was now resisting the urge to snatch the book away from Sirius with curiosity.

Malfoy's voice lost none of its panic as he demanded how sure Hagrid was of this? It wouldn't be the first time he'd brought wild things here.

"I, well I mean the skrewts were," Lily struggled to both disagree with Malfoy and not make Hagrid come off too bad in that, but failed and the boys couldn't one hundred percent back her up either, so they let the awkward silence hang.

Hagrid scoffed of course they were trained, Malfoy countering by demanding what had happened to Hagrid's face then.

"Oh surely that's nothing to do with this," James said at once as Lily lost an extra shade of color. "If Hagrid says he's domesticated them than he did, that means it's been years since he's had whatever this is. No, I'm still convinced those injuries have something to do with whatever happened on the way back from the giants."

"Something that made Maxime come home early and leave him to himself," Lily reminded a little snippy. Even knowing it hadn't been Maxime to rat out Hagrid last year, she was still a little cold towards the woman who'd caused him so much pain in her original down turn of him, though she'd been suppressing it since clearly Hagrid had forgiven her.

"I'm positive that was Hagrid convincing her to do so, which makes me wonder if Hagrid did come across some new creature and he didn't want her to get hurt," Sirius tried.

"Which still has nothing to do with this actual lesson," James finished with conviction, as he felt that had made his original point.

Lily wasn't entirely convinced, but as they had nothing more to go on, let it go.

Hagrid snapped that was none of his business and to stop asking stupid questions.

"I love Hagrid," Sirius chuckled.

They stopped so deep into the Forest there was no longer snow on the ground, and Hagrid dumped the cow carcass in a semi clear patch of trees.

"Do I want to know what happened to the other half?" Harry muttered with unease.

"Was probably breakfast for whatever this is," Remus said with far too much eagerness in his opinion. "Now he's coming out with more, as more than likely they haven't wandered off too far since then."

The class stayed very far back into the trees, peering around as if expecting to be pounced upon any moment. Hagrid hardly took notice of this as he told them they'd soon be attracted by the smell of blood, but he was going to give them a call to let them know it was him.

Remus was clearly listening with the most interest, a smile on his face Harry hadn't seen since they'd been talking about the Skrewts. He was so busy silently laughing at his utter enthusiasm for this, and his friends clear indulgence as they were not so silently snickering at his clear interest at this, his memory pain from before was easily being put to rest for now.

He shook back his shaggy head and gave a shrieking cry like some monstrous bird.

"Oh!" Remus' smile didn't at all dim even as he clearly understood what was going on while Sirius nodded in the same way. "You're going to love this lesson Harry."

"Why's that?" He couldn't even pretend at uneasiness with how happy the both of them were. He glanced to his parents who both shrugged, they didn't recognize the noise.

Remus and Sirius exchanged a look, but then they both smirked and neither would tell Harry, though clearly sure of themselves Remus was right.

Hagrid did so three more times before stopping and smiling at a space between two gnarled trees where a pair of blank, white eyes were shining, and soon a dragonish face emerged followed by the skeletal body of a black winged horse.

Harry gasped in surprised pleasure while Lily and James grinned as well for finally getting the joke.

"You tossers," James happily scowled at the two, "you couldn't have just said it was Hagrid's way of calling the thestrals."

"Where would be the fun in that?" Sirius chuckled.

"It's not like we were one hundred percent sure," Remus batted his eyes innocently. "Kettleburn had to get Hagrid to bring one to our class in our last year, he'd only been trying to domesticate them only a few years previously and we only got to see the one, so we weren't positive that was how Hagrid got their attention."

"You both recognized that noise and you know it," Lily rolled her eyes at them while Harry was now bouncing eagerly in place. Even having these creatures explained to him already, he was still eager to finally have the memory returned from his own time, at least then Ron wouldn't think him crazy anymore.

It watched the class for a second before disregarding them and moving to the cow and eating.

Harry watched this in relief for a real answer of these things, looking eagerly to Ron, who was still looking everywhere else before uneasily asking why Hagrid had stopped calling for it?

Lily fidgeted with a bit of hair as the question occurred to her, but she didn't want to ask as it felt rude. Harry clearly had no restraints as he blurted the question. "Who's Hagrid seen die?"

"His dad," Sirius said, the smile beginning to dim as he recalled, "he explained that to us when he was leading out a rope with nothing on the other end."

"So you can't actually see them?" Harry said in surprise.

"I can now," entirely losing the smile now. "Couldn't then."

Harry felt bad for his question at once, glancing uneasily around and realizing they'd all be able to see them now just from the looks on their faces, and no longer had the courage to ask.

Most of the class were the same, except Neville who was watching with distaste at the gorging, and a Slytherin who was watching the swishing tail with unease.

"Oh," Lily murmured as she brushed her nails uneasily through her hair.

Remus and Sirius nodded without surprise though. Their classes hadn't even been as large as Harry's and half the class had been able to see them.

Two more arrived moments later, Hagrid turning to properly face the class and asking for those who could see them to raise their hand.

When Harry did, Hagrid nodded, saying he wasn't seriously surprised.

"How would he know whether I could or not," Sirius blurted out, then scowled at Remus when he pinched him, but then they all grinned as Harry again laughed at the joke.

Malfoy demanded what exactly were they supposed to be seeing?

For answer, Hagrid gestured again at the carcass. There was a beat of silence, before several people gasped in shock and took a step back. Harry supposed it would be an even stranger sight to watch bits of flesh being stripped away and then vanishing.

"Certainly an interesting experience," Remus chuckled.

Hagrid explained they were called thestrals, causing Hermione to oh in surprise.

"I wonder if you'd told her about this instead of Ron if she'd put it together?" James asked.

"Not sure, depends on if the books do or don't say what's pulling the carriages, otherwise I wouldn't really think she'd make this particular leap," Sirius shrugged.

"If Harry'd described them, I bet she would have," Remus defended.

Parvatie seemed even more alarmed at this, saying she'd been told they brought misfortune to those who could see them.

"That's just superstition, like Muggles and black cats," Sirius scoffed. James looked confused why such a thing would be a superstition, but decided against asking.

"I'm pretty sure by the time you do see them, you've been as unlucky as it's possible to be," Remus grumbled.

Trelawney had told her-

"Why am I not surprised?" Lily rolled her eyes in exasperation.

but Hagrid cut her off to properly explain that was just a superstition. They were extremely clever. These didn't get any work besides pulling the schools carriages though, and occasionally Dumbledore asked to use one to fly somewhere when he didn't feel like apparating.

As he kept speaking more were arriving, one brushing past Parvati who squealed in alarm, though Hagrid insisted they had nothing to be afraid of. Then he asked the class why only some of them could see them?

Hermione raised her hand.

"Those who are surprised, please raise their hand," James rolled his eyes.

Once called on, she said it was because only those who had seen death had the ability.

Hagrid gave her ten points before stopping in confusion upon the hem, hem noise.

Sirius made a guttural noise in outrage, all too willing to feed this owl treat to the thestral, though she'd hardly be big enough to qualify as a snack.

Harry felt a funny little feeling rising in him, the idea of Umbridge in the Forest caused such a huge stirring in him that must be more significant than her studying one of Hagrid's classes...

Hagrid stopped in surprise. Never having heard this before, he looked to the nearest thestral in concern as if coming from it.

Remus threw his head back in laughter, probably a little too amused but unable to help himself.

When made again though,

Now the lot of them were giggling, still more at Remus' reaction.

Hagrid spotted her and greeted her still with a friendly tone.

She took no notice of this, speaking again in the loud voice as if he were slow.

Remus stopped laughing at that, but a smile lingered in place that gave Harry the creeps. He didn't usually find Remus that scary, ironically he found him the most open and friendliest as his dad and Sirius had this way of looking sometimes that made him want to duck for cover. Yet this wasn't the first time he'd seen evidence Remus could be the scariest one of all. It was clear in this instance that though he usually ducked away and tried to ignore what people thought of him though, he wasn't going to let anyone be thinking or doing anything like that around Hagrid.

Reminding him his inspection was today.

Hagrid agreed happily that she'd found the place, asking if she could see what they were doing today?

"Death is scarier than her face, so maybe," Sirius snapped.

Umbridge pretended as if she couldn't hear him, cupping her hand to her ear in confusion.

Lily's mouth popped open in outrage. She'd seen evidence of this the first time, but clearly the woman was going to keep putting on a show, and the thought of ringing her neck was clearly starting to look like a kindness.

Hagrid frowned in confusion as he began explaining thestrals, but as Umbridge kept the charade up, Hagrid flapped his hands and mimed horses hopefully.

Umbridge made a note on her clipboard about how he had to resort to sign language to communicate.

James spluttered with indignation and set the little table on fire, though he hadn't consciously pulled out his wand.

Harry scrambled for a moment to recall a spell to put it out, and Lily realized a moment later that anger wasn't her mind's manifestation but she really did have to wave her wand to vanish that.

Though they all had the understanding of why she was doing this to Hagrid, the fury it pushed them all to for treating him like this was just as bad as what Voldemort had been known to do. How could this horrid walking soulless monster claim to be anything else while treating him like that!

Hagrid clearly heard, but turned back to the class disoriented and tried to think back to what he'd been saying before her arrival.

She made a note of this as well, saying he had short term memory.

Lily wrapped her hands tight around James', both to still her own hands and his from setting anything else on fire.

Malfoy looked as though Christmas had come a month early;

"Great, I got his present all ready, hope he enjoys his new coffin," Sirius snarled.

Hermione, on the other hand, had turned scarlet with suppressed rage.

"She's far more restraint than us," Remus said flatly. "I'd have already given her a fat lip for starters."

Hagrid gave her another uneasy look before ploughing on back to patting the first to arrive, a male named Tenebrus-

"That was the one he brought to your class?" Harry tried valiantly to keep up any tone that didn't promise murder.

"Yep." The one word answer from Remus was not encouraging.

but Umbridge cut him off to ask if he was aware the Ministry classified Thesterals as dangerous?

"They classify anything more than a kelpie dangerous," Sirius' lip curled in disgust, shifting protectively towards Remus, who for once was so angry on someone' else's behalf he hardly recognized the intended slur against him.

Hagrid only chuckled, saying they weren't anything of the sort. Sure they may take a bite at you if you annoy them-

Umbridge made another comment on her notes about how he clearly enjoyed violence.

"Well I guess we all share that trait, and she's perfected it," Lily hissed.

Causing Hagrid to start looking anxious as he corrected a dog would do the same if put in that spot, but thestrals just had a bad reputation.

Remus sighed heavily. He would have quite enjoyed chatting about this, he found it a great way to put into perspective many misunderstood creatures, but as that woman would be classified as more dangerous than a dragon to him, now didn't seem the time.

Umbridge did not respond to that, but instead continued miming out her actions for him too obviously while saying she was going to start asking the students questions and he should continue.

Sirius was white knuckling the book by the end of this, never having been more tempted in his life to turn into Padfoot for the act of revenge from this woman being eaten by a creature. He'd never envisioned using his animal as anything more than a friend to Moony, but this woman managed to taint something he'd only ever seen as a good side of himself.

Hagrid stared at her, clearly at a complete loss to understand why she was acting as though he did not understand normal English.

"It's almost kinder this way, more deniability later when he claims not to know anything about her murder of being strung up in a tree," James huffed.

Hermione had tears of fury in her eyes.

Lily was close to that urge as well, and she couldn't even act on it, so she almost envied Hermione as well as wanted to snap at her to get on with setting her on fire.

Hagrid tried to keep his flow, but was again distracted by Umbridge turning to Pansy and asking how well she understood Hagrid?

James's hands were shaking in fury underneath Lily's grip. He couldn't believe Hagrid was letting this woman do this to him. Then again, he'd also been letting Malfoy get away with this for the past two years. He couldn't comprehend why Hagrid wouldn't stand up for himself and tell this woman to shove that clipboard up her arse.

Like Hermione, Pansy had tears in her eyes, though these were of mirth. Her answer was almost incoherent from her suppressed giggling.

Somewhere in there was a fascinating parallel between these two girls, but it was too clouded with anger from everyone else to be paid much mind by anyone who would.

She still half managed to say no, it mostly sounded like grunting. Umbridge made a note of this while Hagrid flushed beneath his bruises but refused to let himself stall again, telling the class

At least Remus still had the clarity of mind to acknowledge this as the correct response rather than wanting to drown her in a pile of dung like he still wanted to.

about their amazing sense of direction. Just tell them the place you wanted to go, and a thestral would get you there.

Harry felt a feeling buzzing at the back of his mind, frowning for a whole new reason that had a terrible connection to this scenario. In the Forbidden Forest, looking at Thestrals, needing some place to go...even Sirius reading was mounting that feeling into an actual panic at just trying to connect these dots, but then a warning sting had his eyes watering from the pain of thinking about this too long and he was forced to let the threads unravel again. The others were still too angry at what Umbridge was doing to have noticed this time.

Assuming they could understand you, Malfoy mocked loudly enough everyone heard. Umbridge smiled indulgently while Hagrid stumbled off with another blush.

Umbridge turned to Neville then and asked who'd he seen die?

Lily's face gained an extra blanch in fury, it seemed quite the miracle in itself Umbridge was managing to find every way possible to anger her.

Neville answered his grandfather, while Umbridge kept going without a care and asking what he thought of them?

Neville gave Hagrid an anxious look before saying they were okay.

Umbridge noted this by instead jotting down the students were too frightened to speak their mind.

"You're too stupid to realize how little time you have left to breathe," Sirius vowed.

Neville tried to correct her that wasn't it-

Lily made a guttural noise that was probably meant to be sympathetic if it had been less angry.

but Umbridge was now ignoring him as well.

She turned back and mimed one last time she'd send Hagrid his results,

"That wasn't an inspection," Lily howled furiously, "that was a persecution that should have been your execution!"

before leaving.

Hermione was hissing about that foul, lying, twisted old gargoyle,

"I'm running out of insults. Those weren't quite as bad as I was hoping for, but it's good Hermione's keeping it fresh," James seethed.

as they headed back to the castle thirty minutes later after class. Demanding of the two if they could see what she was up to.

"Certainly doesn't take a blind man," Remus huffed.

Answering for herself it was Umbridge's thing against half-breed's! She was going to treat Hagrid like a troll because of his giantess mother! It wasn't fair!

"Nothing in my life seems fair," Harry muttered to himself, his anger bleeding out into something far worse. He was getting scared. Now that Umbridge had come and gone with such a blatant abuse of her power, he couldn't help fearing what was going to happen to Hagrid because of it. She couldn't possibly find a way to send him back to Azkaban could she?

That hadn't even been a bad lesson!

Ron did remind that Umbridge had said they were dangerous.

James actually made the motion like he was going to smack Ron upside the head. "Since when does Ron take anything that lime toadstool says over Hagrid?"

"He was just arguing with Hermione, like he always does," Harry sighed, though he'd given Ron an affronted look for that too at the time.

Hermione impatiently explained it was just as Hagrid said, they were able to take care of themselves, in fact they were really interesting. She wished she could see them.

That cooled most of their anger. While right in line with Hermione's fury, she had no idea what she'd really just asked for, giving them all a moment of surprise. As mature as Hermione acted, they forgot sometimes these three were still only fifteen when this was happening.

Harry quietly asked her if she really did, and she looked suddenly horror struck.

Lily hummed with a small smile on her face, at least Hermione was always quick on the uptake, even her own mistakes.

She began apologizing, saying what a stupid thing that had been to say, but Harry told her to just move past it.

She did by saying in surprise how many could, three in one class.

"I envy the generation where that's the good news," James muttered.

Malfoy came upon them again to ask if Weasley would be able to see the Quaffle if he watched someone snuff it.

"Do you think he could see the Snitch better with two black eyes?" Sirius barked in fury.

He didn't wait for a response as he walked off laughing with his friends, Hermione telling them both to ignore him.

"I hate it when she tries that advice," Harry groaned. "It never actually makes me feel better."

"Doesn't usually stop you when you decide to retaliate either," Remus said grimly, "and this time seemed appropriate."

The holidays were approaching, and the castle was showing it. Ron and Hermione's prefect duties were becoming more demanding, Ron's commentary on them keeping Harry updated, such as the time he'd had to try putting up tinsel with Peeves on the other end trying to strangle him,

"A tradition in itself," Remus at least tried for a friendlier tone of voice, though Sirius still seemed too down to put his usual enthusiasm into the holiday. He supposed it was of some comfort Hagrid hadn't been kicked out of the castle his first day back though.

or when he'd had to watch over the first and second years on their break times and he complained they'd never been such cheeky snots at that age,

"Oh no, you were far worse, as you had more practice at home," James promised.

"He's not even speaking from experience with that one," Lily said with a faint smile, "believe it or not, he didn't give his parents as much hell as you'd think." She told Harry.

"Gave me more credibility when the teachers tried to tell my parents I did something, they thought I was an angel," James batted his eyes innocently while Sirius snorted and rolled his eyes, properly informing Harry, "or they just indulged him and me too much not to think half the stunts we pulled weren't funny."

and of course having to do patrols with Filch who had dung for brains.

"Least some things never change," Lily said wistfully, and students complaining about Filch was always a common one.

Hermione had her own growing problems, worrying about all those poor elves she hadn't managed to free yet and were stuck here over Christmas.

Sirius frowned at the pages, having some real questions for Hermione about all this. Did she really think she was releasing elves, and the castle wouldn't be showing it? That someone wouldn't be investigating this even if her plan was working? Hermione could easily get into big trouble if she even was, he wouldn't be surprised if the Ministry charged her with theft and all sorts of things. He left all of that to himself though, since she wasn't doing a thing, and instead was distantly amused at her worrying over something so foolish to him.

Harry, who had not had the heart to tell her that Dobby was taking everything she made,

"I can see the pro's of that," James chuckled.

"Though I still think that could have been an educational moment for her," Remus frowned.

"Only if she'd listened and realized the way she should have," Lily disagreed, "and I'm not entirely sure she would have yet, if ever," she finished with a fond smile for the girls tenacity.

bent further over his essay so she didn't have to see his face. He wasn't particularly looking forward to this holiday, as for the first time since he'd been here he wanted to spend it away from Hogwarts.

Sirius couldn't help but perk up with interest at that. He hadn't thought about it too much last year, enjoying himself in provoking Harry in the mix of his Yule Ball failings, but now he wondered just what he'd been up to last year at this time. Had he and Remus finally managed to regain one of their own traditions and spent the holiday together? Or had he spent it alone in that old cave with Buckbeak, wondering if Harry would make an appearance and amuse him by ignoring his rules by coming out of the castle to see him.

Between his ban on Quidditch and his worry about Hagrid he was feeling far more resentful than the holiday spirit of this place.

"I don't even blame you," Remus sighed in agreement, thinking the Burrow would be a relief even with Molly and Sirius in one place compared to this storm of a castle.

The only thing he ever looked forward to anymore were the DA meetings, and those would have to stop over break as nearly all the members were going home. Hermione was going skiing,

James opened his mouth curiously in confusion, but Harry promised Hermione explained it to Ron.

which she'd explained to Ron's confusion about how Muggles strapped narrow boards to their feet to go down a mountain.

James's eyes widened in even more confusion and perhaps a little concern at this idea, before Lily began giggling without restraint and promising James it was in fact great fun. Though never having had the pleasure of doing this herself, she was now promising him they could do this together and he would never turn down such an offer.

Ron was going home to the Burrow, and Harry endured several days of envy before asking Ron how he'd be leaving and Ron mentioning in surprise Harry was coming with him, his mum had told him so weeks ago.

Lily snorted and shook her head in exasperation while the boys all chuckled at what they'd felt was implied by this point.

Harry brightened at once at the idea, but somehow felt all the more guilty as he thought of Sirius. He wondered if he could persuade Molly to invite his godfather over.

"But of course she will," James looked scandalized anyone could think otherwise. "Even she couldn't have the heart to leave him alone in that place, I've been half hoping he's been sneaking over to the Burrow just to get some air now and again."

Sirius grinned at his best mate for the overly protective words that he wasn't convinced were true. It was impossible to imagine his life without James, but he had the nasty feeling he was hardly up for leaving his bed to sulk anywhere that wasn't the fireplace in hopes for someone to be around being in that place all alone. He doubted his spark of life would lead him into doing something like James suggested being in that mood, he'd need one of his friends around to give that back to him.

Even though he doubted Dumbledore would permit Sirius to leave Grimmauld Place anyway,

"Dumbledore needs to stop having a say in everything," Remus snapped hatefully. He never in his life would have thought he'd say any such thing, but regarding Sirius being locked away in that place he knew would always be an exception. Just the thought of it was putting a damper on his lively friend!

he couldn't just think of leaving Sirius alone with Kreacher.

Sirius tried for laughter at the idea, but it came out too twisted. None of the others refused to even nurse the idea, there was just no chance Molly was that cold hearted. No matter her feelings about Sirius' personality, even if she did value Dumbledore's rules as an absolute law, she must see what that place was doing to Sirius! No mother could look at him and think what was happening to him was in any way good for him!

Harry arrived in the Room of Requirements for the last DA meeting early, and was glad he had, as Dobby had taken to decorating for the holiday.

"Naw!" Lily cooed at how sweet that was, while the boys just looked confused at such an odd gesture.

"How could you tell it was Dobby though?" James asked in surprise.

"Who else knows where this place is?" Sirius returned with a shrug, all of them missing the slightly appalled but vaguely amused look on Harry's face.

He'd known at once it was the house-elf, because nobody else would string up so many baubles that said 'Have a Very Harry Christmas!' with his face on it.

Sirius blinked slowly at this for a moment, before he tossed his head back in laughter, and began sliding down the couch with mirth. It might have been a touch forced at first, to ease away the bitter taint of thinking of his future again, but now he couldn't seem to stop. Harry wasn't particularly delighted to see no one was exactly trying to get him to either, but rather suppressing their own laughter.

Harry tugged the book away without remorse and kept going loudly over Sirius, who quickly recovered and tackled Harry, pinned him down and easily snatched the book back, sat on it and continued snickering to himself until he decided he was done before going on all while Harry rolled his eyes affectionately at his godfather. Moments like this making him truly feel sad for his own future, that he had no recollection of ever seeing Sirius this happy and full of life, and growing more worried all the time he never would.

Harry had only just managed to get the last of them down

"Why on Earth would you do such a thing, ruining his hard work!" Remus demanded still a bit breathlessly.

Harry just scowled at him without response.

when Luna came in and saw all of them in his hand, asking if he'd put them up.

Harry said no, it had been Dobby a house-elf.

"At least you acknowledged somebody else's work," Lily said through still wobbling lips.

Luna pointed out a few decorations he'd missed, such as mistletoe.

"I think you brought that one on yourself, not being the first thing you took down," Remus told him lightly while Sirius and James fell into renewed giggles.

Harry jumped away from that at once, Luna nodding seriously that was a good idea, it was known to be infested with Nargles.

Little tears of mirth were pouring out of Sirius' eyes, he'd hardly stopped giggling for a line in between getting all this out and this was only making things worse. He didn't yet have his voice back to properly make his joke, but that didn't stop him from trying, though it only came out a garbled mess that the others just shook their heads at, Harry almost looking disappointed when he kept going without repeating himself sensibly.

Harry was saved the necessity of asking what Nargles are by the arrival of Angelina, Katie and Alicia.

"Well now you're just disappointing me," Remus pouted, "I'd have loved for you to ask anyways."

"I'm sorry," Harry actually sounded like he meant it.

All three still had snow in their hair and were shaking their limbs from cold as Angelina announced he'd been replaced,

All of James' humor was wiped clean, looking like he'd been sucker punched in the gut for that reminder. Sirius too lost his sense of fun for the reminder of why no more Quidditch practices had been mentioned, that dower look on his pup could never be funny.

by Ginny Weasley.

"Well, well, well," Lily said in surprises, all the boys looking marginally impressed it was another Weasley to have made the team. Harry's reaction was a brilliant smile, like a proud sibling, but not quite right, Lily couldn't help but notice. He didn't seem at all agitated like she would have thought of learning of his replacement, and she frowned in thought as he began twirling the ring upon his finger yet again...

"I'm not surprised," Sirius smirked in some form of congratulations someone had taken this away from his pup. "Her whole family's got talent, it's only natural she'd get a portion!"

"Do we know if Percy is any good at the sport?" Remus said curiously.

"More important matters, who's broom was she using?" James pondered.

"Not Ron's, he's still using his," Sirius thought out.

"I may have guessed the twins if-" Remus began bitterly, but Harry cut in with an enthusiastic smile.

"I think it was the twins, or I mean, I think the twins bought her a broom, called it an early Christmas gift." He thought back to watching Ginny enthusiastically thanking the twins for something anyways.

"Oh, that was so sweet," Lily enthused.

"Wish they'd thought of that over the dress robes for Ron, but it is good to see them doing so much for their siblings," James fondly agreed.

Harry gaped in surprise as Angelina said she was pretty good, though not her first choice, but they couldn't have him... she trailed off with a dirty look at Harry.

The boys hardly noticed a thing about Harry's lack of the proper reaction he should have had, they were to belligerent for him he wasn't the one on the team and now Angelina wasn't helping anything.

Harry bit back his retort, did Angelina really think he wouldn't rather be there?

"Thank you!" Sirius barked, waving his hand impractically in Harry's face like he'd been saying the same thing in here, though he still had that funny smile in place. The thought had been crossing his mind frequently enough before he relearned Ginny's ability in Quidditch, and this seemed oddly significant to him for some reason...

He asked about the Beaters for a change of subject, and they were Jack Sloper and Andrew Kirkie, neither with much promising talent. Other members began showing up, saving Harry from further response so he didn't have to keep seeing Angelina's reproachful looks.

James scowled and shifted in agitation, thinking that earned Angelina a dung bomb under her bed for this repeated offense against his son. A little sympathy wouldn't kill her.

Harry began by telling them they'd only be reviewing today, no sense in starting something new right before a three-week break.

Sirius sighed, but didn't want to linger on anymore bad, they'd had enough of that already, so picked back up a chipper enough tone while telling Harry, "yet more evidence you took your learning smarts from Moony. Everybody loves the teacher that doesn't assign holiday work like practice."

Sirius' smirk widened as he managed to make Harry and Remus bluster with appreciation for the praise at once.

Zacharias became disgruntled at once, wishing loudly someone had told him there wasn't anything new, he wouldn't have come.

"Well then someone should have informed him," James rolled his eyes with regret.

Fred shot back he was sorry Harry hadn't told him then.

James whooped with delight, beating Sirius to his own joke when saying, "yes, I mimicked a twin, I win!"

"Win what exactly?" Sirius demanded with his own grin.

"Not sure, I'll let you know though," James promised.

"How about the right to tell Sirius he can't make that dumb joke anymore," Remus offered.

"You can make that yours," James waved off, his eyes lighting with something Harry had grown to associate with a Marauder story, "I think I've got something better."

Sirius met his eyes with a challenging stare of his own, going on without fear.

They broke off into the usual pairs and began going over some old spells, Harry doing a few with Neville before breaking off and passing around. When he got near Cho she beamed at him, and he had to resist the urge not to simply hover near her.

"Aw man, you mean she stopped trying to improvise her spell work around you?" Sirius smirked at Harry. "Also, I'm growing disappointed in you pup, I haven't heard one instance of you encouraging those private lessons she so clearly needed."

"Can my reward for not strangling him please be he stop making those jokes," Harry begged his father.

"I would never, this is an endless source of amusement," James snickered while Harry turned pleading eyes to his mum, who could only offer him sympathy at this point.

By the end Harry was swelling with pride as he watched their progress in comparison to the start of this group. Neville's spell only hit Dean rather than his target, a much closer miss than normal!

Harry let Sirius' teasing go, he couldn't seem to hold anything other than pride for those around him, his friends doing so well. He honestly believed they could have been just as great under any tutelage, he already knew they were all capable as Remus had been the start to them all understanding the work needed to go into this class.

Harry called a halt after an hour and told they were doing so well, when they got back he'd even start teaching them Patronuses.

"Ooh," Lily grinned, "now you're getting advanced."

"They've all caught up to all the spells I knew," Harry's smile increased at the idea, ignoring that pesky feeling about something regarding that for-coming lesson. "That was the last one I had preplanned, and it's a really difficult one."

"I know you'll get them through it without a problem," James said like this was obvious. "I am a bit curious how you plan to do it though."

"Hopefully he just starts with getting the spell down first for them, he doesn't need the extreme measures he had to go through, he can build up to that later." Remus offered with a small frown, no one wanted to hear of Harry around anymore dementors, even the boggart kind.

There was an air of excitement as they all left in the usual groups, most shouting a Happy Christmas to Harry as they departed. Harry hung back as Ron and Hermione left though, still hoping to receive one from Cho.

"Uh hu, and maybe a little something more," Sirius persisted, Harry's face turning a stunning new shade of red the others hadn't quite seen before. His memory was raising a flag of warning already for whatever was fixing to happen, and he had the desire to take the book away from Sirius again for a whole new reason.

He realized she was the last one left when she waved Marietta to go on and Harry felt a jolt go through him.

James wolf whistled while Harry pleaded with the ceiling to cave in.

He was watching all this from the corner of his eye as he pretended to straighten something, when he heard a distinctive sniff. He turned in surprise to see Cho standing in the middle of the room crying.

"Wow Harry, you got her crying before you even did anything, that's got to be a new record, even better than myself if you can believe it- ouch!"

Remus whacked Sirius upside the head to get him to stop while Lily's face folded with sympathy. She'd been fixing to snap at both boys to quit picking on her son for this already, now she realized Cho wasn't even trying to make a move back, but looking for sympathy, and she really hoped Harry at least tried to help rather than running for the hills like James' slightly panicky look showed he wanted to now do.

He didn't know what to do. She was simply standing there, crying silently.

Lily rubbed at her temple, confounded how his automatic reaction wasn't to go to her, wrap his arm around her in comfort, ask if she wanted to talk about it or if she simply just needed a shoulder. She knew not all boys were as dunce as hers, but they certainly acted like it sometimes.

Instead he feebly asked her what was up?

Sirius couldn't help a snort of surprise, which he immediately regretted as Lily gave him a blistering look and Remus nudged him hard in warning not a second before he'd done it.

Cho stammered out some kind of apology while saying she'd just been wondering if he'd known all this if he'd still be alive.

"Oh," Sirius whispered like a deflated balloon. There went any humor he could have offered.

Harry felt his heart sink down into his intestines. She wanted to talk about Cedric.

Lily gave a heavy sigh in understanding. Cho was looking for someone who'd been close to Cedric like she had, someone to understand what she was going through on her level, and Harry really was the closest person to that, and yet the worst one. Harry had his friends to talk to about this, even Sirius, but not on the same level Cho was seeking. She no longer could imagine the two together anymore if this was how Cho was going to start trying reciprocating feelings for Harry, she couldn't even imagine this turning out well for the two poor souls in this moment.

He still told her Cedric had known all this, he couldn't have made it to the Cup if he hadn't, but once Voldemort wanted you dead you didn't stand a chance.

Harry was starting to look a little green from being forced to remember this again all while the bubbling sensation of being around Cho alone.

She hiccupped at the sound of Voldemort's name, but kept his eyes as she whispered he'd survived as a baby.

Harry defended while moving towards the door,

Remus couldn't help feeling something cracking at his jaw for that, maybe a smile, as he all too easily envisioned anyone running for the door after seeing a crying girl.

no one knew why that was, it wasn't something he boasted.

Harry met Lily's eyes, the flash of understanding present in the whole room, why Harry wouldn't share how he did know some of the answer to this with just anyone. He'd never even told if he'd shared with this Ron and Hermione, and no one was going to ask.

Cho suddenly realized where Harry was heading and asked him not to leave, again apologizing for this.

Harry tragically stayed in place, thinking he'd have been much happier with just a Merry Christmas.

"Right, it's all her fault bringing this up, we're all in agreement," James was babbling uneasily until Lily nudged him to get him to stop, they all just wanted to change the subject.

Cho admitted she realized this must be hard for Harry, she supposed he just wanted to forget about it all.

He did, but it felt heartless saying so.

"Not heartless," Lily promised him at once. "It's natural love, I promise."

"Does it get better?" The whisper escaped him before the question had even formed in his head. No one had the heart to lie to him and pretend it did, but the full range of that answer couldn't just be covered in a quick chat. Lily had been asked the question though, and she would never just not answer him.

"With the right people around you, you can learn to live around it."

He seemed to relax under her words, his smile easing as he glanced out the window, into nothing really but his own memories. For a while he'd almost selfishly wished he hadn't gained these back, had almost entertained the idea he'd done this to himself on purpose for some ease of a better life, but the peace settling over him at her words convinced him on the spot he could never do such a thing, because she was right.

Cho changed to saying what a good teacher Harry was, and Harry awkwardly thanked her.

"This whole thing is awkward," Sirius muttered, wishing he could skip a few pages already, no amount of mocking Harry at his crush was worth this ball of pain seeing his pup so miserable at the reminder of Cedric.

Harry felt torn in half, his desire to run from the room still prevalent while his feet had no ability to do so.

"Girls," James muttered in agreement. How they managed to cause a never ending conflict inside was their own source of magic.

Cho was coming closer to him now, pointing at another bushel of mistletoe.

"Uh oh," Remus hummed under his breath.

Harry's mouth was going dry, he said the first thing that came to mind, it probably had Nargles in it.

"That's what you lead with eh?" James couldn't help but ask as Harry's face grew steadily more red. He wasn't mocking though, Harry was surprised to hear, more watching him with indulgent curiosity to see how this played out.

She asked what those were, and Harry deflected he hadn't a clue, she'd have to ask Luna.

"I'd have thought it was obvious, you should never bring up another girl at a time like this," Sirius pleasantly informed Harry, who seemed to have lost all ability to speak in here as his mind couldn't grasp anything else now. They'd stopped talking about Cedric, he should be grateful, but oh he'd never wanted to see their reaction to Cho being so close to him!

Cho was almost nose to nose with him now, he could count her eyelashes...

He returned to the common room to find Hermione and Ron sitting by the fire,

Sirius suddenly felt cheated. Moments ago he'd been wanting to skip this just so Harry could at least have this private moment and he'd have much more fun speculating and poking fun at his pup, but now the book actually had gone and cut this off! He even tried to check if pages had been stuck together before giving up and looking to Harry hopefully, demanding, "alright, out with it, what happened next?"

Harry sat there for a long time with a such a look of shock they wouldn't have been that surprised if he'd just announced he'd lost all his memories again for realizing what had just happened. The words that came out didn't even seem to be attached to him. "She kissed me."

Harry hardly registered the whoop of joy from his father or the enthusiastic pat Sirius was giving him, it was hard to think past much of anything really. At fifteen he'd felt more elated than he ever had in his life while also so infinitely confused because of what she'd done after the fact. He couldn't quite bring himself to string those words together yet. All at the same time, some very distant part of his mind was shaking its head at his past, not quite in disapproval, but not exactly happiness either. It took him several more moments than it should have to realize that Sirius was going to keep going.

While clearly happy for him, there was something about this reaction they couldn't put down all to shock. His smile was oddly detached, something clearly lingering in him showing this wouldn't stay a happy memory for long. This couldn't then be the first kiss between him and his future wife, or if it was then something really interesting must happen in between times.

both writing, but Hermione's was clearly a letter so long it was dangling off the table.

Lily started giggling uncontrollably while none of the Marauders even seemed to be giving this a passing thought. They were all ignoring her, thinking it was for an entirely different reason.

Ron was on the hearth doing Transfiguration homework, but both looked up upon his entrance and asked what had taken him so long.

Harry couldn't decide what to say. Half of him wanted to tell them,

"I get the feeling you're not going to get a choice," James said, watching Sirius impatiently to see if what they all knew had happened, really had! This was Harry's first kiss after all, and Harry was still acting too wide eyed to give them much to go on in here.

the other half wanted to take the secret to the grave.

"I honestly can't blame you, considering company," Remus snickered. James and Sirius were acting like this was his Quidditch team announcement and Lily hadn't stopped giggling for several moments, he couldn't imagine Ron and Hermione would react much better when they found out.

Both asked if he was alright, had something happened?

"It's a touch sad by those reactions they're assuming it was something bad," Lily managed to get out, trying to compose herself and stop laughing at Harry's face and her husbands proud smile.

Harry had just decided he wasn't going to tell them anything when Hermione took matters into her own hands,

"I think I'm actually grateful for it this time," Sirius agreed with a touch of impatience, Harry wasn't helping anything in here, they needed a bossy hand.

by asking if Cho had kissed him.

"Hermione needs to read a book on subtlety," Sirius snorted.

"Like you'd be any better," Remus rolled his eyes.

Ron sat up so fast he spilled his bottle of ink while Hermione watched Harry with a slight frown, until he finally nodded.

"Why's she frowning?" That caught Lily's attention.

"Not for the reason you're thinking," Harry told her, blinking slightly and clearly coming back to hear to glance at her with a still benign smile. Whatever had been bothering his mind before had clearly passed for now, and he was willing to at least semi laugh along with whatever they were. "There's nothing between us, I swear." He was now more sure of that than ever.

Lily nodded without surprise, just confusion at the reaction.

Ron gave his friend a triupmhent first pump and began rolling on the floor laughing.

"Padfoot did much the same," James huffed. "Wouldn't believe me for ages I'd finally gotten her to kiss me until she did it in front of him."

"Can you blame me?" Sirius said without remorse. "You'd been going on for ages it was going to happen, woken up from enough dreams convinced it had-"

He ducked as James chucked a pillow at him to get him to stop, but now Sirius wanted to keep going remorselessly because of that until Remus nudged him and reminded, "let's focus on one at a time for now."

Sirius sighed but acquitted.

Hermione gave Ron a look of deep disgust and returned to her letter.

"Ah," Lily finally said in understanding.

"It's not that bad, just because Hermione didn't laugh along doesn't mean she needs to think him childish," James rolled his eyes while Lily pressed her lips together to hide a smile.

Ron came back to himself enough to ask how it was?

Harry considered for a moment before saying wet.

Cue four collective snorts of laughter, Lily couldn't help herself.

Ron made a noise that might have indicated jubilation or disgust, it was hard to tell.

Harry wished it were harder to tell in here.

Harry clarified it was because she was crying.

"That's what she gets for bringing up what she did before she started this," Remus sighed.

Lily was watching Harry critically now, hoping he'd been kind to Cho after all that.

Ron's smile faded a bit as he asked if Harry was that bad at kissing?

Sirius was becoming unintelligible, his voice wobbling as he fought to keep reading around his laughter at Ron's conclusion.

Harry felt his own worry begin as he suddenly wondered the same thing.

"I don't think that's determinable from one peck-" Remus began with a light smile before he was cut off by James' scoff of disbelief.

"Not my son!"

Lily smacked him upside the head.

Hermione scoffed of course he wasn't while going back to her letter.

"Know this from experience does she?" Sirius couldn't resist poking even having expected Harry's eye roll.

Ron demanded how she knew, while Hermione explained Cho spent all her time crying. At meals, in the loo.

"Merlin, you'd think she'd run out of tears," James was starting to look a little frightened at such a thing occurring while Lily smacked him harder. James rubbed at the spot but was suddenly a bit happy that Harry wasn't more enthusiastic, and defensive, of this. If this was Harry's future wife, he'd start to feel a little worried about this.

Ron said he'd think a bit of snogging would cheer her up, while Hermione called him the most insensitive wart she'd ever had the displeasure of meeting.

"Hermione is so eloquent," Lily chuckled.

"I don't see anything wrong with what he said," Sirius grinned, while Lily scowled at him and considered parting some of Hermione's wisdom on him specifically, not that it would do him any good.

Ron asked what she meant by that.

"I found it fairly obvious actually," Remus pointed out.

Harry desperately asking who cried while they were kissing?

"Didn't you take the time to ask her, try to talk to her?" Lily tried to keep the accusation out of her voice.

"I mean, she kind of just took off after the fact, I kind of patted her on the shoulder for a quick moment," Harry struggled and ultimately gave up trying to explain himself as Lily's brows kept rising.

Hermione looked at the pair with exasperation before asking didn't they understand how Cho was feeling?

They both said no together.

Lily rubbed at her temple even while she was thanking the universe for her son having a friend like Hermione.

Hermione set down her quill and began the list of things she knew were upsetting Cho, like her now crush on Harry could be an insult to Cedric's memory and everything that entailed, plus she was performing so bad in her school and Quidditch lately because of all these feelings her place on her house team could be compromised.

"Bloody hell, the girl sounds like a train wreck!" James said, actually yelping in pain at how hard Lily smacked him that time.

"A little sensitivity dear," Lily said acidly.

"It's not like I said it to her face," James defended.

"Has Cho and Hermione been having secret conversations where she learned all this?" Sirius demanded as he kept looking at that list of things.

Lily groaned and rolled her eyes in exasperation, she really needed to go hang out with Alice when this was all over.

"Just be grateful she didn't try to say all that in one breath," Remus remembered from her first appearance.

Both boys sat in stunned silence after that little speech before Ron declared one person couldn't feel all that, they'd explode.

"Honestly," Sirius agreed. He hadn't even found that many of those things that complicated, why was Cho making such a big deal of them.

"Apparently it's even affecting her Quidditch abilities, I think the girl needs some time off to sort herself out," James said with a touch of sympathy, and an apologetic look at Lily, who decided that was as close as he was going to get to understanding that heaping mess.

Hermione told him just because he had the emotional range of a teaspoon didn't mean everyone did.

"Well that's hardly fair," Sirius couldn't help but defend, "Ron's been through some stuff as well, doesn't necessarily mean he can compare and understand how she's feeling."

Lily looked to him in surprise, thinking that had almost been some form understanding on Sirius' part.

Harry said he hadn't known any of that, she'd just started crying all over him and he hadn't known what to do, Ron saying he didn't blame his mate.

"No one really can," Remus agreed, even Lily was shifting anxiously as she wasn't sure of the right thing to say to Cho, one of her real friends would have been better like that Marietta.

Hermione asked if he was at least nice to her, and Harry defended he'd patted her on the back a bit.

Hermione looked as though she was restraining herself from rolling her eyes with difficulty.

"She's more restraint than most," James grinned slightly, as Lily herself lost the fight and did just that.

Then Hermione asked if he was going to see her again, and Harry said he didn't have much of a choice, she was still a DA member.

"That's not what she meant and you know it," James scolded.

"No, not really," Harry said with such a sincere face James believed him, and shook his head at his poor son who kept looking around for some kind of answer no one was going to give him. Then it was clear by the look on his face he'd gotten it, and his face flushed anew as clearly his mind was wandering off.

Harry's mind suddenly set in a whirlwind of being alone with Cho, who may actually be happy and not crying, and his stomach clenched painfully.

Ron asked what if Harry hadn't wanted to ask her out?

"That's fair," Remus agreed, "for all she knew, Harry might not have wanted her to kiss him."

"Well he did, and now he has, so the question is what he's going to do with this next," Sirius said, looking curiously to Harry, who gave no indication he'd heard, and then back to the book curiously.

Hermione told him he was being silly, Harry'd had a crush on her for ages.

"I want to know when she started to notice," Harry muttered. She'd made it clear she knew at the Hog's Head, but how long before then? How long had Cho been planning this? Was he already making a fool of himself by not having done something ages before now! His mind was bubbling with too many questions, and it suddenly slammed into him his real circumstances. At the time, he'd have been aching to write to someone about this, more than likely was going to bring it up to Sirius on his holiday visit...but now he actually did have his dad he could ask. His parents real advice, if he'd so chosen... but for some reason he just couldn't put his finger on, not about Cho...

Harry didn't deny this, but he was certainly feeling wrong footed now after Cho had spent so long crying into his shoulder.

"Oh I'm sure she won't be like that forever," Remus tried to say sympathetically, but he was still too amused by his friend for that to have quite come off right.

Ron changed the subject by asking Hermione who she was writing that novel to.

She simply said Viktor, Ron asking Krum in shock?

Hermione said did they know any other Viktors?

"You know, I actually don't right off the top of my head," Sirius looked honestly disappointed he couldn't mock Hermione for that.

"What a wasted moment," James agreed with a sigh.

Ron finally turned back to his homework disgruntled, leaving Harry to his silent thoughts. He watched the fireplace instead, suddenly wishing Sirius' head would appear there and give him some advice about girls.

James looked like he'd been sucker punched in the gut, again. Who knew that all those years later, Sirius' joke would turn into Harry's only option. It hadn't occurred to him yet this was where Harry's thoughts would head, but of course that made logical sense, no matter how scandalized it made him feel. He glanced over and saw Sirius looking a bit shamefaced to have read that, while Harry was frowning at him and clearly wanting to apologize. James shook his head though, refusing both of them for something neither could help.

Hermione called it a night not too much later, the boys heading up to their own silent dorm, Ron muttering about what she saw in Krum?

"An impartial friend," Lily said with an eye roll. Though it had never been confirmed, she hardly thought Hermione had the time to both travel to Bulgaria over the summer to visit him, and be so in touch with the Order as she'd clearly been.

Harry considered it for a moment before remembering how much older than them he was, and an international Quidditch player.

"Harry, you are not helping!" Sirius said as dramatically as possible, biting his tongue to stop himself adding that Ron would probably pop by and see him as well during break now, though more likely he'd go see his own dad, or maybe one of his brothers.

Ron pretended he hadn't heard while saying the guy was grumpy.

Harry agreed very grouchy, his mind still on Cho.

"There's the proper response," Remus said, looking uneasily between the crackling tension that James and Sirius were suddenly trying to pretend didn't exist. It's not like either of them could help it, neither blamed the other for the circumstances and both would do anything to change them, leaving both completely unaware what was even needed apologizing for.

They slipped into bed silently, the rest of their doormats already asleep. Harry left the hangings around his bed open so he could stare out the window, thinking back and wondering how he'd have felt if just twenty-four hours ago he'd realize he'd be kissing Cho Chang.

"You'd probably have vomited from stress," Sirius told Harry, then suddenly frowned as he watched a bead of sweat trace down his face. Harry was suddenly looking sickly pale, a white hot pain resting on his mind of some memory fixing to return. He'd been far too distracted from Cho and now Sirius and James to notice the oncoming warning signs like before, but they were there now. The tightening of pain around his consciousness, his breaths starting to go shallow. He couldn't sense any oncoming pain though, which meant this would be something even worse...

Sirius exchanged a slightly panicky look with the others, but no one needed to tell him what he already knew. Harry couldn't say what was suddenly making him look so panicky, and the only way to find out was to keep going. Yet just by the look on Harry's face, Sirius suddenly knew he'd rather be doing anything else in the world. He could never do that though, leave Harry in such sickening dispense, so he took a deep breath and forced himself to keep going with the same enthusiasm as before. Harry was going to bed after all, nothing was going to happen to him in his dormitory, they had a bit of time...

He thought about Hermione's explanation, but she'd somehow made this all feel more complicated.

Lily opened her mouth wearily, she wanted to keep talking about this, chat with her son and offer up some more advice, but James wrapped a reassuring arm around her waist and she at once acknowledged that delaying whatever was plaguing her son wouldn't make the blow any better.

He decided he wished Hogwarts offered a class on how girls' brains worked, that would be more useful than Divination.

James gave an uneasy laugh that echoed oddly in the room, all of them sitting tensed as if waiting for a snake to strike. Harry's shaking and pain filled expression promised something bad was coming.

He slipped into an uneasy dream, back in the DA room with Cho accusing him of being there under false pretences. He'd apparently promised her a thousand Chocolate Frog Cards like Cedric always gave her, but he couldn't give them to her. Hermione appeared and said he had promised, and since he couldn't, he should give her his Firebolt instead.

Sirius spluttered in indignation, even as a dream he couldn't imagine saying such a ludicrous thing and he turned to grin at Harry, wanting to see his pup go back to normal for just a second and be outraged at the idea as well, but he was so focused on something that he couldn't understand it was as if Sirius wasn't even there. Yet the tense set of his shoulders made it clear he was still aware enough, waiting for the blow to start.

The dream changed . . .

Remus was picking at his sleeve just for something to do that wasn't waiting for this horrible news, plucking at a loose thread that would soon create another hole he'd have to patch and he didn't care. So long as he kept focusing on that, his mind couldn't go wild and create some horrid scenario that surely they must just be exaggerating, that look on Harry's face didn't necessarily mean...

He was in a long dark corridor with a locked down at the end. His body flew smooth against the floor, everything was vibrant colors around him. He tasted the air with caution and scented the man stirring on the floor. His impulse was to bite, but his work was too important. He tried to continue on, but then the man fully awoke, and he had no choice, he lunged and felt warm blood, now everywhere as the man fell back again, the blood was everywhere, and his forehead hurt terribly...

Sirius had managed to get through that by reading as if yet another odd dream of no significance, because none of that had made a lick of sense. That had sounded like, a snake maybe? It was attacking someone, but obviously Harry was just having some vivid nightmare, maybe about the basilisk or anything else, he couldn't wrap his head around another alternative.

Then he looked to Harry, hoping for some sign of relief, that this nightmare had just scared the dickens out of a young kid like so many others had, but he knew. He was stark white, his mouth had flopped open and his face etched with horror all while his hand pressed into his scar as if holding his head together.

"Harry, Harry breathe." Lily pressed her hands to either side of his face, stroking his wet cheeks and refusing to let go as he kept shaking.

"I, what did I do?! He's dead-"

"No!"

The word crackled like electricity through his mind, he should know that voice, believe that word, but it was impossible. He was trapped between a memory and a fear, it was all his fault!

The book had fallen out of Sirius' sweat slicked hand, but he lunged back for it and began flipping wildly through the pages. He couldn't just sit there and do nothing, he had to know what was wrong with Harry, and he couldn't think of any other way to force him out of this state than to find out what really had happened.

Someone was screaming his name, there was a poker pressed against his forehead, but nothing seemed real until he rolled to the side and vomited.

In some wild part of his mind, Remus had to guess Harry hadn't done that yet simply because he wasn't yet aware enough of his own body. He was still trapped in a limbo of what was and an impossibility that he couldn't rationalize.

Ron was there though, asking what was wrong, and Harry forced himself to breathe past the pain, he had to tell him.

James felt useless just standing there, only on his feet by sheer willpower of hovering over his son when he was so vulnerable despite his shaking limbs. He couldn't do anything, Lily wasn't getting through to him, and no matter how much he kept whispering to Harry they just weren't getting a reaction.

Ron's dad had been attacked.

"No," Lily snarled, her hands tightening around Harry as he began shaking in place, somehow, impossibly, his fright growing by the second. Her sharp green eyes wouldn't leave his face, but Sirius could still feel their intensity spurring him on.

It was serious, there was blood everywhere.

For the first time in his life Sirius didn't even seem to realize he'd said his own name, he couldn't think of anything else but getting to the damned part where Harry realized that wasn't true, it couldn't be. It just wasn't possible, because nothing was adding up. Harry hadn't seen that, he hadn't done it, it just had to be a dream, and he'd realize that any second!

Someone far off said they were going for help, but Harry hardly registered the words, insisting Ron understand even as his friend promised it was just a dream. Harry furiously told it had happened... he'd done it.

Lily recognized the change in his parlor just in time, but not fast enough as he managed to vomit on her as well as himself. She didn't let that stop her for one moment, as finally his lungs had returned to him, but now he was gasping so hard that whatever he was trying to say still held no intelligence. All they were sure of was that he believed that, and they weren't going to stop until they convinced him that wasn't a possibility.

Ron clearly didn't understand, telling Harry to relax, Neville had gone to get help.

Harry insisted it wasn't him they should be worried about, there was a huge snake, it had attacked Ron's dad.

Lily hadn't left his side while Remus banished the mess, still running her hands carefully though his hair, constantly whispering in his ear there was no way this was true of him, but it wasn't giving him any comfort; because he knew deep down there was a part of him that had done this.

He tried to get out of bed but Ron pushed him back into it; Dean and Seamus were whispering somewhere nearby.

Remus considered them lucky he wasn't in the room, and fifteen again, as he was likely to turn around and snap at them to leave already, he didn't need anyone's attitude on top of worrying about his family.

Harry had no clue how long he sat there in a state of suspension, but the next thing he understood was footsteps on the stairs, and Neville coming back with McGonagall.

James wanted to feel relief. He trusted McGonagall to know the best way to help Harry right then when he couldn't, but the feeling escaped him as he kept watching his now panicking son. It was as if they weren't there, his eyes were flickering around the room and the fear wasn't dropping out of him for one minute.

Harry had never felt so relieved in his life to see a member of the Order of the Phoenix, at once telling her Arthur Weasley had been attacked by a snake, it was serious, he'd seen it happen.

Sirius finally hesitated in his hasty need for a moment. He wanted to make his favorite joke, he wanted to see it distract Harry from the horrors of this just for a moment, but for all their concern Harry didn't seem to even be aware of them. Sirius wasn't even sure if he'd heard anything since the news of Arthur's attack. That wasn't going to stop him though, he had to keep going, to find out the truth.

He explained in detail everything, and as McGonagall continued to just gaze at him in horror, he shouted he wasn't lying nor crazy!

"Neither of those things was going through anyone's mind," James promised at once, still watching every twitch of Harry's with concern.

"At least no one important," Remus muttered.

Finally she whispered she believed him, and she was taking him to Dumbledore.

Sirius cursed as he finished his part in frustration. Looking to Harry in hopes some relief would appear, Dumbledore would explain, but if possible this news only managed to make him look worse. They just wanted to understand, what was happening to him?

HPHPHPHP

I've heard that in the original rendition of this book JK was actually planning on killing Arthur, and please forgive me for sounding like a cold hearted monster, but I almost wish she had rather than Sirius. The message still would have been made, anyone close to Harry could die, but the Weasley's still have a parent left at least. It really breaks my heart what happened to Sirius through the course of this series, and realizing that in this moment Sirius might have been saved if someone else had been lost always makes me extra upset.

*I've always seen people realize this at the end of the first book, but I always found this a much funnier callback.

#The life that Never LIved #Harry Potter #fanfiction #reading the books #HP #ootp #Marauders #Jilly #James potter #Remus Lupin #Sirius black #Lily Potter

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imaginedcreaderinsert · 5 years ago

Text

Instead — Jason Todd x Reader (x Ex!Dick)

SUMMARY: She talks about Dick Grayson like he is the sun, and she is the moon, starred-crossed lovers; her eyes light up whenever he is brought in a conversation, and she talks fondly of him (“Why? He broke your heart, dumbass” he asks one night, a little bit drunk on his couch. She is dancing all on her own, gorgeous like never before bathed by the moon. “Because I treasure him”, you answer, simplistic and yet raw, full of feeling). And if someone dares bad mouth him? She is the first one to stand up for him, say he is not like that, not like everyone thinks he is; she knows him better than anyone, and that no one can fight her about. They have history, and someone should make a study on them, because there’s chemistry whenever they go.

WORD COUNT: 3661.

TW: Angsty with smut. I’m sorry ¿?¿?

A/N: I tried writing something else, but this week has been particularly hard due to personal circumstances and this is all that came out. It started out as angst, and I was planning to take it to someplace even darker, but then the smut came along and-I’m a sucker for coming to love baby Jason. I don’t know if it should have a second part or not (maybe angst bc she goes back to dick or a fluffy and smutty one where they spend christmas together, idk). ENJOY!

“You can come still.” Dick timidly almost adds, amidst the reigning silence of the living room.

Everything has stopped moving. Jason was playfully sparring with Damian, Tim and you trying to help separate them in the chaos that was now the sofa. It was normal, familiar, a habit. But the moment the Thanksgiving lunch was mentioned, everyone stopped moving since it is the first year Dick and you are not together for the festivity. Everyone lowkey knew about it, but they tried to avoid it as much as possible. Specially the little birds, who you knew were fonder of you than they would ever admit. Not long before Dick and you had started going out, Jason and you became close (you were the two cynics, dark-humored and quick on the feet), so it was given that you were friends. The problem was now how to deal with your second favorite holiday of the year with the Wayne’s. The first always being Christmas, of course.

“Oh, are you-are you sure?”. You are very confident, but this is something that you are very unsure about. Your voice trembles a bit at its end, but you cough like it’s because of the weather. It had always been special, since your family lived far from Gotham; you weren’t planning on visiting them, since they live across the ocean and the holiday wasn’t as popular in Europe.

“You are part of this family, (Y/N); of course you can come.”

“Good, because otherwise we were planning on moving lunch to hers.” Jason interrupts, smirking almost, making Damian scoff, almost.

“But she’s a mess in the kitchen!”

“Well that’s what the catering service is for, you big-!“

Everything goes back to how it was before, like nothing has happened; except that it totally doesn’t. Dick smiles, like everything is fine and that hurts you more than ever, because you know why he is okay with it, maybe as much as Jason. You getting back in the Manor had been a complicated task, but neither Jason nor Damian had given up, with simple excuses, white lies and “mandatory Netflix and chill sessions” (Jason, Tim and you had been laughing all evening when Damian had proposed so without actually knowing the meaning behind of it. He was so adorable with little things like that). It’s not like you were still hurt because of the breakup, after all, it was quite mutual (even when it had terribly hurt once more, you were kind of hoping it anyways. This was the fourth time, after all). The thing was that there were one too many memories in the walls of Manor, as well as its rooms and dark corners. Sometimes, when you went alone to the guest bathroom, you could still feel his sneaky and cold hands in your waist, making you shriek – and his quick hand to your mouth, to shut you up, closing the door of the place as he trapped you against it.

But what were you expecting really? This was the fourth time you had broken up. You had been at it since he confessed his real identity (the cause of your first breakup when he had not confided in you. With time, understanding came, and you tried again), and at this point, Jason, Tim and Damian just hoped it wouldn’t bring more “awkward” scenes like those whenever you saw each other at the Manor after the breakup. Dick tended to take refuge in Blüdhaven the first week, but then he always came back.

And that always bothered Jason. It was like he wanted to see her, he needed to encounter her and still talk to her, as awkward as it could be. There was always probably there will always be, some kind of love in their eyes whenever they talked. And that he envied. (Y/N) had never looked at him like that, except with lust and with too many shots on.

But this time it seemed different. (Y/N) seemed too uncomfortable and she could never quite look at him, which Jason didn’t understand. She had been so bold, so daring with him always; it as like he transformed into an entirely new person when he was with him. He hated it. Except this time, as well, he quickly understood why she was so sheepish: Barbara had entered the frame. He discovered it almost by accident, when you both were going for some drinks: you liked getting wasted in a famous bar in Gotham, maybe being hit up by different men, just as he was by different women. People used to think they were together until one of them started giving back attention to said person. Those were nights of whoring out, unless previously accorded that no one would leave the bar with someone else. Sometimes they liked having small chats in less frequented bars (Jason definitively did) and-and you had left the phone unlocked, staggering almost to the toilet. When he saw Dick’s last text, two weeks after you had broken up, he couldn’t resist: and yes, they had keep in contact, with shorter texts… Of course, to the exception of one. One fucking long one from Golden Boy himself explaining to her that he and Babs had given each other a go after some time… Followed by a sweet “I’m just giving her a chance. I still think of you at nights. Wanna call like yesterday?”.

So of course, she feared the day, because that meant he was bringing Babs on. Between you and her honestly, he’d rather have you a thousand time more than her. She followed the rules too much and had little to no confidence in her own missions and action plans. She was too much of a follower and Jason resented her because of it: it was something personal, seeing as Timbers seemed to like her a bit more, given her ability to execute whatever actions were needed. But it wasn’t after all something he could decide on his own, and thus they were now both stuck with that knowledge.

Dick had some girl problems of his own, but he had managed to keep them down for long enough. It was the first time, actually (that he knew of) that these both were going to encounter each other. And it was something Jason, personally, wasn’t looking forward to. He treasured his only ally in the house; since Roy and him had parted ways, (Y/N) had been the only one for him. And he had been trying really hard, seeing as he thought feelings would get in the way: but he has kind of come to accept that it’s never going to be that way with him.

She talks about Dick Grayson like he is the sun, and she is the moon, starred-crossed lovers; her lights light up whenever he is brought in a conversation, and she talks fondly of him (“Why? He broke your heart, dumbass” he asks one night, a little bit drunk in his couch. She is dancing all on her own, gorgeous like never before bathed by the moon. “Because I treasure him”, you answer, simplistic and yet raw, full of feeling). And if someone dares bad mouth him? She is the first one to stand up for him, say he is not like that, not like everyone thinks he is; she knows him better than anyone, and that no one can fight her about. They have history, and someone should make a study on them, because there’s chemistry whenever they go. Everyone always thinks they are flirting, and they are just as surprised to find out that they are no longer together (Such a pity! They look so good, Jason once heard Kane murmur under her breath).

But this time is different, she is left behind.

***

“I mean, the worst is over.”

“I know, just take me far, Jay. I want to go.” And nothing else needs to be said once lunch is done and everyone is settling down on the sofa. They are not staying, and they made so apparent by taking a red helmet; not for him, of course.

Dick presses his lips into a fine line.

***

“No, what I’m saying is…! What-What if I never find anyone like him, Jay? What if he IS the One?”

“You know the concept of “The one” is just made up so that girls-“

“Yes, Jason Peter Todd, I know very well the patriarchal concept of it, it’s just-! They look so good together. And Dick was so calm, they were so chill. They were not bothered, like it had been happening so long… I know Dick would never cheat, but we’ve never had that.”

“Babs has always been really close to the family. Their breakup was horrible, that’s why you two never cross paths but before she used to spend Thanksgiving with us as well. Then she met someone else and-you know” He makes a simple motion with his hands, like all is said and done, but it’s not enough for her it seems. “I’m just saying that she was a wreck as well her first year, but we are family. Vigilante stuff and everything.”

Yeah, the one thing she has always been kind of resentful about. Not because she wanted to be one, but because she never belonged to that interior and private group. Even Jason, as close as they were, kept her at an arms distance from details. He was not fully incorporated into the troupe, but he had been patrolling on their side for some time now. It made her really happy.

“Yeah, yeah. It’s just that, and I know that you don’t believe in it, but what if Dick is the one for me but I’m not the one for him? You’ve seen me, I was… Wrecked the first time we broke up. And the second and third, hell. This last one I… I knew it was going to happen, eventually. I just didn’t know it would still hurt as much.” She clicks her tongue, both hands up quite quickly, like in a peace sign. “Okay, yeah, maybe not as much, but it definitively stung. And I know he hasn’t been with Barbara since before me but…”

“Well-“

There’s a silence, a beat. Jason’s heart drops. What is he doing? It’s like a babble, and he feels mean. He wants to hurt, he wants her to know. What good will it do now? Still, the words come out before she can mutter a thing, too in shock or maybe waiting for him to talk.

“I mean, there was just THIS ONE time where I saw her early at dawn. I think it was your second time, I-“

“Oh, fuck, I KNEW IT!”.

***

“I’m sorry. I’m very sorry.” She mutters, drunk, maybe too drunk. Who gets drunk on Thanksgiving? They are both splayed on the floor of his apartment, instead of the carpet, mere inches from their bodies. But moving takes too much movement, and they are not going to do that. “I’m always talking about him, I must sound like a broken record, it’s just that it helps.”

“What helps?”. He asks, sluggish.

“You. You always help.”

She turns around, lazy and with difficulty like a seal, until her cheeks are against the coldness of the apartment. He imitates her, looking at her closely, both faces separated just by centimeters.

“You help me without hesitation. I know you, I see you, Jason Todd.” She confidently says, even when he can swear some of her words are gibberish after that. He thinks she might be listing the times he has helped. “… And most importantly, I love you. I love you a lot.”

There’s silence in the apartment. They are not particularly fond of hugs or cute things; (Y/N) has had a childhood where she was not given much affection, and Jason as much as he loved her mother, can understand that. They are not used to caring, sweet or strong words like that. But he surprises himself as he says it back like it’s natural, and he repeats it. Again and again, like it’s a prayer, something that must be said. And she corresponds.

They lock lips and he knows it’s over.

Whatever thing they might have it’s over, because the only way this is ending is with a broken heart. He is not the one with good things, beautiful things that stay; he is not the golden boy or the understanding one (like Dick, with whom (Y/N) had a dream a couple of days ago. They were still together, happy). He is not the calm and logical, collected (like Tim, who he came to slowly understand, admire, as much resent as he had once for him. (Y/N) always goes for him for “practical” solutions). He is not like Damian in the least, particular and much more mature than he was at his age. So why would she choose him, if not by pity, being the closest one?

Jason is twenty, and she is twenty-two. It is thrilling in a way, while he takes off her clothes with a regained force, almost desperation in her movements (what if she is sober again and stops moaning like that, offering him her neck like a female to mate?). He loves to unravel her, discover the timid place in her thighs which he almost has to open by force; he never quite imagined her shy, not in his wildest fantasies, but red is an adorable shade in her cheeks, and he only gets turned on by the slight resistance of her thighs, the way she is on her back, legs opened and trying to cover herself, her core. Her fingers are small, like everything else in her body, but they manage to hide his precious Eden from him, which he doesn’t appreciate.

If it’s going to be a night followed by an awkward distancing, he is going to fucking get it.

Pushing her legs back to her chest almost, slightly, trying to see resistance, her core gets discovered by the surprise, and he launches onto it like a hungry man: he laps, tongues it inside and discovering it. It is tight, drenched and slightly salty: he discovers to his own surprise that the more he seems to eat, the wetter it gets, until it’s absurd almost. She is covered in her own lubricant, and he is amazed by the taste, the wiggling, the moans and the pulsing of his own cock, strained in his pants.

She is completely naked, and almost mewls for him to do the same, to which he teasingly obeys. He makes a slow striptease, and her hands are all over him, clearly making him know that he wants it as badly – he could cum alone from the sound she makes as his fingers open her, on fours on the floor with her legs as far as they can go so he has space to discover, touch.

“Jay, Jason!”. She pants, almost too gone from that alone, his fingers rediscovering places he thinks she might not have reached before. Or even Dick. He is quite proud of that, seeing her state against the floor, moving her hips towards him and struggling almost to breathe. “Jason please! I’m so horny, I want you so bad!”

Her forehead sticks to the ground, moaning against the floor: he thinks his neighbors will forgive him in due time. It’s been long since he brought someone else home, and thus, he can’t be as dedicated as he would like to. More so when her own lubricant is dripping from her thighs and her back arches perfectly against him. They fit, like a perfect puzzle, as he on his knees grabs her by the hips and presses his own hardness to her wet entrance. It almost slips inside at times, almost making her completely bent over. She needs something to grip onto, and after a couple of times giving up on the air and floor, Jason takes her by the neck, not leaving an inch between their bodies as he slides inside. And then she feels it and her arms, like flowers to the sun, wrap themselves around his neck.

They kiss like they have been doing it for ten years, but they fuck with the desperation of a one-night stand, swearing and sweating together, body against body, and moaning each other names from time to time. Profanities, skin slapping sounds, wet drips – all that’s heard until one of them comes. They change positions and again they go, until one of them crumbles to the floor just so that they don’t have to force their own knees as much. She gets dragged onto his mattress, and they keep at it until they can’t anymore. There’s a blue glow in the city outside, and they are both panting, still slowly rutting against each other: he is inside her, too sensitive to move, almost keeping it warm. His hand slowly grabs her thigh, the fat on it, caressing it like it’s art. She kisses him slowly, tensing up as he gets out and lets it all spill onto the bed. They fall asleep like that, looking at each other’s eyes, like they are in love. But the night is done, and the first warm ray enters the room. It’s time to wake up.

***

It doesn’t stop there. There are no rules, no limits. They are having breakfast and she is taken again against the cold marble counter, nipples hard and leaving her own underwear wet, uncomfortable. He fingers her until they can’t anymore, and they forget to eat, too much of a secondary task. She takes him in the shower, entering and against the wall, water covering both of them (It gets risky, but they are both very much into it, gasping and clenching on each other like they are the last people on Earth, they will vanish. She thinks she might as she cums with him inside, relentless and making her squirt. He has never been more turned on.)

They say goodbye with a sweet kiss, like they are finishing it – but three days later, at the Manor, they silently fuck in the sofa, which is in direct view with the entrance if one is to open the door. They don’t close it at all and she cums three times (once laid on the floor as he drinks her, and another on top of him, completely nude and bracing him, looking the door directly, too nervous and too excited at the same time. The third is brutal, and is when they think they hear keys, too involved in their pleasure, too far gone from rationality. Like they want to be caught.) They promise each other that is it in public spaces, but then they fall right into it as they are having an improv dinner on the roof one of Gotham’s highest buildings. It’s exhilarating, and it’s been a guilty habit of hers since she discovered their identities. She loved tall buildings, looking down and feeling the adrenaline in the tips of her toes as she leans over the border (Jason has always been the one to let her go as far as she pleased. Dick always grabbed her by the waist). They fuck against one of the corners, lights underneath them alive, bright, just as his eyes as he looks at her. She feels safe in his arms. Nothing will happen.

Until they do get caught by none other than Tim Drake himself.

It really isn’t something big or scandalous, as naked as they feel they are (her in a satin pajama, him in some grey cotton sweatpants); they are just making out in another sofa, almost near the entrance, too lazy to go up the stairs; the angle is different, and instead of the entrance, it goes directly to the kitchen. The only thing on is the fire, and it’s almost romantic if not because of his hard-on and your obscene moans – that is until two blue eyes catch her. She has to cover her own mouth to stop herself from screaming.

“F-!”. It’s the only thing that leaves her, his body instantly acting as a blanket from the world, pinning her against the sofa. If they were naked, that would have do it. “Fuck, fuck fuck!”. She repeats herself over and over in a low voice, as Jason looks over the sofa and locks eyes. You will never know what look Jason gives Drake, but it seems to scare him off.

“I’m not going to say anything to anyone!”. She is too embarrassed to look over the sofa, but the way his voice trembles doesn’t escape her. “But fuck, you should tell Grayson. He’s not-oh, fuck, he’s not going to be happy. And please, please tell me you haven’t-haven’t-you know, the sofa-“

“Just go, voyeur!”

***

You should, you know you should but not talking about it with Jason and just murmuring into each other lips “I love you” works; it makes you happy, less anxious and relaxed like never before. You fuck, you have small dates and everything is simple with him. You laugh into his neck, and his big arms make you feel protected at night when he stays (he isn’t going on patrol as much, and that makes you incredibly happy). He is sweet and caring; you spent nights with your legs intertwined under the duvet reading different books, but reading out loud your favorite quotes, or something you find funny. You are drugged on the feeling of happiness he gives you, but are you really giving it back to him? Do you love him like he does? Because you know he does, when he looks at you with his gorgeous eyes, when he grows anxious in big crowds and immediately grips your hand like it’s home.

You turn around in bed.

“Hey Jaybird?”

“Hm, what?”

“I have to tell you something.”

#jason todd #jason todd x reader #reader insert #dcu #dcu x reader #dc universe #red hood x reader #red hood #dick grayson #barbara gordon

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