#like you could stretch that point to mean anyone training at round lake

[tutyayilmazz]

🚨 from january 1st 2024, russian and belarussian gymnasts will be able to complete if they are authorized according to these criteria

very intrigued how they will evaluate the criteria

surely this must have been in motion before but announcing this now is very much like oh we don't wanna ban israelis WHICH ARE ACTIVELY MILITARY PERSONEL so maybe some russians can compete lmao

full pdf stating that they must wear light blue, music must not contain references to their country, etc. is here

[fantasy2739]

Maybe you could do a one shot with Douxie and the Arcadia gang spending time with each other and having fun (whatever activity you choose)? after Wizards. Slight canon deviation with Douxie staying a few days before departing with Nari. It’s be fun for them all to the unwind after all the events they’ve been through

Ahhh a little fluff good Anon? A little happy for these children? But of course!

I hope you enjoy!!

“Staying a couple of nights won’t kill you.” Claire had said. Which was how Douxie had ended up in the cul-de-sac that housed the Lake’s and Domzalski’s. He could rough it, or have gone home. Except his home had been blown to bits. Douxie shook the depressing thoughts from his head. No point in dwelling on the past.

“I’m bored.” Toby said as they sat in the Lake living room.

“Bored? We were nearly killed by a flying castle.” Jim pointed out.

“Yeah but that was like yesterday.” Toby said, flicking through his phone. “Nothings’s happened today.”

“Maybe we should enjoy the peace and quiet.” Claire said, leaning against Jim.

“We could play a game.” Krel suggested. “That’s peaceful.”

“Video game?” Steve asked curiously. “I would pound all of you.”

“GoGo Sushi?” Aaarrrgh put forward hopefully.

“To many people.” Jim said with a shake of his head. “Board game?”

“Cluedo?” Claire suggested. Then she frowned before counting the people in the room. “Damn, too many people.”

“We could team up.” Douxie said, stretching out on the floor. His limbs still felt stiff.

“Team up, nah not for cluedo.” Toby said. Then he got an evil grin on his face. “We could play Monopoly.” There were several protests. A chorus of no’s.

“What is this Monopoly?” Nari asked curiously as Krel shot them a questioning look.

“Yes, I am rather curious myself.” Blinky put in. The teens groaned.

“You go around a board earning money and trying to bankrupt everyone else.” Jim explained.

“Except no one can agree on the rules.” Douxie added.

“And it always becomes an argument.” Claire added.

“Usually with at least one person quitting.” Toby finished. Blinky frowned and pondered.

“I think we should play.” He said eventually. Jim went to find their board. He came back with a look of doom.

“Anyone want to pair up?” He asked, setting it down.

“Wingman?” Aaarrrgh asked. Toby smiled.

“Sure thing big guy.” He said, patting the ground. Jim unfolded the board. He shot Claire a hopeful look. She smiled.

“You’re going down Lake.” She said sweetly.

“Nari you want to play?” Douxie asked kindly. Nari looked nervous but nodded. “Alone or with a team?”

“I will try alone.” She said softly.

“Well I intend to take you for all you have.” Archie said with a sly grin at Douxie. Douxie rolled his eyes.

“Everyone keep an eye so that Archie doesn’t walk on the board.” He said. He rubbed the familiar. “He cheats.”

“I don’t cheat.” Archie protested. “I play creatively.”

“Leaping on the board because you owe rent is cheating.” Douxie said. Claire snickered.

“Sorry Archie, but Douxie’s right.” She said. “Do it and we’ll double the rent.” Archie looked properly chastised but still like he might try.

“Fine, but no enchanting the dice.” He said primly. Douxie nearly slapped his forehead.

“It was one time.” He grumbled.

“Okay, so no magic, no jumping on the board.” Jim said. “And Lake house rules are in effect. If you don’t call for rent you don’t get it.”

“What? So I have to focus on you buttsnacks too?” Steve complained.

“I’m guessing no Akiridian tech either.” Krel interjected.

“No Akiridian tech.” Jim agreed. “We need to pick out character pieces. Pe- Uh those that haven’t played before can pick first.”

“Well Miss Nari, if you’d like to go first.” Blinky offered graciously. Nari eyed the little metal pieces.

“I will be this little dog.” She said, picking it up happily. Blinky picked the Top Hat, Krel took the cannon.

“Does it blast people?” He asked.

“What no.” Jim said. “They’re just pieces. They don’t have powers.” Krel looked disappointed. Steve grabbed the battleship with a smirk. Archie chose the Thimble and Douxie picked the Horse and Rider. Toby took the race car before Jim or Claire had a chance. Claire sighed and took the wheelbarrow while Jim took the boot with a wry look. Clearly he was used to Toby grabbing the car first.

“I’ll just run through the rules quickly.” Jim said with a sigh.

“Roll the dice Jimbo!” Toby yelled.

“Huh? Wait you owe me rent Dumbzalski.” Steve snapped.

“Jim rolled!”

“No he didn’t.”

“I’m calling rule break.”

“That was not a rule break.”

“You rolled three doubles!”

“I’m not going to jail after just getting out!”

“Suck it up and go!” Douxie snickered at the arguments that broke out between everyone. It reminded him of many game nights with Archie. He sat back and let the atmosphere wash over him. It felt so relaxing.

“Douxie are you going to roll?” Claire asked. Douxie blinked at her. She gave him a concerned look but he smiled at her. He rolled and landed on Mayfair.

“I’m going to buy it.�� He said. “And since I have Park Lane too, I’m going to put a house in both.” Everyone’s eyes went down to the board.

“Oh no.” Toby mumbled. “We’re all doomed. He’s got them both. Why didn’t anyone stop him?”

“I didn’t have enough money to buy it.” Krel said. “Kleb. If you hadn’t called rent on Fleet Street.” Blinky gasped in shock.

“But then I couldn’t stop Master Jim from buying Bond Street.” He said.

“It’s only two properties.” Douxie said.

“The most expensive ones.” Jim grumbled.

“Right near Go.” Claire added. “And you got the train stations.”

“Only because Archie ruined my utilities plan.” Douxie argued.

“The end of the board is a death trap.” Steve said. “We’re doomed.” Nari had curled up against Douxie after being bankrupted three rounds in.

“Is this not the point of the game?” She asked tiredly. “To crush your opponents wealth until they are helpless.”

“Nari remember what we talked about.” Archie said. “It’s not just crushing wealth. It’s crushing their dreams too.” That brought a round of laughter.

“There’s still a chance someone else could win.” Jim said. “If we all target Douxie.”

“Ooo an alliance. How devious.” Toby said while rubbing his hands together. “I’m in.”

“Fine but just remember, Claire’s got all the pink places.” Douxie said with a smirk. “And if you aren’t careful she’ll buy up all the orange too.” Looks of distrust circled the board.

The game took four hours. Four unholy hours of backstabbing, yelling, attempts at cheating and Archie nearly setting the board on fire. Douxie won, naturally.

“Don’t feel too bad.” He said. “I’ve been playing since it came out.”

“I feel a little less bad.” Claire sighed. “Still you are brutal.”

“You should have seen when played with Jeff.” Archie said. “That was a night.”

“Jeff?” Krel asked. “Who’s Jeff?”

“Goldblum.” Archie said, licking his paws. The stares made both Archie and Douxie uncomfortable.

“It was before the Jurassic Park thing.” He said sheepishly.

“Have you met other famous people?” Toby pounced. Douxie flushed.

“I mean a few yes.” He mumbled. “It’s been a long life.” An awkward silence fell. Douxie waved his hands a little. “But still as monopoly victor.”

“Brutal victor.” Blinky said, snapping his fingers.

“Uh yeah brutal victor. I don’t have to tidy up.” Douxie declared. There were a couple of snorts.

“No fair is fair.” Blinky said.

“You should rest anyway.” Claire said. “And then tomorrow we’re going to kick your butt with a different game.” Douxie raised an eyebrow at the challenge.

“Looking forward to it.”

[redstainedsocks]

Let You Down

Warnings: torture, injuries and wound cleaning, panic attack, crying, guilt, self depreciating thoughts, survival mode, detached feelings, long term captivity, sadistic whumper, intimate whumper, lady whumper

Part three of the result of Alex’s escape attempt, Jasper’s POV, sorry for the wait, this one fought me all the way.

[Previous]

Jasper lays on the floor for a long time. As the screams start he covers his head with his arms, cowering on the flagstones as Alex’s pain echoes down the corridor and around the cavern. He lays there until the screams crack, and Alex’s voice dies out to something quieter. 

He crawls to the kitchen eventually and gets something to drink, and then he curls up beside the cupboards and traces patterns on the wood. His heart beats in fits and bursts as adrenaline keeps trying to make him get up and run, or hide, or help. His heart breaks over and over again as the memories go round and around.

The now memories, from this morning; Alex holding him at knife point, Mistress reminding him how disposable he is, the wounds inflicted so thoughtlessly. 

The then memories; his own pitiful cries and gut wrenching screams echoing through the halls in his early days. His deal with Mistress, his slide into life as her pet, losing pieces of himself as she kept him in line so easily with the promise of freedom later. All the things he’s done to keep her happy, all the ways he’s been used, and hurt, and terrified, and all the ways it is not over—the ways it will happen again.

He lays there and he cries for himself, and how unwanted he feels, and then he cries over the guilt of being glad he’s not the one being punished, and then he cries for Alex. Alex who he hoped he could befriend, Alex who would gladly hurt him just to get away. Mistress, who only likes him for his usefulness, but would gladly dispose of him if it suited her. 

No matter how much he kids himself, he knows she doesn’t love him. He wants her to, in his weak moments, wants to believe that his time here has made her fond, affectionate. He wants to be wanted. He needs it. He needs someone to care what happens, and how he feels, and look out for him. And the only people he can see in all the world…. don’t. Or can’t. Or won’t. He is alone. He is trapped with them and they are all cursed to suffer alone, together. Alex is not a friend, he’s just a fellow prisoner; Mistress is not a lover, she just uses his body for her own ends. And the other… he… he isn’t anything but a phantom that comes knocking every time Jasper thinks his world can’t get any worse.

He realises belatedly that he’s mumbling along to himself in Czech, and stuffs his fist in his mouth to stop it. Mistress hates him talking in a language she hasn’t bothered to learn and he can’t anger her any more today. It’s been so long since he spoke it regularly, it comes out now with unconscious thought, or in his dreams, or not at all. 

His wounds have closed but there’s blood dried on his skin, he shakily gets up to clean off. Scrubbing too harshly until he’s red and irritated all over again. His hair is sweaty, his blond streaks sticking to his forehead, and he’s shivering half naked and tired.

Alex’s screams have died down to almost nothing, and Jasper can hear Mistress talking, and he knows that means Alex is likely to be left alone soon. Which means he is about to face her and he knows how wretched he must look. Even so, he can’t make himself move, can’t bring himself to leave the kitchen where always feels a little safer. 

So there she finds him, sitting on the floor, floppy limbed and glassy eyed. She tilts his head up with careful fingers and he lets himself be moved. She kisses his forehead, and his lips, and tightens her fingers into his hair.

“Sweet boy.”

“Mistress?”

“You did well today, a perfect demonstration. I’m sorry your friend tried to hurt you,” she says it while gripping his hair so hard it tugs painfully. 

“I don’t think he’s my friend,” Jasper whispers.

“Nonsense. I brought him here for you, just because he hasn’t learned to play nicely yet, he will. I’ve softened him up, and he’d like to apologise to you, but I think a little time alone first will do him good.”

Jasper leans into her touch, wanting to feel like there’s a point of steadiness--even if it hurts. “I don’t need him,” he offers. “I can be okay without him.” and he hopes that he could go back to the lonely life he had before, and finally be glad for it, now that he knows it can be worse.

“I think we both know that’s a lie. I got him for us, to fill a gap in our arrangement. To fulfill a need that you can’t sate yourself. He’ll learn his place, and you’ll help him.”

“But, but I can be enough. I could be enough for you. You could send him back.” Mistress releases him and he falls forward, on his hands and knees before her. “Please let me be enough, like I was before.” If Alex were gone, he’d have so much less to worry about. It would be easier without someone else’s pain to measure against the aching cracks inside himself.

“Get up pet.”

He does, of course he does. She dusts off his hands and smooths her palm across the claiming mark on his chest. “I have never kept anyone for as long as I plan to keep you, or for as long as your predecessor.”

“I know,” he whispers, trying not to flinch from her burning fingertips.

“I made such a deal with you because I was tired of breaking in new people, tired of training them to my needs and desires. Of teaching them how to be good.”

He nods, swallows. Closes his eyes and wills away images of torture and terror.

“It’s been good, you’re good for me, we’ve had our fun and I made you as near to perfect as was possible, and it’s been years since I had to worry about what I would come home to. Years since I got to do what I’m doing now.”

He looks up, his mind trying to grasp what she’s saying, and she grins as she idly traces the mark of her curse.

“I find I’m rather enjoying it again, the challenge, the drama.” she presses down with her thumb until Jasper wails, hunching over while her skin makes contact and doesn’t stop. “Alex is a different kind of fun, it’s invigorating.”

A lone tear drips from Jasper’s nose. Not wanted, not enough, not even good enough to hurt the way that she likes. He is boring, and dull, and hardly useful, easily discarded. He’s hardly even been able to work for the other purpose he’s here for since Alex arrived. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

“So no,” she grabs his chin and turns his face. “We won’t be letting him go. You need the company, and I relish the fight, knowing I’ll crush him bit by little bit, just like I always have before.”

“Why--why him?” Jasper croaks. He wants to know if there’s anything else that could absolve him of this guilt. If Alex is here for a reason Jasper would be less to blame, if his loneliness wasn’t the only cause for her choosing a friend for him. Maybe it will hurt less, if he knows why Alex is so interesting to her.

Mistress shrugs. “He was just there, alone, pretty. Feisty. I watched him and he cared and he worried for his friends, and he laughed so beautifully. I thought of you side by side, and it seemed pleasing, so I chose him.”

So, it could have been anyone. Jasper sighs, as the guilt doesn’t go away, as it drags him a little bit deeper beneath waves of pain.

She hauls Jasper upright, steadying him when his knees wobble and his legs want to give out. “Make us something to eat, we both need our strength. You can put some aside for Alex for later.”

He doesn’t question it, doesn’t complain, he fumbles his way through making a noodle soup, and eats woodenly as Adria gobbles up the food, praising him all the while. 

He’s good because he’s useful, he’s wanted because he is a willing and ready body for her to use. He’s here because she wants him to be, and nothing else matters. He is nothing else. She’ll put him to work again before long, and he’ll learn to be good at that again too, because it pleases her.

He can do that. He can be what she wants, and he can let himself be hurt, and he can learn to forgive Alex because it’s what she expects. What Mistress wants keeps him safe. What she wants is the sun, and he will orbit it until she releases him, and everything else... he can bury. He is a sacrifice and a sacrament, her blank canvas and her tool. He will be whatever she wants; he will survive, just as he always has.

——-

She takes the rest of his clothes and wraps him naked in satin sheets to rest. He sleeps like the dead, gone to the world for a couple of hours, letting the pain settle like sediment in the bottom of a lake. It sinks down into black depths, lost under the weight of everything that waits for him in the waking world. He’s still and silent and calm when he opens his eyes, and she finally tells him he can go to Alex.

“Mistress, what—what am I allowed to tell him?”

“Whatever you like pet, this is your life too.” She barely looks up from the jewellery she is examining with her looking glass.

“I can tell him about… about the agreement we have?” If he was wearing anything, Jasper would be twisting his hands in his clothes now.

“You haven’t already?” She laughs, delighted. “Well, that explains why he’s being quite so unreasonable. If you would like him to know, you can my Treasure.”

“And… and, about my… what it means to be part of the curse. Because that applies to Alex too, doesn’t it? Now that he’s here?”

Adria comes over to him, lifts his aching, tired hands, and kisses them. “That is the only free gift he gets just for being here. The gift of time. So yes, you may tell him.”

She dresses him in nothing but underwear and fresh red hand marks, and sends him off with a plate of food to the room he never, ever wants to go to. 

What he finds inside is both expected and horrifying. He shudders as he steps over the threshold into the bare, dungeon room. There are two square pillars and Alex is strung up between them, each arm stretched out and manacled to either side. He is limp, his head hanging down to his chest, his clothes torn and bloody, while fresh splatters decorate the pillars and the floor around him. The whip, cane, and hot poker that she must have used are dumped in a heap at Alex’s feet. Jasper guesses he’ll be in charge of cleaning those, too.

He pushes them aside with his foot, out of sight, and places the tray of food and medical supplies down instead. He hates it in here; the memories that crowd, the things the room dredges up. His emotions churn beneath his calm exterior.

“Alex?” He doesn’t want to touch Alex without warning, and he’s not sure where he could touch that wouldn’t hurt.

Alex raises his head, shifting slowly. It must hurt, he must be exhausted. He flinches when he sees Jasper, pulls away and is jerked back in place by the chains. There are tears tracks down his cheeks between caked on blood but his eyes are dry now. “Please, no more. Please.”

“I’m here to look after you,” Jasper says woodenly. “She finally said I could.”

“Are you going to let me down?” Alex rasps, his words a little slurred.

Jasper shakes his head. “Haven’t been told to do that.”

Alex moans, lets his head swing back and loll on his neck, staring at the ceiling. “‘M gonna die, gonna die here.”

Jasper closes his eyes and pushes down the swell of annoyance. Alex was happy to kill him earlier and he thought he wasn’t bothered by it, but it rears an ugly head now. Alex fearing for his life sets something inside Jasper on edge, like his teeth hurt or his blood itches, some distant part of him vindictive about it after having a knife held over his heart—even if he was fairly sure he wouldn’t be hurt in a way that lasted, Alex hadn’t known that.

“You’re not going to die, Mistress doesn't want you to.”

“It hurts, so much. Can’t do this much longer, Jasper, won’t be able to breathe if my legs give out.”

Jasper looks at his strained shoulders and pulled taut chest and very simply says: “So don’t fall.”

Alex nods, as Jasper submerges a cloth and wrings it out, before starting to clean and sterilise the wounds littering Alex’s torso. Alex winces, hisses in pain, but doesn’t complain. In fact he says thank you, and that makes Jasper pause.

“I’m just doing what I’m told,” he replies as he gets back to work.

“I know, I see why, I get it. I… I get it. I thought the stuff she had out there was torturous, all those restraints and the… other things she’s used.”

“Shh,” Jasper says, seeing the effort it takes Alex to speak.

“No, no, I’m tired of being alone. Need—talking helps. To focus on other things?”

“Okay?” Jasper continues his work, eyes flicking up to check Alex’s face for signs he’s pressing too hard.

“I see now, those things out there are the humane things.” Alex laughs, a bitter, strained sort of chuckle. “These are the torture implements.” He twists his wrist in one of the heavy metal shackles and Jasper nods.

“I’m going to bandage these now, okay?” He asks.

Alex moans, something that sounds like yes, and Jasper quickly covers the worst of the whip marks with gauze and sticks it all down over sweat streaked skin. Then he lifts up the bowl of soup, and Alex’s eyes track it warily.

“I can feed you, if you’ll let me.”

“Why?”

Jasper shrugs. “You’ve suffered enough, this will keep your strength up until she decides you’ve... atoned.”

Alex struggles to swallow, wincing with each mouthful. Jasper is patient, feeding him in small increments, staring at the bowl in between so he doesn’t have to think about where they are. This whole room triggers his need to fall to his knees and beg for forgiveness, to say he’s sorry. His eyes flicker across the other wall—the one he knows hides more awful truths. He almost gags on his own saliva.

“I get it, I do get it, now. More than before—but I got it then too,” Alex says, interrupting his train of thought.

“Get what?” Jasper replies, whispering like it's a secret. Dirty, bad, wrong. No misbehaving.

Alex shifts in the chains holding him upright, swinging forward slightly onto his toes before he settles back and tries to keep his head up and look Jasper in the eye. “Why you do what she says, why it helps to make it hurt less. I—I’m just bad at that I guess, don’t know when to stop. I just thought we had a chance, you know?” 

Everything in Jasper comes to a sudden halt. His heart pauses and then beats faster and harder. “We?”

Alex nods, slowly, painfully. “Could’ve got out, if—I thought I could make her let us go. Dumb, really. Should've guessed why you never tried it.”

“Us?” Jasper repeats, the almost empty bowl trembling in his hands. He puts it down so not to drop it.

“Well, yeah. Was gonna take you with me. Couldn’t leave you here in this hell.”

“But you said—”

“I only needed her to think that, and I didn’t think you’d play along if you knew. ‘M’sorry I scared you though. I know we’re not friends, not like she says, but, but I didn’t want it to go that far. I’m sorry.”

“Y-you, it wasn’t real? The things you said? Didn’t want to hurt me?” Something in Jasper swirls upwards, heading for the surface. 

“Feel bad that I did, when I cut her. Please don’t hate me, I didn’t know.” Alex’s eyes are wide, his face twitching with held back pain. Jasper’s heart clenches.

“I don’t hate—I just, I thought you…”

“I know, I know. I fucked up. This is all so fucked up.” Alex sobs, his eyes watering and it looks like he can barely breathe like this.

Whatever Jasper had forced to the bottom of the depths inside himself surges upward. Sediment in a lake that drifts up into the light, up where it’s warm again. He’s not alone. He doesn’t have to face them both alone. Alex cares.

“Shh, shh,” he rests a soothing hand on Alex’s twisted shoulder and for the first time it isn’t shrugged away. Alex leans his face toward it and Jasper hesitantly wipes at a stray tear.

“I think I owe you some explanations. I... I think you’re ready to know why I’m here, like this?”

“Will it help? I just want to--for things to make sense.”

Jasper looks at his feet, curling his toes against the cold floor. He is warmed by Alex’s confession, and chilled to the bone with the confessions that live in his own past, and the truths he’s about to share. “I can try to explain.”

Alex nods, half-smiles. Jasper likes the smile, mirrors it even as his lips wobble. “Don’t have anything else to do right now…” Alex says, huffing what sounds like a laugh, but is tinged with pain.

Jasper wraps his arms around his own waist. “The-the first thing you should know, if you want to understand everything about her, and me and...and this place, is that she isn’t the only of her kind.”

Alex’s breath pauses, stutters, his eyes grow wider.

“She’s just the one who made it out of her prison first.”

Alex looks around, like something—someone—might materialise out of the walls. And he’s not far wrong about how that goes, and it’s enough to twist Jasper’s mouth into a wry smile. He feels a sob building in his throat and swallows to smother it.

“She is both our best hope of getting out of here unscathed and whole, and the worst danger we could possibly be in, at the same time.”

“I don’t…?” Alex mutters, taking pained breaths and frowning at Jasper. He looks so tired, and it reminds Jasper of his worst time in this room in a way that makes him want to bolt. But he doesn’t, he stays, and he tries to explain.

“If we stay on her good side, she’ll let us be. And-and we’ll have her protection, too.”

“Wait, wait. I’m lost, I’m too tired for this.” Alex groans.

But Jasper can’t stop, even if he has to explain it all again to Alex when he’s recovered and can take it in. He hasn’t had anyone to talk to beside Adria for far too long and the deep waters he has sunken into have been disturbed now, and everything is swirling towards the surface. His life, his story, his reason for being here so long, he wants someone else to know so that he isn’t carrying it alone.

“I tried to, tried not to be what she wanted… but she won and, and I made a deal with her...” he begins.

[Taglist: @lonesome--hunter, @whumpthisway, @slaintetowhump @untilthepainstarts @sneeze-queen @muddy-swamp-princess @i-contain-multitud-s @just-a-whumping-racoon-with-wifi @yet-another-heathen let me know if you would like to be added or removed]

[echoes-of-the-clockwork]

Book One: Gold (Prompto x Reader) Chapter XIV

After stopping at Leirity Seaside and Spelcray Haven, the group makes it to Cape Caem. Iris departs from the party and heads into the house to see Talcott. While the boys spoke with Cindy, (Y/n) wandered off towards the cliffs. She admired the beautiful view of the ocean with the lighthouse at her back. She inhaled deeply, the salty sea breeze bringing her a semblance of peace. The gentle breeze also cooled her heated skin. She stretched her arms towards the sky with a hum of content. "This place really is nice."

Glancing across the surface of the glistening ocean, (Y/n)'s peace of mind was shattered by Callyx. Unconsciously, she raises a hand and presses it against the back of her neck. Her smile was vanquished by a melancholic frown. Although hidden by her clothes, she felt as if she could feel the one thing that connected her to the empire-the barcode. Unlike Prompto, hers was located on the back of her neck. She knew the truth behind his existence, but he didn't. Nor did he know the truth behind hers.

"Hey!"

(Y/n) was startled from her thoughts when she heard Prompto yelling. She turned around and watched him run towards her. "Hey, I thought you'd be with the others."

"Why would I be when my favorite person is missing?" He asked with a smile. She wanted to smile, but her dark thoughts kept her from doing so. Of course, Prompto could tell she wasn't cheerful as usual. "Y'know, frowny faces aren't allowed here. The view is way too beautiful. What's wrong, (Y/n)?"

She looked away from him. "Dark thoughts, that's all. I thought I had managed to push them aside, but they keep resurfacing."

"Are these "dark thoughts" because of Callyx?"

She nodded her head weakly. "Yeah..."

"You listen to me anytime I need to talk and always know how to cheer me up. Whenever I needed a shoulder to cry on, you were there. You're the reason I've come this far and think I'm actually a worthy person and not just some waste of space. I just want to let you know I'm here for you just like you are for me, and I'm not going anywhere, okay?" Prompto reaches out and takes her hand in his, squeezing it gently.

(Y/n) could feel the sting of tears forming from his kindness. She bit her bottom lip to keep the tears at bay. She couldn't even bring herself to look at him in fear she'd begin crying. All she could do was squeeze his hand in return. "Thank you, Prompto, but I'm afraid this is something I can't share with you just yet."

Prompto didn't want to force her to do anything and respected her decision. "Well, when you're ready, I'll be here."

The guardian inhaled a shaky breath. She managed to turn and look at him, but the thing she was trying to not do happens. The tears she's been holding back spring free and cascade down her cheeks. Before she could even attempt to wipe them away, Prompto was already on it. His hands cradled her cheeks, using his thumbs to wipe away the tears. He was taken aback at her sudden tears and couldn't help but worry. "H-Hey, it's okay. Please don't cry, (Y/n)."

"I'm sorry, Prom," she sniffled.

"Don't apologize, silly." Prompto presses his forehead against hers with a warm smile. He wipes her tears away for a little longer before slipping his arms around her smaller frame and hugging her gently. She didn't hesitate to reciprocate the hug and wrap her arms around his torso. They remained in each other's arms until they heard Noctis shouting their names. Prompto pecked her on the forehead before grabbing her hand and rejoining Noctis and the others.

Once back with the others, Ignis explained how they learned where to find the mythril to repair the boat from Talcott. Their next destination would be the Vesperpool. As they were about to make their way into the house, Gladio stopped them. "So yeah, gonna have to ask you to handle this boat business without me."

Prompto gaped in shock. "Say wha?"

"Got some business of my own to deal with," the shield vaguely responded.

Noctis knew Gladio all too well and didn't try to change his mind. "Do your thing. Not like we could stop you anyway."

"You know me too well." He walked past the three boys and came to a stop beside (Y/n). He patted her on the shoulder. "Keep these guys in shape while I'm gone, short stuff."

She smirked in amusement. "You can count on me. Take care of yourself, Gladio."

"Don't have to tell me twice. See ya 'round." With that, the shield left.

<-------------<<<<<

Several days later, everyone minus Gladio was in the Regalia. Noctis was driving, Prompto was in the passenger's seat, and Ignis and (Y/n) were sitting in the backseat. The strategist recognized their surroundings from their earlier expedition in the area. "The waterfall cave was right around here."

"That means the lake should be somewhere north of here," Prompto said.

"Be wary, though-where we go, the empire seems to follow."

"Which means we might see Callyx again..." The marksman muttered with a slightly angry undertone.

"You hate the guy that much?" Noctis asked.

"Yeah, I do!" Prompto sat up in his seat with a huff of annoyance. "He hurt my beautiful goddess!"

(Y/n) chuckled slightly at his reasoning. "Trust me, I made sure he felt some pain before I left."

Eventually, they pull up to a tunnel whose gate had previously been locked. It opens and allows them passage. Prompto was puzzled at the entire thing. "Wait-what happened to "under imperial lockdown"?"

"They all but turned the key and left the gates open for us-as if awaiting our arrival," Ignis commented.

"And if anyone's waiting for us, I bet it's those guys," the sharpshooter grumbled.

"Chancellor Izunia and Callyx."

"Can't complain as long as they let us in," Noctis said.

"Who's to say they'll let us out? Not to mention we're a man down. Would that the marshal were with us," the advisor stated.

"But we have (Y/n) now!" Prompto chanted. "And whatever happened to that guy?"

"As I understand it, he's put his tomb raiding on hold to help the hunters take care of some troublesome beasts."

"No rest for "the immortal"," the prince said.

(Y/n) was curious to ask about Cor since she's only heard a few things about him from Prompto, but her train of thought was derailed when Noctis slammed on brakes. She braced herself as the car swerved from the harsh braking, her nails digging into the leather of the seat. Wondering why he made a harsh stop, she looked up to see an imperial blockade consisting of an MA Veles and imperial troopers.

"No way through," Noctis mumbled.

"So they give us access to the Vesperpool, but still intend to stop us by setting up other blockades," (Y/n) stated as she got out of the car.

"Yeah, it totally doesn't make any sense," Prompto commented. "But what do you expect from the empire?"

"Good point," Noctis said.

Once everyone was out of the car, they summoned their weapons. Ignis, wielding his daggers, warned his companions. "We must be doubly cautious."

"Right. No Gladio, no room for error."

Even without Gladio's presence, the battle went smoothly. They were able to easily dispose of the imperial forces and continue down the road. This time, Ignis was behind the wheel. Noctis, even with (Y/n) in the backseat with him, was able to spread out. "I could get used to havin' all this room back here. Too bad Gladio isn't as small as (Y/n)."

"It is quite cozy back here without him," the guardian said, stretching her arms into the air as her (h/c) locks were tousled by the wind.

Prompto glanced into the backseat at his best friend and girlfriend. "I'll let the big guy know you guys said so."

After a few more minutes of driving, Ignis parks the Regalia near the Vesperpool. Everyone exits the vehicle and heads into the nearby swampland in search of the ruins they heard about from Talcott. Down the trail, they spotted two familiar cars. One was red and the other was black.

"Oh, great..." (Y/n) groaned.

As they come near the ruins, they find Ardyn and Callyx waiting for them. The female spirit smirked in satisfaction seeing her fellow guardian's right eye was foggy. The skin around it was pink and puffy from where she burnt him. The boys also noticed the man's maimed eye. Prompto leant over and whispered to the golden-eyed spirit. "You did that to him?"

"Yeah. He deserved it," (Y/n) replied.

"Damn..." Noctis mumbled at seeing the damage.

Ardyn addressed the group as they made their way over to him and Callyx. "Gentlemen." He then took off his hat and bowed in (Y/n)'s direction. "And lady. What a pleasant surprise."

Prompto glanced between the two men with a groan. "Ugh! Told you they'd be waiting!"

"With my imperial friends, no less."

"Splendid," Ignis rhetorically retorted.

The chancellor quickly tried to assuage their concern. "But fear not-I'll put in a good word. Well, come along, then." He turns and begins walking toward the ruins. Callyx, on the other hand, didn't budge. He glared at the girl with his only remaining eye. He took a few steps towards her, but was stopped by Ardyn. "Do behave yourself, dear friend."

Callyx gritted his teeth, clenching his fists tightly. "If I could, I'd rip into your flesh again, right here and right now."

(Y/n) wasn't afraid of the man and stood her ground. "Did you not learn your lesson the first time? Guess you didn't and now don't wanna keep your left eye. I don't mind burning it like I did your right one."

"Why you little-!"

"Callyx," Ardyn gently called out in warning.

The male guardian reluctantly backed away with a snarl. He turned his back to his fellow spirit and followed after the chancellor.

Ardyn smiled at the group as Callyx took the lead towards the ruins. "I do apologize for his unruly behavior." He adjusted his hat and walked alongside his spiky-haired companion. "Now then, don't stray too far, lest you get left behind. And surely you'd rather avoid unnecessary scuffles, seeing as you're now a quartet. Oh, dear. Touchy subject?"

"One we won't discuss with you," Ignis quipped rather harshly.

"Then let's discuss why you're here. Hmm.... It can't be archaeology... Mythril, perhaps?"

"This guy's reading our thoughts!" Prompto gasped.

"Mythril-it's a precious resource. We can't just let anyone get their hands on it," Ardyn claimed.

"But you'll help us get ours on it, right?" Noctis asked.

"I never said that!"

"Of course you didn't," Prompto muttered.

"Where is the fun in that?" The chancellor questioned. "I thought you'd rather dig it up yourselves."

"We'll make you all do the damned dirty work yourselves. You're capable enough even with one person missing," Callyx sneered.

(Y/n) couldn't hold her snarky remark at bay. "Oh, so you won't dirty your hands for mythril, but you're fine with killing your own people. Nice to know."

"You're making it very difficult to not kill you," Callyx growled.

"You won't because your tail wags for your master."

"So does yours," he retorts.

"But mine doesn't keep me on a short leash and actually trusts me."

Callyx's self control shattered. He reached out to grab the girl, but his arm was grabbed by her and she twisted his arm behind his back. Using her foot, she kicked the bend of one of his legs and forced him to a single knee. He grunted in pain as he struggled against her, but his current position made it difficult.

The guardians' argument didn't go unnoticed. The boys and Ardyn had watched the entire thing unfold. The chancellor was smirking in amusement while the others were shocked. The auburn-haired man strolled over with a chuckle. "As I believe this is a suiting punishment for Callyx, I do beg of you to release him, my dear. His punishment will come at a later date, I assure you."

(Y/n) glared at the chancellor before releasing Callyx. The male spirit got to his feet, rolling his shoulder and trying to ease the pain. "Damn you..."

She crossed her arms with a victorious grin. "Run along, kitty. Your master's tugging on your leash."

Without another word, Callyx walked away. Prompto watched the emerald-eyed guardian stalk away, clearly consumed by anger. He then looked over at his spirit with an astonished expression. "Wow, (Y/n). I've never seen you so angry before."

"I'm not someone who usually is easily angered," she sighed. "But Callyx just grinds my gears. Knowing he's willingly working for the empire and killing our people is what irks me the most."

"By that display, I do believe we won't be needing Gladio's assistance for this endeavor," Ignis said.

Noctis glanced at Callyx's retreating form before looking over at the golden-eyed girl. "I thought you were gonna break his arm."

"Oh, trust me, I wanted to. I already broke it once, but I'll gladly do it again," she responded. "Guardians are more resilient than humans and our injuries heal quicker, but it seems Callyx is still experiencing issues with his arm after I broke it at the fort."

"Indeed, he is," Ardyn sighed. "You did quite a number on him, my dear. The poor man was brought back to me with his eye singed and arm shattered."

"And you're not mad?" She inquired.

"Of course not. Callyx fought and lost. Tis a mere outcome of battle."

Hearing Ardyn's confession, (Y/n) felt a tinge of sorrow for Callyx. The chancellor wasn't saddened if the man was injured in battle. He doesn't care for him like Prompto does her. She shook her head, ridding herself of the thoughts. "Putting all this aside, aren't we here for mythril?"

He tipped his hat with a faint smile. "Right this way."

They continued to follow Ardyn down the trail until they reached the ruins. Outside the entrance to the ancient structure stood the woman they had fought against at Fort Vaullery. Beside her were two imperial officers.

Ardyn turns to Noctis and the others. "Fear not-I'll be but a moment." He walks over to the woman and begins to speak with her.

Prompto looked over at his best friend. "A moment doing what?"

Noctis shrugged his shoulders. "Beats me."

(Y/n) looked around at the number of imperials were stationed in the area. She could feel their eyes on her as their grips on their weapons tightened. She grimaced at the unsafe feeling she was experiencing. She was the conduit, the spirit the empire was seeking to kill. Now she was standing in the middle of an imperial hornet nest, afraid she'd stir the insects and wind up dead. "I'm not so sure I should be here..."

The prince glared at the imperial troopers who were eyeing the spirit. "Nah, it's fine. If they really wanted to kill you, I'm pretty sure they'd already done it."

"Perhaps the chancellor is the reason they remain inactive," Ignis speculated.

She rubbed her hands up and down her arms. "I just hope we get this mythril as quick as possible..."

Just then, Ardyn calls out to them. "All clear! Go ahead."

The group approaches the woman, who was eyeing them closely. "So, you're the "new recruits" they sent over for "special training." Nice cover, runaway prince."

"Thanks," Prompto replied.

Noctis groaned at how casual the blonde was being. "Oh, c'mon!"

The woman shook her head with a sigh. "At ease, "recruits." There's nothing in it for this ex-mercenary to turn you in."

"Well that's a surprise," (Y/n) muttered.

This caught the ex-mercenary's attention. "Good thing because your name and the prince's are on the empire's list. The very top, I might add." She took a few steps towards the girl and examined her appearance. "But I know I'm already gonna like you, firefly."

The guardian blinked in surprise. "Why's that?"

"You're the one who fried Callyx's eye. If you hadn't done it, I would've. Bastard's been a thorn in my side for a while now." She patted her on the shoulder, grinning. "I look forward to working with you, firefly."

(Y/n) glances up at the sky, noticing the sun was beginning to set. "Then let's get this show on the road."

Her grinned widened. "Took the words right out of my mouth. Let's get moving, "recruits"."

Seeing the group had become acquainted with the ex-mercenary, Ardyn chimed in. "I trust you'll be civil. Commodore Aranea Highwind, I leave them to you."

Aranea puts on her helmet and guides the group towards the entrance of the ruins. As they trudged through the shallow water, Prompto noticed the strange design of the ruins. "What kind of place was this? Any idea, Ignis?"

Ignis was also intrigued by the ancient structure, but he had no answers for the blonde. "None."

"Gee, I wonder what happened to the locals."

"Why not head inside and look for 'em?" Aranea suggested.

"I'm not so sure if we want to find the locals," (Y/n) said. "Who knows if they're hostile or peaceful."

"Guess we'll figure out the hard way if there are any locals," Noctis spoke up.

When the sun set behind the horizon and the moon rose into the sky, the entrance to Steyliff Grove was open. As they entered the ruins, (Y/n) took note of the design. She ran a hand across the wall. "Hey, Prom. Don't these ruins look a lot like the ones we hid in a while back?"

Prompto also analyzed the structure of the ruins. His eyes widen when he too saw the similarities. "Oh, yeah!"

"You must be talking about Costlemark Tower," Aranea voiced. "Place is crawling with daemons and has the same strange mechanism that prevents anyone from entering during the day."

The marksman glanced over at the ex-mercenary. "Does that mean this place is gonna be crawling with daemons too?"

"Most likely."

"Oh, yay..."

Previous Chapter || Next Chapter || Masterlist

[gingyboo]

Mirror Mirror

A/N: Again many thanks to @booglebug

Description- Soulmates existed. People knew that much. Soulmates were rare, a handful in each generation, an unexplainable phenomenon that formed a bond closer than blood and more sacred than marriage.

Bucky finds his soulmate when he needs her most. Little does he know how much she needs him too.

(Soulmate au that slots pretty much in to the MCU but with soulmates. Set after TFATWS.)

Pairing- Bucky Barnes x OFC

Warnings- Mentions of violence and guns, but its mostly fluff, drama and angst.

This is a multi chaptered fic.

Please like, comment, reblog!

prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8

Chapter 9

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

Chapter 10

It was surprisingly simple tracking down the dark-haired man. Redwing managed to find CCTV footage showing the man entering and exiting the same river side apartment. Bucky and Sam had been hauled up monitoring the surveillance from a cheap B&B on the out skirts of the city for the past two days. Bucky lay reclined on his twin bed, gently tossing his knife in the air and catching it. He flipped the compact mirror open and shut. He’d spoken to Nancy earlier, she’d explained a theory Shuri had over the depth of their soulmate bond and how she’d managed to both summon and call off the Winter Solider. It made him feel uneasy, that without meaning to Nancy had managed to bring him out, if she did it once she might do it again.

Sam entered the room and sitting on the edge of the adjacent bed. He pulled the suitcase out from under it.

“It’s go time co-worker, he just left.” Sam looked over at him, he pulled out the Captain America suit. He’d been tailing the man himself, found he visited a local restaurant in the evenings. More CCTV footage found this to be a nightly occurrence. Therefore, they’d hatched a plan. “you good for this?” Sam called over to Bucky. He forced himself out of his reclined position, rubbing a hand over his face and through his hair.

“Yeah, let’s do this.” His attempt at enthusiasm was poor, he was tired, he hadn’t slept well since that night and he could feel the tiredness in his bones.

“Focus Buck, remember who we’re doing this for.” Bucky shot him an exasperated smile. “There he is, come on.”

They made their way through Amsterdam silently, hugging the shadows, as swamis of cyclists made their way through the early evening traffic. The apartment was in an old building with an ornate terrace. On the front there was a concierge, so Sam and Bucky made their way up to the balcony, Bucky slipped the lock on the door with his knife and they made their way inside. It was a modest size apartment, with modern furnishings and a plethora of screens and files adorning a large desk in the corner. Bucky made his way through the rooms, gun drawn, there was a small hallway off which the living room they’d entered through branched. There was also a small bathroom, a kitchenette and a bedroom with only a covered mattress on the floor. Bucky stared at the mattress for a moment, it reminded him of Bucharest. Deciding they were alone he circled back to the living room. Sam was running his hands across the files on the desk.

“What’s he got there?” Bucky asked over his shoulder.

“If you let me finish reading, I’ll let you know.” Sam held up a hand concentrating. Bucky clenched his jaw impatiently. A minute later he spoke again, “it’s all in here,” he held up one of the files. “Transcripts of some sort, ‘Cartwright will join us if we take the girl.’ This must have been the communication Katima and her team intercepted.” Bucky looked in the file he showed him, his stomach twisted, there was a picture of Nancy, she looked younger, slightly softer round the edges, her hair shorter but her smile just a stunning. She stood by her father’s side, her brother, in full uniform, stood tall next to her mother. Larissa Cartwright was tall like her children, with darker hair and long manicured fingernails. “There’s more, conversations describing her movements and activities. Timings for Swan Lake at the royal opera house.” Bucky felt rage burning inside him, anger boiling in his head. He breathed deeply, Sam noticed his shaking breath. “It’s alright, we’ll bring him in, he won’t get to her.”

“I swear to god, any of them lay a finger on her, I don’t think I’ll be responsible for my actions.” A voice inside him roared in agreement, sending a shiver down his spine.

“I swear to god, any of them lay a finger on her, I don’t think I’ll be responsible for my actions.” A voice inside him roared in agreement, sending a shiver down his spine.

Shortly after their search of the files the front door clicked. Bucky spun round instantly, finger pressed to his lips and gun drawn again. Sam raised his eyebrows at him, exasperated. The light came on before the man entered the room, as he did Bucky pinned him straight against the wall.

“Hello again.” Bucky said increasing his pressure on the man’s neck with his vibranium arm. Up close the man looked younger and smaller. He was wearing a long black trench coat, his skin once again seemed too high a contrast against his almost black hair. His jaw was clenched tight and he looked defiantly up at Bucky.

“Back off you bastard!” He spat back in Bucky’s face, pushing against him to no avail. Bucky kicked out the back of his knees and the man fell at his feet.

“Who are you?” Bucky demanded. He grabbed the file from Sam shoving it under the man’s nose. “What do you want with Martin Cartwright?”

———————————————————————————————

“Your brother was a very private person.” Shuri noted, scrolling through the feed on her screen, “No social media what so ever, no pictures of him on any of his friend’s pages no dating apps either.” Shuri looked quite disappointed.

“That kind of stuff just wasn’t important to him, and Kit didn’t really have any friends towards the end.” Nancy admitted. “He was quite obsessed with becoming the perfect solider, he cut everyone out, including me.” Nancy remembered the change well, his every breath was for queen and country, he came back only for fleeting visits, Nancy never saw him out of his naval uniform. Her and Shuri had been looking for days for any record of his final mission, though they had found nothing yet, in fact they had found no records for him after he moved units. They found no record of any unit like that which Kit had described. Shuri had moved onto scanning the wider web. They were yet to find anything there either.

“Did he ever mention anyone he worked with at this training unit?” The princess asked. Nancy wracked her brains, Kit had barely spoken to her in those last few months. One of her biggest regrets was not pushing him harder, not having something to remember as the last thing they’d spoken of.

“No, sorry I can’t be more helpful.”

“It’s alright, it’s just very suspicious. There’s nothing here, it’s like he stopped existing the moment he joined this unit.” Shuri suggested.

“What if we looked for others, umm, similarly qualified individuals, who might have been recruited to this unit, if Kit’s record at that point is missing maybe his isn’t the only one. If there were others maybe they weren’t so secretive.”

“Good thinking, I’m on it.” She started typing frantically, records appearing and disappearing on the screen. “This program should find records with those similarities.” They both watched the screen with bated breath.

The search took a couple of hours, Shuri suggested Nancy train some more whilst they waited. She tended to like Nancy to train multiple times a day, always being monitored. Sometimes Nancy would catch her frowning at the statistics on her tablet.

“I’ve had a new theory.” She said this time after a few minutes watching Nancy running on the treadmill.

“Yeah, tell me it doesn’t involve more running.” Nancy said, catching her breath as she walked over to Shuri. In her hand she held out a set of wireless headphones.

“I thought we’d explore the subconscious theory, I think your capabilities might lie there.”

“Why are you so sure I have these capabilities?”

“You might not see it but there are things I’ve seen that would suggest you’re not so ordinary.” She waved away any further comment from Nancy and lead her towards the targets. “I want you to relax, listen to the music, and then, when you get the signal, throw the knife.” Nancy looked at her like she was crazy but Shuri only grinned, nodding enthusiastically. The music started in her ear and Nancy instinctively tensed up, Tchaikovsky, the same music from that night at the ballet. Nancy tried to relax, she breathed deeply closing her eyes. She stood there for many minutes, her breathing settled, and she twirled the blade lightly across her knuckles. She stretched her neck out from side to side. As the music built to its climax a loud klaxon sounded. Nancy’s hand shot out on instinct. The knife spun through the air and landed on the target, imbedded to the hilt, dead centre. Nancy’s head snapped round to Shuri who was clapping her hands.

“That was a fluke.” Nancy insisted.

“No, no it wasn’t, look.” She turned her tablet around, “See the rise in the subconscious, then when the klaxon sounded how it fell after. The subconscious is most active in dreaming or when relaxed. When you felt threatened, you threw the knife, no active thought.” They tested it again, first throwing knives, 5/5 hit the exact same spot. They also tested her running, much to her displeasure. With the music playing she reached higher speeds then ever before, Shuri mapped the progress on her tablet.

“But that doesn’t explain what happened with Bucky.” Nancy said after removing the headphones. Experiments over for the day, her and Shuri made their way back to the lab.

“You were asleep weren’t you, possibly dreaming, if you felt threatened perhaps your mind reached for the only weapon at your disposal.”

“And that was Bucky” Nancy froze for a minute, “I was dreaming, I was dreaming of Kit, I kept losing him.”

“You were distressed, the Winter Solider sensed that and reached through Bucky to stop the threat.” Shuri kept explaining, light building in her eyes from realisation as she pieced together the new information.

“Oh Bucky,” she croaked out. He thought he’d tried to kill her, he’d really been trying to save her, and worse because her head had asked him two. He would always try to protect her but if she had abilities like his, if she could control them, utilise them, then maybe she could defend herself. Maybe she could be more than just a socialite. Images formed in her head, her and Bucky fighting side by side. It wasn’t an unpleasant thought. A chance, a gift of sorts from destiny. She could defend the world, just like Bucky and Sam.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a notification on Shuri’s tablet. Match found. They looked between each other before approaching the large monitor.

The record was displayed on the screen.

Duncan Everett

Nancy didn’t recognise the name, but she knew the face. It was the dark-haired man.

[elisaphoenix13]

Cyan Scales

Tony walks into his room to grab his tablet off the nightstand and he pauses when he hears splashing in the connecting bathroom. Was Stephen taking a bath? He only took those when he had a long day, and it would make sense since Tony and Peter hadn't seen him come home. The sorcerer probably portaled directly to the bathroom.

At least it wasn't the shower. Last time Stephen portaled into the shower, he had been slimed and although the many rounds of sex that followed were amazing, Tony just wasn't down for that right now. He had a long day himself and it wasn't even over.

"Babe? You in a fish mood?" Tony asks as he walks over to the closed bathroom door and raises a brow when he hears frantic splashing.

"Don't come in!" 

"...why?" Tony asks carefully.

"I'm...not decent." Stephen responds lamely, and with the tone that he even knew that sounded lame.

Tony chuckles. "It's a bit late for that Stephanie." The engineer says as he opens the door. "I've seen every inch of--"

Tony freezes when he enters the bathroom. There, sitting in their rather large tub, was Stephen...but he had a tail. A fish tail. A cyan colored fish tail. The doctor blushes hotly as his husband continues to stare and he sighs heavily.

"Not a word Tony."

Stephen's voice broke the other man's trance and he bursts into laughter, resulting in getting splashed by the annoyed doctor. "Peter!" Tony shouts. "Mama Bear took fish mood to a whole new level!"

"I'm not coming in there! I'm already scarred for life!" The teen shouts from downstairs and Stephen sighs with relief.

"Nothing scarring here Underoos! Just get your butt up here! You'll love it!"

Stephen glares at Tony when they hear Peter groan loudly, and the sorcerer prepares himself for the teens guaranteed laughter when he arrives. Peter shuffles into the bathroom skeptically and carefully looks over Tony's shoulder, and his snickers quickly turn into full blown laughter that renews Tony's own. Stephen glowers at them for a full two minutes as they finally calm down, and they wipe their eyes free of mirthful tears.

"Mom...when we called it fish mood--"

"Do not finish that sentence." Stephen grumbles. "A spell went wrong and turned me into this, but Wong kicked me out. He didn't want me to get the books wet, so now I'm stuck here while he finds a spell to fix this."

"Honey, that can't be comfortable. There's a pool down on the training floor if--"

Tony blinks when Stephen opens another portal before diving through it and he and Peter look at each other when it closes. They trip over each other as they rush down to the elevator and take it down to the training floor, and quickly find Stephen "stretching out" by swimming around. Tony approaches the edge of the pool and crouches down just as the doctor swims up to him, and grins.

"How does that chlorine taste?"

"It was awful until I used my magic to purify the water." Stephen responds and flicks some water up at Tony.

"Better though?" Peter asks and the sorcerer nods.

"I'll be much happier when I have legs again." He notices the growing twinkle in Peter's eyes and he points at the teen. "Cub, I swear to the Vishanti, if you make me watch The Little Mermaid on an endless loop, I will put you in a timeout portal!"

"Whatttt?! Psh! I wasn't going to--" Peter stops when both Stephen and Tony give him a look. "Okay, yeah. I was totally going to do that."

Unfortunately, Tony couldn't stay any longer. He was already late as it was to his next meeting, and this new development with Stephen had made him even later. So he gave his wife a kiss and ruffled Peter's hair, earning an annoyed groan from the teen, and left for the rest of his day. Then Peter had decathlon practice to get to even though it was a Saturday because Nationals was around the corner, and had to leave not ten minutes later, leaving Stephen alone.

He got bored and lonely fast. The loneliness being the stronger feeling because he was stuck in this damn pool. He couldn't even portal to a lake or the ocean or anything because the water would be too cold for his hands, even as he was now. He was stuck waiting in the pool with no one to talk to. Once upon a time, he would have reveled in the quiet but not anymore. The quiet would have been more bearable if he had soemthing to occupy himself with but he didn't. All he could do was swim...and that lost its appeal within the first ten minutes.

So he was left to his thoughts without anything to do and that was never a good thing. He somehow managed to keep himself from depressing thoughts, and he also realized that Tony always gave him something to do or distracted him with endless chatter if he ever caught Stephen staring off at nothing. Crossword puzzles, reviewing contracts and paperwork to make sure Tony didn't miss anything, rambles about new suit upgrades, and even poked him with sharp objects. Of course the last one always got Stephen glaring at his husband and threatening to send him free-falling, but he never noticed until now that Tony had been distracting him. Even if it meant he would sleep on the couch that night, he always kept Stephen out of his head in whatever way he could.

Stephen maybe loved him a little more now.

Peter did it too but he stuck with rambling about anything and everything, or cuddles.

The Sorcerer Supreme was stuck with his tail longer than expected and had to spend the night in the pool, and that had made him feel even more lonely. He missed the feeling of Tony's body heat against his back, the engineer's strong hold, the breath on the back of his neck...he even missed the times when Tony would lightly snore. Sometimes into his ear which drove Stephen bonkers at times.

He didn't sleep that night. He felt too cold after the reminder of what he didn't have. Stephen took to lazily swimming around the pool instead, and trying not to think about how empty and alone he felt. He wanted company. Anyone would do, even Tibbs or Levi would be a step up at this point.

He got Sam. The man had come down to the training room for his morning routine and didn't bother hiding his look of surprise when he saw Stephen in the pool.

"Hey Mama Bear. Couldn't sleep?" 

"Among other things." Stephen grumbles and watches warily as Sam approaches the pool. The darker male quickly notices his fish tail, but instead of laughing, he just gave the doctor a weird look.

"Is that what everyone means by you being in a fish mood?"

"No. This was an accident."

Sam throws his hands up in the hair. "Then what the hell does fish mood mean?!" Stephen smirks in response and Sam rolls his eyes. "Screw you man."

"Tony has that covered quite well actually."

"Ugh."

The Falcon goes over to the farther corner of the floor to work through his routine, and the noise he made helped Stephen's loneliness. Steve and Bucky were the next to arrive on the training floor, and his conversation with them was similar to Sam's, except they were more accepting of the situation. They were used to weird at this point and just shrugged before joining Sam. The rest of the morning passed by with arriving and exiting team members, and Stephen was happy when Peter came down in his swim trunks to spend time with the sorcerer.

The teen's cannonball, however, left Stephen a little less impressed.

"Was that necessary?"

Peter grins when the doctor asks him that after he surfaces. "It's a rule Mom."

"Right...where's your father?"

"I think he's asleep still. Yes, he actually went to bed last night." The teen's says to his mother's skeptical look.

"That makes one of us." Stephen mutters under his breath, and splashes Peter with water when his son looks at him with concern. "How was practice yesterday?"

His question was distraction enough. Peter had gone off about how hard MJ was working them recently, but it wasn't so bad since they had gone out for pizza. The teen only had a few slices to put on a show of being a normal teenager, but he did buy a couple more boxes for himself when he left. The talk of food had Stephen's stomach growling loudly, and he was pretty sure it echoed throughout the room because the remaining team members had burst into laughter.

"Do we need to find some kelp or plankton for you to eat Mama Bear?" Clint teases. 

"What do...merpeople...even eat?" Scott asks.

Stephen sighs heavily and resists the urge to smack his head against the ground by the pool. Stone wasn't a friend to anybody's forehead. "I can eat normal food you know."

Even Natasha had put in her two cents. "We can't give him fish guys."

"Fish are friends--" Peter starts with a grin and the rest of the team (sans Stephen) finish.

"...Not food."

The teen brushes away a fake tear. "I'm so proud of you guys."

Stephen groans. "Another Disney reference? Really?" He looks up from where he had earlier laid his head on his arms when a portal forms and the doctor finds Wong with a book. "Please tell me you can fix this. I've already suffered through the threat of having to watch a Disney movie on an endless loop and the children just quoted one..." A collective 'hey!' resounds through the room at the children term and Wong raises a brow.

"Maybe I should leave you like this for a little while longer."

"Please don't."

Wong smirks but opens the book. "Might want to grab your swimsuit or something."

Stephen's eyes widen slightly in understanding and he opens a small portal to grab his swim trunks. "Peter, close your eyes."

Peter didn't need to be told twice. He swam a little ways away and turned with his eyes closed, and the darker skinned sorcerer conjures the reversal spell. In the blink of an eye, Stephen had his legs back and he hurriedly pulls on his swim shorts before giving Peter the okay. The others went back to their training while Stephen was turned back to normal, and he was thankful for that because when he got put of the pool and tried to stand, he had faltered. Swimming with his legs back was one thing, but standing was entirely another. In the short time he had the tail, he had grown used to it but adjusting back to his normal form would only take a few moments. Peter, to his credit, had bit his lip to keep himself from making Little Mermaid references, and helped Stephen up to the penthouse. Wong had portaled away after being kind enough to cast one more spell to instantly dry both Peter and Stephen, and they had made their way to the elevator.

"Food first. I'm starving." The doctor admits.

Peter looks up at him sheepishly as he helps him to the table. "Now that I think about it, we forgot to feed you didn't we?"

Stephen gives him a deadpan look. "Did you really just compare me to a pet goldfish?"

"Nah. You're tail was too pretty. Maybe a beta."

"...you're grounded."

[antman-56]

The Long Night Pt. 23

“Everyone ready.”

Team BLAD was outside of  “The Club” in a party van. They were wearing all black light body armor and had different weapons.

All of them where sitting in the back of the van. From checking equipment, looking outside the van or just contemplating what they were about to do.

Ben was checking his sword, that could turn into a assault rifle, for any nicks.

Damien was loading a metal backpack connected to a minigun.

Damien (cigarette in mouth) : We have 3 more hours before The Pack and The Sons show up. 

Alvin was loading a shotgun with explosive dust rounds.

Alvin : Mann said he keep the cops from showing for 4 hours. He really doesn't know how a gun fight works.

Lenny loading his body armor’s pouches with ammo for his pistols.

Lenny : Well use his incompetence to our advantage.

Damien : Were trained huntsmen against thugs with guns. They don’t even have Aura or a semblance. It’s going to be easy.

Ben : Damien take the Kanabo. In case the minigun jams.

Alvin passed it to Damien.

Ben : That goes out to all of you. Get a secondary weapon if you run out of ammo. Remember no survivors.

Lenny grabbed two military knifes and Alvin went for the stun grenades..

Alvin (waving his hand and covering his nose) : Damien put that out man we have to be in here for 3 hours and I don’t want to smell like smoke when I ask her out.

Damien : Dude it’s been 3 days. The last time you were close to her you flaked out.

Alvin : Shut up.

Ben : And after that life plan you made.

Alvin : Shut up!

Lenny : And to imagine all the half babies you two would’ve had. Lets see . . . 

Alvin : Shut up!!

Ben : If its a boy Julian and a girl . . .

Damien : Brooklyn.

Alvin sunk down his seat and was now laying on the floor, covering his face.

Lenny : Live on top of a hill, next to a lake.

Damien : And they would live happily ever after.

Alvin was slowly reaching for his pocket knife until Ben stopped him.

Ben : Relax. You know were teasing.

Alvin : You think she hates faunus?

Ben : Don’t know. Why don’t you ask her.

Damien : Hey! We have the Pack coming in from the west and the Sons coming from the north.

Ben : Alright boys, masks on. 

They put on their masks, all of them resembled a skull. It was simple and basic, no need for anyone to know who they were.

Within 5 minutes The Club was shooting at The Pack and The Sons.

Ben raised his fingers up and put his hand on the handle.

3 ... 2...

When he opened the door, Lenny and Alvin opened fire on two members of The Pack.

The Pack wore blue and black shirts, bandannas, jackets or hats. Anything with those two colors. Some members had tattoos of a Grimm beowolf.

The Sons wore yellow and red skirts, tank tops or bandannas. They usually had a sun tattooed on their foreheads and/or right hand.

Ben and Alvin were the first ones out. They split up and were taking out everyone that was in front of them. 

Damien ran out and laid waste to “The Club”. Bullets were going through the foundation and hitting anyone who was unlucky enough to be inside.

Lenny ran out last and used Damien’s distraction to run to the Sons covering from his onslaught. Lenny was shooting anyone who poked their head’s out.

At the west side of The Club, Alvin was busy blowing up the heads of the Pack. He only stopped to reload. 

Ben was at the north, taking caution when firing at the Sons. He made sure he was taking out the ones that could shot Lenny since he was on a war path.

Ben was distracted by keeping Lenny safe that a Son took the chance to hit him with a bat.

Ben staggered and slowly back away from the Son. He transformed his assault rifle into a claymore  He lunged forward and drove the sword right through the Son’s chest. He pulled out forcefully and as the Son was comprehending what happened Ben swung the sword right through his neck.

Ben went back to the assault rifle mode and resumed to provide support.

Damien was still firing at the foundation and whatever sparks of gunfire created to retaliate were quickly snuffed out by the never ending barrage of bullets.

Lenny was jumping on the cars that were parked or the ones the Sons used as makeshift cover. He was killing the Sons in rapid pace but was running low on ammo. 

When he heard an empty click produce from his guns he sheath them and took cover. He took a couple of breath and ran at the machine gun nests the Sons made. 

He landed right in the middle of them  and it took them a second before they realized where he was. One Son ran up to him hoping to hit him with the butt of his rifle. Lenny pushed him away and ran to the guy who was next to him. He grabbed his rifle and threw out of the circle.

Another aimed their rifle at him and just as he was about to pull the trigger, Lenny threw one of his knifes at him. The blade pierced the Son’s heart before he could let out a single shot. 

The other two members who were more fortunate and took aim.

Lenny used the now unarmed Son as a human shield and ran towards them.

When he was close to them he threw the now deceased Son at them and took out his other knife. One of them was buried under the dead Son but the other was able to get out in time. Lenny took out his last knife and threw it at the Son who was still standing. He looked down to see the last Son struggling to get the dead corpse off of him. Lenny brought his foot up and smashed it down onto the Son’s face.

One car began to start and was desperately trying to escape.

Lenny saw this and took out a grenade from his pouch. He threw it at the car and waited.  

BOOM

The car was now a smoldering reek of metal and flesh.

Alvin was dealing with the last of The Pack. 3 members were left and desperately shooting where Alvin was at.

Alvin closed his eyes and listened to where they were shooting him from.

Gotcha.

Alvin took out his stun grenade and with near pin point accuracy to the last stand.

Within seconds Alvin pumped his shotgun and ran to them.

The first one he saw he he aim for his head.

He jumped over the car and aimed for the second guy.

He fell over and fired blindly, killing his friend and grazing Alvin’s Aura.

He regained his senses after the gun was empty and the first thing he saw was the end of a shotgun barrel.

BANG

Ben (  I  ) : Took you long enough.

Alvin (  I  ) : Fuck you.

Ben (  I  ) : Lets go inside.

Lenny (  I  ) : How long did that take.

Ben (  I  , checks watch) :  5 minutes.

Alvin (  I  ) : Wanna tell Damien to stop.

Ben (  I  ) : Damien enough. Lets head inside.

 The minigun slowed down with steam lines coming out from the barrels. 

They began to walk into the establishment without a care in the world.

The carnage inside was what everyone expected. Windows were broken, tables destroyed by bullets, limbs, guts and blood sprayed all over the place.

All that was left was one goon slowly crawling towards the emergency exit.

Ben walked over to him and flipped him over.

Ben (grabbing his collar) : Where is Butch?

Goon (coughing blood) : Go to Hell!

Ben punched him.

Ben : Where?

Goon : Fuck you!

Ben dropped him and stretched his hand for Lenny’s gun.

Ben shot the goon’s hand. The goon screamed in agony.

Ben : Where? And you die quickly.

Goon : Fuck you.

BANG

Ben : You have two knee caps left.

Goon : I don’t know.

Ben : Bullshit.

Goon : He left. Told us . . . . to guard the place.

The goon bleed out and looked more peaceful.

Ben : Searched the place. He must have left something. Set your watches for the last 30 minutes then we leave.

***Willow’s Dorm***  

Willow : Tea’s ready!!

Willow rushed to the table with a steaming tea kettle and 2 cups.

Terra : Careful or you’ll burn yourself!!

Willow set the kettle down and cups.

Terra : Not used to serving your own tea.

Willow : That obvious.

Terra : Yes, now dish girl, is it James, Turbo or Qrow?

Willow (blushing) :  WHAT?

Terra : Kill, Marry, and Fuck?

Willow : You first.

Terra : Kill Turbo, marry Qrow and fuck James.

Terra pours the tea into the 2 cups.

Willow : Well kill Turbo ....

Terra : Obviously!

Willow began to hesitate on the last 2 choices.

Terra : Willow, don’t tell me you...

Willow began to blush.

Terra : Oh!My!Gods!

Willow began to hide her face.

Terra : It was usually it’s James, now he has competition. Dish girl.

Willow : Well James is nice, sweet and ... 

Terra : Old and their. But Qrow?

Willow : He’s . . . 

Terra (teasing) : Special, handsome, lost, a poor soul born into the wrong life.

Willow : Terraaaaa...

Terra : You know I love you.

Willow : Yeah, but I don’t know how to say it but he’s like me. 

Terra : How exactly?

Willow : He is trying to defy his own fate.

Terra says nothing and just sipped her tea. She had know her friend since they were in kindergarten and she has yet to be wrong about someone. I mean James, Freya, An Mai, and now STRQ. She just hoped they would be enough to save her from her fate.

***?????*** 

It was black.

I can’t see anything.

Where am I?

“Your safe.”

Taiyang turned around to see Beacon’s biggest mystery sitting on a park bench.

Tai : Oz?

The void turned into a blushing forest full of small cute critters and trees that seemed to never end.

Ozpin : Yes it’s me.

Tai : Am I dead?

Ozpin (chuckled) : No, just sleeping.

Tai blinked and saw that Ozpin now had a mug on his right hand.

Ozpin : Please sit.

Ozpin gestured towards the empty spot next to him.

Tai blinked again and found himself next to Ozpin.

Ozpin : Your going to wake up soon, so please do remember.

Tai : Huh? What are you-

Ozpin : When the snow angel rises beware of not the dark, but the light. 

Tai : I don’t . . .

A bright light engulfed Ozpin and was growing brighter until it covered the entire void.

Taiyang abruptly opened his eyes and started to breath heavily.

Tai : What the fuck!?!?!

***Beacon Headmaster Office***

Ozpin opened his eyes and saw the lights of his school.

He put his right hand over his right eye and sighed.

Ozpin : Children, please ... be careful.

A silent tear fell down his face.

“I can not fail again”

[wrckhvck]

Tokyo: Hogwarts AU

       (   lowkey  based  off  of  james  and  lily  potter’s  seventh  year;   elena  is  head  girl  and  damon  is  head  boy  )

            when  their  hogwarts  letters  arrive  over  the  summer,  it’s  not  a  surprise  to  see  one  of  the  salvatore  brothers   has  a  head  boy  badge  enclosed  in  the  envelope.  the  surprise  is  which  brother  –  DAMON,   the  slytherin,  the  troublemaker,  the  one  who  probably  spent  more  time  in  detention  the  year  previous  than  on  the  quidditch  pitch.  maybe  that’s  the  trade  off;   stefan’s  gryffindor’s  quidditch  captain,   and  damon’s  the  one  left  to  pursue  less  FUN  endeavors  in  their  final  school  year.    

          “  dumbledore’s  finally  lost  his  marbles. ”   he  remarks,  turning  the  badge  over  in  his  hands.  he  thinks  that  maybe  there’s  a  small  part  of  him  that  feels  pride  but  he  mostly  believes  it’s  an  error  –  that  he’ll  turn  up  on  the  first  day  and  someone  will  rip  it  from  his  robes  and  pin  it  on  its  rightful  owner.    the  letter  says  damon  though  …  and  as  far  as  he  knows,  mistakes  like  this  have  never  been  made.   

          “  or  maybe  he’s  trying  to  keep  you  so  busy,  brother,  you  don’t  have  time  to  make  everyone  else’s  lives  hell. ”  stefan  smirks,  shoves  his  shoulder  as  he  heads  to  the  door.  “  c’mon,  let’s  practice.  we  might  play  for  opposing  teams,  but  we’ve  both  got  to  be  at  the  top  of  our  games.  ”    it’s  been gryffindor  vs  slytherin  in  the  finals  the  last  three  years  …  all  of  which  slytherin  has  won.      damon  smirks,  calls  out  after  him.   “  speak  for  yourself.   i  could  fly  blindfolded  and  we’d  STILL  win.  ”   he  ducks  a  curse  that  flies  by  his  head,  spares  one  last  look  at  the  badge  before  heading  out  into  the  gardens.  he  doesn’t  give  much  thought  to  who  his  head  girl  will  be  until  they  arrive  at  kings  cross  station  weeks  later.   too  little,  too late.

* * *

      he  goes  with  stefan  to  the  prefect’s  compartment  on  the  train,  catching  a  few  strange  looks  that  are  sent  his  way.   his  head  boy  badge  is  hidden  with  a  charm,  will  be  activated  with a  flourish  as  soon  as  someone  —     he’s  broken  off  mid-thought  by  an  unimpressed  looking  elena  gilbert.   pinned  to  her  chest  is,  of  course,   a  head  girl  badge.    for  fuck’s  sakes. 

         it  isn’t  just  that  they  can’t  stand  each  other.   it  isn’t  that  she  used  to  date  his  brother,  or  that  he  once  knocked  her  brother  off  his  broom  with  his  beater’s  club  in  a  match  against  gryffindor.  it’s  a  combination  of  events  that  have  culminated  over  their  hogwarts  career.   he  couldn’t  say  what  it  was  –  though  if  he’s  honest,  he  thinks  some  of  it  is  unavoidable:   slytherin  vs  gryffindor  drama  –   but  there’s  easily  no  one  in  the  entire  castle  he  could  work  less  amicably  with  than  elena.   he  is,  for  lack  of  a  better  word,  fucked.  

    “  you’re  not  supposed  to  be  back  here,  damon.  ”   she  levels  him  with  a  hard  stare,  motioning  to  the  compartment.   “  prefects  and  heads  only.   you’ll  have  to  go  sit  with  your  friends. ”   her  nose  wrinkles.   it’s  no  secret  she  hates  his  housemates,  especially  the  few  he  hangs  around  with  on  the regular.  katherine  and  elena’s  hatred  for  each  other  is  legendary,  even  worse  after  she  found  out  stefan  had  ‘  accidentally  ’  been  tricked  into  dating  both  of  them.   damon  doesn’t  even  begin  to  try  to  understand  their  relationship.   for  twins,  the  two  couldn’t  be  any  different.   the  only  person  he’d  really  claim  as  a  friend  is  enzo,  or  maybe  alaric  …  but  he’s  a  ravenclaw  and  one  of  the  few  people  who  knows  about  damon’s  head  boy  status.    he’s  snickering  from  behind  elena,  his  girlfriend  jo  looking  like  the  cat  that  ate  the  canary.  for  a  hufflepuff,  she’s  surprisingly  devious.   it’s  not  surprising  that  ric’s  already  spilled  the  beans.

         “  oh,  my  bad.  did  i  forget  to  tell  you  –   stefan,  did  i  forget  to  tell  her  ?  ”   stefan,  to  his  credit,  refuses  to  engage.   shakes  his  head,  tells  him  he’s  not  getting  in  the  middle  of  this.    “  i  actually  am  welcome  here  because  ...  would  you  look  at  that.  ”   he  taps  his  wand  against  the  front  of  his  robes,  the  badge  now  full  on  display  for  all  to  see.    “  i’m  your  head  boy.  ”     

           silence  stretches  throughout  the  cabin.   for  a  minute,  damon  is  sure  the  angry  vein  on  elena’s  forehead  is  going  to  lose  its  fight  and  give  in.   instead  she  grounds  her  foot  into  the  floor,  forces  a  smile,  and  grabs  his  hand.   “  that’s  great.  hey,  we  should talk  about  our  duties.  ”   before  he  has  a  chance  to  say   a  word,  she’s  tugged  him  out  into  the  hallway  and  her  hands  smack against  his  chest.    “  tell  me  what  you  did,  salvatore.  tell  me  how  you  –  how  you  tricked  your  way  into  this.   did  you  bewitch  the  professors  ?   use  polyjuice  to  have  a  decent  person  advocate  for  you  ?  it  doesn’t  add  up.  there’s  no  way  anyone  with  half  a  brain  would  think  YOU  are  fit  to  lead  the  students  …  to  be  a  leader.  ”

             he’s  had  the  same  thoughts,  but  he  didn’t  need  to  hear  her  repeat  them.  his  features  cool  as  he  wrenches  back.   “  i’m  not  the  one  moaning  in  the  corridor  about  how  unpleasant  my  co-head  is.  ”   he  reminds  her.   “  be  careful  you  don’t  fall  off  that  pedestal  you’re  teetering  on.  ”     he  flashes  a  smile;   all  teeth,  fake,  before  heading  into  the  compartment.   

         they  don’t  say  another  word  to  each  other  the  entire  journey  back  to  school.   

* * *

    “  this  is  where  you’ll  be  staying.  ”   professor  dumbledore  guides  them  down  a  hallway  off  the  great  hall.   “  there’s  an  office  through  here.  you  can  use  it  for  paperwork,  or  for  meeting  with  your  prefects.    yes,  mr.  salvatore  ….  there  will  be  paperwork …  and  no,  you  can’t  leave  it  all  to  ms.  gilbert.  ”   he  looks  over  at  them  from  under  his  glasses,  having  foretold  the  comments  he  would  have  made  before  he  could  make  them.  it  was  eerie.     “  through  here  are  your  rooms.  ”

     “  our  rooms  ?  ”   it’s  elena  who  speaks  first,  but  they  say something  to  the  same  effect   at  the  same  time.   professor  dumbledore  smiles  knowingly,  pushes  the  door  open.   there’s  a  common  sitting  area  with  plush  couches  and  a  coffee  table.  there’s  a  set  of  exploding  snap  cards  on  top,  and  what  looks  like  a  chess  set  underneath.   there  are  two  doors  –  one  in  each  direction.   the  first  thing  damon  notices  is  the  lack  of  doorknobs.   “  they’ll  be  linked  to  your  magical  signatures.  ”   the  headmaster  explains.   “  to  your  wand,  and  only  your  wand.  ”   he  motions  for  elena  to  follow  him  first,  linking  her  magic  before  doing  the  same  with  the  other  for  him.    “  you  two  have  been  chosen  to  be  role-models  for  your  fellow  students.  i  suggest  you  take  some  time  and  reflect  on  that  responsibility  and  what  that  means  for  you.   the  feast  is  at  seven  …  do  try  and  be  on  time.  ”   then,  as  abruptly  as  he’d  collected  them  at  the  carriages,  he’s  gone  again.  it’s  just  them.

        “  you  heard  him.  ”   it’s  elena  that  speaks  up,  her  trunk  following  behind  her  by  magic as  it  walks  itself  into  her  room  and  she sits  on  one  of  the  couches.  “  this  is  serious,  damon.   you  might  not  care  about  anything  but  i  do.  i  won’t  have  you  ruining  this  for  me.  ”    she  pauses,  adds.  “  for  either  of  us.  ”    he  resists  the  urge  to  roll  his  eyes,  says  nothing  as  he  fetches  his  own  things.     

       he  never  plans  on  ruining  things,  that’s  the  problem.  it  simply  happens  anyway. 

* * *

         the  first  few  weeks  actually  go  smoothly.   no  one  ends  up  in  tears,  damon’s  actually  surprisingly  good  at  rounds  even  if  he  does  keep  partnering  up  people  that  hate  each  other  for  his  own  amusement,  and  if  he’d  do  his  paperwork  ?  maybe  elena  would  have  had  no  complaints  about  him.   it’s  with  a  stack  of  paperwork  in  hand  that  she  enters  their  common  room,  voice  yelping  in  surprise  when  not  only  is  he  there  but  he’s  not  alone.   caroline  forbes  springs  away  from  damon  like  she’s  been  burned,  calculating  eyes  narrowed  in  elena’s  direction.   “  seriously  ?  knock  much  ?  ”      she’s  too  stunned  to  even  comment  back,  just  watches  the  slytherin  walk  off.   she’s  friends  with  katherine  for  some  strange  reason  –  elena  thinks  anyone  who  decides  to  be  friends  with  katherine  has  some  serious  judgement  issues –  but  they’ve  never  really  had  much  interaction.   nor  has,  elena  realizes,  she  had  much  with  damon.   this  is  a  new  development.

         “ since  when  are  you  hooking  up  with  caroline  ?  ”    his  response  is  said  casually,  standing  up  and  fastening  his  belt.   his  shirt  is  open,  exposing  his  chest,  and  she  covers  her  face  with  her  hands.  at  some  point  when  she’d  come  in,  the  papers  had  slipped  from  her  hands  and  were  decorating  their  floor.    “  —  since  when  do  you  care ?  ”       she  starts.    “  i  don’t  care.  i  care  that  you’re  —  that  you’re  doing  that  in  our  shared  common  room.   my  friends  sit  on   that  couch.  your  friends  sit  on  that  couch  !  ”    he  smirks.    “  mine  do  a  lot  more  than  sit.  ”      her  nose  wrinkles,  a  pillow  thrown  in  his  direction  as  she  stalks  to  her  room.   “  just  do  your  bloody  paperwork,  salvatore.  it  isn’t  rocket  science.  ”

* * *

       it’s  halloween.   there’s  a  party  in  the  gryffindor  commons,  so  somehow  it’s  fallen  on  elena  and  damon  to  do  rounds  with  their  prefects  out  of  commission.  they  walk  in  relative  silence,  their  route  taking  them  out  by  the  lake.  it’s  a  beautiful  night,  made  only  less  so  by  the  company.   or  it  would  be  maybe,  but  damon  hasn’t  said  a  word  since  they  left  the  castle.  it’s  …  unnerving,  if  she’s  honest.  

      “  you’re  unusually  quiet.  ”   she  stops,  turning  towards  him.  she  thinks  he  looks  pale  in  the  moonlight;   young,  less  like  the  prat  who  is  usually  trying  to  get  under  her  skin.   when  he  doesn’t  reply,  only  cracks  a  half-smile,  she  actually  feels  …  worry.   it’s  new  and  she’s  not  sure  she  likes  it.   “  i’m  serious,  damon.  ”   her  eyes  soften,  a  hand  reaches  for  his  arm.   “  is  something  wrong  ?  ”     she  watches  his  eyes  dart  to  her  arm,  like  maybe he’s  debating  throwing  her  off.   he  doesn’t  though,  simply  sighs.   “  our  mother  loved  halloween.  ”   he  says  instead,  throwing  her  off.   “  stefan  doesn’t  really  remember.  maybe  he  blocked  it  out,  or  maybe  he  doesn’t  want  to  remember  …  but  it  was  her  favorite  holiday.  ”     he  shrugs.   “  she  died  when  i  was  11.   it’s  why  i  started  late.  ”   it’s  never  something  he’s  talked  about  –  that  she  knows  of.   everyone  knew  that  the  salvatores  started  school  together,  were  in  the  same  year  even  though  they  weren’t  twins.    she  hadn’t  known  why  …  not  until  now.    “  i  miss  her  more  on  halloween  than  i  do  on  her  birthday,  or  on  the  anniversary of  her  death.  ”    he  smiles,  she  thinks  he  might  even  have  tears  in  his  eyes.    “  it’s  stupid  …  and  i  don’t  know  why  i’m  saying  any  of  this  to  you.  ”

          she   knows  why   he  is.   she  knows  that  he  knows  that  she  understands  the  feeling.   her  parents  had  died  2  years  earlier;   a  car  crash,  of  all  things.   magic  hadn’t  been  enough  to  save  them  and  she’d  lost  them  both  in  one  fell  swoop.   there’s  a  club  for  dead  parents,  a  feeling  that  you  don’t  understand  until  you  experience  it  for  yourself,  and  her  heart  breaks  for  him  similarly  to  how  it  breaks  for  herself.  it  never  gets  easier.  it’s  a  wound  that  heals  and  reopens  on  a  near  constant   basis.    “  i  won’t  tell  anyone.  ”   she  says  instead.   her  hand  finds  his,  squeezes  once.   “  i  promise.  ”      their  eyes  meet  and  she  feels  …  well,  she  isn’t  sure  what  she  feels,  or  if  she  even  wants  to.   they  continue  their  rounds,  say  goodnight  when  they  get  back  to  their  common  room,  and  she  thinks  about  that  moment  by  the  lake  up  until  the  moment  sleep  finally  claims  her.   

* * *

        they  fall  into  something  unfamiliar.   friendship,  or  something  like  it.   he  brings  her  breakfast,  she  finishes  his  paperwork  without  complaining.  they  become  symbiotic;  the  perfect  team.   she  actually  looks  forward  to  seeing  him  at  the  end  of  the  day,  of  sitting  with  him  by  the  fire  and  comparing  notes  on  their  days.   he  put  the  wrong  ingredient  in  his  potion  and  lost  12  house  points,  while  she  overslept  and  missed  breakfast  only  to  realize  when  she  got  to  her  class  that  she’d  grabbed  the  wrong  books.  they  laugh  until  their  sides  ache,  her  feet  in  his  lap  as  he  massages  them.   she  doesn’t  think  anything  of  it  until  she  meets  bonnie  for  their  study  date,  waves  goodbye  to  damon  as  he  passes  through  their  common  area  to  his  room.   

         when  the  door  clicks  shut,  bonnie  is  spinning  –  a  finger  pointed  straight  at  her.   “  what.  was.  that.  ”   her  best  friend  doesn’t  look  mad,  just  surprised.   “  am  i  losing  it  or  did  i  just  witness  you  and  damon  salvatore  having  a  moment  ?  ”    elena  rolls  her  eyes.   “  no,  no  moment.  geez,  bon.  this  isn’t  one  of  those  trashy  romance  novels  your  mom  reads.  ”   her  teeth  dig  into  her  lower  lip.     for  the  first  time  in  years,  she’s  lying  to  her  best  friend  …  but  he’s  also  lying  to  herself.    she  doesn’t  know  what’s  going  on  between  her  and  damon  but  she  knows  it’s  different.  maybe  he’s  different,  or  maybe  he’s  just  finally  let  her  see  the  good  parts  of  himself  that  he  usually tries  to hide.   “  we’re  friends.  ”          bonnie  isn’t  swayed.   “  friends  don’t  look  at  you  like  they  know  how  you  taste.  you  haven’t  –  ”     she  cuts  her  off.   “  god,  no.   he  used  to   have  a  thing  with  katherine.   we’re  –  it’s  not  like  that.  ”    it’s  not.   is  it?     they  go  back  to  studying  but  bonnie’s  words  haunt  her  well  into  the  night.  

* * *

         it’s  been  going  so  well,  so  it’s  no  surprise  things  take  a  turn  after  christmas  holidays.  damon  comes  back  from  break  and  elena  has  a  boyfriend.   some  guy  named  matt  donovan,  a  muggleborn  hufflepuff   he  thinks.   they  both  stayed  at  the  castle  over  the  break  and  somehow  decided  they  were  perfect  for  each  other.    he  hates  it.   he  especially  hates  seeing  matt  donovan  in  their  shared  common  room,  has  imagined  ripping  him  limb  from  limb  so  many times  he’s  even  checked  his  hands  to  make  sure  he  hasn’t  actually  done  it.   

             thankfully  quidditch  is  a  welcome  distraction,  something  he  throws  himself  into  leading  up  to  the  first  match  of  the  new  year;  slytherin  vs  hufflepuff.    he’s  at  the  top  of  his  game,  in  perfect  sync  with  enzo.   they’ve  always  been  in  tune  with  each  other,  the  best  set  of  beaters  hogwarts  has  seen  in  decades.   with  katherine  as  seeker  and  klaus  as  keeper  and captain  intimidating   everyone  into  submission,  their  team  has  shaped  into  something  even  more  formidable  than  in  year’s  past.   they’re  unstoppable  –  it’s  almost  unfair  to  let  hufflepuff  even  take  the field.    they  lose  280-10  and  that  10  was  a  pity  shot  klaus  ignored  when  cami  o’conner  sent  the  quaffle  hurling  his  way.   suffice  to  say,  damon’s  in  good  spirits  when  his  feet  hit  the  ground.   it  doesn’t  last  long  though  before  matt  donovan  is  on  him,  shoves  him  and  gets  up  in  his  face.  “  you  almost  killed  me,  you  dick.  ”     damon  stares,  has  no  idea  what  he’s  talking  about.   he  likes  to  think  he’d  remember  almost  killing  the  guy.   he  does  hate  him,  after  all.   “  you  look  fine  to  me.  ”   he  replies  instead,  pushing  the  boy  back  when  matt  advances.  it  turns  into  an  all  out  war,  the  teams  squabbling  with  each  other  until  madam  hooch  blows  the  whistle  and  separates  them.  

                                  “  ENOUGH.   DETENTION,  ALL  OF  YOU.  ”

        damon  doesn’t  bother  hitting  the  showers,  instead  going  straight  to  the  head  quarters  with  a  hand  pressed  to  his  jaw.   donovan  managed  to  get  at  least  two  square  punches  in;    one  along  his  jaw,  splitting  his  lip,  and  another  on  his  right  eye.   he’s  not  upset  about  it  though  …  he’s  pretty  sure  he  gave  the  boy  a  matching  set.   he’s  grinning  at  the  thought  as  he  walks  inside,  nearly  smacks  into  elena  on  her  way  out.  unsurprisingly,  she’s  livid.    “  are  you  out  of  your  mind  ?  ”    she’s  shouting,   eyes  wild  as  her  hands  come  up.    “  i  can’t  believe  you  started  a  fight  with  my  boyfriend.   especially  after  what  you  did.  ”       he’s  angry  now,  unable  to  believe  they’re  here  yet  again  with  her  assuming  he’s  done  the  worst  before  he’s  even  done  it.    “  i  didn’t  do  anything  to  matty  blue  eyes.  ”   he  snaps  back.   “  if  i  wanted  to  hurt  him,  he’d  be  in  the  hospital  wing.   bloody  hell,  elena.   what  kind  of  monster  do  you  think  i  am  ?   i  might  not  like  the  guy  but  i  wouldn’t  intentionally  hurt  him.   if  a  bludger  almost  hit  him,   it  was  an  accident.    but  i  can’t  say  i  regret  it  because  he’s  an  idiot.  maybe  getting  hit  in  the  head  will  shake  things  up  in  there  and  he’ll  be  a  smidgen  smarter  than  a  box  of  rocks.  ”    he  knows  he’s  gone  too  far,  sees  the  look  on  her  face  that  hasn’t  been  reserved  for  him  in  awhile.   “  you’re  such  a  dick.  ”   she  says  quietly,   voice  wavering.   “  i  don’t  know  why  i  thought  you  could  change.  ”  

* * *

       they  don’t  talk  for  three  weeks.  when  they  pass  each  other  in  the  halls,  they  pretend  the  other  doesn’t  exist.  if  you  ask  anyone,  it’s  almost  worse  than  the  fighting.  they  only  communicate  via  the  prefects  and  it’s  a  constant  headache.  currently  elena’s  finishing  up  some  paperwork  in  the  library,  avoiding  their  common  area  like  it’s  dragon  pox.   she’s  just  finishing  her  last  stack  when  a  group  of  students  pass  by  her  row,  sit  across  from  the  bookshelf  she’s  tucked  behind.  they  can’t  see  her  but  she  can  hear  them  clear  as  day.  it’s  matt  and  a  couple  of  his  friends  –  trip,  she  thinks,  and  maybe  gabe  ?  she’s  only  met  them  a  handful  of  times.    they’re  talking  about  plans  for  the  summer  —  trips  they  want  to take,  girls  they  want  to  date,  and  while  elena’s  not  trying  to  eavesdrop  she  does  perk  up  when  she  hears  her  name.   “  what  about  gilbert  ?   i  know  you  said  that  was  going  nowhere  with  salvatore  in  the  picture  but  — “     she  hears  matt  shh  him,  his  voice  dropping  into  a  whisper.    she  can’t  hear  what’s  being  said  but  she  has  a  feeling  she  knows.   matt  lied.   the  terrible  things  she  accused  damon  of  doing  –  of  being  –   were  all  a  set-up.     her  stomach  turns,  eyes  welling  up  with  tears.   god,  why  is  she  so  stupid  ?     damon  was  a  bad  guy,   did  bad  things,  but  he’d  been  better  and  she’d  completely  disregarded  that.    she  hadn’t  thought  anything   about  it  because  lately  he’d  been  up  to  his  old tricks:   mouthing  off  in  class,  living  out  of  the  detention  hall,  and  skiving  off  rounds  until  she  was  forced  to  yell  at  him  to  get  him  back  on  track.  she’d  just  assumed  it  was  damon  being  damon.   her  guilt  swallows  her  up  and  she  pales,  gathers  her  books  into  her  arms  and  flees.   

       she  breaks  up  with  matt  the  next  day.   she  doesn’t  tell  him  what  she  overheard,  just  says  that  she  doesn’t  feel  like  she’ll  ever  love  him  and  they  should  end  things  before  it  gets  too  serious.   he  says  he  understands  but  starts  calling  her  the  ice  queen  behind  her  back.   she  thinks  it’s  funny.   she  wishes  she  was  made  of  ice,  unattached  and  unaffected  by  her  surroundings.   she  thinks  it  would  be  easier  than  dealing  with  the  alternatives.   admitting  you’re  wrong  is  hard  …  made  even  harder  when  the  person  you  need  to  apologize  to  is  making  themselves  scarce.  

       it  takes  her  a  week  before  she’s  able  to  track  him  down.   he’s  up  on  the  astronomy  tower,  feet  dangling  over  the  edge  as  he  drinks  from  a  bottle  of  firewhiskey.   she  resists  the  urge  to  yell  at  him,  to  chastise  and  further  isolate  him  from  her.   instead  she  comes  to  stand  behind  him,  takes  the  bottle  and  sips  from  it.  she  coughs  as  it  burns,  her  throat  on  fire  as  she  tries  to  breathe  through  it.  he  seems  surprised  that  she  even  took  a  drink  which  emboldens  her.   he  underestimates  her.    “  i  came  to  apologize.  ”    she  says  it  slowly,  watches  as  he  moves  to  stand.  maybe  he  thinks  it’s  a  fake  out,  that  she’s  about  to  push  him  off  the  tower.  she  has  threatened  as  much  in  the  past.    “  for  what  i  said  before,  about  you  and  matt.  i  know  he  lied.  ”   she  swallows  hard.   “  it  wasn’t  your  fault.  it  was  mine.  ”    his  eyes  search  hers  and  she  can’t  do  it;   she’s  lost  her  nerve,  can’t  tell  him  WHY  matt  felt  the  need  to  lie.    she  can’t  tell  him  that  matt  figured  out  what  she’s  been  hiding  all  this  time,  that  he  knows  even  better  than  she  does  how  she  feels.   she  can’t.   she’s  not  ready.     “  i  just  thought  you  should  know.  ”       he  raises  a  brow,  catches  her  arm  when  she  turns  to  leave.   “  you  said  you  were  coming  to  apologize.  ”   he  reminds  her.    she  nods,  confused.   “  you  never  actually  said  you  were  sorry.  ”   he  points  out.   his  eyes  are  sparkling  and  lips  twitch  up  in  that  trademark  smirk  of  his.      that  damn  smirk.      “  you  know  what  i  meant.  ”   she  replies  with  a  roll  of  her  eyes,  steps  closer  to  him  and  tilts  her  head.   “  i  am  sorry.  ”     there’s  a  moment.   silence  stretches,  her  eyes  meet  his,  and  she  thinks  —  yes,  if  he  kisses  me  …  i’ll   kiss  him  back.     but  he  doesn’t.   he  smiles,  leans  in,   and  presses  a  kiss  against  her  cheek.   it  burns  long  after  he’s  left  the  astronomy  tower  in  his  wake.

* * *

         february  and  march  pass  without  excitement.  things  aren’t  quite  back  to  where  they  once  were,  but  there’s  a  change  between  them  —  an  electricity  that  never  existed  before.  for  damon,  he’s  always  been  cognizant  of  it;   a  pull  he’s  felt  towards  elena,  even  when  he  knew  he  shouldn’t.   but,  he’d  discounted  it  from   the  realm  of  possibility  given  their  histories  —  him,  with  katherine,  and  her  with  stefan.    the  more  time  they  spend  with  each  other,  the  more  they  gravitate  into  each  other’s  orbit,  the  less  problematic  it  seems.   they  fight;   they  squabble,  they  hardly  ever  agree,  and  she’s  constantly  curbing  his  worst  instincts  but  they  compliment  each  other.    he  tests  her,  brings  her  out  of  her  comfort  zone,  and  she  reels  him  back  in  when  he’s  about  to  go  off  the  rails.    they  weirdly  work,  which  is  why  he’s  been  so  hesitant  to  make  a  move.   somewhere  in  the  last  few  months  —  somehow  —   elena  gilbert  has  become  his  best  friend.   maybe  more  than,  if  he’s  being  honest.    but  if  they  cross  that  line,  if  they  try  and  they  fail  ?   all  that  goes  away.    he’s  selfish  in  that  he  needs  her  ...  can’t  decide  if  it’s  worth  the  risk.

               the  choice  is  made  for  him.   they’ve  got  people  over  in  the  common  area;   stefan  and  klaus  are  engaged  in  a  rousing  game  of  exploding  snap,  while  bonnie  alternates  between  making  out  with  enzo  and  braiding  caroline’s  hair.   no  one’s  seen  alaric  for  awhile  now  but  damon’s  pretty  sure  if  they  looked  out  in  the  hallway,  they’d  see  a  pair  of  prefects  wrapped  around  each  other  where  no  one  can  see  ...  unless  of  course  you’re  trying  to  leave.    his  suspicions  are  confirmed  when  he  tries  to  take  a  smoke  break,  rolls  his  eyes  and  returns  to  the  spot  next  to  elena.   she’s  drinking  firewhiskey  straight  from  the  bottle  —  an  improvement  from  that  first  time  where  she’d  nearly  spit  it  back  out.    he  smiles  to  himself,  leans  back  against  the  couch  as  her  head  settles  on  his  shoulder.   it’s  nice.   he  likes  it.    or  rather,  he  likes  her.    he’s  known  it  for  awhile,  but  knowing  and  putting  to  words  are  two  very  different  things.   as  her  hand  rests  on  his  knee,  he  knows  he’s  about  to  do  something  very  stupid.  thankfully  he’s  saved  by  the  returning  alaric,  who  holds  up  a  fresh bottle  of  firewhiskey  and  says  the  words  damon  will  never  forget:    “  who  wants  to  play  truth  or  dare  ?  ”

           nearly  everyone  says  yes,  so  they  all  find  their  way  to  the  floor  and  decide  to  spin  to  see  who  goes  first.  it  lands  on  bonnie  who  picks  truth,  and  they  find  out  that  her  first  crush  was  a  boy  named  kaleb  in  primary   school.   she  spins  and  it  lands  on  stefan,  who  picks  dare  and  is  forced  to  sit  in  klaus’  lap  until  one  of  them  cries  uncle.  given  their  combined  levels  of  stubbornness,  he  assumes  they’re  in  it  for  the  long  haul.   after  stefan,  caroline  is  dared  to  drink  until  she  can’t  anymore,  and  then  jo  confesses  her  secret  crush  on  professor  flitwick.     after  that,  it  finally  lands  on  damon.   he  has  a  choice  to  make,  so  he  makes  the  obvious  one.   “  dare.  ”     he  watches  how  jo’s  eyes  flit  from  alaric,  to  him,  and  then  over  to  elena.   he  knows  almost  instantly  that  this  is  going  to  end  poorly.   that  lines  will  be  crossed  ...  lines  that  can’t  be  uncrossed.    “ i  dare  you  to  kiss  someone  in  this  room.   on  the  lips,  no  cheating.  ”     she’s  given  him  an  out,  an  escape  ...  but  he  knows  he  won’t  take  it.    he  won’t  kiss  jo,  would  rather  swallow  razor blades  than  kiss  caroline  again,   and  bonnie  would  rip  his  lips  off  before  he  got  within  50  ft  of  her.   there’s  always  ric,  or  klaus,  but  neither  of  those  options  seem  appealing.    elena  seems  to  have  realized  it  too,  her  cheeks  turning  a  bright  shade  of  pink  as  she  straightens  up.   “  guys,  ”    she  drags  the  syllables  out.   “  c’mon  ...  how  old  are  we,  12  ?   give  him  another  one.  ”     he  cuts  her  off,  interjecting  with  a  shrug.   cavalier,  or  as  cavalier  as  he  can  be  when  his  heart  is  thudding  in  his  chest.   “  it’s  fine.  it’s  just  a  kiss,  right  ?  ”    elena  meets  his  gaze,  nods  her  head.  “ yeah.  ”   she  agrees.   “  just  a  kiss.  ”

         the  room  quiets  as  he  shifts,  brings  a  hand  up  to  curve  around  the  back  of  her  neck.   he  feels  his  cheeks  flushing  as  he  leans  in,  presses  his  lips  against  hers.   he  intends  for  it  to  be  soft;    slow,  even,  testing  the  waters,  but  what  he  plans  and  what  happens  are  two  very  different  things.   their  lips  touch  and  her  hand  comes  up  to  press  against  his  chest,  goosebumps  prickling  his  arms  as  he  shivers.   the  kiss  deepens  and  someone  shifts  closer  until  suddenly  she’s  half  in  his  lap,  a  leg  strewn  over  his  own  in  a  bid  to  get  closer.   he  thinks  he  hears  someone  whistling  but  it’s  impossible  to  think  of  anything  beyond  how  amazing  it  feels  to  kiss  her   ...  to  be  kissed  by  her.     when  they  pull  away,  neither  one  of  them  says  anything.   they  exchange  stolen  glances  out  of  the  corner  of  their  eyes,  don’t  talk  about  what  happened  even  after  all  of  their  friends  have  left.   it  should  be  weird  but  somehow  they  just  ...  fall  into  place.   he  carries  her  books  to  class,  she  snuggles  up  with  him  after  class  on  the  couch  and  falls  asleep  in  his  lap.     one  day  he  kisses  her  in  the  hallway  and  the  whole  school  collectively  loses  it.    they  go  from  friends,  to  lovers,  to  everything  in  the  span  of  a  few  weeks  without  missing  a  beat.   it  works  —  it  fits.

           on  the  last  day  of  school,  on  the  platform  where  they  first  met,  it’s  only  natural  that  damon  asks  her  to  spend  the  summer  with  him.   she  accepts  and  the  summer  bleeds  into  the  year,  and  then  another,  and  then  before  you  know  it  they’re  married  and  taking  their  kids  to  kings  cross  station  for  their  first  year  at  hogwarts.   

       the  years  pass  quickly  and  without  warning  but  through  it  all  ?    they  face  it  together  ...  as  a  team.     

             perhaps  albus  dumbledore  had  known  what  he  was  doing  all  along.

[rageagainstthemarine]

Do Not Reach Beyond the Sky (17/?)

Warnings: None Tags: Canon-typical violence, Freeform, Retelling, Original Characters, Canon Divergence, Additional Tags Pairing: None yet Characters: All of them

Fahleon Lavellan is several things, a Dalish elf, a deserter Warden, but Herald of Andraste is not of them. The Creators have played a cruel trick if anyone is to believe he played some part of the Conclave even if the evidence is a rift-sealing mark on his hand. Where he does fit, he doesn’t know and isn’t fond of finding out.

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"-and even after the quarter arrangements are made, there are still more precautions to take. We aren't ready to house the entire rebel mage army."

"It was our goal, was it not? We will make it work."

"It was hastily planned, is all I mean."

Fahleon ground his teeth as Cullen and Cassandra bickered between themselves. They'd been talking in circles since Josephine pulled him from bed at sunrise to discuss the next steps in sealing the Breach. No progress was made, no solution was found, and Fahleon found his mind wandering. His attention wavered and he jerked in his seat at the sound of footsteps approaching from outside. Every sudden noise made him wary. The slap of wind against the windows to make them rattle and the timbers of the ceiling shake made his stomach roll. Sudden conversation made his ears ring. The door opened with a knock and Fahleon gripped the edge of the war table tight as a servant entered with a tray of fruit.

"The position we're in now...we have to be prepared for abomin- for anything."

"If we rescind the alliance we made, it makes the Inquisition - and the Herald - appear incompetent," Josephine said, rising from her seat to clear space for the tray. Cullen snorted.

"That's the least of our concerns at the moment."

"But it is no light matter. At best, our next steps could make us look only foolish. At worst, it may make us look tyrannical."

She cast uneasy eyes at him as Fahleon followed her movements with suspicion. There had yet to be any hint of Envy since the magister had been led away in chains, but he still wasn't fully convinced. Time, and possibly the sight of Alexius, bound and caged in the dungeons like a mockery of the demon's attempts to attack him helped and yet....Fahleon twitched at the flash of green that lit up the skies outside and made the room's candles flicker. It was a weak glow, nothing like the bright, sickly shine of the Fade. Fahleon eased out a breath.

"Herald? Herald. Fahleon!"

Fahleon flinched and his knee hit the underside of the table hard. He cursed and glared at Cullen, looking at him where he leaned over the newest of his men's reports. Leliana was gone. A hand fell on Fahleon's shoulder and he scrambled out of his chair, knocking it over in his haste. The spymaster was behind him, a knife held tight in her grip. She lifted it at him, level with his ribs and Fahleon snarled. Any movement forward would put him in the path of her blade and any back would pin him against the table with no room for escape. Cassandra guarded the door and-

He flicked his eyes back to Leliana. He snatched her wrist as she finally advanced and slammed her hand on the table. Her fingers splayed, empty, on the map sprawled across it. There was no knife. His brow twitched. Slowly, almost delicately, Leliana peeled his fingers from their tight grip around her home and he fisted his hands at his sides before she noticed them shaking.

Cullen swept an arm out in front of him. "This is exactly what I'm taking about. He could be possessed as we speak and we'd have no way of knowing-"

"I'm not," Fahleon spat. Anger made his lips numb and his conviction fell flat from his tongue. He dug his nails into his palms. He wasn't possessed. Envy was....gone. And wouldn't be returning. The Inquisition would work with the mages on equal footing because he had no mind to control anyone. He would work with Cassandra to finish the business of closing the Breach and go home to live his life. He didn't want power, he didn't control. Envy had pushed and he hadn't relented. Cullen could push and Fahleon wouldn't give. Cassandra could try as well to get him to lead but he was not-

"Trapped. Here and there. Real is...both. But you are here."

"By the Maker!" Cullen rounded the table and the sound of his sword pulled free of its sheath was echoed by Cassandra's. Blood dripped from their points to stain the floor and Fahleon shook his head to clear the vision from his sight. His breath quickened and he staggered towards the boy who'd appeared on top of the table in the blink of an eye, all without entering through the door or disturbing the papers strewn about. "Get away from that - from that thing!"

Creators, he'd have loved the idea of leaving the boy behind. But he needed answers.

"Thing? My name is Cole. I came back with you to help," he said, and his wide eyes turned from the Commander to Cassandra and finally fell on Fahleon. Fahleon looked away, clenching his jaw. "I would have told you before but you were...." Fahleon hunched his shoulders. "Busy."

His scowl slipped and he replaced with a less than solid frown. "Is that what you call it."

Cassandra hadn't moved closer, but he hadn't put away his sword, either. "Don't tell me you know of this...Cole."

Fahleon pressed his lips, tight, together, and answered with only a curt nod. She didn't look any more pleased, but her arm twitched, once, before she let out a breath and sheathed her sword. Her flat look demanded an explanation, later, that Fahleon wouldn't give her.

Cullen remained where he stood, braced and ready. "No, call the guards. This creature isn't what it seems."

"I'm not like them," Cole said. "A corner of the Circle, cried of pain and fear louder than cries for help but if I keep shouting...." Cullen paled. "This isn't the Circle. It's not the Fade, either."

Fahleon looked away and muttered under his breath. "How do you know?" He caught Cassandra raise a brow and he looked away from her, too."

"Because it hurts."

"What do you mean, demon?" Cullen asked, and Fahleon curled his lip.

"Nothing." Fahleon cleared his throat and righted the chair. He didn't meet any of their eyes as he hid his shaking hands. He wouldn't have this debate here, in front of them all. Cole could be a demon in truth, but he had enough of them on his mind without one more. And if he himself was possessed? That had crossed his thoughts more than once....not that he would admit it. At least, not when Cullen's sword was still bare and ready to cut any abomination in half. Fahleon included.

He wasn't. He hoped. He let out a shaky breath. One more time. He'd question Alexius one more time, demand proof even it meant spilling his life blood to make sure.

Cole opened his mouth and Fahleon glared at him, braced to defend himself from whatever came out of his mouth next, but the boy only yawned and rubbed at one eye. Fahleon didn't relax. The careful eyes on him made him all the more furious. He needed to get out of the room.

"Don't attack the mages." That was what they were all gathered together for in the first place, to discuss what to do with the influx of new inhabitants. Haven couldn't hold them all comfortably. There'd be shoulders rubbing and nerves crossed, and not just his. "Or Cole," he added.

"What will we do about-"

"This isn't the Circle," Fahleon snapped, and he winced as he repeated Cole. Cullen's face turned red. Fahleon moved towards the door but Cullen tossed an arm out to stop him. "No templars," he growled, and shoved past.

"We can have some of Leliana's men watch the perimeter of Fiona's camp," Josephine suggested, half-heartedly.

"They aren't trained to fight against magic," Cullen argued, voice loud even as Fahleon put distance between himself and the war room.

"I think that's the point, Commander," Leliana said. "I'll see it done. In the meantime..."

Someone called for Fahleon as he left the Chantry, and he let their greeting disappear behind him as he walked back to his cabin. Marched. Stomped. He most certainly hadn't run. Like some frightened deer, spooked by a shadow seen out of the corner of his eye. Fahleon swallowed back a curse and slipped through the door, pressing his back against it to force it close with a solid sound. He felt it in his spine and only felt the tension knotting in his stomach unwind as it finished shuddering through him.

The sheets on the bed had been changed and they stretched tight across the straw-filled mattress. There was a new stack of wood in the corner and the ashes in the fireplace were swept clean. It made the place look even less lived in. For some reason, it didn't make him feel any better.

He hadn't slept within its walls since the night he'd woken from the first attempt to close the Breach. He preferred the trees around the servants tents, where the presence of so many elves put him at ease and the constant motion and noise reminded him of home. The smaller cabin he'd found on the edge of the lake was another favorite spot, and he'd stopped there only once after to rest after a hunt. Lately, he hadn't slept at all.

Most of his belongings were stuffed into a bag by the door, ready for him to grab at a moment's notice to run - either away or towards the next fight. His bow was slung on a hook above it, and he strapped its quiver to his belt before shouldering the bow. He crossed the room and held an arm out for Ada to perch on instead of the bedpost. Her weight grounded him, kept his feet on the floor. If there was any sign that he was in the present, that everything around him was real, it was her. No demon could try to replicate Ada without him noticing the difference. He ran a finger down the feathers of her neck, and he relaxed despite the sharp beak that snapped at his fingers. He'd spend another night at the cabin by the lake. He could shake off the last of the demon's influence in the quiet solitude there, and Ada could stretch her wings after the day spent cooped inside. A hunt sounded good. The feel of his bow in his hands and the night air in his lungs would do him better than any spoken word from a ghost.

Fahleon picked up his bag. He'd pick his way around Haven and circle around the kitchen tents from the back, out of sight and out of range of questions.

The door knob turned before he reached for it and Fahleon tensed. He shifted his weight and let his hand fall to rest among the fletching of his arrows at his side. He curled a finger around one and pressed his back against the wall, eyes never leaving the door.

The scent of roasted meat and vegetables wafted in the room above the common smell of cold, snow, and smoke. Metal clinked softly together, dull and too solid for any sort of blade. Fahleon narrowed his eyes and wedged his foot into the sudden, small opening of the door and kicked at the leg that tried to push it open.

"It's not rotten this time." His ear twitched the familiar voice and Fahleon removed his foot with a sigh. The servant girl stumbled in, just barely holding onto her food trays as she righted herself. He didn't move to help her while he set them down on the dresser. She turned when she finished, hands on her hips.

The demon was getting more daring - or desperate - if it was recreating Raya's face.

She brushed down her apron with a snort. "This isn't the Fade, you know." Fahleon looked away when she tried to meet her eyes. How many knew? Leliana had seen his return with her own eyes, but he hadn't told her where his mind had wandered off too while she took down the magister's men. The report he'd given Cassandra when he came back to Skyhold with the mages was even less descriptive. Cole was the only one who'd taken part in his....nightmare, and today was the first he'd been seen in the days since. How had they found out? He clenched his fist. He'd break the jaw of whoever spoke of his....uncertainty. He'd dare anyone else to say something more, after.

Raya did, without flinching. "You're safe here."

"So I hear." His tongue felt like sandpaper in his mouth.

"You're welcome," she said, without any shame, and Fahleon felt himself flush. "I'm a mage. We can tell our dreams from being awake, and if I'm awake..." She held up a hand and pointed at him with a spoon dripping with gravy. "You look like you're about to say 'but that's something a demon would say!'."

He clenched his jaw hard enough his jaw hurt. He needed to get out of Haven, and soon, before someone else read him as easily.

Raya tossed a roll towards him and he snatched it out of the air with a growl. He picked it apart in silence, and stepped away from the pile of crumbs when Raya threw a chunk of meat to the floor for Ada.

"That thing on your hand," Raya continued, and Fahleon rolled his eyes. It wasn't any better choice of conversation than the talk of demons in his opinion, and the way she looked at his hand as he pulled apart the roll made himself too aware of his current position in the cabin. He shifted his weight uneasily. "It's like a magic I've never seen before."

Solas had said something similar. Before the demon-

Dread wolf take him. Fahleon shoved what was left of the roll in his mouth and reached for another, dipping it forcefully into the gravy first. It splashed over the rim of the shallow bowl to stain the sleeve of his shirt, and he cursed. One more mention of the Fade and he'd truly lose his senses.

"Get out."

"I only-"

He took a step closer. "Get. Out."

Raya lifted her hands, empty, and backed towards the door. Fahleon watched her leave with narrowed eyes, and he swore when the door swung open, again, with another person standing just outside. Persons. The sight of Varric lessened some of his suspicion, and he turned his wary eyes on the boy with him.

The dwarf, at least, wasn't phased by the sight of an angry Dalish elf.

"I heard the Inquisitor was in need of a distraction."

[upthenorthmountain]

Gonna Walk - Tuesday

Monday

Tuesday

“No! Come on, we’ve been planning this for months.”

Anna pulled herself up to full consciousness. Why could she hear Kristoff’s voice? Had she fallen asleep in the staffroom again?

“You’re sure? It’s not that bad, it’s just a bit wet - well, okay, very wet…”

No, she was in a bed. In a room. Kristoff was on the phone. Oh, yes, right, that was it.

“I’ll go over there today and look at it….oh, well, if you’re sure. I don’t know, go home I guess. Yeah, well. Wait, you’re breaking up -”

Anna rolled onto her back and stretched. Kristoff looked over at her. “Lost signal,” he said, putting down his phone, “And Sven’s not coming. Says the weather’s too bad.”

“I can see his point,” Anna said. “Especially camping, I bet the campsite is one big muddy puddle right about now.”

“I’ve been looking forward to this for ages,” Kristoff said.

He sat down on the edge of the bed.

“I’m sorry,” Anna said, pushing herself up on one elbow. “Will you go home?”

“Then I’ll have to come back on Friday for you.”

Anna shrugged. “I can get the train, someone’ll give me a lift to the station.”

“Surely you’ll have to change at least twice. It’ll take all day.”

“It’ll take you all day to drive up here and get me.”

“Well,” he said, “I’ll get dressed and think about it over breakfast.”

—–

“Of course you must stay here!” Caroline said, looking round the breakfast table for agreement. “Mustn’t he?”

“Oh, I couldn’t -”

“Don’t be silly. We thought you were coming originally, anyway. And you can still go out and do some walks if the weather stays clear, we won’t be offended!”

“I -”

“There’s some grand walks out of here,” Anna’s grandad said. “Footpath at the bottom of the lane, goes right up into the hills. Do you have an Ordnance Survey map?”

“Yes, of course -”

“And I’m sure Anna will be happy to have you here,” Stephanie said. She raised her eyebrows. Kristoff looked at Anna. She did not look happy, but quickly changed her expression when she realised everyone was looking at her.

“Absolutely,” she said. “That would be - awesome.”

Stephanie was looking from Anna to Kristoff and back again.

He coughed. “I expect I’ll go out for a walk today,” he said. “While it’s dry. Forecast for the rest of the week is pretty dreadful.”

“Well,” said Anna, “Let’s go upstairs and - unpack your bag again. Okay?”

“Okay,” said Kristoff, and let Anna take his hand and pull him up the stairs.

“OK,” she said, once the bedroom door was closed behind them. “If you’re staying, you can kiss me, but no tongues. You may put your hand on my arm, my waist or my shoulder, but not - anywhere else. And, and I told my aunt we’d been together about six months, and we met at work, and…”

Kristoff leant on the closed door and folded his arms. “I’m not planning to be here most of the time,” he said. “Tell your aunt what you like.”

“Okay. Okay, that’s probably easiest, if you go out on some long walks…”

“You really think you can pull this off? Four more days?”

“Of course. Yes. Why not?”

“Your cousin doesn’t believe it.”

“Which cousin?”

“The bitchy one, not the nice one. Stephanie.”

“She’s not…okay, whatever. Well, we’ll have to make her believe it.”

“Oh, lord. You know, the longer you let it play out, the worse it’ll be when they work it out.”

“They won’t. Why would they?”

Kristoff knelt next to his rucksack and started taking things out, neatly piling clothes and his washbag at the side of the room, finding his maps and compass. “I’ll get out of your way today, anyway.”

“Okay. So you are staying?”

He looked at her. She was wringing her hands.

“Well, I guess I either stay here or I go home,” he said.

“Well, yes.”

“And I don’t want to go home and spend all week with nothing to do except be annoyed that I’m not in the Lakes.”

“Free room and board,” Anna said.

“In exchange for taking part in your daft plan.” He smiled.

Anna shrugged, but now she was smiling too. “It’s not really a plan. It’s more of a - ruse.”

“A scheme.”

“A game.”

“Well, my next move is that I’m going to go downstairs, fill my water bottle, put on my boots and take to the hills,” Kristoff said. “I’ll see you later.”

“Okay. Have a good time.”

Kristoff left the room. He was at the top of the stairs when he heard Caroline say “I’ll just go and see what Kristoff wants in his sandwiches, I think he’s upstairs,” from the hall.

He turned quickly, and walked back to his and Anna’s bedroom. Opening the door, he found Anna rummaging in her suitcase. The pillow and sleeping bag he’d used the night before were still on the floor; quickly, he gathered them up and threw them on the bed, but it still looked suspicious and he didn’t have time to make it properly. “What’s up?” Anna said. The footsteps were nearly at the door now.

He had an idea. Later, he wondered what on earth had possessed him, but at the time it seemed perfectly reasonable to pick Anna up bodily, drop her on the bed - on top of the incriminating pile of pillow and sleeping bag - throw himself down next to her and kiss her firmly on the lips.

Anna made a sort of yelp when he dropped her, but the kiss shut her up quite effectively. She put a hand up onto his shoulder but didn’t push him away; he wrapped an arm round her waist to hold her in place as he kissed her, and found to his shock that after her initial surprise had passed she was kissing him back.

There was an “Oh!” from the doorway. Kristoff pulled back, and Anna leapt away and sat up, blushing and looking slightly rumpled. “Aunt Caroline,” she said. Caroline coughed. “I’m sorry to interrupt,” she said in a slightly strangled voice, “I was just packing Kristoff a lunch and I wondered if he wanted ham or cheese in his sandwiches…”

“You don’t have to make me lunch, Mrs Re- Caroline,” Kristoff said, standing and finding his bag again.

“Oh, it’s no trouble - ham or cheese?”

“If you’re sure - ham is fine, thank you.”

“I’m sorry,” Kristoff said as soon as Caroline was gone. “I wanted to hide the stuff on the bed and that seemed the quickest way -”

“Oh. Yes. Of course,” Anna said, running her hands through her hair to tidy it. “Um. You could have thrown everything behind the bed, though.”

“…oh.”

“I mean, it’s okay - um. I was just unpacking…” Anna got up and went back over to her case, her back to Kristoff.

“OK. I’ll - I’ll go then. See you later.”

“Okay.”

—–

Well, that had been - interesting, Anna thought once she was alone in the room again. He was committed, anyway. Or taking advantage? No, she didn’t think so - he’d just put his arm round her waist, after all, and there were other places he could have put his hand. She trusted him.

Maybe that was why she’d asked him to do this. Not because she, you know, liked him, she didn’t, but because she trusted him. She’d worked alongside him for nearly three years now and she knew she could count on his word, and that he was a gentleman, in the best sense of the word. She felt a bit bad that he was now stuck with her for the week. But he hadn’t seemed to mind.

—–

Well, that had been - interesting, Kristoff thought as he set off down the footpath. Not how he’d expected this week to go, at all.

Was he really prepared to spend the rest of the week pretending to be Anna’s boyfriend? Four days could be a long time. Even if he stayed out of the house as much as possible, that was still three more breakfasts, three more evening meals, plenty of other incidental conversations with her relatives. Sleeping in the same room as her every night.

And there was also the fact, there, that he wasn’t being entirely honest with her. If she knew how he really felt - would she have been so keen?

—–

Kristoff managed to stay out of the house for most of the day. It was wet underfoot but the weather itself stayed dry, and it was no hardship to spend the time enjoying the gorgeous scenery. He couldn’t do any of the walks he’d planned with Sven, but he found another that was just as good, and he finally returned to the house about seven.

To find the place full, but quiet. Some sort of huge casserole was cooking in the oven, making the whole house smell delicious; Anna’s grandparents and aunt and uncle were dozing in armchairs in front of a fire in the living room, and the three younger women were chatting and giggling about something upstairs. Kristoff banged as much mud as he could off his boots and put them to dry by the back door, then hesitated at the bottom of the stairs. He didn’t want to interrupt, but he also really wanted some dry socks. In the end his feet won.

Anna was in the bedroom Chloe and Stephanie were sharing. The three of them were lounging on the rug on the floor, with a tin of biscuits and some empty mugs of tea.

“Kristoff!” Anna said when she saw him. “Did you have a good walk?”

“Yes, thank you,” he said. “Did you girls have a nice day?”

“Anna ate all the chocolate biscuits,” Chloe said sadly.

“I did not. Steph did.”

“Grandma did,” Stephanie said, rolling onto her back. “Sneakily. While the tin was downstairs.”

“Blaming old ladies, that’s a new low,” Anna said.

“Shush,” Stephanie said. “Or I will tell him who ate my Easter egg that time.”

“No, no, no - I was five, anyway, it’s not like it was last month -”

“I’ll leave you all to it,” Kristoff said, backing out of the door. “I just came upstairs for some dry socks.”

—–

At bedtime Kristoff waited until the bedroom door was firmly shut, then unrolled his sleeping bag again. Anna watched him, biting her lip.

“Look, this is silly,” she said. “You don’t have to sleep on the floor. We’re both adults, we can share.”

Kristoff said nothing, just looked at her.

“Of course, if you tell anyone at school about any of this, I’ll have to murder you,” Anna continued. “I think that’s fair.”

Kristoff nodded. “That floor is pretty hard,” he said. He hesitated, then sighed. “It’s up to you.”

“Okay, then. Okay. I’ll sleep on this side, and you can sleep there.” She pointed to the left side of the bed. “Neutral zone down the middle.”

“I’m not going to - encroach.”

“I hope not.”

Kristoff rolled up his sleeping bag and stuffed it back into its bag. He took his pillow from the floor and put it on the bed, then lay down. “Yes, definitely better than the floor.”

“Um. Good.”

Anna hesitated a second, then climbed into the bed. “I really am very sorry about all this,” she said.

“I know. You keep saying.”

“I didn’t think we’d end up actually, you know. Sharing the bed and everything.”

“And all because I’m the one who drove you up here.”

“Well - not exactly. I mean - do you think I’d have asked Simon or someone to pretend to be my boyfriend?”

They both grimaced at the thought of the teaching assistant. “I would not kiss Simon for a ruse,” Anna said. “I would not kiss him for a bet. I would not kiss him for a million pounds.”

“I thought you all swooned over Navid,” Kristoff said.

“Navid? No! He likes to think we do. But, no. No. Actually, a lot of the women quite like you,” Anna said.

“Me?”

“Yes. Ever since you jumped Julie’s car that time. She said you were ever so sweet.”

“Huh.”

“Considering your options now, are you.”

“Little bit.”

He stretched, and put his arms behind his head. “Any plans for tomorrow?” he said.

“Not really. It’s supposed to rain, I’m afraid.”

“Yes, I saw..”

“If they’re forecasting rain it’s usually correct.”

Anna went quiet for a while, then she said “There’s a cupboard full of board games in the living room.”

“Oh, lord alive.”

“You know you want to play Ludo with a random co-worker’s grandfather. It’s all you ever wanted from the half-term holiday.”

“It would be creepily specific if it was.”

Anna laughed. “I suppose so.”

“I’m more of a snakes and ladders man, anyway.”

“I’ll bear that in mind.” She snuggled down under the covers. “Goodnight, anyway.”

“Goodnight.”

—–

She was lying on the bed, and Kristoff was kissing her, but there was no interruption this time. He was kissing her, and his hands were wandering - he was rolling her over onto her back, and pulling off her clothes -

Anna woke up, her heart beating hard in her chest. “Kristoff,” she gasped, without even meaning to.

“Mm? W’issit?” He had rolled over and was blinking at her.

“You were snoring,” she said quickly.

“Oh, sorry. I’ll sleep on my side, sorry,” he said and turned away again.

Anna turned her back to him. She was sure her cheeks were bright red. She couldn’t believe she’d had a dirty dream about Kristoff - why were brains so weird? It was probably just because she’d spent so much time with him recently, as well as that kiss - what had he been thinking? Panicking, she supposed.

She just needed to calm herself down until she could get back to sleep; her heart was still racing. Why did he have to be lying so close? She didn’t have any room to move over. There were barely two inches between them and she could feel the heat from his body. This was all your idea, she reminded herself. He doesn’t want to be here at all.

[fieldofdreamsstories]

The Big White Barn

I had moved to New York about a year before I moved into my second barn. I had a client that I traveled to after the horses went home from training. I would go there once a week and spend time teaching riding lessons to the oldest daughter. In my hour drive to that client’s home, I would drive past a big white barn. It was an interesting barn with a huge barrel roof. It seemed vacant or even abandoned as there was a spot that once held a sign but was nothing more than posts in the ground any longer. There was a hand written “For Sale by Owner” sign nailed to one of the posts.

One day I brought Lisa with me up to my client’s resort-like farm. As we passed The Big White Barn, I pointed out how much I was interested in it. I don’t necessarily think in that moment I meant that I was interested in renting or buying it, I think I more meant that I was interested in it’s story or something. It was just a unique looking barn. The overgrown lawn and almost sad way it was standing there, just caught my eye.

It turned out that Lisa knew who the owner actually was. She had even kept a horse there at one time, with a previous tenant. That opened about an hour of conversation about the place, the owner, what it was like in the old days and just different aspects of it. See, it was an old dairy barn, so I actually had no reason to even believe it to be equipped with horse stalls. The barn just caught my eye as interesting. In fact, I think I admired it for at least six months before I pointed it out to Lisa.

On the drive home from my client’s farm, Lisa mentioned that she even knew where the owner lived. I am not at all the type that just pops by someone’s home that I know, let alone a total stranger. Plus, what would have inspired me to go to this man’s home anyway? I had a beautiful barn with tons of amenities. This place was not run down necessarily, but certainly in need of some awakening.

For whatever reason, when Lisa said the man lived about two miles down the road, if I turned left at the stop sign, I turned. I had nothing rehearsed, nor did I even know why I was going to meet the owner. I was almost being driven there by some other energy. I followed it, whatever it was and ended up in the owner’s driveway. Without hesitation, we got out and walked right up to the door and knocked.

John, who had just turned 70, was the owner. His wife Claire answered the door and excitedly invited us in. I’m sure they didn’t know Lisa personally, as there was no recognition of her, but they did recognize the name she offered them for who she boarded with back when. 

We were invited to go inside and sit with them at their kitchen table. Again, I swear, I had no idea what I was even doing there. I had no plan, or even thought of the place, other than I thought it was an interesting looking barn. I have no idea why, but I started to talk with John as if I was negotiating a rental agreement. I inquired on his price and what it might entail as far as amenities. Then I remember even feeling like I was begging him to let me rent it. Apparently it had been vacant for two years due to bad past tenants. He was renting the outside to a young lady who was kind of a left over from the tenants that did so much damage.

We were given permission to go look at the place so we did. I want to say that only Lisa and I went alone, I don’t think John came with us. Lisa spent some time showing me around, walking down a memory lane a bit. When we opened the main barn, I was in awe! You would have never known it was as nice as it was from the outside. Talk about a hidden gem. 

After we toured the place and talked about possibilities, I told Lisa I was not going to take no for an answer. There was an apartment that I was going to give Lisa and she could manage that barn as I continued to live and run the other barn. I was dreaming with so much inspired thought that there was nothing stopping me. We went back to John’s. I stayed until I talked him into renting me the barn. John had been burned so bad by previous people that he was not interested in renting it to anyone. I just wouldn’t take no for an answer. 

A few weeks later, I was trailering a couple of my horses over to stay the weekend. See, one of the greatest appeals was that I wasn’t restricted to using the turnout space. At the farm I had been renting for a year by then, I was not allowed to put my horses outside in wet conditions. I was only able to take them into the indoor arena and RUN them for a half an hour a day. I even started taking them up to the indoor in the middle of the night to give them more time to stretch. So a place that I could just let them be outside and be horses had such an amazing appeal to me. I planned to use that barn like a retreat or something for my horses. I wasn’t otherwise sure what I had planned for that 26 stall barn on 65 acres…:)

After ten months of trying to make something happen, business-wise, at the Big White Barn, I decided that it was not going to happen. I had thought, based on how busy the road was, that it would have been easy to attract boarders at least. I was wrong. The barn sat in the middle of a commuter trail, but not many people actually lived RIGHT there. So, yes, a lot of people drove by, but many lived considerably farther away than where the barn was located. I believe that I also over priced the board based on what I was able to ask for at the other barn. So, needless to say, I told John that I loved having the barn, but since I really wasn’t getting anything going there, I was going to return to having only one barn. I had found that the twelve miles between barns twice a day was a bigger drain on me as well. It just made sense to no longer try to maintain two barns just to have a “retreat”.

About two months after I closed my doors at the Big White Barn, I received a phone call from Claire. She had called to invite me out to dinner with John and her. She said that they had really appreciated me as a tenant and that they just wanted to do a little something for me for having been such a good tenant. What??? Who does that? I was gone for two months and I should have been “out of sight, out of mind” right? Wow, I was so honored to have been asked that I accepted.

The dinner was simply a “thank you”. They took me to a really nice place, just the three of us and told me to order anything I wanted on the menu. They literally took me out to dinner to thank me for having treated them well. I felt so amazingly special that night.

A few days after the lovely dinner with John and Claire, I decided that I might not have wanted to try to maintain two barns, but that I would consider just one. I had wanted to be where people cared about me like that! I knew I was giving up a lot of really great amenities and that it was a facility sacrifice, but the love I felt from those people made it such a no brainer. 

I met with the owners of the farm that I had rented for two years and told them that I would be moving out in the next thirty days. At first it seemed to anger them, but after they found another tenant interested in moving from another barn they already rented from them, things seemed fine.

At the end of the thirty days I had been pretty much all moved over. The apartment that I had planned to have Lisa use, had never been moved into by Lisa. It had turned out that she just went back and forth from another town. That too had been one of the deciding factors as to why I closed up The Big White Barn. I didn’t know Lisa never moved in, until we had snow yet no evidence of her truck having been parking there. She never told me that she didn’t move in. John had even asked about getting the heat turned on for her and she claimed that she was just happy to use a space heater. I thought it was a financial thing, not that she wasn’t actually staying there. The nice part of all that, when it came to my moving everything to The Big White Barn, was that the apartment that John went all out redoing for us to move in a year earlier was just as brand new as when he did the work. 

Since the barn had not been used in so long, there was a horrible sulfur smell in the water. I mean rotten eggs that made your stomach turn. It was terrible. My mother had lived in a lake home with that same type of water, so I was prepared to buy bottled water. I knew from having visited my mother’s in an overnight guest capacity, that sulfur water was safe to shower in, so I was ok with it…Sort of!

In conversation with a friend, I mentioned the water. He told me that he thought he heard that you could get rid of that smell by running the HOT water for like thirty minutes. He also said I could change the basic shower head with one that had a filter to try to filter out some of the smell. I was willing to try anything. I ran the water for forty-five minutes, two days in a row. The smell seemed to begin to dissipate so I did run out to get a new shower head. After about a week, I had fixed the water issue. I couldn't have been happier!!! 

Business picked up and things started to really unfold for me enough that I didn’t miss the awesome amenities of the other farm as much as I thought I would. I built an arena, taking sand from a sand bank right on John’s other piece of land attached to mine. I built a round pen and really made the place a fully functional training and riding facility. One thing I really did miss though, was the ability to ride around a fence line. There were driveways that went all about the other property that I would either ride or hand walk my horses on. THAT was something I missed. With all the freedom I did have here, to kind of tailor the place for my needs, I build an electric tri-paddock that saved me twenty-eight feet of space all the way around for that riding path. Now, other than not having an indoor, I was complete! 

I saw this interesting Big White Barn in my travels. I mentioned it to someone who happened to know the owner and where he lived. I was drawn to inquire and essentially beg to rent it. I moved in and moved out. I was shown such a gesture of appreciation that I moved back in. I took over the maintenance and made it everything I wanted it to be. I’m so glad the universe kept having me pass through that route. It’s amazing where life takes us when we just enjoy the journey! 

[juniperallura]

Voltron Hogwarts AU

Part 3/?

(A (sort of) Lance-narrated Shallura fic in multiple parts)

(Now with a prequel)

The sky was clear, its bright blue accented by the autumn colors that lined the street and crunched underfoot. A slight breeze heralded the new school year, it’s novelty only just beginning to wear, calling the young witches and wizards to enjoy the season before the bone-chilling wind of winter replaced it’s gentle coolness. All in all, a perfect weekend for Hogsmeade.

Hunk, Pidge, and Lance met up first, impatiently talking World Cup stats until Keith surfaced from the Slytherin dungeon. The group followed the mass exodus from the Castle, everyone in high spirits as a month’s worth of pent-up energy (Quidditch season having yet to start) was collectively expelled.

The enchanting power of Hogsmeade’s main street never got old. Everyone’s attention was quickly pulled in different directions; including Lance, whose gaze was caught by a familiar pair slipping through the crowd. Even badge-less and out of their usual black robes, Lance could spot Allura’s shining mane from a mile away. She and Shiro were walking oddly close to each other, making a beeline toward a storefront covered in bows and painted a sickeningly sweet pink.

“What the hell-” Lance muttered, stopping in the middle of the sidewalk to squint. “Guys! Guys!” he called, gesturing to his friends. They stopped a few feet ahead of him, but didn’t bother retracing their steps. “Do you see this?” Lance pointed across the street, his eyes bulging as the full weight of his realization dawned on him, “Do you see where they’re going?”

“Who?” Pidge called, scanning the other side of the street.

“Shiro and Allura,” Lance hissed, furiously beckoning to them.

Hunk strolled over to Lance’s side. “So? What’s wrong?”

Lance’s mouth hung open, “They’re going to Madam Puddifoot’s!”

The tingling of bell wafted across the street, and the pair were gone. Hunk snorted. “They’re going where?”

“Madam Puddifoot’s!” Lance cried, throwing up his hands.

A smirk curled over Keith’s face. “Madam who?”

 “-Puddifoot!” Lance huffed at the chores of giggles that rose from his friends, coupled with Pidge’s pleas for him to never say that again. “Keith, how can you not care about this? He’s your brother!”

Keith shrugged, “I don’t care what he does- and I don’t even see them.” He started to turn away, gesturing over his shoulder, “C’mon Lance, don’t you want to get to Spintwitches’ to see the new Nimbus?”

“Oo, let’s go!” Hunk clapped a hand on Lance’s shoulder before moving down the street, “Shay’s birthday is next week, I want to get her some new Beater’s gloves-”

“-Blowing all your money on Shay, huh, Hunk?”

        “-Shut up-”

Lance stood still for a second, staring at the tea shop sign as his friend’s voices got further away.

“Hey, wait up-!”

| h | o | g | w | a | r | t | s |

“Good luck out there, Pidge,” Lance smiled, holding a hand out to his fellow Seeker.

“You too,” Pidge adjusted her glasses, slapping her hand against Lance’s and giving it a quick squeeze, “See you on the pitch!”

The two parted ways at the pitch entrance, Lance making his way toward the Gryffindor locker room. 

First match of the semi-finals. Time to get his head in the game. 

Forget the Charms essay that was already two days late; forget that he and Keith weren’t speaking to each other for who even remembers what reason; forget that he almost lost his arm in disapparation practice the other night. This was what he was good at; although, maybe if he showed up to Charms as early as he showed up to matches his grades would be better.

Lance shook his head as he pushed through the door marked Gryffindor, chiding himself. Upon entering, he was met with two wide-eye stares.

Shiro and Allura were sitting on the center bench, practically in each other’s laps. Lance swore he saw hands unclasping, a palm zoom away from a lap. If their position wasn’t incriminated enough, both of the captain’s faces were red and guilty as hell.

Before Lance could even muster a word, Allura produced a piece of parchment from out of nowhere. “-Ahem, hello, Lance-” Allura flashed a smile, a little too wide to be natural, “Shiro and I were just going over our offensive tactics for the match-”

Shiro nodded, his eyes shifting between Allura and Lance, “Yep, talking strategy-” he cleared his throat “-You know those Ravenclaws, and their…” He and Allura shared a panicked glance.

Lance raised a brow, “-Defense?” He surveyed their emphatic nods with narrowed eyes. Why did he feel like the suspicious parent? Wasn’t that their job?

Before he could say anything else, the other Gryffindor Chasers walked in, immediately pulling Shiro into their conversation.

— “I can’t believe you don’t believe me!” Lance stabbed at his sausage, huffing at the damp lock of hair that kept falling into his face.

“It’s not that we don’t believe you…” Pidge propped her chin in her hand, still exhausted from the match, “But I mean, Shiro and Allura? If anyone’s going to actually be going over Quidditch tactics, it’s them.”

“Yeah, I don’t know, man,” Hunk added, anxiously eyeing Lance’s punctured lunch, “Trust me, I’ve been waiting for it to happen, but-”

Keith reached over to grab a plum cake from the newly refreshed tray. “I don’t know about Allura, but I live with Shiro and I didn’t notice anything off this summer.”

A laugh rang out from the other side of the Great Hall, where Shiro, Matt, and Allura were sitting at the end of the Gryffindor table. The younger counterparts all turned, each one trying to calculate from their place at the Hufflepuff table just how close the pair in question were sitting. Matt saw them and stretched out his arm in a sweeping wave, disturbing some stray post owls as he called, “Hey Pidge! Great flying today- you’ll get ‘em next time!”

Lance slumped against the table with a sigh. Keith frowned, setting down his dessert. “Hey, you never know,” he smiled mischievously, nudging Lance’s elbow, “Maybe it’s all a cover for Shiro and Matt.” The image was enough to get a laugh out of Lance, who decided it was best to change the subject.

| h | o | g | w | a | r | t | s |

Winter had finally set in at Hogwarts. An evil month, really; besides Christmas, nothing good happened in winter. Sure, the Castle was beautiful, frosted in a fresh layer of snow, but Lance was freezing. Walking through the cloister hallway, he swore he could feel his bone marrow turning to ice. (No exaggeration.)

He huffed— Literally, because he forgot gloves and his warm breath was the only thing saving his poor fingers. Metaphorically, because Keith had borrowed his scarf and it turned out he looked really good in red; so now, there he was, scarf-less and inexplicably angry. His train of thought wandered off in that direction, and he nearly smacked into the towering figure of Headmaster Alfor as they both rounded a corner. “-Ah! Sorry, Headmaster, my bad,” Lance grimaced.

The bemused expression on Alfor’s face smoothed into a smile as he chuckled, “Not to worry! I won’t take any points from Gryffindor- unless it happens again.” With a wink he swept away, leaving Lance to wonder where Allura got the stick that was usually up her ass. Speaking of which-

Lance dodged back behind the wall. She was leaning against a pillar, arms folded and lips pulled into a frown. Peeking out, Lance could see Shiro’s profile as he sat on the low courtyard wall, dragging a hand down his face.

Shiro grumbled something. Allura glanced around, responding in a low voice. “-Of course he likes you…”

Lance raised a brow. Those two had been friends since they were like…eleven. Childhood friendships didn’t come with Dad Drama- something was up. 

Why was he the only one seeing these things?

Allura put her hand on Shiro’s shoulder. There was a prolonged gaze. This was getting too personal.

Lance retreated down the hall, for once glad that the snow was there to muffle the sound of his footsteps.

| h | o | g | w | a | r | t | s |

Finally, spring had freed the grounds from its wintertime prison. A fragrant breeze stirred the air, enticingly rippling the surface of the Great Lake. The gang wound their way back to the Castle after a fun afternoon spent stretched out on its banks, snacking on stolen food from the Great Hall and discovering that (apparently) Keith had a deeper relationship with the Giant Squid than anyone had supposed.

They picked up Matt as a straggler on his way back from the Quidditch pitch, and he was regaling them all with his own wild Giant Squid stories (all false, according to Pidge) as they stepped through the Fat Lady’s doorway. Evidently everyone else had also been drawn outdoors, and the couches and cushions of the common room sat deserted except-

“Oh. My. God.”

Who else was leaning against the wall but Head Boy and Head Girl, Co-Captain and Co-Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team, Mr. and Mrs. Professionalism and Responsibility, Star Student and the Headmaster’s Daughter. Allura’s back was to the wall, Shiro’s hand claiming the space above her shoulder; her hands were on his chin, in his hair, on his chest; in the weeks to come Lance would swear he saw tongue.

Matt looked like he had been hit by a bus. Pidge and Keith looked like they were going to barf. Hunk looked like a proud grandmother.

A hundred words came to Lance’s mind- irresponsible, bad example, gross, sneaky, reckless- but all that came out was, “Ha!”

As if they were struck by lightening, Shiro and Allura leaped away from each other. Their faces turned a violent shade of crimson, their eyes trying to look at everybody and nobody at the same time. A mix of sputtering “I- we weren’t- you-” joined Lance’s triumphant cackling. Finally, Shiro let out a resigned, “Fuck.”

Matt staggered over to the couch, hand over his heart like a woman in need of her smelling salts. “Please tell me you guys ate some bad Nettleroot and this is some weird drug-fueled hallucinogenic thing?”

Allura glanced at Shiro, wringing her hands. After a second she forced out the words, “No, it’s- it’s been going on for awhile.”

Matt shut his eyes. “How long?”

Shiro swallowed. “…Nine-ish months.”

“Takashi. Shirogane.” Matt lurched forward, his eyes wide. “And you didn’t tell me?”

“We’re so sorry, Matt!” Allura grabbed Shiro’s hand, a move that only seemed to cause Matt physical pain. “It just happened over the summer, and we didn’t know if it would work out-”

“-And we didn’t want to make you uncomfortable, and we’re both captains, and then I got Head Boy-”

An upheld hand cut off Shiro. “Tell me exactly when. And where.”

Shiro sighed. “The first time we were in London, in July.” He and Allura glanced at each other, unable to keep from smiling. “That night with the firewhiskey, at your aunt’s…you passed out-”

“Did you two…in my aunt’s home- while I was in the room!?”

“No!” They cried emphatically, Allura adding, “Good Lord!”

Matt slumped back against the couch, waving his hand dismissively. “Well, I’ve seen this coming for years. I still can’t believe you hid this from me, but- you have my blessing.”

Allura’s face dropped into an incredulous glare, a retort on the tip of her tongue, but Shiro cut in with a pointed look at his girlfriend, “Thank you, Matt.”

“Wait, wait, wait!” Lance stepped in, arms crossed indignantly, “I think we all need to take a minute and acknowledge the fact that I told you, and you, and you! I was right all along!” A victorious finger was jabbed into the faces of Pidge, Hunk, and Keith successively.

Keith smacked away the hand. “Put it in a Howler.”

“Maybe I will, Keith, maybe I will!” Lance turned on his heel, striding toward the portrait opening as if his next task was announcing the News to all of Hogwarts. “And give me back my scarf!”

[abrilliant-idiot]

If This Isn’t Love

--A really OLD pjo oneshot I wrote and had on fanfiction.net--

When she had first got to Camp Half-Blood, the only thing running through her head was, Holy crap, the dude is a freaking donkey. But then Oakley bleated and corrected her, “Satyr! Not a donkey. If only you newbies were educated—”

After being chased by this large dog thing, taking a slide in mud, and watching the male Dorm Advisor pull his pants down to reveal almighty furriness and drag her to Long Island from Staten Island, she felt like she didn’t need to care for anything at the moment besides her life.

She ignored Oakley as he led her down the large hill after being welcomed by a large pine tree. Once she walked past it, she was overwhelmed with the sensation of safety…and home.

The camp was beautiful. Beyond a large arch that read Camp Half-Blood—she could read clearly in spite of her dyslexia—and it was full of people she deemed between the age of eight to nineteen, and full of different ethnicities. From the hill, Oakley began pointing out spots like a tour guide, as he led her to the large Blue house at the bottom.

The Camp had usual camp activities and such. It was a Camp after all. The volleyball and basketball courts, the amphitheater, pavilion, the lakes and beaches and small rivers, the twelve large Cabins that stood tall and proud, representing a different Greek God. She thought was cool.

“So, let me get this straight,” she spoke to the pudgy man in the loud Hawaiian shirt, who was apparently Dionysus, the God of Wine, but the campers called him Mr. D. “You’re telling me that my dad hooked up with some goddess, and had me? That sounds like a load of bull—”

“Rihanna—”

“It’s Rita!” She corrected him.

A kinder man named Chiron in a wheelchair rolled up beside the man who claimed to be Mr. D. “My dear, I had hoped the orientation film would have helped but—”

“No,” she interrupted. “I understand very well. You say the Greek Gods are still around civilization and stuff, and I’m a half-blood who needs to stay here and train to survive and stuff. Okay, I just need to process this.”

She waited a couple of seconds and Chiron waited patiently. Mr. D belched out loud and sipped more wine. Oakley ran a hand down his face.

A ding practically went off in her head. She spoke unusually calmly. “Okay, I’m good. So who’s my mom then?”

Her dad had told her that her mother was a Victoria’s Secret model. She of course thought he had made it up to impress his friends, but the way her dad spoke of him so highly, she believed him. Back when he was a wanted photographer, he had met her at a photo shoot and the rest was history.

Mr. D coughed. “That can’t be determined until you are claimed. For now you’ll stay in the Hermes cabin. Oakland—”

“Oakley sir.” Oakley chimed.

“—Can show you around. Now get out my face.”

Rita had never felt more offended than she did in that moment. She turned to Oakley, “What does claiming mean?”

She understood what claiming meant about three weeks later. During dinner in the pavilion, a large, glowing, holographic dove floated above her head and then disappeared. Everyone had stopped eating and kneeled for her as Chiron announced, “All hail, Rita Davidson, daughter of Aphrodite, lady of doves, goddess of love.”

She didn’t make friends in those three weeks, despite having what she thought a likeable and big personality she was practically a wallflower. It’s not like she felt out of place. Far from it actually.

There were different personalities and people all over. The Ares kids were very aggressive and trained a lot, and she avoided them at all costs. The Hermes kids had pranked her five times already, and she found out that that was kind of depressing for them, since no one has really ever been in a mood for it. The one Dionysus kid drank all the time—what she hoped wasn’t really wine—in mourning of his brother; he offered her some but she declined. The Hephaestus bunch were always either building or testing weapons and traps. The Apollo Cabin made bullseye after bullseye at the targets. The Aphrodite kids were always around the pegasi and making deadly perfume; yeah, they can do that. The Athena kids practically ran the Camp, making sure everything was in order and practicing battle strategies. The Demeter Cabin practiced with the nature spirits in making poisoned herbs and plants. The Poseidon Cabin, or the one guy in it, Rita hasn’t seen much of.

Everyone seemed to be preparing for a war of some sort against a Titan, Kronos, and the idea scared Rita. She had just gotten there and she was already being sent off die. There was no time to get comfortable and make friends since everyone was so busy. But after she was claimed at dinner one night, she was suddenly whisked out of the Hermes Cabin and straight into the Aphrodite Cabin.

She would never have guessed the goddess of love was her mother. She was well rounded in activities at camp. She was good at Art, could at least hold a sword correctly, made a couple of bullseye’s when shooting arrows, she kept up with the tree spirits that raced everyone, and was an okay swimmer. She could have been anyone’s child.

When she had met most children of each God, they’d give her a once over and say “Maybe” so naturally, as if her looks could decide who she was. She didn’t think she was pretty enough to be an Aphrodite kid. She didn’t think her dark chocolate skin and frizzy, nappy hair was pretty. She felt too plain.

Silena Beareguard, the head counselor of the Aphrodite Cabin, and her new “sister”, disagreed.

“I can’t believe I didn’t see it sooner! You are totally my sister, Rita! And you’re so pretty!” She had never been complimented so much before. Even after she was claimed, guys looked at her like she was Tyra Banks.

“Um, thanks.”

Silena was pretty popular in the Camp. She was the type that everyone said hi to and she was everything Rita had wanted to be. Her inherited beauty was present. Her long black hair wasn’t straight down her back and glossy. Her eyes were a brilliant shade of blue and they were enhanced with her black mascara. Her skin was blemish free and milky. Silena seemed like the type to not notice the attention she got, or she just ignored it.

“So what is it like in the—our Cabin? Is everyone nice? Because I heard some stuff at dinner from some other people in the Hermes Cabin.”

Silena scoffed, “Don’t listen to anyone who tries to define Aphrodite and her children. I’d say the only mean girl is Drew and her followers, but I’m head counselor and she’s not, so if she messes with you, you can come to me.” Rita had met Drew on her first day. She thought it was nice to comment on her muddy appearance and for the first time in a while, Rita felt the urge to punch her.

“Good to know.”

“The Aphrodite Cabin is often misunderstood,” Silena continued. “We are just like everyone else here in this camp. We all want to prove something to our godly parent. We all have a lot in common. Aphrodite isn’t a weak goddess—she’s the oldest in fact—she is just about spreading love and beauty which this world lacks. And not just fashion and makeup and stuff. We aren’t stupid. Some are only slow because of their mortal parent and the way they were raised, it has nothing to do with Aphrodite. A lot of Aphrodite children that don’t even know their half-bloods are famous. Motivational speakers, politics, feminists. Not just interior and fashion designers. Sure, we like to look cute and everything, and we like to set up dates for people and medal in their love lives, but that’s because it adds to the peace we all want. But, finding the right person is an amazing feeling that everyone deserves. Like them for instance.”

Silena gestured to a boy and a girl standing in the middle of the Camp, not too far from them, in a heated argument. The boy was Percy Jackson, she knew that much. He was the only guy in Cabin 3. The girl was the head counselor of the Athena Cabin. She didn’t know her name, but Rita had always seen her leading her Cabin to the pavilion and she was always walking around with Chiron and/or surrounded by other counsellors.

“Aren’t they cute together?” Silena cooed.

Rita frowned. “They are a couple?”

They did look good together. The way they contrasted was perfect. Percy’s eyes were a beautiful shade of green, opposing Annabeth’s grey ones. His skin was a little more tanner than hers, but they both looked like surfers. He was about an inch or two taller than her-height was a valued trait when pairing people. His raven hair was messy, like he just woke up and forgot to comb it, while her blonde curled, not to perfection but well enough.

But they didn’t sound like a couple based off their word hacking at each other. Rita winced at some of the cusses.

“No,” Silena sighed sadly. That was obvious enough.

“Not yet,” Silena concluded.

Rita didn’t think they got along. Percy was a child of Posiedon and Annabeth was a child of Athena. Their parents despised one another, or so she has learned in the Myth sessions she was scheduled to have.

“They are killing each other with words,” Rita deadpanned.

Silena shrugged, but smiled nonetheless. “They’re flirting.”

Flirting?

Silent noticed Rita’s confused state. “As children of Aphrodite, we can sense and manipulate the feelings of others. If you pay attention enough, you can pick up any sense of attraction or romantic feeling, and it’s almost as if you feel it in yourself too. Like a love metal detector.”

At first Rita thought Silena was just stretching it. But she felt waves of their emotions the more she watched them. The way Percy’s eyes twinkled as they argued. The way Annabeth hid back a smirk whenever he spoke. The way she liked it when Annabeth called Percy’s name and the way she liked it when Percy ran a hand through his hair because she wanted to do it. She could sense all of that.

Rita gasped. They weren’t her emotions. They were Percy and Annabeth’s. Silent smirked and nudged Rita with her elbow. “You felt it, didn’t you?” She could definitely see what Silena was saying.

She could see the beauty in their affection for one another. They weren’t in love with one another yet, but it was as if they’d harbored a crush on one another for so long it started turning into love. Even though they were yelling at one another for Gods knows what, she sensed that they would end up laughing about it soon. They complimented each other’s worst traits. Like…soulmates.

“Oh yeah, I see it.” Rita nodded. “What’s their story?”

Percy and Annabeth weren’t gossiped about much, but only for their feats. Rita barely paid attention to it. She didn’t know them or cared for anyone’s business…until then.

Silent smiled even wider. “Those two are my OTP. I have a bucket list and third on it is to get them together before the end of this summer. Well, if we survive by the end of the summer.”

Rita shuddered.

“They met four years ago. Percy came to Camp and after their first quest that year, they had been friends despite their parents hatred for one another. You know, that whole Poseidon verses Athena thing that goes way back into ancient times. They’re like a modern day Romeo and Juliet. Anyway, they’ve been on three quests together, and even on one two winters ago, Percy snuck on someone else’s quest to save her when she went missing.”

“How valiant,” Rita commented.

Silent agreed. “They are partners in battle. Because of the upcoming war, Everyone has been on edge with the planning and missions, so the arguing has barely ceased. It kind of sucks that it’s taking them this long to date. They are really oblivious—Percy more so—and it’s even worse now that he’s been hanging around this mortal girl often. Annabeth’s a jealous mess nowadays.”

“How’d you know?”

“Besides Aphrodite’s sixth sense, Annabeth and I are pretty close. She reluctantly came to me advice before.”

“What did you tell her?”

“I told her to start small and go out, just the two of them somewhere and see where it takes them. It’s better not to plan out certain things and just let it happen. Fate would know when to bring them together.”

Rita understood that. If you tried to force something to happen, the least likely it would happen. “And then?”

“His school blew up and they went on a quest around the time of the Battle of the Labyrinth,” Silena said nonchalantly, as if it were all in a day’s work. “Now, I think I’ll just push it and make Annabeth ask him to the Fourth of July Fireworks.”

Percy and Annabeth both looked up simultaneously, now noticing that they had an audience. It wasn’t just Rita and Silena, but other campers stopped for the entertainment. Their faces slowly turned red. Annabeth locked eyes were Silena and Rita.

“Just wave,” Silena ordered while keeping an amused grin. Rita waved to the two. Annabeth narrowed her eyes at Silena, glanced at Percy and walked away. Her face was redder than before. Percy watched her as she left before heading in the direction of his own Cabin, a small smile lingering on his mouth.

They so, liked each other.

“Oh,” Rita blew a piece of loose hair from her face. “Well, good luck to you in getting them together.

Silena turned around a started walking in the direction of the Cabins and Rita had no choice but to follow. “Well, now do you have more of a feel on love? Why you are…you?”

Rita smiled, the first smile she’s formed since she came to the Camp. She believed what Silena says in seeing the beauty in something under appreciated. She wants the affection Percy and Annabeth have for one another. She wants everyone to have a piece of that.

“Yeah. Thanks.”

Silena grinned proudly at Rita. “What are half-sisters for?”

Rita laughed. “So, tell me about number one and two on your bucket list.”

Silena shrugged. “It’s nothing special. Number two is just to befriend a kid from the Ares Cabin. I think I’m getting somewhere with Clarisse La Rue, their counselor.”

“Why? Aren’t they horrible, and mean?”

Silena frowned. “Not all of them. I want to prove that there is more to the each Cabin then most people believe. Starting with Clarisse. She’s actually pretty cool.”

Rita was astounded. Silena was the type to see the best in everyone. It was impressive and inspiring.

“Cool. And number one?”

Silena blushed even further. “Just know that the counselor of Cabin 9 is off limits.”

Cabin 9 was the Hephaestus Cabin. They were a bunch of blacksmiths lead by this guy named Beckendorf. Why would the counselor be—Oh. Maybe Silena was taking her own advice and waiting for something to happen too.

[levirens]

[fanfic] dreaming of caramel (and longing for you) 1/2

Summary: On his good days, he tells himself that he’s good at what he’s doing. On his bad days, he reminds himself that good doesn’t stand a chance against the best.

AO3

He hears the gossip, hears that the company wants to open the season with something new and refreshing. When the first words about a Swan Lake production reach him, he briefly considers auditioning for one of the male lead roles. He smiles at how the females of the company are buzzing with excitement all week round, chattering about the roles they wish to take on.

The tides turn, however, when they hear that a gender-reversed rendition of the play is what the higher-ups are aiming at. As surprising as it is for him, it’s not nearly as surprising as the suggestions that he gets from his family.

They tell him to audition for the role, to grab the opportunity before someone else takes it away from him. They tell him it’s his chance to finally prove himself, to show the company that he’s worthy of his own title and his own show. They tell him he can do it, that if anyone could ever portray a character so complex, it would be him.

They don’t tell him that it’s going to break his soul as much as it breaks the skin on his feet, but he already feels it. He feels it with every spin and with every raise of his arms, both his body and mind heavy from exhaustion and over-use. When the auditions come up and he hears the whispers and feels the sly gazes directed at him, he feels his resolve crack. He realizes how no one ever told him about the soul-crushing and mind-numbing sense of self-doubt he’d feel if he got into a competition with the other dancers, but he thinks he should have known.

After all, no one ever said ballet would be easy, so he trudges on. Once the songs to be used for the auditions are revealed, he gets to work. He almost immediately falls in love with the piece for the white swan, a breath of fresh air to change things up from how Swan Lake is usually presented. Encouraged, he practices nonstop, making sure that every turn and every step is ingrained into his limbs, memorizing the piece with his muscles instead of just his mind.

On the day of his audition, he pours every minute into warming up, knowing that all of his hard work would go to waste if he ends up cramping in the middle of the performance. He makes sure to loosen up his limbs, oiling his joints with constant movement. With his earphones plugged into his ears and his piece playing on the highest volume, he almost misses the moment he’s called in.

“Katsuki Yuuri, please,” the director’s voice rings out, somehow coming out loud and clear in through his muddled thoughts.

He gets up from a stretching position and lets his mind go blank, trusting his body to lead the way. The room is already filled with the other dancers, sweating and flushed from their respective routines, sharp eyes following him until he reaches the middle of the room.

He’s in position before the director motions for the song to start and when it does, he lets himself get lost in the music. Somehow, the live performance of someone playing the song on a piano for him gets him to close his eyes and really enjoy the music, the notes sounding wonderful and flawless to his ears. He lets the music affect him more than the feeling of the scrutinizing eyes watching his every movement, waiting for him to mess up a turn or fall down on a bad leg in an awkward stance.

He doesn’t, and he finishes the routine without a single error. He knows this because he sees it in the look the director gives him.

“I think we have our white swan,” is the only thing Yuuri hears before the blood comes rushing to his face and he feels like passing out from sheer joy.

 The next day, the director tells him she wants Yuuri to play as both the white swan and the black swan, saying that she wants to open up the season with something special. She tells him that he could be the next big thing, the next big star, the next premier danseur. She tells him that she knows he can do it, that she has faith in him and his skills.

She doesn’t tell him that becoming the black swan means he’s required to transition to an alluring version of what he currently is, but he already knows it. He feels it when he first listens to the piece that he’s supposed to present, a different arrangement of the song that he had danced to when he auditioned for the role of the white swan.

No one bothers to tell him that stepping into the role of the black swan would require him to completely step out of his comfort zone, but he knows he should have realized that sooner.

He gives himself some credit for coming to terms with how he’s been thrown out of his element, dealing with it using the only method of coping that he knows; practice. He knows he’s no genius, knows that he wouldn’t be where he is if it weren’t for the long hours spent on training and tedious practicing. What he lacks in natural talent he makes up for with hard work and unadulterated determination.

Still, every now and then he’d find himself questioning the path he’s chosen to take. He questions his decisions whenever he comes home, his exhaustion seeping out from his bones, inadvertently making his mother fuss over his aching feet. He wallows in self-doubt whenever he doesn’t get casted for a major role. He asks himself why he was ever stupid enough to think he’d make it big in the ballet world whenever he’s soaking his overworked body in a tub of lukewarm water in an effort to ease some of the pain and fatigue.

On his good days, he tells himself that he’s good at what he’s doing. On his bad days, he reminds himself that good doesn’t stand a chance against the best.

When he starts to feel as if he’s going to lose balance while doing a pirouette, he decides that today would be on his long list of bad days.

“Yuuri,” he hears through the blood rushing to his ears. He notes how the director’s voice takes on a reprimanding tone, a clear indication that he messed up something. “You need to loosen up. You need to seduce us, not just impress us with how good you are.”  

He feels the frustration set it, making him grit his teeth in defeat because fucking hell. He wants to tell them that he knows how to loosen up, that he knows how to shut his mind up and let his body take over. He wants to tell them that right now, though,  he’s trying to learn how to seduce someone and he has this feeling that letting his body loose just wouldn’t work well for him because, fuck it, he’s so fucking inexperienced it actually hurts to admit it even to himself.

Of course, none of those thoughts ever make it past his heads and they remain as thoughts, never transforming into spoken words. He merely nods, mumbles an apology, then resumes his initial stance to go over the whole routine from the start. It’s physically and mentally taxing, more so with everyone watching him, but he keeps going. He’s in the middle of doing another pirouette when the door to the studio swings open so suddenly, it makes him lose his balance again.

He almost curses out loud. Standing by the door is a stranger, one with blond hair and intense green eyes to match a surly expression.

“Yuri, how nice of you to join us,” the director calls out. She ignores the death glare that is sent her way and smiles at the newcomer, motioning for him to join her. “Everyone, this is Yuri Plisetsky and he’ll be part of our production.”

Yuuri is nothing but stunned. He barely registers the director’s voice telling him to take a break, his focus intent on Yuri Plisetsky.

“God, this is going to be so confusing,” someone announces just as Yuuri makes his way to the small group that had formed around Yuri. “Let’s call you Yurio! Come on and meet our new baby, Yuuri!”

Yuuri reaches the group and gets a closer look at Yurio, the male’s appearance giving him quite a shock. Yurio is unapologetically beautiful, his looks a mix of boyish youth and feminine features. When he looks (glares) at Yuuri, the latter notes that his eyes are actually an exquisite turquoise color, somewhere in between green and blue, and they’re currently boring holes into Yuuri’s face.

“We don’t need two Yuris in the same company,” is all he gets from Yurio before the boy stalks away from the group.

Someone snickers and wraps an arm around Yuuri’s shoulder. “Wow, a feisty one,” Phichit says, giving him a warm smile. “You’re doing great, by the way.”

Yuuri begs to disagree, but he just smiles in response. No need to tell his only friend in the company about the sleepless nights spent trying to think of a way to improve his dance routine and still failing to deliver something sensual and alluring. Instead, they get into a discussion about a new TV show that Phichit had recently gotten into obsessing over, share a few jokes and rounds of laughter, and then they go back to business.

Yuuri uses his free time to watch Yurio, admiring the way the young male dances with something that Yuuri obviously lacks; allure and natural talent. At one point, their director comes over to his side and tells him to take note of the way the blonde moves.

“He’s only fifteen, you know,” she tells him, nodding to Yurio, making Yuuri feel like his eyes might bulge right out of their sockets. “He still lacks experience, that’s a given, but he dances so well that he makes everything look so effortless. His movements aren’t as well-polished as yours, but give him a few years and he’ll be one of the best danseurs in the world.”

He doesn’t know how to respond to that, doesn’t even know why the director would tell him something that would only make him feel worse about himself. When he risks a glance at her, he thinks he gets his answer.

Lilia Baranovskaya smiles at him, reaching out to place a hand on his shoulder. “You can learn from him, Yuuri, and he can certainly learn so much from you.”  

Yuuri doesn’t tell anyone, but he feels like he might crumble from the pressure of knowing that their director has placed so much faith in him.

 He asks permission to stay behind and practice some more, giving himself a little high five when he gets a very reluctant Lilia to agree. He’s given an hour, just enough time for him to squeeze in a few rounds of practicing the black swan piece, and he wastes not a single second of it. He works on his spins, working on gradually reaching 32 fouettes.

When he deems himself ready for a one final run of the piece, he hears someone clapping their hands, startling him. He whips around to face the person, moving on reflex and half expecting to see Phichit, but his eyes meet with seas of vivid blue.

“You’re really quite a thing to watch,” the stranger says, fixing Yuuri with a stare. He doesn’t know if he’s imagining it, but Yuuri sees the traces of a smile lingering on the stranger’s lips. “Would you like me to play for you?”

“Excuse me?” He’s bewildered, the exertion of continuously working on his spins mingling with the embarrassment from hearing the man’s compliment making the skin on his face flush a deep red.

“On Love: Eros, right?” the man asks, smiling when Yuuri gives him an uncertain nod of his head. “I was there when you auditioned for the white swan with Agape. I was playing for you and, might I say, it was an honor.”

Yuuri thinks he does vaguely remember seeing a silver-haired man talking to the director on the day of the auditions, but he also remembers barely paying attention to anyone, too intent on telling himself no to fuck up the piece.

He also remembers how the music had helped him calm his nerves, helped him focus on his routine, and probably helped him get the role. He stammers out his gratitude, “Thank you, it was a very beautiful piano performance.”

“Oh, please,” the man dismisses, waving his hand as if brushing something away. “You hardly needed me there. The way you dance… it’s like your body’s creating the music.”

If Yuuri had been speechless before, it was nothing compared to how tongue-tied he’s feeling now. He feels his face heat up again, not knowing how to react to the stranger’s encouraging words yet wanting so badly to convey his appreciation.  

“I… wow. Thank you…?” When he sees the look of confusion that briefly dances on the stranger’s expression, he panics, trying to remember if they had already exchanged names and he had just somehow forgotten about it. A rush of relief washes over him when the man smiles and does a little bow.

“Victor Nikiforov, at your service. Would you like to start?” he asks, gesturing to the grand piano. He’s taking his seat before Yuuri can answer, looking up and smiling at him expectedly.

Yuuri feels the world spin back to reality again, its movement even quicker than how he has to be when he performs the fouettes. Suddenly, he’s back to feeling as if one small mistake could unravel into a big mess, a mess that now rests heavily on his shoulders.

He makes a decision then not to let the black clouds of doubt roll over his head again, choosing instead to bask in the soft and warm glow that the silver-haired pianist had unexpectedly brought into the room. After all the compliments he just got from Victor, there’s a small light of hope that delicately burns in his chest, something that drives him into action. He nods his head, marches over to the center of the room, and gets into position.

The first notes of the song play out and Yuuri is immediately reminded of why he had felt so serene while dancing Agape; the pianist makes it so easy for the dancer to feel the raw emotions needed to be seen through his dance. With Agape, Victor had somehow made Yuuri feel like he had been floating on clouds. With this rendition of Eros, he feels the passion that had been lacking from the recorded version of the song, egging him on to show his take on that passion.

Still, it’s not enough. He feels it, knows that the passion he’s showing is subpar compared to the passion that Victor is exuding with the little dance his fingers stitch together using the piano keys. Suddenly, Yuuri finds himself striving to prove something to Victor. In comes the fouettes, and when he turns and his eyes meet intense blue ones, he realizes what he’s missing and what he needs to give to the piece.

A hint of spice, something to heat things up for his audience. He starts to feel the edges of sexual love seeping into him, starting from the point where he establishes eye contact with his audience every split second, spreading ever so slowly throughout his body.  The burn is slow, unhurried in its journey to engulf him, and he wishes for nothing but for it to turn into a blistering fire.

By the end of his performance, he turns to Victor, does his final pose, and gives out a little smirk towards his lone audience.

He gets a low whistle for his efforts. For some reason, the sound stirs something in him that he can’t quite name. He knows his face would be tainted red if he looked at the expansive mirror behind him, but he doesn’t know if it’s entirely due to the exhilaration from dancing.

“It’s not enough,” he suddenly declares, and Victor looks ready to protest. “I know it’s not, but I’m getting there. Please, watch me until I’m able to…” Suddenly, he feels at loss for words, not knowing how to continue with the line of thought that had initially started his outburst. He feels stupid, impulsively asking a complete stranger to watch over him just because he happens to bring out the best in his dancing.

“Seduce me with your Eros?” Victor supplies, much to Yuuri’s chagrin. “I can’t wait, Yuuri.”

Despite how inappropriate it sounds, Yuuri nods. He watches as the pianist stands up and walks over to him, a seemingly pensive smile playing on his lips.

“Tell me, have you ever gone to an ice skating rink?” he asks once he reaches Yuuri, his thoughtful smile turning into a playful smirk. “I’ve heard this city has one.”

 For the first time in a while, Yuuri wakes up and doesn’t immediately feel a sense of dread creeping into his gut. He had gone to sleep feeling slightly accomplished and with the knowledge he has something to look forward to tomorrow. He opens his eyes and almost smiles to himself, knowing that he now has a purpose to follow in order to master his black swan piece.

Last night, he and Victor had arranged to go to the local ice skating rink where a friend of Yuuri works, Victor convincing him that it would do him good to try and relax a bit. He had agreed, albeit he couldn’t deny that he had felt that he just had to agree if only to return the favor. After all, Victor Nikiforov had not only unknowingly helped him with his white swan audition piece, the man had also inspired something in him that could finally be that final missing bit needed to complete his black swan piece.

To say that he owes the man would be an understatement, and so although he doesn’t necessarily agree that going out ice skating would do him any good, he’s willing to give it a try. He practically inhales the meal his mother sets out for him, giving her a big kiss on the cheek when she hands over his packed lunch. He’s in a hurry, no doubt about that, practically sprinting out the door and jogging all the way to the studio. He catches himself smiling right before entering the place, careful to school his expression back into something neutral and out of the creepy territory.

He’s one of the first ones in, a few of his colleagues scattered around the studio with some chatting and some already working on warm-ups. He waves to them, thankful that none of them completely ignore him, and then sets out to start warming up. The dancers start arriving in a steady stream and by eight o’clock, the director is calling for them to gather ‘round.

“I’d like to introduce you to someone today,” she begins, a proud smile adorning her face. “I’m sure some of you already met or at least saw him on the day of the auditions, but that had been a temporary thing then. Today, a good friend of mine will be joining our team as our new maestro. Please welcome, Victor Nikiforov.”

She shares a knowing smile with Victor who comes forward from his place by the piano to properly greet the dancers. Yuuri doesn’t get the chance to look too much into the exchange because he’s completely distracted by the reaction Victor gets, particularly from the females. They practically swoon at him, a select few brazen enough to ask for a quick picture with the new maestro.

Yuuri thinks he should have expected this. Of course they would find him handsome and charming— he had thought so as well when he first laid his eyes on the man last night, the number of praises pilling up in his head only increasing the longer he stayed in Victor’s company. Now, he can’t help but feel something akin to jealousy knowing that the silver-haired male would be inspiring the other dancers as well.

The fact that this dampens his mood as much as it does has Yuuri rolling his eyes, and when they roll back to the scene in front of him, Victor is looking at him. He sees the coy little smirk that he’s somehow ended up associating with the pianist, accompanied by a raised eyebrow, but he feels someone pulling him away from the group before he has the chance to come up with a response.

Phichit drags him into warming up together, chatting his ear off about the show they had discussed before, and Yuuri welcomes the distraction. He decides that the last thing he needs right now is to pull a rain cloud over his unusually sunny disposition, throwing himself into practice the moment Lilia calls for them to get to working.

They work out the rest of the choreography that day, entering the phase where they finalize the dance movements in preparation for the rehearsals. They spend the rest of the morning in class, working with the studio’s choreographer and going over the techniques.  By lunchtime, almost everyone is too busy memorizing steps and working on their stretches to pay the new pianist any mind, save for a couple of the females.

Yuuri barely pays them attention, finishing his lunch and spending the rest of his break going over the songs that they had practiced. He feels a sense of pride wash over him, now truly appreciating how much the company had thought over the whole thing. He notes how the artistic geniuses behind their team worked their magic to make it so that they mix in new blood to keep things exciting for the viewers while preserving the essence of the original show.

He especially applauds the person behind the decision to switch the songs used for the most iconic white swan and black swan numbers into two very different arrangements of the In Regards to Love piece, effectively giving their rendition a whole new theme to look forward to. Not for the first time since joining the company, he feels thankful to be around a group of individuals oozing with talent and potential.

Also not for the first time since joining the company, he feels terribly average. What his colleagues can master in a day, he needs to go over for a week. The difference in talent between him and the others isn’t as painfully obvious as it had been before, especially now that he’s landed a lead role for such a big season, but it’s still there.

Still, he abides by his self-imposed day of positivity. He starts working on warming up again ten minutes before the call to attention, not once seeing Victor among the people in the studio. He only sees the silver-haired man when rehearsals begin, Victor resuming his place by the piano. At one point, he catches Yuuri staring and sends a wink towards him.

Yuuri feels an odd fluttering in his stomach that he’s quick to dismiss, convincing himself that it’s only because the director and the choreographer would soon want to see his progress with Eros. He mentally prepares for it, ready to keep attacking the piece with vigor until he finally hits the mark.

He hears choreographer telling the other dancers to take a break, his cue to get up and get ready to perform. He risks a glance towards Victor, immediately feeling a surge of confidence at the smile and nod that he gets from the man. He gets into position, getting ready to divert his attention from the dozens of eyes trained on him, choosing to focus on just one pair. He hears the first notes of the song and throws himself into the performance.

He hopes that he’s not the only one who notes the change in his movements, hopes that he’s not just imagining the collective gasp that he hears from his spectators when he nails the dreaded spins. He knows without a doubt that he still has a lot to improve with the routine, but he still hopes that this at least would signal his transition into the daring and sexual black swan.

Throughout his performance, he seeks Victor’s eyes, feelings something warm in his stomach whenever he confirms that the pianist is giving him his undivided attention. Yuuri wants to applaud the male for being able to look at him like that while maintaining the flow of the piano piece, owing it up to Victor’s obvious talent.

The piece ends, and he’s meet with deafening silence. He’s panting, sweat lines tracking down the sides of his face, some of the salty beads getting into his eyes. He blinks, looking at the reaction that he’s earned from Lilia.

The woman’s expression betrays that he’s done it. It’s not perfect, it says, but you’re getting there. It’s all he needs to see before he collapses down to his knees into a sweaty mess of limbs. trying to catch his breath. He hears Phichit start a round of applause for him and the others join in, howls of praises echoing from the group.

For the first time since joining the company, he starts to feel as if he truly belongs there.

 When the day ends, Victor is quick to whisk him away. Yuuri still feels bewildered by the man’s antics, his actions alluding to him being a foreigner to the place. When Yuuri voices out his questions, the man is quick to supply answers.

“I’m from Russia,” he says, confirming Yuuri’s theory about the man’s nationality. “That’s where I met Lilia. Initially, I was just visiting her, but then I somehow ended up playing the piano for you guys during audition day.”

“Do you actually play the piano for a living?” Yuuri blurts out, belatedly realizing that Victor might take it the wrong way. “Not that you’re not good or anything, you’re actually really great. I was just, uh, wondering…?” Even to his ears, the explanation sounds lame and unbelievable.

Victor laughs and throws an arm around Yuuri’s shoulder, pulling the shorter male closer. “Thank you, Yuuri. I’m taking a break from work right now, trying to look for something… new. If I were to be completely honest with you, your performance for Agape inspired me to stay here and team up with Lilia to produce the show. You were definitely part of the reason why I’m your new maestro.”

The confession throws him off guard, feeling incredibly astounded to find out that he’d gotten a person like Victor to move to Japan and take a break from his professional career just because of Yuuri’s performance. It’s humbling, but it also adds more weight to the pressure he’s been carrying around as of late. He finds himself in his usual state of stammering around for the right words to say.

“I don’t know what to say,” he finally admits, suddenly feeling confined by the arm around his shoulder. He squirms a little, fidgets with the scarf around his neck, and tries to will his shoulders to relax.

“Oh, zaichonok,” Victor says, the sudden use of Russian sending a pleasant jolt to Yuuri’s gut. “You don’t need words at all; your body sends across everything you need to say, and right now you’re telling me that you’re uncomfortable with this.”

“It’s not that,” Yuuri denies, accentuating it with a shake of his head. “It’s just… you’re telling me you left your career because you were… inspired by my performance, and yet we barely know anything about each other.”

“You’re part of the reason, yes,” the foreigner confirms, letting go of Yuuri in favor of shoving his hands into the pockets of his coat. “But I also have other reasons. And, if you’re worried about us being strangers, then tell me everything about you. What kind of things do you do during your free time? What’s in this city? Say… is there a girl you like?”

During the course of his questioning, the pair had somehow stopped walking, now standing mere inches away from each other. Yuuri feels the blush on his face grow warmer and he fears that it might become a permanent thing that he sports around Victor.

He tries to formulate a response, not knowing where to start and which question to answer first, letting his eyes roam just to avoid Victor’s. They settle on the building standing before them, a small hotel that had Yuuri’s stomach quivering.

Victor, apparently sensing his state of distraught, is quick to explain. “Oh, this is where I’m staying! I need to change into comfortable clothes if I want to go skating with you.”

“I hope you remember that I don’t know how to skate,” Yuuri says as they continue walking. From the look that flashes over Victor’s face, the man had completely forgotten.

They enter the building and Victor leads the way to his room, making idle chitchat about how it had been a pain in the ass to find a place where pets were allowed.  Yuuri’s just about to ask him what pet he has when they open the door to Victor’s rented room and a dog jumps up to lick his owner’s face.

Yuuri gets acquainted with the dog, falling in love with the poodle faster than what he thinks is appropriate. He laughs off Victor’s comment about him being closer to Makkachin than to him, reluctantly saying goodbye to the dog once it’s time to leave for the rink.

On the way to the skating rink, the two talk about dogs, realizing that it’s a topic they’re both quite passionate about. Victor’s in the middle of debating with himself whether it’d be a good decision for Yuuri to get a dog like Makkachin when the latter realizes that they’ve arrived at their destination.

“Well,” he starts, his arms gesturing towards the place. “This is Hasetsu’s Ice Castle.”

The foreigner practically drags him inside, startling the person working behind the counter. Yuuko looks up and smiles widely at Yuuri before her eyes flicker over to his companion. Her mouth drops open and she starts to say something but suddenly stops, instead choosing to raise an eyebrow at Victor.

“Yuuri! Wow, never thought I’d see you come here without me having to force you to. Who’s this you brought along?”

“This is Victor, he’s playing the piano for us at the company. Victor, this is Yuuko, a childhood friend of mine.”

The two exchange a few pleasantries and some words about skating before Yuuko lets them choose their skates, leading them to the rink and leaving them to figure out the ropes by themselves afterwards. Victor helps him out with the footwear, going as far as lacing it up for him despite his protests. He feels his nerves start up once the other male beckons for him to step into the rink.

“Here, I’ll hold your hands,” Victor offers, holding out his palms towards Yuuri. Once the brunet’s hands land on top of his, he grasps them tightly. “We’ll go slow, okay?”

And slow they go. Victor barely leaves Yuuri to his own devices, always hovering around even when Yuuri starts to get the hang of it. Much to the dancer’s surprise, he finds himself actually having a blast, laughing whenever he ends up slipping and landing on his butt while trying to skate away from Victor and inevitably failing.

They’re both laughing and slightly out of breath when Yuuri’s calls for a break, skating over to the side and getting off the ice. He’s surprised to see Victor falling behind, staying in the middle of the rink with a thoughtful expression.

“Victor?” he calls out, hoping that he hadn’t done anything wrong to ruin their night. “What’s up?”

“I was just thinking that I want to show you something,” Victor replies, his expression unreadable. “I’m… I’ve always been interested in figure skating and I thought I’d show you this thing that I’ve pieced together.”

Yuuri nods, not knowing what to expect from the Russian. By now, he knows the man could surprise him again and again, pulling out tricks from his sleeve to occasionally give Yuuri the shock of his life.

What he doesn’t expect, though, is to be utterly astonished by the spectacle that is Victor dancing on ice. He moves around the rink effortlessly, skating and sliding around like he’d been born to do it. The man turns into something unrecognizable right before Yuuri’s eyes, something beautiful and breathtaking that has him blinking back unwarranted tears.

When Victor soars up into the air and lands right back down just as gracefully, Yuuri feels an emotion so strong that it knocks the air out from his lungs. The performance continues, the silence filled with the sound of the skates sliding against the ice, and each passing moment just makes the show even better. He feels his heart race whenever Victor jumps, feels his blood thrumming through his veins whenever he lands safely.

By the time the male skids to a stop, his arms crossed over the other in a pose and his skin glistening with a thin layer of sweat, Yuuri feels too dazed to move. It’s only when Victor makes his way back to him that the brunet snaps out of his daze.

“Well…?” the foreigner prompts, his expression betraying his nerves. “What do you think, Yuuri?”

Yuuri could think of a handful of ways to answer. What does he think? Well, for one, he thinks Victor couldn’t do that if he hadn’t been training his whole life for it. He thinks there’s so much to know about the man, so much that he wants to know. He thinks the performance was absolutely perfect, even without him knowing a thing about figure skating.

He doesn’t know where to start, so he says the first thing that had popped into his mind the moment Victor started dancing.

“I think you were so beautiful.”

[marymperezga]

35 Most Beautiful Places To Travel In America (What To See & How To See It)

It’s said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Maybe for you, beauty is the bright lights of a cityscape at night or a stunning sunset over the Pacific Ocean. Maybe it’s a meadow of wildflowers, a roaring waterfall, or an historic neighborhood in a famous city. For many, it’s a natural wonder like the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone’s Old Faithful geyser, or Hawaii’s Mauna Key volcano. Beauty can be found anywhere, in anything, so we’ve gathered this list of some of America’s most beautiful places to travel.

But we aren’t stopping there. It’s one thing to tell you about America’s most beautiful places, and another to help you plan the perfect itinerary to see them. In our list below, you’ll gain 35 adventures to add to your bucket list and specific ways to experience them, from guided hiking tours, helicopter rides, and sailing expeditions, to recommended hotels and alternative lodging options in each spot.

The best part? When you’re visiting these places, you can book an affordable, comfortable accommodation on FlipKey! We offer hundreds of thousands of great rental properties—from cozy mountainside cabins to breezy beach homes to downtown apartments and lofts.

Without further ado, here are some of the most beautiful places, landmarks, and attractions to visit in the USA.

Island of Kauai, Hawaii: Na Pali Coast, Waimea Canyon, and Poipu’s Beaches

There’s a reason big-budget films like Tropic Thunder and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides feature this lush location as a backdrop. This tropical paradise is home to some of the most gorgeous scenery on the planet, from the spectacular Mt. Waialeale crater, which gets more rainfall than anywhere else on earth, to the stunning Mana Waiapuna falls featured in Jurassic Park, the towering spires of the Nā Pali Coast, and the resorts of Princeville. A great way to see it all is via this helicopter tour taking you over the island of Kauai, as well as the Nā Pali Coast, Waimea Canyon, and Poipu’s gorgeous beaches. Pro tip: Make time to check out the snorkeling, rafting, and kayaking experiences around the Nā Pali Coast and its famous sea caves, too.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in Kauai!

Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska

It’s not hard to see why this six-hour excursion in Kenai Fjords National Park is one of Alaska’s most popular wildlife and glacier cruises. Glide past alpine and tidewater glaciers, spot abundant marine wildlife, and visit seabird rookeries at the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. Drifting past the jagged icy cliffs along the Kenai Peninsula, you might catch breath-taking glimpses of humpback, minke, and orca whales, among other creatures that flock to the plankton-rich waters. No matter your adventure style, there are plenty of tours available for exploring Kenai Fjords National Park.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals near Kenai!

Grand Canyon, Arizona

There are so many ways to take in the majesty of the Grand Canyon. Bus trip, helicopter tour from nearby Las Vegas, or travel the way visitors did in the early 20th century: by train! This iconic American destination is celebrated for its Colorado River views and awe-inspiring red rock formations stretching as far as the eye can see. Also worth exploring are Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend, both of which are about two hours away from the popular South Rim of the Grand Canyon.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals near the Grand Canyon!

Colorado’s Blue Lakes

The Blue Lakes Hiking Trail near Telluride, situated above the tree line at about 12,400 feet, offers a gorgeous hike past alpine lakes and the peaks of Yankee Boy Basin. Hikers often tackle it as a day-long excursion, taking in the sight of colorful wildflowers and everything from marmots to mountain goats or sheep. If you’re staying in Denver and want to try something similar, you can take this private day tour of Mount Evans, which includes spectacular views from the top of the famous ‘14er’, as well sightings of wildlife like bighorn sheep, elk, and bison.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in Colorado!

The Brooklyn Bridge, New York City

New York City is truly an incredible metropolis, worthy of many superlatives. While Central Park or the Statue of Liberty could certainly be considered beautiful, our pick here is the Brooklyn Bridge thanks to its stunning architecture (one reviewer claims it’s an “iconic engineering marvel“) and unique skyline views. Opened in 1883 and spanning nearly 6,000 feet, the Brooklyn Bridge is one of the world’s most recognizable suspension bridges and a classic New York sight. Travelers rave about waking across the bridge at sunrise or sunset, or alternatively taking the view in at nighttime on a boat cruise—which also includes views of One World Trade Center, the Statue of Liberty, and the Chrysler Building.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in New York!

Fall Foliage in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire

Anyone planning a getaway who loves history, New England, mountains, and dazzling fall colors, should put Bretton Woods in autumn on their travel wish list. It’s actually a point within the town of Carroll, New Hampshire. In fall, this place is simply spectacular. Hike up West Mountain for amazing views or ride The Cog, a cog railway carrying tourists up Mount Washington.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in Bretton Woods!

Forsyth Park: Savannah, Georgia

The thirty-acre site of Forsyth Park, dating from the 1840s, is one of the most iconic spots in the city of Savannah. The park’s fountain is probably its most recognizable landmark, and the benches and Spanish moss-covered oaks that surround it have helped make it a romantic focal point for photography. Outside the park, TripAdvisor reviewers particularly love Savannah’s historic churches and cathedrals, this museum dedicated to the history of Prohibition, and sites like Bonaventure Cemetery, nestled on the bluff of the Wilmington River and famous for its old tree-lined roadways and historic architecture.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in Savannah!

Maui’s Honokohau Falls and the Sea Cliffs of Molokai from the air

Taking a flight across Hawaii’s most dramatic landscapes will really make you sit up and appreciate the world around you. On this helicopter tour over Molokai and Maui you’ll see a panorama of cliffs, jungle, ocean, and volcanoes, perhaps interrupted by a majestic whale or two. Take in those massive sea cliffs and that serene North Shore bathed in sunlight—you simply won’t want to leave.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in Maui!

Driftwood Beach: Jekyll Island, Georgia

Amateur shutterbugs flock to Driftwood Beach, a distinctive spot on the north end of Georgia’s Jekyll Island that looks, quite simply, like a graveyard for trees. Trust us, it’s a lot more beautiful than it sounds. It often shows up on lists rounding up the most romantic beaches in the country, due to its landscape of sun-scarred driftwood that makes you feel like you’re in another world. Catch it early in the morning or at sunset for a view that will take your breath away.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals on Jekyll Island!

Views from Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, Tennessee

The views at Lookout Mountain are nothing less than breathtaking, looking over the city of Chattanooga, as well as parts of neighboring states. There’s a powerful sense of history here, as several TripAdvisor reviewers note, as you stand on ground where Civil War soldiers fought and died. Also seek out Ruby Falls (which includes a cave and waterfall underneath the mountain), the rock formations and gardens in Rock City, and Point Park, memorializing the 1863 Civil War Battle Above the Clouds. Visit in the fall for the added bonus of colorful foliage!

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in Chattanooga!

Views from the Stratosphere Observation Tower in Las Vegas

When people talk about the Stratosphere in Vegas, they could be referring to the hotel or the casino, but there’s a better chance that they really mean the roughly 1,150-foot-tall freestanding observation tower. This distinctive Sin City landmark includes two observation decks, the revolving Top of the World restaurant, and several bookable rides and attractions, such as this open-air leap from the tower via the SkyJump experience. This unlimited ride pass also lets you experience the thrills of rides like the Big Shot.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in Las Vegas!

Pfeiffer Beach: Big Sur, California

As the Beach Boys crooned, Big Sur is a place of crimson sunsets and golden dawns. Pfeiffer Beach is an especially picturesque stretch where the waves roar as they hit the white sand of the beach. One TripAdvisor reviewer was particularly taken with the sight of the rocks perforated with holes, allowing water to splash through making for some spectacular camera shots. McWay Falls and Bixby Bridge get tons of deserved Big Sur hype, but Pfeiffer Beach is more of a hidden gem—check out its purple sand and amazing rock formations.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals near Big Sur!

Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis: Missouri

This St. Louis cathedral, the mother church of the St. Louis archdiocese, is home to one of the largest collections of mosaics in the Western hemisphere. This beautiful structure turned 100 years old in 2014 and is perhaps best known for its interior mosaics, which took almost 80 years to complete, using more than 41 million pieces of glass tesserae. The interiors are stunning, for sure, but its incredible exterior architecture also gives it a nod on our list of beautiful sights in America.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in St. Louis!

Views from the Willis Tower Skydeck in Chicago

If it’s a dizzying height with an epic Chicago view you want, head straight to the Ledge at Skydeck Chicago, housed in the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. A quintessentially Chicagoan and perfectly Instagrammable moment can be captured 103 floors up the Willis Tower, where you step out onto the glass balconies of the ledge, extending more than four feet outside the building. Enjoy those 360-degree views then turn your gaze down to your feet to see the slightly stomach-churning sight of everything 1,353 feet below you. Skydeck admission is listed at $22, and you can also enjoy dinner on the 103rd floor.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in Illinois!

The Lighthouses of Coastal Maine

It doesn’t get much more storybook perfect than this: a two-hour excursion into Casco Bay aboard a vintage lobster boat, offering sublime views of the Maine coastline dotted with lighthouses. Each charter includes a captain and deckhand to guide you, regale you with local color, and tend to your needs, but it’s the lighthouses that are the stars of this show. You’ll see four in total, including the Ram Island Light, the Spring Point Ledge Light, Bug Light, and the iconic Portland Head Light, which was commissioned in 1791 by none other than George Washington himself.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in Portland, Maine!

Mauna Key Summit, Hawaii’s Big Island—from the air

Once-in-a-lifetime moments don’t get much more epic than watching the sun rise from the top of a volcano. In this case, it’s the Mauna Kea volcano on Hawaii’s Big Island, which is what this sunrise excursion is built around. Watching the purple, blue, orange, and red rays of the sun peek out over the horizon is the culmination of this six-hour trip to the volcano’s peak. For a perfect bookend to this experience, take this small-group sunset and stargazing tour of Mauna Kea, during which you’ll use powerful telescopes to observe constellations from the Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals on the Big Island!

Boston’s Historic Neighborhoods

William F. Buckley once quipped he’d be happy to entrust the entirety of the United States government to the first 400 people listed in the Boston telephone book. It was a rumination on the one-of-a-kind nature of the people here in Beantown, a truly iconic American city. Here, history and modernity coexist beautifully, and you feel it everywhere you go. In neighborhoods from Southie to Beacon Hill, with its cobblestone streets; in the foodie paradise of the North End; from the tree-lined streets of Back Bay to the pubs, taverns, and institutions such as Boston and Harvard universities; in beautiful public spaces like Boston Common and historic landmarks like Faneuil Hall and the Old State House.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in Boston!

Saint Augustine, Florida

Saint Augustine is a city that stands alone. Sure, it’s got all the trappings the average vacationer would want: charming hotels, intimate restaurants, pristine beaches. But it’s the history that gives this city its unique feel—it’s the oldest European settlement in the US. If you’re so inclined, you could pull a Ponce de Leon and taste the waters in the Fountain of Youth Archeological Park (let us know if it makes you feel any younger). Beyond that, there are tons of ways to explore the city, from ghost and trolley tours to sunset cruises and craft beer tastings.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in Saint Augustine!

Chapel of the Holy Cross: Sedona, Arizona

The Chapel of the Holy Cross is a distinctive, almost otherworldly-looking edifice built into the red rock formations of Sedona. It’s been featured in architecture magazines, The New York Times, and The Washington Post, and it’s just one of many memorable spots in this desert oasis, where you’ll also find resorts, spas, and canyons. The beauty of the desert scenery is only surpassed by the grandeur of the night sky. Once the sun dips, you’ll see it in all its glory, free of the illumination of city lights. If you want to explore the area, there are tons of experiences to choose from, like this small-group tour of Sedona and a tour of the chapel itself.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in Sedona!

Cathedral of St. Helena, Montana

An awe-inspiring collection of artwork can be found in the German-made stained glass windows of the Cathedral of St. Helena, a Gothic-inspired structure with distinctive twin spires and a pipe organ. This must-see landmark gathers high praise from TripAdvisor reviewers for the beauty of the church and the sense of serenity within. Elsewhere in the city, there’s a museum of art, Reader’s Alley (a restored miners’ village complete with restaurant and shops), and the Gates of the Mountains wilderness area.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in Helena!

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

The Midway Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park, while not home to the famous Old Faithful Geyser, is still arguably Yellowstone’s best area to explore, particularly for photographers. One reviewer states: “This is a must-see location within the park. The area is simply beautiful and very unique. The colors are truly magnificent.”  Due to those stunning colors, the Midway Geyser Basin is one of the most photographed walks in Yellowstone. It includes the Grand Prismatic Spring, the Excelsior Geyser, plus the Turquoise Pool and the Opal Pool. This tour of Yellowstone lower loop is a good way to experience all these sites and more—led by an expert guide, you’ll be able to see several impressive geysers, along with the natural beauty of canyons, cascades and more.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals near Yellowstone!

Niagara Falls, New York & Ontario

One guaranteed way to feel the awesome power of nature is to visit the inimitable Niagara Falls. There are three magnificent falls here, two American and one Canadian. On this tour of the American side of the falls you’ll get aerial views from the observation deck at Skylon Tower, get up close to Horseshoe Falls on the Maid of the Mist boat ride, and also reach the closest accessible point of the falls at Cave of the Winds.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in Niagara Falls!

Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina Mountains

The Blue Ridge Parkway is a 469-mile scenic drive offering world-famous, breath-taking views. The road links the Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains National Park and you can explore the scenery here a number of different ways. There’s this photo tour and hike led by a local guide along the parkway, or you could try an alternative guided hike that also passes by three lovely waterfalls.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in the North Carolina Mountains!

Wild Horses Grazing On the Beaches of Corolla, North Carolina

Now here’s a sight that’s unique to North Carolina’s Outer Banks. Ancestors of the wild Spanish Mustangs who wander free here were brought over in the 1500s on Spanish vessels. The horses you see today make up the last remaining wild herd. This two-hour tour of the Outer Banks transports you through the sand dunes in open-air four-wheel drive vehicles to see the wild horses in all their splendor. You’ll also visit a maritime forest and a historic Coast Guard station.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in Corolla!

Multnomah Falls: Bridal Veil, Oregon

There’s an old Native American story that says Multnomah Falls was created for a young princess who wanted a secret place to bathe. This is certainly a place of beauty, with a roaring cascade of over 600 feet, making it one of the tallest waterfalls in the US. If you’re feeling particularly gutsy, walk up the trail to Benson Bridge, which spans the falls and gives you an unobstructed view up to the top—and a stomach-churning view down the roughly 70-foot drop. Tours like this show you around Multnomah Falls and the Columbia River Gorge as part of a half-day excursion from Portland.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals near Bridal Veil!

The Mansions of Newport, Rhode Island

New England oozes an irresistible storybook charm, and there’s no better place to experience it than in Newport, Rhode Island, with its yacht-lined harbor and Gilded Age mansions. You can take a guided trolley tour or simply admire these castles of wealth from the water on a harbor sightseeing cruise. Most tours include a stop at The Breakers, a mansion that housed the Vanderbilts and is among the most impressive of the city’s historic abodes. Alternatively, walk along the famous Cliff Walk and see the mansions from a unique, picturesque perspective.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in Newport!

Charleston’s Historic District: South Carolina

Charleston’s history dates back more than three centuries, so there are plenty of opportunities to explore the fascinating past of this handsome port city. Wander among its antebellum mansions, old churches, and graceful homes, and try a tour of the historic district by horse-drawn carriage. It’s a delightfully old-school experience—you’ll be pulled along by the same kind of horse that worked American farms in the 1800s, while learning about the founding of the city.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in Charleston!

Utah’s National Parks: Arches, Zion, Bryce and More

The Beehive State is home to so many beautiful parks and other stunning natural wonders that it can be a little tricky to narrow down your itinerary. One way to check off several points on your list in one go is this epic seven-day tour of some of the top protected wilderness areas in the country. Along the way, you’ll see Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, and Zion National Park, as part of a thrilling week of hiking and exploring the rock pillars, rivers, and cliffs this area has to offer.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in Utah!

Ruby Beach: Olympic National Park, Washington

Ruby Beach is one of the most visited beaches along the coastline of Olympic National Park in Washington, and is well-known for its reddish sand and little islands of rock, known as ‘sea stacks’. The rugged shoreline, peppered with rocks and driftwood, makes for a memorable afternoon of beachcombing accompanied by gorgeous views.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals near Olympic National Park!

Snoqualmie Falls, Washington

One of the most visited attractions in Washington state is Snoqualmie Falls, attracting more than 1.5 million people a year. The site includes a two-acre park, an observation deck, the Salish Lodge, and, of course, the beautiful 270-foot waterfall. A few tours in the area include visits to the falls, such as this falls and wineries tour and this excursion that also includes Seattle city center.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals near Snoqualmie!

The Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco

One of the most iconic, easily recognizable landmarks in the US is the Golden Gate Bridge, stretching 4,200 feet and towering as high as a 65-story building. It’s an imposing monument and a marvel of engineering skill, as well as a gateway into San Francisco, but you don’t have to just admire it from afar. You could try this cruise departing from Fisherman’s Wharf and gliding close to the bridge, or a guided bike tour from San Fran to Sausalito, taking you right across the bridge itself.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in California!

Kiva Beach: South Lake Tahoe, California

Kiva Beach is a little bit of a hidden gem, and it’s totally worth the trip. Here you’ll get great views of the mountains around it, including Mount Tallac, and it’s also one of the few truly pet-friendly beaches in the area, making it a great place to enjoy the sun, surf, and sand with a furry four-legged companion.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in South Lake Tahoe!

Views From the Griffith Observatory: Los Angeles, California

This public observatory is set on Mount Hollywood within Griffith Park, housing a planetarium, exhibits, public telescopes, and a bookstore. Walk around the back to get sweeping, unobstructed views of the Los Angeles skyline—especially breathtaking at night, when you can see the bright lights of the city sparkling in the distance. There’s a bust of actor James Dean on one side that’s positioned so you can capture it and the famous Hollywood sign in the same shot. The observatory is packaged in multiple tours that take in a variety of Los Angeles landmarks.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in California!

Yosemite National Park, California

Tucked into the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, Yosemite National Park is known for the natural beauty of its granite cliffs, waterfalls, and ancient sequoia trees. Half Dome and El Capitan are two of the granite cliffs made famous by photographer Ansel Adams. Especially worth a visit are the 317-foot Vernal Fall, beautiful Mirror Lake, and Yosemite Falls, the fifth tallest waterfall in the world. The shops and restaurants of Yosemite Village are also popular.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals near Yosemite!

Bluebonnet Blooms: Spicewood, Texas (Muleshoe Bend Recreation Area)

Muleshoe Bend Recreation Area has plenty of active fun in store for visitors, including a 6.5-mile mountain bike trail. But if you’re after a beautiful display of nature at its best, come in the spring to see the ground blanketed in gorgeous bluebonnet wildflowers. There’s nothing quite like it to make you appreciate the dazzling colors of nature.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals near Spicewood, Texas!

This post was originally published on the TripAdvisor blog. FlipKey is a TripAdvisor company.

The post 35 Most Beautiful Places To Travel In America (What To See & How To See It) appeared first on The FlipKey Blog.

from Tips For Traveling https://www.flipkey.com/blog/2019/08/21/35-most-beautiful-places-to-travel-in-america-what-to-see-how-to-see-it/

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35 Most Beautiful Places To Travel In America (What To See & How To See It)

It’s said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Maybe for you, beauty is the bright lights of a cityscape at night or a stunning sunset over the Pacific Ocean. Maybe it’s a meadow of wildflowers, a roaring waterfall, or an historic neighborhood in a famous city. For many, it’s a natural wonder like the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone’s Old Faithful geyser, or Hawaii’s Mauna Key volcano. Beauty can be found anywhere, in anything, so we’ve gathered this list of some of America’s most beautiful places to travel—the landmarks, attractions, and breathtaking views to see before you die.

But we aren’t stopping there. It’s one thing to tell you about America’s most beautiful places, and another to help you plan the perfect itinerary to see them. In our list below, you’ll gain 35 adventures to add to your bucket list and specific ways to experience them, from guided hiking tours, helicopter rides, and sailing expeditions, to recommended hotels and alternative lodging options in each spot.

The best part? When you’re visiting these places, you can book an affordable, comfortable accommodation right on FlipKey! We offer hundreds of thousands of great rental properties—from cozy mountainside cabins to breezy beach homes to downtown apartments and lofts. Find the perfect place to stay during your scenic getaway.

Without further ado, here are some of the most beautiful places, landmarks, and attractions to visit in the USA.

Island of Kauai, Hawaii: Na Pali Coast, Waimea Canyon, and Poipu’s Beaches

There’s a reason big-budget films like Tropic Thunder and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides feature this lush location as a backdrop. This tropical paradise is home to some of the most gorgeous scenery on the planet, from the spectacular Mt. Waialeale crater, which gets more rainfall than anywhere else on earth, to the stunning Mana Waiapuna falls featured in Jurassic Park, the towering spires of the Nā Pali Coast, and the resorts of Princeville. A great way to see it all is via this helicopter tour taking you over the island of Kauai, as well as the Nā Pali Coast, Waimea Canyon, and Poipu’s gorgeous beaches. Pro tip: Make time to check out the snorkeling, rafting, and kayaking experiences around the Nā Pali Coast and its famous sea caves, too.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in Kauai!

Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska

It’s not hard to see why this six-hour excursion in Kenai Fjords National Park is one of Alaska’s most popular wildlife and glacier cruises. Glide past alpine and tidewater glaciers, spot abundant marine wildlife, and visit seabird rookeries at the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. Drifting past the jagged icy cliffs along the Kenai Peninsula, you might catch breath-taking glimpses of humpback, minke, and orca whales, among other creatures that flock to the plankton-rich waters. No matter your adventure style, there are plenty of tours available for exploring Kenai Fjords National Park.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals near Kenai!

Grand Canyon, Arizona

There are so many ways to take in the majesty of the Grand Canyon. Bus trip, helicopter tour from nearby Las Vegas, or travel the way visitors did in the early 20th century: by train! This iconic American destination is celebrated for its Colorado River views and awe-inspiring red rock formations stretching as far as the eye can see. Also worth exploring are Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend, both of which are about two hours away from the popular South Rim of the Grand Canyon.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals near the Grand Canyon!

Colorado’s Blue Lakes

The Blue Lakes Hiking Trail near Telluride, situated above the tree line at about 12,400 feet, offers a gorgeous hike past alpine lakes and the peaks of Yankee Boy Basin. Hikers often tackle it as a day-long excursion, taking in the sight of colorful wildflowers and everything from marmots to mountain goats or sheep. If you’re staying in Denver and want to try something similar, you can take this private day tour of Mount Evans, which includes spectacular views from the top of the famous ‘14er’, as well sightings of wildlife like bighorn sheep, elk, and bison.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in Colorado!

The Brooklyn Bridge, New York City

New York City is truly an incredible metropolis, worthy of many superlatives. While Central Park or the Statue of Liberty could certainly be considered beautiful, our pick here is the Brooklyn Bridge thanks to its stunning architecture (one reviewer claims it’s an “iconic engineering marvel“) and unique skyline views. Opened in 1883 and spanning nearly 6,000 feet, the Brooklyn Bridge is one of the world’s most recognizable suspension bridges and a classic New York sight. Travelers rave about waking across the bridge at sunrise or sunset, or alternatively taking the view in at nighttime on a boat cruise—which also includes views of One World Trade Center, the Statue of Liberty, and the Chrysler Building.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in New York!

Fall Foliage in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire

Anyone planning a getaway who loves history, New England, mountains, and dazzling fall colors, should put Bretton Woods in autumn on their travel wish list. It’s actually a point within the town of Carroll, New Hampshire. In fall, this place is simply spectacular. Hike up West Mountain for amazing views or ride The Cog, a cog railway carrying tourists up Mount Washington.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in Bretton Woods!

Forsyth Park: Savannah, Georgia

The thirty-acre site of Forsyth Park, dating from the 1840s, is one of the most iconic spots in the city of Savannah. The park’s fountain is probably its most recognizable landmark, and the benches and Spanish moss-covered oaks that surround it have helped make it a romantic focal point for photography. Outside the park, TripAdvisor reviewers particularly love Savannah’s historic churches and cathedrals, this museumdedicated to the history of Prohibition, and sites like Bonaventure Cemetery, nestled on the bluff of the Wilmington River and famous for its old tree-lined roadways and historic architecture.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in Savannah!

Maui’s Honokohau Falls and the Sea Cliffs of Molokai from the air

Taking a flight across Hawaii’s most dramatic landscapes will really make you sit up and appreciate the world around you. On this helicopter tour over Molokai and Maui you’ll see a panorama of cliffs, jungle, ocean, and volcanoes, perhaps interrupted by a majestic whale or two. Take in those massive sea cliffs and that serene North Shore bathed in sunlight—you simply won’t want to leave.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in Maui!

Driftwood Beach: Jekyll Island, Georgia

Amateur shutterbugs flock to Driftwood Beach, a distinctive spot on the north end of Georgia’s Jekyll Island that looks, quite simply, like a graveyard for trees. Trust us, it’s a lot more beautiful than it sounds. It often shows up on lists rounding up the most romantic beaches in the country, due to its landscape of sun-scarred driftwood that makes you feel like you’re in another world. Catch it early in the morning or at sunset for a view that will take your breath away.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals on Jekyll Island!

Views from Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, Tennessee

The views at Lookout Mountain are nothing less than breathtaking, looking over the city of Chattanooga, as well as parts of neighboring states. There’s a powerful sense of history here, as several TripAdvisor reviewers note, as you stand on ground where Civil War soldiers fought and died. Also seek out Ruby Falls (which includes a cave and waterfall underneath the mountain), the rock formations and gardens in Rock City, and Point Park, memorializing the 1863 Civil War Battle Above the Clouds. Visit in the fall for the added bonus of colorful foliage!

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in Chattanooga!

Views from the Stratosphere Observation Tower in Las Vegas

When people talk about the Stratosphere in Vegas, they could be referring to the hotel or the casino, but there’s a better chance that they really mean the roughly 1,150-foot-tall freestanding observation tower. This distinctive Sin City landmark includes two observation decks, the revolving Top of the World restaurant, and several bookable rides and attractions, such as this open-air leap from the tower via the SkyJump experience. This unlimited ride pass also lets you experience the thrills of rides like the Big Shot.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in Las Vegas!

Pfeiffer Beach: Big Sur, California

As the Beach Boys crooned, Big Sur is a place of crimson sunsets and golden dawns. Pfeiffer Beach is an especially picturesque stretch where the waves roar as they hit the white sand of the beach. One TripAdvisor reviewer was particularly taken with the sight of the rocks perforated with holes, allowing water to splash through making for some spectacular camera shots. McWay Falls and Bixby Bridge get tons of deserved Big Sur hype, but Pfeiffer Beach is more of a hidden gem—check out its purple sand and amazing rock formations.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals near Big Sur!

Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis: Missouri

This St. Louis cathedral, the mother church of the St. Louis archdiocese, is home to one of the largest collections of mosaics in the Western hemisphere. This beautiful structure turned 100 years old in 2014 and is perhaps best known for its interior mosaics, which took almost 80 years to complete, using more than 41 million pieces of glass tesserae. The interiors are stunning, for sure, but its incredible exterior architecture also gives it a nod on our list of beautiful sights in America.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in St. Louis!

Views from the Willis Tower Skydeck in Chicago

If it’s a dizzying height with an epic Chicago view you want, head straight to the Ledge at Skydeck Chicago, housed in the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. A quintessentially Chicagoan and perfectly Instagrammable moment can be captured 103 floors up the Willis Tower, where you step out onto the glass balconies of the ledge, extending more than four feet outside the building. Enjoy those 360-degree views then turn your gaze down to your feet to see the slightly stomach-churning sight of everything 1,353 feet below you. Skydeck admission is listed at $22, and you can also enjoy dinner on the 103rd floor, bookable here.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in Illinois!

The Lighthouses of Coastal Maine

It doesn’t get much more storybook perfect than this: a two-hour excursion into Casco Bay aboard a vintage lobster boat, offering sublime views of the Maine coastline dotted with lighthouses. Each charter includes a captain and deckhand to guide you, regale you with local color, and tend to your needs, but it’s the lighthouses that are the stars of this show. You’ll see four in total, including the Ram Island Light, the Spring Point Ledge Light, Bug Light, and the iconic Portland Head Light, which was commissioned in 1791 by none other than George Washington himself.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in Portland, Maine!

Mauna Key Summit, Hawaii’s Big Island—from the air

Once-in-a-lifetime moments don’t get much more epic than watching the sun rise from the top of a volcano. In this case, it’s the Mauna Kea volcano on Hawaii’s Big Island, which is what this sunrise excursion is built around. Watching the purple, blue, orange, and red rays of the sun peek out over the horizon is the culmination of this six-hour trip to the volcano’s peak. For a perfect bookend to this experience, take this small-group sunset and stargazing tour of Mauna Kea, during which you’ll use powerful telescopes to observe constellations from the Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals on the Big Island!

Boston’s Historic Neighborhoods

William F. Buckley once quipped he’d be happy to entrust the entirety of the United States government to the first 400 people listed in the Boston telephone book. It was a rumination on the one-of-a-kind nature of the people here in Beantown, a truly iconic American city. Here, history and modernity coexist beautifully, and you feel it everywhere you go. In neighborhoods from Southie to Beacon Hill, with its cobblestone streets; in the foodie paradise of the North End; from the tree-lined streets of Back Bay to the pubs, taverns, and institutions such as Boston and Harvard universities; in beautiful public spaces like Boston Common and historic landmarks like Faneuil Hall and the Old State House.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in Boston!

Saint Augustine, Florida

Saint Augustine is a city that stands alone. Sure, it’s got all the trappings the average vacationer would want: charming hotels, intimate restaurants, pristine beaches. But it’s the history that gives this city its unique feel—it’s the oldest European settlement in the US. If you’re so inclined, you could pull a Ponce de Leon and taste the waters in the Fountain of Youth Archeological Park (let us know if it makes you feel any younger). Beyond that, there are tons of ways to explore the city, from ghost and trolley tours to sunset cruises and craft beer tastings.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in Saint Augustine!

Chapel of the Holy Cross: Sedona, Arizona

The Chapel of the Holy Cross is a distinctive, almost otherworldly-looking edifice built into the red rock formations of Sedona. It’s been featured in architecture magazines, The New York Times, and The Washington Post, and it’s just one of many memorable spots in this desert oasis, where you’ll also find resorts, spas, and canyons. The beauty of the desert scenery is only surpassed by the grandeur of the night sky. Once the sun dips, you’ll see it in all its glory, free of the illumination of city lights. If you want to explore the area, there are tons of experiences to choose from, like this small-group tour of Sedona and a tour of the chapel itself.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in Sedona!

Cathedral of St. Helena, Montana

An awe-inspiring collection of artwork can be found in the German-made stained glass windows of the Cathedral of St. Helena, a Gothic-inspired structure with distinctive twin spires and a pipe organ. This must-see landmark gathers high praise from TripAdvisor reviewers for the beauty of the church and the sense of serenity within. Elsewhere in the city, there’s a museum of art, Reader’s Alley (a restored miners’ village complete with restaurant and shops), and the Gates of the Mountains wilderness area.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in Helena!

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

The Midway Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park, while not home to the famous Old Faithful Geyser, is still arguably Yellowstone’s best area to explore, particularly for photographers. One reviewer states: “This is a must-see location within the park. The area is simply beautiful and very unique. The colors are truly magnificent.”  Due to those stunning colors, the Midway Geyser Basin is one of the most photographed walks in Yellowstone. It includes the Grand Prismatic Spring, the Excelsior Geyser, plus the Turquoise Pool and the Opal Pool. This tour is a good way to experience all these sites and more—led by an expert guide, you’ll be able to see several impressive geysers, along with the natural beauty of canyons, cascades and more.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals near Yellowstone!

Niagara Falls, New York & Ontario

One guaranteed way to feel the awesome power of nature is to visit the inimitable Niagara Falls. There are three magnificent falls here, two American and one Canadian. On this tour of the American side of the falls you’ll get aerial views from the observation deck at Skylon Tower, get up close to Horseshoe Falls on the Maid of the Mist boat ride, and also reach the closest accessible point of the falls at Cave of the Winds.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in Niagara Falls!

Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina Mountains

The Blue Ridge Parkway is a 469-mile scenic drive offering world-famous, breath-taking views. The road links the Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains National Park and you can explore the scenery here a number of different ways. There’s this photo tour and hike led by a local guide along the parkway, or you could try an alternative guided hike that also passes by three lovely waterfalls.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in the North Carolina Mountains!

Wild Horses Grazing On the Beaches of Corolla, North Carolina

Now here’s a sight that’s unique to North Carolina’s Outer Banks. Ancestors of the wild Spanish Mustangs who wander free here were brought over in the 1500s on Spanish vessels. The horses you see today make up the last remaining wild herd. This two-hour tour of the Outer Banks transports you through the sand dunes in open-air four-wheel drive vehicles to see the wild horses in all their splendor. You’ll also visit a maritime forest and a historic Coast Guard station.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in Corolla!

Multnomah Falls: Bridal Veil, Oregon

There’s an old Native American story that says Multnomah Falls was created for a young princess who wanted a secret place to bathe. This is certainly a place of beauty, with a roaring cascade of over 600 feet, making it one of the tallest waterfalls in the US. If you’re feeling particularly gutsy, walk up the trail to Benson Bridge, which spans the falls and gives you an unobstructed view up to the top—and a stomach-churning view down the roughly 70-foot drop. Tours like this show you around Multnomah Falls and the Columbia River Gorge as part of a half-day excursion from Portland.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals near Bridal Veil!

The Mansions of Newport, Rhode Island

New England oozes an irresistible storybook charm, and there’s no better place to experience it than in Newport, Rhode Island, with its yacht-lined harbor and Gilded Age mansions. You can take a guided trolley tour or simply admire these castles of wealth from the water on a harbor sightseeing cruise. Most tours include a stop at The Breakers, a mansion that housed the Vanderbilts and is among the most impressive of the city’s historic abodes. Alternatively, walk along the famous Cliff Walk and see the mansions from a unique, picturesque perspective.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in Newport!

Charleston’s Historic District: South Carolina

Charleston’s history dates back more than three centuries, so there are plenty of opportunities to explore the fascinating past of this handsome port city. Wander among its antebellum mansions, old churches, and graceful homes, and try a tour of the historic district by horse-drawn carriage. It’s a delightfully old-school experience—you’ll be pulled along by the same kind of horse that worked American farms in the 1800s, while learning about the founding of the city.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in Charleston!

Utah’s National Parks: Arches, Zion, Bryce and More

The Beehive State is home to so many beautiful parks and other stunning natural wonders that it can be a little tricky to narrow down your itinerary. One way to check off several points on your list in one go is this epic seven-day tour of some of the top protected wilderness areas in the country. Along the way, you’ll see Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, and Zion National Park, as part of a thrilling week of hiking and exploring the rock pillars, rivers, and cliffs this area has to offer.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in Utah!

Ruby Beach: Olympic National Park, Washington

Ruby Beach is one of the most visited beaches along the coastline of Olympic National Park in Washington, and is well-known for its reddish sand and little islands of rock, known as ‘sea stacks’. The rugged shoreline, peppered with rocks and driftwood, makes for a memorable afternoon of beachcombing accompanied by gorgeous views.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals near Olympic National Park!

Snoqualmie Falls, Washington

One of the most visited attractions in Washington state is Snoqualmie Falls, attracting more than 1.5 million people a year. The site includes a two-acre park, an observation deck, the Salish Lodge, and, of course, the beautiful 270-foot waterfall. A few tours in the area include visits to the falls, such as this falls and wineries tour and this excursion that also includes Seattle city center.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals near Snoqualmie!

The Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco

One of the most iconic, easily recognizable landmarks in the US is the Golden Gate Bridge, stretching 4,200 feet and towering as high as a 65-story building. It’s an imposing monument and a marvel of engineering skill, as well as a gateway into San Francisco, but you don’t have to just admire it from afar. You could try this cruise departing from Fisherman’s Wharf and gliding close to the bridge, or a guided bike tour from San Fran to Sausalito, taking you right across the bridge itself.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in California!

Kiva Beach: South Lake Tahoe, California

Kiva Beach is a little bit of a hidden gem, and it’s totally worth the trip. Here you’ll get great views of the mountains around it, including Mount Tallac, and it’s also one of the few truly pet-friendly beaches in the area, making it a great place to enjoy the sun, surf, and sand with a furry four-legged companion.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in South Lake Tahoe!

Views From the Griffith Observatory: Los Angeles, California

This public observatory is set on Mount Hollywood within Griffith Park, housing a planetarium, exhibits, public telescopes, and a bookstore. Walk around the back to get sweeping, unobstructed views of the Los Angeles skyline—especially breathtaking at night, when you can see the bright lights of the city sparkling in the distance. There’s a bust of actor James Dean on one side that’s positioned so you can capture it and the famous Hollywood sign in the same shot. The observatory is packaged in multiple tours that take in a variety of Los Angeles landmarks.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals in California!

Yosemite National Park, California

Tucked into the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, Yosemite National Park is known for the natural beauty of its granite cliffs, waterfalls, and ancient sequoia trees. Half Dome and El Capitan are two of the granite cliffs made famous by photographer Ansel Adams. Especially worth a visit are the 317-foot Vernal Fall, beautiful Mirror Lake, and Yosemite Falls, the fifth tallest waterfall in the world. The shops and restaurants of Yosemite Village are also popular.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals near Yosemite!

Bluebonnet Blooms: Spicewood, Texas (Muleshoe Bend Recreation Area)

Muleshoe Bend Recreation Area has plenty of active fun in store for visitors, including a 6.5-mile mountain bike trail. But if you’re after a beautiful display of nature at its best, come in the spring to see the ground blanketed in gorgeous bluebonnet wildflowers. There’s nothing quite like it to make you appreciate the dazzling colors of nature.

Where To Stay: Browse all FlipKey rentals near Spicewood, Texas!

The post 35 Most Beautiful Places To Travel In America (What To See & How To See It) appeared first on The FlipKey Blog.

from Tips For Traveling https://www.flipkey.com/blog/2018/11/26/35-most-beautiful-places-to-travel-in-america-what-to-see-how-to-see-it/