#live laugh laurance zvahl

[gonedreaminggg]

restarting the aphmau rewatch i abandoned

starting at minecraft diaries season 3

wish me luck...

[miatartistry]

For your decision-making purposes!!

Honestly, I adored the fact that Laurence went blind. It added an additional limit to his character, as well as some twisted irony: for someone who places a lot of value on looks/first appearances, how would he have coped with not being able to see reflect on him?

It made me super angry when his blindness was just cured, straight out, even when I was younger and first watching through the series; it didn’t sit right with me. I understand that it’s a universe where magic exists, but magic should also have some limitations, so that would be a neat way to expand upon those limits!! Especially with Zoey, who’s magic is primarily healing-based; you could even go into something deeper, in which Laurence’s sight might be something that he wants but not necessarily needs.

There’s also not a whole lot of canonically disabled characters within the series, anyway, so to have part of the main cast be disabled in any manner would not only be a point for representation, BUT it would also be super fun from a writing and character building standpoint!!

How would his fighting style reflect with his lack of sight? Would he adopt one of Aphmau’s dogs as his own as a seeing eye dog/partner, seeing as his sister took one of her dogs as her own (or heck, maybe Ungrth would stick around more often, “acting as his eyes”)? How would he interact with Garroth, and how would Garroth interact with him, considering his hang ups in the beginning about showing his face? Etc etc

SO SORRY, this got long, I just feel super passionate about this subject specifically lol, and also Laurence; he’s one of my biggest comfort characters. I’m currently writing a blind character of my own, as well, so I’ve got some experience with both it’s challenges portraying it correctly + how it would fit into the narrative :D

Thank you for this amazing response!! I agree that him being blind adds a lot to his character, as someone who takes his own looks very seriously. But that’s not all that it could add. I’m not gonna spoil anything for my rewrite, but I’ll give you a hint: Laurance has a huge affinity for the earth. With this blindness, his senses would be heightened and he would notice just how uncanny this connection of his is (something he even had before this blindness but just wasn’t noticeable). As you said, vision being something he wants but he doesn’t need, just because of this natural connection he has with the Earth. Also, I just think it’d be funny if he could dodge a ditch perfectly but then run into an actual human being right after 💀

More under cut:

I also totally agree about having representation in the main cast. It felt a little weird that his sight was just healed with little to no explanation on how it was done, it almost felt like Jess thought it was an obstacle she wouldn’t be able to write around. Me personally, I’ve never written from a blind persons perspective before, except a little bit from Laurance’s POV in the first chapter of TBATD. It’s a challenge that I really do want to take on though, not only because of the representation (that I hope I can get right, if you have any sources, advice, or experiences you’d want to share let me know!), but also from a character building standpoint:

You brought up how his fighting style would be affected, which I’m thinking about too. Not only would he have to learn how to sense the battlefield, he’d also have to learn new skills and techniques. I’ll do my research and look more into how blind people can fight, but for Laurance I think that’d take a huge toll on his mental health. He has trained basically his entire life, he was the head guard of Meteli. He gets frustrated easily (not only is it just his personality, but his emotions can get sort of out of control because of his Shadow Knight situation), and the beginning of learning how to fight blind would not be easy. Of course he’d have help, presumably from Garroth (more friendship development for those two. They despise each other in my rewrite), but it’d still be super hard and he’d probably be depressed about it.

And more on his his relationship with Garroth, yeah I saw someone post something about Garroth taking off his helm off and for the first time, Laurance just silently feels his face and I think that sort of sealed the deal for me at that point. If you don’t know already, Garroth and Laurance will have a romantic relationship in my rewrite (well, as romantic as rivalry can get), so I can already imagine some really cute scenes for them if Laurance stays blind, as well as some angsty scenes.

Laurance is an amazing character and I’m happy you’re just as passionate about him as I am. He’s a comfort for me definitely lol, ever since I was kid. For your own character, update me on how it goes!! Thank you again for this response. <3

[dilly-dahlia]

Longing for Skies of Blue

pairing: Laurance x fem!Reader

content: mcd seasons 1/2, fluff, angst, bittersweet ending

summary: Laurance Zvahl was your one true love—your Irene given soulmate. But when your one true love goes missing for over a decade, you decide it's best to move on. After you've settled into your new life, though, Laurance returns, and now you're left to grapple with the fact that your lover is not dead.

word count: 9.3k

masterlist

The cold of the wedding band was a stark contrast to the hand that put it on his finger. Your hand was warm, soft. Laurance found himself tangling his fingers with yours, holding onto the comfort and joy of the moment.

He hoped—prayed—that one day the wedding band would be a comfort, too.

“Irene has brought these two souls together. It is with her guidance that the couple standing before us has found the courage to hold each other no matter what comes their way.”

Laurance did the same to you. He picked the silver band from its box and put it on your finger with care. Your gaze had been lowered to watch the action, but when you lifted it there was a smile caressing your features that was brighter than any sun or blessing Laurance had ever seen.

He couldn’t help but give you one of his own, and he intertwined your fingers in a way to hold you closer.

“Legend says that Irene split her soul to give her lover eternal life, so he could stand by her side no matter the cost. We have no proof of this, however it is evident that the relationship shared between Laurance and Y/n is one that has been blessed by the Divine. One that will withstand the trials fate may have in store for them.”

A chuckle left your lips as your lover tried—and failed—to tear the silk fabric on the table in two. His eyes flicked to yours and he found himself laughing as well, complying when you gently took the fabric from his hands.

“Turn it,” you said, and when you did Laurance found it to be much easier to rip the white fabric. Together, the two of you tore it into two pieces. As your lord kept talking, you tied the ends together before handing it to her.

“Let this silk represent the strings of fate that connect these two.” Laurance took your hands in his, his thumbs rubbing soft circles across your knuckles as Lady Aphmau looped the fabric around your joined hands. “This silk will serve as Irene’s blessing on this marriage. It is with this tie that the people of Phoenix Drop . . . the people of Phoenix Drop . . .”

Aphmau stuttered, laughing to herself as she struggled to tie the fabric around yours and Laurance’s hands. She wasn’t new to her duties as lord, but she had never officiated a marriage before. Tying the knot in the way she had been shown was proving to be more difficult than she imagined.

Another laugh slipped past your lips as Garroth approached the altar. He was without his armor and helmet, a rare sight to see. Garroth reached out to guide Aphmau’s hands, effortlessly tying the knot and joining yours and Laurance’s hands.

Aphmau mumbled a brief thanks to him before clearing her throat and continuing. “As I was saying. It is with this tie that the people of Phoenix Drop wish you a happy, prosperous marriage. May Lady Irene take favor with your love and never let you go hungry. May you face minimal hardship, and may your union bring about the hope of joy in the lives of many.”

Aphmau draped another fabric—this one sheer and light blue, the color of the village—over your hands. Laurance’s hands stilled against yours. Instead, he held onto you with a steadfast grip, his hold on you unrelenting and sturdy.

“With the power that has been trusted in me as Lord of Phoenix Drop, I bind this marriage. Laurance Zvahl of Meteli, do you swear to promise yourself to your wife? Do you swear to hold her throughout life, no matter the difficulty you may face?”

Laurance smiled at you, his celestine gaze unwavering. “I do.”

Aphmau repeated the vows to you, turning her head to face you. There was a smile on her face as she spoke to you, asking if you would promise yourself to the conditions marriage posed.

You nodded, uttering a breathless, almost disbelieving, “I do.”

Aphmau bowed her head and took a step back. “Then I, Lady Aphmau of Phoenix Drop, give you my blessing. You may share your first kiss as husband and wife.”

Lotus petals—the flower of Irene—were thrown in the air. The sound of cheers and clapping were drowned out as Laurance kissed you with an unbridled passion and excitement you’d never seen him show before. He slipped his hand out of the knot, out from under the sheer fabric, to reach up and cup your face.

“You’re beautiful,” he mumbled into the kiss, hardly giving you a moment to breathe before his lips were pressed against yours again.

The day was cloudless and you were the picture of perfection against the cerulean sky. Laurance could think of no better atmosphere to get married under, and he hoped the rest of your marriage would bring about the same feeling he felt that day.

He refused to leave your side during the following celebration. He watched his sister and father welcome you into their family with open arms. Cadenza kissed your cheeks and Hayden placed a crown of white lilies on your head—an old tradition in the village of Meteli. Laurance smiled at the sight, pressing a brief kiss to your temple.

“And this is for you,” Cadrnza said once Hayden had gone. She handed you the box she had been holding.

“What is it?” you asked. It was tied with a green ribbon, and you held the end of it between two fingers, poised to open it.

Cadenza gently set her hands on yours, stopping you. “A little surprise for later.”

She winked at you and your eyes widened in embarrassment. You spared a glance to Laurance and found that his cheeks were red, though you weren’t able to look at him long.

Laurance cleared his throat. “Cadenza, that’s hardly appropriate.”

“Get your mind out of the gutter, Laurance,” Cadenza scolded. She rolled her eyes, pushing her long hair behind her shoulder. “My little brother just got married. Am I not allowed to gift him and his wife something they’d both enjoy?”

“Oh,” you squeaked, surprised. Your face heated and you reached up to push the neckline of your dress away from your body in a sad attempt to cool down. “Well . . . Regardless of what it is, we thank you, Cadenza.”

She gave you a warm smile and nodded. She placed an arm over your shoulders and pulled you in for a brief embrace. “Of course. I’m glad you’re the one Laurance chose.” She lowered her voice, whispering in your ear, “Between you and me, though, I don’t quite understand why you chose him, but-“

“Cadenza!” You couldn’t help but chuckle at Laurance’s short outburst. He reached over to playfully swat at his sister, but she effortlessly dodged.

“I’m only saying! Honestly, it’s a wonder you even got married considering how flirtatious you were with every girl you came across.” She scoffed. You could tell she had started getting hot under the sun because she began fanning herself with her hand. “Although, it doesn’t surprise me that Y/n is the one you chose. Irene, you never shut up about her. Every day he’d come home going on about-“

“That’s enough.”

Cadenza laughed, rolling her eyes before leaving you and Laurance alone. She left with the excuse that she was taking too much of your time, but from the way she gave you a wink as she walked away you assumed she’d be back.

Laurance wrapped his hand in yours, bringing it to his lips and leaving a soft kiss against your fingertips. “Ignore her,” he said. “She doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”

“So she was lying when she said you never shut up about me?” you teased, giving Laurance’s hand a squeeze. His cheeks turned pink, and he softly shook his head.

“I will neither confirm nor deny.” You chuckled as Laurance kissed your palm. “All you need to know is that I’ve been smitten with you for quite a while.”

“Oh, I’m sure.”

Laurance led you to a table where you dropped Cadenza’s gift off among he many others placed there. After, you found Lady Aphmau and thanked her for performing your ceremony. She apologized for messing up the knot, but you quickly reassured her by saying that it would only make you and Laurance stronger.

And for a fleeting moment of time, a period that would seem like seconds as the world moved forth, everything was perfect.

—

Laurance’s hands were not soft. They were calloused and the tips of his fingers had hardened from his years spent wielding a sword. Despite that, he brushed his hands against your body like you were a precious statue—one that would break if he applied too much pressure. Despite his rough hands, he took care in making sure to touch you gently.

“I love you,” he mumbled against your lips. You hummed in response, your fingers tangling in his hair. “I’m glad to have you as my wife. I must be the luckiest man in the world to have been able to charm a beauty like you.”

You smiled, pulling away just enough to look into his eyes. They were partially closed, clouded with the love and desire he held for you. That look was always there, but it was even more evident now that the two of you were alone.

You admired him. The slight bump in his nose, the curve of his lips. The way his hair was soft beneath your touch. The way his hands were wrapped around your waist, holding you as close as you could possibly be.

“You should let your hair grow,” you said after a moment. Laurance’s lips turned up.

“Yeah?  You think I should do that?”

His touch—his always gentle touch—travelled up your spine. It was hardly there, making you shiver beneath the brush of his hands.

You nodded. “I liked when you had long hair.”

“You liked when it was orange?”

You huffed in amusement. You played with the strands of his hair, your hands not once faltering in their actions. “Maybe not orange. But I did like when you had long hair.”

Laurance hummed, and he leaned forward to kiss you again. He mumbled an agreement against your lips as he slowly lowered you to the neatly made bed. As his hands traced your figure—slowly and deliberately, as if he was memorizing your form—you relished in the feel of his warm body against yours. You took in every tingle his movement sent up your spine.

You circled back to the brief conversation from earlier. You needed to know if he felt the same toward you for as long as you had. “Cadenza said you never stopped talking about me.”

“I’d prefer it if we kept my sister’s name out of our bedroom,” your husband joked. He smiled down at you, his gaze flitting between the features of your face. “But she wasn’t lying. I do talk about you a lot.”

You couldn’t help but smile, the warmth of the moment enveloping you like a much needed embrace. “You are so in love with me,” you teased.

Laurance rolled his eyes. “And you are just as in love with me, so you can’t say anything.”

He kissed you before you could say anything else. His lips pressed against yours with such desire that you didn’t know what else to do but kiss him back. Again he traced your figure with his hands, his touch and hold filled with such softness you felt like melting.

Laurance pulled away. Just enough to say, “I’d like to see the lace Cadenza gave you.”

You chuckled against his mouth. Your eyes fluttered open and you gently pressed on his chest, pushing him far enough that you could properly look at him. “How do you even know it’s lace? Did you already look, Laurance Zvahl?”

“Why else would she have been so secretive about it?” he replied. He was still smiling. Irene, you loved that smile. “Is it a crime to want to see my wife in lace?”

You playfully scoffed. “Oh, Laurance, you are an insufferable man.”

He huffed in amusement, brushing his lips against yours once more wirh a featherlight touch. “Clearly I’m not insufferable enough. You married me.”

“That I did.” Laurance grabbed your hand, lifting it to his lips to press kisses to your fingers. “And I would do it again.”

He smiled, pressing your palm against his cheek. “Good.”

The two of you stayed like that for a moment. Your hand against Laurance’s face, grounding him. Reminding him that he retained his humanity despite what he had faced in the Nether. His pinky brushed against the band on your wedding finger, and his gaze flitted down to stare at it.

“I’ll get you a nicer one,” he said, noticing that the band had already begun to withstand scratches over months of using your hands. “Something made of more durable silver. Or gold. Diamond, if you want. I’ll get you anything.”

“I don’t care if the ring is paper, my love, so long as you stay beside me.”

Laurance smiled. He couldn’t help it, really. Any time he was with you his heart was filled with insurmountable amounts of joy. A happiness he couldn’t explain, and he found that he wanted to do nothing except hold you close and shower you with all the love he had.

His touch was gentle, as it always was. It stayed gentle, and he took great care in making sure you felt safe. He handled you like a priceless item and whispered praises in your ear, relishing in the way you held him in return.

“I love you,” he breathed. He peppered brief kisses across your face, your neck, your shoulders. Wherever Laurance could reach, he would kiss.

You felt like the luckiest person alive.

“I love you, too.”

—

The embrace you held Laurance in lasted so long that you were the only one left to board the ship. You weren’t entirely sure where it was going, but you had volunteered your help in taking care of the children that went.

Laurance had found you before you went. He’d grabbed into your hand and pulled you close while the ship was being loaded. Now, Zoey was standing at the ramp with Levin in her arms as she waited for you.

After a while, Laurance pressed his lips against your hair. He didn’t even kiss you, he just . . . stayed there.

“Please be safe,” he whispered to you. You couldn’t help but laugh.

“I should be saying that to you. You’re the one going off to fight.”

“I know, but . . .” Laurance took your hands in his and pulled away enough to look at you. He rubbed soft circles across your knuckles with his thumbs. “We’ve only been married four months and already we have to deal with something like this.”

You lightly exhaled, pulling your hands from his to cup his face. “I know, but this isn’t something we can’t handle. I will be safe with Zoey and the others, and I know you’ll come back to me soon enough. My husband is one of the best, after all.”

Laurance chuckled at your playful boasting. He leaned forward to brush a kiss against your lips and for that moment nothing else existed. There was no threat of looming war, no high priest intimidating your village, no worry of the inevitable death that would fall upon many families. For a fleeting second, the world was at peace simply because Laurance held you in his arms.

“This will pass and we’ll look back on this as a brief moment in our lives,” Laurance mumbled against your lips. He rested his forehead against yours, basking in your being. “Wait for me?”

You smiled. “I will. I’ll wait for you as long as it takes.”

“Y/n!” Dale called. You looked back to see him standing over the rail of the boat, urging you to board. “Come on! We have to go!”

You gave him a nod, turning back to Laurance. You smiled at him, leaning forward to kiss him again. One that was more sure. It sealed the promise that you would wait for him.

“Come back safe to me.”

“I will.”

You pecked his lips once more before reluctantly pulling away. Before you did, you gave his hand a firm squeeze.

Laurance watched you run up to the boat and up the ramp. He watched Dale push the ramp away and untie the roped holding the boat to the shore. You stood behind the rail, smiling at Laurance. You gave him a wave, which he returned.

He watched the boat until it was out of sight. Then, Laurance stepped away from the beach.

—

Fifteen years.

That fact hit Laurance differently each time he thought about it. Although, seeing what Meteli had grown into—what his sister rebuilt from the ashes with the help of their father—was the hardest hitting rock yet. He had spent all this time away—all that time that only seemed like minutes to him.

And where were you? Levin hadn’t said anything about you. Neither did Malachi. Dante barely uttered your name and avoided Laurance’s gaze the first time he asked. Dante acted like Laurance hadn’t even spoken any other time you were brought up. Donna had mumbled something about you that he couldn’t quite make out and was too nervous to ask her to repeat. And Cadenza, your best friend, hadn’t spoken a word of your being.

Were you dead? Laurance promised his time away from you would only seem like a fleeting moment on the beach. He promised it would be just a second of borrowed time until everything returned to normal and you were in his arms again. But since so much time had passed . . .

Where were you?

Laurance walked by Aphmau’s side, hand poised above the hilt of his sword, ready to strike at a moment’s notice. Aphmau was talking to Cadenza, though Laurance wasn’t sure what about. He was almost positive he was meant to be listening, but he couldn’t bring himself to. His mind was racing, panicking in the absence of you. You hadn’t been in Phoenix Drop. Cadenza hadn’t said anything about you so he assumed you weren’t in New Meteli, either. Bright Port wasn’t too far. And there was always Scaleswind . . .

It felt like a weight was lifted from his chest when he heard Cadenza say your name. He became even lighter when she said you were living in New Meteli.

Laurance walked with a pep in his step after learning that. It might have been his imagination, but the journey to New Meteli felt quicker than it had been going. He was glad for that. Laurance had always hated traveling.

“Alright,” Cadenza began. In her arms she carried a basket of fresh fruit, going around and offering some to Aphmau and her friends, along with the guards of New Meteli. “Since all of you will be staying for a couple days, we’ll need to figure out sleep arrangements. I can probably take a few people here. Zack, is the guard quarters open at all?”

“I’m afraid not. If they had come any other week then it might, but with the new recruits from the guard academy the guard quarters is filled,” the black-haired guard, Zack, said. Laurance assumed he was the head guard.

Cadenza pressed her lips together, humming to herself as she thought. “Y/n’s still in Bright Port . . .”

“I believe she comes back today,” the blond one said. He was clearly younger than the other two Cadenza had called to her house, and his voice was softer. More timid.

Laurance perked up at your name, and so did Cadenza.

“Does she? Okay, that works out fine, then.” She murmured to herself for a moment. Something about you owning an inn that Laurance and his companions could stay in. “Vincent, will you wait at the gate for her? Oh, and tell her that she has a visitor.”

Vincent bowed his head. “Of course, Lady Cadenza.”

Laurance was glad when Vincent left. He no longer felt that suffocating thickness of air, but he now worried about you. He was afraid that Vincent—no matter how in control he said he was—would become a Shadow Knight and slice your head from your body.

But, he reminded himself, you had been living here for some time. There was no doubt you had been around Vincent, and if Cadenza still spoke your name then it meant he hadn’t killed you. Laurance calmed himself, loosening the hand he had unintentionally clenched.

Everything else that was said went in one ear and out the other. Laurance heard the words exchanged between Aphmau and his sister, but he couldn’t quite pin any sort of meaning to them. And when you followed Vincent through the door, every other sound seemed to dissipate in the air.

Laurance gaped. He almost couldn’t believe it was you. Your eyes were tired, your hair pulled out of your face with a bonnet. Your dress seemed worn and was faded, like it had gone through more uses and washes than it was made for. The sleeves were pulled above your elbows and you wiped your hands on the fabric wrapped around your waist. You looked nothing like the clean, proper girl Laurance had made his wife. Like Cadenza, you had made yourself into a more practical person as the years passed.

However, it was still you. The shape of your eyes was familiar and they still shone as brightly as the sun, despite the circles beneath them. The curve of your lips still made Laurance’s own curl up, and he let out a soft breath of relief.

Your gaze flicked to him. Your expression froze, smile slowly fading. Laurance feared for a moment that you weren’t happy to see him, but he realized it was only shock when you softly gasped and lifted a hand to your lips.

“Laurance?”

—

“Please can we move to Bright Port?“

You chuckled, glancing back at your son. You lifted a hand to protect your eyes from the blazing sun. Your ring sparkled in the light. “Enzo, we are not moving to Bright Port.”

“Why not?” Lorenzo groaned. He leaned back against the wall of the wagon. “There’s way more stuff to do and there’s actually kids my age there. Plus, with that many people, business will be better.”

You rolled your eyes, readjusting your daughter in your arms and turning yourself in the seat so you could face Lorenzo more clearly. “We can’t just up and move, darling. Carlos would have too much to take care of with the inn. Besides, Cadenza is in Meteli. She loves seeing you.”

Lorenzo groaned. “Yeah, but I’ve barely been able to see her since grandpa died.”

“Lady Cadenza has just been busy with adjusting to her duties as lord,” your husband cut in. His hold on the reigns didn’t falter and he kept his eyes on the road ahead, but Lorenzo turned his gaze to him. “Once she gets used to it she’ll want to see you again.”

Lorenzo groaned again. “But she’s been lord for almost two years now.”

“Hey,” you scolded. The gate of Meteli came into view, and you thanked Irene that you only had a couple more minutes. “Being a lord is hard work. Your aunt is still working on rebuilding the village to work in her favor and she’s facing a lot of societal pressure on top of that. Besides, your birthday is coming up. You can bet she’ll want to see you then.”

Lorenzo sighed, slouching down where he sat. It was clear there was more he wanted to say, but the wagon was closing in on Meteli and the conversation would go unresolved anyway. You softly exhaled, reaching back as best as you could to take his hand and squeeze it in comfort.

“We’ll talk more about this later, okay? Maybe you can convince me and Carlos to move.”

Lorenzo gave you a tight lipped smile and dropped the subject. You turned back so you were facing forward, adjusting your baby in your arms accordingly.

“How’s Maureen doing?” Carlos asked, his gaze flicking to you for a moment before turning back.

“She’s slept most of the way. I think the movement helps her,” you mused, brushing your thumb across your daughter’s brow bone. “I remember when Lorenzo was this small. He wouldn’t sleep for anything.” You smiled fondly, glancing back at your son. He had taken to picking at his nails and didn’t look up.

You softly hummed, your fond smile turning into something more bittersweet. As Lorenzo grew, he only looked more and more like his father. It was something that sent a sharp pang through your heart every time you looked at him and realized he was growing into his features. 

“Lady Y/n!” Your head turned at the sound of your name. Carlos pulled the wagon to a stop in front of Meteli’s gate, where Vincent stood. You furrowed your brows in confusion, leaning forward to hear him better. “Lord Cadenza has requested your presence.”

“Really?” She hardly ever called for you if she thought you were on a trip or recovering from one. The last time she summoned you had been two years ago after a brief trip to Phoenix Drop. It had been to tell you and Lorenzo that Hayden was dead. “What for?”

Vincent shrugged. “We recently welcomed a group and she was wondering if you had any space in your inn. She also said there was someone you’d be interested in seeing.”

Now you were even more confused. You stared at Vincent for a moment, mouth slightly agape, before shaking your head and regathering your thoughts. “Of course. She wants to see me right now?” Vincent nodded. You sighed, turning to your husband. “I guess I’ll see you. Get settled at home and then meet me at Cadenza’s house, ‘kay?”

Carlos nodded. He leaned forward to brush a kiss against your temple and take Maureen from your arms. You turned to bid Lorenzo a brief farewell before Vincent helped you down. Once the two of you had gotten out of the way, Carlos urged the horses pulling the wagon forward.

“Did she say who I’d be interested in?” you questioned, walking by Vincent’s side.

He shook his head. “She didn’t say who, but I think it’s someone you used to know.”

You hummed. You ran through a list of people in your head, but you couldn’t think of anyone that would want to see you. You had just come back from visiting a friend in Bright Port. You had seen the residents of Phoenix Drop not too long ago. Nicole often exchanged letters with you to keep track with each other’s lives, and anyone else you could think of wasn’t someone you had built a relationship with before.

So who was it?

You were laughing at something Vincent had said as he pushed open Cadenza’s front door. Your laughter rang like a bell throughout the foyer and living room as you stepped inside and swept your gaze over the room.

And then your eyes caught sight of familiar faces—ones you hadn’t seen in over a decade. Your laughter and smile slowly died as your gaze ran over Aphmau. And then Katelyn, and Emmalyn. And then . . .

You softly gasped, lifting your hand to your mouth. You couldn’t believe your eyes. Right there—right in front of you—stood the husband you thought had been dead. Right in front of your eyes was the man that made you feel alive and in love all those years ago.

And he looked exactly the same as he did when you departed at the docks of Phoenix Drop. You must have been dreaming. No one could look so . . . unchanged after fifteen years of living.

“Laurance?” Your voice was breathless, his name coming out as a disbelieving whisper from your lips. You stood frozen, not knowing whether to jump for joy or back away from something that was so obviously not real.

Laurance stood. He nudged Cadenza, who had been talking with Aphmau, out of the way and was in front of you in a moment. His hands were on your arms, almost like he was making sure you were real. You found it ironic, since he was the one that had disappeared for fifteen years.

His lips were on yours before you could even form a coherent thought. He held you like he had been waiting. All the while you still had a hard time knowing if he was real. You heard Cadenza gasp and softly curse to herself.

You stayed frozen, not knowing what to do. Not knowing whether to kiss him back or stay still as a statue. Whether to push him away or bring him closer. The back of your neck burned, and you found yourself choosing to pull away for a breath of air.

Neither of you said a word. You spent a moment just looking at each other, taking each other in. Tears sprung to your eyes and you took a strangled breath. You cover your mouth to muffle it and take in the moment further, sure that you were dreaming.

That’s when Laurance saw it—the golden band embellished with a circle diamond on your finger. His gaze hardened, and once again it hit him that you hadn’t seen him for fifteen years, no matter how short that time felt for him.

Laurance could only afford to buy you a silver ring—one that easily dented and scratched—but during that time away you had found someone that could get you better. Someone that could provide you with stability and wealth.

You had lived what seemed to be an entire lifetime without him.

“Are you real?” you found yourself whispering, slowly lowering your hand. Your voice came out quiet, scared, almost. Like the dream would shatter if you acknowledged its illusion.

Laurance found it in himself to nod. “I am. I’m here, Y/n.”

“Oh, my Irene,” you gasped, covering your mouth again. You still couldn’t believe it. You had dreamed of the moment you would be able to hold Laurance in your arms again. You dreamed of the moment you would be able to sit with your old lover and tell him everything that had happened. The moment you would spill all of your grievances and regrets to him. The stolen moment where you told him he had a son.

Tears slipped from your eyes, falling in hot streaks down your cheeks. You didn’t know what to do. You had imagined your reunion over and over, hundreds of times before. You rehearsed what you would say, guessed what Laurance would say, but now that the unbelievable moment was staring you in the face, you didn’t know what to do.

“Thank you, Vincent.” You hardly processed the sound of your husband’s voice ushering Lorenzo into Cadenza’s house. Standing there, barely a foot across from Laurance, made the rest of the world disappear in the same way it did fifteen years ago on your wedding day. The rest of the world disappeared the same way it did that day on the beach, the last time you saw him.

“Mom, are you okay?” Lorenzo placed a gentle hand on your shoulder, pulling you out of your astonished stupor. You softly gasped again, turning to face your son. The spitting image of his father.

You managed to softly nod, your gaze flicking between him and Laurance. You still found it hard to believe. You could walk to the grave you had given Laurance, and yet here he was. You never imagined you’d be able to see him standing next to his son.

You cleared your throat, nodding more surely. “I’m fine,” you said with a hoarse voice. “Fine. Uhm, Carlos.”

Your husband stepped forward. He held Maureen in his arms, but the moment you held your arms out for her, he handed his daughter over. He stayed close, however, and wrapped an arm around your shoulder.

“I’m right here,” he whispered, only loud enough for you to hear it. You nodded, unable to meet his gaze as you held Maureen close. There was no doubt that he recognized Laurance. You and Cadenza had both shown Carlos pictures of him. You’d both told him about the man you thought had been dead.

You swallowed the pit in your throat. “This is Carlos,” you said, nodding slightly to the man next to you. “My . . . husband.”

You struggled to say that last word. It felt weird to say, even though it never had been before. The entire situation felt surreal, and the way everyone else in the room seemed to be closely watching the interaction didn’t help.

You watched Laurance’s mood change. It was evident in the way his eyes dulled and his brows pulled together by just a fraction. Despite that, Laurance played nice and held his hand out for Carlos to shake.

After the two shook hands and exchanged pleasantries in meeting, you motioned to the baby in your arms. “This is my daughter, Maureen.” Laurance smiled at her, the same one you had fallen in love with years ago. Finally, you lifted your hand and placed it on your son’s shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze. You took a breath, your voice softening as you spoke. “And this is Lorenzo, my son. Lorenzo, this is Laurance.”

Realization flashed across both of their faces. Laurance’s gaze flitted all across your son’s face, recognizing the bump in his nose, the curve of his lips, the line of his brows, the shape of his eyes. Even Lorenzo’s hair and eye color was a near copy to what Laurance had seen countless times in the mirror.

Lorenzo’s head turned to face you so fast you were almost surprised his neck didn’t snap. His brows were pulled together, bunching in the exact same way Laurance’s did. “You told me he was dead,” he said.

“I thought he was,” you whispered. Carlos hadn’t said another word, but the weight of his arms across your shoulders served as a way to ground you. Even if you felt like you were going to shatter any moment.

“Lorenzo, how old are you?” Laurance asked. The crease in your son’s brow smoothed as he looked at Laurance. The action nearly sends you down a spiral.

“Fourteen,” he replied. “I turn fifteen in three weeks.”

Laurance’s eyes slightly widened. His gaze flicked to you, his celestine eyes seeming to search in the depths of your heart for any sort of information. “Is he . . . ?”

You nod, suddenly feeling very overwhelmed. Seeing your son and former lover standing together was something you never thought you’d experience. Not only was it like you were seeing double with how identical they looked, but for the past fifteen years you had grappled with the fact that one of them was dead.

You opened your mouth to speak, but a soft cry fell from your lips instead. It was completely involuntary, and the small action made you realize that you couldn’t handle whatever was happening, dream or not.

“I can’t do this.” You had whispered it to yourself, but Carlos heard your comment and in response softly squeezed your shoulder. The weight of his arm fell away and he reached for your daughter without being asked.

“Go outside and take a moment to breathe and clear your mind. I’ve got Maureen, my love,” he told you. You didn’t move for a moment, marvelling in the fact that your husband somehow knew what you needed. You sniffed, softly nodding before turning and leaving Cadenza’s house.

For a long moment, you paced up and down the steps to Cadenza’s front door, trying to get control of your breathing and stop yourself from crying. You realized that wasn’t happening, though, and sat yourself on the bottom step. You pulled your knees to your chest and wrapped your arms around them, laying your head against your crossed arms and allowing yourself to cry.

You hardly heard the door open and close behind you. It wasn’t long until you felt someone sit beside you and place a gentle hand in the middle of your back, rubbing small circles as a way to comfort you. When you looked up to see who it was, Cadenza offered you a soft smile.

“Are you alright?” she asked, her voice hushed. You lifted your head and used the heels of your hands to wipe at your tear stained cheeks.

“Of course not,” you bluntly replied. Despite yourself, you laughed. A headache was starting to form behind your eyes, so you closed them and began rubbing your temples to soothe it. “Cadenza, this isn’t real. It can’t be. He- Laurance is dead. He’s been dead for fifteen years, I- How is he here?”

“I know,” your friend said. She wrapped her arm around your shoulders properly, pulling you closer so she could embrace you. “He came into Meteli with Aphmau and everyone else a few hours ago. He and Aphmau explained that they got stuck in the Irene dimension.”

You scoffed, opening your eyes and facing her. “The Irene dimension? Seriously, Cadenza? I’m supposed to believe that he was not only in another dimension, but that he was in a dimension that not even the most knowledgeable scholars of Irene believe is a real place?”

Cadenza pressed her lips into a line. “I still don’t fully believe it myself. But, it makes sense, doesn’t it? All those theorists say a minute there is a year in our world . . . Besides, it’s what everyone that went missing is saying, so maybe it isn’t so unbelievable.”

“Well it’s ridiculous.” But was it really? Both you and Laurance had been devout followers of Irene. On more than one occasion the two of you had entertained conversations about sanctuaries she created for herself—ones where she could rest without the hassle of mortals. She was a Divine Warrior, and Enki did know how to create other worlds.

You considered the fact that Laurance was in this other dimension. “If . . . If I had known he were still alive I would have waited.” Even though you promised him all those years ago that you would.

Cadenza didn’t need you to elaborate. She knew that you would have waited for him to come back, no matter how long it took. In response to your comment, she huffed. “And waste the time you spent building the life you have now?”

“It would have been different if I had known that Laurance was alive.”

“Even so, there would have been no telling how long you would have been waiting,” Cadenza stated. “You would have spent fifteen years being miserable and missing him? You would give up everything you remade for yourself? Your husband, your children.”

Cadenza’s words hit you. She was right, as much as you didn’t want to admit it.

“You are who you are because Laurance was dead,” she continued. You stared off at the village paths, watching citizens walk along the road. They were accompanied by children or pets or lovers, and something about it reminded you that everyone lived their own life. “Lorenzo is who he is because his father was dead. You cannot let yourself dwell on what could have been, Y/n, because there is no way we could know how waiting for him would have turned out.”

She stopped talking, allowing you a moment to stew in her words. After a minute, you sighed and closed your eyes again.

You wished with all your being that you could have waited for him. You wished that life had gone just a little differently, that one small thing would be changed in the past. Where would that put you now? Surely you’d still be happy with Laurance and your child.

But Cadenza was right. Dwelling on what ifs wouldn’t help anyone, and the realization made your eyes burn.

“I don’t know what to do,” you whispered, your voice cracking as you fought another wave of tears.

Cadenza squeezed your shoulder again. “Just do your best. That’s all you can do.”

You gave her a soft nod, letting out a heavy breath. 

You and Cadenza sat together on the bottom step leading to her house for what might have been hours. Neither of you spoke. Neither of you needed to. You both knew that you simply needed to be together in that moment because reflecting on it, what had she been thinking when she saw that she hadn’t lost all the family she’d ever known? She had you and Lorenzo, of course, but you couldn’t replace Laurance and Hayden and Joh and you knew that.

You wrapped your own arm around Cadenza’s shoulder and rested your heads against each other. You had always been each other’s support. She was there for you throughout both of your pregnancies. You had been there for her during the death of both her fathers. Together, the two of your mourned the loss of Laurance.

And you would continue to support each other, no matter what happened.

—

Hours later, long after the sun had set and you had recuperated with Laurance and your family, you found yourself basking in the soft breeze in a meadow on the outskirts of New Meteli beneath the stars.

Laurance had told you everything. He started with the war, explaining how he watched you sail off with Zoey and the other women and children of Phoenix Drop. He said he had been completely unaware that you were pregnant, just as you had been.

He went on to detail Garroth’s betrayal and how it led them to the Irene dimension. He told you about the battle and how Zoey rescued them. When he shared that they had to leave Garroth behind in order to prevent Zane from also leaving, you teared up. Laurance told you that he and the group that went had been trying to figure out how to get him back.

After that, you had gone home for a bit. The six of them followed your family to the inn and settled in their respective rooms. Lorenzo turned in after tucking Maureen into bed, which left you and Carlos.

You told him everything from that day. When you told him that Laurance had kissed you and that you had considered kissing him back, Carlos didn’t blame you. He said that if Mary Ann suddenly came back to life, then he likely would have done the same. You had smiled and kissed his cheek, saying you were thankful he understood your situation.

“I love you, Carlos,” you had told him. He had pulled you into an embrace and planted a kiss on your temple.

“I know you do,” he had said, rubbing your arm. “I love you, too, but I also know what it’s like to lose a spouse.”

“You’re not mad at me?”

“I could never be. Not for something like this.”

Now, you sat in a meadow. Your eyes were closed and you welcomed the chill of the breeze around you. You didn’t know how long you had been sitting there, but it had been long enough for you to mostly clear your mind and regather yourself.

“I thought I’d find you here.” You opened your eyes and turned your head. Laurance approached you, his old armour shimmering under the moonlight. “You always did like contemplating in nature’s company. Especially beneath the stars.”

You couldn’t help but let a small smile grace your lips as Laurance settled himself beside you. “I guess no matter how much time passes, some things don’t change.”

He hummed. The moment reminded you of your first couple rendezvous with him. The ones where you were aware of each other’s feelings but too shy to act on any of them.

Laurance blew out a breath. “So.”

“So.”

Laurance chuckled, looking up at the stars. “How have the past fifteen years been?”

You softly shook your head, glancing down at where your hands were intwined in your lap. You picked at your cuticles as you spoke. “Good, I suppose. I had Lorenzo. I stayed with Dante for a bit in Phoenix Drop before deciding to help Cadenza and Hayden rebuild. After a while I met Carlos. We got married, had a daughter . . . You know.”

Laurance hummed again. He kept his stare trained on the sky, tracing the constellations he knew. “Carlos . . . Is he good to you?”

You nodded. “The best. He grounds me when I go too high, makes me breakfast every morning. He treats Lorenzo like his own son.” You smiled fondly, finally looking up to Laurance. “He’s a lot like you, actually.”

“A hopeless romantic and flirt?” You laughed, but nodded all the same. Laurance brought himself to meet your gaze and a smile graced his features. “Wow, you really do have a type.”

“Oh.” You reached forward to playfully smack him in the shoulder, and suddenly you were reminded of why you had fallen in love with Laurance in the first place.. He was so easy to talk to. It didn’t take much for you to be charmed by him and the two of you never had a dull moment. You playfully rolled your eyes. “He’s a lot like me, too, so it isn’t just that.”

“How so?”

You shrugged. “We’re in the same boat. His wife succumbed to an illness eight years ago. Her name was Mary Ann. It was actually why he came to New Meteli in the first place. He had been living in Borobos with Mary Ann and her family, but once she died he decided to come back to his own family.” You looked back down at your hands, picking at your nails again. “It’s actually how we started talking. I told him I knew how he felt and told him about you. He told me about Mary Ann, and we just kinda . . . went from there.”

“But you’re happy with him?” There was a lightness to Laurance’s voice. It almost seemed as if he hoped your answer was no so he could swoop in and save you.

You nodded, looking up to meet his gaze. “I am.”

Laurance pressed his lips together and didn’t say anything else. The two of you spent a moment in silence, just looking at each other. You looked at the man you had lost so long ago and Laurance admired the woman you had become.

“What’s Lorenzo like?” he asked after a long moment.

You smiled, pushing hair out of your face and pulling it over your shoulder. “Surprisingly a lot like his father,” you teased. A breath of amusement fell from your lips. “He’s incredibly restless, always wanting to help others. He says he wants to become a guard.”

Laurance’s lips curled up. “Just like his dad.”

You laughed, tears pricking at your eyes. You reached up to wipe them away before they had a chance to fall. “Yes, just like his dad.” Another moment of silence passed. The breath you took broke it. “You’ll be proud of him.”

“I’m sure.” Laurance noticed the tears building on your waterline and reached forward to brush his thumb against your cheek. After a fleeting touch, you pulled back and turned your head away. Defeated, Laurance let his hand drop. “What’s your daughter’s name?” he asked after a tense second.

“Maureen,” you replied. “We named her after Mary Ann since Carlos didn’t have a kid with her. And because Lorenzo is named after you.”

“He is?” You nodded. “Why?”

You let out a heavy breath, looking back down at your lap. “I was scared that if he ended up looking like me then you’d be gone forever.”

Laurance softly laughed to himself, trying to make light of the situation. “Well, he’s the spitting image of me.” The comment made you laugh as well. “Honestly, I looked at him and thought I was looking in a mirror.”

“I know,” you laughed. “I’m glad he does. It’s a reminder that you’ve been with me all these years.” You sniffed, shaking your head and looking up at the sky. The tears burned in your eyes more persistently, and you hoped that looking up would stop you from crying. “Oh, I was so mad when he came out with blue eyes and brown hair. He looked nothing like me, and when he was born I thought you had just . . . left me. I didn’t want Lorenzo to be a painful reminder of that.”

“And yet, you named him after me?”

You waved him off. “Don’t question what I was thinking. I was pregnant.”

The two of you laughed. For a moment, you were taken back to when you first met. The easy conversation and laughs, the way Laurance could pull any response from you that he wanted despite how nervous you made him

When your laughter died you sniffed, wiping your eyes and turning to look at him. “It’s really nice to see you again, Laurance.”

And just like that you were crying. You tried not to—you really did—but the bizarreness of the entire situation made you unable to hold anything back. Laurance reached forward and you let him pull you into his arms. It was an embrace you had missed for fifteen years. One you never thought you’d feel again so you let yourself be pulled in the moment. You let yourself, for just that moment, pretend that Laurance hadn’t been gone for fifteen years. You let yourself pretend that the two of you had stayed together, that you had waited for him. For a moment, you imagined what that life might have been like.

“I love you,” Laurance,” you softly said once you were able to catch a full breath. His arms tightened around you and he hid his face in the top of your head. “There will always be some part of my heart that belongs to you for the rest of my life. But I’m not the same person as I was. I’ve grown and have come to accept that you died, and . . .”

You trailed off. Now you knew he wasn’t dead. You knew seeing him wasn’t just another dream. You knew that, if you really wanted to, you could take him back as your husband. But . . . You didn’t want that. You were happy with Carlos. You understood each other and had helped each other grieve. Maybe if you hadn’t married Carlos, if you had stuck by your promise and just waited for Laurance, you’d have taken him back. But nothing could replace the relationship you had built with Carlos.

“I can’t be with you again,” you said. It was hard to say, especially when Laurance held you in his arms. “And it’s not because-”

“It’s alright.” You were almost thankful Laurance cut you off because you weren’t sure what you were going to say. “I understand. You thought I was dead, and before that you thought I’d deserted you. I don’t blame you for moving on.”

You nodded against him, letting go of the breath that had been caught in your throat. It felt as if a weight had been lifted from your shoulders.

“I’m sorry I didn’t wait for you,” you said. It wasn’t something you felt guilty about, but you still felt that you owed Laurance that apology.

“Don’t be. You had no way of knowing I would come back. Or when, for that matter. I would rather you move on than spend fifteen years being miserable and lonely while waiting for me.”

You hummed, a faint smile painting itself on your lips. “That’s what Cadenza told me after Dante’s daughter was born.”

Laurance laughed, the sound giving you the same feeling as hearing the birds chirping on the first day of spring. “Cadenza was right. Maybe it’s because she’s my sister.” You laughed, finally pulling yourself out of Laurance’s embrace so he could see the way you teasingly rolled your eyes. As you reached up to dry your cheeks, Laurance caught sight of your golden ring and a wistful smile found itself on his face. “Are you really happy with Carlos?”

You nodded. “I am, Laurance. I’m so happy with him.”

“Then don’t worry about us.” He reached up to give your shoulder a comforting squeeze. “As long as you’re happy with Carlos and he treats you right, then our time has passed. You’ve moved on from me, and it’s clear you don’t love me in the same way you did.”

You smiled at him. “Thank you for making this easier.”

“It would be cruel of me to make it more difficult. I know it’s already hard seeing me again.” You nodded in response. This time the silence that enveloped the two of you was comfortable. There was a new air of resolve and you no longer felt any pressure. “My only request is that you and Carlos let me spend time with Lorenzo. I know he also thought I was dead, but . . . I’d like to be a father to him.”

You laughed, finding it ridiculous that Laurance thought you would take that away from him. “Of course I will, Laurance. I was actually thinking about letting him go back to Phoenix Drop with you, if that’s alright.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. You could show him all the places that are important to you. Tell him what they mean.”

Laurance smiled. This time, he looked like he was about to cry. He lifted a hand to rub the back of his neck and nodded. “That would be nice.”

Maybe in another timeline you were still happily married to Laurance. Maybe the two of you were still in Phoenix Drop, living happily with Lorenzo and a happy girl named Mona and another boy named Daniel. The two of you would be living in a house built on the shore with the help of Lady Aphmau and Garroth and Dante and whoever else had decided to pitch in. Every day Laurance would go off to fulfill his duties as second in command and every day he would come home and greet you with a kiss. The two of you would spend dinner with your children every day.

He would hold you just as gently as he always had. You’d laugh against each other’s lips and every night he would hold you close in his arms. The two of you would age together and watch your children grow, living life in the same way you had.

But that wasn’t in this lifetime. In this lifetime, you had mourned the loss of Laurance and healed from it. Part of you would always belong to him, as you had said, but it was no longer the right time for your love. You had grown into a different person, one you weren’t sure Laurance would like the same way he did.

You were okay with that. Your love had run its course and it was time to grow apart. You would stay in each other’s life, but no longer would your fates be entangled as it was years ago.

Sometimes, when the day was cloudless and the sky was cerulean, Laurance would look up and wonder what that life would be like. He would yearn for a life where he hadn’t disappeared for fifteen years and sometimes he would beg the Divine to give him back the lost time. They never answered, and Laurance was left feeling like a fool for wishing for something that was so far out of his reach.

But as time passed, he would long for those dreamlike days less and less. He would learn to grow with you not as a lover, but as a companion. It would take a long time, but Laurance would find happiness in the days that had become his reality. He would eventually find it in himself to feel content, even if this was far from what he wanted.

No matter how much time passed, though—no matter how at peace he felt with the life he was living—some part of Laurance would always long for skies of blue.

this idea came to me as I was listening to “Daydream” by Elliot James Reay and i literally rushed to write it

also sorry that this is so long I got excited while writing it :( i hope you guys enjoyed though and that you aren’t too sad anywayssssss

TAGGING: @mellozhi @garrothswiferealnotfake @lilfarquad if you’d like to be added to the mcd or laurance taglist (or any other one) comment or DM to let me know!!

[ink-bunny2]

Mystreet has brilliant potential as a more “innocent and casual” modern au of Diaries to be the universe that heals all the heavy scars that Diaries left behind.

In Mystreet, Laurance’s dads are both alive and the Zvahl family lives as a very happy nuclear family. Sasha and Laurance had a small grudge in their childhood over Laurance leaving the gang in his freshman year, but when they’re older they make up and stay close friends.

Zane and Aphmau used to bicker a lot in their childhood (and very much still do on occasion in their adulthood), but somehow ended up forming a tight-knit friendship over their shared autism I mean interests, making Aphmau one of Zane’s first ever friends. Zane ends up becoming deeply loyal to Aphmau as a true and genuine friend, who would do anything for her and do his best to keep her from harm when the chips fell down. He becomes integrated into Aphmau’s group of found family. He could never dream of hurting her.

Garroth and Zane struggled in their childhood to connect, with Zane’s constant attempts to push everyone away and appear guarded and non-vulnerable, but when dire circumstance finally forced Zane to put his ego aside and open up for once in his life, they do end up connecting and becoming incredibly close as brothers. ((GUYS. REVERSE OF THE IRENE DIMENSION SCENE IN STARLIGHT GUYS. INSTEAD WE HAVE GARROTH FIGHTING HIS LITTLE BROTHER WHILE ZANE BEGS THAT THERES STILL GOOD IN HIM AND TO COME BACK TO HIM AND BE BROTHERS AGAIN. THEY REVERSE THE ROLES IN MYSTREET. AND THIS IS HOW THEY HEAL. FUCK YEAH))

Jeffory lives. And though he and Katelyn still had their break-up, in their later years they still keep in touch, occasionally seeing each other again as Jeffory is invited to house parties and holiday celebrations. He’s happily married to a new wife, who doesn’t die, and raises his daughter in peaceful bliss. He and Zane never meet.

Gene becomes a good guy. More specifically, he becomes a caring older brother and partner. There’s never any point where he and Dante don’t keep in contact. In his childhood, Gene was an edgy emo prick desperate to be cool and superior through manipulation and blackmail, but he mellows out a lot in his 20s, because in this universe, he doesn’t have any reason to keep fighting. Life is good, no one ever betrayed him (aside from Laurance leaving the gang, but when he’s an adult his perspective on that changes from “how could you leave us for a goody-two-shoes PREP life” to “yeah that was very understandable tbh we were NOT a healthy clique lmao”), he was never killed, no one is making him fight for anything, nothing is there to make him bitter and angry and vengeful. There’s nothing to avenge. So he’s happy. He loves his little brother, he loves tormenting him and teasing him, but at the end of the day he would die for him. He loves his doting parents, he’s a happily married polyamorous husband to both Zenix and Sasha forever and I will die on that hill, he reconnects with Laurance and apologizes for all the trouble they had in their youth. Laurance forgives him with a laugh and a joke, the two hug it out, and stay acquaintances. Laurance forms a closer bond with both Zenix and Sasha as a result.

Zenix and Garroth are best friends, especially when they’re adults. It takes them a bit, because in highschool I imagine Garroth would know Zenix as “one of the kids in that mean-looking ruffian gang that made my boyfriend Laurance cry, so fuck you” or even alternatively, if you’ll allow me to be a bit more self-indulgent, “that’s Zane’s weird little friend that comes over sometimes and is very loud and breaks things on occasion.” But like. they can’t NOT be friends in this universe. they should get to maintain their old bond in this universe. Where Zenix is like an additional little brother to the Ro’meave family. Once they become friends, they never have any fallout or problems, they stay friends, and Zenix is very worried about whatever the hell went down on Starlight and very badly wants to make sure that Garroth is okay.

This is the universe where the Diaries characters and their relationships in Diaries are allowed to happen again, but this time, it happens without any of the conflict that tore people apart. There’s no war to fight, there’s no shadow knights that do dastardly things, there’s no heaven and hell colliding that forces people to pick sides—they just get to live. And if life is good and normal and happy for all of them, how do they change? What bonds never die, that did prior? They all get to be friends in ways that they never could before. Zane never goes on a murdering spree antagonizing all of Phoenix Drop for years, so he’s able to meet Nana and the two fall in love, when in Diaries the two never even met. They were always too far apart to have met (and frankly I bet Diaries Nana would have a lot more violent words to say to the man that terrorized her best friend and new home). Zane becomes friends with Aphmau, of all people. Laurance keeps Sasha as a close friend. They heal, man.

travis is an exception to this rule though, he does not get to heal in this universe. it gets worse for him actually

[chackyxyooj]

For Me, It's Enough

Laurance | MS, Smut, Reader Request

→ “I know better than to call you mine.” - Let’s Fall in Love for the Night, FINNEAS

╭──────────.★..─╮

Pairing: MS!Laurance X Reader

WC: 1.1k

CW: Suggestive themes ahead - nothing too explicit.

Event Masterlist

╰─..★.──────────╯

Laurance allows one of his hands to cup your face while the other drifts down to your hip. He can’t help but look at your lips longingly while being unsure of whether he should close the gap. To reunite with a friend after the better part of a decade is one thing, but to reunite with his sister’s best friend from highschool? That was a completely different matter.

What had begun as a morning grocery run quickly spiralled into an impromptu-friend-date when he bumped into you. Laurance has always been a fan of being spontaneous, so dropping everything to hang out with you was the obvious choice! As much as you were his sister’s best friend, you were Laurance’s friend too. It’s only natural that Laurance would want to hang out with you if you were in town!

From brunch to the park to the front door of your house, Laurance has been loving every single second with you. You’re just as funny and charming as he remembered, thank Irene, but there’s one thing about you that’s changed.

Laurance has always found you pretty, but the years have allowed you to grow into your looks in a way that makes it impossible to deny your beauty. He was able to hold himself back from any overly flirtatious comments that would’ve taken you by surprise, but he couldn’t say goodbye without giving you at least one slightly-more-than-friendly compliment.

One compliment turned into five and suddenly his quick goodbye turned into something more.

Maybe it’s because you could feel his reluctance to leave but you invited Laurance inside. Now it seems that this impromptu-friend-date was slowly encroaching the point of no return.

“Laurance?” You call the boy’s name so effortlessly, and the smile you wear perfectly encapsulates all of the best parts about you. If not for the way that you lean into his touch then Laurance is sure he’d forget where he was in the first place. “Laurance Zvahl? Are you there?”

Laurance forces himself to look at your eyes. “W-what?” He asks.

You quietly laugh and pull yourself closer to Laurance’s body. “I was just asking if you wanted to kiss me. It’s okay if you say no.”

Laurance would be lying if he said he never wanted to kiss you right now. Hell, he’d be lying if he said he’s never wanted to kiss you at all! But as things stand, he’s not sure if he should. Something about the way you look up at him… Laurance just knows that if he leans down to kiss you, he’ll end up wanting more than just a kiss.

Laurance knows himself. He knows he’s the kind of person who loves to give in to his whims and live his life by the seat of his pants. That may not be the kind of person you think he is, but that’s the kind of person he’s deemed himself to be - and the fact that you may think differently is the very reason why he knows this is a bad idea.

You’re the kind of person who deserves stability and trust, not Laurance’s perceived ego and recklessness. Simply put, Laurance knows better than to call you his. He shouldn’t.

Not even for a moment.

And yet, your pleading eyes all but pull him in - Laurance allows himself to be pulled in. He lets you pull him down to your level and press your lips against his for a single kiss.

One kiss he said. Laurance said he’d only allow himself to give you one kiss, but he can’t get enough of your taste. He can’t resist the soft feeling of your lips nor the gentle tugging of your hands. He doesn’t want to resist you. Not in the slightest.

One kiss turns into five and suddenly his hand has slipped beneath the hem of your shirt.

The boy uses the tips of his fingers to gingerly caress the side of your waist. Your skin is soft beneath his hand, and the way you gasp makes him chuckle. Everything about you is so dangerously addicting. He wants you. Laurance wants you to want him.

With just that thought alone Laurance can’t bear to pull himself away from you. He chases your lips with his own and steals as many kisses as he possibly can - as many kisses as you’ll let him have. Even when you pull away to catch your breath, Laurance wants more. He trails kisses down your jaw and neck until his lips reach the fabric of your shirt. He’s about to pull your shirt up to expose what lies beneath, but he doesn’t. Laurance finally manages to stop himself.

With the hand he has tucked beneath the fabric of your shirt, Laurance trails his fingers back down your torso and looks up to meet your gaze. He finds you rather cute like this - with your eyes carefully watching his movements and anticipating every second that comes next. But when he doesn’t do what you think he’ll do, you can’t help but pout.

“Laurance?” You ask, his name falling from your lips so easily. “Is something wrong?”

The boy can tell you’re trying your best not to look away. He can’t help but smile to himself before giving your lips a quick little peck. “Nothing’s wrong.” He assures you. “I just wanted to make sure that you’re okay.”

“I’m okay.” You use one of your hands to rake through the boy’s brown locks of hair. “Are you?”

“Depends on what you define as being okay.” Laurance caresses your jaw slowly - maybe even affectionately. “I want you so damn badly, but I don’t know if you feel the same way.”

This time it seems it’s your turn to laugh, and you do. Your voice trickles out in an amused fashion and you lean forward to pepper a few kisses against Laurance’s face. One against his temple, one against his cheek, and one on the underside of his jaw. “I want you, Laurance. I know you probably won’t stay with me, but I want you. Even if it’s just for tonight, I’ll let you call me yours.”

“Don’t say that.” Laurance pleads as he rests his forehead against yours. “All it’s going to do is make me want you even more.”

“I know.” Your admission causes Laurance to look up at you abruptly. He doesn’t know what he was expecting you to say, he doesn’t even know what he would want you to say, but the look in your eyes says it all. Though there’s a hint of pleading, it’s also a rather knowing look. The both of you know how much you meant what you said.

How can Laurance hope to deny you or himself when you look at him in such a way? The boy knows better than to call you his - he really does!

He couldn’t, and he really shouldn’t, but he will.

[xerith-42]

Request: smthing with trans laur plz

One transgender Laurance Zvahl coming right up!!

Featuring Cadenza being a good sister because that's my weakness. Take this as a teenaged age Laur and Cadenza.

"Laurance, I have a gift for you!!" Cadenza called out as she marched into their home. She was met with silence. "Laurance?!"

"He's out with your father," Hayden answered from their kitchen. Cadenza groaned in an exaggerated manner, stomping into their living room to flop onto their sofa.

"I told Laur I wouldn't be long! Why did he leave?!"

"You and Glenda have been gone for hours."

"Because I was trying to make something perfect for him!"

"And what did you make?"

"You'll have to see it when he does. When are they getting back?"

"They shouldn't be much longer. I just needed a few spices for tonight's dinner."

"And what's for dinner?"

"You'll have to see when it's done." Cadenza groaned again, but she caught a whiff of whatever it was when Hayden opened the lid to their stew pot. Whatever it was smelled divine. "It's sweet of you to do all of this for your brother."

"Of course. The first piece of clothing I ever made was a dress for him. I want him to know that even if he's not going to model my dresses anymore, I'm still making clothes for him."

"I know he'll appreciate it. Why don't you work on clearing the table and making it nice for when he gets back?" Again, Cadenza groaned in irritation, but peeled herself from their sofa and trudged into their dining area to do as her dad had told her.

It was as she was setting out their dinnerware and folding their napkins into little flowers that she heard their door be kicked open.

"We're back!" Joh called out.

"Welcome home!" Cadenza shouted, quickly dashing into the main room. Sure enough, Joh moved past her with a handful of goods from the market, while Laurance was sat at their door unlacing his boots. He glanced up at Cadenza but didn't say anything, lest he break his focus. So she waited. Not patiently, but she waited, rocking back and forth on her feet as her brother took his sweet time.

"Is there something you want from me?" Laurance questioned as he finally stood up.

"Yes! I've been waiting for you to get back!" Cadenza complained. "Come on, I have something to show you." She practically dragged her brother into their living room where she grabbed a pile of fabric from the sofa. "So, you know how my first clothing I ever made was a dress for you?"

"Yes?? Where are you going with this?" Cadenza held out a white and gold tunic, lined with a fine black silk, paired with a hand stitched set of pants that tapered at the ankles to account for Laurance's boots. The whole ensemble was decidedly masculine in nature, something Cadenza wouldn't be caught dead wearing, and unlike anything she'd ever designed. "Cad I--"

"Thank you."

"I wanted you to know that no matter what, you'll always be my brother, and I'll always love and provide only the highest of fashion for you to wear." She draped the clothing over Laurance's shoulder and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Happy Birthday, Lady Killer Zvahl."

Laurance nearly dropped the garments entirely as he crushed Cadenza with the force of his hug. She laughed into the embrace, tentatively wrapping her arms around his torso as he kissed the side of her head.

[laurancezvahlslefteyebrow]

I feel like info dumping about my MCD OC and her family lore etc

Quick pronunciations: Eserty (es-er-it) Yrva (ear-vuh) Björn (byorn or byern) Aerdna (air-d-nuh) Lihcem (lie-chem) Zerimar (zair-i-mar)

Ok so her FULL name is Eseryt Yrva Björndotter of Barton. She is the long lost bio sister of Cadenza. They were separated when Zerimar was attacked, and they stayed that way for 13 years, until Eseryt was guided by the sentient forest to Phoenix Drop. Eseryt is a siren (though she doesn’t know until later) who’s name means ‘to perceive.’ She is able to read people like a book, but is practically impossible to read herself. If you manage to get a good read on her, it’s either because she let you or because its how she wants you to see her.

Cadenza’s full name started as Cadenza Yrva, but became Cadenza Yrva Zvahl when she was adopted by Jo and Hayden. Cadenza is a siren who’s name means ‘beautiful voice’. Her given magicks is an advanced version of her siren abilities. Not only is her voice literally beautiful, but she also has a way of making other do as she says, without needing to sing.

Their parent’s names were Aerdna and Lihcem Yrva, mother and father respectively.

Aerdna was a siren who’s given magicks was her beauty (I know how original, she didn’t pick it), and she was a teacher and nurse. She was a kind and loving person, though sensitive and self sacrificing.

Lihcem was Second in Command Guard of Zerimar, who’s name meant power. His given magicks was his great strength: physical, mental, and emotional. He was a strong and smart man, but selfish and arrogant.

Björn is a turned werewolf who found Eseryt the night Zerimar was attacked, just after she’d lost Cadenza. He took her to Barton and adopted her as his own. He had just lost his wife and son, and had she not been there he might have lost himself. His wife Amelia, had always wanted a daughter. He felt like he was meant to protect her, that he’d found Eseryt for a reason. She was with him from ages 5-18, never allowed to leave Barton for her own safety. Björn tried to explain to her that the rest of the world wasn’t as peaceful and loving as Barton, but Eseryt felt pulled towards the forest and has the need to explore and wander.

One night she waited for him to fall asleep and left into the forest, where she was guided to Phoenix Drop and reunited with her sister. Es didn’t return for nearly 20 years, 15 of those years not being of her own choice, seeing as she was quite literally in another dimension. When she did return, she was different, Björn could tell. She was a shadow night, and in danger.

In my rewrite’s conclusion, the Island of the Phoenix Alliance becomes comprised, so Eseryt takes everyone to Barton for refuge. Shad eventually tracks them there and that’s where to final battle is: Just outside the village.

Now this is where it gets extra angsty and whumpy:

Travis, who is in love with Eseryt and vice versa, is injured pretty badly during the battle. Eseryt stops what she’s doing to get him to the village so he can be treated. After the battle is won, and Shad is killed once and for all, Es goes to see Travis. He’s barely conscious, mostly from blood loss. She steps outside to talk to Lucinda, who’s taken over his treatment as well as most of the other injured people. As she’s telling Es that he’ll be fine, Eseryt suddenly collapses. Absolutely no sign she was going to whatsoever. She’s freezing cold, more so than a shadow night should be. She goes to alert the others only to find them panicking because Laurance and Vylad have also suddenly collapsed, at the exact same time no less. Everything had been fine moments before, they were laughing and celebrating.

They’re all brought to the inn, the one that Björn runs. It’s determined that this is bc Shad is dead, and he was somehow keeping them alive. It’s hard to live with only half a soul, so they’re bodies shut down. When Travis is finally healed enough to be conscious, he asks for Es, and is informed by none other than Björn of what’s happened.

Oooookay that’s enough of that

I could talk about my OCs for literal hours but that’s not what you’re here for

I just had to let some out before I exploded… just like Aaron… hehe

[snuffink]

Live laugh love Laurance Zvahl

hi...

drawing laurance after a period of art block is so rewarding. i've been wanting to draw the ro'meave brothers but,,, i saw a dtiys on instagram and got inspired to draw laurance instead. thank you laurance zvahl for curing me of art block <3

enjoy the crumbs. i sure am. i keep staring at him instead of finishing the drawing. why is he so pretty. i need to hit him with a rake or something

[undercovermcdfan]

16 travlyn

“Just shut up and kiss me”

title: strawberrychampagne

a/n: tbh youwanna know my aesthetic for Travis and Katelyn? Them loving each other. That’swhat I’m about. This fic was a little self-indulgent and it takes place in theHatch Marks Universe. Also, thisis also highkey inspired by this drawing @crybabytime made forevergo of Travis, don’t judge me okay. I’m weak for the sonshine in suits.

song inspo: That’s what I like, Bruno Mars

warning(s): fluff,kisses, Travis being the Mosttm

Cadenza clapped her hands in excitement, as she appraisedTravis’s outfit. “This is it! You andthis outfit was meant to be,” she announced, stepping aside with armsoutstretched as she struck a pose, “Everybody, I present you, our beloved Travis.” 

The others— by others, he means Laurance and Dante— looked up simultaneously;he gave a sheepish grin, striking pose and watched the matching grins appear onboth of his friend’s faces.

“Is that really you, Travis?” Laurance straightens, standingat full height as he walked over with hand on chin as he looked him up anddown, “I can barely recognize you.” Dusting off invisible dust from hisshoulders, Laurance then patted his cheek, “Cadenza, what have you done to my assistant?”

Dante laughed, joining them as he clapped Travis’s back and proclaimed,“Cadenza, the miracle worker, strikes again!”

“Thank you, I tried my best,” she giggled, brushing her hairback, “And I’ll admit—I outdid myself this time.”

“You have,” Laurance agreed and Dante nodded.

Travis rolled his eyes, smoothing down the front of hissuit. He huffed, “You make it sound like I don’t look this fine often,” he thenpaused. Taking a step away from the group that huddled around him, all lookingon with pleased expressions and he ignored their excited whispering as he tookbetter look at himself in the mirror. The dark purple coat lined with gold, acombination Cadenza insisted over the classic black he almost went with; hefidgeted with the white gloves she handed to him, his shoes shined toperfection and hair slicked back. He wondered out loud, “I can’t believe I’mgoing to do this.”

Cadenza leaned up, resting her chin on his shoulder, a blindingsmile on her colored lips. She squeezed his arm, her eyes meeting his in themirror, “Don’t worry. She’s going to say yes, kid.”

“Cadenza, we’re the same age—you can’t call me a kid.” He thensmiled softly, taking in a deep breath, “But… I trust you. Can’t chicken outnow. I flew out my mother and everything for this.”

“Just butterflies, Travis. Don’t focus too much on them,”Laurance beamed, stuffing his hands in pockets, “Now did you remember the ring?”

“Ye—wait,” he started patting his pocket, Travis’s eyeswidening in panic. He perked when he heard Dante and Laurance’s laughs, and hewhirled around, seeing Dante holding the black felt box. He flustered, onlythen remembering he handed it to the blue haired man for safe keeping.

Dante tossed the box at him, and turning on his heels, hecalled out over his shoulder as he walks towards the door, “Take it from me andLaurance—you’re overthinking it, Travis. Katelyn might be stubborn but you knowher best and the way she looks at you? Soulmates~”Then ducks through the doorway.

Laurance followed, backing towards it slowly while makingfinger gun motion and winked, “Just worry about the proposal. Leave the rest tous, okay?” Then his boss turned and disappeared into the doorway, he could hearLaurance’s shout at Dante to “Give up the car keys, you snake. Don’t you dare run.”

Cadenza slipped arm around his, smiling brightly as shetugged him along, “Well come along. You know how anxious Isabel gets if thingsaren’t on track.”

“I do. I get the feeling she’s already leaving long windedvoice messages as we speak.”

“Already gotten five texts from her,” Cadenza laughed, “Butshe knows I don’t rush perfection. And you? You really do look nice, Travis.”She pats his arm, giving him an assuring look, “She’s going to have her breathstolen when she takes one look at you. And when you look at her��”

He catches her mischievous glint and raised an eyebrowquestioningly, but the fiery-haired woman waved him off, “No, I’m not tellingyou what dress I picked out for her. Lucinda sent me some pictures and we bothagreed— you’re going to marry a goddess.”

“Cadenza, she hasn’t even said yes yet— “

“Oh, she’s going to say yes. And… hmm…,” she cradled herchin, giving a thoughtful look, “If she looks this good now for a surpriseproposal— Katelyn in a wedding dress would be...” She trailed over, grinning toherself and started to mumble. Travis rolled his eyes.

But he honestly, truly, hope everybody’s confidence andsupport rubbed off on him.

Rubbing his thumb against the soft felt of the ring box, agentle smile appears on his lips as his heart beats in excitement. It’s beenfour years—unusual for most soulmated couples to wait but honestly, the draggedwait was something he didn’t regret.

As the elevator descended into the garage level, Traviswondered: Hope she won’t mind making abig show out of this all.

Kawaii-chan greeted them at the door, her bright pink hairbraided into a long braid and dressed in simple black dress that reached to theground; beside her, a disinterested black-haired chef with a sharp, green-blueeyes and lips in a tight line, hands clasped behind her back—Lily, the scaryhead chef of KC’s restaurant and with serious tone, she greeted him and thegroup. Laurance gave her a friendly wave and for a moment, he sees herseriousness crack for moment as a smile twitched on her lips.

“Thank you for choosing us to provide for food this evening.I hope you enjoy your night and in advance, congratulations Mr. Travis.” Lilyfinished up, giving a small bow. Travis chuckled at her formality, giving anawkward nod, “Travis is fine. And thank you—I look forward to the meals youmake, Miss Lily.”

KC took up Dante’s arm, beaming at the chef and Travis, “Lilystop being so stuffy. We’re all friends here.”

“Well, you are right. Sorry, just kicking into professionalmode.” Lily paused and glanced at Laurance, before squinting at him, “It’s asurprise to see the newlywed from his husband.”

Laurance laughed, looking ahead, “Vylad insisted on helpingIsabel out while I stayed with Travis. Did you see him?”

“Last time, he was with Zenix and lecturing him aboutopening the good wines,” Lily reported, before pointing her thumb backwards,towards the kitchen door, “They’re near the back. Also, if any of you see Sasha—tellher what Vylad told me: ‘you’re next.’”

Everybody laughed, even Lily chuckling; Laurance broke awayfrom the group, giving a small salute to Travis and a pat, “Remember the plan.I’m going to calm Vylad down before he decides to put Zenix and Sasha in timeout again.”

Cadenza called out, “Does he forget they’re well into theirtwenties?”

“Well, they forgetthey are. But everybody needs to be in places before Katelyn showed up,”Laurance said back, before disappearing behind the kitchen door.

Cadenza sighed, rolling her eyes and looked up at Travis, “Okay.We have a half hour before Katelyn arrives. You go find your mother—I’m goingto check in with Aphmau and Aaron.”

Travis nodded, albeit nervously as the other Zvahl siblingparts and with the click click click ofher heels, she moves across the room to the couple chatting by the window.Dante takes his arm and Kawaii-chan takes his other, both smiling up at him andthen laugh when he gave a confused look.

“Before you find Ms. Valkrum, there’s two special people whowant to talk to you,” KC said cryptically. Dante gave him an apologetic look,and Travis found himself taken forward, towards the back of the restaurant.

He saw her and her red hair before Ivy or Teony spotted him.The two girls were whispering to each other— Teony in a sweeping yellow dressand her puffy dark hair shorter than the last time Travis seen her, simplesilver jewelry around her neck and blue studs pierced her ears, her round andkind eyes spotting him first as a smile bloomed on her face; beside her, afidgeting red head with her head lowered and in a strapless pastel green dress,short and frilled, and unlike Teony, who met him half way for a hug, didn’tbudge.

Dante and KC excused themselves, giving the three privacywhile Travis grinned wildly, genuinely excited to see the two. “I thought yousaid you two couldn’t make it—did you schedule clear?”

Teony smiled, pinching his cheek as she shook her head, “Forme, it did. Ivy was too shy to come alone, but… well, I’ll let her explain herself.”Teony stepped aside, and Travis tilted his head, glancing at Ivy who finallyturned to face them.

He stuck out his hand, uncertain if the red head would takewith the complicated expression on her face—their history always been… a bitdodgy. Katelyn was, after all, in a relationship with all of them; though herdays with Teony and Ivy were far and few in between since the two lived in adifferent city, Katelyn always expressed equal love for all three. Teony easilyaccepted him from the get go; even though Teony, like Ivy, had no interest inmen, she was a comforting and warm person to befriend. Ivy always intimidatedhim as much as respected in a strange way; for the first year of his relationshipwith Katelyn, she made no strives with wanting to befriend him, voicing herdislike. Soon, the dislike because mild annoyance, and recently became newfound friendship; she gave her reason for her hostility in the past, it was dueto aversion of change and Travis couldn’t fault her for feeling a littleput-off with Katelyn finding her soulmate, afraid Katelyn would end her otherrelationships as a result (even though Teony, Katelyn and Travis assured it wouldn’t happen).

Ivy didn’t accept his hand, but pushed a small box into hishands and gave a rushed, “This is for you.”

He blinked, surprised by the object and Ivy made an annoyedexpression, gesturing for him to open it. Inside, there inlaid two gold coloredstar-shaped cufflinks. He paused, glancing from it to Ivy’s nervous and Teony’sexcited expressions, before back.

“Uh, this… is my sort of congratulations gift to you from us—“Teony coughed. “From me. I picked them out and… I know they look kinda dumb butKatelyn mentioned you liked stars and you mentioned needing some last time wewere in town. So,” Ivy looked down, he could see her ears burning almost as redas her hair as fidget with her hands, “I hope you like them.”

A slow but brilliant smile appeared on him lips, as he takesout the cufflinks and put them on, admiring how they shined. “Ivy? Would it bealright if I hugged you?”

Ivy nodded, whispering, “A small one would be fine.”

It was a brief squeeze, and he laughed along with Teony atIvy’s embarrassed expression. “I’m so happy you two showed up—I know you twogave your blessings already but… thank you.”

Teony squeezed his shoulder, chuckling, “If it makes herhappy, we’re here for you. You’re a good man Travis.”

“You take care of her,” Ivy added.

Travis nodded, beaming, “I will. As long as you two come andvisit for a date night. She loves you just as much. And Ivy, no more shyingaway; you made the pact now—we’re good friends after this.”

They laughed again, Ivy rolling her as she batted at him, “Don’tmake me take that gift back.”

“Too late. I love them—you won’t steal from your friend,would you?”

“On your fast track way back to distant ones if you’re goingto keep this up.”

He found his mother talking to Katelyn’s father, the two inspirited debate as he stepped up.

“No, no—they should get married in the summer!” his motherargued, lifting her pointer finger off her glass as she continued to assertherself, “Clear skies, good weather; I know it’s more expensive but everybodywants a wedding when there’s good weather!”

“I’m not saying you’re wrong,” the larger, soft-speaking mansaid, putting up a defensive hand, “butI know this wonderful lodge they could host it in. I heard winter-time weddingare becoming more popular from that Laurance boy, and—Oh! Travis!”

Both adults immediately lit up, his mother turning towardshim and cupping his face while Erik clasped his shoulder, a wide grin on hisface.

“You look so handsome, sweetie,” she said, and Travis letsout a ticklish laugh at her kiss on his cheek before pulling her into her ahug, then hugging Katelyn’s father.

Travis said, “I see you two were having a lively debate; Ihope I wasn’t interruptin—“

“Nonsense!”

“Son, you’re always welcomed here,” Erik reached up toruffled his hair but then paused, seeing it’s state. He gave him an apologeticlook before, giving an helpless shrug. “Cadenza’s idea. You haven’t met her but…well, she’s the one picked out my outfit and everything nice I’m wearing.”

“Is she the pretty girl with the red hair and green eyes—she’sa sweetheart.”

“Mom, you say that about every one of my friends.”

Freya shrugged, smiling, “I hardly see how that’s a problem.”

The birthday party, for intents and purposes, went offwithout a hitch.

Though Katelyn was aware of it being a birthday party forher—the hidden agenda still a secret—, Katelyn still had the decency to besurprised by it all. Her smiles were genuine as she glanced around the room,greeting everybody who approached.

And Cadenza was right—she did take his breath away themoment his eyes landed on her. Her dress had elegance to it, the top of itwhite as it fades into a deep blue towards the bottom, it clinging and only doingfavors to her body shape while her straighten hair bounced freely, her bangspulled away from her face and pinned back by a pretty hair decoration.  According to the plan, she wasn’t supposed tosee him yet but…. curiosity did kill the cat.

She grasps his hands the moment she spotted him, her smileonly growing wider as made a show to look him up and down. “Travis?” she saidin disbelief, her cheeks warmed and pulled away from her hug.

He posed, cocking an eyebrow before giving a playful wiggle.“Oh? Beautiful woman who looks exactly as my girlfriend— do you know me?”

She laughed, hitting his shoulder gently as she placed herhand on her hip, “I don’t know. Have you seen my boyfriend? Looks quite likeyou, though less—Wait, is that Ivy? Teony!” Travis stepped aside, watching thegirls group up and share a hug. Ivy shot him a Go, while I have her distracted look and he took the signal,disappearing into the crowd that surrounded the birthday girl.

She didn’t see him approach. Her back turned to the crowd offamily, friends and her girlfriends, Laurance gave him the thumbs up, a signfor him to slowly approach behind her.

“—happy birthday—“ Katelyn started to turn, lowering herstrawberry champagne from her lips, and Travis sinks to one knee, “to” hepulled out the box, opening the ring as Katelyn’s eyes widens and she gaspedsoftly, “you.”

The crowd around them erupts in cheers and applause, Katelynlooked around as she covered her face with her hand, mumbling “I knew you were planning something.”

As the crowd died down, Travis spoke up, his heart beatingloudly in ears as held up the ring with a sly smirk on his lips, “We met bychance. We’re soulmates by destiny—but Katelyn, as I kneel her before you, Iwant you to know… being your best friend was the best choice I could ever make.I love you, as a friend, as your boyfriend, and…” he took in a deep breath,licking his lips nervously before he slowly released his breath, “I want tospend the rest of my life with you. I want to spoil you. And I promise you I’llalways look for a reason for you smile. Will you do me the honor of being mywife?”

She slowly lowered her hand, her eyes swimming with swell ofemotions. Everybody, including himself, waited with baited breath for heranswer—and naturally, it would be a Katelyn move to surprise them all. Shedropped to her knees, putting her glass on the ground and wrapping her armsaround him in a tight hug.

“Of course,” shewhispered into his ear, her voice choked with feelings as she pulled away andletting him nervously slip the ring onto her finger, fumbled for a moment andthey both laughed as he did. The crowd around them then exploded, for a secondtime, even louder cheers and applause—party poppers and confetti descended fromall around them, Travis looking around with a proud grin until Katelyn’s handtouched his cheek.

“You’re forgetting one last thing, Travis,” she mused.

“Wha—what did I forget? Everything went exactly as planned!”

“You…” she sighed, pinching his chin as she raised a brow, “willyou just kiss me already?”

Her kiss tasted sweet, strawberries and alcohol. And luckyfor him, that what he liked.

[gonedreaminggg]

[undercovermcdfan]

dashes and tallies | Vylance, Hatch Marks AU

prompt: Red tallies appear for every person you’ve loved, black for every person you’ve loved that has died, and a white tally for when you meet your soulmate

a/n: so this takes place in the same universe of hatch marks, except I’m focused on Vylance this time! Don’t worry—if I can finally drag myself from this rut, I wanna make a part 2 to Hatch marks. Also BIG shout out to @crybabytime for not only drawing a fantastic comic based off the first fic (I’m in tears) HERE but being the MVP friend and helping me sort much of the HCs put into this fic??? LIKE??? ur da best & really so amazing thank you

warning(s): mention of other relationships (garrance), alcohol consumption, adult themes, again me crying because this au is so cheesy??

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“H-hello? Hello? Uh… um, Vylad? This is Laurance!”

Part of Vylad, a part deep deep deep down wished he hung up the phone the moment he heard the desperate voice that wasn’t his brother on the other end. A part overruled by common courtesy to stay on the line despite the panic setting in and his heart still for but a moment.

Garroth always been a good brother—not the outstanding sort but he wasn’t cruel like their third brother, the middle one, Zane. Simply just a guy who saw life without much worry. And though he loved the elder brother dearly, sometimes…

Sometimes…

Garroth’s antics led to situations like this and Vylad questioning why he went out of his way to help.

You know why, his thoughts shot back, his subconscious pushing back as the memory of Laurance’s thankful when Vylad agree that yes, he’ll fetch his drunken brother from causing more havoc at Dante’s birthday bash, floated into mind. Leaning his head against the cool glass of the uber car’s window, he watched as the quiet residential streets of where his apartment build bled to the lively heart of the city, bright lights and all.

Frankly, there’s a special hell for people like him but he didn’t have the luxury of waiting from his own passing, no, whatever gracious being that watched over him from above must’ve thought his suffering was amusing.

To find attraction in another person was a natural occurrence—and for the longest, Vylad thought he must’ve been one of the lucky individuals who didn’t have to go through it romantically. He seen the trouble love could cause, and as the years went, his skin went unblemished with a marking. Acquaintances never crossed the threshold into friendship, and because his life enveloped by the overprotective mother and embarrassed step-father, he never sought out opportunity to find any meaningful connections.

All this, living in apartment without Garte’s heavy breathing down his neck or his mother’s insistence he kept close, with Garroth who went from a distant brother that would appear every now and again between extracurricular activities to being as much of best friend a sibling could be… this was new.

They met Laurance through Cadenza, the heiress to the Zvahl corporation—a new competition that even made Garte sweat in nervousness. From Joh’s innovative and charming persona that wooed many sponsors away from the Ro’meaves Inc. to the brilliant, outspoken daughter who already gracing business magazine covers to… the mysterious adopted son who kept out of the spot light and rumored buzzed among the old money elites his family surrounded themselves with. Cadenza was bright-eyed, beautiful girl, but Garte muttered under his breath, “Watch yourselves. She’s a cunning one.” She worked the party, occasionally returning to them with a gleaming smile and checking in, sweet compliments rolling off the tongue.

The third work around, she brought him.

Fiddling with his cufflinks and before they stepped into ear shot, Vylad could tell the two were in a heated discussion. To this day, he wondered: did he share a distain for his family? Did he hate the outfit he wore? Or the party in general? The mystery man Cadenza brought looked out of place, uncomfortable.

And it’s when he felt that heart racing, tied-tongue feeling.

“Hello.” A bright smile not unlike Cadenza’s, though more forced, as he offered an outreach hand to Garroth, who was just as much swept up in the man’s grace, “I’m Laurance.”

His hand was warm, firmly shaking Vylad’s after Garroth and a simple nod towards Zane when his apathetic brother opts to grunted a “hello” rather than taking his hand.

After the greeting, a brief formal chat, Laurance was eventually lead away by his oldest brother. It’s then when Vylad realized there was an almost pull… a small flicker of jealousy of wishing he stepped up first and did so. But that was out of character, he was the quiet, well behaved step-child of Garte who held nothing in power but his name, not the privileged heir that was Garroth.

Vylad sighed.

A few days after that fancy dinner, Garroth pulled him aside, “Hey, Vylad could you clear out for an afternoon? I’m inviting Laurance over and…”

To his credit, Laurance and Garroth have been dating for months now and apart from a few run ins here and there, once in their apartment lobby and once after Laurance dropping off Garroth off, the two sharing a parting kiss before they said their goodbyes, Vylad steered clear of Laurance.

In person.

Sadly, online, it was a different story. He never really found much use with keeping up with any of his accounts but after the dinner and a moment of weakness, he accepted Laurance’s obligatory friend request.

Some days he thought, his actions might border strange—he’d never like a photo or post Laurance made, but would linger for a thoughtful moment or two. Eyes lit up when the other mentioned a show he enjoyed, or funny pictures he taken, or the more candid pictures he retweeted from his friends and…

“Garroth has rather good taste, doesn’t he?” Zianna, his mother, exclaimed excitedly once to him as she scrolled through Laurance’s profile. She claimed it was her ‘motherly’ duty to just see what kind of men her precious eldest got involved with but Vylad knew it was her being nosy without directly pestering his brother.

Though—if they were talking from an aesthetically pleasing point of view, Vylad readily agreed Laurance did look good. He struck as a natural at posing in his candid picture and the sort of smile that warm, easy, infectious if you saw him in real life. The kind of smile Vylad liked to see more in person, if… he ever worked the courage.

Well, unless I commit to this plan of getting in and getting out as fast as possible… this could be my chance to talk to him. He fiddled with his scarf, readjusting it to properly cover his neck. I should stop thinking like this. Laurance… is Garroth’s… We aren’t high school rivals, no need to boyfriend steal.

Even if I saw him first. Even if he might be my…  

He paused.

I can’–

“Sir,” the gruff voice of the driver impatiently grunted, “your destination. Sir.”

Vylad sighed, reaching into his wallet.

“VYLAD,” Dante managed to startled him despite the loud pulsating music that filled the small space of Dante’s apartment. With glasses that lit up in the dark, a skewed birthday hat and stripped down to a tank top and… swimming shorts? the extroverted blue haired man all but threw himself at Vylad the moment he saw him, “DUDE I THOUGHT YOU WEREN’T GOING TO MAKE IT.”

Vylad grimaced and glanced around. Not many familiar faces—Lucinda, a popular fashion guru who slung an arm around a pretty redhead girl, a woman named Katelyn who he remembered seeing in Zane’s office (never happily) sulking on a couch and… he sighed when he saw a familiar Zenix and Sasha dart through the crowd, a third person hot on their tail as the two laugh obnoxiously.

Not exactly my scene. “I wasn’t planning to. I’m here to pick up my brother—have you seen him?”

Dante furrowed his brow, “WHAT?”

“My brother. Garroth? You know, MY BRO— “

Dante held up a hand, cutting him off as he shook his head, “You don’t need to yell, I—okay, sorry. Forgot, bad sense of humor,” he rolled his eyes, just as Vylad’s stare held its scowl, “You can find Garroth… um. Actually, last I saw him, he was hanging in the hot tub with Aphmau but… okay wait, follow me!”

This was tiring.

This was terrible.

Following Dante through the crowd, he continued find words to describe how this party, disco lights reflecting pretty colors and the room felt almost suffocating with the strange smell in the air—

Oh. Well there goes for avoiding Laurance.

Dante tapped Laurance’s shoulder, throwing an arm around him for side hug as he leaned in to whisper something in his ear. Beside him, a white-haired man almost as tall as Laurance’s lanky stature fidgeted with a red cup for a moment before sharing a look with Laurance and striding off in direction of Katelyn on the couch.

“Vylad, this is Lau— “

Laurance, shoving Dante’s face away, and turning enough to properly see Vylad, he gives a bright smile, more genuine than the one when they first met. “We already met. Now scram, dude—I heard K.C. was looking for you.”

“Ehhh,” Dante hung off Laurance’s shoulder, pouting, “Why do you treat me like this? Before Travis and Garroth, I use to be your main man!”

“And you still are. Just need you to be less clingy,” he managed to detached from Dante’s grasp and with a defeated look, the birthday boy conceded his defeat.

Not without the dramatics though, “Whatever. You still owe me an after-Birthday hangover breakfast tomorrow morning. I’m getting that breakfast burrito supreme!” And like a bumbling gazelle, Dante was gone.

In that moment, Vylad was acutely aware of a few things. His heart loud beats could drown out the music. Laurance was just as tall as his memory serves him. And the tongue-tied feeling wasn’t a one-time thing.

“Vylad, I’m so sorry for this short notice,” Laurance started, digging his pocket to pull out a familiar black smart phone, “Garroth… is somewhere. He told me something a hot tub and kind of handed me this and his wallet.”

Dropping the phone and case in his hands, Vylad pocketed them immediately, before shrugging, “It’s no issue. It’s better if I take him home before he really does something stupid…” Vylad paused, noticing the look in Laurance’s eyes, “…What did my brother do?”

“A lot of things. I have things to explain and apologize for to my sister and her girlfriend type things,” Laurance shook his head, massaging his temple before giving a sheepish smile, “No offense. To your brother, I mean. Garroth is usually such a… great guy. I guess alcohol is his vice.”

Vylad frowned, concerned for what his brother might’ve done rivaled concerned what his brother might’ve done to Laurance. Or said. Or whatever reason that caused this sour expression. “I apologize. He’s never was one to handle his drink.” Vylad couldn’t handle holding contact with Laurance for so long, his gaze connected for a moment with those baby blues before scanning the crowd.

“Or bottle, for the matter.” Laurance muttered, voice muffled by the music.

“What?”

He waved his hand, before resting it on his shoulder, “Never mind me. I’m a bit on the tipsy side of things but… I think it’s time for us to find that heir and drag him home before he breaks something else.”

“Break something else?” Vylad tilted his head suspiciously and in worry, looking up at Laurance.

Laurance, on the other hand, cracked a wide smile, teeth and all before pressing his lips together with his pointer finger, “Shh. I left some cash in Dante’s room for what Garroth broke—not even Dante know it’s broken yet,” his blue eyes sparkled with mischief, “I’m trusting you to keep my secret.” Because he lowered his voice, Laurance had to lean closer and Vylad could only jerk his head up and down, nodding Yes, not trusting his words.

Satisfied with the answer, Laurance grabbed his hand, pulling him deeper into the crowd— “Usually it would be faster to separate and find him but Dante sometimes invite shady people. Or Zenix might pick you as a pickpocket victim. Either way, just stay close.”—and again, Vylad could only nod yes, stumbling in after him.

“B-But, Laurance,” Garroth whined, his arms looped around him in a similar manner Dante did to Laurance before. Yet Laurance looked unbothered. “Please. Don’t… do that.” Garroth poked at Laurance’s cheek for his frown.

“Garroth, I—okay, fine,” Laurance said defeated, as he combed through his boyfriend’s blond hair, “This’ll be a conversation for tomorrow.”

“Yes. My win.”

Vylad stopped watching in the mirror as the two proceed to share another kiss, sinking lower in his front seat. He questioned whether letting Laurance ride back to the apartment was a good idea—but one look, the kind that conveyed ‘I’m tired of this’ coupled with Garroth’s clinginess, Vylad conceded quickly.

Watching the street lights go by, he could only think of one thing: fuck.  

The sight was strange, seeing Laurance standing there, squinting at the bottle in hand.

But what made Vylad hesitate from going back into his room and instead take a brave step forward was because at that moment, even with his drunken brother sleeping not so quietly on the couch… Laurance looked… lonely?

“Um…” Vylad licked his lips, gesturing to the bottle in the other’s hand, “I thought you said you drank enough for tonight.”

Laurance laughed, a soft one, settling on the floor and patting the space beside him. “Nope. I’m sure I said I was tipsy… but our little search party for the prince in distress kind of sobered me up,” he paused, leaning against the couch with his expression falling into something more complicated, “And after tonight…? I need it.”

Vylad settled beside him, eyeing the bottle still. It wasn’t one of their finer ones, and it wouldn’t be a reason to pry the bottle away from Laurance but he felt off. Yet, he didn’t speak up as Laurance cracked it open and took a small swig.

Silence settled between them, Vylad sneaking glancing at Laurance and Laurance staring blankly ahead. It was only broken when he suddenly offered Vylad a sip with “a penny for your thoughts?”

“Oh, um,” Vylad quickly shook his head, “No, no. I only drink when I have to. For, um, business dinner stuff.”

“Smart boy,” Laurance grinned at him, lifting the bottle again and squinted it, “this taste fine, but I understand why, after seeing what happens to your brother.”

“What happened at Dante’s was nothing to what I heard he done in college,” Vylad shrugged leaning his cheek against the couch as he stared at his resting brother that occasionally tossed and turned, “The frats would throw wild parties and… Garroth is a little too gullible at times.”

Laurance snorted, before taking another swig effortlessly, “After tonight, I believe you completely.”

“And you’re right.”

He gave Vylad a raised brow. “You were right because Garroth is probably the reason why I… don’t casually drink.”

Seeing the genuine smile, then the laughter that followed warmed him in a way he couldn’t described, and he was right; Laurance’s smile was infectious. He could feel the corners of his lips lifting, then chuckling.

“Aw man! I mean,” Laurance as he started to calm down, he shot him an amused look, “sometimes the most fun drunks are the serious ones, you know. And if not, if you had his carefree dancing skills…” Laurance whistled, raising the bottle, “Man, you’d be the life of the party.”

“Really?” Vylad with a deadpanned look.

“Okay,” Laurance had a playful smile, lowered the bottle and turning more towards him, “my sense of ‘life of the party’ might be a little skewed.”

He continued with the look.

“Okay…” Laurance raised his hands in defeat, “I mean, at least he had fun at the end of the day.” Vylad nodded, content with his win and soon, he finds conversation flowed easily between them.

The two traded facts about each other, as their conversation turned from Garroth to each other, and Laurance admitting his curiosity.

“You barely use your accounts, nor ever online.”

“It’s mostly for my freelance work and how people can easily contact me.”

“Freelance? Don’t work for your dad?”

“Yes and no— “

And their discussions continued like for a long while.

Vylad grown a little confident as Laurance put away the bottle, and find himself scooting closer and closer. Their voices grew soft, cushioned by the need of sleep but their want to talk. It wasn’t long until the two were within each other’s space rather than starting off with him by Garroth and Vylad by the end of the couch.

The only noise now that disturbed the air was Garroth’s snore. While minutes ago, Vylad felt a second away from sleep, now sat attentive and hands balled in his lap as Laurance, eyes half lidded, continue to lean close.

So close.

What are you doing? He thinks to himself, as Vylad tilted his face up, almost entranced by how Laurance looked and suppressed the chill that ran down his back as a finger trailed down his jaw, cupping his chin.

Vylad wasn’t well versed in social cues but he knew when a kiss was coming. The way their bodies shifted closer, the way weight Vylad didn’t know existed lifted from his shoulder, and he wondered if Laurance could hear his thundering heart.

He closed his eyes and he started to lean in.

What are you doing?

“W-wait,” a hand stops his moving in, and Vylad’s eyes fly open, cheeks flushed red flushed even redder. “I… I can’t do this, Vylad. Your brother. He’s right there.”

“…” Vylad recoiled even more, unable now to meet with Laurance’s eyes but the other still attempted to touch his hand.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t m-mean to lead you on. I just,” Laurance then touched his cheek in a gesture to look up but Vylad away further, rising to his feet, “This is my fault. I’m so—wait, Vylad, wait!”

He always prided himself of his quickness and while he felt nothing but shame at this moment, Vylad was already in his room by the time a slightly swaying Laurance could get to his feet.

“Vylad, I’m sorry!” was the last he heard before he locked the door.

Leans against it, almost straining to hear the other side of the dense door. No movement. Not a peep.

His hands lifted to his neck, before tearing off the scarf his wore over it. Vylad walked over to his mirror and craning it slightly, he checked the tally on it.

White.

He wondered if it was normal for it to feel like it’s tingling, the pull to Laurance was still there. He felt… regretful more than angry. And because of that, he felt more shame with how he regretted not going in for the kiss, to kiss his brother’s boyfriend, without a shed of remorse.

He squeezed his eyes shut, settling on his bed before flopping back.

“Well I guess avoiding him has gotten way easier,” he mumbled to himself, while Vylad didn’t see Laurance’s face, he’d imagine something close to guilt and heartbreak for Garroth’s sake, that he almost…

He squeezed his eyes tighter.

What was I thinking?

Laurance leaned his forehead against the door, his hand on the handle.

The moment it slammed shut and the audible click of the locking mechanism… Laurance felt the plead die at his throat.

Vylad looked… almost in pain the moment his eyes opened and realized what they were about to do. Humiliation. It was a gut reaction, for the last second before they could press their lips together, he remembered Garroth.

His… well, his soon to be ex, boyfriend. After tonight.

During the night, since the moment Garroth admitted the reason why he hadn’t shown Laurance his tallies was because… he didn’t have a white one to match Laurance’s white. He never directly lied to Laurance’s face, saying he did have a red one, to match Laurance’s red but.

That would explain so much.

He remembered his father once described, finding your soulmate, there was a natural pull to each other.

And Laurance was fond of Garroth, given different circumstances, he’d even say he’d grow to love the blond. But as he returned to the couch, he cask a look the resting blond as he sorts through his thoughts.

He felt connected to Vylad within a few hours versus the months he spent time with Garroth.

A pull.

He would even come to say, the pleasure of getting to know the quiet Ro’meave felt more fun than he had at the party. And the near kiss…

Laurance touched his own lips, frowning. They looked really soft. I wonder if they feel the same.

He glanced towards the hallway Vylad ran down, still frowning. I’m so screwed. What have I done?

Laurance didn’t know for sure.

But he wanted to know; the night of the dinner, he only gotten two new tallies. A red and a white.

If Garroth wasn’t the white…

“I hope I’m not wrong.”