#in Moon's eyes she's just a not very expressive but very kind child :)

[itty-bitty-sunshine]

First night — 1,7k words

Two for one deal au

-

Moon entered his and his brother's room through the window balcony with the cable, as soon as he landed heading quietly with rushed steps to the small secret area where they had left the children sleeping soundly.

To be fair, he did finish his patrols in record time. He couldn't leave them for too long, after all. It'd be not only irresponsible, but dangerous as well.

Peaking his head through the entrance with a soft smile, he gazed over to where they had improvised a bed to the two little lambs; and in doing so, he froze. There was only one children on the bed, the boy.

" where— "

It couldn't have been abduction, they would have taken both the kids. Then, maybe she woke up and wandered around on her on. But there's only one door, which is heavily locked, and the only other entrance is a literal free-fall from the goddamn balcony—

He looked around the small room, Sun screaming on their shared head to find her, and his eyes very quickly spotted something weird. The little girl, awake, sitting on top of the arcade machine while hugging tightly the Sun plushie given to her for her to sleep, curled up on herself with her braided hair covering most of her face, the scrunchie that had been holding it back long lost and forgotten somewhere, while she stared ever so intensely at him, unblinking. Relief washed over their servos, together with confusion, and his code acting up on the fact she should be very much sleeping at this moment.

" ...starlight, " he whispered softly, ever so carefully making his way to her, "what are you doing up? What are you doing there? Naughty Naughty." How did you even get up there, he kept the last comment to himself.

The only response he got was her prolonged stare.

Right, she's mute.

Goddammit.

He sighed internally, not letting it reach his voice box, "Sun. Are there paper, pen? Board, maybe?"

"I think so, but can she write? It's so dark here."

"I'll find a way,"  he lifted his arms to her, "c'here, Sunshine, down we go," she just glared at him for a long moment, then at the entrance, and then at him again, hesitating for a second longer before going down the arcade and into his arms.

"It's late" he mused, "go to sleep."

There was not even the slight movement in her tiny frame, but he took the lack of any expression along the carefully watching eyes as a decline to that.

The was a click on his endo, "nightmare?", to that, she shook her head.

He put her down and started looking through the piles of materials, managing to find a tiny whiteboard she could use to talk. The leds in his eyes gave a dim illumination to the room, which should be enough. Handing her the item, he asked again "what are you doing up?"

He crouched, tilting his faceplate, while she slowly turned and used the wall as a base to write on.

"Watching so monsters dont get us", the phrase surprisingly clear considering how hard to see it is, and how little this kid seems to know how to write.

"Monsters?" A nod.

"There's no monsters here."

"So she woke up scared. Be nice."

"I heard. I know."

She frowned, making a line under the text to emphasize there are, and after the night those two had, who could blame her.

He slouched forward as to get close to her height, but didn't make any movement to get any closer, "there are not. I was out, i scared them away. I keep watch, you sleep," the kid sighed, shaking her head.

"You friend with monsters and bad guys"

"Why do you think that?"

"they here with you, everyone here. The grown ups, the robots"

"I'll never be friends with anyone who disturbs a good kid like you", he insisted, while slowly stretching his hand towards her, when she didn't pull away despite glaring at it, he put in on the top of her head, stroking gently.

"Can't sleep."

He refrained a tsc to erupt from his voice box, thinking for a moment, before tilting his faceplate, "let's play a game", he suppressed a chuckle as the kid's attention picked up, "if you win, I'll stay awake. I'll scare aaaaall the other little monsters away, forever. But you have to defeat me."

The little girl didn't answer, but her eyes frantically scanned his face for any sort of malice, and the room, for what he guessed would be any way to defend herself. Her unsure gaze stopped on the asleep boy, who turned uncomfortably but overall  rested deeply unaware of the unfounding conflict, before going back at the animatronic, an anxious stance, but decided. He was about to question her again, before something came flying to his face at full force: the plush of his brother she had been holding a moment ago.

The attack knocked his faceplate aback. Taking advantage of it, he made a glitchy, surprised squeal emit from his voice box, then promptly and dramatically falling back, as if he had been fatality wounded. He could feel her anxious gaze on him as he simply laid there for a few moments, tiny hands reaching for a nearby colored block ready to attack again. Slowly, he sat back up, equally emptily staring at the child, before making a theatrical bow with the most dumb and fantasy-like voice he could manage, "Knight Moon at your service~!"

He almost chuckled at the surprised welp that escaped the child, that she managed to keep low.

She frowned, still not completely fooled, but still asked anyway, which was an improvement. "on our side?"

"Yes, yes" His smile grew, "quite the strong one, aren't you", a full spin of the faceplate as his position straightened while sitting, shoulders high with his hands clutching to the end of his leg, "i lost, yes, so i shall protect you."

He noticed the way she eyed the plushie, now laying abandoned and defeated on the ground behind him. He handed the toy back to her, which she held way too tightly. Opening to her his arms, movement that made her freeze for a long instant, feet glued to the ground in wariness, but eventually giving in when he didn't budge, keeping always a soft, amazed smile on his face plate.

Moon cradled her carefully on his arms, making sure she was as comfortable as possible as the little kid laid on him while he moved closer to the makeshift bed, sitting right next to it and leaning on the wall. He shifted his attention for a moment at the sleeping boy: his rest had not been disturbed at all at his theatrics, barely moved from where he laid with a steady breathing and low, resting heartbeat. Good. He must have been exhausted.

Again started the music box, but Sunshine gripped the edge of the ruffles on Moon's neck, shaking her head.

"Don't she trusts us?"

"She does, she came to us."

"Then why does she refuses?"

"Maybe a moondrop would help,"  he stared down at her, faceplate clicking once, twice. She did not have the board nor a pen anymore.

"Protect you," the little girl mouthed ever so slowly, not a single sound leaving her throat. It gave the attendant a pause.

"Protect us?", he repeated in a whispery tone, receiving a nod, so he did read it right.

"So the monsters can't—" she yawned, "can't get you. Or him."

Well, that was adorable. And frustrating, since she refused to sleep. And incredibly silly, since he's the boogeyman. He's the one who gets people.

Moon tapped his faceplate a few times, before raising his finger as an idea struck him, "what if," he bopped her nose, "I block this little area, and make little trap— would you sleep then?"

He was not disappointed (rather, relieved, because finally) when she nodded her head in affirmation, though she did nuzzle a little further in him as if ashamed.

Moon carefully laid her down on the improvised bed she should never have left, and started to wander around, picking up a few loose colored blocks and stuffing it up the entrance of the secret room, blocking any possibility to walk in or out without knocking over everything. He took off one of his bells and hanged it on top so that it'd make noise in case anything fell. While he worked, he could feel tiny eyes burning on his back.

He turned back to the little star, only to see her putting her pillow to the side, where moon was previously sitting, and patting it as she eyed him. He couldn't help but to chuckle as he made his way back to her.

Moon picked it up, and put it back under her head as he guided the child to lay back down and covered her up with the blanket, sitting back next to her.

"There," he smiled, "now sleep, stubborn little lamb," he covered her eyes with one hand. She moved her tiny little fingers up and patted his hand a few times, as if wishing goodnight.

Moon lifted his hand one he was sure she had succumbed to Morpheus' embrace, which was unsurprisingly quickly. A child her age should never be up so late to begin with. This sure was lot of unnecessary trouble just to get one kid to bed.

Who the hell made a child so wary and scared of 'monsters', anyway? And able to believe in them still.

It didn't matter, he was there now. And the children were resting, as they should be. The music box kept on playing as he hummed, lost in thought, unmoving from where he sat next to them.

He'd bother with charging later.

Those two were staying here now. How to take care of them?

"We will figure it out."

"We are caretakers, anyway."

The children did not wake up after this, specially not when the Attendant growly warned off an welcome guest that stopped by on the middle of the night. They need to sleep. There's not a soul who's to wake them. It's their job to make sure of it.

[celestialtarot11]

PAC: Random Messages for You

Hi friends! Thought I’d do something tarot related instead of astrology today. Do enjoy and let me know your feedback down below! <: it means a lot to me and this blog.

Pile 1: Hi there pile 1! You may be experiencing a disconnect within your home life, or not even that but a disconnect to spirituality. There may be a lot of shifts and changes happening in your life at the moment, and it feels as though there’s a lot of tension within you. I’m seeing a box and it keeps folding in on itself, imploding not exploding. All that tension is really sitting within you. I encourage some (I heard bath therapy) so maybe some of you like to take baths with herbs, crystals, and candles. Do that! There may be some uninvited energy around you at the moment. Also some of you need sleep. Rest. Stay off the phone before bedtime, and if you can, meditate! Meditation can look different, for some its sitting in nature, going on a walk, or laying there. There’s a really huge shift here—I don’t think you expected this ending to have happened either with someone you loved or this disconnect either spirituality. I almost feel as if there’s this longing, but also hopeless feeling of: “why? Spirit? Why me?” And I heard: it matters where you are. So, if you’re in an environment where there are people taking advantage of you how can you set boundaries? What do you need? How can you make this process easier for you? It’s likely these people or this place is contributing to your issues at the moment. I also believe spirit wants to let you know that they hear you and are there for you <3 “it matters where you are,” they know, they’ve heard your prayers. If you need confirmation this is it. Journaling can help a ton, there’s a lot of mental energy but in the sense that its squashed. Normally you feel pretty upbeat but it almost feels as if there���s defeat and its a little too silent with all the things you wish to say. Express yourself. Cry it out. I also heard hug it out! So hug it out if you can with a friend, hugging yourself, or hugging a stuffed animal. Yoga may be great for releasing trapped emotions in the body too. I hope you feel better pile 1 <3 thank you for your support and being here.

Pile 2: Hi there pile 2! Welcome! For you I feel as though there’s a lot of green energy around you at the moment. It surrounds you like a garden! I can see your aura with vines, curling up to protect your space and flowers blooming all around. So beautiful! Im also hearing it took a long time to tend to this garden, so you really did take a lot of time to focus on your confidence, healing and transformation. Im also seeing a mermaid emerge from the sea and she’s by the moon. She looks carefree! That’s you. I feel as though you’re learning to vibe with being alone and being okay with being single, although you don’t necessarily have to be. You may be in a position of power in your career now or in the future will be. Im seeing someone grab a book and write down all their ideas and goals—with this determination in mind to make it happen! You may be a fixed sign or have multiple (Leo, Aquarius, Scorpio, Taurus) and suddenly it manifests. This is the kind of success you’ve been building up towards. I also heard this is the success where I feel at peace within myself. Its not necessarily about external factors (although it could be like owning a house—I heard that) its more so the peace that comes with trusting yourself now after all these years. I also see your third eye is open which is revealing to you things that were hidden before. Hidden knowledge. Im seeing spirit is giving you these messages as if its sacred—you’re drinking out of a golden goblet and its this magical juice lmao. Some of ya’ll have very imaginative inner childs and love to concoct stories, so maybe your inner child is out and about! I legit see your inner child dressed like a diva with their sunglasses, sparkly pink kitten heels to slay the day away! So cute. I just feel you have mended that relationship sincerely. You could be a: pisces, pisces 5h/1h, aries, leo, sag, cancer placements. I also see this is an important time for harvesting results. I heard: there is result beyond fear. There is relief beyond fear. On the other side of fear there is joy. So perhaps this has been a mantra for you. I see EFT tapping therapy, so maybe some of you engaged in this. I see breath work, learning to work with your energy. I heard kundalini as well! So some of you may certainly be focused on spirituality and practices. Your inner child is so important—literally hearing their words of awe at the world. Your encouragement means so much to them right now, it’s as if they’re allowing themselves to express themselves again! Thanks pile 2 for being here <3 means a lot to me!

Pile 3: Hey ya’ll it’s 10:10 as I write this so there’s a strong presence of spiritual support! Love that. You guys might be a virgo rising, have virgo placements, virgo 2h, or strong mercurial aspects. An exalted mercury even! I see that for you guys there’s this hazy thick fog. It feels as though your energy is very much guarded and anyone who tries to come in is maybe hit with a wave of confusion. Kind of like they’re stunned. Its kind of cartoonish, and silly. But I see this as a protective mechanism! You guys have been focused on getting your life together especially your finances. You could be budgeting more, spending less, and overall grinding. Keep it on the low and hustling. I also lots of self care so maybe you’ve switched your routine, you’re getting your hair done, nails, lashes, etc. You want to feel your best self and Im literally seeing your spirit team cheer and fist bump. Its like they’ve been wanting you to love yourself and—“finally you got the message,” is what I heard 😭 I’m also hearing “pump it up,” I know its a song, its pop music, really catchy. There’s a lot of happy bright energy surrounding you and I think you’re really feeling yourself. And I think that anyone who tries to disturb your peace I literally see you putting on sunglasses to act like they don’t exist. I feel like you guys are also really funny which people don’t expect—you have a very dry humor and might be great and stand up comedy. I also feel your phone is filled with a bunch of memes to go on the daily. It’s on butt dial at this point. I feel as though you appear intimidating but you’re really funny, chill, and grounded. You may have taurus/Capricorn placements as well. Lots of earth! Maybe all your big 3 is earth. I feel as though you’re being told to enjoy yourself and have fun! Let loose and chuck the ruled aside momentarily. It wouldn’t hurt to let go. I think for so long you’ve been hustling and grinding—so its time to celebrate how far you came! You may attracting suitors or attention is what I heard lol, lots of eyes on you! Especially through this transformation. I see you going from alone to suddenly everyone is around you. So maybe you’re graduating, getting that promotion, it’s your birthday, or there’s an event coming up! This is really going to help you feel your best self <3 Im also hearing euro pop music, so maybe ya’ll are into that. And dream of euro pop blasting in clubs (bring back this era) I dont know if you know Inna and her music. “Hot” by inna is playing! But thanks pile 3 for being here! Sincerely appreciate it all. Your feedback means a lot to me.

Extra

Paid Readings 🤍

[silvercloverr5]

Okay I have a request for Regulus if you’re up for it… how about the reader having to wear him down because he believes he’s unlovable etc etc. but once she does, he’s the biggest softie, always gentle and caring and seeking her presence?? only if you feel like writing it though!!! Kisses

Hii! It’s taking me a while to get round to my requests but everyone feel free to send them in to keep me busy!! Kisses to u too my darling 🫶🫶

I actually turned out really loving this. It turned out a little angstier than I anticipated, though. Sorry.

Unlovable. ~R.A.B

{in which regulus believes no one could ever love him, but you’re here to prove otherwise.}

Regulus had been distant lately.

Avoiding you, which wasn’t normal. Not for you, at least. You’d been best friends, and the moment you started dating, it’s almost like something happened inside of regulus. He wasn’t around you much anymore. It hurt, honestly. To love somebody who hides from you. It took you a trip to the gryffindor common room, begging on your knees, incredibly puppy-eyes (that apparently all of the Black family is weak for, because it made Sirius melt too), a new chocolate bar for Remus and literally just a tight hug for James to get the marauders to lend you the map.

There it was. A pair of dark footprints teetering at the top of the astronomy tower, where you and your boyfriend often snook after hours, labelled ‘Regulus Black’ in elegant italics, much like his own trained penmanship.

The map was on the floor. You could vaguely hear James yelling at you not to drop it while you rushed to the tower. Lead curled around your heart, weighing heavily in your chest as you climbed the steep, eroded steps up to Regulus. You were thinking the worst. Your regulus was going to jump. Moonlight flooded your vision as you emerged, only to see a black silhouette stood precariously at the edge of the balcony. Your eyes widened and your stomach dropped as your very worst fears were reinforced.

“regulus?”

He spun around swiftly, his usual perfect black curls unruly and tousled out of the place by the cold wind. His eyes were wild and panicked and dark bags shadowed shadowed them. he was paler than usual, the white of his skin closely mimicking the pearly hue of the moon that ignited you both. You lifted your arms slowly, as if trying to calm a beast.

“Regulus, it’s me, it’s only me, sweetheart, calm down.”

“What do you want?”

“I want to know why you’ve been ignoring me.”

You said, keeping your tone calm as to not startle him. “Can you please come here? You’re scaring me.” Something changed in his eyes when you spoke that phrase, as if scaring you was out of the picture. He’d never want you to be scared of him, because he was meant to protect you. His rosy lip trembles, and at first you thought it was from the harsh chill of the night air, until it was accompanied by furrowed eyebrows, glossy eyes and him stumbling towards you with his arms outstretched like a child.

“Oh, Reg…” you hummed, cupping the back of his head with your hand as you tucked his face into your neck. His back started to heave with sobs so you used your other hand to rub soothing circles across his shoulders. “It’s so cold out here, you’re gonna-“

“Why do you fucking love me?” Regulus growled, his grip on you tightening almost aggressively.

“What?” You whisper, fear seeping into your veins. But in your heart, you knew regulus would never hurt you. He raised his head, staring deep into your eyes, face glazed in a mixture of frustration and despair.

“Why do you love me?”

You were silent. Why did you love regulus? Well, he was kind. Not to everyone, but to those he trusted, those he loved. He was incredibly loyal. He was a sensitive soul, underneath his facade. He was soft. He was beautiful. He was yours. But you couldn’t find the words to even begin to express the reasons behind your adoration for him.

“Regulus, you are… everything.”

His face changed. He looked almost bewildered, confused.

“What? I’m not anything. I’m from a family of fucking blood supremacists, I’m-“

You kissed him. He shut up in seconds when your lips pressed to his. “You’re fucking perfect. And you’re not them, Regulus. You’re perfect.” You told him sternly, gripping his shoulders hard, but gently. He broke down again, his face scrunching up as the tears began to fall. You pulled him in again. “No… no, I don’t deserve this. I- I don’t.” You shushed him, stroking his hair. “You deserve everything. And I love you. You deserve love most of all, Reggie.”

A week or so later…

Regulus was curled into your side in the slytherin common room. No one was there except him, Barty, and Evan. He’d fallen asleep with his head on your chest, and you didn’t have the heart to wake him to go to class, so Evan and Barty jumped at the chance to skip with you two. Though, Barty couldn’t refrain from making dramatic gagging noises whilst gripping Evan’s shoulder and lurching forwards every time regulus nuzzled closer to you in his sleep. He teased, sure, but really, he knew his friend had never been happier. He’d never seen regulus with so much sparkle in his eye. He’d never seen regulus so lovesick.

He’d never seen regulus so touchy with somebody.

He’d never seen him trust so deeply. love so unconditionally.

~~~

Please don’t copy any of my work!!

[cupidlovesastro]

🌞𝕠𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕡𝕠𝕤𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕔𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕖𝕟𝕛𝕠𝕪 🌙

astrology observations #16 (child of the sun)

fire sign observations

fixed sign observations

leo is ruled by the sun, the planet of self expression, identity, life, your core, the ego, your father, masculinity, energy, your personality, what’s conscious. leo’s are positive, loving, passionate, bold, dramatic, assertive, courageous, confident, leaders, determined, and enjoy attention

moon represents emotions, intuitions, comforts, unconscious mind, instincts, spirituality, motherhood, fertility, femininity, and your home.

topics covered in this post- emotions, good mom traits, bad mom traits, leo moon face, your house/ room, leo moon celebrities

♌︎ your emotions may be quite dramatic and bold. they may also lead you whenever you are upset. you may over identify with your emotions as well, or just identify with them in general. you may relate more to your moon sign than other placements. you may be someone who’s very optimistic and tries to see the good in everything. your emotions may make you take risk, sometimes beneficial, but also sometimes not so much. you have a lot of emotional energy as well, it can be draining at times for you and possibly for others. you are confident in your emotions though and confident in your intuition. you may be someone who follows your heart and gut feeling often. you can also be very confrontational when has hurt your feelings. you are someone who is very loving and affectionate, and you may express this often. you may also have a lot of love in your heart in general. when low vibrational or unevolved, you could seek attention through your emotions. you might make a bigger deal out of things for the attention of it all. since this is a fixed sign, you may be quite stuck in your feelings often, and stand beside them no matter what others think. a lot of “i feel how i feel” energy

♌︎ the moon can also represent comfort. tv shows may help comfort you, especially reality tv or shows that are in the drama genre. you may also like theater and plays. you may also enjoy things that make you feel seen or heard. venting and ranting may help, especially on a platform of some kind, but also loved ones. having an item you really love may also be very comforting. i can also see this placement feeling comforted when they were able to pour their heart out

♌︎ if your mom was a good mom she showed you lots of affection and attention. she may have also put you in things in school that would give you a lot of confidence, respect, scholarship, etc. making you feel confident was also important to her, just as much as making you feel loved. she could be a confident person herself and had leader like qualities. she may not back down from an arguments and likely didn’t let people walk over her many people may look up to her. she was an optimistic person herself. she was also very hand on with you and could’ve showed her affection in various ways, but mainly physical touch

♌︎ if your mom was a bad mom she may have been an attention seeker and may have used you so she can get attention as well. she could’ve been pessimistic and not a very confident person. she could’ve struggled to show you that she loves you and could’ve been more distant than hands on. she may be very controlling or manipulative as well. there could’ve also been lots of love bombing. she may have been an angry person who lost her temper often too. she could’ve had a complex as well, and thought she was better than everyone else

♌︎ moon can represent the face. leo moon celebrities can have a face of a cat. they also tend to have slimmer eyes, upturn almond eyes especially. longer nose bridges that are pointier at the tip. as well as higher cheek bones and shorter/ rounder faces

♌︎ you may want a house that’s very self expressive. you want people to walk in your house and immediately feel your vibes or energy. you also want your house to give a positive energy and impression. if or when you live with people you are definitely the boss of the house. you could like your house or room to have bold colors or a dramatized version of an aesthetic. like you will go all the way for the aesthetic of your house. your house, wether it’s the exterior or interior, catches people’s attention quite easily. your house has very loving energy and definitely give people good vibes. if you don’t have a house/apartment, it could apply to your room

♌︎ leo moon celebrities- megan thee stallion, marilyn manson, paris hilton, halle berry, queen elizabeth the 2nd, david bowie, monica bellucci, lana del rey, megan fox

[skipper1331]

Baby // Esme Morgan

a/n: based off this request. Enjoy:)

"My love" the blonde whispered as she hugged from behind, trailing soft kisses along your neck. You couldn‘t help but melt in her grasp, your skin tingling at each brush of her lips. "You‘re so beautiful" her hands rested flat on your growing stomach. Ever since you told Esme that you were pregnant, her sweet girl personality just turned sweeter. She was the happiest person, you were her wife and soon the mother of her child. Everything felt perfect, Esme treated you with so much respect and love, cared about you like no one else did.

"I missed you today" you whispered, your head falling against her shoulder as you softly swayed to the soft music in the background.

"I missed you too but I’m also a bit mad at you" she matched your voice level, still pressing featherlight kisses along your skin.

You stopped your movement, turning in her hold as you looked at her confused, "why?"

"My girl, I told you I’d go to the grocery store yet you did it by yourself" she stated.

"But you were at training and I had nothing to do" you grumbled, crossing your arms as you glared at her.

"you’re not supposed to carry heavy things" she smiled down at you, so much adoration in her eyes. She looked at you like you hung the moon.

Every day, she thanked the universe that she could call you her own.

"Baby!" you whined, "I can still do things in the household"

With her finger on your lips, she shushed you, "Firstly, you carry our baby, so don’t carry heavy stuff. And secondly, you help enough already by motivating me with your existence" she grinned, littering kisses all over your face, to which you responded with her favorite sound: giggles.

-

"Hello, here is your mama" the defender mumbled against your tummy, her thumbs drawing circles at your sides, "I love you very very much. And your mommy, I love her very much too" Esme looked at you, loving eyes already staring back at her. Your heart fluttered at each of her words, your skin tingled at each touch and your mind was consumed by the thoughts of Esme interacting with your baby. She’ll be a great mama. "I‘ll raise you as the biggest City fan. You will walk around with a little jersey and then you‘ll meet your aunties." the city player stated.

The answer came straightaway - a kick.

The blonde gasped loudly, sitting up, "That was an agreement!"

"No it wasn’t" you laughed, "he‘s going to be raised as a gunner"

Esme left your touch, immediately, her expression unreadable. You never saw that kind of a look in her eyes. She seemed shocked, happy, confused and- you couldn‘t tell. Did you say something wrong?

"It‘s going to be a boy?" she breathed out.

Shit! You didn‘t mean to ruin the surprise of the gender.

"Esme- I’m so sorry!" you tried explaining, your hands grabbing her own as you were about to cry, too many emotions filling your body.

"Hey, don’t cry. My love, don‘t cry" she was by your side in an instant, her arms around your body as you cried in her chest. The defender whispered sweet nothings into your ear while she tracing patterns on your skin, in a manner of calming you down.

As your tears stopped rolling you down your cheeks, you looked up, the lioness smiling at you with her own tears in the corner of her eyes, "it‘s going to be a boy."

nothing but pride shone through her eyes as her smile showed her happiness.

-

"What if he doesn‘t want to be a sky blue?" Esme asked as the two of you laid on the couch, the tall girl absentmindedly playing with your hair. "What if he wants to be a red devil? That would be the worst" she grumbled, continuing to ramble about the choice of club.

Chuckling into her chest, you couldn‘t help but admire her, she often told you about the things she wanted to show your baby boy and let you feel like the prettiest person alive by just looking about you. It was amusing that she was seriously concerned which club your little man would support. "You know I think red is the better colour"

"I know" the blonde groaned, hiding her face, "you‘re lucky I love you"

"I love you too"

Pulling her in for a sweet kiss, she smiled against your lips. Gently, her hand slipped under your shirt, fingertips dancing across your spine as you melted with one another. Kissing Esme will always be one of your favorite things to do.

"I love our boy even if he doesn‘t support City"

-

It was the 28th March when the two of you finally met your baby boy.

-

"Are you my favorite boy, yes you are" Esme smiled, your son in her arms as he looked at her with wide eyes, somehow a smile plastered on his face.

-

Esme loved being a mum, the same as you did. It fulfilled her heart with so much pride, love and passion.

"Look at your mommy, she‘s the most amazing person in the world" she held the boy who was looking everywhere but at your sleeping figure on the couch.

"I love her very much" she continued, "and she makes me so happy."

"I met her when I was 14, that‘s a little bit older than you are at the moment, my boy and I immediately fell in love with her"

-

"I‘m so sorry" a young Esme apologized over and over after she had bumped into you, your books and notes falling out of your hands. In a matter of seconds she was squatted down, picking up your stuff while you joined her, "i didn’t see you" she muttered, desperately trying to pick up each pen.

"It‘s okay"

As she went to grab the last pen, your mind had the same thought. Your hands touched for a brief of a second, the blonde looking up, her breath caught in her throat, "now, i see you" and you were absolutely breathtaking. Esme had never seen someone as pretty as you.

-

"9 years later, i still think the same. Your mommy is breathtaking" she smiled fondly as your son looked at Esme with big eyes.

"I asked her to be my girlfriend through a love letter. She made me felt like a poet, lovely words ran through my mind, your mommy running through my mind all day long, even at night."

-

The sun was setting, the sky beautiful with it colours as the two of you walked through the streets. Esme, the sweetheart she was, not accepting "I can walk home on my own, I’m old enough"

She walked beside you, your hands softly brushing against one another’s. You wanted to hold hers but you were too shy to take matters into your own hands, so you accepted the touch of brush.

Esme didn’t.

After the third brush, she just slipped her hand in yours, your heart racing at her gentle touch. "Is that okay?" she asked, not looking at you.

"Yes" you replied.

So while one of her hands held yours, the other one was hidden in her jacket, the love letter between her fingertips.

"Thank you for walking me home" you smiled, your hand not leaving hers, not yet.

"Always"

You looked at each other, soft smiles displayed on your faces, "um, this is for you" shyly and with red cheeks she pulled out the envelope, your name written in cursive on it.

You were about to open it as she stopped you, "don‘t. not now"

She looked vulnerable - you respected her wishes.

-

"I still remember what i wrote in that letter"

-

'My y/n,

As i sit down to write this letter, my heart, my body and mind is bursting with emotions.

Forgive me, if some sentences don’t make any sense - my mind is spinning, consumed by the thought of you.

I love the way you laugh, the sound of your giggles music to my ears.

I love the way you smile, how it reaches the corner of your eyes.

I love the way you talk, your voice expressive and gentle.

I wake up with the intention to make you smile and laugh.

I go to be with the hope that you follow me into my dreams - you do.

I dream about you at night, at day and about the future, our future.

The moment i laid my eyes on you, i knew that my heart would be yours - forever.

I respect you.

You make me feel happy, dizzy and relaxed - i feel safe with you.

Yet words will never be enough to describe the things you let me feel.

You are special.

I want you to be my girlfriend, so I’m asking you: do you love me the same way i love you?

-Esme:)‘

-

"Your mama was very romantic" the blonde chuckled, her index finger softly caressing along the boys cheek as his eyes fell shut every now and then. It didn‘t stop the City player - she continued talking.

She continued with the story, how she asked you to marry her and talked about your reaction, how she asked every important person in your life for their blessing, something you appreciated so much.

"One day, someone will love you the way i love your mommy" she whispered, your son fast asleep in her arms.

Pressing a tender kiss to his forehead, she laid him in his crib, admiring as her heart swelled with love. What she failed to realize was that you weren‘t sleeping anymore - that you were wide awake, listening to the things she told your baby boy.

Gently, you snuggled her arms around her waist, the girl frightened for a moment before she realized it was you. Her favorite girl on earth.

"You‘re still a hopeless romantic"

She turned in your hold, her own arms wrapping around your waist as yours changed their position.

"What else did you hear?" the defender asked, cheeks crimson red - you made her mind spin, knees weak and heart race, she felt shy and nervous. Even after years, you still had the same effect on her.

"Everything"

-

"Do you want to surprise your mama?" you asked the boy who babbled about something, happily accepting the fact that he was in your arms, small hands gripping your shirt.

Esme was at training, the boy and you at home while you got your son ready for her surprise. Yesterday, the surprise finally arrived and you couldn‘t be more excited to see her reaction. You bought a mini city jersey, the name Morgan displayed on the back with her number 14.

Your son looked absolutely adorable.

Excited, you waited patiently for her to return, occupying the boy with some simple things.

"My love, I’m home" she called after what felt like an eternity, "wow" she stopped in her tracks, the sky blue catching her eyes immediately. "What‘s this?" she asked confused.

"What does it look like?" you hand her the boy who clapped his hand as she eyed his outfit. Esme’s heart made jumps as she saw her baby boy with her jersey, "you‘re such a cute little boy" the mama stated happily as she caressed his cheeks.

"Where‘s yours, my love?" she asked, eyes on you as she took a step towards you to peck your lips.

"In the drawer" you looked at her, raising a brow, "do you want me to put it on?"

Enthusiastically she nodded, "pretty please"

5 minutes later, you walked in the living room your two favorite people seated on the couch. As soon as you entered the room, Esme’s eyes lit up, "you look beautiful" she breathed, the sky blue making her happy as the jersey hugged your body perfectly. You took a seat beside her, your head falling against her shoulder while one of her arms made its way around your waist. Your son was already asleep in her touch, the boy never one to stay awake for long if his mama held him.

"I know you‘re a gunner, my love, but seeing you in this shirt makes me so incredibly happy" she mumbled, "and our little boy also wearing one, I can‘t describe the things i‘m feeling."

"Even though I prefer red over blue, sky blue will always be my favorite" you smiled, leaning up to kiss her, softly.

Wrapped up in your own little lovely bubble, it caught you by surprise when your son‘s first left his mouth.

"mama"

[diejager]

Hello there! I absolutely love your stepdad!konig piece!!

I actually comment this on ao3, but I also doing it here just in case 🥺

Reader is pregnant and horangi step up as father but what if the baby looks just like konig? Her mom will be suspicious? Konig will be overjoyed? Horangi will try to breed her as soon as possible?

Cw: DARKFIC, DUB-CON/NON-CON, stepcest, forced pregnancy, childbirth, implied kidnapping, gaslighting, tell me if I missed any.

There was a heavy amount of guilt in your heart when your twins were born, they stark difference between your boy who had pretty brown eyes and a smooth head, and your little girl’s gaping blue eyes, pale and blinking owlishly with small tears and a few black strands sprouting from her head. You feared what your mother would say when she saw that your sweet angel - Horangi had dubbed her Yoon-Suh - had neither yours, nor the Korean’s eyes. It made you wonder if this would be a sign for your mother, something to prove your fear and abuse, to open her eyes to your damned situation, but they had an excuse for everything.

“Eyes are a complicated thing, ” König had the doctor explain, facing your mother with a wrinkled, but kind and gentle expression, “She’ll outgrow them within the first year, Ma’am.”

Your mother seemed to trust the doctor’s words, you would as well if you hadn’t known the truth, he was a kind man who’s face looked so disarming. Your mother exclaimed her many fears of complications happening to you and Dr. Mathews was very patient with her growing worry, promising her that he’d be one call away.

“Call me whenever you have any complications, missy. Or one of the nurses, all right?” 

You were driven home after every check ups with the twins and your body to catch any issues that might’ve occurred through childbirth, dressed in loose clothes and coddled by both men while your mother stared on in awe and glee, seeing her husband help his step-daughter with her new children and the baby daddy took responsibility and stayed. It made her feel a sense of happiness and pride unlike you, who drowned under another wave of agony and sorrow. They, however much you loved your babies and their adorable faces, would tie you down to both men, stuck under the nose of your oblivious mother.

When Yoon-Sun’s eyes only grew paler, a shade between emerald and tourmaline, a beautiful mix if it didn’t remind you of König’s oppressive character. Your mother shared her confusion, questioning her husband about the clear ressemblancein Yoon-Suh and his eyes, but he shrugged it off, reminding her that it had only been two months and change was inevitable, whichever spectrum it went, it would eventually darken into a familiar shade. She nodded and hadn’t questioned your stepdad about her eyes anymore, somewhat satisfied with his answer.

And when Leon’s hair started growing, the few dark strands that seemed black until it curled into a soft auburn that your mother was extremely familiar with. What could they use as an excuse for Leon’s hair colour to appease your mother’s suspicion, to staunch her questioning. Unfortunately - fortunately for them and their wretched minds - your mother was never one to know any… complicated information, such studies weren’t in her education in her time, but it was in yours. You knew how basic genes worked and it wouldn’t make sense for your child to have the hair colour that neither parents had, recessive or dominant.

Yet, König and Horangi had managed to convince her otherwise without as much as a sweat, their words and experience convincing enough for her. She left it at then, but her suspicion was mounting, the wound bleeding and threatening to come to life. And before she could do anything, to stop them from feeling oh so proud of themselves, they took you away. You were gone in the night, taken under the watchful gaze of the moon, gagged and tied in the old van they repurposed to hold the twins safely while they drove across borders. 

She’d been gaslighted and naively trusting until the moment she woke up to a cold and vacant home, her husband and friend gone, grandchildren taken and her daughter taken. 

Taglist: @sae1kie @yeoldedumbslut @bvxygriimes @distracteddragoness @konigsblog @daisychainsinknots @h0n3y-l3m0n05 @danielle143 @tuttifuckinfruttifriday @notspiders @brokenpieces-72 @petwifed @randominstake @hayleybarnesx @shironasumi @lucienbarkbark @sparky--bunny @bloobewy @223princess @maylovesyousomuch @cod-z @sweetnanah @aldis-nuts @evolutionarry @kaoyamamegami

[zvhiux34]

(Credits to its respectiva owners ).

Pairing: König x virgin reader

Plot: You and König had a special date, where you both confess your feelings to each other. But he suspects there is something more.

warnings: Fluff, angst, slow burn, Reader is veeery stubborn. Age gap+10 years (She 18yo, König 30yo). Sexual inuendo. English it's not my first language

W.c: 2.5k

What a treasure to have found you.

pt.1 pt.2 pt.3 Pt.4

Until now, your meetings/dates with him took place during the morning and afternoon.

Going out at night... only mean one thing.

Running into your parents, and having big problems with them.

When he saw the doubt in your eyes, he didn't hesitate to convince you.

—Come on, princess, it's not a bother for me to pick you up at your home—He assured you, while he put a lock of your hair behind your ear—I'll rent a carriage, so I can go to get you, 'kay?— Then, he placed a kiss on your cheek that burned away allá your doubts.

And here you were, about to escape through the window of your room before your soldier arrived at your fake home.

Or worse, discovered which one was your real house.

You did some juggling to escape without dirtying your dress, until to step on solid ground without harming yourself, then you began to walk through the neighborhood.

You walked down the sidewalk until the lights of a car «Or maybe a truck» coming in your direction dazzled you.

The driver, whoever it was, got out and started walking towards you.

When you tried to see who it was, he took you in his arms at bridal style to the vehicle with such ease that you recognized who it was.

—You are very stubborn, princess —He admonished you as he scolded you on the copilot seat— You were going to go on your own no matter what I told you, uh?—He sat in the driver's seat, and put the truck in motion.

—I may be stubborn, but you are cheeky— You crossed your arms in objection.

—Believe me, you haven't seen anything yet—He answered with a smirk in his face.

You did like it, but you were a little embarrassed to admit it out loud.

—Where did you get this truck?—You ask to avoid the past subject.

—It’s nice, isn’t it?—He inquired, You didn't know the model, but it was big and rustic at the outside, just like him—It's rented, I wanted to rent a carriage, but I couldn't found one, so I did what I could, little princess—You let out a chuckle about it.

You rembered how the soldier warned you days ago to you not be too surprised if he appeared with a car, so you don't get so tired of walking.

You appreciated his gesture a lot.

He drove until you two reached the destination, apparently, it was a place that was starting to become popular due to the amount of people there.

You all entered the park, and as you immersed yourselves in the site with the others, every source of artificial light disappeared.

It was a kind of path with long bushes on the sides that led to extensive green gardens.

It seemed that the only lighting was the cold light of the moon that came from somewhere, you could see each other without problem as the guide led the group and you along the path, while he was explaining some stuff about the main leads of the evening.

Then he fell silencie, and suddenly a little yellow flash appeared floating in the air.

—Mommy, look!—You heard a child pointing at it in the air to his mother.

The fireflies began to appear one by one until you could no longer count them all, they flew around the entire space as if they were stars in the sky floating around you like bright bubbles.

The children were exasperated with excitement, the adults were fascinated, and when König looked down to see your reaction, you were simply contemplating the spectacle without any words that could express your emotion.

It was such a beautiful and surreal scene that it transported you to a scene from a magical movie where you were one of the fairies belonging to this forest.

The soldier caught your attention by grabbing your hand.

It was the very first time when he entraleced his fingers with yours, and you let it be enjoying every second of the moment, his hand was warm and protecting over yours.

When you looked at him, he pointed out a path that no one had noticed.

You let yourself be guided by him and entered a passage of green bushes, which led you two to a large garden where the fireflies floated around a beautiful gazebo in the center.

You and König walked under the gazebo, looking at the spectacle that loomed around the two of you.

And suddenly you understood what was going to happen.

—You like the place, don’t you?— The soldier asked to you, you stood in front of him and looked up, straight into his eyes.

—Yes, it's very beautiful — You answered, still moved by what the scenery conveyed to you, as if it was possible to bring magic to real life.

—If you like...we could come many more times—He proposed with a thread of longing intertwined in his voice, at this point you were excited for the fact he has included you in a future plan, together.

—Yes, I would like to—You expressed with sincerity.

You felt his warm fingers cup the edges of your face with his eyes fixed on yours, you remembered the first time you'd see his icy blue eyes in that park, the guilty ones for transmitting you the mystery of a calm sea you wish to discover.

—Dove, when I came to this city... I never expected to meet...someone like you —He paused for a moment, while he found the right words— But my biggest surprise was when I started to get to know you and...I discovered a tender, intelligent woman, with hundreds of other virtues that I don't know how to say in english —He let out a light chuckle.

«Liar, liar, liar»

But those thoughts didn't stop your heart from beating hard.

—I accept you with everything you are... And you... would fulfill one of my wildest dreams if you accept me with... everything I am —He confessed in a whisper that captures you.

His message was so clear you had no chance to pretend you didn't understand anything.

But you had stopped acting rationally for a long time ago.

You stood on your tiptoes and finally shortened the distance between your lips with his.

It had been a long time since you had placed your lips on someone else's, but none of those chances could compare to this.

He received the kiss like a person receives a coat in the middle of a cold night.

He put his arm around your waist and in a movement as sensual as daring, you felt your chest pressed against his.

If you were the warm coat, then König was about to freeze all this time, until he found you.

But the way you kissed him back made you think that perhaps the person about to freeze was you.

The intensity that enveloped you both made you believe for a moment you were going to faint.

König, who apparently noticed this, instead of stopping to calm the waters, he simply adjusted his grip on your body.

Even though you were the one who started this act, he was now the one who was taking the reins, you were even a little disappointed when he stopped the kiss but without ever letting go of his arms, while both of you caught your breath.

The soldier couldn't help but contain the ear-to-ear smile on his face.

—Princess... You didn't let me... finish what... I was going to say...

«What?»

The soldier, seeing your confused face, carried you until you both reached and sat on a bench nearby.

Several seconds passed before he spoke again.

—First of all, I don't intend for you to feel like I'm invading your privacy —He assured, you nodded slowly— But I'd be lying to you if... If I told you I haven't noticed strange things about you.

Your heart almost skipped a beat.

—Things... Like what?

—For example, since I've been spending more time with you...—You saw how he searched for the best words to not hurt you even by chance— I've noticed how sometimes you're very meditative, you're very careful with what you say and...you give me the impression on certain occasions you agree to do things just so I don't ask you more questions.

He began to caress your chin with the tips of his fingers.

—And above all... I'm worried by the way your gaze turns dark...and sad. —He tells you almost in a whisper.

And you finally understood that your mask was not as perfect as you thought.

—Many times I have wanted to ask you the reason... But I know I cannot force you to be honest with me if I have not been honest with you.

And now perhaps the moment you have been waiting for has arrived, König will finally show you his true face.

You thought of several scenarios that did not help to quench the growing panic inside you.

«Tomorrow I return to the Middle East to never return»

«I have one month to live»

«I'm married and I have four children in another country»

—You are married and you have children abroad? —You interrupted in an attempt to accept the cruel reality.

The soldier looked at you strangely, and then let out a loud laugh.

—Jeez princess, who do you take me for? I am not married and I do not have children, in fact, I never thought of doing that until I met a certain person—He answered you suggestively—But it can be worse from your point of view.

Here it comes, you prepared for the final blow.

—I'm not a simple soldier.

«Okay»

—The truth is...I work as a mercenary for a private company dedicated to dismantling terrorist groups in foreign countries, among other words, I kill for a living.

König said it so fast that you needed a moment to process everything

«I kill for a living»

«Dismantle terrorist groups»

You felt how the rising panic slowly subside.

—...So you kill criminals for a living, right? —You saw the soldier, mercenary or whatever he was looking at you, expectantly.

With his looks, you're not surprised by the nature of the job he had.

—Basically.

—Bad people all and the scum of society?

—...Yes.

«Was it questionably moral? Maybe»

«It's a perfect reason to run away?...No»

You shrugged your shoulders, and only managed to say «I get it»

—So it doesn't bother you? —He questioned.

—No.

—Not even a little?

—No.

You saw how König stretched his limbs as if he were releasing pressure from them, as if he were a prisoner whose sentence had been pardoned.

—Christ, princess, you don't know how much it relieves me to hear you say that— He bellowed, then, like he was holding it in all this time, cradled your face in his hands and kissed your forehead, both of your cheeks, and the tip of your nose.

—By the way, in fact «König» is not my real name, it's a code—He confessed.

That did surprise you a little more.

—So, what's your real name?

He brought his mouth close to your ear and whispered his real name, but to tell the truth, you paid more attention to the way your skin received his warm breath on it.

A war was taking place inside you to balance what would be best for you, but the feelings that this man brought to you, mercenary or not, overwhelmed you so much, that you couldn't think well.

Obviously he confessed that so you could do the same with him.

He delicately placed his forehead against yours.

—Your turn—He whispered.

Your mind came to the realization this wasn't the first time you thought about confessing everything to him.

Anyway, he was going to insist a thousand times on taking you home even if he had to drag you.

And his hundreds of lights were going to turn on red when he saw you couldn't enter the house you supposedly called «your home».

And you couldn't ignore the feeling you had at this moment, you felt like you weren't going to free yourself from the knot you felt in your stomach until you confessed the truth to him.

He's a good person, he would surely understand you, and he wouldn't see you as less for your situation.

But...but....

Besides, there were only a couple of exams left that you would take this Monday, and you would finally complete your studies.

The next day, would be the day you'll finally leave your house.

You'll be free to go out with him whenever you wanted.

Free to do whatever you wanted to do with him without caring who's watching you.

Free of the fear.

—It's true —You answered in a delicate mumur— There's something I haven't told you...

The soldier paid more attention to you than he ever had before. You wanted to find the right words but your vocal cords wanted to betray you, feeling the knot that was forming.

—...But I can't tell you —You looked into his eyes, unlike his, yours were already wet, you took the hand that had comforted you so many times without knowing— Until after tomorrow, then I swear... I'll tell you everything.

Just one and a half days.

You waited for König to say a word, a sound.

But he only managed to say an «Okay, little dove»

And you got up from the bench to return to the group.

You knew from his gestures he was a little disappointed, but despite that, his hand never left yours.

After that, you had dinner in a quiet place with a pleasant conversation...and he took you back to the home he believed all this time it was yours, and say goodbye with a sweet kiss on the lips before you get out of the car.

He waited to you enter to the house, you knew the moment when he realized you lied to him when you, instead, entered in another backyard's house.

You looked at him as you watched him leave

You assumed it was for the best, just two and a half days and this whole farce would be over, if he accepted you again despite the lie.

On Sunday, you dedicated yourself to reviewing your notes, you studied from morning to late night.

You made a great effort not to think about kiss of last night, and the way that made you feel.

On Monday you attended high school and gave your all in your two final exams.

That was it, you had finally finished high school. You talked to your group of friends, one of them commented that you looked more radiant than ever, which you thanked him for.

You agreed to meet up to celebrate that you had finally finished the hell of school.

You attend to work routinely to do your shift, several of your colleagues congratulated you for finishing your studied, you thanked them all.

You were sincerely happy.

With the money you received today, it was going to be enough to get out of your house once and for all.

Right know, under your bed, there was a suitcase with your clothes and enough things you needed to start from scratch, in a small apartment in the city that you were going to share with a girl your age, while you waited to start college.

Everything was going as planned, the day after tomorrow you would have a new home, living with a complete stranger but in peace, which was what you had been longing for all these years.

While you were working, you thought about your mercenary with whom you haven't spoken since Saturday night...not even by text to wish you luck.

That thought made you a little sad until you saw him walk through the door.

Carrying a bouquet of flowers.

And heading towards you.

You froze immediately, almost dropping the ipad from your hands.

König finally reached surrounded you with his arms while he whisper to you congratulations in middle of dozens of costumers looking at the two of you.

At that moment, you didn't know if you were overcome with happiness or in the grip of a nascent panic.

Because today the manager, the eyes and the ears of your father in this place, was taking his turn tonight.

And he's probably watching you from somewhere in the restaurant.

M A S T E R L I S T

[drgenius-reid]

A Creature Was Stirring

A/N: Merry Christmas @cumulo-stratus. May your holidays be filled with love and happiness. I hope you like this! 🎄 I wrote this as part of the @cmgiftexchange and had so much fun. Summary: Spencer hears his son sneak downstairs to see what Santa brought and he goes to investigate Pairing: Dad!Spencer  Category: Fluff  Content Warnings: None. Just pure cuteness.  Word Count: 1,279 

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, a creature was stirring, Spencer’s Little Mouse.

Spencer put his book down on his bedside table and waited silently for a few beats, trying to figure out if the footsteps he heard went to the bathroom or further down the hallway to the stairs. When he didn’t hear anything else for a few minutes, he decided to investigate. 

Unraveling himself from the blankets on the bed, he slipped his feet into his slippers–a bright pink pair that Penelope had gotten him for Secret Santa at work–so that his feet didn’t get cold on the tiled staircase, and headed towards the stairs. Making sure to miss the one step that creaked no matter how little weight you put onto it, he crept down the stairs and through the house until he got to the lounge door. 

The room was dark, the only light coming from the moon outside that shone brightly into the room, but Spencer could still see his son crouched on the floor in front of the Christmas tree, inspecting the gifts that lay there. Spencer had only been in bed after playing the role of Santa for ten minutes before he heard movement, a record in the Reid household. Once, when his son was only very little, he’d been caught red handed slipping presents under the tree. Thankfully the little one was too young to remember, much to Spencer's relief. 

Spencer watched silently as his son lifted one of the smaller gifts from the front of the tree and shook it close to his ear. His tongue poked out from between his lips and his eyebrows furrowed the same way that Spencer’s did when he was trying to decipher something at work. For all of the genetics his son had gotten from his mother, his brain and facial expressions came directly from Dr Reid. 

Spencer could tell that the young boy was trying to calculate which of the gifts he’d put on his letter to Santa was in the box in his hands. Whatever was inside the box rattled and confused the boy to no end. He shook the box again and again, trying to figure it out. However, he had asked for so much–he was the kind of child to see something and decide that instead of asking for it there and then, he would ask Santa to bring it for Christmas–that he couldn’t remember what he had asked for. 

Watching the young boy reminded Spencer of his younger self. When he was a child, he would often try to sneak down the stairs on Christmas Eve to see what gifts were under the tree. Until he was at the age where he would try to find the hiding spot where Diana kept all of the gifts until Christmas. When one year he was successful in finding them, Diana had to find a new spot, and she would wrap everything as soon as it was in the house so Spencer couldn’t look. 

The young boy looked at all of the gifts in awe, completely unaware that his father was behind him, watching him pick up multiple gifts and shake them to try and deduce their contents. If a gift had his name on, he would pick it up, turn it over in his hands to try and see if he could feel what it was. If he couldn’t feel anything, he would shake it before trying to put it back exactly where it was to start with, hoping that he wouldn’t wake up and find that Santa had been to take them all away again. 

The second his eyes landed on the big gift at the back of them all, they grew three times as wide as normal. In big letters, on the front, was his name. Spencer watched as he tried to reach over the rest of the gifts, knees threatening to give out on him, before he cleared his throat quietly. It was so quiet that Spencer was sure he’d have to do it again. 

But within a nanosecond his son turned to him, guilt ridden and sheepish as he sank back down onto his knees and sighed softly, his eyes not meeting Spencer’s at all. 

‘What are you doing down here, Little Mouse?’ Spencer asked through a breathy chuckle. ‘You’re supposed to be in bed asleep. It’s way past your bedtime.’ 

‘I really tried to sleep, Daddy. I promise I did. I was in bed with my eyes closed and I counted the elves like you told me to but I just couldn’t sleep. I was too excited. Then I heard footsteps and I heard  something downstairs so I hid under my blankets with my teddy bear and tried super hard to sleep. Then the noises stopped and I thought it might have been Santa and look, Daddy, it was! Santa came and he brought presents for me. He brought some for you and mommy too but that big one is mine! I just wanted to look at them all. I promise I wasn’t going to open any.’ 

The corners of Spencer’s lips turned up as he listened to his son. He took after his dad in all of the best ways. He was smart, and he loved with his entire heart. And he rambled just like Spencer, unable to control it. Unlike Spencer, however, his little one got involved in things at school, he had a large group of friends and he loved playing baseball and soccer too. But deep down, he was so much like Spencer. 

When the little boy finally looked up at his dad and saw the smile, the same one made its way to his lips. Spencer motioned for him to walk over to him, and he did, slowly standing up so that he didn’t crush any presents before he walked the length of the lounge. As soon as he was within reaching distance, Spencer scooped him up and spun him around, eliciting the most infectious giggles there ever was. 

Spencer laughed with his son before he held him firmly against his hip. At almost six years old, his son was getting far too big to be carried up the stairs still but Spencer had promised to do it for as long as he could, which meant that even though his son was perfectly capable of walking up the stairs himself, he was carried. 

‘Come on, it’s time for bed. We can get up early and open presents with Mommy. But if you don’t go to sleep now-’ 

‘Santa will come and take them all away!’ 

Spencer chuckled. ‘He won’t take them all away, I promise. But if you don’t go to sleep you’re going to be super tired tomorrow and you’re not going to want to open presents.’ 

‘I am!’ 

‘We’ll see about that.’ 

Before Spencer even got to his son’s room, the boy was asleep in his arms, cheek squished against Spencer’s shoulder and mouth slightly agape. Spencer pushed the door open with his free hip and quietly crept through the room, hoping to not stand on any toy that would make a noise and wake everyone in the house up. 

Laying the boy down in his bed and pulling the covers up to his shoulders, Spencer pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead. 

‘Merry Christmas, Little Mouse.’ 

From underneath him, he heard the tiniest, ‘Merry Christmas, Daddy,’ which made his insides turn to mush. 

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even Spencer’s Little Mouse.

[brokebonewritings]

Help Me Remember You

Marc Spector x Fem! Reader

Tags/Warnings: 18+, language, slight gore, angst, hurt/comfort

Summary: You are given a second chance at life after dying. After waking up in the hospital, you find that Marc has no recollection of you or your relationship.

Word Count: 3.5K

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A hand grasps your shoulder, as you stand on the sidewalk close to your flat in London. You couldn’t remember how you got there, but you turn your head to see who it was. A man stood tall next to you with a grim look on his face. With a shaky breath, you follow where his eyes lay. There on the ground, was you. Lifeless. Your eyes staring towards the sky. Towards the moon.

You look back up at the man. “Who are you?”

“Anubis.” He says, giving you his full attention. “I came for you, sweetheart.”

“What about Marc?” You ask, turning back to look at yourself.

“They will learn to live without. They have done it before.”

Before you can respond, he is gone, and you are in a new place. You stand in a gleaming white space, the afterlife you realized. A man stands in front of you just a few yards ahead. You can’t help but feel a sense of comfort radiating from his direction. As you begin to walk towards him, you see the small table and scales set upon it.

“Osiris.” You say softly, and bow your head.

“Yes, child.” He replies, “I am sorry we have to meet like this.”

Nodding, you kneel before the table and he does the same. Osiris reaches out and places a feather on one side of the scales while gesturing for you to place something on the other. You see a knife laying in front of you. Taking a deep breath, you take it and plunge it into your chest. Though there is no blood or pain. Reaching inside, you grab your heart and place it upon the scale.

The room falls silent as the scales tip ever so slightly, the feather barely moving. You hold your breath, waiting for Osiris to make a decision. After what feels like an eternity, he looks up at you with gentle eyes.

“Your heart is light, my child. You have lived a life of love and kindness.” Osiris's words wash over you like a soothing balm, filling you with a sense of peace.

As he stands up, you follow suit, feeling weightless and free. Osiris extends his hand towards you, a warm smile gracing his features.

“Welcome to the afterlife, where your soul will find eternal rest.”

You ever so slightly reach out your hand, before taking it back. “But this wasn’t supposed to happen.”

He chuckles softly, a sound like distant bells floating through the liminal space.

“Destiny is a fickle thing, my child. It weaves and changes, guiding us down paths we never could have foreseen.”

“Please I have to go back, I know there is something I need to finish.” You plead, not realizing tears had begun to fall down your cheeks.

Osiris's expression softens as he observes your distressed state. He places a reassuring hand on your shoulder, his touch bringing a sense of calmness over you.

“I sense a powerful yearning within you, a yearning that transcends even death itself.”

With a gentle smile, he motions towards a shimmering portal that has materialized beside you. “If your heart truly calls for it, the path back to the mortal realm awaits. But remember, the threads of destiny are tangled and mysterious. Be prepared for what lies ahead.”

You take one last look at Osiris, gratitude in your eyes before stepping through the portal. The world around you blurs and shifts, time and space bending to accommodate your return.

As you open your eyes, you find yourself in the hospital. Rightfully so, you had been strangled by a madman. You reach your hand up to feel the brace around your neck.

“Don’t move too much, darling.” You hear an unfamiliar voice before a nurse steps into view.

She has a kind smile on her face as she checks your vitals and adjusts the IV drip by your bedside. You try to speak, but she shushes you softly.

“Your vocal cords are very damaged, dear, you’ve been through quite an ordeal.” She says softly, “but you’re safe now. The police caught the man who attacked you.”

Pointing at her pen, she obliges also handing you a small notepad. You scribble a quick note asking about Marc.

The nurse pauses, a shadow crossing her features before she responds, “I’m sorry, dear. There was no one else found at the scene.”

Your heart sinks at her words, grief welling up inside you. He hadn't known you were attacked. You clutch the pen tighter, before writing his number.

“Would you like me to call him? Is he your emergency contact?”

You nod as best you could, and she nods back. “I'll be back in a moment.”

The nurse steps out of the room, leaving you alone with your thoughts. As you lie in the hospital bed, flashes of memories flood your mind - moments shared with Marc, laughter echoing in your ears, his warm embrace enveloping you on cold nights. 

The beeping of the machines fades into the background as you drift into a haze of longing. Minutes feel like hours until the nurse returns, a somber expression on her face. Your eyes never leave her face, searching for any sign of hope or despair.

“Darling, Was this the right number? The bloke who answered said he didn’t know who you were.”

As the nurse's words sank in, a wave of panic washed over you. How could Marc not know who you were? You had spent countless days and nights together, sharing your deepest thoughts and dreams.

Frantically, you motioned for the nurse to dial the number again, hoping it was just a misunderstanding. You listened intently as the phone rang on the other end, each tone echoing in the silence of the hospital room. Your heart pounded in your chest, the seconds stretching into eternity until finally, a voice answered.

"Hello?" The voice on the other end sounded gruff. It was definitely him.

“Hiya, it’s me again. Listen, dear, she is very sure that this is the correct number.” The nurse tries.

“Fucking christ, I already told you I don’t know who that is. Did this woman get hit in the head or something?”

You wince at the harshness in his voice. He definitely doesn’t remember you. You wave at the nurse, and scribble another name onto the notepad asking her to say it to him.

“She can hear you, you sorry bastard. She just wrote another name on the page, says Jake Lockley.”

There’s silence on the opposite end of the line. After clearing his throat, he asks, “Which hospital is this, I’ll be right there.”

You feel a mix of relief and confusion as Marc agrees to come to the hospital. Maybe there was a mix-up, a misunderstanding that could be cleared up once he saw you. The nurse smiled reassuringly at you before stepping out to wait for Marc's arrival.

Hours pass, each minute feeling like an eternity as you anxiously wait for Marc to arrive. Finally, the door opens and in walks a man, his eyes scanning the room until they land on you. 

“Are you y/n?”

You try to speak, but your damaged vocal cords only allow a hoarse whisper to escape. Tears well up in your eyes as you nod. His expression shift, looking much softer, but still no recognition. Though you immediately know who you’re about to talk to.

Scribbling on the notepad, he slowly walks over and sits in the chair next to your bed. He looks over to see what you wrote.

Steven. Please remember me.

He looks up at you with his doe eyes. “How did you know it was me? How do you know about us.”

Fiancé

“But I don’t know who you are. How could we be engaged if I’ve never met you?”

You hold his gaze, willing him to remember, to see beyond the fog that clouds his memory. With trembling hands, you reach out and touch his face, tracing the lines as if to etch your presence into his very being.

Tears stream down your cheeks as you try to convey years of shared memories and love in a few fleeting moments. You point to the engagement ring on your finger, a symbol of the promises made and the future planned together.

His eyes flicker with a hint of recognition, a spark of something familiar dancing within them. He takes your hand in his, gently running his thumb over the ring as if trying to unlock hidden chambers of remembrance.

“I... I don’t understand,” he stammers, his voice laced with confusion and a tinge of fear. “How can I be engaged to someone I don’t remember?”

You scribble on the notepad again.

I died, I met Anubis and Osiris.

“You met Anubis and Osiris?! How is this possible? How are you here?!”

You smile, this is the Steven you remember. They gave me another chance, but when I came back you didn’t remember me

Something in his eyes flashes, and the hard expression returns. Marc was back, his eyes searching your face for any sort of recognition. Your heart ached at the disbelief and confusion in his eyes.

His hand recoils from yours as if your touch burned him, his features contorted in a mix of fear and disbelief. You watch helplessly as the connection you once shared with him slips further away, like sand sifting through your fingers. The weight of your heartache presses down on you, squeezing the air from your lungs.

“I can’t... I can’t do this.” His voice is barely a whisper, filled with a turmoil you cannot comprehend. He stands abruptly, knocking over the chair in his haste to distance himself from you. “I need to go.”

You reach out to him, the words trapped in your throat as you watch him move towards the door. This man before you, who was once your anchor in the storm, now feels like a stranger walking out of your life.

As he reaches the threshold, he pauses for a fleeting moment, his back still turned to you. “I’m sorry... I don’t know who you are,” he says softly before stepping out. 

The door closes behind Marc, leaving you alone in the silence of the hospital room. The weight of his words hangs heavy in the air, wrapping around you like a shroud of sorrow. Tears continue to stream down your cheeks as you try to process the whirlwind of emotions coursing through you.

You clutch the notepad to your chest, feeling the indentations of the words you had written in haste. Memories of your life together with Marc flash before your eyes, each one a painful reminder of what once was. The engagement ring on your finger glints in the dim light, a symbol of a future that now seems uncertain.

As you lie there, staring at the blank walls of the hospital room, a sense of numbness settles over you. The sounds of the machines humming fade into the background as you slip into a state of disconnected solitude. The world outside continues to spin, indifferent to the ache that gnaws at your heart.

Hours turn into days as you remain in the hospital, your voice slowly coming back to you. Janice, your nurse, had quickly become a good friend. Helping you contact your landlord, and trying to get Marc to come back. Each time getting the hard no.

"Y/n, I can't imagine how difficult this must be for you," Janice said softly, placing a comforting hand on yours. "But you're not alone. We'll figure this out together."

You managed a weak smile, grateful for Janice's support during this tumultuous time. Despite the ache in your heart, a sliver of hope bloomed within you at her words.

After almost a month in the hospital, you were released. You got to go back to your life. Not entirely, but for the most part.

As you stepped out of the hospital, the sunlight felt harsh against your skin, like a stark contrast to the dim confines you had grown accustomed to. 

Everything looked different, even the familiar streets seemed alien as you navigate your way back home. The weight of Marc's absence pressed down on you, a constant ache in your chest that refused to dissipate.

Your home was almost the same as it was before the incident. A bit cleaner, since Janice stopped by to collect your post, and check on the flat. Despite Janice's unwavering support and encouragement, there were moments when the loneliness threatened to consume you. 

The silence of your apartment echoed with memories of laughter and whispered promises, now replaced by a deafening void that seemed impossible to fill.

One evening as you sat by the window watching the stars, you see a figure on the rooftop of the building across from yours.

The figure was familiar, a silhouette etched in your memory like a ghost from the past. Despite the distance and the darkness shrouding their features, you knew without a doubt who it was. Marc. He stood there, his form outlined by the faint glow of the moon, his gaze fixed on your window.

A surge of emotions welled up inside you, and you know he saw you notice him. Your heart pounded in your chest, as you got up and moved to lay in your bed.

The sight of Marc on the rooftop stirred a whirlwind of conflicting emotions within you, pulling at the threads of hope and heartache that had woven themselves into the fabric of your being. His sudden appearance after weeks of absence sent a surge of questions racing through your mind, each one vying for attention in the chaos of your thoughts.

As you lay in bed, unable to tear your gaze away from the figure on the rooftop, a sense of longing welled up inside you. Could this be a chance to bridge the chasm that had formed between you and Marc? Or was it simply a cruel twist of fate, dangling the possibility of reconciliation before you only to snatch it away once more?

The weight of unspoken words hung heavy in the air, a silent plea for understanding and forgiveness that lingered between you like an invisible thread.

The figure remained on the rooftop, unmoving yet a silent presence that seemed to bridge the gap between your past and present. You lay there, caught in a limbo of emotions that threatened to unravel the fragile threads holding you together.

Eventually, a soft knock at your door broke the stillness of the night, startling you from your reverie. With hesitant steps, you made your way to the door, heart pounding in anticipation of who may be on the other side. As you turned the doorknob, you were met with a familiar silhouette backlit by the soft glow of the hallway lights.

Marc stood before you, uncertainty etched across his features as he searched your eyes for a sign of acceptance. Before any words could be spoken, you found yourself enveloped in his embrace, the warmth of his touch seeping into your bones like a soothing balm.

Tears welled up in your eyes as weeks of pent-up emotions threatened to spill over the edge. You didn’t know what was happening, but you needed this.

As you stood in the doorway, locked in an embrace that felt both foreign and achingly familiar, a sense of hope bloomed within you. The raw vulnerability in Marc’s touch mirrored your own, a shared language of unspoken apologies and forgiveness that transcended the barriers of time and memory.

In that moment, as the world outside faded into insignificance, all that mattered was the connection between two souls reaching out for each other across the expanse of uncertainty.

The embrace with Marc felt like a lifeline, a beacon of light cutting through the darkness that had clouded your heart for so long. As you clung to him, the walls you had built around your emotions began to crumble, giving way to the flood of feelings you had buried deep within.

“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry,” Marc’s voice trembled with emotion, his words a whispered confession that hung in the air between you.

You pulled back slightly, meeting his gaze as tears streamed down your cheeks. “I don’t understand…” Your voice is still hoarse.

"I was lost, Y/n. Lost in a storm of confusion and fear that clouded my judgment," Marc's voice cracked with emotion, his hands trembling slightly as he reached out to cup your face. “But I saw him. He told me everything.”

“Saw who? Marc, please. You remember me?”

He shook his head. “I’m sorry, I don’t, but please let me.”

The sincerity in Marc's eyes tugged at your heartstrings, a flicker of hope igniting within you despite the lingering doubts. His vulnerability laid bare before you, an unspoken plea for a second chance that resonated with the deepest corners of your soul.

With a shaky breath, you reached out to touch Marc's trembling hand, a silent gesture of understanding and acceptance. “Was it Osiris?”

He nodded, “We went searching for him. Khonshu, the old bastard, actually helped me.”

Osiris? The name reverberated in your mind, sending a shiver down your spine. Memories long buried stirred within you, whispers of a past that seemed almost surreal. And yet, here was Marc, standing before you, his eyes reflecting a turmoil of emotions.

You’re brought back to reality for a moment, and realize you’re in the open where your nosey neighbor is probably spying on you. “Do you want to come in?” You ask Marc, and he nods.

Closing the door behind him, you lead him to the living room and sit next to him on the couch. “I just don’t understand why you came back. You know I was actually beginning to accept you not coming back.”

"I know I've caused you pain, Y/n. And for that, I will never forgive myself." His voice wavered with emotion as he continued, each word heavy with the weight of his confession. "But meeting Osiris...it made me realize I fucked up.”

You studied Marc's face, searching for any hint of deceit or manipulation, but all you found was raw honesty etched in his expression. A part of you wanted to push him away, to guard your heart against the possibility of hurt once more. But another part yearned for the closure and healing that only forgiveness could bring.

“I can't erase the past or the pain I've caused. But when Osiris showed me the truth... I couldn't stay away. Everything leads straight back to you.” You see a stray tear run down his cheek and he explains himself. “I know I don’t remember you. We all don’t remember you, but we want to.”

Your mouth felt dry as you listened to him speak. As you gazed into Marc's tear-filled eyes, a surge of compassion welled up inside you. You feel his hand take a hold of yours. His hand trembles in yours, but the touch grounds you in the present moment.

“I don’t know what to say,” you whisper.

“Don’t say anything, just…” He sighs before continuing. “Help me, Help us remember you.”

As you sat there on the couch, silence enveloping you both like a protective cocoon, you felt a sense of calm settle over you. Closing your eyes for a moment, you took a deep breath and when you opened them you saw him still sitting there. No trick of the mind or anything.

You nod, tears welling up in your eyes. A flicker of relief passes across Marc's features, gratitude shining in his eyes. Without another word, he reaches out and pulls you into a tight embrace, holding you close as if afraid that you might disappear if he lets go.

In that moment, as you find solace in each other's arms, a sense of unity washes over you. The past may be shrouded in shadows and uncertainty, but the present holds the promise of rediscovery and redemption.

“Let me kiss you.” he whispers softly.

You hesitate for a moment, “but you hardly know me.”

“y/n, I know I’ll remember you. Let me kiss you.”

Uncertainty begins to swirl within you like a tempest. However, his eyes ignite a flame of trust in your heart. Leaning forward, you meet his lips in a tentative kiss, a gentle exploration of emotions that have been suppressed.

In that fleeting moment of connection, you feel a glimmer of recognition as if a door to the past has been cracked open, allowing fragments of forgotten moments to seep through.

As the kiss deepens, a sense of familiarity washes over you, intertwining your souls in a dance as old as time itself. The weight of unspoken apologies and unshed tears melts away in the heat of this newfound intimacy, leaving behind a raw vulnerability that binds you together in shared longing and hope.

When you finally pull away, breathless and trembling, Marc's gaze meets yours with a mixture of yearning and uncertainty, as if seeking validation in the depths of your eyes. For a moment, the world around you fades into insignificance, leaving only the echo of his touch lingering on your lips.

“I will remember you,” he whispers, his voice barely above a breath, “I promise.”

With a silent nod, you offer him a small smile. “I know you will. I’ll help you.”

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[vhagarlovebot]

Could you do something with a reader betrothed to Aemond that has a horrid relationship with their mother. He loves his mother of course and would want her to feel the same love from Alicent as a replacement.

Tysm 🧡

you feel like you are witnessing something you should not be seeing, but you can’t take your eyes away from the intimate moment between aemond and queen alicent in front of you.

since you arrived two moons ago, the first thing you noticed was how caring and soft the queen is with her children, very different from how you thought she would be and, sadly, how your own mother is with you.

you can barely call someone ‘mother’ when they won’t even look at you. and you can’t help but feel some kind of jealousy of the queen and her children relationship.

now, aemond is saying goodbye to his mother, after having walked you to her chambers for tea per her request. he has a calm expression, the same glassy and soft gaze with which he looks at you, his arms gently holding his mother’s all while she looks up at him, a genuine smile across her lips.

you try to be respectful and not listen to their conversation but you catch some of it and your heart flutters.

“i never asked for something before,” aemond says, rubbing her mother’s upper arm. “but now i am asking you to be nice and gentle with her.” he tries whispering the last part but you hear it anyway.

queen alicent cups his son’s cheek and smiles. “you don’t have to ask me that, aemond.” her eyes finds you and you immediately look down, cheeks flushed at being caught. “she is part of the family now, and i’m going to treat her as my own daughter.”

tears fill your eyes and you have to fight really hard to stop them from falling once aemond’s attention is on you again. he stretches out his hand and you grab it without second thoughts.

“i’m leaving you in good hands.” he reassures you, softly squeezing your hand. “i will come later to escort you to dinner.” he whispers, leaning to kiss your hand.

you watch as aemond leaves, leaving you all alone with the queen. you try to regulate your breathing and smile through your nerves, at what queen alicent stretches out her hand, just like her son did just a second before.

“you have nothing to fear, my child.” she caresses your hand, slowly walking with you to a small round table in front of her balcony, with the most breathtaking view of the sea. “i do not want you to feel uncomfortable with me.” the queen speaks so sincerely that the huge urge to cry comes back.

this is the first time you are alone with her and she has been more gentle and caring with you than your own mother in all your life. now you can see where aemond got it from.

[todayimfour]

*peaks out from behind a curtain*

HERE YA GO!!

*runs* (Referencing this post)

One

Sundrop was confused, he had been picking up the daycare for a good bit and was just about to run the ball cleaner for the ball pit when he found her. Tucked away in a corner between the pit and wall was a little girl, she was sound asleep with her thumb in her mouth and a worn bear tightly in her arm. He didn't want to wake her but it was late and the Pizzaplex was closed for the night, meaning she was left or forgotten. Sundrop didn't want to think about which one was worse. The animatronic could almost feel his friend’s sneer as he heard the familiar voice that has stayed in his head as of late.

'Well? Wake her up, see if she knows her parents phone number. You know the protocol.' Sun reluctantly crouched down Spider-Man style and started gently coaxing her awake. She stirred and did a sweet yawn-stretch combo before sitting up and promptly putting her thumb back in her mouth. The girl blinked up at the tall fellow, her expression unclear. If the Sun had to guess she was probably about three.

"Good Morning Sunshine!" Sundrop said with a flourish, falling back comfortably into the bright persona. Seeing the girl smile he continued. "Do you know where you are?" The girl looked away from the Jester-like man and tooked around the room, her expression went from looking sleepy but content to worried and anxiously frowning. She mumbled behind her thumb.

"It's big" her voice sounded so small and wavored in anxiety that no child should have to have. The sun followed her eyes, to any kid that small it would seem really big… and now that he thought about it, she didn't seem to have a guest profile. Was she even supposed to be in the daycare?

"I guess it is pretty big in here, is that why you came here to take a nap? It does look pretty cozy" she nodded her head with a very small 'uh-huh' this kid would be the one to finally kill Sundrop with how cute she was.

'No! Get a hold of yourself Sunny. The name?' Moon said with an air of annoyance. Sun's smile faltered for a moment before standing and offering his hand to help the girl up.

"What's your name sweetheart?" She reached for his hand but was just too short, her 'eep!' of surprise when he extended his arm slightly to grab her hand was precious.

"I'm Ray and this is Ricky" she said, showing off her bear. Sun reached down and picked up Ray, sitting her on his hip and offering his other hand to the well loved bear.

"Well hello to you Ricky! Why don't you both come with me?" Ray let out a giggle and made Ricky shake hands with the Sunny man. After doing so she leaned on the animatronic, resting her head on his shoulder and sliding her thumb back into her mouth.

'Isn't she kind of old for that?' he could hear the moon point out, Sun had to admit to himself that he was probably right.

'Maybe, but if it helps, who am I to stop her?' he responded internally. "Actually.." he trailed off unintentionally as he quickly went to an off room within the daycare. The walls were painted a light blue with off-white puffy clouds and the ceiling was a darker indigo, the light in the center was painted to look like a moon with star themed mobiles hanging above many cots and cribs for sleeping little ones. On the back wall was built in cabinets and countertops, a fridge to the side for keeping formula and medication to temperature.

These cabinets mostly housed an abundance of supplies, Sundrop was looking for one thing in particular. He set Ray on a countertop and started looking in the drawers. Usually Moon was the one in charge of this area so he’s not entirely sure where anything is. Making an 'ah-hah!' noise when he found the right drawer. He found a basic pastel green pacifier still in it's packaging and pulled it out, rinsing it quickly in the sink on the other end of the countertops before presenting the item to the drowsy girl. She looked at it worryingly as if it was poisened for a moment before shaking her head, denying herself the comfort item.

“Dont you want it Sunshine? It's a lot safer than your fingers, plus you have your hands free to play!” The sunny man tried several times to convince her but everytime she denied it, it was clear she was tired and getting fussy so he just asked. “Why not, Little Star?” in a soft voice, pulling a page from Moon's book. He was trying to comfort her more than anything else. She seemed to be riling herself up about this. Tears were making their way to her eyes and she shoved her head into her bear's face, hugging it tightly.

“Dont wanna get in trouble! Mama took all da pacis away.. she sayed I'm too big!” her raised voice was muffled by the bear but Sundrop could understand clearly. This brought sun so many questions, but for now he just put the small plastic item on the counter top and scooted the crying child off of the counter and into his arms. He cradled Ray in his arms for a few moments, rocking back and forth softly. Allowing her to get her over tired tears out of her system. When the crys reduced to sniffles he shifted her slightly so he had a free hand and grabbed the pacifier once more.

“I dont know about you,” he started, “but i dont see your Mom anywhere. It can be our little secret.” he finished. Offering it again to the exhausted child. This time she looked at the offer and then into Sun’s eyes. There was a hopeful expression to her eyes before she opened her mouth, accepting the comfort item. A seconds later, after seeing she wouldn’t immediately get it taken away, she let herself relax into Sun’s arms again. Sun chuckled to himself.

“Isnt that better?” he asked rhetorically, resuming his light swaying back and forth. Checking time it was almost two o’clock and Ray was already falling back asleep. He could tell that Moon was less than happy about not getting much information but he figured they could always get it in the morning. He laid Ray down in one of the cots and covered her in a blanket, dimmed the lights and left before his systems could react to the low lights. He ignored the ache in his moving parts. He still needed to report this to security but she could stay here where it's safe for now.

~

"Yep, that's another kid." Officer Mira let out a sigh, why couldn't kids just go home at night? They were still working on clearing up the Afton Virus that had corrupted most of the bots and now a new younger one was left with one of the bots that has it the worst?? Unbelievable. The pink haired woman just shook her head and turned towards her friend, the bot in question. "Did you run her through the system to find her parents?"

"I would but all I've got is her first name, she was really tired last night" Sundrop said, his usual energetic persona gone as he allowed his feelings to show in close company. After Vanessa got fired Mira got promoted to head of security. Before she was working in the daycare as a security guard, Sun and Moon were both so proud of her for her promotion.

Mira took a good look at the animatronic, he wasn't in good shape, he looked like he hadn't recharged at all since yesterday. Not to mention his paint was chipping and he had dents and scratches all over his body.

"When was the last time you went to parts and services? Or even recharged? You're a mess" she said, changing the subject. She had a fond but worried smile on her face.

"Oh, am I?" The question caught Sunny off guard, he looked down at himself noticing many things that in the past he would have gotten fixed immediately. "It's not much, I should be fine. I want to be here when Ray wakes up." He took note of the time, almost 6am. This would be his last chance to recharge before kids would start getting here.

The Sun walked into the nursery, past the cots and straight to a window. He opened the blinds and just stood directly in the sunlight. He could feel Mira watching him but he didn't care, he refused to put anyone in danger. What sounded like a very large switch marked the start of the hour and the whole building went dark, a look of realization took over Mira's face. The two just looked at each other, Mira with concern in her eyes being met with tired determination from Sun. Sun squinted slightly, he could feel his perpetual headache getting worse.

After a few moments the lights turned back on, Sun visibility relaxed and closed the blinds. Before either one of them could say anything Ray stirred in the cot, catching Sunny's attention. Seemingly full of energy again he was next to the cot in seconds, crouching down low so he could be on her level. She sat up with her eyes still closed and grabbed an arm full of blanket and her bear before promptly flopping her head into the soft lump she had made. Sun chuckled to himself.

"Good morning Sunshine! I guess you're still pretty sleepy, huh?" Ray let out a groan in response, then lifted her head to look at Sundrop. She let out a small whine and reached towards the animatronic, wordlessly asking to be picked up. Who was Sun to deny such a simple request? Making sure to grab the bear and pacifier as well he scooped Ray up into his arms.

"Did you sleep well little one?" He asked. She nodded, her thumb tried to make Its way into her mouth but Sun caught on and stopped her, quickly giving her the pacifier instead.

Ray looked up at him, giving him a wide smile that nearly caused him to short circuit. Ray reached her hand up and touched one of Sun's triangle shaped rays on the side of his head. She looked from the ray to Sun's eyes, just looking back and forth seemingly thinking. Sunny just watched her curiously until she took her hand away and looked at Sun with a very serious expression.

"Your head is pointy'' she said as if she was telling him he was dying. Sun couldn't help but let out a cackle, nearly doubling over in laughter at the absurdity. Mira who was watching all of this go on was also laughing.

"You're absolutely right, kid! Sun is very pointy." She said as Sun was attempting to regain his composure. It was harder than Sun would like to admit. He stood up straight and immediately got startled, he hadn't realized that Mira had walked closer.

"Okay! Ray, this is my good friend Mira. She's going to ask you a few questions, okay?" It didn't even look like Ray had known she was being told things. She was just staring at Mira with wide eyes. Not out of fear but out of wonder and amazement, she reached out a hand to her face. The woman decided to go with it and brought her head closer, wanting to see what Ray thought of her. The tiny thinker felt the thick curls that made up Mira's ponytail, making a noise of excitement before looking back up to Sun.

"Her hair is pink!!" Was said with such excitement in the little girl's voice. Sun nodded excitedly, matching her energy.

"It is, I made it pink with a magic potion a few days ago" Mira wiggled her fingers 'magically' to add excitement. "To tell you the truth, I'm actually a witch. I use my witchy powers to keep kids safe at Pizzaplex." She whispered that bit as if her identity was a secret. "Promise you won't tell anyone?" She put her pinking finger out for a pinkie promise. Ray nodded her head quickly and made the pinkie promise.

"Do you think you would be okay to go with Mira to her office to chat?" Sunny asked. Ray nodded enthusiastically at the idea of going with a witch.

"Can Ricky come too?" She grabbed her bear and hugged him close to her chest.

"Of course he can come!" Mira responded. "You know, witches and bears are really good friends."

Sun transferred Ray to Mira's arms and the two left for her office. Leaving Sunny to prepare for the kids that would no doubt start showing up soon.

~

By the time Ray had been dropped back off to the daycare there was a good handful of kids there. Ray went off to go play and Sun met officer Mira at the door. He rubbed his eyes and forehead lightly, he had a headache that just would not go away.

“It's worse than I thought,” Mira said, “her mom’s a real piece of work. She’s going to have to stay here while I get CPS involved.” Mira had a scowl across her face, one that made sure Sun knew not to ask. “I don't know how long she’ll have to stay, could be days or weeks or who knows. If she tries to pick Ray up just call for me and keep that bitch away from Ray.”

“Woah there, are you okay? You hardly ever swear, is it that bad?” Sun asked, not bothering to hide the surprise out of his voice. Mira reached behind Sun to fully close the door so the kids wouldn't hear then took a breath to calm herself.

She then continued to go off about everything she learned about Ray's mom. From what Sun could make out it sounded like unfortunately common alcoholism and neglect. There was something else that Mira was saying but there was a ringing in Sun's ear that was making it hard to pay attention. His vision was going in and out of focus and the edges of his eyes looked darker than they should. He remembered hearing Moon telling him to sit down but it sounded like Moon was far behind him, then nothing.

~

"Alright Fazbear, it's just for a few hours. You deal with kids all day, what's a few anklebiters?" Monty said, firmly patting the bear’s back, Freddy was still not entirely sure this was a good idea. Apparently, Sunny had collapsed and they needed him to drop by as a 'special guest' to watch the kids for a few hours.

"But they're smaller, and brake a lot easier, and a lot faster, I would not want to hurt them-"

"You'll be fine!" Mira cut him off, "The kid's love you, and it's only for a few hours. I'll be there too."

~.°~.°~.°~

Most of this was written over two years ago so I'm, I've got these ideas but my writing style has probably changed a bunch

Also in the original draft of this, Rey was A LOT more traumatized istg it was Wattpad levels of just trauma dumping with a little bit of plot

Also sun wasn't supposed to collapse so soon into the story but I guess it works

I'll make it work

I did that thing where I stored all the lore in my head for months before I actually wrote anything down.

-side note: system wise, Sun and Moon remember some of my original 'lore' for this fic as source mems and I feel AWFUL about it-

[geographerdose]

Moon and Appearance, Pt. 4: Mercurial-ruled risings, Pt. 2

Mercurial Risings, Pt. 1

Moon-Ruled Risings, Pt. 1

Moon-Ruled Risings, Pt. 2

Gemini Rising/Pisces Moon

Clockwise⏰: Juliette Lewis, Christina Applegate, Olivia Munn, Regina Spektor

🍎Christina Applegate has literally ALL mutable placements, that’s wild. I think that’s the first time I’ve seen that. She has 5 planets in Sag, 2 in Pisces and 1 in Gemini. 😯 Also obviously her Ascendant is mutable too in Gemini.

🦄Not to mention, her MC is at 0 degrees of Pisces too. With its ruler in the 7th with Venus, Mercury and the Sun (of course).

🍼This is interesting Jupiter is associated with her MC, as she also had success as a child actress. She debuted in a Playtex baby bottle commercial at 3 months old.

🎶👮🏻‍♀️Regina Spektor wrote the famous intro to Orange Is The New Black: “You’ve Got Time”

🪞let’s talk about mutable beauty because all these women have Ascendant and Moon (ruling body) in mutable signs. First of all, these are the most difficult because of the nature of mutability!

👄 Okay they all have fairly full lips!!

🏐Middle of the face cheekbones, giving them that nice “cut” when they smile 😍

👀🪩The first thing you notice about them are their eyes; each has a unique color to them. Also they’re probably medium sized

👃🏻Each of the noses are unique, which is 100% a Pisces moon thing!!!!

👋🏻👋🏻 talking with the HANDSSSS

🔮Also like not even being there, lol, each one of them in an interview sort of seems not fully there and in their own world. It’s wild how Pisces moons can do this— being in two places at once, never really here

🍏Christina has this more serious demeanor as well and is quite mysterious— she definitely does not give too much away and I think Saturn in her first house has a lot to do with that. I just wouldn’t expect her to be like that looking at her chart! Pisces is def the more introverted side of Jupiter and it makes sense she has her MC at 0 degrees with Saturn in a sign-based square to that. So even though she has the majority of her planets in Sag, it’s like she kind of comes across in a more restrained manner than you’d expect from the happy-go-lucky and loud extroverted Sag. Maybe it’s because they’re in her seventh house.

💏 Her husband is def very Sagittarius-like and even speaks Dutch. He is a musician and is part of the band Porno for Pyros (c. 1992) and has toured with Jane’s Addiction and Sarah McLachlan. So it seems bc this is in her seventh, this is more how she prefers partners. Even though ruler of her MC falls in Sag. Also proof that degrees matter, her Jupiter is in a Taurus degree and could play a factor in her coming across more restrained but “fixed”-like but probably mostly bc of that first house Saturn

🧸 can we talk about how ADORABLE Juliette is though?!!! So genuine, gentle and goofy 🥺her chart ruler is in Cancer, giving her that sort of “fun”ness. She also has Saturn in her first but co-present with the Sun- I think this is why she doesn’t come off as restrained or serious

🕴️Olivia has a more serious demeanor as well and I think it’s because of her Virgo stellium, as well as the opposition from Saturn to her Moon. She’s very well spoken.

🌎When I say they come off as serious/restrained, I don’t mean stuck-up or mean at all— there is still this sweetness and kindness to them that shines through

🐢Regina is also FREAKING ADORABLE, omg. She has her chart ruler mercury in Pisces with the Moon a mere 10 degrees away. This gives her this very cutesy and genuine way of expressing herself— so optimistic and just gracious. Her family immigrated here from Russia with nothing when she was 10 years old.

🦦Mix heavy-hitting Pisces and Cancer in a natal chart and you’re literally gonna have the sweetest, most adorable and gentle human being ever

🐶Every single one of them have this vulnerability to them though, almost like you would see with Venus-Chiron

Gemini Rising/Aquarius Moon

Clockwise⏰: Christina Hendricks, Sandra Bullock, Helen Mirren, Jennifer Jason Leigh

🫦Okay I will be the first to admit: I have a hardcore girl crush on Christina Hendricks. She is so HOT 🥵 omgggg. She’s legit like the Marilyn Monroe of 21st century

🪩Saturn in Cancer have the biggest boobs, istg, and you would think it’s the opposite but it’s not. I think for her— she has a sextile from Jupiter to her moon within 5 degrees. Also her chart ruler has a cancer degree, which somehow “connects” the two too//totally spitballing here

👸🏻Her moon is not in its domicile we look to Saturn since it rules Aquarius: it’s in Cancer, also at a Taurus degree. Her chart ruler Mercury is at a Taurus degree as well and is co-present with the Sun IN TAURUS. No wonder she’s absolutely drop-dead GORGEOUS. Those Taurus degrees are legit beauty indicators— CURVACEOUS & DROP DEAD GORGEOUS Okay im done being a creep. 🙂‍↔️ -sincerely, a Venus in Cancer and Mars in Taurus

🌕Having these two placements mean they have Ascendant trine Moon, even if in just a sign-based aspect, giving them this gentle look even if they don’t fully smile with their teeth

🦒Also they all seem to have really nice necks

⬜️Because the moon is fixed, the features/patterns are more discernible than mutable moons: def have a square jaw, medium to lightly thickened eyebrows with nice arches to frame those bewitching eyes 🧹🔮

🫖The cheeks are on the slimmer side (vs more luscious/voluptuous as seen with cancer moons) but still have nice definition

👃🏻The tip of the nose is prominent, playing off the flares of the nostril to reveal slightly visible nostrils; the sides of the nose almost perfectly align to the middle of where the cheek cuts— very attractive and melds well

👀Their entire faces are kind of small and quite petite, which would make sense with Saturn ruling their moon but their eyes are quite large in comparison (just not in photos but IRL in interviews). Okay it varies!! Aqua does that. Some of them have smaller eyes and some have larger eyes—naturally Uranus is going to switch it up

Air beauty though 🪭🪭

💄Sandra Bullock also has a Taurus degrees, both on her Ascendant and Mars (which is directly conjunct Asc). Venus is a mere 2 degrees away from the Ascendant too. Her chart ruler Mercury has a Cancer degree

🐂 What is UP with the Taurus degrees for these folks?! Helen Mirren has a Taurus degree on her Sun, which is in a sign-based opposition to her Moon (also at a Taurus degree) . Mercury is co-present with her Sun in Leo and has a Leo degree

🌸Both Helen and Sandra have Venus conjunct their Ascendant, within 3 degrees— as well as having Mars in their first house

🐠👽HOLY SANTA CLAUS SHIT— Jason Jennifer Leigh has EVERY SINGLE planet (7 traditional) IN AQUARIUS— this is wild and I think INCREDIBLY rare ; hella air. Air ascendant, chart ruler at an AIR degree (Gemini) then that massive air stellium 🫢 She is very authentic in her interviews and comes across as incredibly intelligent without being overly smiley

👑Very single one of them are SO ELEGANT and GRACEFUL

Gemini Rising/Capricorn Moon

Clockwise⏰: Dinah Shore, Amy Whinehouse, Loretta Young, Sarah Jessica Parker

[rooviebae]

Hello! This is my first time ordering so sorry if I misspelled anything :*3

Can we do all of the uppermoons x siren reader who loves to sing, not just to lead humans over to eat them but she just genuinely likes to sing. Can we get there reactions and if they like her? :3

. ݁₊ BUNNY HUT DELIVERY . ݁₊

YOUR ORDER ㅤㅤ

❥︎ the upper moons hearing the voice of a siren + if they like them. ❥︎ 1,088 words ❥︎ no warnings !

ㅤㅤ

KOKUSHIBO ㅤㅤㅤ

Kokushibo is a very quiet and terrifying demon alone. He's seen many things throughout his years from both humans and demons, but they were all so little to him.

He had more power and respect, and everytime he notices the fearful looks in the eyes of others, he gets reminded of his status compared to them all.

It was just one night that was far different then the rest. He was alone, as always, and his hands tightly gripped his sword. It was covered in fresh blood from the previous house that he emptied. The only thing that he had to do as always was continue his search for the blue spider lily.

But then the next thing he heard was singing. It was a voice he has never heard before, but he immediately became drawn to it, so he had no other choice but to follow wherever this was coming from.

To think that a man of his status would become so curious of a random person singing, but he couldn't stop. And when his six eyes finally land on a figure in the distance over the water, he realized just how perfect the voice matched you.

It was easy for you to spot him and the two of you were fine in each other's presence. Most of the time he never said a word, just stayed there and listened to the song that you continued.

Kokushibo isn't the kind of person who has an interest in anyone, so it might take some time for him to realize that you was beautiful. It would obviously be the voice that made him realized.

ㅤㅤ

DOUMA ㅤㅤㅤ

Douma was an odd demon, anyone could see that, even the people in his own cult, but he still is incredibly respected. He carries on his life with an empty heart, feeling nothing, but still puts on a facade to fool others around him.

He's always in his cult, so if he ever heard such heavenly singing for the first time in his entire life staying there, whoever was singing definitely wasn't there before.

Still though, despite feeling nothing, he grew quite curious to see who the person was that was singing these lovely tunes. So, he left. He left his cult ignoring the other humans there and just left.

He stands in front of a body of water, staring at the siren that still sang. Your voice was captivating, he couldn't help but wave at you as though he was a child waving at a friend.

I wouldn't say that Douma would feel any romantic feelings for that siren, but he would genuinely enjoy your company. If he ever did feel any kind of feelings, he would definitely be confused, and probably immediately assume what he might be feeling. He could be right, or he could be wrong. Who knows.

ㅤㅤ

AKAZA ㅤㅤㅤ

Akaza, a well trained martial artist, would obviously training as he does so most of the time anyways. He feels as though he has to in order for him to grow stronger and rise up in ranks so that he can finally beat Kokushibo for the upper moon one spot.

However, when the sound of a woman's stunning voice reaches his ear, he stops mid punch. He was so focused on training that he wasn't entirely focusing on his surroundings. He was letting his anger out at the thought that even after all this training, he was still at the upper three spot.

But when he heard your voice, his anger was gone. He would have left to find out who was singing sooner, but he was just standing there with his fist out, staring ahead of him with a blank expression until he finally relaxes his body to search around him.

Of course you weren't there, so he changes his plans and decides to delay his training for another time. He has all the time in the world, so he knows he'll come back to it.

When he finally arrived where the singing was coming from, his eyes last upon a female out in the water who looked content with herself. You looked as though you were enjoying yourself as you sing, and he probably would too if he had a voice like that.

He normally doesn't talk to humans, especially women. It's not that he hates talking with them, he's just used to talking with men cause men are the only ones that he fights, both humans and demons. Just for humans though, he doesn't even eat the females, so of course he's had more human males talk to him, pleading for their lives.

He ended up training in your presence. He wouldn't fight you, he would just train like he normally would. The only difference was that you were now there.

Having any romantic feelings for a woman didn't sit right with him for some odd reason. It was like he was doing something absolutely horrible, but he never figured out why. He came up with a theory that it might have something to do with his human life, but who knows.

ㅤㅤ

HANTENGU ㅤㅤㅤ

Hantengu would pretty much get scared over anything sudden, whether it was something big like a fight all the way to something smaller, like a random person yelling in the distance.

That said, he would jump when he randomly hears singing, but he actually loved it. A part of him wanted to leave, but another part of him wanted to venture towards the singing woman in the distance.

He decided to slowly make his way to the singing, and despite the discomfort he was feeling for acting out in a way he never does, he ended up slightly increasing his pace.

He would only go out of his way to others when he took the lives of humans, but he knew that whoever this person was wasn't a human.

He finally lays his eyes upon you from a distance, and he could only stand against a tree as he heard you sing. He was debating if he should go closer or stay where he is. He decided to stay, not wanting to do anything he might regret.

When you finally notice him, you didn't mind him at all, which was quite unusual for someone like Hantengu. In fact, you enjoyed talking with him.

When it comes to romantic feelings, he would catch them quickly, but he doesn't know what to do with them. He would never say anything to you, but he still stayed in your presence.

ㅤㅤ

GYOKKO ㅤㅤㅤ

Gyokko is a very cruel demon who greatly enjoys taking the lives of the innocent and using their remains as what he calls art. He holds no mercy to humans and even to other demons who fight for a rank.

When he heard your singing, he found your voice to hold such elegance and beauty, perfect for his art.

He immediately went straight to you only to find that you weren't even a human. He wanted to feel upset that he couldn't add you to his collection, but he couldn't. He's never heard a voice like that before.

If you two became friends, it would be because that you were similar to him in some way, but if you aren't, then there's not going to be a friendship.

As for romantic feelings, he might have at least some, especially when he heard your voice, but he's more focused on his art that he doesn't care for romance.

ㅤㅤ

DAKI + GYUTARO ㅤㅤㅤ

Daki would be the one to hear your voice, not Gyutaro, since he's not exactly out and around most of the time. She's a busy woman, but she does have her time to herself, and hearing that heavenly voice was during one of those times. She just had to see who this person was.

She finally sees you, and you were just as beautiful as your voice. She was almost jealous.

Daki wanted to know so much about you, asking question after question. She ended up enjoying your company, so it should be no surprise that she would want to introduce her brother to you.

Once Gyutaro heard your voice, he was in awe. He never cared for anyone but Daki, but he found you to be alluring. He enjoyed your company more then he would have thought, and he grew to like you as a person, even if you weren't really a human.

He probably would find interest in you, especially if you don't find him to be ugly. He'd definitely want to hear your voice every night once the sun finally sets.

If Daki was the one that gained interest in you, not only would it because of your voice, but because of your beauty as well. In her eyes, two beautiful women would make a beautiful couple.

[illunicae]

When the Light Goes Out

Was rewatching The Last of Us and got inspired so I wrote this in a single sitting. (Also found on Ao3)

Pairing: Rise Donatello x Female Reader

TWs: Semi-graphic description of wounds, Character death, Passive suicidal ideation, Loss of a child, The Kraang apocalypse, Mentions of past character deaths

Plot: The world broke when you were just a child, but you learned to survive and every day since has been a constant fight. Despite the hell outside your door, you found solace in your husband, Donatello, and you had a daughter a few years into the apocalypse. You did not like the world you brought your daughter into, but you promised her one day the war would end. But hope is a dimming candle, especially when you're losing family left and right: including your beloved Donatello. What more could you lose?

or

Sarah's death scene from The Last of Us, but with you and your daughter instead.

"Mom, will I ever see the stars?" 

You looked down at your young daughter, barely the age you were when the whole kraang apocalypse started. Lenore's eyes sparkled with curiosity, but you could see the small flash of doubt and sorrow that seemed to cling to your daughter these months of late. You cupped your daughter's green-scaled cheek in your palm, swiping your thumb across the purple spot on her cheekbone. "Oh, my sweet little light, that is why we fight this war. Because when we win, I will show you all the stars." 

Lenore didn't quite look convinced. 

"And my little light, it is so beautiful. There are more stars in the sky than you can count. And they shine so brightly that it's like the sun never set, lighting the world with a silver glow where shadows spill secrets and the world is at peace." You pulled Lenore closer, and you two touched your foreheads together in a silent expression of love. "I promise. At the end of this war, I will show you the stars and tell you all their names."

Lenore sank into your embrace, and the two of you sat together on your small bed, listening to the workings of the resistance around you. This was the world Lenore was born into—a world where you constantly had to fight to survive, where food seemed to always be on the verge of running out, where the sun burns red, and the moon drowns in dark clouds.

✧*

"Look out!" Leo shouted, and you were on the move instantly, trying to reach your daughter right as the blast struck the ground. Your feet left the ground as the explosion scorched the very air. You could hear your daughter scream as she hit the ground. Your body ached, your ears rang, and your head spun.

You groaned as you felt a spike of pain in your side. No doubt, something grazed you. You came to your senses just as a kraang hound loomed over you. Its maw was wide and dripping with bloody saliva; the low growl in its throat seemed to shake your bones as you groped around yourself for a weapon of any kind. Like a tightening spring, the beast moved, preparing for the kill. 

The singing of metal through flesh caused you to flinch slightly as the hound yelped a pitiful sound before slumping dead with a familiar katana through its skull. You could feel the relief wash over you as you glanced up at Leo; gratitude was on the tip of your tongue, but it died as Leo's horrified look swept over you to something beyond. 

"Oh, god." His voice was barely audible above the sounds of war around you, but you heard it, and the fear it brought struck you like the blade he wielded. You flipped over to see what caught Leo's attention. 

The battle continued around you, but all you could see was the limp form of your daughter, Lenore. The bright and brilliant little girl who was always smiling despite the hell that resided outside her window. The little girl you would tear the world apart for. 

"Lenore?" Your voice was soft as your vision spun; the blast had knocked you clear to the floor causing you to hit your head, but your focus was zeroed in on the rapid rising and falling of Lenore's chest. All other sounds fell away as Lenore's rapid panting echoed in your mind.  

As fear and a cold grip of dread crawled under your skin, you pulled yourself up, and only then did you see the blood slowly soaking the already red earth. Alarm bells rang, blaring in your mind as you scrambled forward. 

"No. No, no, no." Your knees dug into the soft ground as you crawled desperately. "No, no, no." Like a mantra, you repeated the single phrase over and over. 

Lenore had landed on her carapace with her gaze to the sky as her eyes glazed over unfocused. Her hand clutched her side, where blood was freely pouring from the wound in her plastron. The dark ground drank up her blood greedily as if it hadn't had enough already with everyone the resistance had lost. You wouldn't let your daughter's blood feed the soil as well; you couldn't bear to sink your daughter down into the infected dirt like so many family members before her: Splinter, Raph, Casey…him.

No, you would not lose your daughter, too. You couldn't: you were still healing.

"Let me see, baby. Let me see." You begged, fighting to keep the thick tears from clogging your throat and silencing your voice. 

Looking into your daughter's eyes bright with pain as she focused on you instead of the hellish sky, you gripped Lenore's hand. The warm blood glazing Lenore's skin swiftly coated your own palms as you moved the appendage. The sight that greeted you threw a bundle of barbed wire down your throat. There was a large gash in Lenore's side, along with a crack and hole in her plastron where a piece of shrapnel tore right through her muscle and shell. Blood poured freely from the wound as Lenore cried out. 

"Shh. Shh, you're okay." You placed your hand over the wound to apply pressure in a desperate attempt to stall the bleeding. "You're gonna be okay. You're gonna be okay, baby, I promise." The wound needed to be patched now, and you two couldn't stay there in the middle of the battlefield. 

You moved quickly as your heart hammered in your chest. You got your arm under Lenore's neck, but the movement jostled her, and Lenore cried out while attempting to fight you off, to push you away. 

"I know, baby. I know. I know. I know. I know." You kept pressure on the wound while trying to get your daughter into your arms. Lenore's arms flew up and latched onto your shoulder and your forearm. She cried out in pain as another movement jostled her. "I know it hurts, but we gotta get you back. We gotta get you home. I gotta get you up."

Lenore shook her head as tears flowed down the sides of her face. Her breathing was still sporadic and rapid as she cried.

"Momma."

"I know. I know. I know. I know. I know, baby." You could only keep pressure on the wound as you watched your daughter gasp for breath. "I know it hurts, but you're gonna be okay. Okay? You're gonna be okay." You threaded your arm around Lenore's shoulders and pulled her up. Lenore gasped and wheezed in pain while shaking her head. 

"I gotta get you home. I gotta get you home. I know, baby. I'm sorry." 

Lenore cried out again as you shifted to get her more in your lap. A small, bloodied hand left a trail on your cheek before Lenore grabbed around the back of your neck. Eyes screwed shut in pain, Lenore's breathing was getting faster and more shallow. "I know. I know. I know." Lenore whimpered.

"LEO, HELP ME!" You whipped your head up toward the slider standing a few feet away surrounded by more hound bodies. 

"(Y/n), we can't stay here." His voice was soft and heavy with an ugly mix of grief, pity, and authority.

Shaking your head, you pulled Lenore closer as her grip was becoming lighter and her breaths quieter. "Come on, baby girl." The limp arm fell off your shoulder. "Come on. I gotta get you home." You pulled your little girl closer to you and more fully into your lap. 

Lenore wasn't fighting anymore. 

"Come on, I gotta get you up. Lenore, we gotta go home." You held your daughter close as you cupped her cheek with your hand, only leaving a smear of blood along the skin that once seemed to glow with infectious joy. "Come on, baby. Come on. I–I can't–" Your breath wheezed out, a shaky exhale as hope dimmed in your heart in time with the light dimming from your little daughter's eyes. "I can't lose you too." Silent sobs shook your lungs as you clutched your daughter to your lap, blood soaking your shirt and cloak. 

"Oh, my little light." Your voice was soft and scratchy as the barbed wire in your throat tightened. Lenore's plastron dug into your skin as you hugged her tightly, but you didn't care. You held on, arms tight around Lenore's soft, leathery shell. Refusing to let go of your once shiny star, you began rocking back and forth as sobs were building in strength. 

Unfocused, dulled eyes stared at the sky above. No longer would they twinkle with mischief. No longer would they sparkle with that ravenous need to learn, much like her father. No longer would they shine against the dark, leading you to the hope against this never ending hellfire. 

The ground shook as the battle crescendoed. There were screams and shouts, gunfire and explosions: all of it white noise to your drowning heartbeat as you lowered Lenore slowly away from your chest. There was no movement from her body and no color in her skin. The overbearing urge to let a kraang find you and finish you off weighed down on your shoulders. Your whole fight, this whole resistance against the kraang, was for Lenore and children born into this unfair world. So that they may have a chance to see a world that is not torn apart by red skies and live a life that is not dictated by fear. 

Your fight was gone. Your reason was gone. 

What motive do you have now that your daughter will never see the end of this war? What could you possibly live for knowing that you'll never show your daughter the stars?

You gasped as a hand gripped your shoulder tightly, pulling you from the spiraling thoughts. You looked over your shoulder with unseeing eyes. Leo was shouting something, but you weren't hearing it. How could you over the rushing in your ears?

"(Y/n), we have to get out of here. You have to let her go." Leo's voice and the cacophony of battle rushed back to you in an overwhelming wave. Registering Leo's words, you shook your head, looking down at Lenore. Leo knelt down across from you and cupped your cheek with his palm, forcing you to look at him and not Lenore. "(Y/n), listen to me, she's gone. There's nothing we can do for her now."

A broken whine left your lips as you tried to look down again, but Leo wouldn't let you.

"I'm sorry, (Y/n)." He got to his feet and, in the same movement, lifted you from the ground, trapping you over his shoulder to take you out of the battlefield and back to base. 

"No. NO! Leo, let go. I need to bring her home. I have to bring her home! I can't leave her!" You screamed as you beat on the shell of your best friend. Leo just secured his grip on you while you thrashed.

"We have to go, (Y/n). If we stay here we'll die. I'm sorry." His voice was once again laden with a crushing mix of grief and authority. 

You fell semi-limp as you sobbed openly. You barely heard Mikey's or CJ's shocked voices as Leo called out the order to retreat. Deep down, you knew they'd be back to retrieve the dead once New York no longer feels like Hell-on-Earth, but you couldn't help but stare across the field at where your daughter lay, abandoned. You swore to protect her. You promised him she'd be safe. You failed. A once bright, shining star now lays dull and dark. 

A vibrant, beautiful light, now snuffed out.

[wellthebardsdead]

Falûne: *staring at the rubble that was the cloister where he was raised, most of it still standing but a great deal needing repairs and a great deal of its inhabitants needing healing and aid* …

Shadowheart: *pats his shoulder nervously* we don’t have to, closure doesn’t always mean confrontation.

Falûne: no… I need to see him… I need. I need to know.

Isobel: *looks at him, then at Aylin* no matter what his reasonings may be. He’s committed unspeakable cruelties in the house of the moon maiden and in her name. We will insure he is dealt with…

Aylin: Justice will be met with my hand if need be, child.

Falûne: *nods and looks behind him to see Halsin and Aura standing ready*

Aura: *gripping Halsins hand* behind you all the way, pup.

Falûne: *nods* thanks mama… *takes in a long breath before walking to the cloister, his eyes scanning the panicked masses before him, hundreds of new acolytes studying to earn their priesthood, now either laying dead or dying as the seniors try to aid them, and standing amongst them doing nothing to help-* Hello, Father Keldran. *opens out his wings wearing his cambion form proudly after spending his whole life forced to hide it behind a seal*

Keldran: *spins around, nearly collapsing in shock at the devil dressed in selûnite robes before him* F-Falûne?… you- but-

Falûne: I know the truth now… I know about my mother… I know what you did to her… I know you’re my father. I was born as a tiefling and when you killed her- I became a cambion with her dying breath… I know my grandfather is Mephistopheles. I know you placed a seal on me to hide my true form from me… and I know you betrayed our lady by turning to shar to curse my mind and memories so I may never remember all the pain you put me through. My hooves are still misshapen from being forced to wear boots and walk like I have feet. I look at my body still and I’m disgusted by what I see when there’s nothing wrong with it at all but you- you made me believe I was mauled and disfigured by a bear when I failed my rite but I never did my rite! There was no bear! It was a stuffed bear in the room you killed my mother in you made me remember!! All this… all this for what?… so I’d be raised good?… *sighs* why couldn’t you just treat me with love?… with kindness?… what did I as a child do to you that was so unforgivable that you resorted to everything you did?! *fighting back tears as it all comes back again* the broom closet, the beatings, the cold food- who- who makes a child wear a scorns bridle for speaking their birth language?! I didn’t choose to be a tiefling or a devil I didn’t choose to speak infernal! *chokes out a sob as he steadies his breath and steps closer* but even after all of that… I… *takes his hand* I forgive you…

Keldran: *expression souring from shock, to anger as he yanks his hand free and strikes him hard across the face* You vile! Ungrateful! Disgusting hellbeast! *raises his hand to strike him again*

Aylin: *grabs his wrist and snaps it in her grasp* In my mothers name. *lifts him off the ground by it to meet her gaze* you shall do harm. No. More. *hurls him into the rubble and charges at him with her blade drawn as the group rallies around her to beat the crap out of him, all except Aura, Halsin and Astarion who come to Falûnes aid*

Astarion: *lifts Falûne up off the ground, the cambion having fallen back in shock* come on. You’re too pretty to be sitting in the dirt… *strokes his hair back from his face* why didn’t you just kill him?…

Falûne: what good would that have done?… *looks to Aura as she stands before him, open arms waiting*

Aura: … *smiles and opens them wider*

Falûne: m-mama. *falls into her arms sobbing into her armour*

Aura: *smiles and kisses his temple and one of his horns as he nuzzles into her* shhh, im proud of you little moon.

Halsin: *rubs his back* so very proud.

[super-ion]

Red & Wolf

(remaster - chapter 1)

Chapter 2: Wolf

It turned out that Loup’s grandmother's house was a surprisingly cozy looking cottage nestled deep in the woods.

The old woman herself was waiting for them at the door as if she were expecting them. Red didn't know her real name, it had always just been Grandmother. The grizzled old woman was studying them now, her face unreadable. She had always been kind to Red, more understanding than most, but there had always been a hard edged wariness to her.

Red swallowed a knot of apprehension, remembering how Loup told her how she had been forbidden from responding to Red's letters. It was a lot of her to ask for sanctuary here.

"Grandmother," Loup called,"you remember Red don't you?"

Grandmother studied Red with a neutral expression.

"I ran into her yesterday,” Loup continued with a defiant tone. “She was being pursued by agents of the queen."

Grandmother sighed.

"No one's ever accused me of being inhospitable and I'm not about to let anyone start," she huffed. "Come in, child. You'll be safe here."

*

Loup was helping herself to a second bowl of stew when Grandmother sat down across from her.

Red had recounted her tale to Grandmother as she wolfed down her own bowl of stew, eating so voraciously that Loup wondered when she had last eaten.

And now that Red had retired to the bathhouse for a well deserved soak, Grandmother was studying Loup intensely over steepled fingers.

"I know what you're going to say," Loup said sullenly around a mouthful of stew.

“Do you now?” Grandmother replied in her creaky voice.

“What was I supposed to do?” Loup argued back. “Was I supposed to just leave her there to get caught or worse?”

Grandmother sighed.

"Despite what you may think, I do care for that girl. I kept her away for her own protection as much as yours."

Loup's appetite vanished and she stirred idly, not meeting Grandmother's eyes.

"There are only five nights until the full moon, child. Does she know what you are yet?"

"No… I mean, I don't think so"

"And what do you plan on telling her when she starts asking questions?"

"I don't know," Loup muttered miserably.

*

After a long soak and what might have been the best sleep of her life, Red was feeling very much refreshed and more herself than she had felt in a very long time.

Loup however was uncharacteristically subdued and reticent, which sent unbidden panic through Red.

Had she done something wrong? Was this fragile renewed friendship doomed to falter now after they had only just found each other?

“Would you show me some of the forest?” she asked finally when she could bear it no longer.

Loup’s eyes brightened at that, but she hesitated in her reply.

“You sure?” she asked. “You're not worried about running into trouble again?”

“I thought you were the most dangerous thing in this forest,” Red replied with a forced laugh. “I trust you to keep me safe.”

Loup grinned even as a shadow flickered across her face. It was only when Grandmother threw up her hands in exasperation and shooed the two of them out of the house, that Loup finally relented.

But once back in her element Loup was fully recovered, revealing the side of herself that Red had so desperately missed over the last five years. She bounded ahead of Red, excitedly pointing out all of the different birds and wildflowers they passed.

They finally reached a clearing, completely non descript except for an ancient looking ring of stones and the tinkle of running water somewhere nearby.

“You remember how to start a fire?” Loup asked as she dug in her pockets for flint and steel that she tossed to Red.

“I'm… out of practice. Why?”

Loup flashed a lopsided smile that made Red's chest flutter.

“The best trout in the entire forest live in the stream near here. Get a fire going, maybe I'll share some with you."

Red grinned and Loup gave her a wink and trotted off. She busied herself, gathering sticks and clearing a space for a fire.

It had been quite a while, but Loup herself had taught her.

A twig snapped nearby. Red looked up and froze.

The queen's huntsman, Maximilian, was stalking towards her, watching the trees warily.

Red stood warily, ready to bolt.

The huntsman raised his hands in a half hearted gesture of placation.

"My… my lady," he began, stumbling over the title in a way that made Red's hackles rise, "please don't run. I have orders to bring you home. I wish you no harm, but I have no intention of leaving empty handed."

"No harm?" Red spat, with a mirthless laugh. "What do you think will happen to me when I return to the castle?"

The huntsman said nothing as he crept closer.

Red's heart was pounding now. He was stronger and faster than her. If she ran, if she fought, she would certainly end up in his grasp. It had been blind luck that had landed her in Loup's arms in the first place. She needed Loup, only together would they be enough to best him.

"Let me guess," she said, trying to stall him, "the queen realized that pig's heart was a fake and she sent you back after me."

He froze, his jaw clenching.

"Lady Antonia thought that if the queen believed you dead, she would call off the hunt."

Antonia… Red should have known her step sister had gotten her fingers into this mess. She was just as ruthless as her mother and twice as cunning.

“It didn't work did it? You tried to fool a witch and you've been given one last shot at success. What exactly did her ladyship, my stepsister, promise you? It must have been quite the reward if you were willing to go against the queen."

The huntsman's mouth twisted as the barb landed. Red had a pretty good idea of what Antonia had promised, an illicit relationship between her and the huntsman was an ever present topic of rumor among the palace staff.

He was too close now, almost within lunging distance. Red took a step back and readied a scream.

Before she could open her mouth, a blur of motion caught Red's attention. A hunting knife embedded itself in a tree just past them with a dull thud.

"Get away from her," Loup growled, as she drew a second knife from her belt.

*

Loup didn't dare take her eyes off the huntsman as Red scrambled to get behind her.

"You…" he said warily, somehow recognizing her.

How much about the conditions of her exile did he know?

"Red, run."

Her blood was roaring in her ears. The beast within was desperate to be free.

"But-"

"Go!" Loup snapped as she flung a handful of pebbles at the huntsman’s face.

He yelped in alarm, but she didn't spare him a backwards glance as she sprinted after Red.

Together they ran through the woods, dodging past trees and over logs. But just as she was beginning to believe they would make it, Red's ankle rolled. She let out a yelp of pain and collapsed to the ground.

Loup was at Red's side in an instant. In contrast to Red's heavy panting, Loup was barely winded. It was too close to the full moon and she was pushing herself dangerously close to the point of no return.

She didn't care. The only thing that mattered was keeping Red safe.

"Red! Are you okay? Can you get up?"

"I… I don't-"

Something struck Loup in the shoulder, spinning her. The air was knocked out of her lungs as her back slammed into the ground. She was distantly aware of someone screaming as searing pain and warm wetness were spreading from her shoulder.

The sharp scent of blood hit her as she became aware of the arrow protruding from her shoulder.

She painfully dragged herself to sitting and stared at the alarming amount of blood leaking from her body.

Whoever was screaming hadn't stopped. Loup looked up to see Red kicking and thrashing against the huntsman, who had a handful of her hair in his grip.

The caged thing inside her broke loose fully. Before she could think, she was on her feet and barreling towards them. She let out a wordless sound between a shout and a howl as she slammed into the huntsman with her uninjured shoulder.

He staggered back several steps and she positioned herself between him and Red.

"I said. Get. The hell. Away. From. Her." She said with her teeth barred.

She tore the arrow from her shoulder. The tip of it ripped her flesh and blood poured freely, but the wound was already stitching itself closed and she barely felt the pain any more.

The huntsman took another step back in shock, eyes widening with horror.

She tossed the arrow aside and snarled at him, more animal than human.

He mouthed a word, two syllables that sent an icy shard of fear that pierced through her rage.

He knew what she was. If he hadn't before, he certainly knew now.

He turned and fled as if the devil were chasing him.

She watched him go, but the roar in her veins didn't abate. Her teeth were too sharp against her tongue. The colors of the forest were muted but the shadows were sharper. She could hear every bird and every creature in the forest.

The full moon was still a few nights away, but still soon enough that the stress and blood loss were enough to trigger the change.

She tried to take a steadying breath though she knew it would prove futile. A familiar fever was taking root, with its aching muscles and crawling skin. She felt a stab of pain in her gut as her muscles cramped and she collapsed to her knees.

There was nothing she could do to stop it now.

*

"Loup!"

Loup curled up her hands as Red arrived at her side, but not before Red saw a flash of claws.

"Red, you need to run," Loup hissed.

"No, you're injured. You need-"

But Loup wasn't bleeding any more. Through the smear of blood, the injury was gone, replaced by a faded scar.

"What?" Red gasped.

Loup's hand shot out to grasp Red's wrist with an iron grip, inhumanly strong. She did indeed have claws now.

Red looked into Loup's face and was shocked to discover that the light brown eyes that reminded her of autumn had brightened to a startling gold. Those eyes were desperate, pleading, terrified.

Loup grunted again in pain and grimaced, flashing teeth that were now too long, too sharp to be human.

"Red," she gasped through the pain. "It's not safe. Run."

"I don't understand…"

But realization was already dawning on Red. The eyes, the teeth… Loup had lied when she said the Wolf was just a story. The creature was very much real and lay before her.

A voice in Red's head told her to run.

But Loup was her friend, her oldest friend… her only friend, if she was being truthful.

"Loup. I'm not leaving you"

"What? No, you can't stay! I don't want to hurt you!"

"I don't believe you will."

Loup's eyes snapped back to Red and for a moment she thought she saw a glimmer of hope.

Whatever Loup was about to say next was lost as she let out a sharp moan of pain and collapsed on her side. Red wanted to go to her, comfort her somehow, but the sounds of Loup's discomfort were sounding less and less human.

Instead she sank to her knees and watched in fascinated horror.

Loup tore off her jacket and cast it aside, revealing a sweat soaked shirt and roiling muscle beneath. Her claws lengthened and fur spread across her arms. She collapsed to all fours, shedding the remnants of shredded clothes. There were a few sickening pops and snaps as the bones in her feet rearranged and a furry tail emerged from her backside. Her face contorted, lengthening into a lupine snout and she let out a low howl.

*

The wolf shakes her head. The transformation is disorienting. She sniffs at the air, taking stock off her surroundings.

She is not alone.

She sees the human girl nearby. Her first instinct is to flee. She lays back her ears and curls her tail under her. The human girl is alone, but humans always mean trouble.

The human girl stinks of terror, but she remains still, watching the wolf.

"Loup?"

The wolf knows that voice. Her ears perk up and she cocks her head.

The human girl smiles softly and says something the wolf cannot quite understand.

The human girl holds out her hand. She is terrified, but her body language is composed and inviting. She is safe.

The wolf lays her ears back in submission and cautiously approaches. The human girl does not move as the wolf sniffs her hand curiously.

Satisfied, the wolf presses her forehead into the human girl’s palm.

"Good girl"

The wolf grins and wags her tail at those words. She will recall this moment in the morning with mild mortification, but for right now, the wolf is pleased.

*

Loup awoke painfully and groggily. The morning after a transformation was always terrible. Every single time, without fail, her head throbbed and her entire body ached worse than any hangover. The worst part was she usually woke up alone in the woods, cold and hungry and miles from home.

This time wasn't too bad. There was a comforting warmth pressed into her back that kept lulling her back to sleep. She dozed in and out of awareness, dreaming of arms wrapped around her and soft breathing against her neck.

She shifted slightly and the arm around her waist shifted with her. The breath murmured something drowsily.

Loup's eyes shot open and she immediately became aware of two things.

First, it was Red's body pressed into her back. It was Red's arm that was wrapped around her. It was Red’s breath that tickled her neck.

Second, she was naked. Very naked.

She made a panicked noise and scrambled to her feet.

"Whu-?" Red asked muzzily.

Loup glanced at Red who was blinking at her in sleepy confusion. A moment later, Red's eyes widened and she blushed furiously.

"Your… um… your clothes are over…"

Red gestured helplessly at the corner of the cave as she scrambled to turn her back on Loup and give her a modicum of privacy.

"Thanks," Loup replied, her own face burning.

Through the embarrassment, Loup realized a third thing.

Red had stayed.

Hazy memories of the night bubbled to the surface. Despite everything that happened, despite knowing what Loup was, Red had stayed.

*

They picked their way carefully back through the forest. Loup's boots had miraculously survived and her jacket was mostly unscathed save the arrow hole and the smear of dried blood. Everything else was a complete loss. She salvaged enough scraps to tie a makeshift bandeau around her chest and Red lent her leggings, which were far too tight in a way that Red could not stop staring at when she thought Loup wasn't looking.

Red's ankle still throbbed with dull pain as they made their way slowly back to the cottage. Loup remained quiet and pensive all morning until Red couldn't stand it any longer.

"So… um… about last night"

Loup's head snapped around, a flicker of panic on her face.

"What about it?" she asked cautiously.

"Well, you did transform into a wolf," Red replied.

Loup swallowed and nodded.

"So you're a werewolf?"

"Yes," Loup replied, looking away again.

Red's heart lurched at the expression of miserable resignation on her friend's face. Loup was supposed to be the strong one, the confident one. It tore Red apart to see her like this.

"Hey," she said and she grabbed Loup's arm. "It's okay, I'm here. I'm still your friend."

Loup's eyes were shining and her breath hitched a little.

"Thank you," she replied softly.

"How long? If you don't mind me asking," Red asked.

Loup looked away and wiped at her eyes.

"My whole life"

"Oh…"

Certain details of their childhood suddenly made a lot more sense to Red.

"And your grandmother, is she also… you know?" Red asked after some time.

"No, she's human," Loup replied. "Well, mostly. She is a witch after all. She isn't even really my grandmother. My mother was pregnant with me when she was turned. She had nowhere else to go and Grandmother took us in. My mother… she asked her to take care of me if anything ever happened."

Something flashed in Loup's eyes, the dull pain of loss that had never quite healed. It was a feeling that Red was familiar with.

"People like me," Loup continued. "We mostly just want to live our lives in peace, but people fear what they don't understand. Every terrible story and legend about us has a grain of truth in it. Every so often there's a bad wolf that makes fear curdle into hate.”

Loup sat heavily on a nearby log and let out a long sigh.

"I was five when they came for my mother,” she continued. “She bought us time to run. I don't know what happened to her, but I never saw her again. And then when I was fourteen, I got careless. I got caught and someone tried to hurt me and I defended myself. That's the real reason we left."

Loup sniffed and wiped tears from her cheek.

"I'm so tired of running. I'm tired of being a monster."

"Loup," Red said softly as she sat next to her. "Do you know why I stayed yesterday?"

Loup shook her head.

"I stayed because you are my friend. I know you and I know you would never hurt me. You are not a monster."

Red took her in a tight embrace.

"I'm glad you fell back into my life," Loup whispered.

Red released her and smiled up at Loup, who was looking at her with something like wonder.

Seized by a sudden impulse, Red brushed a lock of Loup's hair behind her ear and Loup gasped slightly as Red's fingers brushed her cheek.

Red's pulse quickened, suddenly aware of how close they were.

Loup's eyes were so bright with need, but there was that subtle, ever present glint of fear in her face. Red realized that even after everything, Loup was still afraid. She was still afraid that Red would see her as a monster and run.

But Red wasn't afraid. She knew what she wanted. She had wanted it since Loup crashed back into her life.

She closed the gap and their lips met. Loup's eyes widened in surprise as Red wrapped her arms around her, but after a moment of hesitation, she melted into the kiss.