#my great uncle had been sick for years so it wasn't a surprise but he was still the baby of the bunch to a flock of sisters

[vaguely-concerned]

we've had a death in the family (a long expected one, to be clear, but sad nonetheless :( ) and the funeral is across the country on the day after veilguard releases, so my wait now has a few more days added to it. oh well if I've waited ten years I can wait until the monday after launch haha

[intimacyequalsdeath]

heyya!!!... Beautiful💐.

I see requests are currently open, so if you don't mind... can I request a sexy wife s/o who loves to cook and will always make slasher food? And prepare all their needs (you know like a good wife in general🙃),My twin sisters really like their slasher Especially for Bo, Lester, Vincent, Thomas hewitt,Charles Lee Ray and Michael Myers...

Oh, I also think it would be great if they had obedient children with the wife s/o. They know how their father is and they choose not to worry too much about it. Please....I'm sorry if I requested when your requests were closed, but, I've been looking for a blog for a long time whose requests are still open and finally I found your blog 😭.

My twin sister is sick and I want her to be able to read the story you made from my request 🙏.

Love you dear

Thank you so much for the request sweet anon! <3 I hope me deciding to do Headcannons for each story was ok to anon. Sorry this took so long, I worked on it in chunks over the course of a few different days.

Also I hope you sister feels better soon Anon <3 <3

Slashers with a good little wife and good little children: The Sinclairs. Michael Myers, Thomas Hewitt and Charles Lee Ray.

Also not my gifs, not of the gifs I use are ever mine and full credit goes to the original creators <3

Notes: Minors DNI, Written with AFAB in mind as per request, suggestive themes. Story under the cut. Request centers around "traditional" wife roles. Talks of pregnancy and children.

<3 : Bo loves the idea of having a good little wife and good little children to boot. He just never thought living in Ambrose and as a man with his hobbies he would get to experience that, until he met you.

<3: You instantly took over cleaning and cooking, even some of the spots in Ambrose no one even went into anymore. You had no idea how the boys had managed to survive so long with living like they were raised in a barn.

<3: Bo also liked how you liked to steer clear of anything having to do with his business and what went on at the gas station.

"it ain't your place" He murmured once into your hair when you asked him about it when the relationship was still relatively new. That was the first and only time he ever had to tell you that.

<3: Bo was thrilled by your want to stay out of his and mind your own that it was surprising when you ultimately fell pregnant after only about a year being in Ambrose. As if he'd let you leave.

<3: Bo let you take care of all the child rearing duties, with him being gone usually all day it was just easier plus the last thing he wants to come home too is crying children after a long day.

<3 As the children grew you had to teach them about what their father and uncles and explain why it would be inappropriate to ask anyone about it. All they needed to know was that they were safe and their daddy loves them.

<3 The sight of you being rounded with HIS baby also does things to Bo, So don't be surprised if he makes it a goal to keep you pregnant as often as possible.

<3 Bo would be a in and out father I think though, not that he means to be he does love the children. His relationship with his own father affects how active he is a lot of the time and since that's the only father figure he has to go off of he doesn't wanna turn out like him.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"Papa!' The children yelled as they ran through the door of the gas station to their father. You had a free instance of free time so you thought you'd bring them down to bring Bo some lunch.

"There's my babies" Bo said opening his arms to catch all 3 of them up in them. He turned to you poised and ready for the kiss you planted on his lips as you set the basket of food down on the counter.

"We made you lunch papa!" Your youngest girl said as he placed her back on the floor. Bo smiled at her.

"You did now didya?" All three children nodded as you opened the basket and began to explain to Bo what you made him. It wasn't long before your family bubble was interrupted by a car pulling up outside.

Bo's gaze hardened as he turned to look outside the station windows he then turned to you and the kids before barking an order.

"You four need to go on and get back to the house now" He said, The children having been through this before nodded before falling in line behind you to head back home.

"I'll come get ya'll when I'm done" Bo said planting a last kiss to your lips before you waddled out of the gas station, giant pregnant belly and all three little ducklings in tow.

<3 Soft mushy Vincent is soft and mushy.

<3 You are his doting little wife and he is your doting husband. His heart swells every time he sees you coming down into the basement with a plate of food and a drink.

<3 At first he was a bit nervous about you growing board of Ambrose since he wouldn't let you be involved but when he saw you begin to clean literally anything and everything he figured you were alright.

<3 Vincent loves your cooking and it actually helps rouse him out of the basement to come and sit at the table with you and his brothers.

<3 When you fell pregnant the first time, He was stunned. Like truly stunned. He never thought fatherhood more or less being a husband was in the cards for him ever.

<3 To know have both he couldn't believe it. A cute little house wife and a baby he hoped would look just like you.

<3 If the baby isn't twins expect to start trying for a sibling right away. Vincent like his brothers adores the sight of you pregnant with his baby. It awakens a primal instinct inside of him to be the provider and keep you safe at all costs.

<3 Vincent would be afraid that the baby would be afraid of his face or his mask, no matter how many times you assured him other wise he couldn't help but worry.

<3 If the children grow up to question their fathers face or what he does in Ambrose, you and Vincent will tell them the loose truth obviously omitting a lot of detail. At least until their old enough.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"Vincent, your her daddy. She'd never be afraid of you" You told him softly, reaching out in an attempt to hand him your daughter.

Ever since she was born Vincent refused to hold her as he didn't wanna scare her off with his mask or his face.

He looked into your eyes as he went to shake his head, before he could though you had shoved your baby into his arms and positioned his hands in the proper places to hold her.

Vincent jumped at your sudden action but was never the less quick to cradle his daughter. He looked down at her once she was settled and when his eyes met hers that matched your perfectly he felt his breath leave his body.

Vincent had never experienced a feeling like this in his entire life and doubted he would ever feel it again. He was head over heels in love with this little human the two of you had made together and from that day he vowed that anyone who tried to come in-between him and his family would have him to answer too.

<3 Lester is used to cooking and cleaning his own space so it takes him awhile to get used to you doing it for him.

<3 He appreciates it greatly but he doesn't fully understand why you would want to clean up behind him like you do though. Like he picks up roadkill all day who would want to smell that?

<3 He doesn't complain about you cooking though, He thinks your food is amazing and it's great to come home to a warm cooked meal every night.

<3 You do so much for him so don't be surprised if Lester comes home every so often with little gifts he's collected for you. Some of them may or may not come from victims but as Lester's good little wifey you never question it, you just press your lips to his and thank him for the thoughtful gift.

<3 When you fall pregnant, again like his brothers, Lester is thrilled. He can't be in the same room as you without running his hands up and down your swollen belly while trying to feel the baby kick.

<3 Lester wants a football team of children, so be prepared to make many renovations to the cabin the two of you share to accommodate all the children.

<3 Lester loves bringing his sons out on the road with him when their old enough and with your permission of course. He'd never let them participate in anything Bo or Vincent do but helping him with roadkill is just fine by him.

<3 If any of the kids ever questions what their uncles do in Ambrose and why Lester doesn't usually want them around it, He'll tell them that it's because of Vincent's delicate projects and that answer is enough for the kids.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"Nah sweetpea, you know why you can't go to Ambrose" Lester softly told your son after the fifth time he had asked to go see his uncles. Your son sighed and pouted slightly before speaking.

"I know uncle Vincent's art is easy to break but I promise I won't ruin anything"

"My love, I've told you it's rude to question your father" You piped up from your chair in the living room, running a hand over your slightly swollen belly. "Why don't you go join your brothers outside for a bit before dinner, and stay where we can see you" He gave you a sad look but nodded and went through the front door outside.

"I know the boys love Vinny and Bo, but I just want em to be safe" Lester told you sitting on the arm of your chair and putting a hand over yours sitting on your belly.

"I know Les, but when their older they'll understand why we have rules" You shot him a smile and he gratefully returned it. He was so lucky to get someone so understanding of the "Family Business"

<3 Thomas was raised to be a family man. Luda Mae had always told him growing up that one day he would need to find a wife to continue the Hewitt family with.

<3 Enter you, ending up at the Hewitt farm like so many others, but not meeting the same fate as them.

<3 Thomas would've easily put babies before marriage but Luda Mae insisted that you two do it the traditional way and get married first.

<3 You were quick to win her over with your affinity to help out with cooking and other house chores. Especially when it came to taking care of her darling boy Thomas. She was thrilled he had found someone who loved him so much.

<3 In the Hewitt house hold with Monty and Charlie both breathing down your neck, it's easy to be reminded to leave the mans work to Thomas and just focus on helping Luda with whatever she needs.

<3 When you fall pregnant with the first baby, the whole house hold is thrilled.

<3 Luda, Charlie and Monty all never thought they would see the day that Thomas would continue the Hewitt family tree so it was a very big deal when you fell pregnant with Luda's first grandchild.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"Now darlin' you know your not supposed to be doing anything in your state" Luda reprimanded as she walked into the kitchen to see you doing dishes.

"I know mama but laying in bed all day everyday is driving me nuts" You told her drying off a plate you were washing. Luda joined you at the sink grabbing a cup to wash it before handing it to you to dry.

"When I was pregnant with Charlie I almost got driven up a wall myself. Just don't let Tommy see, You'll never hear the end of it" She said giving you a small smile before heading back to the living room.

You stood at the sink and continued to wash until you heard familiar footsteps heading up the basement stairs, you tried to pretend like you weren't washing dishes but it was too late, Tommy was on you in an instant.

"Tommy hun it's ok!" You pleaded as he took the dishes out of your hands and herded you towards a chair. You couldn't help yourself but the laugh of how your giant husband could be turned so soft and attentive with you.

You grabbed Tommy's hands before he made you sit down and placed them onto your rounded belly. His eyes met yours instantly and your foreheads pressed together.

"Tommy we're fine, I promise honey." Tommy looked at you incredulously before rolling his eyes and huffing at you, you laughed. If there was one thing in this world Tommy couldn't say no too it was you.

<3 Now Charles I could see being a bit different. Sure he adores having someone cleaning and cooking since he's out doing what a serial killer does most of the time but when it comes to kids he's a bit hesitant.

<3 He loves that you love to cook for him. It's nice having warm meals to come home too for once, Brownie points if their his favorite foods.

<3 Doesn't so much like when you get on him about tracking blood through the house or getting one too many stains on his clothes.

<3 If you really want a baby start telling him how lonely you are when he leaves for long periods of time to go kill people. He'll give you want you want as long as the baby stays out of his way.

<3 He'll be a good dad though don't get me wrong and he'll love the kid or kids just as much as you but he's a busy guy that's got shit to do so he mainly sees them as your responsibility.

<3 Might get jealous of all your attention going to the baby though, he understands it has too but that doesn't mean he has to be happy about it all the time.

<3 Your never going to be the picture perfect family but for your Charles will try his best to give you and the kids everything you'd ever need.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"Charles! what have I told you about tracking blood in the house!" Your voice echoed through the house. You heard a muffled laugh as he rounded the hallway with your 3 month old in his arms.

"Babe I'm sorry, you know I never mean too sometimes it just happens" He said adjusting your bundle of joy in his arms.

"Whaddya think kid should mommy forgive me just this once?" He asked your child you babbled in response.

"You said just this once the last three times chuck" You deadpanned before breaking a smile when he did.

"Just a hazard of the job toots" He laughed, You joined him before your eyes were met with the deep red splotches on the blazer he was wearing.

His eyes followed yours before his froze and turned to walk away with the baby in tow as you yelled out behind him.

"Charles! The blood!"

<3 The only inkling of what a normal family functions like that Michael has ever gotten was from his childhood, and to be honest I think his memories of that are very few and far between.

<3 You want to do what for him? Cook and clean ? why on earth would you want to do that for? Michael is confused.

<3 Though preparing to go out and finding a nice fresh out of the dryer jumpsuit all nice and warm and clean for him is quite nice. Michael thinks this is something he could get used to.

<3 On those late nights where he comes back late and finds plates of dinner wrapped in tinfoil ready for him to either heat up or eat just like that is also something he could get used too. It tastes way better then what he usually eats (Totally not dog, totally not)

<3 When kids get brought up though, it's a different story. I could honestly see him not really being all for it at least not at first.

<3 He's really like Charles but more so into the you can have kids as long as they stay far out of his way.

<3 His feelings towards them also aren't the most parental either. He loves them ? At least, Michael feels an emotion he could probably equate to love about them.

<3 But yeah I think for Michael it's best you just keep the kids clear of him. It's not easy when your father is the shape of Haddonfield.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"Welcome home Mike!, your dinner is wrapped up on the counter love" You greeted him as he came home after a night of terrorizing the town. Placing a kiss to the cheek of his mask.

Michael nodded wordlessly, as always, and turned to go into the kitchen. Tonight you had made his favorite, or at least what you only thought was one of his favorites by the way he every so slightly changed reactions every time you made it.

You gave him a second before following him into the kitchen and sitting next to him at the island. You watched as he lifted his mask up for each bite of food before lowering it to chew.

You made the mistake of questioning him once as to why he didn't just take the mask off. It was early on in the relationship and his hand instinctively went to his knife before you even finished asking. That was how you learned it's better to just not ask Michael questions at least not about the mask.

The two of you sat in silence, a routine you repeated pretty much every night unless you were already asleep when he got home. You would spend all day cleaning and making sure everything was ship shape for him then you would greet your monster of a man when he came through your front door.

You were brought out of your thoughts when Michael's plate crashed into the sink and broke into pieces. Michael still didn't understand how to not hold the plate too high and just to sit it in the sink.

Looks like something you'll still have to work on. No one said the shape of Haddonfield was smart when it came to chores anyway.

[frankcastleonlyfans]

𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐄 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐃

pairing: aemond targaryen x daemon's daughter!oc (dad!daemon targaryen x mom!reader au)

summary: with the help of her soon-to-be husband, alyssa discovers a secret about her mother.

warnings: for better understanding you should read the how I met your brother oneshot. pure fluff honestly

author's note: based off this ask i received A LONG TIME AGO OMG IT HAS BEEN YEARS 😭 i hope u can still read this, nonnie... this is really short sorry but i really like it and i hope y'all enjoy.

reblogs, feedbacks and likes are appreciated. support your content creators 💓 please leave a comment if you like my work, and enjoy your reading.

dad!daemon x mom!reader au masterlist

· ┈┈┈┈┈┈ · ༓ ༓ · ┈┈┈┈┈┈ ·

In the expansive library of the Red Keep, the soft glow of candlelight danced across the rows of ancient books and scrolls. Alyssa Targaryen sat at a large wooden table, her silver hair arranged neatly as she pored over an old, leather-bound tome. Beside her, Prince Aemond Targaryen, her soon-to-be husband, flipped through a stack of documents with focused interest.

Alyssa had been intrigued by the history of House Martell for some time. Today, she was deep into a volume detailing the lineage and achievements of Dorne’s great families. Her lilac eyes scanned the pages with a growing sense of curiosity.

A couple days before that moment, her brother Maegon was telling her story their uncle and father had told him, about the day their father, Daemon, had met their mother, Lady Y/N. A fun fact about the story that her brother relates, is that old and sick Viserys, shares some hints on the dornish heritage of the Lad-, no, Princess Y/N. Daughter to Qoren Martell, the Prince of Dorne and Lord of Sunspear, something that neither Alyssa or her brothers had knowledge of.

She knew better than to question her mother about that. And when she tried to talk to her dad about it, he had dismissed her saying that she should be asking Y/N.

Now, the bookworm couple were trying to find some vestige of Y/N's heritage and family history in some of the scrolls and books at the grand library.

“Aemond,” Alyssa said suddenly, her voice breaking the quiet, “look at this.”

Prince Aemond looked up from his reading, his lavander eye curious. “What is it, Alyssa?”

"I think I've found something," Alyssa’s fingers traced a family tree she had uncovered in the book. “this here—Nymeria, the Rhoynar Princess. And look, her descendants...”

Aemond leaned closer, his interest piqued.

Alyssa’s gaze was fixed on the page, her voice trembling slightly with excitement. “I’ve been following the lineage, and as Nymeria’s bloodline continues through House Martell, look–”

Her finger moved further down the tree, connecting to her mother's name, under Qoren Martell's, the Prince of Dorne. “This is my mother’s father... Maegon wasn't lying, she truly is a dornish princess!”

Alyssa frowns, trying to understand why anyone had never mentioned that fact to her or her brothers before, or why didn't her mother went by the "princess" title anymore.

Aemond looked at her with a mixture of surprise and understanding. “It appears so. You’ve uncovered a significant piece of your heritage.”

"Why would they cover this from us? From me? She..." Alyssa chuckled, remembering her childhood, "My mother knew how much I used to admire Queen Visenya when I was younger, and how I wanted to be a warrior like her. And now... I discover I'm a descendant to Nymeria Martell. I'm connected to her legacy."

Alyssa’s expression was a mix of awe and determination.

Aemond reached out, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder, caressing her skin with his thumb. “And you are right to be proud. Nymeria was a great leader and warrior. I could say you are the best of both worlds, my sweet.”

Alyssa’s eyes sparkled with a new sense of purpose. "This knowledge... it gives me the strength to forge my own path. I want to do something great, Aemond. I want to be someone known..." she murmured, looking up to her betrothed's orbits.

As they continued to study the ancient texts, Aemond could see the resolve in Alyssa’s eyes. He knew that this newfound knowledge would empower her in ways he had not yet fully understood.

“Perhaps,” Aemond suggested thoughtfully, “we should learn more about the Martell history together. There’s much we can draw from it. Maybe one day we could visit the place so you could meet your grandsire.”

Alyssa grinned to his thoughtful proposal, but snickered humorously “And we'd fly to Dorne? Perhaps we could spend some time there after our wedding. I think they wouldn't mind seeing Vhagar again.” She joked as they both laughed.

As they continued their research, the bond between them deepened, strengthened by their shared pursuit of knowledge and the powerful heritage that now united them. In the quiet of the library, Alyssa and Aemond found not just historical connections but a profound sense of purpose and partnership, ready to face the future together.

[w2soneshots]

The uncles -Miniminter

words: 1.3k+

warnings: pregnancy, mentions of birth.

summary: your and Simon’s journey to becoming parents: finding out, telling the boys, the gender reveal and welcoming your little baby into the world.

notes: hello loves! Here’s the request🫶🏼. Sorry for the lack of posts recently but this is a long one so I hope you enjoy!!🧸💓

I've known the sidemen for years. And I've been in there videos since they first started out. That's how I met Simon, we were just friends at first but eventually we started dating. We got married a few years later and we started trying for a baby four months ago. We knew it probably wouldn't happen straight away but I was starting to get a little worried, until the other day I took a test and it came back positive.

Today I'm telling Simon. I had to wait a few days since he was away for a sidemen video, which was torture but it gave me time to think of a cute way to do it. I decided that I was going to make a cute present containing some little ugg boots, a baby grow and the pregnancy test.

I placed the box on the kitchen counter then waited for Simon to arrive home. "5 minutes away x" he text me and my heart rate sped up. After the longest five minutes of my life he finally walked through our front door.

"Hi!" I smiled as we shared a tight hug. "I missed you." He whispered into my hair. "I missed you too. I have a surprise." His brows furrowed. "Come." I led him over to the kitchen, pointing to the little box. We sat down and he slowly opened it. His eyes widened and his mouth dropped open as he stared at the contents. "You're- oh my god!" A bright smile graced his features as he stood to pull me into a hug. "I'm gonna be a dad!" I could hear in his voice that he was getting choked up, which was very rare since he never cries. "Yes you are." I replied, my heart filled with pure happiness.

The next few weeks were... tough. I had awful morning sickness and felt terrible all of the time. Simon did as much as he could to be supportive and look after me but there wasn't much he could actually do. We were also trying to keep the fact that I was pregnant a secret until twelve weeks but it was proving quite difficult.

When it finally came time to tell everyone I felt relieved that I wouldn't have to hide it any longer and also so excited that we could finally share the amazing news with our favourite people. Faith and Ethan were the first to find out since I had bumped into them at the hospital while leaving an ultrasound (that unfortunately Simon couldn't be at). They were there with Olive for a check up and I didn't really have an excuse so I just told them. Faith practically screamed as she pulled me into a tight hug. Ethan was just as happy.

Simon was a little bummed that he didn't get to see their reactions but he understood why. Next up was the rest of the boys and the side girls. We decided to do them all in one go so we arranged a little get together to surprise them.

After buying food, cleaning the downstairs and making a playlist I got ready. Simon ran out to get a few last minute things while I took a shower, styled my hair, applied some makeup and got changed into a cute outfit. I only had a small bump as of yet so thankfully that wouldn't ruin the surprise.

As people started to arrive I greeted them and led them towards the living room. Soon everyone was here and it was time. "Ready?" I asked Simon, whispering into his ear. "Yeah." He smiled back at me. I took a deep breath. "We have a little surprise for you all!" I announced. I saw Faith's face immediately light up. "I'm pregnant!"

Cheers filled the room as Freya began crying, JJ practically jumped onto Simon and Ethan proudly bragged to Harry about the fact he already knew. As everyone calmed down they all congratulated us. The party was amazing, the vibes were impeccable and we all had a great time.

As my bump began to grow and people were starting to suspect us on instagram we decided it was time to tell the fans. We announced it with a mirror selfie of me and Simon in our bedroom. He had on his best thumbnail face and I downed a bright smile. He held the most recent ultrasound photo in his hand. Both of us dressed in comfy clothes, my sweatpants placed underneath my bump. The internet went crazy.

Just a week before the gender reveal the baby began kicking. It was a lovely moment. It happened just as I was about to fall asleep. Simon's hand placed comfortably on my bump as we lay in a comfortable silence. Then I felt it, it was strange but so comforting, I knew he or she was ok. We'd been expecting it since the doctor had told us that it would happen soon at our last appointment. "Simon," I turned around in his arms. "I think the baby just kicked!" I whisper shouted. His eyes widened, hands immediately on my stomach. Kick. He looked up at me with pure adoration.

We wanted to find out the gender in a fun way so we decided on a balloon pop; simple but cute. We had a company come round to set up a balloon arch with different sized pink and blue balloons but Faith and Freya helped me to decorate the rest our garden. It looked so cute by the end. It was just going to be mine and Simon's closet family along with the troops and their girlfriends.

Me and Simon both dressed in white, everyone else wore whatever they wanted but most of them wore ether blue or pink depending on what they thought the gender would be. I was fully convinced that it was a boy but Simon thought that it was a girl, nether of us really minded though.

My heart raced as we stood in front of everyone. Simon holding the balloon while I held a needle. Everyone counted down, "5! 4! 3! 2! 1!" I popped the ballon and blue confetti filled the air. Simon pulled me in a warm embrace, my eyes began to stream and the boys jumped around excitedly. "I knew it man! I called it!" JJ shouted. "I was right." I whispered into Simon's ear with a sniffle. "You always are."

The pregnancy flew by and soon I felt like a whale out of water, I was uncomfortable and just wanted to meet our baby boy. We'd finished the nursery and all of the baby shopping, we were now just waiting.

"Simon! Simon wake up!" I shook my boyfriend awake. He shot up. "Wha- what's wrong?!" He panicked. "My water broke!" I said with a smile. I wasn't stressed at all, just excited. Simon on the other hand was a mess. He was frantically running around our home trying to get himself ready. I calmly got dressed then sat on the couch next to the pre packed hospital bag. "Ok, let's go!" He grabbed the bag then helped me up.

Just a few hours later I held our baby in my arms. Thankfully the labour was quick and after getting an epidural I absolutely fine, well other than the fact I had to push a human out of me. None of it mattered now though because me and the baby were both fine and healthy.

A week later -after I had mostly recovered- the boys came round to meet Louie (which is the name we chose). "Oh my god! He's so cute," Faith gushed as she held Louie. "We're gonna need to make another one of these asap." She turned to Ethan. His eyes widened. I chuckled. "Ok, My turn!" JJ shuffled so he was straight in his chair, placing his arms out ready. Faith passed the baby over.

Everyone one got a turn. While me and the girls chatted, the boys playfully argued over who was the best uncle. Though they're all equally as amazing as each other.

[emmatgc]

Wonderful World FanFic

Seon Yul x Soo Hyun sequel 

(A short novel for one of my favorite no labels but rich in chemistry duo, relationship and what if couple in Kdrama. If you are not a “shipper”, better not read this one. New characters are added and will be added. Please take note this is all in my interpretation of the story and the aftermath of the finale. Enjoy! PS. I will try to update this every week if schedule permits)

Part 2: Summertime Solace

Will I be able to go on living like this? Seon Yul asked himself. After he testified for Soo Hyun and against his uncle, he was thinking what awaits the son of a murderer in the real world? He remembered though, that Soo Hyun did it after 7 years of being incarcerated so perhaps, he too, can do it, too. He can give the world another chance and the world will give him another chance. His dream has always been to become a doctor and he continued his studies and applied in Seoul National University Hospital. The first 2 years were so tough but the pain was never like the pain he got when he lost his parents so he carried on. To his surprise, he wasn't bullied in the hospital, perhaps, he said Soo Hyun was right, there is still kindness in the world. His demons are still there, but it is now trauma and not monsters. He wants to forgive his father and most of all, himself and he is getting there, slowly but surely. 

“Dr. Gwon, there is an orphanage 30 kilometers away from Seoul, they need a volunteer for a month but maybe in the future a resident doctor, too, will your team be up to it?”, his Chief surgeon asked. “Yes, we are”.  They packed light and were excited to go especially since it's away from the city,they needed a break. Hospital ships are great but it can be exhausting. Not to mention Seon Yul , as he discovered, can be sea sick. He has to be careful, his heart specifically can't afford to overwork. He was so hopeful for this new adventure, and his team, 2 of his closest friends can’t think of a better way to recharge for their next months of grueling surgeries and exams, 1 last year and Seon Yul will become officially a cardiac surgeon. 

Traveling was fun but Seon Yul, always an introvert, was reading a book. He is reading her book “Wonderful World”. Looking at the window, summer is finally here. Not too cold but not hot either, just fine weather. The sun is sitting in the sky and he can smell a creek, maybe a lake, and he can see green grasses, with tiny huts, a playground and a huge house. The bus stopped, they are here. He read the sign “Wonderful Smiles”. 

Soo Hyun was panicking, she didn't have enough food for the Doctors coming in, she got side tracked by an unexpected visit from her sister and niece. She missed her. Her sister lives in Seoul and opened 3 more branches. Business is good and she is now married, with a daughter of her own. Soo Hyun wanted to cook but there was no time. So she rushed outside to go to the town to buy food and suddenly, she saw something she never thought she'd ever see again, up close. Someone…she looked like she had seen a ghost. She stopped and dropped her list. She wanted to be sure. Seon Yul? She said, It is really him. She smiled. He smiled. She welcomed them and Seo Yul didn't really know what to say and do at that moment, until Soo Hyun reached for his hand, and they shaked hands, for the 1st time, not as enemies, maybe not as friends yet, but acquaintances. 

“It is good to meet you, finally, Dr. Soo Hyun”. It is the 1st time Seon Yul called her by her first name. It is good to finally see you, Dr. Gwon, she replied. She wanted to be more formal, choosing his family name instead. The other Doctors, confused as they are, introduced themselves and wanted to ask how the two knew each other but surprisingly, both Seon Yul and Soo Hyun replied “it is a long story” together. They looked at each other and again smiled while nodding their heads. They went inside and settled down. They toured the house, the compound, more accurately. The staff told them to rest and dinner will be served later. 

Seon Yul is a little bit overwhelmed. He didn't think he will see Soo Hyun again after that day. But maybe, fate has the final say. Maybe it is time.

After showering, he wanted to go outside and see the dawn. Perhaps, tonight the stars.

At the corner of his eye, he saw Soo Hyun going to her car. He ran slowly to her and said “Can I go with you? I’d like to help for dinner”. Soo Hyun said she will be fine but he insisted. In her car, there is an eerie silence. Nobody talked for a polite amount of time. Until Soo Hyun asked “What do you want to eat”, "Do you still like the same foods”. 

“You remember?, seemingly surprised and smirked.  Yes, I still like the same”. Do you stay here all the time? He asked bravely. He was surprised by his question but he can’t take it back now.

"Most of the time, she replied. It is a beautiful place, I love it here. Away from the noise. Just away from everything”

They bought a lot. From tteokbokki to sea foods and live squids, Soo Hyun’s favorite. Before going back, a cozy tea house is still open. Seon Yul looked at Soo Hyun, as if to say “Do you want some tea?” and Soo Hyun, just nodded and smiled as they entered and drank tea. Just like before when they were enemies, tea is a symbol of their indifference and uncertainty. Perhaps now, the tea tastes better, as the new leaf for summer turns a new page. He looks at her everytime she sips her tea and nods her head and when she looks back up, he pretends not to notice. He is thinking loudly. Here is someone I used to hate so much and now, she is having tea with me, a real one, no motive, just tea. The air is thick and it is normal. The air is not gloomy but hopeful. They shared some words and just some silence embracing this peace they thought they wouldn’t find together at least with each other.

Soo Hyun? They heard a voice. They looked up and It’s Su ho.  

(PS: Thank you for reading esp my X fellow shippers & friends. I got inspired by you, few or not, this is for all of you. Till next chapter! It's gonna be more intense, sort of 😳)

[soysaucevictim]

Hmmm... given the occasion.

It's a tense feeling - Living in one of the few states that are still in the clear for trans refuge (for now, anyways). Yet also living in a deeply red county. Deep sympathies from a position of very mixed privileges.

Wasn't really heard, the brief times I mentioned the whole being trans thing when it was me, my brother, and my parents. Though at least dad was known to me as more of a moderate (he still had uh, not great thoughts about trans women).

I sometimes wasn't sure about my brother. Which sucked. I feel weird to really say it here, because this is something he should have a say in putting it out there. But he had schizophrenia. One of the ITs he had was about being gay. I told him as often as it came up - I wouldn't care and would support him if that was his truth.

I kind of wonder if he had his roots in a more socially liberal environment, that he wouldn't have been in such a position of quite so deeply internalized homophobia. But I also recognize, I can only make out the outline (I can name other contributing factors) of everything he was going through before he ended it. There's no way I could completely understand.

Before that happened, I'm kinda grateful I had that stint in at least more purple/blue parts of the state, when it was just me and dad (later, mom again; brother stayed with grandparents).

-

When the Shit Uncle Returned to Dad's place while I lived with him, after my brother died, I knew I had to get out. All I'm gonna say is he's volatile and triggering and move along...

I had to live with the grandparents. Who listened to Eff-Oh-Ex News repeatedly. Parroting a lot of the jingoistic garbage TC and company spewed.

Grandpa is a control freak and Grandma is often too soft for her own good. Even though she made the guesting situation tolerable - it was only just. It sucked whenever I overheard some of the stuff coming from her mouth about the gender stuff.

A lot.

So I just shut the fuck up around them. Took a few trips to the Crisis Unit to get breathing space while there (I had no plans nor intend to - med nerd brain + self-pres instinct is still too powerful to entertain without immediate internal dismissal). Coped by talking to co-conspirator and writing up a storm last year... while I waited on getting news on getting an apartment.

My brother's death and all the above were straws that broke the camel's back - I got sick of my own well-being directly in the hands of people who either couldn't or wouldn't have my best interest in mind.

Now that I'm by myself?

I've been considering a lot more seriously gender transition stuff. Light/tentative social stuff (because red county). More just personal stuff (like going on low-dose T - I don't feel like going for the "Male Hormonal Mode" will suit me.) Been more and more considering top surgery - still amused with self on that front.

Still don't know if my IT about having breast cancer is "Surprise, it was me! Gender Dysphoria, all along!"

Or if it's just me being a gd hypochondriac with gender-weird feelings going on (because I'm not entirely dysphoric about my body). But yeah.

(... it's probably a mix of dysphoria and hypochondria, if I'm being honest there.)

[metalheadcowboy]

i want to hear about trans eddie. please. my crops are dying.

You're about to start something you'll NEVER hear the end of, anon, an un-closable can of worms 😭😭

I think that Eddie is a very forwards person, so he always told his parents about his issues with his gender. And even if he didn't understand what it meant at the time they did, and it scared them shitless, so they always brushed it to the side, or changed the subject, or told him to keep that kind of stuff to himself. And he did for a while, obeyed and kept quiet about his struggles for the most part.

But then puberty came along and everything kind of just snowballed downwards. Eddie and his parents got into more and more fights, whether it be his mother condemning him about not wanting to wear his cousins hand-me-down dresses and skirts or his father giving him a lecture about how he needs to be more "lady-like" and "proper" things weren't great.

And even though things were bad, they were under control, until... the incident. It was a week after Eddie's 13th birthday when he thought it would be a wonderful 'fuck you' to his parents if he buzzed his head, if the shaved his gorgeous curly brown hair his mother loved so much to the root. He thought that would really show them, show them that this wasn't some phase, that this was real, that this was going to happen whether they liked it or not so they better accept it. Well, to nobody's surprise, they don't accept it.

Mrs. Munson swears she nearly faints when she walks in on Eddie with a half shaved head, and the proudest look on his face. It isn't long before his dad joins and practically drags him out of the bathroom by the hair he has left on his head. He could hear his mother crying, no, sobbing, but couldn't bring himself to care because this is what they deserved, what he deserved after all these years of pretending to be somebody he's not.

Mr. Munson wastes no time calling Eddie's uncle and telling him that his "daughter" needs some time away from home to "sort things out", shortly before telling Eddie to pack what he needs to stay at his uncle's for a few days. Eddie was dreading it to say the least, he always hated visiting his uncle, hated the way his trailer, hated the way he smelled like cigarette smoke and cheap cologne, but he was going to be damned if he let his dad see that he wasn't too happy about the arrangements.

When they got to his uncle's trailer it was nothing short of terrifying. The place was surrounded by woods on either side, lit by nothing but a few street lamps. The play set they had looked like it hadn't been used in years, and it was silent, too silent. Eddie just clung onto his bag and looked out the window until they came up on the one that was his uncles, the man himself awaiting their arrival, sitting on the front porch, if you could even call it that, taking a long drag of his cigarette before letting his attention drag over to their car.

Eddie's dad barely said a word, just enough to do the trade off and that was that, they were driving off with the promise of picking him up when he'd learned his lesson for what'd he'd done and that was that.

To say things were awkward between Eddie and his Uncle Wayne would be an understatement. They never really saw each other, except for around Christmas and a rare Thanksgiving, so they had no idea how to act around each other. Eddie let himself be guided to the bathroom with a huffed out "Jesus Christ" from his uncle looking at the damage to have the remaining hair buzzed away. As Eddie watched it fall away he didn't know whether to be relieved or ashamed. in a way it felt like a weight being lifted off his shoulders as he looked at his head, running his fingers over the short, soft hair, but with the relief came a sickening guilt, one that nearly made him sick to his stomach.

They didn't talk about it that night, Wayne let Eddie crash on the couch, practically able to feel the exhaustion radiating off of his body. They didn't talk about it the next day, though either, or the next, or the next, it was a week before they talked about it, the night of the talent show performance with his band Corroded Coffin. He and his uncle are int he car together on the way hime from Benny's Burgers, Eddie half disappointed his parents didn't show up even though deep down he knew they wouldn't.

"So, what is... this?" His uncle asks, much to Eddie's confusion.

"What is what?" he counters, giving the straw of his paper cup a break from being abused by his teeth.

"What are you, kid?" And the words hit like a brick, make him feel dizzy and halfway nauseous. They end up having to pull over, Wayne patting Eddie's back a few times while he retched, finally releasing his burger and fries onto the side of the road after a few heaves.

It's quiet again after that, the topic fresh on Eddie's mind the whole way home and even once they'd arrived. They'd moved on since then, making small talk while they watched whatever sitcom was on TV just to make fun of it.

But just as Wayne was about to head to bed, leaving Eddie to his wonderful pull out couch, the boy spoke up, "i don't know," he admitted, staring out the window, unable to face his uncle.

"What's that?" Wayne turned back around from where he was heading towards his bedroom.

Eddie sighed, reaching up to scratch his jaw, suddenly itchy with anxiety, "It's just... I don't really know what I am," he explained the best he could, "I don't know how to explain it because you probably wouldn't get it, shit, I don't get it." That was one of the perks of living with his uncle Wayne, he didn't have to worry about watching his mouth.

"All I know is I'm not what they want me to be, I'm not who they need me to be," he sniffled, oversized sweatshirt sleeve, reaching up to wipe away snot, " And maybe I'm not being fair, but I just can't do it anymore, I can't live their lie to please them." at this point hot tears were streaming down his face, and his nose was so stuffed he could barely breath.

He hadn't even realized his uncle was hugging him until the first soft choked hiccup wracked his body, causing him to jolt. Eddie let it all out now, everything he'd been holding in for years, into his uncle's shoulder. And he swore it was hours before he finally calmed down, even if it was only about fifteen minutes.

And it might not have been much, but the weak smile his uncle Wayne gave him was enough to make him feel okay, that everything would work out somewhat fine for him.

(Spoiler Alert his parents never come back to get him and it doesn't matter because Eddie gets to live a more supportive and happy live with his uncle :) )

[whimsicallyreading]

For Rowaelin Month day 17

 “A sick day”

CW- PTSD, mentions of violence

Aelin considered herself a fortunate person.

She has survived genocide, her family's murders, losing loved ones, slavery, torture, and the Great War. Now she is a queen, a mother, a beloved Mate.

Her life had changed since those bleak days where she'd wondered if she would ever escape captivity—the days when Aelin didn't know if she would ever be free or find love again. Every morning she woke up curled into Rowan's side, and while she drank her morning tea, Aelin could count on her young daughter snuggling into her lap.

Yes, she was swamped most days, but that was normal for a queen. But even the moments between boring meetings brimmed with life and laughter. Rowan's hand on her thigh beneath the table. Fenrys' theatrics when conversation spiraled off-topic. And even the hardened lords thought it was hilarious when their three-year-old princess barged into councils and demanded her mother's attention.

Her family gathered for dinners at the end of every day. Aelin's little family, Fenrys, Emrys, and Malakai were the regular attendees. Aedion, Lysandra, Elide, and Lorcan joined when they were present. It was a time reserved for family only, and it was by far Aelin's favorite part of the day.

Aelin had a good life now. Her family was growing, and her country thrived beneath her rule.

So it always took her by surprise when a bad day came.

She had woken up fine. Delly had slammed open the chamber door with a gust of wind and squirmed herself between her and Rowan in the early morning. Usually, Aelin treasured the moments when her daughter joined them, but being pregnant again had taken a toll on her sleep.

Rowan tried to stop their child before she entirely collapsed onto Aelin but was a moment too slow. Delly flopped onto her mother's chest in a disarray of wrinkled nightgown and golden curls. Soft sobs were sputtering out of the tiny figure.

I'm sorry. Rowan whispered into her thoughts. He knew how hard pregnancy was on her and took his mate's comfort very seriously. It troubled him that their toddling daughter woke Aelin so abruptly.

Aelin blinks the sleep from her eyes and sends him a happy smile to assure him everything is fine.

"What's wrong, Dell?" Aelin soothes a hand up her baby's quaking form.

Adelia sniffles harder, unable to talk through the tears. She'd started to have bad dreams in recent weeks, but never had she been so inconsolable.

Aelin shifts as Adelia's arms tighten uncomfortably around her bump. Rowan sees her discomfort and reaches around to pull Dell to him instead, but it is met with resistance.

"No," Adelia finally wails. "Mama. I want Mama."

Rowan frowns. Adelia was a daddy's girl to the bone, and this was the first time she'd ever refused to go to him. Their daughter squeezes harder and burrows her face into Aelin's torso.

"Dell," Rowan leans next to her and whispers, a cool breeze brushing against her flushed cheek. "What's wrong little love?"

Adelia lifts her head, and Aelin's heart contracts painfully. Her cheeks are red and swollen from the intensity of her crying, little sobs still stumbling from her chest as Rowan settles her down enough to speak.

"Mama was gone. She was hurt, and she couldn't see me." Dell sniffles, her green eyes glassy. "Can you see me, Mama?"

Aelin tugs her daughter in closer, unable to stand the sight of her so sad. "Yes, of course, I can. I'm right here."

"You were in a box. She wouldn't let me see you," Adelia whimpers in a small voice. "She told me she was gonna keep you. I don't want you to go, Mama."

Aelin's face blanches. It wasn't possible. Her little baby couldn't possibly have seen what was coming to her mind. She looks at Rowan, and his face is pinched with worry.

"It's not real, Dell." Rowan uses a thumb to wipe the tears off her cheek.

Adelia flinches. "Uncle Ress told me it was. He told me Mama had got stollen and put into a box by the bad lady and that she should have stayed there."

Aelin's heart stops. Nausea crawls up her throat, and Rowan tugs Adelia away just in time for her to crawl out of bed and gag into a potted plant. The sickness grips Aelin, the shudders in her arms only growing worse with her daughter's mumbled cries.

"Daddy, I want Mama to stay here." Rowan hushes her and murmurs quiet reassurances. "Don't let her get stollen."

Ress had said that? In front of her daughter? Aelin tries to close her eyes against the visions creeping into her mind. The places her scars used to be ache, and her hands pulse with the remembered pain of reconstruction.

The baby in her womb squirms under its mother's stress, and Aelin throws up again.

She should have stayed there.

Cairn brings the hammer down onto her frail knees, the ringing of cracking bone splits the air.

She should have stayed there.

Aelin opens her eyes to endless darkness. Sweet smoke wafts through invisible holes and sends her to sleep- leaving her mind vulnerable to Maeve's manipulations.

She should have stayed there.

More and more memories swarm behind her eyelids until a pair of grounding arms wrap around her shoulders.

"Fireheart, you are home. You are safe. Can you breathe with me?" Rowan sighs loudly behind her shoulder, and Aelin tries to force her own breath out.

Breathing in is harder, but Rowan's scent fills her nose and loosens the binds on her lungs. Soon, Aelin is doing the exercises independently, and Rowan nuzzles his face into her neck. His hands snake under her bump and lift some of the pressure, easing more of her tension.

"There you are," Rowan kisses her cheek as Aelin comes back around. "Are you okay?"

Aelin shakes her head and sinks into his arms. "Can you take me back to bed?"

Her legs feel like jelly, and her stomach is weak from turning. Rowan lifts her with ease. His arms are warm, and he murmurs sweet nothings into her ear as he carries his mate back to their bed.

"Adelia?" Aelin looks around for their daughter.

Rowan pulls back the duvet and reveals the sleepy from nestled right into the middle of the pillows. "She fell back asleep quickly."

"I can't believe Ress told her those things," Aelin can feel a tear slipping down her face. Ress had never forgiven her for her days as Celaena. Darrow had grown to accept her, but Ress never warmed up to having Aelin as his queen despite her efforts.

She hadn't realized the extent his hatred went.

Rowan scowls as he lays Aelin down next to their daughter. "Ress is young and foolish. I have forgiven a lot of his hostility and ignored most of his juvenile antics, but Aelin, I can't forgive this."

"He should never have said those things to Dell." Ress's words linger in her head. She tried to do right by her title and live up to her parent's legacy. Aelin took a lot of pride in listening to the demands of her people and tending to their problems personally. But the odds of Ress being the only one to feel this way are slim. Did they wish she'd never returned? Was she arrogant to take the crown just because it was her inheritance? She'd never had the formal training as ruler and relied a lot on Rowan to help manage foreign affairs. Despite the loss of her fire, many still feared her and considered her a murderer. No matter how hard she tried, Aelin's history as Adarlan's Assassin proceeded her.

Tears burn Aelin's eyes, and Rowan's scowl deepens. "He should have never spoken of you like that at all."

Aelin shakes her head, "It's his right to think what he wants. Maybe he has a point."

"No." Rowan growls, and Dell flinches in her sleep. Taking a deep breath, Rowan softens his voice. "He's wrong, Aelin. Ress was wrong to scare Dell, and he has no right to demean everything you've sacrificed. You've suffered for your people."

"I closed the lock because I had to Rowan," Aelin argues. "That doesn't automatically make me a good queen. What if I'm failing?"

Rowan pulls their duvet up to Aelin's chin, and Dell instinctively snuggles to her mother's side. Her daughter was a leach for warmth, and Aelin could feel her remaining flames writhing in her veins agitated.

"You are a wonderful ruler, Fireheart." Rowan bends down and kisses her lips reverently. "I've met my fair share of emperors, kings, and queens. None of them have given up so much to better the lives of their people. They care for you in return."

Rowan steps away from the bed, and Aelin makes a displeased noise. "Where are you going so early in the morning."

"I'm awake now. I feel like a flight through Oakwald. Go to sleep, and when you wake up, I'll bring my females breakfast," Rowan pulls on a plain white tunic. "Sleep, love. You both need your rest."

Rowan can read her too well. Aelin can feel her eyes drooping despite how much she wants to deny it. "Very well, but there better be tea and pastries."

As Aelin drifts back to sleep, she swears that a mischievous smile passes across her mate's face.

~~~

"Aelin," Maeve twirls a lock of blonde hair in her fingers. "Where are the keys?"

Cairn twists the blade in her thigh again, and Aelin screams, "screw yourself."

Aelin writhes beneath the pain and the dark queen's gaze. Her torturer goes to twist the blade again, but Maeve holds up a hand. "Wait. There is a smarter way to go about this."

"I won't tell you anything," Aelin gasps, the blood seeping from her thigh pools onto the table. "There is nothing you can do."

"Not even to spare the princess?" Maeve smiles as the cell door opens. Connall walks into the room, a squirming girl in his arms.

"Let me go," the girl screams, and the air in the room turns frigid. Her blonde hair whips around as she twists and fights. The little girl's head turns, and she freezes when she catches sight of Aelin. "Mama?"

"Adelia?" Aelin asks, confused. "You can't be here. You aren't supposed to be here." With renewed energy, Aelin thrashes against her bonds and bares her teeth at Maeve.

Maeve takes Adelia from Connall and strokes her hair. "Such a pretty one."

"This isn't real," Aelin hisses. "I wasn't pregnant when you took me. Adelia was born in Terresan."

Maeve hums a sympathetic note, "It seems you're confused." Aelin fights as the dark queen sits with a frozen Adelia in her lap. "Begin again, Cairn."

A hot iron is lain against Aelin's neck, and Adelia's screams rattle the stone chamber.

~~~

Aelin wakes with a gasp. Her chest is seizing in uncontrollable fits, and little hands cup the sides of her face.

"Mama?" Adelia's concerned face hovers over Aelin's. "Why are you crying?"

Relief washes over her at the sight of her daughter, safe and sound. She tries to take deeper breaths, but her body fights against her. The baby in her womb squirms uncomfortably. Aelin feels guilt that they are so subject to her moods. She tries to open her mouth to speak, consol her frightened daughter, but Aelin can't get any words out.

"Daddy!" Dell screams, frightened tears gathering in the corner of her eyes.

Rowan bursts through the door, "Dell?"

Adelia sniffles and kisses Aelin's face sadly, "Daddy, what's wrong with Mama?"

Aelin grabs at her chest, trying to ease the tightness there. She was scaring her daughter. What kind of mother would do that? Rowan sits beside her, and a cool wind goes up her nose and fills her lungs.

"Fireheart," Rowan lifts Adelia and sits beside her. "Is this a sick day?"

It was the code they'd come up with for the days when the past came back to haunt them. When the turmoil in their mind forces their bodies to rebel, and they can't seem to put on their usual facades. It used to shame Aelin, the days she couldn't rise from bed and do her duty. But her mate's unwavering love soon cracked that lie and eased her burden. Rowan had convincing arguments. Aelin's people needed their queen at her best, and on sick days, she wasn't able to give that to them. Their court was strong. They wouldn't allow Terresan to fall while she recovered. Aelin deserved time to heal.

Rowan must have been able to tell that she wouldn't be able to settle herself this time as his winds continued their push and pull in her chest. "Yes," she rasps dejectedly.

Dell buries her face into Rowan's shoulder. Her mate rests a hand on the side of her face and soothes her cheek. "To whatever end, Aelin. We will get through this just as we do everything else."

Rowan kisses the side of Dell's face. "Little love, do you think you can go to the kitchens and have someone bring Mama tea?"

That fae instinct to fuss rears its head in their child. Adelia perks up at the opportunity to do something useful. "Yes!"

Rowan sets her on the floor, and she takes off in a blur of untamed hair and swishing skirts. They wince as a gust of wind slams the doors of their chambers against the wall.

"She's a handful," Rowan talks, aware of the soothing effect his voice has on her. "But we always knew our children would be. I can't wait to see what kind of chaos our son brings into our lives."

Aelin wraps her arms around him as the remnants of her dreams finally fade away. "You think it's a boy?"

"I know so," Rowan pinches her side, and Aelin smiles. He'd also been confident that their first child would be a girl. His smugness after Adelia's birth was unbearable.

"Rowan," Aelin whispers. "Can we just lay here today?"

"I could never deny you anything," Rowan leans against their headboard and kicks off his shoes. "You don't need to ask, Aelin. It's okay to take time for yourself."

"What if I'm just proving Ress right?" The insecurity slips from her lips before she can stop them. "What if there is someone more capable?"

"Ress won't be a problem anymore," Rowan rests a hand against her bump, and the baby withing kicks at it, bringing a smile to his face.

Aelin narrows her eyes, "What have you done?"

"Nothing that anyone will blame me for," Rowan assures. "He would be in a lot more trouble if the rest of the court learned what he said in front of Dell. Ress should be grateful I didn't do a lot worse."

Aelin sighs, "I don't understand why I can't just let it all go. Why do I allow myself to be so haunted?"

"It's not that simple," Rowan shakes his head. "I'm hundreds of years old, and no matter how many years pass, there are things from my past that haven't healed. The mind is different from the body, and sometimes it takes longer for it to recover. There is nothing wrong with that. You gave up everything for the people you loved."

"Because I had to," Aelin contradicts.

A hardness comes over Rowan, "because no one else could."

Rowan rolls over her body into a plank and looks deep into her eyes. "No one else that day would have made the same sacrifices out of love. Not even me. I was too selfish to let you go. You gave up everything, and by the strength in your soul, you came home to me. In all my decades, I have never met someone so remarkable, and I never will again. Take as many years as you need to recover, Aelin. This world owes a debt to you, and I will make sure it pays. You deserve every happiness."

His hand threads through one of hers and drags it up to rest on the bump between them.

Happiness.

Dell darts back into their room, a cup of tea sloshing in her hands as she runs. "Daddy, I put extra sugar in it. Uncle Fen is coming with more cups, but I made this one special."

Rowan pulls away from her, and the laughter on his face is contagious.  

Aelin smiles and accepts the tea from Dell's hands. She even manages a few sips without cringing from the sweetness. Fenrys follows behind her shortly and sets a fresh cup covertly on her bedside table.

There may be hard days, Aelin realizes as her family gathers around her, but the love they showed her every day made it all worth it.

[introvert--weeb]

Haikyuu!! Boys taking their children to work

TW: mentions of fishing, friendly competition, not entirely proofread

A/N: I seem to really enjoy writing characters as parents. And people seem to enjoy imagining themselves with a family with characters. And so, this scenario came to existence while I was chatting with @ohnolily who encouraged I write it a while ago. So here is some Haikyuu!! on my blog! ❤️ I will also admit that it isn't like my usual scenarios/headcanons as it is quite short. But I hope you all enjoy it anyway 💕

Shoyo Hinata

You had been called into work at the last minute. Something about an emergency meeting that you couldn't miss, no matter how much you wanted to spend the day with your 3 year old daughter. So you only had one choice. Ask Shoyo to take Hana to practice with him.

Shoyo, your beloved husband, was excited over the idea of taking the little girl with him. Especially since he had been gushing about his beautiful baby girl to the other players at MSBY Black Jackals. So when you told him that he would have to look after Hana for the day, he agreed wholeheartedly.

After making sure he knew exactly what to take, you quickly left to your work. Not that you wanted to but the sooner you were there and had the meeting, the sooner you would be back to spoil your little girl. And so Hana's day with the Black Jackals began.

Everyone was surprised to see their short Outside Hitter enter the gym with a small child in his arms. It was undeniable that the child was his. Other than the eyes in which she had got from you, Hana was the perfect clone of her father. Something that had made you very happy, especially when your husband would be gone for away games. Even her bubbly personality was like her father's.

Sakusa kept at a distant, not wanting to get sick and since he was unable to wear his mask while on court, it would be likely. However, Atsumu and Bokuto didn't seem to have an issue cooing over the sweet girl. The other members of MSBY all cooed over how cute she was and awed when she took an instant interest in the volleyballs within the cart.

Atsumu and Bokuto would seem to be in competition with each other in terms of getting Hana's affections. It seemed that whoever won would officially be the best uncle, trying to impress the 3 year old with their spikes and sets. However, Hana seemed to gravitate more towards Sakusa much to everyone's dismay. However, deep down, Sakusa couldn't help but feel some pride in the knowledge that he was the little Hinata's favourite.

Hinata would just watch his daughter with a proud smile on his face. He had helped to make and raise this gorgeous little girl and nothing could make him happier than to see her laughing and smiling at his teammates. Maybe he would convince you to let him take her to practices more?

Tetsuro Kuroo

Tetsuro couldn't believe his ears when you told him that he would have to look after the boys today. Surely you knew he was in the office today? But the man knew better than to argue with you. And so, due to you having to go to work to sort some incident out, Kuroo was left with the twins.

He couldn't help but dread the rest of the day. Your boys were...well the best way to put it was a handful. They were at the age where they were getting inquisitive and asking questions about everything. Sometimes it was endearing, but after the 50th 'why' in a row, you couldn't help but want to shut them up.

So Kuroo entered the offices of the Japan National Volleyball Association with a 4 year old on each hand. Atsushi and Haru were identical, looking like a perfect mix between you and your beloved. Black hair and nose shape from your husband, and their eyes and lips from you. This made them the cutest children.

Thankfully, your children were behaving as good as gold while in the offices with their father. They were just happy to spend time with their dad since it had been a while since they were able to. Being a part of the JNVA really did leave Kuroo with little time to spend with his adorable sons.

The office workers couldn't help but coo over how cute the twins were. And the two boys ate it up! They could have gotten away with anything due to how cute they were. Tetsuro couldn't be happier that they were actually behaving though.

Once the work at the office was completed, Kuroo decided he would take Atsushi and Haru along to meet up with their uncle Kenma as the man had some business to go over with the blond. Upon hearing this, their little faces lit up like Christmas lights. The boys adored their uncle Kenma and would often ask their dad to take them to visit. So today was becoming the best day of their lives (so far). Maybe taking the boys to work wasn't so bad.

Tobio Kageyama

No-one knew about Tobio Kageyama having a child. It was only recent knowledge that he was married. Tobio just didn't feel the need to let everyone know about his personal life. It was personal for a reason after all. It would have stayed personal knowledge if it wasn't you having to travel to your parents' home due to an emergency. Something that required your beloved husband to look after your gorgeous son.

Schweiden Adlers were not prepared for their Setter to enter the gym for practice with a 2 year old resting on his hip. Tobio paid little mind to the shocked expressions of his teammates and instead went to get ready for practice. His bag was filled with milk cartons, for his son of course.

Hikaru looked a lot like his father in his facial structure but had been blessed with your eyes and hair colour. In basic terms, he looked constantly grumpy but wasn't a clone of his father. However, Hikaru had taken after his father in terms of his love for milk.

Ushijima was the first to bring the boy up, having gotten over the shock the quickest. This was the cue for Tobio to explain how you had to go to your parents' house as an emergency had come up. And due to that, Hikaru had to come along to practice.

Everyone would want to spend time with the 2 year old! Ushijima would happily tell the small toddler about volleyball and how he was going to end up like his father, Romero would throw the small Hikaru into the air and catch him again, causing the toddler to laugh happily. However, Hoshiumi was the most energetic in entertaining the youngest Kageyama. A full lap of the gym while playing airplane was definitely something Hikaru seemed to enjoy most.

Overall, Hikaru was welcomed warmly by the team, even seeming to like volleyball in Tobio's mind. However, this stemmed from Hikaru seeming to like drooling over one of the spare balls which one of the teammates had given him (Ushijima, I'm looking at you). Maybe bringing the small boy will solidify his love for the sport like it had for the setter?

Yuu Nishinoya

Travelling the world with his small family was an experience that Yuu seemed to really enjoy. After all, he had a gorgeous wife and two beautiful children that he loved with all his heart. So when you had fallen ill and couldn't look after the little ones, Nishi was the first to offer to take them with him.

That day, Yuu was planning on going fishing and so, the two children would also go fishing with him. A once in a lifetime experience! Well, that's what he had told the two that were accompanying him today.

Aiko was the youngest, a 3 year old girl who was the spitting image of Yuu, and yet had your personality so far. While Kano, a 6 year old boy, was the spitting image of you but had his father's personality. Both were the cutest children and lived a happy life travelling the globe with their parents.

Getting onto the boat, the day's events began. Aiko was enjoying the experience, especially seeing the fish that her father caught and showed her. Kano, however, started off being bored with how much patience it required. Although, as the day went on, both children were happily spending time with their father fishing.

Yuu enjoyed his time with his children but damn, was it stressful at times. Trying to make sure Aiko didn't get ahold of the sharp objects found on the boat was an all day activity. Kano did help look after his sister but a child's attention span was only so long.

Yuu noted how great it was to spend time with his children. It was unfortunate that you were ill but once you were better again, you could join them. However, maybe he would choose a more child-friendly and less stressful activity.

[nerdycanible1]

Lin's Broken Heart

⚠️Note⚠️:This is my interpretation of what had happened between Suyin and Lin. I want you to know that this will have mentions of suicide. So please do not read it.

Summary: Lin Beifong grew up in a chaotic household. She believes she's not good enough and is hurting but doesn't understand why. This is a story of her time growing with Toph and Suyin. Please note that this is a sad story. ÒwÒ please don't hate me qwq.

Words: 2,740 words 14,375 characters

((Sorry for the spelling errors.))

⚠️Read at your own risk⚠️

As strong, and amazing Lin Beifong was, she was still human. She still had nightmares, she has trouble sleeping and there are times she doesn't eat.

Lin was a woman that was always meant to be strong, to be powerful and to never show weakness. People think she's so powerful they believe words won't hurt or or nothing can break her.

But what they didn't know was that Lin has always suffered from depression. At a young age, she was happy at times and other times she wasn't.

It started when she began to realize that her uncle Sokka wasn't her dad. She noticed all the kids in school had a mother and a father.

She remembered the kids gushing about their father's and felt like there was something wrong with her. People teased her and often said hurtful things just because she didn't have a dad.

She remembered her mother always brushing the topic off as if it were no big deal. Told her that her father was just some poor smuck that wasn't ready. It may not have been a huge thing for Toph but it was for Lin.

Anything to do with father's, she began to resent. She even stopped calling Sokka dad and started calling him uncle.

The second incident was when she couldn't grasp metalbending. She was so stressed and tired. Her mom spent a whole week calling her weak, telling her that she got it just after a couple of hours.

Soon 3 weeks passed and Lin still didn't bend the metal. Her mother walked away pissed. Lin stood in the court yard with huge tears in her eyes and sniffled. The 8 year old could only handle so much.

At the end of the month Toph deemed her training over. She patted her shoulder and sighed. "Not everyone is meant to bend metal kid." And with that Toph walked quietly into the house ready to give up teaching Lin.

Lin whimpered and collapsed to her knees. Night after night she prayed to the spirits, and had asked them for help. Asked them to have her mom be proud of her. And here she was with her mothers back to her.

Lin was 9 years old when she began to bend and her uncle Sokka took her out to go eat. Toph said she had a case to go over and only said "Congrats kid."

Lin felt numb and just sad. She held her uncle Sokka and tried to keep her smile on for him. After all, who would want to care for a whimpy child.

When Su began to show signs of being an Earthbender, Toph immediately called off work and said it was important. Toph spent quality time with Suyin and began to show her how to bend.

Lin only watched from her training on how her mother applauded Suyin and lifted her up saying how proud she was. Lin couldn't help but think Toph had another child because Lin was incompetent.

Suyin was 6 and a half years old when she began to metalbend. She remembered Toph dropping everything just to see Suyin herself. Lin was teasing her sister saying she couldn't metalbend till she was older and here they were with a prodigal sister that bent metal on her first try.

She watched as Toph threw a party and celebrated with everyone and how Suyin was able to metalbend. Lin didn't go to the celebration. Instead, Tenzin took her out to meet the bisons. Oogi seemed rather protective of Lin and took a liking to her.

Lin couldn't complain much about her childhood. She had a home, food on her table, a nice bed and even a great education. Everytime she felt sad or angry her mother told her that some kids had less. That some kids would happily take her place.

It wasn't what Lin needed to hear, it was just another reminder that Suyin was basically a replacement for her.

She never told anyone her thoughts. Never told anyone on how much she was suffering because she thought she was being irrational. There were times she cried herself to sleep, there were times she didn't eat her food. And there were times she had nightmares but never told anyone.

Lin was just a little girl suffering because she didn't know what she deserved. Lin had always felt guilty for crying too much, she knew it was impractical to cry because she was sad.

People often wondered why she cried when she was angry and wondered why she always got into fights. After her mother stopped coming to her school about her having another fight, Lin knew she needed to change.

Lin being the way she was expected to change over night. She made sure she did everything in school, stayed away from bullies and even began to take extra classes.

She went from being one of the worst students in her school to one of the top testers. If she couldn't be good at metal bending then she could be better at academics.

Tenzin saw how sad Lin was and every time he brought it up, Lin would fight him. Every time Kya tried to bring it up Lin would snap at her. And every time Bumi brought it up Lin stayed quiet.

They of course saw the difference between the sisters. How they fought constantly. How they were both different people. They kissed the care free Lin. They missed her so kuch that they even kidnapped Lin just so they can hang out.

By the time Lin was 16 she was young to be moved up to a high grade so she could graduate early. She showed her grades to her mother, told her the good news and all Toph said was "That's great Lin. Can you you make you and your sisters dinner tonight?"

◇◇◇

Lin knew she was being pretty but she was jealous of her younger sister. She was able to make friends easily, was able to fight and managed a B average. That is until her sister began to skip school.

Lin began to notice the change, how her sister would give her snide remarks or how she would start trying on makeup. Whenever Lin brought it up to her mother, her mother would say "I didn't even go to school."

Lin began to set a curfew for her sister to be home. It work for only a few weeks before her sister didn't even listen to her. Since Toph never backed her up Suyin began to say that no one was the boss of her.

Lin tried many times to tell her mother that Su was sneaking around with guys that were years older. Told her that it was dangerous for her to be out in the dark of night.

Toph always said, "Well she's a big girl, she can fight." Or "So what? Not like she would care anyways." Or "Tenzin's older than you and yet you're dating him. And don't act like you're miss pure, you snuck out to Airtemple Island."

No matter how hard she tried to get it through her mothers head, Toph didn't listen and neither did Su.

Lin would stay up for hours and hours only to have Suyin come back late.

Suyin was 15 when she first came home intoxicated. Lin was so worried for her only to have her sister stumbled through the door with a help of two boys that were clearly older than 18.

Lin made them scram and sat with her sister helping her sickness. It was around 5 in the morning Suyin had come, and Lin had a long two days at work and now she was up and taking care of her sick sister.

She sat in the living room in the dark. She had a bottle of her mothers stash in her hand and she drinking it down. Suyin was throwing her life away and Toph didn't care.

She sat there in the dark wondering if her mother even cared. By the time Lin had woken up it was noon. She sat up with a groan and slowly got off the couch.

"And how many boys did you beat?" Toph asked as she and Suyin cooked breakfast.

Suyin giggled. "5. I drank half a bottle of vodka before they quit."

Toph gasped and laughed. "Well you sure are your mothers daughter." She grinned. "Don't tell your sister that you can drink more than her." She whispered.

Lin watched them before she sat the bottle down and headed to her room. It was enough to see that her mother had yet let Suyin do whatever she wanted.

She laid in bed not even changing and just laid against her wall. There was a knock on her door. "Breakfast is made Lin." She called out.

Lin didn't answer and just held her pillow as silent tears streamed down her cheeks. "Come on you slept in all day. You should be awake." She yelled.

Lin continued to ignore her. "Just let her pout. Now come on tell me what else had happened."

Suyin stared at her sisters door and frowned gently. She was wondering if it was her mom that helped her through her bad hang over or if it was Lin.

By the end of the night Lin had her window opened. She listened to the city sounds and just looked at the twinkling lights. She took a drag of her cigarette and just released it.

A small gasp was heard and Lin turned to look over to see Suyin. "I... didn't know you... smoked."

Lin rolled her eyes and put it out. "What does it matter. None of you guys know anything." Lin muttered as she stood up.she walked over to her closet and grabbed a bag and began to fill it.

Suyin frowned at the attitude and crossed her arms. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

Lin waved her off and began to look through her clothes. "Nothing. What do you want? Do you need me to cook or something?"

Suyin shook her head and frowned. "I just... I came to say thank you." She mumbled.

Lin raised a brow and looked at her. "For what?" She asked as she grabbed a pair of clothing.

"For taking care of me last night. I wanted to... say I was sorry for coming home that late." She mumbled as she waited for Lin to lash out at her.

Lin looked at her and looked away. "Well it sure saved you from a hangover."

Suyin blinked in surprise from the lack of yelling or Lin's attitude. She was relieved but then upset at the same time. "Are you okay? You... don't seem like yourself?"

Lin grabbed another cigarette and lit it up feeling a bit anxious. "I'm fine. Nothing to worry about." She took a drag and leaned against the wall.

"You don't seem okay. Is there anything I can do?" Suyin was genuinely worried about her sister. All their lives they kept each other at a distance but that didn't mean she didn't care for her sister. There were times they slept together and times Lin would laugh with her. They uses to be so close.

Lin looked at her and gave a smile with no emotion. "I'll stop." She finally spoke. "I'll stop the nagging. I won't wait up for you anymore." Lin swallowed roughly and closed her eyes.

"I can't do it anymore. You don't listen to me and mom doesn't seem to care." Lin laughed softly and shook her head. "Do what you want Su." She finished her cigarette and grabbed her bag. Tossing in some of her sleeping medication and other pills Suyin didn't know Lin took.

Suyin watched her sister shocked. She hasn't seen look this emotionless before. All the times she's seen her, she was agitated, mad or even smiling. This wasn't the Lin she knew.

"Lin?" She asked hopeless. "Where are you going?" She asked noticing the bag.

Lin walked past her and stopped at her door. She stopped and placed her favourite bracelet on Su's arm. "Hopefully to finally get some sleep." She kissed her her head and hugged her. "A long sleep, I'm tired."

Su hugged her back but couldn't shake the feeling at the back of her head. Why... did this feel like a goodbye? "You're going to come back right?" Su asked shaken up, tears already forming in her eyes.

Lin smiled and ksised her forehead and nodded. "Don't worry about it. I just need sleep." Was all she said. She ruffled her hair. "Goodnight Su." And with that Lin began to head out.

Lin stopped at her mother room to see her sleeping. Lin smiled and placed two pieces of wood down. Each a carving Lin made of herself and Su. "Night mom." Lin whispered.

Suyin watched her exit the house, Lin seemed oddly quiet. She looked at the house once more before she smiled and closed the door. "Goodbye." Lin whispered.

◇◇◇

"HOW COULD YOU!!?" Suyin screamed. Tears were gliding down her cheeks as Suyin began to try and hit Lin. "I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!" Loud high pitched wails left Su's mouth as she tried to attack her sister.

Toph held Suyin back as she was at a loss for words. A hard lump was in her throat and she didn't say anything.

Lin laid in the hospital bed still feeling numb. Tears streamed down her face as she stared at her family blankly. Flashes of that night replayed in her head and she grit her teeth.

"Why would you do it!! You promised you'd come back!" Suyin said as she was finally getting tired. Suyin yelled at her for over and an hour and her mom had yet said anything. Suyin soon fell to the floor as she held her hands to the floor as she just cried.

Lin released a small sob as she covered her face. "I just wanted sleep." She said with a shaky breath. "I just wanted to sleep." She whimpered.

Toph stood there feeling her younger daughter tremble and cry her heart out and listened to her oldest daughter cry in pain. How did she not notice this? Her daughters heart has been broken for a very long time. How could she not have noticed?

Toph lifted up her daughter slowly and rubbed Suyin's trembling back. "I uhh..." Toph swallowed roughly. "I'm sorry kiddo. I really am." And with that she left the room to bring Suyin home.

It was a couple weeks when Lin was let out of the hospital. She was given some medication and of course wine for hysteria. Lin was to excersize every day, be put on a healthy diet and to drink 3 glasses of wine at night.

Lin was sitting in her room as Kya came over to help clean out Lin's room and help her move to air temple island. Suyin had yet to talk to Lin, Toph didn't seem to come out of her room till Lin was passed out. And whenever they were in the same room everyone was walking on eggshells around her.

Tenzin rubbed Lin's back and kissed her temple. "Let's go Lin." Tenzin coddled. Ever since the incident it was like everyone was afraid to say anything or touch Lin.

Lin sipped her wine quietly as she stared out at the city. She swore to everyone that she was fine when in reality she was dying inside. She knew now that everyone hated her even more so she promised that she would stay alive.

Not just for the sake of your family but the city. In the hospital Lin saw many different people. Some homeless, others single parents, soem kids. They were all different and then the same. They all needed help. Lin's problems weren't even a fraction of the peoples. And here she was, with a family that loved her, a beautiful home, a paying job.

She promised she would take care of the city. If not for herself. Then for the people. She swallowed roughly her wine and stood up feeling woozy. Lin wasn't one for alcohol and having to drink it every day was rather intense.

She slowly wobbled to her bed and sunk into it with a sigh. She had to get better for the city. She promised herself that.

[celeste-clearwater-06]

Beauty and the Beast || Pt. 2

Thorin Oakenshield x Fem!Reader

Part one if you haven't read it!!

Y/N woke up the next morning with a terrible ache in her back and neck, due to where she slept the night before. Her eyelids opened slowly, like heavy curtains in a royal ballroom, although her cell was far from it. She became aware of her surroundings, and the first thing that came to mind was the clattering of coins and jewels, being piled up without an end in the depths of the kingdom. The sounds of demanding shouts and carts rolling in to pay their toll with treasure.

She sat up, stretching as far as she could muster, and then twisted side to side, hearing the satisfying pops of her spine. Little light came into the cell, but it was enough for her to make out something in front of her.

Food.

She reluctantly reached for the (literal) silver platter, which had a small bowl of stew, half a loaf of bread, and a goblet of some dark substance.

She relished the taste of this well-cooked food, which was, albeit a bit cold, but still absolutely delicious. The cup was a well-aged wine that she sipped on carefully, making sure to take satisfaction in this rare meal.

She ate another piece of bread, leaning her head against the wall, and closed her eyes.

"I take it you're enjoying the meal?"

Y/N jumped in surprise at the sound of a Scottish voice, followed by a hearty laugh. A raven haired-dwarrow was leaning against the wall outside of the metal bars, with a large grin, and on his finger, dangled a key gold ring. Y/N glared at him, and his rather peculiar-looking hat, braided hair peeking from underneath.

"Yes. It was quite good actually, Master Bofur." She looked down at her fiddling hands.

"Aye, so you do remember me?"

"Of course. It's hard to forget 13 dwarves and a hobbit seeking refuge in your own home." A small smile crept up her face, "Have you come to remind me of your name, or something else?"

Bofur chuckled with a shake of his head, hat flopping along with it.

"No my lady. I've come to show you to your room."

"Room?"

"Aye. Our master's orders."

Y/N rolled her eyes.

"I don't think I should accept any offerings from your poor excuse of a king."

"Well, then the good thing it's not an offering from my 'poor excuse of a king'." Bofur started to unlock her cell doors, sending her a sly wink, "Kìli and Fìli are just as much in the line of Durin as their uncle."

Y/N nodded in realization.

"Princes."

"Now yer gettin' it," the dwarrow smiled, opening up the cell door, "Come on then lass. Let's get you to your quarters."

Y/N sighed, and then stood up, linking arms with the shorter male, and he led the way with a skip in his step.

The two walked over the huge paths of iron and stone, looking down to the piles of gold and jewels of every shape size, and color. Y/N gaped in awe at the sight of it all. It was very impressive, all the more reason to fall to the dragon sickness.

Bofur patted a hand on her back.

"Let us hurry, Lady Y/N. We'd best hope the King doesn't catch us moving you."

She nodded, tearing her eyes away from the stunning spectacle below their feet, and let him lead the rest of the way to her new room.

Soon, the duo stopped at a pair of enormous oak doors, trimmed with intricate gold designs that led up to the shining doorknobs. And if that wasn't enough...

Bofur looked over his shoulder, before carefully opening the entrance revealing a beautiful chamber bedroom. On the opposite side, a mahogany canopy bed, laced with dark red and black drapes that matched the ones on the slim glass windows sitting on either side. The floor was partially covered with a fur rug, made from a thick-coated animal, though it was one Y/N was unable to identify.

The room, although beautifully decorated, was dark and musky, dust coating almost every surface, and a fireplace to her left had very seldom been used.

"A-are you sure this room is for me, Master Bofur?" Y/N managed to get out.

"Why of course! Only the finest, from our princes. Is it not to your liking, my lady?"

"Oh no! I love it, but..."

"You're a prisoner?" Bofur finished her thought.

Y/N nodded, still looking around in awe.

"You are still a human, much less a Lady. I understand our leader can be a bit cruel,"

Y/N scoffed.

"However, he is not heartless. This dragon sickness has hurt him more than you could know." The dwarrow shook his head solemnly.

"I can see that very clearly... But, what is this room even for?"

"The King's sister, Princess Dis. She's to be expected when the Arkenstone is found, but for now, I don't think she'll mind if you use it."

Y/N nodded.

"Well, I should be off. I've got more digging to do," the gentleman gave a tip of his floppy hat and a wink, "Expect a visit from the princes very shortly, lady Y/N."

"Thank you Master Bofur." Y/N waved and then turned around at the sound of the clicking door, and fumbling of keys in a lock.

After confirming that he was gone, the young heroine walked over to a large vanity, wielding a mirror that had been neglected for many years. Its shine was long gone, covered by dust and fading paint. She reached a delicate hand out, wiping away the residue, and observed her reflection, her tired, tear-stained eyes, and rosy cheeks that were red from the cold floor of the cell.

Y/N sighed, turning away, and then noticed the huge bed from before. Although it was a childish thought, she wanted so badly to run over and leap onto it. And that's just what she did. She jumped up and landed on the bed with an unsatisfied cough, the dust, and lint flying up from the heavy sheets and duvet cover.

"So much for elegant..." Y/N muttered, dusting off her fur cloak. She looked up through the boards of the canopy bed, and to the beautifully painted ceiling, covered with detailed images of clouds, nude Dwarves seated regally seated upon them. She gave a slight chuckle.

An abrupt knock stirred her daydreaming, and she shot up.

"The door is open..." Y/N called.

"Aye, clearly it's not, since we're having to open it." A familiar voice called. Prince Fìli and Kìli, the sister-sons of Thorin, peeked their heads through the doorway with precarious grins.

"Ah, I suppose it's open now..."

"I take it the room is to your liking, Lady Y/N?" Fìli asked smoothly, striding through the door, and shortly behind, followed his younger brother.

"It is quite nice," The girl nodded, "Tell me, Princes under the mountain... Why did you call to give me a room?"

"It's the least we could do, my lady." Kìli smiled.

"You sheltered us and fed us and kept us warm when nobody else in Lake-Town would even bother." Fìli added.

"Really, it was no problem. But seeing as I'm a thief, I don't understand why I'm getting such royal treatment. Your uncle has taken a deep disliking to my brother and I."

The prince's shared a worried glance.

"We understand that our Uncle has fallen under this sickness. Ever since he'd gotten ahold of the stone, he's gone completely mad."

Y/N scoffed.

"And to that, I can agree. Does he endure this idea of me taking your mother's room?"

"He does not know..." Fìli whispered.

"He'll find out soon enough, dear brother. Uncle will just have to tolerate it. In our book, he's done quite enough damage." The dark-haired prince clapped a hand on his older sibling's shoulder, "Besides, a prison cell is no place for such a lively lady as yourself." He winked in her direction. Y/N smiled softly, looking down at her hands.

"Your kindness is greatly appreciated. I do take it to heart."

"We hope you do. You should join us all for dinner in the great hall, my Lady." The blonde smiled.

"Would Thorin allow it? I'm sure he'll already be furious with me taking a room..."

"Well, he hardly joins our Merry feasting anyways. To obsessed with that stone, and trying to become ruler of Dale."

The three were silent for some time before Y/N sighed.

"I'll consider your offer, although no promises can be made."

"Fair enough." Kìli grinned.

"We hope you see you accordingly, Miss Y/N." Fìli bowed shortly, and then took his brother's arm as they left the room, leaving their "captive" in quiet once more.

[boop-le-snoot]

PARTY FAVOURS I CHAPTER 36

💖 first time reader click here 💖

Venom + reader = symbiote. More canon typical violence and mentioned cannibalism (Venom eats bad guys). Some angst at the end - reader really went behind the Avengers' backs, huh? But it's gonna be okay.

Is this how babies feel in the uterus? The darkness was nearly impenetrable but at the same time comforting and warm. It wasn't dry and it wasn't wet; it just was. I was floating in weightless space, subtly feeling the echos of a battle, hearing the sounds of struggle as if I was underwater.

"MORSEL, I WILL CONSUME THESE HUMANS. IT MIGHT FEEL SLIGHTLY UNPLEASANT." Venom's voice seemed to reverb in my skull, bringing my awareness to us. We. We are Venom.

"Don't eat Cabre, he's been possessed. Put him out if you can, but don't hurt yourself. I have very little information about this demon thing," I said - well, I thought, hoping Venom would hear me. A possessed enhanced mutant person was bad but a possessed carnivorous symbiote was nightmare fuel. I also didn't want Venom to hurt themselves; the sonic gun looked painful enough already.

I felt rather than heard the agreement coming from Venom; for a brief moment, the three of us were Venom as the symbiote entered Cabre's body to alter his chemicals. The sensation was foreign, unpleasant, and I shuddered at the violation. The sense of comfort that came once Venom returned fully to me was inexplicable. I began to understand why Eddie didn't want to part with Venom; the symbiote's continued presence felt quite comforting.

Very similar to how I felt when I sat with Tony, him inside of me, for hours, with our bodies joined and minds working in quiet agreement.

"HUMAN MATING RITUALS ARE BIZARRE," Venom sounded baffled and slightly disgusted. "AND THEY ARE NOTHING LIKE A PERFECT SYMBIOSIS. PLEASE DO NOT COMPARE YOUR PRIMITIVE URGES TO OUR SYMBIOSIS."

I gasped inwardly, doing my best to distract myself from the crunching and wet noises that managed to break Venom's barrier. "Would you rather I barf inside of you?" I snarked, giving into the urge to roll my eyes. Not the time to be picky-choosy, Chtulhu.

"YOU DO NOT WANT TO WASTE PRECIOUS ENERGY RIGHT NOW. WE STILL HAVE A LOT TO CONSUME AND I WILL NEED TO REPAIR EDDIE." The symbiote announced patiently, a sense of deep longing beginning to seep into our bond at the mention of my uncle's name.

The points Venom raised were valid and I was as eager to be Just Me as Venom craved to reunite with Eddie; I receded, racking my brain for something to focus on to be able to ignore the cannibalistic experience and not "waste precious energy". "I have a subdermal tracker installed, tap it three times to activate it if you need backup," Belatedly, I remembered about my cyborg experiment.

Venom appeared to contemplate it. "NOT NOW. THIS BATTLE IS NOT VERY HARD." They finally concluded as a particularly piercing scream echoed in my ears. "YOUR MATES WILL BE ANGRY IF THEY FIND OUT. WE CAN MAKE SURE THEY DO NOT FIND OUT."

As surprised as I was at the extended courtesy, I had to face myself and my lies sooner or later anyways. "We'll tell them anyways. I'll take the blame, you play dumb together with Eddie. Consider it a trade," If I could, I would be rubbing my face right now. "I took you out to an all-you-can-eat human buffet, you took me out to take care of a problem. We're even."

Venom snorted as I felt the random crunching and squelching noises slowly begin to quiet down. "FUNNY MORSEL," I assumed it was a compliment as the feelings that leaked through the bond were actually quite fond. "THE OTHER MORSELS SHOULD BE GRATEFUL. WE WILL BRING POSSESSED HUMAN TO THEIR DOORSTEP. WE DID THE JOB FOR THEM." However, it was obvious the kind feelings didn't quite extend to SHIELD or the Avengers. I struggled to comprehend how Venom planned to take all three of us to the tower anyway, with both Cabre and Eddie being out of commission and me currently being, well, Venom.

I needn't have worried, however. There was a slight pressure on one of my shoulders followed by a brief, ten-minute strange sensation of flying, the added weightlessness making me drowsy in the darkness of Venom's fluid body. As soon as it stopped I heard voices that seemed faintly familiar - names that I recognized, but not quite sure from where.

"WHAT THE FUCK?!" The yelling reached my ears through the layers of symbiote, making me cringe. Tony's piercing shriek of shock hurt.

"Could you please not be so loud, it fuckin' hurts," I moaned without a thought, hastily shutting up when the voice that spoke my words roared.

"Pri... Princess?" I heard glass shatter; focusing my eyes was hard and the field of view was funky to say the least; I towered over Tony's shaking form by at least good few feet. Subconsciously, I felt the need to taste the air - my engineer boyfriend recoiled at the same time I realized I had stuck out my-Venom's-our tongue, feeling the familiar salt and musk as if I just straight up licked Tony from head to toe.

"Believe me, this is just as weird for me," I spoke, trying to control my and Venom's combined limbs. Deeply inside my brain, I swear I felt the symbiote's snickering. "Venom, can you unattach yourself from me? Please?" I begged, absolutely hating Tony's expression of fear and confusion.

"WE HAVE TO DIGEST FIRST," The symbiote replied unapologetically but took control over the limbs, carelessly dropping Cabre at Tony's feet. "YOUR MERCENARY. SAME-DAY DELIVERY, NO RETURNS," We grinned together. I had felt Venom rummaging my brain for an appropriate joke and supplied it myself. The adrenaline rush arrived late, something I suspect was Venom's handiwork, and I basked in the sudden influx of joy and exhilaration.

Tony slowly slid down the wall, landing ungracefully on his ass, staring straight up with unblinking eyes. "Friday, please assemble the Avengers. And make Bruce bring me booze, please," I've never heard Tony this dejected.

I, on the other hand, was feeling really strange. Joyful one moment and confused the next, I let Venom handle most of the business as my mind faded in and out of focus, limbs growing heavy with each breath that I took. Or I didn't? Panic set in when I realized I couldn't breathe, couldn't inhale.

"CALM DOWN, MORSEL. I AM SUPPLYING YOU WITH THE OXYGEN," Venom's voice interrupted my panic attack as I once again was deposited in the calm, comfortable darkness. "SHE IS FINE. SYMBIOSIS CAN BE STRESSFUL FOR FIRST TIME HOSTS. I WILL GLADLY RETURN TO EDDIE AS SOON AS THE CHEMICALS IN OUR SYSTEM ALLOW ME TO SAFELY WITHDRAW." I heard more voices and I assume Venom calming down the newly arrived Avengers. My mind was still murky, like when Venom dulled it on purpose when they were eating people. Eating people. "I SUGGEST YOU PREPARE A WASTE BIN. MORSEL WILL MOST LIKELY FEEL SICK."

Oh boy, did I feel sick! As soon as Venom retracted back into my skin, I hurled, Steve catching the most of it by pushing a large bucket right in my face whilst Bruce gently rubbed my back. I avoided looking at the contents even though I consciously knew that there wasn't much more than water and bile, having previously felt first-hand exactly how Venom digested their food.

"I'm a dumbass, please put me out of my misery," The words were spoken seriously. Physically, I felt the best I've ever had: aches and pains I had gotten used disappeared and my body felt invigorated. Mentally, however, I felt drained, confused and so, so alone in my skin. As if my brain itched. Someone was talking and I heard none of it.

"Shh, come here, come here," Eddie's voice was drowsy as his arms wrapped around me, scratching that lonely itch in my brain. I grasped at him, hiding my face in his chest, missing most of what was being said. "Yeah, it's not exactly painful, more like... You feel not whole for a few hours after you separate. Not the best feeling, especially if the separation was forced," His voice bore the same pain I seemed to be experiencing at the moment. So alone in my skin.

Another large palm landed on my back as I sighed in contentment. "I'll take her. Do you guys need something?" Bruce's voice reached my ears, my brain finally agreeing to recognise human speech.

"A shower and some chocolate would be great, thank you," Eddie's voice receded further and further away as I freely, finally fell into Bruce's embrace.

"I warned you, Tony," Natasha spoke softly, coming over to brush my hair out of my face. I opened my eyes to see most of the team wearing identical looks of astonishment and worry, their eyes focused on me. Natasha was the only one who had respect clearly written on her face. "C'mon, let's go sit down so you can tell us what happened."

I avoided their eyes, fitfully clutching Bruce's arm as all of us sat down on the couch in a pile of superheroes. I guess I could be counted as one too, after the stunt I'd pulled. The mercenary was nowhere to be seen; Bucky's shirt bore bloodstains so I assumed he took the man to the underground levels where he and Natasha kept a few cells for off-the-record interrogations.

"So?" Tony's voice was hard; he avoided my face, too.

"Planned a plan. Executed the plan. It mostly worked, except the merc was possessed, too. He took out Eddie, I volunteered as a host. We ate the croonies," I stuttered slightly, fighting with myself to call the things by their names without having to throw up. "Grabbed the merc, grabbed Eddie and went home." I stared straight ahead, only partially aware of Bruce's disappointed sigh behind me.

"And it never crossed your mind that you shouldn't be doing this? All this hiding, this lying?" Tony asked, finally settling his hard stare on me. "There are professionals already working on this. It's not your job." His words were harsh but truthful.

Only this truth didn't sit well with me. I'd been monitored for years; there were too many secrets kept from me, too many what-ifs hung over my head. It was made worse by the uncertainty: did Tony know? Did Natasha know? Who else was hiding the fact that there had been a target on my back all along?

"Isn't it?" Anger began to creep in. I shrugged off Bruce's arm. "Isn't it my job to know your little organisation has been onto my ass for years? Isn't it my job to know I would have ended up in that position anyways, considering the fact that at least one hostile mutant gang wanted me to help them take over the world?" I stood up, interlocking my hands behind my back to conceal the shaking fingers. "Isn't it may fucking job to make sure that someone does something about the fact that my family is going crazy from helplessness?" I finished, looking directly at Tony. I hated seeing him recoil but some things needed to be said. "If you expected me to sit and do nothing while this bullshit is happening, you do not know me. At all."

"Years?" Barton interrupted in confusion. "I didn't even know you existed until Peter brought you over."

"Yes, Bird, years," I began to pace in agitation. "Apparently, many people think I'm much smarter than I am. I'm sure Cabre will be happy to tell you all about it," I sneered, stopping in front of the window to look at the dim, sleeping city. "Everybody seems to know about me more than I know about myself. I'm sick and I'm tired of people telling me what to do."

The silence behind me was telling. Maybe they really didn't know or maybe they just didn't really care. I wasn't naïve, I didn't expect gratitude for doing what I did but understanding would have been nice. Paradoxically, Venom's attitude was the most humane out of the whole gang. I hated being disappointed in people but ultimately, their safety and happiness was much more important than my feelings. They gave me a family - even if it was for a brief moment - and I owed them for it.

"Princess," Stephen's voice returned me back to reality. "We do not blame you. At least, I do not. We just want to know why didn't you trust us to help you," He pleaded quietly.

"It's not that I don't trust you. It's the fact you still consider me a child, some wilting flower. And perhaps, sometimes I act carefree," I inspected their reflection in the darkness of the glass pane. "But the truth is, I do not forget and I rarely forgive. And I definitely do not appreciate some random motherfucker messing around with people that I love," As soon as those words left my mouth, the heaviness from my shoulders disappeared. "And I don't regret it. I will burn down everything and everyone if I have even the slightest chance to protect what's mine."

A sharp intake of breath, someone choking on a sob. I closed my eyes, not ready to see the disappointed faces of my family - in moments like these, their heroic nature on stark display, I realized how much I did not fit amongst the do-gooders. The work I did was forever going to be the ungrateful kind; that much I've known forever but it didn't make facing that fact any less hard.

Soft, feminine hand landed on my shoulder as Natasha's perfume invaded my personal space. "I'm proud of you," The spy said quietly, wrapping the arm around my shoulders. "You did everything we couldn't do. That's a big deal if you ask me."

"And just like that, we're supposed to be okay with... This?" Steve's voice sounded exhausted.

"Yes," Bucky replied darkly. "If it was me in that place, you would have done the same. Oh wait," His tone turned sarcastic. "You did do the same. So, shut up, punk. We're lucky bastards if we have a person like that on our side."

I expected tears but none came. I felt nothing but relief, painful, as if I had spent weeks and weeks cramped up in a small space, unable to freely move and breathe.

THE TAG LIST IS NOW OPEN! @another-stark-sub ​ @mostly-marvel-musings  @vozit @littlegasps ​ @pilloclock ​ @shereadsinquiet @downeyreads ​ @hermione-grangers-wife ​ @individualistfem ​ @sleep-i-ness @capbrie @lillsxd @agustdowney @dee-vn @justanotherblonde23 @fanngirl19 @persephonehemingway @softie-socks @schemefrenzy @letsby @romeo-the-cactus @jelly-fishy-babie @mikariell95 @gladiosamicitias @warrior1-19 @toomanyrobins @i-cant-hangout-im-drumming

[spookymultimedia]

A Summer to Remember Ch4

CW: internalized homophobia

the f slur and queer used as a slur

[Ned Pov]

My eyes fluttered open to the sound of birds early in the morning. It was still dark outside. I looked down at Maude who was spooned into my arms. I recalled the conversation we had last night. As much as I wanted to hide from it, it was clear that I was homosexual. . .a queer. The word queer made me wince for some reason. I was gay, I was a gay man. It made too much sense. I bit my lip suddenly remembering something that happened in my youth. I remembered being in a group of.  . . secular non-Christian people. It was the early 70s and no one knew where I was. They didn't have to know. It was simple teen curiosity; there was a desire to explore the world that was kept away from me. Again, I always had an innate curiosity to understand. It's impossible for a person to be perfectly free from sin. It was only human nature to have sinful tendencies. What I'm trying to say is I tried marijuana. It wasn't that bad. I actually felt less stressed than I  usually was but let's not focus on that. There was this boy. This boy who was good with the guitar. He had long hair and wore blush from time to time. He called himself bisexual. I remembered how comfortable I had gotten with him one afternoon where we all were hanging out by a river. I remember the smoke and the lesbians who had made love in the shallow water. There were s'mores and homemade tea. By all logic I should have felt scared I was there; I wasn't. 

        I got up close to him by my own will, I remember. He asked me if I had ever kissed a boy before. I hadn't. He asked if I wanted to. Despite the quiet guilt in my soul I nodded. We kissed and kissed again and again until I got a hang of the rhythm. I liked it. The more I reflected on the memory, I remembered how much I enjoyed it. I stared at the window thinking while watching the warm glow of sunrise touch the curtains. I really am gay aren't I?

      I looked down when I felt Maude move and wake up. She stretched her arms and legs and blinked awake. She smiled at me, "Good morning." 

          "Mornin." 

She pressed a small kiss on my cheek and sat up. 

       "You don't have to do that kind of stuff to me if you're not comfortable." 

            "Hm? Oh. .I'm sorry it just felt natural I don't know. Are you uncomfortable?"

    "No, not at all. . .shouldn't I be uncomfortable?"She shrugged. "It doesn't mean anything inherently romantic to me. . .does that sound silly?" 

 I shook my head, "I don't think so. .but I get what you mean."

She rubbed her eyes and played with her hair. 

      "So. . when you said you where gay last night do you mean. .?"

         "That I'm a. . . lesbian? Yeah, yeah I think I'm a lesbian. Sounds right." 

  "That's just lovely Maude."

She frowned, "Is it? I. .thought it wasn't right to be. .-"

     I laid there thinking for a minute, "Is it really wrong?"

        "I'm not sure. . "

"It's just love. I can't see what's so wrong about it. . . Maude I. .I kissed a boy when I was younger." Why did I suddenly feel ashamed? It was just a kiss. Imagine what my uncle would say. He'd probably call me a f*gg*t or something. What would Reverend Lovejoy say? I suddenly felt sick to my stomach.

     "Oh? Hm. . . was it nice?"

"Yeah. ." I stared at the wall again.

        "Are you going to tell them?"

"Me?"

    She nodded.

"I'm not sure. You?"

        "I'm too scared."

"I understand." I pet her upper back to comfort her.

[Maude pov]

      After breakfast we followed Tim and Helen led us to the Rock climbing area. There was this gigantic wall in front of us. It had multicolored rubber rocks that I adored. It wasn't my first rodeo with rock climbing. I had climbed with Ned plenty of times. I smiled up at them with anticipation. I had on some white tee from a church event and

jean shorts that reached my knees.

"Now this exercise is supposed to encourage teamwork and support in each other. When this world brings you down you need to have someone to encourage you." Helen explained as Timothy put on a harness. Helen looked at me puzzled as I put on one myself.

        "What? It's not on backwards is it?"

"Oh, no it's just that. . ." She trailed off looking at my harness. She bit her lip lightly for a second before her concentration quickly returned. "Well I was going to have Ned climbing the wall but that's fine that works. . .Maude, are you sure you can?"

      "I've done this many times." I smiled and laughed. 

"Oh. Okay." She said a bit surprised.

Was it just me or did she blush? Was she checking me out. . .? No, no it had to be my imagination. I dismissed any other possibility of why she looked at me like that.

      Once me and Tim were set up we started our climb. I made a speedy start grabbing onto each rock I saw available. It was fairly easy. I made a mental note of the colors. I loved them. Red pink yellow pink orange red blue green red turquoise. I focused on the rocks and moving.

  "You got this Maude!" Ned cheered. I smiled and kept on climbing. I glanced over at Timothy who was only a couple feet from the ground. It seemed I had more upper arm strength than him. I wouldn't have guessed. 

    "I believe in you Timothy! You're doing great. One at a time." Helen cheered, encouraging him. God bless her, she's so sweet. He nodded and slowly found himself a bit higher. At some point I got stuck. 

     "Go left, use your legs!" Ned coached. I nodded and did as he advised. Tim had caught up with me before I made my way ahead of him again. Before I knew it I was at the very top. 

I sat on the wall and smiled as Ned clapped for me. Helen was clapping too. So cute of her. I stared out at the trees and the shimmering lake as Tim was making the rest of his way up. Do I like Helen? I asked myself. Of course I did, she's been my best friend for years. But, Ned was also mine for longer. Yet, something in her sparkled that hadn't in Ned. Every time I had saw her, things we're better. I felt . .giddy. Oh. . .oh. I do love her. I love her more than anything. My chest had ached. Oh God, I love her. 

   "I'm so proud of you!" I looked down at Helen who was cheering at her husband who loved her too. She loved him. She loves him, not me. She's straight, I think. It didn't matter anyways. I sighed. Still I couldn't help but smile. I was in love and couldn't do anything about it. I wonder how Ned was coping with this yearning. I then faced the wall and quickly leaped my way down. With gravity and my emotions taking over me I couldn't help but laugh. I landed on the ground giggling. "That was fun." I snorted and covered my mouth blushing. But then she laughed too. "Oh Maude, that's adorable." She put an arm around my shoulder. Oh God I could kiss her right now. She's so close yet so far from reach. So I just stood there blushing and smiling. Tim slowly but surely came down with a bit of a dizzy stumble. Ned was close and caught him. For a moment the two men were arm in arm. Tim smiled bashfully and a tad embarrassed. 

       "Thanks." 

    Ned stared at him a moment before helping him stand-up straight. "You did great, Reverend." Neddy said smiling. The poor thing. He must feel the same ache in his soul. He has to. 

[Ned pov]

          Later that day I found Timothy by the river. He was just sitting there watching it flow. I had to ask. I needed to know what he thought on the matter. Despite everything, I felt in my soul it was right and only natural. But I just needed to know. You always need to know, it'll be death of you, Ned. I sighed and walked up to him before sitting by him on the grass by the sore. "Hi Reverend."

      "Ned, we're friends, you can just call me Timothy. Really I insist."

         "Of course. Timothy," his name was so intense. Calling him by his name was so tender and intimate it almost felt wrong. "I wanted to talk to you about something. Well, I at least wanted to hear your thoughts on the matter."

         "What is it?" He looked at me slightly exhausted. I felt a pang of guilt. He probably wanted a break from being asked things everyday. It had to be exhausting. But I needed to know. I knew it was important.

    "What do you think about homosexuality?"

                   "Hmm. . ." He hummed and looked out on the lake. "Sexual deviance isn't a good thing."

      "Deviance?" I felt a bit hurt. Was it really cheating if my wife knew how I felt. I mean, it would be if I kissed a married man. I wanted to kiss a married man. Am I lusting? Is this sin? The homosexuality couldn't be though. "Is it really deviance??"

    Tim paused to think again. "Well. Hm. There are some verses-"

            "I know, I've heard about them. But I don't think they're talking about homosexuality. It could be just an error. It could be referring to a completely different sin. But if you don't mind my boldness Reverend, I really don't think it's a sin at all."

     He nodded slowly, pensive. 

"There are verses that have forbidden the consumption of some meats that were unsafe at the time. . .hmm. That's not a sin at all anymore. Perhaps there was a misunderstanding. Prophets are still human after all." He stared at the water. "I suppose homosexuality isn't so bad. Why, it's not bad at all. I mean everyone feels sexuality . . .right?" He looked a bit confused. I wasn't sure why. Was he gay? No. . . was he?

          "I believe so."

He stared at the water thinking, I assume. I looked at those hands that tempted me. Guilt was burning me alive. 

      "Timothy I've been sinning!"

He looked at me startled at my outburst. 

      "Ned. . Ned, why are you asking me about this? Is. .this why you and Maude are having issues? Are you gay?"

I froze.

        "Ned you said it yourself and I agree, I don't think homosexuality is a legit sin."

"No. I mean, no that's not the issue." I felt my eyes water. 

"Ned. ."

        "I've been lusting after a married man! That's a sin!"

       "Ned. . .are you talking about me? Do you like me that way?" His eyes were wide. 

       "I do." I started to cry. 

"Why are you crying?"

         I looked at him like he was absurd. 

       "It's lusting!"

"Eh, well. You're not acting on it. I'm sure the Lord understands your intentions and will forgive them."

     I shrugged, "I understand if you're uncomfortable. ."

         "Not really. Don't worry about it."

"I just don't want to ruin anything."

          "I understand."

"How long have you felt like this?"

                   "I . .I don't know. Maybe I was born like this." 

      "Born??" He looked confused.

"Well not literally. I mean. I've just always liked men." I rubbed my arm anxiously. I was still trying to make peace with myself.

     Timothy stared at the ground, his eyes furrowed.

 "Like them?"

           "Yeah. Like I've just always wanted to.  . .kiss them and stuff. You know?"

 He slowly shook his head looking a bit lost.

   "I don't understand."

I suddenly felt sick. Did he think my attraction was that weird?

       "It's just the same feeling that you get  with women."

    He fiddled with his hands. He looked really uncomfortable.

    "What's wrong? Is it me?"

"No it's not you.  You're fine Ned I promise. I'm glad you decided to come to me about this." He closed his eyes and bit at his finger gingerly. I had seen him do this a couple times. It was usually when he got stressed or something. "Does Maude know?"

"Yeah. She took it well." 

        "Good." He stood up and walked off.

[doctor-rainbowfoxey]

Renegades Chapter 4 Part 4 The Wheel Part 2

Link to Previous Part HERE

“Uncle Sparky!! Golly, I am just stoked to see you,” the auburn-haired musician put forth, not sounding super excited despite his words stating otherwise. The feral mutant looked at his cellmate with mild concern, having observed his change in demeanor.

Some part of the colorful musician had hoped it had been another man on the other side, a man who had once been like a father to him but alas he was not surprised to be disappointed. Starks assistance was not unwelcome but he it didn't come guilt free. He would have to put up with the pressure and the sales pitch now.

Tony turned to the rookie cop “open it,” he ordered. The young man squeaked and fumbled to comply. As soon as the door opened Stark strode in and to Cyclop's surprise, the Avenger immediately hugged the other Scott. After a minute held him at a distance looked him up and down, inspecting him for injuries and not liking what he saw. He glared at Scott’s feral cellmate accusingly. Logan was quick to step back, hands up in the universal gesture of innocence. Gently the hippie extracted himself from the older inventor’s embrace.

“Christ Scotty, what did they do to you?”

“It wasn't him, Sparky,” objected the paisley hippie ardently. He continued to assure the elder hero, “You know that. It was the long arm of the law that you love promoting.”

“I know. I saw,” ground out the gold suited Avenger wearily with a grimace still looking over warily at Logan.

“Let's go, let's talk about this somewhere without prying eyes,” prompted the avenger attempting to gain command of the situation.

“Right, about that Uncle Sparky,” chimed in the colorful hippie. “I need you to wire funds to pay for my friend here’s release as well,” stated the auburn-haired man matter of factly.

“Him? You barely know the man,” the Avenger exclaimed incredulously. “He could be some kind of ax murdering hooligan!!”

The musician turned to his feral companion, with mock seriousness he beseeched the other, “are you an ax murdering hooligan, Logan?”

“Nooo….?” the shorter mutant slowly mildly offended by the whole affair.

“See? It's fine Sparky,” assured the younger man with a shrug. “I got a good feeling about this guy…”

“But…..fine,” started the richly attired man only to quickly relent when it became clear the other was not going to give in on the matter. Upon seeing his young charge again preoccupied with the pain in his head the older man fumbled to retrieve something from his pocket.

“Here take these. I saw your other pair.. broke,” said Tony gruffly.

The force beamed burdened mutant carefully to the glasses from the other man putting them on with a sigh.

With fond paternalism, the elder Avenger comforted, “That’s much better huh son?”

“Yeah...yeah, it is” demurred the scarlet-eyed mutant, as his headache eased but with a tinge of resentment at the burden.

Stark grumbled, “here’s your jacket and your shoes. Put them on quickly. I feel claustrophobic and I’ve only been in here for 5 minutes. I’d like to leave this hell hole already.”

“Sounds like you should look into criminal justice reform,” commented the hippie as he slipped on his corduroy jacket and sat to put on his shoes.

Cyclops, not wanting to be separated from his counterpart in this universe, dared to jump into the other Scott’s pocket.

Stark stammered uncomfortably, “We can talk about that later Scotty.”

From inside the pocket, Cyclops could hear them talking but he dared not peek out of the pocket lest he risks discovery.

“Here’s his personal effects,” announced one of the police officers to Stark, in a much more respectful tone than he had used before.

“Gaia!” Sighed the passionate man and Cyclops could hear the sound of latches being carefully opened.

“Oh thank god. She’s alright,” breathed the lanky fellow, clearly relieved.

“You still play that old thing?”Asked Tony, mildly surprised.

“Not as much on stage as I used to, but she does perfectly well on the road and among friends,” explained the musician. Cyclops heard the sound of a door closing, he felt the warmth of the sun through the pocket and could smell flowers on the breeze that tickled his whiskers when he dared to sneak a look at the world outside.

“You can’t keep doing this Scotty,” Stark reprimanded sternly.

“Doing what exactly?” replied the younger man with feigned obliviousness.

“These protests and rabble rousing. The sex, drugs, the rock and roll. Take your place back on the team Scotty,” insisted Stark. Cyclops with his mouse senses could tell he was close to the man from the smell of his expensive cologne.

“I’m an adult and not an Avenger anymore. I left that life, objected Scott, with icy controlled coolness as he stepped back from the other man.

“You think you can stop it? That you’re some kind of martyr or something? This has been going on for 10000 years. I’ve tried my best to slow it from the inside but I can’t stop the wheel. This is bigger than us,” argued the greying inventor. Inside his mind, a peaceful man could hear a great wheel turning.

The lanky ex-avenger sighed, “you’re right this is far bigger than us. The peace movement is far more than me alone. If it bothers you that I find I have more luck reaching people with my music than my fists then I’m afraid you’ll just have to let that be Mr. Stark,” stated the peaceful musician calmly and firmly with a tone that broached no query of debate. Cyclops could tell his counterpart was annoyed by over trod on circular arguments that had been rehashed between the two. The pressure of a legacy he could and never fulfill that ground his soul beneath it’s will like a millstone pulverized grain.

The elder hero fretted, “what happened to you on that shield mission overseas?! Ever since then you’ve changed and you won’t talk to any of us about it! If you can’t tell us than please talk to Steve. He’s been worried sick and you owe him that much!” Confided Stark clearly upset and desperate for answers, but in response Cyke could feel his counterpart stiffen.

“Thank you Mr. Stark, for greasing the wheels politically. I’ll wire funds to repay you.” promised the flamboyant musician, his voice sounding hollow and rehearsed robotically as one gets when constantly fending questions you do not wish to answer. Questions that take your mind to places you never wished to return.

“Scott please, at least call and tell him you are alright! Pleaded the seasoned Avenger.

“Fine Sparky I will call him. Will you give it a rest now, you’re being a drag,” remarked the paisley fellow. With effort the hippie willed memories that threatened to break free from their leashes with gnashing teeth and dripping saliva like the feel of hands stained red with blood that could never be washed clean.

“Fine but this is going to be the death of you, mark my words...also is that a rodent in your pocket,” spluttered Stark incredulously.

Suddenly the seasoned mutant hero now in the body of a mouse, felt gentle hands lifting him from his safe space in the pocket. His borrowed body’s instincts urged him to bite but he refused them. Biting alternate Scotts was off the table unless they deserved it.

“Hey little guy. You’re not something I would expect to be in my pocket,” murmured Cyclop’s alternate counterpart amazement. It was a strange sensation looking into the face of someone who looked so much like yourself yet was not you at all.

With a disgusted scowl, Stark commanded, “put that rat down. It’s probably diseased or something,” he elaborated

“It’s a dormouse, Sparky, don’t blow a fuse. I’ll just let him down here in the grass,” assured the lanky man.

Cyke felt himself being lowered to sit on soft moss amongst grasses. Abruptly he realized he should put on a good show of doing mouse things because he was supposed to be a mouse now. Apparently. He ran off deeper into the grass.

“See. It ran away. It’s fine,” replied Scott with confidence. By the time Cyclops had snuck back to where he could watch without being spotted, anything Stark had to say in response had been cut off by the sound of a motorcycle approaching..

“Hey kid, I’m heading down to Cali. You wanna ride?” offered the feral mutant who looked like the picture of the man in black in his long black coat, dark motorcycle. The other Scott Summers in many ways is the polar opposite of this man but they seem to be on the same wavelength as is pulled by the same gravity.

The colorful musician looked invigorated in response to the offer as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Where before he had felt a beast being herded and caged suddenly he saw him a way out, an escape. With calculated impulsivity would seize such an opportunity as he always had before.

“Do I!! You’re a sight for sore eyes ol’man,” declared the groovy man as he approached Logan, smiling broadly as the sun illuminated highlights amongst his auburn hair. In less than he had his guitar strapped to his back and was climbing on behind the other man while Stark stood gobsmacked.

“Scott Summers get off that bike right now!! What the hell do you think you’re doing!!” barked the stately Avenger beside himself.

“Sorry, Sparky gotta keep truckin’ later!” answered the man in paisley.

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Stark,” called the man in black politely, if too late.

“Summers!! You get back here this instant! Rogers you’re kid is just as stubborn and troublesome as you! The stress of dealing with both of you is going to give me an ulcer. Damn it!! “yelled Stark to the dust and exhaust fumes that were all that remained of the two vagabonds. All the while Cyclops swore he could hear a voice singing mournfully.

I look at the world

And I notice it's turning

While my guitar gently weeps

With every mistake

We must surely be learning

Still my guitar gently weeps

The whole world around Scott seemed to reverberate around the voice, fading in and out, tilting sickeningly until…

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

Scott opened his eyes. The voice was still singing. Carefully Scott quietly as possible turned his head to see who was singing.

‘I don't know how you were diverted

You were perverted too

I don't know how you were inverted

No one alerted you’

It was the suborn haired man, with the silver bangs and green eyes who reminded Scott so painfully of a perverse caricature of his kind and gentle friend. Held lovingly in his hands was a pair of hexagonal ruby quartz glasses exactly like the ones the Scott from the vision wore.

I look from the wings

At the play you are staging

While my guitar gently weeps

'Cause I'm sitting here

Doing nothing but aging

Still my guitar gently weeps

While Axel strokes the glasses lovingly a single tear fell slowly from the man’s eye as if it the glasses had managed to awaken something long locked away.

“Is that..?” Scott started to ask on impulse, unable to silence his curiosity.

“You!” Hissed Axel with cold fury as if he had intruded in something private and forbidden.

“Back into the depths you go, you poor innocent soul,” the radioactive green-eyed man. Suddenly the darkness was rising thick as London’s fog, and the last thing he saw before all was consumed was the man’s cruel grin dissolving into blank emptiness.

[minervacasterly]

The caricature of Margaret Beaufort:

From pop culture POV and the POV of those influenced by it, this powerful matriarch is all of the following: Religious nut case! Bitch. She killed the princes in the tower! Old and ugly! Screw her! She and her son were the worst thing that happened to England!

And yet her son became the founder of a dynasty that reigned for more than a century and continues to fascinate us. Now on to the real Meg Beaufort. In the White Queen she is all this and that but the real Meg was no religious nut case and she certainly didn't plan the murder of the Princes and you can debate me countless times on this but there is no concrete evidence that she did! Richard had more than enough motive and opportunity to kill the Princes and oh wait before I get the Ricardians on my case, I don't hate Richard. I actually find him interesting, I wouldn't find him interesting if he was perfect. Richard had learned from his brother's mistakes but made mistakes of his own. If he produced the boys then that would've propelled them to sainthood and the last thing he wanted was a cult was already building around Henry VI. What happened with this last monarch is fascinating and you might be wondering -hey! Isn't that the guy they smothered with a pillow in the White Queen? Yeah, that's the one. Except there are so many theories abounding to his death. The first one comes from Bettini who wrote three weeks after the Lancastrian king's death that it was Edward NOT Richard who gave the order. At the time the blame was solely pinned on Edward, so let's not confuse contemporary sources with secondary. Rous and Vergil writing in the Tudor period pinned the murder on Richard and even early Ricardians say that he did it, but with one major difference -*under* Edward's orders. If this is so, one thing we can all agree, if Richard gave the order or personally took care of Henry, it was all done under his brother's command. But this backfired, soon people were attributing all sorts of miracles to this guy, he became more famous in death than he had ever been in life. Edward tried hard to suppress this cult but he couldn't and Richard did the next best thing. If you can't beat them, join 'em! He cashed in on the cult and officiated a reburial of the dead monarch and started all new kinds of celebrations for him but people still talked as they always do. Now if he had produced the dead children as he and his brother had done with the Lancastrian king, then it would've been chaos, complete and utter chaos!

Margaret Beaufort's sole aim up until the princes disappearance in the summer of 1483 was to gain back her son's lands and bring him back safely. She was forced to give him up before after the Lancaster line had been wiped out from the face of the earth by Yorkist forces, ending to some historians' view, the wars of the roses in 1471. Margaret would not see him until the aftermath of Bosworth in 1485. She had little to worry about the first years of his exile, he was with his uncle Jasper, his father's brother. They intended to sail to the French court, a court his uncle knew very well but landed in Brittany instead because of the bad weather. Brittany was not on good terms with the French and they had their fair share of enmity with the English so it served the Duke well to have two valuable English hostages, one who had a considerable (if debatable) claim to the English throne via his mother. Edward attempted to coax the old Duke into give up his charge and while the Duke never believed Edward's intentions, some of his ministers did and those who didn't just wanted to cash in on the juicy rewards. Henry was an intelligent youth who was far from the serious and mama's boy he's depicted in today's fiction. He loved to laugh, play, joke and gamble. But he was aware how valuable he was and at one point feigned sickness and took sanctuary in a church when he suspected his future voyage to England was a hoax -which it was -and that small trickery on his part saved him.

By 1480, Margaret had more than enough to worry, but she wasn't giving up on her son's legacy. With Edward's promise to marry him to his eldest daughter, Margaret continued to rely on the faith that gave comfort to so many women in this period, and Edward's promise, albeit a fake one, was something she never let go of. The accession of Richard and Anne changed all that. Always an opportunist at heart, she tried to curry favor with the new regime. Whether she agreed with it or not -we will never know but her husband was an official in Richard's government and she had more than enough reason to believe that Richard would grant her her request to bring her son back. After all he was more busy convincing everyone his brother had never been legally married to Elizabeth and securing his position. But surprise, surprise for Margaret and everyone involved. Her life was never easy, it was one obstacle after another and this was no different. The boys' disappearance changed everything and Buckingham's rebellion gave her a chance she had never considered before. Her moment to shine had come. She was no longer looking to bring her son back as a mere earl but as a king so she started plotting with the queen dowager through her Welsh doctor. After a lot of plotting and intrigue and tragedy at Richard's court, her son's shining moment came and thanks to the defection of his stepfather from Richard's camp to his side, he won. There is a famous myth that his stepfather, Thomas Stanley found the crown in a thorn bush but this is likely Tudor propaganda. Richard's treatment afterwards was one that's always given by the victor to the loser, stripped of all his clothes and shamefully paraded, he was then written as the worst monarch that ever lived.

And while I do agree there needs to be a better assessment of Richard, doing the same to Margaret and Richard is just as dumb. She was born in 1443 and a year after, John Beaufort, her father and Duke of Somerset died. Many said at the time that it was because of suicide because of his terrible leadership in France. Truth or not, Margaret was now a wealthy heiress and her wardship was widely sought after. William de la Pole, the crown's favorite tried to marry her to his son, but after he was murdered, at only nine years old Margaret was brought to court to swear that she never intended to marry his son. Later she rewrote history saying that it was because of a godly vision that told her that it was her destiny to marry Edmund Tudor and establish a great house, that she denied it. Margaret married at only 12 and Edmund Tudor, anxious to get his hands on her wealth, didn't bother to wait. He impregnated her less than a year after and she gave birth in January 1457 when she was months away from being 14, to her only offspring. The birth damaged her, she never had any children with her other spouses. She had a happy marriage with her next spouse, Henry Stafford and they celebrated their anniversary in big style every year and even housed Edward IV in their hunting lodged in one occasion. This doesn't sound like the power hungry, vindictive Margaret of TV. And that's because she wasn't! She was very learned and founded and refounded many colleges, chief among them: Christ's College which had previously been God's House and St. John's in Cambridge. Aware that only the privileged few could attend these institutions she voiced her concerns in 1479, and her attempts bore fruit when Wimborne College was established posthumously in 1509, which was later renamed Queen Elizabeth's school. She also established the Lady Margaret Beaufort Professorship of Divinity at Cambridge in 1502 and the first women's college in Oxford was named after her.

In spite of her joy of seeing her son crowned, she could not help herself. Fisher and many contemporaries described how she cried -a clear sign of a woman that doesn't care about power- and when asked why, she responded because she had lived through so many kings and princes who had been murdered and killed in battle. Who knew if her son was next or if his reign would last. She cried the same tears of grief on her grandson's joint coronation with Katherine, fearing that his reign would face the same troubles.

Margaret passed away days after in 1509, after a long life of hardship and triumph.

[tarotmum13]

Ghosts and ESP

Someone asked me recently what started my interest in the “occult”. I found that hard to answer, because it seems like there has always been some element of paranormal attraction in my life.

As a young child, I didn’t think it was strange that I always knew beforehand when my mum would be coming home, or who was on the other end of the line when the phone rang.

I remember finding a dead duckling once. I was heartbroken. My cousin and I decided we would give the poor little soul a decent burial. We dug a shallow grave, wrapped the tiny body in a handkerchief before covering it with earth and as many wild flowers as we could find. I swear we saw Heaven open up, angels looking down on us and we heard sweet ethereal music drifting down... our imagination? Most likely. A profound experience? Definitely.

You do not question these occurrences when you are young. You just accept them, because your heart is still open to wonder and not yet filled with scepticism and disbelief.

It wasn't until much later on that I found out not everything I had been taking for granted was as "normal" as I thought.

My grandparents lived very close by and I went to visit them daily as a child. Whenever I was at their house, my great-uncle Frans was also there. Sitting in a leather armchair by the window, smoking his pipe. I can still smell the distinctive vanilla-and-bourbon aroma of his pipe tobacco. He never spoke, but he smiled a lot. I would sit on his lap and feel safe there.

When I was 7, both my grandparents passed away within 2 weeks of eachother. My granddad had been sick for a very long time, but my grandmother made him promise not to leave her behind - he made good on his promise and clung to life until my grandmother unexpectedly died. I was on my way home from school when the ambulance passed me. I turned back and told the teacher I couldn't go home because there would be nobody there - I just knew my mum was accompanying her mother in that ambulance but they would not make it to the hospital on time...

So - once my grandparents had passed away, I stopped seeing my great-uncle Frans. I never asked where he had gone or what happened to him.

Years later, going through some old photographs with my mum, I came accross a picture of him. Mum was very surprised that I seemed to know who he was. I said that of course I knew him, recounting the times I sat on his lap, smelling his pipe, bringing him little chocolate eggs coated in sugar as he liked them so much...

Mum looked at me funny. She admitted that yes, uncle Frans used to sit in that chair by the window. Yes, his pipe smelled of vanilla. Yes, he loved those little sugar-eggs... but she couldn't understand how I knew any of this, as according to her, my great-uncle Frans died 2 years before I was born...

This is the last picture taken of my grandmother before she passed away. And also the last time I saw uncle Frans. I remember this day. It was Easter, and I had filled my basket with the little sugar-coated eggs I liked to bring to uncle Frans. In my memory, he is sitting right behind me, in the black leather chair next to the window. Obviously, in this actual picture, he is not there. Which reality is more real? I have very clear memories of him, I know he was there, for me - why? I can't answer that. Maybe one day, I will find out.

Because of this it is impossible for me not to believe in some sort of afterlife, some existence beyond our world of flesh and bone. Which in turn makes it easier to believe in so many other things. I don't claim to understand everything, but I am open-minded. And willing to learn.

My journey has been eventful so far, and along the way I have found that Tarot is a system that works very well for me, to help me make sense of my experiences, continue my personal development and always keep my mind searching for more.

I have learned so much already, about the Soul of the Universe, and the connection between all living beings - about crystals and vibrations, the Law of Attraction, lightworkers and empaths, magick and affirmations, Indigo Children and the influence of the moon,...

All this energy out there, that we can tap in to if we want... There is so much more to Life than just what our limited senses can perceive. But if you look with your heart you will feel the truth. So go find out. Experiment. Try new things. Find what makes sense to you. Believe.

Xxx