#my friend would hate me for approving this analogy but i love it

[shiningfennec]

incredibly accurate

Have the people recommending Wizard of Earthsea as a replacement for Harry Potter actually read both series? Because "wizard school" notwithstanding I wouldn't even put them in the same subgenre.

Also the first book is worse than Lord of the Rings for female characters.

[iclaimedtobethebetterbard]

confessions & concerts

Fandom: Sanders Sides Characters: Logan, Virgil Rating: Teen & up Relationships: Analogical Warnings: None, just lots of fluff Word count: 2017

Read on AO3!

My writing masterpost

Starlight Universe masterpost

analogical week 2022 start - previous - here - next - masterpost

Summary: Logan is pretty sure he's picked the best anniversary gift for his husband. Only one way to find out.

Notes: Day 2 of @analogicalweek 2022, prompt “confession”! Takes place on Analogical’s 1st anniversary.

-

“I’m home,” Logan called, a wide grin on his face as he opened the door.

The door of the closet-turned-office slammed open, and Virgil skidded into the living room in his sock feet seconds later. “Hi,” he said breathlessly, hurrying over to Logan’s open arms.

Logan kissed his husband soundly, wrapping his arms around Virgil and swaying gently. “Happy anniversary,” he said as they broke apart, resting his forehead against Virgil’s and gazing into his eyes. They’d said it in the morning, of course, but he was home for the day now and it bore repeating.

“Mm, happy anniversary,” Virgil said, smiling and closing his eyes. “You’re home so early.”

“I saved up some hours,” Logan explained. He’d used up all his days off earlier in the year for the vacation the twins had organized for their whole friend group, but he’d managed to get just enough overtime approved to leave work at lunch today.

“Really?” Virgil sounded surprised. “They hate letting you change your schedule around.”

“I asked early and repeatedly,” Logan said. He leaned in and kissed his husband again. “It was worth being persistent about. Next year I will plan better so I can take the whole day off more easily.”

“Holy shit, I love you,” Virgil said, beaming.

“And I love you.” Logan cupped Virgil’s face in his hand, running his thumb back and forth along his husband’s cheekbone. “Do you have more work that needs to get done today?”

Virgil wrinkled his nose. “Like, technically yes, but—give me ten minutes, I can reschedule things.”

“Sounds good.” Logan leaned down for one more kiss before Virgil headed back to his office.

While Virgil was occupied, Logan went to the cupboard above the oven—the one above the fridge was higher, but Virgil occasionally thought it was amusing to climb on the fridge, so the oven one was the one he was least likely to look in—and pulled out the gift bag he had carefully hidden away there. He moved it to the living room and set it beyond the far end of the sofa, hidden from view.

“Mmkay, done!” Virgil called from the office, emerging almost as soon as he’d said it. He grinned, grabbing Logan’s hands in his and swinging them back and forth. “Love you.”

Logan leaned down and placed a tiny kiss on his husband’s lips. “I adore you,” he said simply, drawing back.

Virgil seized Logan’s face in his hands and dragged him right back in again, standing on tiptoe to even out the height difference between them and kissing Logan soundly till his head spun and all he could focus on was his husband’s warm mouth against his own.

Logan tugged Virgil the few steps across the living room to the couch, stumbling backwards and nearly tripping on the coffee table but too focused on his husband’s hands and eyes and mouth to care. He sat, pulling Virgil down with him, and Virgil happily climbed into his lap and continued kissing him, playing with his tie and smoothing his shirt down against his shoulders and chest.

Logan would have been happy to simply hold Virgil and kiss him for hours, and he planned on doing more or less just that very shortly, but first—“Actually,” Logan said, pulling back, “I have a confession to make.” He took both Virgil’s hands in his own. “Do you remember when I told you that I was driving Remus to look at apartments because Janus and Patton were busy?”

“Yeah?” Virgil’s face scrunched up in confusion. “What’s that got to do with anything?”

“Well.” Logan stifled a grin. “That was a little bit of a lie, and I am very sorry about that.”

Virgil waited, his hands resting lightly on Logan’s chest and his eyebrows raised.

Logan reached over the side of the couch and lifted up the small gift bag. “He was actually helping me to acquire these,” he explained, handing it to his husband.

“What is it?” Virgil asked with a small grin, accepting the bag and examining it.

“Open and see,” Logan urged.

Virgil lifted away the tissue paper, making an interested noise and pulling out the several items of studded jewelry. “These are cool,” he said approvingly.

“Remus helped make sure I picked good ones,” Logan explained. “But here. This is the important part.” He nudged Virgil’s hand back down into the bag until it brushed against the envelope still inside.

“What’s this?” Virgil inquired, bemused and grinning. He lifted the envelope out, examining the “happy anniversary” Logan had scrawled on the front. “Aww, this is so cute.” He leaned in and kissed Logan.

“Open it,” Logan urged, breathless half from the kiss and half from anticipation.

“Okay, okay.” Still grinning, Virgil slid his finger along the seal and lifted the flap of the envelope.

Two glossy tickets fell out into his lap.

“Holy shit,” Virgil breathed, eyes going huge, clearly recognizing them even at a glance. He looked up to make eye contact with Logan. “You didn’t!”

Logan made absolutely no efforts to stifle his huge, self-satisfied grin. “I did.”

“Holy shit!” Virgil repeated, seizing the concert tickets and examining them like he couldn’t believe they were real. “I didn’t even tell you I wanted to go!”

“I could tell,” Logan said simply. He leaned in and kissed Virgil’s cheek.

“I figured you wouldn’t want to—and I didn’t want to go alone—I thought it was too expensive—Logan, these are, like, the best seats in the house!” Virgil drew in a shaky breath. “I—I was so mad I talked myself out of trying to get a ticket before they sold out—oh my god.”

“So, you like it, then?” Logan inquired, grinning, though the question was obviously redundant.

“Fuck you,” Virgil said with an almost teary laugh. “Yes, you smug bastard, this is the best present ever and I love you so much.” Still clutching the tickets like a lifeline, he leaned down for a messy, wonderful kiss, letting Logan cradle his head and hold him close.

“I am glad,” Logan commented, feeling all warm and delighted and very proud of himself. “I thought this would make you happy.”

“It makes me so happy,” Virgil agreed, still emotional but no longer about to cry. “Goddamn.” He chuckled slightly. “Well, now I feel like my present’s gonna be super underwhelming.”

“I do not believe that in the slightest,” Logan said firmly. “Besides, we agreed you would give it to me after dinner. I have plenty of time to work myself into a curious frenzy.” He grinned and pressed a kiss to the tip of his husband’s nose. “I am very happy right now,” he announced.

“No way.” Virgil snickered, carefully sliding the tickets back into the envelope and twisting to set it down on the coffee table. “I love you so much, you sneaky handsome nerd.” He cupped Logan’s cheek in his hand. “Thanks.”

“I am happy you are excited,” Logan said, turning his head to kiss Virgil’s palm. “Happy anniversary.”

“Goddamn,” Virgil said, a smile on his face. “Happy anniversary indeed.”

-

Taglist (ask to be added/removed!): @theimprobabledreamersworld​ @just-a-little-anxious​ @the-sympathetic-villain​ @your-local-crackhead-gremlin​ @peruviandesertfox​

[misterbitches]

hi @yeedak thank you so m uch for replying with what you did. YAY ADHD!!!!! ur partner sounds like she rocks >:)  as do u

i found it really illuminating and i agree with all of it. and god as much as i understand reticence when black people are interracially dating (it is so hard) i also hate it when people dictate it and also to a degree that it makes it extremely uncomfortable for the person themselves. to me it really is about a sense of control particularly if you are a woman. constantly trying to pick someone’s life partner for them instead of letting them find out if it’s a) something they want or even want to do b) something they can handle and c) their experience. it can purely cultural as well. my mom is a black american but my father is nigerian and that was basically a sin. however my father’s siblings? the women who had to marry extremely quickly and had to be with nigerian men or at the very least african? divorced. because they had to clamor for love for approval, pop out babies, and look what that got them. i totally understand you and  your mother. and you’re right about all of it.

the idea of a man whore is so funny to me too because it’s not about sexual liberation it’s literally about them wanting to use people as disposable which is why sexual liberation for women as well can be confusing. but all of this isn’t so we can develop our own imaginations and find out our own inhibitions. like you said in all of it and i found this part very very interesting and true, “youth is for sex and no mention of asexuality.” when you get older you are not sexual, when you are a child you are unsure about it, but there’s a time in our lives where we shouldn’t waste it, where it’s only acceptable in that window, where it’s dictated. tangentially i think it’s very funny that the people we sleep with also become a point of pride. let’s say if he is a man (as a bisexual~**~ gorl) but he’s ugly, i should be ashamed, too?

so much boxing in and pushing and dictating. they really are here to spread a message. and i know things ar ehard. i can believe people ask you that but it’s still so.....weird? i remember saying something about my sexuality once and it’s not like i knew the people but then they started asking me questions and i honestly felt embarrassed and like an outsider. i dunno.

and your analogy of a mirror was perfect woaaaaaaah that’s what im gonna say now thank you so much credit to you. gENIUS!!! as real life changes, what we see changes. but media doesnt come first.

also totally agree about watching what people consume and not falling into those patterns. and when “bad” things are shown i do not understand why shows are so scared to show them as they are or not romanticize. a real issue to introduce when it comes to age gaps would be why it is frequent in the lgbtq+ community. that is a real thing because when you have to hide yourself of course you can be stuck in a state of arrested development and trying to re-establish times you may never have. that’s a geniuine fear and concern, it’s understandable even if i don’t particularly care for it, but it’s like for these writeres there’s no reason to look deeply or put that into their story. so why are they doing it? and what is the message here? uGH. and what ur mother said makes so much sense we are just constantly absorbing all these messages and culture absolutely aids to it and you’re right about the generations. and sometimes things stop and start but i genuinely think (and know) that for us to continue forward and not have the constant backwards taht means we have to push to get there and demand and that also means we have to make an effort to end the harm we then see on screen. rape culture dictates these shows. it relies on it. it is disgusting but rape culture is the norm, the norm is the oppression so we have to attack it otherwise it sticks and htat’s exactly why we see what we see.

and the unacceptability of gender fluidity is what keeps the genre SO INFLEXIBLE sincerely. it honestly just pulls so heavily from patriarchy and the roles in which we have to follow to uphold that structure. 

it’s really just not enough to show us things any more wihtout taking it into consideration. and like ive mentioned there’s soooooooooo much media that has a lot to say that embeds itself. there’s this thing my friend linked me to on re-examining queerness in korean cinema (much like my dad’s country; patriarchal, more “conservative, anti lgbtq+, reliant on capital. africa is different because of the blackness component but the structures aided by colonialism absolutely remain and continue and that’s how we see such similarities. thse countries are more “overt” in this output but still you know. america. sucks) because we are trying to re-evaluate what it means to be heard and seen. the different ways and sort of the message that a lot of us as lgbtq+ can feel. you know, how we can get a feeling on if a person has our same experience, how we kind of have to learn to identify that. not sure if this makes sense...

your mom sounds really cool. and i’m fucking sorry. so many men do that. i live with both my parents but even then i see this power imbalance i can’t stand and you know i would have believed it was normal if i wasnt able to learn aand had to build up thinking skills. there was one day that it hit me that there are parts of my parents relationship i abhor, that are imbalanced, that make me find my father disgusting and make me ashamed of my mother. i don’t want that to happen to me or my potential children. if i have a male partner for life, which i am sure i will because offffffff heteronormativity and homophobia and being half black american half nigerian, he cannot recreate that. i am optimistic on what people can do without needing such grand structures or the support of the elite etc you know? that’s how we know there’s good work that exists and people we can find that arent with the status quou!!! 

and who want a better world. we have to know we can rally that together. i think part of that is constant demanding of things to do better. there’s a rage against the machine song called settle for nothing and it’s about 0 compromise. there’s a famous quote i dont remember by who that’s basically like there’s an idea that there’s a limit to asking for dignity and what you deserve because when people realize they can live better lives they want to cultivate that more and more but that means a loss of control and a sharing of power from the top. nothing is ever enough if it can be better and we are allowed to demand it (or take it.) we deserve the world, we are being told that we’re asking fo rtoo much. are we? really? 

i was thinking about the children thing as well bc...lmao i was so tightly contorlled as a child and it really messed me up but at the same time, like you, i honestly do not want my children watching drivel. like even with youtube. a friend of mine said that what she thinks she will do is try and hammer home how fantastical these things are, they do not reflect reality, and to get them to understand the spectacle. at the same time i’m like does a child really need to watch these dumb tiktok stars or jake paul? but then im like i really dont want to control them. but like what if ur kid asks u to go to some like fucking BL concert or some shit like what do you say to that?!??! I DONT WANNA SAY NO BUT AT THE SAME TIME UHHHHlmao but at the same time we have to give them tools to analyze and do the right things and follow their hearts

however,

as you know

LOL

tysm for responding, lovely talking to you and hearing your thoughts!!!

oh btw so u r from kashmar? that is very cool......VERY COOL

[foreverfangirlalways]

The Astronomer and The Florist (Chapter 11)

Summery: Logan and Virgil go have dinner at Mr. Sanders place, and then they have a sleepover date.

Ships: Analogical & Royality

Warning: fear, sad Logan moment

-let me know if I need to add more warnings-

(I am soft for flirty, blushing boyfriends; and time is just a construct 😂 If you don’t like kissing, flirting, and cuddling, DO NOT READ THIS CHAPTER! Ok, thank you 💜)

—-

As soon as Logan finished his last lesson and organized his classroom, he headed home and jumped into the shower.

He had texted Virgil Mr. Sanders address, and they had decided that to would be best if Virgil was the one to drive them to the dinner, especially since they will be having their sleepover date right afterwards!

They had decided that the sooner the better, and they both have off tomorrow. Also, Virgil offered up his house for the date.

That meant that Logan has approximately 47 minutes to shower, get dressed, and pack a bag. Once he tied his tie, he started packing. Everything was going so well, that naturally he had no idea what pajamas to pack.

Shorts? No.

Flannel? Too plain.

Unicorn Onesie? Too soon in the relationship for that.

He was stressing, and shoved through his drawer. No, no, no, n-... wait.

He held up the pajamas and grinned. These are perfect! He refolded them and placed them in his duffel bag.

“There. That is my charger, toothbrush, toothpaste, pajamas, change of close for tomorrow... yep! That’s everything. And in perfect timing because Virgil just texted that he is 5 minutes away.

Logan pocketed his phone, grabbed the duffle bag, and then did one last check in the mirror. He straightened his tie, and then walked out.

Virgil drove up, and Logan tossed his bag in the backseat, hopped into the passenger side, and kissed Virgil on the cheek. Virgil hid a smile and told his ‘stupid flirty boyfriend’ to buckle up.

-_-_-_-

Mr. Sanders is a very gracious host. He made some awesome quesadillas, and asked to be called Thomas. He busted out laughing when Virgil said, “Of course Mr. Thomas.”

“Virgil, buddy, while I love how polite you are, there is no need.” Virgil just kinda nervously laughed to himself. “Sorry, I just feel like I am meeting a parent, and I want to impress you.”

“That’s very sweet,” Thomas chuckled. “I’m glad you think that I hold so much sway over Logan, but you have nothing to prove to me. I have approved of you since Logan first called me out of the blue and started spiraling about this guy that, quote unquote, ‘is so good looking that he suddenly made me remember how gay I am.”

Logan looked away blushing while Virgil smirked at him. “Oh really? You thought that?” Logan rolled his eyes, trying to gain control of the situation.

“Virgil, I still think that. There is a reason that I asked you to be my boyfriend.”

“Oh really?” Virgil smirked, parroting his last statement. “And here I thought it was just because I can make a bomb bouquet.”

“That was a small part too.” Logan said, smiling and holding his fingers to show how small.

“Speaking of that, I never got to see the bouquet, may I see a picture?” Virgil lit up at Thomas’s question. “You can! And if you are interested, I can even show you a video of Logan punching Michael!”

Both just stared at Virgil. Thomas looked at Logan. “You punched someone?” Logan nodded, still looking at Virgil.

“Yeah, he tried hurting Virgil. How did you get a video?” Virgil took out his phone. “I was texting Elliot yesterday and apologized for not getting a video or picture of Michael getting punched. He laughed and then goes, ‘oh? Haven’t you heard?’

It turns out that Zoe, one of your old coworkers and a fellow member of the ‘I hate Michael club’ was at the Party. She saw that he was harassing me, and apparently decided to record the situation incase Michael tried blaming me. Also, apparently #pushMichealoutawindow is trending on tumblr.”

Logan was dumbfounded and Thomas busted out laughing. “Well I have to see it now!”

Virgil first showed him the bouquet, and gave the definition. After Thomas finished laughing and telling Virgil how good a job he did, everybody watched Logan punch Michael and protect Virgil’s honor. After the video was over, everyone sat back down. There was silence for a bit before Thomas spoke.

“Wow, Logan.” Logan looked at Thomas, terrified of what he thought.

“I can explain, see-“ Thomas held up his hand, interrupting Logan. “Logan, I have never been more proud! I have to say, that is a great left hook.”

Virgil and Thomas laughed at the shocked look on Logan’s face. “You’re... you’re proud?” Logan asked in a shaky voice. Virgil immediately grasped Logan hand. “Of course I’m proud of you Logan. You protected your boyfriend and stood up for yourself. I think you are doing amazing things with your life.”

Logan hide his face, trying to not let it show how much Thomas’s words affected him. He felt a pair of arms wrap around him, and he turned into his boyfriends embrace.

“Thank you Thomas. You have no idea how much that means to me.” Thomas smiles and ruffles Logan’s hair.

“It’s no problem buddy. Now, how about some ice cream?” Logan nodded and Thomas went to go get the treat. Virgil fixed Logan’s hair, and Logan just blushed and leaned his face into Virgil’s hands. They smiled at eachother and Virgil kissed Logan on the top of his nose.

They heard a click, and turned around to see Thomas standing in the door way, holding 3 pints of ice cream stacked on top of eachother in one hand and his phone in the other.

Logan buried his head in Virgil’s chest. “Why does everyone take pictures of us kissing?” Thomas looked intrigued.

“Everyone? I think I need to hear this story too.” Logan simply squeezed Virgil tighter and Virgil laughed. “How about that ice cream, huh?”

-_-_-_-

After talking about stalkerish friends, showing more pictures, and telling a few more stories, Logan and Virgil bid Thomas a good night.

“Y’all have a good night too, and don’t be afraid to come back! I love theses chats, and Virgil, I took the liberty of putting my number in your phone, so don’t be a stranger! Also, I changed your lock screen.” Thomas winked the shut his door. Virgil took out his phone and laughed at the picture on his screen. Logan looked at the picture and started chuckling.

The picture was of Logan and Virgil, embracing, with Logan looking at Virgil in adoration as Virgil kissed the tip of his nose.

“I have to say,” Virgil said, putting his car in reverse. “Thomas is very sneaky, and I had a lot of fun. Besides, that is my new favorite picture.”

Logan laughed and got out his phone. “I have to say, while your screensaver is undeniably adorable, I think I still like mine the best.” Logan said, and smiled down at the picture Roman took while spying on them, of Virgil, arms wrapped around Logan and standing on the balls of his feat, kissing him.

Virgil glanced at the picture on Logan’s lock screen, and smiled. “I like that one too. I have to say, I love how both of the pictures are of me kissing you.”

Logan laughed, and gladly accepted the opening. “Well, I’ll just have to fix that, huh?” Virgil blushed at Logan’s implication.

“No distracting the driver.” Logan laughed, but kept quiet until Virgil pulled into his driveway.

Virgil unlocked the door while Logan got his duffle bag. Virgil was toeing off his shoes, and Logan shut the door, wrapped his arms around Virgil, whispered ‘honey I’m home’, then kissed him on the cheek.

Virgil giggled and playfully shoved Logan. “The reason all those pictures are of me kissing you is because you keep missing.”

Logan smiled mischievously, and Virgil just shook his head. “Go get your pajamas on Mr.” Logan raised his hands in surrender and asked where the bathroom is. After being told, Logan nodded, quickly kissed Virgil, then ran to the bathroom to change.

Virgil just shook his head at his boyfriend antics and went to put on his pajamas. One he was done he walked into the living room and laughed. Logan looked up and started laughing as well.

“Well, this has got to be a sign.” Logan said, gesturing to his NASA themed pjs and Virgil’s galaxy themed ones.

“Yeah,” Virgil said, still giggling. “It looks like great minds really do think alike.”

Logan plugged up his phone, set his duffle bag on the floor, and looked at Virgil. “So, what do you want to do first?”

“Well, I found some documentaries on the history behind the constellations, so we could watch that.”

Logan agreed and they both sat on the couch while Virgil pulled up the movie. Virgil turned off the light, and handed Logan a blanket.

Logan accepted the blanket, and pulled Virgil next to him. Virgil looked at him with a raised eyebrow but was smiling.

“What?” Logan asked. “Did you think I was going to watch a constellation documentary without cuddling my constellation clad boyfriend?”

Virgil blushed and cuddled up next to Logan. They stayed like that, cuddled and giving commentary, for two documentaries.

After the second documentary ended, Logan looked down at Virgil. “I vote target practice next.”

Virgil sputtered and hid his face in his hands. Logan chuckled. “If you don’t want to-“

Virgil peaked out from behind his hands. “I never said I didn’t want to, you are just... incredibly flirty.”

Logan busted out laughing. “Oh starlight, I am only flirty with you. And I like to keep away from PDA, so I mainly rely on words in public. Which work wonders on you and I get to see your adorable blush.”

Virgil blushed, proving Logan’s point. “Stupid flirty boyfriend” Virgil mumbled while smiling.

“Correction,” Logan said, leaning closer to Virgil. “YOUR stupid flirty boyfriend.” Logan muttered against Virgil’s lips, and then kissed him.

“Yay!” Virgil said afterwards. “You didn’t miss!” They both laugh. “I think you need some more practice though...”

They kissed for a while, and then they got back to cuddling and watched The Black Caldron.

Around midnight they both fell asleep, wrapped in eachother arms, and completely content.

-----

( I hope you liked it! I’m having so much fun writing this! And #pushMichaeloutawindow is an actual thing 😂)

Taglist-

@dragonwithproblems

@five-falseh00ds-ph0nated

@kawaiikat54

@thefingergunsgirl

@sanders-sides-with-quinn

@aleiimm

@007ardra

@yikesdodson

@nerdycupcake559

@softestvirgil

@teacupfulofstarshine

@impatentpending

@star-crossed-shipper

@rainbowemonightmare

@ravenivy2079

@ladyartemisia28

@moose-boi

@resident-trash-goblin

[always-and-forever-a-killjoy]

Hey y'all! So I wrote a relatively long oneshot (for me) in 24 hours or so (breaking my record for most words written in one day in the process), and I decided to dump it all on you. This is minimally edited and was posted with a cat on my lap, so if you spot any errors, please let me know. 

Also, while it's not technically necessary to read all the smiles that are ever gonna haunt me and all the things that you never ever told me, which are the fics which this is an alternate ending for, it will be really really helpful to understanding this. (All the smiles is here and all the things is here.) Do be careful of the warnings for those two, as they're quite dark fics. But then again, so is this, so...y'know.

Oh and please don’t question why the Cherri POV is present tense and the Newsie POV is past tense, idk either it just felt right.

Title: if i died we’d be together

Wordcount: 5316

Summary: Cherri Cola dies. NewsAGoGo refuses to accept this.

The Phoenix Witch is unhelpful (and an asshole, if you ask Newsie.)

Warnings: major character death, implied/referenced suicide, implied self harm, minor violence, an extraordinary amount of swearing.

Taglist: @wishiwasthemoon-tonight @sleevesareforlosers @stressed-depressed-emo-mess @tasteofamnesia @dagger-queen (message me, send an ask, or reblog/reply to one of my posts if you want to be added or removed)

AO3 Link

(Actual fic under the cut)

In this universe, the Phoenix Witch doesn’t come for Cherri Cola. He lies in the sand, alone and in pain, unable to move himself a single step further. He would get up if he could, he would go home, but he’s helpless. Alone and afraid, truly afraid for the first time in years. He doesn’t want to die alone. He doesn’t want to die knowing the people in his life will never know what happened to him. D, Pony, Newsie…

Cherri doesn’t want to die. Not like this. He was supposed to die helping his friends, not because he decided that life wasn’t worth living and let himself fade away into the heat of the desert. He doesn’t want to leave his friends, he doesn’t want to leave his family. Did they even know he counted them as a family? Does Newsie know he loves them like a sibling?

Cherri Cola dies alone, and the last words on his lips are “I’m sorry, Newsie.”

-

Cherri didn’t come back. Not after the mask discussion, not after Newsie’s talk with the Phoenix Witch, and certainly not any earlier than that. It was another week of silent dinners and endless, hopeless searching before Pony put eir foot down. 

“Cola is dead.”

That was what ey said, breaking the silence of that morning’s breakfast. 

Newsie couldn’t even manage the energy to snap at em. “No.”

“Cola’s gone, Newsie. You know it, just like me.”

“He can’t be fucking dead. I won’t- I won’t let it happen.” She hated that her voice shook. 

“He is, though. Nothing we can do about it.” Pony’s usually cheerful voice was quiet, beaten-down. 

“No!”

“Yes! We gotta accept it!”

“No, we don’t!”

“Maybe-“ eir voice broke on the word. “Maybe it was his time. Or fate or something.”

“Well fuck fate then! Fuck the Phoenix Witch and fuck her ‘plans’! It can’t just be right to fucking take him away, he’s got a fucking family!”

“Well- well- maybe you’re right, but what are we going to do about it?” Pony’s voice had gone quiet again, and ey was staring at the table like it might have the answers somehow.

“We’re going to find the Phoenix Witch and tell her to go fuck herself,” Newsie declared. 

D sighed. “I don’t think that’s possible, Newsie.”

“Why not? Cherri’s met the Phoenix Witch, it can’t be that hard.” She got up from her seat, tossing the empty power pup can into the sink.

“I mean…they’ve got a point,” Pony said as D sighed again. 

“See? Pone knows I’m right.” She made those words as firm as she could, filling them with all the confidence that she didn’t have but wished she did. “I’m going to go find the Phoenix Witch, flip her off, and get Cherri back.”

“Newsie-“

They ignored D’s worried voice as they went tromping into the back of the radio station, back to the room that used to be theirs and Cherri’s- and still would be, Newsie vowed. She packed up a messenger bag with a few supplies and located Cherri’s mask and ray gun, picking up the ray gun first. It was pink like hers, but a heavier weight in her hands. If she had been poetic like her brother, she would have said it was the weight of the task she was about to take on.

But they were no Cherri Cola, and they knew the real reason was that Cherri’s ray gun was a nicer one than theirs, taken from an exterminator he had fought back in the Analog Wars. It certainly wasn’t the newest model anymore, but it remained a high-quality weapon. Not that he ever used it anymore. Still, even however long after he had last held it, she thought she could feel the ghost of his hands on it, warm and rough as they guided her hands into place the first time she had ever fired a ray gun.

Newsie slid the ray gun into her spare holster and picked up Cherri’s mask. They debated putting it away into their bag, but that felt too much like they were bringing it to the mailbox for a final goodbye. Instead, they put it around their neck, where it bounced against their collarbone as they donned their own mask. 

“Alright, Cherri. Let’s go bring you back from the dead.”

Show Pony and Dr. Death Defying didn’t try to stop her when she walked back through the main living space. D reached out as if to grab her wrist, but stopped himself in midair. “Newsie.”

“Don’t try to stop me.”

“I won’t, but I want you to take this.” He held out a crow feather, shining a gorgeous glossy black in the sunlight that streamed in from the window. “I met the Witch, once. During the Analog Wars. And she gave me this.”

“So you think it will help?”

D’s smile was dreadfully sad. “Worth a shot.”

Newsie hesitated a moment and took the feather. It was smooth under her fingers as she tucked it into her bag. “Thanks, D.”

“Of course.” He didn’t tell her to come back safe, and Newsie didn’t promise she would.

Pony skated up before she could walk out the door, handing her a packet of what looked vaguely like glitter. “I don’t have a fancy Witch feather like D, but take some glitter for the road. Because sparkles…”

“Make everything better.” Newsie’s throat burned. “Thanks, Pone.”

“Of course, GoGo.” Ey shot her a grin. “Bring back our Cola. Oh, and give him some shit for dying, would ya?”

“Don’t worry, I will,” Newsie muttered. They paused in the doorway, looking back at the other two. “Thanks, Pone. Thanks, D. Love you.”

“We love you too.” D’s face was sad as he watched them go.

Newsie hopped onto their motorcycle, grinning a bit to themself at the familiar noise of the engine. “Come on, baby, we’ve got an idiot brother to retrieve.”

What had once been called Death Valley was silent as Newsie hopped back off the bike, only a few caws of crows to welcome her. It was said that here, the lines between reality and wherever the Phoenix Witch was were even thinner than they were for the rest of the Zones, practically non-existent. No one could quite agree if it was because the Phoenix Witch lived here, or if the Phoenix Witch lived here because the lines were so blurred, but either way, she was said to dwell here in this aptly named valley. It wasn’t a place many people went by choice, not unless they wanted to risk the wrath of the Witch.

Newsie figured the Witch, her wrath, and all the superstition could all go fuck themselves. She was uneasy, yes, but the valley held no great fear for her. Only great fucking heat, given that the sun was blazing down and the air was almost unnaturally still. Couldn’t the Phoenix Witch have picked a nicer home? This was the closest thing you could get to hell on earth, with the exception of possibly whatever was beyond the Zones entirely. Not that Newsie particularly believed in hell, but she imagined it would be something like this. Blazing sun, still air, the faint haze of radiation, and the omnipresent sting of grief.

“Hey, Phoenix Witch lady! Asshole! Where are you?” The words didn’t even echo, absorbed into the stifling heat, and Newsie took another couple of steps. “I know this is your home- and you picked a pretty hellish one, if you ask me- so come on out and fight me!”

There was no reply, and Newsie dug through their bag to see if they had anything useful. Their hands brushed against a smooth…something, and they pulled out the feather D had given them. “Hey! Asshole! This is your feather, so come and get it!”

Once again, there was no reply, but the feather strained against Newsie’s grip, despite there being no wind. She reluctantly let it go, and it hovered above her hand, turning to point further into the valley. 

“Holy shit. I guess I’m supposed to go this way?” She took a few cautious steps, and the feather almost seemed to bob in approval. “Okay, let’s go then.”

They zipped their bag closed again and started walking, following the lead of the feather. It was a longer trek than they really appreciated, across shifting sand through the hazy day. Every so often, the feather changed directions, and Newsie had to turn to follow it. Despite the fact that she guessed she must be out in Zone Seven by now, or possibly even further, the landscape never seemed to change. Rocks and sand and endless, burning heat, matching the burning of her eyes as the sand stung them. She would have been lost in a second if she didn’t have the feather, wasn’t entirely sure she wasn’t lost anyways. They certainly didn’t know their way back. 

Newsie shoved that concern to the back of their mind. Right now, all they needed to focus on was finding Cherri. The rest could come later. Still, there was no sign of Cherri- or anyone else for that matter- as they made their way further into the dusty valley. It should have been lonely, but the faint hovering presence of someone or something next to her kept away that particular anguish. She really should have been more alarmed by whatever was in the corner of her eye, vanishing when she looked right at it, but the presence felt safe. Almost familiar. So Newsie kept walking. 

They walked, and walked, and walked and walked and walked until the steps all blurred together under the infinite sun. It seemed like it should be nearly nightfall by now, but the sun didn’t seem to move, no matter how many steps she took. The landscape didn’t seem like it was moving much either, even though they must have walked miles and miles by now. Every step was harder than the last, sand stinging her eyes and nose and throat as her feet ached.

Still, Newsie was too damn stubborn to give up now. She followed the feather until the landscape did start to shift, the feather pointing towards…a tree? On a hill? It wasn’t like the tiny, scraggly trees that clung to existence in the wettest parts of the desert. No, this was what Newsie vaguely thought might have been called an oak, once upon a time, branches stretching towards the sky as the tree stood proud. The leaves were dark green, striking a sharp contrast to the faded blue of the desert sky and the endless beige sand, and the branches were thick and steady, growing in a pattern Newsie hadn’t seen before. It definitely wasn’t a tree that was meant to be in the desert, but...shade was shade. 

She staggered over and flopped down underneath it, every muscle in her body screaming at her. “Hey, Witch, asshole, why do I have to walk so fucking far?”

The only reply she got was the rustling of leaves above her. They didn’t think the Witch was actually watching, but they flipped off the tree anyways, just in case. 

She could have sworn she heard faint laughter at that, but it was probably her mind playing tricks on her. Water, she could really use some fucking water. Thank the Witch, or maybe just Pony’s quick thinking, they found a bottle of water when they reached into their bag. It was warmed by the sun and tasted vaguely of rust, but then again, most water in the desert did. Newsie was used to it.

She only got a few minutes to rest before the silence was shattered by a cry. “Help! Help!” It was a young-sounding voice, and Newsie groaned as they climbed to their feet. Having a moral compass was a real pain in the ass sometimes; they couldn’t just ignore a kid in need.

The presence by their shoulder seemed to have grown stronger as Newsie came around the tree and saw a few dracs holding a struggling killjoy who looked to be maybe thirteen or fourteen. She would have to be very careful in order not to hurt the ‘joy, given their close proximity to the dracs. Their hands shook as they pulled out their ray gun, reconsidered, and took out Cherri’s instead. They were pretty sure it had that gyroscope stabilizer (or whatever it was called) that some of the nicer ones were built with, and she would need every advantage she could get. This time, she was almost certain there were ghostly hands over hers as she took careful aim.

“Steady. Breathe,” a voice murmured in Newsie’s ear as they tilted the ray gun carefully. It would be only seconds before the young killjoy was dragged off, so she had to act now. 

Newsie took a deep breath, releasing it fully before she pulled the trigger and took out one of the dracs holding the ‘joy, who was able to break free from the other one’s grasp as Newsie took that one down too. She might not have been Cherri Cola, but she was by no means a bad shot, and she grinned a bit to herself. Drac down, drac down, and that was the last of them!

“Fuck yeah, NewsAGoGo, you kick ass.” They figured they might as well encourage themself, since there was no one else around to do it.

That was met by what she could have sworn was another faint chuckle, but there wasn’t anyone else around to be laughing. Well, except the younger killjoy, but they were way too far away to have heard her. 

Newsie shrugged and accepted that weird shit was going to happen on a quest in Death Valley. They had to keep moving, they decided, but first they should check on that ‘joy they’d saved. 

“Hey, kid! You okay?”

“Yeah, yeah I’m fine. Thanks to you, I think.” Their voice was hoarse, and Newsie sighed as she handed them her water bottle. Cherri was getting his ass kicked for this, she decided. It wasn’t technically his fault that she was thirsty, but if he hadn’t up and died, she wouldn’t have had to quest after him and then she wouldn’t have ended up giving her water to some random ‘joy.

“Thanks,” the teen said, handing them back the water bottle.

She shrugged. “No problem. You going somewhere?”

“Yes, but not the same way as you.” Their head was tilted curiously. “You’ll have to go that way. Until you see the building.”

Newsie debated for a second if this kid was trustworthy, but ultimately decided it was no worse than following a fucking feather. “Thanks, kid. Good luck, keep running.”

“Keep running!” They flashed a smile and wandered away.

Newsie sighed and started walking again, this time in the direction the kid had pointed. Again, Cherri was so getting an ass-kicking for this. Their feet hurt. 

Thank the Phoenix Witch- no, thank Destroya, she wasn’t thanking the Phoenix Witch for fucking anything right now- she wasn’t back on her feet for long. Compared to her earlier trek, it was quite a short distance, maybe a mile or so, to what must have been the building that kid was talking about. It was a small shack which looked vaguely familiar, even from a distance, and Newsie sped up a little as they headed towards it. Shade! Maybe even a place to sit that wasn’t sand! Of course, knowing her luck, the Phoenix Witch would show up and demand she go run some errand or walk another hundred fucking miles or something. 

The presence that had been following her this whole time seemed stronger and easier to catch a glimpse of, now, but the was the least of their worries as Newsie approached the building and found it familiar. They could peer in through the window and find D and Pony sitting there in the living room, talking about music (she assumed, given that the only time D gestured so broadly was when he was giving opinions about music).

“D! Pone!”

They didn’t seem to hear her, and Newsie felt her eyes stinging from both sand and grief as she knocked on the door. There was still no reply, no Pony at the door or even sound from inside. But the two carried on their conversation, gesturing and laughing away.

"D, Pony…” If they were back here, that meant they had failed. They hadn’t gotten to the Witch after all. 

Newsie gave up her knocking and turned her back to the door, sliding down to sit on the hard ground. Their feet hurt from standing and their legs hurt from walking and their hands hurt from clutching Cherri’s ray gun so tightly. The sun was still blazing, and their throat was dry and sore. Her collarbones were banged up where Cherri’s mask had been bouncing against them, and her hip was bruised from the bag bouncing against it, and everything fucking hurt. They had promised themself they weren’t going to cry, but now they were breaking that promise because their goddamn brother was dead and they couldn’t fucking do anything about it. 

“I’m sorry, Cherri,” they choked.

“It’s okay. It’s going to be okay.” The words were only a whisper, but the voice was familiar. 

Newsie’s heart skipped a beat. “Cherri?”

“I’m here,” the air next to her whispered, right where that presence had been hovering. “Not exactly, but close enough.” If they squinted, they could make out an outline of a familiar killjoy, smiling a soft, sad smile as he pushed his hair out of his face.

“Fucking bastard! Fuck! Fucking hell! You just fucking died on me and do you know how far I fucking walked?”

“Technically, you didn’t walk at all.” That was a different voice, belonging to the cloaked figured who was suddenly in front of Newsie. They could have sworn the person hadn’t been there just a second ago, which was damn inconvenient. Right as she was trying to catch up with her fucking brother? Really?

“Who the fuck are you?” They demanded.

“The deity you came to find, NewsAGoGo.”

Newsie hopped to her feet so she could stand on level with the bird creature, ignoring the ache in every part of their body. “Fuck you! Fuck you, Witch lady! Fuck you and your fate and your cryptic ways! What the fuck do you mean I didn’t walk?”

The Witch seemed faintly amused by her swearing. “I mean that in real-world distance, you went nowhere. You’re on the border, the boundary between this world and the next. Which is how your lovely brother is here, by the way. He belongs to the spirit world, and you belong to the ordinary one, but on this border and this border only, you can see and hear each other.”

“Great, now I’m taking him back to the real world.”

The Phoenix Witch tsked disapprovingly. “I’m afraid you can’t do that, NewsAGoGo. You see, Cherri Cola is dead. He belongs to my domain now.”

“Well fuck that! I’m not letting him go.” Newsie hadn’t walked however many fucking miles to give up now.

“Fine, fine, you can have him.” Newsie’s heart soared. “For a price,” The Witch added. 

“And what’s the price?”

“The price is the people in that house behind you.”

“What?”

“Well, technically they aren’t there, per se. That’s not Dr. Death Defying and Show Pony, although it seems that way to you.” The Witch’s voice was annoyingly calm. “But my point being, if you can give up one of them, you can have your Cherri back.”

“Newsie, no,” Cherri whispered from beside her.

“Can you do it?” The Witch was still smiling. “Can you sacrifice one friend to save another? Could you live with yourself if you killed your friend to save your brother? And could you live with yourself if you left him here to save the others?”

“No, I can’t do it.” They knew their voice must sound very small and very tired as they leaned a little against the radio shack that wasn’t the radio shack. “I can’t choose the life of one of my friends over another. I won’t make that choice. I refuse.”

“So do you choose to leave him here? I’ll take good care of him, you know.”

“No. I choose to not choose. I refuse to choose.” She had no idea what she was doing, only that she wasn’t leaving without the lives of all of her family. “I won’t put Cherri’s life over D’s, or Pony’s. I won’t put D or Pony’s life over Cherri’s. They all deserve to live.”

“Oh, hon, it doesn’t work that way.”

“Well I’ll make it work that way!” A thought niggled Newsie’s brain. “What if…What if I gave you something else?”

“Like what?”

“Like my life.”

“No!” That was Cherri again, his spirit form flickering fiercely. “No! Newsie, just leave without me. Please.”

The Phoenix Witch was smirking, but she shook her head. “Sorry, NewsAGoGo. I can’t accept that offer, selfless as it might be. You’ve got things ahead of you, I can’t just mess up my plans like that.”

“Fine, then something else.” Newsie rooted around in her bag, desperately trying to find something to trade with the Witch. Empty water bottle, no. Can of power pup that she never touched, no. Their hand collided with a small, slightly squished packet of something, which they pulled out triumphantly. “Glitter. I’ll give you glitter for my brother’s life.” Newsie knew she sounded ridiculous, but it really was all she had to offer.

The Phoenix Witch threw her head back and cackled; it was almost more of a caw than a laugh but clearly a sound of amusement nonetheless. “Glitter! Glitter! I haven’t laughed so hard in years.��

Their hand was shaking. “Pony gave it to me. Because sparkles- because sparkles-“ Their voice wobbled and they couldn’t finish that sentence.

“Sparkles make everything better,” Cherri whispered softly from next to her. Newsie nodded, trying not to cry.

The mirth on the Witch’s face was gone, replaced by true, genuine pity. “You care so much.”

“Yeah, of course I fucking do. He’s my brother, asshole.”

Cherri’s form was flickering again, and Newsie wished she knew what that meant as the Witch smiled softly. It was a bit of a sad, pitying smile, which they really didn’t appreciate, but they guessed they did make for a pitiful sight. Sandy and dusty, tear tracks on their face as they leaned against a wall and offered a pitiful little pack of glitter in exchange for the person they loved most in the world. 

“So…are you going to take the glitter?” Maybe it was dumb, maybe she should know the Witch would never accept glitter, but she had to try. 

“Yes.” 

Newsie gaped at her. 

“Yes, I’ll take the glitter. Not as a reward, but as a symbol. You, NewsAGoGo, traveled uncountable miles of unreality, fought a squad of dracs, and dared defy me, a literal deity, for your brother. I am not a cruel goddess, I do not need to be. The world is cruel enough for me. And your Cherri did not deserve to die. Oh, he was asking for it, he was taunting me into swooping down to take that bracelet you gave him off his wrist and taking his soul on with me just the same, but he still didn’t deserve to die.”  

The Witch flicked Cherri on the nose, or where Newsie thought his nose ought to be. “We’ve had some conversations about it, haven’t we? Because you didn’t want to die, Cherri Cola. You wanted to not be in pain. Something everyone wants. And your sister cares so much, so I’ll give you one more chance. This is your last one, lovely.”

“I understand.”

“Of course you do, hon.” The Witch turned back to Newsie. “Keep an eye on this one. He’s a bit prone to wandering off, but he’s yours again. He belongs to the land of the living. I’ll be keeping this, though.” She tapped the bracelet on her wrist, which Newsie recognized as the one they had given Cherri. “And the glitter, just for the hell of it. Tell your friend Pony they have good taste in décor, will you?”

And just like that, she was gone. Newsie was standing alone at the entrance to Death Valley, her faithful motorcycle next to her. At first, she thought the Witch had lied, since she did seem to be utterly alone, but before long, footsteps sounded from within the valley. 

Newsie turned as a figure approached, her breath catching at the familiar face. Cherri Cola was exactly how he had been the day Newsie had left him at the radio station, not knowing she would come back to find him gone. His battered green jacket was just as ripped and dusty as ever, and there was a small scar across his right cheek, as always. The only immediately visible difference between Cherri of a few weeks ago and this Cherri was the pure white streak in his hair, white like bones and death and the salt crusted on some parts of the desert. Yet when she looked closer, she could also see a tiny spark of determination in his eyes that had been missing for a very long time.

Cherri came to a stop in front of her, smiling cautiously. “Hey.” 

Newsie didn’t know if they should cry, yell at him, or hug him. They settled for a mixture of all three, sprinting over to hug him tightly as they unleashed all the bottled swear words and tears of the past few weeks. “Fuck you, Cherri! Dipshit! Bitch boy! Fucking rat bastard, you left me! You left me alone and I- and I was scared.” Their voice dropped on the last few words.

“I know, I’m sorry.” Cherri’s voice was very soft. “I should never have left.”

A bit of her fierceness came back at that, with another couple of swear words to unleash. “No, you fucking shouldn’t have! Asshole. Little shit! You died, you fucker! You died and I had to walk so fucking far to get you back, fuckface!”

“I’m sorry, Newsie. I’m so sorry.” 

She sniffled, unable to stay mad for long. “Just never do that again. Ever. I’m not fighting a squad of dracs to save some child so I can get directions to a fucking fake radio shack and talk to a cryptic deity next time.”

“There won’t be a next time,” Cherri said softly. “I promise.”

“Cross your heart and hope to die?”

He crossed his heart, giving her a very serious look. “I swear on my best poetry and Show Pony’s glitter stash.”

They let out a sound somewhere between a sob and a laugh. “Now you can never break it, Pone would never forgive you if something happened to their glitter stash.”

“Exactly.” His eyes were glimmering with tears as well, but he was smiling as Newsie led him back to her motorcycle with a “Hop on, fuckface.”

It felt safe to have Cherri’s arms wrapped around her again, his head leaning on her shoulder as she revved the engine. He was a warm, safe presence, just as he had been in the unreality-reality place, but this time he was a solid one. A real one.

They might have been tired as all fuck, but that didn’t stop them from grinning as Cherri muttered something about it probably not being safe for her to drive while this tired. “Hang on, fucker. We’re going home.” 

Home was, as it had been for quite a while now, a (mostly) structurally sound radio station in the middle of the desert. It was almost nightfall by the time they pulled up in front of the radio shack, and Newsie was yawning as she climbed off the bike with another huge yawn. Cherri practically had to carry her to the door, but in her defense, he wasn’t the one who had walked however many miles, got in a firefight, and argued with a deity today. So they felt no guilt in leaning against him as he paused on the porch, using his free hand to knock gently on the door.

They were met by an exhausted-looking Show Pony, eyes red-rimmed and blood-shot as ey opened the door. “I’m sorry, no visitors today- Newsie?! Cherri?!?”

Cherri waved with his free hand. “Hey.”

“Am I just seeing things?” Pony’s voice was as shocked as eir face, which was very.

“Not seeing things, bastard,” Newsie yawned. “I said I was getting Cherri, didn’t I?”

“Yeah, but you’ve been missing a month, Gogo! D and I thought you were ghosted like your bro!”

It probably was not an appropriate reaction, but the first thing out of her mouth was “No wonder I’m so thirsty.”

Cherri started laughing at that, and after a second so did Pony, half-hysterically. “Well, we’ve got water, that’s for sure. D’ll give you plenty, he’ll be so glad you’re alive!” Ey led them inside, still laughing in a somewhat hysterical way. “D, we’ve got some rat bastards alive and back on our hands!”

“Fuck you, Pone.” 

“She’s kidding, we love you,” Cherri yawned.

“And I love you too, but you can’t just- just up and disappear! The lot of you, honestly.” 

D’s face was only slightly less shocked than Pony’s when he rolled into the living room, and Newsie had a feeling that was only because he was even more exhausted than em. 

“Hey,” Cherri said again. 

“Cherri- Newsie- Witch, you both, we thought you were dead!”

“Well we’re not, deal with it.” She was too tired for this shit. Shouldn’t arguing with a deity give you a pass? “Also, sorry, Pone, I traded your glitter away to the Witch.”

Ey only looked shocked for a second before eir usual grin returned. “Well, it was meant to be used somehow! Plus, sparkles…”

“Make everything better!” Newsie, Pony, and Cherri all chorused. 

D sighed. “Welcome home, you two. Never scare us like that again, alright, Newsie?”

“I wasn’t the one who wandered off and died!”

“To be fair, you kinda threatened to fight the Phoenix Witch and then vanished, sugar,” Pony put in.

Newsie flipped em off, flopping down on the sofa. “My point was, give Cherri shit instead. I’m too tired for this.”

“Oh, I plan on it.” D’s voice was vaguely threatening, but his face cracked into a smile as he turned to Cherri. “You scared the hell out of all of us.”

Cherri stared at the ground. “I know, I’m sorry.”

“And we love you so much,” D added.

Newsie grinned at her brother’s shocked face. “Uh-huh, fuckface. We love you, even if you’re a rat bastard. Now I’m going to sleep for a week, see you all later.”

“Goodnight, Newsie,” Cherri said with a smile. If anyone else said anything after that, Newsie didn’t hear it. They were out like a light within seconds.

-

In this universe, the radio station is peaceful that evening, the family reunited at long last. Cherri Cola smiles to himself as he lifts Newsie off the sofa, giving D and Pony a thumbs up as he wanders into the back of the radio station. Their room is quiet, and Newsie barely shifts when he sets her down gently on the mattress.  They do move, however, when Cherri tries to pull away, reaching out to snatch his wrist. Trapped, he has no choice but to lay down next to Newsie, earning a sleepy noise that sounds vaguely happy.

Cherri grins softly, even if she can’t see it, running his hand along the new set of scars on his arm. There will be time to think about those later, time for the conversations that have to come with that, but for now all they are is a reminder. A reminder that he’s a survivor, a reminder of what matters. 

Cherri Cola falls asleep with Newsie by his side, and the last words on his lips that night are “I love you, Newsie.”

[ravenclawbibliophile]

“Born A Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood” by Trevor Noah Review

My Rating: 9/10

SPOILERS, kind of (?) ahead. I say kind of because it’s about his life, which he talks about publicly, so I feel like lots is public knowledge by now. 

Before reading this, I already figured I would enjoy it because I frequently watch his show and enjoy his comedy specials. I knew bits and pieces about his life, specifically that he grew up in South Africa towards the end of apartheid. I was interested to see what kinds of insight he had about apartheid as someone who is mixed between white and black and how South Africa’s segregation affected him. 

As the title “Born A Crime” suggests, his life was shaped because of his race - it was illegal for black South Africans and white people to conceive during apartheid, so from his birth Trevor Noah faced hardship and racism, as he could not be seen in public with either of his parents because he was not the same race as them. Trevor notes that for the majority of his childhood, he was kept indoors because police could take him away, and/or imprison his parents - he never understood why he didn’t get to play in the street with his friends and cousins. 

His other accounts from growing up towards the end of apartheid were just eye-opening for me in general - talking of not being allowed in certain areas because of his and his mother’s racial makeup, seeing burning bodies, not having running water, living in metal shacks with his entire family. Although I knew these types of things happened in other areas of the world (even in poor areas of the United States), I was surprised to hear Trevor Noah speak (or write?) about it in such a matter-of-fact matter - he wasn’t asking or suggesting that the reader pity him because of the way he grew up, and I would really think that anyone who grew up like this would be traumatized for the worse from growing up like this. Not Trevor. He flourished - he acknowledges his past and the constant racism he faced, and how it shaped him into the person he is. 

I think a major part of the book that I liked was the way he used culture and language as a way to succeed and blend in with people, although he didn’t look like them. He talks multiple times about people talking bad about him in one of the multiple languages he speaks, and turning around and speaking back to them in the language they were speaking. He learned to become a chameleon from his mother, who speaks six different languages. I think that is a big reason that Trevor Noah is able to successfully speak to ANYONE - on his show, on social media, in public.

My favorite part of the book is the relationship between him and his mother, Patricia. Although she beats (or as Noah says, “hides”)  him, which is something I generally do not approve of, she explains that she does it out of love, to teach him to correct himself before cops get him and actually hurt him and do major damage to him. And Trevor Noah understands that. The banter between him and his mother throughout the book is great, and is a relationship I think many strive for. At the end of the book, he talks of his mother being shot in the butt and head, execution style, by his ex-stepfather Abel, and that Trevor Noah faces the ultimate price of paying whatever it takes for the hospital to treat his mother because she did not have health insurance. Most people probably assume it’s a no brainer that you would pay whatever it takes, but Patricia worked insanely hard, becoming a secretary in apartheid South Africa when black women were not permitted to work those types of jobs, to improve the quality of life for her son and get him out of poverty, and told him that she’d hate to see him be impoverished; even considering this, Trevor Noah hands over his credit card, and his mother recovers quickly from the two bullets, which she attributes to God and her son.

My favorite passage from the book is as follows: “People love to say, ‘Give a man a fish, and he’ll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he’ll eat for a lifetime.’ What they don’t say is, ‘And it would be nice if you gave him a fishing rod.’ That’s the part of the analogy that’s missing. Working with Daniel was the first time in my life I realized you need someone from the privileged world to come to you and say, ‘Okay, here’s what you need, and here’s how it works.’ Talent alone would have gotten me nowhere without Daniel giving me the CD writer. People say, ‘Oh, that’s a handout.’ No. I still have to work to profit by it. But I don’t stand a chance without it.” 

Overall, I thought it was phenomenal and recommend it to anyone, whether you’ve seen Trevor’s previous content or not. His points of view, and his ability to make jokes about the experiences he has is uplifting and inspiring.

[blurrypetals]

May the Best Man Win by Z.R. Ellor - blurrypetals review

originally posted apr. 30, 2021 - ★★☆☆☆

An ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This is by far my biggest disappointment of 2021 so far. This book had so much promise to be an adorable romantic comedy with one of the cutest premises ever, but due largely to the fact that it is being disgustingly mismarketed as a cutesy rom com when it is, in fact, not funny and it is not a romance, it falls directly on its face when there is nothing but angst and hollow characters to hold it up. To say that this book was a slog would be a bit of an understatement. I started this book on March 15th and it took me until today, April 30th, to drag myself across the finish line. It might have honestly taken me longer if my copy from NetGalley weren't expiring in just a few hours. As I mentioned before, I did expect this book to have a completely different tone from what it ended up having, but it also didn't focus on Homecoming the same way I expected it to. I really expected this to be the two boys pranking back and forth throughout Homecoming week and any fun and trouble that might occur in between, but the conflict of this book barely involves the race for Homecoming King. Instead, it's about a bully at the school, the school's Code of Conduct, and Lukas's struggles to succeed despite his extra challenges due to the fact that he's autistic. This shift in focus wouldn't be so bad if it actually meant something at the end of the book, but so much is abandoned, shoved aside, or just plain ignored by the end that it really left me wanting for something. This book really is just angst on wheels. While I do think this is an honest portrayal of a trans character in Jeremy, it also feels like there is nowhere near enough depth to him. He oftentimes reads as a bit of a parody of himself, though, especially in the parts that deal with the Code of Conduct and Philip, the school bully. All nuance is thrown straight out the window when it comes to Jeremy's conflicts in the story and it's extremely difficult to relate to him as a character when he feels like he's built purely of nothing but anger and being trans. And I say this knowing that a lot of trans folks are angry, and they have every right to be. I'm angry for a lot of trans folks who don't get the rights they deserve. So when their representation is boiled down to nothing but a hate filled boy whose friends all hate him, it sort of ends up feeling like an empty portrayal. If I didn't already know the author was trans, I truly might have thought this was written by someone who was cis. Someone well-meaning, perhaps, but misguided. Jeremy's personality is that he's angry and trans. Show me why Lukas loves him, why his friends care about him, because I don't get it. Ellor failed to write a compelling, believable trans character, which is a real damn shame, probably the biggest failing of this book, in my opinion. Lukas's character is dealt with the same lack of care. Lukas is autistic and his family is grieving after the death of his older brother. I think Lukas's autism is handled the way I wish Jeremy's trans-ness had been handled: as a trait of his but not a defining character trait. It affects Lukas's schooling and even causes him to cheat, but his autism doesn't rule his storyline the same way Jeremy being trans rules his. I know these two things are not exactly comparable, but again, it just handles this completely normal thing, autism, and treats it like this completely normal thing. Why couldn't Jeremy being trans be like this? I digress. The part of Lukas's story that annoyed me most was his issues with his family. We get maybe two or three full, real scenes including Lukas's parents, but in each one, we are never really shown the issues Lukas is having with them, other than perhaps the fact that they are distant. There is a really strange scene that comes out of nowhere in the latter half of the book involving Lukas's mother that gets absolutely no resolution by the end, it just happens, even appears to be a big, life-changing event for Lukas, but Ellor's major pacing issues leave no room for any conflicts to actually breathe, change, or resolve. And, since I've mentioned it, let's discuss Ellor's issues with pacing! Have any of you ever gotten into a car with a 15-year-old who's preparing for their permit test? It starts a little rough; there's a lot of jolting, stopping and starting as they get used to the brakes and, once they get going, they might start to get the hang of it, but eventually they have to use those brakes again, so it's just a lot of stopping and starting, a lack of surety, and often no true sense of direction. This whole analogy is to say: Z.R. Ellor's pacing feels exactly like a 15-year-old kid learning to drive. Scenes end suddenly and move along to the next bit, often in ways that makes it difficult for the reader to get their bearings or follow the extremely tenuous threads that string each scene together. Any time it seems like Ellor gains a little momentum, he shoots himself in the foot, hitting the brakes immediately before pivoting elsewhere. Lukas and Jeremy both seem to drift through scenes, telling us the things they're thinking without those thoughts having much bearing on the scenes at hand most of the time. Also, this book is written from the first person POV in the present tense, which only made it feel like I was reading a hollow What I Did Over the Summer essay a high schooler was forced to write. It's so frustrating that this story is all about these two boys' hardships but the pacing and all-around average to poor writing quality make it impossible to hold onto anything. It feels every bit the debut that it is. And, speaking of holding onto things, this book gave me absolutely no reason to root for Lukas and Jeremy to be together. None of the flashbacks or stories from before their breakup led me to believe the two of them really ever loved each other, which hurts the story greatly, since much of the drama comes from their lingering feelings for one another. They both seemed to admire one another, but they had next to zero chemistry, so when they're still pining over each other, it feels like actors reading a script, not two boys who have complicated yet sincere feelings for each other. I honestly think I could go on, but I really have already wasted enough time with this one. It's boring, its marketing is misleading, and you can tell from just about every aspect of this book that it is a debut with shockingly little polish and utterly empty characters, apart from Sol, the best part of the book. It's rushed, yet it somehow also feels agonizingly slow. I wanted this premise to work, I was so prepared to be swept away by this book. I legitimately pumped my fists in the air when I got approved for this one, so I really had high hopes for it to work. But you know what they say about high expectations: the higher they are, the longer and harder the fall.

[owlways-and-forever]

Throughout our lives, we all say so many words that we don’t mean. Thank you, it’s beautiful. I hate you. I don’t love you, I never did. But what about the things we never say? 

There are three words that form a lie more than any other. A lie when they are said, and the greatest lie of omission on earth. They are the lie that will damn your soul and condemn you to an eternity of regret.

I love you.

o . o . o

Padma flitted her quill over the parchment, turning the ink into a beautiful sketch. It took form as she went, gradually taking on the appearance of a spectacular bird. The mangerie was probably what she missed most about Nagpur. The animals they kept were truly beautiful, and Padma had loved to sit in front of the enclosures and sketch the animals while she communed with them. They didn’t have a byangoma in the menagerie, and Padma had never actually seen one of the famously rare birds. Parvati claimed she had seen one once on a vacation with their aunt to Uttar Pradesh, but Padma wasn’t so sure about that. Of all the animals she knew about, Padma most longed to see a byangoma. They were supposed to be incredibly beautiful, and if one dropped a feather on you, it was said that you would be granted a glimpse of your future and a droplet of wisdom. Though the birds are typically sightless, a few drops of blood from a witch or wizard could grant them sight and create an everlasting bond between the two.

“What’s that?” Anthony asked, startling Padma as he leaned over her shoulder to look at the drawing she was sketching across her parchment.

“It’s nothing really,” she answered quickly. She didn’t try to hide her sketch, but she didn’t typically allow anyone but Parvati to see her designs. Still, Anthony slid around her and claimed the seat next to her, continuing to gaze at her drawing as if it were completely enchanting.

“That’s so pretty,” he breathed, his eyes flitting up to meet hers briefly before returning to the drawing. “What is it? It kind of looks like a phoenix but…”

“Airy?” Padma finished, and Anthony nodded. “Byangoma are the elementals for air like phoenixes are for fire. They’re my favourite animal, but I’ve never seen them. I probably never will now.”

“Why not?” 

“They haven’t been seen outside the Indian subcontinent in decades,” Padma explained.

“And you don’t think you’ll ever go back there?” Anthony asked, one eyebrow raised doubtfully.

“Probably not,” Padma shrugged. “My family is here now. What’s there to go back for?”

“Do you miss it there?”

He looked at her with such depth of feeling, far more than any fourteen year old had any right to. Padma felt both uneasy and utterly at home under his gaze.

“Quite a lot, but that doesn’t mean I should go back,” she replied. “I miss sugar, but that doesn't mean I should eat it for every meal.”

Anthony smiled at her analogy, crinkling his hazel eyes.

“Well maybe there’s a way to help you miss home a little less,” he suggested.

“Maybe.”

o . o . o

Anthony practically skipped through the halls, eager to find his best friend. He had some news he was simply dying to share with her.

“Padma!” he called out as he spotted her shiny black plait, and he broke into a jog to reach her.

“Hey,” she greeted, smiling as he caught up. “What’s going on?”

“I just got a letter from my parents,” he panted, grinning from ear to ear. “We’re going on vacation to the foothills of the Himalayas this summer.”

“That’s lovely,” Padma replied, a slight pang of jealousy twisting her stomach.

“They said I could bring a friend!” Anthony continued, practically jumping with excitement.

“That’s very kind of them, it’ll be so much fun for you,” she answered, again feeling a surge of bitterness that she couldn’t help.

Anthony’s expression soured slightly, and his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“Padma? Do you not want to go with me?” he asked, his voice taking on a sudden uncertainty that hadn’t been there moments before. 

“Do you really want me to go with you?” she replied. Padma was sure that he was simply being polite. He would probably much rather go with Michael or Terry.

“Of course I do!” he insisted, reaching out and grabbing both her hands. He couldn’t imagine why she would ever doubt it. “You’re my best friend!”

He refrained from saying any more, the way he always did. Somehow Anthony could never find the right words to really convey how much he cared about Padma. It was pointless anyway, he knew she didn’t feel the same way about him.

“I… I would love to,” Padma answered, although her expression was still sad. “But I don’t think my parents would like it. Especially if Parvati couldn’t come too.”

“Why don’t you at least ask them? It can’t hurt, can it?” Anthony pleaded. There really wasn’t anyone else he wanted to bring on the trip. It hadn’t even really been his parents’ idea, he had asked them if Padma could come.

“I’ll ask, but don’t get your hopes up,” she said with a wry smile. Padma was always the pragmatist. 

o . o . o 

She didn’t feel good about it at all, but Padma really didn’t want to upset anyone, least of all Anthony. And he’d be so hurt if he knew the truth. She hated it even more because she wanted to go with him  so badly . But if she told Anthony how much she wanted to go on the trip with him, he’d be furious that her parents wouldn’t let her. He’d probably try something dumb and gallant and show up at her family’s house to introduce himself and win her parents’ over. And then he would find out the truth, that she never even wrote and asked them.

But Padma knew exactly what her parents would say. It would start with a polite declination, saying that it would be unfair to allow Padma to go when Parvati wasn’t even invited. If Padma pushed the issue, then the real reasons would come out. The problem wasn’t that her sister wasn’t invited, it was that Anthony was a  boy . Her parents would assume that they were dating - probably assume that he had dishonourable intentions for the trip - and they would never approve of her dating him. Not just him, anyone. If they knew the things Parvati got up to at school… not that Padma would ever tell on her sister. 

She didn’t want to start a fight with her parents, or stir up any mistrust. They’d always had a good relationship, and Padma wanted to keep it that way. Asking if she could go on the trip with Anthony was just a recipe for disaster. So she didn’t. She pretended to write home, and then she would pretend to get a letter back, but really it would be Parvati the whole time. Her sister had agreed to help her no questions asked. Well, not exactly no questions. But as Padma walked down to breakfast on the agreed upon morning, she felt dread tugging at her stomach. She hated doing this to Anthony, and she hated it for herself. 

“Everything okay, Padma?” Anthony asked, sliding into the seat next to her with a concerned expression on his face.

Padma painted a dismayed expression on her face, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a crumpled piece of parchment. She tossed it onto the table in front of him, watching his eyes follow the little ball. 

“Go on, read it, it’s okay,” she said, encouraging him while keeping her expression downcast.

Anthony reached out and took the letter, unfolding it carefully. His eyes scanned left and right, drinking in every word. Padma knew what it said by heart.

Padma chutki,

Your father and I have discussed the matter at length, and agreed that we cannot allow you to go on this trip. It wouldn’t be right to send you so far away without your sister. We simply are not comfortable letting you go on this trip unsupervised at your age. I am sorry Padma. We are happy to see you in a few weeks.

Love,

Amma

Anthony eyed the letter with disappointment, and Padma thought even a bit of suspicion. His thumb ran over the edge of the parchment idly as he thought it over.

“They really won’t let you come?” he asked, his face impossibly sad.

Padma shook her head, conjuring up tears at the idea of being forced to stay behind. Anthony took one look at her despair and his expression softened as he reached out to touch her hand.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered consolingly. “Maybe next time you can come. After graduation, we’ll do a big trip together, okay? You’ll be an adult then, your parents won’t be able to stop you from going if it’s what you want.”

Padma didn’t have the heart to tell Anthony that her parents would always be able to stop her, no matter how old she was. It’s just the way their family worked. She nodded her head in a grim confirmation. 

“Okay, I’m gonna go, I want to meet with McGonagall before class starts,” Anthony said, giving Padma a quick side hug. Then he was off, shoveling down a piece of toast as he rushed out of the Great Hall.

Padma breathed a sigh of relief. Once more, she had successfully avoided dealing with any feelings she might or might not have for Anthony.

o . o . o

Anthony trudged through the lush forest, sunlight glowing through the trees overhead. He could hear all kinds of fauna echoing in the canopy. He wasn’t supposed to be off on his own, but his sister was annoying him and their parents always took Leah’s side. 

He heard a magical sounding caw echo high above him, something entirely ethereal. It floated on the air, drifting down to him slowly like a feather in the wind, back and forth, back and forth. Anthony looked around him, searching for the source of the beautiful song, scouring the branches for some clue. At first, nothing seemed even remotely out of place, but then he saw it - a shimmer of royal blue and deep teal. He knew instantly what it was, he’d seen them sketched on Padma’s notebook enough times.

Anthony felt a pang of sadness grip him. This was Padma’s dream, she’d wanted it for so long. She wasn’t someone who talked about her desires often, but this was one she couldn’t resist giving voice to. And even still, Anthony knew that she wanted it more than she would ever say. He nearly wished that he was wrong so he wouldn’t have to tell Padma that she’d missed it.

The beautiful bird fluttered down to land on a low hanging branch in front of him, which dipped and swayed under its weight. The byangoma was stunning, almost celestial in nature. Anthony could feel an awareness emanating from it, and he knew that every story he’d heard about the intellect and sight of byangomas was an underestimation. 

“Hi,” he whispered, taking a careful step forward.

The byangoma cocked its head to one side, evaluating Anthony, and he could tell that it was reading him and deciding whether he was trustworthy. As if by instinct, Anthony knew that he ought to ask the bird a question, but his mind was alarmingly blank.

Worry not,  the bird seemed to say to him, a melodic voice echoing in his mind.  I know the question in your heart.

It flapped its wings and took flight, circling Anthony closely and dippings its wings so that its feathers brushed against his face and neck. The world around him faded away sharply, a hazy vision surrounding him instead.

He sat at a wooden table in a brightly lit kitchen, Padma sitting across from him. She was laughing, and he knew it was something he said - a story or a joke - that was making her eyes crinkle happily.  The scene shifted.  Padma stood next to him, her wand out, tension written across every feature. Sparks and streaks of light were illuminating the night sky, and Anthony could see a shadowy army approaching. He could feel terror tearing the air around the castle to pieces and the fall of rubble made the ground quake.  Another shift.  He stood on the banks of the Black Lake, with Padma in front of him. She was wearing a yellow sundress, so different from her usual school uniform, but he didn’t think she’d ever looked prettier. She was smiling shyly at him, and she kept rocking forward on her toes, like maybe she wanted to reach out to him. Anthony wanted to wrap his arms around her and hug her close, maybe even kiss her.

The vision disappeared and reality returned as Anthony blinked his eyes. He felt the byangoma’s feathers brush against his face once more, and saw it begin to fly away. One of its feathers shed from the bird and drifted through the air, landing in Anthony’s outstretched fingers.

Tell her,  the byangoma’s voice echoed through his own mind. 

“Tell her what?” Anthony called out as the byangoma began to fly away, his fingers curling around the heavenly soft feather.

Tell her.

o . o . o

Anthony was practically vibrating with excitement as he stood on Platform 9 ¾. He’d enjoyed his trip to India immensely, but it had still been a very long summer, and he couldn’t wait to be back at Hogwarts with all his friends. Especially Padma. He’d missed her a lot, more than he had expected to. And Anthony had been thinking a lot about his revelation on his trip. The byangoma had seemed insistent that his future was with Padma, but he was sixteen, he wasn’t sure that he wanted to think of any kind of future that involved another person. Love was simply not something that was in his equation.

And yet… the more he thought about it, the more he started to think that maybe there were feelings there after all. Maybe he did love Padma. The problem was that he just wasn’t sure. Normally, he would talk to Padma to sort out any confused feelings he might be having, but he couldn’t bring her into this if he wasn’t sure. He just wished there was some way to know, some mathematical equation that could tell him the right answer.

“Everything alright?” Padma asked, appearing next to Anthony so suddenly that he jumped in surprise. “You look very concerned about something.”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” he said, smiling lightly. His whole heart had eased just looking at her. “I was just thinking about love.”

“That’s quite a serious topic,” she teased, a smile electrifying her face. “What brought that on?”

“Oh, you know,” Anthony answered vaguely, waving his hand, “just getting older. Our friends are starting to date more, and I was just thinking, you know, how do they know?”

“I don’t think they do,” Padma replied, more seriously. “Isn’t that the point of dating? You think maybe you like someone, and then you spend more time with them to find out.”

“But it’s different, isn’t it?” he countered. “It’s not the same as just being friends with someone. It’s gotta be more than that..”

“Sure,” she agreed. “But it’s also a leap of faith.”

Anthony nodded, his gaze drifting along the platform. The train was starting to bustle as students climbed aboard, hauling their trunks with them. The windows were becoming crowded with kids whose noses were pressed to the glass as they waved goodbye to their families.

“Come on, don’t want to miss the train,” Padma joked, tugging the sleeve of Anthony’s shirt to draw his attention.

“Right,” he agreed, shaking his head slightly to clear his thoughts. “Let’s go.”

They surged forward with the other students, climbing onto the train. Anthony boarded first, turning around to offer Padma a hand. He knew she didn’t need the boost, but he liked doing little things like that for her. It showed he cared. And he did care about her, probably more than anyone else in his life. He just wasn’t sure that it was  romantic .

“Okay, come on Anthony, you’ve got to tell me everything about your trip!” Padma intoned as soon as they were in an empty compartment. Michael and Terry would probably join them eventually, but for the moment they were on their own.

“It was amazing,” he answered, his face lighting up with excitement. “We saw so many different things, and the history is fascinating. I had no idea there were so many incredible witches and wizards from India, and, if I’m honest, I feel a little bit bad about it. It made me wonder how many accomplished wizards are looked over in our lessons just because they’re not British, or European. Am I looking over them too?”

Padma smiled kindly, fully understanding what he was saying. “Not intentionally,” she reassured him.

“I’m not sure that’s better,” he said, frowning.

“But you know now, and I know you, you’ll make a conscious effort to do better,” Padma replied, reaching out and patting his hand.

“There was something else, something incredible,” Anthony said, changing the subject slightly.

Padma quirked an eyebrow, eager to hear more. But instead of speaking, Anthony reached into the inside pocket of his jacket, carefully pulling out the feather. Padma’s mouth dropped open in amazement as she looked at it, and instinctively she reached out to touch. Anthony thought he saw a flicker of disappointment cloud her face as her skin brushed across the feather and no magic happened.

“You saw one?” she breathed, her eyes wide.

“Yeah, I did, and Padma it was  amazing ,” he whispered, excited to share the experience with her. “It was so beautiful, I mean beyond words, and you could just feel how smart it was. Except it wasn’t just intelligent, it was this feeling of wisdom and foresight and just endless knowledge.”

“Did it show you something?” she asked curiously.

“Yeah, it did, it showed me…” Anthony stuttered, not sure how much to tell her. He didn’t want to lie to her, but he couldn’t tell her the truth either. No matter the byangoma’s advice, he just wasn’t ready for that, so he settled for a half truth. “It showed me war. It’s coming, Padma, and it’ll be worse than last time.”

“Well, I think everyone who isn’t in denial knows that,” Padma replied, her forehead wrinkling. “It didn’t show you anything personal though? By all accounts, it’s not like them to reveal something so broad in scale.”

“Well, it showed me fighting and…” he stopped again, his heart constricting painfully at the memory of that particular scene.

“It’s okay, you don’t have to tell me,” Padma assured him.

Anthony nodded, grateful for her understanding. He swallowed the fear that had risen within him and smiled. He wiggled the feather against her fingertips, laughing at the grin that broke out over her face.

“It’s yours,” he said, glancing down at the feather. “I want you to have it.”

“You…?” she breathed, blown away by the gesture. “I can’t take that, Anthony, it’s yours.”

“I know, but it means more to you,” Anthony replied. “And I feel bad that you weren’t there to see it yourself. It’s the least I could do.”

“You don’t have -”

“Please, just keep it,” he grinned. “Use it to inspire some more beautiful sketches.”

Padma smiled shyly, uncertain how to accept this gift. It was the most thoughtful thing anyone had ever given to her, and it felt strangely intimate. Especially given the way he was looking at her, like he was seeing something new in her. She wondered if this would change things between them, and the thought that it might made her nervous, but it wasn’t entirely bad. There was something different with Anthony that she didn’t quite understand, but she knew that it wouldn’t go away. He would always be special to her.

o . o . o

Padma ducked under the red streak of light, taking a few steps back. She didn’t know who the Death Eater under the mask was, but they were a good dueler. With every spell they were forcing her further back, leaving open a strategically placed window overlooking Hogwarts’ grounds and the battle that was unfolding below. Padma knew the window was their target. Well, the window and her demise. It was an obvious strategic move - the higher ground provided the opportunity to help out those below and potentially turn the tide of the battle. Padma had been using that very advantage only ten minutes earlier, before the Death Eater had shown up.

“Bombarda!” Padma fired back, her spell deflecting off the Death Eater’s protective shield, rocketing into the wall instead. Chunks of stone pelted them, but neither paid any attention to it. 

Concentration was key in this.

Padma cast three spells in quick succession - expelliarmus, reducto, bombarda again - hoping that a frenzied offense would be to her advantage. If the Death Eater was too busy trying to ward off her spells, he couldn’t attack. At least, that was the plan.

It did not quite unfold that way. 

The problem with fighting adults was that they simply knew spells that Padma hadn’t learnt yet. With a complicated wriggle of his wrist, the Death Eater had managed to conjure up a silvery shield that hung in the air while he sent other curses flying toward her. His aim was off, having to duck around his shield, but she still felt the sting of one of his curses as it brushed her arm.

Padma gritted her teeth and brandished her wand again, ready for another attack. She deflected a few more spells from him, and let loose some of her own, but neither seemed to make much progress. It was a stalemate, and one that she would be stupid to think would end in her favour. The longer this went on, the more she tired, and she was just a student. She wasn’t used to duelling extensively like Death Eaters and members of the Order.

The Death Eater made a slashing movement and she braced herself for a fatal blow, but it wasn’t directed at Padma - rather, someone standing behind her. She turned quickly to look, casting a protective shield as she did, and her jaw dropped. Anthony stood about ten paces back, his palm flat against his stomach as swirls of red blood bloomed across his shirt. His eyes were wide and for a moment he looked childlike again, like when she had first met him, so youthful. But his vitality was fading before her eyes, the life flickering away. Anthony’s knees wobbled and gave way, hitting the ground hard.

A surge of anger took hold of Padma and she turned her attention back to the Death Eater. She howled with rage as she thrust her arms forward as if she could push the vile person away from her. Blue waves pulsated from her hands, seizing the Death Eater in their grip and hurling him backward. He landed on the floor with a fatal  crack as his head hit the stone. Padma didn’t spare the Death Eater a second thought, turning immediately to Anthony, rushing toward him just in time to catch him before he hit the ground.

“What are you doing?” she asked, anxiety turning her voice into something bizarrely high pitched. “You’re not supposed to be here! You were supposed to be with Neville!”

“Ron said…” Anthony struggled to get his words out. “Ron said… you were in trouble.”

His eyelids fluttered, and Padma wiggled a little so she could lay his head on her thigh. Her hands tugged his shirt away, finding the gash that split his skin in two.

“I’m fine,” Anthony, she soothed, waving her wand over the cut. She didn’t know much healing magic, and she cursed herself for that now, as her spells failed to make any kind of difference.

Anthony’s breathing grew more shallow as his life continued to seep from the gaping wound, pooling red and sticky around them. Padma wanted to brush her fingers through his hair and caress his face, but she didn’t want to smear blood across his skin. He didn’t need to die like that, with shadows of his own blood across his cheeks, feeling that stickiness on his face. He was going to die. He was going to die because he was hurt and she didn’t know how to heal him. Padma tried to suppress the hiccoughing sobs that wanted to rise forth. She would never forgive herself for this - how could she?

“Padma,” he whispered, his eyes fixing on her with a look that was so deep she felt like she would drown in it. “I’m scared…”

“It’s alright,” she answered, finding his hand and lacing their fingers together. “It’s alright. You’re not alone. I’m here.”

He whispered something as his eyes closed, too quiet for her to hear. Three words that might have changed everything if they’d been said sooner. She didn’t know what he said with that last breath, but honestly, what did it matter? Because the words that she needed him to hear were still stuck in her throat. She had been too much of a coward to say them for so long, and now the words died with him, and regret took their place.

He would never know. Maybe he had hoped, maybe even optimistically believed it might be true. But Anthony had never known for sure, and now he never would. 

o . o . o

Padma ran her fingers over the shimmering blue feather, feeling the softness with every nerve like an electric current. It was her most prized possession, and she hated the idea of being parted with it, but somehow she knew that it belonged with Anthony. He had given it to her, and she couldn’t think of anything more meaningful than laying it to rest with him. She looked down at his face, still and serene, but somehow twisted. She thought that anyone who ever claimed that the dead looked like they were sleeping was a liar. The body in the coffin before her looked nothing like a sleeping Anthony, it looked like a wax figure, and a poor one at that. It might have all the physical features, but it couldn’t come close to capturing Anthony’s spirit, or the way his smile made her heart leap in her chest. All of that was gone, and it wasn’t coming back. Not for all the byangoma feathers in the world.

Twirling the feather lightly by its stem, Padma felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes, and she wished they would go away. She didn’t want to cry, not when these were the last moments she would ever get to spend by his side. It was hard to come to terms with the reality that the whole future she had imagined would never happen now. Not only would it never happen, but Anthony would never know that she wanted it. A life with him. Because no matter how much it had scared her, Padma had never been able to imagine any partner but Anthony. 

Padma bowed her head and began to recite a hymn from the Rig Veda, placing the palms of her hands together.

“Yam se milen, pitaron se milen, shreshth svarg mein, mukt ya aadeshit krtyon ke gun se milen*,” she began solemnly. “Leave sin and evil, seek anew thy dwelling, and bright with glory wear another body. Go hence, depart, fly in all directions: this place for him the Fathers have provided. Yama bestows on him a place to rest in adorned with days and beams of light and waters.”

“That’s a beautiful prayer.”

Padma turned around quickly, still feeling jumpy after the battle and the months of war that had preceded it. But it was only Anthony’s mother, looking like her heart had been ripped from her. She looked so much like him, with dark curls and hazel eyes. She was petite, much shorter than Padma, but beautiful.

“Thank you, Mrs. Goldstein,” Padma replied, inclining her head toward the matriarch. “I’m sorry about Anthony. I’m going to miss him very much.”

“Please call me Rachel. You’re Padma, aren’t you?” she asked.

Padma nodded, fidgeting a little and making the bangles on her wrist jingle softly. Rachel smiled gently at her, reaching out to grasp her hand.

“Anthony cared about you a great deal,” Rachel assured her, her voice choking up a bit as she wiped away a stray tear with her free hand. “Seth and I would love to have you over to our house for dinner any time you’d like. Perhaps in a month or two. You could share stories of Anthony at school.”

“I’d like that very much,” Padma replied, squeezing his mother’s hand in return.

Rachel squeezed Padma’s hand once more, and pulled away, turning to her family. Looking around, Padma realized that Anthony’s family were the only ones still in attendance, and she immediately felt self conscious. As difficult as it was, the time had come for her to say her final goodbye. 

Padma looked at Anthony’s face once more, thinking of the things she’d never told him, and she felt sadness engulf her in one of the waves that had been sweeping over frequently since the battle. 

“Goodbye,” she whispered, turning away from the casket. Padma knew it was only a farewell in the physical sense - she would carry this love with her always.

[wolfpawn]

I Hate You, I Love You, Chapter 124

Chapter Summary - Danielle and Tom are at the airport when Tom tells Danielle where they are going, what does she think of his choice of location?

Previous Chapter

Rating - Mature (some chapters contain smut)

Triggers - references to Tom Hiddleston’s work with the #MeToo Movement. That chapter will be tagged accordingly.

authors Note - I have been working on this for the last 3 years, it is currently 180+ chapters long.  This will be updated daily, so long as I can get time to do so, obviously.

All image rights belong to their owners

tags: @sweetkingdomstarlight-blog​ @jessibelle-nerdy-mum​ @nonsensicalobsessions​ @damalseer​ @hiddlesbitch1​ @winterisakiller @fairlightswiftly​ @salempoe​ @wolfsmom1

Danielle looked around the airport trying to figure out where it was that Tom was bringing them to. As far as she could see, it was peak travelling time, so anything that was Europe bound was going within a timeframe that would be why they would be there at that time. As soon as their tickets were printed, Tom put his arm around her and guided her where she needed to go. She was startled when he brought her to an area with two hostesses standing at a closed door. As soon as Tom showed their tickets, the women opened the door, smiling brightly at them. When they walked into the room, Danielle realised where he had taken her. ‘Tom?’

‘I know you are not a fan, but prosecco?’ Tom smiled, saying nothing to explain what was going on.

‘Tom, we’re in a private lounge, aren’t we?’

‘Yes, we are.’

‘Why?’

‘Well, one, I don’t want every other person bothering us or people posting too much about what we are doing, and two, we are here because we will be travelling First Class, you told me before from your trip back from LA, the one where you became a partner that you preferred it to a private jet, so I thought, why not?’

‘Tom, are you serious, why would you spend that sort of money on this?’ Danielle chastised.

‘Elle, don’t, Darling. You deserve this, for the next few days, you are to just relax and I am begging you, do not fret these things.’ Tom pleaded, taking her hand in his and bringing it to his lips to kiss it.

She looked at him worriedly. ‘Can I at least know where we are going?’

‘You’ll see soon enough.’ He grinned.

‘I am going to be on edge until you tell me.’

‘Mia bella Elle.’

‘Wait, that’s Italian, isn’t it? I did like a couple of classes on it in school, that’s Italian, are we going to Italy?’

‘We are.’ He looked at her to gauge her reaction.

‘What part?’

‘Well, we are flying into Rome and staying there tonight.’ He looked at her worried about her reaction to that. ‘And from there, I have a car bringing us down to Naples.’

Danielle looked at him in shock as she absorbed what he was saying. ‘We….Oh my God.’ She squeaked excitedly.

‘I take it you approve?’ She nodded. ‘Wonderful.’ He pulled her to him. ‘You deserve this Darling, I was not able to do anything with you for your birthday and we were so busy for our anniversary, so I thought that this would be a nice way to make up for it.’

‘You don’t have to make up for anything. That said, I am not going to say no to Italy. Can we please go to Pompeii?’

‘I booked us a tour already.’ She squeaked in elation again. ‘You are to relax and enjoy, is that clear?’

She smiled and nodded. ‘Crystal. Excuse me for a moment.’ Danielle went to the bathroom.

Tom smiled at her approval of their destination. He went to text Ben to let him know how she had taken it when he realised there was a message on his phone from Luke.

Luke - Just so you know, people are expecting a ring at the end of this.

Tom - If that was happening, I would have told you before we left.

Luke - Good to know. Have a pleasant holiday and for the love of whatever you believe in Tom, please behave.

Tom - I will

Tom - In public

Luke - With you, that is the best I can ask for.

Tom chuckled as he read his friend’s text before looking up and seeing Danielle coming towards him. ‘Everything okay?’

‘Yes, I assume Ben helped with this?’

Tom frowned. ‘Not entirely, he suggested I follow through on my idea to whisk you away but I chose the location and everything, I was at his place when I did it, why?’

‘Sophie just texted to say enjoy the break, in Italian according to my Google Translate, so I gathered he had some part in it.’

‘Yes, he was there.’ He confirmed. ‘Now, the holiday starts here, so I will ask again, prosecco?’ He asked, indicating to the bar.

‘I will have a Bailey’s Coffee.’

‘A what?’

‘Bailey’s Coffee, they’ll know what that is.’ She smiled.

‘Sure thing.’ He kissed her hand and indicated to a very enthusiastic waitress to come over. ‘A Bailey’s Coffee and a Jameson on the rocks, please.’

‘Certainly, Sir, any particular Jameson?’

‘I…’ Tom thought for a moment.

‘The Gold Reserve, please.’ Danielle smiled.

‘Of course.’ The woman nodded and left.

‘“Gold Reserve”?’ Tom asked curiously.

‘Yes, it’s the step up from what you can get most places, there are a few fancier ones, but my dad always said they were like licking a whiskey barrel, and not in a good way.’

Tom chuckled at her analogy. ‘And you think this is the best?’

‘He swore to it.’

‘Are you trying to turn me into your father?’

Danielle pffted as though blowing raspberries. ‘You are not like my dad, sorry to say.’

‘I feel like I am being insulted.’ Tom commented, eyeing her suspiciously.

‘What can I say, no one can live up to my dad as far as I am concerned.’ She looked at him and smiled. ‘You’re probably as close as is possible though.’

‘Good to know,’ Tom smiled as the woman returned with their drinks. He looked at Danielle’s coffee in intrigue.

‘Try some.’ She grinned.

‘It looks more like a tea or hot chocolate than a coffee.’ He noted as he gingerly took a sip, when he tasted the beverage, he nodded slightly. ‘That is actually quite nice.’

‘I know, I rarely have one, but if I cannot have one when I am going away for the weekend, when can I?’

‘For this, I want you to do whatever you want that makes you happy.’ Tom insisted.

‘I could just be at home in bed with you or on the couch watching a movie with you and be happy.’

‘Well, since you cannot seem to leave your work behind, I need to get you out of the country to relax.’ Tom jested, before leaning in closer to her. ‘But, if you want to spend some time in bed…’ He wiggled his eyebrows.

Danielle felt other people watching them as they spoke, which made her cautious as to inadvertently telling everyone in the immediate area her private life, so she leant in close to Tom and whispered. ‘Just so you know, remember that receipt I had?’ Tom’s eyes widened. ‘I found them again.’

Tom swallowed and looked at her lustfully. Because of injuring her arm the Christmas before, Danielle had put the underwear she had bought for that somewhere “safe” until she recovered, the only thing was, that had been in the house in Suffolk, and for too long, she did not recall where she had put it, but when looking for something on her last visit back, she had found them again and had packed them for London, only to get swamped with work. ‘You brought them?’

‘I am wearing them, right now.’ She stated in a sultry manner.

‘Elle, don’t say things like that, please.’ He begged, looking at her chest, not knowing what it was exactly she was wearing, but knowing he would like it.

‘Well, with your new look…’ she looked at his facial hair. ‘I thought it was only fair that I do something for you too.’

‘So you like it?’ He rubbed his face.

‘Definitely.’ She extended her hand and rubbed her hand toward his chin, just before she got to it, he turned slightly and pretended to go to bite her, causing her to pull back her hand and give a small shriek before laughing. ‘Prick.’

‘I am not even remotely sorry.’ He chuckled.

‘Clearly.’ She smiled, before looking at him lovingly. ‘Thank you, Tom, I really cannot thank you enough for this.’

‘You deserve it.’ Danielle gave him a sceptical look. ‘You do. Elle, you never ask for anything, you never expect anything, you work so hard and refuse to be just someone living off their partner.’

‘That’s not my style.’

‘No, and don’t think I don’t recognise it. I just want to make you feel special this weekend, it’s been several years since I have been in a proper relationship and you...you are so incredible.’

‘I was lucky, timewise.’ She shrugged. ‘You were so invested in work for so long that you were not interested in a relationship, if you had been, you would have been snapped up in moments.’

‘I think you are being somewhat over-generous.’ Tom countered, lifting the whiskey and inspecting it. ‘I am not that special, and if we are going talk about being snapped up, I was incredibly lucky to have snapped out of my stupor before I lost any real chance with you. When you told me about Paul becoming a father, it made me realise how close we were to never happening. When we….well I think about last Christmas, when I thought you were…..you made it clear that although you weren’t ready, you would not want to…..and it made me realise that if things had progressed, had you been the one he got pregnant, I would not be here with you now, forcing you away from your work to come galavanting with me for the weekend.’

‘I would have never been able to get my position in Safeguard or anything if that had been me.’ She acknowledged. ‘But that….God, I almost feel bad, I had no right going into that relationship, I was toying with that poor man. I hope he and his wife and….’ She calculated the dates for a moment, ‘Yes, that baby is born now, I hope they are half as happy as this, though they probably got more sleep than I have of late.’ She joked.

Tom chuckled. ‘I think chronic insomniacs have had more sleep than you have had of late.’ He swirled his tumbler before taking a healthy drink of his whiskey. When he swallowed, he looked at the glass as though shocked. ‘Fuck me, that is beautiful.’

‘Dad had great taste.’ Danielle smiled, taking some of her own drink. ‘He was weird though, he hated it with ice.’

‘You never drink anything with ice in it.’ Tom pointed out.

‘True, but he would have a small glass of water that he used to chase every mouthful with, but he would never add water, oh no, that would ruin the taste.’ She smiled, thinking of her father. ‘I really miss them a lot recently.’ Tom looked at her sadly, having been lucky enough to still have both his parents, he was not sure what to say. ‘I find myself wondering if they would be proud of me, and what they would say if they were here.’ She took some more of her own drink. ‘Mum would demand a magnet from wherever we go, and if you went on a press tour, every last stop would demand its own magnet so she could show their neighbours all the places in the world you and I have been and Jesus but if she would not be over every chance she could get and try to feed you, and I would get about sixty calls this week about you not shaving and are you okay?’ She laughed. ‘She would have so many comments on this trip though, how was there a reason behind it. I would be expected to give hourly updates. She and Dad came here before, when I was at Irish College, feckers, going to Tuscany without me.’

‘Irish College?’

‘Yeah, you spend three weeks staying in a house with a group of teenagers your own age, learning Irish, doing sports and having general fun.’ She explained. ‘I got lobbed down to Kerry with one of my cousins for it, even though I lived in fecking Connemara. I think I was more her moral support.’ She rolled her eyes. ‘I think they felt guilty I was an only child.’

‘Did they ever make mention of siblings?’

‘Not to me, but they kept their troubles away from me as much as they could, they didn’t want to bother me with them, as I said, the worst argument was over a kitchen.’

‘Mum and Dad did that too, though sending me to boarding school, does that count?’

‘They wanted the best for you, nothing wrong with that, and they didn’t work together, it doesn’t always work, but one thing I do see, they love you, all three of you and they weren’t at each other's throats at the wedding, so that's always a plus.’

‘You’re right.’

‘I usually am.’ Danielle smiled. ‘So, what time are we heading tomorrow.’

‘Anytime we like, why?’

‘Rome is an hour ahead, right?’

‘Yes.’

‘Can we get some sights in there too?’ She asked, almost meekly.

Tom looked at her worriedly. ‘We can, of course, but considering….’ he cleared his throat.

Danielle inhaled. ‘I know, but I am going to Rome, even for an overnight visit...I cannot sit in a hotel and look at the Flavian, the Circus Maximus, or St Peter’s or the Forum in the distance, that….Mam and Dad went there on their twenty-fifth anniversary and I have always wanted to go there. I don’t want to let what happened a year and a half ago with someone else ruin my chance to see it, and you love these things too. I want to be there with you.’ She looked at him pleadingly. ‘I know what they are going to say, and I know they are going to compare, but I cannot go there and not see them.’

‘No, Rome is not a place you ignore being in.’ Tom agreed. ‘I didn’t realise your parents had been.’

‘My parents were two rural Irish Catholics, you better believe they came to Rome and that they did. They spent more time in the Vatican City than in Rome, but they took that in too. My dad always maintained going there ruined coffee for him in Ireland.’ Tom chuckled. ‘I am glad I get to be there with you.’

‘ I swear, Elle, you will love it there. Food, history, culture.’ Tom smiled, taking her hand. ‘ANd even if a few people compare….’

‘Tom, copious amounts of fuckwits will compare it to you and Swift…’

‘I don’t care, and neither should you, you have wanted to go there for so long.’

‘I am dragging you to Hugh O’Neill’s grave.’

‘Who?’

‘Fucking English people, what do they teach you in schools? The Nine Year War, the Flight of the Earls, anything?’ Tom shook his head. ‘I question the education system here, I seriously do.’ She gave a small smile, showing her jestful side, even in her exhaustion.

[maple-keenes]

the first disaster: high school, like, in general

the first disaster | the second disaster | the third disaster | the fourth disaster | the fifth disaster

summary: patton is a freshman in high school, and he's pretty sure he's gay, which in his lovely 2008 world, means he's an outcast. however, through a series of tripping, falling, and hitting people in the face with lockers, he might just find some more outcasts like him.

warnings: homophobia, transphobia, cursing, remus

special warning: through a lot of this fic there's a character called diana kingsley - that is pre-transition roman. bear this in mind while you read please!! 

pairings: pre-romantic royality if u squint real hard

wc: 1185

a/n: this is the first fic in a series of five, i think? this is the prequel to the other 4 fics in the series, so you don't need to have read any of them to read this!!

taglist: @analogical-chaos @ilovemygaydad @alltimevirgilant @virgiliananxiety @romanticsanders @theincediblesulk @wroammin @creativity-killed-thekitten @bitchyybabyy400 @wooflesthatwoof @lyditist @heck-im-lost @max-is-tired @demurphart @thelowlysatsuma @land-of-dragons-and-frogs @theeternalspace @magicallygrimmwiccan @weirdsthenewnormal @romansleftshoulderpad

--

Patton shut his locker and sighed, clutching his books close to his chest. “It’s okay,” he mumbled to himself, “you’ve got this.” 

He kept his head down as he walked through the halls, trying to keep himself as inconspicuous as possible. He’d only been in high school for a week so far, and the normally bubbly and outgoing teen had morphed into someone quiet and unassuming just to keep himself from getting made fun of. 

God, high school sucked so far. And it had only been a week! 

As Patton made his way to his next class, he bumped into someone and dropped his textbook on the floor. “Sorry,” he mumbled as the boy rolled his eyes and kept walking. Patton leaned down to pick up the book, and it was at that moment that Diana Kingsley, cheerleader and sophomore extraordinaire, was walking down the hallway, checking a text from her twin brother and not noticing the freshman crouched on the floor. 

Patton stood back up, and not a second later Diana ran right into him. “I’m so sorry!” he squeaked, and she just laughed. 

“You’re just fine! Don’t you worry about a thing.” She held out her hand. “Diana Kingsley. And you are?” 

“Patton. Um, Patton de los Santos,” he said, shaking her hand. “I’m really sorry about that -” 

Diana shook her head. “It’s really not a big deal, I’m the one that wasn’t watching where I was going. Let me walk you to your next class as an apology. Oh, and you can sit with my brother and me at lunch! Under the big tree out front.” 

“Diana -” 

She grabbed his hand and led him down the hallway. “Come on! I don’t take no for an answer.” 

Later that day, at lunch, Patton awkwardly walked outside holding his lunch tray and looked around until he saw Diana wave him over. He sat down next to her, and she grinned and patted him on the shoulder. “Hey, Patton! This is my twin brother, Remus.” 

The boy in the green next to her waved. “Freshman?” 

“Yeah.” 

Remus nodded in approval. “Sucks to be you, then. Freshman year was hell, but then again, they’re all hell. We’re in hell. This school is hell.” 

Diana hit him on the shoulder. “Remus!” 

“What?” he asked, annoyed, as Patton giggled. He leaned back against the tree, rubbing his shoulder. “So, why are you hanging out with us? Are you interested in my sister, or did she just invite you over because she felt like it?” 

Patton coughed loudly as Diana punched Remus in the shoulder a second time. “I’m actually gay,” he whispered, and Remus laughed. 

“Oh, go figure. Me too,” he responded and gave Patton a high five. “Nice to know you’re not another straight asshole trying to get with Diana.” 

If either boy had been watching more closely, they would have noticed that Diana’s face fell ever so slightly when Patton said that he was gay, but she shook her head and smiled anyways. 

High school continued as high school does, with regret and you know, like, homework and stuff. 

Patton had been feeling much better now that he’d made friends with Diana and Remus, even if Diana had started acting a little strange around him. However, he simply brushed that off as midterm jitters and continued on. 

He reached his locker, humming to himself, and opened it directly into the face of the boy standing next to him. 

“Holy shit!” the boy swore loudly, hands on his face. “Jesus, man!” 

“Oh gosh, I’m so sorry!” Patton said, mentally kicking himself. "I didn't see you there!" 

He laughed. "Yeah, I noticed." 

"What's your name? I'll take you to the nurse's office if I need to." 

"It's Virgil," he said, tentatively taking his hands off his face. "And I think I'm fine, thanks."

Patton smiled apologetically. "Well, I'm sorry, Virgil. I hope I didn't hurt you too badly." 

"Don't worry about it." Virgil waved a hand through the air. "I'll live."

He glanced at his victim once again. "Here, come to lunch with me. You seem like you're a good friend, and I could always use one of those." 

And so the quartet was complete. 

They were inseparable for the next year, the older two helping Patton and Virgil out with what teachers they wanted and what classes to take, and Patton and Virgil helped Diana learn which boys were gay. 

Overall, a fairly beneficial system.

It was in their junior and senior years that something rattled their tight-knit group, and that was when Diana stopped hanging out with them altogether. 

She hadn't given them any sort of indication that she was upset or angry, and Remus couldn't even explain her absence. Whatever the reason, it hit the group hard. 

Remus was walking to get a glass of water one night when he overheard crying coming from her room and being the little inquisitive brat he was, he stopped and opened the door. 

"Diana?" he asked. "What's wrong?" 

She sat up, frightened. "Oh! Remus! I'm fine…"

"You're not." 

"I am!" 

"You're not." 

"Fine, I'm not! Everything's wrong! I look in the mirror, and I hate what I see because it's not right!" she cried, hugging her knees to her chest. "I wish I looked like you." 

Remus cringed internally, wishing he was somewhere else. He didn't know how to help, and that made him feel icky.

"Diana… do you think you might be… trans?" 

She looked up at her brother. "Trans?" 

"Transgender," Remus continued, "like, you wish you were a boy." 

"I…" she trailed off, staring at the ground. "Maybe. I'm going to bed now, Remus. See you in the morning." 

"Di -" 

"Goodnight." 

When Remus woke up the next morning, Diana walked out of her room in jeans and a button-up, and her long hair had been chopped all the way off. 

"You look great," he said. 

"Thanks, Rem. Um, do you think you could call me Roman, from now on? And like… your brother?" he asked shyly. 

Remus nodded. "Of course, Roman. You know, I've always wanted a brother." 

When they got to school that day, whispers rose all over the school about Diana and how she'd changed her hair and her look and how she looked like a boy now, ew, gross, but Roman kept his head held high and walked the halls proudly. 

He sat down for lunch with his friends and both Patton and Virgil did a double-take when they saw him. 

"You…" Patton trailed off, his eyes flitting from Roman's shirt, to his eyes, to his hair. "You look great." 

He gave Patton a thankful smile. "Do you think you guys could call me Roman now?" 

"I think that's a great name," Virgil said, and Roman smiled even larger. 

After they all graduated, the little group started to drift apart. Roman and Virgil, however, ended up going to the same college, and so they remained friends, but neither would see Patton until years later, and Remus wouldn't play a large role until years later as well. 

But we'll get to that. 

[migleefulmoments]

Once again, ccers have labeled some of their favorite fairytale tropes as indisputable facts.

Cassie: 

**************************************************************************************

Anonymous asked:  Okay I’m trying to figure out why people believe C/C is a thing. Not saying you are wrong, I just have 0 context to go on and you seem to have an interesting outlook. Would you mind telling me the background to this? Or why people believe D is in the closet? (Also I’m curious why nobody uses their names and instead letters).

Cassie: Nonnie, that’s a tall order. There’s SO much that absolutely indicates M is a beard and CC is most definitely real (not true. There is NOTHING to prove Mia is a beard or that cc is real).  Not the least of which is the absolute adoration on D’s face whenever he looks at or talk about C. (Wait, so your biggest and best evidence is that Darren looks at Chris with love and adoration? That isn’t proof of anything except for your own bias, your Harlequin Romance ideas about love and that you don’t understand what constitutes “proof”).  I’ve never once seen him look at M that way and usually when he is forced to speak about her, he does it in an almost offhand way and I don’t think it’s EVER in a complimentary way (”Ever” was her typo. This statement is not only NOT proof of a relationship but it isn’t even untrue. The cc fandom picks and chooses the evidence that confirms their bias and proves their point. Darren has looked at Mia with love and adoration and has said sweet things to her.  He also married her which trumps all of the goo-goo eyes they imagine he’s given Chris over the years). He’s said she’s a big girl when told people were bullying her, referred to her as a ball and chain (NO he referred o himself as a “ball and chain”), and frankly, he treats her badly (NOT TRUE. If it was true I don’t understand what you guys even like about him.  A man who treats his wife badly is a dick). He’s repeatedly slammed car doors in her face, walks as far ahead of her as he can, (Both of those scenarios were to avoid paparazzi photos of them together. It’s impossible for us to understand what it is like to have people taking our picture and making up stories about us so we can't compare this behavior to our lives.) got in the car for the sham mockery and left her to fend for herself in that monstrosity she called a wedding gown to try and get into the car (Yes, that is what all grooms do.  That is why the bride has attendants), and shook her hand at one of the first big events they attended after they had supposedly been dating for over a year (This is another flat out lie. As I debunked- Mia and Darren were photographed standing together before the red carpet and he introduced her as his girlfriend to another person standing near them. See what I mean they pick and choose to prove their point even if it means lying)   Contrast that with how reverently he speaks about C and how conscious he always seemed to be when they were in public together and there’s no contest (He tells the exact same story every time. Wonder why?)  The love sick puppy with his whole face lit up like a Christmas tree appears whenever C is mentioned (What are you 12? Nobody who is over the age of 12 and mentally sound believes that puppy dog eyes are proof of a relationship).  Paying attention to background moments is important (In other words slow it down, gif it, add music, repeat lies and notice the small stuff while ignoring the big stuff and maybe you can find cc in all the proof that Darren and Mia are happily married. Hear with your eyes because you will never find cc if you don’t). you will never If you need more, I suggest going through some of the bigger CC blogs and reading them.

As to why we use their initials and not their names means it doesn’t appear when their names are searched.

Anonymous asked: Okay more questions! Didn’t M and D start dating before G/lee? During their college years too right? And I assumed it was to avoid it being searched but it it for reasons? Maybe to avoid rude fans that disagree?

Cassie: Nonnie, if you believe the current version they are spinning, they met pre G/lee, as for when they started “dating,” well, it’s changed so many times I’ve lost track. I think the latest is 2011, but I’m not sure. (There are photos o them lying on next to each other one what is clearly a date with Darren’s pre-Blaine haircut so they have been dating since early- to mid-2010)  They tried to say before G/lee, but D blew that outta the water when he said he had never been committed to anything as long as he had G/lee during one of the interviews he did near when it ended (It is not rational to throw away all of the evidence that they dated before Glee- photos, comments from Darren and MIa and from friends in exchange for one offhand comment he gave to a reporter. This is a perfect example of how the fandom uses confirmation bias t  guide their beliefs)   Honestly, if anyone can keep the ever changing timeline in order, they deserve a reward. D sure as hell can’t. (Just because Darren isn’t. sharing dates with the fandom doesn’t mean he doesn’t know. This is a silly analogy Cassie if one of your students used this type of argument, I know you would shut it down)   They went to college in different parts of the country and M is older than D. 

I could give two shits less about fans that disagree. I don’t use their names in case THEY (or D’s collection of dumbasses that make up his team) search things here (Wait, so you hide the names so that if Darren’s team can’t find it but Abby has said many times that Darren reads your blogs daily and his team does as well? They even change their plans based on what you say.  This is confusing Cassie). The “fans” that don’t agree see everything we post, as they incessantly stalk our blogs and respond directly to what we say. I stopped bothering to see what they were saying a LONG time ago. It’s always the same old crap. But hey, hope they enjoy spending all their time writing epic posts about my fandom that get three notes, maybe four (You should DEFINITELY read my blog, it would keep you from making a fool of yourself believing something that is so obviously untrue because you would see could read about how your “proof” is all untrue. I have debunked the majority of the cc lexicon and  provided evidence to back me up) 

Hi is it okay if you could tell me when WS came into C’s life as a person who’s seen more than a friend? Like when and how long before the hand holding crap. I have no motive or am trying to start any fight, I am just really curious.

Cassie: To the best of my knowledge W first appeared with C in December 2011. (Wrong December 2012) The super awkward hand holding was June 2013, on the 12th, if memory serves. (Sure, I will beleive you) The day D was confirming M as the ball and chain. Never forget that France has super strict paparazzi laws to protect celebs. Everything released has to be with approval, unless something has changed. (We have photographic proof that Chris sat on Will’s lab at Naya’s party 12/7/12. We have a pic of Will kissing Chris at Coachella 4/13. The fact that you believe it happened on “confirmation day” is only because that is what Abby repeats but it isn’t true)

Anonymous asked: Thank you for responding to my WS question, so that means the tame bearding started when C said that stuttering thing implying there’s someone on An/dy’s show. Not surprising tbh. Kinda sad CC literally had to hide from like day 1, hope they won’t have to one day.

cassie1022 answered: Nonnie, you’re exactly correct about when it started with C. He definitely didn’t mean W when he made that comment on AC’s show. It is sad that they’ve had to hide for so long, but I’m hopeful that won’t always be the case. (The Andy Cohen interview was on April 2014. How in the hell Cassie can agree that the “bearding” was tame after that interview when we have Chris on Will’s lap 12/7/12 and a kiss in April 2013 at Coachella. Darren and Mia had been dating for at least 4 years by the time Chris did this interview It’s ridiculous that you can claim that it “definitely wasn't Will” The truth is you have no insight into who Chris was speaking of and all evidence points to Will.  Stop living in your imagination).  

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Whenever i see anything m related…Anon

ajw720 Hi nonnie, I am not posting your ask because i can already see the hate coming my way, but i need to make a comment. M’s job is to beard for D, her job, for which she is compensated well. Part of that job is to hide his sexuality. And as part of it, she is supposed to enhance his public image, it is literally her job to look good on his arm and to not embarrass him. (Abby, you know that you have no proof of this and to surmise that “It is literally Mia’s job to look good on his arm and to not embarrass him” is you once again embellishing your own fabricated stories about a man and woman you know nothing about.  It’s really not healthy for you to be living this deep inside your fantasy.  You are getting too specific Your theory that Mia is simply Darren’s arm candy and nothing more proves that YOU have no idea what a feminism is). 

And frankly, aside from her deluded stans, she does the complete opposite, constantly and all the time. It is not badass to vomit on stage and boast about it.  It is not woke or feminist to have offensive, derogatory, and misogynistic themes and decor at a bar she owns and that D is publicly attached to, I would imagine it is against the CA health code to have naked women gyrating on the bar where they serve drinks. (You would imagine? Come on Abby, you're a lawyer, you know you're full of shit. They weren’t naked and people step on the bar all the time. I have never seen you rage about that. You have no understanding of what “woke’ is or what feminists believe.)    It isn’t cool to wear a boob shirt to a professional event your public partner created that is marketed as family-friendly (Are you scared of boobs Abby? You have been to Elsie and it isn’t full of 2 yo’s. Darren has a potty mouth at Elise and I’ve never seen you be upset that his mouth isn’t family-friendly) �� It is completely insensitive to be mad that a young man tragically died because it interfered with her interview (This is so overblown.  That wasn’t what she was doing and it’s time you stop using this to rally your troops, it’s a low blow and it isn’ true).  It is frankly criminal in my opinion to raise money from fans and then not use it for the stated cause (another untrue “fact” you keep repeating.  The money was for the project they completed).  And I could go on all day (yes becuase you’ve made most of them up yourself).  She is harmful to his image and becomes increasingly more so every day (This is untrue- she is his wife and Darren is about to have his best professional period in the next 6 months.  I have never seen one bad work about MIa that wasn’t directly tied to the cc fandom, in other words, nobody outside the fandom dislikes Mia and she isn’t negatively impacting his image.  Their wedding was extensively written about and on several best wedding lists without one bad word about Mia which also proves she isn’t hurting his image. You have also been saying this since 2015= of it got worse every day it would be 1,825x worse than when you first mentioned it)  And any team that cared about their client would have removed him from the situation years ago.  And if they needed him to be straight, get him a beard with ambition beyond being a beard.   

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Anonymous asked: What happened with Mia, why everyone hates her? I'm new at this :(

chrisdarebashfulsmiles answered: A/non this is a long story. A lot of us tried to ignore her as much as possible for years (Bwahahahah the lack of self-image is overwhelming)  You of course already know that she’s a beard ( honestly not an opinion but a fact proven by a lot of things, public and not (NOT TRUE) - let’s talk about her living with her real bf ��and D” for example) (Again I have disproved this trope, They don’t even comprehend that Ben has a live-in girlfriend and has been with her for a while now) and this wouldn’t have been a problem if she wasn’t the daughter of a powerful couple (jealous much? This wouldn’t be a problem if her parents weren't rich? WTF?)) and she was kind enough to truly love other people than herself (This trope is so untrue. Mia’s friends adore her and comment on how great she is.)   Because in that case she would have been a perfect beard and a wonderful friend for D. (It’s hilarious that she believes this is a valid argument) But unfortunately for D mostly the reality is way different (and yet Darren has never made one comment that suggests Mia is a beard, he is with Chris - in fact they have both denied they were in a relationship- or that he’s unhappy. This trope is 100% cc fabricated).

I can say to you, while suggesting to keep an eye for some posts about her here, that we have public video and post reporting how much awful she could be with D and his fans (I’m curious about this-anybody know what she is talking about?)  Or we wanna talk also about her fans? With the excuse of going full bearding following D everywhere every time ( obviously she talked about grueling work and heavy travel schedule in 2015) she and his group stole the money asked with a fundraising for a new video. And don’t forget: She’s rich AF. (Again, so jealous that her parents are rich-her parent’s money is not her money. She’s an adult. She didn’t steal the money for the video-they made the video Gorilla.  I’m going to write another post about this lie) 

Our despising is mostly related to the shit she does to D, tho.(Which the cc fandom has completely fabricated.  How would they have any info on what she. does to Darren? He’s never said one negative word about MIa) 

leka-1998 It’s been 2 years since they forced the encagement. Almost 1 year since the sham mockery and not even 1 month since everyone and their mother included it in their 2019 recap (Leka morphing into Abby.  As for posting -that is what friends and loved ones do. However, most of the “Recaps” were Top 9′s on Instagram and people don’t choose those pics, they are literally the TOP 9 liked posts of the year). And would you look at what’s happening, there are still people coming here wondering if something’s wrong.(Not a logical conclusion, they are reading your lies and then coming for answers) 

Archives here are a good place to start. Let me just say one thing. She’s mocked Cor/y’s death because an interview had to be rescheduled and she was not happy about it. She’s an all around bad person and the complete opposite of what D stands for. (And what exactly does Darren stand for? IT seems to me that he loves his wife and their life. His potty mouth and love of sex puns fit nicely with her).

Anonymous asked: Not the same anon, but for someone rich, M dresses really really badly. You would think rich people could dress themselves especially since they can actually afford a stylist lmao

chrisdarebashfulsmiles answered: I’m for the people right of choice of wear whatever they want tbh, anon (I stand for freedom of choice except if you are Mia....then I can trash everything about you).   Sometimes she is dressed by AW, sometimes by Lu/lu. The point is that most of the time she chooses the wrong dress alone because of her desire to be a ‘90 badass woman 20 years late. Something that I can understand because of my age but I also have to say that if you have to walk on a red carpet… You need to do it in the right way. She seems unable to understand this fact.(Everyone is free to be you and me except Mia who has to follow the patriarchal rules set forth by society 100 years ago: women are to be seen and not heard, should look pretty but be modest because it’s her responsibility to make sure men do not get boners when looking at her.She is supposed to wear new dresses according to Abby and they should be designer so as to look at Darren’s level. She has to look beautiful as defined by the ccers’ beauty standards or she is a labeled a bad person whom they are then free to bully).   

[i-can-get-extra-with-my-ships]

A Slice Of My Love. Chapter 1. How It Began.

Hello children!! It is I. Your Tumblr mom. Goddess of this hell hole of a blog I like to call home. Seventh-grade straight girl sitting on her couch. It has arrived. (It was supposed to be earlier but stolen to go clean the bathroom and organize my mom’s jewelry because that’s entertaining to me.) This shall be the KEY element in making this a TRUE hell hole. God, what have I done? In seventh grade and has already lost it. Moving on.

Because this is like a prolog and a first chapter I kinda want to explain how this mess, that will try to claim it’s fanfic several times, will work. AFTER this chapter it will switch from Virgil’s POV to the other’s (Ro, Pat, and Lo’s)  POV. This chapter will be in third person. So will the epilogue. I must note that, other than a few angsty plot points that my amazing friend came up with, nothing in this story is planned. I’m going with the flow. Oh. Before I forget. This is all happening in Thomas’ head. Make of that what you will.

Pairings: Familial Moxiety, and what could be interpreted as Analogical dissing.

Tw: Not caring for yourself properly and cursing. (I think that’s it)

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Virgil woke up tired. Not that surprising. He thought to himself. 

It really wasn’t surprising at all actually. He hadn’t properly slept in days. Or was it weeks? Months maybe? 

Fuck it. He was already too preoccupied with getting coffee without passing out on the way down the stairs to be worrying about this stupid shit.

This whole sleepless thing started when Virgil had seen all the things on the schedule that Logan had made. Of course, the schedules helped, at first. This last one though. Oof. Just major oof.

Virgil had successfully made it to the kitchen without passing out. Now. If he could just last long enough to make coffee.

“Kiddo? You ok? You look like you’re about to pass out.”

Patton. Shit.

He loved Patton to death, (Platonically) but this was the absolute worst moment for him to show up. 

Why? Because Virgil had been hiding out in his room for the past however long, to avoid Patton. Pat would make him sleep. And make him calm down. He didn’t want to do either of those things. If he slept then Thomas could do things without his approval. Without fully weighing the consequences of his actions. Or as Logan would put it. “Illogically weighing the consequences of his actions”.

Logan was great but sometimes he just needed to shut the fuck up.

Virgil hadn’t responded. Patton walked over and put his hand on the other’s shoulder. “You ok Virge?” Then he got a close look at Virgil's face. He gasped and covered his mouth with both hands. “Virgil,” he started with a cold and worried tone that Virgil had never heard before, “When was the last time you slept?”

Shit. I’m too tired to talk. And too tired to write. Maybe after coffee?  

The coffee had finished. Virgil grabbed a mug and poured himself some of the black liquid that was going to keep him from passing out. 

Patton was going to grab the cup away from him. Then he saw the anxious trait’s tired eyes, and let him drink the coffee.

When Virgil finally had the energy to speak he answered Patton’s question. “I slept for like 2-3 hours last night.”

“And before that? Kiddo, you sound as awful as you look.”

Virgil was on his fourth cup of coffee. The only reason Patton was letting him have coffee in the first place was that he needed answers.

“I don’t even know. I have no clue what day it is. It’s felt like a Monday for I don't even know how long. I hardly made it down the stairs without passing out.”

Patton looked like his heart had broken into a billion pieces. “Kiddo, why? Why are you pushing yourself like this? It’s not healthy!” His voice cracked several times during that statement.

Virgil couldn’t look at Patton anymore. It broke his heart to see, the person who was essentially his dad, look at him like this. 

He averted his eyes to the counter. Wait. Am I hallucinating or is there a third person sitting on the counter? He was confused. It was only him and Patton in the kitchen. He didn’t recognize them. But whoever they were, they were cute as hell.

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So here it is. Chapter 1 of “A Slice Of My Love”! I think this turned out ok! Yes, angst right off the bat. You can’t get too mad at me. Roman didn’t fuck something up for once!! Logan did this time. Well not really, but still.

I’m still really sorry for building hype/giving people anxiety/pissing people of in the tags on that one post. (People who read the tags know which one I’m talking about) It’s here now tho. Don’t hate me.

 Next chapter will be first-person Virgil. Then the one after will be Patton’s I think. So it will go angst, stupidity, angst, stupidity, angst, stupidity. You get it. Hope you enjoyed!!

                               -Em

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Taglist (Lemme know if you want to be added): @winterswishing-reblogs and @thetomorrowshow

[screw-real-life-i-pick-fandoms]

In the spirit of Valentine's Day (Tom Hiddleston X reader) (One-Shot) (Smut)

AN: This is my first time ever writing smut, so please go easy on me. But any tips, comments, or advice would be much appreciated! :)

Warnings: Dirty talk, language, teasing, fingering, and unprotected sex.

Words: 4,260+

(Y/N POV)

It was three days until Valentine's day, and I didn't have any plans, which was more than fine with me. I didn't hate the holiday, it's just I didn't really see the point in it. Like, I know it was about love and stuff, but if you look back on who we named this holiday after, he got his head chopped off. The best thing about Valentine's day for me was going to the store the next day to get as much chocolate as I wanted because it would be on sale.

My husband, however, that was another story.

This was going to be me and Tom's first Valentine's day together as husband and wife. Tom was more of a hopeless romantic then I am. Even though for the past four years we have known each other, and I had told him how pointless the holiday was, he still was insisting we do something to celebrate.

"Come on love," Tom begged like a child, causing me to chuckle. "Can't I at least take you out to a nice dinner?"

"Do you know how crowded all of the restaurants we be?" I say turning around to face him, looking into his beautiful sky-blue eyes with my Y/E/C ones. "I'd just have something delivered. Then I don't even need to get dressed."

"Despite how tempting you not being dressed is," Tom said eyeing me up and down with a smirk and cheeky look on his face. "I want to do something nice with you."

"First off," I said holding a finger up in the air. "You know that's not what I meant by not needing to get dressed." He laughed softly at my comment and walked closer to me. "Second, I really appreciate you wanting to do something nice, but you know that's not really my style."

"I know," Tom said wrapping his strong arms around my waist. "I just thought maybe because we are married now, your opinion on the holiday would...change?"

"Sorry Tom," I said patting his chest lightly as I slipped out of his grip. "I still don't see the appeal in this holiday. Like yeah, the dude died for love, but he did die. It's the same thing when people use "Oh, he is my Romeo!" or "She is my Juliet!" There are way better analogies to use for love than them, Like Hermia and Lysander, sure they had some rough spots, but it worked out in the end."

Tom laughed at my annoyance with the way people used Romeo and Juliet, as I sat down on the couch in our living room. That had been something Tom had known about me since around the first week of knowing each other. That was one of the things that made us friends and now married, we both loved Shakespeare, so naturally, we talked about of thoughts of his plays a lot.

"Can you even go two weeks without saying that?" Tom asked with a laugh as he sat down next to me on the couch.

"Nope!" I stated, joining him in laughter. "The world needs to know."

"At the rate, you are going," Tom said moving closer to me. "They will by March."

"Haha," I said rolling my eyes at him. "You think you're so clever."

"I don't think I am," Tom said with a smirk. "I know I am."

"Oh yeah," I said to him in a matter-of-factly tone. "Tell me, what is fifty-five times seven, Mr. Clever?"

"uhh," I could see the wheels in Tom's head turning. I knew that was a low blow on my part, but I loved to joke with him about his lake of mathematical skill. The man was good at everything else, I needed something. "It doesn't matter. You know I am an actor, not a mathy person."

"Neither am I," I said with a smirk. "I am a detective and a pate time theatre actor, but I know it three hundred eighty-five. And did Thomas William Hiddleston, just say mathy person?"

"Yeah," He said with a grin. "What are you going do about it."

I moved so that I was sitting on his lap straddling him with on leg on either said on him, and he grunted softly in approval. I wrapped my armed loosely around his neck. I gave him a quick kiss on his soft lips then moved to his ear, the hairs of his beard tickling my face slightly as I did so.

"I'll tell you what I'm going to do," I said putting on my best sexy voice. I could feel him growing excited under me and it made me almost feel bad for what I was about to do to my husband. "I am going to cook dinner."

Tom, who had been expecting me to take this to the bedroom, opened his eyes quickly. Before he could do anything, I got off him and made my way to the kitchen. Tom whined at the loss of contact and I just looking at him with pity.

"Don't forget," I said to a very frustrated Tom. "Benedict and Sophie are coming over in an hour."

*Time Skip the day before Valentines Day*

(Y/N POV)

I was having lunch at a small cafe with Y/B/F/N (Your Best Friend's Name) and we were talking about our plans for tomorrow.

"Sounds like fun," I said to Y/B/F/N who had just got done telling me about the day her boyfriend had planned for them. "Make sure he brings you home before midnight."

We both laughed and continued talking.

"What about you and Tom?" She asked expectantly. "Did you come to the dark side and make plans or are you still being stubborn about the holiday?"

"I am not being stubborn," I said defensively. "I just don't see the point. As for plans, we made an agreement." Y/B/F/N looked at me, waiting to hear what I meant. "We decided to compromise. We will be having our own Valentine's day together the day after."

"You did not!" She said with a laugh. "Y/N, you have been saying that you would celebrate Valentine's day with your significant other the day after, even since we were ten! I didn't think you would actually do it."

"To be completely honest," I began. "Neither did I. When Tom was trying to convince me to go out with him and I kept saying that everywhere he wanted to take me would be crowded I said that it would be better to take me out the day after and he agreed. It does make sense, Valentine's day food and chocolate will be a hell of a lot cheaper, and there won't be as many people out. When I told him about all the plusses, he said that was a great idea, and I think we may just do that every year from now on."

"Alright then," She said with a nod. "That's a step. You two definitely make a good pair."

"Yeah," I said with a smile thinking about Tom. "He is really amazing, and I love him so much. I am so happy he asked me to marry him."

"You know," Y/B/F/N said to me with a smile. "For someone who doesn't like Valentine's day, you are just as much of a romantic as Tom. I hope you know that."

We continued to talk about our plans and anything else that came to mind.

"You know," Y/B/F/N said with a smirk. "I was planning to go lingerie shopping today, you know, to get ready for tomorrow. I am sure Tom would like it if you came with me."

"Maybe," I said, then thought about it. I did tease him the other day and maybe this would be a good way to make it up to him. "Actually yes, that sounds like a good idea."

*Time Skip*

(Tom's POV)

I got a call from Y/N saying that she was going to the store with Y/B/F/N and she would be home a little bit late. I said it was fine and to have fun and be safe. It gave me more time to think of things to do with Y/N on Valentine's day. I knew that she didn't want to do anything, and we already had plans for the next day, but I wanted to do something. Then my phone rang pulling me out of my thoughts. I saw the name and it read Y/B/F/N so I answered it.

"Hello?" I said into the phone wondering why she was calling me.

"Hey," I heard her voice say. "I'm not interrupting anything am I?"

"No," I said sitting down in the chair in my study. "I am just trying to think of something to do with Y/N."

"I thought you guys already had plans for the day after?" Y/B/F/N said confused.

"We do," I said back. "But that's the day after, I still want to do at least something small with her on the actual day. It's our first Valentine's day as Mr. and Mrs. Hiddleston after all."

"Oh, I see," She said. "Well, why not a romantic night in? She always tells me how much she loves your cooking. I am sure she would be fine with that, more than fine in fact, I know she can't turn down your cooking."

"Of course," I said and facepalmed. "Why didn't I think of that?"

"Because you are her husband," She said with a laugh. "I am her best friend."

"I will keep that in mind when her birthday rolls around again," I said with a laugh. "Thanks for the help. Oh, what did you call for by the way."

"Oh yeah," She said as if she had almost forgotten what she called for herself. "This will actually work great for what you have planned. Now I know this is going to sound weird," That is never a good sign. "But before Y/N gets up tomorrow, you need to hide all of her undergarments."

"I'm sorry," I said, caught completely off guard with the request and I could feel my cheeks flush. "I need to do what?"

"I know how it sounds," She said with a rushed tone. "It's just, uh, girls don't like wearing them if they don't have to, and if Y/N is staying home all day she won't even need them. You are just taking away the temptation, yeah, that's it."

"Alright," I said after a few moments of silence. "If you say so."

"Great!" Y/B/F/N said with a little too much enthusiasm. "Just don't tell her, we don't want her to be uncomfortable. She will be home soon, thanks for lending her out for the day."

"No problem," I said still thinking about what she had asked me to do. "Take care."

I hung up the phone and slumped down in my chair. That was a very strange request, but if it would make Y/N more comfortable...

*Time Skip*

(Y/N POV)

Today was Valentine's day and it felt good to have a day with no plans. I felt the warm light of the sun on my face and I rubbed my eyes. I rolled over in bed expecting to find Tom next to me but was met with empty bedsheets. I sat up and looked around for my husband and found him nowhere in our bedroom. I looked at the nightstand and grabbed my glasses (If you don't wear glasses just ignore parts like this.) and looked at the clock. It read 11:24am and was surprised by how much I had slept in.

I got out of the warm bed and walked to the closet to get a fresh change of clothes, then dresser drawer that had my undergarments in.

"What the?" I asked out loud when I open the drawer.

It was empty, nothing, not even a pair of panties. I thought for sure I had some in there yesterday, but I guess I was wrong. Looking around the room I saw the small black bag sitting on the floor on my said of the bed.

"Well," I said walking over to it and taking out its contents, the lingerie had got with Y/B/F/N yesterday. "It's better than nothing, and I can just keep it on till tomorrow."

I walked into the bathroom and took a quick shower before starting the day. Once I was done, I put on the lingerie, then a pair of shorts and one of Tom's shirts. When I walked out of the bedroom, I was met with the smell of French toast and fresh fruit and the soft sound of music playing.

I walked into the kitchen and saw Tom standing by the stove softly swaying his hips lightly to the music while cooking the French toast. There were two places set at the table and there was also a cup of fresh smoothie at each. Tom turned around and saw me standing in the doorway watching him. He smiled at me and went to his iPod to change the song, once it started playing, I immediately knew what song it was and smiled back at Tom. It was our wedding song, our first dance, For the Dancing and the Dreaming. (AN: Just so you know, this is one of the sweetest and heartfelt love songs ever written, and I fully intend on having it played at my wedding.so there)

He held out his hand for me and I walked over to him so I could take it. I wrapped his other hand around my waist while mine went to his shoulder. We began to slow dance in the kitchen as the loving lyrics and sounds of the violin gave us the pace to dance to. As the song was coming to an end and was picking up pace are dancing became faster, then when the song ended Tom dipped me and placed a loving kiss to my lips.

"Good morning love," Tom said sweetly as he pulled away from the kiss and brought me up from the dip. "Happy Valentine's day."

"You too Tom," I said hugging him. "Thank you for doing all of this."

"It was my pleasure Y/N," Tom said and kissed my forehead. "Now, let's eat before the food gets any colder."

With that he pulled out a chair for me to sit then after I was seated, he sat down in the other seat.

*Time Skip*

(Y/N POV)

Tom and I had just finished the amazing dinner he made for us and we were now snuggled up together on the couch. I was held close to Tom's body by his strong arms that were wrapped around my waist.

"Say, love," Tom began, breaking the silence. "How about we go to bed? I am sure it will be much more comfortable than the couch."

"But I'm comfy heeeere," I said whining and moving closer to him. "I don't want to get up."

"Come on Y/N," Tom said with a playful smile, clearly finding my childishness funny. "You don't have to get up till tomorrow if you go now, and there are blankets."

When I made no sign of getting up Tom sighed and shook his head.

"Looks like I have no choice," Tom said and before I could ask what he meant, he wrapped one hand under my knees and one behind my back and proceeded to carry me bridal style to our room. "You are coming with me to bed, whether you like it or not."

"With that tone of voice," I said softly as we reached the door to our room. "I can tell what your goal is and i am more than willing to come to bed with you."

"Glad to hear," Tom said seductively as he placed me on our bed. Tom gently removed my glasses, then his own and placed them on the nightstand. "Because what I said earlier about not leaving till tomorrow is true. You are mine for the rest of the night."

I was on my back and watched as Tom crawled over me and brought his lips to mine in a needy kiss. His body pressed against mine as his hands caressed my sides, leaving goosebumps in their wake. I could feel the heat grow in my body as we kissed. Tom always knew how to make me putty in his hands, his kiss the perfect mix of passion, lust, and love. He nipped at my lip asking for entrance which I gladly gave him, and his tounge made its way past my lips. We fought for dominance, but it didn't take him long to win and explore his territory, making me moan into the kiss. His hands made their way under my shirt and ran them across the bearskin of my stomach making me shudder and moan, which seemed to please Tom as I could feel him smirk into our heated kiss. He then began to move the shirt up and above my head, breaking the kiss so he could remove the shirt and look at me.

"My, my," Tom said licking his lips hungrily as he looked down at me. "I am surprised you were able to hide your dirty little secret form me all day, you naughty girl."

I was confused for a moment, then I remembered that I was wearing the lingerie I had got yesterday.

         I could feel the heat rise in my cheeks and could see Tom smirk in that incredibly sexy way he does to drive me mad.

"Let's see what else you are hiding shale we?" Tom said and went to remove my shorts, where he was met with matching panties.

If it was at all possible, the hunger in his eyes seemed to grow, along with the now obvious bulge in his pants. His mouth moved back to mine as his hands went to my lace covered breasts, massaging them with his large skilled hands. I moan into the kiss and Tom used this as a chance to slide his tong in my mouth once again.

Then he began to make it was down to my neck and nipped at the spot he knew was a weak spot for me, causing me to arch my back off the bed in pleasure. There would surely be marks there in the morning. He took the opportunity to slip one hand under my back and unclasp the bra freeing my Y/S/C breasts for him to view in full.

"Gorgeous," Tom said after he stopped the assault on my neck to look at my almost naked form. "You are absolutely beautiful Y/N."

He said with love and placed a soft kiss on my lips before returning to my neck. I was so focused on the pleasure he was giving my upper body I was taken completely off guard when I felt his fingers lightly brush along my upper thigh. My whole body shivered as he ran his hands up and down my thighs, getting higher and higher, but not going to where I needed them most.

"Tom," I gasped out. "No fair."

"What is it, my love?" Tom asked with a smirk, removing his lips from my neck and at up, his covered manhood brushing against my stomach.

"I am...am almost nude," I said stuttering. "And you still have all...all of your clothes on."

"Well then," Tom said whispering in my ear. "We will have to fix that won't we?"

He grabbed his shirt from the bottom and pulled it up painfully slow. I whined at him to move faster to which he chuckled and kept going the same speed. Once his shirt was fully off, I could take in the beautiful man on top of me. He wasn't buff, but instead slim with a well-toned sturdy chest. My eyes traveled up and down his tone from a few times, then I looked up into his baby blue eyes with my Y/E/C ones.

With one hand he gently took both of my wrists and held them firmly above my head, while his legs were on either side of my hips. He took his other hand and moved to back to my thighs, rubbing them up and down, causing me to squirm in his grasp. I wanted to touch him, to run my and across his well-built chest and through his wavy ginger hair, but Tom's grip on my wrists and his hand on my thigh made it had to break free.

"Tom," I said softly, trying to speak. "Tom, please..."

"Please what, darling?" Tom asked looking into my eyes with a playfully dirty grin on his face.

"Please sto.." I was trying to talk but then Tom moved his hand painfully close to my now dripping core then moved it back down again. "Stop teasing me."

"Alright," Tom said in a husky voice and moved my panties away from my entrance. "But only because you asked so nicely."

He began to kiss me again while I could feel two of his fingers slip into me slowly. My back arched and I tried to move my hips back Tom's legs held them firmly in place. Tom pulled away from the kiss and looked at me, squirming helplessly under him. Once again, I tried to move my hands but Tom held them in place above my head. I was completely at his mercy, and all I could do was gasp and moan out at the pleasure he was giving me. I could feel a knot growing in my core and I knew I was getting closer to my climax, then Tom added another slender finger and picked up the pace.

I was so close to my climax, I could feel my wall getting tighter around his fingers. Then right before I could climax, Tom removed his fingers from my soaking folds and looked down at me with a smirk.

"Oh dear," He said looking at me with fake pity. "You were so close weren't you, what a shame. It's too bad you decided to tease me the other day, you didn't think I forgot about that did you, Y/N?" I was a whimpering mess under him now and was craving release. I was completely at his mercy and he knew it. "Have you learned your lesson?"

I nodded but clearly, Tom wanted a verbal response. He slowly started to rub the sensitive skin around my entrance, making me gasp.

"Let's try that again, love," Tom said. "Have you learned your lesson?"

"Yes!" A gasped out. "Yes, I have learned my lesson."

"Good girl," Tom said and removed his hand from my entrance. "Now, I think because you are sorry, I can reward you."

He began to remove his pants as he spoke, and I could see just how excited he was through his white boxers. Then he pulled my panties down my legs and tossed them somewhere behind him. He eyed me

"My, look how wet you are, Y/N," He said as he slid down his boxers, freeing his erect member. He looked lovingly into my eyes as he aligned himself with my entrance. "You ready, love?"

My heart warmed at that and I smiled. Tom Hiddleston, always the gentleman. I nodded and shifted my hips slightly as a sign to continue. I could feel his tip slowly enter my slick folds, stretching me. I moaned as he slid in about half way, then he released my wrists so he could massage my breasts with one hand and have the other held him up above me. Once I had use of my hands again, I wrapped them tightly around his back. When he had completely filled me, he gave me a few moments to adjust to his large size. Then I bucked my hips slightly and he took that as a sign to start moving.

His thrusts were long and slow at first, pulling out until only the tip was inside of me, then he would slide back in. After a few thrusts, he began to go faster and harder. I ran my hands up and down his tone back as he made love to me. He moved his hand down under my one of my thighs and held it up off the bed, giving him a better angle to hit the spot inside of me that drove me wild.

"Tom," I moaned out his name as thrust deeper inside me. "I...I"

I tried to speak but the pleasure made it impossible. Tom leaned down and captured my lips with his as his manhood quickly slid in and out of me. I could feel the not in my core returning and knew I was close. Judging by Tom's quickening thrusts and needy kiss, he was getting close to completion too.

"I'm," I was trying to say as we broke the kiss. "I'm close."

"Me too," Tom grunted, his thrusts becoming uneven. "Together my love. I want to hear you say my name as you come undone beneath me. Tell me who it is who makes you feel this good."

"Tom," I moaned out, his words bringing me even closer to climax. "You Tom. You are the only one." I could feel my walls constricting around his large member and the orgasm hit me like a train. "Tom!" I called out his name as I came.

Tom made a few more thrusts before he came inside of me moaning out my name. I could feel his warm seed inside of me, and he helped us ride out our orgasms by pumping a few more times before he pulled out and laid down next to me. Both of our breathing was heavy, and I could still feel his warmth inside of me.

He wrapped me in his strong arms, and I could still smell the scent of our sweet lovemaking in the air around us. I placed my hands on his firm chest and nestled into his warm body and could feel myself becoming sleepy.

"Happy Valentin's day Y/N," Tom said softly into my ear and kissed the top of my head. "I love you so much."

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[secondchancesfic]

S.C: Chapter II

Art made by: @thatweriddoodlingllama

Superhero!AU

Fandom: Sanders’ Sides

Pairings: Parental Analogical, Platonical Anxceit, LarryxDot

Tags/Warnings: Cursing. Mention/Implied kidnap, one sided crush (DeceitxLogan), nightmares. Deceit. (If I missed something, please tell me) 

Words: 6385

Virgil and Gregory where inside their designated cells, avoiding the angry hero and other heroes in general. They both have been there so many times their names are written outside the cells so no one would use it. Usually angry heroes would chase after them but since those rooms cancel everyone’s powers, they tend to leave Gregory and Virgil alone.

The cells the young heroes where in weren’t even separated anymore, they dropped the wall a couple years ago so they could hang out together. Sometimes they sleep in there during slow days, spending time either talking or both doing their own thing like homework or lab works, other times Virgil stays there alone when he doesn’t feel like interacting with people.

It used to be a white cell until they decided to paint it between yellow and purple, it ended in a paint fight and some walls were partially purple and yellow and then there was one walls were the colors mixed and turn into a very distasteful brownish color. They don’t mind though, it was fun to make a place theirs.

2 beds where in each side and some of their belongings were spread in their respective sides; just a couple headphones and books, even certain clothes that probably needed to be cleaned. None of them were wearing their uniforms anymore; Gregory was wearing a flannel with yellow and brown squares with a loose strapless black shirt below and a pair of ripped jeans, he wasn’t wearing a hat anymore so his light golden blond hair was visible. Virgil was wearing a hoodie, with a black shirt that displayed an Artic Monkeys logo, and a pair of skinny ripped jeans, his purple bangs were falling in his face.  

Virgil was laying down in his bed, scrolling through his phone while Gregory finished organizing a file of the new “patient”. He got curious about what his friend was doing when he heard Virgil made some approving and disapproving hums.  

-What cha’ doing, Virge?- Gregory said as he stood up from the floor.

-Just… you know, going through tinder...- He said not paying much attention to Gregory.

Gregory turn his head confused and drop into Virgil’s bed. -If you wanted to meet someone, you know you can just give me a call and I will drag you around- He smirked.

Virgil rolled his eyes and smiled -It’s not for me, it’s for my dad –

Gregory sit down quickly. Too quickly. –What?-

Virgil looked at him rather confused. –I just think he needs to get out more and meet someone, I don’t want him to be… You know, like alone forever.-

-I…Get that, but he is always busy, don’t you think? It wouldn’t be fair for the partner- he said crossing his arms and not looking at Virgil.

-I mean, that’s kind of the point- he made hand gestures –If he gets a partner, he might find more reasons to get out of his office-

-Don’t you just go there and practically drag him out? –

-Sometimes, but lately he has been too focus working on a different project almost weekly. I think it’s the bullshit the assholes are saying. He thinks he needs to prove them wrong or something…- He continues scrolling through the phone.

Logan has tried his hardest to not show how those words and complains affect him, but Virgil is very perceptive and knows his dad is stressing himself out for nothing. The younger hero would know about stress for nothing. Virgil stopped scrolling at one profile and looked at the person.

-But, don’t you think if he goes out with a normal person, they could be in danger once they know Logan’s identity?- Gregory practically spewed.

-Huh… I didn’t thought ‘bout that…-

Virgil stayed silent for a bit, Gregory kind of let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.

-They would have to get accustomed then. Look at this one- Virgil sit down and showed the picture on the profile. The picture showed a man wearing glasses, his eyes were pretty dark and his smile was wonderful and bubbly. His hair look like fluffy light brown cotton, and was wearing a light blue polo.  

Gregory made daggers at the picture. –He is definitely not right-

-Right? - Virgil thought Gregory was being sarcastic. -I mean, I’m not sure my dad’s type. I’m 100% he is not straight because he made a joke one time about being a flexible rule-

-He can joke? - Gregory asked surprised, getting distracted from the hate he thinks he should be feeling towards the stranger.

-And this guy seems pretty decent, let’s see…- Virgil scrolled down.

-Does he know you are doing this? Isn’t this too intrusive? - Gregory sit down, getting a bit nervous.

-You literally hacked into the police’s network to pull out what they looked in the internet and fax it to them and you call this intrusive? - Virgil smirk.

Gregory open his mouth to defend himself but he crossed his arms and stood up. Virgil continue to check the profile, apparently this guy loves animals and plants. He works as a teacher in an elementary school. Ok, cool. He seems pretty normal and alright. The eyes look weird though for some reason, or maybe it was just Virgil’s imagination.

-Do you think Blue Nightowl calmed down? - Gregory said while grabbing his file again. He tried to distract his mind with the information he was re-reading but it wasn’t working.

-Beats me- Virgil said saving the profile and standing up. –We should probably leave anyway, we already spend enough time here-

Gregory nodded. They left the room, locking it and starting to walk towards the elevator. Gregory was looking at Virgil’s pocket where he kept his phone. He didn’t exactly had a plan, but he sure as hell had an idea, the main problem being: Virgil never let’s go of his phone.

How could he be thinking on pairing his dad? How hypocrite can he get? Why did he suddenly think that was a good idea? Gregory’s mind was wondering and racing, he really hated that situation completely. It doesn’t have anything to do with the fact he has a crush on Logan, for a couple years now. A teenage crush that hasn’t left yet.

He knows there are several problems with that; the wide age gap, the fact that Gregory is best friends with Virgil, and the fact that Logan doesn’t look at him in other way but a lab assistant (for not making it even more awkward). He should have accepted at this point he will never have a chance with the older hero, yet there he is thinking of ways to sabotage every romantic intent.

Is it bad? Yes. Maybe… Logan doesn’t want anyone anyway, right? Gregory is just making him a favor… Yeah, a favor. Just a friendly friend favor for a friend, he isn’t jealous, he is just concern.

-Uh… Greg you ok? - Virgil asked looking at his friend.

-Huh?- Gregory look up at Virgil. –Yeah, why?-

-The…uh… File… - Virgil pointed at his friend’s hand.

Gregory didn’t notice he was wrinkling his file, his knuckles were white from the strong grip he had on it. He yelp and tried to straighten his file but it was already too late, he huffed and deflated. Virgil eyed his friend curiously.

-Are you alright? - Virgil asked concern.  

-I’m fine, I was just thinking- Gregory said as if it was nothing. –Say… Do you still have… that anti hack program I put in your phone?-

Virgil stayed quiet for a moment and looked at him with squinting eyes. –Yeah…Why?-  

-For no reason- Gregory said without a concern, “Ok, no worries I can just hack his laptop… Wait… I also put it there… FUCK”

-You are acting… weird… Are you sure you are alright? - Virgil was sensible, he would notice when someone was feeling off. He wasn’t good at comforting but he could listen; Gregory, however, wasn’t much of a sharer, he would keep a lot inside without telling anyone, and even if Virgil hasn’t seen him have a meltdown he still worries about Gregory.

Gregory notice Virgil was getting concerned. –Yeah! Totally fine, Virge. I was just thinking about work- he is so used to lying it comes naturally for him. He doesn’t want to stress more the walking panic at the everywhere, even if that makes him have meltdowns in silence.

Virgil looked at him trying to find any indication of a lie, once he didn’t find anything he sighed and smiled fondly. –You can talk to me, you know?-

-I know- He said smiling back then walked next to Virgil. –You should try worrying less about others. Why don’t you start dropping all the date for your dad?-

Virgil chuckled. –Seriously, what is up with you and the need for my dad to be forever alone?-

-He is a nightmare for every person, Virgil. Save the people from him- Gregory said sarcastically and Virgil laughed. They continue telling half jokes and laughing through the hallway.

 Logan was in his desk, organizing the pieces of metal from his bag. Once he finished he read the notes he took during and after the fight, it was a kind of a log for a reference. He was forgetful at times so doing this was a nice exercise.

“Search for another cafe” That café was Virgil’s favorite and now it was destroyed, Logan frown. It wasn’t of his liking but his son really appreciated it, maybe he could search for another place they both can enjoy.

“Make sure to give Dot her letter” Oh. Right.

Before Logan left the crime scene, he decided to talk to the officers to provide some information he gather and what the damages were. Chief of police, Larry Alvarez and Officer Thomas Sanders were in duty that day. They all know each other so it was easier for Logan to share what he knew. Unfortunately, being over familiar with each other, makes them more talkative and unprofessional. Thomas always saying jokes, getting laughs from Larry and groans from him.

Also, when Larry doesn’t forget, he makes Logan give his wife, none other than Green Wonder herself, a love letter. Yes. A love letter. Logan has tried many times deny that request, but Larry is very convincing. Now days he just extends his hand to receive the letter despite it being “a waste of his time”, mostly because he has to listen to Dot gush over his husband over and over again. Well, he doesn’t have too, but he thinks it’s rude to just walk away when someone is talking.

If Logan was completely honest with himself though, the fact that two people love each other so much makes his heart flutter. It’s nice to see that around him, even when he can’t exactly feel it himself. Happiness through love is a nice reminder of how the world is still a good place.

“Ew…” Logan mumbled in a pathetic way to shake those thoughts.  

“Keep an eye on the building”

Crimson appeared suddenly, he didn’t passed through the front door. The Café had stairs that went to an apartment part in the building, maybe Crimson lived there. It’s not important whether he was an employee or not, what it’s important is what exactly set him off to almost destroy the whole place.

In the past, he already had destroyed other similar structures, all being apartment buildings. The attacks seem random at first, until they started to increase. Now, maybe he really was just a pyromaniac, burning everything for the sake of it, but there were very strange circumstances around every strike.

In all the cases, there were no casualties since all the possible bodies disappeared once the fire was put out, if there even were there. Not only that, the fire only started in certain spots and things that would cause most of the smoke.

There was no smell of burn flesh which lead firemen to believe people didn’t died by being burned alive, asphyxiation was more probable but no one could be sure without a body. This made everyone, including Logan, confused.  

Now that the villain is under arrest Logan might be able to get some answers out of him and begin the proper procedure.

He has to admit, though, for being a very cruel villain due to his actions and tendencies, Crimson acted…odd at the café. Besides his sudden appearance, he made everyone leave, yelling desperately for everyone to run away.

Then after he was capture he was shocked, most probably due to not feeling his powers, later on started to act even more aggressive, spewing every threat possible. Pleading to be let go.

-He was caught, it’s normal behavior in guilty people…- he mumbled. He closed his notes and turn on a radio he had in his desk, it was in a news station.

- -ter the couple of months of fear and pain, the villain known as Crimson was finally caught by our favorite nerd, Syllogism - Logan frown and sighed. “Mender trapped him, it was Mender, god dammit…” he thought. If Virgil listens to this, he will be pretty pissed off. – There have been reported at least 20 people were inside the building during the attack, thanks to Syllogism, all the residents manage to escape safely-

“At least everyone is safe…” – It is a relief one nightmare has ended, however there’s still no answer about the missing bodies. Officers had stated they are still investigating the matter and will press the hero association on turning Crimson in for questioning –

Logan ponder about that. It’s not unusual for the police to want every captured villain to be questioned and punished, but this case was extremely weird and concerning. Why would Crimson need the corpses of people? If he even was completely responsible for that. What if he was working with someone else?

Logan stood up from his desk he wanted to interrogate him as fast as possible. He looked at the letter. Right… “As soon as possible”. Even though he thinks it’s kind of dumb, he never backs up from a favor. He holds the letter and gets out of his office. He needed to get his boss anyway. Talking about the devil.

-Logan! - She said completely serious, way off from her usual bubbly personality. –Why didn’t you came and tell me you capture that pyromaniac?-

Logan was taken aback but composed himself. –I was going to get you right now, and Virgil was the one capturing Crimson- He clear that up at least to his boss.

Green Wonder sighed. –Jee-muh-nattie, let’s get this over with. I hope he was placed in the strongest cell, I don’t want him starting a camp fire-

She said while walking off fast towards the elevator, Logan followed her up.

-I can assure you, I can make the interrogation myself if it’s too much for you Dot- he said keeping up with her, voice full of concern.

-I can handle him- she said with confidence

-I know, what I don’t want is you strangling the suspect with your roots- Logan clarified. Dot stop and looked at him with squinting eyes, Logan looked at her with one eyebrow raised.

-Just a little bit? - She asked half-jokingly

-No- the old hero said while looking at his boss deadpan.

Green Wonder sighed. –Fine. Although I don’t think my husband will be as fine as I am –

-Talking about him, he told me to give you this- Logan holds the letter and gives it to Dot.

Dot squeal in delight and practically snatch the letter from Logan’s hand. She continue walking while opening the letter, Logan kept a steady pace behind her.

Logan is very familiarize with his boss, after all, it was because of her and Larry that he knew about the association’s existence. Dot was already a member and Larry knew all about it: the villains, the heroes, certain necessary information about dangerous criminals, etc. So when Larry discovered Logan working in repair shop for phones, disarming and rearming a phone without touching it, he immediately told Dot.

She manage to convince the previous boss to let Logan in; back then they didn’t though nor appreciated Logan’s his intelligence and inventions, it wasn’t until he demonstrated his power of controlling and manipulating any type of technology that he was given a pass. Logan was immensely grateful.

The 3 of them used to hang out often, but now days Logan is mostly focus on his work and his son while Larry and Dot are between dates and sometimes go to a therapy session. That doesn’t mean they don’t talk, they send texts sometimes and let each other know what is going on in their lives. Logan cares deeply about his friends and he usually would answer quickly to them and his son, and if anyone needed anything he would stop everything he was doing and help them out, like the time he was told by Dot that she and Larry became homeless due to a fire in their building. They were few of the survivors in that fire, or at least few that didn’t disappeared.

Time passed; they discovered the fire wasn’t an accident but in fact caused by a villain who thought it was funny. The three of them wanted to take that bastard down. Even though they were very angry, they still had to follow some rules. Logan, being very objective, still believed that maybe something had to make the villain do what he did, so he tried to keep his hopes up in case he could help this person. Dot was the boss and had to put the example of the philosophy they’ve been trying hard to teach and Larry couldn’t just shoot the villain in the head, that’d be highly illegal.

-D’awwwwwww Larry~! - Dot squeal almost in a whisper and hug the letter completely stopping in the hallway.

Logan found it funny how in one moment she can be all lovey-dovey thinking about her husband and the next be ready to throw hands at a villain.

-Ahem-

-Oh right! - Dot said while putting the letter away.

They kept walking towards the elevator, they press the button that was for the basement like prison. The elevator begin moving.  

 The villain was in a cell, he was handcuffed and sat in a chair, fidgeting and looking around. He got tired from jumping to each side looking for a way out. His outfit match his name; he was wearing a dark red suit, with yellow fire silhouettes decorating across his shoulders and chest. He was still wearing his yellow mask; in many cases if the villain was wearing one, the heroes had to leave it intact due to keep some privacy to the villain. Something that stood up from his image was his hair, which would usually be lit on fire, but now you could see it was completely black. It wasn’t burned or anything, that was just his natural color.

The cell was completely white, it wasn’t empty though; there was a bed and a desk, a two way mirror was the only thing separating him from the security guards outside.

Virgil and Gregory walked in the hall and stopped at the villain’s cell, good think he can’t see them, since they aren’t wearing their masks.

-What are you two doing here? - said one of the guards.

-Taking the scenic view- said Gregory.

The guards chuckled. The younger heroes would usually talk to some guards, they would actually be pretty nice (nicer than all the other older heroes).

-So, Mender – the other guard said careful, they don’t want to display their real names in case the villain was listening. –Heard you help Syllogism capture this maniac-

Virgil smiled proudly. –It was easy, he had nothing on me-

Gregory smiled fondly. It was rare to see Virgil being actually social and show off his achievements. His focus turned towards the villain. He notice how Crimson looked desperate, turning his head everywhere while trying to get the handcuffs off.

                       “LET ME GO!” Crimson shouted.

“Calm down, you are going to be fine…” Deceit told him while taking him to his cell.

“NO!! LET ME GO! IF HE-!” Crimson paused. “I NEED TO GET AWAY FROM HERE, NOW! - He continue screaming while being slightly dragged by Deceit.

-Well, when you have a high rank hero on your side everything’s easy- One of the guards said chuckling. It was meant to be a joke, but it still sting. Gregory snapped out from his thoughts.

-Hey, I can fight alone! I was the one capturing him after all-

-Really? That’s not what the news say…- The guards look at each other questioning.

Virgil kept quiet and lower his head in frustration.

-Pshh… The news don’t always tell the truth, they just saw the aftermath of the fight- Gregory said trying to lighten up Virgil.

-But the people don’t know it was me…- Virgil said between mumbles.

-You’ll eventually make a name for yourself out there, Virge - He placed an arm around him.

Virgil sighed. They heard steps getting closer. Dot and Logan walked fast towards the cell, she notice the two younger heroes in surprise.

-Hey, kids. Weren’t you going home? - said Dot looking at them both.

Gregory and Virgil looked at each other, apparently no one told her about the explosive toilet prank Gregory made.

-We are leaving now-/-We were just hanging around- They both said at the same time.

Logan looked at them, making sure they were ok. Both heroes thought Logan was trying to analyze them, maybe he did heard about the prank, so they put up their calmest expressions.

-Very well, be careful you two- Said Logan fixing his glasses.

Virgil and Gregory passed through them.

-Virgil- Virgil stopped and looked at him, feeling slightly nervous. -You got the house key? - Virgil sighed in relief.

-Yeah, I always have it- he said smiling.  

-Can you wa- Logan was interrupted.

-Yes, I’ll water the plants, dad-

-Alright, and don’t forg- he gets interrupted again.

-We will close the door after we are inside. Don’t worry dad- It was a bit annoying yet endearing how his dad always made those questions, if Virgil didn’t knew he was adopted he could swear he got his over concern and anxious personality from Logan.

Virgil and Gregory continue walking towards the elevator until they left the basement. Now it was just the older heroes, the security guards and the villain.

Dot and Logan entered the villain’s cell. He looked up at them in shock and stood up quickly making the chair fall as well as making Logan and Dot jolt and stand in fighting positions.

-I-I need to leave. NOW! - Crimson stuttered his demand.

-You are not going anywhere, you pyromaniac- Dot said sternly and angry, gritting her teeth.

Logan looked at the villain curiously, then placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder.

-What’s so urgent that you need to leave now? -  

Crimson chuckled nervously and avoid looking at Logan. –I’m not telling you why, but I can tell you the ending for me won’t be pretty- he walked towards them but was stopped by the handcuffs.

Logan used his powers to make him back off, he walked behind the villain and placed the chair how it was before. Then he pointed to the chair and Crimson sat. Logan fidget nervously with his lab coat sleeve.

-Listen, we want to help you- Crimson let out an airy laugh. -But we need answers- Logan said while looking at the villain directly, in an almost concerning way.  

Crimson looked at him and then lower his head.

Dot took a deep breath and exhale calmly. –Why did you burn all those buildings?-

The villain kept looking at the floor without saying anything.  

-I’d really appreciate if you answered- she continued, trying to be as kind as possible.

Crimson let out a shaky breath and tried to look up.

-It was just a job…- he mumble, but he was clear enough to be listen by Logan.

-Job? What do you mean? - Logan asked.

The villain stayed silent and looked to the side. He wasn’t up of for talking. Dot and Logan looked at each other.

-Well then- Logan said while gesturing to Dot to go out before him.

-I’d be careful out there- the villain said.

Both heroes looked at him.

-This was supposed to be my last job, but it was mostly a precaution - He said looking grimace.

-I suppose you aren’t going to tell us what does that mean- Logan frown at him.

The villain look up at him, he looked tired. –Am I safe here?- he suddenly asked.

Logan looked at him baffled, was he scared?

-Why do you ask? - Dot asked first, now she was concern.

The villain bit his lips. He was getting nervous.

Logan started to analyze him: he was anxious, his whole body language was screaming that. They might not get anywhere if they push too hard. He seems scared too but of what? Or who?

-Alright. This is what we are going to do- Dot said suddenly. –We won’t ask you anything else for today. To answer your question, yes, you are safe here-

The villain sighed in relief. No one has ever looked so happy to be trapped there.

-Can you at least tell us what happened to the missing people? - Logan asked suddenly, the villain flinched. He didn’t want to look at Logan.

-They are still alive… for now…- he said hesitating.

Logan and Dot looked at each other; people were still alive, somewhere, but his ominous “for now” wasn’t reassuring. Why would he need so many people? Why would he even stage something like that? They got the answer of one part of the puzzled but it wasn’t exactly satisfying.

Logan snapped his fingers and the handcuffs disarmed around Crimson’s hands and were placed in the desk of the cell.

-You should rest- Logan told the villain who just stared in shock. With that, they left him alone.

Dot’s spirit was up, the villain was capture and they got good news, although they still had to search for this people, it was progress in this weird case.

-When should we announce the good news? - Dot asked Logan cheerfully.  

–What good news? - He looked at her puzzled.

-About the missing people?-

-Oh. Well if we knew where they were that’d be good news, Dot…- Logan said objectively, if Dot was someone else they would say he was being pessimistic.

-Oh you are right… Hmm… Maybe we should wait. I’ll program the interrogation with the police then- She sighed dreamily. –I’ll get to see my husband again- She giggled.

Logan chuckled.

-Oh! You should take a break Logan, or leave early- Dot said sternly while playfully hitting his shoulder.  

-I already took a break- he said smiling lightly.

-Yeah, but it got interrupted. C’mon, you should spend time with your son- she said cheerfully.

-I’m afraid I can’t do that, if you leave early today I would have to stay here to keep an eye out- he said seriously.

-You are right- she said snapping her fingers and smiling widely.

–I’ll tell Emile! Now go spend time Virgil! Today was supposed to be your day off- She said while pushing Logan rapidly towards the elevator.

Logan didn’t protest, he did promise Virgil to have that day off. And even if he was dreading the fact that his son might take the dating theme out again, he still love to have those times, since they both have been busy so much. And maybe he really needs to relax; that interrogation started to make him very anxious after all. That’s because he might have recognize the villain as one of his students, but he wasn’t sure yet. He will have to see next Monday.

 Gregory and Virgil were relaxing in the living room, Virgil laid in the couch scrolling in his phone while Gregory sit across him while using his computer. They stayed quiet for a while, that was what his usual “best friends time” was in general and both liked it, but Virgil looked kind of peeved to the hero.

-So…-

-So…? - Virgil said imitating his friend.

-You ok? - Gregory asked.

-Yeah, just…- Virgil didn’t look away from his phone and started scrolling furiously. –I’m fine…-

-Of course you are- Gregory said while rising an eyebrow.

Virgil suddenly stood up. –Ok, I might be pissed off. This was my first catch and I didn’t even get the credit! I fucking ran towards a psycho who would have burn me to a crisp if I didn’t think fast- he paced around the living room.

-Yeah, that was pretty stupid on your part- Gregory remarked.

-What else was I supposed to do? I don’t want to be his shadow forever…- Virgil huff and fell back in the couch. –It’s not the first time I don’t get credit for something…-

-Logan always tells you how great you are doing Virgil- Gregory said, it almost sounded exasperated. It isn’t the first time they had that kind of conversation, since Gregory was older he already had passed the insecure phase (that’s what he thinks) but he doesn’t exactly know how to properly reassure the younger hero that he is doing enough for himself and others.

Virgil didn’t looked at him and crossed his arms, noticing the tone Gregory was using. –Yeah… but- he gets interrupted.

-Look, I think Logan is trying to make sure you aren’t stressing out so much with your studying and all the hero duty – Gregory stated. –Trust me Virgil, I think that’s for the best. Just follow his rules, then, eventually, he will let you do whatever you want-

Virgil sighed. –Suck up- he mumbled. He gets a pillow thrown at his face. –Hey! - Gregory chuckled, and Virgil smiled fondly going back to scrolling.

Virgil still wanted to vent more, to express all his feelings out but understood Gregory had reached his peak; he was very social and all but he still got burn out, especially when he was doing his lab assistant work in the association with Logan and at his classes since he was also a student.

Still that doesn’t mean he doesn’t feel a little… uncared. He could talk to his dad but Logan tends to try to solve his problems instead of just listening.

Lately he has been placing all his thoughts in paper, drawing whatever thing he can think off that represents how he feels. He prefers painting though; mixing paint and placing it in the canvas relaxes him a lot. He paints with so many colors, turning it into an abstract piece or sometimes a landscape. But there’s a reoccurring theme in all his art; nightmares. Specifically one where everything is completely dark except for a light above of him; he is being dragged by shadow people and his dad, or at least who he assumes is his dad, tries to reach him but fails.  

He has talked to Logan about it because he thought he was once in danger when he was little; Logan assured him it wasn’t the case under his care but suggested it might be a repressed memory before he was adopted, so he told Virgil to go see a therapist. Said therapist is, surprise, a hero, or at least someone that works with the heroes; normal therapists wouldn’t be able to know the full picture behind their fears to be treated properly so it is very helpful someone like Emile Picani works there.

Other than that, Virgil doesn’t exactly have someone else to talk to. He has a hard time making friends, it is usually Gregory who makes friends and tags him along. Virgil doesn’t even make friends with them, they are just strangers to him. He knows he has people that cares about him; his dad loves him, Greg is with him and shows his affection in other ways but Virgil feels alone sometimes and incomplete. As if something was missing.

The door to the house opened and Virgil sat in the couch, Gregory just look up from his computer. Logan walked in and greeted them.

-Hey- said Gregory with a smile.

Virgil looked at his dad. –Did something happened?-

Logan was always amazed by his son’s intuition, he always manage to know when something was upsetting him. -Crimson was more ambiguous than helpful- Logan said while walking towards the kitchen.

Virgil stood up from the couch. –What did he said? –

-That’s classified- Logan said while smiling.

-Dad, c’mon- Virgil complained. –We should know if something’s up, to make the city safer or something- more than keeping the city safe, he was mostly curious to know what Logan meant by ambiguous.

Logan smiled fondly. –You are correct-

-Wait really? - Virgil said surprised. Gregory turn to look at them, closing his laptop before standing up. Logan usually doesn’t tell Virgil or anyone about the interrogations, just Dot and sometimes Gregory, so it was surprising for the both of them that Logan was going to share information first hand. Logan went to the fridge and took out a jar of jelly.

-All the buildings he burned were destroyed with a purpose. He was hired to do so by someone- Logan stated.

Gregory got closer to the table in the kitchen, Virgil had sat down.

-By who? - Virgil quickly asked.

-He didn’t say, but he did appeared to be disturbed and fearful- he went to the drawer to take out a spoon.

-Crimson shouted a lot to be let go when I placed them in the cell- Gregory commented.

Logan hummed while walking towards the table and sitting down, still not opening the jar.

-What are we going to do? – Virgil asked.

Logan kept quiet for a moment.

-We’re waiting. I don’t think this mysterious villain knows we have their lackey, and even if they knew, we won’t let Crimson go nor let the villain get his hands on him- he gets interrupted.

-They- Gregory said.

-What? - Logan asked.

-They are Non binary, they didn’t gave me their name but made emphasis on their identity- Gregory pointed out in a serious manner.

-Oh- Logan froze, a moment of realization but he wasn’t nor wanted to disclosed what he realized.

-Logan?-/-Dad? - Both young heroes stared at the older one.

-I…Uh, Apologize, I spaced out for a bit. Um where was I? Oh. I doubt this mysterious person would risk themselves to take Crimson out, and even though we should act fast, we have no idea where to search - Logan said puzzled and concern.

Gregory and Virgil looked at Logan, not knowing what else to expect. They don’t have much information, no one can exactly do anything but wait for something to happen. They silently hope it wouldn’t be as awful as Crimson make it sound.

-Well, guess that’s all then? - Gregory said. –When are we interrogating them again?-

-Dot wants to make an appointment with the police to have them interrogated, in the meantime we start the process- Logan said while taking his glasses off and rubbing his eyes.

Gregory frown. –Before the interrogation? - Logan nods. –Why?-

-They needs to trusts us, I’m afraid they don’t feel exactly welcome there-

Virgil interrupted. –Good, they shouldn’t-

Logan did share a bit of the disgust his son was presenting but he couldn’t shake the upsetting feeling in his gut. –If they trusts us, we might get them to talk-

-What if we get Emile to use his telepathy on them? - Virgil commented. –Pretty sure he would agree if you explain the situation, dad-

-I doubt he would agree to do so under any kind of circumstance- Logan placed his glasses back on. –Besides, he would have to do so outside a cell, and it’s too much risk for everyone around-

Virgil flop down in his seat. Everyone kept silent for a while, they really did had to wait for something to come up at the end.

Virgil took out his phone and scrolled a bit.

-Hey, dad. You got a date on Friday- Virgil said nonchalantly.

-VIRGIL! - Logan yelled, his voice breaking a bit. This made Virgil laugh, Gregory would have laughed too if he wasn’t frozen in place.

-Cancel it! - Logan yelled.

-Nope, you have to go! - Virgil said while scrolling.

Logan groan. Gregory walked towards the living room and grabbed his computer.

-I’m out- He said while walking towards one of the bedrooms. –Night! - He shout.

-Night, Greg- Virgil shout back. Logan said good night but was muffled by his hands covering his face.  -Look- Virgil said while showing the phone.

–He seems pretty cool -

Logan stopped covering his eyes, he looked at the picture Virgil was showing him and… He had to admit, the person was good looking. He was kind of focusing mostly on the guy’s eyes and smile and hair. He was… pretty… and… Logan was staring for too long when he listen Virgil’s giggles.

-I knew it- He smiled.  

-Virgil, cancel the date now- Logan said while blushing profusely.

-Nope- Virgil giggled. He has never seen his dad like that, and it was pretty hilarious but kind of nice, his theory about his dad being a robot was debunked.

The older hero blushed a lot, he hold the jar of jelly and tried to open it but he was shaking a bit out of nervousness. He manage to open it and took a spoonful. Virgil was snorting. When Logan was upset or nervous he would start eating jelly like it was cereal, Virgil thought it was kind of weird but who was he to judge his father when he would look like a night crawler at 3 am while drinking coffee from the coffee pot.

Logan continue eating his jelly, he was nervous and… excited? The picture of that pretty guy was in his mind which only made him even more nervous.

Maybe he could try to go out just this once.

Prologue/ CH 1/ CH 2 / CH 3 /

TAG: 

@thatweriddoodlingllama

[sandersidess]

Antique Loving (WIP)

So this is Royality (background Analogical) that I was working on and I just never finished. I hope to finish it, but I hope you enjoy this.  So enjoy this and hope you enjoy! This is just pure fluff, that I can’t even write angst on.  Words (so far): 2,023

-

Virgil and Logan sat in Virgil’s dorm room as they looked through the pictures they took of their friends, being all sappy and antique on communicating their love.

“Oh! Roman made sure these flowers had a meaning,” Virgil chuckled and showed Logan the picture of Roman in the flower shop, “He was getting so demanding with the poor employee.”

Logan laughed and pulled out his phone, scrolling through his pictures and found one of Patton, “See this? Patton wanted to choose the perfect dress to go see Roman, and it took us hours before we even left. The dressing room was a mess.”

“Where were they going?” Virgil chuckled, looking at the picture, “That was a cute dress.”

“They were just going to get lunch off campus the next day,” Logan says, Virgil laughing and shaking his head, “Right?! He would have looked fine in just a skirt or jeans and a striped t-shirt, but he insisted on a dress!”

“They are hopeless romantics,” Virgil pointed out.

“They really are,” Logan smiles, both going through their pictures.

-

Roman walked into his dorm and threw himself on Virgil’s bed, grinning like a fool, even after startling Virgil and having his papers being sat on.

“What the hell man?!” Virgil yelled at him, shoving him off his bed, gathering his papers, “This is my homework!”

“Whatever, I need your help,” Roman waved his hand and kept grinning, “I might out romance Patton this time.”

“What do you mean?” Virgil asked, setting his papers aside and looked at Roman, “Are you two still doing that weird thing?”

“Since we both met that first day in psychology,” Roman laughs and sighs happily, “I just love him so much.”

“Yet, you two have yet to date,” Virgil rolls his eyes, “How can you love him?”

“It’s love at first sight!” Roman says excitedly, standing up and looked at Virgil, “I just know it! Besides, I know he’s the one that drops items off outside our dorm room. I just need to out romance him.”

“How will you do that?” Virgil asks, thinking this was all ridiculous, but he also found it adorable in a way.

“By doing old-school charming,” Roman says, going to his desk and grabs a notebook out, “I want to serenade to him this one Spanish song, but I’m saving that for later. But, I want to do poems, sending flowers, sending chocolates, just do old school! Letters on his door! Think about it, Virgil!”

“You really want to out romance this guy,” Virgil grins, shaking his head, “Well, I can help you with some of those things if you’d like, as long as I don’t have to interact with anyone.”

“Really? You’d do that?” Roman gasps, wanting to hug Virgil but held himself back, “You’re the most amazing friend and roommate ever!”

“Yeah, and it’d let me get some peace here,” Virgil laughs at how offended Roman looks, “Okay, how about we do flowers first? Those are really common, but to do it antique charming, we must leave it at their door with a note. Or have someone deliver it.”

“Perfect!”

-

Patton frowned at the knock on his door, looking over at Logan. Logan looked equally as confused at their room being knocked on. Patton got up and answered the door, raising an eyebrow as he saw their Resident Assistant standing there with a vase of flowers.

“Hey Patton, sorry to bother, but this came for you,” He says and chuckles, “You must have an admirer.”

“Oh wow!” Patton giggles and takes the vase, nodding at him, “Thank you, Dave. I wonder who it’s from.”

Once Dave leaves, Patton closes the door and sets the flowers down on his shelf. He smiles at the varieties of flowers, sniffing some of them.

“Who are they from?” Logan asks, getting up and walked over to Patton.

“Seems like they’re from Roman,” Patton blushes as he picks up the card between the flowers, Roman having written his name in calligraphy.

“That guy who acts like a prince and prep?” Logan chuckles and looks at the flowers, “He picked some really nice ones. Each one has a different meaning.”

“They do. He even wrote them down with a drawing next to them,” Patton whispers, reading the letter and smiled softly, “This is so old school.”

“Sometimes old school is the best,” Logan grins and goes back to his bed.

“Yeah, it is,” Patton whispers, smiling at the flowers and held the letter close.

-

Roman groaned as he threw away another piece of paper, which landed on Virgil’s side. Virgil raised an eyebrow and picked it up, throwing it at his head, which caught Roman’s attention.

“What is wrong with you?” Virgil asked, looking slightly worried.

“This outline for my research paper is all wrong! I got it approved, but I hate how the outline is coming out!” Roman groaned, slamming his head on his desk.

Virgil flinched at the noise and was about to answer, but there was a knock at the door. He frowned and got up, answering the door and saw no one. He looked around and saw a paper taped to their door, a chocolate Kiss there also. He took it off and walked over to Roman, handing him the chocolate and paper.

“I’m sure this is from Patton,” Virgil smirked, watching how Roman got up quickly excitedly and started reading the paper.

If cartoon hearts could surround a person in real life, then Roman would have many around him, all shining and beating fast. Roman stared at the letter as if it was a piece of gold and hanged it up on his wall, near his bed to read every morning.

“It is only November and you are already head over heels this guy. You really do love him,” Virgil chuckles, rolling his eyes.

“You bet I do!” Roman grinned, getting his spark back, “Now, I need to plan what present I will get him before we all go home for the break.”

“Well, you better hurry. Finals are soon and you won’t have much time,” Virgil pointed out and sighed, “I wonder how crazy you will go Valentine’s Day.”

“How dare you not know my eccentric ways?” Roman gasped, placing a hand over his heart while Virgil just laughed.

“Finish your paper, lover boy! I am not tolerating your 2-am-Redbull-infused self,” Virgil said, going back to work.

“Fine! But don’t call Logan again at 3 a.m.,” Roman sighed and sat down, “I do need my sleep and your conspiracies talk scare me. Also, when do you plan to confess?”

Roman smirked as Virgil’s pale complexion soon turned beet red in less than a second, stuttering out an excuse and just rambled. It ended with Virgil throwing his pillows at him, along with his cup.

-

Patton pouts as the weather didn’t allow him to wear skirts or shorts, being the first week of finals and it was crazy cold. He sighs and puts on his jacket and favorite boots, looking over at Logan who was finishing his packing.

“Have you decided what to get Virgil?” Patton asked, giggling as Logan blushed and stuttered, “You two are flustered gays.”

“Oh yeah? What about you and Roman?” Logan asked and smirked as it was Patton’s turn to blush.

“Not sure yet,” Patton shrugs and looks at the box on his bed, “I did get his present, and luckily our last final is at the same time! So, I’ll give him his present then. Can we go shopping later today? I need to at least look good on my last day with him.”

“You know it’ll only be a month away, right?” Logan chuckles and smiles, “But sure, I’ll take you. The outlet mall, correct?”

“Yes! Thank you, Logan!” Patton giggles and kisses his cheek, “I know I’ll win this round. There is no way he can beat me.”

“I’m sure of that Patton,” Logan rolls his eyes, having him go on his way for his first final.

After Patton left his final, which he left around 3:37 p.m., he sighed happily as he sat on the bus back to his dorm. He texted Logan quickly, who had been finished since eleven in the morning, Once he got off the bus, he saw Logan waiting nearby with his car. Patton smiled and ran over quickly, dropping his bag in the back seat and smiled at Logan.

“Ready?” Logan asked, starting his car and driving out of the unauthorized zone.

“Yeah! Let’s go before it gets full,” Patton smiled and counted his money, making sure he had the right amount, “Can we also stop by Cane’s on the way back? Oh, and we also need trash bags.”

“We’ll stop by Target then. Also, a card was left on our door. It’s for you,” Logan smirked, driving off campus and to the outlets.

Patton took it from his hand once handed to him and opened it quickly, revealing what was a drawing of him and a poem in Spanish. He did not understand a word from it, Logan would help translate it, but he was loving it as he read it:

Si nadie sabe ni por qué reímos ni por qué lloramos ; si nadie sabe ni por qué vivimos ni por qué nos vamos; si en un mar de tinieblas nos movemos, si todo es noche en derredor y arcano, ¡A lo menos, amemos! ¡Quizá no sea en vano!

Patton smiled warmly at the poem, along with the drawing of him from what seemed to be last week’s clothes. A pair of leggings, with a tan sweater and a grey scarf.

“He memorized what I wore last week,” Patton said in an awed tone, looking at Logan to what seemed to be heart eyes.

“You two are disgustingly sweet to each other,” Logan pointed out, shaking his head.

“You will be too with Virgil,” Patton giggled, “Soon, don’t worry.”

Logan was a blushing and incoherent mess from the comment, keeping his mouth shut and turning up the music. Patton sighed happily, holding it close to his chest. They soon got to the outlet mall, Patton sprinting out quickly before Logan even set the car in park. He decided to go to Agaci first, seeing as he got some of his clothes from there. However, there was none of his taste the moment he walked in and just left.

“PATTON!”

Patton turned around and blushed a bright red, not from the cold and running, but from seeing Roman walking over with his friend and roommate, Virgil.

“Oh my god,” Patton whispered to himself, hiding his face with his beanie.

“What are you doing here?” Roman asked, his voice sounding so smooth and rich to Patton.

“I um...you know…” Patton gave a nervous laugh and saw Logan running over, “I’m here with Logan! Yeah, he needed some pants and I came to help! Yeah, yeah that’s why-why I am here,” Patton swallowed thickly at the end and looked at Logan.

“Oh well, that’s nice,” Roman grinned at him, Virgil in the background taking pictures.

“Yeah…” Patton nodded and cleared his throat, “We should get going. I’ll see you on Friday for the final or not since you know-we and I-you-I’ll see you!” Patton left quickly and dragged Logan along with him.

“That was the most awkward conversation you have ever had,” Logan pointed out,  holding back a laugh.

“Oh shut it,” Patton huffed, “He caught me off guard.”

“Let’s go to Forever 21, I could use some new pants,” Logan said, laughing as Patton huffed and marched away from him, “Pat! Wait!”

-

Roman huffed as the weather was just getting colder, and it was snowing now for the first time in so many years. He thought it was pretty romantic, seeing as it was the last day of finals and he was leaving soon before it got worse. Patton was about to get out of his last final, and they agreed to meet at Patton’s dorm since it was in the middle of the campus.

Roman looked around, holding the present he was going to give to Patton.

[sourfiles]

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hello, i am Lalouna Isla. please call me Luna or Isla but giving me a new name would also be good too, i won’t refuse, yet i’d be happy. lol. guarantee approved that i am a good friend and i am a part of infp.

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