#my thoughts on her currently are very much in a closed off bubble

[eleventhsister]

(firstly, sorry for the wall of text. I got excited and this kinda got away from me.)

That is my general take on her character as well, I believe.

I see Barriss as a perfectionist who is greatly dedicated to her moral compass, focused on knowledge/logical efforts, and using it for good. However, she is challenged by the horrors of war and her active role as a soldier in it. She is someone who believes in diplomacy and avoiding violent confrontation as long as possible but becomes surrounded by violence and aggression on a near-constant basis. I see her as a pacifist but she is willing and able to defend others the moment it is called for.

I see her as a very introspective, contemplative person. She thinks deeply about everything. This helps play well into the traditional teachings she receives, but suddenly being introduced to other methodologies and the juxtaposition of war causes her to become a bit lost in her head. I imagine the constant switching between being thrown into battle and then getting quiet alone time afterwards takes a toll on her mental state as well.

(I also think that she probably struggles with the unfortunate trappings of being the 'gifted student' with extremely high expectations placed on her. That she is not only motivated by her strong sense of morality, but to also always perform well and please those, especially those in charge/higher ranking, around her. She pushes herself hard and places a lot of expectations on herself.)

Being a soldier also directly contrasts with her role as a healer. She not only experiences the traumas of war as a pawn, but also the effects on life, and the lives and minds of those she heals. As she spends time healing others in the Temple after Geonosis the first time, she struggles with the pain of it all. She is empathetic, and the pain of those under her care and the knowledge that she cannot heal their minds takes a great toll on her. (I also like to believe that she was inducted to the Circle of Jedi Healers after her mission to Drongar like in Legends.)

And maybe seeing the political aspects of the Senate continuously pushing more towards violence and war, and how the Order continues to become so entangled in it guides her thoughts. Peaceful, diplomatic solutions seem to get brushed off without any sense of serious consideration the longer the war goes on.

I think all this helps nurture her belief that the Jedi have become aggressors corrupted by the dark side, fallen so far from their guiding principles, eventually beginning to believe that the Order will only seriously listen to violence anymore. The Jedi were supposed to stand for peace, diplomacy, and settle conflict first and foremost, which significantly contrasts with the active role of being a soldier and military leader in charge of essentially conducting the war. Her issue was more with the Order, where they had guided all the members under it, and not with the Jedi themselves.

I see that her ultimate problem is that she cares so much for doing what is right and cares so deeply for the people of the galaxy, as well as the Jedi's role as apolitical peacekeepers and diplomats. Instead, they had become too embroiled in the politics of the Republic, becoming pawns in the upcoming fall of the Republic into darkness.

And like many who succumb to the dark side, this intense focus on something rightful and good leads her down a path of dark choices (for the right reasons). She was never a bad person. She was simply conflicted and wanted to perform the role she was always supposed to as a Jedi, and a more consular-focused Jedi at that.

She does what she ultimately does. She has time to reflect on her actions in prison (and during her training/time as an inquisitor). She begins to think on what it is she has done and grapples with it. I also think she is primarily driven by the innate need to live through her through her time in the Inquisitorius. She is lost, broken down, and on autopilot more or less. She wants nothing but to escape when she gets the opportunity to do so and return to the Jedi role she always believed in.

After running away, she dedicates her life to helping the people of the galaxy, partly because that is what she always believes to be right, but also perhaps because she is partly haunted by and driven by guilt. I think she would be at odds with herself, hating herself for what she had done.

After some time, she eventually finds peace and balance in herself, connecting fully with the Force and allowing herself to become the ideal Jedi she was always supposed to be. She dedicates herself fully to helping people, especially as a healer, and swears away combat (until there is no other option left, and she must protect an innocent).

Basically, I see her as a morally driven person who is dedicated to peace and protecting the galaxy. However, she becomes traumatized and conflicted by the war and is forced to be a warrior. She only believes that what she ultimately does is right, just, and aligned with the greater good—until she realizes that she made a mistake and seeks to make up for it, finally taking on the altruistic Jedi archetype she always believed in.

Oh man, I feel you on the Medstar books. And I, too, love to work them into my fics as often as possible. That and The Approaching Storm for good measure. It's also important that she was at Umbara.

Now that I finished the Medstar books later night, I just borrowed The Approaching Storm and plan on digging in to it!

I've been wanting to weave in the Umbaran Campaign into my story in some way beyond a simple mention, but I'm kind of stuck with no ideas on it rn unfortunately.

I wouldn't be surprised if they retcon it completely, but I also want to add her imprisonment on Felucia and subsequent rescue by Aayla shortly after her Knighting (since it's still considered to be canon in some way?). Of course the Legends story of it doesn't match with canon in any significant way so I would make major changes to it so it could fit into the timeline properly, but I feel like it could be a major turning point for her mentally—like the final nail in the coffin (or close to it) leading up to the Temple plot.

I have a lot of ideas and I really want to start writing it out, but at the same time I'm overly worried about characterization and it's completely stopping any progress. I really want to talk through my ideas before I work on it, but I don't really know anyone to talk to here other than my friend (who I assume would be willing to listen but she doesn't really know Barriss beyond looking over my shoulder while I was crying over TOTE).

Idk it's just super important to me that I do it well bc I love her character so much and I want to do right by her especially when she is so misunderstood

[hyunjins-orange-slice-too]

Hiiiii

I really like your blog (especially chan’s fics)

BUT, as much as I love channie, I’m currently in a total Han brain rot so I was wondering if you could write something like “his good girl, always” or “safe word” with a dom jealous/possessive Jisung x fem!reader

if you’re comfortable doing it OF COURSE

Anyway have a good dayyy 😙

only i can touch you here

pairing: jealous/possessive/soft dom!han x fem reader

genre: smut

word count: 3 screen shots and ~2.3k words

warnings: mentions of enhypens jungwon and sunoo, jealousy, marking, oral (f.receiving), implied subspace, smacking

an: anon, you’ve waited like 6 months for this. and i have no excuses for myself. but.. good things come to those who wait? at least i hope it’s good? listen.. im doing my best. i’m just a girl. lol i hope you’re still around to read this. <3 also, we’ve got mr minho’s birthday coming up and i have noooo idea what to write for him. i have some requests for minsung but i want something that’s just minho. so if you have any ideas.. send them my way pls. <3

masterlist

anon mentioned: his good girl always and safe word

‼ ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⚠︎ ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ‼ adults only • mdni ‼ ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⚠︎ ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ‼

the sound of the lock mechanism on your front door whirring pulled you out of your focus. you glanced up to see a tired looking han shuffle though the door. the couple seconds your eyes weren’t on the screen was enough for sunoo to pass you and cross the finish line, winning the race. he cheered and jungwon and yourself threw your controllers down in defeat.

“hi hannie.” you said, smiling up at him from the couch. he toed his shoes off before crossing the apartment toward you. he noticed how closely jungwon was sitting next to you. his knee was touching yours. han thought there was plenty of room on the couch. there was no need for him to be so close. han came around the back of the couch and put his hands on your shoulders. you tilted your head back to look up at him, his face upside down from your view.

“hey there, princess.” he leaned down and planted a gentle kiss on your lips. your skin was warm with the pet name and the show of affection while other people were in the room. han pulled his lips away from yours with a smile and turned his attention to jungwon.

“how’s the game going?” han sat on the back of the couch, his hands still on your shoulders, massaging gently.

jungwon looked a little flustered. “uh. good.” he said. “sunoo keeps winning though.”

“well i knew this one wasn’t winning.” han poked your cheek with his finger. “she’s not very good and mario kart. though it’s adorable watching her try so hard.”

“hey im getting better!” you argued. “i almost won that one!” you pointed at the tv.

the fond smile on jungwons face at your words didn’t go unnoticed by han. and it frustrated him. he hated being this way, knew he shouldn’t be jealous. he was very comfortable in his relationship with you. he trusted you fully and didn’t believe you would ever leave him for jungwon. but han couldn’t help the feeling of anger that bubbled up inside of him.

though he took small comfort in the fact that jungwon could never please you the way he does. and maybe he would just have to remind you of that.

“we should actually get going.” jungwon said, standing up. “we’ve got an early recording session.”

“thanks for having us over.” sunoo smiled. “it was fun.”

you wiggled your way out of han’s harsh grip and stood, walking them to the door. “it was so much fun. we will have to do it again sometime. maybe i can invite felix over next time. he would actually pose a challenge to sunoo.” you giggled.

“yeah that sounds great.” jungwon smiled. he opened his arms and you hugged him. han’s grip tightened on the couch, his jaw clenched, but he remained quiet. the hug lasted a little too long, han thought. with jungwon’s hand rubbing up and down your back before he pulled away. the hug goodbye to sunoo was much shorter. not even a real hug, just a side hug. and then the door was clicking shut behind them, plunging the apartment into silence.

han stood and approached you. he brushed your hair out of your face as you looked up at him, a smile on your lips, excited to see him.

“i missed you, baby.” he said.

you wrapped your arms around his waist, pulling him in and burying your face in his chest. “missed you.” you mumbled, voice muffled by his shirt.

“i’m glad they’re gone. i’m not sure how much more i could have handled.” your cheek vibrated with the vibrato of his voice radiating through his chest. “the hug almost pushed me over the edge.”

“we’re just friends though.” you said, looking up at him.

“i know you are, baby. i just get a little antsy when another man has his hands on you.” he cupped your cheek in his hand before leaning down and kissing you gently. “you’re my little baby. jungwon needs to keep his hands to himself.”

you couldn’t deny the pulsing you felt in between your legs. you were unsure if it was the kiss, or his words, or a combination of both.

“but it makes me feel better when i think about how he could never make you cum the way that i make you cum.”

you shoved your face back into his shirt, embarrassed.

“isn’t that right, baby?”

“hannie..” you groaned.

“do you need me to remind you?” he gently pushed you away from him, forcing you to meet his eyes. “do you need a reminder of why you’re mine?”

you shook your head no. “i don’t need a reminder. i know he could never compare to you.”

“do you?” he asked, taking a step closer to you. you took a step back, the look on his face letting you know he was going to remind you anyway. he strode forward as you hesitantly stepped back. like a cat cornering a mouse. “if you don’t need a reminder, then why do you let him touch you like that?” you were walking backwards through the bedroom door now, his intense stare never wavering.

“like what, hannie?” your voice came out smaller than you intended.

“he sits so close to you that his leg was against yours.” he says. “his hug lingered way longer than sunoo’s. and that’s just what happened while i was here.”

the back of your legs hit the bed frame and you had nowhere left to run to. he had you caged in. “it’s almost as if you like it when he touches you.”

“i don’t. i pr-promise.” you stuttered. “i o-only like it when you touch me.”

“oh poor baby.. tripping over your words.” he cooed. “do i make you nervous?”

you nodded. “a little bit..”

“there’s no reason to be nervous, little one.” he brushed his fingers over the skin of your neck and down to your collarbone. goosebumps bloomed on your arms and a shiver ran through you. “i’m just going to help you remember why i’m the only one who gets to touch you.”

he leaned down and captured your lips in a kiss. his lips soft on yours, a stark contrast to the way he was speaking.

his hands traveled under your shirt and held you by the waist. he pulled you closer, needing to feel your body against his. you could feel him, hard against you. he let his fingertips graze over your skin, causing you to squirm.

“my baby’s so ticklish.” you could feel his smile against your lips.

he made quick work of your shirt, tossing it somewhere behind him. and your bra followed soon after, joining the shirt on the floor. he kissed down your jaw and down your neck, sucking and biting little dark marks into your skin. marking you as his. you had your hands against his chest, your breathing shaky. a particularly hard bite from him caused you to yelp. “sorry baby.” he ran his tongue over the bite, soothing it. “everyone is going to know who you belong to.” he whispered against your skin.

he kissed his way down until he was kissing your shoulders, his fingers finding their way to your bare chest, running softly over your nipples. “lay back for me.” he said, pinching your nipple and tugging on it gently.

you did as he asked and climbed on the bed. flat on your back, head against the pillow, you looked down at him. he took off his shirt, tossing it in the growing pile, before climbing on the bed too. his mouth went straight to your breast, his tongue swirling. your fingers threaded through his hair, soft sounds of his name falling past your lips. he took his time, your nipples tingling and your pussy begging for stimulation. you rolled your hips up into him. his strong hand found your hip and pushed you back down.

“is there something you want, baby?” his breath felt cool against the damp skin of your breast.

“will you touch me, hannie? please?” you tried to roll your hips again but his hold was firm.

“you want me to touch you?” he teased. “didn’t jungwon touch you enough?”

he smirked against your skin, kissing his way down your tummy now. his fingers hooked your pants and your panties and pulled them off in one swift motion. he could see how wet you were, could see how badly you needed him and it made him ache. he palmed himself through his pants, his cock needing to be touched. but it would be a while before he could get to it. he planned to take his time with you. he just hoped he wouldn’t blow in his pants.

“i asked you a question, baby.”

he looked up at you, his body hovering over yours, not making any contact. you needed him but your brain was foggy. what had he asked you? you couldn’t remember.

“hannie..” you whined. “i don’t.. please.”

“are you getting all spacey on me already?” he kissed just below your belly button, your body arching into him, silently begging for him to please just touch you.

“i asked if our sweet jungwon had touched you enough.”

you shook your head no. “he didn’t.. would never let him..” you attempted to form a sentence.

han hummed in understanding. “he definitely had his hands on you baby. but he didn’t touch you… here.” he quickly touched your clit with the pad of his index finger before quickly pulling away. you gasped, your body jolting.

“did he, baby? no.. he could never touch you here.” he ran his fingers up through your slick, slowly circling around your clit. “as much as he may want to.”

he slowly sank two of his fingers into you, curling them slightly. “only i can touch you here.” he started pumping his fingers in and out, the sounds of your arousal reaching your ears.

you couldn’t control the string of syllables that came out of your mouth when he leaned down and wrapped his lips around your clit. thats when he started to loose control too. he always had trouble keeping a level head when he had his tongue on you. the taste of you drove him crazy and he really had to focus so he could finish his little lesson.

he could feel you squeezing around his fingers. and he pulled them out, much to your disappointment. but you weren’t empty for long. he used his hands to spread you wider, before sticking his tongue inside your hole as far as he could get it, licking your walls. he wanted to feel you squeeze his tongue, and you did. he groaned against you, drinking in as much of you as he could get. his own head was starting to get fuzzy, his whole body tingling. he focused on your face, your eyes scrunched tight, your bottom lip between your teeth, your skin flushed with color. god you are so beautiful. he would never get tired of this view.

“fuck— hannie…” you moaned, your fists grabbing at the sheets, then grabbing at his hair.

he slid his fingers back inside you, pumping faster. “are you gonna cum, baby?”

you nodded, your body tensing, your breathing becoming more difficult.

“who does this pussy belong to?” he asked.

you were rocking your hips in time with his fingers, chasing your high. you could feel it building, threatening to snap at any moment. he pulled his fingers out and slapped your pussy with his hand.

“answer me.” he snapped. he slipped his fingers back inside before asking again “who does this pussy belong to?”

you were trying hard to get your mouth to do what you wanted. your brain was screaming ‘it’s your pussy! yours!’ but your mouth couldn’t form the words.

he pulled his fingers out again, not satisfied with your silence. he pinched your poor little clit in between his fingers. “baby.. you’re not going to cum until you answer me.”

frustrated tears were leaking out of the corners of your eyes.

“i’ll ask one more time.” he slid his fingers back inside you, starting his motions again. you were clenching around him, teetering right on the edge of bliss. “who.. does this pussy.. belong to?” he timed his thrusts with his words. you were seeing stars already, your mind swimming in pleasure.

“y-y-you!” your voice cracked. “ s’your pussy hannie!” you cried. “please.. please.. it’s yours.. please.”

he loved seeing you like this. a total wreck and completely pliant in his hands. his life felt so out of his control most of the time, but this.. you.. you were completely under his control and he fucking loved it.

“that’s right baby.” he pumped faster. “you’re mine. i own this pussy.”

“yes!” you blindly agreed.

“cum for me. let my pussy cum.” he ordered. and before the sentence was even finished, you were coming apart under him. everything stopped. your body froze, your breathing stilled. but his fingers kept moving, and your body felt like it was moving as waves of pleasure washed over you. “there you go baby.. fuck.”

he leaned down and took your clit into his mouth briefly before running his tongue around his moving fingers, unable to help himself. he needed to taste you. you whined at the overstimulation.

you were coming down from your high, your body relaxing, your mind slowly returning to normal. he pulled his fingers out of you and licked them clean. he kissed back up your body until he reached your lips. you lazily kissed him back.

“only i can make you feel like this.” he muttered against your lips.

“i know.” your voice was hoarse. “you’re all i want.”

he kissed you slowly, pouring all of his love into it. you could taste yourself on his tongue. “i’m all you want?” he teased. “prove it.” he pushed his clothed erection into your thigh.

you moaned quietly, your body still recovering.

“come back to me, baby.” he rubbed his hand on your hip. “we’re not even close to done.”

♡ pls reblog if you liked it! it truly helps a lot and makes me smile :) ♡

©hyunjins-orange-slice-too i do not give permission for this work or any of my work to be translated, copied, or reposted.

[little-diable]

Darling oh Darling - Cowboy!Jasper Hale (smut)

Yes, I'm in a cowboy mood alright, y'all just have to endure it for a while. But I have to say, I truly love how this turned out, so I think y'all will be able to forgive me for this current fixation. Please like and reblog if you enjoyed reading this, your comments keep us writers motivated! Enjoy my loves. xxx

Summary: The reader works at Carlisle Cullen's ranch, where she crosses paths with one of his sons, a guy who instantly catches her interest.

Warnings: 18+, smut, piv, oral (f), quite fluffy, yet filthy

Pairing: Jasper Hale x fem!reader (2.8k words)

“You alright there, darlin’?” The man’s voice ripped her out of her thoughts, eyes flickering up to meet his golden ones. Jasper Hale, son of the owner on whose ranch (y/n) was currently working. She hadn’t crossed paths with Jasper yet, had only studied him from a safe distance, feeling an ever-growing respect for the man who handled horses better than anybody else she knew.

“Yeah, sorry, I don’t know how I got them all tangled up.” Her eyes wandered back down to the reins she held, trying to untangle them. His chuckles left her smiling, growing stiff as his cold hand found hers, gently pulling the reins from her grasp. Within seconds Jasper had them untangled, smirking in victory. “How did you do that?”

“Just takes lots of practice, but don’t worry you’ll get the hang of it eventually. (Y/n), is it?” Jasper took off his cowboy hat, combing through his golden locks before he placed the hat back on his head, leaning against the stable door. (Y/n) could only hum, eyes momentarily wandering up and down his frame, trying not to pay the way his clothes fit him all too perfectly any attention, muscles bulging beneath the fabrics. “It’s good to have a face to that name finally, my dad seems to have a soft spot for you.”

“Carlisle’s great, I’m very thankful for everything he’s done for me.” Carlisle and (y/n) had crossed paths at the hospital, sharing details about one another as he had taken a look at her gaping wound. And within a few minutes, she had left his room with a job offer, debating working at his ranch for the summer. Carlisle had given her the ticket out of a toxic household, allowing her to figure out where she truly belonged, and what she wanted to do with the rest of her life – and what better place for a time away from home than a ranch filled with kind people. 

“Well, we’re very happy about having a new helping hand around, especially one that’s this pretty to look at.” If she had been drinking something, (y/n) probably would have choked on her sip, eyes growing wide at the comment that had just rolled off Jasper’s tongue. She struggled to come up with a reply, not used to hearing words like these from a man who looked as handsome as Jasper, but she was saved by the call of his name, forcing him away from her with a quiet “See you around, darlin’” leaving him. 

……

“(Y/n)!” Her head whipped towards the meadow, squinting her eyes to look at Jasper, blinded by the bright sun. “Come on over here, darlin’.”

She walked through the high grass, grinning at the guys who were standing close to Jasper, holding onto their horses’ reins. With her hands placed on her waist, she came to a halt close to the grinning man who had called for her, waiting for him to keep on speaking, wondering why he had called her over in the first place. 

“We’re about to go for a ride, Emmett’s desperate for some adventure.” Her eyes found the golden ones of Jasper’s brother, shooting Emmett a quick smile before her gaze flickered back to the brother she found herself drawn to. “You wanna join us?”

“Well, I have no horse.” Jasper’s soft chuckles left her heart skipping beats, trying not to spare the anticipation bubbling inside of her much thought as he reached his hand out for her to take. His cold touch was happily welcomed, biting down her relieved groan at the coldness momentarily distracting her from the heat of the sun. 

“You can ride with me, but I can’t promise we’ll go slow.” She stared up at him with a challenging grin tugging on her lips, slowly shaking her head as she let go of his hand, swinging herself up onto his horse. 

“Don’t worry, I’m not one for taking things slowly.” The other guys shared her chuckles, grinning at the two as Jasper saddled up behind (y/n), wrapping an arm around her waist to press her against his chest.

“Good, we like a good challenge around here, darlin’.” With his heel pressed into his horse’s side, they started riding, chasing after the other guys who had already started riding away from the ranch, through the high grass. (Y/n) tried not to focus on the feeling of Jasper’s muscular front pressing against her back, tried not to focus on the feeling of his middle meeting her behind with every fast trod, unable to focus on the beautiful nature they were racing through. 

Her heart was pounding, fuelled by excitement, finally able to feel that carefree sensation she had been hungry for. She hadn’t felt like this in years, able to let go of her worries, to enjoy the company of people who made her feel safe, people who seemed to genuinely enjoy having her around. 

“You alright, feeling comfortable?” Jasper rasped his words, breath clashing against her neck as he spoke to her, accent growing thicker with every syllable rolling off his tongue. (Y/n) could only hum, leaning further into his grasp, not wanting to escape this closeness anytime soon. She tried not to overthink it, tried not to analyse the way he behaved around her, but yet (y/n) couldn’t help but hope he felt that same pull in his chest, wanting to feel her even closer, even more intimately. 

……

The sound of the crackling wood left her smiling, sinking further into the chair she was sitting on, wrapped up in a warm blanket. They had returned from their ride a few hours ago, splitting up to go shower, feed their horses and finish their jobs for the day before they met here, at the bonfire.

One of the guys had brought his guitar, singing some songs for the group as they enjoyed their beer, whisky, and the company of one another. Jasper was sitting next to her, wearing a big dark jacket that almost swallowed his whole upper body, paired with his dark hat that perfectly sat atop his golden locks. She could watch the reflection of the dancing fire in his pupils, admiring the way his eyes seemed to change colour now and then. 

“Thank you for taking me with you today.” (Y/n) murmured the words towards Jasper, smiling at the man who turned his head towards her, no longer focusing on his brothers. He matched his smile, hand reaching out to grasp hers for a moment, squeezing her fingers. The touch almost left her gasping, still not used to feeling this breathless around Jasper. 

“Of course, thank you for joining us, darlin’. I enjoy having you around.” For a second she could watch his gaze flicker from her eyes to her lips, a second that was over way too soon, wondering if she had only imagined it. Did he feel the same excitement she did? Did he feel the same pull inside his chest? “It’s beautiful, isn’t it? I never saw a sky this starry anywhere else.”

He had his gaze now focused on the sky, hand still holding onto hers. (Y/n) allowed herself to study Jasper for another second before she followed his gaze, admiring the stars twinkling for them. The sight had something so calming to it that (y/n) feared she’d never be able to rip her eyes away. Her heart began to slow its beat, distracted by the view she was now focusing on, slowly adjusting to feeling Jasper this close. 

“It is, I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it.” Her whispers made him chuckle, tightening his grip on her as he felt her shudder. She felt him growing tense for just a moment, debating his next move before he murmured her name, forcing her to look at him. 

“C’mon, move over. Carlisle would kill me if I’d let you freeze.” Heat flushed through her as she slowly rose to her feet, chuckling in surprise as Jasper pulled her into his lap, arms wrapped around her. With her face nuzzled into his neck, high on the musky scent of his cologne, she tried to focus on the warmth his big jacket emanated, distracting her from the cool touch of his. 

“Thank you.” The words were murmured against his skin, barely audible, yet Jasper picked up on them all too easily. He rested his chin on her head, grinning at his brothers who raised their eyebrows at him, smirking at Jasper. From the first moment he had spoken to (y/n), Jasper had known that she was destined to be his, belonging to the man who had yet to share the family secret with her, hoping that she wouldn’t run from him and the life he could offer her. 

“Tired?” Jasper felt her growing relaxed in his touch, breaths growing softer. A hum left (y/n), eyes no longer open, clinging to the comfort his closeness offered, luring her further into sleep’s trap. Before she could even realise what he was doing, Jasper rose to his feet, arms tightly wrapped around her to carry (y/n) towards the house. She was too tired to protest, allowing Jasper to step into the room she was staying in, placing her down on her bed. 

“Will you stay?”

……

A groan ripped through (y/n) as her eyes fluttered open. It took her eyes a second to focus, breath hitching in her chest. Jasper was lying next to her, one arm wrapped around (y/n)’s waist, the other placed behind his head. His chest was bare – just the sight shot shudders down her spine, slowly remembering how she had asked him to stay. 

“Morning, darlin’.” His golden eyes met hers, grinning at the way she clearly struggled to speak up, tongue running along her lower lip, heavily swallowing before she murmured a soft “Morning”. Jasper’s chuckles vibrated through his body, he tightened his grip on her, allowing his free hand to cup her cheek, “Now, don’t grow all shy on me.” 

“Sorry.” (Y/n) didn’t know what to say, not daring to look away as she felt his thumb on her lip, softly stroking her skin. The touch left her shuddering, silently praying that he’d close the gap between them. And with a smile tugging on Jasper’s lips, he seemed to answer her prayer, softly kissing her, giving (y/n) a chance to pull away before he’d deepen the kiss.

But she kept close, hands getting tangled in his locks, gasping against his mouth as he shifted them around, hovering over her. His tongue found hers as his hands disappeared beneath her shirt, exploring her soft skin, momentarily freezing before he found her breasts. He pulled away from her, leaving (y/n) whimpering at the sudden loss, “Tell me if you want me to stop, don’t wanna make you uncomfortable, darlin’.”

“Touch me, Jasper, fuck, been thinking of this for way too long.” The words she spoke left Jasper groaning, lips finding hers again as his hands cupped her breasts, tugging on her hardening nipples. He shifted around, and pressed his knee against her clothed heat, giving her just enough friction to coax a moan out of her, begging him for more. 

“Been thinking of this too, fucked my hand to the thought of you every single morning these past days.” Jasper’s raspy voice made her drip, grinding her core against his thigh in a desperate need for more friction, needing to feel his fingers closer to her cunt. “Such an eager girl, don’t worry, I’ll take good care of you.” 

With the fabric of her shirt pushed up to her chest, Jasper kissed his way down her stomach, moving further down the mattress to rest between (y/n)'s thighs, slowly pulling her damp panties down her legs. He looked at her with lust laced in his gaze, eyes darker than ever before, forcing her blood to sing in her ears at the mere sight of Jasper. 

His warm breath clashed against her cunt, eyes meeting hers as he sucked on her pulsing bundle, tongue brushing through her arousal-covered folds for a first taste. Jasper had his arms wrapped around her legs to keep her close, not daring to give (y/n) a chance to move away just yet, set on pushing her over the edge with his tongue before he’ll fuck her.

“I can’t wait to feel you clenching my cock, already so tight around my fingers.” Jasper’s words left (y/n) moaning in excitement, arching her back off the mattress at the feeling of his fingers fucking her, nudging her swollen spot. “Talk to me darlin’, tell me what you need.”

“Just you, fuck, just need you, your fingers, your cock, everything.” The devilish grin Jasper shot her left (y/n) breathless, tightening her grip on her covers as his mouth found its way back to clit. He heard her breaths growing shallow, walls fluttering around his fingers, about to cum with his name rolling off her tongue.

The view had something awfully obscene to it, with him resting between her quivering thighs, pupils fully dark, mouth pressed against her cunt. She was dripping for him, making a mess on the covers, on his mouth that devoured her as if she was his last meal. Without another warning, (y/n) felt her orgasm rocking through her, more violently than any other had ever taken over her system, close to passing out. Heavy pants left her, ripping through her as the sensation kept clinging to her, only allowing her to rest as he slowly pulled away from her. 

“Heaven, you’re a sight for sore eyes, darlin’, I’ve never seen something this pretty. I can’t wait to ruin you with my cock.” He pressed a kiss to her swollen lips, chuckling at the excited whimper ripping through (y/n). She tried to wrap her aching thighs around his waist, keeping him close as Jasper shuffled out of his underwear, exposing his twitching cock to her wide eyes. 

“Want to feel all of you, I‘m on the pill, just take me bare, please.” Jasper didn’t comment on the way he didn’t need to use a condom anyways, grinning down at her as he spat into his palm, lubing his aching cock. Their eyes held contact as he pushed into her, groaning loudly at the feeling of her tight walls clenching him. 

Her eyes fluttered close, head pressed further into the pillow to fully focus on the feeling of his calculated, ruthless thrusts. Jasper didn’t hold back, he fucked her into the mattress with a strength that would leave her bruises for weeks. She kept choking on his name, fingernails scratching at his skin, trying to keep herself from cumming too fast, already close to letting go once again.

“Such a pretty sight, wish I could wake up to this every single morning.” Their eyes met for a brief moment, a moment she used to give him a slight push, rolling on top of Jasper. He stared up at her with a smirk, helping her ride him. “Take what you need, such a greedy girl.”

“Need it so bad, don’t let me go, Jas’.” He was mesmerised by the sight of her, allowing one hand to wander up her body, exposing her chest to his hungry eyes. (Y/n) momentarily stopped moving to pull the fabric over her head, fully bare for him and his wandering eyes. Curses rolled off Jasper’s tongue at the sight, hips jerking to meet her movements, needing to push her over the edge. 

She struggled to keep up her pace as the welcomed sensation crawled up her body once again, gasping as Jasper flipped them around once again, fucking her through her high. He watched her fall apart beneath him, eyes squeezed shut, lips parted, chest heaving. It was a sight he’d never forget, forever remembering their first morning together. 

Jasper came a few seconds later, groaning (y/n)’s name into the crook of her neck, giving it a few more lazy thrusts. For a few moments, they kept quiet, simply holding one another, enjoying the blissful state they were trapped in. Only as Jasper slowly pulled away did (y/n) allow her eyes to flutter open, matching the smile he wore on his lips. 

“I don’t think I’ll be able to walk for a while.” (Y/n) whispered her words, hiding her face behind her hands as Jasper broke out in laughter.

“Good, means I’ve done everything right. But don’t worry, I wouldn’t let you escape this room anytime soon anyway.”

[anton-luvr]

hiiiiii!! if you don’t mind could you write about ex boyfriend!anton who gets jealous of wonbin because he keeps making fem!reader laugh (they are having a staycation tgt after finishing finals). wonbin and her are currently cooking dinner at the kitchen while anton just sits on the sofa with the other friends (could be anyone tho). they look very close and comfortable with each other so anton chooses to go out to get some fresh air. he eventually decided to swim as it might help him to calm down a bit. not long after that, she comes to him to tell him that the dinner is ready but it turns out differently (anton drags her into pool with him lol and they have a long overdue convo there.)

thank youuuu no pressure tho ❤️❤️❤️

# ALWAYS WAIT FOR YOU.

𖦹 ex bf!anton x fem!reader | fluff & angst 𖦹 note ; im so sorry anon i felt like this could be better but my brain is just not.. braining. IM SORRY I HOPE YOU LIKE IT + reqs closing soon!!

"Here comes the choo choo train!" Wonbin coos, steering a spoon full of mashed potatoes towards you.

"Stop it!" you shriek, laughing as you whack his arm away from you. "I hate potatoes!"

Wonbin giggles, setting the spoon back into the pot.

"You didn't seem to hate potatoes when we were at the dining hall the other day," he jokes, poking you in the shoulder playfully.

You click your tongue, stepping away to look for parsley. "It was free food, 'Bin," you reason. "Who doesn't like free food?"

The glass jar of green herbs catches your attention, resting on the top shelf of the cupboard.

"Can you help me get the parsley? It's up there." you ask, tugging at his jacket.

"What would you do without me?" Wonbin laughs, ruffling your hair before easily reaching up for the jar.

Anton wonders the same thing as he watches the entire thing from the living room, shifting uncomfortably on the sofa.

The wound of your breakup from several weeks ago was still fresh, even though he was the one who called it quits.

Just because of one stupid misunderstanding over you coming home late, everything had blown out of proportion.

Amongst the tired shouting, confusing accusations, and tears shed, Anton had called it off in the heat of the moment.

He was really regretting it as he continued eyeing the both of you.

Did you really need to be so affectionate while making dinner?

Were mashed potatoes even that funny?

Why did you seem so much happier with Wonbin than you had been with him?

He feels his head spin from the jealousy and anger bubbling in his chest, and he stands up abruptly.

"I'm going out," the Boston-born boy mumbles. "Gonna get some fresh air."

Your other friends, Eunseok and Sohee, hum in response; they were too busy playing the PS4 to notice the discomfort in Anton's voice.

Frustrated, Anton ran his hands through his hair as he sat down by the pool.

How could he mess up so badly?

His mind mapped out a million different scenarios if he hadn't broken up with you, plagiarizing the poor boy's mind. If only he had just communicated with you.

"God, I hate this." he mumbles to himself.

Shaking his head, Anton yanks his tank top off and tosses it aside. Maybe a quick swim would help him clear his mind.

The serenity of the water calmed the thoughts in his head, and Anton tried to logically think of a way to solve the issue.

Maybe he could just talk to you? But if so, when and where? What was he even going to say?

Anton barely got to think of anything else when he heard someone calling for him.

"Hey, dinner's gonna be ready soon," you say, standing close by the pool. "Do you wanna go take a shower first?"

He grips on to the end of the pool, supporting his body as he caught his breath and stared at you.

"Are you okay?" you asked slowly, feeling flustered by his all-too-familiar stare.

Without another word, Anton pulls you right into the water with him.

"What are you doing?" you spluttered when you resurfaced, wiping the water off your face.

"I need to talk to you about something," Anton pleaded, his hands holding onto your waist.

"But here? Right before dinner?" you questioned, dumbfounded.

He nods, praying that you'd stay.

"Okay, fine. But make it quick." you mumble.

Anton feels his hands clam up as he clears his throat. He can't mess this up.

"Well, I'm... sorry." he mumbles, voice closing up.

A tense moment of silence passes by, only interrupted by the sound of water sloshing around as you treaded in the pool.

"That's all you have to say?" you ask. "Because if that's all, then I'm gonna head back inside."

"N-No, there's more." he hurriedly assures you.

Staring at him as if to say 'go on', Anton gulps.

"This is all my fault. I didn't mean to shout at you and accuse you of those things that night, I was just... I was worried. And jealous. And scared. I know it makes me sound like a shit person, and I kind of am a shit person, but I really didn't mean it." he starts.

"I didn't mean to break up with you, I was just so stupidly scared that you were out with someone else. I should've listened to you and given you a chance to explain your side of the story, and I'm just.. I'm just so sorry, Y/N. This is all my fault."

Tears start rolling down his cheeks, but he doesn't let that stop him.

"If you've already moved on and you're interested in... someone else, then I won't interfere," he sniffles. "But if you're not, then can we get back together?" he asks, so quiet that you can barely hear him.

Anton's hands slip into yours, and he holds on to them tightly. "I promise I'll change. I'll be the best boyfriend that you deserve."

His eyes gaze into yours sincerely, sparkly with tears and vulnerability.

"Anton, I don't know." you sigh.

"I'm not interested in anyone else right now, but you really hurt me that night." you whisper, voice laced with pain.

"Like, why would you even think I was out cheating on you? Don't you know that I love you too much to even think of doing that?"

Anton feels his heart shatter into a million pieces at your words, guilt crashing down even heavier on him.

"I know, I'm so sorry." he mumbles, hiding his face in his hands. "But can you give me another chance?"

If this was with any of your other ex-boyfriends, you'd say no immediately and shove them away, but Anton was different.

He was the only one who actually treated you right; giving you his jacket when you're cold, trying his best to cook your favorite meals for you even if it's two in the morning, and helping you study when you couldn't understand a single question.

But of course, he wasn't perfect. He was still human after all.

And deep down, a part of you really wanted to stay and love him more, working together through his flaws to make the best out of your relationship.

So you sigh, gently cupping his face.

"Okay, I'll give you another chance." you whisper, smiling softly. Anton bursts into tears as he throws himself around you, wrapping his arms around you tightly.

"Thank you," he repeats over and over again, pressing kisses all over your face.

You laugh at his sudden outburst of affection, gently pushing him away. "Okay, now let's go eat dinner first before we starve in this pool."

Anton nods, and with lightning speed, he's out of the pool and helping you out too. He grabs the tank top he had tossed aside earlier and drapes it around you as a towel. Then with one easy lift, he picks you up in bridal style.

"Thank you so much," he sighs, pressing another kiss to your cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too." you giggle.

With that, Anton carries the both of you inside, ignoring the surprised shouts coming from your friends as he rushes you into his room, both of you laughing and squealing.

You grunt when he drops you onto the bed, still laughing.

Anton beams, loving the sound of your laughter and swearing to himself to never make you unhappy again.

"Alright, I'll go shower and then you can shower, and we'll go eat dinner." you chirp, getting up.

A mischievous light sparks in Anton's eyes. "Why not we shower together? We can save time and water that way, you know." he suggests, smirking.

You scoff at the boy, chuckling. "Since when were you so concerned about the environment?" you teased, knowing what his true intentions were.

"You just stay out here and wait, I'll be done real quick." you scolded lightly.

Anton smiles, nodding readily.

He'll always wait for you.

© anton-luvr, 2023.

[laugtherhyena]

Now that I'm free from college for the next few weeks i can finally talk about these two, the headcanon/take on Ayame's parents i made a little while back with help from my friend Poi, Bashira and Ippei Hatano.

-Ayame is their only child, she takes after her father both appearance and personality wise as both of them are pretty quiet and timid people who tend to not speak a lot. In Ippei's case, his often very subtle emotions don't help at all on the matter as it tends to give people the wrong impression that he’s serious and intimidating, but he really just doesn’t know how to express himself and is a pretty awkward dude in social scenarios just like his kid. He is a tad more talkative when around his family and close friends, but even then he doesn’t talk THAT much more but his family knows he cares for them more than anything.

-Bashira on the other hand is the complete opposite of her husband and daughter, very extrovert and talkative, it's from her that Ayame takes her habit of rambling about her interests tho unlike her Bashira will continue talking for hours and hours without getting self-conscious about it. She has a keen eye and can read through her family's seriousness like an open book if she senses there's something bothering or off about them, whenever that happens she will make them open up and try to help them with the problem.

-She wears her heart on her sleeve and is a very caring and emotional person, thought she's as curious as she is nosy and tends to ask a lot of questions to Ayame's friends as she wants to know the kind of person her daughter’s hanging out with, this borderline interrogation is made worse by the fact that she's the kind of parent that will embarrass her kid with childhood stories but Ippei is usually there to pull her aside and tell her she's embarrassing Ayame in front of her friends.

-Bashira owns a flower shop as she's been fascinated by plants and nature ever since she was little, she used to tend to her parent's garden since both had very demanding jobs and were busy most of the time which led to her wanting to know more about plants and study botanics. This passion of hers is so strong that she named her daughter after a flower (japanese iris).

-She’s known for having a “magic touch” of sorts where everything she plants grows beautiful and strong, when tending to plants she never wears gloves of any kind as she feels like touching the dirt and plants with her bare heads makes all the difference.

-These two met at a restaurant Ippei used to work in as a waiter in his late teens because Bashira used to go there often with her friends. The whole reason he was working there to begin with was because this place had a piano in the stage where artists would perform sometimes and he’s always had a love for classic music, so whenever he had closing shifts he would stay there overtime after the restaurant closed to play the piano. There were a handful of times he let Bashira get in after closing to listen to him perform.

-His dream was to pursue that kind of career and become a musician but with the bubble burst and economic recession he decided to take a more stable office job than try his luck in the industry. He does still play as a hobby though! The Hatanos have a piano in their house and he plays it for fun and when he needs to de-stress from work. When Ayame was a child he would often play for her and talk about his passion even if she didn't have much interest in music.

-They're not as close as they were when she was a kid by current time since both of them aren't great at communicating but both know the other does care for them quite a bit even if the lack of words and some not-so-well solved issues are a bit of a barrier between them.

-While Ippei isn't outright not supportive of Ayame’s athletic career, he worries more than he cheers for her after the injury she had in one of her legs because it was a very serious one that could lead to her losing movement/feeling in her leg if she goes too far in training and doesn’t take good care of herself. On the other hand Bashira is still as supportive as ever about Ayame's sprinting, she worries too but much like Ayame herself she is pretty stubborn and being a huge optimist she is certain nothing worse will happen.

-When she was still in the hospital recovering from the surgery he went to talk to her about how it was ok to slow down and that she could still enjoy running and training as a hobby, just like he did with playing the piano. He obviously said that with the best intentions in mind but Ayame was in a very stressful and awful mindset because of everything and ended up not taking it very well, as if her dad was telling her to give up on her dreams, so she ended up yelling at him in the hospital about how she won’t give up like he did and Ippei just goes silent out of not wanting to argue with his kid.

-She apologized shortly after but they haven’t had a proper talk about all this stuff? If that makes sense? It was just a quick apology since neither of them are very good at talking + Bashira doesn’t want to intervene heavily on the situation since she feels like it’s something they need to resolve on their own, just father and daughter. (Though it’s not like their relationship crumbled after this mess or anything, it’s just something that was never properly resolved)

-Both of them died in the tragedy but if they had lived long enough to be rescued by the Kisaragi foundation alongside the 6.5 cast Ippei would have joined the foundation in Rei’s division while Bashira could have become a secretary or assistant of some kind if she didn't dislike Minako to the point of being unable to stand being around her.

-In a non-tragedy setting she would already dislike her quite a bit due to the way she treated her child, but because Bashira developed a strong disdain towards Kizuna because of what happened in the killing game she directs that hatred towards her mother since Kizuna herself is not around. The gist of it is that Bashira refuses to believe Ayame could have been so cruel out of her own volition, “I know my daughter more than anyone else, she would never do such a thing!”, and so blames Kizuna for her death since she was the one who instigated the event. (She despises Akane too, but she's the mastermind so who doesn't)

-Ippei is not the kind of person to hold these kids of grudges + he mostly blames himself for what happened to Ayame because he feels that if he had prohibited her from continuing her training as a sprinter after the injury she wouldn't have been called to hope's peak and subsequently died in the proto-killing game, he would much rather have Ayame hate him for putting a stop to her dreams than her being dead.

[babybulls15]

(Charles Leclerc/Carlos Sainz Jr., 1.1k, rated G, 1/1)

(based on that one video from the Miami shoot where it looks like Carlos is reaching up to fix Charles' hair, they're being oblivious menaces and driving the photo team insane in the process, POV Outsider, Ambiguous Relationship, kind of, they're acting like a couple soo, Idiots in Love, Crack)

Summary:

They can't keep their hands off each other. It's becoming a problem.

Read it on Ao3 or below. :))

(Tumblr kept throwing this at me and somehow it got stuck.

Thanks again to the wonderful @leversainz for beta reading and preserving what's left of my sanity! <33

I hope you enjoy and I'd love to hear your thoughts! :3)

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

When Sal had taken over the role of lead photographer for Ferrari a few months ago, she’d known it would not be a cakewalk. She’d known they were going to have high expectations and standards. She’d not known it was going to be this kind of chaos.

Really, it should be simple. A simple photo shoot. Get the drivers into the clothes, position them on the set, take the photos and repeat until the whole line has been visualized - nothing new, nothing really exciting.

Also not a lot of room for problems. Sal is a professional, Carlos and Charles are professionals, everyone is a professional, who’s been through this exact thing about 1000 times before. However, for some inexplicable reason, shooting together seems to make their two models prone to ignore all that professionalism in the room and throw their own out the window with it.

Prior to her first shoot, Sal had already heard stories from the PR-team about most of the vlogs and challenges going a bit awry. But nothing could’ve prepared her for whatever they are.

(Teammates? Friends? Boyfriends? Insane mostly.)

Their exact relationship is a big question mark to everyone, probably even themselves, but they do seem incredibly comfortable - constantly in each others space, touching in some form or another.

That, in of itself, is not a problem. It starts becoming one, when the people they work with need them to not do that for a few hours, and it is apparently impossible.

(They’re not getting downright handsy, but the way they move around each other is still too physically intimate to be edited around the power of teammates and friendship.)

And the worst thing is, no one can even really fault them, as they actually don’t seem to be doing it on purpose.

Sal recognizes it from her own relationship – the need to be close, the bubble of intimacy that makes everything else disappear - so when she has to reposition them for almost every second shot because they keep unconsciously shifting closer to each other, she can’t find it in herself to blame them. At this point, she’s gotten used to it.

(That doesn’t mean she can’t still send them chastising looks every time it happens.)

What she definitely can and will blame them for though, is their current predicament - the candid videos of the new race suits, that are taking way longer than they need to - because Carlos and Charles seem to have a lot of trouble with the 10 cm gap between them. It has repeatedly taken about 20 seconds after positioning, for them to get lost in themselves and instinctively move closer again - much to the chagrin of the videography team.

After they have to cut off the video for the fifth time, because neither of them can keep their hands where they’re supposed to be, Sal also starts blaming the director.

She keeps giving them the call of “Act natural! Like you’re in the garage preparing for the race!” and somehow the guys seem to take that particular one very seriously.

Because, just like before every race, they are completely in their own world, oblivious to whatever is happening around them. Sal has photographed enough Grand-Prixs and therefore witnessed enough of their pre-race rituals, to know the phrasing is really not helping anyone.

They’re now on their eighth attempt to get a particular candid shot of the two drivers in their shiny blue race suits wearing equally blue sunglasses.

The longer she looks at it, the more ridiculous the scene becomes in Sal’s opinion, but it’s the last one and they need to make it stick, so everyone can finally go home. Although the photo-part of the shoot is done and the videographer has taken over two hours ago, Sal and the rest of the photography team are still there (company policy...) and it is starting to drag.

Most of the staff not actively working is gathered around the director and her video monitor, impatiently waiting. They need one minute of usable footage for the promotion. One minute.

As the first half counts down, everything seems to be going swimmingly - they’re keeping it cool, they’re keeping it civil and most importantly they’re keeping it an appropriate distance apart.

At around 20 seconds to go, Charles starts fussing with his hair.

It’s an innocent enough thing, to go down without any protest from the crew. But then Carlos, in a gesture that seems too intuitive to be entirely conscious, starts moving his hands up to where Charles’ are buried in his curls.

The tension in the room could be cut with a knife. It is almost entirely silent. No one is even looking at the two drivers. Everyone knows what’s coming is inevitable, so the only thing that matters is the clock ticking on the video timer.

Carlos’ hands reach Charles’ head with about 10 seconds to go. As he starts untangling his teammates hands from his hair and gently takes them into his own, the silence is disrupted by a cacophony of almost unison groans from the team. 10 seconds. 10 seconds later and it would’ve been completely fine. Everyone is already resigning themselves to do the whole thing over again, when the director sighs loudly and shakes her head.

“No. This ends now. I do not care how we do it, but we will find these 10 seconds somewhere else. Cut the last part. We are done here.” Then she gets up from her chair and, to everyone’s surprise, simply leaves the studio.

There is a moment of stunned silence, before the whole team lets out a collective sigh of relief and immediately starts moving to pack up.

As the two drivers are ushered to the dressing rooms, Sal sees Charles lean into Carlos, making the other man reach out instinctively, pulling him closer.

They smile and wave her goodby, when they pass where she is zipping up her bags - talking animatedly to each other, once again caught in their own world.

Oblivious, Sal thinks as she waves back.

Shouldering her equipment, she watches them for a moment longer. Carlos has one arm wrapped tightly around Charles’ waist, like he has been restraining himself the last six hours and now needs to make up for lost time. Charles is no better, as he seemingly tries his best to reduce the space between them even more, practically melting into his teammates side.

Sal sighs, turning to leave. They really are insane.

[dayseedrawz2]

Someone gave me the prompt of Caine and Pomni Ice skating on the digital lake. I'm not exactly sure how to go with this one, but it's worth a shot!

Skating - Showtime (C×P) One-shot!

Requested by: @marvosa-yroz

[ASKS/REQUESTS: OPEN]

☆Caine☆

♧Pomni♧

Tha day started off normal. Caine rallied up all the players for the adventure

☆Good morning, superstars! Who's ready for today's show?!☆

His enthusiastic tone was followed by awkward silence

☆Wonderful!! Let's take a look at the agenda for today!!☆

Snap! Caine teleported everyone out to the lake

☆Since this so-called "winter" is coming to a close, I thought I'd make today's adventure just for the occasion!☆

With another snap, the lake was frozen over and surrounded by railings and a gate in front, and the cast was all given ice skates

☆Today's adventure is ice skating!! The rules are simple! Get into pairs, and have a blast! But watch out for thin spots! Bubble and I will be here to supervise! Have fun!☆

Then off Caine went. Outside of bounds, leaving the others to their own devices.

Most of the cast found partners to skate woth. Gangle with Zooble, Ragatha was with Jax (unfortunately), and Kinger brought a picture of... someone from his room leaving Pomni by herself.

She didn't mind. At least - not that much... I mean, what else was she gonna do? Partner up with kinger? He seemed content with his current "partner." She didn't really have a choice other than to lean on the rail and watch the others. Better than making a fool of herself! Still... she couldn't help but feel lonely...

Caine was on the other side of the lake watching the others from outside the arena. But he couldn't help but glance over at Pomni. One of his members was partner-less?? Now, we can't have that!! So he hesitantly took initiative

☆Hiya Pomni!!☆

The Jester was caught off guard

♧GAH!!! oh... It's you...♧

☆...Pomni, why aren't you with the others?☆

♧Well, for starters, I don't have anyone to skate with... not that I wanted to anyway.♧

☆Oh, come on now, who doesn't like to skate? I hear it's a very popular activity for humans around this season! Besides, I've been working very endlessly on getting the physics to be just right!☆

♧How would you know? It's not like I'd remember how to skate, let alone I'd I ever did. Whatever... it's fine. I'll just stay here.♧

The Ringmaster could tell something was definitely wrong. Not like he'd know exactly what or how to fix it. But may as well do what he could!

☆...Well, I suppose this is a first for the both of us!☆

With a snap of his fingers, he acquired a pair of skates of his own

♧Wh-what are you do-WOAH-♧

Caine took her by the hand and dragged her towards the center of the lake.

☆I don't usually do this, but I couldn't stand to see you miss out on this adventure! Consider this a small prize for your participation! Or... lack thereof...☆

Pomni continued the conversation while still trying to maintain her balance

♧ I can certainly tell... W-well, thanks, I guess...♧

They continued to skate together for the rest of the adventure. Not very well, but hey, they only fell like once... maybe twice.

Maybe this place wasn't so lonely after all...

OH MY WORD FINALY IM DONE IM SORRY THIS TOOK FOREVER I WAS HAVING TROUBLE BRAINSTORMING-

Thanks again for the request!!

[calyndrops]

SeLfHoOd

It might seem quite absurd (because it is), yet after a lifetime of devoting to art and going through so many creative trials and tribulations, ‘SeLfHoOd’ is my very first officially completed piece

and I finally gathered enough courage to share it as, hopefully, only the first of plenty more dramatically surrealistic content to blossom close by from now on! I'm so glad to be here and I truly strive for this to be the beginning of something wonderful for all of us ✨

And, to whom it may concern, the intended meaning of the artwork can be read below:

‘SeLfHoOd’ is a comfortably claustrophobic portrayal of introspection, distorted (self) perception/reflection and bubbling emotions; instead of streaming down the pierrot’s face, her tears come out as bubbles and float through her surroundings (meanwhile a giant bubble isolates her and her sobs from everything else)! Yet there's something off about the distortions visible through said bubbles, as they reveal excessively twisted imagery.

Now, does that happen due to the psychological state of its source or is it actually only noticeable through the viewer's perspective? Why, and what could that possibly suggest? Does it highlight more about the pierrot's current perception or about yours? 👁️

Independently, each and every one of us have been or will somehow be in her spot at some point in our lives. We and our emotions will not always be properly understood by ourselves and/or others (and it's even debatable if the latter is indeed possible), but in the end of the day, this is just fine as it is simply part of the living experience! Since this matter is usually referred to as something intimidating and painful, I tried to celebrate the delicacy and beauty of its uniqueness and how it is, inevitably, part of everybody and our constant self-knowledge journey.

Although I’ve created this based on the described thought process above, please, feel free to build your own interpretation and to share your thoughts about this piece if you'd like. Anything would make my day! :^D

Lastly, thank you very much to everyone who finds and reads this! I hope it was enjoyable! ♡

[foamingatthemouthhh]

Okay!!

Quick rundown of some of my au’s relationships with the help of @crushedsweets ‘s chart !

I lowkey thought I posted this a week ago but apparently I didn’t -

I’ll write it all down here so it’s a little simpler to understand { I won’t be writing about how EVERYONE feels about one another just the ones that are more prominent, although if anyone is interested about specifics ask away 🤍

{ also POLYCULE HAHA Nina , Jack , Toby, Natalie, Kate and who knows I might add mooooreee }

Some of these descriptions are pretty rough and I also didn’t do everyone because that’s too much work- but if there’s anyone in particular you want to know more about let me knowww

Also- I ramble , apologies 😔

Toby - Nina | Toby and Nina become very close, best friends, and eventually lovers 🤍

Toby - Natalie | ‘Ex’s , good friends | before he meets Nina they meet and become pretty good friends, they start a little thing where they’re on and off again { they never actually

’Date’ } but Toby’s bipolar behavior and difficulties with himself and relationships gets in the way, he ends up in a fight with Natalie and they don’t talk for a week.. she finds him waiting outside of Nina’s job for her to get off of work.. she decides she can’t avoid it any longer

Natalie sits down beside him and before he can speak she tells him that They aren’t going to work out,, she tells him she cares deeply for him but they can’t go on like this.. Toby knows this and it hurts but with a small kiss to his forehead Natalie is gone.. their relationship is rocky after that, Toby still loves her deeply but learns to love her as a good friend. They’re good friends now.

Toby - Benjamin | used to be best friends, Ben crushes heavily on Toby even in his death, his crush is unrequited and he never got to confess in his life.. Toby eventually starts to forget Ben, he’s always in the back of his mind but he learns to find new friendships. In death Ben gravels heavily with hating Toby for not saving him, he knows in a sense there wasn’t anything he could do.. Toby carries the guilt of not saving his first friend..

Toby - Tim & Brian | Close, found family in a sense, Toby currently lives with the two men in an old farm house. The two men found Toby at his lowest point { on the run, lost Ben, off his med’s } Tim was reluctant at first and a little snappy towards Toby, they had a little feud for a bit and at the beginning Toby warmed up to Brian more.. but eventually the more time they spent together the three of them grew close and were like mentors to Toby.

Toby - Jack | acquaintance’s pretty much , friends in a sense… also Toby has a massive crush on him LOL | Toby & Jack met through Nina, Toby was pretty weary of Jack first,, he’d never seen a creature like him outside of his delusions.. they don’t say much till Toby meets up at Jack’s place in search for Nina and surprise surprise he comes face to face with a mask less Jack- boom Bi awakening LOL- Jack has no idea and finds it funny how flustered and nervous Toby will get when he seems Jack without his mask, he just chalks it up to Toby being more nervous and,, afraid ? In a sense and teases him a bit- The guy is clueless to Nina’s crush as well LOL

Toby - Jeff | when I tell you Toby fucking despises Jeff’s guts that’s almost an understatement, It takes a long time for Nina to come clean about Jeff only mentioning him in bits and pieces until one day after a pretty bad episode she spills her heart out to Toby about him and well- it’s on sight LOL

Nina - Jeff | okay so- there’s a lot when it comes to Nina and Jeff’s story but I’ll try and bubble this down to something a little simpler..

Nina and Jeff are extremely complicated, I’ll get one thing out of the way Nina never *Loved* Jeff.. she liked him when she first met him. She found him interesting, he was like her! Alternative,, liked morbid things, was interested in similar music.. except- he also wasn’t like her,, she didn’t know his dark thoughts, the way he sabotaged the poor girl.. changed her, morphed her,, she was naive, begged for his attention, and unbeknownst to her.. would do anything he said. He manipulated her whilst lapping up her praise and attention..

Then he broke her, he exposed his dark and disturbing thoughts of gore and horror.. had her do everything he said, had her eating out of the palm of his hand.. then destroyed her,, abandoned her, left her scrambling to pick up the pieces..

But then he found her again, lured the girl in and took off with her again.

He was all she had now so,, what choice did she have?

But then he abandoned her again, left her shattered again.. just like before she’d done everything he said, cleaned up his messes and kept the cops off of their asses and yet- he’d grown bored..

Nina hates him yet he still has his hooks within her,, morphing her thoughts and feelings even if he isn’t there, Jeff doesn’t hate Nina.. being without her he realizes how much his ego thrived off of hers - it’s complicated

Nina - Liu | Nina and Liu only knew each other briefly before Jeff cracked, occasionally they’d see one another at school or Jeff’s house and they’d share brief conversations before Jeff was pulling her away.. they briefly saw each other at the hospital that *Night* , let’s just say Liu was horrified when he saw that brief glimpse of Nina on the gurney screaming her heart out for her mommy..

Liu didn’t have the guts to see Nina when she was awake in the hospital feeling for some reason it was his fault for what happened to her,, but before he left the hospital he left her a letter and that one letter morphed into many between the two for the next two years when Nina was institutionalized.

They grew close over those letters yet they never actually saw one another, to see what Jeff had done to them would break the illusion Liu wasn’t that sweet little boy anymore.. that Nina was no longer that naive girl who chose the wrong boy to hang out with.. but then the letters stopped and Liu finally went to the institute to see her.. but she was gone.. doctors said she disappeared in the middle of the night..

They don’t see each other again until years later, and it’s not by coincidence.

Nina - Jane | Nina & Jane didn’t talk in school they hardly knew each other,, it was only when Nina began to hang out with Jeff that Jane began to dislike her, not for her per say but for the guy she hung out with- to later find out after what happened to Nina that she ended up leaving again with Jeff it angered her.. when she finds Nina again it’s many years later and she is quick to spill her anger onto Nina only to realize Nina has changed significantly.. she had stayed with Jeff for some time,, but after he’d ditched her Nina eventually came to her senses.. Nina & Jane’s relationship is complicated and severely rocky,,

Sally & Slenderman | Sally’s spirit is very old, she’s hateful and angry and Slenderman can feel it.. he is fascinated by this girl, especially her lack of fear when she comes face to face with such an ancient being.. horrific he may be she’s met monsters worse then him.. they are like two magnets drifting towards each other, protecting one another.. Slender admires her fury and passion, Sally knows In her own way he won’t hurt her and well he’s the only person who’s truly kind to her. Who accepts her anger and fury. { father daughter dynamic, they’re both protective of one another and not seen far from each others presence.. if they are Sally is often found drifting in and out of slenders territory }

Helen + Liu | Helen and Liu met when Liu went back to school { after dropping out of medical school } they spotted each other around campus the first few weeks but never spoke much, until Liu had forgotten something in one of his classes and he went back to retrieve it only to find Helen sitting in one of the large painting studio’s.. alone.

He was captivated by his use of red on the canvas, the different shades and depths he managed for get.

The conversation was awkward, mostly on Liu’s part.. Liu didn’t talk much, socializing only when it was necessary. He was quiet, reserved, heavily anti-social.. Helen was calm, collected, observant,, he sounded uninterested in Liu’s murmurs of praise for his work.

Till he got one good look at Liu and he was hooked.

Their relationship is,, weird, Liu knows something’s wrong with Helen. The little comments he makes, his grotesque yet beautiful paintings, his odd interest in dark themes of art and work,,

Helen also knows there’s something about Liu that he refuses to reveal to Helen, and it fucking fascinates him.. he knows within Liu there’s something dark there, stirring within him and Liu wants to find it..

Idk if I’d call it toxic ?? I only have a little bit of their dynamic written out

Nina - Natalie | omg besties 🤍 Lol No but they are pretty close, Nina had seen Natalie around town but only really got close to her when Toby & Natalie became friends.. she always admired the way Natalie held herself up and didn’t take shit from anyone.

Natalie found Nina annoying at first but getting to know her better and eventually hearing her story over a few drinks she understood Nina much better..

She related to the girl in her own way and from then on she wasn’t so harsh on the girl, looking out for her when others wouldn’t.. allowing her to crash at her place when she couldn’t stomach being alone.. taking her out to lunch and picking her up from work occasionally.. safe to say Nina was quick to swoon for the girl. Natalie thinks she might have a small crush on Nina as well but prefers to keep things,, unlabeled? She likes the way things are and is also not good when it comes to something serious.. Nina doesn’t mind.

[redrydersrequiem]

The Raven and the Vampire

Ch 5

updated 11/21/25

font in purple is inner thoughts

Marvel and twilight crossover

once again long chapter, has jaspers back story from the book but I feel that's important to his character which is why I added it

After talking to Bella, it took another two days for her to contact me to let me know she was meeting the wolves after school and wanted to see if I could come. I was ecstatic; this was an excellent opportunity to study the wolves' magic up close. 

Loading into Bella’s old truck, soft old rock pours from the radio. On the way, she explains to me that Jacob and a bunch of his friends are part of Sam Uley's pack, which currently has about ten members and their respective significant others.

Like any good diplomat, I brought a gift to break the ice. Mila made her death-worthy chocolate cookies that even Dad could be buttered up with. Passing all the trees on the way to the reservation, we finally pulled into a clearing with a quaint home in the middle. Five shirtless boys were currently running out. 

“Well, well, look who showed back up.” One of the shirtless boys chimes in. He’s a little smaller and has a boyish, Bieber-like hair cut.

“Well, well look who still hasn’t learned what clothing is,” Bella replies in a sassy tone. 

“So this is your friend. You told us about the other leach lover?” The tall, bulkier one with a sour expression on his face asks

“Excuse me? What did you just say?”

Setting the basket of goodies down roughly on the edge of Bella's truck. I take a step forward. My hand clenched tight. Ready to smack the look smug off his face, Aurelius disguised around my wrist, ready to intervene if he must. When another voice from inside the house stops me 

“Knock it off, Paul, all of you; Bella and her friend are our guests.”

A taller man, thankfully in a red shirt, walks onto the porch, approaching Bella and I

“Bella, welcome back.” 

“Thanks, Sam; I wanted to introduce you to Elara.”

“Welcome in, Sam Uley.” He reaches out to shake my hand. I can immediately tell he’s not human, with the heat coming off him, let alone the strong smell of wet dog.

“Elara Mani”

‘Bella said that you’re involved with the other Cullen”

“Yes, Jasper and I are dating, and due to current circumstances, I was told everything that's been going on, so I wanted to meet you and your pack.”

“Very well, come inside. The food should be about done.” One of the former group saddled up to us with a smirk on his face 

“It is an honor to meet you.” He reached out to shake my hand, kissing it. Pulling my hand away, I chuckled at the silly boy.

“Not so fast. Sorry to burst your furry bubble, but I'm taken. Nice try, though.”

“Hey, I had to try, but yeah, Emily made some BBQ, and is that chocolate I smell.”

“We’ll see if anyone gets any yet.”

 He just laughs and starts heading into the house. Bella just smiles and nods at me to follow. The inside of the house is very quaint, and the delicious smell of cooked meat and bread fills every inch. A young woman stands with her back to us, finishing pulling things out of the oven while all the boys pile around the large table.

“Boys, I swear if you eat all the food before I can set everything out, I won't cook for you for a week.”

Turning the young woman's face is visible. I can feel the others stare at me, waiting for some kind of reaction; I'm guessing to the scar running down the woman's face, but unfortunately for them, I'm royalty and have seen a lot worse.

“Oh, hello, Bella and Bella’s friend; I'm so glad you came back over.”

“Hi Emily, this is Elara. She’s Jasper's girlfriend; she already knows everything and wants to meet everyone.” 

“Oh well then, welcome elara. There’s plenty of food for everyone.” 

“Thank you so much; your home is beautiful, and the food smells amazing.

“Why, thank you.”

 “I brought some desserts; they're my aunt's special recipe.”

Her face lights up with a smile, and I can tell by the girl's energy that she’s glad I didn’t comment on her scar. Judging by the almost pregnant pause earlier, this has probably happened before and made her feel horrible. I swear some people have no etiquette.

“Come sit and help yourselves before the boys, or you’ll get no food. I'll hide these for now.” She smiles and takes the basket from me. Taking a seat at the table, everyone’s eyes were on me.

“So what’s your deal?”  The boy at the other end of the table Asks 

“Shouldn’t you introduce yourselves before trying to grill me, or have you not learned your manners yet?”

“Oh, shit, she got you, Paul.”

“Shut up, Quil. Fine, I’m Paul,” The one at the end of the table starts; next to him, the younger skinner boy from earlier pipes up.

“I'm next. We’ve already met, but I'm Embry.” He winks at me, and all I can do is lightly chuckle 

“Ignore him; we all try to. I’m Jared. It's nice to meet you, Elara. Welcome to the reservation. Leah, Jacob, and Seth went to get some stuff real quick but should be back soon.”

 “In the meantime, please dig in.” Emily chimes, joining everyone at the table, Sam pulling her onto his lap

“Thank you, Emily.”

“Now that we’ve introduced ourselves, I'll ask again what your deal is, new girl.”

For Norn's sake, Odin, help me not pop this knucklehead before this day ends. That would break my cover, let alone further disrupt my plans. 

“Well, to start, puppy, my name is Elara, not new girl. Secondly, I just moved here a couple of months ago with my aunt and uncle. I became involved with the Cullens and was told what's been happening, so I wanted to meet you all. I'm trying to find a way to protect my new friends and family from whatever the hell is going on, and I'm hoping we can all agree.”

“I'm sorry you want to come to an arrangement with the pack and the Cullens?” Sam asks quizzically 

“Yes, so we should probably wait until everyone is here. I would hate to leave anyone out.”

“Bella, you have anything to say about this? Does Jacob know?”

“I’ve been trying to get Jacob and Edward to see reason for long enough; I'm fine letting Elara try her hand. She’s very diplomatic and understanding.”

Before anyone can make another comment, the sound of a car pulling up to the house and three other voices come closer

“That will be Jacob and the rest of them.”

“Hey, we're here. Is the food ready? I'm starving.”

“Your always hungry, Seth,” a female voice speaks up. 

“Hey, I'm a growing boy. Oh, hello. I’ve never met you before.” 

Walking into the room, a young boy, possibly in his early teens, is followed by a statuesque woman behind him. Finally, a well-built other male sporting a shorter hairstyle and stance, much like Sam did when I first met him, until he saw Bella, walks in.

“Hey Bella, you came.”

“Hey Jacob, thanks for inviting me over. I want to introduce you guys to my friend Elara.”

“Hello” 

“Hi, nice to meet you. Any friend of Bella’s is a friend of mine.” Jacob reaches out and vigorously shakes my hand.

“Bella said you wanted to know more about the pack and everything that's going on now that you’ve been brought into everything.”

“Oh, you're the new one the blonde leach is with.”The woman, I'm guessing is Leah, speaks Norns; the wolves don't like the Cullens 

“Jasper is my boyfriend, and I adore him and his family. Now, I came here to be friendly, but if you wish to continue bashing others when they aren’t here to defend themselves, maybe I should leave.” 

“Hey, it's fine. We're cool; we all just need to calm down. Please, Elara is my friend, and we’ve been over this before; no bashing. I don't let the Cullens talk bad about you guys.” Bella quickly directs the conversation 

“Whatever.” Leah lets out with a scoff, going to join Paul on the other side of the table. 

“Maybe we should just get this over with. What is it you wanted to ask my pack, Elara?”

“Well, I'm not here to grill you guys, so we don't all have to be so serious. I was simply interested in learning about your history and shifting capabilities. But if that's not my place, I'm fine with sharing a delicious meal with some of Bella's close friends.”

“No, it's fine. I'm sorry they aren’t very trusting, but we'd happily tell you about our culture and its history. Hell, the black family has been here forever, and what I don't know, I can easily ask my dad; he’s even on the tribe's counsel.”

“That would be amazing.”

Once the wolves got some food in them, the very air seemed much more relaxed as Jacob regaled me with the same tale he had told Bella before 

(If you know the story, you know. If not, you may want to google)

“Wow, that story was incredible.”

“Why, thank you, Elara. You know you're pretty lucky not many non-natives get to hear our tales.”

“That’s a shame; your people have such a beautiful culture and history. I hate it when others trample on it simply because it's not theirs.”

“I feel the same. You know you're pretty cool; I thought you’d be different for some reason.” 

“Oh, I'm a very complex person. You're just catching me on a good day.” Laughs go around, and I feel very at peace with the atmosphere 

“Question for you all, though: is there any way I can see your wolf forms, or is that a sensitive topic?” 

“Well, I don't know, Sam, what do you think”- Jacob. 

“It's up to you all if you want to show her. Sam said. 

“I'm all up for it, beautiful; maybe you’ll fall for me instead.” Embry flirtatiously states  

“Keep dreaming, Embry,” Jared says as he smacks Embry's shoulder. 

“I guess that settles it. Come on, let's go outside.”

Walking out with the boys bickering and fighting like little wolf cubs. Jacob finally turns to me and Bella.

“Okay, well, I'll show you, but stay here and don't get so close when we shift. OK, you've got to promise. Bella already knows not to.”

“Ok, I promise scouts honor. “ I watch as Jared, Embry, Seth, and Paul all go behind the tree line for a moment, and then the next four beautiful giant wolves emerge. They were much taller and broader than regular wolves of the world but nowhere near the size of Fenrir.

“Wow, you're beautiful,” I say as I approach the dark silver wolf. Huffing comes from the wolves around me, almost like a canine laugh. 

“Aw, look, Paul, at least someone thinks your ugly hide is pretty,” Jacob says snidely from beside me. 

“I'm sorry. I meant you all very handsome wolves.”

“Embry says he doesn’t mind being called beautiful if you say it.”

“How do you know.?” 

“We have a mind link to understand what each other is saying. I don't mind translating for you, though.”

“Thanks, Jacob; which one is Embry, though.”

“Hahaha, he’s the small gray one with the black spots and gray nose.” 

“Well, then, you are a very beautiful Embry.” The wolf smiles and promptly nudges me with his head, wanting pets like an overgrown golden retriever. I pet Embry while the rest are fighting and running around us. The atmosphere is very zen as the sun slowly falls into the horizon of trees.

“You guys, I know that you don't like the Cullens, and I know you have a reason not to, but I can tell you would be an amazing aid in stopping what is to come. I sincerely hope we can come to some kind of agreement.”

Sam rustles behind me as Embry takes his head off my lap to return to the tree line with the other boys. 

“We understand your point, Elara, but I must do what’s best for my people and my pack, and I won't put them in unnecessary danger. We will discuss it and decide as a pack, but you must understand it may not be your wishful decision.”

“I understand. You're a good leader, Sam.” 

He just smiles and nods his head. The others finally rejoin us, and I thank them all for showing me their wolf forms and allowing me to hear their stories. I doubled back to say goodbye to Emily and exchange numbers with her. Her food was to die for, and I wouldn't mind having another friend in this world before BelIa, and I rode back to her house. 

The ride is silent, the rain hitting the window as we collect our thoughts. We can get the two clans worked together for the better, but based on the number of missing people Lucas had discovered, I knew they would still be outnumbered even if they joined. 

(Authors note: i know things are out of order i'm trying to make it work for my story)

“I have nothing to wear.”

 Bella moans next to me as she slumps down on her bed. Every item of clothing she owned strewn about her room

“Bella, it's just a graduation party; it will be fine. And besides, Alice is on her way over soon anyway, so you know she'll be able to find something for you.”

“Yeah, yeah, you're right. I guess it’s just stress. School stuff colliding with this vampire stuff is not mixing well.”

“I understand, Bella, but the Cullens will keep you safe. And didn’t you invite Jacob? He'll probably bring some friends, so there’ll be even more protectors. It finally seems like the pack and the Cullens are getting along. Heck, we might be looking at an alliance soon.”

“Yeah, about that.” The way she said that was not comforting. 

“What happened?

“Jacob came over yesterday and kinda tried to kiss me, and I punched him.”

“WHAT!”

“Yeah”

“Is that why your hands are all red? I thought you might have fallen on the ice again or something.”

“Oh, thank you for your vote of confidence.” 

“You know what I mean, Bella. Is everything ok? Are you ok?”

“I mean, I don't know. Jacob has been a big part of my life and greatly helped me. I don't want to lose him, but my heart lies with Edward. I know the Cullens will need the pack to help, and now I fear I've messed everything up.”

“Oh, Bella, no, no, it's okay. Come here.”  I bring the girl towards me and hug her shoulder. I can understand her stress.

“All will be ok, I promise. Now, let’s get back to what you want to wear.”

“ I knew exactly what I would have worn, my favorite red blouse. If it weren’t for that Stupid, thieving, annoying vampire.”

“What did I do?”  Alice demanded, leaning casually beside the open window as if she'd been there the whole time. Scaring the crap out of me and Bella in the process.

“Knock, knock, " she added with a grin after seeing our shocked faces. Casually, she threw a flat white box onto Bella's bedside.

“Is it so hard to wait for me to get to the door?” Bella asked from beside me.

“Yup, besides, you knew I was coming anyway.”

“Whatever. Can you believe this, elara?”  Bella asks once again, Turning to me 

“Hey, I have no comment.” Barely able to keep the smile off my face at Alice’s shenanigans

“Just look in the box, Bella. Trust me, it's the perfect thing to wear tonight.” 

Bella opens the box and pulls out a pretty dress that is perfect for Bella. 

“Go ahead, admit it, I'm amazing.” 

“Thank you, Alice.” Bella mumbles 

“You’re welcome, bells. Now get ready, and Elara, you've got to go get ready as well.”

“I know I was just waiting around for you. Everything will be ok, Bella. I promise you now, get ready tonight. It will be fun.” I pick up my things and wave bye to Bella as Alice and I walk our separate ways to get ready for the upcoming ceremony and party

It was an exciting experience from a Midgardian perspective. I can understand why the event is so celebrated; it felt almost like a naming ceremony in Asgard when young gods and goddesses received their godheads. Although I am already a master magician at the magic tower of Asgard, I have yet to gain my godhead officially. I had Mila and Lucas record the ceremony if my parents wanted to see it. 

While we changed out of the unappealing yellow robes, they chatted with the Cullen matriarchs; the four had become good friends, which I was glad for.

“Hey, there’s our little raven,” Mila says lovingly.

“Little raven?” Jasper asks questioningly 

“My father has been calling me that since I was small..”

“You looked lovely out there, sweety. Your parents would be proud. 

“Thanks, Aunty.”

“yes, you looked like a beautiful banana,” Lucas laughingly states  

“Uncle!” Everyone simply laughs as we all enjoy the end of the ceremony 

Several hours later, the party was in full swing at the Cullens house, and many students were in awe at the fabled Cullens home. Covered in graduation decorations courtesy of the resident pixie-like Cullen

The party was in full swing when the doorbell rang just hours after the last time. Swinging the door open, I see Jacob on the other side of it. Rosalie asks quietly who invited the werewolf, which Bella guiltily claims she did. Odin, I could already tell this probably wouldn’t end well. 

Bella walks over to greet Jacob, and I trail behind, not wanting to leave the young girl alone with said male.

As Jacob greets Bella, more heads pop up beside him. Not only had Jacob shown up to the Cullens home and brought along Quil and Embry. Boy, was I gonna have to steerEmbryy towards someone else. I'm sure Jasper would have his furry head if he tried to flirt with me again. Heated words bring me back out of my head as I hear the last bit of Jacob and Bella’s conversation. 

“What are you doing here?” Bella asks with a grumpy look on her face.

“You invited me to remember,” Jacob says snidely back.

“In case my right hook was too subtle for you, let me translate that as me uninviting you.”

“Oh, come on, Bella don't pretend like I'm not here.” 

The drama ensues between the two when I notice Alice has gone deathly silent, her significantly turning gray. She’s in the midst of a vision, and judging by her and Edward's faces, it was not a good one. Before I could say a word, Alice, Edward, and Jasper all but ran to the kitchen, leaving a confused Bella, the wolf trio, and I in the wake.

Turning into the kitchen behind them, I see the worried expressions on their faces. 

“Alice, what happened? What's wrong?” I say, crouching in front of the sitting pixie, taking her shaking hands into mine. Still, she says nothing. I can only register Edward and Jasper grumbling before the others join us.

“Edward, what's going on? Did Alice see something?”

“Bella I.Elara, can you take Bella back to the living room? I think we all need to talk real quick.”

“No, Bella and I deserve to know what’s going on,

“Darlin. Look at me; I need your help. You can do this kindly, but can you and Bella get the party to stop quietly? We need the humans to go home.”

“Jasper, what happened? What’s going on.”

“Elara, please.” 

It's rare for Jasper to call me by my name now, so I know the situation is serious. I nod at him before grabbing Bella; she complains as we leave the kitchen to return to Frey. I push her to start breaking the news, following her before I stop around the corner. Using my powers, I look into Alice’s mind to see what shocked them. To my horror, my worst dreams are confirmed.

Alice's vision slowly plays, the Cullens facing an army of newborns. Like a movie playing, I see Rose tossed to the side as newborns tackle emmet. Esme and Carlisle surrounded front and back, Alice kneeling in the snow-covered ground, Rue cradled in her arms, unmoving as newborns grabbed her.

Jasper is nowhere to be seen as the scene swings around. I see him now, fighting off four others when another gets their hands on him from behind. Jaws closed in on his neck, and then...NOOOOOOOO……I break out. I can’t, I can’t see this happen. I, i

Bella's voice breaks me out of the episode I'm spiraling into.

“elara, I need help. I can’t think of an excuse to get everyone to leave.”

“I'm coming.”

We announced that a family emergency had occurred, and unfortunately, the party would have to wrap up and be over in the next hour or so. Everyone seems slightly disappointed, but they all understand. People start saying their goodbyes and getting one last drink or snack. Most of the Cullens returned from the kitchen they all disappeared into. Ever the gracious host, I see Esme making final rounds, saying goodbyes and instructing the others to maintain their cover.

Everyone is having a good time as a slower song comes on to help wind the party down when Jasper saddles up to me, pulling me into him to sway softly to the music. 

“I don't believe I've told you how beautiful you look tonight, my star.”

“You did cowboy every chance you’ve gotten, but I don't mind hearing it again. You look just as handsome, even when you're trying to redirect my attention,” I reply, kissing his cheek.

“I know you’ve been worried about everything going on, darling, but I want you to listen to me. I truly want you to embrace this moment. It might not seem like much, but it's a human experience I want you to have without worrying about the newborns and things going on with everyone. You're only human, and just like Edward does for Bella, I want this life for you.” 

“Oh love, you need not worry about me. I am embracing every moment I have in forks, but you also have to know nothing will stop me from worrying about you and the others. Especially after what happened, I know how Alice and Edward reacted to that vision, which wasn’t good. Please tell me what’s going on. I can do so much more than you think.”

“Darlin, it's fine. Edward got Jacob to call the pack over so we could all talk. But You're right. Alice’s vision was not great, but I don't want you to worry about it because it's not a Definitive future. Her visions can change just as quickly as they start. I promise you everything is going to be okay.”

All I can do is hold my love close. He was trying to reassure me, but it only strengthened my conviction. I would not let anything happen to my new family.

The humans had finally dispersed from the Cullens' home. Everyone had cleaned up, and the pack finally arrived at the Cullens' house.

“So tell us, Carlisle, why was Jacob so adamant my pack should be here?”

“Of course, Sam, Alice had a vision during the party, and it seems Victoria has made up her mind.”

“You’re all going to Seattle then,” Sam asks.

“No.” Alice pipes up from her spot beside Rue. “They’re coming here.”

“To forks!!!!.”

“Yes.”

“So you’ve brought a pack of bloodthirsty leeches to our front door,” Sam growls. 

“Sam, that's not fair. Bella and the Cullens have no say in Victoria's choices; she decided to start a war with them, not the other way around. They were trying to protect their family. Just as you would if situations were different.” I corrected, trying to keep the peace as best I could in my frazzled state 

Jacobs' expression was disapproving. Until he finally spoke up, I couldn't tell if it was what I had just said or the situation itself.

“We can’t let them come that far; there aren’t enough of us to protect the town.”

“I apologize for what my family has done to your tribe, Sam, but we must come together. Neither group is strong enough, but together we would be.” Carlisle spoke eloquently.

“How many? Embry asks from the other side of the room. We all look at Alice expectantly. 

“It changes twenty-one today, but the numbers keep going up and down.”

“Why?” One of the boys asks 

It's probably cause Victoria isn't controlling them. She more than likely lets them fight amongst themselves.” Jasper adds it seems he knows a lot about newborns

“We were already planning a strategic meeting, but if we're all going to work together, you will need some instructions.” Jasper continues 

 The wolves all looked disgruntled at that last part. 

“This will be odd,” Jasper added thoughtfully. I never considered working together; this has to be a first.”

“But I know it will do you all good,” I add to the end of his statement. 

“We need to start training as soon as possible; it's too late for all of you.” The wolves all roll their eyes at Jasper's statement. 

“Three o'clock? Tomorrow? Jared asks the room. Heads all shake in agreement.

“Where?” Carlisle 

“About ten miles due north of the hoH forest ranger station. You guys come in from the west, and you’ll be able to follow our scent.”

The next day 

Much to Jaspers's dismay, I joined everyone at the training site. The tension in the air is thick even as they all pretend it's not by stretching and chatting. 

Jasper Bella and I are sitting on a rock by the cars, waiting.

“Hey, elara. Jasper letting you practice too.?” Emmet asks, coming up to Jasper and I. Jasper just pushes his brother away with a grin.

“Please don't give her any ideas.” They laugh and play wrestle with each other 

Are you leading this exercise, cowboy?

Yeah, Jasper, you don't seem as anxious as the others,” Bella adds.

“I'm guessing Edward didn't tell you?

“No, I didn't,” Edward says, approaching the group. “That's your story, not mine, plus I didn't know what all you'd told Elara or if you even had. 

“Jasper? I say, seeing my mate's solemn mood.

“Sorry, love, it's time to tell you my story. And I'll be honest with you, it's not great. I hadn't said anything because I didn't want you to look at me differently, star.

Jasper, believe me when I say there is nothing you could have done that I would stop loving you.”

“But Elara”

“NO!” I can tell my outburst turns everyone's heads, but I don't care 

“You’re my heart, Jasper. Whatever you've done or had to do has you standing here with me, and that is all that matters to me. I love you.”

“I can tell Jasper is struggling, but he simply pulls me forward, hugging me tight to him as I feel him place kisses on the crown of my head,

I don't know what I'd do without you. I love you too, elara.”

Steeping away from him, we turn back to the others. When I saw him start rolling up his sleeves, I'd never seen him without sleeves, thinking it was his preference. But I wasn't prepared for what lay underneath them. 

He held his wrist up so that Bella and I could see clearly. At first, my eyes could not make sense of the texture, which was layered thickly across the skin. Curved half-moons crisscrossed in a feathery pattern that was only just visible, white on white as it was, tracing his finger across one of the raised crescent marks. It wasn't till I saw Bella pull  her sleeve up and show her scare I realized what the marks where 

Bite marks

Jasper, what happened to you? Bella gawks. 

“The same thing happened to your hand,” Jasper answered quietly. “Repeated a thousand times.” He laughed a little ruefully and brushed at his arm. 

“Our venom is the only thing that leaves a scar.” 

“Why?”I breathed in horror, feeling rude but unable to stop staring at his subtly ravaged skin. 

“I didn’t have quite the same . . . upbringing as my adopted siblings here. My beginning was something else entirely.” His voice turned hard as he finished. 

“Before I tell you my story,” Jasper said,  “You must understand that there are places in our world where the lifespan of the never-aging is measured in weeks and not centuries.”

The others had heard this before. Carlisle, Esme, and Emmett go back to their previous conversation. Alice moved silently to sit with Rue and Rosalie on the other side of the clearing. Only Edward remained as absorbed as I was; I could feel his eyes on my face, reading every flicker of emotion.

 “To understand why, you have to look at the world from a different perspective. You have to imagine the way it looks to the powerful, the greedy . . . the perpetually thirsty. You see, there are places in this world that are more desirable to us than others. Places where we can be less restrained and still avoid detection. Picture, for instance, a map of the western hemisphere. The picture on it shows every human life as a small red dot. The thicker the red, the more easily we — well, those who exist this way — can feed without attracting notice.” 

I shuddered at the word feed. But I squeezed Jasper's hand, signaling him to continue.

 It's not that the covens in the South care much for what the humans notice or do not. It’s the Volturi that keeps them in check. They are the only ones the southern covens fear. If not for the Volturi, we would be quickly exposed.” 

I frowned at how he pronounced the name — with respect, almost gratitude. The idea of the Volturi as the good guys was hard to accept after all the stories I had been told. 

 “The North is, by comparison, very civilized. Most nomads here enjoy the day and the night and allow humans to interact with them unsuspectingly — anonymity is important to us all. It’s a different world in the South. The immortals there come out only at night. They spend the day plotting their next move or anticipating their enemy. Because it has been war in the South, constant war for centuries, with never one moment of truce.

“what are they fighting for?” I asked. Jasper smiled. 

“Remember the map with the red dots?” He waited, so I nodded. 

“They fight for control of the thickest red. You see, it occurred to someone once that if he were the only vampire in, let’s say, Mexico City, well then, he could feed every night, twice, three times, and no one would ever notice. He plotted ways to get rid of the competition.

And I'm Guessing Others had the same idea. 

“Correct, love. Some came up with more effective tactics than others. “But the most effective tactic was invented by a fairly young vampire named Benito. The first anyone ever heard of him, he came down from somewhere north of Dallas and massacred the two small covens that shared the area near Houston. Two nights later, he took on the stronger clan of allies that claimed Monterrey in northern Mexico. Again, he won.”

“How did he win?” Bella asked with wary curiosity. 

“Benito had created an army of newborn vampires. He was the first to think of it, and, in the beginning, he was unstoppable. Very young vampires are volatile, wild, and almost impossible to control. One newborn can be reasoned and taught to restrain himself, but ten and fifteen together are a nightmare. They’ll turn on each other as quickly as on the enemy you point them at. Benito had to keep making more as they fought amongst themselves; however, though newborns are dangerous, they can still be defeated if you know what you’re doing. 

They’re incredibly powerful physically for the first year or so, and if they’re allowed to bring strength to bear, they can easily crush an older vampire. But they are slaves to their instincts and thus predictable. Usually, they have no fighting skills, only muscle and ferocity. And in this case, overwhelming numbers.” “The vampires in southern Mexico realized what was coming for them, and they did the only thing they could think of to counteract Benito. They made armies of their own. . . . “

“And All hell broke loose.” 

“Correct again, love immortals have our histories, too, and this war will never be forgotten. Of course, it was not a good time to be human in Mexico. When the body count reached epidemic proportions, the Volturi finally stepped in. The entire guard came together and sought out every newborn in the bottom half of North America. Benito was entrenched in Puebla, building his army as quickly as possible to take on the prize—Mexico City.”

“The Volturi started with him and then moved on to the rest. Anyone who was found with the newborns was executed immediately. The Volturi were cleaning house for almost a year.” Edward adds

“It was enough that the fever for conquest did not spread from the South. The rest of the world stayed sane. We owe the Volturi for our present way of life. But when the Volturi returned to Italy, the survivors were quick to stake their claims in the South. 

It didn’t take long before covens began to dispute again. There was a lot of bad blood if you’ll forgive the expression. Vendettas abounded. The idea of newborns was already there, and some could not resist. However, the Volturi had not been forgotten, and the southern covens were more careful this time. The newborns were selected from the human pool with more care and were given more training. They were used circumspectly, and the humans remained, for the most part, oblivious,” Edward states.

“The wars resumed, but on a smaller scale. Occasionally, someone would go too far, speculation would begin in the human newspapers, and the Volturi would return and clean the city. But they let the others, the careful ones, continue. . . .” Jasper was staring off into space.

 “Is That how you were changed.” My realization was a whisper. 

“Yes,” he agreed. 

 “When I was human, I lived in Houston, Texas. I was almost seventeen when I joined the Confederate Army in 1861. I lied to the recruiters and told them I was twenty. I was tall enough to get away with it. My military career was short-lived but very promising. People always liked me and listened to what I said. My father said it was charisma. Of course, now I know it was probably something more. But, whatever the reason, I was promoted quickly through the ranks.

The Confederate Army was new and scrambling to organize itself, providing opportunities. By the first battle of Galveston — well, it was more of a skirmish — I was the youngest major in Texas, not even acknowledging my actual age. I was placed in charge of evacuating the women and children from the city when the Union’s mortar boats reached the harbor. It took a day to prepare them, and then I left with the first civilian column to convey to Houston. 

“I remember that one night very clearly. We reached the city after dark. I stayed only long enough to ensure the entire party was safely situated. As soon as that was done, I got myself a fresh horse and returned to Galveston. There wasn’t time to rest. Just a mile outside the city, I found three women on foot. I assumed they were stragglers and dismounted immediately to offer them my aid. But, when I could see their faces in the dim light of the moon, I was stunned into silence. They were, without question, the three most beautiful women I had ever seen. They had such pale skin; I remember marveling at it. Even the little black-haired girl, whose features were Mexican, was porcelain in the moonlight. They all seemed young, still young enough to be called girls. I knew they were not lost members of our party. I would have remembered seeing these three.

Jasper paused, taking a breath and squeezing my hand to recenter himself. 

“A few days later,” he said, “I was introduced to my new life. Their names were Maria, Nettie, and Lucy. They hadn’t been together long — Maria had rounded up the other two — all three were survivors of recently lost battles. Theirs was a partnership of convenience. Maria wanted revenge and her territories back. 

The others were eager to increase their herd lands. They were assembling an army and going about it more carefully than usual. It was Maria’s idea. She wanted a superior army, so she sought out specific humans who had potential. 

Then, she gave us much more attention and training than anyone else had bothered with. She taught us to fight, and she taught us to be invisible to humans. When we did well, we were rewarded. . . .” He paused, editing again.

 “She was in a hurry, though. Maria knew that the massive strength of the newborn began to wane around the year mark, and she wanted to act while we were strong. There were six of us when I joined Maria’s band. She added four more within a fortnight. We were all male — Maria wanted soldiers — making it slightly more challenging to keep from fighting amongst ourselves. I fought my first battles against my new comrades in arms. I was quicker than the others and better at combat. Maria was pleased with me, though she said she had to keep replacing the ones I had destroyed. I was rewarded often, and that made me stronger. Maria was a good judge of character. She put me in charge of the others — as if I were being promoted. It suited my nature exactly. The casualties dropped dramatically, and our numbers swelled to around twenty. This was considerable for the cautious times we lived in. My ability, as yet undefined, to control the emotional atmosphere around me was vitally practical. We soon began working together in a way that newborn vampires had never cooperated. Even Maria, Nettie, and Lucy could work together more efficiently.

“Maria grew quite fond of me — she began to depend on me. And I hate to admit this, but I worshipped the ground she walked on. I had no idea that any other life was possible. Maria told us this was the way things were, and we believed. “She asked me to tell her when my brothers and I were ready to fight, and I was eager to prove myself. I pulled together an army of twenty-three unbelievably strong new vampires, organized and skilled as no others before, and Maria was ecstatic. After successfully fulfilling her plans, she became greedy. It wasn’t long before she began to eye other cities. 

That first year, she extended her control to cover most of Texas and northern Mexico. Then the others came from the South to dislodge her.” He brushed two fingers along the faint pattern of scars on his arm. 

“The fighting was intense. Many began to worry that the Volturi would return. Of the original twenty-three, I was the only one to survive the first eighteen months. We both won and lost. Nettie and Lucy turned on Maria eventually and were killed quickly.

My life continued in the same violent pattern, and the years passed. I was sick of it all for a long time before anything changed. It wasn't until decades later I developed a friendship with a newborn who’d remained useful and survived his first three years against the odds. His name was Peter. I liked Peter; he was . . . civilized — I suppose that’s the right word. He didn’t enjoy the fight, though he was good at it. “He was assigned to deal with the newborns — babysit them, you could say. It was a full-time job. “And then it was time to purge again. The newborns were outgrowing their strength; they were due to be replaced. Peter was supposed to help me dispose of them. We took them aside individually, you see, one by one . . . It was always a very long night. This time, he tried to convince me that a few had potential, but Maria instructed us to eliminate them all. I told him no. “We were about halfway through, and I felt it was taking a significant toll on Peter. I was trying to decide whether or not I should send him away and finish up myself as I called out the next victim. To my surprise, he was suddenly angry, furious. I braced for whatever his mood might foreshadow — he was a good fighter but never a match for me. 

“The newborn I’d summoned was a female, just past her year mark. Her name was Charlotte. His feelings changed when she came into view; they gave him away. He yelled for her to run, and he bolted after her. I could have pursued them, but I didn’t. I felt . . . averse to destroying him. “Maria was irritated with me for that . . .

 “Five years later, Peter snuck back for me. He picked a good day to arrive. Maria was at her wits end with me. He told me about his new life with Charlotte and options I’d never dreamed of. They’d never fought in five years, though they’d met many others in the north. Others who could co-exist without the constant mayhem.  He soon convinced me to just leave with him, and I was ready to go; it was a relief I wouldn’t have to kill Maria. I’d been her companion for as long as Carlisle and Edward had been together, yet our bond was nowhere near as strong. 

I think it's because when you live for the fight, for the blood, the relationships you form are tenuous and easily broken. I walked away without a backward glance. I traveled with Peter and Charlotte for a few years, getting the feel of this new, more peaceful world. And though everything was better, I still felt hollow and empty, like an empty killing machine putting on a mask to try to hide. That lasted years until one day Alice found me. 

“He kept me waiting long enough to, " Alice says, returning to the group now that the story's horrors are over. 

My apologies, ma’am.” 

“If it weren't for Alice telling me my future, I wouldn't be here. I would never have met you, my star.” Jasper said, smiling sadly at me, almost as if waiting for me to leave him for the story; instead, I once more curled myself in his arms, partially to hide my sad face from his tell but also to bind him to me. The faraway look in his eyes scared me more than anything. 

“I'm so sorry, Jasper. You didn't deserve any of that. I wish, I wish.”…(

I would have thought to find you sooner; I could have saved you from so much pain.)

“It's all right, love. While the past was hard, waiting for you was worth it,” he says again, kissing me softly.

Norns, I wish I could kidnap Jasper and take him back with me where nothing would have to hurt him again, somewhere he'd be happy and free—all of them. That's my wish. Yet the natural world continues to stop me as I notice Alice stiffening up and staring into the far treeline.

“Alice, are you okay?” I ask, separating from Jasper as he also goes to check on his sister.

“She’s fine, you two,” Rue says, coming to hug her girlfriend. She's just nervous. Her visions don't work when the wolves are involved. She doesn’t know how this will play out, which is not a feeling she is used to. 

And they’re almost here.” 

Seeing Rue, has Alice handled. Jasper gently nudges me in Bellas's direction. The young girl is now even more depressed if that is possible,

I give him a final squeeze, kissing his cheek and leaving him with Emmett. He gives me a cheeky smile, nudging me towards her. 

“hey, bells.

“Hey elara”

‘You ok” 

“No, I'm not. This is all happening because of me, and now all my friends have to learn to fight deadly newborns and have the chance of getting seriously hurt or dying.

“Bella, I promise you it will be ok. Everyone here is here because they love you and want you to be part of their family. Like my mother always tells me, family sticks together; everything will work out if you have the love of your family behind you. 

“Thanks, Elara. Are you ok? After that story

“I can't lie and say I am, but Jasper says the past is the past, so I believe him. For now, anyway, I smile laughingly. 

Edward announces to the crowd, “The wolves are almost here, but I'm going to have to translate for them.” 

“What, why?” I ask  

“Cause they don't trust us in their human forms.”

“Understandable. This is hard for them. I'm just grateful they are coming at all,” Carlisle adds solemnly. Bella just stares at Edward. 

”They’re coming as wolves?” He stares back, gently nodding. I see thoughts forming behind his eyes. But before I can comment on it, a strange gleam enters Edward's eyes as he quickly turns away from Carlisle and the others. 

“Prepare yourselves; they've been holding out on us.

“What do you mean?” Rue asks from next to Alice 

Shh, he cautioned and stared past her into the darkness of the woods. The Cullens' informal circle suddenly widened into a loose line with Jasper and Emmett at the spear point. I could tell Edward wished he was in the front with them, but he tightened his hold on Bella's hand. 

Damn, Emmett mutters under his breath. Did you ever see anything like that? Esme and Rose exchange wide-eyed glances 

“What’s the problem?

“The pack has grown, "Edward mutters to me. I guess the Cullens didn’t know others had joined the pack; as I finally saw the ten wolves step into the clearing, I could recognize a few like Paul, Quil, and Jared, but the others I hadn’t seen in wolf form that day at the pack's house. Carlisle took a slow and deliberate step forward. 

“Welcome,” he greeted the wolves. 

“Thank you,” Edward responded in a flat tone. I immediately realized that the words were coming from the large black wolf at the front of the group. I'm guessing this was Sam.

We will watch and listen, but no more. That's already asking a lot of our self-control.”

“That is more than enough,” Carlisle answered. “My son, Jasper,” he gestured to where Jasper stood, tensed and ready. 

“Has experience in this area. He will teach us how they fight and how they are to be defeated. I'm sure you can apply this to your hunting style.” Carlisle finishes stepping behind Jasper's tense form. 

“They are different from you? Edward asked for Sam.

Carlisle nodded, “They are all very new—only months old to this life—children, in a way. They will have no skill or strategy, but they will have brute strength. Tonight, their numbers stand at twenty, according to our dear Alice. That's ten for you and ten for us. It shouldn’t be too difficult.”

“And there’s also a chance the numbers may go down,” Alice adds quickly. Or you could add silently.

“Yes, Alice is correct; the new ones tend to fight amongst themselves if not adequately trained and corralled,” Carlisle states. A rumbling sound and a low growl pass down through the shadowy line of wolves.

“We are willing to take more than our share if necessary.” Edward translated his tone somewhat less indifferent if that was possible.

 Carlisle, ever the diplomat, just smiles. “ We’ll see how it plays out.”

“Do you know how they will arrive 

“They’ll come across the mountains in four days in the late morning. That information makes my eyes go wide. I'll have to start preparations for everything sooner than I thought.

“Thank you for the information. We will watch.”

With a sigh and some rustling, the wolves found a suitable place to rest and watch the Cullens. It was silent momentarily before Jasper stepped into the space between the vampires and the werewolves.

“Carlisle is right. They’ll fight like children. The two most important things you’ll need to remember are first, don't let them get their arms around you, and second, don't go for the obvious kill. That’s all they’ll be prepared for. They'll be too confused to respond effectively if you approach them from the side and keep moving. Emmett?” Jasper jesters him over. Emmett stepped out of the line with a massive smile on his face.

Oh, Odin, I can already tell where this is going.

Jasper backed towards the far end of the clearing and waved Emmett forward. 

“Okay, Emmett will demonstrate first; he’s the best example of a newborn attack.” Emmett's eyes narrowed quickly, turning his head to me. 

“Elara, I'm going to have to apologize to you later; after I beat Jaspers ass, do know I'll try not to break anything.” He says, turning back towardsJasperr.

Jasper just grinned. “What I meant is that Emmett relies on his strength. He's very straightforward about his attacks, the same as the newborns. Just go for the easy kill Emmett.” Jasper backed up a few more paces, his body tensing.

“Ok, Emmett, try to catch me.”

At that,t they were off. If I was mortal, I’m sure I wouldn’t be able to see anything happening if the bewildered look on Bella's face said anything. Jasper was a blur as Emmett charged him like a bear, grinning while he snarled. While Emmett was incredibly quick, Jasper was quicker. Jasper became a ghost, and whenever Emmett seemed like he was going to catch him, his fingers would find nothing but air. I see Edward keenly forward, eyeing the battle intently. Then it all froze Emmett at a standstill; Jasper had him from behind his teeth an inch from his throat. Emmett cussed as a muttering rumble of appreciation was heard from the watching wolves.

“Again.” Emmett barks out, ready for round two.

 “Oh no, it’s my turn,” Edward protests beside Bella. I watch as her fingers tense around his hand.

“In a minute, I want to show the girls something. First, he says, winking back at me. I just shake my head at his sudden cheekiness.  Going back to Edward, he says, "I know you’ve been worried about Bella as I have Elara. So Alice, if you please." 

Alice dances into the circle, looking as meek and small as possible. Rue just watched on with a smile.

“I know you worry about her; I want to show you why that's unnecessary.”

Though I know, Jasper would never hurt Alice. I mean, she was his best friend. I was still anxious to see what would happen. Jasper sinks back into a crouch as Alice still stands there motionless. Jasper springs towards her, using his inhuman speed to disappear suddenly, only to reappear on the other side of her. Alice appears not to have moved at all.

“Wait, what?” Bella says out loud. Rue just laughs and tells us to keep watching. Jasper wheeled and launched himself at Alice again, only to land in help behind her, just like the first time, all while Alice stood there smiling.

Interesting. I watched Alice now instead of looking for Jasper and finally saw what was happening. She was moving- I missed it, distracted watching my love train. She was taking small steps to the side just as Jasper was about to grab her. Jasper closed in, and Alice began to move even faster. Like a lethal dance, Alice spun and twisted and curled her body in on herself as Jasper continued to lunge and reach for her, never being able to touch her. Then, as we finish the dance, Alice finally disappears, leaving Jasper to look around quickly. Out of nowhere, Alice reappears perched on Jasper's back, her teeth hovering at his neck. 

“Gotcha. She laughs out, jumping down. Jasper just chuckles and throws his hands up in surrender.

“Alice, you are truly one frightening little thing,” I say, studying the girl.

 “Alice is a perfect example of not underestimating anyone due to their stature. Just because someone may look like an easy kill doesn't mean they will be.

Weary mutterings are heard from the wolves as Edward slyly smirks. I look at him puzzled. He shrugs and says it's good for the wolves to learn some respect before loudly saying he called the next dibs on training.

Alice and Rue come to take Edward's place. 

“Cool, huh?” Alice asks us. “Very,” Bella replies. I agree. I am not looking away from Edward as he glides noiselessly towards Jasper, and his movements are lithe like a cat.

 When I hear Alice tell Bella, she has her eye on her. My gaze flicked back over to them; Alice’s expression was reproachful. 

“I'll warn him if your plans get any more defined.” She threatened in the same low murmur she had just spoken in. “It doesn’t help anyone if you are in danger, Bella. Both of you. Elara, I may not be able to see your future as I can, Bellas, but I know you're just as worried as she is; what you both need to understand is none of us would stop; we would all still fight to protect you guys.”

 I desperately want to tell Alice I can protect myself and everyone else who will let me, but the words refuse to come out of my mouth. If I were to say to them now, it may change the future that's already been set, and the fear of it becoming the one where they get hurt is a dead weight in my stomach.

A sound pulls me out of my thoughts; I see Edward has closed in on Jasper now, and the fight is more even than the others. Jasper had centuries of experience to guide him, but Edward could read thoughts, which put Jasper at a tactical disadvantage. They came at each other repeatedly; neither one could gain the advantage. Instinctive snarls and smack talk erupting constantly. It was almost hard to walk but harder to look away. Now and then, the sharp eyes of the wolves would catch my attention, seemingly to be learning a lot, even though I can’t decide if it's a good thing. 

Eventually, Carlisle cleared his throat, ending the match. Jasper laughed and took a step back. Edward straightened up and grinned at him. 

“Back to work,” Jasper consented. “Well, just call it a draw.”

The rest of the Cullens take turns, all under Jasper's careful eye.

As Carlisle stated at the end of the training period, the time came and went: “We'll be doing this again tomorrow. Please feel welcome to observe again.” 

“Yes,” Edward answered in Sam’s incredible voice. We’ll be here.” The pack also thought it would be helpful for them to be familiar with all of our scents so they don't make mistakes later if we could hold still for a moment.”

“Certainly,” Carlisle says to Sam. 

The Cullens and Bella all come forward. I step towards Jasper. The pack comes forward and takes their sniffs, the Cullens stiffening. I can’t blame them, but all I want to do is pet them all. I'm an animal lover. What can I say?

Everyone is lightly chatting, the wolves huffing and growling at one another. I wish I could keep this scene in mind and keep everyone here safe and happy. But I know this needs to happen, and I can do nothing to stop it.

 All I can do is make sure the outcome changes. 

[fulltimesapphic]

@mrghostrat made more.

I can’t stop myself.

Writing for that one.

Jesus fucking Christ here we go. This one’s a bit longer. *scrolls all the way down* damn, really a bit longer.

The bookshop was quiet. A bit too quiet. Crowley snapped his fingers and a sweet soft sound started filling to room.

The song? Crazy little thing called love. Crowley and Freddie were hanging out one time, Crowley, as usual was talking about his angel, and the next time he saw the musician the song had been written. In the bubble bath of all places. (True story)

The aforementioned angel walked into the room Crowley was sitting in. They currently were not talking to each other. But maybe….

I gotta be cool, relax. Get hip and get on my tracks

Take a back seat, hitchhike, And take a long ride on my motorbike

Until I'm ready, Crazy little thing called love

Crowley wouldn’t speak to their angel but maybe they could still talk.

Aziraphale snapped his fingers, catching on to what the demon was doing. Little lion man played.

Take all the courage you have left

And waste it on fixing all the problems, That you made in your own head

But it was not your fault but mine, And it was your heart on the line

I really fucked it up this time. Didn't I, my dear?

Crowley snorted. “Yeah you did”

Shit. She wasn’t supposed to talk to him.

“I-…. I know. I know I hurt you. Believe me I know. But I regret it. There’s not a day that goes by where I regret my choice. Heaven is unfixable. You probably think I’m quite stupid.” Aziraphale let out a small laugh. “I thought I could make it better. But as usual, you were right. And don’t make me do the dance. Or do! If that’s something I need to do to help you forgive me, I’ll do it gladly! Ah- um… anywa-“

“I don’t think you’re stupid…” Crowley said so softly it could’ve been a whisper. They cleared their throat and spoke again.

“I’ve never thought you were stupid. Misguided? Yeah. Optimistic? Absolutely. But never stupid.”

He paused, unsure of how far to go. “I thought you were brilliant.” He finished voice cracking.

While she was talking, she had stood and crossed to stand close to Aziraphale. Both of them were very conscience of every inch between them. Or more accurately, lack of inches between them.

Aziraphales eyes flicked around his face, rested on their lips but ended on the sunglasses hiding Crowley. Hands raised slowly, unsure.

Crowley gently put his hands on Aziraphales elbows a moved them up to Crowleys face. He removed the glasses.

“There you are” Aziraphale said, a look that Crowley couldn’t quite place, filling his eyes as he took in her yellow eyes.

“Have never told you how much I love those eye? Cause I do. Really love them. They’re my favorite part of you. Incase you were ever worried that I hated you for being a demon. That I was trying to fix you by bringing you back to heaven.”

Crowley hadn’t moved. It felt like he was collecting dust.

“They’re perfect. You’re perfect.” Aziraphale continued oblivious to what he was doing, the feelings he was stirring.

That’s what the look was. Love.

It was hard to tell who moved first but for the sake of argument, they both did and met in the middle.

They had wasted so much time. Over 6000 years wasted. But no more. (Ha dr who reference( the brainrot is so fucking real dudes))

Hands on the face, arms around the neck, bodies pressed against each other, leaving no space in between. They only broke apart when they had run out of breath. Angels and Demons can only hold it for so long.

Crowley smiled. The first smile in a long time.

“I also love that smile. And the hair, and the snake tattoo and th-“ Crowley kissed him again. “Sssshut up”

“Make me” Angel said with a smug smile on his face.

“Really? That’s how you wanna do it? Why not just ask, if you like me kissing you so much?”

This time it was Aziraphale that shut the other up with a kiss.

The music had stopped playing a while ago but now a new song came on.

Everyday.

“Nnnooo!” Crowley said before lunging to change it while Aziraphale cackled behind him.

I put so many romance tropes in this. Ima big big fan of the “there you are” when Az take of the cursed sunglasses. And the “make me” thing. Whenever I see that I just like melt. Anyways congrats on getting here! Hope you enjoyed

[viatagrinner]

Clavis Lelouch. The Prince is a Bodyguard. Chapter 1 & 2

It's a good day. MC and Clavis went on a date. The girl turned down the alley to get to the store she wanted to visit faster.

There was a loud noise. A large number of soap bubbles flew at her.

The sight was beautiful.

(There is no one but Clavis to do it...)

The prince is proud of the reaction he got from his beloved.

Sudden attack-the basis of the trap. Clavis waited for the heroine to relax.

(Of course, I didn't expect such a trap to be waiting in the middle of a date.)

MC: Recently I thought I was used to Clavis's traps, but I guess I still am not.

Clavis: If you get used to the traps, I'll make traps that surpass them.

Clavis: It is because of you that I can continue to set high goals as a trap master.

Clavis: I currently have the best abilities at court as a trap master, but the day is not far off when I will be the best on the continent, is it?

(That's grandiose... But if it's Clavis, I think it will really come true someday.)

Still, MC liked the trap. Clavis is happy about it.

(If it's such the trap, it's not a bad thing to fall into.)

━━━━━━━༻❀✿❀༺━━━━━━━

A couple of days passed.

MC hesitated in her thoughts, because now every day she falls into traps.

Now these traps are not to surprise the girl, but to get her attention.

(And most importantly... Clavis seems to be busier than ever these days.)

The prince does not answer her questions.

A few days later, MC decides to get answers from Clavis to her questions.

Clavis: Lady Fiancée, look at this tree. Isn't there a lot of fruit on this tree?

But the heroine went to this place often, there were no fruit trees.

There was an apple growing on the tree, pears on another, peaches on a third.

When the girl saw it up close, it was stronger than a real apple and had a unique luster.

Clavis denied that it was an apple.

The surface of the "apple" was hard, but the inside was soft flesh. It looked like an apple, but tasted like a peach.

This is a new invention of Clavis that he is proud of.

Has Clavis invented nectarines in this world?

He offers to eat them to the heroine.

The girl collects them from the tree. She realizes that she has forgotten her main goal.

She, noticing a cloud of dust, wonders if the prince has been hiding something from her.

Clavis offers to show her.

Several people lose consciousness, having been dragged down by a rope.

━━━━━━━༻❀✿❀༺━━━━━━━

Chapter 2

Clavis explains that they are the "bad guys. They attack the heroine and the prince every time they go on a date.

Clavis: Well, we're always so in love that they get jealous of us, aren't we?

Clavis: These men may be jealous, but. It won't ruin our love.

Clavis: Haha, that's why, men bow down to our love.

The captives were taken away by the knights.

━━━━━━━༻❀✿❀༺━━━━━━━

In the carriage.

The heroine thinks of the traps as a distraction for her so that she would not see or hear that they were being followed. Also, the prince spoke to the girl in a light, cheerful tone so that MC would not be afraid.

MC: Clavis, maybe the recent traps were designed so that I wouldn't notice that we were being followed?

Clavis: No, it wasn't. I set the trap "for my own sake".

Clavis: Dear Fiancée, I love you with all my heart.

MC: ....Oh, thank you very much...

Clavis: I absolutely cannot let anyone intrude on our love date.

Clavis: If that had happened, you would have been distracted by another man while you were on your date, wouldn't you?

That would have upset the prince very much.

The girl's heart immediately felt warm.

Clavis' traps immediately seemed more charming.

However, why did the prince only tell her about it today?

Clavis: It's because. We're about to catch the baddest villain among the baddest villains.

Clavis: Yes, that's right. Many envy us lovers, but few begin to act without someone leading them.

The prince says that MC can no longer be bothered.

She is glad, but disappointment creeps into her heart. It was all for her protection.

She wants to help the prince with one last trap.

Clavis: .....

He was dumbfounded, but then he laughed.

Clavis: That's my dear bride, isn't it?

MC: ....It's obvious.

MC: I want to protect Clavis the way Clavis protected me.

MC: I'm Clavis' accomplice, aren't I?

━━━━━━━༻❀✿❀༺━━━━━━━

Clavis' Masterlist

[dethtism]

Winter Wonderklok Day 3:

❄️Hot Tub in the Snow❄️

Light Turderface spice If you squint

·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙　✩　*̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙

"You cannot be serious."

A groan was heard from Murderface as Toril squeezed her middle and index fingers between the bridge of her Greek shaped nose, the couple shivering under the elements as snow continuesly fell around them, making small halos of white in their hair.

"When did you even have this put in?"

"Lascht night, while you and Charles were buschy working."

He tried to make it sound as though Toril and Charles work, which was undoubtedly what was keeping Williams (as well as the rest of Dethkloks) career afloat, was somehow inferior to the work he hadn't even done: installing a hottub outside of one of the few ground level exists nearing his basement level room. It did provide a decent view, Toril had to admit, with a scenic view of the snow-covered hills surrounding Mordhaus, as well as an unclouded view of the star littered sky. It was very nearly breathtaking, and Toril could only assume William had intended the view for all but himself.

"I figured, y'know' it being the holiday scheason and whacht-not, why not warm up by takching a schkinny dip in our very own tchub?"

"Maybe because hots tubs are meant to be inside? Where no one-especially not Tonje- can have a clear view?"

William forced out a laugh at the rather valid complaint of his rather new girlfriend, and proceeded to tear off his shirt and vest.

"You worry tchoo much."

Though she had seen his bare chest many times prior, this had been the first time she'd been alone with the bassist in a setting such as this, somehow closed off from outside eyes yet open for anyone to find, Toril found it difficult to disguise the blush which accumulated at the sudden intimacy of her current position; as well as the sight of Williams chest under the Moonlight.

"It's my job to worry- William?"

In what seemed to be the blink of an eye, Murderface had gone from his position beside Toril, to infront of her, submerged to his chest in the bubbly water- the rest of his clothes discarded on the ground around them.

"I- Whens did-"

"Ch'mon Tchoril, hop on in, the waterchs fine!"

Toril groaned as she rubbed her now watery eyes, courtesy of the tubs never-ending train of steam. "Do you think you're just immunes to getting sick?"

Murderface scoffed at Torils' modest sentiment, and gently flicked warm droplets of water from her fingers onto her suit.

"Do you tchink we'll get hypothchermia from schitting in a hot tub?"

"It coulds happen."

Murderface moved forward from his spot until he was nearly face to face with the fully clothed Norwegian.

"Well, if itsch schtaying warm that you're worried about.."

Toril turned away from William, feigning a gag as she pulled out a cigarette and lit it on her way to the exit door. As she blew the smoke into the snowy sky above her, she took a deep breath to disguise her giggle at Williams sudden reaction.

"Tchoril! I'm schorry- ch'mon!"

William threw his arms about, looking for any sort of way to aquire Torils attention once again, but his pleas and splashing about turned out to no avail; Toril went back through the door and he was left alone in the outdoor tub. William sighed as he sunk further into the water, until all that remained dry was his head. Initially, he hadn't expected Toril to react like this, true he hadn't really thought she would skinny dip with him, but he had at most had expected to convince her of joining him in a bathing suit, or even in her current underwear- something. But now, instead, he was left to brood over his sad little thoughts in the sweltering heat of his, what only now was thought to be, poor financial decisions while mindlessly swirling strands of water through his fingers.

'Sche coulda at leascht schaid schomething.'

'Thchat might be aschking too much.'

'..Sche coulda at leascht schmacked me.. Or schomething.'

Admittedly they were still very early into what they only just decided to call their relationship, little more than a month since Toril had taken the step William had previously found himself too reluctant to make, and he already felt as though he were fooling himself. Even if she did like him in bed, as things went, all Murderface had been able to do was second guess himself in all aspects of his life- even his bass playing seemed to somehow rely on Torils sole approval of the sound of an instrument she knew nothing about.

William sighed once again, sinking deeper into the water.

'..Feelingchs are changing me.'

'Torilchs changing me.'

'Maybe it's just Christmas.'

No matter what the explanation be, it wasn't necessarily a change William had found himself opposing.

William was broken from his thoughts by a sight which would have made him tear up had his eyes not already been wettened from the steam, here come Toril walking towards him with one arm carrying towels and his robe, and the other carrying two bottles of wine with pride, all while donned in her own robe- and Murderface dared to imagine what was underneath. His wonders wouldn't be kept from him much longer, however, as Toril sat his robe and the towels to the side.

"I asked one of the klokskateers to make us a cheese plate." She said in a hushed tone, whilst handing William both bottles of wine and raising to untie the robe from her waist, letting the fabric fall gently from her shoulders and quickly turning to throw it alongside Williams. As the cold wind began to slice her bare skin, she turned her gaze back to Murderface and was met with the incredibly red faced bass player, who's green eyes could only be seen as a halo around the blown out blacks of his pupils. Toril scoffed, effectively masking the quick reddening of her cheeks as she stood above Murderface in the warm, bubbling water.

"Your jaw, Williams."

"Do you tchink you could come help me find it?"

With a small chuckle, Toril submerged herself in the water, moving to rest beside William, who regained his air of uncertainty as the dilemma of hand placement was thrust upon him. Toril, however, manged to solve the problem for both of them, by moving her arm to rest behind Wills' back and moving his hand to rest on her thigh. For a minute the pair sat in a comfortable silence, both of them admiring the same sky from different views, until Murderface cleared his throat.

"I can, uh, Get rid of thisch if you-"

"Who said I wanted it gone?"

William's gaze snapped to Toril, who's own was still fixed on the stars, as she snaked her free hand to rest atop William's. Had he only had the boldness to make this request before they met- or even two months prior to now, she never would have even thought to entertain his idea, and now here they are under a snowy, star lit sky as though this sort of tender affection came naturally to either of them. Toril looked down from the corner of her eye, to the large, coarse hand now unknowingly raking a thumb across her own.

'Maybe it's just Christsmas.'

·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙　✩　*̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙

[headcanonsandmore]

Music Of The Ways

Summary:  Tegan Jovanka is already struggling with her feelings for Nyssa of Traken. The Doctor accidentally messing up the TARDIS translation circuits is the last thing she wants. However, maybe non-verbal communication may be a blessing in disguise for both Tegan and Nyssa...

                           Read on FFN.                              Read on AO3. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

‘Well, that was an unexpected reaction.’

Tegan sighed, staring down at Nyssa. The two of them were lying on the floor of their room. It hadn’t been planned; Nyssa had been conducting experiments and, a few moments before one of her test tubes had erupted, Tegan had pushed Nyssa out of harm’s way, the two of them landing disjointedly on the floor.

Nyssa smiled up at the Australian, her long brown hair in a halo around her head. Not that Tegan was noticing how pretty Nyssa’s hair looked, of course. She was just observing the simple fact that her roommate was very pretty in general. Obviously.

‘You need to be careful, Nys,’ Tegan said, as the TARDIS ventilation circuits kicked into gear, sucking the weird gas above them into ducts in the ceiling. She was trying to avoid thinking about the fact she was currently straddling Nyssa’s hips. ‘Didn’t you promise you’d wear your goggles when doing experiments?’

‘Sorry,’ Nyssa said, as Tegan climbed off and helped her to her feet. ‘I got excited with how the experiment was progressing.’

‘You’re supposed to be the sensible one,’ Tegan muttered. ‘I’m supposed to be the loose cannon without common sense.’

‘I had to pick up your role while you were away.’

Tegan flinched. Nyssa’s voice was perfectly friendly, but Tegan didn’t like to think about the time she had been gone from the TARDIS. Yes, the Doctor had finally gotten her back to Heathrow Airport, but… well, it was complicated.

Nyssa didn’t seem to have noticed Tegan’s discomfort at this comment, and walked over to the bubbling remains of the test tube she had been working with prior to the explosion. Clearly, Nyssa had not missed Tegan as much as Tegan had missed her.

‘Oh, drat,’ she said, staring down at it. ‘Nevermind. At least that highlights the faults in that hypothesis.’

‘You mean, that it almost blew you up?’

‘Yes,’ Nyssa said, turning her head to smile over at Tegan. ‘And thank you, Tegan. You’ve saved my life once again.’

Tegan found herself blushing. Sometimes, she thought she could ignore her feelings for Nyssa, but then the Trakenite would smile at her and Tegan would be helpless once again before the image of her wonderful best friend, her cheeks dimpling as she smiled at Tegan in that way she never did for anyone else.

‘Don’t mention it,’ Tegan said, shrugging. ‘Besides, I need to return the favour; you’ve saved my life more times than I can count.’

‘You’re too sweet, Tegan,’ Nyssa replied, still smiling. ‘You know fully well that I couldn’t have a universe without you.’

‘Oh, flattery will get you nowhere,’ Tegan said. ‘Anyway, I’m gonna check with the Doctor, just so he doesn’t barge in asking about the ventilation ducts.’

Nyssa smiled, and Tegan left the room.

Immediately after closing the door behind her, her face turned a deep maroon and she could feel her heart racing.

I couldn’t have a universe without you.

What the hell was that supposed to mean?

Tegan’s mind was buzzing with confusion as she walked along the corridor. Was the TARDIS translations circuits on the blink? That must have surely been the case, because that sort of thing wasn’t a normal platonic thing to say to one’s best friend. Certainly not in that tone of voice!

Oh, but Tegan wished that it wasn’t just the TARDIS getting the translation wrong. It was a forlorn hope, she knew. There was no way that Nyssa could ever see Tegan in that way. Nyssa was smart, kind, beautiful and wonderful; she deserved the universe, not some gobby Australian who’d stumbled into the TARDIS by mistake-

CLICK10101aaidjfoufhufgaiodlfgdiyhuegfsidgytardgsaprfjdpghohjfwpfhpadgzz1010101-

Tegan stopped and clutched the sides of her head. Her mind had suddenly exploded with a collection of random noises, accents and incomprehensible sounds.

Bloody hell, what was that? It felt like a saw had been involved in a collision with her brain. Judging from the doors around her, the whole TARDIS had shaken, as several of them had creaked open.

Head still aching, Tegan hurried towards the console room. There, she found the Doctor, staring down at the TARDIS console.

‘Doctor? What was that?’ Tegan said, striding towards the time lord. ‘It felt like a sudden migraine, but the whole TARDIS shook…’

‘Ah,’ said the Doctor, turning to face her. He had an immensely guilty on his face. ‘Er…’

Tegan put her hands on her hips and glowered at him.

‘What. Have. You. Done. Doctor.’

‘Well…’ he said, slowly. ‘You see, I was trying to fix the chameleon arc and I may have… accidentally rebooted the translation circuits.’

‘Excuse me?’

‘Listen, it’s not that much of a chance; I can speak English perfectly.’

‘Doctor, are you saying that the TARDIS translation circuits aren’t working properly?’

‘Well… yes.’

Tegan sighed, and squeezed the bridge of her nose with her fingers.

‘How badly?’

‘They won’t be working at all for a while.’

‘A while?’

‘Several hours at least. Few days, maybe.’

‘Doctor, you bloody-’

The door opened, and Nyssa hurried in, looking concerned.

‘Nyssa,’ Tegan said, turning to her.

Nyssa began to speak, and it was in a language Tegan did not recognise. The language of the dead planet Traken; a language Tegan had never heard Nyssa speak, as the TARDIS had always translated it into English in Tegan’s ears. The only word of the language Nyssa now spoke that Tegan could understand was her own first name.

Tegan’s eyes widened.

‘Doc,’ she said, looking horrified at the Doctor. ‘How am I supposed to…’

‘I’ll translate,’ the Doctor said. He then began speaking in the Traken language to Nyssa. After a few moments, Nyssa’s eyes widened in realisation. And worry.

Without thinking, Tegan reached out and gently took Nyssa’s hand, giving it a soft squeeze.

Nyssa’s face softened, and a small smile rose on her lips as she stared at Tegan. Tegan felt her heart well with warmth for the younger woman. Even with their ability to understand the others language removed, they could still understand each other so well where it counted.

‘Doctor,’ Tegan asked. ‘How long is this going to take to fix?’

‘The TARDIS may take a few hours to properly adapt to its correct settings,’ he said. ‘Until then, we’ll have to make the best of it. ’

Tegan glowered at him. Seeing this, Nyssa let out a giggle and squeezed Tegan’s hand.

‘Don’t worry,’ the Doctor said. ‘Nodding and shaking your head means the same in Nyssa’s language as it does in English.’

                                                              *

 About an hour later, Tegan and Nyssa were sat in their room. Nyssa had briefly tried to start her experiments again but her heart didn’t seem to have been in it, so she eventually went to sit down on Tegan’s bed beside her.

How were you supposed to communicate with your best friend if they couldn’t understand your language?

As if in answer to Tegan’s query, one of the oval panels on the wall beside them opened, and a collection of colouring pencils (plus several thick pads of paper) was revealed.

Tegan smiled. The TARDIS was clearly trying its best to apologise for the situation they were currently in. Tegan tried normally to think about the fact that the TARDIS was, technically, a living machine but she appreciated it very much at this moment in time.

Tegan got up and collected the pencils and paper. Nyssa stared at her in polite confusion as she sat back down next to the Trakenite. Smiling in encouragement at her friend, Tegan opened one of the pads of paper and wrote her own name on the first page. Hitting on an inspiration, she then drew a rough sketch of the planet earth below it. It wasn’t perfect. But it would do.

She raised the page up so that Nyssa could see it, and then patted herself on the chest.

Seeming to realise what Tegan was attempting, Nyssa smiled, nodded, and grabbed a pencil and another pad. After writing what was presumably “Nyssa of Traken” in her own language (as well as a drawing of Traken itself), Nyssa held up the paper up. Tegan marvelled at the intricacies of the alphabet and nodded.  

Tegan pointed at the page in Nyssa’s hand.

‘Niss-ah’ she said, pronouncing the different sounds slowly. ‘Niss-ah Trar-kun.’

Nyssa nodded, and then pointed to Tegan’s page.

‘Er-thuh,’ she replied, her voice slightly uncertain with the pronunciation.

Tegan nodded, grinning. Without thinking, she reached out with her other hand and linked her fingers through Nyssa’s.

‘Tee-gan,’ Nyssa said, smiling and squeezing Tegan’s hand. ‘Tee-gan Jo-van-kar.’

Tegan felt her cheeks flush.

There was a knock at the door of their shared bedroom, and the Doctor walked in. Grinning at them both, he walked over to one of the walls and removed one of the large oval panels.

Tegan and Nyssa both walked over to where the time lord was stood.

‘Telepathic circuits,’ the blonde man grinned, pulling a large box out of the hole and placing it on the bed nearby. ‘If you both put your hands in, the TARDIS can get a head start on getting the translation circuits repaired.’

He then repeated that to Nyssa in her own language, and the younger woman nodded.

‘Should only take a minute or two,’ he said, cheerfully, to Tegan. ‘At the very least, you’ll be able to understand each other.’

Smiling, he left the room.

Tegan shot a quizzical look at Nyssa, and the last daughter of Traken nodded in agreement. Their hands, joined together, slipped into the folds of the telepathic fields.

At first, Tegan couldn’t feel anything. Only a vague sense of the TARDIS softly engaging with her brain. But then-

Tegan’s mind was suddenly filled with immense sadness. Of a planet slowly consumed by entropy, of Nyssa’s father destroyed and then possessed by the Master, of… of…

Of Tegan leaving the TARDIS.

Or, rather, the Doctor leaving Tegan at Heathrow. Tegan remembered it well; she was just reaching the TARDIS when it had dematerialised. She had been shocked and confused, baffled that the Doctor would assume she wouldn’t want to say any goodbyes with either him or Nyssa. But Nyssa had assumed that Tegan had left without so much as a backwards glance. That Tegan had left Nyssa without a care in the world.

As one, Tegan and Nyssa both pulled their hands out of the folds.

Tegan found herself crying, tears splashing down her cheeks.

Oh, Nys…

‘Tegan?’

Tegan looked up, and her breath halted in her mouth.

Nyssa was crying too, a watery smile on her face.

‘N-Nys?’

‘Tegan…’

Tegan was just about to ask whether Nyssa had experienced her memories, but she suddenly found herself unable to think. Because Nyssa had leaned forward and pressed her lips to Tegan’s.

Almost instantly, Tegan’s brain turned into a primordial ooze of base hormones and emotions. Most of them were concerned with how amazing it felt to kiss Nyssa. She would very much like it to continue. There was a small part of her brain that was loudly querying why Nyssa was kissing her, but it mostly drowned out by the rest of Tegan’s brain descending into a long cheer of exhilarated excitement and joy. Anyway, she really ought to kiss Nyssa back, come to think of it. However, before she could do so, Nyssa pulled away.  

‘I’ve wanted to do that for a very long time,’ Nyssa said, softly.

‘R-really?’

‘Yes. Oh, Tegan,’ Nyssa said. ‘I thought you’d left me; I didn’t realise you thought I’d left you. I’m… I’m so sorry.’

‘I’m sorry too,’ Tegan said, squeezing Nyssa’s hand. ‘Oh, Nys… I missed you so much. You really have no idea how much.’

‘I think I do. I missed you more than you could possibly imagine; I… I love you, Tegan.’

Tegan’s breath caught in her throat once again.

‘I’m sorry I couldn’t say it before,’ Nyssa continued, as if afraid she would stop talking if she stopped for more than a second. ‘I was scared that you would hate me if I did, but after you left… every single day, I regretted not telling you. I thought I’d lost you forever-’

Tegan’s lips pressed against Nyssa’s in a tender kiss. The Trakenite trembled, before leaning into the kiss, giving a soft moan. Tegan’s stomach exploded with excited butterflies at the sound. Nyssa could make those sorts of sweet noises? Oh, god, this was certainly becoming an educational day. And Tegan was not complaining.

If someone had told her that morning that she’d be kissing Nyssa within a few hours, Tegan would have assumed they were teasing her. But here she was, kissing a swooning Nyssa with all she had. And she loved it. She loved Nyssa. She had no intention of keeping the sheer depths of her feelings hidden any longer. Nyssa needed to know how much Tegan adored her.

Eventually, they broke apart.

‘Tegan… what…’

‘Nyssa,’ Tegan said, squeezing her hand. ‘I love you too.’

‘I…really?’

‘Of course. How could I not? God, Nys; I’ve been in love with you since the very first day I met you. You remember; back on Logopolis? Well, that was the start of it for me. And I never stopped. But I didn’t even know if you liked girls, let alone me, in that way.’

‘Tegan, how can I not? You’re… wonderful, truly wonderful.’

Their lips met again, and this time it was far from chaste. Tegan let out a moan as Nyssa’s hands began to roam, and the two of them slid slowly sideways, pulling each other closer as if afraid to be pulled apart again. Tegan’s cardigan was suddenly discarded on the floor and the top few buttons of Nyssa’s tunic seemed to have loosened. Tegan’s hands became engulfed in Nyssa’s beautifully soft curls, and Nyssa’s hands began to roam downwards-

‘Now, the translation circuits seemed to have-AGH!’

Tegan and Nyssa broke apart, sitting up on the bed.  

The Doctor, now looking acutely embarrassed, hurriedly spun on his heel and turned away.

‘You know, I really should ask the TARDIS to install locks on the bedroom doors,’ he continued. ‘Sorry to bother you; I’ll come back later when you’ve… well, when you’re finished-’

‘Doctor!’ Tegan groaned, feeling her face burn. ‘Stop blabbering on and get out of here!’

‘Sorry!’

The door shut behind him.

Tegan put her head on Nyssa’s shoulder and groaned, shutting her eyes.

‘Nevermind mind, my darling,’ Nyssa said, chuckling. ‘I’m sure the Doctor would rather forget that as much as you do.’

‘I hate that stupid time lord,’ Tegan muttered. ‘Who walks into the room of two young women without knocking first?’

‘Actually, I think he did. We were just… distracted.’

Tegan giggled, opening her eyes to stare up at Nyssa.

‘That’s one way of putting it.’

‘Speaking of which…’

Tegan suddenly found herself lying atop the mattress on her back, with Nyssa straddling her hips. Nyssa grinned down at her, an uncharacteristically mischievous look appearing in her eyes.

‘Shall we continue?’

Tegan matched her grin.

‘You speak my language, Nys.’

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Happy Holidays, everyone; hope you enjoyed this little fluff fic!

[all-for-geek]

Unfinished Business - Love, Family, and Possession Chapter 1: This Band is Back

Chapter 2

Fandom: Julie and the Phantoms

Word Count: 4,048

Summary: My take on Season 2 of Julie and the Phantoms. After the events of the Orpheum, Julie and her band has balance school, their struggling love lives, and the threat of Caleb looming in the shadows. Discover what awaits Julie and the Phantoms!

Julie sat at the island in her kitchen glaring at her math homework. She needed to get it done before she left for school, but her mind was far from trigonometry. It kept going back to what had happened last night. She replayed the scene over and over again. The boys, laying there, nearly dying again, before her touch saved them. She had touched them. She had hugged the ghost that played in her band. She chuckled to herself at how much her life had changed in just a little over a month. 

Julie sighed as the doorbell rang. She silently resigned herself to completing the homework in a frenzy right before class like always as she went to open the door.

Nick was waiting for her on the other side. Well, she assumed he was as Nick was currently standing with his back to the door. Julie didn’t think too much of it. It was not even close to being the weirdest thing that had happened recently.

“Hi Nick,” she called out.

Nick turned around and approached her, presenting a bouquet. His demeanor was…different. Normally, he was so bubbly and cheerful. He had this sunny disposition that used to churn butterflies in her stomach. Today, it was more calm. More calculated. Like a wolf stalking its prey.

Julie quickly brushed the thought away. It was Nick after all. She was probably just rattled from last night.

“Thanks,” she responded, taking the flowers.

“Of course.” Nick gave a slight bow as he spoke. “I saw your show last night. You were very good.”

“Oh, thanks!”

“I was wondering if you would want to…hang out sometime. Perhaps to study or…” “Nick” paused, searching through memories to find the right words to say. “...to practice our dance. You know how clumsy I am.”

“Nick, don’t sell yourself so short. You’re really good. Your problem is confidence, not coordination.”

“Still. It would not hurt to have a little extra practice. Are you free tomorrow after school?”

“I…usually practice with the band after school, but I could probably squeeze you in after.” Julie jokingly punched Nick in the arm. “Come by around 6?”

“Absolutely. I will see you then, Julie.” Nick gave one last bow before turning to leave. Julie playfully rolled her eyes.

She heard the sound of boxes crashing and her brother yelling behind her. She turned around to find Carlos on the ground surrounded by cardboard boxes filled with Christmas lights. 

“What are you doing?” 

Carlos stood up, his cheeks reddening at his sister's question.

“Uh…well…I was thinking. Ghosts can’t be seen or heard by the living, right? Except by you…when you sing…but I was thinking of how I could talk to them without needing to play a bunch of music.”

“And how is that?” Julie was already regretting her brother discovering the truth about the boys. It’s not like it was her fault, if anyone’s it was Reggie’s, but still. He had talked her ear off for the better part of the night asking a bunch of questions about ghosts that she had very few answers to. This was his third idea of how to talk to the boys without needing to go through her. 

“Well, if we hang up the lights on the studio wall, we could paint letters and words underneath them, and the ghosts could turn on and off the lights to talk!”

“Okay, first off, you watch way too much TV. Second, how would you hide a giant wall of letters from Dad?”

That was Julie’s number one rule. She had agreed that Carlos could hang out with the boys and try to communicate with them, so long as he never told anyone about them. Especially their Dad.

“Maybe there's a curtain we could hang over it or something?” Carlos sighed in defeat. “Can we at least try Julie? Please?”

Before Julie had time to give an answer, their Dad came walking down the stairs.

“Woah! What happened here?”

In that second, Julie made her decision. “I was thinking of maybe decorating the studio. Give it some mood lighting.” Carlos gave her a grateful smile.

“With…Christmas lights?” Ray questioned as he opened one of the box lids.

“Oh…you know…it gets us in the festive mood.”

Ray shrugged. If it made his little girl happy, that’s all that mattered.

“All right. I’ll help you take them down to the studio. We gotta hurry though. We don’t want to be late for school.”

“Great! Thanks!” Each Molina took one box and walked towards the music studio. As the door opened, Julie noticed the boys poised with their instruments. Giant smiles were plastered on their faces. They were a split second from beginning to play when they noticed Ray. Alex slumped while Luke hid his guitar behind his back. Reggie gave a big wave and smiled.

“Oh hi Ray,” he called out, “Oh what are those boxes for? It’s not Christmas yet is it?” The other two hung their heads in shame. Julie did her best to stifle a laugh as she set her box down. 

“Hey Dad. I’ll be out in a few minutes. I need to…uh…find a spot for the new flowers.”

“Okay, sweetie. Don’t be too long.”

The whole band watched as Ray and Carlos walked out to the car. The second the studio door closed, whipped their instruments back out, and they began to sing.

Woah, this band is back!

Woah, this band is back!

Wo hoo oo hoo

Wo hoo oo hoo

“You guys are in a good mood,” Julie chuckled as she placed the flowers on top of the grand piano.

“Yeah well, not dying again tends to that back,” Alex remarked.

Luke pointed to the flowers. “Where’d those come from?”

“Nick came by earlier to give them to me,” Julie answered. Her back was turned, so she didn’t see Reggie and Alex side-eyeing Luke. “By the way, we’re hanging out tomorrow after practice, so please” She turned around for emphasis. “Stay out of my room.”

“Don’t worry, we won’t interrupt your little date.” Reggie poofed over to Julie and gave her a pat on the back. He let out a little giddy laugh at being able to do that now.

“You really think you’re funny, don’t you.” Luke had meant for the comment to come out more playful, but the way Reggie shrunk in on himself told him it hadn’t. He mouthed a quick sorry. Reggie shrugged the comment off just as quickly.

“You boys going to stay out of trouble until I get back?” Julie asked.

“How dare you? Us? Get in trouble? We are the pinnacle of good behavior.” Alex had his hand over his heart for extra emphasis.

Julie laughed again. “Good. Keep it that way. See you guys after school.” Julie left to meet up with her dad and Carlos.

When Julie entered the school, it erupted into chaos. Every student that passed by wanted to congratulate Julie on her performance the night before. If it wasn’t for Flynn keeping the masses at bay, Julie never would have made it to her locker. Unfortunately, Flynn was only one person and could only do so much. As she was forging a path for Julie to get to class, Julie felt a light tap on her shoulder. She turned around to see the one person in school she wouldn’t have been willing to talk to: Carrie.

“Hi, Jules!” Her voice was as sickeningly sweet as always. “I just wanted to say that I was at the Orpheum last night. You were so good!”

“Uh…thanks Carrie.” Julie made sure to emphasize Carrie’s name to get Flynn’s attention. 

“You know I was thinking,” Carrie continued, “You know what would be so fun? If your band, and my band played sometime! Between your hologram gimmick, Dirty Candy’s dance moves, and our amazing voices, we could rock up a storm! It would be just like old times!”

“Which old times?” Julie’s back straightened defiantly. “The times where we would sing together, or the times where you ditched me and bullied me for nearly a year?”

For a brief moment, Carrie’s eyes narrowed and her smile thinned before her demeanor shifted back.

“Oh Jules. That was so long ago. Why don’t we just leave the past in the past, and look towards what is best for both of our bands.”

Flynn finally pushed through the last of the crowd to get back to Julie’s side. She silently gestured towards Carrie, practically begging for a chance to tear into her. Julie shook her head. This was her battle.

“Look, Carrie, even if I wanted to do a show with you, which I don’t, we do completely different styles of music. I don’t see how the sounds would gel together.”

“Oh if that’s your main concern, I have a couple-”

“In case you didn’t hear, the star said no,” Flynn interjected with Julie’s permission. “Back off, Carrie.”

Flynn managed to drag Julie through the crowd and into class. Thankfully, once school started, the student body seemed to settle down. Julie got the occasional congratulations or request for an autograph in the hall, but it seemed the fervor had stopped as quickly as it started. Still, to play it safe, the two convinced Ms. Harrison to let them have lunch in the music room.

“Dang! Did you see them out there?” Flynn kept eyeing the door to make sure that no one could see them. “I believe you are officially famous.”

“You know, I don’t think it's that easy. There’s still a lot we gotta do.”

“Right.” Flynn’s tone shifted from excited to serious. “Are you gonna be okay? Since the guys…”

“Actually…” Julie proceeded to tell Flynn what had happened that night after the Orpheum. How she had gone back home to find the boys still there, slowly dying, apparently still with unfinished business. How she had managed to hold Luke, and how her touch broke Caleb’s hold on them. 

“Wait! So you can touch the guys now?” 

“Yeah. It’s weird. Not being able to was. like, the only reminder that they weren’t alive. Now it’s…I have to keep reminding myself that they’re ghosts.”

“Especially with Luke right?” Julie rolled her eyes. “Yeah I can’t imagine what it’s like being able to hold those big, hulking, dead, biceps. Those biceps that you refuse to express your feelings too.”

“Okay, okay, I get it. It’s just hard. I mean, ghost stuff aside, I don’t want things to get weird in the band. I already nearly lost them, and if things with Luke didn’t work out…”

Flynn patted Julie on the back. “Gee, if only there was a sweet, caring, alive young boy who has already shown that he likes you. I can’t imagine where you’d find one of those.”

“Speaking of Nick,” Julie replied, ignoring the point of the comment, “He came by before school. We’re gonna hang tomorrow after band practice.”

“Ooooo. Like a date.” 

“Not a date. Just…two friends hanging out.”

“We’ll see.” 

Both girls started laughing and continued their lunch in relative peace. Throughout the day, Julie’s thoughts traced back to Nick. It wasn’t that long ago that she wouldn’t have been able to speak in front of him let alone hang out alone at her house with him. What had caused those feelings to change so suddenly? Did she ever like him? She had rejected him for a ghost, so maybe Flynn was right and she just always wanted what she couldn’t have. She sighed. Boy problems didn’t used to be this complicated.

As Julie thought about her relationship with Nick, Luke was staring out the window thinking of her. Her smile. Her voice. The way her warmth encompassed him when he held her. If he had a heart, it would be skipping.

“Earth to Luke.” Alex waved a hand in front of his face to snap Luke out of his trance. “You wanna get some work done or you gonna sit like a love-sick puppy for another hour?”

“Yeah, sorry. I was just thinking about-”

“Julie. Yeah, I know. Look, we should probably get back to writing music because this…” He pointed behind him towards Reggie. “...this is just getting sad.”

Luke looked to find Reggie standing over the boxes of Christmas lights. He was sitting cross-legged on the floor with a string of Christmas lights in his hands. His face was scrunched up as he focused on the knot in the string.

“Has he been doing that the entire time?” 

“He has been working on that one knot this entire time.”

“If I can get them out,” Reggie explained, “then Julie and Carlos don’t have to do so much work in putting them up.” Reggie gasped. “Maybe we can use them to talk to Carlos!” In his excitement, Reggie lost concentration on the wire and slipped through him onto the ground.

“Do you even know how to turn on the individual Christmas lights? It's not like you can just pull a string like the lamp.” Reggie shrunk in on himself at Alex’s dig.

“I was just trying to help,” Reggie muttered weakly.

Alex and Luke glanced at each other and silently agreed on what had to be done. They sat down by Reggie and began to pull out more string and de-knotting it.

The three sat there like that for the better part of the day. They talked about everything from the latest songs they were writing to old memories from when they were alive. The conversation seemed to always come back to the Molinas though. Luke would gush about Julie’s talent and songwriting while Reggie would relay what he and Ray had gotten up to. Alex smiled at how his friend’s faces lit up when talking about them, but he couldn’t help thinking about the person he had grown close to since becoming a ghost.

The three laid the lights out, completely de-tangled. 

“Great. “Do you guys think we could practice now?” Alex asked, his hand rhythmically tapped on his chest. As he said it, a car pulled into the driveway. The boys heard Ray asking Carlos about his day at school. Alex’s shoulders slumped. “Never mind.”

“It’s okay, man,” Luke said. “Julie will be here in like an hour. We’ll all jam then.”

“Right…I’m gonna go for a walk. Be right back.” Before the others could say anything, Alex poofed out of the studio. Luke and Reggie eyed each other knowingly. Alex hadn’t mentioned Willie since they saw him outside the Orpheum, but he had to be thinking about him. They considered following Alex to check-up on him, but they thought better of it. It was best to just give him space.

Luke went back to staring out the window, waiting for Julie to come home. Reggie poofed up to the loft. Carlos would be working on his homework, and Ray would be on the phone with Tia, so Reggie did the only other thing he did when he was alone: look through his old stuff. He didn’t fully run away like Luke did, but he definitely spent a lot of nights in the studio. Enough that a lot of his more personal stuff had moved into the loft over the years. Reggie flipped through an old photo album until he found the picture that he had been looking for.

It was from his 13th birthday. Him, Luke, Alex, and Bobby were jamming on the beach outside his house. His parents had gotten him a brand new bass, the very one that he still played, and all four of them had put on an impromptu concert to celebrate. He wasn’t looking at them though. His eyes were on his parents. They were sitting on a blanket listening to the boys playing, smiles on their faces with his dad’s arm wrapped around his mom. It was the last time that Reggie could remember them being genuinely happy together. Soon after, his dad lost his job and…

He focused on Bobby before his mind could travel back down that road. Or, Trevor, he guessed now. Even after agreeing to focus on Julie and the new band, he still couldn’t quell the anger that Trevor brought out in him. The four of them had been as close as brothers. Closer than Reggie’s actual brother at times. He understood Trevor using their music, but he never gave them credit for it. And to top it off, he changed his name, effectively erasing the boys from existence. After watching Julie work through her own grief, fighting hard to keep her mother’s memory alive, it hurt more than he could admit that Trevor didn’t do the same for them. He just wished he could ask him why.

The garage door opened to reveal Julie having returned from school. Luke ran over and embraced her as if she had just returned home from the war. Reggie put the photo back and poofed down to receive a hug in turn. Julie looked around the studio for the final member of her band.

“Where’s Alex?”

“He’s out looking for-” As if on cue, Alex poofed back into the studio before Luke could finish his sentence. He stared awkwardly, not expecting to suddenly be the center of attention.

“Hey. How was school?” Alex was surrounded by the four people who knew him best, but even a stranger could have seen the sorrow hidden in his face. Luke and Reggie each squeezed one of Alex’s shoulders in comfort.

“It was…good,” Julie responded. “Any luck?”

Alex shook his head. Julie embraced him with the other two falling in suite. 

“You’ll find him, man,” Luke said. “He can’t hide forever.”

Alex gave a small chuckle and wiped away the tears that were forming.

“Let’s get started, huh?”

They nodded and went through the motions of their new songs. On a technical level, they sounded amazing as always. The electricity that sparked whenever Julie and Luke played together was stronger than ever. Alex and Reggie, on the other hand, mostly went through the motions of the beats and cords. They would play around and pump the other two up, but their thoughts were not on the music. Alex’s were on Willie and the horrible things that Caleb could have done to him if Caleb figured out that he had helped them book the Orpheum gig. Reggie’s were still in the past. Of his parents and Trevor and the small hole in his dead heart that they had left behind.

As it happened, Trevor was also thinking about the past. He had done nothing but think about the fallen members of Sunset Curve since seeing them play at the Orpheum. Watching them up there with Julie, like it was 1995 all over again.

He didn’t know how else to explain it. They must have come back to haunt him. Why they waited so long, he wasn’t sure, but it was the only explanation. It was them who had terrorized him a couple weeks ago. He should call the Molina’s. He hadn’t spoken to Ray or Julie since Rose passed. He should call them right? Julie had to know who they were. They were in her band! Maybe she could get them to talk to him.

On the other hand, what was he thinking! There was no such thing as ghosts! It was a hologram band. Julie must have found old tapes of them performing to program holograms with. He had watched technology grow from rotary phones to facetime, so it wasn’t impossible. Kids seemed to know all about the latest technology. If he talked to Dr. Crystal again, he could probably put this all to rest. The only thing haunting him was his guilty conscience.

Trevor had gone back and forth between these two thoughts all night. He kept seeing their faces. His old band. The boys that had been by his side his whole childhood. The ones that propelled him to stardom beyond anything they ever dreamed. The ones he stabbed in the back to do so. He sighed. He never should have taken that stupid deal.

“I’m home!” Trevor vaguely heard Carrie call from the front door.

“Hey, sweetie! How was school?”

“Awful! All anyone could talk about today was Julie. I tried to talk to her and-” Carries walked around the corner to find her dad once again staring at his phone. She silently walked upstairs to her room. If she was going to rant to a wall anyway, she might as well do it on her bed. 

Her body sank into her down-feather mattress and stared at the crystal chandelier above her. She picked up one of her compression pillows and screamed into it. There was a time when this would have been her last reaction to Julie’s sudden success. It wasn’t that long ago that she would have been celebrating her friend's success right by her side. Her eyes wandered to the only picture she had left of Julie in her room. It was of the two of them at Carrie’s fifth birthday. Her dad had gotten her a new microphone kit, and the two of them had done karaoke until they passed out from exhaustion. 

Carrie screamed into her pillow again. There was a part of her that wished she could go back to that time. A simpler time when Julie and her were still friends. In her darkest moments, she would almost admit that she missed Flynn too. But that was a long time ago. Even if she felt like making amends, Julie would be stupid to accept her back. She never should have approached and assumed that everything would go back to the way it was. Julie wasn’t Nick after all. 

On the other side of town, Nick, or Nick’s body at least, strutted up into the teen’s house. He smirked. He could not have picked a better host. The boy had a kind, soft, manipulatable heart. It had been painfully easy to push the boy into a dark corner of his own mind. His genuine love for the girl would make his plan all the more easy.

Caleb walked through the door into the dark, quiet home. Right before possessing the boy, Caleb had arranged for the boy’s fathers to take an impromptu business trip across the country. The boy’s younger sister had been dropped off at their grandparents, leaving Nicolas alone in the home. ‘A test of trust’ his fathers had called it. ‘To see if he could take care of himself until they got back.’ The whole clan was pathetically easy to manipulate.

After providing the boy with the necessary nutrients that living bodies need, Caleb temporarily released the boy from his control. He straightened his waistcoat and stared down at the quivering mess that laid before him. A maniacal chuckle escaped his lips.

“W-who…what are you?”

“Caleb Covington, the ghost king of Los Angeles.” Caleb bowed with a dramatic flourish. “At your service.”

“What are you going to do to me?”

Caleb rolled his eyes. “So long as you behave? Nothing that I haven’t already done. You are a means to an end. Play your part, and once I’m done, you can go back to your normal life.”

“What are you going to do?” To the boy’s credit, he had summoned the courage to get off the floor and look Caleb in the eye. It was cute.

“Tut. Tut. I can’t go spoiling the ending.” With a snap of his fingers, he changed into his performing costume. “I’m going out for the night. As much as I loathe leaving loose ends, I do still have business to attend to. And I forgot how tedious being alive was. Don’t worry, I’ll leave someone to keep you company.”

Caleb snapped his fingers again and another boy poofed into the room. His skin was pale with the skin around his eyes compressed into the sockets. His face was contorted into a mixture of exhaustion and pain.

“William here will ensure that you behave while I’m gone. He can explain what happens to those who try to cross me.”

With that warning, Caleb poofed out of the room. Nick searched Willie’s face for anything that could help him, but he only found sympathy and regret.

[tokiro07]

Cipher Academy ch. 12 thoughts

[Iroha Demands Satisfaction]

I’d like to start this review by noting that the translator, Kumar Sivasubramanian, has decided to step down as translator due to the previous few chapters being “impossible to translate.” I did note that it was strange that he left parts literally untranslated, but damn, I didn’t think he did such a bad job that he needed to quit. I just thought he made an odd choice with how to approach it

I am legitimately worried about what this will mean going forward, as I can’t imagine that any other translator is going to have an easier time. Maybe the Viz translation will be on a two week schedule to accommodate for the difficulty? That’d be sad since it would mean that we’d fall very far behind very fast, but that would be better than the alternative of the series being dropped internationally entirely

Anyway, we start this chapter in media res with Iroha marching through the halls, pissed as all get out. As he walks past other characters, we get a brief overview of everyone’s current standings and relationships. Omamuro is listed as being in the Toshusai Faction, and Mokumokuren is listed as Omamuro’s friend; this will be the running theme of this chapter, much like the “Class 1-A’s Sole X” from a few chapters ago

We see that the target of Iroha’s ire is Nohime, who responds with “Iroha, is that you?” as if she can’t see him. This brings up the question: is she literally an eyes closed character like Meido from 100 Girlfriends? I figured she was just drawn that way, but if her eyes are literally closed, then that means it’s possible that she’s hiding AR contact lenses behind those lids. I’m onto Nisio!

Omamuro asks Yugata what’s going on with Iroha, and she has a very cute flashback transition where she clearly narrates the sound effect of the speech bubble forming. I love her, she asserts herself as my favorite more and more each week lately

Yugata recounts giving Iroha an apology letter in the form of a puzzle after their lipogram battle, and this is noteworthy as it’s the only puzzle aside from Q.??? that we aren’t given the answer to. I don’t imagine it’s one we’re ever going to get the answer to since Kogoe challenges us, the reader, to solve it alone, but maybe we’ll get it in the volume release? I certainly wouldn’t know where to start with it since I can’t say for sure if it’s meant to be solved in English or Japanese. Iroha himself isn’t up to the task at the moment either, as he’s still somewhat word-sick from the game, as Yugata predicted he would be

As a more concrete apology, Yugata offers to answer one question, no catch, even being willing to answer about Q.???. That would be boring, though, so instead Iroha asks why Toshusai’s catchphrase is to incorporate butts and asses into her speech. Honestly, I didn’t really think anything of it since everyone else has catchphrases and it’s just such a Nisio Isin thing to do, but subverting that expectation is also very Nisio Isin. In line with the rest of the series so far, it turns out that this too is because of a puzzle battle; specifically, she lost to Nohime and was sentenced to say “butt” or “ass” ten times a day. With this revelation, it’s not too surprising that Iroha is so pissed; Nohime’s clearly had beef with Toshusai this entire time, so making her say something so demeaning is obviously meant to debase and humiliate her

As Iroha confronts Nohime, three other girls who we haven’t had much interaction with join in the conversation to show that they’re backing up Nohime. Hahakura, Nomasu and Yorokawa’s name cards all introduce them as somehow related to Nohime, being her knight, informant, and houseguest respectively. This is a pretty wide range of titles, implying that they’re not a uniform group, but either have sworn their loyalty, are in her employ, or are mooching off of her, though how much we’re supposed to extrapolate from this is yet to be seen

To even the playing field, Iroha is joined by Oboro, Umitsubame and Kasuri, who similarly are listed as being Iroha’s friends, but in a distinctly non-uniform way: Oboro is part of the Oborozaka (Oboro and Irohazaka) Alliance, Umitsubame the Tsubamezaka Alliance, and Kasuri on Team Irohazaka. Similar to the above, this clearly illustrates that they aren’t really a team, they’re just all connected through Iroha, though it’s interesting that Oboro apparently has decided to side with Iroha so quickly. Not that Nisio Isin has ever worried too much about the length of the enemies-to-friends pipeline in the past, of course

The remaining students of 1-A are all given different variations of neutral, so I won’t go over them, but one of them, Yosaimura, explains that this type of faction-forming is pretty typical of all-girls schools, as you may have seen in the most recent arc of A Certain Scientific Railgun if you’ve been keeping up with that series. Since it’s now come up twice in my manga-reading life, I assume that his is a common trope, just not one I’d be familiar with as a shonen manga reader. Actually, it only just occurred to me how odd it is that Cipher Academy is about a boy in an all-girls school in JUMP. I’m sure it’s come up before, but I can’t say I’ve ever seen that set-up here, at least not to my recollection. And we haven’t even seen a single panty in 12 chapters...I appreciate that, but I’m worried that the demographic might not...good luck, Nisio!

Nohime insists that she was doing her duty, Noblesse Oblige, by giving Toshusai a fitting catchphrase. I presume this to mean that she was showing Toshusai her place, but that’s really not what Noblesse Oblige means; Noblesse Oblige is the obligation to use nobility for the benefit of others, but she’s abusing the idea to mean “upholding the status quo” at best and “using my power as I see fit” at worst. This is more or less the kind of crap I expected from her after she said she was attending the school out of Noblesse Oblige in chapter 2, though, as historically Japanese nobility have been very fond of abusing the idea after they adopted it from Europe, or so I’ve heard. I think that’s why Eden of the East focused so heavily on it, to try to move away from the warped ideal it had become 

GAH! I FORGOT TO LIST EDEN OF THE EAST IN MY FAVORITE ANIME WHEN SOMEONE ASKED ME ABOUT IT THE OTHER DAY!!! What a blunder...

Enraged, Iroha challenges Nohime to a code battle, a first for our boy! He’s been in, what, three already? ...And all against Toshusai’s group, come to think of it, so I guess it makes sense that the first one he personally challenges be Toshusai’s “enemy.” I hesitate to commit to calling Nohime an antagonist or Toshusai’s enemy at the moment since she’s obviously going to become an ally once either Toshusai or Iroha become class leading private, but for all intents and purposes, that’s what she is for now

If Iroha wins the battle, Toshusai’s punishment is lifted, but if Nohime wins, then Iroha’s “it’s elementary” is replaced with...uh...”it’s butt-end”? What...does that mean? I don’t get it? Does that work better in Japanese? Is Kumar right? Is this series truly untranslatable? Or is it something really simple that I just happen to not be familiar with. Fortunately, Iroha is certainly not going to lose here after his “I’m never going to lose a code battle again” declaration last week, so I don’t really need to worry about it so much, but geez, Nohime, try to be a bit more clever, huh? Or are you the one that’s really obsessed with butts? Well even if I don’t get the joke, Oboro does, as she visibly stifles a laugh by pretending to cough into her arm. Very subtle, lady, good job

Iroha removes the accessories from his hair and slams them on the table as if they were poker chips, which I interpret to mean that he’s taking the bet, but the wind is knocked out of his sails pretty quickly when Nohime asks him to provide the question. This is actually a pretty perfect time to bring this up in the story since, after three battles establishing clear patterns and familiarizing ourselves with the game conceptually, we’re seeing how the logistics of the game actually work from the inside now while still being consistent with what we’ve learned so far. Honestly, I’m surprised that all of these girls are able to come up with puzzles off the top of their heads to match any given situation, no wonder Omamuro stalled by watching Iroha dance first

Kasuri, who calls Iroha IroIro now and is in turn called En-chan, explains that the challenger supplies the question, so Iroha thinks quickly and asks to borrow Kasuri’s music notes. another example of his highly touted quick decision-making skills

Omamuro is worried about Iroha and chides Yugata for letting him know about Toshusai’s relationship with Nohime, as it has resulted in goading him into a fight with her. Because she’s the head of the academy’s founding family, making an enemy of Nohime is bound to have a drastic impact on Iroha’s life regardless of the outcome of this one battle. She’s also the one who scouted Kogoe, so there’s basically no way that she isn’t hiding contacts like I said earlier. I wouldn’t be surprised if she was also the one who turned Kogoe away from Toshusai, orchestrating not just Kogoe’s ability to disseminate the glasses throughout the school, but also taking a vital resource away from her rival

Knowing that Nohime is the heir to the founding family of the school, which again has a uniquely shaped clocktower, I am once again reminded of Medaka Box. Is Nohime meant to be a Medaka-like figure in the context of Cipher Academy? Is Nisio Isin analyzing what Medaka would have been like as an antagonist? Will her AR glasses have some kind of wild ability that thematically links back to Medaka Box?

Probably not, but I can dream

Iroha completes Q.18, a three-star puzzle, using Kasuri’s music notes to create a musical bar. I can’t read sheet music, so I’m not even going to make an attempt at guessing what’s going on here, but Iroha, designated as the Representative of the Masses, proclaims that this is a song of revolution, the kind of shonen hero declaration that always gets my blood pumping! 

Nohime Iesuno, as the 33rd Head of the Nohime Clan, chillingly retorts that revolutions are forbidden as she opens her eye. For the upper class to simply shut down rebellion as “not allowed” is such a scary thought, but it’s not too far off from how modern society seems to work: those in power will make or break any rule they can to make sure that no one below them threatens their power

She also says that there are no eight enders allowed either, which...is apparently a curling term for ending a game with a perfect score. That’s...an odd thing to say, but I choose to interpret it as she’s saying that no matter what, this won’t end up being a perfect victory for Iroha like he probably hopes, in line with Omamuro’s projection that even if he wins, Nohime is going to make sure the victory is pyrrhic 

This was a surprisingly easy chapter to review, I feel silly for putting it off so long now. It’s actually kept me up quite late the night before the new chapter comes out, I’m worried that I’m going to sleep in...oh well! I’m just glad I got this done in time, I was going to feel pretty bad if I had two chapters worth to do at once, and that probably would have just led to me not doing it, so I’m glad I get to continue for a while longer!

I’m super curious to see what kind of puzzle Iroha actually came up with, but for now, I’ll leave you all with my prediction of the outcome: Nohime will end up joining Iroha’s growing harem, and while Toshusai will no longer be obligated to say anything related to butts, she may still do so around Iroha specifically as a thinly veiled sign of affection or respect. I think that would be really cute if it became like an inside joke between them, especially when you consider that she normally says ass to everyone but Iroha anyway, which already established him as somewhat special

See you next week, hopefully it won’t take me until the last minute this time!