#or sit and play with one child while the other 7 are jumping off of furniture behind her

[howtobeamagicalgirl]

I am having such wonderful breakfasts these days

[snow-snowball]

• Soccer player!Sukuna who trains 24/7. You wouldn’t guess it at first, but becoming the best forward is his ultimate dream. That’s what he thought until he met you — the school journalist who came to interview him for the paper.

• Soccer player!Sukuna who confidently answers all your questions, though he’s anxious inside, flustered by such a lovely girl talking to him.

• Soccer player!Sukuna who gives 100% on the field, making sure you notice him.

• Soccer player!Sukuna who often lifts the hem of his shirt during games to wipe the streaming sweat, and you just can't tear your gaze away.

• Soccer player!Sukuna who dedicates every goal to you. After scoring, he turns to the stands where you’re sitting and winks. Everyone sees his handsome, tattooed face on the big screens and thinks it’s for them, but they couldn’t be more wrong.

• Soccer player!Sukuna who brushes off pesky paparazzi and rushes to the locker room to change, just to meet you as you exit.

• Soccer player!Sukuna who, in the future, will grant interviews only to you. That’s what he decides while pulling on his socks (which he hilariously mismatched in his haste).

• Soccer player!Sukuna who will take you to the waterfront after a match, quietly listening to your stories, even if they’re about your brother's bathroom escapades.

• Soccer player!Sukuna who sneaks you into the stadium for your first “date” (which is really a friendly stroll) and teaches you how to play football. When the security catches you half an hour later, you both bolt for the exit, and he holds your hand tightly the entire way, ensuring you won’t get lost. Once you’re free, he insists on walking you home because it’s too dark (even if it were daytime, he’d still insist).

• Soccer player!Sukuna who tenderly kisses you on the lips by your front porch.

• Soccer player!Sukuna who rushes home after the kiss with an unstoppable smile. Even after his younger brother Yuji teases him, Sukuna's mood remains bright (Yuji secretly hopes you two spend more time together, as Sukuna becomes kinder after interacting with you).

• Soccer player!Sukuna who internally celebrates like a child when you, blushing, confess your love to him after practice.

• Soccer player!Sukuna who devours the bento you specially prepared for him, not dropping a single crumb.

• Soccer player!Sukuna who asks you to hang on him while he does pull-ups or to jump on his back when he does push-ups.

• Soccer player!Sukuna who, despite sitting with his buddies in the cafeteria, always looks for you with his eyes. He gets upset when he sees you not eating.

• Soccer player!Sukuna who handles every one of your bullies. No one has the right to even breathe in your direction.

• Soccer player!Sukuna who, if you’re fretting about your weight, playfully lifts you onto his shoulder and pinches your thigh. “You’re so light; do they not feed you at home?”

• Soccer player!Sukuna may not openly express his feelings, but his actions speak volumes. He’ll never let you feel less than perfect. Sukuna is ready to do anything for your happiness.

© 2024 do not reblog, copy or publish my work on other platforms, or translate (without my permission) into other languages. All photos are taken from pinterest! The red divider is mine! English is not my first language, so I apologise for my mistakes.

[tiredofthehumanlife]

Draco malfoy headcannons

flavor: fluffy and smutish but they're separated so you won't get jump scared

Also I'm returning to my roots with this stinky mf okay I have writers block

Sfw

Liked you in the hallway crush type of way yk like when there’s that one person in the halls that you're like “god damn, anyways where’s my next class”

Never even tried to speak to you was just like ” I'll gaze from afar”

The only problem is that he has major resting bitch face so you were sat there racking your brain over what you could’ve possibly done to this random daddy’s money kid (like this isn't set in a private school but LOOK OVER THERE)

Confessed by just standing in front of you and 👁👁 before handing you an outdated birthday card with a 100 dollar bill inside with a note inside that was basically just him like “PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLE-“

You did give him a shot and he did actually speak words to you

bitchest bitch ever yall bicker (lovingly of course) 24/7

“did you for real just copy off of me?” “Okay well at least I don’t have daddy issues” “You cannot be talking and you know it”

He gives stick bug vibes yk

does not comprehend normal human life you could be complaining about doing laundry and he is like “Just have one of the elves do it?” and you are like “😶right so-“

just assume you have the answer to everything bc like you’re his partner? tf?

“how far away is Saturn in kilometers?” “They don't measure distance with kilometers, Draco, you dumbass. It’s called lightyears.” ‘right so in lightyears then?” “How tf am I supposed to know?”

he’ll hear a crash and look to you like you know what’s going on and you’ll turn his head back

I'm not one to assume someone’s sexuality but it's very much bisexual for the both of you (he likes guys and you know it)

a hot guy will pass and you both turn to each other like {insert Bratz meme here}

has created mustard gas on accident

laughs at his own jokes unironically (he is the only one laughing)

will try to be relatable and it's just like “yk that moment when your Prada shoes get gourmet chocolate on them”

makes up new names for your stuffed animals bc he thinks all the ones you picked were “lame”

his beauty sleep comes above everything else

Once Theo woke him up (there was a fire they had to evacuate) and the next night you found him hovering a pillow over Theo’s face you tackled him to the ground

Only knows how to play dominoes no card games or anything only dominoes

Bought you guys matching sleep masks

And embroidered PJs

And bunny slippers

PDA hater

He’ll sit next to you at max when you're around lots of people when you're just around his friends he's down with hugs and hand-holding holding maybe a cheek kiss but that's it

Alone is a different story he's attached to you he's actively trying to crawl under your skin as we speak

Terrified of bugs he's standing on a chair and screaming the second he sees one

Pays you in kisses when you take the bug outside (after you wash your hands)

Prefers baths over showers

Hates dogs and growls at them more than they growl at him

Only likes cats in theory bc they leave hair on his clothes

He's a reptile man

has owned a bearded dragon and will own more

Cold mf you wanna look me in the eye and tell me he has good circulation

Presses his cold ass feet against you while you're on the brink of sleep so confused when you swing your hand back to smack him

“I'm just cuddling you?”

“Cuddle somebody else fucking ice cube bitch ass”

Every single night

He sleeps on his back with his hands on his stomach like he's going to get lowered into his casket it's embarrassing

Thinks he knows how to shake ass and then when he tries (and fails) he considers never speaking to anyone ever again

Has gotten flirted with while he was with you and he just stared at them blankly bc he couldn't tell if it was happening

And then he left the room entirely

Walks in on people butt ass naked bc he has not learned how to knock (only child syndrome)

Stares a lot

He has nothing better to do so he’ll just come join you in your dorm and 👁hi👁

You've learned to block him out so he’ll scare the shit out of you

Sure he doesn't know how to flirt but he has money so he makes up for it

If you look at anything longer than three seconds he's following behind you with his card and the other twelve bags you have

This does have you ending up with things you didn't want so your friends love your random gifts

One of them will walk into potions with a luxury purse and one of the other kids will be like “tf Did you get that?” and your friends are like “🫵” And you're like “I didn't want it” So some of the student body does hate your guts just a little

favorite food is plain white rice

Thinks that acrylic nails go under the skin yk like in those videos with the fake hands pushing the nails up the finger yeah he thinks that actually happens to people

Jaw on the floor when you explain to him that's not what happens

Nsfw kinda

Down to three-way and will NOT let you forget

“I met this cute girl at the-” “I'm down. 😐”

“Oh did you see Harry this morning he was-” “Do you think he'd hook up with us?😐” “Babe. We've talked about this” “just once please”

Has asked you to peg him

unless you have a dick then he's asking for one of those two-way things (you're on my blog you know what I'm talking about dude)

Sub SUCK MY DICK DUDE HES A SUB SHUT UP

Actively begging sobbing on his knees “Please baby Please being so good please”

Would be a swinger and he'd have a pineapple on his front porch

Sorry

Has dabbled in the lockerrooms

Will ask you if the boys can watch him hit and you said only if they see him at his lowest begging and pleading for you he is silent as of now (give him two weeks)

Type of bitch to be covered in hickeys and when someone is like “What happened? To your neck?” and he's like “Literally what are you talking about?” will gaslight them into thinking there's nothing on his neck

Prefers cuddling naked but hates not immediately being in the bath after sex so he has to battle himself in his head

Can't dirty talk he's like “You look so nice when you're not in clothes? Do you like my wee wee?” and you're sitting there “bitch your what?”

Have resulted in him not being allowed to talk

Quickies number one hater

Needs his time to get into pussybitchboy mode

Okay bye

[theyhavetakenovermylife]

Can u do a Bayverse family au oneshot of Raph being a girl dad and hanging out with his girls?

Dad’s Monkeys (Fluff)

Children Series

Bayverse!Raphael x reader

A/N: It’s about time I give Raph and his daughters some time to shine❤️ The whole Monkey Tree thing is inspired by a came the children in my kindergarten have started playing, where they pretend to hang and climb on the adults. However we usually do it while sitting down, and do not actually allow the kids to hang from our arms in order to protect our backs. But it's fun and they enjoy it. Hope you’ll enjoy❤️

Ages: Joan - 7. Minerva - 3. Ragnar - A few weeks.

Warning: None that I can think of❤️

Sometimes, having a newborn along with a 3 year old and a 7 year old could be very hard. With your newborn son Ragnar, taking up most of your attention, it was hard to provide Joan and Minerva with the same attention, especially when Ragnar seemed to cry whenever he wasn’t carried or strapped to you. Luckily, your husband was there to help you with that, often taking your daughters off your hands, so you were able to provide for the young boy, who still wasn’t able to hold up his head on his own.

It was not hard for Raph to keep his daughter's attention. They adored him, with both of them willing to be described as their father’s girls. Joan being a force to be reckoned with, proving to be the biggest fear of Raph’s punching bag, and Mini always sticking around or on Raph whenever she could, like a monkey in a tree. And so, Raph would often bring his daughters to the weight room, where all three could take turns on the punching bag. Both for fun, and as a form of training. Two birds with one stone!

“Dad! Watch this!”, Joan yelled out, making sure she had Raph’s attention, before using her boxing glove covered hand to punch the large bag, hanging in a chain from the ceiling, causing it to swing back and furth. Raph was impressed. It felt like yesterday he first taught his oldest child how to swing her fist at a bag, and at the age of 7, she was already throwing a punch that Raph had no doubt could rival both Casey and Vern.

“Wow, well done, Jo”, Raph said, watching his oldest daughter while letting Minerva crawl up on his lap, letting her use his arm for balance. “Where did ya’ learn that?”

“You taught me that!”, Joan exclaimed with a big smile, throwing her arms up in the air, the large gloves looking comical on her hands.

“Ya’ sure? I don’t remember doing that”, Raph said with a small smile, knowing that his light teasing would get a joyful reaction out of Joan.

“Yes, you did, dad!”, Joan called out, almost bouncing over to Raph and Minerva, who had finally gotten comfortable on Raph’s left thigh, with his left arm wrapped around her, her head resting against Raph’s chest, watching her sister jump in her steps in front of Raph.

“Me? I think ya’ must have been dreaming. I couldn’t have taught ya’ that. I’m not that strong”, Raph said, acting like his arms were heavy and tired, slumping his shoulders. This seemed to get a reaction from Minerva, who looked up at Raph like he was crazy.

“That’s not true!”, Minerva called out, almost like Raph’s comment had personally hurt her. “You are strong!”

“Mini’s right, dad!”, Joan said, grabbing onto Raph’s other arm that wasn’t wrapped around her little sister, pushing it up over her head, where Raph kept it in place, allowing Joan to dangle from it like a monkey climbing in a tree, once she had taken her boxing gloves off, throwing them across the room. “See!”

Raph was about to say something along the lines of him just being lucky with his arms, only to get interrupted by Minerva, jumping from Raph’s lap to the floor, pushing the arm that had just been around her, up over her head.

“Me too!”, she yelled, pointing at Joan, still dangling from Raph’s arm. “I want to try too!”

“Only because you two are my favorite climbing monkeys”, Raph said, holding out his arms for Minerva, just low enough for her to grab a hold.

“Yay! Monkeys!”, the two girls exclaimed, laughing and giggling as they swung back and furth on Raph’s arm, kicking their legs underneath them. However those laughs and giggles quickly turned to screams of joy and excitement, as Raph stood up from his seat, bringing the girls higher up into the air, dangling from his arms as we walked around the weight room.

“Ya’ know what?”, Raph asked over the joyous sounds of his daughter. “I might be strong after all”, he said, lifting his arms up and down, like the two girls were nothing but weights, causing them to scream and giggle even louder.

—

With small Ragnar pressed against your chest, his small face scrunched up as he snuggled against you for warmth and comfort, you sat down on the couch, draping a blanket over you, pulled up just high enough, to cover the lower half of your son. Ragnar let out a small sound of comfort, his breathing growing calm as he seemed to fall asleep against you, listening to your heartbeat.

It was here, feeling the exhaust from looking after your newborn slowly take over you, that you heard the unmistakable sound of your daughters’ laughter, echoing against the walls, coming from the weight room. With a smile you listened to your daughters chanting the phrase “Monkey tree! Monkey tree!”, over and over again, followed by your husband’s bombing voice, declaring that he was in fact, a walking monkey tree, with Joan and Minerva laughing loudly at this declaration.

It may at times be hard to take care of a newborn, a 3 year old and a 7 year old, but it was at moments like these, hearing the joyous laughters of your husband and your daughters, provided you with a feeling of comfort, letting you know that everything would be alright in the end. You and Raph were trying your best, and in the end that was perfect.

[ray935sworld]

Christmas time and children's laughter

Rosquez dealing with the de-aged academy kids during the winter

24.12 winter writing - Merry christmas everyone

based on this AU

"PAAAAPAAAA!!!!"

Vale couldn't help but laugh when Pecco ran to him, his little face covered in snow. The neck of his jacket and the scarf around his neck was covered in white as well.

"Andrea threw the ball in my face!" he complained, his lip slightly shivering. The other boy audible cracking up in the background.

"Awe, poor bambino" he said, kneeling down and lifting him up. He hold him close and kissed his cheek. The skin was soft and cold on his lips.

When his face was next to Pecco's ear he whispered. "Okay, don't tell your dad but you need to stay low. Don't immediately jump back in the fight. Make a snow ball in secret. Then you call out for him and when he turns around you're going to throw it right in his face, understood?"

And with that the kids face lit up. He looked at Vale with a cheeky grin and nodded.

"But don't tell your dad!" he quickly added as he set him back down to which the small curly headed child just yelled "YEEEAAAAH!" as he ran off again.

"Good. Or else in spending christmas on the couch" he added silently to himself as he watched his kids play.

Migno, Franky and Pecco were busy doing a snowball fight. So far Pecco was definitely losing. Poor kid, getting tag teamed by the two. His face got completely washed.

After a few more minutes, Vale decided that if he didnt intervene Marc would give him the 'no fucking for a month' treatment. And he didn't want to risk that.

So he kneeled down, hearing his knees crack for a moment but uncaringly starting to scrape up a few snow balls.

As soon as he was ready, he throw the first one at his oldest sons back and giggled when he saw his confused expression as he turned around. Next was Migno.

"Come on!" he yelled with a smile "Or are you too afraid?" He throw one of the balls he had formed up, caught it and threw it up again. He grinned daringly.

It was when his 3 boys looked at each other with the same expression, a stern look they shared, before giving a small smile and a nod, that he knew he fucked up.

"GET HIM!" Migno screamed before they were running towards him, each a small bundle of snow in hand.

"Shi-" Was all he managed to say before the kids decided to shower him completely in snow. It was surprising how much impact the little bit of snow had that they managed to fit in their palm when they seemed to have a natural rotation system.

While the two 5 years old threw their snow rather uncoordinated, 7 year old Franky got some pretty good hits, right in the face. They also managed to silently work out a system in which one is always distracting Vale with new hits while the others starts scrambling snow together and then swap.

After a few minutes of that, while the adult barely manages to land a few good hits, he decided that this was not worth it.

"OKAY!" he screamed, lifting his hands up. "Okay! Okay! I surrender! Mercy! Mercy!" He was hit with another snowball right in the face.

Surprised he spit the snow out his mouth, looking at them with a faked angry expression when Franky screamed "Now we accept your surrender!" and his two brother started giggling.

He was glad to see them happy. It was a relief that they didn't understand the chaos that was the world around them. It was like the ranch was an invisible island for them to flee to, where none of them had to face any worries or consequences.

He remembered taking the boys on a little walk. Luca had been sitting on his shoulder, Cele on his hip and Pecco on his hand.

They were looking at the Christmas lights. It had been late evening. Marc and the rest of their little chaos gang were a little bit left behind since Bez and Franky had started a sword fight in the forest with sticks and refused to stop before one had won.

Andrea was cheering for them. Marc had stayed behind to make sure they didn't accidentally stabbed their own eyes out.

Luca was currently pointing at a particular house that was lighting up with lights in every color when they were approached by Isabella, an elderly woman.

"OH look at you, Vale!" she had laughed. "Being the caretaker of a few kids. Well, hello. Who are you, my little darling?" In that moment the older rider had felt a cold sweat run over his whole body.

If anyone else found out - He refused to think about it.

"Family" he had answered quickly. "They are part of mine and Marc's family-" which technically wasn't a lie but somehow they had managed to keep the fact that the whole academy had been de-aged a secret and he wouldn't break that now.

"OH how lovely..." she smiled but then tilted her haid. Her eyes were locked on Luca who - with the curiosity of a 4 year old - returned her gaze. "Yes, now that you mention it... He does look excatly like your brother when he was young. He looks like Luca, down to every detail. And he used to sit on your shoulders during your walks too"

"Must be a family trait" he said. "But I am-" The little one started so Vale quickly made a move to indicate that he had to head home. "And you know - eh - genetics. Sometimes kids look very much alike. I see you around. I don't want the little ones in the cold for that long"

Before she - or worst one of the kids - could make another comment, he quickly continued.

"Papa, why didn't you tell her that Luca is Luca?" Cele asked, leaning his small head against his chest. He was tired from their long walk and blinked with heavy eyelids. He looked like he was about to fall asleep.

"Or introduced us?" Pecco supplied.

"Yeah. Are we secret?" Luca asked and suddenly Vale felt very cornered. He wanted to say no but the answer was yes. He wanted to deny it and embrace them, prove them that he would never deny that they are his kids - even if there wasn't a biological connection.

"Of course not" he replied with a fake smile and guided them back home.

Home.

The ranch.

The place where it felt safe for them to just ran around and have fun like children were supposed to.

Franky was already riding. He had a small mini dirt bike. The first time he had seen it, he had screamed and jumped around like they had never seen before. He had jumped on Marc and Vale, hugged them, thanking them.

Watching his ride - even if it was barely more than 15km/h - nearly gave Vale a heart attack. He just wanted to run after him, holding him tight and safe to make sure he didn't fall and got hurt.

Marc looked more secure, but still had an anxious hint in his eyes. He had grabbed Vale's hand. "Don't worry" he whispered, kissing his cheeks. "He'll be safe"

He had squeezed his hand. Maybe as a reassurance. Maybe as a way to make sure that Vale wouldn't end up running after him.

After all Franky had already proven he had the talent to become a world champion and even a runner up for the motogp title.

Luca and Pecco were still on the mini bikes. It was slightly better to watch them drive their circles but still -

But now, they were just running around, in the snow, laughing and being happy. There was no danger around. They were safe. Safe and happy.

"Come on!" Vale decided and reached for his boys. "How about we go inside and check if we'll get you kids a hot chocolate. Does that sound good?" "YES!" they all screamed.

The older Italian couldn't help but smile as he watched them run over the large garden back towards the door. "I'll be first!" Migno screamed as they ran, but got quickly over taken by Franck who had the advantage of longer legs.

"WINNER!" he yelled with a triumphant smile. He wasn't far behind them so he quickly yelled "But im the only one with keys!"

He then unlocked the back down and watched as they put their shoes off - some more careful then others - and then moved on to the jackets.

Whiel Pecco and Franky hand them up, Andrea let his fall to the floor. He was already about to turn around when Vale gave him a scolding look.

"Andrea" he said. "What did you forgot?" "Eh..." helplessly he looked at Franco. Because - of course Franky would be able to help. And really, he leaned over and whispered "Hang our coats" "Hang ourself!" the other repeated louder and with a few more mistakes.

Vale stared at him for a split second. He didn't know if he should laugh out loud or not. He decided to smile and slowly point at his coat that had fallen of. "Hang our coats. If you're already repeating Franco, please do it correctly"

"Sorry" he muttered with a little eye roll. "Did you just roll your eyes at me?" Vale asked. "NO!" Migno screamed and started running, Pecco immediately close behind him. "Papa! We're baaaack!" he yelled. "Ey! Wait for me, I've got little legs"

Shaking his head, while Franco ran behind them and Vale followed his 3 boys in the direction of the kitchen.

He heard their mixed voiced before he even arrived and smiled.

He entered and a joyix feeling overcome him.

He saw Marc, standing with the back to him, working on something. Franky and Migno were standing next to him, touching his arm to show them how cold their hands had gotten.

Pecco had shuffled to the oven were a bunch of Christmas cookies were baking. He was holding his hands out, warming them, while Cele sat next to him. There was a little bit of flour left on the top of his nose and on his shirt.

Marco was sitting opposite of Marc. He wore a Christmas head. He looked like he was in deep concentration. His forehead was laying in deep folds and his tongue was sticking out at one side.

Luca was sitting next to him, almost as focused. His head was tilted to the side and his nose was scrunched up. He wore the antlers of a reindeer. Something told Vale that it had been Cele and Marco who forced Luca to wear them.

"Papa!" Bez exclaimed when he looked up. He had a big grin on his face. It looked excatly like the one big Bez always had. "LOOK!" he said and showed him a cookie he had been decorating.

It was Christmas tree colored in yellow with edible pearls all over it. "That's your tree! Cause it's yellow" "Wow, thank you, Marco" he replied with a smile. "It's very nice"

With a satisfied smile he continued his work. There was a whole bunch of colored cookies already he noticed as he approached them.

It felt familiar. Domestic. It felt like the most perfect moment of home.

And to completely the moment he sneaked up behind Marc, pulling him close. He pressed himself against him, putting his head on his shoulder. He hugged him, refusing to let him go.

"I love you" he whispered and felt Marc's hand coming up to feel over his cold cheek. "Love you too" he replied.

He turned around on his arms to face him. Vale still hold him close but now he was able to look him in tbe eyes. For a moment they just looked at each other. Both clearly happy and in awe about their new life and situation with the kids.

Even if the little ones sometimes almost bought them to insanity and they had crashed on the couch in exhaustion, more than once, they were happy. They wouldn't trade it for anything.

And they were in love. So Marc leaned in to kiss his lover. He felt his lips on his and just as he was about to deepen the kiss he heard in unisono a 6 voice strong "IIIIIIIGGGGGHHHHH!" that somehow made the moment perfect.

[spookypete-94]

Dark Horse-Fight or Flight

Chapter 6

PricexFem!reader

PriceXFem!reader

Reader is a single mother, working double shifts at a restaurant. Father of the child starts to become a problem while reader is at work and Price offers a solution. Slight age gap between reader around 25 and Price around 35. Will be around 3-5 Chapters once finished (Probably will be more about 6-8 chapters total now)

Sorry its been a bit for an update. Finally moving up in shifts and got to bid days is leaving me trying to find time to write. 7 months pregnant and tired all the time too isn't exactly helping.

This one might get a little dark (drowning/death/language), coming to wrap this one up. Might be two more chapters left.

John's activities went on for a few hours into the night. Starting in the living room and ending in the bedroom. Somehow, through all the activity, you awoke still on your schedule. The morning light beamed in golden rays next to the side of the bed. Yesterday was so extraordinary, but here it returned to normal routine once more.

John laid next to you, on his stomach arms folded underneath a pillow holding it close. His legs still strewn in with yours. Carefully pulling them out of the entangled snare, you slipped away quietly heading to the bathroom to get showered for work. Today, you would talk to Kate about transitioning to part time... for the first time in your life.

Part time...Only partly at work. More time at home. More time with Abel. More time with your husband.

The shower curtain being pulled back startled you, making jump dropping the bottle of soap on to the bottom of the shower.

"Ya' tellin' me ya wan' somethin'... or...," John's morning voice rumbled from his chest, making a slight innuendo as he bent down to pick up your soap. On the way back up he greeted you with raised eyebrows and a cheeky smile.

"Ha-ha," you announced sarcastically. "Forgive me, I don't have many that join me in the shower."

"Better start gettin' used to it, takin' any chance I get. Could of woke me, would of joined you sooner." He had taken your loofah and dumped soap on it, starting to wash you.

"You were sleeping."

"Want to take you on a honeymoon sometime, feels strange not doing something after were married. Untraditional." He said kissing the back of your wet head.

"No offense, I'm grateful but this whole thing was kind of untraditional."

"Do you regret it?"

Instantly you shook your head. "No," quickly escaped your mouth. The regret or hesitance better labeled left you sometime yesterday. This was no doubt now in your head the best choice. It's always been you and Abel. Part of you longed for someone else to fill that void... But Abel's father was never qualified to fill that position. John's over qualified.

Upon reward for your eager answer, John's hand slipped off the loofah and further down your body.

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

John and Abel joined you at your morning shift for breakfast. Both sitting at the counter while you waited tables. John had already asked Abel if he wanted to join him and the others for a fishing trip for the weekend.

The young boy excited to partake with something in the outdoors. Abel's father had always wanted him to stay indoors with him and played video games, which was fine. But you had noticed that Abel's soul often craved more. He was a boy who had a hard time sitting still for long periods of time. Maybe this was the answer he needed. All very clearly over 6'0 ft and pure man and willing to teach.

If you'd of asked yourself a few days ago, never in a million years would of sent your son off with someone you had just got to know. However there was something about John that made you trust him. You would give him your soul... bound to your bone and blood.

It didn't take long for John's strays to find and join him. Taking a seat further extending your counter. It really was a sight to see, four very large, very built, very dangerous men... and there sat little Abel. It would of been worth a picture to you if you had time to take one.

"Wanna wish you an' the Captain a Congrats," the one you had learned as Gaz started off.

"Congrats indeed, he's lucky he fund ya firs', bonnie lass," "Soap" joined in. "Any o' us would of made you a wife jus' as quick."

Very quickly you dropped their plates in front of them, your cheeks burning red and walking away. It made laughter erupt from Soap, while John side eyed him carefully.

"Easy Mactavish, can't scare the help away." Ghost, the giant always in black said, giving a slight pop on the back of Soap's head.

"I don' mean nuthin' by it, just happy for the Cap' is all."

John's watchful eye dropped back to yours were he sighed.

"Sorry love, why I meant we don't feed the strays. They don't deserve it."

All of them groaned loudly at his words.

"We haven't even left yet, and you're already making him mad." Gaz said elbowing Soap.

Ghost had rolled his mask halfway up his face to eat his breakfast making Abel lean forward to look at him. John had told you enough that Ghost wears the mask to stay anonymous to people having "died" years ago.

"Abel..." your voice warned, trying to keep him from being rude. Ghost's eyes glanced down towards Abel, as if asking him what he wanted.

"Yes?" Ghost acknowledged him.

"What do you look like under there?" His quiet shy voice asked.

"An ugly mug," Soap answered long before anyone else could. Again the laughter echoed in the diner.

"Quite the loud bunch," Kate said brushing past you grabbing a coffee pot.

"Won' be here long, Kate." John said trying to curb her building anxiety.

"Would like to talk to you later today." Your courage finally building having a second to talk to her.

"Not quitting on me are you?" Blunt. Straight to the point. Kate was never one for beating around the bush.

"No... not exactly."

"After the rush. We'll sit down take break and you can tell me what's going on."

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

Little arms wrapped around our waist, Abel buried his face in your abdomen.

"Love you, mom."

Stroking his hair back you leaned down, inhaling his hair.

"Always love you more."

Just like that he ripped himself from you, running to the vehicle they had all packed to go on their little "trip". Sure, Abel spent weekends away from you with his dad before... but this felt different. You wanted to bond as a family, but it was important that Abel and John bond together as well.

"Gonna be alright, love?" John asked arm wrapping around your shoulders and pulling him into you.

"Yeah..." you muttered into his shoulder, laying your head against it.

"Just one night, we will be back tomorrow before noon."

It was like he knew you through and through. Like he was looking past glass and could see what was making you tick.

"Just one night." You mirrored back at him, trying to convince yourself.

"Wouldn' even worry about it, if I hadn't of promised the others when we got back."

"You need your time too, John."

"And so do you, relax at home for once." He said rubbing your arms and kissing your forehead before tilting your head up and planting a gentle kiss on you.

"Besides, had you busy enough for the past couple of days, you could use the break." The same smirky smile and attitude from your shower together returning. It made you pat his chest lightly with a little slap, your way of telling him to get going. It made him chuckle, the rumble you have come to love echo from him.

You waved goodbye to all of them, Abel's hand slipping out the window at to you. They disappeared turning a corner to go out of town, and there you stood all on your own.

Going back inside, there sat Kate, two pieces of pie and two cups of coffee. The sugar and caffeine trick to get you ready to the next "rush" as she calls them.

"Probably shouldn't let you have coffee, knowing you could be pregnant." She teased, making you roll your eyes.

"Haven't I been picked on enough today?" Referring to the earlier banter.

"Come on, sit down and tell me what's going on." She said still laughing quietly, patting the seat next to her.

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

The walk home was quiet, peaceful. Kate had taken the information well, telling you she had started to expect it and was honestly happy for you. This whole feeling was alien to you, spending most of your life struggling for the things you had or being in fight and flight mode.

Tonight, the first night you had to yourself in ages. The possibilities were endless, but still it seemed your heart wanted one thing. To be with Abel. He needs this you reminded yourself. You needed this too.

Stopping at the store on your way home, buying a bottle of wine to pair with your burger and fries you had brought home for dinner. You glanced at it while pulling it out of the brown bag the store had hidden in it. Still trying to be a responsible adult, working on your daily chores, you then ran a bath and ate your supper.

Glass of wine in one hand, you slipped into the bath, resting the bottle next to you on the table. near by. The water was hot, scalding your skin, but it felt so nice to be engulfed by it all while you soaked. Propping your legs up on the tub, toes out of the water, you sent John a picture. Trying to communicate without being over bearing, missing them both still.

"You just send my kid out with random people?" A voice asked coming from the open bathroom door making you jump and look over.

There stood your ex... impending doom in the doorway.

"What are you doing here??" You asked sitting up, fear rising within.

He bolted to you, one hand at your neck pushing you under. The water was even hotter inside your body. Quickly filling your lungs, air leaving your cells.

You tried to scream, instead it left your body in large ripples floating to the top were they popped. Useless, it was futile. The feeling of fight or flight returning once more... and you couldn't leave. You have to fight.

Wrapping a hand around his arm, you grabbed and squeeze digging trying hard to push him back.

There was recoil as he brought you back up from the water.

"Fuckin' dumb bitch!"

Heavy large waves of water pouring off of you and back into the tub made it hard to hear, but he was close and loud enough you could make out every syllable and vowel. Rage and hatred dripping off his words.

"You know what I'm gonna do?" He dangerously asked. The tone matter of fact. Finally striking you as rhetorical. He wasn't worried about what he was going to do, as much as he was making you pay.

"I'm going to hold you underwater, let them think you drown. I'm going to clean up the water, refill the tub. You're already drinking, making this easy for me." he said gesturing to the broken wine glass on the floor. "You'll be dead and look like a drunk. I'll have Abel full custody then. What a terrible mother," mockingly.

There he forced you back into the water and down to the bottom.

"No!" You shrieked trying to resist, still unable to.

The battle started all over again... The blazing feeling of the water. Who knew water could burn? Your tongue was heavy in your mouth, the urge to get up leaving you.

Splashes and splashes of your spent oxygen rising to the top, towards your attacker. Your last gift to him.

Fight or flight.

War. This means war and death and you were picking yourself, tired of bowing to this man.

Your hand reached up pulling up on the tub, reaching, passing, bucking. Finally finding the bottle you gripped it, swinging as hard as you could. It smacked him, making him let go. Breaking, wine mixing with the matter on the floor, blood soon following. A large gash was on the side of his head, but he was still conscious. His hands reaching for you again, making you strike him once more. More of the bottle breaking, shards flying out and into his flesh.

Down he went, body lying on the floor. His face was hacked, skin and muscle torn down from his head to neck and into his shoulder.

It looked like an animal was let lose, like a bear had mauled him. The bathroom an entire wreck. Eyes wide as you glanced up in the mirror. Your skin red from where he had a grip of you.

Where was your phone?? You needed to call. You needed to call him now.

Finally you found it near the tub on the floor, covered in water. Reaching for it you tried to wipe the excess off... praying and hoping it worked. By the grace of gods, it somehow lit up. A new text message from John blessed the screen.

Looks nice love. Meaning the picture you had sent before the attack took place. Oh, how ironic.

Using it as a shortcut, you called him. Instantly he knew from how you were breathing something had happened.

"Love?? What's wrong?"

"He broke in." A sob, loud breaking your words after.

"He still there?" Hastily asked.

"Yes... but."

"But what dear?"

"I...he's..Hes dead!" you wept.

"I'm comin'."

"No, Abel will know somethings wrong." It was short and choppy. Relayed in away that you hoped he understood. You didn't want Abel to see this. You didn't want him to know you had killed his father.

John was quiet for a moment trying to come up with a solution.

"I'm sending, Simon." His next trusted, next in lead to come help you.

There, John listened to you cry, trying to motivate you to get dressed before Simon got there.

Finally, you had enough nerve to get out, finding simple clothes. A T-shirt of Johns on and a pair of shorts. Huffing the material of his trying to find peace and the ability to stay sane...A knock at the door breaking your temporary peace, bringing you back to your bloody reality.

Carefully you opened your door a crack, brown eyes behind smudged eye black and mask waiting for you.

"You ok?" he asked waiting for you to open the door fully.

Breaking the threshold, you pushed the door open for him. Simon stepped full foot in, scanning his eyes over you looking for injuries before turning the way you were pointing.

You followed him, but him stopping in the living room made you confused. Looking around there you saw curtains billowing. Simon approached it pulling them back looking through the window, the screen down on the ground.

Your ex had popped it off and crawled through...

"How he got in without you knowin'," Simon said dropping the curtains heading back towards the bathroom.

"Steamin' Jesus," His voice quiet. Harsh whisper as he looked at the literal blood bath in front of him.

"Put up quite the fight didn' ya'?" He asked looking over his shoulder sympathy in his voice.

"I tried."

Simon grabbed a towel placing it over the mixture of blood, wine, water and glass, sliding it away. Pushing his way through the debris to get to him.

Both of you jumped and startled as your ex groaned on the floor.

"Did you make sure he was dead?" Simon asked, almost like he was shocked that you hadn't.

"No!" fear settling back in to your bones.

Simon dropped a foot on his chest, a loud groan leaving him. Clearly very much still alive.

"Go back out an' shut the door." His voice low, matching what you were sure the one he used in a warzone.

"GO." he said louder and firmer. You watched as your ex's hands reached around his leg attempting to push him off. Simon replied with a harder press making him cry out... This you realized was Ghost.

"Gonna finish what she started, and end this problem once an' for all." Ghost's growled reaching down, your ex screaming. The fear he must feel seeing death stand before and on him... His last gift to you.

Just as soon as it had started, it stopped. You dare not ask Simon how he ended it... but part of you relieved it would never happen again... this would never happen again.

The door finally opened where he dried his hands off.

"Next time, sweethear'. Make sure they are dead."

Next time? you wanted to say. Next time?

Like this was so easy for him, like they all did it for a liviung

Taglist:

@cutiecusp @angeldemon28 @simplyymee98 @beebeechaos @cadotoast @talooolaaloolla @lhhlver @hon3y-cloud @spktrgantenk @generalruinsexpert @freshlemontea

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Captain John Price Masterlist

[gnc-valentine]

The older brothers with child reader

AN: I’ve never once posted something like this so bear with me. I made this for a friend of mine who is silly goofy. This is platonic obviously. This only has the older bros but I’ll eventually make hcs for all the characters genuinely I promise please. Reader is Gender neutral. Also She/He levi in this :3

Lucifer:

• you are 1 more added to the 7 how good for you !! But not really !

• nah it’s fine tho really. Just as long as you don’t start/get in much trouble you’ll probably be fine. Oh you’re a kid being raised by a bunch of demons? Nvm then alright.

• genuinely moving on though, I’d say Lucifer would be one of those dads that would show up to whatever sporting event you may do, and just stand arms crossed with like a whole other row of dads watching the game intensely. Not even saying anything except for maybe the occasional jab at the other team and or referee.

• certified shaky camera holder. I don’t care what you wanna say. This man CANNOT record shit steady (me too fr). Might also forget the camera is still on and would just walk around with it in his pocket recording everything. He Denies it ever happened but it definitely did.

• in the anime, there was an episode where Lucifer and some of the brothers went on a camping trip. Working off of this, he definitely wakes you up at 6 in the damn morning just to fish for 3 hours then asks if you wanna hike after you’ve been sitting in a chair or standing for a while and your limbs are all tired. He definitely has one of those back packs that has like a packet for water with a straw coming out of the bag and will drink out of that instead of stopping to drink out of a water bottle for 30 seconds.

• THIS MAN IS INSUFFERABLE WITH BOARD AND CARD GAMES. HE WILL NOT GO EASY ON YOU NO MATTER HOW YOUNG YOU ARE. Oh you wanna win in Uno and you’re 7? TOO DAMN BAD.

• he probably makes the best grilled cheese known to man and if you ask really nicely, he’ll even wake up in the middle of the night to make it for you :3

Mammon:

• oh my fucking god. He is so uncle core you don’t understand. Tacky fashion? Check. Nearly the same if not more energy than the kid? Check. A car to blast music in on the way to get some junk food? Definitely check.

• he has a pool table in his room. I don’t know what else to say. You two probably against each other if by yourselves. He probably purposely shoots for the 8 ball to knock it in and lose if you’re feeling or looking too sad about being behind or losing. He’s cool like that. He plays it off like he didn’t purposely do it. what a good ball. If y’all play against like let’s say beel and belphie or something similar? Y’all are unstoppable 100%. Diavolo and Lucifer? Lucifer would try to win genuinely but diavolo makes trash shots on purpose cause he likes seeing you happy :3

• you two constantly jump to touch door frames or various other stuff near the ceiling. If you’re to short he’ll tease you and kinda brag about being tall but then you bite his knee or something and y’all start a full rough housing session that has Lucifer yelling from across the house telling y’all to calm the hell down before he finishes the fight himself no matter who started it.

• if you’re eating candy in his car or something like he’ll do that dad arm thing where he reaches behind the chair asking for some. He probably calls it the uncle tax or something but yeah

• you play poker with him. Not like real money poker, but poker nonetheless. Y’all are betting fucking candy probably. Stuffed animals too maybe if it gets intense. Again, if he sees you sad about losing most of your candy, he’ll purposely lose so you’ll be happy. He’s just so real like that

Levi:

• he’s definitely the family member that shows you games and movies that he obsesses over, that eventually you yourself obsess over (speaking from experience cough cough)

• if you like the things she likes? Oh boy. You are gonna have the best Halloween costumes of all time I’ll say that much. Hand made too.

• she definitely will watch kids shows with you and like try to get as much into them as you are. Gravity falls? She will go as mable/dipper with you for Halloween or a convention. Adventure time? He will watch any and every piece of media regarding it and will try to have lore convos about it with you. Pokémon? Bold of you to assume she doesn’t already like it you idiot (her fav Pokémon is milotic :3).

• if you suck at games she’ll try to help you but like if it’s a game he is super serious about and you wanna play he’ll probably just give you a fake controller or like let’s you play a mini game exclusively sorry.

• Mario party is always fun with her, you, belphie, and probably beel or mammon. He refuses to steal your star or coins or just do bad things to your character on the board. On the mini games however… she’s destroying you/hj. Mario cart is just as intense if not more intense. She will get a tad bit salty if you somehow get 1st place against her but she’ll be proud at the same time so it evens out.

End X3

Hope you enjoyed and I hope I make another part lol !

[leatherface-kisser]

Can I request headcanons for Drayton, nubbins, chop top, and Bubba with a little sister around 7 years old. I like to imagine she's the exact opposite of them and is very sweet and innocent

Absolutely! Thank you for your request! These were so precious to think about. I did go a little dark in the very end, but there's nothing graphic, it's only implied. Hope that's okay!

Warnings : Murder and Cannibalism (implied)

🧸The Sawyers with a young sister🌷

Now let me make something clear beforehand… good luck trying to stay 100% innocent as a child while growing up with the Sawyers. The house is FILLED TO THE BRIM with bones and other human parts. Leatherface is wearing masks made out of human faces. I mean, there are literal murders taking place within the house! And the cannibalism obviously! I’m not saying it would be impossible for a kid to be innocent and sweet in this family, don’t get me wrong. However, I think the innocence would be more so because the child is oblivious to the fact that all of this isn’t normal.

With that being said! With such a young little sister around, the older Sawyer brothers would be viciously protective of her. You know how big brothers get with their baby sisters. No intruder could even manage to get close to the property without rapidly being dealt with. They’re more territorial than ever. No one will ever hurt their little sister. If it happens, it will be over their dead, cold body.

With Drayton at the gas station and the twins wandering around god knows where most of the time, the little girl spends most of her days with Bubba and Grandpa. Grandpa, as much as she loves him, isn’t exactly the most fun to hang out with though… So she and Bubba are the closest and get along very well. Bubba is a bit relieved not to be the baby of the family anymore and he feels a bit more capable and confident due to taking care of her during the day. When he’s not busy with chores, he plays with her. They’re often playing pretend with tea parties, playing dress up… and Bubba is genuinely having a blast each time.

Imagine Bubba letting his little sister do his masks' hair, with little ribbons everywhere and everything. Picture his pretty woman mask with ponytails or braids decorated with flowers, adorable. He sits on the ground and patiently lets her have fun, he himself is enjoying the little makeovers for sure. He only intervenes when she’s being too rough on the mask or when she needs help.

There’s also lots of Tag you’re it and Hide and Seek. Can you imagine how cute that would be? There’s this giant who's poorly hidden in a corner of the house or behind a tree, oblivious to the fact his round belly is sticking out of the hiding spot. And his baby sister creeps closer and closer until she jumps out at him with a loud “BOO!”. Bubba jumps with a startled yelp, causing the little girl to giggle with glee.

The two of them are very close and it’s honestly super sweet. I have a feeling Bubba would get along well with children. They share pinky promises, little secrets and such together. Bubba often carries his sister around like a bag of potatoes much to her absolute joy and delight. She loves nothing more than when her strong brother lifts her off the ground with no effort. Leatherface might be terrifying to others, but to his sister, he’s the strongest, kindest, safest person around!

Everyone is very, very fond of their sweet sister. And Grandpa also appreciates his granddaughter of course. Sometimes, she settles near him and rambles on and on about various things. You know that thing kids do, talking about mostly nonsensical things. Grandpa isn’t completely there, but he seems to enjoy her presence. The girl also probably likes to “gossip” with grandpa, like how Drayton says a lot of bad words, how Chop Top kinda stinks sometimes and how Nubbins blew raspberries at her the other day (How rude!). She does this mostly because Grandpa never scolds her for gossiping. He never really answers, but she still loves him.

The girl will be wearing her brothers’ old clothes from when they were children. Almost all of them are patched up, some of them are a little baggy, but they do the job just fine! She may have one cute dress to wear for special occasions, but otherwise, she wears the clothes that have been passed onto her. 

Sometimes, when a specific piece of clothing reminds him of something, Drayton often rambles to her about an anecdote from when he raised his little brothers. “Oh I remember patching up that one! Nubbins got stuck in that tree over there, it took an hour to get him down! The shirt got all messed up… Fucken nitwit… At least yer sweet hm? You don’t get into trouble like that. Yer a good girl.” *head pats*

Oh yeah, Drayton swears a LOT. He would attempt to watch his mouth around his impressionable sister, but he quite often slips up. Bad habit he inherited from Grandpa. Chop Top also swears like a sailor, but doesn’t even attempt to limit himself. He would probably even go as far as to teach his sister bad words just to piss Drayton off. Nubbins only swears occasionally, his language is surprisingly clean compared to the other two.

Speaking of Nubbins, he makes a ton of little toys and trinkets for his little sister! They’re pretty… Morbid. But still! They’re made with care and love, that’s what matters, and the kid most probably loves them. I can imagine Nubbins crafting dolls out of taxidermied small animals, and plenty of other stuff. His artistic tendencies and imagination comes in very handy! He takes so many pictures of her also. Just... so many. This kid has seen the flash of the camera hundreds of times by now.

Chop Top listens to music with her. He's that cool brother who visited the world and has a ton of stories to tell about his time in Nam Land. And he knows a lot of songs! So smart! The young girl listens to him talk with music in the background. She's having a bit of a hard time keeping up with the narration, but it sounds very interesting and cool nonetheless!

Bubba also makes stuff for his little sister! He knows how to sew quite well and will spend a lot of time adjusting his sister’s clothes so that they fit her a little better. He might also use scraps of clothing from previous victims to patch them up, or even decorate them! The sawing looks rough, but it’s sturdy.

Bubba gave the little girl his old Teddy Bear one night when she came into his bedroom after she had a nightmare. Big bro Bubba is very strong, he can protect her from any mean intruder! In an attempt to comfort her, he dug into his closet and retrieved the dusty plushie from the back. Teddy could protect her! He had protected Bubba from nightmares just fine when he was her age! Now that he doesn’t need Teddy anymore, she can have it. A pretty bow was added on the bear later on. She carries the thing everywhere with her. Teddy has his own spot at the dinner table.

Almost all of her toys are either passed onto her, or were crafted by one of the brothers. Brand new toys are a rarity and only reserved for special occasions, the Sawyers can’t afford much when it comes to these things. No worries though, the toys already available to her should be plenty enough! I imagine the kid would have a blast playing in the bone room. You know, the one where Pam stumbles upon in the movie. Picture this kid playing with different skulls, making them talk and playing out little adventures, or her just having fun with the feathers on the ground. Heck, just going outside is the best activity ever for the girl! There’s a big property to explore, flowers to pick up, bugs to capture and chickens to pet!

However, it’s always a bit scary for her when there’s intruders or victims around. There’s a lot of screaming and chaos, and Bubba looks very scared too. The girl is a bit frightened each time, but she feels reassured when her big brothers laugh in these moments. They’re laughing, so everything’s okay right? Plus, the screaming always eventually stops, they’re all strong enough to protect her, especially Bubba. Also, when there’s a guest, that means the fridge is getting restocked, which means more food on the table! So it’s okay. The girl does not know any better, this is just life to her. Family is good, family is safe, family is everything.

Thank you for reading! 🌼🧡

[foressfaction]

:Ticci Toby:{A Rewrite}

Chapter 7

WARNING:: This story contains EXTREMELY triggering topics such as Domestic/Child/Substance abuse, Death, harsh language, GORE and dissociation triggers. This story mentions mental illnesses and disorders such as Depression, PTSD, ADHD, and Tourette's Syndrome. !!TICS MAY BE TRIGGERING!!

Chapter seven

"Let's go out my window, they won't hear us." Lyra opened her room window that led to the roof and crawled out. Toby followed behind, slipping down the roof a little but eventually they were both able to jump off safely landing on the grass below.

The two siblings started to sprint down the sidewalk, slowly merging to the side of the road. Toby would pass Lyra immediately but the two would both slow down to a steady pace. Toby would fall behind shortly. "Where are we even going?!" Toby would yell, running behind his sister, her ponytail blowing behind her as she kept running, in the lead. Toby was getting out of breath but stayed competitive. "To the abandoned school! It's cool! I wanna show you."

The two kept running, shoes echoing off the old cracked sidewalk that has seen better days. The road was dead and it seemed no one was out at the time. The cold weather pinched at their faces, making their noses red and their faces a little pink.

About midway Toby stopped to catch his breath, bending down to hold his knees, huffing. Lyra stopped, no longer hearing him running.

Toby turned to see the woods, getting a very familiar feeling. He stayed huffing, holding his stomach tightly, he saw a figure…tall as the trees just facing him. It was all black, but definitely unnerving. This time though he felt like he was in danger…not that usual friendly feeling he got from the creature.

His eyes were locked on.

"Toby?" The girl called out. Toby snapped from his daze and looked at her. She was about 15 feet away. "You okay?" Lyra yelled out.

Toby nodded and went back to jogging, passing her who started after him.

He looked back a couple of times.

Lyra wondered why he suddenly went quiet

The two made it to the old school, both huffing to catch their breaths, especially Toby. "Wow, they painted it more since the last time I came here." Lyra hummed out, waking further inside. There was a hole just big enough for them to fit through the boarded door. Graffiti lined the walls on every corner. Almost no negative space was left. "Here!" She tossed Toby a can of spray paint. "Huh? Where did you ge-get this?" he asked, shaking it a little.

"It was laying in the corner over there, some dumb-nuts left'em." She shook her own can and tested it out on the walls. "A gift for us then huh?"

Toby laughed a little, joining her to mark up the walls. She wrote words while he painted his lil symbols, and stick people. That figure didn't leave his mind either. He started to spray paint the tall man, getting the proportions as correctly as he could. He was so concentrated that he didn't notice the girl looming behind him in confused awe. "Who is that, Toby?"

Toby turned quickly and sighed a little. "..A…a friend."

She tilted her head, concerned but played along. She was always worried about her brother. The kid was pretty slow and unique but she loved him anyway. That was one of the traits that made him so lovable. "Oh ahah, a friend? Well tell him I like his tie." She referred to the red tie that Toby painted on. The figure was in a suit.

The wind picked up suddenly. The two had been there for a while, and the sun was starting to set.

The brunette and the blonde girl were sitting against the wall playing with an old toy top they found on the ground. Toby was spinning it, trying to beat Lyra's high score of 30 seconds of pure spinning. His highest was 6..

"Hey, go see if you can find any other little things, I bet I can find one faster than you." Lyra always wanted to play a game out of something. She was a very competitive person. Toby got up quickly. "we'll see then!" He called out.

Toby ran down the hall of the old school, leaving the section they were in and entered a whole new one. His shoes echoed down the halls.

Toby really stopped to take a look at all of the halls. They were all painted on and just destroyed. People wrote satanic symbols, numbers. Some were confession letters and secrets.

'I wonder who Doug is.'  Toby thought to himself as he stood in front of a giant wall that had 'I really hate Doug' spray painted on it.

Toby finally caught the eye of a pile of boxes and bags. Bingo! "There has to be something in here!" He thought out loud as he ran over and started to dig through. There were a bunch of burned up books and papers. Toby dug deeper and eventually felt metal against his gloved hand. He pulled it out, a lighter?

He flicked it on and the flame bursted up, lighting his eyes and half of the semi-dark room up. "woaahh.."

"HEY!" A man's voice yelled out.

"What are you doing with my stuff you little twat!"

Toby looked behind him quickly and immediately scurried out of the room, taking the lighter with him.

The older boy chased him, grabbing at the boy's arm and successfully pulled Toby back violently.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" Toby screamed out, kicking the other male in the shin, slipping away again and running as fast as he could.

He ran into his sister, nearly knocking them down. She huffed out and held him. Toby was practically hugging her. Lyra was in shock but saw the other guy approaching them fast. "Don't hurt my brother you asshole!" She yelled out, baring her teeth angrily.

"Oh, you're a cute one aren't ya~" The older boy cooed out.

Lyra groaned in an annoyed way and sprayed the guy in the face with spray paint. He screamed and grabbed his face, it getting into his eyes. Lyra took her brother's arm and started to run.

Toby had shoved the lighter into his pocket in the process. "Haha bozo!" Toby laughed out, being tugged away once more around the corner.

Despite that encounter, that was the most fun the two have had in a while.

After the two got home and got showers, they stayed up most of the night in Lyra's room, either reading funny stories from a book of jokes, or making a fort out of all of her blankets. It was the weekend so they didn't have to worry about school or work. Toby fell asleep on the floor in the pile of pillows and blankets. That day was really eventful. The tall man even paid him a visit in his sleep.

••••••••

[wasteful-sam]

Worthy [Part 2, Chapter 12]

Tags:

Slow burn, romantic, smut-ish, ongoing, F/M, Rolan/female drow.

Notes:

Nothing like an enemy attack to test the resolve of our protagonists.

[Part 1, completed]

[Part 2, Chapter 5]

[Part 2, Chapter 6]

[Part 2, Chapter 7]

[Part 2, Chapter 8]

[Part 2, Chapter 9]

[Part 2, Chapter 10]

[Part 2, Chapter 11]

[AO3 Link]

+++

Worthy

Part 2 | Chapter 12

The breaking point

The silence wasn't absolute but rhythmically punctuated by gusts of wind and the gentle rustle of plants along the riverbank. Rolan didn't mind. Not until another sound - a child's high-pitched voice - shattered his peace.

"Why are you lying here?"

A tingle of annoyance rippled through him. Slowly, Rolan cracked open his right eye. Big, curly hair. An enthusiastic grin. Sure enough, it was one of those little tormentors.

"Are you drunk again?" Mirkon continued with his pestering questions.

"What?" irate, Rolan propped himself on his elbows, squinting with his left eye still closed. It indeed appeared that he slept through the night on the wooden pier. The wizard's glance returned to the boy, "Disrespectful little brat," he mumbled, "It is no way to talk to your elders."

"B-but," Mirkon looked down at his feet, "It's what Umi and Ide say!"

"Fantastic," Rolan grumbled, sitting down, rubbing his face to wake up, "What other nonsense do your friends fill your head with?" he asked spitefully, fully intending to tell them both off later.

"Um," the boy paused, thinking, "That you're angry and magical?"

Rolan snorted, dismissing the comment with a shake of his head. His body ached, a dull reminder of the poor decision to pass out on the pier. He raked his claws through his unkempt hair, taking out a piece of hair lace as he attempted to fix it.

Meanwhile, the little tiefling wandered to the riverbank, scouring for flat stones. When he'd gathered a dozen, he turned back to Rolan with a hopeful grin. "Wanna skip stones with me?"

The wizard barely spared him a glance. "Don't you have someone else to play with?" he mumbled, holding a hair tie in his teeth.

"Everyone's still sleeping, silly," Mirkon chirped cheerfully, throwing the first stone. It skipped six times before drowning in the cold water.

Rolan's brow rose in surprise, though he quickly masked it. "There's no merit in skipping stones," he said coolly. Seeing Mirkon's confused look, the tiefling elaborated, "It is not a useful thing to do."

"It's useful – for fun!" the little tiefling replied plainly, throwing another stone.

Undeterred, Mirkon continued throwing stones while Rolan stood with his hands on his hips, watching. His competitive nature simmered beneath the surface. Finally, he sighed, grabbed a stone from the boy's pile, and swung. The stone plopped unceremoniously into the water, never to be seen. Frustrated, he grabbed another stone, for it to only share the fate of the first one.

Looking at his fruitless efforts, Mirkon said, "It's alright. Not everyone can do it first time," Spotting Rolan's unsatisfied mug, he continued, "It's true! I couldn't do it either until my dad taught me. We practiced all day!"

Caught off guard, Rolan froze. Something in how the boy said it made him unravel deep within.

Mirkon, oblivious to the wizard's inner turmoil, placed a stone in Rolan's hand. "Here, like this." He guided Rolan's arm in a wobbly motion. "And then you just toss it! Don't think too much about it." He glanced up, beaming. "Funny you can't do it at once. How the stone jumps on the water - looks a little like magic, yes?" Getting no response, he continued, a little unsure, "I explain badly, I guess. My dad would do it better."

For a moment, Rolan said nothing, his mind adrift. What was worse, he wondered: never knowing your father or having such vivid, beautiful memories of someone you'd never see again as the boy did? Rolan crouched down to the boy's level, a smirk playing at his lips.

"Magic, you say?" he asked softly, "Maybe you are a wizard, too?"

Mirkon looked slightly startled, but then excitement overwhelmed him, "Really? I can be?"

Rolan nodded, entertaining the little tiefling's enthusiasm, "You can be if you want to. If you train hard enough, one day, you can become as great as I am."

The boy's mouth opened in awe, "Can you teach me?"

The wizard's smirk finally grew into a genuine smile, "If the young master teaches me skipping stones first."

For a while, the pair focused on the art of stone skipping. Mirkon demonstrated with effortless confidence his stones leaping across the river's surface like lively dancers. Rolan, however, was far from a natural.

"Relax your wrist," Mirkon instructed, giggling as the wizard's latest attempt sank with a dull plop. "You're too stiff, master Rolan."

"Master Rolan," the tiefling repeated mockingly, flicking his next stone into the water. It skipped twice. A modest improvement. "At this rate, I'll be an old man before you teach me anything useful."

Mirkon opened his mouth to retort, but a distant sound cut through the calm. It was faint at first, almost blending with the natural noises of the river. But it grew louder - the flapping of multiple giant wings, screeches, and then, suddenly, a crashing sound of wood breaking. As they both turned, they saw it clearly - winged monstrosities - many of them flying into the inn through the roof.

Mirkon screamed, his small voice cutting through the air, but Rolan's hand clamped over the boy's mouth before the sound could carry.

"Quiet," the wizard hissed, his thoughts spinning in frantic disarray. His chest tightened as the horrifying realization settled: the very thing he feared most had come to pass. And once again, he wasn't there to protect his siblings.

Rolan turned to the trembling boy, his voice low but firm. "I need to go. You will stay here. Listen carefully: I'm going to cast invisibility on you. Don't move. Don't make a sound. The spell will last for a while, but as soon as the tingling leaves your fingers, you'll be visible again. If I don't return before it happens - dive into the water and hide under the pier - don't move until someone of ours will come for you. Do you understand?"

The boy started to cry, "P-please, don't leave," he pleaded.

Rolan sighed, lightly patting Mirkon on the head - he reminded him of young Cal so much right now, "You will be safer here than inside the inn. I can't risk taking you with me. I promise I will be back, but I need to help the others first."

Finally, Mirkon nodded, trying to calm down.

"Good. Remember everything I've told you," Rolan said, weaving the spell with swift precision. A shimmer enveloped Mirkon before his small form faded from sight.

Rolan straightened and rushed toward the inn. As he reached the entrance, the scene inside made him stop dead in his tracks.

Multiple winged ghouls broke into the Last Light Inn and were now scattered across the whole main floor, relentlessly attacking the Harpers. Some fought, others were in a state of shock, taken by a surprise attack. A commotion could also be heard from above: a mixture of screeches, steel, and small explosions. One thing was clear: the enemy greatly outnumbered the allies.

But it was not Rolan's main concern. He scanned the room frantically, spotting none of his kin around. His eyes stopped at the doors of the common bedroom – four monstrosities aggressively clawing at them. Were other tieflings sleeping when the attack started? Are they now barricaded in the room?

Determined, the wizard started approaching the room. But not two steps in, another monster flew in from the hole in the ceiling, landing right in front of him. Startled, Rolan couldn't think straight. He quickly cast a gust of wind onto the creature, pushing it aside.

The winged horror didn't give up. It quickly stood up and closed in on the tiefling, the disturbing look of hunger in its eyes. Panicked, the wizard hit it with a quick succession of magic missiles, but even their dizzying effect didn't deter the monster from its pursuit.

Suddenly, Rolan noticed something unusual: a slick shadow moving fast towards them. Then – a whistling sound of metal, two shining blinks of steel, and a devastated screech of a ghoul, who fell to the floor. The culprit of a short spectacle was none other than a pale elf, holding two short swords in his hands – bloodied but magnificent, as himself.

"Look who's ruined my perfect ambush spot," Astarion purred smugly, eyeing Rolan up and down.

The tiefling, still catching his breath, narrowed his eyes, "Seems the ones being ambushed here are us."

"What, not even a thank you?" Astarion tsked, "Saving your lot from becoming a ghoul breakfast is a very ungrateful work."

But Rolan wasn't paying attention. The wizard's gaze shifted back to the door, his hands weaving a spell.

"...ah, I see. You'd rather be saved by a pretty dr...," Astarion didn't finish his quip, interrupted by Rolan's thunderous shatter spell he launched at monstrosities. The explosion wave raptured through creatures, dealing some damage. Their cries of pain quickly morphed into furious snarls as they turned to face their attacker, abandoning the door altogether.

"Well," Astarion drawled, sidestepping into a defensive stance as the ghouls advanced. "You've certainly got their attention now. Care to tell me what the plan is, or shall I just keep saving your hide?"

"The plan," Rolan replied sharply, his annoyance thinly veiled, "is to end them, not stand around trading barbs."

The elf just shrugged, his stance firm, "If you're bad at multitasking, just say so."

Before either of them moved, a swift, massive lightning bolt landed on all four ghouls, burning them to a crisp in one straight line. It was Gale's stellar job - the wizard effortlessly floated above them, tiny lightning charges still dancing near his eyes.

Rolan's jaw tightened, a pang of envy shooting through him despite his begrudging admiration for the sheer precision of the spell.

"Show-off," Astarion rolled his eyes, reacting to his companion's sudden appearance.

"Where in the hells have you been?" Gale asked the elf, his tone harsh, "We needed you up there! And where is Karlach?!"

Astarion's expression shifted to one of mock offense as he glared back. "Oh, forgive me for not predicting a surprise attack," he said with biting sarcasm, gesturing at the destruction around them. "I'm stuck down here dealing with this mess! And spare me the lecture, mighty Gale of Waterdeep. Couldn't handle a few ghouls without me? Or did you run out of fireballs already?"

"Be serious right now," Gale interrupted, "It's not just ghouls. There's a traitor among the Flaming Fists. He intends to kidnap Isobel. Do you understand what will happen if he succeeds?"

It occurred to Rolan straight away. The protective barrier will disappear - he thought to himself, dreading to even imagine what curse-wrecked creatures they would turn into if it happened. The tiefling looked up: new ghouls kept flying into the ceiling hole. Thinking fast, he cast a cloud of daggers near the entrance to inflict more wounds onto incoming enemies, "We need to do something about this," he pointed up.

"Precisely," Gale nodded, "This is why I'm going to the roof to halt them," he explained, flying towards the inn's exit," Nim handles the traitor, Jaheira protects Isobel," the wizard smirked, "And hopefully Karlach wakes up somewhere and joins us soon. You're in charge down here, Astarion."

Astarion blinked, taken aback. "Me? In charge?" He placed a hand over his chest in mock surprise. "Well, I didn't realize you had such faith in me, Gale."

"It's not faith," Gale retorted flatly, vanishing out the door. "It's a necessity."

Astarion stared after him, lips curling into a thin line. He clenched his fist against his chest, muttering, "I'll show you necessity." Gale certainly had a knack for making every word sound like a challenge - irritating enough to ignite the elf's pride.

Shaking off his irritation, he surveyed the room. The Harpers were scattered across the chaotic battlefield, most locked in desperate one-on-one skirmishes with the monstrosities. A few archers tried, with limited success, to take down the airborne ghouls. The overall scenery didn't inspire much hope.

He turned to Rolan, who was still concentrating on the cloud of daggers, "Care to be my second-in-command?" the elf quipped, "I won't have much use for the others, but you seem... adequately functional."

Rolan shot him a sidelong glare, his lips twitching with annoyance. "Do you ever stop with the theatrics?"

"Oh, but how am I supposed to set the scene for you?" Astarion came closer, looking up at the hole, "Let them come."

The tiefling's expression remained doubtful. Astarion, catching the look, continued with a casual shrug. "They're not that tough. Just mind the claws - one hit, and you might end up paralyzed. Here's the plan: you bait them with your magic missiles, and I'll carve them into something resembling art."

Rolan hesitated, scanning the room. They had no time to argue - this was as good a plan as any. He exhaled sharply and reached out, casting mage armor on Astarion. The faint-blue shimmer enveloped the elf, fading into his frame like a second skin.

"You'll be closer to them," Rolan said curtly. "This will help with the claws."

Astarion's lips curled into a smug smile as he inspected his glowing armor. "So, you can be charitable when the mood strikes. I'll be sure to make it count." He tilted his head, "Just don't miss the targets."

"I never miss," Rolan shot back, his voice laced with quiet arrogance as he dismissed the cloud of daggers with a flick of his wrist.

Astarion tightened the grip on his swords, eyes gleaming with a predatory glint. "Neither do I," he said, matching the tiefling's confidence with a smirk of his own.

Rolan didn't lie - his precision was impeccable. The magic missiles hit two winged monstrosities with a crackling force. The ghouls shrieked, turning their bloodshot eyes toward him.

The pale elf sprinted into action, jumping up to engage the first ghoul in mid-air. The cunning smile graced his face as he moved with deadly elegance, piercing the ghoul's stomach in a quick succession of hits.

Rolan found himself momentarily transfixed. He wondered if Astarion even needed the mage armor. His moves were effortless and light, like a feather dancing on the wind, never to touch the ground. He dodged the attack from the second ghoul, managing to leave a cut on its arm.

The tiefling snapped back to the moment as the second ghoul lunged at him. He inhaled deeply, calling upon the weave. A crackling witch bolt shot from his fingertips, arcing through the air to strike the creature's right wing. The ghoul screeched as it tumbled to the ground.

Astarion was already there, landing effortlessly beside the writhing beast. Rolan sent two more bolts its way, the electric energy ripping through the creature until it lay lifeless.

The elf glanced up, spreading his bloodied blades wide in mock applause, his expression smug. "See? What did I tell you?"

"Not bad," Rolan admitted grudgingly, launching another row of magic missiles at a ghoul soaring toward them. The creature howled, careening to the floor in a daze.

"Careful now," Astarion said, cutting the fallen enemy with a quick flick of the sword. "You might actually compliment me."

"Don't get used to it," Rolan retorted, his tone sharp but betrayed by the faintest upward twitch of his lips.

Suddenly, the half-dead ghoul jerked upright with unnatural speed, claws flashing toward Astarion. The elf barely had time to react before searing pain raked across his left hand, forcing him to drop his blade.

Rolan started forward, but Astarion moved faster. Driven to fury, the elf hissed, lunging back at the creature. One swift move - and his other sword pierced the ghoul's stomach while his fangs sank deep into its neck. The monster fell flat to the ground, now dead for sure.

The elf pulled back, wiping his mouth with the back of his injured hand - only to realize his mistake when he caught the look on Rolan's face.

"Anyway," the Astarion muttered, clearing his throat and sheathing his sword. "Let's focus on the battle, shall we?"

"Oh, now you want to shut up all of a sudden?" Rolan shot back, voice laced with exasperation. The absurdity of what he'd just witnessed was too much.

The elf licked a stray drop of blood from his lip and gave Rolan a pointed look. "I was under the impression we were too busy fighting for our lives for a moral debate. But by all means, tell me how you really feel."

The wizard hesitated, hand halfway raised in retort. But in the end, he just exhaled sharply and dragged a hand down his face. "Ah, what the hells. I really need to get used to you people throwing insane revelations at me every other minute."

Astarion smirked, utterly unfazed. "Fair. And we've definitely got a few more up our sleeves - just to keep things interesting."

The two now stood back-to-back, an unspoken alliance forming as chaos erupted around them.

Then, out of nowhere, a loud crack split the air, followed by the groaning protest of wood. Both turned toward the sound just in time to see something crash through the inn's balcony and into the bar below with a deafening impact.

Dust and debris filled the room as the remnants of the bar scattered in splinters. Astarion cocked his head, an amused glint in his eyes. "Well, well. It seems our immaculate commander has arrived."

Rolan squinted through the settling haze. Two figures lay among the wreckage: a hulking man with wings clad in heavy armor and a smaller, agile figure... Nim. A wave of worry surged through him. He took a step forward, his attention fixed on her unmoving form.

Astarion's voice cut through the din, light and teasing. "Oh, don't tell me you're about to abandon me for her. Besides, do you really think she's in dire need of help? She wouldn't appreciate you doubting her like that," he added, notes of knowing in his tone.

Rolan froze mid-step, caught off guard. The elf's words struck a chord - whether out of truth or taunt, he couldn't tell. Begrudgingly, he returned to his position, readying a spell as another ghoul swooped into the room. Still, his gaze kept flickering back to the bar, where the confrontation between Nimriel and the traitor Marcus was beginning to unfold.

Covered in dust and cuts from the fall, Nimriel's eyelids fluttered open just as the greatclub was descending toward her skull. Pure instinct drove her to roll aside, the weapon slamming into the floorboards instead. Even so, the club's edge grazed her left shoulder, drawing a sharp cry of pain.

Nim scrambled to her feet, clutching her injured shoulder as she focused on Marcus.

He loomed before her, massive and menacing, his heavy armor scuffed but unyielding. The wings sprouting from his back added a cruel irony to his figure - a reward for the betrayal.

She knew she couldn't just pierce his armor - she had already tried that with her sword.

The sword - Nim finally realized the weapon wasn't in her hands. Frantically, she scanned the debris as Marcus advanced. Each swing of the greatclub forced the drow to twist, duck, or dive away, her injured shoulder screaming in protest. Her Phalar Aluve was nowhere to be seen, lying somewhere amongst the debris.

"Still alive, are we?" Marcus sneered, his voice carrying a mocking lilt as he hefted his greatclub. "Impressive. But this ends here."

The drow ignored him talking, torn between focusing on his greatclub and searching for her blade. Finally, Nimriel's sharp eyes caught a glint of gold amidst the wreckage - Phalar Aluve, half-buried under splintered wood and broken glass. But it was behind Marcus, and reaching it would mean slipping past him.

Distract him. Stall him. Take him out.

"Yet, I'm still standing," Nim finally replied to Marcus, her tone deliberately careless. She ducked and rolled, narrowly avoiding the next crushing swing of his club. As she moved, her fingers closed around something small in the dirt, slipping it into her fist.

"Funny," Nimriel continued, circling just out of his reach, "how even with wings, you can't take out an unarmed opponent."

A flare of irritation crossed Marcus's face. His grip on the greatclub tightened.

Another swing. Closer this time. Nimriel danced back.

"Was it worth it?" she asked, breathless but taunting. "Betraying your friends for a pair of accessories?" She positioned herself just right - offering what looked like an opening, drawing him in. "Or are you compensating for something?"

The insult struck deep. With a roar, Marcus lunged, putting his full weight into the attack.

The club slammed into Nimriel's side, pain bursting through her ribs like fire, but she was already moving. She caught his wrist in a vice grip, her other hand snapping open to reveal the shard of glass she had hidden. With a swift motion, she dragged the jagged edge across his index finger, cutting bone-deep.

Marcus bellowed, his weapon clattering to the floor as he clutched his bleeding hand. Nimriel didn't hesitate.

Her eyes flicked to the ground - a battered beer mug. She grabbed it and drove it into Marcus' face with a sickening crunch. Blood spurted as his nose shattered, his screams turning into muffled, pained gasps.

This was finally her opening: cradling her wounded side, she ran past him, lunging for Phalar Aluve. Fingers closing around the hilt, the drow didn't stop moving. She sprinted toward the massive femerell above the inn's grill spot, leaping up and catching its edge. Nim climbed on top of it, drawing her sword. Marcus was still reeling, blood dripping between his fingers as he turned, disoriented. She had not a single second to spare. Nimriel launched herself forward, Phalar Aluve slicing through the air in a half-moon arc. The blade met flesh and bone at the base of Marcus' wings with a sickening, wet crack. His shrieks ripped through the air, loud enough to make her stomach turn.

She landed in front of him just as the traitor staggered forward, hitting her sword's hilt against the man's head and knocking him out.

Breathing hard, Nimriel took a shaky step back, trying hard to brash Marcus' stanching blood off her face. Leaning on her sword, the drow looked around. The fight was still raging - at least a dozen ghouls remained, clashing with the allies across the first floor.

She swallowed the pain in her ribs and raised her voice, gravelly but firm, "Harpers! The upper floor is cleared! Half of you - to Isobel's chambers, protect her and Jaheira from further assaults!"

Several Harpers immediately disengaged, rushing upstairs. As she watched them go, a familiar voice cut through the din, dripping with amusement.

"Did you have to be this dramatic?"

Nimriel turned, still catching her breath, to find Astarion standing leisurely amid the carnage. His smirk was sharp, his blades slick with fresh ghoul blood. Beside him, Rolan was shaking off the last sparks of magic from a spell, the two of them having just dispatched another monstrosity. The tide of enemies had shifted - ghouls were no longer swarming from above, which meant Gale had likely dealt with those on the rooftop.

"Did you have to be this dramatic?" Astarion repeated, gesturing vaguely at the wreckage of the bar and the unconscious, bleeding Marcus.

Nim approached them as quickly as she could, though her injury noticeably impacted her pacing. Still, she didn't want to waste time - the enemy attack halted just for a short while.

Unamused, the drow glared at the elf, making him drop the theatrics altogether. Astarion knew what this look on her face meant. It was rare when Nimriel would drop her cheerful, optimistic self. The other Nimriel was dismal and upfront, as well as desperate - like a beast, wounded and encircled.

"You alright?" Nimriel asked, looking them both over for signs of wounds. Luckily, they were in far better shape than her - cuts and insignificant bruises.

"Could've been worse," the elf replied flatly.

Before Nim could say anything else, Rolan stepped in, his sharp gaze sweeping over her. His expression was a mix of irritation and concern, "You're injured."

"It doesn't matter right now," Nim replied dismissively, wiping a hand over her armor as if that might make the blood disappear.

Rolan's scowl deepened, "Yes, it does," he signed, casting mage armor over her, "It's no healing magic, but you could stand to be a little less breakable."

The drow blinked at him, caught off guard - not just by the spell but the look in his eyes. For a moment, she almost softened. Then she sighed, long and tired. "Thank you. But I'd rather you cast it on yourself."

Nimriel's voice wasn't sharp. It wasn't cold. Just… weary.

She exhaled, glancing toward the common bedroom. "You shouldn't be here. I ordered the tieflings and gnomes to stay barricaded inside when the battle started." She turned back to him, searching his face. "Don't tell me you snuck out."

Rolan, confused by the uncharacteristic edge in her tone, frowned, "I simply wasn't there."

Nimriel's expression didn't change, but something in her posture stiffened. Her eyes swept over the ruined inn once more, assessing the situation.

"Either way, keep out of trouble until it's over." Before the tiefling could reply, she turned to Astarion. "We're clearing this out as fast as we can, then taking the fight outside. I don't like that Gale's alone out there."

She paused as a familiar barbarian roar echoed from the street. Her grip tightened on her sword, "Help is on the way."

She didn't have to wait for the elf's reply to know he understood the plan. The drow left them unceremoniously, running towards the other side of the room, blade ready to slash another monstrosity.

Rolan watched her go, something unreadable in his expression. After a moment, he murmured, almost to himself, "What's with her..."

Astarion didn't even hesitate. "Too soft, that one." His tone was light, as if the answer was obvious.

Rolan shot him a look, but instead of arguing, he waited. Curious about what the elf had to say.

Astarion noticed, "Look at you, eager to listen to me talking."

When Rolan remained quiet, the elf sighed, spreading his arms, gesturing lazily at the carnage around them, "She is taking all of this as her personal failure."

It should have surprised Rolan. Instead, the words settled like something he had already known.

Astarion continued, his voice now carrying something quieter. "The weight of fragile lives she so desperately wants to protect piles up. But she can't hold all of it, so she breaks herself under it instead." He tilted his head, considering. "A fool's purpose, if you ask me."

The tiefling's retort got lost amidst the ghoul screeches - two monstrosities flew in through the main entrance. Instinct took over - Rolan's fingers curled, magic crackling between them, a witch bolt forming in his palm.

But then, another scream followed - a familiar one, full of fury. Red and burning, like the tail of a falling star, Karlach barged in right behind the two winged monsters. Before they could react, she grabbed them by their skulls and slammed their heads together with a sickening crack. They dropped to the floor in a stunned heap.

The barbarian didn't give them a chance to recover. She seized a nearby table with her bare hands and hurled it, sending it crashing into the writhing creatures. Gaining momentum, she charged forward, forcing the ghouls back until she pinned them against a wooden pillar. The creatures screeched, thrashing, claws swiping wildly at the air, desperately attempting to reach her.

Watching the surreal scene, Rolan finally remembered to use his witch bolt. He threw it at the fiends Karlach was holding back, allowing her to swiftly finish them off.

Karlach exhaled, still burning with heat, her skin glowing. She turned to them, breathless but grinning. "Tell me you've got my axe with you?" she eyed Astarion.

The elf's theatrics made a quick return, "How many more of you will assume I predicted this battle? Of course, I don't have it! That thing is almost as heavy as me! Oh, and also," he cheekily pointed at a piece of straw stuck in barbarian's hair, "last night went well, I trust?"

Puzzled, Karlach reached to her head, taking the piece out. She winced and gave the elf an annoyed look, "Sod off and make yourself useful," she mumbled, breaking one of the table legs to make a makeshift weapon.

Karlach took off as fast as she barged in, sprinting toward the other end of the inn to aid the struggling Harpers. Her strikes were merciless, cracking ghouls' skulls and breaking their wings. Just like Nimriel, Karlach fought with vengeance.

The battle pressed on, stretching time into something strange - too fast, yet unbearably slow.

For Rolan, every strike, every spell, every dodge blurred together. He felt that any minute now, the weave would betray him, leaving him defenseless. But the tiefling couldn't let this happen. It wasn't just a matter of protecting the inn. He couldn't let them see how weak he was.

Watching the party fight was like witnessing a legend in motion. Strong and relentless, an unstoppable force pushing forward no matter how formidable the opponent was.

Somewhere above him, Rolan could hear Gale casting spells of incredible magnitude and power, the likes of which he couldn't dream of conjuring. How long must one practice to achieve such prowess?

For all his years of study, his sleepless nights pouring over spellbooks, his endless practice - was it all meaningless? Was he just...born to be of no importance?

A loud whistle broke his concentration. It was Nimriel. Standing beside Karlach, with whom she cleared the further side of the inn, she commanded everyone's attention, "Harpers!" she shouted, now running towards the inn's entrance doors, "Stay inside in case more break through!"

Without hesitation, she was the first one out the door. The others followed - Astarion, Karlach, Rolan - only to stop short as they stepped outside.

A thick, writhing black mist stretched wide across the open ground beside the building, curling and shifting unnaturally. From within, the wretched howls of ghouls echoed - distorted, desperate, as if something far worse than death had taken hold of them. Every other minute, their screams were amplified as red glints of eldritch blasts lighted up the darkness.

Soon enough, the shrieks of monsters stopped, and Wyll dispelled the hunger of Hadar. The warlock appeared from the ancient sigil circle mere moments ago and dealt with the remaining monsters. The battle was won, at least, for now.

The silence stretched for just a moment too long, thick and heavy. Nimriel barely noticed when her knees gave out, sliding down against a wooden pillar. The momentary rush of battle faded, leaving only pain in its wake. But even as exhaustion clawed at her, her gaze remained fixed on the sky, searching for remaining threats.

"Thank you, Wyll," she said absently, seeing the Blade of Frontiers nodding, "I need you to get Shadowheart and Lae'zel here. We..."

"Shit!" Astarion's curse cut through the haze, raw with unguarded concern.

Nimriel's head snapped up just in time to see what had drawn the elf's alarm. On the rooftop, Gale was standing on his knees, panting heavily. His hands were pressed tightly to his stomach, but they wouldn't stop the bleeding. The cut was deep, tearing through his robe, exposing ragged, torn pieces of the wizard's flesh.

"Key, quick, get me up there," the elf didn't hesitate.

Startled by the view herself, Karlach faltered, "I… I'm still burning."

Astarion glared at her, making it clear that he didn't care. With a frustrated sigh, Karlach grabbed him by the waist, launching them both upwards with a powerful jump. They landed hard on the rooftop, but Astarion was already moving, kneeling beside Gale, getting ready to help him up.

"I'm taking him down to Isobel," he yelled so the party below could hear.

Gale's breath was uneven, pain clear in his features, but still, he managed a weak smirk, "We won, I take it?"

Astarion rolled his eyes, shifting his grip to support the wizard's weight. "Save your energy," he muttered, though his usual sharpness was softened. "I should've gone with you."

Gale hummed, his voice tired but teasing. "Is that worry I hear?"

Astarion scoffed, smiling despite himself. "Don't flatter yourself. A living wizard is far more useful to me than a dead one."

Watching the two, Karlach sighed in relief: Gale seemed hurt badly, but he would live. She looked down from the rooftop, saying, "He's fine - just needs healing."

But Nimriel barely seemed to hear her. The drow's face was veiled with a mask of pure hatred. Fists clenched, teeth grinding against each other. Without uttering a single word, Nim rushed back into the inn.

Wyll and Rolan exchanged uncertain glances. Then, the tiefling remembered something important.

"I need to go," he quickly addressed the Blade, backing out.

Wyll gave him a brief nod, but his attention was already back on the rooftop, watching as Astarion and Karlach carefully helped Gale down toward Isobel's balcony.

Rolan rushed to the pier, paying no attention to his aching joints. How long has it been since he left Mirkon there? Is the boy even alive?

He got down to the riverbank, looking around, until he heard quiet whimpers coming from under the pier. The kid was hiding, just as Rolan told him.

The wizard's shoulders dropped, tension released, "You can come out now. It's safe."

Silence. For a moment, Mirkon didn't move. Fear still held him tight. Rolan exhaled, forcing his voice to steady as he crouched lower. He extended a hand toward the shadows, "You did well."

"You're all bloodied," the boy squicked, looking over the man cautiously.

Rolan huffed, glancing down at the dried streaks of red on his robes. "Don't be scared. It's not mine," he paused. "Mostly."

The boy's nose scrunched in distaste, but finally, he budged. His grip was small but tight, clinging like a lifeline as the wizard helped him out of the water. Looking up at him, the child frowned. "You're shaking."

Rolan let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. His arms were trembling, the spellcasting and exhaustion catching up to him. And something else, of course. The killing.

Shaking off all the dreadful thoughts eager to enter his mind, Rolan replied, "It's nothing."

He lowered to Mirkon's level and looked at him intently: the boy started to shake himself, still wet from staying in the water for too long. "We need to get you inside," he added.

Mirkon nodded meekly and then, all of a sudden, gave the wizard a tight hug. Startled by such action, Rolan froze, his hands stuck in the air. After a moment, he let his arms lower, giving Mirkon a light, uncertain pat on the back. "Alright, alright," he muttered. "Let's get you out of here."

Straightening up, he lifted Mirkon with ease, carrying him against his chest and making his way back toward the inn.

"Are my friends alright?" Mirkon asked, voice small.

Rolan hesitated. "I think so. I haven't seen them yet."

"I hope they are," the boy mumbled, resting his head against Rolan's shoulder.

As they neared the inn, Rolan suddenly stopped.

He turned slightly, eyes narrowing. "Keep your eyes shut until I say otherwise," he instructed. The wizard didn't want the fear to take over the child again if he saw the aftermath of the carnage.

Mirkon blinked up at him, confused but obedient. He squeezed his eyes shut, burying his face in Rolan's shoulder.

Satisfied, the tiefling pressed forward - only to halt again as soon as the scene before him came into view.

Just outside the inn's entrance, the traitor was lying sprawled on the ground, groaning in agony. Blood pooled beneath him, his breath ragged.

Standing over him was Nimriel, her expression cold, gaze clouded.

She wasn't speaking. Wasn't shouting. Just methodically driving the heel of her boot into the man's ribs, over and over. Each strike landed with the same measured force.

"Nim, enough," Wyll was right behind her, watching, his tone calm and quiet.

After a couple more hits, the drow stopped, looking back at her friend, "Enough?" she asked, exhausted, "Go inside. See what he did. Would he have stopped if asked?" She dragged a hand down her face, stretching her skin as if trying to pull herself back together. Then, with a slow exhale, she reached out. "Give me the rapier."

Wyll hesitated. But in the end, he handed it over. He wasn't sure if, in her place, he would do any different.

Nimriel crouched, gripping Marcus by the shoulder pad and yanking him upright. The man slumped forward, too battered to resist, but his gaze burned with both fury and fear.

"I know you're a coward, Marcus," Nim stated slowly, getting down to his level, "Who else would've preferred a pair of wings instead of keeping loyalties to friends. And look what happened? You lost them so pathetically, so painfully, too."

"Still," Nimriel continued, "wings were never truly yours, were they?" She lifted the rapier, the blade hovering just in front of his left eye. "Now imagine losing something you were born with."

His breath hitched.

"You don't have to suffer again," she continued. "Just tell me - why is Thorm after Isobel?"

Marcus trembled. His body was already shaking from pain, but now it worsened into something else. Still, he remained silent.

Nimriel sighed, then swung the rapier in a sharp arc, stopping inches before piercing his eyeball.

Marcus flinched violently, a strangled cry ripping from his throat. "Stop!" he gasped.

His chest rose and fell rapidly, his fear now fully exposed. For a moment, he just breathed, then - voice raw with resentment - he spat, "She's his daughter."

Nimriel's expression didn't change. She only gave a slow, measured nod as if confirming something she already suspected. Her grip on the rapier shifted.

"You are a coward."

And then she drove the blade into his eye, but not far enough to make a kill.

Hearing Marcus' disjointed, agonizing screams, Mirkon stirred slightly in Rolan arms. "Can I open my eyes yet?" he asked, worry in his words.

"…Not yet," the tiefling mumbled. His grip on the boy tightened as he pressed a steadying hand over Mirkon's face, ensuring he saw none of it.

Rolan's skin felt cold - colder than it had in a long time. Is that it - her breaking point?

Ignoring the shrieks of a traitor, Nim rose up, approaching Wyll slowly. When she reached him, she handed back the rapier and, without hesitation, leaned her forehead against his shoulder.

"We need everyone here," she muttered, "Lae'zel can squeeze more information out of him. I'm not good at this at all."

Wyll caught her shoulders, his grip firm but careful. "What we need first," he said, his voice unwavering, "is to patch you up and get you steady."

Nimriel let out a slow breath, the weight of the situation settling over her. It was time to accept the reality.

[marvelgurl789fanfics]

Remy Lebeau (Gambit) x Child OC

(Remy Lebeau (Gambit) x Rogue)

~Happy Halloween Part 8 to Safe~

Princess Fiona’s Tea Party (Part 7 )

Warning: slightly suggestive at the very end

(Not the best at grammar or punctuation)

Summary: Fiona celebrates her first Halloween with her Papa and auntie Rogue at a Halloween festival.

Masterlist

I kept rewriting this one sorry it took so long.

~~~~~

Jubilee was looking around the mansion for a certain X-Men, finally the teen spotted the long haired thief. Gambit was lounging on the couch his head on Rogue’s lap while she used her gloved hand to play with his hair earning a content sigh from the man. Approaching the pair Jubilee noticed Fiona happily sitting on the floor with her purple bunny Monsieur Sprinkles coloring with crayons. “Hey guys” Jubilee greeted leaning over the back of the couch looking at the couple and the toddler in the common room. Fiona didn’t seem to notice her greeting too involved in her drawling. “Hey Lee” Rogue greeted still petting her boyfriend’s hair like he is a cat, who’s eyes remained closed but let out a hum of greeting. “I was wondering if you had plans this weekend?” Jubilee asked with a smile, “non but it sounds like we’re going to have some” Gambit teased from his spot. “There’s this Halloween festival, the five of us can go” Jubilee said, “five? Who’s number five?” Rogue questioned with a teasing smile. “Perhaps a boy named Roberto?” Gambit joined in, Jubilee face turned a shade of pink mumbling a yes.

“Sounds like fun” Rogue said sparing the teen further teasing “seems like Remy doesn’t have much of a choice” Gambit said with a fake displeased sigh but the smile clear on his face as he sat up from Rogue’s lap. “Yay! I’ll take care of our costumes!” Jubilee cheered and running off before Gambit could protest he didn’t agree to wear a costume, leaving Rogue to laugh at Gambit’s face as her jokingly glared at the door Jubilee just left from. “Papa!” Fiona said running to the couch with a picture in her hand getting both the adults attention. “Yes Mon petit” Gambit answered lifting the little girl into his lap, Fiona proudly showed her picture to both adults. It was a scribbly drawing of what looked to be Remy holding hands with Fiona and a scribbly version of Rogue holding her other hand. “It beautiful sugar” Rogue smiled patting the girls head, “like it papa?” Fiona asked looking for his approval already receiving Rogue’s. “Yes père loves the picture very much” Gambit smiled hugging his daughter close to him.

*****

Saturday finally came, Jubilee came to the breakfast table with three shopping bags dressed as a witch with a black dress and pointed witch hat. Only Rogue, Gambit, and Fiona were at the table, the rest of the X-Men seemed to have plans today. “I got our costumes” Jubilee said holding up the bags with a smile, peeking in each bag quickly then passing one to Rogue and one to Gambit. “You guys go change I’ll help Fiona with hers” Jubilee said turning to the excited child who jumped out of her chair and cheered at the idea of dressing up. Jubilee almost regretted offer to help Fiona change into her costume as the girl was too full of energy and excitement to hold still, after a bit of struggling Fiona was in a green sparkly dress that skirt looks like a fish tail. braiding her hair was much easier finishing off the mermaid look, her scales matched easily to the costume so most people would just think it’s part of the costume and not notice she a mutant.

After the all done from Jubilee, Fiona ran to find her papa to show him what a pretty mermaid she was. Fiona quickly spotted him exiting his room dressed in black slacks, black button down and red suit jacket with 2 red horns coming from a headband buried in his hair, his red on black eyes matching perfectly making them almost pass as contact lenses. “Papa look, I’m a mermaid” Fiona cheered running up to him, “Mon petit your the most beautiful mermaid père ever seen” Gambit said kneeling to her height. ‘I’ll have to thank Jubilee later for the thought she put into our costumes’ Gambit thought relieved their physical mutation blended into their costumes.

“Hopefully I didn’t keep you three waiting” Rogue said walking to the group, wearing a long sleeved white dress that went to her knees with matching white stockings and gloves covering the rest of her skin finished off with her own headband but hers is holding a golden halo in place. “We just got done ourselves” Jubilee reassured as Gambit face turned red taking in Rogue costume. “Papa are you sick? Your face is all red” Fiona said pointing out with a child like innocence making Rogue and Jubilee try not to laugh. “Yes, père is fine” Gambit said a bit embarrassed picking Fiona up and making his way to the car before either could tease him. “Yeah we should be head out, I told Roberto we’d meet him there at 10” Jubilee said through a laugh as her and Rogue followed the father and daughter.

A 40 minute drive they finally arrived to the festival, Jubilee jumped from the car the second Gambit put the car in park. Rogue helped Fiona from her car seat, carrying her walking with Remy and Jubilee to the entrance. Jubilee soon spotted Roberto dresses as a zombie with slightly ripped clothes and fake dried blood, “Hey Jubilee. Rogue, Gambit” Roberto greeted quickly adding the others on the greeting trying to play it cool poorly. “Hey Roberto, oh you haven’t met Remy’s daughter and my little sister Fiona, Fiona this is my Friend Roberto” Jubilee said introducing the two blushing at the word friend. From her place in Rogue’s arms she looked at Roberto “you’re not a real zombie are you?” Fiona asked seriously, “I’m not a real zombie, no need to be alarmed” Roberto lightly laughed. Approaching the gate Gambit cut in front of the two teen paying for their tickets along with his and Rogue’s seeing that children under five were free. “You two just go have fun” Gambit smiled passing the two teen a wristband each, after a thanks, and a wave bye the teens left the group hand in hand.

“They look cute together” Rogue smiled while Remy help her with her wristband after putting on his, since her hand were full holding Fiona who seemed to like the higher view of the festival. “Where to first Cher, Mon petit?” Remy asked starting walking around his hand lightly resting on the small of Rogue’s back. “Papa, Auntie look horsie” Fiona said pointing to horse rides with a man dressed as an old fashioned cowboy leading a horse around giving rides to children. “Looks like fun hon, want to have a go?” Rogue asked taking the sparkling eyes of the child as a yes, the line was quick Fiona wiggled to be put down and jumped up and down excitedly waiting her turn. “Père don’t know where you get all this energy from Mon petit?” Remy joked as Rogue and him smiled at the girls pure joy.

The cowboy competed the circle coming back to the start helping a little boy down and tipped his hat to the little boy and his parents, before walking up to their small group and crouched to Fiona’s height. “Howdy little mermaid a little far from the sea aren’t ya” the man joked getting a giggle from Fiona, “little miss have you ever rode of a horse before?” The man asked with a kind smile. “No” Fiona shook her head, “well little miss I promise buttercup here is a friendly old girl, you’ll be just fine. Your mama and papa will be right here waiting for ya” the man said as he stood and held out his hand to lead Fiona a little closer to the horse, before carefully lifting her up and sat her on the horse’s saddle and staying by her side to make sure she kept balance as he slowly led the horse around the round track. Remy and Rogue were relieved that the man didn’t notice or just didn’t say anything that the both of them blushed at the assumption they were a married couple.

After the horse ride Fiona dragged them to the small petting zoo right beside it, Remy was with Fiona as she was happily petting all the baby goats and sheep. All while Remy kept fighting with a baby goat who kept trying to eat his jacket, much to Rogue’s amusement as she watched from outside the fence. After finally convincing Fiona to leave the petting zoo they made a quick stop to the restrooms to wash their hands. “How about we look at the food stalls I’m getting hungry” Rogue suggested to Remy and Fiona who was now sitting on his shoulders looking over her papa’s head at the crowd, before Remy could respond the little girls stomach started growling “oui, sounds good” Remy said through a light laugh. “I seen an apple cider stall, how about I go get us some while you two get us food, we’ll meet at the picnic table over there” Rogue said petting Fiona head and placing a quick kiss to Gambit’s shirt collar before walking away.

Rogue made her way to an empty picnic table three warm drinks in her hands, setting them down before hearing familiar voices one giggle and the other warning the first not to run. Fiona joined Rogue on her side of the table corn dog in hand small bites already taken from it, Remy sitting the opposite side from his girls set down two plates one of nacho loaded with chicken, tomatos, and jalapeño with a dab of sour cream on the side, the other plate being funnel cake covered with powdered sugar. With Rogue’s look of really? Just earned a smirk from him. “Here you go hon, careful it’s hot” Rogue said setting the only blue cup of cider within Fiona’s reach, Fiona hummed a thank you mouth full of food. “And this one’s for you sugar” Rouge said passing Remy the other red cup of cider before digging into their shared nachos, Remy didn’t really pay much mind to the different color cups before taking a drink noticing that it was spiked “guess it’s five o’clock somewhere” he joked before taking a bite of nachos as well.

Finally getting to the funnel cake Fiona mouth became covered in sugar but happy nonetheless, Rogue grabbed a napkin and whipped the girl’s mouth. Looking over and noticing Remy had a bit of sugar on his lips as well, rolling her eyes with a smile Rogue whipped his mouth as well earning a laugh from Remy. “What a cute little family” an older women commented to her husband walking by smiling at their group, Rogue and Remy almost froze in place looking at each other red faced. “Père seen a corn maze, don’t that sound fun Mon petit?” Remy said breaking the awkward moment moving his attention to Fiona, “hon it will be a lot of fun” Rogue said moving her attention to Fiona as well standing up picking up the slightly confused little girl while Remy quickly cleaned up their mess and followed along.

The rest of the day was spent doing other activities around the festival the women’s comment forgotten, it was 6pm Rogue with Remy carrying the worn out Fiona his red jacket wrapped around her sleeping form made to head home. Jubilee was saying bye to Roberto as they reached the exit. “Have fun on your date?” Remy asked the teen, “It wasn’t a date” Jubilee protest but her face telling a different story. “Leave her alone swamp rat, let head home” Rogue teasingly scolded him, “oui, Mon petit is out” Remy said while they all walked to the car. Careful putting Fiona in her car seat without waking her, Remy moved to the drivers seat and took off as soon as everyone was safely in the car. The ride home was quite as Jubilee decided to take a page out of Fiona’s book and sleep on the ride home too, Rogue looked out the passenger seat window her hand lightly resting on his leg the couple in comfortable silence.

Once home Rogue woke Jubilee while Gambit carried Fiona to bed, gently taking her hair down from its braid Gambit decided it wouldn’t hurt to let her sleep in her costume tucking her in bed. Quietly leaving her room closing her door behind him, he noticed Rogue leaning by his door across the hall waiting for him. “Not tired Cher?” Gambit questioned walking to her, “a little but I was thinking I could dance with the devil first” Rogue said with a flirty look wrapping one arm around his neck the other playing with a horn on his headband he had yet to remove. Noticing the power damping collar now around her neck “Mon ange” he said pulling her into a kiss pulling her into his room and kicking his door shut.

~~~~~

Any suggestions or ideas welcome. Got other parts planned check out Masterlist.

I don’t know French, all French is from google translate:

Non (no)

Mon petit (my little one)

Père (dad/father)

Cher (dear)

Oui (yes)

Mon ange (my angel)

[larstoomars]

i have such bittersweet feelings about my hometown. So much of my family, life, and memories are here, i love each of them deeply. my city is big, it sure isn’t small, 12th biggest city in my state. i remember jumping off my play house as a child trying to fly and walking down a broken sidewalk with my friends while hearing sirens and gunshots. i loved to camp, fish, and swim while nearly drowning again and again and eating cold Koegels. Walking around late at night but never alone and location tracking on. Always having a roof over my head but always being afraid of it being taken away from me, by weather, law, nature, or robbery. i finally graduated in 2020 with terrible ending, not even a year later my high school diploma is destroyed by water damage. i have friends everywhere but also if things get rough, i can just as easily start over again here bc the city is big enough for multiple people. it’s not slow and boring like the country and it’s not as bustling with citizens walking, biking, or riding to where they need to get in a big city. it’s the same boring places but somehow the people around me find the most interesting events and things to do. we had the biggest pride our city had seen in june and yet everyday i hear homo and transphobia.

it takes, on average, four generations to get out poverty in the united states, in 2016 the percent was still rising at 45%, now its at 35% but i don’t have hope for it to keep sliding down. two cities in my state are on the list for top 10 poorest cities in the united states.

in 2014 the michigan governor changed my cities water source, killing 12 people. our state government said they would fix the lead pipes, change them out by 2020 in 2017. the programs giving residents bottled water who were affected have stopped at the beginning of 2023. Residents still do not have clean water. technically Flint is under the amount of lead allowed in water federally and state-wise sitting at 9 parts per billion (below requirement of 15 ppb (personally i think it should be zero)) but, consider the following! Water pipes and lines have continuously burst over and over and over again, this has been happening of years, multiple times a year. forcing flint residents unable to drink water, clean, do laundry, be hygienic for days or weeks depending on where or how long the water break is.

my mom tells me things were getting bad in Flint when we moved away when i was 6/7. we moved to New Mexico and only stayed for a year before moving back home, i have mixed feeling about that place too. my best friend past away that year due to a shooting accident with immediate family. details are unimportant but right around then is when family members of my own started to pass away.

while in high school two teachers also passed. one had a heart attack and didn’t come to work so another teacher went to his home to check on him during the school day. everyone found out at the same time at he died, i wasn’t close to him. the other, she had muscular dystrophy, she was in an electric wheelchair and had a working dog, she also worked at the school. she had uterine surgery but there were complications and she didn’t make it.

after a slew of bad news this year, this september, my graduating class lost one of our alumni. his name was Johnny and he had just turned 21. i didn’t actually get to graduate with him because of covid, our ceremony was broken up into four parts in the same day, so i only graduated with a fourth of the 2020 class. i don’t look at high school fondly but, johnny was kind, funny, and smart. he worked so hard to make Flint a better place and prove all sorts of people wrong. He died defending his girlfriend, so many went to his funeral and brought our graduating class back together. to what cost though? his friends and family lost his life, he lost his life. he loved to fish, his favorite color was yellow, his lucky number was 44.

His murder was killed by another man. a couple days after another young man shot and killed at 18 years old. GM strikers were ran over in a hit and run. My dads truck was stolen right out of his driveway. A KFC was ran into by a police officer. A staff member in Flint schools had a ceramic chair thrown at their head and sent to the hospital. Ethan Crumbley, a teenager who killed four in a school shooting may be sentenced to life without parole from Oxford.

so much of my life is here, my memories, my family, biological or not. i always thought i’d move away from here. sometimes i still think i might. im not sure. i don’t know what to do to feel safe. i don’t think there is a safe place for any of us. was there ever?

[otter1962crystalball]

Being Bullied and the Scars Remain

June 5, 2024

Happy day five of Pride, everyone. Bullying is something with which a lot of people in my community are familiar. There is that feeling inside that says you must hide yourself at all costs and not become a target. For me, hiding who I was involved making myself as unnoticeable as possible.

As I look through adult eyes at what happened, I see that I was doing anything to protect myself. If the bullying were to occur now, my reaction would be very different. I think that is why the bullying I experienced as a child was hidden away inside because I was ashamed at what I was. Equally, there was shame for being afraid.

The bullying started when I was in grade 7. I even recall what caused the other students to begin to tease and taunt me. There was a time in the boys changeroom where we had to change our clothes for the first time. Even though I was afraid the other boys might notice me looking, I couldn’t help myself and one boy, name long forgotten, noticed and shouted, “What are you staring at?” I just shook my head and looked the other way. Not long after that incident the teasing started.

The words fag and faggot were tossed around - most of the time not directly at me but talked about in general and how those “faggots” would get what they deserved. I began to avoid most of the guys in school and found safety hanging with the girls.  So much so that I didn’t even know the rules to soccer or football. I did manage to play baseball, but once had a ball hit me square in the head as I tried to catch it. I had so little confidence in myself. As an aside, I learned how to jump rope (including double dutch) and many different types of ball games that involved tossing it against the wall and doing moves in certain orders. Those were sissy activities. The team sports were what boys did and something that I tried to avoid as much as possible.

I recall the last weeks of grade 8 at my middle school which included going to a camp with the other grade 8’s. I met other boys from the other schools and decided there were boys that I could befriend. One boy in particular was named Scott. He and I hung out constantly while at camp. Afterwards, back in school, the rumours started about Scott and I doing things on my bunk. The teasing intensified and I went further into myself to hide.

In 1975, I began high school - grade 9. It was a whole new world with students coming from several of the towns surrounding the town that had the high school. We were bussed from my town to the next every school day. Once at the high school, my feelings of fear became more intense. I always assumed the several boys who teased me in my middle school, carried the news to all the others and suddenly I had 10 - 12 boys taunting and teasing me. They did it in the hallways and even in class, right in front of the teachers. The teachers did nothing and ignored what was going on. 

One day we had a science field trip in biology class. We were going around and looking at different ecological areas. On the bus, I ended up surrounded by the group of 10 boys who began smacking me on the back of the head. If I turned around, they would taunt me so I hunkered down and wished for the trip to end. On one of the walks, several boys took willow switches and whipped my back and legs with it. They always did it when the teacher was busy doing something else. Did I cry out? No. I begged them to stop. Did I tell the teacher? No, I didn’t because using my young logic, if I did, the teacher would know that I was gay. A couple of them even reached out the bus window as I walked by to board the bus and tried to push me into the swamp next to the road.

When I got on the bus, my seat was taken by the grinning bullies, so the teacher invited me to sit with him. He split his apple in two and offered me half. We talked about the biological aspects of the trip and I then felt safe and let my guard down. Back at school, as we got off the bus, it went back up.

From grade 9 to 12, the bullying continued. By the time I was in grade 12, I’d had enough. I now hated school. As I look back, I loved school and learning until the teasing started. Then the whole thing became a nightmare. My core group of friends that I hung out with had no clue at all about what was going on. The bullies were covert and I was silent about it all. I never told my parents or my siblings what was going on. No one knew who I truly was and how tortured I felt. I needed to escape.

In my previous blog, I wrote about going to a city in Western Canada and then to Calgary, where I began my “gay life” and accepted myself for who I was and who I am now. The scars remained from my past, however, and there were times when I had a disagreement with a boyfriend, I would blow up. The anger would surface from time to time and I would again feel ashamed for being that way. It took many years and counselling to learn to put all of that aside. I even symbolically burned my high school yearbooks to try and drive away the demons. Since 1980, I’ve not gone to one high school reunion. I don’t believe that I am afraid of those guys any longer. It’s always felt better to just live my life and not try to drudge up the past by going to reunions of a school where I hated going.

Years later, I returned to school to learn French. I took two semesters of French in a university and I rediscovered my love of learning. I got my first degree in ESL to teach Francophones in Quebec. Later, I went back to university again and again until I had four degrees including my masters.

I’ve left the bullies behind and the horrible feelings that went with the whole situation. As I am writing this, I feel the old fear surface, but I know that I am safe and that the bullying will never continue. So for Pride, I am celebrating my life that is free of bullies. That includes an ex-husband who was one as well. I divorced him in 2016 and I now know when narcissists like him try to bully their way into my life. I won’t stand for it!

I wish you all Happy Pride and for all of those of you out there who were bullied, I truly understand and empathize with you. Maybe you might even share your story with me. Carpe diem.

[takeeachdayonebookatatime]

Why did you elbow me? 198

Achilles Castle part 100

Lemonade and lies Part 43

Nicholas (Nick) Stephen McSwarek undercover part 7

Kate/Stana: pov after dinner Nick/Greig ask if I want to go to the pool he found out while I was changing earlier that our apartment building has one. Says it's a good way to meet the neighbors. He asks if I'm okay in water after the whole, almost drowning in the Hudson thing. Nick/Greig it is not a trigger for me that I know of. Plus I took the pool safety class and passed. I know how to be safe in the water. Back at our place I'm in the bedroom changing into my full piece bathing suit. Nick/Greig is in the bathroom changing into his. I grab my life jacket and a small medical bag with my meds and a few other things.

Officer Nicholas (Nick) Stephen McSwarek/Greig: pov I grab some towels before we leave for the pool. The walk is short to the pool, there are a bunch of people mostly teens in the pool hanging out. I should have thought of the fact that she might not be able to be in the pool safely.

Kate/Stana: pov i put my life jacket on Nick/Greig is nice enough to sit with me on the edge of the pool. I don't feel comfortable getting in with all of the teens in the water. I don't want them to accidentally bump into me. With Me and Nick/Greig being cops we can tell a few of the boys have been drinking and tell them it's not safe to be in the water while they are drunk. The drunk teens look like they are about to leave. We decided to continue our Conversation.

Kate/Stana: pov I notice a woman with 3 kids, one looks like it's a special needs child and one is an infant. I elbow Nick softly to get his attention. We offer to help the mom with her kids. Nick is holding the special needs kid helping him in the water. I'm holding the little girl's hand. The drunk teens are splashing us and saying mean things calling Isaac useless and a waste, they are saying what baby can't talk, why would someone let him live let alone choose to give birth to him and keep him. They keep coming closer to him saying mean things. Nick is using his body to protect Issac, i tell him to get the kids out of the pool. I decided to step in saying that they are being rude and to treat him nicely. All human beings deserve to be treated equally. They start saying mean things about me saying only babies were life jackets and aren't you too old to not know how to swim. Too bad I can't arrest them. Whatever sounds Issac is making because he isn't happy Nick is trying to get him out of the pool quickly is triggering them. It happens so suddenly they charge forward towards Nick and Issac who are near the stairs, without thinking I step in front of the teens who then shove me hard in the chest it causes me to gasp in pain and takes my breath away.

Officer Nicholas (Nick) Stephen McSwarek/Greig: pov another woman grabs the baby from the mother so she can grab Issac, I then jump in and manage to pull Kate out of the water. She is holding her chest and seems in pain and startled. The teens, shoving her in the chest probably hurt since i Don't know if her chest is sensitive. A woman who was sitting on the other side of the pool watching her children play asks if Kate/Stana is okay because she is a nurse.

Kate/Stana: pov Nick already has my life jacket off without even realizing it I'm rubbing my chest. I don't want this to turn into an episode. Nick can see it in my face that I'm in some pain. My chest hurts a little, another person is shouting that the police are on the way. This is not how I wanted our night to turn out. I can barely register what is happening.

Amy the nurse: pov Sir is the woman with you okay Greig says I'm not sure Stana has some health issues. What kind of health issues he explains that she has previous chest trauma from a shooting, a heart condition, has had emergency heart surgery, suffered a few cardiac arrest, has ptsd and a weakened immune system. Oh okay that's a lot for one person.

Officer Nicholas (Nick) Stephen McSwarek/Greig: pov I don't want this to turn into a bad situation. Kate is sitting next to me. I had a buddy in the military who had PTSD so I know how to handle it, let's hope that doesn't happen. I check her numbers to make sure she is okay. They are okay,

Amy the nurse: pov I can hear police sirens meaning the police are here. Greig says he doesn't want to get the police involved.

Officer Nicholas (Nick) Stephen McSwarek/Greig: pov crap the police are about to arrive the chances of them knowing who we are is very high. Thankfully the 2 cops who show up are rookies and don't know who me and Kate are.

Officer Swanson: pov what seems to be the problem here we got a call about a possible assault and under age drinking. The woman who called us explained as much as she could. From what I understand the drunk teens were bothering a special needs kid and shoved a woman named Stana. First things first we need to interview the witnesses.

Officer Kai: pov I'm talking with Issac ‘s mother since she witnessed it all, she wants to press charges. My partner officer Swanson is now talking to Stana, the woman who was shoved by the teens. To be continued. ……..

[memo14g]

Scholarship/Orphanage Day 2 (7/13) || Henry Le (USC)

On day 2, we arrived at Trường Tình Thương Ái Linh, which was approximately a 45-minute drive away. Similar to the previous day, we had to walk a bit to reach the school. Upon arrival, we were greeted by masses of kids lined up in front of the main speaking stage, all dressed in their matching uniforms. At the beginning, their teacher had them perform a cute little kid's song for us, and witnessing the joy on their faces was truly amazing. Soon after, we all took our seats behind the children. I ended up sitting behind two funny kids who bantered playfully with each other.

The principal delivered a speech to express gratitude for our presence, and Dr. Bui shared some remarks about MEMO while introducing all the doctors. We then engaged in a fun group game of "Simon Says," Vietnamese style. Once the speeches were over, we had the opportunity to interact with the kids and play games together. I had the chance to meet a very shy child who turned out to have some kind of attention-deficit disorder. Despite his tendency to drift off, I could tell that he was genuinely enjoying the moment and our interaction. Eventually, he became comfortable enough with me to let me give him a piggyback ride. It was a heartwarming experience that I truly cherished.

Watching the kids play and participate in various activities was a delight. They were jumping up and down, playing patty cake, spinning in circles, and so much more. Near the end of the visit, we all lined up to give each child a backpack, and the looks of appreciation on their faces were priceless. Finally, we said our goodbyes and hugged the kids close to us before leaving.

After the visit, we had plenty of free time, and some of us decided to explore a street clothing store called The New Playground, which offered a fantastic selection of unique and stylish clothes. Later, we returned to the hotel to freshen up before heading out for our dinner cruise.

This was my first cruise, and I was genuinely excited about the experience. After boarding the ship, we were shown to our tables, and since it was a buffet, we all headed to the food area to serve ourselves. The night proceeded quite normally, with us chatting, laughing, and enjoying each other's company. Once we finished eating, we, the 14gers, moved to the deck to take some beautiful pictures. However, the rain started pouring heavily after 20 minutes, so we had to go back inside the cruise.

Tonight was actually a banquet night for MEMO, where we were supposed to hear awards and closing remarks about the mission trip. Just as a MEMO student began giving the opening remarks, the cruise suddenly shifted to one side, catching everyone off guard. Some people were knocked down, and plates slid off the tables. Chandeliers rocked back and forth. Even the cruise workers looked confused by the sudden shift. For a moment, we feared the worst, thinking the cruise might be sinking, but it turned out to be a minor bump against a nearby dock. Still, I could see worried and scared expressions on some of the faces around me. Looking back, the rain, in a way, saved us. Without it, some of us might have still taken pictures near the ledge of the cruise during the sudden collison. But let’s not think about that :/.

The banquet was cut short, and we patiently waited until the cruise was ready to depart safely. Eventually, we made it back to the hotel, where MEMO continued the banquet. We heard closing remarks about the trip, received certificates and superlatives as awards. Once the banquet at the hotel lounge was done, we left to our rooms in peace.

Above: Having fun with the kids!

Above: Picture of the best team, objectively!

Above: Titanic 2.0 Jules is shocked!

[rere-the-writer]

Hi! Can I please request an Elijah Mikaelson imagine? Like in season 5 of TO he doesn't have his memories, he was with the reader inside that 7 years and when his memories came back he doesn't want to leave her bcs he loves her so much. Thank you!

Title: His own little family

Warnings: Jealous!Hayley, Fluff, Elijah just being in love with his lady, some angst

Manosque, France

Elijah smiled placing his forehead on his bride's forehead as you both had your first dance. You were a powerful witch that met Elijah the second week of staying in Manosque and a year of dating Elijah asked you to marry him. Elijah hadn't felt this strongly about a woman before... well one that he could remember and as you were dating Elijah, you had pulled dark magic from him that you called the Hallow which weirded him out but in awe with you power.

"I love you, my sweet wife."

"And I love you, my adoring husband."

Seven years, it took seven years to find Elijah as just as soon as Freya sensed the Hallow no longer alive. Klaus and the others were quick to find Elijah as Hayley was excited to have Elijah back, to have him back in her arms. Klaus, Freya and Hayley found Elijah still living in Manosque playing the piano in a bar, Hayley felt her breathing hitch seeing Elijah dressed in a Hently and jeans with a bit of scruff on his jaw.

"May I have everyone's attention?" Elijah asked as everyone in the bar smiled paying attention as Klaus and the girls were confused seeing you next to Elijah. You were dressed in a soft cream color flowy dress with dark hair in curls down your back flushing as an arm belonging to Elijah was around your waist.

"I would like to announce that my wife and I are having a child!" Elijah said as the bar broke out in loud cheers as Klaus and Freya was surprised and Hayley felt a spark of jealousy watching Elijah swoop in kissing you deeply. Both Freya and Klaus had mixed feelings about the whole thing as Elijah looked so happy and didn't what to ruin it but they wanted their brother back while Hayley was angry.

"Oh you're back." The three jumped hearing Elijah seeing him smiling at Klaus as you were next to your husband as your eyes widen knowing just who they were drawing two and two together realizing your husband was Elijah Mikaelson without his memories.

"Yes....well I over heard you are having a child. How? A vampire can't have children."

"Oh my wife is a powerful witch." Elijah says rubbing his nose against yours as Klaus's heart soften seeing how much of pure joy Elijah was showing while Hayley looked jealous. The three was invited to Elijah's home and both Freya and Klaus smiled seeing how cozy the flat was as you sat down.

"You want to bring his memory back?" You asked as Elijah rubbed your shoulders as Klaus felt guilty not wanting to take your happiness away.

"Yes."

"I can help, Freya will need strong magic." You say feeling heart ache as Freya placed Elijah asleep. Hayley smirked arms crossed looking at you.

"Must not love Elijah if you are so willing to help."

"I love my darling Elijah deeply, beyond words but small wolf I am no fool to Always and Forever." You say helping Freya as Klaus felt more guilty for wanting Elijah back but you carried his niece or nephew, making you family.

"No matter what happens Hayley, she is family." Klaus said making you smile at the hybrid.

Elijah woke with a gasp sitting up in bed looking around as his memories were blending together giving him a headache. Elijah moved getting up noting he was in a white tee and pajama pants with a suit set out for him. The vampire stood up passing the suit not bothering to get dress as the one thing entered his mind, you.

"Elijah! You are....awake." Hayley trailed off as Elijah walked right passed her towards you. Elijah made you squeak when he cupped your face kissing you deeply shocking the three.

"Morning baby."

"Goodmorning Elijah?" You squeaked confused as Elijah pulled you close kissing along your neck.

"I won't leave you. I remember everything about us, I remember everything of my old life. But I would go mad without you."

"Gotten affected your time away brother?"

"She is my wife, Niklaus." Elijah mumbled against your neck holding you close as his siblings laughed seeing how clingy Elijah was with you.

"It is alright Elijah, they are your family and Hay....."

"No. I will not leave you, you are my beautiful pregnant wife and I shall love you Always and Forever."

"Besides love, Freya and I will not allow you to be left behind."

Hayley was jealous watching Elijah sit with you telling stories of the things he had seen over the last 1000+ years. You leaned back against Elijah listening as he rubbed your bump.

"I must say, I have never felt so much devotion to a woman more than you."

"Your love could intimate a woman." You say as Elijah kissed your hand before moving to your neck pressing kisses on your skin.

"Yet you married me, my sweet wife." Elijah purred against your neck pulling you closer as you laced your fingers with his. Hayley left unable to watch you with Elijah as it was if he never eased his memories, as if you two had ways been together.

"I love you my beautiful wife."

"And I love you my adoring husband."