#its not as awful as spiral of course but like........ kinda mid

[latenightsundayblues]

I just finished Saw X and john literally looked like this throughout the entire movie

How am i supposed to hate that unhinged son of a bitch when he has the aura of a nice old dementia patient who's got no idea whats going on

[polar534]

Hockey Injury Pt. 1

So Hockey AU was... surprisingly more popular then I thought. Which is good, because I still have ALOT written down about it, and I intend to add more. (It's become a bit of a coping mechanism to write about.) So, in the set-up post I warned that I had a bunch of notes regarding Amity's hockey injury. Well, welcome to a 3-parter folks! That's right. I've got that much written.

Anyways, this first part will be a general text-dump summary of events, the second will be a Luz centered more detailed 'story' about what happened on the ice. And the third will be focused on both girl's healing after the fact.

So vague explanations and warnings aside. Have part 1. Under the cut cause I have ~problems~

In essence. Amity gets like... really injured. It's bad. Like she is laid up in a hospital bad. They don't even have time to get her to the demon dimension where they usually take her when she gets injured (because different biologies and hiding her witchiness), so she gets taken specifically in Camilla's hospital.

They were only barely able to sneak her away from the emt's on duty at the game.

The team becomes immediately suspicious and HIGHLY concerned but they can't do anything because Amity is hurriedly rushed out of the place and to the hospital. Camilla is completely freaked but she also knows this could be much more serious then anyone realizes, because if they take Amity to get the help she needs right now, they'll find out she is a witch. She barges into the hospital first and pulls aside the doctor she works for and explains, completely deadpanned, that the other girl who lives with them is a witch from a different dimension but there's no other place to take her.

Luz is in the hallway with Amity, and is completely shutting down. She is barely holding it together. She knows it's bad because she's only ever seen her mom like this once. And that was when Luz got deathly ill with the flu one year. Amity is barely conscious so there's no need for Luz to be brave.

Luz is alone and terrified. She's spiraling.

The doctor, having worked with and been taken care of by Camilla for years agrees in a heartbeat to not only treat Amity but to make sure the entire treatment is confidential. They get the xray's back and its serious. The broken bone has cut a major vein inside Amity's shoulder. She's bleeding out. They don't have time to worry about the different make up. They rush her into surgery and Camilla needs to be a part of it.

Luz is alone. Waiting.

She knows there's a chance Amity... is just not coming back.

She knows there's a chance of losing her.

And Luz completely shuts down.

During this time, the team secretly tracks down where the family went. As soon as someone pulls it up on their phone, they ditch all of their equipment and leave immediately, mid-match, much to the other's teams confusion.

They crash into the hospital, rushing past the nurses and security trying to stop them. They find Luz out in the hallway from the surgery room, and she's fully awake, but she's unresponsive. They can't get an answer out of her. So they sit there with her. Completely silent. Waiting.

The staff eventually catches up with the teens, but where they expect to find a bunch of rowdy teenagers, instead they find deathly quiet kids, all quiet in fear, they know there was warning put out to all the staff about privacy regarding this emergency surgery. So they buzz off and leave the teens be.

Nobody speaks a word, nobody moves a muscle until Camilla pokes her head out of the room, a couple of hours later. The team all become responsive and alert but Luz doesn't budge.

Camilla understands immediately. Knowing too many people will be overwhelming for Amity while she recovers she beckons Luz in first.

Luz, moves slowly, like a zombie. The team being extremely concerned about both girls but they have each other.

Amity is awake when Luz comes in.

Luz stiffly walks over to her and Amity knows something's wrong. Something broke her girlfriend.

"So. This is where your mother works right? It's so much more clean then the hospitals in the Isles." Amity points out, completely seriously.

Luz cracks. She is so incredibly relieved that she sobs, with a massive smile on her face.

"That's... that's not good Amity!"

It breaks both of the girls and they both laugh and cry as they have a soft moment. Luz updates her on everything that happened after she fell unconscious.

Camilla on the other hand is informing Eda and Lilith what has happened. Some members of the team leave the hallways to find some food and overhear their conversation. Specifically the frequent use of the word: Witch.

***

The next couple of days are spent with Amity being laid up in bed at home, with Luz absolutely spoiling her and fussing over her to the point of annoyance.

King, Eda and Lilith all go to the human realm to check up on their Blight child the night of the injury, Eda and Lilith are concerned but they also know Camilla has an absolute handle on the situation. They trust her to take care of Amity and promise to visit daily until she's better, warning the poor witch that they'll be telling the twins and Willow and Gus first thing in the morning. (Which was a whole thing) King... dallies at the portal to go home that night. Luz picks up on the little guy's worry immediately and knows he won't just admit to wanting to stay with the girls.

So she insists on stealing him for the night, for therapy of course and King takes the hint and runs with it. Insisting that his subjects NEED him.

This makes Luz feel much better because Camilla insists that Luz cannot miss classes despite her girlfriend being bedridden. So she entrusts King to take care of Amity. Which is a relief to King and Amity, because Amity is kinda tired of being babied and King isn't one to baby. He'll take care of her, but they mostly just chill out together and complain. King curling up on Amity's stomach while they both rest.

Meanwhile the team is concerned as well. They discuss the idea of Luz at first being the witch the mother was talking about, because it just kinda fits with her being quirky and an outsider to most everyone else.

So they confront her on it one day when they go to check on Amity, as she's walking them out.

Luz. Finds. This. Hilarious.

She loves it and is so incredibly excited because 1. They know now. And 2. They aren't afraid!! They aren't mad, just worried as to why the girls would keep it a secret.

However they got something wrong. And that's who the biological witch is. Luz points out the teeth and the ears and it suddenly clicks.

Amity is a witch.

Cue that night, Luz getting chewed out by Amity for telling them, but the girls both really giddy that they now have another place they don't have to hide in. They make a plan to have a serious discussion with the team about the need for secrecy.

But more angst. Back to the days immediately following the injury, Camilla comes in one night while Luz is visiting Eda and Amity is alone.

She has a serious talk with Amity about the danger she was in, and just how hurt she had gotten. Camilla wants to be honest and straightforward with her. Amity could've died that night. She brings up the idea that maybe the witch may want to reconsider her decision to continue next year. Just that Camilla will never stop worrying about her. Its soft and gentle and Camilla really is just concerned about her.  

Amity is quiet that night when Luz comes home. (She can't spend the night anywhere without her girlfriend, no matter how much she loves Eda) Quieter then Luz has seen her in a long time.

It worries Luz, but she just holds her girlfriend extra tight, knowing that Amity will talk to her when she's ready. That's their agreement.

The next day, Amity tells Luz she is quitting Hockey.

The witch is in tears and its incredibly obvious that she doesn't actually want to quit the sport. Luz begs her to explain and Amity breaks down and tells her that its her fault, and that she's been so selfish to worry Camilla like this. That she needs to quit. She fucked up. She got hurt and it made Camilla, Luz and everyone so incredibly worried.

Her toxic upbringing is coming back, the damage her parents did on her not quite leaving, Amity truly believes that she has deeply upset and offended Camilla and then that worry stetches into her team and Luz. That she needs to correct the problem that she made for other people.

Luz takes her by the shoulders, very seriously and tells her that Camilla loves her. Unconditionally. That worry comes not from a place of inconvenience, but out of care. That her mother would be 100x more upset if Amity sacrificed something she cared about, just to make Camilla feel more comfortable.

Luz admits to worrying about losing her, but she also gushes about just how HAPPY hockey has made Amity and how she loves seeing that happiness on Amity.

How incredible it looks on her.

Luz then proceeds to get Willow and Gus to come crashing through the portal to which they explain, Gus methodically and scientifically, and Willow from the heart, that Amity is doing wonderful and its clear that she is enjoying herself.

They original squad all have a night of support for Amity. Because that's just what a family does. Camilla overhears most of what Amity fears and let's her daughter and her friends handle it. Though she feels awful about how she made the girl feel like that worry was because Amity did something wrong. She takes a field trip to the demon dimension to talk with Lilith and Eda who explain that she's doing wonderfully. That not every parent is perfect or can be. They tell her everything that night about Amity's parents. Most of which Camilla has pieced together from the time Amity had been living with her, but alot of it is still shocking. Horrifying.

Its a night of healing and learning all around.

[artificialqueens]

The Parent Trap, Chapter 9 (Biadore) - Henny

A/N: Thank you for the comments, Hennies! Y’all are making me feel like Ariel in the beginning of Little Mermaid 2 :> I missed all of you too! Sorry if there was a problem with the formatting of the previous chapter; completely my fault!

OH, and if you’re confused with the timeline, I’ll simplify it for you:

RPDR Season 6 (filming) ended around Mid-July of 2013 (assuming it takes about a year or so before it is released). January 2014; Roy and Danny started dating. 6 months after that, June 2014, a month after Bianca wins, they get married. A year later, the couple gets baby fever, so they start looking for the perfect surrogate and egg donor. This is where I deflect a bit from the prologue, it takes them until May 2016 to conceive.

TLDR; the fic takes place July 2026, and RPDR is currently airing S19 with THE AS:BoTW filming the very same year . If I had said anything contrary to those stated above, disregard it. This is the new timeline I’m going to follow going forward.

All the love, Hennies!

XOXO, Henny

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

“Well, would you be interested in joining the first All-Stars: Battle of the Winners in place of Bianca?”

The way Adore gaped at her phone was almost comedic, mouth opening and closing like a fish. In some way, she’s almost flattered at the fact that Ru called personally instead of a producer. It’s almost very considerate, since the man knew what had gone between Danny and Roy.

“Well, last time I checked, you didn’t crown me, Mama…” Adore adds a teasing tone to her voice, and tries to ignore the nerves that seemed to resurface at the idea of returning back to the competition. It’s been many years since Season 6, and Adore has genuinely forgotten how it feels to be on a platform like that again. Focusing on her music as both Adore and Danny has shifted the focus of her career as a drag queen and performer; and with many seasons passed, she knew her charm has run dry with Drag Race fans.

Ru laughs, the iconic shrill making Adore spiral back into the werkroom. “I didn’t, didn’t I?” He laughs again, and Adore can only imagine him wiping a fake tear. “But, I am planning to release the footage of you and Bianca winning to prove that my decision to invite you has some bearing, at the least.”

Adore inwardly groans again, remembering the night of the finale wherein they filmed the ending of her and Bianca winning together. She feels the ghost of Bianca’s hands squeezing her own as they waved and the sparkly confetti rains and glitters of lights from cameras blinded their eyes; applause and cheers roaring in their ears.

“What will the other queens say? The winners, I mean. It’s not like they’ll consider me a winner, especially the newer queens.” Ever the anxious person that she is, she finds a brush to fiddle with to lessen her anxiety.

“My competition, my rules. Whatever I say goes, Baby. They can say whatever they want, but if they’re smart enough, they’ll pipe up. And, besides…” Ru trails off excitedly, like they were sharing a secret. “Since this is only a Netflix special, I’m only doing the first decade season winners. I’m sure they’ll be nicer to you than recent ones.“

“All of them said yes?”

“All, but one, you already know…”

“Yeah, yeah…”

“So, what do you say?”

“I- I don’t know, Ru. I’ll think about it…”

“Of course, let the producers know soon, alright? Filming starts October! Toodles!”

The call ends, and it takes everything in Adore’s willpower not to throw it to the wall. She looks at her phone’s lock screen and sees the beaming face of Portia, and she manages to calm down. She stands up, grabs a pre-rolled joint in her makeup kit, and heads out of the building after shouting to the manager to inform him about her whereabouts. She normally didn’t do this anymore; smoking, hard liquor, and even hooking up with trades that come her way. Portia had completely turned her life around, and so did Roy and Nerissa. “Fuck,” Tears fill her eyes again at the thought of her daughter who she no longer knew, she sniffles as she takes a long drag of her joint and breathing out harshly.

A tall figure looms over her, and with a tap on her shoulder, she nearly doubled over in fear. “What the fuckkk…” She groans, clutching her heart.

“Oh, sorry… Didn’t mean to scare you.” Adore looks up to meet the steel eyes of a blonde stud with a smug smile on his face.

“Shit, I know you…” Adore murmurs in thought, before she remembers “You’re Brooke, right?”

“Brooke Lynn Hytes, yeah.” He flashes her a beautiful, gorgeous smile, pearly whites and all. “…But right now, uhh,” He looks down to his jeans and plain gray shirt, “You can call me, Brock.”

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

“Okay, give me another one.” Portia looks at her cards, one five of hearts and the other six of spades. It was really late and they just finished washing the dishes of the entire camp after dinner. Not tired from their post-cry-emotional nap earlier, they had decided to play a game of Blackjack. Nerissa deals her another card, and picks one for herself. Portia peaks at the new card, and sees her nine of spades. She joins the cards together, and places them down in triumph.

“20, let’s see yours, Haylock.”

Nerissa drops her cards, a jack of diamonds, two of clubs, and nine of clubs. “Blackjack, bitchh…” She taunts, laughing at Portia’s dismayed face.

“That’s not fucking fair…” Portia drawls, “That’s your 9th time winning, I think you’re cheating…”

“Oh, please. You just play your cards wrong, and sometimes, I’m just really lucky…” Nerissa beams as she watches Portia fix the cards and put it back in their case, murmuring “I don’t want to play anymore.”

“It’s getting pretty late, too. I think we should go to bed.” Nerissa yawns as she grabs her blanket and tries to settle herself in. Portia agrees before standing up to lock their door; to make sure the windows are tightly shut; and to turn off the light. The moon shines at its brightest, a cool silver light shimmers through their window.

“I know it’s late, but I’m not even remotely sleepy.” Portia comments despite the yawn the escapes her.

“Same here,” Nerissa says with droopy eyes.

“Tell me, what’s Bianca like? No… noo…What’s dad like?” Portia asks, adjusting herself so she faces her sister. The mere idea of having a sister and having Roy Haylock AKA Bianca Del Rio, THE Bianca Del Rio is possibly 50% her dad makes her more giddy than anything in the world.

“Dad is probably the most workaholic person you’ll ever meet. He’ll make time for you, yes. But, you can tell that 75% of his mind is just…” Nerissa sighs, “exhausted, if not thinking about work… He really tries though, he hasn’t missed any of my ballet recitals yet nor any PTAs. He’s as active as a busy parent can be.”

“That’s good, I guess…” A hum of agreement, another yawn.

“And not to mention, the free dresses.” She giggles, “How ‘bout our other dad?” Nerissa turns to lie on her back, thinking about her dad who she hasn’t updated in awhile, even though she promised to do so everyday. A sudden urge to hug her dad courses through her body, and subtle pout forms at her lips at the thought of Roy. She missed her dad, she’s still upset about the whole not-telling-her-she-was-a-twin-thing, but she missed him nonetheless.

“He’s pretty chill. I can do anything I want,”

“Wow.”

“Yeah, my dad’s pretty cool. We have the kind of relationship where I can tell him things and… he can tell me things. He’s my best friend, so we just have fun most of the time.” Portia says with mere awe. “But, it wasn’t always like that. There was a time though where he was pretty down in the dumps; he didn’t really have the best mental health back then and his coping mechanism–”

“Hey, this seems kinda personal. You don’t have to tell me this, okay? Only if you’re comfortable doing so.” Nerissa says, her arm crossing its way to pat Portia’s tummy to stop her thought.

“No, no… You’re my sister, and I trust you enough.”

“Okay, if you’re sure… So you were saying?

“Yeah, so, he didn’t have the best coping mechanism. Alcohol is tricky when it gets out of hand. I didn’t mind at first, because I didn’t think it was that bad. I didn’t notice the signs because I was so young. It was only one incident, really, when I understood the gravity of it all. Around June, he nearly drank himself to death. I don’t know why he drank severely that night, but I just found him passed out on his own–” Portia chokes as tears start up with the memory of seeing her dad then. “I was only four then, Riz. I didn’t know what death was, but the minute I saw him– It just rationalized so quickly in my head. I called 911 as fast as I could. I didn’t know what I was saying half the time ‘cuz I was just crying.”

Nerissa places a comforting hand on Portia’s arm as the girl tries to fight the sniffles. When Portia manages to barely win against the tears, she continues, “When we were in the hospital, I was with my Grandma and there was another man, I– I don’t know who, from what I can remember– we didn’t know if my dad was gonna make it.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, Porsche.”

“No, no… It’s fine. Just sucks to remember it. But, he managed to pull through, obviously. He hasn’t drank alcohol in years. So, I’m really proud of him, especially in his line of work, it must be so hard.”

“Yeah, as his 50%-chance daughter and for what it’s worth, I’m proud of him, too. “

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

When Courtney heard the rumors going around backstage that night, she had about ten shots of tequila before coming to the conclusion that she wouldn’t tell Roy. But, funny how alcohol works out.

“Yanxxxxx” Courtney drawls out on her phone that she’s struggling to hold up to her ear. But the effort was there. She has absolutely no idea where she is as she presses her warm cheek to the cold faux leather seat of a couch.

“Bitch, did you really just– What?” Roy rolls his eyes as he looks at his phone that hosts Courtney’s current call and the said-blonde on his couch, drooling and staring off into space.

“I gotta–” hiccup “tell you a ssssecret.” Courtney angles her phone to her mouth, so she’s directly speaking to the phone’s microphone. Roy walks over to the drunk girl, grabs her phone and throws it in her purse. He ends the call on his phone before slipping to the kitchen, grabbing a towel and soaking it with cold water. He gives it a good squeeze to remove the excess water before going back to Courtney and placing the towel on her forehead.

“You’re so lucky Riz isn’t here or I would’ve left your drunk ass in the club.” He mutters in annoyance, even though everyone knew he wouldn’t really do that. He could never let anything happen to any of his loved ones, and god knows Riz has seen Courtney or Shane pissed drunk since she was a toddler.

“No,” Courtney says abruptly, hand swatting away Roy’s hand. “Nooooo…” She continues to drawl. “The secret is Ado…” She leans in close, way too close. Roy gets a harsh flashback and hastily pushes Courtney away. With the push, Courtney plops on her back and passes out entirely. Roy sighs, both in frustration and exhaustion. He wouldn’t bother removing Courtney’s makeup, but he did give her the courtesy of removing her wig and cap, as well as unlacing her corset. It all feels familiar to him, taking care of someone and helping them de-drag, except of course, back then he had to strip Bianca off himself and help Danny remove his clothes which then would lead to…

Roy shakes his mind, trying to get rid of the idea before it escalated. He leaves the guest bedroom and makes his way to the kitchen for a glass of wine. He’s just going to pretend he doesn’t know that Courtney was about to say something about Adore as he starts up a design for Rupaul on the granite kitchen counter.

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

“I can’t believe Biadore was ACTUALLY a thing.”

“How can you not? The tension was so obvious, especially during that one part where Adore said she didn’t want to work with Bianca? The sexual tension was just–” Nerissa fans herself before she receives a slight smack and push on her shoulder.

“Dude, you’re so fucking weird. I don’t wanna think about my dad’s sex life OR YOURS!!”

“I’m just telling the truth! The stare was intense.” Nerissa breaks into a fit of giggles at Portia’s face of slight disgust at the idea. “And speaking of, did your dad date anyone again?” Nerissa asks.

“Never anyone serious enough to introduce to me, no. He’d go on dates, sometimes Adore would go on dates. But, yeah. He never really seemed interested in dating anymore, so he put all his attention to me or his and Adore’s music.”

“Do you call Adore “mom”?”

“No, that’s weird!” Portia snorts, “My dad is, well, my dad. He has his own quirks and personality. And, Adore, to me, is just a whole different person. I can’t explain it. Like, I know he’s Adore Delano through and through. But, my mind just sees Adore like a whole different person.” Portia rolls again to her back, so she’s facing the ceiling like her sister. “How about your dad? Did he date anyone?”

“You know what’s weird? I don’t think he ever did, not even dating or flirting with anyone else. He’s always been so closed off to anyone who showed any particular interest.” Nerissa twiddles with her thumb, before scrunching her nose in distaste. “I mean, in some way, I get it. He’s scared to love again. Uncle Shane always said so. I wish I knew why though.”

Portia hums, thoughtfully. Another pregnant pause looms over their conversation. It has gone on for so long that for a moment Nerissa thought Portia was asleep, until…

“I AM SUCH A FUCKING GENIUS!”

PREVIOUS CHAPTERS:

Prologue | Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three | Chapter Four | Chapter Five | Chapter Six | Chapter Seven | Chapter Eight |

[moirai-au]

Timeline: Arc 2 - Outside, second part of this

Taglist: @immabethehero @bupine @tabbynerdicat @i-maybe-exist @its-ethan-bro @sandinthetardis @honestlyitsjustkenna @taikeero-lecoredier @idkwheresanti @thebluejaysworld

This was a horrible idea.

He dug his hands in his pockets nervously, looking down at the concrete- how long had it been since he’d seen a sidewalk?

His vision was restricted by the hood of the kangaroo jacket Oliver had lent him for the trip, he could barely make out anything around him. The hoodie was too small for him, the sleeves barely reaching his wrists, and it was not suitable for the humid summer heat outside, but it felt soft and effectively hid his face from other people.

 Other people.

 He couldn’t see them, but they were here. Everywhere. He could hear them, catch tiny parts of their conversations when they crossed paths before their voices faded away, only to be replaced by more, always more. It had been so long since he’d heard voices other than his own, or Cecil’s, and more recently Ollie’s.

Three he could manage. But not dozens upon dozens, mingling together in an indistinguishable buzz.

He felt sweat roll down his temples, down his neck- Ollie had convinced him to tie his long, tangled mess of hair into a messy bun, so it wouldn’t get soaked or caught in something. He wasn’t sure how he felt about it, but now it wouldn’t stick to his back. That was something at least.

Their steps echoed in the streets, ricocheting on the tall buildings looming over them. So tall. So high. He didn’t dare look up, or he’d get lost in the vast expanse of open space above him, too much space, too open, too much noise. There was a smell, something like smoke and dust but also not, it stung the inside of his nose.

 Don’t be difficult, this will be good for you. You can’t stay hauled up in the property for the rest of your life, so quit acting like a toddler. Do you understand me, Marius?

 He grit his teeth, shaking off the flimsy memory- he didn’t need to hear Cecil belittle him right now. 

His heart thumped loudly in his ears, hands trembling with anxiety. He didn’t like this. He was still walking and he didn’t know where he was going, oh god he was lost and he didn’t know how to get back get back he wanted to go back he didn’t want to do this anymore-

“We’re here!”

 Mars snapped out of his panicked spiral, becoming aware of Oliver’s arm linked with his own. Oh. Right, he’d led him here, he wasn’t lost…

He turned to look down at him- the little menace was smiling up at him, a smile that was probably meant to be comforting. “See? Told you it wasn’t far. You’re okay, right?”

The taller man blinked, turning away to come face to face with the front of a peculiar building. Something squirmed at the edge of his memory, faint and far away- was that...

“C’mon, let’s go in! It’ll be a lot quieter inside,” he heard his companion chirp before he was pulled by the arm, yelping in surprise as they passed the sliding doors leading into the aquarium.

 ***

 ...Okay. He had to admit. It was a lot quieter inside.

Ollie had been right, surprisingly enough. Apart from the two, teenage-looking staff members that had looked surprised and a little too happy to see them enter earlier, there truly was nobody here but them. The air was cool and dry, a stark contrast to the heat outside, and the dim lighting gave the place a calm and intimate atmosphere.

It could’ve been much worse, all things considered...

While Oliver was chatting up a storm with the cashier at the entrance, Mars had drifted to the side, carefully removing his borrowed hood before letting out a deep breath. Turning his head to peer past the counters and inside the building, he caught sight of a few vertical, circular tanks on either side of the dark hallway, a luminescent path zigzagging and leading into a bigger room further ahead.

A boisterous laugh snapped him out of his observation, turning back to the counter to see the younger, denim-clad man bending forward, holding his sides as he laughed at something the cashier had evidently said, giver the teasing smile on the uniform-wearing teenager.

But something else caught his attention- a feeling, like pinpricks on the back of his neck. He turned a little more to the right and met the gaze of the second tenant, a small girl in a similar uniform as the cashier- probably a guide of some sort. She was staring at him, a neutral expression on her face, her head tilted to the side- but when their eyes met, she froze and quickly looked away, evidently embarrassed at being caught staring.

A wave of unease washed over him, turning away as well- he tapped on his mask nervously, reconsidering his decision once again. Of course people would stare, why wouldn’t they? A normal person didn’t wear masks, or linger in dark corners like some kind of freak-

“‘Kay, we’re good to go!”

“GAH!”

Mars startled loudly, putting a hand over his racing heart as he glared down at a beaming Ollie. “You- Will you stop doing that?!”

“Doing what?”

“That- ugh, nevermind.” the taller man groaned. Then he froze, an important realization dawning on him; museums… aquariums… those… cost money to visit, right? “O-Oliver, I didn’t bring-” 

Olier laughed and clapped Mars’ back good-naturedly, sending him stumbling a few feet ahead. “No worries, entry’s free on wednesdays! C’mon let’s go, I wanna see the sharks!” he chirped before taking off, following the glowing trail on the floor.

Mars lingered behind, watching as Ollie disappeared in the distance, the occasional flash of bright green jumping around from behind the different exhibits up ahead. He sighed, rubbing at his face under his mask, a headache already forming.

 ***

 Oh.

 He...wasn’t quite sure what he was doing. One minute he was his usual mix of apathy and annoyance, reluctantly shuffling between the exhibits -he’d seen a few crabs, shellfishes… all in little-to-medium-sized tanks, complete with explanation signs he didn’t bother to read.

And now he was standing gobsmacked in the middle of the back room, staring wide-eyed at a gigantic, curved-in aquarium.

Beams of light pierced through the surface above, casting a surprisingly warm glow on the inhabitants of the tank- a school of dozens upon dozens of tiny silver fishes, swimming in perfect synchronicity like they were all part of a single organism. Pale pink jellyfishes drifting through the water, like strange underwater ballerinas. A manta ray, graceful, massive, seemingly flying among this world of blue, occasionally disappearing behind pink and green flora.

The rest of the world was but a distant concept now- Mars barely realized he’d come closer, close enough to touch the glass panel separating him from the mesmerizing fragment of ocean in front of him. Something about this, the bluish hue surrounding him, the feeling of cold glass against his palm, looking up at those creatures drifting and swimming…

It felt familiar somehow.

“You’ve been looking at this display for a while. Are you certain you don’t want to see the others?”

“...”

“Alles klar. I’ll leave you to it then, but remember we must leave in about twenty minutes.”

“S’pretty, right?”

He almost yelped, jumping at the unexpected, unknown voice. He whirled around and stared at the girl -the one he’d caught looking at him earlier- that had somehow sneaked a few feet away from him- she was looking up at the tank with a playful smile, but faltered when she saw him react. “Oh, sorry sir, didn’t mean to startle you. That was rude.”

He blinked owlishly, his brain scrambling to find an appropriate reaction to this stranger suddenly talking to him; Squeezing his right arm tightly, he was suddenly finding the carpeted floor very interesting. “Um… t-that’s alright.”

An awkward silence followed. Mars wondered if he could get away with slowly walking out of the room.

“Oh, right, I also wanted to apologize.”

He turned to the guide once again, barely catching a glimpse of her light blue eyes before he looked away again, like her gaze burned him. “...Apologize?” he asked meekly. 

“Well, yeah. For staring, earlier.”

He grimaced, the knot in his stomach tightening at her words. “Ah… P-Please don’t, it’s fine, I know it’s uh… strange. The mask.” he stammered, fingers tapping against the sleek black material. If anything, he felt like apologizing now. For being weird, for making her feel like she owed him an apology, for being here, for existing-

“Oh, no,” her crisp voice interrupted his spiraling thoughts, “I mean don’t get me wrong, it looks cool, but that’s not why I was looking.”

He stilled, fingers frozen in a mid-tapping position. It… wasn’t?

She chuckled nervously, fiddling with a strand of her honey blonde hair. “Okay- this is gonna sound really stupid, but… you’re tall. Like, really tall. It’s kinda awe-inspiring.”

 ...What?

“I know, it’s weird, but c’mon” she rolled her eyes, “Have you seen me? I’m basically a hobbit, and you tall people are like giants.”

“W-What’s a hobb-”

“Whatever. Doesn’t matter, I don’t have to act all prim and proper while I’m here anymore. Place’s shutting down soon.”

He shook himself out of his confusion, trying to fake a calm-ish front- he was having trouble following this person’s trail of thought. At least with the doc he was able to have a coherent exchange most times... “R-Right, it’s getting a bit late…” 

The girl snorted. “Um, no it’s not? It’s barely four.”

Oh. 

“I meant closing down for good. Investors are pulling out, everyone’s flocking to the fancy new marine center next town over.”

She sighed, putting her hand flat against the glass. A few bright green fishes flocked to it for a second before turning back. “So yeah. Within a month or so my summer job will be toast.”

“Aw man, that sucks. I really liked this place.”

“Putain de-” Mars startled again, glaring daggers at his... companion, who’d once again popped out of nowhere. Did all smaller people do this? “Tu fais chier Ollie, I told you to stop-”

“‘Wassup Sunny,” the smaller man greeted the guide cheerily, completely ignoring Mars’ angry scowl. “Been a while.”

“‘sup man. Sorry I didn’t come and say hi, had stuff going on in the back.”

“Yeah? Does playing that cat collecting game on your phone count as work stuff?”

“Ha-ha, very funny. How ‘bout you? Still teaching people to kick ass?”

Mars groaned, letting their back-and-forth fade into background noise, instead electing to observe the lazy dance of the manta ray. It seemed like a pretty good life… being fed every few hours, having nothing to worry about but the warmth of the sun and the flow of the current…

 He had started to imagine a world filled with gigantic manta rays flying through the sky when he noticed the lack of chatter. He hesitantly took his eyes off the aquatic creatures to see that the guide -Sunny- was gone, leaving him and a cheerful ball of endless energy alone in the room.

Speaking of, Oliver tilted his head at him, a playful shine in his green eyes. “So? Whatcha think?”

Mars blinked in confusion. “Of…what?”

“Y’know. This place? You like it, right? Of course you like it, it was my idea, making people happier is what I’m all about!”

Then he laughed, a clear, over-the-top laugh that, against Mars’ better judgement, made the corners of his mouth twitch upwards. “I guess you are…” He hesitated, before taking a grounding breath. “So. The people here... are those, um… friends of yours?”

“Yeah! Went to the same school and everything. Sunny’s gonna get an engineering degree, and Mateo’s saving money to travel around. They’re chill.”

Mars nodded distractedly, a bitter feeling twisting his insides- Oliver had looked so utterly at ease talking to these people, laughing and joking like that’s what he was born to do. His own palms had gotten clammy just being talked to, heart racing and vision swimming, and he realized a little bit late that he hadn’t made eye contact the whole time he and the guide had interacted.

 Oh god. He wanted to crawl into a cave. “C-Can we leave now? I t-think I’m good. For today.”

More like for the next year or so, he thought tiredly. Stars, it had only been two hours or so, and he was feeling more drained than he ever had in his life.

“Sure,” Ollie nodded, his excited expression softening, “I get ya. Let’s go.”

 As they made their way back to the entrance, Mars couldn’t help but feel a tug at his heart- something old, but close. Warm. He was so caught up on whatever that feeling was that he didn’t even notice the people around him, walking alongside Oliver and him, crossing their path. What he did notice, however, was that he did tower over most, if not all of them. Huh. Guess… he was tall. He just hadn’t really had any frame of reference for a very, very long time. Well, other than Cecil obviously, but then again the doc was pretty tall himself.

 But if Ollie wouldn’t apologize for calling him a beanpole, he wouldn’t apologize for calling him fun-sized either.

 “Kay, we’re here. That was kinda fun, yeah?”

“It was…something.”

“...a bit lacking in the enthusiasm department there but I’ll take it! I’ll see you later then?”

“Afraid so.”

 It was only when he was finally back, sitting alone in the center of the greenhouse with the parakeets sedately pecking at his shoulders and hair that he realized he didn’t want this place to shut down.

 ***

 “Hallo?”

“Hey uh, it’s me.”

“...What is wrong this time? Did Oliver fall off a building? Someone else bleeding out in your flower beds?”

“No, this isn’t- nobody’s dying, and I’m fine, thanks for asking…”

“...Whatever this is, be quick about it. I have work to do.”

“Yeah, I figured. I was just-  I need advice on something.”

“...”

“It’s, uh… complicated.”

“If this is about sex, I left some explanatory flyers in the upper office years ago.”

“Wh- NO! Stars, not that kind of advice- ugh, why are you like this. I was wondering how to buy a building.”

“...”

“...Cecil?”

“I’m not even going to ask, it’s your money. Give me a minute to cancel every single plan I had today, this is going to take a while.”

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

putain de- : fucking-

tu fais chier : you suck / you piss me off / fuck you

[sweetnestor]

You Look Happier | Chapter 5

university au, teamiplier + jack

platonic/romance/angst/(smut at one point but it’ll only be on ao3)

previous chapter

“It was awful!” I rambled, anxiously pacing around my living room. “Oh god, it was going so well and then it just fucking - ah!” I rubbed my hands together, my mind buzzing horribly.

“I didn’t know Hollywood Hills had business hours,” said Jack, who was sat on the couch. “Did you get a fine?”

“No, but I did have an anxiety attack,” I groaned.

“Oh no.” Jack sat up. “What did Ethan do?”

I cringed as I remembered the irrational crying and hyperventilating. God, it was so embarrassing and stupid, I was trying not to reduce myself to tears. “Nothing. He didn’t know what to do! He just rubbed my back and told me to breathe!”

“So he didn’t do anything wrong?”

I shook my head. “But it was so stupid! Everything was perfectly fine until I ruined it!”

Jack then stood up and went to me. “Hey, it’s okay. You didn’t ruin anything, and I’m sure Ethan told you the same thing.”

“Yeah, and how long will it be before he gets tired of it? How long do I have before he starts rolling his eyes at me?” I asked, knowing exactly how insane I sounded, but I couldn’t stop these thoughts from spilling out.

“You need to trust him,” Jack firmly said. “And it sounds impossible, but it’s not. It just takes time.”

I sighed. “I don’t want to be afraid of him. I don’t want to run away from him… I don’t want to be sad anymore…”

“I know. You won’t always be said, you have to know that.”

This was exhausting. How long was I going to be like this? When would I stop being such a stick in the mud? When will everything just stop?

Jack gently hugged me as I started to cry. I wanted all of this bad stuff to be over. I wanted to give up, I wanted to stop fighting. It was more tiring than just being depressed and anxious all the time. At least I know what to expect with the latter; It was easier to stay on the ground.

“No one said recovery was easy,” he told me. “You have to take the good with the bad. And you have to remember that this is only the beginning. You have plenty of time, and you have plenty of people who want to support you.”

I didn’t realize that I had said any of that out loud. I didn’t care. None of this was worth it. It was always going to be this way.

“No, it won’t,” Jack reassured. “And it’s completely worth it. You’ll have your good days and bad days. That’s how you can appreciate the good.”

He kept telling me these things as I cried Things were hard to hear. My knee-jerk reaction was finding a reason to stay in my private, comfy sinkhole of depression. In that moment, I couldn’t believe that I could get better. I was broken beyond repair.

However, once the worst of it was over, I wondered why I acted like that in the first place. Yes, Ethan and I got a stern talking-to by a Hollywood Hills security guard, but it wasn’t that big a deal. Yes, I was trying to get my shit together, I had done this before in the past. I knew from prior experience that I couldn’t just expect everything to be better overnight… as much as I wanted it to be like that.

~

I had forgotten how consistent you had to be when it came to communication in relationships. Ethan sent me a text a few days after the Hollywood Hills incident that made me feel kind of like an asshole.

“Hey, you’re not mad at me are you?”

Of course not. I’ve just been too exhausted and embarrassed to talk to specifically him. How does one say that without sounding crazy or rude?

“No lol I’ve just been kinda busy,” I typed before sending. Then, as an add-on, “Sorry for the silence.” Then I realized how cold and distant I sounded, so I sent some emojis following my two messages. That was three. I just triple texted.

Although, Ethan didn’t take ten years to respond this time.

“Okay, just making sure. Besides that, is everything okay?”

How can he tell? What did I say? Was I really that obvious? Was the storm cloud above my head actually visible? I was hesitating. I didn’t want to lie to him, but I didn’t want to be a burden either.

“Sometimes I’m bad at keeping in contact, even if it’s people I really like.” I sent it before I could panic.

My heart pounded as I read his reply.

“Aww… I’m the same way lol… I really like you too.”

FUCK. ABORT. RUN AWAY!

“Ay, no seas pendeja,” I mumbled to myself, catching my immediate reaction before it could spiral. “We’ve been at it for this long, we’ve already established this crap. C’mon Bella, no seas chillona.”

I sent back the monkey covering its eyes and the blue heart emojis. Then, I filmed a video to distract myself. Thankfully, I was able to be by myself again, which meant that I could film a cover while Jack was away on campus.

While I was doing my makeup, I got another text from Ethan. He was what I was doing, and I told him. Then, he asked if he could listen somehow, and I was convinced to let him in on a Skype call.

“Hey!” he greeted when his face popped up on my laptop screen.

“Hi! Don’t mind me, I’m just putting on my actual face,” I told him. “I’m nearly done.”

“Take your time,” Ethan said, resting his chin in his hands. “Work your magic.”

I took my laptop over to the bathroom and moved my products aside. Then, I continued with my routine, not really conscious of the fact that I was being watched. Strangely enough, I didn’t really mind people watching me do something I knew I was good at. Plus, I was sure Ethan would get bored of me and open another tab until I was ready to sing.

“How do you do the wing?” he asked, much to my surprise.

I paused, letting that surprised feeling pass over. “Um… I’ve had to sacrifice all my babies,” I finally answered. “I also had to summon like, five different demons with the blood of a virgin.”

“And who did you murder to get that contour?” he egged on.

I sighed as I applied highlighter to the tops of my cheekbones. “You know too much already.”

Ethan giggled. “Well, I’ll stop asking questions, Miss Makeup Artist Person Expert.”

“Yeah, stay in your lane, Mr. Gamer Person Man.”

I finished up with my makeup routine by spritzing some setting spray onto my face. For a second, I forgot I was being watched, and I had a moment of… “feelin’ myself.” I turned my head from side to side, watching my highlight catch the light. I appreciated the sharpness of my winged liner and the flawlessness of my eyebrows.

Suddenly, I heard a shutter sound and snapped out of my vain moment. I turned back to Ethan on the screen, my eyes widening.

“I’m not doin’ nothin’,” he said, feigning innocence.

“Oh god. I can only hope I look good in that screenshot,” I said timidly.

“You always look good.”

I rolled my eyes and put on my best “white girl” accent. “Aw, thanks boo!”

Then, I took my laptop back to my room. I set it down on the bed and went to get my keyboard. I stood it in front of my bed, since I didn’t have a proper bench. After, I went to grab my lights that I left in the living room.

“What are you gonna sing?” Ethan prompted.

“I’m thinking Dodie,” I replied as I went to grab my camera and tripod. “Or something else, I’m not sure.”

“Dodie,” he said. “You gotta sing Dodie.”

I hesitated as I turned on the camera and lights. “I’ve been practicing ‘When’ but I don’t know if it’s good enough.”

“Let’s hear it then. I’ll tell you if it’s good.”

It was more nervewracking knowing that Ethan was the one hearing me sing. I always needed to sing for someone before posting on my channel, but since it was going to be the guy I liked this time, I was a little nervous. I also found the song because of him, too. I could only hope I would do it justice.

Nervously, I sat down on the bed and placed my fingers on the keys. After breathing deeply, I played the first few notes of the song, but I had to start over a few times. To be honest, I was just stalling, but I got to it eventually.

“I think I’ve been telling lies, ‘cause I’ve never been in love Everyone falls for the sunshine disguise Distracted by who they’re thinking of”

The vocals were a little too soft for my liking, but the lyrics and Ethan’s persistence are what won me over. The more I sang it, the more lost I got in it.

“Am I the only one wishing life away? Never caught up in the moment, busy begging the past to stay Memories painted with much brighter ink They tell me I loved, teach me how to think”

Part of me wished for the day I would find a happy song that I could relate to.

I sighed when I finished the song. Sheepishly, I turned to Ethan, who had a huge smile on his face. He started with a slow clap.

“You’re so talented!” he exclaimed. “Ah, your voice is so nice! I love it!”

“Thanks,” I replied, blushing furiously. “That should go on my channel, then?”

“Yes! Record it and post it, like, right now,” he excitedly told me.

“Ahh, should I?”

“Do it. Do it, and… then we’ll go out after?” Ethan said the last bit slowly and softly.

Honestly, that was all it took for me to hit “record.”

~

This time, we went to the beach. It was cold as hell, being mid-January. But it was quiet and lacking of other people. It was also getting dark, which only made it colder. I was comfortable.

“Leggings were a bad idea,” I commented as we walked on the sand. “You’re gonna have to cut off my legs later.”

“You should’ve told me sooner,” Ethan replied. “I would’ve brought a chainsaw or something.”

We both stayed silent. Then we looked at each other and laughed. Thank god we had a similar sense of humor. It was easy to be around him.

“Hey, so,” Ethan said, changing the subject. “I… I overheard Mark saying that he was talking to you again?”

Spoke too soon.

“Uh, where did you hear that?” I asked in response.

“He was telling Tyler at the office,” Ethan explained. “I just happened to… be in the room. So, it’s true, then?”

“We’re making amends,” I told him, looking out at the distance. “It’s just that… we were friends before we dated and… we want to get over the things that happened. And, I think if I don’t try to work out these things, then I’ll wind up making the same mistakes in other relationships.”

Ethan didn’t say anything at first, which prompted me to ramble.

“I’ve known Mark for two, almost three, years,” I added. “We have a lot of history. I still want him to be my friend. A-And like I said, I don’t want my past mistakes to happen in this relationship.”

“I get it,” he finally said. “That’s good that you still wanna be friends.”

“Yeah, I probably should’ve told you sooner,” I said. “I feel like that’s something you deserve to know.”

“It’s okay. I mean, he doesn’t know about… this.” Ethan gestured between the two of us. “So I guess that’s fair.”

I wanted to ask what we are but… you know the cause by now. All I knew was that we definitely weren’t just friends.

“You wanna get food and eat in the car?” he asked after a while.

“Absolutely.”

_______

next chapter

[the-goddess-of-change]

Fantasy.

''To imagine me...a normal guy being invited to the kings royal ball...'' its almost not to believe i told to myself as i laid down on my bed and looked at the letter again and read it out to myself ''Dear John, I, King Alexander the third invites you hereby to our royal ball the upcoming friday, we would be delighted to have you come'' Signed King Alexander the third ''i still cannot believe it...'' ''it must be like...they give it out randomly but i feel lucky'' i smiled to myself and put the letter carefully on night table next time and closed my eyes it was Wednesday so only two more days i thought as i drifted into sleep i woke up early the next morning to the sound of my alarm i slowly got out of bed and stretched and pulled up the curtains, a gentle ray of sunshine shone into my bedroom and the white snow almost glittered in the early morning sun i yawned and stretched once again and went on do to my buisness in the bathroom before getting dressed i quickly coked up some food, just easy some easy breakfast, bacon and eggs, why not ? And walked over to the TV and sat down on my chair and started eating Since it was quite early nothing good was really on so i ended up just browsing the channels til i finished up my food today i had a chance to relax, i already had my suit for tomorrow and everything, just need a quick shave before bed tonight and all should be good i thought to myself as i started to clean But i still had to do something to pass the time Being the guy that i was that meant just spending the day on the pc since i had free from work this week i turned on my pc and started to browse around for several hours And so this by went by relatively quickly, i went to bed right after making myself some food and i just couldn't wait for tomorrow! The next day I woke up around mid afternoon after getting a good nights sleep and the first thing i did was to take a long warm shower afterwards i went over to shave, making sure i got everything i went into my bedroom and got the suit out of my dresser and carefully started to put it i tried earlier this week but it still fit to my relief ''okay'' i said to myself in an overly cheery tone as i put on some cologne and checked the time ''17.00...so it starts in two hours'' i said to myself as the doorbell rang ''....'' i thought about saying something as i walked over to the door but kept quiet about it i opened the door and before stood a man in a suit that looked way more expensive than mine ''Ah, you must be John right?'' he asked in an overly posh tone ''Yeah...im John, is something wrong ?'' He gave me a kind smile and told me ''Nothing is wrong John, my name is Damien, i am the kings chauffeur and i am here to pick you up'' ''What ? pick me up ?'' ''Yes King Alexander asked me to pick you up, i know i am a bit early but i usually am'' he smiled at me ''O-okay...so...im going now ?'' i asked kinda hesitantly ''As soon as you are done John we will depart to the castle yes, but please do not hurry like i said, it is still early but you do look ready so far ? and good choice on the cologne'' ''Thanks'' i smiled at him ''let me just get a few things quickly and then i am ready'' ''Of course, and if i could be so rude to ask'' i looked at him ''Yes ? what is it ?'' ''Could i bother you for a glass of water?'' he said feeling a bit ashamed over asking ''oh, yeah, sure of course'' i said and got Damien a glass of water ''Here you go'' ''Thank you'' he said and drank everything in one big gulp and handed the glass back i took the glass and put it back in the kitchen and put on my watch and my cellphone ''okay...i think this is everything, i'm done'' ''Wonderfull, dont forget to lock your house now John'' i laughed and showed him the keys, i locked the door behind me and made sure it was closed as i followed Damien to his car ''Ah, there she is, a real beauty'' he said and walked over to a glossy black limousine who looked like it was newly cleaned ''A limo ?'' ''Well of course, you are going to the king Alexanders Ball, entrance is everything John'' ''Of...Of course, i have just never been in one before'' ''I see'' he said and let out a hearty chuckle ''oh, let me John'' he said and opened the door as i sat down in the back The black leather seats, the minibar in the back and the black windows...it was just like in the movies, it felt...unreal ''okay then'' he said and rolled down the window ''we will be there in ten minutes but please, dont be afraid to take a drink on the way, it helps to calm down a bit'' he said and started to drive i gave him a nod and made sure he saw me as i poured myself a glass of champagne and took a small sip ''oh...this is good!'' i said in surprise i had consumed my fair share of champagne but this was just something else   Damien just smiled and kept his eyes on the road as i saw people staring at me in the streets, or rather, staring at the limo i leaned back and took another sip as we finally reached the castle in the middle of the city, the royal castle...it was built over a thousand year ago but it still looked brand new just the awe and majestic building made me knees feel weak as we drove into the courtyard and Damien stopped the car i finished my drink and took a deep sigh as Damien opened up the car door ''And here we are, i hope the ride was pleasant enough John'' i stepped out of the car and smiled ''it was...unreal to say the least Damien, Thank you'' ''oh, please it is my job John, dont mention it'' he smiled at me ''Oh ? Here already?'' i heard a voice say and i looked around and saw him King Alexander standing by the entrance wearing a suit with medals He had a short black hair and and some beard but he looked...out of this world ''Oh, King Alexander'' he said and bowed for the king ''i brought our guest of honor as you asked'' ''So you did but please Damien, drop the formalities'' ''Y-Yes sir'' he said and relaxed up a bit The king smiled and looked at me ''John it is a pleasure to have you here with us tonight'' he said and walked over to me my mouth felt dry and my knees felt weak as i looked at him walking over to me once he was close i tried reaching out my hand but instead he smiled and gave me a very...fatherly hug almost ''It is a pleasure John!'' he chuckled ''T-Thank you King Alexander'' i managed to say ''please, just call me Alexander, that king stuff tends to get a bit bothersome sometimes'' he smiled ''O-okay'' i said trying to calm myself down ''Say John ? You want the tour before the events start ? the public rarely gets to see everything in the castle and i rarely get to give tours'' ''You-you want me a tour of your home your majesty ?'' ''oh drop it, just call me Alexander and yes of course! i love walking around reminiscing and its nice to have someone along yes ?'' ''I...i suppose so Alexander'' i said a bit hesitant to not call the king by his title ''Good Good, it helps me get ready for these events as well, if i have to be honest, i hate these kinda things but my wife likes it you know'' he chuckled once again and walked inside i followed closely after and looked around the grand hall old paintings covered the walls, a grand chandelier hanged from the ceiling and two sets of stairs on the right and left side of the room lead up to the upper floors ''As you can see, this is the main entrance hall, what do you think ?'' ''its...sorry for saying but its Awesome...'' ''It is Awesome as you say'' he chuckled again ''Well then, shall we start the tour ?'' ''okay then'' i said excitedly ''oh, just one thing wait here one moment'' he said and walked into another room and returned shortly after with two glasses of wine ''Here, doing the tour sober would not be as fun'' he chuckled once again ''He really likes to chuckle'' i thought to myself as we started the tour ''shall we do the upper floors first and move down ?'' ''Sure'' ''Okay, upstairs we have the bedrooms, the bathrooms and guest chambers as well as a few...unorthodox rooms so to say, but let me show you instead of telling you'' I nodded as we took the trip upstairs and king Alexander showed me the rooms, there were as he said, several bed rooms but the rooms that really caught me by surprise we're all the ''relaxation'' rooms as king Alexander called them Rooms filled with paintings, TV's cabinets full of drinks and tables Guess even the king likes to eat in front of the TV He smiled at me '' i think that covers it now'' he said but his face looked a bit...stern ''We got one more room but we never enter there..'' my eyes widened as i looked at him ''Well...As you know John, i have fathered four wonderful sons but i have yet to have a daughter and i feel my time is running out, the last room was meant for the daughter i never had'' I just nodded quickly and took a sip, this conversation just got...awkward But once again king Alexander smiled ''But enough about that! Bah!'' he chuckled as we headed downstairs the main floor was as expected, a large kitchen, dining halls, a living room and a few extra bedrooms and bathrooms for some reason ''Okay John...we got a bit more time than i thought we would so...want to see the basement ?'' ''The...The basement?'' i gulped it was well known the royal basement was just an old dungeon used for the worst of criminals Oubliettes where people were thrown down to die, the previous kings usually would take trips down there and laugh at the prisoners ''it is macabre but...it has history, what do you say ?'' I nodded quickly the public never got a chance to see the dungeons so as scary and hideous as it might be...this was a once in a lifetime opportunity He smiled and walked over to a door in the far edge of the castle and opened it it was large and almost metallic like...it looked very out of place behind the door there were a spiral staircase made out of stone and as we descended the smell hit me it smelt...i couldn't describe it, it was like i was smelling the dead... ''Be careful here John, the stones tend to get a bit slippery'' i nodded and kept close to the king as he took me trough the dungeons Several locked doors where you could only see in from a small hole in the door itself cold black stone...nothing else we walked around for what must have been almost an hour down there while the king kept telling ghastly stories about the past Things i would never imagine, cruelty beyond human compassion for the sake of gain and wealth ''Ah...i think the guests are coming...'' he said and turned and looked at me with a sorrowful gaze ''Do you want to see the final room?'' he asked ''.....'' i said nothing, this just turned...creepy ''its fine, you dont need to say anything'' he said and walked a bit more and got out a pair of old rusted keys and opened a locked door with no hole on it As the door went up it was like a thousand souls screamed out in thanks for being freed from their eternal cell the walls were ice cold and the floor was...red, instead of the usually black stones covering the dungeon i looked around the room and touched the walls as all my fears came to pass i turned around and saw the king standing by the door ready to close it ''W-wait...dont'' i stammered but it was to late, he closed the door and locked ''W-Wait! what is this ?! Hello ?!'' i yelled ''it...it will all make sense soon John'' he said in a cold, almost dead voice ''Wait here for a bit...it will be okay'' he said and i could hear his footsteps fading away as i crunched against the wall ''What....what is going on...is this...real?'' i said looking at my hands i closed my eyes and just wished i could wake up from this nightmare but i know, this wasn't a dream ''this cant be real!'' i yelled out ''Oh....but it is'' i looked around ''What ?! Who said that ?!'' i looked around but saw no one but i heard the door opening i looked over and saw...Damien ?'' ''Sorry for this commotion John'' ''See, when the king asks for something, i answer'' ''What ? what is going on ?'' ''let us just say this John, there is always a price and when She is not available...it falls to me'' ''falls to you ? she...? what is this ?'' He smiled at me as i saw it The horns sticking out from his head and those pure white teeth shining in the dark ''What....are you?'' ''I'm the man who made a dying man's wish come true'' ''But i am just a servant of bigger powers out there, dont ask, i do what i do'' ''You're...the devil ?'' i said feeling totally like and idiot for even asking ''The devil ?'' he laughed ''No no, i am not the devil, although i am...blessed with certain...shall we say devilish abilites ?'' ''........'' i said nothing and just looked at him ''You see John, King Alexander although a proud and noble man, he never got what he wanted'' ''the other kings wished for riches, wealth, power...control'' ''But king Alexander ? No, he believed in humans, he saw them as equals but at the same time he hated them'' ''What ?'' i said standing up and looking at Damien ''well, hate is a strong word but the king already told you, he was never blessed with a daughter, he fathered three sons, well technically four but...sometimes that is the price'' ''i feel sick....what does this have to do with me ?'' ''A simple trade, The king will die tonight, nothing can save that, he is already dead in certain terms'' ''But for his life he wanted a trade, he contacted all he could, finding out as much as possible and managed to dabble into powers beyond his understanding'' ''He summoned...the devil ?'' ''I told you, i am not the devil, but he did manage to get into contact with....someone, someone who sent me to their bidding'' ''So...you're the devils slave...?'' ''Well, slave and slave but yes, i do unwillingly serve someone else...'' ''But this is not about me is it ? you're the one in this position'' ''What ? Why me ?'' ''Easy, you had just enough that people wouldnt care if you vanished'' ''people know but you never made a huge impression on anyone, you dont speak to your parents or family and you're an only child'' ''You're the perfect victim'' ''Victim...?'' ''Well, a life for a life in some ways, the king died for you'' ''What ?....that makes no sense!'' ''right now, no but let me talk'' ''You see, he made a trade with me, he would abandon his own healthy life, albeit the man was rounding his mid sixties's he would have lived well into the hundreds'' ''so to give up his remaining years he wanted to give someone a new life'' ''So i picked you out for that purpose'' ''....what?'' ''The king will die tonight, tomorrow, he will be forgotten, it will be as he has been dead for years but the one thing he did before dying was fathering one daughter'' ''And for that to happen, you will be its vessel'' ''....What ?'' i said feeling almost every bad emotion ever ''You will understand'' he said and slowly walked over to me and grabbed my hand ''Tomorrow you will wake up in a bed not familiar to you, you will still be yourself but your purpose will be new'' ''What you chose to do is up to you but let us say this'' ''My...mistress....sees this as a blessing, why ? i dont know, she has a sick sense of humor, might be her age'' ''mistress ? what ?'' ''Again you ask questions to something i dont have to answers willing to give'' ''John is gone, and tomorrow you will wake up in bed....Princess Aria'' he said as his eyes flashed bright red ''.....But it could be worse, you're alive and you will get almost everything handed to you on a silver plate, not a bad trade right ?'' ''princess ? i dont want...i'm not a girl ?'' ''oh ? that's the problem here ? that's the easy fix John, erasing memories and changing reality ? thats the hard part but dont worry about that you'' ''After all, it wont matter to you in the end'' He laughed a cold  dark laughter and i could feel my whole body getting tired My eyes started to close i couldn't force myself to be awake anymore The last thing i heard before passing out was....someone talking A womans voice ''She is beautiful Dear'' ''She is...our little princess...'' I felt...warmth and i saw a face in the darkness A woman with blonde hair smiling i looked at her and tried reaching out for her as i hit something i woke up and looked around i was...in a room ? i was lying in a large bed with silk blankets covering me ''is this..a dream ?'' i said, still not sure if this was real or not i looked around the room again, there was a window that was covered by curtains, several old...furniture covered the room as well as new modern things, like a TV, pc and...a huge wardrobe ''.....it...'' i sat up in the bed as i felt it i looked down and saw...breasts ''....N-no...'' i gently moved my fingers in front of my face long slender arms with not hair, nails that looked like they were recently trimmed i took a deep breath and gently touched them ''....it...it's real....?'' I sat in the bed for several minutes just trying to get my mind in order and wake up and just find out what was going on before i jumped out of the bed and ran to a mirror in the room i closed my eyes just before reaching it and slowly opened them as my jaw hit the floor looking right back at me...was a girl....she had long blonde hair, gentle glowing skin...no things between her legs ''its...me?'' i said as the girl in the mirror followed my movements ''it is me...'' ''its me?!'' i almost screamed as i ran back to the bed and hid under the blankets ''This is not real, this cant be real! but my voice...my body...it feels real...'' i sat up in the bed again and brushed the hair away from my eyes with my hands ''it is real...'' i said lowly to myself as i heard a knock on the door ''Princess Aria ? Are you awake'' i heard a woman say i didn't know what to say so i just kept quiet but that didn't help much as a woman wearing a maid uniform walked inside ''Still lying in bed ? Come on now princess, you have to get up, you are already late'' She smiled and walked over to me ''Did you have a nice sleep princess ?'' i still said nothing as i looked at the woman standing next to me ''Princess ? Are you okay ?'' ''Y-Yes i am fine'' i stammered She leaned over and put her hand on my forehead ''you dont got a fever...and you look fine, so get up, i have to help you into your clothes'' ''help me into my clothes?'' i said to her ''Of course, today is a big day after all'' ''Why ?'' ''Have you forgotten ? you're turning eighteen today princess'' ''Eighteen...?'' ''im turning eighteen ? i was eighteen....8 years ago'' i thought to myself as i looked at the woman but something...was weird she didn't move her eyes were fixated on me but she just stood there as i heard a familiar voice ''Ahhh, it seems like it worked, you know freezing time is hard'' i looked around the room and spotted Damien standing on the other side of the bed ''You ?! what the hell!?'' ''Really now, that is no way to talk young lady'' ''Young lady...what is going on ?'' ''i told you...'' he sighed ''look let me make it all clear for you right now'' ''You're a princess now, get used to it, its your new life and as for lives ? you shouldn't complain, many girls wish they could be a princess, Hell even some guys do'' ''And yes its permanent, get used to it and dont try to say something stupid, no one else knows the former you, it would be pointless and you would be seen as insane'' ''So get used to it is my best advice, and dont be stupid, you have a maid, you got a nice home, you're a princess'' ''you're still alive, but oh no! you're not a man anymore, your poor poor human'' i looked at Damien...and i had to agree with him on some points... ''Okay...but...i dont want this'' ''To bad, its your life now, get used to it'' ''....Fine! fine! i dont care anymore'' ''That's a start'' ''But i dont know anything!'' ''Oh that ? it will come, lets say your...princess etiquette so to say will come as days pass'' ''What do you mean ?'' ''Well imagine...playing a game you haven't played in a while, you know some parts but have forgotten some as well'' ''Yeah...?'' ''it will slowly come to you as time goes, how to act, talk, behave, and so on'' ''Okay...'' i said feeling...defeated I looked over at the maid frozen in time and sighed as it finally sunk in...this is my new life And as for lives...it could have been far worse...and my old life wasn't that much to talk about ''you finally get it dont you'' he said giving me an honest smile ''...Yes'' i said in a calmer tone ''i knew you would, this is probably the last time we talk so let me give you one final piece of advice'' ''This is your new life, you're a princess, your father, the king, is dead so dont mention him'' ''You're a girl ? so what, 50 percent of all humans are and you're 18, you're in your prime time of life'' ''You ar-...'' i interrupted and looked at him ''I know Damien....i know...i'll...i'll make it work okay ? dont worry about me'' ''Pleasure to hear Princess'' he smiled at me ''Princess...'' ''i guess i could get used to that'' i said and smiled kindly ''You'll do fine, now then, i have to leave and Take care now, Aria'' i wanted to say something back but as soon as he finished, he was gone and time started to flow again ''So lets get dressed shall we princess ?'' ''Yes..sorry'' i slowly got out of the bed with only my panties on but the maid didn't seem to mind to much as i walked over to the mirror ''Okay then, do you prefer the white gown or the black one ?'' i looked over at the gowns ''....The white one'' i said feeling a bit hesitant but something else was rising inside me, a feeling of excitement ''Great, i do the same'' she smiled and brought it out as well as some lingerie ''please change'' she said and handed me the lingerie and turned around i removed my panties and looked down Nothing down there as i knew...and slid the white panties up my legs Then there was the bra... i tried to take on and failed a few times before finally getting it on ''it feels a bit tight but...'' ''oh, dont worry princess, it will get better during the day, its brand new you know'' I nodded slowly as i stepped into the dress and slid up as the maid pulled up the zipper on my back ''You look beautiful Princess Aria'' she smiled at me as i looked at myself in the mirror Beautiful was an understatement, i looked like a goddess... ''okay and now onto your hair can you sit down ?'' she said pointing at a chair in front of a vanity table i nodded slowly and walked over as she began to brush and straightening my hair then curling it ''And lastly this little thing'' she said and put a some kinda silver hair piece on my hair ''All done'' she smiled ''Y-yeah....it looks amazing'' i blushed looking at myself ''oh and i almost forgot, my deepest apologies Princess Aria'' she said and walked over to the wardrobe and got out a pair of white high heels with gold laces rims ''please put them on'' she smiled and put the shoes on the floor next to me i gulped a bit, high heels ? could i even walk in those without looking like i had never done it before ? i slowly put on the shoes and stood up it did feel a bit strange but...i just had to get used to it i slowly walked around to get a feel of it ''Glamorous princess Aria'' the maid smiled at me i look over at her try to curtsy ''oh'' she blushes and does the same back ''Okay...okay, so...what happens today ?'' ''i think your mother is waiting for you downstairs my princess, i shall let her know you are coming'' she smiles and walks away i look around, finally alone ''...All in all...this is not too bad...i mean...i feel pretty good, i look healthy...'' i just shrug and walk over to the door and open it i am in the hallway i remember it from my tour the other day with the king i walk over to the stairs leading down to the main floor but as i reach the last step i look over and see a woman clad in a very elegant gown looking at me ''you look amazing sweetie!'' she smiles at me just by looking at her i know its the queen or rather, my mom ''Thanks mom'' i walk over and hug her she smiles kindly back to me ''to think my daughter has turned 18...i remember the day you were born dear, your father would have been so proud'' she said as a single tear rolls down her cheek i nod slowly and smile at her ''thanks mom...i...im sure dad would'' she nods and holds my hand as she leads to me to the living room where a photographer is standing ''what is this mom ?'' i ask ''since you're turning 18 dear i figured it would be nice to take some pictures to remember the day'' The photographer turns around and smiles at us ''Hello Princess Aria, my name is Derek, i'm here to take your pictures'' i nod at him ''if you wouldn't mind, can you sit down on the white chair over there ?'' i slowly walk over to the chair and sit down, i rest my hand on the chair and the other hand on my dress as the Derek starts taking the pictures of me i look over at my mom as she just stands there and smiles at me ''18...im a princess...and im 18'' i think to myself as i keep posing ''i...i dont know what life holds for me but...i got this chance to make the best of it, and i will do my best to make sure it's a good and long life'' i just keep thinking I sigh as i smile to my mom as i keep sitting on the chair being taken pictures of ''I'm a princess....Princess Aria...'' i close my eyes as i embrace the future of my life fully and as i do, i feel a slight..tingling sensation inside me, i feel...complete.