#i’m just thinking ahead to the thrilling adventures book

[j-esbian]

at this point i kind of hope taryon only shows up for like. an episode

[differentpostrebel]

Lost and Found: A Pirate's Promise

This gif when you read the section, in this chapter will make sense LMFAOOO

A/N: And we are back again with another chapter! We finally have the long awaited chat between Y/N and Sanji. There may be some flirtation here and there. We also get Boa Hancock in this chapter. All chapters are linked as well down below. Thank you guys for following, replying, reblogging, liking, the fan fic! Now, without further ado lets begin. 

Y/N is an established pirate and a formidable warrior, with the third highest bounty in the Straw Hat crew. She's not just another member; her strength and skills have earned her a respected spot among the crew.

Sanji, our favorite lovesick cook, falls head over heels for Y/N almost immediately. True to his nature, he tries every trick in the book to catch her attention, from cooking her favorite meals to showering her with compliments. On the other hand, Y/N may have a small crush on Sanji, but she’s cautious and focused on her goals as a pirate.

As the story progresses, that small crush gradually blossoms into something more profound, but their journey together won't be easy. With the chaos of the New World looming, the dangers they face will test their bond and loyalty to each other. Will their love be strong enough to survive the trials ahead, or will the perils of their pirate life tear them apart?

Get ready for an emotional rollercoaster filled with angst, action, and a dash of romance. I'm thrilled to take you on this adventure with Y/N, Sanji, and the rest of the Straw Hat crew!

Word Count: 3.9K

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9 (Here)

Sanji x Reader, OP x Reader, Sanji x Y/N

Chapter 9: United Against the Tide 

Y/N POV..

"Hey, Chopper!" I called out, pointing to a distant plume of smoke rising from the ground. "You see that over there?"

Chopper squinted, his eyes widening. "You don't think that's...?"

"There's no doubt. Let's hurry before it's too late!"

"Right!" Chopper agreed, and his bird companion soared swiftly towards the source of the destruction.

As we neared the smoke, I peered down and spotted three small figures running frantically. "There! It's them!" I exclaimed. "But it looks like the Navy is closing in on the other side."

Just as I was about to draw my sword, I noticed ghostly figures moving toward them. One by one, the marines collapsed, their morale shattered.

"I'm worthless, less than a flea," one of the marines muttered dejectedly.

"Hey Chopper, I’m heading down there. I’ve found them." Without waiting for a response, I leapt off the bird and landed safely on the ground below.

As I approached, I recognized the unmistakable figure of Perona, who was currently calling out Zoro. "The least you could do is be gracious!" she scolded him.

Zoro hesitated, clearly uncomfortable as the truth of how he arrived on the island first came to light.

To the right, I noticed Sanji getting way too close to Perona. His usual suave expression instantly vanished as he pleaded, "Take me!" His giddiness was short-lived, though, as Perona launched another attack, leaving him with his morale in tatters.

"I'm lower than earthworm poop..." Sanji mumbled, staring at the ground in defeat.

I stepped forward, taking in the scene. "Yeah, Zoro, the least you can do is be gracious," I said with a smirk.

Zoro, Luffy, and Perona all turned to face me. The moment Luffy saw me, his face lit up with pure joy.

"Y/N!!!" Luffy yelled, sprinting toward me and wrapping me in a tight hug.

I laughed, jumping up and down with him. "Luffy, how are you, big guy? I’ve missed you so much!" I giggled, overwhelmed with happiness at seeing my crewmate again.

"Alright, you guys, Chopper's here, so let's get out of here," I said with a smile, trying to lighten the mood. Luffy and Zoro headed up to Chopper without hesitation.

Just as I was about to climb on, I felt a hand grab my wrist, spinning me around. It was Sanji. His usually confident demeanor was replaced by uncertainty as he softly called my name, "Y/N..." His voice trembled as if he feared I might disappear again.

I met his gaze, seeing the worry and heartbreak in his eyes. It tore at me, but I couldn’t let it show. Not now. "Now's not the time, Sanji," I said gently but firmly, my heart clenching as I watched his expression falter. "We’ll have that discussion when we get back to the ship."

He hesitated, his grip on my wrist tightening for a moment as if he wanted to say something more, but he held back. Finally, he released me, a look of quiet resignation on his face. "Alright...," he whispered, his voice barely audible, before nodding and turning away, his shoulders slumped in defeat.

I watched him climb onto the bird with the rest of the crew, his usual lively spirit dulled. My heart ached as I followed, silently vowing that we would talk later, even if it meant reopening wounds that hadn’t fully healed.

As we headed back to the ship, the tension lingered in the air, unspoken words hanging between us, waiting for the right moment to be addressed.

We finally made our way back to the ship, the sight of the Thousand Sunny bringing a sense of relief. As we approached, I waved at the crew, spotting Brook among them. "Brook!" I called out, smiling widely.

Brook, with tears forming in his eye sockets, waved back enthusiastically. "Together again! Oh, I’ve longed for this day!"

But as I glanced around, I noticed Sanji was no longer by my side. My attention was quickly drawn to Chopper’s panicked voice. "He’s hemorrhaging!"

I turned just in time to see Sanji, pale and barely conscious, slowly collapsing into the seawater. With an exasperated sigh, I muttered, "Looks like he hasn’t changed at all," clearly annoyed but concerned nonetheless.

We all finally disembarked from the bird and landed on the ship. Chopper thanked the bird, adding, "Tell everyone in the Birdy Kingdom I said hi!"

Luffy was already distracted, marveling at Franky’s cool new features. As I walked towards the main deck, my eyes fell on a vase containing the flowers Law had gifted me, along with the note. A blush crept onto my cheeks. "These are going in my room," I said, smiling to myself.

Brook, standing next to me, let out a cheerful "Yoohoo! Looks like Sanji picked such beautiful roses!"

I turned to my left and saw Usopp trying to snap Sanji out of his fainted state. "Not one but three beautiful women..." Sanji muttered, still in his daze.

Rolling my eyes, I turned back to Brook, a teasing tone in my voice. "Actually, these are from Law."

Brook’s jaw dropped, his skeletal mouth agape in shock. At the same moment, Sanji, hearing my words, bolted upright and darted towards the flowers. "That idiot gifted you flowers?!" he exclaimed, his eyes burning with jealousy and rage.

I couldn’t help but smile, nodding as I watched his reaction. "Yep, and I wonder how he knew I loved roses."

Sanji’s eyes narrowed, but before he could respond, I added, "But it wasn’t just the flowers. It was the note that surprised me." I felt a blush rising to my cheeks again, the memory of the note making my heart flutter.

Sanji’s curiosity piqued, and his jealousy only grew. "What did that note say?" he demanded, his tone both anxious and angry.

I glanced at the note still tucked beside the vase, smiling softly. "That’s between me and Law," I teased, enjoying the way Sanji’s face flushed with both frustration and intrigue.

Sanji grumbled, glaring at the flowers as if they were his sworn enemy, while Brook chuckled beside me. "Yoohoo! Love is truly a battlefield, isn’t it?"

I shook my head, still smiling. "Yeah, it sure is," I agreed, feeling a mix of emotions—amusement, affection, and a hint of something more as I thought of Law. 

Just then, a cannonball splashed dangerously close to us, sending waves crashing against the ship. Usopp quickly pulled out his telescope, his voice tinged with urgency. "I see three Navy ships! If we don’t do something now, we’re going to sink!"

I stepped forward, carefully placing the flowers in a safe place. "Let me handle this, guys," I said, determination in my voice as I slowly began to unsheathe my sword. But before I could fully draw it, I noticed something unusual—arrows shot through the air, striking the cannonballs and turning them to stone, which then sank harmlessly into the seawater.

On my far right, I heard someone yell, "Tremor Strike!" and watched in awe as one of the Navy ships was shattered and swallowed by the sea. My eyes widened when I saw King blocking another Marine ship, while another pirate ship which had two snakes with long flowy hair, held off the last one. 

"Now, why is King here?" I muttered under my breath, confusion washing over me. Brook and Nami turned to me with equally puzzled expressions.

"Hancock said she wasn’t coming here," said Luffy, his voice carrying a hint of surprise. Usopp and Sanji turned at the mention of her name, both clearly confused.

"I’ll be right back," I said, making a fist with my left hand. With a powerful jump, I soared into the air and landed softly on King’s ship. As I approached him, I asked, "King? What are you doing here?" I was genuinely confused, thinking he had already left by now.

"You forgot this," King said, handing me my backpack.

"Shit! I must have left it when I got off the dock. Thanks, King!" I said, relieved.

"That backpack also holds a few extra weapons in it. Be sure to open it when you get back on board now!" King added with a knowing smile.

"No way!" I said, grinning widely. "You really packed it with extra weapons? That’s amazing!" 

As I turned to my left, I saw Marine soldiers swooning over the pirates leader, noticing how it was a ship full of women. "Her name is Boa, and those who fall for her turn to stone unless she grants you mercy," King said, his voice carrying a note of respect as he turned back to me.

"She is very pretty," I admitted with a nod. "But I think I’ll be heading back to my crew now." 

With one final hug to King, I clenched my left hand and jumped into the air, heading back to the ship. "Fire! Don’t let her escape! She’s Princess Y/N!" one of the Marines shouted, making me wince at the title. 

As they began firing at me, I finally drew my sword, feeling its weight in my hand. "Hey Zoro!" I yelled in the air. "Check this out!" With a swift motion, I pressed the red gem on the hilt, and immediately, flames erupted around the blade. The bullets fired at me were instantly repelled by the fiery aura surrounding the sword, and I redirected them back at the Marines, setting their ship ablaze.

Zoro watched from the deck, his eyes narrowing as he observed your technique. A slow grin spread across his face as he leaned against the ship’s railing, arms crossed. "That’s not just some ordinary sword," he muttered to himself, his tone laced with both curiosity and a hint of admiration. "You’re full of surprises, Y/N."

"And now, one final blow should do the trick!" I said with a smirk, preparing another technique. I swung the sword in a wide arc, creating a flaming crescent that tore through the air, striking the Marine ship and engulfing it in flames. The ship sank into the sea, consumed by the inferno.

Zoro’s eyes followed the arc of the flaming crescent, and he couldn’t help but chuckle, clearly impressed. As I landed back on the deck, Zoro stepped forward, his voice lower and smoother than usual. "You’ve got some serious skills, Y/N. But I have to ask..." he paused, his gaze locking onto yours with a playful glint, "Are you this hot with everything you touch, or is it just that sword?"

I smirked back at him. "Careful, Zoro. You might get burned if you play with fire."

He chuckled, his gaze never leaving yours. "I think I’ll take my chances."

Luffy’s eyes lit up with excitement as he practically bounced over to me, oblivious to the exchange. "Y/N, that sword is awesome! Let me try it!" he exclaimed, reaching out eagerly.

I chuckled, shaking my head as I held the sword close. "Sorry, Luffy, but no one’s allowed to use this sword but me. It’s...special," I explained, trying to keep a serious tone, though Zoro’s lingering gaze made it difficult.

"Aww, come on! Just one swing!" Luffy pouted, but I remained firm, giving him an apologetic smile.

"No can do, Captain. This one’s off-limits," I said, patting the sword’s hilt. 

Sanji, having witnessed the entire exchange, stormed over with a scowl on his face. His eyes were locked on Zoro, his expression a mix of irritation and jealousy. "Hey, what’s with the flirting, moss-head?" Sanji demanded, his voice sharp.

Zoro raised an eyebrow, unfazed. "Flirting? I was just admiring Y/N’s skills. Besides, it’s not my fault if your cooking isn’t the only thing that’s gotten hot around here."

Sanji’s eyes narrowed. "Oh, really? Well, I don’t see you making any romantic gestures with a sword, do I?"

Zoro smirked. "At least I’m not swooning over every pretty face that comes our way. Someone’s got to keep things interesting."

Sanji’s face turned a shade redder. "Watch it, swordsman. Not everyone’s trying to impress Y/N with their flashy moves."

"You think you’ve got a monopoly on impressing Y/N?" Zoro shot back, a playful challenge in his voice. 

Meanwhile in the Kuja Ship.. 

Hancock watched with seething jealousy as Luffy was clearly impressed by his crew members skills. The Marine soldiers’ reference to her was "Princess" only fueling her rage. Her eyes narrowed as she saw you.

“Granny Gnoy,” Hancock called out, her voice cold and sharp. “Who is that woman?”

Granny Gnoy, busy with the ship’s affairs, looked up with a resigned sigh. “Snake Princess, her name is Y/N. But with her new title from the all-male island, she now goes by Princess Y/N, at least according to her new wanted poster.”

Hancock’s eyes flared with jealousy. “How does she know Luffy?” Her gaze was fixed on Y/N, who was happily interacting with Luffy and the crew, her irritation growing with every moment.

Granny Gnoy sighed, her expression weary. “She’s part of the Straw Hat crew. She has been for some time.”

Hancock’s eyes widened in disbelief. “WHAT!?”

Granny Gnoy nodded, her tone measured. “Yes, she’s been with them for quite a while. It seems Luffy has grown quite close to her.”

Granny Gnoy continued, “Whenever Luffy talked about his crew, he mentions her name often. And every time you hear a female’s name, you become jealous and try to vie for Luffy’s attention. I’ve seen you do it before.”

Hancock’s anger boiled over, her jealousy palpable. She watched as Y/N laughed, throwing her hands up in defense. 

Hancocks Daydream… 

Hancock stood on a grand, ornate stage, her flowing gown billowing around her. Luffy stood at the center, casually leaning against a wall with his trademark grin. The setting was a magnificent palace, reflecting Hancock’s grandeur.

Hancock (voice trembling with passion): “So, you’re choosing those three girls over me? How could you?”

Luffy, with a nonchalant smile, shrugged. “You can’t tie me down, Missy. I’m a bad boy. You’re better off without me.”

Hancock’s eyes widened with a mix of shock and determination. She stepped closer, her voice dripping with desperation.

Hancock: “Tell me, Luffy, what is it about me that you don’t like? I can change. I’ll do anything to make you stay.”

Luffy’s grin softened, but he shook his head, still leaning casually against the wall.

Daydream over…

Hancock clenched her fists, her expression a mix of rage and hurt. The sight of Luffy’s admiration for Y/N and the honorific title she carried ignited a fierce protectiveness in her. She could barely contain her frustration as she muttered to herself, “I won’t let her overshadow me. Luffy is mine.” 

Y/N POV… 

“Alright guys, listen up!” Luffy’s voice rang out with his usual enthusiasm, but there was an edge of sincerity that commanded our attention. Each one of us turned to face him, our expressions reflecting a mix of curiosity and anticipation.

“There’s a lot I want to say, but there’s no time,” Luffy continued, his tone more serious than usual. “What you went through these past two years was selfish of me. I’m sorry for making you wait, and thank you for sticking with me.”

A wave of smiles and knowing glances passed between the crew. His words, though simple, carried the weight of our shared experiences and the trust we had in each other.

As we all absorbed Luffy’s heartfelt apology, the Thousand Sunny began its preparations. The sails were spread out, the ship’s coating was strong and sturdy, and it was clear that we were about to embark on a new adventure.

“LET’S GO!!!” Luffy’s voice erupted with excitement, cutting through the tension. With a cheer from the crew, the ship began its descent, submerging beneath the water’s surface.

I watched with a sense of exhilaration as the world above us faded away, replaced by the vast, mysterious expanse of the underwater world. The Thousand Sunny glided smoothly through the depths, our journey into the unknown officially beginning. 

“Hey, Y/N!” I turned around to see Chopper bouncing over, his eyes wide with curiosity. “Yeah, Chopper?” I responded, my attention shifting to him.

“That backpack,” Chopper continued, “what does it contain?”

“Oh right! I almost forgot about this!” I began opening my backpack with a sense of anticipation. Inside, King had truly kept his word. There were special remedies for injuries to heal faster, a couple of books about the island, and two small blades that made me smile. These were the same blades I’d used for training with King.

Flashback Scene:

I stood in a clearing on the island, the sun casting a warm glow on the training grounds. King, in his authoritative yet encouraging manner, demonstrated the techniques with the small blades.

King: “These blades aren’t just for show. They’ll help you hone your skills and protect yourself in any situation.”

I took the blades, feeling the weight of their significance. The training was intense but rewarding, and each swing of the blade felt like a step towards becoming stronger.

Back to Present:

As I was about to close the backpack, my fingers brushed against something small and unexpected. “Wait, there’s one more thing in here,” I said, pulling out a small box. I opened it carefully, revealing a bracelet with an emblem in the center and the engraving “Warrior” etched into the metal.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I examined the bracelet, a gesture so deeply meaningful it took my breath away. The note inside read:

“Princess, I know that there will be times where you feel not enough, or that you feel like giving up. Just remember you are a warrior, and you are a force to be reckoned with. The emblem is of our island to remind you that we are always there with you and cheering you on. But that’s not all—the bracelet is meant to act as a protective charm. When you touch it, it can break through anything. We will be cheering you on. See you next time. – King”

As I read the note, a mix of emotions overwhelmed me. The thoughtfulness and support from King were more than I could have hoped for. I felt a profound sense of appreciation and a deep connection to the island and its people.

Chopper looked up at me, his large eyes filled with concern. “Why are you crying, Y/N?”

I blinked away the tears, managing a smile. “It’s just… this bracelet means a lot to me.

Just then, I heard Sanji approaching. He cleared his throat and gave me a somewhat hesitant smile. “Y/N, can we talk in the kitchen for a moment?”

My heart skipped a beat. “Well, this is it,” I thought, mentally bracing myself for what was to come. I nodded and followed Sanji to the kitchen, my mind racing with thoughts and emotions.

Sanji POV… 

“What’s up, Sanji?” Y/N asked, her voice tinged with a mix of curiosity and apprehension.

I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the moment press down on me. Stepping forward, I guided her to the center table and gestured for her to sit. She did, her eyes never leaving mine.

“I… I need to talk about what happened two years ago,” I said, my voice trembling slightly.

Y/N’s eyes widened, and her breath hitched. “Sanji, I…”

“Before you say anything, just listen,” I said, raising my hand to stop her. “I need you to understand why I did what I did.”

There was a heavy pause as I struggled to find the right words.

“I don’t want you to think that I was toying with you or that when I kissed you and then launched you towards Luffy, it was just for show,” I continued, my voice cracking with emotion. “That was a mistake. What I did… it was born out of desperation and fear. I couldn’t bear the thought of losing you, especially after seeing you injured and thinking you were gone for good.”

Y/N’s face contorted with pain, her eyes filling with tears. “Sanji, you left me thinking you were dead. I was injured, and I could do nothing but watch as everything fell apart.”

“I know,” I said, my voice choked with guilt. “And I’m so sorry. Seeing you in that state, thinking I might never see you again, drove me insane. It was unbearable to see you hurt and to know that I might never get a chance to make things right.”

Her eyes flashed with anger and sadness. “And on top of that, seeing you with other women, especially when you acted so protective and intense around any guy that shows interest in me. It made me feel even worse, like I was nothing.”

“I understand,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “It drove me mad to see anyone else around you, especially when I knew how much I care about you. Every time I saw any guy close to you, it was like a knife to my heart. I realized just how much I needed to prove to you that I could be the one who truly cherishes you.”

I reached for her hand, my fingers trembling as I took it in mine. “I’m asking for a chance to show you that I can treat you the way you deserve. To show you that I truly care about you, and that you mean everything to me. I know I made mistakes, but I want to make it right.”

Y/N looked at me, her eyes filled with a mix of emotions. I could see the conflict within her, the struggle to reconcile her feelings with the pain of the past.

“I know it’s a lot to ask,” I continued, my voice steadying with resolve. “But I need you to know how deeply I feel for you. Please, give me a chance to prove myself.”

She hesitated for a moment, her eyes locked with mine. Then, with a sigh, she nodded. “Okay, Sanji. Show me.”

With a surge of hope and passion, I leaned in, cupping her face gently in my hands. Our lips met in a kiss that was both tender and urgent, filled with all the emotions that had been building up over the years. It was a kiss that spoke of regret, longing, and a fierce determination to make things right.

As our lips moved together, the kiss grew more intense, a steamy promise of the feelings we both harbored. I could feel her response, the way she melted into the kiss, her hands finding their way to my shoulders. The world around us seemed to fade away, leaving just the two of us, caught in the moment.

When we finally broke apart, our breaths mingling, I looked into her eyes, hoping that the kiss had conveyed everything I couldn’t put into words. “Thank you for giving me this chance,” I said softly, my heart pounding.

Y/N smiled, her eyes still glistening with tears, but a hint of warmth and affection shining through. “Let’s see where this goes, Sanji. But don’t think for a second that I’ve forgotten everything.”

“I wouldn’t want you to,” I said, brushing a stray tear from her cheek. “I’ll prove to you that I’m worth the chance you’re giving me. I promise.”

.

.

.. THAT ENDING THO!!! IT'S GETTING A BIT STEAMY IN HERE!!! Now, when I wrote this ending I had two versions, but I went with this one because the other version (hehehe) Imma save that one for what's to come in the later chapters. Will Sanji keep his promise, or will he prove to Y/N that love between you too will be harder. Also Sanji Jealous really adds to the whole theme. Since he is enamored and any man that he feels is a threat it's game over. Now, for this next chapter we are going to skip fishman island, and move straight to Punkhazard. We are going to get a recap of what happened in Fishman Island tho. Can't wait for you guys to read chapter 10 and maybe 11.

[gemini-care-barr]

Barry Allen astrology vs. Hal Jordan astrology- who is what? :D

Oooh yay, this is a much easier question! 😁

So, if we’re going off of their canon birthdays (which change a lot and/or aren’t really stated or kept to often) then because Hal’s birthday is February 20th and Barry’s birthday is March 19th (Pre-Crisis*, more on this later) that makes them BOTH Pisces!

I kinda love this arrangement because they both definitely show Pisces traits in pretty different ways but always with an undercurrent of deep understanding of one another! They’re both very compassionate, altruistic, and sociable (mostly Hal on this front hehe) people who can be quite emotional, although they’re also both very good at keeping most of their emotions in check when the need arises. Their Pisces friendship is seen most often in the fact that neither of them are prone to opening up easily except with each other, this is when that deeper understanding of one another comes in. A lot of times they clam up around other friends and family but put the two of them together and they instantly confide in each other about all their deepest, darkest worries, it’s the sweetest!

Now, from a purely headcanon perspective: I think Hal is a total Aries and Barry is most definitely a Gemini (I’m not just saying this because I’m a Gemini, I swear!)!

You can’t convince me that Hal isn’t the stereotypical Aries with his steely will, impulsive nature, and incessant need to TAKE ACTION!! And Barry is the picturesque Gemini as a master communicator (HOW many times has he gotten Hal out of a sticky situation by using a few honeyed words?), deep-thinker, and with a wit that puts Hermes himself to shame.

This now brings us to their Aries/Gemini friendship which truly highlights the ever-present question about Hal and Barry: how are they friends?!? I’ll tell you how! They just get each other in a way that allows them to butt heads without ever actually stepping on toes. They both enjoy the thrill of the chase and seeking the answers which their shared curiosity MUST have, and while Hal’s incessant need to run out ahead may sometimes send Barry into a tizzy, Barry’s own love of always being on the move, and his overall chill demeanor with joining Hal on his adventures, makes them such. a. great. team! Hal’s sometimes brusque demeanor can also rub a lot of people the wrong way, but Barry’s wit and understanding allows him to take anything Hal says and just let it roll down his back, no harm done. And when Barry finds himself too in over his head and falling into a cycle of overthinking, Hal is there with his straightforward honesty to bring Barry back from the brink. They’re truly one of the best friendships in fiction and I can probably write an entire book about all the things I love about them, but I’ll just stop here for now 😉

*Okay so back to this before I’m done, in Post-Crisis continuity Barry’s birthday was changed to May 13th which would make him canonically a Taurus which is just not vibin’ with me at all y’all. Like, I guess, he is a pretty steadfast person and he does like security (and you should really never push him to the breaking point), but I don’t know. There are other Taurus traits like being sensual and very pleasure-seeking that are just the total antithesis of Barry to me which makes me kinda wanna buck canon in this regard hahaha

[deltapng]

this was meant to be angst but then it just turned into Lukas' POV of the scene where they get the last people back to their homes in S1 EP8

so yeah have this silly ramble

There is redstone in his eyes and it burns.

Lukas cringed at the burning sting. Ever since their adventure in Crown Mesa where he got chipped and subsequently freed, his eyes have been aching. Not in a ‘I need to cry’ way, but in a ‘there is something physically wrong’ way. 

He wouldn’t be surprised if something was wrong. He barely had time to recover from the whole PAMA ordeal, immediately going along with Harper and entering The Games to find a way home. And even then, it became another thrilling adventure where they almost died (well, he and Ivor did actually die but it wasn’t permanent and, therefore, irrelevant), Jesse once again somehow pulled through, and kicked some butt. Now, they were in the portal network getting the people who were trapped in The Games home.

“--and that's when I yanked PAMA's redstone heart right out, hragh! And the whole thing shut down!"

He winced and glanced at Jesse up ahead. His hands were waving about as he told Axel and Olivia about all the adventures they missed while they were at home. As much as he’d like to chime in, he didn’t really want to talk about or be reminded of PAMA right now. Especially considering he was, well, still in pain from it.

“Man, you guys have had some crazy adventures.” Axel sounded envious. “So many people trying to kill you.”

Understatement of the century, Lukas thought. It was nearly unbelievable, the amount of trouble they always got into. It was almost like they were drawn to it. Or the other way around. Danger was attracted to them. It wasn’t a very comforting thought. Honestly, Lukas would like to settle down and lay low for a while. It’s been at least a few weeks (maybe even a few months; it’s hard to keep track of time in the portal hallway when every different world had its own flow of time) since he’d been home.

“Goodbye, Jesse! Goodbye! Thank you!”

“That all of them?”

Wait a minute. He’s not been home for a while. Which means no one’s been in his house since it’s not in Beacontown. It’s at the edge of the woods. Which means-

“Everyone that wants to go home, anyhow. Except you folks, that is. Can’t believe how many competitors actually want to stay and keep playing the games.”

Dewey, his mind hissed. How could he forget? The poor ocelot must have been lonely. He wasn’t too worried about Dewey starving, however, as the ocelot has proven time and time again that it was very much capable of hunting its own food. But then again, Dewey might have torn the place apart looking for him.

“Thanks to you my intrepid new friend, I can actually work on making them FUN again. Very exciting. It’ll be more challenging just by myself… But a good challenge.”

“It’s what I do - exploring new worlds, helping people wherever I go… I was happy to help.”

A wince. He brought his hand up to rub at his eyes. They come back with traces of redstone dust.

“And I’m gonna help too. You taught me a lot about fairness, Jesse, and I’d like to use that new knowlegde for something good. And speaking of fairness… I think this is yours.”

Lukas blinked up at Slab before he looked at what was being offered to him. His eyes widened; it was his journal, “Oh, man!”

“There was some good stuff in there. I was really moved,” He was barely listening as he flipped through the familiar pages.

“Awesome,” he smiled up at the giant man before he pocketed the book, waving when Slab started making his way elsewhere.

“Huh. Guess he wasn’t so ‘immovable’ after all.”

He couldn’t wait to get home.

[michellemisfit]

Hey hey ✨ today I’m thinking about prison boyfriends I&M… do you have any headcanons about their time in prison?

Hi lovely! 🌸

I was thrilled to see this and I apologise for being late in answering you.

Life has been… a lot.

Which is actually a big part of my headcanon when it comes to Ian and Mickey in prison, so that works out nicely.

Firstly though, A) a wildly popular TV show shouldn’t glorify prison and depict it as funny and super chill or whatever else they may be aiming for; and B) I understand why the show chose to launch us into the ‘bickering roommates’ part of their relationship, and why they gave Ian an early release, and soon after that Mickey, to get them back on the show proper.

((I do NOT understand why we didn’t get to see - or if we had no time to film it then at least mention - the Gallaghers visiting them in prison. Yes, them. Both of them. Because they would! And sure, Mickey got out pretty quick after Ian got early release, but would it have killed them to give us even just one prison visit?? Urgh!!! Grrr!!! But I digress…))

So, bearing in mind the above caveats… every time Mickey and Ian found the tiniest shred of peace and quiet in their lives something came down on them like a ton of bricks. Mickey’s internalised homophobia, Juvie, Frank, Juvie again, Terry, Mickey’s Wedding, Ian’s Mental Health, Sammie, Monica… Life has been a lot.

The scene in which Ian asks Terry for prison advice, odd as it may be, seems fairly on point to me. It’s the boredom that will kill you. The day to day sets in. You read books. You lift weights. You have sex. But you’re in the same place with the same people doing the same stuff every second of every hour of every day of every year… and this is pretty much where we find our boys in season 10, and as I said above, I get it.

But before then? Still riding high on the reunion and the relief it brought? When all they had was each other and an endless stretch of time to fill? While going through a regimented daily routine? Not having to deal with the endless curveballs life throws at you every five seconds? When they knew pretty much exactly what was expected of them? When to get up, when to eat breakfast, when to start work, when to stop work, when to go outside, when to return to their cell…

I don’t want to glorify it. But I do believe when your life is as chaotic as theirs has always been, an enforced structure may not be the worst thing to ever happen to you. At least at first. And when you love each other as much as they love each other, staring at the time ahead of you just stretching onwards and onwards… may not be the most daunting thing. And when you’ve been through as much shit together as they have, going through all of it again, but in a controlled environment? Well, that may be a lot easier than what you’ve dealt with before.

I’m not saying it was all sunshine and roses. But what can prison throw at them that real life hasn’t already thrown at them, and worse? Yes, Ian’s going to have to adjust to new medication and deal with highs and lows, but they’ve done that before, except this time they’re forced together with nowhere to run, and they’re going to have to deal with it, for better or worse. Yes, Mickey’s going to have to voice his hurt and frustration and anger (Will you? Wait? / You never fucking visited me. / You ever think about me, when I was in the joint?), except this time they’re not running. They’re not trying to stay positive and act like everything is fine on their wild adventure. They’re going to have to deal with it, for better or worse. It’s not going to come easy at first and it will take time. But hey, they’re stuck. Together. They have nothing but time…

That’s it really. Them. Filling that time. Talking. Being together. Fighting. Crying. Growing. Learning and understanding each other, in a different way than before. Getting closer.

The problem with a TV show drama is that it cannot show you all the quiet moments in people’s lives, because where’s the drama in that? Which is how we end up with all of the Filler Fic being written for all the moments in between. The silliness and the laughter. The frustration and the tears. The thoroughly mundane. The nights where nothing really happens, But everything goes down… that’s my headcanon.

[oliversaluki]

A New Adventure {Pollie}

Pacifica & Ollie say Goodbye.

May 4th

@northwestxprincess

OLLIE

Ollie was not hungover (he was) but that wasn’t why he didn’t want to get out of bed this morning. He was a married man, curled up with his wife while the sun lazed through the windows.

It had seemed like such a good idea to book the flights after the wedding, all the goodbyes happened in one place, it was an epic celebration but now they needed to grab the last bags that hadn’t been shipped already, the final touches.

And with the alarm already going off, that meant he couldn’t keep lazing about, and yet he just curled more into Pacifica. “Morning, Wife.”

PACIFICA

Pacifica was genuinely not hungover, but her whole body was one delightful ache. Last night she had danced more than she had in years, possibly ever, she’d talked to everyone who had come to the wedding, and then she had fallen into Ollie’s bed to spend their first night as a married couple together. 

Now it was their first morning, and she could already feel a mixture of amusement and fond annoyance building. She had a feeling this wouldn’t be the last time. 

“Ollie, I love you, but you have to turn that alarm off.” 

OLLIE

“But if I do that, that means we need to get up and do all the things.” Ollie complained slightly tilting his head to look up at Pacifica with a grin though his eyes were still closed as if he could fall back asleep even with the alarm going off.

“Don’t you want to stay in bed, just a little longer.”

PACIFICA

“But if we get up and do things now, that means we’ll be able to spend all day tomorrow in bed in our new home.” The words ‘our home’ hadn’t lost the power to thrill her, and right now it was hard to believe that they ever would. 

She leaned up on one arm and brushed his lips with hers. “Besides, if you don’t shut it off, I’m crawling over you to shut it off myself.” 

OLLIE

“You know threatening to crawl over me isn’t much of a threat?” Ollie teased though he flopped onto his back to reach out and grab his phone to turn off the alarm. A huge yawn coming from him nonetheless.

“But all day tomorrow in our new home does kind of work.” They should be able to settle in right away and they could sleep in, have some more fun as a newly married couple. Wink wink, nudge nudge.

PACIFICA

Pacifica smiled at him even as she felt her cheeks warm slightly. As tempting as it was, they certainly didn’t have time for that. Probably. Even if he was looking particularly adorable with his sleep rumpled curls and his skin warm under her fingertips. 

“Kitchen is supposed to be stocked with basics for us so we’ll have food in the house once we get there. And I think even I can wait on unpacking for a day.” She would feel compelled to start unpacking the day after, checking on all her clothes and settling in so that all of their belongings had a place. It was what would make the place feel like theirs too. But she could take a moment to bask. 

OLLIE

Ollie let out another groan. A small Acknowledgement that she was right. It wasn't like this place had much food stocked.

Empty closets, empty walls. Even Tilly wasn't here. Ollie had gotten her situated and boarded in Italy ahead of time to make sure the transition wasn't too jarring for her. That they wouldn't deal with any unforeseen complications now.

Pushing himself into a seated position he took her hand gently and kissed it. “Well then my wife. Would you like to get up and finish the last things.”

PACIFICA

As he kissed her hand, she could see the ring on her finger sparkle in the early morning light coming through the window. She knew if she looked, she would be able to see the simple gold band on his. It was enough to make her wish she could just laze in bed here to bask in it. 

Instead, she smiled up at him. “I scheduled breakfast to be delivered in half an hour, along with coffee. And since I did that, that means I’m stealing first shower while you finish whatever it is you need to finish.” 

She sat up and brushed his lips with hers before sliding out of the bed. 

OLLIE

Ollie Laughed as Pacifica pulled away to take her shower and get ready for the day. Watching her go he lazed about for a few more moments before getting up himself. 

This was it.

Their last moments here. There wasn't much else to do. Everything packed up and gone or to be donated if they were taking it.

But this place still had memories and ghosts that hung at every corner. Eric and Henry.

He was the last one left and with him would go those memories too. Neither of them would come back here.

Shaking his head he pulled their suitcases to the front door and headed back to the washroom to switch with Pacifica to get ready himself.

PACIFICA

Feeling the countdown clock in her head to when they would need to leave for the airport, she didn’t follow her next impulse and suggest he join her in the shower. As tempting as it was, it would take far too much time. She would much rather be waiting at the airport for the flight than running any risk of cutting it close. 

There wasn’t anything left for her here but the people, and she’d already said her goodbyes to the ones who mattered. They would see them again, of course, but as the new people they were becoming. She was ready to let go of who they’d been. 

She had chosen her outfit for today carefully, combining style and comfort so that she would be confident as they set foot in Italy. 

But as Ollie started to head past her to take his turn, she paused and brushed his cheek with a kiss. There was something sad in his eyes. She didn’t want to pressure him, he’d talk when he was ready, but she wanted to remind him she was here. 

Then she let him go and started her own final checks, double and triple checking their flight tickets, their passports, tucking away the last few belongings. Checking it all again. Right as she finished the last check, she heard the knock that signaled breakfast had arrived and was able to get everything set up on the table by the time Ollie came back out. 

OLLIE

It felt better to be clean and dressed for the day, it felt like he could move forward, he had to move forward. If he stayed he would never be able to move forward, to continue to stand on his own.

He did it when he moved out and this was just his next chapter.

Especially when he spotted Paz and a breakfast all laid out. She was right this was a fresh start they both needed.

“That smells so good.” Ollie mused walking over and snaking his arms around her before stealing a quick bite.

PACIFICA

“The food smells pretty good too,” she teased, leaning back against him for that moment as she took the all important first sip of coffee. 

Glancing over at their suitcases, she felt the flutters of nerves, anxiety, and excitement swirling together so that she wasn’t particularly hungry, even knowing that she should eat. She let out a small sigh.

“It feels strange to be leaving. Even though I know we’ll come back, it’ll be different when we do. I don’t regret it, but it’s strange.”

OLLIE

Ollie nodded the place was empty and that dread built again, like he was leaving a piece of him here. Mainly the piece of Eric more than anything.

“I’m going to miss this place. I never realized it. The second place I’ve lived on my own. Or with Eric and Henry. It had some really good memories.” At least his family would all be in the same homes most likely that wouldn’t change. Just the kids growing up.

PACIFICA

Pacifica rubbed at his arm, wishing she had something wise and profound she could say to that. She couldn’t help the pinch of guilt at his words, especially since they were leaving for her. 

But she tried to remind herself that they would have left eventually. This was a nice place, but it wasn’t big enough to build a future in. Or to have guests to stay when people did come to visit as she hoped they would eventually. All this meant was that they were leaving a little earlier than they might have otherwise. 

“The memories will still be with you. But I think it’s okay to be sad this is ending.” 

OLLIE

“A little sad, a bunch happy and more excited.” The more he stayed the more antsy he was ready to leave too. To not fall into this feelings too much. He didn’t want to be sad, he didn’t want to start this adventure mourning the old one.

“I’ll be okay. I have you and I’m making more memories.” He will be more than happy with that.

PACIFICA

She turned towards him to pull him into a hug, resting her head on his shoulder. “If it helps, I cried on Thursday. I didn’t expect I would. But suddenly the room was empty, and Rose is talking to a new potential roommate who will be there instead and I just…it’s harder than I thought to leave.” 

Looking up at him, she smiled. “But you’re right. There’s a lot of happy and excited in there too. There will be new memories. I want those.” 

OLLIE

Honestly that made Ollie feel better, not that she was hurting but that he wasn’t the only one that was missing things and people from this place. “We will just have to make sure they visit. I’m sure no one would fight a trip out to Italy.” Ollie teased holding her tightly.

“I love you. I love that we’re on our way to a new adventure.” A deep breath looking around the apartment. He was ready, he really was.

“Last bites and we should go?”

PACIFICA

“Exactly. Besides, now that we’ve finished our wedding, I can start to become a true terror in helping Ren and Martin plan theirs,” she grinned. It was only a partial joke as she said it. But it was another of those reminders of their many ties here. They would be back. 

Stepping back, she finished of the last of her coffee and set it neatly back in the back so they could throw out the bag on their way out the door.

“I’m ready.” 

OLLIE

Ollie laughed at that nodding, Pacifica had planned theirs in such a short time period he knew she would be right there helping Ren and Martin with theirs as much as possible. They people here were never going to get rid of them.

Pulling away Ollie grabbed the keys to lock up pulling their suitcases and bags out into the hall. This apartment, this town had been good to him and he would miss it.

Shutting and locking the door to an empty apartment he turned to face his wife and his new future.

To their new future.

[nirikeehan]

happy friday!!! can i request thalia/samson, the world tarot prompt? 🌎🔮💜

Once I stopped screaming, I decided to commit an atrocity. Then I made myself sad.

the world: fulfillment, experience, completion;  “Do you remember, back when…” possible AUs/settings/ideas: old age, happy end, fantasy world au

I'll just go ahead and spoil the game and say this will likely go at the beginning of the next chapter of Through a Glass, Darkly as a dream sequence Samson has. Any similarities to the opening scene of Witcher 3 is entirely intentional.

For @dadrunkwriting

WC: 1142

CW: Implied misogyny, a tiddy or two, a fake child briefly in peril I guess???

---

The warm breeze wafted in through the open door to the balcony, bringing with it the smell of spring. Samson thought he might never get that scent again: the sea salt mingled with flowering juniper as it blew up from the Wounded Coast. The sunlight gauzy filtering through the was yellow as lemon. 

He stood in the tower of the keep, the chambers they’d chosen for their own. It had all the trappings of splendor: a four-poster bed; large, round tub in which to luxuriate; vanities and armoires and writing desks for the lady, and of course the large, taxidermied halla atop which some of their more adventurous love-making had taken place. 

How long had it been since they’d settled here? He chose not to remember. 

He moved freely, easily, with no armor nor burden. Weapon and shield had been lain down a number of years ago, and it was strange to admit he didn’t miss them. He had spent so much of his life fighting and scraping for survival, but he had traded it all in when the battles had been won. 

And of course, the main attraction. Stretched nude on her side on a chaise lounge, long hair wrapped in a towel from her recent bath, Thalia faced away from him, nose buried in a large tome. He admired the view, the shapely curve of her hip and ass, the barest hint of breast. 

He chuckled low in his throat. “That book really so interesting you couldn’t wait to put clothes on first?” 

“I don’t hear you complaining,” Thalia replied drily. 

“No, and you won’t, neither.” He sidled closer. The tilt of her neck was delicate and supple, her skin creamy soft. A fair number of years separated him from her, but that had never bothered them. He might be sliding gracelessly into old age, but Thalia remained as beautiful and nubile as the first time he saw her.

He leaned down, pressing a kiss on her neck, then her shoulder. “D’you think it’s odd, the way we met?” 

“I don’t know what you mean.” Her voice was light and coy. 

“Oh, you do.” 

He gently pulled the towel from her head, letting the damp wine red waves fall down about her shoulders and back. He threaded one hand through her hair and with the other reached around to squeeze her tit. She let out a delicious sigh, arching her back into his touch. 

“Remind me,” she whispered. 

He buried his face in her scented hair. “We were trying to kill each other,” he murmured. “You and that bore of a Commander, you were trying to find a way to break my armor. And I was working for a deluded monstrosity who fancied himself a god.” He felt a thrill of triumph, saying the words aloud. Like uttering blasphemies in the middle of Chantry service. 

Thalia dropped the book and twisted around to face him. She threaded arms around his neck and pressed herself close to him. “Ah, yes. I do remember now.” She threw her head back and looked at him through coquettish lashes. “I’m glad we managed to get past that, aren’t you?”

Maker, he wanted to take her right here, on this damn reclining chair. He climbed onto it beside her, and she pulled him down, giggling. 

“Don’t forget,” Thalia murmured in his ear as he showered her with kisses, “you’re wanted in the yard.” 

Samson groaned, halting with his lips on her clavicle. He rose above her and gazed down, annoyance mixed with fondness. “I bloody forgot.” 

“You forgot sword practice? For shame.” Thalia wriggled beneath him, smiling brightly — the little tease. 

He pushed himself to sitting, scrubbing a hand down his stubbly face. “She’s your daughter. What’s she need with swords? Can’t she just—?” He waved his hand around in a vague approximation of what it seemed to him mages could do. 

“She’s your daughter too.” Thalia leaned down beside him to retrieve her book. He watched the graceful curve of her back, the spring to her bosoms as she righted herself. “And she wants to learn swordplay.” 

Samson sighed, squinting out the round archway to the sweet morning. “She’s probably at the smithy anyhow, with Maddox.” 

The name hit him like a sour note in a pleasant melody. His chest twinged. Why should Maddox be here? The poor lad is—

“Teaching her everything he knows,” Thalia finished, although he hadn’t spoken aloud. Or had he? He stared at her, confused, but her pretty head was buried again in the wide, heavy tome. “You think soon she’ll start bringing us those little paper cranes he makes?” 

Samson stood, unsettled. “I never told you that.”

“Never told me what?” She did not look up. 

“The cranes. I never told anyone. That even after they made him Tranquil, he could still—” Samson broke off, his throat tight. 

“Love, what are you talking about?” Thalia gazed at him, wide eyes as blue as the day’s azure sky.  

“Nothing,” Samson said quickly. “It’s nothing. Forget it.” He leaned down and kissed her on the top of her head. “I’ll go check on the little one.”

He left her, strolling to the tower balcony that would lead him down to the inner bailey. Samson curled his fingers around the marble balustrade’s edge and fought his growing sense of unease. Everything was fine. Everything was bleeding perfect. Why did he have to ruin it? Why did he always have to—

A glint of red below drew his attention, and Samson caught sight of her: the tiny ragamuffin, with a mop of curly hair that matched her mother’s, but his dark eyes. She was dressed in old Templar recruit leathers — Maker knew where’d she’d got those — and proudly hoisted a wooden sword over her shoulder. She waved at him in the bright sunshine, flashing a gap-toothed smile. Nine, now, maybe? Or ten? The years hardly mattered anymore. 

“You comin’ down or what, Papa?” She sounded born and bred in Lowtown, just like him. 

“In a minute, sweetling.” Samson wanted to savor this moment for a little longer. Before… before what? 

The red of her hair captivated him — the deep scarlet, pulsating almost, like the veins that had cut through the towering crystals. Lyrium. Red lyrium. When it had once threatened to consume the world. 

A cloud passed over the sun; the sky darkened, and Samson’s mouth drew as dry as ash. “Wait. No. No, this isn’t right…”

There was a great crack of thunder. The blue sky disappeared, as did the thick tree line that extended toward the horizon. Above, clouds roiled in grey and green. The little one let out a scream. Surrounding her were the great glowing crystals, extending up and up, overtaking the walls of the keep, choking out the forest, blotting out what was left of the sun. 

[gacmediadaily]

More than two years after longtime Hallmark Channel star Jen Lilley left the network for an exclusive movie deal with Great American Family (GAF), the network launched by former Hallmark Media CEO Bill Abbott in 2021, Lilley has opened up about what’s next. The actress says she has lots of exciting plans ahead, which could include a return to Hallmark now that she’s no longer required to work exclusively with one network.

“I’d be happy to work with Hallmark again at any point,” Lilley told Heavy on September 16, 2024, noting that she’s still “very close with actors at both networks.”

Since Lilley did not renew her contract after its January 1 expiration, the former “Days of Our Lives” actress has spent this year carefully choosing where she wants to spend her energy and time moving forward.

She’s jumped into new opportunities, from producing and acting in upcoming projects to agreeing to headline her first cruise with fans in January 2025. But she’s also letting go of other commitments, she said, including the Christmas is Not Cancelled charity events she started in 2020.

“2024 has been a year of non-exclusivity and new adventures,” Lilley told Heavy. “You know, it’s been a real turning point for me in my life.”

Jen Lilley Says Big Changes Have Led to New Opportunities

GettyJen Lilley with Hallmark friends Erin Cahill and Jonathan Bennett at the 91st anniversary of the Hollywood Christmas Parade on November 26, 2023.

The changes in Lilley’s professional and philanthropic endeavors have opened the floodgates for new opportunities to come in, she told Heavy.

“I had to start a spreadsheet in order to keep track of all the projects that keep falling into my lap,” she marveled, admitting with a laugh that she tends to be a “workaholic.”

But Lilley also had to say no to what was no longer working for her, she said, leading to her working as a freelance actress and shuttering her Christmas is Not Canceled charity, which she said impacted almost 100,000 children in need.

Though neither decision was easy, she said she knew in her heart it was time to move on, explaining, “I think when you pursue something wholeheartedly, and you keep running into closed doors, and then you rally and try a different method, and you hit another wall, sometimes it’s best to just be like, ‘There must be a reason for this, because my heart’s in the right place, and I’m doing things the right way, taking the high road, doing things ethically, and things are not panning out.'”

“So sometimes that just means it’s had its season, and you should celebrate that season because it was incredible, and then see what else is in the next chapter,” she said, adding, “There’s nothing wrong with that.”

Lilley told Heavy she’s excited to expand her experience as a producer, while continuing to act in some projects, too. She will still appear in GAF’s 2024 holiday lineup as part of the ensemble cast for “A Little Women’s Christmas.” But she’s also thrilled about another Christmas movie she filmed, “Operation Mistletoe” with co-star Nick Bateman, though she couldn’t yet divulge where it will air.

The mom of four will also add “author” to her list of titles, with two books in the works for 2025 publication, she said.

Jen Lilley Says She ‘Cannot Stress Enough’ How Excited She is to Connect With Fans on January Cruise

Heavy/Expedia/GettyJen Lilley will headline Expedia’s Cruising With Friends fan cruise with Jesse Hutch and Marcus Rosner, January 6-10, 2025.

One thing that hasn’t changed for Lilley is how much she loves connecting with her fans, which is the reason she agreed to go on her first-ever cruise, headlining Expedia’s third annual “Cruising With Friends” fan excursion to the Bahamas with fellow rom-com stars Marcus Rosner and Jesse Hutch, from January 6 – 10, 2025.

“I love, love, love, love — I cannot stress enough how much I just enjoy meeting people,” Lilley told Heavy, sharing that she’s excited to have sustained conversations and “create core memories” with fans on the cruise. Planned activities include nightly group dinners, a “silent” disco, Q&A panel, door decorating contest, and a formal photo session, but Lilley is most excited to just connect heart-to-heart with those on board.  

“I love encouraging people, and building people up, and making people realize that they are so loved, valued, created on purpose and with a purpose,” Lilley told Heavy, “and so I want them to take that away, you know? I want them to just walk away feeling really encouraged and empowered.”

Expedia Cruises rep Jennifer Baldock, who has planned similar cruises with Hallmark fan favorites Andrew Walker, Kristoffer Polaha, and Paul Greene, told Heavy that they keep the number of attendees much smaller than most fan events, including Hallmark’s sold-out holiday cruises, to ensure that people get to truly interact and connect with the stars. 

Fans interested in details on the cruise with Lilley, Rosner and Hutch can join Baldock’s private Facebook group dedicated to information and interaction about the cruise or email her at jbaldock@expediacruises.com.

[aminiatureworld]

Return to Me

Characters: Albedo, Scaramouche, Xiao, gn!reader

Word Count: 4,538

Warnings: Violence, Minor villain death

Premise: What is it like when the one you most adore becomes a stranger? And how’re you supposed to pick up the pieces?

In which the reader loses their memory.

Author’s Note: Just a note that this is not how actual amnesia works, and if you’re experiencing memory loss please contact your doctor.

That being said the amnesia is really good for angst and pining so how could I resist? It’s one of those guilty pleasure tropes I like to read and think of so I hope I did it justice.

Albedo

Albedo loved two things in this world, alchemy and you. They were what kept him centered, what kept him sharp and curious and full of life. So how could it be that one of those things should cause him such great unhappiness, and that said unhappiness should be the other’s suffering?

It had been a dangerous experiment, from the beginning Albedo was well aware of that. Testing whether or not elemental energy contained traces of elements via water could yield incredibly useful results about magic’s interaction with the ordinary world. But it could also backfire massively. Noxious gases, explosions, anything was possible.

But he’d thought he was prepared. After all you two had hiked all the way to the edges of Windrise specifically so no one would be around, and Albedo had even put up a barrier with the express intention of keeping anyone from getting hurt. It should’ve been fine, everything should’ve been fine, and yet when the Electro Slime condensate hit the water and the explosion knocked you both off your feet, slamming into the ground three meters from where you’d originated, he could only wonder how things had gone so wrong.

Picking himself up after a few agonizing seconds, every bone and muscle in his body stiff and aching from the sudden impact, Albedo crawled over to where you lay. To his horror you appeared to have hit a rock, and your head was bleeding slightly. Cupping your face in his hands the alchemist rasped out your name. The relief he felt when you opened your eyes was only momentary, replaced by shock and a sense of utter emptiness when you made out a groggy: “Who are you?”

Electro slime elements appear to contain no small amount of Chlorine, which, combined with only the hydrogen as a result of the electricity splitting the water molecules apart, caused an explosion. Although normally Albedo might’ve been thrilled by the discovery of an element only found mixed in the natural world, now he could only look upon that experiment with a raw sort of hatred that he hadn’t known he’d possessed. The ice around the alchemist’s heart had been burned away, and now all that remained was a burnt and shriveled up little thing, determined to make up for the lack of emotions by throwing its owner into the pits of despair.

Albedo spent all his time at first in the hospital and then in the apartment you two shared. You’d made an offhanded remark about how empty it looked, and Albedo had smiled awkwardly, not having the heart to tell you he could barely look at a piece of science equipment without a deep sense of loss. The doctors had said the effects should fade with time, but Albedo knew that there had been magic in the air, and a sick, twisted part of himself jeered that he was holding onto false hope.

It didn’t help that Albedo had been absolutely unprepared for the reality in which you couldn’t remember a thing about him, or your relationship. Never again would you rush up to him as you had before, excitement in your eyes and questions in your head. Memories of gathering crystal flies in the sunset and staying up all night, notes on old ruins swapped with sweet kisses and phrases that meant nothing at all, the beach where Albedo had sketched you for the first time and you had given him your first gift, all that was nothing to you, the stories of a stranger told by another.

“The first gift you gave me was a flower preserved in a solution of Cryo.” You said, words awkward and unsure in your mouth. Albedo knew that you weren’t really remembering it.

“That’s right,” he replied, voice light and calm, trying desperately to keep the despair from showing on his face. “It was a Cecilia. You said that it looked as if it was made of snow.”

“It sounds beautiful,” you replied, speaking more to yourself than to him, “I wish I could remember it.”

“You will someday, I’m sure of it.” He smiled, but the movement felt like too much effort to keep up and soon his face collapsed once more into an expression of melancholy. As if noticing this you smiled slightly in turn.

“Does it still exist?”

“Yes,” Albedo gazed out the window that faced you two. Beyond the buildings, only a few streets away lay his laboratory, locked away and gathering dust, “it does, but I cannot get it right now.”

“Oh,” you seemed at a loss for words, glancing down towards your hands, “that’s alright. I’d rather remember it on my own anyways.”

Albedo said nothing to this. Moving to place his hand on yours he paused. He was a stranger to you. This little act of comfort, all the little gestures he’d gotten so used to were now impossible. Dropping his hand to his side he moved to get you a glass of water, desperately trying to ignore the pain burning in his chest and in his heart.

_____

“Are these yours?”

Albedo placed the bag of groceries he’d just gotten on the floor. Moving over to where you were sitting, you were taking a break from adventuring until you remembered more, a decision made by the doctors for fear you’d forgotten how to control your vision. You had recently moved on from mostly sleeping to exploring your once familiar home, and now you sat curled on the couch; in your lap was a familiar book. Leaning over Albedo glanced at the page you were on.

“Yes, they’re mine. I like to sketch in my free time.”

“It’s beautiful,” you murmured, running your hand reverently over the slightly stained page, “I can see the different shades in the mountain, even if it’s only a pencil drawing.”

“I’m glad you think so,” Albedo smiled to himself, the memory of that day offering him some solace, “it was quite a difficult thing to draw.”

“It had an odd name.” You scrunched your nose slightly in concentration, an expression so cute Albedo could help but let out a huff of bittersweet laughter.

“Dragonspine. That’s the name of the mountain.” Turning to put the groceries away he paused when you spoke once more.

“No. That wasn’t it. It was something else. V-Vida something.” Albedo watched, incoherent thoughts and emotions clouding his mind as you retraced the circles you’d been making on the page beforehand. Suddenly your fingers stopped and you looked up. “Vindagnyr, yes that’s it! There’s a fortress up there, a, what did you tell me they were called, a domain. And that’s the name of it.” You closed your eyes once more. “Something happened there, something to do with you. I can’t remember it, if I was there or if you told me about it before, but something’s there. Something important.”

Albedo felt as if he must’ve been dreaming. The same sort of emptiness that had filled him at the beginning of this catastrophe was there, but this time there was something else, the bitter feeling of a hope that he couldn’t be sure of filling his lungs and his mouth. He turned back towards you, teetering forward as he tried to grasp the situation.

“Yes. That’s right. Vindagnyr. The name it had before it was essentially destroyed by Durin. I met the Traveler there, a week before I met you.” He sat down on the chair adjacent to where you were sitting, memories filling his mind. “It was also the first place we performed an experiment together.”

“I’d like to go there again then.” Your face was one of open triumph and excitement, and there was something in your eyes that Albedo thought he might never see again, a sort of recognition that he thought had been lost, “I know you haven’t been to your work once. I suppose it would make sense, considering what happened, but would you take me there?”

“Of course.” Albedo’s voice was sure and solid.

“Even though I might not remember more.”

“Even then.”

You reached your hand out to the alchemist, and after a second Albedo took it. He ran his thumb over the back of your hand slightly, and you made no move to withdraw, instead squeezing his palm slightly.

You had remembered something. It wasn’t everything of course, and there was no guarantee that there wouldn’t be heartbreak up ahead, wouldn’t be frustration and sorrow and moments when hope seemed very far away. But as long as moments like this existed, Albedo could hang on. The anger and despair that had burned inside him remained, but now something stronger resided there.

And that was hope.

 Scaramouche

“Do you see them?” You whispered, raising your head slightly above the rock you were hiding under. Scowling Scaramouche made a cutting gesture with his hand.

“Yes I see them. And get back down!”

Although his tone of voice was harsher than usual you smiled a smile of understanding as you lowered yourself once more out of sight. Scarmouche took a deep breath in response, trying to control the coiling tension that sat in his stomach. Today’s mission was an unenviable one, made only worse by your presence, for Scaramouche knew these were no ordinary enemies, and though you could take care of yourself just fine there was a nagging in his head that refused to be silenced.

Your targets sat encamped up ahead, completely nondescript in appearance, although that was hardly surprising of deserters of the Fatui, especially ones of such high caliber as them.

Scaramouche’s expression twisted into a scowl of concentration once more as he thought about the moment when you two had received your orders to get rid of those who knew of the dealings of the army of the Tsaritsa, and who were certainly willing to dispose of said secrets for the right price. Although they were no doubt traitors of the worst sort and worth less than dirt, there was still something unpleasant about fighting people who had once been comrades. You’d mused it was because of the bonds of mutual struggle and culture, but Scaramouche suspected for himself it was more the annoyance of fighting people who were at least somewhat trained.

Scaramouche gave the signal and you crept once more out from behind your hiding spot. Manifesting your polearm Scaramouche could already see the well worn metal steaming. This battle was going to be bloody.

At first everything had gone well enough, being hidden on a ledge about the camp you’d managed to do a great deal of damage, made easier by their surprise and ill planned position. However things quickly began to turn sour. The ex-Fatui might not’ve had the equipment of their army days, but they retained the ruthlessness that had once made them so efficient and now made them so dangerous.

There was an odd smell running through the valley, the smell of electricity and something burning. Scaramouche stood in front of a man who had certainly once been a vanguard and a woman who appeared to have been a Cryo mage. Sweat coated their faces but Scarmouche felt cold with the thrill of battle. Electricity crackled to life in his hands and already bits of electricity were dancing on the charred and dinky armor of his enemies. What were they thinking sending a Harbinger against a pathetic group such as this? It was laughable, really.

“Such a pity that members of such an elite force are going to die like dogs.” He drawled. The woman in front of him gritted her teeth, summoning a trail of icicles which Scaramouche easily leapt over. “Is that truly your worth?” He laughed, before the calm that always came with killing washed over him. “Your best is hardly worth my worst.” Gathering electricity, Scaramouche prepared for the final, searing strike.

The man in front of him smiled a sickening sort of smile, the kind that one made only when they knew that it was the end, and then it all went wrong.

The sound of your voice was muffled by the energy approaching Scaramouche from behind, as the outline of a transparent sort of figure clipped his vision. Quickly whirling around Scaramouche was unprepared for the third ex-Fatui member, an agent who had apparently learned his skills well, bearing down on him. Raising his hands, the Harbinger was suddenly thrown aside by an unknown force. Fire made contact with lightning and the ground exploded.

Fighting to retain consciousness Scaramouche was aware of the sickly smell of burning flesh. Blinking away the confusion he glanced at the carnage around him. The agent lay haphazardly, face half obscured by a mass of flesh that must’ve once made him up but now seemed out of place. Behind him the other agents had hardly feared better, and the charred visage of mangled flesh replace what had once been arms, legs, necks. It was an unsettling view, and though Scaramouche couldn’t say it was the worst thing he’d ever seen it still left a vile taste in his mouth. How quickly a fragile little human could come undone, made into that which was unrecognizable.

Finally he fixed his gaze towards you, relieved to find that there was no apparent wounds, although that perspective shifted slightly when viewing your hands, which were covered with welts. Your fire must’ve mixed with his electricity, causing an overload of energy, and you two lying in the eye of the storm. Scaramouche looked at his own hands, and realized they were similarly reddened. Ignoring the pain he shook your shoulder. “Get up.” He let out when you finally opened your eyes.

However it was apparent very quickly that something was wrong. You eyes held no recognition in them, instead they seemed as blank and transparent as a mirror. Looking at him you furrowed your brow slightly.

“Where…” your gaze drifted towards the scraps of humanity around you and then there was nothing but screaming and a wetness on Scaramouche’s cheeks that felt suspiciously like tears.

“You need to get back to work.” Signora’s voice betrayed no sense of pity. Scaramouche was glad for it, he wouldn’t’ve been able to forgive her if there had been.

“I doubt those imbeciles need me for something as simple as the daily regime. If they do it’s their fault, not mine. I owe them nothing.”

“You owe them your work, it’s your duty as a Harbinger,” Signora’s eyes narrowed, “or have you forgotten that in your folly.”

“I’ve forgotten nothing!” Scaramouche snapped, eyes boring into those across from him. “I am well aware of what my obligations are and what they aren’t. As I said there is nothing of importance fir me right now, and I don’t wish to waste away my time with trivial matters.”

“What would our dear Tsarina think of such words,” Signora let out a dramatic sigh. Raising the glass she was drinking from to your lips she paused, “you best be careful. I cannot shelter you from your folly forever. Either you learn how to deal with this… unfortunate incident and your work, or I shall have that person thrown out into the snow.”

“You wouldn’t dare.” Scaramouche’s tone was like acid and he felt for the moment as if letting go of himself wasn’t such a crime, for now there was no one to chastise him about it anymore.

“I’m warning you. Don’t forget what happens to those who cannot fulfill their duty to the Tsarina,” Signora paused, a cruel smile gracing her face, “or have you forgotten who caused this in the first place.”

It was all Scaramouche could do not to set the tent ablaze.

“Get. Out.” He commanded. Signora sighed, shaking her head and downing her drink in one go before walking out and leaving Scaramouche with the feeling of falling apart.

_______

“Do you sing?”

Scaramouche lifted his head at the sound of your voice, surprised by the question. You hadn’t said much since the aftermath of the incident, and Scaramouche hadn’t forced you to. After all it was one of the things he’d first appreciated in regards to you, you’d never forced him to talk when he didn’t want to. Now he felt the need to afford you the same courtesy, knowing that intelligence still lay behind those eyes even if recognition had disappeared. Now he put down the document he was reading, smiling wryly and shaking his head.

“No. Why would you think that?”

“Because that’s what you’re called isn’t it? Your name, one of your names. The… the Balladeer?” You said it as if it was a question, and perhaps it was. Scaramouche couldn’t think however, couldn’t think over the rushing in his ears.

“Where did you hear that?”

“I don’t know. I just heard it. Or I remembered it. But that’s who you are, isn’t it?” You smiled, and for a moment Scaramouche could almost imagine life was as it was before. “Can you sing for me?”

“No.” This conversation had happened before.

“Fine,” you shook your head, “but one day I want you to sing for me, when I remember everything, then I want you to sing for me.”

“Fine.” Scaramouche managed to get out, afraid of the rising emotions he felt, afraid they might break through his voice.

“You’re missing work, aren’t you.” You continued on, gaze piercing through him. “I can tell, I can hear people whispering about it when I go out. I’m not supposed to be here, and you’re supposed to be working. If what you told me really is what happened, you should work.”

“Ridiculous,” Scaramouche scoffed, “I can manage my own affairs. Besides,” his voice grew softer, as if he didn’t want to reveal himself to you. You were too familiar, but still a stranger, and a part of him hid behind the walls he built up around everyone else, the walls only you could climb over. “Besides, who would look after you.”

“I can look after myself.” Your answer was as confident as it had always been. “I have to, since I trust what you’ve told me about myself, about this work, this world.”

“It was you not looking after yourself that lost you your memory!” He was shouting by now, he was shouting but he couldn’t stop because if he stopped shouting he’d be crying.

“Perhaps. But it’s not looking after me to end up like the people we fought. So go to your work. And maybe one day when you come back, I’ll remember.”

He couldn’t say no to you, eventually you won. It had been that way since the beginning, you tearing down his bluffing and his empty promises. Perhaps it was what he appreciated most about you.

Every moment Scaramouche was away from you felt like he was betraying a part of himself, a part he had hid for so long. But you were right, just like before, and just like before you’d won him over with your honesty, your refusal to back down, and your view of the Harbinger for what he truly was, someone who was deep down truly afraid. That part of you remained, somehow without memory and without certainty it remained.

And if that part of you remained, well maybe some day the rest would return.

 Xiao

“Xiao look!” You let out a cry of delight as you threw yourself off the tall stone mountain, glider unfurling in a vibrant waves of color as you began circling in the air. Xiao scowled from the tree in which he was perched, unwilling to humor you in your folly.

“You’re going to be injured.” Although he hadn’t meant for you to hear that you still laughed at the comment, shaking your head as you once more carved shapes into the sky.

“It’s a lovely day for gliding! The air is so fresh and the breeze is just enough to keep you upright!”

“It’s too windy.” Xiao’s voice was flat. This was foolish, what you were doing was foolish. He could feel the currents, feel their laughter, their excitement. They were surely up to no good.

But you weren’t paying attention to that, instead you were gliding about as if you were born to fly. It was a beautiful sight, Xiao had to admit. The beauty of those immersed in what they loved. And what Xiao loved was you.

“Come on Xiao!” You called out. “Come fly with me!”

“No.”

“Oh c’mon, I know you can do it!” Screwing your face into a pout when the adeptus once more shook his head you shrugged. “Your loss.”

Xiao knew you were disappointed, but he couldn’t help it. It seemed somehow out of place for him to join you in whatever you were doing. Besides, he needed to keep track of the currents, just in case.

You dove down for a moment, and Xiao felt his stomach clench, knowing full well what you were doing, but unable to keep the worry out of his mind. And yet then you were flying up, up, up, up and though Xiao wanted to scold you, wanted to tell you to come down once more, he was rapt, in awe. You were too beautiful, and it stole his breath away.

A gust of wind came blowing through the stone monoliths and as your wings buckled and you plummeted towards the ground Xiao found that he was truly unable to breathe at all.

Perhaps it was a blessing that you were unconscious. Then you didn’t have to feel the way Xiao held onto your shoulders as if he’d never let you go, the way he gasped for the air he was supposed to be in charge of, the way his eyes were devoid of everything but fear. You hadn’t fallen so far, he told himself, you hadn’t fallen so far it was fatal. You were breathing, you were going to be fine. But he found himself unable to believe those words. If you had said them he would’ve, but there you were, a crumpled mess and he barely able to process the world around him.

Crashing onto the Inn balcony, not caring about the odd looks thrown his way, Xiao made his way upstairs. You were going to be fine. You were.

If only he could believe himself.

“They’re out of danger now.” Verr Goldet’s voice was calm, unnaturally so, and Xiao only softened a little at the knowledge, sure something had gone wrong. “But…” the innkeeper continued, confirming all of the fears Xiao had been secretly nursing.

“But.”

“But there seems to be a problem with their memory. They were very confused at first, unable to remember things such as Liyue, their duty as adventurer, this place, things like that. At first we thought it would clear, but now it seems that isn’t so. Their memory might be affected for quite a while.”

“I want to see them.” Xiao brushed past Goldet, determined to help you if this was to be your fate. But Goldet’s next words stopped him in his tracks.

“Xiao, they can’t remember you.”

At first there was the feeling of falling. And then, as Xiao vanished, there was nothing.

______

At first Xiao was determined to stay away completely. It hurt too much, hurt to think about what had happened. At first he’d managed to survive on anger, anger at the world, at you not listening to him, at himself for letting it happen. But quickly the anger faded and what replaced it was a loneliness so vast he couldn’t believe that he had managed to survive in such a way before he met you.

Still he didn’t want to go, didn’t want to see you as you were now, unaware of him and perhaps destined to remain so. How cruel fate was. It took everything he knew from him and just when he began to live again it took that to. It took away your memory, your livelihood, and for what? To punish him? It seemed unfair, so unfair.

So he’d stayed away, afraid that something would happened again to you if he were to show himself again. But the knowledge of such emotions as love is something that doesn’t fade, and Xiao found himself unable to continue on as before, finding the pain too great. He had to see you. At least to say goodbye, he had to see you. It would be unfair not to do so.

The moon was full, casting a silvery light on the landscape. Xiao drifted over towards the roof of the Inn, thankful that he was invisible, so as to not have to experience the moment your eyes reached him but you didn’t.

Your silhouette appeared quickly enough in the darkness. You seemed somewhat preoccupied, and yet there was a purpose to your step, made all the more evident by the Qingxin grasped firmly in your hand, a brethren of the other flowers which lay scattered on the railing.

“I know you’re there.” At first Xiao jumped, thinking perhaps you’d somehow managed to sense him. However he calmed down once you continued, it appeared you weren’t truly talking to him.

“I know you’re there. And I wish you’d come back,” You continued, gazing out on the landscape around you. “I don’t remember your name you see. They told me your name of course, but I wish they hadn’t, I wanted to remember it myself. It must be why you left, of course you didn’t want to see me like this. If what they said was true…” you shook your head, “I know it was true. I know that it had to have been true, that I cared for you, that you cared for me. I know because I miss you.” Xiao felt his heart pound in his chest, so loud he could barely hear you.

“I miss you so much. Isn’t that odd? I don’t know you anymore and yet I miss you. It’s as if something is missing. I mean, of course something is missing but it’s more than just the memories themselves. It’s the feeling. Like going outside without a coat on. I miss you, even if I can’t miss you because I can’t remember you I do, I miss you dearly.”

You paused, placing the flower on the railing next to the rest.

“I hope you see the flowers before they fade,” you called out softly to the dark, “and I hope one day I can look at you again. I remember you had such lovely eyes. I’d like to see them again to be sure.”

For a moment Xiao didn’t move, frozen by all he’d heard. But the minute you turned to leave he was already there, bound by the feelings he had for you, by the knowledge that continuing as he had been would kill him, would only hurt you.

“Do you remember me?” It was a silly question to ask, but he had nothing else to say. You turned towards him and smiled softly. It was true, your eyes didn’t recognize him. But there was something in your gaze nonetheless.

“Xiao.” You whispered, and the yaksha knew that he’d never be able to leave again.

[sakura-83]

Things from Anne with an e that I feel like writing down

Season 1 Episode 6: Remorse Is the Poison of Life

1. Diana having to run through the dark with nothing but a lantern and quite reasonably tripping. I never really thought about how dark it would actually be out because there’s always light.., somewhere in a modern city. It’s dark but you can usually still see

2. Every time Anne and Diana are separated they end up reunited during some great tragedy and are like “I missed you so much!!” Like yeah that’s great but. Please focus

3. It’s terrifying how easily children could die before modern medicine. They still can die very easily and that’s still terrifying but back then there was no quick fixes or easily accessible help

4. “It’s an old wives tale.” “I might be one but not the other. Evidently one doesn’t have to be either thing to know it.”

5. Anne knowing how to treat croup because all of Mrs. Hammond’s sets of twins had it

6. “I was supposed to be a boy but when I wasn’t, they decided to keep and raise me.” “How extraordinary!”

7. Minnie May almost choking to death on her own phlegm and Anne ultimately saving her because there’s no way the doctor would’ve made it all the way from Soencervale in time

8. “I believe I need a brandy.”

9. It’s really interesting how much of the script comes straight from the book

10. “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are white frosts, aren’t you?”

11. John Blythe’s love for adventure and how Gilbert undoubtedly sees it in Anne

12. Eliza apologizing for how she misjudged Anne

13. “My darling Diana”

14. “I can’t tie myself down to anything so unromantic as dishes at this thrilling moment!”

15. “Even aunt Josephine said she’d like to see you again, and she doesn’t like anyone.”

16. “Shes disinclined to stay home alone since her companion passed away.” “Her companion?” “Her best friend forever and ever.”

17. “Aunt Josephine never married. Neither of them did, they lived with each other their whole lives.” “I’d live with you forever if I could. But I know you’ll leave me the date you get married to some wealthy and handsome gentleman. I hate him already.” “How’s Gilbert?”

18. “It’s very likely Gilbert’s father isn’t going to get well, so it’s more than possible that when Gilbert finally comes back to school… he’ll be an orphan.”

19. The cut from that conversation to John Blythe’s funeral

20. Matthew grabbing Marilla’s arm because he knows how much john meant to her

21. Gilbert watching the snowflakes melt in his hand

22. Marilla’s flashback

23. Young Marilla teasing john

24. Him giving her the same hair ribbon she later gifts to Anne

25. Anne and Gilbert being just like their parents, mirroring their romance and yet achieving the love Marilla and John could never have

26. Anne trying to make Gilbert feel better but making it seem like it’s about her. I often find it hard to articulate my relation to others in a way that does sound like I’m relating and not like I’m making it about me

27. Aunt Josephine on a stroll in the woods

28. Anne’s ranting about her “extensive knowledge of being an orphan”

29. Her calling Gilbert a dumb boy and refusing to think about him

30. “Romance is a pesky business. No sense to be made of it.”

31. “May I enter your humble abode.” About Anne’s run down little shed

32. “I couldn’t be less interested in Gil- that boy!”

33. “Let your ambitions and your aspirations be your guide.” “But I have so many!”

34. “I’ve always wanted to be a bride, but I don’t really expect to be a wife.” “Interesting!” “So you see the conundrum.” “I do. I have the following thoughts to offer. First, you can get married any time in your life, if you choose to do so.” “That’s true-“ “And two, if you choose a career, you can buy a white dress yourself, have it made to order and wear it whenever you want.” “Why didn’t I think of that!? I love that idea! I’m going to be my own woman!” “I’m a proponent for making ones own way in the world.”

35. “If you become a doctor, perhaps you can discover a cure for old age.”

36. Anne calling aunt Josephine her new role model, as well as Marilla and Matthew

37. “I’m going to be the heroine of my own story.”

38. Marilla finding an old letter from John

39. The theme Unrequited Love playing during this scene

40. It’s fascinating when you come to recognize the instrumentals by name, the names actually have a lot of double meanings in relation to the show. Fire in The Town not only plays when there’s an actual fire, but also when Anne’s rumors about prissy set the town ablaze

41. “If the key to a mans heart is through his stomach-“ “Which it is!” “Then, we have to make sure that this is the best shepherds pie that Gilbert has ever had.”

42. Anne wanting a boy to loved for her brain and personality rather than her abilities to keep a home

43. “Don’t you think Gilbert looks even more handsome now that he’s sad?” “I didn’t notice.”

44. I just noticed aunt Josephines mourning clothes, I know she was grieving but I didn’t put two and two together

45. “Take the boy the godforsaken pie before I suffer a mental collapse.”

46. Anne rambling excitedly about Jane Eyre.

47. Anne almost spoiling the book, just like Gertrude used to do

48. Anne suddenly breaking down over death. I’ve done that before, far more frequently in middle school when I realized that we all die someday

49. “It must be awful beyond measure to lose someone that you love deeply. In a split second, a heartbeat, they’re gone forever… and there is nothing you can do to change it or bring them back…”

50. “Anne? You’re crying on the potatoes.”

51. “There’s nothing wrong with saying ‘I’m sorry for your loss’, Ruby. And I’m going to say it because I am.” “You’re just going to make it worse if you say that. His father!! Just died!!!” “That’s what people say when someone dies.” “I don’t want you to upset him.” “He’s already upset because his father just died!”

52. “We hope you like shepherds pie.” “Everyone LIKES shepherds pie 😡. We hope it’s a comfort to you, Gilbert.🥰”

53. Anne telling “but I would make a terrible wife!” And running out.

54. Matthew offering to help Gilbert get his farm back in order

55. Gilbert not wanting to be a farmer but having an entire farm shoved off on him when his only family does, despite being… 14 at most? 15 maybe?

56. Matthew losing all his crops when the Dal Marie sank

57. Billy wanting Gilbert back to control the “ugly orphan” and Gilbert defending Anne

58. “She’s smart, deal with it.”

59. Gilbert telling billy to read a book for once

60. “I’ll give you a tip, okay? I’m not your bud. And if you ever hassle Anne again, you’ll regret it.”

61. “What’s your problem?” “Ask me that again. No, seriously. Go ahead.” “Why you gotta be like that?” “Ask me!” “…what’s your problem?”

62. Gilbert throwing his stuff at billy to preoccupy his hands and THEN punching him straight in his stupid face

63. The boys are fighting!!!! And rolling around in the snow too that’s kind of funny looking

64. Gilbert beating billy in that fight

65. Marilla telling Gilbert about his father

66. All of Gilbert’s siblings died

67. Gilbert’s father taking him to Alberta before he died, where Gilbert was born

68. “You resemble him in many ways.”

69. “He asked you to go?” I’ll always be grateful to him for thinking I’d be brave enough. Obligation… can be a prison.”

70. Anne trying to write a letter to Gilbert apologizing for what she said

71. Anne visiting aunt Josephine for advice and accidentally interrupting her grieving

72. “Emotion is rarely convenient and often intolerable, but I find at the moment that I don’t mind it.”

73. “Grief is the price you pay for live, you see. So it’s alright.”

74. “You and I are not the marrying kind.” “Ah, but I was, in my way. And we had a full and wonderful life together, and I gave no regrets. That’s all you really have to decide Anne, to live a life without regrets.”

75. Anne kissing aunt Josephine on the cheek and running off to live said life

76. No Matthew don’t make that loan deal!!!

77. Anne sprinting to Gilbert’s house bit for the first time of many to come, being too late to reach him.

[mymelodyheart]

Miles Between Us Chapter 14 ~The Element of Surprise ~

WARNING: VERY EXPLICIT SEXUAL CONTENT

Previously in The Reunion

They fitted perfectly, her softness cradling his boneless heap, making him hard as steel again. Some part of his brain must have still been functioning because he jerked and reached out for her bra to cover her when his doorbell rang. Christ!  Forcing his body to move with marginal success, he yanked her up and pulled up his jeans.

Claire slid off the table and grabbed her clothes. "Who could that be?"

"That better not be yer uncle or ..." Jamie trailed off, muttering curses under his breath, annoyed at the disturbance as he was just revving up for part two of their lovemaking. When he opened the door, a sense of deja vu hit him when he saw Mrs Fitz standing there with what seemed like a plate of a lemon meringue pie. What the fuck?

"Mrs Fitz!"

The older woman didn't bother to hide her curiosity this time as her eyes tried to peer past his shoulders. "Heard ye have company, lad, and I havenae seen Miss Claire the last couple of days."

  If you wish to read this on AO3, here is the link.

If you wish to read this from the beginning:

AO3 link

Tumblr link

  Six Days Later

Claire's heavy eyelids fluttered open, her brain still addled by sleep. It took her a while to gather her thoughts and remember how she'd made it to bed last night. She shifted slightly in bed, but there's a two-hundred-fifty pound of hard-muscled, naked male restricting her movement. Jamie's arm was draped across her waist, securing her against his chest, her legs confined under his heavier ones. She could feel his soft, steady breathing blowing warm air on top of her head, reminding her how well he'd been sleeping the last few nights. There had been no night terrors or unpleasant dreams interrupting his sleep, and she put it down to his workload during the day and their physical activities between the sheets at night.

Today was Friday, and the realisation caused a huge smile to spread across her face. Last night she'd worked late until past ten, and Jamie had found her fallen asleep in front of her laptop in her studio shed. He'd scooped her up in his arms and helped her get ready for bed, and just before sleep claimed her, he'd whispered he had a surprise for her today. 

She wondered what the surprise was and guess it would probably be a long lie-in for them and breakfast in bed. Looking back, the past few days had flown by in a blur, packed with work and catching up with her uncle Lamb during nights. Ever since her emotional reunion with Jamie, her work-related things had gone from a shamble of mess to running smoothly. It's as if the universe had decided to grant her reprieve as everyone went out their way to appease her. Even her boss John seemed to have given her space and was allowing her to work in peace. Somehow, deep down, she had a sneaking suspicion Jamie had something to do with it. 

It had all began at the start of the week when Jamie had been at work. Tom had stopped by the cottage to hand her a signed contract agreeing to his book's publication. By the time she'd told John the good news, he'd been in his element detailing his main point plan for getting the word out and announcing the book deal to Tom's adoring followers. She'd thought her boss would demand to get her and Tom on the next plane to London, but instead, John had told her he'd arranged a team to fly to Inverness for a formal meeting with their new author. As if that wasn't enough, two days later, Mary had produced enough drafts for Claire to work on and promised there would be more on the way. Her uncle, sensing work was piling, would occasionally stop by either to whip up something to eat or bring food while she'd been ensconced in her studio shed. Not that it was unusual for her uncle to perform domesticated pursuits; however, it's still surprising that he was going the extra mile to help around the house when he had the Highlands at disposal for his adventures being an outdoor person that he was.

It's becoming clear this week was proving to be a period of many turning points. She had no idea what the future had in store for her and Jamie, but she knew something had shifted in their relationship, and it was definitely for the better. Though she's still the same girl who's still trying to find her place in the world and fit in, she knew she'd changed, too. A few months ago, she would have probably backed down from any forms of conflicts, citing life as complicated enough without adding more complications. But she'd learned how to respond, choose fights that are worth fighting for and cast aside that wasn't deserving of her peace of mind. She'd also learned that once in a while, it's good for her sanity to give propriety and rules the middle finger when a situation called for it. 

It's hard to believe she's planning her life in the Highlands, the place where her parents had met and found love in each other. In her quest to get to know them more, she'd spent her holidays here to be closer to their memories and live that adventure they'd so craved. Now, she was involved with a man tormented with demons. If her parents were still alive today, she wondered how they would receive Jamie. Would they have been like Jenny or her uncle, suspicious and sceptical of their relationship? Or would they have been happy with her choice just like Willie, Brian, and Ellen have been with Jamie's?

Deep in her heart, she knew that her parents would have taken one look at them and understood that Jamie was special and meant to be her life adventure. From what Claire had surmised from uncle Lamb's stories, her parents have been that kind of people, magnanimous of spirit and always saw the best in others. Jamie was like that too. He'd taken a gamble with her despite their differences and the geographical challenges ahead. Though it seemed she was helping him with his condition, unbeknownst to Jamie, he too was helping her heal the part of her that became an orphan. In some invisible way, he was repairing something in the fabric of her world that had been torn down the middle when her parents passed away. She absorbed that thought and was reminded of what Uncle Lamb once told her, that her father always had a peculiar sense of humour. With that in mind, she'd like to think that just maybe her father had sent Jamie her way on purpose. His way of telling her to let go of the past, not over-think, embrace the Highlands as much as he had and just love.

Lying next to Jamie in bed, she felt totally at peace. They might have had a crisis of faith, but she was confident they'll find their way through whatever path was laid before them. Their love wasn't and probably never going to be easy, given their journey had been emotional, tangled with roadblocks, denials and self-preservation. Still, she wanted to find her way with him. She'd just discovered this strength she didn't realise she had, and Jamie continued to surprise her with his single-mindedness purpose to be cured. Someone once said there's no fulfilment without a bit of struggle. Just like in the stories she hoped to publish one day, the heroes had to break down first and bleed before earning their happy ending. Well, if that's the rule, she couldn't envision facing life's trials and tests with any other person to stand beside her other than Jamie.

Her smile was still in place when her thoughts were suspended by a rush of heat as Jamie's hand coasted over her hip to disappear between her thighs. A sudden thrill shot through her, making her breath catch in her lungs. He shifted the leg holding her thighs down and deftly opened her to his touch, stroking the sensitive flesh in between. She felt his shaft stir against her bottom as she scooted closer to him, eliciting a guttural sound to escape his lips.

"I can practically hear the cogs turning in yer head, Sassenach," he muttered thickly, his breathing turning shallow at the back of her neck. He nipped her earlobe between his teeth and tugged. "What's going on in that mind of yers?"

"Oh, this and that and how you've been sleeping soundly ...these last few nights." She gasped out loud when he rubbed her nub with a calloused thumb. She tilted her head back to look at his face, and her lips were met by a long-drawn, possessive kiss. By the time their mouths parted, she was panting for air and squirming against him mindlessly. 

"Christ, ye're ready for me. Why did ye no' wake me up?" He thrust his finger deep inside her, fondling the spot he knew drove her wild and frantic. "Next time ye want me, wake me up."

"I-I couldn't. You were sleeping so peacefully." 

He paused his ministrations. "That's no' the answer I was hoping to hear."

Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ! "Y-yes, next time, I'll wake you up!"

"That's my lass." He sank another finger into her entrance. But as she tried to clench around him, his fingers slid out, using her wetness to coat her nub and gently rub her aching flesh. She wanted to scream at him for teasing her, but he only softly chuckled against her neck. At that moment, she needed to come more than she needed air. She hoarsely whispered his name in a plea for release. "Ach, no' yet, Sassenach ... ye listen better when I'm touching ye." She yelped when he suddenly yanked the covers away and flipped her on her stomach, the crisp morning air caressing her heated skin. "Let me see first that beautiful arse of yers." He shoved a pillow beneath her hips, putting her in a highly arousing position, her face mushed against the mattress and her bottom in the air. "Such a beautiful bum."

"Jamie ..." 

He kneaded the curves of her buttocks as he let out a frustrated male groan. "Let us talk first. This is the only time I'm pretty sure ye're no' gonnae argue with me with what I'm about to say. Ye listening?"

"Yes, yes ...get on with it, damn it!"

He laughed out loud just before his lips travelled along the path of her spine, kissing and nibbling her flesh. One hand slid around her belly and down the apex of her thighs, slipping blunt fingers into her folds as his mouth moved to her neck. He lingered there, biting hard and then soothing the sting with a lick of his tongue. Anticipation pulsated within her body, and goosebumps erupted on her skin as the weight of his erection slid against her upturned bottom, and Jamie positioned himself behind her. When he hefted her higher with his forearm, she let out a squeak. "Ye'll no' be working this weekend."

"Jamie," she whimpered. "B-but I can't."

"Oh yes, ye can." Skilled fingers stroke her sensitive nub, and with one thrust of his hips, he completely filled her, taking her by surprise. She nearly screamed, pressing her mouth against the mattress, suddenly mindful of nosey neighbours. She remembered what Jamie had told her about Mrs Fitz and muffled her moans on the covers of the bed.

"Oh, God, this is not fair," she breathed on an uneven exhale.

"I told ye last night, I have a wee surprise for ye. Ye've worked long enough this week. Ye're taking a wee break this weekend." When she didn't respond, he stilled his hips and took out his fingers from inside her. "You need a break, Sassenach. Now, for the love of God, just say yes, Jamie."

When Jamie drew out his hardness and plunged deeply back into her, heart-stopping sensations coursed through her whole body. Something about how he positioned her, the fluid, smooth drives of his movement made her mad with need. She wanted to urge him to go faster, but she clamped her mouth shut. He was deliberately torturing her and forcing her to agree with him. So she decided she was going to get her own back. Contracting her inner walls, she clenched around him. From experience, she knew the more he had to work to push into her, the wilder he would become. Just when she thought she finally got the upper hand, he paused and dropped his weight, stopping just short of squashing her. "No, no, no! Please don't stop!" she wailed.

"Oh, aye." He pushed his lower body tight to her bottom, his erection throbbing inside her. When she tried to wriggle her bum to urge him to start moving again, he firmly gripped her hips in place. "Ah, I ken what ye're up to," he whispered hotly in her ears. "I'm no' taking no for an answer. Ye owe this break to yourself."

"You don't play fair."

"Neither do ye."

Thinking she could compromise later after spending the whole morning with him, she finally conceded. "Fine. Just keep moving, for God's sake!" she hissed.

He let out a pained laugh and pressed his lips on the crook of her neck. "Good lass, ye ken it makes sense." Then cursing under his breath, he moved all the way out in one smooth slide before deliciously gliding deep back. "Christ, I can feel ye want to come, but ye're going to stay with me a little longer. Ye fell asleep on me last night, leaving me with a painful cockstand." 

"Jesus, Jamie."

"Aye," he rasped hoarsely into her hair. "I said the same thing when ye wriggled that pert arse against me and fell asleep immediately."

The way his thickness was invading her from an angle almost sent her hurtling over the edge. And it gave her a new appreciation for math. The thought almost made her laughed out loud if it wasn't for the pulsing pleasure between her legs.

"Christ ...look at ye," Jamie gritted, his voice sounding raw and almost severe. "So bloody perfect." 

He nudged her legs wider and changed his movements to short, strong strokes, increasing his pace with primitive energy that left her gasping for breath. With the sound of their slapping bodies, the earthy scent of arousal, the sweaty slide of skin, her belly began to tighten and coil.

"I just want to make ye happy, Sassenach," he groaned, bearing down his upper body more, his hips relentlessly pounding into hers. "So just say yes to my wee surprise, aye?" 

"Yes, yes, yes." Their voices sounded so far away, and her initial hesitation about taking a break from work almost forgotten. Not entirely, though. She tried to grasp that mental note about emails to be sent, but the hand gripping her hips moved, and fingers slid to rub her nub, stroking and pushing her further towards her peak. She gave in and widened her thighs to let him fill her more. But it left her no time to prepare for the release that shattered her apart, her love for him and the physical pleasure fusing to intensify the sensations blasting through her. It threatened to overwhelm her, but Jamie's presence anchored her as he followed her over, groaning her name, gripping her hips with a fierceness as he claimed her for his. 

Moments later, he pulled her boneless body in his arms and tucked her into his chest, tugging the covers over them and curving his front to her back. He held her tightly as the morning light streamed through the windows. 

Battling to keep her eyes open, thoughts of work slithered in, but it kept flittering away with her consciousness before she could dwell on it. Maybe just for a minute, she thought. But Jamie smelled so good, and his tender strokes enticed a hazy sleep to claim her muscles, dragging her down into the dark. Just one minute. 

As she eased into sleep, his whisper drifted toward her unconscious. "It's still early, Sassenach. Sleep a wee bit more. Your wee surprise will come soon enough."

..........

Claire woke for the second time that morning with an unladylike shriek when the mattress dipped and moved. Muddled, she jackknifed into a sitting position, eyes scanning wildly around the curtain-dimmed room for a trespasser. Claire knew someone was there, her gut instinct telling her it wasn't Jamie. Summoning her eyes to refocus, she collapsed with relief when she realised who it was sat at the foot of the bed.

"Surprise!" Annalise squealed, clapping her hands.

"Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ!" She swiped her bedraggled hair out of her face. "You scared me bloody witless."

"Bloody hell, you're jumpy." Annalise shifted a hip on the bed. "Jamie's bad dreams rubbing off on you now, are they?"

"That's not something to joke about," she glowered at her friend, pulling the covers up to her chin.

Annalise' smile waned a bit. "Hey, what's up? I'm not making fun of Jamie's nightmares, and you know that." Her shoulders slumped. "In case you don't know, bad dreams can happen to anyone. In fact, I had a bad dream a few days ago. I was being chased by a pirate."

Suddenly feeling bad for snapping at her friend, she mentally dispersed the sleep fog in her brain and gave Annalise an apologetic smile. So this was her surprise, she thought. Not that Claire wasn't happy to see her friend, but she'd expected Jamie's surprise to be a romantic weekend with him. She let out a sigh. "Chased by a pirate, huh? Let me guess ...sunken chest and no booty?"

Annalise perked up at Claire's feeble attempt to sound less grumpy. "Har de har har! I didn't realise you could be funny before coffee. A total package for a marauding pirate if I may say so."

"Tell that to Captain Beard," she mumbled, getting out of bed. 

"Aye, matey!" Annalise mischievously winked. "That's if he happens to be in Isle of Harris this weekend. Which is where, by the way, we're going, as in, now! So get packing!"

Claire stilled and shook her head. "Wot?" She began to shake her head, tugging the covers around her as she made her way to the dresser. "Oh no, no, no! I'm not leaving this place for any man or woman, including you, blondie! I've got a pile of work to do. You know I have deadlines."

"Oh no, you don't. You stop right there, missy! Have you forgotten you agreed with Jamie to take a weekend break?" 

Claire's eyes widened. "Oh, did he also tell you how he got me to agree?"

"No. But you can tell me later on the plane."

"Plane?" Claire dropped her face in her hands. "Oh, God, I can't believe I agreed to this. Jamie never told me anything."

Annalise stood up from where she was sitting and crossed her arms across her chest. "Hmmm, you don't look too happy to be spending time with me."

She puffed out a breath. "It's not that ..."

"We haven't had girly time in ages, Claire. Jamie thought it would do you a world of good to have a bit of fun."

"So now what? You and Jamie plotting and ganging up on me behind my back, is that it?" Claire accused. "What about Willie? Surely, you miss him more than me. When was the last time you saw him?"

Annalise grinned. "Don't worry about Willie. We have been doing a lot of catching up all night last night, and you want to know what he did?"

Claire's face crumpled in disgust as she held up a hand. "Oh, gross! Too much information. I don't want to hear about your sex life."

Annalise laughed out loud. "Fine, I won't discuss our sex life if you start packing now. Besides, you wouldn't want to waste the tickets Jamie worked so hard for, now, do you?"

Oh dear Lord, save me from well-meaning friends! She didn't really want to leave, but if Jamie had spent money organising this trip, she wasn't about to let it go to waste. But ... "How about uncle Lamb? He came to see me, and I can't just leave him."

"He knows all about the trip, and I've been told he's got a few excursions planned around the Highlands." 

"Oh, well ...if that's the case, I need to call Mary and John and let them know what I'm up to this weekend."

Annalise grinned. "Jamie's sorted it already."

"Wot?" she exclaimed with disbelief, her hands landing onto her hips. "Jamie's been planning this with you all along, hasn't he?" She shook her head. "I-I can't believe it!"

"You better believe it."

Claire blew out a breath of exasperation. "Fine! Grab my suitcase. It's in the airing cupboard."

"Yay!" Annalise whirled on her feet and pumped her fist in the air. Claire couldn't help but smile as enthusiasm began to wiggle its way through her system. Maybe Jamie was right. She owed it to herself to have a break, and probably a change of scenery was what she needed. After Mary had delivered the goods, Claire had worked herself to the bone all week and sometimes into the wee hours of the morning. She was already in her second round of edits on the extensive manuscripts Mary had submitted and must admit they were indeed making progress. As for Tom, her job with him was done, and the team organised by John should be arriving next week. It was definitely time for a bit of fun. 

On second thoughts, though it was generous of Jamie to arrange the trip, it would have been nice if he could come along too. But the idea of Jamie's condition worsening with something as simple as weekend trips away brought a feeling of melancholy to descend upon her. She had no doubt Jamie would be cured, and they'd be able to travel together one day, so she forced herself to shake off the momentary bout of wistfulness when Annalise came bounding back with her small suitcase.

"So ...you talked to Jamie. Where is he, by the way?" she asked, grabbing clothes from the dresser and throwing them in the bed. "He left early this morning."

"Oh! Jamie said he needed to be somewhere important, and he'll see you when we return. Willie will be driving us to the airport." When Claire frowned, Annalise came up behind her and laid a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, we'll only be away for two days, and you'll see him again Sunday night."

It was apparent to Claire she'd been at a disadvantage waking up to the news of the weekend trip because if Jamie had suggested it a few days ago, she would have definitely put her foot down and refused. Unfortunately, Annalise and Jamie knew her too well; hence they'd planned this trip in secrecy.

Claire absorbed that for a few heartbeats and felt a tad of guilt. It had been a while she'd spent time with Annalise, and once her job was done in London, she'd be living with Jamie. Plus, who knew when she'd have another chance to hang out with her best friend ...just the two of them and in the Isle of Harris at that. Besides, they always had a great time together. There was no sense in spoiling their spontaneous weekend with her stubbornness. She might as well make the most of it.

Claire turned to face her friend and smiled. "Do I have time to shower?"

"Plenty of time," Annalise beamed. "While you get ready, I'll make some coffee. I know what you're like without your cuppa first thing." And with that, she danced out of the room, whistling, leaving Claire to shake her head in amusement.

Later that morning, as they drove past the motorway exit for the airport, Claire shifted restlessly in the backseat of Willie's car, watching the familiar structure pass by in a blur outside her window. She frowned. Willie must have forgotten to take the turn. Uh oh! But before she could say anything, Willie veered to a different dual-carriageway. She tried to relax back into her seat, thinking there was probably a different route to the airport she didn't know of.

Eventually, they pulled to a stop in front of a building that didn't resemble a terminal, but there was an airfield and a charter plane coming out of the hangar. When Willie stepped out of the car, a man with worn jeans, a black leather jacket and a pair of aviators waved. He looked kind of familiar, but Claire was unsure.

"Who is that?" Claire asked quietly.

Annalise followed her line of vision. "Oh, I thought you knew that guy." She frowned when Claire shook her head and squinted to get a better look. "I was told the guy flying our plane was the soon to be famous Highlands' ultimate guide to Scotland." As if on cue, the man removed his aviators and started walking towards their car, a smile plastered to his unshaven face. When he waved at them, Annalise giggled, and Claire's eyes widened in confusion. "You probably can't recognise him from afar ...it's your author, Tom Christie," Annalise announced with a satisfied smile and to her utmost shock. "He's flying us to Stornoway."

What the bloody hell? Jamie arranged this?

 Dear Readers,

Thank you all for your readership and the feedback from the previous chapter. I'm super thrilled a lot of you enjoyed it after what I put you all through with Jamie and Claire's roller-coaster journey. I hope it was worth it all in the end.

Speaking of the end, the next chapter will be the last for this arc, and after taking a break, I will start arc three of the WONDERWALL series. I'll keep you updated here. Meanwhile, feel free to speculate what the next chapter will be. Until my next update, wishing you all good health and vibes. X

[mctherofdragons]

In the Afterglow | 1 | F.W.

moodboard by @minty-malfoy​.

Summary: The reader is married to George Weasley, and for all intents and purposes, he is the perfect husband. But, despite her best efforts to resist, Fred presents temptation she never knew she’d fall for.

Pairing: Fred Weasley x Fem! Reader; George Weasley x Fem!Reader

Alternate Universe: No Voldemort AU

Rating: Mature, Future Chapters will Feature Explicit Content

Trigger Warnings: Angst, alcohol, cussing, mild sexual content

Author’s Note: I want to start off by thanking @oh-for-merlins-sake​ for being my sounding board for the past several days as I’ve prepared this fic! Also, to @sunflwrnarry​ for giving me an opinion on whether or not to go ahead with penning this. I cannot tell you how much this idea lives in my head ABSOLUTELY rent free. This might be my favorite fic I’ve written to date. PS: I have a taglist! Let me know if you’d like to be added for this story, all Weasley twins content, or for all Harry Potter content. Thanks loves!

*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:

August 15th.

Summer mornings always felt particularly comforting. However, the mornings spent on a beach vacation felt especially wonderful. Heading out onto the balcony, you smiled contently, taking a sip of the coffee you had just brewed. George, your husband, was inside still asleep. The night before had been quite tiring as you’d spent all day on the beach before returning to your hotel to play board games and drink. It was the annual vacation you, your husband, and his brother took. It provided days worth of laughter and a much longed for break from the daily grind of work. Occasionally, Fred would bring a lady friend along, but not this year.

You worked for the Ministry of Magic, using your academic skills to contribute toward the greater good of Wizarding society. Meanwhile, your doting husband and his brother worked tirelessly in their joke shop. They actually fared quiet well, despite never completing their classes at Hogwarts. George was able to spoil you to absolute bits. Your wedding had been charming, complete with a send off of blue butterflies before you entered the reception. Everything about your marriage to George was a fairytale.

You watched the waves lapping against the shore. The smell of sea salt and wet sand tickled your nostrils. You pulled your tan cardigan closer around your torso, noting that it was still chilly in the morning, despite it being August. The silence gave you time to reflect on the beauty of the past two years. It felt as though barely any time had passed since you kissed George at the altar, vowing your forever to him. You had developed a calm and comforting rhythm to your life together. It consisted of cozy mornings with your cold feet touching beneath blankets. Your nights would end with dinner together and then finding some sort of movie to watch. You never felt thrilled anymore, but in a way, that’s what you had always dreamed of.

Settling down comfortably in the deck chair, you opened up the novel you’d been reading. Just then, the deck door slid open and your husband walked out. His red hair was messy from sleep and his voice was still raspy, not yet fully adjusted to the morning. He bent to kiss you softly on the head.

“Morning, Mrs. Weasley,” he smiled, moving to lean against the balcony railing. He crossed his legs and took a sip from his coffee mug. His nickname for you always made you smile. You adored it, because you were still head over heels about the idea of being his wife. George was safe and strong. He loved you in the ways other men had failed to. His adoration was clear through bouquets of flowers that would show up on your work desk, lavish birthday presents, and the sweet nothings he whispered to you in bed. George was never pushy. He never spoke out of turn. In fact, you couldn’t even recall a time he had raised his voice at you. George was - as a husband - predictable.

“Mr. Weasley,” you chirped back, turning to the next page of your book. You two sat in silence for a while. George watched the waves crash into the shore, thinking to himself that this was bliss. Even if he wasn’t at the beach, he reasoned, it would be paradise because he was with you.

The sliding glass door opened again and Fred appeared. “Mornin!,” he announced, stretching.

Fred was quite the opposite of George in a number of ways. You knew of Fred’s romantic escapades, which often ended in him bedding girls in his flat. He sometimes had a short temper and still lived on the high of getting into bits of trouble - even as a grown man. His spirit was more untamed. Where George craved peace, Fred strived for adventure. You would be lying if you hadn’t sometimes thought about what Fred would be like as a lover. But then the guilt would hit you. He was your brother-in-law, for Merlin’s sake.

“How do you have this much energy in the morning?,” George chuckled, watching as Fred sat down in the other armchair.

“I just like the beach,” he shrugged, looking over at you. Placing your book onto your lap, you glanced over at Fred. His brown eyes twinkled back at you affectionately. You and Fred had always been close, even before you started dating George. It was Fred that you had befriended first at Hogwarts. But of course, where one Weasley was, there was the other. Fred was thrilled when you began to date George. He thought you were - as he put it - ‘a total fucking catch, George’. Fred had even helped George pick out your engagement ring. He was over the moon to have you as a permanent part of his life - for you to finally and officially be a Weasley.

You looked out at the beach, eager to get some sun and finish your book.

“Then, let’s go.”

_______________________________

George had made the choice to stay at the beach house, wanting to hit the golf course. He had begged Fred to join him, but his twin was craving some time in the sun and surf, so he declined. George grumbled a bit as he packed up his golf bag. He tried until the very last minute to get Fred to come play at least a round but it was to no avail.

You were lying on your back, trying your hardest to catch some color. The normally dreary days at home wouldn’t provide the tan you wanted. Fred was walking back up to your umbrella. He had gone down into the water for a while. You realized then that you probably should reapply your sunscreen, but couldn’t reach yourself.

“Hey, Freddie, can you get my back?” You had thought nothing of it. Fred had obliged, picking up the tiny bottle next to you.

Fred knelt down in the sand, sitting back onto his heels to keep from tipping other. He squirted a bit of the sunscreen into his palm, rubbing it together quickly to warm it up. You had to press your tongue to the roof of your mouth to keep from gasping as you felt his calloused hands hit your bare back. He was being painfully slow, moving to massage the sunblock into your shoulders. The man’s concentration seemed to have drifted from assuring you didn’t get burnt to making you feel good. Fred kneaded a bit and that time you couldn’t resist, letting a tiny gasp escape your lips. It was painfully obvious that you had been wound up tight due to work and it felt incredible to feel your muscles loosen up.

Fred’s fingers danced beneath the strap of your bathing suit and you felt your heart rate quicken. He took a moment to run his finger across the thin, damp strap. You swore you heard his breath stop for a moment. You shook it off, assuring yourself it was you who was making this into something it wasn’t. Just then, he slid his hands down to the center of your spine before getting dangerously close to the elastic of your bikini bottoms. Neither of you were speaking, and for some reason, you felt a familiar feeling between your thighs. Shit, shit, shit, you thought. Thankfully your head was laying in your arms, face down, or else Fred would no doubt see you blushing.

“Okay that’s good, Fred, thanks,” you said quickly, moving so his hands were no longer on you. You couldn’t tell if the sun had reached its brightest point or if you were sweating because of your brother-in-law. But either way, you rolled back over to stand up, leaving Fred confused as you headed out toward the water to distract yourself.

•·················•·················•  •·················•·················•

October 31st.

George was standing up front at the cash register of Weasley Wizard Wheezes, counting the nightly deposit. Halloween was always a particularly busy day as both old and young wizards alike grabbed their last minute bits of mischief.

You were sitting in the back room, giving Fred your opinion on his Halloween costume.  Each year, the Weasley twins put on the best Halloween party, complete with costumes, outlandish decorations, and overflowing fire whiskey and butterbeer. Getting an invite to the Weasley Halloween Bash was something highly sought after. Therefore, the twins always made sure their costumes were up to snuff. Fred was close to you, showing off his ensemble for that night. A black velvet cape was draped over his shoulders, complete with a white button up shirt and black pants.

“What is it you’re supposed to be?” You cackled, adjusting the middle button on his shirt, which he had overlooked. Fred swallowed hard as your hands touched his abdomen. You noticed how as you laughed, your eyes locked on one another. You diverted your eyes quickly, cursing the butterflies that were some reason threatening to burst in your belly. The redhead stepped back a little, doing a little twirl so that his cape swooshed.

“A vampire!,” he sounded exasperated, using his hands to gesture to himself. You cocked your head to the side, figuring he just didn’t have the makeup or fangs on yet. It was decided in your mind that once that was all done, the costume would look much better.

“It looks great, Freddie,” you finally conceded and he grinned.

“I’m going to vuck your vlood,” Fred joked, wiggling his fingers as he leapt closer to you. You shrieked, jumping back as he attempted to begin tickling you. Once you had both stopped giggling, Fred began to speak again.

“What are you and George going as?”

“Pirates,” you said excitedly, clapping your hands together. Fred rolled his eyes.

“I know you picked that out.” “I always pick. George is horrible at decision making, and if I’m being honest, his ideas are sometimes quite stupid.”

The bells on the back door jingled as George entered. “Oy, we getter get going if we want to set up for tonight,” he said to you, coming over to wrap his arms around your waist. A smile graced your lips as he planted a loving kiss on your cheek. He smelled like warm cinnamon - the perfect addition to fall.

_______________________ 

 You descended down the stairs, your heels clicking with each step. Fred was at the bottom of the stairs, busying himself with filling a tray up with some sort of side dish. He heard you coming and turned, his jaw going slack.

You were wearing black fishnets complete with thigh high leather boots. Your dress was candy apple red with a tight black corset. It left little to the imagination as it showed off the perfect teasing amount of cleavage and sat just below your bum. The look was complete by a black pirate’s hat and flawless makeup, which you were certain to spend at least an hour on. You had taken the time to curl your h/c hair as well, which lay perfectly on your shoulders.

“Aye, aye, captain,” George gawked, coming around the corner. His costume was a little less detailed, but none the less fitting to match yours. You giggled as he swept you up in his arms, giving you a few kisses on your face. “Please make me walk to plank tonight,” he whispered in your ear, giving your lobe a little nibble. You giggled, pushing him off a bit. “Now, now, sailor. We have company,” you gestured to Fred, who appeared to be blushing redder than your dress. You ignored it, pushing back any thoughts that began to stir in your mind. You had hoped, somewhere deep down inside of you, that Fred was just as taken by your look as George was.

Fred had doctored up his costume quite a bit, adding eyeliner smudged around his eyes, a bit of face powder, and some fake blood below his lip. He had gelled his hair to look more Victorian, too, which gave the perfect finishing touch. “You look awesome, Fred,” you remarked, giving him a pat on this shoulder. You began to help finish the snack table. The tension could be cut with a knife, you noted. There was something different between you and Fred ever since the beach. A lust hung in the air whenever you two were in close proximity. It was enough to strangle you, and the worst part was, you were convinced it was all in your head. It was bloody wrong, too, you had told yourself.

_________________________

 The night went off without a hitch. Ron and Hermione had shown up, dressed adorably as a cop and a robber. Ginny and Harry had come, too, of course, wearing their most ghoulish ghost bride and groom attire. Even Draco Malfoy and his wife Astoria made an appearance. Dozens of other witches and wizards had passed through the night, sharing in the imbibing and laughter of the evening. By midnight, the party had thinned out. For those in attendance with children, trick or treating was over now, which meant it was time to return home.

You had had quite a few shots of fire whisky, which had now left you sleepily sitting on the couch. George had gone up to bed due to the fact that the shop would still be open in the morning and it was his turn for the morning shift. You yawned, stretching out to lie down. Fred was still over and he sat down, pulling your boots to sit on his lap. This closeness normally would be nothing but platonic, but tonight the tension began to rise again. Maybe it was the alcohol, but you suddenly felt a wicked dizziness in your head. Your heart felt like it had risen into the bottom of your throat when Fred began to talk.

“You know, y/n, I’ve always thought you were very, very....gorgeous. Even when those stupid, snotty Slytherins would pick on you in school. Too beautiful for me, but perfect for George,” Fred was mindlessly watching a horror movie you’d put on the television. His words were slurred. “And tonight, I mean talk about a smoke show.”

“Thanks, Freddie,” you smiled, thankful for the compliment.

“Do you ever wonder...what if it would have been us?”

The question caught you off guard and you sighed a little, looking up at the ceiling. “Sometimes,” you had never admitted it out loud. But it was often that you did wonder - what if you had fallen in love with Fred instead of George?

“My feet hurt,” you allowed the words to tumble from your mouth. You were never one for a filter when drinking, either. It was just one more thing you and Fred had in common.

“Lemme help,” Fred whispered, reaching over to unzip your leather shoes from the top of your thigh to the ankle. He pulled each of them off, and then looked up at you. He placed on hand at your ankle and ran his hand up to your thigh, feeling the fabric of your fishnet stockings. Again, he ran his hand down your leg. He cleared his throat, clearing coming unglued by the feeling of your smooth legs and the course, patterned fabric of your fishnets dancing beneath his hand. Instinctively, you allowed your legs to open, tempting Fred to move his hand up further. But just as he moved his hand toward the inner part of your thigh, you swung your legs around and sat up.

You bent over quickly, grabbing your shoes and standing up. “You should go, Fred,” your throat felt dry. Nothing happened, you told yourself. You’re overreacting. He was just helping you take your boots off.

“Right, it’s late,” Fred said awkwardly, standing up and grabbing his keys off the coffee table. He didn’t drive, luckily, because it was apparent the he had also had a few too many beers.

[To Be Continued.]

[emma-nation]

The Devil In I - Bela x OC (Resident Evil Village AU)

“Step inside, see the Devil in I”

Summary: Aleena Novak is a 19 years old orphan who desired more than living in a village in the middle of nowhere. A talented artist with a big future ahead, she gets the scholarship of her dreams in United States. But everything changes when her twin brother, Auryk, steals an important artifact from Castle Dimitrescu.

In this adventure, Aleena will find way more than she expected.

“You’ll realize I’m not your Devil anymore”

Pairing: Bela Dimitrescu x OC

Genre: Between T and M (Trigger warning for violence, blood, abuse and eventual smut)

Tag List: @nydeiri

Notes: This is my first RES fic, so I'm sorry if I mess it up a bit. English is also not my main language, so a mistake or two may happen. I hope you enjoy it :)

Trigger Warning: Language, abuse, blood and violence.

Eastern Europe - July, 2009

"If he could learn to love another and earn her love in return by the time the last petal fell, then the spell would be broken. If not, he would be doomed to remain a beast for all time. As the years passed he fell into despair and lost all hope. For who could ever learn to love a beast?"

Mother closed the book, placing it on the bedside table between Auryk's bed and mine. Then, she lowered herself and kissed my forehead like she did every night. Her long, blonde hair tickled my face and left a trace of her sweet lavender fragrance in the air. I giggled.

"Good night, sweetheart," she spoke.

"Good night, momma."

"Cherish your last night as a six years old. Tomorrow you will become a..."

"Princess?!"

"A seven years old girl. The prettiest girl in the village."

"Pffft," Auryk let out a displeased grunt from his bed, covering his head with the pillow to avoid listening another word from the conversation.

"And you too," mother sat by his side on the bed and repeated her nightly ritual of kissing his forehead to wish him a good night too. "You'll become the most handsome and brave warrior in this village. Do you understand?"

"I hope so. Good night, mom."

"Good night, buddy."

Mother left the room, leaving us both in the dark. However, we couldn't sleep. Not because we were thrilled about our incoming birthday party as any regular child, but because we knew our lives were about to change. Seven years old was the age every child from our village was introduced to the truth and started being trained to fight the evil that haunted our lands. Auryk and I spent minutes, or maybe hours, in silence, staring at the ceiling.

"Leena?" He was the first one to speak. "Do you believe a spell can broken? I mean, like a curse?"

"I don't know, Ryk," I answered, feeling my thoughts starting to drift away. "Maybe we're doomed after all. Or... we could learn how to love the beasts."

The birthday parties always happened during the daytime, rules of the village. We could no longer be outside after 6 PM. Mother got help from the other women to prepare the treats and organize the decorations. Auryk was disguised as a pirate and I... I was Belle, from the Beauty and the Beast.

"So, what do you think you will be getting this year?" My best friend Elena asked while we were playing with our dolls. She was about two years older than us.

"I don't know," I shrugged. Being a merchant, my father always returned home with the most unusual gifts: a magical music box, a voodoo doll that had a life on its own or a fragrance that chased away the monsters - and everybody else too. "A new book. I'm hoping for a new book."

It was only by the end of the party Adrian Novak made his entrance. That was the mystery about him. Nobody knew when he would show up, or if he would show up at all. He still had that same annoying smirk on his face. The corner of his mouth holding a cigarette. The months away made his beard grow longer, as well as his dark hair. In the sunlight, the scar above his eye was even more visible.

"Auryk," he shouted, "come here, son. I've got something for ya."

My twin brother, who had been climbing trees with his friends stop frozen in spot for a second. I couldn't tell if he hated or feared that man. Maybe both. He slowly followed father's command, approaching him cautiously.

"Hi, dad."

"Happy birthday, son," father ruffled his dark straight hair with his strong and calloused hand. "It's about time you grow up."

He handed my brother a large package. From our experience, we knew exactly what it was, a shotgun.

"T-Thank you, dad."

"I'll be spending some time at home. Tomorrow we'll start practicing."

Auryk consented. He shot me a quick glance. From our twin bond I could tell my brother was far from happy. When he blew his candles that afternoon, he didn't wish for a weapon. We wished to be a normal child.

"What did you get, Leena?" He asked once we were locked in the safety of our bedroom.

"Pencils and a drawing book. Dad thinks I'm talented."

Not really. Adrian Novak would never allow his daughter to hold a shotgun. That was, according to him, 'a man thing'.

"Good, at least one of us got what they wanted. Happy birthday, sister."

"Happy birthday, brother."

4 Years Later - October, 2013

It wasn't easy to be the weakest of the twins. Although he was born first, Auryk was the tinniest. The one who was always getting sick or getting injured. The one who couldn't hit a single fucking target when he had the alcoholic breath of his father on his neck.

He aimed for a crow, sitting still on a fence. How hard could it be? Even the eldest man from the village could do any better than that.

BANG! He shot again. And missed.

"Again?!" Adrian angered, shoving him hard on the shoulder. "What the hell is your problem, kid?"

"I don't know, okay? This gun... it's heavy!"

"Heavy? And why do you think we've been exercising for all these years, huh?! We do not live in Disneyland, Auryk. We need to fight monsters, abominations. Someday I won't be home and you need to be prepared to protect our people. Do you understand?"

Tears started forming in the corners of the boy's blue eyes. He couldn't cry. Not in front of him. Crying was a sign of weakness and he couldn't be weak. Not right now. Auryk started to think about all the things he could be doing. He thought about the ocean, as he had seen on TV and books. He could feel the warmness of the sun on his skin. The sand between his toes. His mom and sister were also there, of course - they'd carry them with him everywhere. And he would study Math and Physics. There would be no guns, no monsters, no blood, only numbers, only formulas, only theories. He smiled. He no longer felt like crying.

"I'm sorry, dad," kindness was always the answer, his mother said. "But this isn't for me, you know? I don't like it. I... Remember that boarding school my teacher mentioned? I thought maybe I..."

His words were interrupted by a hard slap on his face. Auryk could taste a small amount of blood coming out from his lower lip.

"So that's what you want? To become one of those little fancy fags? Maybe you're not my son after all."

Adrian started walking away, leaving his son alone, sitting on the floor.

"I AM!" Auryk yelled, enraged. "I am your son."

"Then prove it."

"You shouldn't take so hard on him," Savannah poured her husband a cup of tea. "He's just a boy."

"He's eleven years old, for god's sake," the husband punched the table strong enough to make it shake. "He needs to man up a bit. You should stop spoiling him."

As I left my bedroom I found my brother sitting on the stairs. He didn't have to be so close to listen to the conversation between our parents, father's voice was loud enough to echo through every wall of our small and cozy home.

I sat down by his side, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

"Maybe you should do it, Leena. You'd do it better, I know."

"I'm not so sure. Remember when I tried to shoot a scarecrow and almost shot that old witch?"

"Come on, you aimed on purpose! I know."

Auryk finally let out a small laugh at the memory.

"You're good at everything, Leena," he spoke fondly. "You're an extrovert, you're everybody's friend, you can cook, you can draw and paint... you're a true artist. I'm a mistake."

"You're not a mistake, Ryk," I pulled my brother closer, resting my cheek against the side of his face. "We're only at the wrong place and you know it."

Going back to our bedroom, we pulled from the drawers the postcards our grandma Louise sent us from San Diego. Mom had been born in California and lived there her entire life, until she met father during one of his trips. God knows what made her fall in love with that man. Adventure? Danger? I expected better from myself when I turned eighteen. Otherwise, I'd never want to fall in love. Love could be my ruin, just like my mom's.

"Leena..." Auryk held the postcard tightly, "do you think... if he died... do you think mom would take us to nana's home?"

"I don't know, Ryk," I didn't want to think of my father's possible death. But I also dreamed of a better life. "Maybe."

"What the hell?" Father's voice in the kitchen made me jump in fear. I knew that tone. I grew up used to that. Something was wrong in the village. We had to hide.

"To the basement, now!" He emerged at the bedroom, holding a rifle. "Lycans were seen surrounding the area."

We barely had any time to react, mom came and dragged us both to the basement. Father left, carrying his arsenal of weapons as usual. There were other hunters in the village but we always knew how badly it could end. Somebody could always get seriously hurt. Or worse.

The basement had been carefully prepared for that kind of situation years before. It had a big bed, two armchairs, a heating source, some stored food and a shelf. Mom sighed and forced a smile.

"So," she walked to the shelf, "what is it going to be today?"

"Frankenstein," Auryk suggested. My brother loved mystery and horror. As if his life hadn't enough of it.

"Romeo and Juliet," I spoke. There was something about forbidden romance that always caught my interest.

"Okay. I... I'm gonna say a prayer and you two can read the books you picked by yourselves. What do you think?"

"Great!"

Mom kneeled down by the bed's side, holding a crucifix. I could join her if I wanted to, but I'd rather watch in silence. I grabbed my book, sitting on one of the armchairs and pretending to pay attention, while I tried to distract myself from the fact my father could be the Lycans' next prey. Or all of us, if they managed to break into our house.

"Leena?" I woke up hours later with my mom shaking me. "Leena?! Where's Auryk? Where's your brother, Leena?"

I had no idea. I had fallen asleep and apparently, so did mom. She checked for the basement's door, it had been locked from outside.

"No..." she tried to force it open. "No! I can't be..."

All Auryk had to do was to successfully kill and take a Lycan's carcass as a trophy to his father, right? That was what that old douchebag wanted him to do, to prove his courage, his manhood. We had his shotgun, a binoculars and a knife, that should be enough, but first, he needed a good plan.

Looking down to his hands, he had the most perfect idea. Without thinking twice, he sliced a cut through his palm, letting some blood pour on the ground. Then, he found a tall tree. He climbed it and observed. The smell of blood his trail left behind should be enough to attract a creature.

"Come on... come on..."

From a distance, Auryk could hear the sound of destruction and death. There was a battle going on somewhere nearby. Once again Lycans should have found a family or a group of hunters.

And then, he could hear it. The heavy footsteps, the screeching sounds, the sniffing. The mutant creature was only a few meters away from the tree. He aimed, but it was still too distant. He needed to move to a closer branch.

It all happened in one second. He was almost there, reaching for the spot he had picked, but his weight was too much for the tree's branch. In a blink of an eye, he was lying on the ground. His vision was blurred. His head hurt intensely, as well as his arm. It was broken for sure. He possibly had a concussion too. He tried to stand up and run but his legs wouldn't follow his commands. The Lycan was coming straight at him.

"AURYK!" His mother screamed behind him. "NO!"

Time seemed to freeze in that fraction of second. How did she manage to escape the basement? How could she have found him?

But without hesitation, Savannah threw herself on top of her son, protecting him from the jaws and claws of the monster. Auryk couldn't see much, but he could smell it. He could feel it. Blood. There was blood everywhere. He couldn't tell who it belonged to, he or his mom's.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

A fast sequence of shots suggested the hunters had found them. The creature stopped moving, stopped howling. It was finally dead.

"M-Mom... it's dead. We... We're safe."

She didn't answer. Instead, he heard another familiar voice.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?!" It was from his father. "Savannah! Savannah!"

"D-Dad..." Auryk tried to speak, but the words got lost along the way. "I... I..."

Adrian lifted him by his jacket, holding him inches above the ground.

"YOU KILLED HER! YOU KILLED YOUR MOM, YOUR STUPID BASTARD!"

"I..." tears streamed down the boy's face, his injured brain trying to process what had just happened. "I'm sorry.'

After he was thrown back to the ground, he was hit with a hard kick on his stomach. He turned his head around to notice a small figure hiding behind a tree, watching the whole scene in pure horror.

"L-Leena..." he muttered.

"This is all your fault, Auryk. You're a disgrace to this family."

And then, he passed out. Rumors said he was unconscious for days or maybe weeks. When he woke up, he wished everything had been a nightmare.

Present Days - July, 2021

Nobody mourned Adrian Novak when he died. Not his children. Not his village mates. No human being would ever feel any sympathy for a man who abused and blamed his eleven years old son for his mother's death. It had been two years since Adrian left this world and I couldn't feel any more free.

"Hey," I left another message on my brother's voicemail, "in case you've forgotten it's our birthday today. I'd like to have my twin home, you know? Call me when you get this message."

It was useless, I knew. Auryk would only pick up his phone when he wanted to. Or when he was too drunk. God knew where that guy would be at that time, probably waking up at some girl's bed or getting some rest from... working.

After grabbing myself a cup of coffee, I checked the door's mat. Bills, bills, newspaper and... California Institute Of Arts? I remember having an argument with Auryk about this matter at some point. He wanted me to fill the application and send them my portfolio. I insisted we had no money, not even to pay for the tuition. I won - I always win every argument by the way.

"Your damn son of a..." I placed the envelope on the kitchen's table. I was a coward, I confess. However, I didn't know which pain was worse - to be sure I wasn't good enough or to be sure I was, indeed, but I'd never have money to leave that hellhole. Anyways, I decided to leave it alone. I had more important things to do.

My morning routine: to go to the middle of the woods and do some training. My father used to say fighting wasn't a girl thing, but I was no regular girl. And never in this life I'd allow someone to tell me what to do.

After running, climbing and doing a set of push-ups, it was time for combat training. Travelers from abroad taught me some different set of moves, I'd like to think I created my own fighting style. I was also very good with knifes, daggers or any kinds of short blades, they were useful during a close distance combat. My shooting was a work in progress, once or twice I'd miss the center of my handmade targets.

Then, like everyday, I'd go back home, shower and follow to my shift at the village's pub.

"Hiya, Leena," Gustav greeted me when I arrived. "I heard today is a special day... the day a little girl..."

"NO!" I stopped him. Gustav was my best friend. We had known each other since we were children and somehow, he liked to make my birthday a special - and embarrassing - event.

He placed a handmade fairytale-like book on the table. There were some edited pictures, mixed with some messed up drawings about my birth and childhood. He called it 'The Princess Who Carried The Light'.

"God, you're soooo stupid..." I rolled my eyes and moaned, before wrapping him into a very tight hug. "I love you, you know that?"

"I know. You'd probably marry me, if you weren't into girls."

We laughed together, as Olga, our boss emerged from the kitchen, bringing a cake with nineteen candles.

"Here's to another year," the older woman opened a wrinkled smile, "make a wish, my darling."

I fell pensive for a moment, besides having my twin brother back home, safe and sound, what else could I wish for? California, that scholarship, a new life... that's for sure.

"I wish for... a new life, a new adventure," I pronounced aloud while blowing the candles.

"Careful," a male voice spoke behind me, "words have power, little sister. You may get what you want."

"Ryk!"

I jumped straight to my brother's arms. I could swear that in only a few weeks he had gotten a little bit taller, and stronger too.

"I wouldn't miss my own birthday, right?" He smirked. "So, where's the cake? Please, chocolate... tell me it's chocolate."

"Your silly boy," Olga spread some icing on his nose. "Of course it's chocolate, as you love. And with cherries too."

Auryk responded with a satisfied smile. Olga and her husband, Kristoff, were those responsible for taking care of him after the Lycan attack, years ago. They sort of adopted him like one of their biological children.

"Oh!" The woman exclaimed taking a closer look at Ryk's forearm. He had gotten a tattoo. I hadn't been informed of those news either. Apparently, my brother had more secrets than I could even start to imagine. "This is... new. It seems like my kids are really growing up."

"And only now you noticed that, Olga?" Gustav joked.

Olga shook her head, grinning at herself and returned to the kitchen. The customers were starting to fill the pub. I stared at Ryk again, wondering what other secrets my brother could be keeping.

"So, what does that mean?" I pointed to his newly gotten tattoo, a strange and ancient symbol it seemed.

"Protection from the evil. This is what we need the most in our lives, especially in a place like this. What reminds me -" we turned around, taking a small box from the pocket of his jacket. "Your gift."

I took the black velvet box from his hands, it contained a golden necklace with a magenta gemstone as pendant. My blue eyes drowned themselves in the stone. It had a mysterious glow. Something hypnotizing. Something magical.

"Whoa..." was everything my mouth could pronounce. "And I bought you an Astronomy book."

Auryk stood up from his chair and went behind me, taking the necklace from my hands to wear it around my neck himself.

"This is supposed to protect you from any supernatural and inhumane beings. I won't lose you to them, Aleena. Not like I lost mom."

"Ryk, I... I can't even thank you enough."

"You don't have to. Just... stay alive."

First, I was overflowing with happiness. It either had to do with the fact my brother was home, alcohol, or both. Also, Olga should thank me. Most of the costumers of the day only stopped by the bar because of me. They absolutely loved me and knowing it was my birthday, they had to come and see me. A few of them even gave me some extra tips or a small gift, which was even greater.

"Okay, party girl..." Auryk helped me to get inside of the house as I tripped over the door mat. "Time to go to bed now. Don't you think?"

"Come on, Ryk! Have some spirit! You're home, Olga gave me the day off tomorrow, I earned some money..."

"You told Mrs. Hansen you secretly had a crush on her daughter during Middle School, you danced on top of a table, you're gonna get a hangover..."

"Party pooper!"

I threw myself at the couch. Auryk stood in front of me with arms crossed, looking like a father about to give his child a lecture.

"What?!" I yelled. "It's not like you've never been drunk before. Remember when you stole Adrian's..." I started to laugh, remembering the episode.

"When you were going to tell me about this, Leena?" He showed me the envelope. The Art Institute envelope. The one I had been struggling to open.

"Oh! I forgot. My bad, I didn't open it myself yet. I probably didn't get in anyways."

"You did."

I did?

"It's not like we have money to pay for my tuition. Also, how are we supposed to move to California, Ryk? I work at a pub and you..."

"I've gotten more than enough for that. You know that getting out of this place has always been the plan, since we were children. Leena, I've done some big jobs those last few months. I have the money to grant us a comfortable life in California."

"Smuggling, Ryk!" I raised my voice, saying aloud the information that was supposed to be a secret or not. "You've been stealing to grant us this life."

My brother stared at me in silence. I couldn't tell if he felt offended or embarrassed about my words.

"I'm getting out of here, whatever it takes," he ran a hand through his dark hair. "And you are coming with me. In two weeks, we move to United States for your enrollment."

"But..."

What I was trying to protest against? Leaving the village and starting a new life with my brother was everything I always dreamed.

"Look, I promise you," Auryk placed both of his firm hands on my shoulders, "once we settle down, no more smuggling."

"Okay," I sighed. "We leave in two weeks then."

There was a loud knock on the door. Being drunk as I was, I figured out I should have forgotten my purse at the pub. Or it could be a neighbor with some very stupid emergency.

Auryk opened the door and there was a strange looking man standing there. We wore sunglasses and a hat, behind his back he was carrying a giant hammer. According to the rumors and stories I heard from my parents, that was one of the Lords of The Four Houses, Karl Heisenberg.

"Auryk Novak?" He asked.

"Yes, sir."

"Come with me, kid. You've gotten yourself in big trouble."

[mcmystery]

Jokes Aside (Cerise X Mr.B)

As Cerise takes her first trip with this new mysterious individual that has captured her heart. Her nervousness siphons into her curiosity about him. Wondering how much experience he’s had from being a huntsman. What kind of adventures has he already been on? What sights has he seen? She wanted to know all the amazing wonders of Remnant and he was going to show her that personally.

“So, we’re headed to Haven first?” Cerise began. “I’ve never been there before, only seen images of it in books.” Pausing for a moment to follow up with her next question. “Is the Academy really at the very top of the mountain? It looks sooo high up. I bet you can even touch the clouds!” Cerise giggled at the thought.

The man next to her kept his pace as she spoke, not giving much of an expression except for a soft smirk, which was minimal compared to her excitement. “It is, and regrettably, you can’t touch any clouds.”

“Aww,” Cerise kicked a rock as they walked on the path. “Well, what other places have you been to? Have you been to the other Academies? What are the people like there? Are we also going to Vacuo? I heard the environment there changes all the time!” Cerise smiled up at him enthusiastically.

“Ah, well…” He began, feeling overwhelmed by the amount of conversation topics thrown at him. Where to begin, he thought.

“Ahh! I can’t believe I get to come along with you!” Cerise exclaimed with a cheery tone, not giving him the opportunity to answer her previous questions. “To see all the sights and wonders of this world. Especially with someone as handsome as you-” Cerise blushed, “Ah, sorry!” Apologizing immediately from the slip up. “I guess I’m just really nervous.” She looked away from him; focusing on their shadows that paired to the front side of them as they journeyed on this new adventure together.

He didn’t mind the compliment too much. It didn’t bother him, but it didn’t flatter him either.

Cerise held onto the straps of her backpack. “This is all so new to me. I feel like my heart’s bouncing all over the place; with the traveling, meeting you, and figuring myself out…”

He watched her keep to herself, seeing the nervousness and troubles consumer her slightly. He inhaled to gather his words, “Facing new unknowns can be nerve wrecking.” He began. “I, myself, have faced some unfamiliar situations in my life as well.”

Cerise looked to him now. Feeling as though he was trying to relate to her. He didn’t exactly look at her direction, but in general. Watching the scenery that laid on her side. The taller gentleman gazed at the horizon beyond them as her gaze fell on him.

“Even during those times, I wasn’t alone.” He then glanced down at her, “Feel free to know that you won’t be facing this uncharted journey by yourself.”

Cerise smiled warmly at him and nodded in agreement. The moment was easygoing as they walked together still. Cerise’s heart skipped a bit at the thought of him being there for her. This mysterious traveling companion continued to walk by her side. He was going to be her guide all throughout Remnant. Showing the wonders of this strange world they lived in. They journeyed a bit more like this as they headed to their next destination, until Cerise brought up another topic that interested her.

“I’m especially excited for you to teach me!” She sprang up. He grinned a bit at her enthusiasm to learn. “Maybe I can become a registered Huntress too!” She cupped her face at the fantasy of it.

“You want a license to become one?” He questioned her, with slight firm curiosity.

“Well yeah! I mean, I’ve always read about all these amazing heroes in books as a kid. So the idea of Huntsmen and Huntress are just so romantic, thrilling, cool and-!!” She fumbled her hands along with her words in the excitement of these ideas racing through her mind, “YOU KNOW?!”

The taller gentleman gave a neutral smile and nodded slightly. Which led her to another thought. “Oh! That actually reminded me of this funny story!” She started, “This one time, me and my friend Malv-” Cerise stopped herself at the mention of her late friend’s name.

Her traveling companion took notice of this.

“Hmm,” Cerise looked dejected, “actually… It’s not all that funny now that I think about it.”

“You sure?” He asked, with his tone being gentle.

“Yeah, just… forget I said anything.” Cerise looked away as her eyes teared a bit. Her older companion took notice of this and felt sympathy for her. He didn’t know much about this person she was going to speak about, but the change in mood gave him an idea that something was suspicious about it. He decided to take the reins on the situation, maybe a topic that would fit her taste.

“I got a funny story then.” He started. Cerise turned slightly to him but still held her expression away. “Well, it’s more of a joke, I suppose.”

Cerise hummed at him to carry on.

He took a breath and then delivered the line, “Who did the wizard marry?” He asked, keeping his eyes straight ahead avoiding her eye contact.

Cerise was silent.

“His longtime… Grimm-friend.” He answered, feeling how awkward it was delivered. There was a pause between them. “Wait, I think I got that wrong-”

“Pff-” Cerise held her hand to her mouth before letting out a delightful laugh. She chuckled as he looked away a bit embarrassed by the wrong delivery.

“Its… a bad joke.” He stated.

“No, no,” Cerise wiped away her tears that came from laughing now. “It was good, I liked it.” She expressed with a heartfelt truth.

Now she waved one hand to get his attention again, “Oh! Oh! I got one!” He focused on her as her mood changed for the better and decided to give her this moment. He nodded for her to carry on.

“What did the Rabbit Faunus say to the waiter?” Cerise asked him. His expression changed from interest to concern at where this joke was going. “Waiter! There’s a hare in my soup!” Cerise bursted out laughing at how dumb the punchline was.

Her male companion chuckled awkwardly at the joke, “Mm, good one-”

“OH! Here’s another,” She expressed again. “What did the old man say to the fair young maiden?”

Again, his face changed, slightly scrunching with anticipation.

Cerise rested her hands, one on top of the other against her heart. Then, fluttering her eyelashes to him, “You’re a lovely sight for these sore eyes!” Letting out another good laugh at the silly joke.

He pushed himself to chuckle with her, “Ha, ha, ahh… amusing.”

“Okay, okay, this one is really good! What did…” She continued with her list of jokes to him and laughed along at each one as he silently suffered through all of them. Doing his best to laugh at the ones she was most proud of.

This was going to be a long business trip.

[doctenwho]

Exhilarating

Hello! Thank you so much, you’re far too kind! I’m glad you, and everyone else, seem to be liking what I make! Now, as for the prompt, I really wasn’t sure how to go about it, or how to write a make out session but I tried my best! I hope it was what you were looking for!

Warnings: Attempted make out session (kinda)?

Word Count: 3,103

Summary: Read the prompt! :)

(Gif doesn’t belong to me, credit to the creator!)

You didn’t really understand how danger seemed to follow the Doctor around—or, well, you could understand, he was a hundreds of years old Time-Lord who regenerated instead of dying, but still, how much trouble could one Time-Lord get into?

It seemed that almost everywhere he went (except earth, who had fan clubs about him), someone, or something, or even sometimes the whole planet, had some kind of grudge against him. It was hard to wrap your mind around. He seemed like a perfectly nice guy; how could he piss off so many people almost effortlessly?

It didn’t really matter where he put the TARDIS, someone was always upset, or out for blood when it came to the Doctor. It would almost be funny how many people disliked him, if it weren’t his, and your, by extension, life on the line.  

You’d gotten used to that though, you had on your first few adventures with the man. You’d gotten used to exploring and then running for your life, or exploring, getting caught and then escaping custody. Or even sometimes stepping out of the TARDIS after landing to a ring of armed aliens surrounding you.  

It wasn’t always like this, of course, the Doctor was an amazing guy who was really just trying to do right by everyone—he just didn’t usually think ahead of what his actions to save one specific person would mean after the fact. To really think about what would be waiting for him after a stupid stunt, or calling attention to himself in order to save someone else.  

He really was just trying to save people who needed it, or to change outcomes (that weren’t fixed in time). You knew he really tried to be the superhero no one knew they needed.  

He’d been your superhero too at one point. And he still was, but there wasn’t the same savior aspect to it anymore, not after you’d been traveling with him for ages and had seen him being a regular guy reading books in his spaceship instead of being a super amazing alien who’d saved your life.  

It seemed the man had no regard for his life, not when there was something more interesting, or something he decided was worth more than his own life. Maybe being over hundreds of years old did that to you. Took away your own need to survive and save yourself.

And there was really nothing you could do when he was like that. Not when it was usually you, he was putting before himself, you and your safety. No one could say the Doctor wasn’t a kind and loyal man. There had been more times than you could count where the Doctor would step in front of you to shield you, or direct attention onto himself so you could escape.  

He was just the best person you’d ever met.

But...

That didn’t mean he wasn’t an idiot.

You weren’t sure where you were. Which planet, nor which part of the galaxy.

It was cold, compared to most places you’d been with the man. You were further away from sun, but you were almost certain you weren’t still in your galaxy.

The whole place was like a giant labyrinth, dead ends and twists and turns. The Doctor had grinned ear to ear as he led you into the giant maze by a firm grip on your hand. The walls were tall, taller than you could see. When looking up there was just a small little sliver of light at the top.  

The walls were almost stone-like, words and symbols of a language the TARDIS didn’t translate carved into almost every stone. The Doctor had studied them, but made no indication of whether he understood them or not.

You were on your own now, having split from the Doctor at the first sign of danger. It wasn’t that you had wanted too (well, not entirely at least) but it was that the Doctor had demanded you turn on your heels and run, while he distracted whatever beast was after you.

He warned you that whatever was hidden behind these walls would be after him, and not you necessarily. He said something about his blood, as the two you snuck down the halls, backs pressed against the wall. His Time-Lord blood, he’d kept saying, and the regenerating ability. Whatever that creature was, it wanted him, and you were just collateral damage.  

You’d barely gotten a glance at the beast. It was large, furry to cope with the chill on this planet. You’d been in the maze for a while, the Doctor promising that the two of you weren’t lost countless times. It had only been towards the end that the two of you started hearing noises, groans and growls, and then suddenly it was getting close, just as you were to it.  

The creature’s eyes were black, soulless, and the only thing it seemed to be able to focus on was the Doctor. The Doctor, like he always did, seemed to notice this, as he slowly side-stepped away from you. “Run,” he’d muttered under his breath without really moving his lips, then again, a bit louder, “turn around slowly and run, (Y/N).”

You couldn’t do more than follow orders, not with your heart beating a mile a minute, and your limbs numb with fear. You turned slowly, not drawing the creature’s attention away from the Doctor, and then you were running. Sprinting away. You chanced a glance back to see the Doctor dodging around the creature and running in the opposite direction—the way the beast had come.  

You tried your best to stay as straight as you could, dropping articles of clothing in whichever direction you went when the labyrinth offered a fork in the road.  

You were so glad that the Doctor had insisted you wear warm cloths beyond your jacket. Your hat had been the first thing dropped, followed by your scarf, and your two mittens. There had only been a lucky four turns you’d made before hitting a dead-end, where you decided was safe enough to wait for the Doctor.  

Last thing you needed was to get lost in a labyrinth without the Doctor. You’d surely die out here if the Doctor didn’t find you. You hoped he’d follow the trail you’d left.

There was nothing else you could do besides wait and hope the Doctor made it back to you before you froze to death. You knew it was a lost cause to try and make it to the TARDIS alone—not that you’d ever leave the Doctor for real. There was a difference between running a bit from danger, and leaving him alone on a planet and disappearing into the TARDIS.  

You waited for a while, back against the cold stony wall. You were tucked into your coat, hood up and hands stuffed in your pockets to try and keep warm without the rest of your warm gear.  

Then, suddenly you could hear running. Shoes slapping on the stone ground and claws grinding into the rocks too as the creature ran. The Doctor was coming, and the beast was chasing him. The Doctor was leading the creature down your dead end.  

You were both surely dead now.

The Doctor turned the corner, but before you could be angry at him, he was pushing up against you and holding you against the wall with his body almost completely blocking yours in. His hand had slotted behind your head, so when you were pushed back, you head didn’t knock against the stone.  

His other arm wrapped around your waist, which the Doctor trapped between the wall and your body as he pressed close. He didn’t seem bothered though, and it allowed him to press closer to you.  

He let his chin fall to your shoulder and he was nuzzling your neck and pressing small kisses to it.

It felt nice, but there was a dangerous creature following behind him, so you really couldn’t enjoy it.

You’d pegged the Doctor for a bit of a crazy guy, had since that first day, but he was clearly completely nuts or something as the beast turned the corner behind him. Blocking the two of you in.

The Doctor slowly moved his head up so he was looking at you, kissing your chin, and the corner of your mouth before finally kissing your lips. He was getting really into it too, which was very unusual for the Doctor, and any other time you’d be thrilled and returning every gesture given the opportunity, but you couldn’t manage to return the kiss with your literally death standing a few feet behind you, sniffing the air.

“Doc-”

“Shh,” he hummed, trailing his kisses back down to your neck. “It’ll know we’re here if it hears you.” The man had whispered that against your skin, pressing open mouthed kisses across your neck slowly as he spoke. The vibrations made you shiver, the along with his warm breath on your cool skin.  

You snapped your mouth shut, nearly wincing at the noise it had made, but the Doctor didn’t seem bothered. If he wasn’t bothered, you shouldn’t be either, right?

“Clever girl,” the Doctor continued on almost inaudibly as the beast took a step closer, sniffing getting louder as if searching for a scent it couldn’t seem to pick up. You couldn’t look at it, not when your eyes were squeezed tight as the Doctor nuzzled into the skin under your ear before pressing a kiss there as well, “a trail of clothing, very smart, my dear.”

You had half a mind to push the Doctor away and take your chances running past the beast, but you really didn’t want to. Not when the Doctor was being so affectionate. How dangerous could it really be if the Doctor was trying to tempt you into making out here with a creature with the intention to kill you stepping closer by the second.  

And even if death was coming, was this the worst way to die? With the Doctor pressing soft kisses along your skin? It was almost pleasant, well, minus the upcoming death part.  

The Doctor froze swiftly with his lips pressed to the side of your jaw as the beast stepped so it was right behind the Doctor. You froze as well, stiffening as the beast sniffed the two of you deeply, eyes wide and unseeing. It gave a second deep sniff, and then a third before it was lifting its head.  

Then, almost as if it were a miracle, the beast turned abruptly, leaving the two of you alone and stalking out of the dead end you’d put yourself in. You gaped widely as you watched the retreating creature walk away, its tail disappearing around the corner behind it, and then it was gone from sight.

The Doctor pulled away for a second to grin at you before pressing another, lingering kiss to the side of your mouth. “Brilliant, (Y/N), completely brilliant,” he praised as he finally stepped away.  

In his hand the had been wrapped around your waist was all the clothing you’d dropped as a way to lead the Doctor to you. He handed them back, wrapping the scarf around your neck as you slipped your icy fingers back into the gloves.  

“That thing was going to kill us,” you said in reply, eyes wide. “We almost died and you wanted to make out.”

“It was,” the Doctor grinned, “exhilarating, wasn’t it?”

“Are you insane?” you couldn’t help but huff out in annoyance, “we almost died.”

“There was such a small chance it was going to kill us. There was at least a ninety-five percent chance we were going to make it out alive.” The man pulled your hood up over the hat you’d slipped onto your head, then grinned down at you.

“What about the other five?” you frowned, not really liking the odds, even thought they were in your favor. That didn’t seem reasonable enough for the Doctor to jump you like he had. Cocky bastard.

“Well, the other five would’ve been it sniffing through my disguise. It had been following me from sound alone, since I’d left it’s den at the center of the labyrinth.” He paused, patting whatever was in his pocket before grinning at you, “I got what I came for anyways. I knew the dangers, and I came prepared, you really weren’t in any danger here.”

“What about the other five percent?” you repeated, narrowing your eyes at him, and crossing your arms across your chest.

“Well, I was ninety-five percent sure you weren’t in any danger.” You opened you mouth to growl a reply, “and,” he cut you off before you could even start, “and, the other five percent I would’ve thought of something to get us out safely had it come down to that five percent. I wouldn’t’ve put you in harm's way if I didn’t think I could get you out.”  

“Why are we here anyways?” You frowned again, leaning against the Doctor’s side. The sheer fear you’d felt really drained the energy out of you, “and what was that thing?”

“This used to be training ground of sorts, back when Gallifrey still...” He left it hanging, wrapping his arm around your shoulder. He cleared his throat before glancing down at you and continuing, “I came here when I was very young, it was a long journey from Gallifrey. The beasts in the labyrinth were the obstacles, Time-Lords, a fine delicacy for them. They can smell a Time-Lord's blood from miles away. I really wasn’t sure they’d survive without the Time-Lords interfering, but clearly I’d been wrong.”

You weren’t sure what to say, so you said nothing at all.

“I suppose I probably should’ve guessed that they would’ve survived given that they had before Time-Lords intervened.” The man gave a laugh as he started leading you through the turns of the maze with practiced ease, “there was a highly sought-after prize in the creature’s lair. The center of the labyrinth. Few came close, others lost their lives trying. The creatures are savages, brutal and when given the opportunity will go for the kill.”

“But...” you couldn’t help but mumble. The beast had been so close to the two of you. Had sniffed the Doctor and walked away with nothing. It didn’t go for any kill.  

“I told you,” the Doctor grinned, “I was disguised.”

The Doctor lifted his hand up, showing a ring on his finger. It was small, but the patterns decorating the outside of the ring were familiar. “It’s a Chameleon Arch,” the man explained, “Time-Lord technology that was used to place the prize in the creature’s lair when one had been collected. I’m sure you’ve seen the fob-watch Chameleon Arch?”

“Yeah,” you gave a nod. You remember the Doctor showing you one, explaining it, and how he’d had to use it with one of his earlier companions to hide himself from something. “But you didn’t forget.”

“No,” the man agreed, “I’ve been modifying this ring for hundreds of years. Time-Lord technology is a pain to mess around with, even if you know what you’re doing. I had to decrease the components, but also make sure it worked in disguising my genetic code perfectly. To that creature, I was nothing but a human, and humans aren’t as easily tracked, unless you’re bleeding. It can’t smell you the same way it can smell me.”

“So, it couldn’t smell you?”

“Right,” the Doctor grinned, “the creature is basically blind. It relies on its sense of smell, and it’s hearing. Humans smell like nothing. And its hearing is hardly as good as its nose. So, it didn’t hear, smell or see us in the dead end, therefore, we couldn’t be there.”

That actually explained a bunch. Maybe the Doctor had a right to be a cocky bastard. “You knew the ring would work? If the creatures were still alive, you knew the ring would hide your Time-Lord DNA?”

“Eh,” the Doctor hesitated, flashing a grin, “I had few doubts.”

“Few doubts,” you mocked with a glare. “And what was so important you’d risk a run in with whatever that creature was for it?”

The Doctor flashed a bright grin before reaching down and digging through his pockets. When he withdrew his hand there was a box that you had no idea how the Doctor fit in his pocket. It wasn’t huge, but it wasn’t small by any means either.  

It looked a bit like a coffin if you were honest. But the Doctor looked incredibly proud of it.  

“This is a Hand of Omega,” The Doctor informed with a pleased grin, “it’s a bit smaller than the originals, and not nearly as powerful, but this small device is able to turn regular stars into supernovas, which can fuel the TARDIS in time travel should we ever need it.”

“Really?” you tilted your head to look at the device in the man’s hand. It didn’t look nearly as cool as it sounded.

“Really,” he nodded. “I’ve only really read about them, they were scarce. This trial, the labyrinth trial, was the toughest and few Gallifreyans returned, let alone came back victorious. I never managed to finish back then, but I have now. This is quite possibly one of the last Hand of Omega left in existence.”

The Doctor almost sounded giddy, excited and giddy. “This is quite the accomplishment, (Y/N).”

“Well,” you bit your bottom lip before glancing at the Doctor and watching him slip the device back into his pocket for safe keeping until the two of you were back at the TARDIS, “I’m proud of you then.”

The man grinned once more, pausing in his steps to pull you into another kiss, this one, no doubt a victory kiss. “I’m sorry to kiss you when you were frightened,” the man whispered against your lips. You were happy to return the kiss now, “I was just so excited, I couldn’t resist.”

“It’s alright,” you smiled against his lips, “I liked it, I think.”

“Oh, you did,” the Doctor pulled away grinning, “your heart was fluttering like mad, I was afraid the beast was going to hear it.”

You blushed brightly, making the Doctor laugh before he was pushing into your space once more like he had back at the dead end. He pressed a series of kisses on your neck, just above your scarf before whispering a husky, “you can’t tell me that wasn’t utterly exhilarating, (Y/N).”

“Okay fine,” you relented with a breathy huff, “maybe it was a bit exhilarating...”

<><><><>

As always, you’re welcome to prompt again if it’s not what you’re looking for, but hopefully it is! Thank you for the prompt, it was fun to write, even if I had no idea what I was doing, or where it was going! Sorry it’s a bit short, but I couldn’t think of anything else to make it longer. 

The labyrinth, if I didn’t describe it well enough, is based off the Zelda: Breath of the Wild labyrinths, and the Hand of Omega was just a cool Gallifrey invention I tweaked to fit the story! Hope you enjoyed, and thank you for reading!

[btsficsforthehumble]

adj.: 1. Modern, unfamiliar, or different

2. Not based on or conforming to what is generally done or believed

pairing: reader x ot7

genre: college au; angst, fluff, smut, poly, ot7

Summary: You begin your first year at a prestigious university, set out on achieving your academic goals when a series of men step into your life that change the way you view the definition of love.

Part Five

Warnings: none in this chapter

Word count: 2.3k

A/N: New characters, yay! Just an fyi but I would like to start posting one chapter every week... thots?? Also, I've been thinking of adding a taglist? sksk I know it would be small but I personally love to get tagged when new chapters come out for my faves. If that's something ya'll would like comment so I know!! Alright, back to your regularly scheduled program :)

----

Literature was next. Now this? This you could handle. Always being a bit of an avid reader, you could devour a novel in one night --- and you often did. Finding the hidden meanings between the lines of text, like unwrapping a present, gave you a thrill. You were the person who could debate for hours about the meaning of a symbol in a book, as annoying as that is to everyone else.

Maybe it was the promise of escape, where you could be transplanted into another world, detached from your own, that appealed so much to you about reading. You could lose yourself, feeling the rush of the love affair or the thrill of a dangerous adventure. Coupled with your analytical nature, you felt more than at home in a literature classroom.

With this in mind, you make your way to your next class with more vigor than usual. When you arrive and take a seat, you pull out your materials and wait for class to begin.

Several minutes later, your professor walks to the podium in the front of the room to introduce herself. After several minutes of reviewing the syllabus, she explains the structure of the class. You were to be placed in small groups, to discuss the readings and write a paper at the end of the semester. This made you a little nervous --- having to rely on others to some capacity for your grade always gave you a bit of anxiety.

She began reading out the names of the students belonging to each group, so you listen carefully as to not miss your own name despite your anxious thoughts swirling inside your head.

“... Eum Hee-Young, Gal Ae-Cha, Ree Mun-Hee, you are group seven. Kim Seokjin, Y/l/n y/f/n, Kim Namjoon, you are group eight. Ok Youngsoo…” her voice fades off as you glance around the room, trying to meet the gazes of other searching eyes as your group was announced.

Your eyes meet those of a guy who looked maybe a year or two older than you, with round, wire frame glasses. His mahogany hair was pushed off of his forehead, parted to the side giving him a youthful but put-together look. He holds up eight fingers, looking at you expectedly, and you nod quickly. He picks up his belongings, preparing to move to you as you had empty space in the seats around you. As he slings his backpack over a shoulder, you scan your eyes around the room to try to catch the other member of your group.

To your surprise, your eyes meet those of the same boy you had ogled over yesterday in your calculus class, before it had started. You shyly hold up your own eight fingers, to which he gives a decisive nod to, and begins to make his way to you as well. You can’t help but notice the planes of his back as he bends down to grab his backpack, his wide shoulders tilting making them seem even larger. He is wearing a simple blue button down and jeans, but even through that you could tell his shoulders tapered to a narrow waist, making him have the perfect masculine inverted triangular build.

Slightly embarrassed at your thoughts, you glance at your other partner, now close to you. His oversized yellow knit sweater swallowed him a little, but with the glasses gave him a cute bookish look. His large frame juxtaposed his cute appearance --- he was on the taller side and seemed built as well. You made eye contact, and gestured to the seat next to you for him to sit. The other boy now approaching, you both watch as he takes the other open seat in front of you.

Your group now assembled, you tune back into your professor who was explaining the first text you were to read together. She told you that it was a short love story that relied heavily on symbolism and became a prominent symbol in and of itself in movies and television. Your first assignment was to analyze the symbolism of the text, and come to a more complex conclusion than what the surface of the text presents. You could feel yourself becoming slightly excited to jump into the assignment as she explained.

“You will be given the rest of class to get acquainted with your group members. They will be permanent, bar any issues that may arise. The first assignment is due at the end of next class. While on this first assignment I will be more lenient with grading, please do your best and set a good standard for your groups. Okay, go ahead everyone,” she finishes.

At her dismissal of your attention, you glance back at your group members. The boy with glasses speaks first. “I’m Namjoon, nice to meet you guys.”

“Seokjin, or just Jin,” the other boy gives.

“I’m y/n, nice to meet you both.”

“So, what year and major are you? I’m a third year, and a journalism major,” Namjoon offers. As he speaks, he gives you both a grin that displays deep dimples on both cheeks. He was very cute, you decided. He had a nerdy charm to him, with a build on the beefy side that made you want to cuddle him.

“I’m a first year… and to tell the truth I haven’t decided on a major yet,” you admit, but give them both a smile.

“Ah, hoobae, you are lucky you are with us pros then! I’m a fourth year, and a business major,” Seokjin says with a wide smile.

“Sunbaenim, are you in calculus before this? I thought I recognized you from there,” you downplay a little. You knew he was in that class since you had spent time checking him out in it, but didn’t want to seem creepy.

“I have a recognizable face.” At this he gives a smug look, but is clearly using a joking tone. “Yeah, calculus with Yoo at nine?”

“Yep. That guy goes so fast,” you frown. “But anyways, how do you guys feel about this assignment?”

Namjoon enters the conversation again, “Honestly I’m kind of excited for it. It’s been a while since I’ve done any reading that isn’t research related, which kind of sucks.”

“That does suck. I love to read, that’s why I took this class, actually,” you empathize.

“Yeah? What do you like to read?” Namjoon leans towards you a bit, excited at the prospect of talking about reading it seems.

“Oh, um… I’d say my favorite genre is probably any type of fantasy, I like being able to be in a different world for a bit. Oh, I also like historical pieces, that stuff is always so interesting.” You were a little hesitant to share, afraid he’d judge your preferences.

“I love historical pieces. I think that’s one of the things that lead me into journalism actually, it’s basically writing history for those in the future to look back on. I just think that’s really cool.” His eyes seemed glitter as he talked about something he was obviously passionate about. You felt yourself developing a soft spot for the boy, finding his friendly disposition and slightly nerdy personality to be incredibly endearing. It didn’t hurt he was also very attractive.

“What about you sunbaenim? Do you like to read?” you ask Seokjin, whose head was oscillating between you and Namjoon.

Surprised the attention shifted to him, his eyes widened to give him an owlish look. You are really surrounded by some beautiful men, you think. What do they put in the water here? It would be normal to run across a cute guy here or there, but this is kind of ridiculous. Seokjin himself has a face that is so beautiful it looks like it should have been carved out of marble!

Focus! You have to scold yourself. The boy you were just admiring in your head is now answering your question and you are too distracted to even process what he’s saying.

“... not too crazy, occasionally I guess…” His body language told you that he was slightly embarrassed at not being as enthusiastic a reader as you and Namjoon.

“I’m sure you have hobbies that are cooler than reading then, if I was athletic or creative I wouldn’t read so much either! Namjoon-sunbaenim, I’m sure you agree,” you encourage with a smile, wanting Namjoon to follow suit in making Seokjin feel comfortable.

Thankfully, he catches on quick. “Oh, yeah, I am way too clumsy to do anything more high stakes than page turning,” He chuckles. You and Seokjin both smile at Namjoon’s subtle self-deprecation. They both were sweet, you think. Your earlier fears about working with others subside. “I guess I could say that I do have another hobby though, I actually help out at the school’s radio station for fun,” Namjoon adds shyly.

Jin tilts his head in surprise. “Oh really? I have a friend who…”

He gets abruptly cut off by the professor’s voice echoing through the room, which causes him to stop his thought.

“Hopefully everyone is acquainted now, and is ready to get to work next class. I expect good things from you all this semester. You are dismissed,” your professor says with finality.

The three of you quickly gather your things, ready to merge with the swarm of students streaming out of the door. You give them both a smile, and say, “It was nice meeting you both. See you next class!” to which they give their own farewell.

As you leave, you check your phone out of habit. It seems your intuition is right, as usual.

*Miss me yet?*

Does Taehyung really have nothing better to do?

*What exactly is there to miss?*

You hope that after your curt response he’d get the memo. This guy is such a fuckboy, you think. While you don’t know why he set his sights on you for now, you hope he gets bored soon. While you give that tough persona to him, the truth is you are more sensitive than that. The idea of being used for sex once and then discarded was unappealing, and Taehyung seemed like the type to do just that.

----

Finally home after attending two more classes for the day, which were thankfully much less eventful, you slip off your shoes and let your bag slide off your shoulder to thunk on the floor. You were tired. And hungry, apparently, because your stomach makes some concerning noises as soon as you slip your light jacket off. You make your way to the kitchen at the sound, ready to make a nice dinner and decompress.

When you get there, you see one of your new roommates sitting at the stools for your kitchen counter. This roommate was one that you had connected with immediately, drawn to her blunt but fun-loving aura. Her short stature, shorter than average, gave no warning for her and ‘gives-no-fucks’ attitude. You could tell however, that inside she had a soft heart. Even in your short time together, you had seen glimpses of it here and there.

You learned when you had met that she had moved to Korea from America last year, making her a second year at your university. Her features stood out from the crowd, with brown skin and large curls that framed her face in a halo. She was really quite beautiful. Tia, but called Bean by her friends, which now included you, made you feel welcomed to campus and you were thankful for her.

Wanting to not scare her as you walked into the kitchen, you gave her a greeting. Her head pops up from where it was buried in her phone, which had been drawing her into her own world.

“Hey chickie. Long day?” she asks. Apparently your exhaustion was pretty obvious if she could tell right off the bat. You sigh, bending over to pull some vegetables out of the fridge.

“I just want to know who let me schedule four classes on Tuesdays. They should be in jail,” you complain.

She gives you an amused look, watching you now stand at the cutting board to prepare your food. “I think that person was you, sweet thing.”

“Ugh, don’t remind me. If I could go back in time and slap my past self I would,” you grown with your head tipped back. She lets out a laugh at your expense.

“Don’t laugh at me unnie! I’m going to pass away from exhaustion over here!” you try to say seriously, but can’t help but let out a little giggle. “What were you doing with your head buried in your phone, huh? Are you talking to someone?” you tease, pointing your knife at her with your other hand on your hip.

“Why, do you wish it was you?” She wiggles her eyebrows, giving you a side smirk. You knew she was deflecting, so you lift your eyebrow and give her a flat expression, waiting for her real answer. “Ugh, it’s nothing. There was just this really cute girl in my class today, and I tried talking to her but she didn’t really seem like she liked me… and I may have just been looking at her social media,” Tia admitted.

Now at the stove, stirring your dinner, you look over your shoulder to say something that would hopefully ease her anxiety. “You know that you can come on strong sometimes, maybe she’s just a little shy, ya know? Maybe try again with a softer approach,” you offer. “What is there not to like?”

She gives you a wide grin to match your own at your last remark. You both giggle, any tension in the air from Tia’s concerns gone. Dinner now finished, you grab two bowls and serve you both. You both slip into easy banter, almost like you two have been friends for years. You hope that you will be, someday.