#like omg yes let me just space out for a bit and escape reality for a few hours

[mikakuna]

playing arkham knight is genuinely so healing

[princesskokichi]

kokichi’s birthday with is s/o

I PRAY YOU WERE READING FOR READING BECAUSE UHM 3K WORDS BABIIEE :D i got excited i’m so sorry

i found myself at 2k before i knew it and tried not to drag on for too long, but as you can see, that didn’t happen. so now there’s just this really long post about kokichi’s birthday and i’m kind of in love with it ngl

i don’t think i necessarily did the request either, i think i did a lot more omg i hope that’s alright with you kokichi simp anon 

also he is slightly aged up here !! by three to five years at least.

his personality is a lot more chill here because he’s not in a killing game which stretches his lying habit to an extreme to keep him afloat in his lies

in this he’s just kind of a slightly rude mouthed tsundere boy ?? and i vibe heavily with older kokichi - mod kokichi

- his birthday this year was such a treat

- honest to god he will likely never forget this birthday for as long as he lives

- and the weirdest thing is that ??? not much even happened that day

- but at the same time it was like everything was happening

- you typically go all out on his birthday by planning elaborate surprises later in the afternoon to blow him away

- and it works every time

- but this birthday was a little different, and a lot more subtle

- he woke up with you right beside him in bed, sleeping peacefully with your arm lazily wrapped around his waist like you two normally slept

- you were so stunning, even when wearing his faded old tee from a band he used to like and your mouth slightly opened with a bit of drool

- he was tempted not to move because he knew you would halfway wake up

- and he just knew that once you woke up and remembered his birthday, you wouldn't be able to fall back asleep and would insist on waking up with him

- he did find it a little odd that you were asleep still though

- usually, when something exciting is happening, you have trouble falling asleep and become a very light sleeper

- so for you to be as deep asleep as you were, it was certainly uncommon

- even though it was his birthday and his inner child wanted the attention on him immediately, he let you sleep

- very VERY carefully, he slid off and away from the bed

- trying really hard to step lightly so the floorboards didn't creak under his feet

- he left you in the bed while he went to brush his teeth and start his morning doing whatever he wanted

- it wasn't often he had a morning to himself, since you usually woke up before him

- he really didn't know what to do without you to fill his morning with your horrible morning breath and low voice as you mumbled

- so he opted for walking around the house, inevitably going into the kitchen

- and then he saw it

- a very tiny but elaborately designed cake, with his birthday and name written in your handwriting when you tried to write fancily

- his heart swelled a little inside as he walked up to it and read the card you'd made for him out of really nice looking origami paper

- " happy birthday baby! i hope today is the best birthday ever. i don't have a lot planned, but i still want to make it super special for you. you deserve the entire world, and i know one day you'll get it because the king always gets what he wants ! i love you so much kokichi, and thank you for being my crazy perfect little boyfriend. -s / o "

- you'd drawn a chibi of him and you together snuggling on the side with flower crowns

- ah, flower crowns were something that you taught him how to make on your third date together

- he hugged the card to his chest, holding onto as if it were his lifeline

- he noticed a yellow sticky note hidden poorly behind the cake, picking it up

- " p.s. don't think i've forgotten about your gift ! you have to find it tho, its somewhere in this house. your hint is that we had our first kiss there. that was so hella awkward, wasn't it ? But to be honest, i couldn't stop thinking about it for days,, - s / o "

- he just stood there for a moment, trying to think about that day

- he had taken you to his apartment because you had tripped and hurt yourself at the park

- you looked just as beautiful back then as you did now,,

- you had teared up slightly because there was a lot of blood, even though the cut itself wasn't that bad

- after he had you bandaged up on the couch in the living room, you and him decided you would spend dinner together

- when it was time to leave, you sat on the couch, while he was joking around and standing on the table next to it so he could be tall

- he had warned you beforehand that if you didn't move, he was going to jump and kiss you

- you took his bluff and didn't budge

- he freefalled, letting gravity hit you with the reality that he wasn't lying

- yeah, right there on the couch while you were sitting, he kissed you for the first time

- out of shock, you had disconnected the kiss and leaned back, surprised and touching your bottom lip

- kokichi remembered being able to see the cogs in your head turning as you sat there and stared at him for longer than a minute

- and then you'd grabbed his jacket, pulling him close to you and reinitiating the kiss

- did your actions that night make god frown ?

- yeah, probably

- but, even now, when thinking about he couldn't help but get a little red in the face thinking about it

- you'd only ever been that bold a few times in this relationship

- and each time was because he either teased you relentlessly over stupid, romantic stuff

-or it was a new point in the relationship that you were more than ready to reach

- s / o : " ah, mornin' baby, how do you like ? "

you scratched the back of your head lazily, more than a little content to rest your head on his shoulder, no matter how far down you had to bend to reach it

- wrapping your arms around his torso, you smiled a little at the sticky note in his hand

- s / o : " i totally forgot i did that. "

- kokichi : " you've done a lot of lame things that sound like they come out of a bad romance movie, but this is probably one of the most cheesy things you've ever done. "

- s / o : " do you like it ? "

- kokichi : " yes. yes i do. but you're going to have to do better than this because i already figured out the first hint. "

- s / o : " what is it ? "

- kokichi : " the couch, duh. you had been so horny like woah close your legs we'd only been dating for about four months. "

- s / o : " i was horny for love, not sex. there's a difference. it wasn't my legs that i opened, it was my heart, dumdum. "

- kokichi : " PLEASE DON'T CALL ME DUMDUM YOU KNOW IT MAKES ME CRY - "

- you let go of him, laughing softly

- s / o : " once you find your present, i'll let you have a bite of cake. "

- kokichi : " a bite ? what's going to happen to the rest ? "

- s / o : " i baked it so it's mine, duhh. "

- you flicked his forehead, to which he lowkey cutely flinched back and put his hand over where you hit

- kokichi : " you're on my nerves today, you know that ? "

- s / o : " well, someone's gotta annoy the annoying one. "

- FUCK HE IS IN LOVE WITH YOU -

- kokichi : " i'm just going to finish this quickly so i ruin your plan of keeping me busy all day. "

- s / o : " since you're so smart, i dare you to try to find it in twenty minutes or less "

- you set a timer, and watched as he scrambled to find all of the clues to find the last hiding spot

- yeah, it would have been easier for him to just search the entire house, but then what's the fun if you can't play the game ?

-  he decided to indulge you

- he was having fun lmao

- after he went to the couch, he found the sticky note that asked him where they got caught having a,, moment,,, by your parents

- " heyy, kokichi !! remember that time wE were making out and my parents walked in because they were visiting ? i hated it !! do you remember where that happened ? i do !! - s / o "

- against the refrigerator, of course

- he passed you in the kitchen

- you were sitting at the table, just watching him with such amusement

- s / o : " you're always throwing me for games. now i understand how it feels to be in your shoes. "

- kokichi : " oh haha, you suck at being me. "

- s / o : " do i ? then why is there only ten minutes left for you to find your gift ? "

- kokichi : " no way. "

- s / o : " yeah, seriously. you're horrible at this game. "

- kokichi ignored you, checking the refrigerator for another note

- didn't see a sticky note on the front, but the moment he opened it, a bright yellow sticky note glared at him

- " kokichi !! Do you remember when you gave me the promise rings ? it was such an out of character thing for you to do, i was wondering if there was something wrong with it at first and was hesitant to put it on. and now i sleep with it on. ahh, it feels like we're already married, doesn't it ? - s / o "

- kokichi looked back at you as you sipped on your morning drink

- s / o : " gosh, kokichi, i just wanna say that you are the cutest person in existence, so thank you for that. "

- kokichi : " uh-huh. now tell me where the next clue is. "

- s / o : " you're just so,, ugh ! i love how much of a snuggle bug you are. "

- kokichi : " you're not helping your case. i may just sit here and listen to you being cringy. "

- s / o : " do you think me telling the truth embarrasses me ? pitiful. "

- kokichi : " no wait go back to complimenting me. "

- s / o : " aaah, you're so cute !! and thoughtful in your own way. very unique too. the perfect mix of stupid and reasonable. "

- kokichi : " the compliments are starting to get really backhanded. "

- you both stood there for a second, staring at each other and giggling under your breath

- he leaned over quickly and kissed your cheek, escaping fast

- but not fast enough

- you caught him by the sleeve of his jacket and pulled him back into your space, kissing your boyfriend on the lips

- when he pulled away to breathe, he looked completely disheveled, and all he wanted now was to stay in your space

- s / o : " go on, find the gift. "

- kokichi : " no. "

- s / o : " then you'll just randomly find in in the coming week ? "

- kokichi : " yeah, pretty much. i'm boooorrrreedd, so do something to entertain me. "

- your arms were pleasantly resting on his hips, holding him in place as he watched you smile

- s / o : " no ! go find the gift. "

- you leaned into him, giving him another kiss on the lips, but this one was a peck and didn't last nearly as long

- kokichi whined. and he whined LOUDLY, but you were unmoveable in your resolve

- so eventually he had to give up and follow through with your plans

- kokichi : " oh, what's the time ? "

- s / o : " you still have eleven minutes left. "

- kokichi : " that's not possible. "

- s / o : " it is if you're a liar. "

- you did his little pose where he puts his finger over his mouth like " shh " and laughed, watching your boyfriend go from totally in love to Hella Annoyed in a matter of moments

- he headed into the bathroom where he had " proposed " to you with those promise rings

- you had been in the shower, ironically humming the tune to " say you won't let go " by james arthur

- so what's the best thing to do in this situation ?

- scare the crap out of you by singing with you and then pretend to propose, of course !! :D

- the plan worked perfectly, you had been successfully scared the crap out of and hella surprised

- you had admitted to him that you knew he wouldn't propose yet, but that the rings were an incredibly sweet gesture, even if they're presented in a comical manner

- you two both wear them every day as if they were real marriage rings

- at first it bothered him that he even had this idea, because it was such an,, adult step in the relationship

- but, as he thought about it, he realized that he was actually getting older. that these kind of things are,, normal of adults, right ?

- plus, he did want to marry you one day

- he really REALLY thought you were the one for him

- turns out, yeah, they are

- on the backside of the curtains, there was the final sticky note, which had nothing more than a heart on it

- after searching the bathroom up and down, he came back to you with his eyebrows knitted together

- kokichi : " unless toothpaste is the present, then i don't think you finished the game. "

- s / o : " yes i did, i gave you all of the hints you need. promise. "

- he stared at the notes in his hands, wondering what kind of stupid you were to think that they were finished

- and then he saw it, staring him right in the face

- B E D

- he gave you that smug look of " i know what you did, but i figured it out "

- and rushed to the bedroom

- but before he could get in, the bell rang on your timer

- s / o : " you didn't make it to the time love, i'm sorry about that hehe. but go. go find it. "

- kokichi looked through the bed, just to find a small box on your side of the bed

- he opened it to see a little pendant with both of your names in japanese and birthstones on a small silver chain

- it was dainty, and cute

- wow he was in love with it, and he didn't even really like necklaces that much

- s / o : " i know you once told me you didn't like necklaces that much, but it was either that or get something a stereotypical guy likes

- kokichi : " i think this is perfect, s / o. and you're right, i don't like necklaces, but fuck guy-things, that stuff is always weird. "

- after you put the necklace on him, he smiled gratefully

- s / o : " so, cake ? "

- kokichi stopped in his place, debating on it heavily, but opted to tackle you down onto the bed

- he wrapped his arms around you, not planning to let you go anytime soon

- kokichi : " not to be gross or anything but cuddles sound much better than cake. cake is for losers. "

- he did, indeed, have a piece of cake later into the day

- before that, you two ended up taking a nap together like that on the bed

- you were more than content to cradle your boyfriend and whisper soft, gentle words

- he genuinely sucks at staying still while cuddling, so he tries to fill up time before he got sleepy

- he would talk to you about whatever popped up into his mind

- which was usually how the world domination plan is definitely going exactly how he plans it

- starting with winning your heart, and then winning the worlds' hearts

- or kissing everywhere from your neck to your bellybutton

- just anywhere he could get his hands on, he would kiss you

- at the end of the day, this was his favorite birthday

- just spending time with the one he loves most and having them love him back in reciprocation

- you always made sure he was well cared for, but this was overdoing yourself

- he wanted to thank you, but didn't really know how to do so

- luckily, you understand him better than he thinks you do

- and you know that look on his face when his eyes are half-closed

- and he's got a smile on his face that he doesn't even realize he has

- that he's happy, even if he doesn't explicitly say it out loud to you

- you let him snuggle into your chest, hoping he could hear your heart

- his eyes began to get heavy, and as he listened to your gentle voice sway him into sleeping

- he really started to think about things, albeit in a half-asleep manner

- he'd grown up, and has since stopped lying as much just for a joke

- he wasn't exactly going to give up his boyish charms no matter how old he is by any means

- partly because he was so damn short it would seem weird to people if he didn't act like what he looked like

- but he was learning how to act like his age

- because he's growing emotionally as well as physically

- he's getting better at trusting people, and letting them know the true kokichi instead of a lie he fabricated to feel better behind a mask

- kokichi is learning that there are people out there that genuinely like to talk to him and want to be around him

- like you, his perfect partner,

- his partner that he plans to hold like this till death do them part, his angel, and saving grace,

- and the person whom he loves no matter how old he gets.

[apheamoon]

Lonely Souls - Chapter 1

Peter Quill x Reader AU 

A/N - omg guys, my first chapter!! I’m not sure how this whole scenario is going to pan out, but it was an idea I had late at night last night and I really liked it. It might be a little confusing to start off with, but please don’t let that put you off! Enjoy guys! :)

Warnings - based off the MCU (set directly after the events of Endgame), there’s going to be a slowburn to the relationship, love triangles, slight angst.

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Searching for Gamora was more difficult than anything else. To the rest of the Guardians, they saw little to no point in searching for her, despite the fact that she worked with the group for more or less 5 years. The Gamora they knew and loved was gone - in her place was, yes, a woman who resembled her in both looks and backstory, but as well as that, this Gamora was from the past. A past that all of the Guardians knew of...but the wrong past all the same. Their Gamora was gone, and that was a fact they had all accepted and regrettably tried to move on from.

Well. Almost all of them.

Quill was still smitten with Gamora. To him, she was everything he wanted in a woman - badass, independent, warm-hearted (when she wanted to be). What more was there to want? He, to be completely honest, was in love with her. Sure, there were other women that he had met on the odd occasion when he went from planet to planet, scavenging for parts to sell and what-not, but they were just one-night flings. Not many of the women he had been attracted to in the past mattered to him...but Gamora...

It was frustrating, in his eyes. Her father, Thanos (stupid name, stupid chin), had killed her in order to grasp his hands onto a bit of stone. Quill didn’t see much of a point in that. To him, it was stupid (like Thanos). But then again, he wasn’t a psychopath. Sure, he was a bit reckless at times, but a psycho? Nah. Nope. Nada. But all the same, it was frustrating. He had finally found someone, apart from himself, that he genuinely cared about. And as soon as he got ahold of it properly, it was taken away from him.

“Where we goin’, Quill?” Rocket slapped the back of Peter’s seat as he made his way towards the front part of the ship.

Drax was snoring soundly in one of the seats, a bag of Zarg-Nuts barely hanging from his left hand. A few of the snacks had, in fact, fallen onto the floor, unknown to anyone else. But that was normal. Groot, meanwhile, was playing on his gaming console, quietly muttering curses under his breath. Nebula was in her bunker of the ship, alone. That was where she retreated to if either Groot or Rocket started to get on her nerves. It was better than screaming or stabbing them and starting a riot in the teams only safe space. Mantis...? She was staring into space. Literally. She was literally staring into space. And who could forget Thor?! The Guardian’s had adopted the Asgardian for a short amount of time, allowing him to ride to space with them for something to do. He was sitting near Quill, speaking about how is ex-girlfriend - Jane - had brutally dumped him. However, as soon as Rocket came towards the two, Thor’s absent rambling came to a slow halt.

“Well, rabbit,” Spinning his plump self to the left, Thor reached over and gave Rocket’s head a good massage, “I think we’re going t-“

“Morag.” Quill cut Thor’s sentence off, a hint of coldness in his tone.

Tracing his fingers over the buttons of the Milano, Quill hooked his music player up to it and set the ship onto autopilot. His eyes began to lighten up, slowly, as the sound of Surrender by Cheap Trick began to play through the cheap speakers that Rocket had managed to win through a gamble. The raccoon sighed softly, shaking his head and looking towards the star stricken paradise the crew were journeying through.

“Quill-“ Folding his arms across his furry chest, the Raccoon pulled a face of disappointment towards his friend’s blunt response, “Don’t ya think, y’know, it’s time to give up on lookin’ for her? She doesn’t wanna be found.”

Rocket’s words were a harsh reality and close to the truth that Quill had tried to block out. If Gamora wanted to be found by any of the team, she would have gotten onto the ship as soon as the battle with Thanos was over. From what any of the crew could gather, Gamora fought her fight, then got back onto a sub-ship of some sort and travelled back to space. It made sense, really. These people where nothing but strangers to her.

“Well,” Peter squinted his eyes for a moment, his forehead creasing over with what could only be described as stress, “What if...she wanted to be found and she just doesn’t know it yet?”

Rocket and Thor both shared the same look of confusion.

“I have to agree with the animal,” Thor sighed, scratching his beard softly, “It seems to me that the maiden doesn’t want to be found. Sorry-“ He burped suddenly, pounding his chest with the palm of his hand. The burp was loud, and nasty, but it made Thor smirk, “Pardon me. Anyway, she doesn’t know you guys. Gamora is from a past that is, I’m afraid to say, very different from our own.”

“What difference does that make?” Quill shook his head, a mixture of sadness and confusion melting into his voice, “If she was our family once, why can’t she be our family again?!”

This wasn’t the Quill that Rocket knew before the whole...snap situation. But then again, Rocket had been without his crew for almost 5 years, so the raccoon knew what it was like to love and lose people of his own. Unfortunately, though, he had to learn the hard way and that moving on was what was best for himself in those dark times. So, naturally, Rocket took it upon himself to make Peter see the bigger picture.

“Look, Quill, you’re actin’ a little sappy now. Even Mantis doesn’t act like this, an’ she’s a hopeless romantic!”

Upon hearing her name, Mantis peered from behind Groot and waved over towards Quill, Rocket and Thor, her eyes glistening and a dazed smile on her face. Rocket looked to her for a moment, his ears going backwards. Then, returning his attention over to towards Peter again, he continued with what he was saying.

“What I’m tryna say is, y’know, maybe it’s for the best if y’move on. I mean, y’got us! We’re still here! Right Groot?”

“I am Groot!”

“I’m going to pretend he didn’t say that,” Quill sighed, aiming the comment over towards Groot and leaning back in his chair, “Also, Rocket, I’m the captain. What I say goes. So if I say we’re going to continue looking for Gamora, then that’s what we’re doing!”

“Well, actually,” Thor stretched his arms upwards towards the sky and hummed out a small laugh, his hands going over towards his stomach and tapping it, “I am the strongest Avenger, so technically, I- Odin’s Beard what is that?!”

The Asgardian’s eyes widened as he saw a figure begin to come towards the Milano at a colossal speed. Whatever the figure was, it was masked and dressed in a coat that was honestly too heavy to be worn when flying through space, if they were flying through space at all. Upon further inspection, the figure looked as though it had been chucked out of something, rather than gone for a flight, because it wore no rocket boots, and had no amount of flying equipment on it.

Sighing, Quill stopped the ship and watched as the figure smushed itself into the front window of the ship. The noise of the window and the figure colliding together boomed through the ship, and Drax awoke from his slumber abruptly, his arms flailing in the air and the Zarg-Nuts in his hand falling to the ground.

“Quill!” He shouted, jumping up from his chair and pointing over to the figure on the glass, “Someone is trying to get on the ship! I have spotted an intruder!!”

“Drax, y’late to the party. Sit down!” Rocket scowled, pointing a finger over towards the Mutate and shaking his head.

Meanwhile, Quill was in silent thought. In pure honesty, this situation reminded him of the moment The Guardians had met with Thor, but something seemed...different. He got up from his chair quietly and pressed on his ear piece, a heavy sigh escaping from his lips.

“Let’s get this show on the road.” He told them all, his face serious before it disappeared behind his mask and he left the ship.

As soon as Quill left the ship, it went silent between the three who were at the front of it. As Drax slowly picked up his bag of Zarg-Nuts from off the floor, he began to crunch into them, the silence being engulfed by the sound of his chewing.

“Huh,” Thor sighed, kicking his feet up and smiling eagerly, “I wonder what type of show Quill is going to be putting on for us!”

———————————————————————

Tags:

@peterspideyy

[anonil88]

“This isn't prison break.”parts 1 & 2

Rue runs away for a night from rehab with a bunch of people she doesn't know. They go to a club, do some stupid stuff and adopt a cat.

wrote this and put it on AO3- lnk here- but also updating on here:

PART 1

Rue laughs absently at the other group of "degenerates" as Ali would call them. They are walking along the side of the road towards wherever a kid named Malcolm was leading them. She technically was supposed to be in her small dorm bed asleep and awaiting 4 am check in. But instead here she was being a fellow degenerate who had technically escaped the rehab facility. They all intended on going back to the treatment facility eventually. She hopes Sol would even though it meant they probably would be separated. They all just needed a night of more because everyone was on edge and needed a break. Everyone was aware that the consequences would be getting kicked out or all restrictions taken away. But, fuck it.

Her group of acquaintances, because they were not her friends, was made up of a random assortment of folks. One of which was some guy named Graham who was apparently the older "brother" of Angel. Angel was the only one out of the group besides her roommate who actually knew more than whatever she half assed in group therapy. Which was very little but it was enough to keep them.... interested. Rue shoves her hands in the pockets of a pair of baggy shorts that Angel threw at her in a parking lot after everyone met back up. Their escape plan was a plan but they all booked it through a hole in the fence and through a patch of woods at first. Some person named Bones, who had to at least be a sophomore in college, picked them all up in a hatchback and the Graham who opened a backpack filled with vices.

Rue steered clear of the opiates and went straight for the bottle of Coconut Rum. Even though she could practically hear the pills singing her fucking name. Most of them actually opted to be clean of whatever landed them in rehab but not sober. Not everyone though because Angel was definitely rolling a tiny bit and so were two other people out of the 5 fence jumpers. Including her roommate Sol. Rue just figured the slap on the wrist once they got back would be less harsh without a positive test. The rum was more than enough to stay kind of alert amongst everyone here. All these faces that might leave her dying face down in a ditch if she OD’ed....again.

She wasn't even in here because of an overdose. Just a basic relapse that made her mom's mind up for her and now she was forced into a stupid facility with strangers. They forced her to talk, made sure she ate, but she honestly felt worse being inside than out. It was probably working the 12 steps and quiet therapy sessions but in places she didn't see yet. This right here though the warmth of the air touching her skin as the packed car they'd all tumbled into hurtled through empty streets. Leaning her head back she mumbles along the lyrics while Sol pulls at the worn shirt collar. 

 "Beep beep go swerving in my, Beep been you want me riding in your...."

Rue sighs feeling sticky lips press against her clavicle and up her neck.

 "Beep beep ghost busting in my,

 Beep beep you want me riding in your....driving super fast."

Sol was cool people but Rue knew it couldn't be anything more than fooling around. Kissing when no one was watching or either of them came back from a therapy session sobbing.  Sometimes Sol sneaking into her bed at night so they could have quickie sex sessions. This wasn't how Rue expected to explore her sexuality that was pretty dormant but it was what she had. It also wasn't with who she had in mind either. Lingering feelings aside the two of them were stuck in a juvenile inpatient program. With the same beds as the ones in college pamphlets, a no shoelace rule, and  fuzzy socks ( that Rue secretly loves). This girl was like 3 inches shorter than Rue, dark skinned, neck tattoos and a short cut. Sol had been through so much more shit than Rue and it made her feel ungrateful. Ungrateful because at least she had a hard working mom who still loved her and hadn't abandoned all hope. Other people in the program who took it seriously though told her not to because her life sucked too.

Feeling Sol's lips on hers she kissed her back. She didn't feel anything but it must have felt amazing to Sol who deepened the kiss. The car swerved past what in Rue's mind had to be a pothole. Sol falls away further into her body clutching the fabric of her shirt and accidentally her chest. Rue hears Sol sigh and snaps her eyes open while Sol still kisses her. Rue grabs hold of the handle above the door and sits back up mumbling, what was that. She watches Sol roll her eyes and sit back into the tan seats.

"Oh FUCK," Bones yelled slowing the car down and pulling over. Bones had their black hair slicked all the way back and a cigarette falling out of their mouth. They were odd enough sober and everyone's dd, just a ball of chaotic a.d.d they'd laughed at her earlier as they walked her from the gas station bathroom back to the car. It was a nice gesture because apparently she seemed "kind of uncomfortable," which was true. The urge to escape herself dulled the fear of her mother's true unbridled anger. Or Fez's.

He was really upset when he found out she got a new plug after actually being clean for so long. She turns to look out the back window and sees two green eyes attached to a small grey mound in the road. 

"What the....omg a cat omg," Angel is practically bouncing out of the car after pulling out a half eaten filet o fish. Rue watches him in an outfit she felt fit him so much more than the basic t-shirt and sweatpants he wore everyday. His platform sneakers lit up across the black asphalt as he inches  closer to the obviously terrified animal. A glitter covered arm wove in front of him with food and Rue leans into the window in anticipation. The only thing that could make Angel seem even more angelic was wings or a halo above his half platinum half silver hair. He honestly seemed like the type to fit right into Jules's friend group. But instead he was the kind creative rave kid who drew her pictures of kandy he'd give her one day. 

"Hey um...you ," she feels her shoulder being tapped. "Put this in your lap."

PART 2

"Yes! I love this song," Bones yells back rolling down the windows. The cool autumn air filling the car and the smell of weed being blown out the window. 

Her heel is bouncing with a mix of anxiety and anticipation. With one more she could become triple A instead of alcoholics anonymous. She can feel a comfortable softness against her sole. It's from a piece of fabric she keeps stuffed in her sock. Her knee keeps bouncing in place with the sleeping kitten being stroked by Sol in her lap. Her current reality is so much more serene than the one she relives in her head.

Arrival nurses took her hoodie at this new place only letting it stay with her the first night. She was so fucking high on check in that she screamed please don't take my dad please as they explained it to her mom. Her mom who she clung to like they were about to skin her alive. Chest rising and falling quick enough someone said something about a shot. Too high to be cold and distant but not enough for her heart to stop. Just enough to be a paranoid fuck up. Leslie tried to calm her down but it only worked after her mom bargained with them, one night.

One night and then her mom visited the next day to say goodbye. Slipping a gray square in her pocket. It was worn in from a t-shirt that her dad wore in her baby pictures. Leslie hugged her so tight before leaving whispering we love you so much. That was the last time she'd seen her mom and every time she called Leslie said oh rue like her heart was breaking again. So those phone calls were short because her mom crying always fucks her up mentally for a few days. The silent pauses remind her of the little sister who always has faith in her but is turning into someone who doesn't even look at her. 

"You okay," Sol whispers and rue nods because when was she ever. Her arm that sol is resting on is cramping but she lets it, not much arm space in this back row anyway. She should have just chosen the trunk with some 16 year old named Zach. 

"On the left yesss we made it and on time too," Graham jeers next to Sol.

 Rue looks at the dash clock crinoline her brow. "How is almost 1 am on time," she whispers. 

Sol chuckles, "It is a club not a house party you knew that right ?" Rue bites the inside of her lip and shakes her head no. Sol puckers a bottom lip and kisses her cheek. Great pity Rue thinks. Sol leans in to whisper to Rue, "Don't worry Graham knows the bouncer. No fakes required."

Rue opens back up the glass bottle in the seat net and lets the clear liquid burn her throat a bit. Out of her realm was an understatement, house parties were something she was used to but never clubs. She didn't even know what kind of club this was but judging from the giant rainbow flag out front, angry repressed frat bros wouldn't be an issue. Which helped the nerves in her stomach unwind. The fur ball on her lap made a noise and she rubbed it through the sweater it's been laid on. Sol said the kitten was probably dumped because there was a tag scar and the kitten was super clean. But was she risking it....no.

Sol takes the bottle from her hand and screws the cap back on. "You gonna dance with me tonight Benny." Sol says as she nudges her shoulder.

"Maybe," Rue shrugs.

" Okay well how about anyone else," Sol grins coyly.

Rue looks away from her and out the window. She's more interested in the brick building as they get closer than someone's hot sweaty body. There's a line to the door with several guards standing with gloved hands and flashlights. " Idk maybe," Rue looks back at Sol who is rolling her eyes. 

" Yes she is," Angel yells from the passenger seat. He's checking his makeup in the mirror and winks at rue. Which makes her tuck her hair behind her ear and cough to cover the blush. Angel turns around happily and says, "meee.'

Leaning forward Sol pecks Angel and says, " Bennett your goal tonight is to have fun, dance with someone. He, she, they, who cares, maybe you'll get a lil prison pen pal."

Rue rolls her eyes, that probably wasn't happening but it was about trying new experiences. Treatment was also not prison; it just was not freedom either. Bones pulls past the entrance and swings into the parking lot. Graham is behind them pointing as they follow directions. He's even saying fun facts like this is Knott's which Angel keeps mimicking. Bones slowly moves the car  until  one guard leans his hand in the window. The guard daps Graham up and they laugh for a second. His name is apparently DJ and he's their in. The only rules are no weapons. 

In the parking lot they all get put and Rue notices other cars with clusters of people around them. She shakes her lap free of cigarette ash and cat hair. The cat now named sparkle is being in the trunk with a makeshift bed, a small can of tuna Bones just had and an old bottle lid filled with water. Rue leans down and ties the mismatched dollar store laces on her chucks. They had hot dogs on them which was kind of cute. A tire squeals close by of a car obviously moving way too fast and drunk singing out a window speeds past them. Idiots. Everyone else was finishing a shared bottle or blunt. Leaning against the side of the trunk she feels Sol rest against her arm warming it up.

Rue can hear a steady thump and beat coming from the brick building. It makes her head move which means the music might not be her thing but it'll be tolerable. Graham even said there's another section with actual seats that has a more contained dance floor with pop and hip-hop. Just in case she got overwhelmed by the rave scene and the lights. She doubles over as she laughs at Angel's jokes. 

Kid was fucking hilarious, she stands up wiping her eyes and freezes looking in front of her.

[f4liveblogarchives]

Fantastic Four Vol 1 #236

Mon May 04 2020 [08:31 PM] Wack'd: IT'S A MILESTONE!

[08:32 PM] maxwellelvis: A triple-sized issue, eh? [08:33 PM] Wack'd: All your favorite Fantastic Four characters are here! Wyatt! Norrin! Agatha! Franklin! Namor! Willie! Impy! T'Challa! And, uh. I guess some other folks? [08:33 PM] maxwellelvis: I'm going to guess that's a double-sized Byrne story and then a regular-sized one by Stan and Jack. [08:33 PM] Bocaj: Ah yes captain america and reed richards in one place at one time in a time and place that isn't the ill received special avengers 300 roster [08:33 PM] maxwellelvis: That's the rest of the Marvel Universe heroes here to party. [08:33 PM] Wack'd: Yes. [08:33 PM] Wack'd: Why isn't Alicia on this cover. [08:34 PM] Wack'd: Or, like, any number of Fantastic Four repository players. [08:34 PM] maxwellelvis: Had to make room for Stan Lee. [08:34 PM] Wack'd: Also who's that guy in the suit? Is that...Collins, maybe? [08:35 PM] maxwellelvis: I just told you. [08:35 PM] Wack'd: Oh [08:35 PM] Wack'd: ...where's Jack? [08:35 PM] maxwellelvis: Either he's on the back or John Byrne knows which side his bread is buttered on. [08:36 PM] Bocaj: maybe he's behind the special triple sized sticker [08:36 PM] Bocaj: Like he got Mike Wachowski'd [08:36 PM] Wack'd:

Clint: I can't believe it... Wanda: Oh, Clint, I'm so sorry... Clint: I'M ON THE COVER OF *FANTASTIC FOUR*!

[08:36 PM] maxwellelvis: 🤣 [08:37 PM] Wack'd: Can't believe Bocaj beat me to essentially this same joke [08:37 PM] Bocaj: My secret is that I didn't bother putting in extra effort [08:39 PM] Wack'd: Anyway, let's start our first story, shall we? [08:39 PM] maxwellelvis: Indeed. [08:40 PM] Wack'd: Oh good, we're doin this

[08:40 PM] Wack'd: I think this is our first real, proper origin retelling. We got one in the late 70s but it was less a retcon and more "this is a recap issue, please don't kill us if we fudged some details" [08:40 PM] Umbramatic: welp [08:42 PM] Wack'd: I guess instead of "first to the moon" it was "make it further into space than anyone else"

[08:42 PM] Bocaj: Time keeps on slipping, slipping into the future [08:42 PM] Umbramatic: what is time [08:42 PM] Bocaj: I know that the Slott FF has the idea instead that the rocket was FTL and they were trying to get to a specific planet, which turns out to be full of assholes [08:44 PM] Wack'd: So here's egg on my face [08:44 PM] Wack'd: The dialogue from this scene is taken note-for-not from #1 [08:44 PM] Wack'd: This isn't actually retconning anything at all, except for that one narrative caption [08:45 PM] Wack'd: Oh, and the addition of some jargon

[08:47 PM] Umbramatic: CAPTAIN SPACE ICEBERG AHEAD [08:47 PM] Wack'd:

[08:49 PM] Umbramatic: this is intense [08:49 PM] maxwellelvis: Both version are pretty intense. [08:49 PM] maxwellelvis: I'm noticing the dialogue's been slightly rewritten on the new version. [08:50 PM] Wack'd: Very slightly, mostly just to add technical terms you'd expect a rocket crew to be using [08:50 PM] Umbramatic: aha [08:50 PM] Wack'd: All of the original lines are still there, though [08:50 PM] maxwellelvis: And to keep Ben's manner of speech more consistent [08:51 PM] Wack'd: Punctuation is a bit different [08:52 PM] Wack'd: OH SHIT, WE'RE DOIN' THIS

[08:53 PM] Umbramatic: oh. OH [08:55 PM] Wack'd: In this reality, Reed's a college professor, Sue's a housewife, and Ben and Alicia are married and running a tavern. All in a little town creatively named Liddleville. [08:55 PM] Bocaj: Our Town Founders made a decision there [08:55 PM] Wack'd: Our Town Founder is Josiah Liddle [08:56 PM] Bocaj: Lets cut the head off his statue [08:56 PM] Bocaj: Like in the Jetsons [08:56 PM] Wack'd: Oh, also, Alicia can see in this reality. Alicia offhandedly mentioning she saw something makes Ben real happy and he has no idea why [08:57 PM] Bocaj: Hmm. [08:57 PM] Wack'd: But I do! It's this creepy fucker

[08:57 PM] Umbramatic: oh boy! oh BOY! [08:58 PM] maxwellelvis: We're actually doing the "Perchance to Dream" thing, aren't we? [08:58 PM] maxwellelvis: Is THIS where B:TAS got that idea from? [08:59 PM] Wack'd: Pretty sure they stole it from For the Man Who Has Everything [08:59 PM] Wack'd: Which incidentally won't exist for another three or four years [08:59 PM] maxwellelvis: Wild how time works [09:00 PM] Wack'd: Another dream sequence, this time for Sue! And with much more dramatic changes [09:01 PM] Wack'd: This time, Ben's complaints about safety concerns are much more substantial, and Sue's accusation that Ben is a coward is more to do with time and money running out to do this experiment and less to do with, uh [09:01 PM] Wack'd: Commies [09:03 PM] Umbramatic: "I'm going to the one place free from capitalism... SPACE" [09:03 PM] Wack'd: Also this happens

[09:03 PM] Umbramatic: EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH [09:04 PM] maxwellelvis: It's a nice touch that in those first two panels, the Thing is more leathery, like he was in the early comics, and it's only when Reed starts stretching that he looks more rock-like [09:04 PM] Wack'd: Yeah, I liked that too [09:05 PM] Umbramatic: oooh [09:05 PM] Wack'd: So Reed, Johnny, and Ben meet up at Ben's tavern to discuss these dreams, and whaddayknow, they've all been having them [09:06 PM] Wack'd: Tragically, Ben's dreams give him super-strength, but no rock skin. Dream!Ben is scared to ask Alicia to marry him--but he doesn't know why. [09:08 PM] Wack'd: Reed then goes to work, where he's having problems with his dickhead boss.

[09:09 PM] Wack'd: Reed decides to try and work out what's up with these dreams, dozes off, bonks his head, and realizes when he wakes up that he is actually a superhero, and the Puppet Master is responsible for all this. [09:10 PM] Umbramatic: wha [09:11 PM] Wack'd: Reed, trying to figure out why he doesn't have stretching powers, makes the very smart and scientifically motivated decision to stab himself in a vein and bleed out in his office. [09:12 PM] Umbramatic: oh [09:12 PM] Umbramatic: i diagnose you with dead [09:13 PM] Wack'd: It's okay though! Turns out he's a robot and the blood is all fake. So are the bodies of Ben, Sue, Johnny, Alicia and Franklin. [09:13 PM] Umbramatic: ...IS DOOM IN ON THIS TOO?! [09:13 PM] Wack'd: It takes Reed no time at all to convince his friends and family of this and go confront Phillip. [09:14 PM] Wack'd: Wow, uh, you're ahead of me here, Umbra [09:14 PM] maxwellelvis: Lucky guess [09:14 PM] Umbramatic: damn this is the second thing i've predicted tonight [09:14 PM] Wack'd: Phillip apparently just wanted to give Alicia the life he thought she wanted, but Reed points out he doesn't have the tech to do this all on his own. [09:15 PM] Wack'd: Phillip, it turns out, has made the very smart and not-at-all-suicidal decision to mind control Doctor Doom [09:15 PM] Umbramatic: oh this is gonna be goooooooooooooooooooooood [09:15 PM] Bocaj: Oh geeeeeeeeeeeez [09:16 PM] maxwellelvis: This should be good. [09:17 PM] Wack'd: Of course this is Doom we're talking about. He doesn't make mistakes, he just lets people figure things out for stupid ego reasons.

[09:18 PM] Wack'd: God, the fact that this isn't an illusion, the Four, Franklin and Alicia are trapped in tiny robots, is a lovely extra layer of bonkers. [09:18 PM] Bocaj: Amazing [09:19 PM] Wack'd: ALSO "LIDDLEVILLE" ISN'T A SMALL TOWN JOKE, IT'S LITERALLY LITTLE [09:19 PM] Wack'd: INCREDIBLE [09:20 PM] Wack'd: Anyway, Reed asks Doom what his next move is, and Doom...doesn't have one [09:20 PM] Wack'd: He's just gonna leave them like this [09:20 PM] Wack'd: Forever [09:21 PM] Umbramatic: DOOM: "I don't know, I never thought I'd get this far.” [09:21 PM] maxwellelvis: The fact that he's resisted the urge to play Godzilla now that they know he's the one who orchestrated this shows he has way more willpower than I [09:22 PM] maxwellelvis: Assuming the shock of dying in robot bodies wouldn't wake them up. [09:23 PM] Wack'd: They do have one ace in the hole--Phillip! After all, Phillip's in this mess because he mind-controlled Doom, but he's not an idiot, surely he has an escape hatch. [09:23 PM] Wack'd: Well turns out he did. Doom turned it off. [09:23 PM] Umbramatic: oh [09:23 PM] maxwellelvis: Womp womp [09:23 PM] Wack'd: Reed examines it through and tries to see if he can get it to work anyway. [09:24 PM] Wack'd: Ben, meanwhile, is taking all this really hard. [09:25 PM] Umbramatic: aw... [09:26 PM] Wack'd: He's also decided to stay in Liddleville. The world has other superheroes now, and he's earned a normal, idyllic life. [09:26 PM] Wack'd: (The fact that Doom turned off all the fake villagers does not seem to be something he's noticed.) [09:27 PM] Umbramatic: Ben: The Last Man On Fake Earth [09:28 PM] Wack'd: So! Here's the plan. Turns out Doom built a real miniature particle accelerator at Reed's fake miniature college because Reed would spot a fake. [09:28 PM] Wack'd: So all they have to do is get it to spit out some cosmic rays. Easy. [09:28 PM] Umbramatic: excuse me what [09:29 PM] Wack'd: To which part? [09:29 PM] Umbramatic: the first bit mainly [09:29 PM] Wack'd: Yeah uh [09:30 PM] Wack'd: Doom wanted to taunt Reed with some cool science he couldn't play with to make Reed miserable [09:30 PM] Umbramatic: omg [09:30 PM] Wack'd: But he also knew Reed would know if it was a fake cool science [09:30 PM] Umbramatic: that's deliciously petty [09:30 PM] Wack'd: It issssssss [09:30 PM] Wack'd: So, as they're debating who gets a power up first, Ben has a change of heart and demands to go first. [09:31 PM] Umbramatic: Ben: This is insane. ...I’m in. [09:33 PM] Bocaj: Hahah [09:33 PM] Wack'd:

Alicia: ben you dingus i literally sculpt real people with pinpoint accuracy, you've seen my work, and also we've touched each other...a lot... Ben: Yeah I know but I got that danged body dysmorphia

[09:33 PM] Bocaj: Aww [09:34 PM] Umbramatic: awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww [09:34 PM] Wack'd: I joke because I love [09:35 PM] Wack'd: Ben/Alicia 4ever [09:35 PM] Umbramatic: ye [09:35 PM] Umbramatic: (though i felt the body dysmorphia part) [09:37 PM] Wack'd: With their powers restored, all they have to do is fight a bunch of miniature robots, scale the walls of their fake city, climb up to Doom's workstation... [09:37 PM] Wack'd: Aaaaaaand he took the battery out. [09:37 PM] Wack'd: Now the workstation can only turn left 😛 [09:38 PM] Umbramatic: -gasp- [09:39 PM] Wack'd: So! New plan. Use the Liddleville river to flood Doom's office, stick some live electrical wires in there, and hope the alarm goes off. [09:39 PM] Wack'd: No dice. [09:39 PM] Wack'd: They're gonna have to find Doom and bring him to them. [09:40 PM] Wack'd: And since Reed and Ben have fairly limited top speeds, and Johnny's flame can run out without rest, this task falls to Sue. [09:41 PM] Wack'd:

Reed: No! I can't permit you to go against Doom alone! Sue: Please, Reed! Must we go through this every time a dangerous task falls to me? I've proven time and time again that I can handle myself in an emergency situation. I'm the only one who can go. And you know it.

[09:42 PM] Wack'd: Sue puts up a good fight against Doom, pelting him with force fields, but she's still as big as a fingernail, and all he really has to do is put a cup on her like she's a bug he's found. [09:43 PM] Wack'd: But the goal is accomplished. Doom is going to check and make sure the other three aren't making any trouble. [09:43 PM] Wack'd: Just like they wanted. [09:43 PM] Bocaj: Good job Sue [09:43 PM] maxwellelvis: Was this inspired by the 1967 Fantastic Four cartoon intro?  [09:45 PM] Wack'd: ...hahahaha it coulda been! [09:45 PM] Wack'd: Oh hey, that's where this meme comes from

[09:46 PM] Umbramatic: this was a meme? [09:49 PM] Wack'd: 106k notes on Tumblr [09:51 PM] Wack'd: AND SO! Doom does not blindly stride into this childish trap, and then electrocute himself. [09:51 PM] Wack'd: He angerly fires some energy beams at the childish trap because he feels insulted. [09:51 PM] Wack'd: And then Reed, Johnny, and Ben use their powers to trip him into the childish trap. Which electrocutes him. [09:52 PM] Bocaj: Wow [09:52 PM] Bocaj: bad show doom, good show reed, ben, johnny [09:52 PM] Wack'd: This somehow instantaneously shunts everyone back into their real bodies. [09:53 PM] Umbramatic: welp [09:54 PM] Wack'd: Also, Doom is now in a stasis coma in his suit. [09:54 PM] Wack'd: To ensure he stays that way, the Four decide, well... [09:55 PM] Wack'd:

[09:57 PM] maxwellelvis: I must admit I am curious to see how he gets out of this one eventually [09:59 PM] Bocaj: If you die in Liddletown you die in real life [09:59 PM] Wack'd: Anyway, the quote-unquote "brand new story by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby" is a rejected script for the 1978 animated series, adapting Doctor Doom's first appearance. [09:59 PM] Wack'd: It is also not available here. So I am going to write it off as no big loss and move on. [10:02 PM] Wack'd: I did like this story, though! I think it coulda stood to spend a little less time on the mechanics and a little more time on how everyone felt about this situation, but overall it's really good.

[desiredposion]

2.1 In My Time of Dying

(AN: this is from my barely updated SPN book on wattpad called Idjits so excuse the mess. also i know it isn’t the greatest but i wanted to get into a bit of writing so oh well)

2.1

Hey Ry, it's me Sam. Listen there was this accident and I... well... it's Dean. They don't think he's gonna make it. Could you please just call me back? We need you.

The voice message sent panic flooding through the young girls system. Thoughts that her brother might die and she wasn't with him without the chance to say goodbye. Throwing on random clothes that were scattered across the floor, she scrambled down the rickety old stairs.

"Took you long enough kid, now lets go we've got to pick up the Impala before some junky sees the type of mojo your brothers are packing." Bobby says, keys in hand walking towards the front door grabbing his jacket on the way out. Running after him practically ripping the jacket of the hook, breathing heavy with fear. She spent the entire drive head against the window and tear-filled eyes though she'd never let Bobby or anyone else see them, not because she didn't want to seem weak in front of the Uncle figure but because the tears where for Dean and Dean wouldn't want his sister to cry for him.

"Pick your chin up and wipe your eyes sunshine, we're almost there." Waking up from her reverie she did exactly what he said looking in the cracked sun visor mirror. "Deep breath and a brave face princess."

Getting out of the truck Riley made eye contact with Sam but quickly diverted them to the clouds which at the moment were much more interesting. As the boys made small talk she found herself having to block out the details of the crash as to not start crying again.

"Oh man, Dean's gonna be pissed."

"Look Sam, this... this ain't worth a tow. I say we empty the trunk, sell the rest for scrap." Bobby said lightly shaking his head.

"No Bobby. Dean would kill you if that happened. When he gets better, he's gonna want to fix it."

"There's nothing to fix Ry. The frames a pretzel, and the engine's ruined. There's barely any parts worth salvaging" the older man said with a heavy sigh.

"Listen to me Bobby. If there's even one working part, that's enough. We're not gonna give up on him!" Sam states bringing notice to the fact that this car represents everything Dean is. A little broken but ultimately fix-able with just a little tender loving care.

"Okay. You got it." The older said quietly as he looked upon the two younger Winchester siblings who subconsciously moved closer together during their time of talking, allowing for this moment to tug at his cold (but not really) heart.

"Here, uhm, John asked for you to get this stuff for him." Sam said holding a piece of paper to Bobby.

"What does Da...John. What does John want with this?" Riley asked looking over Bobby's shoulder and taking special note of all the carefully chosen items on the list.

"Protection from the demon?" He shrugged, "what?"

"Nothing, it's just uhm..." she trail off trying to find the right words and sharing a look with Bobby.

"Riley? Bobby? What's going on?"

----------

"So are you at least going to tell me her name?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh come on Sam" Riley sighed from the passenger seat of a probably stolen car, "I may be young but I am not stupid."

"Hey I never said you were stupid! But there is no girl." Although the younger sibling had caught  the underlying sadness in his voice.

"Maybe not now, but there was someone wasn't there?"

"No! No there wasn't... when did you get to be so smart?" Sam sighed feeling a little defeated

"High School tends to do that to a person" she joked. "No, I can just tell. The same way I knew about Mary before John told me, and the same goes for Bobby. It takes a little piece of your heart and there's something about that that leaves a mark, maybe not everyone can see it but it's there and well I'm here for you Sammy."

"Thank you Riley, that means alot to me really." He said taking his eyes off the road for a second to glance at his sister in admiration "now do you want to hear about the time I had to rescue Dean's ass from a Pagan God?"

"OMG tell me!"

----------

Sam marches into the hospital duffle bag slung over his shoulder and Riley hot on his trail nervous about the upcoming storm between her brother and father.

"You don't have to stay with me Ry, go see Dean make your peace."

"Dean's not going anywhere Sam, I wont let him die!" Sam sighed, feeling an overwhelming urge to protect his sister from the harsh reality of Dean's condition.

"Yeah okay, just go see him please? It'll make him feel better."

Riley sighed but nodded anyway following his directions to their brothers room. Ignoring the calls made by her father and the loud angry talking that always seemed to present whenever Sam talked to John,  she soon found herself standing in the doorway of Dean's room.

"I guess I'll start the conversation then," Riley lamely joked, taking a seat next to the hospital bed "okay tough crowd."

"You know I never got why people always sit and pour their hearts out to a person who can't even hear them, like why can't they just say those things when the person is awake and healthy? You should know Dean I never kept my thoughts and feelings to myself, I guess that's why he got rid of me wasn't it? Did he ever even tell you guys why I had to go away or was that another of his many secrets? I guess it was because he couldn't decide,  I wasn't his perfect little solider so I was of no use to him; yet he just wanted to keep me safe and protect me like he couldn't protect your mother or mine."

The girl slouched further into the chair picking at the loose stitching of her jacket. "I shouldn't be complaining to you about all of this, hell Bobby's heard enough of it." The awkward laugh and frown that adorned her teary face was enough to make the heart of Dean's spirit drop to the pit of his stomach.

They weren't the closest of siblings, John had made sure that they wouldn't get to attached during their times together, didn't want Dean to be distracted during hunts with thoughts of his brother and sister. Riley was at one point John's pride and joy keeping her safe was always his number one priority.

"I mean don't get me wrong, I see why he did it but I just wish things could've been different, you know? But Dean you've gotta pull through I still love you, I still need you!" It was almost as if her words had flipped a switch when Dean's heart monitor starting going crazy and Riley doesn't think she has ever been as scared in her entire life.

The screaming from the broken girl and the beeping from the hospital machines alerted nurses and soon there was people surrounding Dean trying to resuscitate him. A sobbing Riley was quickly pulled into her brother, Sam's arms which proved pointless to try and escape from. The girl could barely hear the chorus of 'no's' and 'it's okays' that escaped his lips as she buried her head in his chest allowing her emotions to take over her body.

After what felt like years but would've only been seconds the monitor slows and the room goes quite. The room lets out a collective sigh of relief when the Nurse says "We have a pulse. We're back to sinus rhythm."

Still Riley doesn't let go of her lifeline.

----------

It was a while after Dean's near death incident when Riley finally found herself able to walk out of his room without having a panic attack. The young Winchester had found herself trying to wash away dried tears from her cheeks, unable to remove the redness or puffiness that seemed to be a permanent addition to her once bright eyes. A knock at the door startled her before calling out "I'll be done in a minute." The knocking came again this time more loud and insistent, "I said I'll be done in a minute!"

"Riley it's me Sam, come on I found something that might help." Riley was quick to rip open the door separating them looking to the man in front of her in eager suspense. Sam was clutching a brown paper bag tightly in his arms making the smaller girl look at him in confusion, before she could utter a word however Sam was quick to walk the short distance to  Deans room murmuring a quick 'don't ask' before stepping in and urging her to hurry up and close the door. Riley does what he asked checking the hallways to see if anyone was following or watching them, a quick glance to the hospital bed proves the Dean was still in his unconscious state much to her dismay. A sigh left her lips seeing Sam take a seat on the floor pulling out a rectangular box labelled 'Mystical Talking Board' setting it up whilst muttering to himself.

"An Ouija board? Really Sam?"

"Cut the crap just sit down and trust me."

Throwing her hands up in slight frustration Riley sat down next to him, placing her hands on the triangular pointer in the middle of the board "You know this is a stupid hoax thing right? What is this even for? Dean is in a coma not the... other option."

"Riley just shush for a moment. Dean? Dean are you there?" The room goes quite and Riley slowly raises her eyebrows at her brother, however before she can let off another smart comment she feels her her hand, or more specifically the planchette move towards the word yes. A gasp left the Winchesters lips eyes staring at the blank space across from where Sam was sitting.

"It's good to hear from you man, hasn't been the same without you." He laughs shoulders slumping in relief, looking at Riley with the faintest hint of a smirk playing at his lips at her shocked expression.

"Did you move that to mess with me?" She asks voice wobbling her sunken eyes blown wide. Trembling hands made for unstable fingers and the planchette moved again, Riley was scared that she was unconsciously moving it but was quick to think different when it starting sliding over particular letters of the displayed alphabet.

"Dean what? H. U. Hunt? Hunting?" Riley shrugs her shoulders at Same who looked at her as though she held the answers "are you hunting?" The planchette moves to the 'yes'. "What are hunting? Do you know what it is? What is it?"

"One question at a time Sam, you know how this works,"

R. E. A. P.

"a reaper? Dean is it after you?"

'yes'

"Sam if it's here naturally you know there is no way to stop it."

"There has to be a way Riley, how do you even know about all this you haven't been hunting with Bobby have you?"

"You can't kill death Sam and no I haven't but that doesn't mean I can't keep reading lore and learning how to protect myself." Her tone was defensive, ready to defend herself and her Uncle for how she was raised.

"You're right. You should know how to protect yourself, but you should also know how to protect others and that's what I'm trying to do here. Protect Dean. There's gotta be a way... Dad'll know." Sam trials off towards the end before putting his plan action and running off down the hallway to where presumably John's room was located. Leaving Riley to clean up his mess she calls for Dean one more time.

"Are you still there Dean?"

'yes'

"I love you and I'm sorry about how I acted back at Bobby's house. Stay safe okay?"

'yes'

A smile graces her lips before she closes the board and packs it away hiding the box from sight just as a nurse enters to check up on the Winchester siblings.

----------

Riley leaves the room to give the brothers some time together she finds herself in front of a vending machine down the hall, after almost losing her food to the faulty snack machine Riley slumps into one of the uncomfortable hospital chairs feeling the weight of the last few hours catch up on her body.

Feeling a presence sit in the chair directly next to her, Riley lifts her head and opens her eyes to get a glance at the feet of the foreign body and the empty row of chairs they could've occupied instead of the one right next to her. A deep sigh both their lips at seemingly the same time as an awkward silence surrounded them, "Riley please look at me" the voice pleaded giving away their identity.

"Whats there to say?"

"Riley... look I'm, I'm just sorry. I never meant for any of this to happen or for us to get to this point." John was now facing his body towards that of the young girls ducking his head to try and look in her eyes.

"Yeah but it did, and you can't take it back," she replied more tears beginning to well up in her eyes, "and I wish I didn't still have to feel the hurt of that day but I do and I'm sorry that I couldn't just be the perfect daughter that you asked for. But I am not a soldier John and it was unfair that you put me through that, that you put those boys through it. I found a place that I can fit in with all of this mess but god it really sucked finding out that everything you were taught to believe is a lie. You can't just give me a family then rip it out from under me dad!"

The older man felt his heart shattering at her words, the first time she has called him that in years and it screams pain. It was no secret to the Winchester family that Riley was not biologically related, more so adopted by John after failing to protect the young ones mother from a horrible vampire attack. Her dad being turned then released home much to the nest amusement. John had spent a few days with the mother and daughter duo trying to track down her husbands whereabouts and in the mean time finding a little soft spot for then 3 year old. Riley always knew that something had taken her parents away and John had told her that they were military and had died in action, but one night not long before Sam ended up leaving for Stanford the youngest of the Winchesters was allowed on a small werewolf hunt with her family instead of being cooped up in a motel room. Everything was pretty cut and dry until Riley got hurt and John freaked out spilling what happened to her real parents on the way to Bobby's house were she was left to 'heal' as they dealt with the rest of the pack.

Although John never came back to get her and Riley was left to deal with the grief of losing two sets of family in one day. Although Riley forgives him for what happened to her mother and father, shes finding it hard to forgive him for just leaving her when he got scared.

"I'm so sorry Riley, I just got so so scared. I couldn't imagine reliving that pain again, I love you. No matter what you are my daughter and I will always love you, but Riley I need you to forgive me and understand that I just couldn't bare to see you hurt. I'm so sorry squirt." John's voice broke as he spoke and Riley couldn't find it in her to hold a grudge against him anymore. Launching herself into her fathers arms it was although the bond between the two broken hearts were finally repairing. Images of hope for the future swarmed Riley's brain as unbeknownst to her a father was holding his daughter for the last time. "I love you Riley Winchester."

"I love you too Dad, I love you too."

----------

Riley left with Sam to get to John a cup of coffee whilst he talked to Dean, Riley could hardly believed that he just healed in a blink of an eye. "So just like that then?"

"Yeah just like that, I mean any internal contusions are healed, the edema's vanished and his vitals are strong other then a few bumps and bruises its almost like nothing had ever happened in the first place. I got to say Ry whatever happened, whatever did this they're really looking out for Dean."

"Yeah I guess so. Hey I'm just going to go give Bobby a heads up, say hi to Dean then I'll meet you back in Dad's room okay?" After receiving a brief head nod and a pat on the back from her brother, Riley found herself standing by a window looking out at the clear skies and green grass a sense of comfort washing over her. Dishing her old phone out of her pocket she dialed the number she had remembered off by heart within the first month of living with the older man.

"Hey Bobby, yeah we're okay... Dean's better now... yes I'm fine to. Hey Bobby? I talked to him... yeah I think we're better now... no I didn't forget that he just up and left me, but I do understand why he did what he did... okay, thank you Bobby. If it's all the same to you I'd still like to live with you tho... Thank you Uncle... I'll be sure to tell him that." The smile that had plastered itself onto Riley's face was faltering when she saw a bunch of nurses run past her and down the hall, curiosity got the best of her as she slowly made her way in their direction, heart plummeting when she noticed it was John's room. She didn't even hang up on Bobby as she approached the doorway near her brothers.

"Still no pulse." A nurse said directing her sentence to the crowd of colleges surrounding her fathers body. "Okay that's it everybody." A doctor said stopping chest compression, "I'll call it. Time of death: 10:41 a.m." Just like that Riley's world stopped for the second time that day.

"Dad?"

feedback is always appreciated xx

[radiqueer]

I read Natalie’s endnotes to the aesthetic and this is disturbing the fuck out of me so here are some. rambly thoughts I guess. people are welcome to add to this if they like

first she goes “this video is primarily about trans women” and like. caveat that I am not a trans woman, I’m nonbinary & afab so that’s not an experience I have access to in any way. so keep that in mind I guess

I wanted to show a wider audience the way trans people talk about gender amongst ourselves

look...I’m not an expert on trans people or anything but I watched the aesthetic and I can tell you that that’s not how trans people talk about gender. at least, I’ve never known them to. I’ve never participated in a conversation about gender that works that way. 

....no wait. I have. I’ve seen truscum talk about gender, and the way Justine talks pretty much mirrors the way truscum talk. 

I wanted to work through some of my private doubts about common explanations of what it means to be trans

I can’t argue with that.

I also wanted to reconcile the existence of a devoted Tabby fandom with my having created the character as a caricature of leftist ineffectiveness

I mean. how do I say this. I’ve been thinking about the difference between revolutionaries and incrementalists, and it’s clear to me that they need each other. but throughout the video, the way Justine treats Tabby mirrors the way incrementalists treat revolutionaries; as laughable, disposable, pitiable. like they’re caricatures of themselves. 

I had to google what veracity means. 

Some non-binary people disliked this video because they felt that the dialogue excluded or invalidated them. Whereas most of the feedback I got from binary trans people is positive. Which, fair enough—this is a video about binary trans women.

look...I try not to be like “binary privilege” and stuff because when it comes to trans people that concept becomes increasingly incoherent but how else do I talk about how it feels to be a nonbinary person watching that video, listening to people harp on and on about passing, when I myself will never pass? not just because I’m brown even though that plays into it - white people remain the standard of nonbinary presentation and aesthetics - I won’t ever pass. people are never going to look at me and think “oh, nonbinary” because that identity is not articulated in mainstream society at all. and I have to live in mainstream society, right, even as a marginalized person I still exist in the same spaces as other people. 

it feels like this is basically going “articulation of a binary trans identity has to exclude and invalidate nonbinary people” which is how you get truscum. it’s literally. the same thought process. 

I feel like I'm being grossly misunderstood by NBs when they characterize the desire to pass, Justine's point of view, as "respectability politics."

nonbinary people are not characterizing Justine’s (or Natalie’s) desire to pass as respectability politics. they’re characterizing Justine’s efforts to police Tabby’s presentation, and by association the presentation of all trans people who “fail to pass” (scare quotes because Tabby passes just fcking fine) as respectability politics. you can’t misrepresent our position and then accuse us of misrepresenting you. holy shit. 

My wearing long hair, makeup, changing my voice, generally softening my confrontation with the world is nothing like e.g. a black man wearing a suit and speaking in "white voice." I'm not doing "woman voice" to please cis people. I'm doing it because I want to be a woman.

oh god this is a mess. this is such a goddamn mess. starting with that simile I guess but omg Natalie. who the fuck decides what “woman voice” is? why is that song-and-dance necessary to be trans and to be a woman? like if you want to do it for yourself then that’s fine, but trans people remain trans even when denied the ability to perform their real gender. a trans man who is forced by circumstance to wear dresses and heels and makeup when he desperately does not want to is still a trans man. equating your transness with your desire to pass is just, straight up truscum shit. this is why people are calling you a transmed. 

Cis women understand this deeply. They know that they aren't oppressed as women because they psychologically identify as women. They know that misogyny is foisted upon them regardless of their psychology, so long as society views them as women. Trans men escape misogyny to some degree—generally to the degree that society views and accepts them as men. And trans women are in the sad situation of having to claw our way into a social position where we begin to experience misogyny.

dskjhvdkjfhkfdgdslg this is another mess. 

trans women do not have to “claw their way into a social position where they begin to experience misogyny” they already experience misogyny by virtue of being women. a woman who looks like a man is still experiencing the world as a woman. she’s still being affected by the things which affect women. 

trans men are harder to parse because trans men who fail to pass experience misogyny and the associated violence in addition to violence for refusing to conform to their assigned gender. but they’re experiencing all of these things through denial of their real identity. and that colours their experiences to a great degree. additionally, the social aspect of trans manhood is very, very conditional because manhood, even for cis men, is very conditional and highly gatekept. it’s very hard for trans men to access these structures and weaponise them against others outside of like...a tiny bubble saturated with queerness. to simplify, they’re men without privilege. 

It's not psychological identity that makes this happen. It's the interpersonal recognition that comes about as a result of habitually living/performing the identity. Let's be good leftist materialists here.

I don’t know what kind of materialism it is to reject the realness of the mind, of our emotions and experiences, of our internality. I don’t know much about materialism, but if it leads to takes like this I’m not sure I want to. the internet and what happens on it is real. the mind (or brain, or whatever the goopy shit in your head that lets you be a person is, whatever you wanna call it) and the thoughts and emotions it experiences are real. I feel so stupid arguing this. I feel like I’m trying to teach someone that 2+2=4 but I have to start by convincing them that numbers are real. it’s degrading. 

Before I transitioned I identified as genderqueer for a while. I presented basically as what used to be called a male transvestite. People were sometimes shitty about that, but my coming out with the NB identity was greeted mainly by, "sure, whatever bro, wear whatever you want." I found that as an AMAB NB, I was for most intents and purposes—socially, structurally, materially—still a man.

I don’t want to explain someone’s experiences to them but that’s them dismissing the reality of your nonbinary identity. and because you were and are a massively privileged person in every other way. 

surely an account that begins and ends with "I'm not a man because I don't identify as one" is pretty weak.

[uncharitability cw] I mean. sure. lets all set out to prove why we deserve to exist. that’s a good use of the trans community’s time, because we don’t do that enough in our private lives. lets make it the only story we tell. brilliant plan. and then everyone clapped. 

okay and then she goes on for a bit about the relationship between Tabby and Justine, which is fine. they’re good characters. if they were 100% fictional I would write fic for them. thanks for the extra content, I guess. 

The most hurtful things Justine says are my confessions. I have no security in "feeling like a woman." I feel like I'm desperately trying to be a woman though confronted by endless obstacles. It's a shadow that hangs over me every moment of every day. But these are just some feelings I have. I don't have opinions.

I don’t like telling people that they need to cope in private but if you’re coping then the content that you create to cope with your feelings and insecurities needs to be separate from your activism. conflating the two is a really bad idea and I have about 4 years worth of fandom drama on tumblr dot hell to show for it. bad things happen when people look at someone working through their emotions and trauma and go “oh yes, are these your politics?” and worse things happen when you do that to yourself and then you end up being invited to ted talks and fuck a whole bunch of people over. 

I keep trying not to talk about contrapoints because it serves no purpose and leads nowhere - she’s not going to change. but on some level talking about it helps me and maybe someone wants to hear me talk about it I fucking Guess.

this is okay to reblog, and written entirely in response to those tweets. if you’ve got additional responses to those tweets or want to talk about something I said, feel free. but if you’re going to come here and defend contrapoints, then save it. I’ll block you at best. there are times when I can have a rational, nuanced conversation about this but I won’t ever on this post because that’s not what this post is for. 

[pinkykitten]

The Maze

Thomas x Taylor 

Warning: death, violence, cursing, spoilers (if u have not seen the movie dont read this)

Specifics: angst, fluff, romance, comedy, gifs, pics, aesthetics, oc, oc story, plus size, 600 followers competition 

People: too many to put down srry 

Words: 15,987 (omg this is the longest thing ive ever written in my life)

Requested: By @fyeahtaylorp (cannot tag) Ok so My OC’s name is Taylor she’s 5,5, plus size, blonde hair, blue eyes, and she’s sassy and confident most of the time. I was thinking maybe rebel Wilson as the actress she resembles. I want her to be with Thomas from the maze runner. I was thinking that they meet in the maze and she’s been there longer than him and they start as friends but when they escape the maze they grow closer especially after she’s taken away from the group when they get to wicked. Maybe she’s scared Thomas is into Teresa or Brenda but he’s is in love with her and she finds that out when he thinks something has happened to her and idk how to end it 😅😂

Authors Note: FINALLY IM ABOUT TO POST THIS AGHGHGHGHGH i am so srry this took so long ive been stressed lately and dealing with some personal issues but omg im so happy how this came out! i hope u guys like it as well and also its super long lol im srry. couple of things, i did not re read this cuz its too much so if there r mistakes then u know im not surprised. also i made my mind that i am not doing this every 100 more followers i get instead its every 300 more followers i get so next time i do a oc competition story will be when i reach 900 followers or if i lol thank u guys for the follow and i am totally getting back to writing i have a lot of things coming up that im excited for yay! hope u enjoy and thank u for requesting! 

previous oc story for my 500 followers: Erik Killmonger x oc Calantha Morrison 

“Stephen, Stephen...I need you. I’m scared.”

With a fright she woke up. Not understanding if her thoughts in her head while she slept were a dream or a reality. Everything she had just played in her mind was like a memory, it was as if Taylor lived through them.

She saw the sun beginning to rise, this was a sign to show her it was the start of the day. Her life seemed to be endless, it seemed to have no meaning. Everyday was unknown, unknown of where she came from or anything before the maze. She was stuck with many, many other young boys around her age, and some younger. It was unfair she felt to her and to the others.

“Where did I come from?” Taylor would ask herself from time to time, really pondering on that question.

As Taylor got up to start the day she got dressed in her ripped jeans and her long sleeve shirt, wearing her boots with it. “Time to begin the day.” She breathed out into the cool air but then she felt her most prized possession. Without even realizing she lifted her hand to touch her necklace. When she first arrived at the maze she was left with the necklace. It must mean something, but if only she knew what it meant, or who gave it to her? What did it signify?

“Hey Newt, hope you slept well,” Taylor smiled as she met with Newt for breakfast her stomach rumbling at the smell of Frypan’s food.

Newt chuckled, patting her arm as the walked to the others, “someone sounds hungry-

Taylor playfully hit his arm, “what’s that supposed to mean?

Newts face went pale as he thought that he had hurt Taylor’s feelings, “oh my, I’m sorry Tay.” She just laughed, “you’re fine Newt. But a girl’s gotta eat!”

Newt laughed at her statement and flung his arm over her shoulders, patting her soft arm in the process. They both walk to the breakfast area. Taylor sniffs the air and motions her way to the food. 

Taylor wiped her mouth as she stood up, enjoying her breakfast especially since she spent it with her friends. It was tough being the only girl in the Glade. Nobody there understood her, they tried to but it was difficult. It was just biology, she was a female and they, they were inexperienced boys. 

As Taylor’s boots trudged through the high, green grass she looked at the huge stone cold walls. The maze it what made everything in life seem impossible. Taylor stared at it, maybe if she stared at it long enough it would go away, but sure enough the concrete barriers were still there, almost seeming to laugh at her. 

“Hey you okay Tay?” Newt asked, concerned as he placed his hand on her shoulder. A smile growing on his lips. 

Taylor nodded and laughed, “yeah I was just thinking thats all. So these tulips, they are very beautiful.” Your hands landed on the flowers of Newt’s garden. The petals were soft and the scent was so pleasing. “Good job Newt, these are gorgeous!”

“Well, you helped me out with them, remember?”

Taylor chuckled, “yeah, I do.” She went to start by getting more suitable dirt for the produce and started taking out any weeds. Then watering them and adding food. 

As Taylor was about to replant some items she heard a lot of commotion coming from, “the box...”

Taylor sprinted to the elevator. All the boys were making a commotion. She squeezed through them and saw...him. Her heart started to beat fast as his light brown eyes met hers. Her blue ocean eyes widened when she saw him. She felt like she had met this boy before but she didn’t know where or how. When the boy’s face lands on her he seems to take a pause and as if inspect her. Gally takes him out of the box and they all corner him, not giving the newcomer space. 

“Hey guys give him some space!” Taylor shouted at the other boys, pushing them away from the newbie. Just then the newcomer makes a run for it. 

“We got a runner!” One of the kid yells. 

Taylor mentally slaps herself at how the others treated the new one. As the new boy falls and trips on the grass, Taylor motions to him. 

“Hello new one, I’m Taylor.” She stuck out her hand, a smile on her face. “Welcome home.”

Taylor and Newt show the ropes to the new kid, him still not remembering his name which she told him he will later on remember but his past will be always forgotten. She explained how everyone in the Glade has a job. “Alby, our leader, was the first one here, but we all have jobs here. Newt likes to garden.”

“And what do you do?” The boy asked, really interested in Taylor. 

Taylor put her hands on her hip all sassy, “well me-”

“Oh no here we go,” Newt laughed, knowing Taylor was about to make a speech of how important and how amazing her job is. 

“I’m a map maker. We have our runners who run the maze and every time they finish the maze they come to me! They tell me whats changed and what to add more. Its a team work and yes Newt to me it is one of the most important jobs. Just saying!”

As Taylor said this the runner came out of the Maze before it closed. 

With Newt’s permission Taylor shows the boy all the different areas and just a little bit about everything of his new home. 

They two sit on a log by the fire with the rest of the kids. Taylor hands the boy a drink to which he thinks taste bad. 

“So out there,” the boy points to the maze. “What happens out there?”

Taylor knew what horrible monster crawled those wall but she did not want to scare the new one, “I don’t really know, remember I’m no runner and for good reason. I could never run all that, I’m too slow.”

The boy laughs, “does anyone stay the night in the maze?”

Taylor shakes her head, her golden blonde hair also moving with her, “no, they wouldn’t survive. I don’t think, but any ways this is your first day here. Lets not worry about those things and instead worry about you having some fun tonight.” She saw the boy was not having it and was not wanting to have fun. With a sigh she sat firmly next to him. “Do you see those stars?”

The boy looks to the black sky, “there are millions of stars.”

“Yeah but these are yours.” She grabbed the boy’s hand and lead him to a bright twinkling star. “I can see that you are going to do just fine here. In fact many will trust, respect, and one will truly love you forever. Your time here will be something of learning and teaching to everyone.”

The boy nodded with surprise, “you got that all from that star, or are you just trying to make me feel better?”

“The stars never lie Greenie.” She puts her hand out to him as he takes it. They stand up to talk somewhere more private but as they do Gally throws a guy to the boy. 

They both start competing. “Okay Gally thats enough, he’s new here!” Taylor shouts to him over the other boys screaming and cheering. As she thought that the newbie would not win he pushes Gally to the floor. Everyone including Taylor cheers for the boy, but Gally kicks him making the greenie fall on his head. 

“My name is Thomas.” The boy stands up screaming with pure joy. “My name is Thomas, its Thomas!”

“Hooray for Thomas,” Taylor exclaims, slapping a hand on Thomas’s shoulder. The crowd goes wild for him. 

“Welcome home Thomas,” Alby says as he hand him a drink. 

The next day was hectic. One of the runners named Ben was stung by a griever and he attacked Thomas. Taylor heard the commotion and helped Newt hit Ben on the head with a shovel. Then Alby told the boys to lift Ben’s shirt. Seeing the stung made Taylor’s heart ache, she can see the pain and sadness of knowing in Ben’s eyes. She left with tears in her eyes. 

Taylor, Chuck and Alby all sat Thomas down to explain what had happened, to explain the nightmares that lay beyond those walls. 

She knew what was to happen the next day though. Ben is forced to enter into the maze and left their to die. There is no cure for the stung. Seeing this made Taylor cry, hating the outcome of life. 

Later on, Minho who is the lead runner and Alby go in the maze to retrace Ben’s steps. 

As Taylor awaited for them she spent the time with Thomas. Her hands were sweaty and she was nervous for them. Thomas made her feel safe and better. 

“I’m scared Thomas. I wish Ben’s life would not have ended that way, I hate when this happens.”

Thomas grabbed her hand and reassuringly rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. The action made Taylor blush and feel some sort of attraction to the newbie. “Every things gonna be fine Tay, remember the stars.” He smiled to her as he moved a piece of stray hair behind her ear. 

Taylor held onto Thomas’s hand and onto her necklace, just awaiting for the others. 

Finally at dusk Taylor and the others wait my the entrance of the maze. The doors have opened but there is no Minho or Alby. Taylor’s heart starts to pound, fast. She is frightened and scared. With her left hand to her lips she quickly searches for Thomas’s hand, her right soft one clasping his calloused hand.

“Why are they taking so long.” She whispered under her breath, clutching onto Thomas hand harder. 

“C’mon guys can’t we send someone after them?” Thomas asked, already looking worried. 

Gally squatting by the floor says, “that’s against the rules.”

Taylor rolls her eyes and massages her temple. 

“Either they make it back or they don’t.”

Newt looks at Taylor and Thomas, “can’t risk loosing anyone else.”

Suddenly, a huge gust of wind blows at the group awaiting. Taylor puts her arm up to shield herself from the particles in the wind. 

Then the maze gears start to turn and the maze walls start closing slowly. 

“Oh no,” Chuck whispers. 

“No please no,” Taylor starts to panic. Seeing the door start to close. 

“There,” points Thomas. 

In the distance of the maze Minho is carrying Alby, it seems as if he is hurt. 

“Oh my god look there right there,” Taylor shouts, feeling happy that she sees them, but they are so far away. 

“Wait something is wrong,” Newt points out. 

“Oh no,” Taylor says worried. 

“C’mon Minho you can do it!” Shouts Chuck. 

The rest of the boys start to cheer for Minho, Gally saying for Minho to leave Alby there. 

“C’mon Minho, hurry Minho! You can do this!” Taylor screams as loud as she can. Her heart racing every second that goes by. 

“They’re not gonna make it,” Newt and Taylor realize. 

“They’re too far away,” Taylor cries, tears going down her face. 

The maze walls getting close to shutting fully Taylor is at this point gripping Thomas arm so hard. 

Minho screams as he tries to drag Alby to the entrance of the maze, going as fast as he can. 

“He’s not gonna make it,” Taylor whispers. Every one is screaming, shouting, trying to push Minho to go faster. She looks around to all the scared faces, all the faces that seem to have hope. Taylor looks in front, feeling helpless as she cries more. 

Thomas realizes what must be done and without a second thought he runs ahead with only a few inches left until the maze closes. 

“NO THOMAS!” Taylor screams in a high pitched scream as she tries to grab Thomas. 

Everything else was like a flash before her eyes. Her Thomas was gone. 

“NO!!!!”

The door to the maze fully closed and Taylor fell onto the dirt, crying, knowing Thomas, Minho, and Alby were already gone. 

“No Thomas, why?” She cried as she wrapped herself in her sweater, wanting to feel his hand once again. 

She waited there all night, wrapping herself tighter in her sweater, clutching onto the necklace. 

“Taylor, you can’t stay here all night.” Newt said as he sat beside her, looking up the maze. 

“Yes I can and I will. Did you see what Thomas did Newt? He risked his life,” she stood up and placed her delicate cold hands on the stone wall. “He is  a hero, Newt. He’s probably scared, I just,” she gave a big sigh. “I just want him to be safe. He was one of the good ones, I saw it.”

Newt nodded his head and stayed with Taylor for as long as he could, when it was time to go to sleep he left Taylor with her thoughts. Taylor traced over the names of those who had passed away. Scolding herself for thinking that the name Thomas would be carved there. “C’mon Thomas, you gotta make it. You just gotta.”

When morning came Taylor was the first one waiting there for them. Her feet tapped subconsciously on the dirt floor. 

The door of the maze opened up and Taylor, Chuck, Newt and some others were there as well. Taylor held onto Chuck’s hand and he hugged her, trying to reassure here. 

“I’m here for you Taylor,” Chuck said.

“Thanks Chuck.” Chuck was like a little brother to Taylor. He was such a happy boy and just so kind it made her feel thankful to know him. 

Taylor and Chuck were so hopeful, just wanting to see the others there at the entrance of the maze. 

But nobody was there. 

“Told you guy,” Newt started. “they’re not coming back.”

Every one was starting to loose faith as they walked away, preceding with their life. Not Taylor though and Chuck. They stood and waited. 

Taylor looked down, starting to also loose faith as she didn’t see them coming. 

“No way,” said a boy as Taylor lifted her head she saw...

them. 

“Yeah!” Cheered Chuck. 

“Oh my god, yes! Yes!” She started to squeal. Taylor was overjoyed and so happy to see them. 

Thomas and Minho both worked together in saving Alby. They made it through the doors and laid Alby on the floor. 

Taylor’s eyes started to become glassy, they were starting to tear up at the sight before her. 

“You saw a griever?” Chuck asked, looking at Minho and Thomas. 

“Yeah I saw one.” Thomas said, out of breath. 

Minho shook his head, “he didn’t just see it, he killed it.”

The whole group looked at Thomas, shocked. Taylor smirked and hugged Thomas, “I knew there was something special about you.”

Thomas chuckled and hugged Taylor back. 

They arrive back to the hut where they all sit down and discuss what has changed within the maze. 

“This is where the magic happens,” Taylor whispered to Thomas as she gave him a wink. As they walked in there laid the map. It was unlike any other map. It was not made out of paper, no, it was made out of sticks, rocks. It showed where turns were made, how abstract the maze truly was. 

“Wow, this is what you guys do?” Thomas asked, mesmerized by how Taylor and her team had built the maze replica. 

“Yeah, now you’re a part of it.” Taylor bit her lip, trying to hold in her immense smile knowing now she gets to spend moments with Thomas. 

Thomas looks up at Taylor and grins at her, “well first off we went through here.”

Thomas and Minho sat in front of Taylor, telling her every little detail on how the maze has changed. They place the rock that they had written each section of the place and put it in its proper area.

Thomas peers around the room which makes Taylor uncomfortable. The room is dark, dull, it smells of copper, so much that someone could taste it. Taylor was the same way when she peered into the map making room, to her it was a bit scary, but if it was going to save the lives of all these kids, she would sacrifice her nose smell for a little bit. 

As Taylor listens to Minho’s route she stares intently at one piece, “hey maybe this is a pattern?”

The group discussed all night, for many hours. Words exchanging, ideas, thoughts, it was a long, long night. 

The next day as Taylor is tending to the garden she hears the unusual sound. The creaking of the box. 

“Guys! Guys come check this out!” She shouts as she runs to the elevator. The others arrive as well and the person that is shown shocks every one. 

“What in the world?” Some ask as they stare at this...

“Its a girl...,” Taylor crawls in the box as she stares at another girl. She’s not just the only girl anymore. A part of her feels happy and glad but another part of her feels, jealous. She did not understand why.

Newt jumps in as well, “yeah you’re right Tay...its another girl.”

They all stare in amazement and curiosity. Why would they be sent another girl? 

“Whats in her hand?” Gally asks. Newt takes out the paper in her hand and written on the small piece it says, ‘shes the last one ever’. Taylor’s face looks confused, what could this mean?

“What the hel* does that mean?” Newt looks up at Taylor. 

The new girl suddenly wakes up with a gasp, her breathing very hard. As she is struggling to regain her breath she utters only one name, “Thomas...”

The boys and Taylor look at Thomas, expecting him to know why this new girl said his name. He gave a look back of unknowing. 

As the three, Taylor, Thomas, and Minho discuss more about the maze in the map room some boys come around to the entrance. 

““What are you guys doing? You’re not allowed here,” Taylor tries to shoo them off but they stand their ground. “But its the girl.”

“What is she awake?” Thomas questions. 

The two boys look at each other then at Taylor’s group, “yeah well, you can say that.”

As Taylor runs to where the new girl is at Chuck chuckles and points up, “Girls are awesome.”

Taylor shoots him a face of annoyance, “really shank? Now you realize that?” She looks up to see the newbie throwing rocks at the boys down below. “Are you serious?” 

The boys have shields and are trying to diffuse the situation. 

“We just want to talk,” intervenes Thomas, but still the new girl keeps throwing rocks. 

“Let me handle this,” Taylor says as she stand in front of the boys. “Hello there fellow girl. How bout me and you talk? Just us girls only, hmm?”

The girl pauses with the rocks for a moment and that lets Taylor go up. 

As she climbs up she sees the girl there, huddled probably scared. 

“Hi there,” Taylor greets her with a smile. “Don’t worry none of the boys are coming up.”

“You’re a girl?” The new one asks, looking at Taylor up and down. 

Taylor nods, “yeah, I’m the first girl. Its nice to see another one, lets me have closure. Knowing I can relate to you.”

“How come I can’t remember anything?”

“Don’t worry, that happens to us all. I don’t remember anything, my past, memories, they are all gone. All I have is this to remind me that I did have a past.” Taylor pulls up her necklace for the new girl to see it. 

“Its beautiful.”

“Thanks, now you might remember your name a few hours from now or the next day.”

“My name is Teresa.”

Taylor is shocked a little. The new girl remember’s her name already. Something was way off about this Greenie. “Well Teresa my name is Taylor, nice to meet you.”

Behind Taylor climbs a Thomas. Teresa quickly pulls out a machete and points it at him. 

“Hey, whoa, whoa, whoa, easy alright?”

“Yeah its okay Teresa, he’s one of the good guys,” Taylor smiles at Thomas. Thomas gives a little grin to Taylor at the comment she said. 

“So your name is Teresa?” Thomas asks as he settles next to Taylor. Teresa nods while Thomas introduces himself. “Teresa, I’m Thomas. But you already knew that, I guess, huh?”

Teresa still pointing the blade at Thomas looks to Taylor, “they said I kept saying his name in my sleep.” She turns to look at Thomas, “who are you?”

“He doesn’t know either,” Taylor says. “No one here remembers anything. We are just like you.”

Thomas places his hand on Taylor lap, “yeah, shes right. We all woke up in that box just like you. We are all the same. So I’m gonna take this.” Thomas takes the machete out of Teresa’s hand and gives it to Taylor. “Okay.”

Taylor let out the breath she had been holding. Taylor and Thomas stood by with Teresa, to make sure she felt safe. But there were so many questions that needed answering. 

Thomas, Minho, Winston, Zart and Frypan enter into the maze. Taylor says her goodbyes to them but as Thomas is about to leave Taylor meets with him. 

“I wanted to give you something before you go.” Taylor hands Thomas a sheet of paper, on the paper is drawn a butterfly on a flower. It looks so realistic and it is shaded nicely. “Its a little something so you remember me in there.”

Thomas smiles and brings Taylor into a long, tight hug. “I’m gonna miss you,” he murmurs in her ear. 

Taylor does not want to let go. She wants to keep holding onto him forever, “Please be careful out there. Please come back to me.” She cradles his face with her hands giving him a painful goodbye. He lets go and enters in the maze with the rest of the boys. 

When they return Gally states that Thomas has jepordized the peaceful relationship between the Gladers and the Grievers. 

“Really Gally? Just because they found that device inside one? Maybe that could be a way out!” Taylor tried to reason with him. But it was no use. Gally wanted him punished. 

“Wait a second, why don’t we just make Thomas a runner?” Newt suggested patting Taylor’s back knowing she would back him up on this idea. 

“That’s a great idea, second-in-command.” She expressed and put more emphasize on second-in-command to show he was high in social level. “Thomas would make a great runner.”

So it was made, Thomas ended up being designated as a runner. 

Minho guides Thomas to the maze Taylor built again. Now its more important than ever to really pay attention to the model since the boys found some new clues. 

“Three years,” Taylor says as she walks around the table where the model is being displayed. “Three years of exploration and finally now, now that you Thomas are making a difference, we are actually getting somewhere.”

Thomas places his hand on Taylor’s waist making Taylor blush. Minho spots the attraction between them and gives a smirk. He coughs and raises his brow, “...well then, along with what Taylor said the Maze’s numbered sections open and close in a regular sequence, that might be a code.”

Taylor peers at the device and then at the model of the maze. “Yeah, look. The device is numbered to correspond to a certain section within the maze. With this device we may be able to actually escape!”

This was good new to every one. Finally, a chance to escape, finally a chance to see the other world. That hope that Taylor longed for just seemed so out of reach mere seconds ago, yet when she says the plan it seems as if now it is lightly grazing her fingertips. Like she can feel it.

Taylor walks in on Teresa with two syringes. Taylor gave a face of curiosity. She did not know what liquid was in those shots and yet before Taylor could ask, Teresa already stuck it into Alby. 

“What did you do to him?” Taylor raised her fists to Teresa but she just put her hands up in defense. 

“Its okay Taylor!...Its okay. This is gonna help him.”

Taylor side eyed Teresa, “How do I know you’re not lying, hmm?”

Teresa shrugged, “you’re just gonna have to trust me.”

Taylor angry leaves the hut that Alby is in and goes into the woods to read and draw, trying to block out her. Taylor was not one to feel self-conscious, or jealous but when she saw Teresa she felt those evil things. When she saw Teresa with Thomas the anger boiled more within her. Taylor knew in her head that Teresa and Thomas must have had history together so Taylor knew she did not have a chance, and the thin girl always wins. 

That day Thomas and Minho again went into the Maze. When they came back Thomas was oddly happy to see Taylor. 

Thomas ran up to her and gave her a big hug. 

“Whats this for?” Taylor chuckles, deepening the hug. 

“Tay,” Thomas puts his hands on her cheeks, it looks as if he is about to kiss her. “We may have found a way to get out of here, to get out of this maze. Wouldn't you like that?”

Taylor smiles, “I would love that Thomas.” She then laces her fingers with his wanting to show him that she does care and that he does matter. Thomas looks at the two hands together and starts coming in closer to Taylor but then Gally interrupts and starts to have an argument with Thomas. The argument is cut short when Teresa says that Alby’s awake. Feeling relief Taylor makes her way over to his hut to see how he is doing. 

“Has he said anything?” Minho asks, worry clearly evident in his voice. 

“No,” Teresa answers. 

“Alby, Alby you alright?” Newt asks, looking into Alby’s eyes as he rests next to him on his bed.

“Lets not over crowd him guys. I don’t want to scare him or makes him feel uncomfortable.” Taylor says, standing next to Thomas and squatting to get a good eyes level with Alby. 

“Hey Alby,” Thomas said as he squats next to Taylor. “We might of just found a way out of the maze. You hear me, we could be gettin out of here.”

Alby then whispers the next two words, tears falling down his face. “We can’t...we can’t leave. They won’t let us.”

“What are you talking about?” Thomas asks, uncertain. 

“I remember,” Alby says, making Taylor gasp. 

“What do you remember?” Thomas questions Alby. 

“You.”

“Thomas, what is he talking about?” Taylor’s eyes searching for an answer as she looks to Thomas. 

“And you...Taylor. You two were always their favorites. Always.”

Taylor’s heart started to beat at an uncontrollable rate. She felt unable to breathe. Alby knew something of her past that she doesn’t even know. Did she know Thomas before the maze? Her head was starting to spin, her whole life seemed like a mystery to her. 

“Why did you do this?” Alby’s tears came out more as he stared at Taylor and Thomas. “Why did you two come here?”

There is a lot of commotion outside the tent. The whole group goes outside to see what all the ruckus is when they are met with something of their nightmares. 

That night the maze entrance does not close leaving the Grievers to pour into the glade. It was a war between the Gladers and the monsters. Every one who knew Taylor knew about her fears. One of her fears was spiders, and to her these Grievers looked like gigantic, scary, spiders. Taylor and the rest of the gang tried their hardest to fight against the demons but some won. Some of your group including Zart and the beloved Alby passed due to the fighting. It was a struggle to fight and to try to win. Taylor kept close to Thomas, making sure he was safe before her in any of this. 

As the fight finished Taylor looked around her. The home she knew all these years was broken, it was devastating. All their produce was gone, everything was up in flames. But Taylor did not blame Thomas for any of it, instead she embraced his actions knowing things were gonna change soon. 

Gally came furious to Thomas and punched him, blaming him for all the mess and how the Grievers are now angry with the Gladers. In an attempt to regain his memories, Thomas stabs himself with a  Griver stinger. 

“No! Thomas what are you doing?” Taylor called out to him, catching him as he fell after the impact of the sting. 

She waits, and waits. Since Thomas was knocked unconscious because of the sting, Gally made it that Thomas was put in a cell. So Taylor waited right next to the cell until Thomas woke up. She kept looking at him and then at her necklace. She felt like all this time she knew Thomas, something within her made her feel some sort of attraction towards Thomas. Like if they were meant to be. 

Thomas woke up, his eyes shooting open as if he were amazed or surprised. 

“Thomas you’re awake!” Taylor shoots him a smile as she combs back her blonde hair with her hands. “I have some bad news for you.”

All the while Taylor is telling him how Gally is going to sacrifice him and Teresa, Thomas cannot stop looking at her with a face. He just stares into those blue eyes, knowing full well the whole story, the reason for that necklace. He knows about her past, her memories. But he chose to keep that inside...for now. 

“Are you okay Thomas?”

“Why do you never give up on me? Like, here, you always takes my side, are always by my side, why?”

Taylor just shrugged, “I don’t know. I just feel comfortable and safe around you. Someone who makes me feel that way couldn’t be bad.”

Thomas smiles and puts his fingers through the cell spaces. Taylor grabs his fingers and with a heart warming grin opens the cell for him. 

Without Taylor, Thomas goes to the other to tell them about what he remembered. As Gally tries to sacrifice Thomas and Teresa, the other Gladers free them and are on their way through the maze. 

Taylor is very much afraid, going through the maze. She is afraid of the what she calls spiders, but the Grievers. As she walks through with the others for the first time Thomas holds her hand in his. 

“I’m here Tay. I’m gonna protect you.”

That made Taylor feel at more ease. As Taylor and the group come face to face with the monsters, Thomas saves and protects Taylor. They make it past through the Grievers, some from the group have passed but the survivors stumble upon a laboratory. 

“What in the hel* is this?” Taylor asks as she and the others see dead scientists and technicians there. “It looks like there was a shootout here or something.”

Suddenly a woman in a video recording shows up. Her name is Ava Paige, she starts explaining that the planet is broken by a solar flare, and then there’s the deadly virus called the Flare that if someone were to have it, it would affect the brain. The Gladers, Taylor, are immune to the flare. She then learns how all this, the maze, the chaos, all the hel* that they were put through was for an experiment. It was to study their brains as it worked as a resistance to the virus. Taylor feels as if she knows the woman, she keeps an eye on her while Thomas stares at Taylor, knowing the full story. 

Taylor can see in the background of the video, these men start coming out in these mercenary clothing and start shooting the others there. Dr. Paige lifts a gun to her head and before she shoots herself she utters these last words, “and remember, W.C.K.D is good.” She pulls the trigger and shoots the bullet in her head. 

Taylor shouts in surprise and puts her face to Thomas’s chest. Thomas pats her back lovingly and looks completely shocked, not knowing what the next step is.

 As Taylor looks back she sees, “Gally?” The whole group turns around and sees that Gally is there. It appears as if he has been stung from a Griever. He has a gun in his hand, his body starts shaking as he starts to tear up. 

“Gally...stop what you are doing. We can talk about this.” Taylor tries to reassure him as she puts her hand in front of Thomas to protect him. 

“We can’t leave.” Gally starts as he shaking his head. 

“We did Gally, we’re out.” Thomas says as he’s on alert mode. Nobody knowing what Gally is going to do next. “We’re free.”

“Free?” Gally laughs as he looks around. “You think we’re free out there? No, no there’s no escape from this place.” He then lifts the gun at the group. Every one gasps and walks back. Thomas tries to reason with him. “Gally listen to me. You’re not thinking straight. You’re not.”

Taylor turns around to see Minho tighten his grip around his spear. 

“And we can help you,” Thomas pleads. “Just put down the gun.”

With his gun pointing directly at Thomas, Gally cries, “I belong to the maze.”

“Just put down the gun,” Thomas says again. 

“We all do,” Gally says as he’s about to shoot. 

“Gally!” Thomas and Taylor scream as Chuck goes in front of Thomas and Taylor. Every thing happened at the speed of light. The gun was shot but Minho threw his spear directly into Gally’s chest. Every one is scared and shocked at the sight before them. Gally is struggling to breathe as he falls atop the broken pieces of glass. Just as Taylor thought everything was going to be okay Chuck starts to breathe differently. 

“Thomas,” Chuck says as he looks at him and Taylor looks down to his chest to see the bullet shot Chuck. 

“No, oh god please no,” Taylor starts crying as Thomas catches him before he fell to the floor. 

“Oh shi*, oh shi*,” Thomas panics as he runs his hands up and down Chucks face and chest, not knowing what to do with the wound. “Look at me, Chuck just hang on.” Thomas tries to talk him into staying alive, giving him words of encouragement. Taylor’s vision starts to become blurry from all her crying. 

As Chuck struggles to breathe he hands Thomas the carving he did that he was going to give to his parents. He is now entrusting that Thomas finish the quest. 

“No, Chuck you’re gonna give that to them, remember? You’re gonna live, my sweet Chuck.” Taylor voice comes out in broken sobs but at the same time her voice is soothing and comforting. Her hands go to stroke Chuck’s curly hair, wanting his death to be as peaceful as possible. 

“Thank you,” Chuck smiles as he looks up to Taylor and then Thomas. His breathing is loud and then...it stops. Those were Chuck’s last words. 

“Chuck? Chuck, hey. Hey, Chuck c’mon! Oh my god!” Thomas sobs as he sees his friend die right in front of him. His eyes still open as he fell asleep in death. Taylor looks up to see the rest of the group crying as well. She starts by putting a hand on Thomas’s back but she as well is sobbing vigorously. “Oh Chuck.”

Suddenly, a door opens and a bright light falls through the room. These men start running in as Teresa calls out for him. Thomas does not care, his tears and crying are all that comes out of him. Taylor puts her hand on her mouth and closes her eyes as she cries some more. The men come in and take the others away, but the pull Taylor and Thomas away from Chuck’s body. As they try to take Thomas away Thomas wiggles out of their grasp and crawls away to Chuck’s body. They pull him away as he cries to let him go. Taylor and the rest run out into a whole landscape of sandy dunes. Every one is ushered into a helicopter. As they throw Thomas in, Taylor grabs him and sits next to him, holding his hand. The masked man reassures the others that they are safe. The helicopter flies up and down below is the maze. Taylor opens her mouth in shock as she sees what the maze truly looks like. All her life that’s all she’s ever know. She was afraid to see what life was like after all this. 

“Relax kid, everything's gonna change,” the masked man says. 

Taylor looks out the window to the new possibilities, to the new future of her life. 

It had been a couple of years since Taylor was rescued, along with other Gladers, from the maze. They are all taken to a facility by a man named Mr. Janson. He tells the group that the building is a safe haven, it will protect them. That they are protected by WCKD, the virus and the after math of the virus...cranks. He also gives food, clothes, and sanitation. There are also others from different mazes present there.

Taylor met one girl that was also in her shoes. She was part of a maze as well. She was also bigger than most of the girls so Taylor and her had a lot in common. Her name was Jessica. On the first night that they stayed, Taylor felt afraid and unsure but Jessica made her feel welcomed and safe. 

(this is Jessica: oc, models name is Paloma Elsesser)

During lunch after Taylor would talk with her friends she would then talk with Jessica. 

“Don’t you feel its a little bit...odd.” Taylor asks one day as she stares at the people working at the facility. 

“What do you mean by odd?” Jessica raises her brow. 

“I mean, why would they give us all this? Like what are they really doing behind closed doors?”

“I don’t know about you but I’m happy with having these things. I think you’re just worrying too much.”

Taylor bit her lip as she nodded, “yeah you’re probably right.”

No...Taylor was very wrong. Thomas and another boy from another maze named Aris Jones went to inspect what was really happening behind closed doors. To Taylor it was horrific. She felt that every one here lied to her. They learned that Dr. Ava Paige is still alive and that Mr. Janson is working for WCKD. Taylor even learned that they were experiment on the immunes and Janson has yet to find the Right Arm, which is a resistance group located in the mountains. 

“Tay, they lied to us. All of us,” Thomas says as he tries to convince her. Taylor nods and hugs him. “Don’t worry Thomas, I would never lie to you. And besides we will always find a way out.” She smiles up at him and as they get closer and closer Jessica interrupts, “Oh am I ruining something here?”

Taylor puts her hand on her hip and chuckles, “no you’re not. C’mon I have a lot of explaining to do with you.” 

The group including Aris and Jessica escape the facility. Everyone runs to the doors as they announce on the speakers the count down. Thomas holds Taylor’s hand as they run while Jessica holds onto Newt’s hand. 

As Thomas tries to put the card in to open the door Mr. Janson and his group show up. The door isn’t opening though. 

“Aw shi*, it looks like its jammed!” Taylor becomes worried as Thomas keeps re trying and re trying. 

“Oh my god we’re not gonna make it,” Jessica bits her nails. 

“Thomas!” Yells rat-face. Everyone starts panicking and they start hitting the door while Thomas grabs the gun he’s holding and points it to Mr. Janson. 

“Open this door Janson,” Thomas comes closer with the gun, while Janson holds his hands up in surrender mode. 

“You really don’t want me to!”

“Open the dam* door!” Thomas screams while Taylor and Minho try to go through the door. 

“Listen to me! I’m trying to save your life. The maze is one thing but you kids would not last a day out in the scorch. If the elements won’t kill you, the cranks will. Thomas, you have to believe me. I only want whats best for you.”

Finally Thomas shows Janson’s true colors, he reveals the secret Janson has been keeping. “Yeah let me guess, WCKD is good?”

Janson becomes agitated and he lets his arms down, “you’re not getting through that door Thomas. 

“Its unlocked!” Taylor shouts as the door starts to move upward. On the other side you are met with Alvis and Winston. “Hey guys.”

“C’mon,” Frypan says as he runs out. Everyone goes except for Taylor. Taylor wants to wait for Thomas so she moves next to him. “C’mon Thomas we have to go! Lets go!” Thomas starts shooting Janson and his men as he backs up with Taylor. The gun stops working and he throws it to the men. As Thomas turns around to run away he grabs Taylor’s hand and they run together to the door with Janson and his men following them. 

Janson says in his watch, “shut the main vault door. Shut the main vault door!”

As Taylor and Thomas are running to the door, the door starts to close. 

“No!” Shouts Teresa. 

Taylor grasps Thomas’s hand so hard as she runs for dear life. 

The group starts to shout at the two of them, “C’mon Thomas, Taylor! C’mon!”

The door almost closes as Taylor and Thomas slide under the small gap that was left. The two make it leaving Taylor so terrified. 

“Oh my god girl you scared me!” Jessica says as she grabs Taylor in a tight hug, helping her get up. “C’mon we gotta go.”

Alvis hits the lock so that Janson cannot get through. As the group is about to leave Winston grabs a gun making Taylor do the same. Thomas sees that Janson cannot get through so he puts his middle finger up, making Taylor laugh. They all run away. Taylor holding onto Jessica’s hand as they make it to the exit. The alarm sounding off. Thomas opens the huge doors and whats shown out there is really a windy sandy place. Taylor’s afraid and she holds onto Jessica’s hand tighter. 

“We got this Tay,” Jessica says with a smile. “We gonna be fine, you’ll see.”

Taylor nods and the group get out and into the scorch. 

Taylor and the rest end up at an abandoned market place. Its dark and very spooky, no light reaching inside at all.

“Wow its so dark, man,” Jessica puts her hands out in front of her to prove a point. 

Minho then starts the generator and as the lights come on it looks as if people were here before. There are tents and blankets resting on the floor, lights that are strung above the items. More lights keep turning on, lamps, small lights, they keep flashing on. Minho smiles thinking every thing is fine until a, what seems to be a woman, comes slamming on the fence door. Her mouth and eyes are pitch black and she has veins all over her face. 

Minho and Taylor scream in unison, “Thomas watch out!”

“What the hel* is that?” As Taylor stands next to Minho, bringing Thomas back. As those words left her mouth there was more screeching behind them. Taylor, Minho, and Thomas turned around and out came a whole group of them. 

“Oh my god theres more!” Taylor said backing away, her backpack behind her carrying her gun.

One of them came limping to the group but Minho picked up a sledgehammer and smacked the thing with it. 

“What the hell is that thing?” Minho asks, his flashlight shining on them. Out in the distance more of them came, “C’mon we gotta go! We gotta go!” Thomas shouted, pulling Taylor by her jacket with him. Running out the double doors the Cranks are right behind them. Taylor helps the boys to close the door before the crank could come in. 

“Hold it down!” Shouts Minho. 

“What?” Thomas asks. Taylor sees Minho is having some trouble pushing the huge cabinets to cover the door so she goes next to him and helps push. “Watch out Thomas!” Taylor exclaims as the cabinet falls to cover the door. 

Now, cranks are coming out of every corner. “Oh shi*,” Taylor mutters as Thomas grabs her hand and they all run away. Making it up the escalator Taylor follows Thomas but she slips and her foot gets caught in the escalator. Thomas and Minho almost up ahead don’t take notice of her fall. Taylor, panicking tries to take her foot out but it is really stuck. She turns her head back and sees the cranks coming closer. “Thomas! Minho!” Her screams echoes through the building and Thomas turns around not seeing Taylor. 

“Minho wheres Taylor?!?”

Minho shrugs and his eyes widen. “Crap c’mon!” 

Thomas ran like he has never ran in his life, he ran faster than ever in the maze. “I need to help her. Please, oh god please, please be okay.” He thought in his head thinking about Taylor. 

Taylor, still shouting sees the cranks coming closer and closer. She starts to tear up, this is it, this is where she dies. As the cranks are almost to her Thomas and Minho make it and see that indeed her foot it stuck. 

“Oh Tay this may hurt,” Minho winces as he sees her foot, but then he quickens as he sees how many are behind them. “Shi*”

Thomas grabs her hand, “don’t worry Tay, I’m right here. I won’t let anything happen to you.” His other hand is tending to her foot. 

Taylor smiles and puts her head back along with her hands. “I’ll hold them off boys.” She pulls her gun out and starts shooting those that are almost to them. 

“Okay but she’s a badas*,” Minho chuckles seeing even though Taylor hurting she still manages to get the work done!

“C’mon,” Thomas says as he is getting frustrated. Finally they set her free and she sprints in front of Thomas, him still holding her hand to make sure she is safe and with him now 100 percent of the time. 

“I told you we got you,” Thomas smiles as they now run so fast away from the cranks close up on them.

As Taylor, Minho and Thomas sprint ahead they see the rest of their group. 

“We have to warn them!” Taylor said as she started to wave her hands to get their attention and to show panic. 

“Hey!” Shouts Thomas. The rest of the group look at the three running and they wear a curious face. The three yell all different things, warnings, to run, to go away. 

“Why aren’t they moving?” Minho asks as he runs ahead of Taylor. Then Taylor sees their horrified face when they see the cranks running ahead. The others start running as the cranks get closer to Taylor. Taylor, already tired keeps her head in the game. Jumping over man boxes laid on the floor so as not to lose the momentum. A back pack is thrown to Thomas and Taylor assists him in putting it on. The group now rejoined, they make their way up another escalator. As they make their way up a crank appears out of nowhere and the others are scared and taken aback. Aris gets his bat and hits the crank with it. More cranks appear and the group is split up for only a short while. Teresa is split with Thomas while Taylor is put with the others. A crank comes at Taylor and Newt and as it is about to get the two of them Taylor pulls out her gun and aims straight at the cranks head, pulling the trigger. “Bulls eye,” Taylor smirks. Everyone meets up again as they try to make it to the exit. Newt again gets tackled by a crank and Thomas saves him. A whole group of cranks start appearing from the distance to the group of Taylor’s. Everyone runs to a small corridor that is nearby. It is tight and compact and no one knows where they are going. The cranks go into the tiny space as well. Everyone freaks out. 

“C’mon guys move it!” Taylor shouts as it is hard for her to manage in that tight space. They make it to doors but as Thomas and Minho try to open them up they cannot because they are locked. 

“Are you serious right now?” Taylor panics as she combed her hair with her fingers. 

Minho and Thomas try to open it up and Winston shouts, “I’ll hold them back.” He pulls out his gun while Taylor does the same. She stands next to Winston and starts shooting the cranks. Winston smiles at her and she nods, grinning. Frypan finally opens the door and Thomas grabs Taylor’s hand to go through the door first. As Winston tries to go out he gets caught by some cranks and as they try to take him out of the grasps of the cranks the cranks start scratching him on the stomach. Taylor with Minho and Thomas try to close the doors but Thomas sends Minho away. 

“Go Tay, I got this, go.”

“No I’m not leaving you. We do this together.”

Thomas looks at the cranks and at the right time he grabs Taylor’s hands and they both run away together. 

They all spent the night under some debris just waiting for the right time to make a run for it. 

When they all wake up, Thomas looks out to see if it is safe to leave. In the light of the morning sun Taylor peers around her surroundings and sees how city is in ruins. 

“WCKD is probably still looking for us. We have to move.” Taylor says as she stretches and grabs her gun. She grabs Jessica’s hand and brings her up for a stand. 

As the group trudges along through the sand Winston’s infection is getting worse until he falls down. Taylor can see the pain evident on his face, she feels so sorry for him. She wanted him to make it. She looked at the others face and some knew but some had hope. That was good for him in that moment, to have hope. 

“I’m not gonna make it,” Winston says in a rough, hoarse voice. His breathing is starting to quicken. Everyone looks at each other, not knowing what to do. “Please don’t let me turn into one of those things.”

Taylor feels a tear fall down her cheek, her heart breaking at what she is seeing. Winston pulls his hand out as if to hand something to him. 

Everyone is frozen but Newt goes and takes the gun. Thomas thinks that he’s going to shoot Winston but he doesn’t. Instead Newt gives him the gun, it will be on Winston’s time to do that to himself. 

“Thank you,” Winston manages to say. “Now get out of here.”

“Goodbye Winston,” Newt swallows the pain as he looks into his eyes. 

Everyone leaves until its just Taylor and Thomas. Thomas’s eyes become glassy as he looks at a dying man. “Its alright,” Winston reassures him in his last moments. 

“I’m sorry,” Thomas whispers. 

Winston’s last words were, “Thomas, take care of them okay?”

Thomas nods and leaves with Taylor. 

As they go and move away a gun shot is heard through out. It echoes in the world. Everyone pauses and just takes a time to gather themselves up and proceed. Taylor still has tears coming out but she doesn’t want to make a scene so she tries to compose herself and wipes her tears away. 

Thomas sees this and holds her hand, “hey you know, its okay to cry.” He said it more as a statement then a question. Taylor brought him into a hug and cried into his shoulders, feeling mentally tired and emotionally. But she was determined to make it to the end.  

Night came and so did sleep, but as the group was in slumber Thomas woke up to a civilization in the distance, but they are also greeted by a thunderstorm. They run to an abandoned building for shelter but as they are running Jessica slows down. Minho helps and tries to save her by helping her in running but he gets struck by the lighting. 

“Minho!” Jessica and Thomas cream in unison. As they take him to the shelter he does indeed survive. Jessica hugs him lightly, not wanting to hurt him and smiles, “thanks Min Min for saving my as*, I am a god dam* slow runner. For real though, thank you.”

They are greeted with chained up cranks. One after enough coming at them but not quite yet making it. 

“I see you’ve met our guard dogs.” A new voice calls out. It is a girl, she walks up to all of the group and smiles, “you guys look like shi*.”

“Hel* I like her already,” Jessica chuckles but Taylor hits her lightly on the chest. “Ow, what she seems pretty okay.”

“We don’t know what she’s like,” Taylor whispered to Jessica. 

“Don’t worry I don’t bite, the names Brenda.”

They meet Brenda and Jorge who lead a dangerous group of survivors. Brenda and Jorge learn that Thomas and his group had come from WCKD and are looking for the right arm they agree to take them to them. 

Moments later WCKD arrives and storms the place but Jorge’s bombs go off and the facility is destroyed. Taylor and Thomas split up. Taylor ends up with Jorge’s group while Brenda and Thomas are left behind. 

Thomas P.O.V.

Thomas and Brenda escape the cranks but Brenda gets infected by one. Thomas gets another flashback and remembers when he was working for WCKD. He tried to warn Teresa and Taylor about WCKD’s plans but they were all separated by WCKD’s troops. 

Thomas ends up kissing Brenda but as he is kissing her he thinks of...”Taylor.” he breathes out. 

“What,” Brenda asks as she stand back. 

“You are not her.” Thomas wanted that kiss to be Taylor. That was it, he knew he was in love with Taylor. 

Thomas P.O.V. end

Thoma and Brenda meet up with Taylor and the rest of the group again. Taylor runs to hug Thomas and puts her hands on his cheek, “oh my god. I thought something terrible happened to you.”

Thomas grins and puts his hands on her cheeks, “I’m fine, along with the help of her.” He points to Brenda and Taylor’s heart almost shatters. She can see something, some type of affection going on between the two. 

Taylor nods her head while putting up a fake smiles, “oh thats good. I’m glad you both made it out safely.” She puts her hands down and walks away. First she had to deal with Teresa now Brenda. She clenched her fist knowing how this ends. It will end with either beautiful girls getting the guy and Taylor getting no one. With big girls thats how it always ends. 

Jessica finds Taylor sitting away from the group. “Hey Tay Tay, whats wrong girl?”

Taylor just shrugs, “I know Thomas so well already.”

“What?” Jessica asks as she sits beside her. 

“I feel like I’ve known Thomas, like I’ve known him forever...Jess...I’m in love with Thomas.”

“Oh shi*,” Jessica mutters. 

“Yeah, oh shi* is right and I know he either likes Teresa or Brenda way more than fat old me.”

“Don’t say those things,” Jessica puts her arm over Taylor’s shoulder. “You are way more than that you hear? So what if you got a little junk in the trunk you are special Taylor. You did what other big girls no, what other girls think is impossible. You escaped that maze you escaped WCKD you did so many incredible things. You are kind and sweet but ooh but do you have sass! If Thomas cannot see all the amazing things I see or for who you really are than girl, he is not meant for you. You are a diamond in the rough sand paper sand.” Jessica picks up a pile of sand and this makes them both laugh. 

(not my gif! do not own)

“Thanks sis, I needed that,” Jessica helps Taylor stand up and they both embrace. 

“What a beautiful embrace, are we celebrating cause we’re not dead ladies?” Minho jokes, waiting patiently for the two of them. 

“Can I get some of that action?” Frypan chuckles as he playfully hits Minho like am I right?

The two side eye them, “No boys were are celebrating us big women...we can do anything, and that boys is a fact.” Taylor and Jessica walk hand in hand back to the group. 

Jorge interrogates Marcus, a survivor works for WCKD, into revealing the whereabouts of The Right Arm.

The group goes and finds their way arrive at the right arm relief camps. There are other survivors there and they are greeted by a man named Vince. He is the leader and decides if Thomas’s group can stay or not. 

Brenda’s infection worsens and Vince threatens to shoot her. But a former scientist that worked for WCKD stops Vince. “Hello Thomas and hello to you too Taylor.”

“You know me?” Thomas asks the stranger. 

Taylor’s face becomes of confusion, “wait how do you know us?”

“Interesting...it makes sense they put you two in the maze.”

“Thomas, what is she talking about?” Taylor raises her brow. Thomas knows and he looks away. “How does she know who I am? How does she know I was in the maze?” Taylor tries to look into his eyes but he looks away, almost ashamed. “Anybody?” When she looks at the others they too are not looking at her. Jessica pats Taylor’s shoulder. 

“Though I must admit,” the scientist kept going. “I was worried they’d kill ya after what you did.”

“After what you did, Thomas what does she mean?” At this point Taylor was getting furious, she felt like she was invisible. The stranger went to Brenda and tended to her. But she could see that Taylor and Thomas were both searching for answers. 

“What I did?” Thomas asked. 

“The first time we spoke you said you couldn’t take it no more. Watching your friends die one by one. The last time we spoke you gave me the coordinates of every WCKD compound, trial, and lab.”

“He was our source,” said Vince. 

“They couldn’t have pulled this off without him,” the scientist praised Thomas. “Take her [Brenda] to the tent. Get these guys some warm clothes.” They carried Brenda away. As Taylor went to ask Thomas what happened she saw the glances Teresa kept giving Thomas. 

Jessica saw that Taylor’s face was of anger so she placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, “hey you think you’re gonna be alright?”

Taylor looked into her brown, haze eyes and nodded, “you know me Jess...I’m always alright.”

Jessica smiled and left her. Taylor grabbed harshly both Thomas and Teresa behind one of the tents. “What the hel* was all that back there?” Taylor shouted as anger entered into her. 

“Please Tay, let me explain.” Thomas tried to calm her, putting both his hands on her shoulders. 

“Please, make it quick. Why was she talking about us like she knew us? And you kept giving Teresa a look?”

Teresa looked down and then at Taylor, “Back then before the maze, you had worked for WCKD...”

Taylor’s face became of sadness and disbelief, “no thats not true. That can’t be-”

“It is Taylor,” Thomas whispered as he grabbed her hands. “Before the maze, you, Teresa, and me we all worked for the maze. Sticking our friends in a death maze, we did that. We worked for them. I went, when we were still working for them, to you two and tried to warn you both about WCKD but we were all separated, you were first Taylor, you were first to be put in the maze. Also, when we were working for them me and you were very close to each other...Where do you think you got that necklace?”

Taylor peers down to her chest and sees the necklace, her eyes start to water. Thats why the first time she saw Thomas she felt like she knew him. “You knew all this time and din’t think to tell me? You told her, my story, to her, and not even to me! Why would you keep something like that from me, Thomas?”

Thomas felt ashamed and guilty, “I don’t know Tay, I just-”

“He wanted to protect you,” Teresa butted in. Taylor pointed a finger at Teresa, “I don’t want to be rude, but you better but out right now or so help me god.”

Teresa walked up to Taylor, face to face, body to body, “Or what, Tay? What are you really gonna do to me? Thomas was just trying to protect you, if you really cared about his friendship then you would forgive him and you would accept the decision he made. 

“Yeah Teresa you’re are forgetting one thing, who was the first to be in that maze between us? Who had to live every breathing moment in there with just herself as the only female, and who had to accept that she may never see her family again because she doesn’t even know her history? That information was mine, Teresa, I should have, no, I needed to know that. So protect your boyfriend or your crush but nothing you say will make it better that he kept my life from me.” Taylor pushed Teresa to Thomas and went to go find Jessica. 

The scientist woman comes to Thomas and tells him he needs to give his blood. The scientists lady is Mary Cooper. As Mary halts Brenda's infection using an enzyme cure, Mary explains that the enzyme can only be harvested from an Immune's body, not manufactured, and that arguments over the methods of manufacturing the cure with Ava lead Mary's departure from WCKD.

After the argument they all had and Thomas helped Brenda Taylor saw Teresa climb these rocks. Taylor felt more angry when she saw Thomas climbing them to get to her, to see whats wrong with her. Taylor went and followed them to eaves drop on their conversation. 

“You okay?” Thomas questioned as he made it to the top and looked at Teresa. Taylor was hidden behind one of the boulder listening. “What are you doing up here?”

“Just thinking.”

“Well I’ll let you be alone.”

“Do you remember your mother?”

“Uh, I think so,” Thomas thought for a while on that question. 

“You remember mine? She’s a beautiful woman. Every body loved her, before WCKD she was all I had. When she got sick, I didn’t know what to do. They just kept her locked up, hidden. I thought she’d get better. Every night she’d make these awful sounds, like screaming. And then one night she just, stopped. It was finally quiet. I went down to her room, there was blood everywhere. And she just sat there calm. She said she was feeling better. The visions were calm, she’d taken care of them. She took her eyes out Thomas. There are millions of people suffering out there. Millions of stories just like mine. We can’t turn our backs on them. I won’t. 

Taylor’s mouth opened in shock, “please no please no.”

“What are you saying?” Thomas hoped she was talking nonsense, he hoped she did not do the thing that they were all running away from. 

“I’m saying I want you to understand.”

“Understand what?”

“Why I did it.”

In the distance there are helicopters and Taylor’s heart sinks, “oh my god they’re here.”

“Teresa...”

“Please don’t fight them Thomas.”

“What are you doing? What have you done?”

Thomas runs down and Taylor sprints in front of his path, “this way Thomas.” Even though Taylor was mad at him still she needed to protect him, she needed to protect her friends. She grabbed onto his hand and they both ran to the others to warn them, but they were too late. The helicopter shot a explosive and the camps blew up, “No!” They both scream in unison. 

There was an ambush by WCKD. As some warned others, other were dead. 

“Tay!” A high pitched scream came out as Taylor looked around she saw Jessica run to her. “Oh my god I thought they got you too.” They both hugged and tried to run away. But there were so many of the WCKD that Taylor knew she had to do something. “Jessica, listen to me, be careful.” Taylor whispered the words to her as she pushed Jessica to Thomas and stood next to Minho. 

“Go guys we got this!” Minho says as he and Taylor start shooting. 

“No, guys come back here,” Thomas shouts over the commotion. They all hide behind a couple of boxes. Just as Minho is re-loading his gun WCKD shoot a device on him that makes his still. 

“Minho!” Thomas screams as Jessica and Newt pull him back. 

“No!!!!” Taylor shouts as she starts shooting uncontrollably but someone from WCKD comes behind her and hits her with the back of their gun, making her fall down and they put the device on her. 

“Taylor!” Thomas and Jessica scream. Jessica gets up and, without any weapons tries to fight WCKD but they shoot her in the stomach. 

“NO!!!” Taylor screams at the top of her lungs. Her heart just breaking. She starts to sob as she tries to crawl to her friend. “Oh my god oh my god,” was all she could say. 

“Its okay Tay Tay, its okay. I’m sorry, I just tried.” Blood spilled and poured from her mouth and her breathing stopped. “No please no Jess, c’mon Jess please Jess. Please don’t go Jess!” Taylor shouted as she held onto her but WCKD dragged Taylor away from the body, her screams so high pitched it hurt anybodies ears. “Please don’t please, Jess!

“Tay, Minho,” Thomas shouted as he tried to get to her and him. But Vince stopped him. Thomas was crying as he looked at Taylor getting taken by WCKD. Taylor felt like her life was gone and she was already dead. As Taylor went inside the helicopter she was greeted by Ava Paige’s presence, Dr. Paige looked beyond and saw the survivors, she saw Thomas. With an evil eye she glared at him. 

Thomas P.O.V.

The whole place is a disaster. Everything is ruined. Most of the tents were burned up and the survivors are looking for any materials or items that they could save. 

“What do we do now?” Asks Frypan as he looks to the distance, trying to collect himself. 

“I would pick up whats left of us.” Scans Vince as he tries to see if there are others. “Stick to the plan, we take you kids to the safe haven. And we start over I guess.”

Thomas shakes his head and stand up, putting his backpack on. “I’m not going with you.”

Vince looks surprised, “What?”

“I made a promise to Minho and Taylor, I promised that I would protect her. Now she’s probably stuck somewhere scared, afraid, I mean she just saw her best friend die, right in front of her eyes. She means the world to me Vince, I can’t forget about them...I can’t ever forget about her. I have to go after them. ”

“Hey kid look around you,” Vince said, spreading his arms. “A’ight, WCKD just kicked our as*. Think about where you’re headed.”

 “I’m not asking anyone to come with me.”

“Thomas listen to me,” Newt motions to him, caring about his friend. “I’ve known Minho and Taylor for...for as long as I can remember. So if there’s any way we could help, trust me I would be standing there next to you. This what you’re talking about, is impossible.”

Jorge and Brenda appear and Jorge says, “more like suicide.”

“Maybe,” Thomas shrugs. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do now. It’s not just about Taylor and Minho. Its about all of us. Its about everyone WCKD’s ever taken, everyone they will take. They’ll never stop, they’ll never stop. So I’m gonna stop them. I’m gonna rescue Taylor...and I’m gonna kill Ava Paige.”

Everyone looks at each other rethinking the situation. Harriet speaks up, “I have to admit, I’d like some revenge.”

Vince sees the expression of everyone and decides to just give in and help, “wow its a good speech kid, so whats your plan?” Everyone looks to Thomas for answers. 

Thomas P.O.V. end

“Hey Minho, Minho...,” Taylor shook the boy as they were in the train to who knows where. “You hear the birds?” Minho from all the torture was already being a totally different person. Taylor wanted to lift his spirits, but on the inside she felt empty and had no hope of being saved. Minho searches for the noise Taylor was talking about and then he does hear it all of a sudden, he turns around to see Taylor copying the noise of a birds chirping. She smiles at the end and makes Minho laugh. 

As she is standing there, all their hands tied by chains, Taylor sat next to Minho. Taylor coughs a little and then starts singing, “I thought I heard the old man say; leave her Johnny leave her. Tomorrow you will get your pay; and it's time for us to leave her.” Music was such an important aspect in her life, it made her feel happy and made her feel as if she could fly. “Leave her, Johnny, leave her! Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her! For the voyage is long and the winds don't blow. And it's time for us to leave her.” As she sang the last note she looked around to see the other kids there and Minho smiling. “You have a beautiful voice Tay,” Minho chuckled, nudging you. “Wait do you hear that?”

Taylor’s eyes search up and her head turns in his direction. It was the sound of a running car. “Yeah I do!”

Moments later there are footsteps heard up ahead on the trains roof. Taylor and Minho smile at each other, hopeful. 

Then the train starts to stop, Taylor and Minho falling forward from the harsh movement. Then a familiar voice is calling out, the others on the train are excited and start screaming for them to be rescued. 

“Taylor! Taylor! Minho!” The voice calls out to them two. They look at each other and answer with a crying yes. But are never rescued, they are instead taken back to WCKD to be tortured more. 

By many doctors Taylor is put in this machine that hooks up to her head. “Please no, not again, please.” They don’t listen to her and strap her in. 

The ocean, the waves calming and relaxing. Taylor is sitting right atop a rock, enjoying a book. In the distance she sees the maze. Her heart starts to beat quickly and she starts to panic. She hates this feeling. Her hands start to tremble. As she looks down in her book the pages start to be covered in blood. Taylor covers her mouth in disgust and tries to throw the book away but it keep landing back on her lap. Then the blood starts to make words. “They are coming for him.”

“Who’s him?” Before she could react a wave crashes on her and brings her in the ocean. She is drowning but then all of a sudden she is in a cell. It is dark, very dark and it is wet and smells horrific. “What the hel*?” Next to Taylor in the cell is Jessica’s dead body, lying there her corpse. Taylor starts to break down and she sobs as she sees her best friend dead. “Oh my god!” But then she hears...it. A griever pops out and tries to get to Taylor but Taylor is separated by the cell. As she is backing away she hears a voice. “Taylor! Taylor!”

“Thomas?” She screams and Thomas meets her, “I’m gonna get you out okay? I will protect you.”

Thomas starts to fight off the griever, by himself and Taylor starts to scream, “No Thomas I need to protect you!” Then Thomas gets stung by the Griever and the griever rips Thomas head off. Horrified Taylor screams on the top of her lungs. 

Taylor hooked to that machine makes her see these things. She screams when nothing is really there in reality with her. The doctors check her eyes and see she has spaced out, she is out of it. She becomes almost brain dead. 

Only a few times does Taylor see Minho and every time she does he is getting worse and worse. She feels so bad for him. Taylor has tried to escape and tried but it never is successful. 

She sleeps in a cold cell, thinking about her friends and about the stars. How much those starts mean to her. She is mostly out of it from all the torture. She is being scarred for life. She lays there until WCKD arrive to bring her to another torture test or to check her vitals. 

As WCKD takes her to a medical room Taylor sees from the side of her eye Minho beating up Teresa. “That bitc*” Taylor mutters under her breath as she sees Teresa got away and they had to hold Minho down. Taylor chuckles, “thats my boy.”

Teresa makes it out but is scared when she sees Taylor, “you traitor!” Taylor gets out of WCKD’s grasp and makes a run for Teresa. Taylor kicks Teresa and knees her in the stomach. Teresa is on the ground, coughing up and hurting. “Yeah feel that, now imagine that 100 times worse.” Taylor lifts Teresa’s face by her hair so Taylor can see her better. “Thats how it felt when you took everything I loved away from me.” Teresa is crying and they pull Taylor back. “I won’t let you do that to Minho. I wont!”

Taylor was taken to be tortured again. Her hands in cuffs as if she were a prisoner. Suddenly, the alarm started to blare. The sirens turning on an alarming WCKD that something is wrong. They still took her into the room and went to hook her up. 

Minho P.O.V.

As Minho escaped the medical room where they were going to sedate him he met up with Thomas and Newt. 

“Minho,” Thomas said, sounding relieved. 

Minho looked to Newt and Thomas, “is this real?” They all smile but then Minho realizes Taylor is about to get tortured now. “Guys Tay’s in trouble, we need to go save her. I know where she is!”

Minho P.O.V. end

They hooked up all the wires to her brain and they were about to start it when there was a loud bang almost outside the door. All the WCKD doctors were scared, alarmed. One stood up and went to go see what the commotion was. There was another bang and then footsteps. Thomas, Newt, and Minho appeared in Taylor’s room and shot everyone there. A female doctor was about to press the button to put Taylor into that machine but Thomas shot her. 

“Oh my god!” Taylor screamed, strapped to her chair. “I can’t believe its you guys!”

Thomas, quickly, unstrapped Taylor and then picked her up so she was standing right in front of him. He felt his heart beating fast, he felt so happy to see Taylor. Here she was living, breathing, right in front of him. It was like a miracle. He sees though the bangs under her eyes and how she looks drained, tired. “Oh my god Tay, what did they do to you?”

Taylor started to cry but out of joy and happiness that she was saved, “they tortured me. They,” her cries were sobs now. “They made me believe that it was you, Thomas. You were killed and that to me was the worst torture.” Thomas puts hugs Taylor and puts his hands on her cheek. His face showing worry and sadness that Taylor had to go through that. “Its the worst torture to me because I couldn’t protect you Thomas, I couldn’t save you.” Taylor’s blue eyes looked up to Thomas’s brown ones and Thomas just went for it. 

Thomas leaned in, passionately to kiss Taylor. He brought her closer to him. He put his hands all over her curves not caring about them, just loving the girl for who she is and thinking she is the most beautiful woman on the earth. They both closed their eyes in the kiss and it was hard and passionate, his tongue slipping inside just for a minute. Just to have one taste of her. It was full of love. 

(not my gif! do not own)

Both their foreheads rested on each others and they smiled, “I love you so much Taylor.”

“I love you more, Thomas. I need to say I’m sorry for getting so angry with you not telling me about my past. I get why you did it, you were trying to protect me.” She steps closer to Thomas and takes a hold of his hands while Thomas kisses her lips and forehead. “Its okay Tay, I’m sorry for keeping that away from you. I felt so scared and not sure when WCKD had taken you. You mean so much to me, not Teresa, not Brenda, you.”

Taylor kisses his lips again and sees the boys face in the back. Newt is so over it, rolling his eyes. And Minho looks as if he’s gonna throw up. 

“Are you guys like done. We kinda have to get out of here,” Minho broke the silence. 

Taylor and Thomas chuckle, “wow they are just, wow.”

Taylor nodded, “I know, way to ruin the moment guys!”

Newt rubs his temple, “If I have to see one more kiss I may just leave on my own.” He chuckles at the end. 

Taylor and Thomas laugh and they grab hands and make a run for it. 

As they run they meet some folks from WCKD and they run into a random room. Thomas locks the door. There is someone banging the door from outside, this scares Taylor and she holds onto Thomas for support. “Don’t worry Tay, I got you. I won’t let anything bad happen to you again.”

“Newt c’mon,” Minho goes to a cart and places it in front of the door. 

“Um Thomas, what do we do?” Taylor asks as she sees the huge window in the room. Every one is trying to think of a plan but WCKD  already is using a blade to try to pry the door open. 

“Any ideas?” Minho questions. 

Thomas looks at the window and then back at the group, “maybe.”

“Oh hel* no! You do realize how thick I am, I’m gonna be the first one down there and then you guys will come afterwords and use me as a soft landing.” They all look at Taylor as she said that and she just waves them away, “never mind.”

Every one helps getting a tank through the window. It falls to the water down below. 

“Okay its doable. Just need a little running start.” Thomas says as he goes back. 

“Oh my god are we serious about this? Is he serious? What if that water is shallow, we’ll die Thomas!” Taylor tries to reason with him, her heart thumping out of her chest. They all go next to Thomas, Taylor holding his hand to feel more comforted even though she felt so terrified. 

“You sure about this?” Minho asks, scared. 

Thomas looks at Taylor and shakes his head, “not really.”

Minho rolls his eyes, “nice pep talk.”

“Yeah, I’m bloody inspired.” Newt says too. 

“Ugh we’re gonna have to do it,” Taylor cracks her neck and is prepared, putting on her game face. But the door flies open and Janson comes through, angry. “Fuc* it!” Taylor says as the group runs forward. 

They all jump and through the jump Taylor’s hand is holding Thomas’s. Some one screamed Thomas name and then someone cursed. Taylor just screamed so loud the whole way down. 

As the group is running through the last city they are met up with, “Gally?”

Gally sees Taylor and chuckles, “hey Tay, its nice to-”

Taylor runs to him and punches his all over but Thomas pulls her away, “why are we with this guy? He’s a traitor! He killed Chuck!”

“I know Tay, I know. He’s on our side now. He saved us.” Thomas brings her back and tries to control her. 

“Also Gally was stung and out of his mind when he did that,” Newt said as he put a reassuring arm around her. 

Taylor still feels like she wants to kill Gally, “how the hel* did you survive anyways?”

“I was saved, treated and now I’m helping you guys. Like I said, its nice to see you again Tay.”

“Yeah well I wish I could say the same thing.” Taylor answers back sassy. “What happened here?” 

Explosives go off, there is fire and terror every where. People are screaming, violent. Its like the end of the world it seems to Taylor’s eyes. 

 Then Taylor hears harsh breathing coming from Newt. “Newt?”

Newt sends Minho and Gally away, also wanting Taylor to go. “No, I’m not going anywhere. Thomas, whats wrong with him?” 

Thomas looks down, sad and Taylor’s heart almost drops. “No he can’t no.”

“I do Tay. I have it.” Newt says in an almost reassuring voice. His lips turning black like if they were goop. Alarming Taylor and Thomas that they need to figure out something quick. As Newt is struggling he hands Thomas a silver pendant. Taylor and Thomas assist Newt in walking to a safer place and they end up to an empty area where Newt passes out. 

All of a sudden Teresa’s voice is heard through out the whole city. She explains that Thomas, with his blood, can save Newt if he comes back to WCKD.

Thomas has tears in his eyes and so does Taylor but Newt stands up. Awkwardly like he isn’t himself. 

“Newt?” Thomas says, trying to sound gentle. 

Taylor’s heart was going so fast. She felt that she already knew but she didn’t want to believe it. “Newt, we’re here buddy. We are here for you, shank.”

Newt turns around and Taylor already knew, he had become one of them. Newt looks directly at Thomas, “Newt.”

Saliva coming out of Newt’s mouth and looking like a total different...thing, he charges towards Thomas. Thomas pushes him away making him fall on the floor but he gets back up. 

“Newt its me, its me!” Thomas tries to tell Newt but Newt is not the same person anymore. 

“Newt we wont hurt you!” Taylor tries to get into his head. She pulls Newt away from Thomas throwing him on the floor. Newt tackles Thomas and with the forces of Taylor’s strength and Thomas’s they roll him away. Newt gets up and jumps on Taylor and almost bites her. “Thomas help! Newt stop please! Its me, Taylor!” She is screaming as his mouth is almost a few spaces away from her face. Thomas kicks Newt and Newt falls on his back on the floor. Thomas helps Taylor stand and as they get up Newt utters for them to kill him. 

Newt, again tackles Thomas and Taylor tries to get him off but Newt is too strong. As Thomas utter his name Newt stops. “I’m sorry Tommy, I’m sorry Tommy.”

“Its okay, its okay,” Thomas smiles at Newt. Newt then grabs Thomas’s gun and tries to shoot himself in the head. Taylor quickly grabs the gun away from him. “No!”

Newt grabs his knife and tries to stab Thomas. Thomas struggles to keep the blade from intruding his chest so Taylor puts her hands on the blade to stop him. Her hands are getting cut, slicing through soft skin. Taylor winces at the pain and notices blood dripping from her hands on Thomas’s shirt. The shirt soaking up the crimson liquid. “Please Newt stop.” Taylor pushes Newt off with Thomas punching him in the face. 

As Newt and Thomas fight, Newt trying to stab Thomas they meet up together. Taylor hears the knife slicing through and starts to cry. It didn’t matter who it stabbed, it wasn’t like she cared more for one and not the other. She cared for both of them so much. “Newt, Thomas...” She muttered as she started to sob. 

They hold on more to each other and as they part the knife went into Newt’s chest. “No! No! There has to be so way, please no, please!” Taylor is panicking at this moment, she is uncontrollably sobbing. Her heart breaking more as if that were possible. “No Newt, not my Newt.” 

“Tommy...” Newt whispers, as himself. He falls down but Thomas catches him so his fall would be less painful. “Tay...”

Taylor was right beside him, holding his hands and looking into his eyes. Brushing his honey golden strands back. 

Taylor then remembers the things her and Newt did. Its like a whole book she thinks of. She spent so many years with him she felt not herself. She remembers when they would garden together. Newt would pretend that the carrots were his teeth and do funny faces with them. Taylor would throw dirt on him and say if he were to grow into a flower, he would be the most beautiful flower out there. Whenever Taylor would feel sad or sick, Newt was there for her. Cuddling with her, taking care of her, worrying about her. All those times worrying, when she wanted him to have a great life. Whenever Taylor felt self conscious Newt would always say, “don’t think about those bloody thoughts love, to me you are perfectly splendid in every way.” Then he would end it off with his charming smile. One time Taylor drew a portrait of himself, resting against the tree, so peaceful. Newt smiled and was shocked, calling Taylor the most creative person in the world. “You got my good side also,” he would chuckle with a wink. The most fondest memory Taylor has of her and Newt is that they both would rest and lay upon the tall blades of grass. Laying next to each other but Newt was laying up and Taylor was laying down. Their heads were next to each other. Taylor would sing to Newt, making Newt feel at peace. He always liked her singing. Then would it would come of night Taylor would read the stars and tell him, “I see big things, for the both of us. Our lives will change Newt, you’ll see.” Then she would ask Newt, “if we did make it out of here Newt...where would you go?” Newt would take a while and Taylor would smile, “I’d love to go to the ocean, full of water and...stuff. Who knows?” Newt would look directly into Taylor’s eyes and nod, “I would go anywhere, as long as its with you.” Taylor would grin and give him a huge bear hug. “Don’t worry shank, we’ll get there. We’ll always get there and when we do, we’ll do it Newt, together.”

Taylor cried as she looked at Newt’s dying form. She collected herself and looked directly into his eyes, clasping him hand and running her finger through his hair. As the wind howls low in the night Taylor breathes in and out, (this song is called rainbow by kacey musgraves)  “Oh tie up your bow, take off your coat and take a look around ” She starts singing, knowing Newt would love to hear the peaceful melody. His breathing starts to relax and he smiles, looking directly into her ocean blue eyes. He can’t utter a word but Taylor knows what he would say, “thats bloody good mate” or “wow Tay, to hear that come out of you is amazing, its like everything is possible.” 

“Tay..” Thomas whispers, tears coming out more. The lyrics mean something so important to Taylor. Thomas nods and knows Newt, no, Newt deserves to go away peacefully. 

“Everything is alright now” Taylor sings to him telling him he can let go, he can go now that they will be alright and he does not have to suffer or worry no more. 

The lyrics mean to Taylor so much. This song is for Winston, Jessica...Chuck. All those who passed away for fighting for something they believed in. 

“'Cause the sky is finally open, the rain and wind stopped blowin' But you're stuck out in the same old storm again” Taylor means as she makes up the lyrics as she goes that the sky is opening to welcome Newt, so Newt can see his friends Newt can see Winsont, Jessica, and Chuck. He can play with them and tell them jokes and use his beautiful accent. Taylor starts to shed some more tears knowing she’ll never get to hear Newt say her name again, she’ll never hear his little comments about anything any more. She struggles to sing the other lines but she does it knowing they are important to Newt. 

“Let go of your umbrella, darlin' I'm just tryin' to tell ya That there's always been a rainbow hangin' over your head Yeah there's always been a rainbow hangin' over your head” The umbrella means for Newt to let go, thats its okay for Newt to die. But the rainbow part means that his friends his family were always there for him and they will always be there for him and that they will always remember him. Then he’ll get to see so many rainbows where he’s going, he’ll get to play with them and be himself. 

As Newt gives his last breath Taylor sings the last part, “It all be alright” Newt dies with his eyes open and Taylor closes them and kisses his cheek. “We’re gonna miss you Newt. Have fun my darling Newt...” Taylor and Thomas hug as they sob together. Brenda arrives but she is too late. 

Thomas and Taylor go to WCKD and confront Ava. She keeps insisting that their ways are good. She is then killed by Janson who is infected. As Janson knocks Thomas out Taylor runs away and hides, following them. He takes Thomas to a lab where Teresa is ready to extract his blood. Janson tells though that he and WCKD are only truly interested in curing those whom they please, which results in Teresa turning on him. 

Thomas and Janson fight, making Taylor follow them. Teresa sees Taylor and they look at each other knowing they have to save Thomas. They are all stuck in one room together. Thomas sees that Janson shot him in the gut. Taylor goes to Thomas and kisses his forehead telling him, “we’re gonna help.” Her and Teresa come up with a plan to distract Janson. As Teresa takes charge of the plan and Taylor goes to Thomas to help him out, Janson almost kills Teresa but Taylor and Thomas throw a chair into a lane of glass, releasing two turned workers. Those things kill Janson and with Taylor and Teresa assisting Thomas make it to the rooftop. The aircraft by Jorge and Vince await them there. Thomas helps Taylor get on board first and then Thomas leaving Teresa last. Teresa is about to get on with Taylor’s help as the building collapses, “no!” Taylor and Thomas scream as Taylor tries to grasp Teresa’s hand. Teresa falls to her death. 

The group reunites with the immune and the right arm. They arrive at a safe haven that was revealed by Ava. Its where the rest of the population can live safely. 

That night as Taylor sits by the ocean she feels a paper in her pocket. “What in the world?” She takes it out and unfold it revealing to be the picture that Taylor drew of Newt. “He kept it all this time?” Taylor whispered to herself as tears started to come out. She sees her drawing and as she turns it over she sees that Newt drew her a picture, its of them laying in the tall green grass, smiling and holding hands There is a note there and it says, “To my beautiful friend, you have made my life the best, you have made me feel nothing else but joy. For that I want you to live your life, go anywhere and start your adventures. Remember how I said I would go anywhere with you, well its still true. Wherever you are at this moment, I am there with you, you may not see it but its true. So have fun my beautiful Tay, thank you for having my back and for making me feel like I can do anything. You deserve all the best, I am so proud of you Taylor. Also, you were always my rainbow hanging over my head.” Taylor kissed the letter and dried her tears. “Thank you Newt,” she whispers as the waves crash lightly in the sand and the sun begins to go down.

Taylor goes to where they are carving the names of those who they lost and she pats Minho’s shoulder as he carves out Newt’s name. Taylor kisses her fingers and pats his name, she does the same when she sees Chuck’s and Winston’s name. She grabs the carving tools herself and carves out Jessica’s name, smiling when she finishes it. 

Taylor goes to the group of the others and hugs them, hugging Minho, Frypan, Brenda, even Gally. “I wanted to say, thank you for all that you have done, Gally. I forgive you.” She pats Gally and Gally thanks her. “And I know Chuck forgives you as well.” Taylor says as she smiles. She takes her seat next to Brenda and Thomas arrives hugging everyone. Thomas sits next to Taylor and Taylor grabs his hand kissing it. Thomas smiles and kisses her on the lips. 

He then kisses her forehead and whispers, “I love you so much Tay.”

Taylor chuckles and laces her fingers with his, “I love you more...my Thomas.”

20 Years from that

“Mommy, mommy, c’mon lets go see the fishies,” Taylor’s son called out to Taylor as she ran to him. Standing by the ocean was her husband, Thomas smiling. The others were there as well, there kids present. 

“Wait up Newt! Mommy can’t go that fast!” Taylor chuckled as she ran to grasp her son’s hand and then her husbands. As they walk in the sunset the breeze is nice and cool and Taylor places a hand on her stomach, “I can’t wait to see you soon Chuck, mommy’s excited.” Thomas kisses his son and kisses her stomach and her forehead. “Daddy’s excited too, c’mon lets go see the ocean, I think there’s also a rainbow there.”

Taylor smiles and her family, the family that means everything to her, they walk away going on with more discoveries and more loving adventures. 

Tag list: @harrington-lover, @angelgl16, @perfectlybeautifulsuit, @hyehoney, @wtfisalltherandoms, @haven-prelude (wont let me tag), @leasly, @totally-alexa21, @creamy-pasta-boi, @multireese, @fanfictionrecommendations-com, @prentisskelley, @malereaderforkpop (wont let me tag), @guardian-of-cookies, @justafangirl-97, @teenageshitposts (wont let me tag), @andreaoreas, @dippergravity (wont let me tag), @some-booty, @fromfoolishpeopletodeadpeople, @collectiveyou

wanna be tagged in my crap? comment!

[elejah-wonderland]

How To Hold My Heart/4

Fanfiction 

Part 4

Elijah Mikaelson x Elena Gilbert

AU TVD/TO  short story

a/n: Elena and Elijah worked together in a Law Firm. One night he hooked up with her friend Hayley, and continued seeing her. Elena, had always secretively loved Elijah, but never told him how she felt. Hayley fell pregnant and Elijah married her, and Elena went to live in Toronto, accepting a better job, but also to forget Elijah. Will life bring them together?

Thank so much for reading xoxo

tags @rissyrapp20 @dendrite-lover @cassienoble2000 @captainshurley @goddessofthunder112 @elejahforever @hides2000

_________

Days after

And, so Elena kissed her daughter goodbye and flew away to New York for a long weekend of elaborate parties surrounding Caroline and Klaus' wedding.

Straight from the airport, she was taken to the Bachelorette party and so the fun began. And it was a girly extravaganza. Everyone knew that Caroline's parties were to be remembered for centuries if not millenia.

The next morning, Elena woke up with a big hangover. A song still banging in her head from the night before. She realized she was in Caroline and Klaus’ new house, but at that moment all she wanted to have a shower and check her messages and coffee. A double mokkachino

As she got ready and made sure all was fine with her daughter, she ventured down to find the kitchen. She could hear someone shuffling some papers and as she got in the kitchen, she stood still as if she got trapped in some strange vacuum space.

"Elijah?!"- she let out in a half breath.

"Elena! Hello there!"- he said giving her a little smile.

Elena stood like someone had completely taken her whole being from this plane and entered it somewhere in a hazy dream world, and yet it was a reality that kicked her like the ice storm. And if she was to come back a 1000 times and it would always be the same.

"Hello"- she uttered with a mental gulp.

__

"Morning, love!"- Klaus said to a very groggy Caroline, who had just opened her eyes, still not clear if this was reality or dream.

"Mornin’"- she uttered faintly rubbing her eyes. Then as if stung by bee she sat up all in panic.

"OMG!!"- she said getting up looking for her robe.

"What's up?"- Klaus looked at her aaonished with her sudden frantic behaviour.

"What's up??!!"- Caroline looked at herself in the mirror- her make up was smudged and her hair all fuzzy. She rushed to the bathroom to take it off, she clued Klaus in on why she had gone slightly mad-

"I totally forgot that Elijah had come to stay with us last night!"

“Yes - so?”-Klaus looked at Caroline gone out.

"Ok, ahm- well, it's Elena"- Caroline now told Klaus why she was so flustered about Elena meeting Elijah and why she went to Toronto and that all these years she had to keep the lid on everything concerning Elijah as if he never existed.

"She had it that bad??"- Klaus was surprised.

"Sometimes people fall for the unavailable guy and they try to shake it, but it just won't go away"- Caroline said.

"I know that you are terribly romantic and I love you for it, but- I think you are blowing it out of proportion!"

Klaus now took his bride to be by the waist pulling her towards her, kissing her.

*

Meanwhile in the kitchen

Caroline was right about the impact Elijah would have upon Elena. Seeing him so unexpectedly hit her like an avalanche and her hello was accompanied with a problem in her air supply as if something got stuck in her throat.

She went straight to the counter and finding a glass in the cupboard, she poured herself some water from a water dispenser.

"Are you all right?"- Elijah inquired.

"Yeah, fine"- Elena reassured him after she took a few sips -"just dehydrated- one cocktail too many-it was Caroline's last night of freedom, you know- we let loose-"

"It must have been a really good night!"- Elijah said-"sit down, I will make fresh coffee and scrambled eggs?"

"Yeah, ahm-you don't have to.Coffee is more than enough!"- Elena said.

There he was, being this great guy, considerate, sweet, and the heart she had switched off, screamed at her reason to let it beat again. No. Stop it, Elena. But, I can't. You have to, Elena. Loving him has given you nothing but heartache, remember.

"Here you are"- he served her the espresso and a toasted bagel.

"Thanks"- Elena said-”Ok - ahm - so you are - here - early- though it’s none of my business.”

“Oh, I sold the loft. And haven’t found anything yet. Had to move out, and Klaus and Caroline offered to stay with them- till I buy something.”- Elijah explained as he sat down.

“Right. I am sorry - for having asked -”- Elena bit herself for asking why he was there.

"So, how is Toronto? You just left and forgot that we existed! If it wasn't for Caroline we wouldn't know anything about you?! So, you had a daughter, I hear!?"

Caroline kept him informed-Elena thought. And he cared to keep up with all surrounding her.

"I did"- Elena replied-" she is one and a half"

"Still can't picture you as a mom, I thought that career was everything for you!"

"Not everything"- Elena now said as she took a sip of the coffee.

"Sorry, I just-you were so dedicated to work and having accepted to head Maxwell's legal team. I didn't mean to say that-I put my foot in it!"-Elijah was apologetic.

"Hey- it's fine. I still love my work a lot, and am juggling both. Enzo is a great dad -and we have a nanny, too."

"So, Enzo - I was wondering who would sweep you off of your feet after all"- Elijah said.

As he said that, Elena felt as if there was no oxygen for a moment yet again.        

"Enzo and I -we were just together with like no strings and then I got pregnant. He is a great guy, but- that's it."- Elena explained- "Ah,I am sorry, Elijah- I heard about Hayley- ahm- we used to be bffs -but- it just- there is no excuse- I should have called to tell you when Caroline told me - I am sorry."

"Yeah- ahm- thank you."- Elijah said. He moved the plate. And awkwardness descended between them.

Elijah felt that Elena was holding back and he didn't remember her as such. And his instinct told him that it was the talk of loss and grief that would make people become silent, so he changed the subject asking her about Jen and if she had a photo of her.

"Yes- of course- like thousands. Here."- she now opened the gallery icon on her phone and loads of photos of her daughter sprung up.

Caroline and Klaus appeared in a bit and joined in the conversation, gushing over the photos of Jen and then talked kids. Caroline saying she wanted at least three. Klaus was all wide-eyed. They then all teased him. As they finished breakfast, both Caroline and Elena went to get dressed as Caroline said that they still had tones to do till her wedding day on Monday.

In an hour or so, they were out. And as soon as they got out of the house and Caroline now was apologizing for the fact that she hadn't mentioned that Elijah would also be staying at the house.

"I should have warned you, but- it was just crazy the last few days, plus you banned me to talk about him, remember!?"'

"It's fine"- Elena said.

"Seriously, it's fine???!!! You are kidding me, right??!!"- Caroline now ripped into Elena not believing what she was hearing- " It didn't kill you seeing him????"

"Kill? Caroline?!!"

"Right- wrong choice of words! Hey, but you are breathing!! So, you're fine?!? No stomach butterlies? No heart bleeding??"-Caroline continued digging.

Elena stopped, looked at the sky, taking a breath and then looked at Caroline- and Caroline concluded for her friend-

"You are not over him!!"

Elena sighed -"Huh- what is this!? I wish I could cut my heart out and then it would be done or get hypnotized to hate him!!"

"It doesn't work that way!!"- Caroline said.

"Right! This weekend is about your wedding! And that's all we are going to focus on!!"-Elena said decisively.

"Elena, you're shutting down again!"-Caroline nearly screamed at her.

"I hope they still have those yummy doughnuts with caramel topping!"-Elena said and now carried on walking. Her phone rang and it was Bonnie, who was already waiting for them in their favourite café.

Caroline was fuming inside because of Elena's resolve, but there was nothing she could do at the moment. They had always respected each other's wishes, even though they were not in agreement with it at times.

And the weekend carried on with the grand Mikaelson family dinner with other of their friends and collegues. Elena and Elijah acted as friends, as they always had done when she still tworked for the Mikaelson's. It was Caroline who now started plotting with Bonnie how to break Elena's defences. She was happy and she felt the need to make two people she cared about be happy too.

___

That evening

"Here is to you surviving the Mikaelson dinner- do you know that this now makes you family?!"- Elijah said to Elena handing her a glass of champagne.

"Really? How?"- she took the glass off of him.

"You are the Maid of honour!"- Elijah said.

"I didn't know this makes us family?!"- Elena chuckled a bit. Inside she was burning with thousand knots making her stomach churn. She wanted to escape and not move away from him ever - all this was playing like a mad tug of war in her heart.

She didn't want to get drunk, as she knew she could not trust herself with him. She put the glass away after a tiny sip.

"So, can I see your speech?"- Elijah said.

"My speech? Isn't that your responsibility?"- Elena shot at him.

"Yeah, and I am stuck with it- I wish he asked Kol to be his best man- all this just brings memories"-

"Your wedding- you must miss her, especially on occasions like this"- Elena then said.

"No.- Elijah said somewhat in a cold manner which came across a tad bit unusual. Elijah sipped the champagne down and then put a strange sour smile on.

Instinctively, Elena put her hand on his arm as if she understood the raging mix of emotions that were underneath the pleasant self-assured exterior.

He looked at her and the look streamed unrest but a dear familiarity saying that she knows the way he feels and that she was there for him.

and then Elena's phone rang and she pulled her hand away now looking at the display-

"Enzo-"- she said- "I have to take this"- and she walked away so she could talk.

Elijah stood looking at her as she walked out onto the balcony. Rebekah was not far seeing the moment Elena and Elijah shared.

"Flirting with the maid of honour- I saw you- don't deny it- "- Rebekah teased.

"Who is denying it"- Elijah said back at his sister.

"Oh! Really?”- Rebekah smiled-”Good for you.”

“We have always been- friends. She never really saw me as - you know. She was always into bad boys with motor bikes and leather jackets. I am not her type.”

“Oh, please. If we put you in a white T-shirt, jeans, and leather jacket - she would not know what hit her.”

Elijah now smiled at his sister- “What is this? Since when do you play match-maker?”

“Since I saw the way you looked at her”- Rebekah said-”You are so into her.”

“Don’t do anything. I warn you.”- Elijah said to his sister as he knew what she was like.

“Oh, come on, Elijah. Caroline said that she is available.”

“And lives in Canada.”- Elijah now said-”and - I just don’t know - just let it be, all right?”

“Ah, all right.”- Rebekah puffed away, and as Stefan Salvatore now stopped dancing with Lexi Branson, the blonde Mikaelson now trailed off to grab him for the next dance. 

Elijah sipped away his Champagne and now went to the balcony, finding Elena having finished her conversation.

“Everything all right?”

“Yes. They lost Mrs Cuddles in the park and Jen was playing up, not wanting to fall asleep without it.”- Elena replied. 

“That’s a major crisis.”- Elijah said.

“It so is.”

“I hope there is a good substitute.”- Elijah now asked,

“Enzo went to buy the same teddy, but, unfortunately, nothing can beat the Original -”

“So, that’s it? Is there anything that console her?”

“I am afraid not.”- Elena said-”but - life does that and - she will have to somehow get over it.”

“You are harsh.”

“No. Just realistic.”- Elena said-”There is one remedy. Enzo will play her favourite lullaby on his guitar till she falls asleep.”

“He plays a guitar - “- Elijah now said taking another glass of Champagne from the waiter that just by.

“You played a piano once - at the Christmas party?”- Elena now remembered.

“Yeah, I did. You remember that?”

“Yes. You were good.”

“I don’t know. Must have had too much Bourbon.”- Elijah said. 

And as they walked now slowly back in, a woman now came rushing towards Elijah, and taking hold of his hand. 

“Sorry, but - we need you to referee this.”

And she dragged him now away, leaving Elena behind. She could see him shrugging his shoulders as - sorry, but Elena waved it off as ok. Being joined now by Bonnie and Damon, she tuned to them.

“I am tired.”- Elena now said and asked them if they would drive her back to Caroline’s house.

********

A few days after

Elena put her headphones on as the plane took off. She closed her eyes and only one picture kept repeating in her head.

Flashback

"Dance?" - Elijah asked Elena after Klaus and Caroline finished with their wedding dance.

She accepted hand and they walked out to the dance floor.

"Everything all right?"- he asked.

"Yes. Why?"- Elena gulped a bit as she felt his hand sit on her back making her tremble a bit.

"It feels like you are miles away- is little Jen all right?"

"She is fine."- Elena replied -" just-" she now looked at him and stopped moving away from him- "feel sick- Sorry-" and walked away from him.

He was stunened for just a milisecond and then walked after her into the garden.

Elena rubbed her forehead a bit. Why could she not keep her emotions at check, she was mad at herself. The heart, she thought was ice, thawed the moment she saw him standing in the kitchen greeting her warmly. Him calling her name now brought her back from her thoughts. He gently touched her arm saying - "Shall I get a medic?"-

Elena turned around - "No,no- I am better- I don't know what happened- just felt faint- probably cos I hardly ate anything today"- she invented.

"Oh, we will soon remedy that. Let me get you a plate full of canapes at least for starters"- he said and disappeared.

Elena wanted to disappear herself. Bonnie had noticed them walking away and now came to Elena asking her what had happened. Elena reassured Bonnie that nothing major was happening and that she should not worry and go back to the party and as Elijah returned with a plate of food, Bonnie left them as it was clear that those two needed time to themselves and that they had to deal with emotions jumbled up. Caroline often said that Bonnie had witchy powers as she could see things noone could.

Elena took some of the food and seemed to relax a bit.

"Thank you so much"- she said-"but, seriously, you don't have to stay with me."

"You are the maid of honour -it's my duty to look after you"- he joked.

"Oh, really?"

"Caroline said so, and -"

"Caroline?!"- Elena interrupted him.

"She is the bride and you do as she says-it's her day"- Elijah continued-

"What else did she say?"- Elena said slightly peeved off.

"Nothing much-"- Elijah said casually, but Elena knew now that Caroline must have added something more.

Elena stood up declaring she was perfectly fine again and that they should return to their  maid of honor and best man duty. Elijah followed her back to the party and she carried on being the exemplary maid of honour concentrating solely on that. As they saw the happy married couple leave for their honeymoon, Elena was ready to go as well.

"Right, ahm"- she turned to Elijah-"I am heading off- just wanted to tell you that it was great seeing you again."

"The pleasure was mine"- he said cheerfully-"I hope you will not continue being a stranger-"

"No"- Elena slipped.

"You owe me a dance!"- he continued.

"I guess I do"- Elena replied-"well, see you"

And then they both with yet again enveloped with awkwardness stood like enchanted in the moment and by the power of some strange force they neared one another. But both stood like frozen. 

Elena now stepped back - “Ahm - bye”

“Bye”- Elijah slipped and Elena turned and walked out into the night as if midnight struck and she had to float away like one of the fairy-tale characters.

Elijah was left gazing in the night. His heart bumping a beat like it did the night they nearly kissed so many years ago.

On the plane back to Toronto, Elena played all the scenes of their meetings together. Her heart was in bigger turmoil than before. "Elijah-" she whispered to herself-"damn you!"

__________

[selphiahaven]

Rune Factory 4 is my favorite game ever. The only thing I'd change is to have more interactions with Venti before she goes comatose. Like I'm supposed to give my life for her when I'm barely at 2 hearts? Really takes away from the story to me.

LET’S! TALK! ABOUT! VENTI!!

Dude I love this game like 5,000 percent but it does definitely have its flaws. I especially think there’s a l o t of lot potential that was lost with Ven and her relationship with the plot, but let’s focus on the issue you’re addressing: her going comatose without much a relationship with her. I totally agree. Let’s talk about it. LET’S A L L TALK ABOUT IT.

I’ll start with my long-ass opinion, but I wanna hear how y’all think about this. Because anon’s criticism is juicy. I wonder if other people would have ideas on how this could be better handled / if it even could be better handled than it is now.

Spoilers down below, so… Yeah, be warned about that.

I could make the argument that RF4’s plot is inherently flawed in design for the emotional weight that it’s trying to convey. Rune Factory 4 has an interesting dynamic where the “filler” is pushed into town events, where we can learn about all the different characters and their interactions before, after, or even during important scenes of the plot. Hell, you can participate in a festival and then decide to kick Ethelberd’s ass just to pass some time.

For some, this might be a good thing. On the other hand, you can clear through the game pretty quickly if you’re not dedicated to witnessing all the town events and hearing all the dialogue and participating in all the activities. Keep this in mind: the game expects us to believe that Frey/Lest would friggen sacrifice their life so that Leon can escape the Forest of Beginnings at the end of the first arc. This is how deep our relationship with Venti is supposed to go. Venti, however, remains comatose at the end of Obsidian Mansion until that moment. So given that, our relationship with Venti is supposed to be deep enough that we would sacrifice ourselves by the end of Obsidian Mansion; as we cannot converse with her after this point up until Leon is rescued. Frey/Lest refers to Venti personally after they have sacrificed themselves too, so it should be assumed that Frey/Lest did this act primarily for Ven’s sake, not necessarily for any other specific person in Selphia.

This immensely strong relationship doesn’t really seem warranted with such a quick plot in place. Keep this in mind: the first few playthroughs on Youtube finished Obsidian Mansion on the dates of Summer 4, Spring 29, and Spring 15. You COULD try and just mill around or experience the town to avoid the plot, but there are barriers: 1) At first, you’re only allowed one request a day, so you can’t occupy much time with that 2) Town events actually take a long time to trigger; you could wait uneventful day after day and not trigger anything at all. 3) Things like crafting and forging need objects that you can only find in dungeons as you progress the game, so you can’t bide your time trying to level up / get cool new armour/weapons either. At the same time, this game really, really shouldn’t push us to slow down by making some of these “extracurriculars” mandatory (Imagine the frustration if you could only progress the plot via way of “Memories” again and again).

So here’s the difficult question: How do we make Ven interact with the player more, earlier on in the story, without making the plot too long or too boring?

I was super interested in trying to think up with potential ways to fix a problem like this, so they are listed below. They may come with their own set of problems, but hey, it was fun to think about what could have been. These are all just casual suggestions, not meant to be taken seriously at all.

1) Trigger a town event with Venti early on. Like, within the first few days of playing. Remember “Shiny Memories”? Funnily enough, that was one of my first events triggered in my very first playthrough of this game. Seeing Ven save Doug from being a fukkin dork and falling off that roof really made me feel closer to Ven early on in game. It was definitely confusing later on though, when Doug got all pissy about Ven killing his village or something. I couldn’t believe Doug for a second because Ven had already shown kindness to him without need of recognition, so… Maybe making different, very casual, town events that don’t make me doubt the plot would be a plus.

2) Make a sidequest or two. What if Amber’s dungeon wasn’t the first dungeon you could go to? Or, even better, what if there was some kind of dungeon / area / plotpoint in the first arc that hints at what’s to come in the second arc? (Another big complaint of mine about this game is that Ethelberd seems to come right the fuck outta nowhere. But that’s a complaint for another time.) I’m just spitballing here, but having a few dungeons that are “just for fun” or even just to slow down the plot a bit could be a benefit; as long as they aren’t used in excess. Benefits could include rare crafting materials, or strong pets to use in plot battles. This might give players a few more days of interacting with Venven, thus, getting closer to her over time.

3) Swap the “Freeing Guardians” plotline with the “Finding Rune Spheres” plotline. In the first arc, we seem mostly concerned with saving the guardians, and then finding the rune spheres, and then saving Leon and finishing the first arc. What if you searched for the Rune Spheres first (Perhaps with a, hint hint, few more dungeons instead of using the ones the guardians are in?)? Picture this: Frey/Lest finds a sphere, and feels that it’s…very familiar, and very important, for some reason. But…What’s that? The sphere looks as if it’s kind of broken! As if there are other pieces missing… Aha! Maybe if you find the missing pieces, you could remember something! You go a-searchin’, and by exploring new dungeons, you have more time with Ven, and eventually stumble upon Amber by mistake.

4) Be risky with Ven’s relationship to the town. What if Venti resting on her ass and deciding not to be involved with the town’s affairs causes some unrest in Selphia? Not suggesting blatant fighting or anything, but basically like… People wondering why she can’t use her powers to help out people and make her town prosper? Maybe not having everyone like “Omg Ven!!! We love Ven, Ven’s so nice and loooove her 1000%” in the beginning. It’s cute and all like this, but like… What if Doug used her “laziness” to form a basis to his flawed logic? What if Venti was rumoured to have the power to, I don’t know, cure Blossom? Ven knows she totally can’t cure Blossom. If she was more powerful, maybe the runes in the Earth would make Selphia a healthier living space for Blossom?? I don’t know. But like. What if. What if Venti used to do all this shit to help the town, but slowly stopped. What if people think she’s just lazy. What if people don’t think she’s an angel 24/7. I mean, I get it. She’s a god. Before she was revealed to have a “cute side” to her, everyone thought she was this hard-ass or smth. But I mean. You can view your bosses or your teachers or your parents as people to admire, but still have complaints with them. You can love someone and still not understand some of their quirks. Ven could be a mysterious figure early on. Generate some interest about who she is or why she is. Then, when we actually are told “oh ye lol I was getting weaker all this time” it’s not completely out-of-the-blue because we WANTED to know more about her, because so many things already seemed strange about her.

5) Add some drama. Speaking of Blossom, why don’t Venti and Blossom have a tragic relationship? A heartbreaking relationship where only time will tell which one of them lives longer than the other? Make. Venti. Weak. Why CAN’T Venti show signs of weakness even before Amber is released? Picture this: In the beginning scenes, Ven shows off some of her power to Frey/Lest. Could be something fukkin basic; I dunno. Let’s use what’s shown in Shiny Memories as an example: Ven can use the wind to make people float a lil bit. Cool. That’s established. Few days pass, and the event Shiny Memories triggers. Ven DOES NOT help Doug, and he gets hurt. Frey/Lest confronts Ven, and wonders why she didn’t help him?? Ven tries to make up a lie, to show off that she isn’t as weak as she seems. When, in reality, she’s losing power and couldn’t help him at that time. Don’t want Doug getting hurt? What about an event where Frey/Lest just simply asks Ven to use her powers to help them reach a cup or smth from a high shelf. Ven grows weak, starts breathing heavily and struggling to maintain herself just by trying to use that simple magic, even though she claims to you that she’s fine. Here, Frey/Lest makes a promise to help Ven with whatever they are suffering with, but then Ven admits there’s nothing in Selphia that can help them recover. Frey/Lest acknowledges that this means that there must be something outside Selphia’s walls that could help Ven, and THAT’S when they decide to go to Amber’s dungeon.

6) Slightly change some of Ven’s dialogue. Venti has always seemed like a best-friend type of character to Frey/Lest. This would make sense if she was a goddamn marriage candidate (which she isn’t, ugh, I might get over this, one day), but since she isn’t, why not change her dialogue to be more motherly? “Frey/Lest, you’re doing such good work on the farm! I’m so proud of you!” or “Are you sure you’re eating enough? Please, take this.” or even like “I know this is a lot of work for you, please take some days to rest.” These are really cliche lines, but like, I hope you get the point I’m trying to make. A lot of Ven’s dialogue is really playful, which kinda makes sense since Frey/Lest is the only one to see the “real her”. But…at the same time, I can imagine us getting way more protective over someone who actively has been telling us to take care of ourselves over and over again. Ven kinda tells you to take care of yourself, sometimes, but there are times when she seems to be a bit… I dunno. A tsundere type, for lack of a better term? I mean, I think tsunderes are cute and all, Dylas’s dialogue is some of the funniest in game, but it’d be hard to convince someone to sacrifice their life for Dylas and only give them a month to get to know him, you feel? Meanwhile, I would murder ten people for Clorica. That’s not really on topic but it’s definitely a fact.

Who knows. Maybe the developers thought of these options and decided on this route because the other directions this plot could’ve taken had their own issues that couldn’t be solved. It’s fun to think of what could have been though. Highly recommend trying it.

[shadowdianne]

SQ prompt: late night deep conversations. (Think childhoods, struggles, what kind of funeral would they like, laughing at stupid simple things. That wholesome sort of thing.) leading to a first kiss. It's a humble request, I'm bad at describing prompts but I LOVE your writing so much omg

Thank you so much for your compliment. I hopeyou like my take on your prompt. It’s not as lighthearted as I think you had inmind but Emma wasn’t feeling like cooperating with me. I need to do somecharacter study with her after not writing her for quite some time…

Also, some time ago I said I was going toslowly write in my own headcanon of the possibility of Emma divorcing Hookafter the finale. Even if I had already mentioned that a couple of times before, this prompt was the first one to showcase some details on how. Consider thisanother snippet on that reality 😉

“This timeis a little more than a couple of boxes, uh?”

Emma lookedup from the spot she had been staring to for the last couple of minutes, theaforementioned boxes surrounding her and taking up the space of what had been aliving room until that very morning. Now moonlight was beginning to sip throughcurtain-less windows and she needed to blink twice as Regina approached herfrom the doorframe she had been leaning in, hands falling limply at her sideand looking way too refreshed for having been an entire day helping her pack.

Lights fromthe kitchen came on, pooling at Regina’s feet, creating a contract of gold andsilver that helped her see each wrinkle on the brunette’s clothes that betrayedthat apparent perfection.

“The firsttime you moved.” Regina’s words were gentle as she tilted her head to thegeneral direction of where Snow’s first and only flat for so many years stood,the building invisible from where the house stood but the memory strong enoughfor Emma to figure out what the other woman was talking about. “I think yourmother was quite surprised by that.”

“Oh.” Emmanodded slowly as she uttered the word, the fuzzy image of that second night atStorybrooke coming back to her through the thick clouds that seemed to havetaken a hold on her brain lately. “Yes,” she added tiredly while turning backto look at the boxes and dusty corners of the room. “there are more than acouple of boxes.”

Reginahummed, taking another couple of steps towards the blonde while doing so. Shehad seen the skittish movements during the day, the way Emma’s fingerstrembled, sometimes shimmering with dirty white magic whenever the blonde waspressed by either David or Snow with questions she wasn’t ready to answer. Caged. The word had been true for theyounger woman for so long Regina felt her lips dry as she licked them, staringat the blonde’s profile on the silver-hued -almost grey- light the moonlightlet on. She didn’t want to be the one making her jump.

Clearingher throat, she reached for her own magic; sparks of purple energy covering thepads of her fingers as two glasses appeared out of thin air. Liquid alreadysloshing inside of them, the glass was cold to the touch due to the two cubesof ice that came with it, reflecting the purple magic for a moment as itdissolved away.

“Cider?”She offered as Emma turned to look at her, her green eyes reflecting the magicthat wasn’t there anymore.

For amoment, they stood facing each other in the middle of an already abandonedmansion. One that hadn’t once suited Emma if Regina had a said on it. Then, aswhite sparks broke free from Emma’s flesh, the blonde nodded and grabbed oneglass looking at the liquid quickly as she took a step away from Regina, her calveshitting momentarily one of the boxes, the soft thud filling up the space of thesilence they seem to be submerged in.

“I thoughtthis was going to be the last time.” Emma’s admission came with the slidingsound of her sitting down, back on one of the boxes.  One that, according to the neat calligraphythat was displayed on its surface, had been one of the ones filled by Regina.The brunette herself waited for a moment before looking at the floor, theslight discomfort on her eyes a glow that disappeared quickly as she mimickedEmma’s movements. However, unlike the blonde whose hands dangled from her kneeswhere she had her wrists pressing the bony angles, Regina sat as proper asever; back straight and one hand firmly grasping the glass Emma had hangingfrom both her thumb and forefinger. “The… boxes, the packing.”

Emma’swords filled the space as Regina took a sip of the drink, half-wishing to magicup a couch the two of them could use and already knowing that it wasn’t thatwhat the blonde wanted.

Draggingout a slow, sad smile, Emma sighed and looked at the liquid inside the glass,her features darkened from the angle the light came in from the uncovered windows.

“It seemsyou were right.” Her voice was eroded, tired, and Regina narrowed her eyesslightly as she heard the following words that came from the blonde’s mouthbefore the woman took her own first sip of the cider. “I’m a runner.”

“Youaren’t.” Regina’s voice was still soft, somehow hoarse though after hours oftalking to Snow, trying to make her understand that no, Emma didn’t know tothink about whether some piece of furniture would make the moving. Not yet atleast. “You aren’t anymore.”

“That’s notwhat he said.”

Letting outa dry, small chuckle, Regina replied at that with a simple “Then it’s good wedon’t need to listen to him anymore, isn’t it?”

Emmagrowled at that but said nothing, a small smile -lighter this time- breakingthrough that grave exterior. Him.Regina hated that title; it sounded far too ominous for a simple pirate. Onethat had still tried to insult Emma and beat her down the night the blonde hadcalled Regina, whispering a quick “I needyou.” Regina had answered without a second thought, not caring a bit ofZelena’s chuckle and mumbled words she had tried very hard to forget about.

They satthere, in the corner of the room, for a few more minutes accompanied by thedistant ticking sound of a clock they had forgotten to take the batteries ofbefore putting it inside a box. Far from unsettling her, Regina found herselflistening to the sound, focusing on it as well as on Emma’s breathing and magicpulse. A pulse she had sensed growing more and more unsteady the weeks priorher decision, sparks crackling and blazing the air around her before she hadsaid words Regina felt that they should have been said way before.

“Tell me asecret.” She suddenly said, the words escaping her mouth as she took a swing ofthe cider. The boldness didn’t quite come from the “her” she had ended up beingbut she embraced it when Emma stared at her, surprise being written on everyinch of her face. Smiling, she shrugged very much like Roni would have done andwaited for Emma to pick the bait. “Anything. We will worry about the boxestomorrow, not tonight.”

For asecond, the brunette feared Emma would said what she had already heard fromZelena more than a dozen of times already. That this wasn’t like hers. Thewords carried with it the weight that yes, they were true and each day itpassed the more Regina felt as if someone had broken a toy and had stitched itback having only vague notions of how to do it. Feeling her muscles alreadybeginning to clench to that unsaid question, she was met with a soft smirk -onecloser to the Emma she remembered- and a nod.

“I hateyour new title.” A wince quickly followed the statement as Regina blinked,utterly surprised and only being able to mutter out a “what?” that was almostswallowed with Emma’s “Not like that!” cry.

“I lovethat they have realized you are a good queen. I’ve been telling them that foryears.” Emma’s words came out rushed as she moved her free hand towardsRegina’s forearm, the pleasant warmth her fingers left on the brunette’s bodyenough to make Regina laugh, lips upturned into a smirk.

“Even if Iinsist you to fill all forms?”

“Even withthat.” They had barely eaten that day and Regina begun to wonder if it had beena good idea to magic the two glasses as she felt slightly giddier than sheshould feel from just a couple of sips to it. The boyish smile Emma made as sheanswered, however, made her forgot that worry for the time being. “But I thinkthat there could be better titles for you. The Good Queen? It’s bland.”

Rolling hereyes, Regina shrugged and decided that, eaten or not eaten, she wanted thecider. Taking a sip, she sucked through her teeth as the ice hit them.

“Yourmother is a lot of things but not very imaginative, dear.”

“So, that’smy secret. What’s yours?”

For amoment, a second or even less than that as the ticking of the clock never onceseemed to arrive, Regina wondered if it was time to say something else and stopthe game she seemingly had decided they were going to play. A game juvenileenough to make probably both Henrys roll their eyes at them.

No, shewasn’t she anymore, was she? The question made her shoulders fall slightly butshe shook her head and kept going, looking at Emma who, still holding herselfas if she was about to break, seemed looser and more confident on her posture.Magic feeling like a bubbling liquid inside of her, Regina took another sip ofher drink, groaning as she realized she was close to finish it all.

“I don’thate that jacket of yours… that much.”

Emmalaughed at the words, the boyish smirk returning.

“That’s nota secret! I knew that!”

Reginashook her head and chuckled but remained firm as Emma pressed, magic beginningto drip from her fingers, pooling at the floor before disappearing, leavingbehind a faint buzzing on the air.

“What elseyou know then?” She finally turned to faze Emma just as the blonde finallyscooted closer, pupils slightly blown and lower lip hanging on the shadow of apout.

Pout thatdisappeared just as quickly as Emma moved away enough for Regina to notice howclose they had been. It was she then who blinked owlishly as Emma glanced ather, her free hand raising, fingertips tapping her chin as she thought.

“I know youdon’t hate my bug as much as you say.”

“Utterlyand completely false. That thing is a hazard.”

Shesmirked, thinking she had won the round until she felt something on Emma’smagic, the power shimmering and trembling until it steady itself, ticklingRegina’s senses as it did so.

“I know Iwant to kiss you now.”

Thatstopped the two of them, the light air they have been creating not quiteshattered but changed as Regina made a soft -almost strangled- noise.

In anyother circumstance, perhaps during daytime, perhaps without cider running hersystem, perhaps if she had a second to think this twice, Regina would say no.However, what came out of her as time seemed to elongate, magic pricking herlungs as she did so was a resounding…

“Kiss methen.”

And Emmadid.

[spiderlingss]

Mistake

Author: @spiderlingss Pairing: Tom Holland x Reader Word Count: 2270 Warnings: Arguing, a bit of swearing and that’s about it… Summary: Tom comes home after a stressful day of filming to find that you forgot to do something he asked of you.

A/N: omg so this is my first ever fanfic! Please let me know what you think of this and if there are any requests that you may have please feel free to drop me an ask! I really hope you like this, much love! 

You knew from the second Tom had walked through the door, that filming hadn’t gone as planned today. Your stomach twisted with dread when he bypassed any form of affection that you usually shared, alternatively making a b-line for the fridge to retrieve a beer. He marched past you again, completely silent, as he reached for the bottle opener that sat on a hook on the wall near the sink. He slouched against the cabinets, fumbling to try and detach the cap from the chilled bottle. The ominous clattering of the metal lid being tossed onto the counter was a clear sign that your initial assumption was indeed, correct. He exhaled deeply after indulging himself in a huge gulp of the fizzy alcohol.

“Tough day love?” You gave an uneasy smile and turned the heat down on the hob before making your way over to him. You wrapped your arms around his torso and were able to feel him momentarily relax under your touch and you inhaled his musk. Loosening your grip ever so slightly, you moved so that you were on your tiptoes and began to plant chaste kisses on Toms’ cheek.

“I couldn’t even begin to explain darling,” he groaned before adjusting his stance, making it possible for him to meet your lips softly with his own. You smiled into the kiss and raked your hand through his tangled curls, causing him to moan softly. The sound of the pot for the pasta boiling over pulled you back into reality, rushing back to the stove, leaving Tom alone again.

“Love?” He quizzed coolly, “did you remember to make that call for me?”

You turned ridged under his touch, turning around in his hold as you shook your head reluctantly, your anxiety rising when he took another mouthful from the bottle. “I’m so sorry Tom, I genuinely forgot that you asked me to call.”

“Oh right, you forgot,” he feigned humour, shaking his head lightly before nodding. “I reminded you before bed last night. Totally makes sense that you forgot.”

You began to drain the water from the spaghetti, cursing as you burnt your finger on the boiling water as it raced through the holes in the colander. You turned the cold tap on, placing the excruciating burn underneath the soothing waterfall. Placing the colander on top of the pot to rest, you hurried around the kitchen in search of the first aid kit to grab some germolene and a plaster. Tom remained un-phased by you and continued to lean sullenly against the cupboards. “I’m sorry babe, I got a bit busy and it slipped my mind.”

“You can’t be serious right now?” He snapped, slamming his beer onto the countertop, the sound of the glass colliding with the granite caused you to step backwards in alarm. “You’re right, I can’t possibly imagine just how busy you have been at home, all day. It’s not like you were reshooting a stunt scene for hours on end.”

“I know and I said I was sorry, Tom. I promise that I will do it tomorrow,” you mumbled, the aroma of the bolognese sauce reminding you that It should be ready to be taken off the heat. After removing the pan from the stove and turning the gas off, you reached for your mobile, setting a reminder to call the customer service for Virgin Airlines tomorrow.

“Sorry isn’t good enough angel. I need to know If the details of that flight are correct Y/N. This is important.” He spat back, the emphasis on saying your nickname in a sarcastic manner took you by surprise, making you wonder why he was being so unkind about something you could fix so easily.  

 Yes, you were aware that you’d made a mistake but it was obvious that Tom was blowing the whole thing out of proportion. When he reached this level of anger, it became much harder to diffuse. It was like all forms of rationality withdrew from his thoughts, leaving behind only negative ones. His body language suggested that you would be in for a night long argument, cursing at yourself for your forgetfulness. You took a deep breath, whilst mustering up all the confidence that you could find to reply to him, still avoiding eye contact.

 “I know. If I could go back and remember, then I would Tom.” You reasoned, resting your phone back on the work surface. You made your way over to your boyfriend who stood angrily, against the breakfast bar. When you reached him, you hesitantly removed your hand that was safely nested in the sleeve of your hoodie before bringing it to meet his, squeezing lightly as you did. As you were about to reach for his other hand, a final peace offering, he tensed and harshly pulled away from your grip, knocking you off balance and causing your heart to sink in the process.

“Yeah, but you can’t can you Y/N? I asked one fucking thing of you.” He seethed, bowling his hand into a fist before lashing out and slamming the wooden door in the height of frustration.

You found yourself trying to fight back the tears forming in your eyes, knowing that Tom hated it when you cried during arguments. You just couldn’t believe the fact that you had never seen him so upset over something this small. He continued muttering his frustrations under his breath, finding no issues in the hostility of his behaviour towards the woman that he supposedly loved. That’s when you broke. Your tear ducts no longer being able to barricade the droplets from streaming down your face, trying so hard to muffle the sobs that were so desperately trying to escape your lips.

“I knew it wouldn’t take much for your crybaby act to come out,” He scoffed, an infuriated expression forming on his face. He sauntered over to you slowly, like a lion taunting his prey, too caught up in his own anger to realise the distress in your features. Too selfish to realise the damage that he was causing. He moved so that he was in front of you, looking down at your defeated appearance finally realising that he’d genuinely hurt you.

“Fuck you.” You croaked, looking up at him with glazed eyes, “I made a human mistake. A mistake Tom.” When there wasn’t a response you saw red, remembering all the times that you had told him that it was okay when he’d made mistakes that affected you.

“I do recall being really understanding that time you forgot to call me after you landed in Atlanta. Or the time you lost your phone and I had to call Harrison to make sure that you were okay when I hadn’t heard from you after 4 days of constantly messaging and trying to call. I didn’t get mad at you Tom because I knew that you were busy at the time. I spent all day cleaning up around the house so you didn’t have to. I also decided that I wanted to cook your favourite meal to make you feel less homesick, yet all you’ve done is yell at me for forgetting to make a call for you.” You ranted.

Arguments in the past left Tom having to pick up the pieces after saying awful things out of anger. So you took a moment to think about what to say, not wanting cause something just as damaging that would cause a bigger strain. 

“I just wish that you were able to give me the same treatment that I gave you Tommy,” you whimpered, tears still cascading down your face. You went and picked up your phone, sliding it into your hoodie before pulling your sleeves back over your hands to wipe away the tear stains on your cheeks. “I am not your assistant, and I know I said that I would call but I’m not conditioned to remember everything that she is. I’m only human Tommy.”

You decided to leave the food that you had prepared on the side, no longer feeling hungry after arguing with Tom. You decided that if he was hungry he would help himself. So without looking at him again, you made your way up to your bedroom trying to give yourself the space that you needed and to take your mind off the disastrous evening. When you reached the door to your bedroom, you grasped the door handle, sighing loudly as you opened it. After shutting the door behind you, you removed your phone from your hoodie and threw it on the bed.

You began to strip, deciding that the only way to save the night was to climb into the steaming hot shower that you had been craving all day. You were hoping to share the experience with Tom to help you both unwind, but after the argument, you’d lost all hopes of that happening.

You walked into the en-suite and turned on the water, spinning slowly to take in your appearance in the mirror whilst the water heated up. The bags under your eyes were even more pronounced and had become puffy and red after your crying spell. You shook off the stress and forced a smile before stepping into the waterfall, causing small goosebumps raise on your delicate skin before you closed the glass door behind you.

You found yourself relaxing in the tranquil environment, the sound of the water calming you in the same way that rainfall does. You bent down and picked up the coconut infused shampoo that both you and Tom loved. Having already squeezed a generous amount into your palm, you returned the bottle to its usual place and then began to gently massage it into your scalp. The suds began to increase and when you were satisfied you rinsed them away, scrunching your eyes shut and blowing the bubbles away from your mouth.

 Next, you decided to pick up your favourite lush body wash, squeezing it onto an exfoliator before proceeding to run the rough object across your skin. When you had finished cleaning yourself you decided to stand in the water a little while longer, not wanting to feel the harshness of the cool air just yet. When you had eventually calmed down, you reached to turn the water off. You savoured the last of the heat before stepping out of the shower, feeling the temperature difference immediately. You rushed to wrap the soft towel around you to preserve some of the warmth that you had felt whilst washing your body.

You padded back to your room, sighing out of relief when you reached your dresser, pulling out one of Tom’s shirts and a pair of pyjama shorts, deciding against wearing a bra. After drying your body, you bent over, positioning your hair correctly in line with the towel before wrapping it up to dry. You slid the shorts up your legs, wiggling your hips confidently before reaching for your boyfriends’ shirts. You were too busy concentrating on drying yourself to realise that Tom had sheepishly sneaked into your room in order to make peace. 

“What did I ever do to deserve you?” He mused, guilt-laced in his tone. You spun around swiftly and met the deep brown eyes of the apologetic goofball that you were in love with. Your heart felt like it was punching at your ribcage and you couldn’t help but beam at his beauty, cussing at yourself for never being able to stay mad at him.

“Angel, I am so sorry that I took my anger out on you.” His gaze met yours and you found yourself walking towards him shaking your head lightly. When you were stood in front of him you softly brought your hands up to rest on either side of his face. Your actions caused his worry to soften and so he pulled you into a secure embrace “I love you so much, y’know that, right?”

The tense knots in your stomach released and turned into butterflies, a blush creeping onto your cheeks. You nodded into his chest before muffling your reply into his t-shirt. “I love you too Tom.”

He smiled widely, squeezing you momentarily. “The bolognese was divine love.” He praised, making you exit his hug to smile back at him. “Are you hungry, I can go and heat it up for you?” You shook your head. You still weren’t in the mood to indulge the Italian dish so you made the decision to have it later on in the evening.

“I’m glad you liked it grumps.” You joked, poking him in the ribs. Tom responded with faux offence making you smirk and giggle at his humorous facial expression.

Your laugh caused him to grin mischievously, helping him decide to scoop you up and carry you to the bed which caused a playful scream to emit your lips. He flung himself onto the mattress, pulling you down with him in a fit of laughter. When the giggling calmed down, tom pulled you as close as you could get before leaning in to softly kiss you. You returned the favour, whining quietly as the kiss deepened before playfully pulling away, causing tom to whine at the loss of contact.

“I didn’t say I had forgiven you though, did I?” You teased, pulling away with a huge smirk to lie on your side of the bed.  

“Maybe not doll,” he commented cheekily before crawling on all fours so that he was nestled in-between your thighs, his face dangerously close to your core. “but I think I know something that might help change your mind.”

[bouncer-rabbit]

2017 Treasures

Now, before the year ends, I would just like to express my gratitude for having met so many Tumblr friends this year. It was only until the latter half of the year when I started to become more active on Tumblr and honestly speaking, I felt more free here. Maybe because I am a bit anonymous, maybe because I can write about my fandoms without being constantly judged by my family and some other people. I really felt more relaxed when I go here, and I can find people who can share the same likes, fandoms and burdens (you know, cause we can’t escape the deep hell of our fandoms).

So, for all you lovely people who are reading this, thank you~! My 2017 would have not been complete without you~

As for the significant people who made a huge impact in my 2017, I’ll mention them under the cut so as to not take up much space on your dash.

@smolbeanprotection Lys, thank you for being the first person I’ve ever talk to on Tumblr. I’ve gained much more confidence since our meeting and it has helped me meet more people. We clicked on a lot of things and we even joke a lot. Friends you make at 4:28 in the morning, while reviewing like mad for an exam, really are for keeps. Thank you for letting me help out in the prompts. It was a very fun experience. Thank you for all the support you gave me until now. I don’t know how you’re doing now, but I hope you’re still good. I’ll always be here when you need help so don’t hesitate to send me a message even if we haven’t talked for a long time.

@iisabelline​ Ah yes, my first thirst buddy PH saniwa friend, Carmela. I felt much more relieved knowing that I can have a Toumyu buddy who I can reach. Thank you for inviting me to join you and Miu on skype where we can let loose and talk about our husbandos and all our fetishes (i’m not gonna mention any because I this isn’t the right place to do it tee hee). I’ve also never met someone who’s the same age as me but can think more maturely. I really admire your writing style, with the few lines you share with us on Skype, because I know it’s difficult for me now to improve mine. I’m simple a bit simple-minded with writing stories, you see, so I like how you would describe how a character is feeling and how deep their thoughts are. Thank you, too, for being patient with me in translating Japanese. I really appreciate it. I’m practicing a little bit this break so please be patient with me a little longer. Thank you also for giving me the mental support I needed to finish another gruelling semester. I was really glad we finally saw each other at UPTC, and I’m looking forward to more get togethers, finally with Miu. We’ve already been planning out itinerary so all we need to do now is to sched the meet-up. I can’t wait!

@serurianouji Heyaaa Miu~! To be honest, when Carmela were introducing you to me, I thought you’d be much purer than me. IT WAS THE EXACT OPPOSITE. But still, you’ve always supported me in my jokes and memes. Thank you for being one of my treasures too. As members of the Ropesin Foundation (omg asdfasdfasgd), we’ve supported each other from the harsh reality of work and school by sending each other memes, butai stuff, and thirst. That last part sounded a bit weird but it really helps me cope with college, since I am always pressured to perform better. Talking with you and Carmela, even if I have papers and exams to worry about, helps me calm down. I’ve mentioned this before but I’ve never been so excited to get home so I can talk to you guys again. You’re the best, guys! I love you, fam (cue saniwa hug)! I hope we can pull off that Kiyo-Yasu uchiban cosplay, though the costume itself is a problem on its own. I’m excited for that day when we three can finally meet and all the sin in the PH would condensed somewhere in Manila. If i were to describe that day in a kind of firework, it would be Goodbye Philippines (the names itself spells danger, lolol). Anywayyyy, thank you for also supporting me and I hope I am able to support you too!

Whew~ That went a bit too long. To all you awesome people who have been part of 2017 rollercoaster, THANK YOU SO MUCH~! I don’t know if I’ve thanked you enough, and I might’ve forgotten some other things to mention. Still, THANK YOU~~!!! I hope we can also take care of each other, not only this 2018, but the next years to come!