#other teams need to take a red bull master class

[rhaenella]

Speaking of sexy things… RED BULL’S PITSTOPS 😍😍😍

[charlie-lec-stories]

PR's biggest mess // CL16

Pairing: Charles Leclerc/Russell!sister

Summary: Lea Russell was the first F1 female driver, making history for the women’s movement in the racing world. But when things got more and more complicated, her life became a constant PR mess.

Chapter's Warnings: Some suggested sexual activity, not described though. Descriptions of a panic attack. Mention of an accident.

Author's Note: This one is a long one-shot. Hope you like it.

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When George made his first steps into the karting world, Lea always followed behind. They were close in age, she was 10 months older but since she was constantly getting into trouble, people would often say that she looked younger. It didn't help when George hit puberty and started growing in height, it seemed like he would never stop, finally ending with an over ten centimeters of difference over his older sister. They always felt like twins, doing everything together, sharing friends, classes and even sometimes clothes. Karting became a shared passion that them both used as a stress reliever during their teenage years. Lando Norris and Alex Albon were close to the Russell siblings, the four of them going for lunch every weekend after karting.

Years passed and the three boys made their debuts in F1, Lea staying behind. There were many factors that kept her away from the tracks, there was a gender bias and she was well aware of it. People would never pay the same attention to her as they paid to her brother. She learned to live with that, so she looked for other ways to stay close to the tracks. She went to college, got a degree on engineering and mastered on physics and mechanics, then she proceeded to make her way into a team. McLaren were the ones interested in what she had to offer. While the boys raced, she worked on the cars. With her masters, she quickly became Race Engineer and started working with Lando. The two made a fantastic team, she would guide him swiftly through the races, and he would listen carefully to what she had to say.

Her technics were odd, she would constantly be taking notes, calculating things and no one knew exactly what went through her head. All they knew was that whenever she grabbed the pencil and chanted numbers at Lando, he would go faster and cleaner through the tracks. That was the reason everyone was nervous when she looked so worried one Thursday night, no numbers on her pages, only pencil smudged everywhere from using her eraser so much. Lando was the one worried the most. It was his best championship so far, with an easy third place on the grid and 9 podiums. Lewis Hamilton was close behind on the fourth place and Charles Leclerc was extremely close to him on the second place. He needed to win if he wanted to leave Hamilton behind and keep up with Leclerc. Leclerc and Max Verstappen were close to each other, by a just two points difference, so Lando believed that if he could win at least three of the five races left and get second place on the other two, he could be champion. His Race Engineer losing it was the last thing he needed.

"Tell me what do you need and we'll do it, Lee". Lando was willing to do whatever she needed. He could see her calculating things inside her head, her eyes moving frantically around the screen in front of her, full of data about the car, the track and a bunch of things he had no idea what they meant.

"I need to test it". She said out loud, but Lando wasn't sure if she was talking to him or not, she had been mumbling things for hours. They were practically alone on the circuit by that point. Max, who was Lando’s close friend and fellow driver, and Cristian Horner, Max’s boss, were also there at the Red Bull Racing garage doing the same as Lando and Lea, trying to get the last touches done before the first free practice session.

"What is it you need to test?". Lea looked at him and he knew exactly the kind of mess they could get into. "We're gonna get fired. No, Russell". He said shaking his head. There was no way she was driving the car. “That’s what they pay me for”.

“You can’t drive until tomorrow and I would never send you out there with something I’m not sure about”. She of course felt responsible for his life, she was well aware that he trusted her and she wanted to keep that trust.

“That’s unsafe for you too then”. He was not letting it go easy. “If it dangerous for me it is for you too”. She gave him a look of warning. “I’m not suggesting I’m a better driver. I just want us to get out of here in one piece… and not jobless”.

"I need to make sure, and if this gets you the championship, then we'll never get fired". She took Lando’s second race suit and a the whole head security gear.

Lando won that race but didn't win the championship, he finished in third place. Still, that night gave Lea the best contract of her life when Horner saw her drive.

She felt like it was the craziest dream, the pictures, the merchandising, the press. Everyone wanted a piece of her. Max was the only one who could get it, he was her light in the darkness of the sea of people. And for Max, Lea was like fresh air, she was the first teammate that he didn't want to push out of the track. They worked good together and PR saw that as the best way to sell the team. As friends, they were a little uncomfortable with PR's strategy, flirting for fun was natural, they were both flirty people, but the touching was a little too much for them. Hands needed to be on each other constantly, and that wasn't something they liked. She needed to be a lot of things: a good girl with the cocky personality of a bad girl, sexy but not sexual, straightforward but no impolite, cheerful but not annoying. There were a lot of expectations on her and too much of something or too little of anything could mean the biggest fisco for Red Bull. PR knew how important it was to have the first female F1 driver ever on their hands and they didn't want to mess it up. Lea had to be the face and heart of Red Bull, there was no place for something else. She was forbidden from cheering for her brother, Lando or their teams. Alex and Charles, who were good friends for her too, became off limits, she could never be associated to other team other than Red Bull, so Max was the only real contact she had.

Getting P3 on her first race was the most epic moment of her life. The battle with Charles for second place would win awards as the best moment of racing for many decades later, the monegasque winning literally by the distance of the size of a tyre. The celebration was crazy, Max and Charles showered her in champagne while her brother screamed her name and jumped excited. Everyone was out of their minds, the first female driver got a podium on her first race. She wasn't just making history, she was a whole movement. There were little girls dreaming of being her. Things were going too fast for her, and after just four races she found herself running away from everyone. Her chest closing as her head felt heavier. Her trembling legs were taking her to her brother's trailer the best they could, she needed him so fuck PR, but the dizziness that clouded her mind was too much for her. Heart pounding out of her chest, vision almost black she stumbled into the first trailer she could find. Once the door was close, she let the panic take over her. Her body fell to the floor once her legs finally gave up.

"It's okay. Breath with me". She heard the voice but couldn't even process who was talking to her, so she just assumed it was George. She gripped at him for dear life, feeling like she could die any moment. The arms that wrapped around her pressed her so tight she actually felt like she was snapping out of whatever state she was in. She felt him breath and tried to follow him. The voice became more clear, guiding her breathing at the top of her head, and the rest of her senses started coming back with each deep breath. When she was finally able to smell, she noticed that the person wasn't George. She lived her whole life with him and she could recognize her brother with her eyes closed anytime once she was feeling like herself again. Her foggy vision subsided and she saw the red and black clothing on the good samaritan that helped her. "Are you feeling better?". Charles voice filled the air, his hands going up and down her back and his voice vibrating on her face that was tightly pressed against his chest.

"Yes". She managed to squeal out and she felt him kiss the top of her head. She always found Charles nice, but he was pretty shy around her and she never expected him to be this affectionate. She wasn't complaining though. "Thank you. I'm sorry. I didn’t mean to intrude into your trailer. I was actually looking for Georgie". She could feel him laughing softly, it warmed her inside, discarding some of the embarrassment she felt for the whole situation.

"It's okay. I'm glad I could help, even though I'm not George". They stayed like that for a moment, silently breathing through their noses to lower their heart rates. Both of them for different reasons, but Charles had no plans on letting her know that. "Do you want to talk about it?". He asked on her hair, trying to ignore the fuzzy feeling on his chest brought by the closeness. He then tried to pull away a little to look at her face, but she grabbed his race suit tight and forced him back onto her.

"Please, don't go, I think I could fall apart any minute". She sounded so desperate he couldn't help but pull her even closer.

"I'm not going anywhere, Lee". She sighed in relief, her face still buried on his suit. He sat more comfortably on the floor, bringing her to his lap and they stayed like that. "You can always come to me if you need to".

And so she did. When things got too much, she would sneak into his trailer and they would lay on the small couch, chests pressed together, her face buried on his neck while they talked about nothing and everything. They would avoid each other in public, like oil and water, only talking when it was necessary and then they would let everything out when they were alone. He could feel his hands aching whenever they were close on the paddock, and Max's would go up and down her arm while they talked. He wasn't sure about their situation. But he knew that what they secretly had couldn’t be something that Max could be okay with. Why don't go to Max when she felt like escaping? They seemed so close and she always talked so good about him when they were cuddling. Why was she sneaking into his trailer when she could openly go to Max's? Why would she need him when she obviously had Max eagerly willing to get close and she always let him? Too many questions he didn't have the guts to ask.

PR got a little more indulgent with time. Around Silverstone time was also Lea's birthday and she was allowed to celebrate however she wanted since she was doing great on the championship, but she had to at least post a picture or story with Max. If there was something she was grateful for was that her friendship with Max was strong, otherwise they would have hated each other by then. Fans were shipping them together and PR was constantly shoving them onto each other, it was exhausting. For her birthday, Lea decided to invite some of her closest friends to her home in London for a night of partying. She could finally let loose of all of the tension. Max, Charles, Alex, Lando, George, Carlos and Pierre, with the girlfriends of those who weren't single, were all gathered around a fire on her back yard. Jokes and bottles of different brewages were exchanged between the group. Max and Lea published their picture together and then immediately went on their different ways, Max sat next to Lando to plan their getaway for the summer break, while she sat next to a pretty drunk Charles, who was missing the upper three buttons of his shirt and was loudly laughing at something Pierre had said in french. It seemed that what he had on his glass was good, so she poured some on a glass for herself, and then another... and another, and another.

"You shouldn't drive". Was the first thing that left Pierre's lips when he saw Charles looking up at him to say goodnight. "Maybe you should stay here, man".

"I have a guest room". Lea said in between sips of whatever was on her glass at the moment. George got up and took the glass away from her.

"You should slow this down, sis". She smiled and nodded her head. It wasn’t the first time they partied together and they both knew how she got with alcohol. They also knew that she would drink again once George went out the door, but that warning gave him the excuse to scold her later, while the worst hungover ever ached inside her head.

Once everyone was out, Lea plopped down next to Charles on the couch. Her eyes felt heavy and her skin cold. She was falling asleep when Charles started getting up from the couch. She looked at him for a moment, slightly sobering up from the realisation of what he was doing when she saw him reach for his jacket, wallet and phone.

"You're going...?". She wasn't sure if she was asking or not. Charles looked back at her. He knew he was going to cross a line if he stayed. There was this caged desire inside his chest for years and it really wanted to get out. He was dying to kiss her.

"Max won't be happy if I stay". Max and him might be rivals who were constantly fighting each other for almost everything and they were extremely petty about it, but he wasn't playing with something as serious as a relationship. He would hate to be on Max's end of the situation. They must have been a lot more serious that what she had with Charles for them to be so openly touchy and post about each other all the time. She furrowed her eyebrows and looked at the fire, as if trying to connect the dots.

"Why would he be mad?"

"Aren't you... something?". He emphasised the word 'something', since he wasn't sure what they were.

"We're friends and teammates". She said giggling a little. "Damn, we're better at acting than I expected". Her words flew into his drunken mind with some difficulty. "I never thought you would buy into that PR shit".

"PR?". He felt stupid asking, but he wasn't exactly on his smartest state to process information.

"It's fake". She assured him, sneaking her arms around his neck, feeling a lot bolder thanks to the alcohol. "We're just touchy because Karen at PR told us to. Well, more like she forced us to. Max and I are just friends, really good friends, but just that". She smiled up at him. "I don't want you to be my friend, Charlie".

Once the words sank into his brain, his lips crashed on hers. Finally, all that pent up want was out. His hands went to her ass and squeezed, signaling her to wrap her legs around his waist. She followed the command eagerly. Before they both could process what was happening, they were lying on the couch inside the house, him on top of her, leaving a trail of kisses down her neck and chest. Her hands went under his shirt, ready for the only birthday gift she was actually wishing for. The next morning they woke up to the faint light of the raising sun coming through the back yard glass door. Charles was the first one up, running one of his hands up and down her arm while he covered his eyes with the other. His hungover was killing him. She stirred a bit on his chest, releasing a whine when the sun kissed her eyes. The sound reminded him of the night before, a smile appearing instantly on his face. On his chest, he could feel her smiling too.

After three months and a summer break of sneaking around for make-out sessions, sex and cute dates, they finally had to let PR know. They were sure of their relationship, and wanted everyone to know. They haven't even told their families and Lea felt awful for lying to her bother. She had never lied to George before, not even for the most embarrassing things, so lying about something as great as her relationship with Charles was painful for her. Charles wanted to tell his mother like crazy, he was on the best time of his life, winning races, loving the woman he liked since he met George, and the car was on its prime. Again, he was close to be world champion. Max had the same points than him, but Charles was leading on winnings. He just had to keep winning, and he totally felt like he could. He looked at Lea before opening the door, kissing her one last time. Outside, he checked no one was around the trailer's area and let her go. She walked straight to her PR's office, searching for Karen.

To say that the conversation was awful would be an understatement. Lea was even surprised that Karen could raise her voice to the level she did and even though Lea has always been someone to stand up for herself, she could barely say a word. Charles didn't have much luck with his agent either. The point was clear: They couldn't date a rival, it wasn't good for business, and the whole market worked around competition and rivalry. Max and Charles had a long history of pressing each other's buttons, Lea dating Charles was like treason to Red Bull. It also didn't look good for a raising driver to be romantically involve with another driver, it made things messy and made her look like she 'got the seat sucking the right guys', Karen's words exactly. One thing was flirting with Max and a whole another was officially dating a fellow driver. The pair found themselves under the most intense scrutiny, purposely booked on different interviews and placed away from each other on public events. Lea's spirits were going down by the day and Max was more than capable of noting the change on his friend's aura.

"What is it, Lee?". He asked her once he quietly took her to his drivers room. She just looked at him tired, like the flame usually burning inside her was nearly dead. "You've been losing power lately".

"That's nonsense, Max. I'm fine". She tried to get out but he placed his hand on her shoulder. He didn't press or forced her to stop, she just obeyed the motion, like a robot.

"You're not". He made her turn around and look him in the eyes. "You're my friend, we've known each other for years and you're the only person I talk to every day. I know you". He could see the guilt pass her eyes momentarily, so he kept talking. "I know that for the last few months something really good must have happened to you. I've never seen you so happy, not even after your first race. I was waiting for you to bring it up yourself and tell me, but seeing you so down I wonder-"

"I'd tell you, Max". She cut him off. "God knows I'd tell you, but I would literally get fired. Plus, I don't think you'd be happy if you knew".

"Try me". He sat on the bed and grabbed her hand to make her sit with him. "I know I have a temper, but I won't get mad. And I won’t tell anyone that you told me. I promise".

"I am- was- am. I don't even know anymore". She stopped and took a deep breath. "I'm dating Charles". She could see his brain working. He made a face of slight disgust, he definitely wasn't a fan of the idea. His teammate and closest friend dating his rival and a guy he didn't have the best relationship with. Charles was usually nice and he tried to be nice back, but he daydreamed a lot about Leclerc losing and DNFing for him to like the idea of him and Lea dating. "You're not the only one who made that face". He was about to justify himself when she kept talking. "Don't worry, I get it. It's okay, I didn't expect you to love the concept". Max relaxed a bit. "PR doesn't love it either. They have been suggesting me, rather intensely, to break up with him".

"And what do you want?".

"I want Charles".

Max went from hating the idea to fan number one. He would make up almost any excuse to keep people busy and give her a small window to see Charles. The Ferrari golden boy also talked to his teammate, Carlos, who was more than eager to help. Lea knew that she had to come clean with George, the fact that other people knew before him was eating her alive. But when the conversation finally happened, George took the news way different from what she expected.

"I know". He said chuckling. They were on her hotel room in Spain, sitting on the bed while eating homemade biscuits that their mother sent. She furrowed her eyebrows. "I guessed it since your birthday, you were too comfortable with each other. You two weren't like that before. Plus, Charles has liked you for ages, I already knew that too".

"You never told me that!". He just shrugged his shoulders.

"It was not my place, and you never told me you liked him. If you had just told me, I would have done something about it!". He raised his hands up in defence.

"I didn't thought of him like that before. We kinda hit it off this year". She blushed and George giggled only to be rewarded with a pillow to his face.

Ferrari's PR was ready to give Charles a free pass when he won the championship against Max, but they weren't exactly keen to give him the only pass he actually wanted. Tired of hiding, he finally told his mother and brothers and before they both knew it, the circle of people knowing the secret became larger than they expected. The holidays came and Lea decided to spend them in Monaco and her family was okay with that. They took a few pictures with the outfits before she went to Monte Carlo, so they could post them online and keep the façade for her. Christmas with the Leclerc's were great, she got to hang out with Charles' brothers and finally they got some time alone at Charles' apartment. They enjoyed every second of it. They celebrated Charles' first championship and their six months together.

Before they knew it, another championship started and Lea had a real chance to win. The races became more and more interesting, with Lea, Charles and Max constantly fighting for the top. The three of them were highly equipped to win and they weren't slowing down. With a secret relationship and the championship competition, Lea and Charles were constantly pent up and they became less careful when sneaking around. The first picture that appeared online was of a terrible quality, so most people assumed it was fake. But it was a close call: They needed to do something about it. People started to suspect that something was happening and PR's stunt of Max and Lea wasn't selling anymore. They did the best they could to turn things down a notch, but they were playing with fire and at some point, they were going to burn themselves.

It all started with a crash. It wasn’t a big one, but it meant a DNF for Charles and Max, who were pretty heated up about it. They started their argument on the track, next to their cars, shoving each other while throwing accusations partially muffed by the helmets. Nothing got recorded since they were already disconnected from their radios, but it was clear that it was an intense discussion since Charles ended up falling butt first to the grass from a particular hard push from Max. Things kept escalating once they reached the garages. There was no calming them down. People was used to them exploding at each other, but they have never gotten that physical. Their helmets were off and their voices could be hear clearly. The race had still 15 laps to go and the teams were doing the best they could to control the situation in the garage while still concentrating on Carlos and Lea who were fighting each other for first position, left to their reach with their teammates’ DNFs. Max was completely out of it, he was already pissed from last year’s loss of the championship, and this was the last thing he needed to jump at Charles’ throat. On his end, Charles’ was uncomfortable with Max and Lea’s public image and he could barely stand whatever Max did. The race finished with Lea in the front and Max was trying to be forced to the podium to be a good teammate and support the winner, but things were too out of control and Max’s desire to hurt Charles got the best of him.

“You did it on purpose. You’re just jealous of me and you know it”. He could see the fire in Charles’ eyes and that only fuelled him up to keep pushing. “You’re scared she will leave you for me”. Max had no interest in dating Lea, he knew it, she knew it, but he also knew that the comment would make a large wound on Charles’ pride. The moment the comment hit the air everyone stopped what they were doing. Charles, initially taken aback, broke the silence.

“Take that back!”. Before he could launch himself at Max -again- he was dragged inside the Ferrari garage and forced to his driver’s room. Max, on the other side, was suddenly changing his mood, running into the Red Bull garage by himself, well aware of the implications of what he had just done. He silently preyed for the argument not to have been recorded, but he knew that it was, people loved drama and their argument was the perfect show for all the cameras present. All hell broke loose. He didn’t just outed his friend’s relationship to the media, he also made it seen like he was involved in the whole thing as wanting to be a possible candidate for her. PR was going to kill him or, worse, fire him. But whatever they’d do to him would be nothing compared to Lea’s rage when she’d find out. He had to tell her himself, before things kept going down further.

Showered in champagne, she walked to the garage followed by the cameras and the press. She was so happy that she didn’t even try to listen to what the press was asking her, she just wanted to get her ice bath and sneak into Charles’ trailer to have the best sex of her life. But her track of thinking was suddenly interrupted by a very worried Max that was running towards her. Before she could make her way towards him, Charles appeared by her side. She turned around to greet him, maybe ask him how he was feeling after the DNF, but his hands grabbed her face and he crashed his lips in hers before she could actually say ‘hi’. Since the first time they kissed she was physically unable to resist, she just loved to kiss him too much to ever say no, so her first reaction was to instinctively kiss back. Her hands went to his chest as Charles moved his lips on hers kind of desperate. The moment of clearness came and she moved away, Charles almost falling forward for how much he was pressing into her. She all of sudden became aware of the cameras and the people yelling at them. She sent Charles a warning look but he wasn’t even staring a her to notice. His jaw was clenched and his eyes were focussed on the garage to her side. She followed his gaze and saw a scared Max looking back at Charles. She quickly gripped Charles’ arm and pulled him towards the Red Bull garage and to her driver’s room, motioning for Max to follow them, who walked behind the pair looking down at his feet and cussing under his breath in Dutch.

“What was all of that about?”. She asked once the door was closed behind Max. None of them said anything, Charles kept his eyes glued to Max, while the other tried to keep as much physical distance with the Ferrari driver as possible. He was actually worried about his safety, he knew he crossed a line and he could see himself paying for it. “I asked a question, gentlemen”. Lea continued, her voice hard and cold.

“I messed up”. Max admitted looking down. “I pushed Charles’ buttons on the wrong matter”.

“What happened?”. She was now looking at them more worried than pissed.

“What happens it that your teammate wants to fuck you, that’s what happens”. Charles said through gritted teeth. She could feel the anger radiating from him. Charles wasn’t a jealous person at all, it was actually weird to see him that possessive, so it had to be a pretty direct comment for Charles to get to that point. She knew he was as uncomfortable with her and Max’s PR stunt as they were themselves, but they talked about it plenty of times and he always understood.

“What are you talking about, baby? We’ve talked about this. Max and I are just friends”. There was this hurt expression mixed with the anger on Charles’ face and she could see that he was feeling like shit under his threatening demeanour.

“Seems like he didn’t got the memo, because he’s sure that you’ll leave me for him”. Max sighed loudly and Lea moved her attention from Charles to her teammate, her confusion clear on her face.

“I didn’t mean it, I swear. I know it’s no excuse, but I just wanted to make you mad. I was furious, I shouldn’t have said that. It’s not true, Charles”. The other softened his expression a little, but he was still loudly breathing through his nose. “I wanted you to hurt, like the championship hurt for me last year. I crossed a line”.

“You did”. Was all that Charles left out, his shoulders a little more relaxed and his gaze moving from Max to Lea. “I’m sorry for making a scene, Lee”.

“Me too”. Max added. “And I’m sorry for what I said earlier, Charles. I really am”.

“You two being sorry won’t solve this mess”. Now it was her turn to be furious. “You two outed something that we weren’t allow to out. Our jobs, our sponsors and my bloody fucking career are on the line here! You’re men, you can give two shits about your reputation and someone will always support you. I don’t have that privilege. Karen will have our heads on sticks outside by night. You fell into this testosterone pitty party and I’m the one who got burned!”. Both men looked at the floor. “Get out. Both of you. I need time to think”. With that, they walked out of the room. Outside, photographers pictured the battled men walking side by side silently. They sat on the floor of the garage, backs against Max’s broken car, facing the door of Lea’s driver’s room. They spent fifteen minutes in silence, until they saw George get into the garage, his pissed off expression fired at them when he saw them. Max tried to speak up, but George shook his head and raised his hand to shut him up. The younger Russell kept walking and entered his sister’s room.

“They’re gonna get the cold shoulder for a while. I don’t care how much time they camp outside this door”. He said once inside the room. His sister was laying down on her little bed and he sat on the floor in front of her.

“You’re kidding, right?”. Her brother answered no with his head making a groan leave her immediately.

“They’re sitting outside. Actually, I think I never saw them this quiet around each other, like, ever”. She chuckled at the comment. “Their ‘I-am-truly-sorry-I-was-a-cunt-please-forgive-me’ faces are pretty good though”. He added, earning a full laugh from his sister this time.

“Thanks for always making everything better, Georgie”. She said once her laugh subsided. Her brother smiled big and giggled a bit.

“That’s what brothers are for, sis”.

The press conference post race was messy. Carlos, who got second place wasn’t even asked one question, Lando’s presence and his third place weren’t acknowledged at all, and Lea was only asked about her personal life. She had to explain that she had a recent, she had to lie there, relationship with Charles and that since Max and him didn’t get along pretty well, they would usually say things they didn’t mean to get into each other’s nerves. Karen made her say that it was all too new and that they were still trying to see if things worked out. PR decided to explore the ‘jealousy trope’ for a bit to see if it could help to raise the tension of the competition. Lea wasn’t comfortable at all with that, but she was well aware of who she could piss of and who she couldn’t. Charles and Max refused interviews and they both posted apologies on their social medias to address their fight on the track, explaining that the adrenaline of the race sometimes leads to things getting out of control and that they were really sorry for what happened. It was a half truth and they were satisfied with that, after all, driving at 300 kph was for sure something difficult to get down from, the high being too high not to come down with a crash.

“What do you want, Charles?”. Asked George that night when he opened his sister’s hotel room door after hearing the monegasque knocking on it non-stop.

“Is Lee here?”. He said timidity. George had always seemed to him like the sweetest guy ever, but the look he was giving him was anything but sweet. If looks could kill, Charles would be visiting the Titanic for eternity.

“You already gave her your half-assed apology”. George was being way meaner that he needed to be, but he really wanted to make Charles suffer before letting the matter go.

“You can let him in, Georgie”. Lea authorised from inside the room. George moved aside to let Charles in, grabbed his jacket and walked out of the room, not before telling his sister to call if she needed him and throwing Charles a nasty glare. “What do you want, Charles?”. She repeated her brother’s greeting with the same tone but a higher pitch.

“I want you to forgive Max”. Charles answered while he shifted his weight from foot to foot. “He’s your friend and the truth is that I said awful things to him too and it was wrong of me to do that. I pushed too hard and made him mad”. Lea saw the video of their fight, she didn’t know what was said when they had their helmets on, but she saw that Max was the one who outed the relationship and by far the most pissed off, even pushing Charles to the ground at some point. Charles taking the blame for Max was definitely new. “I know that he’s important to you and I don’t want you to lose a friendship because I couldn’t keep my mouth shut. I’m sorry for all the mess I put you through”.

“It’s interesting”. She said when she saw him walk towards the door after a moment of silence that he took as a refuse to listen to him. “Max came here an hour ago telling me something different”. She continued. That caught Charles’ attention. “He told me that I should forgive YOU, because it was all his fault, that you are a great guy and would be a real shame if I’d let you pass me by”. Charles frowned in confusion, Max talking his side wasn’t a common sight.

“He did?”. She nodded her head. After a long sigh, she patted the spot on the bed next to her and he took a seat. He looked at her in the eyes, trying to figure out if he was forgiven or not. Since the answer wasn’t clear, he choose to ask. “And did you follow his advice?”. Lea smiled and nodded again. He copied the motion and kissed her tenderly, already feeling the weight on his shoulders subside a little.

“I will follow yours too. But I will give you the same condition I gave Max”. She said once they broke the kiss. Charles nodded and she kept talking. “I want you to get along with him. There’s a lot that I can’t do, this world is ruled by politics that are way bigger than us. It’s full of pressures that make me do things I don’t want to do. It’s a lot, Charlie, and if I can do just one thing to make my life easier, this is it. I want to keep you both. I want my friend and I want you”. She looked down, another sigh leaving her lips. “I’m already PR’s press puppet for as long as I keep racing. I want to keep close the last few things that still remain real”.

“Deal”. He said without doubt. Max had sticked his neck for him earlier and got him forgiven, so the least he could do was try and be nice to him. He could see how much pressure Lea was under, how making history as the first female F1 driver also implied giving herself to whatever political wave was currently controlling the market without a say. He didn’t want to be a burden, on the contrary, he wanted to be forever one of those things that remained real.

“Good”. She smiled. “Now start taking this shirt off”. She said pulling at the hem of his shirt. “Today I won and I want my price”. He let out a chuckle and took off his shirt. Then, he kissed her, grabbing her by the waist and lying on top of her, a giggle from her slipping between their lips.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Hi, I’m back. I’m leaving this one-shot here for you guys. It’s pretty long. I know that the series are still ongoing, it’s just that the next two chapters need a lot of change to fit the F1 plot and I haven’t been inspired to change those lately, so here’s this one that was a lot easier to change. I hope you like it.

[marsresident]

Quick study in risings

#12: ARIES RISING ♈⬆️

Aaaand this concludes our rising sign series and to be honest, I did it in reverse just to mess with my fellow aries placements because I know how impatient they get lol let's get to it:

Yet another rising that will eternally look young, aries tends to have an oval face, upturned eyes and beautifully shaped brows, rounded almost, smaller noses, wavy to curly hair that's naturally coarse & has red undertones. Their complexion can be ruddy. Their height varies.

As I said previously, our rising sign is what sets the tone to our lives. With Aries at home in the 1st house, these individuals are ready for action from the minute they are born. Life's never dull or stagnant, they go through changes fast.

Because of this, they might grow up faster than normal. They are the golden child of the family, the one who is not only good at school, but has a bunch of different talents and everybody is in awe of too. They are genuine, spontaneous and fun.

Similarly to evolved leo risings, aries risings are self-centered in a nonegotistical way. They love investing time and energy into themselves. Self improvement is very important to them and this means professional, physical, spiritual as well as mental improvement.

Aries are not just a bunch of dumb jocks, they're more like class presidents actually. Born leaders under the regiment of Mars, they prefer to lead by example. Take the bull by its horns instead of second guessing their thoughts.

On the downside, they are reckless and many of them get in trouble with the law or feel rebellion against authority figures... Many are underdogs, martyrs. For no reason other the fact that Mars pulls them towards self-destruction.

They can feel a persistent need to fight for their right to be, that only intensifies as they get old - that's why they need exercise & long-term goals to focus on. There's a lot of build-up energy that needs to be released with these people.

When aries is in the 1st house, every other ruler falls in its rightful place, unless an interception is present.

There isn't much karmic debt with aries rising, it is almost like being offered a clean slate. You're given the opportunity to make anything out of your life though this much freedom can make one feel aimless, lost.

Pick only one thing you're passionate about and pursue it. I know it's tempting to try to juggle 10 things at once but it won't work out. Jack of all trades, master of none suits aries. They have a bad habit of starting things but never finishing them.

They come across as immature or flaky because of this, but they make up for it through honesty, determination and high spirits. They are not the best team players;they can be hard to get along with because to some people, they come off too strong.

It really is a classic case of a jerk with a heart of gold. People need to give them several chances in order to see past their tough guy act. Though endearing, they don't always make the best first impression either.

Or the best second impression.

They must look opposite from them on the axis, and borrow some tact and diplomacy from libra. Other than that, they should be alright.

They simply aren't for everybody and that's fine. Deep down, Aries is a loner anyway. They don't mind. They are strong and independent, having an "I can do it myself" attitude.

They are here to teach others that alone-time is valuable. Showing up, as well as standing up for yourself and for others are also aries lessons for this world.

Celebrities who share this rising:

Heath Ledger, Shakira, Stevie Nicks, Rihanna, Kendall Jenner, Paris Jackson, Sophie Turner, Chris Rock, Brie Larson etc.

[hateswifi]

Rising from the Ashes: Of Bullies and Best Friends

So this story is based on this post by @legendaryhumanskeletonkid I took this idea and kinda changed it without further ado... Part 1. Master List

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“All of Paris is invited to a gala that will be held at the hotel this Saturday from six-thirty to ten o’clock. This is a fundraiser gala for natural disasters and a partial celebration for the defeat of Hawkmoth Paris’ previous tormentor,” Mayor Bourgeois announces, looking over the crowd. 

Marinette had been sitting on her family’s couch designing as the mayor finished his speech. She had been invited as Ladybug and wouldn’t be attending as Marinette. She did not need to make a dress and had already changed her costume for a more grown-up look. 

A year or two after she started being the spotted hero, she decided to change up costume as of now her costume was red from her hips to her shoulder blades with black spots strategically placed, along with black knee-high boots that had three spots on her knees, her hand were adorned with fingerless gloves with one red spot on the back of each hand, the rest of her body was covered in her original red with black spots. She had also started putting her now mid-back long hair up in a bun to keep it out of her face as she worked or as her superhero persona. Needless to say, she loves her new look.

By this point in time, Adrien and Marinette became best friends, especially after the reveal. Adrien is happily dating Kagami after Marinettehad set them up. She is one of the few people who knew about Kagami and Adrien’s relationship and is happy for both of her friends. She had lost feelings for Adrien when he had told her to take the high road with Lila’s lying problem. He stopped talking and pushing to take the high road bull after he had to comfort Ladybug to stop her from getting akumatized. He realized someone was getting hurt and it was his Lady, his best friend.

He couldn’t directly stand up to her due to his father, but he would point out a lack of consistency in her lies. He was also an emotional support system for her during the times when Lila was too terrible. He always has Marinette and Kagami’s favorite ice-cream in the mini fridge-freezer combo he had in his room. He also has a playlist of movies for the group watches when they get together. Marinette, Kagami, Adrien, Chloe, and Luka have become family in everything but blood. 

Marinette sighs, being brought back to the present by her parents entering the kitchen.

“Hey sweetie, what was the mayor’s announcement?” Sabine asked, sitting down next to her petite daughter.

“He is holding a fundraiser gala as a celebration for Hawkmoth’s defeat and for other natural disasters. All the heroes are invited as a thank you and probably to help raise more money,” Marinette summed up while her mother hugged her.

“That’s great, sweetheart! Are you going to go?” Tom asked, sitting down on the other side of his daughter.

“I haven’t decided yet but I don’t think I will,” Marinette answered.

“Why not sweetie?” Sabine asked, looking at her daughter, eyes filled with concern. Sabine had noticed her daughter's classmates had stopped coming by the house and she is worried for her daughter's social life.

“I don’t know I just don’t want to go to a stuffy gala,” she answered, standing up. “but don’t worry about me, you guys go have fun. Enjoy yourselves, you both deserve it."

“I think we will, what day is it?” Sabine asked, standing up as well.

“It’s this upcoming Saturday,” Marinette answered.

“But today is Thursday. That doesn’t leave us much time to find and wash the formal clothes,” Tom said, standing as well.

“Ok mama and papa I’ll leave you to that, I’m going to head to bed. Goodnight I love you both," Marinette said, leaving to go upstairs to her room

“Tikki, are you ready for patrol?” Marinette said, looking for her little red friend.

“Let’s go Marinette!” Tikki said, coming down from the bed Marinette had made her.

“Tikki, Spots on,” Marinette said, going through her transformation. Then she jumped out of her balcony trap door and flew across the rooftops towards the set meeting place, the Eiffel Tower.

“Hey Chaton, Queenie. Sorry that I’m late, my parents were asking about the gala,” she said, landing beside her partners.

“It's fine LB you deserve a break after today though,” Queen Bee said, looking at her once rival turned friend.

“I’m fine,” Ladybug started before Chat cut in. “No, you shouldn’t have to be fine. You should be feeling great I can’t believe she accused you of such a thing,” Chat pouted, crossing his arms.

Ladybug sighed and looked over the city thinking back to what had happened earlier that day in class.

Lila had walked into school with a black eye and bruised cheek, probably makeup. Once she had everyone around her and Marinette, who had made it a habit of arriving at class on time, walked in Lila started crying her crocodile tears. “M.. Marinette how co.. could you show your fa...face after what you did to me?” Lila stuttered out between the crocodile tears.

“What do you mean?” Adrien asked before Marinette could respond to the accusations.

“She was jealous over our friendship, Adrien, so she attacked me after we hung out yesterday,” Lila cried, hiding her face in Alya’s welcoming embrace.

“By ‘hung out’ you mean you hanging all over me during the photoshoot I was forced to go to,” Adrien deadpanned, putting air quotes around ‘hung out’.

“Adrien, how could you say that when she’s in this condition?” Alya raged, looking at Marinette and Adrien as she continued to rub Lila’s back comfortingly. “Marinette you gotta stop being so jealous!”

“That’s funny because Marinette and I went out for ice cream with Adrien, Luka, and Kagami after Adrien’s torture his father calls a photoshoot,” Chloe stepped in.

“How do we know you aren’t lying?” Alya asked, standing tall. “You, Chloe, are just as much of a bully as Marinette is.”

“Because,” Marinette stepped in. “We saw you there yesterday. Remember? You and Nino had a date.”

“That is true, babe as we were leaving they were just getting there,” Nino stated towards his girlfriend.

“Then you must have slapped her after that because we all know you have a huge crush on Adrien,” Alya defended a smirk spreading across her face.

“Alya, if you had talked to me sometime in the last two years without yelling at me then you would know that I see him just as a friend,” Marinette said, crossing her arms.

“Awww, Buginette, I thought we were best friends,” Adrien pouted.

“Not the time, Adrien,” Chloe said. “Also why would Lila just bring it up now? Why didn’t she talk to the principal before this?”

“I..” Lila started then cried more while answering. “I thought she would do something worse.”

“This girl wouldn’t hurt a fly,” Adrien defended, knowing that not to be true. He had seen her do some serious damage. The bell rung before anyone could say anything else but by the glares that Marinette kept receiving she could tell people weren’t happy with her over the accusations.

“Buginette, are you sure you’re ok? Queenie and I don’t mind taking this patrol by ourselves,” Chat offered, looking at his long-time friend.

“Mar, you can tell us what the matter is. Even with Hawkmoth defeated we’re still here for you,” Queen said, patting her shoulder.

“I just don’t understand how they can trust someone they barely know over me, their childhood friend,” Ladybug answered, looking into the distance.

“Her lies seem as sweet as honey, but they’re going to sting when the lies bumble,” Queenie punned. Chat looked at her in astonishment.

“Did you just—?“ Chat started.

“Nope Chlo you can’t join him. There are only so many puns people can deal with,” Ladybug said with a laugh. “I can’t wait to see the day her lies will fall.”

They sat there for the duration of the patrol, Paris would be safe for the night. Ladybug needs the heroes’ help more. After her friends had helped her relax she had fallen asleep, Chat took the liberty of taking her home. She needed more sleep with the stress of school, Ladybug, and now going to the gala. Adrien wasn’t going to go as Adrien, but as Chat Noir. He was personally invited as Chat, which he’s thankful for. He can now spend time with his girlfriend and not have to deal with Lila.

As Adrien put his Buginette in her bed and tucked her in he stared for a moment and thought back to a day not too long ago when he thought he had lost her.

It had been a long fight every one of the heroes, even with their strong stamina, were becoming tired. Especially Marinette taking more hits than any of the other heroes, not wanting them, rest of her friends, to be hurt. After hours of fighting, they were in Hawkmoth’s lair now at this point after he had run near the end of his transformation. This had led them to his own house at that moment he knew his lady had been right almost three years ago.

His friends turned to look at him. He looked at them and felt the bile rising in his throat, his father. His goddamn father! He had done this to them. Kagami had been stabbed in the shoulder but she was still fighting. Marinette had received a bad blow to the stomach. Everyone has excessive bruising most of the team had dried blood on them and their costumes were torn. He fell to his knees and threw up.

“My god,” he whispered, wiping his mouth. “Why him? Of all the loners and messed up people, why him?”

“Chaton, you could have not known,” Ladybug said, rubbing his back.

“Adrien, this isn’t your fault,” Kagami said, hugging him.

“Look at you guys!” He said, standing up swiftly. “You all look terrible! He hurt you are all so bad.”

“Thanks,” Queenie answered sarcastically, crossing her arms. 

“You don’t look so hot yourself though,” Viperon said, trying to calm down the blonde.

“Viperon, is right we all look bad but this is what we signed up for as soon as we took the miraculous. Ya, it sucks that the troubles of Paris are placed on the shoulders five teenagers, who are still in high school, but the adults here are morons,” Queenie said, hugging Adrien. “You gotta calm down. I.. we won’t be able to fight you too.”

“You’re right,” he said, hugging her back. “Let’s go get ourselves a bastard.”

“That’s the spirit!” Ladybug said, giving him a fist bump.

They jumped to where they saw Hawkmoth enter. Ryuko offered to go in first, well not offered but barged in first. “Gabriel! You have some nerve!” Ryuko screamed when she saw the dark figure.

“Ahhh.. finally I’ll have what is truly mine your miraculous. It’s finally time to get rid of you, pests,” Hawkmoth monologued hiding in the shadows.

“Father! Stop this craziness! I don’t know why you’re doing this, but it must end!” Chat pleaded.

“Gabriel, we don’t want to fight you anymore. We just want the butterfly and the peacock miraculous,” Ladybug reasoned.

“and I just want my wife back,” Gabriel said, turning to the heroes. “Don’t you want the same, Adrien?”

“I.. She’s gone, Father. I’m going to be gone too if you don’t stop! I miss her as much as you do, but I moved on because it’s healthy! This isn’t healthy and would she want to be brought back like this? All this destruction, chaos, and pain? Would she even be able to look at you the same knowing that you’ve hurt Paris, my friends, and your only son?” Chat asked, stepping forward as Gabriel fell to his knees. “Please, Dad stop this.”

“Under one condition,” Gabriel asked, looking up at his son.

“Depends on the condition old man,” Queenie said from behind Chat.

“I want to be able to stay here with you and try to make up the time I wasted. Also please don’t tell the public who I am, the media would tear you and the company to pieces. You would probably be seen as an accomplice and wouldn't be trusted most likely anywhere,” Gabriel pleads, grabbing his son’s hand, the one without Chat’s miraculous.

“Group talk, huddle up,” Viperon said, beckoning everyone in.

“We could make him do stuff like community service, but subtly so it doesn’t raise any suspicion,” Ryuko reasoned, once everyone had gathered in the huddle of heroes.

“What would we tell the public,” Queenie asked, looking around the circle.

“After Hawkmoth ran, we found his miraculous that he had left on a rooftop,” Ladybug started a plan forming.

“When we went to find the civilian Hawkmoth he had already run,” Chat finished.

“Good enough for me,” Viperon agreed.

“What if we make him start a foundation,” Queenie suggested. “I could help since I am the Mayor’s daughter and have connections”

“He caused a lot of chaos, what if we make him start a disaster foundation? Natural disasters because those are a common thing here. Fires and floods, simple things,” Ryuko added.

“Ok we have a proposition then,” Chat said, breaking the huddle then looked towards Gabriel. “Father we came to a decision you can be unknown from the public, but you have to start a natural disaster foundation. Also something I’m adding get your mental health checked along with weekly therapy. If you choose these conditions you can stay at home as Gabriel Agreste and Hawkmoth will never be you again. If not we can take you into the police station right now.”

Needless to say, Gabriel had accepted the heroes’ gracious offer and handed over the butterfly and peacock miraculous, which was brought back to Master Fu. He had given her the Miracle Box because he wanted to retire soon after the defeat of Hawkmoth. The public was angry at first due to the fact they wouldn’t know the identity of Hawkmoth, but they thought the heroes didn’t know so they were less angry. Adrien sighed and jumped onto her balcony and headed home.

When Marinette woke up the next morning she looks around dazed for a moment or two this had been one of the first times she had gotten a full night's sleep in awhile. It was all thanks to her partners, she hadn’t even woken from a nightmare. She also woke up a bit earlier than her alarm, so she got up and put her hair in a bun, did some light makeup. She put on a white shoulderless short-sleeved shirt with little flowers near the neckline, a bubblegum pink flowy skirt, and a pair of darkish grey tights. She then finished the look with the same bubblegum color of her skirt for ballet shoes. When finished getting dressed she put cookies in her signature purse. She climbed up the ladder leading towards her bed to wake up her kwami. 

“Tikki, time to wake up,” Marinette said, quietly.

“Good morning,” Tikki yawned. “You look nice this morning!”

“I got up early. I must’ve fallen asleep on patrol,” Marinette said. “I woke up on time and I didn’t have any nightmares.”

“That’s so good! You haven’t gotten enough sleep lately,” Tikki said, flying up out of her bed.

“Marinette! It’s time to leave!” Sabine shouted from downstairs. Marinette checked her phone and saw that it was true so she went downstairs. “Sweetie you look extra beautiful today! Did you sleep better than normal?”

“Yes, I slept well, love you mama see you after school!” She kissed her mama and left for school.

As she arrives Adrien’s car pulls up and she sees Chloe waiting by the bottom of the steps near the entrance of the school. Chloe is wearing her hair down straight but with the top part of her hair pulled back and held in with her miraculous. She is wearing a black pencil skirt that ends just above the knee, a flowy light yellow shirt, and paired with black flats.

When Adrien and Marinette meet Chloe they give both give her and each other a hug. They then walk inside to be met with the mess known as Lila and her posse. They meet in the courtyard where Alya and Lila try to get an apology out of Marinette.

"Lila, I didn't hit you. There's enough proof to say that I didn't, but yet you continue with your web of lies. Why would I want to hit you?" Marinette asked, crossing her arms as Adrien and Chloe stand behind her.

"Because you are jealous that I'm dating Adrien. I'm sorry Adrihoney that I told her our secret," Lila cried. "I just can't take her jealousy or torture anymore." 

"Lila we're not dating..." Adrien started but was cut off again by Lila sobbing louder.

"You don't have to lie to them, they already know the truth. I can't let you hide your feelings for me anymore," Lila sobbed.

"Lila, what truth did you tell them the truth or the truth you want? I would never date you, Lila. You are too clingy, annoying, and you're always lying. Plus I'm happily dating someone; I'm pretty sure I love her," Adrien finished.

"Marinette, you slut, you're sleeping with Lila's boyfriend when you know that they are happily together," Alya raged, rubbing Lila's back.

“It’s like I’m not even here!” Adrien said, throwing his hands up in defeat. 

"First of all, Adrien is just a friend. Second of all, how dare you call me or his actual girlfriend a slut and last Adrien's girlfriend could take Lila down in a heartbeat," Marinette said, stepping forward. "Adrien's girlfriend may not be the kindest at first glance, but what I wouldn't do to help one of my best friends."

She then walked to class with the two blonds glaring at the rest of the class following behind. The rest of the day was filled with excited chatter for the upcoming gala. Lila was bragging over the fact the uprising star, who she ‘helped’ found MDC's talent, made her dress just because Lila is so nice.

"MDC, he is so incredibly nice and handsome. He has milk chocolate hair and the brightest blue eyes you would ever see. It was love at first sight when he had first seen me. It was just after I had saved Jagged Stone's cat from the airport's terminal. MDC was with Jagged because he is Jagged's lost nephew," Lila started then her face fell. "I couldn't stay with him though, I was getting ready to fly to Gotham to be with my childhood sweetheart, my Damiboo. I'm sorry or as you would know him, Damian Wayne."

"Seriously! you've met the Waynes and Bruce Wayne's heir is in love with you?!?" Alya exclaimed. "You have to get me an interview with them!"

"Next time I visit my Damiboo I'll ask him, but he's kind of shy," Lila smiles, looking at all of her adoring followers. 

Marinette sighed as the bell rung thankful for the end of her lies even if only temporarily. After her class, which was uneventful, she headed home to help her parents finish up in the bakery and eventually helped them close it. She saw that they had dragged out there nicer clothes.

"Sweetheart, would you be a dear and fit and fix my dress," Sabine asked, looking back at Marinette as she cooked. 

"Of course Mama I'll fix it up after dinner," Marinette said as she was finishing up her homework.

They had a nice peaceful dinner after plates were cleaned, and leftovers were put away Marinette and her mother headed upstairs to fix her mother's dress. "Mama you look beautiful," Marinette said looking over the traditional Chinese red cheongsam.

"Thank you, Marinette," Sabine pauses, looking at herself in the mirror. "Pretty soon I'm going to give it to you. It was your grandmother's and I think you deserve it."

"Thank you, Mama," Marinette smiled, fixing the tear near the hem. "It's all fixed Mama. You look beautiful. I hope you have a great time tomorrow."

"I just wish you would come with us," Sabine sighed, hugging her daughter.

"I would but I had already made plans with Adrien, Kagami, and Luka," Marinette told the decided upon story.

"OK have fun at least," Sabine smiled before heading downstairs to show her husband.

Since it was Ryuko and Viperon's turn to patrol she went to bed early.

[mastrmiscellaneous]

Capture the Flag

Summary: Clara, Justin, and Lucille play Capture the Flag, and a secret is revealed.

Word Count: 7898

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

The Peters siblings had only been in Camp for a week. Well, five days, but their friend Clara Ostá, an unclaimed girl the same age as Justin, kept saying a week so they eventually just went with it. They had learnt a lot in that time, about themselves, about their new friend, and about the world they lived in.

Justin had picked up Archery extremely quickly, shooting a full twelve arrow round and earning a full mark of 120, all bullseye hits. He had tried to learn how to use a sword, and though he was light on his feet, and was strong and accurate, it just felt unnatural. Especially when he watched Clara. She was basically a master already, easily taking on the best of the best in camp, even when they were much older than her. He had also started training one on one with Chiron, learning how to control his Plague Bearer powers. At first, he thought his powers were awesome, and he felt they made him feel incredibly powerful. However, he had quickly learnt that the exact opposite was true. His cabinmates were openly fearful of him, acting obviously careful around him and hesitating before asking him to participate in anything with them. That was certainly not the best feeling for the boy, but at least he had Clara and Lucille, they did not fear him. Although, his powers were getting stronger, and he was quick in learning how to control and direct them. Justin just kept to himself and practiced his favourite activities in camp.

Lucille was having an amazing time in camp now she had settled in with her new siblings. Her first night in the Hephaestus cabin was rough, being without a familiar face, and the noises of all the machines in the room scared her, but she was comforted by her eldest sibling, Beckendorf, who explained the intricacies of their cabin, and stayed awake by her side until she fell asleep. Lucille liked Beckendorf, he was kind and smart, he helped her in the forge, teaching her how to create machines and weapons, as well as assisting her with organising materials specifically for her. Since most of the tools and drawers were colour coded, and Lucille is unfortunately red-green colour-blind, the special organisation was greatly needed. She loved making things, and she was incredible at it.

Clara was enjoying having some closer friends at camp. She had to admit, she struggled making friends. Over the year she had stayed in camp, she had greatly struggled to get close to people, struggling with adapting to the English language when talking to other demigods, and just generally being awkward around people. She had never been good with people, being home schooled by her uncle back in Greece until she was seven, when her and her mother moved to the USA, where once again she struggled to make friends. She was not used to other kids, and she could not speak English at the time. Once she got to camp, it was much easier to talk to people, Chiron and Mr D being a great platform to have a proper conversation. They had some good alone time together, as she had private lessons with Chiron, Just like Justin.

English was a confusing concept for Clara. She struggled with understanding certain idioms, like the difference between a work week and full week. Her mother had never used those idioms, and her dyslexia made learning English quite the struggle for her, so certain things are much harder for her to wrap her head around than others.

One thing Clara could get her head around though was the concept of her favourite activity in Camp Half Blood: Capture the Flag!

Friday finally came, and Clara bounded out of the Hermes cabin and right over to Justin, who was tiredly emerging from the Apollo cabin, rubbing his eyes to get used to the bright summer morning.

“Kaliméra, Justin!” She half shouted as she jumped to a stop in front of her friend, smiling wide. Evidently, Justin was not used to this level of excitement, somehow, as he fell back in surprise, a very unmanly squeak escaping from his throat as he tripped over the bottom step.

“I’m gonna assume that means good morning.” Justin chuckled as he quickly got back up to his feet, with the help of an apologetic Clara. “What’s got you so happy?”

“You are really going to need to learn Greek at some point.” Clara elbowed Justin in his side, making him squirm. “But not right now! It’s capture the flag night!”

“It’s what now?”

“Michael hasn’t told you?!” Clara was utterly disgusted. How dare he not tell Justin about something so extremely important! Justin shook his head, and she went into a tirade of explaining the game to Justin as they walked to the mess hall for breakfast. Justin seemed quite confused at the whole thing, silently deciding he would ask his cabin mates (he’s still uncomfortable calling them his siblings) at breakfast. He was struggling to follow along with Clara’s explanation, as she kept going on unrelated tangents, and he was pretty sure she was speaking an odd mix of Greek and English, so definitely hard to follow. Eventually they got to the mess hall and parted ways, sitting at their own tables, Justin first heading over to the Hephaestus table to greet Lucille good morning.

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

After Breakfast, Lucille came bounding over to Justin and Clara, who were standing at the base of the stairs leading up to the mess hall. Justin was asking more clear questions about the game tonight, now he fully understood what was happening. Lucille half tackled his brother into a strong hug. Despite the fact that the pair had only been at camp for a week, and that she was only 8 years old, she had grown much stronger from her lessons in the forge. The girl excitedly expressed her interest in the game tonight. The concept was fascinating to her, a mix of the classic game she plays in Phys Ed at school and the battles she heard of in history class. The excitement was overwhelming.

However, Justin’s excitement was depleting at the thought of his baby sister participating in a game as brutal as this, as it was described to him. He promised his mother he would protect her, but apparently he was way in over his head about that. Clara was not help, she just shrugged, explaining everyone took part, it was no big deal. Justin respectfully disagreed on that point.

The boy wanted clarity, so he marched along to the forge with the girls at his heals, with the clear aim of talking to the head of the Hephaestus cabin. He barged into the dark room, cluttered room, bumping into a girl around his age and quickly apologising. Lucille ran off to the end of the room to an oddly neat workbench, the tools organised by type, size, and fit, labelled with symbols that match a chart on the wall. The symbols and chart were clearly not written by Lucille, her handwriting was incredibly messy, and this person’s was quite neat and easy to read. As her companions marched over to her bench, she started fiddling with a device she had been working on, a matt bronze mess of metal and wires, vaguely shaped like the body of a bull, the size of a game controller.

“Lucille, where’s Beckendorf?” Justin asked his sister, but she was already deep in concentration.

“I’m right here.” Sounded the cheerful yet deep voice of the large, eldest child of Hephaestus. Justin turned to face him, relaxing at the comforting smile the cabin leader wore. “You got one hell of a sister here, Peters. She’s an amazing inventor, wonderful with tools! And her ability with magic, wow! Impressive for someone so young!”

The young man’s smile was so sincere, he was certainly incredibly proud of his little sister. He ruffled the girl’s hair, snapping her out of her trance, and she beamed up at him. Justin straightened up and puffed his chest out, making Clara chuckle. She muttered something about him being defensive over his sister. Justin just stood on her foot in retaliation. To be fair to her, his confidence tactic was useless in this case, as he was barely eyeline with the blacksmith’s shoulders.

“I know, Lucy has always been great with tools. You should see her in the shop back home! She’s better at the repairs than mom!” Justin bragged about his sister, making her beam and wiggle happily in her seat.

“I don’t doubt that.” Beckendorf said, glancing between the three with a warm, calculating smile. “What can I do for you?”

Justin suddenly remembered why he was in the forge in the first place.

“Yes! Right...” Justin gathered his thoughts and straightened back up. “I wanted to talk about Capture the Flag...”

“Worried she’ll be caught up in too much action?” Beckendorf crossed his arms and leant back on a cluttered workbench, shifting some miscellaneous tools. Justin nodded, pulling on the hem of his camp shirt. Beckendorf continued, “Understandable. The game can get pretty... intense... however! The Hephaestus cabin tends not to do too much face to face fighting. We make the tools for our team, make traps, that sort of thing.”

“She’ll be out of danger?”

“I’ll make sure of that. She’ll stay by my side. Not just because you’re asking, but because it’s her first game and she’s pretty young, I would also prefer she stays out of the action. For now, at least.”

He said that last part with a wink at Lucille and a smirk. He ruffled her hair once again, and wordlessly passed her a tool, a long and thin thing that looked like a screwdriver that buzzed like it flowed with electricity, which Lucille apparently needed because she immediately continued with her work.

“Well... that seems good then.” Justin immediately felt awkward. It was clear the Hephaestus cabin was very different to the Apollo cabin. These people clearly cared for each other, and protected each other. The Apollo kids, however? Ever since Justin had been told about his status as the Plague Bearer, his cabin mates seemed uncomfortable around him. Like they didn’t want to get close to him. “I can live with that.”

“Great! I’m glad you and Lucy are ok with that. I wouldn’t want to make either of you uncomfortable. You’re her brother too, I respect your opinion.” Gods, how is he this great?

The two talked for another couple minutes, as Clara moved to Lucille’s workbench and talked to her about what she was making. Lucille explained that Beckendorf was teaching her the basics of metalwork and electrics, so she can develop her pre-existing skills with tools and apply it to things like making weapons and armour, devices, anything her gigantic mind could think of. The young inventor clearly had no qualms about bragging, as she presented her draw of already finished products, some magical, some not.

“Beckendorf said I’m special! I can do magic stuff good, and really quick! Even he can’t do what I can!”

This kid has a lot going for her, as long as this level of support and ego was retained.

After a while, Justin and Clara left the two creators to their devices, Beckendorf saying he wanted Lucille to help him with some cool traps for the game tonight. That, and Clara was insisting on taking Justin around and helping him prepare for the game, insisting he was not ready enough. Justin was a little offended by that at first, but as soon as she pointed out he had only been there a few days, and even though he has a good power set, and a near perfect aim with a bow, his practice was minimal and head definitely not prepared for a battle, even a fake one.

Therefore, Clara took him to the arena, which was mostly empty. According to Clara, classes here would not be starting for another two hours, so they had time to tune Justin’s instincts. Now, since Justin did not have ADHD, he did not have the upper hand on a fast-paced battlefield like she did. It was clear Clara had spent years in camp, away from a proper school, because she did not see her Dyslexia and ADHD as something that was annoying or difficult, but as her greatest strength. Well, that, and her intellect. When on the battle field, Clara had the ego of Narcissus, and honestly? She deserved it. She had brought Justin to the arena to train with other weapons, explaining variety was always a strength. It will always improve something, be it your strength, agility, accuracy, or just improve your ability to take in your surroundings. Clara said that was the most important one. If you can take in your surroundings quickly, a plan can be formed just as quick, which is always important when your life is in danger of monsters.

First, Clara sowed Justin how to use a sword. She pulled her camp necklace from under her shirt. It was the same as everyone else’s necklaces, a simple leather chord with a single white clay bead with a golden fleece hanging from a pine tree daintily painted on, a smaller clay bead, more crudely made and only possessed by a couple people at camp, painted a dark blue with a silver bow. There were two other things on her necklace, personal belongings Clara was yet to explain to anyone. One object Justin recognised as a rune, a dark stone oval with chipped, rounded edges, and carved and painted silver in the centre was a symbol; a deep curved line at the top, with a circle in the curve, and a straight line in the middle under the circle, with two lines horizontal under the circle and curve in the middle of the rune, and finally a diagonal line at the end of the vertical line on the left side of the rune. The final object on the necklace was a celestial bronze bar, about an inch long. This is what Clara reached for, pulling it from it’s connector to the chord and spinning in through her fingers. A celestial bronze sword grew with a slash of orange light. It was a simple weapon, about 50cm long, one solid peace of metal, with a leaf shaped blade and a simple trapezoid shaped guard, and a rounded pommel. On the guard was a familiar shaped carving, the same owl design that was painted atop the door of the Athena cabin. It was truly a beautiful weapon.

Clara twirled the sword around as she wandered over to a wrack of weapons, carefully picking out another sword; a simple celestial bronze sword with a black leather grip, about a metre in length. She gestured for Justin to follow her to the centre of the arena and she handed him the second sword.

“So, I know you’ve been focusing on archery and controlling your powers, but having a variety of skills really helps. It means you can at least defend yourself when in a pinch.” She got into a ready position and gestured for him to copy. “Now, I just want you to defend yourself, don’t think about attacking me.”

“Wait, wha-”

Justin could not finish his sentence because Clara had already slashed out with her sword, which he parried clumsily. She may have the shorter weapon, but she sure knew how to use it. She moved with ease, flowing like a dance, but as quick as tornado’s wind. Justin tried to defend himself and get away from her. He jumped over abandoned chariots, stood behind weapon stores, climbed up and down the steps and seats of the arena, and rolled on the floor to avoid her expert attacks. His breath was quick, and heart racing. Justin felt hyper aware about his surroundings, taking in all obstacles and the slightest movements made by Clara, be it her eyes moving or a shift in footing. He felt aware, and felt alive.

Clara tripped Justin and he rolled over, landing on one knee. She slashed her sword down in a diagonal line, and Justin let his instincts take over. He slashed his sword in the opposite direction with all the force he could muster. The swords collided, bronze on bronze, sparks flying and forcing Clara’s hand backwards, making her stumble back a step. Justin leapt to his feet and held the point of his sword under her chin.

Both of them were breathing long, tired breaths. Clara smiled at Justin, proud of her student. Justin chuckled and dropped his sword away from her chin, pointing it at the floor.

“So,” Clara spun the sword and it shrank back to the one inch bar that she reattached to her necklace charm. “How do you feel?”

Justin thought for a second, still smiling. “Alive... Energised. That’s the most aware I’ve ever been in my life.”

“Good. Now, in a real battle, you should try and fight back, but this exercise develops consciousness. Being aware of your surroundings. What a true warrior needs to survive.”

“I can tell! That was,” Justin made a vague, excited gesture. “wow! How di you know all this stuff?”

Justin regretted asking that question as soon as the last word left his lips. Her proud, excited expression shifted quickly. She looked down at her feet, letting her long, dark hair fall in front of her face, and she fiddled with the rune on her necklace.

“My mama taught me...” Clara took Justin’s sword and wandered off to put it back on the wrack. Then, she walked over to the stands and sat down, slumped over and leaning her elbows on her thighs. Justin sat beside her and checked to see if she was ok. She instead explained what was wrong.

“I haven’t seen my mamá for a year know. We had some problems… Mamá is very similar to a demigod. Attracts monsters, has fought a lot. She has a duty to Olympus she will not rest on. She has a pretty rough past, too, so living with her is… hard. She has her issues. that, along with moving across the world to a place I didn’t speak the language, and my powers and increasingly growing monster attacks, it just got tense at home. One day, I got a letter from my father, telling me to come here. I felt bad at home, so I left.”

Clara sighed, her shoulders sagged, and she took in a long, shaky breath. She sat up straight, brushed her hair out of her face, and attempted to be subtle as she wiped tears away from her eyes and released her breath.

“She used to train with me. She’s the one who taught me how to fight, how to use a sword. Everything I know about the ancient world, the gods, monsters, I learnt from her. I just miss her is all…”

Justin could only sit there and listen. This was something he had never anticipated. Sure, he knew a good deal of the demigods here in camp either had no mortal parent or family, or just simply did not have a good relationship with their family. He expected Clara to be the same. Just, he did not expect this exact situation.

“She knows I’m safe. I’ve called her a couple times since coming here. Not often though.”

She sniffed and shifted in her seat, hugging her legs and resting her head on her knees. Justin had no idea of what to do. Emotions were not something he was good with. He could write them into a song, but comforting someone who wasn’t Lucille? It’s a stretch. He needed to learn how to do that. So he asked a question instead.

“You said she’s similar to a demigod. What’s that mean?”

Clara inhaled sharply, as if she had forgotten she said that and revealed something she shouldn’t have. She laughed awkwardly and looked at Justin, panicking to think of an excuse.

“Well, you know- you know how your mom can see through the mist? it’s basically like that!” Clara laughed awkwardly, voice higher pitched, and her accent flaring up strong.

“My mom is far from a demigod.” Justin said monotonously. “Impressive, sure. She also fought Mormo, but I would not compare her to a demigod. What’s really going on?”

Clara gulped deep, and sighed, once again fiddling with her necklace. She mumbled to herself in Greek. Justin caught the odd word, it sounded like she was cursing herself out because of her slip up. Finally, she looks at him again and explained.

“It’s complicated. you know I come from Athens, moved here when I was seven. My family is an ancient one, dating back in the record for a little under three thousand years. When the Romans started invading Greece, the gods feared for the safety of their secrets, and Lady Athena proposed a plan. Grant a family of mortals clear sight, give them her blessing, and a job to protect the secrets of Olympus, items of importance to the gods, titans, heroes, and monsters. Kinda like a librarian with access to weapons. That is what my mamá is. A Guardian of Athens, Kidemonás, champion of Athena. The job brought a lot of… issues for mamá. I am one too.”

All Justin could do was hum a sound that vaguely sounded like ‘woah’. That was certainly not something he expected. Clara panicked and continued.

“It’s supposed to be a secret. No one, not even demigods, know about the Guardians, or the Chambers we guard. it is too dangerous. you can not tell anyone about this! I should not even told you!”

“Ok!” Justin blurted out. “Ok, I won’t tell anyone. I promise. I swear on the Styx I won’t share this secret.”

Clara’s blue eyes went wide. she was shocked he would go to that length, as to swear on the Styx for her. It’s extreme, he could get hurt if her told. Suddenly, she launched at him and engulfed her in a tight hug, hiding her face in the crook of his neck.

“Thank you…”

“No problem. anything to make you feel safe.”

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

Soon enough, after Clara and Justin had continued their training for another two hours, fine tuning Justin’s instincts and physical abilities, practicing his war archery and quick shooting, lunch was going to be served and classes start up in the arena soon. So, the two friends excited the arena and went to their cabins to change their shirts and have a clean to rid themselves of sweat before eating. They finished up a little early and went to the forge to watch Lucille work.

They reached the forge and got a few non-serious glares from the children of Hephaestus. Justin was incredibly confused by this, but Clara explained it was because this week the Hephaestus Cabin was on the Red team for Capture the Flag, whilst the Hermes and Apollo Cabins were on the Blue team. They’re just playing around with a friendly rivalry.

Lucille was very eager to show off her work of the day. She and Beckendorf had made a crude wind-up bronze bull. The metal was awkward and scuffed, and the movements were very robotic, but it was incredible work for an eight-year-old. The four demigods got to talking, telling Justin and Lucille about the team system, each cabin’s general rolls in the game, and Beckendorf giving a purposefully vague description of what they were planning for the night. All Justin and Clara knew was they had some interesting toys to play with this evening.

It was not long before the horn announcing lunch sounded throughout the camp. They made their way to the mess hall, and Justin spent his lunch watching his friend and sister. Clara seemed pretty comfortable at the Hermes table. She knew a lot of people, she talked and laughed with them, though the sadness in her eyes left behind from the conversation about her mother never truly left. Lucille was incredibly happy with her table. She laughed and bounced in her seat, eagerly talking about whatever was on her mind with her siblings, and they all engaged well with her. He loved that she was happy.

Although Justin was happy for the girls in his life, he was also incredibly jealous. His cabin mates were not the most fun to be with. At least, they were with him. His power, his curse, scared them. As it should, Justin had been learning to control his power with Chiron, and the centaur had said he was incredibly powerful, more powerful than any Plague Bearer he had seen through the centuries. Justin did not mind his power, he thought it was pretty cool, as long as he can control it. The only thing he didn’t like was the fear and stigma from most people it brought.

After a long, quiet lunch, Justin met back up with Clara and Lucille for a quick chat before Lucille was swept away back to the forge to make devices for the game. Justin explained to Clara he would love to continue training, but he has a private lesson with Chiron now, but he offered to let her watch so she wasn’t alone. She accepted, and tagged along, Chiron in his full centaur glory leading the pair to a large opening in the woods, far from anyone else, the sounds of the camp distant and quiet.

Chiron was particularly sharp today, warning Justin that even though he has learnt quickly the past few days, he needed to make sure to control himself else he could seriously hurt someone. Chiron was pleased Clara had tagged along, asking if she would be ok with sparing with Justin so he could learn to keep his cool under attack. Clara agreed, removing her sword from its hidden form on her necklace, and Chiron handed Justin the bow he had been using and a quiver filled with celestial bronze arrows. They spared for a while, Chiron giving orders, telling Justin how to relax his muscles and mind whilst also keeping his guard up when being attacked. After an hour, Chiron stopped the fight and beckoned Clara to come close, and he bent down to whisper in her ear. Clara looked shocked at first, but smirked when she made eye contact with her friend.

“If you insist.” She said. The tone of her voice mixed with her accent made him shudder.

“Justin, we will be turning up the heat now. Clare will be using a… special power of hers to make the fight more intense.” Chiron nodded at the pair to get into sparing position. “Remember, stay relaxed, think clearly, keep your breath steady. Now, go.”

Justin nocked an arrow, and started to freak out when he looked up at Clara. Her normally icy blue eyes were now a silvery storm grey, a faint silvery blue glow encased her body, a little brighter around her right shoulder. she had a stormy, terrifying look to her. The contrast between her dark skin, the pale aura surrounding her, and the grey eyes was startling. Her playful smirk had disappeared, replaced by a tight straight lip, her eyebrows furrowed tight and her eyes in a fixed steel glare. It looked unnatural, her eyes usually darted about, taking in her surroundings, but the fixed eye contact she held now was unmoving. Her grip on her sword was so tight her knuckles paled, her muscles tensed. She charged.

Her speed was unmatched, and ferocity insane, and it was nothing like how she fought that morning. She was incredible then, but this? This was outstanding, terrifying, pure ability and skill. Justin struggled to keep up with her, his need to take an arrow from his quiver, nock it, pull back, aim, and loose was just too much to do when she was so quick and strong. His emotions and stress were flaring up, and Chiron could see it. He yelled to the boy to remain calm, keep steady, he can fight it, but Justin struggled to believe that. He was so new to this, and Clara was just too good. His stress was getting stronger and strong until finally…

He ran out of arrows.

Justin panicked, and instinct took over. He turned to Clara and caught her charging. He reached out and flexed his fingers. Clara stopped. Choked.

Justin had put her into a major coughing fit. A minor affliction, but enough to stop her surge. The glow of her power flickered and dimmed, eventually disappearing altogether, her eyes turning back to their normal ice blue. She dropped her sword, keeling over coughing, barely able to catch her breath between fits. Justin panicked, relaxing his hand and repeatedly muttering a sentence Chiron told him to repeat in times like this.

“Don’t hurt them, let them go.”

Clara finally stopped coughing, gasping for breath and dropping to her knees, panting heavily. Chiron trotted over to her and knelt down, placing a hand on her back and giving her a water bottle Justin could not figure out where he was keeping. She attempted to catch her breath, and sipped the water bottle for a couple minutes, and Justin just stood there, panicking. He really did not mean to hurt his friend, and he really hoped she would not hate him after this.

He almost jumped to the ground in front of her once he regained his composure. He worriedly checked on her and asked questions, making sure she was ok and knew he did not mean it. After a couple minutes, Clara regained her composure and smiled at Justin.

“Dude, that was awesome.”

“What?” Justin said, shocked.

“I knew Plague Bearers were powerful, but wow! That was rough! you can do better? So cool.”

Justin stared at her blankly for a moment and burst out laughing. “You are so weird.”

Clara shrugged and giggled to herself, “Yeah, but you like it!”

The pair laughed for a moment, ignoring the strange, confused stares Chiron was shooting them. Clara lightly coughed between laughs, but overall was recovering pretty well. Chiron dismissed the pair and told them to relax and regain themselves before Capture the Flag.

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

Justin and Clara sat at a table in the middle of the horseshoe of cabins, a bit of a distance from the basketball court. They talked lightly as they regained their strength, Justin consistently apologising and making sure she was ok, which was met with a lot of eye rolling and insistence that she is ok. She’s a fighter, she’ll be fine. They remained like this until finally Justin gave in to his urge and finally asked what that power was.

Clara chuckled and reminded Justin of the conversation they had that morning about the Guardians of Athens, then went on to remind him Athena offered to bless the mortals set to protect the Chambers. That power was part of the blessing. It enhances her senses and abilities. Clara explained that it felt like time slowed down, so she could take in details of the battle field and react quicker. She explained that the blessing resided in a mark on her skin, a pale birth mark on the back of her right shoulder in the shape of an Athenian coin. A pale circle, with the same owl shape that was carved into her sword, above the owl to the right was an olive branch, and beside it on the edge of the circle the letters AOE on the left side. When she activated her blessing, it would glow a blueish silver, the blessing changed her eye colour to that of Athena herself, and the aura encased her body. She had learnt how to control it vaguely when she was with her mother, but Chiron and Mr D had given her private lessons on her family’s position and the powers she held. Well, her Guardianship was the main focus of her lessons, she was also taught how to control her other powers, the ones she inherited from her unknown father. She refused to tell Justin about them. He let it go.

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

The games were finally beginning. Dinner was shorter than usual, the excited demigods eager to fight each other in the woods at night whilst also attempting to locate, steal, and escape with a long piece of red or blue cloth.

On the blue team, they had the Athena, Apollo, Hermes, and Demeter cabins. Justin was pleased her was on Clara’s team, she could explain things to him better than anyone in his cabin, at least. On the red team was the Ares, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, and Dionysus cabins.

Before the two teams separated and marched off to the woods, shouting war cries and praying for glory, everyone was given armour and weapons. Justin realised he would never get used to metal armour. He struggled with the straps on the shoulders, Clara having to fix it for him, so it did not hang off his body. She also adjusted the straps on his sides, muttering to herself that he had a lot to learn. Her armour was perfect, tight yet moveable, no hanging straps and just enough space between her body and armour to fit two fingers in. Absolutely perfect. Justin could not help but admire Clara’s perfection in this. She had clearly been doing this for a long time, everything came so easy to her. Though Justin could chalk this up to her connection with Athena (as he understood it, her whole thing was cleverness and being good in battle, so Justin guessed it would pass down to her kids, and by extension a Guardian like Clara), Justin chose to believe that she was just that good. She looked amazing too, her armour fit her perfectly, and not just because she knew how to wear it. In her usual clothes, like her camp shirts or the sweaters she wore, he could not really notice anything about her, except perhaps her toned bronze arms, that he definitely didn’t stare at, no way! However, in the armour, he could see her figure, as her armour fit perfectly around her. Her armour was clearly made for her, as she had a fortified shoulder guard on her left, and it was flexible around her body, partially leather, partially metal. Obviously, she still had a lot of developing to do, but she was already beautiful. Anyone could tell that she was going to be an absolute looker, mistakable for a daughter of Aphrodite, when she was older. It fit around her toned body nicely. She quickly tightened her armguards and pulled out her camp necklace before looking at Justin properly.

In short, the boy was a mess. Clara had to hold in a bit of laughter looking at him. his skinny, untrained form struggled to fit into any armour properly. This size fit the best, but still not great, as Justin was rather tall for his age, so the armour made for his height also provided room for some muscle, and the size down didn’t reach low enough to cover his whole torso, so there was no hope in finding anything perfect until he toned up a bit. Luckily, since he is an archer, he was allowed to wear mostly leather armour, so it didn’t look as bad as it would if it were metal. Especially when he put his quiver over his shoulder, that fit much better and tightened his leather vest. As she stepped back to look at her work, She did notice his awkward smile, and his drumming fingers on the riser of his bow, and acknowledged that behind the cluelessness and idiocy was a skilled and intelligent and cute guy. Not cute as in she liked him! cute like he’s a lost puppy. yes, that.

Lucille, on the other hand, was a hilarious sight to behold. They clear did not have armour small enough for her, so she remained helmetless, and her too-big chest plate hung off her body, Justin wondered how she would be quiet and sneaky with the amount it shifted when she moved, and she was moving a lot. Her excitement was showing incredibly, she bounced on her feet and had her gloved hands balled into fists, shaking them in front of her chest, her toothy smile beaming in the evening light. She stood beside Beckendorf, who had a sack slung over his shoulder, his other hand on her shoulder and talking to Clarisse, the Red Team’s leader as the head councillor of the Ares Cabin.

Finally, the two teams set off, dividing and heading off to their chosen base. The blue team headed to the North Woods, finally stopping about 50 yards away from the beech. The cabin leaders split off and gave out tasks. The Athena cabin was to split in half, team A moving along the forest line across the beech, and team B loop around the other end, towards Zeus’ Fist. That was apparently the most likely place for the Ares cabin to put their flag. The Apollo and Hermes Cabins were to combine and work together, splitting into groups of two, one from each cabin, and those groups would be split in half, team 1 being defence, and team 2 being sent straight ahead as a diversion attack. Finally, the Demeter cabin were to stay with the flag, using their plant manipulation to protect the prize.

Justin and Clara teamed up, and were sent away to the middle of the forest, adjacent to Zeus’ Fist and across the river. The two plant themselves hidden in a relatively thick section of the woods, sitting back-to-back, looking into two different clearings. They sat in silence for a while, listening and watching for movement, ready to battle despite the fact the game hadn’t officially been called to start yet. They still had a couple minutes for that. but they could never be careful, especially if someone else decided this was a good spot to hide. Finally, they heard the horn sound in the distance. The game begins.

Clara and Justin listened out for any sound coming close, Justin had an arrow knocked in preparation, a knife strapped to his side in case he needed a close combat weapon. Clara had drawn her heirloom sword, holding it close to her chest in hopes of hiding it in the bushes. Not soon after the horn blasted, the pair heard footsteps nearby their hiding spot. Well, Clara heard them and infirmed Justin. Her battle senses where a lot stronger than his. Whether that was a Guardian thing or something she inherited from her father, she wouldn’t know. Clara glared into the near distance, waiting for any sign of movement, Justin followed her gaze and readied his bow. He had a pretty good shot from where he was.

A positive: Clara was right, someone was indeed coming towards them.

A negative: ‘someone’ actually meant seven people. a small group compared to the entirety of the Red team, and Justin had never been too good at math, but he was pretty sure seven was more than two.

the team consisted of three Ares kids and two Hephaestus kids. Five strong and skilled demigods against one amazing swordsman and a novice archer. Sounds like a fair fight.

Clara quietly pulled out an arrow from Justin’s quiver, and pulled out a ball of strong from the gods only know where. she tied the end to underneath the flights of the arrow and looked at the path the Red Team demigods were walking on. She muttered to Justin,

“Shoot that log there.”

Justin complied, silently shooting at the log with the arrow she had modified. The team of five jumped a little at the sudden sound.

“What was that?”

“Who’s there?!”

“Come on guys, it was probably just a squirrel or something. it’s gone now, and do you see anyone? let’s just get this flag.”

And at that, the five walked in the direction of Justin’s arrow. Just when the five were two feet away, Clara pulled tight on the string, and the front two kids tripped, faceplanting the dirt. the other three readied their weapons and the tripped two attempted to get up, but Justin acted fast, quickly knocking and arrow and shooting at them, the arrow digging into the sleave of the first guy’s tshirt, pinning him to the ground. The other one got to his feet, but was only in a crouched position by the time Justin had knocked another arrow and loosed, catching his baggy shorts, and knocking him down. The other three locked onto the bush Justin and Clara were hiding in, and Clara took her chance. She charged, brandishing her sword, and attacked the three. Now, for any normal fighter, this would be a terrible decision. A suicide mission, in fact. But Clara is no normal fighter. once the three had realised what happened, Clara had tripped one, who rolled back onto their front and jumped back to their feet, but she had moved on to the next, quickly disarming him, then onto the third, who put up a good fight. The second guy, an Ares kid, picked his sword back up and charged, but Justin leapt out of the bush with an arrow knocked and quickly loosed, the arrow reaching its mark in the blade of the sword, pushing his arm to the side so he didn’t hit Clara. He charged to the guy Clara tripped, a Hephaestus kid, and kicked his back, pulling an arrow out of his quiver and stabbing it into the ground through his loose tshirt. The last Ares kid fighting Clara was putting up one hell of a fight, the two experienced warriors matching each other’s energy perfectly. That was, until the Ares kid tripped Clara. She rolled to the side, avoiding the blad that was stabbed into the ground, and when she landed on her feet, she smirked. Her ice blue eyes glowed a stormy grey, and her shoulder lit up under her fortified armour, the light quickly encasing her whole body.

Her Blessing of Athena.

The Ares kid looked panicked; he had clearly seen this before. Though his unearned confidence quickly returned, and he attacked, slashing his sword down on Clara, who parried with so much force, the kid was knocked backwards. Clara leapt to her feet, swinging her sword around to build momentum and beating down at the guy, who could only stumble backwards and block as many attacks as he could. Clara was far too fast and far stronger than this guy, and it showed. Far sooner than the Ares kid wanted, Clara disarmed him. Shooting his word into the trunk of a tree, she tripped him, slashed at his chest plate, knocking him with more force into the floor, and winding him horribly. Soon, the whole team was pinned to the ground, winded, or just given up. Clara laughed a little, looking down at her work, and acknowledging the arrows pinning people.

“We make a good team!” Clara said cockily, her eyes returning to normal, and her glow fading.

“Yeah. yeah, we do.” Justin said, a light blush filling his cheeks.

“Come on, let’s go find more groups.”

At that, the two ran away in the same direction, back towards their team’s flag, in a quest to find more people to fight. Justin was starting to see why Clara loved this so much. It was incredibly invigorating.

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

Clara and Justin truly were an amazing team. The managed to take down two more groups soon after their initial fight, using Clara’s blessing, her strange, mysterious powers inherited from her unknown father, and Justin’s insane accuracy and a limited version of his new powers. Somehow, Justin managed to control himself enough to just give his opponents a bit of vertigo, enough to make it easy to knock them down with a slight push, and they would not be getting up for a little while. The two were energised, ready for anything, and perfectly in sync. The two dashed off after their second battle and stopped in a small clearing to catch their breath.

“You’re doing good, Peters!” Clara panted smiling wide, her eyes now permanently grey her energy rises. “Improved a lot, you’re gonna be an amazing warrior after more training!”

“Thanks.” Justin said through deep breath and a wide smile. “You’re pretty awesome yourself.”

The two smiled softly at each other, but that smile dropped immediately when they both felt a metal clamp around their legs. The initial contact hit Justin’s left leg, and a split second after wrapping around his right. The opposite happened for Clara. The two saw a celestial bronze wire shoot up from the ankle clamps and attach to a branch on a tree, then shooting the two upwards and stopping quickly, leaving them hanging from the branch.

“What the-”

The two heard a familiar little giggle, and a more booming chuckle they recognised.

“You two walked right into our trap!” Beckendorf walked out of the shadows with a bouncing Lucille at his side.

“Lucy??” Justin exclaimed, slightly laughing along with his sister, impressed at her work.

“Caught you!” She exclaimed, pulling her tongue out at her big brother.

“Yeah, you did.” Justin Smiled at Lucille, then looked to Beckendorf, who had his arms crossed and looking between the girl and their captives, clearly proud. “Did you make these?”

“I helped! It was super cool!”

“She did really well.” Beckendorf said. “She’s an amazing worker.”

“Yeah, she is.”

“Hey!” Clara exclaimed, a little annoyed but mostly joking around with them. “Can you let us down?”

“Go on Lucy, what do we do if we let them down?” Beckendorf patted her shoulder and she looked up at him, reminding herself of the script she had been given. She stopped fighting and puffed her little chest out, trying to put on a serious face, but she was still so happy for succeeding, her serious face breaking into a smile.

“Only if you…” she paused for a moment, to think. “Surrender! and be our prisoner!”

“Oh, that’s the deal, huh?” Clara smiled. “Are you up for a compromise?”

“Depends on what it is.” Beckendorf shrugged.

“Let us go, you run off, we wait a minute before also making a move.”

“No deal. Looks like you’re gonna be swinging there for a while!” He said in a sing-song manner.

“Then what do you propose?”

“We let you go, but you betray your team and join us.”

“Yeah, I’m not gonna do that.”

Justin attempted to gulp; Clara was really screwing with their chance to escape. But just before Beckendorf could respond, three Red Team soldiers ran past holding the Blue flag.

“Looks like you’re going to be hanging there for a bit.” Beckendorf smiled cockily and chuckled. He turned to Lucille, “Hey Lucille, guard these two for me?”

Lucille nodded enthusiastically, and Beckendorf ran off shouting back to Lucille to remember how to release them.

“You do know how to release us, right?” Justin said, unsure.

Lucille just sat down, staring at her brother and friend, and needed, taking out a small remote and waving it in the air. “Just have to press one button… umm… I think this one?”

“Lucille!!”

[the-mic-drop]

Class 1-A Cypher by Rustage

Lyrics below the cut

Izuku Midoriya - Deku (Performed by Rustage)

Call me Deku, I’m starting out on this cypher

I was quirkless, but by working I’m deserving something higher

It’s my purpose, I’m versing my present, future, and my past

So I’m gonna rock the mic with a Detroit Smash

Taking a second, I’m breaking my limit

Hitting with everything, pain I can feel it

I’m straining my muscles, I tussle with enemies

Better be ready, I’m more than a critic

I spit it, exhibit it all night

I’m killing it, chilling with All-Might

A villain inhibited by my ability

in minutes you’re watching my school fight

Fumikage Tokoyami - Tsukuyomi (Performed by Shwabadi)

When you cross this bird, you might get to see me wield the talons

So absurd how I’m applying subverse talents

Yes I’m cursed, carry a demon, I’m full of malice

Even worse for you when striking a bitter balance

Dark claws harming the vermin that are below me

Start wars, armed with determination and Oni

Get back, I’ve been endangering those who know me

Jet Black Hero, they’re calling me Tsukuyomi

Ochaco Uraraka - Uravity (Performed by DaisyBanaisy)

I’ll make you float as I’m messing with zero gravity

Don’t mean to gloat when I’m calculating these strategies

Rapidly climbing casually, my quirk “lacks in lethality”

but actually your apathy will lead straight to your casualty

I’ll happily fight for justice, with all of my capacity

My motive’s money, thankfully that don’t define morality

Reality is I’m just helping others for my family

I’m saving all humanity, don’t you mess with Uravity!

Tenya Iida - Ingenium (Performed by Dan Bull)

I’ve got many a twitch, that’s the Tenya itch

I’m like my test scores, I got plenty of tics

Academic, educated, but I never skip leg day

Still regretful of the day that I met Stain

Enraged, by what he did to my brother Tensei

I didn’t handle it the best way, I dare say

Left my hand damaged in remembrance of fair play

I’m representing Class 1-A, they’re my best mates

Tsuyu Asui - Froppy (Performed by Sophia Dere)

Ribbit Ribbit, exhibit a hero’s spirit

I’m in it and so I’ll win it

When I’m swimming, yeah I won’t stop

This frog’s idyllic not a gimmick in a minute

I be launching in to kill it

Like a frog, I’m bringing mad hops

My tongue’s deadly, spitting and I take charge

and then I’m turning invisible with my camoflage

In the water, no villain can dare to stop me

You’re looking sloppy, now you’re facing Froppy

Hanta Sero - Cellophane (Performed by VideoGameRapBattles)

Lucky 13 of the A-1 team

Kid I spit great mixtapes, stick your team

Wraps so clean,

and I’m sealing all the matches now that Cellophane will bring the pain all wrapped up in a package

Getting shipped with tons of damage, but there’s no send backs

Shut you up with my bind attacks

Get back, ‘cause you know that I’ll be winning

in this sticky situation, so I think you better stick it.

Mezo Shoji - Tentacole (Performed by Dreaded Yasuke)

You can call me wall that have ears, door that have eyes

Meaning I’m cavalier when it comes to fighting just like a spy

In close combat, my dupli-arms is coming for the harm

and I’m laughing at you if you’re trying disarm

I’ll sacrifice for everybody exhausting my quirk

Even when I’m down for the count, I’m disguising my smirk

You can cut off all of my limbs, I’m still coming in a burst

Class 1-A will always come first

Kyoka Jiro - Earphone Jack (Performed by Savvy Hyuga)

It’s ya edgy girl, Earphone Jack

Utilizing my quirk in both stealth and combat

I guess I can see how you think I fell flat

but lemme show you how I make up for that

with punk rock attacks

When my earlobes are growing

you know they whippin and probin

an’ now they got you tip-toeing

findin the range that my tone is

It’s not your typical motion n my moves don’t need compression

It’s just another jam session featuring my form of expression

Denki Kaminari - Chargebolt (Performed by Dizzy Eight)

It’s time to put in work, I got this cypher on lock

I don’t need my quirk when this verse will leave you shocked

Like a battery, I got the juice, so they put me in a box

When my positive means negative, I’m like “so watt?”

You don’t want that static with me homie it’s fatal

I got so much energy, I’m plugged in without the cable

On the low, I’ll leave everybody on the scene disabled

I’m underrated, but in a flash, I’ll leave you endangered

Shoto Todoroki - Shoto (Performed by None Like Joshua)

It’s Todoroki, I chose to be cold and lonely

Nobody can hold me with the inferno, I’m overloading

From a broken home to known hero I’m going up slowly but surely

and be better than Endeavor whether it’s hot or it’s snowing

Even if I’m behind, I’ll be sure to make Bakugo see

I do it for All of his Might or to stop killer Stain, forget any trophy

So now that you’re immobilized and then frozen in pain, no one can approach me

Put up a wall of my ice or a wall of my flames to build your enclosing

Rikido Sato - Sugarman (Performed by GameboyJones)

Give me 10 grams of white, then I’m activated (um)

Wait, I’m talking ‘bout the sugar that I took

Got a sweet tooth for taking out these villains ‘cause they’re agitating

Plus the girlies like a guy that can cook

Call me Sato the Macho, I’m saving these streets

Yeah these nachos are not yours, I need me a treat

and this crime fighting’s hard work, it can leave me beat

but like candy and cakes, being me is real sweet

Mina Ashido - Pinky (Performed by StarGirl)

The corrosive caped crusader, Pinky here to save the day

and end up taking center stage upon these lyrics that I lay up

Easygoing, I’m passionate in battle, I’m not passive

See it flowing I don’t spit fire, I spit acid

Hypnotic fashion sense, I leave you in a trance

I’m good at fighting, my other skills are in dance

Protect my friends, we’re going in on advance

Mina Ashido, you don’t even stand a chance

Eijiro Kirishima - Red Riot (Performed by NerdOut)

Kirishima’s here, everybody stand down

I’mma activate a quirk and give your chest a hand pound

With these Red Gun Turrets yeah the target is locked

I’m a boulder with a boner, man I’m hard as a rock

I’m unbreakable, cannot penetrate this armor

and I don’t need a little blue pill to get harder

I’m full of energy, enemies looking dead tired

Blood running in the street, you can call it Red Riot

Koji Koda - Anima (Performed by Connor Rapper)

I’m the quiet type, lying with the wildlife

When I’m on, you wouldn’t even need subtitle lines

Nervous around others, I’m the last one who would yell loud

But to be a hero, then I need to break the shell now

Yo it’s Koda bringing massive noise, flowing with that Ani-Voice

That timid kid with rabbit toys no longer acting coy

Drinking honey tea, facing my fear of bugs and bees

Get a bull stampeding with the words like I’m Douglby

Yuga Aoyama - Can’t Stop Twinkling (Performed by Zach Boucher)

Never needed fame or money, I can get it later

Even though it hurts my tummy, when I use my navel laser

I have got finesse, snazzier than all the rest

I’m the best, nothing less

being honest, not a flex, I’m a threat

It’s getting harder to stomach, I’ve got the smarts and I love

I’m certainly perfect, it hurts just like the art of seduction

Heart of a Puma, get ready to lose

I’ll be spreading the truth

and y’all are stupid if you choose to fight against the Yuga

Momo Yaoyorozu - Creati (Performed by HalaCG)

I’ve got the quirk creation and patience to work it

Balancing equations, don’t even need to research it

Sequencing elements, a testament to intelligence

You’d better watch out ‘cause I’m not feeling very benevolent

If a person’s in trouble, just wait and see what I’ll do

I can literally make anything. Overpowered, who?

Overpowered, who?

I meant I’ll overpower you

It’s true, sincerely Class 1-A’s Momo Yaoyorozu

Minoru Mineta - Grape Juice (Performed by Nux Taku)

Where the ladies at? (ay)

Where the ladies at? (ay)

Mineta’s here to peek at women that I’m gazing at

People thinking that I’m weak, but you know what I say to that

Leave you in a sticky situation with my grape attacks

Underestimating me? You’re lacking information

Incapacitation, when you’re facing me, frustration

Master of flirtation, pretty much the top dog

You ain’t ever coming close when I pop off

Ojiro Mashirao - Tailman (Performed by Rockit Gaming)

Ojiro, the Tailman, you get what you train for

Master martial artist, black belt on my waist though

Nobody even really understands me

Got intelligence, can’t predict any hit that I’m landing

Classmate you confide in with dignity

You can wear a costume, all I got on is a gi

Noble attitude, that’s my personality

Accept results that I earn with my own abilities

Toru Hagakure - Invisible Girl (Performed by Outcast Rae)

Take you by surprise, yeah, I can do it easy

Miss me with your eyes, yeah, you can’t even see me

No matter what you try, yeah, you can never beat me

Feels a little cheesy, like a wish from a genie

When it comes to action, my quirk is in light refraction

so it has the side effect of never being a distraction

Sneak up on my enemies, let me be the best assassin

Toru Hagakure, you can feel my passion

Katsuki Bakugo - Kacchan (Performed by DaddyPhatSnaps)

I don’t think you other heroes are even listenin’

Maybe I should focus your attention with some ‘glycerin

You don’t even get it, there’s really no competition

I’m lighting these rookies up, boi, I’m slaying on every mission

I’ll show them once and for all, little Deku won’t know what hit ‘im

I will get the recognition, exploding the opposition

I will be the greatest hero that ever took the position

So come at me little bitches, I’ll make you wish that you didn’t

[goldenuwuswriting]

Siren’s Song

A/N: Just in case you haven’t heard this man’s heavenly vocals: A video or two! Also credit to @ncttrinities for feeding into my zero self-control and helping plan this. I might be slightly wh*pped for him.

Pairing: Nakamoto Yuta x Reader

AU: Siren! and College!

Summary: Sirens don’t exist or do they? 

“Sirens were originally Persephone’s three handmaidens. When Hades kidnapped Persephone to be his wife, Demeter gave the handmaidens beautiful golden wings so they could search the earth. They eventually gave up, making Demeter mad and causing her to curse them to an island.” Professor Nakamoto lectures alongside the powerpoint made by his TA, Johnny. You took this Greek Mythology 101 class for the easy A or so you thought. Professor Nakamoto grades based on how much effort you put into the assignment and how much you participate in class. 

“Time’s almost up for today, so your assignment for this week is to write your own siren myth.” The professor always had assignments like that. You thought that he set the class up like that to see how much the students retained from his lectures, but little did you know that he was hiding a big secret.

Professor Yuta Nakamoto was a siren and trying to teach that sirens don’t exist. The curse was just that in his opinion. The man literally looks like a god and could have been an Idol but had decided to teach to protect his secret. Johnny, his TA, came from America and was just as handsome as Yuta. Johnny was older than Yuta, but messed around and never graduated college and was the only one in the history department who knew Yuta’s secret. 

You, on the other hand, were halfway through a Master’s degree in History. You were trying to take all of the credit hours you could, just to graduate early and start your life. Midterms were a few months away, so you had to make at least an  A on them to give you a little wiggle room for the finals.

Johnny, being the greatest TA bless him (bless me achoo), hosts a study group and has office hours in Professor Nakamoto’s office before and after class almost every time. 

You had a question over the study guide that Johnny had handed out, so naturally you went to office hours to ask before heading to your next class. There was something magical about the voice you heard coming from Yuta’s office. It was so pretty and drew you in. Your feet kept moving towards the door, as if they weren’t controlled by your brain. You reached out for the door handle and turned it. Something compelled you to keep walking into the office, where Professor Nakamoto was sitting in his chair and singing under his breath. 

Yuta was shocked. You weren’t supposed to hear his ‘true’ voice. He quickly cleared his throat and asked you what you needed. You were frozen for a minute, as all of the gears in your brain started to move again, you remembered why you were there. 

“I have a question on the study guide that Johnny made. Do you know where he is?” 

“I don’t know where he is, but I could probably help you since I am the professor.” 

You wanted to laugh at yourself for being such an idiot. “The question asks for the differences between harpies and sirens. Is it for the modern idea of sirens or the original idea of them?” 

Yuta looked at you confused, shouldn’t you be questioning him on the fact that he is a siren (the answer is yes but you are too tired to realize it).  He looked at you for a moment before answering, giving you his perfect, healing smile. “Its for the modern idea of sirens, Y/N. You’re the only student who caught that.” 

“Alright, thank you and see you in class.” You took off towards your next class, mind still piecing everything together. Professor Nakamoto can’t be a siren because they don’t exist, right? Your next class went on for what seemed like hours. 

Yuta was freaking out. He called Johnny, hoping the sentient tree would answer the phone. 

“Hello?” Johnny’s disembodied voice flowed through the phone.

“I, uh, may have done something stupid and exposed myself.” 

“Nakamoto Yuta, What did you do?”

“I may or may not have been singing under my breath and Y/N got captivated with my ‘true’ voice.”

Johnny sighed and Yuta could picture the taller man rolling his eyes.

“You want me to convince them that their mind is playing tricks on them, don’t you?”

Yuta just hummed in response. 

Johnny hung up on him, not before telling him that he should be more careful. 

You were finally dismissed from class. Johnny had texted you and asked if you want to meet up at a café near campus. It was about a 15 minute walk from the building you were at. The only thing in your head was the sound of Yuta’s voice. The voice that mesmerized you, the one that belonged to a forbidden object, and the one you couldn’t have. The more you thought about your professor’s voice, the more it dawned on you that he might be a siren. You walked towards the café, pulling your jacket closer to your body, trying to get as warm as possible while walking into the wind. The fall weather was your favorite, but it still had its downsides. You pushed the door open and took a deep breath, taking in the scent of fresh roasted coffee beans and fresh baked goods. 

Johnny waved you over to the table he was sitting at. Your TA had two cups of coffee in front of him of which he handed you one. You gladly accepted the bean juice and took a sip. The two of you exchanged greetings and talked about random topics. 

“Johnny, how much do you know about Professor Nakamoto?” 

“He’s like my best friend, why?” Johnny was concerned about what you were going to say and it showed.

“I want an honest answer. Is he a siren?” You whispered those sentences. Perhaps you were going crazy with all the credit hours you were taking and the disturbing amount of sleep you were losing due to it. Everything about the professor seemed to match the exact creatures he was teaching about, obviously there were small differences. 

Loud Laughter broke you from your thoughts. “You honestly can’t believe that, Y/N. Sirens don’t exist and he is not one. I think you need to take a break from your course work or take a long nap.” 

“I guess so, but no one should have a voice that pretty.” 

Johnny helped you with a few questions on your study guide before it was time for him to go help Yuta get set up for the Introduction to ancient civilizations class. You decided to head to your dorm and sleep as Johnny suggested. 

The nap was just what you needed. Your roommate woke you up and asked if you had notes from your english class that they could borrow. Your phone’s screen lit up displaying the current time and a message from your best friend, Kun. Kun is the mom friend. He brings you food and takes care of you, so it’s no surprise when he texted you asking where you were and why you weren’t in class today. 

Johnny had met up with Yuta and practically clowned him for letting you catch on. 

“I didn’t know that they was there.” 

“Well, It would take a genius to figure out that students are going to stop in during office hours.”

“If you’re so smart, Johnny, then why aren’t you a professor?” Yuta was becoming dramatic. He picked this habit up from a few of the freshman students. The students called themselves the dream team. 

You weren’t prepared for class on Monday, knowing that you had to take the chapter test. Johnny had warned you that the professor had a project planned but he was picking the partners. You asked him to put in a good word for you, so that you would hopefully get paired with Dong Sicheng, who goes by WinWin and happens to be the professor’s favorite. WinWin was a cutie and very babie so you understood why he was the favorite. A plus to working with WinWin is that he was friends with Kun as well, so study snacks would be made for you both. 

The test was easy, probably because Johnny had explained everything to you when he asked you to get coffee. Yuta had waited for everyone to turn in the test before explaining the project, which was to come up with and market a product as business entrepreneurs (Johnny’s idea after writing an essay at 3 am and drinking red bull).  He started to call each pair.

“Dong Sicheng and Mark Lee.” There goes your chance at a decent grade, Mark was the only other student who wasn’t a freshman and had a great work ethic.  “Y/L/N Y/N and Huang Renjun.” You have heard that Renjun was a responsible boy who loved art from Kun constantly talking about him and Sicheng. Kun also said that Renjun and his three other friends referred to themselves as the dream team and they did everything together. 

The said boy came up to you and introduced himself and gave you his number. When class ended, you marched up to Johnny.

“I thought I asked you to make sure I was partnered with Sicheng.”

“I tried. Professor said no multiple times.” Johnny was trying not to smile at the memory of teasing Yuta. 

“What would he say if I ask him? I really don’t want to work with a member of the self-proclaimed ‘dream team’.” 

“He would most likely say no and to get over it, but you can try. He’s in his office.”

Johnny was sending you to war with a dangerous (read: Soft) enemy. Johnny immediately texted Yuta a heads up after you stormed out of the classroom. Yuta had anticipated someone was going to be upset at the partner choices, he just didn’t think that it was going to be you. 

You furiously rapped on the door to Yuta’s office and waited for him to tell you to enter.

“Y/N, what can I do for you?” The male had asked in a sing- song tone. The cadence of his voice quickly quelled your anger. 

“I wanted to know if I could switch Renjun for either Mark or Sicheng.” You smiled at him, silently praying to whatever gods or goddesses existed that he says yes. 

“I’m sorry, but partner pairings are final unless one partner is doing more work than the other.” 

You exited the office in a slightly better mood than before,  which Johnny noticed when he passed you in the hall. 

“Yuta, was Y/N just here?” 

He nodded.

“They were furious after you assigned partners and then is suddenly in a better mood after talking to you. What happened?”

“We had a great conversation, that’s all.” 

Johnny shot him a look that conveyed his thoughts. Yuta was slightly annoyed that the elder could read him that well. 

“I just charmed them a little. Y/N might be short but They’re kind of scary.”  

“I know, but we’ve had this discussion. What happens when they figure out that you are in fact a siren. Y/n already asked me if you were.”

Yuta knew that Johnny was right. He should probably stop while he was ahead. You were too pretty to die and he really didn’t want to move again. 

You messaged Renjun and asked him to meet you at Kun’s after okaying it with him. Kun was already working on snacks for the three of you. Three hours later and Renjun never showed up, Kun tried calling him but the boy never answered and Kun knew the boy didn’t have class until tomorrow. You already texted Johnny and told him what happened and that Renjun hasn’t shown up. You made sure to ask where the professor was, hoping that this would get you a new partner. Your favorite and only teaching assistant informed you that the was hour left in Yuta’s office hours. The walk from Kun’s dorm to the office to you about thirty minutes compared to the usual hour. The anger boiling in your system at the freshman kept you warm and was what caused you to practically slam the office door open. 

The Japanese man had heard angry footsteps coming down the hall, so he started to sing in order to calm the anger. It worked after a while and you could feel the anger melt away as waves of relief washed over you. The song continued and something about it compelled you to start walking towards your professor. You closed the distance between your lips and Yuta’s. The kisses were filled with passion and need. 

“Get a room!”  

That phrase startled you. Yuta grabbed your waist, not ready to let you leave, and looked at the source of the interruption. Johnny was standing at the door, rolling his eyes. You didn’t even notice the glare that Yuta shot him.

“Get Out, Johnny. Office hours are over.”  (WiNk WoNk)

[smilingformoney]

America’s Most Eligible 2 Diamond Scene: Tell Vince Off

You: Vince, you and your smug attitude are going down. Vince: Me? Whatever could I have done? You: You are so fake! You play this character all day long to protect your stupid website and your precious brand! Vince: My expertise has helped millions live out their dreams and become their best selves! You: You don’t really believe that… do you? Vince: Facts don’t depend on whether you believe in them or not, Jamie. You: It’s too bad your fans don’t get to see who you really are. They deserve to know…

You: You’re… -A world-class manipulator.

You: You get off on toying with people because it makes you feel powerful, but the Jury members aren’t puppets to be played with.

-Borderline obsessed!

You: I beat you, but rather than admit it, you’re hell-bent on dragging my team down too! You: Newsflash, Vince. Getting everyone to vote against me won’t put the $500,000 in your account.

Vince rolls his eyes. Vince: You can’t rewrite history, Jamie. If you don’t like how you’re portrayed, then maybe next time you’ll be on your best behaviour. You make eye contact with Adam, and a thought occurs to you. You: You’re right, Vince. I can’t change the past… but I’m not the only one who has one, either. You: Since you’re so keen to share my dirty laundry…

You: Let’s discuss… -Your underhanded tactics!

You: I seem to recall a certain ‘Bad Boy’ rival of yours being thrown from a bull… Vince: I had nothing to do with that! You: Fine. How about the time you and Sierra stabbed him in the back, then? Or was that not you either? Vince: I’m sorry, but my win that season is clouding my memory… Were you there? Vince: Because if not, it’s my word against his. You: I think I’ll take his.

-Why Adam intimidates you so much.

You: Is it because he’s a better person than you, or just because he’s better looking? Vince: Now I know you’re joking. I have fans across the world, a winning season under my belt, and a successful business. Vince: He’s never even finished a season. What could I possibly be intimidated by? Vince chances the briefest of looks at Adam, and you see his façade crack just a bit. You: Oh, I know… You: It’s because he’s naturally everything you have to pretend to be… Isn’t it?

Vince’s eyes shoot daggers at you, but his face remains unflappable. Vince: Once again, ‘perfect’ Jamie is the authority on something she knows nothing about. You: That’s where you’re wrong, Vince. After a season together, I know you better than you think. Vince: This I can’t wait to hear. Please, dazzle me with your knowledge, Jamie. You: You realised what a big mistake you made sabotaging Adam during Season 9, and instead of apologising, you’d rather torment him… You: Because it’s the only way he’ll give you the time of day.

You: And honestly it’s… -Kinda sweet.

You: In some weird, maladjusted way… You’re acting out because you miss his friendship. Mackenzie: That’s what you took from that? You: I’m not saying it’s right. Just that…

-Pathetic.

You: You’re a grown man. You should have mastered the art of apologies a long time ago. You: Clearly you’re the product of poor parenting, but all your behaviour proves is…

You: At the end of the day, power may be the key to success, stability, and self-assurance… You: but the only thing it pairs well with is an overpriced wine. Adam +4 Adam: It… all makes sense now. Derek +4 Derek: Wow. That was deep. Mackenzie +4 Mackenzie: Remind me to come to you the next time I need a deep dive into my psyche, Jamie. Vince: Please. What good has friendship ever done? I’d rather be feared than loved. You: Vince, I could be furious with you, but really, all I feel is pity. At that, Vince’s face turns a dark red, and fury colours every inch of his expression. Vince: You… pity me? Vince: I don’t need your pity! I have fame. I have followers. Vince: But most importantly, I have money! I could buy and sell every last one of you. Yvette +4 Yvette: If I were you, I’d invest in some class. Bianca +4 Bianca: Or at the very least, a chill pill. Bianca: It’s a game. Eliminated Villain +4 Eliminated Villain: Honestly, I’ve been waiting for that to happen all season. He was wound entirely too tight. Heath/Eden +4 Heath/Eden: I am so glad I get to watch this dumpster fire instead of being in it. Ronan +4 Ronan: When did AME become such a disgrace? In my day, we accepted our losses with dignity. Vince: Wait! That’s not what I… I just-- You: Maybe you should just apologise and see yourself to your seat. Everyone on set turns to look at a red-faced and embarrassed Vince. Vince: I’m… Vince: Sorry. He turns on his heel and heads to his chair among the other Jury members.

What do you do? -Tell Ivy off! -Tell Slater off! -Take the high road.

You: (That felt amazing, but I shouldn’t overdo it.) Mackenzie: Go, Jamie! Carson: Well then… now that we’ve gotten that off of our chests, please… welcome these two as they join the ranks of our All-Star Jury! Carson: Let’s see them off with a round of applause.

-If you already told Allied Villain off

Carson: Leave it to Jamie to bring some drama to every episode! You: What would AME be without drama? Carson: Well-said. Now, let’s see our All-Stars off with a round of applause.

[edisonarabella]

0 includes a Flyinit weaved upper performed up from a mix involving purple.

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[saikostories]

FT - A Moment With You pt4

"Lucy… Lucy… LUCY!"

Natsu, Gray, Gajeel, and Laxus… ran through alleyways and streets.. desperately making their way towards Lucy..

Laxus was so frustrated.. everything was wet and so he couldn't activate his lightning body mode…

"DAMMIT!"

Stomping through the town, Laxus was desperately trying to maintain his composure and not shock people to death.

Gray punched the ground of the street he was on… freezing the street solid. He ran onto the ice and slid faster down the streets. The ice made the recently released civilians freeze.. they began to shiver as their wet clothes froze on them..

"Oopps! Sorry!" Gray yelled as he slid past.

Flaming red, Natsu was rocketing through the streets. Luckily, everything was wet and so as Natsu ran through, he acted as a super dryer. The civilians he passed were left with fluffy dry hair and completely dry clothes.

Gajeel… had already arrived. Using the speed of his iron shadow dragon mode, it took no time at all to locate her. He had seen Virgo yell out to her master… Loke running desperately towards her… and in mid-run, Loke's body began to light up.. so did Virgos.. and they both disappeared. Gajeel dashed and caught Lucy before her head touched the floor.

"I got you bunny girl…. I got you…"

He was so mad.. they had hiked a icy mountain up to a small village sitting at the very top of the mountain peak.. There had been sightings of a dragon by some of the inhabitants of the village.. however when he, Happy and Lisanna had arrived…

Only huge disappointment awaited them..

"Blizzardvern… it was just a blizzardvern…AAAHHHHHHH! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT WASN'T IGNEEEL!"

"aww Natsu.. I'm sorry…" Lisanna said patting his back. "You'll find him someday.. I know it!"

"Yea Natsu… We'll never give up! At least we get to eat all this food!"

"I really wonder how they get all this food up here. You can't grow anything up here." Lisanna watched the villagers bring plates upon plates to the banquet table.

"I DON'T CARE! IGGNEELLL WHERE ARE YOU!" Natsu fumed.

Lisanna giggled. "Oh Natsu…" she watched him and his childish antics. It was truly amazing how little he had changed. It was as if she hadn't gone to Edolas at all. But then she began to feel a little guilty.. she knew deep inside… that that was foolish thinking. That as much as she wished that nothing had really changed with Natsu… a certain someone was living proof that Natsu was changing.. Natsu was always a boy strengthened by his emotions. And one certain emotion, the overwhelming urge to protect, was his greatest weapon to getting stronger and closer with the very person he wanted to protect.

And right now… he was protecting Lucy. He was stuck on Lucy. What hurt Lisanna the most since she came back… was that he had done just fine with her. She had always worried how Natsu would fare with her disappearance…. She found that she worried for nothing… But now.. Lisanna wanted Natsu back… she wanted HER best friend back..

She was going to take him back. All she needed to do was switch Natsu's protective urge over from Lucy… to her.

"Sorry Lucy…. He was mine first." Lisanna thought to herself as she smiled at Natsu. "I saw him first."

Her body felt heavy.. sore.. stinging pain began to increase as she woke up..

"Mm…." Lucy groaned..

"Luce…you're awake! How you feeling?" she heard a familiar voice speak softly.

"mm… Natsu?" she fluttered her eyes open.

"Hey there sleepy head" He smiled warmly at her.

"what… what happened?" she tried to get up.

A large hand gently pressed her back down…

"Not so fast blondie… you still need to rest."

"Laxus..?" She looked towards the left side of her bed. Laxus was sitting right next to her. Natsu was on the right side. Laxus looked at her with a blank face… but his eyes gave himself away… they were soft eyes… they betrayed him by showing how worried he was.

"You gave us quite a scare there Lucy…" Gray sat on the bed near her feet. He gently gave a squeeze to her foot.

"You beat that witch.. bunny… I'm proud of you…" Gajeel stood at the foot of her bed with his arms crossed against his chest. He did not look happy. He looked very concerned and serious.

"I did beat her..didn't i. hehe. If you're so proud why do you look so angry?"

"Because I am angry with you!" Gajeel yelled at her.

"Dude! Not now!" Gray yelled at Gajeel.

"No.. I'm fureikn pissed off right now so you piss off ice prick."

"what… why?" Lucy stared back at Gajeel with shock.

"You rusting pile of crap. Leave her alone. She needs to rest!" Gray yelled back.

Gajeel ignored Gray and leaned in towards Lucy..

"When your partner tells you to run… you fureikn run.. don't argue back. We have our reasons for asking you to run. Don't tell me it hurts your pride or some bull crap excuse for why you don't want to run. When we say run… you run your sexy butt out of there… got it?" Gajeel growled..

Lucy just stared back in shock at Gajeel.. She looked at Natsu, Gray, and Laxus… they were all looking away with frowns on their faces… she had hoped to see them fight on behalf of her.. side with her that what she did was the right thing… but the looks on their faces..

Her eyes began to sting.. she gently brought her bandaged hands up to the top of her blanket and pulled it up to cover her face.. tears spilled down the sides of her face.. she was so hurt.. so angry..

"Luce.. it's not that we aren't happy you saved us… it's just that… we were so worried.."

Lucy kept her face covered.. letting the blanket soak up some of her tears.

"Look Blondie… what we mean is that….. sigh…" Laxus ran his hand through his hair.. frustrated at how things turned out. "We know you're strong… but a mage needs to know when to pick battles and when not to. You could've died.. that woman was strong.. we couldn't even fight against her magic… and we are all S-class mages.."

"I can fight… I'm a fairytail mage… I didn't want to lose you all… I just.."

"We know you're strong…. we just don't want anything to happen to you.. ok bunny. So just please…just listen to us from now on." Gajeel rubbed his hands down his face.

Lucy peered through her blanket.. They all looked at her with concern.. she nodded slowly.

"Good.. I'm really proud of you though Lucy. You were so smart and amazing!" Natsu said happily. "But.. don't ever do that again." He looked at her with a frown now with wide eyes.

"O..okay… " she hid herself in her blankets again.

"Try to get more sleep Lucy… we'll leave once you feel ready to." Gray said smiling gently.

She closed her eyes and let the heaviness overtake her.. soon she was off into dreamland.

.

.

.

Meanwhile, the men watched Lucy sleep. Laxus gently brushed her bangs away from her face… they all watched her sleep peacefully.

Natsu held Lucy's hand with both of his. He brought her hand close to his mouth and he kissed her hand. His bangs covered his eyes.

Laxus looked at her keys that were on top of the table along with her belt and whip. He was lost in thought.

Gajeel watched Natsu hold onto Lucy's wrapped up hands. Her whole body was practically wrapped up. It was too heartbreaking for him. He had found her all cut up and bloody… he had found her on the verge of magic depletion.. She wasn't supposed to protect them and in the process almost die… they were supposed to protect her. They… had been careles… She was the one who needed protecting…. He walked out of the room determined to do something about it.

Gray also needed fresh air.. it was too close… too close….. he questioned himself whether they were doing the right thing… interfering in her life.. were they changing the future for better… or for worse…. How would they survive this.. how would they return home and be the same ever again…

"It was never going to be easy…"

He was enjoying a beer in a pub with Lily… Levy and her team Shadowgear were back in the hotel they were staying at.. probably sleeping to prepare for their mission tomorrow.

"Man.. did you hear?"

"What?"

"Remember that cursed town at the base of Mount Goyang?"

"Yea? What a bout it?"

Gajeel and Lily eyed each other. "Mount Goyang huh…" Gajeel thought to himself.

"Remember how all the mages that went to lift the curse never came back. Well turns out.. a Fairy mage went and just lifted the curse just yesterday."

"What really? From Fairytail? Must've been Laxus or Gildarts. Those Fairytail mages sure are strong. No wonder they are number one."

"Actually.. it was a female mage."

"Really? Titania?"

"Nope."

Gajeel shifted his head towards the two men conversing behind him.

"It was the celestial mage."

Gajeel and Lily's eyes widened.. "Bunnygirl?! No way…" he thought to himself.

"no… Lucy Heartfilia?! This girl right?!" one man took out the latest issue of Sorcerer.

"YEA! Her! I know right! She's hot and powerful. Those fairytail girls sure are the real deal. There's Titania.. and Mira.. ohhh Mira…"

"Wow… single handedly?"

"Yup.. single handedly."

"How do you know this?"

"One of our S-class mages that went a few months ago never came back… but just a few hours ago.. he communicated with our guild master through a communication lacrima. It's real man… she did it."

"Wow… lucky man whoever this is." The man pointed at the man in the picture standing next to Lucy.

"I know… lucky prick.. I would do anything to go on a date with her."

"If only I could find a woman like her. I'd settle down."

"haha. Someday.."

The two men stood up from their seats and said their goodbyes and left.

Gajeel stood up and chugged his beer down. He went over to their table and lifted up the Sorcerer magazine.

He raised an eyebrow at the front cover… and flipped through the magazine… Lily was perched on Gajeel shoulder and was looking through the magazine as well with him.

"Do you believe them?" Lily asked.

"Tch… bunnygirl ain't that strong. I'm sure they're exaggerating."

"Hm… I don't know Gajeel…. Lucy can be strong when she puts her heart into it…"

Gajeel remained silent as he roughly flipped through the pages of the magazine.. quickly glancing through the pictures of Lucy and her mysterious companion.

"Where's Natsu in these? I always thought Lucy and Natsu had a thing for each other… Do you know that man?"

Gajeel frowned at the pictures.. the man looked familiar… yet he couldn't put his finger on it. And it was definitely odd that Lucy wasn't with Natsu… had something happened between them?

Was there really nothing between them…?

"Gihi…. Well…. This just means I can go hunting now… right?"

"Hunting?" Lily asked.

"Bunny hunting.." Gajeel smirked

Lily gave a "WTH" look to Gajeel… "you…. you…. It was Lucy?!"

"Gihi… let's go cat."

"What about levy?!"

"Who says I can't have both?"

"You're terrible Gajeel!"

"Tch… I'm kidding."

"You better be…I refuse to believe that you'd be so heartless to lead two respectable ladies on.."

"Or am I?"

"GAJEEL!"

"Gihi…"

-

She woke up to find herself all in the hospital room. A nurse was tending to her beside her.

"You're finally awake Ms. Heartfilia." She smiled.

Lucy's eyes fluttered. She looked around her sunlit white room and then to her nurse. Wait.. a woman nurse?

"Who…" "My name is Emily. I just came into to town yesterday. Thank you so much for saving our town." She bowed.

Several woman and male nurses and doctors looked into the room now.

"Yes thank you!" they all said together. "No no problem! I am glad I was able to help" Lucy smiled. "How long was I out for? What's happened?" "Well.. You've been out for three days now."

"THREE DAYS?!" Lucy sat up quickly. "Owwiie.." her muscles were still sore from her fight.

"Please take it slowly. You body is still healing. "That's odd.. I didn't think I took that much damage.."

"You're correct Ms. Heartfilia." A elderly man in a white doctors uniform came in. He nodded at the nurse and she left the room.

Lucy's eyes widened as he stood at the foot of her bed.

"What.. what's going on…" Lucy was scared. "Hello Ms. Heartfilia.. I am Dr. Brom. May I call you Lucy?"

Lucy nodded.. she was scared..

"Have you had any relatives with any health problems?" he asked. "Yes… my mother.. how did you know?" "We have reason to believe that you may have deteriorating magic syndrome. Your mother is Layla Heartfilia yes?" "Yes…"

"We looked up your family medical history and found medical records for her. She had sudden chest pains, lower basal body temperature, numbness, and chronic fatigue. Do you have any of these symptoms?"

"Yes…" Lucy was pale now.. "Your mother was diagnosed with deteriorating magic syndrome also. Did you know of this?"

Lucy shook her head.. she remembered her mother being sick, always feeling tired. But no one had told her what she was sick with. It all made sense now.

Everything was white noise now. If what he said was true.. she didn't have much time to live did she..

"How long.." "What do you mean?" another doctor asked. "How long do I have left.." "It's hard to say… seeing that your body's healing rate has decreased.. and your occupation as a mage to use your already depleting magic… many factors can contribute to…." He paused.

"I understand.. Thank you for all your efforts." Lucy smiled warmly at them.

The doctor came up to sit beside her bed. He put both his hands on hers.

"Please let me know if there is anything I can do… you saved me.. saved all of us… I wish there was something I could do… " "Thank you.. that's very sweet.." Lucy smiled and looked down at her blanket. "can you keep this a secret.." "yes.. yes of course."

She was walking about the city now… everything made sense. Her pains, her teammates from the future.. the way they interacted with her. How they first greeted her.. their eyes.. why Gray acted the way he did when she asked about the future..

"wow…. A princess." A child spoke. "Huh…?" Lucy looked around and found herself surrounded by a group of little boys.

"I… said you really do look like a princess…" one little boy blushed. "Awww.. you're so sweet.." she knelt down and patted his head. "You're Lucy Heartfilia right?" another boy spoke up timidly "Yes I am. The one and only" she winked at him and caused the boy to turn red. "May we have your autograph!" they all spoke together.

Lucy chuckled. She gave them her autographs on their pieces of paper.. writing love Lucy Heartfilia of Fairytail..

A flash of light.. "Princess" Loke bowed.

"Loke." Lucy smiled without looking at him. "I knew you were a princess!" "You're a real princess aren't you!" the boys looked so excited. "Haha. No no. I am just an ordinary girl."

"Yes she is. The only and only princess Lucy Heartfilia. And I am her knight in shining armor." Loke said standing proudly.

"Then are you both in love?!" One boy said shocked. Loke was ecstatic with hearts in his eyes at Lucy.. she on the other hand was sweatdropping and twitching…

"I want to be your knight!" Another yelled raising his hand.

"Me too!"

Lucy couldn't help but giggle at their cuteness. She took each one of them and kissed them on their foreheads. Making the kids blush. Loke tried to sneak his forehead in for a kiss too but she just pushed him away.. leaving the lion to sulk as the little boys got kisses but he couldn't..

"You boys will be wonderful knights. But I'm afraid I can't keep you. You must be knights in shining armor to your future wives."

"Plus… she has her own knights that can take care of her." A man said from behind.

Lucy stood up and turned around. She saw her team. Natsu.. Gray… Gajeel.. Laxus... she smiled.. there they were... her friends.. her knights..

The little boys were wide-eyed.. obviously in awe at how these men looked so powerful.. and so COOL.

"You scared us Luce.. you weren't waiting for us at the hospital.." "Sorry Na-" she looked around at the kids.."I wanted to explore this town a bit." Lucy said smiling. "Well next time don't run off by yourself.. you nearly gave us all heart attacks." Gray said frowning.

"Sorry…." Lucy laughed nervously.

"You better be blondie.." Laxus crossed his arms. "You ready to go now?" Gajeel asked behind his face mask.

Lucy smiled.. "Yea." She walked towards her team with Loke. She looked back at the boys.. and the other civilians that were watching her.. they were all smiling and waving goodbye..

The smallest of the boys ran up after her and stood in front of her..

"Thank you for saving us!" the kid bowed.. "I'll never forget you…" he stood back up straight. "You have to come visit us again!" he had tears streaming down his face..

The other kids were trying to quickly rub away their tears without getting caught for having started crying..

"Of course! Be good strong boys and study hard!" She waved as she walked away with her team.

"THANK YOU!" was heard all around as they walked out of the town.

The warm campfire burned on. Lucy had cooked the boys a good meal and they had devoured every ounce of it. Laxus, Gray and Gajeel had gone to bed.. and Natsu was sitting with Lucy on a log.. enjoying the night sky.

The stars were twinkling above.. shooting stars were seen here and there..

"It's nice here isn't it Luce." "Mm… it is nice."

Lucy was leaning on Natsu's shoulder and he was resting his head on hers.

"Natsu…" "hm…?" "It's cold…" Lucy said softly.

"silly.. you're always cold. You never put enough clothes on." He put his arm around her to warm her. "Mmm.. much better."

She looked at his hand.. his left ring finger..

"Natsu…" "hm..?" "you were married..?"

Natsu flinched.. only the crackling of the campfire.. the sound of crickets were heard..

"What happened?" "Luce…"

…

…

"I was engaged.."

…

Lucy sat up straight and looked into his eyes.. his eyes were sad and deep.. where did her Natsu go.. the always bright eyes..

"Was?..." "Luce.. please…." "Ok.. I wont ask about her.. Do you have anyone right now?"

Natsu smiled.. "No… no I don't.." he looked at the fire.

She shifted to look at the fire too.. he put his arm around her again.

"I'm glad you're here with me Natsu…I'm glad all of you are here.. " tears were streaming down her face…

"Luce.." Natsu smelt her tears.. he looked at her with concern… "Is something wrong? Did I do something wrong? It was Gray wasn't it? or Gajeel? Laxus? I'll beat them up" Natsu growled..

"I'm just…. So happy.." she cried laughing.. in her time of need… he was always there.. she had just found out she was dying.. much sooner to her liking and there Natsu was.. right beside her.. even if it wasn't per se HER natsu.

"You're so weird…" Natsu looked at her confused…

He lifted his hand and wiped away her tears from her face using his thumb.

"Don't cry Luce… you are more beautiful when you're smiling." Lucy's eyes widened.. and she cried even more.. "That's the sweetest thing you've said to me…" she hugged him. "Weirdo… it's not the sweetest.. I've said plenty of sweet things to you.." "Hahaha…sure you did.." she cried and laughed into his neck. "Hey!" "hahahaha"

After a while… she fell asleep in Natsu's arms. He gently lifted her up and entered their tent. Placing her in his sleeping bag, he gently slid in next to her. He wrapped his arms around her and brushed her hair away from her face…

"Luce…" Natsu cried softly… "I wish I could save you… I wish with all my heart…."

Gajeel.. Laxus… Gray…

Tears streamed down their faces…

Laxus and Mira had just finished storming through the newest base of wolf's bane dark guild. The council had finally arrived and were overseeing the arrests of the the dark guild members. Lahar approached the two FairyTail mages.

Lahar gave a slight bow.

"Laxus Dreyar.. Mira Straus.. I am here on behalf of the Magic Council to thank you personally for defeating Wolf's Bane." "Lahar-san. It's good to see you again" Mira smiled.

Laxus just gave a nod.

"I must say.. I am very impressed with Fairytail's recent escapades in successfully completing S-class missions without any significant property damage."

Mira looked confused. Laxus just stared at him.

"You fellow guildmate Erza Scarlett was reported to have defeated an army of trolls in the northern region of Fiore. And Lucy Heartfilia was reported to have just completed the Mount Goyang mission"

Laxus raises his eyebrows… "Mount Goyang mission?"

"Ah yes. I remember that one. It was a mission that was originally classified as a class A mission… but should have been Class S considering how long it was available for" Mira put a finger up to her chin

"Yes. The council thought so too and as of this week effectively, it was reassigned as an S-class mission. And amazingly… Lucy Heartfilia was able to complete the mission without any extensive property damage.. She did flood the city but it is nothing compared to any of the other property damages your guild is known for." Lahar adjusted his glasses.

"Really? I am surprised… I doubt Natsu or Gray would have just sat back on the mission.. it is odd." Mira said.

Finally Laxus huffed with this arms crossed.

"Haha… no.. from what we were reported.. Lucy Heartfilia completed the mission with a different team. I have to admit.. I and the council prefer this new team over the destructive Team Natsu." Lahar laughed.

Both S-class mages stared wide-eyed at Lahar.

"Wait… Lucy wasn't with Team Natsu?" Laxus said raising an eyebrow. "Yes. Is that surprising to you? "Yes… she's always with Natsu. Or one of her team members." Mira looked worriedly at Laxus.

Laxus just frowned.

"Well… She seems more than capable of handling herself with her new partners after the reports of her fight with the criminal. She single-handedly saved the entire town's citizens that were being held under a magic spell. All previous mages were unable to subdue her but Lucy Heartfilia managed to do so. "

"Well…She is our celestial mage" Mira smiled.

Mira wondered who in the world Lucy was on a mission with.. and why wasn't she with Natsu?.. and she defeated the enemy single-handedly?...what was happening back at the guild?… the one time she leaves for a mission.. something big happens..

Laxus was frowning.. thinking hard about Lucy… he huffed and tried to brush his thoughts of her aside..

But something inside him kept nagging his mind back to her… she was with new partners… NEW… who the heck was she with right now?

Wait.. if she wasn't with natsu… then she's available right? They aren't dating as everyone thought they were..

And she defeated the enemy by herself? On a S-class mission?

"Hm…. Things are getting much more interesting… you're getting much more interesting… Lucy Heartfilia."

"WHAT HAPPENED HERE!?" Maste Makarov stood pale and frozen at the guild entrance..

Everything was wrecked.. people passed out everywhere.. Cana passed out on top of the bar counter..

"Hello Master" Wendy came up to him. "Wendy… what is going on here?!" he said exasperated. "Hehe.. well Cana-san went a little overboard on serving alcohol… "

His precious guild… everything was in shambles… where was Mira, Erza, and Laxus when you needed them… his brats were going to destroy their brand new guild building to the ground!

But this was no time to be fussing about the damage…

"Wendy… where is Team Natsu?" Master Makarov asked. "They're all on separate missions.." "Why?" Master Makarov was shocked now.."Natsu-san went with Lisanna-san and Happy to a lead of Igneel." "Erza-san took on a S-class mission." "Gray-san and Juvia-san took a mission together because it requested of them specifically." "I stayed and studied with Porlyusica-san on my healing magic." "What about Lucy?" "Oh.. I don't know where she went. I thought she was home but she never showed up to the guild since everyone left for their missions." "Hm….." Master Makarov had a frown. "Is something the matter Master?" "No…."

"Makarov…" "oiy.. Brom.. it's been a while.. where have you been?" "I've been at Mount Goyang." "You were there! Why were you there?!" "Yes. Doing research on the herbs on this mountain.. but I got caught in the horrible curse you know... well everyone knew about it… that dang witch…she's arrested by the council.. but did you know one of your own single-handedly saved us here?" "Oh really? I didn't know.. I am just returning from a Meeting with some guild masters…" "It was Lucy Heartfilia." "LUCY?! Wait… ALONE?!" "Yea.. you're raising some pretty tough cookies there Makarov." "I know.. all my children are strong.. but I can't help but wonder.. why is she alone…" "well she wasn't alone.. she had some team mates with her.. but she defeated that witch who was causing all of us such trouble all by herself.." "I am so proud of her… she's come so far…" Master Makarov chuckled to himself.

"But Makarov…" "Hm…? What is it?" "I think you need to pay a little more attention to Lucy." "What.. why? Did something happen?" "It is not for me to say…" "Brom…" "I promised her. All I will say is…. It is best if she takes a break.." "a….. break?" "a permanent break…" "what happened Brom…" "ask her yourself… but I told you nothing. You have to find out on your own."

"Master?" "Follow me Wendy… we have some things to discuss." Master Makarov walked towards the stairs.

Wendy followed after Master Makarov.. nervous and curious as to what was going on.. something was bothering her though…

"Where is Lucy-san?"

-

So warm.

Her eyes fluttered open and she found herself staring right into Natsu's face. He was sleeping peacefully and he had his arms around her. Her heart was pounding at how close they were… the intimacy.. it was so foreign.. yet so exciting.

Then she felt someone stir from behind her. Chills ran up her spine as she was startled by the revelation… that someone was laying right up beside her. SPOONING! His arm was cool… and that meant.

Lucy looked over her shoulder and saw Gray snuggled up against her back. His arm was draped over her waist below Natsu's arm.

Gulp*

She faced forward towards Natsu with a tomato face. She could hear her blood pumping through her veins. Her heart felt like it was going to pop out of her chest.

Trying to calm herself down, she took deep quiet breaths in and out.. she closed her eyes and began to relax.. it was his smell.. that smokey smell… Natsu.. it was his cool arms… the refreshing touch… Gray…

"What will I do with you two…" she thought to herself. Slowly she opened her eyes and decided she did not want to get caught with both of them awake in there current position. She gently placed Gray's arm back at his side.. then Natsu's.

Freeing herself, she got up as silently as possible and put their blankets snuggly on them.

She exited the tent and found it hard to adjust her eyes to the bright sunlight. Because of this, she ran into something.. something wet?!

"Eeek!" Lucy squeaked softly as she fell backwards. Arms wrapped around her and prevented her from falling. Gently opening her eyes.. she saw something she would never forget.

It was Gajeel… his face was covering the sun so she could see…his face was close enough for her to see every line.. every drop of water.. his hair was wet and so the droplets were reflecting the sunlight.. and the sun's rays were giving him a halo around his head. His red eyes bore into hers.. those mesmerizing red dragon eyes.. his lips slightly open to show his pearly white teeth.. the iron studs on his face..

Lucy was speechless..

"I thought I told you to be more aware of your surroundings." Gajeel said softly as he inched forward her to face..

Lucy reacted by pushing her hands against Gajeel's wet chest.

"Sorry Gajeel… I just…"

A bright light appeared.. "Prin-…"

But then... Lucy's arms went limp.. her legs gave out beneath her.. her head fell backwards as she began to lose consciousness… her breathing became labored..

Lucy saw Gajeel yell… her world began to spin…

"LOKE GO BACK!"

His red eyes not leaving Lucy's face even for a second..

Lucy had felt an overwhelming drain… the minute Loke had arrived, her magic reserve had depleted fast.. and just as quickly as he had come, Loke was gone.

The strong arms lifted her up bridal style and she was brought to the campfire. Gajeel sat her on a log and steadied her as he sat right next to her. He had an arm around her and with his free arm, began to ready breakfast that he had already prepared.

Her vision was coming back.. the world wasn't spinning as much any more.. but she did feel weak and sleepy again..

"Bunnygirl.. snap out of it." Gajeel took turns giving his attention to breakfast preparation and Lucy's face. "I'm….. fine." "Don't lie to me. " He growled at her. "I…." "Here.. eat this." Gajeel placed a bowl of soup in her hands. A spoon was in the bowl.

Lucy sat leaning against Gajeel with the bowl in her hands.

"Eat Lucy… that's the only way you'll feel better. You need energy. Food = energy so eat up."

Slowly lifting her spoon.. she took a sip of her soup.. It was really good.

"Wow… it's really good." "Of course it does. I made it."

Lucy looked at Gajeel's face. He was staring at her.

"Who would've thought.. Gajeel the Iron Dragon Slayer.. would be a great cook." "Tch… it's cuz you've never tasted my cooking before." "You never offered to share. And.. you're such a handy man." Lucy smiled as she admired Gajeel's spoon and took another spoonful. "You like it?"

"Mhm.. it's very beautiful." She rubbed her thumb over the intricate design of the spoon's handle. There was a dragon and its tail trailed down the entire spoon. The wings and scales were all detailed and each groove, surface was smooth.

"Then you can have it." "Really?" Lucy looked wide-eyed at him. "Yea." Gajeel looked away blushing. She was always so cute looking up at him with those bright wide bunny eyes. "Thank you Gajeel" Lucy smiled.

She continued eating… her smile faded.

"Gajeel.." "hm." "In your future, I'm not alive.." "Bunnygirl.. we made it clear.. we will not answer any—"

"It wasn't a question…" Lucy looked into his eyes… there it was.. what she was looking for.. it was so small she almost could've missed it.. but it was there.. the fear.

"I know." Lucy said.

Gajeel looked at her wide-eyed… clenching his jaw together…

A flash of lightning appeared before them…

"You know what Blondie?" Laxus appeared Lucy fake smiled. "I know that Gajeel will be a wonderful husband someday"

Gajeel just kept staring at Lucy's face.. he couldn't believe her.. how… how did she find out?!... and that fake smile.. had she been hiding her pain? how long did she know for?

"HAHA.. if he would be a wonderful husband… then I would be the most perfect husband in all of Fiore." Laxus said smugly as he crossed his arms. "WHAT! What are you trying to say lightning freak." Gajeel growled back. "Haha… Oh Laxus... you never fail to amuse me in how much confidence you have of yourself." Lucy said smiling. "Oh I am very confident Lucy.. I know.. I will be a very good husband. I'm on a different level than you Gajeel… women… I know what women want.. what they need.. " Laxus smirked. "HAHA…. You don't know crap. You can't keep up with me." Gajeel glared at Laxus

Lucy started getting uncomfortable and red.. she quickly downed her soup and gave Gajeel her attention once again.

"Thank you for the soup Gajeel… It was very delicious. I hope I can taste more of your cooking someday" she smiled. "Hmph.. anytime.. but I'd rather have you cook for me. I don't like to cook if I don't have to." "I can live with that. We can take turns for now." Lucy smiled.

Laxus was frowning at how close Gajeel and Lucy were.. "When the heck did this happen…" he thought to himself. Gajeel's arm was around Lucy and he had cooked breakfast for her?! And why is she leaning on him! Gajeel noticed and smelt the jealousy from Laxus.

"Gihi… sure bunnygirl."

He leaned in closer towards her ear..

"It's a date." He whispered huskily into her ear.

Chillss… oh chills ran down her spine.. and boy was she steaming now.

Laxus' eyebrows were twitching as he frowned and clenched his fists.. he glared at Gajeel with great intensity. He heard it.

Lucy was so embarrassed.. this morning had been soooo embarrassing.. waking up in her partners' arms… then falling into Gajeel's… almost passing out… and getting a date proposition from Gajeel?!.. while Laxus was watching!... "OMG.. IF I DIE EARLIER.. IT'S CUZ OF THESE BOYS!".. but then she was brought back to reality... she was dying wasn't she... and Gajeel.. or Laxus who were right in front of her.. would never be hers would they?...

Her eyes went towards Laxus.. and she could see Laxus' sour face.. why was he so angry? this was no time to mope about death.. she was goign to enjoy the time she had with them now.. enjoy the present... mustering up her smile again, Lucy targeted Laxus.

"Oh.. Laxus… where did you go so early in the morning?" Lucy asked. "I went to the mayor's home at the Goyang Village. I picked up your reward money." "OH I FORGOT ABOUT THAT!" Lucy slapped her forehead with her hand. "You sure are clumsy…. Here." Laxus walked over and sat next to Lucy. He dropped a medium bag at her feet. "What is it?" Lucy asked she opened the bag. Her eyes widened in shock.. so did Gajeel's.

The bag was filled with diamonds, rubies, emeralds, sapphires… Gems..

"What.. what?..." Lucy stuttered. "Well.. the villagers were unable to hold their business and so had no reward money… but actually Mount Goyang is known for their rare gems acquired from mining. They thought this would be best as reward money." "But.. isn't this too much?" Lucy looked at Laxus with worried eyes. "They have so much to build.. so much to repair…" "It's fine Lucy.. this is an acceptable reward for the mission you singlehandedly completed." Gajeel said taking his arm back from Lucy. "What do you mean…?" Lucy looked at Gajeel with a frown. "I mean.. you did take an S-class mission." Gajeel looked at her with all seriousness.

"WHATT?! I DID WHAT?!" Lucy yelled. Gajeel and Laxus both clenched their ears.

"Geez Lucy.. why are you yelling so early in the morning." Gray stepped out and soon after Natsu followed. "Yea Lucy.. what's all the screaming about." Natsu rubbed his eyes.

"YOU!" Lucy stood up abruptly and pointed at Natsu.

Natsu looked at her with wide-eyes.

"YOU TOOK AN S-CLASS MISSION?!" "well.. yea. I don't see what the problem is." "YOU DON'T SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS.. YOU STOLE AN S-CLASS MISSION!" "Luce.. all of here are S-class mages.. we can take you on an S-class mission." "BUT THE GUILD DOESN'T KNOW THAT. MASTER DOESN'T KNOW YOU GUYS ARE HERE WITH ME."

Natsu took a step back.. his face started getting pale as Lucy's rage was increasing by the minute..

"NNATSUU… IF YOU STEAL THE MISSION… IT COMES AS I STOLE THE MISSION! NO ONE CAN KNOW YOU OR ANY OF YOU ARE HERE…..MEANING… WHAT."

Gulp* "Luce… just calm down.. we'll figure something out. I promise I'll—"

Lucy walked over towards Natsu and punched him in the face. Natsu collapsed onto the floor with a throbbing bump on this head.

"Lushhhyy…" "AND YOU THREE!" Lucy looked at them. "YOU DID NOTHING TO STOP HIM!" "ehehe… gomen Lucy… we just wanted to get you as much money as possible before we are forced to leave.." Gray said with his hands up to ease her. "And.. what better than an S-class mission to train you bunnygirl" Gajeel said looking away. He was plagued with the truth.. that Lucy knew.. she knew of their future… the part he had wanted to protect her from.. "Everything will be fine blondie.. Jiji will give you a light punishment and everything will be back to normal." Laxus said nonchalantly.

Lucy cried comical tears… "my team is going to kill me when they find out I went on a S-class mission without them..ERZA IS GOING TO KILL ME… NATSU.. MY NATSU IS GOING TO NEVER LEAVE ME ALONE…"

Natsu smiled.. she had said "my Natsu"… it had a nice sound to it.

"And my Gray is going to do the same as Natsu… and then my Gajeel is going to ask me to fight him for completed the S-class mission! And OMG MY LAXUS…. I can't even imagine how he's going to react…. That a non-s-class mage… STOLE.. an s-class mission" Lucy squatted down and covered her face..

Gajeel.. Laxus.. Gray… looked away from Lucy… but were smiling as they heard her call them hers. Although they didn't' like her saying "my" to the other men present… it was still a nice title to hear.

Lucy peeked through her fingers to see their faces..

"And you guys are smiling! You think this is funny?! When I get back… the HORRORR.. THE HORRROORRR!"

"Oh come on Luce" Natsu went over to Lucy and lifted her up to stand. He hugged her tightly.

"Everything will be fine. You completed an S-class mission all by yourself. That is quite an accomplishment. Even though you did without listening to any of your partners.. but at least you did it!" Natsu smiled.

..

..

Lucy was mad…

…

..

The men waited for her to speak.. and when she did.. their hearts broke.

"Well.. Now that the mission is done… I'll start researching a way for you all to go home. I'm going to go to the river to wash up. Don't follow me." Lucy walked away from the campsite towards the river..

heartbreak in her chest.. time had gone by so fast.. it was already a week.. and now… the handsome four.. had to go home.. and when she went home.. she would have to face the truths she had tried so hard to ignore.. to run away from…

Natsu and her team had ditched her…

the four men will never remember the mission she just had with them.. she would have to live as if nothing happened… because for them… it never did happened.

She will have to live on.. having unreciprocated feelings for them.. because despite her efforts not to.. she had come to fall in love with them.. and they in her time period.. did not love her back.

That no matter what.. her time was running out. That even if she got with one of them… she would give them the pain of losing a loved one.. just as her father felt when her mother died…

She could not use magic.. if she wanted to prolong the end.

Tears streamed down her face.. she wasn't ready.. wasn't ready to go home… to let them go..

"how unlucky can you get... Lucy..."

"I told you this would happen.." Gray said frowning.. "It's for the best… this was the only way…I.. I want her home…" Natsu said out loud.. as if trying to convince himself.. to justify why.. "Just hope we didn't make it worse…" Laxus said rubbing his temples..

"She knows" Gajeel said softly.

Laxus and Natsu's eyes-widened.. "What?" Natsu said in unbelief. Gray didn't hear what Gajeel had said and so he was confused. He watched intently between the dragon slayers.

"She knows." Gajeel said out loud for everyone to hear.

"What….do you mean she knows?! HOW!" Natsu yelled. "WE PROMISED EACH OTHER WE WOULDN'T' SAY ANYTHING.. WTH DID YOU DO GAJEEL!"

"I DID NOTHING!" Gajeel roared. "SHE JUST FUREIKN KNEW!"

Everyone was silent now.

Sigh… "She… just told me this morning. Before Laxus arrived.. she said she knew that she doesn't exist in our time."

"What do we do now…." Gray asked softly..

.

.

.

"I don't know…" Gajeel said with his hands covering his face.

-

The river was cool… she sat on top of a boulder in the middle of the river.. her feet were soaking in the cool waves.. water dripped from her chin..

Her thumb was on a certain key… telepathically…

"Crux" "Yes Lucy-sama.." "Would you by chance know any way to time travel? As you already must know.. I have some friends who must return to their time." "hm… time travel is a strictly prohibited topic Lucy-sama…" "Please.. I just want to get them back.." "I will ask the Celestial Spirit King for permission.. just this once Lucy-sama." "Thank you."

..

"Lucy-sama?" "Yes?" "Your spirits are uneasy… I suggest you talk to them about your situation.."

Lucy was frozen.. how could she forget.. her spirits hadn't seen her or heard much from her since her fight.. and poor Loke was shot back into the celestial world after trying to visit her…

"Thank you Crux.. I will… soon.."

The rippling waters kept flowing on down.. birds chirped in the air.. it was peaceful.. beautiful. The sun's rays warmed her body and she felt.. alive.

Natsu paced back and forth. Gray was getting annoyed by Natsu's restlessness.

"OIY FLAMEBRAIN.. will you just SIT down and calm yourself. I CAN'T THINK WITH YOU STUPID PACING!" "DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO STRIPPER" Natsu shot back. "Natsu… sit." Laxus glared at Natsu. "DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO.. I'm not afraid of you…" "Sit down." Laxus stood up glaring at Natsu. "OR WHAT. You looking for a fight Laxus." Natsu growled lowly. "She's coming" Gajeel said glaring at the two arguing dragon slayers.

Gray Natsu and Laxus flinched and looked towards Lucy's direction. And sure enough, she came walking through the trees.

"Ahem…" Natsu straightened himself and looked away.

Laxus just went back and sat down at his seat. Lucy walked up and gave them all glares.. she crossed her arms under her breasts.

"You guys better not have been fighting while I was gone."

"Nope.. who's fighting? Not us." Natsu said putting his hands behind his head. He grinned widely. "We're all best friends Lucy. We wouldn't fight" Gray said smiling too.

She looked at Gajeel who had a frown of irritation.. and Laxus who was trying to control his anger.

"Right. Sure." Lucy raised an eyebrow at them.

She looked for her keys and was trying to find the one she was looking for when Gajeel suddenly stood up and put his hand over hers. She looked up into his eyes in surprise. His eyes pleaded and demanded her to stop… to stop using her magic.

"Gajeel.." "No." "I just want to get Virgo to take care of our stuff" Lucy said frowning at Gajeel's behavior. Gajeel looked at the other men. "Let's pack up now. We'll leave in 10."

Laxus Gray and Natsu got up from their seats and were heading towards their tent when..

"I can help" Lucy started after the three but was stopped as the four looked at her and said simultaneously "NO."

Lucy was startled.

Gajeel picked her up and gently placed her to sit on a log.

"You sit here and look pretty." Gajeel gave her head a good strong pat and he too went to help pack. "Let the men handle the packing Lucy." Gray said smiling to assure her that everything was under control. "Yea Luce. It's our way of saying sorry for the mission okay?" Natsu smiled widely. Gray looked over at Natsu and smirked, approving of his quick lie.

"HA. You're gonna need to do A LOT better than that to get me to forgive you all. YOU GUYS OWE ME BIG TIME! And I'm not fragile so that I can't help us pack." Lucy frowned.

"Will you just sit there and enjoy the show. You can ogle our bodies to your hearts content. We won't complain. In fact, we give you permission" Laxus smirked.

"WH..WHAATT?!" Lucy looked away blushing.

The four smiled at her as they continued to pack. They were so relieved.. that Lucy was being herself… they could finally breathe and rest. A huge weight was off their chest now… not everything.. but nonetheless a good weight of burden.. at least she knew..

They were a day's worth of traveling from Magnolia now. Nastsu and Happy were sharing a room while Lisanna slept in a room next to theirs. Natsu and Happy were happily lying on the bed.. Staring at the stars through their window. They looked beautiful and were twinkling. Stars.. celestial…

Then the realization hit them both.

Natsu and Happy shot up from lying down to sitting positions. Thunder* effects were seen behind them as they sat mouth gaping. "WE FORGOT ABOUT LUCY!" They both yelled together.

"Lucy's going to kill us!" Happy said comically crying.

"Nah Happy. I'm sure she won't mind. Hehehe…" Natsu said sweating.

"I'm sure she could have used the money for her rent…" Happy said looking down guiltily..

Natsu scratched his cheek.. "Yea… we'll just have to go on a mission with her when we get back!" he smiled widely. "Don't worry Happy. Luce can't stay mad at us for too long"

Natsu leaned back and bounced onto the bed.

"I hope you're right Natsu.." Happy curled up inside the blanket next to him.

"We did take Lisanna on a mission instead… and… yawn… leave without telling her." Happy dozed off into dreamland.

After a while..

Natsu was still lying down on the bed.. staring at the ceiling.

"Luce…"

Somehow.. an unsettling feeling was in his stomach… Lucy wouldn't be too mad…. everything would be okay…. Right?

"We are NOT going there." Laxus said firmly.

"Aww cmon!" Lucy whined.

"NOPE" Gajeel shook his head.

"No" Laxus said.

"Nuh-uh" Natsu was shaking his head vigorously.

"No way" Gray said looking away.

"PLLEASEE! And plus! You guys owe me." Lucy pouted with crossed arms. "Luce.. we are not going there." Natsu pleaded with her. "It's your fault I'm in this mess. And so all of you are going make it up to me. I'll return back to Magnolia once everyone's calmed down. At least then…. Master won't be too harsh on the punishment" Lucy said comically crying.

"Lucy…" Gray said rubbing the back of his head. "Cmon Gray.." Lucy said grabbing his hands in hers. She pleaded with wide eyes..

…

"Fine.." Gray looked away blushing. "YES!"

"GRAY!" Natsu said incredulously. "Natsuuuuu" Lucy went up to Natsu and put her hands together.. wide-eye puppy dog eyes. "Luce…." Natsu whined.

Blink blink.. tears about to form.. Lucy looked so sad.

"FINE!" Natsu said giving up.

Lucy then looked towards Gajeel and Laxus, who were standing next to each other. They looked away in opposite directions with their arms crossed. Frowns on their faces.

Lucy walked up slowly to Gajeel and said "You WILL take me" as she stared.

"Or what… bunnygirl" Gajeel said staring right back at her. "I will NEVER be your bunnygirl ever again" "Ohhh…. So you did like performing with me" Gajeel smirked as he bent down closer towards her. "No I did not.. but if you don't take me there.. I will NEVER EVER perform with you EVER again. I can promise you that. And a celestial mage always keeps her promise."

Gulp*

"Fine." Gajeel huffed in annoyance. "YAY!" She clapped in joy. "Tch… women.." Gajeel walked away from her.

Laxus looked at her from the corner of his eyes. Lucy slowly turned her head towards him.

"Laxus.." "No." "Please…" Lucy "I've never been before.. and I can finally have a chance to go.. and I finally have the money to go.." "No means no blondie."

"I don't understand why you don't want to go. We can't even go back to the guild yet anyways because we haven't figured out a way to get you all back to your own time. And.. Master will probably give me a terrible punishment for taking the S-class mission.. You know how scary he can be… how terrible his punishments can be.."

"I know."

"Then?!"

"… Blondie…"

"FINE. If you don't want to come you don't have to take me. I'm going no matter what you do or say." Lucy turned around and was about to walk away when..

"Oh really?" Laxus picked her up bridal style.

"KYAA! LAXUS PUT ME DOWN!"

"I thought you're going to go no matter what I DO or say?" Laxus smirked.

Lucy tried to push her out of Laxus' grasps but of course.. he was too strong.

"You're a bully." Lucy pouted and looked away.

…

Laxus looked at the other men for support… obviously none of them wanted to go there.. but she really wanted to go huh.. Gray and Natsu glared at Laxus.. implying him to let her down… and stop making her upset. Gajeel was knocking his head on a tree…. Frustrated at how he had become.. swayed and controlled by his feelings for a woman…

Sigh…. Laxus' frustration rose.

"OOOHH! LET'S GO HERE! OOHH AND THAT ONE! AHH! THIS ONE!" Lucy was running around at the wonderful boutiques and cafes.

The four men walked together slumped and defeated.. bags in each of their hands. This was exactly what they were dreading.. it wasn't just any place they were at..

They were at Fashion Fashion of Fiore! The number one shopping city in the continent.. with city blocks and blocks of stores and cafes.. restaurants.. EVERYTHING... everything of a woman's dream. emphasis.. WOMAN'S

"how long has it been?" Gajeel said dryly.. "it feels like 5 hours…" Gray said tired. "it's only been 30 minutes…" Laxus said gruffly… "someone….. save us…" Natsu said exasperated…

"WOMAN WE ARE NOT YOUR SLAVES! YOU DO NOT DEGRADE MEN TO BECOME YOUR..YOUR… BAG HOLDERS!" Gajeel yelled at Lucy who had heart eyes at how wonderful the shops and merchandises looked.

She turned around and saw that the men looked tortured… Gajeel was angry.. Gray and Natsu looked like they were dying.. and Laxus looked annoyed and about to explode...

She giggled and walked up to Gajeel

"I know. But you can't really blame me. You guys are the ones that chose the S-class mission and because of it got me all this money to spend. If you guys hadn't chosen an S-class mission.. we wouldn't be here would we?" Lucy said smiling.

Lucy motioned for the men to come closer towards her. Gajeel huffed in annoyance and brought his face closer. Laxus, Gray, and Natsu came closer.. annoyed and yet curious as to what she wanted to tell them in private.

"Be good boys and maybe I'll give you guys a present" Lucy whispered.

They all straightened up and looked at Lucy in confusion.

"What present?" Natsu asked innocently.

Lucy smirked and put a hand on her hip. "Wouldn't you like to know" She raised an eyebrow at them as she kept smirking. Their faces were priceless. Their eyes were wide and they had been taken by surprise. Frozen in their places.

Laughing, Lucy turned around and began to walk down the road once again.. looking at the stores she was passing by.

They watched her walk away… and they looked at each other to see if they had heard right.. seeing the shock in each others faces.. they knew it was real… and soon.. they dashed after Lucy.

Lucy walked in and out of the stores.. buying clothes.. shoes.. books.. and her faithful knights trailed behind her. Grumbling and moaning to themselves.. yet they remained close and took care of all her bags.

This was what she wanted it to be like… that nothing had changed between them.. that everything was fine.. at least for the small time that they had together.. she would enjoy every minute of it.. smiling and laughing with them.. she would worry about everything later…

Right now.. she chose to live happily.. at least for this moment.. they were all with her.. making precious memories..

This moment… she could pretend that they.. the four handsome men of FairyTail.. were her team.. her team of knights who loved her… and would remain by her side.. to the very end. She could pretend that at least for this moment.

A girl can dream.

[secretagentspydetectiveninja]

Queen Cobra

I have been wanting to write a snake miraculous holder Alix fic for a long, long time now, and I finally gave in, so here’s the first chapter of what’s gonna be a wild ride of friendship, danger, rich kid bonding, sneks, and memes

Also on AO3 as always

Being a superhero was fairly fun most of the time, getting to save people from danger and zooming around the Parisian rooftops without anyone telling you off or yelling at you to slow down. And plus, having superpowers? That was awesome.

Being a pretty blatant third wheel to Ladybug and Rena Rouge, on the other hand, was a heck of a lot less fun. It was always the two of them fighting the akuma, saving the day, actually having non-lethal special powers and getting to use them without worrying that they were going to kill someone off or whatever. And then they’d fist-bump each other, only remembering Queen Cobra as an afterthought.

“Oh – Queen Cobra! You go keep an eye on the civilians! Make sure they’re safe!”

It was always that. Making sure the civilians were safe. Going after normal, “muggle” bad guys, like robbers or muggers or murderers, and not the magical supervillains in dorky costumes that plagued Paris on a daily basis. No, those were Ladybug and Rena’s job to deal with. Half the time it didn’t even feel like Queen Cobra was part of their team.

But now? Things were different. Recent events had shaken up Paris so badly, probably even cool-headed Ladybug wouldn’t know what to do with herself. Was her job at an end, now that there were no more akumas? Would she and Rena have to retire? Or would they finally have to start doing the lowly, unglamorous job that Queen Cobra was already used to, cleaning up the city of criminals who did bad things on their own accord?

Well, maybe she wouldn’t know for a while until she saw them again. And until then, there were more pressing matters on her mind. Far more pressing matters.

Like the fact that a certain someone now knew her secret identity. Someone who was definitely not supposed to.

“Yo ninja turtle, what is UP my dude?”

Alix Kubdel burst through the door into Master Fu’s room, throwing her schoolbag on the floor and sitting down in front of him, exhausted. Today had been such a weird day.

“I really should be asking you that question,” Fu said, not even raising his eyes from the book he was reading. “I hear quite a lot of interesting things happened today.”

“Yeah, it was crazy. You must have heard that Ladybug and Rena caught Hawk Moth, right? Oh yeah, and they apparently don’t know you so they asked me to give you this.”

She took a tiny little butterfly brooch out of her pocket and put it on the table in front of her.

“It was a bit of a job persuading them that I actually know the Great Guardian of the Miraculouses in real life, or whatever fancy title you call yourself,” she continued. “Do they really not know you? How did you even give them their Miraculouses if you never met them?”

“I simply left the box containing their Miraculouses in their possession,” Fu said, before taking a sip of the tea that was on the table. “The less they know about me, the better. The Ladybug and Fox Miraculouses are considered more powerful and valuable than yours, so it would be safer for them not to know too much. I left it to their kwamis to explain everything to them.”

Alix pouted for a few seconds – more powerful and valuable, honestly! Did Ladybug or Rena have frickin’ rollerskates on their super suit? Um, no, they did not.

“I guess it’s a good thing you didn’t do that with me,” she said finally. “Scoot wouldn’t have bothered to explain anything to me anyway.”

The little green kwami in question jumped out of her pocket indignantly. “That is blatantly untrue! I would certainly have explained your powers to you if Master Fu did not, I would never have just left you to fend for yourself–”

“Yeah you would, noodle boy.” She gave Scoot a little poke in the side. “Anyway, catching Hawk Moth and putting him in jail was not the only thing that happened today. Uh, something else did too. Something less good.”

“You discovered the true identity of Hawk Moth and did not like the result, is that it?” Fu asked. By this time Wayzz had hopped off the phonograph and onto Fu’s shoulder, listening intently. Gee, why couldn’t Scoot be that polite all the time?

“Sorta,” she replied. “I mean yeah, turns out Hawk Moth is Gabriel Agreste, famous fashion designer and whatever, the dad of one of the kids in my class. But um… there’s something else too… I sorta screwed up…”

“That’s an understatement,” Scoot added, rather unhelpfully.

“No it isn’t,” Alix said. “It’s just that someone may have found out my secret identity.”

“They definitely did.”

“And then I ran straight over here to tell you so I have no idea what their reaction is.”

“A disaster, probably.”

“Would you be quiet?!”

“How did this happen?” Fu asked. His expression hadn’t changed at all.

“I de-transformed and didn’t realize this person was standing right behind me,” Alix said. “Lame, I know. And I know we’re not supposed to tell people our identities, so like, am I in danger or something? What am I meant to do now?”

“That depends entirely on who this person is. After all, I know your secret identity, as do Wayzz and Scoot, and your brother too. It isn’t always a bad thing.”

Yeah, well Jalil only knew for practical reasons. Scoot refused to eat anything that wasn’t dead mice, and owning an actual pet snake was the only non-suspicious way to get hold of that, so of course she had to tell Jalil. He was an adult, he could buy one, even if it did freak their dad out a lot. And she trusted him to keep her secret.

“So who is this person?” Fu asked.

“Well…”

The worst person possible, really. Not only was it someone she saw almost every single day, but also someone who was probably in a complete breakdown over other things in their life right now and definitely did not need to have knowing a superhero’s secret identity added to their list of things to flip out over.

“It’s Hawk Moth’s son,” Scoot said for her, crossing his little kwami arms and rolling his eyes.

“Yeah. Adrien Agreste.” Alix took a quick glance at the smartwatch on her wrist – Adrien had her number from various school projects, but he hadn’t tried to call her or anything. Maybe he was still too busy freaking out over his dad being a supervillain to bother with his classmate turning out to be the least famous member of Paris’s resident supergirl trio.

“That’s not too bad then,” Fu said, shrugging and pouring himself some more tea. “He seems like a nice person from what you’ve told me before, I’m sure he won’t tell anyone. And with the threat of Hawk Moth gone, it is much less dangerous for everyone whether they know your identity or not.”

“But that was emotionally stable Adrien I’ve always told you about,” Alix said, trying to figure out a way to get across what she was worrying about. “Right now he’s literally just found out his dad is Hawk Moth, who’s been put in jail, and his mother’s been missing for like a year. He’s gotta stay in custody of Gabriel Agreste’s assistant now. He basically has no parents. And from what I saw of him when I was keeping him safe while Ladybug and Rena were busting in and whatever, he’s uh… not taking it that well.”

“Then I suggest you go speak to him.”

“Um… what?”

Fu seemed weirdly unperturbed. “Go have a chat. Remind him not to tell anyone your secret identity. Make sure he’s alright.”

“Bruh, I’m not a therapist. I am very bad at dealing with people who are flipping out.”

“It’s true,” Scoot said.

“Shut up, Scoot, you’re wrong. I changed my mind. I’m good at dealing with people, and I will definitely go talk to Adrien.”

Fu just smiled. “Excellent. Let me know how it goes.”

“Oh, and by the way…” Alix fiddled with the laces on her Heelys absent-mindedly. “Now that Hawk Moth’s gone, what’s the Super Squad gonna do? I mean, as Queen Cobra I can still go be Batman, but Ladybug and Rena never did any of that stuff. They only fought akumas. Are they still gonna keep their Miraculouses?”

“That is up to them. I believe it would be good for the city’s morale to have their superheroes continue to be around, wouldn’t it? But if they have nothing that they want to do then let me know, and I will get their Miraculouses back.”

“How?”

He tapped the edge of his nose. “That’s a secret.”

“Are you gonna break into their houses and steal their jewellery while they’re asleep or something? Dude, that’s creepy.”

Wayzz, usually content to be silent and just listen in, burst into laughter. “Who says he’s the one who’s doing the breaking in?”

“You, really?! Wow, criminals…”

Scoot tugged on one of her loose strands of hair. “Come on, the sooner we talk to the Agreste boy, the better.”

Agreste boy? Pfffff, he had a name. But Scoot was right. It was better to just get this over with before Adrien had a total meltdown, which was probably going to happen at some point. That kid had always been a ticking time bomb.

She stood up and picked up her bag. “I guess I’ll see you guys some other time then.”

“Perhaps stick around for tea next time?” Fu asked, holding up the tea pot.

“Meh, I think I’ll stick with Red Bull, thanks. Bye for now.”

She waved and walked out of the door, Scoot whizzing back into her pocket along the way.

Right… now to find Adrien. Would he still be in that protective alleyway where she had left him? Or would he have gone back home? Of course, it was always possible he might have been picked up by the police or something, they’d want to know what was going on. Not that they’d get anything out of Adrien, of course, there was no way that boy knew anything about his father’s villainous activities, he was definitely innocent–

Oh, drat. He was standing right there. Outside Fu’s shop.

“Uh… hey Adrien!” Alix said, trying to sound as casual as possible.

“Oh… hi…”

He really, really did not look good. Red eyes, tear-stained face, clothes still half covered in debris from his father’s evil lair sending off missiles everywhere when Ladybug and Rena had broken in. His voice sounded like he was trying to hold back tears, though mostly failing.

“What are you doing here?” she asked. Maybe this was all just some weird, crazy coincidence. There was a small likelihood that Adrien hadn’t recognized her when she de-transformed, or maybe he had somehow forgotten (amnesia could be a side-effect of trauma, right?), or maybe he hadn’t even noticed and she just thought he did, and maybe he just happened to be coming to Fu’s shop to get a back massage or something. Yeah.

“I followed you.” He was shuffling nervously on his feet. “I saw you earlier, and… you’re… Queen Cobra…”

“Pffffff, no I’m not, that’s ridiculous.”

“You are! I saw you de-transform right in front of my eyes!”

Alright, so he did know. Seriously though, how had he managed to follow her here? She was very quick on her Heelys, he must have been outright sprinting to keep her within sight.

Which of course meant that he wanted to talk to her about all this…

Ugh. She didn’t really like talking to people much.

“Yeah, fine, it’s me,” she said, taking a quick glance round to make sure no one else was nearby to eavesdrop. “But you can’t tell anyone.”

He shook his head. “I won’t.”

“Good.”

There was an awkward silence for what seemed to stretch into hours, though was probably more like a few seconds. Yeah, this was why she didn’t like talking to people. No one ever knew what to say to her.

“Thank you for saving me,” he said quietly, at long last. “When the missiles were going off and the akuma army were attacking. I probably would have died if you didn’t get me out of there.”

Oh Adrien, always so polite, remembering his pleases and thank yous even while probably internally falling apart. It could not have been pleasant for him to know that his own father, as well as being the city’s most hated supervillain, was okay with endangering his own son just to have a chance to escape.

“Hey, it’s no problem,” she said.

Now another long, awkward silence. Yikes. This was the worst conversation ever, and she’d had a lot of bad conversations before.

Eventually Scoot just flew right out of her pocket muttering, “Oh for goodness’ sake, you can’t do anything right, can you!” He zoomed right up in front of Adrien’s face and said, “Hello Adrien, I am Scoot, if you have any questions about being a superhero then just ask me because this trainwreck of a classmate of yours is certainly not doing a good job of telling you anything.”

Adrien stumbled backwards slightly, a look of shock on his face. “What…”

“Yes, I’m real. No, you’re not dreaming.”

“Um…” Adrien recovered quickly, to his credit. “Nice to meet you… Scoot. But… who are you?”

“I am a kwami, a magical creature. I give Alix her powers when she transforms into Queen Cobra. I also attempt to give her advice in her daily life, which she refuses to pay attention to.”

“That’s ‘cause your advice is boring,” Alix said. “Anyway Adrien, got any questions? I may as well answer them.”

He just stared for a few seconds, seemingly still taking everything in. Then he said, “Who are Ladybug and Rena Rouge then?”

“I have no idea. They’re probably a lot better at keeping their identities hidden than I am. But then again, it’s their Miraculouses that Hawk Moth wanted, not mine…”

She trailed off, realizing that mentioning Hawk Moth around Adrien Agreste might just be a bad idea. Sure enough, at the mention of his father, a flicker of pain flashed across his eyes. Yeah okay, she was definitely going to have to start thinking before speaking around this kid.

“So I don’t know who they are,” she continued quickly. “I guess I might never find out now.”

“Are the heroes not ever coming back then?”

“No idea. I probably will, I mean, someone’s gotta stop the bank robberies and criminal gangs, right? But I don’t know if Ladybug and Rena will be back or not.”

“Oh… okay…” He thought for another few seconds. “How do you act so different?”

“Uh, what do you mean?”

“Queen Cobra’s so majestic and aloof, and you’re… um… well…”

Indescribable, sure. She got that a lot.

“I do that on purpose,” she said. “Otherwise how stupidly easy is it gonna be to recognize me? I have pink hair, dude. Pink hair. And I skate a lot. And I’m tiny. As big as Paris is, there really aren’t that many people like me around.”

Anime protagonist was the phrase coming to mind. But the truth was, if there was a “protagonist”, it was either Ladybug or Rena. No one in their right mind would pick Queen Cobra as the number one hero of Paris, whether she looked like it as a civilian or not.

Adrien was still just staring, looking very much like he was about to cry. That was not good.

“You should probably go home and get some rest,” she suggested.

“I don’t want to go home.”

His fists were clenched now. Even more not good.

“Maybe call up Nino and talk to him?”

“Nino left for the airport several hours ago.”

Already? Jeez, the summer holidays had only just started today. In any case, Adrien’s fists were even more clenched now, and he was looking at the ground, furiously blinking tears away from his eyes. Poor boy… that ticking time bomb was probably seconds away from exploding.

“You need a cup of tea,” Alix said, stepping forwards and grabbing his arm. “Come on.”

“Where–”

“Shush. Just follow me.”

Without waiting for a reply, she pulled him right back into Fu’s shop with her. Fu didn’t even look surprised to see them – well, she had always suspected he was either really wise or secretly psychic, maybe both.

“Can we get this dude a cup of tea please?” she asked him. “He’s had a rough day.”

“Certainly,” Fu said, immediately pouring out another cup that he already seemed to have ready. Okay, he must be psychic. “Take a seat, Adrien.”

Adrien did not seem surprised that Fu already knew who he was. Then again, that might just have been because everyone knew Paris’s most famous fashion model, he was already used to being a celebrity. Bewildered, he did indeed sit down on the floor and silently took the cup of tea Fu handed to him.

“You gonna be alright now?” Alix asked.

Adrien just nodded politely, taking a small sip from the tea cup.

“Cool. I guess I’ll be heading off now. If you’ve got any other questions you can always ask me later.”

“Are you seriously leaving right now?” Scoot screeched, giving her a punch in the arm. “The Agreste child is on the verge of having a nervous breakdown thanks to today’s events, and you would just leave him here in the company of a stranger–”

“Be quiet!” She grabbed Scoot in her hands and tried to stop him talking. “If I don’t get back soon dad’s gonna be so mad, he’ll ground me again…”

“Excuses!”

“Shush!”

Adrien was looking up at them, seeming nervous. “It’s okay, you can leave, I… I’m sure I’m fine…”

He was certainly not fine. But what else was Alix meant to do? Just stay here and endure more of those awkward silences? Adrien was nice and all, but having to comfort him in such dramatic circumstances was well beyond her capabilities. The emotional, supportive side of being a superhero was never something she could get the hang of.

“Master Fu here will take care of you, he’s a cool bean,” she said quickly. “I really gotta go now. Call me if you need anything!”

She didn’t really mean that last bit. Calling her, on a phone, expecting her to answer and actually speak to someone, well that was the quickest way of getting on her nerves. But it was probably the kind of nonsensical reassuring thing he needed to hear right now, so she had just said it without thinking. Grabbing Scoot again and stuffing him in her pocket, she left for good this time.

All the way along the journey back home she had to deal with Scoot making snide remarks from inside her pocket, as usual, earning her weird looks from passers-by – though the weird looks may have been a combination of that, and also the fact that she was Heelying down the street in an area that had definitely banned Heelys. (It wasn’t like anyone cared, it was fine.)

Arriving back home was no fun either, her father immediately interrogating her on where she had been, had she been part of Hawk Moth’s final akuma army, all of that stuff. His faith in her had really nosedived since her birthday several months ago. Obviously she was not going to tell him what she had really been up to, and had to invent an excuse like always.

“I was just hanging out with my friends,” she said, shrugging.

(“Pffff, what friends?” Scoot muttered from inside her pocket.)

“The panther friend didn’t challenge you to another cornflake-eating contest again, did he?” her father asked, rather sternly. She had to hold back a laugh – panther friend, really? Was Kim such a hard name to remember?

“He’s not my friend, and no. I wasn’t doing anything bad, I swear.”

It was true, she technically hadn’t done anything bad. Saving Paris from a supervillain was one of the least bad things anyone could ever do, really.

“So who were you with?”

She picked two random classmates. “I was with Marinette and Alya, okay? Does this really matter?”

“I just want to be sure that you were safe.”

“Well clearly, I am perfectly safe and sound. Trust me dad, I’m not that irresponsible.” It was hard to be irresponsible when a whole city was counting on you to protect them – though to be fair, Ladybug and Rena were probably a whole lot more responsible that she was.

Her father sighed, rubbing his forehead. “Fine. But you need to stop running off all the time without letting me know where you’re going. Alright?”

“Yeah, fine.”

She carried on upstairs to where she found her brother, who was working on some nerdy history translation thing like he always was. As soon as he saw her he rushed over and wrapped her in a hug.

“I’m so proud of you!” Jalil screeched, much louder than he should have. “You and Ladybug and Rena saved the day and brought Hawk Moth to justice and–”

“Sure, just say it so loud that all of Paris can hear,” she muttered, though she grinned and hugged him back all the same. Thank goodness this was a large house. The chances that her father had overheard were low.

“Sorry, it was just so cool!” He finally let go and looked at her, pride shining in his eyes. “You’re okay, right?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

“Oh good. Let me know if you need anything. Want some more food for Scoot? Should I make something nice for dinner? Should we watch The Mummy, in celebration? Should–”

“It’s okay, I don’t want anything!” She pushed Scoot back into her pocket, where she could feel him starting to come out at the mention of food. He’d already eaten recently, and anyway, she hated anyone interrupting when she was speaking to her brother. Jalil was one of the only people in the world who she actually got along with easily.

“You don’t look that happy,” he said, his smile disappearing. “What’s wrong?”

“Adrien Agreste knows my secret identity.”

The smile was back within a few seconds. “Oh, well that’s not so bad! You said Adrien is the nicest kid in your class, right?”

“Nah, that’s Rose. But Adrien’s already freaking out about his dad being a supervillain, so…”

“Wait, Hawk Moth is his dad?!... Agreste… Oh yes, I see, I just hadn’t realized…”

“And he probably is going totally nuts right now and has no one to turn to,” she continued. “I kinda just left him at Fu’s place and then came back here.”

Scoot had been fighting against her fingers and finally managed to fly out. “Yes, because you’re a selfish stubborn no-good who refuses to comfort someone in need!”

“Chill out, snekki,” she said, about to give him a jab in the side but quickly pulled her fingers back when she saw him baring his fangs. “I tried. But I’m no good at that stuff, I would have just made it worse. I’m not gentle enough. I always… y’know… break stuff.”

Jalil put a hand on her shoulder. “Alix, a person and a pocket watch are not the same. I’m sure whatever little you did must have helped him, in whatever small way.”

“If you say so…”

“Anyway, do you want to tell me all about today’s superhero adventure now? I can’t wait to hear the details!”

Yeah, that would be better. Recounting the dramatic break into the Agreste mansion would be entertaining enough, even if the whole story would be up on the Ladyblog pretty soon anyway. Jalil always liked to hear the adventures from Alix herself. It was nice really, having someone to chat to about it. And even nicer to know that one of her relatives, at least, didn’t care if she was “irresponsible” or getting into danger or trouble. Jalil would always be there for her.

[f1chronicle]

Lewis Hamilton Makes History In Portugal

With his 92nd win in FORMULA 1, Lewis Hamilton has made history, overtaking Michael Schumacher for the most career wins. The 6-Time World Champion did so on a dominant day for Mercedes who went 1-2 thank to Valtteri Bottas finishing second, while Max Verstappen was third in his Red Bull.

Listen: 2020 Portuguese Grand Prix Review Podcast

Today’s result also marked the 8th win of the 2020 FORMULA 1 season for Lewis Hamilton, his first at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, and the 57th 1-2 finish for Mercedes in Formula One.

Lewis Hamilton Makes History

On the day he made history with the most wins in FORMULA 1, Lewis Hamilton was quick to heap praise on all those who supported him on this incredible journey to the top.

‘First, I owe these 92 wins to the team here and back at the factory for their tremendous work. They are continuously innovating and pushing the barrier, even higher every year.

‘It’s been such a privilege working with them and I am so grateful for all the moments. The reliability has been incredible thanks to the Mercedes team, PETRONAS and all our partners who are continuously pushing. No one is sitting back on the success, everyone is pushing and pushing and pushing.

‘That’s the most incredible thing to be surrounded by: it inspires you, that collaboration, and there’s nothing quite like it.

‘Today was tough. It was all about tyre temperatures today and that’s something I was able to, with the set-up, I pre-empted it. They said it was going to rain only after the race would be finished, but we got some drops at the start and going into Turn 7 there was a huge oversteer moment and then you didn’t know what was next.

‘I really backed up massively and I should have probably defended from Valtteri, but I said to myself that I’d come by later and fortunately that’s what I was able to do.

‘It’s an incredibly physical sport but I had a cramp in my right calf and I had to lift quite often down the straight because it was about to pull. Pretty painful, but I had to get through it because it is what it is and you can’t lift the whole lap!

‘I could only ever have dreamed of being where I am today. I didn’t have a crystal ball when I chose to come to this team and partner with these great people.

‘What I can tell you is that I am trying to make the most of it every single day. Everything that we do together, we are all rowing in the same direction and that’s why you’re seeing the success that we’re having.

‘My dad is here which is amazing, my step-mum Linda is here, Roscoe too. I feel very blessed. It’s going to take some time for it to sink in. I was still pushing flat out coming across the line and I am still in race mode mentally. I can’t find the words at the moment,’ said Hamilton.

2020 Portuguese Grand Prix, Sunday – Lewis Hamilton (image courtesy Mercedes-AMG Petronas)

Toto Wolff Marvels At Hamilton’s Achievement

At the conclusion of the FORMULA 1 HEINEKEN PORTUGUESE GRAND PRIX 2020, team boss Toto Wolff could scarcely believe what he had witnessed.

’92 race wins, who would have thought that when we embarked on the project in 2013? It’s almost a surreal number of wins.

‘It is absolute passion, energy, and everything that Lewis puts into the sport. The talent and the ability just stand out.

‘I think what I’ve seen this year for the first time with Lewis is that he ramps up his weekends. There is a lot of reflection, a lot of learning, understanding the tyres for the race, and he was just sitting comfortably at the beginning during opening laps, then he just ramped it up and then had unbelievable pace.

‘I think he did it a couple of times now that he was applying pressure, and he was putting Valtteri in a worse position in relation to the tyres. He’s just very good at that strategically.

‘The opening laps were very enjoyable. It was amazing to see the McLarens when they were heating their tyres very well when they were on the Softs.

‘You could hear the public screaming when Sainz got into the lead, so I think this is what the sport needs; I was happy for us that we were able to catch up, but I like the situation.

‘It’s been a very good day. I’m not sure how I’m going to celebrate because we are living like hermits at the moment, but I am flying to see my wife and my son today, and I’m sure we will have dinner with maybe a few drinks,’ added Wolff.

2020 Portuguese Grand Prix, Sunday – Lewis Hamilton (image courtesy Mercedes-AMG Petronas)

Masterclass From Lewis Hamilton

Andrew Shovlin has seen many of Hamilton’s wins first-hand, and declared his win in Portugal a master class.

‘An absolute masterclass from Lewis today, he managed the race brilliantly and had incredible pace. It’s amazing to think that now he sits at the very top of the list of winners in the sport and the whole team is very proud of him and what he has achieved.

‘It’s also great to be able to add another one-two finish to our season. The start was tricky for both, the medium tyre is difficult to get to work but it seemed like some others had much better warm-up that we did.

‘Valtteri did really well to take the position back off Verstappen after losing it off the line, it was a nice move into turn 3 and once he’d got some temperature in the tyres he was able to pass the McLaren and drove a well-managed first stint.

‘He started to drop a bit of temperature in his tyres around ten laps into the stint which was making the car inconsistent. Lewis at that point had a bit of pace in hand and was able to make the pass.

‘We were surprised how well the medium tyres were hanging on during that first stint and they went further than we had anticipated but when Valtteri picked up a bit of vibration we decided to stop both cars to take hards to the finish.

‘The warm-up on that compound wasn’t easy but it had good pace once it was going although we were glad there wasn’t any significant rain as it would have been a real handful.

‘We’re looking forward to Imola next week, we’ve not been there for a long time but it’s a good track and the two-day format should make it interesting,’ concluded Shovlin.

2020 Portuguese Grand Prix, Sunday – Peter Bonnington collected the Constructor’s trophy with Lewis Hamilton (image courtesy Mercedes-AMG Petronas)

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[junker-town]

You have to watch Erling Haaland and Jadon Sancho before they break up

Erling Haaland and Jadon Sancho have the best budding relationship in soccer, but their time together at Dortmund won’t last long.

Erling Haaland made a pair of brief cameos off the bench in his first two matches at Borussia Dortmund. Following his €20 million arrival from Red Bull Salzburg, BVB clearly wanted to take some pressure off the 19-year-old and bring him along slowly. But there was one problem with that idea: He is way too good.

Haaland scored five goals in just 59 minutes of play over those two appearances, promptly leading Dortmund to sell incumbent striker Paco Alcácer. And with the young Norwegian installed as the starter, Dortmund dominated Union Berlin in a 5-0 victory over the weekend, in which Haaland scored twice.

A run of seven goals in three appearances would be good enough to steal the spotlight from any teammate, but it’s incredible how quickly Haaland’s hype train ripped past Jadon Sancho’s. The English winger, also just 19, has turned in a ridiculous 12 goals and 13 assists from 18 matches this season. Sancho is by far the most productive teenager in any of Europe’s top five leagues. The pair of them are, beyond any reasonable argument, the two top performing teenagers in soccer at present.

Watching Haaland and Sancho play and learn together is a rare treat, one that we might not witness for another decade. There’s no guarantee we’ll ever see two teenagers who have been touted as future Ballon d’Or contenders play together again, and certainly not on a team as big as Dortmund, which trusts those players to lead the club to trophies.

We have to catch them together while we can; Sancho is going to be the subject of nine-figure bids this summer, one of which will inevitably be accepted by Dortmund.

Besides the spectacular goals and assists, the best part about watching Haaland and Sancho together is seeing them learn from their mistakes in real time. Both players are exceptional in their roles, but with one significant missing piece in each of their games. For Haaland, it’s that he hasn’t yet learned how to use his physical talents, and often looks clumsy. Despite his young age, he appears to have already mastered the mental game. Sancho is the opposite; his technique and body control are outstanding, but he makes decisions a beat too slow. They’re both nearly perfect, but differently flawed.

The 6’4 Haaland looks like a baby giraffe at times. He’s bigger, stronger and faster than almost every defender he goes up against, but sometimes he doesn’t quite know how to use his feet. He makes the right decisions about when to play with his back to goal and when to make runs behind the defense, but he also blows touches that should be easy for a top class striker. His technical ability is still catching up to his brain.

The amount of information that Haaland processes in a split second, and the decisions he makes as a result are seriously impressive. He has an incredible understanding of how he should move to lose defenders and create space to make it easier for teammates to find him with a pass.

On his first goal against Union Berlin, Haaland quickly figures out which area in the six-yard box isn’t well-covered, and where his teammate’s cross is likely to bounce. He scores a tap-in because he swiftly makes a correct decision and executes a tricky movement. If he had reacted just a half-second later, he would have failed to get on the end of the cross, and we would have said he was unlucky. No one would have called it a striker’s error.

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For most of the match, Sancho and Haaland didn’t have much of a connection. For as incredible as Sancho is at beating defenders one-on-one, as well as placing perfect shots and passes, he doesn’t always make prompt decisions. This led to, on multiple occasions, Sancho either running into Haaland or failing to make an early pass when Haaland was about to beat a defender.

Sancho isn’t a dumb player by any stretch. He usually arrives at correct decisions. He just sees them a bit late, which often results in turnovers like it did several times against Union Berlin.

But as the game went on, Sancho and Haaland developed an understanding. The passes got a little crisper, the spacing got a little better and they stopped running into each other. In the 66th minute, Sancho drew the attention of multiple defenders, made the right pass into space for Haaland early, and the big striker drew a penalty.

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This partnership will, unfortunately, only have about four months to develop. Sancho’s sale this summer to one of the richest clubs in the world appears inevitable. But that might be enough time for us to get to see something special. After all, the pair needed just 66 minutes on Saturday to go from complete disconnection to perfect combination.

Both players are going to improve rapidly in the coming months at the things they need to work on individually, but also at playing with each other. Their budding relationship is the most exciting thing happening anywhere in soccer, and you should make a point to see it before it disappears.

[airoasis]

Motivation a type in final week of CFL Fantasy

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NHL

Toffoli leads Kings' early barrage in win over Leafs

Scheifele's hat trick leads Jets over Stars

Cullen sparks Wild in win over Price, Canadiens

Giordano, Smith help Flames beat Pens in OT

Stone, Anderson lead Sens past Wings

Hextall: Flyers won't acquire D amid injuries

Channelling Astros, Vegas gives Leafs best odds to be 2019 champs

The Quiz: What's the worst pick 6 this season?

Housley: 'We almost shot ourselves in the foot'

Community of Flin Flon shaped Bobby Clarke's life and career

Insider Trading: Shipachyov has returned to Russia

Avs' Varlamov makes 57 saves in win

Miller scores in OT, Rangers beat Lightning

Neuvirth stands tall as Flyers blank Blues

Kuraly's goal lifts Bruins past Golden Knights

Anderson scores a pair; Blue Jackets top Panthers

Eller scores twice, adds assist as Caps beat Isles

Ovechkin starting social movement for Putin

Kapanen gets big chance against Kings

Leafs Ice Chips: Kapanen's big chance to play with mentor Komarov

CFL

Finale for Stamps, Bombers a battle of backup QBs

Tiger-Cats ready to give their all against Als

LeFevour confident with West semifinal home field on the line

Stamps still focused on beating Bombers to get set for playoff run

Motivation a key in final week of CFL Fantasy

Reilly, Ray among team finalists for outstanding player award

Woods has long history with Lions star Rainey

Ruffles Crunch Time: From one great country and league to another

Nichols ruled out, LeFevour to start Friday vs. Stamps

Davis disappointed, feels he should be starting this week for Bombers

3 Downs: How concerning are injuries to Nichols, Harris for Bombers?

Huddle Up: Should Riders keep playing both Bridge and Glenn?

Hervey hoping for CFL return

Eskimos' Thompson out for the season

Shiltz to become 12th post-Calvillo starter for Alouettes

Coombs will start at running back in Argos' regular season finale

Banks, Masoli, Reilly named CFL top performers

CFL Fantasy: Rainey takes advantage of his opportunity

NFL

Forte rushes for two TDs, Jets run over Bills

Report: Texans' Watson tears ACL

Colts shut down Luck for season

Jones' numbers are down, but he's not sweating it

Schultz’s Week 9 picks: Take the Lions at Lambeau

49ers' Garcon on IR with neck injury

Browns WR Gordon could return this month

Game of Throws: Bills, Eagles are trade deadline winners

Statistically Speaking: Changes coming at running back

Cowboys look to Morris, others with Elliott suspended

Report: Osweiler to start at QB for Broncos

Irvin shakes his head at the latest screw up by the Browns

Ranking the best NFL trade deadline deals

Hoyer signs three-year deal with Pats

Flacco expected to start Sunday vs Titans

Vikings GM: Bridgewater's status still being determined

Lynch back with Raiders after suspension

After motion denied, PA seeks to block ruling so Elliott can play

Beyond the Scoreboard: How everybody can win from NFL protests

NBA

Lillard nails game winner as Blazers top Lakers

Warriors crush injury-riddled Spurs

Five thoughts on Murray, Okafor and more

Cavs forward Thompson out 3-4 weeks

NBA to hold lottery in Chicago next spring

Celtics' Hayward back in gym, but no timeline for return

Murray leads Nuggets' rout of Raptors

Cavs drop 4th straight as Pacers roll

Irving, Celtics beat Kings for sixth straight

Butler's late points lift T-Wolves over Pelicans

Simmons, Embiid dominate in 76ers' win over Hawks

Harden's 31 points lead Rockets past Knicks

Fournier, Gordon help Magic top Grizzlies

Warren's career night leads Suns past Wizards

Heat top Bulls to end three-game slide

Walker, Monk lead Hornets past Bucks

Rautins on efficiency of Raptors' second unit, Cavs early struggles

Spurs bring back Parker after rehab stint

Okafor asks Sixers for buyout

George, Thunder cruise to win over Bucks

MLB

A Blue Jays free agency primer

Darvish, Otani and Arrieta top MLB free-agent class

Future Watch: Arizona Fall League edition

Angels, Upton agree on five-year, $106M deal

Dodgers face decisions, luxury tax bill in off-season

Nats' Martinez: 'We're here to win the World Series'

A's exercise Lowrie's $6 million option

White Sox' Soto declines option, becomes free agent

Twins' Sano to undergo surgery for leg injury

Nats hire ex-Mets, ex-Yankees hitting coach Long

Mariners decline options on Iwakuma and Gallardo

Astros beat Dodgers for first World Series title

Roberts on Darvish: I can't explain the results

Puig's home burglarized during Game 7

Dodgers' title drought extended to 30 years

With five homers, Springer named MVP

Verlander on WS win: 'Everything I could ever imagine'

Phillips: Entire city of Houston was in this together

Perez discusses Astros' long road to first World Series title

Red Sox hire La Russa as special assistant

Soccer

Dempsey nets two as Sounders eliminate Whitecaps from playoffs

TFC complains to MLS over fan abuse in NYC

Milan held to tie; Atalanta, Kyiv advance in Europa

United's Young recalled to England

Evra charged with violent conduct for kicking fan

Tottenham stuns Real Madrid to reach knockout phase

Sinclair leads young Canada squad against U.S.

Dortmund faces Champions League exit after draw with APOEL

Besitkas closer to knockout stage after draw with Monaco

Moor, Vazquez questionable for TFC vs. Red Bulls

Crew take advantage of short-handed NYCFC in first leg

United beats Benfica after more agony for keeper Svilar

PSG win big, advance in Champions League

Must See: Neymar belts a screamer vs. Anderlecht

Atletico held by 10-man Qarabag in Champions League

Giovinco's free kick lifts TFC over Red Bulls

Atletico Madrid returns to former stadium

FIFA exec says 24-team Club World Cup discussed

After ten matches, Madrid facing big deficit

EPL: Leicester City 2, Everton 0

NCAA

Duke is No. 1 in AP preseason poll for second straight year

Barrett to make NCAA decision on Nov. 10

Georgia ranked at top of first CFP rankings

Predictions for a huge CFB weekend

Oklahoma's win over Ohio State important to CFP committee

Must See: College football coach scares players

Kelly focused on Notre Dame maintaining success

The road to the CFP has been wild

Florida, HC McElwain mutually part ways

AP Top 25: Georgia rises to No. 2, Ohio State up to No. 3

No. 6 Ohio State rallies to beat No. 2 Penn State

No. 25 Iowa State upsets No. 4 TCU in low-scoring game

No. 7 Clemson rebound for victory over Georgia Tech

No. 3 Georgia thumps rival Florida

No. 8 Miami stays unbeaten, tops North Carolina

No. 5 Wisconsin holds off Illinois, stays unbeaten

Northwestern stuns No. 16 Michigan St. in OT

No. 9 Notre Dame wears down No. 14 NC State

Peters helps Michigan pull away and top Rutgers

Rudolph shines in rain, No. 11 Oklahoma St. beats No. 22 WVU

UFC

St-Pierre, Bisping trade barbs ahead of UFC 217

TSN Original: 'The Mind of GSP'

Things get heated at UFC 217 news conference

Does Namajunas have a chance against Jedrzejczyk?

Garbrandt trying to create tense environment ahead of Dillashaw fight

McGregor: I'd beat Mayweather in a rematch

Is Bisping really 'terrified' of St-Pierre's wrestling?

Duffy on training with St-Pierre during his fight camp

Thompson ready to adapt to any style Masvidal brings

Gall explains why he brings so much confidence to mixed martial arts

Brown on fighting for New York in the wake of a tragic incident

Vick frustrated UFC has been unable to secure him a Top 15 opponent

This Fight is Important: Garbrandt vs. Dillashaw

This Fight is Important: Jedrzejczyk vs. Namajunas

GSP can cement his place in UFC history with win in his return

UFC Notebook: Covington cements himself as a contender

St-Pierre holds open practice in Montreal

Lawler: MacDonald using steroid accusations as a coping mechanism

UFC Notebook: Till delivers upset over Cerrone

Tennis

Del Potro beats Haase in third round of Paris Masters

Nadal wins in Paris, will end year as No. 1

Vandeweghe, Barty, Sevastova advance to semifinals

Rybarikova upsets Mladenovic at WTA Elite Trophy

Shapovalov bounced in straight-sets at Paris Masters

Thiem grinds past Gojowczyk at Paris Masters

Vandeweghe opens WTA Elite Trophy with win

Federer wins hometown Swiss Indoors

Wozniacki claims trophy at WTA Finals

Wozniacki advances in WTA Finals

Federer moves on at Swiss Indoors

Shapovalov falls in second round to Mannarino

Garcia advances at WTA Finals

Federer, Del Potro, Cilic advance to Basel quarters

Venus Williams reaches semifinals at WTA Finals

Del Potro beats Sousa in quest for third Basel title

Wawrinka needs coach after Norman leaves

Federer beats Tiafoe in at hometown Basel event

Sock rallies to beat Pospisil at Swiss Indoors

Williams needs more than 3 hours to beat Ostapenko

Golf

Whee shoots 65 to take Las Vegas lead

Report: Olympic to get PGA, Ryder Cup

Hot putter leads to fast start for Taylor

Tiger's back, but there's a lot to be addressed

Rose keeps alive streak of winning every year since 2010

Silverman's top 10 an important finish

Woods to play in Hero World Challenge

Armour shoots 68, earns 1st career win at Sanderson Farms

Rose wins title at HSBC Champions

PGA: Sanderson Farms Championship - Rd. 4

Kerr wins in Malaysia with birdie on last hole

Johnson leads at HSBC Champions

Armour takes five-shot lead at Sanderson Farms

Woods pleads guilty to reckless driving

Johnson grabs lead with new putter at HSBC Champions

Armour takes one-shot lead at Sanderson Farms

Toms makes ace, shares lead at Sherwood

Feng shoots 65 to lead Sime Darby

Johnson would welcome a PGA shot clock

Landry, Spaun among leaders at Sanderson Farms

Hockey Canada

Spooner calls Olympic funding 'amazing'

Canada continues search for hockey talent ahead of Olympics

Canada unveils 2018 hockey jerseys

TeamSnap partners with Hockey Canada

Spooner scores twice as Canada beats U.S.

Scrivens, Lee on Canada's pre-Olympic roster

Labonte sees great development in Canadian goalies

Canada's women's team falls to U.S. in pre-Olympic matchup

Bonhomme: Coyne, Decker and Knight overpower Team Canada

Davidson discusses challenges of assembling Olympic roster

66 players chosen to represent Canada at 2017 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge

Renney discusses Canada's Olympic expectations

Olympic gold medalist Watchorn announces retirement

IIHF release Olympic hockey schedule

Canadian women's forward Campbell retires from international play

Olympian Labonte retires from women's hockey

Hockey Canada contacts Doan and Iginla for Olympics

Regina hockey legend Tuer dies at 87

McBain leads Canada over Czechs to win Ivan Hlinka

Canada beats Sweden to advance to Ivan Hlinka final

Curling

Simmons finds right fit alongside three young guns ahead of Pre-Trials

Gushue, Jones capture Masters title in Lloydminster

Big names highlight field at men's Road to the Roar Pre-Trials

Anybody's game at women's Road to the Roar

WCT Recap: Edin defends at Champery, Roth surprises at Canad Inns

WCT Recap: Carruthers defends title at Canad Inns

Canada takes silver at mixed curling worlds

Brier to be held in Brandon in 2019

Mourning the passing of Ray Turnbull

WCT/CCT Recap: Gushue, Homan just keep on winning

WCT/CCT Recap: World champions Gushue, Homan victorious

Canada to face Brazil for men's worlds curling berth

WCT Recap: Gunnlaugson, Tippin, Englot pick up wins

WCT Recap: Jacobs, Sinclair take home Shorty Jenkins

What you need to know for the women's curling season

What you need to know for the men's curling season

Curling worlds to stay in Canada until 2020

Gushue downs Walstad to claim Tour Challenge

Team Gushue captures Everest Curling Challenge

[qeewander3]

Being different

I was born into a family where I had an older brother and a younger sister. Yet I was so different that I felt like I was not born into this family, I was not their biological siblings. Of course, that thought came up a lot when I was younger, pondering on why I was so different compared to my siblings. As I grew up though, I could understand everyone have a different persona and a different mindset –overall different mentally and physically no matter you are siblings or not. I still do think we are very contradict with each other, but we also have some values that we share that made me said, “Ah, this is why we are siblings.”

Feeling different from other people could be negative, but also positive. In my family, my mom would always said that I was quiet, not like my brother and sister whom both had an energy of a Red Bull drink, buzzing off the walls. My dad would point out how fast I was in memorizing the multiplication tables compared to both of them. Firstly, being pointed out that you are different could make you realize the qualities that you possessed are different from other people. The feeling; “Ah, so I could solve maths faster than them,” could make you realize you have the potential of a talent in mathematics. Realizing the great qualities that you have gave you an opportunity to discover yourself and your limits of how far you could go.

But on the other side, being pointed out your differences could make you feel left out, the isolation leaving only negative traces while growing up. I felt left out a lot when I was younger because I was very imaginative that people could not catch up with my thoughts. My thoughts made it hard for me to play along with my peers, resulting in whether my ideas were rejected and played along their ideas or I was laughed at and had to voluntarily leave the playtime session. The feeling of being isolated made me try hard to match along with my friends so that I would not be excluded, even if it means I had to keep my thoughts to myself. My family could not understand my words when I was young, they took my words as a child who knew nothing even though I could perfectly understood their gossips while they were talking fully in English when I was five. Isolation for a child is never a good thing, would resulted in a very timid and shy child or worst, a child that refuses any kind form of socialization. We all do know that socializing helped a lot in a child’s growth, mentally and physically.

Being different is never all the time negative, I assure you. Different rather make you special, a different quality from other people. I was a left-handed, the same as my mom. The percentage of left-handed writers are less considered to the majority of the right-handed people. Left-handed was born naturally to write with their left hand, more like an instinct. My brother tried to teach me how to write when I was young but ended up in frustration as I kept holding the pencil with my left hand, it did not feel right to held it in my right hand. I never had a problem learning to write, my friends and siblings found it was interesting and tried to imitate my writing most of the time, though it ended with squiggly scribbles of lines. Left-handed people was said to see things differently, they can use both sides of brain hemispheres effectively which leads to quicker information processing and faster reactions. That is why some baseball players in the Major League are lefties and they are in the top tier.

Being different in the family, I have a different interests compared to my family members. However this interests ended up with my family; my dad specifically misunderstood it as a weakness. My interests came in books, colorful characters and beautiful music. Not being interested in active things such as sports (and was given no talent in it) made my dad worried thinking I am weak and would not stand a chance against other people in the future. So my alarmed dad forced onto me a lot of things, and being a child in an Asian household, it’s not like you could reject them anyway. He forced me to take various competitions other than sports, he was a teacher at my primary school which only made him easier to push me in those things. I was taken into storytelling, was forced practice with a microphone in front of my whole neighborhood. I was put into an action song team. He put me into the primary school cadets and as a school prefect. His reason, not wanting me to be weak. He compared on how my sister could already ride a bike when she was just six while I only started mastering it when I was ten, it only got worse when he sent both of us to Taekwondo classes (luckily I quit after due to I got into a boarding school). It was sad that my own dad did not believe in me and see me as a weak person, making me vow not to do the same towards my own child. However, I did benefit from him sending me on stages as in secondary school, I fell in love with staged drama and debate. I felt great meeting with people of the same interest as me, enjoying every step of it without someone on my back, whispering that I am weak.

Being different might be seen as a weakness, pointed out like a sore thumb among the majority. But hey, in the end all that matter is you being yourself. I accepted how I was different was, and it was never negative. It was just a part of me, a part that I was born with. You can’t force other people to accept you fully as you are, they might had a different view of you no matter they are close to you or not. Being different makes you special, makes you see the quality of yourself that other people could never have, even if they call you weird. And you are never alone! There are people like you, you just need to be patient in waiting and searching for them, because they would do the same. I am very grateful being born different among my siblings, but having a great group of people that similar as I am.

[haulix]

New openings (October 23, 2017)

Executive Assistant (WMG - NYC) 

The Executive Assistant will support the President, A&R and Label Services, Worldwide & President, Arts Music, with day-to-day administration and support tasks, and help to support their direct reports when necessary, as directed.

Associate Producer, Entertainment Weekly (Sirius XM - NYC) 

Candidate will be responsible for assisting the Program Director and host with the producing of daily and specialty programming on Entertainment Weekly Radio. The candidate will assist with daily content prep, recording, editing, and planning of a daily show both in and out of studio. Also responsible for producing and assisting with specialty programming on the channel.

Associate Producer (Gizmodo - NYC) 

Gizmodo Media Group (GMG), which is part of Univision's digital arm, Fusion Media Group, is seeking an experienced, dynamic and highly creative associate producer for its flagship website, Gizmodo.com. The ideal candidate will be obsessive about technology, science, and geek culture, and has a passion for editing video content within these beats. Ability to produce and edit videos in a fast-paced digital blogging environment is essential.

Digital Marketing Coordinator (Live Nation - Beverly Hills, CA) 

The Marketing Coordinator assists the Digital Marketing team in day to day management of marketing execution for our National Touring division.

Programmatic Campaign Manager (Townsquare Media - Boston) 

Do you have a passion for problem solving and data analysis? Do you enjoy turning advertiser objectives into measurable KPIs and implementing campaign tactics to exceed those KPIs? If you answered yes, then we want you to join our team! Townsquare Media is looking for a Programmatic Campaign Manager who will be a core member of our Audience Extension team. The role will work directly with Local Planning & Account Management as well as Ad Operations, helping to develop tactical executions that align with Local advertising goals and objectives across our 65+ markets in the US. The Programmatic Campaign Manager will translate these tactics into physical implementations across multiple Demand Side Platforms (DSPs). They will also be responsible for day to day management of campaigns as well as identifying opportunities within each campaign to improve performance and take action to improve results. The Programmatic Campaign Manager must be very familiar working within various DSP interfaces and comfortable developing creative optimization solutions to exceed benchmarks. The Audience Extension team is responsible for end to end execution of programmatic buys from education and strategic recommendations to post campaign insights. The team is fast paced, quickly growing and performance oriented. 

Digital Media Coordinator (Gupta Digital Media - Boston) 

Gupta Media is looking for a Digital Media Coordinator to join our Media team. If you’re all fired up after reading the description below and you think you have what it takes, we would love to hear from you.

Gupta Media is an agency with three specialties - media buying, creative services and technology solutions. We do our best work when all three are working in unison. Our clients include record labels like Universal Music Group, Sony Music, Disney and Warner Music Group, television networks like AXS TV, festivals like Boston Calling, The Governor’s Ball and BottleRock and brands like sweetgreen and Red Bull.

Creative Project Manager (Pandora - Oakland, CA) 

At Pandora, we're a unique collection of engineers, musicians, designers, marketers, and world-class sellers with a common goal: to enrich lives by delivering effortless personalized music enjoyment and discovery. People—the listeners, the artists, and our employees—are at the center of our mission and everything we do. Actually, employees at Pandora are a lot like the service itself: bright, eclectic, and innovative. Collaboration is the foundation of our workforce, and we’re looking for smart individuals who are self-motivated and passionate to join us. Be a part of the engine that creates the soundtrack to life. Discover your future at Pandora!

Social media content coordinator (Venerate Media Group - Tampa, FL) 

The Social Media and Content Coordinator’s primary responsibility is to help achieve our client’s digital marketing goals. Responsibilities will include managing social media accounts (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest), composing blog posts, networking with other bloggers, reporting data, and other related functions.

Licensing Coordinator (TouchTunes - NYC) 

Research copyright ownership (publishing and master rights) via internet research, rights organization search engines, and label and publisher provided documentation

Match publisher clearances to existing label and publisher licenses

Data entry of album information into company licensing and royalty systems

Track progress of releases in a Licensing tracking Queue and send weekly clearance e-mail to department

Work closely with Music Programming and Music Marketing departments to identify priorities

Manage the review and processing of Harry Fox Agency publisher data files

Contribute to related projects and support as required, including system testing and special catalog projects

Events and Communications Manager (MIT - Cambridge, MA) 

Priorities include all facets of producing concerts and theater events; managing the department’s internal and external communications; working closely with the department head, administrative officer, faculty, and other academic staff to provide oversight of all performance ensembles and programs; managing multiple competing priorities and working collaboratively with MTA and MIT colleagues, including senior leadership; overseeing budgets for all performance ensembles; managing a team of three support staff; and serving as the principal manager of Killian Hall, MTA’s 150 seat rehearsal and performance space totaling approximately 500 occurrences annually.

Social Media Specialist (Bose - Westboro, MA) 

We have an exciting new opportunity in our Social Media team. The Social Media Specialist will focus on growing Bose’s social media presence and engagement through Community Management including: monitoring platforms for brand trends/keywords; testing new social platforms; and bringing Bose into relevant social conversations through active response. The ideal candidate will work closely with other members of the Global Social Media, Marketing, Website and Creative teams to execute brand and campaign content on Bose’s social channels.

As the lead Community Manager for all Bose social accounts, the Social Media Specialist will focus on managing the Bose global social media platforms, including calendar management, posting, responding and escalating customer service inquiries as needed. A successful candidate will have a passion for seeking out social media trends, innovations and tools, and have an eye for authentic ways for Bose to join conversations. Additionally, this person will work with brand ambassadors and influencers on how Bose-related content shows up within their social accounts.

The Social Media Specialist should be curious, obsessed with delivering amazing customer experiences, organized and not afraid to test and learn across all types of emerging social media (paid and owned).

Live Events + Digital Content Producer (New York Public Radio) 

The Greene Space at WNYC and WQXR (TGS) is looking for a Live Events + Digital Content Producer to join our team.

The Greene Space is the live, public embodiment of WNYC, WQXR and WNYC Studios' shows and personalities, producing 100+ shows each season for in house and digital audiences, including discussions, debates, concerts, game shows, podcast tapings, and theatrical productions. The Live Events + Digital Content Producer role is both creative and managerial, as it involves content development, research, casting, and writing scripts, but also creating line schedules, directing rehearsals and live productions, and some administrative tasks related to event production. We are a small staff with a workload that varies greatly from day to day and throughout the course of a season. You must have relevant production experience along with excellent judgment, ability to manage competing deadlines, strong verbal and written communication skills, team spirit, and good humor. Join us if you’re quick, curious, unflappable, able to thrive in a dynamic and evolving environment, and ready to do whatever it takes because “the show must go on” – and this can include anything from making friends with rock stars to unloading the dishwasher. Previous experience in live events is strongly preferred, but flexibility and willingness to learn prized above all.

Social Media Coordinator (Viacom - NYC) 

MTV is seeking a creative and high energy Coordinator of Digital Strategy & Fan Engagement to oversee social across platforms for MTV Shows. This candidate will craft and help to create groundbreaking social content that drives awareness and engagement for a select number of shows. Collaborating with on-air production, programming, brand creative, talent and press, they will represent the team day in and day out.

Program Coordinator (Rogerson House - Boston) 

The Day Program Coordinator shall plan, implement and coordinate operation of expressive therapy programs for participants within and outside the facility. This position is responsible for producing a varied program that meets the psychosocial needs of the dementia participants, enhances self-esteem, promotes positive emotion and contributes to their overall quality of life.

Legal Director, Music (Facebook - Menlo Park, CA)

Facebook seeks an experienced music licensing lawyer with a penchant for teamwork and technology to lead its music licensing efforts within Legal. This position will partner closely with internal business counterparts in driving licensing negotiations, as well as coordinating with product, engineering, operations, finance and legal teams in support of the company’s evolving music licensing needs. In this role, you will be responsible for solving cutting-edge licensing issues on a global scale, with an opportunity to help shape the future of music use on Facebook.

Music Curator (GetRockBot - California) 

We are looking for assistance in the creation of playlists for Rockbot. We provide background music for a wide range of clients in an ever-expanding network. What we are seeking is a curator with a master knowledge of a specific genre, or genres who can work within Rockbot’s framework to deliver quality playlists of 400-500 songs that fit the desired need. Ideally, this curator has a history of success working within the assigned genre and can provide timely updates to the playlist(s) when necessary. Please send along a resumé, social links, and any pertinent info on why you fit the role of a Rockbot curator. 

Manager, Music and Media Licensing (Viacom - NYC) 

Negotiate favorable rates and secure rights for material (music & other media) as needed in programming/projects produced by various Viacom channels (including, but not limited to MTV and VH1).   Work closely and communicate regularly with Production, Production Management, Creative Music Integration, Integrated Marketing, Intellectual Property/Litigation and the Business and Legal Affairs department.   

Finalize, record, and track rights information and all aspects related to licensing, including but not limited to drafting licenses and payment processing. Function as project leader on projects and assignments.  Supervise and train team members and interns as necessary.

Marketing Associate (Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas - Austin, TX) 

Mondo is looking for a Marketing Associate to join its marketing team. The primary goal will be to manage social strategy across all key platforms with additional marketing responsibilities to execute marketing campaigns and operations. Candidates must have excellent writing and communication skills with a passion art, movies, music and pop culture

Entertainment News Reporter (Pleroma Media - NYC) 

Pleroma Media is looking for social media-savvy entertainment news writers to join its fast growing team. The writer will be working closely with a team to develop, pitch and write daily entertainment/pop culture content that will draw and engage our target audience - the millennials.

A passion for and solid knowledge of music, entertainment and pop culture, ability to spot and write engaging and viral content, and experience in using social media as a source for content as well as a tool for audience engagement, are a must.

The writer should be able to spot trends and be at the forefront of what’s new in movies, TV shows, celebrity, women's health, fashion & beauty, and lifestyle.

Manager, National Entertainment (iHeartMedia - NYC) 

iHeartMedia’s National Programming Group has a National Entertainment Manager position open within the National Entertainment + Events Team. This team produces and executes over 100+ events nationally per year, including iHeartMedia’s marquee events like the iHeartRadio Music Festival, iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina, iHeartRadio Summer Weekend, 12-city iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour, iHeartCountry Festival, and more! The team also oversees various business-to-business events including the Cannes Lions Festival, CES, UM Summit, and internal summits, dinners, presentations and conferences. The National Entertainment Manager is an integral part of this department, assisting and managing ticketing for our marquee events as well as assisting and supporting various events throughout the year.

Older posts (7+ days)

Corporate and Foundation Relations Manager (Aspen Music Festival and School)

Reporting to the Vice President for Advancement, the Corporate and Foundation Relations Manager is responsible for supporting the AMFS advancement office by overseeing all giving from organizations and institutions, including private foundations, corporations, and local businesses, as well as local, state, and federal government agencies.

Promotions Producer, Programming (NPR - Washington D.C.)

NPR Programming is hiring a full-time Promotions Producer to create content for NPR Member Stations and the growing number of platforms where NPR can be heard. The producer will create stories and campaigns that will amplify and celebrate the value and values of public media, and deepen the listening connection.

This space is ripe for reinvention and fresh thinking, and the Promotions Producer has the ability to reshape the sound of public media – one promo and one break at a time.  Creative work at NPR guided by data and best practices, and the Promotions Producer will use both, along with guidance and intelligence from a closely connected team to help maximize audience.

NPR is looking for a producer/journalist who thinks like a marketer; someone who’s deeply connected to the news, and thinks about promotion as a “news responsive” activity. If you want to wake up thinking about how to get more people to listen to All Things Considered more often, this is the gig for you. If you have promo aspirations beyond “cuts and copy,” this is the gig for you.

Event Producer And Community Catalyst (Daybreaker - Portland, OR)

As a Daybreaker Event Producer & Community Catalyst (we’ll call you a “Producer” for short), you are the face of Daybreaker in your city! That means you will be the face of Daybreaker in your city, responsible for building an engaged and passionate community, producing mind-blowing experiences, and promoting the events to relevant audiences. You will be supported by the hardworking Daybreaker HQ team, who will coach and train you to be the best Producer you can be. We’ll provide you with the skeleton of what you need to produce Daybreaker events, grow your community, and uphold the global brand. It’s up to you to bring the hustle, passion, and creative zeal to create unique and refreshing events that participants will love. You’ll be in charge of finding venues, sourcing talent and performers, cultivating a volunteer production team, coordinating with vendors and sponsors, creating local partnerships, and producing monthly events. We’ll provide marketing, communications, operations, branding, sponsorship, financing, and PR support so that you can concentrate on creating experiences that participants will never forget.

Associate Creative Director (Malka Media - Hoboken, NJ)

As an ACD you will contribute to the development of branding, marketing and social creative, drive the collaborative efforts of the project’s creative, and inspire teammates on all levels to exceed expectations. You will also be responsible for managing the client relationship and expectations for all things related to creative, verbally and visually ensuring that creative concepts are understood .

You need to be fully dedicated to your craft, with a diverse focus and varied creative style. You should love to learn, think abstractly, and be willing to push the boundaries without fear of social prejudice. We need critical thinkers, and team members that want to be a part of a family that is telling stories in every way possible, without limits of a single medium. Good creative requires awareness, knowledge of what is happening in the world today, what is relevant, and what is coming. You should be thinking ahead of the curve, leading creative changes versus accepting the norm. We want boundary pushers…. If this is you, please apply.

Director of Marketing & Communications (Merit School Of Music - Chicago, IL)

Merit School of Music seeks a highly qualified candidate for the position of Director of Marketing & Communications to begin immediately. The Director of Marketing and Communications helps direct the development and creation of all marketing strategies, marketing communications, and public relations activities, both external and internal. The Director is also responsible for managing the implementation of all Marketing and Communications efforts and achieving strategic deliverables in terms of organizational awareness and visibility.

Director, Programmatic Media, Digital Advertising (iCrossing - NYC)

We’re looking for a Director to manage a team of programmatic specialists and drive business insights for our music and entertainment platform clients. You must be highly motivated, focused yet flexible, a strong analytical thinker and able to manage data, clients and teams.

Promotions Coordinator (Cumulus Media - Columbia, MO)

Cumulus –Columbia & Jefferson City, MO, an eight station cluster, is looking for an experienced Promotions and Website Coordinator to lead and manage the promotions effort for a competitive, award-winning group of stations. Responsibilities include digital marketing, coordinating and implementing on-air and on-line promotions, and developing events in order to promote the stations’ image and presence in the community. This position requires a high degree of organizational skills, attention to detail, time management and a personal disposition that works well with creative co-workers in both programming and sales.

Executive Director, Music Administration (Sony Pictures - Culver City, CA)

Sony Pictures Entertainment is looking for a dynamic Executive Director, Music Administration.  This role reports into the EVP, Music Creative Affairs and will be based at our Culver City, CA studio headquarters.

Campaign Specialist (Pandora - Atlanta, GA)

The Campaign Specialist will partner directly with Sales Account Executives and will be responsible for working internally and externally to ensure that we execute strategically and flawlessly for our advertising partners. The right individual will be a key contributor in Pandora’s Client Services team and responsible for operational development, implementing, maintaining and enhancing these campaigns.  This position involves sales and client support, project management, execution and reporting.  

Global Brand Music Marketing Manager (Vans - Costa Mesa, CA)

In partnership with the Sr. Director of Global Brand Marketing, the Manager, Brand Marketing – Music will lead Vans’ global initiatives and strategy in music and entertainment. Responsible for driving the development, implementation and measurement of global music marketing strategies and tactics, the ideal candidate will have the ability to work with high-profile artists, musicians and managers, while acting as an internal thought leader and resource to counterparts in the region as well as global creative and product. This is a highly visible growth opportunity to build on Vans’ established foundation and roots in music.

Programmatic Campaign Manager (Townsquare Media - Cedar Rapids, IA)

Do you have a passion for problem solving and data analysis? Do you enjoy turning advertiser objectives into measurable KPIs and implementing campaign tactics to exceed those KPIs? If you answered yes, then we want you to join our team! Townsquare Media is looking for a Programmatic Campaign Manager who will be a core member of our Audience Extension team. The role will work directly with Local Planning & Account Management as well as Ad Operations, helping to develop tactical executions that align with Local advertising goals and objectives across our 65+ markets in the US. The Programmatic Campaign Manager will translate these tactics into physical implementations across multiple Demand Side Platforms (DSPs). They will also be responsible for day to day management of campaigns as well as identifying opportunities within each campaign to improve performance and take action to improve results. The Programmatic Campaign Manager must be very familiar working within various DSP interfaces and comfortable developing creative optimization solutions to exceed benchmarks. The Audience Extension team is responsible for end to end execution of programmatic buys from education and strategic recommendations to post campaign insights. The team is fast paced, quickly growing and performance oriented.

Campaign Manager, CitizenNet (Conde Nast - NYC)

CitizenNet Campaign Managers at Condé Nast drive the success of social marketing initiatives for the biggest brands in Entertainment, Publishing, CPG, and more. Effectively implement client strategy on social, and create and execute their campaigns. Learn key marketing initiatives with hands on experience from multiple verticals, and gain from experience of working at Condé Nast, one of the most renowned media companies in the world.

Promotions Director (Cumulus Media - Fayetteville, NC)

Cumulus Media’s Fayetteville, NC location is offering a great opportunity to manage the promotional side of the radio broadcasting industry as a Promotions and Marketing Director. Our ideal candidate should possess an extremely good work ethic, be a self-starter, and highly organized with the ability to work in a fast-paced office environment.

Supply Strategy Lead, Music And Theater (StubHub - NYC)

StubHub is seeking a Supply Strategy Lead, Music, Theater & Arts (North America). This person will work within the North America business operations group and cross-functionally with strategy, marketing, product & tech, and finance.

Programmatic Account Manager (Townsquare Media - NYC)

Do you consider yourself a digital media expert who understands (and loves) first class account management? If so, then we want you to join our team! Townsquare Media is looking for a Programmatic Account Manager who will be a core member of our Audience Extension Team. This person can instantly translate complicated marketing concepts into tangible (and buy-able) line items. Heavy emphasis is placed on Audience Targeting tactics and Audience Extension practices. This role is a key contributor to our expanding Local, Regional and National Digital sales efforts leveraging data, technology and strategic buying platform partners in our extended portfolio. The Account Manager reports to the Manager, Audience Extension Operations and is based here in NYC Digital Media Headquarters. The Audience Extension team is responsible for end to end execution of programmatic buys from education and strategic recommendations to post campaign insights. The team is fast paced, quickly growing and performance oriented.

Business Development Manager, Apple Media (Apple - Santa Clara Valley, CA)

Apple Music is a single, intuitive app that combines the best ways to enjoy music — all in one place. You can stream any Apple Music song, playlist or album, and download it for future offline listening. Beats 1 is Apple’s first-ever live radio station dedicated entirely to music and music culture. Apple Music is available in 115 countries around the world, on both iOS and Android platforms. Apple is seeking a dynamic self-starter to develop and manage partnerships with 3rd parties to distribute and market Apple Music, and other Apple content services.

Music Programs Manager (University of Illinois - Chicago)

Responsibilities include overseeing and implement a comprehensive communications plan for the School of Theatre & Music, events promotion, and growing the school’s public profile and recruitment. The MPM will manage the website, social media and production of all marketing materials for the school and co-manage a team of student workers for front-of-house, box office and other marketing-related duties. The MPM will run front-of-house for all public music programs and will assist in the planning, development, and execution of various public programs, including concerts, master classes, youth programs and special events.

Director of Urban Programming, Detroit Region (iHeartMedia - Farmington Hills, MI)

Leads all aspects of radio station’s on-air experience in a leadership and operations role, responsible for talent, content, programming, promotions and online presence. The right person will have incredible vision to lead both winning Detroit Urban brands and continue our dominant position in the market.

Marketing Manager, Venues and Promoters (TicketMaster - Hollywood, CA)

The Marketing Manager is accountable for driving incremental ticket sales through the creation and implementation of strategic marketing plans for his or her assigned accounts, with a heavy focus on digital media.

Manager, Subscriber Communication and Engagement (Sirius XM - NYC)

Producer of the SiriusXM e-Newsletter and subject matter expert in email marketing, specifically email campaigns that drive engagement and loyalty. Responsible for creating targeted email programs that provide relevant programming information to drive engagement. In addition to publishing the current e-newsletter, this position will be responsible for evolving this communication for the purpose of optimizing its retentive value. This includes enhancements to the publishing workflow processes, strengthening its relevance by leveraging customer data to target the right content to the right audience at the right time and further optimizing the newsletters design for both mobile and desktop presentment/engagement. Reporting to the Senior Director of Communications /CRM, this role operates at both a strategic and tactical level.