#she’s currently resting in a jewelry box from work until i can pin her a bit better

[strigops]

it is with a heavy heart that i announce the passing of queen judy, most beloved of e. armata. i don’t know her age but assume she’s around 2+ years, a fairly ripe age for her species. she is survived by her several children, and friend big red the e. obscura who she spent many hours eating her favorite food with (fruit and lots of it). i knew i’d likely only get around a year with her, and i try not to play favorites or get attached to my short lived bugs, but she was very obviously my favorite beetle and i was in love with this feisty critter from the moment i saw her. rest easy, fearsome beast, in the knowledge you’re loved and known long after you’re gone.

[bluebellwriting]

Love Me Tender Part 6

Hey folks! I know it’s been a minute, I’ve been super busy with work and school, but I’m by no means done with this piece and you know I had to post something for Valentine’s Day (to make up for the fact that single and lonely 😆😭)

Despite popular belief, Hell does in fact freeze over. It’s Hell, after all, and in the world of pain and torture, everything is fair game. And it’s February, historically one of the coldest months for you back when you were living and certainly the most miserable in Hell too. The roads are slick with sheets of ice, you can’t walk a block without a three-foot icicle nearly spearing itself through you, and everyone’s car is perpetually trapped in a snowbank thanks to Lucifer’s “generous snow plow program.” Each winter day reminds you of the worst snow cyclones from when you were growing up in Brooklyn, cold yes, but in a way it’s all very sentimental. They remind you of the winter nights cuddled up with your siblings, hot chocolate in hand, listening to the winds blustering against your windows. It’s all rather lovely, in a strange way.

Your boyfriend of four months does not seem to agree, if the way he’s gripping you and nuzzling into your neck is anything to go by. You’ve been trying to extricate yourself from your practically shared bed for the last ten minutes, but each attempt only causes Alastor to pull you closer. He’s basically on top of you now, those boney forearms are stronger than you’d think.

“Sweetheart,” you whisper. “It’s time to get up.”

Alastor groans but otherwise your voice falls on deaf ears.

“Come on, we have to make breakfast and then--”

“But darling, it’s freezing,” he sighs. “And why would I go anywhere when I have my own personal heater right here.”

It’s really hard to stay mad at him, especially when he places sweet little kisses from your cheek to your shoulder and back again.

“Well your personal heater has some errands to run and needs to get her day started.”

“Ugh,” Alastor whines and inch by inch, begins to roll off of you. “How can you even stand to be out in that unbearable cold? Don’t you want to stay right here with me, your loving and adoring boyfriend?”

“You know I would,” you boop his nose. “But then I wouldn’t be able to get your present.” 

His ears perk up immediately.

“Present?” He coos. “A present for lil’ ol’ me? Dearest, you shouldn’t have.”

“Yes, but I can’t pick it up until I get out of this bed.”

“Oh fine. I suppose I have some things to do for tonight as well,” he teases and kisses you on the nose before finally allowing you to shift out of bed.

“Although before you leave me,” he whines. “I have a little something to kick off the festivities.”

With a snap of his fingers, a red garment manifests in your arms.

“Oh, Alastor.” You run your hands over the thick velvet of the dress. “It’s lovely.”

“This is just the beginning, love. Now go try it on,” he shoos you off to the bathroom, then immediately curls back up into the comforter to protect himself from the draft leaking in from your window. 

The dress is beautiful and warm. As soon as you change into it and assess yourself in the bathroom mirror it hits you that this has to be a customized dress. It fits you far too perfectly and the fabric is so soft, it’s like a blanket heating you up and snuggling you in. It’s either custom or enchanted with Alastor’s magic. Or maybe both, you wouldn’t put it past him to make this the perfect dress.

The last four months together have been a dream. A blissful and rapturous dream that you never want to wake up from. If you thought he was sweet before you began dating, then this is an entirely new level. You two are practically glued to the hip, and he finds a way to make every possible moment so enthralling and exciting that it doesn’t even matter. 

Everything about him is just enthralling, and the best part is that he can’t seem to get enough of you either. It makes your face warm and your mouth split into a grin just thinking about it.

You poke your head out of the bathroom door and giggle at the sight of Alastor in his own personal blanket cocoon. 

“Comfortable?” You ask.

“I’d be more comfortable if you were here with me.”

“While that sounds tempting, I wouldn’t want to ruin my fabulous new dress.”

He shoots up, blanket still around his shoulders, eyes wide and alert and trained on the way the bodice clings to your curves. It’s even more perfect than he could have expected.

“Do you like it?” He scoots to the edge of the bed and holds his arms out for you to step into.

“I love it.” You smile and step between his legs to fall into his embrace. “It’s perfect. Thank you, my love.”

“That’s just the beginning, dear,” he cheers.

“Alastor, you didn’t--”

“Nonsense! It’s our first Valentine’s together and it must be the best of all time!” Ever one for theatrics, with a flourish of his arm the room is filled with red roses.

“Oh my goodness,” you giggle and cup his face in your hands. “You darling man.”

Alastor melts into your hands, letting the softness of your palms warm his cheeks.

“Only for you, love.” He leans forward and nuzzles your nose. “Happy Valentine’s Day, sweetheart.”

“Happy Valentine’s Day, dear.”

If you weren’t worried about getting to the store and back in time, you would have stayed here, exactly like this, for hours more. 

“Let’s begin the day, shall we, love?” You whisper.

“But it’s cold!” He whines. “And you’re so warm!”

“Ugh, you’re such a southern boy,” you tease and pull away from him, if only to draw him out of his blanket nest and into the world. 

“You love this southern boy,” he laughs and finally rises. With a quick snap, he’s dressed in a redder-than-average suit with one of the red roses on your floor now pinned to his lapel.

He hands you your coat, gloves, hat, scarf, and tries to force another sweater upon you but you stop him before you’re a complete bundle of wool and layers.

---

Charlie must have gotten up early because the entire lobby is littered with hearts and confetti. Chocolates are on every available surface and your fearless leader is currently snuggling with Vaggie in matching heart sweaters. You watch Angel hand Husk a box of chocolates wrapped in a lovely bow. Hesitantly, Husk opens the box and spits out whatever he was drinking all over your brother before stomping away with a red face.

“What did you do to that poor man?” You call over.

“Just gave him an innocent token of my affections,” Angel chimes and shows you the contents of the box: three rows of chocolates with letters printed on each piece, spelling out “Best Dick Ever.”

“Angel, that is so vulgar,” you exclaim.

“It’s the day of love, sis.” Angel pops one of the pieces into his mouth.

“That is not love, my fellow,” Alastor chastises.

 “Aww, that’s cute coming from you, strawberry pimp.”

“I’ll have you know that I am plenty romantic,” Alastor says incredulously. “Aren’t I, (Y/N)?”

“You are, love. The most romantic,” you coo. “Now I have to get going. Please be nice, boys.”

“And you,” Alastor leans down to pull your scarf tighter around you, “promise me that you will be careful. You’re sure I can’t come with you?”

“I’m sure, love. I’ll be fine. Angel,” you turn to him. “Be nice.”

“’K, mom,” he calls back to you, waving as you begin your journey into the chilly winds.

“So,” Angel drawls, sidling up to Alastor. “What are you doing for my sister on this ever most sacred day of love and affection?”

“Something special and perfect and I will not have you distracting me,” Alastor sighs and snaps his fingers, transporting himself to his cottage deep in the woods of the Pentagram. Because only a crazy person would want to walk out in that cold. Good thing Alastor loves your kind of crazy.

---

It’s been a while since Alastor has been to his home, his actual home, one that is reminiscent of the large, Queen Anne-style homes of New Orleans. Dust is collecting on the counters and window sills, but that’s nothing that some quick magic can’t fix. The real task at hand is the redecorating and the meal he has to prepare for tonight to be as perfect as can be. This is certainly not the first time that you’ve been to his home but he’s hoping that it will be the last time that he calls it “his home.”

If he had it his way, tonight would be the night that Alastor asked you to marry him, to spend the rest of eternity -- or as long as you’d have him at least -- together in Hell as husband and wife, as partners in crime until the very fabric of the universe began to fray at the seams. He’s known for so long, long before you began your courtship, that he wanted to marry you and it took everything within him not to propose to you on your first date. But he had to be patient, suave, a perfect gentleman, because the last thing he wanted to do was scare you off with a hasty courtship and engagement. The last man who had attempted that with you, well, Alastor was still in the process of hunting him down so he could offer you his head on a spit. That was supposed to be the second part of your Valentine’s gift but alas, the wretched soul was more slippery than he had anticipated.

Hopefully you’d be impressed enough by the way he had decorated the house with some of your favorite colors and furniture from the 1940s, things to make it look more like a home you could share and grow into. 

---

The beauty about Hell in the wintertime is that there are so few people out on the streets to bother you. The sidewalks and roads are eerily quiet, the snow swallowing up distant sounds so the only ones left is the crunch of your boots. Your trip to Rosie’s had been quick, as the poor woman was overrun with sinners trying to buy up last-minute Valentine’s gifts. As she said to you in passing while gift wrapping some tacky jewelry for a panicked demoness, “good for business, bad for relationships.”

You clutched your gift bag close to your chest, guarding it from any muggers who would even dare steal the most perfect gift for your Alastor. This was weeks in the making and you were not about to let someone ruin your first good Valentine’s Day. 

You approached the door to the hotel, already anticipating a warm fire to warm your cheeks and nose, when suddenly an arm is around you and you’re no longer in front of the hotel. No, after blinking your eyes to readjust, you’re now staring at Alastor’s home, which means the arm and body hugging you close belongs to your sweet, adoring, and sometimes startling beau.

“Alastor!” You squeal. “What have I told you about surprising me like that?”

“I’m sorry, love,” he chuckles. “But I just couldn’t have you out in the cold any longer.”

“If this wasn’t a day dedicated to love you’d be buried in snow right now,” you grumble.

“I don’t doubt that, sweetest. Now come on, the fire is waiting for you.”

When Alastor first brought you into his home it was your one-month anniversary. You were actually relieved when it wasn’t a massive mansion like most Overlords pick for themselves, and you couldn’t help but be charmed by the perfectly retro, 1920s decor.

But it’s different now. The living room has new, floral wallpaper and some of the furniture reminds you of... your old home back in New York.

“You redecorated,” you shiver as you allow the warmth of the home heat up your body. Alastor rubs his hands up and down your shoulders to warm you up as soon as your coat and layers have been shed.

“Do you like it?” He asks, a glimmer of hope igniting in his eyes.

“Oh it’s lovely,” you breathe and inhale, smelling the hot meal he’s probably slaved over. “Just surprising. What brought this on?”

“Oh, just, wanted to try something new. Are you ready for dinner?”

“I’ve been salivating since I first stepped into the door.”

Dinner is delicious, mouth wateringly incredible and cajun. But all throughout dinner you couldn’t help but notice the way Alastor’s knee bounced or the way his hand shook whenever he held his fork to his mouth. Not to mention the eery quiet between you two. You can’t seem to get more than a one-word response out of him. It makes your heart drop, and the way his eyes shift away from your gaze makes a pit form in your stomach.

“Alastor, love. Is everything alright?”

His eyes dart up to meet yours. His teeth worry his bottom lip and you can hear his fingers tapping excessively on his seat.

“Of course, darling. Everything is right as rain. Are you enjoying your food?”

“It’s amazing, Al. It’s always amazing.” You beam at him and reach across the table to hold on to his hand.

“If you don’t have any more delightful surprises for me, love, could I give you my gift now?”

“(Y/N) you didn’t--”

“I won’t even dignify that with a response.”

Reaching down beside your chair, you pull out the perfectly wrapped present and slide it across the table to him.

“It’s not much,” you explain. “But I hope you like it.”

It’s perfect. So perfect, the wrapping, the bow, the very idea that his darling has given him a gift at all, that he doesn’t even want to open it. As much as he wants to tear it open, there’s the urge to keep this moment preserved in his mind forever and ever, just in case his present to you goes south tonight.

But from the way you’re looking at him, eyes wide and hopeful, he knows he has to open it right now.

Inside is a little plastic... view finder? He’s really never seen anything like this. They look like binoculars but there’s a little white disk inside with small film negatives along the circumference.

“It’s a reel viewer,” you explain. “Put it up to your eyes and click the lever.”

So he does. And with each click he’s met with little candids of you and him, some from before your relationship began, some from after, all of them more perfect than the last and preserved forever just for him. His heart swells and warms an overwhelming amount. His joy leaks from his mouth and eyes, until it feels like the sun itself is pouring through his teeth and tears.

“Oh, (Y/N), darling...” he sniffles.

“I know it’s not much but--”

“It’s everything, dearest.” It really is. And more importantly it’s enough for him to get his act together. He feels like he can breathe again, like the fog of doubt has finally been lifted. What was he so worried about? You love him, of course, you love him.

“It’s perfect.” He rises and comes to kneel before you. “More lovely and wonderful than you will ever know. So much better than my gift to you but I hope you will love it all the same. I love it, (Y/N). I love you. So, so very much, dearest.”

“Alastor, I’m going to love anything you give me because I love you, sweetheart.” You peck his nose.

“Yes, well, that’s the thing. Because really, this feels more like just another gift from you to me.”

“Is it now?” You tease.

“It is...” he sighs. “I love you. I hope you never have to doubt that for an instant in your life. And I know this might be too soon, and you can say no for now, or forever, but I have never doubted for a minute that you are the one for me. My gift to you, love, sweetheart, darling dearest, is this.” 

He motions to the dining room.

“The... dining room?”

“No, love,” he chuckles. “The house. My house... Our house. If you’ll have it. If you’ll have me.”

You gasp and tears flood your eyes so quickly that you have to blink them away to see Alastor’s hopeful eyes properly.

“You’re asking me to move in with you?”

“I am. I’m asking you to make this house, our home.”

“Oh, Alastor.” You launch forward and wrap your arms around his neck. You press your lips to his in a bruising kiss, letting him bundle you up in his own arms and grip your waist.

You pull way for a brief moment, short enough to mumble out a fervent series of ‘yeses.’ 

“Of course,” you say between kisses to his face. “Of course, I’ll move in with you.”

[anjuschiffer]

Amira Wayne - Chapter 7

:3c

I exchanged @biodad-bruce-month‘s Day 7: Fashion Show with Fight!

Chapter 7: Fight

-

P.Tag: @theatreandcomicfreak @damianette-is-life @toodaloo-kangaroo @elijahcrevan

Tag: @vixen-uchiha @we-want-mini-mini @ramos123 @bluesimani @redscarlet95 @greatcatblaze @promiswords

-

MASTERLIST | FIRST | PREV | AO3

Amira looked at the white board inside her walk-in closet, reviewing the new information she got last night. During last night’s patrol, Amira took a break halfway through, using the time to ask Tikki more questions regarding the miraculous. 

They were earrings, which thankfully, can shift in design but can’t change its original form: earrings. 

So here was Amira, sporting all black studs. Simple and hidden in plain sight. Amira also found out that the appearance of the earrings can always be changed as Tikki doesn’t have to use too much energy to do so. Therefore, Amira has been planning on changing its appearance after every akuma attack, an easy tactic to see exactly how much Hawkmoth himself knows about the Ladybug miraculous.

Next up, her yo-yo. Turns out that it’s more than just that. While it works as a tracker and phone, it only works when Amira is transformed. No yo-yo, no way to communicate with Chat. Because of this, Amira decided to get him a burner phone to make sure the two can communicate outside the suit. Will also help in case they have to communicate during an energy break while there is an akuma. 

Her costume. Thankfully, Tikki had told her that it morphs into whichever design the holder has in their head. With more concentration on the design, the more the costume will have what the holder would want. After patrol, Amira made it her mission to get the utility belt in her design and after plenty of trial and errors, Amira got it. 

Now she had smoke pellets, a taser, a small utility knife and a first aid kit at her disposal. Of course, the belt came with a price - her dagger.

Brushing out her hair, Amira looked at her reflection. She always hated having long hair. While Dick always told her that he liked her hair when it was long (because he liked braiding it for her), Amira never took a shine to having long hair. 

It was a hassle to brush out, to clean. During track (even though she was only on the team for two years), Amira hated seeing other girls have their lucky amulets in their hair. A special pin or hair tie from their fathers and sometimes from their-

“-to Marinette!” Tikki yelled, snapping Amira from her trip down memory hell.

“Tikki, I live across the school. I won’t be late.” Marinette stated, continuing to stare at her reflection.

“I know that, but your phone has been buzzing nonstop!” Tikki said, showing her the multiple texts she was receiving.

Marinette took it, smiling when she saw they were from Wally and Dick, telling her to have a better day at school than yesterday’s disaster. “Are they from your friends?”

“You can say that.” Marinette said, tucking her phone into her pocket, looking at her reflection once again. “Tikki. Can you grab my fabric scissors on the table near my monitors?”

-

“It suits you.” Alya randomly told Marinette after the end of their first class. “Your hair, I mean. Don’t think I didn’t notice it.” Marinette simply blinked, wondering why people always said a compliment before bringing up their actual motives. “Name’s Alya-”

“-Cesaire. I know. Now if you excuse me, I have a class to get to.” Marinette filled in, getting up to leave, only for Alya to grab her wrist. “Let go.”

“Sorry!” Alya apologized, letting go of Marinette. “I just...I just wanted to tell you that you were a bit too harsh on Mlle Bustier yesterday. You should apologize.” Alya didn’t expect a scoff from Marinette.

“I’m not going to apologize for standing up for what I know is right.”

“Mlle Bustier-”

“-should’ve done her job correctly instead of enabling, especially now that Hawkmoth is a threat. But even with Hawkmoth out of the picture, Ms.Bustier shouldn’t have just assumed it was Ivan who instigated the argument. There’s always two sides of a story and we should always make it our job to figure out who is right. Sometimes, we even figure out why things happened the way they did. Sometimes, we find out we are wrong and when that happens, we have to accept it. If not, how else will we grow?”

With those words, Marinette gave Alya a little bow before going to her next class. Hopefully Marinette can find M. D'Argencourt during her break to try and convince him to let her join the fencing club...again.

 -

“Well, that went easier than I thought.” Marinette told herself, walking down the school steps. M. D'Argencour had happily accepted her into the team, proceeding to tell her the team’s schedule.

While it took a while to hunt the coach down, Marinette was about to find him towards the end of the day.

“Why exactly do you want to know fencing?” Tikki asked her from the pocket inside her sweater.

“I just found it...interesting.” Marinette lied, knowing she couldn’t tell Tikki that her father never let her take up the hobby. While Bruce had allowed Jason to learn how to use a sword, Jason quickly dropped it. Dick was also taught how to use a sword, but he complained how annoying it would be to carry it around, hence the reason why he carries escrima sticks.

While fencing wasn’t the same, fencing will help her gain more skills she can use during her fights. You never know after all.

After greeting Tom and Sabine and squishing Bridgette’s cheeks, Marinette made her way to her room, only to find him in there...again.

“If it’s about the Miraculous, I’m still not giving it to you.” Amira said, throwing her school bag to the floor. She whispered the renouncing spell before reaching into her jewelry box, where countless dupes rested. Oh how she wanted to cackle when she saw her father look at her with wide eyes. 

“Amira, hand them over.” Bruce ordered, stretching out his hand in hopes of Amira doing the correct thing.

“Why won’t you trust me?” Amira gritted, balling her fists. “Why don’t you trust me to do the right thing?”

“I do trust you.” Bruce said, taking a step forward. “That’s why I expect you-”

“I can’t just hand earrings over! The people need me! They need Ladybird to-”

“You don’t need to be running around Paris playing hero, Amira. Let Diana-”

“Must I remind you that I was given the earrings? It’s me who they want! Me! And no! I’m not playing hero! Hell, I’m not even a hero! I’m a vigilante! I’m doing what’s right by being Ladybird, by protecting the people the only way I can.” Amira reasoned, looking at her father. “And trust? Doesn’t that go both ways?” Amira set out a sigh she didn’t know she was holding in. “After all, when were you going to tell me about Batgirl? About...the new Robin?”

How Amira wanted to scream when Bruce remained silent. 

“How did you find out?” Amira scoffed.

“Find out? The whole internet was talking about it! My class was talking about just earlier today!”

It happened during break. Just as Marinette was leaving the class, she bumped into the second surprise of the day in the form of teen model Adrien Agreste. 

Adrien apologized for the accident when Chloe pulled him into the class and began to ‘teach’ him what it meant to be part of a school. The only reason Marinette even remained in class at that point was because she heard Adrien talk about this being his first time in a school...meaning that up until now, he had been homeschooled all his life.

Kinda how like she was up until she was around seven to eight years old. But to be homeschooled until 13? How lonely he must have been. Especially when she heard he was the only child at home.

You’re really ungrateful.

Marinette stiffened, feeling her heart pick up in pace upon remembering Jason’s words. She already knew that...she knew, but was it wrong of her to want something else? To want to have something different than what she currently had?

As Marinette was fighting off the beginnings of a breakdown, Alya’s sudden burst almost triggered it.

“Since when did Robin come back to Gotham?!” Alya yelled, rising from her seat. 

Marinette didn’t need to hear any more, running out of the classroom and locking herself into one of the girl’s bathroom stalls. While she hated having breakdowns, Amira was glad to have had one, as it helped her gained more insight on how Hawkmoth’s powers worked.

He can’t control you if you’re in the middle of an emotional breakdown and can’t register his words. In other words, he can’t control you if you’re already out of control. 

Guess it’s good to know that if Joker were to ever come to Paris, Hawkmoth wouldn’t be able to take over him. 

Amira looked at her father, awaiting for his response. “Under different circumstances, I would have forgiven you for replacing Jason with another guy. But it hasn’t been a year since he died and you’ve already replaced him. 

You know how Jason felt, you know he lived with the fear of doing a single thing that would give you a reason to kick him out of the manor. And while you always assured him you would never do that, here you are, doing just that.” Amira watched as her vision went blurry, wiping them away as she collected herself again. 

“I wasn’t replacing-“

“You were. You are. And not only have you replaced Jason, but it seems you’ve also replaced me.” Amira looked at herself. “Batgirl? Really? You know that was the name I wanted to use if you ever let me fight crime alongside you. Of course, that never happened.”

“Amira.”

“At this point, I don’t care what you do.” Amira gripped all the turmoil inside her. “Right now. I just want you to leave.”

“Amira.”

“Leave! I don’t want to see your face Bruce!” Amira yelled, shocking herself at her outburst. 

Bruce? Why did it feel so wrong, yet so right? She tried it again. “I don’t want you anywhere near me Bruce, so leave! Just leave!”

And he did.

As she watched Bruce leave her room with a heavy heart, she slumped to the floor, standing back up when she felt something approach her. “Tikki!” Tikki appeared before her. “Spots on!” A second later, an akuma appeared before her, Amira quickly capturing it. Before letting it go, Amira quickly searched for a glass jar and a box in her desk.

She let the now purified butterfly go into the jar, surprised to see that it didn’t phase through the jar. So it was just a normal butterfly after all. When coated in magic, the magic allowed it to phase through whatever it wanted to to ensure that it made it to its target.

Calling off her transformation, Amira quickly got to work, carefully placing a tracker on the butterfly’s wing. 

“Are you alright, Marinette?” Tikki asked, looking at her holder with worried eyes.

“I’m alright Tikki. I’m alright.”

-

No, she wasn’t alright.

The next day at school, Chloe tried to stick gum in her seat as a revenge plan for once again chewing out Mlle Bustier for allowing Chloe to interrupt the classroom with another one of her stupid excuses. Not to mention Chloe using her father’s position to get away with said excuse.

It didn’t help when Marinette was stuck with Alya trying to ask her about her past in Gotham and Alya claiming to be her friend.

They barely knew each other and this girl was already clinging to her like a newborn chick. 

While Marinette tried to avoid her at all costs, Alya always found her, Marinette hating it. Didn’t she know about personal space?

Her week got worse when Chat accepted the burner phone but refused to be trained by her. Something about him not needing it.

Thankfully, she was able to vent to Dick and Wally, although more to Wally since Dick was busy with university. 

Days went by and even then, Amira knew she was never going to adjust to life in Paris.

It’s only been four akumas and this city already thinks they saved the world. 

While technically they saved Paris, Ladybird and Chat have yet to fight off a Victim that can become a potential threat to the world. Bubbler and Mr.Pigeon weren’t exactly the worst to deal with, but they weren’t the easiest to take down either. As for Stormy Weather and Lady Wifi, Ladybird realized that it was Victims like them who posed a threat to France. Victims with intangible powers were a force to be reckoned with after all. 

But just because the duo saved Paris four times, it didn’t mean their work was done. They had yet to find out who Hawkmoth was.

Oh, did she mention the ridiculous statue they made in her and Chat’s honor because of the four Victims they took down so far? Long story short, she didn’t go to the ceremony and Chat must’ve told the artist something stupid because here they were. Fighting a Victim all thanks to Chat and his loud mouth.

“Chat! Stop trying to regain your honor and let me-” Ladybird yelled, only to get pushed back by his bo.

“No! This is my fight!” Chat hissed, attempting to land a hit on his copycat. Copycat grinned as he parried all of Chat’s hits, flinging Chat’s bo to the side when he saw an opening. 

“He’s good.” Chat said, landing next to Ladybug as he retreated. Ladybird scoffed, gaining an arched brow from her partner.

“He’s good? Got some pretty low standards there Chat. Have you ever seen Nightwing in combat? This guy is nothing compared to him.” With that, Ladybird charged into the fight, picking up Chat’s bo and using it against Copycat.

The two fought, Ladybird noticing Copycat starting to hit her with less force, more sloppily. He was starting to become more aggressive, half of his hits missing. 

“Chat! Switch!” Ladybird yelled, knocking Copycat’s staff from his hands and throwing Chat his own back to him.

With Chat distracting Copycat, Ladybird waited for the perfect- there!

Chat had launched Copycat into the air, Ladybird using this to wrap him with her yo-yo and slamming him down. Holding him down, Ladybird turned to Chat.

“Where’s his akuma?”

“Here!” Chat said, taking out a photo from Copycat’s pocket. Ripping it, it released the akuma, Ladybird unwrapping her yo-yo and capturing the akuma. Now purified and having the tracker implanted, Ladybird released the butterfly. 

“Miraculous Ladybug!” Ladybird watched as everything was returned and fixed. Turning to Chat, she glared at him. “I’ll be done here in a few minutes. Meet you at the rendezvous in a few.”

NEXT

[the-crows-typist]

I’d like to request a ficlet of Sebek x f!mc with the random word as Romantic. Thank you!

EDIT: A big thank you to Poyo @starry-eyes-inc for proofreading this ficlet. They're a peach and a wonderful writer, please consider checking out their works.

The Possibilities are Endless

“One day I’ll take you with me, to the places beyond the door.”

“Dearly beloved,”

The letters you received from him were all beautifully written, all full of wit, all full of the unique charm of the man you came to love. Sebek was archaic in his ways of saying ‘I love you’, his letters were a testament to that. It was a silly thing, really, but you couldn’t hide the excitement that came when a letter would come to you.

It even provided you a semblance of comfort while he was away.

“I’ve arrived in my hometown last night and my back is still sore from the long ride. I’m currently resting in a nice inn just a few hours away from home and it’s really nice, very cozy, and the blankets are so fluffy. I hope you also stay safe too, I’ll see you soon.”

I love you.

Sincerely,

Sebek Zigvolt”

Within the envelope was a photograph of the view with Sebek smiling before it. Behind it was a note: “The breakfast place has a wonderful view of the mountains. One day, I’ll take you here and we can enjoy some waffles together. – Sebek” 

You set the letters aside and using a special tape, you stick the picture over the wall amongst the many pictures you’ve shared together. One picture of you two hugging, the other Sebek kissing your cheek, and one where it was taken by someone else with the two of you in a dancing pose. Placing the letter down, you thought back on the fond memories you’ve had with him, the way he laughed at the attempted dance, the squeal you made when he twirled you around, and the feeling of your foreheads linking together at the end.

He was so expressive with his love for you. 

“Please come back home safely.” You say, pressing a kiss on the letter. 

Your heart hurt, having to sleep alone in a bed shared for two. You hugged his pillow close, breathing it the scent of the shampoo he loved to use. You wanted him back soon. You wanted to hug him.

You found the second letter two days later after when you came home from work. The envelope is the color of satin, Sebek’s initials written on the side with shimmering green ink and a stamp seal of rosy red. You set your things down next to you and you break the seal with a nearby letter opener.

“To the love of my life,

I got to my parents’ house and they really spruced up the place! With the Halloween season coming up, everything is decorated with pumpkins and bats. There are lots of candies in the bowl too. They asked about you, how you are, and if you’re doing well. My father wants you to join the family dinner this Christmas. 

It’s his turn to cook this year so you’ll be able to taste his signature chicken pot pies. He says his favorite daughter-in-law will love his signature dish so he’ll make lots and lots just for you.

Oh, and my mother has a little something for you but…I’ll keep that a secret until I come back to you.

I miss you dearly.

Sincerely, 

Sebek Zigvolt.”

The picture accompanied with the letter showed Sebek with his family at the dinner table. He was a splitting image of his father in many ways, his eyes warm just like his mother’s, and his smile just as jolly and wide as his grandparents’. “My father wants you to join the family dinner this Christmas.”  

Your shoulders sag, a warm smile on your lips. 

Suddenly, you couldn’t wait for Christmas to come along.

The picture was pinned to the wall and the letter joining the previous one on the table. By the fireplace, you saw the different family pictures of yours and Sebek’s. A trip to the lake, a brunch at an eatery with his mother and yours, the group picture you had during a get together. What a chaotic time that was, seeing both of your fathers laughing with each other, and your mothers speaking to each other over drinks. You and Sebek held each other’s hands under the table, happy to see them get along.

“We should have a picture together.” Said your mother, taking out an old camera of hers. One that she kept with her always. Both you and your fathers huddle together for a group picture. 

“Say cheese!” 

You slept that night with a warm heart. 

The next few days were silent, no letters coming in during the nights you rested and the days you worked. Sebek was strong, there was no doubt about it, but there was a fear at the back of your mind that something happened to him. Something bad. You gripped the shawl around you one cold night, thinking of the possibilities, the dread of hearing the painful news…

Until the knocking on the door snapped you out of your panicked thoughts.

The mailman tipped his head to you, a rose tinted envelope with a thick purple stamp seal was handed to you. You thanked him and gave him some food for him to eat, knowing well the long distances one had to take to deliver them. 

Taking your letter opener, you quickly opened the stamp seal and opened the envelope. The smell of spring wafted into your nose, pressed flowers falling out of the envelope. Sebek’s letter was written in rich, black ink and his name signed with shimmering green.

His favorite color to use to write to you.

“My one and only,

I don’t know how well this letter will be sent while I’m on board the train but I hope that this letter finds its way to you quickly. I’ve forgotten how beautiful the sights are; the rolling mountains, the small streams that paved the way, the beautiful flower fields. Great seven, I wish you were here to see it with me.

I’ll be home soon. I can’t wait to tell you about my trip…And I can’t wait to give you your surprise. 

I love you and I can’t wait to be with you again.

Sincerely,

Sebek Zigvolt.”

A sigh of relief, a feeling of comfort had washed over you; the letter gripped and close to your chest. On the very bottom of the letter was a pressed petal taped to it. It smelled sweet and the color vibrant, you wonder to yourself how Sebek managed to snag these as he boarded the train home.

His most recent letter sits on the pile under the pictures.

He was on his way home; you were going to see him again.

You were too excited to sleep that night.

The smell of something cooking roused you from your sleep, the smell of tea, and the cracking of the firewood within the flames of the fireplace. You pushed yourself up off the bed and looked around the warm bedroom, blinking furiously.

On your nightstand isa letter with a beautiful necklace on top of it. An amethyst gem suspended by the golden chain that shone against the yellow-orange light of the fireplace.  The letter had no envelope, the paper a light purple and the ink is the same rich black from the previous letter.

“My love, 

I came home early this morning, a surplus of carriages allowed me to do so. I was happy to come home despite the late hour but I couldn’t find it in my heart to rouse you from your rest, I know you’re tired. On this letter you’ll find a necklace, something my mother found in an antique jewelry box in her vanity.

She wanted you to have and she asked that you take care of it from now on. She says that there is no doubt in my mind that it would look fantastic on you and I agree with her sentiments.”

There was a tinkering of cutlery, the sound of someone pouring tea and coffee, the pull of a chair, and the familiar footsteps of one man that was dear to you.

“There’s so much I want to tell you, I want to tell you everything about my trip, the shops I’ve seen, the places I’ve gone too, the many things I want you to see.”

There was a knock on the door and the turn of your bedroom’s door knob.

“I don’t know where to begin with how it went but…There is one thing I want to start with.”

There was that laugh from the doorway, a tray of food was placed on a nearby table. 

“I’m home, I’m finally home my love.

And I can’t wait to have breakfast with you again.

I love you. So much.

Sincerely, 

Sebek Zigvolt.”

“You always have a way with words.” You say, pushing off the sheets to stand up and falling into an embrace with him. His arms around your neck and yours around his waist. “I missed you so much.” He said into your ear. “I did too. Your letters really helped me out.”

“I can tell. You pinned the photos I sent you to the wall.” He chuckled, holding you by your shoulders. “I was not expecting that at all.” 

“And I wasn’t expecting you to come home early and make breakfast. C’mon,” you hook an arm around his waist. “Let’s eat. I’m starving.” 

“Of course.”

“Sebek?”

“Hm?”

You tipped your toes, kissing him on the cheek.

“Welcome home.”

[doomonfilm]

Thoughts : WandaVision [Disney+, Episodes 1-3] (2021)

2020 may have delayed the MCU’s rollover into Phase 4 with COVID-19 and theater closings putting a huge stumbling block in front of the perpetually delayed Black Widow film, but with box office not a factor in regards to WandaVision, the powers that be have moved forward with premiering the series on the Disney+ streaming service.  With talk of the film being a setup for the incoming Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (not to mention an alternate take on the infamous House of M comic story), the levels of intrigue were definitely high, and with the 3 of the scheduled 9 episodes currently streaming, there may be more questions than answers in the minds of viewers.

THE STORY THUS FAR

Episode 01 : Filmed Before a Live Studio Audience Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) settle into the town of Westview to begin the next chapter of their once troubled life.  One morning, Vision notices a heart placed on the calendar for that day, but Wanda and Vision are unsure of what the heart represents. After Vision leaves for work, Wanda’s neighbor Agnes (Kathryn Hahn) introduces herself, and immediately interjects herself into Wanda’s plans for the “special night”.  Vision, however, is reminded by his boss Mr. Hart (Fred Melamed) that he and his wife (Debra Jo Rupp) will be coming to Vision’s house for dinner, setting up two sets of alternate plans for a collision course to wackiness.

Episode 02 : Don’t Touch That Dial Wanda and Vision take part in the Westview talent show (”for the children”) as Glamour and Illusion for a magic act.  Agnes introduces Wanda to Dottie (Emma Caulfield Ford), the head lady of Westview, whose firm leadership style causes tension in the run-up to the event.  Vision attempts to integrate himself with the Neighborhood Watch, but a chewing gum-based mishap throws him for a major loop that puts both the magic act and the identities of Wanda and Vision at risk.

Episode 03 : Now in Color A surprise pregnancy forces Wanda and Vision to plan for welcoming a child into their home, but strange events begin to occur surrounding the pregnancy.  Rather than the standard 9 month period, Wanda’s pregnancy accelerates at an exponentially rapid rate that not only causes Vision stress, but impacts Wanda’s ability to control her magic.  When the pregnancy abruptly begins, Vision runs to fetch Dr. Nielsen (Randy Oglesby), but before they can return, Wanda’s neighbor and new friend Geraldine (Teyonah Parris) lends a hand.  In the aftermath, however, Geraldine shows her hand, causing even more confusion in Wanda’s world.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Emergency Awesome YouTube Channel

New Rockstars YouTube Channel

ScreenCrush YouTube Channel

These three YouTube channels are known for their timely and in-depth analysis of many properties, and they have continued this tradition by uploading episode recaps and element breakdowns for WandaVision.

THOUGHTS ON THE SHOW Stylistically, WandaVision is a bold choice for the MCU, opting to re-skin our main characters in different versions of nostalgic television eras and shows rather than building a unique look or leaning on established locations within the previously established MCU world.  As a former Nick at Nite junkie, as well as a product of the 1980s, I was very familiar with the numerous shows explicitly referenced, and the use of practical effects and single camera setup was emulated perfectly.  The adjustment of watching two of the MCU’s most powerful characters attempt to minimalize themselves within the formulaic framework of sitcom television from the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s is a bit of a rough one at first, as the story seemingly is traveling in the reverse direction of our expectations, but not so far beneath the primary layer shown, there seems to be a world of intrigue bubbling in the anticipation of being discovered.

Currently, there are tons of elements that seem like Easter Eggs, but I am almost certain that they will factor in as key parts of the story in due time.  The primary bit of visual stimulus that has most people buzzing is the S.W.O.R.D. imagery, an organization similar to S.H.I.E.L.D., but with a focus on intergalactic and mystic threats rather than superheroes and governmental communication.  Much of the jewelry and flare worn by the women of the show seem to contain relevant symbolism of some sort : Agnes wears a pin that seems to have 3 characters on it (perhaps a reference to Mephisto, Wiccan and Speed?), Geraldine (aka Monica Rambeau) is introduced with a pin that looks A LOT like the dimensional gateways created by Doctor Strange’s sling ring, and Geraldine later wears a necklace with the aforementioned S.W.O.R.D. symbol (which is also seen on the toy helicopter and the uniform of the mysterious beekeeper).

It is also currently unclear who the antagonist (or possible multiple antagonists) of the story are... Agnes and Dottie have both been pegged as early candidates, with tons of speculation swirling around the possibility of Agnes being Agatha Harkness and perhaps working in league with Mephisto, Grim Reaper or Nightmare.  There is also a groundswell of viewers who wonder if Wanda is the villain of the story, which leans into the House of M theory in the sense that it has not been established if Wanda is currently cognizant of her reality or not.  This theory is also fueled by the strange behavior(s) of those who inhabit Westview : most everyone falls into a sitcom trope performance when around Wanda, but at times, people seemed to get locked into weird, uncanny valley level “glitches”, or are outright accusatory of Wanda and Vision’s intentions.

The characters (and acting) in the show is solid so far, despite the lack of context or clarity in regards to the bigger picture.

Wanda is playing an Americanized, sitcom-esque version of herself.  She still seemingly has some version of her powers, as she can manipulate objects with her mind and control time.  It is unclear how much she is in control of what we’re seeing, versus someone else being in control or there being a complete lack of control.

Vision’s tragic sacrifice, rebirth and immediate death is well documented from the events of Avengers : Infinity War, and yet, he seems to be alive, devoted to Wanda, and completely unaware of his tragic deaths.  Up to this point, he feels like a bit of a pawn in a bigger game, rather than the all-powerful and all-knowing sentient synthetic weapon that he is.

Agnes is by far the biggest mystery of the show up to this point.  The lion’s share of character theories revolve around her, her references to the Devil, darkness and her absentee husband Ralph.  She is the most present character outside of Wanda and Vision, she seems to be “in on the joke”, and her demeanor is a bit more forward than the rest of Westview’s inhabitants.  Up until episode 03, Agnes felt like she may even be in control, but the fear she shows in episode 03 only serves to blur the lines further.

If Agnes seems to be the most aware of her surroundings, then Geraldine stands in stark (no pun intended) contrast, as she more often than not expresses confusion in regards to her presence in Westview.  She has adorned the symbolism of S.W.O.R.D. on her outfit, and at one point, she has a pin that resembles a dimensional gateway (as mentioned previously).  She has also made the most jarring statement of the series so far, seemingly snapping out of the “spell” everyone seems to be under and reminding Wanda directly about the tragic loss she suffered at the hands of Ultron.

With six episodes left to go, and a seemingly direct march through the relevant eras of television before we get to the root of the matter, it is highly likely that episodes four, five and six will feature further sitcom stylings of the 1980s and 1990s, and possibly even the 2000s, before switching into a standard MCU-style narrative.  Regardless, I am now hooked, and will plan to provide a blog after the release of episodes six and nine, focusing on three episodes at a time.

THE QUESTIONS As per usual with shows of this nature, there are a ton of things going on that raise a multitude of questions...

- What’s with all of the hexagon imagery?  Are we in some sort of hive, or is the town of Westview trapped in hive-mind situation?

- Who specifically is controlling Wanda’s reality?  It seems that Wanda can control the flow of time to an extent, but it has been established numerous times she is being watched from the “outside”... is it possible she is also being watched from within the world of Westview that Wanda inhabits?  Maybe by the mailman, or by Agnes?

- How “real” is the Vision that we are seeing?  Is he some sort of recreated Vision made from whatever was salvageable after his encounter with Thanos?  Is he a manifestation of Wanda in some way, shape or form?  Is Wanda connected to a computer, and is Vision just a computer program at this point, like JARVIS?

- Who is the beekeeper from the second episode?

- What’s the story with the commercials, and how do they fit into what has been presented to us?  Stark Industries, Baron Wolfgang von Strucker and HYDRA have all been referenced in the commercials directly, and all deal with elements of time and escape.  Also, who are the two people that star in the commercial?  It’s been the same two, and the woman has appeared in all three commercials?

[okskz]

Bimi Moments.

Mia + Changbin

hope you guys enjoy this cute little post. I just wanted to share some moments with bimi to see how they really are in their relationship.

please feel free to leave some feedback because it is always appreciated.

[9th Member of Stray Kids]

1. Squishy Cheeks

“You’re so cute.” Changbin giggled booping Mia’s nose. He was sitting on the sofa in the dance room while Mia was laying down, legs propped on Changbin’s lap.

He went ahead and began squishing her cheeks, causing a snort to come out of Mia. She tried to swat his hands away but he only went back to squish them some more. “So squishy.” He laughed.

“Binnie.” Mia chuckled. “Leave my cheeks alone.”

“But they’re so cute.” He said squishing them some more. He went down kissing both of her cheeks.

Mia cupped his face, connecting her lips to his and giving him small pecks.

Changbin couldn’t help but smile as she did so. “Mmm, you really do love me.” He joked, causing Mia to lightly smack his chest.

This time, he cupped her face and began attacking her with multiple kisses around her face as Mia laughed hard, trying to get him away.

He gave one of her cheeks a kiss then went on to the other one. “Tell me you love me.” He said in his usual baby voice.

“No.” Mia giggled.

He began attacking her again, this time by tickling her. Mia was laughing hesterically. It was no use of trying to get out of Changbin’s grip since he had her pinned down. “Stop it!” She cried out laughing.

“Not until you tell me you love me!”

“Okay, okay! I love you! Please stop!” Mia laughed, almost losing her breath from how hard she was laughing.

Changbin came to a complete stop, eyeing Mia softly as he went down to give her another kiss on her cheeks. “I love you, too.”

2. Gold Chain

Changbin was looking through his jewelry box, trying to find his gold chain that he would casually wear almost everyday. He always placed it back in his box, so he was confused as to why it wasn’t in there.

He looked up once seeing Mia walk into the room then back down to his jewelry box. “Hey, have you seen my gold chain?”

“Which one?”

“The one I wear all the time.”

“Oh.” Mia smiled. “You mean this one?” She questioned, taking out Changbin’s chain from under her shirt, revealing it on her neck.

“Did you seriously take my chain?”

“Yeah.” She chuckled. “It’s one of my favorites that you wear so I wanted to try it on. Don’t you think it looks good on me?” Mia questioned, looking at herself in her small mirror on her drawer.

Changbin came up from, wrapping his arms behind her. “Yeah, I think it does.” He kissed her neck than went up to kissing her cheek. “But I’m going to need that back.”

Mia turned around in Changbin’s arms so that she was facing him, having a small pout. “No, I want to wear it.”

Changbin only chuckled, kissing her forehead. “Okay, okay. You can wear it, but only because you look really good wearing it.” He smirked.

Mia jokingly rolled her eyes, shaking her head. She kissed him on the lips before smiling innocently at him. “Plus what’s yours is mine and what’s mine.” She paused. “Is still mine.”

Changbin furrowed his eyebrows at her. “I don’t think that’s how it works.”

“Yes it does.”

3. Leaving Marks

Mia and Changbin knew they should have been working on songs while being in the studio, but after getting a little side tracked, the two were now on the couch, Changbin on top of Mia, pinning her down and kissing her with much need.

He went to start kissing her down her jaw until he reached her neck. Changbin knew how much Mia loved when he would kiss her on her neck.

Burying his face to her neck, Changbin begin kissing her in one exact spot, causing Mia to let out a slight gasp as her mouth fell open.

After a little noise Mia let out, Changbin stopped for a quick second to look at her, smirking as he did so. “Someone’s really enjoying this.”

“Shut up and go back to kissing me.”

Changbin let out a small chuckle, going back to down to kiss Mia on her lips this time.

From there he went back to kissing back the same spot on her neck. Only this time, he became a little bolder by starting to slightly suck on it.

Mia bit her lip to prevent any more noises to come out of her mouth. The pleasure was taking over her until it registered in her head what Changbin was actually doing.

She shook Changbin off just a bit to make him stop his actions. “You better have not left me a mark, Seo Changbin.”

He looked at her neck, smirking and also proud of what he did. “Too late.” He laughed, going back to place a small kiss on the mark.

4. Popular

“Being here reminds me of when I used to go to school.”

“And how exactly was Seo Changbin in school?” Mia questioned.

They were standing side by side in the middle of the bleachers, viewing the whole field. The group was in the middle of shooting their music video for On Track, but were currently taking a small break.

“Oh, I was very popular.” Changbin grinned.

“Kind of hard to believe.” Mia joked.

Changbin’s face dropped, causing Mia to burst into laughter. “I was!” Changbin exclaimed. “All the girls wanted me.”

“Is that so?” Mia rolled her eyes.

Changbin eyed her, having a small smirk forming on his lips when noticing the evident jealousy in her eyes. “Yeah, I would sometimes participate in talent shows and every time I got off stage, so many girls would come up to me saying how talented and awesome I was.”

Mia shook her head, smiling at Changbin. “Stop lying. As if any girl would want you.”

“Aren’t you dating me?”

The girl became speechless as she stared at Changbin, realizing she set herself up. Her silence caused Changbin to start laughing, pinching her cheeks. “Got nothing to say now huh?”

“You’re so annoying.” She groaned.

“And you’re cute.” He leaned over the ramp, resting his arms. He looked at Mia who couldn’t help but continue to stare at Changbin. “But don’t be jealous, baby. Many girls may want me but I only got eyes for you.” He winked.

“Who said anything about me being jealous?!”

5. Animal Crossing

Changbin had a smile plastered on his face as he made his way inside to the dance studio after asking Mia where she was at.

Opening the door, his smile never left his lips as he walked towards Mia. “Hola, mi amor.” (Hello, my love)

Mia was taken back just a little after hearing him talk in Spanish. “Hello to you too.” She chuckled. “Where were you?”

“Did someone miss me that much?” He questioned, wrapping an arm around her back.

“Get over yourself.”

Changbin only chuckled before going in for a kiss. “I was out buying you something.”

Mia furrowed her eyebrows as Changbin raised his other arm which was carrying a gift bag in his hand. “What did you get me?”

“Open it and see.”

Changbin handed her the gift bag in which Mia took from him and slowly took out the tissue paper. From seeing the top of the box that was pink looking, Mia began to smile big as she took it out the bag. “You got me a switch?”

“Mhm.” Changbin smiled, enjoying how happy Mia was getting. “Look in the bag again.”

She looked inside again, slightly gasping as she took out a game. “And you got me Animal Crossing.”

“Yes, now you can stop bothering me saying how much you want it.” He joked. “Do you like it?”

Mia lightly slapped his arm before wrapping her arms around his neck. “Of course I love it.” She kissed him. “Thank you so much, Binnie.”

Changbin went down to kiss Mia again. “What can I say? I’m the best boyfriend ever.”

[pagesoflauren]

A Thousand Years (vampire!Jack x reader AU) - Chapter 15

(the amount of times I’ve reused gifs is crazy WE NEED MORE JACK CONTENT)

Summary: Y/N graduates and Jack is constantly confused.

Ya girl is graduating :)

Y/N sends a picture of her approved graduation form to Jack on snapchat, along with a thumbs up emoji.

A few minutes later, she opens a video Jack sent in reply. It’s not his face, but rather Socks on his scratching post.

“Socks, mummy’s graduating! What do you have to say to that?”

Socks doesn’t vocalize his excitement, rather he stares into the camera with his green eyes in what Y/N can describe as annoyance.

“He says congratulations,” she hears Jack say off camera before the screen switches to his face. “I’m so proud of you, lass! Promise dinner will be great tonight so we can celebrate. I love you!”

She laughs as she walks through the quad to the library, meeting with her friends to study for their impending exams, the last hurdle before graduation. They’re well into studying when the table vibrates as Y/N’s phone buzzes to life.

She picks up her phone, rushing out of the library when she sees the caller location: Cologne, Germany.

“Hello?” she answers in a rush. “Hallo, das ist Dr. Morrison.” “Hi, Dr. Morrison, my name’s Y/N.”

He clears his throat and speaks in a Scottish accent, “Oh, hello. I forgot your messages were in English. What can I do for you, Y/N?”

“Are you,” she hesitates and gathers herself in, trying to keep her hopes from getting too high in case it isn’t him, “are you Thomas Morrison?” “Yes, I am.” “Born in 1850?”

There’s a pause. Y/N feels a slow drip of disappointment and for a moment she believes she has the wrong Thomas Morrison. “Yes, that’s me.”

She smiles, breathes a sigh of relief at the thought of actually finding him. She feels tears well up in her eyes. “Dr. Morrison, I have been looking for you for so long and I’m so glad I finally found you.”

He laughs a bit, “Well, I’m at your service, miss.” “I’m currently dating one of your old friends. Jack Lowden? Does that name sound familiar?” “Jack?” he says in a tone of surprise, “How is he?” “He’s wonderful.” “Will you please tell him I’m so sorry I stopped contacting him?” he asks quickly, “I didn’t mean to forget to add my new address in my last letter.” “You can tell him in person, if you’d like. His birthday’s next month. I’d like to bring him to Cologne to see you. Is that possible?” “Yes. Yes, it absolutely is. Here, I’ll give you my mobile and we can call or text; however you’d like to arrange this.” “Wonderful, thank you so much.”

She commits the phone number to memory, repeating it to herself several times before she gets the opportunity to add him to her contacts list. When she finishes, she lets out a gleeful squeal, feeling doubly accomplished after successfully getting approval for graduation and finally getting into touch with Jack’s best friend.

Jack sat proudly in the upper level seats of the theatre, a large bouquet of flowers in his lap as he sat next to Y/N’s parents. A small box rests in his hand, piquing her mother’s interest, though Jack was quick to dismiss her suspicions.

“S’not that quite yet. Maybe soon, though.”

She pats his knee and squeezes it, smiling knowingly at him.

As the lights flicker on and off to let everyone know the ceremony was going to start in a matter of minutes, Jack knew if his heart still worked, it’d be beating out of his chest. The pride he felt for his girl was unfathomable, spreading from his chest until he felt it all the way in the tips of his toes. She’d worked so hard to walk down the aisle, even earning honors and wearing a cord around her neck to show it.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome your Spring 2018 Graduates!”

“Pomp and Circumstance” all but blasted through the speakers in the large room, calling everyone’s attention to the procession of students filing in from the atrium on the lower floor. It was utter chaos, completely different from the graduation ceremonies Jack knew. It was one thing when Y/N had spent days upon days dedicating hours at a time to decorating her cap (his graduation cap was plain when he graduated), but it was a shock to see the students move in a sort of herd rather than an orderly line.

He spotted the one person he was looking for rather easily, pointing her out to her parents before they scrambled to get a good video of her walking with her friends. This confused Jack even more; during his ceremony, they walked in alphabetical order. He knew Y/N��s last name was nowhere near Lily’s and Maeve’s, and was on the other side of the alphabet to George’s.

“I don’t understand,” he begins, leaning towards Y/N’s mum, “How are they gonna call her name? Is she just gonna stand? She’s not gonna walk across the stage?” “No, darling, she will. She wrote her name on a card and she’ll give it to a faculty member and they’ll read her name as she walks across the stage.” “Oh.”

He’s still very confused.

After the ceremony, Jack eagerly waited under a lamp post with Y/N’s parents. He had hoped he hadn’t embarrassed her too much; he had cheered rather obnoxiously when her name was called (as in, “WOOHOO THAT’S MY GIRL! I LOVE YOU!”), standing and waving his arms so she could see him, blowing kisses and whistling loud enough for people to hear him across the street. She had sheepishly waved back, blowing kisses as she walked back to her seat.

He spots her and her friends, wandering about the plaza in front of the theater trying to find their parents. She spots him quickly and rushes to him, which excites him but also worries him because he doesn’t want her to trip in her heels.

He’s not hurt when she goes to her parents first, hugging them and smiling as they drape a lei around her neck. Her parents kiss her on the cheek, saying their congratulations and wiping away tears of pride. When she turns to him, his chest feels like it may explode.

“Congratulations, my love,” he says, handing her the flowers and holding her close.

“Thank you,” she breathes, “I love you.”

“I love you, too. I’m so proud of you,” he whispers, arms tight around her waist as he kisses her cheek.

“Here,” she says as she pulls away, “I got you each of a stole of gratitude.”

She pulls off the strips of fabric, putting it on her parents’ shoulders. “For always supporting me in everything I’ve done, sending me off to get an education, raising me with a good head on my shoulders and a brain inside that good head and everything in between,” she says, kissing each of their cheeks. She turns to Jack, who slightly bends at the waist to make it easier for her to hang it around his shoulders. “For loving me and being so patient with me. For taking care of me and believing in me.”

“Don’t need to thank me for that, lass,” he mumbles quietly, tears filling his eyes as his hand comes up to cradle her face. “Here, got you something else.”

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out the jewelry box, pulling the lid open to reveal a gold locket engraved with an image of the sun and flowers.

“Had it made,” he says as he gently takes it out of the box, paying special attention to the delicate chain, “took a few weeks but it turned out great.”

“What?” she asks, though she knows exactly what he said.

“Happy graduation,” he says, handing it to her.

Y/N pops the clasp and opens the charm, finding a picture of Jack is his RAF uniform for his army portrait, like something that would be neatly displayed over a fireplace in his family home. On the other side is an engraving in curly letters in almost microscopic text: With all my love.

“I thought the engraving might’ve been a little cheesy but,” he pauses to clear his throat, “I-I never got to give one to anyone before, so I may as well pull out all the stops.” “No, it’s not at all,” she says, snapping the locket closed, “It’s perfectly you.”

They share a moment, adoring gazes exchanged and no feelings other than happy, bright ones bursting through their chests.

“Will you put it on for me?” she asks, holding the chain out for him to take. “Of course.”

He reached around her neck to fasten it, hooking the ends of the chain into each other.

He watches as she’s suddenly swept away by her friends for photos, and even joins in when they call him too. Y/N gets some photos on her own as well, posing with her cap on and off before she motions for Jack to stand next to her with his stole still around his shoulders. She fixes her cap onto his head, allowing for her parents to capture a few candids of them together, looking so blissfully content in each other’s company.

After dinner, Jack drove Y/N home and carried her into the house. She had abandoned her heels after a few too many glasses of wine, though her parents couldn’t be bothered because they were celebrating after all.

“I’m so happy, Jack,” she hiccups as he carries her up the stairs. “You’re kinda strong, aren’t you?”

Jack chuckles, knowing exactly what she’s referencing when she asks that question, “Just a bit, yeah.” He kisses her cheek as he reaches the top of the stairs, maneuvering around the cats as they lounged in the dark hallway.

He sets her down once they reach the bedroom, watching her carefully as she tiptoes to the bathroom to get ready for bed. She emerges a few minutes later, face bared and hair loose around her face after being pinned back all day. Her dress hangs folded over her arm as she grabs a hanger to put it back into the closet before she turns to the dresser.

He knows what she’s after before she even voices it, handing her one of his old t-shirts to wear. She smiles at him, taking the garment and pulling it over her head. She all but leaps into his arms, whispering proclamations of love to him that he reciprocates. It’s a nice moment until she gasps loudly, pushing him away and rushing to her bedside table.

“I got you something,” she says pulling out an envelope. “Here.”

Jack takes it from her, brows furrowing in confusion as he pulls out two train tickets for Cologne, Germany.

“What’s in Cologne?”

“Your birthday present.”

Tagging: @albionscastle