#playchoices au

[kald-dal-art]

Remember when I made ILITW/Until Dawn crossover art, fun times. So why not revisit this AU with slightly better drawing skills this time around.

Also have watched a lot of Until Dawn let’s plays lately as well so that was part of it.

[the-unconquered-queen]

All those buttons, buckles, and belts... unromanced Aerin taking serious measures to protect his virginity 🙏🏼💯

[zhoras-bitch]

If Aerin was a Love Interest in book 1

[gaiuskamilah]

"The killer was a woman who resented strength in females, who saw it as vulgar. She tried to mother the little girls, to dominate them, to turn them into her own vision. When they rejected that, struggled against that, the killer flew into an outrage. The girls had to die. Strangling is the very definition of dominance. Slow motion murder." — Gillian Flynn, Sharp Objects

sharp objects x crimes of passion because i'm obsessed with the awful mother-daughter relationships viktoria has with trystan and lydea <3 kind of related to my killer!viktoria au but can be read as canon anyway. reference + timelapse + alternate version with another thorne sibling under the cut

(it's vasili. duh)

[angelasscribbles]

Savage Love Chapter 38: Here Comes the Bride?

Series: Savage Love

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Pairings: Riley x Liam, Riley x Drake

Rating: R         

Warnings: Mature themes

Word Count: 2,169

My other stuff: Master List.

The moment we were back on Cordonian soil, and I was free of Madeleine, I texted Liam, asking for an immediate meeting.

He responded instantly. Come to my quarters. Leo is here now.

I made my way to Liam’s private suite. He was alone with his brother. He swept me into his arms, pressing me close to his body as he whispered, “I was worried about you. I’m so glad you’re back.”

I melted into his embrace for a moment before remembering that I was there to give my official report about what I’d learned in Hidar. Noting that no one else was present, I asked, “Should we wait until the entire team is assembled?”

Liam shook his head. “We can brief them later on the parts they need to know. Tell us what happened in Hidar. Was Lena there?”

“No. She wasn’t. Was she in Rivala?”

Leo looked at Liam, who nodded, then turned to me and said, “She wasn’t home, but her mother was. Her mother turns out to be my mother. My biological one, I mean.”

“Oh wow! Oh, Leo.” I crossed the room and sat on the couch next to him so that I could throw my arms around him. “That must have been so hard for you! Are you okay?”

He returned the hug quickly, then released me as he answered. “Yeah…I mean, no, not really, but yes. Liv was with me. I’ll be fine. It’s a lot to process, but the short version is that when Eleanor was alive, she let my mom see me secretly. The plan was for her to take me and Liam with her when she went back to Auvernall for Lena. Obviously, that never happened and Helena ended up adopting an alias and raising the baby herself.”

“That is a lot!” I sympathized.

“That’s not the biggest bombshell,” Liam interjected. “Turns out Constantine wasn’t the baby’s father and that’s why she ran away.”

Oh, boy. The hits just kept coming. I stood and turned to Liam, my eyes tracking across his face, looking for signs of distress. “And how are you handling that news?”

“I’m not judging her if that’s what you mean, and I don’t blame her either. Our father isn’t an easy man to love and I’m sure he wasn’t a great husband. The bigger twist is who she was having an affair with.”

My head swiveled between the two men. “Who was it?”

Leo answered. “Jackson Walker.”

“Drake’s father?”

“Yes.”

My heart dropped. “Does he know?”

Liam gave me an understanding smile as he reached out and took my hand in his. “You’re worried about him.”

“Yes, Liam. I’m worried about all of you! This is a huge shock for everyone, I’m sure, and it’s not even the biggest issue in your life at the moment.”

The biggest issue was the threat to life and limb that the Via Imperii posed. Not to mention Liam having to get up to speed on becoming king since he’d had the crown unexpectedly thrust upon him just days before.

I filled them in on everything that had happened in Hidar.

“Wow.” Leo grasped a handful of his own hair as he took in the information. “First, we find out we have a sister, then I find out she’s not my sister, and now we have a brother.”

“One that’s been weaponized against us,” Liam added.

“We can try to extract him when take them down. Give orders that he isn’t to be killed,” I offered. “Maybe he can be deprogrammed.”

“Maybe,” He replied doubtfully.

“It’s worth a try,” Leo argued. “We don’t know what he’s been told or how he feels about any of it.”

“Great.” I nodded, “I’ll make sure the team that breeches has his photograph and understands he’s to be taken alive.”

Leo raised an eyebrow. “Are we ready to breech?”

“Hopefully soon.” Getting their brother safely out of Via Imperii control added yet another layer to my resolve to take down the entire thing, not just the local branch.

“Did you learn anything else that we need to know?” Liam asked.

I shook my head.

“Well, I have news. While you were gone, I received the same invitation to join the Via Imperii that Leo received.”

“I don’t suppose you’d be open to playing along by accepting the invitation and pretending to—”

“Absolutely not.”

I suppressed a sigh of frustration. “You are expected to pick a bride at the end of the week!”

My time was running out.

“That seems unreasonable given that I just took over the role of crown prince less than a week ago.”

“About that.” Leo interrupted. “I’ve met with father and we agreed to a course of action. I’ll be officially announcing my pick and my abdication at the same time. So technically, the goal of me finding a wife will be satisfied, so hopefully the suitors won’t feel they have wasted their time.”

“Oh, that’s brilliant!” I nodded my approval. “Announce your choice first, so that the suitors and their families don’t feel tricked, and then announce that you’re stepping down so that the Via Imperii don’t see your choice as a threat.”

“That’s great!” Liam’s face brightened. “Then I can just wait until next year to pick a wife!”

“Yeah…. sorry, but I pitched that idea to dear old Dad, and he insisted that you choose someone now.”

“But—”

Sympathy passed across Leo’s face. “I get it. But I also agree that it needs to happen now.”

“Why?”

“Because you have to be engaged to ascend the throne and let’s face it…. Our father is getting worse by the day. He needs to retire. This morning he was sharp as a tack, but by lunchtime he thought I was Uncle Fabian.”

Liam uttered a string of swear words that I would have sworn he didn’t know.

“I know. And I’m sorry. If I hadn’t dropped this in your lap—”

“What? No!” Liam shook his head adamantly. “Your hand was forced, Leo. It’s fine. I don’t mind picking up the crown. It’s just the marriage part…” he trailed off as his eyes found mine.

The desperation in his eyes killed me a little. He had to marry, there was no choice about that. The only choice was who. He didn’t want to marry someone he wasn’t in love with.

He was in love with me.

That thought sent warmth cascading through me. It wasn’t the time to think about that, though. “What about just pretending to pick Madeleine? You can always break the engagement after we take down the—”

“That won’t work.” Liam shook his head. “A marriage contract must be signed at the conclusion of the selection ceremony. I would need cause to break it.”

“Proof that she’s a member of an organization trying to take over the government ought to do it, right?”

“The wedding is two weeks after the engagement,” Leo broke in. “If you don’t take them down quickly enough, then she will be queen, with access to classified information and places inside the palace. We can’t risk it.”

Liam stepped closer to me and took my hand in his as his eyes searched my face. “Does the idea of me marrying someone else do nothing to you, Riley?”

“I….” I had no easy answer for him, or for myself. I had no issue with him getting fake engaged to Madeleine for the purpose of taking down the bad guys. Hell, I’d accepted a proposal or two in the course of my career. But the idea of him actually marrying someone…. anyone…. bothered me far more than I was willing to admit.

My personal feelings aside, choosing any of the other suitors was going to get him killed. I stared into his eyes as all the available options fell through my mind. The thought of him being hurt…. Or worse... sent all my professionalism flying out the window.

“Of course I don’t want to see you marry someone else,” I said softly before snapping back into work mode and stepping away from him. “And there’s the added wrinkle that if you choose anyone that the Via Imperii doesn’t approve of, her life will be in danger. Not to mention yours.”

“I’m open to ideas.” His voice was suspiciously devoid of emotion.

There was only one answer, and we both knew it.

“Choose me.”

A storm of emotions chased each other across his face. “I want to, Riley but I can’t ask you to—”

“You’re not asking. It was my idea.”

“Yes. However, I know that you don’t actually want to get married.”

Leo stood from the couch. “I should go. Let you two sort this out.” He stopped on his way to the door to lean in and whisper to me, “Don’t let your intractable stubbornness get in the way of your happiness, double oh seven. Tell him how you feel.”

Once we were alone, we turned to each other, the air around us laden with emotion. “I can’t choose you, Riley.”

“Yes, Liam, you can!”

A sad smile flittered across his face. “I’ve made no secret of my feelings nor my intentions. I would marry you tomorrow if that’s what you wanted.”

“It is what I want.”

He shook his head. “As I said, you would be expected to sign an iron clad marriage contract upon acceptance of the engagement. One you would not be able to break later. Agreeing to marry to take down the Via Imperii will not constitute adequate cause to terminate the contract, as you will have entered into it knowingly and willingly, no matter your motives.”

I stepped closer to him as my heart began to thud in my chest. My eyes locked on his, drinking in all the longing and desperation that I found there. “I understand that.”

Hope flashed through his eyes. “You’d have to actually marry me.”

“I know.”

He stepped into my personal space, his eyes searching mine. “You’re prepared to spend the rest of your life with me?”

I shrugged, trying for a nonchalance that I did not feel. “Unless we can take them down in the next six days.”

“Is there any chance of that happening?”

“To be honest, we could take down the Cordonian branch right now.”

“But?”

I traced my fingers down his face and across his lips, my eyes taking in his hopeful expression.

His hand reached out to grasp mine. Bringing my fingers to his lips, he kissed each one individually.

My voice was thick as I whispered, “They’ll just come back. New people will take their place and you’ll never be safe.” I cleared my throat and forced a smidge of professionalism into my voice. “We have to cut off the head.”

It was the only way to keep him safe long term. It might take the Via Imperii months to years to regroup and set up a new branch in Cordonia, but regroup they would and Liam would be their first target.

His eyes lit up with delight. “You’re worried about me.”

“Of course I am.” Pulling my hand out of his grasp, I scoffed. “I’d be an idiot not to recognize the danger. Not only will they want to realize their original ends, but they’ll be out for vengeance on the monarch that helped take them down.”

“Do you always worry about the long term repercussions of your missions? Or do you usually just complete the assignment and get out?”

I stared at him in consternation. I didn’t want to answer that because the truth was that I never worried about what happened after I left. I took down my target. Cleaning up the aftermath was someone else’s job. Leo’s words echoed through my head, and I suppressed the smile that fought to bloom across my face. With a shake of my head, I lost the fight. “You’re incorrigible, you know that? I see what you’re doing.”

“What?” He grinned as he reached for me and pulled me back into his embrace. “Tell me you’re not acting illogically because you love me.”

“Shut up,” I breathed as my head fell back, giving him access to my neck and anything else he wanted.

He was right, but I wasn’t ready to say it out loud. I couldn’t.

Maybe it was a toxic trait. Maybe it was a self protection mechanism. Maybe I was just bad at relationships. Or maybe it was my equally strong feelings for his best friend that kept those three little words off the tip of my tongue.

Spoken out loud or not, my feelings…. And yes, it was time to admit that I had them…. My feelings for him were driving my decisions, not my professional ambition or my years of experience as a field agent. Leaving him vulnerable to assassination was simply not an option for me.

I would do whatever I had to do to ensure his safety, and I didn’t care about the cost.

[kristinamae093]

Ghosted

Ghosted - Two Steps Back (Chapter Ten)

Series Summary - Prince Liam fell for Riley Brooks hard and fast. A marriage filled with love and devotion was within his reach. But everything changed when she vanished just before the end of the social season. As everyone voices their concerns regarding her scandalous departure, a confession from an unlikely source turns Liam's world upside down and makes him question everything around him.

Book/Pairing - TRR - Liam x MC (Riley Brooks)

A/N 1 - This AU starts right before the beginning of the engagement tour. There is a two-month lapse between the coronation and where we pick up, but we will stray from canon. Please excuse any errors found.

Characters belong to Pixelberry.

After the Regatta

Penelope hobbled to her room on a sore foot and a painfully bruised ego. This wasn’t going as expected; advisors told her toward the beginning of the season she might stand a chance, but after only the first few events, they hastily changed their tone. Between Madeleine, Riley, and Olivia, they knew Penelope would not be the new king’s choice.  

Regardless, Penelope was enjoying her time away. The friends she’d made were irreplaceable; she and Kiara formed an everlasting bond. Even Riley was incredibly friendly, despite her commoner status. Penelope was rooting for Riley to win it all because she was genuinely a nice person, and Penelope was looking forward to what Cordonia could look like with her as queen. 

Penelope approached her door whilst humming to herself. The day was long, and she was relieved to be in the comfortable solace of her own space. She planned on calling her parents for their daily video chat, and to get some doggy face time to tide her over while away. Her anxiety was through the roof without having them close, but the friendships she’d made were a momentary distraction. She was glad the ladies were nice enough; otherwise, this experience would’ve been a nightmare. 

Penelope entered and made a bee-line for the bathroom. She did her business, washed her hands, and bounced her way over to the dresser to get more comfortable for the evening. Just as she opened the drawer, a stern knock sounded on her door. Penelope scrunched her face; she was expecting no visitors but thought perhaps Kiara wanted to hang out. 

As Penelope opened the structure, a thunderous force shoved through her and entered, slamming the door shut. Penelope stumbled backward but caught her footing. She could only stare at the person in front of her as panic flourished through her body. She didn't recognize them, but the death glare plastered on their face told her that notion was not applied on both ends. Her instinct told her to scream for help, but the visitor addressed her before she was given the chance.

They spoke in a low, raspy voice. “Have a seat, Lady Penelope. We have a lot to discuss.” 

��W–who are you?” 

“You need not worry about who I am, only what I know.” 

“What do you mean?” 

The person clasped their hands behind their back and stalked around Penelope; like a vulture circles its prey. “Everyone around you thinks you're the sweet, poodle-obsessed Penny, but I see otherwise. I know all about you… The things you’ve done… What your daddy tries his damndest to hide…” 

Penelope’s already increasing heart rate spiked. “I don’t understand.” 

“Of course you don’t. It’s alright, I wouldn’t want anyone to know, either.” They dismissively shrugged.

“Know what?” 

The person snickered at her attempts to deflect, but they could see the panic rising in her eyes. “It’s quite a common expression — young and dumb. But, when you’re in the nobility, there are no secrets unless you know the right people.” 

Penelope thickly swallowed. “I don’t – I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

“Really? So, then you’ve never been — joined in holy matrimony, right?”

Penelope’s eyes widened. “I–” 

“Enough with your attempts to feign confusion; that will only prolong this process and I am not in the mood to play games. I know of your estranged marriage; how your father pays plenty of hush money per month to keep his mouth shut. I imagine it would be fairly difficult to talk yourself out of that situation if the press were to catch wind; considering Portavira continuously requests the Crown’s compensation. And I do believe the monarch would not be happy to learn your family has developed a slush fund, either.” 

The intruder gave Penelope a wicked smile and added, “Not to mention the — fatality that was caught amid your poor life choices…”

Penelope visibly tensed. “That’s not – I didn’t–” she stammered before snapping her mouth closed; her flustered state prohibited her from forming an argument.

“It’s a matter of opinion, I suppose. Regardless, I attained the records from your procedure.” They waved a piece of paper in Penelope’s face, and recognition swept over her instantly. She released a shuddered breath as the document came to a stop, her tearful eyes centering on the text. 

Despite Penelope’s panicked state, the aggressor continued, “Tell me, do your parents know of your aborted fetus? I mean, I saw you on security cameras entering the clinic alone. It was smart of you to use a fake name, but unfortunately, that was not enough to cover up your mistakes.” 

Penelope never answered, but the assailant watched her swallow thickly with shame etched in her features. She couldn’t fathom how this stranger had found her deepest secrets that she was certain would never see the light of day. 

Penelope found out she was pregnant the day after her annulment was discreetly settled. Terrified wasn’t a strong enough word to describe how she felt, as she stared down at the positive test; she went to the clinic in disguise to find out about her options and decided abortion would be the best solution. Being only nineteen years old, Penelope was practically a child herself and didn’t believe she was at a point to care for a baby like they deserved. And she was alone; when she dreamt of this moment, it happened completely differently in her head. She longed for the fairytale love, where they would start a family together; not single and inevitably disgraced.

Her parents didn’t know, she was too afraid to tell them — especially after her father agreed to pay a continuous hefty fee for Guy’s silence. Penelope was always well-behaved; the perfect trophy daughter. The look of pure disappointment held in their eyes when they found out about her marriage haunted her; she never wanted to do anything out of line again. All Penelope desired was to move on from her mistake, but life had other plans.

Panicked and ashamed, Penelope made the impossible decision alone, not wanting anyone to know of the stupid decisions that led her there. Her fear and guilt only increased after the procedure, but she grieved what could have been and pushed it into the deepest pit of her mind.

She never told a soul – nobody knew – or so she thought.

“All it would take is a small whisper to the press and it would destroy not only you, but your fraudulent parents as well…” 

Penelope gasped as her tears freely flowed. “No! P–please, don’t!” 

The person laughed; the sound sending an involuntary chill down Penelope’s spine. They stalked forward until her back hit the wall and they breathed over her. Penelope squeezed her eyes closed, but felt them draw nearer. The tangy scent of alcohol mixed with cigar smoke filled her nostrils, as they whispered in her ear, “If you want my silence, you’re going to have to earn it.” 

Penelope’s eyes shot open as she frantically nodded her head. “Okay, j–just tell me what you need, and I’ll do it.” 

“I knew you’d see reason,” the unknown presence spoke while taking a small step away. They produced an envelope from their jacket and handed it to her. 

Penelope opened it and started skimming over the information; it was an email address with a set of instructions and a few other notes. She didn’t understand what it all meant; the main thing that stuck out was the location of where they wanted the photographer to be. 

“Why are they going to be outside Riley’s room?” 

“The less you know, the better.” They once again reached into their jacket, this time pulling out a small vial and handing it to her. “You need to give this to her beforehand. I do not care how it happens, just make sure it gets in her system; the earlier, the better.” 

“W–what is this? Is this a drug?” Penelope stammered as she stared down at the bottle in her trembling hands. 

The person smiled; a dark, wicked smile. “You don’t need to worry about that; just make sure she ingests it at an early enough hour.”

Tears once again streamed down Penelope’s cheeks as she frantically shook her head and tried to hand the items back. “N–no. I can’t do that, and I won’t. I would rather disgrace myself than–”

“You’re going to do it.”  

Penelope stood a little taller and yelled, “No, I won’t! I–”

Penelope received a sudden, sharp backhand to her cheek. She fell to the floor cradling her face but was soon flipped over onto her back, her aggressor pinning her to the ground. She opened her mouth to scream, but quickly closed it as she saw the gleam of a blade in the light right in front of her face. 

“Make a sound and I’ll kill you right here, right now.” The attacker moved the knife to hover over Penelope’s throat, applying just enough pressure to keep her subdued. “You have two options — you either comply and do as you’re told, or this is where your life will end. If you refuse to cooperate, you already know too much, and I will ensure you don’t live to tell the tale personally. But I won’t stop there, no – I’ll ruin your parents as well; the entire world will know what a fraud you and your family are.” 

“No… P–please. I – I can’t – I –” Penelope frantically stammered, trying to develop a coherent sentence. 

“You can, and you will. Otherwise,” they leaned forward, close enough to touch noses with Penelope. “I’ll dig your grave myself and throw those mangy mutts in with you after. Perhaps we can make it a family affair and shove your parents inside, too. After all, being exposed to the world and losing their only disappointment of a child would leave them with nothing left to live for; especially once they know of your treacherous sins.” They sat back with a vile chortle, letting the words linger.

Penelope cried harder, her breathing rapid and erratic as her panic boiled over. She opened her mouth to shout for help despite the blade at her throat, but a firm hand abruptly pressed against her lips. “I think I’m being very understanding, actually. I could just end you and move on to the next useless suitor, but I’m allowing you to make the correct choice; to answer the call of service for your country. That commoner has no business being here; you know it, I know it, everyone knows it! We have to deal with her!” 

After a tense moment of silence, her intruder grew restless. They rolled their eyes and huffed, “You’re running out of time. I’ll gift you ten seconds; agree, or...” The blade on Penelope’s throat suddenly held more force; hard enough she could feel her skin being lightly pierced. “I don’t think I really need to finish that sentence, do I?”

Penelope subtly nodded her head, afraid to move too much. Although she didn’t want to betray Riley in that way, she saw no other way out. Not only was her own life being threatened, but her parents as well; she was not willing to let them die because of her secrets they knew nothing about.

Her attacker soon chortled and sat up. “I had a feeling you would see it my way.” They patted her cheek, hard, before they stood and adjusted their clothing.

The intruder walked to the door and turned back around to address a whimpering Penelope. “As a reward for your service, I will make you a lady-in-waiting for the soon-to-be queen. I’d suggest you take the position and use discretion whenever necessary from here on out. If you do anything to compromise this operation, you will be sorry. Am I clear?“

The following afternoon, Olivia met with Liam, Leo, and Ray as they discussed the events of the night prior. The court just arrived in Portavira, although there was a break in events until the polo match in a few days. They gathered in Olivia’s room, as that’s where Ray set up his equipment and continuously ensured the area remained free of compromises. 

Olivia told them about Penelope’s involvement, and Liam was certain Olivia was lying or playing some kind of sick joke. However, after seeing the proof himself, he knew it had to be true. He wasn’t close with Penelope by any means, but still felt betrayed. Riley was kind and warm to those around her, not a malicious bone in her body; what made Penelope want to get rid of her?

“We have to question her. I can’t be sure, but she might know we’re onto her. The look in her eyes –” Olivia shook her head with a heavy sigh. ”– I can’t explain it, but I don’t like it.”  

“I agree,” Leo interjected. “We need to know why she did it, man, because this makes absolutely no sense. I mean, Penelope – of all people? Did she accidentally eat some dog food or something, and it made her go kookoo?” 

Despite his overflowing anxiety, Liam laughed. “I really don't know. But we’re not all going to question her. I think it’s best if myself and Leo did this, so we don’t overwhelm her.” He spoke to the entire group. 

“Are you… okay to do that?” Leo tentatively asked. “I can take Olivia — or hell, even Maxwell or Drake, if you don’t think you can keep your cool. We can’t really risk her shutting down and withholding anything important...” 

Liam remained silent for a long moment. Honestly, he didn’t know if he could control himself. The selfish side of him wanted to confront Penelope face-to-face and demand answers. However, he knew he was teetering on a dangerous ledge, and her confession could provoke several different reactions. 

He didn’t remember the last time he’d slept or ate a full meal. Days were molding together, and he had no sense of time unless it pertained to the tour. Liam was simply muttering through, doing the dutiful checklist a monarch should on the daily and trying his hardest to stay afloat; even though in all reality, he felt like he was drowning in a sea of uncertainty. No amount of training could prepare him for something like this; he was simply in limbo until one of the many open ends finally led them to something of importance. As the King he held mighty authority; yet, he’d never felt so powerless. Every second of not knowing something was torture; he just wanted to see Riley with his own two eyes. 

“I… don’t think I can, actually. If you wouldn’t mind questioning her, I would very much appreciate it, Leo.” 

Leo patted Liam on the back with a reassuring smile. “No problem. Care to accompany me, Livvie?” 

“I suppose if we want some kind of answer, I’ll have to, won’t I?” Olivia smirked. 

“Are we doing this now, or?” 

“Yes. The sooner, the better.” 

“And we’re certain she’s here?” Liam asked. 

“She was out earlier with her dogs,” Olivia answered with an eye roll. 

Liam nodded as he rubbed his palms together. “This is a decent plan. I have a good feeling about this, guys.” 

For the first time since he opened his eyes to the truth about the narrative against Riley, Liam felt like this could take them somewhere relevant. This was a solid lead and although he knew it probably wouldn’t provide him with all the answers he was seeking, it was a damn good start. 

Liam spoke again, “Any other updates?” 

“I received the diagnostic report on Lady Riley’s dress on the way here." Ray explained. "The blood was mostly Riley’s, but traces from Tariq were present as well. There were a few hairs and skin cells noted, but the DNA only registers those two.”

“Oh… okay…” Liam quietly responded. He hoped deep down the mess was from someone else, but immediately felt foolish to let himself believe such a thing. Hearing it confirmed out loud made his stomach burn with anxiety; this is what he blinded himself to, this is what he ignored. The overwhelming guilt Liam was fighting momentarily took his breath away. 

“Otherwise, there are no new leads.” Ray briefly met eyes with Olivia, the both of them having a silent conversation; unbeknownst to Liam. It wasn’t technically a lie, but not the entire truth. Ray found something — interesting, but Olivia decided now was not the time to bring it up to Liam, at least until after they learned what exactly Penelope knew. “Where Tariq is concerned, I’ve hit a complete brick wall; there’s absolutely nothing.” 

“Nothing?” 

Ray shook his head. “Not a trace. His accounts show no transactions, and his family has not heard from him in months. I’ve checked every mode of transportation available to leave the country and he wasn’t on any of their databases.” 

“How is that even possible? There has to be something, somewhere. Seriously – Tariq has the IQ of a fucking peanut.” Leo interjected. 

“It could be a collection of reasons,” Ray answered. He suddenly stopped typing on his keyboard and took in everyone’s curious expressions. “Either he’s just incredibly clever and has an immaculate ability to cover his tracks, has hired someone to do that for him, or…” 

“He’s dead…” Liam quietly inserted, just above a whisper. His palms started trembling in his lap, and the only thing he could feel was his heart erratically thumping.

The deeper this web went, the further Liam felt himself slipping from reality. All he wanted was a sign, a concrete clue, anything to put him one step closer to finding Riley. The longer that time passed, the more he believed there was a grim reason they couldn’t find them. Just when the light at the end shined brighter, Liam was suddenly drug further down into the abyss of questions, making him doubt everything. 

“We can’t confirm that right now, Your Majesty. I’ve searched hospital records and there are no reports of him checking in at any of them and nothing solid to point to that conclusion. There are a lot of open ends regarding his whereabouts, but I have a couple more places to look before we should start truly discussing that possibility.” 

“Right…” Liam quietly responded as his mind raced. If Tariq’s DNA was on her dress, does that mean he’s the one who injured her? They already knew he was close to Riley; the pictures obviously showcased them together, but was Tariq responsible for attacking her, too? Those thoughts created a storm of rage he’d never felt before; just when he thought the fire had sizzled out, another splash of gasoline was poured onto the diminishing coals. Liam may not have felt a lot of hope, but he sure as hell felt the rage consuming his entire being. 

Leo noticed Liam's forelorn expression and reassuringly gripped his shoulder. “Don’t worry, man. We’re going to get an answer — soon.”

A short while later, Olivia, Leo, and ‘Harold’ walked the halls of the Portavirian estate, searching for Penelope’s room. Liam opted to have a drink with Drake instead of being alone, as his already overflowing anxiety seemed to increase with every passing second. 

They rounded the corner and Olivia tapped on Penelope’s door, but received near silence; muffled barks rang out beyond the structure, although seemingly at a distance. After a few moments, she stepped forward and repeated the process, but again, no answer. Leo knocked a few times a little louder, but heard nothing — aside from the dogs. He reached for the handle and tried to turn it, just to see, only to find it locked.

“What should we do?” Leo asked Olivia. 

Olivia tapped her index finger against her chin. “I don’t know…” She furrowed her brow and stared at the door in front of her. “The poodles are inside, so she shouldn’t be far… Maybe we search around and see if we spot her anywhere? It’s still relatively early; she could have stepped out for a moment.” 

Leo and Ray both agreed, and the trio began their trek. They started outside by the pool and checked the lounge area, but Penelope wasn't located anywhere. They searched nearly every floor, even the roof, but found no signs of her. Everyone else was already in their room for the night, the estate nearly deserted as they scoured the abandoned hallways. After a while, everyone agreed to take their chances and return to Penelope’s door, as a good hour passed since they last attempted. 

A voice called out to them as they made their way up the grand staircase. They turned around to see Landon making his way to them with a grin on his face. “Good evening, Your Majesty, Duchess, a pleasure to see you both. Are the two of you just strolling, or have you been out on the town?” He chuckled with a playful side eye directed at Leo. 

“You know me,” Leo smirked, “but actually, we’ve been looking for your daughter.” 

Landon’s smile faded, instead replaced with a perplexed expression. “What do you need from Penelope?”

Leo and Olivia shared a hesitant look. “Actually, it’s confidential… Do you know where she is?” 

“She said she was retiring to her room earlier.” 

Olivia spoke next. “We checked there. We checked everywhere and we have no clue where she’s at.” 

“Perhaps she’s already in slumber; she is quite the heavy sleeper. How about I come with you? I was headed there anyway, as she was acting fairly strange earlier.” 

“Strange how?” Leo asked. 

“She kept hugging her mother and me, and told us how much she loved us. She just seemed — sad, as if she would burst into tears at any moment. And she asked me to ensure Merlin and Morgana get plenty of treats.” Landon furrowed his brows and shook his head. “I asked her what she meant, and she just gave me another hug. Emmaline thinks she’s getting ready for her time of the month, which is why I came prepared.” He held up a wad of chocolate bars and laughed.

“I take it Merlin and Morgana are the poodles?”

“Oh, yes. They’re practically her children. It’s been hard on her to leave them at home, but she’s done fairly well. The unexpected route changes actually ended up being very beneficial to her, since she gets to be with them for a few days. I’m certain she’s going to have a hard time leaving again, but I know she appreciates getting to see them. When it was time to leave for the engagement tour, she was practically inconsolable; she didn’t want to leave, to the point we weren’t sure she would attend at all.” 

“So, she didn’t want to return, then?” Olivia inquired, hanging on his every word. 

Landon sighed and looked away. “I don’t believe so, no. But we made sure she knew how much of a tremendous opportunity this was for her. She was incredibly reluctant, but finally agreed. In all honesty, I think most of her reservations were regarding the fact that she was going so far away. Penelope is a very timid girl; she doesn’t particularly enjoy the crowds or being away from home. I’m confident staying in Cordonia where things are a little more familiar will turn things around for her; perhaps she will enjoy herself a bit.” 

“Right…” Olivia trailed off, as her mind swirled around these new little bits of information. She questioned if Penelope's reluctance to come back had to do with Riley's disappearance. The haunting look in Penelope’s eyes as that cab drove away told Olivia she could be correct. 

“Lead the way, then,” Leo inserted with a forced smile, as uneasiness crept into the pit of his stomach. The hair on the back of his neck suddenly stood at attention, an involuntary shudder traveling through his body; he shook it off and politely smiled at Landon, who returned the gesture before starting the journey.

Everyone strolled through the halls together and within a short time, they were nearing Penelope’s room once again. Leo and Landon made small talk along the way, but Olivia didn’t listen most of the time. A bad feeling rapidly grew as they walked; why, she wasn’t sure, but it was becoming impossible to ignore. As they got closer, the air suddenly felt cold, raising goosebumps on her skin and sending a shiver down her spine. The hallway had an eerie aura to it that was beyond explanation; judging from the cautious expressions of everyone around, Olivia knew her feelings were not in her head. Landon appeared to be the only one who didn’t notice the atmosphere shift, although he hadn’t stopped talking long enough to take in the environment. 

Just as they were about to arrive, they heard muffled voices speaking not far away. Olivia furrowed her brows and started walking faster, practically running, with Ray and Leo not far behind. 

She came to an abrupt stop as she saw a litter of guards standing outside of Penelope’s room; dressed in full riot gear with what she assumed to be loaded assault rifles, all appearing to be awaiting instructions. Standing toward the back of the mass of people was Liam, who was speaking with Bastien in hushed tones. She could tell even from afar he was talking sternly; his angry demeanor instantly drew Olivia to him. Drake lingered close-by, wearing an expression of pure confusion.

Olivia approached them and inquired, “What’s going on?” 

“There you are. I’ve been looking all over for you,” Liam replied. “Did you question Penelope?”

“We were looking for her, that’s why we’re here, now.”

“But you didn’t find her?” Liam snapped, not even trying to hide the annoyance in his tone. 

“Not yet…” Leo answered as he took in Liam’s tense shoulders and ticking jaw. “Liam, what is going on?” 

Before Liam could respond, Landon interjected himself. “What is the meaning of this?!” 

Liam took a deep breath to calm himself and spoke in a calm, yet authoritative voice. “Duke Landon, I understand this may be hard for you to hear, but we have to take Penelope into custody.”

“Custody?! On what grounds?!” Landon hollered. 

Liam swallowed down the ball of anger and agitation lodged in his throat and spoke in a flat voice. “She is the prime suspect in the murder of Rhonda Floros.” Everyone’s eyes widened as their jaws hit the floor. “We will investigate further, but she has to be detained until we can–” 

“I – what?! You have no proof! This – this is an injustice!” Landon yelled as he frantically paced in front of Penelope’s door. 

Leo hesitantly spoke in a hushed manner. “Li, all we knew about was the photographer. How can you jump to that conclusion?” 

“The forensics came back and Penelope’s prints were all over the murder weapon. Her DNA was on everything else as well, but I’m focused on that knife.”

“Impossible! There has to be some kind of mistake!” Landon pleaded. 

“I’m sorry Landon, but the forensics does not lie,” Liam replied with a sad smile. “Trust me, I don’t want to believe she could have done something like this and I intend to figure it out, but we have to locate her first!"

Landon quickly stepped toward Penelope’s room and pulled a set of keys from his pocket. “She is in here — I know she is; she’s sleeping. I’ll wake her up and we can figure out this mess together, because I know for certain she is innocent.” He spoke as he unlocked the door and turned the handle. He entered and flipped the switch on the wall, the area becoming illuminated. 

Liam motioned for the guards to stay outside and followed closely behind. Olivia entered next, followed by Ray. However, a stern hand on Ray’s chest halted him in the doorway. 

“You are unauthorized personnel,” Bastien snapped.  

Liam quickly intervened. “No, he’s not.” 

“Your Majesty, with all due respect, I entered his credentials myself. I know for a fact what clearances he has and doesn’t.” 

Liam stepped up to Bastien with narrowed eyes. “Poof.” He snapped his fingers. “I just gave him access. Now, step aside.” He growled through clenched teeth, the vein in his neck profusely popping out.  

To be honest, Liam was stalling until he found Ray and Olivia; the three of them were going to question Penelope together. His earlier worries about keeping his cool were well out the window; now he was simply confused. Why did she hire the photographer? Did she really kill that maid? Did Penelope know they had spoken to her? Every piece of random evidence found had Penelope’s DNA – and only hers – on it in some fashion. Although the legitimacy of the scene was still in question, her fingerprints on the murder weapon were more than enough to detain her for questioning. 

Bastien never once took his eyes off Ray during the entire interaction. Ray observed Bastien's face crack slightly and saw him swallow and clench his jaw when Liam commanded him to stop. He finally moved his hand to allow Ray entrance, but held his intent gaze for just a moment too long. Olivia watched and noted how she wasn’t stopped, nor Drake or Leo — only Ray. She couldn’t help but wonder why Bastien didn’t want him specifically there. 

Liam glanced around as he entered and saw no signs of Penelope and nothing raising any kind of alarm. He’d never been inside this room before, but to the naked eye, not a thing was out of place. However, Liam couldn’t deny the sudden chill he felt as he stepped over the threshold. His skin instantly clammed up, and his heart rate increased substantially with every tense second that passed. 

Everyone else followed behind and did the same, but Landon circled the room while frantically calling Penelope’s name, only to get no response. He ducked into the bathroom to check there, but saw no traces of his daughter. Everything appeared just as it was earlier that morning when he personally prepared everything for Penelope’s arrival.

“This doesn’t make sense,” Landon huffed as he reemerged. “She said she was coming to bed. Where else would she go? Should we contact Lady Kiara? They had grown quite close.”

Liam sighed and ran a hand down his face. “Bastien, send someone to Lady Kiara’s room to check.” His patience with this situation was dissipating. An answer was right there dangling in front of his face; he could practically taste it. Even if he had to turn the entire continent upside down, Liam was going to find Penelope and make her answer for her part in this mess — whatever that could have been. 

“Yes, sir.”

Olivia glanced at the dresser and saw a jewelry box. Something on top of it quickly caught her attention; it was a piece of paper neatly folded with the words read me written on it in red ink. Her breaths immediately stopped as she stared at it for a long moment. Goosebumps raised on her skin as she realized the penmanship was strikingly familiar.  

She slowly reached out and brought it closer; Ray noticed and came to stand beside her to see what she had found. Liam and Landon continued to speak on the other side of the room, completely unaware of their discovery. Olivia carefully unfolded the sheet and quickly scanned over the contents. As she started reading, the color suddenly drained from her face, her hands trembling, and even tears were forming in the corners of her eyes. Her mind instantly started spiraling, trying to decipher what this meant.

Olivia and Ray stood gawking at the paper in a trance for an unidentified amount of time. The sound of Landon’s thunderous voice suddenly brought both out of their dazes. “This is absurd! She did nothing wrong!” 

“I understand your frustrations but as I said before, the forensics does not lie,” Liam answered in the calmest tone he could muster. “I have questions about all of this, Landon! But one way or another her DNA was littered–”

“Bullshit! Run the tests again! Something is going on here!” 

Liam winced at Landon’s volume, but shook it off and stood to his full height. “Duke Ebrim, you’d do well to remember who you’re speaking to and watch your tone. While I understand why you’re upset, I’m only here to figure this out. If you want to clear her name, help us find her so we can speak to her!” 

Landon frantically looked throughout the room, desperately trying to make sense of what was happening. At that moment, they heard a bark, followed by another softer cry; everyone suddenly stilled and an eerie silence took over, as they glanced at one another with furrowed brows. It sounded undeniably close, but there were obviously no dogs in the area. The silence in the air was deafening, but then it happened again and Landon finally pinpointed the location — the closet. It would make sense; Penelope heard the commotion and retreated in there with her poodles to hide because she was afraid. 

Landon made a bee-line for the door and wildly swung it open. He took a step back and two fluffy dogs slowly came out with their heads down, causing Landon to take a few steps back; they laid at Landon’s feet and whimpered. 

“What is it, Merlie?” Landon asked as he rubbed one of the dogs’ heads, their howls intensifying. 

The room’s air suddenly felt incredibly thick at the interaction. Liam felt physically sick to his stomach as recognition swept over him from head to toe — something was waiting for them in that closet. His hands shook at his sides, his breathing shaky and uneven as he stared into the dark, open doorway. 

Landon stepped over the poodles, who went and lay on the bed, but continued whining. As he entered, he ran a hand along the wall until he found the switch. The small area came to light, and his worst nightmare suddenly became reality right in front of his face. 

“NO!” Landon wailed at an ear-piercing volume as he dropped to his knees near the doorway. 

“What’s wrong?” Liam sought, but Landon broke into a fit of sobs and crumpled to the floor. 

Liam swallowed thickly and took a couple of cautious steps forward. Olivia suddenly appeared and tried to redirect him, but Liam was steadfast; whatever it was, he needed to see it for himself. As he got closer, he could see a chair lying on its side. His eyesight started on the floor and slowly traveled upward. He hadn’t made it very far before the color drained from his face with sweat immediately beading his brow at seeing a pair of dainty feet dangling in the air; one heel on, the other nowhere to be seen. 

Liam looked away but with a shuddered breath followed the body back up to the face, and sure enough, it was Penelope.

Landon suddenly shoved Liam out of the way. “MOVE!” He rushed over and held Penelope’s lifeless form, lifting her easily with one hand; the other quickly moving to remove the belt from around her severely bruised neck. Her limp body dropped into his arms and he cradled her to his chest as he rocked back and forth, making cries that would haunt Liam until the day he died. 

Liam regained his footing but remained cemented in place. This was it; this was their big break, but they only received more unanswered questions. Hopelessness flourished, as he saw no other solutions in sight. He felt like a mouse, mindlessly running through a maze just trying to reach the end for the reward. Penelope's testimony was that reward, but instead of finding the end of the maze, he encountered a sudden, abrupt wall.

Regardless of their actions, they faced a grim reality where a devastating setback countered every advance they made; one step forward, only to be met with two deadly steps back.

Liam suddenly couldn’t breathe; his lungs felt like fire with every rapid, hollow breath. The room started spinning, his vision hazing at a rapid rate. His heart pounded mercilessly, the sound overpowering Landon’s continuous wails filling the room. His hands flew to his chest and he stumbled backward, Leo and Drake quickly moving to catch him before he hit the floor. 

They lowered him to the ground and sat over him as Liam’s vision slowly faded out, their faces disintegrating into a pixelated, blurry image. He blinked his eyes a few times to regain himself, but found the rapidly spinning room made him nauseous. He felt Leo lightly tapping his cheeks, but when he tried to open his mouth, only an anguished cry escaped. 

Liam stared at the ceiling until the bright lights suddenly dimmed. His eyelids grew incredibly heavy until he succumbed to the weight of the world forcing them down. Darkness consumed him as he slipped into unconsciousness, a still silence overcoming his being. 

"Goddamn it," Leo grumbled to himself, as he watched Liam’s body relax. "Get a fucking ambulance! Now!" He hollered over his shoulder before his teary vision centered on his brother again. "Cummon, Li..."

Tags (if you'd like to be added or removed, please let me know): @choicesficwriterscreations @ao719 @txemrn @imashybish @queenrileyrose

@kingliam2019 @riseandshinelittleblossom @dcbbw @tessa-liam @amandablink @cordonia-gothqueen @sfb123 @jared2612 @harleybeaumont

@bebepac @charlotteg234 @busywoman

@malblk21 @angelasscribbles

@bascmve01 @iaminlovewithtrr @hopelessromanticmonie

@mysticalfangirl @umccall71 @fuckitweball0000 @differenttyphoonwerewolf

@lovingchoices14 @emersyn-in-cordonia

@karahalloway @aussiegurl1234 @the0afnan @nestledonthaveone @gabesmommie1130

[storyofmychoices]

Bitten by Love ❤️

[Mal Volari x Daenarya Blades 1 + Beyond] [Mal’s Orphanage] [Mal Volari x Daenarya Blades 2 AU]

Pairings: Mal Volari x Daenarya (F!OC) Book: Blades of Light and Shadow (Vampire AU) Word Count: ~500 Rating/Warnings: Teen, TW: blood / vampires

Synopsis: Vampire!Daenarya feeds on her favorite human.

This is a one-shot AU (at least for now). The art in the header is by @cashweasel and the full art can be seen here.

His gaze narrowed slightly, a knowing smile spreading on his lips. He knew that look.

Her eyes simmered, a need growing. Her tongue slipped through her closed lips, almost instinctively, her heightened senses drawing her nearer.

He loved that look. Some joked that looks could kill, but this one literally could, but he couldn't get enough. He loved her like this, on the verge of taking what she wanted. What she needed. Him.

His deft fingers raked through his dark hair, brushing the length back over his shoulder. His head dipped slightly to the left, better exposing his supple neck, knowing she wouldn't be able to resist.  

She was there with impossible speed. "That's a dangerous look," she whispered against his skin. Her tongue dragged teasingly up his neck, tracing his delectable vein. Her efforts moved toward his lips, kissing him deeply, fully, reminding him who he belonged to.

Her fangs teased his lower lips as she released him. "I think you just may enjoy this more than I do."

Breathless, his gaze darkened, his pupils widening as he took her in. "And if I do?" His head fell further to the side. "Or maybe I just enjoy that look in your eyes when you meet mine, knowing what comes next."

"Careful," she warned. Her eyes burned darker, desperate yet disciplined, a fire burning that could consume the world but held safely, tempered by her love for him.

He laced his fingers with hers, his thumb brushed over her knuckles. "I trust you—"

Daenarya's lips traced a gentle path along his neck, kissing softly against his pulse point, which grew faster beneath her.

He inhaled sharply at her touch. "—Always."

She sank her fangs into his neck, savoring the soft cry that slipped from his lips. It had taken some time, but she had learned how to drink while causing him the least pain... unless it were a day when he wanted a bit more, but today, she was gentle. She hummed in grateful appreciation, lapping up the sweet and salty taste of his blood spilling just for her.

His eyes closed, allowing the rush that came from her feeding to overwhelm him. It was unlike anything he had ever experienced and one he was happy to endure for her as long as he could. He gently squeezed her hand.

She returned the gesture, taking one last taste before pulling back. Her tongue danced up his neck, licking up every last drop. As she finished, she wrapped her arms around him, steadying him. "I've got you." She whispered, softly kissing up his neck and across his jaw. "What do you need?"

His lips pulled into a satisfied smile that matched her own. "Just this." Mal drew her lips back to his.

She would have honored any request, but this one, she was more than happy to oblige. Her cool fingers brushed gently along the back of his neck as she kissed him again and again.

A/N: Thank you for giving this little indulgent piece a chance. I don't know why but I just love the idea of Vampire!Daenarya and Human!Mal. Eventually she'd turn him because she wouldn't want to live without him, but for now they're both enjoying the unique dynamic.

Not really edited or revised so please forgive any mistakes. ❤️

[aces-and-angels]

into the windverse: high school edition

character art: cred 1; cred 2 | edits: moi

me @oh-so-youre-a-nerd and @saibug1022 got to talking the other day and said, 'imagine these idiots in high school'- well one thing led to another and now we have a whole au within the au- so without further ado:

high school hcs (read below the cut):

---

setting the stage, we've got all these shmoes attending the same high school together

enid and joaquin: seniors

martin and marcus: juniors

magnus: sophomore (and new transfer student)

wind: freshman

basically the premise is that despite everyone being in different grades, they all are taking the same elective every mwf, 4th period: ✨ap spanish✨

enid: took spanish all four years of hs; tested well and was recommended to take the ap course vs the advanced in her senior year- which her parents insisted on after finding out the news

joaquin: lied throughout hs about not being fluent in spanish for an easy a (a fact enid 100% knows about btw; she works part-time at her parents' clinic- joaquin's parents are her mom's patients- and have been for years, so she's witnessed him speak to them in spanish many times); he's here bc this is legitimately the last class he can exploit take

martin: type a try hard; led a petition for the school district to allow non-senior students to take ap spanish, claiming that the current curriculum was 'abhorrently suboptimal'; the resolution gets passed the summer before his junior year

wind: originally scheduled for spanish 1 w the rest of the freshman; was absolutely restless in class (a. bc they are fluent so the material was too easy, b. adhd); after being yelled at by the teacher for the nth time for being disruptive, wind bet that they could ace last year's final for not only their class, but all the other spanish courses (sans the ap). after they did- they were transferred

marcus: another student to benefit from martin's protest; super friendly theater geek (has been the lead in nearly every school play since freshman year). this fact (unbeknownst to him) enrages martin, who is another theater geek lol. anyways, marcus is the one to initially suggest forming a study group

magnus: transfers to this hs halfway through the year- countless rumors as to why he transferred float around the hallways (some perpetuated by mags himself lol); his transfer credits from his old school cover the hs's criteria, so he automatically gets placed in ap spanish

aaaannd that's it lol

i'm down to talk more about the hs au so feel free to send in some questions if you're feeling up to it 🖤

[ladylamrian]

Female MainCharacter: Alexis Clarissa Fontaine

Pairing: F!MC×NikRyder (Fairytale AU) 🦚👑

Summary: The Story of the Peacock Princess.

Word Count: 4.2K words

Rating: General (Fairytale, Fantasy, Royalty)

Warnings: none

-> My complete Nightbound Masterlist <-

Taglist: @infactnoimmasitinthemiddle ; @peonierose ; @secretaryunpaid ; @jdstar88 ; @blackcatkita ; @lilyoffandoms ; @liviusofpella ; @mxdanni ; @mariemarieohcontrary ; @tessa-liam ; @choicesficwriterscreations ; @hopelessromantic1352 ; @rosepetals1 ; @stars-are-within-me ; @dutifullynuttywitch ; @artbyalz ; @choicesmonthlychallenge [March prompts: Nature ; Spring ; Animals ; ...] & @choicesaprilchallenge24 [Prompts: Birds ; Butterfly ; Ladybugs ; “Well, would you look at that? You’re not entirely stupid after all.” ]

Comments via Reblog wholeheartedly welcome

Author's note: inspired by Barbie: Princess of the Swanlake & Barbie: Mystery of the Pegasus. Nik Ryder transparent made by @garrusknight . The banner above was created with Picsart. The peacock divider by @saradika-graphics

Once upon a time, on a land far away... Lamrian. There lived a King and his Queen who ruled happily together over their gigantic fae kingdom.

One day, a total stranger who wasn't even a fae, visited the royal couple and asked for the hand of their daughter and only child, Crown Princess Alexis from Lamrian.

The princess was silently dancing ballet in her royal chambers upstairs and wasn't aware of what was happening downstairs in the throne room.

She raised her arms above her head, extending her hands like wings as if she were a bird in flight. She brought her arms down to chest level and bent her elbows. Extending one leg in front of her into a kick, and then the other one in a kick behind. The kicks were executed in sync. The result of her ballet dance movement was the impression of a soaring bird as if the bird's wings were flapping to allow it to fly. She made delicate dance movements that were pleasant to watch and with a refined and elegant presence. The movements of the feet were graceful, the movements of the arms and the fingers were very fluid, and the whole body got synchronized. The whole dance was a wonderful spectacle of harmony until she heard loud voices coming from downstairs.

"Father?", she got worried, stopped dancing and immediately rushed the stairs down towards the throne room where the voices got even louder. As she finally entered, she discovered Elric, her father having a heated discussion with an unknown stranger.

"I already declined your proposal, now leave!!! My daughter is too young for you.", Elric shouted at the man. Never in her life has Princess Alexis seen her father so angry. He was always such a calm and patient man, but that stranger kept pushing.

"But your Highness..."

"No, I don't want to hear anything. Now leave!!", Elric commanded and pointed towards the exit.

"But..."

"Heyyy!!! Haven't you heard what my father said??!", the young princess intervened and stood up for her beloved father.

For a moment the stranger's eyes met hers. Both stared at each other for a moment without avoiding any eye contact. Then he began to grin like a madman.

"So that's our precious crown princess. My future wife.", he smirked.

The young girl was shocked by his words and wasn't aware of the situation, but her father quickly stepped in front of her to cover his child.

"Child, go back upstairs. We will handle this."

"I demand your daughter's hand, Your Majesty. I hate being declined. Make me the new king of Lamrian."

"Never!! And now leave before I call my guards."

"Fine, I'll leave. But if I cannot have the princess, then nobody will.", he promised while he took a closer look at the young girl. She was wearing a beautiful, sparkly peacock dress with matching ballet slippers. A creepy grin appeared on his face again as he just got an idea.

"I command you to leave!!"

"Yes, your Majesty I will leave, but I'm very sure that you will seek me later.", he took a few steps backward, revealing his magical scepter. Without losing any second, he pointed it towards the princess and a blast of light appeared which hit the young lady. She got frightened and panicked.

"If I cannot have the princess, then nobody will because I hereby curse her. She will no longer perform ballet, no longer show herself in public and nobody would want to marry her, because... I'll turn her into a peacock!! The Peacock Princess. Forever."

And with that, the young princess was turned into a peacock, a majestic bird. Even though female birds were gray-colored, weren't bright colored and attractive like the male ones, she still got turned into one. A brightly, blue-green colored bird like the gown she was wearing. The evil man wasn't very educated, so he had only seen the blue-green colored ones which were male. When he saw that his dark magic worked and the girl had turned into a bird, he used his magic again to vanish in thin air. Only dark clouds were left behind which slowly dissolved by themselves.

"No, I'm a bird now. It can't be...", Alexis realized and began to cry. Her father and stepmother were supporting her and embraced their child.

"Hush, do not let your precious tears fall. We're here for you.", the loving stepmother encouraged.

"That man was no ordinary human and neither a fae, but a wizard who used dark magic and cursed my beloved daughter."

"Do not worry, dear Elric. I will try to lift the curse. After all, I'm a powerful magic wielder.", Thalissa spoke with determination. She cannot allow anyone to hurt her family. She loved her husband, Elric and Alexis whom she didn't give birth to, but she's still like her own. Family wasn't always bound by blood. Bound by Love.

She could no longer see her innocent child in pain, who was now struggling to stand on her new bird feet and tried to maintain balance. Thalissa closed her eyes, concentrated and chanted a spell while spreading her palms towards the child. After a moment, the princess was surrounded by light which could break the curse of the evil wizard. But the light was soon gone, faded away immediately. Queen Thalissa failed. She failed which broke her own heart that she couldn't save her stepchild. The wizard was stronger. But she tried again. Again and again, together with her husband. But they sadly couldn't break the curse together, so Thalissa changed her plan. Instead of breaking a spell, she tried to weaken it. Instead of staying a peacock forever, the princess shall be back in her true form at night. Peacock at Day and Half-Fae at Night.

They wanted to do more, but the curse was sadly too strong. Now the poor princess was sadly gazing at her parents, hoping to be back herself again. Somehow. Someday. Back again in her own body.

Till the late afternoon, Alexis was resting in her royal chambers upstairs in her peacock form and sad about today's happenings. She couldn't show herself like this to the public, the royal staff and locked herself up in her room. She was a peacock who could barely walk like one, who couldn't dance ballet, who couldn't play her violin, who couldn't take her black horse out for a ride and who couldn't hug her parents. She couldn't do the things she loved to do. She needed an escape.

Without letting anyone notice, she slipped out from the palace. Even the royal fae guards didn't stop her because they thought that it was just an innocent peacock that strolled around or got lost. She left her home because she didn't want to sadden her parents even more. She felt like a burden to them and went into the woods. The girl rarely went somewhere alone, because she wasn't allowed to go somewhere on her own without any security like the royal guards. After all, she was the crown princess and future queen of the kingdom.

As she arrived in a secluded part of the woods, she was surrounded by Mother Nature. Beautiful wildflowers were blooming. Little ladybugs, colorful butterflies and tiny birds filled the air with their singing and other animals were living peacefully.

Night has fallen and the princess wasn't in the palace. She was missing. The young Alexis who was strolling in her bird form now turned into her old self again which made her extremely happy. She finally was back in her body, but sadly knew that it would only be for a short time. By sunrise, she'll be a peacock princess again. But for now, she was just delighted to have her body back and began dancing. A ballet dance that expressed her happiness. After all, she couldn't dance properly when she was in her bird form.

The young royal performed a smooth ballet dance. She was a skilled dancer who could master difficult choreography with ease due to her years of training. Her footwork was delicate, yet strong, as her body moved through elaborate dance steps with grace and control.

"Keep on dancing. Keep on dancing.", she motivated herself, but immediately stopped at the sudden audience in front of her. A few seconds later, they clapped... Like humans?

"Such a beautiful dance.", a black cat meowed.

"Fae-tastic, darling.", a white dove praised.

"Wohooo Hooo Hoooo...", an owl hooted.

Even a gigantic grizzly bear appeared and clapped his paws which made the princess panic and took a few steps backwards.

"A bear??!! And did these animals just talk and act like human beings? Please let me go.", she begged mercy without knowing what was going on.

"Please, don't be afraid. Many are afraid of me because I look big and dangerous, but I am not. I'm Krom, a stone-troll.", the bear assured in a gentle voice.

"A stone-troll?? But you're a bear? And you can talk real words??!"

"Krom darling is telling the truth, lovely fae princess. And I'm no dove either, I'm one of your kind, your Highness."

"We were cursed by an evil wizard. He turns everyone who doesn't obey him or even disgusts him into animals with his magical scepter. Someone needs to stop him by destroying his wand, his scepter.", the owl spoke and then introduced herself as Ivy, a zombie girl who loves books.

"And I'm Luc, dear princess. Please kiss me so I'll get back to my handsome form again.", a green toad hopped towards the girl. He leaped on her shoulder and tried to meet her lips.

"Luc, behave. She's our guest.", the black cat hissed which frightened Luc, so he decided not to kiss her and just rested on her shoulder.

"You're right, mademoiselle Vera. C'est vrai. I apologize."

"Apology accepted, Luc. And like Ivy said, the curse can only be broken when the scepter gets destroyed. Not like in the Frog Princess story since we all got cursed and not only you."

"Wait, let me understand. You're all not animals?", she tried to understand and the five animals nodded to confirm.

"Yes, we all got cursed except for Cal."

"Cal?", the princess asked and then discovered a gigantic wolf who was silently leaning against the tree. He was so silent that she barely noticed him. The princess got more afraid, but they all tried to calm her down.

"Hey relax, I won't harm you. I'm not the Big Bad Wolf.", he calmly spoke and shifted from his wolf form back to his human form. He was a werewolf. Half human and half wolf, so there was no way the wizard could have turned him into an animal when he was partly already one.

"But princess, we saw you in a peacock form a while ago, before you began to dance. How did you turn back into your regular form?"

"Oh, I would have stayed in my peacock form forever if Thalissa, my stepmother wouldn't have tried to weaken the curse. I am still cursed like all of you, but I will turn into a bird until sunrise. Peacock at Day and Half-Fae at Night. But how will we ever find the evil wizard to break the spell? He just disappeared. He's gone and I have no idea where he is.", she began to cry. Tears welled up in her chocolate-brown eyes and couldn't stop falling. The girl got frustrated and had no idea what to do next. She was alone with the cursed beings.

Suddenly, the sound of horse tracks appeared which made the cursed ones panic, so they hid themselves. Even the werewolf decided to hide. Only the young girl remained who was still shedding her tears without knowing what was happening.

A young man arrived in the woods on his majestic, white stallion. His cloak flowed in the air. He noticed a crystalline castle in the distance. And then he heard someone crying, so he headed there to see where it came from.

There he discovered a lovely lady standing alone in the dark. He got off the horse and walked towards her.

"Greetings milady, what are you doing so late at night alone in the dark woods? It's not safe. And why are you crying?"

"I am... I was the princess of Lamrian. Princess Alexis Clarissa Fontaine from Lamrian. Now I am the victim of a curse that turned me into a peacock."

He was taken aback by her words, but quickly regained his composure and bowed.

"Oh, you're the princess?! Your Majesty, tell me how it happened. I will help you break the curse. It doesn't matter at all to me, you are still the most beautiful woman I've ever seen."

She was touched by his words and began to cry, this time more happy tears.

"You are quite kind... An evil wizard cursed me and other innocent beings into animals. By sunrise, I will be a peacock again. To break the curse, his magical scepter must be destroyed."

"Princess, it could be dangerous. I cannot let you go alone and find him all by yourself. Let me help you. Where will we find him?"

"Deep, deep, deeper in the woods. In a small hut is where he lives.", the owl hooted from another tree.

"That voice?? What was...?"

"It's one of the talking animals. These are the cursed ones."

"Fine, that's where we will go then, my lovely princess.", he extended his hand forward to support her. The girl took it and carefully climbed on the white horse to sit behind him. Then they started their journey together. But could the innocent princess just blindly trust him? Meanwhile, in a small hut at the edge of the lake, the evil wizard who cast the spell on the princess was waiting for them. He knew they would be coming and watched them as the lake reflected what the couple was currently doing, like a magical mirror.

"Curses, how did the princess get back into her form? She should be a peacock. I don't understand, did that commoner do that? It must be the work of a hero. Well, whatever his case is, I won't let him leave alive."

Back on the journey, the princess is curious about the young man, Nik.

"My hero, aren't you afraid of the evil wizard? Why do you want to help me?"

Nik is touched by the princess's questions.

"I have had many adventures, my princess... I'm a Nighthunter... A professional that hunts all creatures of evil origins and defends the good and innocent."

She was indeed impressed by his answer. In a clearing in the woods, they came across a band of dark creatures that just appeared, the wizard's henchmen.

Nik realized the sudden danger, hopped off the horse, and drew his weapons.

"Damn it... We've encountered the wizard's henchmen but no worries, my princess. I will protect you."

He turned to the creatures then.

"Stop right there villains, by the power of light, I order you to leave this place immediately. Leave us alone or else... you'll have to face my Holy Light arrows!!"

The henchmen snarled at him, but Nik was determined to get rid of the creatures once and for all. He grabbed his crossbow and began shooting holy light arrows at them one by one.

They got afraid by Nik's determination and some of them even got killed by the light arrows. The ones left behind disappeared back into the shadows.

The princess was amazed by Nik's courage and strength.

"I was so worried... How did you know they would leave? You are a hero, Nik... I am happy that I am in your protection, thank you very much."

Nik looked into her eyes and was moved by her kindness and sincerity.

"You are quite a kind and beautiful princess by the way. Your face is even more precious than the most precious jewels in the world."

She blushed a little, touched by his words. After he got on his horse, sitting behind her, the princess leaned her head on his chest. He took her arm and placed it around to keep her stable on the horse.

Meanwhile, the villain, furious to see Nik so dedicated to the princess, decided to cast another wicked spell... He began his spell, while the couple were still on their journey, completely unaware of what was about to happen. The jealous wizard chanted a spell of pure hatred and malice, then shot it at them, aiming directly at the princess.

The couple didn't realize what just happened yet. Meanwhile, Nik felt something disturbing in the air, a spell that disturbed his soul. He immediately scanned the surroundings, seeking the dark magic that had been created. He felt the dark spell. It's coming from the Princess. His instincts told him to be careful because there was something wrong, so he stopped his white horse and gently guided it toward a place where there was more light.

"Princess, are you okay? You seem strange all of a sudden. What's going on?", he asked the princess who remained silent and Nik noticed that. Even her face had changed. She showed a strange coldness and a strange look as if she had been brainwashed. Then she looked at him with a deadly look, as if she had forgotten everything they'd gone through together.

"What the...?", Nik got shocked and didn't understand the sudden change from this beautiful girl to a coldhearted woman. He looked around desperately and realized that they were now in a dark place, with fog and shadows everywhere. Also, his weapons were gone. The evil wizard played his game!

The young hero watched the mysterious figure who suddenly appeared in front of them. The wizard himself.

"Well, well, well... Nik Ryder is the name, am I right?"

"No dirty tricks now, wizard guy. Hand me over my weapons and return the princess to her normal self. Otherwise, I swear I will rip you apart!", his voice filled with anger. The villain laughed mockingly and cruelly back.

"My dear, you should try to think logically. Can a simple human fight against the will of a powerful wizard? If I wanted, I could turn you into an animal. Perhaps a bird too just like the princess. A falcon!! And then I'll lock you lovebirds up together in a bird cage. But I won't, I will let you live. Just one condition... Bring me the precious princess. She's mine and not yours.", he commanded while glaring at Nik with a cruel grin.

Nik was shocked by the words, he looked at the princess and saw her beautiful but cold look. He didn't want to admit it but he realized that the wizard guy had done something to her. She was brainwashed and in some kind of trance. In a last attempt to save the princess, Nik drew a secret dagger from under the saddle without letting anyone notice, hid it behind his back, hopped off the horse, and turned towards the evil man.

"I will never let you touch this lovely girl, don't you dare come closer. I don't have my weapons but I'm not afraid of you. Even without them, I'm powerful enough to protect my princess."

He stood determined in front of the guy, the dagger ready to strike the wizard his chest. The evil guy smirked at his brave attitude, knowing very well that he had the upper hand and that he controlled the princess.

"You silly little human, can't you realize the sad truth? Your princess is now my puppet. So there are only two options. You can give up and save her from a great deal of suffering or you can take me down and watch her die in your arms."

The Princess's eyes looked like there was a struggle inside her. She's looking at Nik, hoping that he could save her and Nik Ryder himself was determined to free her.

"No... I will never let you have her! If I defeat you I will also break your spell and I bring her back!", he yelled at the man who laughed cruelly.

"Oh, Nik, Nik, Nik... you can't fathom the power of a might like me... not many beings could break my magical power, that's why I rule over the most terrifying and dark beings."

He glanced at the Princess of Lamrian and then turned back to Nik.

"But if you think you can save her... I'll just laugh at your boldness and watch you fail. So come here and try me, if you dare", he spoke in a teasing tone.

Nik didn't hesitate and charged towards the man, taking him by surprise. The hero managed to slash him with his secret dagger within seconds, and the man screamed in pain. However, the wizard quickly took the opportunity to recover, grabbed him, and shot dark powers all over him. Nik managed to counterattack and they both got to the ground, each one looking for the advantage to be able to put an end to the battle. After a few minutes of struggle, the wizard managed to get the upper hand and pointed his scepter at Nik.

As he got ready to shoot his final and strongest spell of pure hatred and malice to finish Nik, the princess suddenly regained control of her senses and jumped between the two with Nik's secret dagger in her hands which was lying on the ground. She stabbed the wicked wizard in the chest while catching some unwanted blood stains. But it didn't matter to her as long as her hero was safe. Then she was able to destroy the scepter easily now with her fae powers after the villain was defeated. Destroy the owner of the scepter first, then the scepter.

The wizard collapsed, died in pain. Nik gazed at the princess with a new level of admiration.

"Well, would you look at that? You're not entirely stupid after all. Damn, look at you. How amazing you are, my princess! That was a brave action you just did!"

"Did you just called me stupid??!!"

"Forgive me, I was teasing you. Just joking. You did great, my love.", he chuckled.

He stood up from the ground, turned towards the princess who seemed a bit tired and confused now. He embraced her into his arms, looking at the evil wizard's corpse lying on the ground. The princess seemed exhausted and shocked as she realized what she had just done. Alexis still had a lot to process but the most important thing was that she was safe now. He placed the young lady gently on his white horse, then he also got on it, sitting behind her, and led the horse back. She seemed to be silent but Nik knew that she needed some time to recover and he respected that. When she was ready, he was sure that she would tell him everything about her experience with the evil guy. A few minutes later, the princess suddenly remembered everything that happened and started to shake. She looked like she was about to have a nervous breakdown. Nik watched her with worry and tried to calm her down.

"Hey, my princess, please do not be scared. The bad guy is no longer able to hurt you. You did a great job of defeating him with one of my hidden daggers. That was a clever move.", he whispered, hugging her as she started to cry in his arms. He comforted her by gently stroking her silvery-black hair and they continued the journey. When she calmed down and started to feel more herself, she faced him. Very sweet and loving again.

"I... I... Did I just kill someone? I feel so ashamed. Nik, I'm so sorry that I was cold and cruel to you before. I didn't know what was happening. Thank you for believing in me and rescuing me. You're my prince charming, my hero.", she praised before tenderly kissing him on his soft lips.

"Don't worry my dear, I knew it wasn't your fault."

The young couple exchanged a sweet look. They were in love.

Back in the palace, the king and the queen were relieved to see that the princess returned safe and sound. The whole kingdom was happy about the good news and the princess's parents decided to throw a grand celebration. To celebrate the return of the crown princess and the defeat of an enemy.

The next night, the whole kingdom was in a festive atmosphere, even Nik Ryder and the new friends from the woods came. The curse was broken. They weren't animals anymore and were back in their real form. Almost everyone noticed how the princess and Nik passionately and specially glanced at each other. They started to dance together. At first, it was a waltz, but then the young girl decided to dance ballet on her own while everyone ended up just admiring her including her lover, Nik Ryder, Hero of Lamrian. They were officially a couple.

And they all lived happily ever after.

The End

[jerzwriter]

Second Thoughts If it were cannon... AU

A million years ago, someone asked me if I'd write a series that mimicked canon but with Tobias Carrick as head of the Edenbrook Diagnostic Team. While I don't have the bandwidth to take on a series at this point, as I'm doing my Open Heart re-read, I will rewrite select scenes that I think could be interesting.

Part one was the first night at Donahue's when there was a serious connection building between Dr. Tobias Carick and new intern, Dr. Casey MacTavish. But now, they've had a chance to sleep on it, do things look different in the morning light? Lack of sleep, misunderstandings, and a dash of fear lead Casey to make a choice. Will it be one she comes to regret?

Book: Open Heart Book 1 / Chapter 3 Pairing: Tobias Carrick x F!MC (Casey) Featuring: Bryce Lahela, Jackie Varma, Landry Olsen Rating: Teen Words: 2,200 Series: If it were canon... AU Summary: See above

A/N: A quick thank you to @angelasscribbles for helping me come up with a new nickname lol I was at a loss. And thank you to @alj4890 - because of you I'm inspired to continue with this!

Series Masterlist Tobias x Casey Masterlist My Masterlist

The second day of her internship was not going as planned. Casey hardly managed to get any sleep in the miniature closet she called her room. At least the stairs above her came in handy today. She accidentally set her alarm for 5:00 PM instead of 5:00 AM, and if not for someone stomping down those steps, she would have overslept and likely decided to return to Philadelphia in shame. Now, with barely 30 minutes before her shift began, she threw on a ratty old Henly that paired perfectly with the wrinkled pair of jeans at the foot of her bed. Hair and make-up? Not today. A messy bun and brushed teeth would have to suffice. Somehow, she managed to arrive at Edenbrook with ten minutes to spare; when she saw a group of surgical interns playing basketball outside. Bryce Lahela was amongst them, and suddenly she wished she had spruced up just a little bit more.

“Up top! I’m open!” A shirtless Bryce barely got those words out before he flew by her, catching a pass and dribbling confidently toward the hoop. He dunked the ball, then screamed out in celebration. “Ha! Who’s the king now?”

“King?” Casey laughed, “You nearly killed me getting to that ball! I think the king should at least get a traffic infraction."

“Damn! I didn't realize. I would  have gladly given up two points for a chance to collide with you.”

Casey laughed as the other interns whooped and hollered when she saw the ball suddenly flying in her direction and caught it with both hands.

“Well, come on then, MacTavish!" Bryce goaded. "You gonna play, or you gonna send that back over?”

With a determined smirk, Casey slowly dribbled the ball, taunting him. “Come see if you can get it from me." Bryce sauntered toward her with what she’d come to know as his signature grin firmly in place.

“You’re making me look good,” he whispered upon approach. “I really am the king.”

“King of the surgical interns,” she laughed. “I guess that’s something, but....” without another word, she dribbled the ball around him, rushing toward the hoop with Bryce at her heels.

“Gonna make it tough on me, huh?” he laughed, wrapping his arm around her waist and spinning her around, but not before she shot the ball right into the hoop.

“That’s gotta be a foul, Ref,” she hollered, giggling in Bryes’s arms.

“It’s not a foul if you’re on my team,” Bryce defended. “And you are definitely on my team.”

Casey caught her breath as he put her on his feet, crossing her arms defiantly. “Says who?”

 “Says me!” He replied with a playful shrug. “But seriously, you want to join in?”

“Nah, my shift starts in five, and I’d really like to make myself look decent before it starts.”  

“You’re already looking good, MacTavish. Don’t go too crazy; I don’t want competition for hottest intern.”

“Ha!” she laughed, reaching up and flirtatiously pinching his cheeks. “I’ve already got that in the bag, Lahela!”

"Quite possibly," she beamed. "Hey, lunch later?"

"Sounds like a plan."

He smiled as he watched her run to the hospital entrance, pushing her way through a group of staff who had stopped to watch the game and assess the new talent.

“Excuse me. Pardon me,” she pushed through.

“You looked really good out there,” a pretty nurse winked.

“Thanks,” Casey smiled. Completely unaware that her handsome attending was quietly sipping his coffee nearby.

“She was impressive, wasn’t she, Dr. Carrick?” The nurse asked.

“Yep," he nodded. "She sure was.”

After a quick change, sprucing up her hair, and even applying a dab of lip gloss, Casey was the last of the interns to enter the atrium, but still on time. She was eager to meet her senior resident, and when Dr. Ines Delarosa called her name, Casey gently pumped her fist. “Yes!”

“Why are you so excited?” Jackie asked.

“I met her yesterday, she’s amazing! Bubblegum and rainbows incarnate!”

“Gross!” Jackie grimaced. “I’d rather take my chance with the grumpy ass I've got. I’ll catch you on the other side!”

Ines clapped her hands with joy to gather her charges. “All right, young ones! You’ve got your assignments! Go forth and shine bright!”

And Ines greeted her interns with the same enthusiasm when they returned a few hours later. “I hope you’re all excited! We’re about to begin rounds!”

“Woo-hoo!” Casey yelled as Ines gave a thumbs up with approval.

“That’s the attitude I want to see! You’ll be even more excited when I tell you we have a very special guest! Dr. Tobias Carrick will be joining us for rounds today!”

Casey turned to see Tobias leaning against a wall, looking up from his clipboard at the mention of his name. He curtly nodded at the interns, and Casey’s mouth went dry. Why did he have to be so beautiful? One glance made her knees go weak, and when his ice-blue eyes locked with hers, she could feel her cheeks begin to flush. She had been fueled by liquid courage when she approached him at Donahue's last night. What kind of intern flirts mercilessly with her attending on her very first day? But with his eyes still on her, she felt the heat rising. Yeah, she thought, that’s why I did. But when he turned away without acknowledging her, she began to question her judgment again.

“Let’s do this,” Dr. Carrick said gruffly.

“We’re doing rounds with Dr. Carrick? This is amazing! Also, I’m going to puke!” Landry whispered softly but loud enough to hear.

Tobias stopped short and looked over his shoulder, catching Landry chatting with Casey. “Less chatting and more moving!” He scowled. “Or do you think you’ve learned enough to keep your patients alive with just one day on the job?”

Casey’s brow furrowed. He didn’t seem at all like the man she met yesterday: the one who patiently guided her through an emergency procedure before her shift even began, one whose jovial attitude kept the interns energized throughout the day, or with whom she flirted shamelessly last night, perhaps that last one was the problem. Still, she shook her head and whispered to Landry.

“He was so cool yesterday. Why is he acting like such a jerk today?”

Dr. Carrick screeched to a halt again, causing several interns to trip over themselves to avoid toppling on top of him.

“Something to say, Dr. MacTavish?”

Her wide-eyed peers whispered amongst themselves. How did he already know her name? Dr. Carrick didn’t expect an answer, but Casey was giving him one all the same.  

“Yes, actually. I was wondering why you were so irritable today. I liked the Dr. Carrick I met yesterday much better.”

Tobias crossed his arms, biting his cheek to stifle a laugh, and Ines looked nervously between them. “Ha-ha!” She laughed. “Dr. MacTavish is so funny... haha! That will help make you a good doctor, but why don’t we get on with our rounds.”

“Wait,” Tobias held up a hand. “Dr. MacTavish, what role do you think attendings will play in your residency? Do you they – myself in particular -  are here to amuse and appease you?”

“Nope," she replied, not backing down. "Not at all.”

“Good. Because all of us will be putting in long hours, sometimes you won’t sleep for days on end. You’ll be dealing with life-or-death issues, and sometimes, the losses will nearly destroy you. No one is going to be rainbows and sunshine all the time. So I suggest you learn to deal with irritable colleagues and patients alike. It’s as much a part of this job as anything else.” He looked directly at Casey, and even as he was admonishing her, his gaze still made her melt. “Is that clear?”

“Crystal,” she grinned as Tobias forced himself to look away. Casey was completely unaware, she had the exact same effect on him. b

“Good. So why don’t we start rounds with your patient then?”

Landry wanted to question Casey as they walked away. He wasn’t sure if she was his hero, if she was out of her mind, or a combination of both, but he didn’t dare speak after that exchange.  

Casey and Landry went on to present. Or better said, Casey did. Landry was so starstruck by Dr. Carrick’s presence that he couldn’t bring himself to utter a word. Casey eyed him nervously, but when it was clear he was stalled, she jumped in to bail the duo out. Calmly and succinctly explaining that their patient had been in an accident and had internal bleeding as a result. She offered their prognosis and defended their treatment plan, even reassuring the patient when he expressed concerns about the length of his stay. Tobias was impressed with her, and halfway through her presentation, he couldn’t help but wonder why he was being so grumpy after all. It wasn’t like him at all.

“... so we have to get you healthy, Mike,” Casey said sweetly. “There are people counting on you.”

“Excellent, Dr. MacTavish,” Tobias approved, looking pointedly at Landry.

They proceeded to watch Elijah, Sienna, Jackie, Aurora, and other interns present.

“Congratulations!” Ines chirped. “You survived your first morning rounds! That wasn’t so bad, was it?”

“Depends on who you ask,” Landry droned.

“Landry,” Casey frowned. “Don’t worry, you’ll get a chance to...,” but Tobias began speaking and drowned her out.

“All right, doctors! Your patients are all alive... let’s make sure they’re still that way when I see you tomorrow. You’re dismissed.”

Casey turned and walked away with the other interns, but she didn’t get far when Tobias called her back.

“Not you, Newbie. You have one more patient to see.”

“I... I do?” she stammered.

“And do I?” Landry asked.

“Did I say you?” Tobias glared.

“Nope,” Landry gulped, turning to Casey. “I guess I’ll see you later.”

Casey walked toward Tobias; while some interns gossiped, not even attempting to hide.

“What’s with them? One asked “Nothing! She just made a good a good impression on him.” “Yeah,” Another sneered. “A good impression on him at the bar last night!” “Well, I guess that’s one way to get ahead.”

Tobias didn’t hear, but Casey did, and she couldn’t conceal a frown as she walked his way. Seeing her distressed, he hoped his attitude had nothing to do with it. He greeted her with a warm smile.

“Hey there, Newb. Why so glum? You doing OK?”  

“I’m good,” she sighed. “Very sleepy, but good. Hey, I want to apologize; I’m sorry if I was a jerk back there...”

“Nah,” he replied, and she realized his graveled voice had the same effect on her as his damn eyes. This would not be easy. “I was the one being the jerk. That’s why I wanted to talk to you...”

“Wait,” she crossed her arms with narrowed eyes. “Are you telling me there’s no patient? You just wanted to talk to me?”

“Two things can be true at once, grasshopper,” he smiled. “That’s good to remember in medicine. But I am sorry for being grouchy. It’s not like me; I guess we all have bad days.”

“And we're all entitled to them every so often,” she winked. “Just don’t let it happen again.”

She wasn’t your standard intern, and he couldn’t help but laugh when he caught a nurse looking at them intently. She scattered away when he met her stare, refusing to shift his gaze. Casey followed his eyes and understood at once. She lowered her eyes as he returned his attention to her, his voice taking on a more serious tone. “Listen, about our talk last night..”

Casey felt herself becoming sick, and she didn't think skipping breakfast was the culprit. Her cheeks turned red, and her breath quickened. What would all the gossips say about the two of them standing this close? She was a kid from the wrong side of the tracks in Philly, worked her ass off to get here despite all those who said it was just a dream. She wasn’t going to have anyone saying her success was a result of flirting with her attending. But, God, she wanted to pursue him. She hadn't felt a connection like this in so long, and he had said they could find a workaround. Then she felt her blood go cold. Listen, about our talk last night...

Oh, God! She thought. I made a total ass out of myself, didn’t I? I’m an intern, for God’s sake. He’s Dr. Tobias Carrick; he likely has his choice of any person in this hospital. Any person in Boston! What the hell was I thinking? Convinced he was about to tell her he wasn’t interested. Her blatant flirtation was about to make her look like nothing short of a desperate fool, and Casey never wanted to be a desperate fool.

“It’s alright!” she interrupted, though right now, nothing felt alright. “We both had a few drinks, and it was late... it’s not surprising that we both said some things we didn’t mean.”

“Oh,” Tobias said, clearly taken aback. “I didn’t realize that...”

“Hey, Casey,” Bryce smiled, walking past with his team. “See you at lunch!”

“Oh,” Tobias repeated, images of the two of them kissing and their flirtatious game on the hospital court rushing to his mind. He recovered quickly this time. “It’s fine. I’m glad we’re on the same page then; this way, we don’t have to be awkward. We’re cool?”

“We’re cool,” she faked a smile, not understanding why his apparent dismissal brought the sting of bitter tears to the back of her eyes.

“Good! So, I do have a patient for you,” he said, nodding in the direction they were about to walk. “Her name is Kyra Santana, and her doctor thought a golf outing was more important than being here today. But, his loss is your and Ms. Santana’s gain...”

Casey took notes as he spoke. She never needed notes; she remembered almost everything, but she'd find any excuse to avoid looking into those eyes.

 “Hey, Dr. Carrick,” a beautiful nurse winked. Casey looked up momentarily but rushed her eyes back to the pad in her hand.

Thank God she quickly covered, she thought, her cheeks flushing with a mix of relief and embarrassment. He was Tobias Carrick. As if he’d have any real interest in her. It was bad enough that she had it this bad for her attending—the last thing she needed was for him to find out. That would be no way to start this phase of her life.

Tobias stood before the door, and, damn it, he smiled again. "You ready, Dr. MacTavish?"

"I like to think I am," she smiled as she walked through the door.

@choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

Tagging others separately.

[the-unconquered-queen]

Another book of Immortal Desires not really acknowledging where these teenage vampires live. I have to assume Gabe and Cas live alone in their own houses, but you'd think they'd ever discuss this directly. Are all teen vamps the same, since MC is apparently the only one with a family? Do they have to work to pay bills? Nobody's noticing all these high schoolers who are apparently homeowners?

Astoria should've stopped running a school as a front and run a dorm building for all those kids instead.

[zhoras-bitch]

For those who are mourning shadow!Aerin, here are some edits of him as a dark mage.

[gaiuskamilah]

finished crimes 2 (again), and i enjoyed it more than the first book but i think crimes 1 on a technical standpoint was better, especially from the angle it was going for with religion being used to control people and how awful politicians, rich people, cops, etc are. with book 2 it was trying to do something similar with how monarchy and legitimacy are terrible but i feel like it focused too much on presenting the illegitimate children - the victims of this institutionally mandated traditions - as individually bad. i feel like an illegitimate child shouldn't have been the killer. if the book stuck with the original premise of 1) the person behind the killings not wanting the act for heir equity passed (and thus would maintain the power of the married couple and their legitimate children) and 2) wanted trystan out of the line of succession (non-traditionalist beliefs, sympathetic to the act, doesn't drink blood purity kool-aid), i would have enjoyed that more because then the killer would ACTUALLY be someone with a lot of power and influence instead of someone who's been routinely belittled and thrown aside by the stupid laws of monarchy.

i feel like they snuck in the lydea-is-a-bastard-actually to give a statement on how monarchy's blood purity sucks when imo it's just... kinda ass? lydea has lived all her life as a postured legitimate child, experienced the privileges of that, while eveline's children have been belittled for not having the right mother since birth. sebastyan, juliana, and even vasili first sought solutions to the ignorance of eveline's children through playing with the system that doesn't put much value on them in the first place. i think it would've been better if, despite these "doing it the right way" efforts by them, they were shot down by those above them anyway.

no one asked but here's my ideal scenario:

queen viktoria is the killer, as she has the most political influence to lose with the passing of the act and trystan is not interested in ruling anyway + is harder for viktoria to control.

viktoria arranges a marriage between trystan and juliana, an ambitious woman with which the act would've made her career, and takes the opportunity to kill juliana and exile trystan, putting lydea as heir

lydea is viktoria's favorite child and listens to everything viktoria says, and having her as queen would mean viktoria still has political power. lydea will do what viktoria says even if she doesn't personally enjoy it, as seen with how she didn't enjoy being heir but did it anyway.

overhears trystan's plans to pass the act, takes the steps to kill nadja and frame trystan (again).

the other children are the first suspects but it eventually leads to the queen, who's the personification of tradition, law, and family. the ignorance of the welfare of children for the better of institutions that don't care for them is a constant theme throughout the book as it already is, what better way to highlight that than by making the actual figurehead of that the villain?

trystan and lydea affirm their individuality and defy viktoria's machinations, especially on lydea's front.

they catch viktoria, the act is passed, and vasili, who isn't a Twisted Cycle Path but DID have a history with juliana which made him a suspect at first is made king by trystan, lydea as his second hand. vasili is just a Nice Guy. nothing wrong with him. he'll make a good king, even trystan called him their favorite brother and was supportive of the act because it meant the throne would go to vasili instead of lydea.

trystan leaves to go to new york with rose, finally being able to actually choose a life for themself for the first time.

my Real ideal scenario is they'd do away with monarchy altogether but i think that would take some time lmfao. but it's there.

[angelasscribbles]

Savage Love Chapter 37: Gone

Series: Savage Love

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Pairings: Riley x Liam, Riley x Drake

Rating: R         

Warnings: Mature themes, violence, guns

Word Count: 987

A/N: Wow, I can't believe it's been five months since I posted an update for this! I've known since before I started writing it back in December 2021 how it's going to end. This is the downside of having so many ideas.... I can't work on all of them at once.

That said, this is a bit shorter than my regular chapters, but I just needed to see what Drake was doing while Riley was in Hidar in her quest to take down the Via Imperii and Leo was in Rivala getting the shock of his life. The next chapter will bring everyone back together again in Cordonia.

A/N2: I realize it's been a while and readers may be confused with all the OC's in this chapter, so here's a rundown. Nick is Riley's ex-fiance and also another GIA agent. Frederico Sanchez is Nick's informant. Saguaro Laurent is the head of The Gladius Company. Lorenzo is not in this chapter but is mentioned as a loan shark to whom Tariq owed money and who, on Saguaro's orders, leveraged Tariq's gambling debt to get him to abduct Riley (Tariq failed and was murdered for his failure, Lorenzo is in custody at the palace). Rico Mendez is the son of a former mafia don who wants revenge for Riley using him to take down his father's organization.

My other stuff: Master List.

Series Premise: Agent Riley Brooks is undercover on assignment in New York when she has a one-night stand with a handsome, mysterious stranger. Both of them hiding their true identities, names are not exchanged.  After one scorching night, they part ways, both returning to the duties they have pledged their lives to. Fast forward several months later and Agent Brooks is assigned a new case: investigate and infiltrate any Via Imperi influences in the small, Mediterranean country of Cordonia. Her cover? Posing as a suitor competing for the hand of the crown prince. Her way in? Civilian contractor and cyber security expert Maxwell Beaumont.

Drake…..

Nick and I arrived at the warehouse where we were meeting his contact in the Liberation Core. The one that had gotten me a meeting with the head of the Gladius Company.

The air in the dimly lit warehouse was thick with tension as we made our way through the maze of crates toward their rendezvous point. The echo of our footsteps ricocheted off the walls, adding to the sense of foreboding that permeated the atmosphere.

Nick's informant, a wiry man named Frederico Sanchez, stood waiting nervously near the entrance. His eyes darted back and forth, scanning for any signs of danger. As we approached, Sanchez straightened up and extended a shaky hand.

"Drake," Sanchez said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Nice to finally meet you. Nick here has told me a lot about you."

I nodded curtly, assessing Sanchez's demeanor. I could see the fear etched into the man's face, evidence of the high stakes involved in the mission. Time was of the essence; we needed to infiltrate The Gladius Company as quickly as possible.

"Likewise," I replied as I returned the man’s handshake. “Now let’s go over the plan before we meet with your guy.”

Being on the same page was crucial. If any of these guys got a whiff that this was a setup, we were both dead. Nick would stay in the surveillance van, ready as backup if necessary. He couldn’t be seen by Saguaro or any of the men he’d brought with him from New York. They’d recognize the GIA agent that had brought down their last organization in an instant.

We poured over the plan twenty times, looking for inconsistencies, committing our cover story to memory, and working out the kinks. When it was time to go, I waved goodbye to Nick and got in a nondescript sedan with Sanchez. A quick check-in with headquarters told me that they had picked up Lorenzo’s contact, but he wasn’t talking.

With any luck, we wouldn’t need him to. I was hoping to set eyes on Rico when I met with Saguaro. If he was there, I was giving the order to breach. I knew what Nick’s objective was, but I didn’t give two shits about arresting Saguaro Laurent. It was Rico I was after. The man that had sent a kidnapper, albeit a bad one, after the woman I love.

The American justice system had failed and released a known mobster, allowing him to slip through their security net. But he wasn’t in America anymore. He was on my turf, and I had a literal license to kill.

Rico Mendez would spend the rest of his life in a Cordonian prison, or he would die, and it didn’t matter much to me which one it was. All I cared about was getting him off the streets and keeping Riley safe.

We arrived at the rendezvous spot, but nothing went according to plan.

I found myself in another damn warehouse. This one was on the waterfront and, if our intel was correct, not far from the empty factory that was serving as headquarters for The Gladius Company.

We arrived first and waited. Saguaro and his men were late, which only served to ramp up the already rapidly percolating anxiety in the man at my side.

Sanchez was too damn twitchy. Saguaro picked up on it instantly. He barely glanced at me before fixing Sanchez with a piercing stare. “What’s the problem, Freddy?”

“What?” Sanchez tried to laugh it off. “Nothing. What do you mean?”

Saguaro’s flinty eyes squinted at him, then flicked to me as his hand went to his waist. I had my gun in my hand before he could pull his. “Don’t do it! I really don’t want to shoot anyone today, but I will if I have to. What’s the problem?”

Saguaro moved his hand away from his piece and put his arms in the air. A flash of metal in my periphery caught my attention. “Get down!” I hit the ground just a shot rang out. Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! This wasn’t how it was supposed to go down.

Men scattered everywhere. We were outnumbered, but not for long. I could hear Nick in my earpiece giving the order to breach. Sanchez was hit. I drug him with me out of the line of fire, ducking behind a stack of metal barrels as the rat-a-tat-tat of machine gun fire spattered all around us.

“Hey, Laurent!” I craned my neck to peek around the barricade.

The only answer I got was more gunfire. I retreated back behind the stack of barrels for safety as my team poured into the building.

Now they were outnumbered, and the warehouse was surrounded. Less than fifteen minutes later, Saguaro and his men were cuffed and being loaded into the back of several guard-issue SUVs.

“Johnson, hold up!” I jogged quickly across the asphalt to intercept the lieutenant escorting the head of Gladius Company to one of the waiting vehicles. I grabbed him by his shirt and shoved him roughly up against the car. “Where’s Mendez? Was he with you?”

“Fuck you!” He lurched forward in an attempt to headbutt me, but this wasn’t my first rodeo. I snapped my head sideways, causing him to stumble forward.

I grabbed his shoulders to steady him, then brought my knee up hard into his gut. “I look forward to interrogating you, asshole.”

I beelined for the tactical van. Bursting into the mobile command center, I demanded, “Did we get Mendez?”

“Sorry, man, no,” Nick shook his head. “No sign of him. But the good news is, we got Saguaro and his second in command. There’s a second team sweeping their headquarters now. We successfully took The Gladius Company down!”

He was far too jubilant for what I considered a botched mission. I slammed out of the van with a huff. Goddamn it!

Rico was in the wind.

[kristinamae093]

Trick or ... Treat?

Everything else can be found here.

Book/Universe - TRR

Pairing - Liam x OC (Kyla) (not much is going on here though lol).

Summary - Constantine and Kyla enjoy Halloween... at Liam's expense.

Word Count - 2500

Warnings - language, Constantine shenanigains.

A/N 1 - I am participating in @choicesflashfics with prompt number 3, which will appear in bold. I don't think this qualifies for any of the other various Halloween prompts (not the ones I looked at, anyway.)

A/N 2 - Thanks for giving me a little confidence boost about this @ao719! 🥹🫶

Please excuse any errors.

Most characters belong to Pixelberry.

Liam awoke after a restless night’s sleep, tentatively opening one eye to search the area. Constantine enjoyed messing with Liam any day of the year, but a few held special significance for mischief; April Fool’s Day and Halloween. Much to Liam’s dismay, the date was October 31st. 

He enjoyed the 'holiday'; the royal family spent a few hours where they stood atop the front steps of the palace passing out candy. It was a tradition Liam intended to start alone, but Constantine and Regina both liked the idea and wanted to engage. He didn’t dress up but still enjoyed seeing all the costumes the public wore. 

However, he never knew what the day could hold for him. He could handle most of it, but the part he didn’t enjoy was the jump scares; perhaps it was a bit of PTSD, but it made Liam’s soul vacate his body every single time. Constantine took this with a grain of salt; at least on those two days a year, Liam could expect nothing but chaos. 

With utmost caution, Liam sat up. He patted around the mattress to ensure there wasn’t something hidden in his sheets, but there wasn’t. He got up and made his way to the bathroom to relieve himself, and while he did, a brief flicker of relief shot through him; perhaps this year would be different, given the circumstances had changed. Last year Constantine wasn’t sick, but now he didn’t have nearly as much energy. Liam hoped that just this once — that would work to his advantage. 

Liam groggily made his way into the shower. He turned the water on with a yawn and closed his eyes as the soothing heat cascaded down his chest and legs. He submerged his head and ran his palms through his hair; when he opened his eyes to reach for his shampoo, he realized the water was — red. 

“WHAT THE FUCK?!” Liam shouted as he stumbled backward. His back slammed against the wall as he tried to get away. He scrambled out of the shower, leaving the water running behind him. 

When he made it out, Liam was in such a frenzy that he slipped; in a moment of desperation, he grabbed onto a shelf but ended up taking that tumbling down with him. 

A moment later, a frantic knock sounded on the bathroom door. “Sir? Are you alright?” Bastien hollered. 

Liam quickly reached for a towel to cover himself and answered, “NO! Get in here!” 

Bastien came barreling inside; his eyes widened as he saw Liam lying on the floor, surrounded by a pool of crimson liquid. He immediately rushed over and crouched beside him. “What happened? Was someone in here?”

“The shower!” 

“... Pardon?” 

Liam narrowed his eyes. “The fucking shower, Bastien!”

Bastien cautiously approached the glass door with one hand on his holstered weapon. He glanced inside and noticed the colored water coating the floor, but also noted the discoloration of the tub; Bastien knew immediately this substance was not blood. 

He reached in and turned the knobs off; as he did, a sweet aroma filled his senses — fruit punch. Bastien took a wild guess regarding what happened, and as he detached the shower head and popped it open, he realized he was correct. 

Bastien exited the shower, laughing to himself. Liam paced the area but grew irritated at Bastien’s lack of panic. “What did you find? Should we call an exorcist?”

Bastien chuckled. “No, sir. It’s not blood, I assure you.” He held the opened shower head to show Liam the inside. “It would appear as if someone packed this full of a red powder; if I had to take a guess, I would say it’s Kool-Aid.” 

“Kool-Aid?” Liam mimicked in disbelief. “... You’re joking.” 

Bastien nodded, trying to keep his composure as he scanned Liam’s appearance. “I’m afraid not, sir. And unfortunately — it stains.” He motioned to the mirror behind Liam. 

Liam turned around with furrowed brows, but his mouth fell open as he took in his appearance; his face and chest had a noticeable red tint, and his hair a pink hue. “Oh dear God…” 

“It’s not that bad, sir…” 

“What do you mean not that bad?” Liam mocked. “I look like a sick crab! What the hell am I going to do?! I’m supposed to be in a meeting in less than an hour!”

“Perhaps you could tell them it’s a sunburn?” 

Liam narrowed his eyes and let out a huff of air; judging from how his morning started, it was going to be a long day, indeed. 

Further in the afternoon, Constantine and Kyla were finishing the last touches on their concluding prank. Knowing that everything they did throughout the day was constructed for Liam, Kyla felt a sense of guilt. However, she didn’t have the heart to tell Constantine no; when his eyes lit up, she found it hard to resist his child-like elation. She only hoped Liam would forgive her, and appreciate that she kept things much more minimal than Constantine originally intended.

Constantine encouraged Kyla to dress up; the only requirement was that she couldn’t wear scrubs. She looked online and came across a cute Santa outfit and decided that would be her selection; complete with festive tights and black ankle boots, she was the holliest, jolliest person in Cordonia. 

Constantine opted for something more — unconventional for a former monarch. Since the opportunity presented itself, he wanted to be a cowboy; he wore jeans, a flannel shirt, the wide-brimmed hat, and carried a lasso. He’d never dressed up before, but considering this would be his last Halloween, he wanted to experience the full effect. 

“Perfect! Now, stay there and wait, boy,” Constantine ordered Trent. 

Trent gave Constantine an unsure expression. “Are you sure about this?”

“Is it your job to do as you’re told?” 

“Yes, but–” 

“No more malarky; you’re already in costume, and you will not waste all of Kyla’s hard work. Wait until Liam comes, then—” Constantine paused for dramatic effect. “—you know what to do.”

Trent gave a weak salute, nearly knocking his hat off. Constantine slowly drove his scooter away, Kyla strolling beside him.  “You did a marvelous job today, dear. I have to tell you, this stuff is much easier with you around.”

Kyla dipped into an exaggerated curtsy. “It’s my pleasure to serve.” 

Constantine howled with laughter. “I suppose we should give Liam his treat.” 

Kyla shuddered. “You’re seriously doing this?” 

“What? It’s not poison; he’ll be fine.” Constantine waved her off. “It’s funny, and if I can figure out how to work the camcorder on my cellular device, I intend to videotape everything to show Leo; maybe I’ll upload it on that clock webpage the kids use.” 

Kyla furrowed her brows. “... You mean — Tik-Tok?” 

“Yes! That’s the one! Come along, now; it’s time to begin our last operation of the day.” Given that this would likely be his last Halloween, Constantine wanted to go out with a bang. The dynamic duo concocted the perfect scheme to scare Liam’s socks off. Constantine handled the set-up, Kyla advising the punch-line; together they produced a glorious mix of pandemonium and humor — for Constantine, anyway. 

Constantine and Kyla made their way to Liam’s office with their — treat. Constantine knocked on the door with a smirk; as he did, he handed Kyla the box and whispered, “You should probably be the one to give him these. Tell him you made them yourself and make it believable.” 

Kyla’s eyes widened. “What?! Why me?!“ 

“He will know if it comes from me; you need to do it. Don’t worry! It’s Halloween — we’re exempt from punishment today.” 

“I don’t think that’s how that works–” Kyla was cut off as the door crept open. As it did, neither she nor Constantine could control the shrieks of laughter that escaped them at Liam’s appearance; the evidence of their opening prank shined brightly, contrasted to the natural hue of his skin they were used to. 

“Yeah, yeah,” Liam grumbled. “Laugh it up. Thanks to you, I’ve had three meetings looking like this today.” He spoke to his father. 

“I don’t know what you mean, son.” Constantine feigned innocence. 

Liam grasped Constantine’s hand, flipping it over to look at his palm and noted the tinges of discoloration. “So… you running around red-handed is just a coincidence?” 

Constantine pulled his hand away. “No, it’s a part of the costume; cow people work hard — these are farming hands.” 

“What about the fake mice in my fridge? Or the trash bag stuffed to look like a body? The clown stickers on my mirrors? Or the air horn under my chair?” Liam walked behind his desk and pushed down, a loud honk thundering through the room. 

“Okay, you caught me. But it’s Halloween, Liam.” Constantine gave Liam sad, pleading eyes. 

“You know the expression is trick or treat, not trick or trick–“ 

“I’m aware, William.” Constantine subtly slid his eyes over to Kyla. “If only someone had a treat for you…” 

Kyla realized that was her cue; she presented the box to Liam with the warmest smile she could force, praying he didn’t see her trembling hands. “Actually, I have something for you…” 

“You do?” Liam sought with an arched brow. 

“Yeah,” Kyla returned as she opened the container. “It’s chocolate — balls… I made them myself and even used white chocolate since you prefer vanilla…” 

Liam alternated his gaze between the offered delicacy and Kyla; he couldn’t decide if he could trust her or not at that moment. Any other day he would, hands down; today was different and as much as it pained him to admit, he knew Constantine couldn’t have pulled the day’s shenanigans off on his own. 

He slowly reached into the box and grasped a treat; he experimentally sniffed it first, noting the heavenly aroma invading his nostrils. As he took in Kyla’s innocent smile, Liam shrugged and popped it into his mouth; when he bit down, what he tasted was not sweet as expected, but disgusting. 

“Ugh,” Liam shuddered with a scrunched face. “Wha tha hec is tha?“ He got out as he tried his hardest not to jostle — whatever it was inside his mouth.  

Kyla gave him an apologetic expression. “It’s, uh…” 

“Chocolate-covered brussel sprouts!” Constantine proudly exclaimed as he held up his phone, centered on Liam. “I know how much you’ve always loved your veggies. Oh, and say hello to Leo, son.” 

Liam gagged; he lunged for the trash can and opened his mouth, the mangled ball rolling out with ease. He smacked his lips together, trying to rid himself of the awful taste, but it wouldn’t vacate. When he stood, he used his hands to scrape at his tongue, but that didn’t help either. In a moment of desperation he bolted to the bar cart, only to find it empty. He groaned, but by doing so elevated the horrible sensation. 

Liam rushed out of the room, intent on reaching a bathroom or somewhere with some water. As his thunderous steps made it around the corner, a presence suddenly jumped out at him. It cackled and grasped his arms, sending Liam into an instant state of panic; he only saw their green flesh, the large nose, and glowing red eyes. 

Liam leaned on his body’s natural reaction; with a high-pitched wail, his fist connected with the attacker’s throat, sending them tumbling backward. As the person hit the ground Liam stood over them glaring down, prepared to strike again; they waved one hand, the other cradling the spot of impact. 

“S-sir… Please–” Trent spat out through wheezes. 

“Trent?!” Liam gasped with wide eyes. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t—” The sound of Constantine’s laughter interrupted him. “Dad, this is not funny!”

“Oh, calm down. It’s just Trent; the boy could use some roughing up, anyway.” Constantine answered from behind his phone. 

“Put that down!” 

Constantine rolled his eyes but complied. “Fine; I suppose the good part is over, anyway.” 

Liam released a deep, steadying breath to keep his composure. It’s nearly over, he thought to himself. “Trent, go visit the physician and take the rest of the day off… And tomorrow.” He softly spoke as he helped him stand. Trent nodded, still cradling his jugular, but made his leave. 

An extended period of silence passed, but Constantine finally broke it. “Trick or treat?” Liam growled and opened his mouth to retort, but Constantine quickly added, “Not to put a fine point on it, but this will most likely be my last Halloween…” 

Liam sighed and his eyes softened; all day, he’d fixated on his worries for what was to come, but Constantine was right. He felt guilty for not embracing the day as he should have, instead of wishing the time away. 

Constantine noticed Liam’s expression shift and felt instant remorse. “I apologize, Liam, I didn’t mean to–” 

“I know what you were trying to do, but — you’re right. I hadn’t thought about it like that, and now I feel terrible for not spending the day with you.”

“But if you were with me, who would the target be?” Constantine expressed, earning him a playful eye roll from Liam. “Listen, life must continue. I’m dying; technically, so are you. Every breath you take is one step closer to the grave. Just because I don’t have as far to go changes nothing. I refuse to spend my time fixated on what’s coming, and I surely don’t want you to, either.”

Liam sharply sniffed and nonchalantly cleared his throat. “Right…” 

“But — given that it’s a holiday, perhaps you could end your day early; hang out with Kyla and me until the candy gifting begins.” 

“Does that mean the pranks will stop?”

“Against you, maybe.” 

Liam smiled. “I’d like that.” 

“But you must be in costume to be seen with us; sorry, it’s a rule.” 

Liam furrowed his brow. “You realize I’m the King now, right?”

“You sure like to remind me of that, son.” Constantine laughed. “I’ll go to the boutique and pick out an outfit for you.” 

“The chances of me wearing whatever you’re thinking are–” 

“Aaaand he’s gone,” Kyla spoke as Constantine sped away on his scooter. 

Liam shook his head. “I’m almost afraid to even think about what he’s going to find.” 

“Should’ve come prepared like the rest of us.” Kyla playfully elbowed his side. 

“Trueché…“ The pair shared a laugh, but as it died down Liam added, "You look cute." 

Kyla brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and ducked her head, trying to hide her flushed cheeks. "Thank you." 

"You're welcome." He smiled at her. “I need to thank you…” 

“For?”

“Making my father's time special. I’m figuring out he didn’t act alone today, but I’m glad he’s got someone to be the Thelma to his Louise.” 

“I’m happy to do it; I love it when he gets excited.” 

“I do too.” 

“He’s taught me a lot about how to relax and enjoy the little things; to make every second count.” 

Liam stared at Kyla with a grin, warmth blossoming in his chest. “Me too.” 

They locked eyes but Constantine quickly re-appeared. "Oh, Li-am…"

"I don't like that tone… or that face you're making…"

"I found you a costume." Constantine answered as he held a garment up. 

Liam stared into his basket and saw the remaining pieces of the getup and shook his head. "I'm not wearing that." 

"Oh, come on! A cowboy needs a steed to wrangle, son! Have you not seen a western film?"

"But I don't want to be your horse!" Liam protested. "What if I wanted to be a superhero or something?" 

Constantine pursed his lip with pleading eyes. "Liam…" 

Liam held his stare for merely a moment before he rolled his eyes. "Fine." 

Constantine's face lit like a Christmas tree but he was quick to shove the garments at Liam, insisting he go get dressed. As Liam disappeared, Constantine gave Kyla a knowing look. "... What did I tell you?"

"I can not believe that worked." 

Constantine snickered. "I never planned on being a horseless cowboy."

"He probably would've done it anyway if you asked him…"

Constantine snorted. "Where's the fun in that?"

HCTS tags - @ao719 @queenrileyrose @angelasscribbles @tessa-liam @kingliam2019 @differenttyphoonwerewolf @bascmve01 @busywoman @belencha77 @mysticalfangirl @nestledonthaveone @lovingchoices14 @lunaseasblog @malblk21 @sfb123 @emersyn-in-cordonia @walkerdrakewalker @tinkie1973 @queenmiarys @choicesflashfics @eadanga

[puredoesnotmeankind]

My Capitalist Girlfriend… None of you get them like I do…..