#i want to get in the habit of shouting out artists whose work i love :D

[salemoleander]

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I used this art piece in my latest webweave for solving counting sheep, and I was so excited to get a print of it yesterday via the artist's Inprnt :D

I'd had some of their other ghost illustrations saved to my phone for years and years, it's so cool to be able to hang this up on my wall!!

[gayestnerdsinfiction]

Rivalry

requested by @micapearls (ed hearing jon full body laugh for the first time)

Ever since he first met Jonathan Crane, Edward has had an unshakable fixation on eliciting any type of emotional expression from the other man. To the untrained eye it would appear Jonathan was unable to experience any human emotions beyond displeasure and annoyance. Jonathan doesn’t cry, he doesn’t shout when they argue, he doesn’t allow any facial expression to inadvertently cross his stoic features. Over time, Edward has been able to get a better feel for the subtle cues that indicate his partner’s emotional state, but Jonathan still makes an effort to hold his feelings and opinions close to his chest. Edward wants so badly to break him of this habit. He’s lost count of the amount of meaningless arguments he’d blown out of proportion in the hopes of making Jonathan visibly angry. But perhaps that’s just trauma reenactment.

It was after one such failed attempt to goad Jonathan into an argument that Edward finally got what he was looking for. He had unsuccessfully tried to get a rise out of the other man, throwing out the cruelest, most spiteful things he could think of. Things he didn’t mean, things he doesn’t want Jonathan to think he meant. Unfortunately, this only resulted in Jonathan disappearing off into the lab, leaving Edward to sulk alone in the living room. He’s sitting on the couch, staring absently at the television when Jonathan finally reappears from the basement, his expression as austere and unreadable as ever.

“I’m having a drink,” the older man announces, breezing past Edward and into the kitchen. He removes a bottle of whiskey from the cabinet and holds it up for Edward to see. “Do you want one?”

Edward doesn’t particularly care for whiskey but he can recognize a peace offering when he sees one. He nods wordlessly, sliding to one end of the sofa to make room for Jonathan to sit if he wanted to.

Jonathan pours the two drinks, bringing them into the living room and handing one to Edward. He accepts. Takes a small sip, trying to ignore the unpleasant taste.

“What are you watching?” Jonathan asks as he sits down a respectful distance away from Edward.

“News,” he says. “I’m looking at it more than I’m really watching it.”

Jonathan studies the screen for a few moments, sipping his own drink steadily. “Turn up the volume,” he says abruptly.

Edward obliges, directing his own attention to the TV as well. The reporter onscreen is standing in front of the Gotham University campus. There are cop cars and officers crowded around the building, many of them with heavy tactical gear and weapons.

“Shit, I hope whatever this is doesn’t screw up the heist I had planned for next weekend,” Edward mutters as he puts his drink down on the table.

“…As you can see the police are behind me attempting to negotiate the release of the thirteen hostages currently being held on the University grounds.” The camera cuts away from the reporter to show a closer shot of the police officers at the scene. Edward can make out commissioner Gordon speaking into a walkie-talkie at the front of the group. Bullock stands beside him, looking generally burly and gruff but otherwise not contributing much. “The location and condition of the hostages is unclear; all we know is that those thirteen students and faculty members are trapped somewhere in the Joker’s sadistic maze. More updates on the way as we continue to document the most recent criminal exploits of Gotham’s most fearsome criminal.”

“Ouch,” Jonathan says dryly. “Seems unfair that I’m not the most fearsome criminal in this city but I suppose there’s no accounting for taste.”

Edward, in the meantime, is too busy trying to navigate the mixture of anger, surprise, and jealousy that has begun burning in his chest to even register Jonathan’s comment. “He—I feel like I’m having a stroke, I mean, did that reporter say what I think she said?” he splutters, standing up from the couch to gesticulate wildly at the screen.

“What’s your problem?” Jonathan asks. “Joker does something like this every week, you can’t be surprised at this point.”

“You don’t understand,” he snaps, ignoring the heat he can feel rising into his face and ears. “I was going to do a sadistic maze at the university. Me! That fucking clown stole my idea! I mean, am I the only person with any goddamn integrity in this vile city?” He collapses back onto the couch, throwing his arms up. “I had the whole thing planned out, all the pieces built and ready to be set up and he just swoops in with his dollar store makeup and awful dye job and ruins everything like he always does. I mean, do you know how hard it is to build a maze from scratch and make it appear with fully functional traps and people in it before the cops show up? It’s not easy, I’ll say that. And it’s not cheap either!”

Jonathan watches Edward’s hysterical monologue in silence, takes a few moments to digest the entirety of the rant, and then bursts out laughing.

Edward’s jaw drops. Usually when Jonathan laughs it’s little more than a sharp exhale or the hint of a smile. But this laugh is a loud, unrestrained cackle, so raspy in places it almost sounds like a wheeze. It’s the first time he’s ever seen his partner seem genuinely tickled by something and he can’t even enjoy it because it’s at his own expense. He can’t tell if he’s more shocked to see his partner’s entire body wracked with laughter, or more indignant that he’s being laughed at in the first place. He snaps his mouth shut, his face screwing up into a scowl. “It’s not funny.”

“It absolutely is. Your whole thing with the Joker is hilarious.”

“It is not! He’s completely destroying my reputation, my career in this town. I mean, now I can never do that heist I had planned because the Joker already did it and everyone’s already accusing me of ripping off his costume and gimmick. If I even mention that I had the same idea, then people are going to try and accuse me of stealing his fucking intellectual property too.” He gets up again, pacing almost frantically around the room. “It doesn’t even make sense for him to do something with a school, I mean, I’m the one whose whole aesthetic and MO has to do with knowledge and learning. He should go terrorize a fucking comedy club or something, leave the higher education to those of us whose brain cells haven’t been fried by a vat of acid.” He glares at Jonathan who is still doubled over with laughter. “Stop laughing at me, I’m serious.”

He raises a hand to cover his mouth, though it does nothing to soothe his amusement. “I’m sorry. But you have to admit, you sound ridiculous right now.”

“I fail to see how this is ridiculous.”

“You’re demanding artistic integrity from a man who dresses like a clown and kills people for fun.” Jonathan manages to stifle his laughter a bit, but Edward knows he’s never going to let him live this down. “Besides, neither of you went to college so I don’t see how you have more of a right to a university based maze heist than him.”

He rolls his eyes. Jonathan loves to point out that Edward never went to college because it’s the only real accomplishment he has that Edward couldn’t easily replicate. Just because Jonathan suffered through nine years of higher education that would have driven Edward into a murderous rage doesn’t mean he’s better than him. “A maze is a type of puzzle is it not? Last time I checked I was the prince of puzzles which, in my eyes, makes me more entitled to use mazes in my traps. I also think it makes me sound cooler. I mean, ‘clown prince of crime’? How pathetic is that.”

“They’re both pathetic,” Jonathan says. “I don’t know why people keep trying to call us princes like we’re not all broke psychopaths.”

“I’m not broke.”

“But you don’t deny being a psychopath?”

Edward continues to glower at the other man who is still fighting against a smile. “I can’t believe you’re not on my side right now.”

Jonathan shrugs. “I mean, you have to admit your costume color schemes are remarkably similar.”

“They are not! My preferred color scheme is green and purple, his is purple and green, okay, they’re distinctly different!”

“Edward,” he says, using that tone he always takes when Edward is acting irrational, “Don’t you think you’re taking this a bit too seriously?”

“Not in the slightest,” he insists, knowing that this is arguably a stupid thing to care about. “You’ll never know what it’s like to always play second fiddle to everyone’s favorite costumed criminal. At least people are scared of you. Everyone just thinks I’m some kind of joke thief.”

“Well, maybe you need to give them something to be scared of. Show them you mean business.”

“Oh yeah? And how do you propose I do that in a way that is both on brand and not derivative of the Joker’s own crime sprees?”

Jonathan’s smile changes, becoming less humorous and more devious. Edward can see the familiar gleam in his eye that indicates the Scarecrow’s mind is hard at work. There’s the Jonathan he’s used to. “I bet I could give you a few ideas,” he says slyly, finishing the rest of his drink in a single swallow. “If you don’t have any qualms about torturing people.”

Despite the fact that he’s still annoyed with Jonathan for making fun of him, Edward can’t help but flash a smile back at the other man. There’s just something about those clever, sinister eyes that always draw him right back in. “What did you have in mind?”

[jazy3]

Thoughts on Grey’s Anatomy: 17X10

SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

I loved this episode! It was so so good! I loved seeing Mark and Lexie on the beach encouraging Meredith to return. I knew Lexie was going to be back based on last week’s promo, but I literally screamed out loud twice when Mark appeared on screen! I was shocked! I like what Mark and Lexie said to Meredith about the sand not being real and that the beach was in Meredith’s head and was her happy place and that it wasn’t real. She was in control even if she didn’t feel like it. Seeing her lost loved ones comforts her in her time of need. When living people she loves come to talk to her she sees them because it’s comforting.

I have a theory about who we see and why. Since this episode establishes that the beach is in Meredith’s head and she can go back if she wants to I think DeLuca appearing on the beach and them getting closer and her watching him reunite with his mother was her brain’s interpretation of people coming into her room and telling her that DeLuca had been injured and needed surgery and that he was stable and then telling her that he wasn't and had died from his injuries.

She needed closure on a tumultuous relationship so her COVID wrecked brain gave it to her in the form of a peaceful COVID fever dream during a difficult team. She sees and hears Hayes because she’s falling for him the same way that he’s falling for her and because he’s talking about her kids who she loves. She wants to go back but she’s doesn’t know how. She sees Richard and Bailey and hears their concerns and how worried they are about her because Richard is like a father to her and Bailey is a maternal figure in her life.

She wants to go back and as George says to her if she doesn’t it will break Richard. She sees Derek because he’s the love of her life and he represents death and passing over which is a real possibility and option. His presence comforts her in a way that no one else’s can. She sees George because what he did and how he died changed her life and they never got to have that closure in life. She never got to tell him that, but in her fever dream she does. She gets that closure and gets to re-examine why she did what she did. Why she goes all out for everyone like he did.

Seeing Mark and Lexie gives her closure too. Lexie provides that joy and that sunny optimism Meredith used to hate but eventually grew to love and missed so much when she died. Mark provides laughter and gives her the matter of fact tough love that she needs to hear in her time of need. Everyone plays a part and brings us joy and closure in the process. I loved Mark’s lines about how sometimes he yells in everyone’s ears to try and get them to listen and see reason. How sometimes people listen to him and think it’s their own idea and sometimes they don’t. How Callie and Arizona’s divorce made him shout.

It made me think of all the times when Lexie and Mark and other characters probably shouted at the living characters for their stupidity. Meredith deciding to waste her time dating DeLuca? Lexie and Derek definitely yelled in her ears for that. Every stupid fight, divorce, break up, date, and bad decision the characters have made since Derek, Mark, Lexie, and George died? They’ve definitely screamed their ears off at them. We now know that George tries to shake the grief out of his mother and Mark and Lexie make a habit of yelling in the ears of their loved ones making horrible decisions. I love it!

There’s something so hilarious and reassuring about the dead who have left us yelling and shaking us from beyond the grave and us taking that as a sign or our own idea and moving forward and making better decisions. I loved seeing Meredith talk about Bailey’s birthday party with Lexie and how what he really wanted for his birthday was for all of them to laugh. That establishes that Bailey’s birthday is in March or April. Which again makes that gelato DeLuca comment from Episode 8 literally impossible because he couldn’t have brought Bailey gelato for his actual or half birthday when he and Meredith only dated for a few months and he only met her kids officially a few weeks before they broke up.

Hayes’ storyline with his sister-in-law Irene was everything! We learned more about her, got to see what her relationship with Hayes is like, and learned more about how his boys are handling everything. He got his own storyline and development. I love it! His tour of the hospital on the way to the OR was hilarious! “And that is a supply closet!” LOL! I loved how supportive Irene was of him moving on. She really wanted to meet Meredith this great General Surgeon he keeps talking about all the time to his boys to the point that she knows all about her and knows that Hayes is definitely smitten. I loved her line when Hayes told her she couldn’t meet Meredith because she was on a ventilator and she looked at him and said, “Again?”

The fact that she knows he likes her because of the way he smiles every time he talks about her to the point that the boys have picked up on it and told her? My heart! Irene really came through for us in this episode! Bless her! Hayes was so distraught this episode. I like that they really showed his process and how upset he was that Meredith was still on a vent and that Irene was sick. His pain when he talked to Jo about how he couldn’t bear to tell his boys that they had lost another person that they love whose been taking care of them was heart wrenching.

Irene is a total badass. The information we’ve gotten about her shows what a fiercely loyal and supportive person she is. Cormac and Abigail meet at the Surgical Innovation Conference in LA when Abigail is a starving artist and Cormac is early on in his medical career. His conversations with Meredith show that he’s unfamiliar with American medical terms and colloquialisms and he talks about growing up in Ireland and how every day is Pro Bono Surgery Day there. We know that after his wife died he took his boys and moved to Zurich, Switzerland where he worked for two years before moving to the U.S.A. to take the job in Seattle.

We also know that Irene was Abigail’s POA when she was sick and that prior to the pandemic she was back living in LA. All of which implies that sometime after Abigail and Cormac met she decided to move to Ireland to be with him and they got married and she gave birth to Liam and Austin while Hayes was a practising surgeon in Ireland. But that when Abigail got sick Irene gave up her life in LA to move to Ireland for several years to be her sister’s POA and support her nephews and brother-in-law.

Abigail ultimately died and following that Cormac took Liam and Austin and moved to Zurich at which point Irene moved back to LA where she was living during Season 16 when they went to visit her during the Conference Episode. When the COVID-19 Pandemic hit the U.S. Irene then insisted on moving to Seattle to care for Liam and Austin while Cormac worked at Grey Sloan. Cormac and Irene drive each other crazy and agree on nothing and her own sister called her crazy before she died and yet she picked up and moved her whole life across the Atlantic and then to a different state for them. That’s love. That’s badass. You keep doing you Irene!

The scenes with Jo and Catherine in the OR cracked me up! "Child, who throws away a kidney? Lord." Haha! I loved Jo’s reaction when Catherine brought up switching careers. At first, I was confused as to why Jo lied, but then my friend Amy who I watch with pointed out that maybe Jo doesn’t want her boss to know she’s considering switching specialties just yet. I’d honestly like to see Jo switch from General to Urology. As Catherine says there are few women in the field and there are a lot of general surgeons on this show.

Jo switching from one surgical specialty to another to find joy and challenge herself makes sense to me. Her switching from general surgery to OBGYN does not. I thought she was going to adopt that baby Luna but then she told Jackson and Link that she doesn’t want to have children now or maybe ever and their scene this episode was pretty short. I thought when she was considering switching to OBGYN that either Carina or Hayes would train her.

But they’ve moved Carina over to Station 19 so completely that her brother died on Grey’s Anatomy and we only saw her briefly at the end of Episode 8 when she attended her brother’s memorial. Prior to this episode I would have described Jo and Hayes as friends, but they were pretty adversarial this episode and at this point they seem to be two people that like each other well enough and who respect each other’s surgical skills and that’s it. So, based on this week’s episode Hayes definitely isn’t going to step up and train Jo in his specialty. They’re not close enough and he’s got enough on the go.

I loved the scene where Jo and Jackson were in bed together and Jo started talking about how scary his Mom was and he was like why are you talking about my Mom when we’re naked together? It reminded me of how April thought his Mom was the coolest and walked on water and would talk about it when they were together. Made me laugh! I love seeing Maggie innovate and find a way to help those poor patients and double the hospital’s ventilator capacity!

Seeing Richard dance it out at the news and then again when him and Owen successfully took Meredith off the vent and she began breathing on her own was glorious! Such joy! Winston’s proposal and Maggie’s acceptance of it surprised me! I like them together and want them to get their happy ending, but this feels a bit sudden likely brought on by all the stress they are experiencing.

I mean Amelia and Link have a child together and are also co-parenting Leo and Allison with Teddy and Owen and are raising a boatload of children during the pandemic and they’re not married or engaged.  It was nice that Teddy and Owen finally stopped fighting after half a season of nonsense! That was nice. I loved how Amelia stepped up and supported Teddy and told her what she needed to hear. Yeah therapy sucks sometimes. It can be uncomfortable. So are mammograms.

We still get them! You have to put in the work to get better otherwise it doesn’t happen. I like that they are showing us the process of Teddy getting better while making sure that the kids are looked after. Teddy is doing a bit better, but she’s still not well enough to be looking after Leo and Allison by herself without supervision and since Amelia is at home anyways she might as well help.

Plus, it’s probably good for Leo and Allison to play with Zola, Bailey, and Ellis. They’ve only seen Owen and his Mom for two months. I liked the moment where Teddy said that Ellis looked like Amelia and that they really are sisters. She’s Meredith’s daughter, but she’s clearly picked up some of Amelia’s mannerisms because Amelia’s helping to raise her. Which does happen. Also, she’s Derek’s daughter too and since Amelia and Derek are siblings and share a resemblance it makes sense that she might also share traits with Ellis. I like that we are learning more about Bailey and Ellis this season.

Seeing the joy on everyone’s faces, including Zola’s, when Owen came in and told everyone that they took Meredith off the vent and that she was breathing on her was palpable. Such a great moment! I loved the moment where Tom was holding a rosary praying for Meredith and Owen finally stopped being a jerk for five seconds to comfort him and tell him about his own experience with survivor’s guilt after coming back from Iraq after his entire platoon was killed.

I’d like to see them explore Tom’s relationship with faith more. Something else I loved? The texts from Cristina! Loved it! Owen was like I can read her charts myself and Cristina was like I don’t care take a picture! I love that we’ve seen Cristina through text messages the last two seasons. I really miss her. Also is anyone updating Alex? I feel like they are, but I would love to see them mention or show it on screen. Same with Callie and Arizona. I felt like Hayes was the obvious choice for keeping Cristina up to date but seeing as he has a lot going on this episode my guess is that she texted him and he didn’t respond because he was too busy worrying about Irene so she texted Owen and asked for an update.

Did anyone else feel like it was hypocritical for Owen to be so mad at Teddy for still being in love with Allison and not telling him about their relationship when he’s apparently been texting Cristina about Meredith’s condition and talking to Amelia regularly this whole time? He clearly still has feelings for both of them and they are still very much alive and in communication with him and he’s mad that Teddy didn’t tell him about a dead lover? Jerk.

I loved seeing Levi step up and step into his own as a doctor. He’s no longer the bumbling fool of seasons past. He’s got his crap together and he’s going to do what needs to be done to keep his patient alive and healthy. His song about hump day cracked me up! Link was so happy to be operating this episode LOL! His comment about the poop diaper explosion was something else. Seeing Richard’s anger and frustration and seeing him explain how he was feeling to Link felt raw and really expressed how we’re all feeling like now. The fact that being low on ventilators is a real problem that hospitals have been facing ever since the pandemic started is enraging! I hate that this is real.

I hate that real hospitals with real patients have to make these kinds of calls. Health care providers are real superheroes. I could never make a decision like that. How do you decide who lives and who dies? How do you decide who needs a ventilator most and live with the consequences for you and the patient? I couldn’t do it. I love that Meredith appears to be waking up in next week’s promo. My bet is that she’s going to reunite with Derek one last time and then wake up. I’m interested to see Richard fill her in on what’s being going on and to see Amelia and Link talk about the possibility of getting married at some point. Also, can we take a moment to appreciate shirtless Link? Hot!

Until next time!

[mithranqueersmusings]

Before This Dance Is Through II

Chapter: 2/16

Rating: T

Summary: Ringo's being going through a dry spell for the last year or so and when he regretfully tells his best friend John, he insists on taking them to an all-male strip club for some "fun". Ringo isn't sure whether it's the alcohol, his desperation or a mixture of the two but he thinks he might be falling in love with a stripper.

Tags: AU - Strippers, Modern Setting, Smut, Slow Burn

Pairings: George Harrison/Ringo Starr, John Lennon/Paul McCartney

AO3 link here / Fic masterlist here

Ringo was just about to get into bed when a notification rang out from his phone, it was charging on the other side of the room because that was the only way he could get himself out of bed in the morning. It was almost 2 o'clock in the morning which meant the text could only be from one person.

        you up???

This was far from the first of these texts that Ringo had received from John, they were almost a weekly occurrence by this point but more often than not Ringo had already fallen asleep.

        was just about to go to bed. why?

        do you have work tomorrow????

        not until 12         do you?

        fuck off

John was a writer, a poet more than anything, which meant that he was always working which really meant that he was never working. Ringo was a drum teacher, had been for almost 7 years at this point, which wasn't as exciting as it sounded; he mostly worked for rich families who had a child who was trying to do something edgy or was brought into schools for one of those strange activity days. Drumming was Ringo's passion and while he was glad that he was able to earn money doing something he loved, he dearly wished he was able to drum for himself rather than spending several hours a week just trying to get a kid to hold the sticks correctly.

        i was about to take a little ride down the helter skelter         care to join me ;)

Ringo stared down at his phone for a moment. It had been over a week since John had dragged him out to that strip club, and while he'd like to say that he'd forgotten about the whole thing it was far from the truth. The sight of Spike dancing on that stage had plagued his memory almost every night since, leading to more than one occasion of late-night indulgence. Ringo had felt guilty touching himself thinking about the other man, but he couldn't pinpoint the reason; he supposed it must've been the guilt he'd felt when watching him dance, and the shame that followed from having to run away into the bathroom like a scared, little kid. His thumbs were frozen in place hovering above his phone screen while his mind was racing. The sensible part of his brain told him to just go to bed, if he indulged this desire tonight it would make the last time more than a one-off and he wasn't sure he was prepared to accept that. Yet the deeper part of his mind, the one he often tried to ignore, urged him to go back just for the opportunity to see Spike again - after all, the current wank material he was providing was getting a little stale.

        have you fallen asleep you twat

        no no im still here

        well do you wanna come or not?? i can pick you up

        are you sober?

        mostly

        mostly?

        fuck sake         ARE YOU COMING OR NOT

        fine         but ill drive

        whatever makes you happy

As much as he wouldn't like to admit it, Ringo spent a ridiculous amount of time - by his standards - choosing what to wear. Even though he knew the club was dangerously dark, and even though what he wore shouldn't really matter, that voice in the back of his mind told him to look nice for him. For the stripper he'd seen for about 5 minutes, the stripper whose real name he didn't even know, who probably didn't even remember Ringo in the slightest. He'd tried his best to not read too far into the obsession his brain seemed to have with Spike - trying to separate himself from his thoughts as though they were two separate beings had been a vital step in this - but as he stood in front of his mirror comparing two near identical jumpers, he supposed he wasn't going to be able to ignore it for much longer. His heart even felt heavy at the thought that Spike might be working tonight; he couldn't tell if it was just a strange fixation that his desperation had conjured up but the only thing he knew for certain was that he wanted to see him again.

Ringo arrived at John's place later than he would've liked but when the front door was opened to revealed a very ruffled, very drunk man, Ringo figured John wouldn't have noticed how long he'd been.

"Mostly sober?" Ringo scoffed at the sight of him, his cheeks rosy and a satisfied smile spread across his lips.

"You're not my mum and you're not the police, so fuck off." John was leaning against the door-frame, Ringo supposed partly for support and partly to look cool.

It was a common occurrence for John to get like this, far more common than Ringo would've liked. John drank a lot, at first Ringo figured it was just something everyone did when they got old enough to drink with almost no consequences, then as it continued he tried to explain it away as just something artists did. Years had passed since Ringo had first noticed it and nothing had really changed, it had gotten worse if anything, but there was nothing he really felt he could do. He debated whether he should cancel the plan altogether, to insist that John stayed home and got some sleep, but things were never really that simple. He was almost certain that if he refused to drive them, John would only find another way. He'd tried multiple things over the years: dragging him along to AA meetings, swearing to give up alcohol alongside him, even refusing to hang out with him if he'd been drinking, but nothing seemed to work. John had been through a lot, still was going through a lot, so Ringo figured the best thing he could do was simply to be there for John, it was both the most and least he could do.

Before they headed out Ringo at least managed to convince John to eat some leftover Chinese food he had in the fridge in an attempt to soak up the alcohol somewhat - and to ensure he'd had at least one semi-decent meal that day. They then slid into Ringo's car, it was a little beaten up but it served its purpose, and drove off to the place Ringo was almost certain would be the death of him. It was a Saturday so unsurprisingly the club was a great deal busier than it had been last time, there were several small groups of people smoking outside, some of them clearly workers and how they weren't risking getting frostbite Ringo didn't know. Any hopes of John sobering up a little on the journey there were dashed when he immediately hurried over to the bar as soon as they walked in the door. Ringo tried to stick to his side as best he could, his nervousness from the first time felt like it had tripled with how busy the place was now, so he aimed to keep in John's gravitational pull as much as possible. The music seemed louder but Ringo was certain that was just his imagination. They had to elbow their way to the front of the bar just to get noticed, luckily John had no qualms doing it, which resulted in a few glares from the other customers.

With their drinks in hand they couldn't sit - or hide as Ringo saw it - at the bar like they had done last time, instead they moved further into the club in search for a place to sit. There was a booth near the bathroom that was empty, for obvious reasons, which Ringo pulled them towards desperately. Maybe this was a bad idea. What was he really expecting after all? At most he'd catch another glimpse of Spike, almost have a heart-attack then have to run home less than ten minutes later. Anxiety began nibbling away at his mind, it had a nasty habit of doing that, and the claustrophobic atmosphere wasn't helping. John seemed right at home, as he did almost anywhere, craning his neck between people in search for someone.

"Looking for your Paulie?" Ringo asked in an eager attempt to calm his nerves.

"He's hardly mine." John chuckled, not turning to look at Ringo but continuing his search "Might not even be working tonight."

"Don't you have like his schedule or something?" Ringo sipped his drink.

"That'd be making things a little too official. Not really my style." John sat back in his seat with a small huff, clearly he didn't find what he was looking for.

From where they were sitting they had a fairly obstructed view of the stage but from what little Ringo could gather he wasn't too interested: a muscular man dressed as a policeman was gradually getting undressed while making crude use of a prop baton.

"Any sign of your guy?" John shouted to be heard over the music and it made Ringo jump.

Ringo paused for a moment looking into John's eyes, he considered playing dumb but decided there was no use "Afraid not. Maybe he's not working tonight either."

"That'd be some rotten luck." John clicked his tongue in his mouth "Let's check the back."

"The back?" Ringo raised an eyebrow "That sounds unbelievably dodgy."

"It's not! Well..." John broke his sentence with a laugh "It's just where they do the more 'alternative' stuff, you know?"

"No I don't know, but I suppose I'm gonna find out." Ringo chuckled rather weakly.

John raised his glass in the air a little and Ringo clinked his own against it, they downed the remainder of their drinks and slammed the glasses down on the table unnecessarily hard. John then led them around the edge of the stage, they managed to get another drink at the second bar before they headed down a suspiciously narrow set of stairs which led to an even darker corridor. They then passed through a squeaky door into a small room, barely lit excluding a spotlight focused on a stage at the other end. There were several people scattered across the limited space, a few resting against a makeshift bar which consisted of planks of wood connected to the walls and the rest sat to face the stage.

And there he was. Spike was sat on a stool onstage with an acoustic guitar in his lap and absolutely nothing else. It wasn't a sight Ringo had been prepared for, as much as the erotic gyrating and tear-away clothing had been a shock to his system this was completely different.

Ringo stopped in his tracks when he computed the sight: his pale, lean body curled up around the guitar that he was playing beautifully. His hair wasn't coiffed this time, rather it fell down across his sharp face in waves with faint curls. John turned around when he'd noticed Ringo's absence beside him, a sly grin curled on his face as he grabbed Ringo's arm and pulled him down to the front where they sat.

"What did I tell you?" John whispered "Sexy art."

Spike didn't seem to notice them despite how close they were, he seemed completely immersed in the music he was playing. Ringo hadn't recognised the song at first, perhaps he'd been to busy focusing on other things, but now he could tell it was 'Heaven' by Talking Heads; he made a happy note in his mind that it seemed like the two of them had a somewhat similar music taste, although he couldn't really admit that such a thing shouldn't matter. Looking around at the other customers, it looked like they were mostly taking refuge from the chaos of the main room, many of them resting their heads against the bar for some comfort and the others bordering on unconscious.

Somehow this occasion made Ringo feel even more nervous, even though their previous encounter had been extremely closer and inherently sexual, it was more personal therefore way more uncomfortable. He could hear his voice now, another piece of the puzzle he was shamefully building in his mind, and it was beautiful. It was a little husky but still gentle, an accent poking through in places. Ringo could get a better look at his face now: the dark eyelashes, the hints of hair between his two eyebrows and sharp canine teeth protruding from his open mouth. His eyes focused on the slender fingers playing the guitar strings, veins showing underneath the skin. Ringo felt like he was watching something very private, as if Spike was completely unaware of everyone's presence and could see nothing but his guitar. A quick way to Ringo's heart was through music and it was looking like Spike had bought a first-class ticket.

Ringo hadn't even noticed that the song had ended at first, not until John began clapping and cheering loudly in his ear. Spike seemed similarly out of it, the sudden sound of John snapping his attention away from the music and he gave a small smile in response. They seemed like completely different people: the strutting, confident man from a week ago and the soft, vulnerable one in front of them now. Sparse claps followed shortly after John's, the lack of energy caused by alcohol wearing off was very evident.

"You're pretty good." John almost shouted, Ringo wasn't sure if it was because he was drunk or he still hadn't adjusted from the other room.

"Thanks." Spike replied, his fingers still wrapped around the neck of the guitar "Any requests?"

Ringo had thought his singing voice was beautiful, but the way he spoke somehow had even more of an effect on him. The accent was thicker now and judging by how such a small amount of words could excite him so much, Ringo knew he was in trouble.

"I dunno... What do you think Ringo?" John nudged his friend beside him, embarrassingly emphasising his name which just about managed to shake Ringo from the daze he was falling into.

"Oh, er-" Ringo stammered for a second, Spike looking right at him wasn't helping his nerves in the slightest "Know any Bob Dylan?"

Spike laughed at this and for a moment Ringo cursed himself but before he could chastise himself too harshly, Spike smiled again and spoke "He's one of my favourites."

John nudged Ringo again but he wasn't paying enough attention to him to get embarrassed. He was far too focused on how Spike's fingers began to play the guitar once more, the way his lips moved over his teeth and how his bare feet tapped against the footrest of the stool as he began singing 'Just Like a Woman'. Once again he seemed to disappear into the music which Ringo was very grateful for, for if his eyes began to wander and met his unfaltering gaze he was certain he wouldn't be able to take it. For the majority of the song Ringo had completely forgotten his surroundings, the faint pulse of the loud music from upstairs or the drooling men strewn about the room, he'd even forgotten that Spike was naked while he played. John seemed similarly impressed, although he was considerably more inebriated than Ringo was, and he could see John passing him a few sideways glances during the song.

When the song ended John enthusiastically applauded once more, Ringo followed suit with a slight delay as he found his mind shutting off everything around him. Spike looked down at the two of them with a smile, shuffled in the stool then stood up.

"Well that's all from me." He spoke "Thanks for listening." The words were directed purely at John and Ringo, while there were others who appeared to be barely listening in the back nobody else seemed to be paying much attention.

"Wait!" John called out, startling both Spike and Ringo "Are you done for the night?"

Spike chuckled softly "No, they're gonna close this room in a little bit though, so you might wanna clear out."

"Will you give my friend a private dance?" John asked and now it was Ringo's turn to nudge him.

"Not dressed like this I can't." Spike gestured with his free hand to his nakedness, his guitar was the only thing upholding his modesty.

Ringo was glaring at John now, who only gave him a quick glance before returning his attention back to Spike "How about we come find you upstairs in a few minutes?"

"Fine by me." Spike replied and turned his gaze to Ringo "But your friend doesn't seem too keen."

He didn't give either of them time to protest, which was probably for the best because Ringo was having trouble articulating any coherent thoughts, as he turned his back and walked off the stage. Ringo fought the urge to not look at his arse as he left, and failed entirely. John giggled at the sight which broke Ringo's absentmindedness. The nudge evolved into a harder shove which only intensified John's laughter.

"I hate you." Ringo hissed but he couldn't stop the laughter from breaking through.

"What did I do?" John held his hands up helplessly and Ringo gave him another shove which rocked the chair sideways.

A bouncer walked into the room at the moment, calling for everyone to head back upstairs; Ringo envied the unconscious drunkards that were unable to return to the main room. John's laughter didn't subside the entire time they made their way up the stairs, only being silenced when he took a sip of his newly ordered drink. The room had thinned out a little, Ringo supposed the closing of downstairs only signalled that most people were going to start heading home now, but there were clearly many people who were aiming to stay as long as they possibly could. They managed to get two seats at the bar which allowed Ringo to look amongst the crowd nervously for any sight of Spike.

"What are you so worried about?" John asked, leaning his elbow on the counter.

"Honestly I don't know." Ringo chuckled "It's a bit pathetic, huh?"

"You said it, not me." John grinned "No, no it's just strange. I know you're not the world's biggest slut but you're no prude either."

"I don't think it's a prude thing." Ringo suggested.

"Then what?" John pried, he ran his finger around the rim of his glass.

"It's just him." Ringo lowered his voice a little.

"Well shit. Ringo's in love with a stripper." John matched Ringo's volume but enunciated the words enough that he may as well have been shouting.

"Shut up." Ringo shook his head "You're one to talk."

"Don't bring Paulie into this, that's a strictly professional relationship." John pointed his finger in Ringo's face which made him laugh. "This isn't about me anyway, it's about you. I'm not leaving here until you get that dance."

"You might be waiting a while then." Ringo said a little sadly.

"Nope, I refuse. You'll thank me later, I swear to it." John had moved his hand to Ringo's shoulder now.

"I'm just scared." Ringo mumbled.

"Of what? Ringo, these people have put up with the weirdest, creepiest fucks you can imagine. He'll probably be over the moon that you don't look like you belong on a register." John shook Ringo lightly, forcing him to look up at him.

Ringo let out a huff "Fine, if it'll shut you up."

"Sure if that's the line you wanna go with." John chuckled "You want it Ringo, stop denying yourself the pleasure. Be more like me."

"I dunno if I wanna take it that far." Ringo looked out amongst the room again and caught sight of a familiar face.

John followed Ringo's line of sight and beamed when he spotted Spike "Come on then, time to pop your cherry."

"Please don't put it like that." Ringo rolled his eyes as John pulled him up from his seat.

It wasn't really nervousness he was feeling, it was difficult to pinpoint exactly what it was. Ringo knew that he if he didn't want to this then he didn't have to, it would've been as simple as that, but he did want to. It was probably exactly how much he wanted it that scared him. Like the feeling that happens right before getting up on stage or before revealing good news to a loved one: excitement so intense it can turn into sickness. And Ringo was excited; he was very, very excited.

[outerspaceisbetterthannothing]

My Ultimate Reading List v2.0 Fics

A/N: As some of you have heard or seen, My Ultimate Reading List (in it’s original version) has crashed on desktop because of (as I realised trying to restore it) too big number of links, so I’m basically recreating the whole thing in a new format. This post goes for One Shots and Serieses. There’s one more post for Blurbs. I’m really sorry for the tag notifs for the people who has been tagged already in a previous version. Hope it’s not much of an inconvenience. I’m also not going to delete the first version of the list, as it’s been liked and reposted a lot of times, it’s still working on mobile, so some might still use it. But all the updates are going to happen only on this post, which I’m going to put in my bio instead of an old one.

So, this list was created because of my crazy urge to reread favourite fics and blurbs from time to time. It was made purely for me, but if it helps you to find a fic or a writer you’d love, I’d be only happy. I tried to make navigation easy. For blurbs links go to my reblogs, for oneshots and full lengths links go to the original posts. I try to check links from time to time, but if you see that some of them don’t work, please, hmu.

* stands for the implied smut

*** stands for the pure smut

This list is far from finished, that’s just the first things that came to mind and/or were reblogged. Still have a ton to add. So will update it every now and then.

NOTE, pls: There’s no Michael content here! And that’s not because I don’t like him or don’t appreciate him enough. I guess, it’s quite the opposite tbh. There’s no Michael content here because I appreciate him too much. I love this cute little kitten, he’s the most precious soul and, most of the time I think, there would be no 5sos without Michael Gordon Clifford. I just don’t have any fantasies or images of him in me, don’t see him in any way romantically. That’s why I don’t read (or write for that matter) about him as main character. I understand, that I miss a whole lotta great authors and fics because of that. Maybe it’ll change in the future. But for now, it is what it is.

Also HUGE SHOUT OUT TO THE PEOPLE WHOSE WRITING IS ON THE LIST - THANK YOU FOR THIS! THESE FICS AND BLURBS BELOW HAVE REALLY GIVEN ME ALL TYPES OF FEELS, INSPIRATION, MOTIVATION AND CONTENT. I’M FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR THESE WONDERFUL GIFTS YOU GAVE TO ALL OF US.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, WONDERFUL PEOPLE! ALL MY LOVE FOR YOU!

Oneshots

Ashton

Heartbeat by @gigglyirwin [Classic fluff and one of my all time faves]

Our Shining Star [Dad!Ashton] by @myloverboyash [Special thank you to @lashtoncurls for the tracking down the runaway author lol]

Blindfold*** by @cal-puddies​ [Cashton smut which is too hot for this world]

Ain’t nobody got a drummer like mine*** by @myloverboyash [Drumming and banging 👀 at the drum kit]

I Can Love You In The Shower*** by @myloverboyash [Cute giggly shower sex with a little bit of trauma]

Will We Always Be Pretending*** by @myloverboyash [Bff to lovers AND fake dating in one fic, what else could you wish for???]

Wherever You Are*** by @myloverboyash [childhood best friends to lovers]

Let Me Be The One To Save You pt 1 and pt 2 by @myloverboyash [prince!Ashton Au by which I am intrigued and I AM WAITING PATIENTLY, SKYLER, LOL]

Noticed Nights by @calpops [Artist!Ash and another masterpiece by Eve]

Calum

The Little Spoon by @gigglyirwin [Classic fluff] 

Valentine’s Day*** by @angelbabylu

Lucky Shot In Paradise*** by @cakesunflower [Bartender!Cal]

Heartbeat by @uncrownedqueeen [Dad!Cal]

All These Years by @felicitycal

Blindfold*** by @cal-puddies [Cashton smut which is too hot for this world]

No chemistry*** by @novacxlum [Heartbreakingly great college enemies to lovers]

Where were you in the morning?* by @snapbackcake [If this ultimately truthful but sad af one won’t make you cry, consider asking for help, because it’s too sad but also beautiful as hell]

Let me good to you*** by @snapbackcake [The description says it’s 6.8k words of absolute filth, and I have nothing else to add besides of what a great filth it is, so, 18+ kids]

Road Trip: Cake*** by @softforcal [Er, Cake threesome, idek what to say here]

Redamancy by @cakesunflower [Heart wrecking fluff]

Birthday Getaway by @etherealhood [Cuteness and romance overload]

Ghost of you by @myloverboyash [Super angst, prepare to cry your eyeballs out, and i’m still in my feels, Skyler, how could you???]

Picture this by @currentlyupcalsass [One of the best college au’s ever]

Best Friend’s Brother*** by @lukescaboose [Nerdy Cal and soft smut]

Another Ride*** by @babyloontrash [Another Cal smut which is like, really hot]

The Course of True Love Never Did Run Smooth*** by @i-calumhood [Wonderful enemies to fuck buddies to lovers with an asshole college!Cal]

Ice*** by @morningfears [Super hot enemies to lovers with hockey player Cal aka an ultimate dream]

Ka Hopena by @wildflowergrae​ [Soulmate AU, surfing and Hawaii, what else can you ask for?]

We Got That Good Love*** by @myloverboyash​ [Sex in the shower and like wet Calum)]

Balloon*** by @currentlyupcalsass [one of the most precious things I have ever read in my entire live! realisation of love to Calum of mc and absolute happiness for you]

First Concert by @ukulelecal [dad!Cal and kids visiting 5sos concert]

Eleven*** by @babyloontrash [fwb with breakfast]

Luke

Boyfriend’s little brother*** by @lukehemmingssmut  [There was also a second part promised, sooooo ^.^]

Fuck me like you hate me*** by @myloverboyash

Baby*** by @lukescaboose [Sweetest ever bff to lovers with soft boi Lu]

Hashimoto by @burncrashbromance​ [special for Disabled!Sos]

Full lengths and Serieses

Ashton

Hate sex Series*** by @irwinofficial Tell Me How Much You Hate Me, Our Kinky Secret, Good Enough, No Longer A Secret  [one of the best Ash smuts ever 👀]

Side chick*** by @cal-puddies [Beautifully filthiest smut with cheating, all the wrong choices and Cashton love triangle] part 1, part 2

Calum

Sugar Coated Pain by @cakesunflower [Boxer!Cal] [That’s what I lost my 5sos-fanfiction-virginity to, so, hey, Summer, thanks for the experience lmao]

Cigarette series*** by @cal-puddies [Best friend!Calum and a lot of hot smut 👀] Cigarette, Corona, Rolling Papers, Black on Black, Stuck [which was later replaced by the next part, but I’ll put it as long as it exists on the original list of parts, but don’t get confused], Navy Button Down, A Hotter Touch, Pancakes, The Second Thing, Ours, Losing You, Little toes, Holy Water, Date Night, Me, You and Little Hood, Five Years Later

Wherever you are by @mysticalhood [Long distance with Cal and tons of tears with me]

Dates With Cal by @calpops [this is so cute i higkey don’t want it to end like ever] First date, Second date, Second date pt, Third date, Calum cooking part one and two, The next evening, Cuddling and meeting guys, Worrying about ‘his girl’, Being her only guy, Meeting Mali, Soft nights, Talking about her family, Not everybody liking her, Tropical getaway, Being smitten around guys, Leaving talk, Night before the tour, Being away from each other, Cal coming home, Saying ‘i love you’, Cal being jealous of Duke, Watching her in the morning, Taking a bath together, Talking to guys about taking a next step, Grocery shopping, Asking her to move in, Choosing a house, Packing her stuff, Packing his stuff, First night in the new house, Unpacking, Finding out habits

Business Blurbs by @calpops [series of blurbs of Calum and Ash being owners of a record shop, Luke keeping an antique store and Mike having a bakery]

Masquerade Made by @calpops [fake dating college AU blurb series] First party, Fighting in a philosophy class

Veiled Valor by @calpops [pirate!Calum, runaway princess, heart wrecking mutual pining and writing style deserving 19th century prose] Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7

Versace on the Floor by @singt0mecalum [Dad’s friend Calum, age difference and *supposedly* hottiest content] Intro chapter

[kitandkanoodle]

magnet and steel

Happy birthday to the amazing, beautiful, and talented @starments​!  May you forever be fantastic and kind and astoundingly brilliant.

Gamora is the lead guitarist of Guardian, an up and coming rock band known for their catchy songs and near-disastrous shows.  Also, she's in a clandestine relationship with the lead singer, Peter Quill.

Both things are going well.

She thinks.

------

Alternately, the rock band AU that literally no one asked for.

read it here on AO3

Gamora has always been a deeply private person.

Ironic, obviously, given the fact that she’s stepping more and more often into the public eye as Guardian’s popularity began to rise, but nevertheless, she still values keeping her work life and her private life separate.   She deftly avoids the paparazzi, ducking into dark alleys or storefronts before they even notice her.

Peter, on the other hand – whose stage name, Star-Lord, is becoming a little more commonplace – handles it far better.  He grins and winks and drinks in the attention like a sponge.  He flirts with their fans from the stage, charms the interviewers with crooked smiles.  Peter is the spokesperson of the band, thanks to his easy charisma, but considering who the other members are, that’s hardly a surprise.  

Normally, he could take the difficult questions and talk circles around his answer.  Usually those questions had to do with their rumored criminal history – running with gangs or starting drunken bar brawls or stealing cars – and sometimes, their interviewers had more than a few pointed questions about the rumors of Peter’s “involvement” with Gamora.  

Their “involvement” with one another was no one’s business, Gamora had decided.  While Peter had told her repeatedly that he would gladly shout it from the rooftops, if he could, that he would dedicate every song and lyric to her, he respected her choice.

She wanted this for them.  She didn’t want their relationship to gather any attention.  It was theirs and no one else’s.

And Peter would babble, would hop from segue to segue until the interviewer feels satisfied, despite never receiving a proper answer, or until the interviewer has forgotten the question in the first place.  

Right now, though, Peter sits rigidly, eyes wide and hands clenched into tight fists in his lap.

Gamora is seated beside him, and her gaze darts to him briefly before glaring back at the interviewer.

“I think we should move on,” she says, taking pains to keep her voice even.

“It’s such a tragic story,” the interviewer continues, ignoring Gamora entirely.

The interviewer, Ayesha, is beautiful, Gamora has to admit, with her hair pulled back into a high, tight bun that accentuates her cheekbones.   Peter’s type – but then again, not too long ago, anything with a pulse might have been Peter’s type.  

Gamora had glanced over at Peter as Ayesha had entered the room, and he had looked back at her with an expression that said, “I’ll be on my best behavior.”

Ayesha had spent the first ten minutes of the interview shamelessly flirting with him, and Peter had flirted back – almost politely, like it was a normal part of conversation.  And perhaps, for Peter, it was, though the instant Peter had spotted Gamora rolling her eyes, he had cleared his throat and straightened, slapping on a mask of pure professionalism.

That mask has clearly slipped in the meantime, and when Gamora looks at him now, he has the air of a man staring down a firing squad.

“It’s been sixteen years to the day, I believe,” Ayesha says smoothly.  She uncrosses her legs, only to cross them again in the opposite direction. She props her chin on her hand, elbow resting on the armrest of her chair.  “The anniversary of your mother’s death, coinciding with one of your biggest performances to date.  A bit tone-deaf, wouldn’t you say?”

Gamora has the sudden desire to punch out Ayesha’s teeth.  “If we could please move on to the next question?”

“Meredith Quill,” Ayesha continues, pretending as though Gamora had never spoken.  “A single mother, raising a young Peter Quill, who would one day become the illustrious Star-Lord.  She was taken by sickness, as I understand it?  And you, so young, to be left in the world, all on your own.  With no father to speak of, as I hear it?”

Ayesha’s brow crinkles, lips pressing together as her expression shifts into one of sympathy.  Gamora sees nothing genuine in it.  Peter shrinks in his seat, each word cutting into him like a blade.  

“A man you never met, as I understand.  Did he leave your mother after you were conceived, or was he gone soon after you were born?  A common story, of course, but a history like that has had a clear effect on your music.”

Peter gives a sharp shake of his head.  He croaks, “I don’t—”

And again, Ayesha ignores them, flipping to a page in her notes.   “Interspersed with the occasional radio-friendly hit about partying, you’ve written more than a few songs about abandonment and lost or unrequited love.  Among the dreck of Guardian’s singles – if you don’t mind my saying – are a few genuinely unique gems.  Perhaps we can get to the heart of things, and you could speak on how your experiences have molded you into the artist you are today.

“It seems you still feel the loss of your mother so keenly, Mr. Quill, after all these years.   Sixteen years is a long time to mourn, some might say.  And some might also say there’s something disingenuous in it.”

“That’s enough,” Gamora snaps, and she can hear the snarl in her own voice.

Ayesha spares her a patronizing smile before focusing back on Peter.

“Are you really so lonely, Mr. Quill?”

Peter takes a sharp breath.

Gamora stands, then, the legs of her chair squealing with the abrupt movement.  Peter’s head snaps up to stare at her, and she rests a hand on his shoulder, trying desperately to control the way she shakes with rage.

He looks so lost.

“This interview is over,” Gamora says, pulling Peter to his feet.  She marvels at how unresisting he is as she guides him from the room.

Gamora ignores the way Ayesha smirks at her, the way Ayesha leans back in her seat before offering a nod that somehow manages to be mocking and polite, all at once.

It’s been hours and hours since they left Ayesha, smug and triumphant, and Peter still hasn’t said a word.

Ayesha, of course, had gone to Twitter, lamenting the lack of professionalism from Guardian’s front man and, especially, their lead guitarist.

The others have been filling in the silence for him.  Rocket has been snarling about the interview ever since Gamora had explained what happened, and Drax has been solemnly agreeing with him.  Groot, at least, has been a solid presence at Peter’s side, silent but understanding.  

Peter has always been sensitive about his childhood, Gamora knows.  He holds the loss of his mother close to his heart.  On late, drunken nights, he had confessed to how furious he was at the father he never knew for leaving them, for never once seeming to give a shit about Peter’s mother or the life of their son.

(“Fuck that guy,” Peter had grumbled once, the words thick and running together.  Gamora had let him curl close, had let him tuck his face against her neck while she held his hand.  His breath had faintly smelled of whiskey.  “Just once, I wanna meet him so I can kick his ass.”)

And now, he stands in the wings, staring into the middle distance.  Gamora can hear their fans shouting and whistling, chanting the band’s name.  Normally the wash of noise would make Peter grin in wonder, like he could hardly believe their luck.  This is their biggest show to date, and the members of Guardian should be practically vibrating with excitement.

Mostly, though, they’re all subdued, because Peter is uncharacteristically subdued, and the silence weighs heavily on them.

“Peter,” Gamora says, standing close to be heard over the chaos.  He comes out of his daze, blinking at her owlishly, and he almost seems confused.   “Peter, do we need to cancel?”

He stares at her for a second, and it’s almost as though he just realized where he is.  He blinks again before shaking himself, looking at his surroundings like he’s seeing them for the first time.  The chanting from the auditorium echoes from the high ceilings, and Peter puts on a small, unsteady smile.

“No,” he says.  He visibly straightens, straightening out his signature leather jacket.  “No, I’m good.  It’s fine.  Let’s rock this bitch.”

Gamora looks at him uncertainly for a second, but at length, she nods.  He tries to smile again, and this time, he looks a little more like himself.  He leans forward for a quick kiss, Gamora assumes, but she pulls away on instinct.

He blinks at her again, poleaxed.

She crosses her arms as she rocks back, kicking herself for her own reaction.

“Gamora,” he says, ducking his head.  He chews on his lip.  “You and me.  Are we ever going to…”

He trails off, and Gamora frowns.

“‘Going to’ what?” she asks, and she can’t help the defensive edge in her voice.

“I mean, we’ve been— We’ve been dancing around this for forever, but we haven’t—”

She clenches her jaw, trying to swallow down her impatience.  Peter had a bad habit of babbling when he was nervous.  “‘Haven’t’ what, Peter?”

He turns to face her fully.  There’s something almost helpless in his expression, something confused and anxious and—something else Gamora can’t quite name.

“What the hell are we doing?” he asks, his voice strangely hollow.  Gamora’s blood runs cold.  “What do you want this to be?  What am I to you?  Because, Gamora— Gamora, I think— I think I’m—”

But someone is announcing the band, calling them all on stage.  The crowd’s cheering reaches a fever pitch as Drax, Rocket, and Groot run on stage first.

“Now’s not the time,” Gamora says.  She almost feels grateful for the interruption.  “We’ll talk about this later.”

But she almost hopes that with the distraction of their show and the ensuing adrenaline high and adrenaline crash, Peter will forget the questions he just asked.

Peter nods, head bowed.  “Yeah.  Of course.  Sure.”

Gamora hesitates before stepping out on stage.

Only a second or two after, the cheering suddenly becomes deafening as Peter steps into view, his showman’s smile firmly in place.  He plays up the crowd as he usually does, waving and dancing as the others test their instruments, getting comfortable.  The mic stand is decorated with one of Peter’s red scarves, and he plucks up the microphone with practiced ease.  He moves to the edge of the stage to scan their audience, a hand shading his eyes.

“Holy shit,” he says into the mic, dragging out the words, voice genuinely bright and excited.  “There’s a lot of you guys out there, huh?  Wait, hang on, can we get some houselights?”

The lights in the auditorium slowly brighten as Peter pulls his phone from his pocket and turns his back to the crowd.  He raises the phone high and crouches a little, and Gamora sees him mirrored on the phone’s screen, along with the fans grinning and waving in the background.

He announces, “We’re takin’ a selfie!”

The audience goes wild, and Peter laughs.  Gamora relaxes by degrees as Peter seems to slip into his onstage persona, all charisma and swagger, and she feels herself smiling.

“Okay, show time, a-holes,” Peter says, tucking his phone away and replacing the mic in its cradle.  He picks up his guitar from its stand – a Flying V marbled in blue and orange – and loops the strap over his head.  “We’re gonna play some music for you guys, if that’s okay.”

Another raucous cheer, and Drax clicks his drumsticks together, starting them off.

They work their way through their set, and miraculously, it’s going well.  No electrical issues, no broken drumsticks, no snapped strings.  Guardian was known for putting on a good show, but they were also known for varying mishaps spanning the gamut to minor to catastrophic and adapting on the fly.  By now, fans were there to listen to their music as much as they were there to witness things going wrong.

Gamora thinks that, for once, they might have a clean set.

Except—

Except they reach "The Goof-Off Segment,” as Peter had jokingly christened it.

Ever since an incident where Groot had completely forgotten the order of their songs, they’ve taken to printing out their setlist, with the truncated titles of their songs typed out in large, friendly letters.   This part of the show was when they let their love of music take them along.  The songs changed almost every concert, depending on their moods, and spanned anywhere from instrumentals they composed that hadn’t yet received lyrics, to older songs from their band’s infancy that never really gained traction, to covers of old favorites.

Tonight, their helpful print-out reminds them that they’re starting the Goof-Off Segment with a cover of “Brandy” by Looking Glass.

(“My mother loved this song,” Peter had told them, smiling wistfully as he shared the arrangement.  “It’s the greatest song on Earth.”)

Peter must spot it the same instant Gamora does, because he freezes, knuckles turning white as his grip tightens on the microphone.  The other Guardians are apparently unaware of Peter’s current state, because they start in on the next song before Gamora can stop them.

Peter misses his cue.

But the song continues on, and Gamora exchanges quick glances with an alarmed Groot.  Even the crowd has gone quiet, and quickly, Rocket takes up the mantle, singing in Peter’s place.  Rocket’s voice isn’t quite as clean, isn’t quite as steady, but he sings with confidence.  

Gamora turns back to offer him a grateful nod, but Rocket returns the gesture with a pointed glare – something that screams, Fucking do something.

Gamora backs away from her own mic stand, still playing along with the others on her guitar.  She calls Peter’s name.

He turns toward her, arms limp at his sides.  His expression is strangely empty, like it had been during the interview with Ayesha.

He looks like he’s drowning.

“What am I to you?” Peter had asked her, quiet and desperate and—

—and terrified, Gamora realizes now, and her chest twists with it.

Peter had been terrified.

“Are you really so lonely, Mr. Quill?” Ayesha had asked, wearing an insincere frown of sympathy.

Behind them, Rocket sings about Brandy, with her beautiful eyes and dazzling smile, in love with someone who couldn’t – or maybe wouldn’t — love her back.

“Gamora,” Peter had stuttered.  “Gamora, I think— I think I’m—”

Oh.

Something warm blossoms in her chest, stealing the breath from her lungs, and she feels her expression go slack.

 Oh.

She surges forward before she even realizes it, closing the space between the two of them in what feels like an instant and pushing her guitar away, slinging it across her back.  He frowns at her, starting to say her name.

Gamora values her privacy – what little of it remains while they’re rising in the limelight, at least – and Peter had respected that.  Keeping their relationship a secret had seemed the wisest course of action while they were finding their way.  And it was, for a while.  Gamora thinks fondly of their late nights together as this strange, fragile thing bloomed between them, just talking.  And she thinks of falling asleep curled against Peter on their uncomfortable tour bus.  And she thinks of Peter’s bright, dumbfounded smiles when he thought she wasn’t looking.

She realizes, now, that she hadn’t been keeping this safe, as she thought.  She had been keeping it for herself and had left Peter alone and locked in the dark.

Gamora brackets his face with her hands, and he blinks at her.

She leans up and slots her lips over his, and the world falls away.

They’ve done this before, of course.  Hundreds of times.  Thousands of times.  Little innocent pecks as they started their days, or far more heated kisses as they crashed into one another after finding their hotel rooms.  In retrospect, she wonders why it had felt so impossible to do this in public, when right now, it feels as easy as breathing.

Peter’s hand cups her cheek, and he breaks off their kiss to suck in a startled breath.  He rests his forehead against hers, his face flushed and eyes bright and a little glassy.  He looks dumbstruck, but he’s smiling now, disbelief warring with complete delight.

Gamora feels herself smiling back.

After a heartbeat, reality comes crashing back in, and she hears their fans screaming.  The other Guardians have stopped playing, she realizes, and she catches Drax’s mild, approving nod from the corner of her eye.

“Sorry for that disgusting display, everyone,” Rocket grouses into his microphone, cutting over the chaos.  “If you feel the need to puke, please make your ways to the exits in an orderly fashion.”

Peter pulls back to shoot Rocket a glare, though he only shrugs in response.   He casts an apologetic look to Gamora as he pulls away with clear reluctance, readjusting the strap of his guitar.

His grin seems permanently affixed to his face, at the moment.  He says, “We should get back to work.”

“We should.”

“We’re—gonna talk about this later, right?”

Gamora nods.  “We will.”

She means it, this time.

And this time, when he leans forward for a quick kiss, Gamora doesn’t pull away.

The disastrous interview with is Ayesha is practically forgotten, and every mention of Guardian in social media varies from incoherent gibberish (“Keymashing,” Peter had explained), to expressions of dismay at either Gamora or Peter apparently being spoken for, to accusations of publicity stunts.

Gamora ignores it all, sitting with Peter as they wind down from the concert, the television flipped to a cheesy infomercial for background noise.  The boxes and wrappers from their late night fast food run still haven’t made their way to the nearby trash can, and Peter chews idly on what must be a cold French fry as he idly scrolls through his phone.

The woman on the television struggles in vain against the lid of a pickle jar, and Peter breaks the comfortable silence between them with a quiet laugh.

He turns his phone’s screen to her, showing her a video of “The Kiss,” as the fans have dubbed it.  The shaky video shows the instant Peter freezes, shows Gamora kissing him and Guardian stuttering to a stop, up until Peter finally got control of the situation.

“So,” he had drawled, as he reclaimed his microphone, laughing a little.  He and Gamora had exchanged glances.  “Surprise?”

The fan behind the phone had shrieked along with the rest of the audience before the video abruptly ends.

Gamora looks up at Peter.  His smile is wide and bright, but gentle and warm in that distinct way, reserved entirely for her.

“You kinda like me, huh?”

Her eyes narrow, lips pressing into a line to suppress her smile.

“It’s possible,” she admits.

Peter barks out a laugh, tossing his phone away to the far end of the couch.

“I like you a lot, too,” he says, but there’s weight behind his words.   She knows he wants to say more, but he’s waiting, she thinks.

There will be time for more later, she thinks, and she settles against his side.  He rests his arm around her shoulders, pressing his face to her hair.

[lostinshawnsmemory]

I Don’t Care #SummerCampFest

A/N: When @rulerofnocountry mentioned the idea of a songfic challenge I knew I wanted to get involved. I picked ‘I Don’t Care’ cause I like the concept of not caring about everyone else when you’re with that person whose opinion means the world to you. That and I really like the song 

Word Count: 1030 words 

Shawn did the rounds as he manoeuvred through the massive crowd. He was at a party thrown by his record label, Island Records and even though he was there with loads of his peers and his team on a gorgeous rooftop in New York, but he really didn’t want to be there. It wasn’t that he didn't like coming to events like this one, it’s that the person he was looking for wasn’t there. At that moment he turned and saw exactly who he was looking for.

You’d worked at Island Records for 18 months and had just started feeling comfortable there. Working in public relations and marketing was your dream and the fact that you could combine it with your love of music was the cherry on top. That being said you'd never felt comfortable at corporate events like this one. You had no issues at parties but there was something about events like these ones that made you felt out of your depth. You were surrounded by loads of artists and their managers as well as the label execs and while everyone wanted to have fun, there was an air of formality that no one could shake.

Shawn had seen her at the Island records office numerous times, they had even had pleasant conversation numerous times in the elevators and she was always warm and inviting, except now. She looked stiff and awkward like she wanted to be anywhere else but here and at that moment he knew what he needed to do.

You felt a light tap on your shoulder. “Hey there stranger.” you knew that voice, you’d spoken to him a few times when you ran into each other at work. You turned and looked into the smiling eyes of Shawn Mendes. “Hi Shawn” you replied nervously, he always made you nervous, there was something about his easy smile and the way he looked at you like you were the only person in the world. You instantly started twisting the ring on your middle finger, your nervous habit. If he noticed, he didn’t say anything about it.

“You look like you’d rather be anywhere but here,” he stated sympathetically. “You’re half right,” you replied with a laugh. “Well, I can’t leave yet so how about we get you something to drink?” You needed a drink, if you were going to spend time with Shawn, you needed liquid courage. As you headed to the bar, your thoughts were in overdrive. You had no problem talking to celebrities as you had to interact with them, given your job description, but whenever Shawn was around you became a nervous wreck, while he seemed to be the definition of a calm and collected rockstar. “Y/N” you vaguely heard your name as you thoughts swirled around your head. Then you felt his hand on your arm “Y/N?” you snapped out of it. “Yes?” you replied quickly snapping out of your reverie.”I was asking what you wanted to drink?” Shawn looked at you expectantly. “Oh yeah! A Moscow mule please,” you asked the bartender politely. When the two of you had your drinks, you turned to him, “So how are you? you asked awkwardly holding your drink in your hands. And at that moment the DJ thought it would be a great idea to play Sucker by the Jonas Brothers. “Sorry I can’t hear you.” Shawn motioned over the music. “Great,” you thought, “we’re actually trying to talk and we can't hear ourselves.”

“How about we go somewhere a little quieter to talk?” You shouted, “That sounds like a great idea.” He replied. You both walked off away from the crowded bar, to find somewhere to talk and could hear each other over the music.

“You okay?” he turned to you when you finally got to a secluded balcony. “You looked like you wanted to be anywhere but here” “Im fine” you shrugged “Formal events like this make me feel really awkward is all. I never feel like I can actually have a good time, the whole thing feels really reserved. And I don’t feel like I fit in.” You didn’t mean to tell him all that but it all comes tumbling out. “If it makes you feel any better I considered leaving until I saw you.” He gave you a heartwarming smile. “Really?”’you asked with genuine surprise. “Yeah. These things get kinda boring unless you’re with someone you want to spend time with.” “And you want to spend time with little old me?” “I really do.”

After a few more drinks you’d began to feel more comfortable, he was really easy to talk to matching you joke for joke. You both talked about work and found out that you both loved the 1975 and thought Matty Healy was the funniest person on the planet. You’d talked about family and friends and traded funny childhood stories. There was something about Shawn Mendes that made you want to tell him everything about you, but you couldn’t put your finger on it. As you were walking back to the bar to get more drinks you could heart ‘I don’t care’ over the speakers, you turned to Shawn and started lip-syncing “Shall we dance?” “Hell yeah!” He replied laughing. The two of you made your way to the dance floor under the watchful eye of everyone in attendance. Usually, you’d never want to be the centre of attention but you’d had just enough to drink that you didn’t care and Shawn was absolutely loving your boldness. ‘Fuck it’ you thought as you started dancing to the beat, and less than 10 seconds later Shawn joined in. The two of you were having a fantastic time and after a few minutes of awkward shuffling, more people joined in and before you knew it everyone was letting loose and jumping around. 

When the song ended, you returned to your secluded balcony. ‘That was fun” Shawn laughed, out of breath from all the dancing. “It was.” you replied, “we should do this more often.” The second you said it a silence descended between the two of you until Shawn said. “Yeah, we should.”

[originalhybridloverfics]

Good To You Ch21

A/N: Okay, so the reveal doesn’t happen this chapter however it does happen in the next. Already have it all planned out. 

“The Italians call them Strega. The Yoruba of West Africa call them Aje, meaning mother. Where my mother was from, they called them Hexa, and here we call them witch. Over the centuries, vampires have fought them and fought beside them, bedded them and burned them. Whether adversary or ally, they have been a force to be reckoned with.” Elijah spoke to the room. “Their ancestral magic anchors this city. There's never been one all-powerful witch until Davina.” 

“Who is now tucked in safe and sound down the hall under my protection. Your Celeste was quite beautiful and a portent of evil according to our volatile artist in residence.” Klaus commented pointedly.  

“Yes. Perhaps Davina's mistaken what she calls evil for power.” Elijah suggested. “Celeste was certainly very powerful in her day, but she's been dead for over 200 years. I don't understand. Why all these sketches now?” 

“Why does any witch do anything?” Klaus countered. 

                                              ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Marcel entered Davina’s room with a food tray, setting it on the end of her bed.

“Go away!” Davina shouted at the sight of him and sent him flying against the wall, he hit the ground roughly.  

“Come on.” Marcel pushed back to his feet, unfazed by her lashing out at him. “You got to be starving. You haven't eaten since--” 

“Since your best friend killed my best friend?” Davina cut him off with the harsh reminder.  

“Davina, I'm sorry about what happened to this kid Tim.” Marcel began.  

“I'm sorry you don't hate Klaus for what he did or want to make him pay.” Davina spat angrily.  

“He'll pay for what he did one way or the other, but right now, I just want to make peace with you.” Marcel insisted.  

“Why? So we can be one big happy Frankenstein family?” Davina demanded scornfully. 

                                                ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“Well, that's going well,” Klaus commented, and Caroline gave a small scoff at his remark, sitting beside him.  

“If you were trying to win the girl's trust, perhaps poisoning her one true love was not the most splendid idea.” Elijah threw back at Klaus.  

“Oh. Are there any more inopportune deaths you'd like to wave in my face?” Klaus responded, used to Elijah's judgment. 

“Give me a month. I'll get you list.” Elijah told him. 

“Are you sure a month is long enough?” Caroline tilted her head in thought. 

Klaus shot her a look. “Whose side are you on?” 

“Hey, I was only considering the fact that you’ve been alive for a thousand years, the amount of people you have killed that didn’t need to die has to be endless.” Caroline defended.  

Klaus lips twisted into a wry smile. “Young, old, dead, or alive, witches are a pain in the ass.”

Caroline couldn't not nod her head in agreement with that truthful statement.  

                                        ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Davina was sitting on her bed when suddenly she felt her stomach twist in knots and something traveling up her chest, she haunched forward and began throwing up. Dirt spewing from her mouth. 

“Davina,” Marcel shouted alarmed. “Davina!” 

Caroline rushed into the room. “Oh, my God. Is that dirt?”

Klaus was hot on her heels. “What's with all the racket?” he caught sight of Davina throwing up dirt of all things. “Bloody hell.”

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“Elijah?” Hayley walked toward the person she was looking for. “There's something you need to know.” 

The house began to shake like there's an earthquake. Hayley and Elijah shared a startled look and walked out onto the balcony to see Rebekah. 

“What the hell is going on?” Rebekah demanded, looking up at them, expecting them to have the answers.  

“Davina,” Klaus answered. 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“Hey.” Rebekah walked into Davina’s room. “What kind of game do you think you're playing? I said disrupt the household, not destroy the whole city.” 

“I didn't do it. Not on purpose.” Davina protested, her eyes becoming uncertain. “I--I don't know what's wrong with me.”

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“This is madness. How can a 16-year-old girl shake the entire French quarter?” Klaus questioned.  

“I've seen her rock the church, but I've never seen anything like this,” Marcel admitted. 

“I’ve never seen magic this power, but Bonnie channeled the spirits of hundred dead witches once,” Caroline commented. 

“I remember,” said Klaus. “She nearly killed me, but Davina isn’t channeling a 100 witches. I don’t think this is the same thing. This is harvest magic.” Klaus looked at Marcel. “How did you control her when she was in the attic?” 

“I didn't have to, but then I never killed her boyfriend,” Marcel responded. 

Caroline wondered how many times that was going to be brought up today.  

“Yes, yes. We've been over this part already.” Klaus said, growing annoyed with the constant reminder. “The point is in her present state she's useless as a tool against the witches.” 

“And we’ve been over this she is not a tool,” Caroline said as Marcel glared heatedly. 

“Something's wrong with her.” Klaus insisted.  

“She has too much power that she cannot control. That much we already knew. But why is it manifesting itself in such an aggressive manner?” Elijah questioned and turned to leave the room.  

“Where are you going?” Klaus called after him.  

“This is witch business. Let's ask a witch.” Elijah left the room and started down the hall only to be approached by Hayley just outside of the room.  

“You're going to see Sophie,” Hayley said knowingly.  

“You don't have to eavesdrop. I keep nothing from you.” Elijah told her, there was no need for her to sneak around their home.  

“Yeah. Well, I don't want to keep anything from you either, and if you're going out to see Sophie, then there's something that you should know.” Hayley began, waving her hands around nervously as she continued. “She called me and asked me for a favor. She promised me that she would help break the curse that Marcel put on my people in exchange for some information." The more she talked, the more her words were jumbled in a rush to tell Elijah everything.  And I didn't think anything of it, but then Davina started doing those pictures of Celeste--” 

“Whatever this is, you have to tell me.” Elijah cut through her nervous rambling.  

“Sophie wanted to find Celeste's remains, so I went through your journals, and I found out where you buried her, and then I told her,” Hayley confessed, voice heavy with guilt. “I know it was stupid, and it was snoopy, And I--I should have just asked you.” She looked up at him pleading, his silence unnerving her. “Please say something. Please.” 

“She wanted to be left in peace. When a witch's remains are consecrated, that power fuels the rest of their community. Celeste did not want her remains to be found.” Elijah looked at her like he never seen her before. “She made me promise to bury her where she would not be found. You not only violated my privacy, You have broken my promise to her.” 

“I thought they were just bones, Elijah.” Hayley's voice cracked, sounding like she might cry.  

“If you truly believed that, why didn't you ask me where to find her?” Elijah asked, with a look of betrayal, sure Hayley knew what she was doing yet she chose to do it anyway. 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“If that's dinner, I pass.” Sophie quipped to Sabine.  

“Sophie, where have you been?” Sabine questioned.  

“Short answer-- grave robbing,” Sophie replied. “Stop whatever you're doing. We need to find Davina. I figured out a way to complete the harvest.” 

“What?” Sabine looked at her, surprised. “How?” 

“We need an elder to do it, right?” asked Sophie. “I figured out a way how to become one.” 

“Soph, you can't just become an elder.” Sabine reminded. “That power has to be bestowed upon you by the other elders, all of whom are dead. Following my logic?” 

“How about follow your history?” Sophie countered. “I did research. In 1742, there was a witch massacre that wiped out all the elders, so they decided whoever consecrated the most powerful dead witch in the community became an elder. It worked for them.” 

“Teeny flaw. What powerful witch is even left for you to bury?” Sabine questioned.  

“Meet Celeste Marie-Hélène Dubois, Elijah Mikaelson's old lover.” Sophie poured the skull head out from the brown bag she carried. “She was drowned in 1821 for being a witch. He buried her, never told anyone where.” 

“So how the hell did you find her?” Sabine demanded.  

“I bribed Hayley to read his journals, and then I dug her ass up so I could consecrate her bones and absorb her power,” Sophie answered.  

Sabine’s eyes narrowed. “That's not disrespectful.” 

“Yeah? Well, we only have a couple more weeks to complete the harvest.” Sophie responded. Besides, it wasn’t like it was the worst thing she has done in the name of the harvest. 

“Soph, I'm aware of our deadline, but--” 

“And if we fail, the witches are done for in this town.” Sophie cut Sabine off. “Our power will fade for good. Those girls sacrificed will never resurrect. My niece will never come back. If digging up some creepy old bones means I get Monique back, I don't care about anything else.” 

She had proved that moreover when she stole Klaus’s children from their true mother and the things she had to do to ensure that a vampire could get pregnant. It left a stain on her soul. A black mark that she'll never get out.  

“I happen to care,” Elijah announced his presence, looking at Sophie directly. “You're coming with me.” 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“So you have stolen the remains of the very person that Davina's been drawing for months. Would you care to explain this startling coincidence?” Elijah questioned Sophie, he had taken her back to the compound.  

“I can't,” said Sophie. “I didn't even know who Celeste Dubois was until I--” 

The house shook suddenly like another earthquake had struck.  

“Was that Davina?” asked Sophie stunned.  

“Charming little habit she's developed,” Klaus stated. 

“It’s called losing control.” Caroline glared at Sophie.  

“And the earthquake I felt today?” asked Sophie, ignoring Caroline’s glare.  

“Also Davina, and she's taken to vomiting dirt,” Rebekah informed her.  

“Oh. We have a huge problem,” said Sophie gravely. “I thought that we had more time, but we need to complete the harvest now.” 

“No,” Caroline said immediately. “We are not sacrificing Davina for some stupid witch ritual for power.” 

“You don’t understand.” Sophie shook her head. “We no longer have a choice.” 

“Said the desperate witch conveniently,” Klaus remarked dryly. 

"I'm serious. That earthquake you just felt a preview of the disaster movie that is about to hit us." Sophie insisted gravely.

"Why should we believe you?" Elijah asked doubtfully.

“You've met Davina, you know her story. For months now, she's been holding all the power of the three girls sacrificed in the harvest ritual.” Sophie stated, needing the point she was trying to make, be driven home with everyone in the room. “A force that was meant to flow through her and back into the earth. One person was never meant to hold that much power. It's tearing her apart, and it will take us down with it. “

Caroline didn’t want to believe her, but if she was telling the truth they needed to find a way to stop Davina's power from killing her and everyone who lived in New Orleans, and they needed to do it without sacrificing Davina in a stupid blood ritual for power. 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Josh moved down the street, keeping to the alleys and crowds, he didn’t know when Klaus would strike, but he didn’t want to be the man’s next victim. 

Josh was so busy continually looking over his shoulder that he nearly jumped out of his skin when he looked ahead only to see Caroline standing a few feet away, her eyes set on him. 

He swallowed and thought about running; however, what good would that do. He could only run for so long. 

He held his head high and walked forward until he was right in front of her. “Here to take me to your boyfriend?” 

“No,” Caroline shook her head as the wind blew strongly around them. “I’m here to bring you to Davina.”

“This is her, isn’t it?” Josh looked around, the wind, so powerful storefront windows rattled.

“Yes,” Caroline answered. “The harvest magic is consuming her. It’s harming not only the city but her, and I think she could really use her friend right about now. That’s where you come in.” 

“Where is she?” Josh questioned worriedly. 

“Back at the compound, C’mon,” Caroline turned on her heel. 

Josh followed, falling into step beside her, wanting to be there for Davina if she needed him. “What about Klaus? What if he kills me the minute he sees me?” 

“He won’t. I’ll make sure of it.” Caroline assured him. 

“How? I doubt asking nicely will work.” When Caroline just stared at him, his eyes widened. “You were just going to ask him not to kill me?” 

“Yes,” 

“If I go with you, I am so dead.” Josh groaned. 

“Trust me, Josh,” Caroline told him, settling her hand on his shoulder. “I’m not looking to get anyone killed. I just want to help Davina, and I know you do too.” 

Josh was quiet for a moment regarding her closely. “Yeah, okay. I’ll go with you to see her.” 

Caroline smiled encouragingly. 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“We need to prepare. According to Sophie Deveraux, as Davina self-destructs, she'll cycle through four stages that represent the four elements that bound together the harvest.” Klaus informed father, Kieran.  

The two met in the heart of the French Quarter. 

“The earthquake?” Kieran questioned.  

“Yes,” Klaus answered. “Earth stage comes first.” 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“Then comes wind, and since each stage is more intense than the last, let's just say you'll blow the roof off this place,” Rebekah told Davina, standing at the end of her bed. 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“Then after the wind is water,” Klaus told Kieran.  

“Rain, flood. How bad?” Kieran questioned concerned.  

“Quite bad actually, but that's not the worst of it,” Klaus answered.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ 

“The last stage is fire, and since it's the last,” Sophie trailed off warningly to the group gathered at the compound. 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ 

“It will be by far the worst.” Said Klaus. “But I didn't take over this town to watch it burn to the ground.” 

“You can stop this, right?” asked Kieran worriedly.  

“Yes, but you're not gonna like how,” Klaus warned him. Caroline believed there was another way, but he was not in agreement. The only way this was going to end was with Davina’s death. 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“They want to complete the harvest,” Rebekah informed Davina, standing across from her bed.  

“No!” Davina protested in fear. 

“The witches say you'll be resurrected.” Rebekah insisted. 

They're liars!” Davina accused. “They'll say anything to get what they want just like Marcel, just like you.” 

“Davina, you may think that I don't care about you, but you're wrong,” Rebekah told her sincerely. “I know what it's like to have your life stripped away from you because of other people's bad decisions. How do you think I became a vampire?”

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ 

“You've convinced my siblings. You have yet to convince us.” Elijah told Sophie, referring to himself and Marcel.  

“We don't have time to waste,” Sophie said urgently. “The first sign's already come and gone. “

“So fix her.” Marcel insisted.  

“She can't be fixed,” Sophie told him her voice rising. 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Rebekah walked into Davina’s room with a syringe.

“What--what is that?” Davina asked fearfully.  

“The more upset you become, the faster you deteriorate,” said Rebekah. "I compelled up some sedative." 

“No, no, no!” Davina shook her head frantically, her fear evident.  

“We keep you calm, we keep you alive Davina.” Rebekah tried to reason with her as she moved forward.   

“Stop!” Davina protested as Rebekah stepped toward her. 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“She can't be saved,” Sophie stated with complete certainty. “This will not stop at the earth sign, and if you wait it out, you immortals will be the only ones left to argue about it.” 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“No! Please! No! Please! Nooo!” Davina begged terrified.  

High winds blew through the Quarter, and Rebekah knew she didn’t have a choice she moved forward and injected the sedative despite Davina's protests, and she fell unconscious, slumping back on the bed. 

The wind stopped suddenly, erasing any doubts Rebekah had about Sophie telling the truth. 

“What the hell did you just do?” Caroline demanded, stepping into the room. 

“Davina!” Josh rushed forward in concern, pulling the now unconscious girl into her arms. 

“I just gave her a sedative.” Rebekah stepped away, backing off. “As long as she’s awake, things are just going to get worse.”

“Or maybe the presence of a friend, someone she trust could have calmed her.” Caroline snapped, indicating to Josh. “We can’t keep her sedated forever.” 

“We’re doing what we have to do.” Rebekah defended. “What’s best for this city.”

“You mean what’s best for you.” Caroline accused, and Josh looked at her surprise that she would speak to an Original like that. 

“How long are you planning on being pissed at me?” Rebekah glared. 

“I’m thinking a century maybe by then you know what it means not to turn on people because it suits you.” Caroline threw at her. 

Josh didn’t know Caroline that well, but it was then that he decided he liked her. She wasn’t afraid to stand up for others even when the person was a whole lot more dangerous than her. 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“Convinced now?” Sophie asked archly.

Caroline clenched her jaw, walking into the room. Josh behind her. Even if what Sophie said was right, they still could not sacrifice Davina. She was just a kid. 

Klaus's eyes narrowed when he caught sight of Joshua, and he moved before anyone could react, wrapping his hand around his neck. “How kind of you to save me from having to track you down myself.” 

“Don’t.” Josh tried to pull at his hands. 

“Don’t what? Don’t kill you?” Klaus grip tightened. “Now why would I show you mercy?”

Caroline stepped forward. “Because I want you to.” Klaus's head swiveled around to her. “I want Josh alive. Don’t kill him. I could use a friend around here, and Josh seems like an excellent choice.” 

Klaus faltered, his grip loosening around Josh’s throat. “Him? Why?”

Caroline looked at Josh, whose eyes were wide with fear. “He came here knowing you would be here even though you terrify him because Davina needed him. He put his friend's needs before his own well being. That kind of friend is hard to find, and that kind of loyalty should be rewarded, not punished. I am asking you not to kill him.” 

Klaus turned back to Josh. “It seems you left quite the impression on Caroline. Count your blessing for that.” he let his hand fall away from his neck. “As long as you remain in Caroline’s good graces, you have nothing to fear from me.”

Josh nodded vigorously. “Got it. Don’t get on Caroline’s bad side.” his eyes went to her. “Thank you.” 

Josh honestly couldn’t believe that all she did was ask and Klaus had given it to her without question. Clearly, he underestimated Caroline's influence on Klaus. 

It made him wonder just who Caroline Forbes was? And what was it about her that caused Klaus Mikaelson the most terrifying man he had ever met to be so enamored with her? Why did she have such a profound effect on a monster? 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ 

“We sedated her too heavily,” Elijah claimed.  

“Well, if this is her sedated, I'd hate to see her otherwise,” said Klaus. “We all agreed that Davina must be sacrificed. There's no need to let her blow the roof off our heads in the meantime.”

“What!?” Josh exclaimed. 

“We did not agree to that!” Caroline protested. 

“No way! You're not touching her!” Marcel raged shoving Klaus angrily.  

“Ok. I'll let you have that one.” Klaus told him.  

“Marcel, no one wishes to see Davina come to harm less than I, but there is no scenario here in which we simply wait this out. She's going to die.” Elijah stated.

“Just shut up!” Caroline snapped at him glaring. 

“Excuse me.” Elijah looked at her affronted.

“If you gave a damn about Davina you would be looking for an alternative to save her.” Caroline accused. 

“There is no other way,” Elijah insisted. 

“According to Sophie, the witch who screwed over everybody here.” Marcel retorted. 

“I wouldn’t trust Sophie if she were the last witch alive,” Caroline said in agreement with Marcel. “For all, we know she could only be after the power Davina possesses.” 

“Exactly,” Marcel said. “Finally someone that is not me is making some sense right now.”  

“The harvest was working before it was stopped. If a nonbeliever like Sophie Deveraux can come to have faith that these girls will be resurrected, then I, also, am a believer.” Elijah reasoned.  

“I saved Davina from the harvest, and now you want me to just hand her over?” Marcel demanded.  

“We can’t do that,” Josh spoke up. 

“Do you think that I'm happy about this?” Klaus challenged. “If the witches complete the harvest, not only do they regain their power, we lose our weapon against them. The earthquake I was willing to chalk up to hideous coincidence, but these winds? If Davina is not sacrificed, then every inch of earth that shook, everything blowing about now will soon be drenched in water and consumed by fire.”

“Oh! Now you care about the city.” Marcel retorted.  

“We ought to. We built it.” Elijah said. 

”And we all saw it burnt to the ground twice. I will not let that happen again. Do I make myself clear?” Klaus stated,   

“Yeah.” Marcel nodded eyes hard. “Yeah.” he turned and left.  

Caroline watched him go and then shook her head. “No, this is not okay.” 

“Caroline, we don’t have time to argue about this,” Klaus told her. 

“It would matter if we did because you're going to do what you think is best, either way, right?” Caroline demanded. “I will tell you right now I’m not going  to quietly stand by while all of you lead that girl to the slaughter.”

“You don’t have a choice,” Klaus told her. 

Caroline glared. She always had a choice. She turned on her heel and walked from the room, shaking her head. 

Klaus sighed as he watched her walk out of the room. 

Josh looked at Klaus uneasily before following in the direction Caroline had went. 

“Not a people person, are you, Niklaus?” said Elijah dryly.  

“Nonsense. I love people.” Klaus countered. “Just on my way to warn a couple of prominent ones in case the weather gets out of hand. If you fancy yourself as plus diplomatic, perhaps you'd like to come along.” 

“No. Soon Sophie Deveraux shall be consecrating Celeste's remains, and though her actions are reprehensible, still I should pay my respects.” Elijah insisted.  

“Hey.” Hayley greeted, walking into the room. “Do you have a minute?” she asked Elijah.  

“Just on my way out,” Elijah said brusquely and brushed past her out of the room.  

Klaus noted the way Hayley’s face fell and followed Elijah out. “Which one of us is the people person again? 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“Hey, wait up,” Josh called after Caroline, catching up with her as she was leaving the compound. “What are we going to do about Davina? We can’t just let them sacrifice her.” 

“I agree,” Caroline told him, turning down the busy sidewalk. “For now as long as Marcel is there she’s safe. I don’t know him well, but I already know he would do whatever it takes to protect Davina.”

“Okay, where are you going?” Josh questioned. “Because in case you forgot the city is on the verge of burning to the ground because of witchy hijinks. Now is not exactly the time to be taking a stroll among the city.”

“I guess it’s a good thing I’m not just taking a stroll. I have something I need to do.” 

Josh brows furrowed. “Can I come with?” 

Caroline paused midstep turning to him. “That depends?”

Josh frowned. “On what?”

“On how you feel about werewolves,” Caroline said yet again surprising Josh. 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Caroline walked up to the house that she had come with Kieran to, Josh trailed behind her. 

“I can’t believe you’re working with werewolves. Aren’t they like supposed to be our enemy or something?” Josh questioned, feeling uneasy. 

“Okay, first, can we get past this stupid vampire-werewolf feud? It’s stupid. Secondly, I am not working with werewolves. I’m helping them. There’s a difference.” Caroline stated matter of factly as she raised her fist and rapped on the door. 

“And you’re sure their not gonna like attack me or anything?” Josh questioned. 

“I’m 67 percent sure that you will come to no harm from them.” 

Josh’s eyes widened comically. “67 percent?!"

Caroline chuckled at the way his voice had risen dramatically in alarm. 

The door opened, Zachary appeared in the doorway. “Caroline.” he greeted, his eyes narrowing on Josh. “You brought another vampire with you?” 

“I did, however, he's completely harmless. Like a puppy.”

“Hey!” Josh protested. “I’m not a puppy.” 

Zack snorted and opened the door wider, inviting them inside. "Come in."

Caroline stepped inside, and Josh followed her hesitantly. 

“How is everyone?” Caroline asked, following Zack in the kitchen. 

“Well, we’re no longer going hungry or scrounging for scraps for one. I suppose we have you to thank for that.” 

“You don’t need to thank me, I’m just glad I could help in any way I could,” Caroline responded. 

“What brings you by?” Zack leaned against the counter. 

“I’m sure you’ve noticed the weird shit going on with the weather.” Caroline began. 

“Earthquake, unnatural wind, kinda hard not to notice,” Zack responded wryly. 

“Well, it’s about to get worse, and I thought maybe you should take the pack and get out of New Orleans until this all blows over.” 

Zack's eyes narrowed. “You want us to just pick up and run?”

“I didn’t mean it like that. I just think it will be better not to get mixed up in what is happening plus I’ve been looking into remodeling the place, and it would go faster if you were staying somewhere else temporarily.”

Zackery paused, looking around. It did need some serious remodeling, the wire had stopped working upstairs, and a pipe had burst, the water damage so extensive the ceiling weakened and came down in the dining room. 

“Where would we go?” Zack finally asked. 

“Klaus has a mansion in Mystic Falls. It’s a small town and where I’m originally from. You could go there, and it would only be for a few weeks.”

Zack nodded, considering. “You’ll let me know when the place is finished so we can come back?”

“Of course.” Caroline nodded. 

Zach nodded, rubbing a hand across the back of his neck. “Do I need to know anything else about this place?”

“If you go into town, keep a low profile. Blend in, avoid the Salvatore’s at all cost. Especially Damon. Their old vampires but Damon’s the one you really got to look out for. My mom’s the sheriff, her name’s Elizabeth Forbes if you need anything, just ask her. I’ll let her know you're coming. She can stop by and help you get settled in.” Caroline explained. “Just do your best not to draw attention to yourselves, and you’ll be fine. I already made arrangements for some deliveries so you will have everything you will need.” she dug around in her pocket and pulled out some money that she may or may not have stolen from Elijah while he’d been distracted with whatever the hell was going on with him and Hayley. “Three rented cars will be here in an hour to pick you up and take you to Mystic Falls, all you have to do is pack a few bags.” 

“I’ve been with you since you found me, when did you have time to arrange all this?” Josh wondered. 

“Haven’t you ever heard to have contingency plans in case of emergencies. Besides, do you think I spend my time following Klaus around? I have my independence beyond him.” Caroline defended. 

Zack brow furrowed. “You really thought all of this through, haven’t you?”

Caroline nodded. “I want to help. I care that all of you are going to be okay. Your Klaus’s pack and as far as I can tell you are good people.”

Zack nodded just as another male wolf walked in. “Tell everyone to be ready to go. We’re heading out for a few weeks.”

The male wolf nodded, walking back out.

“Does Klaus know what you’re doing for us?” Zack asked Caroline. 

“No,” she answered. “If you’re worried about Klaus's reaction, don’t be. If this is something I want to do that I care about, then he’ll do whatever it takes to help. Besides your his pack, he’d be fine with me helping you.” 

Zach shook his head. “A vampire fighting for wolves. I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to knowing that I can trust a vampire.” 

Caroline smiled at him. “I'm glad to be the exception.”

Zack grinned. “It’s a good thing you’re so likable. Like a ray of sunshine.”

Caroline laughed, and Josh looked between them, unable to believe he was seeing two supernatural creatures who couldn’t be more different, who were supposed to be enemies, getting along so well.

What the hell was with Caroline? Almost everyone seems to be drawn to her in some way. Werewolves. Klaus. Who else was going to fall into her orbit?

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“I have to admit that I was surprised when you called asking me to meet you here.” Elijah took a seat on the park bench next to Caroline.

It was the same park bench she sat with Hayley on when they had argued over Hayley wanting to use wolfbane to end her pregnancy. 

“I wanted to talk with you without any prying eyes.” 

Elijah looked at Josh. “Then, why is he here?”

“Because he wants to be and I don’t see him protesting what I am about to ask of you.”

Elijah’s eyes turned inquisitive. “You have my attention?”

“Everyone but Marcel seems pretty dead set on sacrificing for Davina this stu”

“It’s the only way to end all of this,” Elijah interrupted. 

“Okay, one I wasn’t done speaking and two it’s rude to interrupt someone so abruptly, now as I was saying this stupid harvest ritual and I was trying to think of way Davina can be saved and then it occurred to me, you have the answer to saving her.”

“You’re not talking about turning her to a vampire, are you?” Josh asked, worriedly. “Cause I’ve heard that’s something no witch ever wants to happen to them.” 

“God no, I don’t want to turn her into a vampire,” Caroline exclaimed. “Elijah has an elixir for a sacrifice ritual that just might save her life.” 

“What?” Josh's eyes widened with a look of hope. 

“How do you know about that?” Elijah’s brow furrowed.

“I remember Stefan telling me about it once you were going to give it to Elena, but Damon had given her his blood instead.” Okay, Damon had forced Elena to drink his blood. Caroline hadn’t been surprised. “We can use that elixir to save Davina.”

“That elixir was created by a witch over five hundred years ago. There’s no guarantee it will work.” 

“We don’t know that this ritual will work either, but at least with this, there’s a chance she’ll come back,” Caroline argued. “It’s better than blind faith in Sophie of all people. It’s better than nothing.” 

“And you expect me to just hand the elixir over to you?” Elijah wondered at Caroline's demands, her audacity to believe she had any right to demand anything from him and for what? Because of Niklaus’s attachment to her. 

“Yes as I see it you owe me.” Caroline glared at him. “You have been a stuck up asshole since I met you. The first thing you did was evade my mind.”

“Okay, that’s not cool,” Josh mumbled sending Elijah judging looks.

Elijah shot him a look that indicated he wanted Josh to be quiet. “I apologized for that.”

“You think an apology means a damn to me?” Caroline demanded. “An apology does not wipe everything under the rug. It doesn’t absolve you. You invaded my privacy and not only that you have treated me like I’m nothing but a phase Klaus is going through. Get that thought out of your head. I’m am not going anywhere, and Klaus sure as hell is not going through a fucking phase where I’m just an infatuation for him.”

“Your not the first woman for my brother to get obsessed with.” Elijah defended. 

“But none of those women were me.” Caroline was confident in her place in Klaus’s heart. “I’m not an infatuation. Klaus is in love with me. I don’t need to hear him say the words to know that. It’s in the way he looks at me, talks to me, his actions. He would rather burn this city, a city he loves to the ground then to ever allow any harm to come to me.” 

“Careful Miss Forbes that you don’t overestimate your value.” Elijah cautioned. 

“Threats don’t scare me. I’ve been through more than anyone should, and I know you're aware of that. I know you overheard my talk with Klaus about when I was human. If I can handle what I went through as a human, I can handle anything as a vampire. Including any threats you want to throw at me.” Caroline crossed her arms and looked at him defiantly. “Now we can keep arguing and hashing out our clear dislike for one another, or you can just agree to give me the elixir so we can save a young girl’s life because she doesn’t deserve to die like some sacrificial lamb.” 

Josh held his breath as he waited, half scared Elijah would kill Caroline for the way she spoke to him, and he was sure that would incite a war between Klaus and Elijah. 

Finally, after a moment of neither backing down, Elijah spoke. “Very well, I will retrieve the elixir and give it to you. We can at least try to make sure Davina comes back.” 

Josh let out a breath, and Caroline smiled victoriously. “Great and hey I’ll do you solid and won’t tell Klaus how you just threatened me. I doubt that would have gone over too well with him.”

She stood and grabbed Josh by the arm, steering him away as she called over her shoulder. “See you back at the compound. I’ll be waiting.”

“I can’t believe you just got away talking to an Original like that.” Josh looked at her in disbelief. 

Caroline just patted him on his shoulder. “Original or not it’s no excuse to be a self-righteous asshat.”

Josh laughed, deciding then and there that he liked Caroline. She was his kind of people. 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“A fat lot of good that will do.” Said Rebekah.  

Roussos was all but empty, save the two of them. 

“I don't really have time to socialize.” Sophie retorted.  

“Good. Neither do I. When you're done burying your witchy bits on sacred ground, are you prepared to perform the harvest?” Rebekah questioned. “You do realize you have to slit a girl's throat, a very sweet girl as it turns out. “

“If it means I get my niece Monique back, I can handle anything,” Sophie responded, she’s done worse. “Why are you really here?” 

“When all this is done after Davina is resurrected and the witches get their power back, you'll have a decision to make,” Rebekah told her.  

“Enlighten me,” Sophie replied.  

“A witch at her full power can trade body blows with a vampire punch for punch. Believe me, I know,” said Rebekah. 

“So do I,” said Sophie. “Be nice to have a fair fight for a change.” 

“Well, fair only gets you so far, luv. Clever gets you further. After this, Marcel will still be here, and so will Klaus, and you know better than anyone that those two don't fight fair. You are going to need an original on your side, and I'm gonna need a witch on mine if we're gonna stop those two from running things.” Rebekah reasoned.  

“Am I missing something?” Sophie questioned, confused. “Why would you side with me?”

“Sometimes, what's more, important is not who you're siding with but who you're siding against,” Rebekah answered.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Marcel stood in Davina’s room, watching her sleep. He could remember clearly the night he met her. The night of the harvest.

“No, no! Let go of me! Stop it!” Her screams echoed all around him, filled with desperation.  

Marcel remembered wrapping his arms tight around and saying reassuringly. “I got you. I got you right here.”

He stepped toward Davina.  

“Hey. Klaus said not to.” The vampire that was being kept on watch stepped into the room.  

“I'm done caring what Klaus says.” Marcel snapped, grabbing the vampire and snapping his neck, he moved to Davina gather her in his arms and vamp sped out of there.  

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Caroline barely stepped into the courtyard with Josh before Klaus was in front of her, waves of anger coming off of him. “Where the bloody hell have you been, Caroline?”

“I’m sorry I didn’t know you were my jail warden and I have to tell you whenever I step off prison grounds.”

Klaus clenched his jaw. “That is not what I meant. You can come and go as you please but I would rather you do it when the city is not in the middle of a crisis being torn apart.” 

“I should be the least of your concerns then like you said we have a city falling apart, and unless we do something, things are only going to get worse. And unlike you, I don’t believe letting Davina die is our only option.”

“You will always be my concern.” Klaus countered. “No matter what is happening, you are my priority. What was so important that you couldn’t take the time to at least tell me what you were doing?” 

“I think I might have found a way to save Davina.” 

“Well, that’s great, but unfortunately Davina is gone.” Rebekah came down the stairs with an angry look. 

Klaus whirled around. “What?!”

“Marcel took her. Their both gone.” Rebekah stated. 

“What do you mean they're gone?” Josh sped past but was back a moment later, eyes wide. “They’re gone.” 

“Yes, Josh, we have established that.” Rebekah deadpanned. 

Caroline took in a slow breath and released it. Why the hell couldn’t just one thing go right for once? “This is just fucking great. I find a possible way to save Davina and bam, she’s gone.” Though Caroline completely understood what Marcel was attempting to do. He was trying to protect someone he cared about. 

“I’m sorry you what?” Rebekah turned to her in surprise, finally taking in what Caroline had said.  

“How do you plan on saving Davina?” Klaus questioned. “Sophie made it pretty clear what has to happen if New Orleans and everyone is going to survive it.” 

“Well, 500 years ago, you were going to sacrifice Katherine to break your curse.” 

“What the bloody hell does that have to do with anything,” Rebekah asked baffled. 

“Elijah had an elixir created by a witch to save her life. He still has it.”

“You think if we give it to Davina, she’ll survive?” Klaus asked doubtfully. 

“It’s worth a shot, it’s better than trusting Sophie’s word.” Caroline crossed her arms. “After everything, she’s done do you really think we can trust her?” 

“I know I probably don’t get to weigh in on this, but I think Caroline’s right,” Josh interjected. “At least this way Davina has a chance.” 

“Then we better find her and Marcel,” Klaus said finally, locking eyes with Caroline. “We’ll do this your way.”

Caroline relaxed, her shoulders dropping she uncrossed her arms and reached for his hand, a silent apology for all their arguing. 

Klaus tightened his hand around Carolines and tugged her forward. He lifted her hand to his mouth, brushing his lips across her knuckles and the inside of her wrist. 

Caroline sighed and brushed a kiss against his mouth, uncaring that they weren’t alone. 

Rebekah looked away, eyes narrowing. For a thousand years, her brother had ruined every chance she had at happiness at finding love, and here he was getting everything he ever wanted. Once again, what Nik wants he gets. 

Josh brow furrowed as he watched Caroline and Klaus. He knew Klaus to be terrifying, a monster, cruel, but he was so gentle with Caroline. It was like he was a different person when it came to her. It was weird to see, and it made him wonder what it was about Caroline that inspired kindness from someone as evil and cruel as Klaus Mikaelson. 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“You don't have to be here for this,” Sabine told Elijah, stepping away to speak with him without disturbing Sophie. “It's gonna take some time for Sophie to prepare for her consecration.” 

“I have time. I owe her this.” Said Elijah.  

“Care to elaborate why?” Sabine enquired.  

“Have you ever experienced something so profound and wonderful that when it was taken from you, your life felt unbearable?” Elijah asked her.  

“Yes, I have felt that, and I've got the scars to prove it,” answered Sabine.  

“I believe that when you love someone, and that person loves you in return, you're uniquely vulnerable. They have a power to hurt you that's like nothing else,” said Elijah, his phone started ringing in his pocket, and he answered it. “Rebekah.” 

“He's taken the girl,” Rebekah said in greeting.  

“Who has?” Elijah asked.  

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“Bloody, bloody Marcel!” Rebekah snapped.  

“And you wanted to run off and start a life with this backstabber.” Klaus reminded her.  

“Says the man who was shacking up with him, not two seconds before all this went down.” Rebekah shot back. “Ok. We need to divide and conquer if we're gonna stand a chance. He could have gone anywhere. We need to find her now that you and Caroline have a way to save her.”

“A possibility, there’s no guarantee.” Elijah clarified. 

“But it’s a chance.” Caroline insisted. 

“Well, I'm here with Sabine. Perhaps we could try a locator spell?” Elijah suggested.  

“ I'll talk to the priest,” said Klaus. “They might even be at the church. It's the last place we'd think to look for them, right?” 

“Ok.” Rebekah agreed. “You check the church, I'll check everywhere else.”

“We’ll help,” Caroline said, waving a hand between her and Josh who nodded. 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ 

“What are you doing?” Klaus questioned when he saw Hayley packing up a box of can food.  

Hayley didn’t look up as she placed more can goods in the box. She was doing her best to hold it together, but she couldn’t stop thinking about the rift between her and Elijah and how much it hurt. “I was gonna take these to the-,”  

“If you say, "bayou," I will find a nice comfy dungeon and throw you in it.” Klaus cut her off. “This is not the night to be out there.” 

“For anyone.” Hayley corrected, finally looking at him. “But some people don't have a choice.” 

“Right,” said Klaus, noting how she was trying not to cry. It was clear to him she was trying to keep herself occupied as to not think about her fight with his brother. Pushing down his annoyance, he didn’t need to deal with a crying pregnant girl, he sighed. “Grab that lot and come with me.”

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“I consecrate these bones to the earth. Ancestors, hear me. I consecrate these bones to the earth. Ancestors, hear me.” Sophie chanted. 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“This isn't working.” Said Sabine she was trying to locate Davina but was failing to do so.   

“She's nowhere to be found,” said Elijah doubtfully.    

“No. It's more like she's everywhere.” Sabine corrected. “She's hemorrhaging magic. That means we have less time than we thought. We have got to find her. I have no clue where she is.” 

“Please concentrate. Try again.” Elijah insisted. 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Davina's eyes fluttered open, and the moment she saw Marcel, she used her magic to throw him away from her.  

“I'm not gonna hurt you.” Marcel protested, picking himself back up.

“I don't believe you!” Davina cried angrily with betrayal. “You want to kill me just like everyone else.” 

“I'm the one who put a protection spell on you, Davina,” Marcel told her in defense. “That's why Tim's dead, and you're not. And before you throw me again, if I had known anything was gonna happen to your friend, I would have protected him, too.” 

Davina looked at him in surprise. “You're the one who saved me?” 

“Yeah, but now the witch who did the spell is in league with the rest of them, so I had to take you away.” Marcel told her.  

“So you could use me as a weapon?” Davina asked, not ready to trust him again on just his word.  

“I'm trying to keep you safe.” Marcel insisted. “Davina, look at me. I messed up. All this power that you have, it gave me an advantage. It helped me punish the witches, and it let me run the city, and I let that mean too much.” Marcel truly regretted that he made her doubt how much he cared about her. “All right, but that's over with now. One survivor to another, all I want to do is keep you alive, I swear.”

“I'm scared,” Davina confessed, tears in her eyes. “I don't know what's wrong with me.” 

“You're not alone,” Marcel told her, closing the distance between them. “We'll fix this.” 

“You won't let them hurt me?” Davina asked him, eyes pleading, needing the only family she had known since this all began. 

“No,” Marcel answered. “Nobody's gonna touch you.”  

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“We still haven't gone through all that you've already provided, Klaus,” Kieran said, greeting Klaus as he Hayley walked into the church. “Still it should help a lot of people."

“Well, this newest bit isn't from me,” Klaus replied, glancing at Hayley as he handed off the box of can goods.

“Oh?” Kieran looked at Hayley. “That's very kind of you...?” 

“Hayley.” Hayley supplied. 

“And these people are?” 

Klaus frowned. “These aren’t my wolves? Where are they?”

“Your wolves?” Hayley looked at Klaus in surprise. 

He ignored her and focused entirely on father Kieran. “Where are my wolves?”

Kieran frowned, his forehead creasing. “Caroline didn’t tell you?” 

Klaus’s eyes narrowed at the mention of Caroline and the possibility of her keeping something from him. “Tell me what?” 

“Caroline approached me, wanting to help in any way she could with the wolves, she’s been a big help. She got a food drive going. And when all this started, Davina’s magic, I mean, she had them relocated today.”

“What? Where?” Klaus demanded. 

“Your house back in a place called Mystic or something. She told them to lay low not draw attention to themselves, and she would contact them for when they can come back. She said it would only be a few weeks. She wanted to fix up the apartment complex their staying in once we avert the current crisis.”

“She never said anything,” Klaus said. Why the hell didn’t Caroline tell him anything? Was she trying to keep it from him? He didn’t see why? What she was doing, looking after his pack it meant something to him. 

“I’m sorry but could you stop ignoring me for five minutes and tell me about your wolves?” Hayley demanded voice rising with annoyance. “What does that even mean?” 

“I asked Father Kieran to give them shelter. He suffers from an incessant desire to do good.” Klaus explained. “But now I need you to be useful,” he told Kieran. “Marcel and Davina have disappeared. I assume from the stupefied look on your face they haven't sought refuge in your attic.” 

“No,” said Kieran. “Those days are gone.” 

“Then energize your resources. I don't need to remind you how important it is they be found.” Klaus said, his tone taking a threatening age.  

“Yes.” Kieran turned and left.  

Hayley looked around. “These people, they're your werewolves, and the priest and Caroline are involved in all this. You're helping them?” 

“They're my clan. They are not your pack” Klaus voice took on a possessive edge. “From very far back. They've fallen upon hard times, and their plight has brought out the philanthropist in me and apparently Caroline’s new project. What can I say? Must be Elijah's influence. Or Caroline.” 

Hayley’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean your clan?”  

“The blood that runs in their veins runs in mine,” Klaus told her. “And in our children’s.” 

“This family gets more complicated by the second,” Hayley muttered with a frown. To think Klaus’s wolf family was still out there, still living on after a thousand years.  

“Listen, Hayley, word of advice when dealing with Elijah. Don't do as I do. Just apologize.” Klaus told her, knowing when she spoke of his family, she was still bothered by whatever was going on with her and his brother. “He's accomplished in many things, but he is a master of forgiveness.”

Hayley looked away from him, her hand moving over her stomach as she pondered his words, and if she was willing to risk rejection by trying to reach out to Elijah again.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“Ok. Oh, ok. She's somewhere near the river.” Said Sabine, looking at the map, she used to scry for Davina. “I can't be more specific.” 

“It's something,” said Elijah. “It's a start.” 

“It didn't work,” said Sophie, interrupting them. “I tried to consecrate her and absorb her magic, but there's nothing there.” 

“I don't understand.” Elijah frowned. “A witch's magic is infused in her bones until consecrated.” 

“Well, then someone's already taken it because there's nothing there,” Sophie said, trying to not let her frustration show.  

“Has to be another way,” Elijah stated.  

“There is no other way,” said Sabine.  

“Unless you know of some superpowerful dead which whose bones were never consecrated, it's over,” Sophie told him.  

Elijah was quiet for a moment as he was able to think of one witch. “There is someone else actually.” Elijah finally said. “Our mother.”

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“It's taken 1,000 years, but you've finally gone mad,” Rebekah said her disapproval evident. “Our own mother?” 

“Yes, our beloved mother, who Niklaus has affectionately placed in a coffin in his basement, not daggered but quite dead,” said Elijah. 

“Well, she did try to kill us all,” Klaus interjected. He glanced at his phone, Caroline was still out with Josh searching for Davina. He needed to talk to her.  

“Well, I say we put her to use and put her to rest once and for all.” he shot Klaus a glare for his obvious distraction. “Could you stop worrying about Caroline long enough for us to discuss this.” he glowered at Klaus. 

“I won't worry about Caroline when she’s here until then I will,” Klaus muttered, sending her another text and putting his phone away and glowered at his brother. “Continue?”  

“Now if we bury our mother on land owned by one of her descendants, she becomes a New Orleans witch, and we as her family share in that ancestral magic.” Elijah laid out his plan. 

“We're vampires, Elijah.” Rebekah reminded condescendingly. “We can't practice magic or own property for that matter.” 

”Yes. With regard to practicing magic.” Elijah agreed.  

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“That's where I come in.” Said Sophie. “After they bury their mother, They can channel all her power to me. Only hitch is as conduits of Esther's magic, they need to participate in the harvest.”

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“And as for owning property. Not all of our mother's descendants are dead.” Elijah said.  

“The babies,” Klaus said, following his brother’s line of thought.  

“The babies,” Elijah confirmed. “The parish tax assessor's office is just steps outside of the quarter. Hayley now holds the title to the plantation. So if we bury our mother there and we consecrate those grounds, we can finish the harvest ritual.” 

“You're a bit of a mad genius, Elijah.” Klaus lips ticked up into a smirk. “Count me in.” 

“Am I the only one thinking?” Rebekah demanded. “Our mother was the most powerful witch in history. If we bury her, we hand that power to our enemies to use against us.” 

“Given our circumstances, I hardly see that we have a choice, Rebekah,” Elijah responded.  

“I don't know why I bother,” said Rebekah, annoyed. “You two will just do what you want anyway.” 

“No,” replied Elijah. “Our decision must be unanimous.” 

“This is not a democracy.” Klaus disagreed.  

“You're quite right. This is family,” said Elijah as it started to rain. “Water. The next sign's begun. Rebekah?” 

“Kill a demon today, face the devil tomorrow.” Said Rebekah after a moment of consideration. “Count me in.” 

“Well, this is no family reunion without our mother.” Klaus grinned, gleefully pushing up from the couch. “I'll fetch her.”

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“So much for your grand schemes of using Davina for revenge,” Thierry said, speaking in a dry tone.  

“Survival first, plots to overthrow my brother second. Where would Marcel hide something precious to him?” Rebekah questioned.  

“You think I'm just gonna offer that up so you can leave me here to rot?” Thierry asked, glaring. “Water runs downhill. You think I have to have drowned before to know how much that will suck.”

“Fire kills vampires, Thierry. You think burning to ash will be pleasant?” Rebekah challenged. “Look. I am not forsaking you. I promise to live up to my end of the deal. I'll get you out of here when all of this is done. Just tell me where Marcel would go.” 

“There's a place by the docks,” Thierry said after a moment of reluctance. 

Rebekah nodded and walked back out of the Garden only to come face to face with Caroline and Josh. 

“What are you doing here?” Rebekah asked, hoping they hadn't overheard her with Thierry.

“For the same reason you are, I’m sure. Thierry was Marcel’s right-hand man, he has to know where Marcel might have taken Davina.” Caroline answered. 

Josh stepped forward anxiously. “Did he tell you anything? Where did Marcel take Davina?” 

“C’mon,” Rebekah waved them along. “Let’s go tell Davina we might have found a way to save her life.”

“Don’t you mean Caroline found a way to save her life?” asked Josh and Rebekah glared in response. 

“So where are we headed?” Caroline asked, wanting to stick to the point. 

“The docks.”

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“If I can just wait it out a few more weeks…” Davina said through the pain, her entire body ached. “Help me, please.” 

“ I will, and when it's over, I'll do what I should have done-- get you out of town,” Marcel assured her.

“I had a dream that Tim wasn't dead,” said Davina, her voice sad and full of longing. “He played a song that he wrote for me, and he kissed me, and we were just normal.” 

“That sounds like a beautiful dream,” said Rebekah announcing her presence.  

Marcel startled at the sight of her and Caroline. 

“Josh?” Davina said in surprise. “You’re not supposed to be here.”

Josh moved to her side. “I am exactly where I’m supposed to be.”

She smiled sadly, reaching for his hands. 

Marcel moved to protect Davina, glaring at the two blondes. “What are you doing here?” 

Rebekah ignored him. “But it was just a dream.” 

“Get out!” Marcel ordered.  

“This is killing her,” Rebekah told him, referring to the pain Davina was in and her weakened state. “Your stubbornness will mean her death.” 

“I promised her I'd fight for her,” Marcel said forcefully. “I'm not breaking that promise.” 

“No one is asking you not to fight. You're the only family that this girl has,” said Rebekah sincerely. “You owe it to her to fight for her to live and thanks to Caroline we might have a way to make sure she makes it through this.”

“What?” Davina's eyes shot to Caroline. “What is she talking about?” 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ 

“Where’s Caroline?” Klaus demanded when she came to the cemetery alone. 

“With Davina and Marcel,” Rebekah answered. “They’ll be here.” 

“Are you ready to do this?” Kieran asked the three Originals and Hayley gathered in the cemetery with Esther’s casket.  

“Always and forever.” Klaus took out a dagger and sliced opened his hand then handed the dagger to Rebekah. Rebekah took the knife cutting her hand, then Elijah did the same, Hayley took the knife, and after a moment of hesitation followed their actions. 

Kieran took the dagger from her and threw it into Esther’s grave. “It's done.”

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“How can you be so sure it’s going to work?” Marcel demanded. 

“I’m not,” Caroline answered. 

“Your not.” he glared. “You want Davina to go through with this, and you’re not sure your elixir will even work.” 

“I don’t want her to go through with this. I wish this weren’t happening. I wish all Davina had to worry about was school, what she was going to wear, hell if the cute boy she’s been dreaming about was going to ask her. I wish her life were easier but more than that I want her to live, and I believe if she takes the elixir, she has a chance.”

Caroline moved to Davina’s side and took her hand in hers. “I know we don’t really know each other well yet, but I am a good person, and I wouldn’t give you false hope if I didn’t believe there was a chance this will work.” 

Davina's hand’s tightened around hers. “You believe there’s a real chance? That I’ll come back?” 

Caroline nodded. “I do, and this is a whole lot better than going on blind faith in Sophie.”

“No,” Marcel grabbed Caroline by the arm and yanked her away. “You’re not doing this.” 

Caroline grabbed his wrist, twisted his arm, and pushed him away from her. “Don’t touch me like that again.” 

Marcel looked at her, surprised by the quick reaction. 

“Marcel, it's ok.” Davina cut in bringing their attention back to her, she looked up at him with trusting eyes.  

“No.” Marcel took her into his arms, holding her the way a father would his sick child. “I failed you.” 

“I'll die whether I do this or not,” said Davina with acceptance. “I mean, now the only option is-- is whether I take everyone with me. If you look at it that way, it's kind of selfish not to do it, and if this works, I will come back.” 

“There has to be another way.” Marcel insisted. “I can’t take the risk you won’t come back. This is not how it ends.” 

“And if it is... If this is all I have, I've had a lot,” said Davina, voice laden with emotion. “I had Monique, and I had Tim and Josh,” Josh smiled sadly. “And I had someone who fought for me from the moment you met me.”

Marcel’s eyes filled with emotion. “Ah, Davina.” 

“Most people don't get that even if they live to be a hundred,” Davina said with tears in her voice, smiling bravely. “Marcel, I'm ready.”

Caroline felt like she had been intruding, Marcel’s bond with Davina reminding her of a father's relationship with his child. 

Caroline reached into her pocket and produced the elixir, she had got it from Elijah before tracking Rebekah down. “I really hope this works, Davina.”

Davina's hand closed around the vial. “Me too, if it doesn’t I just want to say thank you for trying.” she looked at Josh. “Look after him for me will you, don’t let Klaus kill him. He deserves to live.” 

“So do you,” Josh replied. 

“I will,” Caroline promised. 

Davina nodded and uncapped the vial, she shared a long look with Marcel and then pressed the vial to her lips, and tipped it back the liquid slid down her throat and she swallowed the foul-tasting mixture and froze, eyes widening. 

“Davina, what’s wrong?” Marcel asked alarmed. 

“I can feel it,” she answered bewildered. 

“Feel what?” Josh pressed forward. “What do you feel?”

Davina broke out in a smile. “The magic in the elixir, I can feel it working through me.” she gave a small laugh. “This is going to work.”

Caroline smiled widely. This was good. 

She looked to Marcel, and while he looked hopeful, he didn’t seem ready to believe instead Marcel pulled Davina into his arms and held her to his chest, pressing a kiss into her hair, hoping this wouldn’t be the last time he heard her laugh.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Flames erupted on the ground as Caroline walked quickly through the cemetery, the rain pouring down in a heavy torrent, Josh beside her, the fire licked at Marcel’s feet as he carried Davina across the graveyard. 

Caroline walked straight to Klaus and locked her hand with his. “It’s going to work.” She told him. “It will.” 

Klaus squeezed her hand, hoping her belief would not be disappointed. Hoping she was right for her sake and Marcel’s. 

“Fire,” Sophie said as Marcel joined the group that was gathered. 

He set Davina down near the other girls who were laid out on the altar.  

Sophie placed the blade into the flames and walked toward Davina. 

“Do you believe in the harvest?” Sophie asked Davina.  

“I believe.” Davina stood straighter, ready for this to be over. Ready to have her life back without the threat of the witches looming over her head.   

Caroline flinched as Sophie pressed the blade against Davina’s skin and slit her throat. 

Josh reached for Caroline’s free hand with his, looking away as blood streamed down Davina white dress. Marcel was there to catch her as she fell back, laying her down gently. 

Blood streamed down Davina's white dress. Marcel laid her down gently next to the other three harvest girls. 

The rain came to a slow stop as the Harvest magic left her body.  

“After the harvest comes the reaping.” Sophie recited. “Their sacrifices made and accepted. We call upon our elders to resurrect the chosen ones.” However, nothing happens and Sophie looked uncertain. “We call upon our elders to resurrect the chosen ones…” Still nothing happens, Sophie’s tone becoming weak, as she faltered. “Resurrect your chosen ones…” her voice cracked. “Please? I beg…” frustrated tears filled her eyes. “No!” she started sobbing earnestly.

Marcel looked toward Caroline worriedly. “How long does it take to work?” 

“I..I don’t know,” Caroline admitted, she looked to Elijah questioningly. “Do you?”

“It should be any moment now?” Elijah said. “If it’s still viable.” 

“What the hell are you talking about?” Sophie demanded, face stricken with grief. 

“I gave Davina something to bring her back,” Caroline answered. 

“You what?” Sophie looked at her in anger. “The spell is what is meant to bring her back along with my niece. You could have screwed up everything!”

Caroline stepped toward her. “I don’t care about your plans. And I don’t trust you to make sure Davina is okay after this. Your desperate and you have nothing to lose, and that makes you dangerous. I did what I thought was right for Davina.”

“Yeah.” Sophie took a step toward her. “And how well did that work out for you. Davina is dead, and she may not be coming back.” Sophie scowled. “You deserve everything that happened to you.” Sophie stared at Caroline, and for once, she was glad she took something from Caroline. 

Caroline eyes blacked, anger surging through her when suddenly there was large desperate gasp for breath. 

Everyone snapped around, staring as Davina jolted upright hands scrambling at her neck, feeling for the slash across her throat, eyes wide and fearful, panicked. 

“Davina!” Marcel crouched next to her, hands on her shoulder. “It’s okay, breathe, just breathe.”  

Caroline moved to her other side and rubbed her hand up and down her back. “Welcome back,” she smiled. 

Josh crouched beside her next to Caroline. “Oh, my God, you’re alive.”

“I’m alive.” Davina breathed, looking from each of them, daring to hope. “It actually worked. I’m alive.”

“It worked.” Caroline's lips pulled into a smile. “You’re alive.” 

Davina's hand dropped from her neck, and she lunged forward wrapping her arms around Caroline. “Thank you.” She tucked her face in Caroline’s shoulder. “Thank you.” 

Caroline hugged her back, rubbing her hand up and down her spine. “You don’t have to thank me.” 

She looked at Marcel and Josh who were looking at her gratefully, she smiled then looked past them to Klaus who to her surprised looked relieved with the outcome of tonight's events. 

Sophie stared in shock, her heart sinking down into her stomach. 

All of it was for nothing. Everything she did was in vain. 

What was she supposed to do now? 

How was she going to fix any of this? 

She felt eyes on her, and she looked up to see Hayley watching her with a mild look of worry, and she glared. 

If she wasn’t going to get her niece back then she sure as hell wasn’t going to help Hayley.

The girl was on her own, and if Hayley were smart, she would leave town while she still could because the truth of her pregnancy was bound to come out sooner or later and it would be in her best interest if she were no longer in New Orleans when that happened. 

“Sophie, I’m sorry,” Hayley said, and Sophie’s anger cracked.

She shook her head and let out a cry of pain. “I’m sorry.” she sunk to her knees, a sob tearing through her. She failed to bring back her niece, to do the one thing her sister had died for. “I’m so sorry.” 

Sophie’s shoulders shook as she sobbed earnestly in grief. 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“Are you ready to forgive me yet?” Hayley followed Elijah down the street. 

Elijah turned to her. “It's not that easy, Hayley.” 

“Elijah, I was wrong to go through your journals, I was wrong to tell Sophie about Celeste, but after everything that happened today, I don't know why we can't see past this,” said Hayley, trying and failing to understand why he was so upset.  

“And you of all people should know why. During my fever in the bayou, you were inside my mind. You know what Celeste means to me.” Elijah insisted, the betrayal he felt bleeding through.  

“Don't you mean meant to you?” Hayley corrected.  

“No. Do you have any idea how rare love is?” Elijah asked. “In a thousand years, I have found it but twice, and when I have, I have honored it.” 

“I know what a promise means to you, Elijah, but you made it 200 years ago. I live in the now. If I feel something, I act. If I want something, I take it.” Hayley refused to apologize for fighting for what she wanted, what she deserved. “I won't choose the dead over the living, so why are you?” she shook her head. “I'm sorry, Elijah.” she walked away from him, leaving Elijah to stare after her. 

Hayley didn’t regret the decisions she had made and if Elijah couldn't forgive her then so be it. She has done far worse than helping Sophie get her hands on Celeste's bones. 

Her hand went to her stomach as she walked down the street. 

No, she had done far worse, and it was leading her down a path that she wanted off of but found it impossible and she doubted she could go to Sophie for her help. 

Sophie was half the reason she was in this mess, to begin with. 

If she couldn't have her family back, maybe her best bet was to skip town. Preferably before the babies were born, and the truth of their true conception was brought to light. 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

“This whole thing was doomed from the start, you know? Yes, we saved the city, and I'm not complaining about the witches losing their power, but this did not go down the way I thought it would.” Klaus said, speaking to Rebekah. “You surprised me, though. You were quite resourceful today. How did you find them down at the docks?” 

“You're not the only one with clever little spies in the quarter, Nik,” Rebekah replied with a dry smirk.  

“Sometimes I think I don't give you your due, little sister,” Klaus confessed.  

“I knew Elijah's plan was mad, but I really thought it would work. At least Caroline found a way to save Davina at least,” said Rebekah sadly.  

“So did I,” said Klaus. “I knew Davina would survive. There’s so much life in her.” 

“What about the power?” Rebekah questioned. “Four were supposed to rise, and only one did. Where did all that power go? It didn’t go back in Davina. She would have said something, wouldn’t she?”

“I don’t know,” Klaus answered, and he really didn’t. 

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Sabine conducted a spell with a small doll. 

Three people in various locations rise from the dead and walk until they meet one another. 

“Why are we here?” A red-haired witch in her twenties asked.  

“Someone brought us forth. Who?” Questioned a dark-skinned man.  

“I did.” Sabine appeared.  

“Sabine!” Bastiana exclaimed. “What's the meaning of this?” 

“Bastiana, I've had to endure people calling me "Sabine" for almost a year now. I'd appreciate it if you'd call me by my real name,” a smirk spread across her lips. “Celeste.” 

A/N: Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think of this chapter! 

Tags: @zinebaklaro @eloiselili @caritobear @paulinhaals @lord-luminous @bellarkehotchniss 

[whalien-imagines]

Daydream

SoulmateAU!WonwooXFem!Reader

Summary: It all starts with a daydream when you’re young but it continues to come back again and again. 

Warnings: None

Word Count:+2k

A/N: I wrote this with no idea on what it was heading to. I liked how it turned out! It’s cute and I hope you guys like it! I’ll try to post more often!  P.S: Just edited it, I wrote it at 3 am in the morning and I found so many errors. I tried to fit it as much as I could. 

There she was, in the car with her family as they talked about their daily things or the latest gossip in the family. The rain had settled above them, not helping the current traffic that was making everyone drive just a tad bit crazy. It was all the craziness and the busy part of life that made her close her eyes and imagine herself in a whole new world of her. It was one where she was outside in the rain, only having the umbrella in her hand keeping her dry. Everyone else around her were running out of it or walking with the similar idea that she had. It seemed like everyone else was busy rushing everywhere to not even realize how perfectly still she was, sticking her hand out in front of her and just capturing the feeling of the rain. Each drop was something. A memory or a tear, maybe even just a meaning to a person that today was a different day than the rest. She found it completely memorizing how different meanings could be held in this moment, that she had failed to realize that she captured someone else's attention, and soon became apart of their memories that were held in this rain. 

The smile that played at his lips and the urge to just run over to her and join her in everlasting thoughts. It was beautiful sight to him, how even at such a normal day, someone could find something so special. The way her lips naturally smiled and the way her eyes had twinkled in such wonder, it was all too beautiful. It was oddly strange, how someone his age had such a childlike wonder still attached to them. It seemed all too impossible to have such ideas at this day an age, because of the ongoing idea that adults needed to be busy and work driven. There wasn't supposed to be any space for such odd thoughts. Perhaps she was an author, he thought. They seemed to always have all sorts of ideas running their head. Maybe they could an artist? A musician or maybe even a photographer? Before he could even finish his thoughts, a little boy began to run towards her and shouted, "Professor (Y/L)!"

He watched as she looked down at her student and smiled, "Ilsung, you know you shouldn't running in the rain." She covered him with her umbrella and glanced around her, catching a glimpse of the man, whose eyes were fixated on her. Most of the time, it would be terrifying to see someone even glancing at her, yet she couldn't help herself on waving to him and turned her attention back to her student. His heart fluttered and for a moment, he felt as if an ethereal being had noticed him. 

The thought had faded away and soon she was back in the car. The light sounds of guitar played in her ears as her attention was caught by the music played from her headphones. She looked around her and noticed nothing had changed. Her family still sitting and gossiping while traffic continued, but rain had begun to slow down, only leaving a drizzle to cover the cars. It wars only a daydream, she thought, but it was one she was hoped would one day be real. Little did she know, it wasn't a daydream, but her thoughts were shared with someone else. Wonwoo was trying to fall asleep, getting ready for school the next morning, but his head had begun to fill such odd thoughts and he couldn't help but catch her in his thoughts. A simple fantasy, he thought. There was no one like her that could even consider the idea of acting the way the girl in his daydream did. Most girls here were too stuck up or had other ideas that brought them wealth and a plentiful life. That's all everyone ever hoped for, never to just live humbly and happily with such a simple life. She was nothing more than a daydream, he decided, and continued to force himself into another realm of dreams. 

Another incident soon happened, it was years later and the two of them were struggling college students. She was in the middle of studying in the library, waiting for her sister to come out of class. It was giving her a headache how much she had to learn for this semester but it was all to graduate early and go to work as soon as she could. Her job was her escape from all the troubles of here and a way to do something fulfilling for someone other than herself. She leaned back against her chair and let out a sign of distress. There wasn't enough motivation in the world for her to finish all of what she need to get done. Her eyes wandered over to the windows and found the clouds covering the beauty of the campus. The flowers looked dull and everyone else seemed to feel sluggish from to constant cloudiness. She huffed, summer was supposed to be sunny and happy, but the rainy season always ruined that idea. The music in her ears changed and soon her song had begun to play. She happily hummed along to the song, beginning to silently sing the words that spoke to her for many years. Her mind couldn't help but feel as if it was the only mind that wondered the way it did. Seeing the stories and the ideas that could come out of one moment. It was as if, she was the only one harboring these thoughts and the stories in her head. Every time she decided to share her stories or ideas, there be someone laughing at it or even becoming confused at the idea. There weren't enough words in the world to express everything she saw in the world. Maybe that's why she refused to the idea to fall in love with someone so easily… because no desired someone like herself. So, when she did first hear the song, a part of her thought the song was dedicated to her. Singing all alone to a crowd of people who never heard her. Her head fell against the wall and her eyes began to flutter, slowly feeling the exhaustion she had been avoiding. 

That's when she was back, the same daydream from a few years ago, but however, this time she wasn't controlling it. There was no longer her wondering about the rain or any of her surroundings, but she was looking straight at the man her caught her eyes before. He was looking down at his cup of coffee, thinking deeply about an idea that seemed all too familiar to her. His lips were slightly pouting, probably out of habit and his hair was a mess from the wind. Why was she thinking about him again? Was it her desire to find another daydream like him? A chuckle seemed to escape her lips, and that alone caught Wonwoo's attention. He glanced up at the rare beauty that he saw before, the daydream he had hoped to see again. Even after years of falling in love with such a stupid daydream, he couldn't help but just stare at her. It was exciting and interesting how different this girl was. As much as he hoped that girls would change in college, nothing did. They all seemed to have the same desires, no one seemed to have the wonder he had been secretly harboring for years. 

He waved at her quietly and watched as she began to beam with joy. He swore he could feel his heart soaring to the sky. That smile was absolutely stunning. She motioned to him to walk over but before he had the chance to get up and join her, the sounds of an alarm echoing through his dorm jolted him awake. He groaned in annoyance and shut the alarm angrily, resentful on even having the stupid thing. For one moment, it felt like his dreams had become his new reality but only to have it be crushed. He wanted to hear her voice sing about the ideas that went through his head and watch how each and every idea was formed. He wanted to his love to become real. 

The girl was startled awake but the sudden disappearance of the man, it made her heart falter in disappointment. Why couldn't a man like that be real? Why did most of the guys here desire the same lustful and meaningless life? Why didn't anyone desire to figure out the meaning behind everything and see the true beauty in everything? She had slowly decided that her daydreams had become too cruel to her, making her hopes go up only to have them be crushed by reality. Her eye glanced back down at the book in front of her, reminding her about all the things she had to work on before she had to go to work. The song had changed to another familiar song and a good friend of her sat across from her, completely oblivious to the thoughts running through her head. She forced a smile and pretended the disappointment wasn't there to begin with. After all, a daydream will forever just stay a daydream. 

After that moment, the both of them had fallen in love. The girl had quickly ended school and moved over to her job, which moved her miles away from her home. It was with her first class, when she recognized one of her students. It was a little surprising to find the same little boy from the daydream that haunted her for many years, walking merrily into her class. A smiled played on her lips. She couldn't help but stop him. "Excuse me, is your name Ilsung?"

He looked at her curiously, "Yes ma'am… how did you know?"

"Just a lucky guess. Anyways, come on, let's get class started."

Maybe it wasn't just a daydream, she had decided. 

Wonwoo had groaned out of stress. All of this paperwork was too much for him and even the coffee wasn't helping his mind relax. He swore he could feel the grey hair coming out of his head. Even after years of promising himself he would becoming something fulfilling in his life, he still had to deal with the things of life. Owning a bookstore still meant he had to file taxes and keep everything in order, but he still got to sit back and read the new books that came into his store. In a way, it was fulfilling, he got to see how interested people became with new books or how other people spoke to each other through the stories, talking about the plot as if it was something that had happened to them. He loved enough that he would go through all of this again. The sounds of the traffic that ran throughout the city soon began to be covered by another sound, it was the sound of rain walking into the city. Wonwoo looked around him and found the view to suddenly become familiar. He watched as people ran or pulled out their umbrellas, all except one person, who seemed to expect this already. Their eyes seemed to be filled with joy and the smile on their face seemed to already be smiling at him. Was this real or was he daydreaming again, he questioned. He looked at the girl that had caught his attention too many times before, still so stunning in his eyes. She waved at him this time, looking around before crossing the road to meet him. There was elegance and mystery to her, yet it seemed to hold the meaning why she stood out. It was as if she was the color in a dull world. He stood up from his chair and walked over to her. She stood at the entrance of the shop he had been hiding in. She stuck her hand out for him, after all, he was a stranger she had fallen in love with years ago. He gentled shook her hand as well, knowing all too well that it was the beginning of something so beautiful. 

She smiled, "Hi there, I'm (Y/N). You must be…"

"Wonwoo, Jeon Wonwoo. Would you like to join me today?”

“I would love to.”

[nouraachan]

The Fake Me

Roses are red, and violets are blue; that's why you should know who she is too!"

She smiled as she heard the all too familiar fan-chant. 

"Your fans adore you." Her manager said. 

"Your version of me ..." She said sarcastically. 

"Oh, come on, we discussed this with the management thousands of times!" He complained. 

Sigh ... "Whatever!" She said. 

Her make-up artist added a slight blush on her and clapped her hands upon admiring her work. 

"I did an amazing job." She said. 

She moved her face closer to the mirror, admiring the work done on her face. 

"I look too innocent." She complained to the lady standing next to her. 

"We need your image to stay innocent, dear," Diana, her make-up artist, explained. 

She bit her lips in frustration. "Yeah, Yeah! Even You!"

"I work in the company after all," she answered Maria's unasked question. 

Maria raised her eyebrow, passed her hands through her hair, and simply nodded. 

"Are you ready?" Her manager asked her. 

"Funny you would ask, you know better after all ... "She said as she stood up, ready to go on stage. 

....................

'Like everything else was not enough, Now this!' She thought as she kept walking back and forth across the room. 

"Calm down, dear! You will walk a hole on the floor." Her best friend Fiona said. 

"You don't understand. You never will!!" She answered, getting even angrier. 

"Hey, don't take it on me." Her friend answered, raising her hands in the air. "It is their marketing strategy, not mine." 

"They never listen!!!!" 

Just as she was about to continue shouting, her manager walked in and signalled for her friend to leave the room. 

"Time for me to scram .." Said Fiona as she hurriedly gathered her papers to leave the room. 

The door closed behind her and left Maria alone with her manager. 

"You don't look happy." He said. 

"Should I?" She answered or rather asked with her hands on her hips. 

Her manager sat down and motioned for her to do the same. 

"I am a singer, for god's sake." She almost shouted the words she had in mind. "I want to sing!"

"You heard the marketing team," he replied calmly, "singing is good, but you need more interviews, and you should appear in some charity campaigns that will boost your image."

"Is it really charity if I am only there to boost my image?"

"The marketing team knows what's best for you. They know how advertising yourself brings more fans."

She will never be able to convince them with what she thinks, will she? They really like the smell of money. That's all they care about. 

"You have a talk show in less than an hour, we will head to the studio, and we need to prepare a couple of stories for the audience." Her manager said as he stood up to leave. 

Lies, lies and lies! They will probably make her lie about how popular she was at school or how she was the captain of the basketball team or something. The truth is never enough for them. Her real self is never good enough for anything. 

She opened her phone to check the articles written about her. A habit she acquired as a result of stress to keep a pure image from the company. 

She read an article about her concert last night. It was very well-written. She felt slightly happy while reading it. 

"Her Lyrics are Fake, just like her SMILE!" That was the first comment on the article. This is probably one of her anti-fans.

Her anti-fans words were always hurtful to her. Because, unfortunately, They were true! She could never blame them for that because she allowed herself to be manipulated. 

....................

They arrived at her dressing room. 

"You stay here and get ready. I will go check everything is all right on stage." Her manager said.

He left her in her dressing room with some papers. She knew what's inside them, her fabricated story. She grabbed the papers, wishing they'd tear apart without her looking at them, but life is not a wish-granting factory, and she had to look at them.

"My first love," she smiled bitterly," they even included my first kiss." 

She heard the door open and saw her manager, signalling for her that it's time. She glanced at the papers one last time, then threw the thing inside her bag and went out.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have with us an angel whose voice grabbed the attention of the whole nation, whose charm is never-ending. Please welcome, Maria."

She heard the audience clap, took a deep breath and entered.

"Maria, our fans are really excited to have you here, are you excited too?" Her host asked.

"Of course I am, it's good to see such lively people, and I have to say your studio is très chic."

Same questions, same answers, same compliments, same routine ... She didn't even need to pay attention to what her host was saying. She could answer all this sleeping. She smiled, played with the audience, and made a fool out of herself.

And the day ended...

..................

Days passed by, and she felt ready to explode, and so she made a plan to set everything straight. They'd finally done it. They wanted her to sing about a club. She'd made herself so cheap, but now, that will all end.

"So, Maria, do you have some advice for the people who want to enter the show business world?" Her host asked. She was guesting on a live show, a chance that many people dream of. 

"If you want attention, follow whatever your agency tells you to do...But... If you want art, only follow your heart."

"Excellent advice, but you separated between an agency's role and real art. Do you think your agency prevented you from real art?" She caught a glint in her host's eye; she knew her host was the type hunting for a dirty scandal.

"I think my agency wanted a money maker, not a singer."

She heard hushed murmurs in the studio, and her host gaped at her. She even forgot to even ask a follow-up question.

"I always wanted to sing, ever since I was a child, "She continued, "but singing about love was not my dream. I wanted to send a message with my voice."

She knew by the end of this program. She will probably end up on the street. No agency would hire a whistleblower, but she could care less. 

She was herself now, the intelligent girl who loves learning and thinks singing exists for the people to understand each other. 

The interview went on, and she answered everything faithfully. She could feel her manager's glare from backstage, but she didn't care. She spoke about her real story, her real hobbies, and how the show-business world couldn't accept her unless she lied.

She told her host about the songs she'd written and even sang a couple.

"I know I hurt you with my lies, 

Please believe me and forgive me.

This is a family. This is life." 

CLAP CLAP Cla[

The audience that was silent most of the time started clapping after she finished singing. 

When she declared she will only stay as herself from now on, the clapping got louder.

"WE WILL LISTEN TO YOU ANYWHERE!" She heard someone shouting, and the audience echoed his words.

She covered her face and cried. 

...........................

After the interview, people contacted her agency to complain. Not about her character or the scandal but about them. Her fan base increased, and all of a sudden, instead of losing her job, she released an album with her own songs.  

In the end, her agency lost to real art.

[ofvivicnnes-blog]

                 hi everyone ! my name’s 𝖘𝖙𝖔𝖗𝖒 and i’m really happy and excited to be here ! i was in a group a v long time ago that had the points system before, so it’s really cool to be a part of a group that has a similar concept ( so shout out to the admins ) ! anyways, i’m 21+ and my pronouns are she/her, but they/them is okay as well. i’ve had kehlani’s mixtape on repeat pretty much since it came out, i have an affinity for writing intros at 2am while simultaneously working on editing themes, i’d let yeji choke me with her ponytails, and jackson wang owns my ass ! this is my very first time i’ll be playing kang seulgi after seeing exactly one (1) image of her on pinterest, and i hope i can do her justice with my mess of a child, vivienne ! 

“who are you & what is one thing that people would know you for ?” 

‘ i don’t know who i am -- i’m a lot of things. on the surface, i’m a daughter. i’m a former idol and a girl who’s still chasing her dreams. i’m vivienne, always, but i haven’t discovered who i am underneath all of that yet. one thing people know me for is my personal life. it’s not all that pretty. ’

“if there is one thing you could change about your career, what would it be ?”

‘ hm, i don’t know if there’s anything i would change, but i wish there were some moments i could have done a bit differently. my career as been great, but it’s nowhere near perfect and it never will be. ’

“what are you willing to do to be in the top ten ?”

‘ anything, but within reason. truth be told, i’m not afraid of anything that might get thrown my way, but i’m not saying i would throw someone under the bus ... not yet, anyways ! ’

name  :  vivienne ba-rom park.

nickname(s)  :  viv, vivi, & v.

age  :  twenty-four ( 24 ).

birthday  :  february 8th, 1995.

zodiac  :  aquarius.

moral alignment  :  chaotic neutral.

gender  :  cisfemale.

pronouns  :  she/her.

height  :  5′6″ ( five foot six inches ).

hometown  :  santa clarita, california.

nationality  :  korean-american.

ethnicity  :  korean.

occupation  : former k-idol, solo artist & dancer.

label(s)  :  the intangible concept, the lost soul & the sybarite.

aesthetics  :  glittery eyeshadow, roses on silk sheets, stained wine glasses, wire rimmed glasses, bare feet in the mornings, messy ponytails, ignored alarms, clear boots, shoes with red soles, messy bedrooms, diamonds, gold jewelry, oversized sweaters, strawberry chapstick under red lipstick, sexual tension, golden sunset, hickeys, long eyelashes & flushed cheeks, fuzzy socks, bright lights on a stage, disco balls, concerts, screaming until you lose your voice, love confessions, holding hands, sharp eyeliner, face masks, ripped denim jackets, fluffy clouds, drinking with friends, red wine, ignoring texts & making eye contact with someone you like.

          vivienne park was born on a cold ( california cold, that is ) february morning to na-young & nam-il park in santa clarita, california. vivienne was a happy baby that brought her parents joy, as they only had intentions to have one child and give them the world. if only the young couple knew that their daughter would grow up to be something like a thorn in their side, expensive perfume, 

          middle school was the time when the couple noticed a chance in their daughter. she wanted to be dropped off a block away from her school, she had a terrible habit of defying her school’s uniform dress code & mostly kept to herself, never inviting friends over for typical things like sleepovers. after watching from afar, vivienne’s parents questioned their daughter as to why she was acting this way. turns out, she didn’t like that her parents drove an older car in comparison to the other kids, whose parents drove newer & fancier cars. she thought the school’s uniform was stupid & it was hard for her to make friends with the other girls because she didn’t have the latest clothing trends or the latest gadgets.

          to put it simply, vivienne believed that she was supposed to have more & that she was ENTITLED to having more, but her parents weren’t able to provide that. her father was an elementary school teacher & her mom was a nurse, so the family lived comfortably, but nowhere near as lavishly as her classmates. vivienne wanted the pricey handbags & shoes, the beautiful blown-out hair & essentially whatever she wanted, so there were a lot of over the top arguments between vivienne & her parents whenever they said, ‘ no, vivienne. you cannot have a handbag that costs a semester’s worth of tuition. ’ 

          despite her slightly selfish & materialistic ways, vivienne was very interested in music at this time. she spent a lot of her time singing in her church’s choir & she was in the theater club at her school, so her life completely changed when she was introduced to k-pop by one of her friends in seventh grade. she immersed herself into the genre & became the girl who spent her time learning the choreography to her favorite songs. by the time high school rolled around, vivienne set her sights on becoming an idol & while her parents thought her dream was a little far-fetched, they eventually allowed vivienne to leave santa clarita for seoul in order to audition for one of the companies. 

          she lived with her aunt for a few weeks before she successfully auditioned ( at the age of fifteen ) & moved into the dorms with fellow trainees. vivienne thought she was doing well, but during her time as a trainee was the first time she felt constant rejection due to always being overlooked when it came to debuting. so, she trained hard for two years & debuted with her group NIGHTMARE x PARADISE in 2012 ! vivienne was the lead vocalist & rapper of the trio, went by ‘vivi’ & they debuted with their ep twinkle. NxP found success with their group & their debut was very well received. they remained together until early 2016, after vivienne was the last to debut as a solo artist with her ep i just wanna dance.

          after NxP’s breakup, vivienne’s bandmates found success in their new ventures, while vivienne slightly spiraled. she was now 21 & after spending the last four years with her bandmates, so she wasn’t really sure of what to do next. vivienne took a hiatus from music ( minus one song she released with far east movement titled don’t speak ) & she then found herself in a relationship with an idol from another company ( think jennie & kai with the way their ‘relationship’ was exposed ). hmm, if i’m being honest i’d love to have that as a wanted connection ( if it fits with your muse ! ) they tried keeping it on the down low since her boyfriend wasn’t supposed to be dating, but a few sneaky fans of his group snapped pictures of them leaving a hotel, so that sparked off a lot of controversy.

          vivienne’s boyfriend had been training to be an idol for a very long time & she didn’t want to be blamed for ‘ruining’ their career, so she decided to end the relationship after four months of dating secretly. one thing that continued to happen was the hate she received on her socials for dating the previously mentioned idol. vivienne liked to believe that she was a girl that didn’t allow anything to get to her, but the constant berating & harassment caused her to delete her accounts and move back to california, where she decided to debut as a solo artist. within a few weeks, vivienne found herself in yet another scandal when she was caught leaving a club with some prominent figure in los angeles, which caused her to fall under the scrutiny of the media & the public once again.

          she was dubbed as something of a sleaze, so she decided to start living up to that title. she returned to social media, but fans of vivienne during her NxP days were a little confused at her new personality ( which is all truly a well constructed act ). the scandal brought her some attention, so she released remember me, the theme song of the disney film coco in 2017. she released her first song as a solo artist, over my skin, in 2018 & signed to columbia records. currently, vivienne’s working on more music & other ventures, but doesn’t really know when she’s going to be releasing anything. vivienne currently lives in a super cute dtla apartment & she finally stopped being a punk towards her parents, so their relationship is better than ever !

          as for her personality, vivienne is very much the girl who puts on a facade. that’s not entirely weird when on stage because different eras usually means a different ‘personality’, but to the public she kind of carries herself as the girl who doesn’t care & she’s like a sexual deviant aka sexually liberated, but in reality she’s the polar opposite. to the public, she’s the girl who’ll be plastered on supermarket tabloids because she got a little too drunk at an album release party or she got papped with some other guy. in reality, she cares ( probably too much ) about what other people think of her, she hates when she feels like people are talking about her when she’s only a few feet away & she truly wants to be liked for who she is & not for what she can do. while her debut as a solo artist has been well received, she does sometimes get overwhelmed with the feeling that she’ll never reach that level of stardom again. tl;dr: she’s actually really nice & really wants to do well in her chosen career, especially now as a solo artist but she’s more than likely going about it the wrong way.

[hpconsentfest]

Weekly Roundup 3

It’s hard to believe we’re almost half way through the fest! Big thanks to everyone who’s been reading, commenting, kudosing, reblogging, liking, and otherwise hyping the submissions! 

There’re many more wonderful submissions coming up in the second half--enjoy! <3

ART:

Title: Breaths Against Skin Artist: Anonymous Prompt: #20 Rating: Mature Warnings/Content Notes: Consensual sex, enthusiastic consent, romance, fluff, communication, partial nudity, implied sexual content, implied rimming, established relationship, Sectumsempra scars Summary: Harry has picked up a habit of breathing “May I?” against Draco’s skin. Medium: Digital Artist’s Notes: Thank you to J for the beta on the drabble! For the theme of consent I wanted to depict them almost, but not quite kissing to show Harry waiting for Draco to give his consent first. I also used hearts and dialogue to signify the communication between partners. The accompanying drabble draws more on the theme of consent shown in the art in order to show Harry’s habit of asking before doing each step of the way, to continuously check consent with his partner instead of assuming the first yes is a blanket yes.

Breaths Against Skin

FIC:

Title: Everything That Happens is From Now On Author: First-time Fest Participant ⚡️⚡️⚡️ Prompt: # 68 Rating: Explicit Warnings: Graphic depictions of violence; Rape/Non-con Summary: After surviving a brutal assault, Draco tries to navigate the tumultuous waters of his mind, and embrace a bit of love and trust in his life. After all, the smallest steps forward can begin to heal the most fractured of souls. Word count: 42695 Author’s notes: Although I have used archive warnings, I’d just like to reiterate my chosen tags for the story in this note. Trigger Warnings: sexual assault, depictions of violence and sexual assault, emotional/physical depictions and discussions concerning the aftermath of rape and rape trauma. In addition to these warnings, there are endnotes on chapters one, three, and five, as well. Please. Your mental health is important, so please do not read/stop reading if this may trigger you. This is very much Draco’s journey towards recovery, no one journey is the same as another, and recovery is never a straight line. I tried to write this story with that in mind while navigating an extremely difficult topic.

Everything That Happens is From Now On

Title: Tell Me How You Like It Author: First-time Fest Participant ⚡️⚡️⚡️ Prompt: # 29 Rating: Explicit Warnings/Content Notes: Explicit Summary: It’s a beautiful sunny day, and when Ron is laid up in the common room with a broken ankle, he gets more of a glimpse into his best friend’s private life than he ever might have wanted! Word Count: 3306 Author’s Notes: This fic was written for the HD Consent Fest. The rest of the fics from this fest can be found here. Huge thanks to s and w for the beta reads!! Usual disclaimer: I own none of this. I’m just playing in the sandbox. Please see the end notes for the prompt.

Tell Me How You Like It

Title: Show Me Author: Anonymous Prompt: #28 Rating: E Warnings/Content Notes: None Summary: On Harry and Draco’s anniversary, they decide to try something new, but Draco won’t do anything he isn’t 100% sure Harry wants. So Harry tells him, every step of the way. Word Count: 2.5k Author’s Notes: This was for Prompt #28 which was: “Character A makes character B beg for it before they do stuff.” This turned out differently than what I had originally planned, but I had a lot of fun writing it, and I learned a lot, too! Shout out to H for the alpha read, and @n for the beta! And of course to the wonderful mods for hosting this fest!

Show Me

Title: Purity Control Author: Anonymous Prompt: 83 Rating: T Warnings/Content Notes: PLEASE NOTE that this fic contains a very brief, non-explicit mention that Draco experienced sexualised assault during the war. Summary: In which Harry tries to ignore his trauma with fantasy Quidditch but Malfoy’s Thereness™ is distracting and all his classmates want to talk about is unicorns, virginity, and Muggle music. Word Count: 28500 Author’s Notes: Dear Prompter, Your inspired prompt demanded that I write it. It was a joy and a labour of love and I hope that you like it. This fic is rated T for profane language (my favourite) and discussions of “virginity” (hard air quotes). Thanks: A huge thank you to my betas, whose beatification I will be applying for now that this fic is finished and I have time again. Thanks also to 4G, who enriched this story. Final thank you to the mods for making this fest happen! Disclaimer: Harry Potter is the property of JK Rowling. No money is being made from this fic. This is purely for entertainment purposes (i.e., me giving myself jollies about unicorns).

Purity Control

Title: Come Inside Author: First-time Fest Participant ⚡️⚡️⚡️ Prompt: #90 Rating: NC-17 Warnings/Content Notes: None. Summary: “Can I come inside you?“ Harry asks, his voice a breathy whisper. And Draco nods, just once, ever so slightly, biting his plump bottom lip and looking deeply into Harry’s eyes.

At least, that’s how Harry imagined it going.

Word Count: 4766 Author’s Notes: During my two visits to Planned Parenthood, I was asked screening questions about Domestic Violence. I thought that was awesome, so I included similar questions during Harry’s visit to the clinic. Thanks to my betas A & S for all of your time, help, and encouragement. And thank you SO much to my prompter and the mods for allowing me explore this very, very hot kink and the issues of consent surrounding it.

Come Inside

Title: The Magic Cat Author: Anonymous Prompt: # 34 Rating: Explicit Warnings/Content Notes: No archive warnings apply Summary: When Harry sees Draco Malfoy with painted nails and wearing an oversized jumper covered in cat fur, his obsession from school comes back in full force. Featuring supportive friends, cute cats and lots of Harry figuring out what he wants. Word Count: 17,455 Author’s Notes: Thank you so much for the wonderful prompt, I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. A huge thank you to D and M for being quick and insightful betas. Any remaining mistakes are entirely my own. Lastly, thank you to the mods for putting this fest together (and thank you for the small extension)!

The Magic Cat

Title: In the Ways That Matter Author: Anonymous Prompt: #10 Rating: Mature Warnings/Content Notes: Past Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Mentions of Alcoholism Recovery Summary: Falling asleep with Harry Potter mid-argument, while completely pissed, was something Draco could never have predicted happening when he returned for his repeat seventh-year at Hogwarts. But it happened. And then it happened again. And again. At some point the alcohol was gone, and they were just falling asleep side by side night after night, escaping nightmares together. It isn’t anything more than that, even if sometimes it really feels like it is. Word Count: 9025 Author’s Notes: So I claimed the prompt ‘one of the two is asexual (but not sex-repulsed)’. I enjoyed writing for this prompt, as it’s something I’ve been wanting to write for a while. I hope that you enjoy it! Beta’d by E.

In the Ways That Matter

Title:  just drink this and we can do whatever you want Author:First-time Fest Participant ⚡️⚡️⚡️ Prompt:  84 Rating: General Warnings/Content Notes: NA Summary: Harry was tired of people trying to dose him with love potions, so he decided to create a charm to counter it. Now he only need to test it, unfortunately (or not) it doesn’t work as he was expecting. Word Count: 23677 words Author’s Notes: Many thanks to G for being so patient with me, for listening to me all the times I got insecure over the plot, or the sub-plot, or the relationships, and for helping me think all the times I got stuck! Thank you so much to my wonderful beta T for understanding what I wanted to say and making sure other people would be able to understand, too. And for erasing all the wrong commas, Merlin only knows how many commas you erased! And the amazing mods that answered all my questions quickly and patiently, you deserve all the credits for this amazing fest!

*The names of the potions used in this fic were taken from the movies, and are considered by me one of the only good things the movies did.

just drink this and we can do whatever you want

[hari-writes]

Three Sides to the Story - Chapter 7

Fandom: Miraculous Ladybug Pairings: Adrien/Marinette Marinette/Chat Noir Summary: It’s been almost three years since Adrien Agreste walked out of Marinette’s life. An accidental meeting at a party starts a course of events that will either drive them together or further apart. Meanwhile, Plagg and Tikki have had enough of their holders’ indecision and obliviousness.

Read on A03

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6

16th March

Adrien’s good mood didn’t last over the following days. In spite of feeling like he was walking on air after his brief chat with Ladybug and the calm he always felt after spending time with Marinette, the past few days felt like they had been designed to destroy all traces of his smile. Now, the first of three days of modelling for his father’s internship competition had arrived and neither of the first two candidates was his Princess.

Each candidate had to fit their outfit to Adrien, then had thirty minutes to make any adjustments necessary to make the items ready for the photoshoot. They then had to style the whole look from a large selection of hats, scarves and jewellery. Next, while Adrien and Vincent completed the shoot, Gabriel would interview the candidates on their designs. From where he stood under hot lights, Adrien could hear everything they said.

The first tuxedo he modelled was very classic and well made, but it didn’t feel very inspired. The design student was very self-assured while talking to Gabriel and was able to justify his design choices. Adrien knew that this would impress his father - he respected people with conviction - in spite of how cautious the final piece was. As much as his heart wasn’t in modelling anymore, Adrien enjoyed his morning.

A second fitting in the afternoon meant he ate a meagre lunch. A text from Nino to cancel their planned meet-up that night due to a last-minute DJing gig was a further disappointment. From there, it went from bad to worse.

The second candidate’s design was far more avant-garde and his outfit was possibly the most uncomfortable thing he’d ever worn. It fit badly and the material was hot and it made his skin itch. The guy then chose to style it with so many accessories that Adrien was afraid to move in case one of the many pieces of costume jewellery caught on the open-weave trousers. The choice of colours was a cacophony of clashing tones and Vincent took an age to adjust the lighting so he could get acceptable shots. Every moment in the suit was torture.

The guy’s interview seemed to be going well, though. He was confidently explaining the reasoning behind his design and Gabriel was responding positively to him. To Adrien, it sounded incredibly pretentious and he instantly disliked this contestant.

His character judgement was vindicated when the makeup assistant accidentally scattered a little translucent powder on the collar of the jacket while she was mattifying Adrien’s increasingly sweaty face.

“You stupid girl!” Candidate number 2 shouted, “how dare you defile my work.”

“Ok, take it easy.” Adrien stepped between the angry student and the red-faced makeup assistant. “It was an accident and it’s just powder, it’ll dust off. Nothing is ruined.”

“Listen, model,” he spat, “your job is to display my work, nobody asked for your opinion. You’re just an overpaid mannequin.”

Gabriel rose from his seat now. Adrien caught his eye and tried to communicate that he had this under control. He really didn’t want Hawkmoth getting wind of this situation and his father had a habit of stirring up negative emotions in even the most zen people.

“You’re right.” Adrien dropped his voice, attempting to diffuse the situation. “My opinion doesn’t count here, but the guy whose opinion dictates whether you get this internship is right over there and I know you don’t want to make a bad impression by squaring up to his son… So, can we all move past it and finish the shoot?”

One insincere mumbled apology to the makeup assistant later, the guy was back in his seat, talking to Gabriel Agreste like nothing had happened. His father looked almost impressed with the way Adrien had handled himself. However, Gabriel held ancillary staff like makeup artists in low regard so the whole scene in all likelihood didn’t bother him

Adrien was still shaking. How dare someone be so rude? It was lucky that Hawkmoth was evidently Out of Office right now or he’d have had a tough job excusing himself from under his father’s nose.

Finally, back in his own clothes, Adrien washed the makeup off his face and restyled his hair. By the time he reached the reception area of the photography studio they were renting in Montmartre for the week, his father was gone. The receptionist caught his eye and, after verifying his name, handed him a note.

Nathalie’s hurried handwriting simply read, Gabriel is leaving for Grasse tonight in preparation for tomorrow’s meeting. Make sure you are home by curfew. Back tomorrow PM. N.

He shouldn’t have expected anything different, shouldn’t be disappointed, but he was. Adrien thought his father might have at least waited to say goodbye in person. What more did Gabriel want? Adrien played the dutiful son, followed his rules and waited expectantly for the day his father showed him love or respect. Why did he torture himself like this?

»»————-————-««

17th March... just

“Princess!!! Are you awake?”

Shouting like an alley cat at 1 in the morning?! I’m going to kill him and have his damn bell as a trophy...

Marinette did not enjoy being woken up from a deep sleep, even less so when the one waking her was perfectly able to use more stealth. There was something odd about his voice, though…

“Are you trying to wake the entire neighbourhood, Chaton- oh!” When she threw the window open. she wasn’t expecting to see... “Adrien?! What the hell are you doing here? How do you know where I live?”

The blonde-haired boy stepped back to get a better view of her window and promptly fell off the pavement. He sprang back to his feet with impressively cat-like agility for someone so obviously hammered.

“Whoa. Are you ok? I think this street is wobbly.” He slurred.

“You can’t leave him out there, Marinette,” Tikki said, “he’s in no state to find his own way home from here.”

With an exasperated sigh, Marinette grabbed her robe and went down to the street to rescue a drunken Adrien before one of her neighbours tried to shut him up in a less charitable way. He was sprawled against a parked car when she threw open her front door. It was a miracle that he hadn’t set off a car alarm.

“Come inside, you idiot.” She gasped. “It’s freezing out here.”

She darted out the building just enough to grab his arm and pull him into the lobby. Once inside, he leaned against the wall, looking like he might slide down it at any minute. Sighing, she pulled his arm around her shoulders and heaved him up the stairs to her flat. Luka stuck his head out his own bedroom door as she passed. He gave her a ‘should I be concerned?’ look and she shook her head and smiled reassuringly before opening her own bedroom door and pushing Adrien through it. He made a beeline for her desk chair and slumped in it.

“Make yourself at home.” She said, her voice dripped with sarcasm, even though she knew he wouldn’t notice. He was acting like he’d been there a hundred times before. Considering she never told him she’d even moved out her parents’ home, it was disconcerting. “Sit tight, I’m going to make coffee.”

As she filled the coffee maker with water, her mind was racing. Tikki was equally confused.

“Why is he here, Marinette? And what could possibly have driven him to get so drunk? It’s not like him. Where is his bodyguard? What will his father say?” The red and black kwami asked.

“I can’t answer any of those questions, Tikki,” Marinette whispered. “I can’t imagine his father knows he’s here. I hope he wasn’t caught by any paparazzi.”

“Same here.” Tikki agreed, “I can try to- well, let me see what I can think of while you tend to Adrien.”

“Thanks, Tikki.”

Marinette reached into the cupboard for the Good Coffee, the stuff she usually reserved for exam revision and all night sewing sessions. She guessed it should be strong enough to at least start sobering up Adrien. While she was waiting for the water to heat and drip through the grounds, Tikki suggested she take a few cookies back and Marinette popped a chunk of Camembert on the plate, too. When she and Adrien were together, Tikki always asked for the cheese when Adrien was around so Marinette got into the routine of always adding a piece to their snack plate. Old habits were like muscle-memory and she didn’t think about what she was doing until it was done.

Marinette had to open her door with her knee then back somewhat inelegantly into the room so as not to drop the overfilled tray. She set it down on a clear space on her desk before scuttling around the room, picking up stray sketchbooks and fabric swatches and setting them in a pile next to her now empty dress form. After Cat Noir’s help the other night, she had completed her contest outfit and it was safely zipped up in a suit carrier at her parents’ place. The final assessment for her course was now weighing on her mind and she’d been trying to create a mood-board for the collection before tiredness postponed the activity.

She poured two mugs of coffee, adding milk to both and perched on the end of her bed with her hands wrapped around the mug. She scrutinised the boy in front of her as he swayed in her seat.

“Do you want to talk about it?” She asked.

“Did you know there’s an Irish pub down the street?” He slurred “It’s great craic. There are so many different whiskeys, I didn’t know that. DId you know that?”

At least that partially explained what he was doing here, her flat was nearby. However, there were at least 4 Irish pubs between his house and hers so she still had questions. Firstly, why was he drinking alone? She had never known him to be drunk and she was sure Gabriel forbade it.

“Anyway,” he continued, “I realised I left my phone in the limo, but I couldn’t remember where I was meant to meet Gorilla.”

“Shit, Adrien. Your dad must be going mental.” Marinette said.

“Oh, no, he’s out of town tonight. He’s meeting his perfumiers in Grasse tomorrow morning.” Adrien laughed bitterly. “He mustn’t disappoint his suppliers, you know, only his son.”

“Still. I’m going to text Gorilla and let him know you’re safe.” She picked her phone up off her bedspread and started scrolling through the contacts. It was funny, she’d long deleted Adrien’s number, but she couldn’t bring herself to remove his bodyguard’s from her phone. She found the number and fired off a quick message to assure Gorilla that Adrien was safe and best sleeping off the effects of the alcohol before he came to collect him. He replied to thank her for looking after his charge.

“Ok, they’ve called off the search party.” She said as she placed her phone on the desk  “Now, are you going to tell me what going on with you? You’ve never been drunk before.”

“How would you know?” Adrien’s eyes narrowed, “A lot had changed since we last spoke.”

“Touch é .” She conceded and sipped her coffee. She figured that if she could let the silence hang long enough, he’d be compelled to talk. She took a cookie from the already cheeseless plate and silently offered Adrien one. He took it and concentrated on the surface of the snack, avoiding her gaze.

Eventually, he spoke.

“Why does my father hate me?” He asked and silent tears fell down his face.

Marinette drew him into a tight hug. She wanted to tell him that Gabriel did love him, that he was just hurt and broken and unable to communicate his love right now. She wanted to hold him until he stopped hurting, but she knew that there was only one person’s word, one person’s embrace that could help Adrien, and he wasn’t known for acts of affection.

Suddenly, he pulled away from her arms and looked at her with a panicked expression. The colour drained from his face until his complexion had a greyish tinge.

“Adrien? Do you feel sick?” Marinette asked.

By way of answer, Adrien lurched forward as Marinette grabbed the wastepaper basket with reflexes borne of seven years of superheroing, tipped out its contents and shoved it under his face. As he wretched into the hot pink bin, she was thankful she opted for the plastic version and not that cute wicker one with the flowers on it. There was nothing else she could do, but rub his back and wait for the heaving to subside.

“How much did you drink, Adrien?” she asked, not expecting an answer.

»»————-————-««

He woke up in a bed that wasn’t his own, head pounding, throat raw and mouth dry. He wanted to sit up and check out his surroundings but the duvet over him felt like it weighed several tonnes. The room was unfamiliar, yet comforting at the same time. He’d been here before, but he couldn’t place it, his memories were too foggy. Forcing his body into an upright position (he was sure the room was swaying) he finally realised he was in Marinette’s bedroom. How did I get here?

“So, you’re awake, idiot boy?” Plagg was more irritable than usual this morning. “You are so STUPID. What if there was an akuma last night? What if you ran into more paparazzi? Your father would never let you out of his sight again. You could have waved goodbye to being Cat Noir, and for what?”

“Sorry.” Adrien managed to croak.

“And why did you come here of all places?! You’ve only been here as Cat Noir before, how are you going to explain knowing the address?” Adrien tried to speak, but Plagg was far from finished. “I’m all for letting lose - you’re far too uptight most of the time - but you were reckless last night.”

The bedroom door opened with a click, saving Adrien from Plagg’s diatribe. Marinette brought a steaming mug to him, her expression was concern and amusement.

“He lives.” She said with a chuckle. “Here, it’s sweet tea. You need to replace fluids. I’ll bring you some water too.” Adrien just nodded.

“How are you feeling?” She asked.

“Mortified. I don’t even know how I got here, I’m so sorry.” He bowed his head.

“I’ll fill you in on everything you did and said, I promise. Let’s just wait until you’re feeling less fragile, though.” She said. The words were achingly familiar.

Silence hung between them

“Every day. In case you were wondering.”

“I don’t…” Marinette started.

“ I r egret walking out on you, every day.” He said.

“Adrien, you don’t have to say that.” She didn’t want to dredge up painful memories.

“I do. Have to say it, I mean. Because it’s true.” Adrien stumbled over his words and Marinette was reminded of herself in school, struggling to get a coherent sentence out in front of her crush. “I regret the way I spoke to you, what I said and I especially regret walking away from you. Can you ever forgive me?”

“I already have.” She said. “I could never bear a grudge, particularly against you.”

“You’re amazing Marinette.”

“I think you’re still pissed, Adrien.”

»»————-————-««

On a shelf, high above their heads, two kwamis groaned and shook their heads.

“You were rather tough on him this morning, Plagg,” the red and black bug said.

“I’m still mad at him for taking you away from me.” Plagg huffed.

“I get that and I’m mad too, but giving Adrien a hard time isn’t going to change that.” Tikki reasoned, “We’ve got a chance to get them back together now, let’s use the opportunity to put them in each other’s paths as much as possible.”

“I say we pop out and frighten them. Force them to work this out.” Plagg whispered.

“I’m closer to agreeing with you than you’d believe, Plagg. These are our most infuriating charges yet.” Tikki concurred.

[angelkurenai]

Imagine Jensen, your boyfriend, visiting you on set when you have a intense kissing scene with your ex and costar, Tom.

Related to these: Imagine while at the Comic Con with your boyfriend Jensen, you run into your ex Tom whose feelings for you have not changed one bit. (Part 1)

Imagine getting a role in a movie with your ex Tom and Jensen, your current boyfriend, getting jealous and worried. (Part 2)

“Can you please not look like this?” you whispered to your fiance whose eyes wouldn't meet yours.

“Like what?” he said in a low rough voice and you cupped his clenched jaw.

“Like you want to rip his heart out or even more cut his head off.” you said with a small sigh and his eyes moved from your ex in the background to meet yours. He gave you a half-smile, but it certainly wasn't like the sweet ones he'd usually give you. More like a murderous one.

“No, not his head off.” he said and your eyes widened.

“Jensen!” you exclaimed, hitting his chest “Shame on you.” you shook your head “I don't understand what the hell's gotten into you. You are not usually like this, baby.” your voice softened but his chest was still puffed out, as if he expected a fight to break out any moment.

“Well, it's not usually my fiance's ex boyfriend has to be all lovey-dovey with her.” he scoffed and you sighed in disapproval.

“Jens, how many times do I have to tell you? It's just a role, it's all acting there is not a reason for you to-”

“I'm not talking about the movie, (Y/n).” he looked at you fully in the eyes as you realized what he meant “I mean how cozy the two of you were being at the cafe the other morning.”

“For the love of, I can't believe you're still angry about it Jens. I told you I- I felt awkward around him, it's not easy to be a couple even for the cameras after all this time, and Tom was just comforting me. He knows the things that make me relax and he knows that even when I don't show it I do stress out over some things. He picked up on that and just... was a good friend and made it easier for me, why do you keep feeling attacked by that?”

“It's not the gesture, (Y/n), not just that at least. It's because-” he sighed, licking his lips as he ran a hand through his hair “Just because he still remembers that, because he wants to remember that which actually worries me.”

“Jensen please.” your voice was weak as you cupped his face as he looked down “Don't do this to me and don't do this to yourself. Please. You know how important you are to me, you know how much I love you and only you. I took this step with you, agreed to marry you, because I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I would never risk it like this, I swear.”

“I know, (Y/n). I believe you, I trust you. Always have and always will, I just- I don't know if I can trust him.” he confessed.

“Tom is a gentleman, he would never disrespect someone like this and I know it, no matter the situation.”

“But it's not just any situation, that's the thing. I know what you had was strong, and I just- I don't know what that small part in both of you that still loves the other in some way- what that part could possibly make you do.”

What could it make you do? Cheat on him? You couldn't even think about it.

You opened your mouth to say a thing but didn't have the chance to as another voice spoke up “Uhm I'm sorry if I am interrupting.” Tom said with a small smile “(Y/n) we should be getting in our places, love.”

“Sure” you gave him a small smile, not overthinking the fact that he called you “love” but Jensen did notice it and it did bother him more than it should.

“Gotta get back to work, baby. Are you gonna-”

“I'll stay here.” he with a clenched jaw, glancing at Tom. Not the answer you expected actually because the scene you had wasn't the most suitable one for your fiance to witness.

“Don't you have any filming with Jared?”

“No, not until sometime in the afternoon.” he shrugged and you had to hold back a sigh as you glanced at Tom who had his hands in his pockets and looking anywhere but the two of you, awkwardly so.

“Oh, alright then. You- you take a seat wherever you want and.. yeah.” you trailed off nervously, leaning in to press your lips to his. Weather out of a habit or because you really wanted to you just wanted to kiss him. But before your lips could meet something inside of you told you not to and you actually kissed his cheek. Partly you regretted it when you saw the look on Jensen's face, but you just shook your head and with a forced smile you pulled away walked with Tom in front of the cameras.

“Is- is everything aright between the two of you?” he asked tentatively and you actually gave him a soft smile because you knew he was just worried about you and not hoping he could make a move if things weren't going alright. You knew he wouldn't be happy about it, of course, but maybe there was a pat in him that cared a little more than he should at the moment.

“I'd be lying if I said that everything's peachy, Tom.” you whispered as he pressed his lips in a thin line.

“Is it about... the scene? The movie? Or me in general?” he asked hesitantly and you gave him an apologetic smile.

“The latter.” you whispered “Besides, I haven't really... told him what the scene will be. I thought he would be visiting for just you know, an hour or so and leave for the Supernatural set but-” you cleared your throat, nodding your head, glancing at your boyfriend.

“We could always cancel this you know? I'll- I'll come up with an excuse if you want me to, and-”

“No, Tom.” you whispered hastily, placing a hand on his arm as he gave you a small smile “No, you don't have to get yourself in any trouble for me.”

“That has happened before, and you know it was always my pleasure!” he said with a small smirk and shrug and before you could hold it back a giggle left your lips as you remembered all the silly things he'd done. Especially when he was trying to get you to say yes to a date with him.

“I know, Tom. I know.” you smiled widely up at him, instantly feeling at ease when remembering the beautiful memories you shared with him – not the tears that followed years later at your break up “Besides-” you let a soft sigh, this time not looking at Jensen but only the blue-eyed man in front of you “Jensen knew about this, even if he doesn't like to think about it. It is our job, it's all acting. I've seen him go through similar scenes with plenty of other women and didn't say a thing.”

“I think it's not just the scene that bothers him but the fact that it's me.” he shrugged and you sighed.

“I know, but he needs to learn to see that he is the only man I love. Even if it is going to be hard for him.” you said with a small shrug, glancing at Jensen who seemed more worried and sad than angry.

“He is a lucky man.” Tom said softly, his smile having fallen as he looked at you but you couldn't take your eyes off of Jensen. You gave him a small smile he tried to returned, tried really but just failed a little.

“Yeah, I guess?” you ended up asking as you looked back at your ex “But only time will tell. For now, I know I am the lucky one. Come one William, let's go remember some of the good old times.”

“Good?” his eyebrows shot up as you took your final places.

“Yeah, well-” you looked shown shyly before locking eyes with him “They were, weren't they?”

“Yes, they really were.” he whispered, giving you a sad smile. For a moment you tried to understand what all of his hidden emotions were. What he tried to keep away and that your boyfriend had seen, to the point he said he still looked madly in love with you. Was he? Sure, the way he looked at you resembled that of Jensen's a lot but... could he? What you had was over? Why did you even still think about to begin with?

“Alright everyone!” the director's voice caught your attention and you blinked as you cleared your throat “Now that we are all set- Maggie?”

“Just a minute.” your make up artist said as she checked your make up once more, putting only some powder “Ok!” she said, running behind the camera.

“Places?” he shouted glancing at a camera man who gave him a nod “Ok. Action!” he shouted and you saw Tom change right in front of your eyes.

“Are you sure about this?” you asked fully in character, continuing from where you'd stopped an hour ago because of technical issues.

“Do I have an option?” he raised an eyebrow, his voice more rough but still laced with that amazing accent of his that made you weak “I wouldn't forgive myself if anything happened to you.”

“Neither would I, though. Please think about it again, we could find another way we could-”

“Love” he said firmly yet gently as he cupped your face “There is no choice. I am not risking this, I am not risking you. Don't you worry, I will find my way back to you. I always do... always will.” for some reason the way he said the words didn't sound like his character but you brushed it off, because you couldn't afford to get distracted now.

You cupped his face and he leaned in, resting his forehead against yours “If I lose you, I will never be able to survive this.”

“You won't have to. We will survive together.” he whispered and with a weak smile and glossy eyes, as scripted, you held his face firmly in your hands and crashed your lips to his. For a second you thought of Jensen, you wanted to think of Jensen, but when Tom's lips moved against yours you felt every thought leave your mind and your body almost react out of instinct.

He pressed his body to yours, his hands on your hips and a small moan left your lips before you could stop it. Tom kissed back harder, deepening the kiss partly because it was scripted and partly because it felt like he'd missed it. If only you knew. And if only Jensen knew what would follow this kissing scene. He was only left to watch as your arms wrapped around your ex's shoulders and he pressed you against the wall, hungrily attacking your lips as he held onto your hips and lowering to your thighs. He was sure that was no screen kiss anymore, it wasn't and it couldn't be just for acting and he saw as the kissing scene turned more and more intense with each passing second.

He tried to endure as Tom's arms ran all over your body, touching places that made Jensen see red. But what could he expect? He had touched them many times before him. However when he saw your hands lower and unbutton his pants he totally lost it. He shook his head in frustration and slamming his hand on the chair he was sitting he jumped up, turned and left in frustration. He felt both like crying and breaking something, and the worst was you didn't notice a thing.

About either of the two men's feelings at that.

[hellyeahrpmemes]

※ JENNA MARBLES SENTENCE STARTERS, PT. VIII ※

here’s sentences from 10 more of jenna’s videos! feel free to change names/pronouns/zodiac signs/etc.! more jenna sentences

OPEN LETTERS

“So I had a bunch of thoughts floating around in my head and I didn’t know what to do with them, so I decided to make them all open letters.”

“Dear open letters: lighten up, man. Take it easy.”

“This is really difficult because I have my contacts in and my glasses on.”

“Why is your dog screaming? Like, literally screaming.”

“I’ve met more new people in the last week of my life than I have in the past year. I don’t know if that’s the saddest thing ever or the most awesome thing ever.”

“Good try, but it needs a little work.”

“What’s your favorite vegetable? Eggplant, said no one.”

“We know you know. You know we know.”

“Stop keeping all the cool stuff for yourselves. It’s selfish.”

“0/10 design, I am very angry.”

“Who thought of this? This is a terrible idea.”

“Dear avocados: you can still fuck yourselves, you’re getting worse.”

“Are you sure you’re supposed to be here? Because something doesn’t seem right.”

“I feel better now.”

“Dear bees: if you’re so endangered, why are there always at least 100 of you in my backyard at any given moment just waiting to give your life and hurt me?”

“You’re a do-nothing. Do you wanna be a do-nothing? Cause right now, you’re a do-nothing.”

“I sprayed hairspray directly into my ear the other day, and it was a horrible experience. I don’t wanna relive it ever again.”

“I like, really, really wanna be your friend.”

“Not everything in life requires crying.”

“We get it, you’re on an emotional roller coaster called life, but aren’t we all?”

“Can you please shut the fuck up?”

FULL FACE USING ONLY HIGHLIGHTERS CHALLENGE

“Yes, finally, a makeup challenge that I can do.”

“I’m ready, I wanna do it, I’m so excited.”

“It feels like I dipped my face in a bowl of nacho cheese.”

“I look like the tin man, but we’re gonna fix it.”

“It’s starting to smell a little like paint thinner, but I think it’s worth it.”

“I want you to be able to see my face in the dark.”

“This is the look I’m going for.”

“I’m gonna use this mascara in the color ‘my parents are disappointed in me’.”

“I wanna be seen from space.”

“I mean, now I’m ready.”

“Get on my level, all other makeup artists.”

“This video has been the highlight of my life.”

BAD HABITS

“I need some tape to tape my eyes open.”

“I’m not secretly addicted to crack cocaine.”

“It’s more of a nervous thing.”

“I’m kinda lazy, so that’s kind hard to do.”

“I can’t help it, cause it makes me feel better.”

“Hey, you wanna stay up for another 3 hours?”

“Better go ahead and watch the entire season right now.”

“Is it rude? Yes. Is it terrible? Yes.”

“I feel like it makes every argument a little less serious.”

“Everything’s gonna be okay, it’s really not a big deal.”

“I’m helping us in the long-term.”

“Who the fuck invented contacts? Incredible invention.”

“I’m doing what they would want me to. I’m living my best life.”

“I don’t really like to throw things out, because things are so good, why would I throw this out?”

“That is not an appropriate thing to do with your belongings.”

“A little bit of chaos is good for your kitchen or your house, not a lot though.”

“I’m borderline too much.”

“I somehow refuse to charge anything ever.”

“I’m the most annoying person.”

“I have a really bad habit about being very nitpicky about not even the things that matter in life.”

“That fuckin’ pillow needs to go there.”

“Don’t fucking touch that, or I will kill you.”

“I’m very sorry. I’m working on it.”

“He knows that he owns my soul.”

“This is the reality that I’ve created for myself.”

“I get locked out all the time.”

“That’s not a habit, it’s just a thing.”

“What am I supposed to do about that?”

“Have you seen this dog yet? I found it.”

“That is the spice of life, am I right?”

“I feel vulnerable. I always do. You know that.”

REVIEWING BAD APPS 2

“It’s just fuckin’ funny, man, okay?”

“Whose life is this?”

“Here we motherfuckin’ go.”

“This app can’t be good for anyone.”

“This is not legal. There’s no way they can do this.”

“This is disgusting, you know that?”

“I give that a get out of my ear/10.”

“I’ve never been happier to play rock paper scissors with a stranger.”

“Blink if you’re being held captive.”

“We were playing rock paper scissors and now we’re buying a bikini.”

“This got so fucking creepy!”

“This is a work environment…!”

“What the fuck is this job you got, girl, you’re better than that!”

“This is what happens if you do drugs once.”

“10/10 idea for a tattoo.”

“This is criminal.”

“I think that’s sexy Christmas, and worth a dollar.”

“That is a demon.”

“That was weird and sad.”

“That was so aggravating!”

“Can he see us?”

“That is the most legendary app of all time.”

“Don’t touch my hat, what is wrong with you?”

MY BOYFRIEND TEACHES ME JIU JITSU

“I can’t believe we’re doing this.”

“This doesn’t sound like the sport for me.”

“This doesn’t sound like a sport at all.”

“You can strangle someone to death.”

“Am I allowed to lick? Spit? Blow on you? Scream loudly? Sing a song?”

“It’s basically the same rules as Kindergarten; don’t be a complete asshole and spit on people.”

“Sounds like a disrespectful sport, that’s what it sounds like.”

“Is there gonna be snacks?”

“Please don’t break my arm.”

“No, you can’t sing that.”

“One, two, three, goodbye.”

“It felt wrong.”

“That’s really not allowed.”

“Don’t do that with your tongue.”

“Can’t you just kill them with your kindness?”

“Oh my fuck, you’re heavy.”

“My leg hurts, is that normal?”

“I don’t want to choke you, I love you.”

“It doesn’t look very threatening when I do it.”

“Don’t you want to choke me right now?

“I love you, but don’t do that.”

“Ow, for fuck’s sake!”

“Whose hand is that?”

“What do you call this? Is it called ‘sleepover’?”

“Why would anyone want to do this?”

“Don’t do it, I tried it, it’s a bad idea.”

“Who the fuck is that?”

“I feel like I didn’t even get a workout, I just got wet.”

ROAST YOURSELF CHALLENGE

“You know, I don’t eat beef, but, if I did, I would like it roasted.”

“You were cool in 2012, the end.”

“You’re actual trash.”

“You got a Masters Degree and don’t use it.”

“Not cool, man. Clarinets are easy to misplace.”

“The fuck was that, a Lion King reference?”

“Can’t even trust you to not make it weird for even one second.”

“I’m not making it weird, you’re making weird.”

“Ya nasty. Get a manicure.”

“You should grow up and get a job.”

“You have a radio show because your face is better for radio.”

“Where is your top lip?”

“I watched you bite your own toenail the other day.”

“Your hair is stupid!”

ASMR MUKBANG UNBOXING GAMING TUTORIAL

“Can someone fucking help you?”

“I hear that they have billions of dollars and lots of Mexican food.”

“I would prefer neater handwriting, but this slop-fest will have to do for now.”

“They only fill the chips up to about here.”

“These have been sitting out for a little while, so they’re kind of stale.”

“It tastes a little like the long line I waited in to get this.”

“Did you do anything fun today at school?”

“I got it at Target.”

“It smells good, but it’s a lot, you know?”

“There’s a tag that says something about getting arrested if you take it off.”

“Am I going to jail now?”

“I’ve been to that bitch’s house, and I can’t get Kylie lip kit.”

“I hope this was everything you wanted ever.”

REACTING TO MY OLD VIDEOS (300TH VIDEO)

“It’s hard to watch yourself, and it’s cringey, especially if it’s old.”

“Oh, man, this is brutal.”

“A very nice young girl with a very large chip on her shoulder.”

“I’m still incredibly embarrassed and ashamed.”

“Look at this tan, though… look at this tan.”

“There was a fire at my job, and, like a good employee, I put the fire out with a fire extinguisher.”

“I was working at a tanning salon, and I was like, this is a good look.”

“I am past this phase, thankfully.”

“It looks like it feels like Doritos because it did feel like Doritos.”

“I’ve come a long way.”

“Those things are demonic-looking.”

“The voice is very jarring.”

“It’s a lot. If you could just dial it back, like, a bunch of notches, that’d be really great.”

“I mean, I can’t say that I blame you.”

“I can’t even fully understand what I’m saying.”

“He filmed the whole thing on my laptop.”

“I’ve been the same since day one, so…”

“The worst quality, the worst audio, just terrible. Terrible all around.”

“She seems like a nice girl.”

“Jenna, I feel like you’re throwing your life away.”

“I think my entire life will be a cycle of me looking back at everything I’ve ever done and being like, ‘this is horrible. I hate it’.”

“I hate you for this.”

“This is the worst thing I’ve ever seen.”

“It genuinely pissed people off.”

“People were so mad at me.”

“It felt like people hated me personally.”

“Everyone’s just thinking that I’m some alcoholic.”

“I certainly feel that I’ve changed a lot as a person.”

“I’ve said lots of things that I probably shouldn’t have said.”

“It means everything to me. I just really appreciate it more than I could ever possibly tell you.”

“I changed my life.”

“Thank you so, so, so, so much for being kind to me, and caring, and giving me a chance to learn from my mistakes.”

“This is the most fun, most cool, most amazing thing that I could ever ask for.”

THOUGHTS FROM A BATHTUB 2

“Petition to make formal bath time a thing.”

“You can’t fit a square peg in a round hole, but you can light everything on fire.”

“They already make hot sauce, but why don’t they make cold sauce for food that’s too spicy?”

“I think it should be socially acceptable to sprint anywhere you want to. It’s faster, and I’m in a hurry.”

“One time, I wished upon a cloud.”

“The word tabletop is redundant.”

“Don’t hate the player, hate the coach.”

I think alarm systems would be more effective if, instead of alarm noises, they just shouted out the entire Gettysburg Address.”

“One time, your parents had sex with each other.”

“I think a really dirty, lazy person invented Febreeze.”

“I will now perform the opening song “Bonjour” from “Beauty and the Beast”.”

“I feel vulnerable right now. I feel very vulnerable and out there.”

JENNA’S RATCHET FASHION BOUTIQUE: DOG COSTUMES

“I was genuinely baffled by it.”

“I am a mere mortal, not a crafting god.”

“I feel like this is the fairest way to do this, to please everyone.”

“This could get very dicey, but let’s do it, I’m ready.”

“Now you’re filled in, congratulations, you’re welcome.”

“This is really, really bad.”

“I don’t really know what my plan is.”

“I don’t know why I didn’t think of this before.”

“I hope I don’t regret this.”

“Why wait for Halloween to make your dreams come true?”

“Much to your, and my, surprise, this actually works.”

“Is it overkill? Yeah.”

“See something cool? Make a mediocre version of it.”

“Please work, please work.”

“I don’t have any other ideas, there is no Plan B, this has to work.”

[foxesandferrets]

Big and Little

Hi guys! The Haikyuu Siblings Zine (a free e-zine) is available now!! We wrote a little collab for it featuring the Hinata siblings, with a side of kagehina because we’re weak. We hope you enjoy it!! A lot of effort was put into it and it has several amazing works!! Claudia wants to dedicate this piece to Pixie, an amazing human being that left us too soon, but touched so many lives and will be hardly forgotten. The art she made for the zine shows the bright and wonderful artist she was. I hope she’s resting in peace. 

********                          ********

Car rides usually make Natsu feel sleepy, but today she couldn’t fall asleep even if she tried. Her mom looks happy too, and, well, it’s not every day that the freak duo of the national team comes to visit. The last time Natsu saw her brother was for their New Year’s party, and the last she’d heard of him was from TV; the national team classified for the world cup, the match point made by Shouyou.

She was so excited when Shouyou announced he would come home to rest, which is a novelty because as far as she knows, he loves being on the move, but she won’t complain. Natsu wants to feel she has an older brother again, to play and bicker like before he left home.

Her mom parks the car and Natsu is out before she can remove the keys, running to the meeting point. In the distance she can make out the bubbly orange boy and his tall cranky partner, both carrying big gym bags and wearing their team jackets.

Shouyou notices her and waves his arms way above his head, grinning from ear to ear. Natsu can’t stop herself, and when she’s by his side, hugs him. There’s something different though… her big brother is…

“When did you get taller than me?!” He shouts, stepping back and staring wide eyed. Natsu hears a chuckle from beside them.

“We were almost the same height the last time you visited,” Natsu smiles, kind of proud of herself. “Hi Kageyama-kun!”

Kageyama gives her a side smile, and ruffles her hair.

“Don’t do that!” She laughs as her brother speaks again.

“But I’m the big brother!”

Just then their mom catches up with them, smiling wide.

“Shouyou! I’m so glad you’re back!” She says, a hint of tears glossing her eyes.

They all make their way back to the car but as soon as they exit the train station Kageyama tells them that he’ll go to his house by bus.

“Are you sure? We can take you there.” Hinata’s mom says.

“Yeah,” he scratches his neck, looking sheepishly at the ground. “It’s been awhile since I’ve been here so I want to make the whole trip.”

“I’m sure your parents will be happy to see you,” their mother continues, smiling softly. “Will you be coming to Natsu’s birthday tomorrow?”

“‘Course,” he replies, smiling politely—or as close to a smile as Kageyama can get.

“You guys go on ahead,” Shouyou tells them, “I’ll be at the car in a second, I just need to tell Kageyama something.”

The two nod and start to leave, but as they turn Natsu sneaks a peek around the corner, seeing Shouyou lift on his tiptoes to peck Kageyama’s cheek. Natsu hurries away, hoping they didn’t see her snooping.

When Shouyou climbs into the car, grumbling something about tall sisters getting the front seat, Natsu can barely hide her knowing smile.

—

“Hey, big bro, wanna play some basketball with me?”

“Sweetie, let him put his bags down before you start dragging him outside,” their mother chuckles, shaking her head as she prepares to cook dinner.

“Are you kidding, Mom? I haven’t touched a volleyball for two days, and a basketball is close enough. My fingers are tingling,” Shouyou responds, wiggling his fingers to prove his point. He drops his duffel bag in front of the hallway and follows Natsu to the backyard, face eager.

She starts off easy, just dribbling the ball and passing it to Shouyou, though he can’t quite get the hang of bouncing the ball instead of hitting it into the air.

“Ow!” He yells, rubbing his wrist as the ball falls with a dull thud to his side. “That hurt.”

“It’s not a volleyball, dummy,” Natsu sighs, catching the ball and tucking it under her arm. “It’s a lot heavier and harder, it’s not meant to be smacked around with your wrist.”

Natsu shoots the ball over Shouyou’s head, smiling at the sound of it hitting the hoop and bouncing against the asphalt. Shouyou pouts, but she knows there’s no disdain behind it. She feels as if she’s walking on air, falling into conversation so easily with her brother as if they were just together the day before, as if he never left in the first place.

“How’s the team going? I remember you saying you were joining the basketball team,” Shouyou asks, picking up the ball and attempting to dribble again.

“It’s going great!” Natsu smiles, chest swelling with pride. “I’m on the starting team, just like you were your first year.”

Shouyou passes her the ball, tossing it up instead of bouncing it, but she doesn’t comment. “That’s awesome! You must be pretty good. The only reason I made the starting team was because of Kageyama.”

“I’m the only first year who made it,” Natsu explains, deflating a bit. “I think it might just be for my height, but I want to show them that I’m not just tall, I’m a good player and I deserve that spot.”

Shouyou’s expression turns thoughtful. “You know, it took me a long time to feel like I deserved my spot on the national team. Kageyama has always been more skilled than me, and I felt like I was just tagging along at his heels, but after years of training together I finally realized I earned my spot, not just our teamwork. If you’re already confident in your ability then you’re leaps and bounds ahead of where I was.”

“And centimeters above where you were,” Natsu smirks, covering up the emotions she feels swelling in her chest with jokes.

“Funny,” Shouyou deadpans, taking the ball as she bounces it towards him.

“So what’s going on with you and Kageyama?” Natsu wiggles her eyebrows, surprised when Shouyou smiles.

“So you, uh, you saw that?” He asks, embarrassed, passing the ball again.

“Saw what? The smooch or the years of secret pining?”

“When did you get so sassy?”

“You brought Kageyama around too much when I was little,” Natsu answers. “I learned from the best. Now spill, are you guys finally a thing?”

Still smiling, he looks down fondly. “You could say so…”

“Oh! Come on! Do I need to go to his house and make you both sit and talk?”

“Rude!” Shouyou laughs again, hitting Natsu lightly on the shoulder. “We are a thing, but we haven’t told anyone. Well, before now. You’re the first one to know.”

Her brother’s words and affectionate expression make Natsu tear up. She’s aware of the way many people view same-sex couples in Japan, so she can’t imagine how hard is for both of them to continue their relationship with such a public career. She’s so proud of her brother; the courage he shows in the sport he loves and his personal life is a path she wants to follow. And being the first one to know about all of this makes her the happiest person alive.

“I’m really happy for you guys!” She drops the ball and hugs Shouyou, the thump of the ball and the birds singing in the background the only sounds around them. Natsu doesn’t want to break the contact because she knows what kind of face her brother is making; he’s smiling wide and trying not to cry in front of his little sister.

They stay still for a while, feeling each other’s warmth and their love and trust that never faded; it’s like nothing has changed since Shouyou left.

Natsu is the one to break the comfortable silence. “Hey, big bro.”

“Hmm?”

“Let’s keep playing so I can teach you,” she laughs, patting his head before going to get the ball.

“I’ll show you how fast I can learn!” Natsu sees him rubbing his eyes, knowing she was right.

Shouyou prepares himself, going into a volleyball receiving position, and Natsu giggles. Some habits really do die hard.

---

Kageyama is the first guest to arrive the next day, wasting no time in giving Natsu his gift.

She thought they would behave differently now that they’re dating, but as soon as Shouyou reaches the living room and sees Natsu holding Kageyama’s gift they start arguing about big brother’s rights and how stupid the other is.

“I’m her brother so she has to open my gift first,” Shouyou declares, and, without letting Kageyama respond, darts out and returns in a second, shoving a messily wrapped package toward Natsu.

Kageyama rolls his eyes.

“Geez, why does everything have to be a competition with you guys,” Natsu says, sitting on the couch and ripping the paper open.

Her breath catches in her throat when the colors of the National Volleyball Team flash under the wrapping. Natsu takes it out and holds it in front of her, speechless, looking at Shouyou, whose eyes are shining with excitement.

“I can’t believe you got me the jacket!” Natsu is sure her smile splits her face in two.

“Try it!” Shouyou beams.

She puts it on, the hem only reaching her navel and exposing part of her shirt.

“I can use it with a shorter shirt and-”

“No, not happening. I’ll ask for another size,” Shouyou interrupts her, smile disappearing. “It’s too short.”

“What do you mean? I think it’s fine, look the sleeves fit perfectly!” Natsu turns to show them, but Shouyou’s gloomy expression doesn’t change.

“Let her be. You’re not her dad,” Kageyama says, bored.

“I’m her brother and that’s close enough,” Shouyou protests, looking indignantly at his boyfriend.

Natsu let’s them argue as she opens Kageyama’s gift, a dress covered with a sunflower pattern. She stands up and realizes it’s kind of short too, barely reaching the middle of her thighs.

“Why did you buy her a dress that short?!” Shouyou starts again.

“How could I know she would outgrow you?! I just got your size!” Kageyama shouts back. “Your gift was too small, too!”

“I didn’t know she was taller than me now!” Shouyou stands and goes to grab it, but Natsu dodges him, laughing. “Natsu! Let’s go exchange it!”

She leaves the room and hears Kageyama tell Shouyou that it can’t be exchanged, followed by more arguing, but Natsu doesn’t care. She’ll keep their gifts.

Some things don’t change. Natsu can see it in the way Shouyou smiles, or hear it in the way he and Kageyama argue, and she couldn’t be more thankful. For years she felt as if everything was moving too fast, her brother leaving to start his own life just as she was old enough to really need his guidance, but now, having him back, she realizes he never truly left.  

Shouyou will always be Shouyou, and no matter how tall she grows or how far he goes, he’ll always be her big brother, and she couldn’t have asked for a better one.