#she was so clever! she thought they were in hell but she wasn't afraid (or tried not to be afraid) because

[goldenkid]

no.1 on the list of doctor who side characters I will be haunted by forever

[weavebitch]

Lord Enver Gortash: Dearest Karlach. I'd busy myself finding Orin if I were you. I'll still be here for any unfinished business, once you've secured your camp.

Karlach: That's it? That's all you have to say to me?

Lord Enver Gortash: Were you hoping for something else? A word of wisdom? A hug?

Karlach: Thanks to you, I don't hope for things anymore. I just take whatever it is I want. See you soon, motherfucker.

Lord Enver Gortash: You most certainly will.

---

Here's the thing: You can't tell me he wasn't at least a little proud of her in that moment.

What he had to endure in the hells when he was growing up made him into the person he is -- ruthless, merciless, and powerful. He is undoubtedly proud to be where he is in life. He condemns his parents for what they did to him, but he would have enough reason to do that even if they didn't sell him to Raphael.

However awful Avernus was, it brought him in a position where he is a) not poor anymore, b) extremely influential, and c) basically free to do what he likes. He wouldn't be there if his parents hadn't given him away -- in his eyes that might have been the only thing they ever did right.

And then he meets Karlach, a teenager who's growing up in the wrong part of Baldur's Gate, who reminds him of his younger self a little: clever (though in a different way), headstrong, resilient. She can be shaped just like him, she just needs a guiding hand and a chance to prove herself.

So when Zariel asks if he has a guinea pig for her, someone who is strong enough to endure being turned into a living weapon, it's perfect. It's a win/win situation. He gets whatever he wants from Zariel, Zariel gets what she wants from him, Karlach gets what will be good for her eventually, even if she doesn't understand it yet.

It's an act of affection in his eyes: I'm giving you a chance. You can have so much more power than you ever imagined, you just have to prove yourself first and then take it. I'm sure you can do it. And so she goes against her will, and is lucky enough to get out a decade later, and she comes to him and she proves him right.

She is angry and not afraid to show it. Her burning heart is a marvelous piece of technology and a powerful weapon. She is hardened, she is ruthless, she is used to doing what she has to do without second thoughts. There is nothing left of her adolecent insecurities and soft edges. She doesn't rely on people anymore. She has lost her naïveté. She doesn't hope anymore, instead she takes. And Gortash's plan worked just as he thought it would.

[cousmemes]

dialogue starters from VARIOUS DOCTOR WHO SPECIALS. feel free to edit for context / continues under the cut.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Do you know, I've never met anyone who wasn't important before."

"Whatever happens tonight, remember you brought it on yourself."

"Don't treat me like an idiot."

"Sorry, I didn't realise I was boring you."

"What's happened? What are you not telling me?"

"I don't care. I'm not like you. I don't even want to be like you. I don't and never, ever will care."

"Give me your hand and come to me."

"Everything has got to end some time, otherwise nothing would ever get started."

"I don't need anyone else."

"That wasn't there a second ago. It just appeared, from nowhere."

"What's wrong with silly?"

"Where are you going? I thought we were just getting acquainted."

"How refreshing to see you taking an interest again."

"Don't worry. No one's going to hurt you."

"Don't try to run away. Stay where you are."

"Why would I run? I know what's going to happen next and it's funny."

"What's wrong with dangerous?"

"I'm begging you. I'm on my knees."

"Children are not really my area of expertise."

"Yes? What? I'm trying to read."

"This isn't the sort of thing I do anymore."

"You missed this, didn't you?"

"Do I always have to state the obvious?"

"Blimey, you really know how to sulk, don't you?"

"Well, for your information, I'm not sweet on the inside."

"I don't know why I'm crying."

"Remember this. This right now, remember all of it. Because this is the day. This is the day. This is the day everything begins."

"What is the point of blaming yourself?"

"Will you come away with me?"

"Don't you think, after all this time and everything I've ever done, that I am owed this one?"

"We saved the world, you and me. We really, really did."

"Next time, would it kill you to knock?"

"What's our cover story for this?"

"Am I having a midlife crisis?"

"You don't seem to be kneeling. How tremendously brave of you."

"Is something funny? Did I miss a funny thing?"

"Oh, goodness, you're not actually dead. Oh, that's tremendous news."

"Emergency! You're my boyfriend."

"No, stop, stop, don't move. Don't do anything."

"There you are. What took you so long?"

"You didn't even say goodbye!"

"Why did you send me away?"

"Everyone gets stuck somewhere eventually. Everything ends."

"Why didn't you call me? I could have helped."

"Oh. I died. It's funny, the things that slip your mind."

"He just looked so beautiful standing there. I wanted everything to stop. I wanted nothing to change ever again."

"Don't hug me so tight. You'll break something."

"Were you always so young?"

"You're going to stay here. Promise me you will."

"It's started. I can't stop it now."

"It all just disappears, doesn't it? Everything you are, gone in a moment, like breath on a mirror."

"We all change, when you think about it. We're all different people all through our lives."

"I will not forget one line of this. Not one day. I swear."

"Stay calm. Just one question. Do you happen to know how to fly this thing?"

"Talk to me. I never thought I was going to see you again."

"Don't make me think about them!"

"Don't you dare. Don't you dare say that."

"Who are you? Why are you dressed like that?"

"We never stood a chance. How did we survive that?"

"Seriously? You're trying to help?"

"Well, that's not a very nice attitude, is it?"

"You're always talking like you're so clever, going on and on. So tell me what to do!"

"You're always such a downer."

"I'm sorry. I was stupid. I should have come back earlier. I wish that I had."

"No. It isn't all over. It's far from being all over."

"I knew it. I knew you couldn't be dead."

"That is - That is not happening. That's totally not happening. Agreed?"

"Who the hell do you think you are?"

"Why am I wearing these?"

"Quite beautiful, really, isn't she?"

"Can we just pretend that that never happened? Can we just never, ever talk about this again?"

"I hope we talk about it loads. I hope we spend years laughing about it."

"I'm afraid. Very, very afraid. I don't normally admit that to anyone else."

"You're a bit of a legend these days."

"Well, that would be a nice story, wouldn't it?"

"The real world is not a fairytale."

"I'm so tired of losing people."

"How was this our fault?"

"I think I'm ready now. But I should like to know - are you?"

"Whatever you decide, good luck."

"Can't I ever have peace? Can't I rest?"

"Thank you. Thank you for everything that you were to me."

"You wait a moment. Let's get it right. I've got a few things to say to you."

"Laugh hard, run fast, be kind."

[sizebrained]

Unstuck Together: Hazel's Perspective Part 9

Recovering...

Content Warning: Adult themes and language. Mentions of fear, death, danger, terror, therapy, injury, and first meetings. Some touching of sensitive bits, nudity and body talk. FLUFF!

***

"Or whatever?" Hazel said incredulously and crossing her arms over her chest.

"What are you expecting I would be doing that constitutes whatever?"

Ben swallowed hard afraid to answer, not even sure he knew what he had meant.

Oh my god he is a child...Hazel thought to herself sarcastically as he sat there in silence.

"Ben, please." She said, the affection dripping from her voice. "Look at me, I am covered up."

Hazel said thinking her crossed arms counted as covering herself up. It was a very poor attempt at modesty.

Ben took his hand away from his eyes and dared to peek. He saw her lower half this time, her arms covered her chest at least.

"You did not!" he insisted.

"Oh bloody hell..." Hazel said wanting to wipe her face but even her forearms across her chest felt sticky. She was like the underside of medical tape.

It was a new sensation. In a strange way, it was refreshing for its novelty.

She'd been in such a daze at the home and then scraping by in the shed. New was almost exciting, or should be, but for the fact she felt disgusting.

Her tail bothered her the most. The baby oil actually worked to free its fur, even if she did smell like coconut now. She noticed how much heavier it felt behind her.

"Benedito…Please look at me and try to act your age for a moment. I knew boys younger than you that died in war, you can deal with this." She paused for a moment before continuing.

"I still need your help. Will you please help me a little more?" She said softly and expectently up at him.

Ben cleared his throat and took a deep breath, taking his hand away to look at her again.

"Oh god don't call me that! Only my vovó calls me that...Now you really do sound old..." He said looking at her straight on in desperation.

As he looked at her, really looked at her.

He felt his breath catch in his throat and he held it in focus. Her black hair against her pale skin made both look more vibrant than either alone. He could just make out the sharp blue of her eyes looking up at him expectantly. She was stunning…even with the tail.

"Fine. Ben. But only if you act like the grown up you are, deal?" Hazel said, tempted to make him try and shake on it having seen so many Americans do it.

But she realized she'd expose her bare chest and didn't want to start from square one again.

"Deal." He said. He waited for what she was going to ask before putting the pieces together himself and double checking, “I guess you could use some food and a bath?"

Hazel nodded with a slight smirk. He felt dumb.

"You are clever...for an athlete." Hazel said, but she wasn't quite so sure of that…just yet.

"Uh thanks, let me go get uh..." Ben replied finding his other crutch. He then realized as he turned that there was popcorn all over the floor. And he had left his other crutch in the janitor's closet.

Later, after some back and forth, he made a makeshift warm bath for her using a dipping bowl that he used when he ordered take out wings.

It was low enough that she could step in and out on her own. He made a little pile of things and whatever food he had left over next to it.

They were both eating, but Ben was only doing it to feel less self-conscious about just sitting there watching her eat alone. He thought he might look weird if he did that, so he just nibbled on a few things.

She sat there wrapped up in a hand towel.

She was so fascinating, and he kept worrying that this might be some kind of dream. But he hadn't taken any of his pain medication...would those make him hallucinate or dream about this?

It seemed way too specific and real for it to be a dream.

But then was it just a coincidence that he found this beautiful, tiny, and apparently, British woman with a tail trapped in the janitor's closet?

He stopped wondering in silence, and reached over to the bag from his order earlier. The whole affair had taken so long the ice cream was liquid.

He looked at the clock on his wall and saw it was already after 6 am. Then he turned looking at his balcony. The sun would be fully up soon.

He excused himself and left his condo, explaining that he was going to go get his other crutch. She asked he also retrieve her pack since he wanted to go anyway. Hazel considered riding on him or asking him to carry her...but it didn't feel right just yet. She felt the urge and lack of barriers with him. It was a bad sign in some ways. It had taken far longer for her to feel comfortable enough with Mary for either of them to let each other touch.

But with Ben she felt it now...like they were already comfortable enough to cross that line.

After she had explained where to find her pack, under the shelf and behind the cutout, Ben left to retrieve both it and his crutch.

Ben had a much more difficult time getting to her tiny pack than he expected. She really made a small opening even for her. He had to use his pinky finger like a hook to finally retrieve it.

But he returned to his condo a short time later with his crutch, her pack, and the vacuum cleaner rolling behind him. It took some time to alternate dragging it with the crutches.

Then in silence, Ben turned around while she made quite a makeshift outfit from one of Ben's freshly laundered socks he offered. It was more fabric than she could ever use.

Hazel paused along the way to continue to eat and drink slowly so she didn't get sick after being forced to go without for so long. Ben decided to clean as she did.

Finally, his apartment cleaned again after quite an unforgettable night, Ben returned to the stool. He took her in as she stood there. "Hey" Ben simply said.

Hazel smiled saying "Hey yourself."

Their eyes had locked on each other as she continued, "And thank you for the food and letting me destroy your clothes for this." She finished gesturing down at what she had fashioned from it.

"Oh no big deal, I think I lost the other one for that pair anyway so I wouldn't have any use for it." Ben lied. Even though he was so curious about her, she managed to keep asking him question after question like he was the interesting one.

They went on like this for a couple more hours. Hazel learned about childhood, playing basketball, his sister and parents, car accident which sounded truly terrible, and how he came to be in this nearly empty, new building.

As they talked, Ben didn't seem to notice or feel himself slipping lower and lower on the countertop.

Before long, he was resting his chin on his arms. He was very tired and she was very easy to talk to, something he hadn't had since Max died.

Hazel turned around after eating something to ask another question and saw he'd fallen asleep on the stool. His head resting on his crossed arms.

She took in just how massive he was again, realizing he was probably taller than if Mary had gotten onto Jack's shoulders when they were both spry enough to attempt something like that.

She felt the sun shining through the wall of windows on one side of his apartment. They must have been thick, because she couldn't feel the warmth of the light shining in through the wall of windows.

She was overwhelmed and tempted to lay down and sleep herself. But she had to go find Cob, who she was sure was besides themselves with worry. She wondered whether to ever come back. It had been such a terrilbe yet amazing night with this strange, massive new human.

After Mary she was sure she'd stay away from them and live more like her parents had before the Professor came into their lives.

But she could feel something she couldn't describe in words with Ben. And she had a feeling that she'd not only return, but what it would mean for her future. But that could wait for now.

For now she needed to find Cob.

***

End of Part 9

[pure-garbage]

Final Miscalculation Of The Seeker Pirates! Tashigi's Trap!

Chapter Warnings: Violence, gore, character death

"Tighter! And make sure the knots are on the other side of the mast, where she has no hope of reaching them!"

Lana came to in a nightmare, Corrin's voice bringing her back from unconsciousness most unpleasantly. Across the deck from her, Nami and Sanji were slumped over, shackled.

"What... happened?"

The last thing Lana remembered was foraging on an island with her friends. Something about a net... Sanji yelling about a trap.

"I can't move!"

Mast at her back, Lana realized she recognized the ship she was on. Her suspicions were confirmed when Corrin stepped into her line of sight.

"Well, well, Avariya's awake," he crooned. "Long time, no see, lockbreaker."

"Corrin!" Lana seethed. "You've got some nerve letting me see your rotten face again after last time!"

"Nerve? Come on, it's only natural for bounty hunters to target pirates," Corrin tsked.

"Bounty hunters? What the hell are you talking about?" Lana demanded. She spared a glance upward. This was undoubtedly the ship of the Seeker pirates, but they weren't flying their jolly roger.

'I know Corrin. He would die a pirate before turning coat and becoming a bounty hound. He's up to something... but what does he have to gain from lying? And who is he really lying to? This line can't be for my benefit.'

"Corrin!"

A woman with blue hair appeared, frowning tersely through thick-framed glasses. She carried a sword. "The man I'm looking for isn't here. If you're wasting my time..."

"Wouldn't dare dream of it, sergeant major Tashigi," Corrin assured her. "These pirates are all part of the same crew. If anything can be said of the straw hat pirates, it's that they leave no man... or woman, behind. He'll come to take them back from us."

"He'd better, or I'll be holding you to account," Tashigi warned Corrin severely.

A marine. Some of the pieces started to fall into place.

"If you're trying to lure our captain out to rescue us, you should know it's gonna backfire," Lana spat. "Luffy's gonna mop the deck with you."

"Straw Hat Luffy?" Tashigi replied. "I'm afraid there's no way he'll be joining us. The platoon of marines I sent to distract him seem to be doing a fine job, judging by the commotion on the beach."

She was right. The shore was in sight and Lana could see Luffy, Chopper and Usopp running like madmen from a navy brigade.

"So... you mean it's not Luffy you're after?" Lana asked, confusion clouding her tone. "Then... who? Who is it you're trying to lure out?"

Robin's bounty was impressive, but Tashigi was after a man. If Sanji wasn't their target, that meant...

Lana's eyes narrowed as she reached a conclusion.

"Zoro? You idiots are trying to provoke Zoro? Corrin, you've pulled some bone-headed stunts in your time, but this takes the cake. You must have a death wish."

"Not me," Corrin grinned. "I'm just helping the good sergeant major capture her mark. It's a nice bonus that I'll be able to... collect your bounty, as well, Avariya."

His grin widened and he shot her a sly wink. Lana gasped, realizing his ploy. She scoffed, pulling furiously against the ropes that bound her.

"I get it now. You treacherous snake!"

Corrin would never lose Lana to the government. She was worth much more to him than the forty-six million berry price on her head the navy had decided she deserved for her part in the Alabasta misunderstanding. This gambit of his was clever, but flawed. He thought he could manipulate the navy, defeat the straw hat pirates and reclaim Lana for himself.

"There's just one wrinkle in your plan, Corrin," Lana smirked. More than one, but only one that truly mattered. Her confidence caused Corrin's smug expression to waver momentarily. "When Zoro gets here... he's going to slaughter you!"

"Why you-"

"Don't be shaken," Tashigi ordered. "When Roronoa Zoro arrives I'll handle him."

'She'll handle him? Who the hell is this woman?'

It was apparent that she was a sword master. Lana knew enough about quality steel to tell at a glance that the blade Tashigi carried was fine indeed. Could this meek-looking woman really have the skills to take Zoro down?

'She... she seems so sure of herself!'

"Tashigi, is it?"

The marine turned when Lana addressed her.

"Tell me, sergeant major, what business could you possibly have with Zoro?" Lana pried.

Tashigi fixed her with an icy glare.

"I don't need to answer to pirate scum."

"Ugh, rude, aren't you?"

Tashigi walked away, leaving Lana fuming.

"Sanji! Nami! Wake up! You need to- Mmm!"

Corrin placed his hand over her mouth, leaning against the mast beside her.

"Don't get so worked up, Avariya," he purred. "You'll be home soon. Back here with me, where you belong. And this time..."

Lana's eyes widened in panic as Corrin raised his left hand. In his palm, his seeking mark glowed orange as he prepared to use it.

"... I'll make sure you never have a chance to escape again!"

Lana squirmed in vain, desperation rising from her chest to choke her. He was going to mark her again and she was helpless to stop it, just like the first time. Tears brimmed in her eyes as she cursed him silently with all her might.

'Damn you! Damn you, Corrin, you bastard! Will I never be free of you?!'

"You're mine, Avariya! Then, now and always!" Corrin declared.

Lana's broken sob of despair was muffled by Corrin's hand. She let her eyes slide shut, trembling as she waited hopelessly for him to claim her once more.

'I'll kill the bastard the first chance I get! I'll burn his ship to ashes even if I have to burn along with the rest of these bastards! He can't have me! Not again!'

A slash sang out like a miracle, followed by a tense, sudden gasp from Corrin. He screamed in agony and Lana's eyes flew open. Corrin's blood splattered across the mast, wet and warm on even Lana's fevered skin. Corrin stumbled back, leaving his arms on the deck at Lana's feet. He fell, screaming and flopping away like a gutted fish while blood sprayed against the planks of his ship.

"Zoro!" Lana gasped, laying eyes her crewmate. The expression on his face stunned her into silence. His rage was seething, his bloodlust uncontrolled. He stepped past Lana without sparing her a glance, too focused on his target. He sliced through the ropes that bound her in passing, his blade deeply scoring the mast a half-inch from her hand.

Lana collapsed to the deck, slipping on blood as she watched Zoro advance on Corrin like some vengeful spirit. He placed his foot on the Seeker captain's chest, immobilizing him completely.

"She's not yours," Zoro growled. Corrin whimpered under the intensity of his ruthlessness. Zoro raised Kietetsu, his voice rising with the blade.

"She never was, and she sure as hell never will be!" he roared.

"Please!" Corrin managed to cry out, to no avail. "Mercy! I beg-"

Zoro cut his pleas short, separating his head from his body with a strike so brutal that it cleaved clean through the deck below.

"Z-Zoro..."

Lana's voice quivered. Zoro was breathing hard, shaking despite the fact that his brief assault shouldn't have been an exertion. Lana got to her feet unsteadily as Zoro slashed the air off the port bow, sending Corrin's blood hurtling off Kietetsu into the sea. He sheathed the blade as Lana found her footing and met her teary eyes with hellfire burning in his gaze. It was a terrifying sight to behold, but Lana was too shocked to feel fear.

"You killed him!"

"The bastard had his hands on you. Of course I killed him!"

Lana's lip trembled and she couldn't stop the tears from streaming down her face.

"Oh... Z-Zoro!"

"Tch, don't tell me you wanted me to spare that scum?" he scoffed, misreading her expression as he often did. "Well, I don't- hhng!"

Lana threw her arms around him, burying her face against his chest as she struggled to compose herself. Gratitude overwhelmed her, disbelief settling in to replace the terror she'd felt in the face of Corrin's return. It was over now, forever this time. Seeker Corrin would never, ever hound her again.

"Thank you!" she managed, her words muffled by his shirt. Knowing Zoro, she expected him to shrug her off or play it cool. Instead, she felt his arms around her, returning her firm embrace. His fingers crept into her hair as he held her, silently assuring her that he would kill for her again in a heartbeat.

Lana had never felt so safe in her life.

"Roronoa!"

Tashigi's voice cut the moment to shreds, tearing Lana back to reality. She and Zoro separated, turning to face the marine as she drew her blade and leveled it at Zoro. Behind her, the Seeker pirates reacted to the gruesome death of their captain with a range of emotions from shock, to anger, to despair.

"Suck it, assholes!" Lana jeered at the men who had done their part to torment her over the five years she'd spent sailing as their captive. "And you... boy, are you in for it now, little miss sergeant major! Zoro's gonna take you down too! Right, Zoro?"

"Uh... aw, crap! What the hell is she doing here?!"

"Huh?"

Lana realized Zoro's disposition had changed entirely as soon as he set eyes on Tashigi. He looked... squeamish?

"Zoro, what's the deal?" Lana demanded. "There's a swordsman challenging you, aren't you going to fight?"

"No way! I'm not fighting her!" Zoro declared.

"What?!" Lana gaped, her jaw dropping to the deck.

______________________________________________

<== Previous Chapter

Next Chapter ==>

== First Chapter ==

[tagthescullion]

Il Minuetto della Ragazza

Fandom(s): Percy Jackson and the Olympians

Rating: T

Summary: Bianca di Angelo is alive. Alive and upset, confused, desperate… Camp Half Blood lost her little brother, and there’s nothing she wouldn’t do to bring him home safe.

AO3 link

Ch One - Ch Two - Ch Three - Ch Four - Ch Five - Ch Six - Ch Seven - Ch Eight - Ch Nine - Ch Ten

Chapter 11: Santa Fe

Before opening her eyes Bianca felt grass beneath her hands. Crickets sang around her, and she could hear a couple of whispering voices not too far.

She opened her eyes and was greeted with a clear night sky. The stars shone so brightly, Bianca could see the Milky Way.

By her side, an abandoned looking train station loomed under the moonlight.

“That ain’t right,” she heard a voice murmur.

“There’s no train, your brother’s taking you for a fool.”

“He’s not!” 

It sounded like children. 

Bianca stood unsteadily. She walked quietly towards the source of the voices and found a couple of boys sitting with their backs leaning on a chunk of wooden fence, not two metres away from the rails.

They seemed to be expecting something. A train, they boy had implied. But a midnight train? 

Bianca looked around. She wasn’t even sure it was midnight, but she didn’t reckon they’d be seeing trains until morning. Not in a dilapidated station like this one. 

“It’s always on this day,” said one of the boys. His eyes were bright. “You can hear it, every single year, this same night. Even my ma’s heard it, she tried to pretend otherwise but she was freaked out all right.”

The second boy appeared a lot more cynical of his friend’s tale.

“I never heard nothin’.”

“That’s ‘cause you live so far from the tracks. You don’t hear normal trains, how’d you hear the ghost train?”

The second boy shuddered. “There ain’t no ghost train! Let’s go back home.”

His friend stood his ground. With a stubborn frown he crossed his arms around his legs. 

“I’m not leavin’ until I see that Lincoln train,” he spat. “You’re just a coward.”

The taunt hit where it aimed, the second boy sat back down beside his friend.

“I ain’t no coward.”

Bianca rolled her eyes, she never understood why coward was such a powerful insult. Sometimes cowardice was a lot cleverer than bravery.

She looked back at them, studying their clothes. 

Something wasn’t right. Those weren’t clothes children wore nowadays. Hell, she’d know, she was still trying to get used to denim.

These boys wore suspenders of all things, and they were carrying a dim oil lamp. 

She was dreaming of the past. She wasn't sure how old the scene was, nor did her surroundings really tell her anything useful. 

The boys stayed quiet for a bit, and Bianca, unsure of what to do, sat down not far from them.

A cloud went over the moon, dissipating the light they’d had. Bianca’s surroundings looked even worse for wear than they had. Under the moon’s light, the old station had appeared mystical if run-down, now it looked plain and forgotten. The tracks lost their gleam.

She wondered if it would rain. Could she feel water in a dream?

She shook her head, that wasn’t particularly important.

A ghost train one of the kids had called it. After discovering, or remembering, or accepting –whichever it was– who her father was, Bianca didn’t really want to see any ghosts, in a dream or anywhere, really. 

It wasn’t that ghosts scared her. They were people, that’s all. Her nonna used to call them ‘anime in pena’, or anguished souls. To Bianca, it seemed unfair to be somehow repulsed or afraid of them, souls could be anguished both in life or death. 

Regardless, ghosts were a connection to Hades. And Bianca wasn’t sure how she felt about him. Her memories, or vague images if she was honest, of her father were those of a caring, if not very expressive man. She didn’t want to overlap that with the resentful, dangerous deity her fellow demigods painted him up to be. 

Distracted as she was by her thoughts, she almost missed a low whistle coming from the West. 

One of the boys trembled with excitement, while the other went pale. 

“Did you hear that?”

The pale boy nodded. 

“I told you it was real!”

At first, nothing seemed to happen, but to their left, by the place the tracks were lost in the horizon, a blue mist swirled into existence. 

The breeze turned into a stronger wind, which ruffled the leaves of the trees around them. Fallen leaves, debris and old papers flew around in whirlpools.

A wrinkled sheet of newspaper landed silently next to Bianca’s left foot. She doubted she could pick it up if she tried, but she crouched to read the text better.

It was the front page of the Chicago Daily News, the morning paper by the headlines. April 21st, 1908.

Bianca heard the distant hiss of a steam engine and looked up to see a locomotive break through the blue mist. No, not break through. The mist seemed to come from it, as if the locomotive –train, she saw now– was puffing off blue smoke from below as it went. It mixed with the vapour coming from its chimney.

It wasn’t a chimney, Bianca remembered. She’d once been shown a similar locomotive by her nonno’s valet. But she couldn’t remember the right word for it. 

The train got closer, running fast on the old tracks. The two children had gone completely quiet.

Bianca felt a sort of apprehension as the train drew nearer and nearer. A phantom train. What could it mean? Who’s phantom train was it? 

It was a funeral train, she knew. She didn’t know why she knew it, but she was certain. A morbid way to parade an important figure’s corpse. But she still didn’t know whose corpse.

The locomotive slowed down as it approached Bianca and the boys. Or, she supposed, as it approached the station close to them. 

It wasn’t just the children who’d gone quiet. The world seemed to have shut up as it was enveloped by the train’s ghastly blue mist. The only things Bianca could hear were her breathing, and the train’s rhythmical noise and vapour hisses.

She looked up as the locomotive was passing in front of her. Behind it the tender carried the coal. And behind that the passenger cars began at last. 

Only it wasn’t people tending a casket that Bianca saw. 

The train was full of skeletons. Like the ones chasing them in the quest! Their skins see-through, their bones opaque and contrasting under the clouds.

They were all looking at her. Not at the side of the train, they were focusing on her.

Their teeths clacked as they passed by her, making Bianca shiver. 

‘Come find us,’ they seemed to say. ‘Join us in our journey.’

She wondered if the train would stop in the station, but it never lowered its speed enough. The train cars kept coming and coming, its skeleton crew chit-chattering its snappy cacophony. 

‘Join us, join us, join us…’

Bianca wanted to run. She wanted to be far away from that. She wanted to turn to see if the boys had gone away, or if, like her, they stood frozen watching the train go by, but her muscles wouldn’t answer her.

‘Join us, join us…’

She struggled against her own body, trying to move, to speak, to do anything. 

STOP! She wanted to yell. Stop, please!

Her voice betrayed her, but with a snap, she managed to make her body react. She fell hard to her knees, and covered her head with her arms.

‘JOIN US!’

She closed her eyes tight.

Finally, her voice returned to her.

“MAKE IT STOP!”

-

"Hey!"

Bianca was awoken by somebody shaking her arm. She wiped the corner of her mouth to clear the drop of drool forming there.

"Are we there yet?" She asked, her voice deep with sleep. Her heart still beat fast and loud.

She used a hand to cover the light in her eyes.

Standing above her, and looking like she hadn't slept a wink, was Thalia. She had taken off the silly sunglasses and Bianca could see the dark circles under her eyes. 

"Not in Denver, which was where we were supposed to go," Thalia replied. "We're close to Santa Fe."

Bianca looked out of the window, she could see nothing. Not a blind nothingness, the landscape was perfectly clear, but it was empty. If they were close to any city, it wasn’t a very big one.

She could see mountains far away, but all around her there were low bushes. It felt less dry than Phoenix but it wasn’t much better.

It made her uneasy. She tried to convince herself it was only the memory of the junkyard of the gods, but the goosebumps on the back of her neck wouldn't disappear.

"I don't like this place," Bianca said. "How long until the bus starts again."

Thalia smirked. "One of the back tires was messed up, so it seems we'll be staying a while."

Bianca frowned.

"Yeah, I know," Thalia said, her eyes dark. "It doesn't feel right. Keep an eye out."

Thalia went down the bus aisle, with Bianca in tow. 

Outside, the air smelled like dust. The sky was brightening, the colours were rather pretty, but the picturesque sunrise didn’t make Bianca feel any more comfortable.

The Hunters were gathered several metres away from the rest of the passengers, who weren't many anyway.

"I need you all to be alert," Thalia told them. She wasn't speaking loudly, but her voice carried well amongst them. "A punctured tire can be a coincidence, but so many of us together will attract monsters sooner or later."

"How optimistic," said Greta.

"She's being careful," Phoebe chided her. 

Bianca was with Phoebe and Thalia, something was nearby. 

“I’ll go see if they need help with the tire,” Maddie offered, taking off her jacket and tying it around her waist. 

“Will they let a girl help?” Bianca asked. 

She didn’t mean to be rude, but Maddie didn’t look a day over 20, and while she was open to the idea of the world changing, she was sure men were still unwilling to let women around cars. 

Maddie smirked. “I’ve been dealing with men’s fragile egos since the 19th century, darling. I’ll make them listen.”

Thalia nodded. “All right, take Phoebe with you. If worse comes to worst, Phoebs, you handle the drivers while Maddie does the work, it’ll be faster.”

Phoebe seemed to agree with that, she even looked joyful at the prospect.

Thalia walked a few steps away from the group, and Bianca followed.

“Is she a daughter of Ares?” Bianca asked, pointing subtly at Phoebe. “She reminds me of Clarisse.”

Thalia shook her head. “Nope. Naiad. She had a nasty encounter with my uncle.” She saw Bianca’s scowl. “Oh, no, nasty for my uncle. Who knew the king of the ocean could have his nose broken, huh?”

“Does everybody here but me have awful experiences with men?” Bianca wondered.

Thalia made a face, as if she was debating whether to tell her something or not.

“Some,” she said at last. “Some have been hurt or betrayed by men. Guys can be selfish, disloyal, stupid.” Thalia’s fists tightened with each word. “Others simply come from a different time, back then they were powerless to do something for and by themselves, that led them to join. You can sympathise with that last group, I imagine.” 

Bianca thought Thalia might look at her with pity. Luckily, the older girl appeared curious rather than anything else. She was probably thinking about that night when Percy and Grover had explained that the Lotus Hotel slowed down time.

“Yes,” Bianca said. “I know how they feel.”

She thought of her brother being taught how to assemble a rifle, and her being taught embroidery and how to run a house for her husband. 

Just as she felt a stab of resentment about her unlocked memory, she saw the bus driver get up from the dusty ground, ten or fifteen metres away, and shake his head at Maddie and Phoebe. 

Thalia saw where Bianca’s eyes were focusing on. 

“Seventy years and we’re still dealing with this shit.” She shrugged. “But it’s a lot better, trust me.”

Bianca nodded. She knew. One of their teachers in Westover was an engineer, she taught Math. She hadn’t known why it had surprised her so much back then, but now she imagined what her nonno’s reaction would’ve been like if she told him she wanted to be an engineer.

Thalia was about to say something more but froze with her mouth half-open. Faster than Bianca could ask what was wrong she heard it. 

REEEEEEEEET

Thalia groaned.

“Fucking Hades, not this shit again.”

[welldonebeca]

Miss, PhD (XI)

WC: 900+ words Warnings: Fluff. Steve being a dumbass. Slow burn. Mutual pining.

If you like my work, consider buying me a coffee or subscribing to my Patreon. It’s just $2 a month and helps a lot while I go through these hard times.

Masterlist

“Text her,” Bucky spoke by his side. “What are you waiting for?”

Steve pressed his lips in a thin line.

He was… waiting.

He didn’t know what for, obviously.

So, Steve had said he was going to text you, and you had both agreed you would be going out for a meal - or a coffee, or a snack - whenever you were free and not tangled in your research.

“She is probably busy,” he rolled his eyes.

You had a whole PhD to take care of. The last thing he wanted was to disrupt your process of studying.

“She hates her PhD subject, you said it yourself,” Nat stood by his side, crossing her arms. “And that’s what texts are for, Steve. You text someone, and they answer when they are able to.”

Bucky scoffed.

“He won’t say anything, he won’t text her,” he saw on one of the chairs in his classroom.

It was one of his office days, when he didn’t teach and students just came over to discuss school matters. No one had shown up today, except, of course, for Natasha and Bucky, who apparently had nothing else to do with their lives.

“He has a crush on her,” his childhood best friend stared at him. “And when Stevie has a crush, he gets paralysed, because he feels like that old skinny, bony, asthmatic boy who was too shy for his own good.”

He wasn't a child anymore, why was he even bringing that up?

"Give me that," Natasha snatched his phone out of his hands. "I always gotta do all the work with you, fucking hell."

As she walked away, he turned to look at Bucky.

"Don't call me that," he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Well, you are acting like that," he crossed his arms. "It's not like I'm wrong."

"This is different," he tried to argue.

You were just a friend of his. Sure, Steve thought you were beautiful and extremely clever-

"What is different?" Bucky insisted. "You are interested in a pretty girl and is afraid of talking to her, and you are putting all those barriers between you two."

"I'm not," he argued, already feeling his face flushing in embarrassment.

"You literally convinced yourself she was just 17, Steve," Natasha spoke in the other side of the room. "She clearly isn't. I've been around her a bunch of times, and she has grey hairs already, she looks like someone in her mid-twenties."

Alright, so maybe he had willed himself into thinking you were someone unavailable, but they couldn’t blame him. You were a prodigy, a genius since a young age, how would he know you weren’t young anymore?

His best friend turned to her, intrigued.

"Grey hairs, really?"

She was right. Your hair was peppered with a few grey hairs. There was nothing wrong with it, obviously, but they were there.

"She is under a lot of stress," she remarked. "I'm surprised she doesn't have forehead wrinkles like Steve over there, and you."

Steve shot her a confused look just as Natasha looked at his phone with curiosity.

"You are 32," he remarked. "Why don't you have wrinkles?"

"Cause I moisturise twice a day and get Botox injections twice a year, and I'm 33 and not 53," she rolled her eyes. "She's been typing and stopping for five minutes already."

He made note of the age correction, but jumped closer to her to see what the hell she was talking about. Had she said anything?

Were you trying to say anything?

"Did she say anything?"

No. The chat was completely empty.

"Text her," Bucky added quickly. "She is trying to gather courage to do it. Text her! Say hi!"

Natasha tapped a ‘hi’ quickly, and his heart quickened up in his chest as a little bubbly of text answered very fast with a little hey.

So maybe you were waiting for him to text you?

Did you think he was  taking too long? That he wasn’t interested?

“There you go,” she gave it over to him. “You have your conversation started.”

Steve scoffed, rolling your eyes, but was quick to move his attention away when his eyes fell on another text from you.

‘How are you?’

‘I’m okay,’ he answered back quickly. ‘Just finishing closing my classroom after my office hours.’

Natasha and Bucky hovered over him, looking curious, and he rolled his eyes.

“Well?” he asked.

“Ask her out,” Natasha answer, simply. “What are you waiting for?”

A message popped out on his phone, and he moved his focus back to it.

‘I’m leaving the lab now. Do you want to maybe eat something?’

“Say yes,” Bucky said quickly. “You got nothing to do after that today.”

Steve typed down a 'yes' before he could think of anything else, eager to see you.

"See?" Natasha elbowed his side. "That wasn't so hard!"

He rolled his eyes, but looked back at his phone when a text popped up again.

'I'll see you in the main quad?'

Bucky pushed his shoulder, already carrying his backpack.

"Did you just shove everything inside?" he frowned.

"Nothing broke on the way," his friend rolled his eyes. "So don't worry."

Steve scoffed, but took it from his hand, throwing it over his shoulder.

"Don't leave her waiting," Natasha crossed her arms. "And take your head out of your ass, Stevie."

"Don't call me that," he rolled his eyes.

Bucky, however, just ignored it.

"Come on, Stevie. Let's lock this room up and get you to your date."

Yeah, he really wasn't ever going to drop that.

“Fine,” he rolled his eyes. “Come on, let’s go. You two, get out.”

. . .

"Miss, PhD" was posted on my Patreon back on January! To read the full story before anyone else and have early access to all of my works, subscribe to my page! It's just $2 a month!

. . .

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[witchofthescions]

Erna found Fray waiting for her in the Pillars, standing idly by a lamppost. "Just the one sword between the two of us, I'm afraid. You keep it─I daresay it fits rather snugly in your hands."

Erna would beg to differ. The blade felt cumbersome and unwieldy in her inexperienced hands. She wasn't quite sure if she had the grip down properly. She thought imitating the way she saw Gosetsu and Hien hold their blades might help, but it felt... wrong. Maybe she should ask Gohnoh'a to show her how he held it once she made her way back to Doma.

"But don't worry about me─I'll do my part to keep you on your feet." Fray gestured to the conjurer's wand on her back. "Now, should things turn violent─as I expect they shall─you may need to tap into your darkside to survive."

"...How do I do that?" Erna asked.

"It's not unlike drawing upon your own aether to weave magic. A feat that I suspect you are more than familiar with, given the way you carry yourself."

Erna rubbed the back of her neck. "That obvious, huh?"

"Just a bit," Fray remarked. "Fear, pain, rage─that which lies in the deepest depths of our soul makes for a potent fuel. But be warned: burn too much too quickly, and you risk being consumed."

"Just like casting magic."

"Just like it, indeed. Do not worry, Ernastral. The first step over the threshold is always the hardest." Fray gestured ahead of them. "Right, then. Let's find the girl."

Whether it was luck or fate, they caught up to the knights with relative ease. The young Elezen maiden continued to look defiant as she stared down her captors, though Erna could still see the faintest hint of fear in her posture. There were four knights in total, the leader being the only one not wearing a helmet.

"Dammit, girl! You're only making it worse for yourself!" The knight advanced on her, reaching out to grab her with one hand. But she swatted it away, taking a step back.

"The hells with you! I've done nothing wrong!"

The pernicious knight let out a condescending sigh. "Why are the pretty ones always so daft..."

Erna's lip curled in disgust as she readied her blade, taking a menacing step towards the knight.

"If I had a gil for every time I had to kill an unrepentant bastard like you..."

The pernicious knight looked unnerved as he stared Ernastral down. "Wh-What the...? Are you threatening a Temple Knight?"

"Oh, you're very clever. Yes, I am. Now let her go."

"I... I... Enough of this!" he stammered, face turning pale before he roughly grabbed the hapless maiden by the arm. "With me, girl─now! One more word of protest and I'll toss your grandmother in a cell to rot! You three─seize this imbecile!"

The other three knights rushed forward to meet her as their leader fled. As clumsy as Ernastral was with a blade, she still made short work of the three knights that came at her. It was almost laughable; three fully grown fully trained knights against a woman who was just this side of twenty summers, who had never so much as held a sword in her life. And yet she was more than capable of bringing them to their knees.

This is hardly a challenge.

"Bring... bring everyone!" one of the defeated knights called out as he and his fellows desperately tried to run. "She's gone mad!"

It's almost... boring.

"Reinforcements, eh?" Fray remarked as the knight fled. "Looks like we'll have to even the odds. Search your soul for the darkness. We need but a sliver..."

Now seemed like a bit of an awkward time to be meditating, but she obliged regardless, closing her eyes and looking within.

"Yes," Fray said. Erna opened her eyes, and Fray directed her attention to the plumes of dark flame that appeared nearby. "Do you see, Ernastral? The flames beckon. Immerse yourself in the flames and ignite the darkness within."

She stepped into the nearest set of flames and let them wash over her. They didn't burn or even singe her; it was more like stepping into a warm summer breeze. She could feel power surge through her limbs, giving her more physical strength than she'd ever had before.

"Just so," Fray said with a note of pride. "As it burns hotter, so too does your strength swell. But drink not too deep, lest the flames consume you... Draw upon your darkside and drive your foes before you!"

Ernastral rushed ahead and met with reinforcements. She grinned at them with a hunger none had ever seen in her before. She drew her blade and rushed them, carving a bloody path through them as she chased after the knight who kidnapped the hapless maiden. From her pain and rage sprang more plumes of darkness, and she eagerly drank from each and every one she could reach.

And soon felt the weight of her hubris, as the pleasant summer breeze became as hot as a raging fever, stopping her in her tracks and causing her to retch.

"You fool! I warned you not to drink too deep," Fray chided.

An enterprising knight tried to take advantage of her momentary dizziness, but she recovered just in time. She swat them away with a single swing of her blade, before picking herself up and continuing on. She was more conscious of how much she indulged for the rest of the trek, though that did not mean she was immune to the allure of drinking too deep. It had taken her years of practice to find her limits before, after all. It would be a miracle if she were to master this in only one afternoon.

She fought and she fought, until at last she was face to face with the spineless knight who kidnapped the young woman.

"All this for a baseborn bitch!?" Erna's lip curled in disgust at the pernicious knight. "Do you know what you're doing!?"

"Aye, I do! I'm killing you and anyone else who gets in my way!"

The pernicious knight was the only one who truly gave her trouble. The others fell around her with ease as she fought like a woman possessed. Though her movements were clumsy and the blade slipped in her hands as sweat and blood made the handle slick in her grasp, she still prevailed. The pernicious knight fell before her.

A cruel grin graced her lips, her breath coming in heavy gasps as she viewed her handiwork. No more would this vile menace trouble innocent people. Her arms ached and her muscles burned, and yet she hadn't felt more alive in ages.

"The next knight who bears steel, I'll kill him, his friends, and anyone else who stands with him! I will incinerate any whoreson who thinks he can lay hands on an innocent and get away with it!"

Ernastral grinned as the words echoed off of the grand walls of the Tribunal. Once she caught her breath, she approached the young maiden and untied her.

"Th-Thank you," the maiden stammered, before making a break for the exit.

"Those of you who yet live, remember this horror! And know that should you speak of it, it shall be visited upon you again a hundredfold!"

After seeing the young maiden off outside, Fray turned once more to Ernastral.

"Feels good, doesn't it?" Fray asked. "Strange, maybe─but a good strange, I'll wager. You tapped into something primal. A power nestled within you, yearning to be free."

Erna leaned against her sword, leaning on it almost like a cane. It was strange, but also familiar. Almost like black magic, in a way.

"As your understanding of this power grows, so too will your skill as a dark knight." Erna can't see Fray's face, but she's almost sure she can sense a smile behind the mask. "You've done well─far better than I could have hoped, in fact. But there is still so much more to learn─so much further to go. I won't lie to you, Ernastral. The risks will only increase. So if you want to keep going, you have to trust in me. Can you do that?"

Erna nodded, firm in her conviction.

"Good. That's a promise." Fray almost sounded pleased. "Circumstances being what they are, it might be best if we parted ways for a while. Think of it as an opportunity to hone your skills in my absence. But don't worry─we will meet again. When the time is right, I'll be waiting where we first met."

And with that, they parted ways.

[bowandcurtsey]

Hello, may I please requests Rades with an undead S/O?

Like he tries to res you as a zombie, but your still fully concious and can control your undead body.

Hello Anony!!

Hehe this is gonna be my first Rades request hehe! Thank you for requesting it! <3

I'm so sorry this took so long (╥﹏╥) Thank you for waiting for meeee!!

Also from your request, this was before th elf invasion arc, am i right? because after the arc, rades magic was evolved and he was able to recall souls and revive them fully, which was why he was able to revive Patolli. Lemme know if I got it wrongly!!

Rades Spirito x f! reader

He never thought of much initially, he just revived you for the sake of a fight and he needed an army of zombie.

But you. You were just special. You retained your memories and your consciousness. At first, your body was controlled by him, but as he stopped using his mana, all his Zombies were dead again except for you.

He didn't know at first, he had resurrected hundreds of zombies to fight so he didn't notice that one zombie was still alive.

Until you started following him. You had no idea what to do anyway, you were a zombie, cold blooded and your face was horrendous, anytime someone saw you, they got scared.

Rades just gave you a raised eyebrow when he saw you. He wasn't really afraid of the dead or undead but he was more puzzled and amused that he managed to resurrect a human and bring them back to life again.

He tried doing it with other dead people, but they all just dropped dead when he stopped using his mana.

"Go home to your family or whatever. I work and live alone." he just snapped at you.

"I- I no longer have a family" you said quietly, "And people get scared when they see me... so can I just follow you?"

He felt somewhat responsible since he was the one that brought you back to life so he gave in. "tch, okay. Just don't get in my way."

Over time, you grew onto him. Having a companion wasn't all too bad. You no longer had magic though, since when one dies, their grimoire disintegrates as well. But you always made yourself useful, you cooked, washed and cleaned.

You could still fight alongside Rades, if he used his mana and let it flow in you, albeit you not being as strong, since you're on a borrowed mana. But you could at least help him take down minions.

You were hella smart as well, always helping him think of clever ways to win fights.

He started talking to you more, accepting your presence and being more appreciative of you.

He'd say his "please" and "thank yous" and sometimes buying some of your favourite sweet treats back for you.

There was once when some men made fun of your face and then tried to get all touchy with you. They got such a beating and ass whopping of their life from Rades and then he angrily held your hand and walked off.

And he continued holding your hand all the way back home.

"I'm sorry you have to live your life like this because of me. Hell, I'm not even sure if you'll age and die or you'll forever be this way." he said when he reached the steps of your now shared home.

"I never thought much about it though, I never liked thinking much about things we'll never know the answer to. I'm just grateful everyday that you gave me a second chance in life." you squeezed his hand.

He looked at you, your face as pale as the moonlight, eyes with dark rings around them, the e/c colour of your iris faded but he could still see your features. Hell, she's beautiful. He thought. She must have been a huge beauty when she was alive. He slowly leaned in close to you.

You gulped as you gently closed your eyes and slowly parted your lips. He pressed his lips carefully against yours, his hands wrapped himself around your waist as yours snaked around his neck.

You both broke away from the kiss, slightly out of breath and his cheeks a bright red. "L-let's head inside." he managed to mumble.

He was quite the protective boyfriend, since you didn't have any powers so he never really liked you to leave his side. If he had to go somewhere that probably had a fight involved, he tried not to bring you, much to your dismay. But you didn't argue because you knew you'll only get in his way.

He loved going on strolls with you. Just holding your hand and enjoying everything around you. Be it in the crowded streets or a quiet forest, he didn't care how others looked at both of you or how others thought about you.

He's not the morning person either, he hates getting up early and he'll do all he can to keep you in bed with him as well.

As all couples do, you both do get into fights. Rades has absolutely no idea what to do when you're angry. He panics. You have no power but it seemed like you would crush him like he was an ant. He sometimes wondered if he would literally be crushed if you still had your power.

Thankfully you don't stay mad for too long. After giving you your space to cool down, he'll quickly cage you up in his arms and apologise for his temper.

He's an absolute sucker if you give him back hugs. He can't keep a straight face if you just come out of nowhere and hug him from the back. He'll take one of your hand that was wrapped around him and press a soft kiss to your knuckles before pressing it back on his chest.

-end-

[thewanderingace]

The Batman was utterly amazing!!!! I saw it yesterday and I have had so many thoughts running through my head ever since. It was such an incredible movie. Absolutely surpassed my expectations. I only have one complaint is that it was dark. As in visually. But it's fine.

Major spoilers below the cut (in random thoughts)!!!

Robert Pattinson's acting choices are superb. I loved the way he differentiated from Bruce Wayne to Batman. It really fit the "this is the real you" thing Riddler says to Batman at the end. Cause when Rob is Bruce Wayne he hunches a bit, changes his walking style, and is generally much more awkward and nervous. Meanwhile he's strong and confident and menacing at Batman. And I just loooove that.

His relationship with Jim Gordon was so good!! It really showed the friendship between them and I loved how well they worked together, the trust they have in each other and they had some pretty hysterical moments. I loved the prison scene a lot. Between Gordon protecting Batman from having his identity revealed to the two of them pretending to fight while the whole precinct watches and then Bat punches him and runs as planned, "you could have pulled your punches". LOVE IT!

Oh my god Bruce and Alfred. Alfred in general. Absolutely PERFECT. I cried when Bruce was racing to get to him before the Riddler did, when he screamed when he heard what happened, and then every scene of him in the hospital by Alfred's bedside. I loved it so much. I loved angsty upset Bruce. And Andy Serkis is such a fantastic Alfred. He's amazing. That smile he gives Bruce after Bruce admits how afraid he is to lose someone else he cares for just broke me.

Zoe Kravitz as Selena Kyle!!!! PERFECTION!!! I gotta admit, I wasn't sure about her as Catwoman but god she stole the show in every single scene she was in. I was hooked from the first moment we saw her and it just grew with every scene afterwards. She's incredible and I hope it's not the last time we see her. And her fight scenes!? Damn that was good stuff. I also loved the chemistry she had with Robert Pattinson (and Selena with Bat). They had a great buildup and I love it.

The plot. It was so so cohesive and well written. Like, incredibly so. I'm so glad this movie was 3 hours because if even one of those scenes was cut it would have ruined the story. I so appreciate how everything fit in together so nicely and nothing seemed out of place. The Riddler, the Penguin, Catwoman, Bruce, Jim Gordon, Alfred, etc. They all had their own individual stories but they all fit so perfectly into the overall picture. It's impressive tbh. Not many scripts are that cohesive. And the story felt complete. Everything was wrapped and told so well. I'm so damn impressed.

The cinematography as GORGEOUS!!!! I get really annoyed by this whole "we have no lights on set" thing tv and movies are doing now but this is Batman. I fully expected it to be dark visually. And there are sooooo many amazingly beautiful shots in this movie I wanna cry. The opening narration with Bruce, the first Batman fight scene, the gunfight in the club, the walk up to the Penguin in the upside down car, the scene where Bruce is leading the civilians in the flood, every silhouettte of batman, and soo many more. They are BEAUTIFUL!

There were a lot of funny moments as well which I didn't expect! Oswald in general is hysterical 99% of the time but when they leave him tied up and he does the penguin walk I fucking died. The cop scene were pretty funny. Love Officer Martinez. "Hi Mr. Wayne!" 😂.

Awkward meow meow Bruce. Need I say more? I love him. I need more awkward Bruce in my life.

The narration at the beginning was such a clever way of opening. First the stuff with the Riddler (what a hell of an intro) and then Rob doing narration for Bruce/Batman? So cool

Batman journals!! I'm sorry I find this pretty funny. He doesn't just log his movements and actions and what he sees but he writes out his feelings and thoughts.

I loved the Batman backstory in this, how it was threaded throughout the movie and also how it affected Bruce. Starting with him staring at the boy who lost his father not once but twice (once as batman and once as bruce) and then through the reveal of who he family is. Love it. So much.

The joker reveal at the end?! WHAT!?

The Riddler is creepy as FUCK!!! Damn!!

There was such a good balance of action to emotion which is something I appreciate so much. I hate when movies all action and little substance but this is so perfectly balanced.

Bruce's eye make up. I cannot believe we actually had a whole scene of Bruce putting on his eye make up. But also, his eyes are beautiful when he has the mask and make up on. Damn. So pretty.

THE MUSIC WAS SO GOOD!!!

Bruce's story in this film was learning about hope and how he can be a beacon of hope and justice and that vengeance isn't what he or anyone needs and I just love it.

THE BATMOBILE!!! How the fuck did they make this early batmobile version seen such like it's own incredibly intimidating character. Wow

The whump! I'd be remiss if I didn't go on about the whump. And we got some really great whump. Top two moments are the explosion/knocked out scene and the catwalk stuff. Rob you did AMAZING with all of that. The slowly passing out, the pain noises, the grimaces. *chefs kiss* so good.

[thewidowsghost]

Stay Strong, Alex - Part 4

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Kara is looking out of National City from the DEO headquarters. Her phone rings and Kara pulls out her phone and sees Lena Luthor projected on the screen. 

"Lena," Kara's voice cracks. 

"Kara, I'm glad I caught you. Um. Can I ask your advice about something, er, someone?" Lena asks. 

"Um . . ." Kara closes her eyes as anguish washes over her. "Now's not a good time. I'm sorry. Can I call you back?"

"Oh, of course, of course," Lena replies, her voice taking on a softer note. "Is everything okay?" Lena asks. 

"I'll call you back," Kara breathes, hanging up the phone. Kara's tear-filled eyes turn back to the skyline, and she closes her eyes, her hands resting against the stone railing. 

"What are you doing?" J'oon asks, walking up to his daughter-figure. 

"Listening for her," Kara says brokenly. She takes a deep breath. "But I can't hear anything. I can do all these incredible things, but I can't punch my way out of this or fly fast enough and turn back time. And now I'm afraid to lose the person that is the most important person to me." 

"To us, Kara," J'oon says softly. 

Kara nods and tears well up in her eyes. "(Y/n) was right," Kara whispers. "I shouldn't have rushed in. I made things worse. I -" Kara pauses. 

"(Y/n) was upset. She was frustrated and she lashed out at you," J'oon tells the superhero. "You only did what you thought was best to protect your sister. No one can blame you for that."

"I'm scared," Kara murmurs. 

"Hey, come on," J'oon says softly, pulling Kara into a hug. The tears finally sliding down her face. 

. . . 

(Y/n) enters Rick's interrogation room, her eyes narrowed. She sits down in the metal chair and folds her arms slowly. 

"Under two hours," Rick says, leaning back in his chair. "The clock is ticking fast."

"I know," (Y/n) says, all emotion had left her after her last conversation with Kara. "And if it ticks down completely, we both lose," (Y/n) continues, leaning forward slightly. "And I don't think you want to lose."

Rick smirks. "And neither do you."

(Y/n)'s eyes narrow. 

"I was wrong about Kara," Rick says and (Y/n) focuses back on the man in front of her. "She's too much of a Girl Scout to do what I need her to do. I misjudged her." Rick pauses, "But I may have discounted you. You're a cop. You could just walk into that prison and break out my father if you wanted to. You care for her. I've seen that."

(Y/n) holds back the tears that had formed in her eyes, "By stalking us."

"The way you look at her," Rick continues. "The way your hand touches her's when you're walking down the street." (Y/n) bites the inside of her cheek and she shifts her gaze from Rick's for a moment. "Love can make people do things that they don't normally do. So, please, help us bring back the people we love."

. . . 

"Please tell me you have something?" Kara asks, her voice quivering. 

"I have literally tried everything, all right?" Winn says. "I've tried family holding, bank accounts, call logs from the prison . . . There's nothing."

Kara groans, looking at the timer counting down from fifty-nine minutes, and she buries her head in her hands. 

"Hey, we're gonna find her," Mon-El tells Kara. "I-I'm gonna talk to (Y/n) and see if she's got anything else out of him." 

Kara looks at the computer monitor projecting the camera looking into Rick's room, but (Y/n) isn't there. 

"Where . . . where's (Y/n)?" Kara asks, and Winn and Mon-El turn to look at the screen. 

. . . 

(Y/n) glances around the corner of the prison wall but stops when she hears the guard's keys jingling together. 

(Y/n) waits until the guard walks through a set of double doors to moves. She strides up to one of the metal pipes and places a projector in front of a camera so that the guards watching the cameras wouldn't see what she is about to do. 

(Y/n) jogs through the projection, her face set in determined lines. 

She blows the lock on Peter Thompson's door. "What the hell are you doing?" Thompson asks as (Y/n) grabs his upper arm. 

"Taking you to your son," (Y/n)'s voice cracks. 

(Y/n) lifts Alex's raygun and shoots two cameras as she makes her way through the prison. 

"Nice gun," Thompson comments. 

"It's my girlfriend's," (Y/n) says shortly, pushing Thompson forward. 

"(Y/n), you know Alex wouldn't want you to do this," Kara says in her Supergirl uniform. 

"All I care about is getting her back alive," (Y/n) says, her eyes burning. "You were right, sometimes words don't work."

"Sometimes punching doesn't either," Kara counters. "She just came from your son. She was with him all day, trying to turn him," Thompson turns to look at (Y/n), "make him understand. You know what kind of words your son's been using? Words like 'rescue' and 'love.' He says he wants to rescue you, like you rescued him," Kara steps forward, her arms crossed across her chest. But if he kills Alex Darners, he'll never be rescued. He'll have to live with that for the rest of his life. And that'll be his hell," Kara's voice softens. "Now, you've done a lot of bad things in your life, but you've done one thing you can be proud of. You were a father. A good one. You were there for your son during the toughest time of his life and that's what you need to do again now. If he kills her, you will have failed at the one good thing you've done with your life. Be a father now."

A timer beeps on (Y/n)'s phone, and fear strikes through her. "She's out of time."

"Please, is there anywhere he would have taken her?" Kara asks. 

"There's one place," Thompson says. 

. . . 

(Y/n) and Kara open the garage door of the storage facility and they run in, (Y/n) freezing with horror at the sight of her girlfriend in the glass chamber. 

Kara speeds over and puts a fist through the glass and all the water - as well as Alex - flow through the hole in the glass. 

Alex coughs up water as she rolls onto her side. 

"Thank God," (Y/n) says, pulling Alex's head into her lap. "She's okay. She's alright."

(Y/n) lifts Alex's head up as Alex chokes on the water, coughing it up. (Y/n) grabs Alex's hand and squeezes it. 

"You held on," Kara says, pressing her hands to her sister's pale cheeks. 

"I-I h-eld on," Alex stammers. 

(Y/n) cradles Alex's head and presses her lips to her girlfriend's forehead. 

. . . 

The three women return to the DEO, Alex remaining asleep in the MedBay while (Y/n) stares out the window, relaxed by the soft patter of the rain and her girlfriend safe. 

"Hey, you," Alex says hoarsely and (Y/n) turns, relief evident on her face. "You okay?" Alex asks. 

A look of disbelief spreads across (Y/n)'s face. "Am I okay?" (Y/n) asks softly, settling down in a chair and taking Alex's hands in her own, a look of tender affection on her face. "Are you kidding? That was really clever, with the whole Navy Seal thing with your pants. What was that?" (Y/n) smiles and Alex laughs. 

"Well, I knew I just had to buy a couple of seconds," Alex says, and a tear trails down her cheek. "I knew you were going to come." 

(Y/n)'s gaze softens. 

"You didn't let me finish before, but I, um . . ." Alex pauses. 

"What?" (Y/n) murmurs. 

"I just really have to say it now," Alex continues. 

"Alex . . ." 

"It's okay, it's okay," Alex says as she sits up, (Y/n) shooting out a hand to help. The redhead tucks a strand of hair behind her ear and turns to gaze deeply into (Y/n)'s (E/c) eyes. "Those firsts that you talked about . . ." Alex says, her voice a whisper because of how close her face is to (Y/n)'s. (Y/n) nods, a soft smile on her face. "I want to have them all with you." (Y/n)'s eyes get watery. "I never want to stop having firsts with you. I love you, (Y/n) (L/n)."

"I love you, Alex Danvers," (Y/n) murmurs, her eyes still watery. 

"Yeah?" Alex asks. 

"Yeah," (Y/n) smiles affectionately. 

At the same time, (Y/n) and Alex cup each other's faces with their hands and press their lips together, both women beaming. 

They pull apart, resting their foreheads together, wide smiles on their faces. 

. . . 

"She refused to stay in bed," (Y/n) comments with an affectionate eye roll as she supports her girlfriend as they walk into the main meeting room; Alex just laughs. 

"Are you sure you're alright?" Kara asks, her protective sister coming out. 

"I'm alright," Alex says, meeting J'oon's warm gaze. 

"I knew you'd be fine," Mon-El says and Alex grins. 

"You did good, Alex," J'oon says with a smile. "You too, (Y/n)." He pulls both women into a hug. 

"Oh," (Y/n) says, slightly surprised, but she returns the hug after a moment. 

"Just doing what you taught me to do," Alex says and (Y/n) rests her gaze on Alex again. 

"Oh. You survived," Rick says as two guards lead him away. 

"Oh," Winn says angrily, "you do not get to talk to her."

"What are you going to do to him?" Alex asks. 

"My job," J'oon says. "Protect the identity of Supergirl and teh DEO." 

"You're gonna mind-wipe him?" Alex asks. 

"Do you object?" J'oon replies. 

"No," Alex shakes her head, a grin creeping onto her face. "Just . . . Before you do . . ." Alex whips around and nails Rick in the face. 

(Y/n) exchanges a look with Kara and the two, Mon-El, and Winn all laugh as Rick groans with pain. 

"Just make sure he remembers that," Alex says firmly. 

"Will do," J'oon says, walking after Rick and the two guards. 

(Y/n) walks over and gently takes ahold of Kara's upper arm. "I need to thank you." 

"Thank me? For what?" Kara asks as the two walk out of earshot. 

"I was so afraid of losing her that I wasn't thinking," (Y/n) explains. "And I almost . . ."

"Yeah, but you did the right thing," Kara argues. "And that was all you. All I did was remind you of everything you've been telling me the whole time." Kara smiles and (Y/n) tilts her head. 

"You and me make a pretty solid team, don't we?" (Y/n) asks with a grin. 

"Well, we both love her," Kara says. 

"Yeah," (Y/n) says and Kara laughs. The two embrace warmly. 

The two walk back over and Alex beams at (Y/n). 

"You wanna go get that dog now?" (Y/n) asks Alex nods excitedly. 

Word Count: 1826 words

[onlymexsarah]

Imperfections (R.L)

Remus Lupin x UW!Reader (Under weight)

I read a lot of imagines with plus size readers, and i think it's something beautiful, but instead I've never read about a under weight reader, insecure of herself and her body, so here I am, with a Remus Lupin ready to cheer you up.

Prompts: “I wish you could see yourself with my eyes. So you would understand that I’m in love with you, all of you.”

Gif is mine🍃

P.s.: English is not my first language, please if you notice some mistakes let me now🥰

Also, I’m not used to write one-shots, I’m writing a book rn, this is a new experience, but I hope you like it🥺

Transfiguration, you had to study for your Transfiguration lesson. You couldn't let McGonagall find you unprepared, so you would stay in the library one more hour while your schoolmates eat their lunch, beside you weren't hungry at all.

"Are you sure you don't want to come?" Asked your boyfriend standing up and looking you with hopeful eyes. Remus Lupin was the best boyfriend someone could ask for; he was clever, funny, cute and with always something to comfort you in your bad days. You haven't exactly his mind, due the fact that you always forget something about homework, lessons or Prefect's meetings; and didn't care how much time you forgot things, he would always reminder you them.

"Don't worry Rems, I'll catch you up later. Just need one more minute." You said smiling standing up to give him a soft kiss on his lips. True must be told, he didn't know that you forgot sometime to eat too, but it wasn't a big deal for you, it was a normal routine not eating to save time for studying or sleeping.

"I'll see you there, love." He smiled giving you a kiss more intense than the first one, and then you were alone looking the book in front of you studying until the last line.

An hour passed before you brought yourself in the Great Hall ready to eat. You saw Remus in the corner of your eyes waiting for you with the Marauders, but that day you weren't so hungry, and you knew that Remus would be worried for you, so you decide to sit with your housemate instead to not let Remus see your almost empty plate.

The chicken was delicious, you wanted so badly to eat more about it, but you were done with one piece, so you stand up ready to go towards your boyfriend. You didn't know what you must had done to deserve him in your life, to deserve his love. Not only he was the perfect gentleman, but he was extremely attractive, and all the girls in the school knew you picked the perfect mix that someone could find in a boy.

"You alright? You didn't seat with us." Remus whispered to you when you reached each other out of the Great Hall.

"Yes, don't worry. I had to tell Snape a thing about Potion. We are partners now." You rolled your eyes thinking about Slughorn and his idea to put you with Snape instead with Remus. 

You wanted nothing more than cuddle in Remus’ arms, those arms that made you feel protected, loved and safe. You wanted to lay with him, kiss his scars and telling him how beautiful he was, you wanted to make him see himself in the same way you saw him, because you knew how it felt avoiding the mirrors afraid of what you might see, or looking your body and see nothing else but imperfections. 

So now you two were on his bed, your face on his torso with his arm around you and the other hand in your hairs, listening his heartbeat like you would listen your favourite song. The other three Marauders left you alone, going around the school pranking people, and you were fine with it as long as you two had time for yourselves. 

“How about Christmas’ holiday? My mum are cooking turkey, with her special recipe.” said Remus looking the ceiling of his canopied roof.

“I’m not going to meet your parents. Not yet, I promised my father I will be with him this Christmas.” you tried to sound convincing, but the idea of meeting Mr and Mrs Lupin terrifided you. Not because you were afraid of them, but you were scared of the idea about them thinking you were not enough for their son.

“Why not?! My mum can’t wait to cry with you during one of your favourite films!” he said laughing. 

You looked the boy under you astonished. “You-you told your mum that? Remus Lupin I’m going to kill you!”

You started to tickle him under his armpits, making him wriggling under you. You were sure that the boys in the next dorms could hear you two laugh, but you didn’t care because seeing Remus laughing was the best thing you’ve ever seen in your life. 

You got distracted for a second, a tiny little second that Remus took as an opportunity, so he reversed your positions, finding yourself between the bed and him. With his hands he grabbed your wrists pulling them on the pillow still laughing. 

“You have nothing to worry about, love.” he whispered before kissing you. You smiled in the kiss, feeling the butterflies in your stomach as you were used with him. He interview your right hand with his, letting go the other that you brough in his hairs keeping him close to you. 

Your hands seemed to be made to fit together, his big one was holding your petite one still on the pillow while the kiss got more intense. With his free hand started caressing your hips, gently as a true gentleman, but it was enough to make you lose your mind. You wanted to go on, you wanted him badly, but when his hand fell on your hip bone, you froze. He was leaving little kiss on your neck, thing that would make you crazy few moments ago, but now the only thing you could focus on was his hand touching one of the part of your body where the bones could be feel more. You blocked him, almost brutally, shifting away from under his weight and putting your shoes on ready to go away. 

“Y/N what happened? Did I do something...?” he asked afraid to have done something wrong toward her, feeling his ears burn. 

“No, no. You didn’t do anything wrong.” you said trying to not let your voice break. “I’ve just remebered I have an essay for tomorrow.”

You ran out of his common room, without looking the Marauders that teased you about your time alone with Remus, and when you were alone in the hallway you stopped sitting on the stones floor. Why you had to be so stupid? You were almost there, you were almost done with your insecurities, and it was enough a touch on your hips to make you panicking. You knew that Remus loved you because your intelligence, behaviour and other things you still had to find out, but you also knew that once he will see your body, he will understand that he could have someone better. Someone who is not you. 

You seemed a child, and you still acted in that way the days later, when you avoided him in all ways. You sit at your table with your fellows, sitting with your friends (who were not the Marauders) during lessons and sneaking away before he could pull all his things in his bag. 

Were you on the wrong side? Yes. Were you a coward? Also yes. Could you stop it? No. Your body was the problem that you had since years, and it wasn’t Remus’ fault if he didn’t know nothing, you just didn’t open up with him yet.

So now you were in the Owlery, cuddling your and Remus’ owls like you were used to do every week. You heard a noise in the stairs, but it could be some student you thought, so you kept feeding Remus’ owl.

“So you’re alive!” you froze without glacing back at the boy. “Hardly to tell since we haven’t see you for days.” James Potter could be the funniest guy  of the school, but if you hurt his friends he would make sure that you pay for it, and so you didn’t know what to do; never James had spoken to you with such venom in his voice. 

“Now you see me.” you walked toward the door ready to go away from him, but he stopped you with his voice.

“You know, I told him so!” you looked him confused. “I told him to break up with you a week ago, and you know what he said? He agreed with me.” your eyes bacame wet, trying to not cry in front of him as a child. “He wants to start a new chapter of his life, but he can’t do it if you two don’t break up. Take a move, alright? I don’t want to see him with someone like you. Someone who clearly doesn’t care about him. Who-”

“Prongs! What is happeing here?” Sirius arrived with Peter interrupting James who was burning you with his eyes, if his voice wasn’t already enough.

“Y/N are you fine?” asked Peter worried to see you like that for the first time. You were the stronger one, the girl who never cry, but in front of him, right now, there was a girl...broken.

“Yes, she’s fine. We had just had a talk, she was leaving.” said James without looking away from you. It was clear that he didn’t want to see you again, and you didn’t dare to look at Sirius because you were sure that you would finde the same look in his eyes. Instead you gave a weak smile to Peter, the only one who seemed worried for you, and then you leave wiping away the few tears that fell on your cheeks.

“What the hell is wrong with you?! Remus would never dream to leave her, and surely you would never say something like that to him! You care too much about her too to hate her.” Sirius said angrily to his mate while the curly boy was sending a owl that Peter guessed was for Lily.

“We know her, it was the only way to make Y/N take a move. I bet that she is going to speak with Remus right now.” he smirked pleased with himself.

“I can’t decide if you are extremely stupid or a genius.” said Peter running a hand through his hair. 

“We’ll see, Peter, we’ll see.” 

***

James was right, you wanted to speak with Remus, if it was true that he wanted to break up, then you would give him the opportunity, even if the thought broke your heart. When you passed in front of the Great Hall you stopped confused seeing everyone inside, and looking your wrist watch you saw that it was dinner time. This meant that the Astronomy Tower was free, so you walked toward it forgetting about the dinner and hoping that you could spend a night alone with the stars. 

You were sit with your back leaning against the wall, looking the sky, when the door opened and Remus were relief to see you there. “Knew you weere here.” You glaced at him quickly, surprised to hear his voice as soft as you remembered. Wasn’t he angry with you? So why he was there, with a plate full of food in front of you with his kind smile. “I saw you didn’t eat anything tonight, so I brought you something.” he rubbed his neck with his free hand turning in a soft shape of pink that you couldn’t notice due the weak light of the moon. 

“Yeah, I’m not really hungry. But...thanks.” you gave him a soft smile moving uncomfortable in your position. Should you start to speak? Should you wait him to take the first move? You were on the wrong side, you had to speak first, so when he sat beside you shyly, you took a deep breath. “I know why you’re here...and I’m really sorry.” your voice cracked and you looked away. “I’m so sorry, Remus. H-he told me you were thinking about that since a week and it’s fine...” no it wasn’t. “I understand why you want to break up with me. I’m just sorry for how I was toward you these days, I wasn’t angry with you, I swear...” You wiped away the tears with your hands trying to compose yourself. You were not going to cry in front of him, you had no right to cry.

“WHAT? Who told you- Me breaking with- what are you talking about?” he asked astonished looking your confused face.

“James told me you are thinking about breaking up with me since a week...” you said uncertain. 

“Such a dickhead! I can’t believe he told you so, he saw me crying thinking about that YOU wanted breaking up with me!” he moved his hands in the air and you looked him astonished. He hadn’t realized what he said until his eyes met yours. “Well, I wasn’t literally crying... just you know, the full moon is in three days and I get a bit too emotional.” you looked him amused while he tried to find an excuse making you laugh. “it could have been few drops of water, it was hot so I was sweating too.” 

“Oh yeah sure. Few drops of water, yes.” you giggled looking him finding his beautiful smile while his eyes were on you. You had to tell him, you own him. “I have to tell you something, I know I have been awfull toward you, and it’s not your fault. Blimey Remus, I could never think a life without you, not say breaking up with you.”

He left a breath of reliefe keeping listening you carefully. “That night...did I put pressure on you? You didn’t want to...” he blushed without finishing his sentece.

“No, no, no. I want you! I can’t believe I’m saying this out loud, but you have no idea about the thoughts that I have when we are together.” You looked away shyly; taking a deep breath you stood up torturing your hands. “I don’t eat, and it took me to be under weight. The healers say I have to do more meals during the day but I can’t! I-”

He stood up, getting closer to you and wiping away the tears that were falling from your eyes. He wanted hug you so much, but he knew he had to leave you let out everything you kept for yourself for years.

“You know how forgetful I am, and with all the things that happen in a day I forget that I must eat, beacuse I’m never so hungry to notice it. This is why sometime I didn’t sit with you, because I didn’t want to let you see how little I ate...” you were looking down, ashamed by how you were.

He took your hands in his owns. “I know.”

Your eyes shifted on his face suddenly confused, did he know? “What?”

“Honestly, what kind of boyfriend i would be if I don’t notice that my girlfriend eats less than everyone else, or that she doesn’t eat at all? I kinda know how to recognize when someone has a secret.” he shrugged innocently. “But I’ve never said anything because I know you, and I know that you would tell me when you would be ready. I still don’t get the problem, though...”

How he could not see the problem?  “The problem is, that everyone think if you are thin then you have a perfect body. Well it’s not! I have not a perfect body, actually I hate it! With all the clotes on it seem that my body is ‘normal’ for the standard of the people, but without them...” you felt a strange anger inside you, anger toward the people that never cared about your feeling just because you were ‘thin’, without thinking that you could have not like your body. “Without them it’s full of imperfection! But of course, I’m thin so I must be happy, right? I am not, because be thin is not cool. People think that when you are thin you have no problems, I don’t know the others, but surely not when you are as thin as me.” 

You had walked away from him, too angry to stay still, and now you were taking deep breaths trying to calm down. Remus came in front of you slowly, understanding your all point. “Are you really talking abour imperfection with someone who has scars on all his body?” 

“You know that I love your scars.” you rolled your eyes looking everyshere but him and wiping away the last tears.

“And I love you. Again, I don’t see the problem.” his smile made you ask if you spoke english or not, the problem was evident.

“You are used to see me like that; clotes, make up, with my awesome personality and intelligence.” you joked a little. “But I don’t know if you will still love me if I show you everything. I mean, I don’t love me too, so why should you do it?” 

He felt sad suddenly, it hurted him see you like that; see you full of insecurities like him. For him, you were the most beautiful girl in the world, didn’t matter how much imperfections you had. “ I wish you could see yourself with my eyes. So you would understand that I’m in love with you, all of you. I don’t care about some imperfections, those are the things that make me understamd how much you are perfect to me.” 

“I love you too.” You whispered back, without knowing what to say. 

He kissed you softly, caressing your cheek with one hand and wrapping the other around you. You brought your hands behind his neck smiling, you have been such a idiot, avoiding him for days have been the most difficult thing to do; you needed him like the air. “And then, I’m curious about those thounghts of yours.”

He joked keeping his forehead resting on yours, and you blushed a little. “Sure, but now I’m hungry.” you took his tie pulling him down again to kiss him, knowing that he will always love you as you are. 

[benoitblanc]

Hi! So I know you already did the “send me a ship and I’ll give you my brutally honest opinion” ask game a little while ago, but I was curious to know your thoughts and opinion on the Daisy/Daniel ship?

ohhhh boy. i'm going to put this under a cut, which should at least be a precursor to the answer. obligatory "dead dove do not eat" warning.

listen, i COULD write more about how i dislike that they didn't let daniel be his own character in aos s7 and how the whole thing felt like they were just speedrunning a happy ending for daisy (which i TOTALLY think she deserves, it just wasn't done well), but i'm tired so i'm just going to say... nah it's definitely not for me.

no actually i am going to say more. i just... daniel sousa is so good. he is just so good. he is kind and loyal and clever and brave and full of so much love. but he is also stubborn and proud and kind of a little shit sometimes and terrible at dealing with his feelings and not at all afraid to call people, even the people he loves, out on their bullshit. and he's got a temper! and i know a lot happened between 1947 and 1955, and he's grown up somewhat, but here's the thing: in the first few episodes he was in, like alien commies to trout in the milk, he was still daniel. he was older, yeah, but he was confident and sarcastic and good at his job, and then team shield timenapped him and he was understandably angry and grieving and a little bit lost.

and then adapt or die happened and they started playing up the romance and suddenly he... wasn't anymore? he was still... kind of daniel, but it all felt really surface level. he got way too perfect way too quickly. they took him from his home. he's never going to see anyone he knows again. he didn't get to say goodbye to peggy, and i bring peggy up not for any ship-related motivations on my part but because he makes it clear SEVERAL times that he wanted to say goodbye specifically to her. not to mention rose was his best friend! and he was clearly still on good terms with the stark-jarvis crew! and he's presumably got family! hell, jack might have even still been alive! (though i actually doubt it in the aos timeline but that's a theory for another post.) and suddenly he's just 100% totally fine with being taken from everything he loves and being plunged into a completely alien world? even ignoring endgame it still took steve AT LEAST five years to truly adapt to the 21st century, and when you take endgame into account he was in the present for TWELVE YEARS and never did. i know they were running with a limited episode count, but they could have kept daniel more true to himself throughout. i adore daisy- she's one of my favorite characters from anything ever- and with everything she's gone through, she absolutely deserves a wonderful ending. but i don't think they should have sacrificed daniel's character for her happiness. they both deserve better, narratively, than that

[fitzs-trained-monkey]

Chapter Nineteen: A Psychotic Break

Rated PG

Masterlist

~Oh, she's sweet but a psycho

A little bit psycho

At night she screamin'

"I'm-ma-ma-ma out my mind"

Oh, she's sweet but a Psycho~

"HOW DO YOU KNOW SAM AND DEAN?!" He shouted.

It took effort, but I didn't flinch. I blinked and, slowly, raised that eyebrow again. Though I couldn't see his eyes, I could feel the annoyance rising in his mind.

"Tell ya what," I said, putting on my best 'let's make a deal' face, "I'm a reasonable girl, so if you tell me just one thing, then I'll tell ya anything you want to know."

"Hmmm..." The guy studied me, walking in a circle around my chair and eating his lolli-pop.

Normally, I'd be scared out of my wits. This entity in front of me, whoever he was, was clearly immensely powerful; warping reality on that scale isn't exactly a party trick. Just by looking at the scene around me, I knew this guy wasn't Loki. Loki was never this powerful. The Norse god wasn't capable of a full-on reality shift. As long as you knew it was an illusion, Loki couldn't make his illusions solid. Whoever was talking to me now, however, had made four solid copies of himself. It would take an immense amount of raw power to do something like that. One would think that a being with this much power would scare me more than Loki just on principle.

But he didn't.

For some strange reason, he didn't. There was just something about this guy, quite opposite to the original owner of the face he was wearing, that told me he meant no real harm. I didn't want to mess with any more heads but a quick poke around his emotions told me that this guy was a friend to the Winchesters; he was fond of them actually. A part of him looked up to the Winchesters and another part felt like he owed them something. So, if I was their friend, then this entity wasn't going to harm me.

All mind reading and prior knowledge aside, I just wasn't intimidated by him. Maybe it was the cherry-flavored lolli-pop stuck in his mouth. Or maybe it was the height. I'm not one to talk about being vertically challenged but this guy was no Sam Winchester, that was for sure.

"It's up to you." I shrugged, spreading my hands. "But I want you to know, that I have literal days to sit here and not say a word."

The man chuckled and pulled the lolli-pop from his mouth.

"Well, I'd like you to know that I am very good at getting people to talk." He paused, tilting his head to the side as if thinking about something. "Not as good as Castiel o'course. Now, that guy could make em' sing. Wowie!"

The man didn't seem to be making a threat as much as an observation. I could feel my nose scrunch up with discomfort for thoughts of what Castiel might do to me if he ever found out my secret. Would he torture me?

I pushed the thought away and wiped the discomfort from my face, replacing it with a smirk. Now was not the time for grim thoughts.

"I think you'll find that I have an extraordinary talent for saying 'no'," I said, leaning forward and folding my hands together on top of the table.

"You think so?" He challenged, amused by the tiny child that thought she could beat him.

I shrugged.

"It's one of my charms. Besides, are you really gonna torture a kid?" I pointed out. I had to remember to use my physical age as the tool it was.

"Of course not!" The man scoffed, waving a hand, "That's low; even for me."

"Guess we're at a stalemate then!" I sighed.

"Hmm." The man twisted the stick of his Lolli-pop in between his fingers. "What if I were to ask really nicely?"

"I'd say 'no'."

"What if I said 'please'?"

"I'd say 'no'."

"What if I gave you candy?"

"I'd be tempted, then I'd be creeped out, then I'd say 'no'." I grinned at him. The man frowned and pointed his lolli-pop at me accusingly.

"You know, for an eight-year-old or whatever you are, you sure don't act like a kid," He said, I couldn't see past his stupid reflective glasses but I thought he was narrowing his eyes.

"Oh, sorry. Is this better?" I cleared my throat in a very mature way before giving him my best pouty frown and doe-eyed puppy look.

"Mommy tol' me nevur to take candwy fwum stwangurs," I said in an innocent baby voice.

"Hmmm. It's close, but you're still acting just a smidge too old. Maybe a 'goo-goo ga-ga' would help!" He smirked. He'd turned my own sass against me. This guy was good. I kinda wanted to punch him.

"Nah, I don't think it would work," I said, smiling thinly.

"Aw, that's a shame. So how old are you really?" He asked.

"No."

"C'mon!"

"No."

"Geez, kiddo. You are really good at saying that, aren't you?" He tried.

I didn't answer. I just smiled at him, pleasantly. The man rolled his eyes, cursing under his breath.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," He muttered. He turned to me. "Fine! What's your question, kid?"

I folded my hands in my lap and collected my thoughts. He couldn't read my mind, I knew. I felt like a sphinx of stone. Speaking as calmly as I could, I asked my question.

"Earlier, when I called you Loki, you said 'wrong religion' and you said you'd killed him; I'm guessing for a slice of revenge. So, my question for you is this: What's the name of the one that talks to you when you're all alone?"

The man shifted his weight and tugged at the collar of his stupid police outfit. The color drained from his face and all his muscles tightened. He clenched his lolli-pop in his teeth, pressing so hard that it shattered. Moving to grab another, he stuck quivering hands into his pockets, but he didn't remove them. The man raised an eyebrow at me and forced a laugh. He was uncomfortable, deeply so, and afraid of something. Afraid not of the thing itself, but the memory of it. Something was haunting him. I could see it in his eyes. All that time alone.

Using my power, I pulled on that fear.

"That's it?" He scoffed faking nonchalance. I shrugged, simply.

"That's it."

"Call me the Trickster." The man smirked. He ripped off those stupid sunglasses and leaned into a mocking sort of bow. "Pleasure to meet ya, kiddo! No, I don't answer fan-mail."

I tilted my head and kept smiling at him, raising an eyebrow expectantly. I didn't speak. The man's smirk shrank from his face as he slowly straightened back up, regarding me with a suspicious and cautious expression. His feet shifted him a little further away from me.

"What's that smile for?" He asked.

"You didn't answer my question, Mr. Trickster." I kept my voice that same unsettling calm and pulled harder on his fear, feeling it rise and crowd his mind. The guy calling himself the trickster pretended to think about my statement.

"Yeah, no; I'm pretty sure I did." He said, nodding. I smiled wider.

“No, you didn’t.”

“Your question doesn’t make sense, kid.” His voice was harsh and biting.

“Yes, it does.”

“Well, I sure as Hell don’t understand it.”

“Yes, you do.”

The man forced a laugh, but it only came off as nervous; he shook his finger at me.

“Are you a sphinx or something?”

"Only in the metaphorical sense, and you are not so clever as you think."

The man glared at me, his lip curling into a scowl. He leaned against the table and looked down at me. I'd made a wrong move; he was angry now, but I could still fix this.

"And you are way too clever for a kid."

"You're right." I nodded.

"Ya gonna tell me why?"

I leaned forward, looking him dead in the eyes. I grasped onto his fear and yanked on it as hard as I could without making it too suspicious.

"No."

The man scowled, glaring down at me. I kept my face impassive and stared back up at him. It was a battle of wills. Who would be the first to look away? Who would be the first to break?

Not me.

The man cast his eyes to the ceiling, throwing his hands into the air.

"GABRIEL!" He shouted. "My name is Gabriel!”

“You’re the angel?”

“Archangel and yes. Ya happy?!" He asked bitingly.

I smiled again, this time in a much more childish way.

"Yes."

I released my hold on Gabriel’s emotions and folded my hands in my lap. Gabriel nodded briskly. His stupid police getup disappeared, replaced by his outfit from earlier, a white t-shirt beneath a brown leather jacket, and a pair of standard jeans. Across the table from me, a second metal chair appeared out of nowhere and Gabriel pulled it out and sat. Folding his hands in front of him on the tabletop as I had previously done, he studied my face.

“My turn now, right?” He asked.

“That was the deal,” I replied with a shrug, returning to my usual sarcastic ways.

“Alrighty. You like games, kid?” He spoke the word as if he didn’t believe it was true. “Let’s play a game.”

“Ooh goodie! What game? Is it checkers? I’m great at checkers.” I rubbed my hands together in faux excitement.

“It’s easy,” Gabriel smirked. “You think you’re clever? Let’s see how clever. I ask you up to fifteen questions per topic, and you have to answer them. But, here’s the catch: You can only answer with one word. Got it?”

I was about to open my mouth to speak but, taking a look at the expression on the archangel’s face told me that this confirmation of my understanding was his little game’s first round. I pursed my lips, reforming my reply.

“Why?” I asked.

“Why only one word?” He clarified.

“Yeah.”

Gabriel’s eyes widened a bit and he nodded as if understanding something.

“Well, because I’m a professional liar and I know that it is much harder to tell a lie if you can’t provide details. You lie, you lose. And I don’t have to read your mind to know if you’re lying. So, one word,” He explained. I nodded.

“Ready to play?”

“Yes.”

Suddenly, we were sitting in the bunker’s library. Gabriel was smirking at me. The game was on.

It was time to see if I was smarter than a five-billion-year-old cosmic entity. My bets were on no.

***

“Let’s start out easy, shall we? How did you meet the Winchesters?” Gabriel asked.

He watched her face. This game was a test, it was all about the words she chose and the way she said them. The more abstract the child’s answers, the cleverer the kid was. Details of the story she was barely telling registered in the Archangel’s mind; one after the other, like lines on a page.

“Alleyway,” The child answered. Interesting already.

“What happened in the alleyway?”

“Salvaged.” Thinks herself lesser in value.

“From what?”

“Idiots.” Views some as beneath her. Strange.

“Why did the idiots attack you?”

“Inebriated.” Drunk. Why not say drunk? Why choose the word inebriated?

“Were the inebriated idiots all the Winchesters salvaged you from?”

“Abridged.” Another abstract answer. Yes!

“What else was in that alleyway?”

“Suffering.”

“Physical pain or otherwise? Elaborate.”

“All-encompassing.” Hyphenating, clever move.

“Cheater, cheater, pumpkin eater! Who said you could hyphenate?” Gabriel spoke accusingly. The girl shrugged with an innocent expression on her face.

“Unstipulated.” Exploiting loopholes; perfect.

“So why was this suffering of yours all-encompassing? What was causing it?” He asked, getting back to the point.

“Shiver.” Not shivering but shiver. Why only say shiver?

“Were you in danger of dying by hypothermia?”

“Agony.”

“But not death?” This question was more directed toward himself, but the girl answered anyway.

“Enduring.” Fierce pain but not death.

“Enduring for what?”

“Victorious.”

“Why do you want to win?”

“Obligation.”

“Obligation to what?”

“Brother.”

“Why?”

“Nevermore,” She said, coolly.

Edger Allen Poe: The Raven: Verse 14; Quoth the Raven “Nevermore”

Time to switch topics.

“Why did the Winchesters help you?”

She shrugged.

“Screamed.” Simple enough. Disappointingly simple.

“Why were you in the alleyway?”

The girl paused.

“Caution.” She said, slowly. Yet she had been attacked. That was an interesting answer.

“Caution for what?”

“Harm.”

Gabriel nodded, that was a little confusing, but he was sure he would figure it out eventually.

“So, were you looking for the Winchesters, or did they find you by chance?”

The girl thought about this for a bit before answering. Just the pause she had taken was interesting, that meant the answer was more complicated than a yes or a no.

“Watching,” She decided.

“Why were you watching?”

“Waiting.” This was getting better by the second.

“Waiting for what?”

She paused again.

“Seek.” There was a secret smile in her eyes when she answered this time. She thinks she has an advantage. Maybe she does…

“Where was this?”

“Michigan.”

“What town?”

It was a trick question; her answer would have to be two words; there was no avoiding it. Only a few minutes into his little game and he was already trying to trip the girl up. That wasn’t cheating or anything; if this kid thought that beating him was going to be a cakewalk then she had another thing coming.

“Two,” She replied.

“The town’s name is two words?” He asked her only to be sure of the context.

“Yes.”

“Okay, answer the question anyway. If I don’t know the town when you give me the word, then you lose.” He challenged. The girl took a second to think.

“Ferry.”

“Was the town Copper Harbor, Michigan?”

The girl grinned.

“Yep.”

Gabriel raised an eyebrow and nodded, the smirk on his face growing wider. This kid was clever. He was getting excited. For the first time in he didn’t know how many millennia, Gabriel had a decent game to play, and for the first time in just as many years, he finally had someone to play with. For as long as the archangel could remember, he had loved a good game. He had always relished the challenge of solving a brilliant puzzle or capturing an opponent’s king. When chess had been invented, he had become a master. Gabriel adored beating people at things. He loved to best them, yes, but not only that. He loved to teach them something too; to show them how they could be better. But for as long as he had lived, Gabriel had never been given a real challenge. His brothers could have given him one of course, but they were so predictable and they had always been fighting. They had never cared to really play with him; not the sort of game he had wanted. A game of wits. A game of minds.

For someone who had been stuck on Earth as long as he had, things just got so boring. It wasn’t as if he could leave the planet; despite how much he had desperately wanted to. He had to stay and honor the terms of his witness protection agreement with Loki. After a while, no game on the planet could capture his interest or cure his horrid boredom. The only minor distraction he’d had was the humans.

Gabriel thought humans were wonderful things. Though, for a much different reason than his little brother, Castiel, did. Castiel loved humans for their hearts; Gabriel loved them for their minds. Not all of them were entertaining of course; he wasn’t lucky enough for that. The fact of his life was that there was only a disappointing handful of interesting individuals out there to entertain him. The archangel had had a hay-day when he’d met Einstein! (And you wonder why everyone thought he was crazy.) Though it was somewhat fun for him to watch the boring majority of humanity stumble and fall whenever he tried to teach them a lesson, it wasn’t ever enough.

Gabriel had longed for someone, anyone, even a human, he could play a game with. Now, suddenly, here she was. Someone clever, someone who knew what clever meant, someone who actually wanted to play a real game. Gabriel had seen it in her eyes the moment he’d given her the chance to ask him her question. She was bored too. This was exhilarating for her too.

As if all that wasn’t good enough, Gabriel couldn’t read her mind. This fact probably should have concerned him more than it did, but he couldn’t focus on a tiny detail like that. No, this was too good of a chance to pass up. Not even his nephew had been able to give him a decent challenge. Gabriel was too excited to focus on something so seemingly trivial. He was excited, he was high on the thrill of the chase. No one ever said you couldn’t fool an archangel, and Gabriel didn’t know it, but he had been fooled. He had been fooled by a tiny girl with the face of a child.

Another entity as powerful as he was would most likely consider it beneath them to play a game of wits with a child, to be challenged by a child. But not Gabriel. He had been waiting for a chance like this for all of his existence; age simply didn’t matter to him anymore. That wasn’t to say he wasn’t curious, however.

This was his element. This was his obsession. This was his chance. It was time to have some fun.

“Now all that’s out of the way, let’s ask some things about you. What’s your name?”

“Marty.”

“Nice name. How old are you, Marty?”

“Enough.” The girl smirked. She was good. But he was just a little better.

“How many years have you been alive?”

“Fourteen.” That was her answer. There was darkness in his eyes this time. Interesting.

“How many years have you existed?”

A look of fear crossed her face, like a deer caught in headlights. But the look vanished as soon as it came and was replaced with a confident smirk.

“Conservation.” She answered.

Gabriel cursed internally. The law of conservation of energy; energy is neither created nor destroyed. Of course, she would say something like that.

“Okay, miss-smarty-pants. How many years have you been aware of your existence?”

Marty swallowed and looked down at her hands in her lap.

“Nineteen.” Now they were getting somewhere.

“Riddle me this, Batman. How can you be fourteen and nineteen at the same time?”

She glared at her folded hands.

“Trapped.” The way she stressed the word told Gabriel that she was more than resentful of her condition.

“Trapped how? Elaborate,” He demanded.

“Skin,” She said, nearly growling.

“Elaborate,” He repeated, nodding.

“Cage,” Her voice quivered.

“Why?” He leaned forward now, waiting. This would be the crucial response. Marty looked up, there were ghost tears in her eyes.

“Neverland.”

Very interesting. Time for a new line of questions.

“Why did you come with the Winchesters?”

“Invited.”

“Which one invited you?”

She smiled a little.

“Jack.”

“Why did he ask you to come here?”

“Protection.”

“What led him to offer you protection?”

“Mendicant.”

Mendicant. Definition: One who begs. So, did she ask to come or was she invited? And if she was begging, that begs the question of why.

“What were you begging for?”

“Life.”

“Why were you begging for your life.”

Marty tilted her head.

“Guillotine.”

Her use of the word guillotine could be a metaphor, or it could mean something very literal. Gabriel had the suspicion that it meant a little of both.

“What did Jack offer to protect you from?”

She shrugged.

“Monster,” She said as if it was obvious.

“Yours or someone else’s?”

“Everyone’s,” Marty whispered.

There it was. That was it. That was the clue.

Gabriel laughed; he was winning.

“Tell me, Marty, how long ago was your family massacred?” He asked. Marty looked like she’d been stabbed in the gut and Gabriel felt a pang of guilt, but he brushed it off. It was nothing compared to his excitement.

“Five,” She replied after a moment.

“Five what?”

“Years,” Her voice cracked. Gabriel nodded.

“How have you spent those five years?”

“Alone.”

“If you’ve been on your own for so long, why accept help now?” He prodded.

“Tired.”

“What are you tired of?”

“Running.”

“That’s the practical reason, what’s the other reason?”

Marty pursed her lips.

“Name.”

“Of what?”

“Character.”

“Say it.”

“Peter Pan.” Two references to the same story in one conversation. Definitely not a coincidence. She was comparing herself to something, but what was it? What was he missing?

“Okay pumpkin, just a few more questions; then we’re done ‘cause I don’t have all day.”

“Nice.” She smiled.

"Why should I believe a word you've said to me?"

The girl grinned in a way that was meant to be friendly, but fell critically short.

"Psycho."

That response unnerved the five billion year-old archangel. What was this kid?

“What do you think of Jack?” He continued, he didn't miss a beat.

“Viridity,” She replied. Viridity; noun: Naïve innocence.

“What do you think of his parentage?”

“Irrelevant.” Gabriel had heard many words used to describe his family. Irrelevant was definitely not one of them.

“What do you want more than anything in the world?”

Marty’s answer was unexpected.

“Back.” Her voice wasn’t desperate or wistful; it was cold and hard.

“Describe yourself. Who are you, Marty?”

She had to think about this one. When she had her answer, the genius girl grinned. It wasn’t in a happy way.

“Domino.”

“Alright, one last question, then you’re free to go.” Gabriel leaned forward, his face a grim mask. “Do you have a crush on my nephew?”

Surprised by his question, Marty blinked but before long a smirk split across her cheeks and mischief gleamed in her eyes.

“Talent.” That was all she said. Gabriel knew that meant; ‘The answer may be yes, but I will say no until the day I die.’ The archangel reached a hand across the table; Marty grasped and shook it.

“Good game, kiddo. Mind telling me where Sam and Dean are now?”

“They’re on their way to New-York. They’ll be there in a few hours,” Marty said.

“Cool beans. Now go get some breakfast and I’ll see ya later.”

With a nod of his head, Gabriel was gone. The reason why he had originally come to the bunker was completely forgotten. Now he had only one thought on his mind.

He needed to find Sam and Dean.

He needed to warn them about the girl they were protecting.

When it came to individuals, there had never been something that Gabriel couldn’t figure out.

Never. Not one thing. Until now.

Gabriel had no idea what that child was.

That thought―that question mark unnerved him. That notion shook him down to his very core.

That blank space child, that missing piece little girl.

She was more terrifying to him than anything he had known in five billion years.

~You're just like me, you're out your mind

I know it's strange, we're both the crazy kind

You're tellin' me that I'm insane

Boy, don't pretend that you ain't just the same

Oh, she's sweet but a psycho

A little bit psycho

At night she screamin'

"I'm-ma-ma-ma out my mind"

Oh, she's sweet...

But a Psycho~

Lyrics from: Sweet But A Psycho by Ava Max

[twoidiotwriters1]

June, 1976 (WITT One-Shot)

A/N: If you want to remain in the taglist pls interact with this one-shot even if you haven’t read book 4-5 yet. A like or a comment is fine, the people who don’t want to continue reading obvsly do not interact and I’ll delete from the taglist :) -Danny

Words: 2,590

Series’ Masterlist

Emily was tired, but she'd spent all day overthinking and she was done, it was time to grow up.

She could hear Lily Evans' voice ushering Severus Snape away, he'd been coming around for several hours during the day trying to apologize, but he'd finally crossed a line.

"It's not your fault, you know?"

Matthew's voice caught her attention, he'd stopped at the foot of the stairs, one hand propped on the wall.

"Snape and Evans have been fighting for months now, I think it's because of what he's been doing with the Slytherins... you know, the cult stuff."

Emily averted her gaze to the fireplace.

"I know..."

Matthew hesitated, he'd promised himself that he wouldn't go back to being Emily's therapist, but something was different this time, it wasn't her usual kind of sulking.

"Are you okay?"

She looked at him over her shoulder and frowned.

"I'm not the one who got called 'mudblood' by a close friend."

"No, you weren't," He admitted. "Which is why it's so strange to see you all sad."

"I'm not sad."

"Is this about James?"

He didn't want to know, but alas, he'd asked.

"No," She made a face. "I don't think I care about him that way anymore."

"It's easier said than done," Matthew crossed his arms, his shoulder now leaning on the archway of the stairs.

"What do you want, Ruddy?" Emily groaned.

"I don't want anything from you," The boy replied. "But I have the feeling that you need to talk."

"I do," She said. "Not with you, though."

Matt nodded, he sighed.

"Good luck, then, have a good night."

"'Night."

Emily watched him disappear up the stairs, she didn't know why, but the memory of his burning gaze before he kissed her came back then, his intense determination as he held her closer... That moment Emily had found herself unable to move away, to say no. She wished she had his courage to just do stuff even when he was intimidated by them, she needed that kind of bravery tonight.

Lily Evans entered the tower two minutes later, Emily stood up abruptly and the redhead came to a halt.

For a moment none of them spoke, then Lily's face showed tons of fatigue.

"What now? Is it your turn to call me a stuck-up bore because I didn't agree to go out with Potter?"

Emily shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

"Can we talk?" She asked shyly. "I promise it's not a trick... I'm sorry."

Emily's behaviour towards her was usually hostile, tonight her voice was gentle, and even a little afraid.

"You're sorry?"

"I don't expect you to believe me," Emily continued, lowering her gaze. "I know you and Snape were close — I don't understand how can you like him... listen I suck at apologies, can't you just say it's alright so we can go to bed?"

Lily crossed her arms, standing straighter.

"No, I think I want you to try harder."

Emily groaned, she sat down heavily and started to think her words carefully, Lily inched closer.

"Boys can be cruel when they're not thinking — Anyone, really... I've been brutal myself — Matthew and I almost stopped being friends a few months ago, because I don't like talking about my feelings," She laughed dryly. "I don't know what is it about today that it just... I don't want to be a tormentor my whole life, let alone to someone who is... tolerable. I'm sorry for making your life a living hell these past few years."

Lily sat down, although she kept the seat between them empty to keep some distance.

"You didn't make my life a living hell," She replied. "I... can admit you're a bit clever... even likeable — that last match when you threw Lewis a bludger after he called you a midget... it was kind of funny."

"The boys walked me everywhere that week, they thought Ernest was going to try and get back at me," Emily bit her lip, but she was now smiling. "I mean, I lived in fear for days! Thinking he would spike my drink at some point with poison or something... Until Matthew cornered him outside D.A.D.A. class one day, poor Lewis... he looked so small in comparison..."

"Anyone looks small next to Matthew, he's a giant," Lily grinned. "Well, if it's any consolation, I was planning on murdering you in a much classier manner than poison, but since you've apologized, I guess I won't have to kill you after all."

Emily snorted, her eyes lingered on Lily, who looked like she'd been crying for most of the day, and yet still had enough energy to sit down and talk with the girl she'd detested for the last four years.

"Why are you being nice?" She asked in annoyance. "I mean I'm glad you're kind of accepting my apology, but I thought you'd be a bit colder, walking away before I could even finish..."

"What kind of person do you think I am?" Lily raised a brow, with the orange light coming from the fireplace her green eyes looked far more intense than usual. "If I'm honest, you should thank Remus... he's tried to convince me that you lot are far better than you look..."

Emily sighed, when she was young she'd do mischief for fun, but now that she was older, and considering all the weird stuff that was happening outside the school, she was starting to think that maybe her group of friends were indeed changing for the best.

"I'm going to be honest with you too, Evans," The girl took a deep breath. "Being the only girl in my friend group is turning out to be pure torture. I'm in desperate need of a girlfriend."

Lily's mouth twitched a bit, but she didn't laugh.

"What makes you think I want to be your friend?"

"Oh, I don't think you want to," She raised a brow. "But maybe if we're on good terms I'd be able to ask you for a tampon without having to swallow my pride first."

Lily did laugh at this, she shook her head. "Holy Merlin, Sultens, you're loopy."

"You would be too if you were seated next to Sirius every day!" She paused. "So... are you willing to make peace?"

Lily examined her carefully, four long years of quarrels sat between them, but a lifetime of friendship could be ahead if Emily was truly sorry. She was a nice girl, and really smart too, she was annoying only when she was taunting Severus, and he was no longer her friend.

Lily stretched out her hand.

"Very well, but if you go back the deal is over and we'll be less than strangers, understood?"

"Sure."

She retreated her hand before Emily could grab it.

"Hang on — this is not Potter's idea, right? You're not trying to be my friend just so I date him later?"

"Lily, if anything I hope you and James never date," Emily snickered. "Nothing personal, you're just way too good for him."

"...Alright."

They shook hands, she'd meant what she said about it not being personal. James was a boy, a very silly one at that, and even though they were really close friends, Emily was no longer a blind supporter of his doings.

Funnily enough, this seemed to be related to Matthew, she couldn't stop thinking about that kiss! Merlin, he was a good kisser...

She shook the thought away, now was not the time for nonsense.

"I'm very honoured to be your acquaintance, Evans," Emily grinned.

"Call me Lily. Only Professors call me Evans... and Potter, but you know I hate that."

"Got it, Lils."

July 1996

"...I don't think this is right," Mel tilted her head. "Brownies are mean to be brown... not pitch-black."

"You burned them," Harry was standing behind them with his arms crossed, clearly upset.

"How could you burn them, Erick? They were in there for five minutes!"

"Are you sure..." Erick stabbed the mixture with a knife and made a face. "Ugh — they're still liquid in the middle!"

"How the fuck did you do this?"

"I thought it would work just the same if I doubled the heat and put less time," Erick sulked. "Ovens are weird."

"This is why we told you to stay out of it," Harry replied. "You don't know how muggle stuff work."

"I do know!"

"Then why did you burn the brownies?"

"Don't fight," Mel intervened, grabbing the platter and throwing its contents away. "Oh well, at least we ruined my birthday cake and not someone else's..."

"That's not okay," Harry frowned. "You should have a proper cake."

Mel looked at him and grinned. "I'll eat yours, then."

"How's everything going in here?" Emily walked in, behind her Lupin followed.

"Uncle Lu!" Mel rushed over to his side and hugged him, the man chuckled. "You came!"

"Well, hadn't been around for your birthday in a long time, I thought you'd like it," He said, lovingly patting her back.

"I do," She beamed. "We kind of ruined the cake, though, so we should buy doughnuts or something."

"It's a good thing I brought this, then," Lupin lifted his bag and placed it on the table, inside there was a beautifully adorned red velvet cake.

"You just saved my birthday!"

Harry and Erick shared a moody expression and grumbled complaints, Lupin laughed.

"The kids insisted on doing the cakes this year," Emily explained. "I told them it was not an easy job, but they insisted."

"Mel and I have done this before, Erick was the one who wanted to be in charge when he can't even make tea without magic," Harry glared at him.

"Muggles stuff are too complicated, alright?" He huffed.

"I don't mind," Mel said without paying attention to them, she was still beyond happy with her uncle's presence. "I wanted to give my mum a break, Leggie's been a bit hard to handle lately..."

"Is he?" Lupin looked at the little boy Emily was holding. "Is he ill?"

"No, he just cries a lot," The woman sighed. "Wakes us up every night."

"I thought that forcing my mother to bake when she's clearly too tired to be doing anything apart from feeding a baby was a crime," Mel stated. "So I took care of it."

"Then Flint messed it up," Harry taunted.

"And then you fixed it, Uncle Moony," The girl smiled. "So there's no harm done, right boys?"

She looked over her shoulder, raising a brow as if urging them to stop bickering before they embarrassed her in front of Lupin. Both mumbled their agreement, not quite meeting her eyes.

"Lovely," Mel looked back at the adults. "Who wants lunch?"

Mel and Erick were in the kitchen talking in hurried whispers, she appeared to be upset, the young man too. Emily and Remus were in the drawing-room, Harry was upstairs changing Reg's diaper.

"Do you know why they're arguing?" Remus asked, staring at the pair.

"Dumbledore came by this morning before breakfast," Emily sighed, leaning her head back on the couch. "Talked about this mission he had for Erick — you know how eager to help that boy is... so of course the old man came and put his offer on a silver platter, and Mel won't let Erick go on his own, so being the generous soul Dumbledore is," She said sarcastically, "He said she could go too if she wanted to."

"Really?" Remus frowned. "Well... he's been giving her lessons for years, Mily, perhaps he knows she can handle it."

"I don't care," She said bluntly. "That's my daughter, my daughter. Matt's daughter. How can he continue to risk my family's life like it's nothing?"

"You know Matthew did all he that because he wanted to, Dumbledore had nothing to do with his decisions."

"I know," Emily took a deep breath. "But he's got a lot to do with Mel's... she idolizes him."

"You think so?" The man looked over his shoulder again, staring at his goddaughter.

"I don't see why else she'd be so keen to follow his orders..."

"Maybe because she feels guilty?" Remus offered. "After what happened in the ministry..."

Emily pressed her lips together, she didn't want to talk about that.

"That's not her fault and she knows it. I told her it wasn't."

"You weren't there," He said gravely. "She went out of control. I had never seen anything like it, her magic was dark— I mean that literally. All the spells she did came out pitch-black. Dumbledore was the only one who could put a stop to it."

Emily's eyes grew worried, she looked over her shoulder as well and her gaze landed on Mel.

"You think it could be the same thing that Ariana Dumbledore had? That disease?"

"No one knows what happened to her," Remus said. "Not even Matthew knew, and he was part of the family... but it could be. Maybe Dumbledore knows something we don't, maybe this will help her... perhaps she needs this."

Emily stayed silent for a moment, then she groaned.

"I hate that we're always meant to trust him blindly."

"He's lived a hundred years, he might be wiser than all of us, don't you think?"

The woman scoffed, she looked ahead, deep in thought.

"A hundred years... Matthew couldn't even make it to twenty-one! James and Lily barely did... Sirius spent twelve years in Azkaban — But at least we all knew how the war looked like then, Remus. We fought for years... my daughter just turned sixteen, she still goes to school!"

"And yet she's already done her fair amount of fighting," The man raised a brow. "We didn't have the experiences she's gone through when we were her age. I stand with Dumbledore, she can do this."

"I'm not saying she can't," Emily grabbed the empty plates to take them to the kitchen. "I'm saying she shouldn't have to sacrifice her youth. Dumbledore asks for too much, I'm sure he's got someone else that could help him with the mission, but he's obsessed with making Mel his perfect copy."

Remus didn't try to argue back, little could convince Emily at this point, she'd never been a fan of Dumbledore, and after Matt's death it was no secret that she openly disliked him, but she still followed his orders, because she knew Dumbledore was the only chance they had to win this war.

Mel and Erick entered the room, neither of them angry, which made Remus think they had reached an agreement.

"I should leave," The man stood up. "Leon's been quiet, maybe Harry managed to make him sleep."

"Or maybe he's just playing with him," Emily stood up as well. "Really, I never thought Harry would get so attached to a baby..."

"I'll miss you, Uncle Lu, I hope to see you soon," Mel said, her eyes avoiding to look into Erick's direction.

"Me too, little Em," Remus hugged her tightly, he whispered in her ear. "Be good to your mother, alright?"

Mel looked at him with confusion, but she nodded anyway.

"So?" Emily crossed her arms. "What are you going to do?"

The young witch stared at her mother, Remus knew that expression. It was true and very strange, how she could have her dad's gaze even though her eyes were exactly like her mother's, but he knew that look, he'd seen it in Matt the last time they had spoken. Mel was done being a kid.

Taglist.

@dee123ksha @vampiregirl1797 @siriuslysirius1107 @stardusthigh @mikariell95 @vernon-dursley @thesuitelifeofafangirl @tomshollandz @wlwmaximoff @reverse-hxlland @omiwashere @t-rexs-world @just-here-to-escape-from-reality @21bruhs @i-am-scared-and-useless-bisexual @dielgonacoffee​ @thelastpyle @hamiltonwc

[yuvon-writes-letters]

Hello?

I am not sure who you are or why Matt had at least 30 unopened letters from you in his mail box. I didn't read them either. I normally would, but it is not my place. The only reason I am here writing this is because I have to. Everyone should know what happened, everyone that was close enough to Matt to send him letters.

Maybe I should start with who I am? My name is Jessica, or Jessy. That's how my friends call me. Or Jess if you go Matts way. (The sentence is a bit shaky) I am was his girlfriend. I don't think you knew about me yet. No one really did, except for my close friends. And of course this stupid hacker...It's his fault that

We wanted to tell Matts friends and family in person when the danger we were in was over. It just didn't work out as planned. About a year ago the girl Hannah Donfort went missing. She was from a little town, Duskwood. Like me and all of my friends. Except for Matt. When Hannah went missing she sent a number to her boyfriend, Thomas. That was the phone number of Matt. And that is where everything started.

Matt, myself and my friends started talking. We talked much and long. About Hannah and how we could find her, he is was such an amazing detective. Always found small clues.

And after some time I started to develop feelings for Matt. And he for me. It is the story of a whole year and I still have to write some more letters, so I will keep it short.

In our journey we, mostly Matt, also met this hacker. His name is Jake and he witnessed Hannahs kidnapping. Or more, he was the one who did it. We figured out that Jake was Hannahs half-brother so for the sake of it I'll call him Jake Donfort. Even if that was not his real name.

Donfort seemed to be eager to find Hannah and helped Matt. Or at least that's what everyone thought. But I was always suspicious. He just seemed weird and always tried everything to make Matt keeping secrets from us. Wanted to make Matt stay away from Duskwood. He didn't do that though🙂Matt always talked to me. And later came to visit us.

You have to know, we tried finding Hannahs kidnapper until we got to this person. The Man without a Face. From a Duskwood legend. It had to be a man that knew everything we did and more. And somehow knew all of us.

This somebody was Donfort. Matt told me that the hacker got angry when he went to Duskwood. (Oh, did I already tell you that Donfort was searched by the government? He has always been shady)

And then the day came...Matt and I finally met and we had the greatest time in Duskwood. But Donfort didn't write anything anymore. Just that he would have to go into hiding again. (He did that before) He sent Matt some weird riddle that he even solved. This riddle gave a hint on how to find him if everything went wrong.

But that was Donforts last mistake. Again you have to know, he always wore a mask. We never got to see his real face.

And...and when the police found Matts body... (the paper is full of dried tear stains)

Not even 10 meters away, hidden in a tree was this masks. The mask Donfort always wore. Jake was responsible for multiple murders, including my boyfriend, and the kidnapping of Hannah Donfort who wasn't found to this day. But at least he had to pay...I told you about the riddle, right? My friends and myself (or most of my friends. Lilly, Hannahs sister, and surprisingly Dan left after we told them what we did. I really don't understand why thdy didn't want the murderer who was Lillys half-brother as well to be captured) sent the hints for Jakes location to police and government. It didn't take a day until he was captured and imprisoned. In some kind of maximum security prison.

But you can be sure, he will never see the light of day again. And that's not something I am saying. He will never see the sun or daylight again and sure as hell will suffer for what he did. At least that is what the guys promised me.

The Man without a Face, the murderer, Jake will suffer. Small cells, no daylight...I don't even know what they'll do or are allowed to do. But I don't care anymore.

He took my boyfriend and my friends.

Signed: Jessica Hawkins

Jessica (may I call you Jessy?),

I am very sorry for your loss. My relation with Matt is... complex. We are simultaneously strangers and rather close. I don't know how to better describe it, I'm afraid. Thank you for informing me.

Hannah Donfort went missing a year ago? That's quite a long time for your friend to be missing. That can't be easy either.

Jake... I can certainly see why you see him as suspicious. But why would he give Matt a way to contact himself if Matt got into trouble? I'm sorry if I seem a little disbelieving, but that sounded more like an act of concern than a threatening gesture.

And, if he is paranoid enough to go into hiding merely from Matt going physically to Duskwood, and clever enough to hide from the government, why would he leave a mask that could be linked back to himself at the crime scene?

This just seems rather off, I'm afraid.

I'm going to assume you're saying to yourself at the moment, "Who does she think she is? What does she know about all this? Who is she to doubt that Jake is actually the kidnapper?"

That's very, very complicated. I'll try to explain, and I'll sound completely insane. If you don't want to deal with it, if you just want to feel that you've gotten the murderer and everything is solved, close this letter now. But if you want a shot at ensuring you found the right person, keep reading.

After all, you wouldn't want to put an innocent man in prison, would you?

Alright. How to start this.

Do you know the theory of parallel universes? Every choice made, action taken, or decision made spawns a parallel universe where a different choice was made, a different action was taken, or a different decision was made.

The most prominent difference I've noticed so far between our universes is the identity of the person who had their phone number sent by Hannah's phone to Thomas, and who Thomas then contacted a day later, three days in total after the kidnapping.

Hi. Call me Yuvon. I'm the person who was contacted by Thomas and got sucked into all this mess in my world. I've got a bunch of crazy stuff going on, and I'm in contact with other people which have crazy stuff going on, but you don't really have to worry about that right now. Read the previous letters if you really want to know, but I'll warn you that it's completely insane.

It's only been... it's already been over a month for me, oh my hell. It's been only over a month since Hannah disappeared, by my timeline.

Jakes seem to be somewhat different from universe to universe, at least as far as I've seen so far, so I can't tell you with absolute certainty that your version of Jake wasn't the kidnapper. However, my version of Jake is one of the people I trust the most, right up there with my version of you. And, besides, him being the kidnapper just never made sense to me.

You pointed it out yourself, after all, I think. You might not have ever said it to Matt, but certainly you told me that you didn't think Jake was the kidnapper, because it'd be too dangerous for him to engage in the case in the first place. I completely agreed with you.

Obviously, I can't ask you to believe any of this without evidence. Ask anything you like. You and I only ever had one (virtual) date, and since I'm a woman I think you didn't see it in a romantic light (blacked out), but rather in a friendship light, so please don't ask me any questions about the romance you had with Matt. I am not Matt.

Please also do not ask questions about the time past when you and Thomas were pursued by the kidnapper after checking out Micheal Hanson's old house, and Jake then told you to stay in one house together and lock the door. That is as far as I've gotten in the investigation, and obviously I can't answer questions from the future.

(Blacked out) (Harshly blacked out) (Blacked out) I also have a question for you, if that's alright. Is Richy (Harshly blacked out)

Sorry. I spilled ink on the page.

I don't think I have much more to say. I know it sounds hollow, and I'm sure you're sick and tired of hearing it, but I'm truly sorry for your loss.

—Yuvon

(The letter tucks itself in the paper clip with the others.)